***Official Open Championship Thread***

[Eurotrash]

wtf, I'm always too late to start these threads. I'm starting the one for the PGA Championship a week early if I have to. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]


First groups tee off in about 2 hours I think, I can't wait. really looking forward to hearing Peter Alliss's commentary on the broadcasts.

[Clarkmeister]

Odds To Win 135th Open Championship
101 T. Woods +450
102 P. Mickelson +950
103 V. Singh +1400
104 E. Els +1700
105 P. Harrington +2000
106 R. Goosen +2000
107 L. Donald +2000
108 J. Furyk +2400
109 D. Howell +3500
110 A. Scott +4000
111 S. Garcia +3250
112 D. Clarke +3150
113 C. Montgomerie +3400
115 P. Casey +4500
116 G. Ogilvy +4500
117 M. Campbell +5000
118 T. Bjorn +4500
119 S. Appleby +4500
120 L. Westwood +8000
121 H. Stenson +8000
122 J.M. Olazabal +6000
123 J. Edfors +8500
124 A. Cabrera +7000
125 Tim Clark +5000
126 I. Poulter +7500
127 N. O Hern +7000
128 M. Weir +7500
129 D. Love III +8400
130 S. Ames +10000
131 R. Allenby +9000
132 T. Lehman +17500
133 P. McGinley +11000
135 K. Perry +11500
136 G. McDowell +12500
137 Rod Pampling +12500
141 Z. Johnson +17500
142 S. Verplank +12000
143 KJ. Choi +17500
144 F. Couples +17500
145 C. Campbell +12500
146 C. Dimarco +17500
147 S. Cink +10000
148 N. Fasth +17500
149 M. Jimenez +10000
150 V. Taylor +22500
151 R. Sabbatini +20000
152 R. Green +20000
153 N. Dougherty +20000
154 J. Daly +20000
155 B. Van Pelt +20000
156 Greg Owen +17500
157 B. Curtis +17500
158 J. Senden +17500
159 S. Dyson +25000
160 S. Dodd +22500
161 K. Ferrie +20000
162 L. Glover +15000
164 Bart Bryant +20000
165 B. Wetterich +20000
166 J. Kelly +25000
168 D. Duval +22500
169 M. Hensby +22500
170 S. O Hair +22500
171 B. Rumford +30000
172 J. Maggert +30000
173 T. Pernice +30000
174 JB. Holmes +25000
175 S. Elkington +30000
176 P. Hedblom +30000
177 R. Sterne +35000
178 T. Purdy +30000
179 S. Kjeldsen +35000
180 P. Price +35000
181 A. Oberholser +15000
182 B. Langer +27500
183 B. Lane +35000
184 J. Lyle +40000
185 D. Smail +40000
186 Nick Faldo +40000
187 S. Wakefield +40000
188 L. Slattery +40000
190 S. Kapur +40000
194 C. Rodiles +40000
198 J. Donaldson +35000
201 B. Quigley +30000
202 C. Schwartzel +17500
203 A. Baddeley +22500
204 J. Bickerton +35000
205 J. Sluman +35000
206 M. Goggin +30000
207 A. Romero +25000
208 S. Khan +25000
209 M. Calcavecchia +30000
210 S. Katayama +35000
211 C. Pettersson +12500

The 135th Open Championship: Finishing position
Will T. Woods finish in top 5? (ties included)
801 Yes +121
802 No -131
Will P. Mickelson finish in top 8? (ties included)
803 Yes +162
804 No -172
Will V. Singh finish in top 10? (ties included)
805 Yes +129
806 No -139
Will E. Els finish in top 10? (ties included)
807 Yes +160
808 No -170
Will P. Harrington finish in top 12? (ties include
809 Yes +139
810 No -149
Will R. Goosen finish in top 14? (ties included)
811 Yes +160
812 No -170
Will L. Donald finish in top 14? (ties included)
813 Yes +140
814 No -150
Will J. Furyk finish in top 14? (ties included)
815 Yes +142
816 No -152
Will D. Howell finish in top 16? (ties included)
817 Yes +160
818 No -170
Will A. Scott finish in top 20? (ties included)
819 Yes +137
820 No -147
Will S. Garcia finish in top 20? (ties included)
821 Yes +149
822 No -159
Will D. Clarke finish in top 20? (ties included)
823 Yes +118
824 No -128
Will C. Montgomerie finish in top 20? (ties includ
825 Yes +114
826 No -124

[HDPM]

Best course in general or best set-up. I suppose we should clarify. But I think it is pretty clear Augusta is worse than it was 10 years ago because the rough is incompatible with its original design ideal and Winged Foot was less than it should have been due to the USGA set up. It wasn't ruined as much as Pinehurst tho. This should be the more exciting than either the Masters or US Open this year, and if so it will probably be because the course is playing as golf was meant to be played. I like the rule changes, the ball being the most important. Losing the long putter would be nice.

[tuq]

No offense to Euro, but given his record and despite his swing coach's statements about changing his game to fit this event, I can NOT believe Phil's odds in this event. He has what, ONE top ten in 13 tries? That's terrible. If he were applying for a credit card using that history, he'd have about a 500 rating.

Sentimental favorite = Moonty. Actual favorites = Paddy Harrington or James Furyk. Overrated = Tiger.

[HDPM]

Surprised that I saw one of those factoids that said Furyk hadn't made a cut in several years in the Open. I think since 2000 or something. he had the 2 4th place finishes in the '90's but has been on a bad streak. Surprising because you always figure Furyk will play well there. Maybe this year.

Tiger overrated? Big statement there. Perhaps his chances to win a particular tournament get overhyped, but hard to say he is overrated I think.

[Schwartzy61]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Well the last time Tiger played with someone who had some negative remarks about him, he dispatched him as quickly as is mathematically possible in a match play format (Ames, 9 and 8 at the World Match Play championship).

[/ QUOTE ]

Poor analogy. Tiger was playing the man (match-play). Tomorrow he will be playing the course. Faldo will be the last thing on his mind.

[/ QUOTE ]

Except for the fact that he'll be watching Faldo swing. He'll be keeping Faldo's score. And on the first tee they will announce Faldo's name. So it's hard to say Faldo will be the last thing on his mind all things considered. It's basically bulletin board material for Tiger at this point. Whatever he can use to give himself that little extra motivation.

[tuq]

[ QUOTE ]
Tiger overrated? Big statement there. Perhaps his chances to win a particular tournament get overhyped, but hard to say he is overrated I think.

[/ QUOTE ]
Good point, but in this instance I meant relative to his odds. FWIW I haven't seen a leaderboard yet, and coverage doesn't start on TNT for about an hour (seriously thinking about a sick day/telecommuting).

[ligastar]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Well the last time Tiger played with someone who had some negative remarks about him, he dispatched him as quickly as is mathematically possible in a match play format (Ames, 9 and 8 at the World Match Play championship).

[/ QUOTE ]

Poor analogy. Tiger was playing the man (match-play). Tomorrow he will be playing the course. Faldo will be the last thing on his mind.

[/ QUOTE ]

Except for the fact that he'll be watching Faldo swing. He'll be keeping Faldo's score. And on the first tee they will announce Faldo's name. So it's hard to say Faldo will be the last thing on his mind all things considered. It's basically bulletin board material for Tiger at this point. Whatever he can use to give himself that little extra motivation.

[/ QUOTE ]




Clarification: The "controversy" with Faldo will be the last thing on his mind.

[HDPM]

Thrilled to see the coverage cut away to commercial and a recap as Tiger was headed to 3 tee.

[HDPM]

Yeah, the odds on Tiger are often poor, and there was some big money bet on him according to some news reports. But betting against Tiger often isn't profitable either. [img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]