Re: The Golf Thread (III)

[JGK]

I stayed up to watch (4am FFS). Totally worth it although I am trashed today.

That putting on the back nine in was insane. The one on the 17th was clutch.

Also a shout out to the other Cameron (Young) who also played a blinder but just left a couple of putts short.

[JGK]

Rory's home I reckon.

Nice work. Form is temporary, class is permanent.

I do feel like part of that Claret Jug belongs to me.

[skully]

Just watched the last round on Foxy.

Wow, what a back 9 by Smith. Once he hit the lead with his 5th straight birdie on 14, he wasn't caught. Then he iced it with birdie on 18 for a remarkable 64.

Rory looked crestfallen standing on the 18th tee as he watched Cam sink another birdie to mean that the Northern Ireland man needed eagle to force a play-off.

The outcomes were mirror-reversed from the 3rd round. Rory stormed into the lead and dropped putts from everywhere on Day 3, Smith couldn't buy a putt. It was completely opposite on the last day.

Viva La Cam Smith!!!!

[JGK]

The par on the 17th was the best of all - he misses that and there's probably a 3 way playoff.

[skully]

And yet the whole thing was calm as fark. If it was a Tiger charge it would have been a riot.

Cam quietly went about his business and suddenly he was in the lead and wouldn't be caught.

Legend.

[tricycle]

Made a stupid mistake on the 72nd in sawgrass as well. Both on scorching final rounds. Got away each time with good follow up shots.

[beamer]

Rory apparently the first player since such records began to lead a major after 54 holes, hit every green in regulation in the final round and not win.

Maybe that will tempt him to switch to LIV

[Fred Nerk]

I sat up for the whole drama. First bogey or missed six-footer from the M&ST and I was outta there and horizontal. It never came.

I feel like I am finally shot of the ghosts of the 96 Masters.and other nightmares - edp with the chief ghost having been warned out of the venue.

[skully]

"M&ST" - I think that'll stick, trike & Nerkles.

[tricycle]

The aforementioned Indonesian Masters. End up rooting for players like him and Koepka... both players who made their initial mark on the Asian and European tours (more that I watched it and Koepka was a clear star in the Challenge tour itself).

Anyway, the rumours of Smith joining LIV have really gathered steam post his Open win. His answers seem a bit like the non Mickelson LIV players 4-5 months ago. Matsuyama being the other recent major champion. Would say the likes of Scott are the ideal LIV types. Might even be more affinity given how the PGA tour has eaten into the Australian PGA tour calendar.

If this happens, and with 2 LIVs in the top 10 of the open (with one in 11th)... doubt the Majors would stick by the status quo.

[skully]

Many would've been sniggering at Floppy Phil missing the cut in the Open.

Yeah, strong word that Cam Smith will defect.

[beamer]

Surely the only counter is for the established tours to combine as one World Tour, as per tennis?

[skully]

US arrogance may prevent that, beams.

[tricycle]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-06-13/linn-grant-first-female-golfer-twin-mens-european-tour/101147066

8th at the Evian Championship. 4 off the winner Henderson.

[skully]

Hey trike, how long have they been allowing the pin to stay in when players are putting?

[tricycle]

Was changed 2-3 years ago. I think it was along with the free drop from knee height change

[skully]

Cheers, t.

Always struck me as a dumb rule to be penalised 2 shots if you hit the pin while putting on the green.

[JGK]

Cheers, t.

Always struck me as a dumb rule to be penalised 2 shots if you hit the pin while putting on the green.

Golf with dumb rules? I find that hard to believe.

[skully]

[tricycle]

Bleak days for the European tour. Looks like it's hurtling down the Australian PGA Tour way. Particularly with the 20 events talk in addition to the top 10 getting PGA Tour cards.

The Korn ferry tour already has the stronger SoFs. The Asian tour will leapfrog it as well due to being a qualification tour for liv. Could end up being 4-5th tour in the world soon enough.

[tricycle]

Fortinet looks like it'll get more ranking points than the PGA championship at Wentworth

New golf rankings suck... and somehow favour the PGA tour again.

Hovland rumoured to be the next to join LIV. Another one not happy with the McIlroy Tiger proposals.

[tricycle]

The two worlds right now... Tom Kim is looking the best international player in a crap president's cup. Product of the Korean and Asian tours.

The flip side, the Asian tour winner this week, Travis smyth, got 2 owgr points (0.05 points assuming 40 tournaments).

Even ignoring LIV, the ranking system is broken. And it's a huge problem for all the non pga tours.

[beamer]

There should only be one elite tour anyway, as with tennis… sounds like travel-shy Yanks are the issue, as to why that hasn’t happened.

Mind you, tennis has also screwed up its rankings by excluding Wimbledon because we wouldn’t let the Russians play. Apart from the one who moved to Boratistan and won the women’s singles, that is… so Djokovic is ranked number 7 etc. which will only distort tournaments going forwards.

[tricycle]

Excluding liv from the rankings is doing the same fwiw.

One elite tour is only good if that tour hasn't got a history of devouring competition.... Australia pga tour, for example. Or the world matchplay championship at Wentworth (let's be honest, it has a far superior winner roll than the WGC matchplay).

We've already seen Aphibarnrat and Lahiri speak about problems Asians face in the US. Colsaerts too way back...

The PGA Tour has always been too insular and the death of other tours will relegate golf to MLB status around the world.

[tricycle]

More bad news for British and European golf... The Europro tour is shutting down.

Seriously good development tour to get into the challenge tour. The Alps tour and Lawrie's tartan tour will need to do a lot more heavy lifting.

Graduates- Oosthuizen, Schwartzel, Fleetwood, Hatton, Donaldson, Rai and many more.

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