Saturday
Jun142008
Final Round Fodder
Yes, I saw it all from 13 on (this starts the make up process for leaving the 1986 Masters early, doesn't it?). It's a day I'll never forget, how's that for an original thought?
I know, so much to say, but hey, it's almost 9 o'clock and I've been here since 7 a.m. and I'll be back here at 6:30, so off to dinner. You can get a sneak preview of Sunday's setup here at GolfDigest.com, with photos of what No. 14 will look like. Yep, Mike confirmed that it's going up.
Post away, should be a dandy Sunday!
Saturday, June 14, 2008 at 08:43 PM
Reader Comments (43)
Around here, it seems that the game of golf exists purely so that architects can design courses....that golf course design is much more important than golf itself. The corollary is that anything that makes life harder for designers is bad for the game. The ball, developers, and any money that does NOT go straight to the designers.
So Torrey is an undistinguished public course which was apparently designed by the ner-do-well son or nephew of a real designer, and it was upgraded by the truly evil Rees Jones - for all the wrong reasons.
And now it seems that Rees was correct. Hmmmn.
I am not a big fan of Rees, but I have to admit, the 18th plays well as a finishing hole and the par 5 where Ernie and Phil crashed and burned made for interesting shots. Whether Rees created those holes in that fashion I don't know, they may have existed previously.
I agree with Adam, now that set-up is being talked up, maybe architecture can be next?
It's not an either/or; it's a balance, and hats off to Mike Davis and the USGA for getting the balance right this time.
I've played Bethpage Black my whole life, and I was disappointed in the '02 Open, because I felt the setup overwhelmed the integrity of the course. There isn't a course in the world that can't be turned into a stern Open test by stretching the tees, narrowing the fairways, and speeding the greens. It became Generic Tough Open Layout. Tiger won, but it wasn't memorable.
Yesterday was memorable.
When we talk about last year's Open, we mostly talk about Oakmont. This year, we'll talk about Tiger -- to our grandchildren, no doubt. It doesn't take a great course to be a great stage, so this week doesn't mean Torrey Pines has become Pine Valley. But, no doubt, kudos to the USGA, and I hope Billy Payne et al. are paying attention.
Cut to Tiger seizing the lead with an eagle...
Wonder if he and Stevie had a little spat?
No credit to rees on the 18th as it was expected to be a typical USGA converted par 4
It used to be you got it primarily coming out of commercial or when a non contender sank a long snaking putt. And they used to always add the caveat, 'This was a moment ago...'. Not so much any more.
There was a CBS (?) broadcast of a lesser event this year I swear was more tape delayed than live.
The announcers sound like geniuses of course. Commenting on events where they already know the outcome. Maybe in someone's eyes that's a more 'polished' broadcast!
Johnny Miller embarrassed all sports commentators when he decided to use the telustrator to show the viewers where Tiger's left knee was. Uh, which one is the left again, Johnny? Johnny, what's a knee? In primetime, no less. It'll be harder to continue to argue that he's the best there is (right now).
The crowd reaction in a US Open is rarely directly related to the quality of a player's shot. I don't know how guys like Tiger can ignore all those yahoos screaming after every shot.
Just imagine how good that playoff would have been last night. Now, I can't even find it on my channel guide - I'm going to have to set the DVR to record 7 hours of regular NBC programming in hopes that the US Open coverage is on there somewhere.
I'm eating my words about the US open right now - it wasn't the slow march that I've come to dislike. The setup allowed for some legitimate birdie & eagle chances along with the usual threat of bogey or worse. I never thought I'd say this, but the US Open has moved ahead of the Masters in terms of excitement at this point. Congrats to Mike Davis. P.S. anyone think they'll be able to get away with this type of setup at one of those stuffy private courses? Isn't it the members who are most concerned about 'protecting' the course?
If Tiger tries not to make it 'all about the knee', why can't the commentators & crew rise to the occasion and just focus on the shot once in a while? At one point, I thought they'd stop showing the ball landing in favor of just focusing on Tiger's pants.
jneu - I was nodding my head at all of your above comments. Well said, especially the Phil points.
How many times have we seen Tiger in his career hit a drive that is way to the left or right, only to see him either get a favorable lie, or some miraculous kick, a drop, etc.
Bomb and Gouge golf at its best.
The ob stakes is the only answer I can think of at the moment, but that goes against my thinking that if you can hit your ball, it's in play.
Keith86: Are you serious? I can't think of too many sports where Advil is a performance enhancer.