Open Championship Review

The Open Championship, held last week at Royal St. George's in Sandwich, England was the third of the 4 Majors on the PGA Tour. However, the only thing major about the tournament was that it was a major disappointment.

Sure we had the sentimental winner in Darren Clarke - another Major winner from Northern Ireland - who lost his wife to cancer a number of years ago, and has been a good golfer for a while now but never hoisted a Major championship trophy. Clarke battled through stretches of bad weather all week to come out on top.

His was a nice storyline, but to me it wasn't the biggest story of the week. Two big stories emerged as the week wore on. The first is that golf has become increasingly boring as Tiger's absence from the tour continues. His lack of presence was the elephant in the room all week. Golf just doesn't feel the same. No matter how much the people behind the curtain at the PGA Tour try to get me pumped up about guys like Bubba Watson, Dustin Johnson, Rickie Fowler, Hunter Mahan and the like, I just can't do it. At some point these guys have to do something for me to get excited about. Truth be told, Fowler had a nice week and finished in the top 5. But Johnson had another choke job in the final holes of a major as he dumped his 2nd shot out of bounds on 14. I don't even know where the others finished - which isn't a good sign.

Mickelson made a late charge but then reverted back to his usual Open Championship style and after getting to -6 and sharing the lead, finished the rest of his round +4 to end at -2 and T3. Even a Mickelson win, though, would not have saved this tournament for me. It would have been a better outcome for American golf, obviously. But it still wouldn't drive ratings. There's still only one guy that can do that.

The other story line from this week was what a whiny bitch Rory McIlroy turned into on Sunday. He struggled all week in the bad weather, and his shot selection was very questionable. Coming off his big win at the U.S. Open, everyone - himself included - expected more. But it was his remarks after the tournament that were disheartening for Rory fans.

"I'm not a fan of golf tournaments where the outcome is predicted so much by the weather. It's not my sort of golf."

"...there's no point in changing your game for one week a year."

"My game is suited basically for every golf course and most conditions but I don't enjoy playing in these conditions, really. I'd rather play when it's 80 degrees and sunny and there's not much wind."

Wow. You can't have your cake and eat it too, Rors. Those comments just come off as petty and spoiled and quite frankly remind me of something Sergio Garcia would have said in his younger years. He was pampered and protected and look where that got him. McIlroy is too good to have that kind of attitude. Does it suck that some guys get stuck in the bad weather and other guys get some calm conditions? Yes. But can you dig down deep and compete? Yes. And how about how those comments sort of throw his fellow countryman and winner Darren Clarke under the bus? He competed in the bad weather and won. So what are you saying? He just "lucked out"?

McIlroy, who already passed on a number of big tournaments in the U.S. - including TPC Sawgrass - isn't doing himself any favors with the U.S. fans. If this guy is supposed to fill Tiger's shoes I think we're all in trouble. If there's one thing Americans don't appreciate it is a whiny European. McIlroy is in need of an attitude adjustment - and I for one am hoping that Tiger returns to give it to him. Something tells me he's sitting at home rehabbing and just licking his chops at getting a shot at this kid.

U.S. Open Wrap-Up - Bad News for American Golf

Now we know why Tiger's eat their young!

Step aside Tiger, there's a new sheriff in town and his name is Rory McIlroy. After completely unraveling on Sunday at The Master's with a 4 stroke lead after 54 holes, Rors came roaring back at the very next major and totally blew the doors off the competition for a week. He became the first since Woods to win the Open while leading wire-to-wire and posted the lowest ever U.S. Open score. Among the many records he set he also became the youngest Open champ since Bobby Jones in 1923 at the ripe age of 22.

Before the week started I would have figured that the winning score might be somewhere in the -5 to -6 range, with the course playing soft all week due to heavy rains leading up to the tournament. Never in a million years would I believe that -16 would be the winning score. (And actually, if you take out McIlroy I would have been right on the money.) That is an insane performance at the U.S. Open - soft greens or not.

Part of me thinks that because we remember so well what Tiger did just a little over a decade ago at Pebble Beach that Rory isn't really getting his due for this performance. Watching it yesterday, it felt so much more anticlimactic than Woods' performance in 2000.

Nonetheless, he's getting his due here on Dueling Couches. That was a masterpiece unlike any I've witnessed and I'm looking forward seeing many more from him in the years to come.


As for the rest of the field, Jason Day finished in 2nd after a great weekend of play. And Y.E. Yang and Lee Westwood finished in a tie for 3rd along with Robert Garrigus, and Kevin Chappel. Nowhere on the leaderboard were any of the young hotshot Americans that everyone likes to keep talking about.


Dustin Johnson: T23 +1
Anthony Kim: T54 +7
Bubba Watson: T63 +9
Rickie Fowler: Missed Cut +5
Hunter Mahan: Missed Cut +5
Ben Crane: Missed Cut +6
Nick Watney: Missed Cut +6

Disgusting. It's the rest of the world's game right now. Hell, Northern Ireland has produced the last two U.S. Open champions. The group of young American golfers mentioned above haven't done anything to warrant all the attention that they get. Between them they have a combined 17 wins on tour, but no majors - though Watson and Johnson have both been close. Kim admittedly needs to focus more on golf and Fowler seems more concerned about being a fashion icon than winning tournaments.

I realize I'm being harsh, and that winning on tour is not an easy thing for any golfer, especially with how much competition there is now. However, I know these guys have tons of game and I'm just getting sick of hearing about how this could be their big break. Enough with the Twitter and youtube. I want to see some damn trophies! Tiger spoiled us all for a long time, and that reign looks to be all but assuredly over. The world team is full of good young golfers who actually WIN tournaments and don't worry about making stupid online music videos. One of those losers made the cut this week - and he finished plus 9. Nice.

Time to put up or shut up for these guys. Only Fowler can even still be considered young. The others are in their 30s or close to it.

That's it from the golf world for now. Check back as we get closer to the British Open from Royal St. George's - a fantastic course.

Whoever Thought This Weekends Tournament Was Exciting/ Fun To Watch Is An Asshole

I don't mean to be the bearer of bad news but the US Open sucked. Anyone who says they enjoyed this 22 year old hobbit win the tournament by a billion shots wire to wire is an asshole and a liar. There was nothing fun about what happened this weekend, it was just Rory McIlroy whooping everyones ass.

I try to get into watching golf, I do, and maybe it's because I don't play it so I don't understand the enjoyment of it. At the same time I drive a car and I hate NASCAR, so I guess that goes against that argument. But there was only one good tournament I have ever watched and that was the Tiger vs Rocco Mediate extra course one. Other than that, I would pretty much want to watch anything else.

I don't know what it is about this McIroy kid either, but I hate his face. His face is as unlikeable as John Lackey's. I don't care for him, I don't root for him, and I hope he goes away. The only cool thing about him is the fact Shane McMahon (Vince McMahon's son from the WWF) is representing him.

In conclusion, the US Open blew donkey balls, and I don't care about golf until Tiger comes back, or at least an American that doesn't look like a scumbag turdburger.

2011 U.S. Open Preview - Top Contenders

Well, now that hockey is over we can get to covering real sports. Nothing says summer has arrived like the start of the U.S. Open. The way The Master's marks the beginning of spring, Father's Day weekend and the U.S. Open bring to mind BBQ and bathing suits. No? Ok, but summer is here and the golf season is heating up...even if the most compelling figure in the sport is sidelined with a bum knee and a sore vagina - I mean ego.

The Open is always the toughest test of golf, with the United States Golf Association (USGA) setting up the nation's finest public courses to be a brutal examination of a player's skill and mental fortitude. From Pebble Beach to Bethpage Black these are not typically courses where you will see really low numbers on the leader board. Such is the case with the 2011 venue - Congressional Country Club in Washington, D.C. suburb of Bethesda, Maryland.

In the shadow of the White House looms a monster of a golf course that has been made even tougher for The Open. The event has not been held there since 1997 when Ernie Els hoisted the trophy and looked like he might be on his way to a monumental career before Tiger emerged and relegated Els to an also-ran. Congressional is the home for regular PGA Tour event the AT&T Classic, but will play quite different this week.

For starters there is a new finishing hole with what used to be #17. With water around the green on the long par 4 there should be plenty of drama on the final hole as the weekend draws to a close. The course has been lengthened by about 360 yards total. The sand is deeper and fluffier, with shaved grass around bunkers that will allow for more balls to trickle in. All told the course should be a very difficult, but a very fair assessment of one's golf game. There will be opportunities to take some risks and get some rewards, but those risks had better be well calculated.

As for who is going to win this week it is anyone's guess. With the force that once was Tiger now all but seemingly gone from the game of golf a plethora of up-and-coming contenders have risen up to give golf a bright future. And don't forget about guys like Phil Mickelson - still seeking his first U.S. Open title, and Ernie Els who has a very good U.S. Open track record with two titles to his name.

Don't look to the top 2 players in the world (all playing together on Thursday by the way) for a winner. Luke Donald, Lee Westwood have 0 majors between them, but that won't stop many from picking either to win. Both come in playing well in 2011, but I don't think they have the kind of game that will fair well at a U.S. Open. While the top 3 players in the world are all from foreign soil, I actually think the Americans will end their major drought this week. If you're looking to pick a winner here's my list of U.S. Open Top 10 Contenders.

1. Dustin Johnson, USA - Looking to break through with first major after two collapses last year at U.S. Open and PGA. Combo of length off tee and accuracy from the fairways will make him a favorite this week.

2. Steve Stricker, USA - Won last tournament at Memorial. He is the tour leader in avoiding Bogeys. That could be huge this week.

3. K.J. Choi, S. Korea - Choi is the kind of player who isn't flashy but on Sunday you look up and somehow he's battled his way onto the leaderboard. That is a great recipe of patience and persistence that could fair well at Congressional. He's won here before (AT&T).

4. Matt Kuchar, USA - Leads the tour in the all-around ranking, and has 8 top 10s this year. Playing well right now having finished 2nd at Memorial. Ranks 2nd to Stricker in bogey avoidance.

5. Bubba Watson, USA - A very likable guy, Watson also has game. He's a long bomber but leads the tour in greens in regulation. Not a great Open track record, but not bad either. Looking for a breakthrough.

6. David Toms, USA - After a brutal playoff loss at The Players Championship, Toms returned the next week to win at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial. He ranks highly in all the accuracy stats. Might not be long enough off the tee though.

7. Luke Donald, England - He is the world #1 so it is hard to pick against him. A safe bet to be near the top, I just can't picture him winning...although it certainly wouldn't be a stretch.

8. Kevin Streelman, USA - Good record at Congressional, and one of the hotter players on tour right now.

9. Nick Watney, USA - In the shadow of other young Americans like Johnson, Fowler etc. but has 7 top 10 finishes this year. Ranks 6th in all-around, but might not have driver accuracy needed to contend.

10. Phil Mickelson, USA - What the hell? Why not? Ol' Lefty has been seeking a U.S. Open for over a decade now, and Congressional could be just the course for him to do it. I don't think he will, but you can't help but like the sentimental favorite.

SLEEPER - Charlie Hoffman, USA - If you don't know who he is, he'll be the dumpy looking guy with the blonde locks flowing from under his Waste Management hat and sinking putts all over the place. If he gets hot with the putter he could make a run at the leader board.

And who wouldn't want this guy to win?


That's Andres Gonzalez. @Andres_Gonzales He's a pretty amusing twitter follow. Check it out.

That's it for now. Be sure to check back later for a Day 1 Wrap and look ahead to Day 2.