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Fumbleweed

**2018 British Open (Open Championship) Thread**

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The British Open (or Open Championship) is now just a little more than a week away. Per my usual custom, here is my list of my top ten favorties and other possible contenders. Picks are subject to change a bit also depending on what happens during the next week or so, but probably not much. Carnoustie plays host to this year's tournament. The last time it was held there, Padraig Harrington was the champion. Probably the hardest course in the rotation. The British is tied with the Masters as my favorite major.

Top Ten:

1. Tommy Fleetwood- I think Fleetwood's time has come. He seems destined to win a major in the next 1-2 years and it might as well be here. With other top players struggling a bit coming in, I see no one more equipped to win.

2. Francesco Molinari- Hottest player in the world, arguably, over the past 6-8 weeks. Game just seems to be in incredible shape heading into the final two majors of the year.

3. Bryson DeChambeau- I am starting to really jump on the DeChambeau train. I think he'll be a top ten player in the world by next spring and I like his chances to contend in the year's final two majors.

4. Jon Rahm- Rahm has been a disappointment in majors thus far in his career, but he's got too much talent not to get that turned around soon.

5. Justin Rose- Rose still feels like a three major win guy to me with Augusta and the Open being his best chances. A win at Carnoustie would hardly be a surprise.

6. Alex Noren- Champion at the French is going to make his presence felt in this tournament as well, I think. Much like Fleetwood, Noren has the look of a major contender for several years to come.

7. Justin Thomas- Has been over in Europe playing since the US Open. Seems to really be getting locked in on playing well in majors.

8. Tiger Woods- I don't think Woods will win another major in his career, but if he were to do so, this would be the one. His experience is definitely an asset at a course like Carnoustie.

9. Patrick Reed- Reed's play in the majors reminds me of Louis Oosthuzien in that he seems to save his best stuff for the biggest tournaments. Another top ten in the Open seems like a good bet.

10. Lee Westwood- Seven years ago, Darren Clarke won a surprise major prior to riding off into the sunset. Could Westwood do the same here?

Players outside of my top ten who have a very legitimate shot at winning: Rafael Cabrera-Bello, Marc Leishman, Jason Day, Rory McIlroy, Tony Finau, Dustin Johnson, Paul Casey, Rickie Fowler, Brooks Koepka, Hideki Matsuyama, Ian Poulter, Bubba Watson.

Highly talented, top tier players who have either struggled in 2018 thus far or struggled recently; Can put it together at any time: Matt Kuchar, Si Woo Kim, Tyrell Hatton, Branden Grace, Charl Schwartzel.

Can never be counted out of a major due to experience and savvy: Stewart Cink, Sergio Garcia, Zach Johnson, Ross Fisher, Ryan Moore, Brandt Snedeker, Martin Kaymer, Webb Simpson, Jimmy Walker, Phil Mickelson, Henrik Stenson, Adam Scott, Kevin Na.

Darkhorses, but with plenty of game: Haotong Li, Kiradech Aphirbarnrat, Patrick Cantlay, Adam Hadwin, Brian Harman, Satoshi Kodaira, Cameron Smith, Shane Lowry, Thorbjorn Olesen, Peter Uihlein, Bernd Wiesberger, Daniel Berger, Kevin Chappell, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Emiliano Grillo, Beau Hossler, Kevin Kisner, Pat Perez, Hideto Tanihara, Gary Woodland, Andy Sullivan, Chris Wood, Byeong Hun-An, Jason Dufner, Russell Henley, Charley Hoffman, Brendan Steele, Kyle Stanley, Xander Schauffele, Thomas Pieters, Chesson Hadley, Patton Kizzire, Luke List, Anirban Lahiri, Shubhankar Sharma. Ryan Armour, Jason Kokrak, Kelly Kraft, Charles Howell III, Austin Cook, Chez Reavie.

Other past major winners in the field: Mark Calcavecchia, Darren Clarke, John Daly, David Duval, Ernie Els, Todd Hamilton, Padraig Harrington, Tom Lehman, Sandy Lyle, Danny Willett.

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After 6 Edex Cup events

 

Fumble- 13 + 7 = 20 +10 = 30

Dain- 15 + 5 = 20 +2 = 22

Pat- 21

KSB- 13 + 1 = 14 +7 = 21

Nuggs- 13

Edro- 8 + 4 = 12

WW- 7 + 2 = 9 +1 = 10

CBF- 3 +3 = 6 +3 = 9

Cruzer- 1 + 5 = 6

 

 

 

This guy knows stuff :o

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After 6 Edex Cup events

 

Fumble- 13 + 7 = 20 +10 = 30

Dain- 15 + 5 = 20 +2 = 22

Pat- 21

KSB- 13 + 1 = 14 +7 = 21

Nuggs- 13

Edro- 8 + 4 = 12

WW- 7 + 2 = 9 +1 = 10

CBF- 3 +3 = 6 +3 = 9

Cruzer- 1 + 5 = 6

 

 

 

This guy knows stuff :o

Dain is a luckbox, I'm a degenerate gambler, and KSB picks Tiger EVERY time. That being said, we all continue to come to the place, so Fumble is basically the kid with some minor affliction competing against Special Olympians of all sorts, from day-to-day functional folks (me, Dain, etc) to bottom of the barrel (cruzer, et. al).

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Dain is a luckbox, I'm a degenerate gambler, and KSB picks Tiger EVERY time. That being said, we all continue to come to the place, so Fumble is basically the kid with some minor affliction competing against Special Olympians of all sorts, from day-to-day functional folks (me, Dain, etc) to bottom of the barrel (cruzer, et. al).

 

:thumbsup:

 

Fumble is the Edex rainman

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For 2 years I was kicking ass, doing better than most..... then the Jinx started.

 

I'm chalking 2018 up to a fluke.

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This is the only thing I have luck in anymore when it comes to golf wagering. I pick a golfer every week to win, used to be really good at it. But the last couple years I have been dreadful. Many times the golfer misses the cut, which never happened a few years when I was making a good run.

 

The EdEx is the only thing I still have success at :dunno:

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For 2 years I was kicking ass, doing better than most..... then the Jinx started.

 

I'm chalking 2018 up to a fluke.

 

what are you chalking 2017 up to?

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what are you chalking 2017 up to?

 

:D

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With a return to Carnoustie, time to revisit the single greatest final hole meltdown of all time.

 

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With a return to Carnoustie, time to revisit the single greatest final hole meltdown of all time.

 

 

:thumbsup:

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People forget, J. Leonard bogeyed the 72nd hole to finish in a 3 way tie too... He often talked about how that ate at him.

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Meh, I've got that shot.

 

Unfortunately it comes when I'm greenside, LW laid wide open, trying to hit a flop shot. :wall:

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Meh, I've got that shot.

 

Unfortunately it comes when I'm greenside, LW laid wide open, trying to hit a flop shot. :wall:

 

I typically do it when about 75 yards out and try to hit my 56

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Meh, I've got that shot.

 

Unfortunately it comes when I'm greenside, LW laid wide open, trying to hit a flop shot. :wall:

 

You have to almost try to play that like a sand shot (hit under the ball or 'fat')

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Only change to my top ten a week later is that DeChambeau is out of it (top ten) as he had to withdraw from the John Deere last week. I would add Jason Day to the top ten in his place and have slated Day in the 7th spot moving forward...meaning that my final top ten for the Open is as follows:

 

1. Tommy Fleetwood

2. Francesco Molinari

3. Jon Rahm

4. Justin Rose

5. Alex Noren

6. Justin Thomas

7. Jason Day

8. Tiger Woods

9. Patrick Reed

10. Lee Westwood

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Eldrick said in his PC that he hit a 3-iron 333 yards yesterday :shocking:

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Eldrick said in his PC that he hit a 3-iron 333 yards yesterday :shocking:

Yea................................but only the first 7 yards of it was straight. :D

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Eldrick said in his PC that he hit a 3-iron 333 yards yesterday :shocking:

Somewhere, ksb is reading this post with his pants around his ankles.

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1 Rickie Fowler

I'm not going to pick Fowler (because I've picked him for each of the first two events), but he fits all the qualities I mentioned above. He's a tough player with a good short game who drives the ball well with his irons. Fowler has a ball flight built for Opens, and he's coming off a really strong week of links play at Gullane and the Scottish Open. Zero surprise if he wins Carnoustie.


2 Jordan Spieth

As confident as I feel about Fowler's trajectory, I feel the opposite about that of Spieth. What I'm banking on is his supernatural ability showing itself at the proper time for him to try and do what Brooks Koepka did at the U.S. Open, back up last year's major with another one. No young player is as mentally tough as Spieth, and that will serve him well at this specific track.


3 Tommy Fleetwood

It seems inevitable and maybe even obvious that Fleetwood would win an Open at some point. He might hit more pure long irons than anyone alive, and he's going to feast on these tight, blazing fairways this week.


4 Henrik Stenson

I did not have Stenson in my top 10 in terms of most likely to win because of an elbow injury that caused him to withdraw from the Scottish Open, but I'm pushing my chips to the middle of the table here. He has a lot going for him. Two straight top-11 finishes, a steely demeanor made for Opens and that whole "beware of the injured golfer" thing. I could see Stenson coming to the dais at the winner's press conference in a cast like LeBron James did after the NBA Finals before taking it off and throwing it at some poor media member as the whole center erupts.


5 Tiger Woods

I've been sucked back in! But seriously, Big Cat with a driving iron at what could be golf's toughest test? I could not be more in on seeing how his week plays out. I'm mentally prepared for pretty much anything from a missed cut to major No. 15, but I do think that as long as he gets the right side of the draw he'll have a real shot at a nasty course that doesn't demand you to hit driver too often. That shouldn't be said of U.S. Opens because of their length and quantity of rough, but The Open is a completely different animal.


6 Sergio Garcia

I'm riding history here. Runner-up in a playoff in 2007 shouldn't trump the miserable stretch of golf he's played on the PGA Tour, but it does. Also, I can't quit the ball flight or his outrageous record at Opens in general (10 top 10s but no wins).


7 Brooks Koepka

The last golfer to win both Opens in the same year was Tiger Woods in 2000 at Pebble Beach and St. Andrews. Koepka could hold up a nearly-as-great Shinnecock-Carnoustie double against Tiger's.


8 Marc Leishman

Speaking of ball flights ... this guy has them all, and he's going to be helped by the fact that players might be able to hit irons off the tees this week. Leishman has finished in the top six in three of the last four years at this event, and if the weather goes sideways, even better for him.


9 Justin Rose

Rose was terrific at last week's Scottish Open where he finished T9. I don't love his Open history, but I do love how seasoned he is at major championships. He won't get rattled when it starts to come undone, and he's one of the best ball-strikers alive. He or Fleetwood could end England's 25-year winless streak at Opens.

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Am I winning yet?

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That 16, 17, 18 hole finish is a focking biitch - it's killing these fockers.

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Is Tiger wearing some sort of Nascar HANS device?

He hurt himself sleeping........ I'd laugh, but I've done it too. :D

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He hurt himself sleeping........ I'd laugh, but I've done it too. :D

 

when my arm goes above my head and over the pillow, I've almost been not able to move for days

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Bubba just skulled one bigly

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Kisner had 22 putts yesterday

 

last 9 I played I had 22 putts.

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Does Scotland have Perkins restaurants? Tiger is in this thing!

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This is fun.

 

Rory

Spieth

Fowler

Woods

 

All at the top battling it out.

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I just checked the leaderboard, saw Woods at the top and started wondering is there a 2nd Woods playing golf?

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The lead will be -10 by the end of the day. Tons of guys going low.

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