**2019 British Open (Open Championship) Thread**

[Fumbleweed 426]

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. Royal Portrush plays host to this year's tournament. The British is tied with the Masters as my favorite major. 

Top Ten:

1. Rory McIlroy- Nothing but chalk with this pick. I think Rory will win this tournament, win one playoff event, and go on to be the PGA Tour's Player of the Year. It's been five years since Rory won a major title. Drought ends here. 

2. Jon Rahm- We're getting closer and closer to a major title for Rahm. Maybe it happens here. Whatever the case, look for him to be in it until the very end. 

3. Matt Kuchar- Kuchar showed a couple of years ago that Open Championships are within his grasp and he's played so well this season that I like his chances next week. 

4. Hideki Matsuyama- No wins so far this season, but has played extremely consistent golf, particularly the last couple of months. Would not be a surprising winner. 

5. Justin Rose- Much like Adam Scott, I still believe Rose is going to win that elusive second major at some point. Needs to hit better approach shots than he did at Pebble, though. 

6. Brooks Koepka- Yes, I know he's been top two in majors for a couple of years now, but last two starts, he's been extremely sluggish. Can he really just turn it on for majors?

7. Francesco Molinari- Defending champion has the right game for this course just as he did at Carnoustie. 

8. Rafa Cabrera-Bello- Solid showing at the Irish Open signals that his game is rounding back into form. Very solid player on European soil. 

9. Graeme McDowell- Why not? He knows the course like the back of his hand... 

10. Jazz Janewattananond- This kid looks like the real deal to me. I don't think he'll contend per se, but a finish just inside the top ten is what I'm predicting. 

Players outside of my top ten who have a very legitimate shot at winning: Marc Leishman, Jason Day, Tony Finau, Dustin Johnson, Paul Casey, Rickie Fowler, Ian Poulter, Louis Oosthuzien, Tiger Woods, Adam Scott, Xander Schauffele, Patrick Cantlay, Bryson DeChambeau, Matt Wallace, Gary Woodland.

Highly talented, top tier players who have either struggled in 2019 thus far or struggled recently; Can put it together at any time: Jordan Spieth, Branden Grace, Phil Mickelson, Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrell Hatton, Patrick Reed, Justin Thomas, Bubba Watson.

Can never be counted out of a major due to experience and savvy:  Sergio Garcia, Zach Johnson, Brandt Snedeker, Martin Kaymer, Webb Simpson, Jimmy Walker, Henrik Stenson, Kevin Kisner, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Jim Furyk, Danny Willett.

Darkhorses, but with plenty of game: Haotong Li, Kiradech Aphirbarnrat, Lucas Bjerregaard, Keegan Bradley, Adam Hadwin, Cameron Smith, Shane Lowry, Thorbjorn Olesen, Bernd Wiesberger, Emiliano Grillo, Pat Perez, Andy Sullivan, Chris Wood, Byeong Hun-An, Charley Hoffman, Kyle Stanley, Thomas Pieters, Patton Kizzire, Luke List, Anirban Lahiri, Shubhankar Sharma, Jason Kokrak, Charles Howell III, Eddie Pepperell, Chez Reavie, Justin Harding, Billy Horschel, Kevin Na, Alex Noren, C.T. Pan, Andrew Putnam, Jorge Campillo, Lee Westwood, Russell Knox, Alexander Levy, Ryan Fox, Alexander Bjork, Adrian Otegui, Brandon Stone, Erik Van Rooyen, Aaron Wise, Si Woo Kim, Ryan Palmer, Sungjae Im, Abraham Ancer, Sung Kand, Keith Mitchell, Mike Lorenzo-Vera, Nate Lashley. 

Other past major winners in the field: Stewart Cink, Darren Clarke, John Daly, David Duval, Ernie Els, Padraig Harrington, Tom Lehman, Paul Lawrie.

[Fumbleweed 426]

Tee times:

 

https://www.theopen.com/leaderboard

[Fumbleweed 426]

One thing that baffles me is how Charles Howell, Scott Piercy, and Ryan Moore could decide not to play even though they qualified to do so. It's a major. I get it if you're expecting a child or something or if there's been a death in the family recently, but Howell and Moore both played in the John Deere and just didn't want to make the trip. 

[Cruzer 1,992]

5 minutes ago, Fumbleweed said:

.... but Howell and Moore both played in the John Deere and just didn't want to make the trip. 

Flat out embarrassing... A trip to Ireland alone is worth the effort.

Note to self - these 2 I never want to see on a RC team.

[patweisers44 697]

Moores wife is getting ready to have a kid.  Piercy has played like crap of late, and In the last handful of majors he has been eligible for.  No clue about the guy with easily one of the most punchable faces on tour (CHIII)

[Cruzer 1,992]

6 minutes ago, patweisers44 said:

Moores wife is getting ready to have a kid.  Piercy has played like crap of late, and In the last handful of majors he has been eligible for.  No clue about the guy with easily one of the most punchable faces on tour (CHIII)

Moore def gets a pass.

[Fumbleweed 426]

9 minutes ago, Cruzer said:

Moore def gets a pass.

Agreed. Howell does not, however and really neither does Piercy. 

[Fumbleweed 426]

All I can say is WOW with respect to Rory’s first hole . Quadruple bogey.

[bostonlager 2,463]

2 hours ago, Fumbleweed said:

All I can say is WOW with respect to Rory’s first hole . Quadruple bogey.

Turned around and bogeyed 3 also. 

[Patriotsfatboy1 1,432]

Glad I picked David Duval to win. 

[Cruzer 1,992]

Was cool as hell to see D. Clarke not only hit the opening tee shot, but birdie the 1st hole. 

[Fumbleweed 426]

What an awesome course this is...

[edjr 5,564]

On 7/9/2019 at 10:01 AM, Fumbleweed said:

The British Open (or Open Championship) 

Top Ten:

1. Rory McIlroy- 

CBF needs to stop reading you

[Fumbleweed 426]

I am truly shocked by what happened today. I vacillated between Rory and Rahm as top pick. Pressure on him was clearly too much.

[Cruzer 1,992]

1 hour ago, edjr said:

CBF needs to stop reading you

[posty 2,296]

[Cruzer 1,992]

20 hours ago, Fumbleweed said:

I am truly shocked by what happened today. I vacillated between Rory and Rahm as top pick. Pressure on him was clearly too much.

I'm shocked Rory posted 77.......but not shocked he laid an egg.

Outside of Tiger (and now maybe BK) golfers just don't deliver on the hype. They tend to especially tank when there's a hometown/course angle to it....... But even more then that, Rory isn't Rory anymore - hasn't been for quite a while now. His last major win was 2014 - and in the last 15 majors played in since, he's only 1 top 3.

Rory will go down as one of the top 5 ball strikers of all time....... but his wedge game and putter are shiit. And I'm not sure he'll ever figure it out.

[Fumbleweed 426]

Spieth absolutely on fire to begin Round Two...

[Alias Detective 1,179]

53 minutes ago, Fumbleweed said:

Spieth absolutely on fire to begin Round Two...

Up early you are...

[bostonlager 2,463]

Would like to see JB Holmes get this one. 

[dain11279 928]

12 minutes ago, bostonlager said:

Would like to see JB Holmes get this one. 

His 5 hour two-somes this weekend are gonna be a blast to watch 

 

[posty 2,296]

1 minute ago, dain11279 said:

His 5 hour two-somes this weekend are gonna be a blast to watch 

 

I heard John Feinstein on The Sports Junkies today and he mentioned that...  He said he would rather have anyone win except Holmes because if he was in the final group, they would probably get finished around Tuesday...

[posty 2,296]

Total class as always...

"A frustrated Tiger – knowing his Open Championship will soon end – lashes out with an angry swipe of his club and a few choice words."

[Reality 2,710]

Just now, posty said:

Total class as always...

"A frustrated Tiger – knowing his Open Championship will soon end – lashes out with an angry swipe of his club and a few choice words."

A.K.A. Me, after every other swing.

Who cares man.

[posty 2,296]

Just now, Reality said:

A.K.A. Me, after every other swing.

Who cares man.

He is a professional, he shouldn't be acting like a child...

[dain11279 928]

1 minute ago, Reality said:

A.K.A. Me, after every other swing.

Who cares man.

He's just like any other Tiger-hater. Posty has to come in and pile on Tiger when he's playing bad yet you don't hear a peep from him when he's winning the Masters.

[Cruzer 1,992]

12 minutes ago, posty said:

Total class as always...

"A frustrated Tiger – knowing his Open Championship will soon end – lashes out with an angry swipe of his club and a few choice words."

As the decorum Hall Monitor, I noticed you didn't mention Graeme McDowell y-day.

[Reality 2,710]

9 minutes ago, posty said:

He is a professional, he shouldn't be acting like a child...

Most of them get frustrated, the cameras are always on for Tiger.  I've never been the biggest Tiger fan but, these types of attacks on him are just silly.

Who cares man, lighten up.

[posty 2,296]

Just now, Cruzer said:

As the decorum Hall Monitor, I noticed you didn't mention Graeme McDowell y-day.

Didn't even know because it isn't on the front page of PGATour.com...

That is childish for him to do that as well...

[Cruzer 1,992]

1 minute ago, Reality said:

Most of them get frustrated, the cameras are always on for Tiger.  I've never been the biggest Tiger fan but, these types of attacks on him are just silly.

Who cares man, lighten up.

Remember all those baseball threads - where posty called out and chastised batters for arguing and slamming their helmets down after striking out? Or the rants posty went on shamming managers for getting tossed after profane riddled exchanges with umpires? Remember all those proper behavioral baseball sermons?

 

Yea, me neither.........

[posty 2,296]

11 minutes ago, Reality said:

Who cares man, lighten up.

Okay...  I am just glad that Tiger won't be playing this weekend, so if I decide I want to be bored and watch some golf, I won't have to worry about watching every shot by him...

[Reality 2,710]

2 minutes ago, posty said:

Okay...  I am just glad that Tiger won't be playing this weekend, so if I decide I want to be bored and watch some golf, I won't have to worry about watching every shot by him...

Tiger in contention on Sunday's?  Doesn't get much more exciting than that.

You obviously don't enjoy golf, why comment on it?

[posty 2,296]

24 minutes ago, Reality said:

Tiger in contention on Sunday's?  Doesn't get much more exciting than that.

You obviously don't enjoy golf, why comment on it?

I used to, but Tiger was the main reason that ruined it for me...

[WhiteWonder 2,172]

50-50 for fumble on cuts made from his top 10... too bad hideki was one

[edjr 5,564]

I should start making these threads

[bostonlager 2,463]

The Americans should be embarrassed. 

[listen2me 23 1,542]

On 7/19/2019 at 10:18 AM, posty said:

Okay...  I am just glad that Tiger won't be playing this weekend, so if I decide I want to be bored and watch some golf, I won't have to worry about watching every shot by him...

We get it because you say the same exact thing each major.  Like a bot.  We get it man you dont have to explain it and waste your time each major thread to remind us.  We get it.

[posty 2,296]

1 hour ago, listen2me 23 said:

We get it because you say the same exact thing each major.  Like a bot.  We get it man you dont have to explain it and waste your time each major thread to remind us.  We get it.

I guess you will be happy that this is the last major of the year then...

You guys bring out the knee pads every major as well...

[Cruzer 1,992]

On ‎7‎/‎21‎/‎2019 at 8:46 AM, bostonlager said:

The Americans should be embarrassed. 

Interesting take.......how so?

[bostonlager 2,463]

2 minutes ago, Cruzer said:

Interesting take.......how so?

They all lost.