Live From The Couch: 6 Quick Thoughts From Day 1 @ The Open Championship
- Updated: July 18, 2019
Day one of the Open Championship / British Open / British Open Championship is in the books. Here’s a quick breakdown from what we saw at Royal Portrush:
Oh, Rory
There’s a saying in golf that you can’t win a tournament on a Thursday, but you can lose it. Rory lost it.
Northern Ireland’s prodigal son was the favorite at Royal Portrush going into the year’s final major. It basically was his home course when he was a kid. He set the course record when he was 16 when he shot 61.
McIlroy stepped on the first tee and with one swing of the club, his Open chances were all but over. He hit iron OB left (and yes, we agree it is a questionable OB) and went on to make a quadruple-bogey 8.
Rory is king of absurd major photos pic.twitter.com/9JIFIdaXEs
— Two Inches Short (@TwoInchesShort) July 18, 2019
It didn’t get much better from there. He hit for the bogey cycle today: single, double, triple, quad en route to a round of +8 79. Crazy in the prime of his career with the talent he posses, he hasn’t won a major in 5 years. Mind blown.
Tiger isn’t in his 20s anymore
Tiger didn’t look good. He looked stiff. He looked sore. He grimaced several times throughout the round including his first tee shot which he pulled into the hay. He wasn’t sharp. He looked like a guy who hasn’t played golf in a while, which he hasn’t.
Can you really blame him? 43 years old with a fused back in 50-degree weather. He said it himself, this is how it’s going to be.
78 for Tiger and didn’t sound terribly optimistic. Said he’s sore and can’t move well and can’t shape the ball. Headed for treatment. “Just the way it is,” he said, “and just the way it’s gonna be.”
— Ryan Lavner (@RyanLavnerGC) July 18, 2019
Our expectations were basically zero for him this week. We didn’t even pick him to win! Sure he’s Tiger Woods, but it was time to be realistic. He shot a +7 78 and made just one birdie.
We should be counting our blessings he’s even playing competitive golf again. And in case you forgot, he did win the Masters this year.
Playing bad is one thing. Playing bad AND being paired with Patrick Reed must be infinitely worse
— Two Inches Short (@TwoInchesShort) July 18, 2019
Brooks is a machine
The man is a major machine. He went out a day after telling the media HE USES PGA TOUR EVENTS AS MAJOR PRACTICE and carded a -3 68 to put himself just 2 back.
It’s like Brooks is the complete opposite of Rory in majors as of late: freewheeling it as opposed to overthinking.
That’s not rain. Those are just the tears of other players knowing they have no chance against Brooks in majors pic.twitter.com/htGDfjsZ5e
— Two Inches Short (@TwoInchesShort) July 18, 2019
After Brooks tied the lead this morning, our buddy Michael Shamburger got a little data happy and tried to convince us Koepka’s major performance thus far is in line with Tiger … and he may be right. Take a look at this:
Just playing around. (This is only major starts because … obviously TigerGOAT)
— Michael Shamburger (@mshamburger1) July 18, 2019
Don’t @ me that I’m crazy. Was just curious. pic.twitter.com/LqoBe93TOL
David Duval = Pure Class
The 2001 Open champion had a no good, very bad, miserable day highlighted by a 14 (originally a 13) on the par-5 7th hole where he lost 2 balls and then played the wrong ball. He went on to post a 21-over 91. Yikes.
Most players would WD and hop on the next flight across the pond. Not Double D. The former world no.1 said after the round that as a pro, he has an obligation to post a score. He gets it.
“You have an obligation as a professional athlete. If you play, you post your score. Am I happy about that? Is there some embarrassment to it? I don’t know. But I teed off in the Open and I shot 90 today. So put it on the board.”
— Ron Mintz (@MintzGolf) July 18, 2019
David Duval
We were fortunate to meet Duval last year in the local Colorado Whole Foods and the guy is pure class.
This sounds like a ruling at the local muni amateur championship pic.twitter.com/vql1CMA1uf
— Two Inches Short (@TwoInchesShort) July 18, 2019
Royal Portrush is a proper test
For the first time since 1951, the Open is back in Northern Ireland. Bottom line, Royal Portrush looks beautiful. We’ve never had the pleasure of playing links golf over in Europe, but Portrush would be on our shortlist.
It doesn’t seem like your traditional links course with elevated greens and fewer bunkers, but that’s OK. The collection areas, rolling terrain, and the views are spectacular. Fairways, greens, and creativity are paramount as they should be in links golf.
While the weather held up today, watch out if the wind picks up and the rain starts going sideways. Proper Open weather is in the forecast and we have a feeling this course can get nasty quickly.
Proper snap hook. Quite familiar with this ball flight pic.twitter.com/s2YtwDK7UY
— Two Inches Short (@TwoInchesShort) July 18, 2019
No shot tracker?
We get The Open is golf’s oldest major, but it’s 2019. Shot tracker is nowhere to be found on the app. We would’ve loved to recount DD’s 14, but hey what are you going to do.
Every other major has instituted it and it’s not as if they didn’t have enough time. They just don’t have it. Strange.
Me trying to find shot tracker on the Open app pic.twitter.com/E0QV7XpimT
— Two Inches Short (@TwoInchesShort) July 18, 2019
Amateur shot of the day
Some people fall in love with links golf…
— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) July 18, 2019
Some people just fall. #TheOpen pic.twitter.com/k02xcr9e38
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