[Other Sport] 148th Open Championship - Royal Portrush

[LlcoolJ]

Has Lowry played the course in the past at all?

He has but so have many other players. Gmac knows it very well etc....

 

[LlcoolJ]

Nobody wants the driving heavy rain, looks like they are going to get 20mph + winds but lighter rain by starting early.
That should be enough to make it very interesting.

Totally agree. Levels the playing field for what The Open is supposed to be about. I.e. the opposite of Augusta. Different skills to win different majors.

 

[LlcoolJ]

Oh and even though I've got a few quid on Ricky to win (and Koepka, not out of it if he can remember how to putt). I'd much prefer to lose money and see Tommy Fleetwood lift the jug. Or Westwood, Rose or Willett who could all be in with a shout.

As Brian Moore said "it's up for grabs now!".

I'll be in Leeds most of the day watching junior cricket but the bar has Sky..... I love The Open. [emoji106]

 

[indy3050]

I backed both Fleetwood and Fowler at 30’s so as long as one of them finishes top 8 there is profit, both would treble my small outlay and although I’ve been backing Fowler for years I want Tommy to lift it.

 

[Raleigh Chopper]

I'm going to stick with my prediction of Rose, I think he is a good wind player too.
But this is Lowry's to throw away, being Irish he should cope well with the conditions.
All this talk of weather aside, the quality of putting has been exceptionally good on undulating greens.
Some of them have made 25 yarders look like a 1 foot putt.

 

[Billy Seagull]

I would like to see Lowry win but have been laying him. Four shot leads can get turned over very quickly in golf.

Should make for a great afternoons entertainment.

 

[KZNSeagull]

Nobody wants the driving heavy rain, looks like they are going to get 20mph + winds but lighter rain by starting early.
That should be enough to make it very interesting.

Oh I agree. It will be good to see them playing in some bad weather for a change to see who can handle it. My point was more that I don't believe that the R&A are embarrassed that the scoring has been low. They just want a fair test which it has been so far. The USGA are the ones obsessed with tricking up courses to make par a winning score in the US Open. The R&A could have made Portrush a lot harder had they wanted to, like they dd at Turnberry in 1986 when they had to cut half the long rough down after round 1 as it was too tricky.

It should be a good afternoon. I cannot really see beyond the top 2 at the moment. The only American that I have seen play well in wind is Ricky Fowler, so it will be interesting to see who else can as they all tend to hit the ball so high these days. Never forget - swing with ease into the breeze.

 

[Official Old Man]

Weather question from an armchair viewer. How bad does the weather have to get before they suspend play? A little wind & rain and the show goes on, but if it becomes extremely hard to hit a ball straight, is that time to go for a coffee? My thinking being that the leaders may get to return tomorrow.

 

[KZNSeagull]

Weather question from an armchair viewer. How bad does the weather have to get before they suspend play? A little wind & rain and the show goes on, but if it becomes extremely hard to hit a ball straight, is that time to go for a coffee? My thinking being that the leaders may get to return tomorrow.

Play is usually suspended when balls are blown around on the green from a stationary position.

Being able to control the ball in wind is one of the main things that makes golf a severe challenge. It is proper golf, not target golf as happens too often these days,

 

[Official Old Man]

Play is usually suspended when balls are blown around on the green from a stationary position.

Being able to control the ball in wind is one of the main things that makes golf a severe challenge. It is proper golf, not target golf as happens too often these days,

Thanks. Just about to make myself comfortable for the afternoon. Going to be intriguing.

 

[KZNSeagull]

Both Fowler and Holmes out of bounds on the first

 

[KZNSeagull]

Great start from Fleetwood. Lowry nervy.

 

[KZNSeagull]

Koepke starts Bogey, Bogey, Bogey, Bogey, Eagle. Solid stuff. Lowry 5 ahead but Tommy drives the 5th green and has an eagle putt.

 

[KZNSeagull]

Other than the first, Lowry has been excellent. 6 ahead, 11 to play.

 

[Billy Seagull]

All over now, unless one of the biggest blow ups in history happen. Fair play to Lowry he has been brilliant and really took advantage of the decent weather yesterday afternoon.

Hope the weather is better at St George’s next year as I’ve got a weekly ticket.

 

[dazzer6666]

Absolutely lashing it down on and off now. Fleetwood’s wheels falling off with an ‘amateur’ shank.......fascinating stuff.

 

[loco61]

Lowry at 14 under , but still five ahead as Fleetwood double bogeys the 14th : 4 holes left!!

 

[loco61]

JB Holmes having a mare … now one over!

 

[vegster]

This has been the best Open ever ! since the last one of course and until the next one.

 

[Questions]

This has been the best Open ever ! since the last one of course and until the next one.

There’s a job for you on the Sky commentary team.
‘You couldn’t write the script’.......
Well you could really, couldn’t you ?