The Open 2016 - Official Thread - Read OP before you go on!

Cody OHare

LeBlanc leads way toward Royal Troon at Regional Qualifying for The Open

Two years after claiming the Junior Open title at West Lancashire Ireland's Kevin LeBlanc took a step closer making his debut in The 145^th Open at Royal Troon.
In blustery conditions the 17-year-old Irish international was the only player in the field to break par at The Island one of 13 Regional Qualifying venues as he took his place among those who made it through to next Tuesday's 36-hole Final Qualifying.
LeBlanc's one-under-par 70 earned him a two stroke victory and he is joined by last week's semi-finalist at The Amateur, Paul McBride (73) who, like LeBlanc, is a member at The Island.
McBride missed out on a place in the Amateur final following extra holes at Royal Porthcawl, but made no such mistake this time, overcoming Tim Rice in a play-off for the fourth and final spot.

Mod Edit:
Sky adds blah blah, we ALL hate it but please don't moan and drag the thread off topic about it
Sky Commentators: Let hope Monty makes the cut! We know he is a pain...get over that too!
Trolls will be used for target practice and banned permanently.
Betting belongs in the mega betting thread as well

Degag

Well, who are people's fancies this week? Think DJ will be hard to beat... has the monkey off his back now and has won another tournament since.

Sky hyping the shíte out of it. Changing the channel number for SSN and creating a new channel for the Open.:rolleyes:

Tilikum

A yank has won every open at Troon since the early 60's.

Dirty Dingus McGee

Degag wrote: »

Well, who are people's fancies this week? Think DJ will be hard to beat... has the monkey off his back now and has won another tournament since.

Sky hyping the shíte out of it. Changing the channel number for SSN and creating a new channel for the Open.:rolleyes:

They do that for a lot of major events that they have.

When the Ashes is on in England they change one channel to Sky Sports Ashes and have non stop cricket it on for the duration of the series.

FixdePitchmark

Has always been my favourite major , but the more golf I watch it has slightly fallen off. It was the one major the full public get exposed to, as it is on regular tv.

I love links golf , but this event is plagued with terrible weather - delays and sometimes luck of the draw.

Still like the drama that causes.

As it is links golf, it can be hard to pick out who will go well and picking a winner of this event is very very hard - likes of Mcdowell turning up to Scotland and playing well is hard to pick out in advance - but bloody obvious after. Then the likes of Shane lowry is an obvious one for years - but he hasn't done that well at The Open.

Then the Americans are impossible to get right - every few years one shows up they just love it and have an amazing week.

Now after saying all that - last years leaderboard was very sort of obvious when you look at it - there was only one guy Leishman (still a top 50 player) - then Dunne who faded.

So after all that - putting a few quid on Paddy each way with the heart - Shane too

The top lads are hard to look past - going to put Garcia and Westwood in the mix too.

Degag

Dirty Dingus McGee wrote: »

They do that for a lot of major events that they have.

When the Ashes is on in England they change one channel to Sky Sports Ashes and have non stop cricket it on for the duration of the series.

I know but they are changing SSN to some other number and making The Open 401. Just seems unnecessarily stupid to me but i'm probably just being pedantic.

FixdePitchmark

Degag wrote: »

I know but they are changing SSN to some other number and making The Open 401. Just seems unnecessarily stupid to me but i'm probably just being pedantic.

To be honest - I wanted it to stay on BBC for the profile of golf . We had that debate here.

But there is no doubt that sky bring a higher technical aspect to it.

For example (From Irish times correspondent?) - I was reading the number of new angles in bunkers and wire camera.

You just get a new angle (excuse pun) with Sky. Now BBC are up to anything , but they had got a bit lazy with it.

http://www.thegolfpaper.co.uk/golf-news/1904/new-cameras-in-place-for-postage-stamp/

ronnie3585

The 'British' Open???

Don't tell Peter Alliss that, dear boy.

FixdePitchmark

ronnie3585 wrote: »

The 'British' Open???

Don't tell Peter Alliss that, dear boy.

The Brexit Open if you want - public won't know much about it from now on.

FixdePitchmark

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

Has always been my favourite major , but the more golf I watch it has slightly fallen off. It was the one major the full public get exposed to, as it is on regular tv.

I love links golf , but this event is plagued with terrible weather - delays and sometimes luck of the draw.

Still like the drama that causes.

As it is links golf, it can be hard to pick out who will go well and picking a winner of this event is very very hard - likes of Mcdowell turning up to Scotland and playing well is hard to pick out in advance - but bloody obvious after. Then the likes of Shane lowry is an obvious one for years - but he hasn't done that well at The Open.

Then the Americans are impossible to get right - every few years one shows up they just love it and have an amazing week.

Now after saying all that - last years leaderboard was very sort of obvious when you look at it - there was only one guy Leishman (still a top 50 player) - then Dunne who faded.

So after all that - putting a few quid on Paddy each way with the heart - Shane too

The top lads are hard to look past - going to put Garcia and Westwood in the mix too.

Charles, Louis or Grace one of the south africans will be knocking around on sunday

dball

slightly ff topic but I tuned in to watch the highlights of the Scottish open last night on the beeb and the commentators were terrible, no Peter Alyss or ken browne - only Hazel. Couldn't watch for more than 5 minutes - the coverage they did have was very poor - seemed only to have some green-side cameras - no cranes or fairway shots - it was pi55 poor

Are they all retired or are they signed up with Sky (I wonder)

Eric the Eagle

Degag wrote: »

I know but they are changing SSN to some other number and making The Open 401. Just seems unnecessarily stupid to me but i'm probably just being pedantic.

I don't think they are specifically moving SSN from 401 because of The Open. I think they were trying to realign the numbers of the sports channels in general. As in Sky Sports One will now be 401, SS2 will be 402, etc.

Which makes sense as Sky Sports One being 402 was a bit silly.

It just so happens that they are also changing SS1 to Sky Sports The Open for the week.

Seve OB

Eric the Eagle wrote: »

I don't think they are specifically moving SSN from 401 because of The Open. I think they were trying to realign the numbers of the sports channels in general. As in Sky Sports One will now be 401, SS2 will be 402, etc.

Which makes sense as Sky Sports One being 402 was a bit silly.

It just so happens that they are also changing SS1 to Sky Sports The Open for the week.

that was stupid when they made news 401. didn't make any sense at al

coylemj

dball wrote: »

slightly ff topic but I tuned in to watch the highlights of the Scottish open last night on the beeb and the commentators were terrible, no Peter Alyss or ken browne - only Hazel. Couldn't watch for more than 5 minutes - the coverage they did have was very poor - seemed only to have some green-side cameras - no cranes or fairway shots - it was pi55 poor

Are they all retired or are they signed up with Sky (I wonder)

+1 it had the look of a production by the European Tour TV people, I think the commentator is Australian and he really is hard to listen to - wouldn't surprise me if his voice was the model Steve Coogan used for Alan Partridge!

In fairness, with shedloads of gear in Wimbledon for the past two weeks and Sky doing Troon this week, there really wasn't any justification for the BBC to send a few OB trucks to the Scottish Open so they had to pick up whatever crumbs of coverage were available.

Jawgap

There's a 3-ball worth following !!

https://twitter.com/JustinRose99/status/752477634823647232

EDIT: Actually scratch that - the group out at 0925 (conveniently not shown by Rose!!) comprises of Willett, Fowler and Day.

Minderbinder

Seems to be a very lob sided draw. Day, Spieth, Mcilroy, Rose, Willett all on the same side as well as Lowry, Harrington and Dunne for Irish fans. Not a lot of interest left on the other side.

HighLine

Sky are doing an Open preview right now. Their "Open Zone" is a fairly cool initiative.. having a sky cart type setting right on the range with players hitting some balls on trackman from inside their setup.

Here is a link of them doing it with Shane earlier today - http://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/golf/10498987/the-open-zone-shane-lowry

Armchair Andy

Rickie's cross handed drive was cool, although why he'd want to use it leading a major by 8to 10 shots is a bit mind baffling. Poor Boxie, although if I did ever meet him I'd ask him " how's the leg?"!!

Uncle Mclovin

I'm enjoying the sky coverage so far. The tent at the range is interesting to watch.

Haven't seen awful lot of golf outside the majors but when did Butch junior start working with sky?

Armchair Andy

Uncle Mclovin wrote:

Haven't seen awful lot of golf outside the majors but when did Butch junior start working with sky?

He must be there most of 12 months now, just seems to be getting more air time progressively.

FixdePitchmark

Enjoying Sky at the range - good stuff.

The draw doesn't seem a draw at all ?

Imagine The Open would be true to that as a tradtion.

FixdePitchmark

Interesting Shane saying he just hasn't played a lot of links golf and struggled with it last week.

But - you'd imagine a few practice rounds and it will be like getting back on a bike.

PARlance

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

Interesting Shane saying he just hasn't played a lot of links golf and struggled with it last week.

But - you'd imagine a few practice rounds and it will be like getting back on a bike.

I was a little taken a back by that but in fairness to him he said he hadn't played much links this year and that he just needed to get used to it again. It wouldn't inspire you to run down to back him but it's a new insight we're getting from Sky. Maybe that's Shane just being a bit coy.

I've a sneaky feeling we're going to see Westwood have a right go at it. After backing DJ to win 2 Majors last year, I'm hoping for my own sanity that he doesn't do it this year.

The coverage from Sky is top notch. Fair play to them.

jelutong

Full days coverage of Thursday's play on Sky 1.

FixdePitchmark

PARlance wrote: »

I was a little taken a back by that but in fairness to him he said he hadn't played much links this year and that he just needed to get used to it again. It wouldn't inspire you to run down to back him but it's a new insight we're getting from Sky. Maybe that's Shane just being a bit coy.

I've a sneaky feeling we're going to see Westwood have a right go at it. After backing DJ to win 2 Majors last year, I'm hoping for my own sanity that he doesn't do it this year.

The coverage from Sky is top notch. Fair play to them.

The coverage is great for Golf fans - but terrible for golf - I think that is well covered.

Yes was watching Lee hit balls - and followed him at Irish Open - it is very sad he hasn't won one - he is just a class golfer.

Amazing how all connectected and consistent his action is.

I'll be putting a few quid e/w on Lee.
Outside an Irish win - I think I would like a win from him most.

I'd, behind it all crack a smile for Sergio.

Grace looked very very confident - they are all remarkably polished on tv - and they are use to this stuff for corporate gigs etc.

Keano

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

The coverage is great for Golf fans - but terrible for golf - I think that is well covered.

I don't understand how it is terrible for golf? More golf on tv is never a bad thing

FixdePitchmark

Keano wrote: »

I don't understand how it is terrible for golf? More golf on tv is never a bad thing

I think we are at risk of bringing a "Zombie thread" - into Open Thread.

The debate was well had - you can have as much golf as you like on sky - range , wire cameras , what Jordan had for breakfast, but when you are off terrestrial tv , your viewing figures are tiny (maybe 300 to 500 K) - as in a joke versus free to air. It is about 6 to 10 times the viewing figures.

But - we will get good figures this year.

I'll post them in that thread when the event over - I'd be surprised if Sky get over an All Ireland Final in ireland - never mind what it should be at, in the millions on BBC.

It will be great coverage for us - golf nerds and golf **** - but that misses the point.

HighLine

Anyone think that the "postage stamp" is going to be a real card wrecker for Rory this week? His wedge game has been fairly poor this year and the postage stamp... well that's going to be a wedge...

Clip of him playing it live earlier this morning on his Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/RoryMcIlroy/videos/vb.152976388115795/1066193153460776/?type=2&theater&notif_t=live_video&notif_id=1468306791095491

HighLine

Just to follow up on the previous post..... it took Rory 6 shots to get out of the sand on that hole. To be honest, that bunker is borderline ridiculous. It's just made Rory look like a weekend hack.


Edit... Video embedded

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szlvCDHM7kQ

FixdePitchmark

Do not want to give rory any advice :eek:

But he could do with just swinging a bit harder for first 3/4.

Is a bit mad one bunker could take you out of event.

FlawedGenius

Do sky have all 4 days or do bcc have even have the weekend like the masters??

golfer79

FlawedGenius wrote: »

Do sky have all 4 days or do bcc have even have the weekend like the masters??

Sky sports and Setanta (now called Eir sports) have all 4 days in full.

Sky1 will show the opening day in full.

BBC have highlights packages at night.

FixdePitchmark

Riley just did 10th hole .

Looks an amazing hole.

Don't think these questions from the crowd are working.

RikkFlair

Will Eir Sports have their own commentators or just use the Sky coverage?

acalmenvoy

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

Do not want to give rory any advice :eek:

But he could do with just swinging a bit harder for first 3/4.

Is a bit mad one bunker could take you out of event.

Aptly named 'the coffin bunker':eek:

Jawgap

DJ might want to avoid this little factoid......

In 1962, a 22 year old American arrived at Royal Troon having won the US Open at Oakmont a month earlier. His name was Jack Nicklaus and he was making his Open Championship debut. The Golden Bear would go on to win the Claret Jug three times but felt the full force of links golf in his first ever Open round. He shot 80 at Royal Troon, including a ten on the 11th hole. He would finish the week tied 34th as Arnold Palmer won his third and last Open Championship.

Mushy

Moved house recently so only got tv sorted today. To see its on the free Setanta/Eir channel over the weekend is great, be sorted for highlights then full thing Sunday

Rikand

Jawgap wrote: »

DJ might want to avoid this little factoid......

It's not DJs first open rodeo. I fancy he'll be alright

HighLine

Gmac for shot of the championship for me!

https://twitter.com/Planetphil168/status/753000452757782528

Armchair Andy

Jeez sky really pulling out all the shots in this build up. Rand A must have some input as it doesn't seem half as trashy as American stuff.

59 hours of live golf!

Thepoet85

Really looking forward to this. The Sky coverage so far has been excellent

Mushy

Can't believe I'm up to catch some golf before work.

Good first group though!

Mushy

For those who can't watch now, Money is making a balls of the 1st. Plugged in bunker against face, doesn't get out and ends up in his foot mark. Has to play out sideways then.

Some will delight on that!

Armchair Andy

Mushy wrote:

Some will delight on that!

Best start to a major ever. Telling off a spectator only on only his second shot. Karma.

Mushy

Armchair Andy wrote: »

Mushy wrote:

Some will delight on that!

Best start to a major ever. Telling off a spectator only on only his second shot. Karma.

He appeared to be smiling at that. Somebody obviously thought he was a Pokemon!

Armchair Andy

Those player silhouettes are funny. Why wouldn't lads just stand there with their arms folded?

FixdePitchmark

Yes. Easy first hole was a bit face palm . As sky lads talking about monty.

He actually did well to get a 6.

Stunning morning for links.

They are going to burn burn this up .

Maybe 8 under .

Armchair Andy

That was funny. Poultry bigging up Lukes short game, blob onto the fringe back off the green.

Mushy

Commentators curse. He's messed up the tee shot on the next too

Armchair Andy

Fair play to Monty that's some turnaround. -1 now.

HighLine

Those early morning sunny shots just make you want to get out and play links golf. Sky coverage really has been top notch.