2023 Open - Royal Liverpool (Hoylake)

slave1 · 18-07-2023 6:16am #1

Can Rory do it?

Please post 2023 Open discussions here

FixdePitchmark · 18-07-2023 11:14am

Looking forward to it - probably always my favorite major (if the Masters has gained ground over the years). Some interesting ideas from Sky coverage - they have done great stuff at the range. They try ideas , some are great , some don't work so well. Not trying to be politically incorrect - but they have a mix of presenters and some are grand - but some are just to make up the numbers.

Weather doesn't look great at times. As usual.

benny79 · 18-07-2023 11:29am

By far the best Major imo! Golf at its purest against nature. I really enjoyed the Scottish open and cant wait for it.. Fond memories of Hoylake having been there 5 years ago as Spieth lifted the Famous Claret Jug and getting to meet him after nearly everyone did that hung around. Really changed my option of him..

coylemj · 18-07-2023 11:31am

They've just posted the tee times for Thursday and Friday. As already announced, Matthew Jordan who is a member of Royal Liverpool and who came through qualifying is first to tee off at 6:35 a.m. I was surprised that they didn't put the Fitzpatrick brothers together.

Irish lads times on Thursday shown below ...

7:08 Alex Maguire (a)

7:41 Darren Clarke

9:14 Harrington and Power

10:09 Lowry with Rickie Fowler and Robery MacIntyre

2:59 Rory with Justin Rose and John Rahm

Cosmo Kramer · 18-07-2023 11:32am

Was at the Sunday of the last Open in Hoylake nine years ago - it's a great course in terms of spectating, some excellent viewpoints and you feel very close to the action compared to some of the other venues.

All the talk is about Rory but I suspect he won't be in contention come the back nine on Sunday.

Cosmo Kramer · 18-07-2023 11:36am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120866191#Comment_120866191

I'm pretty sure you weren't there five years ago, you might have been at Royal Birkdale though - definitely not the same place!

Could well imagine Spieth staying around for hours afterwards to meet people though - very on brand for him.

slave1 · 18-07-2023 11:47am

The Scottish was excellent, this has a lot to live up to!!!

benny79 · 18-07-2023 12:04pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120866229#Comment_120866229

Sorry your right. Taught The Open was a 5 year roster so when in Liverpool it was the same course.

slave1 · 18-07-2023 12:20pm

Brooks paired with Cantlay!!!!!!! blood boiling stuff

FixdePitchmark · 18-07-2023 12:33pm

Personally don't think Rahm a good draw for Rory..

FixdePitchmark · 18-07-2023 12:33pm

Not that it is a draw

slave1 · 18-07-2023 12:38pm

I've no idea who's going to win this but I would love a Top 10 for Paddy and then onto RC qualification

FixdePitchmark · 18-07-2023 12:47pm

Weather mixed..might suit Shane and Paddy

coylemj · 18-07-2023 1:46pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120866355#Comment_120866355

St. Andrews typically hosted the event every 5 years and did so in every year ending in a five or a zero from 1990 to 2015 incl. In the past twenty years, no club other than St. Andrews has hosted it after a gap of just five years. You have to go back to Muirfield (1987 and 1992) and Royal Lythan and St. Annes (1996 and 2001) to find clubs which got the event twice in the space of five years. Since then, Portrush has led the pack by getting the event in 2025, just six years after Shane Lowry won the claret jug there in 2019. Next best is Troon which got it after a gap of seven years - 1997 and 2004.

Much longer gaps can and do arise. When Royal Liverpool got it in 2006, it was their first time to host the event in 39 years (1967). Carnoustie got it 1999 after a gap of 24 years (1975). And Portrush had to wait 68 years to get it again in 2019 (1951).

brick tamland · 18-07-2023 2:37pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120866566#Comment_120866566

Neither of them played well on Sunday in the wind while Rory did well. Id presumed it would be the other way

FixdePitchmark · 18-07-2023 2:54pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120867117#Comment_120867117

I'm thinking more the rain too..

cosatron · 18-07-2023 3:08pm

the 17th hole looks like fun especially if the wind picks up.

Dr. Bre · 18-07-2023 5:36pm

Any changes to the course since 2014?

FixdePitchmark · 18-07-2023 5:41pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120868015#Comment_120868015

Yes a new hole ..and a few holes made longer ...also I think a par 5 was made into a par 4..and the last hole was made longer and tighter to make OB in play.

Course will still de destroyed/ as in near 20 under .

Links don't seem to work for these guys these days ..when you can hit a driving iron dead straight to 250 / 260

Mantis Toboggan · 18-07-2023 6:24pm

I'd guess the winning score will be closer to 14 under.

Dr. Bre · 18-07-2023 6:51pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120868199#Comment_120868199

Rory won it on -17 in 2014. Will be interesting to see if it’s a similar winning score

Mantis Toboggan · 18-07-2023 7:22pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120868297#Comment_120868297

Yeah but it's a par 71 now versus 72 back then and the course is now playing longer also.

CMcsporty · 19-07-2023 10:31am

10th Hole ‘Far’ was 532yd Par5 in 2014 and McIlroy birdied it 3 of the 4 days. 507yd Par 4 this year.

Every indicator says that McIlroy must win this. Except the 9 year old elephant on his back! Incredible consistency since his Masters MC.

Led after Rnd 1 (66) in '14 with a 6 lead after round 3.

Fowler was only 2 shots back at the end.... I think he'll be at least two shots better than him this time.

Rahm & Tom Kim are my picks...although I have to declare I've also picked Adam Scott to win! Just have a feeling he'll go well again here. T5 in '14 & T8 in '06.

Motivator · 19-07-2023 8:56pm

This could be a mad course the next few days. It’s the longest back 9 in major history I believe and with some dangerous internal out of bounds around the course it will play even longer for a lot of the field. I think this one really is set up for the big hitters. Players who are any way wild off the tee will get punished badly, but driving irons or hybrids will turn some of the long holes into absolute brutes altogether.

I think Rahm is the one to be on. A nice quiet build up last week practicing in Ireland and he’ll be fresh compared to McIlroy and Scheffler. The thing with Scheffler is his putting is going to click sooner rather than later, if that happens he could run away with this. He’s long and accurate off the tee and his iron play is something we haven’t seen from any player since Woods in his dominant period of 2000 - 2002. But anyway, Rahm for me.

Trampas · 20-07-2023 5:32am

Was it here where eldrick won it without having a bunker shot all week. Basically won it using his 2 iron off the tee? Driver didn’t see light of day over last 3 rounds?

The Big Easy · 20-07-2023 6:15am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120873251#Comment_120873251

That's my recollection of it anyway, so I'm surprised to hear it's the longest back 9 in major history.

It was completely baked in 2006 though with the ball running a mile.

slave1 · 20-07-2023 6:38am

These guys are animals, I would not be worried about longer than normal holes on a links

Dr. Bre · 20-07-2023 7:24am

Any good app for this for the leaderboard? Can’t seem to find

CMcsporty · 20-07-2023 7:45am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120873282#Comment_120873282

Harrington milling drivers out on the range.

The 2 irons OTT will not be the strategy this week.

btw its not the longest back 9 in major history. Prob British open History.

It was the only course on the rota with 3 par 5s on the back 9.

GolfPar · 20-07-2023 7:49am

Very calm for the early starters.

Trampas · 20-07-2023 8:52am

Is Scottie wearing a tw top?

slave1 · 20-07-2023 11:06am

17th is Live on YT, great to see the pros in trouble with 9iron in hand off the tww, even saw one putting off the green into one of the bunkers, golf is hard

CMcsporty · 20-07-2023 11:11am

Mathew Jordan finished -2

From Hoylake & played there since he's been 7. Qualified 2 wks ago.

The Big Easy · 20-07-2023 11:15am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120873438#Comment_120873438

It's pretty green already with more rain to come, so drivers will be in their hands and from what I seen off the first very few were hitting the fairway, so not sure they'll be ripping the place up.

Prefer the open when it's really fiery, but you have to play what the weather deals you.

CMcsporty · 20-07-2023 11:42am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120874575#Comment_120874575

Driver strategy hasn't worked out for Harrington anyway. +4 unfortunately

The amateur Lamprecht has taken driver OTT and leading at -5

Cam Smith is plying 10th 507yd and I think he took a Wood OTT

20-07-2023 12:19pm

The coverage so far is fantastic. The social media stuff, on the range, open mic, camera work. It’s my favourite major by far.

The Big Easy · 20-07-2023 12:24pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120874997#Comment_120874997

Sky had to make some big commitments regarding coverage, innovation and growth of the game when the R&A very controversially switched from the Beep iirc

Trampas · 20-07-2023 1:24pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120875030#Comment_120875030

Sky do golf well. For all the complaints when they’re host broadcaster you get great coverage and stuff. With commentary you can always hit the mute button