2021 US Open

[Obee]

44 minutes ago, Ferguson said:

 

I don't like the idea of him seeing Faxon for tips.   Faxon was a good putter, but he never putted like a winner.  His record shows that.  Fax is a chop in terms of total talent compared to Rory. 

 

If he wants to putt like a winner - I suggest he calls Ben, Jack or Tiger and asks for a 20-25 minute meeting (not on the green).  Rory is making putting a separate destination over 72 holes.  These three guys knew that making putts was just the end of finishing a hole successfully and moving to the next.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

That's one way to look at it, for sure. I can tell you that for me, my putting improved tremendously when I started looking at putting as a completely separate game. Once I get to the putting green, it's like I'm playing checkers, where hitting approach shots is chess. The analogy isn't even that important, it's just that I felt like that distinction that walking up to the putting green means entering a new "playing arena" with different concepts and rules, etc. has really helped me become the best putter I can be.

[paulshack]

29 minutes ago, MUNIGRIT said:

Bland had to be counting his wallet draining with every shot over the weekend. 

I think bland is wise enough to know his wallet was never full after only leading after 2rounds

[Ferguson]

1 minute ago, Obee said:

 

That's one way to look at it, for sure. I can tell you that for me, my putting improved tremendously when I started looking at putting as a completely separate game. Once I get to the putting green, it's like I'm playing checkers, where hitting approach shots is chess. The analogy isn't even that important, it's just that I felt like that distinction that walking up to the putting green means entering a new "playing arena" with different concepts and rules, etc. has really helped me become the best putter I can be.

 

I always felt going on vacation was like a par-4 hole in golf.  

 

DRIVE - you make the trip to the destination area. 

APPROACH - you enter the hotel, house or condo.

READ THE GREENS - you walk around and acclimate.

PUTT - you step back and feel good about your choice.

 

 

 

Poor putting is like renting a beach house and arriving to find the pool to be green and bathrooms dirty.   

It makes the journey less memorable. 

 

 

[Hawkeye77]

7 minutes ago, Obee said:

 

That's one way to look at it, for sure. I can tell you that for me, my putting improved tremendously when I started looking at putting as a completely separate game. Once I get to the putting green, it's like I'm playing checkers, where hitting approach shots is chess. The analogy isn't even that important, it's just that I felt like that distinction that walking up to the putting green means entering a new "playing arena" with different concepts and rules, etc. has really helped me become the best putter I can be.

 

Is it possible it isn't the viewpoint (either seems valid) but that he's just going to be streaky and that's it?  You were able to train yourself to be really good, others apparently can, but is it possible some just can't?  I have to believe he devotes a lot of time to practicing his putting and in what I assume are productive ways.  Confounding.

[Obee]

10 minutes ago, Hawkeye77 said:

 

Is it possible it isn't the viewpoint (either seems valid) but that he's just going to be streaky and that's it?  You were able to train yourself to be really good, others apparently can, but is it possible some just can't?  I have to believe he devotes a lot of time to practicing his putting and in what I assume are productive ways.  Confounding.

 

I am pre-disposed to think that mindset is huge because for so long I resisted that it was important. The biggest thing for me was letting go of needing to look normal when putting. Rory is a very "conventional" putter. I honestly think he would greatly benefit by trying some things that are borderline outrageous in practice, find one that seems to work better, then take it to the course.

[outonthelinks]

On 6/14/2021 at 11:28 AM, outonthelinks said:

Great to see Jon Rahm has been cleared to compete this week after returning two negative Covid-19 tests. He's a bit of master around Torrey Pines & this is the perfect course for him to break into the major winners circle. Hope he has great week after his agony at The Memorial. 

 

Really happy to see Jon lift the trophy yesterday. His self-belief to stay focused through that Covid situation was impressive and would have rocked a lesser man. 

 

I could see him going back to back in the majors by winning The Open Championship at Royal St George's next month.

[CasualLie]

30 minutes ago, Obee said:

 

I am pre-disposed to think that mindset is huge because for so long I resisted that it was important. The biggest thing for me was letting go of needing to look normal when putting. Rory is a very "conventional" putter. I honestly think he would greatly benefit by trying some things that are borderline outrageous in practice, find one that seems to work better, then take it to the course.

 

Seems like putting for some is a fickle thing that really does not apply across the board when it comes to changes.  Xander switches to arm lock and seemingly misses a lot of putts he made before, Morikawa switches putters and over the course of 4 days got better and better.  Maybe @Hawkeye77 is right, it's just streaky for some.

[Obee]

4 minutes ago, CasualLie said:

 

Seems like putting for some is a fickle thing that really does not apply across the board when it comes to changes.  Xander switches to arm lock and seemingly misses a lot of putts he made before, Morikawa switches putters and over the course of 4 days got better and better.  Maybe @Hawkeye77 is right, it's just streaky for some.

 

By its very nature, putting is streaky, of course. 🙂

[Fairway14]

1 hour ago, imakaveli said:

 

Rory has become a golden journeyman

 McIlroy has won nearly professional 30 tournaments, the most recent of which was last month.  

[bscinstnct]

11 minutes ago, Fairway14 said:

 McIlroy has won nearly professional 30 tournaments, the most recent of which was last month.  

 

He did?

 

 

🤣

 

 

Seriously, I don’t remember. But last time Rory won a major, JT and Spieth looked like this

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kidding, kidding. It’s been a while though ; )

Edited June 21, 2021 by bscinstnct

[jonsnow]

4 minutes ago, bscinstnct said:

 

He did?

 

 

🤣

 

 

Seriously, I don’t remember. But last time Rory won a major, JT and Spieth looked like this

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kidding, kidding. It’s been a while though ; )

To me, they still look like this...

[jpbouffard]

2 hours ago, UncleJohn’sBand said:

Watching the golf with my dad yesterday he made a decent observation on Rory's putting (as well as DJ, Colin, Wolff to an extent) is that none of these Taylormade players seem to be terribly consistent or even good putters and they all use a Taylormade putter. He wondered if maybe it could be the equipment. Morikawa seemed to be a really decent putter with the longneck Betti. 

 

I think back to the 009/006 run Rory had and the Dave Stockton method of putting and remember it being quite successful. I also remember the 2016 East Lake tournament with the Scotty mallet coming from the Odyssey Works 3 prototype he was using and his move to the TP line of putters with the move to Taylormade in 2017. Perhaps it actually is the equipment. 

 

My feeling is that any player who contends in majors and is a consistent winner, a high ranked player, like Rory, is already a very good putter. We get the impression they are poor putters because we see them on TV and see that the winners that day make putts while the losers don't. 

 

We don't get the luxury of comparing someone like Rory with the guy who missed the cut, however.

 

All that said...I _do_ believe it's significant when a guy is in the hunt often but seems to miss putts he needs on the last day. And it does seem to be this way with Rory. There are probably final round stats available on strokes gained, and it wouldn't surprise me if Rory putts poorly on Sundays. 

 

In any event...I don't think it's technique or equipment. I think it is something mental. It's choking, to a degree. 

 

And only a player can get themselves out of this. All the advice and psychology and so forth in the world won't fix it. The player has to find a way to prepare themselves such that they have belief and confidence about these putts. The guys who doubt are lost. 

[OBbogey5]

Regarding Rory’s putting.. Isn’t it funny, every player can relate to it, and in fact compete with pros on the greens, on any given 18 holes. I can’t hit it 350, and I can’t hit a 4 iron 120 ft high, but I can have a round with 25 putts, 9 puts on the back nine. Pros do that too. The putting stroke is the simplest thing in golf. Chipping and pitching, and especially the consistency of doing it well, creates a pro/non-pro gap. But there it is, a lot of good to decent golfers can relate to Rory on the dance floor. 
 

He just hasn’t deserved to win any of these majors since 2014. Not at all. It’s not just his putting. His game seems to increase in strength with every inch he is away from the hole. He’s not a top notch Tour chipper to pitcher of the ball, and he still makes mistakes with full irons and tee shots. He isn’t good enough to win a major over the past 8 years. Maybe he’ll improve. But what he’s got right now probably isn’t good enough. 

[Titleist99]

Refreshing to see a winner of a big Major tournament make big putts. Haven't seen fist pumps like that from a player since 2008.....

 

Congrats JR

[woodriff]

What does everyone think Bryson will take from his back 9 ? Will he learn anything? 

[tsecor]

Thank god for Rham......the rest of the field SUCKED once again down the stretch......Rory missing 3 footers, DeChambeua skulling chips into the crowd...Morikawa hitting a wedge from 50 yards way over the green.....it was a disaster saved by two big putts from Rham.....

 

If Rory could putt AT ALL, he would lready have 6 majors...its his achilles heel.......you can see him stand over the 3 footers with zero confidence

Edited June 21, 2021 by tsecor

[chigolfer1]

4 hours ago, bladehunter said:

Agree. Choke is what Louis did on the tee of 17 all the way to the layup on 18.  And I love the guy.  But you’ve got 8 miles right on 17.  Play for par knowing birdie will come on 18.    But once in a do or die situation I don’t know how you don’t try to hit 3 or 7 wood from the rough to try to tie.  Maybe $ came into mind ? If so I guess , but I just assumed he wasn’t hand to mouth.  Not that I’m judging that. I’m just saying I’d understand it if it were true.  
 

rory didn’t collapse.  He just faded away.  

 

Because he did the quick math and probably knew that he had a much greater chance of chipping in than actually getting it over the water there.

[bubbagump]

19 minutes ago, woodriff said:

What does everyone think Bryson will take from his back 9 ? Will he learn anything? 

Probs what he takes from most things, amongst his perfect swings and contact this tragedy was done to him and he was the victim.  

Edited June 21, 2021 by bubbagump

[jdl]

25 minutes ago, woodriff said:

What does everyone think Bryson will take from his back 9 ? Will he learn anything? 

I'll bet he's out on the range with the driver right now, trying to hit it farther.

[mat562]

30 minutes ago, woodriff said:

What does everyone think Bryson will take from his back 9 ? Will he learn anything? 

 

He'll be working feverishly to calculate how he can increase his own coefficient of pretence's function against the root mean square of Nienaber's greater ball speed divided by the impact upon his bragging rights.

[chillybilly]

Network televised golf is an abusive relationship.  Actually, it’s a series of abusive relationships as we are shifted mercilessly from one network to another depending on rights and contracts.

 

In a situation like the Fox US Open fiasco, we become latchkey kids.  It isn’t great having absent parents but at least we’re left alone for a few hours.  But Mom’s new boyfriend is Mom’s old boyfriend, namely the guy named Dan who says he works at NBC.  Dan looks a little more haggard than the last time you saw him but his eye-rolling how-you-doing-buddy patter is the same.

 

A reminder:  the US Open is presented by…oh, to hell with it.  Why do we need ‘reminders’ anyway?  Have we forgotten about the sponsors?  Do we care about the sponsors anyway?

 

On an equal plane of annoyance and uselessness are the USGA’s incessant tributes to…the USGA.  The only people who have a higher opinion of themselves than the USGA might be network golf broadcasters.  But it’s a close-run thing.

 

The Mike Davis tributes were appalling because they were excessive and excessive because they were appalling.  Davis didn’t invent the game nor did he propose putting dimples on the golf ball or suggest the innovation known as the beverage cart…and the beverage cart girl.  But his ring was kissed more times than The Godfather’s.

 

‘Playing Through’ might seem to be a sop to the put-upon, ad-weary golf viewer who wants to see as much of the tournament as possible but even on a 65 inch screen it’s tough to see anything when video portion is reduced.  Nobody likes ‘This was moments ago at #15’ but at least tape-delayed shots are shown without frames or ads that interrupt the audio.  Playing Through is actually an insidious attempt to get you to watch the ads and listen to the insipid music and voiceovers.  Be strong and FF the DVR through them – if anything important happens it will be shown again, probably half a dozen times in a minute or two.

 

In Oliver Stone’s ‘Nixon,’ a ludicrous over-the-top paranoid fever dream posing as a biopic, Nixon is sacking both loyal and disloyal staffers and advisers.  After the president rages, HR Haldeman (James Woods) turns to John Erlichman (JT Walsh) and says, simply, ‘…and John, you do know that we’re next, don’t you?’  It’s a simple, cold-eyed acknowledgement of their fate.

 

We may be a cynical lot but we must also acknowledge that the Peacock has its beak, if not its plumage, under the tent and plans on pushing in (see also:  English Premier League).  Will premium streaming subscription service televised golf be better than free-to-air (but not really) network televised golf?  Will it even be significantly different?

 

As Geoff Shackelford pointed out earlier today, NBC & Golf Channel dedicated a staggering amount of airtime to the US Open as in the actual play on the course.  Early rounds, non-contenders, etc. etc.  His complaint was the sameness of the presentation from first drive to last putt every day and suggested the early rounds or the Golf Channel portion might be the experimental group vs the control group of the traditional broadcast.

 

It was NBC’s incredible good fortune to have such a competitive tournament especially during the final round.  They were compelled to display the first page of the leaderboard in full-screen mode due to the number of players within reach of the lead.  Unfortunately, they were also compelled to reduce the ‘corner leader board’ down to two names (Rahm & Oosthuizen) near the end.  Leaving six or seven names wouldn’t have gone amiss, especially to provide context for anyone watching the late stages and wondering how far ahead these two actually were.

 

The aforementioned Dan Hicks gave us the aforementioned ‘reminders’ and, like his counterparts on other networks, insisted on relating anecdotes and stories to an audience who had read, seen and discussed the anecdotes and stories on social media (including forums like this) repeatedly through the week.  Hicks offered up the ‘in case you’ve been out of the country’ disclaimer but that was merely an admission that he was attempting to sell old rope.  The networks still miss their 1970s oligopoly and so they pretend that it’s still 1975 and nobody hears the news until the networks deliver it.

 

To be fair, the once-unctuous Hicks has mellowed and even become a bit cynical.  That isn’t a criticism, because a cynic is also a skeptic and we can use more skepticism in most things, especially the hype-laden world of sport.

 

Which brings us to Mr Paul Azinger.  ‘Zinger’ was once a perfect nickname for him.  He was a cynic’s cynic and all the more enjoyable and popular for it.  On the course he was unafraid to cuss you.  He was even more unafraid to cuss himself.  In a three-man broadcast booth he gleefully served up the vinegar and let others provide the honey.

 

Zinger the NBC lead analyst is…different.  As in bland.  The cliches were too numerous to count:

-‘Everything is magnified’

-‘A two-footer counts the same on Thursday as it does today.’

-‘They’re folding like cheap suits.’

-‘The cream is rising to the top.’

etc

 

Zinger is visibly and audibly concerned about straying into Johnny Miller territory in being too critical of the players or even the course setup (where applicable) but ‘That’s [still] a great shot’ provides no new information no matter how much the viewer knows or doesn’t know about golf.

 

The on-course reporters do solid work, to be fair, scrambling to provide detail and context.  However, the next reporter who says ‘This is a good-looking shot, if it’s the right club’ should be suspended for a week without pay.  This will henceforth be known as a Rankinism, after Judy, who uttered this meaningless phrase frequently.

 

Can it be a good-looking shot if it’s the wrong club?  Probably.  It will merely land in the wrong place.  Why the compulsion to describe the ball in mid-flight when the shot takes just a few seconds to land anyway?  Why not wait until it lands, which obviates the disclaimer?  Why not say ‘it’s on target’ and leave it at that?

 

Gary Koch is still serviceable but quite obviously misses the two-handed dialogue with his old mucker Johnny Miller in which one of them would marvel, sputter or critique while the other played the calm voice of reason.

 

Boom mics on the course and soundbars at home mean we’re much more able to clearly hear the players & caddies’ conversations although they often mutter, whisper or otherwise attempt to stifle eavesdroppers.  Post-swing remarks ie profanity were often ‘erased’ by patching in other course audio but the edits were quite obvious.

 

This was a Goldilocks-sized crowd.  Not too many, not too few.  Just right.  Unfortunately, the practice of loosing a horde of 50,000 on a smallish golf course will return soon enough along with the hospitality, gift, and foodservice tents.

 

Despite the relatively sparse galleries, a critical mass of morons were still present, desperate to synchronize their idiotic slogans with the *tink* of the driver against the ball.  Earpieces that allowed on-site fans to hear the network commentary only exacerbated the problem since the shouters didn’t have to wait until they returned home to hear themselves on teevee.  Giving the look-at-me types a means of instant gratification is a huge mistake.

 

One flaming idiot seemed to travel to every tee box.  The voice (and person) was almost certainly the same one as he heckled DeChambeau with the tired, unoriginal ‘Brooksy’ then had the brass neck to ask him for a golf ball.  If Bryson had punched him I would go out and buy a Puma flat cap tomorrow and wear it for a month.

 

One final spectator item:  phones.  Video recording.  Why!?!?!  I suppose I can understand a quick snapshot and I-was-there for a scrapbook photo or bragging rights on social media but filming (to use the colloquial term) a player’s swing is...bizarre.  Pointless.  Surplus to requirements, especially in a major when there are a dozen cameras on every tee and fairway.

 

One dork had the charging cable connected to his phone.  If you’re using  your phone so much at a golf tournament that it drains the battery you are too pathetic for words.  Especially because nobody will care about the awesome footage you obtained.

 

I may be the world’s lone DeChambeau agnostic.  I don’t root against him but I certainly don’t mind if he does well or wins and if it upsets his peers or the onlookers so much the better.  That said, his Sunday back nine trainwreck was staggering in its suddenness and completeness, with numerous strong doses of simple bad luck thrown in.

 

Yes, it’s a US Open and yes, they are bumpy poa annua greens but the putts were sliding by holes constantly.  Oosthuizen and Rahm making a few in the late going didn’t seem to compensate for all the field’s misses over four days.

 

Despite the carnage elsewhere that boosted his chances, Rahm was a deserving winner.  It was a bit strange having him interviewed on the range only to be asked nearly-identical questions a few minutes later at the trophy ceremony.  One day the media will come up with something better than ‘How does it feel?’  Or maybe they won’t.  They haven't yet, anyway.

Edited June 21, 2021 by chillybilly

[tsecor]

41 minutes ago, woodriff said:

What does everyone think Bryson will take from his back 9 ? Will he learn anything? 

Bryson is a complete tool.....he dismissed the choke by saying "its golf".......the man shot 44 on the back 9 and LOST the tournament with his horrible play.....and dismisses it when pressed......this guy will never learn anything. He is so arrogant, he probably thinks the published angle of all the greens were incorrect rather than he just flat out sucked. 

[bladehunter]

21 minutes ago, chigolfer1 said:

 

Because he did the quick math and probably knew that he had a much greater chance of chipping in than actually getting it over the water there.

If the lie was that bad , I guess.  But that’s a big if.  Was from 246 out.  
 

I don’t think the odds would show that holing  out from 65 is more likely than 3 wood flying 246 , unless the lie is so bad that you can’t get a club on it.  On TV at least you could see plenty of ball.    Put it this way.  If It’s Rahm or Phil , they aren’t laying up.  Sometimes I think some players are too conservative for their own good.  My opinion 

[bladehunter]

28 minutes ago, tsecor said:

Thank god for Rham......the rest of the field SUCKED once again down the stretch......Rory missing 3 footers, DeChambeua skulling chips into the crowd...Morikawa hitting a wedge from 50 yards way over the green.....it was a disaster saved by two big putts from Rham.....

Amen 

[tsecor]

2 minutes ago, bladehunter said:

If the lie was that bad , I guess.  But that’s a big if.  Was from 246 out.  
 

I don’t think the odds would show that holing  out from 65 is more likely than 3 wood flying 246 , unless the lie is so bad that you can’t get a club on it.  On TV at least you could see plenty of ball.    Put it this way.  If It’s Rahm or Phil , they aren’t laying up.  Sometimes I think some players are too conservative for their own good.  My opinion 

i agree that was a horrible decission.....he seemed to make great contact with the layup shot.....even if he went for it, the outcome would probably have been the same...but you have to go for it....that was a complete cop out.......you are trying to win the US OPEN.....he was like Dave Sims at that moment

[JaNelson38]

1 minute ago, tsecor said:

Bryson is a complete tool.....he dismissed the choke by saying "its golf".......the man shot 44 on the back 9 and LOST the tournament with his horrible play.....and dismisses it when pressed......this guy will never learn anything. He is so arrogant, he probably thinks the published angle of all the greens were incorrect rather than he just flat out sucked. 

 

Yes, the guy who held the trophy last fall "will never learn anything".

 

It IS golf.  Everyone has bad rounds, bad parts of rounds, bad stretches of play.  Dustin Johnson won the Travelers last year, then went 80/80 at the Memorial, followed that up with a WD after shooting a 78 the next week, then proceeded to go T12, T2, 1, 2, and 1 his final 5 events of the year to win the FedEx Cup.  All in the span of 7 weeks.

 

Bryson was +4 after 21 holes and was the leader with 9 to play.  Outside of Rahm's back 9 on Sunday, Bryson's stretch from the start of his second round until his final 9 was probably the best of the tournament by anyone....he went 30 holes without a bogey on a US Open course.

[jpbouffard]

25 minutes ago, chillybilly said:

Yes, it’s a US Open and yes, they are bumpy poa annua greens but the putts were sliding by holes constantly.  Oosthuizen and Rahm making a few in the late going didn’t seem to compensate for all the field’s misses over four days.

What does this mean? Sounds like you're saying that the field are bad putters, basically? Not the poa, not the open pressure, so they are just technically not good? 

[grm24]

11 hours ago, TiScape said:

Ok. So they’re paying “only” 500 million. My point was they paid a sh*t load of $. So there are gonna be A LOT of commercials! 🤪

Actually closer to 300 million.

[smashdn]

3 hours ago, nsxguy said:

 

Don't think so.

 

But with the pin up front ? Of course it's in play - if they want to have a reasonable chance at eagle. If not, no.

 

 

So, as long as the hole is cut near the pond and the player is attempting to hit the green in two shots the pond has a purpose.  Otherwise (hole cut in back portion of green and/or player has layed up) the pond is not in play.

[jpbouffard]

22 minutes ago, tsecor said:

Bryson is a complete tool.....he dismissed the choke by saying "its golf".......the man shot 44 on the back 9 and LOST the tournament with his horrible play.....and dismisses it when pressed......this guy will never learn anything. He is so arrogant, he probably thinks the published angle of all the greens were incorrect rather than he just flat out sucked. 

I think by saying "it's just golf," he meant that sometimes, no matter how hard you try, how good you are, how well you prepare, sometimes you just suck.