Massacre at Winged Foot

[magee99]

Part II???

There have been some pretty crazy scores so far this year....

Toms - +9
Donald - +8
Goose - +7
Love - +6


Must be some pretty hefty rough if the second easiest hole is a 214 year par 3.

Anybody else read the article in Golf Digest with the comments from 20+ players, caddies and fans from the last open at Winged Foot....this seems like it is going to much the same.

I have not seen any coverage but have spent more time today at work looking at the scores than doing actual work....so does it look as bad on TV as on the computer?

[Tmagsecretinthedirt]

It doesn't seem like it's playing any more difficult than a normal US Open except that there are no real birdie holes and the pins are tucked so it is going to be hard to make more than 2 or 3 birdies a round.

[vthokie1157]

It doesn't seem like it's playing any more difficult than a normal US Open except that there are no real birdie holes and the pins are tucked so it is going to be hard to make more than 2 or 3 birdies a round.

 

i agree, except i think that the players putting together rounds that put them in contention will have around 4-5 birdies. i think its gonna be a great championship and one that will be very fun to watch!

[BCULAW]

See, I dislike this type of set-up. Just too much emphasis on not making mistakes, and not enough opportunity to rebound if you make one. It is like dumping a foot of water on the track at the Kentucky Derby and watching the thoroughbreds slog their way to the finish line. I'd rather watch them at a sprint. I am fine with making the course difficult, but put some birdie opportunities out there for players who are playing well. Par is a phenominal round on this course - as evidenced by the fact that there has only been 3 rounds of par or better posted so far. IMo, it makes for boring and frustrating golf.

[sportse]

I think it is kind of fun watching the elite golfers struggle just a bit because it makes them look human. I don't even want to think what I would shoot on the course the way they have it!

[dtrain]

Wow Tiger 7 over thru 13, 1 of 9 fairways hit, must be brutal.

[taylormadefan]

Wow Tiger 7 over thru 13, 1 of 9 fairways hit, must be brutal.

 

He is so rusty. I applaud him for coming back at this venue, but he's not ready.

 

His short game is the worst I've seen it EVER (by Tiger's standards), he's got no touch today at all.

[nearfall152]

Wow Tiger 7 over thru 13, 1 of 9 fairways hit, must be brutal.

 

He is so rusty. I applaud him for coming back at this venue, but he's not ready.

 

His short game is the worst I've seen it EVER (by Tiger's standards), he's got no touch today at all.

 

I agree, but I'll be in his corner until he's officially cut.

[suwii]

I think you missed sergio also at +8? or something?

who knows..maybe that will be the cut after R2! I hope someone can get into red figures! COME ON ADAM!

[danielscho]

I think you missed sergio also at +8? or something?

who knows..maybe that will be the cut after R2! I hope someone can get into red figures! COME ON ADAM!

red figures !

 

Monty is in red figures

go Monty you da man

[creecool]

It's only going to get harder,literally....greens will firm up as well as the fairways.Nerves are going to be quite jangled out there,winning score probably won't beat +3 :friends:

[kmrev]

PGA Tour take note:

 

Quit lengthening courses to a gabillion yards so only the big hiiters can play. Just grow the rough each week, firm up the fairways and the greens, hide the flagsticks, and "voila"... no more worries about today's high tech equipment...

[pmas93]

No birdies out there??? David Howell had it to 4-under so there must be some birdies out there. Too bad he was 4-over on his last 4 holes.

I love the set-up. It makes the player think and not just bomb it down and have a wedge in.

How about the 15 year old kid from Hawaii. 5'1" and was hitting it out there at a 284 average.

35 players had a driving distance average of 300+

What a great day of golf today will be watching where the cut line is going to fall!

[Sam-Tee-Time]

I find it funny how the pros are commenting......."It's Tough, but FAIR". FAIR??? I don't see anything fair about this course. Of cours e- the rough off the tee is very penalizing. Even if you're on the green - nothing except a VERY PRECISE iron shot will result in anything par or better.

 

It's a great test of their abilities, but I certainly would not call it "Fair".

[kurob]

I find it funny how the pros are commenting......."It's Tough, but FAIR". FAIR??? I don't see anything fair about this course. Of cours e- the rough off the tee is very penalizing. Even if you're on the green - nothing except a VERY PRECISE iron shot will result in anything par or better.

 

It's a great test of their abilities, but I certainly would not call it "Fair".

I could not disagree more. This setup makes you drive the ball well, makes you hit accurate iron shots, and tests your short game. It makes guys do everything well to identify a champion. At most tour stops, hitting the fairway barely matters (see the lack of correlation between driving accuracy and money list ranking).

 

This course, while hard, is the definition of fair to me...more fair than that regular tour stop without penalizing rough that allows guys to bomb and gouge and not worry about hitting fairways.

[oldgoalie]

I find it funny how the pros are commenting......."It's Tough, but FAIR". FAIR??? I don't see anything fair about this course. Of cours e- the rough off the tee is very penalizing. Even if you're on the green - nothing except a VERY PRECISE iron shot will result in anything par or better.

 

It's a great test of their abilities, but I certainly would not call it "Fair".

 

I would define fair as rewarding good shots and punishing bad ones. With the graduated rough and the speed of the greens, I would say it is playing pretty fair.

 

In the past, I would agree that some of the Open setups were unfair. At Shinnecock when you could not keep putts on the green or Pinehurst where a 6 inch miss on the green was the difference between a 5 foot putt and a 100 foot pitch because the ball ran all the way off the side of the green off a swale the setups were definately unfair.

 

I don't see any of that kind of thing going on at Winged Foot.

[Chris L The Golf Dude]

Part 2 Indeed!

 

 

By Sunday, the leader after the 3rd round will be at: +3.

 

and the winner will be +8??

 

 

Sunday will be the hardest day, no doubt.

[sportse]

Driving accuracy is VITAL (just ask Tiger). Many of the shorter hitters that have kept the ball in play have scored ok.

 

Looks like the cut will be no higher than +9, unless everyone in the later groups suck.

[Tmagsecretinthedirt]

This weekend could get interesting. If the course gets no rain then I can see +5 or +6 winning easily. There's just not going to be any birdie opportunities with weekend pins and course firmness. I love watching a course play tough but fair, it's so entertaining and different.

[Tmagsecretinthedirt]

I also think that Geoff Ogilvy is going to win this tournament, he is playing just beautifully and it is time for one of the younger guys to start winning big tournaments. Go Geoff!

[Nille]

I like that the course plays tough for them. I mean this is a change from many other tournaments, where the winner has to have 4 rounds in the low/mid 60's to win.

[Placebo]

Makes me wonder if putting the driver away and using either 3 wood or irons off the tee would help someone gather some birdies.

[dannypharvey]

OMG!!!! Has anybody noticed David Duval! T8th at the mo, 4 under on the day, NO DROPPED SHOTS! He's bound to get a double on the last, it's just his luck!

[golfernut78]

whats up with the low percentage of greens hit, even on the par 3's. i can understand with the narrow fairways that if you hit the rough your not making it to the green and still a little missing even from the fairway, but even on the par's 3?

[villa]

I love this setup!

 

I hate to say it but I sometimes get bored watching tournaments where the winner is -15. I find myself praying for a play-off so something exciting will happen. I know the winds gusting a bit out there but in general (and I know it's not the case all the time) the U.S tournaments aren't battling against any severe elements. It seems to be a case of hit it as far as you can (regardless of where it goes) then hit a short iron in. The whole emphasis of golf is to reward players for hitting fairways and greens. All the tournament courses should follow the same path and I think it'll be interesting to see who shines.

 

I think we can ignore Tigers performance this week for obvious reasons but I personally think he'd still be number one. When he's on form he's unbeatable. I just think it'd bring a few of the guys a bit nearer.

[suwii]

still just steve stricker at 1 under...

big names going to miss the cut! sergio, tiger, appleby, goosen!!

[oldgoalie]

whats up with the low percentage of greens hit, even on the par 3's. i can understand with the narrow fairways that if you hit the rough your not making it to the green and still a little missing even from the fairway, but even on the par's 3?

 

Those greens must be smaller than they look on TV. That and the back to front pear shape.