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U.S. Open - 2015

Frayed Knot Jun 19 2015 03:10 PM

A field of 156 teed off on Thursday, and while there are still some 2nd rounds left to finish, Tiger just missed a short putt on his final hole to solidify his spot in 155th place, or one shot above what is sometimes called DFL (Dead Fucking Last).

Rockin' Doc Jun 19 2015 08:52 PM Re: U.S. Open - 2015

I recently read an interview with Greg Norman in which he was asked whether he thought Tiger would eventually match or surpass Jack Nicklaus's record of 18 major titles in a career. Norman stated that Tiger he would not be surprised if Tiger never added to his current total of 14 major titles. He stated that Tiger is no longer the dominant player in the world, in fact he felt Rory McIlroy was now the dominant player and numerous others (Speith, Rose, Fowler, Watson, et al) now eclipsed Tiger. I agree with his assessment. Tiger's last major was 7 years ago when he won the 2008 US Open. He has lost his mental edge over other tour players who no longer fear his game and I believe he has lost not only his swing, but his confidence. His world ranking (#181 and dropping like a stone) reflects his failure to have any top 10 finishes in the past 2 seasons. I have never been a huge fan of Tiger, but he was truly a transcendent talent that dominated the world of golf for many years. His period of dominance is over and the sport will move on (even if most of the media will fail to accept his decline). Others will pick up the mantel of greatness and the game of golf will survive and thrive.

Frayed Knot Jun 20 2015 10:36 PM Re: U.S. Open - 2015

One thing I like about this particular tournament is that, for all of golf's rules about quiet while the players are playing, they have to tee it up while passenger and/or freight trains are rolling just yards away from several tees and greens on this course. That doesn't mean that the fans screaming 'Get in the hole' or 'You da Man' immediately after driver makes contact with the ball shouldn't be beaten to death on the spot.

Frayed Knot Jun 20 2015 10:38 PM Re: U.S. Open - 2015

Rockin' Doc wrote: I have never been a huge fan of Tiger, but he was truly a transcendent talent that dominated the world of golf for many years. His period of dominance is over and the sport will move on (even if most of the media will fail to accept his decline). It's the scale of the fall that's most amazing. The guy who virtually never missed a cut for the better part of a decade is now missing them on a regular basis - in some cases by ten shots or more.

Frayed Knot Jun 21 2015 07:14 PM Re: U.S. Open - 2015

I like that at this course the golfers, who learn the game as one where complete silence is required during shots, have to contend with the occasional freight train going past the course, sometimes within about 20 yards of a tee. To those fans who decide to exercise their lungs the second a ball is hit with all sorts of inane comments (You da Man!, BaBa Booey, etc.): STFU! It wasn't funny or clever when drunk frat boys started doing it like two decades ago and it's even less so now.

Frayed Knot Jun 21 2015 08:21 PM Re: U.S. Open - 2015

Good Lord! If Dustin Johnson could putt even a little bit he'd have won this thing going away.

MFS62 Jun 22 2015 08:17 AM Re: U.S. Open - 2015

Have the ratings for golf been up or down that past few years? I just looked at the final top 14 finishers (including ties). I've heard about maybe three names on that list, maybe. Have the "big name" guys of the past 10 years all gotten old at the same time? No a big golf fan, but just wondering. Later

metirish Jun 22 2015 01:19 PM Re: U.S. Open - 2015

WORST.COVERAGE.EVER WOW, FOX doing golf was a joke....amateur hour

Frayed Knot Jun 22 2015 01:58 PM Re: U.S. Open - 2015

MFS62 wrote: Have the ratings for golf been up or down that past few years? I have no idea and wouldn't base an assessment no matter if they were towards either extreme. Too many other factors involved (this one, being on the west coast, pushed the thing to prime time in the east for instance) to make anything out of what is an inexact science (ratings) anyway. I just looked at the final top 14 finishers (including ties). I've heard about maybe three names on that list, maybe. Have the "big name" guys of the past 10 years all gotten old at the same time? That the tour was Tiger-dominated for so long was both good and bad for the sport. Good in that he alone boosted ratings beyond any level it had been at before, bad in that he pushed aside so many in the second tier to the point where if he wasn't playing or near the top on a given weekend, that particular tournament seemed diminished. But a new generation has been rising in recent years (just as the no-longer-so-young Eldrick Woods was starting to crash and burn) leaving plenty of names near the top of the leaderboard this weekend that are attractive to the average golf fan. Winner Spieth now has the Masters & US Open under his belt at age 21, something's that's been done 6 times in history by golfers at any age, And though the Irishman McIlroy wasn't a factor this weekend, he's only 26 and has clearly been the best over the last 3-4 years and should be a good foil for the likes of Spieth and others going forward.

Rockin' Doc Jun 22 2015 06:36 PM Re: U.S. Open - 2015

Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson were the two biggest draws in golf over the previous decade. Tiger turns 40 in December and his game has imploded over the past two years. Tiger is currently #205 in the World Golf Rankings and seems to drop further with each tournament he plays in. Phil Mickelson celebrated his 45th birthday last week. Still has flashes of brilliance, but he isn't as consistent as he once was. He has palyed well enough to be #20 in the World Golf Rankings. Golf is no different than any other sport, the stars of yesterday eventually grow old and yield to the youthful stars of the future.