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Bill Murphy
06-16-2004, 02:09 AM
Gotta go w/either VJ or Mick at Shinnecock, although I s'pose Harrington has to win something at some point. Euro ain't won the US Open since Jacklin in '69(?), which is just unbelievable. Faldo & Monty should be ashamed.

BeerMoney
06-16-2004, 09:27 AM
1.) The Big Easy.. Ernie Els
2.) Long John Daly

TheRake
06-16-2004, 09:45 AM
Fred Couples may not win, but he is playing great golf right now and would be a very popular champion if he can pull it off. Realistically I would prolly go with Ernie or VJ.

TheRake

HDPM
06-16-2004, 10:16 AM
Belly putters aren't supposed to win the US Open. I hope the USGA bans them. So I can't go w/ VJ. If Tiger keeps hitting his stinger, watch out. Don't bet against him, although it is hard to pick him.

Who likes Duval as the comeback kid this week? /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

nolanfan34
06-16-2004, 11:51 AM
Vijay and Mickelson would not surprise me. I expect to see K.J. Choi up near the top again as well. But my darkhorse pick, you heard it here first, is Chad Campbell. I think he has a good chance.

Harrington is the best Euro with a chance, although Sergio has been playing really well. It's going to be a great tournament.

bingledork
06-16-2004, 12:19 PM
I hate the belly putters. It's such a cop-out.
So for that reason I don't like Vijay.

Of course Freddy is the man, and he uses one now. I'd like to see Freddy do well, but not with that cheatin' putter.

I'd like to see Phil go on a tear and win another major.

M2d
06-16-2004, 12:34 PM
Parker Mclachlin

Kurn, son of Mogh
06-16-2004, 12:47 PM
No prediction, but wouldn't it be great to see Sergio and Tiger as the final twosome on Sunday?

andyfox
06-16-2004, 01:09 PM
Last time they played there, even par won the tournament, and I think one under won it the time before.

If I had to pick, I'd take Els. I don't think Tiger has much chance on a course where hitting it straight off the tee is at a premium. Then again, he's only won forty times so far, including an incredible nine-shot Open win at Pebble Beach.

Six_of_One
06-16-2004, 01:45 PM
[ QUOTE ]
Then again, he's only won forty times so far, including an incredible nine-shot Open win at Pebble Beach.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not to nitpick (well, maybe a little), but Tiger's win in the Open at Pebble Beach was actually by 15 strokes. He finished at -12, Els was 2nd at +3. Can't get much more amazing than that.

M2d
06-16-2004, 01:51 PM
Given the layout, I don't think Tiger's going to be hitting driver much this week. That should negate his fairway's problem, a bit, but he has to control the 2 iron (something he's been hit or miss on at times).

Sundevils21
06-16-2004, 02:12 PM
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Then again, he's only won forty times so far, including an incredible nine-shot Open win at Pebble Beach.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not to nitpick (well, maybe a little), but Tiger's win in the Open at Pebble Beach was actually by 15 strokes. He finished at -12, Els was 2nd at +3. Can't get much more amazing than that.

[/ QUOTE ]

One of the greatest performences in sports history.

andyfox
06-16-2004, 02:18 PM
-12 and the next best player in the world was +3.

Amazing.

andyfox
06-16-2004, 02:20 PM
I watched the L.A. Open last year and Hole #10 is a short par 4. Most players lay up with a 2-iron. Tiger was out of the hunt at this point and got the biggest cheer of the day when he pulled out his driver to go for the green. (He pushed it slightly, ended up in a trap, but still made 3.)

But watching all those other guys hit 2-irons was a revelation. All of tehm were fantastic.

M2d
06-16-2004, 02:25 PM
Our idea of a fantastic shot and their idea of a fantastic shot is an oh so thin line. about twenty yards thin. If i can get my three iron to go the right distance, regardless of direction I'm thrilled. If they can't get their three iron shots to dance the Moses Supposes number from Singing in the Rain, they're bummed.

Sundevils21
06-16-2004, 02:29 PM
[ QUOTE ]
Our idea of a fantastic shot and their idea of a fantastic shot is an oh so thin line. about twenty yards thin. If i can get my three iron to go the right distance, regardless of direction I'm thrilled. If they can't get their three iron shots to dance the Moses Supposes number from Singing in the Rain, they're bummed.

[/ QUOTE ]

Would it really be a thin line then? Wouldn't it be more like a gaping canyon?

JTrout
06-16-2004, 02:32 PM
The real gaping canyon between the best and the average is in the quality of their misses.

M2d
06-16-2004, 02:35 PM
[ QUOTE ]
Would it really be a thin line then? Wouldn't it be more like a gaping canyon?

[/ QUOTE ]

twenty yards plus a healthy dose of sarcasm makes it a thin line.

nolanfan34
06-16-2004, 02:40 PM
[ QUOTE ]
The real gaping canyon between the best and the average is in the quality of their misses.

[/ QUOTE ]

That, and the fact that even the worst putter on tour is far better than most amateurs. I was at Sahalee for the NEC event a couple of years ago, and that was what I really thought was amazing. How well those guys could roll the ball.

Well, that, and the 300 yard drives.

Although the highlight was when I wasn't watching where I was going walking on one of the paths, and almost clobbered this woman who also was looking elsewhere. After saying sorry I realized it was Tiger's girlfriend (now fiancee). Whoops. I can vouch that she is not hard on the eyes to look at. /images/graemlins/blush.gif

HDPM
06-16-2004, 03:27 PM
Heh. I watched Payne Stewart practice one day before he won his majors. He was hitting long-mid irons. He wasn't a super long hitter. His swing was nice to watch of course, but when you saw the shots it was kinda ho-hum at first. You say, hell, I can hit a 4-iron that well. But then he does it for 20 minutes straight, hitting the ball on the exact same trajectory every time and alternating between fades and draws. Same swing, same divot, same trajectory, same distance, same, same, same. Nope, I guess I can't hit a 4-iron that good. /images/graemlins/blush.gif

JTrout
06-16-2004, 04:22 PM
One of the highlights of my golfing career was playing a practice round with Payne in '98 the day after he lossed the US Open to Janzen.

The Western Open has a remarkable support of junior golf, and this day there were thousands at the course. The moment Payne joined our group, we were swarmed.

There has to be some huge emotional let down coming off a week like he'd just had, but you couldn't tell it.

He signed hundreds of autographs. Chatted and goofed around, and thoroughly entertained.

On one hole, we were waiting on the tee for the fairway to clear, and boths sides of the tee spectators are lined up.
When it was finally time to hit, Payne teed it up, and made that long graceful swing of his, and cold topped it about 10 yds. off the tee.
He held his finish, in perfect balance, like he had hit it perfect. There was a gasp, then a second of silence, then an eruption of laughter.
He just kind of shook his head a little, teed up another, and striped it down the middle.

An entertainer, crowd pleaser, and remarkable talent.
May he rest in peace.

JTrout

TJSWAN
06-16-2004, 04:58 PM
[ QUOTE ]
One of the highlights of my golfing career was playing a practice round with Payne in '98 the day after he lossed the US Open to Janzen.

The Western Open has a remarkable support of junior golf, and this day there were thousands at the course. The moment Payne joined our group, we were swarmed.

There has to be some huge emotional let down coming off a week like he'd just had, but you couldn't tell it.

He signed hundreds of autographs. Chatted and goofed around, and thoroughly entertained.

On one hole, we were waiting on the tee for the fairway to clear, and boths sides of the tee spectators are lined up.
When it was finally time to hit, Payne teed it up, and made that long graceful swing of his, and cold topped it about 10 yds. off the tee.
He held his finish, in perfect balance, like he had hit it perfect. There was a gasp, then a second of silence, then an eruption of laughter.
He just kind of shook his head a little, teed up another, and striped it down the middle.

An entertainer, crowd pleaser, and remarkable talent.
May he rest in peace.

JTrout

[/ QUOTE ]

JT,

Great story!! Thanks for sharing.

Tim

J.A.Sucker
06-16-2004, 05:10 PM
What really separates the PGA pros from the masses is their short games. I know several players (some with Plus handicaps) that are as good at striking the ball as just about anyone on tour. One guy is about 6'6" and can easily drive the ball 350, and he does it with regularity. He has played in a couple of the AAA-tour (whatever they call it now) and could probably compete out there. However, he is only a marginal putter (still, probably good enough). Where he stands no chance is around the greens. The PGA pros are incredible at getting up and down.

In fact, Tiger's "slump" isn't really as big of a slump as people think it was. When he was winning every tourney under the sun, it was primarily because his short game was extremely good; he didn't miss a 15 footer for 9 months, and his chipping was amazing. This was really a case of the best player "running good" and you can see the devestating results. Admittedly, his game isn't as sharp as it was back then, but nobody could be expected to make as many putts as he did.

To gain the ultimate in appreciation for PGA players, just look at a guy like Justin Leonard. I can hit the ball about 20 yards past him, easily. If I played every day, I could probably hit almost as many greens in a round as he does. However, the dude will beat me by 8 strokes, easily, due to the fact that he makes pars on his mistakes, and I can't. Plus, he'll make a birdie and a half more a round than I would, since he's such a great putter. That's all it takes.

ben69inng
06-16-2004, 07:05 PM
Davis Love III may have an outside chance.