U.S. Open (Golf)

[nmduke2001]

Chambers Bay is getting a lot of bad reviews from many of the competitors. It's basically a British Open course in the Pacific Northwest. It should lead to some great drama. I'm hoping Mickelson can finally pull off the U.S. Open to complete the career grand slam.

Kevin Streelman is not in the field. Not sure why. I would have guess that he was playing well enough to qualify.

[DUKIECB]

Chambers Bay is getting a lot of bad reviews from many of the competitors. It's basically a British Open course in the Pacific Northwest.

Saw this pic of one of the greens yesterday...Chambers bay.jpgYikes! Looks like the local muni

[jacone21]

Golf channel has been running some very informative coverage with Frank Nobilo walking the course and discussing its features. It's a crazy course with some holes having vastly different tee locations, so that 18 holes can be played like 24 or 25 different holes. They're talking about how difficult practice rounds can be when players have to prepare for 25 holes. It's a bit gimmicky for my taste. They said it was a 7+ mile walk with elevation changes up to 100 ft on holes and between holes. Fatigue will play a big part, I think. I was telling my wife last night that it could be either a horrible disaster of a tournament, or an amazing success. We'll see.

[nmduke2001]

http://espn.go.com/golf/usopen15/sto...-115th-us-open

If you watch the video embedded in the link you'll see that Andy North is not impressed.

[Jarhead]

What? Only one tree? What's a guy going to do in an emergency?wizard.gif

[BD80]

Saw this pic of one of the greens yesterday...Chambers bay.jpgYikes! Looks like the local muni

Wow. It looks like the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor. Again.

[gurufrisbee]

It's less than half an hour from my house. I'm not a big golfer, but it's funny because it's not even one of the most talked courses in the area from other golfers. But it does have a great reputation around here as challenging and not really as ugly as people are making it sound. I don't know how it will go, but I do know the expectation is for really nice weather (which is not often the case around Seattle). It's funny seeing signs even here welcoming folks because of the Open.

[Mal]

...the expectation is for really nice weather (which is not often the case around Seattle).

Therein lies the trouble. The grass at Chambers was specifically chosen and developed for the Puget Sound region, and is an offshoot of the type of grass used on traditional Scottish links courses. It's all predicated on the climate near Seattle being not altogether different from the climate near Glasgow. Dry weather and sun is an unwelcome site for that sort of course, unfortunately.

[DUKIECB]

And they're off!

Phil with an early birdie at the third to get things going!

My predictions

-Players complain incessantly about the course and all the bad breaks they get
-Tiger misses the cut
-Phil plays well and finishes near the top but comes up short once again
-Spieth makes the cut but finishes in the middle of the pack
-McIlroy lifts the trophy Sunday

[gurufrisbee]

We're about 25 minutes from Chambers Bay, but we're only one mile from the state fairgrounds and they are using them as the shuttle site for the Open and this morning driving in to work I literally passed eight nice charter buses that were coming back for at least their second runs of the morning.

[DUKIECB]

Phil is off and running! 3 birdies in his first 8 holes to take the early lead!

How unbelievable would it be for him to have yet another 2nd place finish in this tournament?

[hurleyfor3]

It's weird seeing US Open greens this easy.

[BD80]

... My predictions

-Players complain incessantly about the course and all the bad breaks they get
-Tiger misses the cut ...

Ricky Fowler will wear orange.

[jacone21]

Ricky Fowler will wear orange.

Fox's graphics will make lots of annoying whooshing noises.

[DUKIECB]

Fox's graphics will make lots of annoying whooshing noises.

Joe Buck will lull me to sleep

[Bob Green]

My predictions

-Tiger misses the cut

Woods is +3 through five holes so this prediction is looking good. Lots of golf left to play before the cut.

[BD80]

Woods is +3 through five holes so this prediction is looking good. Lots of golf left to play before the cut.

He's getting lots more reps in this weekend

[devildeac]

Saw this pic of one of the greens yesterday...Chambers bay.jpgYikes! Looks like the local muni

What? Only one tree? What's a guy going to do in an emergency?wizard.gif

Umm, that's not a tree...

[BD80]

It's not just that the wheels have come off for Tiger, he doesn't even know where they ended up (he should probably look deep in the rough to the right).

It is uncomfortable hearing the announcer repeatedly say how lost Tiger looks on the course.

[BD80]

Tiger goes from sand to sand to sand. Announcer: "How high will his score go?" (Already +7, double bogey or worse coming up)

It's liking watching a train wreck in slow motion. I can't look away.