Golf 2008

[kingdom hoop]

With a second consecutive victory, and third overall, for an Irish golfer on the European Tour I think a thread hailing their achievements is merited. By the way, have two Irish players ever won in consecutive weeks before?

Perhaps of most pleasure is the three players who've won this season: Damien McGrane announcing his arrival to the big-time; with a win and good form in general, Graeme McDowell is showing signs that his undoubted natural ability might be harnessed; and I'm especially happy for Darren Clarke - in a game like golf it can be very hard to revisit past glories after an extended slump, so it's great to see the personal torment and complete loss of form he's endured over the past 18 months be assuaged somewhat with yesterday's victory. His brashness hasn't always endeared itself to me, but he does seem like a nice fella at heart so personally I'm delighted for him.

If the three lads mentioned can maintain their form, Rory McIlroy lives up to some of the hype, Harrington does what we and he have come to expect, and Paul McGinley manages to recapture some of the form he tends to pull out of the hat in Ryder Cup years, then we could, unbelievably, be looking at half the Ryder Cup team being Irish! More than the fantastic events of the past two weeks, that would be something truly special. :)

Anyone here actually interested in golf by the way?

[strangeirish]

I am! Follow Harrington quite a bit and looking forward to see him play at the unofficial 5th major at TPC Sawgrass here locally next month. Famous for the 17th hole.
http://poweredby.pgatourexperiences.com/gfx/tpc_sawgrass2_lg.jpg

[kingdom hoop]

:) That'd put the hebee jebees up ya! Ever got to play at Sawgrass SI?

Harrington often plays very well there actually. And has been playing well this year so I'd say there's a decent chance he'll figure and give you a chance to holler some. Pity he won't be taking a celebratory drink with you though!

[strangeirish]

:) That'd put the hebee jebees up ya! Ever got to play at Sawgrass SI?

Harrington often plays very well there actually. And has been playing well this year so I'd say there's a decent chance he'll figure and give you a chance to holler some. Pity he won't be taking a celebratory drink with you though!
No, I've never played there. They'd have to re-sod the whole place if I did! The last time I attended was when he finished second to Adam Scott. Was listening to him talk to his caddy after each shot. Was expecting to hear all sorts of strategy and so forth, but all they talked about while walking to next shot was about movies and anything but golf. Relaxation technique I suppose.

Tiger won't be playing in it this year due to surgery. Get sick of hearing 'You de man, get in de hole'. All from a tee shot on a par five mind you. Morons! Anyway, if you're watching and hear 'Gowan Paddy, get up de garden, ye biy ye', that'd be me after a few cocktails....:D Mainly for reaction purposes from the so called female golf socialites walking around a golf course in high heels.

[kingdom hoop]

Anything to attract the ladies' attention eh. :D In fairness that's the kind of thing that Harrington really appreciates - keep it up!

By the way, WTF, high heels on a golf course? :eek: Though presumably that means they wear dresses. :)

[Kildareman]

Darrens Clarke victory in the BMW most have really p***ed Nick Faldo off as it means he qualifies for the Ryder Cup team. Faldo must be horrified to have an Irishman in 'his' team.

[kingdom hoop]

Damn, forgot that Faldo is captain this year. I think I'll just have to re-forget!

[DmanDmythDledge]

Darrens Clarke victory in the BMW most have really p***ed Nick Faldo off as it means he qualifies for the Ryder Cup team. Faldo must be horrified to have an Irishman in 'his' team.
Are you sure? Can't see Clarke in the top 20 in either list.

Great to see win a tournament again after what he's been through.

As for the others hopefully Paddy H can do very well in the majors and finally break into the world's top five. McGinley reproducing his form of a few years ago would be nice, but McDowell looks like he can take his place and maybe be even better than him. Futute also looks bright with McGrane and McIlroy. Don't think Ireland has had as many good golfers at the one time.

[pete]

I am! Follow Harrington quite a bit and looking forward to see him play at the unofficial 5th major at TPC Sawgrass here locally next month. Famous for the 17th hole.

I heard recently that it is supposed to be a very well respected tournament due to the way they pick the field. Apparently they pick the world top 140 so no freeloaders like in the Masters (oldies with no chance of winning).

[strangeirish]

I heard recently that it is supposed to be a very well respected tournament due to the way they pick the field. Apparently they pick the world top 140 so no freeloaders like in the Masters (oldies with no chance of winning).
The players themselves consider it their tournament, The Players Championship, hence the reason its held in such high esteem.

[kingdom hoop]

Are you sure? Can't see Clarke in the top 20 in either list.


Big Darren has a long way to go to make the team. But this win might give him the confidence to drive on and earn a place. He'd probably deserve a wild-card after spectacularly justifying Woosie's faith in him at The K Club two years ago, but Faldo will probably pick Paul Broadhurst and Peter Baker.


Pete, the Masters has the most exclusive field in golf and is the one every player wants to win so that's not really the way to look at things. You can't really compare The Players Championship to the majors, more that The Players is way ahead of all other normal tour events in terms of prestige in winning it. I think that prestige comes from the fact that Sawgrass is a really good, tough course so tends to be a real test, thus producing a good winner. Also, it has the most prize money of all events, and winning it gives you exemptions to the majors that other tournaments don't. But naturally SI's point is the over-riding one!

edit; I should also say that it probably has the three most dramatic, nerve-wracking closing holes on tour so it's a great spectacle for the fans.

[pete]

The explanation I was given is that The Masters has a small field & get the likes of Palmer & others getting entry which further restricts the field of potential winners. The US Open is so tough that one mistake can kill a tournament & that get freak results. British Open has history on it side & winning at St Andrews is highest prestige...

[kingdom hoop]

I rather not shoot the messenger, but I'm afraid that reasoning is rubbish!

[Angus]

Good thread . I am a keen golfer in terms of playing and attending - regularly attend the British Open and play every other Sunday.

My contribution to this is that I simply don't get the Ryder Cup. I enjoy it when it is clsoe but it is fundamentally an admission of defeat when european players focus on ryder cup qualification, when their US counterparts are focussed on winning tournaments.

Harrington is the exception - uttelry disinterested in the jersy Open at La Moye or other rickety events at Crans sur Sierre and his season is totally built around majors.

However, Clarke and McGinley and some English players (the exceptions are Rose, Donald, Poulter etc) basically build their season around ryder cup qualification.

I just don't get it. The europeans are obsessed by it - the americans don't care until the week of the tournament. The europeans eulogise vistories long after and the americans forget it on sunday afternoon.

The americans clearly care during that week and are embarrassed by recent defeats but 2 days afterwards, they move on.

[pete]

My contribution to this is that I simply don't get the Ryder Cup. I enjoy it when it is close but it is fundamentally an admission of defeat when european players focus on ryder cup qualification, when their US counterparts are focussed on winning tournaments..

I agree to an extent although Harrington is only recently at that level where he can expect to compete to win Majors. I bet Monty would give away a few Ryder Cup victories for any Major.

[kingdom hoop]

You make a good point Angus; why don't (European in particular) players aim to be major champions instead of getting drawn into a dog-fight for a Ryder Cup place, is how I've read you. That's certainly an interesting perspective and one wonders if that week-to-week mentality causes players to be drained and not fully focussed when a major comes along.

But overall I think you neglect the realities of Tour life; building your season around Ryder Cup qualification can be a great motivation - just ask Paul McGinley!; somewhat ironically, qualification for majors is a constant worry, meaning that most players can't afford to experiment or not play in the humdrum tournaments for the sake of peaking at the majors - that's the preserve of the Harrington's of this world; relatedly to that point, majors are bloody hard to win so you can't put too many eggs in that basket or they might end up on your face; and many of the players, the more journeyman players especially, (McGinley is a good example again) view, rightly or wrongly, playing in the Ryder Cup as a much more attainable yet still wonderfully rewarding ambition vis-a-vis winning a majors, and for many, winning a couple of Ryder Cups will stand out more than winning a handful of regular Tour events.

------------

On the whole not getting the Ryder Cup, why don't you take you and your attitude off to the States. :p But seriously, that's their problem if they're not into it - and that attitude has tended to manifest itself in embarrassing defeats of late so away with them. :)

[Angus]

Good post - where I am going is that the McGinley's of the world should be focussed on winning tournaments.

The big criticism of that mentality and the US journeymen is that they appear to be content to finish 10th every week - in europe to get RC qualification and the US because they make buckets of money.

In fairness to Harro, my abiding memeory of him was in 2002 when els won the Open - he was 1 behind or something but clearly had no interest in beign second and went for it off the tee.

I think he went out of bounds and lost - but the message was he went for the win and fell short - none of your Chip Beck over conservatism....

[WoodquayBoy]

Can't see Clarke making the Ryder Cup team. he is something like 400K off qualifying as things stand. It was great to see him back on the winner's podium, but it was a small event and had not field of merit to speak of

[rambler14]

As it stands with 5 from the world list and 5 from the European list:

Ryder Cup World Points List
Points through 04/28/2008
Pos Name Points
1 Lee WESTWOOD 168.14
2 Henrik STENSON 146.54
3 Justin ROSE 141.38
4 Padraig HARRINGTON 121.14
5 Daniel CHOPRA 112.56
6 Martin KAYMER 105.82
7 Luke DONALD 97.37
8 Ian POULTER 96.36
9 Graeme MCDOWELL 86.53
10 Miguel Angel JIMéNEZ 83.86

European Ryder Cup Points List
Points through 04/28/2008
Pos Name Points
1 Lee WESTWOOD 1,499,315.62
2 Justin ROSE 1,239,606.30
3 Henrik STENSON 1,214,701.70
4 Graeme MCDOWELL 921,032.57
5 Robert KARLSSON 887,002.39
6 Nick DOUGHERTY 886,408.53
7 Martin KAYMER 831,353.84
8 Miguel Angel JIMéNEZ 805,820.46
9 Søren KJELDSEN 772,873.44
10 Padraig HARRINGTON 745,336.38

[kingdom hoop]

What is Tournament Winning Irish Golfers for 400.



Lawrie, McDowell, McGrane, Clarke. :eek: :eek:


'Bout time the Brits gave it up, i'd say. :ball:

[rambler14]

3 in a row........how bad? 4 in 6(i think?) if you inclde McDowells.

[strangeirish]

Well, Harrington blew up at the TPC yesterday. Started on the back nine and was doing well until he again, bogeyed the infamous 17th. It at went down hill from there. Don't think I've ever seen him as frustrated as he was yesterday. Mind seemed to be elsewhere.

Sergio is still in the mix and Langer played out of his skin. May get a European winner in this one yet. Wind gusts along with hard greens are making it difficult. Anyone want a ticket for Sunday...:D

[Rovers fan]

anyone do the golf masters in the irish times?

[strangeirish]

Great win for Sergio today. Held his nerve in a playoff against journeyman, Paul Goydos, who may I say, is a class act. Thought he blew it coming in on the 16th, when he missed a relatively short birdie. Regained his composure on 17 and 18 to force a playoff, when Goydos bogeyed 18. Good stuff.

[rambler14]

Great win for Sergio today. Held his nerve in a playoff against journeyman, Paul Goydos, who may I say, is a class act. Thought he blew it coming in on the 16th, when he missed a relatively short birdie. Regained his composure on 17 and 18 to force a playoff, when Goydos bogeyed 18. Good stuff.

Yeah great win for Sergio. It's his first win in 3 years:eek:
Goydos blew it when he started laughing and joking on the play-off hole.

[strangeirish]

Goydos blew it when he started laughing and joking on the play-off hole.
To be fair though, that's the way he played the whole tournament. Laughing all the way to the bank, with a cool million bucks for second place!

Bob Costas to Paul Goydos, before the final round: “How’d you sleep last night?” Goydos to Costas: “On my back.”

Classic:D

[Rovers fan]

Westwood made a great run today at adare manor. he had a 64 and he was 6under for the last 5 holes. Mcilroy and murphy leading irishmen at the moment at 4under.Mcilroy has a very bright future. I used to love watching him at the west of ireland,it hasn't been the same since he turned pro. If he could improve his putting he should win majors.Harrington didn't have a great back 9 and both mcginley and clarke are fading. Not a great field but its still quite exciting. I think Karlsonn(-5) can win it,he was 4th last week in italy and looks tt be playing well.

[Angus]

Anybody see Lefty last night ?

Incredible birdie on 18 to win by won. A virtually impossible looking shot from the left trees to 10 feet and a solid putt

It also looked like some bloke in the crowd jumped into the pond in celebration...

[rambler14]

Anybody see Lefty last night ?

Incredible birdie on 18 to win by won. A virtually impossible looking shot from the left trees to 10 feet and a solid putt

It also looked like some bloke in the crowd jumped into the pond in celebration...

An absolutely amazing shot. It was fit to win any tournament along with Jimenez's shot at number 5 in Wentworth you have two contenders for shot of the year with lefty taking the spoils for his amazing up and down.

[pete]

Had to laugh when I heard the weekend scores. McGinley going from 66 to 79 in one round. I always get the impression that if he really tried could regularly challenge if not at Majors but definitely European Tour. He can up his game for the Ryder Cup but seems not motivated the rest of the season.

[Rovers fan]

I always get the impression that if he really tried could regularly challenge if not at Majors but definitely European Tour.

no way,he's not a good enough putter,simple as.

[Angus]

I had occasion to play Carton House this week (O'Meara) and it got a lively debate started, so I thought I would post it out there:

What is the best course "pound for pound" you have ever played ?

[endabob1]

In Ireland, Esker Hills Just outside Tullamore is a decent course, it's been 10+ years since I played any golf in Ireland so I'm a bit out of date but it's a Chirsty O'Connor Jnr Course and I recall it being a really good test & good value.
In the UK, as far as pay & play courses go there's a good public course called Trent Park, it's always very busy but a good value 18 and in good nick considering it's public (Just next to Oakwood tube on the Picc line)
Another good value course is Epping Forest, a council owned pay & play with no airs or graces, very good mix of holes, very tight in places and excellent greens considering the owernship and clientelle (and I include myself in that before I get accused of being a golf snob!)
I played Stockley Park (near Heathrow) which is a PGA rate course which I enjoyed (36 points playing of 22 was good enough for a little silver cup helped) and there's a DeVere Course called Staverton Park in Northants which I've played a few times and enjoyed but it's no good in Winter as the course retains water badly. Honourable Mention for Cold Ashby a hilly 27 hole complex in Northants where I shot my first ever sub 40 9 holes.
The best course I have ever played is Just outside Cape Town, called Atlantic Beach and it's awesome, really well mantained and always presents a challenge, it's normally very windy and there is loads of Out of Bounds. They have used it for the British Open Qualifiers in the past.

[rambler14]

Great finish currently in progress in America.
In a 3 way play-off between Justin Leonard, Robert Allenby and Trevor Immelman.

Immelman finished birdie, birdie, birdie to make the play-off holing two great putts on 17 and 18.

[OneRedArmy]

I had occasion to play Carton House this week (O'Meara) and it got a lively debate started, so I thought I would post it out there:

What is the best course "pound for pound" you have ever played ?The O'Meara probably ranks second worst (saved only by the 3 or 4 holes against) in pound for pound terms for me to Druids Heath, with Parknasilla and Royal Dublin also completely failing to impress me.

In terms of the best, I'm biased towards my own club Ballyliffin, in Ireland in pound for pound terms (so excluding places like Waterville, Ballybunion and European which are absolutely fantastic but v pricey). I think Roganstown & Narin & Portnoo are very good courses and good value.

Internationally, the 3 courses at Bandon Dunes are simply unbelieveable, as are places like Wee Ko Pa, Greyhawk, Gold Canyon and Talking Stick in Arizona, all good value out of season (autumn, summer, spring), 4 times as expensive in Winter. Also Pezula in Kynsna in South Africa is a stunning course.

[Rovers fan]

Tiger is ominously poised in the open.Harrington had a great round today but still needs a round almost as good as that tomorrow to get in with a chance of winning it.

[rambler14]

Tiger Woods will undergo reconstructive surgery on his left knee and will not play the rest of the season.
Story...... (http://www.rte.ie/sport/golf/2008/0618/woodst.html)

[strangeirish]

Nice finish to the second round by Paddy. In with a good shout still. How about Norman? If Harrington doesn't win, would love to see Norman take it.

[tricky_colour]

He is joint leader at the moment, 3 way tie. should be interesting.
He has just hit it into the rough though but it is testing conditions with the
wind, I expect everybody will be dropping shots so it is a question of who drops the least.
I am tempted to back him but I fear it would be the kiss of death for him.
Currently 4-1 favourite but he is in the bunker now.

[strangeirish]

In the final pairing tomorrow with Norman. Looking good.

[bennocelt]

I know its way after but I got Harrington at 22/1, so im pretty happy at that, also have Furyk but he is gone of the boil

can still get good value - i put a bit on Simon wakefield at 22/1, considering PP are paying e/w on top 4 at this late stage, and he played very good stuff today

Surprised that PP have Norman joint second fav, i would have him as slight favouriie to be honest, as he was nearly hitting the green all day

anyway all set up for a cracker tomorrow, and no i wont be watching the Ga either!!!:)

[paudie]

Great chance for Harrington tomorrow. Norman will find it tough to put 4 top class rounds in a major back to back at his age.

Choi mightn't have the experience to win it.

[paudie]

BTW only recently found out Norman is now married to Chris Evert:confused: Wierd to have 2 superstars of my sporting youth to get together at this stage.

[paudie]

Harrington 1 ahead after 7. Only 1 over for the day. If someone sets a score like 9 over early on it could be hard to beat!

[tricky_colour]

2 holes up with 3 to play.
The tournements his to throw away


(which rhymes)
I am a poet and i didn't know it.:D

[tricky_colour]

Looks like he has won it with that shot on the 17th.

[strangeirish]

Brilliant stuff by Harrington. His second on 17 was just spectacular. He second on 18 wasn't bad either. Great day indeed.

[FarBeag]

Excellent last nine particularly the 17th and 18th. Well done Padraig.:D

[Rovers fan]

2 holes up with 3 to play.


The british open isn't matchplay.

[zenokelly]

Ya brilliant performance by Padraig, outstanding to do it having to contend with the injury!

He really was in a class of his own in the last 4 holes, he would have won even if the Tiger was there, no doubt in my mind.

Irish sportsperson of the millenium so far? Or is that too strong, but I can't think of anyone that can replicate his achievements in any sport in recent years:)