Golf 2008

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?

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.
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:) 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!

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Originally Posted by 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!

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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.

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. :)

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.

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

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Originally Posted by 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.

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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.

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Originally Posted by 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.

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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).

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Originally Posted by pete

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).

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The players themselves consider it their tournament, The Players Championship, hence the reason its held in such high esteem.

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Originally Posted by DmanDmythDledge

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

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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.

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...

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

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.

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Originally Posted by Angus

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..

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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.

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.

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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. :)

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....

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

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

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: