davetheflower Wrote:
> Write up by Hunta The Punta.The Open Championship
> (18th-21st of July 2013)
>
> This year’s open is set at Muirfield in
> Scotland, where Ernie Els won the first of his two
> Open championships at in 2002.
>
>
>
> Comments on the course from the events website:
>
> "The course is renowned amongst golfers as being
> perhaps the fairest test of all the Open venues,
> with few of the quirky bounces and hidden danger
> that links courses often contain. Two circuits of
> nine rotate in opposite directions, the back nine
> looping inside the front nine, ensuring that the
> golfer is never faced with the same wind direction
> on two consecutive holes. As Jack Nicklaus once
> put it, “What you see is what you get."
>
> Whether the honesty of the layout has had anything
> to do with it or not, the fact remains that
> Muirfield has an astonishing record of identifying
> the greatest golfers of the age, with a roll of
> honour which reads like a Who’s Who of golf over
> the last century, with winners including Els,
> Faldo, Watson, Nicklaus, Player, Hagen and
> Vardon."
>
> The British summer has been surprisingly dry of
> late and will mean that the course is playing
> extremely fast with the fairways being rock hard.
> Greens should hold up though as they will be
> regularly watered. However, take a look at the
> rough at Muirfield in the picture below- as posted
> by Ian Poulter to twitter.
>
> Unlike most Open championships - this years is
> forecasted to have very little wind. This is
> something that will really open up the field in my
> opinion. Usually when the wind blows on the
> typical links tracks it sorts the men from the
> boys.
>
> It will be important I feel to back those that are
> comfortable in these types of conditions - hard
> and fast courses where accuracy and scrambling
> will be key. But also the ability to be creative
> when faced with difficult shots that will rarely
> be found in any other event on tour.
>
> Two players that have already caught my eye are:
>
> Thorbjorn Olesen.
>
> The youngster is showing great potential with a
> great showing at this years Masters where he
> narrowly missed out on the playoff with Scott and
> Cabrera. He also finished in the top ten at Lytham
> in last years Open. He won the extremely windy
> Sicilian Open in 2012 and has had good showings at
> other links events.
>
>
>
> (Thorbjorn playing with Tiger in the 2012 Open at
> Lytham St Anne’s - He fared well considering the
> hype around Tiger!)
>
> The second player in my ante post picks is -
> Branden Grace.
>
> Grace won four times last year, the only player to
> do so on the European Tour, several of which were
> on links courses. He also just missed out on
> winning the Scottish open following a playoff loss
> to Mickelson. Which may not be a bad thing - no
> winner of the Scottish has gone on to win the Open
> in the following week.
>
>
>
> Above - Branden Grace loves at good links course!
> Wins at the Dunhill Links Champ (based on three
> links courses in Scotland) and the links at
> Fancourt in South Africa - a true test of golf.
>
> My third pick is:
>
> Sergio Garcia at 30/1 1 pt Each Way - Seven
> Places
>
> Ah Sergio, the man who should have won so many
> majors already. Only one thing has stopped him in
> my opinion and that is himself! He came so close
> at Carnoustie when Padraig went on to triumph.
>
> He is playing some solid golf at the minute but
> truth be told he always has done. It comes down to
> his mindset in the week of tournament. He hit the
> lead at Augusta in April, very briefly, that is
> and capitulated almost instantly. However, I feel
> that it is now or never for Sergio. If he does not
> win one in the next year to 18 months I do not
> think he ever will.
>
> He won the amateur championship here in 1998 and
> finished in the top ten back in 2002 when Ernie
> won - so he knows how to play the course.
>
> His putter is arguably the best it ever has been
> with his unconventional style that works so well
> for him. His ball striking is still top drawer.
> The biggest risk is if he hits the front early -
> can he hold out?! I think he is worth the risk,
> especially with the seven places.
>
> His Open form reads:
>
> 8 (2002) 10 MC 5 5 2 51 38 14 9 MC (2012)
>
>
>
> Fourth Pick:
>
> Dustin Johnson at 45/1 1 pt each way - Seven
> Places
>
> Dustin’s length will be a great advantage at
> this years event in my opinion for one simple
> reason - he can leave the driver in the bag.
> Dustin will be able to play the majority of the
> holes at Muirfield only hitting a long iron off
> the tee to ensure he stays out of the long stuff.
>
> He has proven that he can play on these links
> style courses - he finished second in 2011 to
> Darren Clarke and 9th at Lytham last year. He also
> relishes the links at Pebble Beach whenever the
> tour visits in the US. He can play in the wind -
> he won at the crazily windy Kapalua earlier this
> year so don’t be afraid if the forecast changes
> and the wind gets up come Sunday.
>
> He is not in the greatest form of his life
> currently but the hype of the Open should focus
> him - well if it doesn’t, nothing in golf will.
> He does have two top 20s in his last three starts
> though.
>
>
>
> My Fifth pick is:
>
> Miguel Angel Jimenez at 175/1 0.5 pts each way -
> Six Places
>
> Top continental European at 25/1 1 pt each way - 4
> places
>
> This is a bit of an outside bet considering
> Miguel’s not in the greatest form:
>
> 4 14 19 26 58 MC
>
> He missed the cut last week at the Scottish but
> this does not overly concern me. Miguel’s
> ability to keep the ball in play and make putts if
> he gets on a run really makes his price
> attractive.
>
> He is also not too shabby on the links courses -
> he has been in the top 25 in three of the last
> four Opens including a tie for ninth at last years
> event at Lytham.
>
> Since his injury at the end of last year he has
> shown glimpses of his old self - peaking with a
> top 4 at Wentworth.
>
> What is attractive is his impressive putting stats
> - averaging under 29 putts per round this year as
> well as hitting almost 70% of greens in
> regulation.
>
> Who knows what can happen at the Open - especially
> with the current trend of 40-somethings winning!
> (Clarke in 2011 and Els in 2012).
>
>
>
> Good luck and enjoy the golf!
Couldn't be sitting any better....
When will the wheels come off,usually does in golf
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