The Open Championship- Royal Birkdale 2008

[HD MM]

The Open Championship- 2008

Where: Royal Birkdale, U.K.
When: July 17-20th.

Total Par: 70
Total Yards: 7,173
History: The Open comes to Royal Birkdale for the ninth time this July, and competitors will find a course that is 155 yards longer than the challenge presented to them in 1998, the last time the event was played here.

Broadcast Times:
Day/ Network/ Time
THU: TNT- 6:30 - 7 PM ET
FRI: TNT- 7 - 7 PM ET
SAT: TNT- 7 - 9 AM ET
SAT: ABC- 9 - 2:30 PM ET
SUN: TNT- 6 - 8 AM ET
SUN: ABC- 8 - 1:30 PM ET

 

[SabresRule]

Over/Under:

+2 over par for the winner?

 

[jwfgeol]

One person who will not be playing is Kenny Perry.

ESPN - Respect Perry for sticking to his guns - Columnist

 

[HD MM]

Over/Under:

+2 over par for the winner?

I'll say under. In 1998, the last time The Open was played at Royal Birkdale, winner Mark O'Meara shot an even par through 4 rounds.

 

[Ramy]

I don't understand why Kenny Perry won't be playing. I can understand why he didn't play in the U.S. Open because he would have had to qualify for it.

 

[HD MM]

I don't understand why Kenny Perry won't be playing. I can understand why he didn't play in the U.S. Open because he would have had to qualify for it.

Apparently Perry doesn't feel that he can compete in a Major anymore, so he is going to pick and chose which tournaments to enter from here on out.

 

[HD MM]

Day 1 thoughts

The start of The Open Championship was perfectly fitting. Raging wind and stinging rain off the Irish Sea! Thick rough and nasty conditions makes this tournament completely unforgiving to undisciplined players who can't hit the fairway. This is why the top big hitters tend to despise this major. (See: Mickleson's 9 over par or Ernie Els' 10 over).

At the end of the day, 45 year-old Rocco Mediate was atop the leader board again while shooting a 1 under 69! 53 year-old Greg Norman wasn't too far behind after the first round. He shot an even par 70. I honestly didn't realize Norman was still participating in anything except the Seniors Tour! Either way, both aging players have to be glad Tiger Woods won't be on their tail this year.

It's good to see Rocco build on his recent stunning U.S. Open performance.

Onto day 2...

 

[HD MM]

Day 2 and 3 Thoughts

53 year old Greg Norman currently holds the lead after round 3 with a +2. The oldest player to win the Open Championship is 48.

Norman hasn't made a PGA Tour cut since 2005 and hasn't won a major in 15 years! He was married recently and said he practiced very little prior to this Major. Going into the tournament Norman was a 500-1 long shot to win.

"My expectations were almost nil coming in, to tell you the truth," Norman said. "I hadn't played a lot of golf. I was trying to work on my game as much as I could. Obviously we had a lot of preparation getting ready for the wedding."

Defending Open Champion, Padraig Harrington is two back from the leader and Ben Curtis, the 2003 Open winner is 5 strokes back. The '03 British Open was the first Major of Curtis' career. He became the first golfer since 1913 to win the first major in which he entered. That victory was considered one of the greatest upsets in golf history. Rocco Mediate is currently 6 back.

Needless to say, this Tiger-less major is shaping up to be quite a historic and drama laden Sunday finish. Personally, I can't wait....

Sunday's Live Broadcast will begin at 8am on ABC.

 

[Ramy]

48????

Jack was the oldest Major winner at 46.

 

[HD MM]

48????

Jack was the oldest Major winner at 46.

False.

There WAS a guy who was 48 to win the PGA Championship....

• Julius Boros: 1968 PGA Championship, 48 years, 4 months, 18 days
• Jack Nicklaus: 1986 Masters, 46 years, 2 months, 23 days
• Old Tom Morris: 1867 British Open, 46 years, 99 days
• Hale Irwin: 1990 U.S. Open, 45 years, 15 days old

 

[Ramy]

Well then the PGA needs to say that. They never say that when someone is older than Jack when they are in the lead. They always say Jack was the oldest.