Woods Agrees That Lawrie's Fluke Win Needs To Be Celebrated More

Douglas Lowe files this:

Paul Lawrie said yesterday that he did not get the credit he deserved for winning here in 1999, and no less a figure than Tiger Woods backed him up.

Lawrie came from 10 strokes behind on the final day to capitalise on Jean Van de Velde's infamous errors and make the play-off, and then hit a dream four-iron on to the final green to set up his Championship putt.

Lawrie acknowledges that Van de Velde's cock-up warranted the headlines, but argued yesterday that his subplot was underplayed. "I would have liked to have seen a little bit more of, 'Jean Van de Velde blew the Open, but, by God, Paul Lawrie shot 67 to win the tournament by two shots by hitting the best shot anyone has ever seen down the last hole'," he said.

Kind of reminds you of Monty in the humility department, eh?

 
I don't remember the best shot anyone has ever seen, do you?

"But that didn't happen very often. That's out of my hands. What can I do? There was a lot written about what Jean did. And rightly so. But I didn't read a lot about how well I did the last day."

And not a whole lot since.

Trump National Fresno...Done Deal!!

Only the Donald would be nuts enough of a visionary to see the potential for a golf and housing development in Fresno and better yet, plunk down $30 million for the privilege. Oh, and that's right, it's possibly his way onto the PGA Tour. Next stop, the U.S. Open!

"Your Previous Dedication To Golf"

It seems that if you are no longer a USGA member, you are no longer devoted to the game. At least, according to Arnold Palmer in this e-letter to reader Mark.

(click to enlarge) 

Tuesday Open Championship Clippings

Knowing the scribblers don't like to leave the press tent to chase down a story in even the best of conditions, the R&A chased down poor Jean Van De Velde in between cancer tests do a conference call to relive the 99 Open. The USA Today's Christine Brennan has a decent summary of the call.

Doug Ferguson did venture out in Monday's hideous weather (hopefully in more than his usual attire) to take in Tiger's 6 a.m. practice round.

No one bothered practicing putts or chips around the greens because the green was too soft, and some of them had puddles on the edges. Woods was duly impressed when Pampling hit driver off the deck for his second shot (on a par 4), and doubled over in laughter when Pampling hit a 2-iron to the 176-yard 13th hole that didn’t clear a bunker 150 yards in front of them.

But the joke was on Woods at the 14th, a par 5 at 514 yards known for the Spectacle bunkers some 65 yards in front of the greens that players usually can carry easily. But not on this day.

Woods hit driver in the fairway and hit 2-iron short of the Spectacles, just left in a sparse patch of rough. He swung hard and watched his third shot over the bunkers, and stopped in his tracks when he arrived at the green and found his ball a few yards from the green.

“I didn’t get there,” Woods said incredulously. “With a 4-iron!”

Even more stunning was the yardage he had with that 4-iron – 112 yards to the front, 128 yards to the hole.

The link to that James Corrigan piece I tried to post yesterday did finally start working, and it included this nice bit of from the R&A's Peter Dawson, who seems to be working off the talking points memo that says "blame the warm summer for '99, not the 9-yard wide fairways."

"This is the longest and hardest course the Open is played on," said Dawson, before explaining why it played so much longer and harder the last time. "In 1999 we had horrendous rough, but every course down the east coast of Scotland had horrendous rough that year. There was a freak weather pattern that caused it and sometimes people forgot that when pointing the finger. And, contrary to opinion, there was supposed to be interim rough and the balls weren't supposed to go straight from fairway to the thick stuff. It was just that the interim rough all burnt away."

I think that's a new one actually...the interim rough burnt away!

Ron Whitten's Golf Digest preview is up, complete with John Philp's revisionist take on '99.

Steve Elling considers this year's difficult major setups and shares this from Nick Faldo:

 "I think sometimes it's stretching it when over par is the winning score," he said. "If you are missing fairways and laying up, wedging it around, it can get demoralizing. You don't get tested and it cuts off your flair and ability to pull something off. You have no option to do that. For me personally, that's what used to get me down."

Damon Hack tackled a similar subject in the New York Times (thanks to reader Jim for this), and it includes this interesting bit:

More and more, professional golfers are battling lengthened courses and thickened rough, knowing that they may spend hours — and sometimes days — between birdies.

Jesper Parnevik, a five-time PGA Tour winner, said that people would look back on this era and think players were not so good.

“Everybody went from winning majors at 10 and 12 under to winning majors at 5 and 10 over,” he said. “It’s not fair, really. You have golf courses where guys were shooting 20 under 50 years ago and we can’t break par today.”

Greg Owen said, “So many of these golf courses are tricked up every week.”

The Telegraph posts Thursday's tee times.

Finally, Mark Garrod features Jose Maria Olazabal's remembrances of his mentor Seve, who retired Monday.  Lawrence Donegan weighs in with an obituary of sorts too.

Bandon Charades...

...errr...I mean, Charette. That's what Dr. Klein is calling the design orgy taking place at Bandon to create the "Old Macdonald" course.

Here's his first report on the festivities.

Open Championship Photo Caption Fun, Vol. 1

Why, who is that sitting in the dogh...err, really ugly building? From golf.com:

 

TNT Confirms Our Worst Fears: Clampett Is Back As Lead Analyst

Scroll down a bit for details of the pga.com online coverage, the alternative to TNT's "extensive linear coverage":

TNT to Present More Than 50 Hours of Combined Televised and Online Coverage of the 136^th British Open Championship from Legendary Carnoustie Golf Links

Network’s digital plans to include live coverage of Tiger Woods’ first round on PGA.com

Turner Network Television (TNT) heads overseas this July to present more than 50 hours of combined televised and online coverage of the 136^th British Open Championship from Carnoustie in Angus, Scotland . Taking place July 19-22, the historic major tournament will showcase some of the biggest names in professional golf, including back-to-back defending champion Tiger Woods , 2007 Masters Champion Zach Johnson, 2007 US Open Champion Angel Cabrera and FedEx Cup contenders Vijay Singh and Phil Mickelson .

TNT’s televised coverage begins on Thursday, July 19 at 6:30 a.m. ET/PT with a preview show, followed by exclusive coverage of the first round. The network’s fantastic four days of coverage will also include exciting new technical features enhancing the telecast and stories celebrating the course and tournament, such as:

• Total Vision : Super-slow-motion gives our expert analysts the opportunity to break down every detail of the PGA’s top players’ swings.
• Golf Trak : Cutting edge virtual technology allows viewers to follow the flight of the ball.
• Carnoustie: Then and Now : A look at the challenging golf course and how the conditions have changed from 1999, best remembered for Jean Van de Velde’s infamous mishandling of the 18^th hole.
• Only at the Open : Weather reports from Carnoustie’s weather reporter, Patrick Healy ; and fascinating stories and folklore about the remarkable Scottish course.

“We’re extremely proud to continue TNT’s coverage of the British Open Championship as we provide our viewers with innovative features such as Total Vision and Golf Trak while paying tribute to the grandeur of Carnoustie,” said Jeff Behnke , Turner Sports executive producer. “The drama of Tiger Woods’ potential three-peat, combined with the challenging Carnoustie course, will certainly make this year’s British Open a thrilling event.”

2007 British Open Championship on TNT Programming Schedule

DAY/DATE TIME EVENT

Thurs., July 19 6:30 a.m. ET/PT Preview Show

7 a.m. – 7 p.m. ET/PT First Round Coverage

Fri., July 20 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. ET/PT Second Round Coverage

Sat., July 21 7 – 9 a.m. ET / 4 – 6 p.m. PT Third Round Coverage

Sun., July 22 6 – 8 a.m. ET / 3 – 5 a.m. PT Final Round Coverage

This year's announcers includes Ernie Johnson who returns to TNT’s golf coverage this season, Bobby Clampett (analyst), Billy Kratzert (reporter) and Jim Huber (reporter/essayist). ABC’s Terry Gannon (play-by-play), Peter Alliss (analyst), Paul Azinger (analyst) and Judy Rankin (reporter) will contribute to TNT's four days of coverage as well.

TNT will once again partner with ABC to share coverage of the tournament. TNT will televise daylong exclusive coverage of the first and second rounds and early coverage of the third and final rounds during the weekend. ABC will air the duration of the third and final rounds.

TNT holds the top spot in airing more hours of major championship golf than any other television network. In addition to the British Open Championship, TNT’s stable of 2007 golf programming also includes the Senior British Open (July 26-27), RICOH Women’s British Open (Aug. 2-3), 89^th PGA Championship (Aug. 9 – 12), President’s Cup (Sept. 27 – 30) and the PGA Grand Slam Golf (Oct. 16 – 17).

TNT earned an Emmy® in the Outstanding Live Sports Special category for its coverage of the 2005 British Open. 2007 marks the fifth consecutive year TNT will televise the tournament, and the first time since 1999 that the event will return to Carnoustie.

Turner Sports New Media PGA.com Coverage

In addition to extensive linear coverage, Turner Sports will also provide innovative digital coverage, as it launches Open Championship Live which utilizes CNN’s patented Pipeline technology to simulcast multiple video streams and bring golf fans inside the ropes and closer to the action online. The online streaming of live and taped action from the legendary major will be available on PGA.com, which is operated by Turner Sports . Open Championship Live will feature three pipes that will stream content from Carnoustie, with Pipe #3 featuring Tiger Woods’ first round and other select groups of golfers from 4 a.m. – 7 a.m. ET on Thurs., July 19 . Pipe #1 will stream live action from holes 16, 17 and 18 from 4 a.m. – 2 p.m. ET on Thurs., July 19 and Fri., July 20. Pipe #2 will offer video content including highlights, flyovers, features, behind the scenes coverage, footage from press conferences, an Open Championship spotlight of past winners and events, as well as PGA Golf Instruction from PGA of America professionals. In addition, midday and end of day reports on the status of the players in the field.

Open Championship Live builds on the success of PGA.com's online four-camera feed of last year's PGA Championship which registered nearly one million video streams and was a key driver to setting a single-day traffic record on the site with over 16 million page views and a significant 18% boost in total page views.

“We're excited to complement our television coverage of the British Open on TNT with innovative online coverage to give fans an exciting multi-platform experience to enjoy one of golf's most popular and revered tournaments,” said Lenny Daniels, senior vice president of production and new media, Turner Sports. “ Open Championship Live will help take fans inside the ropes and closer to the action, providing them both a unique showcase of the competitive play of the tournament, as well as up-to-the-minute reports and highlights that they can't find anywhere else."

"What they see on television is what they want."

Vartan Kupelian looks at the extreme setups of recent major championship courses, and becomes yet another writer to openly draw the conclusion that par is being protected for no good reason. Actually, Kupelian is one of the rare ones who takes it a step further and sees a negative impact on the everyday game:

Why? Why not leave the great courses alone? Why turn them into bumper-car rides with crashes at every turn?

It's done to protect par in the face of the onslaught of the world's best golfers, armed with equipment technology and an evolution of their own abilities.

But in defending par, a dangerous precedent is being set. Daunting course setups with undulating greens rolling at breakneck speeds, ankle-deep rough and narrowing fairways are beginning to change the game at the recreational level.

It's a contradiction for organizations like the United States Golf Association, the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, and course operators world-wide who are fighting the battle of flat participation numbers. That makes retention a key factor and it's hard to keep golfers when the game is less fun, more expensive and takes more time.

What the severe setup of courses on the major championship rotation -- Shinnecock, Winged Foot, Oakmont, Carnoustie and even Augusta National, where the opening rounds this year resembled a U.S. Open, not the Masters -- have resulted in is a skewed view of what a golf course needs to be.

Too many recreational golfers don't bother to discern between the lethal major championship set-ups and what they play. What they see on television is what they want. It's no different than seeing the pristine emerald at Augusta National on television and transferring those images to the home courses. It's impractical, of course, but it happens every year.

It's a common refrain among course operators that their golfers too often don't play the proper tee, that they choose markers too intense for their ability. By today's standards, golf courses that don't stretch to 7,400 yards are viewed as deficient. It's an unwarranted view but increasingly prevalent in course design.

Allure Of Champions Tour Not Enough To Keep Seve From Retiring

Well, he played one more regular Champions stop than Greg Norman, so he's got that going for him. Still, Seve Ballesteros made his retirement official at Carnoustie Monday.

"If we can have something in clothing, something in wine, and one or two other areas, such as golf-course design, it could be interesting."

Paul Forsyth talks to Ian Poulter about how important winning the Open Championship would be in...uh, extending his brand's range of services.

He does not need telling that lifting the Claret Jug is more important than wearing it, as he has been reduced to in recent years, but success at Carnoustie would bring priceless exposure to his new clothing company, the first collection of which is to be launched in the days ahead. “I would love to win it,” he says. “For me, there is more to golf than just hitting balls at the minute. I’m seeing it from all angles. We want to try and grow the business, and winning a major would help that. It wouldn’t just be a two-minute fly-by.”

Whatever happened to the good old days when winning a major was just fun because it was, you know, a major?

The 31-year-old has invested a sizeable chunk of his not inconsiderable earnings in Ian Poulter Design. While an account with 60 professionals’ shops represents a cautious start, the grand plan is to be more than just a retired golfer when he grows old. “Who knows what the next 20 years will hold? The aim is to grow the other side of Ian Poulter, the business side. If we can have something in clothing, something in wine, and one or two other areas, such as golf-course design, it could be interesting. The business side fascinates me. Successful business-men fascinate me.”

You know I love how the golf course design part could be just one little subsegment of the brand extension.

Isn't it touching how today's touring professionals take the plowing and plundering so lightly? 

Monday Open Championship Clippings

I'll spare you the assorted recaps of Jean Van de Velde's meltdown, and point to some of the fresher perspectives on this week's Open Championship at Carnoustie.

Paul Kimmage talks to Nick Faldo about turning 50, and he shares the conversation with us as it occurred. Or so it seems.

The Times' Graham Spiers looks at the town of Carnoustie.

The Independent had a couple of interesting looking stories, but as is often the case with their stellar web site, the links weren't working. Perhaps this story on the state of Carnoustie's rough will be working by morning. And it also appears there is another of James Corrigan's always entertaining email Q&A's, this time with British Amateur champion Drew Weaver.

Robert Philip of the Telegraph turns on his tape recorder and lets Peter Alliss reminisce.

The U.S. golf web sites appear determined to outdo one another in the limited content division, but some blogs are offering up lively reads that'll get you in the mood for this week.

Chris Lewis reviews the weekend's play and previews this week's play.

Meanwhile The Principal offered this countdown, this look at Carnoustie, and a two part look at the R&A's finer moments, here and here.

Comeback (S)kid?

Golf World's John Hawkins does a nice job of analyzing Tiger Woods' lack of a come-from-behind win in a major. He doesn't overdo it, yet also offers up some interesting insights on why Tiger's approach works so well, except perhaps in come-from-behind situations.

Besides that, I thought this was an interesting concession from the mainstream press, something we might not have read just a few years ago when everyone seemed to worship super-silly setups:

No question, Woods has gotten much better at staying in contention when he doesn’t have his best stuff, maybe because he has become so used to it. That said, radically tough layouts such as Oakmont and this year’s version of Augusta National are far more likely to produce an uncommon winner. The higher the degree of difficulty, the more random the competition becomes, which levels the playing field and brings all kinds of candidates into the mix.

Harder is better for the world’s best players, but only to a certain extent. Course fairness is a very subjective matter, but at some point, skill yields ground to luck, in which case you get Ben Curtis and Shaun Micheel.

Byrd Earns Valuable Cup Points

Jonathan Byrd moves to 25th in President's Cup standings with his win at the John Deere Classic!

And he surely moved up the FedEx Cup points list too, but who really cares?

Well, the friends and family of Chris Stroud, to be exact. He would not be in if the playoffs started today. Just thought you should know.

R.W. Eaks Becomes Least Famous Man Over 55 To Win A PGA Tour-Sponsored Event...

In light of last week's PGA Tour press release on Jason Day becoming the youngest-ever winner of a "Tour-sponsored" event, I'm awaiting a release on R.W. Eaks' win at last week's Champions Tour tourney, but failing that, perhaps they'll at least send out a release on Daniel Summerhays becoming the first amateur to win a Nationwide Tour event.

Possible To Spare Ourselves Of TNT's Open Coverage?

For those of us who have long been willing to pay to hear the BBC Open Championship feed, it seems that there is a paid service offering live UK TV streamed online, with a current 7-day free trial to test things out. I haven't signed up yet because I want to make sure I get next Sunday.

But what better time than now to take in the Open Championship coverage, since any sane being has been dreading two days of Bobby Clampett and hearing those relentless plugs for The Closer (sorry Mike!). Oh, and ABC's coverage will apparently have no Peter Alliss on the weekend. Brilliant move!

The sign up page link is here.

And here are the telecast times on the various BBC's. 

I'll let you know how the sign up goes tomorrow. And if anyone has tried this already, could you let us know how it works?