2014 U.S. Open running thread

I'm betting (and have since 2006 at Winged Foot) that Mickelson never wins the US Open. Six runnerup finishes is still pretty damn impressive.

 

Six runnerups is tremendous; however, what do you remember more the Packers winning in 2009 or the Bills with 4 straight SB losses?

 

I love birdies as much as the next guy, but the U.S. Open is usually tremendous. Watching the best players in the world grinding for par is great viewing. As a degenerate golfaholic, the struggle is what makes it compelling.

 

Love seeing Kuchar and Snedeker up front early. McDowell up there as well.

 

Should Matt Every, Steven Bowditch, Matt Jones, Harris English and Brendon Todd have tanked their victories to a top-10 player just to make everyone feel good about watching golf? Adam Scott was certainly free to make all of those 4-footers he missed at Bay Hill to let Every into contention. Never did understand the mentality of casual golf and NASCAR fans when they bitch all the time about the superstars not winning, and somehow thinks it reflects on the sport -- as if somehow we're owed Tiger and Phil and Rory winning everything.

 

And Mickelson even par, and Fowler 1 under. There's 5 reasons to watch this weekend alone.

And of course, you also have Spieth out there trying to make everyone go 'Tiger who?'

 

In the morning, the best players played well. We'll see if that continues in the afternoon. Phil's not going to win (putting!), but even par on Thursday never lost an Open.

 

The sport, as a whole, benefits when the noted names are at least in contention. All sports are that way. When Michael Jordan was playing, the NBA benefitted by the Bulls winning a lot.

It's not anyone's "fault". Maybe some of the new guys will become legends..... eventually. But in an individual sport, big names are needed to draw people in.

 

I will say again, for about the 100th time, how much I hate the way the USGA sets up the course.

Over/under on how many players finish the week under par? I'll say two. That's absurd.

 

I thought Berman was doing a pretty good job of playing it straight. Two minutes later: Roger "Chocolate" Maltbie. (Sigh)

 

It's certainly different than 2005. I guess I would rather hit out of the sand dunes than 3-inch rough, so that's a nice change. Might actually see some scoring.

 

So all the "little names," in your book, should just go away? Pesky, they are, winning some tournaments when the big names can't make putts.