Connect with us

BuzzRoll

Johnny Miller wasn’t blown away by Branden Grace’s 62 (but he has a point)

Published

on

Before bashing Johnny Miller for his lukewarm reaction to Branden Grace’s blistering 62 at Royal Birkdale, it’s important to keep perspective.

And for perspective, we turn to none other than our own Rich Hunt, who tweeted

For a second helping of perspective, Golf Channel’s Justin Ray

So, when Johnny Miller says, “(The course) was set up really, really easy today, folks, but still a heck of a round,” he’s right.

The problem with Miller’s reaction to the record-setting round is this: Miller has (and is perceived to have) spent a considerable amount of time singing his own praises for the brilliant final-round 63 he shot at Oakmont to win the 1973 U.S. Open.

Certainly, it’s a running joke among golf fans, and judging from these tweets, for the pros too.

Because of his declarative, off-the-cuff remark style and his penchant for referencing his past glories, Miller’s remarks sound more critical than if they’d come out of the mouth of another analyst.

However, it’s not like Miller has gone out of his way to praise, say, Justin Thomas or Branden Grace for their superb rounds recently.

At any rate, while the criticism of Johnny Miller’s reacting to Grace’s 62 may be unfair, his detractors are merely passing through a door he left wide open.

Your Reaction?
  • 94
  • LEGIT22
  • WOW3
  • LOL6
  • IDHT1
  • FLOP2
  • OB2
  • SHANK52

GolfWRX Editor-in-Chief

17 Comments

17 Comments

  1. Donn Rutkoff

    Jul 24, 2017 at 7:15 pm

    I dunno why so much anti Johnny M, I liked him on TV a few years ago, wish he was still on the air. It is fine by me for a former player to b’cast from his shoes, his work to earn a living playing the tournaments. I never heard him bad mouth a player. Too criticize a shot or a decision is not the same as to bad mouth the person. But I also thought Tony Kubek was excellent and I didn’t like the incessant ramblings of Vin Scully.

  2. JD

    Jul 24, 2017 at 6:46 pm

    Been watching Johnny for years, never have I seen him bring up his 63. He answers questions about it, a lot, because NBC is trying to make its telecasts more compelling, and because that’s his job. I think Hogan shot 62 in a wartime US Open, as well, in 1942, so it’s pretty hard to compare great rounds of golf from Era to Era.

  3. dcorun

    Jul 24, 2017 at 5:09 pm

    Johnny Miller can be abrasive for sure but, he played some of the best golf in history from 72-76. He was ranked 2nd in the world in 74 and 75 behind some guy called Nicklaus. I don’t always agree with his views but, he could “talk the talk and walk the walk”.

    • JThunder

      Jul 24, 2017 at 11:49 pm

      To question his commentating isn’t to question his playing. Tiger Woods will go down in history as one of the best golfers to this point – well ahead of Miller – but I absolutely cringe at the thought of hearing him commentate.

      Great playing and great commentating don’t necessarily have anything to do with each other.

      The players who won less – and carried far smaller egos as a result – offer a better “been there” perspective without the negativity and denigration.

  4. Jack Nash

    Jul 24, 2017 at 3:55 pm

    There’s a BIG difference in between shooting a 62/63 on Saturday, and shooting a 63 to WIN on a Sunday in a Major. The Difference, is Johnny Miller and the U.S. Open @ Oakmont. Besides most everybody was saying that Saturday at the Open was more like a Par 68-69 anyway. No matter what the masses think about Miller I personally think he’s still got the best score in a Major, specially when you factor in that you don’t win on Saturday, But you win on Sunday.

  5. Bruce

    Jul 24, 2017 at 10:19 am

    Just like judging scores against the average for the day, I judge JM by the alternatives: simply hated the sessions with mumbling arrogant SIR Nick Faldo, and never a major winner Monty. I suggest we judge JM’s arrogance by the standard of SIR Nick. Now JM doesn’t seem so bad after all and you can understand him. Finally recall Dizzy Dean: ” it aint bragging if you can back it up”. JM you are great.

    • JThunder

      Jul 24, 2017 at 11:45 pm

      SIR (sic) Nick is funny and I find him far less egotistical than Miller. Do you find him egotistical just because he speaks with an accent? And, yes, it is bragging no matter how well you can back it up.

  6. Tom54

    Jul 24, 2017 at 8:49 am

    Johnny Millers 63 on a tough Oakmont course in a US Open is still a remarkable round. Justin Thomas 63 was good too. But his was on 50-60 yd wide fairways. We saw what high rough does in US Opens. Those of us that played during that era of wooden drivers, balata ball, and no game improving irons know what it was like. Johnnys round was always mentioned as special for a reason. Long as we’re on the subject of Johnny, I for one miss him and the NBC team at the US Open telecast. Fox sports have not found their formula yet.

  7. Shanker

    Jul 24, 2017 at 8:43 am

    The average final round score for the 1973 US Open was 73.8. Miller beat the average by almost 11 strokes.

    • Parfield

      Jul 24, 2017 at 4:59 pm

      This is the information I came her for. Sad not to find it in the body of the article.

    • Jacked_Loft

      Jul 25, 2017 at 11:56 am

      +1

  8. Forsbrand

    Jul 24, 2017 at 2:07 am

    I’m very serious my friend. Every hole is birdiable and at birkdale the 5 th was drive able also. Coming to think of things St. Andrews has drivable holes too with fast running fairways and general layout. Paul broad hurst first player to shoot 9 under par , 63 St. Andrews the year Faldo won it.

    9 under is lower than 8 under and in a normal competition would seal first place so I won’t be recognising 62 as the lowest round in major history as it falls short by one numerical stroke. I will recognise that 62 is the lowest numerical score however this comes far behind the lowest score shot to par in major history. I thank you

  9. JThunder

    Jul 23, 2017 at 8:43 pm

    A shank for the title of this article; saying Johnny Miller isn’t impressed – with anything – is like titling an article “people breathing oxygen today”…

    Johnny Miller is literally unimpressed by everything.

    If someone walked on to the golf course and ended war and hunger, Miller would say “well, I could have ended war and hunger back in my day, if the grass were better manicured and the ball spun less and today’s equipment”…

    Yawn to both with bells on.

  10. Forsbrand

    Jul 23, 2017 at 4:45 am

    We are all off the mark here anyway to me it is the score to par which counts. Birkdale par is 70 so far easier to go lower than 63 on par 71 (oakmont par) or 72 elsewhere. A very good round of golf by grace but still just 8 under par.

    • Brice Truitt

      Jul 23, 2017 at 7:24 pm

      You’re not serious, are you? The fact that it’s a par 70 shouldn’t matter. A par 70 course has 2 less birdie holes than the usual par 72. Of course not every par-5 is easy but on Tour, the likelihood of making birdies on par-5’s is very high. So rather than 4 par-5’s, as a par 72 course would have, there are only 2 at Birkdale.

      • Scott Schwarting

        Jul 24, 2017 at 9:45 am

        Brice,
        Would you say the same thing if it was a par 67? Par 64? How can you say par doesn’t matter?

    • Jack Matthews

      Jul 24, 2017 at 9:54 am

      I see both sides of the discussion going on here. Granted Johnny’s 63 was eight under Oakmont’s par of 71. Also, he used 1973 equipment. However that should not in any way diminish what Brandon accomplished. 62 is and will remain the lowest score for 18 holes recorded in a major until someone shoots a 61. I cannot remember who first said it but “records are there to be broken”.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

BuzzRoll

Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (1/16/24): Cobra Forged One Length irons

Published

on

At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals that all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.

It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.

Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, there is a listing for a set of Cobra Forged One Length irons.

From the seller: (@adamwittman): “4-PW, GW, lw. Nunchuk shafts. $350 tyd conusa.”

To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: Cobra Forged One Length irons

This is the most impressive current listing from the GolfWRX BST, and if you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum you can check them out here: GolfWRX BST Rules

Your Reaction?
  • 2
  • LEGIT1
  • WOW1
  • LOL0
  • IDHT0
  • FLOP0
  • OB0
  • SHANK0

Continue Reading

BuzzRoll

What GolfWRXers are saying about Kevin Kisner’s new Callaway X Forged CB irons

Published

on

In our forums, our members have been discussing Kevin Kisner’s new Callaway X Forged CB irons which he has in the bag at this week’s CJ Cup. WRXers have been commenting on the switch and the clubs themselves in our forums.

For lots more photos, check out the full thread here.

Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

  • btyh: “Holy offset.”
  • Glf_LU: “These are interesting. Not going to make a rush to judgement until I see them in person. It does look like a little more offset than I would expect to see in this model.”
  • bcflyguy1: “Kisner is not one to make a lot of equipment changes (see the GBB driver he’s still using), so if these do have staying power in his bag that will be interesting to see. I have to wonder if there’s something different about his set, because like others have mentioned there appears to be more offset on his than I recall seeing in the samples I’ve had in hand.”

Entire Thread: “Kevin Kisner’s new Callaway X Forged CB irons”

Your Reaction?
  • 5
  • LEGIT1
  • WOW0
  • LOL0
  • IDHT0
  • FLOP0
  • OB0
  • SHANK2

Continue Reading

BuzzRoll

WATCH: PGA Tour players play hole blindfolded and it’s hilarious/amazing

Published

on

As part of a Srixon campaign, four PGA Tour players recently participated in a three-hole challenge, with each hole being a different game; hole No. 1 was blindfolded, hole No. 2 was costumes and distractions, and hole No. 3 was alternate shot with a baseball bat. The teams were Smylie Kaufman and Sam Ryder against Shane Lowry and Grayson Murray.

Watch the full video below, since it is quite entertaining (albeit not the type of golf that Old Tom Morris surely had in mind), but in particular, make sure to check out the first hole where Lowry and Ryder play a full hole completely blind folded. It’s amazing to watch how badly Ryder struggles, and how Lowry nearly makes par.

Cleveland-Srixon’s marketing department has been hard at work crafting these viral-esque ad campaigns; if you remember, former long-drive champion Jamie Sadlowski recently dressed as 80-year-old Grandpa Jamie to fool range-goers. That video has since gathered over 1.2 million views on YouTube.

Your Reaction?
  • 41
  • LEGIT5
  • WOW3
  • LOL10
  • IDHT1
  • FLOP0
  • OB0
  • SHANK1

Continue Reading

WITB

Facebook

Trending