Build-Up. Anticipation. Expectation. The Open Championship returned to Royal Portrush 68 years after it was first and last contested over the storied links in Northern Ireland. The 2012 Irish Open began the march back to this moment. The 2014 Amateur championship gave a bit more insight to the layout. After so many years of difficulty, the return of the Open Championship offers an opportunity for sport to help in recovery. With that in mind, have a glance at five things that we learned on day one of the 2019 Open Championship at Royal Portrush.
1. The world is better with Beef
It really is. After his recent disclosure on mental-health issues, to see the large man with the even-larger beard smiling again was worth getting up at 3 am. As he walked in his improbably eagle putt on the 2nd hole, the giddiness of the moment was not lost on anyone present. Beef was out early, and ultimately retreated to a +2 round of 73. Here’s hoping he makes it to the weekend; his enthusiasm is infectious, and the crowd loves to cheer him on.
2. One swing undoes an entire lifetime of preparation
To put into words the opening tee shot of Rory McIlroy: what were you thinking? You’re a 4-time major champion. You’re playing the ultimate home game. How do you hit 2 consecutive, rope hooks off the first tee WITH AN IRON? He’s crushing his driver this last month, straighter than straight. How an iron was the play, well, that’s beyond me. If McIlroy isn’t working with a mental coach, he needs to seriously consider doing so. Something in his preparation is off, and at this level, it begins with the mind. Have a glance at his 2 country men~Darren Clarke was 3-under for a portion of the outward nine, before finishing at even par. Graeme McDowell … oh, wait, never mind. #RoughFinish
3. JB Holmes is a nice story
People love to rag on JB Holmes. Poster child for slow play, they call him. Remember that he was one of the Good Old Boys foursome on Paul Azinger’s legendary, USA Ryder Cup side. Why wasn’t Azinger named Captain In Perpetuity again? Whoops, wrong article. Remember, too, that he underwent what was called “low-risk brain surgery” and recovered. Low Risk? It’s the brain…nothing is low risk. Take a look at that finish~seems like everyone else was making bogey or worse at 16, 17, or 18, or even all three! Holmes made a sweet birdie putt to lock in a 66 on the day. Bogey at the first, then 6 birdies and 11 pars the rest of the way. Nice start, Kentucky! By the way, he won’t win this week, because …
4. Take your pick from this attractive bundle
Dylan Frittelli, winner last week on the PGA Tour. Or, Jon Rahm, winner 2 weeks ago at the Irish Open~What a double this would be! #KingOfAllIreland. Perhaps, Tommy Fleetwood, desperate to not be the 2nd coming of Lee Westwood (who, ironically, is tied with Fleet at -3.) Both probably look at Danny Willett and silently wonder, “How does this guy have a major, while I don’t?” Consider that American lad, Brooks Koepka. He has 4 wins in majors, a local caddie, European tour experience in spades, hands of a surgeon and strength of Loki. As Royal Portrush is a tournament wild card, it’s anyone’s guess who will win, but odds favor the currently-hot and the always-dangerous. It won’t be Emiliano Grillo, but we need an excuse to show you this.
5. Here’s your winner: Shane Lowry
In 2016, Shane Lowry went head-to-head, toe-to-toe, with Dustin Johnson at Oakmont. As we recall, Johnson head-butted him, then stepped on his toes. Sunday did not go well for the thick Irishman that day. Fast forward 3 years and here we find Lowry, 4-under par and 1 stroke behind the leader. Sure, he’s tied with Jon Rahm, with a host of trouble lurking on the course and the leader board and away from the fairways. With the northerners collapsing all around, it’s Lowry who holds the key to the hopes of an island. There is an element to him that reminds one of Gary Woodland: career grinder whose moment in the sun has arrived. We’ll stake every penny we earn from this column on Lowry’s fitness this week.
Your Reaction?- LIKE16
- LEGIT1
- WOW1
- LOL1
- IDHT1
- FLOP1
- OB1
- SHANK4
Anonymous
Aug 9, 2019 at 4:18 pm
????????`?? ????`_ SUPREME T?????? ????_ luxurybrandsale2019
??????? ???? http://www.hxqiu.com/?brand-122.html
Anonymous
Aug 9, 2019 at 4:17 pm
????????`???`??`????`???/2019????|????????`?? ????`????,luxurybrandsale2019
?? ??????? http://www.drkross.com/buranndo-9.html
Anonymous
Aug 9, 2019 at 4:17 pm
???`??`????`????????????????Q????????????`???????????????? ?????å??????????` ???????????????`luxurybrandsale2019??????????????`???????????????`?????å?????`?????????????`???? ??`????`????`???????????????????`????????`????`??.????????????`????????????????,???`??`????`??,???å? ?? ????`,t?????? .???`??`????` ????,?????????`??.
???????? ????` http://www.drkross.com/buranndo-89.html
Anonymous
Aug 9, 2019 at 4:16 pm
????????`?????????L?????????`??????????`??????????????????`??????????`?? ??????`????å??????`??luxurybrandsale2019
???? ???????`???? http://www.drkross.com/buranndo-100.html
Anonymous
Aug 4, 2019 at 12:17 am
???`??`????`????????å?N??????!luxurybrandsale2019?????????`????????`N??????????å?????????????????????????????????????????????????????`???`??`????`N??????????????T????????????.???`??`????`?r???????????????`???T??,?????????`??`????`???????????????`???????????????????????????`,????????? ????`,???å???????`, ????????????`,?????????????`,?????????`??`????`?????,??????????`.
??????? http://www.drkross.com/buranndo-24.html
Anonymous
Jul 29, 2019 at 3:17 pm
????????? T?????? ????`,??????? ????` ????2019??????`????????????`??`????` ??-??????? ?? ????`?? 2019???????????2019????t????????????????????å?????`??`????`,????`??????? ??,?????????`?? ????`,gucci ????` ??,???å? ?? ????` ??????`??,gucci ???? ??,???????????????`,????`??? ??,???`??`????` t??????.
?????????? ??????? ???`??` ????` http://www.chenine.com/brand-63.html
Anonymous
Jul 29, 2019 at 2:09 pm
???`??` ????`?? ?????????å??????????????????????luxurybrandsale2019?????????????????????? 2018??????????????`??` ????` ?????? T?????? ??????? ?? ????` ???? ?? ,???`??` ????` ??????| ??????????? ????` ,????????? ????` ,???å? ????????å?????`T??????,?????????????`T??????N??.
??????? ?? ????` http://www.hxqiu.com/?brand-25.html
Prime21
Jul 19, 2019 at 2:18 am
Are you really questioning Rory? Stop. Until you walk in a man’s shoes your commentary is irrelevant as you have no idea what he was going through. To kick him while he is down is certainly in poor taste as is your journalism. If we were to reflect on all of your poor “calls” regarding previous tournaments and how they would play out, we would certainly find many bad choices and predictions. He has probably hit that tee shot thousands of times and his game plan was rock solid, His execution obviously left much to be desired. But that in no way, shape, or form gives you the right to question a future hall of fame player, his preparation nor his decision making. Throwing dirt from the press box is quite easy to do, as you have proven here, but hitting that tee shot, with an entire country riding your back, would be a bit more difficult, don’t you think? The ONLY thing we LEARNED from this article is that you are a hack in every sense of the word.
Ronald Montesano
Jul 19, 2019 at 6:15 am
I cannot disagree with much of what you said, other than not having the right to question …
Precisely what we do as human beings, is question. In your vitriol, you question me. I question each decision made by each golfer.
I wish that all my readers had the enthusiasm, the vocabulary, the passion, that you exhibit. I do hope that you will return for the next three days’ reviews, and hold me accountable. This is what allows for debate, civil of course, to flourish.
Enjoy round 2 this morning and afternoon.
Ronald Montesano
Jul 19, 2019 at 8:54 am
A more experienced golfer than I had this to say about Rory’s undoing on Thursday:
The word is “choking”
That’s how Brandel Chamblee characterized Rory McIlory’s British Open out-of-bounds opening shot/first-round 79…
“He has had, historically, just a bad run of first rounds. … He consistently gets off to a bad start and then inexorably plays himself back into it, and then when all the pressure is gone, all of that talent arises and then he plays a beautiful second or third or fourth round and gets himself back in it. … But when someone plays poor golf in the beginning of a tournament and then great golf the rest of the way, or great golf in the beginning and then poor golf at the end – both of those on either end he’s been guilty of over the last five years – then you know it’s not something physical, it’s not something technical, that they’re not putting themselves in the right frame of mind to either begin a golf tournament or to end a golf tournament. He needs to find that magic that he had when he was winning major championships.”
“On paper – I know what the world rankings say, that Brooks Koepka is the best player in the world – but on paper, coming in here, demonstrably, Rory McIlroy is the best player. Strokes gained tee to green, strokes gained total – he’s better than he was in 2012. He’s better than he was in 2015. And logically, experience should make him a better player. But when someone consistently performs under expectations, the word is choking.”
some guy
Jul 20, 2019 at 1:45 am
Ok Rory, whatever you say.