The Open 2017

[Gaz]

Who is everyone's pick for the Open this year.

I am going for Mcilroy,Rose, Fleetwood and now that he has qualified Poulter

[Tobias Funke]

Who is everyone's pick for the Open this year.

I am going for Mcilroy,Rose, Fleetwood and now that he has qualified Poulter

Bit early for me, need to see what the weather forecast is for the four days nearer the time, if the wind blows I would be inclinded to pick someone who does well in those conditions.

Fowler is going to break his duck sooner rather than later and he likes a tricky links course. Great wind player too, if that is indeed the forecast. :greengrin

[Treadstone]

Backed McIlroy in last two majors absolutely phoned it in. Loathed to abandon him.

[Tobias Funke]

Backed McIlroy in last two majors absolutely phoned it in. Loathed to abandon him.

Rory seems to like peaking at the wrong times! He was unreal at the end of last season but majors had passed him by at that point.

[Golden Bear]

Rory's head seems to be full of mince these days. It's time he stopped acting like a politician and concentrates on his golf for a change.

[HibernianJK]

Couldn't be backing McIlroy in current form his putting has fallen apart.

I'll probably have a bet on Speith and Patrick Reed who are both playing very consistently recently. Maybe a long shot outsider as well.

[Smartie]

I love a wee wager on the golf.

Fowler has let me down a few times now, very good player but not sure he's got the bottle to close a tournament out.

I like the look of Thomas Pieters.

Fleetwood looks like a cracking player too.

I won a few quid on Speith last week but he made bloody hard work of it. His driving is all over the shop and he was uncharacteristically erratic with the putter at times.

He still produced a few quite incredible shots though and ultimately still managed to win in spite of being miles away from top form.

You'd have to take him seriously.

McIlroy looks off the pace right now and Dustin Johnson doesn't look as assured as he did prior to missing the Masters.

I love the golf at the moment - most of the tournaments are wide open, there are loads of really good players out there who are great to watch and would have a decent shout at winning any tournament.

[lord bunberry]

I'm going to have a speculative bet on lee westwood, one of these days he's going to get it going with the putter and win a major. He's admittedly running out of time, but it would be a travesty if he didn't win a major.

[heretoday]

It's wide open (to coin a phrase). It'll be someone who hasn't won a major before if recent trends continue.

[greenlex]

The weather looks semi decent for links golf. I've gone Rose, Rahm and local boy Fleetwood all e/w. Good luck to you all.

[heretoday]

Harrington and Chappell for me. Each way.

[Hibs1972]

Who is everyone's pick for the Open this year.

I am going for Mcilroy,Rose, Fleetwood and now that he has qualified Poulter
Had Cabrera Bello to win the Scottish open last week so I'll probably back him again! Usually do a few fiver wins to keep me entertained,bring it on!!

[Golden Bear]

Adam Scott or Zach Johnston to win. There are some great each way bets available including Daniel Berger, Andy Sullivan, Brandon Grace, Ryan Fox and Soren Kjeldsen. For some reason I don't fancy the big names this year.

[Pretty Boy]

Koepka @ 33s
Berger @ 66s
Wood @ 125s

All each way for a bit interest.

[Carheenlea]

Harrington and Chappell for me. Each way.

That's some crazy new swing Padraig's got going on - he get's more eccentric with age!

[greenlex]

That's some crazy new swing Padraig's got going on - he get's more eccentric with age!
He was explaining it on the telly box the other day. Makes perfect sense too. I actually swithered whether to back him each way or not. Three very good rounds at the Scottish Open last week and a disaster in the horrific weather on Saturday. He knows how to win round Birkdale and he might be in the mix come Sunday.

[frazeHFC]

I'd like to see one of the British players win it, with Rose one of my picks. Highest odds for a Scottish player is 200/1 on sky bet (3 of them all that), really is a shame how poor the standard of our golfers is just now.

Hopefully I eat my words and one of them plays a blinder...

[BroxburnHibee]

My least favourite of the open courses.

Difficult to win 2 weeks running but Cabrera Belo might be good enough.

[Golden Bear]

There are some cracking bets to be had out there. I went to my local bookies this afternoon (Hills) and received odds of 125/1 on both Ryan Fox (the current form man) and Steve Stricker. Hills are paying out one fifth odds on the first 7.

[Golden Bear]

My least favourite of the open courses.

Difficult to win 2 weeks running but Cabrera Belo might be good enough.

Royal Birkdale is the best UK course I've played! It's by no means the hardest on the Open circuit (Carnoustie is imo) but it has its challenges. If the weather behaves itself then the scoring will be fairly low I think.

[Smartie]

I've plumped for 3 Europeans - Fleetwood, Pieters and Cabrera-Bello.

I really hope Fowler doesn't win it. I keep backing him and he keeps just about doing it but letting me down.

I'll be raging if he finally does it when I haven't backed him.

[Golden Bear]

I've plumped for 3 Europeans - Fleetwood, Pieters and Cabrera-Bello.

I really hope Fowler doesn't win it. I keep backing him and he keeps just about doing it but letting me down.

I'll be raging if he finally does it when I haven't backed him.

Likewise with Fowler. He seems to be struggling with the putter at the moment.

[HibernianJK]

I've went with Speith, Stenson, Berger and Kyle Stanley who won a few weeks back on the PGA tour.

[frazeHFC]

Someone I know that works for the R&A spent today supervising the placement of the 1st round pin positions, goes back to his hotel room tonight and spends the next 4 evenings doing exactly the same while being paid a healthy whack and enjoying some free golf. Not bad for some. :shocked:

[greenlex]

Someone I know that works for the R&A spent today supervising the placement of the 1st round pin positions, goes back to his hotel room tonight and spends the next 4 evenings doing exactly the same while being paid a healthy whack and enjoying some free golf. Not bad for some. :shocked:
Every time I've played a bigger regional/national comp or indeed walked round with the laddie the pin positions are usually marked out in advance. There is a wee coloured dot where the pin is to be cut for the following few days play. A different colour for each day. I'm sure that won't be the case this week but thought it interesting all the same.

[Golden Bear]

Possibly too much media pressure on Tommy Fleetwood as he finishes on 6 over par. He's struggling to qualify for the weekend now.

[Pretty Boy]

Koepka @ 33s
Berger @ 66s
Wood @ 125s

All each way for a bit interest.

Good start for Koepka for me. Really fancy him to go close this week.

[frazeHFC]

McIlroy is having an awful year!

[Golden Bear]

It's got to be said - Sky's coverage of today's play has been absolutely first class.

[greenlex]

It's got to be said - Sky's coverage of today's play has been absolutely first class.
Yup.:agree: Even the adverts seem fewer and further between.

[Golden Bear]

Yup.:agree: Even the adverts seem fewer and further between.

I think they were only allowed 3 per hour and each commercial break wasn't allowed to be over a minute in length.

[frazeHFC]

McIlroy is having an awful year!

He must have seen my post mid-round and decided to prove me wrong. Good turnaround for him this round, needs to take that form in to tomorrow.

[GreenLake]

Good start for Koepka for me. Really fancy him to go close this week.

Just eating lunch and the TV above the bar showed Koepka chip into two water head covers at the side of the green. He sunk the putt though and looks like he doesn't get rattled.

[greenlex]

Can't see past Spieth on this form.

[Golden Bear]

Can't see past Spieth on this form.

He's got a putting stroke to die for and it looks like he'll hole absolutely everything in sight.

[greenlex]

A 62 from Branden Grace. Magnificent.

[frazeHFC]

Can't see anything other than a Spieth win today. Hoping he drops a few shots early to make it interesting but the way he's playing it seems unlikely.

Some round by Grace yesterday too! :applause:

[greenlex]

We need a few wild shots with unplayable lies. If he finds the greens it's over. There's a bad break to start.

[frazeHFC]

Missed putt there, might put some doubt in his mind.

[BroxburnHibee]

Spieth is having another Augusta!!!!

Its up for grabs now.

[heretoday]

Kooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.............. ..........

[lord bunberry]

Haotong could win this at -6 the way things are going.
He's 10/1 with bet 365.

[heretoday]

Haotong could win this at -6 the way things are going.
He's 10/1 with bet 365.

He must be going crazy right now! Rory's still around too!

Spieth is doing his best to blow it. If Kuchar can keep his nerve he's a winner.

[greenlex]

My laddie is on £600 if Kucher wins.

[heretoday]

My laddie is on £600 if Kucher wins.

Fingers crossed, mate. We're big Koooo fans here!

[heretoday]

Tremendous shot by Spieth in the circumstances.

[Golden Bear]

Just as well Spieth isn't in front of me in a Saturday medal as he'd have a ba up his erse long before now. He takes a ridiculous amount of time.

[HibernianJK]

The standard from the final pair hasn't been superb but the excitement is definitely still there!

[BroxburnHibee]

Awesome from Spieth there!!!!

[frazeHFC]

Incredible putting from Spieth.

[greenlex]

The boy can roll his rock.

[heretoday]

Kuchar won't do it. Sod it.

[Golden Bear]

Well played Jordan Spieth who above all demonstrated fantastic mental resolve when things looked like they were slipping away.

[greenlex]

What a player he is. Hard to believe he's just 24. The laddie bagged £100 so all was not lost.

[heretoday]

What a player he is. Hard to believe he's just 24. The laddie bagged £100 so all was not lost.

Good. Spieth has the look of a successor to Woods and Nicklaus. He obviously has that faculty of regrouping in adversity and confidence in his ability. He's determined.

[ColinNish]

Cheers for the win at the bookies Spieth. 😁

[heretoday]

Spieth is really wired. He has a fantastic determination and belief in his ability. That's what makes a champion obviously. And he's only 23.

[lord bunberry]

He is very reliant on his putter though. If he's not putting well he looks pretty ordinary at times.

[HibernianJK]

He is very reliant on his putter though. If he's not putting well he looks pretty ordinary at times.

Drive for show, putt for dough.

Your quote stands for just every golfer out there. He is a lovely iron player and around the greens. He's not great off the tee but putting wins you tournaments and that's all that matters.

[lord bunberry]

Drive for show, putt for dough.

Your quote stands for just every golfer out there. He is a lovely iron player and around the greens. He's not great off the tee but putting wins you tournaments and that's all that matters.
I agree, but that doesn't put him up there with the greats of the game as some people are suggesting. He's young and he could go on to be the best player ever, but it's too early to say that imo.

[HibernianJK]

I agree, but that doesn't put him up there with the greats of the game as some people are suggesting. He's young and he could go on to be the best player ever, but it's too early to say that imo.

Oh most definitely it's a bit premature to say that. The potential is there, and he's level headed and mature enough not to let it affect him.

[ACLeith]

I agree, but that doesn't put him up there with the greats of the game as some people are suggesting. He's young and he could go on to be the best player ever, but it's too early to say that imo.

It's really impossible to ever say who the greatest ever is/was. Certainly JS could be directly compared to Woods as their equipment, standard of courses etc. is the same. But how would guys like Young Tom Morris, Bobby Jones, Harry Vardon and Ben Hogan fare if we could bring them back now?

Imagine those 4 going head to head with Nicklaus, Palmer, Woods, Spieth? SKY would pay zillions for the TV rights of that!!