Nice CHOKE Michelson

[HalfManHalfBiscuit]

Hefty returns to form. So sweet to see Goosen's victory.

[cosmicdot]

1. but, what was that commentary about: "like he brought a tax cut" ???

I can't tell you who the guy was who made the wrap-up commentary before the trophy award ... but, I think he said Goosen was obviously the New York favorite 'as if he brought a tax cut' ...

if so, :wtf: kind of sports analogy is that?

[tcfrogs]

18. It was either Dan Hicks/Johnny Miller/Bob Costas

Makes no sense to me either.

[mede8er]

2. Can you spell.......

Decelerate..........:evilfrown:

[WilliamPitt]

3. ...and the Earth returns to normalcy

[tcfrogs]

19. until the British Open in about a month!

[WilliamPitt]

20. Nooo!

He...must...lose...always!

:)

[DoctorBombay]

26. Mickelson has never done anything in the British Open

I don't think he has a single top ten in his career across the pond. That could change with the maturity in his game, but I'd have to see it to believe it. Just not his tournament.

[tcfrogs]

27. You're right

T-11 in 2000. Other than that, his best is T24 in 1997.

However, his game has matured a lot - as has he

http://golfonline.comfluent.net/cgi.pan$record&Phil_Mickelson&British_Open&pga?golfstats

[DoctorBombay]

31. Couldn't get the link to work...

...but I guess with the growth in the game, it is very possible he could play well at Troon.

[tcfrogs]

32. Great, now I can't get the link to work either!

But, you're right. Troon will be fun, can't wait.

Time to get my ass off the couch & start playing/practicing!

[markses]

4. Classic choke

Double bogey on 17 in a tied Sunday round? Are you kidding me? Greg Norman level choke there.

The disgusting fans at Shinnecock practically cheering for Goosen dropping a stroke at 15? These people are sick puppies. They got served right.

[HalfManHalfBiscuit]

5. Yep. Those loser fans pissed me off.

Nothing personally against Phil, but the ultra-extreme lovefest was too much.

[markses]

7. I didn't mind the lovefest so much as the often open hostility toward

Goosen, who played one of the most astounding back nines in a major that I have seen. What did he have, five one-put holes down the stretch, saving bad drive after bad drive, bad second shot after bad second shot, with an amazing short game, a clinic really, and a truly fabulous thing to watch, the drama notwithstanding. And the fans were often sullen at this incredible performance. Listen, I'm no hater of the fans' favorite, or even rooting for a particular golfer. But I was always taught that golf etiquette dictated respect and support for all players - especially when they're doing something magnificent. And I didn't see that at Shinnecock. I saw something very disturbing and not at all worthy of a great game. And the golf gods were fucking pissed, and Goosen took the title home. it was an embarrassing display for American gfolf, akin to that awful Ryder Cup display in (I think?) 1995, when a similar fan jingoism destroyed a mighty contest with petty behavior.

[ewagner]

8. Agreed

I always thought golf was a paragon o manners and civility....

guess I was wrong.

Sorry Phil choked. I think he lost concentration but I like Goosen anyway.

Ernie had an AWFUL day, as did Tiger.

[KFC]

10. Good point

I was cringing when the crowd applauded Goosen's mishaps. "Fan jingoism" is the perfect term for what we saw. I'm glad Goosen shut those fuckers up.

[SW FL Dem]

22. Goosen had at least 11 one putts this round

It's the short game that mstters. The one good thing to come of this Open is that my son realizes he needs to work on his short game if he wants to be competitive (He's 13 and shooting high 80s or low 90s)

[matcom]

6. ahhh, back to his old playing style

i KNEW the last one was a fluke

[AngryAmish]

9. I am glad an African American can win our national title

Nice choke, bitch-tits.

[tcfrogs]

12. Wow, you are angry!

:)

[DancingBear]

11. Wow - such insight on his thread

Fact: both players shot 1-over 71's on a day when the average score was 79.

Fact: Mikelson played the conditions and the course correctly - at no time did he look to hit the miraculous shot , or try and use driver on a hole with a 10 yd. wide fairway.

Fact: He had made two birdies prior to 17 to take the lead (almost three in a row), coming back from 3 down to do it.

Fact: He mis-read a putt on 17, after a nice out from the bunker.

Fact: Choking is shooting 78 on the final day, or playing the last 3 holes in 5 over par. Missing a putt has about as much do with choking as forgetting to wear a hat.

Watch/play a lot of golf, do we??

P.S. NY fans DID remind me of the horrible Ryder Cup behavior in MA - absolutely no excuse for that, nor for the BLATANT rooting against Goosen by the broadcast team.

[KFC]

13. Fact: Choking is three putting from 5 feet on the 17th hole.

The gagmeister is back in form.

You are right about the broadcast team. Did not even try to hide their anti-Goosen bias. Ha Ha, bastards.

[AngryAmish]

15. Fact: Michelson has bosoms

[tcfrogs]

16. They're not as pronounced as Monte's bosoms, however

I kid because I care!

[KFC]

17. Fact: Hefty is approaching a D-Cup

Nice hooters!

[markses]

23. You are of course correct on the facts

But the choke was in miniature, a microcosm of the great 6 stroke swing giveaway chokes, the round-long choke compressed into 2 harrowing minutes, but still quite a choke for all that. I try to get out as often as I can, and I do watch quite a bit of golf on Sunday afternoons (and during majors, I'll even watch on Saturday). This is a difference in interpretation, not golf knowledge, so ya might wanna slow your roll there, pardner.

[Awsi Dooger]

33. Thanks for the astute golf analysis, DancingBear

Extremely rare on DU.

Mickelson's short missed birdie putt on #17 at Pinehurst in '99 was much closer to a choke than anything that happened on Sunday. That was nearly a dead straight, level putt and he blew it, falling one behind Payne Stewart.

On Sunday I was stunned when they showed Mickelson lining up to that par putt. Instead of choosing an aggressive line he was obviously going to trickle it to the hole. That's almost always a mistake, IMO. When Tiger is at his best he charges the 4 footers.

As you point out, Phil's course management was superb, best of anyone on the course. There were a half dozen times he could have tried a silly miracle rescue shot, senselessly pulled a driver, or shot at a tucked pin on the edge of a ridge. Goosen made all the putts and that's what usually decides championships at this level.

Mickelson's offseason included tons of short game work and getting in better shape. The latter has obviously been abandoned post-Augusta, the monkey off his back but nothing spared from the stomach.

I attended that Ryder Cup, in '99 at The Country Club outside Boston. Believe me, the crowd behavior was much worse in person than on TV. I was shocked when I watched my VCR replay and so little came across, outright insults especially to Monty. I started rooting for the Europeans on the back nine, partially to spite the idiots around me.

[tcfrogs]

14. Retief played a great round under the circumstances

And should be heartily congratulated. Too bad I picked Els - talk about choking! An 80??????

[CrownPrinceBandar]

21. Who picked it, baby?.................

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=105&topic_id=1298470&mesg_id=1298701

:crazy:

[tcfrogs]

24. Nice call, foamdad!

I give it up to you - great pick!

Thought Els would pull it out - then he shoots a freaking 80!

[tcfrogs]

25. BOTTOM LINE!

Retief won. They both shot the same score. Yes, Phil blew #17. He made lots of clutch shots/putts earlier. Retief just hung in & took advantage of the fact he had a two shot lead to begin the day.

[AngryAmish]

28. What other holes got hosed down beside 7 today?

I have never (seriously never) heard of the grounds crew hosing down greens during a round. And why did they call it "injecting" the greens?

However, I have seen plenty of times the greens getting squeegied (sp?) during the round when a course is getting wet. So I suppose there is a precident to modify the course mid round for competition's sake. On the other hand, the squeeging was to prevent casual water on the green.

Why was the course so hard today? Notwithstanding what the USGA wants to do, every course wants to be known as the toughest in America. When the US Open is played at a course, the USGA is supposed to take over the maintenence for several months before and do course modifications in three or four years before. However, there is not an All Star groundskeeping crew the USGA brings in. They bring in local greenskeeepers for a month before but mostly work with the home courses crew. I suspect the membership had the greenskeepers rolling those greens all the time, just so they can say they have the hardest course in America.

I did not think that course was fair today.

[tcfrogs]

29. They "syringed" at least a couple other holes

10 was one. I heard very early in the telecast that they were going to start "syringing" 7 between every group. Basically, they acknowledged that the course was B/S.

[AngryAmish]

30. You are right, it was "syringing"

But even in Dubai, they don't pull that shit.

Edited to say Michelson has Bosoms.