Written by Kevin Brown on Saturday 20 July 2013
Ernie Els doesn’t plan to relinquish his Open crown without putting up a big fight and though somewhat off the pace at +5 the Big Easy reckons he’s still in the frame. The South African fired a spirited 3rd round score of 70 (-1) and has by no means ruled himself out of contention 12 months after winning at Lytham and...
Written by Kevin Brown on Saturday 20 July 2013
High noon has come and gone but the real shoot-out is about to get underway at Muirfield later this afternoon. That’s when the frontrunners in the 142nd Open Championship take 3rd round centre stage and to be honest most eyes will be on the penultimate pairing of Tiger Woods and Lee Westwood (3.10pm tee-time). It should be a classic duel in the...
Written by Graeme Hamlett on Saturday 20 July 2013
Rory McIlroy left The Open “disappointed but with a clearer picture of what he needs to work on” after slumping to a horror-show at Muirfield and missing the cut on +12. McIlroy was never at the Open races, clearly uneasy and unhappy with his golf throughout his appearance in East Lothian and giving further indication his world is not a happy...
Written by Graeme Hamlett on Saturday 20 July 2013
Sir Nick Faldo says he may be tempted to play one more Open at St Andrews in two years time. Having made an emotional return to the scene of his 1987 and 1992 Open triumphs at Muirfield, Faldo could do the same at St Andrews, where he captured the Claret Jug in 1990. “I’m not ruling it out, but it’s slim. Who...
Written by Kevin Brown on Saturday 20 July 2013
Aussie ace Jason Day has knocked on so many major doors in recent years and he’s hoping to barge right through this particular one and finally break his majors duck this weekend. Day has really made a name himself in the US Open and Masters in the past few years – he finished runner-up in the former in 2011 and this...
Written by Graeme Hamlett on Saturday 20 July 2013
Phil Mickelson says he has “putted phenomenal on greens that are faster than Augusta on spots” and is excited to only be four shots off the lead after 36 holes of his Open quest. Lefty is out at 1:45pm with 1997 champion Justin Leonard and said: “I think we’re all excited to have these firm fast conditions, because we haven’t had...
Written by Graeme Hamlett on Saturday 20 July 2013
Ian Poulter goes into his ‘Moving Day’ round at The Open insisting he is battle hardened for the task ahead. Some 11 years ago here Poults was in ninth spot before the infamous Saturday storm swept in at Muirfield, causing a litany of high scores amid a swale of doom. Conditions are a little more overcast today, after the baking hot opening...
Written by Kevin Brown on Saturday 20 July 2013
Despite sun-kissed conditions, the crowds strangely haven’t exactly been flocking to Muirfield this week. Attendances so far for the first two tournament days are down on the last time the Open was staged at the East Lothian links and significantly down on last year’s crowds which packed into Royal Lytham on the Lancashire coast. Thursday’s crowd was 23,393 compared to 30,620 in...
Written by Kevin Brown on Friday 19 July 2013
Double Open champion Padraig Harrington looks unlikely to make it a hat-trick of Claret Jugs this weekend. But at least he’s somehow survived the cut and will be teeing it up over the weekend after all. The Dubliner, winner at Carnoustie and Birkdale, is struggling at +6 and faced an agonising wait to see if he survives the cut. And he...
Written by Kevin Brown on Friday 19 July 2013
Muirfield creates an uncanny and delightful knack of baring its teeth and it did so again today. It was wet, windy – and formidable – the last time The Open was staged at the home of the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers 11 years ago and was an equally daunting prospect and challenge today…under clear blue skies and a burning sun! Just...
Written by Kevin Brown on Friday 19 July 2013
Lee Westwood is looking to continue this sizzling summer of British sporting success following the triumphs of Justin Rose (US Open) and new Wimbledon champion Andy Murray. ‘Westy’ shot a superb 2nd round 68 to put himself -2 for the championship and well in the hunt for that elusive first major title. “There’s definitely a feel-good factor in Britain. But golf is...
Written by Kevin Brown on Friday 19 July 2013
Tiger Woods remains upbeat and in a positive mood despite an up and down level par round of 71 (-2). Woods clearly didn’t have it all his own way but is still lurking and dangerously on the prowl as he seeks to win his 15th major and his first for five years. And only a fool would write Woods off at the...
Written by Kevin Brown on Friday 19 July 2013
Early this evening a bright yellow rescue helicopter very briefly hovered over Muirfield and by that time many of the players badly need salvaging from the wreckage of this year’s gruelling battle for the Claret Jug. Yet again this week has proved that the Open Championship remains the ultimate test of golf. This week at Muirfield has categorically hammered that message...
Written by Graeme Hamlett on Friday 19 July 2013
MIGUEL Angel Jimenez continues to defy his advancing years by advancing his Open hopes and asked of his inquisitors pressing him on his age and chances: “Why should only young people win?” The 49-year-old continues to master Muirfield with his calm and precise play; returning a level par 71 to add to his opening 68 for a -3 total at the...
Written by Graeme Hamlett on Friday 19 July 2013
Graeme McDowell sat back and surveyed the torrid Open scene after he made the cut on the mark at +4 and stated: “Get your money on me now!” The Ulsterman was joking about his inconsistent 2013 form – he’s either won events or missed the cut by miles – but having sneaked into the weekend action at Muirfield he still reckons...
Written by Kevin Brown on Friday 19 July 2013
Third in last week’s Scottish Open, super Swede Henrik Stenson is gunning to become the first Scandinavian to win the Open. And in-form Stenson has certainly given himself a chance of achieving that feat after two rounds of 70 (-2) put him in prime position for a weekend assault. And how the Swede would love to get his hands on the prized...
Written by Jake O'Reilly on Friday 19 July 2013
Wilson Golf, the iron brand with more Major wins (61) than any other golf club manufacturer, has teamed up with leading online retailer golfonline.co.uk to offer a Limited Edition set of Wilson Staff D-100 irons as The Open Championship at Muirfield gets under way this week. The distinctive red, white & blue ‘British’ irons (4-SW) are the only available set in...
Written by Jake O'Reilly on Wednesday 17 July 2013
Since 2011 VPAR Live Golf Scoring has been contracted by the R&A to provide the integral link between the walking scorers and the golfing public with a live scoring element at the European International Final Qualifying (IFQ) event for The Open Championship. The 2013 Europe edition held at Sunningdale in Berkshire, saw players scrambling for the top nine qualifying places over...
Written by Kevin Brown on Friday 19 July 2013
All the super-quick Muirfield greens were individually hand watered last night and today were running at 10.5ft on the stimpmeter compared to 11ft early yesterday morning. However, a spokesman pointed out that the greens aare expected to pick up pace during the day again though the dramatic increases of yesterday are not anticipated. R&A supremo Peter Dawson today steadfastly defended the layout...
Written by Kevin Brown on Friday 19 July 2013
Yesterday was another bad day at the office for Rory McIlroy who faces an early Open exit unless he really beats up the scorching Muirfield course today. The former World no. 1 clearly has it all to do when he teesds it up alongside in-form Phil Mickelson at 2.45pm after shooting a disastrous 79 (+8). The Northern Ireland superstar admits he’s struggling...