The USGA Open at Congressional

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

Back in January, my long-range predictions for this event were to watch for Tiger (as this could have been his best bet as a "comeback" event to focus on), with each-way nods towards Anthony Kim, Jim Furyk and Ernie Els.

As things have turned out, Tiger's not even playing, and while I still stand by my nods toward the other three, none of them (despite being previous form players at Congressional) have done a thing all year to justify any real confidence in them.

This is possibly the most "open" Open I can recall, going into it, and I reckon anywhere up to about 100 of the 156 starters have got as good a chance as anyone else. William Hill seem to agree, Lee Westwood's favourite at just 10-1, with Donald at 12-1 and Mickelson at 14-1. My three "tips" are all quoted between 60-1 and 100-1, but stick a pin in those rated 125-1 and you come up with names like Peter Hanson, Martin Laird, Yang Yong-Eun, Edoardo Molinari and Robert Allenby, none of whom would be as much of a surprise were they to win as Lucas Glover in 2009, or indeed Charl Schwartzel was at the Masters this April.

Talking of Schwartzel, Rory Sabbatini's 110-1. Of all the up-and-coming South Africans, I always thought he was the brightest prospect, and after Oosthuizen and Schwartzel have up and come behind him, so to speak, maybe he'll make it 3 South African wins in 4 majors?

[Gangster Octopus]

The USGA Open at Congressional

'Snot looking good for the British/World 1 & 2...

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

The USGA Open at Congressional

You don't win the Open on the first two days, they say, but you can certainly lose it, and Donald and Westwood will need to do a lot better tomorrow.

Louis Oosthuizen's had a cracking first round, 2 under par - it's a pretty exclusive club, players who've been Open Champion and US Open champion at the same time (Woods, Watson, Trevino, Jacklin, Hogan, Jones, I think) and for Oosthuizen to join them would be truly remarkable.

[stefan]

The USGA Open at Congressional

I notice that Alexandre Rocha of Brazil shares 4th place after the first day. Why don't Brazilean golfers have nicknames like the footballers? One of my colleagues suggested "Driveinho".

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

The USGA Open at Congressional

Well, here we go again on the Rory Rollercoaster. I both loved and was scared by his quote about his amazing first-round 65 that it was "stress-free golf". Yes, Rory, but we found out at Augusta what can happen to you when it becomes golf under stress; have you learnt enough from that experience to cope this time?

Tom Watson (like so many other young or inexperienced players in history) blew the 1974 US Open as a young player with a horrible final round 79, much like McIlroy's last round at Augusta this year (or Dustin Johnson's at this championship last year), but went on from that to win 8 major titles (and could have won 10 or 11). Let's hope Rory's got what Watson found in himself.

[Gangster Octopus]

The USGA Open at Congressional

Just realised what you're talking about. Totally missed McIlroy's round. Obviously i goes to bed before the day's golf's finished...

[Outside Agent]

The USGA Open at Congressional

McIlroy is burning up Congressional at the moment. Two birdies and an eagle on the front nine has him at -10, and enjoying a massive seven-shot lead.

Shades of Pebble Beach, 1992, when Gil Morgan became the first ever golfer to reach double figures under par in the US Open, doing so on the Friday. At one point Morgan reached -12 which gave him a nine-shot lead. He finished the tournament over par, with Tom Kite winning his first and only major at -3.

I backed Stewart Cink (50/1) and Angel Cabrera (100/1). Both are well placed, provided McIlroy drops a few shots.

[Tubby Isaacs]

The USGA Open at Congressional

One day I'll stop reading the name "Louis Ooshuizen" and thinking "Peter Oosterhuis".

Now 9 shots ahead.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

The USGA Open at Congressional

Those Rory records in full:

First player ever to reach -13 at any stage of a US Open
First player ever to reach -10 during the second round of a US Open
Lowest ever 36-hole total of 131
Tied Record lead at halfway stage (6 shots)

and all this on a 7,400 yard par 71 (!) course, and after a double-bogey at the last. Had McIlroy parred that hole, he would have had an eight-shot lead, and the record low 36-hole score in any major championship. To put his scoring into context, only 14 players out of 156 are under par, which is how the USGA likes it - third place is at -2.

I hope he keeps attacking the course. I've a horrible feeling if he tries to start playing to defend his lead, like at Augusta, he'll start leaking shots instead. The reason he's scored so well is that he's gone for virtually every pin, not a bad strategy on a course where it's almost impossible to two-putt some of the greens from more than thirty feet.

I'm pleased to see Yang in second place, too. Too many people dismissed his 2009 PGA win as a fluke, I always thought there was more to him. Willy Hills have got him at 8-1, and I tell you what, that's tempting, because everyone apart from Rory is going to have to play bloody well to catch him.

[Gangster Octopus]

The USGA Open at Congressional

So, not-Rotherham's finest finally starts to play well when he knows that he can't win...

[Tubby Isaacs]

The USGA Open at Congressional

54 holes done in 199. Incredible.

[Diable Rouge]

The USGA Open at Congressional

Hopefully he can see it out this time, you'd worry if Westwood and Yang start breathing down his neck.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

The USGA Open at Congressional

The main thing will be to hold on for the win, obviously - one shot of the 8 he leads by will be more than enough, by the end of tonight. But if - if - McIlroy can get round with a 72 or better in his final round, he'll lower the 72-hole scoring record for the US Open that's stood since 1980. That will have people, naturally, not just talking about this as his first major win, but in inviting those comparisons with the greats of the past, will begin the debate about just how many majors McIlroy could go on to win.

Failure to win tonight, with a lead like he has, is almost unthinkable, and that must bring a unique kind of pressure with it.

Lee Westwood's looking good for a third runners-up spot in a major, and must feel more than a little annoyed that McIlroy's chosen this week to do what he's done. Westwood could shoot a 66 tonight, finish 4 shots clear of everyone else in the field, but still be as far again behind Rory. Westwood would return to world number one if he does, but even the British press would make very little of that achievement given the circumstances.

[Diable Rouge]

The USGA Open at Congressional

The Down man's now ten clear after the eighth - think he's safe now.

[Cal Alamein]

The USGA Open at Congressional

Well done Rory. I like that he has longish hair, and is a smallish/regular size guy.

[Duncan Gardner]

The USGA Open at Congressional

[hobbes]

The USGA Open at Congressional

That was fucking spectacular golf. P and I were glue to it for 3 of the 4 days. McIlroy seems to have learned his lessons from Augusta and never for a second looked like losing it. Superb, relentless, masterful golf. Brilliant, just brilliant.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

The USGA Open at Congressional

Absolutely. Jason Day, who was second, shot exactly the same total (276) as Ernie Els shot in winning here, fourteen years ago. That was an impressive enough achievement, when you consider they've added 300 yards to the course since then.

Until you look up the leaderboard and see McIlroy's score, a full eight shots better. Four shots better than any US Open champion has ever shot before, in any Open, and in all probability a record that could stand for fifty years - it took that long, after all, between Ben Hogan becoming the first champion to finish on -8, and Woods becoming the first to better that score in 2000.

Next question is where does McIlory go next. You couldn't blame him for enjoying the fruits of his hard labour and not winning again this season, but somehow I think he'll want to push on. He'll know that he's got the game, and the momentum, to add this year's Open to the US Open, and join the immortals who've done that particular double.

Fantastic times, these, for men's golf. McIlroy aged 22, and Day (who's now finished second in the last 2 majors) is only 24. Matteo Manassero's younger than both, and the likes of Johnson, Kaymer, Molinari, Mahan, Oosthuizen, KT Kim and Schwartzel are all under 30. Donald and Westwood are hardly old stagers at 34 and 38, but it's clear that at the moment a new generation is taking over.

[caja-dglh]

The USGA Open at Congressional

New York Post front page today.

Headline - "EIRE APPARENT". *bangs head*

[Calvert]

The USGA Open at Congressional

Fuck me.
Rory's still wandering around with his replica trophy.
Today he was at Stormont being used by the First Bastard and Deputy First Bastard.
Much hilarity t'other night at the Comedy Club where the compere kept referring to McIlroy as the 'curly cunt' much to the annoyance of a couple of middle-class pricks from Holywood who kept shouting 'Rory is our champion'
'No he's not, he's a curly cunt. Shit game played by cunts and he's a curly cunt'

Hahaha.

[Borracho]

The USGA Open at Congressional

He was at Centre Court yesterday or the day before.

I'm half-expecting him to run onto the field during the Leinster hurling final at Croker on Sunday.

[Calvert]

The USGA Open at Congressional

Surely he can't be thatdesperate?

He seems like a good enough lad, I like the way he takes the piss out of McDowell's horrendously cringeworthy American accent and he's a good vehicle for winding up the posh twats (see comedy club antics)
Amazingly they asked him what he thought of the East Belfast riots, he'd have had my undying admiration had he said 'i couldn't give a fuck, I'm having trouble fighting off women who want to fuck me and those savages are still wearing JJB tracksuits and throwing petrol bombs at each other'.

'Er, no one wants to see that', he replied.

Some bright spark local 'community-worker' wanted to put him on an open top bus and parade him through the riot-torn area to help heal the wounds.
Now that i'd pay to see.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

The USGA Open at Congressional

One weird bit out of McIlroy winning and talking up his mate G-Mac is that he calls him "McDOO-well", whereas every single BBC reporter up to that point had referred to last year's champion in all points before and since as "McDOW-ell".

I presume Rory knows how his mate pronounces his own name; I'm even more certain G-Mac himself is pretty sure. How the fuck have almost all BBC commentators got it wrong?

[Calvert]

The USGA Open at Congressional

Rogin en la butaca wrote:

One weird bit out of McIlroy winning and talking up his mate G-Mac is that he calls him "McDOO-well", whereas every single BBC reporter up to that point had referred to last year's champion in all points before and since as "McDOW-ell".

I presume Rory knows how his mate pronounces his own name; I'm even more certain G-Mac himself is pretty sure. How the fuck have almost all BBC commentators got it wrong?

'G-Mac'

AAARRGGH!!
Stop it, please stop it.

There's a third way which is 'MA-DOLE', sometimes favoured by people with that surname.