U.S. Open Golf 2018 (Shinnecock Hills)

[Guess The Crowd]

17 minutes ago, jonnothejambo said:

Sarah Stark interviews Henrik Stenson who says that "I said feck on the other one" not realising he is live. 

 

Sarah tells him not to swear again.

 

 

Classic.

 

It was hilarious! Perfect end to a great night's viewing.

[Harry Potter]

cant wait for round 4.

[Victorian]

Mickelson brought the game into disrepute.   It's the same as a tennis player 'tanking' and not trying as has been seen before.    He can't win obviously but he'll still pick up some kind of prize money.    That prize will be based on him abusing the rules.      Deliberately hitting a moving ball to prevent it coming to rest somewhere else.     WTF is the game coming to when this is going on from a so-called legend?     Point making or not.

[Samuel Camazzola]

1 hour ago, Victorian said:

Mickelson brought the game into disrepute.   It's the same as a tennis player 'tanking' and not trying as has been seen before.    He can't win obviously but he'll still pick up some kind of prize money.    That prize will be based on him abusing the rules.      Deliberately hitting a moving ball to prevent it coming to rest somewhere else.     WTF is the game coming to when this is going on from a so-called legend?     Point making or not.

It was very bad form from someone who is so experienced and respected in the game. For actions like that being impulsive and from frustration, it would be bad enough but the comments in his interview make the whole situation inexcusable. 

 

If someone like Callum Hill did that, how different would the punishment be? Very different I think! I recall the Masters from a few years ago where the only player given a penalty for slow play was the 14 year old Chinese lad. No seasoned tour pro suffered the same fate. 

[Harry Potter]

Watching round 3 from yesterday, how bad are these greens, .

[Victorian]

52 minutes ago, Samuel Camazzola said:

It was very bad form from someone who is so experienced and respected in the game. For actions like that being impulsive and from frustration, it would be bad enough but the comments in his interview make the whole situation inexcusable. 

 

If someone like Callum Hill did that, how different would the punishment be? Very different I think! I recall the Masters from a few years ago where the only player given a penalty for slow play was the 14 year old Chinese lad. No seasoned tour pro suffered the same fate. 

 

I used to like PM.   He seemed a genuinely humble guy with a good sense of the game's history and values.    He's been a right dick since the aftermath of the Tom Watson Ryder Cap captaincy.

[William H. Bonney]

41 minutes ago, Harry Potter said:

Watching round 3 from yesterday, how bad are these greens, .

 

I'd say it's 40% greens 60% pin position. Hopefully the usga will rethink today. 

It's still fascinating viewing though. 

[I P Knightley]

4 hours ago, Victorian said:

Mickelson brought the game into disrepute.   It's the same as a tennis player 'tanking' and not trying as has been seen before.    He can't win obviously but he'll still pick up some kind of prize money.    That prize will be based on him abusing the rules.      Deliberately hitting a moving ball to prevent it coming to rest somewhere else.     WTF is the game coming to when this is going on from a so-called legend?     Point making or not.

If he had a point to make about the state of the greens, he should have made it loud and clear. From what I've seen, his press conference involved him admitting that he'd played the rules and people should just accept it. 

 

From the little I know about the rules, the USGA have gone lightly on him. As I understand it, he's getting the two shot penalty for hitting a moving ball rather than the DQ for deflecting or stopping the ball. A simple bit of physics here: I've seen the video clip, it was going in one direction and then it was going in another direction - that's a stop and a deflection all in one. 

 

I also feel a bit sorry for Beef here, who's getting grief in the press because he was "laughing it off" with Mickelson. What Mickelson did was almost unprecedented and, coming from a 'statesman' of the game, who himself laughs it off, what's Beef going to do? A bit like being with your boss when he gooses one of the PAs and says to you with a leering wink, "Don't get many of them to the pound, do ya? Eh?" It takes time to process. 

 

2 hours ago, Victorian said:

 

I used to like PM.   He seemed a genuinely humble guy with a good sense of the game's history and values.    He's been a right dick since the aftermath of the Tom Watson Ryder Cap captaincy.

I don't know the story. Why has the Tom Watson captaincy affected Mickelson? 

 

Can't say I've ever fully been comfortable with him. He's right-handed but plays left-handed - probably so he can park his car in the disabled spot or something. Like Rafael Nadal; you have to believe there's something sinister going on there. 

[The Mighty Thor]

33 minutes ago, I P Knightley said:

 

I also feel a bit sorry for Beef here, who's getting grief in the press because he was "laughing it off" with Mickelson. What Mickelson did was almost unprecedented and, coming from a 'statesman' of the game, who himself laughs it off, what's Beef going to do?

I felt sorry for Beef too. 

What impact did all that pish have on his round. Probably one of his boyhood heroes acting like a total dick. It had to be off putting.

 

Mickelson should have been DQ'd. No arguments. If that had been Knox or Hill or any other journeyman they'd have been crucified. 

 

The USGA shat the bed. 

 

 

[I P Knightley]

Another thing. If a known cheat were to take to the pitch in footbal, every touch he made would be booed by the crowd. It won't happen but wouldn't it be great if the crowd were to Boo Mickelson from tee to green? That ignorant bunch will prefer to hurl abuse at Ian Poulter for doing nothing other than not being American. 

 

They won't even Boo Weekley

[Samuel Camazzola]

1 hour ago, I P Knightley said:

If he had a point to make about the state of the greens, he should have made it loud and clear. From what I've seen, his press conference involved him admitting that he'd played the rules and people should just accept it. 

 

From the little I know about the rules, the USGA have gone lightly on him. As I understand it, he's getting the two shot penalty for hitting a moving ball rather than the DQ for deflecting or stopping the ball. A simple bit of physics here: I've seen the video clip, it was going in one direction and then it was going in another direction - that's a stop and a deflection all in one. 

 

I also feel a bit sorry for Beef here, who's getting grief in the press because he was "laughing it off" with Mickelson. What Mickelson did was almost unprecedented and, coming from a 'statesman' of the game, who himself laughs it off, what's Beef going to do? A bit like being with your boss when he gooses one of the PAs and says to you with a leering wink, "Don't get many of them to the pound, do ya? Eh?" It takes time to process. 

 

I don't know the story. Why has the Tom Watson captaincy affected Mickelson? 

 

Can't say I've ever fully been comfortable with him. He's right-handed but plays left-handed - probably so he can park his car in the disabled spot or something. Like Rafael Nadal; you have to believe there's something sinister going on there. 

At Gleneagles four years ago, Mickelson was left out of both Saturday sessions. After the defeat, at the immediate press conference he decided to tear into Watson's captaincy and compare him to Azinger. It was all very bad taste and poorly timed. 

Edited June 17, 2018 by Samuel Camazzola

[Boozyuzi]

Hideki  Matsuyame currently -4 for the last round and in 30th place.. Get yer money on him to win.

[I P Knightley]

And Mickelson going round 2 under for the day, adding a few dollars to his prize pot.

 

Lovely, lovely!

[Irufushi]

Reed  

 

backed him at 20/1

Edited June 17, 2018 by Irufushi

[I P Knightley]

19 hours ago, Maroon Sailor said:

Rickie with a fourteen over par 84 

19 shots better today!

 

Reed is -3 after 3 holes and co-leader now. 

[Irufushi]

2 minutes ago, jonnothejambo said:

 

Please no. Anyone but that fat, baw faced, cheating knobend. 

 

No offence as I am aware you have a vested interest.

 

 

Like reed . Confident in his ability.

[Irufushi]

5 minutes ago, jonnothejambo said:

 

If Tommy Fleetwood can finish well he could set a very interesting target.

 

He certainly can , jonno, I also backed him at 50’s today . Hopefully he can post level par . Might be enough. 

[I P Knightley]

14 minutes ago, Irufushi said:

 

He certainly can , jonno, I also backed him at 50’s today . Hopefully he can post level par . Might be enough. 

They've clearly softened up the green a bit but does it look like sunshine and wind will toughen it up for the later starters? (Don't want it easy for Reed!)

[William H. Bonney]

Tommy Fleetwood must be in with a shout. 

[Irufushi]

Think fleetwood might be 2 short in the end, incredible round from him. 

[Ray Gin]

Reed unravelling

[Alex Kintner]

Koepka £5ew @ 25/1

Fleetwood £2.50ew @45/1

[Notts1874]

Some achievement to win back to back. Going for the treble at Pebble now?. Cracking round by Fleetwood, who will win majors.

 

Back to Mickleson. Westwood tweeted earlier today something along the lines of the below.

 

You are playing 15th at Augusta. You hit your second over the back of the green. You over hit your chip and realise it's going to roll into the water. You run up and hit it back up the green, while its still moving, taking the two shot penalty or let it go into the water and then have to go onto the fairway side of the water to drop it and pitch back over the water?

 

Of course Mickleson should have been DQ'd.

[@VladMagic]

Just watched the Phil Mickleson incident. Bizarre!

 

He new what he was doing. It wasn't a sudden rush to the head. He new the ball was going off the green and way back down the fairway. He cheated.

 

I had loads of respect for him after the way he handled himself during the Miracle at Medina. He was one of the few Yanks to show humility and respect to the European team.

 

I'm struggling to find that same respect after this.

[Ray Gin]

1 hour ago, VladMagic said:

Just watched the Phil Mickleson incident. Bizarre!

 

He new what he was doing. It wasn't a sudden rush to the head. He new the ball was going off the green and way back down the fairway. He cheated.

 

I had loads of respect for him after the way he handled himself during the Miracle at Medina. He was one of the few Yanks to show humility and respect to the European team.

 

I'm struggling to find that same respect after this.

 

Even less respect for the USGA.

 

"When asked why Rule 1-2 was not invoked, which covers a ball “willfully” being “deflected or stopped” to give the player “a competitive advantage” and demands disqualification, Bodenhamer replied: “Phil didn't purposely deflect or stop the ball.” 

 

"And what exactly would a deflection look like? “If you stop the ball from going out of bounds,” Bodenhammer replied. When it was put to him that Mickelson “stopped” the ball from rolling down a hill, Bodenhamer said: “He didn't deflect it or stop it. He played a moving ball.” Eddie Pepperell, another European Tour winner, called this “a cop out”.

 

Errr...that's exactly what he did. He willfully deflected the ball from rolling to a bad spot by knocking it back the way it was coming from, back towards the hole. That is considerably worse than just stopping a moving ball, which seemingly is worthy of disqualification.

[@VladMagic]

23 minutes ago, Ray Gin said:

 

Even less respect for the USGA.

 

"When asked why Rule 1-2 was not invoked, which covers a ball “willfully” being “deflected or stopped” to give the player “a competitive advantage” and demands disqualification, Bodenhamer replied: “Phil didn't purposely deflect or stop the ball.” 

 

"And what exactly would a deflection look like? “If you stop the ball from going out of bounds,” Bodenhammer replied. When it was put to him that Mickelson “stopped” the ball from rolling down a hill, Bodenhamer said: “He didn't deflect it or stop it. He played a moving ball.” Eddie Pepperell, another European Tour winner, called this “a cop out”.

 

Errr...that's exactly what he did. He willfully deflected the ball from rolling to a bad spot by knocking it back the way it was coming from, back towards the hole. That is considerably worse than just stopping a moving ball, which seemingly is worthy of disqualification.

 

Agree with everything.

 

At appears they are interpreting what he did in a favourable way so as to not have to disqualify him.

 

Pretty pathetic. 

[Alex Kintner]

1 hour ago, VladMagic said:

Just watched the Phil Mickleson incident. Bizarre!

 

He new what he was doing. It wasn't a sudden rush to the head. He new the ball was going off the green and way back down the fairway. He cheated.

 

I had loads of respect for him after the way he handled himself during the Miracle at Medina. He was one of the few Yanks to show humility and respect to the European team.

 

I'm struggling to find that same respect after this.

 

Doing himself no favours either by telling those complaining to suck it up and grow thicker skins! 

[merrymac]

31 minutes ago, Ray Gin said:

 

Even less respect for the USGA.

 

"When asked why Rule 1-2 was not invoked, which covers a ball “willfully” being “deflected or stopped” to give the player “a competitive advantage” and demands disqualification, Bodenhamer replied: “Phil didn't purposely deflect or stop the ball.” 

 

"And what exactly would a deflection look like? “If you stop the ball from going out of bounds,” Bodenhammer replied. When it was put to him that Mickelson “stopped” the ball from rolling down a hill, Bodenhamer said: “He didn't deflect it or stop it. He played a moving ball.” Eddie Pepperell, another European Tour winner, called this “a cop out”.

 

Errr...that's exactly what he did. He willfully deflected the ball from rolling to a bad spot by knocking it back the way it was coming from, back towards the hole. That is considerably worse than just stopping a moving ball, which seemingly is worthy of disqualification.

Hi Ray,

 

Interestingly this happened in the East Lothian Winter League a number of years ago at Winterfield. On a VERY windy day putts on the 14th hole were running up to the hole and back again, teams(foursomes) were taking 4,5,6 putts. One team decided that their first player would putt, and the second player would stand by the hole and while the ball was still moving tap it in, and accept the two shot penalty. No further action was taken against them.

I was not sure at the time, but think it probably is within the rules, but not in the spirit of the game??

[hmfc_liam06]

14 minutes ago, merrymac said:

Hi Ray,

 

Interestingly this happened in the East Lothian Winter League a number of years ago at Winterfield. On a VERY windy day putts on the 14th hole were running up to the hole and back again, teams(foursomes) were taking 4,5,6 putts. One team decided that their first player would putt, and the second player would stand by the hole and while the ball was still moving tap it in, and accept the two shot penalty. No further action was taken against them.

I was not sure at the time, but think it probably is within the rules, but not in the spirit of the game??

 

And because of Phil's deliberate cheating, we're likely going to see far more of it at club level.

[Ray Gin]

22 minutes ago, merrymac said:

Hi Ray,

 

Interestingly this happened in the East Lothian Winter League a number of years ago at Winterfield. On a VERY windy day putts on the 14th hole were running up to the hole and back again, teams(foursomes) were taking 4,5,6 putts. One team decided that their first player would putt, and the second player would stand by the hole and while the ball was still moving tap it in, and accept the two shot penalty. No further action was taken against them.

I was not sure at the time, but think it probably is within the rules, but not in the spirit of the game??

 

The rules are a nonsense if that's legit. So if you were to just put your putter down and stop the ball from rolling back down the hill, you'd get disqualified. However if you instead tap the ball into the hole, clearly gaining a bigger advantage than simply stopping the ball, you just get a penalty instead and are free to carry on? Madness.

 

 

[merrymac]

7 minutes ago, hmfc_liam06 said:

 

And because of Phil's deliberate cheating, we're likely going to see far more of it at club level.

I agree its not acceptable, but was Phil,s action not borne out of frustration and impulsive, possibly aimed at the USGA and their decisions, which turned a major championship into a farce for a day. Whereas the East Lothian guys actually pre -planned it!!

[merrymac]

Just now, Ray Gin said:

 

The rules are a nonsense if that's legit. So if you were to just put your putter down and stop the ball from rolling back down the hill, you'd get disqualified. However if you instead tap the ball into the hole, clearly gaining a bigger advantage than simply stopping the ball, you just get a penalty instead and are free to carry on? Madness.

 

 

It is, actually witnessed it, and raised it with the committee after I was not sure of the rule.Decision- two shot penalty for playing a moving ball.

[hmfc_liam06]

1 minute ago, merrymac said:

I agree its not acceptable, but was Phil,s action not borne out of frustration and impulsive, possibly aimed at the USGA and their decisions, which turned a major championship into a farce for a day. Whereas the East Lothian guys actually pre -planned it!!

 

Phil knew exactly what he was doing, it may not have been pre-planned but he was still cheating in my opinion.

 

Now that everyone knows the rule...

[merrymac]

Just now, hmfc_liam06 said:

 

Phil knew exactly what he was doing, it may not have been pre-planned but he was still cheating in my opinion.

 

Now that everyone knows the rule...

Agreed it is cheating. Hopefully because it has happened at such a high profile location and in front of a worldwide tv audience we will see a change in the rules.

[luckyBatistuta]

USA Today journalist Gary D’Amato giving Mickelson the benefit of doubt saying that he just lost his cool. I don’t know how he can say that, Phil knew exactly what he was doing. I have to agree with Justin Leonard, that he didn’t bend the rules, he broke them...it’s cheating.

[benny]

6 hours ago, Frank1874 said:

 

Doing himself no favours either by telling those complaining to suck it up and grow thicker skins! 

I agree with him.

A decision was made within the rules of golf.

Not what the general public think.