Classy Open victory from Stewart Cink - The Open 2009 Classy Open victory from Stewart Cink Only when it looked easy did Stewart Cink face his toughest challenge. With one hole remaining in the British Open playoff, Cink split the middle of the 18th fairway and had a four-shot lead. His opponent was in the weeds short of the green in two. Not even Jean Van de Velde could blow this. Cink struggled to contain a smile as he stood next to caddie Frank Williams, and who could blame him? In his dozen years on the PGA Tour, he had five victories and played on four Ryder Cup teams, yet had done nothing to otherwise distinguish himself. That’s what made the final, meaningless hole so vitally important. This wasn’t just any opponent he was beating. It was Tom Watson. And if the world was watching, no one in the world was rooting for Cink except for his immediate family. Even then, an exit poll might have been in order. Cink wore a lime green hat. It might as well have been black. “It’s mixed feelings, because I’ve watched him with such admiration all week,” Cink said later.

Walking the fine line between celebration and condolences, Cink struck his best pose of the championship. Standing behind the 18th green as the Open champion, Cink began clapping his hands to salute this 59-year-old marvel. So did everyone else. During the trophy presentation, as Cink admired the silver claret jug, he quickly turned his attention to Watson. “He turned back the clock, just did a great job,” Cink said. “I speak for all the rest of the people here, too.” Cink hit all the right shots Sunday. The most crucial of all was a 12-foot birdie putt on the last hole in regulation to finish at 69, which got him into the playoff when Watson missed an 8-foot putt for par. He blasted out of a pot bunker and made a 10-foot par save on the first extra hole, then went fairways-and-greens over the final three holes as Watson imploded. Even in defeat, this Open belonged to Watson. Yet if people occasionally forget that Cink’s name is on that silver jug, they should always remember his graciousness in victory. It’s one thing to be a gracious loser.

Golfers have plenty of practice since victories are so rare. Gary Player still needles his friend Jack Nicklaus by introducing him as “golf’s greatest loser.” It’s quite another to show class in victory. Twenty years ago at Kemper Lakes, the late Payne Stewart was seen laughing during Mike Reid’s meltdown that cost him the PGA Championship. That moment stuck with Stewart for years until he won the U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2. He held both sides of Phil Mickelson’s face and said, “Good luck with the baby. There’s nothing like being a father.” Mickelson won his second Masters in 2006 and asked the gallery for a moment of silence for Tiger Woods’ father, who was dying. In one of the most poignant scenes at Augusta National, Nick Faldo shared a long embrace after overcoming a record six-shot deficit against Greg Norman, telling the Shark, “Don’t let (them) get you down.” Cink shouldn’t have to apologize for winning the British Open, although you wouldn’t know it reading some headlines Monday in Britain. “Stewart Stink!” one of them declared.

It’s hard to rattle a guy with the oldest trophy in golf, and Cink was busy Monday evening trying to decide which beverage to pour first. Based on one of his Twitters, he settled on Guinness. Besides, he isn’t the first major champion to share the stage with a runner-up, if not be overshadowed completely. Go back 10 years ago, and some might have a hard time remembering that Paul Lawrie won the British Open. Yet hardly anyone will think of Carnoustie in 1999 and forget Van de Velde’s triple bogey on the final hole. It seemed as though all of New York wanted Mickelson, not Retief Goosen, to win at Shinnecock Hills. And while it isn’t a major, it sure felt that way at the Canadian Open five years ago. On the 100th anniversary of golf’s third-oldest championship, and the 50-year anniversary of the last Canadian winner, Mike Weir three times had a putt to win the tournament. He wound up losing to Vijay Singh. Woe, Canada. Cink was asked if he felt any disappointment that Watson wasn’t able to challenge him in the playoff.

“I think it might be dangerous for me to answer that question,” Cink replied to laughter. Another question. “Given the way Tom owned the week,” one reporter asked, “does a part of you feel as though you came in at the end of a syrupy, sentimental Hollywood movie and stole the girl at the end? “Well, as long as the result is I get the girl, I’m OK with that,” Cink said. “No, I don’t feel that way. Whether Tom was 59 or 29, he was one of the field, and I had to play against everybody in the field and course to come out on top. I don’t think anything can be taken away. “Somebody may disagree with that, but it’s going to be hard to convince me.” Cink doesn’t need anyone to convince him of anything. He played the best golf over 76 holes. In unusual circumstances—the runner-up received the loudest cheers—he said and did all the right things. In British Open tradition, Cink was introduced as the “champion golfer of the year.” He was a champion winner, too.

Playoffs at the British Open Golf Tournament • Wayne Grady, 4-4-4-4--16 • Greg Norman, 3-3-4-x This was the first British Open in which the 4-hole-aggregate playoff format was used. Greg Norman shot a spectacular 64 to come from seven shots off the lead at the start of the final day, then waited to see if anyone could catch him. Mark Calcavecchia and Wayne Grady did. Grady was solid in the playoff, but Calcavecchia was better. And Norman? He was tied with Calc going to the final playoff hole, but found trouble all the way up the hole. Norman hit into a bunker on his drive, and from there into another bunker; he finally picked up after hitting his third shot over the green and out-of-bounds. • Jock Hutchison, 74-76--150 • a-Roger Wethered, 77-82--159 Amateur golfer Roger Wethered initially declined to play in the playoff because he had a prior commitment - a cricket match with his club team.

He was persuaded to show up for the playoff, but didn't fare well (Wethered's playoff troubles included a penalty for stepping on his golf ball). Wethered was the brother of Joyce Wethered , considered by some the greatest-ever female golfer. 1921 British Open 1911 Harry Vardon and Arnaud Massy played 34 holes of this playoff, scheduled for 36 holes. But Massy conceded the playoff on the 35th hole, and both players picked up. Yes, procedures were a bit looser in the earlier days of golf. • Willie Park Jr., 158 • Andrew Kirkaldy, 163 This playoff was 36 holes in duration - same as the tournament itself (played over the 9-hole Musselburgh links - as was the 1883 playoff). 1883 • Willie Fernie, 158 • Bob Ferguson, 159 Bob Ferguson nearly won his fourth British Open title in succession, by fell by one stroke in the playoff. Ferguson led Willie Fernie by one as they teed off the final playoff hole, but Fernie birdied the par-3 hole while Ferguson bogied.

1876 • Bob Martin def. David Strath, walkover. This "playoff" was literally a walkover because, after David Strath refused to show up for it, Bob Martin walked the Old Course from first tee to 18th green and was declared the winner. Strath's refusal to play stemmed from his displeasure with the R&A over a ruling on Strath's play of the 17th hole in the final round. If Strath's score stood, then he was tied with Martin. If the R&A ruled against Strath, he would be disqualified and Martin would be the winner. But the R&A declared that the playoff take place before the ruling. Strath thought that ridiculous, since if the ruling went against him the playoff would be unnecessary. So he refused to show up for the playoff. Four Days in July: Tom Watson, the 2009 Open Championship, and a Tournament for the Ages eBook: Jim Huber: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store By Stephen Middleton on 1 Oct. 2013 Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase I enjoyed Jim Huber's account of Tom Watson's near victory in the 2009 Open Championship.

I am a former member of Turnberry and this event and how it unfolded will live with me forever. Jim managed to build the tension to the unfortunate and unwanted climax of our Tom not crossing the line. My only criticisms, and I will give the author the benefit of the doubt as I believe editors can at times be idiots, was that there were a number of factual innaccuracies. Yes I know it's pedantic but for me it's annoying. First of all, George Brown, head greenkeeper at the time of the 2009 Open is English and speaks with an English accent. He wouldn't deliver his speech to his staff 'in a thick Scottish Brogue.' On a number of occasions, Jim described the wind and it's direction and a number of times and it didnt make any sense if you knew the geography of the course. The 3rd and 4th holes go in opposite directions yet according to our author, Tom had the wind in his face on both holes for the first round. Now, the wind does change direction regularly but in all my many years of playing the course I have never experienced a 180 degrees in the space of 10 minutes. I could go on and on with that one.

Nick Price is from South Africa and has represented both South Africa and Zimbabwe in his career so I dont think he would necessarily ever call himself a proud American. Anyway, I enjoyed the book and it's account of an amazing major championship. Finally i think it could of done without the epilogue which seem to try and jam in tales of greatness relating to the author and making some kind of association with Tom Watson as a golfer. Completely unnecessary. Cink wins Open, tops Watson in playoff - Redorbit Cink wins Open, tops Watson in playoff by Sam Savage American Stewart Cink ended Tom Watson's bid for a historic victory Sunday, easily defeating his 59-year-old countryman in a playoff for the British Open title. Cink and Watson engaged in a four-hole cumulative-score playoff after tying at 2-under-par 278 in regulation play at the Turnberry golf resort in Scotland. The 36-year-old Cink birdied two of the extra holes and Watson bogeyed two and double-bogeyed another. Cink's aggregate score was 14 strokes to 20 for Watson. It is overwhelming. There are so many emotions flooding through, I feel like I am being caught up by every one of them.

It's amazing, Cink said after ending Watson's run at history. Watson had missed an 8-foot par putt on the 72nd hole that would have made him the oldest champion of a major tournament -- more than a decade older than any previous winner. It would have been a hell of story, but it wasn't to be, Watson said. It's a great disappointment. The playoff was one bad shot after another. A win would have been Watson's sixth in the open and his ninth major title. He last won the British open in 1983. The victory was the first in a Grand Slam event for Cink, who had previously won five tournaments on the PGA Tour. The 6-foot-4 Cink, an Alabama native who lives in the Atlanta area, shot a 69, capped by a birdie on No. 18, and Watson shot a 72 in the final round. Watson had a one-stroke lead coming up the last hole in regulation but hit his second shot over the green and was unable to save par. Lee Westwood (71) bogeyed three of the last four holes and ended up in a tie with Chris Wood (67) for third place.

Golf Course Websites - Golf Course Website Design - Cybergolf Request Information "Just wanted to drop you a note on how wonderful the Cybergolf email marketing system and features have been working. We use it as a tool to manage my tee sheet here at Coyote Creek Golf Club and what an impact it has had!" - Coyote Creek Golf Club Go Responsive With Golf's #1 Website Provider! Over 68% of American adults now own a smartphone and over 45% of all website traffic comes from mobile currently. Is your website able to leverage that power? Cybergolf's Responsive Website Benefits: 13024 Beverly Park Rd #102 Mukilteo, WA 98275 British Open Leader Board Results 2016 - Open Championship Winner British Open Championship Golf Results 2015 British Open Recap American Zach Johnson claimed his second major title with victory in a three-man play-off on a thrilling final day in the 144th Open Championship. The 2007 Masters winner finished a shot ahead of South African Louis Oosthuizen and three ahead of Australian Marc Leishman over four extra holes.

Earlier, the three ended on 15 under to lead a competitive field at St Andrews. Joint halfway leader Danny Willett and fellow Englishman Justin Rose both carded two-under 70s, as did Spaniard Sergio Garcia, to finish joint sixth on 11 under. American Jordan Niebrugge also hit a 70 to finish 11 under and claim the Silver Medal for leading amateur ahead of Ireland's Paul Dunne, the joint overnight leader, who shot a six-over 78 to drop to joint 30th on six under. Jordan Spieth's hopes of a Grand Slam were ended as he finished on 14 under along with Australia's Jason Day. 2014 British Open Results McIlroy won by two shots over Sergio Garcia and Rickie Fowler to become the first start-to-finish winner since Tiger Woods at St. Andrews in 2005. Even with one major left this year, the Northern Irishman already is looking ahead to Augusta National for a shot at the slam.

McIlroy put an end to this major with a powerful drive down the fairway at the par-5 16th, setting up a two-putt birdie to restore his lead to three shots. He finished with two pars, tapping in for par on the 18th green. Garcia pulled within two shots with four holes to play until he put his tee shot in a pot bunker just right of the 15th green. His first shot failed to get over the 4-foot sodden wall and rolled back into the sand. He made bogey, and two birdies over the final three holes were not enough. Garcia shot 66 and was runner-up in a major for the fourth time. Fowler, playing in the final group for the second straight major, didn't do anything wrong. He just didn't do enough right to make up a six-shot deficit. Fowler played without a bogey, made three birdies on the last four holes and shot 67. McIlroy moved up to No. 2 in the world, perhaps on his way to regaining the No. 1 ranking that once looked as if it would be his for years.

He ended the 2012 season by winning his second major and capturing the money title on the PGA Tour and European Tour. 2013 British Open Results Phil Mickelson’s came from behind, to win in the 142nd British Open Championship at Muirfield Golf Links in Scotland and took home a first place prize money of $1.43 million. With birdies on four of his final six holes, including on the 17th and 18th, to get to 5-under 66, 3-under for the week, and a three-shot victory over Henrik Stenson. He was the only player in the field to finish the tourney under par, as third-place finishers Ian Poulter, Adam Scott, and Lee Westwood came in at 1-over ( Tiger Woods struggled to a share of sixth place, at 2-over ). 2012 British Open Results Ernie Els went one direction and Adam Scott went another at the 141st British Open at Royal Lytham & St. Annes.

Els made clutch birdies on the par-4 14th and 18th holes for a final-round 68 while the leader, Scott (75), collapsed behind him, and Els came from six strokes behind at the turn to win his second British Open and fourth major title. After trailing by as many as seven strokes early on the front nine, Els, 42, who also won the Open in 2002 and won the '94 and '97 U.S. Opens, stormed back with a four-under-par back-nine 32 to finish seven under par for the tournament, edging Scott by one. 2011 British Open Results At the young age of 42, Darren Clarke won his first major - The Northern Irishman has won more than 20 tournaments around the world, but never won the big one and in the supposed twilight of his career, he followed his countryman and one-time protege Rory McIlroy into the role call of major champions with a three-shot victory. Clarke, ended with a final-round of 70 to finish five under to hold off Americans Phil Mickelson ( 68 ) and Dustin Johnson ( 72 ).

2010 British Open Results Louis Oosthuizen lifted the oldest trophy in golf, a silver claret jug with his name etched alongside Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan, and the other South African winners like, Gary Player, Bobby Locke and Ernie Els. After shooting a 71 on Sunday, Oosthuizen made only two bogeys over the final 35 holes in a strong wind that swept across the Old Course. He closed with a 1-under 71 for a seven-shot victory over Lee Westwood, who came in with a second place finish. Oosthuizen, finished at 16-under 272 and became the first player since Tony Lema in 1964 to win his first major at St. Andrews 2009 British Open Results Stewart Cink is the new Open champion, snatching the title from the hands of Tom Watson in a four-hole play off after they tied on a two-under-par total of 278. Watson, who had turned the clock back all week, ran out of time in his bid to win his sixth Open over the same course where he won his second in 1977.

The dream ended in anti-climatic fashion as the 59-year-old five-time champion wearied over the extra holes and destroyed his chances when he took two shots to force himself clear of the thick rough to the left of the 17th fairway. As they walked off that green he trailed 36-year-old Cink by four shots. The final hole was a formality. Watson blocked his tee shot into the crowd and was in rough short of the green in two. Cink hit two perfect shots to less then three feet and tapped in the winning putt. Watson, sadly, trailed by six shots. 2008 British Open Results - Padraig Harrington The 2008 British Open winner is Padraig Harrington, beating Ian Poulter to the top of the leaderboard results. Padraig Harrington, the winner f last year's Open. completed a 69 Round 4 at the British Open today, more than enough to secure the victory with 3 over par total 283. Ian Polter seemed to be the perfect contender to the British Open winner, but mistakes early in the round robbed 32-year-old Poulter.

Padraig Harrington, however, wasted no strokes and the Irishman became the winner of the 2008 British Open, his second in a row. 2007 British Open Results CARNOUSTIE, Scotland., July 22 - No two ways about it, just about every British Open played at Carnoustie has seen an unbelievable finish. Maybe it's because 16, 17 and 18 could be the toughest finish in golf, the next time the British Open rolls around they should think about giving out barf bags on the 16th tee. The tradition started in 1931 when Agentinian Jose Jurado was cruising along with over 10,000 people and the Prince of Wales watching. As he was standing on the 17th tee, he needed a par-par finish to win. Unfortunely he sent his teeshot into the burn and took six on the hole, followed by a par 5 on the finishing hole to finish one back.

In 1975 we had the other end of the spectrum when Tom Watson made a birdie three on the hole just to get himself into a playoff which he beat poor old Jack Newton the next day. Of course everyone in golf with the exception of maybe Boo Weekly knows what happened to Jean Van de Velde in 1999 when he made a triple bogey seven at 18 and lost the playoff. 2007 was a lot of the same. The 18th played to a scoring average of 4.611, the hardest hole of the week and again it played a big part of the drama. It all began with Anders Romero, a young Agentinian who started his implosion on the 17th hole when he got greedy from the rough and hit a terrible shot that went out of bounds and he made double bogey. He then stepped on to the 18th tee and proceeded to make bogey. That three over finish made him the first casualty of the 2007 British Open. The next was Padraig Harrington. He was rolling along in fine fashion at 9 under par and there was not two ways about it, make a par and let the celebration begin.

But after his drive caught the burn right, he was very stupid and hit it into the burn again in front of the green and made a gallant up and down for double that basically should of lost the tournament for him. But you had Sergio Garcia left, now if you want to bet your life savings that this charismatic Spaniard wouldn't make par you would be a big winner. After a good drive, Garcia couldn't get a three-iron on the green and then couldn't get up and down from a greenside bunker to complete Carnoustie's wild finish. In the playoff, Harrington had a two shot lead going into the 18th hole and he played it like a par 5, which it use to be, and made his five to bring the Claret Jug back to Ireland for only the second time and the first in 60 years. Unfortunely history may remember the 2007 British Open more for the implosion of Sergio Garcia, who again should of won a major and just didn't have the game and maturity to do it. Of course it's hard to win leading after every round, still you have to wonder how Tiger Woods would of handled a three shot lead with 18 holes left.

As for Harrington, he finally won his first major championship in a manner that I thought he would win it, backing into it. Tiger Wins 2006 British Open Hoylake, England - Tiger Woods successfully defended his British Open Championship title on Sunday with a two-shot victory at Royal Liverpool. The No. 1 player in the world was threatened by Chris DiMarco on the back nine, but three consecutive birdies from the 14th allowed Woods to shoot a final-round, five-under 67. Woods finished the event at 18-under-par 270. More British Open 2006 Results Here! Tiger Woods 2005 British Open winner Eldrick Tont (Tiger) Woods (born December 30, 1975, in Cypress, California) is an American golfer, widely considered to be one of the greatest golfers of all time. In 2005, at the age of 29, he won his 10th major golf championship, placing him third on the all-time list behind Jack Nicklaus and Walter Hagen. More 2005 British Open Golf Results and Information Here!

133 British Open Golf Results Move over Ben Curtis. You have company in the major shocker department. Little-known Todd Hamilton stared down the best players in the world and never blinked Sunday, winning the 133rd Open Championship in a stunning four-hole playoff over three-time major winner Ernie Els at Royal Troon Golf Club. Tom Watson, in final start, leaves final sandwich for friend on No. 13 Posted: 04/08/16 For the final heartbreaking time, Tom Watson placed a sandwich on the bench at the tee of the 13th hole in memory of an old friend in Thursday’s first round of the Masters Tournament. ... Tom Watson ready to say goodbye to Masters competition Posted: 04/06/16 In a way, 66-year-old Tom Watson is feeling like his 20-year-old self. That’s exactly why it’s time to say goodbye. ... Tom Watson to play Par-3 Contest with Nicklaus, Player Posted: 04/04/16 Tom Watson will play with Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player during Wednesday’s Par-3 Contest, his son Michael confirmed Monday.

Last year, Ben Crenshaw played with Nicklaus and Player in the annual event. He replaced Arnold Palmer, who typically ... Tom Watson arrives to play final Masters Tournament Posted: 04/03/16 Two-time Masters Tournament champion Tom Watson arrived Sunday at Augusta National Golf Club for his final Masters. “Lot of good memories here, and I’m looking forward to playing my last time here,” said Watson, 66. Watson, an eight-time major champion, ... Tom Watson's first win at Augusta sparked his tour dominance Posted: 03/29/16 Tom Watson will be the last of the stars from his era to say farewell to the Masters Tournament as a player this week. Just don’t remind him of that. “You’re making me feel old,” said the 66-year-old two-time champion, ... Watson's first win at Augusta sparked his tour dominance Posted: 03/29/16 Tom Watson will be the last of the stars from his era to say farewell to the Masters Tournament as a player this week. Just don’t remind him of that. ... 2016 last Masters for Watson Posted: 07/15/15 ST.

ANDREWS, Scotland – Tom Watson may or may not be playing his final Open Championship this week, but there’s no doubt that 2016 will be his last Masters Tournament. Show Wide Photo: ... 2016 last Masters for Watson Posted: 07/15/15 ST. ANDREWS, Scotland – Tom Watson may or may not be playing his final Open Championship this week, but there’s no doubt that 2016 will be his last Masters Tournament. Show Wide Photo: ... Phil Mickelson makes charge to get closer to fourth green jacket Posted: 04/12/15 The thunderous roar was all too familiar for Phil Mickel­son. The three-time Mas­ters champion has heard more than his share from Augusta National patrons through the years. But the ground-shaking eruption this time evoked memories of cheers showered on Jack ... Tom Watson struggles through second round Posted: 04/10/15 Tom Watson wanted to follow Thursday’s “minor miracle” with a major masterpiece in Friday’s second round. Instead, the 65-year-old came nowhere close to recapturing the magic that led to his opening-round 1-under-par 71.

Watson opened his second round with a ... Tom Watson shoots his best round since 2010 Posted: 04/09/15 Tom Watson is fully aware his Masters clock is ticking down. While that may be the case, the 65-year-old former champion dipped into his past Thursday and put together his best round at Augusta National Golf Club since 2010 with ... Ryan Palmer believes this could be his year at Masters Posted: 04/08/15 Can Ryan Palmer win the Masters? The 2014 Masters runner-up Jordan Spieth thinks so. Two-time Masters champion Tom Watson, who will be teeing off in his 42nd Masters, says the length Palmer drives it means he can win. ... Tom Watson not sure when he'll play final Masters Posted: 04/07/15 Two-time Masters champion Tom Watson isn’t sure when he will retire from competition at Augusta National. “I don’t know yet,” Watson said Tuesday afternoon after playing nine holes with Ben Crenshaw. Crenshaw will retire after this year’s tournament, his 44th ...

Climax of 2013 Masters brought drama, sportsmanship Posted: 03/03/14 Golf relishes its tales of sportsmanship and cherishes moments of major drama. Rarely, however, do the two collide. The epic head-to-head final-round showdown between Tom Watson and Jack Nick­laus in the 1977 British Open at Turnberry has long been the ... Freddie Couples loves to play the Masters Posted: 04/07/12 If you can still call a 52-year-old man “Freddie,” don’t be surprised if he plays like a kid. Freddie Couples at the Masters Tournament is like Tom Watson at the Open Championship. Some things in golf are just timeless. ... Late bogeys derail Tom Watson's bid to make Masters cut Posted: 04/07/12 Two-time Masters champion Tom Watson received applause on every hole during the second round of the Masters Tournament. But he was playing for more than ceremonial reasons: After a first-round 77, the 62-year-old was even-par through 15 holes and ...

Masters insider: Tom Watson, Sarazen Bridge and the Champions Dinner Posted: 04/02/12 UNDER THE OAK TREE: Tom Watson The two-time Masters Tournament champion played a practice round Monday with amateur Randal Lewis. Watson recalled some of his experiences during his Masters career that began in 1970. ... Amateur Randal Lewis plays practice round with Tom Watson Posted: 04/02/12 Amateur Randal Lewis had a case of the nerves during Monday’s practice round with Tom Watson, but he survived. “It was a little bit nerve-wracking,” Lewis said. “It was good to get that first tee shot out of the ... Amateur Randal Lewis plays practice round with Tom Watson Posted: 04/02/12 Amateur Randal Lewis had a case of the nerves during Monday’s practice round with Tom Watson, but he survived. “It was a little bit nerve-wracking,” Lewis said. “It was good to get that first tee shot out of the way.” ...

Amateur Randal Lewis plays Masters practice round with Tom Watson at Augusta National Posted: 04/02/12 Amateur Randal Lewis had a case of the nerves during today’s practice round with Tom Watson, but he survived. “It was a little bit nerve-wracking,” Lewis said. “It was good to get that first tee shot out of the way.” ... In the field Posted: 04/02/12 FRIENDLY ROUND: The man believed to be the oldest rookie in Masters Tournament history is making up for lost time. Randal Lewis, 54, played a spur-of-the-moment practice round with three-time Masters champion Phil Mickelson last week and has another lined ... Tom Watson to be honored at Mayor's Masters Reception Posted: 04/01/12 Thirty-five years ago, Tom Watson drove down Magnolia Lane with extra motivation to win his first green jacket. Watson began the 1977 season with a pair of victories, but that wasn’t what the golf writers focused on leading up to ...

Gary Woodland needs front-nine tutorial at Augusta National Posted: 03/20/12 Imagine if Gary Woodland had played a full practice round with Tom Watson at last year’s Masters Tournament. Woodland, a Masters rookie in 2011, caught up with Watson on the back nine for a Wednesday practice round. Not coincidently, Woodland ... Watson's not ready to throw in towel Posted: 04/10/10 Every 60-year-old golfer on Earth would be in ecstasy if he saw his name with a minus three next to it after two rounds of play at the Masters Tournament. Watson makes us believe again Posted: 04/09/10 The press building was full of journalists from around the world prepared to write a first-round story about a T.W. from Stanford. All in the game Posted: 04/09/10 The new, fan-friendly Tiger Woods played a lot like the old one in his return to competitive golf Thursday at the Masters Tournament. Watson savors Turnberry memories Posted: 04/08/10 All forgotten.

Tom Watson thinks about the 18th hole at last July's British Open only when items such as a notebook, camera or microphone find him. A caddie's worth | Golf Channel A caddie's worth RSS JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – Two out of three isn’t bad, at least if one takes into account the emotional turmoil Steve Williams has been saddled with for the better part of the last year and a half. Not to mention more than a decade’s old gag order. Williams is a Jedi Master when it comes to the trifecta of the caddie code, show up, keep up and shut up, although why he blew through the stop sign on the latter on Sunday at Firestone is still perplexing. “I have been caddying for more than 30 years now. I have won 145 times and that is the best win of my life,” said Williams following his new man Adam Scott’s victory at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, forgetting, we can only surmise, the baker’s dozen of majors he won with that other guy.

The New Zealander was clearly hurt by his very public, and very messy, split with former boss Tiger Woods and maybe the emotion of the moment got the best of him. But in this Williams is no different than 95 percent of all professional bagmen. A caddie-yard axiom comes to mind; there are two kinds of loopers – those who have been fired and those who are about to be. Tony Navarro didn’t go all soapbox when Scott showed him the door not long after the two had finished runner-up at this year’s Masters, the Australian’s best Grand Slam finish ever. Bobby Brown didn’t start muckraking when Dustin Johnson bagged him for a more veteran looper despite caddying his man into the hunt at two of four majors in 2010. Williams is one of the best in the business, but there’s a reason why caddies prefer the shadows to the spotlight. In many ways the golden rule is built in to shield the looper from unwanted – and unfair – analysis, as well as the player.

“I tell (caddie Michael Christensen), it’s a team effort until I step in with the club in my hand to hit the shot, at that point it’s all on me,” Kevin Streelman said. Williams’ public epiphany, however, has opened the floor to a debate over a caddie’s worth to his player. Some in the mainstream media have speculated that a professional looper is little more than a mule who must adhere to the age-old adage that the help should be seen and not heard. At best this analysis is an oversimplification. At worst it is blatantly wrong. “I’ve heard on the radio guys saying (Williams) is not a coach, and that he’s not important in the big picture of things,” Stewart Cink said. “But that’s not true at all. These guys are just not pull carts out there.” Cink should know, after Phil Mickelson and Jim “Bones” Mackay, Cink and his man Frank Williams may have the longest running caddie-player tenure at 13 years.

It’s a relationship that spans a half dozen PGA Tour titles and the 2009 British Open, where, Cink said, Williams earned every penny of his winner’s share. “We worked together on No. 18 to come up with a plan in case that hole played down wind (like it did on Sunday at Turnberry),” Cink said. “There was an area, about 8 yards short of the green, that we decided to play to and it worked out perfectly.” In regulation Cink birdied the 18th hole to force extra holes and made par at the finishing hole in the playoff to beat Tom Watson. World No. 1 Luke Donald, who split with his caddie, his brother, last year, concurred with Cink: “If I thought my guy was carrying luggage I wouldn’t pay him nearly as much as I am.” In Cink’s and Streelman’s estimation, a good caddie can be worth a stroke a round under the right circumstances. But both players quickly point out a caddie can cost a player as well. “I’ve cost my guy a stroke, for sure,” said one caddie who asked not to be identified.

“You make mistakes, but the real test is when your guy isn’t playing well. That’s when a caddie earns his money.” The last time Glory’s Last Shot was played at Atlanta Athletic Club may be one of the best examples of a caddie’s worth. Clinging to a one-stroke lead through 71 holes with a hanging lie and 209 yards of water and rough between himself and major glory David Toms looked to his caddie Scott Gneiser for advice. “You want to lay up?” Gneiser offered. The rest is major championship history. The best player-caddie relationships transcend the basics of “how far” and “which way?” The most successful tandems are more than employee-employer – they are friends who spend more time together than most families. “It all depends on the player, some players want their caddies to stay quiet and be ready and that’s the extent of their relationship,” said Streelman, who has known Christensen for 15 years. “Others, like me and Chad (Campbell) and Stewart (Cink), we have our best friends caddying for us.

It just helps keep everything loose and relaxed.” It’s the kind of relationship that Woods and Williams used to have, before feelings were hurt and the wrong things were said. It’s what makes the relationship work, and why the breakups are often messy. It’s what prompted Williams to say more than he should have, and why the sudden collection of caddie critics are so wayward with their slings and arrows. On this point the pundits are correct, a caddie is not a coach they are much more. Article Tags: How To Bet On The British Open - bettingexpert bettingexpert How To Bet On The British Open Published: 24th June 2016 - Updated: 15th July 2016 The British Open, officially known as The Open Championship, takes place each July. As one of the four golf majors, betting on the British Open provides punters the opportunity to wager on golf at the pinnacle of the sport. Our detailed guide to betting on the British Open covers everything you need to make a profit on this year's Open Championship.

Betting On British Open Golf: An Introduction The Open Championship, popularly known as the British Open, dates back to 1860 and is currently the third Major out of four to be played annually on the golfing calendar. The tournament is usually held in the third week of July and is shared on a rota basis between ten different courses across Scotland, England and Northern Ireland. St Andrews, known universally as the home of golf, tends to host The Open every five years. As of 2016, here are the venues that are scheduled to host Open Championship's in the coming years: 2016 – Royal Troon 2018 – Carnousite 2019 – Royal Portrus The other six courses on the rota are St Andrews, Muirfield, Turnberry, Royal Lytham & St Annes, Royal St George's and Royal Liverpool. British Open 2016 Dates The 2016 Open Championship will be played at Royal Troon Golf Club, Scotland from July 14th to July 17th.

Contents 1 - The British Open Tournament Format 156 players make up the field at The Open Championship with the majority of places taken up thanks to exemptions. These include all previous winners of The Open under the age of 60 plus anyone who has won any of the other three Majors in the past five years. The top 10 from the previous years The Open Championship leaderboard qualify automatically as do the top 30 from both the European and PGA Tours previous years money list. When you throw in the rest of the worlds top 50 that are not already included in these categories, then we start looking at successful players from The Open Championship regional qualifiers. There is also a place for both the UK and US leading Amateur golfer. Four Rounds, 72 Holes The Open Championship is held over 72 holes (four rounds of 18 holes) like any other standard stroke-play golf tournament with rounds one and two adopting a two tee start from the 1st and 10th tees.

These opening two rounds are played with the golfers in groups of three before a 36 hole cut is made in which the top 70 (and ties) make it through to the weekend to play the final two rounds. Previously the R&A also allowed anyone outside this bracket within 10 shots of the leader to also make the cut, but this was abolished in 1996. Rounds three and four are usually played as groups of two golfers. Last 20 Open Championship Winners Year 2 - British Open Betting Odds Explained The first step to making money betting on Open Championship golf is understanding what betting odds are and the probabilities that they reflect. This probability is often referred to as the implied probability. For example, let's say that Jordan Spieth is at odds of 10.0 to win the Open Championship. What do these odds reflect? Well, at odds of 10.0, the bookmakers are suggesting that Jordan Spieth is a 10% chance of winning the tournament. This implied probability can be calculated as: Implied probability = 1 / decimal odds Understanding betting odds is important to golf and British Open betting as it is to betting on any other sport, league or tournament.

If you truly want to make money betting on this year's Open Championship, it's crucial that you understand betting odds and their implied probabilities. For more advice on betting odds and what they mean take a look at these articles: 3 - British Open Value Bets Understanding betting odds is key to successful sports and golf betting. Why?The most important thing when it comes to profitable golf betting, or betting on any sport, is to only place bets in instances where you have identified betting value. What is betting value? A value opportunity is when you consider the chances of a given outcome to be greater than the probability implied by the bookmaker's odds. Determining betting value requires a simple calculation: Value = (Decimal Odds * Your Assessed Probability) - 1 So let's consider our previous example, if we are offered odds of 10.0 (an implied probability of 10%) for Jordan Spieth to win the Open Championship and we consider the likelihood of that outcome to be 15%, then we have a value betting opportunity because our assessed likelihood of Spieth winning the tournament is greater than that implied in the bookmaker's odds. For more information on betting value and tennis staking strategies, read the following articles.

4 - British Open Golf Betting Explained Tournament Winner Betting on a Tournament Winner is the most popular market when someone is looking to bet on The Open Championship. Sometimes backing a favourite outright is simply just the way to go in any sport, especially if we get a calm weather forecast. When a favourite goes off at a low price such as sub 15.0, it almost makes the ¼ odds each way market seem pointless; the stake you'd place on the each way half of the bet would surely be better off being invested in the outright market. Before backing a really short priced favourite ask yourself will their price lengthen at any stage, perhaps due to a slow start? If that's likely to be the case, it could be wise to wait and back him in play at a bigger price than the pre-tournament quote. Each Way Betting It often makes sense to back a golfer that isn't one of the favourites in the golf bets Each Way market. Quite often the ¼ odds for top 6 can offer more return than backing a favourite outright only. For instance backing a 81.0 shot each way (21.0 the place) can give a punter more return than backing just an 11.0 favourite outright only.

It can also give a punter a far better run for their money, just in case their chosen player(s) gets off to a slow start or one of the favourites gets off to such a quick start. First Round Leader Fancy a player to get off to a fast start due to a favourable early/late Open Championship tee off time? After all, he will get the best of conditions (much less wind than the PM starters, fresh greens, no leaderboard pressure) If so then an ever growing popular golf betting system is the First Round Leader market (FRL) This is perhaps a good market to back a few outsiders in who could take a fancy to the course or type of test that The Open offers, but could otherwise struggle to put a low round together when the pressure is on in the later stages of the tournament. Top 10/Top 20 Finish Top 10 / Top 20 finishing position markets can also be profitable when betting on The Open golf tips. Given the decent record of outsiders in this Major, these can prove to be extremely profitable markets for bigger priced fancies. Look to back links specialists perhaps born in GB&IRL or the Scandinavian countries who have grown up playing this form of golf.

Match Bets Another way to make money betting on The Open is to focus on Match Bets. These can either be bets placed on who will shoot the lowest score out of a two or three ball group, or a virtual match up between two individual players who are playing the same course but in different groupings. This can be an interesting alternative, and although it doesn't offer the glamour of an outright or each way winner, it can lead to exciting finishes if your player is going head-to-head with an opponent heading down the 18th fairway! For instance a big name younger American with little experience of links golf could be drawn with a 40 year old Dane or Swede, yet the big name from the States would so often go off as a shorter price within the match bet. Top Nationality If you are struggling to find value within any of the above markets then perhaps the Top Nationality markets could be the one for you. This can be particularly rewarding when only two or three players from a certain country are teeing it up, meaning your chosen player only has to outscore one or two others in order to win out.

We don't like selecting a top nationality if there are multiple players (say top American or top GB&IRL) as we believe this becomes too much like a lottery to offer any kind of value. If we like a player within a group of half a dozen or more of his own nationality, then we might as well use that stake in the traditional golf each way betting markets or Top 10/20 markets and get more returns for a successful tournament. A Top Nationality market also offers the chance to put together a small accumulator of say three or four players to potentially win big money for limited stake. Will There Be A Hole-In-One? Finally how about a bet that encompasses all 156 competitors that tee it up? The Will there be a hole in one market certainly keeps interest going throughout the entire event. Given that over 1,700 tee shots are played over four rounds of golf on a course with 4 par three's, you'd think there would be a good chance of a hole in one. However 2015 saw Daniel Brookes make the first ace since 2012.

5 - Skills Needed To Win The British Open Whilst The Open Championship might be shared around ten different venues in three separate countries, what defines The Open is that only traditional coastal links golf courses are used. Dealing With The Wind Links golf is the purest form of golf and takes a certain type of golfer to excel on. Any links courses' biggest defence is undoubtedly the weather, and in particular, the wind. A seemingly easy golf course full of birdies and eagles on a calm day can be turned into an absolute brute overnight if the wind picks up, whereby shooting level par is a brilliant score. Holes can differ so differently from one day to the next depending on both the strength and direction of the breeze. Take the postage stamp 8th hole par three at Royal Troon, host of the 2016 Open Championship. Called the postage stamp due to the tiny nature of the green, the hole measures just 123 yards off the tips. On a calm day any professional golfer could get there with a flicked sand wedge and expect a birdie putt. Into a 30mph stiff breeze the following day, and the same players could be taking a 6 iron into the same green and would be praying for par!

The other side of a strong coastal breeze can see a links golf course totally dry out and as such makes holding greens with long distance irons almost impossible. A look at the wide range of winning scores over the past twenty years or so shows us just how different The Open Championship can be depending on how hard the wind blows. Paul Lawrie infamously won at Carnoustie in 1999 with a score of +6 over par, yet eight years later Padraig Harrington won at the same venue with a score of -7, some 13 shots better! Hit Knock Down Shots Other skills needed to excel at links golf include the ability to hit 'knock down' shots. This is where a golfer takes a less lofted club, say a six or a five iron where he'd usually launch it up into the sky with an eight iron. He'd perhaps only take a half-swing and look to play the ball further back in his stance. This would automatically reduce the height that the ball sails up into the breeze, lessening the chance of the ball being taken astray by that pesky wind.

Larger Greens, Longer Putting The Open Championship links courses also tend to feature much larger than average sized greens, meaning golfers need to be able to putt well from long distance – get the ball close to the hole with your first putt and if it goes in then it's a bonus – this is known as lag putting. Avoiding The Higher Number Of Bunkers Finally many link courses are protected by hundreds of bunkers. Some of these are known as pot holed bunkers; hit these and often the only way out is sideways or even in extreme situations, backwards! St Andrews has 112 bunkers and famously Tiger Woods didn't hit a single one during his 2000 Open Championship victory. Patience, Experience Patience is also required on links courses, both during benign conditions and windy conditions. Not getting frustrated at not making bogeys and accepting that there will be the odd bogey, or even double bogey, is simply part of the course. British and Irish golfers often excel on links courses, as do Scandinavian and Nordic golfers from countries such as Denmark, Sweden and even Finland.

6 - British Open Betting Strategies Study the previous week's Scottish Open A good Open Championship golf tips guide to follow is look at your selections preparation for this Major. All five winners of The Open between 2010 and 2014 played in the Scottish Open on the European Tour the week before. This naturally makes sense as they would have had good time to practice and acclimatise to the Scottish weather, time zone and played links golf in the lead up to The Open Championship. Look to back someone who's won an event recently Since the turn of the century, only four winners of The Open Championship hadn't won a PGA or European Tour event in the twelve months leading up to their Major win. One of those was 2015 winner Zach Johnson, though he'd won within 18 months of his St Andrews win having won the Hyundai PGA event in January 2014. Look to back outsiders here over any other Major Due to the nature of the links golf beast, it is well worth chucking a few quid at outsiders and dare we even say 'no-hopers' in your Open Championship bets.

Since 2009 Darren Clarke won at 201.0, Louis Oosthuizen was 251.0 and Stewart Cink as high at 176.0. This is the Major in which you shouldn't be afraid to look down the market, especially if the wind blows! Experience counts for plenty As we have touched upon, a golfer that excels on links courses is usually pretty patient and often knows where is a good miss (in regards if you are going to miss a fairway or green, make sure it isn't the side with the huge bunker etc) Tom Watson so nearly won The Open in 2009 at the ripe old age of 59, and Greg Norman led after three rounds the previous year at the age of 53. Watson was matched at 751.0 prior to the off and would have made some each way punters very happy indeed with his incredible display that defied his years. Four out of five winners between 2011 and 2015 have been aged 39 or over, further suggesting this is the Major to back the elder statesmen in.

Place your bets till as late as possible As explained, links golf and its scoring is so dependant on the weather, and in particular how hard that seaside wind blows. So often we see a draw bias favouring an early/late or a late/early tee off. For instance it could blow really hard all day on round one but on round two the weather could be calm in the morning, but blowing a gale in the afternoon. Here the late/early tee off time groups could get a huge advantage as they would have played one round in much calmer conditions. Whilst we may lose some value on those early prices, it sometimes pays to watch the forecast right up until the morning of the first round. Wind plays a huge factor and should be a huge consideration when we bet on The Open Championship golf tournament. Don't back a debutant Since 1934 there have only ever been four winners of The Open Championship who were making their first appearance at this Major. Two of those were greats of the game; Ben Hogan and five-time Open winner Tom Watson. 2003 was the last time an Open debutant was victorious, Ben Curtis' win at Royal St George's was the first virgin win since 1975.

So when asking yourself 'How to bet on The Open Championship? - rule out those first-timers. Don't back someone outright who hasn't played multiple Open Championships Leading on from the above, not only can we rule out first-time winners of The Open, we can also look to only back golfers with significant experience of competing in this Major. Between 2000 and 2015, 13/16 winners of The Open had played in at least six Open Championships prior to their win. All 13 had also recorded at least one top 10 finish as well. Don't back someone to win outright that played in the US the week before When asking yourself 'Who will win The Open Championship?' perhaps bear in mind that Zach Johnson's 2015 win bucked a real trend in which previously only one winner of The Open Championship in the last 24 years had played an event in the USA the week before. This still means only 2/25 played in the US the week prior to their Open Championship victory, which still points to being a real good indicator to follow when punters bet on The Open Championship.

Zach was also in great form having finished T19 or better in 6/7 events leading up to St Andrews. Don't stake all your money on the ante-post market Links golf is so weather dependant that it makes sense to hold off staking anything big in the lead up to The Open Championship until you've taken a good look at the weather forecast. When the wind blows in this Major it totally changes the complexion of the event – a level par score can become a winning score. When the wind is calm, so often the event becomes all about birdies and scores of -17 or less are needed to be challenging at the top of The Open Championship leaderboard. In other Majors we have encouraged ante-post betting. Here, unless backing rank outsiders, we suggest holding off until the week before. Don't back anyone in play who doesn't get a fast start Between 2005 and 2015, only Padraig Harrington won The Open in 2008 having been outside the top-ten after the first round. Get off to a slow start here and forget lifting that Claret Jug. Bear this in mind if using The Open bet in play markets.

Best Sites For Golf Stats If you're looking to further your betting analysis for this year's British Open tournament, here are our top five best sites for golf statistics: 7 - British Open Bookmakers Competition for punters business is fierce amongst all the traditional bookmakers during any of the four Majors, and The Open Championship betting odds are certainly no different. As you can see from the below free bet and offers section, there are great deals to be had. Once we've decided on our list of reputable bookmakers that we can trust, we should factor in three things when backing a golfer in The Open betting odds outright win market. Price for the win How many places for the each way payout What fraction of the win price do we get for our each way payout Bet Victor offered an unprecedented 8 places for their each way payouts in the 2013 Open Championship outright winners market. They even kept the each way part of the bet as ¼ of the original odds – far better than Paddy Power who might have offered a competitive 7 places, but at a 1/5 of the original odds. 2014 saw Bet Victor revert back to 7 places, as Betfair and BetFred took over the 8 place mantle.

The extra place is all well and good but we need to ensure we look out for whether the payout is ¼ or 1/5 of the original odds. Backing a golfer at 101.0 that 'placed' with Bet Victor would have paid out at 26.0 whereas backing that same golfer with Paddy Power at the same 101.0 price would have only yielded a payout of 21.00 – a pretty big 20% difference. Quite often the more places on offer for an each way payout, the smaller the price for the win. Coral stuck to just 5 places for the 2014 Open Championship and as such, their outright win price tends to be bigger than any of the bookmakers offering 6, 7 or even 8 places for each way payouts. With Skybet surprising everyone in 2016 by offering 8 places in The Masters (despite the sub 100 field) will the day come when a bookie offer 9 places?! If so, then The Open Championship could be just the place!

If backing a favourite outright only then naturally we need not worry about the each way payout part of the bet – simply go with the biggest price quoted when studying The Open Championship betting odds. It is down to the individual punter to decide which to go with – we would suggest chasing the bigger prices and less places for someone we fancy backing at sub 26.0, but any longer priced fancies it is always worth looking at 'losing' a bit on the win price to ensure we get an extra couple of places that payout. That extra place on offer is often vital to land a bigger priced outsider given that The Open field is made up of 156 golfers. For more detailed bookmaker reviews, please visit our Bookmaker Reviews page , a full listing of dozens of the betting industries top bookmakers. 8 - British Open Free Bet Offers In an increasingly competitive industry, many bookmakers now offer free bets and other promotional offers as a way of attracting new customers as well as encouraging existing customers to bet on particular events and markets. Ladbrokes have previously offered stake money back as a free bet if any pre-event bet misses the cut.

You'd like to think after researching your Open Championship golf tips that they'd at least make the weekend, but from time to time even the best preparation can lead to one of your selections simply not playing well and missing the cut. This deal was great insurance in case this happened! The Open Championship betting offers continued over at Coral , where previously they have offered a free £10 to use during The Open bet in play markets. This applied to anyone that staked £10 on a pre-tournament outright winner bet. Boylesports often offer stake money back if your selection finishes second or third in the outright tournament winners market. This applied to previous Open Championships and given it is a rolling offer for golf events most weeks, we'd expect this to be in place for forthcoming Majors, including The Open Championship winners markets. Betfair also had a good offer on when Tiger Woods was in his pomp. They offered enhanced odds on Tiger making the cut, effectively giving punters a free Open Championship bet as this was during a time when Tiger simply didn't miss cuts. Specials markets like this often appear in the lead up to any Major, and Betfair (alongside Paddy Power) are the leaders in our opinion when it comes to offers like this.

To see a detailed list of all current golf free bet and bookmaker promotions available, please refer to our Bookmaker Free Bets page . Everything you need to know about free bets and bookmaker promotions. 9 - British Open Live Streaming 2015 saw the end of free to air coverage of The Open. The BBC lost the rights to broadcast The Open to Sky Sports. Previously the BBC had live streaming of The Open on their website and we would expect that Sky Sports customers will be able to access live coverage on SkyGo through their phones, laptops and tablets. Remember, due to Sky Sports' total ownership of golf coverage in the UK, The Open Championship live stream isn't available on any betting website. Learn more about live streaming in our guide to Bookmaker Live Streams . 10 - British Open Golf Betting Tips If you're looking for golf betting tips, then be sure to check our Golf Betting Tips page particularly in the lead up to each of the Majors. There are some great betting minds in the bettingexpert community, posting profitable tips for a broad range of sports and leagues, including golf throughout the year.

Visit our Golf Betting Tips page now to see which tipsters have identified the betting value or even better, sign up to bettingexpert now, become a golf tipster and compete with other tipsters across the world in our monthly tipster competition, There's £3,000 up for grabs each month with a 1st prize of £1,200 cash .

Question: In the 2009 British Open golf tournament, Stewart Cink and Tom Watson had to play how many extra holes to decide the winner?
Answer: 4