The Open Championship
Gang, there are a lot of days that the 5-at-10 can be a challenge.
Not much happening in sports, maybe. Lots of family duties, especially early in the school year, possibly. This morning and tomorrow, it will be a task to get done with this mission of love because of The Open Championship on TV as we type.
Seriously. (As a side note and in a similar way, doing Press Row with the Masters coverage on that Thursday and Friday is a challenge, too.)
Alas. We imagine the hurdle is the same for most of you folks working the 9-to-5.
The images that range from the large cranes to the players in caps and long sleeves. The wind making flags stand starched and confusing the world's best players. The forever pictures of the miniature sand islands that are barely big enough for a foursome to sunbath in but some how play a mile wide and attract Titleists and Bridgestones and Calloways the way Western Sizzlin' attracts fat people.
The facial expressions of Rickie and Jordan and Rory and Bubba and the rest of the one-name golf stars as they have the same looks and requests of their shots that the rest of the world knows all too well.
That's what The Open Championship grounds and elements can do. It's somewhere between the Masters and the U.S. Open.
We are familiar with most of the quirks of most of the courses in the rotation. No, the golfing public will never be more familiar with a track than we are with Augusta, but arguably four of the next seven of the most recognizable golf courses in the world are part of The Open Championship rotation.
It's not quite the same level of survival that Our Open is, at least not on its face because the USGA sets up The Open with every intent of making par an admirable score. The R&A presents a fair test that on some days, like this morning, 3 to 5 under is gettable. On days that the weather off the coasts of these links courses comes calling, 3-to-5 over is desirable.
All we can say is enjoy.
The Claret Jug. The islands of sand. The bucket-list tracks. The Open Championship and come Sunday, the Champion Golfer of the Year.
A greenkeeper mows the light rough round the edge of the 6th green during a practice round ahead of the British Open Golf Championship, at Royal Birkdale, Southport, England Wednesday, July 19, 2017. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) The Open Championship for the Champions of Life contest
Let's review some numbers before we get to the entries, shall we. We shall.
There are 28 nations represented these weekend at Royal Birkdale. The first 50 holes played Thursday yielded all of three birdies.
Multiple every birdie today by at least 2 come tomorrow, when the weather is supposed to be unruly. (Ian Poulter said after posting a first-round 3-under 67 that Friday could be a "five-towels-in-the-bag kind of day.")
Jason Day wore a pare of white Air Jordan high-top Nike golf shoes. So there's that.
We spoke of experience on this week when we broke down our picks. Saw this stat this morning: Average age of British Open champs since 2011 is 38.5 with four of the last six being 40 or older; the average of all other major winners since 2011 is 28.6.
Jordan Spieth was amazing this morning, shooting a 5-under 65 without a bogey that included a missed 6-footer for birdie at the closing hole. Of all his great traits, Spieth will forever be a contender at this event - and we are remiss for not seeing this and including it before - because he scrambles out of a trouble like a young Seve. To the entries, and as always, good luck and if don't see your entry, please let us know:
5-at-10 - Jon Rahm, Justin Rose, Adam Scott, Sergio Garcia, Matt Kuchar.
Mrs. 5-at-10 - Phil Mickelson, Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy, Ernie Els,
Andrew B - Fleetwood, Fowler, Rose, Kuchar, and Matsuyama
Chip L. - Phil Mickelson, Justin Thomas, Dustin Johnson, Ricky Fowler, and Jordan Spieth.
Dawg 747 - Adam Scott, Jon Rahm, Matt Kuchar, Ricky Fowler, Rory McIlroy
Spy - Jon Rahm, Sergio Garcia, Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrell Hatton, Kuchar
Todd C - Henrik Stenson, Justin Rose, Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth, Dustin Johnson
Scott S - DJ, Spieth, Fowler, Rahm, Sergio.
Mark W - Lee Westwood, Rickie Fowler, Brian Harman, Zach Johnson, Paul Casey
Dan C - Sergio Garcia, Phil Mickelson, Justin Rose, Adam Scott, Zach Johnson
FE to the C - Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia, Justin Rose, Jordan Spieth, Ricky Fowler
WDE - Dufner, J Thomas, J Day, Rahm, Kuchar
Jason T - Jordan S., Hideki M., Justin T., Adam S., Jason D.
Ted P - Thomas, Koepka, Walker, Rose, Matsuyama
scole023 - J. Spieth, B. Koepka, H. Stenson, J. Thomas, J. Rose.
Dick C - Spieth, Zach J., Sergio, Casey, A. Scott
Justin C - Mickelson, DJ, Rory, Rahm, Spieth
Chris B - Paul Casey, Charlie Hoffman, Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Ernie Els
Chris J - JSpieth, Stenson, Rose, Zach Johnson, Bubba
Mark S - Fowler, Spieth, Thomas, Rory, DJ
Billy T. - Casey, Rose, Els, Fowler, Day
Carl T - Spieth, Rory, DJ, Koepka, Rose
Believer - Matsuyama, Thomas Pieters, Koepka, Speit B. Grace
Terry T - Fowler, Koepka, Stenson, Spieth and Kuchar
Matt H - Sergio, Jordan, DJ, Jimmy Walker, Rose
Richard J - Kuchar, Rickie, Rory, Rahm, Stenson
Jason G - Bubba, Russell Henley, Stenson, Mickelson, DJ
Mack H -Spieth, A. Sullivan, SW Kim, Ross Fisher, Jason Day
Ed S - Rory, Sergio, Mickelson, Jordan, Matsuyama
Auburn Guy - Dufner, Koepka, Stenson, Jason Day, Rickie
FILE - In this June 15, 1995 file photo, O.J. Simpson, left, grimaces as he tries on one of the leather gloves prosecutors say he wore the night his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman were murdered in a Los Angeles courtroom. Simpson, the former football star, TV pitchman and now Nevada prison inmate, will have a lot going for him when he appears before state parole board members Thursday, July 20, 2017, seeking his release after more than eight years for an ill-fated bid to retrieve sports memorabilia. (AP Photo/Sam Mircovich, Pool, file)Big day for the Juice
OJ faces a parole hearing today.
He could be released from jail if all things go right as soon as October.
In a lot of ways, the downward spiral of TV specifically and a lot of parts of our news and pop culture was forever changed in the mid-1990s with OJ and Bronco chase.
Before that, was there a reality TV show - beyond maybe the early days of Cops, which was fringe reality at best? Before that, did we go live and race for salacious details of celebrity news at this break-neck pace? Before that, had anyone ever heard of a Kardashian?
O.J. may get paroled today, but his crimes and trials in a lot of ways have forever altered so many things.
In fact, in a lot of ways, it's quite telling that for our parents' generation, the two biggest "Where were you moments" of the previous their time was when Kennedy was assented and when we landed on the moon, which happened on this day 48 years ago.
For a lot of us, it's OJ's Bronco chase and what the US hockey win in 1980?
This and that
- There was some sort of ESPN best QBs since 1978 poll this week because, well, it's July. As most would expect Tom Brady and Joe Montana were atop the poll. Well, not in Tony Dungy's eyes. Dungy reportedly voted Brady No. 6, behind a top three of Elway, Steve Young and Aaron Rodgers. We'd have to imagine that Dungy had Montana and Peyton in the next two spots ahead of Brady. So there's that.
- Here's the ESPN poll of best QBs since 1978 because, well, it's July.
- Apparently Dikembe Mutombo is trying to find some partners and buy the Houston Rockets. So there's that. If he pulls it off, here's betting Mutombo would host a block party. (Rim shot Thank you, thank you, and remember to tip the wait staff.)
- Braves played Cubs. Braves lost to Cubs. Stupid Cubs. (We will have some thoughts on this brutal stretch for the Braves in Friday's mailbag.)
- NBA commissioner Adam Silver is all in on his league supporting sports gambling. This is quite interesting.
Today's question
Not sure how many of you guys and gals participate in the Press Row Papa John's poll question. We thought today's was quite interesting.
ESPN 105.1 The Zone @ESPN1051TheZone 25m25 minutes ago
Taking Alabama off the table, who is Tennessee's biggest rival? #Vols
- Florida
- Georgia
- Kentucky
- Vanderbilt
Go to @ESPN1051TheZone on Twitter or ESPNChattanooga.com to vote.
On this day in 1881 Sitting Bull surrendered to US troops. True or false, Sitting Bull is the best American Indian Chief name. On this day in 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the moon. True or false, Neil Armstrong never had to buy another beer. True or false, Buzz Aldrin always resented Neil taking the first step.
As for a Rushmore, Bruce Lee died on this day in 1973.
Rushmore of Bruce.
Go. And remember the mailbag.