The drama for a player sleeping on the lead, is still a curse in Major Championships: Brandt Snedecker cards a +3 73 to fall from the top spot into a tie for 2nd place. Brandt fell apart breaking his par streak (40+ holes in the Open Championship) with a missed 5 or 6 footer late on the outward nine. After the levy broke he found a few more trouble spots, but he did end on a good note: with a birdie on the 54th hole to get him to -7 under for the championship, 4 behind our leader.
Our leader: Adam Scott. Surprise surprise. Adam has been playing the best at this years Open Championship, and although he has made some nice putts, he is far from hot with the putter. A lot of Adams birdies have been two putts on par fives, and some of those were very make-able eagle putts. Now don’t get me wrong he is putting great, just not in the zone making putts (like Snedecker was on the first two days). He did follow up a great first round, with a better second round (a higher score but a better result on the leader board I think), and then he catapults himself into the lead after 54 holes with a -2 under par 68 on Saturday. At -11 under par Adam is four shots ahead of his closest competitor which is Brandt Snedecker and Graeme McDowell. This Championship is Adam’s to win or lose. He is in control of this tournament, and there is not much of a chance that someone can take it from him, but we all know the curse of the 54 hole leader at the Major’s so far this year. I do like though that if Adam Scott can take home the Claret Jug this afternoon, he will be the second major champion this year to use a anchored long putter, and it would be 3 out of the last 4 majors for the long putters. Adam would also be the first player to ever win a Major with the Broomstick putter. Could be the death of the long putter if this little trend continues.
Graeme McDowell finds himself in the last group of a major championship for the second time this year. At the US Open Graeme played in the final group with Jim Furyk, but found himself one shot short of becoming a two time major champion winner. I love Graeme’s odds, and I would think that he is the man to put the most pressure on Adam Scott. He will put the most pressure because he is playing with Scott, and he is known for making pressure putts coming down the stretch and being a big factor in major championships. With Graeme in the last group we could easily see a birdie/bogey two shot swing for Scott and McDowell which would mean we could have a wild back nine at Royal Lytham.
Where is Tiger in all of this Open drama? He stayed at level par on Saturday, didn’t play himself out of the tournament, but did have to fight a little to get back in. With 3 bogies and 3 birdies on Saturday’s round he didn’t gain any on the leaders, but didn’t lose a lot either. Tiger started off bogeying two of the first three, but then battled back to get to -1 under par, only to find a bogey late on the inward nine and an even par 70 on Saturday. Tiger is going to have to go super low on Sunday, he cannot wait for Adam Scott or Graeme McDowell to fall back towards him. My guess he is going to have to put up a 64 or 63 to get his 15th major championship title.
The Chicago Golf Guy’s prediction for the Open Championship, I have no idea. Who ever I pick for the winner, seems to crumble because of my online voodoo curses. So this time I am not going to pick a winner, I am however going to pick a winning score. -12 under par will win this years Open Championship. So the question is who will be at -12 after 72 holes? I don’t know, but no matter what happens to Adam Scott golf stores around the nation are going to be selling more Long Putters come Monday.
Chicago Golf Guy 