SENIORS HIT MUIRFIELD

"FORE!!!!!! SENIORS OPEN STYLE

Having just recovered from the events at Carnoustie, low and behold, the 4 day pass has just arrived for what could turn out to be one of the golf highlights of the year.

The British Seniors Open Championship comes to town, or rather to Muirfield.

Some of the top players in the history of our great game will contend for a total purse of £1m over what is without quiestion, the best course in the UK.

Let us not start making wise cracks about 6 hour rounds due to 4 toilet stops or indeed about score cards getting muddled up as the players have " a wee bit of an off day!".

These guys are serious and with some of them as young as 50 (Wayne Grady 50 on the Thursday!) expect to see some good shooting.

Of course the talk is of Faldo and can he add to his 2 Muirfield Opens of '87 and '92 (they only seem like yesterday!)

“A Senior Open Championship title at Muirfield to go with my two regular Open Championship titles is certainly the goal for me" commented Faldo.

However, we expect Watson to have a thing or 2 say and Loren Roberts will be very keen to hold on to the title that he claimed last year on the Ailsa.

Muirfield, the home of so many great memories will have that buzz about it that only a handful of courses have and with so many legends present, we could be in for a memorable few days.

As for Gary player's "drugs" allegations, the only drugs we expect to see are the odd viagra tablet and perhaps something for the odd bout of gout.

Enjoy the weekend.

BEST OPEN SINCE '77's DUAL IN THE SUN

New addition to book

"TANK FOCK FOR TAT!!!" - Harrington after 4 hole play-off (Carnoustie 2007)

Got your breath back yet?
After what has been a boring 6 months golf, I think it is fair to say that Carnoustie has just provided us with THE best Open for 30 years.

Ok, so the weather was "mixed" to say the least (although was it devine intervention that led to blue skies and sunshine for the 4 hole play-off?).

The course has been praised by all quarters - not the same severity as 1999 but still an awesome test of links golf.

The rough was manageable, the greens were receptive and the fairways teased.

We stood on Thursday as the tournament teed off and were once again awestruck by just how well these guys strike the ball.

We could go on about how much we enjoyed the event, how it is without doubt THE best sporting event on the planet and of course, how Ivor Robson MUST be honoured in the next Queens list... but instead, let us focus on 1 thing...... Can Sergio bounce back?

To see 2 Europeans fight it out was a joy to behold after "8 years of hurt" and to be honest, we would have been delighted to see Padraig or Sergio lift the Claret Jug.

Everyone talked after day 3 about how the only way Sergio would not lift it was by choking.

We disagreed with this venomously and were proved right.

A 3 shot lead is nowt with 18 holes to go - you make bogey, your opponent makes birdie and hey presto, you are back to 1 shot and the old "back wheel" is starting to get a wee bitty twitchy.

Sergio played well on Day 4 - his putter did not work quite as well as Thursday, friday, Saturday but his ball striking was solid.

One shot sums this up - he's 2 shots back going up 18 in the play-off, Padraig lays up and he knocks in a fantastic long iron to 20 feet!!!

Under the circumstances, shot of the tournament.

So can Sergio bounce back?

He's gutted, make no mistake about that.

He's becoming "The best player never to win a Major" and he doesn't like it... just ask Mickelson how relieved he was to pick up his 1st green blazer!

The Spaniard will learn from this.

He'll learn that it takes a completely different metal to win a Major (if he had won after leading from Thursday, it would have been an awesome achievement).

He's going to bounce back and we think the USPGA could be the time to prove he has the bottle and as we know, he certainly has the ability.

Padraig.... congratulations on what was a truly memorable victory.

Sergio..... Your time will come...

THE EVE OF DESTINY

Good evening ladies and gentleman.

Our bags are packed, our beers are cold and our mobiles are firmly packed away for the next 4 days.

Carnoustie here we come....

Dumping in dodgy portakabins, beer in plastic glass, £8 bacon rolls - no, not London pubs.... THE OPEN!

The sense of anticipation on the Thursday morning, the flags blowing above the main stands, the yellow rough, the sun scorched fairways, Ivor "no toilet break" Robson announcing the final 3 ball and making a mad dash to said portakabin... how does the man do it!!

Stay away from the t**ts in the Bollinger tent, walk the course am / get a seat at the 16th pm.

That's how to enjoy the world's finest sporting event.

SEVE CALLS IT A DAY

To say Seve inspired us to pick up a golf club is an understatement.

There are golfing greats, there are golfing legends... and there is Seve.

The story of rags to riches is legendary..

The swashbuckling style is unique...

The fist pumping celebration in 1984 at St Andrews is one of THE iconic sporting images of the last 100 years...

Hell, he even looked good in Slazanger!!!!!!!!!!!

But an announcement that the 5 time major winner is to retire came and to be honest, it surprised no one.

"I don't have the desire any longer," he said. "I have worked very hard from morning to night and put all my energy and effort into the game, focused 100% and I felt that was enough.
I have a number of good years left and I'd rather spend time now with my three children and my companies and friends."

It is fair to say that he has had his problems recently: injury, terrible form and of course a dreadfully vain tattoo!!!

It would however be folly to remember him for his final years on tour.

Instead, remember El Matador who brought our wonderful game to an entirely new audience.

SEVE...WE SALUTE YOU!

PLAYER IN DRUGS CLAIM

More drugs on tour than at Glastonbury!

So it would seem if we are to believe Gary Player's extraordinary outburst.

"I would say there are 10 guys taking something. I might be way out. It's definitely not going to be lower, it might be a hell of a lot more."

Mary Poppins!!!!!

So what has the tour become?

The Tour De France but with cashmere sweaters?

We can't imagine who the hell he is referring to but we certainly cannot imagine Monty and Big Phil "making shapes" on the dance-floor after the 3rd round of a competition.

So what are the R&A going to do about it?

"We are working closely with the Tours around the world to achieve the introduction of a uniform drug-testing policy," said Royal & Ancient Club chief executive Peter Dawson.

Pass the test tube please Mr Dawson...

KEEP THE LOOKALIKES COMING

FALDO

IAN POULTER

3 DAYS TO GO

In a year of golfing mediocrity that can so far be summed up in 2 words - Zach and Angel, we are crying out for a golf event to remember.

Welcome to Carnoustie - home of Hogan's Alley, home of the wonderfully named "South America" and home of course to the legendary Van der Velde Burn!!

If any course can really get this season moving, it's got to be Carnasty.

Let's not be mistaken, the course of 99 is almost unrecognisable.

It aint going to be easy but the madness of 8 years ago is a thing of the past.

So who can win??

Well, it's going to be a thinkers course and of course, the abiltity to stay out of the s**t is paramount.

Most people are fancying Tiger and we feel that he is going to be a tough man to beat.

Mickelson is a bit wild at the moment.

Our tip is a man who has not had the best 12 months after injury but did enough yesterday at Loch Lomond to prove that form is temporary, class is permanent!!

Mr Ernie Els.......

Who can forget his finest moment at Muirfield in 2002?

Who would bet against him repeating it this week?

He looked good yesterday, he sounded relaxed and the swing was looking as smooth as treacle.

We deserve a big name to lift the Claret Jug.

There's not many bigger than "The Big Easy".

Let battle commence!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

VIVA LA REVOLUTION!!!!!!!!!

Well the old joke about the difference between toast and the French is that you can make soldiers out of toast, has finally been put to bed after heroics from Frenchman Gregory "Have it" Havret.

A final round 68 from the 320th placed golfer in the world put him in a tie with Mickelson and an up and down for par at the 1st play-off hole assured victory and £500k in the bank.

Mickelson managed a 69 but was wild all day with the furniture and his drice into the reeds at the playoff 18th, summed it up really.

A great victory for the Frenchman but let's be honest, we want to see these events being won by a big name.

Let us hope it's not an omen for the Open to spring up anothe Curtis, Hamilton fiasco.

"Woosie?? I've not seen you since the Ryder".


MONTY IS BACK





So what's the difference between a bad debt and Monty?....You can write off a bad debt!!


Well that is that out of the way but we are delighted to see the big man back.


Ok, so the K Club should have been called the Kids Club with holes shortened et al but never the less, he's back winning and what a time to find form.


With the Scottish at Loch Lomond and of course the big one the following week, surely Colin is fancying his chances.


We expect to see the usual crowd (ginger wigs, kilts, can of lager in hand.... first time out since they got off the sex offenders list...you know the sort).


But don't let that dampen the event.


It's going to be a cracker!!!!!!

THE FUNNIEST GOLF ALIKES EVER.












CAN YOU BEAT THESE?

At talesfromthelinks, it's all about having a laugh at other peoples mis-fortunes (albeit mainly ON the course).

We picked these up and wondered if you could do any better?

The best ones will get published here.

War Looms Between Asia and Europe

Stone the crows!

Things appear to be getting slightly out of hand on the old tour front this week.

The Europen Tour managed to p**s off the Asian Tour by introducing a new event in India and have made things worse by forming a new event that'll take place in March in South Korea.

Tour executive chairman Kyi Hla Han said: "This represents the Europeans' blatant disregard towards our Tour."

It has to be said that we welcome any form of controversy in what is becoming a hell of a dull golfing year.

Can we look forward to an ongoing slanging match, a few thrown punches and perhaps a "fight to the death" scenario?

We doubt it (more like a round of g and ts at Wentworth HQ, a couple of hand shakes and problem solved).

Let's wait and see.

Car"nasty" not coming back to haunt Van De Velde.

"See Tiger, I can walk on water!"

Just as we were starting to look forward to seeing "La Bottler" lacing a drive down 18 on day 1 and sticking a 4 iron into 4 feet for a stick on birdie, news has reached us that he is likely to miss the Open due to illness.

"I've been physically sick on occasions" be-moaned the French star who will remain in folklore for his calamitous 7 on the final hole in '99 that cost him the Claret Jug.

He didn't add if that has been on-going since that fateful day 8 years ago but he did continue, "I find that I hit about 30 balls and then have to stop as I'm tired."

I know the feeling - that's why nowadays I normally call it a day after 3 holes.....