US Open

[steelerfaninCO]

Great job Rocco! You pushed Tiger like no one before, and you can hold your head high. I am a Tiger fan but I just couldn't root against Rocco. Great guy. Pretty unlucky that the sudden death playoff started on #7. Not a very good hole for his draw. If it had started on a par 3, he probably would have won...... Wow. Great 5 days, with an epic back and forth struggle to the very end. Perfect US Open course, with -1 winning, but plenty of scoring too.

Tiger takes another step towards the Golden Bear, even with a hurting knee. That shot on 16 when he was in a bunker on the 9th fairway was unbelievable. Two days in a row he comes up with the must have birdie on 18. Poor Rocco, Tiger just wasn't going to let this one get away.

[aj_law]

Was rooting like crazy for Rocco.  How can you not root for the underdog, everyday guy?  I like Tiger, but it's nice to see someone step up to the plate and challenge him.  Plus, I had no idea that Mediate is an avid poker player.

The price of the Open came at a high cost though as Tiger is now done for the year -- season ending knee surgery.

[kchopsteel]

Greatest golfer ever and greatest athlete ever? Discuss.

[kluisi61]

Greatest golfer ever and greatest athlete ever? Discuss.

Golpher...NO DOUBT.

Athlete...I don't think you can say that. I'm in no way an athlete right now, but I could walk 18 holes a day for 4 days. My score wouldn't be as good as his obviously, but that's more because he is such a great golfer rather than an athlete.
 

[otismalibu]

I think you'd have to gauge someone's athleticism with respect to his/her sport. Even with respect to the position they play.

[kluisi61]

I think you'd have to gauge someone's athleticism with respect to his/her sport. Even with respect to the position they play.

I disagree. I think that there are different levels.

"The greatest <insert sport position here> ever" would only cover a single position in a single sport. Example - Barry Sanders is the greatest running back ever.

"The greatest <insert sport here> player ever" would cover all positions within a single sport. Example - Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player ever.

"The greatest athlete ever" should cover all positions in all sports. IMO it should go to someone like a tri-/pent-/dec-athlete or someone who excelled at the highest level at multiple sports. It could also go to someone who excelled at a sport that is considered the most grueling. Golf and Tiger would not fit in any of these categories.

[jonzr]

And to kluisi's point, the top 10 athletes according to the WSJ:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1213920045...l?mod=yhoofront

Strangely, no golfers on this list.
 

[Big Virgil]

The US Open starts tomorrow at Torrey Pines. Tiger hasn't played in a while and had his knee scoped. Anyone think the 6 time Buick Open champion(played at Torrey) will come back strong and win yet another major? He is paired with Lefty tomorrow. Phil grew up in the area and played his high school golf at Torrey so you can't count him out. The South Course should play more difficult than 6 months ago for the Buick. The rough will be impossible and the entire course will play much faster. Its dropping from a par 72 to a par 71 after converting a par 5 into a 515 yard par 4( are you effing kidding me?). Total yards is a record 7600+!! Crazy. Should be fun to watch.... Tony Romo (6 handicap) shot an 84 there this week. Not bad Tony, not bad.


On a personal note, my golf game is coming back after my back surgery 3 months ago. I shot a 38 for 9 holes last week, and carded an 81 for 18 on Friday. I'm pretty stoked about it.

Out of work for months, nearly life ending back surgery and you are playing golf on weekdays while the rest of us are humping it?  Man, I want to be independently wealthy.  I'm moving to Nederland, CO.

Where do you play?  I'm assuming somewhere up north of Denver?

[steelerfaninCO]

Where do you play?  I'm assuming somewhere up north of Denver?

 I play all over really, but mostly in Boulder County. Estes Park has a couple of nice courses, and you've got to like the altitude advantage there. Your south of Denver, right BV? The furthest south I play is like Westminster. There are some nice courses around Boulder, but its like 95 degrees till August and its generally crowded down there, so I try to stay in the mountains. Thinking about joining a club in Boulder though, because it seems like its worth it.


Ya man, come on up to Ned! Its only 25 minutes to Boulder but in a totally different world. Eldora ski mountain is only 10 min away. And the tax rate here is only 4.5%, compared to the 8.75% for most of Boulder County. Plus Frozen Dead Guy Days is a great excuse to excessively drink. It was a cold winter up here though, and its snows up until June, but no need for an air conditioner. Unfortunately, the pine beetles are getting close and there are going to be a lot of dead pines around here in a few years. But its a great place to live.

I'm pretty happy about where my game is right now. Been hovering around 80 for the last few weeks and really dialing in my long irons. If I could only learn how to putt ( F*@K S*#@!!!) I might actually be good. After my back surgery, and my previous major knee reconstruction, golf is about the only sport I have left. I can still ski groomers and cruise around, but I can't ski like I used too, so its off the links with my new swing.