That’s Wet! a Golf blog in West Palm Beach Florida

The Open Championship at Hoylake

The Open has opened to puzzled stares from the world’s elite golfers as they look out on a desert wasteland of links after spending their final practice round Wednesday watching their 2-irons roll out 300 yards. Fans alike are apt to amble over to their T.V. to see if the color settings are out of tune. In any event we will shrug off the intentions of Royal Liverpool’s grounds crew and mother nature and their attempts to turn Royal Liverpool’s links course into a Saharan desert. We understand the desire to create a challenge but were the baked ‘biscuit-brown’ of fairways and greens exactly what they had in mind? What was looking like a fine setting for desert tank warfare between Rommel and Patton was held back by a change of mind by mother nature; she obviously took pity on the sad state of affairs and chose to water the course properly with a five hour sprinkling, leaving the course in playable condition for GOLF. To be fair, the grounds crew watered it a bit over the last two weeks just to keep it from turning to sand. The winds aren’t up today (so far) and so we’re seeing an array of sub par scoring from the usual suspects. Can you say 4 under?

Ernie is going to win this one. He’s hitting it solid, he’s pissed at himself and he’s due – a fine combination in golf as we all know. With an Open already under his belt there’s no mental state of mind that he needs to delve up from his inner reaches in order to hoist the Claret Jug for another turn. We’ll be watching Tigger of course, but he’s not going to win this one. Hah, what a silly man I am to make such a prediction. Go ahead, Tigger, make me eat my words. Phil is DEFINITELY not going to win this one. I don’t think he’s EVER going to win an Open with his game. Phil needs to loose some weight and take up gambling again – he’s losing the edginess that makes him so interesting. While you’re at it Phil, take up smoking and start spitting on the greens, they could use the moisture. There’s nothing wrong with a little vice in a big boy like PM. Of course, if I had my way Warren Bladon would win. Warren, from The Big Break of course, the former British Open Amateur Champion from 1996. He’s got game, he’s the Cinderella boy, and he’s a local hero. Who could root against him? His girl friend certainly didn’t, paying Warren’s entry fee on her credit card.

And the Church bells rang out over Beetleshire and we all smiled in anticipation of a good fight. Welcome To the Open at Hoylake.