2013 British Open | Wei Under Par

Jul

21

2013

Sunday’s top seven at the 2013 Open: Ful-PHIL-ment!

By Stephanie Wei under British Open

Phil the Thrill!

After Phil Mickelson’s close call at the 2011 Open Championship at Royal St. George’s, many assumed (myself included) that given his age (43 now), it was his last shot at finally conquering his career-long battle with links golf.

But, with all of Phil’s glorious wins and disappointing losses, we should’ve known never to count him out to pull off the remarkable — whether it be foolish or thrilling. Naturally, Phil captured the Claret Jug in style and putting on a sublime show on his way to a five-under 66, three-under total.

15 Comments

#2013 British Open, #2013 Open Championship, #Adam Scott, #Henrik Stenson, #Hideki Matsuyama, #Ian Poulter, #Lee Westwood, #Muirfield, #Phil Mickelson, #Tiger Woods

Jul

21

2013

Tiger Woods still chasing to end major drought

By Stephanie Wei under British Open

Greens baffle Tiger

A baffling fact: Tiger Woods has won 14 majors, but none have come without at least a share of the 54-hole lead. Woods, who started the day trailing Lee Westwood by two shots, stumbled on his way to a final-round, three-over 74. On his way to a tied for sixth finish at the Open Championship, Tiger was never one of many that was a real factor.

From the get-go, he never looked comfortable on the greens — which several players, including Woods, said were slower than the previous days — three-putting the first hole.

10 Comments

#2013 British Open, #2013 Open Championship, #Muirfield, #Open Champion Golfer of the Year, #Phil Mickelson, #Tiger Woods

Jul

20

2013

Saturday’s top five at 2013 Open: Westwood vying for first major, Woods trying for first coming-from-behind

By Stephanie Wei under British Open

Nice playing, dude

Since the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, Lee Westwood has been in the top six after 54 holes at a major championship eight times. For one reason or another, he hasn’t managed to get over that line and win one. Once again, the 40-year-old Englishman is in that position after firing a solid one-under 70 to take a two-shot lead over Tiger Woods and Hunter Mahan.

I’ve seen Westwood in the hot seat at majors on Saturdays before and I will say that he’s never appeared as relaxed and comfortable as he did today.

2 Comments

#2013 British Open, #2013 Open Championship, #Adam Scott, #Angel Cabrera, #Hunter Mahan, #Lee Westwood, #Muirfield, #Tiger Woods

Jul

20

2013

R&A cracks down on slow play, Matsuyama receives penalty

By Stephanie Wei under British Open

Hideki placed T10 at the U.S. Open last month

Hideki Matsuyama became the second player this year to receive a one-shot penalty for slow play at a major. During the third round of the Open Championship, Matsuyama, who was paired with Johnson Wagner, was put on the clock on the 15th because they were 15 minutes over the scheduled time and out of position with the group ahead.

Matsuyama took one minute, 12 seconds on his first putt on the same hole and the twosome was still four minutes out of position.

8 Comments

#2013 British Open, #2013 Open Championship, #Graeme McDowell, #Guan Tianlang, #Hideki Matsuyama, #Johnson Wagner, #Muirfield, #Slow Play

Jul

19

2013

Friday PM top five at 2013 Open: Jimenez navigates tough test better than the rest

By Stephanie Wei under British Open

Jimenez knows how to live

Miguel Angel Jimenez enjoys a fine cigar and a glass or five of Rioja, and he has the best pre-warmup stretching routine on the planet. He’s also leading the Open at the halfway mark. Jimenez, who teed off in perhaps the toughest conditions of the day, survived two brutally difficult tests of golf, posting an even-par 71 after opening with three-under 68 at Muirfield.

1 Comment

#2013 British Open, #2013 Open Championship, #Brandt Snedeker, #Dustin Johnson, #Ernie Els, #Miguel Angel Jimenez, #Phil Mickelson, #Rory McIlroy, #Tiger Woods

Jul

19

2013

Friday AM top five: at 2013 Open Tiger grinds his way to 70, stays in contention

By Stephanie Wei under British Open

Tiger in the hunt

The greens at Muirfield were watered on Thursday night, so they were softer on Friday morning for the second round of the Open, but grew progressively firmer and faster throughout the day, making it difficult to adjust at times for the pros. The wind also switched directions, making the course play quite differently.

Woods, who shot two-under 69 in the first round after a shaky start, battled his way to an even-par 71. Once again, he put quite a bit of pressure on his putting, which, for the most part, was solid.

1 Comment

#2013 British Open, #2013 Open Championship, #Graeme McDowell, #Henrik Stenson, #Jordan Spieth, #Lee Westwood, #Mark O'Meara, #Muirfield, #Tiger Woods, #Tom Lehman

Jul

18

2013

Attention punters: Updated 2013 Open Championship odds and match-ups

By Stephanie Wei under British Open

Tiger Woods, y’all

Gambling on golf feels a bit like throwing away your money, but it’s legal and almost part of the culture in the UK — and you know what they say: WHEN IN ROME.

It’s also something I’ve always wanted to do the past three Opens I’ve covered, but the stars never aligned properly for me to get into a betting parlor. Besides, I would’ve needed some guidance, so that’s probably part of the reason why I never made it. Until yesterday.

3 Comments

#2013 British Open, #2013 Open Championship, #Gambling, #Golf betting, #Muirfield, #Odds to win, #Scotland, #Tiger Woods, #Zach Johnson

Jul

18

2013

Top Five from Thursday at the 2013 Open: Tiger recovers from rough start, fires solid 69

By Stephanie Wei under British Open

Tiger golfs his ball well

After hooking his opening tee shot into the thick rough at Muirfield, Tiger Woods hit a provisional ball on the first hole of the Open Championship on Thursday afternoon. He also pulled his provisional, but not as wide left, but with the aid of marshals and fans, Woods found his first ball and took an unplayable. Though he scrambled for a bogey, it wasn’t exactly an ideal start and it made you think, “Ugh, here we go again!”

1 Comment

#2013 British Open, #2013 Open Championship, #Jordan Spieth, #Mark O'Meara, #Muirfield, #Phil Mickelson, #Tiger Woods, #Todd Hamilton, #Tom Lehman, #Zach Johnson

Jul

18

2013

Charl Schwartzel demonstrates how to throw-break a 6-iron

By Stephanie Wei under British Open

For any of you who watched the first-round telecast of the Open Championship, then you know it was quite a sh** show.

In other words, the wind was blowing and conditions were firm and fast, causing balls to bounce like a game of Powerball and roll off greens even with a putter in hand. To use a cliched phrase that was used repeatedly by players — but true — staying patient a la Tiger Woods was key.

1 Comment

#2013 British Open, #2013 Open Championship, #Charl Schwartzel, #Club throw, #Club-breaking demonstration, #Muirfield, #Rory McIlroy, #Tiger Woods

Jul

18

2013

Know Your Asians: Shiv Kapur among the leaders early at the Open (*Updated)

By Stephanie Wei under British Open

Holy Shiv!!!

Playing in the final three-ball on Friday afternoon, Shiv Kapur is golfing his face off and he has nine holes to play, but he’s your current first-round leader at the Open Championship .

While just about everyone else playing in the afternoon wave at Muirfield is scrambling for pars — and breaking clubs, Kapur fired a sizzling six-under 30 on the front nine, birdieing six of the first seven holes. He even had an impressive up-and-down on no. 8, which Ian Poulter called “a joke” on Twitter.

1 Comment

#2013 British Open, #2013 Open Championship, #Know Your Asians, #Muirfield, #Shiv Kapur