147th Open Championship at Carnoustie, Scotland

[regaleagle]

They call it Carnasty because it's the most difficult of all the Open courses. Yep.....it's 1:30 am CDT here and I'm up watching the opening groups of the opening round of this year's Open Championship. I noticed they don't call it the British Open anymore......most of the venues are in the cradle of golf.....Scotland. The oldest tournament in golf and the oldest sport being competitively played still today.......all kinds of history and tradition in this sport. Very difficult game, but a great game for any individual to test his skills against the course and the elements. What can I say.......I'm addicted for a lifetime to this game, folks. I'm not gonna go into the details this week like I did a couple of weeks ago with the US OPEN........there's just too much to cover in this oldest Championship of the oldest sport still being played today. Let's just watch the action and make some posts when we want during this week's 4-day coverage. The play by play just about caused me to get cabin fever a couple of weeks ago, LOL.......I'm not really an indoors kind of guy for that kind of extended time. I'd never be able to live in a cold climate......I'd go stir crazy the first month. No telling who will win this week......the conditions are weird for Scotland this time of year.

BTW.......the family heritage on my father's side is almost full Scottish with a Family Crest and Shield and a village in Scotland that carries our family name. My ancestors were farmers and golfers......I wonder if they played with cows on the course, LOL.

[regaleagle]

Looks like the #1, 2, and 5 players in the golf world did not make the cut......Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas, and John Rahm from Spain. That's how they were ranked coming into tournament, but the rankings could change a little after this tournament.....just depends on whether some other top golfers like Jordan Speith or Justin Rose, or Rory McIlroy can win it. Rose barely made the cutline at +3......that was the cutline. Speith and Rickie Fowler are at -3, and McIlory is at -4. This is Mac's home turf.....he's from Scotland. Tony Finau is back at it having another good major at -5. Seems like the flat swingers are doing good......Zack Johnson's at -6 and Matt Kucher....last year's runner up to Speith....is at -4. Kevin Kisner was the first round leader, but double bogeyed the 18th today to drop back into a tie for the lead with Zack Johnson at -6. Lots of golfers bunched up near the lead for Saturday's "moving day".

[regaleagle]

Tommy Fleetwood of England is back near the lead again this week at -5, and so is rookie American phemom Xander Shauffele. Tiger Woods made the cut at +2, but missed a short 7 footer for birdie on 18 to shoot another 71 today. Still anybody's tournament to win with so many golfers bunched up near the lead. The lead is at -6 and the cutline is at +3, so only 10 strokes difference from top to bottom with 2 rounds left.

[regaleagle]

If the weather becomes dicey and that wind starts blowing this weekend......there will be some big changes in the leaderboard, for sure. Driving is at a premium this week, the landing areas are not that wide and there's tall heather off the fairways. The fairways are lightning fast and crispy.....bad bounces and the wind could play havoc to tee shots this weekend. Then there's those pot bunkers in the fairways......they are deep and tough to hit out of.

[regaleagle]

I kinda like the flat swingers in this one......Zack Johnson and Matt Kucher. Look out for Fleetwood too.....he's been having a career year and shot the only clean round today without a bogey. 43 y.o. California native Pat Perez is having a great tournament too.....he's also among the leaders at -5. Don't count out Rory McIlroy either......this is his home country and he feels very "at home" playing here.

[regaleagle]

Looks like Tiger, Phil Mickelson and Jason Day all sit at Even par......earlier I said Tiger was a +2, but that's wrong. Even Bernhard Langer from the Senior Tour made the cut at +2 this year. Should be worth the watch this weekend to see all the big names still in this one.

[jason]

McIlory is at -4. This is Mac's home turf.....he's from Scotland.

McIlroy is from Northern Ireland

[regaleagle]

Tiger finishes the day with a 5 under 66 and is in definite contention on the leaderboard. Meanwhile......still on the course Jordan Spieth is charging up the leaderboard and is within one shot of the lead that is tied with Kisner and Zack Johnson. Kucher has fallen back today, but Alex Noren has also had a good day.....he's from South Africa. Yeah....Northern Ireland is where Mac is from.....but still very much the same kind of weather and golf courses as Scotland......links style with the wind and cold from the sea.....this time of the year.

[regaleagle]

Today's weather has not been an issue in this 3rd round.....it's been rather docile. The players have been able to negotiate the course without the wind howling.

[regaleagle]

Spieth is now tied with Zack Johnson for the lead at 8 under and has hit it within 10 feet of the pin on the par 3. Meanwhile Johnson just hit his 2nd shot from the rough into the deep gorse(shrubbery)......that will be a penalty for sure(lost ball rule). Kucher has a chance at eagle to try to climb back up this leaderboard now.

[regaleagle]

Spieth is playing ahead up at the 15th.....Kisner and Johnson are playing together and are on hole #11. Johnson's ball just cleared the bushes......he's not in the gorse, but behind it. Not sure if he can play it. Meanwhile Spieth takes the lead with a birdie on 15 to go to 9 under. Mac bombs one off the 14th tee on the 524 yd par 5......he hits it 428 yds.....just unbelievable. Kucher misses his eagle attempt and birdies to go back to 4 under. Johnson hits it on the green on the 11th from behind the gorse.

[regaleagle]

Kisner hits a good one in the fairway on the 18th with the wind behind him......so does Johnson.