Predictions: Open Championship 2013
July 12, 2013
Updated with actual 7/23/2013
Ahh… Time for the Open Championship. If you’re like me at all, you’ve probably stopped watching professional golf and have been trying to play as much as possible. I honestly forgot the Open was coming up, but am very excited to see another playing of the oldest major!
ACTUAL (basically, just look at JK’s):
Winner: Phil Mickelson
Winning Score: -3
Runner Up: Henrik Stenson
“Unknown” in the Top 10: There really wasn’t one, closest was Hideki Matsuyama, but if you watch any golf you’ve seen this guy.
Last Year’s Winner (Ernie Else) Will … (Win, Top 10, Make the Cut, or Miss the Cut): T-26, +8
The Master’s Winner (Scott) Will …: T3, +1
The US Open Winner (Rose) Will …: MC
The current PGA Champion (Rory) will …: MC
How many prior winners will be in the Top 10: 1 (Tiger Woods)
Will someone win it, or will everyone else lose it? Both
What will be the biggest story of the tournament? Phil’s comeback from Merion
Who is most likely to “Sergio Garcia at Carnoustie” it? No one
Jason Dufner will: T26, +8
Tiger Woods will: T6, +2
Sergio Garcia will: T21, +7
Paul Casey will: Not in the field, LG
Ian Poulter will: T3, +1
Dustin Johnson will: T32, +9
Top 15:
1 — -3 — MICKELSON, Phil
2 — E — STENSON, Henrik
T3 — +1 — POULTER, Ian
T3 — +1 — SCOTT, Adam
T3 — +1 — WESTWOOD, Lee
T6 — +2 — MATSUYAMA, Hideki
T6 — +2 — JOHNSON, Zach
T6 — +2 — WOODS, Tiger
T9 — +3 — MOLINARI, Francesco
T9 — +3 — MAHAN, Hunter
T11 — +4 — SNEDEKER, Brandt
T11 — +4 — CABRERA, Angel
T13 — +5 — LEONARD, Justin
T13 — +5 — JIMENEZ, Miguel Angel
T15 — +6 — DE LA RIVA, Eduardo
T15 — +6 — ENGLISH, Harris
T15 — +6 — SCHWARTZEL, Charl
T15 — +6 — WILLETT, Danny
T15 — +6 — KUCHAR, Matt
T15 — +6 — BRADLEY, Keegan
LG:
Winner: Graeme McDowell (Mickelson)
Winning Score: -8 (-3)
Runner Up: Sergio Garcia (Stenson)
“Unknown” in the Top 10: Bud Cauley (Close, T-32 at +9. Good call, though, LG)
Last Year’s Winner (Ernie Else) Will … (Win, Top 10, Make the Cut, or Miss the Cut): Top 10 (T26, +8)
The Master’s Winner (Scott) Will …: MC (T3, +1)
The US Open Winner (Rose) Will …: Make cut (MC)
The current PGA Champion (Rory) will …: MC (MC)
How many prior winners will be in the Top 10: 3 (1 – Tiger Woods)
Will someone win it, or will everyone else lose it? GMAC gets it done. (both)
What will be the biggest story of the tournament? Tiger doesn’t win another major. (Phil’s return from Merion)
Who is most likely to “Sergio Garcia at Carnoustie” it? …Sergio. (No one–maybe Dustin Johnson, 76-77 on the weekend, but that wasn’t uncommon…or maybe snedeker, who shot 79 on day 2. He wins if he shoots E on Friday)
Will you watch on Sunday? Yes. Live? no. (?)
Jason Dufner will: MC (T26, +8)
Tiger Woods will: Top 10 (T3, +2)
Sergio Garcia will: runner up – Top 10 (T21, +7)
Paul Casey will: Make Cut (uhhhhhh….not in the field)
Ian Poulter will: Make Cut (T3, +1)
Dustin Johnson will: MC (T32, +9)
JK: wait…before we get started….are you really not picking Tiger, LG?
Winner: Phil Mickelson (YES)
Winning Score: +1 (-3)
Runner Up: Luke Donald (MC)
“Unknown” in the Top 10: Bud Cauley was a nice call LG. I’ll go with Josh Teater (solo 82nd at +17)
Last Year’s Winner (Ernie Else) Will … (Win, Top 10, Make the Cut, or Miss the Cut): Make the Cut (YES, T26)
The Master’s Winner (Scott) Will …: Top 10 (YES, T-3)
The US Open Winner (Rose) Will …: BE AWESOME AT EVERYTHING but still miss the cut (YES)
The current PGA Champion (Rory) will …: top 10 (MC)
How many prior winners will be in the Top 10: 1 (YES, Tiger Woods)
Will someone win it, or will everyone else lose it? This is usually one that is a combination of both–a guy who plays OK, but not lights out, while everyone else gets thrashed by the conditions. I’m going with Phil coming back from Merion to win it. (YES)
What will be the biggest story of the tournament? Phil Rebounds from Merion (YES)
Who is most likely to “Sergio Garcia at Carnoustie” it? We could also call this “Phil Mickelson at Merion,” but…I’ll go Jim Furyk (MC)
Will you watch on Sunday? Unlikely Live? if it’s happening then it’s live, so unlikely (yes, actually…while on a plane. Third time I’ve watched a major championship on a plane this year).
Jason Dufner will: choke on his dip. MC (T26)
Tiger Woods will: probably pull out with injury, but if not, top 10–in the running all week, but unable to close. (YES, exactly right, actually…except the injury part)
Sergio Garcia will: show up well but never be in the discussion. Make the cut, likely top 15. (YES, almost exactly right–one shot from top 15, but T21 at +7)
Paul Casey will: who? MC (well, he wasn’t even in the field)
Ian Poulter will: sad to say, he’ll make a run, but he’ll just make the cut. Likely top 20. (YES, exactly…except T3 is better than top 20 for sure)
Dustin Johnson will: (meh)
Predictions: Masters 2012
April 10, 2012
This being one of our favorite posts to go through each year, we had to come out of hibernation to get our Masters predictions on board. I’m excited that the year is starting over again. Tiger has already won once at a real PGA event, and the excitement is back in the game.
On the wake of a pretty poor showing last year (see https://thepowerfade.wordpress.com/2011/04/11/conversation-masters-predictions/), LG and I look to fall far short of our mark set last year.
So, without further ado, here’s our predictions:
original predictions posted 4/3. updated answers in bold posted 4/10.
JK:
Winner: Tiger Woods —-> uh. no. bubba
Winning Score: -10 —-> YES! I GOT ONE!
Runner Up: Phil Mickelson —-> oosthuizen in the playoff. Phil T-3, though. Not bad
Low Amateur: I wish I could say Randall Lewis, but it will probably be Patrick Cantlay —-> YES! I GOT ANOTHER! WOO HOO!
“Unknown” in the Top 10: Chez Reavie —-> m/c. The only real “unknown” in the top 10 was Peter Hansen
Most difficult hole vs. par: 11 —-> i think this was it, but can’t confirm
Easiest hole vs. par: 13 —-> same as above
Last Year’s Winner (Charl Schwartzel) Will … (Win, Top10, Make the Cut, or Miss the Cut): make the cut, but be outside of the Top 10. —-> correct – T50
Sandy Lyle Will…(Win, Top10, Make the Cut, or Miss the Cut): miss the cut, yet again —-> CORRECT!
How many prior winners will be in the Top 10: 3 —-> just 1 – PHIL
How many times will Hank Haney’s book be referenced on Sunday? twice —-> 0. sad
When will Sergio Garcia implode? Front 9 on Sunday —-> shot 40 on the front 9 on saturday, but started out with a double and two bogeys on sunday. I’m going to say this is correct, even though he finished T12
Dustin Johnson will… hit some golf balls really, really far, but he can’t chip well enough to compete. I’ll put him in the Top 10 at best, more likely 15th or so. —->uhg.
US Open Champion (Rory McIlroy) will … play better than he did on the back 9 last year. Made cut but outside of top 10. —->T40 shooting 77-76 on the weekend. CORRECT!
British Open Champion (Darren Clarke) will … show up drunk. MC. —-> also CORRECT. lift your pint Darren
PGA Champion (Keegan Bradley) will … MC. Belly putters don’t work at Augusta. —-> nope – T27. not bad for keegan. of course, now his winning percentage has been cut in half for majors, but whatever.
World #1 (Luke Donald) will … Top 10. Still no major for the world #1. Sad. —-> T32. why are we talking about luke donald?
What will be the major storyline of the tournament? Tiger playing just like he did in 1997. —-> Oosthuizen’s double-eagle, bubba winning dramatically, a bunch of guys in contention…great tourney this year. can’t wait for ‘013.
LG:
Winner: TW! —-> wrong
Winning Score: -14 —-> wrong. see JK answer above for the CORRECT answer
Runner Up: Rory —-> wrong.
Low Amateur: Screw it. Lewis. Too good a story not to pick him. —-> wish it was right, but it’s still WRONG. however, see JK answer above for the CORRECT answer
“Unknown” in the Top 10: Jason Dufner. (I’m going to call him an unknown b/c he has no wins). —-> WRONG. although dufner was in it, 75-75 wont get it done on the weekend.
Most difficult hole vs. par: 10 —-> can’t confirm, but i’m pretty sure you’re wrong, just by the answers above
Easiest hole vs. par: 13 —->when you copy JK, you get the right answer. Imagine that.
Last Year’s Winner (Charl Schwartzel) Will … (Win, Top10, Make the Cut, or Miss the Cut): fizzle out. Make the cut, but then shoot even for the weekend. —-> pretty much yah. lots of fizzle.
Sandy Lyle Will…(Win, Top10, Make the Cut, or Miss the Cut): Who? MC. —-> wrong. the correct answer was “solo last place.” nice try though.
How many prior winners will be in the Top 10: 4 —-> just one. phil the thrill.
How many times will Hank Haney’s book be referenced on Sunday? 0. Tiger’s “Thanksgiving Fiasco,” on the other hand…. 18. —-> thank god, no.
When will Sergio Garcia implode? Saturday. on 12. —-> he birdied 12 on saturday, so you’re completely WRONG
Dustin Johnson will… be eating ice cream on the couch. Keep up with the news, JK. http://espn.go.com/golf/masters12/story/_/id/7770093/2012-masters-dustin-johnson-withdraws-unspecified-injury —->ice cream? didn’t you mean coke?
US Open Champion (Rory McIlroy) will … Lead the charge into the weekend and then watch Tiger walk right by him on the back 9. —-> uhh…i’m pretty sure he bested Tiger here. WRONG
British Open Champion (Darren Clarke) will … enjoy the first two days in the ropes and the last two outside the ropes. MC. —-> yah. we all saw this coming. at least he enjoyed the beer.
PGA Champion (Keegan Bradley) will … Top 10. —->wrong again
World #1 (Luke Donald) will … not hit the ball far enough to matter – make the cut. —-> well…yah. pretty much
What will be the major storyline of the tournament? Phil Michelson chokes on pimento and cheese sandwich…Or Tiger wins 5th green jacket. Yeah. That one. —-> Phil finishes T-3. that was a much bigger story.
as for your “bold prediction”….a little too bold buddy.
congrats to bubba–and to the guy who caught Oosthuizen’s ball in the stands…that lucky SOB.
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