updated Monday, 8/13

Alright, JK.  It’s our last shot of the year to call ’em.  The course: The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island.

LG:

Winner: Dustin Johnson T-48, +5 – winner, Rory Mcilroy
Winning Score: +2 -13
Runner Up: Tiger Woods David Lynn (who?)
Low PGA Professional: Mitch Lowe No idea
“Unknown” in the Top 10: Branden Grace M/c – how about David Lynn?
Last Year’s Winner (Keegan Bradley) Will … (Win, Top10, Make the Cut, or Miss the Cut):  Top 10 Correct, T-3, -4
The Master’s Winner (Bubba) Will: MC T-11, -2
The US Open Winner (Webb) Will: MC correct
The Open Champion (Ernie Els) Will: MC T-48, +5
How many prior winners will be in the Top 10: 2 1, Keegan Bradley

1 Rory McIlroy -13 67 75 67 66 275 $1,445,000 600
2 David Lynn -5 73 74 68 68 283 $865,000 0
T3 Justin Rose -4 69 79 70 66 284 $384,500 147
T3 Keegan Bradley -4 68 77 71 68 284 $384,500 147
T3 Ian Poulter -4 70 71 74 69 284 $384,500 147
T3 Carl Pettersson -4 66 74 72 72 284 $384,500 147
T7 Blake Adams -3 71 72 75 67 285 $226,000 91
T7 Jamie Donaldson -3 69 73 73 70 285 $226,000 0
T7 Peter Hanson -3 69 75 70 71 285 $226,000 0
T7 Steve Stricker -3 74 73 67 71 285 $226,000 91
T11 Ben Curtis -2 69 77 73 67 286 $143,286 65
T11 Bubba Watson -2 73 75 70 68 286 $143,286 65
T11 Tim Clark -2 71 73 73 69 286 $143,286 65
T11 Geoff Ogilvy -2 68 78 70 70 286 $143,286 65
T11 Graeme McDowell -2 68 76 71 71 286 $143,286 65
T11 Tiger Woods -2 69 71 74 72 286 $143,286 65
T11 Adam Scott -2 68 75 70 73 286 $143,286 65

Will someone win it, or will everyone else lose it? DJ Wins it.  No more bunker issues. Rory won it…period
What will be the biggest story of the tournament? John Daly making the cut. 8-shot win by Rory, although Daly was a nice story for a little while
Jason Dufner will: Top 10 T-27, +1
Tiger Woods will: Top 10 T-11, -2
Rory McIlroy will: Make cut HA!
Zach Johnson will: MC Solo 70th at +12
Steve Stricker will: Make cut T-7, -3
Dustin Johnson will: WIN!! T-48, +5
Who is most likely to “Jason Dufner” it on the 17th hole on Sunday? Jason Dufner. it didn’t matter
Adam Scott will: Go home early – MC. T-11, -2

JK
Winner: Matt Kuchar Cut with an 82 on Friday!
Winning Score: -7 -13
Runner Up: Zach Johnson took down solo 70th.
Low PGA Professional: Mitch Lowe again, no clue, but congrats to mitch for making the field
“Unknown” in the Top 10: Brenden de Jonge T-54, +6
Last Year’s Winner (Keegan Bradley) Will … (Win, Top10, Make the Cut, or Miss the Cut): Make the Cut T-3, -4
The Master’s Winner (Bubba) Will: Make the Cut Correct, T-11, -2
The US Open Winner (Webb) Will: Make the Cut nope..MC
The Open Champion (Ernie Els) Will: MC T-48, +5
How many prior winners will be in the Top 10: 2 just keegan
Will someone win it, or will everyone else lose it? Kuchar putts his way to a championship Rory does everything on his way to the championship
What will be the biggest story of the tournament? Should we ban the arm-putter? record-breaking rory
Jason Dufner will: Top 10 T-27, +1
Tiger Woods will: Top 10 close, T-11, -2
Rory McIlroy will: MC lol
Zach Johnson will: Runner up lol
Steve Stricker will: Make the Cut T-7, -3. Good showing for Strick
Dustin Johnson will: Top 10 no
Who is most likely to “Jason Dufner” it on the 17th hole on Sunday? Jason Dufner who cares?
Adam Scott will: MC. And take the long putter home with him. fail

UPDATED 7/23/2012: Way to go Ernie!

I know they call it “The Open Championship,” but we’ve got one of those that’s pretty important too, so I’m going with what they used to call it. I looked back to last year’s predictions (here https://thepowerfade.com/2011/07/18/conversation-british-open-predictions/), and it’s a good thing LG and I have other careers to take besides predicting golf tournaments. Anyway, without further ado:

7/17/2012

JK:
Winner: Phil Mickelson m/c – Ernie Els
Winning Score: -3 -7
Runner Up: Lee Westwood T-45 at +6 – Adam Scott
Low Amateur: Are there really only two amateurs in the field? How about Alan Dunbar i think they both m/c
“Unknown” in the Top 10: Greg Chalmers T-45 – Nicholas Colsaerts was T-7, Alexander Noren was T-9, Thorbjorn Olessen was T-9. Other than that, actually a pretty strong Top 10:
1 Ernie Els -7
2 Adam Scott -6
T3 Tiger Woods -3
T3 Brandt Snedeker -3
T5 Luke Donald -2
T5 Graeme McDowell -2
T7 Thomas Aiken -1
T7 Nicolas Colsaerts -1
T9 Ian Poulter E
T9 Zach Johnson E
T9 Miguel Jimenez E
T9 Mark Calcavecchia E
T9 Matt Kuchar E
T9 Geoff Ogilvy E
T9 Vijay Singh E
T9 Dustin Johnson E
T9 Alexander Noren E
T9 Thorbjorn Olesen E

Last Year’s Winner (Darren Clarke) Will … (Win, Top10, Make the Cut, or Miss the Cut): Drink a lot of beer on Saturday and Sunday. M/c yah
The Master’s Winner (Bubba) Will …: wear pink socks on the plane home. M/c was in it for awhile; T-23
The US Open Winner (Webb) Will …: Stay home with his wife and potential new baby. Congrats Webb
The current PGA Champion (Keegan Bradley) will …: miss the cut. still learning how to do this thing T-34
How many prior winners will be in the Top 10: 3 YES! Tiger Woods, Ernie Els, and Marc Calcavecchia
Will someone win it, or will everyone else lose it? Someone will win it. Sans Carnoustie, the British Open is usually won by the most composed player. Els won it, but Scott defintely lost it as well
What will be the biggest story of the tournament? Phil finally comes through at the British fail
Who is most likely to “Tom Watson At Turnberry” it? Tiger he kind of did, but it was clearly Adam Scott who choked it
Will you watch on Sunday? Probably about half of it yep
Jason Dufner will: Top 10 T-31
Tiger Woods will: Top 10 Correct, T-3
Rory McIlroy will: Make the cut Correct, T-60
Zach Johnson will: Make the cut (no hating, LG) Top 10, T-9
Steve Stricker will: miss the cut T-23. Stricker played pretty well considering
Dustin Johnson will: he’s actually playing? make the cut Top 10, T-9. Good job freak of nature

LG:
Winner: TW T-3
Winning Score: -3 -7
Runner Up: Justin Rose M/c
Low Amateur: Are there really only two amateurs in the field? The one JK didn’t pick. both m/c
“Unknown” in the Top 10: Does Kevin Na count?  If not, let’s go with Sam Walker. First, you know Kevin Na doesn’t count. Second, he shot 73-77 to m/c. Finally, Sam Walker shot 76-70 to m/c
Last Year’s Winner (Darren Clarke) Will … (Win, Top10, Make the Cut, or Miss the Cut): MC sorry Clarkie
The Master’s Winner (Bubba) Will …: MC T-23
The US Open Winner (Webb) Will …: MC If by “MC” you mean “not show up because he was home with his wife waiting on their new baby to arrive,” you’d be correct, but I suspect that is not the case.
The current PGA Champion (Keegan Bradley) will …: Make the cut T-34
How many prior winners will be in the Top 10: 2 3
Will someone win it, or will everyone else lose it? Hard to say – depends on the weather.  Let’s go with Tiger wins it. Tiger won nothing
What will be the biggest story of the tournament? Tiger’s 15th. do you just copy/paste this from one prediction to another?
Who is most likely to “Tom Watson At Turnberry” it? Lee Westwood. Go read a book, guy. I wish it were Westwood.
Will you watch on Sunday? Yes.  Live? no. did you?
Jason Dufner will: Make Cut T-31
Tiger Woods will: Win T-3
Rory McIlroy will: Top 10. T-60
Zach Johnson will: MC Top 10, T-9
Steve Stricker will: MC (sorry, Steve) T-23 (sorry, LG
Dustin Johnson will: Top 5. Top 5 isn’t a choice. He was close though. T-9