Whoever ends up winning the US Open today is not a skilled golfer. There may not be such a thing in Major play. Good and bad luck has more to do with it than any golfer’s skill level. At least according to a study completed by business professors Robert Connolly of the University of North Carolina and Richard Rendleman of Dartmouth.
Tiger Woods has won 14 Major titles in 14 years, several of them by destroying the competition and the course itself that he has played on. His most impressive win in US Open history in 2000 was nothing but luck, according to the two fools mentioned above.
Look, everyone is trying their hardest to come up with formula’s and stats that tell us how truly good someone is in sports. It has worked for baseball and basketball better than every other sport. QB rating, and pass efficiency are stupid barometers in football, and plus/minus has way too many factors involved to truly represent the invididual in hockey. Sometimes you can just watch what is happening and think to yourself “That guy is friggin amazing.”
There is so much pressure on each shot in golf, especially in a major. Probably more so than any other sport. How one plays under that factor is an indicator as to how good they play. Have people we never heard of had unbelievable golf games for just one weekend? Sure they have, but that is them maximizing their potential more than it has to do with being lucky that one tourney. Being lucky in golf involves a shot bouncing over a bunker or a ball just staying on the ridge by a water hazard, not if you had a better round than some formula says.
Popularity: 5% [?]
Fisher far right on 17, where Mahan was. Not an easy par possibility.
(Quote)
Mickelson with perfect drive on 18
(Quote)
Glover birdies 16…leads Duval by 1
(Quote)
Huh?
(Quote)
Duval barely misses birdie putt on 17…should par
(Quote)
Mahan long on chip onto 18th green but on the putting surface
Mickelson also long
Both with about 25 footers for birdies
(Quote)
Mickelson chokes again.
(Quote)
Duval misses…physics defying lip out! Glover’s tournament to lose at this point.
(Quote)
I am just pulling for more rain.
(Quote)
Glover, under pressure, hits his 1st at the par 3 17 to about 30 ft from pin
(Quote)
no he didn’t. but whatever.
(Quote)
Failed again works too.
(Quote)
miss it, mmmmmmmmmiss it. mmmmmmmmmmmiss it!
(Quote)
Mickelson is nervously massaging his man boobs on the 18th green. Long putt for birdie misses right by half inch.
(Quote)
you can throw that on tiger than too. since he has yet to ever comeback on the final day at a major. he had a shot too.
(Quote)
Duval on tee at 18…drive is just 2 feet off fairway left
(Quote)
Glover lining up his putt on 17…
(Quote)
Glover leaves it 3-4 feet short
(Quote)
Barnes with identical putt…also leaves it short…2 footer left for par
(Quote)
Duval on 18…2nd is long about 30 feet
(Quote)
Glover pars 17
(Quote)
Barnes pars 17
(Quote)
Duval for birdie…misses right.
(Quote)
Glover’s drive on 18…safe in the fairway
(Quote)
Duval knocks in his par…tied with Mickelson for the clubhouse lead
(Quote)
Barnes crushes his drive down center of 18th fairway
(Quote)
glover win?
(Quote)
Glover on green…back left. Needs to 3 putt to win.
(Quote)
Barnes on green as well. Glover is away.
(Quote)
Glover’s first putt is short by about 4 feet
(Quote)
Barnes for birdie and to put pressure on Glover…
(Quote)
Barnes birdie putt misses by millimeters
(Quote)
Glover is your 109th US Open champion
(Quote)
Mickelson = Phail, Glover = some random guy. I totally called it last Tuesday. I’m awesome.
(Quote)
KWSN is your 109th US Open prediction champion
(Quote)
Who the hell is this Glover guy?
(Quote)
I love it when Mickelson chokes. It makes me happy.
(Quote)
So starts the Lucas Glover era in golf.
(Quote)
Well, he was the only guy not to go over par for any round.
(Quote)
Glover is Yankee fan. He rules!
(Quote)
He was also tied for the lead at -4 and would be in a playoff with some random guy if he just parred in. But he choked like always. It’s his specialty.
(Quote)
like always? like when he won his majors.
(Quote)
He hasn’t won one since he famously choked away the 2006 US Open. And he won’t ever win another major either.
(Quote)
the hate you spew towards teams and individuals is unrivaled.
(Quote)
Thank you. It’s a unique skill. But really I only HATE 3 teams or individuals. USC, the Lakers and Phil Mickelson. Everyone else I’m ambivalent about.
(Quote)
And in case you’re wondering why I hate Mickelson it’s a combination of his man boobs (he’s a professional golfer, he should be in shape) and his utterly stupid decision making out there at times. If he played half as smart as Tiger Woods he’d have won 10 majors by now. He’s got the best short game on the tour and yet he just doesn’t make good decisions. It bugs me and so I root against him.
(Quote)
Time to eat…knightro out
(Quote)
good job knightro!!!
(Quote)
That didn’t sound good.
(Quote)
Thanks! Food first…then some Wimbledon first round!
(Quote)
/12 in a row’d
(Quote)
Actually check out this link from the NY Times preview. Scroll down to who the sleeper pick is. Pretty good.
Glover as sleeper pick
(Quote)