The Golf Watch

ESPN slowly taking over all major championship coverage

More to come on this development over the weekend, but ESPN.com is reporting that the network will host all four rounds of the British Open starting in 2010. 

"Tour broadcasts feel the pain"

Thomas Bonk of the LA Times catches us up on how badly television ratings have been hit the last three weeks without Tiger...

It's all a matter of perspective. The PGA Tour and its truckload of sponsors aren't even asking you not to touch that dial on your television; they're asking you to make sure the set is turned on in the first place.

The Absent Tiger Factor is here and it's awful to behold.

Case 1: Buick Open. The first event of three events so far that Woods would have played but missed because of his knee surgery. The overnight rating on CBS for the fourth round was down 12%, from a 1.7 to a 1.5.

Case 2: AT&T National. Worse. The overnight ratings for the fourth round on CBS were down 48%, from a 2.9 to a 1.5. Third-round ratings dipped 35%, from a 2.0 to a 1.3.

Case 3: British Open. Not good. The overnight ratings for ABC's final round coverage Sunday fell 14.6%, from a 4.1 to a 3.5.

Harrington goes back-to-back at the Open Championship

Padraig Harrington was impressive down the stretch yet again this year, successfully defending his Open crown at Royal Birkdale.  Harrington joins an elite group of back-to-back Open winners of the last 50 years--Palmer, Trevino, Watson, and Woods.

The wind factor...

With winds gusting as high as 48 mph on Saturday, I think Anthony Kim was the only player out on the course with this train of thought:

This is awesome.  I actually like playing in this stuff.  I grew up playing where the conditions weren't the best, and your lies weren't the greatest.  I'm having a blast out here.

Justin Rose summed up the day pretty well when he told the press, smiling:

If I can't stand, what chance does my golf ball have?

Unlikely leaderboard after day two

Who would have thought before the week began that Greg Norman and David Duval would be within three strokes of the lead after day two of the British Open?

And how about Jean Van de Velde?  Last year, he wondered if he would get to play in another Open Championship.

Then there's Padraig Harrington at three strokes back.  He said he had a '50-50' chance of completing all four rounds this week with an ailing wrist.

Finally, Camilo Villegas, who at 1-over-par put on a putting spectacle on Friday, an incredible feat for his first Open Championship.

It's probably wishful thinking, but Brandel Chamblee predicted on the post game show that if Greg Norman is still in the hunt on Sunday, we could see "Tiger-esque ratings." 

Mickelson couldn't find ball on 6, results in triple

With all of the cameras and spectators, it's extremely rare to lose a ball in a professional tournament, let alone a major. 

But earlier today on the 6th hole at Birkdale, a wayward second shot from Phil Mickelson ended up in the fescue.  After the designated five minutes to look for the ball was up, no one could find it, resulting in a triple bogey for Mickelson.

During TGC's post game show, Brandel Chamblee went out to number six after the first round was completed, and threw three balls into the same rough where Phil's second shot seemed to have landed.  The balls were no where in sight when Chamblee walked over to the general location.

What else can tournament officials do to address this?  Increase the already large amount of marshalls?

England will host back-to-back British Open's, first time in history

For the first time in history, England will host back-to-back British Open's.  According to the Associated Press, Royal St. George's will host the 2011 Open Championship and Royal Lytham and St. Annes will host in 2012.  Ben Curtis won in 2003, the last time the British Open was held at Royal St. George's and David Duval claimed his only major championship at Royal Lytham and St. Annes in 2001. 

British Open ratings lowest since 1996

This year's British Open ratings were the lowest since 1996, the year Tom Lehman won at Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club.  According to Nielsen, this year's telecast earned a 3.1/10 rating, a drop from last year's 3.9/12 rating when Tiger Woods won at Royal Liverpool.  Interestingly, Woods was in contention at this year's Masters and US Open, and there was a rise in ratings for both tournaments from the previous year.  At this year's Open Championship, Woods was not a threat during the weekend. 

'07 British Open draws lowest attendance since 1994

According to Mike Aitken of The Scotsman, this year's British Open at Carnoustie marked the smallest attendance at an Open Championship since Nick Price won at Turnberry in 1994.  "Miserably wet and cool weather was the obvious reason the attendance dipped," writes Aitken. 

Carnoustie setup much easier in '07

Doug Ferguson of the Associated Press writes that this year's British Open at Carnoustie will be playing much differently than in 1999.  He writes, "Gone was the rough, so thick at its foundation that it was difficult to see the golf ball, much less hit it. The fairways were far more generous, nothing like Kapalua or a resort course, but certainly wider than the country lane that players faced in 1999." Tiger Woods said, "It looks really nice, really fair."