A Tiger At Hoylake.
 

Even with Tiger on the lead, could this be Sergio's time?

What?

Tough one.
Even the Big Easy is on the hunt today.

Garcia's fading fast.

laclaire, it's golf talk...

Tiger at the 14th may be starting to distance himself from the pack.

Tiger !

Tyger! Burning bright...

Sounds like some top secret military code.

I was really pleased for Tiger's win here, especially after not making the cut at the US Open. I do love Sergio, but when Tiger is "on", no one can touch him.

Was I the only observer who was amazed at the poor condition of the course? It looked parched, brown, and full of weeds.

USNR - I think , because The Open is nearly always played on a "links" course, rather han a "Park" course , such as Augusta, it is traditionally left. The greens will be watered, and the fairways mowed, but that is about all.

It is dryer than usual because of the very dry winter the UK had, followed by a dry summer.

I too wondered about that. We always seem to see golf in the US played on green lush courses. Even the greens were brown and then they were talking about what great condition the course was in. I'm like "what"?!!!!! I didn't realize there were different kinds of courses.

Crefloors - it is all historical. Links courses such as Hoylake and St Andrews were built on "Links" land between the arable land, and the sea - the ground that was not commercially viable to be farmed.

They tend to be barren with awful rough, lots of slopes, and bunkers everywhere.
There are "park" courses in the UK -Wentworth and the Belfrey are two of the most famous, but the Open is nearly always played on a Links.

If you want "Pretty" - you play a manicured/irrigated country club behind high walls.

If you want golf as it was originally played - then it is links w/o irrigation (though they do water some of the greens). "Green" and "good conditions" aren't always synonymous. If there had been "normal" UK weather the last few weeks instead of a major dry/heat spell, then it would have been greener. But w/ links you get what the land offers.

Both links and parkland courses have there place - - Hoylake is just about a perfect links course.

And gorse is not "Weeds" - it is the natural vegetation. . . . .

Links course - staple at British Open championships.

Just mowed my lawn, in wet, wet cornwall. It's brown and dry with the odd green leaf. It rained yesterday! Any green at all is a bonus.
and wasn't tiger great?

Ah,yes, there are links golf courses and parkland courses--and variations in between. And all present challenges and enjoyment to the "dogged victims of inexorable fate" (Bobby Jones's description of golfers). This victim shares Tiger's and most others who proclaim that links golf presents the true test of mind and might--with a sprinkling of cunning. You have never experienced the essence of the game until you have battled 18 holes on a seaside links with a howling gale of 40mph plus a stinging rain accompanied by numbing cold. Score becomes immaterial. Just man against the natural landscape striving against nature's fury.

That is the way the great game began. And still the best test of man and mettle today. Hip, hip, hooray for Hoylake!!

Jinx Hoover