OT: Lexi Thompson/ US Women's Open at Olympic Club

[dcf4psu]

First with the venue. It's great to see the women playing some of the most iconic courses now. In two years the US Women's Open will be at Pebble Beach. This year at the Olympic Club provided for great theatre. Lexi Thompson, as Arnold Palmer did in 1966 at Olympic, lost a large lead in the final round. She was up five strokes with 10 holes to play and ended up finishing third. For lack of a better term she choked. But her partner had a double bogie on both the 2nd and 3rd holes, yet managed to right the ship and won the championship on the third playoff hole. Lexi has not been the same since she had the four stroke penalty in the middle of her 4th round at the ANA Inspiration (Dinah Shore) as she was on her way to her 2nd victory in that major for an infraction that occurred the previous day and was called in by a viewer from home. She went on to lose in a playoff.

 

[Pardlion]

First with the venue. It's great to see the women playing some of the most iconic courses now. In two years the US Women's Open will be at Pebble Beach. This year at the Olympic Club provided for great theatre. Lexi Thompson, as Arnold Palmer did in 1966 at Olympic, lost a large lead in the final round. She was up five strokes with 10 holes to play and ended up finishing third. For lack of a better term she choked. But her partner had a double bogie on both the 2nd and 3rd holes, yet managed to right the ship and won the championship on the third playoff hole. Lexi has not been the same since she had the four stroke penalty in the middle of her 4th round at the ANA Inspiration (Dinah Shore) as she was on her way to her 2nd victory in that major for an infraction that occurred the previous day and was called in by a viewer from home. She went on to lose in a playoff.

Yeah but can she make a good sammich.

 

[PSUTENN1]

After the double bogie it was a complete collapse. Actually hard to watch.

 

[Obliviax]

First with the venue. It's great to see the women playing some of the most iconic courses now. In two years the US Women's Open will be at Pebble Beach. This year at the Olympic Club provided for great theatre. Lexi Thompson, as Arnold Palmer did in 1966 at Olympic, lost a large lead in the final round. She was up five strokes with 10 holes to play and ended up finishing third. For lack of a better term she choked. But her partner had a double bogie on both the 2nd and 3rd holes, yet managed to right the ship and won the championship on the third playoff hole. Lexi has not been the same since she had the four stroke penalty in the middle of her 4th round at the ANA Inspiration (Dinah Shore) as she was on her way to her 2nd victory in that major for an infraction that occurred the previous day and was called in by a viewer from home. She went on to lose in a playoff.

She also declined her post March interview just like the French open gal

 

[bkmtnittany1]

Lexi...choking....be right back! Flagtime!!!!

 

[Nitwit]

She also declined her post March interview just like the French open gal

Except the tennis star was winning but has a mental health problem. Lexi just played poorly.

 

[Obliviax]

Except the tennis star was winning but has a mental health problem. Lexi just played poorly.

We all have mental health problems...some more than others!

 

[delcoLion]

Sometimes another player goes lights-out great and you get beat, sometimes there are bad breaks. But as mentioned above, that was a classic choke, no ifs, ands, or buts. Hard to watch. It will take a lot of effort to get over that one.

 

[Fac]

We all have mental health problems...some more than others!

Yes we do - go read the test board.

 

[NewEra 2014]

Maybe Lexi has COVID.

 

[Obliviax]

Maybe Lexi has COVID.

C'mon man, if she had the COVID she'd have shot a 64 and won by 6 strokes!

 

[Grass]

I watched the final 9 holes and she chocked. All she had to do was make par on 18 and she wins. I think she was 109 out and she comes up short and goes on to bogey. I think she did end up doing the interview though. She also goes through caddies like used shoes.

 

[Obliviax]

I watched the final 9 holes and she chocked. All she had to do was make par on 18 and she wins. I think she was 109 out and she comes up short and goes on to bogey. I think she did end up doing the interview though. She also goes through caddies like used shoes.

Agree... a slight correction, par on 18 would have put her in the playoff. She was 1 up teeing off on 17. She went bogey bogey and the two other gals were 1 up over her and had a playoff.

 

[Grass]

Agree... a slight correction, par on 18 would have put her in the playoff. She was 1 up teeing off on 17. She went bogey bogey and the two other gals were 1 up over her and had a playoff.

You are correct. Her making bogey on 17 was pretty bad too. I believe it's a short par 5.

 

[Obliviax]

You are correct. Her making bogey on 17 was pretty bad too. I believe it's a short par 5.

Agree...her lag putt was just horrifically bad on 18. On other shots, you could hear her tell her caddie "I hit that really well?!" She was really perplexed. I also have to say she did something that I hear great women do all the time: denigrate themselves. She hit one bad shot and said something like "I guess I look like an idiot" laughing. My wife often coaches up young women to let other people criticize them, don't criticize yourself. Stay positive.

Finally, I was switching back and forth between the Memorial (where my son was working as a volunteer) and the woman US Open. Both were in almost the exact same place at the same time. The winner was determined within a minute of each other.

 

[ClarkstonMark]

Agree...her lag putt was just horrifically bad on 18. On other shots, you could hear her tell her caddie "I hit that really well?!" She was really perplexed. I also have to say she did something that I hear great women do all the time: denigrate themselves. She hit one bad shot and said something like "I guess I look like an idiot" laughing. My wife often coaches up young women to let other people criticize them, don't criticize yourself. Stay positive.

Finally, I was switching back and forth between the Memorial (where my son was working as a volunteer) and the woman US Open. Both were in almost the exact same place at the same time. The winner was determined within a minute of each other.

if you've ever heard Spieth, the self-denigration is not limited to women

 

[dcf4psu]

Agree...her lag putt was just horrifically bad on 18. On other shots, you could hear her tell her caddie "I hit that really well?!" She was really perplexed. I also have to say she did something that I hear great women do all the time: denigrate themselves. She hit one bad shot and said something like "I guess I look like an idiot" laughing. My wife often coaches up young women to let other people criticize them, don't criticize yourself. Stay positive.

Finally, I was switching back and forth between the Memorial (where my son was working as a volunteer) and the woman US Open. Both were in almost the exact same place at the same time. The winner was determined within a minute of each other.

Either she was consistently using the wrong club or was not aware of how the pressure was affecting her swing. Either way it didn't seem the caddie was doing what he could to keep her in a good frame of mind. The winner who had a double boogie on both the 2nd and 3rd holes credited her caddie for getting her back into a good frame of mind.

 

[GTACSA]

Agree...her lag putt was just horrifically bad on 18. On other shots, you could hear her tell her caddie "I hit that really well?!" She was really perplexed. I also have to say she did something that I hear great women do all the time: denigrate themselves. She hit one bad shot and said something like "I guess I look like an idiot" laughing. My wife often coaches up young women to let other people criticize them, don't criticize yourself. Stay positive.

Finally, I was switching back and forth between the Memorial (where my son was working as a volunteer) and the woman US Open. Both were in almost the exact same place at the same time. The winner was determined within a minute of each other.

don't criticize yourself. Stay positive.

You only have one true friend on the golf course and that's you.

 

[Obliviax]

don't criticize yourself. Stay positive.

You only have one true friend on the golf course and that's you.

Agreed....in life, in fact. Went to a graduation where the class valedictorian, captain of two sports, and morning show spokesperson was the guest speaker. He had a great speech talking about the challenges of COVID on the senior class and using it as a springboard for later challenges in life. He said something really cool, "if your heart is pure and your effort vigorous, the result will be rewarding in victory or in defeat." I wrote it down...perhaps one of the best lines I've heard and from a kid. He's going to ND by the way, on a scholarship. (but he kind of looked like Screetch from Saved by the Bell.

 

[Fox Chapel Lion II]

My favorite American players are all at the end of the road. Cristie Kerr is 43. Paula Creamer, Brittany Lincicome and Morgan Pressel are in their 30's - Paula's career was wrecked by hand/wrist injuries, Morgan is now in the booth and Brittany is a new mom. These four all had a LOT of personality and built interest in the game. Other players like Stacy Lewis have really fallen off.

I would say the top Americans now are Jessica Korda, Lizette Salas and maybe Marina Alex. The last Solheim Cup was pretty rough where we got mulched.

The saving grace for Lexi is she is STILL only 25. But losing a US Open like that, man, that is just a monumental choke job. Really, really bad. You just don't get that many chances - it's like a 2-TD lead in the Rose Bowl, you NEVER get over it. But the only way is forward.

The LPGA desperately needs more American players to break through. The Asian players are tremendous - the quality of the golf is outrageous. But to grow interest and gate and TV for an American tour played in the USA and with an American TV audience, you need Americans at the top of the leaderboard week after week, slugging it out with the best in the world.

 

[razpsu]

don't criticize yourself. Stay positive.

You only have one true friend on the golf course and that's you.

It is really the only sport where you have time to criticize yourself. The caddie should have helped more. She was tight on the back nine like when you are even or about to career it after holes 13-14 then you tend to grip it a little harder and you mess up. She had a great post round press conference where she blamed herself but was really positive. It reminded me of Phil. The “I’m an idiot” quote after winged foot.

 

[Obliviax]

My favorite American players are all at the end of the road. Cristie Kerr is 43. Paula Creamer, Brittany Lincicome and Morgan Pressel are in their 30's - Paula's career was wrecked by hand/wrist injuries, Morgan is now in the booth and Brittany is a new mom. These four all had a LOT of personality and built interest in the game. Other players like Stacy Lewis have really fallen off.

I would say the top Americans now are Jessica Korda, Lizette Salas and maybe Marina Alex. The last Solheim Cup was pretty rough where we got mulched.

The saving grace for Lexi is she is STILL only 25. But losing a US Open like that, man, that is just a monumental choke job. Really, really bad. You just don't get that many chances - it's like a 2-TD lead in the Rose Bowl, you NEVER get over it. But the only way is forward.

The LPGA desperately needs more American players to break through. The Asian players are tremendous - the quality of the golf is outrageous. But to grow interest and gate and TV for an American tour played in the USA and with an American TV audience, you need Americans at the top of the leaderboard week after week, slugging it out with the best in the world.

I agree. Woman's golf is one of the few woman's sports that I enjoy watching. Lexi is six feet tall, I learned yesterday. But the women seem to come and go fairly quickly and their peak seems to be a lot younger than the men. the gal that was low mature, 17 year old Megha Ganne seems like she's got a shot to be special. Lets hope. No US woman has one the US Open in 11 years.

Future Megha-star: Ganne poised for big things a U.S Women's Open low amateur

Megha Ganne will be known as more than low amateur at the 2021 U.S. Open at Olympic Club.

www.golfchannel.com

 

[PSUTENN1]

I’m a big golf fan and do enjoy watching women’s golf. The NCAA’s we’re really good this year. You’re also right in that American women golfers need to win. The LPGA needs a couple American stars desperately.

Watching Lexi Thompson was hard. I had a bad feeling when she missed three 8-10 footers for birdie. I saw the fright train coming. OMG that was painful.

Good comments above about her caddie, he’s there to see what’s going on and help stop the bleeding, the guy seemed oblivious.

I don’t see how Lexi gets beyond this. I miss the LPGA hay day, Betsy King, Nancy Lopez, Julie Inkster. So many others. Those women could play golf.

I agree. Woman's golf is one of the few woman's sports that I enjoy watching. Lexi is six feet tall, I learned yesterday. But the women seem to come and go fairly quickly and their peak seems to be a lot younger than the men. the gal that was low mature, 17 year old Megha Ganne seems like she's got a shot to be special. Lets hope. No US woman has one the US Open in 11 years.

Future Megha-star: Ganne poised for big things a U.S Women's Open low amateur

Megha Ganne will be known as more than low amateur at the 2021 U.S. Open at Olympic Club.

www.golfchannel.com

 

[Fox Chapel Lion II]

I agree. Woman's golf is one of the few woman's sports that I enjoy watching. Lexi is six feet tall, I learned yesterday. But the women seem to come and go fairly quickly and their peak seems to be a lot younger than the men. the gal that was low mature, 17 year old Megha Ganne seems like she's got a shot to be special. Lets hope. No US woman has one the US Open in 11 years.

Future Megha-star: Ganne poised for big things a U.S Women's Open low amateur

Megha Ganne will be known as more than low amateur at the 2021 U.S. Open at Olympic Club.

www.golfchannel.com

Paula won at Oakmont in 2010 which is probably what you're thinking of. Michelle Wie won a couple years later for her only professional win. If you're only going to win once, might as well make it a US Open. But when you can't win your own National Championship that tells you a lot about the state of the women's game at the top level.

I always disliked Wie intensely. She was a huge hitter but that was the only thing she did well. She was all Nike hype - fooling around playing PGA events on sponsor exemptions (and never making the cut), never taking the game or her talent seriously, I never liked her at all.

The neat thing about the women's game is - in a million lifetimes I will never have the athleticism or the body or the ability of Bryson Dechambeau. It ain't happening. I'm not hitting it 330 off the tee or swinging a 6-iron at 125 mph and hitting it onto a shingle from 215 out. But I know I'm stronger than 5'4" Morgan Pressel and can swing it as fast as she can. I can LEARN to hit it in the center at 240 and hit greens all day from there. Men players should NEVER try to do anything a PGA player can - but if you want to model your game, watch the women.

 

[Obliviax]

Paula won at Oakmont in 2010 which is probably what you're thinking of. Michelle Wie won a couple years later for her only professional win. If you're only going to win once, might as well make it a US Open. But when you can't win your own National Championship that tells you a lot about the state of the women's game at the top level.

I always disliked Wie intensely. She was a huge hitter but that was the only thing she did well. She was all Nike hype - fooling around playing PGA events on sponsor exemptions (and never making the cut), never taking the game or her talent seriously, I never liked her at all.

The neat thing about the women's game is - in a million lifetimes I will never have the athleticism or the body or the ability of Bryson Dechambeau. It ain't happening. I'm not hitting it 330 off the tee or swinging a 6-iron at 125 mph and hitting it onto a shingle from 215 out. But I know I'm stronger than 5'4" Morgan Pressel and can swing it as fast as she can. I can LEARN to hit it in the center at 240 and hit greens all day from there. Men players should NEVER try to do anything a PGA player can - but if you want to model your game, watch the women.

Good post....the announcers said 11 years last night as they were awarding the trophy.

BTW, best player I ever played with aimed for the 150 marker off the tee or on his second shot on a par 5. He was dead-on accurate with his 8 iron from 150. Point being that his 250 drive was pretty solid on your average 400 yard par four. He played to his strength.

 

[86Engineer]

Either she was consistently using the wrong club or was not aware of how the pressure was affecting her swing. Either way it didn't seem the caddie was doing what he could to keep her in a good frame of mind. The winner who had a double boogie on both the 2nd and 3rd holes credited her caddie for getting her back into a good frame of mind.

I can't say if she was using the wrong club, but on some of her approach shots down the stretch she looked like she was taking half-swings, and ended up short almost every time.

 

[LongJakk]

I was wondering if her caddie was giving her short yardages the last 2 holes. Both shots came up 5-10 yards short. Thought maybe he was cutting some yards expecting adrenaline to kick in for the remaining distance. On 17 she was staring down her shot thinking it was perfect. She even said as much. She knows that she didn't hit it fat, so there's a good chance it was her caddie.

 

[NewEra 2014]

Lexi's caddie definitely seemed to be about as bad as I have ever seen at a tournament of this level. She would ask him a question, and he would take forever to give her an answer. Sometimes, all Lexi wanted from him was a word of encouragement, and he still paused for a very long time before saying anything. That pause alone gives a golfer some doubt, particularly when under pressure.

He also kept putting bad thoughts into her head, like "watch out for that water over there", when the water was never going to be an issue for where her shot was going to go. The guy seemed like a total goofball. Lexi might have won if she had a competent caddie--he was that bad.

 

[Fox Chapel Lion II]

Lexi's caddie definitely seemed to be about as bad as I have ever seen at a tournament of this level. She would ask him a question, and he would take forever to give her an answer. Sometimes, all Lexi wanted from him was a word of encouragement, and he still paused for a very long time before saying anything. That pause alone gives a golfer some doubt, particularly when under pressure.

He also kept putting bad thoughts into her head, like "watch out for that water over there", when the water was never going to be an issue for where her shot was going to go. The guy seemed like a total goofball. Lexi might have won if she had a competent caddie--he was that bad.

Might have been better off with an Olympic Club guy.

 

[jferretti]

Lexi's caddie definitely seemed to be about as bad as I have ever seen at a tournament of this level. She would ask him a question, and he would take forever to give her an answer. Sometimes, all Lexi wanted from him was a word of encouragement, and he still paused for a very long time before saying anything. That pause alone gives a golfer some doubt, particularly when under pressure.

He also kept putting bad thoughts into her head, like "watch out for that water over there", when the water was never going to be an issue for where her shot was going to go. The guy seemed like a total goofball. Lexi might have won if she had a competent caddie--he was that bad.

When a professional golfer says that they hit a shot great that either came up short or went too long that is essentially a questioning of the yardage and the caddie.

 

[LongJakk]

Caddie may have also not accounted for the uphill added yardage.

 

[dcf4psu]

Paula won at Oakmont in 2010 which is probably what you're thinking of. Michelle Wie won a couple years later for her only professional win. If you're only going to win once, might as well make it a US Open. But when you can't win your own National Championship that tells you a lot about the state of the women's game at the top level.

I always disliked Wie intensely. She was a huge hitter but that was the only thing she did well. She was all Nike hype - fooling around playing PGA events on sponsor exemptions (and never making the cut), never taking the game or her talent seriously, I never liked her at all.

The neat thing about the women's game is - in a million lifetimes I will never have the athleticism or the body or the ability of Bryson Dechambeau. It ain't happening. I'm not hitting it 330 off the tee or swinging a 6-iron at 125 mph and hitting it onto a shingle from 215 out. But I know I'm stronger than 5'4" Morgan Pressel and can swing it as fast as she can. I can LEARN to hit it in the center at 240 and hit greens all day from there. Men players should NEVER try to do anything a PGA player can - but if you want to model your game, watch the women.

Regarding the swing, the champion Saso mirrors her swing after Rory. They showed a side by side and she really mirrors it well. Rory was aware of it and was encouraging her through social media over the weekend.

 

[dcf4psu]

Side note - this is one of the greatest chip shots I have ever seen:

 

[LionJim]

Men players should NEVER try to do anything a PGA player can - but if you want to model your game, watch the women.

Hey @IrishHerb , do you remember our colleague Bob Johnson saying exactly this?

 

[thewholebit]

Hey @IrishHerb , do you remember our colleague Bob Johnson saying exactly this?

I look like shite in Capris pants...

 

[Obliviax]

Might have been better off with an Olympic Club guy.

 

[IrishHerb]

Hey @IrishHerb , do you remember our colleague Bob Johnson saying exactly this?

Yep. I've always thought that was good advise too.

Most of the LPGA pros seem to have more fundamental swings and are easier to imitate. The PGA pros on the other hand are in a completely different world.

 

[Fox Chapel Lion II]

Yep. I've always thought that was good advise too.

Most of the LPGA pros seem to have more fundamental swings and are easier to imitate. The PGA pros on the other hand are in a completely different world.

The same is true if you play tennis. The great Chris Evert, Grand Slam champion, Hall of Famer - could never beat her brother, a club player. Now family genes suggest he's a great athlete, but being a man he's just faster and stronger, even after Chris started hitting the weights and got into great shape.

YOU can't do what Federer does, but if you can do more of what Chris Evert did, you're going to be a killer at the Club Championship.

 

[LionJim]

Yep. I've always thought that was good advise too.

Most of the LPGA pros seem to have more fundamental swings and are easier to imitate. The PGA pros on the other hand are in a completely different world.

Yeah, you played with John Cook once, didn’t you?

 

[IrishHerb]

Yeah, you played with John Cook once, didn’t you?

Yes. Was down in MB with a bunch of guys and wanted to get in 9 more holes after a morning 18. Staff in clubhouse arranged for 3 of us to go out, and said there was a "pro" out ther alone on the first tee ... no idea he meant PGA pro. But wow!

A long time ago there was a guy in the business office of where you and I used to work. Was a pretty decent golfer who shot a 64 or 65 on a course I used to play regularly. I teased him that he ought to try for the PGA ... his answer "not good enough". Turns out he was on the O$U team that included Jack Nicklaus ... said he never, never beat the guy once. Felt a job with a regular pay check was better than the stress of the PGA tour.