D Angelo Barksdale

I don't mind, although maybe someone who just missed out on promotion or a play off from Division B should be offered it before me. As long as everyone else is ok with it.

I'm not trying to change your opinion here, just pointing out that you're wrong, something you get quite often on this subject by your own admission. This isn't how handicap's work m8. I don't think I'm the one getting worked up about this tbqhwy.

They were terrible shots, the first two especially which came up short of the hole. The fact that after that he twice continued to attempt such a high tariff shot is all on him. The correct play was to hit it in the middle of the green, take his medicine and walk off with a 6 or a 7. The shots weren't on target because the target wasn't the pin, it was either higher up the green in order to use the spin and slope, or it was in the middle of the green. You're using two isolated incidents of player's being out of position and not executing correctly to write off a course as clownish. Which is silly. What about all the players who walked off those holes with birdies or easy 2 putt pars ? Should we write off Carnoustie as nonsense because of Jean Van De Velde ? Sloping greens and firm and fast greens are part of a course's defences. The slopes can help as well as hinder the player. Shelves, tiers, run offs etc are all standard features of golf courses and could very well be classed as a 'hazard' like bunkers and water. This is all basic stuff. The idea that a hole or holes are a 'farce' or a 'shambles' because a couple of players make a c**t of it, while the majority walk off with birdies and pars is ridiculous.

They weren't 5 pretty decent pitches though were they ? The first was a terrible shot landing on the downslope well short of the hole, the 2nd and 3rd were barely hole high with an enormous amount of backspin taking them down the slope. It was only then he changed his angle of approach on the 4th attempt, which was a bit unlucky. Finally, he played the correct shot from a suitable angle and the spin left him a straight 12ft putt. The 15th hole still played the easiest on the course that year, despite Garcia's heads gone, Tin Cup nonsense.

Disagree with all of this. The course is set up to reward good shots, punish bad shots and give average shots a chance to recover a par. It doesn't strongly favour a particular type of golfer. The list of winners includes left handers, short hitters like Zach Johnson and for a course that has 'unplayable greens', average at best putters like Garcia, Scott and Matsuyama The penalty for being above the hole, or on the wrong tier here is severe, the players know this and can play accordingly, leaving themselves a 20 ft putt for birdie, or risk it with the knowledge that there's a possibility of a big number. The short par 5 15th is a prime example of this and a great strategic hole. If it was an easy up and down for birdie from the back, then the water at the front becomes irrelevant as the pro's would just know that going long carries no penalty. You would as well be making it a long par 4. This course is far from unplayable, it's just very difficult and punishing if you're out of position on your approach or on the green, the number of birdies made and the historical winning scores, on only 6 occasions in the last 35 years has the winner shot less than -8, is testament to this.

You make some good points in your post, but this is just nonsense. As a tournament venue, and from a strategic and architectural point of view, it's easily one of the top courses in the world.

He got the job done today, but he won it yesterday with a quite phenomenal display of ball striking.

The Olympics will be a good laugh, no foreign spectators, the whole crowd will just be following Matsuyama round the course.

Guaranteed a Europa League group place I think.

Hearing Harman missed his birdie putt.

He had a similar meltdown in Phoenix a couple of months ago when in a great position to win.

Schauffele is the new Finau.

That was sensible, take the 6.

A 6 then 3 pars should still be enough.

Why ?

Xander to make eagle on 15 and birdie on 16 to make it interesting.

Would be happy to just listen to a feed of Speith and his caddy, rather than McGinley and Murray.

Speith is 52nd out of 54 in the field for strokes gained putting.

Matsuyama was wobbling at the start and Schauffele, Rose and Leishman let him off the hook. Left it to young Willy Z.

1 round of 67 out of the 8 he's played since this.

Matsuyama punts it into the trees on the 1st. Bottle job incoming.

Pin placements for the final round. 16 back to it's traditional spot, that pin on no.2 though ooft.

Sushi for the champions dinner next year ?

Matsuyama's iron play is exquisite.