Monty And the U.S. Open

[Martee]

If he can perform as he did today, he can win it. His past performance have shown he can play the Open, just hasn't had 4 rounds at once.

[Mathew]

Monty is contentious with the fans. His victory would not be popular.

Take what im going to take here with a pinch of salt cos it sure isn't going to be popular...lol

Ive gone to the British Open most years since my first time when Justin Leonard won in Troon. Now every year I go to these events there always seems to be an overexcited american fan around doing inappropriate things such as shout "get in the hole" as someone is halfway in their downstroke teeing off with a driver on a long par 5, whilst the people from here looking at each other like eh !

Now put that into the ryder cup and you can magnify this obnoxious behaviour 10 fold as fans deliberately go out their way. Everytime the ryder cup is held in america there is a risk of it turning into a joke. When its held here everyone is very respectful to the players with few or no incidents of unacceptable behaviour by the fans.

Now I know not all american fans are like this but they do seem to bring along one or two that are. Theres nothing wrong with the enthusiasm though - which should be encouraged but it ain't ice hockey...lol

Also please remember my girlfriend is american so this is not a dig at america - just the individuals which act like idiots....

[EdZ]

Yoda - I'm sticking to my call from the 1st green action we watched at the Barclay's - that guy could win it

[BlackjackNY]

It's a tough call. At Bethpage in 2002, Golf Digest handed out 25,000 pins that said, "Be Nice to Monty!"(And we were. Very nice.) And wasn't he the same guy that once wanted the blimp moved because it was annoying him?
Still, I like his unorthodox swing, and like the man, from what I know about him. It would be a fitting cap to one of the best Ryder Cup players I've ever seen.

[Daryl]

I voted "If he wins, he wins. I can handle it." That's another way of saying - Hmm?

[birdie_man]

I think he deserves it.

I can't remember him ever being an arse-pick.....cept in (what seemed like) a response to ppl's heckling.....although I could be wrong....

Seems like a generally good guy....can't blame him for being frustrated sometimes......seems genuine and nice in interviews.

[alex_chung]

I will be happy for him if he wins it. From what I have read and seen of him, he looks like a genuine and really top bloke who has gone through a lot over the past few years.
He has the game to win any of the Majors not just the US Open. Ok in the past he has been his own worst enemy but it does show that he does care and wants to win so badly.
I was at the Open at St Andrews last year and the support for him was immense, you could feel a certain electricity around the place and it was just brilliant being part of the crowd on the Saturday/Sunday when he was in the final group with Tiger.
I wish him all the best and will be rooting for him,
Alex

[Burner]

It's a tough call. At Bethpage in 2002, Golf Digest handed out 25,000 pins that said, "Be Nice to Monty!"(And we were. Very nice.) And wasn't he the same guy that once wanted the blimp moved because it was annoying him?
Still, I like his unorthodox swing, and like the man, from what I know about him. It would be a fitting cap to one of the best Ryder Cup players I've ever seen.

Trouble with forming opinions, and this is universal and not aimed at you personally BlackjackNY, is that most of the information used in this process is neither credible or worthy of passing on. As in your (rhetorical?) question the answer received, and then passed on as fact, is not, necessarily, what you may have witnessed personally.

Heresay should be confined to the heresay bin and kept to onesself, unless it is known to be fact.

Yes, the man is complex, misrepresents himself and often appears moody at times, but most of all he is just unfairly maligned.

Almost all of the non-major winning golfing fraternity would, I imagine, be quite prepared to commit nefarious deeds in order to obtain a playing record like Monty's.

He has the game to win but like all major winners needs that little smattering of good fortune to help him on his way.

[vjcapron]

Also please remember my girlfriend is american so this is not a dig at america - just the individuals which act like idiots....

Where have I heard a quote like this before? Is this Paul Casey?

You should be more worried about your country's soccer fans and less worried about American golf fans.

Golf has changed for the better and it is a game of the masses now. Take the stick out of your arse and enjoy the show.

[birdie_man]

Matthew man....

I don't know enough to call it either way (for or against the American fans)....

But I think you have a bit of a point actually...

The crowds seem to be different at the Phoenix Open (errr w/e it's called now) vs. some tourney in Scotland or something.

Different type of fans.

I think it's a fair call.