By my clock, TNT signed off its live coverage from the Open Championship at 2:39 p.m. ET. And here is it is at 3:25 p.m. ET getting the quotage. This is very impressive. The people at Turner Sports are very efficient. I have to give them mad props for the timeliness of this release. Plus, if you missed any coverage and are heading home now to watch some of TNT’s replay, you can anticipate what Ernie Johnson, Jr., Jim Huber, Ian Baker-Finch and Peter Alliss said today.
Notes from TNT’s Coverage of the Open Championship from the Ailsa Course at Turnberry in Scotland
Round One – Thursday, July 16, 2009
TNT’s Round Two coverage of the Open Championship continues Fri., July 17 from 7 am – 7 pm ET/PT. Watch live video coverage on PGA.comQuote of the Day #1:
“I was on the (course) and we had to stop at the services, I needed to go to the restroom. When I walked in there it was out of context and a lot of people were taking a double take and looking and was it or was it not (me) and basically what was I doing in the services? Even a guy who’s won three majors needs to go to the toilet”
– Two-time defending Open Champion Padraig Harrington on the increased fame that comes with winning three majors
Quote of the Day #2:
“Tom (Watson) has socks that are older than that”
– Ernie Johnson on early first round leader Tom Watson playing against a field filled with young golfers, including 16 and 17 years olds
Announcers: Ernie Johnson, Ian Baker-Finch, Bill Kratzert, Jim Huber, Terry Gannon, Tom Weiskopf, Paul Azinger, Peter Alliss, Mike Tirico, Curtis Strange and Judy Rankin
Baker-Finch on Sergio Garcia’s eagle on hole #7 (Par 5): “(Sergio Garcia) needs to continue to do that throughout the whole week. We see him in the first three rounds hole some putts, but he normally struggles on Sundays.”
Baker-Finch on the aggressive play of Japanese teen sensation Ryo Ishikawa who finished with a 68 (-2): “The more he plays with great players and sees how they use the strategy around a great golf course like this, the better he’ll become at doing that. But at 17 (years old) you are aggressive, you don’t have that baggage in the back of your mind of the times you’ve messed up while hitting a driver when you shouldn’t have.”
TNT’s Jim Huber interviewed Tom Watson, who shot a 65 in the first round to lead the field early in the day.
Watson on how he feels after his first round 65 at Turnberry, compared to his famous win at the Open in 1977: “The body’s a little bit older, but the enthusiasm out there today was very similar. It was a wonderful day to play, there was very little wind. The course is obviously defenseless, a lot of the scores are going to be under par today because of that. It’s a good beginning round for me and the wind ought to pick up tomorrow afternoon according to the forecast, so she’ll have some teeth tomorrow and I’m looking forward to that.”
Watson on being more competitive against young players on links courses: “I’ve said that (that links courses are the great equalizer) about my ability to play against the kids. I can’t play against the kids at Augusta National, it’s just too soft. The golf course is too soft and too long and I’m hitting the wrong clubs into the holes. But I’ve said on links golf courses I can get it out there and get the ball rolling.”
Watson on adding a sixth Claret Jug trophy to his collection: “I could use one of those. I’m not being greedy, either.”
Kratzert on the pairing of Tiger Woods with 17-year-old Ryo Ishikawa: “I think the fact that Tiger looks at this young player and looks back a few years and he kind of sees himself, because Ishikawa has some kind of game and he’s going to be around for a long time and he fears nothing. It’s just been a great pairing and it’s been very conversational (between the two).”
Baker-Finch on major championships eluding Stewart Cink, who finished at -5 in the first round: “You would have to think that Stewart Cink would win at least one major in his career as good a player as he is and as good as he’s been at every level of the game. I’d be surprised if he didn’t.”
Alliss on providing analysis on Tiger Woods: “Criticizing Tiger Woods is like telling Muhammed Ali how to box or (Roger) Federer how to serve.”
Baker-Finch on the first round of Tiger Woods, who finished with a 71 (+1): “(Tiger Woods) struggled a little bit from the tee, he hit three or four shots out to the right, he hit a shot viciously left on the third and I think that changed his whole way of thinking as he went into the round. Let’s avoid that one to the left and let a few hang out to the right as he played the round, sort of steered away from the trouble on the left. (Woods was) A little fortunate at times to find some decent lies way right at the fairway. He’ll go to the range and try to figure that out. (A score of) 71 is certainly not out of it, he’s only six back from the lead.”
Sir Jackie Stewart, three-time Formula One world champion and native Scottsman, joined the TNT booth.
Alliss on an experience with Sir Jackie Stewart: “(Stewart) once drove me from the front door of the Glenn Eagle Hotel down to the pro shop, about 600 yards or so, and he frightened the bloody daylights out of me.”
Stewart: “That was only because he is English. In Scotland we would love to have Peter Alliss as a Scot, but unfortunately the poor boy is English.”
Stewart on the golfing legends that he has had the privilege of playing with: “I’ve been very lucky to play with some fantastic golfers. (I’ve played) with Jack (Nicklaus), Arnold (Palmer), Gary (Player), (Lee) Trevino, (Nick) Faldo and some of the modern players as well. It’s been a great experience. That’s one of the nice privileges of being a sportsman, you get to do things with other sports.”
Azinger on the bold outfit of Ian Poulter who sported a Union Jack sweater with red plaid pants: “I wonder if (Poulter) is a little self-conscious wearing that sweater. It’s really stepping out. He’s such a good player I just wonder if sometimes when he gets to this tournament if he just tries too hard to stand out and it effects his play a little bit.”
Azinger on Anthony Kim: “(Anthony Kim) to me is the player to watch for the next 20-25 years.”
Weiskopf: “He makes a ton of birdies, usually. He’s a very aggressive player so he rolls the dice. When he plays he doesn’t back off.
Azinger: “He’s got such a swing, he doesn’t look like he’s ever going to get that far off; runs with some hot emotions once in a while, there’s nothing wrong with that.”
Strange on the unusually nice weather at Turnberry: “We have seen a couple of days like this over the years, maybe at St. Andrews, but this is quite unusual. I played here in 1986 and I was miserable for four days, nothing less.”
Strange on the ease of playing the Ailsa course at Turnberry: “The golf course is playing as easy as it could possibly play. If you didn’t shoot under par you were disappointed today. I think it’s very quiet out there today. I haven’t heard th
e roars, it’s been very quiet and calm, maybe that’s part of the weather. But I want it to change because I want to see the golf course play the way we know it to play.”Strange on Miguel Angel Jimenez: “He’s a man at steady. Watch out. He’s never won here, but this could be his week.”
Jim Huber interviewed Miguel Angel Jimenez (-6) after his first round
Jimenez on winning the Open: “I’m 45 (years-old) and I don’t know how much longer I will be around with these new kids. I give everything to golf and I would love to win.”
Kratzert on Padraig Harrington’s improved confidence as the first round progressed: “As the round progressed today you could see Padraig get more and more confident.”
Jim Huber with 2007 & 2008 Open Championship winner Padraig Harrington (earlier this week)
Harrington on his season and if he’s frustrated with his play: “It’s not frustrating at all. I’ve been in control of what I’m doing; it’s a process, you’ve got to be patient. Sometimes these things take longer than you expect and you just have to wait it out. I don’t mind making short-term sacrifices for long-term games.”
Jim Huber interviewed Padraig Harrington (-1) after his first round
Harrington on how he felt after Day One: “My recent form hasn’t been so hot. Even though I hit the ball well today, I feel like I lacked a little in confidence.”
Harrington on his performance in the first round: “First round of the tournament, you want a nice and steady start. Although I’m not leading the tournament, I played well enough to have a chance.”
Jim Huber interviewed Jim Furyk (-3) after his first round
Furyk on his performance in the first round: “I could have played a little better today, but I’m happy with the score.”
Other networks can learn from Turner regarding the quotage. Great job, Turner!
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