http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/robhodgetts/2009/06/westwood_looks_to_tame_beast_of_bethpage.html en-gb 30 Thu 07 Jan 2010 06:48:11 GMT+1 A feed of user comments from the page found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/robhodgetts/2009/06/westwood_looks_to_tame_beast_of_bethpage.html http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/robhodgetts/2009/06/westwood_looks_to_tame_beast_of_bethpage.html?page=18#comment11 I dont think media has much to do with it as then it would apply to Masters too. Most european major winners over the last 20 or 30 years have been shorter hitters with great shorter games/putting (iron approach shots rather than reaching the green with a wood) - Far more likely to win at shorter courses with tough chipping and putting such as Augusta- maybe why there have been less European Masters winners since the course was lengthened. If you can reach a long par five in 2 it gives a natural advantage. If your putting and short game are also generally very good then you need to have an off day to lose- as is the case with Woods. Monty and Westwood have never won majors and they have been best long hitters. Thu 18 Jun 2009 17:57:26 GMT+1 http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/robhodgetts/2009/06/westwood_looks_to_tame_beast_of_bethpage.html?page=16#comment10 Interesting views but got to say - as much as I like Sergio et al - my chief interest is in the English players, not Europe. I don't cheer on Barcelona at football or French tennis players etc etc!That minor gripe aside, I've followed a lot of Westwood's career and love him as I do, I don't see Lee winning this year as his form is very patchy and he seems to be throwing a way good positions in the third round, worryingly! I hope I'm proved wrong and the last couple of weeks practise get him back to his form of 2008.Poulter, for me, is our best chance. Wed 17 Jun 2009 07:11:40 GMT+1 http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/robhodgetts/2009/06/westwood_looks_to_tame_beast_of_bethpage.html?page=15#comment9 i'd love to see casey or poulter win too, but stenson's power will serve him well at bethpage black...but come the weekend when the crows will be roaring for tiger and phil- how will the others handle that?? Tue 16 Jun 2009 18:29:27 GMT+1 http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/robhodgetts/2009/06/westwood_looks_to_tame_beast_of_bethpage.html?page=13#comment8 Monty in his heyday had the best game suitable for the US Open, straight driving and finding greens in regulation, but like Westwood he failed to grab the opportunities when they presented themselves. This week we have the players - Stenson, Casey and Poulter - capable of doing similar but they will still have to beat The Man. Tue 16 Jun 2009 16:43:49 GMT+1 http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/robhodgetts/2009/06/westwood_looks_to_tame_beast_of_bethpage.html?page=11#comment7 i wouldn't count out stenson- i think he will be europe's best hope at bethpage black... Tue 16 Jun 2009 16:17:58 GMT+1 http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/robhodgetts/2009/06/westwood_looks_to_tame_beast_of_bethpage.html?page=10#comment6 Maybe it's not so difficult to understand why a european has not won the US Open since Tony Jacklin, way back in 1970....I believe this time span has brought with it a huge amount of pressure. This combined with the amount of media dribble written about previous players, in their hayday, not managing to step up to the plate, so more than any of us run of the mill club golfers could possibly understand. It's all everywell Westwood saying that you need to treat it like "just another tournament" but who is he trying to fool... The top European golfers are there ready to knocked down by the media should they not win and maybe it's that preassure that stops them performing as we know they can....really looking forward to the US Open, come on Casey!! Tue 16 Jun 2009 13:12:05 GMT+1 http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/robhodgetts/2009/06/westwood_looks_to_tame_beast_of_bethpage.html?page=8#comment5 Yes, my mistake I meant to write 39 years. Tue 16 Jun 2009 12:57:03 GMT+1 http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/robhodgetts/2009/06/westwood_looks_to_tame_beast_of_bethpage.html?page=6#comment4 You're right Lorus 9 years is a long time, however its not as long as the 39 years its actually been since a European won it :)Its difficult to say why a European hasn't won it in so long. We've certainly had the players to do it and there are plenty of Europeans playing on the US tour these days so you can't use the excuse that they don't know how the course will be set up. Plenty of players have gone close so it does seem very strange that no-one's been able to go that extra inch and win it. One thing's for sure I don't think it will be long till we have another European winning it. I think the Europeans should feel a boost from Padraig winning a few majors the last couple of years and Stenson winning the Players Championship and hopefully that will give them a bit of added determination to do well and challenge. Tue 16 Jun 2009 12:36:03 GMT+1 http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/robhodgetts/2009/06/westwood_looks_to_tame_beast_of_bethpage.html?page=5#comment3 Bar Stenson's victory at Sawgrass and Casey's meteoric rise 2009 hasn't been a vintage year from the Europe big names.Harrington, Sergio, Karlsson and Westwood, four of this continents star performers from last season, have all been average (at best in Padraig's case).Bethpage offers the perfect oppurtunity for the above names to put their disappointing seasons behind them with a commendable performance or even a win. Rob, are you lucky enough to be heading to New York? Tue 16 Jun 2009 12:31:46 GMT+1 http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/robhodgetts/2009/06/westwood_looks_to_tame_beast_of_bethpage.html?page=3#comment2 Nice article, Rob, but Lee may look back on 2008 as the US Open that got away.His long game is invariably world class but, if his wedge game is iffy, it's sadly difficult to fancy his chances as his putting is seldom much better than average. Top twenty finish likely; top three? Not so much.(madeiraman: Brian Davis may be in form but he's not in the US Open.) Tue 16 Jun 2009 11:13:36 GMT+1 http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/robhodgetts/2009/06/westwood_looks_to_tame_beast_of_bethpage.html?page=1#comment1 I'm not sure where Westy is getting his positives from..?This season he has at least 4 starts with 36 hole leads or being 2nd / 3rd and he has blown up with poor play or wrong choice shots.He used to be my ' wildcard' choice for years, but I think his best games are behind him , he will, sorry to say be an also ran.The only Brits in form are Poulter, Casey and Brian Davis, good luck to them. Tue 16 Jun 2009 10:22:01 GMT+1 http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/robhodgetts/2009/06/westwood_looks_to_tame_beast_of_bethpage.html?page=0#comment0 Can anyone answer the question as to why a European has not won the US Open in so long? 9 years is a hell of a long time. Tue 16 Jun 2009 09:51:57 GMT+1