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![]() | Friday, 20 July, 2001, 07:22 GMT 08:22 UK Send us your Open verdict ![]() David Duval has stormed to victory at Royal Lytham. What's your verdict on the 130th Open? Click here for full report David Duval charged to victory in The Open with a masterful display of links golf at Royal Lytham and St Annes. The victory was Duval's first in a Major championship, and the American held firm while his rivals faltered when it mattered. With such a high number of players in contention going into the final day, many predicted a thrilling climax. It certainly was a very open Open, but was it everything you hoped it would be? What were your favourite moments? What players stood out? What did you make of David Duval's victory? Email your verdict on the 130th Open. Double congratulations. First to David Duval - a fine sportsman in every sense of the word and a worthy winner. Second, to the BBC golf coverage of the open - superb. My only question is - why can't the BBC cover the Ryder Cup? I was glad that all USA players behaved well. I frankly am embarrassed so many times by their remarks when they wander abroad. I was disappointed my two favourite Euro players did not win...Retief Goosen and Darren Clarke. Our first open and the atmosphere was great. I wish the 2001 champion golfer a great year and look forward to his defence in 2002. The links at Royal Lytham were a real test and I only wonder as a 16 handicapper what score I would have run up at the short 12th I really enjoyed the coverage of the competition. Over the last 2 rounds, I think David Duval was a worthy and deserving winner. I felt sorry for Ian Woosnam but he must take some share of the blame for not noticing he had an extra club. As for Monty, I think his last chance has gone forever.
It was a very disappointing end to the greatest golf tournament, particularly as the man who won it was the same man who was so scathing in his comments about links golf and the Open championship after his pathetic showing in the 1999 event. If ever a golfer didn't deserve an easy victory in the Open it was him. If anyone of a dozen players had applied any pressure I'm sure he would have capitulated and we'd have had to suffer another bout of his whinging. Outstanding Open. I only wish some of the challengers hadn't faltered on the back nine. It would have made for another climatic finish. My hat's off to the Brits for once again hosting this world-class event with grace and style. Congratulations to David Duval. Whilst most of us in England were cheering for a British/European winner, in the end David Duval produced a superb display of golf on Sunday to win his first Major. I would also like to congratulate the BBC on their brilliant coverage over the four days. Please get more golf on the BBC! Why did the BBC continue to show Tiger Woods when he obviously out of contention? Golf's arcane rules and gentlemen's club attitudes prove costly for Ian Woosnam. Did he get any advantage for mistakenly carrying an extra club in his bag? Technical rule breaches of this kind should be remedied appropriately and the player should not suffer such a loss. Triple gins al round.
I think the final six holes were anti climatic as more and more players made terrible mistakes and David Duval showed his skills to romp home without a fight. Here in Malaysia, we have a time difference of seven hours. For the past three nights I have been sleeping at 2.00 am, watching the live telecast from start to finish, but I called it a night at David Duval's 15th hole, because I knew that there was not going to be any more excitement. Even the commentator (Peter, I think) said that suddenly, everyone seems to be in the 'be nice to David Duval club' when all of them seemed to have collectively collapsed. The crowd was superb and not like the boisterous and sometimes even rowdy ones that we see so often in many other tournaments (not in Britain). The commentary was so enjoyable not only for their in-depth knowledge, but also for their wit and humour. You cannot find it anywhere else but in Britain. American commentators tend to churn out useless statistics, but this group that covered the Open was a class above the Americans. All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed the coverage and would like to offer my congratulations to BBC. How I wish the others are a little like you! David Duval may be perceived by some to be a little unfriendly but that is not the case at all as far as I can see it. Because his eyes are sensitive to light and he always wears protective eyewear it makes him seem a little eccentric and possibly unfriendly.
I think the "mob scene" around David (at the 18th fairway) is interesting. If that had happened in the US David probably would have emerged not only club-less but naked also! Congrats to our friends across the sea for a show of such fine sportsmanship. Good luck in the upcoming Ryder Cup matches. A great Open. The course found a way to stop Tiger. Make it short, narrow, and well roughed and a great match will ensue. I followed David Duval at St Andrews last year only to see him blow it. He is in my opinion the most complete professional on the world circuit. He has the best swing. He never exhibits delight at good shots or dismay at bad shots. He is to golf what Borg was to tennis. He deserves his victory and is the number one player in the world. Although it was a little disappointing that the Europeans faltered somewhat over the back nine, overall I thought the golf we witnessed was outstanding over such a tough course. David Duval has always struck me as quite a surly character but I think he gave one of the finest acceptance speeches in recent times. It's nice to see British fans once again recognised as among the most knowledgable and respectful in the world. So congratulations to David and the fans. |
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