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Two solid par rounds from Clarke would do very nicely by the sounds of the weekend conditions!

Kaymer is going to take the title, I can just feel it. The elegant fader is perfect for this course, although the wind and rain might be a little unfamiliar to him. Mcilroy has been over-hyped, as always. Probably the most talented player since Tiger Woods, but people have ruined his chances by comparing him with Woods, probably the best golfer ever. Obviously, I was hoping he could repeat Woods success years ago but 4 titles in a row - thats inhuman. Just let him play golf, he's won a major, be satisfied with that, don't start comparing him to masters, he's only a young boy with talent. Meanwhile, even if Woods came back at 50 percent of what he was he would be better than any golfer on the planet, so I've got my heart in my mouth.

I want to come on and give my predictions on who I think will win, but with the wind picking up I feel it could be any one of the people that make the cut. I wouldnt begrudge Darren Clarke a win, he's had a tough couple of years and would be a great comeback.

To totally do the opposite from what im saying though, I think the winners gonna come from Martin Kaymer, Charl Schwartzel or Dustin Johnson. Ive got a sneaky feeling for Johnson, the only thing putting me off is the bbc commentators telling me he is ill all day. Whatever happens, I hope its a memorable finish !!!

How close is this Open with just 7 shots separating all the players going into the weekend!! As a Northern Irishman I would love to see Darren use his undoubted links expertise to win the 140th Open but history would suggest that whilst his game is sound his mental strength isn't. Unfortunately I don't think Rory's game is suited to poor weather so we will have to look others to show their metal in order to win. For me players like Texans Chad Campbell and Ryan Palmer are strong contenders this weekend and I know Jason Day likes his links golf so I will plump for one of those three. Any which way its going to be a very interesting 2 days and whoever wins this will be a very worthy winner.

If the weather forecast is anywhere near correct, then this will really open the field up. Possible level par might be a good score and that could play in a solid player like Jacobson or someone who can hold it together whilst everyone else falters (Phil Mickelson).

In rough weather it will become a lottery. Looking at it, anyone who made the cut now has a chance to win. There are only 7 shots between the entire field left.

Sergio seems to be enjoying himself more than most, not something which has been noticeable for a while. But the wind and the rain.... we'll have to see. Punditry is having a bad Open so far but, given that the half way casualties mostly looked as though they were definitely not enjoying Sandwich, enjoyment may be the key to survival. I wonder how they might all have managed if the wind got up as it did in Reg Whitcombe's 1938 Open and blew the marquees down!

Ball-striking will be the order of the day and so less importance on the putting I think, so Sergio's definitely in with a shout. Regardless of the hype, McIlroy is very well placed, maybe Rock to stand solid in the wind...

I am not a massive golf fan and would not normally follow until the last day but this is different. The course is so different from the normal beautiful manicured ones you see so many of in the US and the wind and today the rain - it really seems to sort out the men from the boys. This is so absorbing I cannot tear myself away.

Charl is a good bet. I think Love III and Lehman will be up there as well.

Disappointed to see Lee and Luke out.

Its a real tough one as would love Clarke to win but have had a bet on Lucas Glover at 200-1 so would be happy to see him win as well.

Could see some big score racked up today and tomorrow so still wide open.

I fancy Clarke or Stickler as both hit the ball low naturally. McIlroy, Fowler and most of the others are high carry hitters and I think the wind will blow them apart.

I have to agree with people saying Schwartzel is looking pretty good, and I've said Day is playing well all year. Obviously backing the 1-2 finishers from Augusta isn't exactly pushing the boat out, so I'll pop a shout for Lehman in there as well.

Should be good...

It's going to be carnage out there today. You can't win the Open today but a whole load of big names will lose it with the likes of Mickelson, Clarke and Jiminez all likely to shoot rounds in the high 70s. I've no idea who's going to win but it could well be a score of 2/3 over that takes the honour tomorrow afternoon.

"I heard one of the players I played with in a practice round today say, 'links golf, I love it'" said Watson. "All we do all year is just play yardage, ball, air, flag, yardage. Here you get the yardage but then you start thinking, 'what do you do?' 'How am I going to get there? Where do I get this ball where I want it to go?' Sometimes you just can't get it there."

Irrespective of who wins, I think the most important thing is that the course is not going to be "eaten up",the weather has played its part, and players have to really think.

Surely, the top majors should be as hard as possible, enough rough and bunkers in play to deter the power guys (surely the game is primarily about skill ?) whilst being fair in things like pin positions.

Sit back and enjoy

Rain and more rain today producing very difficult conditions.....not just in Kent but everywhere. So we have lots of club golfers eager to see how the worlds best cope. Instead, interminable interviews. Why can't the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ provide live coverage for our greatest UK golf event ?

bbc coverage started at 10am its now 11am and we haven't seen a ball struck yet. What is going on. I'd like to see some golf not listen endlessly to great and the good talking about it.

pull your finger out beeb

Every single one of the experts' picks missed the cut. hmmm:

Yes, John, it's proper golf, much more enjoyable than the modern inland course. I like the quote from Tom Watson above. Some of the heathland courses come close though. And it should be hard, it is the top Major after all.

Would love to see one of the old stagers win this time, Tom Watson, Darren Clarke, M-A Jiminez, Thomas Bjorn. It might be quite appropriate if a Spaniard won this year - I wish Sergio would finally get it together to win one, very few bogeys, if he could get his putter going.... Or one of the real young ones - Rory McIlroy, Ricky Fowler looks to have the temperament, Tom Lewis - if he could get out of his head the expectations of everyone that amateurs and 20 year olds don't win, then he could do it - what a story that would be.

Well, the forecast says it's an excellent weekend to be sitting watching it all on TV.

this is the worst open coverage i've ever seen..absolute rubbish

@ Artistsview number 5

Rory is far more gifted than tiger woods, tiger woods greatest ever???hes not even near to jacks record of 18 majors, so how ytou have come to that conclusion is beyond me.

Rory is a far better ball striker than woods, better swing, and if he gets woods mental strenght he will surpass woods. Dont forget when woods won the masters in 1997, it took him a while to win a major. Rory could have and perhaps should have won 3 at the age of 22, if thats not talent then i dont know what is.

Woods is a nasty person in everyway on and off the course, so stop worshipping some sinking ship from the past and support the great european golfers such as kaymer, rory, manessero etc...

I have tuned in to watch the golf all i can see is so called experts yaking on for over a hour I want to watch golf not listen to this rubbish

1 hour 26 mins into the program and we finally see a shot!

Yes I agree the coverage has been swamped by a lot of irrelevant waffle, anyway for what its worth I believe Jason Day and Simon Dyson are good outside bets to come through and lift the Claret Jug.

How many slow motion shots of people under umbrellas or kids eating ice cream can be shown before somebody at the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ realises they are ruining a potentially exciting days golf.
Terrible coverage. It's getting worse every year.

This is the worst ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Open coverage ever but it has nothing to do with the weather! Aimless shots of the course, players walking the length of a hole, pictures of umbrellas etc lead me to believe that they are pandering to the Americans by allowing them time for an advertising break. Come on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ there are loads of golfers on the course so let's see them playing!

The commentary so far as told us that the big British names at the top of the world rankings have all gone home having missed the cut.

Why can't the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ now focus on some of our other British players like Robert Rock. He hasn't done much this year apart from winning the Italian Open and making the cut in his first US Open, ( and because he arrived unavoidabley late and jet lagged, didn't even have time for a practice round.

Come on let's hear it for RockyQ!!

What has happened to the "World Number 1 & 2"?
How can they play so well one week and so bad at the Majors? Dreadful display by Donald and Westwood!

Nice to see our Northern Ireland golfers doing so well. Just remember that I come from the Southern part of Ireland and the golf levy I have paid per year over the past 40 years has helped create/foster the McIlroys, McDowells, Clarkes & Harringtons to be the golfers they are today. You must remember that the GUI (The Golfing Union of Ireland) is based on the whole of Ireland and not just the Northen part as some ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ comentators seem to think.

Weather similar to Burnley GC where Captain Michael Bentley has had to abandon his Captains Day. Question Why do pros not wear wet ones ie specialist wet weather gloves

Can we get a comment from the great Peter Allis pse

I'm finding the coverage of the Bjorg and Jimenez game abysmal. We'er lucky to see a single stroke per hole. It's worse than watching highlights ! Lots of shots of the crowds though.

I tend to agree with the adverse comments about the coverage. Still miles better than the coverage we get on American events, but less of the "arty" stuff and more shots being shown please. I also thought the first part of today's coverage was wasted. I don't mind some discussion, but show us pictures of the play, not the discussion group.

And don't forget it's advert free!

the bbc coverage is so bad, prefer to show players walking down the fairway than playing shots, 10 of the top 20 have hardly been seen today.

The Irish are on top again...when will these guys give the rest of the world a chance.

Well done Darren Clarke!

Trust me to back the wrong North Irishman. But surely its not too late to recover !!

Great Open coverage on the iplayer allowing me to work and watch.
I don’t understand why our local Midlands star Rocky who is doing great is never mentioned or seen.
We have had hours of less successful golfers that never made the cut but nothing of our Rocky who did and is a definite contender. If he dose win it will be great and the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ will have to find some footage.

#21,

Ifs and buts. LOL!

Do you think it's easy to win a major? Any one of 150 players can win!!!


It's possible that Donald and Westwood will never win a major. It's possible that Rory will not win another major.

It would be difficult to be more wrong so far if I tried with my predictions.I thought an englishman would win and dyson is the closest and miles back and to be fair didn't give the americans a prayer.As I am from Northern Ireland (there are 1 and 1/2 million of us approx) I am glad to see that DC has a chance to make it 3 different NORTHERN Irish major winners within 14 odd months.odds anyone feb 2010?
Go on darren,what a story also for the big lad if he does it!