"Underdogs" documentary about the 2009 Open Championship

[avrag]

I have just watched the documentary "Underdogs" , which tells the story of the 2009 Open. I thought it was a good one, I really like Stewart Cink now. 😄 
To be fair, even back then, although I wanted Watson to win, it was sad how much disrespect and even hatred was aimed at Cink at the time. The documentary puts things in perspective. 

 

Trigger warning: It contains about 3 minutes in total of Brandel Chamblee talking. 

[iBanesto]

 

[avrag]

4 minutes ago, iBanesto said:

 

 

To be honest: At the time, I felt just as much despair for Westwood as a I did for Watson.  

[Hawkeye77]

I still can't watch the final round broadcast so sounds good, but not putting myself through it, lol.

[KennyP]

The worst thing is that Watson flushed his second to 18. If he'd have hit a shocker, I wouldn't have felt so bad for him. 

[iBanesto]

22 hours ago, KennyP said:

The worst thing is that Watson flushed his second to 18. If he'd have hit a shocker, I wouldn't have felt so bad for him. 

 

 

[naval2006]

Very sad story for me when Tom hit it over and then he couldn't recover from the back of the green.  And true there was a bit of hatred for Cink at the time.  I felt sorry for him too at that moment because the news was Tom Watson at 59 almost winning the Open.  Hardly anyone talked about the winner and his merit. But Cink has always showed integrity after that, and these days I believe many Tom fans sympathise with him.   

[alittleoverpar]

I remember it clearly.  It was a sad day.  It came down to Watson's nemesis, the 5-6 footers.  He always seemed to struggle with that length of putt.

[ColinKelvin]

I thought this was a pretty poor effort. Loads of hyperbole from the inevitable talking heads and not enough footage of golf shots (almost none from Cink, bizarrely -for example, he missed a really short putt near the end). It wouldn't have been as bad if I didn't have to look at Chamblee (with a bloodshot stye in one of his eyes), Rich Lerner and their buddies relaxing in smart-casual chino gear in a lounge more than, you know, the 2009 Open being played out. I had to fast forward some of it. They also had Zinger quoting his own commentary before immediately showing the clip.

 

There was no mention or footage of Westwood (who had a long putt to win on the last and missed a putt for the playoff) or the fact that Ross Fisher had a three shot lead in the final round when Watson had a rough start - a big part of the story of the last day.  They had the Cink v Watson story to tell, and boy did they stick to it. (Cink, unsurprisingly, came across as a nice guy).

 

3/10, could do much better.

Edited July 15 by ColinKelvin

[PedronNiall]

9 hours ago, ColinKelvin said:

I thought this was a pretty poor effort. Loads of hyperbole from the inevitable talking heads and not enough footage of golf shots (almost none from Cink, bizarrely -for example, he missed a really short putt near the end). It wouldn't have been as bad if I didn't have to look at Chamblee (with a bloodshot stye in one of his eyes), Rich Lerner and their buddies relaxing in smart-casual chino gear in a lounge more than, you know, the 2009 Open being played out. I had to fast forward some of it. They also had Zinger quoting his own commentary before immediately showing the clip.

 

There was no mention or footage of Westwood (who had a long putt to win on the last and missed a putt for the playoff) or the fact that Ross Fisher had a three shot lead in the final round when Watson had a rough start - a big part of the story of the last day.  They had the Cink v Watson story to tell, and boy did they stick to it. (Cink, unsurprisingly, came across as a nice guy).

 

3/10, could do much better.

 

 

 

A much better watch covering all the big happenings. Gives good perspective, including Cink having been fully aware of needing to leave it short on 18 to hold the green. He pulled off the shot he had to, and Watson unfortunately put it all the way onto the green like Chris Wood a half hour before, to the same result. 

 

Definitely was a tournament that did a good job of speaking for itself. 

[joe perry]

I remember that Watson made more than a few very long putts during the week to be in the lead at the end 

 

it was an abnormality and of course I wanted him to win but 59 year olds don’t putt like that unless  the stars align  

 

[Buddon _Burn]

On 7/14/2025 at 12:31 PM, Hawkeye77 said:

I still can't watch the final round broadcast so sounds good, but not putting myself through it, lol.

I just rewatched large parts of it and can confirm it is still very unpleasant. So much to say but it's all been said before.

[munichop]

I have always preferred to think Watson played as well as anyone and tied for first that year. The playoff for me was secondary. I was never his biggest fan but no one since Peter Thompson played links as well as him. There was one shot in particular I remember him hitting on the back 9, a par 3 down wind with a forced carry over a pot bunker. No one could hold the green but he did by cutting the ball up in the air and landing it exactly where he needed to get a birdie chance. It was a subtle, masterful use of trajectory,spin and wind.

SC never got the credit he deserved for that back 9 Sunday and the playoff.

[OBbogey5]

On 7/15/2025 at 3:01 AM, iBanesto said:

 

 

That first bounce was criminal

[Llortamaisey]

No one will probably agree with me, it feels like TW’s career was better than average even without the 2009 Open. 

[Hawkeye77]

6 hours ago, Llortamaisey said:

No one will probably agree with me, it feels like TW’s career was better than average even without the 2009 Open. 

 

He's easily in the top 10 of professional golfers in history - who wouldn't agree?

[iBanesto]

8 hours ago, Llortamaisey said:

No one will probably agree with me, it feels like TW’s career was better than average even without the 2009 Open. 

 

Yeah Tiger Woods did ok without the 2009 Open win.

 

[iBanesto]

1 hour ago, Hawkeye77 said:

 

He's easily in the top 10 of professional golfers in history - who wouldn't agree?

 

8 majors on its own is greater than most golf careers.

 

[J-Blade]

I liked the documentary. Sure, the Watson/Cink thing has been discussed ad nauseum, but I've always liked Cink and I didn't know much of his backstory, particularly his wife's battle with stage 4 cancer. My wife is a 3x cancer survivor, so that part really hit home. 

[WorkItBothWays]

On 7/14/2025 at 12:39 PM, KennyP said:

The worst thing is that Watson flushed his second to 18. If he'd have hit a shocker, I wouldn't have felt so bad for him. 

The par putt was a total shocker. Felt awful for him at the time.

[Llortamaisey]

15 hours ago, Hawkeye77 said:

 

He's easily in the top 10 of professional golfers in history - who wouldn't agree?

It feels like some guys talk about the 2009 open as if Cink ruined Tommy’s career.