Lyle's walkout
Join the debate on Sandy's decision to quit Open
Last updated: 18th July 2008
Lyle: Abandoned his Open challenge after just nine holes
Sandy Lyle managed only nine holes of the first round at Royal Birkdale before deciding to pull out of the 137th Open Championship.
The 1985 champion headed out in arguably the worst of the conditions on Thursday and decided to call it a day after a triple-bogey dropped him back to 11-over-par.
But what do you think of his decision to quit?
Is it any way for a professional sportsman and a former winner of golf's most prestigious tournament to behave?
What about the spectators who had braved the ugliest of weather? Should Lyle have carried on regardless?
What about Mark Brown, of New Zealand who was on stand-by to step in should someone pull out?
Let us know your thoughts using the form below
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Comments
Lee Rafter says...
As a fan of sandy lyle for many many years i found his walking off the course very sad,but for a man of his standng in the game to take this action couldnt have been an easy decision to make.He will always be a legend who inspired many people to take up golf and should be remembered for all the good things he has done not just one bad thing
Posted 21:31 21st July 2008
Trevor Martin says...
i thought it was a disgrace for sandy lyle to walk off. he has let himself and his fans down. i think he should not be included in next years open at turnberry.
Posted 20:39 21st July 2008
Philip Godden says...
What is he a man or a mouse. ALL true sportsman play in all weathers. The only time you quit in golf is in a thunder storm. If the spectataors can bear the weather( and they are paying him the prize money) then so should he, the woos.
Posted 11:57 21st July 2008
Tim Boxall says...
I don't think Injury can be used as an excuse bearing in mind Padraig's wrist,and Tiger's knee !! It is true to say that if the weather was so bad that he could not play golf well enough then surely the course would have been deemed unplayable and all the pkayers would have to quit for the day? As for the comment from the guy about amatuer golfers don't kow what they are talking about, this guy should remember that he was once an amatuer and without us there would be no game at all. His attitude is very sad and he should crawl back under a rock where he will no doubt find all the other so called pro spotstmen who think they are better than the game. Sandy is a great bloke and he has made a very stupid error of judgement. We will forgive him because golf is played by decent people (in the main). The press should leave him alone now and stop going on about the Ryder cup because this had nothing to do with that.
Posted 10:39 21st July 2008
John Sarjeant says...
Very tough to say what he should do, but I think that professional pride and courtesy should lead to playing 18 holes and then calling it a day, but it is nothing to be terribly excited about, one way or the other.
Posted 08:06 21st July 2008
Judith Cook says...
i think that sandy should have finished the round,then if he wanted to quit he should have quit before the next round.i have been playing sport since i was 11,and i have only quitted once and that was because i had done a full blown hamstring.and i am 51
Posted 16:29 20th July 2008
Mike Abbott says...
Lyle withdrawing was absolutely appalling in many ways. I was a fan before this and simply just can't believe he'd do something like this, it's a real shame. What makes it worse is he'll now come out and make some lame excuse like an injury etc
Posted 09:00 20th July 2008
Billy t Fish says...
Sandy Lyle has the right to do whatever he wants. This is professional sport, he has qualified by right to be there as a former winner, this is in the rules and regulations of exemption/qualification etc. As usual, you amateur club golfers have no idea what you are talking about, this has nothing to do with Mark Brown being next reserve, it is about Sandy Lyle's perogative to do whatever he wishes in a tournament he has qualified for, there are no invites to the Open!!!! It is obvious to anyone that he must have been totally gutted to have walked off, but his decision is his alone and nothing to do with anyone else. Sorry, but Mark Brown didn't qualify, nor did I, but tough luck, all qualifiers have the right to do what they want.
Posted 02:45 20th July 2008
Alec Savory says...
I thought it was a disgrace that he pulled out the way he did. It is bad enough quitting as an ameteur and letting your playing partners down.The fact he is proffessional he has not only let his playing partners down, he has let the spectators down and the millions of armchair viewers at home. I would imagine it is probably a decision that he now regrets!
Posted 09:42 19th July 2008
Mark Hill says...
As someone who has followed Sandy Lyle for some time i was shocked by his decision to walk off. Unfortunately to me its just confirms what we all know sports starts from all sports are over paid. If only we could all walk away from our jobs when having a tough day then turn back up a few days later as if nothing had happened. Sign of the times !!!!!!!!!!
Posted 08:57 19th July 2008
Charles Yates says...
Sandy has taken the place of another golfer who could have gained experience from having a place in The Open. He should respect that other golfers would love to play in the World's best golf comp. They should make him go through qualifying next year and then we will see how good his game is then. Sandy - Masters legend from the 80's - disapointment to all 20 years later.
Posted 06:42 19th July 2008
Harry Siddons says...
sandy lyle dosnt have to prove anything, he has won them all, and dosnt need an excuse to come off the golf course.
Posted 23:58 18th July 2008
Chris Hall says...
I must say I was very suprised by his actions.As others have said it would be more understandable if the chap was an american whos only bad weather play was if its a tad breezy but he is a scot who would have been brought up in these conditions . Pro golfers play these links course with a geat advantage to us mere mortals ...if there ball goes off the fairways for us we have to find it ourselves but they have spotters and the crowd to point them toward there wayward shot. Now it seems the want the most perfect contions.One other thing I would love to play on this course , if i saved my hard earned cash to pay the inflated prices some or our best courses charge do you think i would walk off ...........???
Posted 20:37 18th July 2008
Mark Brosnan says...
It's a catch 22, Most golfers have played with someone hacking it around and having a nightmare. I'd say 99.9% would rather the guy just gave it up rather than drag the rest of the group down. The folks that say he should have continued maybe should think about that.
Posted 14:29 18th July 2008
Cedric Winston-bowes says...
I must say i was thoroughly disappointed in the actions of Sandy. I do understand his predicament with having to wear glasses, however i believe he simply was having a bad round in terrible conditions and should have tried to consolidate. I believe walking in admitting defeat after 9 is much more embarrassing that finishing the round in the high 80's, or worse! I hope, with reflection, he accepts it was the wrong decision....
Posted 12:31 18th July 2008
Phil Sheeran says...
I think Sandy Lyle is an embarrassment to the UK. I would expect this kind of attitude from our friends over the pond but for a Scot to pull out of competition just because of the weather is a disgrace. Maybe he has been playing in Spain for the last couple of years and he just can't hack it anymore....pathetic!!!!!
Posted 12:29 18th July 2008
Gordon Robinson says...
A total lack of respect for the game, the tournament, his playing partners and whoever could have taken his place on the waiting list. The guy is obviously a prima-donna, as a person living in Scotland I've always been proud of him, but no more - he should be banned forever from events and as a future Ryder Cup captain - a joke, who is going to respect anyone who throws his toys out of the pram cos the winds blowing, it's raining and he's playing crap! Please spare me from him ever being an "expert" pundit too.
Posted 12:18 18th July 2008
Cillian Aherne says...
Its the most disrespectful act any golfer can do! A simple solution to this is never invite him back again because there is no way he will qualify. Tom Watson was out at the same time as Sandy and he stuck it out regardless. That why Tom is a legend. Rich Beam also walked off. What a clown!
Posted 11:59 18th July 2008
David Barrass says...
If I was a professional golfer and did not qualify for the Open but was the reserve list to enter should someone drop out, then seeing Sandy Lyle walking off after nine holes. I would be extremly angry that I have missed out. I agree with other comments, what sort of message does this send out to youngsters watching. He should be barred from entering all European competitions for a year including the seniors.
Posted 11:45 18th July 2008
Dave Dawdle says...
Can you imagine Jack Nicklaus or any of the "Greats" doing this. If he were injured fair enough but to just throw in the towel is truly depressing.
Posted 10:57 18th July 2008
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