Stricker skipping the British Open

Now, I've never been a fan of crybaby chokers, which Stricker most certainly is, but this is a smart move, IMHO.
He's spending the week with his wife at some lakehouse on the Great Lakes celebrating his 20th wedding anniversary.

What does the CSF think of his decision?

I am so sick and tired of hearing these warm and fuzzy stories about how Phil flew back home to see his daughter graduate or how he'll leave on the 71st hole of the US Open if his wife is delivering the baby. Now we have Steve Stricker staying home from the British Open and claiming it's because of some stupid wedding anniversary? Give me a break. They could rent a cabin the week after or celebrate it a few days late if they wanted to. The bottom line is that Stricker shanked a shot out of bounds at the US Open and he knows he doesn't have the gonads to make it through 4 days without a major choke job. Stricker just lost major points in my book. He's a big crybaby who always reminds us of how hard his life was 7 or 8 years ago when he was "struggling with his swing". Get over it.

Sorry, but I just can't stand these players who brag about being great dads or husbands and then expect us all to fall for it. You think Phil Mickelson would have flown on Southwest in a coach seat to see his daughter graduate? I think not. If he cared so much about seeing his first daughter born, why didn't he just forego the tournament altogether? Why risk missing it with a fast delivery?

I just can't believe how the public eats this stuff up. I can only imagine the other forums:
..."man, that Stricker is a stand up guy".

"He's the ultimate familiy man and everything I want to be".

"He's the full-on warrior, dude"

"I wished I looked as good as he does in Footjoy wear"

"I saw him cry once. It was real".

Whoa!!! I do look as good if not better than him in my Footjoy wear.

And I've got a bit more hair too:) 

I admire Steve Stricker and always have.  Particularly now that he's standing up to the golf world and saying: "No!  I'm not going to play your bullshit British Open mickey mouse courses.  No! I'm not going to eat that shit you call food.  Foul teeth, stale culture, crappy golf, the British Open is no longer the fourth major, the Italian Open is!!!..."

Thank you Mr. Stricker for standing up to the golf establishment and giving the Italian Open its proper due.

Having watched a good bit of coverage of the event, I think that the French Open will become accepted as the Sixth Major in less than a decade. That course in the Paris burbs was set up a lot tougher than Muirfield will play this week. And the quality of the field was formidab-bluh. Now I can see why some of these guys don't want to go over and play if they have to fly commercial. Its a dauntingly long flight and you can't smoke on the planes anymore. However Stricker and others have amassed enough bread to be able to afford their own jets or flight time shares thereof. I just think that Stricker realizes that he's passed that point age-wise where he would have a chance to hit competitive shots four straight rounds in what could be pretty awful golf conditions. And that he's probably slacking a bit waiting to turn the magic five-zero when he anticipates cashing in on the senior tour. I would give a lot to see Tom Watson kick his ass on a major setup course in match play.

I'm torn on this.
On one hand, Stricker is a serial choker in the mode of Kenny Perry. Playing the bully role in weak field events and crumbling on the big stage. His cowardly excuse of a 20 year anniversary is a clear smoke screen for avoiding exposure as a fraud who can only play in easy conditions. Seriously, after being married 20 years, it's not like he's embarking on any journey of sexual exploration. He's basically throwing his wife under the bus.

On the other hand, the British Open (as Zo has correctly pointed out), is a quirky luck-fest played on glorified cow pastures. The food is bad, the accomodations are worse, and the people have awful teeth. Not to mention the crap weather and long travel. I'm happy to see someone stand up to this antiquated joke of a major.

However, I wish he would have just been honest about it and said, "I'd rather subject myself to a week with my old bag of a wife than suffer through a week of irritable bowels, crappy golf, ugly people, and 18th century hotels for a chance to win some glorified tea pot trophy."