Congratulations to Ireland’s Shane Lowry, who battled wind, rain and heavy storms to take home the famous Claret Jug and win the 148th Open Championship on 21st July, held in Royal Portrush, Northern Ireland.
With 237,000 fans lining the fairways throughout the tournament, two-thirds of which were Irish, Lowry held his nerve to win by six shots and enjoy a well-deserved standing ovation at the 18th hole.
Indeed, NTT DATA – an Offical Patron of The Open 2019 – was able to use unique artificial intelligence technology to analyse the crowd’s emotional reactions in the Spectator Village throughout the four days of play. Unsurprisingly, Lowry’s winning putt was day four’s most popular moment with an 83% positive reaction.
Of course, we also collated Lowry’s other impressive stats throughout the tournament, with the Irishman top of the pile for birdie hit rate (32%) and ‘green in regulation’ shots (80%) – with his longest drive clocking in at a respectable 300 yards.
A centrepiece of fan engagement
With up to 70 players competing on the course simultaneously during The Open finals, it can be difficult to keep track of which player just saved par, chipped out of a bunker for a birdie or got stuck in the rough. Thankfully for spectators, there was a main focal point to make sure they didn’t miss a single exciting moment during the tournament.
Located in the heart of the Spectator Village, the NTT DATA Wall – now in its sixth year at The Open – was once again a centrepiece of fan engagement. Displaying live data that’s automatically tagged to the broadcast feed within half a second, the NTT DATA Wall allowed fans to see each thrilling moment captured, analysed and visualised at lightning speed. With 8 billion data points collected throughout the tournament, we enabled fans to dive deeper into the drama than ever before.
Mini Wall and augmented reality
A new addition to this year’s tournament was the Mini Wall in the NTT DATA Pavilion. A miniaturised version of the main NTT DATA Wall, it boasts the same high resolution as the giant outdoor screen. Spectators could enjoy all the insights of the NTT DATA Wall with one added bonus – shelter from the rain!
However, it wasn’t just those lucky enough to be at the tournament who were able to join in the fun. Outside our Head Office, located at the Royal Exchange in London, golf enthusiasts could view the NTT DATA Wall through augmented reality via their smartphones – another example of our commitment to bringing a fresh, compelling experience to fans.
We’re already eagerly anticipating The Open Championship 2020 – held in Royal St. George’s, Kent – and finding new ways to enhance the exciting entertainment provided on the course. At NTT DATA we’re dedicated to taking fans’ enjoyment and understanding of sport to the next level – through innovative technologies that provide unforgettable experiences.