The great amateur Bobby Jones wrote in Down the Fairway, "...the toughest opponent of them all on the golf course is Old Man Par." He realized after several failings in competitive golf that if he was to succeed he needed to beat in order: par, himself, the golf course and lastly, the competition. He learned how to win...and win he did. 12 Majors in 8 years.
On this Sunday past at the 110th US Open at Pebble Beach, Our Lady of the Shrine of Golf, protected par for four days from the best golfers in the world. Those in pursuit of the holy grail of professional golf, the US Open Championship, should have read Bobby's words prior to the Open. Instead the elite forgot about maintaining a par mentality and frankly looked mentally unprepared and emotionally naive for Open conditions, particularly on the final day. Dustin Johnson, the third round leader by 3 and the author of the clumsily stupid score of 82 (11 over) for the Sunday climax, is Exhibit A. Score big for the Lady with a heavy assist from USGA course set-up man, Mike Davis.
On Pebble's grand stage, Davis conspired with the Lady to present an environment for championship golf that would negate the advantages of juiced up balls, swing coaches, new age equipment, exercise regimens, psychologists, flat tummies, G5s, money beyond measure and light winds. Davis's deft touch of our Lady's cleavage defended par till the 72nd hole on Sunday evening. Which begs the question, is the simple recipe for protecting par: one part "graduated" rough, two teaspoons of water and three parts skinny fairways? Is that all that is needed to protect par at these grand venues? That seems to be the USGA's current trend since The Open returns to a "shorty" 6900 yard Merion CC in 2013. Heck, with Davis in charge of course set-up, alot of old golf course gems could be pressed into service for hosting future Opens. You see for Davis, the Open course set up is a brilliantly conceived agronomic exercise executed by the green staff.
This simple recipe made the talented field look inept and totally off their game. Sunday's overall performance from the field was atrocious. But how delicious it was for those of us who love the course venues more than love the field. In the end, the course endures while the players fade away. But the players didn't sit quietly.
As usual, we heard the customary bellyaching from the usual suspects during and after the championship. The greens were "terrible." The approaches were "like concrete." The added bunkers were "unnatural and unnecessary." #14 green was "unplayable." In some circles...all true. But it sounds like sour grapes to me. The players moaned, sans one, while the Lady silently demurred. She murmured "scoreboard."
On the 72nd green on Father's Day every year, the best of the golfing field is recognized and that is what an USGA's mission is. To identify the best in the field. There can be only one Open champion and Graeme McDowell was that champ this past Father's Day. His score? He was even par for the tournament. He was contemplative, strategic, skillful and respectful. All the ingredients needed for Open final success. Did you expect anything less from an Irishman (albeit Northern but same island and same musical dialect)?
So the 110th US Open is over. The bruised players bugged out of town as fast as possible on their private jets except for one. Graeme, his Dad and his Irish clan we're slugging down River Liffey water while belting out Danny Boy at Brophy's with trophy in hand...in ecstasy. While back at Pebble, the Lady slept peacefully awaiting another wake-up call in nine years for yet another assault across her loins. She yawns.
No comments:
Post a Comment