SPIETH’S SURGE COMES TOO LATE
But American star is looking forward to The Open after his putter finally gets hot again
THIS time last year all the talk at the US Open was about the Fab Four. This year, Rory McIlroy, Jason Day and defending champion Dustin Johnson fluffed their lines completely, while Jordan Spieth finally found his voice when it was too late.
Talk about the fickle nature of the Royal and Ancient game.
A significant wind was blowing when Spieth made his way to the first tee for the final round yesterday, knowing he would be finished before his buddies Justin Thomas and Rickie Fowler had even got started.
It’s rather been this way of late for the personable Texan. We always wondered what would happen to the 23-year- old when he stopped making every 20-foot putt he looked at and his anonymous performance here delivered the answer.
Over the 72 holes, however, there was enough evidence to suggest that we might see the real Spieth at The Open at Royal Birkdale next month. It was a tough morning to play as the significant breeze finally offered Erin Hills some much-needed protection and yet Spieth missed only one green in regulation. At the start, he said to his caddie Michael Greller that anything under the par of 72 would be a great score. He signed for a 69. The difference was the return of a little magic with the putter. ‘I think because the conditions made putting difficult I lowered my expectations and that really helped,’ he said. ‘It’s what I have been working on but of course it’s easier said than done in practice. Now I’ve got a bit of confidence again that I can take forward for the rest of the summer. I’m hoping this will prove just what I needed.’
Another contented camper was Ernie Els, who made it through to the weekend in his 99th consecutive major. The South African who has seen and done it all doesn’t know whether he will be back next year. Unlike the Masters and The Open, this major doesn’t offer an exemption until the age of 60 for former champions. Surely, though, even the blazers at the United States Golf Association will wake up to the fact that if ever a man deserved a special exemption — they hand them out occasionally to deserving cases — it’s Els.
‘You do wonder whether it’s time to pack up when the starter on the first tee announces your name and then says, “1994 and 1997 US Open champion”,’ he said, smiling. ‘ Man, I almost ran off that tee. I was looking at a photograph with me and my father taken after my win 20 years ago and it’s amazing to think he was practically the same age then as I am now. I looked across at my playing partner and wondered whether he was even born when I won.’
Els’s amusing ruminations on the passing of time extended to seemingly not knowing his own age. On a couple of occasions he referred to himself as 48 when, in fact, he is 47. He is now on his way to London — he loves being at Wentworth almost as much as his native land — for a rest before that landmark 100th major in Southport.
Listening to the American media yesterday morning, you’d have thought it was blowing a hoolie. They gathered among the early finishers for horror stories and naturally they didn’t get one from Lee Westwood. ‘It was hard out there this morning but it was very playable,’ said the veteran Englishman. ‘There was a score to be made if you hit it well enough.’
Westwood hit it well enough but his putting let him down, as he finished with a 76. After 18 appearances where he has done everything bar win, it’s not surprising Westwood has a special affinity with this event, even if Erin Hills was not among his favourite venues. He faces a struggle to be exempt for any more from this point onwards but happily indicated he is up for the fight. ‘There are a few good ones coming up at traditional venues like Shinnecock, Winged Foot, Oakmont and Congressional, and I am looking forward to those,’ he said.
Given the one at Congressional is scheduled for 2027, you have to admire his optimism.
Westwood was another on his way home by the time Tommy Fleetwood began his challenge to become only the third Englishman after Tony Jacklin in 1970 and Justin Rose in 2013 to win this title since 1925.
The 26-year- old from Southport began well enough, following up a safe par at the first by confidently stroking home a 12-foot birdie putt at the second. It was his playing partner, big-hitting American Brooks Koepka, however, who leapt out of the gate. He picked up two shots in his first seven holes to move level with the overnight leader, the quietly impressive left-hander, Brian Harman.
Fleetwood bogeyed the third and the sixth, after failing to get down in two
from the back of the green, to fall three behind the joint leaders at this stage with crowd favourite Rickie Fowler two adrift.
Not surprisingly after his heroics on Saturday, Justin Thomas was struggling to follow up his wondrous 63, dropping three shots in his first six holes to fall five off the pace. Clearly, the pep talk he received from Spieth just before teeing off wasn’t doing him much good.