Inability to ‘ finish rounds’ leaves DeLaet frustrated
Graham DeLaet’s four- round bout with the Road Hole is mercifully over, and not a moment too soon. It won, by unanimous decision. “It was kind of the story of the week. It was just super disappointing,” a still steaming DeLaet said, after playing his last three holes bogey, double bogey, bogey for a 75 in the Open Championship’s final round.
“I can’t finish rounds right now. I don’t know what the heck is going on. It’s been two months of this and it’s pretty frustrating,” said the 33- year- old from Weyburn, Sask., who finished the week’s struggle at 1 under par 287.
He played the famed Road Hole, No. 17, in 5 over par for the week. His double bogey Monday couldn’t match Phil Mickelson’s triple, after the lefty cranked a sweeping hook onto a balcony of the Old Course Hotel while sitting two shots out of the lead, but still ...
“It was playing hard,” said DeLaet, whose approach shot ran into the deep Road Bunker. “I wasn’t trying to hit it where I hit it off the tee, but I had hybrid in and ... if you’re in that bunker up against the lip, it’s impossible.
“All I could do was just get it out and I still had a tough fourth, and it’s a double, and then I hit a fat wedge on 18 and then my lag putting was terrible all day. Not a good day.”
Asked if he could remember a week when he hit it better and scored worse, he said, “Yeah last week and the week before and the week before that. It’s tough right now because it’s so fresh, I just got off 18. I know I’m hitting the ball well and I’m playing well, but you can’t score unless you can get it done around the greens. My short game was absolutely terrible all week, and I’ve got to figure it out.”
The other Canadian in the field, David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., missed the 36- hole cut by three strokes.
PHIL THE THRILL
The joke about the 17th hole is that the tee shot should be hit over the ‘ o’ in the “Old Course Hotel” sign on the dark green rail shed in front of the tee box. Except there’s three of them.
When Mickelson’s drive flew in the balcony and stayed there, it looked like fodder for a good comedy skit, but he put a positive spin ( forgive the pun) on it.
“The good news is that as I stood up there, I trusted the swing. I hit a good, solid shot. It just overdrew a little bit,” he said. A little bit? “I was trying to draw it around the corner. It wasn’t like it was a horrific shot, I just overturned it. And the good thing about that is, usually when I get in that situation, the miss is way left.”
So, missing way right is better, when all the trouble is to the right. Sure, Phil.
AMATEUR HOURS
Early in the day, the top 10 on the leaderboard featured nine major champions and four amateurs: 54hole co- leader Paul Dunne of Ireland, Ashley Chesters of England and Americans Jordan Niebrugge and Ollie Schniederjans.
Niebrugge, 21, who plays at Oklahoma State, won the silver medal as top amateur in the Open, 67- 73- 6770 to finish 11- under- par, five shots better than third- round co- leader Paul Dunne or Ireland, for whom the occasion seemed a little too big Monday.
“Amazing final day as an amateur,” said Schniederjans, 2014’ s No. 1 ranked amateur in the world, who has declared that he’ll turn pro at this week’s RBC Canadian Open.
“Couldn’t ask for anything more special, feeling like I belonged out here and watching my name go up the leaderboard on Sunday. I mean, that’s incredible. Extremely special day, and I’m ready to go. My game is in the best place it’s been ever.”
TRAINING WHEELS
Schniederjans said amateurs come out of the college system more Tour- ready now than ever before.
“You have to learn how to handle so much, stay organized, and then you travel and you play some very difficult courses. You play in tough conditions against the other best amateurs in the world, and you also have to handle your school obligations. You’ve got to learn how to manage your life. When you’re done with school, it feels like this is easy.”