From amazing amateurs to Zach’s play-off glory, an Open to truly savour
IAN Poulter always used to win the tag of biggest over- achiever i n golf hands down, for moving from a five-handicap golfer at 17 to a winner all round the world and Ryder Cup hero. But what about Zach Johnson, with his ungainly swing and modest firing power from the tee?
It’s almost beyond belief that he could join such gifted merchants as Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Rory McIlroy as the only men in the past decade with 10 PGA Tour titles and more than two majors to their name. His two majors were claimed at the two courses that predominantly aid the big bombers: Augusta National and St Andrews. Zach magic, indeed!
SPIETH V McILROY TO BE SPORT’S BIGGEST DUEL
I have to admit, I’m changing my mind about Jordan Spieth after every major. After he won the Masters I thought he’d win a few majors but he wouldn’t be troubling Rory too much. After the US Open it looked like he should finish on the same page in the record books when their careers are done. Now, after all he showed us last week, it is obvious he is facing all the challenges he can handle over the next decade. One thing’s for sure: Rory can’t afford any silly injuries.
FOUR-HOLE PLAY-OFFS ARE NOT UP TO MUCH
Imagine if it had been suddendeath on Monday? Imagine the drama as Johnson holed from 15ft to match the birdie at the first mustered by Louis Oosthuizen, before knocking in another long one to beat him at the second play- off hole? We would have thought it a finish absolutely in keeping with all that had gone before. Instead they went on to the next two holes where it all became rather anti-climactic and Marc Leishman, the third player in the play-off, must have felt like a spare part. I applaud the sentiment behind a four-hole play-off. But if you want excitement, you can’t beat the cut- throat nature of sudden death.
AMATEUR GOLF ROCKS
It is going to be some Walker Cup at Royal Lytham in September.
In the home team will be two men who contributed so much to this Open: Irishman Paul Dunne and England’s Ashley Chesters. The Americans have lost Oliver Schniederjans, who will play in the Canadian Open this week as a pro having signed off with a 67, the lowest final round by an amateur in Open history. They do have the Silver Medal winner in Jordan Niebrugge. Get your tickets now.
EURO STARS KNOCKED OUT OF THEIR STRIDE
Last year they were making the leading Americans appear secondrate as Rory McIlroy claimed two majors and Martin Kaymer the US Open. The Ryder Cup was ones i ded. What t he heck has happened?
This year, only Justin Rose at the Masters has come remotely close as the Yanks have seriously upped their game.
Is there a European golfer out there ready to step up to the plate at the PGA and prevent the first major-less season for European golf since 2009?
NO WAY BACK FOR TIGER AFTER THIS HUMILIATION
What is he now in the world rankings? I’ve stopped looking on account of the fact my eyes get sore having to go down so far. No one expected him to do anything at the US Open, but duffing shots on the Old Course?
No wonder his opening nine holes of 40 strokes on a morning as easy as St Andrews can play felt like an endgame for so many. Right now he looks like Seve Ballesteros during his final years, thoroughly confused and playing on only because, well, what else would he do? Sad, desperately sad.
ST ANDREWS CAN STILL HOLD ITS OWN
Admittedly, there were times when the pros were playing the front nine where you could have been forgiven f or wondering whether the leaderboard had been borrowed from a birdie-fest event like the Bob Hope Classic. Then the pros would turn for home, their faces covered with foreboding, and you thought: yep, the oldest of Old Courses is still up for the challenge. The fact that anyone among the final groups who played the last five holes in level par on Sunday had shown true ability and fortitude, says it all.
TIME FOR GOLF TO START LIFTING ITS HEAD UP
Yes, the game has some serious issues with regard to participation numbers and how to stop the worrying decline. But if we’re not careful, we’ll talk ourselves over the precipice. More than 250,000 people were there at St Andrews l ast week, more than 100,000 attended the PGA at Wentworth and the Irish Open at Royal County Down. Even without Rory McIlroy, and with no Brit in with a shout down the stretch, the BBC audience over the weekend was still the highest since 2011. Let’s make a pact, shall we, to start looking a bit more at all the sport has to offer rather than dwelling on the things it gets wrong. On that note...
THE BBC HAVE ALREADY GIVEN UP
They might not officially lose the live broadcasting rights until after next year’s championship at Royal Troon, but the BBC have already thrown in the towel. On what was set to be a pulsating final day at St Andrews, American broadcasters ESPN began their live coverage at 11am GMT, showing pretty much all of the day’s live action. The Beeb, however, didn’t begin their broadcast until 1:45pm, a full twoand-three-quarter hours later. The sad reality is that it was symptomatic of their f ailing commitment to sport as a whole.