Justin joy on day of mixed fortune
What a final day at the US PGa at Southern hills. Where a group of nervous players lacking major experience tossed the Wanamaker trophy to one another and kept dropping it in turn, before Justin thomas stepped forward and said: ‘Well, if you don’t want it…’ here’s some other talking points.
1. A TALE OF TWO CADDIES
Leeds United fan Billy Foster, the veteran bag man for Matt Fitzpatrick, must have been wondering whether the stars were aligned when his day began with his footie team’s unlikely survival.
Over the last 40 years, the man who carried the bag for players of the stature of Seve Ballesteros, Darren Clarke, thomas Bjorn and Lee Westwood has done everything in the game bar win a major.
While the Yorkshireman left the scene following yet another nearly moment, Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay, who caddied for Phil Mickelson for 25 years, was collecting the traditional winner’s flag from the 18th green while his employer thomas was revealing what happened on Saturday night, after he’d shot a third-round 74.
Bones had forcefully taken thomas to one side and told him that he had no chance of winning if he continued to be so hard on himself. ‘I wouldn’t have won without his rallying call,’ said thomas.
there are some who think caddies get paid too much, with Bones collecting $260,000 for his part in the american’s win. Clearly, thomas is not among them.
2. CLASSY MITO
Who knows what will happen next to Mito Pereira, the gentle Chilean who did what’s known in the vernacular as a ‘Van de Velde’ with his double bogey at the 18th to throw away the US PGa.
Like the Frenchman at Carnoustie in 1999, the 27-year-old was a class act in dealing with his loss, as he made the television rounds and spoke with brutal clarity about his prolonged attack of nerves.
I got invited by Jean van de Velde to a barbecue at his French chateau in the days that followed his Open meltdown, where I listened to him tell funny stories as he tried to put it all in perspective. But you could see the pain in his eyes. Let’s wish Mito well. he’s got some hard days and weeks ahead.
3. SIGNS OF LIFE IN BRITS
Rory McIlroy remains the only British winner of the US PGa since tommy armour in 1930 but there were at least signs of hope at Southern hills.
Five players in the top 13 and ties is not exactly terrible, is it? Sure, it was disappointing that a different Matt Fitzpatrick turned up after an exceptional first three rounds but that can happen when you’ve never been close to the lead in a major.
he’s just 27 and one of those studious, fiercely ambitious types who will learn and be ready when the next chance comes along. Incidentally, the next major to be staged is the US Open at Brookline — where he just happened to win the US amateur in 2013.
tommy Fleetwood followed up his best finish at the Masters (14th) with his best finish at the US PGa (tied fifth, with Fitz) and had a cute line as to whether this meant he is back to his best. ‘If I can continue this trend at the next two majors, it will certainly be a good summer!’ said the man who’s finished runner-up in both the US Open and the Open. too much can be read into five birdies in the last seven holes to clamber over a great many bodies but there were lots of encouraging signs for Fleetwood.
It was good to see tyrrell hatton and Justin Rose (both tied 13th) book their exemption spots next year as well and set themselves up for the majors to come.
4. MAJOR WINNERS WITH A Z IN THEIR NAME
It’s long been a staple question at sports pub quizzes, and if you’d like to have a bash at the 11 names yourself, I won’t reveal them until the end. But here’s the thing: it surely won’t be too long before the list becomes a round dozen.
Everyone goes on about the weakness of Will Zalatoris when standing over 5ft putts, but if you’ve got the mental strength to achieve what he has over the last couple of years, you’re going to get the job done one of these days.
What a ball striker, too, and just 25. It’s becoming ridiculous how many good young americans there are. that’s three majors in a row now won by players under 30 from the USa.
the ‘Z-list’ — Gene Sarazen, Vic Ghezzi, Roberto de Vincenzo, Fuzzy Zoeller, Lee Janzen, Paul azinger, Larry Mize, Jose Maria Olazabal, Charl Schwartzel, Louis Oosthuizen and Zach Johnson.