HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!!!
Wishing all the fathers a very Happy Father’s Day…sending lots of love to Jeff and my sons David and Morgan. I know little d and Royal made your days very special.
The 2011 US Open at Congressional is over and in the books. The keeper of the Open record books will be a busy person this week. I am not sure how many records Rory McIlroy broke but that in itself might be a record.
Many, many congratulations to Rory McIlroy! What a performance turned in by this young man. The golf world will be talking about and revering his achievement for years to come. I’m pretty certain that he and his proud father put down those few pints last evening that Rory mentioned in his acceptance speech.
What do you suppose the odds were that two men from Northern Ireland would win back to back US Opens with their fathers present on Father’s Day?
You will recall that I commented how quiet things have been, not much electricity in the air, spectators there but seemingly invisible. Well, that all changed yesterday as the 2011 Open finally got underway. The place was packed. Every hole was lined with fans that were 10, 15, 20 feet deep at tees and greens. The heavy, humid air had that electric feel of anticipation. Perhaps part was the anticipation of the changing of the guard. Even though everyone knew the end of the story they could not wait to see the final chapter written.
As for the round, it was more of the same. A drive way down to the middle of the fairway, then a wedge to the green - pin high 6 to 15 feet from the hole – four birdies, two bogies. Yawn! (kidding!) And then there was #10 – what? Six inches from a hole-in-one? Though we were standing right by the green the hole was in a swale and we could not see it. The crowd went so nuts that we had to ask if it went in. An ace was the only thing missing in Rory’s week.
Lost in the week’s story was the amazing play of Y.E. Yang. Poor man would make a birdie and then Rory would counter a hole later…no way could he cut into the lead for long. The week, the pressure, the crowds, the weather – pretty much everything may have finally gotten to Y.E. in the last four or five holes as he unfortunately lost the second place he maintained all week. He never changed his demeanor – never saw him smile or get mad. It must have been very difficult to keep his game on track with all the yelling and carrying on for Rory. In 18 holes I heard fans call Y.E.’s initials twice. Made me a little sad for him.
(Speaking of Y.E. – did you see me on TV on 18 when he second shot went into the crowd?)
Also lost was Jason Day. I believe this young man, like Rory, is one of the best of the “young guns” all the talking heads prattle on about. Do you know he did not have a bogie in the final two rounds? Do you know that he beat Rory’s weekend rounds? 68, 65 to 68, 69? This was also a stellar performance under pressure. I hope that Johnny Miller and cohorts recognized Jason and his accomplishment.
We were with Rory for three straight days and through it all he was focused, polite and quite likely grew up before our eyes. It was interesting to watch the final holes and not just the golf. The closer we got to 18 the larger the contingent that surrounded him. Going from 17 green to 18 tee there were no less than six unformed officers, doubtless a few plain clothes security and/or FBI like last year and USGA higher ups. That in addition to the caddy, scorer, rules guys, media (oh my, the media!) and of course, us!
Because we walk inside the ropes (I never lose sight of just how lucky we are) the fans outside the ropes tend to stare. All the other marshals are stationary. They (and some of the hole marshals as well) doubtless wonder who we are and what we are doing and how in the hell did we get so lucky to do this? But as I walk by, I realize just a little of what it must be like to be a celebrity and having every move you make watched by heaven only knows how many people. It is heady and not a little scary to think what could happen in that crowd.
The scene at the 18th was breathtaking as you undoubtedly saw. Even though the lake is behind the green there is amphitheatre-type seating there along with the stands on both 18 and 10. It is truly a great finishing hole for golf and the fans. They pushed 18 tee back to DC yesterday and approach shots rarely made the green. Par was outstanding on 18 yesterday. Great job by the USGA on that one.
I was happy that Rory played 18 well, nice par and a lovely celebration. Like Graeme McDowell last year and others before, he could not wait to be in the arms of his father. So many of the pros, like Davis Love III and Tiger Woods, learned the game from their fathers. Others like Rory had fathers who held down two jobs in order to make their sons’ dreams come true. Either way, having Sunday at the US Open fall on Father’s Day seems fitting and right.
Again, Happy Father’s Day to all. Thank you for following me and my usual wrap up will probably post Wednesday. It will be good to get home once again.
Wishing all the fathers a very Happy Father’s Day…sending lots of love to Jeff and my sons David and Morgan. I know little d and Royal made your days very special.
The 2011 US Open at Congressional is over and in the books. The keeper of the Open record books will be a busy person this week. I am not sure how many records Rory McIlroy broke but that in itself might be a record.
Many, many congratulations to Rory McIlroy! What a performance turned in by this young man. The golf world will be talking about and revering his achievement for years to come. I’m pretty certain that he and his proud father put down those few pints last evening that Rory mentioned in his acceptance speech.
What do you suppose the odds were that two men from Northern Ireland would win back to back US Opens with their fathers present on Father’s Day?
You will recall that I commented how quiet things have been, not much electricity in the air, spectators there but seemingly invisible. Well, that all changed yesterday as the 2011 Open finally got underway. The place was packed. Every hole was lined with fans that were 10, 15, 20 feet deep at tees and greens. The heavy, humid air had that electric feel of anticipation. Perhaps part was the anticipation of the changing of the guard. Even though everyone knew the end of the story they could not wait to see the final chapter written.
As for the round, it was more of the same. A drive way down to the middle of the fairway, then a wedge to the green - pin high 6 to 15 feet from the hole – four birdies, two bogies. Yawn! (kidding!) And then there was #10 – what? Six inches from a hole-in-one? Though we were standing right by the green the hole was in a swale and we could not see it. The crowd went so nuts that we had to ask if it went in. An ace was the only thing missing in Rory’s week.
Lost in the week’s story was the amazing play of Y.E. Yang. Poor man would make a birdie and then Rory would counter a hole later…no way could he cut into the lead for long. The week, the pressure, the crowds, the weather – pretty much everything may have finally gotten to Y.E. in the last four or five holes as he unfortunately lost the second place he maintained all week. He never changed his demeanor – never saw him smile or get mad. It must have been very difficult to keep his game on track with all the yelling and carrying on for Rory. In 18 holes I heard fans call Y.E.’s initials twice. Made me a little sad for him.
(Speaking of Y.E. – did you see me on TV on 18 when he second shot went into the crowd?)
Also lost was Jason Day. I believe this young man, like Rory, is one of the best of the “young guns” all the talking heads prattle on about. Do you know he did not have a bogie in the final two rounds? Do you know that he beat Rory’s weekend rounds? 68, 65 to 68, 69? This was also a stellar performance under pressure. I hope that Johnny Miller and cohorts recognized Jason and his accomplishment.
We were with Rory for three straight days and through it all he was focused, polite and quite likely grew up before our eyes. It was interesting to watch the final holes and not just the golf. The closer we got to 18 the larger the contingent that surrounded him. Going from 17 green to 18 tee there were no less than six unformed officers, doubtless a few plain clothes security and/or FBI like last year and USGA higher ups. That in addition to the caddy, scorer, rules guys, media (oh my, the media!) and of course, us!
Because we walk inside the ropes (I never lose sight of just how lucky we are) the fans outside the ropes tend to stare. All the other marshals are stationary. They (and some of the hole marshals as well) doubtless wonder who we are and what we are doing and how in the hell did we get so lucky to do this? But as I walk by, I realize just a little of what it must be like to be a celebrity and having every move you make watched by heaven only knows how many people. It is heady and not a little scary to think what could happen in that crowd.
The scene at the 18th was breathtaking as you undoubtedly saw. Even though the lake is behind the green there is amphitheatre-type seating there along with the stands on both 18 and 10. It is truly a great finishing hole for golf and the fans. They pushed 18 tee back to DC yesterday and approach shots rarely made the green. Par was outstanding on 18 yesterday. Great job by the USGA on that one.
I was happy that Rory played 18 well, nice par and a lovely celebration. Like Graeme McDowell last year and others before, he could not wait to be in the arms of his father. So many of the pros, like Davis Love III and Tiger Woods, learned the game from their fathers. Others like Rory had fathers who held down two jobs in order to make their sons’ dreams come true. Either way, having Sunday at the US Open fall on Father’s Day seems fitting and right.
Again, Happy Father’s Day to all. Thank you for following me and my usual wrap up will probably post Wednesday. It will be good to get home once again.
ps more pics on the final post
No comments:
Post a Comment