The 2012 US Open has come to
its end. The players, all save one, have
either gone home, to the Traveler’s or more likely to a bar. Only US Open Champion Webb Simpson went home
happy and to ponder this life-changing event.
Like many we went home with many wonderful memories and stories. We are thrilled to be back and I am looking
forward to playing golf not watching it!
Olympic proved to be quite a
test unlike Congressional last year. The
players at Congressional loved that they could throw darts at the greens and they
would hold. Unfortunately for them Rory
was the dart-master and made everyone look like so many journeymen. This year Olympic itself ruled the day and
while one man ultimately prevailed many could have lifted the trophy and worn
the Jack Nicklaus medal.
Olympic is a beautiful golf
course. Someday I hope to see what
it looks like without the US Open tents, stands, port-a-potties, etc. There are two and a half courses at Olympic –
the Lake which is where the tournament was played – the Ocean which was pretty
much destroyed to house the Open – and a 9 hole par 3 Cliffs which is I’m told
right on the ocean. If you look at the
picture down a ways on the right that says ‘breathtaking’ I never saw that
hole. After walking the course I
commented to Jeff that I had obviously made a mistake in getting that photo
because there wasn’t a hole on the course that remotely resembled it. If fact, no holes on the Lake course are on
the ocean. The hole pictured is part of
the par 3 Cliffs course that sits on the bluffs above the Pacific.
I went back and reread some of last year’s posts. What rattled my brain most was my thoughts on Rory. On Saturday last I said: “Many are ready to crown a new king…I am thinking there might finally be a worthy heir to the throne. But know this…Rory has won exactly two professional tournaments! One PGA at Quail Hollow and one European at Dubai. Let’ really talk about this in another 10 to 15 wins. Another major or two?” Well, since then he has won three times. Two events were in Asia in the fall and the Honda Classic. He was a non-factor in last year’s British Open and PGA and was 15 shots behind 2012 Masters winner Bubba Watson. And well, he missed the cut at Olympic. I worried last year about the press and fans anointing Rory the new king. Heavy on the head wears the crown or something along those lines. This young man from a little town in Northern Ireland was supposed to set the world on fire and instead was quickly brought back to reality by those ever-lovable golf gods. I am sure part of the free-fall was of his own making but mostly because of the intense pressure put upon him by we the people.
As time goes by I believe that the wondrous
achievements of Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods will become even more amazing and
probably unattainable. We have had 15
different major winners since Tiger last won a major at Torrey Pines showing
how difficult the task is to do more than once.
There are about 100 one-time major winners and only three double-digit
winners since the 1860s when Willie Park and Old Tom Morris first won the Claret Jug. No need to wonder why the USGA honored Jack
Nicklaus by adding his name to the Open medal.
Random thought…there needs to be a new way to
tally the world golf rankings. Tiger
remained #1 for months/years after his injuries and then his fall from grace
without playing. Now the top spot is all
over the place. Luke Donald, as fine a
golfer as he is, is he really #1? He was
thoroughly overmatched at Olympic. Is
Rory really #1 with his year from Open to Open?
Is Westwood? A single major
between the three of them? Do we need
this type of ranking in such a fickle sport where one plays when it suits the
schedule? Imagine being #1 in any other
sport without playing every game. Just
wondering…
Thank you all for following my yearly
indulgence…I hope you enjoyed it. Thank
you for all your thanks and praise. Some
of you said you could not comment so I promise to figure that out before next year. So now with the last blog I finally got my ducks in a row and posted pictures down the right hand side...nice work!
Thanks mostly to Jeff for traipsing after me
one more time. He takes the wonderful
pictures, puts up with me typing away at all hours of the late night or early
mornings to write this craziness and is all around terrific about the entire
thing.
That’s it folks…the laundry is done, the cat
is back home and all is right with the world.
Next year comes Merion! Should be
lovely in June in Philadelphia.
But…before you go…let me tell you there will
be a small detour on the road to Philadelphia…there is an event coming up…
And yes, thanks to my dear
sister whose name was drawn for tickets, we are going. I am thrilled beyond words that I can
attend. This I am certain will be a once
in a lifetime event. So come September
keep an eye out for …. Live at the Ryder Cup – Medinah!
No comments:
Post a Comment