It has been 39 years since an Englishman last won the US Open. Paul Casey is aiming to break that long, barren spell.
Tony Jacklin was the last English winner of the US Open, at Hazeltine in 1970. Not since Nick Faldo’s heyday has there been a golfer from Blighty who has stirred talk of a possible title until Casey started to hit form earlier this year.
A string of fine performance has seen Casey rise to number three in the world, behind Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, both of whom have something to prove this weekend at Bethpage Black.
Casey said the US Open was one of his favourite tournaments, behind the British Open but felt he has never really been able to do justice to the event. The BBC quoted him as saying:
“It wouuld be fairly significant (if I were to win). I think the Masters has always been the one which I felt I had the best opportunity to win. This (US Open) would be the one that maybe I’ve struggled at the most. So as a personal sort of victory, I think it would be almost seen as a greater achievement because I haven’t played particularly well at the Open Championship, either. And to do something that hasn’t been achieved in 39 years would be massive.â€
Casey has played eight events on the PGA Tour this season, winning the Shell Houston Open and earning two other top-10 finishes.
Justin Rose is another Englishman who is capable of performing at the highest level while youngster Rory McIlory is in the mix when it comes to British challengers.
Another name to look out for is Eire’s Padraig Harrington, a double major winner last year and who is more than capable of fighting for top honours this weekend.
However, as always, the main focus will be on American Woods, who is looking to defend the title he won in an epic 19 extra holes against Rocco Mediate last year.
Woods won the Memorial Tournament two weeks ago to prove, once and for all, that he is back to his best after ligament surgery kept him out for more than eight months.
He is looking for his 15th major title as he pursues Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18.
query on rules. mixed 4/somes,lady tees up the ball, swings and misses completly, the ball hasn’t left the tee but the gent would like to have the ball tee’d higher, is the gent allowed to touch the ball or is the ball now in play and has to be played as it is. We can’t seem to find a rule covering this.
Barry’s Reply:
RosnJoe,
The ball is in play and may not be touched without incurring a penalty.
Decision 18-2a/1 is relevant;
” A player playing from the teeing ground misses the ball completely.
He pushes his tee further into the ground and plays. What is the ruling?
A. When the player made a stroke, the ball was in play (see Definition of “Ball in Play”). By pushing the tee further into the ground, he moved the ball and incurred a penalty of one stroke under Rule 18-2a and was required to replace it. However, when the player made a stroke at the ball without replacing it, he played under penalty of stroke and distance (see Rule 27-1a). This procedure overrides Rule 18-2a and, therefore, the penalty under Rule 18-2a does not apply.”
The fact that this occurred in a mixed foursomes does not alter the principle of the ruling.
Regards,
Barry