Greg Norman: What Could Have Been…
Those who watched the Shark Shootout presented by Merrill Lynch this weekend were treated with a rare glimpse of Greg Norman. A blast from the past if you will – or a return to competition of one of the game’s all-time dynamic figures. Granted, The Shark Shootout is a team event with a format that would never be mistaken for the Ryder Cup — but don’t kid yourself — Norman was grinding to win. And it was fun to watch. Sadly however, in an all too familiar classic Greg Norman scenario, a lesser pro (Woody Austin) made a great shot on the last hole to nip him by one. Make no mistake, I take nothing away from Woody Austin. He’s a great player — but in historical terms — he’s no Greg Norman. But wasn’t that always the way with Greg?
I got into an argument a few months back with a friend and fellow golf professional about Greg Norman. His contention was Greg was always overrated and never won enough. My contention was Greg was underrated and never won enough. I also said Greg Norman should go down in history as one of the all-time best players. Of course, this made my friend chuckle — but allow me to make Greg’s case.
First, think of one memorable tournament during Greg Norman’s prime that he did not play a factor. I think you would be hard pressed to come up with one — let alone many. Simply, he was always in contention in big events — and always had a chance to win. Basically, from 1984 – 1996, if there was a major tournament — Norman had a chance to win.
First, let’s talk about the Masters.
Norman had 8 top-five finishes and no victories. In 1986, he bogeyed the 18th hole to miss a playoff by one. In 1987, in a playoff, Larry Mize made a miraculous chip to beat him by one. In 1988 and 89, he again had chances to win on the back nine, only to finish 5th and 3rd. And of course who could forget the collapse of 1996 where Norman’s back-nine meltdown opened the door for Nick Faldo’s 3rd Green Jacket.
Next, let’s talk about the U.S. Open.
Norman had 5 top-ten finishes and no victories. In 1984, he lost a playoff to Fuzzy Zoeller. In 1995, he again played poorly on the back nine, which allowed Corey Pavin to win his first major.
Next, the British Open.
Norman had 9 top-ten finishes and 2 victories (1986 and 1993). Although clearly his best “major results”, he could have and should have won again in 1989. He lost a playoff to Mark Calcavecchia and never hit one bad shot. He birdied the first two playoff holes. Made a bogey on the 3rd playoff hole with a shot that flew right over the flag and a chip that lipped out. And made an “X” on the last playoff hole by driving the ball straight down the middle 345 yards into a small pot bunker. This of course after shooting 64 to get into the playoff.
Next, the PGA Championship.
Norman had 5 top-five finishes and no victories. He lost in 1986 to Bob Tway’s miraculous holed bunker shot on the 72nd hole. In 1993, he lost in a playoff to Paul Azinger after “lipping†out putt after putt in overtime. He should have won both of these events as he was clearly the better player and did nothing to lose either.
If you’re keeping track — this is a playoff loss in each major championship. For the record, Greg Norman is the only person to ever lose all four major championships in a playoff.
So, Norman has two major victories, which for most players would be wonderful — but for Greg, it is a complete and utter disappointment. Here is my concern as it relates to Greg Norman. I’m worried that in 50 years, as people are looking at the golf record books — they will see this guy named Greg Norman with 20 PGA Tour wins, 14 European wins and 2 Majors. They’ll think — here was a pretty good player. Yet, they’ll have no idea how close he was to being known as the greatest player ever. So — here is my argument for that outlandish statement.
If you give Greg Norman two shots a year from 1984 — 1996 to use anyway he wants — and let him use them as a mulligan or take them away from one of his competitors — his record would be unbelievable. I know, I know — that’s not golf. We can make that argument with a lot of people. It’s the day of the event that matters. But — Greg Norman is such a special case — I believe he deserves special examination.
So, back to my argument. Give Greg two shots a year and what happens?
Well, he wins 2 Masters, 2 U.S. Opens, 3 British Opens, 3 PGA Championships and a plethora of other PGA Tour events. Important PGA Tour events. Remember Robert Gamez at Bay Hill? Or David Frost in New Orleans? Or how about Mark McCumber in San Francisco? These are just a few of the guys who holed out improbable shots on 18 to beat Greg Norman.
Okay, so now, if you give Greg the two shot a year — you’ve got a player with 10 majors, 30 PGA Tour wins, 20 European Tour wins, 33 Australian wins and 22 other world-wide victories. And a player with this record during the booming “television” age — may just be considered one of, if not the best player ever. Definitely in the top 3 all-time. Of course realistically, the argument of the best player ever is going to be a moot point by the time Tiger Woods is done being — well Tiger Woods.
But my point remains the same. Greg Norman’s legacy should not just be the record books. It should be all he did to lift the game to unprecedented worldwide heights right after a definite lull in the sport. It should be his then unprecedented run as the number one ranked player in the world. It should be the way he played the game — never out of a tournament — no matter where he began on Sunday. I used to love — pre-Internet age — to turn on the television Sunday to see highlights of Norman shooting 30 on the front 9 to get back in the tournament. To me, Tiger has yet to be as exciting as Greg Norman was. Yes, he’s better — much better when it comes to winning — but not more exciting. Plus, Norman’s skills should go down with the all-time best.
Norman was probably the best driver of the golf ball ever. He is among the top-five long iron and fairway wood players ever. I would put his overall short game among the top-five ever. He was a great pressure putter. Simply, there was nothing he couldn’t do. Norman had only two problems. One, he had a flaw in his iron swing that caused a “way right” miss under pressure. Two, he had a mind that wouldn’t let him admit this flaw to himself. He would only try to hit great shots under pressure — and never played it safe. If he didn’t have the second problem — there is no telling how many times he would have won.
Yes, this was a Greg Norman rant. But – after watching him on television today, I realized something significant. I missed him. I miss watching and wondering what was going to happen. Today, as lucky as we are to watch Tiger Woods — we know what’s going to happen. If Tiger’s leading — Tiger’s winning. With Greg, he could birdie holes 10-17 to tie the lead and then make a double on 18. It’s exciting when the best player in the world plays this way. I suppose that’s why so many people love to watch Phil Mickelson today – or Arnold Palmer in his prime.
Anyway, if you’re ever on the course or a pub somewhere and someone starts bad mouthing Greg Norman — stick up for him. They probably have no idea how close he was to being one of the best ever.
Seething at Asian Tour article
There are times when you do things in a huff. When something makes you angry, you should really wait a few minutes, take a few deep breaths and consider the consequences of what you might do.
I didn’t follow my own advice today when I saw an article in Bloomberg about the Asian Tour’s stance on a possible tie-up with the Australasian and Japanese tours.
I had contacted the Asian Tour around two months ago requesting a comment from executive director Kyi Hla Han about this project. My intention was to write the article for Reuters.
The reply I received was that they would get back to me. A few days later nothing. Weeks later … nothing.
And today, I see Grant Clark, who is a top-notch journalist, has managed to get a comment from Kyi Hla. Good on him.
Of course, I was fuming because I was on to the story ages ago. I’ve known the Asian Tour guys for many years and get along well with them, having never had even the slightest of bust-ups.
That will possibly change because, instead of taking a few deep breaths and waiting a few minutes, I fired off a nasty email to them.
I’m sure our relationship will still be close. Overall, they do a fantastic job promoting the Asian Tour, which is growing year by year but I feel they got it wrong in this case.
Anyway, the so-called OneAsia Tour, to kick off in 2009, is a venture between the Australasian Tour and the Japanese Tour.
Officials on both tours are keen to have the Asians on board. However, Kyi Hla told Bloomberg (grrrrr) that they would only consider the proposal if their second-tier events are safe.
The Asian Tour, because it is geared towards helping golf grow in the region, wants some of their smaller events to survive and not be overwhelmed by the bigger tournaments that might dominate the OneAsia Tour. He said:
“The OneAsia Tour is worth considering. I’d like to pursue it but I have to make sure the backbone of the tour is sustainable.”
Well, at least he finally said something about it.
Finch and Saltus dominate
It was an English-American double in two Asia-Pacific tournaments over the weekend as the European Tour went Down Under and the Asian Tour inched closer to season’s end.
England’s Richard Finch was the star at the picturesque Hills Golf Club in Queenstown as he won his first professional title with victory in the New Zealand Open, where he won by three strokes.
Meanwhile, in Siem Reap, American Brian Saltus also claimed a maiden title by winning the inaugural Cambodian Open.
In Finch’s case, it was a victory that helped to boost his standing on the circuit having narrowly regained his card for the 2008 season.
The 30-year-old fired a closing round of even-par 72 for a total of 14-under-par 274.
In second place were two Australians, Steven Bowditch and Paul Sheehan. Bowditch started the day 11 under but ruined his title hopes after dropping five shots before an eagle on the 17th brought him back to parity.
There was also a treat for the crowd with 71-year-old Kiwi legend Bob Charles scoring his age or better for the third round in a row. Charles shot a final round 70 to finish four under for the tournament.
In Cambodia, Saltus triumphed after a final round of five-under-par 67 for a total of 17-under-par 271 and a three-stroke victory over Australian Adam Groom.
Saltus, who jumped into the water beside the 18th hole after his final putt, dedicated his victory to, of all people, the famous American rock band, The Grateful Dead.
The 36-year-old, who has apparently been to see the Dead 153 times, told the Asian Tour website:
“This is awesome. I would like to dedicate this win to Grateful Dead as they have inspired me all the way. Siem Reap is right up my alley so I’ve enjoyed my time on and off the course this week.â€
Groom shot a 71 to finish his tournament at 274 while three shots further adrift were the Thai pair of Prom Meesawat and Thaworn Wiratchant.
It was the penultimate tournament of the 2007 Asian Tour calendar with the final event being the Volvo Masters of Asia at the Thai Country Club in Bangkok, Thailand this week.
Meanwhile, next year’s Dubai Desert Classic received a major boost with world number one Tiger Woods confirming his participation in the event.
The tournament is from January 29 to February 3 at the Emirates Golf Club in Dubai, where Woods and his design team are building a new course in the tourism and leisure centre of Dubailand.
It will be Woods’ fifth appearance at the tournament.
Cambodia Joins Golfing Bandwagon
Once the “killing fields†of Southeast Asia, it is now an economy eager to tap the tourist dollar via its most famous landmark, the ancient temples at Angkor Wat.
Cambodia is using golf to lure visitors to the former war-torn country, with the latest course built near the famous temples in Siem Reap.
The country is hailing the 308-acre Phokeethra Country Club as the only international-standard golf course in the country and, indeed, it faces a stern test of its credibility with the Johnnie Walker-sponsored Cambodia Open this week.
The tournament makes its debut on the Asian Tour in 2007, offering US$300,000 in prize money.
The 18-hole, par-72 course, which cost $10 million to build, is one of three in Cambodia, two of them near the nation’s capital of Phnom Penh. Another course is also under construction outside Siem Reap, located in the northwest of the country.
The 7,145-yard course features a lot of water with only one hole free of the hazard. The 18th hole provides a spectacular finish requiring golfers to hit the ball on to an island green.
Players can also cross a replica Roluh Bridge when moving on to the 10th hole to start their back nine from the ninth.
In terms of facilities, the environment is very different to what most Cambodians are used to. The clubs provides a luxurious setting to cater to the standards expected by golfing tourists.
According to the Asian Tour, the resort was declared as the Top Investment by TTG Magazine and has made it into the “gold list†of the world’s top 700 hotels, resorts and cruise lines by Conde Nast Traveler Magazine.
The golfing action started on Thursday with Australian Adam Groom and American Bryan Saltus sharing the half-way lead on 133.
Groom fired a second-round of four-under-par 68 whille Saltus hit 67. The duo were three strokes ahead of a trio of goflers comprising American Anthony Kang, Scotland’s Simon Dunn and Englishman Ben St John.
Scotland Are World Cup Champions
At a time when the European Tour is looking to establish itself as a major force, Colin Montgomerie and Marc Warren helped to boost those ambitions with an outstanding victory for Scotland at the Omega Mission Hills World Cup in China.
The Scottish duo showed great character and nerveless steel to beat the United States’ Boo Weekley and Heath Slocum at the third play-off hole. It is Scotland’s first victory in the tournament’s 53-year history.
Their victory also erased the despair of last year when they fell to Germany in the first play-off hole in Barbados.
Monty, the doyen of European golf for almost two decades, has lost in play-offs at the 1994 US Open, to Ernie Else, and the 1995 US PGA Championship, to Steve Elkington.
Offering praise to his partner Warren, Monty joked on the European Tour’s website:
“I didn’t want to say anything to Marc but my play-off record is rubbish. But playing with Marc was great and if he is not in the top 20 in the world by this time next year I will be very surprised for he is a fantastic player.â€
Monty’s record in team events is excellent, which is why Warren felt confident that the veteran golfer would be there to help him out. He said:
“For this format, Monty is the perfect guy to play with. If you make a mistake, you know he will hit a fine recovery shot to get you back on track and, just like last year, it was an honour to play for Scotland alongside him.â€
The Scots and Americans totalled 263 over the four rounds in Shenzhen. That was one stroke ahead of the third-placed French team of Raphael Jacquelin and Gregory Havret.
Favourites England, with Justin Rose and Ian Poulter carrying their hopes, finished two strokes behind the leaders on 265 with South Africa’s Retief Goosen and Trevor Immelman two shots further adrift.
World Cup Mission
After several weeks of overseas domination, Asian golfers are hoping to make an impact at the World Cup in Mission Hills, China.
With Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez winning in Hong Kong and American Phil Mickelson at the HSBC Champions event, golfers from Asia are eager to show what they can do against some of the best parings in the world.
At least they will be on familiar ground at the Mission Hills Golf complex in Shenzhen, China – the world’s largest golfing facility.
After the first round, it appears that Thailand’s European Tour regular Thongchai Jaidee and Prayad Marksaeng have put themselves in a strong position after an opening 63.
That was two shots behind the leading American pair of Boo Weekley and Heath Slocum, who combined for 61.
Germany’s Martin Kaymer and Alex Cejka were second with 62.
The Thais share third place with some strong teams, including Scotland’s Colin Montgomerie and Marc Warren, South Africans Retief Goosen and Trevor Immelman and the favourites, Justin Rose and Ian Poulter, from England.
Lurking close by is the Korean duo of Lee Sung and Lee Seung-ho, who are on 65 with Italy, Denmark, Holland, India, Argentina and China.
Thongchai, who once jumped off military planes as a paratrooper with the Thai army, said he enjoyed talking with Prayad throughout the round because they two have not met up in a long time.
Thongchai made six birdies in the better-ball contest and told the Asian Tour website:
“We were talking about jokes all the time. We talked about everything out there. We were just catching up as we’ve played in different events mostly this season.â€
The first and third rounds feature the fourball (better ball) format while the second and final rounds will see the pairs competing with the alternate shot system.
Jimenez Earns Second Hong Kong Triumph
With a cast of big names and Asian Tour regulars battling it out for honours at the Hong Kong Open, it was left to someone who had done it before to take all the glory.
Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez surged up the leaderboard on the final day to win the tournament by one stroke from Sweden’s Robert Karlsson, who had seen a four-stroke third-round lead disappear.
Jimenez secured the title by firing a bogey on the final hole on Sunday for three-under-par 67 and a total of 265 at the Hong Kong Golf Club in Fanling.
Karlsson settled for second place alongside PGA Tour regular KJ Choi and Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee on 266.
The Swede closed with 72 after misjudging a bunker shot on the 18th and having to two-putt for a double bogey.
It was a cruel way for the Swede to lose the title, as Jimenez, who also won in Hong Kong in 2004, admitted on the Asian Tour’s website:
“It’s very nice to win again here, it’s great. I’ve been playing very well throughout the week, and, well, very pleased, happy indeed. The only down part is I feel, I have to say for Robert, the way it finished as he played so good the whole week. He had a double at the last, and it’s not the best way to finish as I know he wanted to win.â€
The Hong Kong Open is co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the European Tour and included golfers such as Nick Faldo, Mike Weir and Retief Goosen in the line-up.
Faldo, a favourite with the fans, completed four rounds 18 shots behind the winner, including a 68 on the opening day.
Not bad considering he is only playing for fun these days and his main role at the tourmament was as an ambassador.
Weir finished joint-12th with Australian Scott Strange and India’s Shiv Kapur on 271 while former US Open champion Goosen was among six players who totaled 273.
Last year’s winner, Spain’s Jose Manuel Lara, failed to make the cut by one stroke.
Jimenez’s victory made it a double for European players in Asia with England’s Ian Poulter winning the Dunlop Phoenix tournament in Miyazaki, Japan by a single stroke.
Poulter totaled 269 with Gonzalo F-Castano finished second, three strokes adrift. Last year’s winner, Ireland’s Padraig Harrington was six shots off the pace.
Memories of Hong Kong’s Fanling
My time as a sports reporter with the South China Morning Post newspaper in Hong Kong was memorable, especially when it came to golf, with the Hong Kong Golf Club in Fanling particularly etched in my mind.
It was previously called the Royal Hong Kong Golf Club and dropped the “Royal†after the Chinese regained control of the territory in 1997.
After all, you just need to crane your neck slightly to be able to see across the border to Shenzhen from the first tee. China is practically a solid three-iron away.
Fanling is the venue for this week’s Hong Kong Open, which brings back floods of memories of events I’ve covered there and the many world-class players to have played on the Composite Course.
People ask me what it is like to have met so many famous sports stars but I always say, as a journalist, you never “meet†them, you only interview them.
A meeting is when both parties go away knowing who the other is and theoretically file those names away in memory.
When a journalist and athlete get together for a brief time, it is more than likely that only the reporter will remember it.
One of my earliest memories was of Nick Faldo winning the 1990 Johnnie Walker Classic, the inaugural event.
None of us thought the tournament would become what it is now, with a list of star-studded winners including Tiger Wood, Fred Couples and Ernie Els, among others.
I also remember standing on the 18th on a Wednesday as golfers practiced, and along came Payne Stewart, before his US Open victory.
He agreed to an ad hoc interview and happily talked about how his plus-fours may lose the NFL colours because of a disagreement.
Going way back to the mid-80s, I covered an amateur women’s event and what should have been a relaxed weekend turn nasty when the Zimbabwe team walked out because of apartheid-era South Africa’s presence.
Then there was the time I was kicked out of the restaurant in mid-interview because I was wearing jeans.
The Hong Kong Open lurched along those days, begging for sponsors on a yearly basis.
However, since UBS took over several years ago, the tournament has become an important leg of the Asian Tour and is also co-sanctioned by the European Tour.
This week’s Hong Kong Open has a decent field, including Retief Goosen, Mike Weir, Stuart Appleby, KJ Choi and Faldo making a welcome return.
I’d love to be there but my new home in Kuala Lumpur is a bit too far away. I don’t know if I’ll ever be there for another tournament but the memories remain close.
No Culture Shock for Triumphant Mickelson
Phil Mickelson, a notoriously unwilling traveller before this year, made the most of his inaugural Asian foray, landing one of the most prestigious tournaments on the Asian Tour and delighting in his kids’ new cultural experiences.
Lefty ended a drama-packed day at the Sheshan International Golf Club in Shanghai on Sunday with a second extra hole play-off victory in the $5 million HSBC Champions tournament – the richest event in Asia.
One week after making his Asian debut in Singapore, Mickelson picked up his first victory in the region with a birdie at the par-five 18th hole against England’s Lee Westwood and Ross Fisher.
However, there was a point when it looked like he might have blown his chances in the tournament, which is also sanctioned by the European Tour.
Having established a two-stroke lead after the third round, Mickelson dropped four shots on the back nine.
He scored six on the last hole in regulation and the only reason he was able to make the play-off was because Fisher went one worse with a seven.
The three play-off golfers all scored 10-under-par 278 for the tournament, Mickelson closing wth 76, Fisher scoring 74 and Westwood earning his place in the play-off with a strong 67.
He said on the Asian Tour website:
“I don’t know what to say. I was leading by a lot, and looked like I had control, and had six penalty shots today and ended up two back with three to go and now got in a play-off. I don’t know how the day finished like this … I guess it really doesn’t matter how.â€
Alone in fourth place was American Kevin Stadler, one stroke behind while Fijian Vijay Singh and Ireland’s British Open champion Padraig Harrington were a further stroke back in joint fifth on 280.
England’s Paul Casey and Sweden’s Henrik Stenson were equal on 283 while US Open champion Angel Cabrera, of Argentina, finsihed on 285.
South Africans Retief Goosen and Ernie Els also failed to mount final-day challenges.
Apart from the competition, Mickelson’s Asian excursion was an opportunity for him and his family to absorb a bit of Asian culture.
Previously, Mickelson refused to travel abroad for tournaments because he was away from his family most of the year playing on the PGA Tour.
His kids are now more grown up and he is enjoying the new experience. Talking about the Great Wall of China, he said:
“We walked up and down a little of it. We did go up there and took some pictures and got to see it. I think it’s the most magnificent structure ever built, and I’m so happy that my kids had a chance to see it.â€
And of the Forbidden City, he said:
“I thought that the Forbidden City was a very interesting cultural difference, learning how the Emperor and the Emperess lived for hundreds of years. That was fascinating to us because it’s so different than the way of life in the United States, and so I’m happy that my children can see it and experience a more global education.â€
We are pretty sure Emperors and Emperesses don’t live in China any more, but, yes, it’s certainly different from the US.
Woodward’s Methods May Prove Obstacle for Melanie
Knighthood apart, Sir Clive Woodward has not been a million dollar success story since winning the 2003 Rugby World Cup with England. There was the debacle of the many players, few wins British Lions tour of New Zealand. There was the embarrassing move into football coaching with Southampton. There was the underwhelming reaction to the news that he will mastermind the British assault on the 2012 London Olympics.
In short Sir Clive has been given an astonishing insight into the psyche of the British. We build you up, we laud and garland you. And then we take the most incredible joy in knocking you off the pedestal we hoisted you upon and beating the living hell out of you. It has ever been thus.
Clive, however, is a man of some stubbornness. Like the winning rugby team he created he keeps going through the knockbacks, secure in the belief that he has always been right: “nobody likes me, I don’t care.â€
And this week Clive unleashed his latest sporting experiment. Step forward Britain’s newest professional golfer, 20 year old Melanie Reid. Melanie, it should be noted, has not had her swing reshaped or her putting grip repositioned by Clive.
In Reid’s words:
“The biggest thing Clive taught me is how much hard work it takes to become a top athlete, I don’t think athletes work hard enough in general but that is partly because they have the excuses not to. Once that is taken away, as it has been for me, it is then up to the individual to push themselves. If you play badly it’s your fault, you have no excuses.”
For the past 12 months Reid has been a human guinea pig. The methods Sir Clive has used on here will be the methods that, it is hoped, will deliver for success for Britain’s 2012 Olympic hopefuls.
For Reid this has meant a growing retinue of around a dozen coaches and specialists including a former rugby kicking coach, an eye coach and a nutritionist. Reid herself, quite understandably, is thankful for the support and keen to duck any accusations that Sir Clive should not have chosen as a guinea pig a sportswoman whose sport will not feature at the Olympics.
Throughout all this Clive has acted as a mentor, always at the end of the phone should Melanie need support or advice. So far things have gone well. Reid was top amateur at the British Open and won the British Amateur Stroke Play. Now she steps up to the pro game in good heart.
The hearts of spectators though should be in their mouths. The public fanfare that has greeted her turning professional will put undue pressure on Reid. Like Michelle Wie she will have to contend with expectation about her talent as well as jealousy about her looks and youth.
More than that however Reid’s success or failure would seem to symbolise the entire success of failure of the British programme for the 2012 Olympics.
And, even more alarmingly, Reid will be seen as an extension of Woodward himself. For good reasons and bad, through his own actions and through no fault of his own, Sir Clive is at best a joke and at worst reviled at the moment. Being seen as the monster to his Frankenstein might be far too much pressure for Reid to handle.
Going Green On The Greens Could Help The Game
Latest estimates suggest that one golf course in the United States will use, in one day, roughly the same amount of water as the total amount used by 15000 American citizens in the same 24 hour period.
At the same time Donald Trump is discovering that the doughty residents of the North East of Scotland are less willing to pander to his whims than the apprentices who queue up to feel his ire and suffer the shame of ridicule on national television.
Watch out golf – the environmentalists are coming.
From trampling on sites of special scientific interest to pouring chemicals into great swathes of land throughout the known world to Tiger, Phil et al arriving at tournaments in separate fuel guzzling jets, golf is under scrutiny as never before.
These attacks on the greens from the greens would have mattered less twenty years ago. Then the environmentalist lobby could be all but written off as the kind of university drop out who ranked Marxism and hating golf as their main passions.
Not so now. Al Gore and others have changed all that. Gore could, in fact, probably make the tournament committee of a more liberal club if he wasn’t traversing the very globe he is trying to save to spread his message. Environmentalism has gone mainstream.
Golf’s reaction has not been as knee jerk as you might imagine. Since 1994 the European Tour and the R&A have been active partners in a golf ecology programme, now spearheaded by a UK based not for profit organisation called Committed to Green.
Indeed as long ago as 1999 European Golf stood shoulder to shoulder with the European Commission, the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Wide Fund for Nature and endorsed the Valderamma Declaration on Golf, Environment and Sustainability.
In the US efforts are also being made to try to encourage a more responsible attitude to the environment from “chip in for recycling†trash cans on courses to supporting the work of the Environmental Institute for Golf.
But is it enough? Clearly a lot of talking and some action won’t satisfy the most ardent eco warrior but golf’s powers that be are to be applauded for taking steps in the right direction. But golf, with common sense, can do more.
Firstly take some personal responsibility. Do the top players really need to fly in separate private jets each and every week?
Secondly take some decisions on how courses are managed. You can carry on pouring water and chemicals onto courses all you want but please accept that it’s bad for the planet. More than that though it’s bad for golf.
Let courses be courses. When the wind blows my game will have to adapt. Why should my game not have to adapt when there’s not much rain. I don’t want a course in China to look exactly the same as a course in Aberdeen. I don’t want a course in Texas to look and play the same as a course in Sweden.
That’s not golf.
So here’s a radical proposal. Cut down on the irrigation and artificial fertilisers that are helping to create a uniform game from a sport that should revel in its diversity. Then in one fell swoop you would appease many of the environmentalists and, hopefully, curb the need for ever longer courses and technological advances. Players would have to play again and a little bit of magic might be restored.
As for Donald Trump? Well, the main stumbling block might be his vision of building 1000 luxury homes as part of the course development. I’d guess he’s big enough to fight that on his own.
Shanghai Welcomes ‘Greatest Field Ever’ … in Asia
They are calling it the greatest field ever to be assembled in Asia, and that is without Tiger.
This week’s HSBC Champions event, worth $5 million in total prize money, is the richest tournament in Asia and has attracted the likes of Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els and Vijay Singh, who between them have won nine majors.
With the post-FedEx Cup excitement having died down, many of the US PGA Tour players can afford to spend some time in Asia, with the Shanghai tournament also attracting some of the best players from the European Tour.
Mickelson, who failed to sustain a challenge at last week’s Singapore Open because of illness, said in an AFP report that he would love to add the Champions title to his collection.
The world number two told the agency:
“I would really like to win an international title of this magnitude, especially as I will be competing against so many great winners from the different tours.”
Tiger Woods has played in two editions of the tournament, finishing runner-up both times but the spotlight this year is firmly on Lefty and his fellow international stars.
Altogether, 10 of the world’s top 20 ranked players are competing at the Sheshan Golf Club in Shanghai.
Still, unlike previous years, there has been mostly silence on the amounts being paid to some of the bigger names to appear in these tournaments.
Asian Tour officials are understood to be not so keen on shelling out hundreds of thousands of dollars for marquee golfers when they would prefer their own professionals to enjoy higher profiles.
It’s a fair stance but the fact is that Asian players must start winning more. Indeed, they have achieved a lot with players such as Jeev Milkha Singh, Zhang Lian-wei, Mardan Mamat, Thongchai Jaidee and others winning on the European Tour.
Let’s hope that, in the future, when people talk about “the greatest field ever to be assembled in Asia”, they are also referring to Asian players.
Golf Provides Hope in Kabul
It is said sport can change the world. Perhaps, perhaps not. For every story of a civil war stopping so that both side could catch a glimpse of Pele’s genius there are a thousand tales of drinking binges, doping tests and betting scandals.
Now and then, though, it is good to cast aside your cynicism and allow yourself to be uplifted. Sometimes sport can throw a light on the darkest of lives and transform, even in a small way, the most troubled of places.
So every golfer around the globe, from Saturday hacker to millionaire major winner, should be applauding the hardy souls who have managed to reopen the Kabul Golf Club in Afghanistan. If you think the course looks to have more in common with a battlefield than the pristine fairways of Augusta then you’d be right. In the 1990’s the Kabul course was, literally, a war zone witnessing clashes between rival Mujahideen factions.
While Donald Trump battles environmentalists in Aberdeenshire the course owners in Kabul had different concerns. The course had to be cleared of landmines before it was playable. Oiled sand is spread to form a putting surface because there is no irrigation. Caddies carry Kalashnikov rifles along with the clubs.
The course professional, Afzal Abdul, has a slightly different life to his colleagues in the west. In fact he has been jailed twice for the simple crime of being a golfer. The Soviets locked him up after storming the clubhouse: golf, they believed, was a sign of his involvement with Western diplomats.
The Taleban, for whom golf was the worst of Western excess distilled into sport, confiscated his clubs, his balls, his trophies and then threw him back into jail. Eventually he left for Pakistan and five years of driving taxis. When the Taleban fell he returned. Returned to his clubs, to his dreams: “I became young again†he said.
Once a scratch golfer, Afghanistan’s finest, Afzhal has seen the terrors that have befallen his country. The constant in his life is golf. Reopening the golf club symbolises that. Afzhal would like Tiger Woods to play the course. That might be too much to hope for
The players are drawn from the international organisations that are trying to solve Afghanistan’s problems. Some clubs were donated by a UN employee. It’s a case of get what you can and get on with it.
Golf changing the world? Perhaps. But reopening the Kabul Golf Course is a small step towards normality. For men like Afzhal that is victory enough.
Cabrera Wins In Singapore, Mickelson hails Asian Players
One of the biggest weeks in Asian professional golf fittingly produced a big-name winner as US Open champion Angel Cabrera, of Argentina, lifted the Singapore Open title on Sunday.
Cabrera, who led from the second round, closed with a one-over-par 72 to put the finishing touches to an eight-under 276 total and edge Fijian Vijay Singh by one stroke.
Two-time defending champion Adam Scott, of Australia, finished third, five strokes behind the winner.
Cabrera had to fight off a determined challenge by Singh as he fired a birdie on the final hole at the tough Serapong Course on Sentosa Island.
The Fijian, who was six shots off the lead heading into the final round, scored a course-record 67 but he fell only one short of the Argentine.
American Jin Park was third, one stroke behind Scott, on 282 while England’s Lee Westwood failed to mount a challenge on the last day with a 74 for 283.
Cabrera, who won $634,000 in his 17th pro triumph, was delighted with his title, having overcome a field that included American star Phil Mickelson and South African Ernie Els, who missed the cut. He said on the Asian Tour website:
“I am very, very happy to win. It is a world class event with some of the best players in the world like Vijay, Ernie, Adam and Phil. It was an impressive line up and I’m very happy to have outplayed them to win the tournament.â€
Mickelson had a strong first two rounds but illness on Saturday prevented him from maintaining a challenge. He had three double bogeys and one triple bogey on the last day but he was happy to have made a rare excursion out of the United States and play in Asia.
“I loved it here. I’m definitely going to come back in the next few years. My family had a great time. I wanted to, obviously, play better. I love the golf course. I love how challenging it is and I’m looking forward to taking another shot at the Serapong Course.â€
Earlier in the week, Mickelson was full of praise for the standard of play among the Asian players, who he believes have the potential to make an impact on world golf.
“I didn’t realise how many good players were here in Asia. I noticed it on the driving range, on the putting greens and I noticed it when I played with (Thailand’s) Chapchai (Nirat during the first round) and he is a world class player.â€
The $4 million Singapore Open is the richest event on the Asian Tour despite not having joint sanction with the European Tour, which has events in Asia coming up, the highlight being the Hong Kong Open.
Bourdy Triumphs as Pros Prepare for Tour Finale
It has been a year of new names on the European Tour and the latest one is French. Gregory Bourdy became the 18th first-time winner on the Tour this season when he triumphed at the Mallorca Classic.
The 25-year-old shot a closing round of 67 to finish on 12-under-par 268 for a two-stroke victory over England’s Sam Little, who also scored 67 on Sunday. Robert-Jan Derksen, of the Netherlands, came home in third place on 271.
Bourdy had only one previous international victory, at the 2006 South African PGA Championship, which is part of the Sunshine Tour. He said on the Tour’s website:
“To get my first win on Tour feels absolutely fantastic. I had a great day out there and this is just unbelievable.â€
His victory and the 333,330-euro first prize means Bourdy has qualified to take part in next week’s Volvo Masters at Valderrama, the final tournament of the 2007 season.
The Masters is shaping up to give the Tour an excellent finale, with South African Ernie Els hoping to finish top of the Order of Merit.
Else has €2,496.237 so far this season but Ireland’s British Open winner and defending European number one Padraig Harrington, England’s Justin Rose and Swedes Niclas Fasth and Henrik Stenson are all in a position to steal the title away.
The Volvo Masters is open to the top 60 on the European Tour along with past. That means, the field will include defending champion Jeev Milkha Singh, of India, Paul McGinley, Ian Poulter, Miguel Angel Jiminez, Alex Cejka, Colin Montgomerie, Sandy Lyle and Ronan Rafferty.
Although it is the final tournament of the season, there will be no break for the hard-working tour pros with the 2008 season starting the very next week in Asia.
