Harrington Rides Emotional Roller Coaster to Make Open History
The emotions stirred by Major tournaments in golf can be intense to the extreme. How a pro performs under pressure can not only change his life but also his character.
Such was the weight of a three-foot bogey putt in the British Open play-off that Irishman Padraig Harrington faced on the 18th at Carnoustie, a course that once reduced Frenchman Jean Van De Velde from a confident, driver-wielding potential champion to a shoeless comedian who had lost his way, probably forever.
Harrington knew that chances to win the British Open at one of the tournament’s most unforgiving courses come just once in a lifetime, And that to only a select few. He had the chance to be the chosen one on this day, even though Spaniard Sergio Garcia, was in a position to take it away from him.
As Harrington was quoted by AP as saying:
“I know it was only a short putt, but the emotions of it … I couldn’t believe it as it was rolling in from right in the middle of the hole, and I’m thinking, ‘The Open champion’. If Sergio parred the last and I did lose, I think I would have struggled to come back out and be a competitive golfer. It meant that much to me.â€
Indeed, it would to anyone when it comes to winning a Major during the era of Tiger Woods, the champion in 2005 and 2006 who dropped out of contention after the second round.
Harrington was forced into the play-off after a double-bogey on the 18th, which included two shots that ended up at the bottom of the famous Barry Burn that Van De Velde almost dared to wade in when the Open was last played at Carnoustie in 1999.
Harrington became the first Irishman in 60 years to win the Open and also ended Europe’s long drought in the tournament.
For Garcia, his defeat was Van De Velde-esque in slow motion, because it came over 18 holes rather than one. The Spanish hope held a three-stroke overnight lead but saw it disappear.
He closed with a 73 for a total of seven-under-par 277, same as Harrington, who had 67. Argentina’s Andres Romero, who at one time held a two-shot lead, finished alone on third after his closing 67 gave put him one stroke behind the leaders.
Tied for fourth on 279 were Australia’s Richard Green, who finished with a brilliant 64, and South Africa’s former champion Ernie Els (69).
Harrington had virtually won the play-off at the first hole when he took three for birdie while Garcia needed five.
The pair matched each other for the next two holes with three and four and, although the Spaniard made par on the final hole, Harrington’s bogey was enough for a one-stroke play-off victory.
Garcia, who burst on to the scene as a teenager, now needs to go away and get his head straight. He has too much talent to let the mental anguish of squandering a big lead at the British Open affect his career.
A true champion is one who embraces disappointment. Harrington, though, will be happy enough to embrace the Claret Jug.
I For One Will Miss Seve Ballesteros
This week, for the first time since I’ve been watching golf, the British Open teed off without Seve Ballesteros (My all-time favorite player).
By now, most golf fans are aware that earlier this week Seve announced his retirement – an announcement that officially ends one of the most exciting careers in the history of golf. I know, I know — some will argue that Seve’s career was over a long time before this announcement. And it’s been years since Seve played the type of golf that could be considered “competitive.” But I, despite Seve’s lack of performance, always held out hope for one last piece of magic. You know, the kind of magic Jack Nicklaus summoned at the 1986 Masters, where he willed all his talent and experience into one prolific 9 holes.
For me, it’s almost like Beatles fans, and how they must have felt the day John Lennon was killed. Back then, there was the obviousness sadness that came with his death — but also the sadness that came with knowing a possible comeback would never happen.
But alas, Seve made it clear earlier this week that he no longer wants to play competitive golf. At his press conference announcing his decision, he was quoted as saying on the BBC Website:
“I don’t have the desire any longer,†he said. “I have worked very hard from morning to night and put all my energy and effort into the game, focused 100% and I felt that was enough.
“I have a number of good years left and I’d rather spend time now with my three children and my companies and friends.â€
Seve Ballesteros with companies? This just doesn’t seem right to me. Seve was born to be on a golf course — not a board-room. Seve was born to use that world-class imagination around the greens — not for profit margins.
I think in some ways, this has led to Seve’s alleged unhappiness the last few years. There’s always going to be something missing in a person’s life when they’re not doing what they’re born to do. And Seve was born to play golf — even if that golf has not been good lately. He has been so unhappy — he had to come out recently to deny an apparent suicide attempt. As reported by Josh Sanburn at GOLF.com, Seve came out with this statement a couple weeks ago:
“Due to increasing rumors centered on me that are being spread out mainly by the tabloid press, I wish to distribute this release to declare and confirm that I am doing perfectly well,†Ballesteros said. “In the past, falsehood about me was let out and I never answered back because I do not speak about my private life. If I do now it is because different twisted statements about my state of health have been circulating.â€
Again, Seve shouldn’t be forced to make these kind of statements. Instead, Seve should be making birdies from parking lots or pumping his fist at St. Andrews.
In the late 70’s and early 80’s, Seve almost single-handedly lifted the European Tour on his shoulders and brought world-wide respect to its brand. His play made it possible for Nick Faldo, Sandy Lyle, Ian Woosnam and Bernhard Langer to believe — they too could take on the world.
Also, without Seve’s inspirational golf, the Ryder Cup would not be the spectacle it is today. And it surely wouldn’t be something that causes American fans to wonder — how can we win the cup back? This flow of great players from Europe and belief in their ability as world-beaters — is directly related to Seve’s influence.
Jose Maria Olazabal, His Ryder Cup partner, had this to say when hearing about Seve’s retirement.
“It a very special day,” said Olazabal, who with Ballesteros won 11, halved two and lost only two matches against the Americans, “because what Seve means for golf, in Europe mainly, nobody from a later generation will understand. He has been a real inspiration for me, the best friend I’ve had in my career,” he added. “He was really the master.”
I wonder if younger players really know just how good he was. I wonder if they know how much they owe him for what they take for granted on Tour. I wonder, because Seve was basically done playing world-class golf after 1988, if they understand that for about 10 years, there may have never been a brighter star in the history of the game — except maybe Bobby Jones and Tiger Woods.
This has been somewhat of a sad week for me — because I knew, even though Seve would probably not play well — I would at least get a chance to see him. The BBC would always at least, out of respect, show him hit a few shots. And those few shots would be enough to rekindle some great memories. But of course, with Seve’s announcement, there were no shots of him swinging this week. No more inprobable chips or putts.
And with that announcement, officially comes the end of an era.
No longer will I, an American golf pro, secretly root for the Europeans in the Ryder Cup. No longer will I, as much as I respect Tiger Woods, have a hero in the game.
I should have known the end was near, when a couple years ago I had to put my German Shepherd to sleep after a long fulfilling life. My dog’s name was of course — Seve. Truly the end of an era.
I’ll miss you Seve.
Asians Hope for KJ Glory
The British Open buzz in Asia is all about KJ Choi and his great performance so far at Carnoustie.
South Korean Choi has been billed as the Asian most likely to win a Major, and he has certainly shown he can slug it out with the best during his career.
Recently, he won his fifth title on the PGA Tour, and whether or not he goes on to achieve anything at Carnoustie this weekend, there is still a lot Choi can offer in the future.
One man who believes this is Scot Andy Prodger, who once caddied for former Open winner Nick Faldo.
Prodger said on the Asian Tour website:
“KJ is becoming a very, very good golfer. He’s become a better player than before. He changed his swing and his technique is 10-fold better. His mind feels he can win a major. He has the skill to win this tournament, that’s for sure.â€
Ignoring the fact that Tiger Woods has an Asian mother, the continent is still waiting for their first Major winning.
The closest was Taiwan’s Lu Liang Huan, better known as “Mr Luâ€, who battled Lee Trevino over the final holes of the 1971 British Open but finished second by a stroke.
Choi grew up in the island of Wando, where there was no golf. His first passion was powerlifting but he switched to golf when his guru gave him a Jack Nicklaus instructional video.
Apart from Choi, there was little cheer for Asia at Carnoustie.
Indian hope Jeev Milkha Singh missed the cut. His second round of 73 was four strokes better than his first round but his eight-over total of 150 too large to get him through to the weekend.
There was disappointment also for Singapore’s Lam Chih Bing as well. He totalled 153 over two rounds to exit the tournament.
Video Clips From The Open Championship At Carnoustie
At 6:30 this morning Joe Durant had the honour of being the first player to play the opening shot of this year’s Open Championship. You can imagine despite days of practice, the realisation that this shot is for real and counts, must make even the most confident pro nervous. It’s a whole different ball game to the practice days when the players get the chance to experiment with different shots, have a laugh with their playing partners and sign autographs whilst they play.
I had the pleasure of walking around Carnoustie Championship Links two days ago, a day of summer sunshine sandwiched between the downpours of Monday and Wednesday. It certainly must have kept the players guessing what clothing to pack in their golf bags – ultimately you need everything for Carnoustie.
Below I have displayed five videos from my day at Carnoustie:
360 Degree View From Behind The 17th Green
A 66 second video recorded at the top of the grandstand behind the 17th green. The video shows the Par 4 17th hole called Island at 461 yards and the Par 4 18th hole called Home at 499 yards. Footage also shows a complete view of the course in all directions.
360 Degree View From Beside The 18th Green
A 54 second video recorded at the top of the grandstand beside the 18th green. The video shows the 18th hole, the hotel and town as it pans 360 degrees.
Panned View From Beside The 18th Green
A 21 second video recorded at the top of the grandstand beside the 18th green. The video shows the 18th hole green and hotel before panning the length of the hole.
Panned View of the 18th Green and 1st Tee
A 20 second video showing the 18th Green, then panning to show the hotel and 1st tee.
Panned View of the Practice Range
Short 19 second video panning the practice range
Open Magic Remains Intact
I’m sitting staring out the window prevented, by a deadline, from enjoying this rare blast of sunshine out on the fairway – or out on the sun terrace, chilled drink in my hand.
It strikes me, however, that this is the weather that I associate with the Open – the weather that accompanied long hours in the back garden trying, with plastic balls and cut off clubs, to recreate the genius of Sandy Lyle or Greg Norman.
Or the weather that accompanied that first, awe inspiring trip to the final day of practice at Muirfield. Or the long hours, and mind bending wages, of a week spent marshalling a car park in Gullane.
Or, later, the weather that accompanied the long hours following Montgomerie, Woods or Els around the links, then the long hours enjoying the beer gardens of East Lothian or Fife.
The record books will disagree with me but hot days and the Open always seem to go hand in hand. And the excitement, the build up of enjoyable tension from the newspaper supplements on the weekend of the Scottish Open to the final, spine tingling, walk of the Open champion down the last fairway, remains undimmed throughout the years.
Why? The World Cup, perhaps because it is only every four years and has come to represent the bloated world of football, has lost its lure. Wimbledon – for all its protestations – is now no different from the other tennis ‘slams’ and is no longer a spectacle. And yet the Open remains, its spirit intact.
Partly this is because the Open, even when it is played in England, always feels like a Scottish event. The thrawn, stubborn links courses could be a striking metaphor for the Scottish character. This is a world class, modern golf tournament, but somehow it remains true to the aims of those hardy pioneers at the links of Prestwick and Musselburgh.
In part it is the unpredictability of the tournament. The Open remains open – even in the Tiger era, a plucky artisan like Paul Lawrie or an unknown apprentice like Todd Hamilton can make their mark and steal the glory.
And there remains the lingering feeling that this, far more than the manicured beauty of Augusta or the lengthy test of the US Open, remains golf. For just one week we can all become purists, dedicated to preserving the game as it was meant to be played.
We can nod knowingly as the latest big name from America struggles or shake our heads and wonder why more Brits can’t learn on the links courses that decorate our coast line. As spectators we are knowing and appreciative, sharing in the ups and downs of the professionals. Somehow, when we smell the sea, we are all, players, galleries and pundits, equal in the face of the true champion – links golf itself.
And so Carnoustie welcomes us this week. There will be tears and tantrums, genius and joy. And, for one more week, an ageing Scottish links will rule golf. This is how it has always been and how it always will be. For, more than anything, the Open provides the comfort of certainty. It is there, so all will be well.
So Long Seve, Thanks for Everything
The end, when it eventually came, was anti-climatic, messy, an affront to the irresistible force of the career that came before.
Seve had finally held his hands up and acknowledged that nobody, not even him, could fight off the ticking of the clock. In reality we knew it had been over for some time. Out of contention for over a decade, not for Ballesteros the gentle decline of the seniors circuit.
For Seve, perhaps more than any other golfer, it was all or nothing. His game, his body, had nothing left to give. His heart, monitored and probed on a hospital ward, finally had to be ruled by his head.
At the press conference announcing the end Ballesteros seemed bereft. Golf, for sure, seems a more desperate place without him.
Ken Schofield, who as chief executive of the European Tour guided the million pound industry that the Seve factor created, called him “our Arnold Palmer.â€
It is a fitting comparison. Like Palmer in America, others would come in Seve’s wake and match or better his feats. But, like Watson and Nicklaus and Woods in the States, Faldo, Lyle, Langer et al would perform on a European stage that Seve built. Arnie’s Army never lost their passion for the man who started it all: in Europe, for all the applause that greeted Faldo, Woosnam or Montgomerie, the galleries still pined for a flash of the genius that began it all.
Faldo would out major Seve. But it was the temperamental Ballesteros who seemed to talk to us more. In his pomp Faldo’s genius was to never play a bad shot. Seve’s genius was to do the impossible to recover from the wayward drive that would have tamed lesser men. Faldo was the functional 1960’s Coventry Cathedral, Seve was the beauty, romance and flaws of Gaudi’s unfinished Sagrada Familia in Barcelona.
Woosnam, Lyle, Faldo, Langer. Greats all. But none of them learnt the game on the beach using a stick as a club. Seve offered something exotic as well as genius, as if we could never quite relate to the immortal that walked among us.
We can imagine Jack Nicklaus admiring the flawless iron play of Faldo, the laid back artistry of Lyle or the competitive fires that burnt in Woosnam. But surely it is only Seve that could ever have left the Golden Bear purring over the “greatest golf shot ever†as he was at the 1983 Ryder Cup.
Europe won 19 majors from Seve’s seminal victory in the 1979 Open to Paul Lawrie’s play off triumph at Carnoustie in 1999. Seve claimed five of them. Other players have won more, yet Seve had the wizadry of an artist, an innate ability to astound and astonish that perhaps defies any measure of quantity.
Would it not have been better for Seve to finish at Carnoustie? To have exited stage left with applause ringing in his ears, to have, like Nicklaus, that one last taste of acclaim and worship. Perhaps. But, in truth, the ghosts of his brilliance will forever tread the greatest stages in golf. Seve wrote his own scripts, finally he has chosen to fade to darkness. All we can do is applaud the genius that God gave him and he, in turn, gave us.
Havret Wins at Loch Lomond as Super Seve Calls It a Day
Frenchman Gregory Havret emerged triumphant at Loch Lomond, the final tune-up before the British Open, by defeating Phil Mickelson in a sudden-death play-off and winning the Scottish Open.
With Ernie Els and Luke Donald finishing strongly but unable to challenge, world number three Mickelson and Havret took up the mantle. Havret eventually drained the par putt on the first extra hole to win the 500,000-pound first prize.
Havret and Mickelson finished on 14-under-par for the tournament and the Frenchman’s victory earns him qualification for the Open at Carnoustie, which gets underway on Thursday.
The two leaders had earlier battled each other over the final holes on the fourth day with Havret closing with a 68 and Mickelson recording 69.
Els shot a fine 65, which will give him loads of confidence ahead of the Open while Donald had an even better 64.
One player who will not be turning up at Carnoustie is Spanish great Seve Ballesteros, who announced his retirement from the sport on Monday.
Ballesteros, 50, admitted during a press conference that the decision to retire was difficult but he felt he was doing the right thing.
The five-times Major winner, who claimed three Open titles and three Masters green jackets and also captained Europe to Ryder Cup glory, was quoted as saying on the European Tour site:
“I have to say that golf gave me so much over the years that it’s really hard to give back, even 25 per cent of how much I got. It really gave me not only the pleasure of competing and enjoying the competition and feel the glory of winning, it give me the chance of travelling around the world, meeting people through dinners, cocktails and playing in pro ams, and it give me the great feeling of the people who really show me the understanding and the appreciation of what I have done in the game of golf.â€
Jeev Hoping for Hard Time at Carnoustie
India’s Jeev Milkha Singh leads the Asian assault on the British Open, with the 35-year-old hoping the Carnoustie course will play at its hardest.
Talking to the Asian Tour website, Jeev said difficult courses bring out the best of his golf, using his 36th place at the treacherous US Open at Oakmont as proof.
He said on the website:
“I love playing tough courses, it’s a challenge for me. I have more patience when I’m playing a tough course. I’ll tell myself I will make mistakes just like everybody else, so it’s just a matter of making fewer.â€
This will be Jeev’s fifth Major appearance and he hopes his experience at the Masters in April and US Open will help him with the physical and mental test awaiting him at Carnoustie.
“The US Open was some experience. It was the toughest Major I have ever played in my life. It was a true test of patience. I just hung in there and the greens were so tough, even tougher than Augusta National.â€
Another Asian making his British Open debut is Singaporean Lam Chih Bing, who is only the second golfer from his country to qualify for arguably the world’s greatest Major tournament.
Lam is among the next generation of rising Singapore golfers, following in the footsteps of Mardan Mamat, who in 2006 became the first player from the Island state to win a European Tour event when he triumphed at the Singapore Masters.
Is the LPGA Tour Becoming Too Young?
There is a tremendous youth movement right now on the LPGA Tour, which depending on point of view, could be a good or bad thing for the game. On one hand, this influx of young talent is bringing the LPGA Tour to unprecedented heights. Never before, in the history of the women’s game, has it been so marketable. In fact, in just her second year on board, Commissioner Carol Bivens has raised the ante on sponsoring a Tour Event, and has major corporations, who’ve never aligned themselves with women’s golf before, standing in line to host a golf tournament. But on the other hand, with many of their marquee players under the age of 21, the LPGA Tour may soon find themselves in a position much like professional tennis in the 1980’s — ruled by egotistical brats. And of course, if that does come to fruition; it wouldn’t take long before the LPGA Tour, like women’s tennis in the mid 80’s, started to lose popularity. Lets look at the pros and cons of this debate and see if there is a logical answer.
First, the reasons why teenagers should be allowed access to play. Some think the LPGA should allow anyone good enough to play on the Tour unfettered access. It shouldn’t matter if they are 15 or 45. If they have the skills to compete – they should be allowed to play. After all, this access has brought the tour some much-needed excitement over the last few years, with players such as Michelle Wie, Paula Creamer, Morgan Pressel and Natalie Gulbis. And this young trend is continuing internationally as well, with Europe, South Korea and Australia starting to produce some world-class teenagers. In fact, it was just announced last week, that 18-year-old South African, Ashleigh Simon, would make her LPGA debut this week at the Jamie Farr Classic. So why shouldn’t these young girls play? They bring a fresh approach to the game, as well as a new fan base. This is what the sponsors are looking for. This is why they invite Michelle Wie to their events. They understand no matter what drama may ensue from Michelle being there — they will sell more tickets and hence get more exposure for their brand.
Now, let’s talk about a few reasons why teenagers should wait to play the LPGA Tour. These young girls, no matter their level of golf game, do not have the maturity to deal with all that has been thrust upon them. Do we really think Michelle Wie would behave at age 21 — the way she has the last six month? Is it possible that Natalie Gulbis would have won by now if she had finished college and not spent ages 18-22 posing for calendars? Who knows for sure – but I will say this. I was standing on the putting green at the U.S. Open a couple weeks ago when Patty Sheehan walked over to talk with one of the caddies. Now, Patty Sheehan is a legend. Owner of one of the best golf swings in the history of golf and one of the reason why girls like Michelle Wie get to play for so much money and attention. But while I was there, which was for at least 30 minutes, no current player went over to say hello. In fact, my guess is, very few of the 30 or so girls practicing on the Pine Needles putting green, even knew who Patty Sheehan was. To me, this is where the “disconnect†begins. There are the old school LPGA Tour players and there are the new age girls. There is no connection or sense of history between them.
So, is this a problem or just evolution? I cannot say for sure — but I see potential problems on the horizon for the LPGA Tour, and only for that one reason. The rest of the brand is incredible — pretty girls playing wonderful golf — plus a smart businesswoman leading the way. I think the only thing that can stop them is the “Diva” factor. And for the first time, since I’ve been following and traveling with the LPGA Tour, I’m starting to worry about the attitudes of the girls who are supposed to be the “future.” To me, it only makes sense, as it is almost impossible to grow up under so much scrutiny. I have watched my four sisters handle puberty and have coached a number of top level teenage girls — so I’m speaking from a little experience. That is a tough time in a young woman’s life, as they struggle to find an identity and a place in the world. I’ve witnessed teenage girls on top of the world one-minute and completely depressed the next — only because someone commented on their sweater and how it made them look. So you can imagine how difficult it must be for Michelle Wie, who never had bad press in her life, all of a sudden criticized at every turn. During your high school years, imagine everyone in school talking about you and all the things you were doing wrong. Not exactly confidence instilling, is it? Michelle is going through that now, except she gets to read about it in every national newspaper. I know, I know — she has millions. It’s the price you pay. But millions of dollars doesn’t make a teenage mind mature any quicker. She is still just a high school recent high school graduate. Remember how mature you were at that age? Thankfully, I’ve repressed all my teenage memories.
I think to stave off this potential problem, the LPGA Tour should implement a rule. A teenager should only be allowed 3 exemptions into LPGA Events until they’re 18. If they qualify for a tournament (such as the U.S. Open) — they can play — but no Tour membership and no unlimited exemptions. From ages 18-21, they can receive 5 exemptions per year and qualify for others if so desired. This number of events would be a perfect summer schedule for a top college player. Then, at age 21, all girls would be eligible for full membership on Tour with access to an unlimited number of tournaments. The only exception I would make is — if during her teenage years, a girl actually wins a tournament — she could petition for early membership. But that’s it! No more kids acting like adults. If they don’t want to go to school — that’s okay — they can go play the Futures Tour. They can spend a couple years learning how to travel and how to manage their time. This would also make them much more appreciative of the luxuries they take for granted on the LPGA Tour.
I don’t want to give you the wrong impression — I am a huge fan of the LPGA Tour. And I’m a huge fan of all these incredibly talented young women. Because of that, I want to put them in the best position to succeed. I want the LPGA Tour to succeed. I don’t want their success to follow a bell curve, which I think it’s doing now. They are on the way up — but destined for a fall in about 5-10 years. I would rather they have consistent growth with classy young women — who make solid role models for all juniors that idolize them.
So, what do you think? Is the LPGA Tour getting too young? Or do you like what you’re seeing now?
Oh, and we may have to have this conversation about the PGA Tour soon as well. 16 year old Tad Fujikawa just announced he is going pro. Stay tuned.
Unlikely Broadcasting Partnership for European Tour
Imagine Liverpool and Everton, two of the fiercest rivals in English soccer, agreeing to share a player during a Merseyside derby. One team has him for the first half before he changes shirts at the break and joins the other side.
If you can comprehend the absurdity of such a situation, you may be able to appreciate the significance the European Tour’s ability to get two broadcasting rivals to work together.
Not only have the European Tour given live broadcasting rights to Sky Sports and BBC Sport, but the two networks are also going to share coverage on four of the 40 tournaments to be shown every year from 2009 to 2012.
The two companies won the rights after a long tender process and will join forces for the BMW PGA Championship, The Barclays Scottish Open, The Quinn Direct British Masters and the HSBC World Match Play Championship.
During those events, BBC will show live footage with highlights on Sky for the first two days and then the roles would be reversed for the final two days.
One wonders what it means for continuity in terms of quality. Will the two networks share the same commentators or change the faces and voices after the halfway cut?
European Tour chief executive George O’Grady is confident the arrangement would work, as he said on the tour website:
“We are delighted that Sky Sports and BBC Sport will, through the new collaborative process at four of our leading tournaments, deliver even greater in-depth live coverage plus extensive highlights each evening. These agreements give the Tour and all our tournament partners immense confidence for the future.â€
Free Exclusive 2007 Open Factsheet Available Now
With the 2007 Open Championship at Carnoustie fast approaching (starts next Thursday 19th July), I would like to offer you a free copy of “The 2007 Open Factsheet”. This two page PDF document tells you everything you need to know about the championship.
Discover all 6 previous winners at Carnoustie, the history since 1860, the terrror of Carnoustie (otherwise known as Carnasty!), Tiger’s roll of honour, the magic of Hogan’s Alley and lots more!
Simply click on the link below to open up “The 2007 Open Factsheet” on your screen.
Alternatively to download the factsheet, please right-click on the link below (for Mac users please use control-click) and select ‘save link as’ or ‘save target as’. Once downloaded, double-click on the PDF file called 2007_Open_Factsheet.pdf to read and print in Adobe Reader
When you right click you will see a number of options appear, as displayed in the image below.
Please click on the "Save Target As …" option (highlighted in blue above).
Automatically your computer will offer a folder it can download the file to, if you want you change this to another one please do so.
Next click on the "Save" button. This will start downloading the factsheet to the selected folder on your computer.
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Monty Ends 19-Month Drought
Colin Montgomerie has picked a good time to end a long victory drought with the British Open just around the corner.
Monty ended 19 months without a title when he triumphed at the European Open at the K Club in Ireland, edging Sweden’s Niclas Fasth by one stroke.
While the victory was sweet for the golfer and his fans, they would probably trade all his 31 European Tour titles for a single Major.
Being weighed down by the “best golfer never to have won a Major†tag can be frustrating and annoying, in addition to feeling a sense of emptiness when it comes to looking back on one’s career.
Thankfully for Monty, despite being 44, there is still much to look forward to after his five-under-par 65 gave him a total of 11-under 269 and his first win since the Hong Kong Open in December, 2005.
Fasth, whose final round was interrupted by bad weather, closed with a 67 as Monty pulled off a series of monster putts to aid his victory charge.
Four golfers tied for third on 271 – Swedes Pelle Edberg and Peter Hanson, Frenchman Gregory Havret and England’s Anthony Wall.
For Monty, victory means edging ahead of six-time Major winner Nick Faldo in tournament titles. The Scot said on the Tour’s website:
“After nearly two years of a dry spell it’s great to be back, you wonder if it’s ever going to happen again. I’m now one win above Nick Faldo, someone I have admired for many, many years.â€
On the PGA Tour, KJ Choi won his sixth title with victory at the AT&T National in Bethesda.
It was his second triumph in five weeks and the South Korean received his trophy from Tiger Woods, who finished tied for sixth at his own event at two under.
During the recent Memorial tournament, Choi received the winner’s trophy from his childhood hero, Jack Nicklaus.
Choi, who was cheered on by a large group of Korean supporters as she closed with 68 for a nine-under total of 271, said on the PGA Tour website:
“One thing I can say this week’s trophy is a lot heavier than Jack’s trophy, if that means anything. But just winning both events, all I can say is that I have a lot of respect for both players, and to be able to win in their tournaments is just – I can’t even express in words.â€
Veteran Golf Journalist Looks Forward to Open
Spencer Robinson is managing editor of Asian Golf Monthly. Every year, the Singapore-based journalist travels to Britain to cover the British Open. Here is a Q&A with Spencer on some of his experiences at past Opens and his hopes for the future. You can read his daily reports from the 2007 Open Championship on the AGM website.
Q. What are the British Open courses you have covered?
A. In England – Royal Birkdale, Royal Lytham, Royal St Georges (Sandwich) and last year Royal Hoylake. In Scotland – Carnoustie, Muirfield, St Andrews and Royal Troon.
Q. How long have you been travelling to Britain every year to cover the Open?
A. My first Open was in 1992 at Muirfield – the year Nick Faldo carded 18 pars in the final round to pip Paul Azinger at the post. I’ve only missed one since then, the 1994 championship at Turnberry, won by Nick Price.
Q. What is your most memorable experience as a journalist at the Open?
A. Every Open Championship is memorable! For drama, I guess it’s hard to beat the 1999 championship when a certain Frenchman squandered a three-shot lead at the last and then lost out in a play-off. I’d have to say, though, that I’m still waiting for my most memorable moment. That will come when an Asian player finally wins The Open. Hopefully it will be sooner rather than later.
Q. What is your most memorable experience in terms of a golfer at the Open?
A. I’d probably have to say the farewell Open Championship appearances of Arnold Palmer (2000) and Jack Nicklaus (2005). Both were at St Andrews. On both occasions I was stood alongside the 18th fairway as they played their final hole, stopping on the famous Swilcan Bridge to take their final bow. The noise and incessant applause was deafening. The appreciation of the galleries was genuine. It sent a tingle down the spine. They were special historic moments.
Q. What is a journalist’s relationship with a player at such events? Does the nature of the job mean that it is always professional and never social?
A. With the “big boys” it’s very difficult to get close to them. They’re pretty much cosseted by their respective management companies all week. Often they hire houses for the duration of their stay that are close to the course and even bring their own cooks and nannies! Some players, though, do get out to attend parties at the houses that are rented by their sponsors. Last year, for example, Stewart Cink and Stephen Ames were among those who were at barbecues put on by Nike Golf. The Asian players do get out more. I remember going out to a Thai restaurant with Thongchai Jaidee dinner the year he played.
Q. What kind of interaction have you had with Tiger Woods at the Open?
A. Like all the journalists there, the only interaction with Tiger is at the official press conference. When he’s playing well and in contention he’ll “be requested” to visit the Media Centre most days. If things haven’t gone so well then all we have to feed on are a couple of “quick quotes” picked up when he comes out of the scorer’s hut.
Q. What are Asian players’ hopes this year, and in the future?
A. On paper, you’d have to say not great. But then you never know in golf, particularly links golf. Nobody predicted that Paul Lawrie would win in 1999. And do you know anyone who backed Ben Curtis or Todd Hamilton the years they won? Clearly the best prospects for Asia are Korean Choi Kyung-ju and Indian Jeev Milkha Singh. Choi has already won in the US this year and has played in at least half-a-dozen Open Championships, so he knows what is required. And by winning last year’s Volvo Masters, Jeev showed that he can mix it with the best, especially on tough courses. And it doesn’t get much tougher than Carnoustie. I expect both of them to have a good week. It’s about time, too, that Shingo Katayama made his mark at the Majors. He’s been in great form in Japan recently and needs to translate that to the big stage.
Q. How does the Open fit in with AGM’s editorial content?
A. The Major championships in general and The Open Championship in particular play an important part in our editorial schedule. It’s been more so in recent years since the R&A launched the International Final Qualifying events in Asia, which has meant more Asians and more members of the Asian Tour have earned playing privileges. This year, for example, we had a 10-page preview which included an exclusive interview with Singapore’s Lam Chih Bing as well as a feature on Phil Mickelson and a Q&A with Ernie Els.
Asian Tour’s Spat with Europe Takes Korean Twist
I dislike dragging story angles over too long a stretch of time to the extent that they become tiring and predictable.
However, there are times when it simply cannot be avoided, such as new winners on the PGA Tour and the European Tour, as happened last weekend.
When Asian Tour officials last month got in a huff about the European Tour’s “colonial†advance on its turf by deciding to unilaterally stage a tournament in India, I felt I might be in for the long run on this one.
Sure enough, the story drags on, with the European Tour pulling another rabbit out of the hat. This time, they have announced a $2.5 million tournament in Korea in March next year, which, like the Indian Masters in February, does not involve the Asian Tour.
The press release announcing the tournament said talks with the Asian Tour were ongoing. Asian Tour executive chairman, Kyi Hla Han, however, was having none of it. He accused the European Tour of a colonial attitude in their decision to waltz into Asia and plant tournaments with impunity.
In a statement on their website, Han said:
“The European Tour continues to proceed on its expansion programme to colonise Asia with the announcement of a Korean event today without the official involvement of the Asian Tour. This represents the European Tour’s blatant disregard towards the Asian Tour, which is the official regional sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia.â€
Han has nothing against European Tour events in Asia, after all, the two bodies co-sanction nine of them. He is upset because the Europeans are bypassing the region’s governing body for the latest two tournaments. The Asian Tour said it would table a motion on the issue at the International Federation of PGA Tours meeting during the British Open.
Bateman Bags Buick
Brian Bateman emerged from a clutch of title contenders to win the Buick Open, which was missing a couple of stars who normally keep regular dates with Warwick Hills in Michigan.
While new father Tiger Woods and injured Vijay Singh stayed away, the 34-year-old Bateman birdied the final hole to win by one stroke and thus avoiding a tricky four-way play-off.
Bateman shot a final-round three-under-par 69 for a total of 15-under-par 273 with Jason Gore, Justin Leonard and Woody Austin on stroke back.
Five players tied for fifth on 275 – Steve Elkington, Jim Furyk, Scott Verplank, Marco Dawson and John Rollins.
Bateman’s victory, which earned him $882,000, came after he holed a 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th. He put his victory down to putting, as he said on the PGA Tour website:
“I didn’t really have any expectations. I knew I was close with four or five holes left and my putter really bailed me out.â€
The American also became the eighth first-time winner on the PGA Tour this season, the third time it has happened in straight weeks with Angel Cabrera, of Argentina, winning the US Open and Hunter Mahan taking the Travelers Championship last week.
Another interesting factoid from the tournament comes courtesy of Furyk. His closing two-under-par 70 was his 37th consecutive under-par round at the tournament, giving him 51 of 52 par or better rounds at Warwick Hills.
It was also his eighth top-10 finish, the most by any player in the tournament’s history.
The European Tour also had a first-time winner with England’s Graeme Storm snatching the French Open title from under the nose of Denmark’s Soren Hansen.
Storm was five strokes behind after the third round but his five-under 66 carried him to seven-under 277 for the tournament for a one-stroke victory over overnight leader Hansen.
The Dane recorded a 72 in his final round for a total of 278. Another Dane, Thomas Bjorn, England’s Simon Khan, Ireland’s Damien McGrane and Scot Colin Montgomerie tied for third on 279.
Monty actually led the tournament with four holes remaining but saw his chances disappear with late bogeys.
Storm took the lead with a birdie on the 14th and held on to the lead with Hansen doing his best to catch him. Storm had to wait seven years for his first victory after a successful amateur career which culminated in him holing the winning putt in the 1999 Walker Cup match against America while playing for Britain and Ireland.
During that period, he worked in a cake factory after losing his card for the 20002-03 season. He said on the European Tour website:
“Working in a cake factory was a bit of a come-down for me. But in a way it helped me because it showed me the other side of life and how hard you have to work. This win has now changed my life I can’t believe it’s true. It’s like a dream.â€
In Asia, there was joy for Japanese star Shingo Katayama, who won the UBS Japan Golf Tour Championship, one of the biggest events on the circuit.
Katayama, who grew up in the area, totalled nine-under-par 272 at the Shishido Hills course just outside Tokyo, one shot ahead of Naoya Takemoto.
