I wonder how long people will be referring to last week’s British Open, as “one for the ages.” They could also refer to it as “one for the aged!” Tom Watson’s near miss of a 9th Open Championship (as the Brits prefer to call it, and as it rightly should be by virtue of its longevity) was a rallying cry to all those golfers who have toiled for so many years at their game, but had given up hope as for ever getting it back to where they had it twenty years ago. Watson proved that on the right course, with the right strategy, low scores were still possible. He didn’t have the longest drives of anyone there, but they were long enough, thanks in part to the hard-packed terrain of the Scottish coastline. He did a better job than most on knowing where to land his tee shots so that the ball would take the bounces and rolls and end up in a decent lie, sometimes being on the opposite side of the fairway of where he had landed. That was something that could be attributed to experience, which was Watson’s most valuable asset those four days at Turnberry.
For most of those four days, Watson’s putter was working about as well as it ever did, belying the days when short putts were his nemesis. It was only on Sunday that the smooth-flowing swing wasn’t there, accounting for missed birdie putts that would have made that 8-footer for par on the 18th hole a moot point. Yet if he had made that par-putt on the 18th, the 138th Open Championship really would have been one for the ages, and we wouldn’t have to talk about what might have been.
I would say that saddest part of Watson’s near miss in the history books was the decision to hit an 8-iron instead of a 9-iron into the 18th green on the 72nd hole. His game plan, experience, and smooth swing with his irons had faced the gauntlet of Turnberry and had carried him through, until that last approach. It was really that, more so than the putt, that put him back a stroke and into a tie with Stewart Cink. That 8-iron, and the unpredictable bounces of a links course, set up a chip from the back of the green. If he had hit a 9-iron, it would have landed short, bounced on, and made for a relatively easy two-putt. Game over. Everybody goes home with a smile on their face and warm memories of the day. Instead, a mentally and physically tired 59-year old man had to face a four-hole play off against one in his prime, hungry for his first major championship. And he just didn’t have anything left in the gas tank.
The good news though, is that Stewart Cink was the winner. Ranked 33rd going into The Open Championship, Cink makes the third winner of a major in 2009 outside of the top 30. (Angel Cabrera was 69th going into the Masters, and Lucas Glover was 71st before the U.S. Open.) This was no fluke either. Cink made some changes in his game and was well prepared for this tournament. One of the first things he did was put his belly putter away. He had been very adept on short putts with the belly putter, but struggled with mid-range putts. Going to a conventional putter put more feel for distance in his hands. He also had help in switching back to a conventional putter from Dr. Morris Pickens, the same sports psychologist who helped Lucas Glover.
Cink also took a page in preparation from Tom Watson, by playing rounds at Irish links courses before The Open. He played rounds at Lahinch, Ballybunion and Doonbeg. His swing coach, Butch Harmon, told him on the way to the first tee on Sunday, “You’re playing as well or better than anyone in this tournament, and I want you to believe in that.”
Even though Stewart Cink won The Open, it will probably be remembered more by most as the Open that Tom Watson barely missed, especially since most of the footage used by ABC during The British Open was shot with BBC equipment, so we saw a lot more of Ross Fisher’s round than we did of Stewart Cink’s!
Quote of the Day: “You wonder if the wind is making a whistling noise when it blows by him.” – Paul Azinger, on the very slender Chris Wood, during The British Open telecast.
Upcoming Events:
The IWGA Mid-Amateur Championship will be at French Lick Resort on Aug. 9th and 10th. Eligible players are females who have reached the age of 25 by August 4th, 2009. Registration deadline is July 27th. To register, call the Indiana golf office at (800) 779-7271 or go online at http://iga.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/iga9/schedule/index.htm
Vigo County Golf Leagues
First Financial Rea Park Ladies 9-hole — Standings: Shepard’s Gas 476, VFW No. 1 Ladies Auxiliary 455, VFW No. 2 Ladies Auxiliary 384, Bratt Animal Hospital 365. Low gross: Myrna Handley and Verla Talkington 49. Low net: Barb Kelley 34. Chip-ins: Kay Gard (6), Phyllis Pestoff (5), Levon Garrison (5).
Paitson’s Eastend Ladies — Standings: Natalie’s Consignment Furniture 469, Sandy’s Touch of Magic 452, Otis Elevator 448, Turner Coach 448, Coaches Corner 442, Krock Racing 424, Baesler’s Market 423, Advanced Chiropractic 414. Low gross: Brenda Ellis 40. Low net: Glenda McVeigh, Iva Montgomery 29. Birdies: Jimma Lou Comer (12). Chip-ins: Brenda Ellis (15), Faye Lynn King (18). Play of day: Karen Cox (longest putt).
Ft. Harrison Ladies 9-hole — Low gross: Lucy James. Low net: Betty McKee. Low putts: Sharon Nicoson, Betty McKee. Play of day: Effie Giffel, Anita Cheek, Mary Silvers, Helen Ruhl, Vivian Miemeyer. Chip-in: Clarena Mathews, Silvers, McKee.
Mark’s Par Three Men’s Senior — Standings: Watts Farms 232, C&E; Environmental 190, Dew Drop Inn 186, Vigo Bowl 180, Sycamore Chevrolet 13, Old National Trust 158, Tabco 151, Mattingly Collision 150. Low gross: Bill Turner 36. Low net: Don Sublet 29. Closest to pin: JIm Strecklin (2). Longest drive: Al Newman (18). Longest putt: Lee Higginbotham (17).
Terre Haute Savings Bank Senior Men — National Division standings: Complete Kitchen and Bath 116, Fore Seasons Golf Complex 100, Pizza Hut 98, Page’s Market 82, TH Savings Bank 78, Paitson Bros. 75, Lough Bros. 72, SMC 65. Low gross: Jim Gormong 37. Low net: Frank Hoffman 32. American Division standings: Tabco 109, Poplar Flower Shop 103, Spring Clean Car Wash 92, Salt of the Earth 87, Gurman Container 82, VFW No. 972 63, Baesler’s Market 58. Low gross: Elmer Grizzel 39. Low net: Earl Cromwell 30.
Rea Park Tuesday 18-hole — Low gross: Sharon Horrall 81. Low net: Kathleen Atterson 64. Birdies: Stephanie Meyer (1), Carolyn Hyde (3), Sandy Lanke (4), Shawn Durand (6), Sheri Harden (10), Linda Pair (12), Horrall (14). Chip-ins: Lanke (4), Virginia Anderson (8), Laury Burris (8), Shelva Gaither (10), Harden (10), Pair (12), Mary Jean Petty (13).
Idle Creek Terminal Sports and Spirits Wednesday Evening — First place team (29): Zach Wilhoyte, John Love. Second place team (30, tie) — Denise Rowlett and Matt Love; Cliff Carrithers and Matt Love. Longest putt: Rowlett. Closest to pin: Rowlett (3, 9).
Idle Creek Ladies Tuesday Morning Scramble — First place team (41): Debbie Holcomb, Mary Brannen, Susie Colligan. Second place team (42): Cathy Brannen, Candy Lovvron, Kathy Booe. Longest putt: C.Brannen (5).
Idle Creek Home Builders Tuesday Evening — Low gross: Kurt Jones 38. Low net: Mitch Lankhaar 29. Longest drive: John Eller. Closest to pin: Charlie Smith (3), Brian Cottom (9).
On & Off the Course
On and Off the Course: One for the ages … well, almost!
- On & Off the Course
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Death Notice: Feb. 7, 2013
• Gary R. Wright
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Donna Lynn Strahla Bown
Donna Lynn Strahla Bown passed away early Friday morning, Jan. 25, 2013, with her children by her side.
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‘The Match’ pitting amateurs vs. pros recalled 62 years later
Quote of the Day: “I play golf with friends sometimes, but there are never friendly games.” — Ben Hogan.
Bubba Watson has had a busy fall. Not only did he play all the way to the final round of the FedEx Championships, and in the Ryder Cup, he also played in an event commemorating a very famous match played at Cypress Point in 1956, pitting two of the greatest golf pros at the time against two of the best amateurs.
Come to think of it, all four were some of the best golfers of all time. This year’s event was celebrating The First Tee’s exceeding $100 million in pledges to reach 10 million new young people. It wasn’t televised and kept very quiet; only 225 people were in the gallery.
One of the people in the gallery was Mark Frost, the author of a book titled “The Match,” which is about that match played 62 years ago that was re-enacted in modern terms last week. The pros in 1956 were Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson and the amateurs were Ken Venturi and Harvie Ward. It was supposed to have been a private affair, built around a wager by two millionaires, George Coleman and Eddie Lowery. -
ON AND OFF THE COURSE: Golf from the wrong side of the brain
Imagine this scenario: a woman, small in stature (possibly freckled), walks into a hospital emergency room and says, “I have an emergency, I need a doctor quickly!” The admitting nurse, ever trying to be helpful, asks what the emergency is.
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Farmers looking at widely varying yields
Combines will roll through fields this weekend, bringing in the harvest from a summer with nearly no rain.
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ON AND OFF THE COURSE: Golf debut in London would have been nice
As the Olympics get underway in London this weekend, I was thinking it’s too bad that the Olympic committee decided too late to add golf as one of the sports for this event; instead it will be added to the 2016 Olympics in Rio De Janeiro.
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ON AND OFF THE COURSE: Getting to Hoosier country’s best golfing venue part of the fun
If you are looking for Indiana’s premier golfing destination, then you should look no further than French Lick.
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ON AND OFF THE COURSE: Indiana's Pete Dye courses worth the drive
You’ve probably heard of the Robert Trent Jones Golf trail throughout Alabama, but you might not be aware that Indiana has its own “Pete Dye Golf Trail” comprised of seven courses.
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ON AND OFF THE COURSE: Fathers typically a big influence on golfing sons
Some events fall naturally into place around holidays. The Fourth of July always falls somewhere during Wimbledon, giving all of the Yanks in attendance something to be boisterous about, to the chagrin of their hosts; The Masters often, but not always, ends on Easter Sunday, which is fitting since golfers find it such a reverent occasion.
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ON AND OFF THE COURSE: Memorial just one of many visions of Jack Nicklaus
When Jack Nicklaus was a young man, the golfer he most admired was Bob Jones.
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ON AND OFF THE COURSE: With some tricky rules, golf is not a walk in the park
Golf is not a casual sport, even though it has a term called “casual water.”
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On and off the course: Sycamores seeded sixth heading into MVC golf tourney
It wasn’t too long ago that Indiana State University didn’t even have a women’s golf team.
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ON AND OFF THE COURSE: A hard ticket to come by
This is the weekend of the Masters Tournament, the first of the four major tournaments.
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ON AND OFF THE COURSE: Some things on golf course are worse than steep putts
It’s not often that anything gets more scary on a golf course than a steep downhill putt, but on some courses around the world, things a little more on the supernatural side might give you a bigger fright!
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ON AND OFF THE COURSE: The shot heard round the world
I don’t know if the Golf Channel will show a “Best Shots of 2011” highlight reel, much like ESPN does for baseball or football.
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ON AND OFF THE COURSE: The Red, White and Blue visits the Isle of Green
In 2006, the Ryder Cup was held in Ireland at The K Club in County Kildare.
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ON AND OFF THE COURSE: Fall may be coming but golf season is far from over
Once the major tournaments are over with, what’s there to look forward to in the world of golf?
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ON AND OFF THE COURSE: Golf… simplified!
Golf is not a simple game. A golf course is made up of 18 holes, all different. There are par-3s, par-4s and par-5s; they all vary in length and elevation, and each has its own challenges. There can be water hazards, trees, sand bunkers, tall grass, hills, valleys — and then, if that’s not enough, there’s probably wind too.
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On and Off the Course: Northern Ireland builds on golf history
Northern Ireland is only about 5,452 square miles in area and has a population about the same as West Virginia, which is about 1,880,344.
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ON AND OFF THE COURSE: Women’s Open at the Broadmoor
This is the weekend of the U.S. Women’s Open, and this year it’s being played at The Broadmoor, East Course, in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
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ON AND OFF THE COURSE: The Fort Golf Course: A Walk in the Park…
Indiana has some pretty spectacular state parks, but one of them gives you the ability to “spoil a good walk” by chasing a little white ball.
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ON AND OFF THE COURSE: Father’s Day is a good day for golfers
Most people consider the time around Christmas to be the gift-buying season.
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ON AND OFF THE COURSE: Playing with lead a difficult task
As exciting as last week’s Masters was, with six players being tied for the lead at one point on Sunday, it was very difficult watching Rory McIlroy fall apart to shoot an 80.
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ON AND OFF THE COURSE: Masters a rite of spring
This is Masters weekend, the grand kickoff to the golf season for a lot of golfers. Sure, there have been tournaments on TV, because the professionals have been playing in Hawaii, California, Texas, Dubai, and other areas not so affected by winter as we are here in the Midwest, but to me, watching The Masters is a rite of spring.
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ON THE OFF THE COURSE: Some history on the Ryder Cup
I fell asleep in way too many history classes to ever qualify as a history buff. However, since I have grown up a bit (not much), I enjoy learning about all kinds of history. I often have questions about how something began, or how something came to be.
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On and Off the Course: Purdue's Kampen Course a gem in Indiana's rough
About a month ago, Indiana was still heavily mired in heat and humidity, making outdoor activities such as golf less appealing than usual. At that time it felt like the repressive heat would never go away, it would never rain again, and all of the grass was just going to continue to wither and die. And the month prior to that we kept getting rained out of golf events!
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On and Off the Course: Successful golfers know ... focus is the key
I have a good friend who coached his daughter’s basketball team for a number of years, and told me that his theme with the girls was always “focus”, until it was ingrained in their brains. Now when they play high school ball, if they hear “focus” yelled from the stands, they know the source.
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On and Off the Course: Technology adds even more fun to the course
You’ve hit a drive into some brush in an area marked as a hazard, but you can’t find the ball to prove it is there. And no one actually witnessed it go in the hazard. You just think that’s where it probably is. What is the rule for this situation?
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On and Off the Course: Anthony Gonzalez First Tee Classic a worthwhile charity event
On Monday, I worked as a volunteer for the Anthony Gonzalez First Tee Classic, Golf Tournament and Auction at Eagle Creek Golf Course in Indianapolis. It was an absolutely beautiful day, with clear blue skies, just a few wispy clouds here and there and a high temperature of about 76 degrees.
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On and Off the Course: Trends show golf in decline
You don’t have to watch the news or read the paper to understand that America is struggling on the economic front. The evidence can be witnessed at the local golf course.
- More On & Off the Course Headlines
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Death Notice: Feb. 7, 2013
Unusual Heat Wave Bakes Alaska
Hoffa Mystery Still Fascinates After 4 Decades
Raw: Massive Protests Fill Brazilian Streets
Raw: Volcano Erupts Near Mexico City
Raw: NASCAR Driver Jason Leffler Dies in Wreck
3 Charged in Ohio With Enslaving Mom, Daughter
Raw: Huge Fire Near Yosemite National Park
Fans Cheer Dramatic Heat Comeback
Ex-NFL Star Chad Johnson Out of Jail
Raw: Arizona Wildfire Scorches 8 Square Miles
Raw: German President Welcomes President Obama
Raw: 1 Dead in Shooting at Mo. Apartment Complex
Failed Cuba-to-Florida Swimmer Won't Try Again
Tiger on Sergio: 'It's Time to Move On'
Raw: Obama Arrives in Berlin
Raw: Marines Land Osprey on Japanese Ship
Suicide Bombs Target Baghdad Mosque, Killing 29
Obama Welcomes WNBA Champions to White House
Today in History June 19
Obama Seeks G-8 Support on Syria
Rihanna Hits Fan With Microphone During UK Concert
Obama Renews Call for Nuclear Reductions
Miami Heat Wins in Overtime
Fists, chairs fly in restaurant brawl
Journalist Michael Hastings Dies in Fiery Hollywood Crash
Hairy Leg Stockings Aim to Deflect Male Attention
Inside Kim Kardashian's Premature Labor
Three Charged for Enslaving Mother and Daughter
Spurs' Popovich has no problem with Spurs' intensity
RAW: NSA Director Says 50 Plots Foiled
Paige Butcher Scorches on Hawaii Beach
Video: worst way to load cargo onto a plane
Never-before-seen footage of '08 Times Square bomber
Obama: NSA Secret Data Gathering 'Transparent'
WATCH IT: Lil Wayne tramples American flag
Mariah Carey Looks Beautiful in a Tiny Cut-Out Swimsuit
Out of Control Boat Throws Passengers Overboard
See Lindsay Lohan in Rehab
