- Sep 1, 2004
- 6,546
- 4,981
Oh I love the simplicity of the US Open. Let’s tease them with a short little ole' course and then set the rough, pins etc into impossible positions and watch them cry. Yes the US Open is the place to see grown golfers shed tears. So no-one beat Merion this week. Yes there were plenty of birdies but there were even more bogies. There were highlights, “Fairway Phil” holing on 10 for a very unlikely two. Jason Day, what a scrambler, the 5 he made on 11 was outstanding! But ultimately the trophy went to the most consistent and best ball striker over the week. Blooming Rose, what a finish the lad put up down the stretch. He struck the ball beautifully over the last 9 holes, only a couple of three putts spoiling an otherwise perfect stretch of golf. The drive he piped down the last and the 4 iron he almost holed would have made Hogan smile. In contrast the 3 wood Phil sprayed and the iron he had to bend round the trees was almost as intriguing. When it came down to the wire, Michelson couldn’t find the shots he needed or the putts he just had to sink. Fair play, for someone still to contend until the final hole, playing the way he did was remarkable.
Oh and the lowlights? Steve “Shanker” Stricker’s Snowman on #2 was knee crossing, Sergio’s 10, come on! Mahan, Donald, Schwartzel all folded like cheap suits in the pressure cauldron. It was painful at times to watch the best golfers in the world be so humbled. The guy that put £100K on Woods to win would have been interesting company over the weekend. Eldrick was very disappointing. And McIlroy’s petulance was worrying, he’s sliding fast and needs to start finding some form soon. Both of them talked about how well they hit the ball, but we seemed to see them hacking from the rough a lot. Perspective, eh?
So in the end I think it was a fair result on a very interesting course. I imagine I would shoot 104 on a course like that, I understand just how difficult it played. Merion and the USGA won yet again. Next stop Muirfield, for a bit of Scottish wind and rain!!
Oh and the lowlights? Steve “Shanker” Stricker’s Snowman on #2 was knee crossing, Sergio’s 10, come on! Mahan, Donald, Schwartzel all folded like cheap suits in the pressure cauldron. It was painful at times to watch the best golfers in the world be so humbled. The guy that put £100K on Woods to win would have been interesting company over the weekend. Eldrick was very disappointing. And McIlroy’s petulance was worrying, he’s sliding fast and needs to start finding some form soon. Both of them talked about how well they hit the ball, but we seemed to see them hacking from the rough a lot. Perspective, eh?
So in the end I think it was a fair result on a very interesting course. I imagine I would shoot 104 on a course like that, I understand just how difficult it played. Merion and the USGA won yet again. Next stop Muirfield, for a bit of Scottish wind and rain!!
United States
