One of the annual traditions of the Masters every April in Augusta is that the defending champ gets to choose the menu for the dinner that precedes the next year’s tourney.
If the U.S.Open were to have such a ritual, it would be only fitting that Jordan Spieth’s repast before next year’s event would feature broccoli.
Since that’s the clever but derogatory descriptor most mentioned by this year’s Open participants, when describing the nature of the bumpy, multi-hued “greens” of Chambers Bay.
It was a lovely but most quirky venue indeed.
In the end though, carping legit or otherwise notwithstanding, the course was not the story.
Neither was Dustin Johnson’s choke job on the 72d. Though he had a makeable eagle putt for the W, and an even easier “gimme” for birdie and a spot in a playoff, neither of which he drained.
That he gagged wasn’t a surprise, given his demeanor walking the fairway to the site of his ill fate. It was not a stride of confidence. When Jason Day inquired of Johnson, whether he should putt out or not, the runner up’s response was befuddled, lacking conviction and confidence.
Unlike Jordan Spieth, who confirmed, yet again, that maturity is as important in the endeavor of golf, as in any major sport.
Of course, Spieth is too young to qualify for the Blade of the Week Club. That’s only a chronological delineation. On the links, the Masters now Open champ is an old soul.
When he somehow found himself up 3 shots with but two holes to conquer, after negotiating the broccoli for a birdie on 16, he pumped his fist and exhorted, providing some evidence that beneath his eerily calm demeanor lies a real human being with the capacity to feel emotions.
But, he soon enough gritted his teeth, forging ahead to the 17th tee. Where he hit the worst shot of his short career, scrambled for a double bogey, and relinquished the entirety of his advantage, heading to the last.
Where, settled down, devoid of panic — Read; mature — he birdied, going a stroke up. Then, he awaited Johnson’s finish to see if he’d lost, tied or won.
We know what happened then.
And, now, with the prospect of a golfing Grand Slam still in play with the British Open teeing off in less than a fortnight, the sports world is agog at the prospect.
We haven’t seen anything like this, since . . . oh . . . two weeks ago, when American Pharoah entered the starting gate at Belmont Park with a Triple Crown on the line.
— Seedy K
I wanted Jordan to win, but i hated to see DJ blow the playoff putt especially with “The Great One” looking on. Is DJ married to his daughter or not? By the way DJ looks like a Dork with his hat pulled down to his ears, but without it he is a handsome guy. Can’t believe someone hasn’t told him that. Good luck in the BO Jordan and “The Eyes of Texas are upon you.”
Didn’t you just know after he missed for the win that he was done? Golf is so cruel…
DJ is not married to the “great one’s” daughter but they are engaged and he does have a baby by her. As to the Open course and the play thereon let it be said that a U.S Open should never and I mean never be won by luck and only luck. To think that JS won on skill would simply ignore the facts. He won because he had fewer totally crazy bounces of the ball (both on and off the gree) and nothing more. DJ’s first putt on 18 should have gone in but for the vagaries of the green and the bump that knocked the ball off line at the last minute he would have won the tournament. (He should have made the second putt and perhaps did choke). When an open is dependent on pure luck it is a disgrace to the name of golf.
While Mr. Pohn knows far more about golf than I, I must dare to disagree a bit. The course was certainly, let us say, different. Which made it entertaining for those of us who don’t golf, and are but occasional observers. (I watch the majors.) But the course was the same for all, as unusual it may be. While Mr. Pohn may claim that young Jordan Spieth simply got good bounces, I would opine that skill was involved. As wacky as play was, Spieth, who is clearly playing the best golf in the world this summer, prevailed, i.e. the best man won. Johnson, who has displayed an inclination to shirk from the moment before, simply choked. If not on the first putt at the 72d, surely on the birdie attempt that would have put him in a playoff. Spieth, when he had to in order to win, conquered the course, on that last hole, after his meltdown on 17. That’s what worthy champions do.
If my friend Seedy K uses the term “different” as a euphemism for “unfair” “penal” or just plain “crazy” then I am in total agreement that this US Open was indeed “different”. And, further, I have no quarrel with JS winning the tournament as I happen to believe he is playing the best golf in the world right now and indeed is the best golfer in the world. My problem is with the venue and the condition of that venue. It was so difficult that even the USGA which seems to never compromise on anything made the course substantially easier the last day ( as witness the number of low scores, particularly RM). We can get into the technicalities of trying to putt on greens with two different grasses that are incompatible or the dryness of the course to the point that really wonderful shots went rolling 30 to 50 yards or more off line, but we will save all that for a later day.