Almost a Norman conquest
July 21st 2008 08:44
Tiger? Who needs Tiger? The British Open that just finished at Royal Birkdale was just a stunning golf tournament even though the recuperating world No 1 was nowhere to be seen.
Before this tournament you had the feeling that only Tiger had the ability to bring golf to life. It’s fair to say it’ll be hard for any golf tournament to beat the drama of Woods’ playoff win over Rocco Mediate at the US Open but Greg Norman’s performance at Birkdale elevated the Open to something on a par with what happened at Torrey Pines.
Norman was just amazing. His swing doesn’t look any different to what it did 20 years ago and the 53-year-old looks as fit as he was in prime – no wonder he was able to snare a babe like Chris Evert!
In the end The Shark did what he does better than anyone, blew a fourth-round lead in a major but you’d have be churlish to hold this one against him.
In the end he shot a seven-over par final round which wasn’t that bad in the conditions and while he racked up the bogeys he still play amazingly well and this collapse wasn’t even in the same universe of the Masters meltdown in 1996
And that can you say about Padraig Harrington? That shot with a five-wood into the par-5 17th was the shot of the tournament to set up eagle and give him the buffer he needed on his way to a second Claret Jug.
Of the other contenders, Ian Poulter finally lived up to his own billing by challenging for one of these things and his second place might be the spur for him to kick on.
As for my tip, and everyone’s favourite, Sergio Garcia … what a clown. Sergio could have won this thing in the final round if he wasn’t such a sulky, moody, easily upset baby. I’ve had it with him – he just gets too upset too easily and that loss of cool cost him dearly.
My other tips did OK, with Robert Allenby in contention until the back nine on the last day when he faded to tie for seventh.
My tipping at the US Bank tournament in Milwulkee was a little better with both Kenny Perry and Chad Campbell in contention on the back nine on the final day. Campbell finished third and Perry sixth and I’m sure Campbell will win soon – he’s in hot form.
Others to watch in coming weeks include Chris Riley, who is returning to the sort of form that earned him a Ryder Cup place a few years back. Riley has been out of form and injured over the past two or three years but he looks like he’s turned a corner.
Another guy in good nick is Ken Duke. He’s a bit overweight in a Tim Herron way but being fat never stopped Herron or John Daly from winning.
It’s hard to say who might kick on with their form from the Open because the conditions were so testing it might leave some guys mentally drained for a week or three.
But what the tournament can tell you is who has a pea-heart and who has fighting qualities. I’ve already identified Sergio as the biggest pea-heart in the field – he just gave up on himself too easily.
Guys who added to their credentials – apart from the likes of Ernie Els and Jim Furyk, who we know have got balls – included young American Anthony Kim, Aussie Adam Scott, who hung tough, Englishman David Howell, who has to be one of the best wind players around, Justin Leonard and Robert Karlsson.
Those who packed it in a bit included Camillo Villegas, who promises to much but has yet to deliver, Stuart Appleby, who just has a phobia about majors it seems.
Before this tournament you had the feeling that only Tiger had the ability to bring golf to life. It’s fair to say it’ll be hard for any golf tournament to beat the drama of Woods’ playoff win over Rocco Mediate at the US Open but Greg Norman’s performance at Birkdale elevated the Open to something on a par with what happened at Torrey Pines.
Norman was just amazing. His swing doesn’t look any different to what it did 20 years ago and the 53-year-old looks as fit as he was in prime – no wonder he was able to snare a babe like Chris Evert!
In the end The Shark did what he does better than anyone, blew a fourth-round lead in a major but you’d have be churlish to hold this one against him.
In the end he shot a seven-over par final round which wasn’t that bad in the conditions and while he racked up the bogeys he still play amazingly well and this collapse wasn’t even in the same universe of the Masters meltdown in 1996
And that can you say about Padraig Harrington? That shot with a five-wood into the par-5 17th was the shot of the tournament to set up eagle and give him the buffer he needed on his way to a second Claret Jug.
Of the other contenders, Ian Poulter finally lived up to his own billing by challenging for one of these things and his second place might be the spur for him to kick on.
As for my tip, and everyone’s favourite, Sergio Garcia … what a clown. Sergio could have won this thing in the final round if he wasn’t such a sulky, moody, easily upset baby. I’ve had it with him – he just gets too upset too easily and that loss of cool cost him dearly.
My other tips did OK, with Robert Allenby in contention until the back nine on the last day when he faded to tie for seventh.
My tipping at the US Bank tournament in Milwulkee was a little better with both Kenny Perry and Chad Campbell in contention on the back nine on the final day. Campbell finished third and Perry sixth and I’m sure Campbell will win soon – he’s in hot form.
Others to watch in coming weeks include Chris Riley, who is returning to the sort of form that earned him a Ryder Cup place a few years back. Riley has been out of form and injured over the past two or three years but he looks like he’s turned a corner.
Another guy in good nick is Ken Duke. He’s a bit overweight in a Tim Herron way but being fat never stopped Herron or John Daly from winning.
It’s hard to say who might kick on with their form from the Open because the conditions were so testing it might leave some guys mentally drained for a week or three.
But what the tournament can tell you is who has a pea-heart and who has fighting qualities. I’ve already identified Sergio as the biggest pea-heart in the field – he just gave up on himself too easily.
Guys who added to their credentials – apart from the likes of Ernie Els and Jim Furyk, who we know have got balls – included young American Anthony Kim, Aussie Adam Scott, who hung tough, Englishman David Howell, who has to be one of the best wind players around, Justin Leonard and Robert Karlsson.
Those who packed it in a bit included Camillo Villegas, who promises to much but has yet to deliver, Stuart Appleby, who just has a phobia about majors it seems.
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