US Open: Day the tide turned

Published on Saturday 26 June 2010 20:59

IT WAS the US Open, amazingly only the fifth to be held at glorious Pebble Beach, where things that were supposed to happen just didn't. Some examples: In contention with 18 holes to play, Phil Mickelson didn't win. Neither did Tiger Woods. Nor did Ernie Els.

The 12-strong English invasion was – at least according to the English media – going to sweep everyone else into nearby Stillwater Bay. They didn't. Half of them missed the cut, in fact, with only major champion-in-waiting Lee Westwood playing to anything like current form with a semi-respectable tie for 16th place.

Colin Montgomerie was initially billed as being part of the Sky television commentary team. Never happened. The Ryder Cup skipper was replaced by another former PGA champion in David Howell because of Monty's desire to what is euphemistically known as, ahem, "spending more time at home with the family". Not a bad idea at the moment, right enough.

Still, as ever there was plenty of action that did take place at what is perhaps major championship golf's most picturesque venue – only Turnberry and Carnoustie (just kidding) come close. Here are just a few impressions:

1) Beautiful place – so-so course

It has long been the dirty little secret of American golf that Pebble Beach's almost peerless location disguises the overall ordinariness of so many of its holes. Indeed, those away from the ocean are, whisper it, a generally bland bunch you wouldn't pay $4.95 to play, never mind the sick $495 well-heeled visitors are routinely charged.

2) Graeme McDowell – British or Irish?

Not so very long after the Ulsterman completed his memorable victory – albeit on a day marked by golf that was less than stellar – the battle commenced. First "British" US Open win since Tony Jacklin's in 1970 was the Daily Mail's predictable response. The Press Association played it safe, calling McDowell a "European" champion. And the Irish Times hailed the conquering hero as one of their own – and quite right too.

In golf, of course – and despite the odd protestations of a European Tour that persists in inconsistently labelling the likes of Darren Clarke, Rory McIlroy and McDowell as "Northern Ireland" and Padraig Harrington as "Ireland" – no one has ever played golf for either the Province or the Republic. Just as in rugby union, the sport is, as one Irish journalist correctly pointed out, "a 32-county affair". So that makes McDowell Irish, whether he or the Tour likes it or not.

3) The despair of Michael Campbell

Speaking as the only journalist who watched all 83 of Campbell's shots in a second round riddled with bogeys, I can testify that the 2005 US Open champion is currently but a shadow of his former self. It was sad to see one of the game's nicer people playing more like a minor-leaguer than a major winner.

4) Tom Watson's US Open farewell

Fittingly, the 60-year-old maestro was good enough – just – to make the 36-hole cut in what was almost certainly his last appearance in his own national championship. Watching him stride up the final fairway on Father's Day, his son on the bag, he didn't look much different from the young man who "robbed" Jack Nicklaus at the same venue 28 years earlier. The only pity was that he missed a tiddler on the 72nd green. It always has been hard to putt with tears in your eyes, though.

5) The cathode ray tube rules … OK?

As a member of a golf-writing industry that is, generally speaking, dying on its soft-spikes, it pains me to reveal that the US Open, along with the other three majors, is increasingly becoming nothing more than a television show. Certainly, the logistical arrangements last week for both print media and spectators were nothing short of a disgrace. Not only was the USGA media centre – as per usual – largely manned by well-meaning but essentially useless volunteers, the tent was actually off the premises. Getting to the 18th green and back involved a half-hour round trip – not exactly ideal for those on already-tight deadlines.

And the fans? Not only were they royally ripped off by the ludicrous prices in the merchandise tent – happily, sales were reported to be 50 per cent down on original estimates – they were bussed in from locations that seemed to be not unadjacent to San Francisco (two hours away by car). Oh, and that's only if the buses were running – which sometimes they weren't.

6) Ernie, Tiger and Phil

My goodness, they stunk the place up last Sunday didn't they? One can only imagine that at least three family cats were making themselves scarce in the wake of a final round that made the game's three best players – no matter what the rankings say – look more like the Three Stooges.

While it is safe to assume that all three went home thinking they should have added to their respective tallies of Grand Slam wins, it was surely Els who was most put out by his ultimately bumbling performance. The big South African was the only one who had nothing whatsoever to say to the media in the wake of a stumbling back nine of 40, which coincidentally matches the number of years Ernie has spent on this earth. Time, as he is so obviously aware, is running out.

7) The new Tiger? Aye right

Speaking of grace under pressure, put from your minds any suggestion that the world's best golfer has emerged from sexual scandal a changed and better man. He hasn't. Not even close. In fact, he is the same flawed, self-absorbed individual he was before his previously private life went sensationally public.

Woods still swears like a trooper. He's still rude to everyone in sight. He still gives the worst – and shortest - post-round interviews. And he's still a rotten sport when he doesn't win. In contrast to the ever-gracious Mickelson – who went out of his way to pay tribute to McDowell – Woods has yet to publicly congratulate the new US Open champion on his hard-earned victory. There, there Tiger.

8) The art of choking

Speaking of ineptness under pressure, what about Dustin Johnson then? In the space of only four last-round holes, the supposed Pebble specialist went from hero to zero. It wasn't pretty. And neither, it must be said, is Johnson's method, which features an almost totally shut clubface at the top of the backswing. What is his coach, Butch Harmon, thinking?

9) What US Open champions do best

It used to be that winning the US Open was a one-dimensional affair built solely around the prosaic art of hitting narrow fairways and finding rough-circled greens. Not any more though. Last week McDowell ranked no higher than tied-34th in fairways hit and tied-12th in greens in regulation. Where the Irishman (not Brit) won his maiden major was on the greens. Ranked tied-3rd in total putts (behind only amateur Scott Langley and Hiroyuki Fujita of Japan), the 30-year-old from Portrush was tied-second in number of birdies made. In other words, unlike the aforementioned and unfortunate Els, Mickelson and Woods, McDowell took his chances when they came along. Sometimes, winning really is that simple.

10) And finally … the "Scots" arrive

In these days of much tartan-clad futility on the links, any time the Saltire appears at a major championship it is worth writing about. Actually, this time it appeared twice, alongside the names of Michael Sim and Rhys Davies on the opening day. Not for long though. Within an hour or so, some bright spark at the USGA had clearly been told that a Scottish birthplace – Australia's Sim was born in Aberdeen and Welshman Davies in Edinburgh – does not necessarily mean the man in question is a Scot. Oh well, maybe next time.