With the US Open in the history books, here's 5 thoughts from the tournament that saw a lot of stars come close, a lot of bogeys made, and one wee little Irishman standing tall at Pebble Beach.
1) The US Open Is Not Made For Primetime TV
-A big deal was made out of this golf tournament being shown in primetime on the East coast. With some of the stars in the mix, it promised to be an exciting, enthralling TV event for NBC and golf. Unfortunately, this is the US Open - where the only thrills are who makes the least amount of bogeys coming home. The Masters or the PGA would be much better in primetime, at least those tournaments have, hello, birdies! That was perhaps the least exciting, least dramatic final round to a major in recent memory. Blah. If you don't believe me, look at these numbers of the leading contenders:
*McDowell (E) - Final Round 74, 3 bogeys 0 birdies on Back 9
*Havret (+1) - Final Round 72, 2 bogeys 0 birdies on Back 9
*Els (+2) - Final Round 73, +5 on final 10 holes including 40 on Back 9
*Mickelson (+3) - Final Round 73, 3 bogeys 0 birdies on Back 9
*Woods (+3) - Final Round 75, 2 bogeys 1 birdie on Back 9
*Johnson (+5) - Final Round 82, 0 birdies, 6 bogeys, 1 double, 1 triple
Combined, the final 3 groups tallied 17 bogeys, 2 birdies, and 1 double bogey on the Back 9 Sunday. +17! The winner of the tournament shot a Back 9 39 to lift the trophy... and he was down by 3 coming into the day!! I hope the USGA is happy that they got the tournament they wanted on Sunday - a bogeyfest where a player is merely left standing amidst the carnage.
2) Tiger Woods Isn't Back
-El Tigre "sucked the air out of the golf course" with a 66 on Saturday according to NBC. Well, the only thing sucking on Sunday was Woods' play (insert cheap prostitute joke here). Thankfully for Tiger, Dustin Johnson's evaporation hid another final round disappointment. Like I've said throughout this whole process, it's not so much Tiger's troubles off the course, but his loss to YE Yang in last year's PGA that may slow down his assault on Jack's record. Tiger just doesn't look like he has it when trying to win a major since that massive upset. Watching NBC's Sunday coverage was pathetic, with Mark Rolfing and others still thinking this was 2000 and not 2010. Maybe Gregory Havret intimidated Tiger yesterday causing him to 3 putt 1, hit it in the ocean on 6, or the junk on 10... these days that doesn't sound so ridiculous.
3) Dustin Johnson's Choke Was One of The Worst Ever
-His final round 82 was the worst score by a 54 hole leader in the US Open in 99 years!! That's not the sort of history that you want to be making in a major. The shocking thing is that Johnson looked on track to becoming the next big thing - he's improved on the money list each year, won at Pebble the last 2 years, and could break through to the big time with a major win leading by 3 entering the day. But the swiftness of his choke was stunning - a triple on 2 after two duffed chips, a lost drive and double on 3, and a bogey after finding the hazard on 4. I don't care how much of a "flatliner" he is, Johnson will need something special to recover from such a huge choke.
4) Phil Mickelson May Never Win a US Open
-Again, Lefty finished in the Top 5 of a US Open for the 7th time. But, let's face it, Phil just doesn't have the type of game you need to win a US Open. Look at some of the recent winners - Michael Campbell, Jim Furyk, Lucas Glover, Graeme McDowell - not exactly the flashiest players in the world. The US Open requires hitting fairways and greens and making pars, which aren't exactly the strength of Phil's game. Mickelson has trouble with his putting in US Opens as well, which I think shows the pressure he puts on himself to win the tournament. He'll always be close, but the US Open might elude Phil Mickelson for the rest of his career.
5) Graeme McDowell Was A Deserved Winner
-However, when all is said and done, the story should focus on a deserved winner - Graeme McDowell. Perhaps just the 3rd best golfer from Northern Ireland (Rory McIlroy and Darren Clarke), McDowell emerged as the last man standing like other unfancied winners this decade. McDowell only had 1 previous Top 10 in a major prior to this week and this is his first PGA Tour win (he only had 5 previous European Tour wins as well). Isn't it amazing that Euro studs like Garcia, Westwood, Casey, Poulter, and others can't get the job done - but Graeme McDowell can?!
McDowell is only 30, and he has some pedigree as an All-American at UAB as well as a 2008 Ryder Cup appearance, so maybe he isn't a one shot wonder. What struck me about McDowell was that he was the only player that didn't melt under the pressure. Yes, he made bogeys coming in while shooting a Back 9 39, but the moment wasn't too big for him. The defining moment and lasting memory from this tournament was McDowell cooly talking to the camera all the way up 18, wishing a Happy Father's Day after his drive and noting his dad in the crowd, openly talking about nerves on the way to the green and even pumping himself up yelling "Come On!" knowing that a 2 putt would win him the title. It was that determination and coolness under pressure that led McDowell to a career changing victory.
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