Given such large windows, the views were expansive and so were the stretches of solitude.
The windows we’re referencing were the wild stretches of TV broadcast times for the Open Championship – 5 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday to Saturday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday – and if you’re thinking that’s too much golf to sit through, you have a different level of respect for pure links.
Cannot get enough of the bounces, the blind shots, the pot bunkers, the crazy swings of weather, the peculiar choices of shots and the plays made.
But, still, here’s conceding that there were too many lulls. To accommodate that, it pays to have a lot of golf thoughts on your mind, a commitment to a stream of consciousness, and an appreciation for navigating on and off exit ramps.
Some thoughts that served as entertainment to carry me through those early morning-to-midafternoon viewing.
Just thinking . . .
With Scottie Scheffler on another roll, comparisons to Tiger Woods are the rage. Thus, what were ignited were thoughts of the once popular “10-stroke” rule that governing bodies used to employ. As in, anyone within 10 strokes of the lead after 36 holes made the cut.
But what if it worked the other way, meaning the cut fell exactly at “10 strokes of the lead,” none of that “low 70 and ties” stuff? At this week’s Open Championship, Scheffler led at 10-under through 36 holes and only 50 competitors would have advanced if they had to have been within 10 of the lead.
Savor that, but plese recall these flashbacks to supreme domination.
First, Woods at the 1997 Masters went 70-66 to lead at 8-under and only 23 players would have made the cut if it fell within 10 shots.
Next, arguably the most incredible performance in a major championship, the 2000 U.S. Open. Woods got halfway home in 8-under and if the cut fell at those within 10 of the lead, only 18 – EIGHTEEN! – would have made it into weekend play. In other words, hats off to Tiger’s history of domination.
Which reminds me . . .
The Ryder Cup singles match that still stirs the emotions is not Scheffler vs. Rory McIlroy, it’s Bryson DeChambeau vs. McIlroy.
Speaking of which . . .
The Europeans had no problem with choosing Ludvig Åberg for the 2023 Ryder Cup after only see him in 14 tournaments as a professional. Not sure why that way of thinking doesn’t carry over to Chris Gotterup.
Oh, by the way . . .
Thank goodness the “Patrick Reed for the Ryder Cup” noise is silenced – hopefully forever. Such nonsense, this Captain America business.
Shifting gears . . .
It was a time when phone calls were not easy to answer, given the death of the dearest of friends and a colleague who meant so much to me, Jeff Babineau. Speaking to anyone was a challenge last December but when the ID flashed Bob Bubka it was a quick answer. He spoke just a few words, but my answer was a flood of tears and “Bobby B,” as we lovingly called him, understood. He cried, too. The phone call went that way for perhaps five minutes, tears and emotions, more tears and more cracked voices. He was a special man, Bob Bubka was, perhaps the most booming and distinctive radio voice that we had in the golf business. Cherished his friendship, thoroughly enjoyed all the opportunities to exchange banter with him, and appreciated the river of kind praise from him that flowed my way. When the news of Bubka’s death at the age of 83 arrived during Sunday’s final round from Royal Portrush, thoughts immediately turned to being regaled by Bob’s voice as we walked to follow the action at Tiger Woods’ epic 2000 Open Championship at the Old Course. What an honor to have known him.
Turning the page . . .
For sure, Scottie Scheffler, just 29, is the rage and he’s being chalked up for another 10 to 15 major wins and no one seems to doubt that he’ll sew up the career grand slam. (He’s three-quarters of the way there.) Being one who has forever favored reacting to news than trying to predict it, two things come to mind. One, as we left Augusta National in 2005, with Tiger Woods having won for the fifth time in nine Masters as a pro, many of us figured he was good for seven or eight Green Jackets and 20 majors. (He’s got five and 15, likely forever.) And two, when they got three-quarters of the way to the career grand slam Jordan Spieth was 23, Arnold Palmer 31, and Tom Watson 32.
Speaking of which . . .
Golf on the “telly” at 6 or 7 a.m. when you’ve got the whole day in front of you is miles better than trying to watch why while jumping in and out of the shower, picking out clothes to wear, and getting dressed so you can make you 7 p.m. dinner reservation. Plus when the Open Championship is concluded around 2 p.m., you can head to the course for your Sunday 18.
That reminds me . . .
Not to get too nostalgic, but for 17 summers there was a true privilege in my life – a trip to Scotland (12 times) or England (5) to cover the Open Championship. Trip No. 1 was most memorable because at the baggage carousel in Edinburgh the Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times sports columnist Dave Anderson invited me to ride with him and figure out how to get to St. Andrews. Told him it was a mystery to me as it was my first visit. “That’ll make it more fun,” he said. He was spot on. Made visits to all the Rota courses (except Portrush) and Trip No. 17 was a joy because the leaderboard (Henrik Stenson won at 264, Phil Mickelson was next at 267, and third place was 278) reminded me of my favorite Open ever studied, the epic duel in the sun (Tom Watson, at 264, edged Jack Nicklaus, 267 with the third-place finisher at 279).
