Here was the top 10 after Day One:
1. A. Hadwin (CAN): -4 (66)
T2. M.J. Daffue (RSA): -3 (67)
T2. J. Dahmen: -3 (67)
T2. D. Lingmerth (SWE): -3 (67)
T2. R. McIlroy (NIR): -3 (67)
T2. C. Tarren (ENG): -3 (67)
T7. H. Buckley: -2 (68)
T7. M. Fitzpatrick (ENG): -2 (68)
T7. B. Harman: -2 (68)
T7. D. Johnson: -2 (68)
T7. M. NeSmith: -2 (68)
T7. J. Rose (ENG): -2 (68)
T7. A. Wise: -2 (68)
Here is the current top 5 plus ties:
ReplyDeleteT1. C. Tarren (ENG): -4 (26 holes)
T1. J. Dahmen: -4 (19)
T3. N. Hardy: -3 (36)
T3. S. Scheffler: -3 (36)
T3. D. Lingmerth (SWE): -3 (24)
T3. C. Morikawa: -3 (23)
T3. J. Rahm (ESP): -3 (23)
T3. B. Harman: -3 (21)
T3. A. Wise: -3 (21)
The big stories so far are that Scheffler, who is trying to add the National Open to his Masters win back in April, shot a three-under par 67 to move only one shot off the lead, and that Rory McIlroy is two over through his first four holes, and is now only 1 under for the tournament.
ReplyDeleteThe Country Club is, of course, one of the legendary places of American golf. It was here, in 1913, that Francis Ouimet, a 20-year-old amateur from Brookline, defeated two of the greatest golfers of all time -- Harry Vardon (ENG) and Ted Ray (ENG). It was a stunning victory by an American, and showed for the first time that Americans could compete at the highest levels of golf.
ReplyDeleteOuimet never became a professional, and spent his career as an amateur. Here is my favorite fact about Francis Ouimet. He won the 1914 U.S. Amateur, when he was 21 years old. And he won the U.S. Amateur again in 1931, when he was 38. Between those two years, of course, lay the career of Bobby Jones, who won the Amateur five times and made it difficult for everyone else, including someone as great as Ouimet.
ReplyDeleteThat is crazy.
DeleteDid you have to look up "lay" vs. "lie" here? Because I have to look it up every time, and sometimes I'm still not certain of what to do. I struggle with "affect" and "effect," too.
The National Open did not return to the Country Club until 1963, the 50th anniversary of Ouimet's victory. In a wild tournament, brutal wins led to extremely high scores, and the tournament ended with a three-way playoff between Julius Boros, Arnold Palmer, and Jacky Cupit, all of whom tied at 9 over par. Boros won the 18-hole playoff the next day. Palmer lost playoffs for the National Open title in 1962, 1963, and 1966.
ReplyDeleteOn the 75th anniversary of Ouimet's victory, the Open returned to the Country Club, and Curtis Strange defeated Nick Faldo in a playoff. It was the first of back-to-back Open titles for Strange, and was the closest Nick Faldo ever came to winning the National Open.
ReplyDeleteIn 1999, what may have been the greatest Ryder Cup in history was played at the Country Club. Trailing 10-6 going into the last day, the Americans made a remarkable comeback to beat Europe 14 1/2 to 13 1/2 and win the Cup for the first time since 1993.
ReplyDeleteOnly a few weeks after helping to win the Ryder Cup, Payne Stewart died in a plane accident at the age of 42.
ReplyDeleteIf I could write a book about anything, I would probably do a book on the 1952 battle for the GOP Presidential Nomination between Eisenhower and Robert Taft. But if I could write a sports book about anything, I would pick the 1999 Golf Season, which was the most dramatic year of golf I can remember.
ReplyDeleteI would absolutely pre-order both of these.
DeleteI went to hear David Halberstam speak once, and he said he always kept two writing projects going--one about something like the Eisenhower/Taft race and one about sports (like the 1999 golf season).
I loved David Halberstam. I once called him at his house (unannounced) to tell him that, and he answered. The conversation lasted for about 45 seconds. He was very gracious and didn't make me feel like an idiot at all.
Anyway, the Country Club is hosting the Open for the fourth time. The other three went to playoffs. It will be interesting to see what happens this year.
ReplyDeleteT1. D. Lingmerth (SWE): -5 (30 holes)
ReplyDeleteT1. C. Morikawa: -5 (29)
T3. B. Harman: -4 (27)
T3. J. Dahmen: -4 (25)
T5. N. Hardy: - 3 (36)
T5. S. Scheffler: -3 (36)
T5. C. Tarren (ENG): -3 (31)
T5. A. Wise: -3 (27)
This is the 10th time the National Open has been played in New England. The Myopia Hunt Club, near Boston, hosted in 1898, 1901, 1905, and 1908. The Brae Burn Country Club, in West Newton, Mass., hosted in 1919. The Worcester Country Club hosted in 1925 (Bobby Jones lost in a playoff). The Newport Country Club in Rhode Island hosted in 1895 (Tiger Woods won the 1995 U.S. Amateur at the same club). And the Country Club has hosted the Open in 1913, 1963, 1988, and 2022.
ReplyDeleteHere's another way to think about it. This is only the third time since 1925 that the U.S. Open has been in New England. And all three were at the Country Club.
DeleteNew York has hosted the U.S. Open 20 times. Pennsylvania has hosted 17 times. California has hosted 14 times. And Illinois has hosted 13 times. The South has only hosted the Open seven times (3 for Pinehurst, North Carolina; 3 for clubs in Texas, and 1 for the Atlanta Athletic Club). But of course, June in the South is really hot -- and the South already has the Masters.
ReplyDeleteThis is starting to look more like a U.S. Open leader board. Morikawa, Rahm, Scheffler, and McIlroy all in contention:
ReplyDelete1. C. Morikawa: -5 (35 holes)
T2. H. Buckley: -4 (36)
T2. J. Rahm (ESP): -4 (35)
T2. J. Dahmen: -4 (30)
T5. N. Hardy: -3 (36)
T5. S. Scheffler: -3 (36)
T5. M. NeSmith: -3 (36)
T5. P. Rodgers: -3 (36)
T5. R. McIlroy (NIR): -3 (33)
T5. B. Harman: -3 (33)
T5. K. Bradley: -3 (32)
T5. A. Wise: -3 (32)
I think this might've been the first time--or at least the longest time--that we had competing posts going on the HP. Sorry I didn't see yours while doing mine. I yield my time, Mr. GoHeath.
ReplyDelete