Two Thoughts on the 2015 US Open

With my cousin Jodi. I hope she stays with playing golf!
I'm sure her husband agrees!

Now that the sand and gravel has settled and young golfers have coined a new term—to miss a three foot putt is to "Dustin Johnson," I would like to offer two thoughts on the 2015 US Open at Chambers Bay. 

I feel very fortunate; I was able to attend the 115th US Open for three straight days with four different family members. The weather was spectacular and the backdrop was stunning. I've heard the complaints by the media and about the media, most notably about Joe Buck and Greg Norman.The non-existent greens made for tough play and so did the links style course. Welcome to the game of golf people. However with this posting, I would like to offer two different takes.

1. Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods played in what was his 19th career US Open. Woods did not make the cut as he finished 16 over par through Friday; he shot 10 over the day before. In his press conference he sprinkled some humor on a poor performance by stating "the bright side is, at least I kicked Rickie's butt today."

If you were at the Open for the practice rounds or the first two days of competition, you knew where Woods was at all times. All you had to do was look for the huge crowd that surrounded the golfer on the range and at every single hole he played. Actually, three holes were not accessible to spectators, but I wouldn't be surprised if his fans found a way to get there.

with my Uncle Jay at the Open. He might be a bigger
ND fan than me. No need to referee at the Open!

At one point, I caught a glimpse of him walking, eyes cast toward the ground as he moved to the next hole. The only reason I saw him is because I was trying to walk toward another hole only to be caught in a traffic jam of people on Tiger's tail. 

Frustrated...incredulous...I asked myself "What are people doing? Why are they following a golfer whose game is far from someone worthy of this type of adulation?" My sports fan defense mechanism kicked in "Don't they know there are so many other golfers worth watching?" To his defense Woods reclaimed the top ranking in the world in March 2013; he has not won a major since 2008

Dumbstruck, I turned to my Uncle Jay, a Woods fan and asked him to shed some light upon this strange phenomena.

There is but one tree on the course

He said "Anne, Woods did things in this game that no golfer had ever done before or since. We are all just hoping for one more glimpse of that. Isn't that part of sports? Isn't that why we hope and believe every fall the Irish have a shot at another National Championship? We want to be a witness...again. Right?"

I got it. I get it. And his point couldn't have been more poignant. Woods' world ranking is so high, (right now he is 226 in the world) he didn't qualify for the US Open. However, anyone who wins the Open has an automatic bid for 10 years following their victory. And the last time Woods won the title was in 2008. He did so by nailing a 50 foot putt at Torrey Pines against Rocco Mediate. The two golfers dueled it out for 18 holes on US Open Monday. That 50 foot putt is all the evidence I needed. He did do great things...and everyone wants to know if he will again.

2. House of Hospitality.
My aunt, uncle and cousins live but a mile from Chambers Bay, a public golf course in University Place, WA. They had weekly passes and their home was a revolving door of fans and shuttle service to the tourney. 

Another uncle quipped that "all of a sudden, everyone is a golf fan." He's right. Hosting the US Open changes your entire experience of watching the sport and the event. You can't help but feel a sense of ownership and pride for being featured throughout the country over Father's Day weekend. My club, the Olympic Club in San Francisco hosted the Open for the 5th time in 2012 and I'm still talking about it. 

Look at these two dad who played at Olympic on Father's Day. A great way to celebrate their NBA championship.

The USGA is keenly aware that bringing golf to the people is good for the sport. And this was the first time the Open was played in the Pacific Northwest. Considering that Chambers Bay belongs to King County, that many more people were able to consider themselves to be at the center of the golf world and become fans in the process!

Going to a major or any other golf tournament isn't like attending a football, basketball or baseball game. The stadium is much different. The arena has limited viewing. And the scoreboard is silent. But I love being a part of the energy and excitement that is the US Open. It confirms that one of the secrets in life is who you walk with on the journey. for Beside a fairway is a good place to do that. Thank you to Amy, Jay, Jodi and CW. Until Pebble Beach in 2019!!!

Photo Credits
All good...internal photos!

The US Open, Father's Day and Jason Day

In early June, I was on my first golf trip. I traveled with 25 other women from the Olympic Club in San Francisco for five rounds of golf in five days in Pinehurst, NC. On most days, I played with someone new. I had a caddy and forecaddies for the first time. I had a lot of time to talk to a lot of different people about...golf. An easy question to ask any golfer is: How did you start playing? A good number in this group said something I hope to hear more often—they learned from their mom! In fact, one golfer learned the game from her own mother who played on the LPGA tour in the 1950s. That was inspiring. But, the majority of golfers learn the game from, their dad.

Jason Day and his son Dash

I picked up my first golf club in high school when I took a 6-pack of group lessons run by the City of Walnut Creek. My dad signed up with me. He didn't need to take lessons; I'm not even sure he was serious about playing the game, but I understand now why he did. Thanks Dad!

The final round of the U.S. Open always falls on Father's Day. I would be interested to know how long this tradition has stood, because it's a great one. On my flight home from the 115th Open at Chambers Bay in University Place, WA I talked to the President of my golf club. He shared with me that his favorite part of Father's Day is that it's the one day of the year his daughters will sit down with him to watch golf. 

For those that do watch, you will see a series of ads run by the USGA that feature current players and their fathers. I can only imagine how many hours these dads spent with their sons on the links. I would hope that golf has strengthened their relationship. After all, the game demands a lot of time. And if there's one thing we still cannot buy, it's time. 

Justin Rose honored his own father with his US Open victory in 2013 at Merion

A number of  professional football, basketball and baseball players have fathers who played the game professionally as well. On the current tour among golfers, only Jimmy Walker comes to mind. There are however, some golfers you will not see with their fathers, as they are no longer with us. When Justin Rose captured the U.S. Open in Merion, PA, he took a moment to honor his father with a prayer, some tears and a point to the sky before he sank his final putt for the victory. His dad had died of Leukemia at but 57 years of age. Bubba Watson's father was the only coach he ever had. I didn't understand why the already emotional Bubba was blubbering as he won the Master's in 2012. His father and namesake Gerry Lester Watson, Sr had died of throat but a year and a half prior. 

Many eyes will be on Jason Day today as he shares the lead with three other golfers. Day's father, Alvin—an Aussie died of stomach cancer when Jason was but 12 years old. Day, learned the game from this man and since his death Jason has certainly face, battled and overcome his fair share of personal struggle and adversity. 

J-Day and his caddie, who has been like a father to him

One need not win a tournament to honor their father, but excellence in golf is always an invitation to something more. Golfers will analyze the length of their average drive, their number of putts, greens on regulation, etc, but many of us also want to know the story behind the journey. Jason Day himself is a father. His son Dash was born in 2012. His caddie Colin Swatton has been like a father to him. I will be cheering for him because I want to see him take that turn. Day has been the runner up in three majors (two US Opens and the Masters). I also think he's good for golf, to me, he has the "x" factor. 

How's that? It's merely just speculation and it's something fun to think about: I think he might be the Andre Igoudala of the PGA. Unfortunately, more people now know who Jason Day is because he collapsed from Vertigo on his final hole during Round 2 of the Open; I would prefer that they know about him because he's an exciting golfer to watch. In the article "Andre and the Giant" I read something pretty remarkable:

​​​Andre Iguodala lay in bed after Game 2 of the NBA Finals and his fiancée, Christina Gutierrez, placed a hand on his stomach. “Your skin,” she said, “feels hot.” Several hours had passed since Iguodala left Oakland’s Oracle Arena, but he was still burning up, as if he had just sprinted off the court. He wasn’t sick, but he popped a Tylenol and set the thermostat in his house to a frosty 60°. When theWarriors forward returned home five days later from Cleveland, he found that his air-conditioning unit had broken, maddening because his Finals fever had not. He joked that he shaved his head in hopes of cooling down. Iguodala’s condition may sound implausible, but one league trainer claims it is common for stress hormones to rise in demanding situations, causing spikes in body temperature. “It’s like you’re a car,” Iguodala says, “and your engine is overheating.” Such is the strain required to survive 48-minute collisions with the turbo-powered tank known as LeBron James. 

I was wondering if it was a combo of Vertigo, dehydration and stress hormones that led to his collapse. Did he overheat? That course is big and brutal. Iggy came back and was the Finals MVP. J-Day came back during Round 3 and is in contention. Today will be the next chapter in his story....