My Thoughts On The US Open
I know, I wanted Rickie too.
If not Rickie, then Rory.
At the end of the night, because it was a west coast US Open it was Wyndham Clark hoisting the trophy on the 18th green at LACC. A most unusual winner of a most unusual US Open.
Thursday, there were a pair of 62’s shot. And a 63. The Bob Hope had broken out at the US Open. It did take a couple of days, but by Saturday it was beginning to look a little more like a US Open.
After the leaders on day, one was eight under, it didn’t go much farther than that. Yes, at one point the leader was twelve under, but that only lasted for a hole.
On Sunday, everyone’s favorite, Rickie Fowler, who had slept on the lead since Thursday night just couldn’t hang on. And Rory. Oh Rory. We had just forgotten about that Sunday last July at St. Andrews, when while Cam Smith was making birdie after birdie, all Rory could do was make par. One after the other. Cam took the Claret Jug out of Rory’s locker. And then left for LIV.
Sunday, there we were again. And there was Rory, again, making par after par. Now normally at a US Open, pars are good. And the pars kept Rory in the fight. But just like last July, he seemed to be going up against someone that just wanted it more.
As a matter of fact, we’ve since learned that the people around Clark told him, when the crowd starts yelling for Rickie and Rory, and they will, use it. Show them. Oh, he used it and he showed everyone with the shot he’ll remember for the rest of his life, a second shot to the par five fourteenth. It led to his last birdie of the day. The birdie he would have to have. He needed it because he was having a hard time finishing. Bogeys on fifteen and sixteen. He found himself at seventeen and then sealed the deal with his par at eighteen.
He’s a great story. And I must admit, as much as I love seeing great players be great, watching a man play golf and watching the arc of his life change forever is always gratifying.
Where does Wyndham Clark go from here? No idea. If, for the time being, he starts losing drives to the left and the putts don’t fall, it’s completely understandable. He’s still the US Open champion. I do, however, have a feeling, we haven’t seen the last of him. It might take a minute or two, but I just get the sense he’ll be back for more. Maybe as soon as Hoylake next month. Or who knows, maybe here in April, when he’s playing in his first MASTERS. Ok, maybe that’s a bit much.
Or is it?
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