by G. Rennie
Our little group of Links Life Golf duffers has made it to three of the last four US Opens, missing only 2012 at Olympic. This year is something special since the wise men at USGA have graced LLG with full media credentials. The founder and brains (what we have of it) and daily heart of LLG, Jeff Skinner, AKA Big Skins, has been happily ensconced in the cool and comfy confines of the Media Center since Monday afternoon. He’s getting fit on fresh fruit while trying to avoid the noxious odors of some rude fellow scribes.
When Big Skins has wandered onto the course he’s been in the company of Lil’ Skins and yours truly as we traveled around the routing Donald Ross laid down in search of favorite players, compelling golf shots and, most importantly, some shade.
We hit the jackpot on both Thursday and Friday on all three counts. Early Thursday action at number three green was a rendition of the good, the bad and the ugly, with too little of the good. Two birdies from 10 groupings was a small dose of great on what was a short, innocuous four par. Poor D.A. Points putted off the green into the left greenside bunker, hit his bunker shot slightly past the hole and then watched in dismay as it trickled down the back slope of the green into a collection area. Two more strokes for double bogey. Past major champion David Toms also hit a putt that slid off the green into that bunker. It seemed like it took a full minute for his ball to crawl off the green down the bank. Toms managed to save bogey with a deft splash out that held the back ridge. There on the third hole of Thursday’s round it was clear that this week would be about the greens: how to hit approach shots that could hold the green, how to get your ball in the right spot to avoid long par putts, even how to keep your putted ball on the green. And, of course, how to avoid the dreaded, round killing three-putts.
We at LLG are mindless, full bore Phil PHanatics, rooting, hoping, and suffering through each open escapade that Lefty creates. An early indicator that this would not be his week came on the par five fifth hole. Two big blows got Phil to the apron fronting the green with an uphill pitch shot of 65 feet to a back pin placement. Right in his short game wheelhouse, right? Wrong, as Phil left it 10 feet short and ran the birdie putt past on the low side. For Phil, or anyone, to win at Pinehurst this week his short game and putting stroke must be razor sharp and sure. Phil’s were neither; dull as a blade on a second hand lawn mower.
Martin Kaymer is the gent whose skills have honed razor sharp this week. Nowhere was this more evident than at the par three sixth hole Friday morning. Mike Davis stretched this hole to the max as it played 245 yards to an angled green with multiple ridges and steep fall offs all around. The pin placement in the back, just fronting a ridge, forced players to play to the center of the green. Kaymer found the back right hand bunker, with 60 feet to the pin and 65 feet to the ridge and bogeyville . No problem for the former World #1 as his sand shot fell like a pillow three feet from the hole. Par saved, onto #7 for another sandy par, and another round of 65 and the Open record books.
Saturday morning found us at a nearby course with an early tee time, bright sunshine and cool weather for these parts (only 70). 18 holes played in less than three and a half hours (that’s how the game should be played Mr. Finchem) and a resounding victory for Big Skins as he birdied two of the last four. God is in his heaven, Jeff is blogging at his cubicle, all is right with the world.
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