Tuesday, June 21, 2005

The Open Was Indeed an Open

The USGA Open Championship is unlike any other PGA tour event because you don't have to be a member of the PGA or professional to play. The USGA holds qualifying rounds whereby an amateur can earn a place on Thursday.

Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina was the host of this year's Open. I was in awe of the course, especially those greens. I don't know anyone who has played it, but it looks demoralizing even without USGA's difficult pin positions. For regulars of No. 2, their short games must be magnificient.

Magnificient is the word to describe Michael Campbell's final round. A New Zealander who hasn't played regularly on either the European Tour or the PGA had to qualify to play the Open by winning a spot at the first-ever held qualifer in Europe. To win the Open, without winning a PGA Tour event and suffering ups and downs in his career, is what the Open is all about.

Although Tiger was in close pursuit, Campbell and Jason Gore, who also had to qualify, were the feel good stories of the Open.

1 comment:

Suzanne Woo said...

I also wished they had the leaderboard on the screen more often.