lookupsport

I stayed up until 10:45 on Sunday to watch the US Open final round.  That’s quite late for me on a school night, but I went to bed safe in the knowledge that Angel Cabrera was hoem and dry with a 2 shot lead and only a couple left to play.  He did eventually win by a shot but in a much tighter finish then I might have thought thanks to a course which tested the nerve and skill to the limits.

Having stretched his lead to 3 shots. Cabrera went on to bogie holes 16 and 17 and scramble a par to finish at 5 over par.  With Tiger baring down on him it was odds on a draw at least and the final going on to the Monday.  However, the course defeated even the great Mr Woods, who posted only one birdie in 32 holes and finished 6 over par.

So the question.  Is this the future of golf?  With equipment and technology improving all the time, courses are becoming easier and easier and the pros are used to finishing anywhere above 10 under par.  if they go for a long drive and miss the fairway they are still able to hit the green with their second.  The greens are so receptive that they can knock to within a few feet of the pin and give themselves chance after chance of making birdie or eagle.  Yet put the ball in the right place and you had a chance.  This made for a much better tighter and closer spectacle.  And let’s not forget its the watching public that pay the wages, so the more entertaining it is the better.

I totally disagree with the commentators who said it was bordering on being unfair.  It was a true test and for a high handicapper like myself its truly gratifying to see the pros 3 and 4 putt and struggle to hit the green from the rough.