Royal & Ancient shows USGA proper way to run a major
The United States Golf Association is the gift that keeps on giving. Maybe not all year long, but long enough to keep it in the conversation in a not-so-positive way.
Six weeks after that organization’s debacle at Shinnecock at this year’s U.S. Open, the British Open was held to rave reviews at one of the hardest golf courses in the world, Carnoustie.
And guess what, the folks at the Royal & Ancient conducted a tournament that didn’t feature the R&A and any of its’ officials and was played on a course that was unfettered by goofy setup tricks and the controversy that inevitably follows such tricks.
Participants were greeted by a very difficult golf course that was baked hard and brown, increasing its difficulty. But the R&A took a very low-key approach, doing only the normal things that would be done at a golf course like that.
Think about it. How many times throughout the four championship rounds did you hear the R&A even mentioned? Certainly, the number was in great contrast to how many times the USGA was interjected into the telecasts.
I sure hope the USGA was paying attention to what was going on in Scotland because if it doesn’t make some serious changes in how it conducts a U.S. Open, the negative comparisons will continue year after year when other events continue to put on first-class events.
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Palmer Jackson of Murrysville is having a big summer and it got even bigger this week. Having already been invited to compete in the Sunnehanna Amateur and the Fuhrer Invitational, Jackson earned a spot in the U.S. Amateur next month at Pebble Beach.
Jackson was the medalist in qualifying for the Amateur at Totteridge Golf Course and Hannastown Golf Club on Monday.
Other qualifiers were Ben Reichert of East Amherst, N.Y., Mason Williams of Bridgeport, W.Va. and Brett Young of Bethel Park. Mark Goetz of Greensburg and Neal Shipley of Pittsburgh were alternates.
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For the second straight year, Seminole Golf Club and former Oakmont Country Club professional Bob Ford qualified to play in the Senior British Open. Ford posted a one-under par round of 70 at Ladybank Golf Club in Scotland to finish in a five-way tie for fourth.
Ford made six birdies and five bogeys for his 70.
Even better than qualifying is the fact that the tournament will be played this week on the Old Course at St. Andrews, the original home of golf.
Ford shot rounds of 76-74 but his 150 total wasn’t good enough to make the cut. Regardless, it had to be a big thrill for one of the most likeable guys in the game.
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In the grand scheme of things, it is a small step for sure, but the tie for 10th last week by Trinity High School graduate Steve Wheatcroft could be very big. In a season that has featured 16 starts, one top-25, seven made cuts and nine missed cuts, a shot of success had to be like Christmas Day for the 40-year-old.
Wheatcroft opened his season with ties for 59th and 74th and then ran off a streak of seven straight missed cuts. He played well at the Travelers Championship and at A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier. He couldn’t finish, however, posting a 71 and 76, respectively.
Wheatcroft was better at the John Deere Classic with his T12, thanks to rounds of 62, 68, 71, 68.
Then came the Barbasol Championship, which was played opposite the British Open last week. He finished in a T10 with rounds of 68-67-68-67 for an 18-under total. That left him five shots behind tournament winner Troy Merritt, but it signified a continuation of the good play that has gotten him up to 185th in the FedEx Cup rankings.
He needs to get to 125 there to maintain a full-time spot on the PGA Tour next year and also qualify for this year’s FedEx Cup playoffs.
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If you have an interesting story about your club or course or an individual who has done something special, let me know? Send your story ideas to mike.dudurich@gmail.com.
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Mike Dudurich is a freelance golf writer and hosts The Golf Show on 93.7 The Fan, Saturday mornings from 7-8 during golf season. Follow Mike on Twitter at @MikeDudurich