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| One of several fist pumps on Sunday for the 2011 PGA Champion. |
There’s a reason why people quote Yogi Berra so much, especially when watching sports. Yogi said things that contradicted themselves, sometimes so sharply that we had to coin the word “Yogi-ism” because “oxymoron” just doesn’t quite cut it. Yet at the same time, deep down we know exactly what Yogi was trying to say, even if we would have said it differently. Therein lies the genius (in most cases) of Berra’s quotable gems. When asked about the Mets chances to win the 1973 NL Pennant, Yogi said, “it ain’t over ‘til it’s over.” On the face, this appears to be a rather obvious statement of fact, but for some reason, it’s repeated over and over again. It applies to just about every sport or form of competition, yet we never seem to learn its unfailing and enduring lesson.
So it is true, then, that the world of golf had to be reminded again of Yogi’s words (thanks to the CBS broadcast team) on Sunday at the 93rd PGA Championship. There’s a reason why you always keep watching and that’s because you never know when something incredible might happen. There are few settings for a human drama like Sunday at a major. Yet, it did not appear that Yogi’s words would be needed through 12 holes. Jason Dufner looked like he was out for a round at the club, not part of a final pairing in a major. It helped that his playing partner Brendan Steele fell out of contention immediately and never recovered. He remained unfazed as Keegan Bradley, Scott Verplank, Robert Karlsson, Anders Hansen, and yes, even Luke Donald, Adam Scott, and Lee Westwood made decent bids to catch up.
Most efforts to catch up were undone by the difficult closing holes. Even so, it did not matter much to the unflappable Dufner. He cruised to five straight pars to start the round and then birdied 6 and 8 to complete a two under 33 on the front nine. On the 12th hole, Bradley bombed a drive to the middle of the fairway then played a perfect iron to just a few feet, making eagle and pulling even with Dufner at nine under. It seemed like a nail biting finish was in the makings as Dufner, also in the middle of the fairway on the 12th, scorched a fairway wood over the green and then ran his pitch too far down the hill. But he sank a comeback birdie putt and followed it with another birdie on the 13th, regaining his two shot lead and moving to 11 under par.
On the 15th hole, all the action started. Dufner watched from the tee as Bradley skulled a chip into the water and made a triple bogey six. After watching his lead go from two to four strokes, Dufner striped his tee ball right into the water on 15. But he made a great up and down for a bogey. Bradley’s triple only seemed to fuel his fire, not put it out. He birdied sixteen in definitive fashion and then sunk a mammoth breaker for birdie on the 17th (Dufner watching from the tee again). That was the defining moment of the tournament. Dufner bogeyed 16 and 17 as well, falling back into a tie, but made a clutch par on the 18th to preserve the playoff. It appeared fate was on young Bradley’s side. Both men started the playoff with perfect drives, albeit Bradley was much farther down the fairway.
Dufner hit the most beautiful 5 iron I’ve possibly ever seen and nearly holed it for eagle. It was so close. Keegan Bradley took a page out of his competitor’s book. Rather than flinching, he placed an 8 iron just a few inches closer. There’s a reason why they tell you to stay below the hole. Jason Dufner certainly knows that. Unfortunately, his short downhill miss on the first playoff hole was all it took. But you have to give him tremendous credit. The 34 year old journeyman has never won a tournament at the Tour level, but still hung in there on an extremely difficult stretch of holes. He birdied the 18th during the playoff just for good measure, even though Bradley was close enough for an easy two putt. People can question Dufner’s decision making, but they certainly can’t question his heart.
Neither can you question Keegan Bradley’s. When he matched Dufner’s shot on the 16th, he had a look on his face that I can only describe as “that Tiger look.” My good friend Asher likewise pointed out that Dufner appeared to have “that in over my head look.” After the triple bogey on the 15th, Bradley played six very difficult golf holes, if you count the playoff, and played them at three under par. He showed truly inspirational guts and mental toughness to regroup after that triple. While you can make the case that Dufner didn’t deserve to lose, you have to agree that Keegan Bradley deserved to win.
Tip of the cap to the PGA, Atlanta Athletic Club, and Rees Jones
If there’s one thing I’ve noticed in a golf world where Tiger misses cuts at majors, it’s the unwavering ability of the casual fan to complain about everything. Oh, this course is too hard. Too many hazards. Too many penalties. Too many double bogeys. I don’t know about you, but I can safely say that for me hazards, penalties, and double bogeys are a regular part of the game. I think most other amateurs would agree. After researching the Highlands Course at Atlanta Athletic Club for my preview article, I surmised that the course had a mix of easy scoring holes and difficult, potentially round or tournament ruining holes. I said players would have to take their chances on the scoring holes and contain disaster on the others.
As a serious fan, I want to see the players tested to the best of their abilities. Atlanta Athletic Club didn’t just live up to that challenge, it went beyond. People who criticized Rees Jones’ remodel did so on the basis that bunkers and water hazards unfairly produced too many bogeys, double bogeys, and worse. This is unwarranted for two reasons. As I mentioned in my preview, the remodel did not involve too many drastic changes. Secondly, it accomplished everything it was supposed to and then some. Keegan Bradley and Jason Dufner were both -8 after 72 holes, which is half of David Toms 2001 winning score (-15) and right on AAC’s target of 8-10 under par.
The Highlands Course arguably stands as a model of modern golf course design for all others to follow. There are so many courses that became easier and easier as time went along. Some were able to reform, reshape and play as difficult courses once again. Many had to become par 70s and unfortunately, in many cases that still didn’t make them any harder. The Highlands Course has played as a par 70 for decades, so perhaps it is only fitting. But the crowning achievement is the closing four holes, a finishing stretch that Tiger Woods called the most difficult in major championship history. Not only did they offset the easy holes, they provided the ultimate stage for drama and excitement. It’s unique and certainly not traditional, but maybe that’s what a course has to be in order to test the modern golfer.
Some things change, some stay the same: A year in review
So I know the FedEx Cup has yet to be awarded. I know to win it a golfer has to have a great season, especially in the final playoff tournaments. I’m all for it and it does provide excitement through the closing weeks of summer. But it still isn’t a major championship. There are big tournaments left on the calendar that will feature world-class fields, but major glory will have to wait until next April. What can we take from this year? What have we learned, if anything?
If you look at the list of 2011 major champions, the first thing that jumps out is the ages of each winner. Charl Schwartzel (26), Keegan Bradley (25), and Rory McIlroy (22) have become instant stars with very bright futures. In a lot of ways, 2011 represents a changing of the guard in golf. Tiger Woods made a run at the Masters, lost nearly 10 weeks to injury, only to return and miss the cut at the PGA. Meanwhile, the generation that idolized his dominance of the golf world waltzed in and won three majors. Tiger still has several years in front of him and I firmly believe we have not seen the last of his greatness at majors. But Woods should be proud of the generation he has produced.
Rory McIlroy is the youngest and turned pro the youngest. He’s been touted for several years as the next great talent, but he’s eased onto the scene in that sense. His first Tour win was at Quail Hollow in 2010 and then he secured his first major this year. Schwartzel and Bradley are a couple years older, but they have burst onto the scene and hit the ground running. It took Bradley three months to match McIlroy’s one Tour win and one major win. Schwartzel followed up his Masters win with a T-9 at the U.S., T-16 at the British, and T-12 this past week. I wonder how much longer he and McIlroy will stick to a schedule that has them playing mostly in European Tour events. The way they both play on American courses, you would think not long.
Observers of the game note that it has truly become an international game. I’m not sure exactly how to validate that, as I think Greg Norman, Gary Player, and Seve Ballesteros (if he could) would have something to say about that. But it should be noted that our three young stars all hail from different corners of the world. And after six consecutive majors without an American winner (longest in history), we in the United States can breathe easy after Keegan Bradley’s heroic victory. In just a few hours this past Sunday, Bradley instantly became this country’s new golf star – or the budding one. Either way, the chicken can stop worrying about the sky falling because Bradley has both the talent and the gusto to win more majors.
Yet at the same time, the 43-year-old Darren Clarke proved to everyone at the British Open that no matter what hand life deals you resilience, confidence, and positive thinking can carry you through the toughest of times. Perhaps the Open will become the only major venue where age and experience count for more than club head speed and will power. That’s just a maybe, though. The best finishers behind Bradley at the PGA were Dufner (34), Anders Hansen (40), Robert Karlsson (41), David Toms (44) and Scott Verplank (47). There’s plenty of fight left in the old generation and they’ve shown they’re not just going to fade away and let the new guys take over with ease.
So, some things change and some stay the same. The best part of it all is golf fans around the world get to reap all of the benefits.
Sources: PGA.com, Getty Images
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