The weather has indeed changed today, with some overnight moisture and winds picking up a bit (but not bad by Scottish standards). This has pushed back against the driving average distances and accuracy with more fairways missed and the average drive about 15 yards shorter. Steve Marino has moved into the lead at six under while Miguel Angel Jimenez has dropped back to –3. Tom Watson was at one point +5 for his round today, but has since birdied numbers 9, 11 and 16 to get back to just one over for his round through 16 and one off the leader at –4 for the tournament. Mark O’Meara blew up to a +7 score today, but may still make the cut at +4 for the tournament. Mark Calcavecchia is –1 for the day and –4 for the tournament in a tie for second with Tom Watson. So, some of the over 40 crowd came back to earth on Day 2, but at least a couple are still at the top of the board. Oh, and Daly? He’s +2 for the day, even par for the tournament so it looks like he’ll be around for the weekend.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Watson Turns Back the Clock
At age 59, and some 32 years after his victory at the Turnberry course, Tom Watson shot a five under par 65 to set the pace today at the Open Championships. With a number of players still on the course, it is possible that there will be a lower total posted for the day, but probably not a more memorable round. Watson played nearly flawlessly in his opening round, with five birdies, thirteen pars and no bogies. Watson hit twelve of fourteen fairways, fifteen of eighteen greens in regulation and putted well, requiring just one putt on eight greens and two putts on ten greens. In fact, Watson compared favorably with the field to this point (3:30 PM British Summer Time) in nearly every category:
this player field average
driving distance (yards)
299 287.92
fairways hit
12 /14 8.68 / 14
greens in regulation (gir)
15 1.65
putts per round
28 30.86
sand saves
0 / 1 0.52 / 1.02
I do enjoy it when older players in any sport shake off the effects of age and even for a while return to the form they held in younger days:
- Nolan Ryan throwing his seventh no-hitter - and striking out sixteen batters - on fan appreciation night at age 44 (just one year after throwing his sixth no-hitter)
- Jimmy Connors run to the US Open semifinals at the age of 39. On his birthday, he defeated 24-year-old Aaron Krickstein, coming back from a 2–5 deficit in the final set before finally bowing in a semifinal to the reigning French Open champion, Jim Courier.
- Jack Nicklaus’s sixth win at the Masters (at age 46) came with a great late charge and is symbolized by an amazing shot at the par three sixteenth. After hitting the ball, Nicklaus quickly bent over to pick up his tee, and never did watch the ball in flight. His son, caddying for Nicklaus, uttered an encouragement for the ball to “be good” – to which his father replied, “It is.”
- Hale Irwin wining the US Open at 45.
- John Elway finally getting that Super Bowl win at age 38
- Jamie Moyer helping the Phillies in their run to the playoffs and World Series at age 45
There are many more, and I do love it when the athletes who are past their physical prime manage to set aside the effects of age for a time and give us a memorable round, or run, or even sometimes that big win or no-hitter. There’s something affirming in these feats that seems to say that we all might have our best within us yet, no matter our age. And who doesn’t want to be reminder of that, now and then?
To follow the Open Championship Leaderboard go here: 2009 Open Championship Turnberry Leaderboard
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Sunshine on Discovery Bay
As always, the photos we use are either my own, or in the public domain. Please let me know if there are any errors and I'll correct them immediately.
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