US Open Final Thoughts

After the insanity that was Moving Day at the US Open on Pebble Beach, Sunday's cool-down should have come as no surprise.  There was no way anyone was going to match the dual-66 magic that Tiger and Johnson posted Saturday, especially on a US Open Final Round setup.

So the winning number?  Even Par.  Not -3, not -6.  E.  Just the way the USGA drew it up.  Graeme McDowell's victory required an "unflappable" final round score of 3-over 74.   So if you wanted to see low scores and eagles abound - or a  replay of Tiger's unreal second on 18 - you came to the wrong place.   Pebble was playing lightning fast and hammering away at mistakes.  It's casualties were three of the biggest names in the sport, Tiger, Phil and Ernie, and the bomber who had a seemingly commanding three-shot lead in the final group.

The Notables:

US Open Day 1

Golf's Second Major Championship is the only thing that can dull the pain of the Celtics horrible loss last night.  The Masters and US Open are by far my favorite tournaments and the obsession is practically unhealthy.  Nothing quite compares to the drama those two tournaments consistently give us and yesterday's opening round was no exception.   Let's breakdown some highlights and lowlights.

Another Moronic Phil Shot - Mickelson was trapped behind the two cyprus trees on the 18th fairway and instead of taking his medicine and laying up - which every other player on tour would have done - he tried to hit a retarded draw around the trees and over the water.  Didn't work out.   No shit it didn't work out!   People ask me all the time why I don't like Loveable Loser Phil.   This shot was exhibit A.

De Jonge What?  Micheel Who? - Two of the three 18 hole leaders are relatively unknown, which is unfortunate for poor Sean Micheel who only won the '03 PGA Championship "It's amazing how quickly people forget you." he said after the round.

Hoffman's 18 -  This was just heart-breaking.   After the amateur's second shot was slightly boxed out by the cyprus trees on 18, he tried to bend a low cut only to clip a branch and have it ricochet into the ocean.  Two-in-Three-out.   He yanked his fourth left and into the water again.   Four-in-Five-out.  Six into the right greenside bunker.  Seven stayed in.   Eight popped out to 10 feet and he saved himself a dreaded ten by nailing the putt.   Poor guy was even par on the tee box and dropped 70 spots on the leaderboard by the time he tossed his ball into the Pacific. 

Moore's 17 - This was just baffling.   First he pulls out a fairway metal on the 208 yard par 3 - way too much club - and pushed it right....  all the way over the 18th tee box.   From here he got some miraculous relief from the tee box sign, popped his come backer into the left greenside bunker and somehow got up and down for one of the wackiest bogey's you'll ever see on tour. 

Paul Casey's Grindin' - This guy kicks ass.  Not because he's a big name, because he's not.   Not because he makes it rain with wins on tour; he doesn't.   No, I like him because Yoda the Golf Instructor used Casey's swing  for my comparison video (compare these mirror-image swings after the jump!)   Casey was strong early with birdies on 3 and 5 but then started struggling to hit greens.  But boy did he make up for it with the flat stick.   He finished the round with 24 putts on the late-day poana greens to put him in a tie for the lead with what's-their-names. 

Stay tuned for Round 2 action!

Erica Blasberg 1984 - 2010, ctd.

Stephanie Wei shares some anecdotes and pictures from Ray Kim, Erica's close friend and former caddie.  It makes for a touching memorial.  

Erica Blasberg 1984 - 2010

It was a sad day in the golf world yesterday as new broke that the LPGA had lost one of it's more photogenic and popular young stars.   Erica Blasberg died of unknown causes in her Las Vegas suburban home, at the young age of 25. 

Being a golfer and a huge golf fan I recall catching a glimpse of Erica on TV during an event in Mexico.  Having never heard of her, I looked her up and found it interesting that she was in her first or second year on tour and was relatively unknown. Thinking it might be interesting to follow an up-and-comer's progress, I made a point to occasionally check for her name on leaderboards.   I even followed her on Twitter.  She did pretty well for a few years and achieved exempt status through Q school.  Even took a lead into the final round of the 2008 SBS Open at Turtle Bay - a course I had the privilege of playing while on my honeymoon 6 months earlier.   She finished tied for 8th; her career best finish.  

Then this year began and Erica failed to make exempt status and was playing in little to no tournaments, one to be exact.   I also noticed that her twitter account was mysteriously shut down a few months ago amid some cryptic blog reports that she was getting heavy into the Vegas party scene.

I can only hope that her sudden death and the reports of her lifestyle are unrelated, but one can't help but fear the worst.   It's not often that a talented and attractive 25 year old leaves us suddenly without some level of foul play involved. 

My heart goes out to the friends of family of Erica and to the rest of the girls on the LPGA, who are no doubt deeply sorrowed by the news. 

A Tradition Like No Other

You know that giddy look kids start to get in the middle of December, because they think this is the year they finally get the pony they've been asking for from that lying prick, Santa?   That's pretty much what I've looked like for the last month whenever The Masters is mentioned.   In related news, you know the face you make when you step into the outhouse at a chili cook-off?   That's the face I've been making whenever I see another story about Tiger Woods that doesn't involve his abilities on the golf course.  

The lesson, of course, is that this could mark the weekend that we finally stop talking about Tiger the Trashy Whore Slayer and start talking about Tiger the Best Golfer in the World.  Outhouse face be damned! 

Honestly, I couldn't be happier.  As with years past, I am taking Thursday and Friday off to golf myself and then watch the best tournament in golf without interruption.    I am a bit concerned about how Tiger will play, seeing as he hasn't played competitively since November and spent much of that time in rehab and also talked about playing "not as hot, but not as exuberant."     This is probably most concerning.   Playing hot and/or exuberant is what made him the best.  If Tiger's not all fired up and intense he's just a skinny version of Vijay Singh.  Eff That. 

 Tiger's comeback aside, there really is nothing like The Masters.  Start with the most legendary and exclusive golf course on the planet and add in the calming theme music and steady call from Jim Nantz.  The sense that for four days you're slowly building toward another historic moment is undeniable.  Can't. F'n. Wait.