Thursday, June 20,
2002
Winners, losers
at the U.S. Open
By Ed Sherman
Chicago Tribune
FARMINGDALE, N.Y.
-- There's only one true winner in a major, and these days, it
always seems to be Tiger Woods.
As always, there
are winners and losers within a golf tournament. Careers are defined
and trends are established. For better or worse.
Woods dominated the
scene at last week's U.S. Open at Bethpage State Park's Black
Course. But he wasn't the only winner. Sometimes you can win by
losing.
Here are the winners
and losers from the Open:
Winner: Bethpage
State Park's Black Course. The public course defied projections
that the winner would be in double digits under par. The layout
had the pros staggering, and it would have been even worse if
the conditions had stayed dry.
The course was terrific,
with several "wow" holes. It'll definitely get another
U.S. Open.
Loser: New York golf
fans. The rowdy crowds created a unique atmosphere for the major.
It could have been terrific, but too many louts crossed the line
with inappropriate comments and behavior. It got borderline ugly
at times.
Here's hoping the
Chicago-area fans show more class for next year's Open at Olympia
Fields Country Club. There's definitely some room for improvement
in the wake of some questionable behavior during the final round
of the 1999 PGA Championship at Medinah.
Winner: Phil Mickelson.
Well, sort of. Mickelson came up short again. He still makes too
many ill-timed mistakes to overtake Tiger Woods.
However, unlike other
times, Mickelson refused to get down on himself. He remained positive
and upbeat. If he keeps that attitude, his day will come.
Loser: Sergio Garcia.
It was a rough week for Garcia. He reacted poorly to fans and
took a silly shot at Woods, claiming the world's No. 1 player
received preferential treatment from the United States Golf Association.
Garcia's marathon preshot routine also is getting more maddening.
But worst than all
that was his inability to produce in the final round for the second
straight year. Woods opened the door for Garcia. But instead of
stepping through with a 68, he stumbled with a 74. Champions come
up big on Sunday. Garcia isn't in that category yet.
Winner: Nick Faldo.
At 44 and seemingly out of the game's elite, Faldo showed he still
has golf left in him by finishing in a tie for fifth. With the
British Open set for Muirfield, where he won in 1992, Faldo could
be a factor again.
Loser: Retief Goosen.
Last year's U.S. Open champion has struggled since the Masters.
He bottomed out last week by failing to make the cut. Goosen could
be worn out from cashing in on his Open victory by playing a worldwide
schedule. It's time for him to stay in one place.
Winner: Jeff Maggert.
The guy finishes third and nobody notices. Some players just know
what it takes to play the U.S. Open, and Maggert is one of them.
Loser: Davis Love
III. After being in contention going into Saturday, Love slid
back with a 72-77 on the weekend. It was a disappointing showing
for a player who is starting to fade from the spotlight.
Winner: The two-tee
concept. For the first time, players began their first and second
rounds off the first and 10th tees. It worked, as it helped move
play along and avoided the last groups from having to battle darkness.
Loser: The USGA and
NBC. With a late afternoon rain in the forecast, it was ludicrous
to schedule a 3:30 p.m. EDT tee time for the final group. If the
storms had lasted any longer, there would have been a major fiasco
by having the leaders come back Monday morning to play the last
couple of holes. Yes, NBC got a big rating by having the last
few holes played out in prime time. But it wasn't worth risking
the integrity of the tournament. Use some common sense next time.
Loser: Jack Nicklaus.
Woods is gaining ground on you, Jack. Fast.
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