A Historic Open

This week we had high hopes of seeing a historic Open at the grandest stage in golf.  It certainly looked, when the day began, that this was exactly what we were going to get. 

We had Jordan Spieth trying for the first three Majors in a row, not accomplished since Ben Hogan in 1953.  We had a young Irish amateur, Paul Dunne, trying to be the first amateur to win the Claret Jug since Bobby Jones did it in 1927, entering the final round tied for the lead with Louis Oosthuizen, who was looking to make a little history for himself by winning back to back Opens at the Old Course.

While the young amateur quickly exited the stage, with shaky bogeys on the first two holes, Spieth and Louis kept us guessing until the last hole; Jordan in regulation, when he barely missed a desperate attempt to make birdie from the Valley of Sin to join the playoff; and Louis by missing a  very makeable putt for birdie to extend the playoff with Zach Johnson.

It probably wasn't the result anyone was hoping for, unless they were in the Johnson camp.  Zach Johnson is a worthy champion.  He's a tough competitor, hard worker, and great wedge player and putter.  But, even Zach had to admit that he hates to see tournaments that are won because of putts missed, rather than putts made.  That is exactly what we got.  We had the excitement of a great putt made by Zach on eighteen in regulation.  Other than that, we will remember the putts missed by Louis and Jordan.

Congratulations to Zach Johnson.  He broke some hearts, dashed some dreams, and made a little history himself, now having won golf's two greatest prizes on golf's two greatest stages.  It doesn't get any better than that.