Emotional Lefty Wins One For The Family!
In South Africa, most people consider Phil Mickelson about as high on their “favorites list” as Shane Warne or Kevin Pieterson...need I say more?
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| I can remember when my friend, Ola G, picked Phil every year to win. The first year he dropped him from his favorites, HE won. What I don’t understand is why you don’t like him. He has a friendly smile. He interacts with the crowds, he plays just like you and me (or should I say we seem to try to play like him – hitting a driver when we shouldn’t and flying off the planet, goofing the last hole when we have been solid all day, missing short putts after playing an incredible recovery shot – because we are always in trouble). KJ Choi is boring to watch – up the middle off the tee, layup on the five’s and pitch close for birdie and always in the hunt – but no title. Lefty lives and dies by the sword! On Saturday, he nearly became the 1st person to go Eagle, Eagle and Eagle again on 13, 14 and 15! On Sunday, he made 4 at 10 from deep in the poo on the right. On 11, he tried to knock trees down again. After a “routine” 2 on the twelfth (no memory of last year’s sword-swinging double bogey), he bombed it through the fairway at 13-still made birdie. |  |
Yet it was at 15 when I went, “WOW”… with a two shot lead he decided to rip one at the pin from the pine straw again. This time, even his never-quiet caddy, Bones, reminded him that a ball from the straw will not fly like a ball from grass – “who cares” – you could almost hear him say. 213 yards later to 3-feet and he was lining up a putt for another eagle. Then, only as Phil can, he had a rush of blood and nearly knocked his first putt further past the hole than he was to start with. He made the return, survived 16 and a slick downhiller, parred 17 from the front edge and sealed the deal with a sensible 3-wood off the tee and 18, a seven-iron to a few feet and BIRDIE for his third jacket with a nice shade of green.
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I thought the boys at Augusta got it just right this year. They gave the old (Tom and Freddie) guard a course they could play – remember, Freddie averaged over 300 yards off the tee, and they presented the challenge that aged a few of the younger studs. It was all good – from holed shots for eagles, holes-in-one on the 16th on Sunday and a dog-fight that kept us all awake until the wee hours of Monday morning. As Anthony Kim rolled in his birdie putt on the 16th to follow his eagle, birdie, birdie performance on the holes prior, Veteran commentator Vern Lundquist bellowed the words he used for Jack Nicklaus’ birdie putt on the 17th in 1986 – “YESSSS, SSSSIRRRR!” Our favourites were missing – Ernie was twice in position to attack 13 and 15 after good starts to the round; Charl looked good early and then faded; Louis shouldn’t have run so fast in the Par-3 (winning that at 6-under for 9), Retief was there but not thereabouts. I was rooting for Lee as I thought he deserved it –the Golf God’s |
remind us that nothing in golf is deserved! So, well done, Lefty! You did it for Amy and the girls. You permanent smile looked more genuine than ever. When you won on my course in Texas as a college boy, you showed me class that I have never forgotten when you won and thanked me and my team by name! Not bad for a 20 year old…
Next year, Ernie! You’ll be my pick again, as usual!
April “ROAD TRIP” – Zwartenbosch! Last month, the Professional staff accompanied a number of Wednesday School members to the remodeled Fynbos Estate (formerly Dirk Fourie) in Eersterivier. Vaughn Tucker and his team were fantastic hosts and the 20 who participated all had a great day. As we are encouraging our neighboring clubs tojoin us here every second Wednesday of the month, it is fair and cool that |
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we travel on the fourth Wednesday to other clubs in the area. This month, we are off to Zwartenbosch on the 28th. Join the professionals again as we experience the great courses around us!
Cheers for now!
Regards,
Jeff
Cheers for now!
Regards,
Jeff
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