Golfadelphia

The cold reality of the cut began to surface for a lot of the field as Friday wore on while others tried to catch up to the leaders. The sun and wind started in early. The morning wind was opposite of the prevailing direction, giving the field the first significant about face. The greens and fairways were quick and became quicker as the day wore on. Ernie Els knows all about it, as he watched his putt from the front of the Sixth green blow by and promptly three-putted the green. The opposite wind direction meant the players were against it at the long par 5 Sixteenth. No matter. While tee shots generally were about 10-15 yards shorter, most every player was able to utilize some kind of long club at the second shot which left them with a short wedge approach in. The greens, as the last line of defense, held up admirably and certainly at the Sixteenth. Indeed, the par 5’s remained scoring opportunities no matter the wind or the rest of it. Aside from the par 5’s, one of the themes seen through each of the rounds were pars were manageable with steady play yet birdies would only come through some sort of exceptionality. Several times the player would dazzle with daggers to the pin that rested a few feet away only to have the putt slide by teasingly. The flat stick was just as important, which Green and Stricker seemed to take advantage of the most.

Regardless, there were bunkers and areas of the course the players learned to be avoid at all costs. This included the left greenside bunker at the Third. With the pin at the left rear on Friday, most of the field opted to stay short and to the right, settling for long putts across the green to avoid that bunker. Not one player went for the pin, yet another example of the necessity of restraint here. The one player that ended up in the bunker walked away with a double; it proved impossible to get the ball any where close. Another was the right high bunker at the Fifth. The Redan played as intended and the slope would take any shot out of it and whisk it to the lower left side of the green.

Speaking of the Redan and par 3’s of the course on Friday, Frank Bensel made back to back aces with a 6 iron on the Fourth and Fifth holes. At the Fourth, he landed his shot short of the pin and watched as it released and rolled in while at the Fifth, he landed it at the front of the green and watched as the Redan sloped helped the ball roll and bounce into the hole. An incredible feat. The elation faded, however, as Bensel bogeyed the next four holes and unfortunately, missed the cut. His name goes in the history books, however, as the second player to make two aces in a USGA round and the first to do so back-to-back.

The wind seemed to die down just after Noon on Friday, resting a bit before the gales returned in the early afternoon. But in general, there’s simply no figuring it out. In some spots, it would die down, then rip roar through other spots. The grand stand placement was vital in allowing it to blow through but the field figured out how to use one of the stands to their advantage at the Fifteenth. Those stands blocked some of the stronger winds coming right off the ocean while it would blow through above it, so most players started keeping their approaches below the stands altogether and would run the ball on to the green from the apron. I actually enjoyed those shots a good deal. With the Eleventh and Twelfth mostly into the wind, the players would account for the dying of the ball into the wind and learned how to have it die and fall straight down to the hole. They would have done the same at the Fifteenth without those stands there.

While some were working for the weekend, Fujita made sure everyone realized his play more than anything else was the reason he sat atop the leaderboard. His play was impressive throughout, mainly with a splendid display of iron shots and knowing which approach to hit and when. He knew when to get the ball to release (like at the Seventeenth), knew when get the ball to stop, or use the wind, or the surrounding contours of the greens. Only a single bogey through three rounds, that coming on the Fourth. His bunker play seemed to show chinks in the armor; at the First, his shot out knuckled well away from the hole, and then at the Fourth that he bogeyed, the bunker shot not getting any where close to the pin. The spoils and tribulations of being at to the top of the heap was evident, as Fujita was met with cameras and even a tripod waiting for him at his second shot in the fairway at the Sixteenth on Friday. It mattered little as he went about his business to remain the leader after the second round of play.

On Saturday, those +3 and up were no longer in our company and the final 71 players grinded early to avoid an onset of fog scheduled to blanket the course later Saturday. Teeing off as threesomes from both the First and Tenth much earlier, the third round came and went quickly. The threesome groupings gave us Fujita, Green and Stricker together, however, which made for some of the most intriguing golf of the tournament thus far. Stricker inserted himself into the discussion after Friday’s round, coming from a first round 4 under. Playing steady golf, his only bogey Saturday came at the Seventh but he then quickly righted the ship with a birdie two holes later at the Ninth to finish at eight under, good enough for third place.

Stricker’s play of the course the first couple rounds can be characterized as solid, patient and defensive. Arguably more than any of the players higher up on the board, he let the course and birdies come to him instead of the other way around. This usually meant controlled approach shots to the center or front of greens away from any trouble, then a steady stream of two putts. Stricker also varied his tee shot selection a good amount, switching from fairway woods to driver, depending on the more generous fairway landing areas. Smart restraint incarnate. No doubt he was handling the course with kid gloves but it also seemed as if he was biding his time, content to remain where he was and see who was left with him afterwards. Still, there were some birdie opportunities he simply didn’t convert that were surprising, such as the short putt at the Sixth after his safe approach to the middle of the green release closer to the rear pin. Stricker found a way to stay comfortable within his game and would wait for the right time to switch gears. More on that later. Even so, he managed to card the low round of the day.

As it stood after 36 holes, Green was one stroke back while Stricker was three strokes back. Fujita remained atop.

More Friday photos.

Saturday saw a cloudy start with the prevailing wind in full swing. The entire field was out on the course within a two hour window. The course became stealthy and deceptive. The marine layer that rolled in brought moisture to the fairways and there were soft spots about the course, yet they were interspersed with a firmness and bounciness not seen to this degree. Combined with pin positions amidst furtive contours that were playfully batting true putts off line all day, the course seemed to uncork in mischief.

Our man Bernhard Langer fell victim to such devices at the Tenth. Finding himself in the middle of the fairway off the tee which was almost automatic, Langer pulled his approach into the left green side bunker. Perhaps this is an example of the downside of aggressiveness. Short-sided, Langer barely got his ball out of the bunker and was left in the off green rough. After studying the contours for a bit, he finessed away but the ball still thundered by the hole and he finished with a double. On the other hand, Langer’s playing partner Kenny Perry (they were a twosome) hit his tee shot into the fescue on the right. He was left with no choice but to pitch out 50 yards into the fairway. His next shot was a lot of well controlled back spin to seven feet, where he made the putt for par. Talk about swashbuckling his way around, Perry hit it off to the right again at the Eleventh and ended up on a fescue walking path. The lie didn’t seem to both him all that much as he hit it to the left side of the green, pin high, but three-putted for bogey.

Perry continued to dodge and weave, hitting a dagger at the next hole that scared the pin before spinning back six feet away. He converted that for bird. He then bogeyed the next after missing a shorter par putt. Then birdied two holes later at the Fifteenth. Then bogeyed the next two holes before a birdie at the Eighteenth. Perry had more birdies on Saturday than Fujita to put this in perspective but the bogeys proved too costly and shows how this course requires a more even palate to succeed in the long run. Fits of greatness can get mired in a parade of oversight that adds up over time. Perry finished his round with a double at the Ninth and now sits at +5. Always one of my favorite players for the quality of golf he is capable of with a lot of down to earth relatability in some of the mistakes he typically makes, his play showed a distinct style of play few could get away with here and was a lot of fun to watch despite his leaderboard standing.

Of all the rounds, the Redan Fifth played the truest on Saturday. With a mid left pin position, players were rewarded for feeding the ball from the front right while those with a spectacular shot could go right at it. Those off to the sides or pat the hole needed to contend with the multi-dimensional slopes in getting the ball any where close. Not a single player in the top 10 of the board birdied it. Known as one of the most formidable par 3 designs, the one here is on brilliant terrain at one of the higher points of the course. It was a joy to watch the field take it on, especially during that Third round.

Meanwhile, the lead group pushed both the top position and quality of golf higher. And Fujita had the ball. His play remained elite as he seemed to be in control of every shot and knew how to play it. He is generally the first to hit his approach because of his shorter driver length but then with such well crafted approach shots, one begins to wonder the effect it has on those playing with him. Do they try to match him, knowing they too now need to get it close; do they change their shot plan, seeing how his shot reacted to the green; or do they stay the course and hope for the best? Fujita simply did not give the rest of the field any room to catch up. Anyone who wished to stay in it needed to match his exceptional play. Saturday showed a few were up to the task.

Fujita went to work early on Saturday with three birdies on the front nine. Stricker was trying to keep up with a couple birdies of his own on the front. Green was hanging but smarting after a couple bogeys on the front. They all settled in nicely on the back, which turned into a trial of who would blink first. Stricker with a miscue at the Tenth off the green on the left side recovered nicely with his third but it couldn’t’t bite enough and slid by to six feet. He was able to save par. With the wind whipping and the fairways feeling frisky, the lead group continued on to the other side of the road. They all stayed well below the pin at the Eleventh and made their pars. At the Twelfth, a few rain drops began to show themselves as the wind took a brief rest. The group took advantage and peppered the pin. Fujita’s approach was extraordinary, landing near the pin and stopping on a dime. I christened him the wind killer then and there. He would take advantage when the wind was down, then know how to use it to his advantage when it was up. Getting his shot to stop so suddenly on a green where everyone else needed to account for some inevitable roll was one of those revealing moments of who is dialed in and set to win. And yet, Fujita walked away with par. While he was remarkably consistent and patient, one does wonder if there were some missed opportunities where he should have kept the foot on accelerator with the birdies. He would go on to par the rest of the back nine and was bogey free but finished with less birdies than rounds prior. A more telling missed opportunity was at the Thirteenth, where he jarred the tee shot to a few feet, yet missed the putt. Still, the rest of the field was stalling so there was no sense of urgency. Stricker birdied the Twelfth but then promptly bogeyed the Thirteenth. Green was lurking with a string of pars but no birdies since his mishaps on the front.

Then there was Richard Bland. Playing in the group ahead of Fujita, his three birdies on the front was getting him in the conversation but then started to falter on the back nine. Bogeys at the Tenth and Thirteenth, then the only one I saw to go in the first left fairway bunker at the Fourteenth put him in leaking oil territory. His shot out of the Fourteenth bunker hit the lip and petered to just before the dead end corner on that left side. Another bogey. The Fourteenth was now showing its teeth, yet another place no one should dare venture. Bland started heading in the right direction with birdies at the Fifteenth and Eighteenth, keeping his place in that conversation yet five strokes back when the day came to an end. Bland certainly has the chops for contending in major golf, the question seemed to be whether he would continue with these volatile swings from birdie to bogey or right the ship, minimizing the costly mistakes.

The fairways were officially off to the races at this point. Green hit his tee shot at the Fourteenth and watched it bounce and roll an extra 70 yards. The wind now to their backs, Green and Stricker seemed to have figured out back spin management as it relates to each hole. Every approach came in low and fast, then grabbed hold tight to slow down. Green took the most advantage and was able to convert for a bird while Fujita and Stricker were in for pars. Green’s birdie here seemed to spark that moment of who would blink first. Green birdied again at the Sixteenth while Stricker finished strong with birdies at the Sixteenth and Seventeenth. All while Fujita kept on with his pars. Stricker closed the gap to a manageable two strokes while Green was three strokes behind.

The tide seemed to be changing. Stricker as the wily veteran kicked in that higher gear we were waiting for. Perhaps he realized the holes were running out or perhaps he felt Fujita was dallying in par land, but those birdies in such close succession in the final stretch were enough to leave everyone wondering whether Stricker had now decided to start his sprint to the finish early with the rest behind in disbelief. At the very least, Stricker made it clear to Fujita and everyone else at the end of Saturday that the trophy would need to be taken. It surely would not be given away.

More photos from Saturday.

Another weather alert changed the tee times for Sunday. They would be going out as threesomes early and again starting at the First and Tenth. The final group remained intact once again. While that might have brought a sense of comfort and familiarity to those three, the course and natural elements had other plans. After three days of delighting all of us with pleasant tones and a full spectrum of sun and wind, the seaside decided to show a bit more of its edgier side.

Sunday

The heft of morning fog demanded attention yet the wind persisted. This meant there were floating cloaks of fog that would move across the fairways and through the crowd and golfers alike. The smoky walking clusters of silhouettes in the distance certainly added to the UK feel along with the course. The fog was enough to suspend play for a couple hours. The weather warnings on the scoreboards cautioned of severe weather with lightning and thunder but one really wondered if that wasn’t for much later. The fog eventually lightened, the wind helped dry whatever rain had visited earlier and the players were off.

The players began moving further and further on to the course. An interesting change was the tee at the Second, which was placed 65 yards to the right and a bit further back, playing at 321 yards This brought the bunkers to the right of the green much more into play. The amount of roll tolerance tee shots received was also a lot less than when the tees were behind the First tee. The groups before the last played it a number of ways. Some gave way to temptation or wanted to be aggressive and took the bold line to the green but more often than not, ended up in those right bunkers and were left short sided. One of these was Padraig Harrington, who gave a huff of frustration and dropped his club when his shot took off into the fog only to reach the sand. Other players took hybrid or utility iron off the tee and favored more to the left, which left a nice short pitch to the green but needed to carry the right bunker (now more of a prominent front). The bunker also blocked the view of most of the fairway so many did not know where their ball ended up until they walked the fairway. This was even tenfold with the fog playing tricks on everyone’s sight. Fujita went with a fairway wood here and walked away with birdie.

The pin position at the Third was close to where it was on Friday, that high left side. Players treated it similarly as they did Friday, which meant staying the hell away from it, content to putt from the front. That is, with the exception of one player. Bland went right at the pin, the first approach I saw all week take on that left side. He nailed the birdie and was on a heater, having birdied the first three holes. In my notes for Bland on this hole, I scrawled, “really good fn hole for him.” Yes my shorthand is on the articulate side. Fujita came through and his par putt lipped out for his first bogey in quite some time. Stricker likewise bogeyed. He rallied at the next for birdie, finally sinking a long one. Fujita had a very close tee shot but once again didn’t cover the bird, settling for the par. Green had wonderful running approach that balanced on the right side above the bunker getting to almost pin high. One of the rare shots that was able to get into the meaty part of the green on approach.

At the Fifth, Stricker hit a nice low shot that ran up nicely then careened off to the left with Green following suit with almost the same shot. Fujita hit hybrid or wood off the tee and ended up in the high right bunker. The pin was on the rear low side but even then, Fujita seemed assured a bogey. Yet some how, he managed the up and down for the par. Truly the stuff of champions. With Stricker three-putting for bogey, then Fujita piling on another birdie at the Sixth, things started to take shape with Fujita now looking unstoppable. The exclamation point came at the Ninth, where Fujita sunk a ten footer for birdie and Stricker bogeyed again.

Our game is full of unpredictability and even though the path to the trophy seemed clear just about at the same time the morning fog lifted, nothing in this game is certain. At 2:28, I have a note about the wind being way up. At 3:00, I noted a few drips. And at 3:02, the horn sounded. Fifteen minutes later, the skies opened and it was fairly evident we were done for the day. I regrettably had to leave, knowing that it was almost inevitable they would need to sort this out on Monday. Fujita with a three stroke lead and eight holes to go, yet a whole lot of time to sit around and think about it.

A few more Sunday photos:

Several hours and a sleep before I heard the horn once again resuming play, but this time I was not a few feet away, I was hundreds of miles away. The sun was out in that renewed glory that’s only possible after a good storm comes through and power washes the sky while the wind seemed to jostle about for dramatic effect. I’m sure there was a good amount of moisture to contend with as well. Indeed, the course now asserted yet another personality as the wind was the direct opposite of the prevailing direction.

One of the first swings we see is that of Fujita’s tee shot, yet his ball goes into the fescue on the right instead of the fairway. I thought my television was broken. 38 straight fairways hit until that miss. Is something afoot or did Fujita need a shot or two before falling back in rhythm? His approach was short of the green but with an up and down he had been accustomed to all week. Except this time, he doesn’t clear the front mound and is left with a real long par putt, which he misses. 2 shot lead. Fujita then bogeys the Twelfth in similar fashion; an offline tee shot, approach that comes up way short and a poor chip. Another bogey but no one takes advantage. Stricker has faded but Green and Bland are right there. A the Thirteenth, Fujita hits it in the right bunker but gets up and down for par. Perhaps that is what he needed to wake up. Nope. Another bogey at the Fourteenth, this time because he is now playing against the strong wind. This means the course is suddenly playing much longer than it had all week, which he now faces in some sort of swing funk. Bland birdied the Fourteenth ahead of the final group. 1 shot lead. Bland then birdied the Fifteenth. And just like that, the lead that Fujita had maintained since Thursday was gone. Bland now had the ball.

Perhaps it was relief or maybe it was urgency, but whatever it was, Fujita began to focus and didn’t bogey again. Bland was in the lead but with a wild miss on his approach at the Eighteenth, double didn’t seem all that impossible. But that is Bland’s game. The up and downs come quickly but the talent never leaves. I think of it like the times I have something that is due in a month but wait a week before the due date to start working. I need the pressure to properly focus. That seems like Bland, as he indeed imparted the perfect amount of finesse on his recovery shot to stay on the green and walked away with bogey only. Fujita now needed birdie to win or par for the playoff at the Eighteenth. The hole was now playing tough and long. Tee shots were rarely covering the right fairway bunker and Fujita decided to go to the left of it. He needed a fairway wood just to reach the green but gave it everything, stuttering off balance after the shot was off. It was on the green but a good distance away. Still, birdie, par and bogey were all very much in play.

Fujita barely missed the birdie putt and it would be as close as he would get to the championship. The two-hole playoff immediately put him at a disadvantage, as two of the longer holes, the Tenth and Eighteenth, were what they would play. The wind could help on the Tenth but the Eighteenth was always a bear. Fujita and Bland kept tying each other with pars and bogeys until they reached the Eighteenth as a sudden death hole. Bland hit a long drive that covered the right bunker, yet hit into the left green side bunker on his approach. It took three shots for Fujita to get about 10 feet from the hole while Bland came out of the bunker and almost holed it then and there for the championship. His par assured, Fujita needed to make the putt to keep the playoff alive. He barely missed. Bland tapped in and became champion.

A common reverb within golf course architecture is one gets to know a course the more time he spends there. Some times, this simply tells the golfer there isn’t much to know; what you see is what you get and that’s where it ends. Other times, the course begins to reveal its several layers and moods. Its intricacies and idiosyncrasies. This starts to show the golfer how many different rounds of golf and challenges and strategies the golfer can face. Then, there are courses like Newport. It has all the levels of complexity but the more time I spent there, the more I realized how little I knew the course and as I saw these players play it over those several days, realized they were in the same boat. Fujita was able to find a comfortable cadence through most all of the championship except for the back nine on the fifth day. It was then that the winds conspired with the fairways and wet to flummox the heir apparent into a tailspin he ran out of time to recover from. At the same time, Bland was able to capitalize at just the right moments in time. He remained in the conversation before inserting himself more and more gradually over time until suddenly, he was in the lead with three holes to go. A good amount of length with a sharp short game, Bland harnessed his talents at the exact time he needed to for his second senior major victory this year.

Newport was a worthy venue that produced a tournament full of the right kind of challenge and play that mesmerized in a spectrum of styles. Long players, short players, good putters, high hitters, faders and anyone else had a chance to thrive here. And that was evident in the playoff with two different types of players going at it for the trophy. The routing was intriguing in how it lulled the players into a sense of comfort the first couple holes before the Third pulled the rug from underneath, then the back to back par 3’s with their illusory ease before the closing holes on the front allowed them to settle a bit before the Tenth yet again disrupted with it challenging green, then the short par 4’s whipping in the wind on the other side of the road before the long par 3 Thirteenth and strategic uphill Fourteenth; the play was always fresh and anew. The course does not have fairway irrigation and demonstrated that a course does not need fairway irrigation to be a worthy tournament host. The soundness of the design is paramount instead. These are the types of tournaments that are stirring to me. Tournaments that showcase brilliance in design which in turn, showcases brilliance in play. All of that took place here, in this historic, remarkably beautiful setting where the winds will continue to run and the fog stopping in every now and then while the sun dances about intermittently as the mood hits, the course taking it all in and expressing it differently each day, tournament or not.