Larry Canning reviews a year of some great performances in the men’s and women majors, beginning with Aussies Cameron Smith and Minjee Lee. But his “Major Hero” of the year decision goes to a surprising winner.
The two biggest golfing majors of the year were won by Aussies and we should be celebrating 2022 as one of the greatest in Australian golf and for that matter… sport.
Not only that but Minjee Lee and Cam Smith are a couple of ripper young people who consistently display the class and dignity this country can be proud of. Readers, it’s time to whack the kids back in front of the box and watch them learn “what being an Aussie on TV” is supposed to look like.
Oh, yeah… there were some other glorious major triumphs in 2022 with some heroic stories of victories against the odds, come from behind winners and some who just showed guts to hang on by their Callaway Fusion Pro gloved fingertips when the final rounds seemed to be going backwards at speed.
Jennifer Kupcho was holding an 8 shot lead during the final round at the Chevron but needed to dig deep and stay on her feet long enough to take the weird winning leap into Poppies Pond. Brooke Henderson led into Sunday at the Evian but after 4 putting the 6th allowed about 20 others to meet up with her for a not so friendly chat at the top of the leaders board. She also showed serious grit and came back to win. Then there’s the gutsiest performance seen in years by Ashleigh Buhai at the AIG Women’s Open. Holding a 3 shot lead with 4 to play, Ashleigh clearly thought it was all becoming a little boring so threw in a triple bogey on the 15th leaving her now tied with 3 time major winner In Gee Chung. The 33 year old South African recovered magnificently and played the next three holes and another 3 play-off holes with complete resolve to claimed her long awaited first Major.
When it came to “Come from behind winners” there wasn’t any better than Justin Thomas in the PGA Championship at the brutal Southern Hills Golf Course. After posting a shabby 4 over par 74 on Saturday Thomas looked like he’d shot himself in the “Footjoy” with little to no chance of winning. Love him or hate his wanky Ryder Cup histrionics, this cat can seriously play and his final round… even his final drive were something to behold.
Of course, with every winner standing in front of the pulpit fighting back the tears thanking their loved ones who have stood behind them through the tough times, trophy held above their heads and muttering in a high pitched voice “This win is for them”… there’s often another player sitting in the locker room alone, hands over the faces whispering “How did I just let that happen?”
Will Zalatoris is building a seriously full bank account which should allow him to have a lovely expensive mantle piece at home, problem is he doesn’t have anything to put on it. His runner ups in majors have the potential to rival the Shark’s bounty but without the benefit of being a 3 time major winner with 2 Claret Jugs and 1 walk along a beach in shorts.
There’s one guy standing out this year as letting one slip through his nervous fingers though – Mito Pereira. To cut a long dramatic story into a shorter dramatic story the Chilean needed a par to win the US PGA Championship and a bogey to be in a play-off. He hadn’t missed a drive all day so chose to pull the big guy out for the most important tee shot of his life.
Sadly his swing looked like it had more plane changes than a 1960’s Qantas flight from Launceston to Vancouver and the follow through resembled a player attempting to kill a Funnel web spider about to crawl up his caddie’s trouser leg.
His pill went the only place that would prevent him from taking the Cup, 3 million in prizemoney and signing endorsements for another 15 mill. Being the first Chilean winner of a major golf tournament he would have also made a huge impact on the game in his home country and for that matter be the only South American Major winner not to be in jail!
But it was the way he handled himself after that disaster which has him becoming my “Major Hero”. Just to agree to do the interview with Amanda Renner right after he walked off the course was amazing but his candour and transparent view on was extremely classy and refreshing!
“On Monday I wanted to just make the cut and on Sunday I wanted to win.” When asked about his final drive – “I guess you have so much pressure in your body that you don’t know much what you’re doing (with a laugh tacked on).”
As I’m writing this, Mito has definitely taken advantage of his showing in the PGA and is giving himself a terrific chance to make it the final 30 Tour Championship. I’d love to his interview if he wins the whole bloody thing!! Go, Son!
