Larry Canning
Column
Observations from the Masters
It’s now 3 hours after Rory donned the green jacket and I’m still bawling my eyes out. I haven’t felt that much raw emotion since I donned my first brand new pair of Slazenger cricket pads and got run out without facing a ball. “You’ll grow into them mate” Dad explained as I waddled past, but I was inconsolable.
I thought we all knew how much pressure Ror’s, and the rest of us for that matter, had put on him to win another major after an 11-year hiatus and the Masters was the one trophy he wanted so badly, but when that final putt dropped it was intense.
I have a feeling the little Irish birdie maker wont be happy with only 5 majors though. Look out PGA Championship at one of his favourite aviaries – Quail Hollow!!
How good is Justin Rose? It was mentioned a couple of times during the telecast but its worth repeating that Rose was on his way to winning the last major, The Open Championship at Royal Troon until Zander Schauffele shot 31 the back nine to kiss the Claret Jug and Justins chances of winning, goodbye.
That’s two straight major runner-ups for the classy Pom.
Now let’s see, what else did I observe –
Oh Yeah, there’s a kid playing on the PGA Tour named Nick Dunlap. Last year, as a 20 year old, he became the first amateur to win on the Big Stage since Lefty Mickelson in 1991. Just months later the little rascal proved it was no fluke by claiming the biscuits again at the Barracuda Championship but as a newly turned Pro, also a nice juicy cheque.
Sadly it appears the young phenom has since completely lost his confidence, in particular, with the driver which has him currently ranked dead last on the PGA Tour. With 4 missed cuts coming into Augusta, he was hardly seen as one of the favourites but no -one would have predicted a first round of 90. The grisly old critics might poke fun at this with that crappy old cliché “Haha… makes me feel better about my own game” but the way he handled himself after this humiliation was extremely admirable.
It’s pretty trendy now for a player who has no chance of making the cut, to simply grab the old doctor’s certificate and fly off to the next venue but Dunlap took a different tack. “I would never let myself do that,” he said. Instead, he turned up on Friday and using his 3 wood to try and find the odd fairway, shot 71. Not only that, but he also agreed to a post round interview which must have been torture given he’d just experienced a real life nightmare. I hope the new breed of major winners who refuse interviews took notice of this 21 year old classy professional.
Speaking of interviews? Did anyone else notice a bit of sourness from Bryson DeChambeau regarding the lack of love from Rory in his post round chat? When he was asked “Did you speak to Rory in there? How’s he doing? (referring to the scorers room after missing a 6 foot part for victory)”. – “No idea, he didn’t talk to me once all day” replied DeChambeau. The follow up question “What was the atmosphere like all day” – “I just loved it but he (Rory) was just like….(pause)… ah… being focused, I guess… it’s not me though”. “Did you try and initiate a conversation with Rory though – “Ah, he wouldn’t talk to me”.
It seems we have a brand new golfing rivalry sprinkled with more than a little spice? I love it! They are polar different characters and if you can front up to big Brooks Keopka like Bryson did… well, until LIV brought the two antagonists back together, Bryson isn’t going to hideaway under the lip of a bunker, anytime soon. Neither will Rory I suspect.
I’m now trying to remember the last time we saw two players consistently going at each other? Faldo and Norman? Tiger and Lefty? Steve Elkington Bubba Watson? Bubba Watson and any of his caddies maybe? Common readers, write in and help me out.
The PGA Championship begins in a couple of weeks and as I mentioned, at Rory’s playground, Quail Hollow.
Surly for the first time in years, McIlroy will slip past Scheffler as Favorite? I think its pretty obvious the worlds number 1 and 1 ½ will be fairways ahead of the next player in the betting.
It’s a great time of the year to be a golf writer and reporter so at this point I’d better submit this piece before our Editor sends me a collection notice.
On Ya Rory!!
