In no particular order, these thoughts on the weekend that just was, and remember I call this Fairwaysplus with the emphasis on the "plus" because in my life I have worked in and covered the whole gamut of sorts on both sides of the Atlantic..
* Keegan Bradley says the 2 shots he will remember from yesterday's playoff win were his drive 'the best of my life" on 16 after he had just tripled the par 3 15th, and of course the 40 foot birdie putt he made on 17..
* He also reports this morning that after he won his sister, little niece and mother just sat around the house he was staying in, staring at the Wannamaker trophy and taking pictures of it until he went to bed at 2am and just stared at it some more... How boring, and how badly does he have to meet Darren Clarke to learn how to celebrate the biggest win of your life..
* Without the collapse by Jason Dufner (up 5 shots with 4 to play) Keegan Bradley could not have won. Dufner led this field in GIR as he did at the Players and last year's US Open.. he should get another shot at a major...
* Of the 4 majors I enjoyed Darren's win at Sandwich in that wild weather the most, then Rory's perfect week at Congressional, then this exciting finish between Dufner and Bradley , then Charl's 4 hole charge to win the Masters after Rory's Final nine collapse
* Atlanta Athletic Club was in magnificent condition, a testament to the complete overhaul it has under gone to hybrid Bermuda grass. It looked perfect and green despite 100*F temperatures and humidity..
* Brett Lawrie has been a joy to watch since his arrival to spark the Blue Jays and their walk off win in the 10th yesterday after his double tied it in the 9th was great company as usual for me, as I was out for my 10k walk yesterday, and although he has been a colleague for the last 16 years, once again I will say, how lucky we are to have Jerry Howarth and now Alan Ashby to listen to on a daily basis.
* Several years ago when the WTA came up with the Big 9 or whatever they called it, 9 events that the players basically have to play, unless they have medical proof they are injured, we all here working the Rogers Cup said great, now all the big names will be here in Canada (Montreal or Toronto) as the Rogers Cup is one of the events on that list.
Well I have been the GM of the national tennis center in Edinburgh with full responsibility for organizing tennis at all levels including the Scottish Open the week before Wimbledon on my 6 grass courts and as a member of the LTA I got great insight into behind the scenes at Wimbledon... I can't prove this but it is obvious that there seems to be some unspoken agreement between the top players that they will show up so the organizers can get full value and sell out, but then 2 of them, this year it was Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic, will hang around for the full week.
To see Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray all bow out to opponents they will eat in 2 weeks at the US Open early this week was embarrassing, even if Novak is 53-1 this year, the other guys can't just save themselves for the big push at Flushing meadow, not to mention that with Maria Sharapova out along with Kim Clijsters (a genuine abdominal tear) and 3rd seed Vera Zvonareva, 4 of the top 10 seeds were gone in 1 day, the lack of any opposition to the powerhouse that is Serena Williams was ridiculous for a National championship.
Can't prove it as I say but it happens every week when there is a major just around the corner.. Let's watch and see who departs the scene early at Cincinnati this week...
* With the World Cup of Rugby coming up in New Zealand in 3 weeks Canada is in tough with the All Blacks and France in their group.
* Jays skipper John Farrell has received very little criticism so far in his tenure, in part to his genuine and willing acceptance of his responsibilities with the media, and he looked like a genius again this weekend sitting Bautista, Hill, and Colby Rasmos on Saturday before they went out and shellacked the best pitcher in baseball Jered Weaver 11-2, and how about the play under his watch of Edwin Encarnacion who has a 14 gamer going and has been a revelation at both 1st and 3rd..
*the job the city has done in rebuilding the huge Sunnyside swimming pool down on the Lakeshore is remarkable although I have not forgotten how late they were in re-opening last summer (end of August). I spent last week down in their neighbourhood running the boardwalk, and it is packed everyday, although I still don't know why the posse of lifeguards are instructed to kick everyone out at 3.45pm
* David Feherty has always been amusing, especially when he was playing, but I just know he is killing himself laughing, privately, when he thinks that finally at the age of 53, the suits that run the Golf Channel have given him his own show and all the perpetual re runs it is in already, just to talk and carry on the way he always has, as if he is some kind of newly discovered gem...
Bryan Angus also on twiiter@mummmbles
No comments:
Post a Comment