Why is golf such a great game? Because a complete unknown like 26-year old Ben Curtis from Ohio can win the British Open. Need major championship experience to win the big ones? Nope.
This was Curtis's first crack at a major. At least need to have won a few PGA Tour events first? Nope. Curtis hadn't even registered a top ten finish in his young career.
The proverbial kid out of nowhere, Cinderella story.
Curtis, who learned to play the game on a little public course built by his grandfather, held off the likes of Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh, Davis Love III, Sergio Garcia, Thomas Bjorn and Nick Faldo to become the "Champion Golfer of the Year."
Why is golf such a great game?
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Because a guy with a swing as goofy as Jim Furyk can win the U.S. Open. Imagine how many whispers and snickers he heard over the years from other golfers, parents, coaches and spectators about the needless loops in his swing. They are all believers now.
Why is golf such a great game?
Because of all the phenomenal young talent. Take 13-year old Michelle Wie from Hawaii. The "Big Wiesie". She blasts her drives over 300 yards. This season she has already captured the U.S. Women's Public Links Championship and competed successfully on the LPGA Tour. Image what she'll do when the braces come off.
Why is golf such a great game?
Because the old guys can still play. How about 50-year old Craig Stadler winning on the Champions Tour last week and then winning the B.C.
Open on the PGA Tour Sunday? What was that you shot the final round Craig, a 63? Not bad for a senior.
Then there's Tom Watson. What a summer he's had. The 53-year old led after the first round of the U.S. Open in June at Olympia Fields in Chicago, 21 years after his U.S. Open victory at Pebble Beach in 1982. Last week the five-time British Open champ was in the hunt for title no. six, finishing in the top 20 at Royal St. George's. Thanks for the memories Tom, the old ones and the new ones.
Why is golf such a great game?
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Because the girls can play with the guys. Annika Sorenstam's historic play in the Colonial Tournament on the PGA Tour was a memorable week indeed. Though she missed the cut, the steely-nerved Swede made countless friends and many new golf fans through her determined, stylish play. You go girl.
Why is golf such a great game?
Because you never know when you'll find the magic. Hilary Lunke was unknown before the recent U.S. Women's Open. But the Minnesota native chipped and putted her way to the biggest title in women's golf. Like Curtis, Lunke had never before won a professional event.
Or take Kenny Perry. The 40-something PGA Tour golfer had a nice quiet, successful career going. Journeyman all the way. Then wham, bam he wins The Colonial, The Memorial and The Milwaukee Open. For good measure he also finished third in the U.S. Open and top 10 at the British Open.
Canadian Mike Weir is another example. After a good start to his career, he slumped last year, never finishing in the top 10 of any tournament. This year? He's won three times, including the Masters, making him the first Canadian and only the second left-hander to ever win a major.
Nice going, eh.
Why is golf such a great game?
Because all things are possible. Ben Curtis scraped through PGA Tour qualifying school last fall by one slim stroke. Now look at him. After earning his Tour card Curtis returned to Ohio to show the card to his grandfather who lay sightless, dying of leukemia. "I can't see it, but it looks beautiful," his grandfather told him.
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Golf is a great game.
Greg Peterson's golf column regularly runs on the Golf page each Wednesday.
