I don’t know about you folks out there in the golf world but The Open Championship sent me home from teaching each day glued to the evening replay of the day’s action! Here at Friar’s Head where I teach during the summer months we have a wonderful teaching/training center and in between lessons during the day I would stick my head into our “living room” area to catch whatever I could for a minute or two of the live action. Of course I’d get to work early to catch what I could each am before my first lesson because of the time change. 
The point is I couldn’t get enough! The Open Championship, particularly when it is at St. Andrews consumes me. This particular Open was even more attractive because of the multitude of incredible story lines it carried.
We started with Rory’s injury and the #1 player in the world and defending champion playing soccer and sidelining himself not only preventing his defense of The Open Championship but in all likelihood ending his season! Shear brilliance. Then we had the final Open appearances at St. Andrews for both Tom Watson and Sir Nick Flado. Perhaps they may someday return there at a future Open Championship in a ceremonial role but we will never see them there again as championship competitors. I don’t know about you but events like these gentlemen departing this championship has me reflecting on my own mortality. Sir Nick was clearly a wonderful Hall of Fame Champion that entertained us throughout his remarkable run, but Tom Watson for me was magic. So many of his career highlights come to mind. The chip in at the 71st hole at Pebble in the US Open against Jack and who can ever forget “The Duel in the Sun” at Turnberry! The list of story book highlights goes on and on for Tom Terrific. He will be missed as a 5 time Open Champion.
Then we finally get to the Open Championship itself. The site, St Andrews, The Old Course, Hollowed grounds. Alan Robertson, the first Keeper of the Green, Old Tom and Young Tom, Bobby Jones, Peter Thompson, Palmer, Nicklaus, and some many more greats crossed that same bridge on 18! This Open gave us both an extra day thanks to Mother Nature, and overtime thanks to heart stopping play by so many young talented players. We took more than a glimpse into the future of golf and watched up close as several world class young amateur talents not only compete but contend in one of golf’s four majors. You will hear from each of those young amateur talents again and soon.
You then had yet another early Tiger exit after a glimmer of hope was displayed the week before stateside. You had so many names run themselves up and down the leaderboard during the week. Fowler, Scott, D Johnson, Day, Garcia, Rose, Matsuyama, Goosen, Leishman and Oosthuizen to name just a few. Then of course we had Jordan Spieth in his pursuit of the mystical Grand Slam and come oh so close. This kid is like a young wholesome Tom Watson giving us magical weeks that are building his place in golf history right before our eyes.
Last but not least after all the history, all the story lines , the weather, the 5 long days of battle and a playoff there was one left standing. He is a simple player. He is a wonderful plotter. He is a dissector of championship layouts. He doesn’t drive it near long in a day and age of bomber. What he does do is win! He has now claimed The Claret Jug to stand next to his Green Jacket. He did it at The Home of Golf, The Links at St. Andrews. Zac Johnson is a golf superstar. No flash, no bombs away just simple solid smart (SSS) golf!
Zac – congratulations from all of us who admire sound solid principles on and off the course. From those of us who still admire playing the game as it once was played, who respect hard work, grit and determination. Well done Zac, well done!
