GOLF

Dustin Johnson, the world’s number one golf player, just about had back to back victories.

He won in Memphis two weeks ago and this past week almost won the U.S. Open in New York.

The Dutch Fork graduate fell a few shots short of winning his second major championship when he struggled early in the third round at Shinnecock Hills.

Brooks Koepka defended his U.S. Open title and Tommy Fleetwood had a blistering final round 63 to finish second.

The trophy will always bear the name of Koepka and he played great in defending his championship. However, the entertainment highlight for me will be Phil Mickelson’s hockey display during the third round. I thought it was hilarious.

It was a strategical move that the course conditions merited. As his ball trickled by the hole on the way to a tough place far away from the hole, Mickelson hit the ball that was moving rather than waiting for the ball to settle in position many yards away from the green.

The act that penalized him two shots certainly saved a bunch of time and likely unnecessary misery.

THE USGA HAS some unusual ideas about competition course set up. In this year, it was a complete bust. It looked like goofy golf in a theme park and made the golf superstars look incompetent.

I am as puzzled as I ever have been. While the telecast of the U.S. Open is supported by the “grow the game” commercials, why is the actual presentation embarrassing the game’s greatest players? Is this not being hypocritical or is this arrogance?

The USGA wants the viewer to know golf is a great game in a commercial then goes live to the best players in the world and there is Phil playing hockey.

Incidentally, I know now why. Hockey is more popular.

MY CHILDREN USED to do trick shots and since the USGA seems interested in trickery, this could be good for the Bryan Brothers’ future. As I write this article, my creative and imaginative mind is taking over.

Maybe next year, in addition to having severe slopes on the greens with glass like speed, there will be a windmill guarding the final hole. In addition to correct, read and speed, you need to time the putt so its blades do not reject the ball.

They could create a floater green a little bit like TPC’s 17th hole that is motorized and begins moving and the players would get to anticipate where the green would be. So it could be a bit like the quarterback leading the receiver in football.

Heck, instead of wasting all the time and money on growing grass, just have cinder block putting greens. They are already gray to start with, smooth, fast, hard, and they even make noise. George and Wesley used those all the time in their trick shot videos.

The latest USGA competition ‘tests’ have been absurd and as ridiculous as the words on this paper.

LAST YEAR AT the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills, I did not hear one first hand description of a golf shot or hole that was fun or flattering by a player or caddy and I had clubhouse credentials. Actually, that would have been ‘House credentials’ for there was no clubhouse. Normally, there is light and fun conversation about the day’s play among players, friends and family, but there was nothing that I heard except words not worth repeating.

It was closer to the atmosphere of an unemployment office or SAT test than a golf tournament.

In closing, the game’s number one player, Dustin Johnson, had a solid chance of winning the tournament. Several other great players, including the champion Kepka, played the course well, so the USGA has evidence justifying the course set up.

IN LOCAL GOLF, Kelly Murphy won the Women’s South Carolina Amateur at WoodCreek Farms. The event was played at Dataw Island last week.

These players from the Midlands had an outstanding tournament.

In the Boys 15-17 Division Dillon Hite (Lexington) finished fifth, Bronson Myers (Columbia) T17, Mavrick Mullinax (Lexington) T35, Jacob Fuller (Chapin) T52 and Ford Reynolds (Columbia) T56.

In the Boys 13-14 Luke Sullivan (Columbia) T7, Guy Buffum (Columbia) T10 and Eric Nord (Blythewood) and T14 Burch Harrison (Columbia) T17.

The South Carolina Junior Golf Association Hootie and the Blowfish Summer Tournament Series is getting started in June for junior golfers ages 6-18.

Visit SCJGA.org for more information.