Pond Scrum: From news-filled weekend, Compton’s win stands out
For a week that began with a raging, rip-roarin Rory hangover, it turned out to be an incredibly newsworthy few days in the professional game. If not emotional, too.
A teenager took the lead in a PGA Tour event with an age-defying 60, a tour starving for a breakaway player found a dominant force, one of the sports most controversial figures nearly won his first title since 2008 in an all-Espana fight and a guy with a voice like Foghorn Leghorn logged his overdue first win on the U.S. tour.
Good stuff indeed, especially in what was envisioned as a largely slow week following Rory McIlroys runaway win at the U.S. Open seven days earlier.
Yet McIlroy included, for sheer, stupendous feel-good vibes, none of these results matched up to the victory by two-time heart transplant recipient Erik Compton on the Nationwide Tour, a development that has all but ensured he will finally play in 2012 as a member of the PGA Tour.
After all, Compton is on his third heart. So, sometimes, the incredibly unpredictable nature of lifes grand scheme takes precedence over the Grand Slam, be it in the men or womens divisions.
Chalk it up as a rarity, but Transatlantic Pond Scrum protagonists John Huggan, our European Tour correspondent in Scotland, and CBSSports.com senior writer Steve Elling are mostly singing in two-part harmony for once as they eyeball an unexpectedly colorful weekend.
Although they will gladly let Freddie Jacobsen will sing all the bass parts.
Well get to Tseng, Jacobson, Sergio and the other weekend action in a moment, but was there a bigger victory than the one claimed in Mexico City by two-time heart transplant recipient Erik Compton on the Nationwide Tour, after all hes been through?
Erik Compton rallied with a 7-under 65 on Sunday for a two-stroke victory at the Mexico Open. (Getty Images)
Elling: For writers in Florida especially, the Compton story trumps all. Hes a Miami kid who has been around for years, and his perseverance is Hall of Fame fare. It makes Hogans car crash look like a fender bender. After all this time, some of us have gotten to know Compton pretty well, and for him to basically lock up a card next year on the PGA Tour with the win reaffirms that there must be a golf god after all.
Huggan: Indeed, a truly heart-warming event. Sorry, couldnt resist that.
Elling: Nobody, and I mean nobody, ever wanted it more than Compton, 31, who playe tour winners Ryuji Imada and Bubba Watson. Even after personall and hes been featu I am not sure the public fully understands what Compton has been through. He nearly died of a massive heart attack before his last transplant. He is a modern medical miracle in spikes.
Huggan: When you think about all the little things we complain about in life on and off the course, Compton is an example to us all. I remember seeing him in Dubai a couple of years ago when he played on a sponsors invitation. Lovely guy too.
Elling: True story about why it feels different this time with Erik. His first transplant, received at 12, was from a girl of the same approximate size and age. That heart finally wore out in 2008 and he subsequently received the heart of a 6-foot-5 mens volleyball player the second time around. His motor is bigger. He seems to have a bit more stamina. I am gonna start calling him Turbo.
Huggan: He certainly gets my vote for “victory of the year,” never mind Rory and all the rest. Lets hope he makes it onto the PGA Tour next year. America needs him apart from anything else!
Elling: I was running around most of yesterday and did not hear of Comptons win until just a few minutes ago. I am thrilled for the guy, and especially his family. I am particularly thinking of the moment when Comptons dad walked into the emergency room at a Miami hospital three years ago after Erik had the heart attack, and Erik had a million tubes and wires running into him and his condition was touch and go. Seemingly on his last legs, Erik nonetheless apologized to his dad for having to see Erik in such a sorry physical state. Wow. Gives me a lump in my throat.
Huggan: Indeed, makes the odd three-putt or lip-out pale into insignificance. Sergio Garcia, to name but one leading player, could do with reading Comptons story more than once. There but for the grace of … etc., etc.
Elling: He does not lack for tenacity, like some. You know another reason people should root for this kid? He doesnt use his situation as an excuse. He would likely be eligible for a golf cart under the Casey Martin rule and hasnt asked.
Forget Rory McIlroy. Another 22-year-old won a major on Sunday, her fourth. Is there a more dominant player anywhere that Yani Tseng at the moment?
Elling: All she did was win the LPGA Championship in wire-to-wire fashion by 10 shots. Ring familiar? I thought they needed a mercy rule for McIlroys win at the U.S. Open a week earlier. Four majors by age 22 is a record in the womens game, where, granted, its easier to roll them up in a hurry because the depth isnt nearly as daunting, but its a ridiculous achievement nonetheless. Looks like the LPGA has a “new face,” as Annika Sorenstam described her Sunday when the network was trying to kill time during the blowout win. </ and will see more at Carnoustie soon enough when she plays in the Womens British Open. The biggest compliment I can pay here is that she hits the ball like a man in terms of the sound it makes at impact. Unlike so many of her so-called peers, she is a hitter more than a swinger.
Elling: Like McIlroy, she did it in huge style, matching an LPGA majors scoring record at 19 under par. Theres good news for Tseng too. Because the LPGA has its majors in bunches, the next one is in two weeks, the U.S. Open. Thats the only title of the four majors she hasnt claimed, and she still gets to play it while shes riding the momentum from this one. Career slam at this age? That would be incredible and give the women a huge, and needed, shot of adrenaline.
Huggan: Im not buying she is the best player in the world, though. Rory could give her three a side if only because of how much farther he hits the ball. And I must admit the LPGA majors are hard to track. Is one of them still sponsored by Burt Reynolds old girlfriend?
Elling: Shes clearly the best, best relative to her peers. Sort of like the kid from UCLA, Patrick Cantlay, who shot 60 and held the PGA Tour lead after 36 holes last weekend. He was the Nicklaus Award winner three weeks ago as a freshman. He seems to be the best of his ilk. Just like Tseng.
Huggan: I knew youd bring up Cantlay, sooner rather than later. Is a 20-year-old college kid currently Americas best hope for success at the top of the game?
Elling: When Nicklaus handed the kid the top-collegian award at the Memorial threee weeks ago, I was thinking, “Not sure freshmen should get these things.” Now I understand why. John Cook, who has the same swing coach, positively raves about Cantlay, who will play in the AT&T event this week in Philly as well. Cantlay says he will stay in school and get his degree. It could turn into another Matt Kuchar situation for him. Take the money now?
Huggan: To be serious, Cantlay does look very good. Which is an obvious observation when someone is capable of shooting 60 on the PGA Tour. Last week, we talked a little about college golf. I still believe it is a breeding ground for mediocrity now rather than long-term improvement. He should turn pro immediately. Academic institutions are not where young people should go to play golf.
Elling: After being low amateur at the U.S. Open, Cantlay has turned into quite a sidebar here in the States. Rightfully so. From what I have gleaned, hes a very bright kid, too. Especially for age 19. I hope he stays in school for another couple of years at least.
Huggan: Why? That makes no sense to me. Hell be there to play golf in a second-rate environment. Why would he want do that? So that he can earn some Mickey Mouse degree? By all means stay in school if you are there to study and learn about life. But dont stay there to play golf. Daft idea.
Elling: Some people place a higher value on being well-rounded. A degree is a big deal in many families. And since nothing is assured in the sport, he might need it someday. The ignorance levels of some guys from Europe who spend half their days tweeting and cant spell a lick make me embarrassed for them. If he wants to stay in school, I am fine with that. The PGA Tour will still be there in 2014. If he turned pro tomorrow, he is hardly assured of a spot on a major tour. He might turn pro, wash out of Q-school, and be screwed. College golf would be better for him than mini-tours. And way more fun.
Huggan: You make a good point. But it works in reverse too. School will still be there after he is done with the tour.
Elling: I do not disagree. Michelle Wie is making it work doing both, somehow, attending Stanford and playing part-time as a tour pro. Of course, we will never know if the distractions of school are somehow hurting her golf. Not until she plays full-time. But she loves college. Her family has a hugely scholastic background. Its a balancing act and she has weighed the pros and cons of the pros. Wow, that was hard to type.
Star-crossed Sergio Garcia took another step toward becoming relevant again by finishing second in the European Tour event in Germany on Sunday, losing in a playoff. Impressions?
Elling: Was this the same guy who used to all but antagonize fans and followers with his brash style? Cannot be. He looked like he had been sedated for much of Sunday, even when he was rolling in 60-footers for eagle to charge into a two-shot lead. Over and over, he has said through the years that his passion defines him and that it fueled him. Well, it looks like he has decided to tone it down after all. Honestly, it can only help.
Huggan: Im not the biggest fan of Sergio the boy/man. But I love watching him play. No one hits it better, not even Rory. So Im glad to see him coming back to something like his best form. He will be most encouraged by his putting, which held up pretty well until he three-jacked the fifth playoff hole to lose.
Elling: Sergio, all grown up? Maybe it makes him a bit less fun to watch, sure. Nobody could ignite a crowd like Garcia, especially at a Ryder Cup, when he could often infuriate. Did I say ignite? I meant incite.
Elling: Good news for fans of that style of panache is, his old act seems to have rubbed off on the winner in Germany, countryman Pablo Larrazabal. That kid is nuttier than squirrel poop. He never seems to swing the club the same way twice. He nearly falls over, he swings so hard. He needs a swing coach and a priest.
Huggan: But really, Sergio should have won. After playing six holes in an incredible seven under par, he dropped four shots in five holes. So some work remains to be done. It does say something for Sergios maturity level that he was able to serve as an assistant at the last Ryder Cup. That cant have been easy on his sizeable ego. But he did it. Good on him there.
Elling: Yeah, after the second eagle of the day gave him a two-shot edge, he started spitting out teeth, and bogeys. He fell apart. As Tiger Woods pointed out recently, Sergio has been terrific in 2011 on Thursday and Friday and much less so on the weekend. Tiger speaketh the truth sometimes.
Huggan: I love people like Larrazabal. The game needs more home-run hitters who pop up four or five times a year. Im sick of watching guys whose sole aim in life is “greater consistency.” Yawn.
Elling: As we way in baseball when guys take mighty swipes with the bat, Larrazabal doesnt get cheated. I thought he was going to fall down.
Huggan: I mean, how much more can we take of Matt “T8″ Kuchar?
Elling: Now that he has finally qualified for the British Open, will Sergio be a factor? He certainly was on the leaderboard at Congressional two weeks ago? Hes had a bunch of top finishes at the various links over the years. Hopefully, this time, he avoids dressing like Tweety Bird on Sunday.
Huggan: I think Sergio will be a factor at Sandwich. I hear there isnt much rough after a long dry spell, so we should see some great shot-making rather than hacking out when guys miss fairways. That should be right up Sergios street.
Elling: That would be “Lonely Street.”
Huggan: Youre a hard man …
Elling: Quoth the kettle to the pot.
Seriously, what took Freddie Jacobson so long?
Elling: Darned good question. When he joined the PGA Tour eight years ago, he was already a star in Europe and had picked up a handful of wins. With as high as the Swedes were flying then, he seemed like the next logical guy to join the victory parade. Instead, he became just another journeyman, until Sunday, when he finally logged his first U.S. win at Hartford.
Huggan: I Freddie Jacobson!
Elling: Pray tell? Or is it prey tell?
Huggan: Ever since he got totally shafted and wasnt picked for a Ryder Cup team he should have made a few years back, Ive rooted for this man. You have to love the way he swings and plays in that you never quite know what is going to happen next. And that voice! He sounds like he is permanently gargling.
Elling: The voice is like a foghorn. The first time you hear it, its startling. The anti-Nicklaus voice. Hilarious. He is speaking in an octave located on the far end of the piano, for sure. And that swing, wow. Froot Loops. Is he a Stack-N-Tilt guy? I seem to recall that he is.
Huggan: Plus, he has one more quirk to him. Almost 20 years ago, Jacobson was the last winner of the British Youths Championship (former champions include Lee Westwood and sports agent Chubby Chandler) and he has yet to return the trophy to the R&A. The head man at the R&A, Peter Dawson, tells me he intends to make it his lifes work to get it back. Dont do it Freddie!
Elling: For years the Swedish Seve. Thats equal parts testament to his putting and short game and a back-handed knock on his long game, which is ragged at times, to say the least. But the guy played 3.5 rounds before making his first bogey at Hartford.
Huggan: Again, golf needs more Jacobsons and fewer Kuchars. Sorry Matt, but thats just the way it is.
Elling: Now he joins a wave of players such as Hjertsted, Parnevik, Stenson and Chopra in the PGA Tour winners circle. There was surely some libations hoisted in Jupiter in Sunday, where most of the famous Swedes playing in the States reside. Including somebody named Elin. Why was she famous? Oh, right.
Huggan: Ms. Nordegren probably bought the first round. I hear she can afford it.
Last query, mostly just to get Huggan riled up on a Monday morn. Citing doctors orders, Tiger Woods withdrew from his own tournament this week in Philly. Go ahead, discuss.
Huggan: Did he really? Wh what a fascinating headline. Or, “Tiger still not playing golf.”
Elling: Hes supposed to show up in Philly on Tuesday for a press conference and theres plenty to discuss. His caddie worked for another player at the U.S. Open, hes played nine holes since April and he was seen on crutches during U.S. Open week, the British is two weeks away and hes not yet hitting practice balls, apparently.
Huggan: Or, “Tiger still limping.” Or, “Tiger still not saying anything interesting.”
Elling: That last one is a standing headline. So, you are not at all curious to hear what he has to say about McIlroy, the state of the American game, his personal health, etc?
Huggan: I did laugh once re: Tiger at the U.S. Open, though. When Kelly Tilghman of the Golf Channel re-tweeted some message purported to be from the great man. Aye, right, Kelly. I would be interested if he would engage in a serious debate. But he wont. So Im not.
Elling: I remember that re-tweeted message, supposedly from Electronic Eldrick. Sometimes the Golf Channel, like the GH in Kellys last name, should remain silent.
Huggan: I mean, who really cares who carries Tigers luggage? You or I could have done it for the last 15 years and he would still have 14 majors. I will concede that there is a great interview inside Tiger waiting to get out. But Im not holding my breath.
Elling: Tiger Woods still matters to millions. Any story with his name in it draws twice as many eyeballs as any other. Its quantifiable. Half the people despise him, half are watching to track the comeback possibilities. But almost everybody is rubber-necking to some degree. Its a helluva car crash.
Huggan: To be clear, I dont despise him. He is a bit distasteful. But despise is too strong a word. Now, his caddie is another matter. He really is despicable.
Elling: So, distasteful like broccoli or distasteful like chewing on an old leather golf shoe?
Huggan: Bit of both, I suspect.
Elling: Ah, the salad portion the main course. Bon appetit.
