Golf brings out patriotism like no other sport.
Last weekend, announcers on the BBC all but cheered for anyone
other than an American at the British Open.
The Presidents Cup in November in Australia — a U.S. vs. the
World team competition — is merely a warm-up for the Ryder Cup in
2012. Events like these are where the sport basically loses its
dignity (that, and the 16th hole at the Phoenix Open).
Three weeks ago, I was taken aback a bit at the U.S. Women’s Open
as American journalists from coast to coast openly pulled for their
fellow countrywomen (and not so quietly hoped some foreigners would
fail). They said an American winning the Open is good for
golf.
One prominent golf writer said that little girls in America look
up to Paula Creamer and Cristie Kerr and Morgan Pressel. And the
future of the sport in our country was dependent on how well those
Americans played in major championships.
That’s one theory, and I don’t buy it.
I mean, good golf is good golf, no matter who is swinging the
club.
Idols in America are found on reality TV shows, not on golf
courses. Most top junior players are so busy focusing on their own
games, career paths and futures that they don’t have time to read
Creamer’s tweets from the tarmac.
Not so in other countries. I watched players like winner So Yeon
Ryu and Hee Kyung Seo from South Korea. These women played with
great focus. They also were charming in interviews despite their
broken English.
Unlike Americans, they grew up playing golf and trying to emulate
their predecessors.
Ryu and Seo battled in a three-hole playoff. They are part of a
generation of players inspired by Se Ri Pak, the 1998 U.S. Women’s
Open champion. Pak walked inside the ropes during the playoff and
doused Ryu with champagne on the green after the victory. Since
1988, Koreans have won four Women’s Opens and several other USGA
championships.
That’s inspiration and patriotism at its finest.
BRYCE IS NICE: South High School senior Bryce Schroeder continues
to shine on the junior golf circuit. Schroeder recently claimed
medalist honors at the Big I Insurance Youth Golf Classic state
competition in Greeley.
She will represent Colorado at the Big I National Championship
on Aug. 1-4 at the Reunion Golf and Country Club in Madison,
Miss.
Schroeder, who anchored the Colts’ Class 4A state championship
team in May, shot 74-76 and won the event by four strokes. The
first round was contested at Boomerang Links and the second at
Highland Hills. Both courses are in Greeley.
JIMMY JOINS: South High School’s Jimmy Makloski recently was
named to the Junior America’s Cup team by the Colorado Golf
Association. He is a member of a four-person team (all of whom have
to be 17 or under) that will compete next week at Hiwan Golf Club
in Evergreen.
Makloski, playing out of the Pueblo Country Club, is joined by
Cameron Harrell of Pine Creek Golf Club, Benjamin Moore of Glenmoor
Country Club and Cole Nygren of Colorado National Golf Club.
Harrell played in this event a year ago.
The Junior America’s Cup features 17 four-person teams from the
U.S., Canada and Mexico. According to the CGA, this will be just
the third time Colorado has hosted the boys JAC, and the first
since 1999. Both team and individual competition are part of the
matches.