At the beginning of this week, thousands of kilometres from Oakmont, Pittsburgh, in the United States, a 17-year-old girl from a South African dorpie called Benoni claimed to have had sightings of the Virgin Mary — the mother of Christ.
Only seven men of the 178-strong field who teed off at the Oakmont Country Club for the 107th US Open are likely to know where Benoni is.
But, if the stories of divine spirits that have befallen the Benoni lass are true, the whole field could do with Francesca Zackey laying her hands on them if they are to survive the sadistic Oakmont.
The reality of the layout of this course is such that — typical of many a US Open tournament — the winner could come from the less aggressive and daring players than those who attack and use power. In fact, most players seeking only to come out alive on the first day are more likely to be playing on Saturday and Sunday, the final day.
Unaffectionately called ”an old brute”, the vicious Oakmont course will serve only one good purpose for these professionals — to prepare them for Carnoustie Golf Links, which hosts the British Open next month. Few other courses bring such serious fear and despair to some of the best golfers the world has ever produced.
Says the world number two and four-time runner-up in the US Open, Phil Mickelson: ”It’s not enticing. The rough around [the greens], the penalty for a miss — not really enticing.”
There are 210 bunkers at Oakmont. Forget about the roughs that give Mickelson sleepless nights and the much-vaunted bunkers, world number one Tiger Woods warns about the greens.
”Once you get to the greens, boy, that’s the challenge right there — trying to putt these things with the right speed because you’re coming over so many different mounds and angles and pitch on the greens … they are just so severe,” said the two-time winner of the US Open title.
The good thing about this weekend’s golf — other than that Woods is back and, therefore, television networks and sponsors will be smiling all the way to the bank — is that in the past few weeks there has been good golf on the US and European tours to ensure that, in spite and perhaps because of its severity, Oakmont could encounter the kind of golf that might tame it.
Coming from a luckless spell, 43-year-old Woody Austin carded an eight-under par to steal the Stanford St Jude Championship from under the nose of Adam Scott last Sunday. Austin, whose best performance before this surprise win was a tied seventh place at last year’s Buick Open, will want to prove that, late in the day, he is getting his groove back.
Put up or shut up, the saying goes. South African-born Rory Sabbatini has certainly put up this year. And it couldn’t have been sweeter than winning the thrilling three-way play-off with world number three Jim Furyk and the veteran, but still brilliant, Bernhard Langer to claim the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial last Sunday.
Senior compatriots Ernie Els and Retief Goosen have not been playing the best golf this year. But experience and tenacity should count for something, especially at Oakmont. It is important to note that between the two of them they have won the US Open four times.
Woods makes a comeback after taking a long break since performing rather shockingly at The Memorial, tying for 15th place. He says he would love to win the US Open again. To do that he cannot bring the same putter he used at The Memorial if he is to compete with contenders such as Mickelson.
Mickelson has not only performed well this season, but has also reclaimed his number two spot, overtaking Furyk in the rankings.
Until last week at the St Jude, Furyk was on a decline. He was unlucky to lose to Sabbatini in that play-off. Maybe he has his rhythm back.
Defending US Open champion Geoff Ogilvy, who miraculously upstaged Mickelson last year, would like to do well in trying to defend his title and put life back into his terrible season so far. Ogilvy produced four top 10s and two missed cuts in 14 starts. He failed to qualify for the final two rounds at last week’s St Jude Championship after shooting 78 and 71.
I could ask the opinion of the prophet from Benoni, but Woods is always a safe bet to win, although I fancy Scott and Furyk to redeem themselves. Of the South Africans on the card, Trevor Immelman and Charl Schwartzel are playing good golf and would want to register a Major in their record books.