AJC > Sports > Columnists > Archives > 2007 > June > 17 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USOakmont wins; trophy heads offshore
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Furman Bisher
Oakmont, Pa. — Well, they know now. Oakmont is just as tough as they said it was, even without the trees. Tiger Woods did his best to replace them, but he fell a stroke short. (You know, Woods for trees. Oh, well.)
They came from around the world to attack this old American original, and once again Oakmont won, but once again America’s golf championship took a trip overseas.
Three years ago it traveled to South Africa with Retief Goosen. Two years ago it went to New Zealand with Michael Campbell. Last year it moved to Australia with Goeff Ogilvy. This time it’s Argentina, and an interpreter was required. Angel Cabrera is 37 years old, speaks limited English, but plays world class golf. He plays the American tour, accepts American moolah, but when it comes to public speaking he is comfortable only with a translator at his side.
It wasn’t a pretty thing. The early part of the day, it looked as if nobody wanted to win it. The first hole set off a series of crashes. The overnight leader, Aaron Baddeley, triple-bogeyed. Bubba Watson double-bogeyed. Justin Rose bogeyed. Paul Casey missed a birdie putt no longer than his arm. Cabrera parred and was never over par the rest of the scrambling round on his trip to the moon.
He has taken the pledge with the PGA Tour, but still goes home to Cordoba in Argentina, where he took his first steps into golf as a caddie.
Oh, this should be a glorifying moment for the AFLAC duck. Cabrera is known as El Pato, Spanish for duck, probably for his waddling stride, though this has not been confirmed. He has won championships around the world, 15 of them, and has come close in some of the World Golf Championships, but this was his first inside these borders, and it didn’t come easy. Just when he should have been coasting home, he bogeyed the par-3 16th hole, which was playing at its extreme, and followed with another bogey on the par-4 17th, which had been birdie-bait this week. Then he finished his second round of 69 this week and went into seclusion while Jim Furyk and Woods took their shots at his 285, 5-over par, and fell back.
The 21-year-old rookie, Anthony Kim of Dallas, had whipped around the course in 67 strokes early in the day, and it looked as if Oakmont might be a soft touch.
No such thing, surely not for Furyk, who was even par, nor for Woods, who was 2 over. The 69 Woods shot Saturday seemed to have left him low on ammunition, and after he double-bogeyed one of the “Church Pew” holes Sunday, he was never on his game the rest of the day.
Still, he had one last downhill putt on the 18th green that would have set up a playoff today. The ball rolled harmlessly off line, right of the hole. Cabrera was shown on camera, celebrating with his caddie.
Crusty old Oakmont fought back with its usual resistance, and took its toll on the best players this national championship could attract. After the round Woods played Saturday, inspiring such gushing commentary on the network telecast, the charge his worshipful followers expected never came off Sunday. That round Saturday, so vigorously serenaded, still netted him a gain of only one stroke.
Play began Sunday looking like the club championship at Wretched Hollow. It picked up in tension, but old Oakmont kept its guard up, and throughout the four days of play, par was broken only eight times. Thus, the national golf championship remains outside our borders. Next year, California gets it chance when the Open moves to Torrey Pines, near San Diego.
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Comments
By Don't Cry for Me
June 18, 2007 8:01 AM | Link to this
Cabrera won this tournament yet Tiger and Furyk can only shake their heads in wonder. To think that all three would have long par putts on the 305 yard 17th tells you how hard the course was. That said, Tiger once again proves that Majors are 3 day tournaments for him. If he’s leading after the 3rd round…he wins. If he’s behind after 3…he loses. If I were him, I would fight for the lead on Saturday as he’s not going to get it on Sunday. 0 for 29 tells you all you need to know.
By Steve Austin
June 18, 2007 9:15 AM | Link to this
Hey, Tiger, you’re gonna have to show up more than 8-10 times a year to stay in the game; you might have to play a “minor” tourney where you aren’t collecting a killer appearance check from the sponsor. Worst of all, you might even have to go back to Butch to start the birdies back.
By Paul
June 18, 2007 11:46 AM | Link to this
I think US players are so brainwashed they give open courses too much credit. Cabrera and other foreign players seem to not be so in awe of the conditions or the importance of the event.
By GE
June 18, 2007 11:50 AM | Link to this
Tiger was inches short of winning the thing. This 0 for 29 statistic means absolutely nothing when you consider that he must have been in position to come back in all 29 events. I wonder how many other Pros can say that they have won 12 majors and were in position to win 29 others. He does not need to play any more than 10 events because no once else is even close to his game. Cabrera played well and deserved to win because he made fewer mistakes. If Tiger had laid up on 17(Furyk also) we would be in a playoff today. You do not become the #1 and #3 golfers in the world without going for the gusto. Phil(#2) would have done the same. If my game was as good as these guys, I would have gone for the eagle and a win also.
By Leroy Rogers
June 18, 2007 12:29 PM | Link to this
A statement by Tiger after Saturday’s round…he had been there before and knew what to do, was unlike him. Usually he just wears his “colarless” shirt and intimdates other Americans! Is Tiger good or bad for the game? When he doesn’t play, the ladies out draw most other tourneys! At least they are more exciting! I would like to commend Tiger for his attitude…not all the bad words, per usual. {Guess he respects the Aussie’s Fellowshipe of Christian Athletes’ organization?}
By doug
June 18, 2007 7:04 PM | Link to this
the course loses because the course is a joke. tiger said bad shots were punished (properly so ) and good shots were not always rewarded ( ???? !!!! ). good shots should always be rewarded, even if it upsets the poor, poor members of the club.