In the second round of the Travelers Championship, Spieth paced the field headed into the weekend.
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CAMERON SMITH WINS THE 150TH OPEN, CHEZ REAVIE WINS BARRACUDA The 150th Open at St. Andrews was seemingly destined for the history books, and the competition at the Home of Golf delivered at every turn. Australia’s Cameron Smith authored the final chapter with six back-nine birdies Sunday and a pivotal up-and-down par on the famed Road Hole par-4 17th, carding a final-round, 8-under 64 for a one-stroke victory over Cameron Young and two clear of 54-hole co-leader Rory McIlroy, whose quest to snap an eight-year major championship drought came up short with 18 consecutive two-putts on Sunday. Smith trailed by four strokes into the final round and remained three back at the turn, but the mullet-sporting 28-year-old captured the Claret Jug with the lowest final-nine score (30) by a winner in Open history. His 20-under total ties the lowest 72-hole score to par in major championship history, and he joins Jack Nicklaus (1978) as the only players to win THE PLAYERS Championship and The Open in the same season. Nicklaus’ 1978 Open triumph occurred at the Old Course, as well. Smith earns 600 FedExCup points and moves to No. 2 in the FedExCup standings behind Scottie Scheffler. He was visibly emotional upon accepting his title on a serene Scottish Sunday afternoon, but his mind was on some well-deserved festivities too. “I’m definitely going to find out how many beers fit in this thing,” Smith said of the Claret Jug. “That’s for sure.” Chez Reavie earned his third PGA TOUR title Sunday at the Barracuda Championship, recording 43 points in the TOUR’s only Modified Stableford scoring event, one point clear of Alex Noren. Reavie, 40, moves from No. 101 to No. 49 on the FedExCup standings, 300 points accrued, and secures full TOUR status through 2024. “It’s nerve-wracking, it’s exciting, it’s frustrating, it’s all the emotions,” said Reavie of back-nine Sunday contention on TOUR. “But I love it.”” WOODS’ EMOTIONAL WEEK AT ST. ANDREWS Tiger Woods missed the cut at The Open at St. Andrews, but the memories will endure not only for the fans attending and those watching, but also for him. Woods, who has won two Claret Jugs at the Home of Golf, shot rounds of 78-75 to miss the cut by nine shots. It was still an impressive effort considering his recent health issues and determination to play in what might have been his final Open at St. Andrews. Woods walked over the Swilcan Bridge on the 18th hole, raised his hat to the fans, and saw Rory McIlroy on the first hole tip his hat toward him. A few Tiger tears fell. “The fans, the ovation and the warmth, it was an unbelievable feeling,” Woods said. “I understand what Jack and Arnold had gone through in the past. I was kind of feeling that way there at the end. …They understand what golf’s all about and what it takes to be an Open champion.” TWIN CITIES TOUR TAKEOVER 3M FIRST LOOK Cameron Champ returns to defend his title at the 3M Open as the PGA TOUR’s 2021-22 season inches closer to an exciting conclusion. John Deere Classic winner J.T. Poston hopes to extend his recent run of good play while Hideki Matsuyama is one of six major champions teeing it up. Rookie of the Year candidates Davis Riley and Sahith Theegala are looking for their breakthrough victories. Riley sits 23rd in the FedExCup standings while Theegala is 38th. TPC Twin Cities is an Arnold Palmer design which opened in 2000 and is a par 71 that plays to 7,431 yards. Just three events remain in the 2021-22 PGA TOUR Regular Season; FedExCup points are at a premium. The winner in the Twin Cities will take home 500 FedExCup points. VIDEO OF THE WEEK MIC CHECK “It’s very emotional for me. I’ve been coming here since 1995. I think the next one comes around in 2030 so and I don’t know if I will be physically able to play by then. To me it felt like this might have been my last British Open here at St. Andrews.” – Tiger Woods after shooting 75 for a two-round total of 9-over 153. BY THE NUMBERS 255 – Cameron Smith set an unofficial TOUR putting record at The Open, making an incredible 255 feet of putts during the second round at the Old Course. 9 – Consecutive 3s carded by Rob Oppenheim on the back nine in Round 3 of the Memorial Health Championship presented by LRS on the Korn Ferry Tour. He shot an 11-under 60. 30 – Cameron Smith’s back-nine score at St. Andrews on Sunday, the lowest ever shot by an Open champion in a final round. COMCAST BUSINESS TOUR TOP 10 The Comcast Business TOUR TOP 10 highlights and rewards the extraordinary level of play required to earn a spot in the TOP 10 at the conclusion of the FedExCup Regular Season as determined by the FedExCup standings. The competition recognizes and awards the most elite in golf.
Cut it out. I can hear you. Those of you that have followed my work are already snickering. The eye rolls have begun. I know. I get it. I hold some level of bias toward the magnificent island continent known as Australia, my native land. But this pride of country is there for a reason. And I am about to legitimately show you why the 2019 Presidents Cup, to be held Dec. 12-15 next year, represents a chance for you to get away on an unforgettable experience. The city of Melbourne awaits you. With open arms. And you will not be disappointed. As we approach the one-year-to-go mark, I am giving you a head start on your planning. You will have no excuses. Both the U.S. and International teams need support and if you were ever thinking of exploring the land down under, then why not have your trip coincide with an epic sporting event in the middle of a beautiful southern hemisphere summer. Here’s the thing. Whether you are looking for the ultimate golf trip away with friends, or a life-changing family vacation, or a romantic trip with your significant other … you’re covered. Whether you’re sports mad, a foodie, a wine connoisseur, a history buff, a coffee snob, an animal lover, an art aficionado, a nature worshipper … you’re covered. Whether you’re an Instagramer, Snapchatter, Facebooker or Scrapbooker … you’re covered. Here’s just a snippet of what awaits you in Melbourne, a handful of reasons you should take the plunge. Of course every category is interchangeable for all. For the hardcore golf fan If you want the ultimate golfing getaway, Melbourne rivals anywhere in the world. That’s right … anywhere. Royal Melbourne Golf Club previously hosted the Presidents Cup in 1998 and 2011. (Visit Victoria photo) The Competition: The Presidents Cup brings together the best golfers from the USA to do battle with the best from the rest of the world (excluding Europe). Seeing two teams stacked with superstars in match play is as up-close and personal as it gets in the world of golf. The passion of representing one’s country is on display and while the U.S. Team has dominated in winning nine of the 11 biennial competitions, the lone International win came in Melbourne in 1998. With just 12 players on each team, the action is hyper-focused and intense, creating an incredible crowd atmosphere. “Our game is growing, it’s becoming more global, and I think this event is only going to get bigger and better.â€� — U.S. Captain Tiger Woods The Motivating Factors: Both the U.S. and International teams are coming into the contest off a loss and revenge can be a serious motivating factor. For the Internationals, they have been on the end of losses for a while but they haven’t forgotten the 2017 event in New Jersey, where it was almost over at Liberty National before the final day. Images of the U.S. team in rapture are burned in their brains and have them well and truly fired up. For the Americans, their loss came at the hands of the European Team in the 2018 Ryder Cup outside Paris. A humbling result for what was being billed as perhaps one of the greatest U.S. Teams ever assembled. They are intent of regaining the winning feeling once more. “It would be nice to have our pictures up on the wall in player dining at TPC Sawgrass. Every year I have been there you look up and it’s an American team up on the wall. I’m sick of looking at that and would love to have our photos up there for them to stare at.â€� – Three-time International Team member Marc Leishman The Captains: One of the great rivalries in their prime was that of Ernie Els and Tiger Woods and now the pair take the helm of each side. The history of the Presidents Cup will forever be headlined by their head-to-head battle in 2003 when they couldn’t be separated and continued to trade blows as darkness descended. With no one taking a backward step it was decided the Cup would be shared. Tiger is in the conversation of the best golfer of all time and even hopes to be a playing captain. Els has won multiple times at Royal Melbourne and once shot 60 there. “Tiger and I have had some great duels in the past, and I look forward to the challenge of going against my longtime friend yet again in 2019. I’m not afraid to blood new talent. I want guys who are hungry to win.â€� – International Team captain Ernie Els The Golf Course: Royal Melbourne has stood the test of time and is an Alister MacKenzie gem that has held numerous world-class tournaments. While there are two courses, the West and East, the Presidents Cup uses a composite of both. The West Course is ranked by Golf Digest as the third-best course in the world and the East is 19th best. The championship routing utilizes the best from both and has often been voted the best 18 holes in the world, making it a stellar place to witness the greatest in the world go at it. “The chief object of every golf architect or greenkeeper worth his salt is to imitate the beauties of nature so closely as to make his work indistinguishable from nature itself.â€� – Alister MacKenzie (1870-1934) The Other Golf Courses: While Royal Melbourne is highly regarded as one of the globe’s preeminent tracks, the beauty of the Melbourne sandbelt region offers a plethora of similar places. Greens built expertly into the topography. Bunkers with crisp vertical edges that fit snugly into the fairways and greens. Clever thoughtful designs that call for more than just bomb and gouge. There are five other world top 100 courses in the area and another handful that could just as easily be included. Get yourself on places like Kingston Heath, Victoria, The National, Metropolitan, St Andrews Beach, Moonah Links … the greatness is virtually endless. “I have played a decent amount of golf down there in the sandbelt area and it is one of my favorite places in the world.â€� – Rickie Fowler “It’s one of the best golfing destinations in the world. You hear of Bandon Dunes, or trips around Scotland, or Pinehurst and places like that but Melbourne rivals them all. In terms of a golfing holiday, you couldn’t get much better, particularly at that time of year if you’re an American fan. Get out of the American winter and get into the Aussie summer and enjoy yourself.â€� – Marc Leishman For the relaxing getaway Looking to enhance or rekindle a flame or share an adventure with the one you love? Or perhaps you just need to reconnect with nature? Or just unwind? Then consider some of these experiences. The Great Ocean Road is one of the world’s most amazing drives. (Visit Victoria photo) The Great Ocean Road: As the name suggests, this is one of the world’s most amazing coastal drives. Find your way along the twists and turns of Victoria’s coastline and witness the rugged splendor of the famous 12 apostles – huge rock stacks that rise up from the Southern Ocean. Meet koalas, emus and kangaroos in Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve or get amongst the rainforest in the Otway Ranges. If you are into surfing, check out Bells Beach where the Rip Curl Pro is held each year – or perhaps you remember it from the original Point Break film. Oh, and pay a visit to the Australian National Surfing Museum and Hall of Fame. Peninsula Hot Springs Spa: An award-winning natural hot springs and day spa destination on the Mornington Peninsula just outside Melbourne. Natural thermal mineral waters flow into the pools and private baths at this coastal oasis, providing an idyllic setting for relaxation and rejuvenation. Roam all over this vast property that includes over 30 globally inspired bathing experiences including the cave pool, reflexology walk, Turkish steam bath (Hamam), sauna, cold plunge pools, family bathing area, massaging thermal mineral showers and the hilltop pool, with stunning 360-degree views of the region. There is also an adults-only area with tranquil spaces, private and communal pools and an array of pampering spa treatments to revitalize body, mind and spirit including Australian Aboriginal-inspired kodo full body massages plus facials, mud and salt wraps and ancient healing stone experiences. Yarra River Dinner Cruise: Enjoy a relaxing cruise down the Yarra River in the heart of Melbourne. With a tantalizing four-course menu (inclusive of beverages) and a vibrant atmosphere, you’ll enjoy delectable food while enjoying the night time views of the city. Melbourne Star Observation Wheel: Experience unparalleled panoramic views of Melbourne in absolute comfort in this giant Ferris wheel in the Docklands area of the city. See not only the CBD and Port Phillip Bay but as far as Mount Macedon, Arthur’s Seat and the Dandenong Ranges! Royal Botanical Gardens: Attracting more than 1.8 million visitors annually, Melbourne Gardens is a treasured part of cultural life and a valuable asset to the heritage rich city. With its stunning vistas, tranquil lakes and diverse plant collections, the Gardens are a place of continual discovery and delight. Enjoy the Aboriginal Heritage Walk, Garden Discovery Tour, a ride on the Garden Explorer or punting on the tranquil Ornamental Lake, all set against a beautiful backdrop and just moments from the city. For the animal lovers Australia’s wildlife is as unique as you will find anywhere on the planet. Get up-close and personal with these marvels of nature. While you’ll most likely come across some local fauna in the wild, there are ways to ensure you have a true Aussie animal experience. Check out hundreds of fairy penguins on the Phillip Island Penguin Parade. (Visit Victoria photo) Phillip Island Penguin Parade: As their tagline says … Take a waddle on the wild side! Just 90 minutes from Melbourne is the world-famous penguin parade at Phillip Island. Hundreds and hundreds of fairy penguins return home from the ocean to the colony every sunset in one of nature’s great sights. Watch from the beach or the specially made viewing platforms both above and underground. Melbourne Zoo: Just minutes from the city center, the Zoo has more than 300 different species from around the world, such as Asian Elephants, Sumatran Tigers and Orangutans swinging through the trees. There’s also a Gorilla Rainforest, and koalas and kangaroos are in an Australian bush setting. If you really want to get to know the locals, take the Australian Wildlife Tour and even feed the Roos their brekkie (breakfast). SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium: Situated right on the banks of the Yarra river in downtown Melbourne is this Southern Ocean and Antarctic aquarium. Explore the crocodile lair, the bay of rays or the penguin playground and if you’re really brave perhaps you’ll take up the option to dive with the sharks. Werribee Open Range Zoo: If seeing animals in a more natural habitat is your cup of tea, then look no further. See multiple species get to roam the plains in an African-style adventure where your entry fee helps toward fighting wildlife extinction. For the foodies Whether it is some of the best gourmet dining in the world or if it is a vibrant street food scene, Melbourne runs the gambit. The Queen Victoria Market is the largest open-air market in the southern hemisphere. (Visit Victoria photo) Walk Melbourne Tours: “The Melbourne Experienceâ€� tour is a great orientation to Melbourne as you take a progressive walk throughout the center of the city. But more importantly you do so whilst sampling some phenomenal Chinese dumplings and decadent French style sweet treats. Then you relax with a coffee at one Melbourne’s great cafes and finish with a drink at one of Melbourne’s unique bars. Queen Victoria Market: Melbourne’s iconic marketplace is 140 years old and is the largest open-air market in the southern hemisphere. Home to over 600 small businesses, you’ll discover a variety of clothing, jewelry and souvenirs and revel in the atmosphere of the heritage listed meat, fish and dairy halls. Be sure to participate in the two-hour Ultimate Foodie Tour, designed specifically for food lovers. Indulge in some of the best food the Market has to offer, learn about the rich history and meet some of the colorful characters who call the Market home. Gourmet Restaurant Scene: Melbourne is home to some of the best gourmet restaurants in the world. Try Fine Dining at venues like Attica (Australian with Mediterranean influence), Vue du Monde (French), Dinner by Heston, Cutler and Co or Press Club, where you can treat yourself to inventive and experimental molecular gastronomy. Or perhaps go Upscale at Coda (Asian), Tonka (Indian) or MoVida (Spanish). Looking for something fun and vibrant? Chin Chin (Thai) does not take reservations but often has a 3-hour wait, such is its popularity. Supernormal is anything but average as its Asian flavors astound. And Tipo 00 is an Italian gem with handmade pasta. Try the house-made squid ink taglioni, stinging nettle and saltbush risotto, and parpadelle with braised rabbit. Also try your best to leave room for the signature dolce, the “tipomisu.â€� “There is an incredible variety of food with some great influences from all over the world. It has a bit of everything. Every trip I’ve had there has been amazing.â€� – Jordan Spieth For the wine/beer/coffee crowd Want some of the best wines in Australia at your fingertips? Or itching for some classic Australian beer? Or perhaps some of the best coffee on the world stage … it is all within reach. Rooftop bars are a great place to unwind in Melbourne. (Visit Victoria photo) Mornington Peninsula Wineries: Just a short drive from the city is the Mornington Peninsula, which is home to a vibrant wine scene. Ranging from larger vineyards to small boutique spots, a tour of the area is full of award-winning vino but it is far more than that. Add craft breweries, cider makers and distilleries. Take high tea, book a cooking class or savor a fine dining experience. The area has a strong reputation for Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris. Oh and you’ll almost certainly run into some kangaroos around the place. Carlton Brewhouse: Located just 5 kilometers from the Melbourne CBD at Australia’s largest brewery, Carlton is home of some of Australia’s favorite beers including Carlton Draught and Victoria Bitter. Here you can go on a beer expedition, following the River of Beer through which 150,000 liters of fresh beer flows each day. The Tour & Tasting includes a guided tour of the brewery followed by a tasting of your choice of six great brews from an extensive range. “Australian beer is delicious.â€� – Marc Leishman Coffee Tours: Those in the caffeine business tell me you haven’t had coffee until you’ve had Melbourne coffee. In fact on my last visit, I relented and became a coffee drinker for the first time. Now I can’t get enough. Hundreds of cafes throughout the city claim they do it best, which has created a serious scene for those who can’t go without their cup of joe each day. Melbourne Coffee Tours offer a journey through Melbourne’s cafe history and culture. Learn the art of extraction and why Melbourne is the “Cafe Capital of Australia.â€� The tour includes a sensory immersion hosted by a professional coffee judge, who will lead you on a coffee trail of single origins and third wave brewing methods. Discover hidden laneway cafes and sample local specialty coffee blends. Bar Scene: Like most cities in Australia, Melbourne is full of great pubs where you can either relax in the beer garden for an afternoon or cozy up to the bar and have a chat, or a chinwag, with the locals. Perhaps you’d prefer a purist’s approach to cocktails at a place like The Everleigh, one of the top 50 bars on Earth. Or try 1806, which claims to have the Best Cocktail List in the World. If the focus is wine, options like Marion Wine Bar and Embla might take your fancy. Want to be on the rooftop? Try Siglo or Good Heavens. Holey Moley: Think TopGolf – but in mini-golf form! Have a drink, a 27-hole mini-golf tournament, and then hit one of the karaoke rooms! With the right crowd, it can be an epic night out. For the art aficionados Looking to hit a traditional gallery? Sure they are here … but so are some of the most modern displays in the southern hemisphere. Certain to be an Insta hit. Street art is quite popular in Melbourne. (Visit Victoria photo) Artvo Immersive Gallery: When they say immersive, they mean immersive. Unlike normal art museums, visitors are encouraged to touch and interact with the artworks, photographing themselves and becoming part of the art. With more than 10 themed zones to explore, each featuring their own incredible, hand painted artworks which cascade directly from the walls to the floors, the possibilities for your imagination are endless. Immerse yourself into different scenes, locations and famous paintings. Graffiti Lanes and Street Art: Walk down the famous bluestone Hosier laneway and admire the street art that has made the Melbourne urban art scene known across the globe. Take in the dizzying array of colors, characters and shapes created by local and international artists alike. Take a detour round into Rutledge Lane and explore the work lining the walls, windows and wheelie bins of this sister gallery. Also check out Blender Lane – known as the spiritual home of Melbourne’s famous street art scene. Federation Square: A home to major cultural attractions, world-class events, tourism experiences and an exceptional array of restaurants, bars and specialty stores, this modern piazza has become the city’s meeting place. Since opening in 2002, Federation Square has become one of the most visited attractions in Melbourne with more than 10 million visits a year. It is host to more than 2,000 events a year and home to the National Gallery of Victoria’s Australian collection, The Ian Potter Centre as well as the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI). National Gallery of Victoria: Visit major international touring exhibitions and wander collections of European, Asian, Oceanic and American art at NGV International, the iconic St Kilda Road gallery with its famous waterfall and Great Hall. City Architecture: Looking for great historic buildings? Melbourne is full of exciting vintage architecture. Check out Southern Cross Railway Station, or the State Library, City Baths or Flinders Street Station. For the kids Once the little ones have had the ultimate excitement of nabbing a Tiger Woods autograph, there is plenty more on offer to broaden their ever-expanding minds. You can see Melbourne and the surrounding area at the Eureka Skydeck. (Visit Victoria photo) Luna Park: For some old-school fun, this historic amusement park located on the Port Phillip Bay in St Kilda could be for you. Flush with rides, including the Scenic Railway which is the world’s oldest continually operating roller coaster. One of just three coasters in the world where a brakeman stands in the middle of the train. Eureka Skydeck: If heights don’t bother, you rocket yourself 285 meters (312 yards) above ground in just 38 seconds on the fastest elevator ride in the southern hemisphere. From there you can see Melbourne and all of the surrounding area in a floor-to-ceiling 360-degree view. If you are feeling extra brave try The Edge – a glass cube that projects from the 88th floor of the Eureka Tower and suspends you over the city in the world’s only moving glass structure. Fun Fields: It will be summer in Australia during the Presidents Cup, meaning you might need to cool off.  Fun Fields Theme Park, and its intense water rides, is a place to behold. Three separate water slides have World Records for their length and height. St Kilda Adventure Playground: Hidden amongst the neighborhood in St Kilda is one of the more eclectic and fun playgrounds your kids may have ever seen. Among other things, they can tackle a big plane, a big wooden horse with saddle, trampolines, a climbing tree, a go-kart path, a big metal slide, a ride on dinosaur, climbing frames, a pirate ship, a little basketball court, a big tepee and wooden castle with lots of nooks and crannies and a great tunnel slide. A Maze’N Things: Send your imagination into overdrive at this Philip Island attraction. A magic manor full of illusions and interactive magic displays. There is also a puzzle Island. Or try to escape the massive maze. Maybe you want to soar above it all on a Skytrail. And of course there is Maxi mini golf – a 19-hole course for you all to enjoy. We’ve barely scratched the surface here. Honestly Melbourne is brilliant and if you get me started on the rest of the country … well we would be here all night. Imagine tacking on some time after Melbourne to the picturesque city of Sydney or heading up to the tropics and the Great Barrier Reef. Or perhaps heading into the outback towards Uluru and other sacred indigenous areas from one of the oldest known civilizations in the world. Head to https://www.visitvictoria.com/ to get cracking on your trip of a lifetime.
All major wins should be equally celebrated. Four times each year, a golfer has a chance to produce a career-defining moment. It’s the most pressure, the most attention, the most drama, the most intensity, the most demanding on a golfer’s schedule. So why are there degrees of success for those fortunate enough to have won more than once. They exist, of course, because we like to rank things. It’s not enough that a golfer wins multiple majors. We have to also give them some order, so that one is better than two, two is better than three, and so on. It’s the backbone of many a sports conversation amongst friends. So now we come to Payne Stewart. Among his 11 wins on the PGA TOUR are three major victories. Naturally, as with any multiple major winner, there is a ranking and a perspective that must follow. The first win is always important because, hey, breakthrough major. For Stewart, that happened in the 1989 PGA Championship at Kemper Lakes outside Chicago. In his case, it was even more amazing because he started the final round six shots behind and three groups ahead of leader Mike Reid. Stewart was still five strokes behind heading to the 16th hole but finished with the hot hand while Reid – nicknamed Radar thanks to his accuracy — dropped three shots in his final three holes. “The Russians must have been transmitting,” Reid said afterwards, the Cold War still in effect back then, “because my radar got zapped.” Said Stewart in a Sports Illustrated story: “The last nine holes of a major, some really strange things happen. I just stood in that tent and said a little prayer.” Stewart’s third major was, without much argument, his most emotional. It came at the 1999 U.S. Open at Pinehurst. Then 42 and wondering how many prime years remained, Stewart rolled in a 15-foot par putt on the 72nd hole to beat playing partner Phil Mickelson. He celebrated by punching the air with his right hand while kicking out his right leg – an image turned statue at the Pinehurst Resort. Just as memorable, Stewart grabbed both sides of Mickelson’s face and consoled him by saying, “You’re going to be a father,” a reference to the impending birth of the Mickelsons’ first child. Then, 128 days later, Stewart was killed in a tragic plane accident – making his win at Pinehurst even more poignant. As last chapters go, no one could’ve scripted it much like this, the biggest high and saddest low ever experienced. “A legend that was taken too early,” said his former Ryder Cup partner Davis Love III a few days later. So that brings us to Stewart’s major victory sandwiched between his first and last. It’s the 1991 U.S. Open, and here we are, 30 years later. Like the middle child, it gets overlooked, forced to fight for attention against the oldest sibling and the baby. Like an Oreo cookie, it’s the soft center bookended by the more delicious edges. As the song goes, “Stuck in the middle with you.” As Orson Welles once said, “The enemy of society is middle class – and the enemy of life is middle age.” Being the middle major in a career of three is a sure-fire way of being neglected. And yet Stewart’s performance at Hazeltine should not be shrugged off. The importance of it remains an integral part of his career, perhaps even the key to his place as a World Golf Hall of Famer. OK, it doesn’t help matters that Stewart’s 1991 win concluded on a Monday, thanks to the 18-hole playoff format then utilized at the U.S. Open when leaders were tied after 72 holes. It was Stewart vs. Scott Simpson, who was seeking his second U.S. Open title, having won four years earlier. The good news was that 30,000 fans showed up that Monday, an impressive number for a workday and a reflection of Minnesota’s underappreciated love of golf. A fifth day of golf on a demanding Open layout may have been too much, however. The two players combined for 12 bogeys that Monday, with Stewart shooting a 75 to Simpson’s 77. As esteemed Los Angeles Times sports columnist Jim Murray wrote, the playoff “was not something you’d want to paint or write songs about. It probably set Open golf back about 50 years — which is where the USGA wants it. I have seen better golf in scrambles at public links.” It probably never should’ve reached the point. The day before, Simpson held a two-shot lead over Stewart going to the 16th hole in the final round. But he bogeyed that hole, then bogeyed the 18th after his drive found the rough. Unfortunately, the finishing holes were not done tormenting him. In the playoff, Simpson once again held a two-shot lead going to the 16th and seemed in control, especially with Stewart having bogeyed the previous two holes. And once again, Simpson struggled at 16th. He three-putted for bogey while Stewart birdied it from 18 feet for the two-shot swing to tie the score. It was Stewart’s first birdie in 30 holes. At the par-3 17th, broadcaster Dave Marr told the TV audience that water did not come into play. So of course, Simpson promptly splashed his 4-iron for another bogey. “A terrible shot,” he said. “I don’t know what went wrong there.” Stewart’s 5-iron to 12 feet set up a two-putt par to take a one-stroke lead. Drama still remained. Stewart found the fairway bunker with his tee shot at 18. As he stood over the shot, he could hear the walkie-talkie of a tournament official. Specifically, the discussion was about setting up the pin on the first hole in preparation for a sudden-death playoff, since Stewart was in trouble. Stewart backed off the shot to gather his thoughts. He knew what he had to do. “I told myself that if I was going to win, I had to step in there and hit the shot,” he said. His 6-iron finished on the fringe. Simpson, meanwhile, was on his way to another bogey, so Stewart could breathe easy on his 4-footer for par. Still, he poured in the putt, thrust his right arm into the air, tossed the ball into the crowd and hugged his young daughter Chelsea, who was first to arrive on the green. The knee-jerk reaction was that fortune had once again gifted Stewart a major title, just like some thought it had two years earlier at the PGA Championship. “The debate,” wrote the Minneapolis Star-Tribune in its round recap the next day, “will be whether Stewart won or Simpson lost, and both sides will be right.” Even Simpson admitted the tournament was his to lose. “It’s disappointing to lose the U.S. Open two straight days,” he said. “I accept the loss. People will say I choked. People will say the ‘C’ word. I did give it away.” But someone had to be there to take it. For the second time in three years, Stewart put himself in that position. “It was a good show,” Stewart said. “It wasn’t always outstanding golf, but the course was very tough. It tested your patience, your fortitude. A lot of people are going to say I backed into winning the PGA. A lot of people are going to say I backed into this one. But I don’t feel I backed into this one. I played my ass off. … “I’m on the receiving end again. I feel sorry for him, just as I feel sorry for Mike Reid. But there had to be a champion, and I’m glad it’s me.” And that’s the key takeaway. Fate had finally turned for Stewart, who had suffered through some unusually tough near-misses earlier in his career, a time when people questioned his closing ability. Just six years earlier at the AT&T Byron Nelson, Stewart had a three-shot lead heading to the final hole but ended up losing in a playoff. The video of Stewart and his wife Tracey walking back to their hotel room after the loss was heartbreaking. But now he was eliminating those demons. The 1989 PGA win. Then redemption the next season in Dallas by winning the 1990 AT&T Byron Nelson. And now his second major victory, this time wearing red, white and blue in his national open. It was the eighth PGA TOUR win of his career, and it might’ve been his most difficult, given that three months earlier he couldn’t even swing a club. He had injured his neck and was forced to wear a brace 24 hours a day for nearly six weeks. Stewart himself did not worry that the injury was career-threatening. His wife wasn’t as convinced. “We were definitely concerned he might never play golf again,” Tracey Stewart told reporters in Minnesota. Along with severe back problems that plagued him most of his career, Stewart had to decide between surgery to repair a herniated disc or lengthy layoff with long hours of rehab. He opted for the latter – and was back in time to win at Hazeltine. Returning to play at a high level showed his physical toughness. Winning, however, showed his mental toughness. At Hazeltine, those two gritty elements – grit not necessarily being a word associated with the dapper-dressing Stewart in his plus-fours and driver cap – converged. Stewart would no longer be the golfer that couldn’t get the job done. No one would ever again question his moxie, his will to win. Perhaps without his success at Hazeltine, Stewart does not mature into the kind of golfer that wins a third major in his 40s. Knowing he had already gotten the job done once at the U.S. Open gave Stewart the kind of confidence to hold off the big names at Pinehurst. Stewart was asked that Sunday in 1999 about his legacy with three major wins. “Where it puts me in the golf world is what I believe in myself,” he replied. “I’m a pretty good and pretty accomplished player, and nobody can ever take that away from me, no matter what’s written about me. So I think that I’ve accomplished a lot in my golf career.” And while that middle major might not be the most memorable of the three, the people at Hazeltine have not forgotten his heroics. Three years after his death, a 25-foot stone bridge allowing golfers to cross over a creek from the 16th tee box to the fairway was dedicated to Stewart. The ceremony took place at dawn on the Monday of the 2002 PGA Championship, a lone bagpiper playing “Amazing Grace” for the early-rising crowd. It reminded Stewart’s friend and proud Minnesotan Tom Lehman of the bagpipes played three years earlier during a memorial held shortly after Stewart’s death. “I know I can’t hear a bagpipe now without thinking of Payne Stewart,” Lehman said that day. “It makes me very emotional. He will be remembered for his sense of humor, his spirit, his style. He was a great champion and a great friend.” In the end, when it comes to Payne Stewart’s legacy, those are the attributes that matter, the things we should focus on – and not some contrived ranking of how his three majors stack up against each other. In the end, they all mattered, each in its unique way.
