News
Byrum flies under radar to win AZ Open
By BILL HUFFMAN
Television broadcasters enjoy analyzing golfers’ swings, and for the most part know what a player does well or doesn’t do well. Occasionally, they back up that analysis by putting their own games on the line.
Such was the case a few weeks back when Golf Channel color commentator Curt Byrum captured the Arizona Open “just kind of out of the blue.’’ Byrum, who holds the unique role of reporting on all three men’s tours — the Nationwide (10 events), PGA (nine events) and Champions (seven events) – said he felt good about the victory and admitted, “It can’t hurt my credibility in the booth.’’
“When you can still compete, no matter what the level, that end of it makes you feel pretty good,’’ said the easygoing Byrum, who has lived in Scottsdale “in the same house’’ for the past 20 years.
“All I know is that after it was over, and I had won, it felt good from virtually every possible angle.’’
This has been a season of change for Byrum if for no other reason than he’s now a 50-year-old senior and eligible to also play on the Champions Tour. A winner twice on the Nationwide and once on the PGA Tour, Byrum has tried the Champions this season on two occasions.
“Unfortunately, without any real success,’’ Byrum pointed out. “I played in the Senior PGA (Championship) and missed the cut (77-77) after playing in my first Champions Tour event down in the Dominican Republic (in March).
“That’s the thing about the Champions, when you play in a regular event everybody makes the cut, so I think I made like $6,000 for being down the list. Admittedly, I’d like to play more on the Champions, but if you don’t have (exempt status) it’s just hard to play your way onto that tour. So I can’t give up my real job at the Golf Channel to try and go out there and make a go at it.’’
That’s why the Arizona Open was so appealing to Byrum. It was contested in his hometown, he had a couple of weeks off because of the U.S. Open, and his game was starting to come around to the point that he wanted to test it.
“I have a lot of friends at Desert Mountain, I saw where they were hosting (the Arizona Open), and I asked the Southwest Section (of the PGA) for an exemption,’’ said Byrum, who grew up in the small town of Onida, S.D., and played his college golf at New Mexico.
“It certainly got the juices flowing again, as there is no substitute for competitive golf. Even more than that, I had a blast.’’
Byrum said he “wasn’t sure what to think’’ when he plunked down his entry fee. Hey, TV guys like Ian Baker-Finch, Brandel Chamblee and Gary McCord occasionally step out from behind the microphone even if McCord is the only one who has done it regularly and successfully.
“That would be a wonderful thing to have Gary McCord’s life,’’ Byrum said with a laugh in reference to the CBS broadcaster, who actually has won several times on the Champions Tour. “But for me it’s hard to give up broadcasting a tournament so I can go play golf.
“But since I had some time, I thought the Arizona Open would be a good fit. I was playing some pretty good casual golf at the time, and my short game was really starting to come around.’’
Byrum watched through the first two rounds on the Apache Course as long-time SWPGA standout Greg Avant of Lone Tree Golf Club in Scottsdale topped the leader board. But after starting his final round of the 54-hole tournament just off the lead, Byrum made a bold statement with back-to-back birdies at No. 9 and 10 followed by an eagle at the 11th hole.
“I knew I was in the ball game, and the eagle really did it for me,’’ said Byrum, who shot 6-under 66 on that final round June 13 to win by two shots over Avant at 13-under 203.
“The good news was I hit the ball very solidly every day, and my putting got better as the week went on. Even when I felt the nerves kick in at the end, I kept putting well. And it was a great reminder for me about how great this game really is, especially when you’re in the hunt.’’
Did that brief moment of success get him pondering a return to the game and pursuing the Champions Tour full-time?
“Not even for a minute,’’ Byrum said, chuckling at the thought. “I’ve got such a great job, and even though I’m a road warrior, it works out well for me and my family in that I’m home at one point or another pretty much every week.
“Most of the time, I fly out on Wednesdays to wherever the tournament is, and then fly home to Scottsdale on Sunday nights or Monday mornings depending on what city we’re in. Plus, I get the opportunity to work with such outstanding people. So, ‘no, definitely,’ I’m not thinking of giving up my job in TV.’’
Naturally, a lot of those people that Byrum works with had to get their two cents in even if his surprising victory went somewhat unnoticed by the local television stations and newspaper(s) in the Valley. Maybe it was the U.S. Open on the horizon, or maybe it was because few media outlets in the Phoenix-Scottsdale area still cover the game on a regular basis.
“Yeah, I guess it was pretty much under the radar (in Scottsdale), but I was TRYING to fly under the radar, really,’’ he said. “It’s just hard to keep (winning the Arizona Open) under the radar from people who are in the business of golf.
“Guys who love golf always know, and by the first of the week I was getting text messages, emails and voicemails giving me a lot of grief for winning on my week off. Mostly, it was those guys at the Golf Channel who can really appreciate what I did.’’
Byrum certainly is well-respected by his peers. His sidekick on the Nationwide Tour, former Chandler resident Jerry Foltz, once called Byrum “the best golf broadcaster not with a major network.’’
“Curt is smooth on the air, and has a great voice. He’s cool and calm,’’ Foltz noted. “And Curt knows his stuff because he does his homework.’’
Byrum always is prepared, and while he’s no comedian in the booth, he usually delivers sound advice. Not that it’s a requirement, but he is respected by those he reports on.
“Nobody can be David Feherty, and we don’t try to be,’’ explained Byrum, who started working for the Golf Channel about 10 years ago shortly after he ended 20 years of playing on the PGA (15 years) and Nationwide (five years) tours.
“I do like working with Foltzy, because he’s got a great sense of humor and we have fun. But just as important, we try to bring our best efforts every time we go on the air; to tell it like we see it.’’
As for which tour is the best to cover, well, they all have their strong points, Byrum noted.
“That’s a real tough question, because there’s something about each one of them that stands out and I like a lot,’’ said Bryum, who hasn’t played regularly on any tour in 10 years.
“On one hand I like to see the young guys coming up on the Nationwide, like Lucas Glover did a few years back when he won at Phoenix (2003 Gila River Classic). I guess the PGA Tour is a lot more energy. The quality of golf on the PGA Tour will just blow you away. The Champions Tour also is a lot of enjoyment for me, because those are the guys I used to play against. That and you’ve got the legendary ones who occasionally play out there, and that’s pretty cool, too.’’
Speaking of the past, Byrum said it isn’t lost on him that this is the 20th anniversary of his last win on the PGA Tour. And, yes, he doesn’t remember the name of the golf course, but he does remember how much the check was for his one and only win in the big leagues.
“It kills me every time I think about it,’’ Byrum said good-naturedly of his victory over Brian Tennyson and Bill Britton, which came seven weeks to the day after his little brother, Tom Byrum, won the 1989 Kemper Open.
“The check was for $126,000, a far cry from the $1 million or so they get these days for winning. I mean, Ricky Barnes just got $550,000 for a three-way tie for second in the U.S. Open.’’
Fortunately for Byrum, he depends on his broadcasting skills in golf rather than his driving and putting. And he loves his split schedule of working 26 weeks a year on all three men’s tours, “something that keeps it really fresh for me.’’
Shoot, Byrum didn’t even complain when the check he got for winning the Arizona Open — $6,500 — was a far cry from the $20,000 first-prize check the tournament paid out in 2008. Alas, the Arizona Open was a victim of the struggling economy, as long-time title sponsor AT&T Wireless pulled out this year.
“I feel bad for (the Southwest Section) more than I feel bad for me,’’ Byrum said. “I really didn’t tee it up for the money but more just to see how I could complete.
“So to me, the win and the way I went about it meant way more than the money ever could.’’
Which is why, in a nutshell, Curt Byrum remains such a good guy.
News
Big Break final is all-Arizona
By BILL HUFFMAN
The Golf Channel is billing it as “The Sun Devil vs. The Wildcat.’’ But the best part about the final episode of “The Big Break: Prince Edward Island’’ is that it’s “Man vs. Woman,’’ an age-old rivalry that makes the final edition of the reality series a sure-fire success.
What makes it even better for Arizonans is that Blair O’Neal, the former Arizona State standout from Tempe, is squaring off against Derek Gillispie, a Canadian who played golf for the University of Arizona and was, up until recently, the roommate to Ricky Barnes. (Yeah, that Ricky Barnes, the one who led for much of the recent U.S. Open before finishing as the runner-up!)
The last act of "The Big Break: Prince Edward Island” takes place Monday beginning at 6 p.m. (Arizona time.) No matter what your view of the Big Break series, The Golf Channel could not have dreamed up a better finale for the $100,000 first prize.
In one corner is O’Neal, the sizzling model/sexpot who hits the ball a mile and is a somewhat surprising finalist. Yes, O’Neal is “hot’’ and she’s knows it, but in a very likeable way.
In the other is Gillispie, a good-looking guy whose background on the Canadian Tour makes him the favorite to win it all. A little arrogant, perhaps, Gillespie’s repertoire of shots has made him the favorite even if he’s not the best putter of the 12 original contestants – six men and six women.
Even O’Neal thinks she is “the underdog.’’ But as she so poignantly added: “A lot of people have told me they think it will be a pretty even match. . . .
“When all of the competitors first met me, I don’t think they would have bet I would have made it to the finals,’’ O’Neal added. “But here I am!’’
She has proved to be a magician in the competition, skating through the elimination contests of the first nine episodes relatively unscathed even if she did once need a 40-foot putt, which she got. She drives the ball in the 280-yard range, which is why she’s been able to hang tough, like the latest episode when she shot 1-over 37 to Gillispie’s 35 for nine holes as the pair eliminated Ireland’s Brenda McLarnon (38).
O’Neal seemingly has had as many lives as a cat along the way, which is good because there have been some catfights. Even though McLarnon once said of O’Neal, “She’s not just a pretty face, she can play,’’ it was McLarnon who said that O’Neal was about as exciting as talking to “cardboard’’ in the last episode.
“My phone was blowing off the hook (Monday night) after she said that,’’ confirmed the 27-year-old O’Neal, whose claim to fame is that she twice was the long-driving champion at the NCAA Championship and was the state champ when she played high school golf for Corona del Sol.
“Maybe (McLarnon) was upset that I wasn’t talking to her during the competition, I’m not sure. But I was focused on winning the $100,000. I guess the bottom line is that Brenda and I are two way-different people, and the comments she made just made her look bad.
"All I know is, if you watched the show you know that I’ve never said anything bad about anyone that I have competed against during those two weeks of filming (last fall).’’
Gillispie, for one, certainly isn’t taking O’Neal lightly. He called her a “fiery competitor,’’ which is kind of revealing since O’Neal always wears a baseball cap that says simply, “Faith’’ and often looks quite “angelic’’ during the brunt of the competition.
“Blair can drive the ball long, much farther than most girls, and she’s got a surprising short game, so she’s dangerous,’’ said the 31-year-old Gillespie, whose resume includes two wins on the Canadian Tour and two seasons as an All-American at UA, where he played with such former Wildcat greats as Barnes, Rory Sabbatini and Barnes’ brother, Andy.
“I wouldn’t say that I felt like I was the favorite coming into this, chiefly because I had been injured just prior to the filming and hadn’t picked up a club. I remember at the time we filmed it, I was hitting my drives kind of wacky, and I had no short game to speak of. And, trust me, on a show like this, one little wedge can be the difference between winning a $100,000 and being eliminated in the first round.’’
But before anyone thinks that O’Neal is going to prevail on Monday night, Gillispie quickly added: “I think the point where I actually felt like I had a little advantage over the others was when I met the rest of the cast. I still didn’t think I was a shoe-in for the finals, but I did think I had the most playing experience at a higher level and that maybe that would ultimately be my secret weapon.’’
As for his connection to the Barnes brothers, who he roomed with in Scottsdale until January of this year, Gillispie said it was an intense experience for him last week, almost causing him to drop out of a tournament in Ontario to fly down to Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, N.Y.
“Andy, who caddied for Ricky last week, is now the assistant golf coach at the UA and he was the main reason I came there to play golf in the first place,’’ said Gillispie, who grew up in Oshawa, Ontario., where he was the top junior in the province during the mid-1990s.
“Ricky breaking the record (for 36 holes) and then making it into the final pairing, I was so nervous for him. A lot of our friends flew in to be with him on the weekend, but I couldn’t even get a flight down there for $1,000.’’
Now Gillispie will be gunning for $100,000 of his own on Monday night against O’Neal, and they have a history. But, ironically, it didn’t come on the golf course.
“I met her and her mother one night at the Yard House in Scottsdale, probably about a year before the (Big Break) competition,’’ Gillispie said, laughing at the thought. “I coaxed her into giving me her phone number, and I texted her that night, but she never bothered to text me back. Never got a response!
“When we met again (during the Big Break), I asked her if she remembered me? She said she did remember me, and she handled it very coolly for the most part.’’
O’Neal said she was shocked when the two actually came face-to-face on the set in the same golf cart on the first day of filming.
“Oh, yeah, I remembered him right away,’’ she said. “He had wanted to meet me for drinks the night I was out with my mom. He was hitting on both of us, and he sent me several texts but I never got back to him.
“But then again, that’s kind of Derek in a nutshell. I always give him a lot of crap about being a lady’s man.’’
As for the ASU vs. UA rivalry, well, both played that angle down despite the network’s hype.
“It really was never brought up during the filming,’’ Gillespie said. “I don’t think it’s ever even come up between us.’’
Added O’Neal: “Oh, I’m sure it’s a big deal to some people, but I think the guy-against-the-girl thing is an even bigger deal.’’
Regardless of who wins, both O’Neal and Gillespie have become quite popular over the Big Break and hope to join some of the reality series’ more celebrated alumni, players who have become well-known like Tommy “Two Gloves’’ Gainey, James Nitties, Ashley Prange and Laura London.
The Golf Channel certainly is doing all it can to further O’Neal’s and Gillespie’s reputations. In fact, they’re doing a facebook.com interaction during Monday’s telecast. (In that regard you might want to “facebook’’ Blair Alana O’Neal and Derek Gillespie and ask them to be your new best friends.)
Just don’t try to get either of them to tell you the ending to “Big Break: Prince Edward Island.” If they told you they’d give up the $100,000, and that’s not going to happen at this late date.
“When we began this (11 weeks ago) it was so intense and there seemed to be so much pressure,’’ O’Neal acknowledged. “But it’s felt good all the way along even though it’s been a survival contest.
“I’ve held it in for so long (who wins), and I’ve been really good about it. Now, in just a few days, everyone will know and that will be fun, too!’’
From here, if Gillespie wins it is the expected. One thing is certain, it would be his biggest payday ever.
On the other hand, O’Neal already is a winner just making it to the finals and getting all the exposure she has in the past 10 weeks. Should O’Neal win, however, it truly could be her biggest break yet.
If the latter happens, women would love it, ASU fans revel in it, and Blair O’Neal could very well be on her way to stardom thanks to "The Big Break: Prince Edward Island.’’
News
\‘Top Cop\’ has TV debut delayed
BY BILL HUFFMAN
With his TV debut delayed on NBC until July 4 due to bad weather at the U.S. Open, Phoenix police officer Larry Giebelhausen, “America’s Top Cop in Golf,’’ was licking his wounds last week after his big week at Bethpage Black in New York.
“I’m still recovering,’’ said a dejected Giebelhausen, who had earned a spot in the U.S. Open Golf Challenge sponsored by Golf Digest alongside the more celebrated Michael Jordan, Ben Roethlisberger and Justin Timberlake.
“I got off to a bad start, and I guess the pressure got to me. I was good on the range but I just couldn’t take it to the first tee. When (Mark) Rolfing announced my name, the moment just kind of overpowered me.’’
As a result, for the second straight year the “average guy’’ in the national contest failed to break 100, although Giebelhausen came oh-so close with a 101. Last year, Joe Atkinson, the original winner from Omaha, shot 114 at the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines.
“I guess I came a little closer (than Atkinson),’’ Giebelhausen said of the challenge laid down by Tiger Woods two years ago when he said a “10-handicapper’’ couldn’t break 100 on a U.S. Open layout.
“All week long, I’ve been playing it back in my head . . . ‘could of, should of, would of,’ ’’ Giebelhausen said. “I was so close but the (sextuple bogey) 10 (on No. 16) just killed me.’’
The U.S. Open Golf Challenge was played out and recorded on Friday, June 12 and was supposed to be aired Sunday, June 21 prior to the final round of the tournament. But when the third round couldn’t be finished on Saturday, it was pushed to Sunday, extended TV coverage was added, and it made for a Monday finish.
As viewers will realize when they watch the Open Challenge on July 4 from 11 a.m. until 12:30 p.m., conditions for Giebelhausen and Co., were similar to what the pros had to deal with during Open week..
It started raining on Giebelhausen’s group on the third hole – “it was really coming down’’ – and it lasted until the 15th hole. As the Phoenix lieutenant mentioned, his start was cruel as he went 7-4-8 before the wet stuff came.
“When I got to (No.) 16, I was pretty exhausted,’’ said Giebelhausen, who was selected from 73,581 contests for his answer to a six-word essay: “I’m a cop. I’ll shoot low.’’
Giebelhausen did peal off his raingear at the 16th tee, “But I was drenched, and then I started off by hitting my drive into the rough and losing the ball.
“It all added up to the 10, and I still had a chance to break 100 if I could have parred the last two holes. But I didn’t get it done. . . .’’
The highlight of the week was playing the practice round the day prior to the actual competition, Giebelhausen said.
“That was the most fun, as everyone was relaxed, and I played pretty well, probably shot 90,’’ Giebelhausen said. “But all the guys were great, and Anthony Kim actually joined us, which made it even that much more pleasurable.
“We had some good-natured trash-talking, and I really enjoyed the company of Fred Couples (who caddied for Jordan), who was a really nice guy. In fact, he tried his best to calm me down (during the real competition) and I appreciated that.’’
Giebelhausen said all he hopes for today when NBC airs the competition is that “they show at least a couple of my good shots.’’
“It was very discouraging, but it is what it is,’’ Giebelhausen said of the 101, which was 31 over par. “Overall, it was a great experience, but I’ll have to live with that score forever.’’
News
Mickelson second best (again) at U.S. Open
By BILL HUFFMAN
The U.S. Open seems to befuddle Phil Mickelson like no other major, which is why he now holds the dubious distinction of being a runner-up in the national championship a record five times.
Mickelson had a share of the lead with five holes to play at Bethpage Black on an extended Monday, and promptly bogeyed the 15th and 17th holes to lose a rain-plagued nail-biter to long shot Lucas Glover. It was reminiscent of Lefty’s failure coming down the stretch at the Masters in April, where he got into contention then faltered over the last four holes.
All three of the runner-ups this time around – Mickelson, David Duval and Ricky Barnes — would have been a great story within the U.S. Open story. But it was the straight-laced Glover, a guy with virtually no track record to speak of in the majors, who walked away with the hardware by a comfortable two shots at 4-under-par 276.
Mickelson grabbed his chunk of infamy by moving past a storied group of golfers who all had four runner-up finishes in the U.S. Open – Bobby Jones, Sam Snead Arnold Palmer and Jack Nickalus. By comparison, the former Arizona State All-American only has one runner-up finish in the other three majors (2001 PGA).
Glover, who has one win in five years on the PGA Tour (2005 Walt Disney Classic), finally wore down Ricky Barnes in the final pairing with a bunch of pars and a critical birdie at the 16th hole. A classy kid from Clemson, Glover closed with a 73 to a 76 for Barnes, who had led by one stroke going into the final round before he got caught on the bogey train.
Tiger Woods could do no better than a tie for sixth despite a closing 69. The No. 1 player on the planet has now gone four straight majors without moving closer to Nicklaus on the major championship list. Nicklaus is sitting on 18 majors compared to Tiger’s 14.
Mickelson, whose wife Amy begins breast cancer treatment on July 1, had stated at the beginning of the week that he was trying to win the trophy so it could be in Amy’s hospital room during her cancer-treatment stay. But his putter kept that from happening, as he missed relative short putts to save par when it counted most.
“Certainly I’m disappointed,’’ said Mickelson, who celebrated his 39th birthday on Tuesday. “But now that it’s over, I’ve got more important things going on.’’
But asked about his fifth runner-up finish in a U.S. Open, Mickelson could only shrug.
"I don’t know, I enjoy it, I play well in it, and I feel like I’ll have more chances (to win) it, ” Mickelson said of his U.S. Open track record, which includes three other top-10s and only two missed cuts in 18 appearances.
Glover, who captured the 2003 Gila River Classic near Phoenix, didn’t really take control until the final three holes. Then again that’s usually the case when it comes to a U.S. Open.
“Phil the Thrill’’ had wowed them at the 13th, where he hit a hybrid to five feet and made the putt for eagle. And it got really exciting when moments later, Duval made his third straight birdie at the 16th to create a three-way tie at the top when Glover bogeyed the 15th hole.
But give Glover credit, as his birdie at No. 16 combined with bogeys by Mickelson and Duval at No. 17 led to the biggest moment of his life. Barnes had a chance to put some pressure on Glover at the 18th hole, but missed a birdie – barely! – from about 15 feet.
“I’d be lying if I said the nerves didn’t kick in,’’ said Barnes, who had racked up seven bogeys through his first 12 holes before a birdie at No. 13 let him play the final six at 1 under.
“I did hit some squirrelly shots and some mud balls. But I finally settled in (late in the round), and I had a chance at the end. I would have loved to finish second (place) alone, but I’m happy for Lucas.’’
The Scottsdale pro and former University of Arizona All-American, who was ranked No. 519 in the world compared to Glover’s No. 71, had to qualify for the tournament in sectional play. It was Barnes’ first top-10 as a professional at the PGA Tour level, and the runner-up finish also gets him in to the upcoming British Open and 2010 Masters, which will both be firsts.
Duval came from even further out of nowhere, as he was rated No. 882 in the world coming in. But much to the fans’ elation, Double D ended up somewhat remarkably with his first top-10 in a tournament in almost seven years. Amazing, considering Duval was rated No. 1 in the world just 10 years ago.
Glover collects $1.35 million from the $7.5 million purse and a whole lot of respect he didn’t have before he got to Bethpage Black. He came in without a top-10 in 10 previous appearances in the majors. In fact, Glover had missed all four cuts in his previous four appearances in the U.S. Open. He also gets a five-year exemption on the PGA Tour as well as a five-year exemption into the majors.
The mild-mannered champion aside, it was an exciting finish to a wild week that saw the U.S. Open never finish on time due to rain. Glover might not have been the most-popular choice to win at the end — maybe not even third or fourth most — but he is the 109th winner of the national championship.
News
Mickelson a U.S. Open bridesmaid again
By BILL HUFFMAN
The U.S. Open seems to befuddle Phil Mickelson like no other major, which is why he now holds the dubious distinction of being a runner-up in the national championship a record five times.
Mickelson had a share of the lead with five holes to play at Bethpage Black on an extended Monday, and promptly bogeyed the 15th and 17th holes to lose a rain-plagued nail-biter to long shot Lucas Glover. It was reminiscent of Lefty’s failure coming down the stretch at the Masters in April, where he got into contention then faltered over the last four holes.
All three of the runner-ups this time around – Mickelson, David Duval and Ricky Barnes — would have been a great story within the U.S. Open story. But it was the straight-laced Glover, a guy with virtually no track record to speak of in the majors, who walked away with the hardware by a comfortable two shots at 4-under-par 276.
Mickelson grabbed his chunk of infamy by moving past a storied group of golfers who all had four runner-up finishes in the U.S. Open – Bobby Jones, Sam Snead Arnold Palmer and Jack Nickalus. By comparison, the former Arizona State All-American only has one runner-up finish in the other three majors (2001 PGA).
Glover, who has one win in five years on the PGA Tour (2005 Walt Disney Classic), finally wore down Ricky Barnes in the final pairing with a bunch of pars and a critical birdie at the 16th hole. A classy kid from Clemson, Glover closed with a 73 to a 76 for Barnes, who had led by one stroke going into the final round before he got caught on the bogey train.
Tiger Woods could do no better than a tie for sixth despite a closing 69. The No. 1 player on the planet has now gone four straight majors without moving closer to Nicklaus on the major championship list. Nicklaus is sitting on 18 majors compared to Tiger’s 14.
Mickelson, whose wife Amy begins breast cancer treatment on July 1, had stated at the beginning of the week that he was trying to win the trophy so it could be in Amy’s hospital room during her cancer-treatment stay. But his putter kept that from happening, as he missed relative short putts to save par when it counted most.
“Certainly I’m disappointed,’’ said Mickelson, who celebrated his 39th birthday on Tuesday. “But now that it’s over, I’ve got more important things going on.’’
But asked about his fifth runner-up finish in a U.S. Open, Mickelson could only shrug.
"I don’t know, I enjoy it, I play well in it, and I feel like I’ll have more chances (to win) it, ” Mickelson said of his U.S. Open track record, which includes three other top-10s and only two missed cuts in 18 appearances.
Glover, who captured the 2003 Gila River Classic near Phoenix, didn’t really take control until the final three holes. Then again that’s usually the case when it comes to a U.S. Open.
“Phil the Thrill’’ had wowed them at the 13th, where he hit a hybrid to five feet and made the putt for eagle. And it got really exciting when moments later, Duval made his third straight birdie at the 16th to create a three-way tie at the top when Glover bogeyed the 15th hole.
But give Glover credit, as his birdie at No. 16 combined with bogeys by Mickelson and Duval at No. 17 led to the biggest moment of his life. Barnes had a chance to put some pressure on Glover at the 18th hole, but missed a birdie – barely! – from about 15 feet.
“I’d be lying if I said the nerves didn’t kick in,’’ said Barnes, who had racked up seven bogeys through his first 12 holes before a birdie at No. 13 let him play the final six at 1 under.
“I did hit some squirrelly shots and some mud balls. But I finally settled in (late in the round), and I had a chance at the end. I would have loved to finish second (place) alone, but I’m happy for Lucas.’’
The Scottsdale pro and former University of Arizona All-American, who was ranked No. 519 in the world compared to Glover’s No. 71, had to qualify for the tournament in sectional play. It was Barnes’ first top-10 as a professional at the PGA Tour level, and the runner-up finish also gets him in to the upcoming British Open and 2010 Masters, which will both be firsts.
Duval came from even further out of nowhere, as he was rated No. 882 in the world coming in. But much to the fans’ elation, Double D ended up somewhat remarkably with his first top-10 in a tournament in almost seven years. Amazing, considering Duval was rated No. 1 in the world just 10 years ago.
Glover collects $1.35 million from the $7.5 million purse and a whole lot of respect he didn’t have before he got to Bethpage Black. He came in without a top-10 in 10 previous appearances in the majors. In fact, Glover had missed all four cuts in his previous four appearances in the U.S. Open. He also gets a five-year exemption on the PGA Tour as well as a five-year exemption into the majors.
The mild-mannered champion aside, it was an exciting finish to a wild week that saw the U.S. Open never finish on time due to rain. Glover might not have been the most-popular choice to win at the end — maybe not even third or fourth most — but he is the 109th winner of the national championship.