GOLF INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
THEOPEN
ROYAL ST GEORGE // 10-17 JULY 2011
FEATURE THE HOT SHOTS
YOUNG
LIONS Six of the world’s best (and youngest) players: Top: Jason Day came very close at Augusta; the future looks like a yes for Noh Middle: headgear apart, Rickie Fowler looks the real deal; Ryo is no longer raw; Matteo Manassero is already a multi-winner in Europe Bottom: Surely glory beckons for Rory, even though it’s only two wins to date
T
here has been much talk of a new world order in golf since Tiger Woods’ private life became mired in controversy and his game fell off a cliff, and a fair chunk of it has focused on the shift away from the US as the centre of the golfing universe.
Going into the US Open at Congressional, all four major
championship trophies were in the hands of what our friends across the Atlantic might refer to as ‘international players’.
We seem to be entering the post-Woods era, with a host of young players who have never suffered the scars of being mauled by Tiger making the headlines. As Dan Davies reflects, it would be fitting if, as the game comes to terms with the loss of Seve Ballesteros, one of these young lions were to win the Open
Then, added to the success of South African Charl Schwartzel at Augusta this year, and the Grand Slam victories of 2010 earned by his fellow European Tour members Graeme McDow-
in danger this year at Royal St George’s, it is conceivable that
ell (US Open), Louis Oosthuizen (Open Championship) and
the places directly below him in the record books (Willie
Martin Kaymer (USPGA Championship, the bragging rights as
Auchterlonie – 21 years, 24 days in 1893) and Severiano Balles-
the world’s top-ranked player have variously belonged to Euro-
teros – 22 years, 3 months and 12 days in 1979) will need revi-
peans: Lee Westwood, Kaymer and Luke Donald.
sion come Sunday July 17.
But it is not only a geographical shift that’s getting commen-
There are now so many accomplished golfers in their 20s
tators excited (or as the case may be across the pond, wringing
who could feasibly win at Sandwich that for the purposes of
their hands), there is a generational aspect to consider, too.
this assessment we have restricted our runners to players aged
Kaymer, the seemingly consumate heir to Bernhard Langer,
25 or under who have yet to win a major. There are more in
came out of the pack to claim his first major title at Whistling
with a shout than you might think. In the first Open Champi-
Straits aged just 25, while Schwartzel was only 26 when Phil
onship after the death of Seve, who first emerged as a dashing
Mickelson helped him into a green jacket. To get there he’d
19-year-old challenger at Royal Birkdale 35 years ago, how ap-
cruised passed 54-hole leader Rory McIlroy (22) before holding
propriate it would be if we got to witness the emergence of an-
off the strong finishes of, among others, Australian Jason Day
other bright young star on the greatest stage of them all.
(23). Kaymer or Schwartzel were both established winners of European Tour events by the time they made their careerchanging breakthroughs. Seasoned observers have put forward the theory that the
MATTEO MANASSERO, 18 The Italian who is being hailed as the heir to Ballesteros will
young players now appearing at the business end of leader-
still be only 18 when he tees it up in his second Open Champi-
boards around the world have broken into the elite level in the
onship at Royal St George’s. In 2009, Manassero qualified for
‘post-Tiger’ era. Unlike the preceding generation that included
Turnberry by being the youngest-ever winner of the Amateur
Ernie Els, they have not been scarred. It should be pointed out Tiger has been 0 for 10 in the ma-
Championship, beating England’s Sam Hutsby in the final at Formby, having led the strokeplay qualifiers and set a course
jors before now (2002-2005) and subsequently bounced back
record over the arguably even more demanding links at neigh-
to win five of the 14 in his collection to date. Whatever your
bouring West Lancs.
thoughts on whether Tiger will reach his goal of overtaking
In Ayrshire a month later, he partnered Tom Watson in the
Jack Nicklaus, or even get a single major closer to it, the argu-
first two rounds of, drawing praise from the five-time cham-
ment for the untrammeled potency of today’s best youngsters
pion (and leader for most of the tournament) for the quality of
is gaining momentum. While Tom Morris Jnr’s record as the youngest-ever Open champion (17 years, 5 months and 3 days in 1868) will not be
98 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM JULY 2011
his play and clarity of his thinking. “When he was playing with me in the Open, he didn’t make very many mistakes at all in the 36 holes. He was very, very accurate,” Watson said. “He has
THEOPEN
ROYAL ST GEORGE’S // 10-17 JULY 2011
JULY 2011 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM 99
FEATURE THE HOT SHOTS
don’t know where all those birdies came from.” His record in the majors, however, is less formidable. At the time of writing, Ishikawa had competed in eight Grand Slams, recording a highest finish of tied 20th at this year’s Masters. His best result in the Open Championship is a tie for 27th at St Andrews in 2010. He has also been suffering a dip in form this year, missing consecutive missed cuts in Japan for the first time since his rookie season in 2008. “I don’t think I need to make adjustments to my ball striking, but I definitely have to improve my short game, especially putting,” Ishikawa said after shooting rounds of 83 and 77 at the Japan Golf Tour Championship in May. “Things were going well for me since I turned pro, but I have to accept these two weeks of devastating results and practice harder.” Verdict: Needs more experience outside Japan
NOH SEUNG-YUL, 20 Like Seve, the young Korean grew up hitting balls on the beach near his home, although in Noh’s case it was the sands of Seoul. As a schoolboy. Noh would head out at 4.30 am in order to get his practice in before school. Although he will have only recently turned 20 when he makes his second appearance at the Open (he missed the cut last year at St Andrews), this is anything but a greenhorn. Noh turned pro in 2007 and made his debut in a European Tour event the following year aged just 16 (finishing 8th in China). Ryo Ishikawa has a recordbreaking career but like many top Japanese golfers before him, he has found it hard to translate form at home into achievement abroad
a very efficient golf swing, his positions are very good and he plays uncomplicated golf – it’s pretty simple.”
The 2010 season was a memorable one, including a victory in the co-sanctioned Malaysian Open in Kuala Lumpur where
At the prize-giving ceremony, where Manassero was pre-
the 18-year-old resisted the challenge of his hero, K.J. Choi,
sented with the silver medal for finishing as low amateur (he
completing an audacious up and down for a title-clinching
tied for 13th), Watson whispered to him that he would be back
birdie on the 72nd hole. “K.J. has been a role model for me,”
one day, only next time to collect the claret jug. The two played
said Noh afterwards. “He has given me a lot of advice and that
a practice round together ahead of the 2010 Masters, in which
will help me on the world stage.”
Manassero set another record as the youngest player to make the cut and the leading amateur. Back on linksland, and with two European Tour titles under
Victory made him the second youngest winner at the time on the European Tour and he went on to finish the year as leader of the Asian Tour money list. The teenager also com-
his belt, including this year’s Malaysian Open where he held off
peted in three major championships in 2010, making the cut in
the challenge of Rory McIlroy, the precocious talent from
the US Open at Pebble Beach and again in the USPGA, where he
Verona will not be afraid of anyone. He might have wilted in
finished a creditable 28th.
the final round of the BMW Championship at Wentworth, but
It remains to be seen whether Choi’s advice will pay divi-
he again served notice of his credentials. He might be short off
dends, although Noh’s strong mental outlook, which he puts
the tee but he’s accurate, a shot-maker and can call on a mer-
down to meditation allied to a relish for hard work, suggests it
curial short game. His idol Seve would surely approve
should. His form this year might have been less spectacular
Verdict: A genuine contender
but do not be surprised if Noh’s name appears on the leader-
RYO ISHIKAWA, 19 The Japanese teenager nicknamed ‘The Bashful Prince’ by an
boards at some point at Sandwich – he is particularly strong from 100 yards in and appears to relish the big stage. Verdict: A potential successor to K.J. Choi
army of adoring fans at home can point to an impressive curriculum vitae: he won his first Japanese Tour event as a 15year-old amateur, becoming the youngest ever player to do so,
RORY McILROY, 22
and has subsequently claimed another eight domestic titles.
Put aside his Sunday subsidence at Augusta for one moment,
He became the youngest player to be ranked in the top-100
ready been there at the sharp end of a handful of major cham-
record books with a final round of 58, 12 under par, to claim
pionships. He while he might not yet win with a frequency that
the Crowns Tournament in Nagoya. It was the lowest ever 18-
does justice to his precocious talent (chiefly because he does
hole score recorded on one of the major tours and enabled the
not seem to hole enough important putts), McIlroy is now es-
youngster to overturn a six-shot deficit and win by five.
tablished in the game’s top echelon.
“It’s absolutely unbelievable,” said Ishikawa afterwards. “I
100 GOLFINTERNATION
and reflect instead on the fact the lad from Holywood has al-
and top-50 in the world, before in May 2010 rewriting the
There is no doubt either that he can go low on the links.
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FEATURE THE HOT SHOTS
A possible final-day pairing at Sandwich? Fowler and McIlroy are among the brightest lights in the game, albeit for now at least, a tad deficient on the victory front
Anyone who has played the mighty Dunluce Course at Royal Portrush will surely shake their heads after finding in the clubhouse McIlory’s framed card for a course record of 61. The opening 63 he fired on the Old Course 12 months ago, allied to impressive records in amateur golf and the Alfred Dunhill Links, mean he will merit his place as one of the favourites to lift the claret jug. Having twice shot big scores when handily placed (he followed his 63 with an 80 at St Andrews last year before recovering to finish third), much will depend on how he responds to pressure. Sceptics who worry he might be the next Sergio Garcia will also be watching how his putter behaves McIlroy’s Ryder Cup captain, Colin Montgomerie, is one of the believers. “I have never seen anyone come through the ball as well as Rory. He strikes the ball better than anyone,” says the Scot. “Sometimes you stand on the range and you hear someone behind you striking the ball with a crispness that sounds different to the rest. It used to be Tom Watson. Rory hits the ball better tee to green at 21 than Tiger did. Tiger was a better putter, though.” Verdict: If he putts well, he has the game to beat anyone
RICKIE FOWLER, 22 He’s got the teeth, he’s got the hair and he’s got the talent. He’s even got the final-day outfit (all orange). Yet as a professional, the Californian youngster has still to know what it is to hoist aloft silverware come Sunday. Fowler’s controversial award of last season’s PGA Tour Rookie of the Year title, ahead of Rory McIlroy, who won in spectacular fashion, indicates how heavy the expecta-
“He’s got the teeth, he’s got the hair and he’s got the talent.” Yes, it’s Rickie Fowler. What he hasn’t yet got are trophies to go with the appearance, but at Royal St George’s this July, he might well be one of the main men in the mix
tion of American golf hangs. While a debut victory has eluded
JASON DAY, 23 The highly regarded young Australian was doing a perfectly
him, his clutch of runner’s-up spots
good job of earning his stripes on the PGA Tour before setting
do not tell the whole story. Eye-catch-
off in pursuit of the leaders during the back nine of this year’s
ing performances in the singles at the
Masters tournament. But five birdies in the last 10 holes, in-
last Ryder Cup and in the three
cluding two threes to finish, suddenly elevated Day alongside
rounds following his opening 79 a
those listed here as a ‘Next Big Thing’. That he didn’t get to be-
year ago at St Andrews – 67, 71, 67,
come the first Australian to wear the green jacket was down to
to finish in a tie for 14th – indicate
Mr Schwartzel.
Fowler has guts. Plus, he should have
Decorated as an amateur, Day set records on the Nationwide
fond memories of links golf having
Tour before qualifying to play at a level many confidently pre-
been a star of the US Walker Cup
dicted he’s be comfortable with. In 2010, despite a faltering
team of 2007 that triumphed at the
finish he won the HP Byron Nelson Championship, becoming –
majestic Royal County Down.
at 22 years, 6 months and 11 days – the youngest winner since
A former top-ranked amateur player in the world, and with multimillion dollar professional contracts in place, the only thing
Tiger Woods in 1997. Day finished the season eighth in FedEx Cup standings. A clutch of recent top-10s suggest Day is ready for more of
the pin-up boy now lacks is substance. To acquire it, he must
what he tasted at Augusta. Much of this can be put down to
improve around the greens and find an extra gear to go lower
the fact he has recognised what is required to translate prom-
in the latter stages of a tournament. Despite his improvement
ise into performance.
last year on the Old Course, Fowler is not a fast a finisher. Trying to explain his mediocre start to the season at he Me-
“[When] everyone is telling you you’re the best… it’s easy to slack off. I never grew up with anything. I was very poor grow-
morial recently, Fowler confessed: “I’ve been a lot more consis-
ing up, and to have a couple of dollars under my belt kinda
tent this year playing-wise, making cuts and stuff like that. But
eased the tension, and with that I didn't work hard. I’ve been
overall, my ball-striking has been a little bit weaker than it was
working very hard, and it's starting to pay off.”
last year. That’s what kind of held me back.” That said, he still
If April is anything to go by, do not expect Day to back off if
makes an awful lot of birdies, and whatever the weather at St
he gets a sniff. He has the all-round game and he’s as tenacious
George’s, that can never hurt.
as you’d expect an Aussie sportsman to be.
Verdict: Jury still out
Verdict: Two top-10s in majors already, so why not?
102 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM JULY 2011
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