Irish trio have hard act to follow in Walton’s footsteps
It was here, on a nerve-wracking evening in September, 1995, that Malahide's Philip Walton won the Ryder Cup for Europe when he defeated his American opponent Jay Haas in the decisive singles match.
But the Rochester course at Oak Hill has been more or less out of the limelight since 1995. However, from Thursday onward it will be the focus for golfers worldwide as they enjoy the final major of the 2003 season.
The big question is whether Tiger Woods can bring his drought if that's not too strong a word in major championships to an end.
His last success in any of the four elite events came in the 2002 US Open, while the manner in which Rich Beem held him at bay coming down the stretch in last year's PGA at Hazeltine continues to rankle.
Oak Hill is one of the great traditional courses in US golf. It was originally designed at the end of the 19th century by celebrated American architect Donald Ross and just happened to be located close to the birthplace of a certain Walter Hagen. At the age of seven, Hagen (and the younger of you who may never have heard of him should relate to the movie The Legend of Bagger Vance and you will have your man) was accepted as a caddy at the newly opened club where he quickly became a favourite.
He carried the bags of the wealthiest and most powerful men in the area, like George Eastman of the Eastman Kodak company, who still have their headquarters in Rochester. Hagen was fascinated listening to their stories of holidays in Florida and big game hunting in Africa and India. Although born into a lower to a middle class German Presbyterian family, he determined that some day he would do the same.
Realising that golf might be the avenue to similar riches, Hagen practised morning, noon and night. He discovered he possessed a natural aptitude for the game. His parents didn't fancy the idea but Walter turned professional and captured the first of his two US Opens in 1914 and was well on his way to being known as Sir Walter as he proceeded to live the kind of lifestyle he had coveted.
He took the US PGA title in four successive years from 1924 when it was a matchplay event and four British Opens between 1922 and 1929.
There will be a lot of talk around Rochester this week about their "own" Walter Hagen, although the club itself has many other good reasons to be proud of its heritage.
The golf course, originally designed by Ross and later remodelled by Trent Jones, is one of America's finest.
Indeed, Sam Torrance, a member of the successful European side, commented after the 1995 Ryder Cup: "Just about the best I've ever played. A great, traditional course. It's all there in front of you. A masterpiece."
It's a view shared by people in power in US golf. The Open came there for the first time in 1956 when Dr Cary Middlecoff pipped the legendary Ben Hogan and Julius Boros by a shot. It returned in 1968 when Lee Trevino had four to spare over Jack Nicklaus. The most recent US Open at Oak Hill was that of 1989 when Curtis Strange edged out Chip Beck, Mark McCumber and Ian Woosnam by one stroke.
It was 1981 when the US PGA discovered Oak Hill. They brought their championship there for the first time and Nicklaus romped home by seven from big Andy Bean. Quite naturally, to have such a big name player on the winners list sat very nicely with the Country Club members who, however, can't have been quite so happy in 1995 when names like Walton, Rocca, Clark, James, Johansson and Gilford whipped the pride and joy of the United States in the Ryder Cup.
But, as it happened, David trampled all over Goliath that amazing day.
Seve Ballesteros lost heavily to Tom Lehman but there were wins for Howard Clark and Mark James over Peter Jacobson and Jeff Maggert. Ian Woosnam held Fred Couples to a half, somehow David Gilford pipped Brad Faxon and Colin Montgomerie and Sam Torrance came out on top against Ben Crenshaw and Loren Roberts.
Bernhard Langer and Costantino Rocca lost to Corey Pavin and Davis Love III while Per-Ulrik Johansson was on his way to defeat against Phil Mickelson but Europe would still prevail if Nick Faldo and Walton could beat Curtis Strange and Jay Haas.
Faldo's game wasn't at its sharpest but his mental resolve was. At the 17th, he holed a treacherous putt for a win to draw level with Strange and then managed what he later described as "the most important up and down of my life" to win the 18th as well.
But Philip Walton still had to finish off Haas who holed a bunker shot at 16 to keep the contest alive and was able to bring it up the 18th when the Irishman just missed a five footer on the 17th. "Playing 18, my legs were shaking, they were somebody else's legs," Walton admitted. Haas was in an even worse state and Philip's bogey five was enough to finish off the job.
How nice if I could report on a similarly happy Irish story from Oak Hill on Sunday.
Just as the Ryder Cup boys were outsiders and prevailed, Padraig Harrington, Darren Clarke and Paul McGinley find themselves playing a similar role this week. Could one of them succeed just as Philip Walton did? Stranger things have happened.
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