European contenders remain also-rans
However, Angel Cabrera is Argentinian to the core and there is no avoiding the reality that European golfers are as far away as ever from bridging the ever widening gap since Tony Jacklin won the title by five shots at Hazeltine in 1970.
The performances of some of the leading Euros at Oakmont were desperately disappointing. Top of the list, sad to relate, were our own PĂĄdraig Harrington and Sergio Garcia who missed the cut, and Luke Donald who was eliminated by Cabreraâs birdie at the 18th on Friday evening. All three had been among the top European hopes before a ball was struck.
In the end, it was the doughty Swede Niclas Fasth who led the way, fourth on his own on seven over par, just two behind Cabrera. And he matched the par of 70 on Sunday, a fine performance by any standards.
âIâm obviously proud of how I did out there today,â said Fasth. âNot everything went my way, it never does, and youâve just got to find a way to handle it. Youâve got to like the intensity and the pressure. It takes something out of you, out of everybody, and everybody gets nervous. I know I do. But if you like it and find a way to handle it, then you can push yourself even further on these occasions.â
Of the others, Justin Rose once again demonstrated just how far he has come over the past year or so. He challenged all the way in the Masters, showed it was no fluke by getting into a play-off for the BMW PGA Championship and hung in well again at Oakmont. That kind of form suggests that greater things could be waiting just around the corner.
He tied for 10th with Paul Casey who looks to me like a player who is seriously under achieving. He just blows hot and cold all too often as evidenced this time by his opening round of 77 followed a day later by 66.
Saturdayâs 72 left him a shot out of the lead on five over but he spoiled everything by running up a triple bogey at the short 6th on Sunday followed by three successive bogeys. He fell back to 12 over only to rally again and birdies at each of the last two proved just what he is capable of. Stringing four rounds together, though, remains a serious problem for arguably the most talented of all the Euros.
Nick Dougherty had the distinction of leading after round one and while it would have been expecting too much from an inexperienced 25 year-old to stay there under such pressure, he nevertheless did himself proud, coming in next best of the Euros after Fasth in a share of 7th.
And he also got to play with Tiger Woods! âThat was draining but it was also an amazing experience,ââ he said. âI have such admiration for the guy. I think he is the best athlete in the world at the moment and the best golfer ever to play the game and possibly ever will. Watching him gutting it out in the third round trying to get among the leaders is an experience I will never forget.
âThis week was up there with the best in my life. I have come here and competed with the best players in the world and held my own. As amazing as it was leading the US Open, which will always be a high point of my career, playing with Tiger has been one of my dreams and to play with him in the third round of the US Open was as good as it gets.â
To be fair to the English contingent, some of them came out with one or two of the wittiest and most pertinent comments of the final day.
Asked what he was doing next, the fun loving Dougherty answered with a straight face: âOff to Munich on a private jet with the guys from BMW. No rest for the wicked.â
Lee Westwood accurately reflected the disappointment of tying for 36th on 18 over par by stating that âI would prefer a visit to the dentist than to have to play that golf course again.â
Rose and Casey were still in with a chance when Ian Poulter closed on the same mark as Westwood but had no doubt about his priorities:
âI will be on the aeroplane. If one of them comes in and wins, it will be awesome. But I am getting out of here now. This place was frightening.â
