How can the best beat Bethpage?

THE MANY golfers who will surely be praying for divine intervention as the 109th US Open unfolds over the next two days might well take encouragement from how Bethpage got its name.

It was “christened” more than 300 years by an English settler, Thomas Powell, who purchased a 15 square mile piece of prime land on Long Island from three Native American tribes. He called the property Bethpage, inspired by a passage in the New Testament of St Matthew which read: “And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him and when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem and were come to Bethpage, unto the Mount of Olives.”

Well, another great multitude will walk the “new” Bethpage today, setting out at 1.06pm Irish time in the expectation of seeing Tiger Woods produce a divine performance and not too concerned as to how his fellow disciples, Pádraig Harrington and Angel Cabrera, might be getting on.

Having listened to the views of a large number of the more fancied players, you have to suspect that most would sign now for a level par total of 280 and not go out there at all.

Woods, the 7-4 favourite, would probably be an exception given that he won here by three strokes in 2002 having shot three under for the 72 holes. And with the rough now marginally less penal, that should also help to keep the overall scoring to a respectable level.

As against that, though, the weather forecast is anything but favourable with a 90% chance of rain today and lots more of the same tomorrow and through the weekend.

Tiger invariably tries to keep a lid on expectations entering major championships, but has struggled in this area over the last few days. He can’t help remembering how he won Jack Nicklaus’s Memorial tournament a fortnight before his Bethpage victory in 2002 and how he also triumphed at Muirfield Village the other week, finishing with two birdies in a magnificent final round of 65.

“Obviously, this golf course brings back some great memories and it’s good to be back,” he enthused. “I’ve enjoyed playing out here, the practice rounds have all been good and the course is phenomenal. It’s playing long because it’s not exactly dry out there.”

He may be stating the obvious when noting that “as at all US Opens, you have to drive the ball well” but the hidden message is that he has the capacity to do just that. While others are dreading greens that may run as quick as 14 on the stimpmeter, Woods points out that “they are a little flatter than normal so you’ll have a pretty good look at a putt”.

Bethpage Black is obviously a long hitter’s course, and here again Tiger clearly believes it’s just the kind of layout that suits his game. And then there’s the atmosphere generated by the boisterous crowds, a large percentage of whom won’t have any reservations about expressing their support for Woods and Phil Mickelson, the man who chased him home to no avail in 2002.

“I’ve never played in such a loud atmosphere for all 18 holes,” he says. “After what transpired in New York the previous September, I think everyone was looking to celebrating something else. I don’t think, given the circumstances, that we will ever see the like of it again.”

Maybe not, but Bethpage will still not be a place for the faint-hearted over the next four days. In the normal run of events, I would never place Phil Mickelson in that category but right now his mind is clearly all over the place as he tries to cope with the illness of his wife, Amy.

He claims that “for now, we have a good game plan and since our original diagnosis, we’ve had little bits of good news here and there”.

But that’s the trouble, isn’t it? Instead of talking about how he can improve his second place here in ‘02 and capitalise on the massive wave of goodwill that will be extended to him, he has other far more important things to occupy his mind.

So, if it’s not to be Mickelson (second favourite at 14-1), could Tiger’s most serious rival be England’s Paul Casey, currently the third best ranked player in the world having reached the final of the Accenture World Match Play Championship, and won his first US Tour event, the Shell Houston Open, and the European Tour’s flagship tournament, the BMW PGA Championship.

In my view, he has what it takes to win on the biggest stage of all and that certainly is his aim as he muses that he would “dearly love” a major.

At 25-1, though, Casey represents excellent value although it hardly helps that Tony Jacklin remains the last European to capture this title back in 1970 at Hazeltine, Minnesota.

Also representing good value at the bookies is Masters champion Angel Cabrera at 66-1. The Argentine certainly has the power to cope with Bethpage and if he gets his putter working, then he has as good a chance as any.

To return to the religious theme, Father’s Day at Bethpage will turn into paradise for one of the 156-strong field here on Sunday evening. And you find it hard to believe that anyone other than Tiger Woods will be the blessed one!