Crenshaw takes on latest role with gusto
Even in his green jacket-winning years of 1984 and 1995... even when essayists needed cerebral thoughts on the wonder of Alister MacKenzie’s golf course... even in search of advice on putting... we’re not sure that Ben Crenshaw felt the sort of media circle that enveloped him the last few days at Augusta National Golf Club.
It had nothing to do with his once-brilliant golf talent. It had everything to do with his respect for the game and the eloquence with which he can offer perspective.
Crenshaw might be 61 years old and 18 years removed from his second and most emotional Masters win, but he remains a treasure — and even more so when he’s situated inside the gates of Augusta National. Having now played in the Masters every April since 1972, his legend is cemented forever, no matter what scores that go down on his card. But his viewpoints always matter, especially on topics that require a sensitive touch.
Well aware of Crenshaw’s massive strengths, it’s no surprise that Masters officials entrusted a valuable commodity to the 77th edition of the tournament to a man known as ‘Gentle Ben’.
The safekeeping and tutelage of Tianlang Guan was that important to them.
Just 14 years old, Guan qualified by winning the fourth annual Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, and thus was a delicate blanket tossed over this year’s proceedings. On the one front, it has always been a controversial decision to zero reward a corner of the world a free spot into a tournament where berths are so hard to come by that the 55th-ranked player in the world, Charles Howell, couldn’t qualify. So, if Guan were to fall badly, the thinking goes that Augusta officials were going to be held up to a scathing scrutiny.
Now the controversy that surrounded Guan’s finish in Friday’s second round — a one-stroke-penalty tacked on for slow play — will take on a life of its own. But what shouldn’t get lost in the chaos is the way in which he executed the toughest shots he faced. With hands that looked like he was holding feathers.
So splendid was Guan’s touch around Augusta’s devilish greens that Crenshaw turned to ‘Irish’ Dave McNeely, a renowned caddie who now works for Italian Matteo Manassero, and said: “It must help to have 14-year-old nerves.”
Crenshaw marvelled at a series of up-and-downs made by Guan to preserve a one-over 73 in Thursday’s opening round and that same sort of play continued yesterday, his 75 added to Thursday’s 73 leaving him at four over. And while the nerve-wracking wait would drag into the early evening to see if the young man from China would sneak inside the cut, based on being within 10 strokes of the lead, Crenshaw could appreciate a unique Masters storyline.
“I’m telling you, he played like a journeyman,” gushed Crenshaw, outscored by 16 strokes by a boy 47 years younger. “He stays well within himself, he’s very confident. His thought process never got rushed, very patient. It’s beautiful; soft hands and the correct method.”
As controversy swirled last night, Crenshaw was again being asked about the youngest Masters competitor. He said he was “sick” by what had happened, though he didn’t want to interject himself into the debate, possibly because there didn’t seem to be any doubt about Guan’s turtle-like pace of play.
Officials confirmed Guan, Crenshaw and Manassero were out of place at the 10th and then warned at the 13th. After hitting his second shot at the par-four 17th, Guan was deemed to have exceeded the 40-second time “by a considerable margin” and thus was assessed a one-stroke penalty.
What followed was a post-round scene beneath the sprawling oak tree behind the Augusta National clubhouse that probably had tournament officials again thankful for pairing Guan with Crenshaw. Had the veteran professional been someone such as Vijay Singh or Craig Stadler, for instance, it is far less likely that the vocal support of Guan’s play and unfortunate situation would have been as forthcoming.
“This isn’t going to end pretty, I don’t think,” Crenshaw said, again delicately handling the situation — “for the sake of Guan, for the sake of the club. I’m so sorry this has happened.”
But he didn’t seem sorry for the opportunity to have played two days with the 14-year-old. Words he had used the day before seemed to still echo in the Augusta winds.
“I see nothing but straight up from here,” Crenshaw had said, predicting a great future for Guan.
As down as the kid might be right now, hopefully Crenshaw is right.
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