The 19^th Hole

March 20, 2006

But I Can’t Turn Away

They say that there is nothing quite like a train wreck.  It’s gruesome, messy, and brutal to watch.  Lots of damage is done and you feel compelled to just turn away from the sight.  But, usually, there is something that just compels you to keep looking.  Part of the human psyche loves to see crazy, bad things happen (within reason, of course) and watch the aftermath unfold.  On Sunday, at the Bay Hill Invitational, a train wreck of much smaller proportions happened in the final threesome. 

Going into the final round, Rod Pampling had a four shot lead over Greg Owen.  Up until the final two holes, Owen had battled back from that deficit with smart play and timely putting.  He was on pace for a final round of 66 and perhaps his first PGA Tour win.  Pampling, in the meanwhile, had struggled through the day to keep afloat in the midst of Owen’s charge.  He basically played defensive golf and nursed his lead with par golf.

Then the final group approached the long, treacherous par 3 17^th.  Traditionally one of the hardest holes at Bay Hill (the 18^th being the hardest), the hole presented some troubles for Owen, Pampling, and their playing partner Darren Clarke.  All three missed the green – Owen was short in the rough, Pampling was long and left, and Clarke was short and left.  Surprisingly, all hit pitches that left them fairly manageable putts for par.

First, Pampling missed his par putt when he read a break that just was not there.  He tapped in for bogey, looking to be in a bad position down two with one to play.  Next to play was Clarke.  He, too, missed his par saving putt and made bogey.  Basically, all of Greg Owen’s competition had fallen by the wayside.

Then it happened.

Owen had a more than manageable four footer for a par save that would almost surely lock up the tournament.  With the nerves and pressure, though, Owen caved, opened the putter blade, and missed his par putt.  Still, by making a two-footer for bogey, he could maintain a one shot lead.  But, Owen made the mistake that lots of golfers do and he did not step back to calm his nerves.  Instead, he went right to the ball on the other side of the hole, stroked his putt….and missed.

If you were watching, you could actually feel pain in your stomach.  You actually felt bad and embarrassed for the guy.  He had come so far on Sunday, and he basically threw it away on a blown fuse after a missed putt.  Everyone had to be wondering how in the hell could he have missed that!

Regardless, though, Owen was still tied for the lead on the last hole.  He put his tee shot in the first cut of rough, and then proceeded to airmail the green and make bogey.  Rod Pampling calmly made par, and the tournament was his.  Meanwhile, Darren Clarke must have been kicking himself for missing putts on 16 and 17.

For as bad as I feel for Greg Owen and hate for this to come at his expense, Sunday was awesome!  This round of golf had everything in it that makes our game a great one – drama, human flaws, and triumph.  It served as proof that every little thing matters in golf.  Every shot flows into the next and cannot merely be described by a number on the card.  Owen had a great round on paper – he did shoot a 69 after all.  But, it was a little two-footer that probably cost him everything.  Sure, it’s sad.  At the same time, though, it is exciting and captivating.  The competition is so good on the Tour that even that tiny putt had the weight of the world on it.  I don’t think most golf fans could have discovered that was it not for Owen’s example.

For his part, Rod Pampling showed how to get through the pressure.  He was being chased all day by all comers, including two players in his own group.  Sometimes he cracked, but he never broke.  In the end, he was good enough to shoot par when it counted the most and his lead held up for the win.  Having been there before really does matter, and this Sunday was a shining example of that.

But, maybe most of all, don’t you think that Darren Clarke is kicking himself?

Even for as much as I hate the changing nature of the game because of technology, the golf fan in me could not help but be compelled by Bay Hill on Sunday.  Perhaps it served as proof that for as much as I cannot stand how things have changed, there is no way that the heart and soul of what defines golf could ever be changed.

Ryan Ballengee is host of The 19^th Hole Golf Show, found at The Golf Newsnet.com.  You can also get The 19^th Hole on the go through podcasting by clicking here Feedburner.com - The 19th Hole Golf Show.  Contact Ryan via e-mail at the19thholeshow@hotmail.com.

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