The 19^th Hole

May 15, 2007

Going For Broke

Sean O’Hair lost himself nearly three quarters of a million dollars on Sunday by how he played the seventeenth at Sawgrass in the final round of the Players Championship.  By making a quadruple bogey at 17 and then a bogey at the last, O’Hair went from solo second on 16 to eleventh at the end of the round.

Something similar happened to Len Mattice nearly a decade ago in this very same event.  It devastated Mattice on that evening and it arguably took him years to recover well enough to lose in a playoff to Mike Weir at the Masters in 2003.  Bob Tway scored twelve in the very windy 2005 final round, which gave way for Fred Funk to capture the championship.  The seventeenth has claimed many victims over the years at Sawgrass, including a record number of balls in the drink this year.

With all of that in mind, how in the world did Sean O’Hair decide that he was going to fire at what is arguably the most treacherous pin on Tour – back right on Sunday at the Players?  The answer is what will one day be seen as what separates guys like Sean O’Hair from many others on the PGA Tour.  Sean O’Hair is a champion in the making and he has the heart of one that simply cannot be taught.  In fact, he has the heart of the man that became champion of this year’s Players – Phil Mickelson. 

O’Hair missed a deceptive birdie putt on the sixteenth and approached the island green with a two stroke deficit.  Observing that Mickelson was in the middle of a nearly flawless round of hitting fairways, greens, and making birdies, O’Hair knew he had to press the issue.  After Lefty hit the green on 17, O’Hair had to go for broke if he wanted any chance of winning.  He drew the wrong club, the 9 iron, but hit a spectacular shot that was all over the pin.  It was just seven yards too far and found the water.

Even with the setback, O’Hair still hoped to play for bogey from the drop circle.  His low, spun wedge play was too aggressive and the ball barely leaked into the water.  At that point, the tournament had been decided for O’Hair.  He was not going to win and the tournament belonged to Mickelson.

A number of other players in the field, given the situation that O’Hair faced, may very well have shut it down and conceded a victory march to Mickelson.  Given the amazing amount of money available in the purse of the Players, O’Hair could have easily decided to play for the second place check of nearly a million dollars.  It would have done wonders for his stature and his bank account to simply lay back and finish by playing conservatively.

O’Hair wanted to win, though.  He had played so well with Mickelson all day long and he wanted to try to finish with a fight.  While the gamble may not have paid off for O’Hair, it does not seem like it is a gamble that will have long-term implications on the psyche of the young rising star.  In the post-round press conference, O’Hair was proud of what he accomplished and not worried about the money he cost himself.  He said that the experience will help him grow as a player.  O’Hair even went so far as to say that he is going to come away from this with the knowledge that will ensure he will achieve the goal of winning the Players one day.

Sean O’Hair will win a major one day.  He made the world realize that on Sunday with how he handled the first sixteen holes against Lefty and how he handled the last two holes against himself.  Hopefully, his gutsy display and Mickelson-esque bravado will help him to shed the image of a young prodigy pushed too far by his overbearing father.  Sean O’Hair has established an identity outside of his past now.  His identity should now be based on the future – expectations of brilliance and championships to come.

Ryan Ballengee is host of The 19th Hole Golf Show, found at The Golf Newsnet.com.  Having graduated from the University of Maryland in 2004 and 2006, Ballengee brings the perspective of the younger golf fan to the microphone and his columns.  Over the nearly five years he has been broadcasting and writing, Ballengee has developed a reputation for a unique interviewing style that asks both the difficult and fun questions. You can also get The 19th Hole on the go through podcasting by clicking here The Golf Newsnet Contact Ryan via e-mail at the19thholeshow@hotmail.com.