Smiting Drives - Out of the rough
29 Jun 2009 - 13:45:47
When it comes to professional sport, all too often the underdog is humbled, the fleeting star quickly forgotten and the heartbroken nearly man left to rue his moment past, but golf has been in giving mood of late.
The theme last week was redemption and the story began with David Duval's miraculous return at the US Open.
This was a golfer who once ranked number one in the world, but whose career had been in freefall for eight years and who arrived in New York as the 882nd best player on the planet.
If not for those reflective sunglasses we might have forgotten him altogether.
The American had not finished in the top-10 at a major since the 2001 Open, with a wicked hook the problem and no cure in sight as he slid inexorably from the pinnacle to the pity pit.
But, as if to magnify the intricacies of the golf swing, Duval has conquered his demons and proved as much in some style with a tied second finish on the biggest stage.
His return to prominence at Bethpage was a life-affirming thing. And arguably more surprising than Lucas Glover's victory.
After the sodden delights of the US Open, the world's best forked off as usual, but there was further redemption to come on either side of the Atlantic
In Connecticut, Kenny Perry broke the tournament record to win the Travelers Championship - just two months after the 48-year-old imploded at Augusta with the green jacket his for the taking.
Perry finished with two bogeys at the Masters, but any talk of a black cloud hanging over his game was blown off course with a sizzling 61 on Thursday, and a closing 63 that sealed a second win this year and put him back on top of the FedExCup standings.
"Everyone kind of asks about the Augusta hangover deal," Perry said. "I guess I kind of shoved that aside a little bit. So that makes me feel pretty good."
Over in Munich, Germany, an Englishman named Nick Dougherty was orchestrating his very own redemption song.
Dougherty's closing 64 at the BMW International Open secured his first win in two years and ended a frustrating run for the 27-year-old - who was hit desperately hard by the tragic death of his mother last April, following complications after a heart attack.
"At the time I was one of the best players in Europe and heading for last year's Ryder Cup team," Dougherty said.
"But then my golf game collapsed so badly and I missed so many cuts than some morning I woke up wondering how I was going to keep my playing card."
But keep his card he has...and some. Dougherty's victory not only booked the Liverpudlian a spot at the Open later this month, but was also achieved with Europe's 2010 Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie in the field. Celtic Manor beckons.
Of course the final word on redemption must go to Severiano Ballesteros.
The great, swashbuckling Spaniard faced the public to talk about his foundation last week, after successful surgery to remove a life-threatening brain tumour.
"Now I call myself Seve Mulligan," he said.
Now that's what I call a good news week.
- Will Tidey, Golf.co.uk
