Sequels can be iffy propositions.
Film aficionados probably can list on one hand the number of follow-up movies that surpassed the quality of the original in timbre, tone and artistic impact.
That did not stop the US Golf Association from staging the first double-header in major championship history, at Pinehurst No 2, where Martin Kaymer won the US Open in runaway fashion last weekend as the women were arriving to play their championship at the same venue, starting today.
When the USGA came back for seconds, it created some interesting story lines and subplots at the most important major in the women’s game.
In that regard, the plan has already been a hit. Plus, given that Kaymer turned the weekend into a coronation walk, the US Women’s Open can hardly be less dramatic.
Working on the practice green on Sunday, Kaymer noticed one of the LPGA players stationed a few feet away. Before the men had finished their final round, several LPGA players began hitting shots on the range and practice green.
About to play the most pressure-packed round of his life, Kaymer rightly could have been annoyed. Instead, he seemed to welcome the novelty of the moment.
“Some of them are very pretty,” Kaymer said after the final round, drawing laughs. “There was actually one girl, I don’t know her name, but she had the putting tool on the putting green. I tried it. I asked her, ‘What is it? What’s it for’?”
As far as placing the women’s game at the fore, or helping guys such as Kaymer put more faces with names, the USGA’s back-to-back attack is bound to turn heads, and not solely from the inevitable comparison and contrast of how the different genders handled the demanding course.
Kaymer aside, Pinehurst gave the rest of the men conniptions, especially on the humpbacked greens. The course this week will play 900 yards shorter, but it is still a beast. This week, some women used the men’s event as a preview of coming attractions.
Lydia Ko, the world No 3, followed several players on Sunday and hired the veteran caddie Mike “Fluff” Cowan, who has worked for major winners Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk, for the week. Sandra Gal tagged along on Sunday to watch German compatriot Kaymer win by a commanding eight shots.
Michelle Wie, the world No 11, talked South Florida neighbours Rickie Fowler and Keegan Bradley into handing over their Pinehurst yardage books, which included handwritten notes in the margins.
They both finished in the top four last week.
“It’s such a unique experience to have the information,” Wie said. “You normally go to a golf course site and the information would probably be from years ago.
“But this is pretty fresh information and it’s similar conditions to what we’ll play.”
selling@thenational.ae
Follow us on Twitter @SprtNationalUAE
