US PGA, England v SA test match
Aug. 11th, 2008 12:40 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
was_tansu_now_badhedgehogWhat about Pádraig Harrington, eh?
Two majors on the bounce, first European to do that since the 1930s I think, or maybe ever.
He's suddenly become one of the best golfers in the world. Not just a European contender any more. It's that "knowing how to win" thing, I think. Once you've won something big, you know that you can do it, and the uncertainty is removed. What Pádraig has done in this year's Open and now in the US PGA tournament is to make sure that in the final two rounds he keeps on going steadily and carefully in order to keep in touch, to be always there or thereabouts up with the leaders - even if he's had a not so good round on the first couple of days. Far too often, European golfers in majors have a tendency to make a mistake and then lose their footing, instead of regrouping and carrying on - or instead of that, going too hard for maximum attack, which is how you end up in trouble. To watch the precision and self-control of Harrington as a golfer now is quite something. Reminds me of Nick Faldo.
Again, I'd have quite liked to see Sergio Garcia win it, but he made a mistake on the 16th that cost him. And you just can't begrudge Harrington winning like that with such a superb, precise, error-free round.
We just need another 90 odd runs to beat South Africa, all ten wickets remaining. Not bad. Keep on in there.
Two majors on the bounce, first European to do that since the 1930s I think, or maybe ever.
He's suddenly become one of the best golfers in the world. Not just a European contender any more. It's that "knowing how to win" thing, I think. Once you've won something big, you know that you can do it, and the uncertainty is removed. What Pádraig has done in this year's Open and now in the US PGA tournament is to make sure that in the final two rounds he keeps on going steadily and carefully in order to keep in touch, to be always there or thereabouts up with the leaders - even if he's had a not so good round on the first couple of days. Far too often, European golfers in majors have a tendency to make a mistake and then lose their footing, instead of regrouping and carrying on - or instead of that, going too hard for maximum attack, which is how you end up in trouble. To watch the precision and self-control of Harrington as a golfer now is quite something. Reminds me of Nick Faldo.
Again, I'd have quite liked to see Sergio Garcia win it, but he made a mistake on the 16th that cost him. And you just can't begrudge Harrington winning like that with such a superb, precise, error-free round.
We just need another 90 odd runs to beat South Africa, all ten wickets remaining. Not bad. Keep on in there.
