In Dick Schaap’s seminal recounting of the 1974 United States Open Championship, Massacre at Winged Foot, which Hale Irwin won at seven over par, lapping the field. Utah’s Bruce Summerhays was the first contestant off the tee Thursday on that cool morning in early June.
It is irony indeed that forty-six years later, when the 2020 Open returned to the venerated Golf Club just north of New York City, that Summerhays great nephew Preston, would also be a contestant, qualifying as the United States Open Junior Champion.
That both would fall victims to the imposing layout and miss the 36 hole cut is besides the point.
That both could qualify for golf’s sternest test, Bruce as a Club Pro and Preston as an Amateur, on perhaps the most difficult golf course ever presented as a Major Championship venue, is validation enough of their golfing skills and a testament to the coaching passed down through generations of teaching pro’s and pundits on how to approach an Open Championship that allowed players of the Summerhay’s skill set to even qualify, let alone be allowed on the hallowed grounds of a USGA Open golf competition.
Prevailing wisdom, passed down through the generations, on how to compete in a USGA sanctioned event, has always been, drive it in the fairway, avoid the rough, hit it on the green, keep it below the hole, don’t three-putt, and be patient, very, very patient.
And you just might survive to play another day.
The old adage of “You don’t win the Open, the Open wins you,” has never been truer than at Winged Foot. Where, historically, level par is a great accomplishment, and you hope and pray that you survive the test.
What is the point, and what both Summerhay’s, past and present, can now bear witness to, is Golf at the highest levels of competition, has now reached a new pinnacle of exclusion that began with Jack Nicklaus, continued with Tiger Woods, and has now reached an apex with the 2020 Champion, Bryson DeChambeau
At its conclusion, the 2020 edition of Golf’s most punishing challenge has proclaimed to the the world of completive athletics, that professional golf has turned a corner, a corner that the Club Pros and Amateurs of the world may never see or achieve again.
Because Bryson DeChambeau has brought a new level of athleticism, dedication, perseverance, and steadfast determination to the sport of Golf.
Golf has always been about the average 10 handicap sometimes being able to hit the same shots, play the same courses, use the same equipment, and dressing and looking like the Professionals.
Not any more.
Much like your everyday, weekend warrior will never be able to compete, or play on the same level of a Steph Curry, Roger Federer, Mike Trout, Aaron Rodgers, or other similar, gifted professional athletes on their fields, courts, or national championships.
Golf, at least at the higher amateur ranks, afforded some of those weekend players. to approach and compete, at nearly the same level as members of the professional ranks.
But not now.
Because Bryson Dechambeau has now proven beyond a shadow of a doubt, an iteration that began in earnest in the Nicklaus era, continuing with Tiger, that the game of golf, as it has continued to evolve with equipment and ball design, a collection of more athletic players, combined with golf courses running out of room, and, at the higher levels of competition, that distance is now supreme.
And athleticism rules.
On any course, on any setup, against any field of players.
Drive it as far as you can, wherever you can, wedge it on the green, and make your putts.
Rough be damned, no matter how narrow you make the fairways and how punishing the hazards.
Length wins.
Always.
And as is now the case, as success begats imitation, the game of Professional Golf after DeChambeau’s performance at the United States Open, might never be the same again.
And the last bastion of weekend warriors, i.e., amateur golfers and club pro’s being able to compete at the highest levels of that professionalism, is over.
And Bobby Jones is weeping in his grave.
For a recap of DeChambeau’s historic win at Winged Foot please listen to his post tournament interview here.
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