25 years ago (in 1999) Payne Stewart won his iconic US Open victory, at Pinehurst No. 2. Golf Course in North Carolina. It was redemption after he had lost a four-shot lead on Sunday at the 1998 US Open. Stewart was a complicated figure, and his triumph at Pinehurst became all the more poignant when he died just 4 months later, at age 42, when everybody lost consciousness on his plane and it eventually crashed. His celebration on the 18th hole after his win is the image for this year's Open.
From Wikipedia: "A sudden loss of cabin pressure inside Stewart’s jet killed all six people on board before the plane left Florida, sending it on a ghost flight across the country. Trailed by F-16 fighter jets positioned to down the aircraft if necessary, the plane ran on autopilot until it ran out of fuel and crashed into an open South Dakota field. The sports world stopped and mourned the death of a man who had just delivered a profound lesson in sportsmanship. At his funeral Nicklaus said Payne had fun when he played golf and he had fun when he was serious.
There was a memorial table that included the three most significant trophies he won - the Ryder Cup, the U.S. Open (which he won for the second time in June) and the PGA Championship. Also at the memorial table were one of Stewart's trademark plus-fours outfits, the harmonica he used when he played in the group Jake Flounder and the Troutfish, pictures with his family and mother Bea, and a set of fake buck teeth donated by his two children. Stewart used to put the teeth in and kid people he had been hit by another golfer's swing or gotten beaten up."
For added relevance for us, Pinehurst No. 2 was where Michael Campbell won his US Open, in 2005 (Ed. one of only the two New Zealand major golf wins - Bob Charles at the 1963 (British) Open was the other.)
This was what we saw walking in the main gate.
Then we got on to the golf course. A look up the 18th towards the clubhouse and at the rough down the 18th.
We weren't the only ones there.
We like to follow a group and walk. Bill likes to get a map, get to know the golf course and the lie of the land. So I take a photo of the map billboard as we didn't find maps being handed out. My phone with a map on it will do for today.
We follow Brooks Koepka, Justin Thomas (JT to everybody here) and Collin Morikawa. Here is Morikawa teeing off the second.
JT struggled on the second. He had a 7 there, dropped 3 shots. (He ended up struggling for two days, and missed the cut - by a lot.)
It was hot. I was jet lagged and with no water, After a while I was feeling it.
We finally got some water (phew).
Then we had some lunch at the Trophy Club, the marquee set-up we always book for these big tournaments. It's great for a rest in the middle of the day. Bill kept up with the scores and the map.
We were told by a group we met there that Michael Campbell had been in just before us. Later we saw this photo from the year he won in the local paper.
Bill had got a good idea of the lie of the course in the morning. I didn't have much idea, and followed Bill. We had walked a lot in the morning so in the afternoon we sat in the 7th Grandstand for a bit. I was happy to sit, and snooze a bit. We worked out we walked about 28 holes today in all.
This is Scotty Scheffler. He made a good putt here but was also struggling.
The cameramen were very high-tech.
The next day we went to a breakfast place first not far from the golf course. And then Bill found Frankie's cafe. It was an extension of Frankie's house we thought. The password for the WiFi was iloverosie, Rosie is his wife. She is or had been a great sportswoman Frankie told us. The 1o men who were sitting in the main room come every week to chat. He joined in. Here is Frankie's Cafe. He was a super friendly guy.
On day two we followed Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrell Hatton and Tom Hoge in the morning. Then we followed Grant Fox, Daniel Berger and David Puig in the afternoon.
We saw Tiger through one hole but didn't try to follow him - too many people. I heard a group of American lads discussing why to watch Tiger. One of them asked the others "Why are we watching Tiger anyway? He is not going to win. His form is hopeless." Another answered "He is Tiger and it might be the last you see of him. He is the iconic man." I wished I had got them talking on video - not quick enough.
It was about 6 deep all along the first hole. Here they all are 'watching' him tee off on the 2nd. And I was a bit like one of the lads - why bother watching him when there are guys so much better? (And we had seen him many times at tournaments previously I guess.)
Tyrrell Hatton hitting out of rough on the 4th hole.
Tommy Fleetwood with an embedded lie on a very long par 4. He hit it just short of the green, and it was a great hit for me.
It was time to watch Ryan Fox, Daniel Berger and David Puig today. We started with them at the 4th after lunch. This is the 5th.
Extracts from Ryan Fox's bio from Wikipedia from 2022: "Fox won his second European Tour event in February 2022 at the Ras Al Khaimah Classic. He shot 22-under-par for four rounds, beating Ross Fisher by five shots. . . . In October, he won the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, shooting a final-round 68 to win by one shot ahead of Alex Norén and Callum Shinkwin. . . . Having recorded 10 Top-10s during the 2022 season, Fox found himself lying in second position in the DP World Tour Rankings heading into the final event; the DP World Tour Championship. With a 19th-place finish at the season finale, it was good enough to see Fox maintain his second place in the rankings, finishing only behind Rory McIlroy. With his performances across the 2022 European Tour season, he was awarded with the Seve Ballesteros Award.
In May 2023, Fox earned a special temporary membership on the PGA Tour. In September 2023, Fox won the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. He shot a final-round 67, including an up-and-down birdie on the final hole to win by one shot over Tyrrell Hatton and Aaron Rai. It was also his first Rolex Series title."
Foxy on the 11th. He called in the rules umpire. His ball moved as he started to address it, though he didn't think it was him. The rules person said when in doubt leave it out, so he didn't have to take an extra shot.
More from Foxy - in the pines.
We also saw young Swedish star Ludvig Aberg.
And Tony Finau. Today we walked about 26 holes.
Day three (and four) they play in pairs. We followed Martin Kaymer and Jordan Speith for 6 holes. Spieth at the 5th.
Happy golf watchers.
I wanted to see some of the big boys play today. All the US talk is of Bryson de Chambeau winning. They are saying that Bryson is the next Payne Stewart. (Ed. thinks saying that is horse s***, Payne Stewart was a good guy.) We hope Rory can find some magic today. Today we walked 30 holes.
We saw Bryson hit a magnificent shot on the 13th. But the putt missed!
Fourth and final day - today we will follow Cameron Smith and Wyndham Clarke, and then Ludvig and Hidecki Matsuyama. (We have followed Hidecki many times before, we like his style.)
Then we will watch out the leaders ⛳️ on the 4th and the 13th. But first to the practice area.
Cameron Smith on the 4th. Nasty lie.
No problem - he made 4.
Rory at the 4th green.
Bryson drives on the 5th.
We head up to the 13th to watch the last golfers go through. We find a great spot.
I start talking to those around us and I talk to Reagan. She is 10, and a golfer and has shot 35 for 9 holes on Pinehurst 2! She has a sister called Riley aged 14 . Riley is the standard bearer for Rory and Patrick Cantlay today. Two years ago she volunteered and put her name down, and today she got her dream job - to walk with Rory. She has a full-sized poster of Rory in her room. The best part was Dad Grimm yelling out to Riley as she carried the scores on the far side of the green, and Riley recognising his voice and waving and smiling.
These are two golfers to look out for in future! I am calling them the Great Golfing Grimms (Grimm is their last name). Reagan was happy to be in my blog. Thank you, Reagan. Riley has had 2 nines of 29, which equals 58!
This is Reagan.
It was lovely to meet the Grimms.
This is me. Bill took a good photo (Ed.)
Patrick Cantlay and then Rory putting for birdie on 13.
Bryson putting for an eagle 2 on 13. He drove to here from the tee.
Then we went back to the Trophy Club to watch the last 90 mins. We like to do that so we can see all the golf when the crowds all end up in the last few holes. (Someone said there were 50,000 there Sunday.)
The final result was not the one we wanted. We had to have a long hard look at ourselves. We wanted Rory to win. Letting go wasn't easy. And how hard will it be for Rory to get over?
BD the better over the last four holes. We watched a panel interview Bryson after. He is passionate, tech-related to golf, loves growing and developing, and brought in Payne Stewart and his father from the eternal . I love it that he grows and develops. Rory could grow and develop over pressure in the last four holes. We hope he does and we see him win at the (British) Open. He is resilient and can grow and develop too. After all Payne Stewart did.
And the winner . . .
Final scores.
This was cool, the pin placement map for the day. This was given to a guy we sat next to in the Trophy Club by a caddy he knew.
And on the back the emergency evacuation plan!
We worked out we walked 20 holes on the last day. I was amazed I could, and Bill has a knee issue and he was amazed he could too. The heat helped. We both have blisters and now need a rest!
