The Notebook: What we learned from last week’s US Women’s Open, the Memorial and the European Open
Patrick Cantlay, Yuka Saso and Marcus Armitage emerged triumphant in a dramatic week of tour golf around the world.
The Memorial Tournament was won twice over. Jon Rahm won the phantom event, leading by six after 54 holes before he was dramatically pulled from the event following a positive Covid test.
Then Patrick Cantlay overcame Collin Morikawa in a final round that vaguely resembled a wedding reception that goes ahead even after someone got left at the altar.
Dreams come true @marcusarmitage1 🏆#PEO2021 pic.twitter.com/nh87wT8AG2
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) June 7, 2021
Practice day madness
Golfers spend decades honing their swings, their long game, their short game, their putting, their strategy, their mind game and their team. So much graft and then the magic fairy dust descends upon them out of nowhere. It is a baffling, maddening, gloriously fickle business.
Major surprises
History at @TheOlympicClub 🇵🇭 #USWomensOpen
— LPGA (@LPGA) June 7, 2021
(📸: @USGA / Robert Beck) pic.twitter.com/wHh07UAQc8
Sophia Popov is a major champion! 🏆
— GOLFTV (@GOLFTV) August 23, 2020
Ranked No. 304 in the world, the German put on a remarkable display at Royal Troon to win the #AIGWomensOpen. pic.twitter.com/HbIcvVOdEJ
There is also something else going on here: it's not just that there is a proliferation of fairytale wins (audaciously claimed by players with little experience at the top level), there is also the reality that a whole host of the world's top ranked players are regularly underperforming in the Majors.
Cantlay thinking of Torrey Pines
A knack for Jack’s Place 🏆@Patrick_Cantlay has won @MemorialGolf for the second time.
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 6, 2021
It's his fourth career victory. pic.twitter.com/BvKRSt0Knl
Cantlay is priced 28/1 to win the US Open with Betway.