BROOKLINE – They got here, they noticed, however many of the headliners from the controversial LIV Golf collection didn’t precisely conquer The Country Club.
Poster boy Phil Mickelson? Cut.
While Lefty improved on his disastrous opening spherical of 78, ending at 11-over par after his 73 on Friday, that also meant an early exit from the U.S. Open, the one main victory he’s missing on his resume.
We received’t see him once more till Labor Day weekend at The International in Bolton for the LIV occasion there.
Louis Oosthuizen?
He broke par Friday, however nonetheless completed at 6-over par. Not adequate to make the weekend.
Ditto Kevin Na (5 over) and Sergio Garcia (4 over).
In all, 15 golfers from LIV Golf competed within the U.S. Open. Only a handful made it to the weekend, led by Dustin Johnson (1 over), Patrick Reed (1 over), Bryson DeChambeau (2 over) and Richard Bland (2 over).
They sit behind the 20 or so golfers who head into the weekend beneath par on the par-70 format.
Johnson stated he didn’t discover any distinction with how followers handled him, or interacted given his allegiance with Saudi-backed LIV Golf.
“The fans have been great,” he stated. “Obviously, this is a good sports town, and a lot of people come out and support the event.”
Johnson stated he didn’t really feel any type of apprehension or stress about enjoying within the U.S. Open, after his cut up with the PGA Tour.
It was identical to enjoying every other week, though those that have chosen LIV Golf have been the topic of a lot criticism given their option to take the exorbitant assured cash, and ignore the well-documented evils of their employer.
The USGA allowed LIV Golf gamers to take part within the U.S. Open this 12 months, however that may change down the highway.
Prior to the U.S. Open, the PGA Tour suspended the 17 members who competed within the inaugural LIV Golf International Series occasion final week close to London.
“Obviously it was a tough decision, but I feel very confident in the decision I made,” Johnson stated with respect to becoming a member of LIV Golf. “Yeah, I’m definitely happy and looking forward to obviously this weekend and the rest of the events this year.”
DeChambeau additionally made the minimize. One USGA official informed the Herald that the previous U.S. Open champ agreed to talk with the media following his spherical, solely his agent put the brakes on.
Go determine.
Mickelson, in the meantime, didn’t appear comfy from the second he confirmed up in Brookline. His usually trusty putter was erratic, whereas he was 148th out of 156 golfers by way of driving distance and a hundred and fifteenth in fairways hit.
“I enjoyed the week,” stated Mickelson, who did a quick interview with a USGA pool reporter following his spherical. “Wish I had played better.”
So did many different LIV Golf gamers.
Garcia flirted with the minimize line all day at 4-over par, because the Top 60 and ties made it to the weekend, with the minimize line set at 3 over.
The Spaniard felt he performed effectively, even when his scores may not have indicated that to be the case. He adopted up his opening-round 74 by taking pictures even-par 70 Friday.
“I feel like I played much better than my score shows, but that happens,” he stated. “Overall, I felt like I hit a lot of good shots, but didn’t get a lot out of it. Hopefully, I’ll be here for the weekend.”
It didn’t occur.
Other LIV Golf members lacking the U.S. Open minimize included Jed Morgan, Shaun Norris, Talor Gooch, Brandon Grace, Jimichero Kozuma, Sam Horsfield and James Piot.
It’s doable that coming from a better, no-cut, 54-hole format with LIV Golf made an influence, with simply 4 out of 15 of its gamers seeing the weekend.
Johnson, the truth is, was requested if it was doable for LIV Golf gamers to stay sharp, and be capable to contend within the majors whereas enjoying with a special format within the new enterprise.
Johnson didn’t suppose it could be a problem, saying he’d be “just as sharp as I would playing anywhere.”
Maybe, however a majority of the LIV gamers didn’t get near even a sniff of enjoying the weekend on the U.S. Open, a lot much less profitable.
Source: www.bostonherald.com