Bouncing
Back
Match-Ups and
Crack-Ups
Tiger and Phil, playing together in the
same twosome on the final day near Chicago,
turned out to be irrelevant. And the tennis
showdown almost everybody wanted to see in
the Sunday final of that other U.S. Open between Nadal and Federer never materialized.
So how about this dream match-up, playing in the last singles, three weeks from
now, with the Ryder Cup on the line and the
unofficial title of the “Global Player of the
Year” at stake?
Martin Kaymer vs. Dustin Johnson. That’s
what we’re talking about.
All Germany’s Kaymer did in the Netherlands over the weekend was win his second
straight tournament and make a compelling
case that he is presently the hottest player
in the world. His previous start/victory: the
now-infamous PGA Championship at Whistling Straits.
That, of course, was the major Johnson
gave away when he unwittingly grounded
his club in a bunker on the 72nd hole. In
June, Johnson also handed the U.S. Open
back to the field early Sunday afternoon at
Pebble Beach when he got wilder than a
Carl Hiaasen novel.
Speaking of which, England’s Paul Casey,
controversially left off the Euro Ryder Cup
squad, helped hand the BMW Championship
over to Johnson yesterday when he squan-
dered a three-shot cushion with six holes to
play quicker than you can say, “Monty knew
something.”
And, oh yes, Michelle Wie blew a lead late
Sunday on the LPGA in Arkansas. Maybe
misery really does love company.
