It was the one about a pro
that sometimes plays like an
amateur and an amateur who
showed he can play like a pro.
“We all know what it’s
like – a bounce here
or there and then it
goes either wrong
or right. And today
it went my way.”
— Thomas Bjorn
Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn had
to face his demons from 2003
when he blew the Open with a
double-bogey at the par- 3 16th
after taking three swipes to
get his ball out of a greenside
bunker and onto the green.
This time around he walked
off with a birdie on the way to
a 5-under-par 65 and a share
of the lead. Oh, the irony. “That
hole owes nobody anything,”
Bjorn said. “No hole does. And
no golf course does.” The 2001
champion, Ben Curtis, might
at least owe Bjorn a swig of
warm flat English beer from
his Claret Jug. “It was eight
years ago. It’s in the past,”
Bjorn said. “I played the best
golf of my life. And I made a
mistake. We all know what it’s
like – a bounce here or there
and then it goes either wrong
or right. And today it went my
way.” It also went Tom Lewis’
Amateur Tom Lewis (left) from
England shakes hands with Tom
Watson as they finish their first
round. (RIght) Thomas Bjorn
reacts to his par putt at the 18th
hole during the first round.
way. The 20-year-old Eng-
lish amateur tied Bjorn’s 65
to become the first ama-
teur to lead the Open since
Sir Michael Bonallack at
Carnoustie in 1968. Lewis
hails from the same Wel-
wyn Garden City club as Sir
Nick Faldo. His ambition is
to win one more major than
Faldo’s six and said he’ll
turn pro after the Walker
Cup unless he wins the
Open. He was serious. He’s
named after Tom Watson,
too. His brother is named
after Jack Nicklaus. Golfing
royalty, anyone? A
Official Rainwear Supplier
for Team USA
