Cranking out a few thoughts while trying to shake off the jet lag after another memorable week at the home of golf.
Practice tee
For the third straight major played at the Old Course -- including the Women's Open two years ago -- a significant amount of time was lost when high winds forced the suspension of play because golf balls kept moving on the greens.
That led to a 10½-hour delay on Saturday -- after just 32 minutes of golf. But that short time proved crucial to many -- including Jordan Spieth, who got caught in that unfortunate situation -- leaving us to always wonder if things might have been different had they not played at all.
As ESPN analyst Dottie Pepper pointed out, all of the other golf courses in the area were in operation Saturday, suggesting greens speeds at the Old Course were too fast for conditions.
R&A chief executive Peter Dawson countered that slowing down the greens would not be suitable. "I think we like to keep the greens at what I would call championship pace, without going crazy about it," Dawson said. "I think what we've seen today is too strong a wind, not too-fast greens, to be honest with you."
That point could be debated. They've been playing the Open at St. Andrews since 1873. It, like other links, is exposed to the elements, and wind has always been the greatest defense. Surely 40 mph winds are not a new phenomenon.
But as players and equipment got better, green speeds increased in an effort to provide a sterner defense. All of which goes back a common question: Why did the game's rulers not do a better job of reigning in equipment, including the golf ball?
First round
And then there is the issue of the Old Course itself. If you have to keep the green speed at a level that is too fast in high-wind conditions is the course no longer viable for The Open?
To suggest not going to the Old Course is blasphemy. It would be hard to imagine such a scenario. So what to do?
There is nothing wrong with slower green speeds on occasion. Just like figuring out how to putt on fast greens is a challenge, it can also be that in reverse. Many players struggle with putting when they have to learn to hit the ball harder. Putts are not as true. It can cause angst in the same way fast greens are problematic.
And there is nothing wrong with low scores winning a major championship, either. It seemed the Sunday and Monday rounds were pretty compelling, as Zach Johnson prevailed in a playoff. Johnson, Louis Oosthuizen and Marc Leishman finished at 273, 15 under par.
Starting in 1990, the winning scores have been -18, -6 (1995), -19 (2000, when Tiger Woods won by 8), -14 (2005) and -16 (2010). So, yes, except for 1995, the scoring has been akin to a regular PGA Tour event.
Is that a bad thing? The Open has never seemed to care about the winning score, letting weather take care of business.
Second round
The Open has been played every five years at the Old Course since 1990. (Prior to that, it had been there in 1984, 1978 and 1970). While 2020 remains a possibly for the next one in St. Andrews, there is strong consideration being given for 2021. That is because that year will be the 150th playing of the championship.
Next year, the tournament goes to Royal Troon, followed by Royal Birkdale (2017) and Carnoustie (2018). Provided the folks at Royal Portrush come through with changes requested by the R&A, in 2019 the course in Northern Ireland is expected to get the Open for the first time since 1951.
That would seem to suggest a venue in England for 2020 if it doesn't go to St. Andrews -- meaning either Royal Lytham, Royal St. George's or Royal Liverpool. Or it could go to Scotland, with Turnberry (Donald Trump's ownership may or may not have something to do with that) or Muirfield being possibilities.
Third round
With so many players in contention on Monday, there were undoubtedly many who walked away wondering what might have been -- including playoff participants Oosthuizen and Leishman.
But Jason Day might lead the list. The Aussie has to wonder when it's finally going to be his time. He didn't make a bogey on Monday -- but also failed to make a birdie over the closing 12 holes, finishing one shot out of the playoff and in a tie for fourth.
"I've been working very hard to try and accomplish my first major, and it's a little frustrating with how it finished," he said. "But I've been in contention at major championships a lot now, and it just shows I'm doing the right things, and I can't look at it as a negative ... give it time so I can just sit down and look at what the positives were and move on from there and just try to get better."
Day, who has three PGA Tour victories, now has nine top-10s in major championships, including six top-5s and three runner-up finishes.
Fourth round
Adam Scott was also wondering what happened. For the third time in the past four years, Scott held at least a share of the lead on the back nine at The Open without winning. Monday's effort wasn't as bad as squandering a four-shot advantage with four holes to go -- making four consecutive bogeys -- in 2012 at Royal Lytham to lose by one to Ernie Els. And in 2013 at Muirfield, Scott was the man who simply got run over by Phil Mickelson. But it was just as frustrating.
Scott was tied for the lead when he headed to the par-5 14th and somehow played the last five holes in 5 over, with a double-bogey at the 18th -- where he hit his tee shot out of bounds. He ended up five strokes out of the playoff. Nobody said it would be easy, but had Scott parred in -- and certainly the 14th and 18th holes offered birdie chances -- he would have at least made the playoff.
A bogey at the 14th after a pulled second shot went into a pot bunker was one thing. But a missed 1-footer on the next hole?
"I don't really have an explanation for that," he said. "I just went up to tap it in from a foot and it lipped out. Just one of those stupid things that happens, and that really put me in a tough position to where finishing with a handful of 3s was unlikely on a day like today. It's a tough finish, and I just didn't execute the last five holes."
Aggregate playoff
Zach Johnson was three strokes back entering the final round after a so-so effort in the third round that saw him salvage a 2-under-par 70. He played the first nine in 31 and ended up with a 6-under 66 to get into a four-hole playoff.
The victory was Johnson's second major and 12th PGA Tour victory. He has now won in eight of the past nine seasons, including four in a row.
And his win helped him join any elite list of players who won at both Augusta National and St. Andrews: Sam Snead, Jack Nicklaus, Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods.
Trophy presentation
"It is a feat and an honor to be invited to those tournaments, and to win at Augusta and to win The Open Championship at St. Andrews ... it's hard to put into words. I'm not a great historian. I know the little things that probably most know. I do know that this is the birthplace of a great game and a place that has fantastic fans. The venue, for those who love the game, this needs to be on their bucket list."
Zach Johnson, after winning the Claret Jug on Monday
Around the course
Johnson had top-10s at the Open in recent years, but he didn't fare very well at St. Andrews in 2010, when he tied for 76th and finished 8 over par. His performance this time was 23 strokes better.
Spieth bogeyed the 17th hole three of the four rounds, including on Monday.
Oosthuizen has been runner-up in consecutive major championships, while Leishman played the final 36 holes in just 130 strokes.
Jordan Niebrugge won the Silver Medal as low amateur, and his score of 277 is the lowest ever by an amateur.
Ollie Schneiderjans at 279 also broke the previous amateur score of 281. He has turned pro and makes his debut this week at the Canadian Open.
Brandt Snedeker has pulled out of the Canadian Open with a hip injury. He missed the cut at The Open.
Spieth has confirmed his will defend his title at the Australian Open in November, a tournament victory that launched his current run to No. 2 in the world.
