
Justin and Jack at the Memorial Tournament
It is already Thursday this week and it would be easy to think that I have been lazy to not update the blog. Guess I have as I obviously should have written loads about Justin Rose winning at Muirfield Village and of course Matthew Southgate’s outstanding performance at the Home of Golf, in the St Andrews Links Trophy. Having said that you will have found the news elsewhere and as my aim is usually to provide more thoughts rather than news, perhaps this is not too late. Talking about news you need to check out Southgate’s blog as it is brilliant. Not sure how much of it he does himself (seems to be mostly George’s Mum that does the updating…) but in terms of keeping people up to date on what you are doing and raising your profile it is great.
I have actually had a busy start to the week as Stephen Burnett and I were out in Sweden to measure the course for this summer’s European Championship, Osteraker Golf Club. Just north-east of Stockholm Osteraker is the home club of PGA Tour winner Richard Johnson and they do, quite rightly, take great pride in this. Richard welcomes visitors and members on a big poster and this coming week he holds his own invitation with about 200 players over two days. The course could be an interesting test for the young amateurs in July but it needs for the rough to grow a bit. A bit of rain over Sweden will make it lush and tricky. We will see what the weather gods might have in stock!
Coming back to Rose his win in the Memorial Tournament must come as a great relief. Having been Europe’s no 1 a few years ago Justin has been through some tough times on the golf course and my guess is he now feels he has come out on the other side. Second to Justin and having led pretty much all the way was wonder boy Ricky Fowler. Ricky is a rookie on Tour this year who comes fresh off a very successful amateur career including two Walker Cup appearances. Looking at his resume it is easy to think that development is linear and almost guaranteed if you are good at a young age. If you look at Justin on the other hand you quickly realise that is not the case for everyone. After his fairytale Open at Birkdale he lined up the missed cuts and with the personal difficulties he went through when his dad passed away to add to that not many had been surprised if that had been the last we saw of Justin Rose. Talent though, equals ability AND desire and as Justin has both he now is where he is and where he belongs. We could be facing a really interesting week at St Andrews in July!