Of course Tiger Woods is the big story of the U.S. Open. His life has been a modern-day Greek tragedy and if he wins this weekend it would be a real tear jerker. But I don’t need to sing his praises. Everybody else is doing that.
The guy I want to spotlight is Hunter Hamrick.
Who?
Hunter Hamrick. He beat the Tiger by three strokes in yesterday’s round. In fact, he beat everybody.
On a day when the world’s reigning Number One shot 72 and missed the cut, Hunter shot 67. But nobody noticed. The media was abuzz over another youngster, Beau Hossler, who shot 73. That’s because Hunter’s first round score was 77, and shooting the lowest round on Friday still left him tied for 18th – looking at the rear ends of 27 other golfers. Beau shot 70-73 to share ninth place – with such luminaries as Hunter Mahan, Matt Kuchar and Jason Duffner.
You’ve probably heard of Beau. He’s an up-and-coming 17-year-old who has a famous coach. But I hadn’t heard a word about Hunter Hamrick (photo above).
So I looked him up on the web, and learned that he’s from Montgomery, Alabama, and captained the Crimson Tide golf team. According to his USGA player profile, he is 22-years old, stands 5 ft. 9 in. and weighs 155 pounds. The player profile says he turned pro this year, but he is listed as an amateur in today’s scores.
Anyway, I don’t know about you but I’m impressed when a kid that age – and that size – shoots 67 on a course that sent Luke Donald packing, a course that left Bubba Watson scratching his head, a course that beat up Phil Mickelson, Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson, Lee Westwood…
The U.S. Open is notorious for flash-in-the-pan performances, one-round wonders, who shine for a brief, glorious moment and then vanish. The USGA makes sure that golf lives up to its reputation of being a game of skill and luck. The courses they choose and the way they set them up are – to put it kindly – quirky.
So Hunter’s 67 could just be one of those quirky things.
I don’t think he will beat Tiger today or tomorrow. He might not even break 80 on either day. But he did have this great round. And somebody should take note of it.
Way to go Hunter! Fairways and greens!
There is an old Yiddish (I believe) saying,that say’s “The masses are asses”. When the middle and poorer classes vote for a party thats completely and obviously for the rich…ahh.. make that the very rich, then one can only conclude that the saying is true. Too bad,but, as they say in the Canadian army,’Them’s the breaks’. There is a letter in yesterday’s Free Press, London, ont. Canada, written by a refugee from Afghanistan, stating how happy she is to be accepted into Canada. I wish I had the space to print it, but the gist of the letter is how wonderfull she has found Canada and how greatfull she is to be here. She is a grade 6 student. We still do some things right. Billy G.
President Obama is beginning to act like most Democratics, who takes Black Americans for granted. If he does not start addressing Black issues the way he addresses Hispanic and Gay issues, I will not vote for him again.
Yeah, let’s not vote for Obama again–YOU THINK THINGS ARE BAD NOW!!! Apparently some people don’t get the seriousness of what you are saying George!.
And I won’t be voting for Big Oil either, George! It is sad that so many Americans are duped by the lies and underhanded tactics of the Republicans. My vote always will be for liberal Democrats. Always! And Janice, President Obama is criticized by the gays for not doing enough for them, too, and by the Hispanics. As a teacher (with beautiful white, black and Hispanic students), I know that President Obama, just by having been elected, gave much to black children. They say his name the way they say Dr. King’s name. With almost whispered reverence. He is a shining light to them, a symbol of what can be. He and Michelle and their little daughters spend day after day engaged in encouraging and lifting the spirits and hopes of black children. These children’s futures are at risk every day. And our president knows it. He worked as hard as I’ve ever seen anyone work to pass health care reform, and as we know, many black children are among the uninsured. He talks to children in almost every speech about the importance of education and responsibility. He faces some of the most complex issues our country has ever faced and still speaks with profound compassion, understanding and commitment to the needs of all Americans. Your comment is odd to me because so many whites say just the opposite. I don’t know what particular issues you have in mind, but do you really think that if you vote against President Obama (or stay home and not vote) that the next president will address “Black issues.” We all need to support and embrace the work our president is doing and the effort he is making on behalf of the vulnerable, the powerless, and the poorest among us.
Blacks do better under Republicans just like Jamaicans do better under JLP. White liberals are paternalistic towards Black people. You can’t deny that. I vote independantly – always!
Thank you Sandra, you say so beautifully what SOME of us know but can’t put into words as well as you can. Obviously some people cannot see or hear for whatever reason.