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For a number of reasons Sergio Garcia is huge news at this US Open. His every move is being analyzed... by golf fans and journalists alike... all anxious to see if his 2009 experience will be as vociferous as the one he had at Bethpage in 2002. Oceans of ink have been spilled on Sergio speculation, which may or may not be to your liking.
However, whether you're a fan or not, there is one Sergio story you shouldn't miss; It's Randall Mell's piece, "An Uneasy Return", for Golf Channel. In it Mr. Mell discusses the dichotomy of Sergio Garcia and perceptively points out that in many cases, the very features that make him endearing are those that make us loathe him.
Right now I'm waiting to see how the crowd reacts when play begins on Thursday. Thus far Sergio's attitude has been humble and response to him has been reserved. One gets the impression that everyone's trying to make this work. However it seems a fragile peace, and pens are undoubtedly poised to report any discord. There will be pressure leading up to that tee time, and Sergio will certainly feel it. How he'll respond is anyone's guess, but as Randall Mell points out, in order to prevail at Bethpage this year, Sergio will need to call upon every element of his famously defiant spirit.
(Photo by Kathy Kmonicek / June 16, 2009)
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ReplyDeleteI'd love to see Sergio win this time ...but it doesn't look like Tiger will let that happen. :)
ReplyDeleteRandall Mell has written so many great profiles. He finds the less obvious characteristics of the players we think we know so well.
ReplyDeletePretty good piece - though I am tired of these writers and broadcasters who excuse the bad behavior from the New York fans, yet condemn the player for reacting to them.
ReplyDeleteIf it had been one guy heckling Garcia in '02 for his interminable re-gripping, security would have dragged the offending fan off the course, but because there were hundreds of these swell people, they were just "good fans".
Nonsense. They were a rude, unruly mob.
Laugh at/with them if you want - even agree with their impatience, I know I did - but this is golf and that kind of behavior doesn't belong in the galleries.
Mr. Garcia's PR team has sure had to work overtime lately. There was the Augusta comments, then came the the worsening slump and missed cuts. To top it off, leading up to the US Open two stories to make headlines were the arrest of a major drug dealer and the crowning of a male prom queen... Both named Sergio Garcia.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree with Courtgolf. Well said.
ReplyDeleteCaption sugg: Tempestuous in a tee box.
Even though I am forced to agree with TXQ to do it, I agree with my man, court...
ReplyDeleteIn other sports, fans are far away from the competitors. In golf, you are so close you may tip their hat in your backswing. That proximity can be intimidating if you are aware of a few drunk hecklers within a few yards and could say or do anything in your back/forward swings...
But, N.Y. fans truly are the best sports fans. However, if they consider themselves true GOLF fans, they would not do it. Period.
Sergio's attitude surely does stink but boy what a golfer. I watched him on the range at last years Volvo Masters and he is undoubtedly one of the best ball strikers in the game. For this reason, I hope he wins a major soon.
ReplyDeleteAs for the fans, cheering and hollering is all well and good in between shots but some of the behavior the likes of Sergio and Monty in the past had to endure was disgusting. Lets hope the same does not happen this week.
There will always be a small percentage of lowbrow, loudmouthed fans in any sport, in any state.
ReplyDeleteBut I'd place New York near the bottom, class-wise. New York includes da Bronx and da Brooklyn, no?
Ever sit in the bleachers with your kids and have to hear dozens of drunk yahoos do what they think is funny or cool?
The bigger the city, the bigger the idiot. Look at the riots in L.A. after the Lakers won. Mindless.
I'd like to see Monte/Monty win one here just to rub it in their faces.