US Women's Open Takeaways

Wanted to get in some quick thoughts on the week that was since I didn't make any entries while revamping thegolfnewsnet.com.

This setup at Pine Needles is exactly what should happen at every USGA Open championship. The winning score was a very modest -5. The rough was punishing and penal, but not impossible to advance the ball. The chipping and collection areas were almost an automatic half shot over par to the field, but a player could recover with an excellent shot. The greens were fast and very challenging, but also receptive to a good shot. The fairways were tight but not so thin as to invalidate the USGA mantra of fairways and greens to win titles.

In essence, a great golfer could play her game and post a great round. But, if she consistently made mistakes, she would pay for them in over par scores. You saw both in the final group on Sunday. Cristie Kerr played a great round of golf to come in at -1 (70) and post the winning number. She was clutch with the flat stick and around the greens. Two putts were her friend and she executed. Also, she put the ball in the fairway to set up fairly simple approach shots. She played ABC golf and it won her a title because it placed pressure on Lorena Ochoa to play even more aggressively than she usually does.

Lorena, for her part, did not lose this championship. She posted a reasonably good round of golf all things considered. Should she have won on paper? Certainly. But, she was outplayed by Kerr. And then Ochoa's combined mechanics and decision making cost her chances to try to catch up to Kerr. The course punished her and did not give her a chance to win.

It was great theater. Kerr's win represented coming full circle in a variety of changes to her life, both professionally and personally. Yes, she still has a reputation in the media as being inaccessible, cold, etc. I personally have no experience with her. But, considering what I know of her background and story, this is a well-deserved win. I hope it will cause her to continue to open up to the media and fans in much the same way Annika had when she realized the magnitude of her achievements.