Ian Poulter (L) of Britain, Rory McIlroy (C) and Graeme McDowell both of Northern Ireland walk up the 11th fairway during a practice round for the U.S. Open Golf Championship in Pebble Beach, California, June 16, 2010.HANS DERYK/Reuters
It has been 40 years since a European golfer won the U.S. Open.
"A coincidence," Padraig Harrington of Ireland said this week.
Lee Westwood of England agreed: "Coincidence."
There have been U.S. Open champions from Australia, Argentina, South Africa and New Zealand since 1970 but none from Europe, despite several near misses by golfers from Britain. Relatively obscure golfers (Steve Jones) have won the U.S. Open in the past 40 years, as have some of the best known golfers of two generations (Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson and Tiger Woods).
But strange things happen in international sports, so in a month when the United States tied England in a World Cup soccer match, is a European golfer going to break through at the U.S. national golf championship?
"We've got a record number of competitors in the field," Westwood said with a small smile, speaking of the more than 35 European golfers who qualified in the field of 156. "That seems like a pretty good percentage to have a decent chance."
Tony Jacklin of England was the last European to win the event with a seven-stroke victory at Hazeltine Golf Club in Minnesota in 1970.
The European drought since is so long, it seems to have passed the notice of many players regardless of their birthplace. Harrington at first thought the winless streak was shorter. South African Ernie Els, a two-time U.S. Open champion, also seemed perplexed.
"Really? That long?" he said.
The Italian brothers Edoardo and Francesco Molinari appeared to know nothing of the string. They could be forgiven; they are in their 20s.
Briton Ian Poulter, however, knew of the statistics and the timeline. Noting that four Englishmen are ranked in the world's top 10 - Westwood is third, Luke Donald is sixth and Paul Casey is ninth - Poulter, the world's eighth-ranked golfer, told Reuters on Monday: "If you're a betting man, your chances now are better than ever before."
The always genial Harrington was the most dismissive of the slump, especially toward any inference that European golfers have somehow stumbled at the U.S. Open. He used the word "coincidence" repeatedly.
"That's all it is, there's nothing more to it," said Harrington, who will be playing in his 13th U.S. Open and who has twice won the British Open and also won the PGA Championship. "The U.S. Open is no tougher a major to win. I don't read anything into it. If Europeans had won the last 39 U.S. Opens, would it be that Europeans are going to win this week? No. It's the best player going out this week, regardless of where he's from.
"European players, and more so nowadays, we are playing all around the world and very familiar with all conditions, so it's not like a lot of us are coming over here and thinking that these golf courses don't suit us."
Harrington paused and concluded: "There are a lot of good European players and one of them is going to win a U.S. Open pretty soon."
Westwood, who has finished in the top three at each of the last three major golf championships, recounted some relevant U.S. Open history during the past 40 years.
"Faldo has had a couple of good chances to win the U.S. Open and Monty has had a couple of decent chances," Westwood said, referring to Nick Faldo of England and Colin Montgomerie of Scotland. "I did, too, at Torrey Pines."
Westwood finished third at the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines won by Woods in a playoff with Rocco Mediate.
"I'm sure there are more European players that have gotten close that I've forgotten," Westwood said. "But we have not finished it off and if you don't finish it off, you don't deserve to win. We have not played well enough."
Faldo lost the U.S. Open in a playoff to Curtis Strange in 1988. Ian Woosnam of Wales lost by one stroke, also to Strange, one year later. Miguel Angel Jimenez was a distant second to Woods at the 2000 tournament. Montgomerie lost in a playoff to Els in 1994 and was second to Els by one stroke in 1997. Montgomerie was also one stroke out of first place in the 2006 event won by Geoff Ogilvy.
"There was a time when some of the European players did not play our tour in great numbers," Phil Mickelson said when asked about the 40 years without a European champion. "Maybe then the U.S. Open was more of an event that seemed unfamiliar. But that's not the case any longer. The golf world has shrunk in that regard."
Mickelson shrugged his shoulders as if to say he did not have another explanation. And he did not offer one.
"Pure coincidence," Harrington said once again. "That's what it is at this stage."
Westwood added: "I think it is coincidence."
So it is a matter of timing. Later, Westwood, a devoted soccer fan, was asked about the 1-1 tie between England and the United States last weekend.
"Did you see the U.S. goal?" he was asked.
Westwood answered: "Did I? Sorry, can't hear you."
Asked again if he saw the goal, Westwood deadpanned: "Yeah, I saw the goal. What's your point?"
New York Times News Service