Foursome forecast: Open stories galore

Beyond Golf — 14 June 2015 by Bob Sherwin

ONE: Seven years have passed since Chambers Bay was awarded the 2015 U.S. Open. That was 2008 when the course was not even a year old. It has taken a lot of slow growing seasons and a multitude of course changes but this week begins the first Open in the Northwest, on the Puget Sound just south of Seattle. You know the players and there is no shortage of story lines. Can Phil Mickelson, who shot a final round 65 in Memphis (St. Jude Classic) Sunday, attain the career Grand Slam? Can Tiger finally be competitive? Can Rory recover his mojo? Can Jordan Spieth, just 21 years old, win his second major of the season? Will some unknown emerge, like a Michael Putnam, who lives within a short walk of the course? Will a European win it on the links-like course? How will the fine fescue grass hold up? Will it be a disaster or a delight? How will first-timer FOX1 cover golf?

TWO: Every game has been a battle, generally five-against-one (LeBron James is the one) in this NBA Finals series. Golden State, with Stephen Curry hitting about every shot he took down the stretch, took a 3-games-to-2 lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 5. Now the series heads back to Cleveland Tuesday for Game 6. Despite the momentum the Warriors have generated the past two games, it’s not over. This looks like a seven-game series and all three games in Oakland have been tight – two went to overtime. It’s still anyone’s trophy.

THREE: It doesn’t feel the same for the NHL series. This looks like the Chicago Blacks Hawks are on the verge of a championship. Game 6 of their series with Tampa Bay will be in Chicago Monday. It can be the first time since 1938 that the Black Hawks clinch the Stanley Cup on their home ice. They won a tough one Saturday in Tampa, 2-1, and should be hoisting the Cup long into Tuesday morning.

FOUR: The women’s World Cup of soccer, with the U.S. considered one of the favorites, continues Tuesday for the Americans int their third Group D game, against Nigeria. A tie or victory automatically moves the Americans into the next round. Even a lost can do it, depending of the results of other group games. Everything is looking good except the abominable artificial turf all the teams have to play on.

About Author

Bob Sherwin

Bob grew up in Cleveland, an underdog city with perennial underdog teams, and that gave him an appreciation and an affinity for the grinders in golf, guys such as Rocco Mediate, Jhonattan Vegas and star-crossed John Daly. This is the 53rd year for Bob as a sportswriter, the first 34 working for newspapers throughout the west, Tucson (Daily Star), San Francisco (Examiner) and Seattle (Times), and the past 19 years as a freelancer. He has covered just about every sport, including golf tournaments, Tucson Open, Bing Crosby/AT&T Pro-Am, the 1998 PGA Championship, the 2010 U.S. Senior Open, the 2010 U.S. Amateur the 2015 U.S. Open and the annual Champions Tour Boeing Classic. He also writes articles for Cascade Golfer Magazine and Destination Golfer. For most of his 20 years at the Seattle Times his primary beat was the Mariners. He then picked up Washington men's basketball in the winter. He also was the beat writer for the Sonics, including 1996 when they played the Bulls for the NBA title. After a lifetime hacking on public courses, he finally gave in and joined a country club in 2011, Aldarra near Seattle. Despite (or perhaps because) of his 14 handicap, he won the 'Super Senior'' (65 and older) championship in 2017. He has a pair of aces – 37 years apart – and in 2009 came agonizingly close to his ultimate golf goal of scoring in the 70s when he finished with an even 80. He lives in Seattle.