So, the U.S. Amateur Championship went down. Turns out, some chap from England named Jack Whaley decided it was high time we remembered that Americans don't corner the market on good golf. He ambled onto the scene, ranked a rather unremarkable 90th in the amateur pecking order, and promptly snagged the whole darn trophy. Just another Tuesday for the celestial golf committee, I guess.
Whaley was looking a bit wobbly after the first 18 holes, which, let's face it, is a feeling most of us recognize all too well. But then, he apparently had a sudden, stark realization that he was supposed to be good, and rattled off four holes in a row. Because steady play is for, well, amateurs. He then managed to coax a birdie putt into the hole on the 33rd to seal the deal. His old man was on the bag. Bless.
This whole kerfuffle also means he gets to swan around at some rather swanky tournaments. The Masters, the British Open, the U.S. Open. You know, just a casual little nudge to remind us that some folks actually get the golden ticket to golf's biggest shindigs, while we're still wrestling with breaking 100 without losing half our ball collection. Oh, and he's a former NAIA champion too. So, it turns out winning at the minor league level does count, but only if you then go and win the big one and get a shiny trophy that probably cost more than your first car.
Now, here's the real gut-punch: Whaley hails from England. The very same England that, you know, invented this whole ridiculous game. It's only the third time since 1911 an Englishman has managed to pull this off. So, hearty congratulations to England. Try not to gloat too much. We'll be over here, sifting through the highlights and pondering why our weekend rounds never quite manage to follow this script.