THEOPENROYAL ST GEORGE // 10-17 JULY 2011

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There has been much talk of a new world order in

golf since Tiger Woods’ private life became mired

in controversy and his game fell off a cliff, and a

fair chunk of it has focused on the shift away

from the US as the centre of the golfing universe.

Going into the US Open at Congressional, all four major

championship trophies were in the hands of what our friends

across the Atlantic might refer to as ‘international players’.

Then, added to the success of South African Charl Schwartzel

at Augusta this year, and the Grand Slam victories of 2010

earned by his fellow European Tour members Graeme McDow-

ell (US Open), Louis Oosthuizen (Open Championship) and

Martin Kaymer (USPGA Championship, the bragging rights as

the world’s top-ranked player have variously belonged to Euro-

peans: Lee Westwood, Kaymer and Luke Donald.

But it is not only a geographical shift that’s getting commen-

tators excited (or as the case may be across the pond, wringing

their hands), there is a generational aspect to consider, too.

Kaymer, the seemingly consumate heir to Bernhard Langer,

came out of the pack to claim his first major title at Whistling

Straits aged just 25, while Schwartzel was only 26 when Phil

Mickelson helped him into a green jacket. To get there he’d

cruised passed 54-hole leader Rory McIlroy (22) before holding

off the strong finishes of, among others, Australian Jason Day

(23). Kaymer or Schwartzel were both established winners of

European Tour events by the time they made their career-

changing breakthroughs.

Seasoned observers have put forward the theory that the

young players now appearing at the business end of leader-

boards around the world have broken into the elite level in the

‘post-Tiger’ era. Unlike the preceding generation that included

Ernie Els, they have not been scarred.

It should be pointed out Tiger has been 0 for 10 in the ma-

jors before now (2002-2005) and subsequently bounced back

to win five of the 14 in his collection to date. Whatever your

thoughts on whether Tiger will reach his goal of overtaking

Jack Nicklaus, or even get a single major closer to it, the argu-

ment for the untrammeled potency of today’s best youngsters

is gaining momentum.

While Tom Morris Jnr’s record as the youngest-ever Open

champion (17 years, 5 months and 3 days in 1868) will not be

in danger this year at Royal St George’s, it is conceivable that

the places directly below him in the record books (Willie

Auchterlonie – 21 years, 24 days in 1893) and Severiano Balles-

teros – 22 years, 3 months and 12 days in 1979) will need revi-

sion come Sunday July 17.

There are now so many accomplished golfers in their 20s

who could feasibly win at Sandwich that for the purposes of

this assessment we have restricted our runners to players aged

25 or under who have yet to win a major. There are more in

with a shout than you might think. In the first Open Champi-

onship after the death of Seve, who first emerged as a dashing

19-year-old challenger at Royal Birkdale 35 years ago, how ap-

propriate it would be if we got to witness the emergence of an-

other bright young star on the greatest stage of them all.

MATTEO MANASSERO, 18The Italian who is being hailed as the heir to Ballesteros will

still be only 18 when he tees it up in his second Open Champi-

onship at Royal St George’s. In 2009, Manassero qualified for

Turnberry by being the youngest-ever winner of the Amateur

Championship, beating England’s Sam Hutsby in the final at

Formby, having led the strokeplay qualifiers and set a course

record over the arguably even more demanding links at neigh-

bouring West Lancs.

In Ayrshire a month later, he partnered Tom Watson in the

first two rounds of, drawing praise from the five-time cham-

pion (and leader for most of the tournament) for the quality of

his play and clarity of his thinking. “When he was playing with

me in the Open, he didn’t make very many mistakes at all in

the 36 holes. He was very, very accurate,” Watson said. “He has

FEATURE THE HOT SHOTS

GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM JULY 201198

Six of the world’sbest (and youngest)players:Top: Jason Day camevery close at Augusta;the future looks like ayes for NohMiddle: headgearapart, Rickie Fowlerlooks the real deal;Ryo is no longer raw;Matteo Manassero isalready a multi-winnerin EuropeBottom: Surely glorybeckons for Rory, eventhough it’s only twowins to date

YOUNGWe seem to be enteringthe post-Woods era,with a host of youngplayers who have neversuffered the scars ofbeing mauled by Tigermaking the headlines.As Dan Davies reflects, it would be fitting if, as the gamecomes to terms with theloss of Seve Ballesteros,one of these young lionswere to win the Open

LIONS

JULY 2011 GOLFINTERNATIONALMAG.COM 99

THEOPENROYAL ST GEORGE’S // 10-17 JULY 2011

FEATURE THE HOT SHOTS

100

a very efficient golf swing, his positions are very good and he

plays uncomplicated golf – it’s pretty simple.”

At the prize-giving ceremony, where Manassero was pre-

sented with the silver medal for finishing as low amateur (he

tied for 13th), Watson whispered to him that he would be back

one day, only next time to collect the claret jug. The two played

a practice round together ahead of the 2010 Masters, in which

Manassero set another record as the youngest player to make

the cut and the leading amateur.

Back on linksland, and with two European Tour titles under

his belt, including this year’s Malaysian Open where he held off

the challenge of Rory McIlroy, the precocious talent from

Verona will not be afraid of anyone. He might have wilted in

the final round of the BMW Championship at Wentworth, but

he again served notice of his credentials. He might be short off

the tee but he’s accurate, a shot-maker and can call on a mer-

curial short game. His idol Seve would surely approve

Verdict: A genuine contender

RYO ISHIKAWA, 19The Japanese teenager nicknamed ‘The Bashful Prince’ by an

army of adoring fans at home can point to an impressive cur-

riculum vitae: he won his first Japanese Tour event as a 15-

year-old amateur, becoming the youngest ever player to do so,

and has subsequently claimed another eight domestic titles.

He became the youngest player to be ranked in the top-100

and top-50 in the world, before in May 2010 rewriting the

record books with a final round of 58, 12 under par, to claim

the Crowns Tournament in Nagoya. It was the lowest ever 18-

hole score recorded on one of the major tours and enabled the

youngster to overturn a six-shot deficit and win by five.

“It’s absolutely unbelievable,” said Ishikawa afterwards. “I

don’t know where all those birdies came from.”

His record in the majors, however, is less formidable. At the

time of writing, Ishikawa had competed in eight Grand Slams,

recording a highest finish of tied 20th at this year’s Masters.

His best result in the Open Championship is a tie for 27th at St

Andrews in 2010.

He has also been suffering a dip in form this year, missing

consecutive missed cuts in Japan for the first time since his

rookie season in 2008.

“I don’t think I need to make adjustments to my ball strik-

ing, but I definitely have to improve my short game, especially

putting,” Ishikawa said after shooting rounds of 83 and 77 at

the Japan Golf Tour Championship in May. “Things were going

well for me since I turned pro, but I have to accept these two

weeks of devastating results and practice harder.”

Verdict: Needs more experience outside Japan

NOH SEUNG-YUL, 20Like Seve, the young Korean grew up hitting balls on the beach

near his home, although in Noh’s case it was the sands of

Seoul. As a schoolboy. Noh would head out at 4.30 am in order

to get his practice in before school.

Although he will have only recently turned 20 when he

makes his second appearance at the Open (he missed the cut

last year at St Andrews), this is anything but a greenhorn. Noh

turned pro in 2007 and made his debut in a European Tour

event the following year aged just 16 (finishing 8th in China).

The 2010 season was a memorable one, including a victory

in the co-sanctioned Malaysian Open in Kuala Lumpur where

the 18-year-old resisted the challenge of his hero, K.J. Choi,

completing an audacious up and down for a title-clinching

birdie on the 72nd hole. “K.J. has been a role model for me,”

said Noh afterwards. “He has given me a lot of advice and that

will help me on the world stage.”

Victory made him the second youngest winner at the time

on the European Tour and he went on to finish the year as

leader of the Asian Tour money list. The teenager also com-

peted in three major championships in 2010, making the cut in

the US Open at Pebble Beach and again in the USPGA, where he

finished a creditable 28th.

It remains to be seen whether Choi’s advice will pay divi-

dends, although Noh’s strong mental outlook, which he puts

down to meditation allied to a relish for hard work, suggests it

should. His form this year might have been less spectacular

but do not be surprised if Noh’s name appears on the leader-

boards at some point at Sandwich – he is particularly strong

from 100 yards in and appears to relish the big stage.

Verdict: A potential successor to K.J. Choi

RORY McILROY, 22Put aside his Sunday subsidence at Augusta for one moment,

and reflect instead on the fact the lad from Holywood has al-

ready been there at the sharp end of a handful of major cham-

pionships. He while he might not yet win with a frequency that

does justice to his precocious talent (chiefly because he does

not seem to hole enough important putts), McIlroy is now es-

tablished in the game’s top echelon.

There is no doubt either that he can go low on the links.

Ryo Ishikawa has a record-breaking career but likemany top Japanese golfersbefore him, he has found ithard to translate form athome into achievementabroad

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Anyone who has played the mighty Dunluce Course at Royal

Portrush will surely shake their heads after finding in the club-

house McIlory’s framed card for a course record of 61. The

opening 63 he fired on the Old Course 12 months ago, allied to

impressive records in amateur golf and the Alfred Dunhill

Links, mean he will merit his place as one of the favourites to

lift the claret jug.

Having twice shot big scores when handily placed (he fol-

lowed his 63 with an 80 at St Andrews last year before recover-

ing to finish third), much will depend on how he responds to

pressure. Sceptics who worry he might be the next Sergio Gar-

cia will also be watching how his putter behaves

McIlroy’s Ryder Cup captain, Colin Montgomerie, is one of

the believers. “I have never seen anyone come through the ball

as well as Rory. He strikes the ball better than anyone,” says

the Scot. “Sometimes you stand on the range and you hear

someone behind you striking the ball with a crispness that

sounds different to the rest. It used to be Tom Watson. Rory

hits the ball better tee to green at 21 than Tiger did. Tiger was

a better putter, though.”

Verdict: If he putts well, he has the game to beat anyone

RICKIE FOWLER, 22He’s got the teeth, he’s got the hair and he’s got the talent. He’s

even got the final-day outfit (all orange). Yet as a professional,

the Californian youngster has still to know what it is to hoist

aloft silverware come Sunday. Fowler’s controversial award of

last season’s PGA Tour Rookie of the Year title, ahead of Rory

McIlroy, who won in spectacular fash-

ion, indicates how heavy the expecta-

tion of American golf hangs.

While a debut victory has eluded

him, his clutch of runner’s-up spots

do not tell the whole story. Eye-catch-

ing performances in the singles at the

last Ryder Cup and in the three

rounds following his opening 79 a

year ago at St Andrews – 67, 71, 67,

to finish in a tie for 14th – indicate

Fowler has guts. Plus, he should have

fond memories of links golf having

been a star of the US Walker Cup

team of 2007 that triumphed at the

majestic Royal County Down.

A former top-ranked amateur

player in the world, and with multi-

million dollar professional contracts in place, the only thing

the pin-up boy now lacks is substance. To acquire it, he must

improve around the greens and find an extra gear to go lower

in the latter stages of a tournament. Despite his improvement

last year on the Old Course, Fowler is not a fast a finisher.

Trying to explain his mediocre start to the season at he Me-

morial recently, Fowler confessed: “I’ve been a lot more consis-

tent this year playing-wise, making cuts and stuff like that. But

overall, my ball-striking has been a little bit weaker than it was

last year. That’s what kind of held me back.” That said, he still

makes an awful lot of birdies, and whatever the weather at St

George’s, that can never hurt.

Verdict: Jury still out

JASON DAY, 23The highly regarded young Australian was doing a perfectly

good job of earning his stripes on the PGA Tour before setting

off in pursuit of the leaders during the back nine of this year’s

Masters tournament. But five birdies in the last 10 holes, in-

cluding two threes to finish, suddenly elevated Day alongside

those listed here as a ‘Next Big Thing’. That he didn’t get to be-

come the first Australian to wear the green jacket was down to

Mr Schwartzel.

Decorated as an amateur, Day set records on the Nationwide

Tour before qualifying to play at a level many confidently pre-

dicted he’s be comfortable with. In 2010, despite a faltering

finish he won the HP Byron Nelson Championship, becoming –

at 22 years, 6 months and 11 days – the youngest winner since

Tiger Woods in 1997. Day finished the season eighth in FedEx

Cup standings.

A clutch of recent top-10s suggest Day is ready for more of

what he tasted at Augusta. Much of this can be put down to

the fact he has recognised what is required to translate prom-

ise into performance.

“[When] everyone is telling you you’re the best… it’s easy to

slack off. I never grew up with anything. I was very poor grow-

ing up, and to have a couple of dollars under my belt kinda

eased the tension, and with that I didn't work hard. I’ve been

working very hard, and it's starting to pay off.”

If April is anything to go by, do not expect Day to back off if

he gets a sniff. He has the all-round game and he’s as tenacious

as you’d expect an Aussie sportsman to be.

Verdict: Two top-10s in majors already, so why not?

“He’s got the teeth, he’sgot the hair and he’s gotthe talent.” Yes, it’s RickieFowler. What he hasn’t yetgot are trophies to go withthe appearance, but atRoyal St George’s thisJuly, he might well be oneof the main men in the mix

A possible final-day pairingat Sandwich? Fowler andMcIlroy are among thebrightest lights in the game,albeit for now at least, a taddeficient on the victory front

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