Thursday, July 26, 2007 Chiongbian: Garcia chokes big time at the British Open By Edgar R. Chiongbian Teetime
AND the winner is… Padraig Harrington! The first Irishman to win the British Open in 60 years and the first European golfer to win a PGA major in eight years; coincidentally at the Carnoustie golf course. It was also at the the Open that Frenchman Jean Van de Velde had an unforgettable and disastrous display on how to lose a major golf tournament with a three-stroke lead at the 18th hole.
I really thought this time Andres Romero would win and make it a two-in-a-row for the Argentineans, with Angel Cabrera’s winning the US Open. Ahead with two strokes at 9 under, two holes to go, he did a poor imitation of Van de Velde, making a double and a bogey to go down to 6 under.
It was like déjà vu watching Harrington play the 18th hole; hitting the water twice. Eight years ago Van de Velde did the same, putting his ball in the water twice on the 18th hole and made a triple bogey 7 to lose to Paul Lawrie. Padraig was able to compose himself with an up and down for a double bogey and finished a stroke behind Garcia.
But Garcia decided to play safe, laying-up short of the Barry Burn canal and then missed the 10-foot winning putt. Garcia would later say that Harrington won the open rather than him losing it. C’mon man, we saw what happened. With a three-shot lead going into the final round? Whether in Spanish or English, we know you choked and blew it!
There’s no choking at Cebu Country Club, with the best jungolf program in the country. This time, CCC jungolf chairman Jovi Neri brought in a top-notch golf pro Juvic Pagunsan and another local pro Marlon Dizon to mix it up with the CCC jungolfers and have a heads up one-on-one. The event not only drew jungolfers but also adults and a super senior dressed up incognito.
I met Juvic on the 10th tee house last Thursday and got the chance to chat with him a bit. If Jovi did not introduce me to him, I will never figure him as the top golfer that we read in the newspapers. He stands at 5 foot 5, has a small build and long hair and is humble, soft-spoken and very unassuming.
I asked Juvic a few questions about his background. He replied that his father was a golf pro so he discovered the game by affinity; he learned golf very early and was a jungolfer without a jungolf program; he practices 12 hours per day when not playing golf with five to six hours spent on the putting green.
Juvic said that he came to Cebu to support the jungolfers here because he believes CCC has the best jungolf program and these kids are the future of golf in our country.
REUNION. Last weekend, the Chiongbian clan had a grand scale reunion at the Maribago Blue waters with four generations being represented. Elena Young, representing the second generation, successfully and skillfully organized the reunion. Fellowship, abundant food servings, games, singing, dancing and drinking was at its finest.
And what would be a gathering without a raffle. Yes there was one but not the usual huge prizes as before but the problem was all the children, including the infants were included and they were winning IPOD’s. Who’s going to be using them? Of course the parents like Dindin and Steve Benitiz.
GOLF TIP. The average Filipino golfer has small hands, more specifically the women. So there is a strong tendency to use a strong right hand grip (the “V” of the right hand pointing to the right shoulders) to get more power. We also hold the club too much in the palm of the right hand.
As a result, the right hand rolls over the left hand through impact closing the clubface and the ball flies low, long and left. The clubface must be squared to the target line at impact to give the ball enough loft to carry the fringe, get on the green and roll like a putt.
To correct this, place the club more in the fingers of the right hand and weaken your grip so the “V” points to the chin.
The hands will remain passive, giving control of the stroke to the arms and shoulders, where it belongs.
