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カワナミゴルフスクールのアドバイザリースタッフであるJim　Fletcher氏
によるインターナショナルな話題を英文で皆様にお伝えします。

Final Hole Disasters at the US OPen

Geoff Ogilvie won the US Open at Winged Foot with a score of 5-over par, beating Phil Mickelson, Colin Montgomerie and Jim Furyk by a shot. Ogilvie may not be a household name in Japan, but he has already proven that he is a world class player having won the WGC Matchplay Championship earlier this year.

For a long time it looked as if the US Open would become an 18-hole playoff on the Monday, but for the following disasters on the final hole.

Jim Furyk was 5-over par playing the final hole. He finished with a bogey, to drop to 6-over par, by missing a 6 foot par-putt on the final green.

Colin Montgomerie was 4-over playing the final hole, and hit the perfect tee shot to the center of the 18th fairway. His approach shot with an 8-iron finished short in the right rough. With a difficult lie, he chipped onto the green but three-putted for a double bogey to finish at 6-over par.

Phil Mickelson, was also 4-over par standing on the final tee, and leading the tournament by a shot. All he needed was a par to win the US Open, or a bogey to force an 18-hole playoff. His tee shot went way right and bounced off the roof of a hospitality tent into the rough behind some trees. His next shot only advanced 25 yards after hitting a tree. His third shot found a plugged lie in the left greenside bunker. From the difficult lie in the bunker, he sent the ball over the green. Now Mickelson need to chip in to tie with Ogilvie. It was not to be and Ogilvie was crowned US Open Champion for 2006.

As you can see, even the top players in the world suffer from pressure when the stakes are highest. Everyone remembers the greatest disaster of all, that of Jean Van De Velde in the 1999 British Open at Carnoustie. But that is a story for another day!

それでは、皆さん次回にまたお会いしましょう！　See You next！