Tercer torneo del Grand Slam de golf (SPA-ENG)

Third Grand Slam golf tournament

Time passes very quickly, but it is not a matter of getting nostalgic, here we are to talk about sports so I will only say that yesterday the US Open began, the third major tournament that forms, together with the Augusta Master, the championship of the PGA and the British Open, the famous, prestigious and million-dollar Grand Slam of international golf.

This concept of four tournaments that stand out above the other tournaments organized by the PGA is, just like in tennis, the highlight of an entire tough season and grants the winners great prestige and a good amount of money.

Nowadays, they are not the best-paying tournaments since a tour called LIV has come out to compete, which has taken a good portion of the best players in the world, attracted by the enormous prizes that sometimes triple those awarded by the PGA and the addition that they only compete for three days and not the four that the golf players association usually does, more money and less work, who would not accept a proposal like that? It is surprising to see that a few have stayed on the PGA circuit, there is a lot of talk about history, tradition, and prestige, but there is also talk of money under the table and other prerogatives to retain some of the best players and in this way preserve, although somewhat diminished, the convening power of the oldest organization in world golf.

I don't know if it's worth the effort to argue about it, the truth is that these four events have so much history and tradition that many of those who participate exclusively in the tournaments organized by the LIV, leave that million-dollar circuit temporarily to come to compete in the Grand Slam, not all the money in the world is worth being a winner of any of them.

Among those participating in this 2024 edition of the US Open are the top 60 in the world ranking until the week before the start of the tournament, plus exemptions given to winners of other tournaments, former champions, winners of qualifying tournaments throughout the world, some guests and several amateurs who traditionally participate in this event, also for merits similar to those of the professionals.

The sum of all the participants reaches the extraordinary number of 156 players who began the activity on Thursday playing the first 18 holes. At the end of the second round today the cut is made, only the last two days will be left to play the 65 best and the ties in that position, the rest of the players who do not make the cut will return to their respective homes, probably somewhat frustrated.

This third Grand Slam tournament is traditionally the one that poses the greatest difficulties to players under normal conditions. It is played on very long courts with high and penal rough, such as this traditional number 2 at the Pinehurst Resort & Country Club. I am clarifying the condition. normal because the British Open is usually played on fields near the sea and if strong winds occur on tournament days, it can become torture for the players.

To illustrate what was mentioned about the difficulties, the US Open has been won over par on the course on several occasions, something quite rare in any other tournament organized by the PGA. I remember when in 2007 my compatriot Ángel Cabrera won this championship on the very long Oakmont court, his final score was +5, which was enough for him to win the title.

Among South American Latins we only have 4 representatives: the Colombian Nicolás Echavarría, the Mexicans Omar Morales and Santiago de la Fuente, and the Argentine Emiliano Grillo, here we must mention that both Mexicans play as amateurs since they lead the Latin America Amateur Championship (LAAC). Unfortunately, many others have been left out.

Of this small delegation of South Americans, the best positioned is Grillo, who after a round of 70 strokes (the par of the court) is in 16th place along with other competitors, 5 strokes behind the leaders, at that time the North American Patrick Cantlay and Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy, both with -5. Nico Echavarría is in 51st place with a score of 72, that is, +2 over par on the court, Omar Morales shares the 65th position with +3 and, finally, Santiago de la Fuente, after a very bad day, He is located in 142nd place with +8, he will have to make many birdies today to make the qualifying cut.

Scottie Scheffler, first in the world ranking and winner of 5 of the last 8 tournaments in which he participated, including the first major of the year, the Augusta Masters, is located in 34th place with +1 after a day where He must have struggled with a tendency to divert his shots to the left, in any case, we should not rule him out, we know his potential and the streak he is on that seems to never end.

The recent winner of the PGA Championship, Xander Schauffele, had a difficult day but he pulled through finishing on par and sharing the 16th position with Grillo and others.

We will see what happens today where the cut will occur and many, as I said at the beginning, will have to pack their suitcase, close their bag of clubs, and return to their homes to watch the definition on TV, in most cases with some disappointment.

I will keep you up to date with the news about this exciting tournament in one of the most difficult sports within the wide spectrum available to practice or simply enjoy.