One of the first things I did after Geoff Ogilvy captured the 2006 U.S. Open was to sprint down to the Winged Foot merchandise tent and purchase a handfull of commemorative 18th hole flags.
In the weeks following, Geoff very kindly signed the flags and in returning home to Australia later that year I presented three of them to good friends, handed one to the local professional at Bathurst Golf Club and I still have two in my possession.
Seven years later, I felt so proud in getting to shake Adam Scott’s hand when he entered the media centre at Augusta National in becoming the first Australian to win the Masters. What a moment in the history of Australian golf.
Adam Scott proudly sporting his Masters winning green jacket
My second attendance at the Masters had been in 1996 when I was ‘guilty’, and like so many others in the Augusta National media centre that final Sunday, of having written much of the story about Norman becoming the first Australian to win the Masters.
That was in the morning and well before Norman had teed-off and surely in leading by six shots with 18 holes to play Norman could not let slip victory.
So, the story was written and all we needed was Greg’s winning quotes.
Big mistake!
Now seven years on the itch to write the final round chapter of the 2020 U.S. Open is not as strong but then there’s no denying that with nine golfers teeing-up on Winged Foot sporting ‘Down Under’ passports the odds of a second straight Australian-born winner at Winged Foot would seem better than most other non-USA countries.
The nine Australians have each fully earned their place in the Winged Foot field.
Scott, and the highest world ranked at No. 12, captured this year’s Tiger Woods Genesis Invitational. The now 40-year old is among just a handful who teed-up in the 2006 U.S. Open finishing T21st. This week is also Scott’s 19th U.S. Open showing with a best finish of T4th in 2015.
Marc Leishman has to be in that class of ‘one of the best golfers not to win a major’ and with a best U.S. Open showing of T18th in 2016.
‘Leish’s’ best finish in the major was in the Monday finish to the 2015 Open Championship at St. Andrews when he lost out in a play-off to American Zach Johnson.
The Victorian captured a fifth PGA Tour title also earlier this year posting a last day 65 to deny Jon Rahm victory in the Farmers Insurance Open.
Jason Day is the second Australian major championship holder teeing-up on Winged Foot. Again, it was great being present at Whistling Straits when the Queenslander captured the 2015 PGA Championship by three strokes along the shores of Lake Michigan.
Two weeks later, and in his very next event, it was great to also shake Jason’s hand soon afte capturing the Barclays Championship.
Jason brilliantly kick-started his Majors career, and in just his third and fourth appearance at the game’s highest level, with brilliant back-to-back second place results at the 2011 Masters and then the 2011 U.S. Open. He was always going to win a major and he did that in 2015 but now, and much like Rory McIlroy, the big question remains when is Jason going to win a second.
Joining Scott, Leishman and Day will be:
- Lucas Herbert, winner of this year’s Omega Dubai Desert Classic
- Cameron Smith, winner of the Sony Hawaii Open
- Matt Jones, double Australian Open champion
- Scott Hend a 15-time tour winner
- Curtis Luck, qualified this week with a recent Korn Ferry Tour success
- Lukas Michel (amateur) – the current U.S. Mid-Amateur champ
Australians Teeing-Up At Winged Foot – Facts and Figures
Adam Scott
World ranking: 12
Last start: T25, BMW Championship
Best finish in 2020: 1st, Genesis Invitational (PGA Tour)
Best finish in US Open: T4 at Chambers Bay (2015)
Previous US Opens: 18
Past appearances at Winged Foot: 2006 US Open (T21)
Marc Leishman
World ranking: 22
Last start: T28, Tour Championship
Best finish in 2020: 1st, Farmers Insurance Open (PGA Tour)
Best finish in US Open: T18 at Oakmont Country Club (2016)
Previous US Opens: 8
Past appearances at Winged Foot: Nil
Jason Day
World ranking: 37
Last start: 64th, BMW Championship
Best finish in 2020: 4th, AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am
Best finish in US Open: 2nd at Congressional Country Club (2011)
Previous US Opens: 9
Past appearances at Winged Foot: Nil
Cameron Smith
World ranking: 50
Last start: T22, Tour Championship
Best finish in 2020: 1st, Sony Open (PGA Tour)
Best finish in US Open: T4 at Chambers Bay (2015)
Previous US Opens: 4
Past appearances at Winged Foot: Nil
Lucas Herbert
World ranking: 78
Last start: MC, US PGA Championship
Best finish in 2020: 1st, Omega Dubai Desert Classic (European Tour)
Best finish in US Open: MC at Shinnecock Hills (2018)
Previous US Opens: 1
Past appearances at Winged Foot: Nil
Matt Jones
Last start: 69th, The Northern Trust
Best finish in 2020: T5, AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am
Best finish in US Open: MC (2014, 2018 and 2019)
Previous US Opens: 4
Past appearances at Winged Foot: Nil
Scott Hend
World ranking: 340
Last start: MC, ISPS HANDA UK Championship (European Tour)
Best finish in 2020: T17, Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship (European Tour)
Best finish in US Open: T32 at Winged Foot (2006)
Previous US Opens: 3
Past appearances at Winged Foot: 2006 US Open (T32)
Curtis Luck
World ranking: 375
Last start: MC, Evans Scholars Invitational
Best finish in 2020: 1st, Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship (Korn Ferry Tour)
Previous US Opens: 0
Past appearances at Winged Foot: Nil
Lukas Michel (a)
World ranking: 1,407
Last start: 116th, US Amateur Championship
Best finish in 2020: 13th, Riversdale Cup
Previous US Opens: Nil
Past appearances at Winged Foot: Nil
