Q&A: TNT’s Jim Huber on ‘FOUR DAYS IN JULY’ (Tom Watson at 2009 Open)

TNT REPORTER AND ESSAYIST Jim Huber has penned his first golf book, FOUR DAYS IN JULY: Tom Watson, the 2009 Open Championship, and a Tournament for the Ages. Huber was at the ‘09 Open reporting for TNT, which included conducting on-camera interviews with Tom Watson as the 59-year-old golf legend came off the course. His first-person narrative of Watson’s age-defying romp at Turnberry is a delight.

I had the pleasure of meeting and talking to Jim a month ago at the U.S. Open. He has won the Edward R. Murrow Award for his sports writing and four Emmys for his sports reporting on Turner Sports and CNN. He recently answered my questions about FOUR DAYS IN JULY.

ARMCHAIR GOLF: You had the opportunity to cover this amazing story twice, first as it transpired in your broadcast role for TNT and then much later in book form. What were those two experiences like for you? How were they different?

JIM HUBER: The difference between covering the 2009 Open and then writing about it months later was enormous. Being there and part of it on a daily basis was its usual thrill but the impact of what was happening tended to get lost in the forest of immediacy. I was inundated by constant drama and so what Tom was doing was left for the late-evening suppers when we all gathered over fish and chips and put the pieces together. To spend the next year writing about it was a completely different exercise. I knew the outcome, knew the importance of what was happening, and so my job was to try and create a bit of theatrics, to give the story edges and corners and the chance for the reader to go “Oh, I had completely forgotten about that!” or “Geez, I didn’t know that!”

ARMCHAIR GOLF: Given the huge disappointment for the masses rooting for Tom Watson, it seemed like there couldn’t be a nicer “bad guy” than Stewart Cink. What struck you about Cink’s role in this tragedy and how Cink handled it?

JIM HUBER: Cink’s role was a curious one. He was the villain to the fans, for sure, and even to some of the writers and broadcasters who had not-so-silently cried out for the chance to document history. He handled it remarkably well, much better than most, I figure. He realized he was not going to be the lead in this drama and accepted that along with the Claret Jug with grace and a very genuine smile.

ARMCHAIR GOLF: Through writing the book, what did you learn about Watson and Cink that you didn’t already know? Any surprises?

JIM HUBER: My history with Tom Watson was not a good one, quite frankly. We were never adversaries; he was simply always very cool toward me, eager to stare me down and silently admonish me for any questions he deemed silly or unworthy of him. I discovered, in writing the book, that there was a warmth there I had never seen or felt. It was mixed with equal parts pride and I just had never allowed myself—or he had never allowed me—to find that side. Cink, on the other hand, had always been warm and hospitable, generous with his time and thoughts, even when he knew the book would center around Tom and not him.

ARMCHAIR GOLF: The book does a great job of covering Watson’s longevity and ability to be competitive at nearly 60. Of all the factors, did anything stand out for you?

JIM HUBER: One of the qualities about Tom Watson—indeed about any competitor that age—was the ability to handle the enormous pressure, to simply put it aside and concentrate on the job at hand. He told me later that it wasn’t the physical ailments over the years that took the greatest toll but instead the fire inside. I had never given that much thought. He told me he wasn’t tired outside but surely was inside. Somehow, though, he overcame that until, perhaps, the putt on the 72nd hole at Turnberry when a tired Tom Watson lost a bit of focus for the first time all week and allowed that shove to return to his putting stroke.

ARMCHAIR GOLF: I really enjoyed the observations and perspective of Watson’s caddie, Neil Oxman. Did you know Oxman before the book, and how did his input help you shape the story?

JIM HUBER: I didn’t know Neil Oxman before I began writing the book. I was told he was a great guy, advised to take advantage of his intelligence and bravado. I had no idea, however, what an enormous role he would play in the compilation of the scenario. He took great delight, it seemed, in re-creation, to the point of even sending me his precious Turnberry yardage book. I had to immediately call him for a translation, for it was impossible for the average man to read or figure out, but he seemed to invest a lot of himself in the book and when I sent him a copy, he said he cried—and then ordered 40 for his clients from the political consultancy.

ARMCHAIR GOLF: Do you think we’ll see something like this again, whether from Watson or someone else?

JIM HUBER: I don’t know that we will ever see a tournament quite like this one again, with all of its inherent drama and excitement. I do think, however, someone of Watson’s age might come along and make the same kind of incredible statement—that age really doesn’t play that much of a role, especially along those grounds and in that particular tournament. We had Greg Norman in ’08 and then Watson a year later. I wouldn’t put it past a guy like Tom Lehman or Nick Price to make that kind of magic in the next few years. Guys are staying in better shape, both physically and mentally, and the Open Championship offers a vastly different avenue for those willing to invest themselves in it.

−The Armchair Golfer

‘Feherty’ Premiere Sets Golf Channel Record

FEHERTY, HOSTED BY GOLF commentator and wiseacre David Feherty, debuted on Monday as the most-watched series premiere in the history of Golf Channel. The opening episode featured an interview with Hall of Famer Lee Trevino. I caught a bit of the replay last night. Trevino and Feherty are funny squared. Can you imagine having a cold one with those two characters?

The 12-part interview series continues on Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET with actor Don Cheadle. Episodes with NBA Hall of Famer and hoops analyst Charles Barkley and golf legend Tom Watson are also coming soon.

Feherty’s self-deprecating humor is legendary, but the Northern Ireland native who is now a naturalized U.S. citizen could golf his ball. Feherty won five times on the European Tour and had three top tens in majors. His best finish in a major was a tie for fourth at the 1994 British Open. He also played on Europe’s Ryder Cup team in 1991.

Until he discovered his golf ability, Feherty wanted to be an opera singer. “I was always interested in music from a very early age,” he told Golf Channel. “But when I turned pro at age 17, I haven’t sung a note since. Now, I only sing to punish my children.”

Feherty retired from the tour in 1997 when CBS offered him a job as golf commentator. “I always enjoyed talking more than playing,” he said.

−The Armchair Golfer

(Photo: Courtesy of Golf Channel)

Condoleezza Rice Tees Off in Birmingham

FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE Condoleezza Rice wasted no time on the first tee at Shoal Creek during the pro-am at the Regions Tradition, the year’s first major on the Champions Tour. Forgoing a practice swing, Rice teed the ball and smacked it outside of the ropes. And off she went with Hall of Famer Tom Watson and her other playing partners.

Jon Solomon of The Birmingham News reported that Rice “looked nervous early.” Nervous or not, Rice appeared at times to be as serious and resolute about her golf game as she was about shaping the foreign policy of the George W. Bush administration.

Rice ignored Watson’s suggestion to tee off closer on the 2nd hole, later saying it’s harder to get the ball as high in the air from the shorter tees. She is her own person, off and on the golf course.

“I know at Stanford we used logic,” Rice said to Watson, a Stanford alum. “Today we’re going to use brute strength.”

It was the Birmingham native’s second pro-am at a golf course where she would not have been welcomed two decades ago. Rice became a Shoal Creek member in 2009. On Wednesday she marveled that the girl who couldn’t enter a Birmingham movie theater later became secretary of state.

Rice caught the golf bug in 2005 while vacationing in Atlanta. She likes to keep track of fairways hit, number of shots to the green and total putts to analyze how she can improve her scores.

On the 3rd hole, Rice took Watson’s advice to hit from the front tees. “It’s about time,” Tom kidded. The Shoal Creek member sent her drive right down the middle.

−The Armchair Golfer

(Photo credit: NewsOne.com)

Tom Watson Demonstrates Bobby Locke Putting Grip

SOUTH AFRICAN GOLF GREAT Bobby Locke was born on this day in 1917.* As Tom Watson says in the above video clip, many players thought Locke was the best putter of all time. Locke’s artistry on the greens helped him to become one of the greatest players of his day, winning the British Open four times from 1949 to 1957.

After playing exhibition matches with Locke in South Africa, Sam Snead suggested Locke come to America. Sam later said his fellow pros chided him because Locke was so proficient at collecting money from American tournament purses. Locke won 15 times on the PGA Tour and was victorious in nine South African Opens over a 20-year span. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1977.

Watson offers a few more tips on the putting grip (including the reverse overlap grip), as well as pointers on putting setup. Then he sinks a slippery 30 footer. Bobby Locke would be proud.

−The Armchair Golfer

*Today in Golf History is a daily feature of USGA.org (United States Golf Association).

‘Miracle at Merion’ and Other Titles

A HEADS UP ABOUT two recently published golf books and a popular instructional DVD that’s been out since April. (Note: These are not reviews.)

Miracle at Merion: The Inspiring Story of Ben Hogan’s Amazing Comeback and Victory at the 1950 U.S. Open
By David Barrett
Description from Amazon: Legendary sportswriter Red Smith characterized Ben Hogan’s comeback from a near-fatal automobile crash in February 1949 as “the most remarkable feat in the history of sports.” Nearly sixty years later, that statement still rings true. The crowning moment of Hogan’s comeback was his dramatic victory in the 1950 U.S. Open at Merion Golf Club near Philadelphia, where his battered legs could barely carry him on the 36-hole final day. Miracle at Merion tells the stirring story of Hogan’s triumph over adversity—the rarely-performed surgery that saved his life, the months of rehabilitation when he couldn’t even hit a golf ball, his stunning return to competition at the Los Angeles Open, and, finally, the U.S. Open triumph that returned him to the pinnacle of the game.

Opur’s Blade (Novel)
By James Ross
Description from Amazon: After the first ball is struck on the driving range, head pro J Dub Schroeder realizes that he has a child prodigy in his midst. Soon thereafter the pro shop regulars assign a nickname to the teenager. To the locals the lad becomes known as Opur because of his propensity to sink putts with an old, worn-out putter that was gathering dust in the lost-and-found barrel.

Tom Watson Lessons of a Lifetime (DVD)
(A two DVD instruction set and 16-page booklet.)
Description from WorldGolf.com: The two-DVD set’s approximately three hours of content provides the ultimate Tom Watson learning experience, covering all facets of the game—from the grip to full shots, to chipping, confident putting and effortless-looking drives, plus specialty shots including those required in strong wind conditions. Watson shares lessons learned from his childhood through competition, and gifts from the great teachers he has encountered.

−The Armchair Golfer

A First Edition of ‘Only at the British Open …’

I WAS DOING OTHER things today and unable to pay much attention to the British Open. Now I’ve been reading up on what I missed and had this thought: The Open Championship is the most unpredictable golf tournament in the world, just downright nutty. Anything can happen, thanks mostly to the Jekyll and Hyde weather.

So how about a quick edition of “Only at the British Open …”? It’s the first and may not be the last. Ready? Here we go …


(Photo: Old Tom’s shop in St. Andrews / Son of Groucho, Flickr)



Only at the British Open would a 21-year-old phenom who shot a record 63 in the first round back it up with an 80.

Only at the British Open would John Daly take a swing at a potted plant after signing for a 76. (On second thought, that could happen anywhere.)

Only at the British Open would the wind go from 0 to 50 mph in nothing flat and completely switch directions in the middle of rounds.

Only at the British Open would a South African nicknamed “Shrek” set a 36-hole scoring record and lead by five.

Only at the British Open would old-guy champions Mark Calcavecchia and Tom Lehman sneak into contention, a la Tom Watson. “The old guys can hang with the young guys,” Calc said.

Only at the British Open do they talk ad nauseam about the “draw.”

Only at the British Open are greens slower than LA freeways one day and have balls blowing off them the next.

And finally, only at the British Open would Tigers Woods wave Tom Watson (who has been very critical of Woods) up on the 18th hole so the five-time Open champion could have his final moment in front of adoring fans before darkness fell. (Nicely done, Tiger.)

I’ll be watching on Saturday and Sunday because, well, anything can happen and I don’t want to miss it when it does.

−The Armchair Golfer

Related:
Exclusive Q&A: The Weather Talks Open Championship

The Odd and Fragile Life of the Tour Caddie

Editor’s note: The following is an excerpt from Whiffling Straits, a golf blog authored by Mike Zimmerman.

By Mike Zimmerman
Special to ARMCHAIR GOLF

DURING THE FATHER’S DAY blowout at the House of Whiffle that kept me from fully engaging in the final round of the 2010 U.S. Open, I had an interesting discussion with my sister-in-law. Though she’s not a golfer, she was curious about the events unfolding on the TV in the kitchen (where I was in charge of the food preparation). In particular, she was asking about the role of the caddie.

“Do the players have their own regular caddies, or do they have different ones every week?”

Most full-time tour pros have their own caddies who travel with them, I explained. Though they sometimes change from time to time.

“Do they tell them which club to use?”

Not exactly, but they do usually provide input. And certainly the yardages. A lot of it depends on the player, and how much he expects from the caddie, and what kind of a relationship the two of them have.

“Is the caddie like a coach?”

Well, a little bit, sometimes. They won’t typically give the player advice on their swing, but they often help them read the green and make strategy decisions. More than anything—again, depending on the player—they’re like an on-course sports psychologist. At least the good ones are.

Blame and Shame at Pebble Beach

After the tournament, a couple of caddies got some extra attention in the press: Steve Williams, because of how Tiger Woods seemed to blame him, at least in part, for a couple of poor decisions made during Sunday’s disappointing final round; and Bobby Brown, Dustin Johnson’s caddie. Brown’s role was notable because he had previously spent three years as a full-time caddie at Pebble Beach—and because Johnson had won the two previous AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am titles. Certainly, it seemed their combined experience at the famous course would help Johnson carry the day on Sunday.

But, as we all now know, it was not to be. Johnson, who began the day with a three-shot lead, shot a disastrous 82 to finish in a tie for 8th.

Williams was typically mum. But Brown later spoke to the Monterey Herald about his player’s ill-fated left-handed chip on the second hole:

“I was a little bit shocked to see him go at that thing left-handed, because the first thing I thought he was going to do was take an unplayable, or chip it back into the bunker,” Brown said. “It all happened so fast. I was about ready to say something, and he kind of told me to get out of the way and said, ‘I got this.’ At that point, you kind of get out of the way. Maybe next time I won’t get out of the way. I’m not sure.”

How hard should a caddie push when he thinks his golfer is making a bad decision?

Bones Lets Phil Be Phil

If Jim “Bones” Mackay had gotten his way at Augusta earlier this year, Phil Mickelson would have laid up on that now-famous 6-iron from between the trees on 13. But Bones has been with Phil ever since he turned pro in 1992, and he knows by now just how hard to push—and when to step back and say, “OK, you’re the boss. Now give it a good rip!”

Edwards Curses Watson

In the Golf Channel documentary “Caddy for Life” (based on the book by John Feinstein), Tom Watson tells of a time when his long-time caddie Bruce Edwards cursed him out in the middle of the round.

It seems a discouraged Watson was dithering about whether to go for it or lay up on a par 5. Edwards felt strongly that Watson should do the former—and that his golfer needed a good kick in the pants, as well! So Edwards read him the riot act (including a few expletives), threw Watson’s 7-iron and 3-wood at his feet, and then stormed down the fairway with the bag, leaving Watson to make up his own dang mind.

Again, it takes a special relationship for something like this to transpire—without a subsequent termination.

The Caddie’s Dilemma

Maybe Brown should not have been so quick to “get out of the way” on the second hole. But it’s impossible to say. If he had talked Johnson into trying something different and it hadn’t worked out, it might have rattled Johnson just as much. It’s kind of a no-win situation: Caddies are often quick to get the blame but rarely get proper credit when they contribute to a win.

Swing coach? No. Sports psychologist? Absolutely. Scapegoat? Sometimes. No doubt about it, a successful tour caddie is a special breed.

Mike Zimmerman is a writer who lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Visit his golf blog, Whiffling Straits.

(Image: nsaplayer/Flickr)

Golf as Fountain of Youth

GOLF KEEPS YOU YOUNG, or at least younger. I’m convinced. Juli Inkster turned 50 on Thursday and shot a 71 in the opening round of the LPGA Championship. Still competing at a high level against players young enough to be her daughters, Juli is not the retiring kind—at least not yet. Said Juli, “I asked my kids, ‘Is 50 old?’ They say, ‘Well, yeah, but mom you don’t act 50.’” Current and former LPGA Tour players Natalie Gulbis, Morgan Pressel, Beth Daniel and Meg Mallon gave Juli an iPad for her birthday.

Fred Couples is also 50. Not only has Freddie lit up the Champions Tour, he led the Masters after 36 holes.

Tom Watson is 60. We all know about his golf exploits in the last year or so.

The oldest living major champion winner, Jack Fleck is 88 and still heads to the golf course nearly every day to hit balls and play a few or several holes.

Errie Ball, who played in his first British Open at age 15 in 1926, is 99 years young. The last I heard, Ball still gives lessons at the Willoughby Golf Club in Stuart, Florida. Errie was a good friend of Bobby Jones and is the last surviving player from the inaugural Masters. Ponder that.

So keep playing golf. It’s an elixir.

−The Armchair Golfer

(Image: Keith Allison/Flickr)

The Strange Disappearance of Bill Rogers

TODAY I WAS WATCHING highlights of the 1982 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, that Tom Watson caper where he stole Jack Nicklaus’s fifth Open title. Poor Jack. Tom had his number.

Anyway, I saw a name on a caddie bib flash across the screen: B. ROGERS. B. Rogers. Anybody remember Bill Rogers? You would have to be a certain age, or a student of golf history.

Bill Rogers played with Watson that Sunday at Pebble in 1982. In fact, Rogers led on the final day before falling into a tie for third. No one would have been shocked had he won, for Bill Rogers was the reigning British Open champion. He captured the title at Royal St. George’s at the age of 29. He went on to win four titles in 1981 and was awarded player of the year honors. And he was a member of the 1981 U.S. Ryder Cup team that trounced the Europeans 18½ to 9½, the most lopsided defeat in Cup history.

Everyone expected more big things from Rogers. From 1979 to 1982, he had three near misses at the U.S. Open: a second, a third and a fourth. He won the 1982 PGA Grand Slam of Golf. Then it was over. Beginning in 1983, he slowly vanished. After only making three cuts and winning a scant $5,000, 36-year-old Bill Rogers left the tour in 1988.

What happened?

Burnout preceded a loss of confidence. Rogers lost his desire. According to Lanny Wadkins, Rogers never liked the rigors of tour travel and missed his family back home in Texas. His rise in the golf world was steep and relatively fast. So was his fall.

“Starting in ’86,” Rogers told The Independent in 1993, “I hardly ever played a round of golf that I didn’t wish I was doing something else. That’s a miserable existence.”

Rogers took a job as director of golf at San Antonio Country Club. “Selling sweaters and giving lessons,” as The Independent called it, suited the former golf star. Rogers was content again. Since turning 50 in 2001, he has played in more than 50 events on the Champions Tour. He never regretted his decision to leave the tour, telling Art Stricklin, “I don’t think I was ever meant to be a lifer on the PGA Tour. I think I outsmarted the system by leaving when I did.”

−The Armchair Golfer

U.S. Open Special Exemptions Started with Ben Hogan

HOW DOES THE USGA determine who gets a special exemption into the U.S. Open? However the USGA championship committee wants to.

Each situation has a different set of circumstances. Tom Watson was granted a special exemption this year based on the strength of his 2009 British Open performance at Turnberry. Plus, old Tom has some compelling history at Pebble Beach, where he snatched the national crown from four-time U.S. Open champion Jack Nicklaus in 1982. (I wish I had a buck for every time I’ve seen Tom’s chip-in for birdie on 17. Jack must still have nightmares 28 years later.)

Watson is a former U.S. Open champion and eight-time major winner, a sentimental favorite who can also contend at the age of 60. That’s an ideal set of circumstances for granting a special exemption.

Awarded a special exemption today, three-time major winner Vijay Singh is a fuzzier choice for me. I’m not saying I’m opposed to it, but the injury-plagued Veej, still an everyday PGA Tour player, certainly caught a break from the USGA after falling out of the top 50 in the world golf rankings. The special exemption will allow Singh to bypass a 36-hole sectional qualifier. Those aren’t fun. And his consecutive majors streak is still alive at 63 and soon to be 64.

Ben Hogan was the first player to be granted a U.S. Open special exemption in 1966. Hogan was 53 and still a good player who had the twitches on the greens. A 36-hole qualifier was out of the question 17 years after a head-on collision with a Greyhound bus banged up Hogan so severely that walking was a minor miracle. In fact, Ben had not played a U.S. Open since 1961 when he teed it up at the Olympic Club in June of ’66. How’d the old warhorse do? He finished 12th.

There were no more U.S. Open special exemptions until 1977. Now they’re doled out on an annual basis.

−The Armchair Golfer

(Image: Steve and Sara Emry/Flickr)

Golf Digest’s 75 Best Rivalries

GOLF DIGEST HAS PUBLISHED “Best Rivalries in Golf,” the magazine’s top 75 ranking of the game’s most intense and enduring grudge matches. I can’t argue with Nicklaus vs. Palmer at No. 1 on the list. There was a nine-year stretch from 1958 to 1966 during which Arnold and Jack captured seven Masters. Actually, Nicklaus appears in at least five of the rivalries. Besides Arnie, Jack’s other listed rivals include Tom Watson, Tiger Woods, Lee Trevino and Tom Weiskopf.

Sam Snead vs. Ben Hogan is a solid pick, as is Bobby Jones vs. Walter Hagen. I’m not buying Mickelson vs. Woods at No. 4. Tiger has had no true rival to this point. (Tiger vs. Field?) That’s bound to change. And perhaps soon.

The rankings are an interesting walk through golf history and include non-player rivalries that have impacted the game. Courses, issues, architects, countries, grasses, continents, swing coaches, college programs, magazines, baseball players, equipment and even years (1953 vs. 2000) are pitted against each other.

Take a look here.

−The Armchair Golfer

(Image: Keith Allison/Flickr)

Between Champions Tour Events, Couples Leads Invitational Called The Masters

I JUST WATCHED FRED Couples shoot his best round at Augusta National Golf Club, a six-under par 66. Couples is leading a small-field invitational tournament known as the Masters at the age of 50. You know what? If Fred keeps playing the way he’s playing, if he keeps his back loose and swing fluid, if he can manage to putt decently, he can be as good as Tom Watson when he turns 60.

I know, I know. That’s a high standard—and 10 years is a long time—but it’s at least possible, something to strive for.

It’s no coincidence that super 60-year-old Watson was at the top of the Masters leaderboard with a 67 until that sockless, sneaker-wearing Couples came along and birdied four of the last seven holes. That’s the kind of hyper-competitive golf they play on the Champions Tour. And, I’m telling you, this Couples kid is a real up-and-comer.

After Watson won the first two Champions Tour events of the season, the first one teaming with Jack Nicklaus, Couples won three of the next four. Couples and Watson are taking a break from the Champions circuit this week. And the Masters, a quaint little tournament where the spectators are called “patrons” and they give the winner a green sport coat (comes with a free wooden hanger and year-round storage), seems to be the perfect event for the boys to keep their games sharp until they tee it up in Savannah and Biloxi.

Actually, the small field has some name players. Besides Couples and Watson, others playing in the event include Sandy Lyle, Bernhard Langer, Mark O’Meara, Larry Mize, Ben Crenshaw, Craig Stadler and Ian Woosnam. There are also a bunch of really, really young kids (under 50 and some even under 40 and 30) and a few amateurs as well. Again, it’s an invitational and they do everything a certain way, but no one seems to mind too much.

Couples, Watson, Langer, Lyle and the others are enjoying the scenery (it’s a former nursery and everything is blooming), keeping their games tuned up and, well, just staying in the moment. They’ll try not to look too far ahead. The Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf, Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic and Regions Charity Classic will have to wait. These men are professionals, after all.

−The Armchair Golfer

(Image: Keith Allison/Flickr)