The young man, who came to the golfing world officially at age 16 at the Nelson in 2010, said a low round on Sunday couldn’t be done, and then he went out and did it in American style, shooting a course record 8-under 63. Lone American amongst the top 15 golfers teeing off at The Australian Golf Club in the National Open of a great golfing island continent country, he birdied the second, then three in a row starting at No. 5 and then sprinted to the title birdieing four of the last five holes and winning by six strokes. Brett Rumford, tied with Spieth and Greg Chalmers to start the final round, matched those three consecutive birdies but could not keep up the pace to the clubhouse and shot a 70 to finish solo third. Chalmers started with a birdie and had two others that were negated with three bogeys. The lefty shot 71 and finished  in fourth place. Rod Pampling birdied five of the last six to shoot 68 and finish in solo second place.  Adam Scott double bogeyed the par-5 fifth that ignited Spieth, shot 71 and finished fifth. A good consolation prize for Pampling, Chalmers and Rumford was qualifying for the 2015 Open at St. Andrews in the first of 14 such events in nine countries on five continents.

This was Jordan Spieth’s first trip ‘Down Under’ to Australia and he enjoyed every moment of it on and off the golf course. I feel the same way on Day No. 32 of the ‘Golf Journey to Australia.’ A comment made by Troy Grant, the Deputy Premier Minister for Tourism, in the Awards Ceremony on the 18th green, that Jordan is a “credit to golf and a credit to his country,” inspired me to ask the following question in the champions’ interview:

Q.   Jordan, it seems like yesterday you were 16 and you kind of came out to the golfing world as a nelson. Can you talk a little bit about the progression to today and winning the national championship of such a prestigious golfing nation, and what it means to you to hear the deputy premier minister for tourism say you’re a credit to golf and a credit to
your country?

JORDAN SPIETH: That took me back. I was as close to tearing up as I got out there. Those words are words, you don’t necessarily expect to hear them and when you hear them it’s a tremendous honour and one that carries weight. I certainly need to conduct myself for me and my family, my country, the team, whatever. So that was really nice of him.

Yeah, since I was 16, that first professional experience as an amateur was what put belief in my head that this is what I could do for a living and that I wanted to be the number one player in the world some day. It was that week that I really knew that it was possible if I really stayed at it and worked hard, having that opportunity. So since then still had some junior events, through college golf, University of Texas, winning a national championship there. Each year there were certain goals that I wanted to achieve and wanted to get better each year, and that was the goal.

Each year had something that was a little better than the last and I felt like I was better as a golfer, better mentally and with my skill set, and this year I believed it was an improvement on last year but without a win, which was a goal of mine, to have a win in 2014 and I only had two events left. So to finally accomplish it now, this is the peak of where I’ve ever been as a golfer and it’s really cool and hopefully we work to climb more higher peaks.

Seeing Jordan win and win in such a convincing fashion was beautiful and made me proud to be an American. What a week it has been at the Australian Open at The Australian Golf Club in Sydney.

Andy Reistetter Reporting from Down Under. Well Done Andy Boy   (Facebook Post 1 Pic, Jeffrey ‘Frosty Rothstein, 11/30/14)

WOW, what a Sunday at the Emirates Australian Open…   (Facebook Link, Andy Reistetter, 11/30.14)

 

Here are some other highlights of the day:

 

Saturday, with a tricky and difficult Australian Nor’easter wind , turned out to be ‘Stay Where You Are, If You Are Lucky’ day at the 88th rendition of the historic Australian Open. Greg Chalmers, the Round 2 leader, did just that posting an even par 71 after a bogey-bogey start to hold on to a share of the lead at 5-under par with fellow Australian Brett Rumford and American Jordan Spieth, both shooting 2-under 69.

World No. 1 Rory McIlroy came unraveled with a triple bogey on the 9th hole from the high grass above the green right and followed it with a sloppy double bogey at the 10th to fall out of contention. Being six strokes back with thirteen to pass, it is unlikely the Northern Irishman can win in his last round of the year.

The magic stay-put number on Saturday was 69 and Adam Scott achieved it by offsetting a lone bogey with three birdies. Rod Pamphling’s route to a 69 was dunking his approach shot on the par-4 10th for a heroic eagle 2. Both are tied for 4th one stroke back. Out of the final twelve golfers teeing off on Saturday only four, Rory and his playing partner Adam Crawford who shot 76 and Geoff Drakeford and Conrad Shindler who both shot 81 in the wind, fell out of the top echelon at the Jack Nicklaus-designed Australian Golf Club. Daniel Nisbet, out in the first pairing, 3-1/2 hours before the leaders teed off shot the day’s best round of 67 and moved from last place to T9, five strokes back of Chalmers, Rumsford & Jordan. Staurday was definitiely ‘Stay Where You Are, If You Are Lucky’ day at the 2014 Australian Open.

Can lone American in a sea of Aussies win the Emirates Australian Open?   (Facebook Link, Andy Reistetter, 11/29/14)

Saturday was still moving day for me around the grounds of The Australian Golf Club. Here are some of my wanderings:

 

It seemed like it was ‘Moving Day, A Day Early” to me for the second round on Friday at the Australian Open at the Australian Golf Club. American Jamie Lovemark set a new course record 6-under 65 in the morning moments after Adam Scott posted the now old course record of 66. Lefty Australian Greg Chalmers would match Scott’s 66, combine it with his opening par 71 score, to lead by one stroke at the half way point over a foursome of Rory McIlroy, Adam Crawford, amateur Todd Sinnott, and Conrad Shindler. First round leader Jordan Spieth slipped to a 1-over par 72 and is another stroke back. Scott is three strokes back of Chalmers and two strokes back of Rory trying to avenge the loss to Rory in last year’s Open at Royal Sydney Golf Club. The theme of the tournament is “Bring it on,” the “it” being the showdown between Rory and Adam. Other than Geoff Ogilvy being eight strokes back, the stage is set for a dramatic finish, albeit one day early.

In the spirit of the day I was out and about moving around the impressive grounds of this continent country’s namesake golf club. In between watching the Adam Scott/Jordan Spieth/Nick Cullen in the morning and the Rory McIlroy/Geoff Ogilvy/Matt Jones in the afternoon I checked out the Exhibitor Village and found lots of interesting stories.

I started off in the Emirates, the title sponsor’s booth. Emirates is an airline based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is the largest airline in the Middle East, operating nearly 3,400 flights per week from its hub at Dubai International Airport, to more than 142 cities in 78 countries across six continents according to Wikipedia. They had an engaging putting game that required skill, concentration and confidence since it was timed. The object was to putt a ball into each of the holes and the challenge was enhanced by the curved slopes of the putting surface. Playing was a lot of fun and I managed to finish 12th and earn a sleeve of balls. The PR firm behind the innovative booth is the Pulse Group out of London, Dublin and Dubai.

Next up, as I circumvented the village, I was drawn in by kids chipping into an inflated target with holes, to a combination tent of My Golf, Kids Only Clubhouse, FootGolf, and SpeedGolf Australia.  My Golf, Kids Only Clubhouse is Australia’s national junior introductory program to develop and promote participation in golf. A 10 week introductory program to the sport, the MyGolf program is the major driver of junior golf participation in Australia. The end result being, I guess, is the twelve competitors in the field of the Australian Open designated as part of the ‘Golf Australia Squad.’

 

SpeedGolf Australia, supported by Golf Australia is ‘Everything that Golf isn’t but can be… fast, creative, instinctive, aerobic and family friendly.’ I like to walk and play golf quickly with similar minded people so maybe this is for me? I did learn that Ireland’s Rob Hogan recently beat 24 professional speed golfers to take the Speedgolf world championship at Bandon Dunes in Oregon. Hogan jumped out to the midway lead on Saturday with a 77 in 39 minutes and 31 seconds (39:31). He followed up with a 79 in 41:29 and had the fastest time both days. The scoring format of Speedgolf is total strokes, plus total minutes and seconds it takes the player to complete his or her round. Hogan’s final Speedgolf score was 236.55. Interesting for sure.

 

Footgolf Australia was nowhere to be found and I suspect they were afoot out on a golf course somewhere. FootGolf is the result of combining the popular sports of football (soccer) and golf. The rules largely correspond to the rules of golf.​ This game is played, for the most part, without the supervision of a referee. The game depends on the integrity of the player to show consideration for other players and to abide by the rules. Would I would miss the act of hitting something (a ball) with something else (a stick)? Sounds interesting and worth a try too!

I then came across a booth and a man who dotted an ‘i’ and crossed a ‘t’ from my trip out to Tassie (Tasmania, the island state of Australia) and Barnbougle Golf Links Resort where I came across a fabulous collection of hickory clubs and modern PING clubs in the clubhouse at Lost Farm. The booth was the Australian Golf Heritage Society and the man is Ross Baker. Look for an interesting video on this authentic club maker. Ross is a combination of everyone I ever met in the Golf Collectors Society in America. What an informative treat to meet the guy I wanted to meet!

Watching Rory finish with a birdie on the par-5 18th hole I came across James Gribble, the founder of Empower Golf—for golfers of all abilities. James was on the Aussie team that placed 3rd at the World Disabled Golf Championships in Japan in October. His vision is to facilitate and promote golf for Australians of all abilities. I enjoyed my time with James and his Aunt Jackie. As we watched Rory finish a stretch of eight holes without a birdie but still score 3-under ( an eagle, four birdies and three bogeys) I was reminded that it isn’t how but how many in golf. Ditto that for life. Thank you James!

Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, Adam Scott all in the mix but Greg Chalmers leading the Emirates Australian Open at The Australian Golf Club in Sydney… check out what I found and who I met outside the ropes on Friday…   (Facebook Link, Andy Reistetter, 11/28/14)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The golf course, personally designed by the legendary Jack Nicklaus, at The Australian Golf Club is a ‘BIG’ golf course, not unlike one of his other masterpieces at home at Muirfield Village in Ohio.

More on that and the experience of playing it two weeks ago and the first round of the Australian Open later on…

Here are some pics from the excitement of arriving at “The Oz,”  I am feeling a bit like Dorothy in total wonder and amazement of being Down Under and at the second professional golf event of the Australian Trifecta of the Masters, the Open and the PGA Championship!

WOW, what an exciting Thanksgiving Day in Australia!   (Facebook Link, Andy Reistetter, 11/27/14)

Happy Thanksgiving Up Yonder! Definitely missing being with friends and family! Gratitude is universal in our world but Thanksgiving is definitely American. Lucky to celebrate in a way for two days being Down Under. Tragic and sad story here in Sydney with the death of a 25-year old batsman professionally playing the national game of Australia. Puts life in perspective… thankful for and enjoying today… off to The Australian Golf Club for the second round of the Emirates Australian Open… Happy Turkey Day Up Yonder in America! (-:   (Facebook Link, Andy Reistetter, 11/27/14)