I interrupt the travel log series, to write this blog about a recent professional men’s golf tournament I had the opportunity to attend. It was the third round of the 2009 Northern Trust Open held at the Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California. Mostly I followed the crowd of Phil Mickelson, whom I have been a long time fan. Golf is a great sport, since it feels quite interactive. You can choose to follow a player or players through each hole or sit at a certain hole and watch all of the players play. I did both to get different perspectives. Here are five things that I learned from watching this tournament.
-
Courtesy towards a fan goes a long way
I was at the club house entrance watching golfers tee off, when right in front of me, I saw Phil Mickelson walk by. I was so surprised that all I was able to say was “It’s Phil!” But he looked up tapped his head and smiled. That is the first time any professional athlete has ever done that for me!
-
Not letting age or experience deter you from trying
Although I did not get a chance to watch the new athlete Ryo Ishikawa in the third round, I heard of the significant impact he had made. He is a 17 year old professional golfer who made his debut at the Riviera Country Club. Unfortunately he could not make the cut to the third round, but he proved that he is a competitive golfer as his young age. He has been invited to play in the Masters Tournament this year in Augusta National.
-
Good sportsmanship
Part of golfing is to show great respect and good sportsmanship toward other golfers. For example, on one hole, I heard Phil Mickelson say to his opponent, Rory Sabatini “nice shot.” It feels good as fans to watch rivals show support for each other in the name of golf.
-
Exemplary concentration goes a long way
Golf requires immense concentration that even the shutter of a camera or people talking can disrupt focus. It is rewarding and humbling to watch players focus so hard and make golfing look so easy. Even as a golfer it still amazes me to think that pros can get a golf ball into a tiny hole that is 500 yards away in 3 strokes.
-
It’s not about the mistakes. It’s about the “come backs”
Even professional golfers are not perfect, as evidenced by some bad shots they make. However, it’s about the way they come back from those imperfections. Phil Mickelson had a tough second round and he made a call to a leading golf coach Butch Harmon to take a look at his swing. He came back on the third round with a victorious lead. And in the fourth round, he once again struggled. However, in the 16th and 17th holes he made birdies, making this his 2nd win in a row at the Northern Trust Open.
