Last day and Final Rd at 138th Open Turnberry, Scotland

Aiyah, what more to say man. The hopes of all England and also the rest of the romantic world sank on the last 18th green of regulation play for the Open :-(.

The day started as usual with the drive to Turnberry. Where we were it started raining a bit but the forecast at Turnberry was for good sunny weather. Arriving at the carparking area we parked the car at almost the identical spot from yesterday. Except for the occasional cloud, otherwise the sun was shining throughout the final day. The ever present wind though continued to play havoc with the golfers scores and provided free air-con. (picture above of where car was parked)

Walking to the entrance, we discussed where to station ourselves to catch the day's excitements. With the last day at the 138th Open whereas should we go but the 18th green stands!!! We thought we were very Singapore smart but on arriving stand there, a long queue had already formed. By the time we got our seats it would have been nearly an hour later and that was only bcos we were lucky with the stand urshers calling for a group of 3 and just nice we were the first in the queue with a group of 3 (3 seats together). We couldn't have asked for any better seats than what we got. We were seated on the left stand as the golfers walked up, abreast of the pin just below the scoreboard. The Grandstand section with reserved seats facing the golfers, as they came in, were only for those willing to pay about £200 per person not including daily entrance fee which was £55 for myself and £25 each for the girls.

We made the right choice with the 18th green stand as there could be no place more exciting on the final day to experience the emotions of the 138th Open. From there, we could see the leaderboard changing while listening to the radio to follow what was happening with the later flights and then watched them come up to the last hole. When Stewart Cink maked his final put of regulation play to convert his birdie to move up to 2 under and also a chance for a playoff, his line to the hole was towards where we sat up on the stand. From where we were behind the hole, we all thought his put had lost momentum some 6" from the hole but it did go in much to his relief. By this time, Westwood was about to convert his eagle put on the 17th green to move up to 3 under and also the lead. While Tom Watson was already at 2 under waiting to attack the 17th green with his 2nd shot. Westwood instead only managed a birdie while Tom Watson later also birdied to move to 3 under and the lead going into the last hole. (Picture above of my daughters Le-Anne (left) and Ju-Linne at the entrance before mobile phones had to be handed in)

TV coverage would have shown you all the important moments of the game but there is still nothing like being there in person, such as the emotions not captured by the TV cameras. I was amused watching Mark Calcavecchia and his caddie wife (unfortunately his 3rd rd put him out of contention). The experience and the composures of some of the golfers as they walked up on to the final hole makes me understand why they said this is suppose to be a gentleman's game. Mathew Goggin came up in front of Tom Watson some 20 odd metres ahead to the applause of the crowd without realising that the cheers may not be really for him but for his playing partner. But at least he realised early enough to stop before the green, stood back to wait for Tom Watson who when he arrived the crowd gave him a standing ovation and cheered so much louder !! The details of the final play on the 18th green of regulation need not be explained as the TV cameras captured everything. Besides the final flight, the crowd understandably also gave Lee Westwood and Ross Fisher's flight a standing ovation. (Picture on right of why it is better to accept your punishment, drop a ball and take a penalty stroke.)

As Lee Westwood and the Ross Fishers' gave the English and Britain hope for a countryman win, Tom Watson gave everyone else a chance to be sentimental about a 59yr old golfer possibly winning the 138th Open. The crowd was really behind Tom Watson through the 4 days and even on the last hole of the final day. Leading the rest with a 3 under score, all he needed was to par the last hole, the crowd knew that and surely so did TW. So when his 2nd shot first landed on the green but then raced passed the pin, the crowd and everyone around me went "oooh" and "aah"!! Then shouts of "bite bite bite" or "stop stop" and "don't go into the rough" were going around. Even when he choose to put out from the back and passed the pin, again the same "ooos and aaahs" came out. But there was still hope, everyone still thought, that he will convert the last put for a par and a win as he has been pretty consistent from that distance over the four days. But that was not to be and the rest is now history.

We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and especially so for me to be with my children sharing something common with them. The experience is not easily explained in writing but I felt that it was certainly worth it being here. We also made friends with people we sat with, example an Aussie from Sydney who too was visiting his children in Scotland and thus came to watch the Open with them. Even though the weather at times may not be kind to us, nevertheless it was certainly not enough to dampen my eagerness and anticipation for the 139th Open. Therefore, St Andrews 2010, here I come!!

Nevertheless, congratulations to Steward Cink. Maybe TW should have asked for stroke from Cink lah. Then at least he got more "money come" like Albert Tay likes to phrase it. Now I must go check out flight details for next year lah. Catching a flight back in about 8 hrs time. So see you all back at NSRCC this Sat. Bye