|
My initial response when Bill Chastain's PAYNE AT PINEHURST: The Greatest U.S. Open Ever arrived on my desk was to scoff at the hyperbolic claim of the title. Had Chastain forgotten the Open of 1913 at The Country Club in Brookline when amateur Francis Ouimet upset the greatest golfers of his era and put golf on the map in America? Had he considered Ben Hogan's miraculous comeback from near death in winning the 1950 Open at Merion? What about 1960, at Cherry Hills in Denver, when Arnold Palmer came from 7 strokes back in the final round and secured victory in an Open that had a half-dozen potential winners, including a young Jack Nicklaus and an aging Ben Hogan. To put it bluntly, Chastain had a lot of convincing to do with this reader.
Having now read the saga of the 1999 U.S. Open, the first held at the famed Pinehurst No. 2, I must admit that a strong argument has been made by Chastain. PAYNE AT PINEHURST is much more than the accounting of a golf tournament. It is a complete and thorough account of the Open beginning with Payne Stewart's loss at the Olympic Club in San Francisco the previous year. Stewart led the tournament after three rounds by four strokes, but Lee Janzen overcame that deficit to win his second Open. The story of the 1999 Open began with Stewart's response to his defeat. He handled it with grace and dignity. Stewart seemed to have matured as a golfer. He would build on the lessons learned from defeat to better prepare for the challenge of the next Open.
A golf tournament is far more than the events that transpire during tournament week. The United States Golf Association selects tournament venues and prepares courses with great care, planning and precision. One constant at each year's event is that the players complain about course conditions. For the 1999 Open there was great concern about how the course would be set up for the golfers and whether the conditions would detract from the quality of play. Pinehurst No. 2, designed by architectural legend Donald Ross, was a vastly different course from the typical USGA choice for the Open. The greens at Pinehurst were crowned greens and could not play at the speed preferred by the USGA. Southern summer heat in North Carolina would make growing the rough to USGA standards more difficult. But history ultimately prevailed over these concerns. "Pinehurst is the St. Andrews of America," announced USGA executive director David Fay. "It's been a national treasure for nearly a century. And it has certainly earned the right to host the 1999 U.S. Open."
The U. S. Open is unique in many ways. Perhaps its most endearing quality is that any golfer with a verified low handicap and an entry fee can attempt to qualify for the tournament. Each year a small number of "Cinderella stories" qualify to play in the USGA's most prestigious event. PAYNE AT PINEHURST is more than the story of Payne Stewart's victory --- it is also the saga of other lesser-known golfers and how they make this tournament truly an open event.
When most golfing fans think of Payne Stewart, his unique attire is probably the first thing that comes to mind. Unlike his fellow professionals who favor traditional golf clothing, Stewart always appeared in plus four pants and tam caps. On Sundays he outfitted himself in clothing that matched the colors of the closest National Football League Franchise. During the Open at Pinehurst he wore the Carolina blue and white of the University of North Carolina. Chastain makes it clear that underneath the unique clothing was a golfer working hard to be a better person, seeking peace in his life. Stewart had the courage to recognize his flaws, not only as a golfer but also as a man. His victory at the Open was a tribute to that effort.
Bill Chastain has done a superb job in presenting the events surrounding the 1999 Open. Sadly the story has a tragic ending. Shortly after his victory Payne Stewart perished in a plane crash. PAYNE AT PINEHURST ends as a touching tribute to an individual who matured as a golfer and as a man. While the 1999 U.S. Open may not have been the greatest Open ever, through Chastain's effort it now makes the short list.
--- Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman
• Click here now to buy this book from Amazon.
© Copyright 1996-2008, Bookreporter.com. All rights reserved.
Back to top.
|
