Joost heads for home after disappointing US PGA
It’s not the end of the world but it was his last chance to sparkle in a Major this year. Even before the rest of the field had completed their second rounds, it was clear that Joost Luiten, Holland’s sole player in the US PGA Championships at Whistling Straits, Wisconsin, could pack his bags and head for home. Too much damage had been done on day one. There was simply no way back from a mighty round of 80, 8-over par in which Joost admits to having hit the ball left, right and everywhere.
Yet never say never in golf. Anything can happen. The leaders can have a really off day … anyone can have a lucky break and get on a roll, then shoot a course record … storms can blow and create havoc … in fact, a whole host of weird and accidental things can happen. And do happen. Judging by the weather forecast for Friday, it looked as if one of those weird scenarios was about to unfold.
Shooting in the sixties
All credit to the golfer from Rotterdam. He hung on in there on Friday carding a level par 72 before a violent storm suspended play for the day. The predicted cut shot up from one-under to two-over par giving a few more players a faint hope of still making the weekend. Joost has proved that he is also capable of shooting in the sixties. Even in a Major. Remember 2012? On the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island, Joost opened the US PGA Championships with a 68. That was good enough for a share of 6th place on day one. He eventually finished the championship in 21st position which is his best performance in a Major to date. Last year he was seven-under after 54 holes and finished with a level par round on the final day for 26th place.
Yet even on a Sunday Joost has shown that he can beat the best of them. In the 2014 US Masters, he became the first Dutchman to make the cut at Augusta. Then in the last round he shot a 67 (5-under par) to record the best round of the day. That was two shots better than Bubba Watson’s final round. Bubba won his second green jacket that year and almost 1.2 million euros. Joost was 26th and collected 50,000 euros. Back to anno 2015.
It has been well-publicised that Joost has struggled on the greens of late. But at Whistling Straits he simply couldn’t seem to find his rhythm and flow. A double-bogey at the 8th in both rounds and a boomerang bogey at the 10th cost him six dropped shots just on those two holes. On the bright side, he did make six birdies in the first two rounds of the Championship, but a Tour pro of Joost’s calibre would normally be targeting to make that many in one round.
Judging from the rare television glimpses of him recently, Joost looks worn out and frustrated. Golf does that to you, of course. One minute you’re on a high, the next you’ve tumbled off cloud nine and you’re hurtling down the mountain out of control. Ask Tiger Woods. The once formidable former world number one, and winner of 14 Major titles, has just missed the cut in the last Major before his 40th birthday. Joost has just missed the cut in the last Major before his 30th birthday.
Inspiration from Seve
Before teeing off in the US PGA Championships, Joost’s world ranking had slipped to 56th. The missed cut in Wisconsin could see him sliding further down into the sixties. Although it is important for him to finish the season in the top-50 to secure automatic invitations to play in all the Majors, there is no need to panic. The golf season is far from over.
Perhaps a trip back to Holland for a quick fix with swing coach Phil Allen, and, just as importantly some quality, maybe even golf-free, time with family and friends could be the answer. Take a tip from world number one Rory McIlroy though – avoid kicking a football around with your pals! Seriously though, it could all be as simple as that – a change of scenery; some well-earned rest and a little tweak of the swing in his own swing studio at the Seve Golf Centre in Rotterdam.
Never fear dear golf fans, Joost will soon return to the fairways with a spring in his step, fresh and hungry for more of this awfully frustrating, yet wonderful game.
Next stop: The KLM Open at the Kennemer G&CC, Zandvoort in The Netherlands (10-13 September).
Wendy Hoad
Photograph: Larger than life image of Joost Luiten in his swing studio at the Seve Golf Centre in Rotterdam.