Major focus, then Rio and Ryder Cup …

This time last year Joost Luiten was enjoying the US Open at Chambers Bay.  The Rotterdammer opened with rounds of 68 and 69 on the challenging par 70 course at University Place, Washington leaving many of the leading lights struggling behind him.  The USPGA had set up a tough course as usual.  On the first day, one group finished at an unbelievable combined score of 28-over par!  Even more surprising to realise who was playing in that flight: Tiger Woods, Louis Oosthuizen and Rickie Fowler.  That’s golf!

 

Anyway, back to our Joost.  He was playing in his second US Open.   The year before he had missed the cut by one stroke due to a run of bogeys on the last five holes.  2015 was looking quite different: solid and focused.  Until the third round, that is.  On Saturday, he dropped back to one-over for the tournament after carding a 74, and had to relinquish his tie for 5th place and ‘best European status’.

 

Future Father’s Day present

 

Traditionally the Sunday of the US Open falls on Father’s Day.  So Joost could still perhaps arrange a very nice present for his father, Nico. Anything is possible on the last day of a Major, especially the US Open – just look at the history books.  After all, Joost was just five shots off the lead (tied 9th) going into the final round playing with American Patrick Reid.  Alas, it was not to be.  Four dropped shots within the first five holes and the damage was done.  He eventually had to settle for a share of 39th spot with Paul Casey and Troy Kelly on 286 (68,69,74,75), 11 shots behind the winner, American Jordan Spieth.

 

Last year Joost’s Official World Ranking within the top-60 earned him an automatic invitation to play in all four Major championships just as he had done the year before.  When he teed-off at Chambers Bay, he was ranked 52nd.

 

Joost 9th in Race to Dubai

 

This season he was looking on track to get back into the top-60 again.  Seven top-10 finishes in 13 starts has seen him rise to 9th in the European Tour’s ‘Race to Dubai’ giving him a borderline chance of making the European Ryder Cup team later this year.  Yet despite earnings of €815,884 already this season, his Official World Ranking is only 65th which sadly means he just missed out on the US Open at Oakmont Country Club this week (16-19 June).

 

With two Majors down and two to go, Joost ideally needed to get back into the top-50 in order to play in The Open at Royal Troon (14-17 July).  That deadline was in May.  But there are more ways of getting to Scotland such as the pre-qualifying tournaments or finishing in the top-12 (as one of the best four players who have not already qualified for The Open) in the French Open (3 July) or the Scottish Open (10 July).  The USPGA Championship, on the other hand, at Baltusrol Golf Club (28-31 July) looks pretty certain for him as the top-100 players in the world are invited.

 

As if all this Major focus wasn’t enough, the 30-year old from Rotterdam will need to get geared up for the Olympics in Rio (17-20 August).  After that honour, there is still a chance, if he can sharpen up his game, just a touch, and clinch a victory in Scotland or France, that he could be flying off to Minnesota, USA to play in the Ryder Cup at the end of September.  Now that would be a proud moment for father Nico, and the rest of Holland – Joost Luiten as the first Dutchman ever to play in the Ryder Cup!

 

“Proost Joost!”     

 

Wendy Hoad