Golf diary: A no-brainer for the Swedes at the womens US Open

Angela Park of Brazil led the women抯 US Open at halfway as Laura Davies抯 challenge was blown away by a second-round 81. Park is the player who was penalised two shots earlier this season for slow play and then squealed it was so unfair.
Golf calendar: All the major fixtures
The highest placed Europeans were Helen Alfredsson, the Swede who hasn抰 won on tour for five years, and Minea Blomqvist of Finland. Alfredsson is one of 10 Swedes playing in this year抯 event, compared to just two players from England and two from Scotland.
When asked about the presence of so many of her compatriots Blomqvist said: 揟hat抯 because in golf you need an empty mind and there抯 nothing going on in their heads.?Goodness me, where does that leave the 35 South Koreans who made it into the field.
Commenting on the decline in top American players, Julie Inkster said: 揂 14-year-old Korean is going to beat the stuffing out of a 14-year-old American. Different cultures. They don抰 value education for women the way we do.?br /> One who straddles both camps is Michelle Wie, born in America of Korean parents. Despite missing the cut, there were signs that the prodigiously gifted Wie may be returning to form after her 2007 season was ruined by a wrist injury.
All those Europeans who have had difficulty closing out tournaments in recent months might like to take some advice from Stewart Cink, who has been something of a choker in the past. In 14 years on the PGA Tour the big American has had just four victories against 18 other top-three finishes.
Apart from his one world championship victory, Cink has things like the MCI Classic beside his name, a label that sounds more like a formica table than a golf tournament.
After Cink lost a four-shot lead in Tampa earlier this season his wife Lisa looked at the great lunk of good losing and said: 揝ometimes you just have to be willing to run naked across the green.?After winning last week抯 Travelers Championship, Cink said: 揥hen guys like Tiger and Phil [Mickelson] are in contention they let it all out. That抯 one thing I think I have been unwilling to do until this year. And I decided I am going to run across the green naked. I抦 just going to go for it.?br /> During the fourth round of the US Open Johnny Miller said that Rocco Mediate 搇ooks like the guy who cleans Tiger抯 swimming pool? Miller later added that 揼uys with the name of Rocco don抰 get on the trophy, do they??The good citizens of Little Italy took offence and Miller was swiftly issued with a yellow card. The irony is that if he had had his way earlier then Mediate might well have won the tournament.
Miller has long campaigned against the sharp, high-volume modern clubhead grooves and it was this technology ?and a lot of skill ?that allowed Tiger Woods to spin his ball out of the deep rough on the 72nd hole. The R&A and USGA will be outlawing them, but too late to help Rocco.

?http://www.golfonline.jp/ . All Rights Reserved. (ゴルフショップ)