 |
| David Lingmerth |
WITH JACK NICKLAUS WATCHING from the edge of the green and U.S. Open champion Justin Rose sinking a dramatic 20-foot par putt on the first playoff hole at the Memorial Tournament, David Lingmerth, an unheralded Swede who played collegiate golf in America, could have given up. After all, Lingmerth had put up a good fight, shooting a 69 in his final round that included no bogeys on the last 11 holes. Rose had a much better pedigree, a tour star who had won here before.
But Lingmerth, 27, apparently didn’t entertain such thoughts. He felt like his time had arrived. So he dropped a 10-foot par putt on top of Rose’s 20-footer and the playoff continued until the tough Swede prevailed, securing his first PGA Tour win.
“You win some, you lose some,” Lingmerth said about playoffs. “But I didn’t feel that it was my turn to lose this time.”
Rose figured he had wrapped up his second Memorial title after his curling par putt died in the hole.
“I thought, ‘Wow, I’m going to steal this one,'” said Rose, who held the 54-hole lead and closed with a 72. “But it wasn’t to be.”
Ranked 212th in the world a week ago and now 71st after his breakthrough, Lingmerth is playing in today’s 36-hole U.S. Open qualifier at Brookside Golf & Country Club in Columbus, Ohio. He is one of about 120 players competing for 15 spots.
Lingmerth is currently 2-over par and a long way from qualifying. Today might not be his turn in the same way yesterday was, but I’m sure he’ll keep grinding until he runs out of holes.
Congratulations David, a few yrs ago you gave notice to the golf world by challenging Woods down the stretch…..How funny is it you get the win this year
& Woods is now struggling to break 78….
Keep it up young man….