This has nothing to do with a Dickens’ novel; since the title is so malleable, I’ll use it. Two weeks ago, Retief Goosen plummeted from a three-stroke first-place perch on Saturday evening to a four-way tie for 11th place at the Men’s US Open at Pinehurst. Last weekend, Michelle Wie found herself at +1 for the week after round three, one stroke behind leader Karen Stupples, then did her own free-fall, tumbling all the way to 23rd place. Both were able to play themselves out of contention in spectacular fashion. Goosen authored a final-round 81, eleven over par, while Wie did him one better, going eleven over par with an 82. Both players had shown the stuff that Open champions are made of in previous tournaments, which made their respective demise(s?) all the more befuddling. Goosen holds two US Open titles, while Wie has placed in the top ten in previous Open championships. Despite fellow bloggers’ best efforts to pin a tail and label one or both a donkey, the reality is that stuff happens. Both will participate in Open championships in Britain in the near future. It will be interesting to find out what each learned from the USGA in June.

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