Remember the British Open? Check Out Part Two at the Volvo Masters

Remember the British Open, when that crazy young Argentine, Andres Romero, played crazy golf, then gave it away on Hole # 72? Cue Graeme McDowell at the Volvo Masters. McDowell led on Thursday with 68, then didn’t resurface until Sunday on hole # 71, where he made a double-freakin’ eagle to take the lead! He then double-bogeyed 18 to fall out of the lead, into a tie for 4th.

Remember Padraig Harrington giving it away, then taking it back and winning? Well, Harrington gave it away with a nondescript, one-over 72, that included three bogies and two pars. Blaaahhhh! After proclaiming the Order of Merit so important, that was all Irish could give? For shame.

Call in Simon Dyson, a Brit who did nothing more than birdie holes 68, 70 and 71 on his way to a 69 and a one-stroke victory. Trouble was, Dyson couldn’t par # 72, and finished with 70, in a three-way tie with Soren Kjeldsen and …

Cue Justin Rose, who began the back nine with a four-stroke lead. The worst closer since a younger Lorena Ochoa, Rose went double-par-single-single on holes 65-68 to drop out of the lead. Rose birdied seventeen, then bogeyed 18 to go to playoff.

The endgame? Rose birdied playoff hole # 2 to win the tournament and the Order of Merit title from the absent Ernie Els. Bad golf, brilliant golf, steady golf…that’s the way a tournament should finish. Bravo Volvo Masters!