The Canadian Open: Another Bizarre Finish to a National Championship

We can’t really say that Retief Goosen let this one slip away, as he did manage to sink a 15 foot eagle putt on the 72nd hole just to give himself a chance. 

But, let’s say it anyway—Retief Goosen let this one slip away.

About 20 minutes after Goosen sunk his eagle putt to take the clubhouse lead at 18-under-par, Nathan Green stepped onto the tee box at the 72nd hole needing a birdie to win and par to tie.  

Now, anyone who has seen the 18th hole at Glen Abbey will know that although it’s listed as a par-five on the scorecard, it plays like your average par-four. 

Most players were hitting mid-irons into the 18th green and some of the longer hitters were actually hitting seven and eight irons, and this on a day when the course was completely saturated to the point where player’s drives were embedding in the fairways as if they were throwing javelins rather than hitting round golf balls.   

So, let’s just say that a player standing on the 18th tee box needing a birdie to win and a par to tie is in an excellent position to win the golf tournament.

But then again, there’s one additional variable to consider—the debilitating "nerve factor".

And the "nerve factor" certainly took a strangle hold over Nathan Green while he was standing in the middle of the 18th fairway.

After a perfect tee shot, Green sent his approach into the large gallery that had gathered behind the green.

It’s not a rare occurrence to see a player in this type of situation send an approach shot over the green because they are not factoring adrenaline into their club selection.

But, in Green’s situation, he must have either severely mis-clubbed, had more adrenaline racing through his body than he had first assumed, had a caddie that failed all of his math classes, or all of the above, because his approach shot came to rest more than 40 yards beyond the  18th green. 

Green then hit his pitch shot back over the green and was lucky that the RCPGA decided to leave some high rough around the putting surface, otherwise Green’s golf ball and his hopes of winning the Canadian Open would have both come to rest at the bottom of the large lake guarding the front of the 18th green.

From this location, Green was able to get up-and-down for a disappointing par and force a sudden death playoff with Goosen.

In the playoff, it was a matter of who wanted it the least.

On the 18th hole, which was the first hole played in the sudden death playoff, Green opened the door for Goosen when he sent yet another approach shot clear over the green.  If Green hadn’t gone on to win the golf tournament on the next hole, his caddie would probably be posting "experienced caddie looking for work" flyers around the clubhouse this week at the Buick Open.

All Goosen needed to do was find the putting surface with the eight iron he had in hand and he would more or less be assured of his first Canadian Open title.

So what happened?

Goosen also missed the green long and left where his ball came to rest in a greenside bunker.

Green was given relief due to the fact that his ball ended up behind a large grandstand and then had to take relief again because his nearest drop point was in a flower bed next to the Glen Abbey Clubhouse.

All the while, Goosen was walking in and out of the bunker, looking over his lie from every angle imaginable, switching golf clubs and mulling over how he could get up-and-down for the win.

All that was missing on the 18th hole at Glen Abbey on Monday was Bob Rotella standing on the side of the green with a camcorder filming a documentary on what not to do in pressure situations that he could use as a training tool for his throng of clients that pay hundreds of dollars per hour for his "expertise".

What ever happened to hit the ball, find the ball and hit the ball again?

But, that’s another article for another day.

Anyway, now back to the 105th playing of the Canadian "fold under pressure" Open.

Green sent his pitch shot back over the putting surface again and for the second time in as many tries, he was able to successfully get up-and-down for par.

Goosen, who had been looking at his ball in the bunker while attempting to fight off the demons for more than 10 minutes now, hit a decent bunker shot and was left with a five foot putt for the win.

Goosen pushed his putt dead right—it wasn’t even close.

So, we were off to the 17th, which was designated as the second hole of the sudden death playoff.

Goosen missed the fairway with his tee shot and then hit his second to the one place on the hole you want to avoid at all costs—long and right.  Goosen was left with a near impossible up-and-down. But, after an exceptional flop shot, Goosen had just seven-feet left to stay alive.

But, Goosen left the putter face open once again and pushed his putt way off to the right of the hole.  If it’s even possible, it almost looked as if he had sliced his putt.

A few moments later, Green would finally close out the tournament when he tapped in for a par.

Although the Canadian Open is not considered a major championship, it aught to be based solely on the fact that it would fit in perfectly with the bizarre, head-scratching finishes we’ve seen at the other majors this year.