A classic St Andrews Open was the lid on golf’s pressure cooker – an exciting championship trying to divert attention from an unprecedented power struggle for the running of the game. But Cameron Smith turned up the heat, not just with the scintillating golf that delivered the Australian’s first major title, but also by his unwillingness to address rumors that he is set to defect to the LIV Golf Invitational Series. What a coup it would be for Greg Norman’s Saudi-backed outfit to tempt the new world number two, who also won this year’s Players Championship, the PGA Tour’s premier tournament. Stating simply that “his team deals with that sort of thing”, Smith offered no solace to embattled bosses from golf’s status quo. The 28-year-old has become the sport’s hottest property and Australia’s Norman is sure to be preparing a massive bid. Throughout the week of the 150th Open, rumors swept the Old Course. Several top names were linked with signing up for Norman’s lucrative series. The Open ends the men’s major season. a punctuation mark. The PGA and DP World Tours must fear what will be written next in the history of the sport. The future of events such as the Ryder Cup is uncertain and European captain Henrik Stenson is widely rumored to be among the next to receive millions from Saudi Arabia. “Constant speculation,” is how the European Tour described the rumours, but Stenson has had plenty of opportunities to pledge allegiance to the role he signed on for just last March. He remained silent when his continent needed him most. The Open 2022: The best shots of the final round at St Andrews How different might the landscape of men’s professional golf look by the time Smith defends the Claret Jug at Royal Liverpool next year? How distant will the memories of last week’s Old Course saga seem? The champion treated us to an impressive performance to hold off Cameron Young and renew Rory McIlroy for whom this Open produced another bitterly disappointing result. Last Sunday was not the day the Northern Irishman would leave his bottle in the fridge. Not being able to single any of the 18 greens left him vulnerable despite a smart game plan that was effectively and calmly executed. McIlroy only got into two bunkers all week and left one of them for eagle. He hit every green in regulation on the final day, playing with a calm sense of purpose that suggested he would break his eight-year duck in the majors. But his failure to convert birdie opportunities on the 12th and 14th holes proved crucial. Yes, he had outplayed Victor Hovland, who looked the main threat at the start of play with his Ryder Cup teammates locked together, four clear of the field. But he was powerless to do anything about the charging Australian. At the 15th, McIlroy took a long look at the leaderboard. He confirmed that Smith was leading by one and the man who had led him by three at the turn, then looked awkwardly to the 16th fairway to watch the new leader hit his next approach. It must have been a sickening sound as the galleries applauded the arrival of Smith’s ball on the green. McIlroy felt the Claret jug slip despite his own vociferous support. St Andrews is not the most atmospheric Open venue. Crowds are limited to the outer perimeter and the best views come from the stands, especially around the loop from the seventh to the 11th hole. But a record 290,000 spectators ensured the 150th edition never lacked a sense of occasion befitting its historic significance. Anything but. It was a fantastic sight. And what about the Old Course itself? Fears that it would be outdone by today’s golfers were largely unfounded because the fast, steady conditions still presented a stern test. Twenty under par was a record winning score, however even is a fictitious number and 72 for the Old Course is generous. Depending on the wind, the ninth, 10th, 12th and 18th can be played as three holes. But a wind breaker makes for a tough four holes, as reflected on the scorecard. Either way the course still requires strategy, strength and precision. Smith excelled in all departments, especially with his wedges, to recover from Saturday’s potentially disastrous 73. Where the Old Course failed in a modern setting was its inability to allow 156 competitors to get through in time. Not completing the first round by 22:00 after starting the day at 06:35 is ridiculous. But it’s an inescapable malaise with two par-fives that are accessible in two, driveable by four holes, shared greens and fairways, and holes like the seventh intersection of the 11th. It may be heresy, but in open terms it is not suitable for the first two days. Rounds in excess of six hours, with the longest holes taking 40 minutes to complete, compromise the spectacle. As several observers noted during Thursday and Friday’s endless rounds, “LIV must be laughing its head off.” They play only 54 holes with 48 players, no cut and no shotgun start. It’s a different take on the game and a pale shadow of the tried-and-true methods of determining the men’s golf hierarchy. But LIV is here and it’s not going away. Their third tournament is next week at Donald Trump’s place in Bedminster, New Jersey. It won’t be a quiet week and new hires may appear. LIVs turn the focus to maximum. Their influence remains the big talking point, despite the glorious Open at the home of golf. The pressure cooker may be ready to explode. It’s anyone’s guess how the resulting mess can be returned to a sense of order.
