2007
Brad Bryant
On the last day of the 2007 U.S. Senior Open on a hot and breezy afternoon at Whistling Straits along the shoreline of Lake Michigan in Kohler, Wis., journeyman professional Brad Bryant completed the second-biggest comeback in the championship’s history.
While Tom Watson and Loren Roberts struggled to make pars over the closing nine holes, the 52-year-old Bryant posted a 4-under-par 68 that allowed him to come from five strokes back and claim the title by three over Ben Crenshaw.
"What a privilege it is to be a U.S. Senior Open champion," Bryant said. "I can’t tell you what it means to me. To have my name on the trophy is something more special than I can tell you at the moment. As time goes by I think it will become even more special to me."
During the first two days, the weather at the 2007 U.S. Senior Open was relatively benign. Stripped of its most significant defenses — the winds that often howl off the waters of Lake Michigan — Whistling Straits surrendered scores considerably lower than many expected.
It was only on Saturday that the winds finally rose up and the course began to show its teeth. Watson, the second-round leader, carded a 1-over-par round of 73, but still held a three-stroke advantage over Loren Roberts. Bryant crept up the leader board with a 71 that left him five strokes back of Watson.
In Sunday’s final round, despite the strongest winds of the championship, Bryant posted birdies at the second, third, sixth, and ninth holes to complete a front-nine 32. Bryant posted his fifth birdie of the day at the 11th to move to seven under par, but Watson made consecutive birdies at the ninth and 10th holes to go to nine under par.
For Watson, however, disaster struck. At the 11th, Watson’s ball found a testy fairway bunker and he carded a double-bogey 7. Rattled, Watson three-putted the 12th for bogey, then failed to get up-and-down from behind the 13th green. At the 15th, his drive ran through the fairway and into a bunker, where he found an awkward lie, which led to another double bogey. On the 72nd hole, he recorded his third double-bogey of the round.
Watson closed with a 43 on the final nine holes, posting a 6-over-par 78 to finish at 1-underpar. Playing alongside Watson, Roberts likewise faltered down the stretch. He had moved to six under par with his birdie at the seventh, but posted bogeys at the eighth, ninth, 15th and 17th holes to finish at 2-under 286.
While Watson and Roberts struggled through the closing nine holes, Crenshaw posted his second sub-par round of the championship and was the leader in the clubhouse at 3-under-par 285. As the final groups played the closing holes, Crenshaw watched as his name steadily moved up the leader board. He would ultimately finish alone in second place.
But the afternoon belonged to Bryant, one of the few players remaining in the field who managed to cope with the gusty winds. With Watson and Roberts struggling down the stretch, Bryant posted a birdie at the par- 5 16th hole to take the lead for the first time. By the time he reached the 18th fairway, his lead had increased to three. A well-struck 3-iron found the middle of the green and two putts later he completed his round of 68, finishing at 6-under-par 282 for the championship.
"What you have to do to win a U.S. Open is play some of the best golf you’ve ever played in your life," Bryant said. "And that’s kind of what I did today." |
