Friday, October 28, 2005
Van De Velde Proves Himself A Loser Again
Perhaps the biggest melt down in major championship golf occurred at the 1999 British Open. Jean Van de Velde had tamed the beastly Carnoustie Golf Links for four rounds and held a three shot lead with one hole to play. He barely made a triple bogey on the hole, then lost a playoff.
So dude is no stranger to public blunders. And it's a good thing, because he has done it again.
Van de Velde has announced that he will attempt to play in the 2006 Women's British Open. He thinks if women are allowed to play in events traditionally played by only men, the reverse should be true. He is dead wrong.
Van de Velde is eligible to play in the (British) Open. It's not the Men's Open. It's not the Choker Open. It's just The Open. Anyone good enough to play gets to play - men, women, and minors included.
The Women's (British) Open is just that - a championship for women. It is run by the Ladies Golf Union, and being a female is a requirement to enter. Van de Velde demeaned other women players by offering to shave his legs and wear a kilt, confirming this is a stunt rather than a principled position.
No woman has ever contended in a significant men's tournament, so I do not understand why even the most insecure male pro would be concerned about this issue. Unfortunately, the major men's golf tours have many of most miserable people on the planet as members. They are pampered and coddled, and they don't like anyone crashing the party.
They need to get over it.
So dude is no stranger to public blunders. And it's a good thing, because he has done it again.
Van de Velde has announced that he will attempt to play in the 2006 Women's British Open. He thinks if women are allowed to play in events traditionally played by only men, the reverse should be true. He is dead wrong.
Van de Velde is eligible to play in the (British) Open. It's not the Men's Open. It's not the Choker Open. It's just The Open. Anyone good enough to play gets to play - men, women, and minors included.
The Women's (British) Open is just that - a championship for women. It is run by the Ladies Golf Union, and being a female is a requirement to enter. Van de Velde demeaned other women players by offering to shave his legs and wear a kilt, confirming this is a stunt rather than a principled position.
No woman has ever contended in a significant men's tournament, so I do not understand why even the most insecure male pro would be concerned about this issue. Unfortunately, the major men's golf tours have many of most miserable people on the planet as members. They are pampered and coddled, and they don't like anyone crashing the party.
They need to get over it.
