British Open Coming Around as a Favorite

The British Open is coming around as a favorite on the sports calendar. What am I talking about? The Open was actually one of my least favorite golf events. Why? Because I grew up with color TV. That's why. The thing that initially drew me to golf was the beauty of various golf courses and how they showed on TV.

Then HDTV came out and golf became even more awesome to look at. Take Augusta National for example. The aesthetics of perfectly manicured green grass, perfect greens, azaleas, and blue skies always pop off of a good TV set.

The British Open, or The Open, as it is properly called, is not nearly as petty to watch as "American" Golf. The weather is usually ugly, gray, overcast and sometimes foggy. A lot of times it is windy and rainy. Golfers are bundled up in layered sleeves and rain gear. And the golf courses, in the region where golf was invented mind you, are usually brown and yellow wide open fields with very few trees. It appears they have never heard of sprinkler irrigation systems across the pond.

And while American golf will always look nicer (in America we do things better) I've come around to appreciate that the haggard looking courses and the horrendous weather are what make The Open special, challenging and fun to watch.

For all the latest on the British Open this week tune into to Craig Shemon and Company on ESPN Southwest Florida from 2-6.

PINEHURST, N.C. - They'll talk about this moment for generations to come. Bryson DeChambeau capped off one of the greatest U.S. Open finishes in history Sunday at the hallowed grounds of Pinehurst No. 2.

They'll talk about the remarkable shot from the bunker on 18 that ended up just over 3 feet from the hole. They'll talk about the battle back and forth with Rory McIlroy over the last few holes. They'll talk about the fact that he hit only six fairways in his final round.

But they'll probably talk mostly about what happened after the win. Somehow, Bryson DeChambeau managed to win over the entire crowd, and made sure to celebrate with everyone. And we do mean everyone.

He loved the interaction with the fans that he had so much, that he said he wanted everyone to get a chance to touch the trophy, because it was theirs as much as it was his. And he made good on that promise. He ran through the crowd with the biggest smile a winning golfer could possibly muster, and he let the fans do exactly what he said.

It was an endearing moment for a golfer who hasn't been the best at making friends in the golf world over the years. But something changed this weekend at Pinehurst. The feelings were palpable, and Bryson fed off them.

"Those fans out there really helped push me out there today. Even when stuff wasn't going well, I'm just looking on the screen back there, I have nothing there, no business even trying to go for that. But you know me; I don't play boring golf," DeChambeau said. "Again, even though I hit it in the bunker, the fans are still chanting my name. So inspired me to get that one up-and-down."

They'll remember this moment at Pinehurst. They'll talk about it the way they talk about Payne Stewart's magical win. They'll talk about it among the greatest major moments of all time.

And when Bryson DeChambeau talks about it, the smile on his face will be the same one he had sitting in the bunker with his second U.S. Open trophy.

They'll remember this.