Louis Oosthuizen is a favorite in Munich
WithAt least if you look at the rankings, Lodewicus Theodorus “Louis” Oosthuizen is the top candidate. From Thursday to Sunday, the BMW International Open takes place in Eichenried, just outside Munich – in front of 400 invited spectators. The Erding area didn’t allow for more. In 12th place, the 38-year-old South African Oosthuizen is twice as high as 23-year-old Norway’s Victor Hovland. Both are ahead of top German, Rheinlander Martin Kaymer (99), who celebrated his only home win in this tournament on the 2008 European Tour.
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However, the three were among the players the main sponsor flew on a charter flight from San Diego to Munich after the US Open. But unlike the Scandinavian super talent or Kaymer, who was named by Irish Ryder Cup captain Padregg Harrington to one of Eichenried’s four vice captains, Oosthuizen did not have to appear at the mandatory pre-tournament press conference. Perhaps the organizers wanted to save him from having to explain again why he was only second in a major, and for the second time in a row after the PGA Championship in May.
Oosthuizen has become a crowd favorite over the years. Fans admire how the 38-year-old South African swings elegantly at his golf club, a move that resembles something out of a textbook: with seemingly effortless power, aesthetically speaking, with perfect timing and cadence. Additionally, the pro with a second home in Florida is statistically the best racket on the US PGA Tour this year.
“This is frustrating”
However, it is a mystery. He has won five times on his home tour, the Rising Sun Tour of South Africa, and nine times on the European Tour. But why could a man with such gifts simply fail to win a second major after his success at the British Open eleven years ago in St Andrews, Scotland? Why is he the only one among the nine players to have completed the “Silver Championships”, that is, the second place in the most important tournaments, and who has held the trophy only once?
“I’m second again. It’s frustrating and frustrating. I played well, but not good enough,” said Oosthuizen, who lost all chances to win the US Open on the penultimate hole on Sunday. After the amazing birdies in the last two holes, he was Spaniard John Ram ahead of Oosthuizen by one shot.As at the PGA Championship in May, when he finished second behind American Phil Mickelson, the South African again unexpectedly threw and made mistakes unfamiliar to him.
At Torrey Pines, on hole 17, one of the easiest and shortest holes on the south court, he turned his left tee shot into a ravine and scored a bogey with one penalty kick – despite there being plenty of space to the right of the ball. the passage. A few weeks ago on Kiawah Island, the tee on the 12th hole had fallen into an obstacle, and Oosthuizen, who had been so confident even then, fell through the double bogey.
His main record now shows sixth and second place. Among the currently active pros, Tiger Woods (seven times) and Mickelson (eleven times) have had to settle for second place more often than not in the highlights of the season. But Woods (15 big wins) and Mickelson (6) also took home a number of awards for this.
And something else seems inexplicable: Oosthuizen simply cannot win in America. His victory at the 2010 British Open in St. Andrews (Scotland), which is part of both the European Tour and the PGA Tour, was his only success to date in the world’s most important championship series. This year he was on the team with his compatriot Charles Schwarzl already close to achieving his first success in the States. But they lost to Australians Mark Leishman and Cameron Smith in a jump in New Orleans at the Zurich Classic at the end of April. Oosthuizen took second place again.
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