An Open of smiling gods and shots off carpets

BROOKLINE, Mass. — Back in the 1950s, when gasoline was 25 cents a gallon and wood golf clubs were really made of wood and not metal, somebody said, “You don’t win a U.S. Open, it wins you.”

Meaning when the golfing gods smile and you don’t double-bogey the first hole in the second round as, alas, Justin Thomas did Friday at The Country Club, you might end up holding the trophy.

Like Scott Simpson. Or Jack Fleck. Or Jack Nicklaus or Tiger Woods.

After two rounds of shuffling and surprises, Collin Morikawa and Joel Dahmen got the smiles Friday, ending up in a tie for first at 5-under.

Defending champ Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy, Hayden Buckley and Beau Hossler were at 6-under.

As you’ve heard, in an Open, with all those weeds and dastardly quick greens you’ve got to be patient, not to mention accurate, and understand the tournament and the course are designed both to make you miss and make you miserable.

There’s a great quote from the late Tony Lema about the difference between the Masters and the U.S. Open, something like the Masters, with its wide fairways, is fun while the U.S. Open can be agony.

Not so far this Open for Scottie Scheffler, who in April won the Masters, and 36 holes into this Open is one of the leaders.

Golf may be a long walk (spoiled, according to Mark Twain), but things in a tournament can change in short order.

As in the 1966 Open at San Francisco's Olympic Club when Billy Casper picked up four shots on Arnold Palmer in two holes, or Gil Morgan’s unfortunate collapse in 1992 at Pebble Beach, when he went from a record under par to a disaster at the eighth hole.

Here in the suburbs of Boston, where people already were trying to come to terms with the Celtics losing the NBA Finals to the Warriors, the mystery was what happened to a golfer named A.J. Dauffe.

He was in the sole lead after the front nine, and then he wasn’t even one of the 14 names on the board when he finished the round — although momentarily his name kept appearing and disappearing.

He went from 6-under-par at the 10th tee to even par after the final hole, closing with a double-bogey for 32-40–72 on a par-70 course.

Dauffe (pronounced Duffy) is a South African who, after brief stays at a couple of small American universities, joined the Korn Ferry Tour, from which a couple weeks ago he earned a place on the PGA Tour.

Friday he earned a place in golfing lore.

He hit his tee shot on the 14th onto the deck of a hospitality area. Instead of taking a drop, he chose to play the ball where it landed.

“I’m coming over you,” he shouted at spectators below. Later he explained, “I had 278 uphill, and if I drop I’m in the rough. I didn’t want to hit a 7-iron blind. I had a 4-wood in the bag, and the lie is so good on the hospitality carpet.”

He knew where he stood during the round. His name was ahead of everyone else’s. Then he watched it being moved down.

“An up and down round,” agreed Dauffe. “Executed really well, There were some moments when I had to scramble.

“Back nine was disappointing. Did the simple really bad. But you know, if you told me (Thursday) I would be 1-under-par in the top 15 finishing my round (Friday), I would have said yes. Taking everything out of the equation.”

And taking a shot off a carpet.