Return of the Mac!

This week sees golf’s big hitters advance to the shores of Britain. The sport’s third major of the year is up for grabs in the shape of The Open Championship, or more internationally known, The British Open. Only three weeks have passed since the last major was contested for, with Northern Ireland’s hotshot Rory McIlroy winning the US Open title.

With McIlroy’s fine victory stateside, many are looking at him to continue his good run and clinch the Claret Jug at the Kent course of Royal St George’s. With all eyes now fixed on this year’s Open Championship, and the much fancied runners and riders to take the title, I think a timeout is needed to give plaudits to Rory McIlroy and extraordinary triumph in the US Open after his well publicised disappointment at the US Masters.

For those who are indeed unfamiliar with Rory McIlroy’s year so far, to briefly summarize he was leading the US Masters by four shots going into the final day of play. Despite holding a healthy lead after three days, McIlroy saw his opportunity of securing a first win in a major go up in smoke in the most spectacular of fashion. Anyone who watched the collapse of McIlroy’s Masters in the tournament’s fourth round, might have expected that suffering such a setback would take years at the very least for a sportsperson to recover.

But the manner in which Rory McIlroy shook off his Augusta agony in a two month timeframe between the two majors is commendable. Reaching success at the very next opportunity at the US Open, and accomplishing victory by leading from the opening day to the final round, a similar position in which he failed to capitalise on at the Masters, might have put off many an individual. However, this time McIlroy would not be denied and fashioned out a margin that only grew as he crossed the finish line. In doing so McIlroy broke at least a dozen records in the process. A true test of character to overcome failure, and retain the belief to achieve in double quick time with the horrors of Augusta fresh in the mind, is highly admirable from the 22 year old.

In completing victory, McIlroy’s win has made me view the sport in a different light. I freely admit that I was not a massive fan of golf, and had a lukewarm admiration for the game. But when a young Tiger Woods burst onto the scene and would decimate his opponents time after time on a golf course, I soon recognised that he and we were watching something special. Not to mention the clever way he was marketed, it would have been pretty hard to escape the machine of Woods in any capacity.

In any event, with Rory McIlroy recent win, it seems to be a case of history repeating as he is commanding an almost similar frenzy and hype to his American counterpart. Perhaps it is somewhat appropriate for the Northern Irishman as he hails from a town named Holywood. But perspective must be brought to the discussion. Comparing Rory McIlroy to Tiger Woods in terms of immediate golfing statue and success is grossly unfair particularly for McIlroy. He is still on an upward curve still learning and shaping his craft. Woods will be remembered as one of the game’s legends and is still golf’s ultimate box office ticket. His non-appearance from this week’s Open Championship will leave a gapping hole to proceedings at Royal St George’s. But Rory McIlroy is imposing a positive freshness to the game, and is attracting a new crowd of followers of which I like to say that I am one of them.

Perhaps as a sport golf is seen as quite elitist, stuffy, and inflexible to the viewing public. But with such characters like Rory McIlroy, golf is now young and daring, and just little less square. McIlroy has caused a stir much like Woods did after his US Masters win way back in 1997. With that master class all the years ago, it is quite profound that Woods could be the cause of an indelible effect we are experiencing today in golf. The golfing world is now the playground to an influx of young starlets, or what I like to call the infants of Woods, that taking the game by storm and playing a Woods-like swashbuckling brand of golf.

Watching Woods in his pomp and studying his kind of exciting play whilst they were approaching teenage adolescence, many of the game’s young twenty-something’s today, like the former world number one Martin Kaymer, Ryo Jshikawa, and Rickie Fowler, are just a few names that are or have uniquely stamped their mark on the sport. Fellow young guns like the 2011 US Masters Champion Charl Schwartzel, and reigning Open Champion who will be looking to defend his title this week, Louis Oasthuizen, are all characters that appear to be staying for good. A group perhaps spearheaded by the man of the moment, Rory McIlroy. Food for thought if you are the old guard and your name is Phil Mickelson or Tiger Woods.

Exciting times for the golfing fanatic, though I do not doubt that somewhere a certain Mr Woods will still have something to say about this if his dodgy leg can ever hold up around eighteen holes. Expect the fourteen grand slam winner to be casting a beady eye over events at this year’s Open Championship. I know I will be.

Haye We Go

After waiting a near three years for the fight to happen, Wladimir Klitschko and David Haye finally got it on. I think Mills Lane the former world famous referee might have said better, but I gave it a go anyway. Now personally I began to have major doubts if this heavyweight bout was ever going to happen. What seemed to be unattainable demands, arguments and counter arguments, whilst sounding out that the other fighter does not want to compete, we eventually got a heavyweight contest worth talking about and the two men in the ring at long last. So with that, let get straight down to business and pick the bones out of the Hamburg event.

First of all it was good to see heavyweight boxing back in the big time, and thrust into the public’s consciousness. For years now the heavyweight division has been dormant. If you asked the average man on the street who the current dominate fighter in this field was, many might have drawn a blank look. Or even still claim Lennox Lewis as the current king despite retiring almost eight years ago, such has been the lacklustre interest of the division to the board public, and its crown jewel status within the sport. Unfortunately for them or perhaps because of them, the reigns of the Klitschko brothers has overlapped within this era. So as a starting point, I want to give credit to David Haye despite all the negative fallout he has received after last Saturday’s fight.  

Establishing himself as the ruler of the cruiserweight kingdom in 2008, Haye showed ambition in wanting to follow Evander Holyfield’s path, and become a key force in the heavyweight scene after being World Cruiserweight Champion. Because of his aspirations to move up the weight category, it cannot be denied that Haye has helped illuminate the previously dying heavyweight scene. Without his step up, we would still be reduced to watching chunky unknown drones attempting to topple the Klitschko brothers, which quite frankly was a suitable for a cure for insomnia. Last Saturday night gave us a meaningful reason to watch a heavyweight fight, as boxing enthusiasts long looked forward to an encounter with the Bermondsey boxer and either one of the Klitschkos. We indeed got our wish, but perhaps this is where the credit stops for Britain’s David Haye.

Haye’s pre-fight antics, verbal tirades, and premeditated measures to antagonise Wladimir Klitschko may not have been to everybody’s liking. Personally, the trash talking between boxers is par for the course in boxing, and sometimes is quite funny to hear and watch. Haye following the classic mandatory ploy of one of the boxers taking ‘discussions’ too far to ensure their position as the pantomime villain, is just another feature we as fans have to endure whilst the boxers hype the fight up with supposedly genuine hatred. Let us not forget as well as being opponents, the fighters are also business men. Anybody in their right mind would want to be well numerated for their dangerous efforts. So can we really criticise Haye’s behaviour too much for this?

But what really sent me into a spin was the endless whining and whinging about nonsensical details regarding the structure of this fight, and from my perspective it largely and unnecessarily coming from David Haye’s and his camp. His delayed entrance to the ring and keeping the legendary former undisputed heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis waiting, for what seemed to be a well choreographed and exciting entrance to the proceedings was nothing short of disrespectful.

Haye needlessly bringing Lewis as collateral damage into his persistent infantile antics as part of the fight's build-up was simply poor form. Additionally, keeping the fight fanatics waiting with many of them being British followers of David Haye after the long drawn negotiations finally ceased, and the showdown was due to transpire, seemed like the ‘Hayemaker’ was just shooting himself in the foot. Or perhaps was it his toe? Hmm…..

But Haye's actions might have been far more justified had he sealed the biggest win of his life, or at the very least showcased a great performance whatever the result. Especially of a man who has endlessly claimed that this fight would be his swansong before retiring in October. But unfortunately Haye did neither. Wildly throwing punches with no fluidity or composure was the all the best the now former WBA Champion mustered, to the watching public in over 140 countries.

But as disappointing as Haye was, Wladimir Klitschko showed why he has been lauded the king of the heavyweight ring, and proved it in becoming the undisputed champ. Based on a left jab coiled like spring to feel out Haye and keeping him at bay, Wladimir Klitschko executed the fundamentals of the sport of hit and don’t get hit in emphatic fashion. Perhaps as a boxer Klitschko is not as entertaining or dynamic as Lennox Lewis, but the Ukrainian’s game plan based on the jab and executing his tactics to a tee, was not to dissimilar to that of Lewis. Klitschko put on a show that was by far his best performance ever put together in the squared circle, and won with relative ease. 

Again you could conclude this is testament to Haye and the potential quality he could have posed to Klitschko, a task which the big Ukrainian has never really had to deal with in past bouts.  By the end of the night I conceded that Wladimir Klitschko was class act in the ring, to go along with his civil manner out of the ring before and after the fight.

Since the fight's conclusion, many have said Haye never had a puncher's chance, as in essence he is a cruiserweight mixing it in the land of the giants with the heavyweights. This is a notion I do not wholly believe. Haye certainly had the quality to win, but with a little less whinging and not getting caught up in histrionics, perhaps the fight would have been a little closer than the almost shut-out we saw in Hamburg. The key fact simply was Wladimir Klitschko performed better, and the right result ultimately occurred, end of story. It is not by accident that Wladimir Klitschko finds himself undefeated for almost seven years in a world where he is long thought of as the current best.   

But three aspects that really stood out for me from last Saturday night. Firstly, with Lennox Lewis part of the analysis team for the British coverage of the fight, his presence really emphasised how superior he was in his prime. As the years go by, more and more people recognise it by the way he is flanked by adoring fans that might previously have been lukewarm when he was active, particularly if you were of a British persuasive.

Secondly as Lewis was giving his methodical view, and speaking of the boxers in action, chiefly that of Wladimir Klitschko, you could see a glint in his eye. A thought bubble if you will, telling himself that these two fighters could not hold a candle to him even on his worst day, and would love to prove it despite being retired for eight years. Obviously I do not expect Lewis to make a shocking and unwise comeback, but when you were as good as him and only father time halting you in your tracks, you know he could have shown the young pups of today how it is done to. 

But the most telling point of the night was what should have been of a bout of super-fight status, and ordinarily such encounters of this nature are settled in the grandeur of the Las Vegas scene, this contest was staged in Hamburg. A solid but not spectacular setting for what arguably is the richest and most converted prize in all of sport, the unmistakable title of being heavyweight champion of the world. Instead, on the same night, it was the meteoric phenomenon of the mixed martial arts promotion of UFC and its 132 edition stealing the show, headlined by Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber in a Bantamweight Championship bout. 

Just for the record, for the UFC fans amongst you Dominick Cruz retained his Bantamweight title. But what does this say about the future of both the combat sports? Has UFC finally surpassed the historic sport of boxing? Are the long and confusing standoffs in making the big boxing matches happen, along with some of the unsavoury antics we see at times damaging the creditability of the sport, and turning away fans from boxing for good?    

Lew-sing Control

Just as we thought the Formula One season had turned a corner, and was going to become a little more unpredictable with Jensen Button’s last grasp win at the Canadian Grand Prix, last weekend the sport served up a tedious and uninspiring European Grand Prix. The Valencia street circuit staged nothing more than a procession with all 24 cars finishing the race. Allied with little track action of note, it was a fair cry from two weeks ago when the Canadian Grand Prix threw a positive spanner to the works producing a compelling contest.

Despite the never-ending time it took for the Canadian Grand Prix to eventually conclude due to some inclement Montreal weather, and the F1 stewards deeming the rain downpour was not safe for the drivers to race on, we saw thrills and spills which created an enthralling race in Canada. Consequently adding more fuel to the slowly growing fire that wet racing makes great racing, and this dynamic should become a regular feature in F1. An issue that was recently reviewed by this website only a few weeks ago, but after the completion of Canadian Grand Prix, it is hard to argue with this thinking. Heighten by the fact when one has to be subjected to that snore-fest in Valencia five days ago.

In any event, a key talking point that has been discussed at length over recent weeks has been Lewis Hamilton’s driving style. In what is fast becoming a contentious topic, Hamilton’s collision with Mark Webber and later with fellow McLaren teammate Jenson Button at the Canadian Grand Prix, has led to many people forwarding their opinion both on and off the track.

Now before we get to the nitty-gritty of Hamilton and his driving technique on the track, from a personal view I am a massive admirer of Lewis Hamilton. As a driver, his racing style for me is swashbuckling and dynamic. His approach marks him out to be the only out and out driver in the field, who aims to pass and overtake his rivals. A feature that we as racing fans all want to see when viewing the sport, and for the large part Hamilton does it with ease. All too often he appears solely as a man on the charge, looking to gain an advantage over fellow competitors. 

However it would foolhardy to overlook the fact that in the eight races contested so far this year, Hamilton has had to report to the race stewards on a number of occasions regarding driving incidents that have involved him. So is the former world champion rash and reckless, or is he at the wrong place at the wrong time, and is merely a victim of circumstances that just so happen to involve him?

Well if you are former three-time world champion Niki Lauda, then you are firmly in the camp that Lewis Hamilton is very much the architect of his own troubles, and is a danger to his fellow drivers. Lauda has been quoted by saying that if Hamilton continued with his on-track strategy, “it will result in someone getting killed”. Lauda is not alone in this type of thinking regarding Hamilton’s style. A steadying camp believes Hamilton’s manner during race days leaves a lot to be desired. However there are those who believe it is inevitable that Hamilton is involved in such high profile situations.

Many subscribe to a similar theorem which I have already stated about Hamilton and admire is his capacity to be the only driver at the sharp end, who actively seeks to openly overtake and compete. So with this in mind, perhaps Hamilton’s gusto attitude would indeed stick out more so compared to his rivals of today, in an era which I like to call safe, cuddly, and too calculated. Perhaps Hamilton is a throwback to traditional racing, particularly when you consider Hamilton’s style is sculpted by his idol, the late great Ayrton Senna. Hamilton even models his yellow helmet as homage to the Brazilian legend.

Either way it is an interesting argument whatever your outlook may be, but I think the Stevenage bred driver and his style is refreshing. However I do feel in what is his fifth season of competition, Hamilton looks like a man who has still yet to grasp how to analyse possible overtaking situations and disguards the bigger picture, in favour of going for every single passing manoeuvre presented no matter how big or small the opening may be.  

A lapse in my view the McLaren driver holds, which dates back to an unnecessary retirement in the penultimate race of the 2007 season, when competing in the Chinese Grand Prix. In a commanding position to score heavy points and claim the drivers’ title, or at the very least render it almost impossible for his distant rivals in the title standings to overtake, Hamilton decided to race against opponents that had been lapped or were in positions that were of no threat. Ultimately Hamilton’s zest and poor tactics from his team cost him dearly, as he beached his car just before the pit-lane entry. Allowing his title rivals to close the gap in the drivers’ championship and build momentum which eventually was one by Finland’s Kimi Räikkönen.

A gaping title opportunity that Hamilton should have taken in his debut season, but perhaps immaturity from a young driver competing in their first year could excuse this chance missed. However a similar occurrence struck in last year’s campaign, when once again Lewis Hamilton lead the standings towards the business-end of the season with six races to go.

 

What was shaping up to be a two-horse race between himself and Red Bull competitor Mark Webber, two clear over ambitious attempted passes in the Italian Grand Prix involving Felipe Massa, and the Singapore Grand Prix with Mark Webber, Hamilton recorded two consecutive back-to-back retirements. With no points scored, the chasing pack closed Hamilton’s numeric advantage and overtook him in the standings.

Yet at that stage in the season, it was an opportune time for Hamilton to keep his car on the track and register key points, making it very difficult for his opponents to bridge the lead in the standings Hamilton had built up. However again points and momentum had been gathered elsewhere and the 2010 championship was won by Sebastian Vettel, who currently looks like retaining his title at a canter this season.

Deciding if Lewis Hamilton’s tactics is simply slapdash or just racing incidents is too simplistic to conclude that easily. But with his recent clash with Jenson Button in Canada, the weather conditions and poor visibility on hand were hardly a help. But if you cast back to the how Jenson Button won the Canadian Grand Prix perhaps a lesson can be learnt.

With numerous visits to the pit lane, and what seemed like an eternity in occupying the lesser positions in the race to go along with his collision with Hamilton, Button’s tactics of playing the long game paid off by applying pressure at the right time to snatch an unlikely win. Perhaps incorporating a slightly more assessed perspective of race situations, allied to his natural progressive attitude, would prove to be a winning and far more successful arrangement for Hamilton going forward in the long run.

This is underlined even more when his current title challenge which is on the resuscitation table, and with every unregistered point Hamilton does not claim, this season is fast becoming nothing more than being redundant for the 26 year old. But then again I think many of the top drivers and teams outside of the Red Bull camp are already resigned to this same thinking, with Sebastian Vettel dominating much of 2011.