When Charl Schwartzel won The Masters the golf viewing audience released a collective “Who?” He came out of nowhere AND held off a hard charging Tiger Woods to win his first PGA Tour event. People were not only wondering who this guy was, but also how you pronounced his name.
Two months later no one is being caught off guard by the way he plays anymore. He used the first round of the U.S. Open to prove that his first Tour victory was no fluke. The South African was tied for second at 3-under par, three shots behind leader Rory McIlroy.
Following his win at Augusta, he has finished 22nd and 26th in two Tour events, so it’s not like he has been lighting the world on fire with his play. He has just been consistent, which is something that you like to see from golfers. It’s one of the most underrated qualities in this sport.
We get so focused on guys who are long off the tee or who can save strokes with the putter, but we never praise a guy who is solid in every area.
Schwartzel doesn’t have to be spectacular in this tournament, because the course doesn’t allow anyone to play that way. You have to be able to hit fairways and get good placement on the greens. He can do all those things really well.
His second round wasn’t pretty, he shot a 3-over 74, but he has done enough to prove that he is not just a one-hit wonder. He can be a contender for many more majors throughout his career. In fact, if it wasn’t for Rory McIlroy, he would be in contention right now.
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