Its either incredibly bad timing, or the server was unable to handle the traffic, but DarrenClarke.Com is down.

Congratulations to Darren Clarke. He seems like a very likable and decent man, and his backstory is, to say the least, compelling.

Clarke’s Eagle at 7 turned out to be the game winner.

While Phil Mickelson didn’t manage to pull this one out, he seems to have a better grasp of Open golf. But there’s something wrong with his putting. For a guy who is perhaps the best ever around the greens, he chokes a lot of those short putts. He’s an equipment junkie. Maybe he needs to go to a belly putter (heresy!).

Dustin Johnson is taking a lot of criticism for “choking” in another Major. I disagree with the critics. The 2-iron was NOT a “huge blunder” as one headline suggests. He played well; he just hit a single bad shot. The only player who didn’t hit a bad shot in the final round was Darren Clarke. If this doesn’t go to his head, he’s going to win a pile of Majors.

I love the role that weather plays in the Open Championship.

I’m surprised at the poor showing of Luke Donald, Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell and Lee Westwood. But I think this says less about them (anyone can have a bad week) than it does the World Golf Rankings. When half the top ten fail to make the cut at a Major, you have to wonder if it’s valid at all.

American professional golf is not on the decline. Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson finished in a T2; Chad Campbell, Anthony Kim and Rickie Fowler were in a T5; Davis Love was T9; Steve Stricker and Lucas Glover T12.

Tom Watson continues to amaze. He was in contention at the end of the day Saturday, and at age 61, finished T22. He has my vote as the greatest links player of all time.

Sergio Garcia continues to show a resurgence. He may yet shed that Major jink.

Rory McIlroy fell a new notches in my mind with his whinging about the weather: “I’m not a fan of golf tournaments that are predicted so much by the weather. It’s not my sort of golf.” Seriously?

Rickie Fowler isn’t far off from his first Major. For a guy who hasn’t had to play in those sort of conditions, he really seemed to be enjoying himself.

In all, this was another great Open Championship, and shows why it’s probably my favorite among the Majors.

So much for the theory that American golfers have been eclipsed by their European counterparts. While Darren Clarke won the Open Championship, American players were in the thick of things at the end:

Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson finished in a T2; Chad Campbell, Anthony Kim and Rickie Fowler were in a T5; Davis Love was T9; Steve Stricker and Lucas Glover T12.

European and International players in that same run included Thomas Bjorn all alone in fourth; Raphael Jacquelin at 8; Sergio Garcia and Simon Dyson T9; Martin Kaymer T12.

Rory McIlroy finished T25, behind 61-year-old Tom Watson and 51-year-old Tom Lehman. Lee Westwood went home early, as did Luke Donald and Graeme McDowell.

To be fair, world number 6 Matt Kuchar, an American, also missed the cut.

Based on this single Major, it looks to me like the death of American golf has been greatly exaggerated.

After two days of relatively benign weather, I turned on the television to the Open Championship this morning to see that the heavens have opened up on the field. Players are in their weatherproofs, wearing two gloves, and generally looking like they are suffering.

All but Tom Watson, that is. He’s one under through seven. Everyone else is adding multiple strokes to their numbers.

I love the Open Championship. The landscapes, the weather, the unpredictability. It’s my favorite of the Majors.

Oh, my.

All the so-called experts were telling us that there’s no way an American will win the Open Championship, and yet at the halfway point, quite a few are in contention:

Lucas Glover is at the top with Darren Clark. Chad Campbell is T3. Davis Love, Tom Lehman and Dustin Johnson are all in a T7.

Not far behind are Phil Mickelson, Jeff Overton and Ryan Palmer in a T14. The guys in T14 are just three off the lead.

Credit: http://www.direct-golf.co.uk/