Su Oh's Open Edge

BY BRENDAN JAMES AT ROYAL MELBOURNE GOLF CLUB

The renowned British golf commentator and writer Henry Longhurst once wrote, “A good caddie is more than a mere assistant. He is guide, philosopher and friend.”

The newly crowned RACV Ladies Masters Champion Su Oh would surely agree with Longhurst’s observations.

Su Oh hugs her father and caddy after winning the Ladies Masters. PHOTO: Getty Images

Her father, S.G, had the caddying duties at Royal Pines Resort and was the proudest dad on the Gold Coast as the pair walked the 72^nd hole together with the win assured. It made the teenager’s first victory as a professional all the more special, and emotional, when the job was done.

"He sacrificed everything for me," said Oh, fighting back tears during the trophy presentation. "He's been there every time, no matter how good it is, or how bad it is. Which dad wants to get on their bag for their daughter and get told off all day?

"But he's just been great for me."

Nevertheless, she will be looking for back-to-back victories this week at the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open with a different guide toting her bag as her “golf uncle” and former touring pro and Golf Australia columnist Mike Clayton takes over the caddying duties.

Apart from also being an accomplished course designer and devotee of Alistair MacKenzie courses, Clayton also wrote a golf course book in recent years. The subject? Royal Melbourne's two world famous courses.

“First of all, I didn’t sack my dad,” the amiable 18-year-old laughed.

“We had arranged before that dad would caddy last week and Mike would caddy this week at Royal Melbourne.

“Mike knows this course better than anyone else, so I just need to hit it where he tells me to hit it really … that’s the hard bit … that’s always the hardest thing.

“We’ll be a great combo and we’ll see what happens.”

But, as the boss of the partnership, does she have enough pull to get Clayton wearing shorts this week?

Mike Clayton and Su Oh working together at last year's Women's Australian Open. PHOTO: Brendan James

“No … may be if I’m in the last group on Sunday,” she chuckled. “Nah, probably not.

“I’ve tried a few times (to get him to wear shorts) … if its 40 degrees, surely he has to.”

Clayton and Oh, who are both members at Melbourne’s Metropolitan GC, first teamed up at the Women’s Australian Open last year. He was also on the bag for her first tilt at a major championship, The Kraft Nabisco, last April when she finished tied 51^st.

The duo ventured around the Royal Melbourne course in practice today, taking note of the driving lines and how the layout was playing.

“The course is in great shape,” Oh said. “It was hard … shots hitting the fescue (green surrounds) were sitting up and then hitting the green the ball was running out.

“The greens are not as fast as they were a few years ago but they are still quick … have to hole a lot of five foot putts this week.”

Oh hopes raising trophies will become a habit now she has turned professional. PHOTO: Getty Images

Oh says winning at the weekend has not hampered her preparation for the Open, although she has been “busier than normal”.

“I have really cherished the past few days,” she said. “And hopefully there will be many more like it.

“My routine hasn’t changed too much. Sandy (Lonergan from the ALPG) has been great organising everything. Monday, I wasn’t going to do much practice anyway after getting home at 2am.

“I played nine holes today, but I grew up in the Sandbelt and I know the course and the conditions. I guess we’ll see how it effected to me as the tournament goes on.”

Three weeks ago, it appeared Oh would have to try and Monday qualify for this year’s Open. Much has changed with a runner-up finish at the Victorian Open and her Masters victory, which now sees Oh among the leading groups teeing off at Royal Melbourne on Thursday – a pleasing outcome according to Championship Director Trevor Herden.

"Su Oh wasn't in this field three weeks ago, and it was up to me to maybe invite her,” he said. “I felt that she needed to go out and do some work and actually earn her rights to get into this tournament.

“There was an opportunity through the ALPG to play some events and get some money up and create her own entry into the tournament.'

“If I'd invited her three or four weeks ago, she might not have played the Ladies Masters last week. Now, looking back, she played the pro-ams, she came up and won that last week. She'll get a lot more respect from other players earning her own way. She's earned her own stripes to come in.''

Oh, who first qualified to play in this Championship as a 12-year-old, is playing her seventh Australian Open, which is a lot more than most in the field this week.

“I made the cut the last time the Open was played at Royal Melbourne but hopefully I will do a bit better this time,” she said. “I really wanted to play my seventh Open.

“I had to earn my way in and I’m really glad that I did. I want to play as many as I can … maybe I can set a record … some day.”

The teenager is not intimidated by the fact six of the world’s top-12 women are here to claim the title. And with the Royal Melbourne savvy and straight talking Clayton in her corner, Oh already has the edge on the opposition.

ROUND 1 GROUPS TO WATCH

10th tee

7.40am     Su Oh (Vic)     Katherine Kirk (Qld)      Ariya Jutanugarn (Thai)

7.50am     Karrie Webb (Qld)     Jessica Korda (US)     Shanshan Feng (PRC)

8am     Yani Tseng (Tai)     Gerina Piller (US)     Ai Miyazato (Jpn)

8.10am     Julieta Granada (Para)    Amy Yang (S.Kor)     Christina Kim (US)

1st tee

12.40pm     Cheyenne Woods (US)     Marianne Skarpnord (Nor)     Minjee Lee (WA)

12.50pm     Lydia Ko (NZ)     So Yeon Ryu (S.Kor)     Charley Hull (Eng)

1pm     Stacey Keating (Vic)     Mo Martin (US)     Catriona Matthew (Scot)

1.10pm     Lee Anne Pace (RSA)     Beatriz Recari (Esp)     Na Yeon Choi (S.Kor)