Shane Bacon’s Word of the Week: History

It is always humbling to know that you’re seeing history being made, especially when you aren’t exactly sure what that history is going to be.

That’s the case as you tune into the first couple of rounds of massive championships. You know that come Sunday someone is going to make it and the fun of experiencing a full golf tournament from Thursday to Sunday is you get to daydream about all sorts of outcomes.

Think about the Open Championship from a year ago: with Thursday came the hope that Tiger Woods might make a run at a golf course he’d owned earlier in his career. When that dream dissipated, the story became a couple of Camerons going into the weekend, one trying to make history for himself (Cameron Young) and the other for his country (Cameron Smith).

The Saturday buzz was all about Rory McIlroy potentially joining a short and elite list of the greats that have won at the home of golf. And on Sunday we got to watch it all unfold.

That Open feels a lot like this week’s U.S. Women’s Open. The golf course has been the star of the week so far; so many big names have talked about this week being their first dance with Pebble Beach.

Like Tiger a year ago in Scotland, Michelle Wie West is making what appears to be a final walk in a major championship, saying goodbye to pro golf with the hope in the back of her mind that she might end her career like Kobe Bryant did; maybe not by winning it all but by making a final moment (60 points!) for those that loved him and giving a wink to those that doubted him.

As the leaderboard starts to develop into Friday and then to Saturday, more historical options will show themselves. Could Rose Zhang do to Pebble Beach what Tiger did to Augusta National in ’97? Is it Jin Young Ko’s turn at the U.S. Open? Will Nelly or Lexi or Lydia make a bit of noise in Northern California?

Whoever wins this tournament will forever have a place in both USGA history and Pebble Beach history. There might be a shot hit on Sunday that will be talked about like the Jack 1-iron in ’72 and the Watson chip-in a decade later.

That is what’s so special about this week: we’re seeing a venue that elevates the best championship in a sport to a place it has never been before.

Pebble and the U.S. Women’s Open. The best in the world at one of the most beautiful places in golf. A golf course that has crowned so many male champions over the years finally getting to do the same to a professional woman.

History is being made right this second. While you can, get yourself involved in what is expected to be one of the great golf weekends of the year.

This piece originally appeared in The Fried Egg newsletter. Subscribe for free and receive golf news and insight every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.