[PHOTO: David Cannon]
For those inclined to the perplexing and sometimes misinterpreted study of body language, the opening round of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at Carnoustie provided an ideal opportunity for practice. More specifically, all interaction between the men partnering with professionals Billy Horschel and Dean Burmester was clearly going to be the most interesting aspect of what was a beautifully warm and sunny day on the east coast of Scotland in early October (yes, really).
Both can play a bit – Monahan more so, even if he needs to work on shouting “fore” having almost taken out a marshal right of the seventh fairway – and both had their moments in the sunshine that put a metaphorical smile on the face of the normally bleak, barren and desolate Carnoustie links. (The Old Course at St Andrews and Kingsbarns also feature in the pro-am event.) And both seemed to be enjoying the company of the other. It takes a while to complete 18 holes in the Dunhill Links – rounds tend to take almost five-and-a-half hours – so there is time to chat. Which is what Monahan and Al-Rumayyan did at length while waiting for the three-group pile-up on the par-5 sixth tee to dissipate.
Indeed, something of a huddle developed, one joined at various times by Horschel, Rory McIlroy and various others eager to say hello.
“We didn’t talk about what’s going on in the game,” shrugged McIlroy, who opened with a three-under 69. “We talked about Newcastle United [the Saudi-owned English Premier League soccer club]. We talked about some of the other stuff Yasir owns. It was all very cordial. Other than that, I obviously didn’t see much of what was going on in the group ahead, but it’s not as if we don’t all know each other. We’ve been doing this dance for a couple of years now. I’m not sure we can take much from today. They were behaving like golfers, which is what we are here to do. Who knows? I keep saying time will tell. And there’s only so many ways I can answer the same question.”
So what exactly was being said between the two main protagonists in their many private moments must remain something of a mystery. Neither had anything to say publicly at the conclusion of their rounds. Monahan turned down a request from the waiting media. And Yasir? One look at the grim-faced henchmen in the golf cart following H.E (His Excellency) was enough to discourage even the bravest journalist.
Still, Johann Rupert, the billionaire businessman whose ‘toy’ this tournament is, did offer some background as to how Monahan and H.E. conveniently found their way into the 9am group on Carnoustie’s 10th tee. Long a proponent of a Neville Chamberlain like “peace for our time” accord, the South African owned up to being half of the duo behind the pairing.
“[DP World Tour chief executive] Guy Kinnings asked the one party if he wouldn’t mind playing with the other party and I asked the other party,” Rupert said. “They both said ‘absolutely’. I think there has been a lot of misunderstandings about who did what and when. But I have known Jay for a very long time and I have got to know His Excellency as well and they both only have the best interests of golf at heart. I think if we keep on having days like today, golf is supposed to be a maker of friends.”
Rupert also asked for some perspective amid the current clamouring for a solution to what is, after all, just a sport, albeit also a business worth millions.
“We have a war going on in Ukraine and a terrible situation in the Middle East and another war going on in Sudan that most non-Africans don’t even know about,” he said. “And we argue about golf. I think we should have two strong tours working together and all parties working together. Surely all we want to do is see the best players in the world playing together and the majority of them would like it.”
On that front, Rupert has done an excellent job. As well as most of the DP World Tour’s biggest names, the field this week boasts 14 players from the LIV Golf League, headed by Brooks Koepka and Jon Rahm. Rahm’s 65 at Carnoustie was the best of the LIV contingent but four shots more than it took South African Darren Fichardt to negotiate Kingsbarns, typically the course where the lowest scores occur.
Not surprisingly, his stirling play – especially on the greens – had Rahm in fine fettle, to the point where he was even making mildly optimistic noises about the subject no one else wanted to touch.
“I won’t let myself believe anything until it is actually true. I hope so. But having commissioner Monahan here, Guy Kinnings as well and having His Excellency here and, by the looks of it, all spending some time together should be something that makes us all feel hopeful for the future,” said the former US Open and Masters champion. “But, at this point, I don’t want to create an expectation and then not meet it. But I’m hopeful.”
Then he smiled. Which is a good thing in any language.
