Watching the British Open this past week was such a rewarding use of what could have been countless wasted hours in front of the tube, watching the usual suspects ply their trade. I'm one of the gazillions of golf nuts who has paid little attention to the slight South African who walked away with the Claret Jug. But I, like most folks who had never heard of him, will be rooting for Louis Oosthuisen in coming weeks, months and years.
What a treat is was to see a truly good human being victorious on one of sport's biggest stages. Did you hear anyone say anything negative about him? Did you see him do or say anything that reflected anything but a genuine good spirit? Was his ego even visible?
A product of EEFF (The Ernie Els & Fancourt Foundation), Louis Oosthuizen is a working class dreamer who, with a little help and guidance from Els and others has blossomed into a great golfer without losing sight of what it means to be a good man. Sweet. An actual role model for our sons and daughters.
In fairness, I have to admit to being a serious Tiger fan for years. It didn't matter to me that he was aloof... arrogant. He had good cause, I figured. These days, I'm still intrigued by his story, but much less impressed by the man. Oosthuizen, on the other hand, is someone I look forward to learning more about and watching on this new, larger arena he will now inhabit. Go get 'em, Louis!
