Ben Curtis: British Open Champion Returns to Muirfield

When Ben Curtis made his debut at The Memorial Tournament in 2003, he was the local kid just trying to make the cut.

When he returned to Muirfield Village this past May as the reigning British Open champion, however, he was local kid made good, stil basking in the glow of his Cinderella victory almost one year ago at famed Royal St. George.

Curtis, who grew up mere miles from Muirfield Village in Central Ohio while learning the game at Mill Creek Golf Course in Ostrander, outlasted the likes of Vijay Singh, Davis Love III, Thomas Bjorn and Tiger Woods to win that British Open title. In doing so, Curtis became the first player to win a major championship in his first start since Francis Quimet in 1913 and the first to win his premier British Open start since Tom Watson in 1975. Pretty heady stuff indeed for a player who came into the British Open with only a Hooter’s Tour victory to his credit to shoot a final round 69 to come litterally from nowhere to win one of golf’s biggest championships.

So, with the Claret Jug riding shotgun, Curtis returned to the Memorial Tournament in early June, this time received as a major championship winner by golf fans that last year might not have known a thing about him.

“It’s not so much the support I get from the family and friends, I’ve always had that before, but the community in general” Curtis said of the local support he enjoyed during the 2004 tournament. “I mean, I think every hole that I went up to, people were clapping, and it felt good, whereas last year I could hear the family voices yelling out to me. I think last year a lot of people didn’t realize who I was, and now, since I won, a lot of people have noticed me.”

Perhaps inspired by that support, Curtis displayed some of the British Open magic at the Memorial, contending for three and a half rounds before Ernie Els lapped the field on the back nine on Sunday. Curtis opened the tournament with a stellar 4-under 68 and maintained that play throughout to finish in a tie for eighth at 6-under 282, by far his best finish of the 2004 season to that point.

“Every player wants to be able to play where they grew up,” Curtis said of being inspired to play well at Muirfield. “I came down here, I think starting around six or seven years old to watch this golf tournament. It’s always fun to come and play. That’s your dream. When I was growing up, this is where I wanted to play, I thought it would be fun to play in this event, and now I can do that.”

Despite the good will that has continued since his unlikely triumph at the British, Curtis’ 2004 season has lacked the kind of success the Kent State graduate had hoped for. His top 10 at Muirfield was his first of the season on the PGA TOUR and Curtis ranked just 102nd on the money list following that performance. After two rounds at the MCI Heritage on Hilton Head Island, Curtis held the lead only to finish in a tie for 25th at 2-under par following difficult third and fourth rounds. That event appears to be a microcosm of Curtis’s season thus far.

“Yeah, it’s been up and down,” Curtis said of 2004. “It’s normally how I putt the ball. If I putt well, I’m close, and if I’m not, them I’m going to be around the cut. There’s been up and downs ever since the MCI. I had some really good putting days, and then I’ve had some days where it’s just been awful. It’s getting more where the days are getting better.”

 Despite closing with a 79 at the U.S. Open, Curtis played well at Shinnecock Hills throughout the week, including a first-round 2-under 68 that left him only a couple strokes off the lead. A strong showing on a difficult course such as Shinnecock is a good sign heading into Curtis’ British Open defense at Royal Troon in mid-July.

“I think each week it’s building,” Curtis said. “There were some parts of the game I wasn’t doing so well that have improved each week.”

That Curtis’ defense at the British Open will certainly lack the kind of hype of a Tiger Woods or Ernie Els defense isn’t likely to faze him much. In fact, Curtis has reveled in his continued underdog status, and eagerly awaits the day he proves last year’s British Open was no fluke, but rather the beginning of an impressive career for a local kid made good.

“I haven’t really done anything since (the 2003 British Open),” Curtis said. “So until I do, it will be a Cinderella story. That’s a good thing. Hopefully, I can build on those experiences and move on and try to do better.”