At Westwood, it's a bunch of Tigers at the top of the tourney

Writer’s note: I should have posted this earlier, because there’s a good chance the tourney will have concluded by the time you’re reading it now. Still, there are few charms the equal of the annual Westwood Invitational and Friday and Saturday’s events were terrific again, featuring terrific stories. Hope you enjoy the piece.

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NORMAN — There have been larger Westwood Invitationals, that’s certainly true.

This one, the 49th of a tradition that began in 1976, opened Friday with 88 players, which, if you think about it, remains kind of amazing all these years later.

Yet, perhaps, for one year, it’s not what it’s long been ballyhooed to be, the state’s largest stroke-play tournament.

Still, it’s a reunion.

Still, stories abound.

Still, all the terrific things it’s always been remain.

The reasons for lesser attendance are at least two fold. 

Momentarily, the course is dealing with temporary greens on the par 5 first, the par 4 seventh and the par 3 13th holes, which puts a slight damper on things.

Also, it’s always challenging when July 4 fails to fall upon a Friday, Saturday, Sunday or Monday and this year it fell on a Thursday, making the holiday unhelpful in creating a real-life three-day weekend.

On the bright side …

On the bright side, Championship Flight is beyond outstanding and today, though contenders are not necessarily limited to the final group, that final group will be a trio of Norman High Tigers: past, recent past and present.

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