Did anyone see that coming? For three days we experienced a curiously flat Fifth of Four Majors™, as a soft Sawgrass led to some downright boring golf. Even 21 air-to-water missiles at the 17th on Thursday couldn't lift our spirits, as the prospect of Kevin Na-Jerry Kelly cage match sapped our will to live...
Then....fireworks! A headline writers wet dream, Rickie exploded and the other guys said, "Not so fast, overrated one." Where does a fellow start to capture the pyrotechnics:
Fowler went 6 under par for his last six holes of regulation—his total of 11 strokes on holes 15-18 is the lowest score on those holes in any single round in tournament history—and 2 under for his four extra holes.
The 25-year-old will move to sixth in the world, the highest ever ranking, and collects a first-prize check worth $1.8 million.
Got that? He wasn't remotely in the mix as he teed off on No. 13, but after he rolled in his birdie putt on the finishing hole it looked like it was all over.... Let's let Shack tell us how he sees the major plotlines:
--The course was lacking openings freeing the players to attack, despite perfect weather and excellent conditioning by Tom Vlach's team. Sunday's setup by the rules staff's Gary Young and Robby Ware opened up enough doors to let the players perform. What a joy seeing so many clutch shots by such a range of protagonists.
--The outrage over golf.com's poll. So much for print and internet media irrelevance. Moreso, Rickie has been overhyped at times, in part because he kindly lends his likeness to PSA's and grow-the game stuff in addition to his corporate partnerships. He's ubiquitous, at times. So the wake-up call he received from the poll, or perhaps from Michael Bamberger's quietly unflattering SI story, made him dig deep and tap his incredible talent. Stop the rage! Be grateful for the fuel.
--One of those classic telecasts from NBC that at times seemed almost cinematic in the synchronization of camera shots, announcer observations, sound and that mystical late light. (If you missed it, Alex Myers did a nice job last week covering all elements of the well-oiled NBC machine.)
My reactions in order:
-- I wish he'd go deeper on that first point, because with the exception of some hole locations (No. 18 for sure), I don't know what changed on Sunday. Except, of course, for the circumstances, as Rickie put the other guys in a position where they had to make birdies...and did.
-- Outrage, Geoff? That seems a tad strong for the moment, as it's just a silly poll. From PGATour.com:
Five days ago, they said he was overrated. That his popularity was writing checks his success couldn't cash. That’s what the Sports Illustrated poll of PGA TOUR pros had proclaimed. Having been unable to build on his lone win three years ago at the Wells Fargo Championship, Fowler was in danger of transforming from promising youngster to one-hit wonder.
Publicly, Fowler shrugged off the results. But deep down, he was probably seething. He needed something to defend his reputation.
He delivered on Sunday. Delivered like no other winner on TOUR has delivered in more than 30 years.
When we discussed that poll here on Thursday, there were somethings I wanted to say about our Rickie, but I kept hearing Employee No. 2 whispering in my ear to keep the posts shorter. So it was easier just to take the Poulter lay-up and move on...
First I wanted to note that the answer depends upon what the definition of "is" is...oh wait, I'm so Ready for Hillary™ that I slipped into 90's nostalgia mode...What do you think of when you hear over-rated? I wouldn't have answered Rickie to that question because I'd credited him with progress since beginning his work with Butch, as evidenced by his strong showing in last year's majors. No doubt I had been puzzled by his lackluster start to 2015, but still...
But there's also little doubt that the all-important publicity-performance ratio has always been out of whack for the young man, and that's no doubt what his peers had in mind. I'm amused that Shack attributes it to the PSA's as opposed to the comical outfits he wears, though I did give him props last year for progress towards dressing like an actual adult (as well as for being able to have a joke about it in the Dick's commercials). Now if we could only do something about the hats and the eyebrows...
-- Yes, the NBC crew does deserve some plaudits, with an assist for the contrast with the Fox amateurism at the USGA Fourball event (though, to be fair, one-off venues tax logistical capabilities). I do think that Johnny is getting very long in the tooth and his staccato, from-nowhere observations are increasingly grating as he struglles with his native tongue.
I loved the use of ProTracer on the tee shot on No. 16, though I'd gladly trade the PT behind the 17th green (yanno guys, wedges don't do much but go up and down) for one covering the tee ball on No. 18. But well done, and I'm just grateful that we've locked these pros in to cover the next decade of U.S. Opens... what? Oh crap, whose brilliant idea was that?
Rex Hoggard focused on Rickie's play on the island green:
In the first aggregate, three-hole playoff in Players history, Fowler and Kisner birdied the second overtime hole (No. 17) and finished tied at 1 under par, a stroke clear of Garcia. At the first sudden-death playoff hole (No. 17) Fowler hit his tee shot to 4 feet and converted the birdie putt for his second Tour victory in his 142nd career start.That’s three tee shots at No. 17 all within 7 feet for birdie ... in the same day.
He played it six times in all and made five birdies...pace Adam Sandler, not too shabby.
Lots of discussion of Rickie's mother and sister heading to the airport:
"The whole thing, the pieces just weren't falling into place," she said of his titlecontention. "It was just another day, same routine."
It was supposed to be something special.
Rickie had turned Mother's Day into Mother's Weekend, taking Lynne to a nice dinner on Friday night to celebrate. He gave her what she called a "sweet" card on Sunday morning, but that's all she wanted. The gifts stopped there. His mother wanted the rest of the day to be about him.
And so after she received the card, she sent him a text message.
"Mother's Day for me was Friday," it read. "Today is your day. Do this for you."
Count them in the 24% that thought him overrated....oh the irony, it burns. I'll have a bit more later, I hope, but did you catch that celebratory kiss with girlfriend Alexis Randock? Still struggling to embed Vine videos so click through for that kiss, meanwhile Mrs. Jimmy Walker has laid down the gauntlet:
Get it
Erin, to be fair, you did have the whole weekend to work on those, as Jimmy had an unexpected couple of days off. But of far greater importance, can someone please explain those shorts Alexis was wearing to me? I mean, talk about making me feel old...
No comments:
Post a Comment