Weekend Wrap

I'm already on the clock, so let's have at it....

I Went To A Fight... - ... and a hockey game broke out.  This was Shack's header anticipating the Sunday showdown:

Genesis Roundup: Primed For A Stellar Final Round At Riviera With Scott, Kuchar, McIlroy Tied At The Top

At one point Jim Nantz said that a U.S. Open had broken out...Looked to me more like a demolition derby, but he's the one with a Par-3 in his backyard...

Contenders all around him and pressure mounting, Adam Scott uncorked a drive on the par-4 15th at Riviera Country Club on Sunday that rolled near the feet of Joel Dahmen, among the golfers in the threesome ahead of him. A little uncourteous, sure, but Scott is likable among his fellow PGA Tour pros, and Dahmen playfully waved back. 

He meant no harm, truly, but it was definitely symbolic – Scott was focused to finish at the top of the Genesis Invitational, and really all those would-be contenders around him could do is wave the trophy goodbye. 

Scott, who entered the day tied for the lead with Rory McIlroy and Matt Kuchar, shot a one-under 70 to win by two shots over Sung Kang, Scott Brown and Kuchar, good for Scott’s first victory since 2016 and 14th overall. 

“It’s amazing,” Scott said on the CBS broadcast. “I’ve loved this place since Day 1. It was tough out there today. I’m excited for this.”

He should be, as he beat a strong field on a diffcult track.  And, yeah, the story got old as the week progressed, but nice for him to have an official win here to go with that long-ago 36-hole affair.

It's always fun when they let us in, so I enjoyed his discussion of that all-world bogey at No. 15:

After a painful bogey-double bogey run at Riviera’s 4th and 5th holes, Scott made key birdies at the sixth and 13th holes, but it was salvaging bogey at the 15th where Scott

went above and beyond the field.

His 173-yard second plugged in the greenside bunker, causing an overplayed recovery to trundle over the back left of the green, leaving a tough recovery pitch.

“The shot that stood out was deciding to flop the second chip on 15 after I was plugged into the bunker and I kind of knifed it across the green. It was in a horrible position then.

”I stood there and I wanted to maybe bump it into the fringe, but realistically it was going to be 45 feet past probably and I thought, well, you can maybe win the tournament if you hit a great flop shot here, so I thought I might as well just go for it.

”I had a little bit of that kind of mindset not just today but the whole week of not careless, but "what have I got to lose" kind of thing going, give myself a good chance to get back in the winner's circle on the PGA TOUR. So that shot stood out for me, the flop shot on 15.” 

For Scott, that letting go is a product of experience and an effort to take his game to a different place.

“As I chat about my feelings when I play with my coach, we often talk about just letting go a little bit. I mean, at times I feel like I'm too loose on some shots, but then there are other moments where I play a little too conservative all the time. It's a fine balance playing down the stretch in contention and finding the right place. It was fairly clear to me at that moment, my first thought was bump it in, it's safe but I'll probably make a double. Then I thought I really want to win this and maybe this shot can do it, and I hit a really great shot. It was quite fun.” 

And fun to watch.

Definitely...   But the explanation of his thought process enhances the viewing experience.  It also allows us to play fun "what if" games...  For instance, had it been JB Holmes, I'm pretty certain he would have laid up.  There, see how much fun this can be?  Go ahead, try it yourselves at home...

The Tour Confidential gang does what they do, the poker tell being in the number:

2. Adam Scott bounced back from a bogey-double bogey stretch on the front nine to shoot a one-under 70 and win the Genesis Invitational by two. Scott entered the final round tied for the lead with Matt Kuchar and Rory McIlroy, but Riviera got the best of much of the field. What was more surprising: Scott holding off the field and winning on the PGA Tour for the first time in nearly four years, or new World No. 1 McIlroy shooting two over to finish three back? 

Zak: Rory wasn’t exactly playing phenomenal all week. It felt like he was humming along in second speed (perhaps that’s how you play Riviera), so it wasn’t surprising he played his worst on the toughest day. Scott’s rally was most surprising. Playing the final 13 holes in two under after going bogey-double, in his first event of 2020? He’s even surprised a bit. 

Sens: Neither was especially surprising. It’s no secret that Scott is a playah, with more than a dozen wins on Tour and one of the game’s sweetest swings. It’s the putter, mostly, that has kept him from winning more than the one major he has. And Rory has proved that he’s hard to figure when he’s in the hunt. For reasons that are difficult to figure, he seems equally likely to slip into neutral as he is to simply blow away the field. 

If you're surprised by Rory playing poorly in a final group on Sunday, then you probably don't watch a lot of golf.

But really, guys, you're supposed to know golf.  Rory is a lovely young man, but he likes his golf courses nice and soft.  Think about when he's lapped the field...  I know, hard to remember as it's been a few years, but Congressional, Kiawah and even Hoylake were all soft as a baby's bottom.   

Berhow: It looked like Rory and Scott were both about to eject from the tournament after that disaster on the 5th hole, but turns out only Rory did. He got worse (bogeying the next) while Scott bounced back (birdieing the next). Only nine players shot in the 60s and none better than 68, so Scott’s 70 was a great number today and he played great down the stretch as others kind of backed off. Rory remains the ultimate question mark. 

Dethier: Before last year’s Tour Championship, people were piling on about McIlroy’s performance from final groups. Since then, we’ve seen McIlroy transform back into a stone-cold killer. It’s possible — likely, even! — that he can be both at the same time, or one version one week and another the next. Still, his 73 was more surprising than Scott’s closing 70. 

Bamberger: I don’t think this is surprising, but the most interesting thing is that despite the gym visits and the club-fitting and all the rest, Sunday is nothing like Thursday or Friday or Saturday, which is why the game is so compelling. You can’t get your body to do what it actually can do. Same as it ever was. 

Such a good answer from the grizzled vet...  Not exactly responsive to the question, but who cares. 

Wood: Riviera is just the best course we play all year long for “regular” tour events. It has held up to technology better than any of the others who can be put in its class, so to me nothing is surprising there. It suits those who are playing really well, no matter what their strengths are. Rory would be the first to tell you he wasn’t sharp today, but watching him the past two days, he had a bundle of 8-15 footers crawl over edges, so besides the fifth hole today, he would have been in with a great chance to win. Adam just played some key shots today brilliantly, and bouncing back after his double on the fifth was phenomenal, as was his up-and-down for bogey on 15.

Woodie is a great addition when he joins the panel, most especially today.  Why?  he was there and we weren't....  OK, Kooch made him carry the luggage the entire day, but he was there.

What Was That Lede? - Any guesses as to their first question?  Anyone?  Bueller?

1. After a blistering first nine at the Genesis Invitational and opening with a 69, tournament host Tiger Woods cooled off the rest of the week, recording rounds of 73, 76 and 77 to finish last (68th) among those who made the cut. Woods admitted “there’s a lot this week” when it comes to hosting duties and added that it’s always harder for him to get warmed up in cooler temperatures. Furthermore, he’s also decided to skip next week’s WGC-Mexico Championship. Any reason to sound alarm bells about Woods’ health, play or durability after one of his worst starts in the past two seasons, or can we chalk up his performance to just a tiring week for the burned-out host?

Blistering?  Seriously, he finished dead last.... I get that's he's the alpha dog and that dead last is its own kind of newsworthiness....  but aren't they expected to at least pretend to care about the actual tournament?  Yanno, like CBS?  (For those thinking I might have something up my sleeve about CBS, just be patient).

Sean Zak: Yes, there’s reason! 76-77 – Tiger’s two worst rounds on Tour in a rather long time. Riviera is tough, and there’s a bogey waiting on almost every hole, but Woods was bad with the putter and bad around the greens. His irons-game didn’t bail him out, either. He can play the host card if he wants — and he really doesn’t want to — but he’s looked much, much better in recent memory. So this was weird. 

Josh Sens: I can’t say I share Sean’s concern. If Tiger had looked physically gimpy or spent Sunday wincing in his follow through, maybe there’d be cause for worry. I’m going to chalk this one up to an off week, on a course that has often given him problems in the past. 

Josh Berhow: I’m leaning toward this being an outlier for him. I think these hosting gigs mean a lot to Tiger — same as something like being a Presidents Cup captain — and I think being the gregarious emcee and dominant world-beater is just a lot to handle. Once his play started trailing off, it just festered. What hasn’t been great this year (driving and putting) was just that much worse. 

Dylan Dethier: Once he was out of it, he was way out of it. I don’t think he lost interest or stopped trying, per se, but once four-putt-gate went down Saturday morning, that was pretty much it for Tiger. More than anything, it reminded me that the stars have to align more perfectly now than in the past for us to get Winning Woods. Off-weeks are a little further off. No alarm bells, but you can’t quite magic this one away, either. 

Michael Bamberger: This is the newish, middle-aged Tiger, taking his cues from Serena and friends: Once the set is lost, move on. Get used to it. 

John Wood: Agree with Michael. I don’t think the cool mornings did him any favors, and for some reason, Riviera has been his kryptonite, even during his peak years. I’m sure he was all in on every shot, that’s who he is, but I’m sure he’s not worried at all. April is a long way off.

I though he looked just awful... heck, I didn't even like how we was walking.

I think Mike especially hints at an important aspect...  I think has little to do with Serena, and is more in line with what we saw from Jack and others as they aged.  The magic can't be summoned as often. but the DNA is still in place.

Of course, the difference from Jack is the bod breaking down...  I think the nonsense about hosting duties is just that, but Tiger showed up at Riviera completely unprepared.  Is that because the body isn't responding or because mere PGA events don't get the juices flowing?  Since he won't share, we can't know....  I just think he looked really bad.

Mexicali Blues - No need to watch this week's WGC from Mexico, you won't recognize anyone.  Of course, that TC panel can only think in terms of you-know-who:

3. Woods’ semi-surprising decision to skip the WGC-Mexico left many wondering about his Olympic future. Woods has expressed interest in playing in the 2020 Games in Japan, but missing out on free World Ranking points won’t help his cause as he battles to notch one of the United States’ top-four qualifying spots. While Woods said he was a little rundown and “the idea is to peak around Augusta time,” what does his decision tell you about his Olympic dreams, or lack thereof?

Tiger's thoughts on the Olympics might be of interest, but talk about burying your lede:

The Club De Golf Chapultepec in Mexico City will be missing a few other players from the world top 10. 

Sitting out will be No. 2 Brooks Koepka, No. 10 Justin Rose and No. 6 Patrick Cantlay, who is having having elective surgery on his septum next week, the Associated Press reported.

I know golf is complicated, but when top players skip a no-cut, guaranteed money and OWGR points event, that's news.  And when Riviera has a better field than a WGC, also news...

Sure enough, they ultimately get to it:

4. Speaking of the WGC-Mexico, Woods isn’t the only qualified player missing out. Brooks Koepka, Rickie Fowler, Jason Day, Henrik Stenson, among other headliners, are also taking a pass. Cause for concern for the PGA Tour?

A sampling of their responses:

Zak: Yes! But not just the PGA Tour, the European Tour as well. It’s a co-sanctioned event that deserves a big spot on the schedule — but is definitely skippable for those who wanna play Arnie’s event, the Players, the Match Play, etc. We’ve entered what I like to call “Burnout Season,” where players consider their schedule more than any other time of year.

Wood: There are simply TOO MANY TOURNAMENTS. When the world events started, everyone assumed it would be crazy to skip a no-cut, limited-field event. But for the elite of the elite, these events are great tournaments, but they aren’t “can’t-miss” events. Schedule and course are still the keys to deciding where and when to play.

Yes, which makes me wonder about the market opportunity for those nice Premier Golf League folks...And I can't help but wonder if they're concerned about which Tiger will show...

Hello Friends - Want to sit down and watch some golf?  Sorry, we've got promos, CEO interviews and the like.  What, you think Everybody Loves Raymond reruns air themselves?

The bride and watched the final round on tape, and we weren't especially focused.  But I heard this as well, though I thought that maybe I had inadvertently fast-forwarded through the shot:

Care for a story?  Quite a few years ago, Henrik Stenson had a shank at one of the Florida stops...  I want to say it happened at Doral, but perhaps I just like saying that name because it causes all the right heads to exploded.

But it was an interesting look into the perverse mentality that dominated Ponte Vedra Beach.  The made YouTube and other video sites take down the video, I guess because we can't be showing the Gods of the PGA Tour in any kind of bad light....  Henrik, on the other hand, was yukking it up on social media like a normal human being.  Memo to Jay:  Their bad shots make them more relatable, and actually makes us appreciate their talents all the more.  Also good is when they make fun of themselves and each other...

But wait, it gets worse:

Not until the 14th hole and after much social media griping did CBS show the shot as Varner was playing the 14th hole.

Hysterical!  Not only are they desperate to beclown themselves by sucking up the the Tour, but they're also thin-skinned.

Like Henrik, Harold Varner handled the matter with the expected grace:

Q. Did your foot slip at all?

HAROLD VARNER III: I don't know, I just know I missed it, I missed the ball. I couldn't tell you what exactly happened. I just know that I hit the dirt before the ball. I've actually done it before, which is funny enough. I did it in Korea, same exact thing, same exact wind.

Q. Were you playing off the deck before then, too? 

HAROLD VARNER III: No, I teed that up. Yeah, I wish I would have hit it off the deck.

Q. And then after that now you've got to regroup and try to approach the hole from a different way, right?

HAROLD VARNER III: Yeah, I was screwed pretty much. Yeah, it's not like you can just hit the next one on the green and be like, all right, salvage it. Yeah, it's just funny, I'm looking at the hole right now as we're talking about it. It is what it is. There's nothing I can really do about it. I just wish I would have rebounded a little bit better. That's what I kind of, you know, alluded to all week is just how you respond to it.

If Webb Simpson has a competitor in the Strokes Gained: Attitude stat, it'll be this man... he's not a great player compared to some of these guys, but we could all learn from the man's approach to life.

Frank Nobilo saw fit to weigh in on this as well...  Of course you can see why he's such a good fit for CBS:

Does anyone know what his point is?  He sees contempt in that GD tweet, where I see criticism at the most.... 

But Frank, if CBS covered the platy adequately, why did they circle back and show the shot later?  

I would think that CBS' response would be more along the lines of, "We have a friggin' golf tourney to cover, with action spread out over 200 acres.  By its nature we can't show every shot, therefore we have to make snap judgments about what to show, and those decisions are the best we can make in the moment".  You could go on, of course, because the subsequent play might change what you would have wanted to show....

Covering a golf tournament is a massive logistical undertaking, so mistakes will be made....  Yet, in the middle of managing the D-Day Landing, they have time to monitor social media...  

Frank, people are admittedly over-reacting to this, because your broadcast is a train wreck.  They're giving you valuable real-world feedback....  Someone less thin-skinned might react to that by noting the public's interest in seeing a really bad golf shot....  Or, you know, shooting the messenger is good as well.

Glad I got that out of my system....  See you tomorrow?