Weekend Wrap

A delayed start to this morning's blogging, for all the best reasons.  Employee No. 2 has been off on a girl's weekend in Vermont, leaving the kitties and your humble blogger to further bond.  As I watched golf and football yesterday, they took a long-term lease on my lap, and after breaky this morning they returned to that very spot.  Except for the inevitable loss of circulation, it's about as good as it gets for your humble blogger.

Rory in Full - Said with tongue firmly planted in check... But as nice a young man as our Rory seems, he's more than a bit of an underachiever, though he thinks he's found something:

“What I thought was an achievement at the start of my career when I turned pro was to get into the top-20 in the world,” McIlroy said. “So I've surpassed all of that. But as you go on, your goals, you

have to reframe everything, and you have to keep resetting your goals. As I've went along in my career, I've had to do that because you just, you keep going. You can't just stagnate and stay the same, you have to try to keep getting better and keep doing more things.”

McIlroy has now won twice in 2021, last victorious at Quail Hollow and the Wells Fargo Championship in May. He was unremarkable in the five months afterward and tumbled outside the top 10 in the World Ranking, hard-to-believe territory for a man who was kissed by the golfing gods. How ironic, then, that he believes the semi-slump was borne of a self-belief crisis.

“I feel like the last couple weeks I've realized that just being me is good enough and maybe the last few months I was trying … not trying to be someone else, but maybe trying to add things to my game or take things away from my game. I know that when I do the things that I do well, this is what I'm capable of. I'm capable of winning a lot of events on the PGA Tour and being the best player in the world.”

Channeling his inner Stuart Smalley, it seems.    "I'm Good Enough, I'm Smart Enough, and Doggone It, People Like Me!, for those unfamiliar with the reference.

Certainly Rory is likeable, it's the good enough bit that is a tad troubling... He also had this, which kinds gives the game away:

Remember afternoons like this one, when McIlroy makes this game look impossibly easy, the next time you’re crushed by one of his opening-round 73s at Augusta. Recall the victories the next time he cries in an interview and you play armchair psychologist. You have your answer for the next time you ask yourself What’s wrong with Rory? Nothing. Nothing at all. Golf is hard, professional golf is harder, and winning is the hardest. He’s now done that 20 times. Instead of focusing on what he’s not, take a tip from Rory and focus on what he is.

“I think part of the emotion at the end of [the Ryder Cup] was to do with that week, but it was also probably to do with the last few months in terms of searching to try to get better and the realization that I don't need to search for anything. It's all right here.”

It is all right there and we've been watching closely for years now.  The "It" unfortunately including substandard wedge play and putting, not to mention the boyhood best friend on the bag.  I read Rory's comments to mean we don't have to put in the taxing work to improve those shortcomings, and that he'll be content with the occasional win when it matters least.

Rory is the CEO of Rory, Inc., and he gest to plot its course through this life.  He has no obligation to live that life as, say, Tiger did, and he's got a lovely young family to enjoy, with more children presumably on the way.  But we are similarly not required to ignore that he evidences no burning ambition, nor are we required to take him seriously as a force in our game.  As he notes, being Rory doesn't suck, it's just not close to what it could have been from the limited perspective of golf.

The Tour Confidential panel had some thoughts, not many of which pertained to the victor:

1. The CJ Cup represented the strongest field we’ve seen on Tour since the 2020-21 season-ending playoffs, and the talent showed — all but two of the players finished below par, and Rory McIlroy won with a blistering 25-under total. What storyline (besides Rickie Fowler, which we’ll get to below) most jumped out at you in Vegas?

Josh Sens: Looks like Mr. Morikawa has put his back issues far behind him.

Michael Bamberger: That par is 68 for a Tour player on any normal country-club course.

Nick Piastowski: That rumors of Rory McIlroy’s demise are greatly exaggerated. A quote from him earlier in the week jumped out at me: “I think when I play my best, I’m the best player in the world.” Of course, it’s not that he would say he feels he’s the 50th-best. But McIlroy feeling fully confident makes him awfully tough to top.

Yes, but that confidence tends to surface when it matters the least... 

James Colgan: Jordan Spieth faded, but man, that confidence is SURGING heading into the new year. Could ‘22 be another glimpse at the Spieth of old?

Zephyr Melton: I loved following Keith “No-Name Champion” Mitchell during his blistering 36-hole start. 62-64 is salty.

Salty?  I think you spelled "irrelevant" incorrectly.... It's just a little hard for me to understand how that 62-64 could be your biggest story of the week after watching Mitchell play like a drunk member-Guest participant on the weekend?

I'll use the TC gang to deal with Rickie's week:

2. Rickie Fowler, whose last win came in February 2019, was unable to capitalize on a two-stroke 54-lead at the CJ Cup, shooting a one-under 71 in the final round to finish three

strokes behind winner Rory McIlroy. Still, the week was no doubt a positive sign for Fowler. What did you see in his game that has been lacking in recent years?

Sens: Avoiding the big card-wreckers. It probably helped that this was not exactly a torturous course that brutalized you for every miss. But Fowler fans had to be pleased about his performance, and also the way he talked so openly about his struggles. He’s a class act.

Bamberger: Here’s a far better scout than I: Rory McIlroy! Rory said in his victor’s press conference that Rickie played many, many good shots, and is close-close-close! So it’s all good! Happy new year, Rick!

Piastowski: That all of the adjustments he’s made over these past few years are starting to take hold. The one that jumps off the page is from the tee — for the week, Fowler ranked first in the field in both Strokes Gained: Off the Tee and SG: Tee to Green; last season on Tour, in those same categories, he finished 88th and 139th, respectively. Something is clicking. On a side note, this all does seem similar to what Fowler’s buddy Jordan went through, doesn’t it? Was this Fowler’s Waste Management Open moment?

Colgan: I agree, Nick. Rickie has always been rock-solid with the putter in his hands, but his growth as a ball-striker could be the key to breaking through.

Melton: I’ll be honest, I didn’t get to follow Rickie’s play as closely as I would’ve liked this weekend as I was out on Long Island covering the LET event — apologies for the ignorance! However, it was nice seeing Fowler’s name on the first page of a leaderboard once again. He’s one of the most willingly marketable players in the game, and he’s good for the game.

The Jordan analogy is a good one for a number of reasons, including their putters deserting them and there predilection for the crooked number.  But also because, a she showed signs of life, Jordan had quite the Sunday problem, which Rickie fell victim to yesterday.

It was a great week for the man in Orange, though Sunday was a bit of a downer.  But it's just one week on a very benign golf course, so caution is appropriate.  

When I parked myself in front of the TV yesterday to watch some football and golf, I got quite the surprise.  I wasn't alone and Golf Twitter had thoughts:

No offense, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Lee Janzen.

But golf fans on Sunday, especially those with two thumbs and a social media account, wanted to watch Rory McIlroy and Rickie Fowler more.

“You have the biggest names in golf like Rory, Morikowa, and Rickie trying to make a comeback and you air the champions tour?!?!” tweeted @BFarraye. “At this rate we won’t see the PGA tour until the leaders are on the FIFTEENTH HOLE!!”

Search some version of “PGA Tour” or “Golf Channel” on Twitter on Sunday afternoon, and you could find more of the same. The issue? Golf Channel was to broadcast the final round of the Champions Tour’s SAS Championship from 2-5 p.m. ET, then show the final round of the PGA Tour’s CJ Cup — but when the SAS went past 5 for a playoff between Jimenez and Janzen, and Golf Channel stuck with it over McIlroy, Fowler and others slugging it out for the lead, fans went to their phones and computers.

To add to the furor, some fans found that Golf Channel’s website was also showing only the Champions event. Viewers then were left to occasional split-screen updates on Golf Channel and online scoreboards.

Bizarre for sure, though the author leaves unclear how truly strange it was.  The coverage was scheduled to begin at 5:00 EST, but that window would only have picked up the leaders at the turn... So when Golf Channel shows up forty minutes late, that ate into an already bizarrely truncated broadcast window.  The effect of this was magnified due to Golf Channel being unable or unwilling to stream it on their app and website, so Golf Channel being unable or unwilling to stream it on their app and website, so a Cluster-F for sure.

That link above ha a carefully curated selection of social media outrage, and Geoff has more and better of the same here, though perhaps everyone should take a deep breath.  I know, red flares should be going off when your humble vlogger si the voice of reason...

Look, it was awful and you'd think they'd have had enough time to come up with a workaround.  But I think this is a one-off caused by the relocation of the event from Korea to Vegas.  Normally Golf Channel would have no issues covering the round bellies, because the CJ Cup would air overnight.  

But I Didn't get Them Anything - Geoff devotes a Quadrilateral post to a meaningful anniversary in our little game:

What were you doing on October 17, 1860?

The Open’s initial gathering of eight—yet another limited-field, no-cut deal—took place on October 17, 1860. Led by James Ogilvie Fairlie, members of nine-year-old Prestwick Golf Club offered a £25 Challenge Belt and no prize money. Willie Park Sr. went wire-to-wire to beat Old Tom Morris, then Prestwick’s Keeper of the Green, Club and Ball Maker and course designer. Park finished two ahead after 12-hole scores of 55-59-60 and a 174 total.

The following year’s competition was declared to “be open to all the world”. And voila, The Open became the name. That all-important piece of golf phraseology is safely stored and protected in Prestwick’s club minutes:

So, why do we revere Jim Furyk's 58 when Willie Park posted a 55?

Geoff has much more on the original 12-hole course and Championship Belt, including this on the purse:

The Challenge Belt was famously retired when Tommy Morris claimed his third straight Open in

1870. It was replaced by the Challenge Trophy, now better known as the Claret Jug. Prestwick also displays Old Tom’s 1872 letter establishing the “agreement of understanding” regarding the belt’s replacement after Tommy’s historic victory. That must have been a fun letter for dad to sign!

Regarding the purse, The Open did not pay prize money until 1863. And when they initially did, it was only to the second, third and fourth place finishers. First place prize money was not paid until 1864. Initially, it was all about the belt (and the perks that went with becoming the Champion Golfer).

Strange to not pay the winner, given that the Challenge Belt was a loaner (and there was significant effort involved in ensuring that the winner would return it the following year).  Geoff notes Young Tom's ace on the eighth hole in 1869, though the nature of Young Tom's dominance is perhaps better illustrated by his play on the opening hole in 1870:

In 1869 Young Tom had recorded The Open’s first hole-in-one. In 1870, he started with the first ever 3 at Prestwick’s 578-yards opening hole.

Two good hits left him with a blind third shot of 200 yards. His ball just carried the Cardinal Bunker and then hit the flagstick and dropped into the hole. A huge roar reverberated around the links, telling his opponents that they may well be playing for second place once again.

He opened with a 47 on the 12-hole course, improving on his course record from 1868 by two strokes. He led by five strokes, stayed that far in front with a 51 in the second round and then added another 51 for a total of 149.It beat his own record total by five strokes and was the lowest score ever while The Championship was contested over 36 holes.

I mentioned the anniversary to Bobby D. on the putting green yesterday, including a brief recitation of the 12-hole course Old Tom laid out, including that 578-yeard first hole.  Bob asked the inevitable question triggered by that yardage:

It was only in the late 1900s/early 1910s that the concept of 'Par' started to emerge - this being the designated number of strokes a scratch player could be expected to take on a hole in ideal conditions. In this way par was distinguished from bogey. The term par itself is a standard term in sports handicapping, where it simply means 'level' or 'even.'

Notwithstanding that Par was a concept sixty years in the future, three still seems an awfully good score there.

Phil In Phull.... Or Phull Of It - Eamon Lynch has a predictable reaction to our hero, using his own disgraceful behavior as a framing device:

For someone who just a few years ago was perilously proximate to a federal insider trading prosecution, Phil Mickelson has developed a commendable interest in regulatory processes.

Who among us can’t empathize with an aging stag shorn of shaft length as he tries to keep up with the young bucks? But note how Mickelson repeatedly disparages the governing body’s staff as stupid people doing stupid things. You’d be forgiven for assuming it must have been the USGA’s CEO, Mike Whan, who was taken for $500,000 by a mobbed-up Michigan bookie, or that it was his secretary who hit a moving ball in a U.S. Open then tried to brazen it out as clever strategy.

OK, that's some premium snark there, though I still think Eamon is pulling his punches.  For instance, I seem to be the only one  interested in the matter of why Phil's gambling debts seem to go unpaid.... Phil seems terribly invested in his reputation as a sophisticated sports gambler, yet completely in the dark as to how one actually pays off those losses.  Curious, no?

Eamon's got more, in which he barely scrapes the surface of Phil's transactional relationship with the truth:

Mickelson’s criticism of the USGA is textbook political grandstanding: express shock at a decision you have long known is coming (limiting club length has been underway since 2016); denounce it as more evidence of poor governance by unaccountable elites; claim there was a lack of consultation with the people most impacted; and finally, cast blame on a soft target because you lack the sincerity to chide your pals who actually made the policy decision at hand.

If Mickelson wants to excoriate as “stupid” the people who actually decided to shorten his shaft, he’d need to direct his barbs at Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Justin Thomas and the 17 other guys who make decisions as members of the Player Advisory Council. The hint is in the title: Player Advisory Council, a body wholly comprised of the very constituency Mickelson insists had no say or representation in the matter.

If I had more time, I might be inclined to search Eamon's archives from 2014.... because this is a minor blip compared to that disgrace.

Mickelson is an experienced hand at trying to undermine golf institutions that aren’t accommodating his latest personal needs. In addition to his frequent sniping at the USGA, he single-handedly ensured that a task force over which he held tremendous sway wrested control of the Ryder Cup selection process from the PGA of America. Veteran observers have already registered hints about his next target. In a recent podcast with Gary Williams, Mickelson bemoaned the percentage of revenue top players receive from PGA Tour coffers—the same pitch trotted out by evangelists for the Saudi-financed super league concept. But then, the Crown Prince is proven to have more generous limits when it comes to the equipment he permits employees to use when carrying out their work.

Which nicely makes the point many of us have long noted, that Phil is all about Phil.... And not nearly as clever about it as he thinks.  

Just one more bit on the driver-length issue which I left on the cutting room floor last week.  We all understand that shaft length is a small issue, the more so because so few players are using shafts longer than the proposed limits.  This seems more a trial run for the concept of equipment regulation through local rules, a concept about which I have significant skepticism but no real objection.

But the fundamental question on all our minds is, "Where are the USGA/R&A going with this?"  I can't answer this, but Thomas Pagel, the USGA's Senior Managing Director, Governance, seems to have:

“We’re committed to our desire to stop the cycle of increased hitting distances. We have the long-term health of the game in mind. How is the game healthy 20, 50, 100 years from now. That’s something we \remain committed to. We know elite players can achieve distance increases through using a longer club, and as an industry as we go through the critical conversation about the long-term health of the game and what role distance plays with that, we just thought it was best to cap this now while we have the rest of that discussion.”

I believe it was Yoda that said, "There is no desire.  There is only doing or not doing."  OK, that's a bit a paraphrase, but the point is clear.  

That's it for today, but we'll be back at the keyboard throughout the week.