It was a fun event, but it'll be a while before I'm ready to watch any more golf. Unfortunate, because the whether forecast indicates I won't be playing any golf either...
Scottie In Full - His father's name is Scott, rendering it inevitable that he would be known as Scottie, but a less than satisfying name for a man now bestriding the golf world like a colossus. A nickname seems in order, no?
It seems they're repealed the laws of recency bias.... But in this case I can't hardly blame them, because that's a world-class heater he's been on.
“I grew up wearing long pants to go practice because I wanted to be a professional golfer,” Scheffler said in his post-round press conference. “That’s what I dreamed of. I dreamed of being out here. I’ve always been, I would say, fiercely competitive, and so for me getting out here was a goal per se, and being out here, I like competing and I enjoy the challenge of playing out here every week. Just competing out here is really fun for me and just being able to win tournaments is pretty awesome.
Which is something in Texas, which can get just a wee bit toasty....
The Tour Confidential gang took Scottie's measure:
1. Scottie Scheffler, with his win at the WGC-Match Play on Sunday and three victoriesoverall since last month, will incredibly rise to world No. 1 on Monday. It also confirms that he is no doubt the hottest player heading into Augusta. Scheffler’s ascent was swift and unexpected. Which elements of his game have most powered his run to No. 1?Sean Zak: His laidback nature. When players win for the first time, it’s often followed by an exhale of some sort. They might plateau for a bit once they’ve done it. But I think when certain players like Scottie are so calm in victory, so expecting that it will happen, it makes nabbing that second win easier. It’s almost like each win was a launching pad for the next one. This one could be a launching pad for a major. Side note: This guy had zero Tour wins on the morning of Super Bowl Sunday!Michael Bamberger: The country-boy power of his swing (and yes I know he’s a Jersey boy by birth). Just so athletic, so sound, so simple. Sort of like Dustin Johnson without some of the unusual positions.
Really? no argument on the demeanor, but that seems to me a rather idiosyncratic swing, especially the footwork. A lot more exertion in it, to me he's much more Jim Furyk (albeit with far more pop) than Adam Scott.
James Colgan: I’m always amazed by his toughness. Scheffler’s best shot of the week — a near-albatross from 250 yards out — came just seconds after Dustin Johnson cut the deficit from five down to one down in the semifinal match. The match-cementing birdie was impressive, but for him to find that level of execution in that moment was, well, special.Tim Reilly: Scheffler’s demeanor for a 25-year-old amazes me. Unlike fellow Texan Jordan Spieth who takes us on a rollercoaster ride with every round he plays, Scheffler remains cool, calm and collected in all circumstances. He has a presence about him well beyond his years and one that should keep him close to World No. 1 well beyond this week.
Now, for those that caught the semi-final vs. DJ, that club selection on No. 13 remains one of the more bone0headed moves I've seen lately, one that almost cost him terribly. To his credit, he did not double-down on stupidity, and immediately pulled an iron in the final.
And about match-play savant runner-up:
2. Kevin Kisner continued his impressive play in the Match Play, reaching the final for the third time in his past four appearances. Is there anything weekend golfers can pick up from Kisner’s play to help them in their own matches?Zak: Kisner talked about hitting every fairway, and hitting first from the fairway. He gives his opponents something to look at. Get inside this! It definitely plays tricks on the perception of an advantage.Bamberger: Citing Churchill, in what is purported to be the shortest graduation remarks ever given: “Never give up, never give up, never give up. Never give up.” Like Tiger, talking about what he’s proudest of in his professional career: the cut streak. Do. Not. Quit.Colgan: Mind games! They’re real! And they’re a part of golf! Good on Kis for mastering the art and maximizing his game in the process.Reilly: Spend time on the practice greens. Kisner can’t bomb it like his peers but he sure can roll the rock. That’s something the average golfer has a better chance of obtaining than Bryson DeChambeau distance. He’s never out of a match because there’s never a putt Kisner doesn’t look confident in making. Nothing aggravates a match play opponent more than someone who continues to find the bottom of the cup.
Your humble blogger feels compelled to call out there journalistic ethics, because of the failure to cite even one advocate of the pro-quit position. Although I've always found the hardest part of match play was being ahead, and the hardest shot to hit was the one after your opponent messes up. Because then it's all downside...
But I think this will inevitably trigger support for Kiz for the two cup teams, beginning with Quail Hollow in September. I've occasionally advocated for Kiz for the obvious reasons, mostly that putter. But it very much should depend upon the nature of the golf course involved, as he's one of the shorter hitters making a living out there (he drives it pretty straight, which has interesting foursomes implications).
I have no criticism of Stricker for not taking him last year, as Whistling Straits was a big ballpark for the guy. Also, ironically, to take Kiz he likely would have left a guy named Scheffler at home, and that looks like he made the right call these days. But looking forward, I believe Quail Hollow will again be a big yard, though I know exactly nothing about how Marco Simone will be set up. But, and perhaps this is tad far out for a guy like Kiz, but let's not lose sight of his own comments about 2025:
Kisner can win anywhere. He just hasn’t yet. Right?“Probably not,” he told reporters ahead of the Sony Open on Wednesday. “I’m not going to win at Bethpage Black or Torrey Pines.”So why bother showing up? Kisner was surprisingly candid.“Because they give away a lot of money for 20th,” he said with a laugh.
For second, as well.
Just a couple of quick comments and then we'll move on.
Scottie seems well down the path of winning every other time he tees it up. As I saw in the promos, he apparently intends to play next week at San Antonio (don't ask me why), which means he'd be right on schedule for that certain little invitational in...well, you know where.
This reinforced a point I've made ever since the event landed in Austin, which is that everything is good about it, including the course and its revised format, except the date. It's just a brutal amount of golf, and because its match-play its intense golf, and that's gonna take it out of a soul. If Cam Smith and Scottie are the two hottest golfers on the planet, I like the former far better than the latter at Augusta.
I think the week was interesting for other reasons as well. I found the Wednesday Bryson-Richard Bland to be perhaps the worst played match I've had the pleasure of witnessing, and just felt that I should mention it. Not exactly sure what's going on with Bryson, but while nursing his boo-boos he's committed to another long-drive event after the Masters, so I'm disinclined to tke the guy seriously any time soon.
Perhaps the more interesting subject would be to review who seemingly made progress this week. It seemed to this observer that some alpha dogs, guys like DJ, Rahmbo and Koepka for example, showed actual proof of life. If I took a look at the bracket I would undoubtedly add a name or two, but form in names like that heading down Magnolia Lane can't be a bad thing.
Though let me just confess that Brooks Koepka has always left me cold. I know for sure I'm quick to dismiss those four majors, it's a bridge way too far to expect me to take an event at Bellerive seriously. It also doesn't help that his last one, at Bethpage, featured a massive collapse getting to the clubhouse. But my enduring memory of this most recent week is Brooks not sniffing the hole on short puts to win holes. I'm sure I'm selling the guy short, but I always assume he'll miss.
But, on the flip side, can we officially ask what the heck is up with Justin Thomas? Of course, the guy I want to ask is Bones, so not sure I'l get much of an answer.... But he certainly won't be my A-player in the Yale Stogel Masters pool. Of course my performance in said pool has always been comically inept, so you always have to consider the source.
Time is of the essence, so let's use that TC panel to skim the surface on a couple of other subjects.
Dinah By Any Other Name... - This one they pretty much drop-kick:
4. This week, the year’s first LPGA major, the newly named Chevron Championship, tees off at Mission Hills, for what will be the last edition of the event in the Southern California desert; next year the tournament is moving to a yet-to-be announced venue in the Houston area. Chevron has already boosted the purse from $3.1 million to $5 million and, beginning in 2023, the event is slated to move to a later spring date so it doesn’t compete with the Masters. Any downside for the relocation?Zak: Eh, biggest downside is that the finishing stretch at Mission Hills was pretty fun. We’ll miss the Poppy’s Pond treatment, but change is okay. I’m ready for something new.Bamberger: I’m sorry to see the LPGA cut ties to Dinah Shore and Mission Hills and the fans that flocked there annually. What made it a major were those things: the Dinah heritage, the course, the fans. Now you’re starting over. Majors don’t start over. I hope it works for them and I expect Chevron will do things the right way, but you can’t buy history and loyalty and emotion. I asked Judy Rankin the other day what she calls the tournament in her mind. You can guess the answer. The Dinah. The Dinah Shore. Dinah.Colgan: The tournament had such a rich history in its location, particularly thanks to its founding mother, Dinah Shore. I won’t miss the Blue Monster, but I’ll miss the tournament and what it represented.Reilly: Good move to get away from the Masters, and I get where Michael is coming from in terms of relocation. You can’t just replicate history and carry over the championship’s legacy after so many years from one location to the next. But, the LPGA could use some fresh changes. The boosted purse is a start. Hopefully, the to-be-determined venue is the start to a new budding tradition … with the additional eye balls the LPGA deserves.
Reilly gets it exactly wrong. The Dinah had a perfect date the week before the Masters, before ANGC intruded on their turf. In all the credit that Mike Whan gets for hsi stewardship of the LPGA, he seems to not have understood the implications of Augusta big-footing the girls. I love that Augusta chose to support the women's amateur game, but that they stuck a shiv in the back of Dinah Shore is simply reprehensible.
But what actual history does the LPGA have? It's not a lot, so severing themselves from the biggest supporter of women's golf ever is really horribly tragic.
But what actually history do they have of creating new majors? The friggin' Evian? I'm sorry, I didn't realize that the LPGA biggest need was for more punch lines.... Oh, and Taking the event to the heart of the summer calendar in Houston? Unless, of course, your mission statement including creating more wet golf shirt images....
A Token Wither Phil Query - Just proves that they know less than we do:
5. Phil Mickelson, Augusta National confirmed this week, will not be playing in the Masters. This comes on the heels of his controversial comments on the Saudi-funded league, and subsequent apology. But next up on the major calendar is the PGA Championship, of which Mickelson is the defending champion. Do you suspect Phil will play at Southern Hills, and, if he does, what are the chances he makes any public appearances before then?Zak: I think he will play at Southern Hills. You cannot talk about that event without talking about him. He’s got another seven weeks to lick his wounds, and make another public statement or host a press conference. People will welcome him back with open arms.Bamberger: You know, there’s a PGA dinner, too, for former champions, with the reigning champion picking the dessert course, the tab and everything else. I don’t think even the appetizer course has been selected. There’s more going on here than we know. Is Phil suspended? (Here on out is all conjecture. My guess is yes.) Can the PGA of America have in the field of the PGA Championship a player who is suspended by the PGA Tour? (Almost certainly yes.) Would it want such a player? (Likely no.) Would Phil push his way into a field where he is not wanted? (Owing to his deep ties to the PGA of America, I would say no.) Is he being considered as a potential assistant Ryder Cup captain for next year? (Not if he plays in these Saudi events.) Will he play in the Saudi events? (My guess is yes.) Did he tell Augusta that he wants to take a year off? My guess is Augusta suggested to Phil that this might be a good year to take a year off. Because Augusta is in lockstep with the PGA Tour. The PGA Tour, you know, doesn’t announce suspensions.Colgan: There’s certainly more to the story here than we know, but as of right now, we’re being led to believe that Phil’s shadow ban is due entirely to his words with Alan Shipnuck. Don’t get me wrong, those words were inexcusable, in particularly poor taste, flat-out dumb … whatever you’d like to call them. But while the same rival league sets up camp next door, wooing plenty of players from the PGA Tour ranks, some of whom undoubtedly share Phil’s (woefully misguided) beliefs, were his comments alone really worth being publicly shunned from the majors? I think not. If I’m a betting man, we’ll see him at Southern Hills.Reilly: I’d be shocked if Phil doesn’t play at Southern Hills. If he’s not there, then there’s far more to the Mickelson saga than we’re aware of. My guess is Phil sits down for an interview sometime between the Masters and PGA Championship to begin his reemergence. From there, he tees it up to defend his PGA Championship victory. I’m mostly intrigued to see fan reaction over how Phil might play in his eventual return.
Mike, there may be a PGA Champions' Dinner, but there's exactly zero chance that Tiger will be in Tulsa, so it's not at all the same thing.
Tim Reilly is striking me as especially clueless this a.m., because a month ago any of us could have written the following sentence, "If Phil is not at Augusta, there's far more t the Mickelson saga than we're aware of." Tim, you're job is to be aware of such thing, so you're not exactly earning your keep.
Look, I've read Phil's fauxpology many times, and the two things that jumps out each and every time are the following:
- He's not actually sorry about anything he did, he's just angry at Alan Shipnuck and probably others, and;
- He's very concerned about some of his language, specifically that the Saudis might be offended. Now, and here's where it gets a wee bit tricky, it's unclear whether that's because he still wants to cash a big check from them or, rather, because they buy bonesaws in bulk.
6. The USGA announced this week that Oakland Hills, following an unfortunate clubhouse fire, will be the host for the 2034 and 2051 U.S. Opens. When the latter rolls around, which now-20-something will have won the most majors: Scheffler, Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth, Collin Morikawa, Viktor Hovland, Jon Rahm … or other?Zak: Fun question! I’ll take Rahm, who I’d guess wins a Masters and British Open. Maybe a couple of each!Bamberger: Wow, Sean — you are bullish on the young Spaniard! I’m going to say Spieth. He has the three. By ‘51, I could see him having four.Colgan: I see where you’re going with that, Michael. If I’m a betting man, I’ll take Morikawa, whose game seems tailor-made for major play. But I’m not sure any of the group above is getting to more than five.Reilly: I’m with young James Colgan. Who might even hit 30 years old himself by 2051. Morikawa’s game translates so well for all conditions and I see him ultimately sitting atop this group in terms of major championships.
Am I the only one that finds it highly curious to include Spieth on that list but not Koepka or DJ?
Four is an epic haul in the modern game and, notwithstanding Collin's early double, I might be inclined to take the under and speculate that none of them get to (or maybe past) four.
Of course, I'm pretty sure that Rose Zhang will blow by all of them.....
The Fortunate Five - Richard Bland's near miss was unfortunate, but here are the semi-last guys into the field at Augusta:
A hat tip then to Thomas Pieters (No. 34), Harold Varner III (40), Seamus Power (41), Russell Henley (42) and Cameron Young (47). Varner, Power and Young will be making their first starts at Augusta.
We'll be flooding the zone for sure, but the only way still in (I believe) will be to win the Valero.
Well, is it possible, there's could be one more? From Geoff's Quad:
For all of the surreality Sunday night at Dolby Theater, signs point to Tiger trying to purse an unthinkable sixth Green Jacket.The Fried Egg reported sightings of Woods walking Medalist with Joe LaCava in tow. There have also been unconfirmed reports of Woods at Augusta National the weekend of March 20th to determine if the leg severely damaged in a February, 2021 single car accident can handle the course.As of Sunday night just a week out from when he might just play a late nine after the Drive, Chip and Putt festivities have wrapped up, Woods is still listed in the field.Maybe…yes sir?A video of Woods playing Medalist was posted and later deleted before resurfacing on other Twitter accounts. It consists of Woods and another player, probably LaCava or confidante and swing whisperer Rob McNamara. Either way, this does not look like prep for the Medalist Father-Son.
Yanno, I hope so, because there's an unpleasant reminder of Tiger's dickishness here. For his entire career, he's stubbornly refused to commit to events until the absolute last minute the prior Friday. This despite the fact that his presence in the field has implications to the event organizers in terms of logistics and infrastructure, not to mention the general interest of the golfing public.
This stubbornness was more recntly on display during his Jim Nantz interview at Riviera. in which he admitted that he could walk the Par-3 course but refused to commit to teeing it up with Jack and Gary ( I for one can't wait to see what golf ball Gary plays this year... inside joke). I've been reliably informed that the new and improved Tiger is less dickish, and I anxiously await confirmation of that fact.
On that note we shall wrap with the hope that the Big Cat can play, as opposed to just playing with golf fans' hopes.
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