On the 17th green, staring over a 12-foot par putt to maintain a one-stroke lead at the AT&T Byron Nelson, K.H. Lee was so nervous that he did something he only does on special occasions: he askedfor divine intervention.“I know that that’s a very important putt, so I pray over there,” he said. “Sometimes, like I need to believe in myself, but just need a, ‘Oh, God, like, please.’ ”Lee’s prayers were answered, he clenched his right fist and on a hot, sultry afternoon he shot a career-best 9-under 63 to win the AT&T Byron Nelson for the second straight time.“It feels like a dream again,” said Lee, who has won both editions of the tournament since it moved to this suburban Dallas layout.
He actually went one better this time, after doing zilch since the win last year. But his actual goal is to be declared the world's sexiest golfer, though that seems mostly a matter of personal taste. Not that we don't enjoy his beautiful young family.
This might be just a tad over-the-top:
As golf stats guru Justin Ray noted, no player in PGA Tour history had won the same 72-hole stroke-play event in back-to-back years with a score of 25-under par or lower before Lee did so.“(Rafa) Nadal at Roland Garros, (Babe) Ruth at Yankee Stadium and K.H. Lee at TPC Craig Ranch,” Ray tweeted.
Gee, maybe I'm a tough critic, but that man has won all of two PGA Tour events, so I totally get the comparison to The Babe...
How do we think Jordan takes his week? I think winning would have been an unnecessary distraction given what's on the line for him this week, so the high finish seems perfect. But it's Jordan, so there's always something:
Should we be concerned over Jordan Spieth missing short putts? He says no.
I'm thinking we should get a second opinion...
You, the Jordan Spieth fan, may be worried. So we begin with the man himself sayingeverything’s gonna be OK.“Sometimes we miss those,” he said.And Spieth’s right. Sometimes they do. We all do. Only sometimes seems to be cropping more frequently of late when it comes missing putts from a distance that you and your golf buddies may otherwise pick up. At the Texas Open the week before the Masters, Spieth missed from 3 feet, then circled around the hole — and missed from 2. In his last start before this week, in what turned out to be a win at the RBC Heritage, he missed from 12 feet on 18 during the third round — then missed from 18 inches, and he revealed the day after that his wife, Amy, told him that he needed to count to five on the gimmes going forward.
Which would be great were he, in fact, married to a woman named Amy.... Perhaps you're confusing him with that other guy, yanno the one that we'll see in London in a few weeks. Jordan is actually married to Annie Verret, so I assume she's gotten the skinny on who this Amy chick is.
Jordan has always missed an alarming number of short putts, so nothing too new there. What is new, though, is that his overall putting stats have deteriorated and his success is far more attributable to improved ball-striking these days, as per this:
Spieth’s right about the Strokes Gained point — for the week, he picked 1.449, which was 36th in the field. This comes after finishing a stunning 65th at the RBC, at -2.545.
He actually won at Harbor Town while being virtually the worst putter in the field. That's a wow.
Phil In Phlight - Notwithstanding that, after the Tour's refusal to grant waivers, I predicted that he'd pass on the PGA Championship, I'll confess to still being a bit shocked. I just don't get how he sees this ending, but let's see what the Tour Confidential gang make of it:
1. Last year, at the age of 50, Phil Mickelson became the oldest ever to win a major championship with his victory at the PGA Championship. This year, he’s out. On Friday, the PGA of America distributed a short release saying Mickelson had withdrawn from this week’s event at Southern Hills, in Tulsa, Okla., and his now three-month exile continues following his apology for comments on the Saudi-backed LIV tour. Two questions: What do you think is most preventing Lefty from returning, and when do you think we’ll see him again in competition?Sean Zak: There are probably only a handful of people on earth who know. Phil, his wife, Amy, his brother and caddie Tim, his agent Steve Loy. He could be out of form and afraid to embarrasshimself further by showing up and flaming out. He could be eager to avoid discussing so many things publicly during a major championship. There could be something behind the scenes we don’t know about! The main takeaway is that the first LIV Golf event somehow feels more likely now to be his return spot.Josh Sens: I doubt his game is in great form, but I also doubt that has much to do with him not playing. He’s too proud a competitor to let that stop him from trying to defend. If you believe reports of how seriously he hurt himself gambling, and you think about where he is in his career, then it’s not a big mental leap to think that he sees LIV as where his bread will be buttered. I agree with Sean that we’ll see him next in London, at the inaugural LIV event. And I suspect that until then, he will follow the time-worn PR crisis management strategy of laying low.James Colgan: With LIV Golf likely to announce next week, Phil could’ve found himself the face of golf’s new, fairly unpopular rival league on a week he’s hoping to win back the public’s good graces. It would be a bad look for a guy hoping to recover from a few months full of them. Don’t think that’s the only reason, but it had to have been one of them.Dylan Dethier: Simply put, I don’t think he was ready for all of it. For questions, for scrutiny, for the spotlight. He’s been playing golf around the San Diego area the last couple weeks and hasn’t looked particularly sharp, nor has he looked fresh. But is his golf game keeping him out or is it his biography release, his comments, his LIV commitment, his moments of self-refection, his personal life? Re-read Mickelson’s statement about his absence and I think you’ll get the sense that this is a combination of factors. I think that’s still true.
You probably saw that video of a bearded Phil playing at a Rancho Santa Fe muni, and word is that he's far from sharp:
Another member of the Fire Pit staff, Matt Ginella, tweeted this early Saturday:“The San Diego rumor mill has Phil playing bad golf at local courses. I’ve heard two recent rounds in the high-70s at The Farms, which factored into the pass on PGA.”
I've been trying to figure out his plan ever since the fauxpology, and all one can conclude is that he's all in with the bonecutters, which seems quite the middle finger to his peers.
Circling back to the waiver denial:
4. On Tuesday, the PGA Tour denied its members waivers to play in the Saudi-backed LIV International Series’ first event, in early June in London, an announcement that was quickly followed by Greg Norman, LIV’s CEO, calling the Tour an “illegal monopoly” as well as “anti-golfer, anti-fan, and anti-competitive,” escalating the rhetoric and taking shots at the Tour’s mission and non-profit status. How much of a blow to LIV is the Tour’s waiver blocker?Zak: It’s a huge blow, if only because it felt like the Tour might turn a blind eye to this event, since it’s taking place in Europe. The Tour did the exact opposite, and essentially declared war on LIV Golf in as serious a way as they can right now. But it sounds like it’s not going to change the minds of a number of pros already committed.Sens: This was going to happen at some point anyway; it just happened a bit sooner than expected. I’m not sure how much it changes LIV’s long-term prospects. This was coming. Did this particular move by the Tour change the mind of any big names who were fence-sitting? Seems unlikely. I think the more telling moment will come when the Tour determines what type of sanctions it will place on those who decide to play anyway. Which I suspect will be most of them who applied for waivers.Colgan: Here’s the bottom line: the PGA Tour is going to fight this to the ends of the earth. Securing and maintaining talent will require a massive effort from LIV Golf. Even then, it might not work. So no, this effort shouldn’t have been a blow to LIV. They should have been expecting it. But hopefully they’re also realistic enough to know the enemy they’re up against.Dethier: In this case I think both sides got what they wanted. By denying waivers, Jay Monahan finally got the chance to put his money where his mouth was. And LIV appears to be eager for a legal battle; this will get them there more quickly.
I think Dylan is quite wrong in thinking this is what Jay wants, but there's little doubt that he views this as an existential threat. Let's see their next Q&A before I react more fully:
5. Norman, also last week, vowed that LIV’s mission/vision is a long-term one. Five years from now, how do you see the state of the rival tour?Zak: I see it existing … in the history books. And in particular the history books of sports law. I think life on Tour is too good for enough pros to want to risk being banned, shadow-banned, or whatever may come of members who play LIV events. And without enough excitement from players, the next move from LIV would be an antitrust lawsuit.Sens: I see it existing in real life, not just on the page. There’s bottomless money behind it. Or at least, plenty to keep it going for five years. Will it be drawing the Jordan Spieths and Rory McIlroys and Scottie Schefflers of the world? Doubt it.Colgan: The guy with all the money rarely loses, and LIV Golf has all the money. That’s what makes this so difficult to predict. That said, the missteps have been too frequent, the problems too fundamental, and — most importantly — the professional interest too little for me to feel confident the league will exist in half a decade.Dethier: Yikes. I have no earthly idea. But I don’t think the Saudis are bowing out of professional golf very quickly, and if Norman’s claims of an additional $2 billion investment are true, well, it’s tough to vaporize that kind of cash that fast, right?
You're suggesting we take anything Greg Norman says seriously? Or that he's an actual decision-maker?
Here's the thing that I think Jay understands that most commentators are overlooking. It's been easy for Norman and the LIV folks until now, throwing the Saudi's money around and bloviating about how their events are going to mirror the intensity of a Ryder Cup. But now, as the man said, the shots get real....
So, what happens on June 9th? We'll see those iconic black London cabs ferrying the players to their assigned starting holes and, hold your breath, who will emerge from those hacks? Phil, Sergio, Lee Westwood and Jason Kokrak? Maybe I'll be surprised who ends up going, but it smells to me that it will be an embarrassingly weak field, even by the standards of the Champions Tour.
Yes, the Saudis have money to burn and no expectation of a conventional return on investment. But, how they feel about public humiliation? One expects a flurry of interest as the event kicks off, but what is there to sustain interest? The best part might prove to be the taxis... I suspect that Jay recognized the importance of their inaugural event and determined, probably wisely from his perspective, to cut off their oxygen supply.
But, while Seth Waugh and Jim Nantz continue to speak of Phil inevitably "returning", I'm trying to figure out how they (not to mention Phil) see that happening. Sure, he can jet from London to Boston and play in the U.S. Open, but no doubt PGA Tour suspensions are inevitable, which presumably includes the Champions Tour.
The next item predates Phil's PGA decision, but reminds me of my grandfather's response to a far younger version of your humble blogger. In the midst of a heavy downpour I asked him, "Grandpa, will it ever stop raining?" He took a pull on his ever-present pipe and responded, "Well, it always has."
See if you get the connection:
Well, they always have...
First, the quick precis of Phil's CV:
Should there be any doubt one only needs to remember the warm reception Mickelson received in Detroit last summer after he feuded with the media and threatened never to return to the city following the revelation of Mickelson’s ties to a mobster. Or the Sunday at Shinnecock in 2018, the day after he hit a moving ball in an act of petulance, defiance and defeat. Or the welcomes after insider trading scandals … and throwing two Ryder Cup captains under the bus … and the number of other gaffes—including a prescient 2019 moment when he told fans “You do you, I’m gonna do me” regarding his first dalliance with the Saudis—encountered in his three-decade career.
C'mon, you're just scratching the surface....
“I think there is a je ne sais quoi about what resonates with us about certain people,” says Dr.Sam Sommers, professor and chair in the department of psychology at Tufts University and author of This is Your Brain on Sports. “I like the cut of his jib, there’s something about the way that this guy carries himself, how they compete, how they celebrate, how they interact with fans and their fellow competitors, even nonverbally the way we see these individuals. It can be hard for us to articulate what draws us to certain players.”Or, as Dr. Brendan Dwyer, the director of research at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Center for Sport Leadership, explains: “I like to refer to sports fans as predictably irrational.”How Mickelson has earned such a following is self-evident. He was a generational talent who played with bravado but looked like your neighbor in charge of the cul-de-sac scavenger hunt. At a time when Tiger Woods kept a wall between himself and galleries, Mickelson embraced them with every step. They, in turn, fell into his gravitational pull. When Mickelson failed, he did so in ways that made him so human it hurt, perpeturating his everyman persona. Yes, there have always been whispers around Mickelson, that the smiling guy on TV was not the same guy when the cameras were off; one does not earn the nickname “FIGJAM” from his peers in reverence. But to the masses, those whispers mostly faded, replaced by a patina gained with age and continued relevancy. As he got older, Phil leaned into the dad humor appropriate for his age, becoming everyone's lovable, goofy uncle. Just as importantly, in a sport that now caters to the young, Mickelson valiantly fought time and managed to come out on top. His win at Kiawah Island at 50 should have granted an eternal victory lap.
It should and it would have, if he were there to take said victory lap.
Think about his reaction since it blew up on him in February. If he had issued a genuine apology and returned to the fold, this would all be behind him. Maybe he'd take a shot or two from the Shipnuck bio and the Billy Walters book, but there's little doubt that all would have been forgiven.
But Phil seems determined to test the limits of his fan's forgiveness, and it's speculative how this will all play out. But talk about not reading the room, he's digging in to continue to work in opposition to virtually all of his peers, aligning himself with the noxious bonecutters. Will his fans forgive this? Will Rory? Will Tiger?
Geoff has read that Shipnuck bio, and has some thoughts for us:
After finishing Alan Shipnuck’s “unauthorized” biography of Phil Mickelson I have more takeaways than six newsletters can hold. But in the context of Mickelson withdrawing from his 2022 PGA title defense via the totally unsurprising Friday evening news dump, he’s made the right decision to stay away.Not because more horrible revelations are coming from Phil. The Fire Pit Collective excerpts containing Mickelson’s thoughts on leveraging scary &*^%#$^&$%er money, his gambling problems, or the recent news about stiffing his loyal bagman have done plenty of damage. And when people get their hands on a book billed as a “rip-roaring” account, they will be buying a rip-roaring good time celebrating and illuminating the (golf) genius Mickelson has long been.You will come away realizing how much he loves the game and how much Shipnuck relishes the chance to share details of this massive, generational personality who became golf’s oldest major winner last year. But as much as it will pain Mickelson to not hold court at a Thomas Keller-prepared Champions Dinner and revel in becoming his triumph with Tiger present—stories of holding court dot the pages liberally—Mickelson would not have made things better by showing up in Tulsa.
Well, he's just in this to grow the game, so I take that at face value...
The book captures the often perverse ways Mickelson always needs something to play for. Endlessly. Exhaustingly so. And the stories come almost entirely from named sources. The total package that is Shipnuck’s Phil is also combined with plenty of incredible stories of generosity, making for an entertaining read that gives golf fans a much-needed book to talk about. But expect to leave Phil wondering how Mickelson can be so brilliant and yet so unable to read the room. Or how he can be so kind when he does not need to be and a total stooge at other times. He’s in a perpetual state of overcompensation with a relentless need for attention, with a propensity to hobnob with total knobs with criminal or organized crime ties. While those traits might deliver for politicians or Silicon Valley unicorns feeding their noxious bros and trolls, the relentless chaos will catch up to a professional golfer. Especially one who may still has an ax to grind and LIV Golf checks to cash. Or a PGA title to defend.After months of watching golf leaders and others grow uncomfortable at the mention of his name, Shipnuck’s book helps you understand why. The extreme and sometimes erratic behavior has been on display for years. It was undoubtedly chalked up with nonsense about alphas doing alpha things or “that’s Phil”. But every sign coming out of the books says Mickelson won’t change. He can’t afford to. He has too many debts to pay and Phil-being-Phil is the only way he knows how to succeed.
I'm actually still undecided as to whether to immediately dive in. But, more than anything, I'm still dying to know how Phil thinks this will end. Because he's hitched his wagon to some d=scary mofos, and it's not clear that those he's burned will welcome him back. Enjoy those golden years, Phil.
Living On Tulsa Time - Just a teas for today, starting with the TC boys on their favorite subject:
2. On to that other guy… Tiger Woods. All signs point to the 15-time major champion playing at Southern Hills, the latest confirmation coming Friday when the PGA of America announced that he would be holding a pre-tournament press conference on Tuesday (not to mention Woods’ arrival in Tulsa for a practice round on Sunday). Let’s set the line at top 30 — does Woods finish above or below that mark and why?Zak: Below. A lot of people want to point to his made cut at the Masters as a sign he can do that everywhere. This isn’t Augusta National. This isn’t the weaker (by comparison) Masters field. This is the PGA Championship, where a couple PGA Professionals have as good a chance of making the cut as Woods does. Bottom line: Four rounds walking and playing a course that is set up to beat you down will … beat you down. I’d guess Woods MCs by a couple and starts prepping for St. Andrews.Sens: Tiger has won here. And the subtleties of the design–and the demands of the greens–are right up his alley. But Southern HIlls is not an easy walk, and it’s going to be hot. We saw the physical toll start to wear on him at Augusta. And I suspect we’ll see it here. I think he’ll make the cut, and then fade over the weekend against a loaded field. In short, I’m betting he finishes below 30th. But I’m not betting the house.Colgan: It does feel like we’re at a bit of an inflection point for Tiger. Either he’s going to show up at Southern Hills and play well, proving he’s a legit threat to contend in majors heading forward. Or he’s going to show up and take a step back, proving that his chances of contending at anywhere other than Augusta are still slim. I’m guessing it’ll be the former, with a finish somewhere in the mid-50s.Dethier: As the resident Tiger optimist I am delighted to tell you that Woods is destined for a top-20 finish. He’s hitting it well, his short game should be creative and sharp enough to excel around Southern Hills’ greens, Augusta is a tougher walk than anything in the state of Oklahoma and hot weather will actually mean good things for getting his body loose. He’s better than the skeptics above might remember!
The guy lives in South Florida, so I don't think he's worried about the heat....
Geoff had some more in this post:
Woods confirmed he’s in a strong place now 30 days removed from the Masters final round.“I’ve gotten a lot stronger since the Masters,” he said. “We went back to work on Tuesday [after Augusta]. Monday [after] was awful. I did nothing and Tuesday was leg day.”
And on the changes since his 2007 win:
Woods spoke about the significant course changes since he won here 15 years ago, noting how tree removal opened up the property ala Oakmont. And, in a nice nod to the agronomists, so thatthe “grass can grow”.While Southern Hills is still much more tree-lined than Oakmont, it has seen significant yardage added since his PGA win here. Playing somewhere between 6,907 to 6,973 yards during the first six majors here starting in 1958, it jumped to 7,131 for the 2007 PGA and will clock in around 7,556 this week.While he seems to like the new-look Southern Hills, Woods smiled.“But I don’t like any course that gets longer.”A 357-yard drive at the second suggests he can handle the extra distance.
Yes, though it still seems quite a big ask....If I were betting it, I'd go for that Josh Sens scenario. Hard to see him missing the cut, but also hard to see him being sharp for four days.
And these more extensive notes for the Tigerphiliacs:
- Woods teed off the first hole and was joined by Gary Woodland at the fifth tee.
- His walking appears improved and he’s added some weight back after looking thin by the end of Masters week. The biceps are…robust!
- He hit two tee shots off the first, a 3-wood that left him 190 out as the wind was really blowing. The shot bounced off the left side of 1 green and ended up on 4 tee. It would be the worst shot he hit all round.
- Woods pulled out the “stinger” at the 4th and 7th holes when playing the forward teeing ground. He also hit it again at the 9th as the wind continued to blow.
- He teed off a bit earlier than planned due to forecasted storms that mercifully did not materialize in any significant way. Morning forecasts warned of potential golf ball-sized hail.
- Caddie Joe LaCava anticipates a better week from Woods after the difficulty of walking Augusta National. From Bob Harig’s story on Sunday’s round: “It’s the hardest walk out there,’’ LaCava said. “No excuses. That’s just a fact. This (Southern Hills) is no piece of cake either, but I’ll be a little less taxing in the walk.’’
Lastly, back to those TC dudes:
3. *Excluding* Tiger and Phil and the Saudi tour (more on that in a moment), what’s the storyline you’re most intrigued to see play out this week?Zak: In-form Jordan Spieth going for the career Grand Slam is the next biggest story because it has to be. Not because it’s super likely to happen, but because of how rarified the air really is at that point. Spieth would be just the sixth to ever do it.Sens: Sean is right. Next up, I’m keen to watch the only man who still has a chance at the Grand Slam this year. Can Scheffler make it two majors in a row?Colgan: Rory! A month ago every talking head in golf was screaming about a major breakthrough at the Masters. Now it’s a week before the PGA and his name hasn’t been heard since. Was it real, or just smoke and mirrors? That’s what I’m excited to see in Tulsa.Dethier: Southern Hills itself! Architecture nerds have been crowing about Gil Hanse’s work on Southern Hills and the array of creative shots we’ll see around the greens in particular. I hope that will come through in the viewing.
Rory! Surely you jest, James? Please tell me you're kidding, because that Sunday at Augusta was just an extreme version of Rory's signature backdoor top ten.
It will be interesting to see how Scheffler's year plays out, given his absurdly Tigeresque heater. But if he can get himself into the hunt, there's little doubt that this could be an all Jordan week. And given his propensity for drama, that's usually must-see TV.
That's it for today. The week's blogging schedule is unclear, but we'll cover the important stuff for sure. have a great week.
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