PGA Tour players (as well as the ladies and the round-bellies) tend toward the anodyne when a microphone is in their face, and really who can blame them? After all, why risk the push-back from saying anything controversial. But give them anonymity, and the claws are bared...
The Sports Illustrated/Golf Magazine gang released its annual players' poll in slide show form, and there's smiles to be had. Shackelford got to the sure-fire winner easy laugh first first, so I'll give him props for that one:
Does Steve Williams belong in the World Golf Hall of Fame?
PGA Tour pro responses:
YES: 19 percent
NO: 81 percent
OFF THE RECORD: “I think he believes he should be.”
Really, who are those 19%? The only caddie I can see deserving of Hall of Fame consideration is Eddie Lowery, and he made other substantial contributions to the game. Though upon further review, Stevie so frequently acts like a 10-year old, that perhaps the two are more comparable than it seems at first blush.
But there's much more to be mined from this lode, such this one:
Will Phil Mickelson win a U.S. Open?Those yes votes represent, as they used to say about second marriages, the triumph of hope over experience.
I am such a stupid.
PGA Tour pro responses:
YES: 68 percent
NO: 32 percent
OFF THE RECORD:
"I'm not the biggest Phil fan, but for the game and his career, I hope he wins one."
"No. he’s running out of time.”
Of course we need to cover the obligatory Tiger questions:
Should Tiger have been DQ’ed at the Masters?That feels about right, satisfying exactly nobody. But given Fred Ridley's screw-up, they really could not have DQ'd him. But this is a fun example of a bad question properly exposed by a witty response:
PGA Tour pro responses:
YES: 52 percent
NO: 48 percent
OFF THE RECORD:
“No. Nobody would have watched!”
Champions Tour responses:
Did Tiger’s run-ins with the rules in 2013 change your opinion of him?Here's another curious one:
PGA Tour pro responses:
YES: 15 percent
NO: 85 percent
Champions Tour responses:
YES: 26 percent
NO: 74 percent
OFF THE RECORD: “No. It was already pretty low.”
Will Sergio Garcia win a major?Damn, already used my best response for the Phil question, but I'll take the under here as well.PGA Tour pro responses:
YES: 66 percent
NO: 34 percent
OFF THE RECORD: “No. He already said that he wouldn't.”
Shack also couldn't pass on this one:
About how many books did you read in the last year?Doesn't reflect well on them, but at least they get points for candor.
PGA Tour pro responses:
0: 29 percent
1: 12 percent
2: 12 percent
3: 7 percent
4: 12 percent
5: 4 percent
6-10: 16 percent
10: 8 percent
OFF THE RECORD: “Less than the cars I own.”
“I’ve read a lot of yardage books. Do those count?"
Then there was this obligatory youth movement question:
Who's the best player on the Tour under the age of 25?Glad to see that Patrick Reed got his ballot in on time.
PGA Tour responses:
RORY MCILROY: 38 percent
JORDAN SPIETH: 38 percent
HARRIS ENGLISH: 20 percent
ME: 4 percent
And this exercise in optimism:
Will Adam Scott win a major after the anchoring ban?Dis Joe Passov get to vote? I don't particularly like Scott's chances even absent the anchoring ban. I'm still agnostic on Keegan, as I can't get past the psychokiller issue.
PGA Tour pro responses:
YES: 77 percent
NO: 23 percent
Will Keegan Bradley?
YES: 44 percent
NO: 56 percent
And you knew I couldn't resist this one:
Should Vijay Singh have been suspended by the Tour for admitting he used a bannedAbsolutely. After all, struggling bloggers need content, and Vijay is just comedy gold.substance?
PGA Tour pro responses:
YES: 64 percent
NO: 36 percent
OFF THE RECORD: “I don’t know, but he certainly shouldn’t have filed a lawsuit.”
“No. What he did was not on purpose.”
“Yes, but not for very long.”
And lastly:
Adam Scott, Rickie Fowler or Jordan Spieth?That's quite the rout, so I guess chicks dig the broomstick.
LPGA player responses:
ADAM: 91 percent
RICKIE: 6 percent
JORDAN: 3 percent
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