Weekend Wrap

My heart's not really in it, as it wasn't much of a weekend for the professionals....

The Best Laid Plans... - Jack's Memorial is one of the better stops on the PGA Tour, combining a first-rate venue (Desmond Muirhead is the unsung hero there, though that's not important now), a great date on the calendar and a celebration of Jack's thoroughly American upbringing.

The course played soft all week, leading to scores that made one think that The Bob Hope Desert Classic had been relocated, yet there were no shortage of show ponies on the leaderboard.  But Sunday's round was moved up to beat the weather, and flags started to move..... Suddenly, a U.S. Open c. 1985 broke out... and playing the role of Andy North was.... Oh, never mind, here's the game story:

DUBLIN, Ohio – The world of William McGirt changed dramatically on Sunday, as the

Ummmm.....you two wanna get a room?

journeyman won the Memorial Tournament, his first PGA Tour title, in a two-hole playoff over Jon Curran at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio. 

For McGirt, 36, it’s hard to imagine what this maiden victory means. There’s the money, $1.53 million, the invitation to the Masters and PGA Championship, and, due to his move into the top 50 in the world rankings, a spot in the U.S. Open. Oh and the three-year exemption on the PGA Tour. 

It took 163 events since getting his card at Q-School in 2010 for the mini-tour aficionado to win on the PGA Tour, but he had three runner-up finishes and 15 top-10s on his Tour resume prior to this week.

With a "Dirt" McGirt-Jon Curran playoff on tape delay, those ratings are gonna be, what's the word, YUUUUGE!.  But it's golf, and this happens all the time...

I should note that there was joy in your humble correspondent's home, as Employee No. 2 took instinctively to McGirt, declaring him her "New Lumpy".   There' little doubt that my bride's need for a Lumpy points to some major failing of mine, but the reader can sort through that on his own....

Dirt himself put his career in perspective with this:

“It was a hard day,” McGirt said, appearing excited and exhausted at the same time. “I’ve always been one to kind of keep my head down and do what I do. My wife [Sarah] can tell you that. I would practice hours and hours and hours. I would do whatever it took to get here. 

“It's just been years and years of practice and getting your nose bloodied and learning from it.”

Yeah, that seems about right....  They make a nice living for sure, but it's not an easy life out there...

McGirt saved himself a trip to U.S. Open sectional qualifying today....

Speaking of Which... - The Longest Day in Golf, as Golf Channel used to call it.... until the USGA gave Fox their television contract and no real need to promote an event that's carried by one's competitor.

Shack's got the skinny here, including the venues and notable players attempting to qualify.  He also has this helpful tip about the extensive Fox coverage:

Fox Sports 1 provides a 1-hour wrap-up from 12:30 am to 1:30 am ET Tuesday morning.

Glad they could fit it into their schedule.... I can't tell whether Cam Morfit's tongue is in his cheek with his item on twelve golfers we're shocked (shocked, I tell you) have to qualify.  Here's an example, but spoiler alert, if you watch a lot of golf none will surprise you:

4. Woody Austin, 52, has won three Champions tour titles this year, but hitting a lot of quality shots on Golf Channel counts for nothing when it comes to U.S. Open qualifying; senior wins don’t come with world ranking points.

Cam, I know it's a slow week but Aquaman?  Please tell me you're pulling our legs....

Best story?  Long-drive champ Jamie Sadlowski attempting to qualify with Gray McCord on the bag (they both play out of Whisper Rock).  I'm a bit surprised that McCord can carry for 36 holes at his advanced age, but...

Way Cool - I'm not so sure this is a good idea, but in another sense it's great beyond belief:

It appears that Bubba Watson plans to add a major championship to his June schedule. 

Watson has been talking recently about playing in the National Hickory Championship, according to Jens Beck, his representative at Pro-Sport Management. The NHC will be played June 9-11 at Oakhurst Links in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. The Greenbrier owns Oakhurst Links and sponsors Watson, who has a home at The Greenbrier Sporting Club. 

Beck said via email that Watson’s participation in the NHC is “definitely the plan,” adding that “I think it would be a blast.” But he left some wiggle room, saying it is not “100 percent yet.”

Here's Shack's take, with which I fully agree:

The idea Bubba Watson is taking an interest in them and willing to put himself on the line just prior to the U.S. Open is pretty outstanding in hopefully showing that there are other fun ways to play the game.

Bubba carries such a bad rep for being a curmudgeon, but he's often more willing to talk about course design and, while he has a commercial relationship with The Greenbrier, that he's interested in this  man.

Your Daily Zika Update - Which would you like first, the good news or the bad news?  Sorry, couldn't hear that response, so we'll start with the good...  As we discussed last week, Rory is Ready....

However, at the Memorial this week, the four-time major winner clarified that he's

intending to travel to Brazil. 

"I'm ready to play," McIlroy told reporters. "I feel like the advice I've sought out over the past ten days has put my mind at ease and makes me more comfortable going down there knowing that, even if I do contract Zika, it's not the end of the world."

That'll relieve certain folks, but the reader can sense what's coming:

Jason Day opened the door Friday to the possibility that he might skip the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, later this summer over concerns about the Zika virus. 

“It’s difficult to say right now,” the world No. 1 said from Muirfield Village, site of this week’s Memorial. “We’re just really trying to monitor what’s going on and make an educated decision because obviously we’re not done having kids.” Day and wife Ellie already have two kids, Dash, 3, and Lucy, 7 months.

Well, that probably wasn't as obvious as Jason thought, but they are a pretty darn cute family, especially when they run onto greens.

The question it begs is whether you trust the information being provided by the IOC and golf folks...  I mean they're all fully invested in the games, so they wouldn't understate the risks, would they?

Doug Ferguson covers the Zika angle, and had this ominous note from Charl Schwartzel:

The South African says he expects more golfers to think hard about going, and he would not be surprised if more pulled out. 

"You can hear the guys mumbling about it. It's definitely stuck in their heads," Schwartzel said. "I would go so far as to say anyone going is not comfortable going. I think it's a worry for them. It's a choice. If it was anywhere else, I'd play. I'd love to play in the Olympics."

Alex Myers helpfully provides these answers to FAQs about Olympic golf, and it's a relatively even-handed accounting:

OK, so for those who go to Rio, what’s the format?

You know how every other week of the year you watch 72-hole stroke-play events? Well, this is going to be the same. Not exactly the most creative thinking, but on the bright side, it’s easy to remember. 

You mean there’s no team competition?

Nope. It’s just everyone for themselves. Except they’re representing their countries and playing for medals instead of money. 

So. . . then why are there team captains?

Good question. Gary Player is probably going to have a lot of free time on his hands.

Well, Gary is there to tell us how exciting it all is...

Driving Distance, An Update - We delat with the USGA's report on driving distance in our Friday post, but Shack is back with an update.  He links to this post at bunkered.co.uk, which had some juicy bits:

In short, they’ve written a report about what happened after the horse bolted through the stable doors. It’s like going to the cinema and only getting to see the end credits. It’s completely pointless and, dare I say it, deliberately misleading.

I just wish he'd tell us what he really thinks... And this:

In 2000, there was only one recorded drive of more than 300 yards on the Tour. Since then, there have been over 400 recorded drives of more than 400- yes, 400 – yards. But driving distances aren’t increasing. 

Between 1995 and 2015, the distance of the longest recorded drive on the PGA Tour increased by almost 100 yards, from 315 to 409 yards. But driving distances aren’t increasing.

You gonna believe me or your lyin' eyes?  Must be all that time they're spending in the gym...

Geoff also revisits Kris McEwan's item and specifically this excerpt:

Now let’s put that twenty additional yards to work in an actual scenario. A pro hits driver in 2002 on a par-4, 400 yard hole, that means his second shot is going to be 140 yards. In 2012, the same drive leaves him with 120 yards to the hole. Any hack on a municipal course on a Sunday morning will tell you how significant those twenty yards are. 

Fast forward from 2002 to 2012 and pros are now hitting driver another ten yards farther. Meaning over a twenty year span, golfers on the PGA TOUR gained an extra 30 yards off the tee. 

Oh, and before you tell me, “players today are in better shape and more athletic,” allow me to point out that the Champions Tour guys—you know, the old dudes—are hitting the ball 275 yards today versus 250 yards twenty years ago.

It's a painfully difficult issue to address, but the USGA seemingly wants to argue over the meaning of "is"....

Say It Ain't So, Poults -  I believe that Darren Clarke's life just got a little easier:

On Friday, the AP's Doug Ferguson reported Ian Poulter will be out for four months with

a foot injury. The Ryder Cup is scheduled to begin Sept. 30 and simple math tells us that is (slightly) less than four months away. 

"I am obviously disappointed to be in this situation, especially during a Ryder Cup year," Poulter, 40, said. "Right now, rest and rehab take priority in me returning to full strength later this season. I look forward to resuming a full schedule as soon as I am able." 

We can just hear U.S. captain Davis Love III thinking to himself, Yes, Ian. Rest is good. Take your time.

The media is playing this as a setback for the Euros, with which I strongly disagree....  He's never been a top tier player, though his passion for the specific event is undisputed.  But he played poorly at Gleneagles and his skills, limited to begin with, are eroding rapidly.  I wanted Clarke to give him a captain's pick, though I don't think he would have been that foolish.

In any event, he's given Ian a set of cart keys, so he'll be at Hazeltine and can revisit old times with Michael Jordan.

Hoping to be back with some Oakmont and other thoughts later.