Weekend Wrap

The circus is on the way to Florida and I'm on my way back West tomorrow....  

DJ In Full - Have you ever wondered how good he could be if he, you know, applied himself?  I'm guessing he could be No. 1 in the world....  What?  I know, it's a gift...

LOS ANGELES -- Dustin Johnson went to No. 1 in the world with a world-class performance at Riviera. 

Johnson turned a marathon finish into a Sunday stroll in the Genesis Open. He finished the third round in the morning with a 7-under 64 to build a five-shot lead, stretched it to nine shots at one point in the final round and coasted home to a 71 and a five-shot victory. 

Johnson became the 20th player to reach No. 1 since the world ranking began in 1986, ending Jason Day's 47-week stay at the top. 

Johnson won for the fourth time against some of golf's strongest fields dating to his U.S. Open victory last summer. All he cared about Sunday was winning at Riviera, one of his favorite courses where he has had chances in four of the last five years.

Yup, the kind of performance that makes folks expect more of the same... As always, leave it to Employee No. 2 to ask the most pressing question.  When asked why I wasn't watching the golf and explained that Wolverine had an 8-shot lead, she snarked, "What's the slut wearing this time?"  Turns out that it was cool in LA, so the Tour maintained its PG rating:

Similar to Shipnuck's item from a few days ago, the Tour Confidential Panel was asked for their Right Now Top Five:

Shane Bacon: I’m going to go my top-five in the world currently, with Rory simply landing on the list because, when healthy, he’s a top-two player and, when on the couch, he still doesn’t drop out of the Top 5. 1. Dustin Johnson 2. Hideki Matsuyama 3. Jordan Spieth 
4. Justin Thomas
 5. Rory McIlroy

At the risk of taking such nonsense too seriously, how can a guy not able to put his own peg in the ground be in your right-now Top Five?  As for No. 4, Hawaii seems like a galaxy far, far away....

Can anyone tell if Mike is pulling our leg?

Michael Bamberger: 1. Dustin Johnson 2. Justin Thomas 3. Hideki Matsuyama 4. Jordan Spieth 5. Fred Couples

I assume you've also heard that Paulina is with child again....  Life is good for DJ and he of course has to be on everyone's short-list for the first full week of April.

This announcement of her condition is likely what the bride was expecting on the 18th green:

Good news, kids.  They now know what causes that....

On The Road Again.... Back to the TC confab and this query:

5. The PGA Tour moves to Florida and the Honda Classic. With the Masters less than 50 days away, what storyline are you most excited about?

Yup, good time to take stock:

Bacon: I can’t wait to see what Spieth does at Augusta. That’s really it. I’m excited for Matsuyama and Thomas to possibly snag a first major and continue their unbelievable years, and I’m ready for Rory to return healthy, but I cannot wait to see what Jordan does when it’s time to peg it on Thursday at the Masters.

Fair enough, although I'm guessing it's more about what happens three-hours later when he gets to a certain short three-par.  Scar tissue aside, he's played the event three times and finished 2-1-2...  As the kids like to say, not too shabby.  

Ritter: To me, the Florida Swing signals the true road to Augusta. Shane mentions several fun possibilities, but there are many more. Can Phil break his winless drought and establish himself as a threat for another green jacket? Will Stenson or Adam Scott win again in Florida and put themselves on the Augusta short list? Will Rory return healthy? Will Tiger shift to vertical or remain horizontal? It's gonna be a fun ride.

Adam Scott?  I'd think you'd get nice long odds there, Jeff....  

Passov: I don’t think Johnson or Spieth need any Florida success to show that they’re pre-Masters favorites. One name that has been conspicuously absent from all of our chatter is Jason Day, the man DJ replaced at No. 1. His results have been okay--barely--if very inconsistent in 2017. Yes, I’m looking forward to having Rory back in action, but I’m intensely curious about whether Day can return to form in time for the Masters.

Talk about the soft bigotry of low expectations.....  Day has shown nothing, though we've all seen guys that good turn it around on a dime.

It's safe to say that we have a bountiful season ahead of us...  shall w ejust sit back and let it unfold?

Being Monty - The panelists take on His Moniness's money quote:

4. Speaking of technology, during a conversation with SI senior writer Michael Bamberger, Colin Montgomerie said advancements in equipment diminished Tiger Woods’s advantage over his competitors. Monty being Monty, he also said he wouldn’t trade careers with Tiger. Are you buying that?

Bamberger: I think what Monty is saying is that he’s happy with who he is and with his life. There’s a lot to be said for longevity.

Sens: Right, Michael. Important, too, to distinguish between one’s life and one’s career. Hard to believe that Monty wouldn’t take Tiger’s 14 majors in an eye-blink. As for all the other baggage that appears to come with being Tiger, I dunno...who in their right mind would want that?

Of course folks are way over-interpreting this because, among a good many other things, Monty was acknowledging that he could never have been Tiger....   He just didn't have those kind of skills.

Quick Hits - This is a tad derivative, but they might bring their own elan to it:

If you've ever dreamed of what it would be like to launch a crisp 7-iron into the outfied at Safeco Field, now is your chance. 

Until February 20, the Seattle Mariners's home will be transformed into the world's coolest driving range. Topgolf "Crush" is bringing the Topgolf driving range experience to baseball and football stadiums around the country. 

Not only can you aim for targets placed 40-150 yards away from hitting bays in the grandstands, Topgolf can also track the flight path of your golf ball.

Please tell me they have ProTracer....

Before we go, can anyone identify this location:

Anyone?  Bueller?

I'd guess that reader Mark W. got it, and here's the background for everyone that hasn't had the pleasure:

Bookmaker Paddy Power recently pranked the club by hanging a banner on its front gates that read, "Welcome to Jurassic Park." See for yourself:

The implication, of course, is that Muirfield's members are dinosaurs for not changing its policy on women members through its first vote in 2016. Immediately after announcing that result -- the 64 percent voting yes was not quite the two thirds needed -- the R&A announced Muirfield, which has hosted the Open Championship 13 times, had been removed from the Open rota of courses. 

In January, the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers announced it would hold a second vote to allow women members, the results of which are expected by the end of March. 

"It must be acknowledged that many of the next generation will find it difficult to be a member of a club that excludes women," an anonymous member told Golf World's John Huggan in January. "The world is changing.”

 So, what's the line?

Despite that sentiment from one member, Paddy Power still lists a "YES" vote to allow women members as a +150 (You risk $100 to win $150) underdog. But it hopes this prank "will serve as a wake-up call" to members who voted no the first time to change their minds.

OK, I'm glad to see that the social justice warriors have laid claim to the bookmaking buasiness, in addition to every other aspect of our dreary lives...

But they're trying to influence the outcome of an event on which they're making book.... Isn't that, you know, a bit of a conflict of interest?