Weekend Wrap

It was a lovely weekend of golf, the playing thereof...  So the watching of the gawf was secondary....

Safe Harbour - I had the taped final round coverage on as I dealt with some paperwork, and it seemed more demolition derby than golf tournament.  But kudos to this young man who blazed a most unusual path from YouTube star to the big Tour:

WINNER: The incredible rise of Wesley Bryan continues. The former trick-shot artist burst on the pro golfing scene in stunning fashion last year, winning three times on the

Web.com Tour on his way to capturing the money title. Bryan struggled at first in his rookie 2016-17 season on the PGA Tour, missing four straight cuts at one point and not posting a finish better than T-41 in his first eight starts of the season. Bryan then caught fire, though, going T4-T4-T7 in February and March. A 69th and T-62 followed, but now there’s a PGA Tour win in the books. Bryan fired a final-round 67, using a four-birdie run on the front nine to put himself in position. He then took the solo lead for good with a birdie on 15. That moved him to 13 under, where he finished for a one-shot win. Bryan played college golf at the University of South Carolina and becomes the first native of the state to win this South Carolina-based event. What an incredible journey for Bryan, who goes from a guy who got famous years ago through trick shots and is now a PGA Tour winner. Pretty cool.

Yanno, I saw him out there in his pink pants and didn't connect the dots plaid.  Of course, for most of that time he wasn't in contention, until he was...  Just a shame that he wasn't paired with The Duf, who was in his traditional Sunday pink shirt.

This was pretty honest and funny, from the winners interview in the tower:

QUOTABLE: “Honestly, I wasn’t nervous at all, all day, and then No. 17, I got up and honestly I just threw up a little bit in my mouth, and I was like, well, shoot, I guess this is what nervous feels like.” – Wesley Bryan

Cry me a river on this one:

JUST MISSED: Poor Luke Donald. This is his fifth runner-up finish at the RBC Heritage and his seventh top-3 showing overall. Yet, he hasn’t won here. Another chance slipped by Sunday.

His problem remains as ever, specifically being Patient Zero for the malady known as Luke Donald Disease, the indicators of which are being simultaneously the shortest and least accurate player in the field.

The Tour Confidential panel was asked to make the case that he's here to stay, and Shipnuck handled it thusly:

Shipnuck: Already on Tour the other players talk about Bryan's wedge game as if it's voodoo. The guy just has a knack for scoring and heavy mettle on Sundays. He's definitely here to stay.

 I see what you did there, Alan.  He's definitely here to stay.... at least for the next two years.

Lotte Da - The placement of LPGA stories on the Golf.com home page is quite telling, such that they might be better served just ignoring women's golf as they did during the Dinah.  This is the lower placed item:

KAPOLEI, Hawaii (AP) -- Cristie Kerr won the LPGA Lotte Championship on Saturday 

for her 19th tour title, closing with a 6-under 66 for a three-stroke victory. 

The 39-year-old Kerr broke the tournament record at 20-under 268, a day after shooting 62 at Ko Olina to match the event mark. She earned $300,000 to top $18 million in her career. 

Kerr hadn't won in 30 starts since the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship in 2015. She was a pedestrian 4 under halfway through Lotte, then made a made a big move. She birdied seven of the last eight holes Friday, soaring into contention with the 62 and growing comfortable walking in her birdie putts before they fell in the hole. 

"People think that I do it intentionally," she said. "It never happens when I try to do it intentionally. It's just that once I know it's in, I walk after it."

The Saturday night finish is something you'd think they'd do more of, though it was too late for this guy.  

This is the item that garnered the higher placement, up in the pantheon next to the Wesley Bryan WITB:

 Lydia Ko is changing caddies — again.

The No. 1-ranked women's player and caddie Gary Matthews have split up, according to a report from Golfweek's Beth Ann Nichols. Ko's management team confirmed the

breakup to Golf Channel's Randall Mell. 

Ko, 19, and Matthews worked together for just nine events. 

Ten of Ko's 14 LPGA tour victories (and both majors) came with Justin Hamilton as her caddie, but Ko fired Hamilton in October. Before Hamilton, Ko used seven different caddies during her rookie season. Matthews caddied for Ko on a trial basis at the end of 2016 and was on her bag for seven events in 2017. She's finished in the top 11 in five of those '17 starts and was T2 at the LPGA LOTTE Championship over the weekend.

That bit about using seven caddies her rookie year is a bit of a cheap shot, as she made it clear she wanted to play the field before getting serious.

That said, she does seem to be morphing into something of a diva, while her T2 this week is the best stuff we've seen from her in an eternity.   

Viewer Discretion Advised - That's the world-class header of Jaime Diaz' take on Lexigate, though surely that's not because of adult situations... Let's let Jaime set his table:

At a time when the USGA and R&A are in the midst of a rules modernization initiative

scheduled to be implemented in 2019, the penalties applied to Thompson seemed to defy the simplification and clarity golf’s leaders are seeking. Players in particular called for the end of viewers chiming in with alleged violations, arguing that no other sport allows such input. And just about everyone disagreed with the need to impose a penalty after an earlier round was over, as well as applying an additional two-stroke penalty retroactively for an incorrect scorecard. 

In terms of future policy, the most important element of the Lexi fallout were closed-door meetings at the Masters among the heads of golf’s major stakeholders—the USGA, R&A, PGA of America, PGA Tour, LPGA and European Tour. There were intense exchanges in which tour leaders, worried about the perception of their products, argued that rules changes were needed posthaste to stop situations that fans and even players found unfair and nonsensical. The most aggrieved party was the LPGA, and its commissioner Mike Whan, who had publicly called the Thompson ruling “embarrassing.” 

“I understand Mike’s perspective,” USGA executive director Mike Davis said. “This was hard on Lexi Thompson, and hard on Mike Whan. But it was not bad for the game, because this is exactly the kind of dialogue that good change comes out of.”

Thud!  I'm sure that will come as great consolation to Lexi....  I like Mike Davis, but this is right up there in world-class tone deafness with his famous request for a mulligan after DJ-gate...

Now, Diaz appropriately adds this:

Davis cited the expedited change that was made to Rule 18-2 (“ball at rest moved”) in the wake of the Johnson ruling at Oakmont, which now allows a player whose ball has inadvertently moved on the green to simply return the ball to the original spot without penalty. Davis also pointed out that because of another recent rules change, Thompson only got a two-stroke penalty for signing an incorrect scorecard rather than being disqualified under the previous iteration of the rule.

Yes, I'm glad Jaime added this, as Davis did well to expedite that change....  We all understand that the wheels of justice grind slowly, but we're seeing far too many human sacrifices to be complacent.

It's Jaime, so our standing orders to read the whole thing apply....  He does a good job of explaining why such a ruling is important, despite the numerous red herrings to be found.  But I have a couple of other thoughts on this topic.... But do also avail yourself of Shack's take, in which he avails himself of his recurring five families bit, including video.

One point I've made before, and shame on all our so-called leaders, is the utter passivity demonstrated with regard to technology.  I continue to involuntarily shake my head at the lack of foresight in evidence.  Case in Point:  When DJ's ball moved, the official who was to review the video required 30 minutes to head in from the golf course....

Secondly, there's a seeming naivete in the rules-making process.   In terms of balls moving on closely mown greens, they had already changed this rule recently, but in a way that didn't conform to the real world.  For DJ to have avoided his penalty, he would have had to be able to identify that which caused his ball to move....  You know what makes balls move on green stimping at 14?  Exactly!

So, here's their solution to Lexigate:

In what would be new Rule 1.3a(2), a key passage states: “This means that the player’s reasonable judgment would be upheld even if later shown to be wrong by other information [such as video technology].” Such a rule would give more weight to a player’s intent when assessing the physical evidence during a ruling.

Can anyone translate this into English for me?  

But there's one other aspect of this all that has recently occurred to me, as relates to that Augusta meeting above.  Mike Whan (who is no doubt an excellent Commish for the ladies), is seemingly an innocent victim in all this, but why?  Another in the long list of ways in which golf differs from other sports, is the existence of an external rules-making organization.  Obviously nobody dictates rules to MLB or the NFL....

But the various pro tours can implement local rules as they see fit, in fact the USGA recommended the implementation of a local rule to solve the DJ issue, whilst they took their sweet time codifying it into an actual rule.  They can play foot-golf if they so choose, it's almost as if they don't want the responsibility.... They can declare a round over, say two hours after the last player putts out, and have done with Lexigate situations...  or waive the penalty for the incorrect scorecard.

There was much discussion of this during the comment period for the anchoring ban, and I do believe that they have been well-served in general by adhering to the USGA's rules-making authority.  But there's nothing that compels them to do so....

Tommygate - Was I too harsh?  Obviously, you'd need to see the film to know....But Shack finds some positive press for the effort, including this from the LA Times:

Connery and his crew, including director of photography Gary Shaw, production

designer James Lapsley and costume designer Rhonda Russell, richly evoke the harsh beauty of Scotland, while warmly re-creating the style and manners of the period. There’s a certain “Chariots of Fire”-like reverence for all things golf and Scottish, but the woolly courses, a far cry from the manicured fairways of today, and comparatively crude implements used by the players, provide an earthy balance.

I don't disagree with a word of that, but here's where we part company:

The elder Morris initially sees little need for change in a society that allows him to provide for his family, yet remain in debt. But through his love for Tommy, he bestows a begrudging acceptance. The veteran Mullan, best known for his work with Ken Loach and Danny Boyle, can do more with a narrowing of the eyes than most actors can with a soliloquy, and his ruddy features and stoic demeanor anchor the film, grounding it in social realism whenever it tends toward romanticism and sentimentality. 

The younger Morris also bucks convention when he falls for Meg Drinnen (“Guardians of the Galaxy’s” Ophelia Lovibond), a maid 10 years his senior. The film pins much of its story on their romance, a match met with judgment from the community and strong displeasure from Tommy’s mother, Nancy (Therese Bradley). Fortunately, there is plenty of chemistry between Lowden and the winsome Lovibond, and their scenes of courtship both lighten the tone and earn our emotional investment.

And this?

The veteran Mullan, best known for his work with Ken Loach and Danny Boyle, can do more with a narrowing of the eyes than most actors can with a soliloquy, and his ruddy features and stoic demeanor anchor the film, grounding it in social realism whenever it tends toward romanticism and sentimentality.

Does he think that social realism is a compliment?  Egads, you'd probably have to go to J-School to think that.... 

I just didn't find the film captured that as well as this reviewer and, as I said earlier, if you can't make ME care about the Morrises of  St. Andrews, who else will care?

This review takes umbrage at the golf swings on exhibit:

While there's a certain charm in seeing these early sportsmen dressed as though ready for mass (no kilts, alas), the golf scenes are undone by the fact that no one can actually swing a club. For some roles, actors will learn to play an instrument of master a manual skill, but there's none of that authenticity here. Instead, Connery has gone back in post and unconvincingly inserted digital balls, which defy the laws of physics as blatantly as the CG goo in Disney's "Flubber." The strategy robs us of what little thrill golf has to offer, whether spectating live or on TV, as impossible shots remain precisely that: impossible.

Alas?  I should trust you on golf swings when you expect the players to be in kilts?  he obviously has no clue as to how friggin' cold it can be out there....  Thing is, Connery and the actors spent much effort trying to swing as players of the era did.  I have no clue, as I've never seen video of Young Tommy's swing.

I did enjoy this piece about the magic involved in making the film:

The Old Course in its present state was too manicured to represent the 1860s and ’70s. Striving for authenticity, the filmmakers found Balcarres estate, about 30 minutes south of St. Andrews. Funny enough, golf's most cherished temple was reproduced in a cow pasture. Once the filmmakers relocated the cows and cut down the weeds, they built two holes, including the famed 18th. That meant digging a Swilcan Burn and the bridge that golfers know and love.

"There's a little movie magic involved," said Keith Bank, one of the producers, noting that the snow in a winter scene was shot with paper on a 60-degree day.

I have to say, those greens reminded me very much of Askernish, which seems authentic.  I'll also link you to this Guardian item on the first superstar of golf:

His swing was quick and wristy. He hit the ball hard and when he needed it to go further

he hit it harder. It was said that he could break a shaft with the force of his preliminary waggle on addressing the ball. He accepted no conventions and created a variety of shots hitherto unknown. The rut iron, a club with a very small, lofted head that most players carried to extricate the ball from ruts or rabbit scrapes, he used to great effect, floating the ball up to the flag in a wide variety of approach strokes.

Tommy carried two putters and used them both differently. On a good surface he putted with a wooden-headed putter that had a longish shaft with which he was described as "invincible", while on poorer greens he used an iron-headed driving club with a little loft on it and with a very short shaft. He had, in fact, invented the "jigger", the pitch-and-run approach shot that would become popular on all links courses for years to come.

Amusingly, this was Alan Shipnuck's response when asked if he was eagerly anticipating the movie:

Shipnuck: Well, I was more excited until I saw the commercial where an approach shot rips backward with modern-day Tour spin - pretty sure that didn't happen with mid-19th century equipment and agronomy. But I liked the book and want to support its author - former SI colleague Kevin Cook - so I'll put my excitement at 8.2.

I'm not one to make fun of someone else's memory, but in the book Kevin Cook does note that Tommy was the first player to spin a ball back with his rut iron?  I'm sure it wasn't Tour Sauce, but I'm going to rule that movie scene "True Enough".

There's more of everything but time....