I feel refreshed after my day away from the keyboard, so let's have at it....
Orange is the New Orange - The Oklahoma State Cowboys were easily the best team in college golf this year, but match-play has been known to produce quirky champions. No chance of that this time:
Oklahoma State, the top-ranked and top-seeded host, steamrolled Alabama in Wednesday’s NCAA Championship final, posting a 5-0 victory over the Crimson Tide tocapture the blue blood’s first national title since 2006 and 11th overall. Oklahoma State did it at Karsten Creek, seven years after the No. 1 Cowboys fell in a stunning semifinal upset to Augusta State at a home NCAAs.
This win also avenges Oklahoma State’s 2014 defeat in the final to Alabama, and the Cowboys become the first No. 1 seed to win NCAAs since the tournament changed to a match-play format in 2009.
“This day was all about (the players) and all the people that came before them,” Bratton said. “They’ll never forget how they stepped up on that stage.”
5-0? Honestly, it didn't feel that close.... I thought the ref shoulda stopped it before they made the turn.
Playing the role of Stephen Ames...
Bauchou made the biggest statement.
The junior had struggled with his ball-striking this week, but a strong performance tee to green Tuesday imbued him with confidence. Bauchou knocked down flagsticks, birdied five of his first eight holes to race to a 6-up lead on Jonathan Hardee and then holed a greenside bunker shot for eagle at the par-5 ninth. He had gone out in 7-under 29 and was 7 up.
A win at the 10th put him 8 up, and he closed out an 8-and 7 victory after draining a 10-footer for par at the par-3 11th.
“I was the last out but the first in, which was pretty cool,” Bauchou said.
Bachou shot a tasty little 29 on the front nine, and it was an epic beatdown.
Unfortunately, while I've become a big fan of this event (including last week's women's version thereof), this year's installment seemed flat. Part of that was obviously the absence of close matches and sudden changes in fortunes, though I'm not sure that's an exhaustive explanation.
That said, if you haven't seen OSU's Matthew Wolff's unique swing, take a peek:
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| Don't they teach about landscape mode in college any more? |
Memorial Day - Dave Shedloski covers the annual State of the Jack presser, and the great one is happy with where he's landed:
The PGA Championship shifts to mid-May starting next year, causing a jumble to thePGA Tour schedule in the fifth month that includes the Players Championship, the tour's flagship event, returning to a March date. The Memorial Tournament, however, will remain in its contractually guaranteed slot two weeks before the U.S. Open.
That leaves the Memorial, hosted by golf great Jack Nicklaus at his Muirfield Village Golf Club, sandwiched between the two major championships with a week's buffer on either side. While it doesn't appear to be the most favorable spot, Nicklaus, winner of a record 18 majors, figures that he'll still draw a field as strong as this year's has garnered.
The 43rd edition of the Memorial, which begins Thursday, features eight of the top 10 in the world rankings and the top seven in the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup standings -- plus five-time Memorial winner Tiger Woods.
This is not an event about which we had any concerns, except of course as relates to weather.... And Jack offers his won concerns on that subject:
"I don't know," Nicklaus added, "what's going to happen in May in Oak Hill in Rochester, but I wish them well. I hope the weather is good. That's going to be a tough time."
Save it, Jack, they're not listening. Dylan Dethier has this on Tiger's return to the event:
Seems like he's setting the bar awfully low. But this was news to me, as I thought it was all Omaha:
But the biggest reveal of Manning's day was when he shared the story behind his old golf-related snap counts.
"All those years in Indy we had a snap count, we had different words for the snap count, to snap it on one or on two," Manning explained. "And for several years (due to their world ranking) 'Tiger' was on one and 'Phil' was on two. Tiger always liked that, he could hear it. He'd say, 'Heard Tiger, is Tiger still on one?'"
Poor Phil. Always Number Two.
My Kingdom For a Paddle - They are really up the (Shoal) creek this week:
It takes a little luck to win a major, and in the case of Shoal Creek, a little luck to get onestarted on time. Wednesday night’s forecast called for rain, but if the USGA can somehow dodge another bullet from Mother Nature, the 73rd U.S. Women’s Open might actually start on time.
How long the rounds take playing the ball down is another story, but if a tee shot is struck at 6:40 a.m. Thursday, it will be a small victory.
After Tuesday’s practice rounds were washed out due to the remnants of Tropical Storm Alberto, Wednesday’s were delayed until 1 p.m. due to electricity. Since 10 p.m. Tuesday evening, the course received 1.62 inches of water, pushing the overall total since Sunday afternoon to 4.76 inches.
“I’ll just say it,” said USGA senior managing director John Bodenhamer, “we were a little unlucky last night. I think we had hoped for a better night, and we got worse.”
I've been reliably informed that hope is not a strategy.
In addition to whether the USGA can play the ball down, the other factor worthy of note is that many of the players have yet to see the golf course:
After playing nine holes, Danielle Kang came into the press room. If everything starts on schedule on Thursday morning, she'll have yet to see the front nine before teeing it up in the most prestigious event in women's golf. She's one of several players in that position, which, to state the wildly obvious, it's not ideal. But Kang's confident, cavalier personality takes the situation in stride.
"Trey Mullinax walked me through the whole golf course from 1 to 18 on the phone," said Kang, referring to the PGA Tour pro and former University of Alabama golfer. "I feel like I've played it, you know? I have the yardage book. My caddie is stressed out. He hasn't walked it. I'm really OK."
He seems more likely to canoe it than walk it, but whatcha gonna do? Everyone talks about the whether, but no one does anything about it. It's a mess, and it being Alabama, we can therefore assume it to be a hot mess....
Rut Roh - Ever wonder how Ryder Cup venues are chosen? Of course not, as they quite obviously go to the highest bidder.... FIFA's got nothing on our boys.
It is unlikely the Ryder Cup features prominently in the minds of Italian politicians as they seek a solution to the latest bout of instability. Those presiding over the Ryder Cup,however, simply cannot ignore what is a crisis in Rome, even by Italian governmental standards.
The political chaos threatening imminent ecomonic turmoil coincides neatly with the most significant date in Italy’s golf calendar – the Italian Open is this week – while the sport has been high up the news agenda after Francesco Molinari, the nation’s pre-eminent player, saw off Rory McIlroy to win PGA Championship on Sunday.
Indeed, Italy’s financial commitment to its national Open, to the tune of a $7m prize fund to guarantee inclusion in the blue-chip Rolex Series, was crucial to it being awarded the 2022 Ryder Cup three years ago. Bids from Germany and Spain were rejected, with Italy committing to an overhaul of the Marco Simone course, just north of Rome, so that it would be Ryder Cup-ready. Eyebrows were raised from the outset.
So, while certain folks are going to pains to inform us that all obligations thus far have been met, this week's event is part of the lucrative Rolex Series:
Still, recent weeks have not provided much to alter the sentiment of those sceptical about Italy and the Ryder Cup. The host course of the 2018 Italian Open, Gardagolf in Brescia, was late in being confirmed to participants. Players were subsequently warned by the European Tour to expect a course short of the standard they would expect for such a high-profile and lucrative competition. Given the emphasis placed on Rolex Series performances in respect of Ryder Cup points, this is an ominous scenario. It would be a surprise if players don’t speak out over the coming days regarding what is little more than a standard members’ course.
A standard members' course? But wait, that's not even the bad part:
Of greater significance is a lack of action at Marco Simone. The European Tour’s plan to host the Italian Open there from 2019 made perfect sense; Le Golf National has hostedthe French Open every year since 2002 and it takes charge of the Ryder Cup this year. However, the Italian proposal has been undermined by the absence of renovation work at this midway point between Ryder Cup award and playing. It is now understood there will be no Italian Open there until 2021 at the earliest.“A considerable amount of work has already been undertaken at Marco Simone in terms of planning, including the transport plan and the parking plan,” the spokesperson said. “In terms of the work on the golf course, the process has taken longer than ourselves, the Italian Golf Federation and Marco Simone envisaged and this is due, in part, to changes to the political landscape in Italy since the country was chosen as host. However, we are now in the final stages of concluding detailed planning approvals with the companies who will conduct the work on the golf course.”
Hey, they've got a parking plan, and I'm sure the political issues in Italy will provide smooth sailing between now and 2022..... What could possibly go wrong?
It just so happens that Shack has a suggestion:
Given that Tiger Woods seems a very likely candidate to captain the 2022 team, and his Italian isn't quite as good as Kobe Bryant's, maybe the matches should just move to the Old Course? You know, out of respect to a legend...and the sport.
Forget the Tiger bit, I'm not sure why he would sign on for a road game, but that's about the only way I see The Old Course getting a Ryder, which would be the ultimate happy ending.
Alan, Asked - Shipnuck's weekly mailbag feature has become appointment-blogging:
Am I wrong to be more impressed by Koepka this week than Rose? 2nd at Colonial after the big injury layoff bodes well for the last 3 majors of the year. #AskAlan -@AmolYajnik
Yes, you're wrong – that was a rock star performance by Justin Rose. Of course, he has been methodically compiling his Hall of Fame credentials over the last decade plus, and I think he’s now there. But I agree that Koepka’s performance was quite impressive; dating to Sunday at the Players, he has fired three 63s in his last five rounds. Not only does Koepka's fine play add some juice to the upcoming majors, but it's a major boost for the U.S. Ryder Cup team. Koepka was a stud last time around and the Americans can once again count on him to be a rock.
OK, let me first just note that I was awfully impressed by Brooksie at Colonial, not least because you're not supposed to be able to bomb-and-gauge that golf course. And yet, bomb-and-gouge he did, and quite successfully. Though the issue with Brooks is the wrist....
And while that is unquestionably good news for the U.S. Ryder Cup team, in what sense is a guy that's never been to one a "rock"? Aren't DJ, Jordan, Patrick, JT, Phil and Kooch the rocks? Brooksie is a promising rookie....
I'll bounce around in Alan's item for related themes, such as this:
Why are the Euros so insecure about the BMW field? #AskAlan -@PurdueMatt05
Umm, because arguably Europe's two best players (Rose and Rahm) were plying their trade in Texas? Or maybe because, despite the glut of World Ranking points, only six Americans bothered to make the trip? (Harold Varner III, take a bow.) There is also the general insecurity Euros have felt ever since the 1920s, when Americans began dominating the game they invented. This chip-on-the-shoulder can be a beautiful thing: it birthed Seve and that greatest generation and reinvented the Ryder Cup. But like a clingy ex, the whole shtick can indeed get a little old.
A cling ex? I see we're doing a little trolling ourselves, not that there's anything wrong with that.
So this week two Euros won the two biggest events - what is the over/ under on Ryder Cup prediction trolling tweets when this happens? -Paul (@LiveTweetGolf)It's been surprisingly tame on my Twitter feed compared to earlier in the season, when the Euro fanboys would crawl out from under their bridges with every top-5 by one of their brethren. I think they've been dispirited by the simple fact that U.S. players presently hold all four major championships and the Players trophy. But I have no doubt they’ll rear their ugly heads soon enough.
They won't be dispirited in September, though this Martin Dempster item did strike me a sa tad defensive....
But note his allusion to Rose on Rahmbo as Europe's two bets players.... Isn't he overlooking somebody?
#AskAlan Who is Rory's closest historical contemporary and why is it Greg Norman? -@SNESdrunk
Nah, it’s Phil. Norman was amazingly consistent; to wit, his 331 weeks at number one. Rory is much streakier, a la Mickelson, and his game has the same variety, which is why each of them has won three legs of the Grand Slam while Norman could only get it done at the Open Championship. And there's a massive difference between winning a total of two majors (like Norman) and four (like McIlroy). One more to go to tie the five won by Phil…his closest historical comparison.
Obviously not a perfect comparison, but he's right that Norman is less comparable. But in all the Ryder Cup talk, isn't Rory the real issue for the Euros? Without him in Beast Mode, it's hard to see the Euro winning.... And last I heard, Patrick Reed is still living rent-free in Rory's head.
Of course, the Yanks have some issues as well:
Let's hear your thoughts on Jordan Spieth. Is this a mean reversion? -@BrianScottf
A great question, well-phrased:
Spieth is great TV because between the ropes he's such an extrovert. Not everyone loves to hear him barking at his ball or constantly opining to Greller, but it is undeniably more interesting than watching an emotionless automaton like, oh, half the Tour. Also, he’s a Texas boy competing in Texas, gearing up for a summer during which he'll try to complete the Grand Slam. There is also something heroic in his struggle. No one fights harder for every stroke, and watching Spieth labor to piece together his game is fascinating. After his fine work navigating claustrophobic Colonial he's now second on Tour in strokes gained tee-to-green…and a woeful 192nd in strokes gained putting. A lot of attention has been given to his short misses but statistically he's about the same as last year. Truth be told, he's never been great on short putts — even during his epic 2015 season he was a ho-hum 52nd on putts inside 10'. This year he's regressed to 154th, after ranking 102nd in 2017. The bigger fall-off has been from mid-range, where Speith was historically great. In 2015 he ranked second from 15’-20’ and first 20’-25’. (Last year he was 65th and 4th, respectively.) These are the bonus putts you don’t statistically expect to make and Spieth used to pour them in like practice round gimmes, one of the keys to his low scores. This year he’s 200th from 15'-20' and 187th from 20’-25’. He’s also wrecking rounds with three-putts, having three-jacked 30 times this year when it happened only 28 time all of last season (and 38 times in '15).
All-time great putters like Ben Crenshaw and Brad Faxon and Tiger Woods had that gift early in their golfing lives and it never left. The interesting thing about Spieth is the he describes himself as a poor putter throughout amateur golf and says it wasn’t until college and the outset of his pro career that he turned the flatstick into a weapon through mechanical changes, hard work and, most of all, belief. He's still working hard but clearly struggling with his mechanics. Belief is even more mercurial. As electric as Spieth's final round was at the Masters, what lingers is him missing a do-or-die 8’ putt on the 72nd hole with the green jacket potentially hanging in the balance. (The blown 12-footer for eagle on 13 also stung.) I still believe this is a slump that will pass, and as good as Spieth's ball-striking is, once the putter heats up he will be very, very dangerous. But as the frustration and scar tissue builds up, it’s impossible not to wonder if a bad putter who willed himself into being great can revert to permanent mediocrity. Time will tell with Spieth. At least we know the cameras will always be watching.
That's a lot of data, some interesting for sure, but it doesn't seem supportive of Alan's conclusion. I get what he means about Spiteh's grinding.... Curtis Strange used to say that if you're not beggin', you're not really tryin'. Though heroic seems a stretch....
Spieth has become a much more consistent ball-striker than I expected, which is a fortunate thing... But if that putter doesn't start behaving....
We've had a great two weeks for golf architecture. Trinity was a great new track and this week with a classic track. If you were (1) updating an existing course or (2) building a new one, what’s the most important feature to make a course equal to current technology? #AskAlan -@gwdowellI could play either Trinity or Colonial every day for the rest of my life and be quite content, but it's worth noting that the pros torched both courses without breaking a sweat. Each one needs another 2,000 or so yards to test Tour players. Or they need to be baked-out to the point of almost being unplayable, which is risky business and not good for the members and paying customers who tee it up there as soon as the tournament leaves town. Modern technology and training methods have simply overwhelmed the game's playing fields.
There's a reason Annika played Colonial.... That place has been overwhelmed for decades.
I think we need more data for Trinity, as it was new turf and not much wind. But without wind these guys are going to torch that place as well.
He goes out with some more trolling:
#AskAlan Who does Tiger play with in Paris, and how many times does he play? -@jeremybenson
The more interesting question is, Will Tiger and Phil be paired together? I think it's a resounding yes. The Augusta practice round wasn't an accident; these guys are both way too calculating for that. They're getting a feel for each other's games and equipment and building more rapport and trust. Tiger and Phil paired together in fourballs? The earth will stop spinning on its axis, and I can't wait.
If they keep Phil out of foursomes, I suppose I can live with this fourball pairing. Just be prepared for what happens if they get beaten, which I think is more than likely.
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