Aftershocks

I can't quite explain it, but I'm having trouble getting excited about the Travelers....  I'm sure it's me.

Phil in Phull - Shack plays aggregator-to-the-stars, so why not lede with his thoughts:

We are a couple of days removed from Phil Mickelson's U.S. Open outburst and its not aging well, nor is the USGA's timid response earning raves either. I hate belaboring this

as a Phil fan but the reaction to this incident mirrors a disturbing justification for rules bending we've seen with the backstopping nonsense.

In Mickelson's case, the media and former player reactions have been harsh.

Having had a chance to do some reading, here's a presentation of just some reactions to Mickelson striking a moving ball in what he claimed was his intent to take advantage of the rules after hitting an awful putt. 

The reaction has been relatively uniform, except of course for certain Phil dead-enders.... 

The USGA seems to have utilized blinders in their rules interpretation, as this clarification confirms:

“There appears to be some continued uncertainty about the basis of the ruling with Phil

Mickelson during the third round of the 118th U.S. Open, and we would like to further clarify previous statements. During play of the 13th hole Mickelson made a stroke on the putting green at his ball which was moving. As a result, he incurred a two-stroke penalty for a breach of Rule 14-5; the stroke made at the moving ball also counted. His score for the hole was 10. Rule 14-5 does not include a serious breach clause or disqualification as part of the penalty statement. 

“Rule 1-2 (which could lead to disqualification) did not apply in this situation because Mickelson made a stroke at the ball (defined as the forward movement of the club with the intention of striking at and moving the ball) as opposed to another act to deflect or stop the ball in motion, which are two acts covered by Rule 1-2.”

That seems like it makes sense.....but is it possible that Kyle Porter knows the rules better than the USGA? 

Rule 14-5 -- a player must not make a stroke at his ball while it is moving -- was applied, which to me was a trap door for the USGA to sneak out while nobody was looking. Rule 14-5 is sandwiched by other rules that apply to golf balls that are minutely moving around a player. Think of a ball oscillating on the green or dancing on the fairway in a healthy windstorm. It was not created to address what Mickelson did, which looked like a move one of my kids would make while playing miniature golf. In fact, there is a clause in Rule 14-5 for exactly what Mickelson did: Ball purposely deflected or stopped by player, partner or caddie -- see Rule 1-2.

Veddy interesting....Hold that thought for a moment, while we discuss the premise of Kyle's piece:

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. -- The year is 2021. Tiger Woods is playing in the final twosome at Augusta National, trying to win his his fifth green jacket. He is paired with Jordan Spieth and leading the field by three strokes as the pair steps to the 9th tee box. Woods has just eagled the 8th hole, and Augusta is vibrating. After an obliterated drive that starts to climb the slope in front of the 9th green, Woods chips his next shot past the hole. He has a wicked 11-footer for birdie and a four-stroke lead heading to the second nine. 

He misses it badly. So badly, in fact, that as the ball runs past the hole, he runs to catch up with it and pulls his Scotty Cameron back while the ball is still rolling. When it gets 2 feet past the hole, he pops it in for a par. The ball was clearly going to roll all the way off the false front on No. 9 and back down the fairway where he would once again have a tricky pitch shot. So Woods figured, instead of trying to chip all the way up from down there and two putt for a double bogey, he would just take the two-stroke penalty for double and move to the second nine with a one-stroke lead over Spieth, who parred the 9th. 

To paraphrase a certain dynastic football coach: Is this what we want golf to be?

I'll note first that Phil would likely never pull such a stunt and embarrass the Augusta nabobs.

But even in Kyle's scenario the strategy is a loser.  Tiger took a six (and really, what are the odds of making that putt), whereas six figures to be the worst score he makes if he plays by the rules, and still has a chance to make five.  The only place it works is No. 15, by stopping the ball from entering the water hazard, which would require the player to traverse the Sarazan Bridge in the wrong direction.

John Feinstein, in an article we linked to yesterday, pegs his hopes on Rule 33-7:

One last piece of rules mumbo-jumbo: Rule 33-7 is the catch-all here. It gives the committee the wherewithal to disqualify a player it if believes a serious breach has been committed but also to notdisqualify a player if it believes there are mitigating circumstances. 

It was 33-7 that Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley, then the chairman of the championship committee for the Masters, fell back on in 2013 in deciding not to disqualify Tiger Woods for signing an incorrect scorecard after the second round that year.

This is an interesting take, linking the two BFF's.  In the interest of brevity (I know, why start now?), Ridley had to let Tiger of the hook because he himself had screwed the pooch.  

I do think there's connective tissue involved here, though it's a bit more tenuous.  Phil was presumably reacting to the USGA's flawed set-up, for which the governing body would later in the day apologize.  Having provoked Phil, one can see where they wanted this to just go away....

Brian Wacker takes a...well, wack at Phil in maybe the best summary of the issue yet:

“I don’t mean disrespect by anybody. I know it’s a two-shot penalty. At that time I just didn’t feel like going back and forth and hitting the same shot over. I took the two-shot

penalty and moved on. It’s my understanding of the rules. I’ve had multiple times where I’ve wanted to do that, I just finally did it.” 

But in doing so it was an act of disrespect, goes against the spirit of the rules and it provided an example of how not to conduct oneself at his age or anyone else’s. This was give-up stuff, unprofessional and pure nonsense. The explanation straight from the principal's office. 

Daly? Sure. But this is Mickelson, an ambassador of golf and World Golf Hall of Famer, the same guy who once looked at Arnold Palmer and said I wanna be like that guy. Thumbs up? Try two thumbs down. 

"Toughen up," Mickelson said at one point to those offended by what he did. Ironic from someone who hit the ball while it was still moving to avoid having to play a tougher shot.

Yeah, he folded like a cheap card table.  But the comparison to Daly is spot-on, and I'd love the think that might get through to Phil....I know, good luck with that.

One could easily theorize it was also Mickelson’s backhanded way of slapping USGA chief Mike Davis for another course set up that in his eyes had yet again gone too far. After all, Davis & Co. were the ones left fielding questions well into the night while Phil presumably enjoyed a bottle of red somewhere nearby. You clean up the mess. 

It wouldn’t be the first time. Mickelson has a history when it comes to wanting to send a message. Just ask Tom Watson, Rees Jones or the tax collectors in his home state of California. 

In the end, though, Mickelson’s actions—and words—made him look lamer than those button downs, rather than the smartest guy in the room. 

“I don’t believe he really knows that rule,” the USGA’s former chief executive David Fay said on Fox of Mickelson. “I think his explanation made things complicated. I would’ve thought long and hard about it and after hearing everything I’ve heard I would’ve lobbied for disqualification.”

Not to mention the Securities and Exchange Commission.

While Phil was trying to convince us that his actions were taken with emotionless practicality in mind, this long-time observer thinks it was very personal:

If only we knew which definition Alan had in mind:

And the more I read the more my blood pressure skies.  Take this from Eamon Lynch:

In that single stroke, Mickelson’s carefully constructed veneer fell away, the years of pained diplomacy and outward optimism with which he greeted every failed, painful tilt at the national Open. It was a quiet scream, seen but not heard. 

By the time he emerged from the scorer’s tent, Mickelson had resolved to brazen it out. Asked by Strange if his stunt was disrespectful, he adopted that well-practiced look of wide-eyed surprise. It was the same look we saw four years ago in that infamous Ryder Cup press conference — feigned shock that anyone might think he was throwing captain Tom Watson under a bus as he did exactly that. 

“It’s certainly not meant that way,” he said with an approximate attempt at earnestness. 

He offered a wane smile. “I had an awesome day.”

That's just great, Phil, but you ensured that no one else did.... Beth Ann Nichols has a follow up with Amy, including a really weird quote from the man himself:

“You know it’s not his finest moment,” said Amy, “but hopefully he’ll learn from it. Like anybody, good people make mistakes. We all have a moment in life sometimes and that was kind of a moment I think for him.” 

Once Phil got to the end of the autograph line, he kept grinning as he faced the media and headed toward the range. At this point, a smaller contingent of reporters rushed behind seeking comment. 

When asked if he regretted what happened Saturday, he said: “The real question is, what will I do next? I don’t know.”

So Amy wants to chalk it up to a bad moment, which I think would draw some understandable sympathy, but Phil is still giving everyone his middle finger.

I don't see this having the legs that Eamon does, but I do feel that it has forced some folks to rethink that litany of prior Phil nonsense.  I also think it will be long forgotten before we get to Pebble Beach, though Phil shouldn't be expecting any favors from the USGA.  The more interesting reaction, though, might be at Winged Foot in 2020.  Remember way back in 2006 when he told us what an idiot he is?  True that.

Too Early to Panic - Shack has this post that we'll muddle our way through:

What Has To Change For Shinnecock Hills To Work in 2026?

Don't we think it mostly worked in 2018?  We're not pulling punches on Saturday afternoon, but we had three good days and the venue  produced the kind of golf that we want.  Thursday, for instance was brutal, but the kind of brutal that doesn't have anyone resorting to the F-word.

Entirely fair to make Mike Davis eat these words from media day:

"And so I would just say that it was 14 years ago, it was a different time, it was different people, and we as an organization, we learned from it. When you set up a U.S. Open it is golf's ultimate test, it's probably set up closer to the edge than any other event in golf and I think that the difference then versus now is there was a lot more, we have a lot more technology, a lot more data in our hands. 

"And frankly, ladies and gentlemen, what really happened then was just a lack of water. There just wasn't enough water put in and the plant, essentially the grass itself kind of went dormant, there wasn't enough friction on the greens. 

"And now days we have got everything from firmness meters, we have got moisture meters in the greens, we have got -- obviously we can tell how fast a green is running. The meteorology is better, so we not only know where the wind are coming from but the velocities. And, frankly, there's better communication between the USGA and the grounds staff.”

I think we'd all like to know how they missed it with all this technology in play, but we may never get a straight answer on that one.

At least he's looking back more in sorrow than anger:

The answers are not easy. 

Modern agronomy so easily can create green speeds over 11 on the Stimpmeter. On a

classic course such as Shinnecock, where surfaces were designed when speeds were in the seven range, the only solution is to raise mowing heights and face bumpier greens. Poa annua cut just a little higher might get bumpier, and the USGA does not want to listen to four days of whining about broccoli-infused putting surfaces. 

When the weather turns at this masterpiece where turf conditions change so drastically over a full June day, the only solution is a mid-round watering. The USGA loathes taking such action, but a light dousing in 2004 did the trick and would have done the same in 2018. 

Finally, there is the U.S. Open’s identity as golf’s ultimate test, a burden to live up to in a game radically altered by technology. The USGA is trying to please a wide array of taste buds by sticking to its demanding-examination roots. Yet the organization has struggled for years to find a balance between design, setup and maintenance. With modern distances, incredible course grooming and the vagaries of weather, maintaining the ultimate challenge appears a burdensome task too reliant on daily hydrology.

Especially at Shinnecock Hills.

On the contrary, Geoff just gave us the two answers and aren't they, you know, pretty simple?

In that blog post Geoff circles back and links it all to the USGA's failure to control the equipment, and I was saying much the same thing Sunday morning.  I support the USGA's objective in making this event a stern test but, speaking out of the other side of my mouth, there has to be some margin for error, especially at a seaside venue.  I'll also just note that Phil's hissy fit and the understandable reaction of USGA personnel, doesn't make such soul-searching any easier.

Can't We All Just Get Along? -  Will Gray has a valuable item on the relationship between the top players and the USGA with which we'll spend some time:

The players arrive, first at a slow trickle and then at a steady pace. And once they’ve registered and clipped their player medallions over their belts, they’re told how this year is going to be different. 

How this time around, be it in a Washington gravel pit or on a time-tested piece of land on the tip of Long Island, the USGA will not repeat the mistakes of the past. That the process of identifying the best players in the world will not veer into the territory of embarrassing them. 

Like a college sweetheart in search of reconciliation, the powers-that-be preach a changed attitude and a more even-handed approach. Then, inevitably, they commit the same cardinal sins they promised to avoid. 

So year in and year out, the scar tissue builds. Charlie Brown keeps trying to kick the football and, for most of the players not named Brooks Koepka, he ends up on his butt in a cloud of dust and fescue.

Oh, they come up with a fair number of new sins as well...  But I think it's entirely to be expected that the players and governing body should have a complicated relationship, and some of the complaints are a bit rich.

Where is that Strokes Gained: Attitude chart when I need it....The players keep asking for this, but color me unconvinced:

By and large, players who took issue with the USGA’s tactics had a simple solution: put more of the setup choices in the hands of those who oversee PGA Tour and European Tour venues on a regular basis. While some of those personnel already moonlight in USGA sweater-vests for the week, there is a strong sentiment that their collective knowledge could be more heavily relied upon. 

“I know (the USGA) takes great pride in doing all this stuff they do to these golf courses, but they see it once a year,” Brandt Snedeker said. “Let those guys say, ‘Hey, we see this every week. We know what the edge is. We know where it is.’ We can’t be out there playing silly golf.” 

That’s not to say that a major should masquerade as the Travelers Championship. But the U.S. Open is the only one of the four that struggles to keep setup shortfalls from becoming a dominant storyline.

Cry me a river....  The only reason to involve the Tour is to have the U.S. Open look more like a typical Tour set-up, and we're not helping matters by invoking Chambers Bay and Erin Hills.

As for these two, I'm not much inclined towards caring:

“They’re not going to listen, for one. Mike Davis thinks he’s got all the answers, that’s No. 2,” said Pat Perez after a T-36 finish. “And when he is wrong, there’s no apologies. It’s just, ‘Yeah, you know, we kind of let it get out of hand.’ Well, no kidding. Look at the scores. That’s the problem. It’s so preventable. You don’t have to let it get to that point.”

Quite silly, as Mike went on Fox to admit his mistake...  I agree with Poults on Mike's prior use of the M-word, though to the best of my knowledge he didn't do so this week.

But this wound festers from more than just slick greens and thick rough. There is a perception among some players that the USGA gets overly zealous in crafting complicated rules with complex decisions, a collection of amateur golfers doling out the fine print that lords over the professional game on a weekly basis – with the curious handling of whatever Phil Mickelson did on the 13th green Saturday serving as just the latest example. 

The gripes over setup each year at the USGA’s biggest event, when it’s perceived that same group swoops in to take the reins for a single week before heading for the hills, simply serve as icing on the cake. And there was plenty of icing this week after players were implored to trust that the miscues of 2004 would not be repeated. 

“To say that the players and the USGA have had a close relationship would be a false statement,” Snedeker said. “They keep saying all the right things, and they’re trying to do all the right things, I think. But it’s just not coming through when it matters.”

Look, the USGA has not covered itself in glory the last few years, and the players have no shortage of ammunition.  But the PGA doesn't have to play by USGA rules if it doesn't want to, so as a wise man once said, "Toughen up".

Will also has this little gem:

But the exact size of the credibility gap the USGA has to bridge with some top pros remains unclear. It’s likely not a sting that one good week of tournament setup can assuage, even going to one of the more straightforward options in the rotation next year at Pebble Beach.

Is Will so young that he doesn't remember the final round in 1992?

I think the point to leave with is the increasing difficulty in meeting the USGA's objectives of providing the stiffest of tests with the modern equipment arsenals.  We're all aghast at reliving 2004, but don't acknowledge that  the USGA successfully avoided reliving 2017.  So, they've got that goinf for them...

DJ in Full - An amusing take on Dustin Johnson by the estimable Michael Bamberger:

Dustin Johnson didn't win this U.S. Open, but the genius (yes, genius!) of his nonchalance ensures he'll have more major chances

I'm guessing that DJ's name and the word "genius" have never occupied the same sentence previously, but here's Mike's take:

That was not a one-off. Last August, he won a FedEx Cup event on Long Island, on a course about 60 miles west of Shinnecock Hills. He was asked what he was thinking when he was trailing Jordan Spieth by five shots through five holes on Sunday.

"Well—nothing, really," he said. 

He's a genius.

I'm guessing that before the 2010 U.S. Open that Mike was one of the voices telling us that DJ is a flatliner.  The harsher version of that meme was that DJ is too stupid to feel pressure...

This week reminded me of DJ at St. Andrews in 2015.  He outplayed the world on Thursday and Friday, then looked like a 12-handicapper on the weekend.  He was badly outplayed by his buddy Brooks both days, and a less charitable blogger would accuse him of spitting the bit...

But the good news is that he's not nearly as stupid as he seems to be...  Then again, how could he be?

For a different kind of take, try this Joel Beall item featuring DJ as Dirty Harry.... I know, Dirty Harry never finished in fourth.  

See you tomorrow.