4. Tony Finau won the Rocket Mortgage Classic to notch the Midwest Double after his victory at last week’s 3M Open, too. For a man plagued by “can’t-win” accusations his entire career, what do these two victories mean?Zak: They mean he’s finally delivered on what many, many people believed: he’s among the most talented on the planet. Between his power, his game and his demeanor, he has always seemed like the total package. Him winning makes so much sense that all his runner-up finishes have been frustrating. What we never know about individual flashes like this is if this is an individual’s peak. Is this Finau’s peak? Winning a couple events while many of the best in the world take vacation? I hope not. I’d love to see him win a major championship. But we never know. It could be his peak.
If by "peak" you mean good putting weeks.... Tony is one of those guys, Will Zalatoris being a current model, of superior ball-strikers who struggle on the greens, but can win when the putter behaves.
Sens: Sean has pretty much nailed it. It would be great if these lower-wattage wins signal even bigger things to come. I can’t imagine there’s a fan out there who wouldn’t be glad to see it.Colgan: The two wins mean that Tony’s career won’t be included in one of those “best players never to win 3 professional events” lists. Who knows what that means for his chances at a big-time event, but also who cares? He sure doesn’t.
It quite obviously can't hurt, although we're still eight months from any of those "big-time events".
Dethier: How dare y’all come in here dumping cold water on Tony’s victory party? I can only imagine the relief he feels. Granted, his win in last year’s playoffs was monumental (up to that point he’d only won the Puerto Rico Open) but last week was a nice reminder that he can close and this week was a validation of last week, another testament to his closing ability and brings his win total to a very respectable four. More to come, no doubt. Though he may lose an event at some point.
You actually think he could lose an event? But isn't the bigger question when he makes the jump to LIV? Because I just checked my 2022 Bingo Card, and it's either LIV or monkeypox in his future...
Dormie For a While - There were two events on from Scotland this week, but I ended up ignoring them both. But this one was awfully good:
Wenyi Ding made history on Saturday.After losing his first two holes during the 74th U.S. Junior Amateur at Bandon Dunes in Oregon,Ding played great en route to his 3-and-2 victory over Caleb Surratt to capture the championship.Ding is the first male player from China to win any United States Golf Association championship, and he’s the second who made the final of the U.S. Junior Amateur, following Bo Jin in 2019. Ding is also the first international champion since Min Woo Lee in 2016.With the victory, Ding earned an exemption into the 2023 U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club. He and Surratt, who will attend Tennessee in the fall, were both already exempt into next month’s U.S. Amateur.Ding, 17, is committed to Arizona State and has one year left before his college career begins.
Talk about burying the lede, after losing those first two holes Ding went on a tear, and was 8-up with eight to play. And then he proceeded to lose five straight holes....rendering his collar more than a bit tight. It was a mixture of mistakes from Ding and a couple of holed putts, one a dagger, by Surratt, but fun to watch the youngsters attempt to control their emotions and games.
Not to mention it was played on the original Bandon Dunes course, and who doesn't love that?
LIV Nation - The only thing anyone wants to talk about, though I haven't sense much interest in actually watching the product. Here's a take from the early part of the week:
The good, bad and ugly of being on the ground for the LIV Golf circus
Joel Beall frames it thusly:
Phil Mickelson played in silence—or as silent as it can be with music blaring from two-storyspeakers perched above the green—as he made his way up the 18th hole. He is the de facto face of this operation, and in spite of his controversial remarks he endures as one of the game’s more popular figures. That should be especially true here, for though he has California roots Mickelson has long been treated as an adoptive son of the New York metropolitan area. Yet Mickelson was not the primary attraction Saturday afternoon, not when fewer than 60 yards away former President Donald Trump was standing on a porch commanding the biggest gallery on the property and leading chants of “Four more years!” The only cheer louder than this political rally at ostensibly a golf tournament came from the 18th green a short time later, when a hype-man began firing T-shirts from a cannon.The folks who run this event call it “Golf, But Louder.” Trump calls it a “celebration.” Families who lost loved ones in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, who staged multiple protests this week outside this course’s walls, call it an abomination. LIV Golf has, frankly, been called a lot of things. But for all the oxygen spent on this entity and its novelty and its drama, little of the discussion has been on the supposed product at the center of this hoopla. You know … professional, competitive golf. For all its noise and promise of disruption, the novelty of the fledgling circuit will wane and drama has only so much juice. Eventually, the product needs to speak for itself.Three events in, it remains unclear if the product has the ability to do so. Or, judging by the happenings at Trump Bedminster, if golf is even the product being sold.
I'm as confused as Joel as to the game being played by the Saudis, as the purpose seems to be to maximize the Google hits for a search of Jamal Kashoggi....
So, whatcha got in the "Good" column, Joel:
Let’s start with the selling points, and make no mistake, there are selling points. Chief among them is access. If you’re looking for an up close and personal connection with your favoriteplayer—or any player—LIV Golf has the upper hand on the major championships and PGA and DP World Tours. Part of that is due to limited crowds, which, depending on whom you ask, is by design, or a byproduct of aversion, or that word has yet to trickle to the masses that there’s a new golf league to be seen.Whatever the catalyst, the reality is there aren’t many fans on-site compared to a PGA Tour event, giving the ones who are here an unobstructed and intimate view. Even on Saturday, when the crowd seemed to double in size from Friday’s gate, there were no more than 150 people that roamed hole-to-hole with Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka.
So, the best part is that there's nobody there? To paraphrase the great Ian Faith, their appeal is highly selective....
But here's where it gest interesting...perhaps?
Speaking of dynamics, those around LIV are adamant the team component is what gives this staying power. It’s clear LIV is laying the breadcrumbs for these clubs to be regionally centric—with teams representing Australia, South Africa, Asia, the United Kingdom and the United States—with sponsors attaching themselves in a manner similar to the Formula 1 model. While initially conceding the team concept is “a whole intangible that is difficult for anybody to grasp,” Mickelson asserted this was a format to move LIV forward. “I notice how people like to identify with a team rather than just individuals, and so … that's something I don't fully grasp how big that could be,” he said Friday.Only, at least at Bedminster, it doesn’t seem the fans grasp it either, seemingly not knowing team names let alone who are on those teams. It's confusing to keep up with on-site. And because of the aforementioned field makeup, fans don’t seem that invested in the shot-by-shot outcomes of competition. Heck, they don't know most of the guys inside the ropes. The gallery vibe isn’t to watch a competition; it’s to see professional golfers in person. It almost feels like they went out for a picnic and happened upon a golf tournament. They are here to be entertained, with no attachment to the outcome.
I think this is mostly delusional, obvious from Norman comparing it to the Ryder Cup. I'm not sure how captivating stroke-play team events could ever be, especially with their rag-tag rosters of has-beens and never-was.... But, still, it's an opening that Jay left them, and maybe they can make something of it over the long haul (if there's a long-haul).
But, isn't this ultimately the issue?
It seems too easy to say because it’s been a common criticism of LIV, yet it rings true at Bedminster: It feels like an exhibition.
Why is that too easy? And even if so, it's important to repeat, because it's not a bug, it's the essence of their business model, which your humble blogger has been trying to make clear. Their challenge is to recruit golfers, and they accomplish that by making the players' lives easier. But what is the appeal in that to the fans? It inevitably makes the golf itself irrelevant.... Kind of a big issue, no?
Although I agree with Joel that this is worth noting as well:
Which is fine! Spoiler alert: Even diehards can’t get up for every event of the more than 40 PGA Tour stops. And there are plenty of attendees at PGA Tour and sports events that are there strictly for social purposes. They don’t care to see Bryson and Brooks battle or DJ dominate or if Phil can again find age-defying performances. They are just looking for something to do on the weekend. It may not be for the zealous, and maybe by design. You could make the case LIV does a better job of appealing to the casual or non-fan better than most leagues, and that is a big demographic.
At least that first part. What I take Joel to be saying is that the Tour's bloated schedule already has many events that aren't much more interesting than the LIV events, with which I agree, though with an asterisk. The asterisk is that Jay's events at least serve a noble purpose of providing playing opportunities and allowing younger talent to improve their status. I think it's a dangerous game to think you can have forty events that are all important, and I much preferred to old model where the Fall was exclusively for that purpose.
As for that non-golf audience? I don't see a hell of a lot of upside there, but the trick in such efforts is to do so in ways that don't alienate your core audience, and that's always harder than it looks.
Bob Harig does a deeper dive on the product, worth considering:
Shotgun Starts: This has been the subject of considerable derision, and there’s no doubt it is awkward for those used to watching a traditional golf tournament. LIV Golf officials maintain that in their considerable research before launching, they consulted numerous people in the broadcast industry who all suggested that the tighter window for a shotgun start was beneficial for viewers. All the golfers can be shown and a viewer can commit to a tighter timeframe.The problem is following it. Despite the best attempts on the broadcast – which shows the number of holes remaining – you need to constantly be looking at a tee sheet to see where players started and where they are playing. It can be confusing. LIV Golf maintains we will get used to it, that they are following the Formula One model that has everyone on the track at the same time. Of course, in racing, everyone starts from the same spot.The view here is that they should scrap the shotgun. Putting eight groups of three off each side (16 groups equals 48 players) only stretches the window by a small amount, perhaps an extra 90 minutes. And it allows you to follow the flow of a player’s round, all starting from the first or 10th tees.At the very least, they should go to a two-tee start on the final day. That would help the team aspect that LIV is sold on, as players on the top teams playing the final holes could actually be cheered on by their teammates who are finished and waiting. That can’t happen in this format.
Excuse me, Bob, but have you never heard of "Pole position"? Of course they don't start at the same spot, some drivers have many more cars in front of them than others...
I haven't wasted much time on the shotgun start because that seems merely a symptom, as I'm more offended by the small fields.
Already with my eye on the clock, let's circle back to the TC folks:
1. LIV Golf’s third event wrapped up on Sunday afternoon at Trump Bedminster, with Henrik Stenson winning in his first event since trading his Ryder Cup captaincy for a slot in LIV. Three events in, what’s working — and what isn’t?
Working for whom? Because it's certainly working for Phil and those that have cashed checks....
Sean Zak: The money is working! The money has allowed LIV to make an initial splash and then continue to make ripples every week. They’ve continued to add new features, whether they’re pushing the schedule up, adding new players, or just flexing on more gaudy activations at the events. The money is working. The golf really isn’t. Henrik Stenson played well, sure! But was it exciting? Was Turk Pettit’s top 10 finish meaningful? It’s hard to draw any stories from this other than The Money. That gets old.
Somehow Sean sees overt money-grubbing as "working:, whereas your humble blogger sees it repellant. Seriously, these guys are cashing nine-figure checks and they look like they've sold their souls to the devil...
Josh Sens: It’s working as spectacle and a conversation-starter and it has certainly prompted changes from the PGA Tour. The problem with LIV is that it’s an unnatural market. We can pretend that there’s a giant viewing audience out there dying to watch (insert name of your favorite anonymous professional golfer here). But is there really? In that sense, LIV golf has demonstrated something similar to what the Tour’s wrap-around season has shown — that the calendar could probably use less golf, not more.
Are those changes for the better? Or even effective? Because this was pretty funny from Shack:
Rough times for PIP… https://t.co/sKbg0YfkZA
— Geoff Shackelford (@GeoffShac) July 28, 2022
Don't ya hate it when the guys don't stay bought?
James Colgan: The recruiting tactics are working! Turns out, pro golfers REALLY like seeing tens of millions appear in their bank accounts out of thin air (who woulda thought?!). The team aspect gets an incomplete grade from me. I’ll give the entertainment product a C. It seems like people are enjoying attending the events, and the broadcast product is undoubtedly fast … there just aren’t that many people actually consuming it.Dylan Dethier: Player recruitment is working better than I would have expected, and they’ve siphoned (and will continue to siphon) some of the PGA Tour’s biggest names, if not its most in-form talents. Honestly, it’s all working somewhat better than I’d expected. Since LIV’s near-demise in February, when Phil Mickelson’s remarks were released to the public, there haven’t been many significant hurdles in LIV’s way. And the checks are clearing, even if the golf feels relatively inconsequential. Inconsequential except for the prize money, of course.
Like Dylan, I thought it was over back at Riviera. Still, what have the Wahabis actually accomplished other than enriching some miscreants? Is the Kingdom more respected?
As for our favorite piñata?
2. Phil Mickelson made his most expansive remarks since the U.S. Open and criticized the PGA Tour on two fronts: failure to bring the game to an international stage and its failure to target a younger audience. What did you make of Mickelson’s remarks — and does he have a point?
Just a quick pro tip here, guys, Phil says a lot of things.... The bigger question is why anyone would still be listening.
Zak: I think Mickelson is a bit off when it comes to the international stage. The Tour is hosting events in Europe, Mexico, Canada, Japan and Bermuda this year. They’ve repeatedly visited China in the past. Is LIV being so much more international by visiting the country that is putting up all the money? I don’t buy that, pun intended. Should the Tour have annual event(s) in Australia and South Africa? Probably. But let’s not act like Mickelson was actively campaigning for those extra trips over the past decade. As for the younger generation, he probably has a point. But it’s not like LIV has snapped their fingers and automatically solved that dilemma, too. We’ll need a significant body of data before we can deduce a youth movement in golf viewing habits.
Not only is he quite obviously wrong on the facts, as Sean notes above, but the Tour has actually damaged foreign tours in its aggressive control of the full-year calendar. Why should the American tour be bring events to Asia or Australia, when those regions have their own golf ecosystem?
Sens: I think there’s merit to a lot of Mickelson’s criticism. What undermines the impact of his complaints is what Sean points to — they don’t come off as issues that have long been near and dear to him. More like his justifications for having joined a rival circuit that could help bail him out of a mess he appears to have created on his own.Colgan: I’m not sure having a neon-green colorway automatically qualifies you to speak with authority about what young people like, but I do think LIV is smart to target both of these groups. Simply “being” in Europe, Mexico, Canada, Japan and Bermuda for a week doesn’t mean you’ve made an earnest effort to grow the sport or its audience there. I think there’s a real opportunity for growth in those markets, but the skeptic in me wonders if LIV is truly invested in growing the game — racially, socioeconomically and across gender and generation lines — or if they’re simply brushing with a neon-shaded coat of paint.Dethier: In my mind, LIV’s best selling point is its scarcity. Only 14 events in a season means that if people are excited for said events then each one, on its own, is a big deal. That’s the model for Formula 1 races, after all, and F1 is clearly the league from which they’ve drawn the most inspiration. But that’s a big “if” and everything else — the international spread and the younger audience — will happen only if they’re able to make these must-see events.
C'mon, guys, it's just more Phil BS. The whole point of Jay's stupide Live Under Par and legalized gambling efforts was to go younger, it's just a hard sell(and, as I noted above, much of it scares away the long-term paying customers).
Dateline: Charlotte, NC - LIV now goes quiet for a bit, but isn't the Prez Cup the next flash point? Captain Love is in an awkward moment, though he threw out quite the IED:
3. Presidents Cup captain Davis Love III, in an interview with Sports Illustrated, reiterated that LIV players would not be eligible for his September roster and face an uncertain future. He also floated the possibility of PGA Tour players boycotting majors if LIV pros were also in the field. Do you think boycotts are a realistic possibility for pro golf’s future? Where does the PGA Tour/LIV divide go from here?
You're expecting Rory and Scottie to skip the Masters because Phil is there? Excuse me, but I'm due back on planet Earth.... Back to this in a moment, but first what Isee as a bigger issue.
Zak: I would put the chances of a boycott at about 1%. Basically zero. The whole reason this entity exists is because it’s damn near impossible to get dozens and dozens of Tour pros to spring to action. You think 40 of the 2023 Masters invitees, their caddies, their families, their agents and coaches, etc. are ready to say “Nope, not playing!” Good luck. September will be the key month, I predict. We’ve seen plenty of smokey rumors around Australian players, and with LIV thus far, when there’s smoke there’s almost always been a fire. The Aussies probably wouldn’t commit to LIV until after the Presidents Cup, which takes place mid-September. The post-FedEx Cup, pre-October calendar could be filled with LIV news.
Sean, that last bit is curious, no? let's assume you're a top-flight Australian player, and we'll call said player Cam Smith just for illustrative purposes.... You're planning to cash a big LIV check but there's a money-grab in Atlanta, which concludes on August 14th. The Prez Cup is more than a month later, but why would the fictional Cam Smith wait for that? More importantly, why would he skip two LIV events?
He's going to skip two events, each with a $25 million purse, for an unpaid week in Charlotte? Unless he's Trevor Immelman's love child, why would he do that?
Sens: I don’t see boycotts. Increasingly, where this divide seems headed is a world where pro golf is a lot like pro tennis, with a small handful of events having all the cachet.
Colgan: It’d be a hell of a move by the PGA Tour if they did stage a boycott — and a decidedly savvy Hail Mary. It’s also the exact sort of thing a group of mostly self-interested professionals would have absolutely zero (0) interest in doing.
Dethier: Boycotts? No. Where does the divide go from here? Into uncertainty and limbo. More high-caliber pros will leave, the core of the PGA Tour’s best will stick around, and LIV players will slowly see their world rankings sink while some number of them remain exempt for major championships. I understand why plenty of players are pushing for cooperation between LIV and the PGA Tour but at the moment I’m not sure I see much incentive for either side to sit down. LIV’s goal is to make the Tour irrelevant, no matter what they say.
The Essence of the Game
Playing hidden gems in Scotland reminded the author of the many pleasures that golf provides
He's obviously preaching to the converted, but I do love his dateline:
Fellow linksters will immediately recognize that as the opening tee shot at glorious Machrahanish, a venue that figured prominently in Mikes' enjoyable To The Linksland.
But the point here is that, in this summer of golf’s discontent, the upheaval over the “rebel golf league” (per London’s Daily Telegraph) has washed up on the shores here, along with the dead birds. And influenced nothing. Because I have news for all of professional golf: You are a Weight Watchers slice of the world’s golf pie. The draw of the game is the game. The game! This difficult cross-country game that has never been a mainstream sport and never will be. But the game is so great that the course here, expanded to 18 holes by the senior Tom Morris in 1879, has hung on through hard times and good ones, in sickness and in health. Machrihanish — MACH-rah-HON-ish, with a gentle guttural ch, like the proper pronunciation of J.S. Bach—is a sliver within the niche.It would be too rugged for some visitors. It has no driving range, no cart culture—Tommy (below) has a bad foot—no fancy hotel, no caddie program, no dramatic closing hole. But the land tumbles and heaves, the wind changes from day to day, and if you’re not allowing for it on every shot, you’re not really playing golf.I’ve been on a wee golfing bender here, and if you’ll indulge me, let me share this observation. Bobby Jones famously said, “You may take from me that there are two types of golf. There is golf — and tournament golf. And they are not at all the same thing.” That’s from Down the Fairway. Yes, one of the greatest golfers ever was also one of the game’s best writers.
And very much looking forward to my won wee golf bender, the key bit being that middle 'graph. It's that process of battling those "rugged" elements that is so captivating, notwithstanding a rathe lopsided won-lost record against in said battle. But the pleasure of pulling off a shot in such circumstances cannot be readily explained, one needs to feel it in one's own bones.
That's all that time permits. I have no clue as to whether I'll attempt to blog tomorrow, as that will depend on progress packing today.
No comments:
Post a Comment