Wednesday, January 10, 2024

Midweek Musings - Deep Stuff Edition

I'm safely ensconced in Unplayable Lies Western HQ, with a short day of skiing under my belt.  Just a day to get our sea legs back.  We skied through light snow and later it seemed to be accumulating on my little terrace, just a tease of the onslaught promised.  Pleased to see the resort report 9" in the last 24 hours, and more is apparently in the works:

It's really cold, which means the snow should hold up pretty well (not sure the same will be said of us).

Sentry Leftovers - For the first of the Tour's Elevated/Designated/Sanctified Events, it seemed a bit of a lifeless affair,  It should be an object lesson to our leaders that, even with a tiny 59-player field, you're not guaranteed of a marquee shootout on Sunday.  The tell might be that it was another week in which the Tour Confidential panel was never asked about the event (this certainly not because of competitive events).  They were asked about this faux controversy:

The PGA Tour made its Player of the Year announcement, yet in a somewhat surprising decision it was Scottie Scheffler who won over Jon Rahm. Scheffler won The Players and
Phoenix Open last year and put up gaudy scoring numbers and top finishes, but Rahm won four times, including the Masters. The award is voted on by the players, with Scheffler earning 38 percent of the vote. (The Tour said voting took place between Dec. 1-15; Rahm announced he was leaving for LIV Golf on Dec. 7.) Rahm was previously voted Player of the Year by the Golf Writers Association of America, so what did the players see that the golf writers didn’t? Did Rahm leaving for LIV Golf have anything to do with it?

Josh Sens: As impressive as Scheffler’s season was, Rahm clearly had the edge by the usual criteria for this award. I think it’s very safe to say Rahm’s leaving for LIV had a lot to do with it. The impulse of, ‘He’s leaving, so why should he get an award?’ But it is supposed to be a retrospective honor, based strictly on what transpired last year. So not choosing Rahm mostly just seems off-base and petty.

Ryan Barath: I’ve heard some folks like Brandel Chamblee say that money could have been the determining factor. I’m willing to bet that there aren’t many players that would take Scottie’s season over Rahm’s considering he earned himself a lifetime invitation to Augusta National, so in this case I think politics came into play big time.

Josh Berhow: The Tour doesn’t release the number of players who voted for these awards, but it’s important to remember, historically, how few actually participate. For a story I wrote about the 2019 Player of the Year Award (Rory McIlroy edged Brooks Koepka), the Tour told us typically 45 to 60 percent of players actually vote. Maybe the players gave more credit to Scheffler’s incredible strokes-gained numbers and mega-consistency. But it also could have been a parting jab at Rahm, because even early in the voting window (before Rahm went to LIV) it wasn’t exactly a well-kept secret he might be leaving. I wasn’t in Hawaii this past week, but at least one journalist on-site kept asking players how they categorize a successful season. The answer was pretty unanimous: wins. Can’t fault Scottie, though. He had an amazing season too.

I'm hard-pressed to think of a story about which I care less, though is this perhaps why Rahm was in Maui?   As I say about the No. 1 ranking, if it's an argument it means that no one is a clear No. 1, so leave the title vacated.

They were also asked about the Kiz debut:

Kevin Kisner made his much-anticipated debut as an analyst for NBC at The Sentry in Hawaii, which is believed to be somewhat of a “tryout” consisting of Kisner and other golfy figures as the network searches for a replacement for Paul Azinger. What did you think of Kisner’s debut?

Sens: As advertised, Kisner proved to be funny and self-deprecating, both appealing traits. He is also clearly chummy with a lot of the players, which has its pluses but only in small doses, I think. For 18 holes of analysis, I’d rather have a commentator who can cut to the quick a la Johnny Miller, without worrying about straining his clubhouse and driving range relationships. That’s a lot more interesting than hearing Kisner muse on, say, what kind of cutesy nickname Scottie Scheffler should have. To my mind, the benefits Kisner brings are better suited to an on-course reporter than to a lead analyst.

Barath: Kisner did a nice job with on-course interviews, and players seemed genuinely keen to talk about what they were experiencing out on the course, but the one issue with the “buddy-buddy” of it all is that it got a bit too chummy — to steal a work from Josh. On the other hand he was quick to point out when Jordan Spieth took too long over a short putt (which he missed) and I think that kind of pointed observation goes a long way in helping the viewer get an inside look at key moments. Overall it was a good start and I’m curious to see him do this a few more times before picking a side.

Berhow: I thought he did a good job. He seemed comfortable and obviously knows the players well. I agree fans also want that role to be someone who can fairly criticize players when it’s needed, but I don’t blame Kisner for keeping that arrow in his quiver in his debut. As weird as a “tryout” might seem for this gig, it will actually be fun to see them all get their chance. They’ll all get better the more they do it too.

There was pushback to the tryout idea, which I don't get at all.  There's nothing any of these guys has done that will predict how they'll perform in the big chair.  To me the issue might be more that the tryouts, two events in Kiz' case, might not be long enough to exhaust their inventories of bits....

I do think Kiz is an amusing guy and that we could do far worse....in fact, we've been doing reliably far worse with Sir Mumbles and Zinger, so I see nothing but upside.  I don't love Kizners voice and Southern accent all that much, though, and wonder how it would hold up over the interminable hours in the booth.  I actually think he'd be a hell of an on-course reporter, maybe out-Smylieing that other guy.

But word is that they've got a woody for Geoff Ogilvy, who has a knowledge of the game that would be great to have, though booth presence is an unknown until his tryout.

In his maiden Monday Finish column of the season, Dylan Dethier had this that seems like the more things change...

IN: Scottie Scheffler’s ball-striking

New year, same Scottie Scheffler. This was the week Scheffler picked up his second consecutive PGA Tour Player of the Year title and then logged a ho-hum T5 finish, leading the field in strokes gained from tee to green in the process. That’s impressive! It should also come as no surprise, because that’s pretty much what Scheffler does every time he plays …

Alas, Dear Reader, you know what's coming:

OUT: Scheffler’s putting

New year, same Scottie Scheffler. After gaining strokes the first two days on the greens and seizing the 36-hole lead, Scheffler looked like he could roll to a victory in his second consecutive start. Instead he faded on the weekend, losing nearly four strokes to the field putting on Saturday and Sunday combined (although he played Sunday’s final 14 holes in eight-under par). From the booth, Kevin Kisner provided an intriguing theory that Scheffler struggles with his alignment, setting up with his feet square or even slightly closed to the target, just like he does with his full swing. The results with his full swing are undeniable. But so are the results with his putter.

His setup works with driver, Kisner said, because he can hit a fade.

“But he can’t really fade a putt.”

Beg to differ, Kiz, I think he fades most of his putts.... But it's quite the thing, because Scottie was a perfectly fine putter through his entire career until something went horribly wrong.  But that ball-striking is other-worldly, amusing for a guy whose hyper-active footwork renders us amazed that he can even make contact.

Feel Good Story Of The Week - We don't get an abundance of brain injuries in golf, though a few act as if there bells have been rung a few times.  But having this guy back so soon is a nice treat:

The fear that gripped Gary Woodland in the weeks after last year’s Masters was the tell-tale sign
that something was wrong. Unequivocally wrong. A perpetually optimistic soul by nature, the Kansas native wasn’t afraid of much. True, he never was comfortable with heights, but the only thing he really feared, he admits, was failure.

Suddenly, however, he found himself consumed by fear almost constantly—fear of dying, fear of something awful happening to his children, fear of falling to his death. At the Memorial Tournament in June, he awoke one night and clung to the mattress for an hour, certain that if he let go, he would plummet to his demise.

After enduring a difficult week of nausea and anxiety at the PGA Championship at Oak Hill, Woodland consulted his longtime general practitioner, who was inclined to prescribe medication, though not before he ordered Woodland to undergo an MRI. He wanted to rule out Parkinson’s Disease. The MRI did that, though it did reveal something more troubling—a lesion growing on his brain. It sat on a part of his cranium that, Woodland said, controls fear and anxiety. “He's like, you're not going crazy. Everything you're experiencing is common and normal for where this thing is sitting in your brain.”

Read the whole thing for a palate cleanser from the bulk of our usual golf news.

Era, Ended -  We had this at the Hero, unofficially, but now it's confirmed in this official statement:

"Over 27 years ago, I was fortunate enough to start a partnership with one of the most iconic brands in the world. The days since have been filled with so many amazing moments and memories, if I started naming them, I could go on forever. Phil Knight's passion and vision brought this Nike and Nike Golf partnership together and I want to personally thank him, along with the Nike employees and incredible athletes I have had the pleasure of working with along the way. People will ask if there is another chapter. Yes, there will certainly be another chapter. See you in LA!"

 Dylan Dethier has more on both sides:

OUT: Nike Golf

Day wearing Malbon means he’s not wearing Nike, which marks a significant shakeup in the golf lineup of the swoosh. But a far more significant shakeup was confirmed via tweet on Monday morning: Tiger Woods is leaving the brand, too!

While Woods thanked Nike for their 27-year partnership, he also teased two things. No. 1, that something is coming next. (“Yes, there will certainly be another chapter.”) No. 2, that he’ll be playing the Genesis Invitational. (“See you in LA!”) I’ll leave the Tiger-in-Nike-red obits to others and just say that, with the possible exception of Arnold Palmer and bottled iced tea-lemonade, this was the most iconic golfer-brand relationship of all time.

We’ll see what’s next for Nike, which is clearly scaling back its golf investment. Scheffler still wore Nike shirts this week, as did Tommy Fleetwood and Tom Kim. We’ll see if Rory McIlroy is still swooshed up at this week’s Dubai Invitational, and Brooks Koepka whenever he makes his next LIV appearance. And then we’ll see what’s next for Woods — and for his accompanying TW brand.

To me this is actually interesting and perhaps even fraught with peril.  For all its outsider and rebel DNA, Nike provides the cleanest look in golf, and I think Tiger benefitted from that.  I also remember that when Rory went to the Swoosh his logic was that he wanted that cleaner look.

We've already seen Jason Day show up in the 1970's era baggy pants, but I'm hoping that Tiger doesn't try to copy the cool kids.  In particular, I hope he steers well clear of JT and those joggers....Lots of phot galleries of Tiger swooshed over the years, including here and here.

Gotta throw one of these in, of course:


Of course, Charlie was already in Greyson at the PNC, so he apparently adapts to change quicker than his Dad.  Surprisingly, nobody included the single funniest Tiger-Nike picture ever, so lucky thing your humble blogger is on the case:


That poor girl is Kelli Kuehne, and the mitigating detail is that Nike wasn't yet manufacturing women's apparel but, still, how could you do that to the poor girl.

A Rabbit's Life - It's quite magical starting the Tour season in Hawaii, for sure, but it can also be quite the burden if you've ever looked at where Hawaii actually is located.  This is ostensibly a story about Monday qualifying, but note how the Tour treats it's members:

The Tour’s vacation dilemma started a few weeks ago, when the first email went out to this year’s PGA Tour rookie class. The news was, charitably, quite exciting: those preparing for their first year on the big tour in 2024 were required to attend a mandatory Rookie Symposium in Hawaii at the beginning of January. The meetings would fall on the weekend preceding the second event of the ’24 season, the Sony Open — an event which many of the Tour’s rookies were likely to be playing already — and those who were not invited into the field would have their travel costs covered by the Tour. At the time, the pitch sounded pretty good: start the year off with a free trip to Hawaii, attend a few silly meetings, drink in some sunshine and maybe even Monday qualify into a season-opening paycheck. Not half-bad!

Seems fair enough, but does the meeting need to be in Asia?

But then things started to turn bad. As our pal Monday Q Info reported alongside fellow pro Mark Baldwin, the first problem arose when the tournament invitations began to circulate. Suddenly, many of the pros who had been told they were likely to receive invites realized their inboxes were empty. As it turned out, the rejiggering of the PGA Tour’s fall schedule had resulted in many of the Tour’s working class opting in to the Sony Open in an effort to get a head start on the points and earning potential of the season. Suddenly, the field had filled up, and many of the rookies were left without invites.

A head start on points?  Yeah, that's the ticket.....  It's more like they've been excluded from the money grab that is the Anointed Events, and are figuring out how they'll manage.  The rest of us saw this coming, except apparently the suits in Ponte Vedra Beach.

Fortunately, those who were anticipating an invite weren’t entirely out of luck. They could still compete in the Monday qualifier for the event, held just down the street from Waialae Country Club, for a slot in the field. Of course, these aren’t exactly winning bets for players, who often have to shoot five under or better in a single round of golf just to earn a spot in the field — but it was better than nothing. This is when the second problem arose: the Tour’s rookie orientation was scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, leaving players with few opportunities, if any at all, to play practice rounds on the Monday qualifier course.

And how did Monday go?

Not gonna be any fun to be a rabbit on our LIV-resistant Tour.  

Watch Your Back -  Guys like Rory have bene mewling in the press, and it's pretty dreary stuff.  But one of the rabbits referenced above, Mackenzie Hughes, gave an interview that might require him to watch his bat.  You'll be nodding your head at things like this:

When Hughes looks at what the Tour is selling as a product in 2024, he doesn’t see much
difference from what it sold in 2019. In a strictly economic sense, the same tournaments have been slightly rejiggered and are being sold for a much higher cost to sponsors, who are on the hook for a majority of the purse value.

“We have the same product that we had in 2019, yet we want this, like, increased investment, not just increased, but increased in a big way,” he said. “I just think that the product, while I think it’s great, it’s the same product. I just think fans are kind of left scratching their head thinking, like, What is going on? They also don’t know where certain guys are playing and there’s spats between the LIV and the PGA Tour, and it’s not unified in any way, shape, or form. There’s negotiations going on that are unclear, they have been dragged on for a long time. The fan just wants to watch golf. I think you watch sports for an escape from other nonsense, but I think golf has brought a lot of nonsense onto its plate, and now you don’t get just golf — you get a lot of other stuff going on. It’s a bit of a circus.”

Hughes doesn’t like how unsustainable the product feels right now. He doesn’t like how entitled many of his colleagues on Tour can be. He doesn’t like the outlook of forcing purses to a $30 million threshold. These were all thoughts he elevated on Tuesday in Hawaii. He doesn’t like seeing “the-Tour-owes-me-something” attitude, or that fans can’t guarantee which players will be playing which events. And given there was a microphone in his hand, he decided to speak up.

“I think that also there’s a lot of guys that feel entitled out here,” Hughes continued. “Like, you start to see all these big amounts of money flying around and this offer and that offer and people think, Oh, well I stayed loyal, like, where’s my money? And it’s like, you’re not entitled to play the PGA Tour. You have the right and you have a privilege to play out here and it’s an opportunity, but it’s not like anyone owes you anything. No one’s forcing your hand. You don’t have to stay, you can go play over there if you want.”

Those are your peers, and we feel pretty much the same way about them....

But we keep hearing that the players are in control now, which misses the bigger point entirely.  The coup took place in Delaware, but in front of a limited audience:

The Signature Event system was devised and discussed in a serious way during the summer of 2022, when 23 players met at the Hotel Du Pont in Delaware during the BMW Championship to forge a response to LIV Golf. There were 47 other top pros in town that week who weren’t invited to the “closed doors meeting for the who’s who of the Tour” as Hughes called it. He’s not bitter about it, but it did feel like a slap in the face. He’s not alone in that thinking — Keegan Bradley has echoed something similar — but he’s come to accept it.

Just remember, Mackenzie, this was done to you by Tiger and Rory.   They had a chance to stand for something, and they chose to stand for getting Patrick paid.

I do wish he had spoken more about that unsustainability, because that's one bit that continues to gnaw at me.  The golf ecosystem generates what it does, but our best players refuse to be constrained by those economic limitations, and therefore we simply don't know how the movie ends.

That's it for today, kids.  We'll chat more later in the week.

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