Operating under the illusion that packing is under control, shall we cover a few bits for the last few days? I actually feel a tinge of guilt over not blogging since Wednesday. That said, our departure has been complicated by a notice that we will have no water for most of the day. The good news? We're headed to a place uniquely suited to top up those water supplies....
This will understandably be a truncated version of our typical weekly wrappage.
Distaff Pebble - I'm betting that the name Allisen Corpuz wasn't top of mind when the event began, but there's little doubt who was the best player this week. In lieu of a game story, shall we dive into the Tour Confidential panel's thoughts? Thank, but that was rhetorical...
American Allisen Corpuz shot 69 in the final round of the U.S. Women’s Open at Pebble Beach, finishing at nine under overall and besting Charley Hull and Jiyai Shin by three. It’s the first career victory for the 25-year-old pro. What stuck out to you about her triumph?Josh Berhow: She missed two fairways all day, which at a U.S. Women’s Open is the key to keeping yourself in it, and while she only hit 11 greens her proximity to the hole ranked 5th. But those are just stats. If you watched, she just looked so composed for someone who had never won on the LPGA. Her pre-shot routine was deliberate, but it also looked relaxed, like she was playing a practice round. She wasn’t afraid of the moment. Impressive stuff.Jack Hirsh: Her game was absolutely unflappable on the back nine Sunday. She was missing it where she had to and making all of the putts she needed to. It was a fairly boring round, but that’s the type of golf that wins majors, specifically, U.S. Opens. She played Pebble’s harder side, the back which played completely into the win, three under for the week while the rest of the field averaged more than two strokes over each round. It’s also quite a good recipe for winning when she was No. 1 in proximity for the week and No. 6 in strokes gained: putting (Thanks Shotlink!).Jonathan Wall: I’m with Josh and Jack. To look that relaxed on the back nine at a major — playing at Pebble Beach(!!!) — was crazy impressive. And it just so happened to be her first win. The best golfers in the world are nearly impossible to beat when they are hitting it close and making putts. She managed to do both all week, even when the pressure was cranked up on Sunday. I fully expected Charley and Jiyai to get an opening — and it didn’t happen. Her impressive all-around performance makes the win that much sweeter.
She admittedly caught a break in that those closest at the start of the day struggled a bit, and Charley Hull made her run from too far back. You could see from the most recent majors that Corpuz was figuring things out, but in most cases it isn't quite this linear.
That said, shall we use this for a teachable moment for the Men's game. I've long called the LPGA the Tour That Can't Shoot Straight, and we could consider this week in the vein. Presented with their first Open at iconic Pebble we know how much they wanted to put on a prime-time show, but then golf intrudes. Because no matter how much you want Nellie and Rose and Lexi (OK, it takes a pretty big suspension of belief to expect anything form that last name) to be in the mix, the actual leaderboard was utterly bereft of bold-faced names. You'd hope Jay Monahan is taking notes, but I think we can rule that out....
While Corpuz had her big moment on Sunday evening, Michelle Wie West had her time on Friday, making a long putt for par on the 18th hole and essentially saying goodbye to professional golf for good. What kind of legacy will Wie West leave behind?
Berhow: I don’t think it’s a stretch to say most people, probably herself included, thought she would have won more, but one of those five victories was a U.S. Women’s Open (and at Pinehurst No. 2!), and no one can ever take that one away. I also can’t imagine the pressure she dealt with and the stress she felt trying to meet everyone else’s expectations of her. She was constantly in the spotlight. Yet despite the win total, her impact was still massive. She brought eyeballs to the game — both when she played with the men and on the LPGA Tour — and inspired countless young girls to pick up the sport. I’ve always thought a good way to measure the star power of a player is if their name alone was enough for you to open up a leaderboard on your phone and search specifically for their position. That’s something you did for Tiger. Something you still might do for people like Rory, Brooks or Spieth. You’d do that for Wie, too. Wins for them are big. And her impact on the sport is by no means over. She’s the brand ambassador of the Mizuho Americas Open, which is one of the coolest new events on any pro tour. Wie West hasn’t been a regular on the LPGA Tour for a couple of years now, but her presence will definitely be missed.Hirsh: I don’t think the story of her legacy has been written yet. I saw pictures of her wearing a bucket hat, joggers, high-top golf shoes and a big Nike logo across her sweatshirt earlier in the week. I thought to myself, “Michelle Wie just has a swag that really no one else has.” The game totally needs more of that. It’s likely, now that she has stepped away completely from competing, she can focus more on growing the game through her hosting the Mizuho as Josh mentioned, through her relationship with Nike, etc. Even in retirement, Michelle Wie still has the power to change the game for the better and that might be more of her lasting legacy than what she ever accomplished on the course.
I think that perfectly captures the insane moment we're in, when we take time out from discussing the Saudis growing the game to credit Michelle for the same nonsense.... It's all fine and I'd much rather discuss what a nice young lady she is and how graciously she took her disappointments, but for a woman of her meager accomplishments to be hosting an LPGA event tells us all we need to know about the fortunes of the LPGA. At least until the Saudis buy them off...
Wall: I think her legacy is in all of the young Tour pros who likely used her as the measuring stick growing up. She gave women’s golf a coolness factor with a fresh swagger that helped take the LPGA to new heights. Some will point to the fact she only won 5 times during her career and say she fell short of the lofty expectations that were bestowed upon her at a young age. Playing in a PGA Tour event at 14 will do that to you. Instead of focusing on the playing resume, I choose to look at all the girls she helped introduce to the sport. Without Wie West, I don’t think the LPGA Tour is in the place it is today.
That last bit initially strikes as a compliment, but I'm not so sure...
This is actually quite an interesting thought, but one requiring more time than we have right now:
Brandel Chamblee and LPGA player Mel Reid, on Golf Channel’s Live From, expressed their frustration with par-5s being too long on the LPGA Tour (and at this week’s U.S. Women’s Open). Reid called it frustrating, while Chamblee said it robs the tour of that added excitement. Do they have a point? And why hasn’t there been a change?Hirsh: Yes, I think they totally have a point. If the best (and longest) men in the world can reach the 18th at Pebble Beach in two regularly, why shouldn’t the best (and longest) women in the world do the same? The reason nothing has been done about it is because there could be a fear that if courses are too short, it would discredit the setup. This game is obsessed with length and shortening courses is counterintuitive. However, the women’s game isn’t seeing the dramatic distance games the men’s game has. I do take issue with Brandel’s idea that we should shorten holes based on the gap between the shortest and longest players on the PGA and LPGA tours — it should be based on the percentage gap. If the longest LPGA player hits it 85% as far as the longest PGA Tour player, then that’s how long the par-5s should be. To give you an example, if we use 85 percent, Pebble’s 18th, regularly reachable on the PGA Tour at 540 yards and playing around 510 this week, should be playing around 460 yards.Berhow: It would definitely make tournaments more exciting, but it’s not like the men made dozens and dozens of eagles here during the 2019 U.S. Open. They made 28 on three par-5s, while this year the women made 16 on four of them. A big difference was the closing hole, where the men made six eagles to the women’s one. So, yes, let’s find the right distance where being able to go for the green in two is possible but not a norm. I don’t have much of a problem with how the course played this week.Wall: It’s a great question. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with having a couple short par-5s to entice players to take a chance. When you stretch the holes to the point where they are essentially a three-shotter for nearly everyone in the field, it makes them bland and straightforward. Then again, did we really expect the USGA to throw the players a bone? It’s the U.S. Women’s Open. On the LPGA Tour, I think it’s something they should strongly consider for regular events. But I’m not sure the same rules (or course setup) should apply for a major.
Two reactions, the first being to note that not too many were reaching No. 2, which the men play as a Par-4. This reminds of a point I've made, mostly about the women's event at Augusta National, which is that women don't often benefit from the comparison to the men. That's why going to these famous venues can be a two-edged sword, as they're simply not remotely as good.
But that 18th hole is an interesting case, because for year's I dubbed it the most boring hole in golf. The men also couldn't reach it, and nothing interesting ever happened there. But, as I noted in recent years, as much as the increased distance was obsoleting golf course, it actually made this one hole far more interesting, as reaching in two is now possible, but fraught with peril (BTW, am I the only one that recoils in horror when an announcer calls the Pacific Ocean a "penalty area"?).
Forgive me, but Sepp Straka doesn't rise to the level of mandatory blogging, though I was taken by surprise by the Denny McCarthy for Ryder Cup boomlet I ran into on the range yesterday morning. I acknowledge that he can putt, but I do note that he hasn't actually gotten around to winning anything..... which means he can't be that much of a ball-striker, no?
LIV Catch-Up - Just a few unrelated bits that struck your humble blogger. I'm sure you saw that Jay is back, but how is it possible that we have no clue what the medical issue was? I'm all about privacy, but when Jimmy Dunne is selling this deal based upon "Jay having the keys," doesn't that render Jay's health as fair game? Just askin'...
The story I most want to cover is this defection:
Randall Stephenson has resigned his position on the PGA Tour’s policy board, noting in a letterthat he had “serious concerns” about the proposed deal with the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund.As first reported by the Washington Post’s Rick Maese, Stephenson sent the letter dated Saturday to the policy board, which is made up of five player directors and five independent directors. That group will decide whether to approve an agreement among the Tour, the DP World Tour and the PIF that would create a new, for-profit enterprise and end pending litigation among the sides.The framework of the deal, wrote Stephenson, “is not one that I can objectively evaluate or in good conscience support, particularly in light of the U.S. intelligence report concerning Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.”In the letter, Stephenson said he had planned to resign on June 12, but postponed the move after he learned that Tour commissioner Jay Monahan was to go on a leave due to unspecified health concerns. On Friday, Monahan sent a four-paragraph note to the policy board that he would return to work on July 17.
Who is this dude? Well, he's the former Chairman of AT&T, a not insignificant sponsor of PGA Tour events and players. One of the issues upon which we await clarity is the reaction of the Tour's sponsors to the Tour's use of the Wahabis as their piggy bank. This is an early indication that there will likely be fallout.
More substantively, the only approval that Jay and Jimmy need is from this Policy Board, comprised of five players and five outsiders. We've assumed that Jay had the latter under control.... But, while we might have been slightly off-base, we now see that any dissenters will be shown the door. Randall Stephenson, take a look at your future:
Anyone with a conscience or anyone that believed that nonsense about blood money will have a date with George:
“The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.”
― George Orwell, 1984
To this observer, none of the players that took Saudi money held a candle to Sergio when it comes to entitlement and petulance, sucking up that slot in the Wentworth field and then heading home to Austin when his game and the weather turned south. Just a class act...
But I actually gave Sergio props for attempting to qualify for Hoylake, the first recorded instance in which he seemed to acknowledge that he wasn't owed anything. Well, Sergio gonna be Sergio:
At Open final qualifier, Sergio Garcia mishits 5-footer — then rips photographer
Remember when Jay said that anyone that went to LIV would never play on the PGA Tour again? Unfortunately, we didn't se ehis finders crossed behind his back... the man is never happy, is I'm quite OK with that state of affairs.
Alan's Back - He's had a bit of a fire drill finishing his new book while simultaneously updating the epilogue to his Phil whitewash. He does have his first mailbag up in quite some time, so let's riff quickly then I must bid you adieu:
#AskAlan: Rickie’s last three weeks (and Keegan’s emotional win in Hartford) reminded me why golf is the greatest sport. Where else can you have a player come back from near oblivion to claim a big victory? @david_troyanThis is nicely said. It has certainly been a rousing stretch, and don’t forget Nick Taylor’s epic walk-off at the Canadian Open. All of these feel-good wins have been palate cleansers after two seasons of nonstop strife and controversy for professional golf. I’ve heard a lot of folks say the tour wars have diminished their fandom, and that is understandable. But golf remains the ultimate mind-body challenge, and the theater of Sunday afternoons is so compelling I believe the game can transcend the noise and keep sucking all of us romantics back in.
Yeah, except that they're trying to exclude such players from the big-money events because, well, Cantlay or something....
If the Ryder Cup standings ended today, who’d be your 6 captain picks? @ReggieFrederick(and @whheikkinen)There are still six weeks to go, including a major championship and two FedEx Cup events, until the top six lock in their spots, so a lot of points are there for the taking. Right now the top six Americans in the standings are, in order, Scottie Scheffler, Wyndham Clark, Brooks Koepka, Xander Schauffele, Patrick Cantlay and Max Homa. The top three seem like mathematical certainties. Schauffele and Cantlay will be on the team even if they somehow fall out of the top six. Homa is an interesting case because he’s playing his worst golf in years and has continued to struggle in the major championships. There is an old-school line of thinking that a Ryder Cup rookie, as Homa would be, has to play his way onto the team, not come by way of a captain’s pick. (Homa did go 4-0 in his Presidents Cup debut last year.) The players 7-13 in the points list are bunched up and there will be a lot of volatility in the coming weeks. Of that group, Rickie Fowler (12th in points) is a sure thing to get selected; he had been playing at an especially high level throughout 2023 even before his victory in Detroit. Keegan Bradley (seventh) should be a no-brainer, too, with a pair of wins over the last nine months and gritty, grindy performances in two previous Ryder Cup appearances. I would gladly spend a pick on Dustin Johnson, who went 5-0 at the last Cup and has been consistently excellent on LIV. That’s nine players. I want Sam Burns (11th), who displayed an admirable killer instinct in winning this year’s Match Play Championship. I’m taking Jordan Spieth (eighth), whose putter can change a Ryder Cup and who has an 8-4-3 record in partner play. The last pick comes down to Justin Thomas (13th), a stellar Ryder Cupper who has been crappy all season; Collin Morikawa (ninth), winless in two years but starting to show signs of life; and Tony Finau (18th), a winning machine who has cooled off a bit over the last few months. At this moment, I’m taking Finau. But a lot can change down the stretch.
I guess he didn't get the Denny McCarthy memo.... Strikes me as an awkward moment for this discussion, as we might as well await those Open results. I'm not sold on Rickie or Keegs, though I'm guessing DJ is a non-strater.
But this is so disillusioning:
If the U.S. takes JT and Spieth, are they right back where they started before the task force? Merit trumped by cliques? Neither has qualified, and JT would lose to Blockie in a heads-up match right now. @Carson_OKCSpieth hasn’t won this year, but he has been solid: 21st on Tour in strokes gained total and five top-six finishes in the last five months, including a rousing run at the Masters. He went 5-0 at last year’s Presidents Cup and has been a team leader for nearly a decade. Picking Spieth is defensible, but unless he finds some form in a hurry, taking JT would support your thesis that the fix is in. The caveat is that Thomas is a mega-talent who can put points on the board in a hurry. If class is permanent but form temporary, Capt. Zach Johnson might go with Thomas no matter what.
I always described that as Phil's hostile takeover of the Ryder Cup, so why not Phil? Jordan and JT are both still defensible, though JT really better put a few numbers on the board.
This has always annoyed me:
Settle the debate: Does Bernhard Langer anchor his putter or not? @Scott_SemayaOnly Langer’s chest hair knows definitively. But he is such a rigid, black-or-white personality, I can’t imagine Bernie would knowingly break a rule 30 times a round. I will always give him the benefit of the doubt on this.
Bernie probably isn't, but the real issue is that all the players has to say ios that it wasn't his intent to anchor....
Did Jimmy Dunne + PGA Tour approach private equity BEFORE crafting a framework with PIF? Seems like if they had, it could have given them a path forward without taking Saudi money and maintained integrity. Especially if they go that route if the PIF framework collapses. Your take? @MichaelarinewmaOne of the Tour’s primary motivations was to end the brutally expensive lawsuits, and that could only be done by negotiating with the Saudis. Mission accomplished. There is a school of thought that Dunne, et al would be better off not consummating the framework agreement. This whole exercise has made it clear that a for-profit model is the key to the Tour’s future. You’re right that there is tons of private equity money out there; Raine Capital and Silver Lake have been sniffing around pro golf for years, and plenty of other Wall Street and Silicon Valley firms would love to buy their way into the game. If the Tour walks away from the framework agreement, it could have a for-profit model without the Saudi money, but that comes with a huge risk: If the deal collapses, LIV and the Tour would again be competitors. Given how willing Dunne and Monahan were to take the PIF money, there would be nothing to stop many Tour stars from doing the same.
We will be dissecting this ad nauseum in the days to come, but obviously we now know that there is no stigma to Saudi money.... But all this talk about Priveate Equity money seems a red herring to me, because at these levels of compensation there's a negative ROI. Quick, name all private equity firms in the business of losing money.... Thanks, that's all of them.
Ladies should hire local Pebble caddies to walk with them and their regular caddies during practice rounds…not many have played there and there is a lot of local knowledge to learn in just a few days..agree? @scottpetrozzaOr better yet, hire a local caddie for the week! Check out this U.S. Women’s Open podcast Matt Ginella and I did with Pebble Beach looper Kevin Price, who is caddying for qualifier Mackenzie Hahn this week.
Yes, but they never do...
Should Bernhard Langer be at least considered for the Euro Ryder Cup team? The course will be long but no American will be thrilled with the prospect of losing to a 65-year-old in singles. #AskAlan @BradleySmith328I have already been promoting Padraig Harrington. Might as well add Langer! How good would those two be in alternate shot?! Langer winning the U.S. Senior Open at 65 deserves to be remembered as an all-time accomplishment.
The team is so week that it's a non-crazy question...
More LIV bits:
Why does a document so lacking in specifics specifically address obtaining OWGR points for LIV? Is this more revealing of Yasir’s long-term plans than any talking points being thrown out there? @kylelabatGood spot. It is also interesting because Jay Monahan, Keith Pelley and Pelley’s lieutenant Keith Waters recused themselves from the OWGR governing board’s discussions about LIV, so how exactly is NewCo supposed to advocate on LIV’s behalf? As with many other things, this will all happen in the shadows. But it certainly doesn’t make sense to grant LIV World Ranking points in the summer or fall of 2023 if the plan is to shut it down a few months later. I think it is 99 percent certain that LIV will play a full schedule in 2024 and then at the end of the season Yasir Al-Rumayyan will assess the way forward.Regarding the proposed partnership deal, how concerned should we be at what might effectively be “state” economic sponsorship and control of elite men’s golf? Wouldn’t we be concerned if any state government (USA/UK/whoever) was potentially to have that influence? @EatandSleepGolfThis is precisely why Congress and the Department of Justice have become so engaged. As U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy said, “I think it’s a really serious thing to have a foreign dictatorship in charge of a major U.S. sports league. This is a watershed moment, and I think we need to treat it as such.” I believe the July 11 hearings are just the beginning.
It's apparent to me that LIV will need to operate in 2024, because they simply can't get this done sooner. Therefore, they needed to resolve this issue, as well as needing that non-disparagement clause. The harder question is what Jay got for his guys...
Really need to drop the curtain here.... We're in the air tonight and I'll next speak to you from the thiving metropolis of Strathpeffer.
