Late Week Laments

Did you catch the rain at Riviera yesterday?  That moisture is presumably headed to the Wasatch, where they've already had some 36" since I headed home....  But I'm not bitter.

Lucy, Unchained - Unshackled, at the very least....  This comes as absolutely no surprise, in the midst of our governing bodies complete meltdown:

The verdict is in: The USGA has determined that Lucy Li breached its rules, but she is allowed to retain her amateur status. 

The USGA issued Li a one-time warning Thursday, an outcome the organization says is consistent with its general practice for players who unknowingly breach Rule 6-2 for the first time and take appropriate remedial measures. 

In early January, the 16-year-old appeared in an Apple Watch “Close Your Rings” advertising campaign. The USGA immediately opened an investigation into whether or not she had violated her amateur status. 

Rule 6-2 states that “an amateur golfer of golf skill or reputation must not use that skill or reputation to obtain payment, compensation, personal benefit or any financial gain, directly or indirectly, for (i) promoting, advertising or selling anything, or (ii) allowing his name or likeness to be used by a third party for the promotion, advertisement or sale of anything.” 

Thomas Pagel, the USGA’s senior managing director of governance, told Golfweek on Thursday the committee poured over decades of cases and in every instance in which an amateur unknowingly broke the rule, received no compensation and took steps to rectify the situation, the player received only a warning.

Translated into colloquial English, it approximates "Who ya gonna beleive, me or your lyin' eyes?"

 I'm guessing that Shack is not a fan:

The message from Lucy Li’s case is clear. Take free stuff. Use your skill as a golfer to be a billboard. Just be famous and likable enough and the governing bodies of golf won’t revoke your status. 

In a sad statement about the weakened state of amateur golf, Lucy Li gets to retain her

status despite starring in an Apple Watch ad while wearing scripted Nike apparel. Following a six-week investigation, the USGA determined that Li unknowingly violated amateur status rules after an elaborately produced piece was filmed following a call from “a casting agent for an acting assignment to promote Apple Watch.” 

The Li family and the USGA would like us to believe the ad happened without compensation, without guarantee it would ever run or without knowledge that such an appearance might not look so kosher. 

At worst, it may be the most blatant violation of amateur status since Tony Romo’s Skechers Go Golf ad ran last weekend.

Egads!  And every time they explain themselves, the violate the first rule of holes:

The USGA said in a statement that Romo is in the clear because “everyone knows him first as a professional football player and his fame and fortune is not derived from golf.” But he is adding to his fortune on the back of his likeness as a golfer who competes in U.S. Open qualifying as an excellent amateur.

That makes perfect sense, as long as he's being paid to promote Sketchers football cleats....

But bear with me, for the very best is yet to come....  Shack often uses his blog to promote his items in Golfweek, but it's also a venue in which length is unlimited.  In his post, he copies-and-pastes the entire USGA press release on the matter, wherein we find our comedy gold:

Late last year, Ms. Li was engaged by a casting agent for an acting assignment to promote the Apple Watch. At that time, the nature of her participation was not defined and she was given no indication that she would appear as a golfer. While on this

assignment, Ms. Li was filmed engaging in a variety of recreational activities, one of which was golf. The casting agent informed her that her appearance in any final advertisement was not guaranteed, nor did they know how she would be featured. 

Ms. Li first became aware of the final content of the advertisement, which featured her as a golfer, on Jan. 2. She was notified by the USGA of a pending review into her Amateur Status on Jan. 3. At that time, Apple immediately took down the advertisement in all its forms. On Jan. 11, USGA notified Ms. Li she had breached the Rules of Amateur Status.

Ya got that kids?  It's a master class in how to avoid the rules governing amateur status....  She answered a general casting call for cute-as-a-button teenage girls, was filmed in a  variety of actions, and some astute marketing genius got the idea that she'd make a credible golfer....  

Back to Golfweek for Geoff's coda:

While society has accepted the blurring of all lines between those who play to compete and those who play to be paid, caving in this situation will have repercussions in other rule-making areas. 

In taking a soft stance on “amateurs” starring as pitch-people, the USGA and R&A have further weakened their place in the game. Already damaged by glitches in the new rules rollout, they undoubtedly believed taking a hard stance on Li would add even more disdain for their efforts. 

Yet if the rulemakers can only hand out scoldings for blatant violations, their credibility eventually ceases to exist. 

Furthermore, if different interpretations of rules apply to different people, at what point do they cease to have any authority at all?

And they've been so competent in discharging their other responsibilities.... It's become very difficult to care about anything emanating from Far Hills Liberty Corner.... 

A Righteous Fisking - Alex Myers subjects Kooch to a circa-1999 Fisking, which is good fun, though Alex might have missed a tasty morsel:

"We had a great week": And by all accounts they did. Kuchar won for the first time in more than four years and referred to Ortiz as his "good luck charm." Ortiz told

Golf.com's Michael Bamberger, “Matt is a good person and a great player. He treated me very well. I am only disappointed by how it all finished.” The looper has sought and been denied what he thinks is fair, $50,000 (he was reportedly offered $15,000 later, but turned it down). Ortiz acknowledges he never expected the 10 percent payday for a win a typical PGA Tour caddie receives, since it's believed regular tour caddies assume larger responsibilities and financial risk being with the player throughout the year. Meanwhile, Kuchar took home another $1.3 million payday for winning the Sony Open in January, but it's hard to put a price on the damage this incident has done to what had been a sterling reputation among golf fans.

Who is this "we" you speak of....  You had a great week, your first great week in four years.

"We had an agreement": Both Kuchar and Ortiz have confirmed this, albeit with slightly different pay structures. Ortiz told Golf.com's Michael Bamberger the two agreed on $3,000 plus an unspecified amount of his winnings. Kuchar says it was a layered structure beginning with $1,000 for a missed cut, $2,000 for a made cut, $3,000 for a top 20 and $4,000 for a top 10. What the caddie would receive for a win was not discussed. "The extra $1,000 was, 'Thank you — it was a great week.' Those were the terms. He was in agreement with those terms," Kuchar said. "That’s where I struggle. I don’t know what happened. Someone must have said, 'You need much more.'" In any event, Kuchar appears to have technically fulfilled his financial obligation here. At least, that's what a lawyer would argue.

Actually, as I understand Matt's case, he did not meet the terms of his agreement.  Three grand plus four for the top twenty is seven grand, and Matt Handed him five in the famous envelope.   And that's without an assumed larger bones for the W....

Alex does have this, which is along the lines where I'm heading:

"Making $5,000 is a great week": The full quote Kuchar gave to Golf.com is, “For a guy who makes $200 a day, a $5,000 week is a really big week.” With no context, it's

impossible to argue that point. It's likely Ortiz has never made that much money in a week and that he'll never make that much money in a week again. Not many people do. That's the equivalent of making $260,000 a year. But is getting less than what you think you deserve a great week? If you're a waiter and you get the biggest tip of your life after serving a celebrity, but realize it wasn't close to the normal 20 percent you get from customers, are you still happy? 

(Kuchar never suggested making $5,000 is a lot for someone in Mexico, but others have. Dave Marr on his Thursday show on SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio repeated the fact Ortiz made as much in a week as the median annual income in Mexico. Marr insisted Kuchar will "come out clean" from this incident, and the four callers I heard during my morning commute agreed. Where the tournament was played and where Ortiz is from is irrelevant. What matters is what he deserved. While most people agree with Ortiz that he didn't merit the normal 10 percent, keep in mind the caddie's intake was less than half of ONE percent.)

To be fair, it was $5K PLUS the flag from the 18th hole..... Fair is fair.

But this bit from yesterday came back to my thoughts later:

Kuchar described a local caddie he had in Mexico City some years ago named Santiago and how he has dinner with him whenever he returns to Mexico City. “I had hoped to have that same kind of relationship with David,” Kuchar said, “but it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen.”

So, what you're saying is that some of your best friends are Mexican?  Good to know...

But Matt, Golf.com has up a helpful tutorial, of which you might want to avail yourself:

The Etiquetteist: What’s the right amount to tip a caddie?

I'm sure the timing was merely coincidental....

Eamon en Fuego -  Eamon Lynch was quite harsh on those players that took the Kingdom's thirty pieces of silver, about which criticism I had some disagreements.  He's back with more vitriol, but in the instant case I have no qualms:

Every golfer who competed in the Saudi International left town with his reputation stained, but none moreso than the mercurial Spaniard, who was disqualified for “serious misconduct” after damaging five putting greens in a fit of pique. His antics were unsurprising for longtime viewers of the Sergio Show. 

Twenty years ago at Wentworth in England, Garcia reacted to a lousy shot by ripping off his shoe and flinging it into the gallery. After missing a putt at Doral in 2007, he retrieved his ball then spit into the cup, a snotty gesture of contempt toward the competitors unfortunate enough to be playing behind him. 

Those are but two snowflakes in a blizzard of boorish behavior. 

There’s a club tossed into a lake, fans flipped off, microphones obliterated, his whirling dervish slashing in the bunker the day before his DQ in Saudi —all set to a whiny soundtrack that blames poor results on everyone from Tiger Woods to Carnoustie’s bunker rakers.

Anyone but me catch the unintentional irony?  What if he had thrown his show in Saudi Arabia?

For those literate in general Arab culture, the specific throwing of one's shoes at another person is a clear sign of abhorrence for that individual, which transcends an even more violent act, e.g. serious physical assault (throwing shoes is also known to be a deep offense in Thai culture). One could equate this to spitting on someone in a number of other cultures. The shoe is considered dirty because it touches the ground and foot. Striking a person with it denotes that person's even dirtier level. It is even improper to show the sole of one's shoe when seated and crossing legs. In mosques, shoes are removed before entry. Thus, a pattern arises and the concept of the shoe is embedded into a set of cultural values with historical anecdotes that serve as powerful references to meaning. The recent incident in Iraq, where a journalist threw his two shoes at President Bush, is one example. More of these examples can be accessed here, an article published in the Telegraph.

That's amusing and Sergio wore a short dress and had it coming...  actually I'm quite surprised that the magical, nothing-but-net loogie, but Eamon really needs to move on:

Perhaps European Tour CEO Keith Pelley was aware of the personal situation Garcia faces and opted for compassion when he declared the matter closed. That’s the generous interpretation. And the cynical reading? That he gave a break to a tormented guy who unwittingly diverted scrutiny away from those who have much more to apologize for in this sorry Saudi Arabian affair.

Eamon, unless you can document a history of being critical of the Kingdom before the Kashoggi story broke, this is really getting old.

Back At The Riv -  If every governing body in our game set as their objective to undermine their authority, what would they have done differently since the start of the year?

Yet again I am compelled to cite Robert Conquest's third law of politics:

The simplest way to explain the behavior of any bureaucratic organization is to assume that it is controlled by a cabal of its enemies.

Now it's the PGA Tour's moment in the sun..... err, maybe spotlight would be more apt:

Q. Finally, you nullified the scores that were posted for the few players that were out earlier this morning, first time in more than five years since it's happened on the PGA TOUR. What was the decision for that?

MARK RUSSELL: We don't do that very often, but if I had it to do over again, we would have delayed the starting times. We tee off at sunrise. We have to because here a lot of times we don't finish, we have to use all the available daylight we have. We teed off at sunrise and I was on the first tee with the players and it was very marginal, thinking in my mind this is going to get better every minute. They teed off, we had their balls under control, but the visual never got better. The cloud cover's so thick that you just couldn't see.

So once we did suspend play, the committee got together and just decided that we need to nullify these scores because the visual, it never got where you could see where your ball went, barely see the flagstick. And like I say, under normal circumstances it would get better every minute. It never did. As a matter of fact, it got worse, so we decided to nullify the scores. That's not a common thing, but the committee does have the discretion to do that. We felt in this situation that's the thing to do.

Why do they start so early?  Because they play so damn slow.... slowly.  That sound you hear is my mother spinning in her graver over her son forgetting the difference between adjectives and adverbs.

I did watch a few minutes, but unfortunately I forget the name of the player that lost his tee ball on No. 1 because it was so foggy no one had a clue where to look.  Fortunately, he had only three minutes to do so, so we've got that going for us....

If you missed it, do catch this routine par made by a certain lefty on No. 10.  Had it counted, it might qualify as the most Phil thing ever....

But I have a thought about this screen shot:

Who knew you could #LiveUnderPar by making a par.... Noted.

These Guys Are Not So Good - Submitted for your approval is Ben DeArmond, my new favorite Web.com player.  His day started with these good wishes:

Alas, he bogeyed his first hole, but that sometimes helps a guy settle down.  He calmly makes his way to the second tee, this daunting tee shot:

According to the Web.com leaderboard’s play-by-play tracking, DeArmond hit his first tee shot out of play. That’s understandable; check out the visuals on this beast of a hole (the nines appear to have been flipped this week):

Apparently left is OB, so one needs to be careful of that.....  Ben was careful.....oh so very careful:

He re-teed, and hit that one out of play too. And again. And again. And again. And again. In all, DeArmond hit six tee balls out of play. He re-teed a final time, now hitting 13, and found the fairway. Two shots later, he was on the fringe, where he made it up-and-down (with a one-putt, technically!) for a 17. 

Any golfer will tell you (this writer, who recently notched a double-digit hole in competition, certainly included) that they know the feeling of helplessness that follows a few bad swings in a row. But stroke play is unforgiving, and Florida golf is penal, and the more I look at that tee shot the more I can only imagine woods or water.

Not just a 17, but a one-putt 17.

Of course we love our colorful scorecards:

I think the absence of a photo was a good call....  You don't want to be recognized at the airport Friday afternoon.

Have a great weekend.

Thursday Threads

Purely by coincidence, I'm sure, but Shack's quote this morning might be the single best thing ever written about Riviera's iconic 10th hole:

This is a shameless little harlot that just sits there at the end of the bar in her mesh stockings and miniskirt and winks at you. It’s only a little over 300 yards long and looks as driveable as the 405 Freeway. Don’t go for it. Take your four-iron and hit it safely and sensibly left. 

JIM MURRAY on Riviera’s 10th

We also say that a movie like Blazing Saddles couldn't be made today.  But I'm not sure that a Jim Murray or Dan Jenkins would have a career today.  I'm sure you immediately saw the problem, assuming that the golf hole identifies as a cis-gendered female....

You're Not Helping Yourself - Matt Kuchar is caught violating the first rule of holes:

PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. — Matt Kuchar, in an interview with GOLF.com Wednesday evening, said he is “disappointed” and “sad” that his $5,000 payment of his Mexican caddie, David “El Tucan” Ortiz, after winning $1.3 million last November in

the Mayakoba Golf Classic, has led to such hurt feelings about what had been such a joyful, storybook win. 

“I kind of think someone got in his ear,” Kuchar said. “I was very clear and very upfront on Tuesday [of the tournament week]. And he said, ‘OK.’ He had the ability, with bonuses, to make up to $4,000.” 

Kuchar said he told Ortiz he would pay him $1,000 if he missed the cut, $2,000 if he made the cut, $3,000 if he had a top-20 and $4,000 if he had a top-10. “The extra $1,000 was, ‘Thank you — it was a great week.’ Those were the terms. He was in agreement with those terms. That’s where I struggle. I don’t know what happened. Someone must have said, ‘You need much more.’” 

Ortiz described his pay as $3,000 for the week, with the $2,000 as a down payment on whatever his bonus turned out to be.

Then why'd you offer him $15K more?  But you think that's tone deaf?  How about this bit?

Kuchar described a local caddie he had in Mexico City some years ago named Santiago and how he has dinner with him whenever he returns to Mexico City. “I had hoped to have that same kind of relationship with David,” Kuchar said, “but it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen.”

Matt seems clueless as to how the rest of us react to this, so I have a suggestion.  Since you're headed to Mexico City Sunday night, Matt, why don't you ask Santiago what he would expect if you had won with him on the bag for the first time in four years....

As for my question above, you'll be shocked to learn that it's all Steiny's fault:

Kuchar seemed slightly embarrassed that the additional sum had been offered, as he felt his financial obligation to Ortiz was complete. Asked how it came to be that the additional sum was offered, Kuchar said, “That was the agency.” He was referring to Excel Sports Management, which represents him. Kuchar’s agent there is Mark Steinberg, who also represents Tiger Woods and Justin Rose. 

Kuchar was asked who would actually pay the money. 

Kuchar smiled and said, “It’s not coming out of Steinberg’s pocket.” In other words, Kuchar would be paying. He said the additional proffered payment was Steinberg’s effort at damage control.

There's a body of thought, mine specifically, that the crappiest part of Matt's treatment of El Tucan was making him deal with Steiny, whose people skills are comparable to those of Attila the Hun.

Matt is correct that Ortiz has had somebody, probably many, get in his ear....  But why did that happen?  Because Kooch couldn't understand that $5K is comically cheap for a win after 40 4 years in the desert.  There's no magic number, but that $15K would likely have been gratefully accepted had Matt not tried to get off so cheaply.

Matt needs to pay the man his $50K or, failing that, I'd suggest he skip Mayakoba in future years.  I don't think he'll find that warm welcome that he's received form the locals in prior years....

Also Not Helping - Sergio, of course....  he adds this to his non-apology apology:

“I received some very emotional, personal news earlier that week that didn’t help. It was

in the back of my mind. As I became frustrated on the course everything erupted,” 

Garcia told Golf Channel’s Todd Lewis on Wednesday ahead of the Genesis Open. 

Garcia didn’t go into detail about the personal news but said he spent last week reflecting on his behavior at the European Tour event, where he damaged several greens and was disqualified for what officials deemed “serious misconduct.” 

“It was a mix of some emotional and personal things going on and a little frustration with the greens,” said Garcia, who also issued an apology on Tuesday via social media.

Well sure, that changes...well, nothing, approximately.  Maybe you shouldn't have played, but of course the appearance fee check had already cleared.

Those are the standards of a professional, and he failed miserably...  And not remotely for the first time.

Let's segue into Shippy's mailbag for a couple on this topic:

What is going to be the most brutal welcome that Sergio Garcia gets this year on the PGA Tour? Can’t wait for him to tee it up at Bethpage. -@KellerGreg 

That was always going to be an interesting week, given his tortured history with Noo Yawkers. The fans at the Players can be brutal, and that’s coming fast, while the greens in Saudi Arabia are still healing. If Sergio can weather that week, he should be fine for the rest of the year. But if he starts barking back, it’s going to be a long, challenging season for him.

I've long been worried about the Ryder Cup at Bethpage, but I'm thinking that Sergio might want to take that week in May off to spend more time with his family.

This is good as well:

Following his recent temper tantrum do you think Sergio will be treated any differently by the PGA players in the locker room this week in LA? What do you think would have been an appropriate punishment? Is a 3-6 month worldwide ban over the top? #AskAlan -Brian (@bcunningham0) 

The players long ago decided whether or not they like Sergio, so I don’t think this latest episode will change too many hearts and minds, just as his recent apology on Instagram won’t sway too much public sentiment. He is who he is. The problem with a suspension is that there is not one global authority to enforce it. Keith Pelley’s reaction was so neutered because if he suspended Sergio for three or six months – which would definitely have been appropriate – one of his most important stars would just set up shop on the PGA Tour. Meanwhile, Jay Monahan has no interest in sanctioning a player who misbehaved on a rival tour half a world away. So, Sergio skates.

That's both spot on and irrelevant in my mind.  Even more so as the incident no doubt preceded the portion of the calendar when Sergio was headed stateside....  But still, I would argue that the calendar actually made it easier for Pelley to do the right thing, rendering his failure to do so more damning.

Phil Being Phil -  First up, it's not just Bryson applying science to or game:

While Phil Mickelson was touting a resurgence in his clubhead speed as one of his keys to his victory at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, there may be another less overt 

Anyone know what that is on his hand?

element to his newfound fountain of youth. The three lines on his golf ball might be making his eyes work better. 

It’s the kind of scientific explanation Mickelson might have invented if in fact it weren’t actual science. Which, as it turns out, it is. 

The lines, what Mickelson’s equipment manufacturer Callaway calls “Triple Track Technology,” are an example of vernier acuity, according to Carl Bassi, a Ph.D. professor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis College of Optometry. In the simplest terms, vernier acuity refers to the ability of the brain to process subtle differences in alignment detected in the eyes. By having the right kind of multiple reference points (like a center line flanked by two parallel lines), the brain perceives the straightness of aim better. It’s a technology used in gun sights and the landing strips on aircraft carriers.

Lots of geeky stuff at the link, but what's the over-under on how many lines Bryson has on his ball this week?  I mean, this is his turf...

Also, he sees no need to hit the First Coast in March:

Like many players, Mickelson is still in the midst of evaluating his spring scheduling options amid a revamped calendar that now includes The Players Championship in mid-

March. He told GolfChannel.com that, despite winning at TPC Sawgrass in 2007, he doesn’t feel obligated to return next month for another shot at the Stadium Course. 

“It’s not one I feel like I have to play,” Mickelson said. “It’s not a must-play for me because I’m 48 and I’ve played it 25 times and I’ve already won it. If I were young and early in my career, I would say yes because I think it’s as close to a major as it can get. But it’s not the best course for me.”

You'd think he'd show just to see how the fans treat Sergio....  I get the Torrey Pines thing, especially since he's hated the place ever since the Reesdesign....  I don't actually see why Sawgrass would be so bad for him, but as usual I'll defer to his far greater intellect.  Also, I agree that he should be able to get out of a DJ headlock, and suggest we reenact it with cameras rolling.

Shippy had a couple of Phil queries as well:

Alan, what does Phil do when he turns 50 – continue tilting at windmills on the PGA Tour going after 50 wins, head to the PGA Champions, or try to split between both? -Kit (@Dunk2604) 

I’ve asked Phil about this and he has zero interest in the Senior tour. He’s been beating those guys his whole life, so what’s the fun in doing it again? He’s an adrenaline junkie and loves the crowds and competition on the PGA Tour. Maybe when he gets to his mid-50s and starts losing speed he’ll reconsider but 16 months from now, when Phil turns 50, I wouldn’t expect any changes to his schedule.

Tilting at windmills?  The man just won for the second time in twelve months, it seems a strange time to accuse him of pulling a Vijay....

Is Phil your pick for the U.S. Open off this victory? -@Thomas_Laffont 

There is sooo much golf to be played between now and then, I don’t think we can anoint

him as the prohibitive favorite just yet, but certainly Mickelson will be on the short list come June. But a firm, fiery Pebble will be a completely different course then. 

Mickelson prevailed at the Clambake in part because of his hyper-aggressive play during the final round. That 3-wood he smashed off the 4th tee to set up a crucial birdie becomes a too high-risk shot when the fairways are firm and fast. His hooked drive on 10 would’ve bounded onto the beach rather than safely plug on the edge of the fairway. 

The flipside is that Pebble will play so short in June the key will not be tee shots but rather the approaches into those tiny greens, and Phil’s iron game remains preeminent. It’s certainly going to be fascinating to see how he navigates his way around a course that offers the best, and perhaps final, chance for him to break his Open curse.

I agree that this is his best chance, but can you imagine the pressure?  Because he knows it's his last best chance as well....  But Pebble was soft last week, one assumes it will be firmer in June, and add in some wind as well.  

And this:

Phil’s going to make the Presidents Cup team, isn’t he? #AskAlan -@DavidAStorm 

Of course he is! In less than a calendar year he has won two marquee events. You think there are a dozen Americans who are better than him? Also, you just know that Cap. Woods is dying to boss him around.

Careful, Tiger, we've seen Phil go to the shiv when a Captain displeases him....

Taking One For the Team -  Adam Scott seems like a good guy, no?  Trust me, you'll love him even more after you read this:

Adam Scott said he recently told the PGA Tour’s chief of tournaments and competitions Andy Pazder that he’d be willing to take a penalty in order to get guys to speed up, the

theory being that the tour would show that it was serious about pace of play and enforcing a penalty that is rarely enforced. 

“Make me the victim,” the 2013 Masters champion and 13-time PGA Tour winner said. “I’ll take the penalty. The only way it’s going to work is if you enforce it.”

An idea so crazy it might just work.... Nah, must be the liquor talking....

More Alan - I've got to run, so we'll use Shippy as filler:

What does it take to get into the Pebble Beach Pro-Am?

-Detlef (@Dschrempf) 

Relationships. Yes, you also need to be able cough up the $25K entry fee, but there are plenty of rich dudes out there. The guys who get invited are pals with the Tour pros, or friends of the Pebble Beach golf community, or members in good standing at the private clubs where the ruling class gather. If you were, say, a retired NBA star with a lot of money in the bank and a love of golf, you should kick down the $10K or so it takes to play in the Senior event at Pebble Beach every September, where spots are always available. That’s a feeder system for the Pro-Am, a chance to get to know the local kingmakers and have your game and temperament vetted. (It’s also a really fun week!)

Detlef, is that you?  As for me, I still prefer the Dunhill Links...

I can think of at least 25 U.S. tracks ranked lower than Pebble where I would rather see a PGA Tour event played. Put Pebble’s layout in Iowa, thus removing the ocean, and you have, at best, a Web.com venue. Agree? #AskAlan -@RyderHouck 

One on hand, this is utterly nonsensical – how could you have the 8th hole in land-locked Iowa? But I understand the point you’re trying to make. There are a ton of dogleg-left cape holes that evoke Pebble’s 18, but if you’re playing around a marsh, or a man-made lake, it just ain’t the same. During tournament week I did have discussion with a course wonk in which we agreed there should be a separate ranking for seaside courses because the ocean adds so much to the experience, aesthetically and for heroic shot values. But the fact is the Pacific is an inextricable part of the Pebble Beach experience. Until the course is swallowed up by the rising seas we sure as heck ain’t playing the Clambake in Iowa.

And yet we still willing fork over our $500 large.... 

Better 2019: Phil or Tiger? -Bobby (@CU_TrialLawyer) 

Man, from all the citizen-journalist video I’ve seen on Twitter, Tiger has been swinging so well in the practice rounds at Riv. But Phil already has a first and a second, which is a substantial head start. Of course, the majors will define 2019 for both of these aging warriors. Woods made two strong runs last year, while Phil never factored. It’s pretty much a toss-up, but I’m thinking Tiger will be a more consistent contender when it really matters.

Too early I agree, though we must admit how surprised we are by Phil's strong start.....

#AskAlan Is Zach Johnson a surprise Presidents Cup assistant captain pick? I would never have guessed Tiger and Zach were tight. -@rjlafleur 

Not a surprise in this post-Task Force era, when continuity is the key buzzword for the American leadership. Zach is clearly being groomed to be a future captain, so he will be a fixture in the team room at every Cup until he gets his turn. And Tiger has always respected Johnson as a guy who maximized the talent he was given. When you beat Woods head-to-head in his prime at Augusta – as Zach did in 2007 – that lingers.

Agreed, though isn't the more significant moment when Zach holed out to steal the Hero from the host?  Not as significant, but it was quite the shock. 

If you had to pick one: Casey or Fowler to close out a 54-hole lead? -@WLSpence

I’ll take the field, thanks.

I'm as amused as most, though again with the strange timing, given that Rickie just got it done.  As for Casey, hes' the Chucky Three-Sticks of his day.... 

There's more at that link above.... Try not to miss me too much until tomorrow.

Midweek Musings

Just a few items for your perusal this morning....

Scenes From The Riv - Tiger's got "Enhanced Status"....  And no, not the kind that caused that spot of bother back in '09:

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PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. -- The annual PGA Tour event at Riviera Country Club that is now run by Tiger Woods' foundation will get a big upgrade beginning in 2020,putting it in the same status as tournaments associated with Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. 

Sources told ESPN that the Genesis Open will receive "elevated status,'' which means it will have a significantly higher purse, offer a three-year PGA Tour exemption to the

winner (up from two years) and will have an invitational field that will be reduced to 120 players. This week's tournament at Riviera will have 144 players. 

According to sources, an announcement on the new status for the tournament is expected to be made Wednesday, when Woods addresses the media after playing in the tournament pro-am.

Isn't that special?  But, and you'll be waiting for this, is it really necessary to vaporize those 24 spots in the field?

Shack has mixed feelings:

I have mixed feelings as anything that elevates such a historic stop is exciting while rewarding the role of Woods and Genesis for making a long term commitment. It’s a wealth of riches for the L.A. stop given Tiger’s involvement, the cache of Riviera and a prime spot on the calendar for drawing big audiences. 

Reducing the field from 144 to 120 is, in part, a statement about the inability of getting a full field around Riviera this time of year. As I noted for Golfweek, a tournament that has gone from 156 to 144 to 120 should open a few eyes to the perils of chasing distance to the point a course cannot defend itself or function. Slow play is often more than just about golfers not making up their mind.

The downside to this news?

The event has been an “Open” competition since 1926 and with that comes a spot for the local PGA section, amateur qualifiers or the successful “Collegiate Showcase” replacement. Throw in four Monday qualifying spots and we know larger fields deliver more storylines, diversity and competitiveness. They also help offset some of the dead weight that turns up too often ( welcome again to LA Vijay, enjoy LAX on a Friday night!).

It's all about diversity, yet he trashes the one Fijian in the field!

Joking aside, the loss of playing slots has all sorts of implications, most of which point towards the rich getting richer.  Like the WGC's, these invitationals award easy FedEx points to those that qualify, lending more rigidity to the system and further rewarding those that start above the cutoff line.

It's a great event on a historic venue, but this becomes a necessity because they can no longer get 156, or even 144, players around the joint during the available daylight.  Sheesh!

If you're proudly in the "Don't Know Much About History" crowd, Pat Ralph has you covered with nine facts about Riviera:

The origin of the course: Golf was becoming more popular in Southern California in the 1920s, and the Los Angeles Athletic Club wanted to build a premier course that was

located outside of the traffic and congestion in LA. With its location in Pacific Palisades about 40 minutes outside of downtown LA, Riviera Country Club was founded in 1926. George C. Thomas, who had just finished putting together Bel-Air Country Club roughly 15 minutes away, was tasked with the course design. Despite not liking the course’s location in the Santa Monica Canyon, Thomas put together 15 different versions of the design over 18 months. The course officially opened for business in 1927.

Notable members of Riviera: Because of its proximity to The Entertainment Capital of the World, Riviera has attracted some of the biggest Hollywood stars to the country club. Charlie Chaplin, Walt Disney, Howard Hughes, Glen Campbell, and Dean Martin are just some of the famous names who have been members at Riviera. In fact, the late country music singer Campbell was the host of the Los Angeles Open from 1971-1983.

Was Bogie not a member?   After all, we'll hear about his tree all week....

In noting the detritus clogging up the field, Shack missed this guy, who wants us to know that it's all because of a genetic predisposition:

Happy to be in my first @pgatour event of the season and have my brother on the bag again this year. I’ve obviously had some time to reflect, and want to again say I’m sorry

to my fans and fellow competitors. What happened is not an example I want to set, and it's not who I truly am. I am an emotional player and while I believe that's one of my biggest strengths, it's also one of my biggest flaws. I’m focused on working hard to channel that emotion the correct way and to be the best me, learn from it and move forward. Thanks for all the support.

You know the drill, #sorrynotsorry....  But you know who else was emotional?  That Seve guy...perhaps Sergio might want to avail himself of the constant screening of that movie tribute on Golf Channel.  Because despite the Latin Blood coursing through his veins, Seve managed to navigate his career without either spitting in the cup or damaging greens.

Pebble Detritus - The Open will be upon us, so there's always time to revisit this iconic venue.

First up is Andy Johnson of The Fried Egg, a wonderful blog/podcast focused on architectural issues.  In this post he offers a simple solution to the resort, and I encourage you to give it a read.  For me, I just want to steal one picture from his post, of the famed seventh hole:

That's how the green looked and played at the famous 1929 U.S. Amateur, the one in which Bobby Jones surprisingly lost in the first round and, with time on his hands, took a spin around Cypress Point.

This was the look of the course after the famous Chandler Egan renovation in 1028, one that had uncredited input from Robert Hunter, Roger Lapham and Alister MacKenzie.  As with Pinehurst and TPC Sawgrass, that wild, natural look was lost to the ages, but isn't it spectacular?

With all due respect to Andy, I know what I'd like them to do with the golf course....  and I'm pretty sure Coore-Crenshaw would be happy to help them out.

Does anyone remember the name Jim Nelford?  Probably not, I certainly didn't, though I suspect you remember that famous Hale Irwin tee shot on No. 18 that fortuitously hot the only rock in the Pacific Ocean and bounced back into the fairway...  Nelford was the victim, and I highly recommend this Morning Drive interview:

H/T Shack, who also helpfully includes this Pebble highlight reel, including Irwin's shot referenced above.

All good stuff, though the purist in me needs to remind folks that the human chain with Jack Lemmon was at Cypress Point.  Just sayin'....

Scenes From the Vic - Did you catch any of it on Golf Channel?  An Aussie event, actually two simultaneous events...  Mark Clayton pens an ode to this year's version, in which the show ponies apparently fold down the stretch:

Years ago when the Victorian Open’s model was to bring out famous players including

Johnny Miller, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Ben Crenshaw, Curtis Strange and Lee Trevino it became something of a failed crusade to get one of them over the line. 

Miller lost to Geoff Parslow, the local club pro at Yarra Yarra. Palmer was beaten by a four-time champion Guy Wolstenholme and Rodger Davis knocked over Player at Kingston Heath. 

Whether they won of lost didn’t really matter. Their presence was enough to attract the attention of the press and the public and give the tournament prestige. Having Greg Norman play every year didn’t hurt either. 

At 13th Beach this week Canadian star Brooke Henderson called in sick on Monday. Karrie Webb played a brilliant round on Friday then followed it was a depressing 82 to miss the final day cut. Minjee Lee was one shot too many to see any Sunday action.

Geoff Ogilvy, like Webb a US Open champion, made the cut but fumbled his way to a final day 76 and in the end beat only one player home.

What's not to love?  Concurrent men's and women's event, great venues and no ropes....

 John Huggan gave up his day job to loop in the event, but noted the allure of such a venue:

In this ever-more technological age, one where Trackman rather the thinking or imaginative (wo)man rules golf at the highest levels, the game by the seaside remains an art form no amount of science will ever truly master. You want evidence of this immutable fact? I give you the third round of the ISPS Handa Vic Open at 13th Beach.

On a day when the golf provided a little bit of everything, the weather did likewise. And so, in turn, did the Beach Course. Which was no surprise really. The clue is in the title.

The temperature ran all the way from cold to hot and back again. The wind blew in unpredictable gusts that at times made decision-making a lottery at best. As sharp, squally showers made things, at least briefly, all but intolerable, the Aussie summer became a Scottish Autumn. Golf by numbers morphed into golf by numbness.

Ah, but here’s the thing. Through all of the above the course stayed playable. But only for those with the nous to put aside their yardage books, their preconceived notions and, invariably, their sky-high ball-flights. This was links golf at its best, a game for artistes, for virtuosoes, for composers of beautiful, ‘classical’ shots created by imagination and flair, never by mere calculation.

So it was that, amidst some inevitable carnage - scores in the high 70s and low 80s - the opportunity was there for the truly skilful to separate themselves from the pack. 

Although some previous and no doubt practical experience in the prevailing conditions was clearly an advantage, too. Being born British or Irish, for example. Dubliner Paul Dunne - who, as an amateur, led the 2015 Open at St. Andrews with a round to play - is right in contention. And Englishman Callum Shinkwin, who could and should have won the Scottish Open in similar conditions at Dundonald two years ago is another making the most of his upbringing.

Then again, memories can be short sometimes.

It's the best golf on the planet, even though the location makes it unlikely that it was a true links....  yanno, warm weather grasses and such.

The Wrong Direction - For an organization hopelessly out of touch with its membership, this seems to be yet another tone deaf move:

The PGA of America — already planning to move its headquarters from Florida to Frisco — now also plans to open an office in Manhattan. 

The New York City sales office is expected to house between 10 and 12 employees at 27th Street and Park Avenue. The office will spearhead the PGA of America’s corporate sales, sponsorship and media efforts. 

The organization would not disclose the size or exact address of the office as it finalizes the lease. 

“Given the strength of our sales focus, we will have a place that is centrally located,” said Jeff Price, chief commercial officer for the PGA of America. “We’ll keep a sales team there. We will have a strong commercial presence.” 

The PGA of America, which runs the PGA Championship and other high-profile events such as the Ryder Cup in the U.S., the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and the Senior PGA Championship, has been on a sales streak of late with recent new deals with Cadillac, AIG, Michelob Ultra and BMW, which signed on as a worldwide Ryder Cup partner.

Yes they run high profile events, though what exactly they do for their 29,000 dues-paying members remains elusive....  And few of those member sare to be found at 27th St. and Park Avenue South.  Now we should be grateful for the location, it's not top of the line NYC real estate, but they're so status conscious that I suspect the elision of "South" was intentional.

That'll have to suffice for today.... But who knows what gems I'll unearth tomorrow.

Weekend Wrap

You see the method behind my madness?  Why should I wrap the weekend on schedule, when the boys at Pebble didn't?

Phil in Phull - It's quite the thing, though caution is urged in terms of what might happen there in June:

Who won: Phil Mickelson (seven-under 69, 19 under overall) 

How it happened: Mickelson began Sunday’s round in the final pairing, but trailed Paul Casey by three strokes. The 48-year-old wasn’t going to be handed the trophy; he’d have to earn it. Mickelson was bogey-free, catching Casey after a birdie on the 10th and

extending his lead when Casey made bogey on the 12th and 13th. Wild weather from the morning kept the final pairing from finishing, so Casey and Mickelson headed back out to Pebble Monday morning. 

Casey made the three-foot putt that awaited him on the 16th green and both players tossed solid approaches inside of 10 feet on the 17th. Both players missed their birdie tries, though. On to 18, where Mickelson’s three-shot lead was just too much. Lefty took an iron off the tee, reached the green in three. Casey made birdie on 18 but so did Mickelson. 

Why it matters: The win is Mickelson’s 44th in his PGA Tour career, good for ninth-best in history. Remember when he won in Mexico last year and said he’d win 50 times in his career? Well, he’s one step closer to that Toal now.

As you folks might have noticed, there's been a time or twenty in which I've been forced to call BS on our Phil....  But hey, that happens in the best of families.  For instance, late Sunday there was this bit:

As daylight faded above and around the Monterey Peninsula Sunday, Mickelson

quickened his pace of play. 

“We could finish 17, I could tee off on 18,” Mickelson said while lobbying official Mark Russell after completing the 16th hole. “Let’s play 17 and see how it goes. I can see fine.”

Casey wanted to stop play with his ball on the 16th green and conclude in Monday daylight after the greens would be repaired and revived. 

Lefty, who had moved on to No. 17, was not happy when the horn sounded.

Shack had some good fun with Casey's facial reactions as well....But when all is said and done, he goes all Emily Litella on us:

“Paul made the tough call, but it was the right decision in that he protected himself and myself for the competition,” Mickelson said. “So we would have been at a severe disadvantage last night where you can’t see the targets, the greens were pretty rough, and this morning we came out and the greens were much better after they have been mowed.” 

Someone in Mickelson’s camp also might have noted that his group was woefully behind and that if finishing the round Sunday was a priority, perhaps they should have played faster. Even then, the prospect of playing Pebble Beach’s 18th in the dark can be a daunting one in daylight. One drive into the ocean and a dispute over the “point of entry” could easy have ensued.

We all get that the guy that's ahead wants to keep playing, but it's this bit that we'll always treasure:

“Sometimes I just get in my own little bubble and I don’t see the big picture and I just, I wanted to finish, I was playing well, and I just didn’t take all the factors into account,” he said after Monday’s two-hole finish. “So I ended up thanking him this morning for making that tough call because I made it tougher for him, but he did the right thing in protecting both of us.”

Sometimes?

As we've all been taught, the camera adds ten pounds and makes it seem that there's more light.

Jeez, there's enough light to play an emergency nine...

From a John Feinstein profile, see if this isn't just the most Phil story of all time:

He insisted he could see in the dark, just as he insisted he could get out of a Dustin Johnson headlock at the Sunday-night post-Ryder Cup victory party at Hazeltine in 2016. So certain he could do it, he tried fivetimes before he was told by everyone watching to please stop before he got hurt. 

“What can I say?” Mickelson said later. “I really thought I could do it. Still do.” 

Of course he did.

I'd pay $20 to watch THAT on PPV....

One of the amazing things about this guy is that he seems to have found an additional six mph of clubhead speed, something that just doesn't happen.  How?  Well, there is this:

He hit the gym to build up his strength and explosiveness, especially in the offseason. He had a biomechanics study done and looked at the kinematic sequence of his swing to

pinpoint his strengths and weaknesses. He spent hours working on his putting and iron play. 

Further, he hired a nutritionist and is steadfastly adhering to a new diet. Sugar, for instance, is a no-no, and for a man who rarely said no to any dish or a second helping in the past, that takes will power. 

“There are a lot of things that you can do to help your body heal, recover, and get strengthened,” Mickelson said.

Is a life without Twinkies worth living?

This doesn't make the cause any clearer:

“So at the end of last year, even though I played poorly, I had something happen where it seemed like overnight,” Mickelson said on Friday, “it had really been a year in the works, where my driver speed, it shot up 5, 6 miles an hour, which rarely ever happens to anybody, yet alone somebody in their late 40s.”

Most of us are currently experiencing the exact opposite.... But at least here, his analysis is spot-on:

“I think that’s going to lead to some good things,” Mickelson said. “If you’re going to be crooked off the tee, you sure as heck better be long and that’s kind of the way I’m trying to approach it.”

Yes, and Phil will be crooked off the tee, just as the sun will rise in the East.  Though he was less crooked this week, and will likely only contend on those weeks when he's less crooked than normal.

 About that little event in June.... well, they seem to think that 2010 was a model worth repeating:

It should come as no surprise that the course setup formula for the 2010 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links will be replicated almost in its entirety when the 119th national championship returns to the Monterey Peninsula in June. 

First, because it worked so well. Second, because it can be, down to a few blades of grass if so desired. 

A decade after Tiger Woods pummeled the seaside links for a 12-under 272 aggregate score and record 15-stroke victory in 2000, Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell emerged with a one-stroke win over Gregory Havret in the 110th U.S. Open at even-par 284. “That was a week when you had to have control of your golf ball on every shot, no mistakes,” McDowell recalled.

Those top two names won't render 2010 remembered like '72 and '82, though the obvious set-up issue was found in the greens, most notably Nos. 14 and 17.  Four greens have been rebuilt, so perhaps we should adopt a wait-and-see strategy.  After all, when has the USGA ever blown a course set-up?

There is one minor tweak to the fairway lines:

One exception is the fairway at No. 11, an uphill par 4 of 390 yards leading to a shallow green that slopes severely from back to front. Hall says the fairway has been shifted to the left, leaving an easier approach, especially for players who take on the hole with driver. “The fairway direction before left a difficult second shot. You weren’t really rewarded for being in the fairway,” Hall said. 

There are new back tees at the ninth and 13th holes that could be used and four greens were renovated a few years ago at Nos. 9, 13, 14 and 17. The latter is the most dramatic, restoring the look and playability the classic par 3 had going back to Pebble’s first U.S. Open in 1972 when Jack Nicklaus hit the flagstick and nearly aced it with a 1-iron shot in the final round on the way to victory.

Eleven is such a short hole these days that, even in the context of Pebble's tiny greens, it's hard to imagine that the change in angle will amount to much.

The Open is being taken to a venue where this week's hero has won five times, and it's the event he needs to fill out his resume, so naturally folks will be curious about his chances:

2. Phil Mickelson nearly won the Desert Classic last month and now seems on the verge of PGA Tour victory No. 44 at Pebble Beach come Monday. Every year we look for narratives that suggest Phil will finally win a U.S. Open, but c’mon, is there an Open venue that sets up better for Mickelson than Pebble Beach, which will host our national championship come June?

Bamberger: No. The moon is in the seventh house, and Jupiter is aligned with Mars. I think it will be about tee shots more than anything else. It could happen. 

Ritter: Hale Irwin is the oldest U.S. Open champ at 45, but Phil just might be the greatest 48-year-old golfer ever. A Winged Foot Open is on deck for next year, where Phil has a, uh, tortured history. This summer is probably his last best shot at getting it done. 

Shipnuck: If you’re a golf romantic, it has to happen at Pebble, where Phil’s grandfather used to caddie. Pebble now plays so short he can be conservative off the tee and let his terrific iron game carry him. I’m not saying it will happen, but it very well could. 

Zak: I think Shipnuck makes the proper point here. It’s clear this man can still ballstrike it as good as anyone in the world. And putt it really well at times, too. A Pebble Open is exactly that. 

Sens: Pebble in the summer, baked out with the rough high and in fighting spirits, is a much different course than Pebble in the middle of a wet winter, with the field playing lift, clean and drop. It would be a great story. So would Elvis rising from the grave.

I certainly like his chances better at Pebble than Winged Foot, but that's a two-edged sword.  So will he, I'm guessing, and that adds pressure to a week with no shortage thereof....  The fairways played extremely wide this week, because everything plugged in the sopping wet conditions....  It may well come down to how much the wind blows.....

When They Say It's Not About The Money.... - I know, when is it ever not about the money?  Mike Bamberger has a detailed follow-up item on the Kooch-El Tucan and, well Kooch, WTF!

David Giral Ortiz, the diminutive Mexican caddie who goes by El Tucan, said in a recent phone interview that after being paid $5,000 by Matt Kuchar on the Sunday evening after 

the golfer won the Mayakoba Golf Classic on Nov. 11, he has not received any other payment. 

The caddie said he was offered an additional $15,000, for a total of $20,000, but that he found that unacceptable. He also said he would not want to work for Kuchar at next year’s tournament. 

For both player and caddie, the show-me-the-money aftermath of a magical week has been filled with frustration and disappointment. Ortiz feels he was underpaid. Kuchar feels he has made a fair offer to a club caddie who was with him for only one week. That the pay dispute has played out over social media without either party saying much of anything is a sign of the times. 

In a Jan. 24 email Ortiz sent to Mark Steinberg, Kuchar’s agent, the caddie wrote, “I am a humble man, who takes care of his family, and works hard. I am reaching out to you to see if you can facilitate me receiving a fair amount for my help with Matt winning $1,296,000. I am not looking to disparage Matt or give him a bad name. Fair is fair, and I feel like I was taken advantage of by placing my trust in Matt.”

We'll get to Steiny's typically sensitive handling of the matter, but first some interesting details:

A $3,000 weekly payment for a fill-in local caddie would widely be considered generous pay by Tour standards. The sticking point is the size of the bonus. A Tour caddie typically receives five percent of a player’s winnings, a higher percentage for a top-10 finish and 10 percent for a win. These arrangements are usually handshake deals. 

Ortiz said that Kuchar said at the start of the tournament that he would be paid $3,000 for the week, plus an unspecified percentage of his winnings. 

On that basis, in the euphoria of victory, Ortiz had hoped to make as much as $130,000. When Kuchar left Mexico, the caddie said, he was under the impression that he would still receive a bonus. 

By Sunday night of the tournament, Kuchar’s smiling face was sunburned and covered in stubble. He and Ortiz posed for pictures together with the winner’s trophy. Later, Ortiz said the golfer handed him an envelope with his payment in cash in it and said, ”There you go. Thank you. Bye.”

So it would seem that Kooch's first instinct was to give him a massive bonus of $2,000 for his first "W" in four years?  Wow, how do you save anything for your family with such generosity?

El Tucan is playing this in a reasonable, more-from-sadness-than-anger tone, which certainly allows him to stake out the position of being reasonable:

Asked how he felt about the offer to receive what he said would be an additional and final $15,000 payment, Ortiz said, “No thank you. They can keep their money.”

Ortiz said he did not expect to be paid what a Tour caddie would have made, but said he believed his work and contribution toward the win was worth $50,000. The win was Kuchar’s first in more than four years. He has made over $46 million in Tour prize money in his career and is 10th on the career money list. 

Speaking through a translator, Ortiz said, “Matt is a good person and a great player. He treated me very well. I am only disappointed by how it all finished.” 

Shortly after the tournament, Ortiz said he hoped and expected to work for Kuchar when he defends his title this year. Asked recently if he would want to caddie for Kuchar again, Ortiz said, “No thank you. I’m a little bit pissed, a little bit confused.”

Let me just note that Oriz' ask of $50,000 seems to me reasonable, in fact it's the arbitrary number that I came up with when the story first broke.  That said, there are other numbers equally reasonable, and if Kooch had offered him $25,000 I'm not sure there's any basis to be critical.

But I think the story perhaps is even uglier for Kooch than that, because I get the sense that Kooch though that envelope was sufficient bonus, and I'm guessing even the $15,000 wasn't offered until the social media circus pulled into town....

As for Steiny, well he is doing Steiny things:

Ortiz said he wrote to Steinberg because he did not have contact information for Kuchar. He shared with GOLF.com three emails he sent to Steinberg, one on Jan. 24, one on Jan. 29 and one on Feb. 5. He said he has received one email from Steinberg, on Jan. 29, which read, “I am out of the country. What Matt has offered is fair.”

You got that?  He helped Matt win for the first time since the Carter administration, then Matt skips town without giving him even an e-mail address.   Which is worse?  Not paying the man or making him deal with Steiny.... 

To The Riv - Is that a first Talking Head reference here at Unplayable Lies?  I can't imagine that there hasn't been a Life During Wartime reference, but it's not like I've been paying attention.

The Tour Confidentialistas see all of golf through one specific prism:

1. Tiger Woods is back in action at this week’s Genesis Open for his second start of the season. Last year at Riviera Woods shot 72-76 for one of his two missed cuts of the year. Coming off a T20 finish at the Farmers Insurance Open last month, will Woods’s week at the Genesis be better, or worse, than his T20 at Torrey Pines? 

Michael Bamberger: I know he’s masterful at putting things in compartments, but it’s a lot, to play a difficult course where you have never won while serving as host, and I don’t think the weather will favor him. Playing four rounds would be an achievement.

Jeff Ritter: I’m bullish on Tiger for the season, but I’m with Bamberger on this one. A healthy Woods could contend anywhere, but his history at Riv isn’t strong. This is a ramp-up week for Florida. 

Alan Shipnuck: I think he’ll contend. He’s refreshed and rested and watching Phil play so well has to get him fired up. 

Sean Zak: Tiger’s T20 required a helluva Sunday charge through the backdoor. I don’t think that happens at Riviera. Something a touch worse could be in store or — gasp — a missed cut! 

Josh Sens: Riviera has never been kind to Tiger. His game is in much better shape this year than it was last year at this time so I expect him to make the cut. But if we see much of him late Sunday, I’ll be very surprised.

Mark me down for a trunk-slammer....  While the reasons remain unclear, this golf course has been living rent-free in Tiger's brain.  Also, it should be very soft, resulting in a shootout....  which I don't think plays to his strengths.

Shack is our go-to source this week, having written the book about the club as well as it's designer, George Thomas.  At Golfweek, Geoff tells us a slow-play story from the intital playing of this event at Riviera:

When the Los Angeles Open — now known as the Genesis Open — was first played at Riviera Country Club 90 years ago, the game’s top professional took a similar stand. Minus references to private parts. 

Macdonald Smith (who won), der Bingle and The Haig.

Walter Hagen was not having a great L.A. Open week after opening with a 77. The reigning Champion Golfer of the Year was announced on the first tee by actress Fay Ward as “the Opium Champion of Great Britain” and was paired with Tommy Armour during the third round of that 1929 L.A. Open, the first at Riviera. 

Back then, groupings were notoriety-driven, so The Haig and the Silver Scot were the main draws and put together for Saturday’s round. Armour infamously set up shop over his shots after he triple-bogeyed the first hole and watched a lead slip away. Hagen was out of contention when organizers planned to put him with Armour for Sunday’s final round. 

Knowing January days were short and not wanting to suffer another day with Armour, Hagen threatened to withdraw before suffering through another 18 with the Silver Scot. Organizers caved.

Some thing never change, though it's not often that the Scot is the slowpoke....Shack also had this image of the program from that inaugural event:

Thanks, Gil.

For those that want to let their architectural freak show, this post is for you, first with some perspective on the venue:

A few things to remember about Riviera when it hosted its first Los Angeles Open 90 years ago. 

—The course was in the “countryside” and a bit of a gamble as a location so far from the city center downtown. 

—Riviera was just a year-and-half old with a reputation for extreme difficulty (“Where do the members play?”-Bobby Jones).

—The course underwent modifications prior to the tournament by George Thomas and Billy Bell despite concerns about the difficulty.

THE 10TH HOLE AS BUNKERS ARE ADDED AROUND THE GREEN IN 1928. THE LEFT “LAY-UP” BUNKER HAD ALSO BEEN RECENTLY INSTALLED. THE TWO FOREGROUND BUNKERS AND FAR RIGHT BUNKER WERE PART OF THE ORIGINAL DESIGN.

The changes in the bunkering are interesting, though his comments on how it plays for the modern pro might be of more pressing concern:

That decision proved a brilliant one, though as the bunkers have become deeper, the green smaller and more pitched with modern speeds pushing 13, the 10th has teetered on the edge of silliness.

Playing now as a long par-3 due to modern driving distances, some of the lay-up strategy is gone as well and silly bottlebrush bushes are needed to defend the hole from even more tee shots driving near the green without regard for accuracy.

Rain this year may take some of the fire out of the 10th green, and that’s not all bad given how it has teetered on the edge of sanity in recent playings. Regardless, the changes made 90 years ago have held up well and are a credit to the original architect’s willingness to make adjustments. And, contrary to an attempted scam designed to reduce the role of Thomas and Bell, the changes were very much made by the original designers as documented at the time.

Shack's got some archival press accounts that you'll enjoy, as well as this great old photo from behind the tenth:

:

Great stuff.  

Care to talk pairings?  Don't worry, i won't keep you long....  This repeat grouping shows a lack of originality:

Tiger Woods – Rory McIlroy – Justin Thomas

NOTABLE: Woods (2), McIlroy (1) and Thomas (1) have four FedExCup titles among them.

The Genesis Open is the lone PGA TOUR event where Woods has made 10 or more starts without producing a victory.

With 80 career PGA TOUR wins, Woods is two shy of Sam Snead’s all-time wins record of 82.

McIlroy, the 2016 FedExCup champion, enters the week with top-5 finishes in each of his last two starts on TOUR (T4/Sentry Tournament of Champions, T5/Farmers Insurance Open).

The 2017 FedExCup champion, Thomas has three top-5 finishes in six starts in 2018-19. He is making his fifth start at Riviera Country Club and is coming off his best result, a tie for ninth in 2018.

Wow, four FedEx Cups?  I know that's the Tour's preferred measure of accomplishment, but nineteen majors seems more on point.

But this is the grouping I'd watch:

Cameron Champ – Dustin Johnson – Bubba Watson

NOTABLE: Watson and Johnson have combined for four of the last five wins at the Genesis Open.

Champ, who leads the TOUR in Driving Distance (318.6 yards) and won the Sanderson Farms Championship in October, played the 2018 Genesis Open as the recipient of the tournament’s Charlie Sifford Memorial Exemption.

Including his victory in 2017, Johnson has seven top-10s in 11 starts at the Genesis Open.

A three-time winner and defending champion of the Genesis Open, Watson looks to join Lloyd Mangrum and MacDonald Smith as four-time winners of the event.

How embarrassing to be the short hitter in this pairing... Fortunately, there isn't one.

See you tomorrow.