This is my comfort zone.
I understand the insistence on not competing with football, college or pro, for sporting eyeballs.
It’s a losing battle for golf.
Oh wait…there used to be one.
Yes, I think I preferred the PGA Championship in August.
The average winning score of the PGA Championship over the last five editions is 273.4.
If par’s more your thing, it’s -8.2.
The average winning score of the U.S. Open over the last five editions is 273.4.
If par’s more your thing, it’s -8.2.
Both tournaments rotate around big-time American venues, and they happen just four weeks apart from each other.
So there are three majors in America before the final one of the year moves across the pond.
Still, they happened.
Is this thesis bathed in personal bias?
You’re damn right it is.
I don’t want major championship golf to be over in less than a month.
I don’t disagree.
Again, putting a weekend sports product against football is a fool’s errand.
Namely, to spread it out.
It’s not the easiest task in the world.
Still, there has to be a better way.
The women just completed their second major of a five-major schedule this past week.
They’re 40% done.
The men are 75% done.
A bit of context before we start: the last Ryder Cup wasn’t very competitive.
Over to Team Europe…there is desire for an overhaul after the shellacking at Whistling Straits.
He won’t have to choose to move on from that core; the decision is made for him.
The U.S. points system counts only PGA Tour events and major championships.
Without further ado, then, let’s dive in.
His win at the Memorial was the biggest title of his career and, at world No.
5, he’s a shoe-in.
Matt Fitzpatrick Last year’s U.S. Open champion is having a good-not-amazing year.
15 in the world and No.
3 on the PGA Tour in strokes gained overall for the week.
At 36, he’s a nice blend of experience while still being in his prime.
The more I write this, the more I think it’s a shoe-in.
Justin Rose Returned to the winner’s circle at this year’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
unless he proves something big in the next few months.
37 in the current world rankings.
He’d need a really strong finish to the year to have a realistic chance.
Both guys would need to get hot, quickly, but they’re both already hot.
That includes nine elevated events and three major championships.
The guy is a machine, and it was at Whistling Straits that he beat then-world No.
1 Jon Rahm and gave the world a preview of what he’s capable of.
The lock of all locks.
Wyndham Clark The U.S. Open champion also won a designated event, and he’s flying high at No.
2 in the points standings.
4 player in the world.
Jordan Spieth A locker room leader for this group and a staple on U.S. national teams of recent vintage.
He’s been on each of the last three U.S. national teams, all three of which have won.
He makes a ton of birdies and is such an easygoing personality that he can play with anyone.
Almost Certainly (3)
Brooks Koepka Three majors down and he’s still No.
3 in the points standings, a remarkable achievement considering he only gets points from the major championships.
Finished T2 in the Masters and won the PGA Championship, so that’ll do it.
It’s if Koepka doesn’t make it on points that things will get very interesting.
Max Homa Everyone loves him, and he played at a top-5 level from January through the Masters.
(His words, not mine).
20 in the world.
As of now, he’s earned his way.
Rickie Fowler He’s super back.
Promptly bounced back the following week at the Travelers with a 60, the lowest round of his career.
He’s an integral member of the core and is friends with essentially everyone.
Cameron Young I’d have put him as a shoe-in at the beginning of the year.
He has exactly one top-10 finish in stroke play starts this season and that was a T10.
But he’s fighting an uphill battle.
It hasn’t been quite as consistent as his 2021 season, however.
Note: Will Zalatoris' injury will likely keep him from competing.
Stephanie Meadow in a cold, hard top on the 72nd hole needing an eagle to tie the lead.
Nelly Korda badly missed the cut in her first start after returning from a monthlong injury absence.
on Sunday for a one shot victory over Joe Durant in the Dick Sporting Goods Open.
What a guy, what a player.
Happy Gilmore is headed to Ball State.
LIV Golf heads to Valderrama this week for its event in Spain.
It’s probalby the finest venue they’ve played in their existence.
It’ll be interesting to see the vibes/press conferences at the first post-merger LIV event.
Until next week,
Dan
