Jason Day

What a Day at the BMW Championship

/ The Grateful Golfer / 2 Comments

Congratulations to Jason Day for winning the BWM Championship! The hottest golfer on the planet has succeeded in winning another event of the FedExCup Playoffs. With 4 wins (including his first Major) in his last 6 events, Jason Day is apparently unstoppable and as a result has built an insurmountable lead heading into the Tour Championship next week.

Day’s booming drives, chip-ins, and a sizzling hot putter are just a few tricks he has up his sleeve. His calm and steady demeanour continues to wilt his opponents like a super power! Likely taking over as the world’s top ranked golfer, Jason Day is the new darling of golf! Getting lava hot at the right time, Day is on his way to a big payday in just over a week!

Rickie Fowler, Bubba Watson, and Henrik Stenson tried to catch Day on the third leg of the playoffs, but they could only watch with dismay as the Australian extended his lead over a world-class field. Unfortunately for Fowler, Watson, and Stenson the race for being the 2015 FedExCup Champion is over. Nobody is catching the red-hot Day!

Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth had mediocre to poor runs during the FedExCup playoffs. Regardless of the reason, they could not sustain their outstanding play from early in the year. There hot and cold nature is indicative of professional golf in 2015 and is not likely to change anytime soon! The young players in professional golf hungry, competition fierce and they all want their chance at top golfer.

We could discuss the merits of the FedExCup playoff format, but that would cheapen Jason Day’s performance of the past 6 events. Jason Day has crushed his opponents lately and it seems that he will not stop anytime soon. However, if history repeats itself, he will soon need a break because the hectic schedule and pressure of competing week in and week out does take its toll. But for now, Jason Day is on top of professional golf and all fans look forward to seeing him at the Tour Championship in East Lake GC,  Atlanta, GA next weekend.

Ko and Spieth Against the World – Part 2

/ The Grateful Golfer / 5 Comments

Nearly 2 years ago, I wrote an article predicting that Lydia Ko and Jordan Spieth would take the golfing world by storm in very short order. The real point of the article was to point out how quickly top ranked players can fall from grace. Currently, Ko and Spieth are ranked number 2 in the world in their respective tours and both seem poised to return to the top position.

Congratulations to Lydia Ko on winning her first Major. Setting the record for the youngest woman to win a Major, the sky is the limit for this young phenom. For three years she has enjoyed the rollercoaster ride of professional sports, yet still seems grounded and focused on be the best she can be!

Jordan Spieth has experienced more success since 2013. At 21, he appears to be unstoppable sometimes and a mere mortal others. His media exposure and pressure to perform is greater than Ko’s and he too is handling his world ranking extremely well. With the BMW Championship on the horizon, all eyes will be on Spieth to see if he can play his way out of his current funk.

The fall from grace happens just as quickly. During Ko and Spieth’s rise to the top, players such as Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson slide down the world rankings. Although Woods and Mickelson still have star power, their game does not seem sharp enough to compete regularly with the young lions.

Rory McIlroy took a few body blows in 2013 because of his poor play, but rebounded well in 2014/2015 until his unfortunate injury. The media reports were mixed and it will interesting to see if he can keep his number one ranking with Spieth and Jason Day on his heels.

Ko and Spieth have taken on the golfing world. For now, they are the players to beat! Being so young, the question is how long they can sustain their current prowess! The constant pressure to perform eventually will take its toll on these young superstars. The real question is how long will it be before the media discards these players for someone better!

I am a grateful golfer.

Stop The Madness! Golf’s Top Golfer

/ The Grateful Golfer / 8 Comments

Lost and Confused SignpostIt never ceases to amaze me on how quickly the media changes it spots. The golfing world is a buzz about the recent play of Jason Day, Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy! The Barclay’s seems to have turn the golfing world upside down, at least to the media, and the number one player in the world is, well, playing second fiddle.

Personally, I do not pay much attention to the world golfing rankings because I believe it is a flawed system that allows player’s past performance from two years ago to weather months of bad play and remain at the top of the golfing world. But, the recent musings of the media have prompted my current article because it is utter madness!

Jason Day’s play of late has been spectacular. Anytime a player wins back to back is something to be lauded. He is a force to be contended with and I wish him continued success. However, a four weeks of outstanding play does not really vault him to the top of the golfing world! If he continues to perform at his current level, discussions about being the best might be warranted, but it is way to soon to tell.

The flip-flop as the world’s number one ranked golfer between Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth is definitely spot on. Before I go on, I do not support Jordan Spieth losing his number one status when McIlroy did not play in the Barclay’s…I am just saying. Anyway, back on track. At this time, Rory and Jordan are the two best golfers in the world. They continue to share the spotlight and will likely jockey back and forth as the best for quite some time.

However, I want to be clear that I believe Jordan Spieth is the best golfer in the world right now. In 2015, he has two wins, a 2nd and a 4th place finishes in the Majors. He record this year is 4 wins, 4 second, 1 third and 14 top ten finishes in 22 events. Because he missed the cut at the Barclay’s does not mean he is any less a player!

Rory McIlroy and Jason Day had comparable seasons, but the 2 Majors are just to hard to discount! Many might disagree with my assessment, but Spieth is just too dominant.

This weekend should be interesting. All three giants are in the field and it will be interesting to see how they react. With Day, Spieth and Watson in the same pairing, this group will garner most of the attention for the first two days. This might work well in McIlroy’s favour, but only time will tell.

Well that is my diatribe on the media hype over the past week. What do you think? Am I crazy?

 

Professional Golf Winners

/ The Grateful Golfer / 4 Comments

 

PGA TOURI am calling it early! Congratulations to Jason Day on his first Major! His win at the PGA Championship solidifies that day is an élite player and a force that cannot be ignored! His play was rock solid and the fact he was chased by Jordan Spieth only solidifies his place in history. Congratulations Jason.

Additionally, congratulations to Brooke M. Henderson. The young Canadian phenom who crushed the field at the Cambia Portland Classic, Portland, Oregon. At 17 years of age, this win will all but ensure Henderson will earn her card for the LPGA tour in 2016. Congratulations Brooke!

LPGAThe future of golf is bright! The multitude of young players on both tours is amazing. Golf is entering into a new era that will see players dominate, but only for a short time! The feeder tours are growing in strength and the road to the big leagues is challenging and exciting! If you have not had the opportunity to watch these mini tours, I suggest it is worth your while to make a day of it.

Congratulations to Jason Day and Brooke M. Henderson on their wins this weekend!

I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!

My 2015 Masters Picks

/ The Grateful Golfer / 9 Comments

mastersMaster week is finally here! We have been waiting for this for moment and without any further adieu, it is time to reveal my picks for this year’s Masters. The field is very strong and the young guns are peaking at the right time, however so are the wily veterans!

Selecting a top 5 and a dark horse is no easy feat. Everyone has their own selection criteria and expects that they have the answer. I am no different. I do look at their current stats, performances at last year’s Majors, and their focus leading up to the Masters. All of these, plus a few other secrets, helps with my predictions. The following picks are from an article I wrote for PunditArena.com. Here we go:

Top 5 Players

Top 5 Players

Phil Mickelson. Lefty is an aging veteran who has struggled of late. However, his early performance at the Shell Huston Open could not have come at a better time. His short game has returned and his putting was solid. Additionally, Mickelson worked hard on fitness, he is mentally prepared, he knows how to handle Masters’ like pressure, and if “Phil the Thrill” shows up, anything can happen.

Jimmy Walker. His play over the past two years has eclipsed everyone. He knows how to win and handle the pressure of a Sunday afternoon. His short game is solid and his consistency is top-notch. Walker’s recent wins at The Sony Open and The Valero Texas Open must be taken into account. Although he has not won a Major, yet, he is number one in the FEDEXCUP ranks and is the most consistent golfer on tour. He is definitely a viable candidate to win the green jacket.

Jason Day. Fighting an injury for most of 2014, Jason Day is a forgotten player. His win at the Farmers Insurance Open in February shows he is back to form. Finishing 2nd and 3rd in previous Masters, Day knows how to play Augusta National. He did not play in the Shell Huston Open and I think taking 2 weeks off will give him time to rest and prepare for the crazy week ahead. Although he may be considered a long-shot by many, he has the game to win. A strong start is very important; gaining confidence early will make him tough to beat.

Jordan Spieth. This young superstar has done everything but win a Major. Although he has only 2 wins in 66 professional events, Spieth is always in the mix. He has the game to win, except he is light on experience. His heart-breaking loss to Bubba Watson last year at The Masters was a lesson he will not soon forget. Spieth is the whole package, he is playing exceptionally well of late, and his chances of claiming his first Major are very good.

Rory McIlroy. Given McIlroy’s not played to everyone’s expectations this year and he is not as obvious a choice as some would suggest. He is the number one golfer in the world, hits the ball a country mile, has the green side touch of a surgeon, and is hunger to complete his career grand slam. He has taken three weeks off competitive golf to work on his game. He stated that he wanted to be mentally and physically ready for the gruelling Masters week. Although is play to date is spotty at best, he will be ready at the first tee on Thursday!

Dark Horse

Matt Kuchar. Kuchar is always around because of his great all-round game. Some consider him mister consistency; however I disagree with that statement. I would assess Kuchar as a streaky player. It is now time for him to step up to claim his first Major! Kuchar performance in the past 3 Masters is exceptional. If he gets hot this weekend, I am not sure anyone will be able to stop him. He is a fan favourite and is due for something spectacular to happen.

So there you have it, my top 5 pics and my dark horse. All of these, plus many more, make great candidates to win the green jacket this year. However, there is only one who will rise to the top.

This year, I pick Rory McIlroy. I selected him back in October as the man to beat and I stick to that prediction.

I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!