TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola

September 10, 2014 / The Grateful Golfer / 3 Comments

It is finally here! The TOUR Championship will start at 1145 am at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, Georgia. The prize money is a paltry 8 million dollars and the winners take is 1.4 million dollars. Not a bad payday for four days of pressure packed golf. The top 30 players in the FedEx Cup standings will slug it out for the 10 million dollar grand prize as the FedExCup Champion. The four-week grind has taken its toll on some of the players, but it all comes to an end on Sunday.

If at the beginning of the year, you were asked to pick the top six players heading into the Tour Championship, there is little doubt it would not be similar to the current standings.

Chris Kirk
Billy Horschel
Bubba Watson
Rory McIlroy
Hunter Mahan
Jimmy Walker

Except for Rory McIlroy and maybe Bubba Watson, the rest of the players would not be leading contenders heading into this weekend’s tournament. I would consider the three different winners over the past three tournaments as journeymen players. Only Rory McIlroy and Bubba Watson are Major winners in 2014. So, the question that needs asking is: Are the points during the season really worth anything? Is it time for an new format? If the winners of the last three tournaments can vault to 1^st, 2^nd and 5^th, maybe the hype of the FedExCup standings is a bit over-rated.

On a side note, Dustin Johnson is ranked number 30 in the FedExCup standings and cannot play in the tournament. Personally, he should have been removed from contention when he took a leave of absence and let Stuart Appleby play. It does not make sense that Johnson is still on the list….or am I missing something?

There is no doubt that this weekend’s tournament will provide some exciting golf. The pressure of playing in this weekend’s tournament will take its toll on many players. Unfortunately, many of the journeyman players will have difficulty shooting four solid rounds of golf in a row and it will cost them the title.

The players to watch this weekend are the usual favourites. If you ask 100 golf analysts, Rory McIlroy will be the player to beat. Why not, he is the world’s number one golfer; he has a steady game; and he handles pressure very well. Added to the mix of players to watch are Bubba Watson, Jim Furyk, Adam Scott, and Matt Kuchar. They are steady and always have the potential to score low over four rounds of golf.

Rickie Fowler – The Grateful Golfer’s pick as TOUR Championship and FedExCup winner for 2014

However, none of those mentioned above are my pick for the Tour Championship. This week Rickie Fowler will step out from the shadows and into the light of great golfers. He is going to win this tournament and will play head to head with Sergio Garcia on the final day! Both of these players are poised and ready to raise the Tour Championship Trophy over their heads! Fowler has played the most consistent golf in the Majors (except for McIlroy) this year. And it is time for him to shine.

Most years, the TOUR Championship is the end of the golfing season for most professionals. However, the Ryder Cup is only two weeks away. So for some of these players, the TOUR Championship is just a warm up for the greatest head-to-head golf championship going, the Ryder Cup. However, before they get to all the fun at Gleneagles, they must focus on the tournament on hand.

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

2014 PGA Champship – Final Round

August 10, 2014 / The Grateful Golfer / 6 Comments

Rory McIlroy wins the 2014 PGA Championship and raises the Wanamaker Trophy!

What a fantastic finish to the 2014 PGA Championship! The back and forth battle between Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler, Phil Mickelson and Henrik Stenson was the best in years. There have been memorable head to head matches in professional golf, but none that included four players that lasted 18 holes! It was amazing to watch these remarkable professionals deliver knock out punch after knock out punch to no avail.

Rory McIlroy started slowly, but true to form, he clawed his way back to win his fourth Major. There is little question that the number one player in the world earned the right to raise the Wanamaker Trophy in victory. There will be many outstanding highlights about this years PGA Championship, but one point that many not be highlighted is McIlroy’s mental toughness throughout the entire round!

He watched Mickelson and Fowler make putt after putt. He watched them make amazing approach shots, scramble for par from the wrong fairway and avoid the hazards like they did not exist. All the while, McIlroy responded with eagles, birdies, scramble pars and being waved up from the tee on the 18th hole because of darkness. His slow start did not deter him, but highlighted his strong mental game.

All of 2013 and the beginning of 2014, many pundits questioned his dedication to his chosen profession. They questioned his mental toughness and ability to stay an élite player on the PGA Tour. McIlroy’s play over the past two Majors should quiet all the nay-sayers! Having won three tournaments in a row and claiming the world number one ranking, what is next for this 26-year old phenom? Oh yeah, the Ryder Cup in September!

As the anchor for the European Team, Rory McIlroy will once again prove he is the best golfer in the world….but, for now,that can wait. It is time to celebrate today’s win and relish his victory.

I am grateful to Phil Mickelson, Rickie Fowler, Henrik Stenson and Rory McIlroy for an outstanding exhibition of how golf is supposed to be played.

Congratulations to Rory McIlroy, the 2014 PGA Championship winner!

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

PGA Championship – Moving Day!

August 9, 2014 / The Grateful Golfer / 6 Comments

The PGA Championship Trophy – Wanamaker Trophy

Day three of the PGA Championship is in the books. Rory McIlroy is leading with Rickie Fowler, Phil Mickelson and Jason Day in hot pursuit. Sandwiched between these favorites is an Austrian, Bernd Wiesberger. A virtual unknown on the PGA Tour; he has only played in 7 events in the past four years and has missed the cut 4 times. Considered a journeyman on the European Tour, Wiesberger is defying all odds and will play with McIlroy in the last group tomorrow.

Except for Wiesberger, everything is playing out as scripted in this year’s PGA Championship. McIlroy is leading and being chased by two young lions and a wily veteran. With 11 players within 5 strokes of the leader, Sunday is shaping up to be the best finish of any Major in 2014. It is fitting that the last Major of the year be hotly contested by golf’s leading players.

An interesting fact about the 12 players at the top of the leaderboard is that nine different countries are represented. The diverse nature of the players is another strong indication that the US dominance in golf may be over! A particular favorite of mine is Graham DeLaet. The sole representative from Canada, he is considered to be one of the next great players because of his smooth swing and consistent play.

Moving day did not provide too many surprises at the top of the leaderboard. Except for Bernd Wiesberger and Jamie Donaldson, most players only moved up a couple of positions. The real movers of the day were players like Hunter Mahan (up 25 positions), Sergio Garcia (up 30 positions) and Adam Scott (up 13 positions). Unfortunately for these players, it is just a little too late. They are too many strokes behind to make a run for the Wanamaker Trophy, but they are fun to watch.

So far, my prediction of Rory McIlroy finishing first, Rickie Fowler finishing second and Sergio Garcia as my dark-horse, is not looking too bad. On Sunday, expect Fowler and Mickelson to start strong early and put pressure on McIlroy down the stretch. However, it will not be enough. McIlroy is playing his best golf in 2 years and will not falter. When all the dust settles on Sunday afternoon, Rory McIlroy will raise the Wanamaker Trophy over his head. As a two-time Major winner, he is a shoe-in for PGA Player of the Year!

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

The PGA Championship!

August 6, 2014 / The Grateful Golfer / 11 Comments

PGA Championship – Wanamaker Trophy

Tomorrow is the last Major of 2014. I have predicted Rory McIlroy to win this event several times and I wrote more about it at Pundit Arena just yesterday. The PGA Championship, played at the Valhalla Golf Club, will test the mental and physical stamina of all the players. At this time, Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler, Justin Rose, Matt Kuchar and Bubba Watson are the leading candidates to win the Wanamaker Trophy. However, it is important not to discount Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk, Adam Scott or Sergio Garcia. Tomorrow’s start will decide who will be set up to play in the last group on Sunday.

From the names above, there is one name missing; you guessed it, Tiger Woods. After leaving the WGC – Bridgestone in the last round via golf cart, barely getting into his SUV and having difficulty walking up the stairs of his private jet, it is highly unlikely that Tiger Woods will be a player in this weekend’s Major. There is no question he is mentally willing to play, however it is unclear if he will be able to.

Tiger Woods requested a registration exemption earlier in the week and was granted this request. Arriving at Valhalla Golf Club today, Woods stated he was ready to play and plans to win! In typical Tiger Woods fashion, he put all other players on notice:

“That’s the only thing I can control,” Woods said. “Try to go out there and win this event. That’s all I’m focused on. … I played all right. Nothing great. It’s only Wednesday – I want my good stuff to start tomorrow. I felt pretty good about how I played and the shots I hit.” (USA Today)

It is impossible to begrudge Woods the opportunity to play and everyone wishes him well. Unfortunately, the way the rest of the field is playing it is unlikely he will be a factor on Sunday. For any player to win a Major, they would have to be at their best and Tiger Woods is far from being at his best. As the players hit the links at 7:30 am tomorrow morning, all the questions will be answered and Woods will put on his game face preparing to do battle with the rest of the field. No matter what happens, I do wish him luck!

Another player to watch tomorrow is Rickie Fowler. Fowler has finished in the top 5 in the previous Majors of 2014. His game is strong, honed, and ready to make a run at winning his first Major. To his chagrin, he will face Rory McIlroy (who is also playing his best golf in years). Paired with Victor Dubuisson and Ernie Els, Fowler will be able to feed off the excitement of Dubuisson’s play, yet watch “The Big Easy” calmly navigate his way around Valhalla. Rickie Fowler is quickly maturing into a weekly contender and this weekend should be no different.

My dark-horse for the PGA Championship is Sergio Garcia! Ranked third in the world, Garcia is still considered my dark-horse pick for several reasons. First, he experienced a difficult loss to McIlroy last weekend in the WGC – Bridgestone (shooting 1 over on the last day). His mental toughness in the Majors is suspect and the expectation to win his first Major is growing. However, being paired with Steve Stricker and Tom Watson is a blessing. Both of these players are calm, mature, and complete gentlemen. Garcia could not ask for a better group to start the first two days of the PGA Championship. If Garcia starts strong, he just might be able to repay Rory McIlroy for last weekend.

The PGA Championship will be very exciting! As with every Major, the first two days will set the scene for the weekend. However, moving day (Saturday) will determine who has the mental toughness to raise the Wanamaker Trophy above their heads on Sunday!

Who is your favourite? Dark-horse?

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

The US Open Final Round

June 14, 2014 / The Grateful Golfer / Leave a comment

The final day of the 114th US Open is upon us! The varying scores were as expected, however the leaderboard…not so much. There are very few pundits who would have bet on a Martin Kaymer and Rickie Fowler final paring at Pinehurst #2. The media frenzy surrounding the usual Championship favorites quickly fell to the wayside with a pair of 65s by Kaymer after the first two rounds. As like the earlier part of 2014, the US Open is nothing like anyone expected.

If we were to poll 1000 avid golfers, asked them to think outside the box, none would have predicted the current top three players of Martin Kaymer, Rickie Fowler, and Erik Compton! We have heard of the top two, but nothing about Compton.

Erik Compton is currently ranked 189th in the world and 89th on the FedEx standings, he is considered a journeyman player who for the past 5 years has worked his way up from the Canadian PGA Tour to the WEB.com Tour to the PGA Tour. He has not won a tournament to date, but has earned enough to keep his card. Before you pass judgement, there is more to Mr. Compton than meets the eye!

Recently, Erik Compton was honored with the 2013 PGA TOUR Courage Award by the Player Director’s Panel and PGA TOUR Commissioner. The PGA TOUR Courage Award is a new acknowledgment this year. Previously known as the Comeback Player of the Year Award, which has not been awarded since 2010, it is now aimed to honor a player who has overcome adversity. “We made it for someone who has overcome severe adversity, away from someone that is coming back from something that wasn’t career threatening.” He is a young guy, but has not really made a name for himself, until today!

The last round of the 114th US Open should be very exciting. What I find extremely interesting about this Major is it parallels the 2014 season to date. Many young players are playing their way to the top, if only for a little while, as the aging veterans are slowly losing ground. I had discussed this earlier this year and thought that the old lions would defend their territory, but it seems that the changing of the guard may be happening sooner than I thought.

With Tiger Woods is out indefinitely; with him gone who will be the standard-bearer for the PGA? It may be time for the PGA Tour to embrace the shift of a total tour concept instead of a one-on-one competition they have ridden for years to generate hype! I am not sure if the current shift is good for the economic side of the tour, but I believe the changes are for the good of the game!

What do you think? I am a grateful golfer. See you on the links!