Let the predictions rain down like a monsoon! You name it, the odds makers are doing their thing and the “arm chair quarterbacks” are doing theirs! Today is a the craziest day of the Masters for just one thing…..predicting the champion. Of course, I do not want to left out of the fun so I am ready to jump on the roller coaster ride and let everyone know who (or at least who I think) will be all smiles as they don the green jacket! Continue reading
Rory McIlory
Hole-In-One! Golf’s Biggest Prize
The biggest prize for any amateur is a hole-in-one! It is that one perfect swing where all your thoughts, actions, and intentions converge to produce something great. Every golfer dreams of hitting an hole-in-one; for some it is a matter of time; for others a stroke of genius!
Over the years, the PGA has produced a rash of these super strokes and I thought I would share them on this wonderful day! So hang and enjoy the action!
Dustin Johnson at the World Golf Championships – Cadillac Championship
J.B. Holmes matching Johnson’s amazing shot!
Francesco Molinari’s hole-in-one on No. 16 at Waste Management
Rory McIlroy’s hole-in-one in Abu Dhabi.
Richard Green Hole in One Albatross at Oates Vic Open Pro-Am
The top 10 aces on the PGA Tour up to 2011
These were all amazing shots. They are elusive and would be considered the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. I have had 3 perfect swings over the years and try to hit number 4 every time I loop the course! The article by Golfsmith on the chances of a hole-in-one is quite interesting. They state: “Golf Digest and the National Hole In One Association estimate that a tee shot hit by an amateur golfer on a par-3 goes into the hole one out of every 12,750 times.” Although the changes of making that perfect stroke appears high, it can happen to anyone and anytime!
The exciting aspect of any hole-in-one is that no matter who makes it, everyone is excited! Are you still chasing your first hole-in-one?
I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!
The Race to Dubai
Rory McIlroy – 2012 DP World Tour champion and Race to Dubai Number One (Getty Images)
The Race to Dubai is over. A la Vijay Singh in the 2008 FedEx Cup playoffs, Rory McIlroy has earned enough points to be championed winner before the race is officially over. Moreover, McIlroy must wait one more tournament, the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, before he can raise another championship trophy over his head.
The Race to Dubai winner receives The Harry Vardon Trophy (first awarded in 1937), and a seven year European Tour Card exemption. The winner of The Race to Dubai will secure Category 1 Membership of The European Tour similar to the winners of The Open Championship, the US Open, the US PGA Championship and the Masters Tournament. (European Tour)
Winning the Race to Dubai for the second time in three years, 26 year-old Rory McIlroy continues to demonstrate that he is the best player in the world. There are those professionals who test McIlroy’s great play, however none have demonstrated the ability to challenge him week in and week out! At this time, McIlroy overshadows all professional golfers.
Congrats to Rory McIlroy on another great win! I guess the real question is what is next for the young phenom! Will he have another year of winning two Majors? Is a Grand Slam is his future? Perhaps a career grand slam? Another player of the year?
It is very difficult to determine what is in store for young McIlroy. There is little question that the experts will be talking about a golfing dynasty, challenging Jack and Tiger as the all-time best, or shattering record after record! I would suggest that it is a bit early for that. Rory McIlroy is a great player, maybe one of the best, however longevity is every professional golfers nemesis. It is prudent to celebrate his current successes, but also prudent to talk about his future with cautious optimism.
Players such as Harry Vardon, Sam Snead, Bobby Jones, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson were the young stars of their day. What turned them into superstars was longevity! They had (have) long distinguished careers that stood (stand) the test of time. So before we buy tickets to his coronation, lets see what 2015 and perhaps 2016 are in store the best player in the world.
Rory McIlroy is a great player. I do congratulate him on winning the 2014 Race to Dubai. I also look forward to watching him play for many years to come!
I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!
TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola
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 1st, 2nd and 5th, 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!
PGA Championship – Moving Day!
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 Grateful Golfer 