Tom Watson

The Masters Update

/ The Grateful Golfer / 2 Comments
The Masters

‘A tradition unlike any other’ shirt sold at Augusta. (CBS Sports)

The Masters is two days away! Tomorrow is the par 3 tournament, then let the games begin. The Masters is my favorite Major and over the past few weeks, we have discussed how players qualify, who we picked to be champion, and other aspects of fantastic golf tournament.

Main stream media has most of the news covered at nauseum, so I plan to stay away from most of those topics. As The Masters approaches, there are some news articles that caught my attention. These noteworthy stories are worth repeating because through all the crazy media hype, I do not want any of these great stories to slip by. Continue reading →

Thank You Mr. Watson – Day 2 at The Open Championship!

/ The Grateful Golfer / 6 Comments

Thank you Mr. Watson! Tom Watson has played The Open Championship for the last time. The 8-time Major Champion, 5 of those at The Open, missed the cut and crossed the Swilcan Bridge, as professional golfer, for the last time. Tom Watson thrilled golfing fans for 44 years by challenging the greats like Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer always believed that had the game to win!

With 71 professional wins, Watson is a proven champion. Tied for 11th overall with 39 PGA Tour wins, Watson has won with class every step of the way. Through all his success, he demonstrated that winning on the links can be transferred to winning in life. The four charities he supports, one for over 25 years, has benefitted from his tremendous leadership and I am confident he will continue after he leaves professional golf.

Normally, former champions are exempt to play in The Open Championship until they are 60, however, the R&A created a new exemption after Watson was runner-up at Turnberry in 2009 when he was 59 and lost in a playoff to Stewart Cink. Past champions who finish in the top 10 are exempt for five years. Tom Watson demonstrated it is possible to play golf well into the latter stages of our lives! How inspiring is that!

Today was an emotional day for Mr. Watson. He knew after the front-nine that his time was short, but he walked tall for the closing holes and demonstrated how true champions conduct themselves through all situations. When it was all said and done, all he did was tip his hat and say thank you!

The Open Championship will a little less grandiose next year because Mr. Watson will not grace the links at Royal Troon. However, I am sure that Tom Watson will be the first to tell you that professional golf is bigger than one man, but it is the special players that make golf great!

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

Masters Week!

/ The Grateful Golfer / 7 Comments
Former Champion Ben Crenshaw playing in his last Masters!

Former Champion Ben Crenshaw playing in his last Masters!

It is finally here! The news is going crazy, the hype is growing, and the pundits are pontificating. For all golfing fans, the Masters Week is the start of so many things. For those of us living in the Great White North, it means golf season is about to start. For all those others who live in warmer climates, it is an opportunity to enjoy more golf.

The news is full of stories about who is going to win, who is going to exceed expectations, and who is going to struggle! I have already announce my picks for this year, but one topic I have avoided and just cannot anymore.

Yup, you guess it: The Role of Past Masters Champions!

Why would players be given a lifetime exemption for winning the Masters? If you think of the names on the list, only about 7 of the 19 have a chance to win again. Of those, few would be rated as any kind of favorite! Why let these aging players, some were superstars in their day, take a position from a young player who would benefit more from the experience of Amen Corner? Before we go any further here are the past winners playing this year:

  1. Cabrera, Angel
  2. Couples, Fred
  3. Crenshaw, Ben
  4. Immelman, Trevor
  5. Johnson, Zach
  6. Langer, Bernhard
  7. Lyle, Sandy
  8. Mickelson, Phil
  9. Mize, Larry
  10. O’Meara, Mark
  11. Olazabal, Jose Maria
  12. Schwartzel, Charl
  13. Scott, Adam
  14. Singh, Vijay
  15. Watson, Bubba
  16. Watson, Tom
  17. Weir, Mike
  18. Woods, Tiger
  19. Woosnam, Ian

After you have given it some thought, what have you come up with? Why let these aging players into the most elusive tournament in the world? Well, let me tell you.

Because they make the game better! These classy gentlemen, although most are past their prime, educate and mentor the younger superstars of today. They add that “savior faire” to an already awesome golf tournament. Some of these great players, like Ben Crenshaw and Tom Watson, are like that favorite uncle we like to periodically visit just talk about life.

These past champions help keep the rich and historic aspects of the Masters alive. They bring their own flair to the event which helps the fans connect to all the players. They become that underdog, who older players like myself can relate to, the fan favorite and unknown that all golfing fans secretly love to follow!

Ben Crenshaw indicated this will be his last year of competing in the Masters. As all the champions will eventually find out, there is a time to take a bow and exit stage left. Ben Crenshaw is demonstrating yet another lesson to the younger players that eventually everything comes to an end. Crenshaw played with class and leaves with class – Thanks for all the great memories.

As this week unfolds, take time to remember the past champions for they bring more to the game than just golf! As they tee it up on Thursday, listen to how loud the crowd cheers when their name is announce! As we watch them tee it up, there is still a small glimmer of hope and the thought that on any given day, anyone can make history!

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

2014 Ryder Cup – Wrap Up

/ The Grateful Golfer / 4 Comments

Congratulations to the European Ryder Cup team for winning this year’s premier golfing event 16.5 to 11.5. As predicted, the underdog US Team could not overcome the consistent play of the Europeans. The last day of the Ryder Cup is by far the most exciting. The singles matches are as much a chess game as it is a golfing match. The slightest error can have cascading effects on the outcome. However, heading into the final day down 4 points, the US team could not rise to the challenge of defeating a stronger team.

Earlier, I predicted that the European team would win. My choices were made through analysis and research. I generally vote for any team Phil Mickelson is on, but this time the cards were stacked against that choice. As it turned out, my prediction was correct. This morning, just for fun, I made predictions on the singles matches. Here is how I made out:

Jordan Spieth 2 and 1 – Graeme McDowell won.
Henrick Stenson 1 up – Patrick Reed won.
Rickie Fowler 3 and 2 – Rory McIlroy won.
Justin Rose 2 and 1 – Havled
Phil Mickelson 1 up – Phil Mickelson won.
Martin Kaymer 3 and 2 – Martin Kaymer won.
Matt Kuchar 2 and 1 – Matt Kuchar won.
Sergio Garcia 1 up – Sergio Garcia won.
Ian Poulter 1 up – Halved
Keegan Bradley 1 up – Jamie Donaldson won.
Jimmy Walker 2 and 1 – Jimmy Walker won.
Victor Dubuisson 4 and 3 – Halved.

So my total was 5 matches correct, 4 wrong and 3 a push. Well just over 50 percent is not a bad track record considering the variables for selecting a winner are….well….astronomical. Picking winners in golf does pose great challenges for most golfing pundits and regardless of the results, it is fun to do.

Many people are talking about the strategy employed by the US Team. Additionally, reports about Phil Mickelson and Tom Watson having a disagreement,is making headlines.The only thing I can say is that you win and lose as a team. Finger pointing, or at least the perception of finger pointing, is not productive and as such I have no further comment on that matter.

Through my readings, I have found some great articles I would like to share. They talk about gifs, wrap-ups, and in-depth articles about the Ryder Cup. They are quite interesting and are worth the read.

The Ryder Cup. European Glory at Gleneagles. By Pete Robbins

2014 Ryder Cup GIFs – Part Five. By Adam Sarson

Ryder Cup Day 3 Recap: Europe wins 16.5-11.5 at Gleneagles. theScore.com

Wei Under Par -The Ryder Cup. By Stephanie Wei

The 2014 Ryder Cup is in the books. The media hype, the golfing frenzy, and the tale of David and Goliath is over. The best player from each team was Justin Rose (Europe) and Patrick Reed (US). They approached the game differently, but in their own way showed that competing at this pinnacle event is challenging, rewarding and most of all fun. Because if it isn’t fun, what is the point!

I am a grateful golfer! See you all at Hazeltine in 2016!

Congratulations to the 2014 Ryder Cup Champions – Europe!

 

2014 Ryder Cup – Day 1

/ The Grateful Golfer / 2 Comments

rydercup2014-There should be no surprise that the European Ryder Cup team is leading the US Ryder Cup Team by 2 points. After a shaky start, the Europeans rallied and scored 3.5 points in the afternoon session of Day 1. With 8 matches complete, it is time for the pundits to start second guessing the Captains and offer unsolicited advice on how to improve the team’s standing during play on Day 2. I however, do not see the value in second guessing the team Captains, but see the value in being grateful for the great golf on Day 1.

My approach might be a little altruistic, but I would not be ‘The Grateful Golfer’ if I used the US Team Captain, Tom Watson, as a punching bag. I would suggest that his game plan was solid and if not for a couple bounces here and there the score would be tied. Continuing on my positive approach to the play on Day 1, here is what I would like to share:

  • Rickie Fowler’s approach on the 16th hole in the afternoon was the shot of the day!
  • Sergio Garcia’s chip in from the sand in the morning and his stellar play in the afternoon!
  • Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed walked the walk!
  • Henrik Stenson and Justin Rose are looking like the team to beat!
  • The Scottish crowd was awesome! They truly understand the game of golf!

Here are some other fantastic highlights of today’s matches!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXhi_lVC6UI

The Ryder Cup is a fantastic event. Each team understands the value of never quitting, never giving up, and grinding out a half point that could be the difference between winning and losing. The only prediction I have is that tomorrow’s play will be more of the same! Great moments, more highlights, and fantastic sportsmanship! Each of these professionals is a true gentleman whose desire to win their match is only eclipsed by their desire to win as a team!

I am a grateful golfer! I can hardly wait until tomorrow!