What we learned from the Masters 2013

Adam Scott claimed his first major title at Augusta last week in what was perhaps the most gripping final day of the Masters for some time.  In a week where many records were broken, mostly by Guan Tianlang who became the youngest player ever to make the cut at 14, Adam Scott broke another in becoming the first Australian to claim a Green Jacket.  It has been long speculated that Adam Scott was the best player never to have claimed a Major; this view was reinforced when he threw the Open away in spectacular fashion last year and I suspect I was not the only one who thought that that might damage him mentally but he bounced back well to win last week.  A lot happened last week, as it always does at Majors, and here are a few things the golfing world can take away from Augusta.

Adam Scott has always been an amazing talent; his iron striking is first class and he is widely regarded as having the best swing on Tour.  Scott has now broken his Major duck and more are surely to follow, I expect Scott to claim at least another 2 before he retires, however that might hinge on something else.

Adam Scott was yet another winner of a Major with an Anchored Putter and has thus brought the debate back into the fold.  If the proposed ban on Anchoring goes through, all methods of belly putter would become illegal except that of Matt Kuchar who holds it against his left arm.  This could have disastrous effects on recent Major Champions such as Keegan Bradley, Webb Simpson and of course, our latest Masters Champion, Adam Scott.

This one pains me a little, but even I have to admit that Tiger seems back to his best.  Though we will never really know, one can speculate that, without the 2 shot penalty on Friday that seriously halted his momentum, he could have claimed his 5^th Green Jacket. 

However, while Tiger is back to somewhere near his best, that doesn’t allow him to have his own set of rules.  The 2 shot penalty was farcical even if the rules about TV evidence have changed and anybody else would have been DQ’d.  It wasn’t what he did that seems so wrong it’s the fact that he said without fear that he  had done it deliberately to give himself an easier shot, if that’s not cheating then what is nowadays?

Guan Tianlang will be a future star and his performance in the Masters was fantastic however it does reopen the debate about whether 14 years old is too young to play with the Pro’s.  His performance no doubt proves that he is capable enough as a player but the pressure and the spotlight can damage someone so young and maybe regulations could be imposed to prevent it going any lower, although having said that, there is a 12 year old due to play in the China Masters and that is definitely too young!

While it would be nice to believe it, an Over 50’s player will probably never win a Major.  At the Open in 2009 Tom Watson came agonisingly close to a Major win at the age of 59 and this week the likes of Couples (who always plays well at Augusta) and Langer shone for a while but the reality is, the youth of today is too good and as we all saw, Couples and Langer fell away at the weekend.  When you see the likes of a 14 year old making the cut at Majors, the average age of a winner is only going in one direction. 

 

FF

 

 

 

        

Masters 2013 Predictions

Masters 2013 predictions

It’s that time of year again when any golfing fan has their eyes glued to the TV screen watching the lush green fairways and undulating greens of Augusta National.  Yes! It’s time for the Masters once again.  Personally this is my favourite Major, I can’t tell you why because to be honest I don’t really know; as a Brit it should probably be the Open but there is something about the Masters that makes it extra special for me.  Here are my six predictions, in no particular order, of who I think has shown promise in the weeks leading up to this and who might have an addition to their wardrobe come Sunday.

Woods.  Much as I hate to say it, based on current form it would be perfectly understandable if all I wrote about was Tiger but golf isn’t like that.  While his form and history at Augusta should all point to him, golf has a way of throwing a curve ball sometimes, especially at the year’s first Major.  He is outright bookies favourite at 15/2 but we have yet to see him in his recent form at a Major and I’m still a little dubious that his nerves will hold out.

Schwartzel.  A previous winner of the elusive green jacket, and expected to add more majors to his tally.  Very calm attitude and solid all round game.  He found some form at the end of last year, and when he gets going on the greens he is virtually unstoppable as we saw in 2011 with his 4 birdie finish.

Oosthuizen.  Came so close last year and already with Major winning experience.  Got a golf swing to die for as well as a rock solid putting stroke, he’s my favourite to go one better than he did last year.

Rose.  Some people might argue that he doesn’t putt well enough but he’s the only Brit in with a chance in my opinion.  Been in very good form in the last 18 months and deserves a Major I think.

Snedeker.  Looked to be the best golfer on the planet earlier this year before injury hampered his progress.  He has had good finishes there in the past and will undoubtedly putt well on Augusta’s quick greens.

Adam Scott. Another player whose putting can let him down but he can be a little bit streaky too.  If his golf swing his firing on all cylinders then watch out, he’ll be just tapping in for birdies anyway.  Will be interesting to see whether last year’s Open haunts him though.

Obviously with the Tour seemingly so open these days there are a few obvious names that i have neglected, the big one being McIlroy of course.  As good a player as McIlroy is I don’t think even he can suddenly switch it on for a Major and his form has been shocking of late.  Other British hopefuls like Poulter, Donald and Westwood all have chances but they will need a good week.   As I’ve been saying all along, if Poulter could harness his Ryder Cup form then he would be virtually unbeatable anywhere.  Donald has the short game and the accuracy but something about him doesn’t suit my eye to win at Augusta, I think he will win a Major but my guess would be US Open for him when accuracy plays a bigger part than length.  As for Westwood I think he missed his chance in 2010, not really found any decent form so far this year and his short game is still a little ropey.  Despite his age I would never discount Mickelson round Augusta but the odds are against him at 42 years old.   

As a real outside punt, I’m going to pick Zach Johnson purely because two people have said they will buy me a pint if he wins so that can’t be bad really.

FF

  

 

      

 

Woods and McIlroy are back!!

Tiger, McIlroy and the run up to the Masters

McIlroy posted his best finish of the season so far with an 8^th place at the WGC event at Doral.  McIlroy’s 7 under final round score in the Cadillac Championship was only bettered by Adam Scott who closed with an 8 under 64.  McIlroy proved his critics wrong once again after massive speculation surrounding his new Nike equipment and the supposed toothache that forced him to pull out at the Honda last week.

But the week belonged to Tiger Woods who lead a wire to wire finish to claim his 17^th WGC event in which he broke his own personal best for number of birdies in 36 holes.  Tiger has now claimed 2 tournaments already this year and seems favourite for the Masters next month.  However, not all is as it appears as he once again finished poorly, dropping 2 strokes in his last three holes and why no one can doubt he his almost back to his imperious best, one has to wonder how he will handle the pressure in a Major.  Tiger closed with a one under 71 to edge out Steve Stricker by 2 shots.  Tiger’s nearest overnight challenger, McDowell failed to make an impression and his final round level par left him tied for 3^rd.    

While McIlroy’s apparent turnaround and Woods emphatic victory are no doubt the main talking points of this event 2 other people caught my eye.  Adam Scott’s final round 64 catapulted him up 16 places into a share of 3^rd and this is good news for Scott who has a good record at the Masters, finishing 2^nd in 2011.  Some had expected Scott to crumble following his disastrous finish at the Open last year where he dropped 4 shots in as many holes to lose to Els by 1 but he appears to have put that behind him and should be a strong favourite at Augusta next month and for the rest of the year. 

My other pick of the week was Steve Stricker, who has only played 3 events this season and is only expected to play about 7 or 8 more.  Despite this lack of Tournament practice Stricker has racked up an impressive string of results, finishing 2^nd in Hawaii at the season opener, making it to the Quarter Finals of the Accenture Match Play as well as finishing 2nd here this week.  Stricker has always been a steady performer, very rarely missing cuts and for four years in a row, he won at least twice.  When news was circulated about cutting down his schedule massively it had been expected that he would fade through lack of Tournament play but there seems no sign of that just yet and he could be an outside chance for a Major this year.

With McIlroy and Woods back this opening Major at Augusta could be a great one, but as mentioned before, the Tour seems very open at the moment and few would be surprised to see someone further down the rankings claim it.  My early outside bet is for a South African to win it, watch for Oosthuizen or Schwartzel to add to their Major tally.          

The Open Era of Golf

The Open era of Golf

 In tennis they describe the period since 1968 as the Open Era when Grand Slam tournaments opened themselves to professional competition.  In golf it has always been this way but right now we are experiencing an Open Era for another reason.

Stacy Lewis held off a strong field and her nerves to claim her sixth LPGA title at the HSBC Women’s Championship in Singapore.  Lewis, the World number 3, shook off some nervous putting on the back nine to close with a one under 71 and -15 for the tournament, finishing 1 ahead of World number 2 Na Yeon Choi.  Stacey Lewis despite her ranking might be the best female golfer in the world right now; Tseng looks to be struggling with her game at the moment and while Na Yeon Choi is still hanging in there it feels as though every time Lewis pegs it up she looks like she could win.  The only problem with her game appears to be her putting which is very streaky and the first thing to show signs of pressure when she’s in contention but beyond that her game looks very solid.  I expect big things this year for Stacey Lewis, especially if Yani Tseng fails to find some form.

However, it is not in the women’s game that an Open Era is emerging.  Michael Thompson claiming his maiden Tour Victory at the Honda amongst such a star studded field is yet another sign that the strength in depth on Tour is increasing.  In a field that boasted so many Major winners, 7 of the world top 10 including Woods and McIlroy, few would have picked Thompson as the winner, but this just goes to prove how open the tournaments are becoming; we have already seen a maiden tour victory this season from Russell Henley and there will be more to come.  What this really gears us up for is some exciting Major battles and some unexpected winners, for me this is a great viewing spectacle but others won’t feel the same way.  So if you are one of those people who stopped watching the Match Play because Woods and McIlroy made early exits then I predict a boring year for you in terms of watching golf, but if, like me, you revel in seeing “ordinary” players battle it out against the big guns this is going to be fun.

And speaking of fun, check out what Bubba, Fowler, Crane and Mahan do in their spare time (if you haven't already)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiiOqybRvsM       

 

McIlroy and Nike - not such a perfect match?

 

Eight holes into round two of the Honda Classic, World Number One Rory McIlroy has withdrawn citing inability to concentrate due to toothache as the reason.  Immediately the speculation surrounding his slump in form has returned with many critics claiming that it must be his new Nike equipment.  This is no surprise, it was always going to take a while to get used to his new clubs and no amount of range time will really replicate Tournament conditions.  However, with the Masters just around the corner McIlroy needs to get used to Nike, and fast.    

If he fails to ever get to grips with the new sticks (an unlikely scenario) McIlroy will join a long list of people who have changed their equipment and/or game in an attempt to improve and have done the opposite.  David Duval springs to mind; the former Number One, fresh off his victory in the 2001 Open decided he needed to bulk up in order to fully assert his dominance and subsequently slipped outside the top 400 in the world. 

While it is still early days, criticisms of McIlroy and his equipment change are in full throttle but if we recall, similar criticisms were brandished around this time last year and McIlroy bounced back to win a second Major and two of the four FedEx cup playoff events.  Despite the turnaround of last year, it is hard to overlook the fact that McIlroy is 17 over par for the 80 holes he has completed and his Tournament summary reads; MC R1 (Matchplay) and WD. 

Testimony to the unpredictability of the Ulster Star is that he is 3-1 odds to MC at Augusta whilst also being 6-1 favourite to claim a Green Jacket.  Does anybody else see the irony of bookies hedging their bets?  McIlroy is in desperate need of a confidence booster before the opening Major and is expected to increase his schedule load so he has more tournament action in an attempt to try and find some form. 

McIlroy would dearly love to prove his critics wrong as he has done in the past few years.  Last year, his relationship with Wozniacki was cited as the cause of the slump and this year his equipment change (a slightly more likely cause) is to blame, however it seems they are unprepared to accept that while being a semi-god on the golf course, he is in fact human and is capable of error and form slumps.  Golfing columnists have used the fact that he has missed 6 cuts in two years as a negative point, whilst some players would be happy to make 6 cuts in that time! 

McIlroy will return, he will win more Majors and perhaps even more likely than that he will miss cuts, putts and trophies because he is only a golfer after all.  It might help if critics would remember that sometimes.      

the return of the Belly Putter

Match Play, Ko and the return of the Belly Putter Conundrum

Lydia Ko

Lydia Ko made a valiant effort 2 weeks ago to become the youngest player to record back to back victories, eventually settling for third in the Ladies Australian Open.  She had gone into the final round tied for the lead with eventual winner Jiyai Shin but failed to produce her best on Sunday. However the question on everybody’s minds surely must be when is she going to turn Professional?  It was very comforting to hear such great advice from Michelle Wie, the former teen star, who said that doing so is a very personal decision, this was matched by the less subtle tones of 7 time Major winner Karrie Webb, who tweeted “ Hurry up and turn pro already!”  criticisms over whether turning Pro is best for Lydia Ko are circulating, after all she wouldn’t be the first star amateur to win and then fade into obscurity when joining the Pro ranks ( Danny Lee anybody?).  The golfing world will simply have to wait to hear a verdict on this one.

Match Play

Last week, the PGA tour took the 64 best players in the world and put them head to head in the Accenture Match Play Championship, with American Matt Kuchar, the last one standing.  We all know that Match Play is the most unpredictable of formats, if nothing else; the Ryder Cup showed us that, but few would have bet on Bubba Watson being the only top ten player left by round three where he made his exit to Jason Day.  Ian Poulter, a proven Match Play specialist and former winner of this Tournament was the highest ranked player in the Semi Finals at No. 12 where he lost to last year’s winner Hunter Mahan.  Hot favourite, Woods, lost to Charles Howell III in round one, and McIlroy succumbed to compatriot Shane Lowry in the same round.  Mostly following the coverage on Twitter, it was surprising how many people expressed their distaste for the format especially after seeds 1 and 2 went out early, one unhappy tweeter wrote “ this is why there aren’t more Matchplay events, TV stations don’t want to lose Woods and McIlroy, there is no point in watching it anymore”.   Match Play events, while perhaps not as lucrative for TV and sponsors do make a nice change and I for one would like to see more of them.  There is more to golf than Tiger and McIlroy

Belly Putters

This week belly putters have made their way back into our golfing news feeds with some fresh incite from tours and players alike.  Perhaps the most unlikely twist in what is turning out to be a prolonged saga is that PGA Tour chief Tim Finchem has told the governing bodies that they will not support the proposed ban on belly putters.  Tim Finchem explained that studies had shown that the belly putter provides no measurable advantage and therefore there was no reason to enforce a ban on anchoring.  However, as a staunch advocate of the ban I would argue that more and more players are using them, more and more players are winning with them and no Professional golfer would change equipment unless it provided some benefit; so if there is no advantage, why are so many players changing to anchoring.  McIlroy and Poulter have already expressed fears that this announcement from the biggest and most lucrative Tour in the game may cause a rift in the sport.  McIlroy also changed his stance somewhat on the matter, claiming that he doesn’t mind if the ban goes through or not, backing away from his earlier statement “it will be a fair game in 2016, can’t wait”.  Keegan Bradley, the first winner of a Major with the controversial method has always been opposed to the ban and has now revealed that he is fed up with being called a cheat.  While the anchoring method is controversial at best, until this ban goes through, Bradley is no more a cheat than any other player on Tour. 

     The three month deliberation on the ban on anchored putting methods was set to finish today (28^th February) so the decision will soon be announced.  I for one hope that the right decision is made for the benefit of golf whatever that happens to be; my fear is that we will soon see how much influence the PGA Tour has had.     

 

 

The Accenture Match Play Predictions

Accenture Match Play Championship

It’s that time of year again, the PGA tour makes its ways to Arizona for the Accenture Matchplay Championship; the first WGC event of the year.  It goes without saying that this will be the strongest field of the year with only the top 64 players on the World Ranking list eligible but with that it is also perhaps the most difficult event to predict a Champion, not only because of the strong field but also because of the differences between Match Play and Stroke Play. 

Based on current form, Brandt Snedeker would have gone into the tournament as a favourite but he has had to withdraw because of sore ribs.  Mickelson is the only other player missing, because of prearranged family matters.  Lowry and Jacobson are their replacements to make up the 64 man field.

As already stated, predictions for this event are tricky, Woods has failed to make it past round two since 2008, he has lost to Nick O’Hern twice in his career and few would have expected Mahan to triumph over McIlroy in last year’s final.  Matchplay is of course different for a number of reasons, most importantly the players are not looking to make a score so a 7 is not so destructive so long as your opponent makes an 8.  Because of the nature of Matchplay in this respect, players tend to be more aggressive and this suits some players more than others. Here are my 6 people to watch next week.

 

Ian Poulter

A proven match Play expert in both this event and of course the Ryder Cup, Poulter is one of those players who will strive when he is forced to play aggressively and his win here in 2010 will fill him with confidence (as if he needed any more).  Though he hasn’t been seen much this year, he followed up his Ryder Cup record with a win in China and second place in Australia so hopefully he will have retained some form.

Rory McIlroy

In his first appearance in the States this year McIlroy will be looking to make a good impression and perhaps dispel the notions that he is struggling with his new Nike equipment.  Runner up place last year, while not the result he would have been hoping for will still give him some confidence going into this week.  Hopefully he can regain that form that allowed him to win 3 times in 6 starts at the end of last season. 

Charl Schwartzel         

A steady player with some big wins to his name already, Schwartzel is consistent enough to grind out most players but always seems to have gas in the tank and could easily switch his game to a more aggressive style if the situation demanded it.  He might not win it but expect him to cause an upset or two.  He is coming into form at the right time too, with a second place in Joburg last week and a strong showing in Riviera to back it up. 

Luke Donald

Difficult to overlook Donald in a Match Play situation, runner up at the Volvo when Poulter won it and a steady showing at the Ryder Cup, Donald will go in at number three seed, based on World Ranking and so expect him versus McIlroy in the semi finals.  It would take a real upset to knock him out before then, however he never really gets aggressive; he is more of a grinder which may be his downfall against a star studded field.

Hunter Mahan  

We haven’t seen much of Mahan since his win in this event last year but the memories and confidence will come flooding back next week so expect him to make a good defence of his title.  A very streaky player, if he gets the putter working or if he gets a few big wins early he will almost certainly make a charge for back to back wins. 

Tiger Woods

While a win at Torrey Pines will fill him with confidence, it is difficult to overlook the fact that he has failed to make round three since the venue was changed in 2009.  However 4 wins in 14 months is difficult to argue against and if the commentary was right at Torrey pines then we should expect big things from Tiger following that early victory.  On the other hand, his wedge play is not good at all and the putter isn’t what it used to be so it simply depends on what sort of week he is having.

 Match play is too difficult to call and I would advise against placing bets in events like these but I think the above 6 are more likely than a lower seed such as Henley or Gallacher.  I’m hoping for Poulter but my gut says McIlroy or Woods. 

 

 

 

    

Is Snedeker the best golfer in the world right now?

Week 8 on Tour

It’s all about Tournament News this week as there were big winners in all forms, from 15 year old amateurs to 50 year old rookies.

                On the European Tour, the Joburg open attracted its usual mix of stars including former Masters Winner Charl Schwartzel.  However, Schwartzel could only manage 2^nd as Richard Sterne went one better than last week to claim the title by 7 shots.   Sterne entered the final round tied for the lead with the relatively unknown South African, Trevor Fisher Jr at -19.  While Fisher was unable to capitalise on his position, Sterne went on to shoot an 8 under 64 and claim the title.  Sterne is part of a strong contingent of South Africans, no doubt led by Major winners, Oosthuizen and Schwartzel and inspired by Els and Goosen, who have started to dominate the European Tour.   Thomas Aiken, George Coetzee, Jbe Kruger and Branden Grace are but a handful of South Africans who have made themselves known on Tour, this is not to mention the equally strong presence in the States, Sabbatini, Tim Clark and Trevor Immelman being the choice few. 

Lydia Ko appears to be forever smashing records wherever she goes, and this last week was no exception.  Ko, still only 15 and an amateur claimed her 3^rd Tour Victory in her home nation of New Zealand, at the New Zealand Open.  Ko is now the youngest ever winner on the European Ladies Tour, as well as the youngest winner of any event (when she claimed her first event at 13 years old!).  Last week the LPGA asked on twitter, who was most likely to challenge Yani Tseng at the top of the rankings? At first I thought Stacey Lewis but now I’m thinking Lydia Ko; maybe that’s a bit premature but she appears to have the game and the mentality to go far on Tour.  I predict Major things for Lydia Ko in the future. 

From 15 year olds to 50 year olds, the other end of the spectrum.  Some big names become eligible for the Champions Tour this year and 2008 U.S Open runner up, Rocco Mediate, has opened up his account early with a 2 shot victory in the Allianz Championship.  Still showing he has the game to compete, Mediate opened up a huge lead going into the final round when he scorched round in 61 on the second day.  This is an impressive round by anyone’s standards and to win on his debut is something very special.  Perhaps Rocco can build on this early season victory and claim a Champions Tour Major.

Is Snedeker the best golfer in the world right now?

                Snedeker, potentially reeling from only getting silver medal in his last two events, went one better and claimed the AT and T Pro Am.  This jumped him to a career high ranking of 4 and means he now leads the FedEx Cup standings.  In fact he has more points than anyone else has had at this stage since the FedEx points system was introduced in 2009.  If anyone was wondering what the cause of this meteoric rise is, then look no further than these two things.  His putting is second to none; much is spoken about his putting stroke, often described as a “pop” stroke, very short and handsy, but it is so efficient and he thrives on courses where the greens are good.  Whilst being a very good putter, he is also a very streaky putter, which is to say that if he starts holing putts he starts knocking them in from anywhere and everywhere.  Second of all is confidence.  I personally believe that confidence is the most important factor in winning, we see it so often.  A player will win one week and then their career seems to take off, always putting themselves in contention and in Snedeker’s case, nothing fills you with more confidence than winning the FedEx Cup.  That win at the season ender last year will give him enough confidence for the rest of the year, and adding another win so early can only be good for him.  Last week I predicted he would win the Masters in 2014, I wondered whether he was ready to win a Major quite yet, but the way he is playing, smart money goes on him winning a Major this year.  My New Bet – Masters or Open 2013.    

  

 

The Stars of Tomorrow

Major predictions

 

Last week I harped on about why Tiger won’t win another Major and I know not everyone will share these views but the fields are getting stronger all the time so here are six people who I think are going to win Majors in the next 2 years. (In no specific order)

Brandt Snedeker

Snedeker is growing from strength to strength on the PGA Tour and will only grow in confidence winning the FedEx last year.  Already 2 second place finishes this season and I suspect he will add a few more trophies to his cabinet this year too.  His major record is already quite impressive, with strong placing in the Masters and the Open.  Putting is strength and this can only be a positive when it comes to competing in Majors.  I suspect the Masters or the Open will be a good bet for him where more emphasis is placed on putting but as a straight hitter, maybe the US Open. 

My Bet – 2014 Masters (after some near misses this year)

Dustin Johnson

Big hitting Johnson, already with a W this season, and with the most PGA titles for someone under 30 (7).  Strong performances in Majors a few years ago where he held the lead in the final round of US Open in 09 before crumbling to a horrible Sunday Round, and if it wasn’t for a unfortunate Bunker ruling, would have won the 2010 PGA Championship.  Also back to back top ten finishes in the Open in the last two years.  Just like McIlroy bouncing back from his horrendous Masters Sunday, these near misses will give him the confidence and nerve to clinch a Big One if he manages to contend come Sunday.  His one weakness might be driving accuracy which was very evident in Hawaii where he still managed a win. (Might not get away with missed fairways quite so much at a Major venue) 

My Bet- 2013 PGA Championship   

Justin Rose

With the exception of McIlroy, Rose is the only person that I truly believe will achieve greatness in the next two years.  He has been improving rapidly in the last few years, claiming one of the playoff events on the FedEx and then a WGC event.  Rose appears to have no weaknesses; a gutsy performance in the Ryder Cup where he birdied the last two to beat Mickelson will only bolster his confidence.  He could win any of the Majors, he has the game but perhaps his one fault will be that he hasn’t really put himself in contention before and therefore as of yet no one is sure how is nerves will hold up.  Even if he has a few near misses to begin with, Rose will definitely win one eventually.

My Bet- 2013 US Open

 Louis Oosthuizen

In my opinion Oosthuizen has the best swing on tour, a putting touch to match and I’m sure he will add to his Major tally in the next two years.  When some critics might have expected him to struggle in the final round of the 2010 Open, having never been in such a position before, he proved himself as he went on to seal a huge victory, winning by 9 shots.  He has only improved since then, almost claiming a second Major at last year’s Masters if it wasn’t for Bubba Watsons stunning shot from the trees.  Last year’s near miss will spur him on and he will have good memories of Augusta where he made an Albatross at the Par five 2^nd hole. 

My Bet- 2013 Masters

Charl Schwartzel

Schwartzel is yet another class act to emanate from South Africa with a Green Jacket already in the wardrobe, he will be itching t add to it.  Although a relatively poor season last year, with just one win coming late on in the year, he still has the game to add to his Majors.  Some players are good enough to win Majors and yet their games might only suit Links golf for the Open or impeccable driving accuracy for the US Open, Charl Schwartzel is not one of those players; he has the game to compete at any event.

My Bet- 2014 US PGA

Rory McIlroy

 No predictions list would be complete anymore without McIlroy.  Already two Majors in the bag and we all know he has the game and the desire to challenge Nicklaus’ record but I think this will be a slow year for McIlroy.  He had such a great year last year, winning the money lists on both sides of the Pond and the Nike equipment change has yet to produce results however he will bounce back and resume his dominance of the game in 2014.

My Bet- 2014 US Open

 

A lot of you will have noticed that I have not predicted any Open winners and there is a reason for this.  The Open is the hardest one to call as it is so dependent on the weather; McIlroy is quoted as saying that it will take a perfect week of weather for him to win one.  If the weather is perfect ( no rain, little wind) than it becomes like any other event but if the wind blows, then the field becomes even more open and can produce winners such as Lawrie, Curtis and Cink. 

Outside predictions for the next two years

Ian Poulter- a world class act, if he can produce his Ryder Cup form in tournament play then I see no reason why he can’t compete every week- but he needs to tap into that form which he always produces against the USA.

Adam Scott- 2 second place finishes at majors (2011 Masters and 2012 Open) are the highlights of a multitude of top ten finishes in Majors but his reaction to losing the Open will be a tell tale sign.  If he finds confidence in coming so close, he will be able to push on and contend again but if he is still reeling from losing then he will struggle to put himself in that kind of position again.   

 

 

 

 

 

Lefty, Lyle, Sexism and Deer Antler Spray Pt 2

Lefty, Lyle, Sexism and Deer Antler spray Pt 2

Sexism

Golf is full of traditions and some are more appropriate in today’s society than others.  Sexism, for example is still rife in the game, although lessening in recent years and there are several events in the past few months that have triggered me to write about it.  2 weeks ago, Karen Stupples, a former Women’s British Open champion, lost her contract with long time sponsor Wilson.  On its own this doesn’t seem a big deal, players switch equipment all the time however the reason for this rather sudden drop of one of the games greats was that they were going to place less sponsorship in the Women’s game because there was less money to be made there.  Unfortunately it is attitudes like this that are the reason the Women’s game cannot compete with the male tours. 

                Sexism in our sport has been a topic of discussion for some time now, since Augusta opened its doors to Condoleeza  Rice and Darla Moore, which was swiftly followed by the Rand A’s frank refusal to follow suit.  There are fewer women playing Golf, memberships of lady golfers across the country are dropping and while the economic climate is no doubt playing a bigger part, sexism must be considered a factor, and that is something that needs to change.

 

Deer Antler Spray

Whilst sexism appears to be somewhat confined to golf, drugs in sport has been and is still a growing problem across a whole range of professional sports.  Golf has more or less gone unaffected ( or at least those involved have not been caught) but Vijay Singh has admitted to taking a banned substance, Deer Antler Spray, presumably something that was going to allow him to be more competitive in his twilight years.  He claims to have not known that it contained a banned substance.  Drugs has become a bigger issue in other sports, most noticeably in professional cycling where it has now come to light that Lance Armstrong was taking performance enhancement drugs when he claimed his 7 Tour de France titles.  In light of that, Tennis star, Andy Murray has argued that in tennis there needs to be stricter doping regulations, stating that Armstrong is an example for all sports so is it time to go that way in golf?  Vijay Singh is only the second player to be caught taking banned substances since new regulations took hold back in 2008.  Vijay is now under investigation and will almost certainly face a tournament ban of some length, not his smartest move considering he becomes eligible for the seniors Tour later this year.   I think drugs are less of a problem in golf than they are in other sports but it would probably not hurt to become a little stricter so that that remains the case.  Vijay is a good player and consistently competes on the PGA tour despite his putting struggles; I just hope he is still remembered for being a former number one and winning three majors and that this relatively minor drug scandal does not become a career defining moment.          

Lefty and Lyle, Sexism and Deer Antler Spray Part 1

It all Happened last week; Lefty and Lyle

So much happened in the world of Golf in the past week it is difficult to know where to start and I'm going to have to make 2 posts to fit it all in. 

Tournament News

On the European Tour, Stephen Gallacher held off Sterne and Olesen to claim the Dubai Desert Classic, his first Title in 201 starts!  He held a three shot lead going into the final round following a Saturday 62 but a shaky start allowed Sterne to catch him in just three holes.  He steadied the ship and all but claimed it with an Eagle at the par five 16th.           

Mickelson claimed his 3^rd wire to wire victory and his 41^st PGA title last week in Arizona at the Waste Management Open.  He opened up in style, lipping the cup for a 59 on day one and never really looked back leading all the way and eventually winning by 4.  Brandt Snedeker claimed his second 2^nd place finish of the season but in the words of Keegan Bradley “No-one was going to catch Phil this week, he was too good”.   Mickelson cited his new driver as the key to success; his new Calloway Razr spins the ball less allowing him to have less loft and makes it easier to hit.  He led the field in GIR and proximity to the hole, while holing a multitude of putts with his relatively new “pencil” grip.

A Brilliant Hole with some Added Twists; The 16th

The 16^th at TPC Scottsdale is perhaps one of the best known holes on Tour; attracting huge crowds, this short par three puts even the top players under the spotlight as any missed green will result in a surge of boos and laughter.  This is a refreshing hole in golf, there really is nothing like it anywhere else in golf and nothing makes that crowd go wilder than a hole in one, the most recent of which was Jarrod Lyle in 2010 and the most famous of which was probably Tiger back in 1997.  But good golf and crowds is not all we are entertained by on this hole; this year was particularly special with the caddie races (which as I understand it occurs when 2 or more players birdie the previous hole) Padraig Harrington kicking an American Football into the crowd and James Hahn treated us all to a Gangnam style Celebration following a birdie on Sunday.  All in all a fantastic hole, what a pity we only get to see it once a year.

Lyle gets back in the spotlight

Remember, you heard it here first!

Sandy Lyle has made golfing headlines twice in the last week for varying views and opinions, one of which I hinted at a couple of weeks ago.  Lyle has once again expressed interest in captaining the European Ryder Cup, a position he had thought was lost because of age and a disgraceful performance in the Open a few years back.  Tom Watson’s appointment as USA Captain for 2014, when he will be 65, has proven to Lyle that age is no longer a constraint and he was told by Thomas Bjorn on the night of Mcginleys appointment that he was one of five people also under consideration.  As you would expect he still very much dreams of such a selection but has stated he will not campaign for it. 

                Lyle has also said that he fears McIlroy’s equipment change will have disastrous consequences on the young Northern Irishman’s success and has described it as a potential “Duval like meltdown”.  While I can see where Lyle is coming from, I think it’s too early to say and one missed cut doesn’t really say much either.  It seems to me that people are always looking for reasons why McIlroy might not be successful.  He had a bad start to the season last year and critics cited his relationship with Tennis Star Wozniacki as the cause.  McIlroy bounced back to win the Race to Dubai, equal Donald’s feat of winning the money lists on both sides of the Pond and then claimed his second major.  I too am looking forward to see how McIlroy deals with his new equipment but I think it’s a bit early to say he will have a Duval like break down.  We shall see. 

 

part 2 coming soon Sexism and Singh's Drug allegations!    

 

    

 

Why Tiger won't win another Major!

Why Tiger will struggle to win another Major

Last week at Torrey Pines, where Tiger looked back to his old ways the commentary were endlessly talking about how he has always gone on to win 4 events but a different type of Wood was making headlines this side of the Pond. 

  Chris Wood claimed his maiden tour victory on the European Tour at the Qatar Masters in sublime style.  Leading by three going into the final round, he had the unfortunate average of shooting 76 when leading an event.  He overcame this by eagling the last to win by one from George Coetzee.  Wood has found form of late, no doubt due to his win on the Asian Tour at the end of last season, and this shows how much confidence a win can give an up-and-comer like Chris Wood.  The first win means everything.  That first win, on any Tour, gives a player the confidence and believe that they can win, that all their practice was worth it, that they can succeed as a Professional Golfer.  I have huge admiration for Chris Wood; he is a local lad to me, hailing from Bristol, just 30 minutes from me.  I have had the pleasure of watching him practice and indeed play at my home club and there was no doubt in my mind that he was capable of winning.

 On the PGA Tour, Tiger was back to his best.  His driving and wedge play, which have been disastrous of late did not fail him as he went on to claim his 75^th title in America.  However, I am unconvinced by Tiger's latest triumph, while I have the utmost respect for how immensely talented and single minded Tiger Woods is as a golfer, to me his victory is no different to a 14 handicapper winning a monthly medal or a challenge tour graduate claiming a  European Tour victory, a flash in the pan!  While there is no doubt in my mind Tiger will go on to beat Sam Snead’s record 82 PGA victories, I feel that Nicklaus’s Major record is perfectly safe.  There are several reasons for this, primarily which is his driving is so inconsistent and that he struggles on the last day, even in an ordinary Tour Event.  There was a time when, like Monday this week, Tiger would lead by 7 and he would go on to win by 10.  Instead Tiger had a comparatively dreadful back nine which ended in a 4 shot victory.  This is his first victory in the last two years in which he has lead going into the final round, which to me shows that the pressure gets to him that little bit more than it used to and while it is only an assumption it is not that farfetched to argue that Tiger only won because he had such a big lead to begin with.   Tiger played impeccably on the first two rounds of the Majors last year and yet had less than impeccable finishes because he struggled in the final round, often shooting low to mid 70s.  I have made it clear in previous posts that I am no Tiger fan, but everyone is entitled to their opinion and this is mine. The field of players is too strong and unafraid of him and his last round average is shocking.  Tiger is almost playing these final rounds like he is winning events and Majors for the first time.  His aura and confidence are gone!

 

           

 

Week 3; the Week of Comebacks

While many would argue that the biggest story of the Abu Dhabi championship was the early exit of McIlroy (fresh from his multimillion dollar deal with Nike) and Woods, I believe that last week was the week of comebacks on both sides of the pond.  Jamie Donaldson came back from 2 shots to beat Justin Rose by 1 shot despite a bogey on the final hole in the Abu Dhabi Championship.  However, career comebacks were also plentiful this week in Abu Dhabi, namely David Howell and Michael Campbell, who both posted top finishes.  However it is plain to see the re-entering the winners circle is easier said than done.  Howell played well all week and for a time took the lead on the final day after a flawless opening ten holes of 5 under but an ugly 4 putt from around 5 feet saw him slip into a tie for 6^th.  A few months ago i asked the question “whatever happened to Michael Campbell?”  That was when he had lead going into the final round of the Hong Kong Open and had slumped to a final round of 2 over but to be honest I expected that to be a flash in the pan for the 2005 U.S Open Champion.  On the contrary he has regularly finished high up on subsequent leader boards and long may this continue for both Howell and Campbell.  I shall watch with interest over the coming weeks because I’m sure a win is just around the corner for these once fine players. 

Similar circumstances occurred in the Humana Challenge on the PGA Tour.  This is one of my least favourite events on Tour; I am not a fan of how easy it is set up although I understand that this is for the benefit of the amateur players and I think the altruistic nature of the event is amiable but I simply prefer Professionals to be challenged.  On the other hand I enjoy the cut after three days rather than the usual two.  Scott Stallings seemed like he was going to walk it, leading by 5 going into the final day and bidding to be the first man since Super Mex to go bogey free for 72 holes.  However several players had other ideas.  One that caught my eye was Stewart Cink, playing in the final group and looking for his first top 5 finish since winning The Open Championship in 2009!!  His career also appears to be on a comeback much like afore mentioned European Tour Players.  However, within the Tournament itself, Stallings lead was quickly lessened by a myriad of low scores including three 62s!  Unheralded David Lingmerth was one of those players who shot 62 to post -25, Brian Gay shot 63 to match that score having three putted the last for par and finally Charles Howell III finished on   -25.  This left Stallings needing a birdie 4 down the last to clinch it by one shot, only to hook his 6 iron into the pond (a fate that was then repeated by Lingmerth in the playoff) and miss his 9 footer to join the playoff.  Brian Gay eventually triumphed over Howell III with a birdie on the second playoff hole to claim his 4^th PGA Tour victory. 

This was an eventful week in the golfing world and I am always interested in what various events can potentially show us about the upcoming season. This week has undoubtedly showed me that players of a certain calibre are never really past it and it would not surprise me if we see a few more long forgotten faces claim an event or at least post some solid finishes.  This week has also confirmed the point I made after the first PGA tour event in Hawaii; that there is so much strength in depth on both tours that unheard of names and rookies and all manner of “journey men” Pros will make appearances this year, whether it be in the winner’s circle or just establishing themselves as someone to watch this season.                   

Hawaii 2.0 and the Ryder Cup Reaction

In the first full field event of 2013 on the PGA Tour, Russ Henley shot his 3^rd 63 of the week, including a blistering 5 under for the last five holes to deny Tim Clark and claim his first Tour win in his first start at the Sony Open.  While the field was not as star-studded as it might have been, it was still an impressive event to watch and for me personally, I could not have asked for a more fitting example for the point I made last week- anybody and everybody is going to win events this year because Pro golf has never seen such strength in depth on both Tours. 

Louis Oosthuizen also opened up his account with a solid win in Durban at the Volvo Golf Champions event.  A shaky 74 in the 3^rd round had left him 5 shots behind last week’s winner, Scot Jamieson but an impressive 66 was enough to claim the title by one shot.  I expect big things from Oosthuizen this year, his swing his rhythmical and simple and he putts very well.  He is my pick to win another Major, he came very close at the Masters and I think that he will either do it this year at Augusta or he will claim another Claret Jug. 

While some magnificent golf was being played in South Africa and Hawaii, a much more important event was being discussed widely- that of European Ryder Cup Captain.  Early contenders had been McGinley and Darren Clarke, both fine players, well respected by the potential team and each has fine individual Ryder Cup experience.  Then there was talk about Monty returning as the event is to be held in Scotland and although he demands much respect from the team there were those who spoke out publically against his return.  McIlroy was one of those, explaining his view on Twitter and other social media that he believed Ryder Cup captaincy should be a onetime thing.  Darren Clarke then withdrew himself saying he would be focussing on making the team and as a friend of mine rightly pointed out, the 2011 Open Champion would be much better suited to captain the side in the States where he is immensely popular.  There has been some talk that McIlroy had too much influence on the eventual pick of McGinley and how much truth there is in that I don’t know but for me that was not the biggest issue.  While I think McGinley is a fine choice and I have little doubt he will be able to steer the team to victory, another Scot was overlooked- Sandy Lyle.  The two time major winner supposedly scuppered his chances when he walked in at the Open a few years ago but how much did that really matter?  He was one of the “Big 5” in the ‘80s who paved the way for European dominance on Tour and in the Ryder Cup and I am at a loss to explain why one withdrawal from a tournament should deny him an honour he definitely deserves.  Players withdraw from tournaments all the time and I’ll admit they usually have better excuses than “the rain was in my glasses and I couldn’t see”  and I will also admit that he could have handled the media better afterwards but to be overlooked for this prestigious role is a little harsh really.  Don’t you think?           

Why 2013 will be better than 2012- what Hawaii showed us

Dustin Johnson claimed his 7^th PGA Tour title at the weather delayed season opener, the Tournament of Champions, finishing 4 shots ahead of an injured Steve Stricker; reigning FedEx cup champion, Brandt Snedeker, continued his 2012 form finishing a shot further back in outright third. 

Steve Stricker admitted that he was suffering with nerve damage in his leg and was unsure that he would even be able to complete 18 holes, so his 4^th top 5 finish  in the event was a surprise.  He now looks to take a 6-week break in a season in which he only expects to compete in about 12 events. 

As numerous people on twitter have pointed out, Dustin Johnson has achieved two very interesting accomplishments with his win this week.  Firstly he now has the most Tour wins of anyone under 30, one more than McIlroy who has six wins.  But, perhaps more interestingly, Dustin Johnson has now won all of the last 3 PGA Tour events that have been shortened to 54 holes.  While I don’t wish to detract from his victories, some people might argue that he struggles to play four rounds especially if they remember his US Open meltdown in 2010.   The stats however don’t quite match- he was 36^th in final round scoring average in 2012 with an average score of 70.434, granted he didn’t have a full season, but it is something that will be interesting to look for as 2013 season unfolds.   

What can the season opener tell us?

There has been a lot of talk that the Tournament of Champions needs to be moved to later in the season because the weather often plays a factor and it often fails to attract the eligible big names; McIlroy and Woods who won 4 Events and a Major collectively in 2012 did not play for example.  However, I think that it works as a season opener and I like that you have to earn your place from the season before.  I understand that it is always a little disappointing not to get the big names but this is the same at all events and this event would really not work midway through the season.  However, because there is such a limited field it does not really give us an indicator of who might do well this season.  Obviously following their performances, Johnson, Stricker and Snedeker are firm favourites to do well but based on previous seasons this was a no brainer anyway, no great incites based on last week’s results.  However, I thought the field was very diverse and this is a sign of the strength in depth on the Tour.  There were proven winners in Dustin Johnson, Stricker and Poulter; Major winners like Bubba and Bradley but there was also new winners such as Charlie Beljan and Tommy Gainey.  There were also simple effective golf swings like that of Stricker and Snedeker but players such as Gainey and Bubba who swing it their own way also performed well and I think that this shows how much strength and depth there is on tour at the moment.  While the proven champions will always be the favourites, literally anybody could win on tour this year and that’s why I think 2013 will be an even better season than 2012.   

The Stats- and What They Really Mean

 Before the highly anticipated 2013 Tour season commences I thought I would take a look at the statistics of the PGA Tour for 2012.  

    So what is the most important statistic? Which stat list do you have to top to ensure a good season, besides the money list of course.  There are lots of stats that are calculated nowadays, some of which can be quite confusing; such as strokes gained putting, which is calculated by deducting the number of putts taken from the average number expected to take based on last years data.   Some stats can seem fairly irrelevant and the achievement of topping the list in some things can have little or no impact on how successful you are in that season.  Take Driving distance for example; unsurprisingly Bubba Watson topped this stat averaging an impressive 315 yards off the tee and while no one will argue he had an unsuccessful season (Maters Champion if nothing else) he beat Charlie Beljan to the top spot who had a comparatively disappointing year finishing 160^th despite averaging 311 yards of the tee.  So while hitting a wedge into most greens seems like an advantage, it doesn’t count for much in the long run; you need a full arsenal of tricks.  This is where the “total driving stat” comes in, a combination of distance AND accuracy, the top of this list for 2012 is Boo Weekley who doesn’t exactly prove any point that accuracy is more important but there are certainly many more household names at the top of the list; Tiger Woods, Jason Dufner and Louis Ooosthuizen to name just a few.  Jonas Blixt is a great example of a player who tops a worthwhile statistic and yet his struggling performance in others prevents him from making a regular appearance in the winner’s circle.  While Blixt may not be known to everyone, he undoubtedly topped the stat which most of us would agree is most important; putting.  Blixt’s impressive putting average of 1.71 per hole should have helped him, much like it did Brandt Snedeker in 2^nd (1.725) who won the FedEx Cup, Zach Johnson in 3^rd ( 1.726) won twice last season and Webb Simpson in 5^th (1. 735) who won the US Open.  So why didn’t it?  Blixt also topped the sand save statistic and this is no coincidence, Blixt simply missed too many greens (apparently a lot of them in bunkers) and therefore, most of his one putts were for par saves rather than birdies.  This is the big problem with the stats; they are almost useless unless put together.  Rory McIlroy in 2011 failed to finish inside the top 100 in putting stats and yet his impressive accuracy off the tee and greens in regulation allowed him to claim his maiden major victory.  The likes of Luke Donald, Webb Simpson, Keegan Bradley and Steve Stricker rank consistently high in all stats  You can’t hit 15 greens and yet take 36 putts, the same as you cannot have 24 putts and miss 15 greens.  You will have a better score with the latter scenario but those who win most and rack up the trophies and money are those who have little or no weaknesses.  I feel like the stats are quoted too often, especially in commentary and that on their own they are virtually meaningless.  For example, Jonas Blixt led the stats in putting and yet was 134^th in GIR.  No doubt he will feature at some point with a 10ft putt to get in contention or something like that and a commentator will probably mention that he led this stat in 2012 and therefore is likely to make the putt.  However he misses enough greens that his impressive putting stat could just mean he is a good chipper and therefore all his one putts could in theory be tap in’s- not so likely to make that 10ft putt now.   Not to focus too much on Blixt, there are those who have very solid stats in putting and GIR and yet are relatively unheard of because they are not in the winners circle regularly.   What’s their problem? Maybe it’s because they don’t get it close enough; proximity to the hole is an equally important stat, especially at the Professional level.  While the pros hole their fare share of 30ft putts, they are much better (as we all are) from 10ft.  And yet despite this, I can almost guarantee that in some show somebody will say, “ he is definitely going to win in the future because he putts great and hits greens”.   that's not necessarily true because to win you need to make birdies, and you just don't make that many birdies if you hit the green but only to 30ft rather than 10ft.  

Stats are great if you know how to use them and I would advise people to keep their stats every round they play, its a great way to see which part of your game needs work but don't neglect your putting if you have 24 putts in one round, it could just be you are a good chipper, and if you still can't break 80 with 24 putts then your long game needs work to hit more GIR.  Don't let the stats of 2012 mislead your Fantasy team selection or betting habits either, the stats are not always so easy to analyse.

FF


My apologies to Jonas Blixt, until the Hyundai Tournaments of Champions begun I was unaware that he was a winner last season.  For this reason he is obviously not a good example of my point about the putting stats but my point still stands; good putting stats are useless unless you have good GIR stats too.