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Beginning the Ryder Cup hype
Random musings on a memorable PGA Championship ... Funny how easily perceptions can turn. If David Toms misses his par putt on the 72nd hole at Atlanta Athletic Club, he goes down in the Chip Beck Hall of Shame as the girlie-man who lost the PGA out of cowardice. Phil Mickelson, meanwhile, is only a putt or two away from glory. Fickle game, this golf. ... Yes, his swing crumbled on the back nine on Sunday, and his inability to hole key putts is growing ever more chronic, but I still believe Mickelson will win a couple of majors before all is said and done. The final round at the PGA was the most composed he has ever looked on a major Sunday, continuing his baby steps towards learning how to translate his regular tour success to the more exacting Grand Slam conditions. With his elevated level of play, Mickelson puts himself in position so often that sooner or later a major championship is going to just fall into his lap. Or he'll do like David Duval at the British Open -- putter around for a couple of days under the radar, go super-low on Saturday before the pressure mounts, then hold on during the final round, when no one else can generate any momentum. And don't forget, Sam Snead, Ben Hogan and Tom Watson didn't start winning majors until all were into their early 30s. ...
Oh, man, did Strange put his neck on the chopping block or what? Scott Verplank is the first player with no Ryder Cup experience to become a captain's pick. Paul Azinger finished a distant 22nd in the qualifying. If one or both blows it at the Belfry and the U.S. loses the Cup, Strange will be absolutely crucified. Of course, he knows from experience that taking players with experience but little form -- i.e., Lehman or Faxon -- can be disastrous. In '95 Strange was that guy, and Lanny Wadkins still made him a captain's choice. We all know what happened from there. Bottom line: the captain always makes the wrong choice, unless his guys play well. ... Let's get one thing straight: Tiger Woods has had a transcendent year. All he wanted in 2001 was to take the Masters and finish off his Slam. Mission accomplished. Along the way he became the first man to win the Masters and Players Championship in the same year, and he has also taken both Arnie's and Jack's invitationals. He's still a good bet to finish atop the money list yet again. So quit carping. Once in a while the guy plays like a mere mortal, which is what has happened this summer. Only makes me appreciate what he did in 2000 that much more. ... Speaking of the Ryder Cup -- which is all we're going to be doing over the next month -- Scott Hoch told me a funny story last week. "I remember one year one of the guys was injured," Hoch said, "and I was supposed to be the alternate. I'm not gonna tell you who it was, because I don't want to get anyone in trouble. [Our guess: Fred Couples in '93, when the captain was Watson.] Anyway, I picked up the paper and the captain was saying, "We've been in constant contact with Scott, and he's tuning up his game, and he promises he'll be ready if we need him." I had to laugh at that, because I hadn't talked to the captain once. In fact, I was injured at the time, but nobody knew that. That was funny, though. 'Constant contact.'"... First Maru ( Shigeki Maruyama ), now Shingo (Katayama) . When did Japanimation characters start taking over golf? Mail CallJeez, you write a little account of a golf trip to Ireland and it turns into some sort of sappy, male-bonding exercise. I can't tell you how many lonely guys out there wrote in to reminisce about their own adventures on the Emerald Isle, most of which seemed to involve a dying relative. In truth, there were many uplifting missives, full of good cheer, but not everybody was so happy to read the Irish exposé. An anonymous reader from Houston huffs, "WTF -- YOU GAVE AWAY ALL THE SECRETS, YOU IDIOT!! You told everyone about all the courses and about SWING!! It's a good thing no one reads your column!" Hey, pal, you can call me an idiot, but don't ever talk smack about the size of my readership! Grouchy ol' Tim Schultz of Atlanta sniffs, "As if your seventh-grade-sounding report on What I Did for Summer Vacation wasn't sickening enough (complete with such riveting information like how long you and your boyfriends have known each other), you then go on with the misguided belief that someone actually gives a s--- about what Irish golf holes you like. Jesus, son, get a grip, will you? The golf world is full of people more interesting than you; write about them once, and save the self-indulgent stories for your diary." Of course, a few of the more deranged readers loved all the minutiae of the trip, and many of you were especially intrigued by my sneak peek of the not-yet-opened Doonbeg Golf Club in County Clare. Lloyd Canning, a Doonbeg native who now makes his home in New York, writes, "You have now experienced what I know is going to be one of the best times a golfer is ever going to have -- playing Doonbeg golf course. I walked the course three months ago on a visit home and was basically awestruck. As a kid I spent countless afternoons chasing up and down the sand dunes at Doughmore (the name of the townland the course is built on) and now can't wait to do so with golf bag in tow. I'm really glad the beauty of the area is shining through the layout. And to think, you played the course while it's still in the womb, so to speak. All grown up, she's going to be a thing of rare beauty. "It also sounds like you played the course on a day of infrequent fine weather. Can you imagine what it will be like with a nice, stiff, westerly wind blowing in on you as you get up onto some of those exposed tees? Believe me, having lived there all my life, those windy, wet days are in the majority and will give the course a whole new edge. "I'd like to thank you for visiting Doonbeg (it sounds like your buddy did his Kenny Rogers warble in Comerfords or Madigans pub; aren't the pints good?), and helping to put it on the golf map. Since first seeing the course at the very start of development a couple of years back, I knew it was going to become something really special. My friends are bored of hearing me wax poetic about it -- now you know why I do." Waxing poetic? Bringing tears of boredom to people's eyes? Lloyd, I can definitely relate. Sports Illustrated senior writer Alan Shipnuck periodically waxes about life On Tour for CNNSI.com. Click here to send him a question or a nice, friendly comment.
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