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Chat Reel: Bobby Clampett
Turner golf analyst discusses Woods, surprises for 2000
Posted: Tuesday November 23, 1999 07:57 PM
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Bobby Clampett feels Sergio Garcia still needs some improvement before he is on the same level as Tiger Woods. AP |
CNNSI Host: Welcome to Turner Sports golf analyst Bobby Clampett. Thanks for joining us today, Bobby.
Bobby Clampett: Thank you, great to be with you.
From Guest: What has happened to Olazabal since the Masters, he was not even a factor at the other majors?
Bobby Clampett: Well he's struggled with his driving considerably, it's never been the strength of his game but now it's the obvious weakness. He showed up here with two drivers and yesterday in his practice he must have driven a hundred shots. I thought yesterday he did quite well, but statistically in Europe he's third from the bottom.
From Guest: Do you see any changes in equipment regulations coming in the future?
Bobby Clampett: I don't see the long putter being a factor. Certainly, the regulations about ball velocities are specifically regulated as are club faces on drivers. I just don't see any changes coming in the near future.
From Guest: Will the 2000 President's Cup be as heated as the Ryder Cup?
Bobby Clampett: I think it's going to take several years before the President's Cup reaches the same level from a press or personal interest standpoint. What made the Ryder Cup rivalry so large was the U.S. dominance for so many years, then the European dominance in the 80's and 90's. I think the level of competition will be equal at the President's Cup and I think the intensity will be near to equal as well.
From Guest: Is Sergio going to be able to live up to everyone's expectations?
Bobby Clampett: I think with the expectations that most people have placed on him, no. I think he's a breath of fresh air to the world of golf and a wonderful talent. He's certainly created a lot of world interest, but I think mechanically he's not nearly as grounded as Tiger Woods. He's a natural talent but doesn't have the mechanical gifts of Tiger Woods. Tiger is about as mechanically pure as possible right now.
Sergio has a good golf swing, but not the swing that Tiger has.
From Guest: Do you see more "marquee" international players coming to play on the U.S. PGA Tour because of the success of Tiger Woods?
Bobby Clampett: I would say no. I think they'll stay where they are. In fact David Feherty was joking yesterday that players ought to start paying Tiger disappearance money.
From Guest: Of the courses that are hosting majors in 2000, what is your favorite?
Bobby Clampett: Pebble Beach definitely ... site of next year's U.S. Open. That's a difficult question because the Masters is played at Augusta National every year, so there's not a rotating course there.
From Jim: Bobby: In reality, are the players better now than they were (say) in 1982 when you won on the Tour? If not, why the longer shots and consistantly lower scoring? It can't all be technology, can it? Is part of it better physical conditioning?
Bobby Clampett: There are a lot of factors. Most definitely the players are better today than 17 years ago. The fields are deeper. There are several factors that have caused this: 1) The rise of the popularity of golf leading to better college programs, junior golf programs, teachers, better equipment to teach the game. Video has played an important part in the teaching realm. 2) The popularity of golf has given rise to the increased purses. In 1982 it was difficult to make a living playing professional golf. Also increased television exposure and marketing helps. Lastly the ability of better equipment and physical conditioning has become a necessity. Twenty years ago, they didn't do much conditioning.
From Andrew: Do you think that there is too much emphasis on how much money a player wins rather than the number of tournaments won? How does that impact a golfer's priorities?
Bobby Clampett: Well, that's a very good question. One who has played out there, I know the demands tour places on the family. Tiger hasn't faced this yet. When he gets married and has children, it will be a different lifestyle. I think players who have a successful beginning, I can't blame them for wanting to spend time with their family when they make money early. Fred Couples has done that lately.
From Guest: Which course, in your opinion, is the most difficult?
Bobby Clampett: I don't there is a most difficult course, because conditions play a huge part. Carnoustie this year the conditions were so difficult. The PGA tour, I'm sure Pebble Beach will be set up very hard, as well as Pinehurst. But setup, conditioning and weather all play a part and major championships are always setup very difficult.
From Guest: Do you think they should have left Payne Stewart's spot at the Grand Slam of Golf open to pay respect to him?
Bobby Clampett: That's a very good question and it was one that the PGA and Turner Sports paid attention to because they care very much about paying appropriate respect and they even asked Love. He spent a lot of time thinking about it. He felt that Payne's position is going to be filled in tournaments throughout and to start a trend of not filling a position would not be what Payne would want. So this was a way to pay tribute. You'll see in the telecast the amount of effort given in remembering Payne. Payne meant so much as a golfer and a friend and spiritually, because of the big spiritual turnaround in his life in the last two years, where he came away from himself as a professional to who he was a person and really asked himself the deeper questions of life.
The memorial service was something that really typified who Stewart was beyond the golfer.
From Guest: Why did great years by Juli Inkster, Bruce Fleischer and Karrie Webb get overlooked? Why does the media just focus on Tiger and Sergio?
Bobby Clampett: I never felt like they were getting overlooked. Certainly they had great years. With Juli's induction into the Hall, and Karrie playing so well and Bruce coming out as a rookie doing so well. But, the PGA Tour represents the highest level of golf in the world and Tiger has broken record after record. He won 10 times. He won the PGA Player of Year and the Vardon Trophy. He's only the 11th player to do that. At his young age of 23, he's separating himself from the players in a sport where no one has been able to do that apart from Jack Nicklaus and Ben Hogan and that occurred in a period where the competition wasn't as keen. And it's also occurring at a time when other sports have lost their heroes... Gretzky, Jordan, Elway, Graf.
From Guest: Who do you think will have a big year in 2000? Any surprises?
Bobby Clampett: I think Tiger will have another big year in 2000. It's difficult to forecast surprises. Generally you look at the guys playing well at the end of '99 and they will generally have the big years in 2000. But I will give you a darkhorse. The Q school just ended yesterday and 35 players got their cards. Gary Nicklaus got his card shooting a 65 in the final round. He's the first Nicklaus child to do so. David Peeples is coming out of a slump and finished second at Q school. I think he's coming full circle and will win next year on the PGA Tour. I think Corey Pavin will have a good year next year.
From Guest: Do you think that the tour needs to do something about the fans? They seem to get more out of control every year with the Ryder Cup being the best example.
Bobby Clampett: I think generally golf fans are some of the best of any sport in the world. I think what happened at the Ryder Cup was a product of that area and the intensity of the Cup. Certainly to use their examples as the example for U.S. golf fans is a travesty.
From Guest: Is Tiger's '99 the best year you have ever seen?
Bobby Clampett: Yes. Most definitely.
CNNSI Host: Thanks for joining us today, Bobby.
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