|
Chat Reel: SI's Jaime Diaz
Franco needs to battle complacency
Posted: Monday May 08, 2000 04:03 PM
Sports Illustrated senior writer Jaime Diaz joins CNNSI.com users each Monday at 1 p.m. ET to talk golf. A transcript of his May 8 chat follows.
CNNSI.com Host: Welcome to our weekly golf chat with Sports Illustrated's Jaime Diaz. Thanks for joining us, Jaime.
Jaime Diaz: Thank you, guys.
CNNSI.com Host: Let's get started with the questions.
From Guest: How good is Carlos Franco? We don't seem to hear much about him in between victories.
Jaime Diaz: I think Carlos is one of those supremely naturally gifted people who has until recently never had much financial success, so he had to play all over the world. But once he broke through on the PGA Tour he became wealthy beyond his expectations, and it would be natural for a little complacency to set in. That's what he has to most fight, just the sense of satisfaction that he's made it. For some reason he was very motivated about defending his title in New Orleans, and I'm sure that kicked in some extra energy. He's a threat any time long hitting and high irons shots are at a premium, and the Masters is very good for him in particular.
From Guest: Should we be surprised that Laura Davies only has 19 LPGA Tour victories?
Jaime Diaz: In a sense, because when Laura plays well and everything's clicking, she's like Shaquille O'Neal, she's nearly unstoppable. Laura's been plagued by a couple of things: erratic driving and erratic putting, both mostly mental problems. It seems to catch up to her on Sundays. She's in the hunt a great deal but I don't think she's been very effective as a closer.
From Andrew: Is the PGA Tour considering scheduling a big event such as a WGC tournament or even the Players Championship in this lull period between the Masters and U.S. Open? Seems like having one of these events in May could be a big attraction to players and fans who have an extended letdown after Augusta.
Jaime Diaz: Certainly if the world tour expands that would be the natural vacuum to fill. I think its in a holding pattern to make sure the formula is successful. When it has proven so I think the tour will expand to another event, and I think May makes a lot of sense, yes.
From Tyler: Why do all the big stars play so few Tour stops?
Jaime Diaz: The emphasis is on the major championships and being prepared and peaking for those events. Then the World Golf Championships, where the money is greatest. And the players are all rich and the incentive to play is lessening. That's too bad for old-line Tour events, but it's a reality. The public will have to be satisfied with lesser marquee names at these events or there will be a letdown in popularity. My feeling is the PGA Tour is so popular right now it can survive without Tiger Woods playing each week.
From Guest: Are the "smaller" Tour stops in danger of losing sponsorship and fan interest because of this? Similar to what is happening with the ATP right now?
Jaime Diaz: I don't think so, because the foundation is so strong. People love golf, and they know they're seeing the best players in the world, with maybe one or two exceptions, each week. Some sponsors have a hard time justifying any sponsorship of a tournament, because it's hard to measure actual benefit to a corporation. So those sponsors will rotate anyway. But there are companies waiting to take their places, so I don't think there's any crisis in the offing.
From Guest: How much golf do some of the guys play during what seems like long layoffs between tournaments?
Jaime Diaz: It varies. Some guys really like to play golf, maybe casually with friends. Arnold Palmer and Sam Snead played golf all the time; for Snead it was a form of relaxation. Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods put the clubs away for extended periods. I think it's more common now to see people get away from the game in order to come back refreshed and more enthusiastic.
From Guest: What are the best courses in the U.S. Open rotation and how will Bethpage Black fare in 2002?
Jaime Diaz: I haven't played Bethpage Black, unfortunately, although I've heard really good things about the changes and naturalness of the course; people in New York are very proud of the course. I think it'll be well received; players like a rugged, natural look rather than an overprocessed look, which is what they're used to seeing. The question is are the greens going to be challenging enough; as a public course it has relatively flat greens, which means the scores may be lower than the USGA would like. My favorite U.S. Open courses are Shinnecock Hills, Winged Foot, Pebble Beach and Oakmont, in that order. And hopefully some day it'll go back to Merion.
From Guest: I assume guys in the locker room would've been pulling for Blaine McCallister Sunday. Did anyone else find that as difficult to watch as I did while he hacked away the win?
Jaime Diaz: It was excruciating. I really felt awful for the guy. Just in my own limited competitive career -- junior golf and college -- I've done that: two-putt from 30 feet away to win and you can't get it in. It stays with you a long time. Even with my little career, I wake up with a recurring nightmare of that situation. I hope he gets over it. It's always sad to see an older player without too many more chances do something like that, like it was seeing Craig Stadler the week before. And I'm sure Blaine was the favorite in the locker room, because he is a wonderful guy.
From Guest: Traditionally, which guys start to play well this time of year?
Jaime Diaz: I think you'll see the guys who maybe are a little shorter hitters start to do better -- Justin Leonard; it used to be Corey Pavin's time -- because the ball starts to roll a little more and they're not at such a disadvantage as when they play in wet conditions. Justin has always been better in hard and fast; he'd be the prototype of the player you'd start to see do better in the summer. Also, some are warm weather players -- Nick Price always plays well in the summer, and he's a low-ball hitter, too, so he should get benefit from the ball running.
From Guest: Which stretches of the Tour schedule are the most difficult on the players? Are we in one of them now?
Jaime Diaz: I don't think so. I think the most difficult time is late summer: People are tired; the weather is hot and humid; and the pressure, especially for people trying to make the top 125, is pretty intense. So those are really the dog days, that parallel baseball's -- late August, early September, it starts getting tough then. And the majors are over, too, so really there's only money to play for at that point.
From Guest: Can we expect Tiger to come out of his layoff hot or rusty?
Jaime Diaz: His track record is one where he comes out hot. He hasn't been lazy in this last week -- he probably took the week after the Masters completely off and then gradually got back into his game. I'm sure this last week has been intense in terms of practice and preparation. He's won Dallas before, it's a good course for him, and I expect to see him do well at Dallas. And at the Memorial -- he could win them both.
From Guest: Because this is a slow time of the season and golf isn't getting much ink, what are some of the stories golf fans are missing?
Jaime Diaz: Every week, each guy presents an interesting story. Blaine McCallister was a great story, with his wife being legally blind. Carlos Franco, Craig Stadler losing 50 pounds, Robert Allenby coming back from a car accident ... every player is a story. Just because they're not as famous as others doesn't make their life history not as interesting. I think real fans are tuned into that and want to hear those stories. It's our job to bring them to you, but I think there's an appetite. I don't think anyone's saying, 'Wake me up when Tiger gets back.' I think real golf fans like these stories.
From Guest: How much do the players like the Byron Nelson?
Jaime Diaz: The players really like the Nelson for a number of reasons. There's a lot of respect for Mr. Nelson; he 's a walking and talking historical monument. The hotel is right on the course. The Las Colinas sports center is connected to the hotel, so they can play basketball and work out and do things they don't get to do most places. Dallas is a good restaurant town and sports town, a fun place to be for guys on the road. And the course is good -- not great, but it's a good golf course.
From Guest: What do you think about the onslaught of lefties making it on Tour? Mike Weir and Steve Flesch will soon be challenging Phil Mickelson for top lefty.
Jaime Diaz: I think we're going to see more and more lefties, because historically lefties were dissuaded from playing their natural way because good players couldn't find clubs, so pros would encourage them to play righty. Also, there was a feeling lefties would have an advantage playing righty, because their guiding arm would be stronger. But theories have changed and people are encouraging lefties to play their natural way, and technologically golf clubs are not limited.
From Guest: We know we may hear too much about Tiger, Tiger, Tiger, but does he emerge from his break as the favorite in Dallas?
Jaime Diaz: Certainly. He's won there before, it's a good course for him. His history is one of coming out of a break really strong. And I think he'll be hungry to get back into winning. And as I've said before, he's the best player -- if he plays well, his best is better than anyone else's best.
CNNSI.com Host: That's all we have time for today. Thanks for chatting with us, Jaime.
Jaime Diaz: See you next week. Thank you.
|
Copyright © 2001
CNN/Sports Illustrated
An AOL Time Warner Company.
All Rights Reserved.
|
Terms under which this service is provided to you.
Read our privacy guidelines.
|
| 
