Young guys playing well in match play
I’m going to tell you a little secret that some people in golf don’t want you to know:
It is possible for great golf to be played on the PGA Tour even without the presence of players with the last names of Woods and Mickelson.
That was proven again this week at the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship. Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, along with Adam Scott, opted not to play in the mountains of Arizona.
But guess what?
There was some outstanding golf played by some great players whose level of proficiency is such that the big boys who are missing this week aren’t really missed.
Justin Spieth has played like the powerhouse he’s going to become. Rory McIlroy keeps showing signs that he is back. Webb Simpson, Jason Day, Rickie Fowler, Jason Dufner all showed well.
And guess what again? Those guys are all in their 20s and are entering the time in their careers when they get really good.
One of the reasons Woods and Mickelson aren’t missed in this event is neither has been successful enough in the one-and-done format to be missed. They certainly haven’t left their mark on the event, which really exposes whatever weaknesses a player might be carrying that week.
Gone are the days when Tiger’s presence is a gauge of whether that week’s event is worthy of watching. Especially when he’s playing like he has to start off this season, it’s much more entertaining watching these youngsters excel. You never know what Mickelson is going to bring, either.
Things worked out perfectly for the PGA Tour’s young guns when the top four seeds were knocked out early. And they’ve taken advantage of that.
– It’s still four months until the Constellation Senior Players Championship at Fox Chapel Golf Club, but I wonder if golf fans realize what we’re about to face.
The over-50 guys will play at Fox Chapel this year and move on to parts unknown because beating its head against the monster that is the U.S. Open is not good business practice. The Open returns to Oakmont Country Club in 2016 and has already began nailing down corporate sponsorship.
That makes it tough for another entity to do the kind of business to make a golf tournament successful.
And when the final putt is sunk at Oakmont, the horizon is very unclear in terms of what’s next.
It is unclear at this point whether the Constellation Senior Players will return to western Pennsylvania after a two-year absence. And if it doesn’t, the possibility exists another 10 years could go by until professional golf returns, probably in the form of another U.S. Open.
It doesn’t sound quite right, does it?
– Here’s a little reminder in the form of a little real life. Three-time major champion Padraig Harrington said late this week that he’s recently undergone treatment of skin cancer. Harrington had several skin cancers removed from his face. His father died of esophageal cancer in 2005 for whatever role that might have played.
Bottom line is, he had symptoms and had them checked.
The reminder for us? The guys who are out there every day trying to win millions of dollars use protection before they leave the practice range.
Why shouldn’t the weekend warriors, the guys who play two, three, four times a week, do the same? Putting on sunscreen doesn’t take long, it’s painless but could save a great deal of pain down the road.
Take a minute, give yourself a fighting chance against skin cancer.
– Do you have an interesting story about your club or course or an individual who has done something special, let me know. Send your story ideas to mike.dudurich@gmail.com.