Those hoping that the unofficial 5th major would help shed light on the official first major were likely left disappointed by what they saw at TPC Sawgrass.
Those hoping that the unofficial 5th major would help shed light on the official first major were likely left disappointed by what they saw at TPC Sawgrass. It was an exhilarating, unpredictable ride, with many a dream left submerged in the Floridian water features. Cameron Young- who was America’s brightest star in last year’s Ryder Cup- took advantage of two notable European collapses to claim his 2nd tour title. The atmosphere almost started to replicate that of a Ryder Cup tie, with the US fans booing international players with typical boorishness. Regardless, Cam Young came home with a swagger in his step, using his megawatt tee-to-green game in an awesome statement of intent ahead of Augusta National.
Top names mostly absent
This year’s Players was a bit of throwback to years past, where slightly less fancied names would populate Sunday’s leaderboard. In the end, there were only three Major winners in the top ten (though Tommy Fleetwood would certainly count as one of the games’ elite players). World No.1 Scottie Scheffler was uncharacteristically careless off the tee and has now finished outside the top ten in three successive starts (which basically means disaster in Scottie-land). McIlroy has been plagued by back issues and will be hard pressed to find his best golf when we all head down Magnolia Lane. Xander Schauffele is one big-name contender who will feel buoyant after a solid T3 finish. He gained strokes in all departments and ended the week ranked 1st on Approach. The two-time major winner has an excellent under-the-radar Augusta record and appears to be trending in the right direction.
Cam Young- The American Fleetwood
I think it’s fair to say that there’s some overlap between the careers of Players champ Cam Young and reigning FedEx Cup king Tommy Fleetwood. And I’m not just talking about their rejection of the short back-and-sides look (Cam Young invokes a Western gunslinger while Fleetwood has got the Messianic thing down pat). Both players had to endure plenty of agony before getting their well-deserved flowers. Ok, Young didn’t require quite as much time as Tommy to break his PGA Tour duck: Fleetwood needed 164 PGA Tour starts while Young won at the 94th time of asking at last year’s Wyndham Championship. But they both appear to be primed for a strong year on the major front.
Young creates history
Young’s all-round game was tremendous at TPC Sawgrass. He drove the ball like a machine, registering the longest drive recorded at the 18th during the ShotLink era (375 yards). That drive alone vindicates the tour’s decision to roll back the golf ball in the coming years (we need to protect the integrity of the game). But he was also deadly on approach, hitting a gorgeous wedge under maximum pressure to set up birdie on the 17th. Sure, he benefitted from a few implosions. But his consistency from tee-to-green was something to behold.
European dreams fade
Ludvig Aberg did it again When things are going smoothly, there are few sights greater than Aberg in full swing. He has the most visually pleasing swing this side of Louis Oosthuizen, and few can match his ability to make birdies in bunches. He spent the first 64 holes of last week’s Players building relentless momentum. But tragedy struck again, as his title challenge was thwarted at the 11th and 12th (a stretch usually considered the easiest on the courses). The Swede sliced a 7 wood into the drink on 11, setting in motion a series of blunders that underlined his mental fragility when in contention. It’s surely just a matter of time till Aberg finally captures major glory. He shot 11-under-par at the par 5’s last week, which augers well for success at Augustus (where he has thrived in the past). But he needs to learn how to stop the bleeding. One errant shot doesn’t need to turn into three or four mental lapses.
Fitzpatrick succumbs to US boo-boys
The PGA tour really needs to get a handle on unruly fans incessantly booing international players. We all saw the Ryder Cup at Bethpage: nobody thinks it’s a cool look. And honestly, someone should put a moratorium on the whole ‘mashed po-taters’ thing. Let’s leave mashed potatoes for the dinner table. Former US Open champ Fitzpatrick was locked in an intense back-nine battle with Cam Young on Sunday, going to the final tee tied with the American for the lead. Young did his part to put Fitzpatrick off via pure quality, smashing that 375-yard behemoth down the heart of the fairway. The galleries decided to give Young an added boost, screaming U-S-A and booing Fitzpatrick into oblivion. He never looked comfortable over his tee-shot, pushing it into the pinestraw before going on to bogey the hole. To his credit, Fitzpatrick has shrugged off the crowd’s impact, referring to it as ‘child’s play’. That feels to me like the bullied kid not telling in fear of future retribution.
Conclusions
The current unpredictability of the US PGA Tour is making me look at the LIV guys more seriously. Rahm looked sensational in Hong Kong while DeChambeau just produced a sensational comeback winin Singapore. From a LIV perspective, these are the guys they want winning golf tournaments as we approach major time (not Niemann, sorry). LIV may be bleeding a few players, but a confident DeChambeau and a fired-up Rahm could cause havoc in a slightly chaotic US PGA landscape.
