PGA Championship

[YmoBeThere]

Would have been nice if Ernie would have been a stoke or two better. As he and Phil are both older than I, I'm fine with either winning it.

[Bob Green]

Congratulations to Rory McIlroy for winning the Wanamaker Trophy! The 2014 PGA Championship was a real barnburner. Mickelson, Fowler and company kept the pressure on but McIlroy was clutch down the stretch. This was a tremendous weekend of major championship golf.

[duketaylor]

and even some controversy, to boot, with darkness, lightning and questionable rulings about both of those in the mix. Add to that Henrick Stenson didn't get to drop his ball on 18 when in the mud. His condition looked identical to me to Fowler's a few holes earlier and Fowler got a drop. Different officials as each group has their own, but it certainly seemed like identical situations..

The golf was plenty interesting and intriguing by itself, then the late weather circumstances almost made it surreal. I'm looking forward to comments in the coming days.

The tournament was high drama throughout. Congrats to the Victor!! He did earn it!!

[greybeard]

Phil took this one hard. Very. Rory played great but it was Phil's to lose on the back and he probably did, although Rory just as probably would have done what he had to. Still, that putt on 16, and no birdies down the stretch, Phil must have thought things like that were behind him. Very tough game, heartless to some very great players often. Great last day. Talking about Day, that shot, straight out of Bagger Vance.

[DUKIECB]

Phil took this one hard. Very. Rory played great but it was Phil's to lose on the back and he probably did, although Rory just as probably would have done what he had to. Still, that putt on 16, and no birdies down the stretch, Phil must have thought things like that were behind him. Very tough game, heartless to some very great players often. Great last day. Talking about Day, that shot, straight out of Bagger Vance.

Talk about heartless to some, how about Rickie Fowler? He finished 2nd, 2nd, 5th and 3rd in the majors this year with the best cumulative score of anyone and comes away empty handed. I feel like it's just a matter of time before he breaks through but it's got to be heartbreaking for him to be that close in all 4 majors and not win. Seems like a really nice guy too.

[pfrduke]

Talk about heartless to some, how about Rickie Fowler? He finished 2nd, 2nd, 5th and 3rd in the majors this year with the best cumulative score of anyone and comes away empty handed. I feel like it's just a matter of time before he breaks through but it's got to be heartbreaking for him to be that close in all 4 majors and not win. Seems like a really nice guy too.

Those finishes did pay him nearly $2.5 million (roughly 2/3 of his winnings on the year) so not quite empty handed.

[snowdenscold]

Those finishes did pay him nearly $2.5 million (roughly 2/3 of his winnings on the year) so not quite empty handed.

Isn't there a quote about Majors that's something along the lines of, "All the other weekends you play for money; here, you play for history."


(can't find the source, and google turned up nothing. I thought I heard Mike Tirico refer to it at the Open Championships)

[DUKIECB]

Those finishes did pay him nearly $2.5 million (roughly 2/3 of his winnings on the year) so not quite empty handed.

Point taken. Maybe empty handed wasn't the right phrasing but I bet you he would give back the $2.5 million in a heartbeat to have won just one of those tournaments.

[YmoBeThere]

Is Fowler now the best player to not have won a major? Supplanting Sergio in that role?

[JasonEvans]

Point taken. Maybe empty handed wasn't the right phrasing but I bet you he would give back the $2.5 million in a heartbeat to have won just one of those tournaments.

Seeing as Ricky has close to $15 mil in career earnings and probably does pretty nicely in sponsorship dollars as well, I bet he would give $2.5 mil for a Major without even thinking twice about it.

-Jason "worth noting, winning a Major makes you much more marketable, so the money part is about more than just winnings" Evans

[Newton_14]

Seeing as Ricky has close to $15 mil in career earnings and probably does pretty nicely in sponsorship dollars as well, I bet he would give $2.5 mil for a Major without even thinking twice about it.

-Jason "worth noting, winning a Major makes you much more marketable, so the money part is about more than just winnings" Evans

Great tournament. Most exciting Major of the year by far but I was super disappointed about how the officials handled the chaotic end. That was very unfair to Phil and Ricky. Roy's birdie on 17 played a key role in all that. He thought "tourney over". I was fine with letting them tee off on 18 while Phil in Ricky were walking to their balls, as the thought there is if they hit their tee shots, then the had the right to choose to finish the hole even if the horn blew to stop play. So no beef there. (Side note; Roy was extremely lucky his tee shot did not bounce in the lake. If that happens Phil wins). My beef is the decision to allow them to also hit their approach shots before Phil and Ricky finished out. In doing so they very much rushed Phil and Ricky with their final shots on the green. It hurt Ricky more than Phil as Phil almost holed his chip, but Ricky clearly rushed his putt. 2, It took away Phil and Ricky's ability to put pressure on Roy's approach shot from the fairway should either have made Eagle. 3, It allowed Roy to play 10 minutes sooner than he would have which changed the lighting/visibility he would have dealt with had he been made to wait. Those three things were incredibly unfair to Phil and Ricky. That was bad form on the officials part and Phil was extremely pissed with the officials though he did take the high road on it when interviewed after the round.

Just a shame it had to end in that manner.

[snowdenscold]

Great tournament. Most exciting Major of the year by far but I was super disappointed about how the officials handled the chaotic end. That was very unfair to Phil and Ricky. Roy's birdie on 17 played a key role in all that. He thought "tourney over". I was fine with letting them tee off on 18 while Phil in Ricky were walking to their balls, as the thought there is if they hit their tee shots, then the had the right to choose to finish the hole even if the horn blew to stop play. So no beef there. (Side note; Roy was extremely lucky his tee shot did not bounce in the lake. If that happens Phil wins). My beef is the decision to allow them to also hit their approach shots before Phil and Ricky finished out. In doing so they very much rushed Phil and Ricky with their final shots on the green. It hurt Ricky more than Phil as Phil almost holed his chip, but Ricky clearly rushed his putt. 2, It took away Phil and Ricky's ability to put pressure on Roy's approach shot from the fairway should either have made Eagle. 3, It allowed Roy to play 10 minutes sooner than he would have which changed the lighting/visibility he would have dealt with had he been made to wait. Those three things were incredibly unfair to Phil and Ricky. That was bad form on the officials part and Phil was extremely pissed with the officials though he did take the high road on it when interviewed after the round.

Just a shame it had to end in that manner.

Yeah it would have been really interesting to see what would have happened had Rory only made par on 17. With the insurance birdie, everything played out quite differently. Very possibly would have finished on Monday since Rory most likely would not want to rush through 18 like he did.


The shot of the championship (and one that really changed the course of the tournament) surely was Rory's approach shot on 10. If I saw correctly, he was the only person to make the green in 2 all day (weekend?) ? He had fallen a bit behind at that point, and when I saw him hit it, I thought something terrible had happened, only to see it make that incredible roll onto the green setting up that (relatively) short eagle putt. Without that eagle, who knows where things would have gone...

[Dr. Rosenrosen]

Is Fowler now the best player to not have won a major? Supplanting Sergio in that role?

With Sergio, that has a decidedly negative connotation given his struggle to maintain his mental toughness and break through.

Rickie is 25 and really just beginning to come on. I expect to see Rickie break through - he doesn't appear to be fighting demons like Sergio.

[CDu]

Is Fowler now the best player to not have won a major? Supplanting Sergio in that role?

That's an interesting question. I would say that Henrik Stenson (world #3), Matt Kucher (world #7), and Jason Day (world #10) probably are ahead of Fowler (world #13) right now. But his performances in majors this year certainly put him on the short list in this discussion. I'd also note that Jordan Spieth (world #12 but with a very brief resume) is probably knocking on the door too, provided he doesn't win one in the next year or two.

[Mal]

That's an interesting question. I would say that Henrik Stenson (world #3), Matt Kucher (world #7), and Jason Day (world #10) probably are ahead of Fowler (world #13) right now. But his performances in majors this year certainly put him on the short list in this discussion. I'd also note that Jordan Spieth (world #12 but with a very brief resume) is probably knocking on the door too, provided he doesn't win one in the next year or two.

Agreed wholeheartedly. In the world of golf tropes, the better description for Fowler is perhaps the guy most "on the verge of putting it all together." He's still only won one PGA event, in a sort of mid-level tournament, whereas guys like Stenson and Kuchar have been winning larger tournaments for at least a couple years. Stenson, in particular, has won a bunch of the next tier down from the majors titles, and 18 overall between the PGA and European tour, so I'd go with him for the ignominious honor. I guess if it's still supposed to encapsulate "guy who absolutely should have won a major and probably more than one by this point but underachieves on the big stage" then I guess I'd still give it to Garcia, though.

[duketaylor]

Colin Montgomerie should also be in this discussion, even if he's now in his 50s. Ricky's not old enough to consider, yet. Jordan Speith's even younger. Darren Clarke, Lee Westwood, also belong(ed) in the conversation. I think the better way to frame the question is more like, "Who's the best player with lots of experience playing in majors to never win one?" At least in the last 15-25 years or so that was the gist of the question. Faldo used to be called "Foldo" by the Euro press til he broke through. Bernhard Langer had some bad moments as well. I'm trying to think which American players figure into this much older question. Davis Love III had one, so he doesn't "qualify."

I'm trying to think who else might figure in. I'll post later if I come up with any.

[tbyers11]

Colin Montgomerie should also be in this discussion, even if he's now in his 50s. Ricky's not old enough to consider, yet. Jordan Speith's even younger. Darren Clarke, Lee Westwood, also belong(ed) in the conversation. I think the better way to frame the question is more like, "Who's the best player with lots of experience playing in majors to never win one?" At least in the last 15-25 years or so that was the gist of the question. Faldo used to be called "Foldo" by the Euro press til he broke through. Bernhard Langer had some bad moments as well. I'm trying to think which American players figure into this much older question. Davis Love III had one, so he doesn't "qualify."

I'm trying to think who else might figure in. I'll post later if I come up with any.

Darren Clarke won The Open Championship in 2011. To your larger point, I consider the question to be the best player to never win a major who still has a chance. Monty isn't winning anything anymore. I agree with you that Westwood should be near the top of the list with Garcia and probably Stenson. I think Fowler is too young to be considered in this conversation. You should have several (5-10) tourney wins in addition to several close calls in majors. I'd put Rickie on the players playing the best this year who didn't win a major list.

[mr. synellinden]

Darren Clarke won The Open Championship in 2011. To your larger point, I consider the question to be the best player to never win a major who still has a chance. Monty isn't winning anything anymore. I agree with you that Westwood should be near the top of the list with Garcia and probably Stenson. I think Fowler is too young to be considered in this conversation. You should have several (5-10) tourney wins in addition to several close calls in majors. I'd put Rickie on the players playing the best this year who didn't win a major list.

For U.S. players, I'd say that Kuchar is at the top of the list. He's contended in enough majors and won enough times on tour that the failure to win a major so far puts him in the category of, "Why hasn't he won won yet?" that is required of the unofficial title.

[YmoBeThere]

Not even Derek Jeter would consider Wozniacki slump-busting material

Well, it was only her second appearance in a GS final, but it appears she may be in a mini-slump of her own. Okay, okay, maybe not. FWIW, she is no Anna Kournikova. She does have two WTA titles. (Though Ms. Kournikova was quite successful in the doubles format.)

[BD80]

Well, it was only her second appearance in a GS final, but it appears she may be in a mini-slump of her own. Okay, okay, maybe not. FWIW, she is no Anna Kournikova. She does have two WTA titles. (Though Ms. Kournikova was quite successful in the doubles format.)

Maybe sleeping with me would break her slump ...