Golf For The Soul

Was anyone actually expecting Ernie Els to play a better round Friday than he did Thursday?

Els has carded two, terrific rounds of 68 and 66 at Doral’s beastly Blue Monster course at the WGC-CA Championship, where he is in the lead at 10-under par.

Unexpected? Yes. Implausible? No.

Els has been one of my golf icons since I could grip a club. He epitomizes the purity and fluidity of the golf swing. His on and off course demeanor is that of a champion; modest, but relentless; fierce, but collected.

I was lucky enough to follow him for a few holes at what was then the Northern Trust Open in Palisades, California, at Riviera Country Club. As an aspiring, young golfer at the time he was the one golfer that taught me you didn’t need to swing harder or faster to make the ball go further.

His pre-shot routine was a simple gaze into the distance and his silky swing was uninhibited and tranquil, like an autumn breeze swooshing through the leaves.

Over the last few years Els’ game, however, has resembled that of an ebb and flow amateur restructuring his swing, rather than a 40-year-old professional with three majors under his belt and countless worldwide wins. It has become all too common for Els to shoot a brilliant Thursday round, only to see it virtually erased by mistakes off the tee, three-putts, and carelessness on Fridays.

Yesterday, as I was mulling over the first day’s leaderboard at the CA Championship at Doral, I was, well, hesitant to say the least, to take Els in my top-five picks for the weekend. Having not won since 2008 and never really coming close in 2009, aside from seven top-10’s, I put my bets elsewhere.

It was refreshing to see him playing great golf over the last couple days—but, I can’t help but wonder if the weekend will send him into a whirlwind of dismay.

Now that he has surpassed Thursday and Friday, will his nerves get the best of him or will he show golf fans he can still compete with the best in the world?

Video interviews, blogs, and news articles continue to exacerbate the question of where and when Tiger will return.

Some say the Tavistock would be best because he will be in his comfort zone with O’Meara around. Others think Woods’ past success at Arnie’s Tournament would suit his return better. Perhaps the Masters would benefit him more because the media coverage will be strict and not as much of a circus.

Honestly, I am not concerned with the where or when—I am concerned with the How of Tiger. How will his game look? His putting? Driving? Irons? Short game?

Don’t forget that Tiger would often strike the golf ball and before it had even reached its highest point in the air he and his caddy have already begun walking because Tiger knew exactly where the ball would land—five feet from the cup.

What about his patented club twirl? We have seen it countless times, but the most memorable for me was this past year when he was paired with Furyk at the President’s Cup. Sitting 229-yards away from the hole, ball below his feet, Tiger loaded up and hit the purest cut, four-iron to eight feet from the hole. Sure, the shot itself was incredible, but watch his reaction right after striking the ball: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkWrSE3F1o4

As one of the commentators put it after Tiger’s shot, “His game is like a Michelangelo painting.”

All of this—his dominance over his competition—is a product of his unparalleled mental game.

This is a guy who would speak in press conferences about how he wouldn’t enter a tournament unless he knew he could win. That’s not just confidence: its pompous.

But things are different now, are they not? His image, brand name associations, and overall character are viewed by the world from a totally new perspective. So I wonder—is he also looking at the world through new eyes? And if so, can he find a way to maintain his unmatched golf game, while reinventing himself? Or, will everything be affected by his transformation?

This recent superabundance of questioning as to where and when he will compete again a reflects how the public expects Tiger to forever be the greatest golfer in the world, and perhaps ever.

I think whenever and wherever he does return is inconsequential. Instead, how he plays, deals with pressure, bad lies, hard winds, wet rough, and the countless obstacles of the golf course will be a test to see if he truly is impervious to his past transgressions and time off from professional golf.

No offense to the current leader of the World Golf Championship at Doral, Charl Schwartzel, but his moment in the spotlight is nothing more than a transient travesty for his confidence.

When players like Schwartzel, who did not meet the minimum number of rounds required to be officially ranked in 2009, hold the lead at a world class golf event like Doral I can’t help but feel like I have seen this story before—he will fall from grace like the one-hit-wonders fall from the music charts. Though I would love to be proven wrong and witness Schwartzel demolish the field, the plethora of talented professionals competing this week will overshadow him as they climb the leaderboard.

My eyes are particularly set on five players who I predict will keep viewers on their edge of their seats this week at Doral.

Anthony Kim: currently No.17 at Doral, 1-under par Kim is not a sleeper pick this week, but instead the man you want to put your money on. Whether or not he will win is up in the air, but he is almost guaranteed a top-ten finish after his recent, stellar play. Just in 2010 he has made the cut in all four events he participated in, with one 2nd place at the Honda Classic. Ranked 33rd in putting average and 35th in driving distance, the stat that impresses me most about Kim: scoring average, where Kim stands in 4th with a 69.06 average. I believe his aggressive play has been misconstrued as remiss, when in fact it has been the catalyst for his rapid ascent among PGA Tour professionals. Kim will continue to be a threat in every event he enters, but this week at Doral expect him to finish strong.

Paul Casey: currently No.5 at Doral, 3-under par For the 2010 PGA Tour season, can you name the only player with top-tens in every event he’s played in? Answer: Paul Casey. A 2nd at the Accenture Match Play, 10th at the SBS Championship, and 4th at the Honda Classic has propelled Casey to the forefront of the golf world. Maybe he doesn’t fist pump after draining a 40-foot putt or flip his eight-iron after a cleanly struck golf shot that lands three-feet from the cup, but Casey is a fierce competitor. He is Mr. Consistency. Just review his stats if you need further persuasion; 6th in GIR (greens in regulation), 13th in scoring average, 15th in birdie average, and currently ranked 8th in the world. Casey has the length and finesse to score well at TPC Blue Monster at Doral. He is on a streak right now and I don’t anticipate this stretch of dazzling golf will stop any time soon.

Hunter Mahan: currently No.24 at Doral, Even Par Though I wish I had the sweet finish of Luke Donald or drove the ball as far as Bubba Watson, I wish I played golf like Hunter Mahan. His game is simple and yet as far from ordinary as it gets. His powerful swing is complemented by a silky-smooth putting stroke. While some players walk the course emanating apathy (Tim Clark) or dismay (Rory Sabbatini), Mahan radiates with an eagerness to be in the moment and compete at the highest level. It’s in his club twirl, his focused gaze, and the tangible determination to overcome the obstacles of the golf course. This is my feel good pick. At a course like Doral, which is over 7,000 yards and brimming with strategically placed bunkers and water hazards, Mahan’s long and straight off the tee tactics will pay off. He has already won this year at the Waste Management Open in Phoenix and Doral could be the location for that second ‘W’ of 2010.

Phil Mickelson: currently No.17 at Doral, 1-under par You can never rule him out. I don’t think that is a mechanical aspect of the swing that your instructor teachers you, or by practicing hitting fades with a seven-iron, or after putting hundreds of three-footers. Mickleson is just pure grit. He is a fighter and in the last few years the public has watched him endure horrible tragedy, yet still persevere. On the course he punishes the ball of the tee, currently averaging 295 yards off the tee, and remains the archetype for play around the greens for his magical touch. The only thing that worries me about Mickleson is exactly what he did at the end of his round yesterday at Doral—he bogeyed holes 17 and 18 after being three-under par. Mickleson has a history of getting a bit too anxious or aggressive at the end of the round; need I mention the US Open where Ogilvy was basically handed the trophy? He needs to control his nerves down the stretch and stay away from the big numbers. Nonetheless, he will make noise this week at Doral where he has a history of exceptional play.

Vijay Singh: currently No.2 at Doral, 4-under par I really don’t like this guy, but man can he play golf. I’m still sore about his Annika Sorenstam comments, and have never really understood his standoffish, cold demeanor on the golf course. But, I won’t lie: I used to practice his patented towel under the arm exercise when swinging because if Singh is an expert at anything it’s practicing the right things. I hope people haven’t forgotten that the only other player to hold the No.1 ranking in our Tiger Woods Era was this guy. Singh’s coming off a 4th place finish at the Honda Classic and has a 69.52 scoring average in 2010—not too shabby. Though I wish it weren’t the case, I can’t ignore Singh’s potential to go on a streak of birdies and ascend to the top of the leaderboard by Sunday.

Before Brandt Snedeker went on a birdie rampage Saturday at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, the void that Tiger’s absence had left on my ‘golf soul’ was beginning to subside. There it was: an abundance of youth—Camillo Villegas, Ryan Moore, Anthony Kim, Rickie Fowler—was perched atop the leaderboard.

Suddenly, I’m revitalized.

For the first time in a long time I am eager and excited to tune into a PGA Tour event.

I had been dejected after learning of Gatorade’s decision to release Tiger from his endorsement. Tiger’s seriousness and sincerity at his press conference appeared, at least in my eyes, to be enough to restore faith in his ability to transform himself. However, Gatorade obviously viewed his issues through a different lens.

Then yesterday, as my browser slowly unraveled, I couldn’t help but coyly smirk in satisfaction that guys my age were tearing it up at TPC Scottsdale. A combined age of 101, it was almost surreal to see Villegas, Moore, Kim, and Fowler being chased by major winners, future PGA Hall of Famers, and over 140 of the most talented golfers in the world.

It’s a strange, but pleasant, reminder that life goes on in the golf world.

Having met both Kim and Fowler, hit on the range next to them, and observed the intricacies of each of their games—Kim the powerful and Fowler the crafty—I have been hopeful and anxious for their individual breakthroughs on the Tour. Though Kim has already had a great deal of success in his short career, especially in 2008 with wins at the AT&T National and Wachovia, it was refreshing to see a guy like Fowler, who has immeasurable amounts of pressure on him from all the hype and acclaim, producing under pressure.

Moore’s methods may be a little unorthodox, considering he refuses to wear spikes on the golf course, but the dude has got game. His last few seasons have been characterized by a slew of both top-tens and missed cuts; not exactly the blueprint of consistency. But, he has a gritty, aggressive attitude on the course that I anticipate will launch him to the forefront of the golf world in the coming months.

Villegas is off to a rapid start of the 2010 season. After nearly winning at the WGC Accenture Match Play last week, he started the Phoenix Open with a blistering 9-under par 62 Thursday, and a 3-under par 69 Friday. Looking at Villegas’ stats over the last three years, every year he has been improving, most visibly in his short game; the nucleus of a successful golf career.

Over the last few years, my anticipation for young players’ success on tour has been ebb and flow. Whether they are straight out of college, like Fowler, or a recent graduate of the Nationwide Tour, like Moore, rumors start, hype grows, and the judgment begins.

As an observer and fervent fan, I can’t imagine how arduous this task and transition must be for these young golfers. They are acclaimed at the junior and college level, reigning victorious at local, national, and even international events. Leading in stats like driving distance and putts per round has become common—but then, they reach the big time, or what Crash Davis would call ‘the show.’

It’s a culture shock. It’s a mental shock. It’s a shock.

Their role models are now their playing partners. They’re finish in the event doesn’t just earn them a mention in the newspaper, but a paycheck.

They’re not just pursuing a dream anymore—they’re going to work every day to survive in a cutthroat business.

Only time will tell which of these emerging golfers will consistently shine when its crunch time on the PGA Tour. But, one thing is for certain: they radiate vigor and a visible, perceptible desire to compete and thrive and that is everything and more that the PGA Tour is yearning for right now.

Dustin Johnson prevailed over Paul Goydos and JB Holmes Sunday at the AT&T Pebble Beach National, capturing his third career PGA Tour victory. But before Johnson had teed it up, or the slick Poa annua greens had been trimmed, or the morning dew blanketed the rye fairway grass, Sunday’s final pairing had stirred up the suspense of an age-old golf quandary: What kind of golfer has the upper-hand — a long-ball hitter or a short-game extraordinaire?

On Saturday at Spyglass, Paul Goydos was all business. Firing at pins and reading green undulation from any and every angle, Goydos secured an impressive, bogey free round of 8-under par 64. But Goydos was not the only pro making noise Saturday under the golden rays of sunlight in Monterey Bay. Dustin Johnson, one of the PGA Tour’s renown long-ball hitters, polished off his second round of 64 in the week, prompting an unusual and distinctive final pairing.

Sunday had the potential to be an incredibly intriguing final round as Johnson, a goliath who pummels the golf ball, competed against Goydos, the crafty, unpredictable underdog.

Strangely, golf analysts and commentators had been quick to assume that Johnson had the upper hand on Goydos. With only two wins on the PGA Tour, 11 years apart from the other, Goydos’ Achilles heel throughout his career has been managing consistency. When Goydos has found his groove in PGA events, he has a history of, well, choking. His reign atop the leaderboard usually lasts until that dreadful day — Sunday, a day associated with panic for Goydos. But, for anyone who knows what it’s like to be the underdog, we were rooting for him, even if his opponent boasted bizarrely enormous length of the tee.

With Goydos and Johnson highlighting this event, viewers were given a special glimpse into the dynamic between a golfer with explosive power and a golfer with unsuspecting touch.

The palpable disparity between the talents of Goydos and Johnson are emblematic of the golfing public, who have fallen into the tendency of labeling themselves a ‘power-hitter’ or more of a ‘touch player.’ While the goal in golf may be to master every aspect of the game, from long irons to short game to shaping shots, realistically, golfers excel at only one or two facets of the game and consequently will qualify themselves in that way.

Playing in junior events at a local and national level, I came into contact with golfers whose talents spanned across the spectrum; I saw guys who drove the ball over 300 yards, consistently hit every fairway and green, but who could not buy a putt, producing scores like 77, 78. Similarly, I encountered short hitters who lost their drives right, chipped back into the fairway, missed the green, chipped on, only to drain every putt they stood in front of, carding the same scores as the long-ball hitters.

Though the PGA Tour generates this idyllic image that every professional has found the middle ground of that spectrum, that’s much more fantasy than reality.

Why has Sergio Garcia never won a major? His short game is dreadful in pressure situations. Why has JB Holmes never been a constant threat on the PGA Tour? His power off the tee is the only consistency he has mastered. Why has Luke Donald never played up to his potential? In 2009, Luke was 82nd or higher in every statistic, except for one where he was ranked No.1 — sand saves. Big woop.

Golfers on the PGA Tour are struggling at the same things we, the duffers and shankers, are struggling with — all-around consistency. They too have endured the dreaded three-putt from inside 10-feet, finding your ball in a fried egg in the bunker, and even driving their ball out of bounds after coming off a birdie.

Sunday had the potential to reveal the ultimate showdown between Johnson’s driving force and Goydos’ expertise around the greens, but the round ended up revealing where the PGA Tour professionals truly thrive: recovery. Though Goydos and Johnson were in the lead at 18-under par over the first three days, both finished over par in their final rounds. In their final 18 holes, Goydos had a quadruple bogey and Johnson multiple bogeys, and in the end it became a battle for who could recover best.

In golf, just as in life, people make mistakes and what counts is how you recover from them.

Tiger or no Tiger, PGA Tour professionals are committed to proving that they can break out of Tiger’s shadow to become king of the jungle.

But it’s upsetting to say the least. For any PGA Tour player who reigns victorious after four grueling days of battle on the golf course, or who dominates the putting and greens in regulation stats, their triumph will come with the bitter caveat — what if Tiger had competed in the field?

Articles and blogs across ESPN.com and Golf Digest have just about exhausted this dramatic Tiger saga, and only precipitated more turmoil. PGA Tour commentators have called it the ‘elephant on the golf course.’ Writers have twisted the words of PGA Tour pros to generate even more unnecessary controversy. But most common has been the discussion of the detrimental financial effects on the PGA with Tiger’s tangible absence.

But what I believe has been painfully missing from this conversation has been the essential exploration of potential players who could, and possibly will, rehabilitate the golf world.

The player who reawakens the suffering PGA Tour does not necessarily have to display the palpably intense on-course attitude of Tiger, or the amiable qualities of Boo Weekley.

The truth is they need to be an individual. They need to generate difference.

Tiger is the blueprint for a reason. Consider how he defied previous golf stereotypes through his legendary dedication to fitness, which has helped set a new standard for golf both as a sport and an athletic endeavor.

If a golfer can once more trigger a substantial change, he will lend a hand in conquering the enormous challenges currently submerging the PGA Tour. The conversation will shift to whether or not Tiger can handle the world’s new No. 1 player, and not the other way around.

But for clarity, I’m not talking about a guy like Bubba Watson. Sure, he has proven he can hit his Bridgestone golfball as far as he wants (currently leading the PGA Tour with a 316-yard average driving distance). However, he’s also proven that he can’t consistently hit his irons within eight to ten feet, or sink putts in pressure filled situations. Players like Watson, who bomb it off the tee, will continue to prevail in categories that don’t produce winners, just ‘shoulda-beens.’

Also, this conversation doesn’t include players with a clearly poor, hostile attitude, like Rory Sabbatini. Recently, Rory had a massive article written about him in Golf Digest expressing how he felt his over-zealous, fiery golf course demeanor has been misconstrued for the person he really is; a fun-loving, goofy and affable man. But I guess my question for Rory would be: How else should the public view you but from your golf course demeanor? What other option do they have? Both fans and players should aspire to the outstanding qualities of this up and coming new star, and not be resented like Sabbatini has clearly become.

Cockiness and distance off the tee are not prerequisites for becoming a star in golf. But this player needs to creatively reinvigorate the sport. How this will be done is yet to be seen, for that lofty goal remains atop the ‘To Do List’ for the current PGA Tour pros. Just don’t think they are not up to the task.

One remarkable player’s rise to golf stardom will be a positive, regenerative step forward for golf; that is indisputable. New sponsors will arise, crowds will multiply, and most importantly, golf will be back on the worldwide map. There is a reason golf was chosen for the 2016 Olympics. It’s a rapidly growing, indispensable sport that must prove it is bigger and more valuable that one man.