Golf For The Soul

Revolution is not a word commonly associated with golf.

But try not to associate 'revolution' with America in 1776, the storming of the Bastille in Paris, or Berkeley in the 60s.

Instead, think of it with regard to questioning established beliefs, exploring new ideas, and radical change.

Q.E.B. (Questioning Established Beliefs) : Tiger Woods' domination of golf has subsided.

With his crystallized image cracked, the culprit may be the media or Woods' injuries. But perhaps his departure from the spotlight illuminates that no matter how big his muscles, or how flawless his mechanics, golf is a mental game.

E.N.I. (Exploring New Ideas): In the last six events both Phil Mickleson and Tiger Woods have competed, Mickleson has beaten Woods every time.

Just the thought of capturing the elusive No.1 World Golf Ranking sends Mickleson into instant salivation. But Lefty has established an incredible rhythm on the golf course this season, blending his extreme power with his exceptional touch.

Could a win at the US Open make Mickleson the new face of golf?

R.C. (Radical Change): The 2010 PGA Tour season has had 10 champions under the age of 30.

Even Justin Rose, who is 29, looked like an aged veteran next to 21-year old sensation Rickie Fowler (who has been called a Justin Bieber, 16, look-alike) at the Memorial last Sunday.

Young players are contending in every event because they are not afraid; they're not afraid of Tiger's intimidating presence, Phil's gargantuan length, Rory Sabbatini's scowl, and most importantly—they're not afraid of losing because it's a lesson in stride towards victory.

What's undeniable: golf in 2010 has been propelled by new power, fresh hope, and a developing, radical perspective of the world of golf.

Tiger's Army

Tiger Woods may not maintain his No.1 ranking, but he remains the No.1 reason for this explosion of talented youth upon the world golf scene.

Think about your idols. Woods was the ultimate emblem of fortitude, persistence, and an unwavering focus from the only thing that mattered—winning.

He was inspiring.

Crushing the field by 12 strokes at the Masters in 1997, the Tiger-Slam in 2001, his unforgettable chip-in at No. 16 at the Masters in 2005, forcing the playoff against Rocco Mediate at the US Open in 2008; the list appears endless.

Tiger's unequaled accomplishments galvanized youth to compete as he constantly did. Anthony Kim was the first of Tiger's Army to prove he was not just a promising student, but a tireless competitor with a vision of glory.

Kim has remained a force to be reckoned with on Tour, and welcomed other young phenoms like Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy, Ryo Ishikawa, Rickie Fowler and a slew of gifted 20-somethings to the big stage.

More Reasons Golf Has Never Been This Good

-Tim Finchem is about to turn his plea into policy.

After constantly encouraging PGA pros to participate in more events (such as the Shell Houston Open or St. Jude Classic), and not just the mainstream tournaments (Colonial and Memorial) it appears the PGA Tour commissioner is about to inflict new, sweeping rules about tournament entrance.

No longer will players simply choose when and where they'd like to play. Instead, there will be more consistent competition among all players, including the entitled top-50, in a wide variety of tracks.

-Have you forgotten already? Golf is going to be part of the 2016 Olympics.

This means golf is not only on the map, but has spread and continues to unfurl to the farthest reaches of the world.

This is no Ryder Cup or Major.

It's an internationally recognized competition and golf has earned it's way.

Golf fans should be ecstatic about this, the reawakened rivalry between Woods and Mickleson, and the countless possibilities the young stars will contribute to 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 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. Kim is ranked 33rd in putting average and 35th in driving distance, but the stat that impresses me most about him is 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, 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 U.S. 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.