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Golf Thread

markysimmo said:
He has never been awful
He has added distance which he was lacking in yet is still very accurate off the tee, is a very good iron player too
His putting still could be better though but he is apparently one of the hardest working players on the tour
He has had a fantastic 2022 so far

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There was always a touch of the luke donalds about, straight, consistent, held back a bit by his frame, he's really filled out though, which I'm sure is helping him.
Good luck to him, seems like a golfer, not just someone out there hoovering up the dollars.
 
Matt Fitzpatrick first cracked the world's top 50 in November 2015 and for all bar one week ever since he has sat comfortably in the elite strata of men's professional golf.

But the 27-year-old from Sheffield does not do comfortable. He pushes and pushes and pushes some more to get every ounce from a comparatively slight frame and increasingly substantial golf game.

Now he is top-10. Now he has won in the United States. Now he is a major champion, thanks to a brilliant victory at what will be remembered as one of the great US Opens.

"He wasn't happy hanging around 25 to 18 in the world for two or three years," Fitzpatrick's father Russell told BBC Sport in the wake of his son's Brookline triumph.

It came to a head after the majors of 2020. He had arrived at Harding Park for that year's US PGA Championship and texted friends to say he stood no chance before he had even struck a ball.

Quite simply, the player was sick of turning up at venues where he knew he could not win.

Fitzpatrick doubled down with long time coach Mike Walker, who is based in South Yorkshire and works alongside the legendary teacher Pete Cowen who initially uncovered the player's talents.

Cowen was a client of Fitzpatrick's bank manager dad. "You need a bit of luck. I could have been working in Portsmouth and never met Pete," Russell said.

His son sat down with Walker to figure out how to gain the extra yards that would make all the difference.

They enlisted the help of bio-mechanist Sasho Mackenzie who gave the player a speed stick called "The Stack" and a regime to transform his game.

Fitzpatrick revealed: "I've been doing that religiously, week in week out. It's like going to the gym basically."

And it is no surprise that he was so diligent in building the strength and speed that ultimately made him US Open champion at the same Massachusetts venue where he won the 2013 US Amateur as a skinny teenager.

"In terms of discipline, he's just so organised," his father added. "He leaves nothing to chance."

Caddie Billy Foster, for whom this was a first major success after 40 years as a leading bagman, has a more blunt way of describing his boss's dedication.

"When I first started working for him I said he's Bernhard Langer's lovechild," Foster told me. The meticulous German is a two-times Masters winner, Ryder Cup legend and is still winning senior titles at the age of 64.

"There's nobody works harder than Matt," Foster continued. "He has an incredible work ethic and with that extra bit of confidence from winning a major championship it'll hold him in good stead moving forward."

Foster was on the receiving end of some bitter major defeats while working for Thomas Bjorn, Lee Westwood and Darren Clarke. Fitzpatrick erased much of that heartache with his stunning display at The Country Club.

He beat world number one Scottie Scheffler and left the likes of defending champion Jon Rahm and a battling Rory McIlroy in his wake as well as edging big time specialist Will Zalatoris into a third runner-up finish at a major.

"He hit 17 out of 18 greens in a major championship at a US Open," Foster said. "That's incredible golf.

"He's put on 20 yards off the tee. His scrambling and chipping has got a lot better and he normally putts great. He hasn't putted really well the last few weeks which is not like him at all.

"He's going to go from strength to strength and be a real dominant player in the game."

Fitzpatrick is quietly understated but he, perhaps more than anyone else, knows his potential. Amid the hubbub of a frenzied media scramble around Brookline's 18th green he took a moment to reflect on what he achieved.

"I've got confidence in myself," he told BBC Sport. "I back myself. I really feel like I can compete out here.

"I feel like I'm better than what I've already achieved, I really do. I think for me this is such a special thing for the work that I've put in over the last few years to pay off into this."

Now the ranked the world's 10th best player, this was his eighth top-10 finish on the PGA Tour this year. His biggest struggle is trying to articulate what this victory means to him.

"I can't tell you, I honestly can't tell you," he smiled. "There's not many, in my opinion, that work harder than me.

"I just try and find 1% everywhere wherever I can. Whether it is sleep, whether it is shot selection, course strategy, whatever it is.

"I'm just trying to find something that makes me a better player. I complained at the start of the year these other guys are top-10 every week - what is it that I'm missing?

"And I've done exactly that this year. So I've just got to keep doing what I'm doing.

"I don't want to get complacent now. It is very easy to win this and just kind of disappear a little bit for a while. I've just got to keep doing what I'm doing."

It would be irresponsible to make rash and grandiose predictions for the first British winner of a men's major since his fellow South Yorkshireman Danny Willett at the 2016 Masters.

But Fitzpatrick's mantra will surely serve him well. As he says: "Don't get lazy and keep working hard and hopefully some more will follow."
 
Koepka the next in line to join the Ken Bigley golf league. YOU have to wonder how much money is enough when people are citing freedom to earn and play when you want when you are already worth 20m+
 
Grays_1890 said:
Koepka the next in line to join the Ken Bigley golf league. YOU have to wonder how much money is enough when people are citing freedom to earn and play when you want when you are already worth 20m+
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A bit gutted and shocked that Koepka has gone. I thought he was one of the good guys. As you say, how much money is enough? I think DJ's career earnings are $55m. Then you've got sponsorship and endorsements on top. Koepka said last week he already choses his own schedule on the PGA tour so the top guys can't use that as an excuse, It's just pure greed.

As a big golf fan I just want to see all the top guys playing in the same tournament every week. It's already looking fractured and I'm sure a few more will defect in the coming weeks. It's just a big fudging mess. Thanks Greg.
 
Spoonman said:
A bit gutted and shocked that Koepka has gone. I thought he was one of the good guys. As you say, how much money is enough? I think DJ's career earnings are $55m. Then you've got sponsorship and endorsements on top. Koepka said last week he already choses his own schedule on the PGA tour so the top guys can't use that as an excuse, It's just pure greed.

As a big golf fan I just want to see all the top guys playing in the same tournament every week. It's already looking fractured and I'm sure a few more will defect in the coming weeks. It's just a big fudging mess. Thanks Greg.
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I dont follow golf closely but is there not a possibility that the LIV tour now becomes a higher quality, more entertaining tour than the PGA tour? Just wondering..

(Obvious negative Saudi backed Cons aside lol)
 
It's possible, yes. But they would need to lure a lot more of the World's top players. All the current top 15 are still on the PGA, for now...

I reckon the PGA are already in panic mode and trying to find ways to stay on top. I guess they will just throw as much money as they can to those players who stay loyal.

But honestly I have no idea how it will all play out in the end.
 
Spoonman said:
It's possible, yes. But they would need to lure a lot more of the World's top players. All the current top 15 are still on the PGA, for now...

I reckon the PGA are already in panic mode and trying to find ways to stay on top. I guess they will just throw as much money as they can to those players who stay loyal.

But honestly I have no idea how it will all play out in the end.
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The easiest way to have dealt with it would have been to treat LIV as an unrecognised tour and therefore in a year's time none of the defectors would qualify for the Ryder Cup or Majors. Let's see if they stuck it out missing out on the chance to win Green Jackets etc, couldn't see itn
 
Grays_1890 said:
The easiest way to have dealt with it would have been to treat LIV as an unrecognised tour and therefore in a year's time none of the defectors would qualify for the Ryder Cup or Majors. Let's see if they stuck it out missing out on the chance to win Green Jackets etc, couldn't see itn
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LIV events currently can't award any official World ranking points so that is sort of happening already. I believe they have applied to the relevant body to get this rectified but considering that the board of said body contains top brass from the PGA and DP tours I can't see it being a formality, not that I know exactly how the process works or anything. That decision could be make or break for LIV's ability to attract more of the top guys going forward.
 
Spoonman said:
It's possible, yes. But they would need to lure a lot more of the World's top players. All the current top 15 are still on the PGA, for now...

I reckon the PGA are already in panic mode and trying to find ways to stay on top. I guess they will just throw as much money as they can to those players who stay loyal.

But honestly I have no idea how it will all play out in the end.
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They announced some new no cut huge money events for 2023 today
 
For me, the LIV tournaments are like if a crazy golf store in Westfields shopping centre suddenly got $2bn funding to attract the big names.

The sort of golfers that go for this "prize" are the sort of golfers who consider frozen grated chicken breast a delicacy:

Mmm lecker

 
The amount of money the Saudis are throwing at it will win in the end.
The PGA, the euro tour, the R&A and the USGA only care about one thing, dollars.
If the Saudis stick it out for three years, and i see no reason why they shouldn't, a deal will be struck.
 
glasgowspur said:
The amount of money the Saudis are throwing at it will win in the end.
The PGA, the euro tour, the R&A and the USGA only care about one thing, dollars.
If the Saudis stick it out for three years, and i see no reason why they shouldn't, a deal will be struck.
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The things I don't get is that yeh they are about money but they distribution of money is better than most sports. I mean on the PGA you have players like Martin Laird the Scot who has won 2 tournaments but is still worth 15m in winnings, I mean the money has never been an issue before.

This is more like the China football leagues to European League x 10

The whole sports wash is mad, Hearn yesterday said "this is all about the power of sport not money", well if that was the truth the Saudis bid would have been less and the decision made as such, problem is he is on IFL TV weeks ago saying "people moan about Saudi but they put the money up, so if you want it match it" hahah
 
Grays_1890 said:
The easiest way to have dealt with it would have been to treat LIV as an unrecognised tour and therefore in a year's time none of the defectors would qualify for the Ryder Cup or Majors. Let's see if they stuck it out missing out on the chance to win Green Jackets etc, couldn't see itn
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No one who is running the Majors or the Ryder Cup will want those players banned, if anything it will more likely drive viewership and then sponsorship, especially in the short term. Next year is when it gets interesting, when they haven't qualified via the PGA tour etc and the people running those big events are looking at their pool of players and seeing the big bucks potentially slipping away.
 
superspurs said:
No one who is running the Majors or the Ryder Cup will want those players banned, if anything it will more likely drive viewership and then sponsorship, especially in the short term. Next year is when it gets interesting, when they haven't qualified via the PGA tour etc and the people running those big events are looking at their pool of players and seeing the big bucks potentially slipping away.
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Yeh there is alot of who blinks first involved but equally Saudi are ultimately sponsoring their own event and they cant even get a TV deal, yes they are rich and yes they want to put their name on the map, but I cant also see them doing this for three years without any kind of ROI even at a minimal level, they are mad and rich but these things always end up badly with the gulf states.
 
Grays_1890 said:
The things I don't get is that yeh they are about money but they distribution of money is better than most sports. I mean on the PGA you have players like Martin Laird the Scot who has won 2 tournaments but is still worth 15m in winnings, I mean the money has never been an issue before.

This is more like the China football leagues to European League x 10

The whole sports wash is mad, Hearn yesterday said "this is all about the power of sport not money", well if that was the truth the Saudis bid would have been less and the decision made as such, problem is he is on IFL TV weeks ago saying "people moan about Saudi but they put the money up, so if you want it match it" hahah
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I think the players have issues with the PGA over the control that the PGA has over them.
It's obscene what they earn, and the PGA use that to keep them in line.
If they can earn more than that elsewhere and not be tied into the PGA players will leave.
@Grays_1890, can they not get a deal, or do they not want one?
The PGA will tell broadcasters do a deal with them and we drop you. Saudis are on YouTube from free, a lot of difficult choices are going to have to be made soon.
The Saudis have extremely deep pockets and a growing product.
The PGA have a diminishing product and pockets that will get shallower every week.
Did sky for instance pay for golf without all these big names?
Imagine the PL dropping arsenal, leeds, man utd, and Saudi Sportswashing Machine, will sky still want to pay the same amount?
 
glasgowspur said:
I think the players have issues with the PGA over the control that the PGA has over them.
It's obscene what they earn, and the PGA use that to keep them in line.
If they can earn more than that elsewhere and not be tied into the PGA players will leave.
@Grays_1890, can they not get a deal, or do they not want one?
The PGA will tell broadcasters do a deal with them and we drop you. Saudis are on YouTube from free, a lot of difficult choices are going to have to be made soon.
The Saudis have extremely deep pockets and a growing product.
The PGA have a diminishing product and pockets that will get shallower every week.
Did sky for instance pay for golf without all these big names?
Imagine the PL dropping arsenal, leeds, man utd, and Saudi Sportswashing Machine, will sky still want to pay the same amount?
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I think that underestimates the brand that the PGA has, the USPGA is a major, the whole thing is golf in reality and has been for years and years, no one really consumes their golf through Youtube and it currently is being reviewed by people in the game and viewers who are saying it all looks abit gimmicky with three rounds and no cut. Im not saying its not going to work, it maybe will, but its not as simple as the money being there and people defecting. As far as I am aware the first event was basically taken as a bunch of mate having a round of golf and a big cheque at the end, none of the events hold prestige like the Travellers or Akron within golf.

The other issue not considered is that the US is one of if not the biggest market for the golf coverage, the US consumers are not going to get behind a tour run by Saudi Arabia, its not going to happen, its likely to mean that the PGA do not lose as many eyeballs as people may think.

TBH yeh a few big names have jumped over but its not made the PGA anywhere near the graveyard of golf people are reporting. Who wants to watch Koepka take on Dechumpbo every week because Westwood and Poulter are not challenging
 
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In the end money talks, they'll refine it over time, add more money and some "fun" extras like hole in one wins a million, closest to the flag wins a car, longest drive wins something else etc.
 
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