Are Young Guns Building Television Ratings?

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In a totally random example, for the first time in over a decade, no one is wondering if Tiger or Phil is going to show up at, say, the Northern Trust Open. But Rory McIlroy is and Jordan Spieth will likely play, so when you mention that to most fans, that's shifted to the answer people are hoping to hear.

But do they translate to better television ratings that ultimately pay most of the PGA Tour bills? That's been debatable, but in an interview with Larry Fine of Reuters, Golf Channel president Mike McCarley says the network hosting the Olympic coverage this year believes the numbers do not lie.

The 2015 first quarter ratings for Golf Channel were down 14 percent compared to the year before, but momentum shifted with Spieth's win at the Masters.

The second quarter showed a gain of 3 percent over the year before and grew to an increase of 8 percent in the next quarter before booming to a 13 percent year-ago gain in the last period.

McCarley noted a competitive parallel in the women's game with the rise of 18-year-old Lydia Ko of New Zealand as world number one and a natural rivalry with American Lexi Thompson, the 20-year-old world number four.

"Looking ahead, 2016 is shaping up as a transformational year for the game of golf," he said.

Video: Year End Roundtable On State Of Pro Golf

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I'm sure your DVR's are rested and ready for Saturday and Sunday's year-end roundtables starring Tim Roaforte, Matt Adams and yours truly.

The shows air Saturday at 6 pm and 11 pm ET, and again Sunday at those times (ET).

In a nice development since this was recorded but validating our dicussion, Rory McIlroy has further endorsed the notion that he's getting a little more focused on his golf, announcing that he'll be adding the Northern Trust Open in 2016. This means he will play eight times in the Masters lead-up instead of six.

"I've added an extra event in the States just because I want to go play the golf course," McIlroy said. "I've heard Riviera is a great course and I want to go play there in L.A., and I think it'll be a good course for me."

In this digital exclusive, we talk about the state of the game through the lens of pro golf and naturally come away positive.

From Six Weeks To 17 Days...Golf's Offseason

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Please don't pick on Luke Donald, he's just answering fan questions and saying what most top 100 players are thinking: where did the off-season go.

I can't think of a better example of how much the world has changed than to look at the Shark Shootout field. Once an event that drew some pretty incredible field, it was hard not to notice some of the names who got into Greg Norman's once-prestigious annual event. Now, it's a rare silly season week that elites can use to rest.

Refreshing: Courses Have Rose Emphasizing West Coast In '16

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After trying to get excited about the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas and failing (I blame the lack of urgency on Bermuda grass over cool season grass golf), it was nice to read Justin Rose's thinking heading into 2016. The Englishman plans to play a West Coast-heavy schedule because of the courses.

Jim McCabe reports for Golfweek.com:

“My allergies were so bad in Florida last year, I was miserable,” Rose said. “Also, I just feel like the golf courses in Florida are a little tricked up. You end up playing great defensive golf.”

On the flip side, with a nod to Torrey Pines (the Farmers Insurance Open), the Pebble Beach-Monterey Peninsula-Spyglass rota (AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am), and Riviera (Northern Trust Open), Rose said, “I think the layouts are the best on Tour on the West Coast.”

Rose's inclusion in West Coast fields will help at a time of year that many top players will be taking their off-season, or cashing in overseas.

Reminder: Day 2 Of Bones And Woody From St. Simons Island!

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As mentioned this week in the Forward Press, this was an opportunity for fresh voices. And a new energy they brought!

Jim "Bones" MacKay and John "Woody" Wood immediately delivered a different vibe than the usual former golfer-turned on-course reporter. Day two starts at 1 pm ET on Golf Channel as the two loopers hit the course for RSM third round coverage.

Bones and Woody assessed day one with Steve Sands.

There was also a fun bit set up in advance where Bones told a story from the 1993 Ryder Cup involving Davis Love.

Golf Tournaments Need To End The Sombrero Photo-Op, Files

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Okay Inbee Park didn't exactly make you want to go out wear a sombrero the way, say, Christina Kim pulled it off last year.

But at least Inbee took off her golf cap before donning the oversized hat.

Graeme McDowell left his golf cap on, and while the initial conclusion would be to dock him two shots next tiem he tees up, the better solution may be to just ban sombreros from champion files.

The EPA-credited image of GMac is embedded in a particularly lively Derek Lawrenson weekly notes column that includes some good follow up information on Paul Casey's European Tour situation and a short nugget which will have The Donald placing a call to Lawrenson's editors.

GMac Is Back! Credits Greg Norman With Key Tip

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After a two-year career struggle and self-doubt, Graeme McDowell got back into the winner's circle by claiming the OHL Classic at Mayakoba. McDowell beat Russell Knox and Jason Bohn in a sudden death playoff, then discussed his confidence bout with Golf Channel's Phil Blackmar after the win.

Even better was his revelation that Chinese National Golf Team advisory coach Greg Norman influenced GMac's weekend play after a text message from the Shark, who has gone an amazing two weeks without Instagramming a shirtless photo of himself.

Brian Wacker reports:

“Funny anecdote for you,” McDowell said. “I got a text message lesson from Greg Norman on Saturday night and he said he watched some of the coverage and he thought I looked a little short and a little quick. He said complete my backswing and be a bit more relaxed at address.”

The two went back-and-forth with text messages, McDowell gave his backswing extra attention Sunday and Monday, and voila.

Here's the voila:

Not So Happy Gilmore: Peterson's Bold Shot Vanishes

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Maybe this will just make the shot that much more legendary?

Either way, John Peterson's Happy Gilmore moment last week in Malaysia has vanished from Jason Dufner's Instagram account.

One witness who refused to go on the record says men clad in pleated pants, light blue Oxford shirts (extra starch) and Footjoy Classics rolled up to Dufner's home in black BMW X5's in the wee hours this week. After having found Dufner's cell phone believed to be the same one used to record the Peterson video, the agents were heard yelling "Geronimo secure, Geronimo secure!"

The account matches previous stories from tour players and caddies, hinting that the raid was conducted by the PGA Tour Fun Police, a super-secret outfit headquartered in the basement of TPC Sawgrass' 198,000 square foot clubhouse.

Dufner was not immediately available for comment.

There is good news, however. It's called YouTube!  **The Fun Police are more nimble these days!



Boo Weekley: "Honestly, this wraparound season sucks. It does, seriously."

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Why provide commentary when I can just let Boo Weekley do all the heavy lifting? He's teeing it up as defending runner-up in the Sanderson Farms Championship and needs to make a nice check to offset the inevitable fines for conduct becoming of an honest PGA Tour member.

Weekley...

Q. How have you come to view the wraparound season and the importance of trying to get out to a big jump in the fall?

BOO WEEKLEY: Honestly, this wraparound season sucks. It does, seriously.

Q. It's long?

BOO WEEKLEY: It's just, it's stupid. I still ain't figured out this FedEx -- what does this FedExCup stuff do? It ain't doing nothing, but it is what it is. It's supposed to be the players tour. It's Tim Finchem and them's tour is what it is.

It's aggravating having to play this much, but yet it's important to come out and try to get a good start. I mean, it's good for the rookies, I think. It gives them something they can up can out and get their feet wet before they actually get into the bigger tournament. I think that's a good thing.

Q. Does it just feel like a warn out extension?

BOO WEEKLEY: It's just golf after golf after golf. Ain't no time for hunting and fishing, man. You know, you've got to come in here and bring my rods over here to go fishing, but you can't go fishing because you get out there and next thing you know somebody's aggravating you, and you can't actually enjoy going fishing.

Justin Thomas: Another Week, Another Millennial Wins

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Unlike old guys Emiliano Grillo (23) and Smylie Kaufman (23), Justin Thomas (22) has been contending in PGA Tour events longer, so the third straight win by this youngster seems like shocking. Still, on his 39th try as a professional Thomas won the CIMB Classic in Malaysia. John Strege with some notes from the win, which is also likely to get Thomas into the world top 50.

Besides finally coming through after several strong showings that led to weekend struggles, Thomas only had one huge hiccup during Sunday's final round, dunking his wedge approach into the 14th hole pond. He bounced back with a near-ace at the par-3 15th, then holed a nice putt at 17th while Kevin Na looked on.

Na continued to play some amazing golf but had his usual oddball antics late in the round, capped off by hitting three-wood off the 18th tee when he desperately needed to reach the par-5 in two and drain an eagle putt.

Also noteworthy in the exciting final round: a second place finish by Adam Scott, who looked much better over putts and appears to be striking the ball as well as ever. More importantly, his body language suggested someone who his moving forward and no longer dwelling on his understandable frustration over the impending anchoring ban.

One other fascinating component of Thomas's win: his "Class of 2011" mates Patrick Rodgers and Justin Spieth stayed up to watch the middle-of-the-night proceedings (assuming they were in their normal time zones). Rodgers was channel-flipping between the CIMB and Stanford's fortunate escape from Pullman while Spieth merely tweeted a congratulations at a early morning hour. Or, perhaps, he had just returned from late night Trick or Treating dressed as C-3PO?

Anyway, it's a camaraderie that is pretty unusual in an individual sport and certainly something hard to see happening between, say, I don't know, Tiger and Phil?

 

The final round highlights:

Happy John Peterson Had A Prominent Co-Conspirator!

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Lost in the joy over John Peterson going all Happy Gilmore to kick off his CIMB Classic final round: Jason Dufner was the lone shooter of this defiant act.

The question stands: will the PGA Tour Fines Dept, LLC be calling to inform Duf that a portion of his winnings will be donated to charity because he knew of this stunt and didn't stop it, or for violating the PGA Tour's policy of shooting video during tournament action.

His case with the Fines Dept. will be weak since Dufner was Instagramming a few photos of Peterson from the week in Malaysia. So Jason, we are hear for you. If we need to Kickstarter this to pay off the fine, do not hesitate to reach out.

Alex Myers at GolfDigest.com with the lowdown on Peterson's joyous act that will no doubt be seen by Commissioner Finchem as an all-out act of terrorism. And here it is, shot from the grassy knoll to the stunned silence of the crowd (not that this was atypical reaction to any shot played in the CIMB):

The Youth Movement Is Real Because They Play A Different Game

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Let's be honest: the youth hype in golf started as an effort to appeal to folks who don't watch golf for ad buyers who want to reach a younger audience. Then one by one men in their early 20s and women in their teens started not only getting tour cards, they started winning.

Yet something about the recent back-to-back wins to start the 2015-16 PGA Tour schedule by Grillo and Kaufmann have, in a weird way, been as powerful as the emergence of Spieth, Day and McIlroy. Why? Because we're seeing an ushering in of fearless youth clearly playing a different game, especially under final round pressure. These are not mere copy cats or young ones inspired by their peers.

Jaime Diaz, like me, was a skeptic of the rush to declare that a youth movement had taken hold. But after Kaufman's final round 61 and Las Vegas win--by someone who was not even a full time starter at LSU--he's no longer a denier.

There has been a discernible increase in truly competitive, younger-than-ever players who are ready to win. They might have names we barely know, but there are really no more upsets or even Cinderella stories in pro golf.

It’s evolution – from a litany of factors. Bigger and athletes drawn to the sport, following better fitness regimens, who have emulated physical specimens like Tiger, Dustin and Rory. There is more intense early competition, and equipment that can be tuned to minimize persistent flaws, breeding more confidence to swing harder.

But the biggest reason? Style of play.