No Green Room Syndrome For Golf's Youth Movement, Yet

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Two listens are worth your time if you love basketball and golf. Both have helped me better realize why golf's recent explosion of young talent is so impressive: Charles Barkley discusses the demise of fundamentally sound players driving down the quality of NBA basketball (with Bill Simmons), and Roy Williams venting about ESPN deeming "Green Room" caliber players and further damaging the already beleaguered college basketball.

As you know from reading here or hearing us talk on Morning Drive, the age minimum for males winning a significant pro golf tournament has seemingly dropped from late 20s to early 20's. A number of players have been able to seal the deal at an age that was almost an unthinkable winning age in pro golf not long ago.

No one knows the exact cause of this youth onslaught, but some mix of technology, coaching, physical fitness, junior golf, college golf, social media, worldliness and access to equipment has played a role. While this could be a phase and some of the hype is driven by marketers hoping to appeal to ad buyers desiring millennial-friendly enterprises, there does appear to be a paradigm shift. (Though I will always insist golf is at its best when players of varied ages populate a leaderboard.)

Contrast the state of golf with college basketball, where leading voices continue to lament the skill decline of young players.

Charles Barkley discusses this with Bill Simmons on last week's podcast. As with all things Barkley, it's a fantastic listen if you love college hoops or the NBA.

And then there was legendary coach Roy Williams, wheeling out countless golf analogies in his weekly North Carolina press conference before shifting to a rant about ESPN and their use of the "Green Room" label to discuss certain NBA Lottery-caliber players. Williams makes pretty clear that his sport is damaged by its television partner viewing their game merely as a stepping stone to the NBA.

Here is the short version related to the Green Room rant from The Big Lead, though some of you will enjoy (and question) his golf analogies in the full press conference.

I highlight this contrast between basketball and golf because,

(A) it should make you feel better about golf's youth movement if you were understandably uneasy about the rush to anoint young people the next great things, and

(B) it's a cautionary tale for golf if there becomes an insistence on pushing young players too far with silly Green Room-like labels instead of allowing the players to evolve naturally or accepting that not everyone matures quickly, and

(C) both listens are about a sport viewed as in great shape, yet here are two of the most respect minds in that sport openly lamenting the quality of play just as we've seen in golf. The difference is, golf's youth rush has been more organic and the star status earned by the players thanks to their playing prowess.

The Golf Gods Stick Up For Brandt Snedeker's Epic 69

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As the 2016 season progresses, Brandt Snedeker's final round 69 at Torrey Pines may be the barometer for great rounds going forward, particularly given how well he scored in brutal conditions.

It seemed like the overnight delay might allow Monday's finishers to have better conditions to hold off Snedeker's clubhouse score, but as John Strege notes, that didn't happen:

“At 10 o'clock, I think [the wind] almost hit on the nose and started blowing about 15 to 20 miles an hour,” Snedeker said. “And it blew a complete different direction than yesterday and made those last five holes play absolutely brutal.”

Walker bogeyed four of his final eight holes to drop out and K.J. Choi missed a long birdie effort at 18 to tie. The final-round scoring average was 77.9, nearly eight strokes worse than Snedeker’s score. Twenty-three of 71 players failed to break 80.

“I feel bad for them,” he said. “They got the raw end of the stick this morning. But that’s just the way golf goes.”

Some fun stats from the crack ShotLink gang putting Snedeker's comeback into perspective:

The highlights lack shots from the winner or of a crowd. Strange day indeed.

Forward Press: The Wasted, Dubai And Coates

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I'm not sure what which event will give traditionalists a bigger headache: the annual party that is the Waste Management Open or the Omega Dubai Desert Classic celebrating the 2-year anniversary of...you know...the commercial.

In this week's Forward Press I talked to Tommy Roy about NBC's plan for the TPC Scottsdale and Feherty's debut. Oh, and while elements of the old Phoenix Open give us all reason to cringe, I ask whether it's time for golf to just let it go?

Also, just in case the dreaded Omega ad does not resurface during the Dubai telecast, a handy link sits below in case you missed hearing will.I.am or want to sort out this week's complicated but fun TV golf viewing schedule.

Here it is.

Snedeker And The (Historic?) Winds Of Torrey Pines

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Brandt Snedeker's final round 69 at Torrey Pines South should have won him the 2016 Farmers Insurance Open, and it still may depending on the winds for Monday's delayed finish (11 am ET Golf Channel) where Jimmy Walker leads by one, while veterans K.J. Choi, Kevin Streelman and Freddie Jacobsen lurk.

Snedeker earns a prize for best line to describe a wacky day that include no shortage of entertaining (and not so entertaining) descriptions. From John Strege's account of a strange Sunday at Torrey:

Snedeker, who said it was “like playing a British Open on a U.S. Open setup,” completed play at six-under par 282, one behind leader Jimmy Walker, who still has eight holes to play. Play was halted for the third time on Sunday at 1:57 p.m. (PST), and 90 minutes later it was suspended until Monday morning.

A Sunday finish probably represented Snedeker’s best chance at winning, given the strength of the wind and the intermittently heavy rain. “I want them out there playing, since I had to play through this all day,” he said after his round.

Monday's final round will be played without spectators due to more forecasted winds that could render tents flying objects. Though as Eamon Lynch noted, the players will be used to it after last year's U.S. Open at Chambers Bay where they could go holes without seeing another human.

Donald Miralle Instagrammed this clip showing the media never having been seen to be moving so quickly upon learning it was time to evacuate:

 

 

Wentworth Row Heating Up: Members Threatening Legal Action

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Storied Wentworth Club, host to the annual BMW Championship on the European Tour and once home to an H.S. Colt-designed course, has seen major changes announced by new Beijing-based owner Chanchai Ruayrungruang (bless you control C and V). But not since October have we heard where the fight might be headed.

After having brought in the Foreign Secretary to no avail, the old guard membership that new owner Reignwood wants to move out to be replaced by 800 or so mostly international members, has received a 15-page letter, reports The Guardian's Nazia Parveen (thanks reader Tom).

The letter claims the planned changes to the club’s membership would breach a legal trust agreement in place for 50 years, contravene consumer and equality laws, and possibly even break Chinese laws on joining golf clubs.

Wow. Invoking the Community Party ban on golf club membership. Digging deep!

Lawyers also argue that the proposed “exclusive membership” could be in breach of Chinese law. Campaigners have claimed that such practices are forbidden in China.

Spieth Will Need Extra Day To Go For Coveted Sing Open Crown

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Jordan Spieth's quest to be the historic Singapore Open's first winner after the event took a three year world tour of Europe, Scandinavia and the sub-continent, now spills into Monday after yet another weather delay. Spieth had an 18th hole putt remaining when the horn sounded.

As the Asian Tour's game story notes, Spieth's last hole putt could put more pressure on leader Younghan Song, World No. 204 seeking his first win. Also in the mix is World No. 199 Liang Wen-chong and World No. 1030 Masanori Kobayashi, whose name reminded the television announce team of Keyser Soze.

The storylines! The drama!

On a serious note, at least the exhausted Spieth gets one more night in his Singapore bed, followed by one more day to discuss with agent-turned-caddy-this-week, Jay Danzi, the joys international travel in your run-up to the Masters title defense.

The almost-completed fourth round highlights from Golf Channel, if you're so inclined.

Twitter Tantrum! DeLaet Calls Out Reed After WD

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Just this week I heard Bill Simmons lamenting the lack of NBA Twitter spats, so maybe he'll take note of this nice one from Saturday at Torrey Pines.

With an ominous weather forecast for Sunday's Farmers Insurance Open final round, 82-shooter and Grizzly Adams impersonator Graham DeLaet was set to go out last off the 10th tee with 81-shooter Patrick Reed and 79-shooter Scott Piercy.

Reed withdrew after his round with an ankle injury, which means he was likely checked out by the tour's physio staff. Nonetheless, DeLaet called out Reed, suggesting he quit due to the ominous forecast. Who said all Canadians are nice?

 

 

 

Albatross Day! Jang In Bahamas, Gore In San Diego

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Here's something you may never see again...

Ha Na Jang with the first albatross in LPGA Tour history, 8th hole, Pure Silk Bahamas Classic:

 


And her priceless reaction:



And on the PGA Tour, Jason Gore at the Farmers Insurance Open, sporting his Pepperdine gear, with a 2 on the par-5 18th from 250 yards out. According to Bob Harig at ESPN.com, Gore was talked into hitting three-wood by his caddy.

 

Ryan Ruffels Makes Cut In PGA Tour Debut, Phil Doesn't

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What a strange day at Torrey Pines, as Phil Mickelson, fresh off a great opening round on the South, missed the cut following a North Course 76.

Then there was his young (old) pal Ryan Ruffels, who made the cut in his pro debut. Here is my GolfDigest.com report on a player who has been deservedly touted as a future superstar. He's a joy to watch not only because of his talent and good nature, but also due to his speediness.

It wasn't all horrible for Phil, as he added to his list of epic, are-you-kidding-me shots with this one from under a fence. Yes, he made double bogey, but the shot was still brilliant and one only Phil could pull off.