Roundup: 2017 GWAA Writing Contest Results

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There were 423 entries in the 2018 Golf Writers Association of America contest.  I've done my best to include links where I could find them. Jaime Diaz tied Dan Jenkins atop the all-time win list with his 10th winner.

Happy reading!

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2018 GWAA WRITING CONTEST RESULTS
The following is a full list of the winners, including honorable mentions.

DAILY COLUMNS – 1, Max Adler, ‘The best part of Masters week could be the one thing that’s missing’, golfdigest.com 2,  Michael Bamberger, Rules changes disappoint, golf.com; 3, Jason Sobel, I want the U.S. Open back, ESPN.com.

Honorable mention - Ron Borges, Life handcuffs Woods, Boston Herald; Bob Oliver, Stop the insanity of rules call-ins, The Golf Insiders; Geoff Shackelford, Inside story of Spieth's bogey, golfweek.com 

DAILY FEATURES – 1, Michael Bamberger, ‘The Other Arnold: Palmer's daughter reflects on the chasm between the brand and the man’, si.com; 2, Randall Mell, Secret war, forbidden love, golfchannel.com; 3, Helen Ross, How Michael Jordan became a golfer, PGATour.com.

Honorable mention -- Rex Hoggard, Woodland's toughest year, golfchannel.com; Ian O'Connor, The improbable rise of DJ, ESPN.com; Garry Smits, Day rises to No. 1, Florida Times-Union; Jason Sobel, Tiger and his famous Scotty, ESPN.com

DAILY NEWS – 1, Beth Ann Nichols, ‘Stacy Lewis Earns Emotional Win for Houston’’, golfweek.com, https://tinyurl.com/dailynews18; 2, Jaime Diaz, Payne, a man with a plan, golfdigest.com; 3, Dave Kindred, Sergio had to do it the hard way, golfdigest.com.

Honorable mention -- Alan Bastable, US on cusp of President's Cup win, Golf.com; Rex Hoggard, Spieth silences doubters, golfchannel.com; Alan Shipnuck, They look like America, Golf.com; Jason Sobel, Leishman's harrowing journey, ESPN.com.

NON-DAILY COLUMNS – 1,Jerry Tarde, “Sandy Tatum: He never surrendered”, Golf Digest; 2, Michael Bamberger, Ernie and Sam, Golf Magazine; 3, Ken Van Vechten, So, are we better golfers?, FORE Magazine.

Honorable mention – 1, Tom Callahan, Confessions of an enabler, Golf Digest; Tom Coyne, The push and the pull, The Golfer's Journal; Jerry Tarde, Forgive us our press passes, Golf Digest.

NON-DAILY FEATURES – 1, Sean Zak, “We were watching greatness: An oral history of the 1997 Masters”, Sports Illustrated;  2, Gary Van Sickle, William McGirt isn't supposed to be here, Memorial Tournament Magazine; 3, Josh Sens, Collision course, Sports Illustrated.

Honorable mention -- Michael Bamberger, The last man who grew up at The National, Sports Illustrated; Jaime Diaz, The new Sergio, Golf Digest; Alan Shipnuck, Donald Trump, Golfer-in-Chief, Sports Illustrated; Guy Yocom, Hello Mickey Wright, Golf Digest.

NON-DAILY NEWS – 1, Jaime Diaz, “Fred Ridley takes the lead at Augusta”;  2, Alan Shipnuck, Viva Sergio!, Sports Illustrated; 3. Alan Shipnuck, Koepka outmuscles Erin Hills, Sports Illustrated.

Honorable mention -- Michael Bamberger, Trump, the new First Golfer, Sports Illustrated,;  Jaime Diaz, Players date may change, Golf Digest; Beth Ann Nichols, Lewis win, donation highlight 2017, Golfweek.

SPECIAL PROJECTS – 1, Gary D'Amato, “The Making of Erin Hills”, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel; 2, Guy Cipriano, When the creek rises, Golf Course Industry; 3, Al Tays and Matt Adams, Best equipment innovations, golfchannel.com. 

Honorable mention -- Jaime Diaz, Ron Whitten, Guy Yocom, Ron Sirak, Jerry Tarde, Donald Trump, Golfer-in-Chief, Golf Digest; Mike McAllister, The man who inspired an army, PGATour.com;  Ryan Lavner, Rex Hoggard, Mercer Baggs, Will Gray, The class of 2011, golfchannel.com. 

The Golf Tournament Attendee’s Guide To Determining If You Have Loser Tendencies

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I do take this issue seriously, as today's Alternate Shot discussion suggests. There will be moments when losers are wagering and decide to interfere with a golf tournament outcome and if not addressed with ejections, golf tournaments will only get more unruly and even unsafe. 

However, in the spirit of trying to help losers who need attention, I'm offering a simple guide to determining if you have the kind of loser tendencies that could lead you to act in unfortunate fashion while watching a golf tournament.

I’ve worked with players, caddies, officials and other observers to develop this list. Certainly I’ve missed other signs, but I think in the spirit of Justin Thomas walking back his frustration with hecklers in the face of new losers threatening to make his life miserable, this guide could be useful.

You may have serious loser tendencies if…

  • You’ve had the urge to yell out Mashed Potatoes, Baba Booey, You Da Man or Fake News at a golf tournament during any point of your life. My Committee of experts says a mere urge is all you need to warrant certifiable, Grade A loser status.
     
  • You’ve watched every SB2k16 and 17 on Snapchat and determined from having bonded with the boys that Justin Thomas is the frat brother you always wanted and would completely endorse you sending drunken slurs his way during the final round of a multi-million dollar tour event.
     
  • You’d rather go to the Waste Management Open than The Masters and you share this pearl with anyone who will listen.
     
  • You take to Twitter to tell golf pros how soft they are because they can’t take your heckling or taunts of their girlfriends or any other sound as they are preparing to play a shot. You're really a loser when you get mad that they do not reply to your taunts.
     
  • You applaud when a streaker or any other heckler interrupts the tournament proceedings. You get extra points for admiring this year's Waste Management Open streaker
     
  • You leave your cell phone’s ringer on and ignore requests to put the device on silent even after your “Livin On A Prayer” ring tone is heard by all.
     
  • You believe in your heart that paying for a ticket entitles you to swear audibly around children, say terrible things to players, get drunk by noon and in general, act out all of your issues at a golf tournament.
     
  • You are over 40 years old with a 40 inch waist wearing a white belt and flat-brim cap inspired by your love of Rickie Fowler, who'd you also like to annoy with a taunt at some point for being rich and popular.
     
  • You go back home after the tournament and rewind the telecast to hear yourself taunt a player. Actually, that’s when you have bigger issues than mere loser status.

"Tiger Woods casting a shadow larger than ever"

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The Honda Classic overnights have been finalized and the ratings were even higher, as The Forecaddie notes, with Golf Channel also scoring huge audience sizes for lead-in audiences compared to non-Tiger tour events. There were also some big wins for the golf against stiff competition. 

The early season boost delivered by Woods has prompted AP's Doug Ferguson to suggest, for now anyway, Tiger is actually bigger than ever.

Golf is in a different place than when Woods picked up his 79th victory on the PGA Tour in August 2013, his most recent victory. Thomas had just turned pro. Jordan Spieth had just earned a full PGA Tour card. Jon Rahm was going into his sophomore year at Arizona State. Since then, five players have taken turns at No. 1 in the world.
During his longest stretch out of golf with his bad back, the refrain was that golf needed Tiger Woods. When he was on the verge of returning at the end of 2016, the talk was that golf was in a good spot and Woods could only make it that much better.
For the first few tournaments of his return, it has become Woods and everyone else.

Two Thoughts On The USGA's New 2-Hole Playoffs

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We've already had a lot of exciting playoff golf in 2018 and the sudden death format clearly works well for the PGA Tour.  In considering the new U.S. Open policy of 2-hole aggregate playoffs, there was prevailing desire to avoid sudden death playoffs at major championships stemmed in large part from years of being reminded by the USGA that an 18-holer was the only proper way to determine a national champion. When Far Hills reduced the U.S. Women's Open to three hole aggregate no one minded because of the success seen in other playoff formats of three or more holes. 

Landing on two holes, when the other majors and The Players play three, could damage the U.S. Open's already bruised stature.  Following the Chambers Bay and Erin Hills experiments, any differentiation in stature could further undercut the U.S. Open's identity.

On that front, he Players went to the 17th hole in sudden death and no one felt good about determining a winner that way.  It was one more reason The Players was not up to the level of a major. The PGA Tour changed the format to three holes and it produced one of the most thrilling playoffs in modern golf history when Rickie Fowler won in 2015. The tournament, as a result, has more stature because of its playoff format.

This brings me to a second point: the next two U.S. Open venues feature a par-3 17th hole. And there is something unsettling about starting a playoff with a one-shotter in the same way architects avoid opening a course with a par-3. Shinnecock and Pebble's 17th holes are great holes but tough places to start, especially if you've been sitting around a while.  

Satisfyingly, we'll be finishing U.S. Open Sunday's more often than not.  But will it be satisfying with just two holes? 

The counter argument to all of this says The Masters has done fine with sudden-death. I believe "fortunate" would be the more apt description. I won't be surprised if this news hastens a move to a two-hole format that is forced by their routing and lack of daylight. If this happens, then we'll know the USGA likely settled on the "two" route in coordination with The Masters. What they get back for their supportive and credibility-denting compromise? Only time will tell.

We kicked around the topic on Alternate Shot today:

William McGirt To USGA: "Let foul balls be foul balls"

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As the distance discussion ramps up, many professionals are beginning to suggest they don't like seeing mediocre ball striking corrected by equipment. The de-skilling of the pro game is not a new topic to most of us, but I do think it's fascinating to see players slowly coming to that conclusion.

The Forecaddie quotes William McGirt on the constructive criticism he offered to the USGA and that he sees all of this as a health-of-the-game matter. 

“I told them, ‘Look, if you honestly believe that the ball doesn’t go any farther than it did 20 years ago, you’re in denial,’” McGirt told TMOF. “If that’s the case, why am I hitting my 7-iron 10 yards farther in the air today than when I was 23 years old? They finally admitted the ball goes farther. The big thing is, I just wish they’d make it curve again. Let foul balls be foul balls.”

McGirt is in the minority on many fronts, from being articulate on the matter to wanting to see skill preserved. Average golfers will no doubt hear this and assume that their game improvements clubs will be taken away from them--they won't. So calm down!

However, his point is worth considering and an articulate contrast with comments earlier this week.

Oy Vey Files: Some In R&A Don't Want To Pick A Pro To Captain A Walker Cup Team

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I saw the headline on Alistair Tait's Golfweek item about the R&A running out of viable candidates to captain future Walker Cup teams because, amazingly, after all these years, those men who turn pro and earn money playing the game are in some sort of permanent purgatory. Heaven forbid they taint the young amateurs who...are about to turn pro themselves! 

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Here's the worst part: a number of former Walker Cuppers would bring a great perspective and much-needed spice to a Walker Cup that deserves more eyeballs.

Tait writes:

Former R&A chief executive Peter Dawson has considered using tour pros who had played in the match, names like Colin Montgomerie, Paul McGinley and Padraig Harrington.
“We have a problem going forward since so few Walker Cup players remain amateur,” Dawson told Golfweek.
Ireland’s Jody Fanagan and Scotland’s Stuart Wilson are two possible candidates. Fanagan was a member of the 1995 GB&I team that defeated a Tiger Woods-led U.S. team at Royal Porthcawl. Wilson, the 2004 British Amateur champion, appeared in the victorious 2003 GB&I team at Ganton.
While Montgomerie, McGinley or Harrington would raise the match’s profile, expect the R&A to go with either Wilson or Fanagan, with the latter the more likely candidate since Garth McGimpsey in 2005 was the last Irish captain.

It's rather apparent the former Chief Inspector is floating this idea publicly because he knows the 21st century would welcome former Walker Cuppers with the stature of a McGinley, Montgomerie or Harrington to captain the biennial matches. But he must be facing some seriously old-school stiffs within the R&A who, amazingly, carry on the centuries-old tradition that professional golf is barely a level above porn star in the jobs department. 

Revamped Pine Needles Gets Another U.S. Women's Open

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Beth Ann Nichols at Golfweek with all of the details on new/old look Pine Needles getting a record fourth U.S. Women's Open, this time sadly without patron saint Peggy Kirk Bell around but featuring revitalized architecture.

As he did at the must-play Mid-Pines, 36-year-old architect Kyle Franz is bringing some fun back to Donald Ross’ 1928 Pine Needles design. Not that there was anything wrong with the course restored about fifteen years ago by John Fought, but as The Forecaddie notes, with everything going on in the neighborhood, Pine Needles was starting to lack a certain visual sizzle that you can only find in the sandhills of North Carolina.

Some photos of the recent work, starting with this before/after (arrow on right of image will take you to the after):

Cog Hill Has Lost A Starting Time Per Hour To A Reachable Par-5

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Since Jack Nicklaus spoke up about distance impacting pace of play, many have seized on his 20% reference as a nice way of distracting from the Golden Bear's core arguments. GolfAdvisor's Brad Klein joins that frey and while his piece makes a phenomenal case for distance restrictions due to a number of reasons, he tries to make the case that slow play could not possibly be caused by the ball flying longer distances.

Then writes:

Nicklaus seems to think the problem with distance is that it’s causing slow play. The evidence for that claim is scant and fleeting. The closest I have ever seen is a view voiced by course owner Frank Jemsek concerning Cog Hill Golf Course No. 1, part of a multi-course facility the family owns in Chicagoland. Jemsek is adamant that they’ve lost one starting time an hour because of slow play on the opening hole, a par-5 that lots of middle-handicappers think they can hit in two – and so they wait before playing up.
But none of that is relevant to PGA Tour pacing, where a major culprit for slow play is the players who play slowly.

Anyone who has seen pro golf at the same course over the last twenty years can attest that par-5s once barely reachable, can now be reached in two by at least half the field. And par-4s barely drivable are now long par-3s. The examples are extreme compared to the fine example shared by Mr. Jemsek above, but to say PGA Tour slow play is mostly caused by slow players ignores mountains of evidence suggesting otherwise, including from the recreational level where a longtime operator has seen and felt a change.

Ratings: Honda Up 38% Against Tough Competition

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CBS drew a 2.9 overnight rating for the 3:15-6 pm ET block of Sunday’s 2018 Honda Classic, that’s up 38% over Rickie Fowler’s 2017 win on NBC according to SBD.  The Tiger effect played an incredible role given the competition in that window that included NASCAR (3.1), Winter Olympics (2.2) and NBA (Spurs-Cavs) on ABC (2.3). 

For those wondering about a strong lead-in from Michigan State-Wisconsin running long, the Big-10 matchup drew a 1.4 in its 1-3:15 pm ET window. 

Saturday’s Honda Classic third round drew a 1.8 on CBS, with a .8 lead-in audience from Louisville-Virginia Tech. 

2 Holes?! USGA Ends 18-Hole Playoff

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To review: for years the 18-hole playoff was declared by the USGA as the only way to decide a tie and we all planned accordingly. Most times the U.S. Open playoffs have been decisive, but there have been some classics too. 

The evolution of playoffs in other significant tournaments has helped us land on the three-hole aggregate playoff as eliminating the flukiness of a sudden death affair, while still seemingly capturing the depth of a longer duel between those who tied.  The Players has added credibility since going to this format and producing satisfying moments, while The Masters sudden-death format looks dated** next to the PGA Championship (three holes) and Open Championship (four). 

The USGA had this information at its disposal and regrettably chose a two-hole aggregate playoff for all of its Open's, even after moving to a three-hole format at the Senior and Women's Opens. 

The explanation from USGA CEO Mike Davis, as noted in this Golfweek item from Kevin Casey:

“We know how important it is to everyone in the golf world to see play conclude on the Sunday of a major championship, and to award the trophy to the champion,” said Mike Davis, the USGA’s CEO and executive director. “After receiving input from a variety of constituents, including players, fans, volunteers, officials and our broadcast partners, it clearly came across as something that everyone valued, and would benefit from.”

And specific to two holes...

“Two holes will allow a player to recover from any single mistake, and at the same time, provide a memorable, and perhaps dramatic, experience for all involved,” Davis said.

It is hard not to conclude this was a decision driven by a desire to appease television, or worse, to anticipate what networks might want without an actual demand from the broadcast partner. Given that 18-hole Monday playoffs were kept in place because of the championship's importance, this declaration that the U.S. Open is using one less hole than the PGA or Players--and two holes fewer than The Open--subtly diminishes the stature of the U.S. Open. Given how satisfying the three-hole aggregate has been as an ideal solution between the vagaries of sudden death and the excess of returning on a Monday, this can only be chalked up to a decision in the best interests of an entity other than the U.S. Open.

If television is the culprit, I find it hard to believe Fox or any network would prefer to be blamed for compromising the integrity of America's national championship to get to some summer programming on a Sunday night. This feels more like the USGA Executive Committee anticipating the imaginary needs of a television partner overpaying to broadcast their championships. 

And apparently, other than the social media team, the Executive Committee that sometimes a playoff captures the nation's imagination. So what's the hurry to end it so soon?

**Since we know the Five Families have been known to work together, I am wondering if the two-hole number was chosen because The Masters could conveniently go to such a format using the 10th and 18th holes, allowing the USGA to say--Augusta National offers two and so do we. The Masters would be better with a two hole playoff over sudden death, but even should former USGA President and new Chairman Fred Ridley institute such a change, this should not guide the U.S. Open's approach. 

2023: Walker Cup Headed To The Old Course

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The R&A finally got the hint after the USGA awarded future Walker Cups to Seminole and Cypress Point!

Announcing a return to the Old Course for the biennial matches was long overdue and most welcomed. It's a good time to be a 13 year old budding star!

For Immediate Release:

THE 49TH WALKER CUP TO BE PLAYED AT ST ANDREWS IN 2023
26 February 2018, St Andrews, Scotland: A historic milestone in the rich heritage of the Walker Cup will be reached at the Home of Golf in 2023 when the international match between Great Britain and Ireland and the United States is played at St Andrews.
The occasion will mark exactly 101 years since the biennial encounter was first contested at the National Golf Links of America in 1922 and will be the ninth time that the Walker Cup has been played at St Andrews; more than any other venue in its history.
The Walker Cup was last played over the world renowned Old Course in 1975 when the United States team, which included future major champions Jerry Pate, Craig Stadler and Curtis Strange, defeated GB&I 15½ -8½. GB&I won the Walker Cup matches played in 1938 and 1971 at St Andrews.
Duncan Weir, Executive Director – Golf Development at The R&A, said, “The Walker Cup is the pinnacle of men’s amateur golf in Great Britain and Ireland and the United States with many of the game’s greatest players including Bobby Jones and Sir Michael Bonallack having featured in memorable matches played over the Old Course at St Andrews.
“We are excited to be bringing the Walker Cup back to the Home of Golf for the first time in nearly 50 years and look forward to watching some of the world’s most talented amateur golfers contest the match over the famous Old Course in 2023.”
Euan Loudon, Chief Executive of St Andrews Links Trust, said, “We are delighted to see the Walker Cup return to our calendar of prestigious events at the Old Course. After a near 50-year absence we hope it will produce a memorable contest and reinforce the stature of amateur golf in Great Britain and Ireland.
“I am sure many talented golfers on both sides of the Atlantic, some of whom may just be at the beginning of their golfing journeys, will be inspired by the prospect of competing in amateur golf’s premier match at the Home of Golf.”
The match in 2023 will be the 49th playing of the Walker Cup and, of the 46 matches played to date, the United States has won 36 matches, GB&I nine matches, with one match tied.
The 2019 Walker Cup will be played on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 September at Royal Liverpool, the venue for the first ever match between teams from Great Britain and Ireland and the United States in 1921 which would become the Walker Cup one year later. 
Seminole Golf Club in Florida will host the Walker Cup for the first time in its history in May 2021 while the 50th Walker Cup will be contested at Cypress Point in California in 2025.

Distance Debate Reminder: Golf Pros Are Not Paid To Think

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As we await an impending USGA/R&A reversal of position on swelling professional driving distances, we have to remember that the first professional reactions will range from smart, to reasoned, to embarrassingly shallow. While there will be lame takes, I’ve heard a subtle shift in player opinions on two fronts.

The first: a realization that the game is slower because of course reactions to distance (new tees, faster greens, narrower fairways), or courses not able to handle players hitting the ball longer and therefore causing bottlenecks. 

There is also concern from some elite players on the skill front, namely a view that great ballstrikers may no longer be enjoying rewards commensurate with their skill or physical strength. But there will also be reactions reminiscent of gun owners any time a common sense piece of legislation is suggested: don’t you dare take my guns away under any circumstances!

So even when it’s in a player’s interest to perhaps see some minor tweak to the rules to restore skill (a ball that spins more, a driver head size restriction), we are likely to hear mostly shallow, incoherent or financially-driven declarations that the governing bodies are evil people out to ruin lives.

Discussion of solutions has been stifled for so long that those of us who have watched the issue unfold have to remember that most assume extreme worst-case scenarios, when we know that even a small dent in the driving distance of today’s player would reap huge benefits for the sport’s sustainability. We also must not underestimate how many of the players actually believe they are in such prime physical shape and that NFL teams may be scouting them to fill out their linebacking core. 

This is all a precursor to sharing with you the first of many of these rants by players, with James Hahn taking to Twitter to air his grievances. Will Gray reports for Golf Channel.com. Here is Hahn's mini-Tweetstorm:

The oddball takes won't be limited to players, as Brandel Chamblee displayed in a Morning Drive roundtable with Jaime Diaz, hosted by Gary Williams. Chamblee mostly stuck to his recent position that the ball is unfairly targeted, but then meandered off on some nonsense about the cost of green fees at Pebble Beach and the need to pay golf pros more money. What either had to do with the distance debate, is not certain. 

The video:

“Before Pete came along, golf architecture was Robert Trent Jones and that philosophy."

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The cruel disease that is Alzheimer's is claiming Pete Dye, even as the 92-year-old architect remains physically fit and able to play golf daily. 

Dave Shedloski of GolfDigest.com talks to Pete's wife and sidekick Alice, as well as his sons and other architects about Dye's legacy.

“It’s the end of an era,” added Bill Coore, who worked for Dye for three years and is now enjoying a sensational run partnering with former Masters winner Ben Crenshaw. “Before Pete came along, golf architecture was Robert Trent Jones and that philosophy. That was the standard. Pete took the game and design in a different direction.”

Justin Thomas Has Fan Ejected For Good Reason

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It amazes me that more and more people attend a golf tournament to get in a few taunts, lame comments or mashed potato screams, but as we've seen the last few weeks the stupidity has taken on an edge that even tolerant players are sick of.

There is a key distinction here: the offending comment came on the way to the tee, not post tee shot as some outlets reported in suggesting Thomas was soft.

Ryan Lavner has Thomas's explanation for GolfChannel.com, and anyone who knows golf will appreciate why he was annoyed. It's a problem that if not stopped, will spiral out of control into golfers becoming subject to regular heckling.

While walking up to the 16th tee, tied for the lead, Thomas heard a fan yell in his direction: “I hope you hit it in the water!”
Thomas looked back at the spectator but didn’t say anything.
After Thomas ripped a long iron into the fairway, the same fan began shouting for the shot to get into the bunker.
“I was like, OK, I’ve had enough,” Thomas said afterward. “I just turned around and asked who it was, and he didn’t want to say anything, now that I had actually acknowledged him. So he got to leave a couple holes early.

The offending moment, but again, without the pre-tee shot comment:

Thomas went on to win his 7th title in 31 starts, and as Brian Wacker writes for GolfDigest.com, concerns about a post-Player of the Year slump seem unnecessary.

Full round highlights from the 2018 Honda Classic where Thomas had to apologize after the round for an F-bomb.

SUBSCRIBE to PGA TOUR now: http://pgat.us/vBxcZSh In the final of The Honda Classic 2018, Justin Thomas shoots 68 to get to 8-under and force a playoff with Luke List. Thomas would go on to claim his eighth PGA TOUR victory with a birdie on the first playoff hole.

Video: Tiger Hits A Birdie

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We can enjoy this one because (A) for once the phrase "hit a birdie" is actually accurate, and (B) the goose is fine, with maybe just a brief ego bruise (but he or she doesn't know that she made all of the national highlight reels), (C) Tiger made birdie.

A Tiger Woods drive at the 2018 Honda Classic striking an Egyptian goose.