Sunday, June 19, 2011

Is That The Best American Golf Can Do?

   Kevin Chappell and Robert Garrigus?

   That's the best American golf can do in its national championship?

    Kevin Chappell and Robert Garrigus?

   Nothing against the former NCAA champion, who may be a very good pro but if you had Kevin Chappell to finish as the low American in your U.S.Open pool, you did it by blind draw.Garrigus's chances were shorter than his putter.

    But that's where American professional golf is at the moment.

   To be fair, Tiger Woods is on the DL and he changes the equation. Get him healthy again and suddenly we're not starting a major championship two-down. We at least have a chance of winning.

   The way it stands now, we're relying on Bo Van Pelt to carry the flag. Phil Mickelson's game has gone on walkabout to the point he's not sure where to start the fix-it project. Steve Stricker had a solid U.S. Open but made two double-bogeys on the back nine Sunday when he'd climbed into a tie for fourth.

   The Golf Boys weren't a factor, except in the endless replaying their video received on The Golf Channel. Dustin Johnson made the cut but no noise. Ryan Palmer had a good week.

    Anthony Kim finished behind Kyung-Tae Kim and Dohoon Kim.
  
   European Tour members, in case you haven't been reminded enough, have won the last five major championships.

   Martin Kaymer, who won one of those recent major championships, was asked what this week says about American golf.

   "It says," Kaymer said, "that the Americans struggle a little bit...since Tiger has been on a, how do you say, a little down."
   That says it nicely.

4 comments:

BH said...

Wonder how the negative demographics in Europe will impact the future. They are strong now in golf but having many fewer offspring than the U.S. and Asia and will soon experience negative population growth. I'd say the game's future stars may well be Asian.

Anonymous said...

Junior, your love affair with Woods has blinded you to the fact that Woods has not done anything remarkable on the golf course for the last year and a half. Let it go Junior, and devote more of your golf writings to the players who have won and have a promising future. There is too much talent on the PGA tour for Woods to rule as he did before.

Barney Rubble said...

Why do you guys seriously think that the golfing world revolves around American players? Just because you a no longer at the top of the world rankings, you feel that they are calculated wrongly!

European players have become more rounded golfers over the years by playing globally, and I don't just mean one event because the lead sponsors in chucking big bucks at you to be there to generate gate revenue. Try travelling and playing on the global stage. Build up some team spirit. TEAM USA, couldn't be further from the truth when it comes to the Ryder Cup.

European players will dominate for a good few years to come, get over it and deal with it and try writing about the all players in a positive light.

Tigers knee is shagged (in more ways than one!), time to move on.

Anonymous said...

It's a waste of time to dwell on Woods...he's gone until he is back and can be competitive again...and I mean competitive, not dominant. The real issue is what's happed to Mick and Dustin and Anthony...the second tier guys who should have walked through the void left by Wood's departure? US golf looks to heaed down the same road as US tennis.