Opinion & Analysis
Bashing or brilliance? The value of Mickelson’s latest media stumble
Phil Mickelson’s recent comments about Ryder Cup Captain Tom Watson are the latest addition to “Mickelson’s Greatest Hits.” And whether you thought Phil was right for speaking his mind in response to a direct question, or you think he was out of line, likely depends on how you feel about “Phil being Phil.”
The thing is, for as much as Mickelson is criticized for his comments, there’s sometimes a lot of value in what he says — and his Ryder Cup comments about Watson could end up being the most valuable of his controversial statements through the years.
Sure, there were regrettable moments such as his claim that Tiger Woods was using inferior equipment and texting commissioner Finchem from the fairway in 2012 to complain about fans having phones. While you might not agree with his comments, you should acknowledge his willingness to speak his mind on topics such as his tax situation in California and making the case that Ryder Cup players should be paid. As wrong as you think he might have been, what other high-profile Tour player would ever say such things?
That brings us to Mickelson’s criticism of U.S. Ryder Cup Captain Tom Watson in the post-event press conference, while Watson sat just a few seats from the disgruntled veteran.
Here’s the full transcript of what Phil the Thrill had to say (He jumped at the chance to answer a question posed to anyone on the ’08 team):
Q. Anyone that was on the team at Valhalla, can you put your finger on what worked in 2008 and what hasn’t worked since?
PHIL MICKELSON: There were two things that allow us to play our best I think that Paul Azinger did, and one was he got everybody invested in the process. He got everybody invested in who they were going to play with, who the picks were going to be, who was going to be in their pod, who — when they would play, and they had a great leader for each pod. In my case, we had Ray Floyd, and we hung out together and we were all invested in each other’s play. We were invested in picking Hunter that week; Anthony Kim and myself and Justin were in a pod, and we were involved on having Hunter be our guy to fill our pod. So we were invested in the process. And the other thing that Paul did really well was he had a great game plan for us, you know, how we were going to go about doing this. How we were going to go about playing together; golf ball, format, what we were going to do, if so-and-so is playing well, if so-and-so is not playing well, we had a real game plan. Those two things helped us bring out our best golf. And I think that, you know, we all do the best that we can and we’re all trying our hardest, and I’m just looking back at what gave us the most success. Because we use that same process in The Presidents Cup and we do really well. Unfortunately, we have strayed from a winning formula in 2008 for the last three Ryder Cups, and we need to consider maybe getting back to that formula that helped us play our best.
Q. That felt like a pretty brutal destruction of the leadership that’s gone on this week.
PHIL MICKELSON: Oh, I’m sorry you’re taking it that way. I’m just talking about what Paul Azinger did to help us play our best. It’s certainly — I don’t understand why you would take it that way. You asked me what I thought we should do going toward to bring our best golf out and I go back to when we played our best golf and try to replicate that formula.
Q. That didn’t happen this week?
PHIL MICKELSON: Uh (pausing) no. No, nobody here was in any decision. So, no.
The buried lede in this widely reported story: While the form of Mickelson’s comments may have been inappropriate, they amount to a brilliant stratagem: getting those invested in the process talking about Paul Azinger’s winning tactics in 2008 and the possibility of bringing Azinger back as a captain.
Thus, Phil took a gamble and did something entirely ill advised, yes. However, if the U.S. Ryder Cup team in 2016 under Paul Azinger or a coach employing his pod system wins the Cup, Mickelson fans and foes alike will return to Lefty’s press conference as the origin of the winning effort.
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19th Hole
Vincenzi’s 2024 RBC Heritage betting preview: Patrick Cantlay ready to get back inside winner’s circle
Just a two-hour drive from Augusta National, the PGA TOUR heads to Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head Island, S.C. Hilton Head Island is a golfer’s paradise and Harbour Town is one of the most beautiful and scenic courses on the PGA TOUR.
Harbour Town Golf Links is a par-71 that measures 7,121 yards and features Bermuda grass greens. A Pete Dye design, the course is heavily tree lined and features small greens and many dog legs, protecting it from “bomb-and-gauge” type golfers.
The field is loaded this week with 69 golfers with no cut. Last year was quite possibly the best field in RBC Heritage history and the event this week is yet another designated event, meaning there is a $20 million prize pool.
Most of the big names on the PGA Tour will be in attendance this week with the exceptions of Hideki Matsuyama and Viktor Hovland. Additionally, Webb Simpson, Shane Lowry, Gary Woodland and Kevin Kisner have been granted sponsors exemptions.
Past Winners at Harbour Town
- 2023: Matt Fitzpatrick (-17)
- 2022: Jordan Spieth (-13)
- 2021: Stewart Cink (-19)
- 2020: Webb Simpson (-22)
- 2019: CT Pan (-12)
- 2018: Sotoshi Kodaira (-12)
- 2017: Wesley Bryan (-13)
- 2016: Branden Grace (-9)
- 2015: Jim Furyk (-18)
In this article and going forward, I’ll be using the Rabbit Hole by Betsperts Golf data engine to develop my custom model. If you want to build your own model or check out all of the detailed stats, you can sign up using promo code: MATTVIN for 25% off any subscription package (yearly is best value).
Key Stats For Harbour Town
Let’s take a look at key metrics for Harbour Town Golf Links to determine which golfers boast top marks in each category over their past 24 rounds.
Strokes Gained: Approach
Strokes Gained: Approach is exceedingly important this week. The greens at Harbour Town are about half the size of PGA TOUR average and feature the second-smallest greens on the tour. Typical of a Pete Dye design, golfers will pay the price for missed greens.
Total SG: Approach Over Past 24 Rounds
- Scottie Scheffler (+1.27)
- Tom Hoge (+1.27)
- Corey Conners (+1.16)
- Austin Eckroat (+0.95)
- Cameron Young (+0.93)
Good Drive %
The fairways at Harbour Town are tree lined and feature many dog legs. Bombers tend to struggle at the course because it forces layups and doesn’t allow long drivers to overpower it. Accuracy is far more important than power.
Good Drive % Over Past 24 Rounds
- Brice Garnett (88.8%)
- Shane Lowry (+87.2%)
- Akshay Bhatia (+86.0%)
- Si Woo Kim (+85.8%)
- Sepp Straka (+85.1%)
Strokes Gained: Total at Pete Dye Designs
Pete Dye specialists tend to play very well at Harbour Town. Si Woo Kim, Matt Kuchar, Jim Furyk and Webb Simpson are all Pete Dye specialists who have had great success here. It is likely we see some more specialists near the top of the leaderboard this week.
SG: TOT Pete Dye per round over past 36 rounds:
- Xander Schauffele (+2.27)
- Scottie Scheffler (+2.24)
- Ludvig Aberg (+2.11)
- Brian Harman (+1.89)
- Sungjae Im (+1.58)
4. Strokes Gained: Short Game (Bermuda)
Strokes Gained: Short Game factors in both around the green and putting. With many green-side bunkers and tricky green complexes, both statistics will be important. Past winners — such as Jim Furyk, Wes Bryan and Webb Simpson — highlight how crucial the short game skill set is around Harbour Town.
SG: SG Over Past 24 Rounds
- Jordan Spieth (+1.11)
- Taylor Moore (+1.02)
- Wyndham Clark (+0.98)
- Mackenzie Hughes (+0.86)
- Andrew Putnam (+0.83)
5. Greens in Regulation %
The recipe for success at Harbour Town Golf Links is hitting fairways and greens. Missing either will prove to be consequential — golfers must be in total control of the ball to win.
Greens in Regulation % over past 24 rounds:
- Brice Garnett (+75.0%)
- Scottie Scheffler (+69.9%)
- Corey Conners (+69.0%)
- Shane Lowry (+68.3%)
- Patrick Rodgers (+67.6%)
6. Course History
Harbour Town is a course where players who have strong past results at the course always tend to pop up.
Course History over past 24 rounds:
- Patrick Cantlay (+2.34)
- Cam Davis (+2.05)
- J.T. Poston (+1.69)
- Justin Rose (+1.68)
- Tommy Fleetwood (+1.59)
The RBC Heritage Model Rankings
Below, I’ve compiled overall model rankings using a combination of the five key statistical categories previously discussed — SG: Approach (24%), Good Drives (20%), SG: SG (14%), SG: Pete Dye (14%), GIR (14%), and Course History (14%)
- Shane Lowry
- Russell Henley
- Scottie Scheffler
- Xander Schauffele
- Corey Conners
- Wyndham Clark
- Christiaan Bezuidenhout
- Matt Fitzpatrick
- Cameron Young
- Ludvig Aberg
2024 RBC Heritage Picks
Patrick Cantlay +2000 (FanDuel)
With the exception of Scottie Scheffler, the PGA Tour has yet to have any of their star players show peak form during the 2024 season. Last week, Patrick Cantlay, who I believe is a top-5 players on the PGA Tour, took one step closer to regaining the form that’s helped him win eight events on Tour since 2017.
Cantlay limped into the Masters in poor form, but figured it out at Augusta National, finishing in a tie for 20th and ranking 17th for the week in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking. The former FedEx Cup champion will now head to one of his favorite golf courses in Harbour Town, where he’s had immaculate results over the years. In his six trips to the course, he’s only finished worse than 7th one time. The other finishes include three third places (2017, 2019, 2023) and one runner-up finish (2022). In his past 36 rounds at Harbour Town, Cantlay ranks 1st in Strokes Gained: Total per round at the course by a wide margin (+2.36).
Cantlay is winless since the 2022 BMW Championship, which is far too long for a player of his caliber. With signs pointing to the 32-year-old returning to form, a “signature event” at Harbour Town is just what he needs to get back on the winning track.
Tommy Fleetwood +3000 (FanDuel)
I truly believe Tommy Fleetwood will figure out a way to win on American soil in 2024. It’s certainly been a bugaboo for him throughout his career, but he is simply too talented to go another season without winning a PGA Tour event.
At last week’s Masters Tournament, Fleetwood made a Sunday charge and ended up finishing T3 in the event, which was his best ever finish at The Masters. For the week, the Englishman ranked 8th in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach, 10th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking and 16th in Strokes Gained: Putting.
Harbour Town is a perfect layout for Fleetwood, and he’s had relative success at this Pete Dye design in the past. In his four trips to the course, he’s finished inside of the top 25 three times, with his best finish, T10, coming in 2022. The course is pretty short and can’t be overpowered, which gives an advantage to more accurate players such as Fleetwood. Tommy ranks 8th in the field in Good Drive % and should be able to plot his way along this golf course.
The win is coming for Tommy lad. I believe there’s a chance this treasure of a golf course may be the perfect one for him to finally break through on Tour.
Cameron Young +3300 (FanDuel)
Cameron Young had a solid Masters Tournament last week, which is exactly what I’m looking for in players who I anticipate playing well this week at the RBC Heritage. He finished in a tie for 9th, but never felt the pressure of contending in the event. For the week, Young ranked 6th in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee and 6th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking.
Despite being one of the longest players off the tee on the PGA Tour, Young has actually played some really good golf on shorter tracks. He finished T3 at Harbour Town in 2023 and ranks 20th in the field in Good Drive% and 16th in Greens in Regulation in his past 24 rounds. He also has strong finishes at other shorter courses that can take driver out of a players hand such as Copperhead and PGA National.
Young is simply one of the best players on the PGA Tour in 2024, and I strongly believe has what it takes to win a PGA Tour event in the very near future.
Corey Conners +5500 (FanDuel)
Corey Conners has had a disappointing year thus far on the PGA Tour, but absolutely loves Harbour Town.
At last week’s Masters Tournament, the Canadian finished T30 but ranked 20th in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach. In his past 24 rounds, Conners ranks 3rd in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach, 3rd in Greens in Regulation % and 24th in Good Drive %.
In Conners’ last four trips to Harbour Town, his worst finish was T31, last season. He finished T4 in 2021, T12 in 2022 and ranks 8th in Strokes Gained: Total at the course over his past 36 rounds.
Conners hasn’t been contending, but his recent finishes have been encouraging as he has finished in the top-25 in each of his past three starts prior to The Masters, including an impressive T13 at The PLAYERS. His recent improvement in ball striking as well as his suitability for Harbour Town makes Conners a high upside bet this week.
Shane Lowry (+7500) (FanDuel)
When these odds were posted after Lowry was announced in the field, I have to admit I was pretty stunned. Despite not offering much win equity on the PGA Tour over the last handful of years, Shane Lowry is still a top caliber player who has the ability to rise to the top of a signature event.
Lowry struggled to score at The Masters last week, but he actually hit the ball really well. The Irishman ranked 1st for Strokes Gained: Approach on the week and 7th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking. As usual, it was the putter that let him down, as he ranked 60th in the field in Strokes Gained: Putting.
Harbour Town is most definitely one of Lowry’s favorite courses on the PGA Tour. In his six starts there, he’s finished in the top 10 three times, including third twice. Lowry is sensational at Pete Dye designs and ranks 7th in Strokes Gained: Total in his past 36 rounds on Dye tracks.
Lowry is perfect for Harbour Town. In his past 24 rounds, he ranks 5th in Strokes Gained: Approach, 2nd in Good Drive% and 5th in Green in Regulation %. If he figures it out on the greens, Shane could have his first win in America since 2015.
Lucas Glover +12000 (FanDuel)
This is one of my weekly “bet the number” plays as I strongly believe the odds are just too long for a player of Glover’s caliber. The odds have been too long on Glover for a few weeks now, but this is the first event that I can get behind the veteran being able to actually contend at.
Glover is quietly playing good golf and returning to the form he had after the understandable regression after his two massive victories at the end of 2023. He finished T20 at The Masters, which was his best ever finish at Augusta National. For the week, Lucas ranked 18th for Strokes Gained: Approach and 20th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking.
Over his past 24 rounds, Glover ranks 9th in Strokes Gained: Approach and 13th in Good Drive %. Harbour Town is a short course that the 44-year-old will be able to keep up with the top players on Tour off the tee. He’s played the course more than 20 times, with mixed results. His best finishes at Harbour Town include a T7 in 2008, but recently has a finish of T21 in 2020.
Glover has proven he can contend with the stars of the Tour on any given week, and this number is flat out disrespectful.
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The 2024 Masters offered up plenty of excitement throughout the week with Scottie Scheffler delivering when it mattered to live up to his pre-tournament favorite tag. With the year’s opening major now in the books, here are my six biggest takeaways from the 2024 Masters.
Scheffler In a League of His Own
In the most impressive way possible, Scottie Scheffler won the Masters without having his absolute best stuff. For the week, Scottie ranked 19th in Strokes Gained: Approach, which is a category the number player in the world typically dusts the rest of the field in. After a strong approach day on Thursday, the 27-year-old lost strokes to the field on approach on Friday and Saturday, before gaining on Sunday. The iron performance was more than solid, but it was an all-around game that helped Scheffler get it done around Augusta National.
For a year or more, the narrative around Scheffler has been, “With his ball striking, if he can just putt to field average, he’ll be unbeatable.” At Augusta, his ball striking came back down to earth, but his touch around the greens and ability to manage the golf course demonstrated why he is the best player on the planet right now. For the week, Scheffler ranked 1st in the field in Strokes Gained: Around the Green and 24th in Strokes Gained: Putting.
For the time being, there is a major gap between Scottie Scheffler and the second-best player in the world, whoever that may be.
The Future is Now
Ludvig Aberg went into his first back-nine at the Masters with a legitimate shot to win the tournament. When he teed it up on the treacherous 11th hole, he was one behind Scottie Scheffler, who had just stuck one to a few feet on the 9th. By the time he approached his tee shot, which was perfectly striped down the left side of the fairway, he was two behind. Unfortunately, the 24-year-old got too aggressive with his approach at the 11th and found the water, making double bogey. Ludvig rebounded nicely and finished the event in solo second place.
With the Masters now in the rearview, it’s never been more evident that Ludvig Aberg is no longer an “up-and-comer” — he has arrived. The Swede has been an integral part of a winning European Ryder Cup team and has now contended at Augusta National. With a calm demeanor, a picture-perfect swing, and a build and stature that appears as if it was built in a lab, Ludvig Aberg is already amongst the world’s best. I’d be extremely surprised if he wasn’t in the mix at next month’s PGA Championship at Valhalla.
Nostalgia Wins
I try to avoid as many cliches as possible, but there’s something about the Masters that brings out the sentimentality in me. Tiger Woods strategically making his way around Augusta National without all of the physical tools that made him arguably the most dominant athlete in the history of sports will always be riveting, regardless of what score he shoots. Woods made it interesting until a tough stretch of holes on Saturday, but he ultimately wore down, shooting 16 over for the week in difficult conditions. It’s remarkable that the 15-time major champion was able to put together a few solid rounds of golf despite barely playing any competitive golf in 2024. As long as Woods tees it up at Augusta, we will all continue to be mesmerized by it.
Verne Lundquist’s 40th and final Masters Tournament was also a must-watch aspect of the event. The iconic voice of Lundquist and his calls throughout the years still give me chills each time I hear them. Verne is an icon of the game and will be missed in future renditions of the Masters.
The Masters also brings another element that is unique to the tournament. Former champions turn back the clock to battle with the golf course again which creates some amazing stories. There are a few that stick out this year and were an absolute pleasure to witness. 61-year-old Vijay Singh made the cut for the first time since 2018 and shot a pretty incredible even-par, 72 on Sunday. 58-year-old José María Olazábal made the cut as well, reminding us why fellow Spaniard Jon Rahm sought his valuable advice prior to his Masters victory in 2022.
Regardless of who wins, the Masters always delivers.
Bryson Moves the Needle
Plenty will disagree with me on this point, but outside of Tiger Woods, and potentially Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth, no one moves the needle in golf as much as Bryson DeChambeau. The uniqueness in which Bryson approaches the game has always been fascinating, and if he gets near the top of the leaderboard at any major championship, whether it’s to root for him or against him, people are interested.
It began on Monday with a pretty bizarre story of DeChambeau using 3D-printed irons that got just got cleared for use by the USGA when the week began. It once again felt like a storyline that would only be possible with a character as eccentric as Bryson. He then raced off to a first-round lead in tough conditions, reminding the world of what made him such a great golfer to begin with. He made some mistakes on the weekend, but still finished a career best T6 at The Masters.
Bryson is more than just quirky; he is a former U.S. Amateur Champion and U.S. Open who I believe will contend for more majors in the future. I will continue to root for DeChambeau, but I’m perfectly content with the fact that plenty will root against him, and I encourage those people to do so. That’s what makes it fun.
LIV Walks Away Empty-Handed
Last year, there were a multitude of questions about LIV players coming into the year’s first major. They had played very limited tournament golf, and critics of LIV questioned whether the 54-hole events were enough to sharpen the players enough to compete against the best in the world on the biggest stage.
The results were fascinating, with LIV players all over the leaderboard. Brooks Koepka held the 36- and 54-hole lead, with Phil Mickelson and Patrick Reed finishing T2 and T4, giving LIV three golfers in the top-4 of the leaderboard.
This season, with even more time removed and with some more massive additions to the roster, the intrigue surrounding LIV players at Augusta was once again palpable. While some players, including Bryson DeChambeau, exceeded expectations, I can’t help but walk away from the Masters feeling underwhelmed by the performance of the LIV players.
Brooks Koepka finished runner-up last season and is a certified major championship killer. The 5-time major champ was never involved and simply didn’t have it at Augusta. Dustin Johnson put together a putrid performance, shooting 13 over for his two rounds, making it fair to wonder if his days of contending at major championships are over as he rapidly approaches his 40th birthday.
Jon Rahm and Joaquin Niemann were both players who were amongst the favorites this week, but Rahm was faced with the daunting duties of defending champion and Niemann proved he was still not quite ready to master the quirks of Augusta National, bleeding strokes both around and on the greens.
To be fair, when all was said and done, LIV had four players in the top twelve at The Masters. Tyrrell Hatton stormed the leaderboard early on Sunday, finishing T9 and earning himself an invite back to Augusta next season. Cam Smith and Patrick Reed put together gritty performances, which isn’t too surprising considering the fact that they both absolutely love Augusta National, but neither ever felt a real threat to win. There’s no doubt the players on LIV are good, and that’s why some encouraging leaderboard positions aren’t enough. They needed to contend.
With no players part of the storyline on Sunday, I view the first major of the year as a disappointment for LIV. The players will head into next month’s PGA Championship at Valhalla with a lot to prove.
Rory’s Struggles Continues
Rory struggling at Augusta National is no surprise at this point. The four-time major champion has now had 10 attempts to complete the career grand slam and has never had a chance to win. His T2 in 2022 was deceiving, the Northern Irishman stormed the leaderboard on Sunday, but was never in contention, and never got within three shots of the winner, Scottie Scheffler.
I didn’t expect Rory to win, but I have to admit that this year felt a bit different. McIlroy played the week prior to the Masters, which he typically doesn’t do, and finished third at the Valero Texas Open. He gained 7.56 strokes on approach and 2.0 strokes off the tee, which told me that his visit with world-renowned swing coach, Butch Harmon, after the Players Championship paid dividends.
McIlroy also approached the media quite differently. He cut his pre-tournament press conference short after only 10 minutes and seemed to be laser-focused on just playing golf.
Despite the different approach to the Masters, the results were the same. McIlroy struggled over the course of the week, finishing T22 (+4) and never sniffed a decent weekend position on the leaderboard. It’s back to the drawing board for McIlroy, and I have doubts that he will ever figure it out at Augusta.
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We’ve finally reached The Masters and excitement is at an all-time high. The world of golf has been fractured for the better part of two years, but for a week at Augusta National, all of the outside noise will disappear. All of the best players in the world will be together seeking to make history.
In addition to betting on The Masters champion. This is one of the few weeks of the year where there are so many more markets to explore, with value to be had in plenty of different categories.
Throughout this article, I’ll discuss all of my favorite props and players for the 2024 Masters.
Placement Bets:
Tony Finau Top 5 +750 (DraftKings):
I badly wanted to include Tony Finau in my outright betting selections, but I simply ran out of room on my card. Additionally, it’s slightly difficult to see him hitting the putts necessary to win the Masters on back nine on Sunday. However, I do strongly believe he will play great golf this week at Augusta National.
In his past 24 rounds, Finau ranks 4th in Strokes Gained: Approach is always amongst the best drivers of the golf ball in the game. Back in 2019, Finau had a great chance to win The Masters. I expect him to be hanging around over the weekend once again in 2024.
Gary Woodland Top 20 +550 (DraftKings), Gary Woodland to make the cut -110 (DraftKings):
Last season, Gary Woodland had his best ever finish at The Masters in his eleven tries. The 39-year-old finished T14 and played incredibly steady across all four rounds.
In Woodland’s most recent start at the Texas Children’s Houston Open, he struck the ball incredibly well. He led the field in Strokes Gained: Approach (+8.8) and Strokes Gained: Ball Striking (+10.0).
Gary has been working with Butch Harmon and absolutely flushing the ball both in tournaments and during practice.
Woodland appears to be healthy once again and in a great place physically and mentally. If he can build off his impressive performance at Augusta last year, he can place inside the top ten in 2024.
Additionally, the make the cut number on Woodland seems generous considering the number of players who miss the cut will be relatively small this week. Woodland is striking it well enough to make the cut even if he’s hindered by a balky putter once again.
Thorbjorn Olesen Top 20 +400 (FanDuel):
The Thunder Bear, Thorbjorn Olesen, made his Masters debut in 2013 and finished an incredibly impressive T6 for the week. In the two additional starts he’s made at Augusta National since then, the Dane has continued to be incredibly solid, finishing T44 and T21.
This week, Olesen heads into the week playing some good golf. He gained 3.8 strokes on approach and 5.52 strokes around the green at last week’s Valero Texas Open on his way to a strong T14 finish. Back in January, he won the Ras Al Khaimah Championship on the DP World Tour.
Olesen has the skill set to be successful at Augusta and seems primed for a good performance this week.
Top Nationalities:
Sergio Garcia Top Spanish Player +280 (DraftKings):
I believe Sergio Garcia can get into contention this week with the way he’s striking the ball in addition to his good vibes with a refurbished version of the Scotty Cameron that he used at the 1999 PGA Championship at Medinah.
I am slightly concerned about the emotional letdown he may face after losing in a playoff at LIV Miami, but I believe a veteran and former Masters champion should be able to regroup and focus on an event far more meaningful.
This is essentially a tournament head-to-head with Jon Rahm at +280. While Rahm deserves to be respected this week, the history of the lack of success of defending champions at The Masters is difficult to ignore.
Joaquin Niemann Top South American Player -230 (FanDuel):
While I hate paying this much juice, I don’t see a world in which Joaquin Niemann isn’t the top South American this week at The Masters. Joaco comes in playing better golf than anyone in the world not named Scottie Scheffler and has a serious chance to win the green jacket.
He only needs to beat two players: Emiliano Grillo and Camilo Villegas.
Tournament Head-to-Heads:
Justin Thomas -110 over Collin Morikawa
JT isn’t having his best season but is playing a lot better than he is getting credit for at the moment. In the past three months, there are only six players on the PGA Tour who have averaged 1.7 Strokes Gained: Tee to Green or better. Justin Thomas (+1.7) is one of the six and is currently tied with Rory McIlroy (+1.7).
Morikawa, on the other hand, has been extremely poor with his irons, which is incredibly uncharacteristic for him. I can’t help but feel like something is completely off with the two-time major champion.
Tony Finau -110 over Wyndham Clark
I explained in the placement section why I’m so high on Tony Finau this week. With how well he’s striking the ball, it seems as if his floor is extremely high. I’m not sure if he can make the putts to win a green jacket but I believe he will be in the mix similarly to 2019 when Tiger Woods emerged from a crowded pack of contenders.
Clark is a debutant, and while some debutants have had success at The Masters, it certainly poses a challenge. I also don’t believe Augusta National suits Clark as well as some of the other major championship venues.
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Max Homa WITB 2024 (April)
Max Homa what’s in the bag accurate as of the Masters. Driver: Titleist TSR3 (9 degrees, D1 SureFit setting) Shaft:...
Bryson DeChambeau WITB 2024 (April)
Driver: Krank Formula Fire Pro (6 degrees) Shaft: Project X HZRDUS T1100 75g 6.5 Mini driver: TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver...
Scottie Scheffler’s winning WITB: 2024 Masters
Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (8 degrees @8.25) Buy here. Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 7 X (45 inches) 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees) Buy...
WITB Time Machine: Danny Willett’s winning WITB, 2016 Masters
Driver: Callaway XR 16 (9 degrees) Shaft: Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana W-Series 60 X Length: 45.5 inches 3-wood: Callaway XR 16 (15 degrees) Shaft: Mitsubishi...
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Fred
Oct 2, 2014 at 8:19 am
In my view, the US side doesn’t know how to win in match play team formats. US golf culture is about individual play in a stroke play format. In match play teams, you have to consider your partner and roll with the punches if he lets you down. You have to pick him up. US players aren’t accustomed to that – not that they don’t understand it – it’s that they are pretty green at it. Think Tiger and Phil together… Azinger’s methods helped overcome that in that the team pod and it’s leader defined everyone’s roles. Egos had to be checked in his system and they bought in. That is key, when you consider the culture of US me-oriented players. Euros are more supportive, their comraderie extends beyond one weekend every two years. When a US guy lets his team down, it’s seems like he let his whole nation down. As a culture of braggarts, US culture requires that you back it up. When you don’t, your confidence is shot. Not sure how to change the culture (do we need Patrick Reed’s antics?) but the US needs to change its mindset of winning these types of events and have a gameplan everyone is invested in.
Duh
Oct 5, 2014 at 1:45 am
Yeah, that’s why they won in 2008 more in the team matches than in the Singles. Duh.
ND Hickman
Oct 7, 2014 at 7:47 am
I think that 2008 had more to do with the fact that Flado was easily the worst captain Europe has ever seen.
Larry
Oct 2, 2014 at 3:39 am
To those of us watching in Asia, the Europeans always talk like they are really lucky to be selected for the Ryder team. Whereas some of the American players give the impression the US team is really lucky to have them…likewise many of the international players in the Presidents Cup.
stu
Oct 1, 2014 at 6:36 pm
I think people are forgetting two things here, firstly, they are all professional golfers who play against each other most weeks of the year, this should be no different, play those singles matches this week and U.S. probably win 7/5…Foursomes is where they lost it.
Secondly, the U.S. won against a team organised by Nick Faldo, arguably Europe’s least popular Captain EVER…!!
So Azinger’s method only gets credence from the fact that it has won Presidents cup matches , not for beating Faldos team…
Phil was asked a question that he gave an honest answer to, however his frustrations of not playing Saturday and not being consulted leaked into the statement and suddenly it sounds like hes throwing digs at Tom, I think he has earned the right to be one of very few people that could question someone of Watsons stature but I think he was just comparing two separate methods.. one of which happened to be Azinger’s, a system utilised successfully in Presidents cup that could easily be adopted for a similar format in Ryder cup again..
At the end of the day the players still have to go out and perform, and Europe just had more guys do it on the day..
bo
Oct 1, 2014 at 6:26 pm
ok, here’s the thing…of course it comes down to players executing shots, but you have to blame Captain Watson for NOT putting players into positions to succeed. Not even mentioning Captain picks…
Did anyone think Phil stood a chance on Friday afternoon after walking 18 brutal holes in a grueling match in the morning? The dudes is 45, has arthritis and needed a blow. Watson failing to put his players in a good position.
Should Rickie and Jimmy have been playing a fourth straight match when they were clearly exhausted? no way. again a failure by the Captain.
If Watson had sat Phil and Keegan on Fri afternoon, he could have played Spieth/Reed and had a rested Mick/Keegan Sat morning – allowing Rickie/Jimmy to get some rest.
Especially since Phil/Kee are great in FourBall, and Ricky/Jimmy had been good in Foursomes. Win/win all around.
Just switching those three matches around, the RC gets a lot closer…
Terrible job as a Captain. Players cant execute when they arent on the field, or are worn down from too many minutes.
Jack Nash
Oct 1, 2014 at 4:09 pm
Phil’s downfall came on the Plane Ride to the Ryder Cup. There were 11 U.S. Players on that flight, none of them named Mickleson. Like they said on golf Channel you support your Captain, you don’t throw him AND his plan under the Bus. You do that in private. What a teammate Phil is. I guess he went home on his own Jet also. Good for you Phil. No wonder the U.S. Has been getting hammered. Players of your era, like they said on GC are rated some of if not the best on the Planet yet are nowhere to be found on Ryder Cup weekend.
bo
Oct 1, 2014 at 6:18 pm
hard for Phil to put up points when he is on the bench or playing 36 after a grueling win thru 18 in the morning.
Mike
Oct 4, 2014 at 9:11 am
It was agreed that Phil was going on a different plane due to business he had over there. No one had a problem with it.
gd4me
Oct 1, 2014 at 3:20 pm
I’ve read and listened to this exchange a number of times now, and I still don’t see how people are saying that Phil criticized Tom Watson. He was asked what worked in 2008 and answered that question, with the truth as he sees it (me too BTW). He was then goaded into saying he attacked Tom Watson, but he clearly stated that was misconstrued by the reporter. I’m not a huge Phil fan, but in this case I have to say he was innocent of the charges, was not whining, and provided an insightful response. Seems like the negative responders are the whining little beoches, not Phil. What’s the matter, no Tiger to pick on so you dig up someone else?
Domino
Oct 3, 2014 at 1:40 pm
I totally agree, he was asked a question and actually answered it, then everyone wants to say he was unfairly attacking Watson. Should he have just made something up? I thought it was great to hear an honest answer for once.
Regis
Oct 1, 2014 at 2:23 pm
We seem to forget that match play is the format at the Cup. We get our butt kicked in alternate shot because the Euros are better shot makers. Work the ball from both sides, flight the ball, manufacture a shot out of trouble. We pick our team based upon their performance in American designed courses. The Euros grow up playing in the wind, tougher conditions, less manicured courses. It carries over to match play and especially alternate shot.
Bill
Oct 4, 2014 at 8:13 pm
Prior to the 2014 debacle, according to Ryder Cup statistics, the Americans were 53.5 to 58.5 in foursomes, 46.5 to 65.5 in four-ball and 84.5 to 83.5 in singles. This doesn’t sound like the Americans get the “butt kicked” in alternate shot, as you say. GM isn’t a basket-case of an international automotive company because of bad management, or bad labor, or bad government. It’s a group effort that turns success into failure. In the Ryder cup, it takes the combined effort of the PGA of America, the captain it picks, along with the process, the players, the site, the setup, and the management of the event to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
Never once have I heard that Americans are incapable of succeeding, except from the “wussy-boy” press types. The PGA of America needs to get their collective old-fossil heads out of their you-know-what and start thinking like can-do Americans, instead of their fascist European brethren, to begin fixing the losing ways they have created and fostered for the last 25 years.
Joe
Oct 7, 2014 at 12:32 am
I’m pretty sure you have no idea what fascism is. Especially considering that there isn’t a single country in Europe with a fascist government, and hasn’t been one in…….oh, about 80 years. Learn some history man, you’re embarrassing us.
ForgedIron
Oct 1, 2014 at 1:35 pm
Butthurt millionaires whining that their Hall of Fame captain isn’t nice to the them. Boo hoo. Make some putts.
Airbender
Oct 1, 2014 at 1:39 pm
He needs somebody to write a better whinning script.
Robert
Oct 1, 2014 at 2:40 pm
Have you really never experienced the difference between having a good boss and a bad boss?
Airbender
Oct 1, 2014 at 1:35 pm
Phil is a sore loser (Blame other people first). Kinda remind me of Allan Iverson.
Be a team player man!
bo
Oct 1, 2014 at 6:19 pm
we talkin bout practice…
TR1PTIK
Oct 1, 2014 at 12:22 pm
I haven’t really cared that much about all of this, but finally took the time to read the transcript and watch the video. Though it is obvious how one could take Phil’s statements negatively, the truth is he never really addressed Watson’s role as Ryder Cup Captain except for saying that the players weren’t as involved in the process as they were in 2008 with Azinger. This is a total non-issue and people should find something else to gripe about.
jay gaydos
Oct 1, 2014 at 12:46 pm
Totally agree.
The media, as usual, has to create an issue when there is no issue.
Skip Miller
Oct 1, 2014 at 11:49 am
Why the caption “media stumble”? As with his play, Phil Mickelson has always been a “what you see is what you get” guy. He is straight forward, apparently honest, and speaks his mind in an intelligent and forthright manner when asked a question. What a constant flow of “fresh air” when we otherwise have “media speak” and “political correctness” being force fed to us on a daily basis.
My advice to you so called journalists…. listen to the answers these guys give. Print the questions and answers verbatim, quit the failing attempts to psychologically dissect answers looking for more than what is there, keep your analysis in context with the question and respective answer, ditch the sensationalistic headlines, and quit the bashing.
Remember your mother’s read your articles. They are individually and collectively embarrassed that you can’t apply what they taught you at kindergarten level….”if you can’t say something nice, then don’t say anything at all” and most of all “don’t start rumors”….
Allen
Oct 1, 2014 at 10:36 am
Phil would have a complaint if he had a great Ryder Cup record. Heck make him the captain next time, lets see how he would do it.
Mike
Oct 1, 2014 at 12:46 pm
How was Phil complaining? He didn’t offer this statement. He was asked a question and gave his honest answer. Stop listening to the biased media hype and actually listen to what was asked and how he answered.
Don
Oct 1, 2014 at 10:35 am
It’s going to be so awesome when Phil becomes Ryder Cup Captain. Controversy or not, appropriate or not, every golf outlet is going to insure that they have every Phil quote lined up for when he either succeeds or fails. It’s going to be glorious!
john
Oct 1, 2014 at 8:29 am
This is what a real Ryder Cup captain does. http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/golf/29442461
RogerinNZ
Oct 1, 2014 at 5:23 am
Phil answered a question, offered an opinion.
Thats life.
The European Team pulled of The Big Saves and Won.
Thats life.
Nobody wanted a Draw did they?
gplfing
Oct 1, 2014 at 5:19 am
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
Everything Is AWESOME!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etzMjoH0rJw
You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.
Abraham Lincoln
Golf marketing or management is not done correctly over that side of the pound, it needs young people, don’t bench Dustin..Anthony…and many
others, young people is the future of the game, new thinking, the show
is run by TM CEO and PGA old snobs… not AWESOME!!!
Read more at http://www.golfwrx.com/246473/mickelsons-bashing-of-watson-could-be-his-most-important-media-stumble/comment-page-1/#YsTtt9TuZrJXX2xW.99
antonio
Oct 1, 2014 at 4:20 am
Too much credit to Azinger and his methods. It was as simple as the americans clearly outplayed the europeans that week and team Europe was led by the worst captain ever in Ryder Cup history (captain calamity)
ParHunter
Oct 1, 2014 at 9:47 am
I think you might have a point here. Hardly anyone on the European team liked the captain that year given that he slated everyone at some point before.
RobCH
Oct 2, 2014 at 11:33 am
Whereas Tom Watson waited until the competition was under way before slating his players…
Peter
Oct 1, 2014 at 3:26 am
I think Azinger and his Pod-system is given way too much credit for the 2008 US win. IMO most of the outcome comes down to the form of the players during the 3 Days of play.
Also, it doesnt help the team-spirit having players who can’t handle being benched, even though their performance suggests it’s a good idea to rest them.
It seems PM:s presser comments were more premeditated then just random spur of the moment thoughts.
ChiefKeef
Oct 1, 2014 at 1:49 am
This should and will be forgotten within 2 weeks. Hell, Sergio said some extremely RACIST things regarding Tiger not too long ago and that has been completely forgotten in the media. What’s worse…racist comments or criticizing a Ryder Cup captain? Give me a freakin break. Watson did a shitty job and probably should have gotten WORSE comments from the players. The Ryder Cup is just a big blow-hard weekend anyway…a bunch of fake fist-pumps and annoying leprechauns yelling “c’mon!” Useless article and I can’t even comprehend why I’m wasting my time commenting on it.
TMTC
Oct 4, 2014 at 10:51 am
You talk about racist comments! …..and you call the Europeans “Leprechauns”
What a moron.
Yam
Oct 1, 2014 at 1:25 am
Tabloid bull. What a bore this piece of writing is.
Here is Phil, not afraid to speak his mind, candidly, and he gets bashed for being American, speaking out loud, his mind. What has America come to, really?
zoots
Oct 1, 2014 at 1:16 am
Very unprofessional on Phil’s part. Just crying because he got benched. Voice grievances in private to US RC bigwigs, not a public presser. Pods shmods as far as I’m concerned, US up 10-6 in 2012 (10-4 at one point) without pods. Shat the bed in singles, nothing to do with pods. Yeah Watson made some questionable decisions, so does every captain. America obviously weakened this year without the likes of Woods, DJ, Duff.
TMTC
Oct 4, 2014 at 10:58 am
Take a look at Eldrick’s Rider Cup record.
It is poor, and in his present form, would most likely have been even worse this year!
I agree with your comments on DJ & Duff.
Joseph
Oct 1, 2014 at 12:19 am
I think Phil’s comments were made at a time were all were frustrated a bit. I think as time goes on, he’ll regret some of the things he said publicly. I don’t think going back to a POD system that worked one time is the long term answer. No disrespect to Azinger at all. I think the US needs multiple things to happen in order to turn this great event back into a rivalry. Unfortunately, the European team is loaded for several years to come with several top level players. If you look at US golf right now, Tiger and Phil are aging and not what they once used to be. I don’t see anyone on the US side that’s going to give Rory a run for his money at this point. Clearly the younger players have benefitted the US team. I simply think they have more fire in their bellies. They’re tougher. I think Furyk and Mickelson have played in their last RC. Thanks to them for all they’ve done for American golf, but its time to move in a new direction.
Larry
Sep 30, 2014 at 11:41 pm
I think I played golf long enough to know there is only one shot in golf that gets the ball in the hole 99% of the time, and that is the putt…and I did not see Tom Watson putt once…
Alex
Sep 30, 2014 at 9:22 pm
That’s not an accurate transcript.
Please, relisten to it. The question is, “Phil and anyone else…?”
He didn’t jump at the chance. The question was addressed to him first, then anyone else who might have been there.
This is a misquote and it changes the context of the article.
That’s pretty bad. I realize not all of us have journalism degrees or backgrounds but you can’t quote someone like that.
Gary Lewis
Sep 30, 2014 at 11:23 pm
The Captain can indeed have a positive effect on the outcome albeit maybe hard to measure. Perhaps Zinger was a better Captain. I really don’t have much of a clue on that. Ultimately the players have to execute and play in whatever formats they are assigned to play in. The US just got outplayed. I have some doubt as to whether a different strategy would have made much of a difference in this kind of a beating.
Matthew Carter
Sep 30, 2014 at 11:37 pm
Ben: you need to make sure info is accurate before telling a story. Each time TW was shown on TV, he looked as though he wasn’t in a good place. Looking at PM, you had thought it was party…. He was grinning ear to ear and definitely enjoying the moment. I can’t speak for the American team, but I can say that the Euros know how to have fun and more times than not, they get the job done.
Players ought to pick the Captain…..euros do it why can’t we.?
Maybe we ought to make it a AA verses EU Ryder Cup. Americans and Aussies!!!!
Maybe we ought to pick players after FedEx. Billy and Chris would have put up a lot of points for the US.
Mat
Oct 1, 2014 at 12:13 am
Alex, when should the facts ever get in the way of “journalism”? This is why people don’t speak what they’re thinking. Context is liberally twisted to fit the narrative. GolfWRX and the author should print a correction here.
Alex
Oct 1, 2014 at 1:54 am
Unfortunately so.
I’ve made plenty of mistakes myself, so I’m not going to place undue blame on anyone…it happens.
However…this is why there are editors in place, to verify the premises and check the facts.
west
Sep 30, 2014 at 8:30 pm
Oh, and it was Europe that did the bashing…not Phil.
marcel
Sep 30, 2014 at 8:07 pm
basically what Phil says is -that Anzinger made everyone work hard and otherwise US team is just a bunch of rich kids that otherwise dont care unless you kicking their butts like Anzinger did in 2008…
John Merrill
Sep 30, 2014 at 7:59 pm
It appears most didn’t bite on this journalist’s attempt to bait and create controversy. Phil just answered a direct question with a thought-provoking response. Some are thrown off by honest opinions, I guess? (Typical follow-up question to suggest it was a “brutal” assessment of Watson).
I do think the Captain’s picks were pathetic. Even most of the qualifiers were not on-form in recent months. This needs to be addressed. That said, even with the best 12, there’s no guaranteed of a win. The competition is too close. Even this time, if the US wins one more match each day – different outcome.
John
Sep 30, 2014 at 7:47 pm
I’m glad most respondents didn’t bite on this journalist’s attempt to create a controversy. Phil answered a direct question with his thought-provoking reply – nothing more. Typical press follow up to suggest it was a “brutal” attack on Watson. We did not have the best 12 golfers. We had poor choices for Captain’s picks, and the 9 qualifiers were not all playing their best. Still, even with the 12 best, there’s no guarantee of a US win. Just a better shot. If my math is correct, only one more US win each day would have made THE difference.
RI_Redneck
Sep 30, 2014 at 7:23 pm
I don’t believe there was anything wrong with the strategy. The problem is with the performance of the players in the clutch moments. I saw some poor decisions made on each day by guys that KNOW BETTER.I don’t think Tom was the problem. I think we need several match play events on the PGA tour.
BT
Woff
Sep 30, 2014 at 6:57 pm
Sad, a lesson here for all. Golf is the game for integredy and win loose that must be maintained for the sake of the game. Phil’s comments should have been left to the debrief not in the main stream media immediately after the flogging where passions were raw on both sides. If Tom won he was a genius, loose and he’s a demon. Both men had jobs to do and all players have to live with their individual performances personally as we all do who play the great game, and maybe if they looked at their own effort the “team” may owe Tom some sort of apology. Tom did not hit a ball guys.
8thehardway
Sep 30, 2014 at 6:47 pm
“Both sides did their best, but if my guys had shot a little straighter… ”
Gen. Custer’s graveside deconstruction of Little Big Horn
Al385
Sep 30, 2014 at 6:34 pm
This is the type of journalism I hate because it’s always looking for the yellowish side of the news. This is National Enquirer quality.
It could be Phil or anyone else. He was asked a question and he certainly answered the question about what happened in 2008 but the article only shows the twisted interpretation of the journalist.
Please, GolfWRX must have a higher quality. Guys, you can do it much better than this.
sqitis
Sep 30, 2014 at 6:30 pm
I really didn’t look at it as a bashing. Just a making a point and it’s ok to call someone out when they are wrong.
BondJamesBond
Sep 30, 2014 at 6:04 pm
Phil & Major Tom would both have liked to get us out of the current situation – both were (are) frustrated for different reasons. My Suspicion PM (~80% losing record) – Watson Pride of USA and waning ability to produce/perform on the grand stage that is Pro Golf.
Consider this from rydercup.com
Comparison of the United States and Europe Between 1985-2012
United Stat Europe
Wins 4 9
Tied 1 1
Matches won 155 188
Points won 184½ 207½
Foursome points won 53½ 58½
Four-ball points won 46½ 65½
Single points won 84½ 83½
Rookies record (US)72 wins, 84 losses, 27 halves
(EUR)54 wins, 58 losses, 30 halves
Captain’s Picks (US) 48 wins, 39 losses, 19 halves
(EUR) 59 wins, 52 losses, 12 halves
only categories we excel are singles (1 pt)& Captains picks. Period.
Interesting to note the no. or fewer Rooks they play in the matches, even this year with Victor it was controlled and planned to a tee (obv to me anyhow)
Anyone can run the nos. as I just did from rydercup.com site.
If it’s picks then the is the captain, can’t see this any other way.
Dennis Clark wrote an article yesterday which alluded to the population advantage of EUR vs. US. This is only inevitable – social economics to a certain degree (IMO) will sway the advantage to EUR.
New code required – does not include the PGA of America IMO but this will never happen because of the $ oppty they’d forgoe. Got to connect PGA of America with PGA TOUR and get mainstream with these top players else we’ll get more of the same.
I was front row at Kiawah on #18 when Langer missed the putt – best sporting event I’ve ever attended as a US fan – like nothing more than to see this again – BUT we’ve lost our way and must formulate an alternate strategy.
my 2 cents…
Shortgame85
Sep 30, 2014 at 5:54 pm
Ill timed questions by the media that are always to be expected. Their job is to provoke and stimulate the controversial copy that sells news and gossip rags. However, no matter how correct Phil may have been in the analysis in his response (and I think his analysis was correct), the timing of his response was poor. He could have chosen to give that response at a later time. Making those comments, he was sure to stimulate controversy, embarrass his team’s captain Tom Watson and provide additional coverage for himself. By his own admission, Phil is a very smart fellow, self aware of his comments and the effect they may have. I found the timing of his display of frustration, well founded as his frustration may be, to be in poor taste.
fastfde
Sep 30, 2014 at 5:51 pm
I’m not a Mickelson fan but, I for one am glad to see a PGA Pro give his honest opinion about anything including his assessment of Captain Watson’s performance. Why can anybody else voice their opinion (fans, media, etc) but not the person who was in the arena – at least he earned the right to voice his opinion. Perhaps some would rather his voice take a “Leave of Absence”.
Fred
Sep 30, 2014 at 7:10 pm
One thing is for certain; changes need to be made in order for the U.S. to become competitive in the Ryder Cup. If it takes Phil going public to create the momentum for these changes to occur, then so be it. The fact of the matter is, the system is broken. I think as the days go on, you will begin to hear other players echo those thoughts expressed by Mickelson. Face it, when half of the European Ryder Cup team couldn’t even make the cut at the FedEx Championship, which was won by am American, then there’s a serious problem that needs to be addressed. If the U.S. team wins the Cup two years from now, I wouldn’t think it too far fetched to say that we can thanks Phil Mickelson for speaking up.
Jason
Sep 30, 2014 at 4:23 pm
The captain certainly has something to do with how the team interacts, he can’t control the putts being made or missed but he has huge influence over team chemistry and it was clearly missing on the US side. Also don’t forget what a blow it was to the team not having Dustin Johnson and Jason Dufner in the mix.
jack from Omaha
Sep 30, 2014 at 5:37 pm
Rah, Rah for Phil.
Phil’s comments at the press conference were right on!!! He had the brilliance to stir debate so that just maybe we’ll take this thing seriously, and not just pick “a good ole boy” to be the next captain.
Dr. RosenRosen
Sep 30, 2014 at 3:59 pm
For those claiming that all blame should fall ONLY on the players, I ask why we have coaches in other sports? I would think that golf, moreso than almost any other sport given the importance of the mental game, would require a captain that is acutely attuned to the players’ strengths, attitudes, weaknesses, motivations, etc. A one-size fits all approach just doesn’t work.
I like Tom Watson. That being said, it appears he did little to foster a TEAM. And although I can’t believe I agree with Phil, it appears Watson also did little to bring out the best in each player. Instead, his mantra and instruction was simply “play better.”
No “great” coach – whether football, basketball, or little league baseball – would say his only job is picking the players for the team because “the players play.” The U.S. needs to think outside of the box and look for captains that are motivators and strategists, not just great former players.
kroner
Sep 30, 2014 at 3:27 pm
Herein lies the problem with the American team. It’s plainly obvious the Americans haven’t grasped the “team” concept. The accountablility on both the player’s and captain’s behalf were missing. Watson’s comments put the blame on the players, while a clearly frustrated Mickelson is looking towards his captain. This loss was a total team effort. Watson failed to put his players in situations they could play their best ie: Mickelson/Bradley over Spieth/Reed in Friday’s p.m. session and wearing out Fowler/Walker, while Mickelson’s Ryder Cup record does not befit a player of his caliber and seeing Back 9 leads evaporate from several players. Until the Americans check their egos and look in the mirror I’m afraid the infighting will keep Europe on top for many years to come.
Jeff B
Sep 30, 2014 at 3:08 pm
I agree, I didn’t find what he said distasteful or bashing anyone at all.
bm
Sep 30, 2014 at 2:35 pm
Phil will be captain some day (like Tiger if he really wants it) so he can do it his way at that time. As for the win by Azinger, I think I have to give Faldo credit too.
brian
Sep 30, 2014 at 1:55 pm
There was absolutely nothing wrong with the way Davis Love captained the Ryder Cup. In fact, he was up 10-6 going into Sunday that year. What was the excuse then for the singles matches? Davis Love didn’t hit a single shot, and he sure didn’t sit there and clap for Justin Rose as Rose was putting it to him.
Crenshaw won, but not because of anything he did with his pairings. It comes down to golf professionals hitting golf balls. There is no formula. It was quite simple to see this year that the best golfers hit the better shots.
gplfing
Sep 30, 2014 at 2:06 pm
This is a team game, and like your cells wandering around, to build
something (a win maybe!) a “team” structure is required by using a code….DNA.
Timbleking
Sep 30, 2014 at 1:43 pm
Sorry for you, fellow american competitors, but perhaps we could discuss about the way he said that, but he was right. Should we give Tom Watson the full respect he deserves for what he did as a player, he has been a real bad captain. There is a moment where USGA or whoever decides to whom they will grant the captaincy, has to understand that you need competencies in that role, and being a legend of the past in the game is not a guarantee for competencies as a captain. My 2 cents.
Robeli
Sep 30, 2014 at 4:06 pm
+1
tdbach
Oct 1, 2014 at 12:01 pm
Watson was the last captain to win the Cup on Euro soil. How did that happen?
ron
Sep 30, 2014 at 1:22 pm
I still don’t see what all this fuss over his comments is all about. It’s not like he called out Tom Watson specifically. He said the formula of 2008 (which happend to have given the US the win) was not copied in subsequest years…period. Watson did not coach every tean sisnce 2008. Yes it calls into qquestions selection process and strategy but this is being grossly sensationalized in my opinion.
Rich
Sep 30, 2014 at 7:42 pm
+1
gplfing
Sep 30, 2014 at 1:16 pm
For sure Phil is or has a ton of experience handling this pressers or tom´s, he would have is opinion, and as usual say nothing, but see the
situation he was on:
5 years ago the then young Hunter was crushed by it and until this day
he pays the price (just see the same shoot affected his head) until that
moment he gave all.
Again 5 years an Mr. Watson saying “some players just don’t deliver” WTF
is this…. Phil just stepped up.
ClubChump
Sep 30, 2014 at 1:05 pm
The captain doesn’t play! I can’t stress that enough. Pods’s or a group of 12 or whatever excuse you want to discuss the bottom line is the Americans lost. The Euro’s played better. If the USA wants to win the formula is simple. GET BETTER
Timbleking
Sep 30, 2014 at 1:57 pm
And pay them…^^
Jeremy
Sep 30, 2014 at 2:32 pm
Couldn’t disagree more. These guys make plenty. The idea that they need to be paid a little more to bother competing in a competition that is one of the most exciting in the sport (when it’s not a blowout) is offensive.
Bluefan75
Oct 1, 2014 at 10:01 am
So everyone else should get to make a boatload off of them? Did you tune into see the players play, or to see Ted Bishop?
RobCH
Oct 2, 2014 at 11:42 am
Is your real name Tom Watson..?
Scooter McGavin
Sep 30, 2014 at 1:03 pm
Where was the “bashing” that was promised in the title? I read the whole transcript and found none.
Philip
Sep 30, 2014 at 3:47 pm
The title was the bashing.
Kevin
Sep 30, 2014 at 12:55 pm
The modern age of media, ask someone a question, go crazy when the response is not politically correct. And then the media wonders why athletes give vanilla cliches as answers over and over. The problem was that Tom Watson was not the right man for the job. The Europeans have great chemistry amongst themselves and with their captains. Phil was describing how Azinger better facilitated team chemistry. Tom Watson is old school, roll the ball out on the court and let them get after it. Could it have hurt Tom Watson’s feelings? Yes, but that team had lots of blame to go around for its failures.
by the way
Sep 30, 2014 at 12:26 pm
Listen again Ben. The question was directed to “Phil and anyone else who…” – Phil didn’t jump at anything.
Bob Tosh
Sep 30, 2014 at 12:45 pm
Exactly!!
Ben, why on earth would you go out of your way to Note: “(note: he jumped at the chance to answer a question posed to his entire team).”
when that is 100% clearly not accurate. Why would you deliberately not only leave that part out BUT add in your little “Note”?
That alone is what’s wrong with “journalism” today. Editing facts, to suit your own needs and agenda.
Crisis Calls
Sep 30, 2014 at 12:25 pm
McGinley’s strategy for dummies: Our 12 is better than theirs. No matter what happens, don’t give up or stop fighting. In the end, we (Europe) will prevail!
If US maintains a system which fails to identify best form, we will continue to lose. Look at the cards of our so-called top players. Cannot win if you cannot putt!
Ty
Sep 30, 2014 at 12:22 pm
Don’t see any controversy in Phil’s answer to the first question. It was a legit question, and regardless of whether Phil “jumped at the chance” to answer or not, it was an honest answer to a reasonable question. HOWEVER…the second question was easily as disrespectful to Tom Watson as Phil’s answer, and was, at least to me, an obvious attempt to bait Phil into saying something controversial. While I believe Phil could/should have paused and gone the route of a more respectful and thoughtful answer, anyone who follows golf knows that if you ask Phil a question, you’re going to get an answer that reflects what he honestly thinks, not necessarily an answer that is politically correct. In this case, Phil should have answered differently, but just as much so, the interviewer should have either phrased the second question differently or skipped it altogether.
As much to the point though, had the US team played better, we wouldn’t even be discussing this. One point total in 8 foursomes matches isn’t a reflection on anything the captain did…that’s on the players. I think it was Monty that on Sunday said if the US team were made up of 12 Patrick Reeds, they wouldn’t have been down 10-6. If that team was made up of players with as much fire and pride as Reed, what the captain did or didn’t do wouldn’t have mattered and we would be celebrating now instead of wondering what keeps going wrong.
Seth Mischke
Sep 30, 2014 at 12:21 pm
Plain and simple, if YOU as an athlete representing your country can’t get fired up and excited or “invested” on your own without the captain, vice captain, teammates, or mommy and daddy’s help then you shouldn’t fricking be on the team. Blows my mind! Tom wasn’t bashing anyone’s abilities, he was making decisions based on his experience and gut, right or wrong. He certainly didn’t coach the US to the loss, the thing was up for grabs until Saturday afternoon’s matches. The end point to all of this is play better than your opponent. Any twosome has a chance to beat any twosome during any format, these guys are all world class golfers and human.
Now, certainly there are things the US can do better, I do like Azinger’s business approach copy of the European process for Captains and Vice Captains. Consistency is usually a good thing in golf. Lick the wounds, move the frick on and do something about it.
RobCH
Oct 2, 2014 at 11:45 am
Coached a lot of elite athletes, have you?
West
Sep 30, 2014 at 12:18 pm
Europe cares more and wants to win more…at every level, from the captain, to the players.
Steve
Sep 30, 2014 at 12:09 pm
GOLF wrx – why is the text app so slow?
Greg Hunter
Sep 30, 2014 at 12:08 pm
I heard nothing wrong with what he said. Although it boils down to the players, you still need a strategy to put players in the best position to succeed
Crisis Calls
Sep 30, 2014 at 12:00 pm
Phil quickly placed blame for the loss on Watson, without mentioning his inferior play or that of the other US golfers. Such blame is what it is, an obfuscation of the truth: Players win or lose Ryder Cups, not captains!
Yoshida
Sep 30, 2014 at 2:36 pm
Absolutely False statement. Captains shape the team with picks, formats, course setup and team atmosphere. The problem doesn’t lie just in Watsons old school approach. The USA needs overhaul the way the Ryder Cup is approached and played. As Kurt Russell said in the movie Miracle, “gentleman, you do not have enough talent to win on talent alone.” USA no longer has the talent advantage once afforded in the past, the future rests in USA ability to adapt and change.
richard
Sep 30, 2014 at 11:57 am
I have loved Phil over the years, and although I may agree with most if not all of what he said, I do believe the comments were ill timed and inappropriate. Where were the congratulations to the Euros who had just stomped all over the Americans? Where was the respect for a captain with 8 major championships? All Phil did was decide to hammer home some points that he believes in without regard to the fallout or to the disrespect for Watson. Bad form Phil, should have let the dust settle for a while and tipped your hat to the Euros before going on the attack.
Brodie Hock
Sep 30, 2014 at 6:30 pm
+1
T-MAC
Sep 30, 2014 at 11:50 am
Once again, it’s the media trying to make a big deal out of nothing and/or start controversy. It’s what they do.
The American’s got out played. Could the US Team have made it closer if Watson would have made a few different choices? maybe. But the bottom line is, the US got outplayed. Period.
GolfIsHard
Sep 30, 2014 at 11:49 am
Phil could have made the same point just as effectively without being disrespectful to his Captain.
He also could have given the Europeans some credit for their Win, it’s not as much about what the Americans did wrong but about what Europe did right.
RobCH
Oct 2, 2014 at 11:47 am
He answered the question put to him, which referred back to 2008.
JoeC
Sep 30, 2014 at 11:45 am
It is amazing, really. The media and fans want athletes to be transparent and not give canned answers and then the media goes and blasts Phil for doing just that.
Don’t think for one minute that athletes everywhere don’t use this as a lesson. Sure, some will be open and honest but don’t expect those you pistol whip to give you any time.
Zak
Sep 30, 2014 at 12:06 pm
Agreed!!!! He answered the questions that were asked! He could have really roasted Watson if he wanted to and took the high road in my opinion.
Franksail
Sep 30, 2014 at 11:44 am
Good for Phil to express a counterpoint to Watsons position it is all about the players playing- lots of issues around why the US lost but lets move on – and while moving on lets get off the kick the Ryder Cup is “fashion week” in golf. Pods may not be the answer but red pants for sure don’t work let alone all the other non golf looking stuff these players had to wear. Watson – Polo great if your a horse but not so good if you actually play golf !
Steve
Sep 30, 2014 at 12:14 pm
Another Point. His POD was KIM and a few better players. I think the best team won this last week. Sorry – just my opinion.
It does also matter that Dustin Johnson surely would have been on the team and Keegan Not. Keegan was a bad PICK. Interesting to find out who PHIL would have PICKED if he were in Watson’s position. He would have to do what is best. I wonder if the chance is coming closer to a Player Captain. I think that is best. If the Captain is also competing he will then have 4 vice Captains playing with him and making team decisions.
Watson is right – he has a different Management Style. The styles have definitely changed after 2008 with what Azinger did with the team. Azinger is one of my favorite players of all time regardless of his Ryder Cup experience. The fact that he has holed Bunker shots to win championships makes him a really strong Player when it is clutch time. I think that helps in identifying the traits and abilities that work best in Match Play.
Don
Sep 30, 2014 at 11:40 am
I wonder about Azinger’s winning formula for Ryder Cup. Sometimes it is not a case of winning as it is a case of losing. So far I have not heard much regarding Faldo’s losing formula. Given his comments regarding Garcia I am wondering what the members of that team thought of him?
Mike Belkin
Sep 30, 2014 at 11:11 am
I absolutely love the fact that Phil just says things how they are. I feel the same way about Rory and his honest answers of questions too.
Philip
Sep 30, 2014 at 11:07 am
This is crazy. Talk about making sh$t out of nothing. He was asked a very specific question which he answered quite clearly and related it to the last three Ryder Cups of which Tom Watson had nothing to do with two of them.
What was out of line and amounting to bashing was the response
“Q. That felt like a pretty brutal destruction of the leadership that’s gone on this week.”
which is a poor attempt of sensationalizing to create hearsay, and unfortunately it apparently worked. It is like everyone is on edge hoping for crap like this.
He talked about 2008 not Tom Watson.
Philip
Sep 30, 2014 at 11:08 am
Four Ryder Cups of which Tom Watson had nothing to do with three of them.
kloyd0306
Sep 30, 2014 at 9:40 pm
You’ve nailed it!
Phil’s refreshing honesty criticized the 2010, 2012 and 2014 failures.
As usual, the press needs a story and often makes more of a statement than is necessary – just to justify their existence.
Not being able to include two or three hot players (Hoershel, Kirk and Todd) harmed their effort. The rookies (Speith, Walker and Reed) showed what passion was missing.
Simpson was a poor choice, as was Bradley. Bubba is not tough enough for this stuff.
Tom Watson showed he is out of touch, especially after standing down the Reed/Speith partnership for the alternate shot format on day one.
RobCH
Oct 2, 2014 at 11:50 am
I agree. However, I don’t believe any captain would have gone with six rookies.
John Flavia
Sep 30, 2014 at 11:05 am
Here’s a transcript of what Phil said below. Seems like the guy asking questions tried to frame it in a way with question #2, in making this into a controversy by inserting “brutal destruction of the leadership this week” that was carried by everyone else afterwards to direct heat on Phil for his comments.
Imagine if the scribe asking the questions said “Phil felt an alternative approach may have worked better (which is exactly what he described)”, do you think there would have been the same backlash? Colin, Nick, Chamblee, etc., all quick to jump on Phil because the scribe said “brutal destruction of the leadership this week” and it was continued as “Phil taking shots at Tom Watson”. All it takes is one guy to describe it one way or another (‘attack’ vs. suggesting different approach) for everyone else to hop on the bandwagon….they all took the bait.
————————–
Q. Anyone that was on the team at Valhalla, can you put your finger on what worked in 2008 and what hasn’t worked since?
PHIL MICKELSON: There were two things that allow us to play our best I think that Paul Azinger did, and one was he got everybody invested in the process. He got everybody invested in who they were going to play with, who the picks were going to be, who was going to be in their pod, who — when they would play, and they had a great leader for each pod. In my case, we had Ray Floyd, and we hung out together and we were all invested in each other’s play. We were invested in picking Hunter that week; Anthony Kim and myself and Justin were in a pod, and we were involved on having Hunter be our guy to fill our pod. So we were invested in the process. And the other thing that Paul did really well was he had a great game plan for us, you know, how we were going to go about doing this. How we were going to go about playing together; golf ball, format, what we were going to do, if so-and-so is playing well, if so-and-so is not playing well, we had a real game plan. Those two things helped us bring out our best golf. And I think that, you know, we all do the best that we can and we’re all trying our hardest, and I’m just looking back at what gave us the most success. Because we use that same process in The Presidents Cup and we do really well. Unfortunately, we have strayed from a winning formula in 2008 for the last three Ryder Cups, and we need to consider maybe getting back to that formula that helped us play our best.
Q. That felt like a pretty brutal destruction of the leadership that’s gone on this week.
PHIL MICKELSON: Oh, I’m sorry you’re taking it that way. I’m just talking about what Paul Azinger did to help us play our best. It’s certainly — I don’t understand why you would take it that way. You asked me what I thought we should do going toward to bring our best golf out and I go back to when we played our best golf and try to replicate that formula.
Q. That didn’t happen this week?
PHIL MICKELSON: Uh (pausing) no. No, nobody here was in any decision. So, no.
Philip
Sep 30, 2014 at 11:24 am
Unfortunately it appears that a large portion of the world has forgotten or never learned how to read. It has never been easier to manipulate “fools” people.
Disappointed reader
Sep 30, 2014 at 3:03 pm
The thing that is more disturbing is complete lack of writing ability by everyone covering this non-story. He was asked a specific question and he answered it. Phil was not rude and did not bash anyone. This article is embarrassing. It is all about the clicks for pennies.
RyderFan
Oct 1, 2014 at 12:01 pm
Tough to give any credibility to a writer when you spend 30 seconds trying to figure out what a “lede” is.
Desmond
Sep 30, 2014 at 3:01 pm
I’m okay with most of Phil’s comments. When the reporter asked whether “that” happened this week, he should have bowed out by saying “Our Captain took a different approach this week, and that is all I want to say.”
I think it took leadership for Phil to speak up, and leadership is not always pretty … mistakes are made because we’re human. But Phil opened the doors to a full discussion.
Watson named a team but he did not form a team.
You do not take 12 millionaires with similar skills and talents, and as Captain, tell them what to do. The Captain is himself a colleague. In this instance, a participatory leadership style is necessary.
Watson’s dictatorial style works with 14 yr olds, the military, and in emergencies, but not in the Ryder Cup.
ams165
Sep 30, 2014 at 10:58 am
USA got outplayed by the Euro’s.
In my opinion it has nothing to do with the Captain.
This is professional golf not tee ball.
The US crybabies are trying to find someone to blame and that person is Billy Martin, I mean Tom Watson.
So with that logic all the missed 2-4 footers and bad shots were Tom Watson fault???
I call shenanigans.
Sorry Team Phil your reaching.
Yoshida
Sep 30, 2014 at 2:03 pm
This has absolutely everything to do with the captain. Tom Watson played in an era where USA players were so far superior that Captaincy was an honorary position and playing the hot players were all that was needed to win. Europe is far more competive the last 15 years and if the USA is going to be competitive a complete overhaul of the way the Ryder Cup is approached, players are selected, and players are paired together. Azingers approach was a step in the right direction but after watching the foursomes matches the USA clearly did not have the right players for this format. USA needs a “moneyball” approach. Maybe more captains picks so the RIGHT players are on the team, not the best according to the world ranking. Herb Brooks approach to the 1980 Olympics for USA hockey was nearly 25 years ago and USA golf has still not embraced that lesson for the Ryder Cup. I’m not saying the USA will never lose if the process is overhauled because Europe played great, I’m saying the USA will never have a chance to win.
ada
Oct 6, 2014 at 11:38 am
Maybe the Euros are just better players. They’ve got 4 of the last 5 US Open champions, plus a recent Fedex Cup winner (Stenson), a Ryder Cup stud in Poulter, and world #3. How are you gonna’ beat that, even if you had a hot Horschel and Kirk?
Let’s face it: Europe’s best golfers are better than America’s best.
Captain Obvious
Sep 30, 2014 at 10:56 am
Needed to be said, maybe not the appropriate time, but something has got to change in the picking of captains and players. The captains are not playing, but they have to get the players fired up and involved in the Ryder Cup. The players have got to have heart and want to play. Europe has had the right formula for a while and the US has got to get it. Europe has just played better.
Matt
Sep 30, 2014 at 10:41 am
I have no problem with his comments. He answered a direct question with his opinion, and let’s be honest, got the much needed discussion started on how to change our Ryder Cup strategy.
Tom Watson is a golf legend. Phil’s comments, nor Watson’s poor performance at Gleneagles, could ever change that.
BigBoy
Sep 30, 2014 at 10:38 am
So he spoke the truth, you americans don’t like the truth????
Dpavs
Sep 30, 2014 at 11:48 am
Most of us do, but the media here like abroad loves to twist things and there will always be a certain percentage of people who will bite on that kind of bait.
dtkb82
Sep 30, 2014 at 4:49 pm
doesn’t mean you have to go public with your comments. Win as 12 lose as 12.
When you win say very little. When you lose say even less
Joe duffer
Sep 30, 2014 at 10:49 pm
“doesn’t mean you have to go public with your comments. Win as 12 lose as 12.
When you win say very little. When you lose say even less”
This is the best post of all of them! That is exactly what should have taken place shut up and go home and maybe give the Euros the congrats they deserved!
Dpavs
Oct 1, 2014 at 7:50 am
When things need to change do you really think putting your head in the sand and ignoring what you feel is wrong helps anything?
Besides he was asked point blank what he thought and he gave an honest answer… and in doing so he indicated what he felt was right about the 2008 cup team and what he felt has been missing ever since. If someone takes that personally perhaps that says more about them than it does about Phil.