For those of us from another generation, the disruption of the golf world that we knew well is both exciting and unsettling. The two most potent disruptors are rival golf leagues, not unlike the turmoil seen in the NCAA, and the Anchorman-style gangs of golf reporters. Reconciled to a past era are the dominance of the U.S. PGA Tour and the monthly golf magazines. One element that will not change, at any time in the foreseeable future, however, is the sanctity of the grand slam and golf’s four male major championships. While the LPGA and the PGA Tour Champions have seen a light and added fifth and sixth power titles, the men’s game remains staunchly in the 20th century.
This last topic surges in pertinence each March, just before the playing of The Players Championship. Two camps stake tents and run banners up the poll. One cries out for elevation of the PC to major status, while the other digs a trench around its impregnable quadrilateral. My personal take is this: Every four years since 2016, golf is played at the Olympics. Is Olympic Gold the equivalent of a major title? Yes, it is. It comes around every 1,500 days and brings elite golfers together in competition at the most important athletic event and venue. In my mind, Justin Rose and Xander Schauffele earned major titles in Brazil and Japan, as did Inbee Park and Nelly Korda. As for the Players Championship, why not? The field is stronger by ranking than any major event, and the golf course demands every shot that golfers can create.
The Players Championship is so important to the U.S. PGA Tour that all other tours under its umbrella take the week off. No Korn Ferry, no Tour Champions. The LPGA and the DP World Tour follow suit, which shrinks the amount of watchable golf to two events. On that sour note, let’s run down this week’s play, beginning with the Players Championship and ending with the Asian Tour in Macau.
PGA Tour @ Players Championship: matching luggage for Scheffler
Scottie Scheffler is making a bid to be the player of his generation. From the previous one, a fair number have taken leave from traditional competition. The Johnsons, Koepkas, and Reeds from the 1980s no longer play the events that stand the test of time. The born-in-the-90s generation had its first great champion in Jordan Spieth until he took leave of the senses that brought him to golf’s pinnacle. Spieth’s descent ran opposite Scheffler’s rise.
Scottie Scheffler had won nothing on the PGA Tour until February 13th of 2022. He won on that day in Phoenix, then won three more times by the middle of April. One of those wins was the API at Bay Hill. Last week, Scheffler won for a second time at the Orlando course. Last March, Scheffler won his first Players Championship, by five shots over Tyrrell Hatton. On Sunday, Scheffler dived headfirst into a cauldron of fierce competition. Facing challenges from Olympic champion Schauffele, Open champion Brian Harmon, and U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark, Scheffler breathed. As the only man to reach 20 under par, he earned a second consecutive title at Sawgrass and reminded us that it has been two years since he won the Masters and that he is on a tear.
It all began at the fourth on Sunday for Scheffler. After pars at the opening three holes, Scheffler’s driving wedge from 92 yards landed 20 feet shy of the hole, took one large bounce, then spun left, trickling into the hole for eagle. He followed that incantation with another birdie, then two pars. The stretch from 8 to 12 was where the champion made a statement. His quartet of birdies over that run, brought him to 19-under par and let the pursuing pack know that even lower than the winning 17 under in 2023 would be necessary.
And the trio was game. Harman and Clark both dipped below 70, to reach 19 under at the final pole. Schauffele could not find a similar gear and closed with 70 — 69 would have earned him a playoff with Scheffler. It was the extra gear, the ability to go low when all things mattered, that eleveated the now two-time champion to the top of the podium. In five of his eight tour wins, Scheffler has posted a sub-70 round on day four, and four of those have been 67 or lower.
With elegant precision, Scheffler applied the final thrust at the par-5 16th. He played safely away from Pete’s Pond on the right, into the left greenside bunker at the back of the putting surface. His bunker shot was thing of exquisite accuracy, trickling to a planned stop about 20 inches from the hole. The birdie concluded matters and rang the sort of bell that Dye courses tend to display.
Asian Tour @ International Series Macau: Catlin earns playoff victory
There are two sorts of golfers that compete on the Asian Tour, which makes no secret of its alliance with the LIV. The first are the AT stalwarts, the ones who play as golfers have always played, with little guarantee and much pride. The others are the ones who compete on the LIV, eschewing both risk and pride for the guaranteed payday. Their deal costs them world ranking points, so they play in AT events, hoping to qualify for golf’s major events.
This week in Macau, one of those LIV golfers shot 60 on Sunday and did not win the tournament. Hard to believe, you say? Aye, but when another golfer shoots 59 in the third round, follows it up with a 65 on day four, then makes overtime birdie twice at the par-five closer, the razor’s edge of great golf is sharpened. Thus did it happen with American John Catlin and Spaniard David Puig.
It was Catlin who signed for 59, and it took a twisting, eagle putt at the last to enshrine the first-ever, sub-60 on the Asian Tour. It was Puig who closed the gap on Sunday with a 60 of his own, which featured a bogey at the lengthy fifth hole, but was followed by seven birdies and an eagle over the next 13 holes. Catlin had a six-feet putt for the regulation win, but missed. In extra time, Puig nearly holed for eagle at 18, then tapped in for birdie. Catlin’s second danced along the OOB perimeter, before ending on an access road. His drop and pitch left him another six feet to remain alive, and this time, he converted.
At the second go-round of the par-5 finisher, Puig found the green in two, but took three putts from nearly 50 feet. Catlin confronted another challenging pitch for his third, and once again, his wedge game won the day. He tapped in for birdie and the win.
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Pingback: Scotty Cameron updates Phantom X series putters for 2021 – GolfWRX
Curt
Sep 9, 2020 at 6:07 pm
Would that be a legal club if it had a bigger face and called it a driver?
Mike
Sep 9, 2020 at 8:26 am
I’m guessing that neck is machined with the putter head like the slant neck putters in the select line… they obviously have that machining capability. Then there is a bead of weld added as a secondary process to give it that look. Still pretty cool, but a bit deceiving. Total guess on my part, but I’d make a wager… you can see the machining marks in the neck.
Matt Smith
Sep 9, 2020 at 11:29 am
Fully agree. No way they are hand welding 2,020 of these. It’s the fastback neck with some added material melted to make it look welded
Tom Newsted
Sep 9, 2020 at 7:01 am
I was interested until I saw the price tag. I agree with some of the previous comments that they will sell and will be on ebay for $1500 but it wont be me. You could probably buy an X5.5 and then go through the Scotty custom shop and still pay less.
Gearbox
Sep 8, 2020 at 7:19 pm
Cry all you want guys. This will be $1500 on eBay and they will get it. Scotty is a genius…
Paulo
Sep 8, 2020 at 11:01 pm
Intelligence is relative. He’s only a genius if idiots spend it.
Paul Runyan
Sep 8, 2020 at 6:39 pm
Who Cares….
Acemandrake
Sep 8, 2020 at 1:36 pm
$850 for a putter? The economy must be doing well. This no recession price.
Paulo
Sep 8, 2020 at 12:35 pm
Honestly I can’t think of a company I have less desire to spend my hard earned cash on than Cameron. Exclusive releases with stupidly inflated price tags only available for the select few is something I can’t condone . Pro’s getting putters for free don’t make Cameron the company it is, the people spending the dollars do.
DB
Sep 8, 2020 at 11:20 am
This putter looks incredible and it’s nice to finally see Scotty giving people what they want. For me though, I don’t want a putter with someone else’s name and initials all over the putter and the headcover. I mean I like Justin, he seems cool, but that’s just weird to me.
BG
Sep 8, 2020 at 12:26 pm
My thoughts exactly!
Gearge
Sep 8, 2020 at 10:37 am
I really like my Scotty Phantom X 5.5, not sure how much different this would play (not that I would buy it).
I don’t use OEM headcovers on my clubs, especially a Scotty. This cover just screams “steal me” and probably also “I’m a poser”. At least they are going back to the grey base color on the cover before adding the JT signature stuff. Rather than the ugly yellow Phantom X ones that I woouldn’t have oin it even if I didn’t want to adsvertise I had a Scotty.
Mark M
Sep 8, 2020 at 9:39 am
I’d like to know what’s special about a welded neck. How is it different from the “standard” way they are attached to the body?
Conor D
Sep 8, 2020 at 10:32 pm
The welded flow neck gives the putter a toe hang, in the way JT’s Newport blade did before he switched to the Futura X5. I have a standard X5 34 inch with the single bend shaft which makes it face balanced, which is my preference.
scott
Sep 10, 2020 at 2:31 am
your answer has nothing to do with Mark’s question. The welded look is for “looks only” .. welding has nothing to do with toe hang…
Tim Armington
Sep 10, 2020 at 7:29 am
Sorry guy, but that is hand welded neck it doe affect toe hang.
Chris
Sep 8, 2020 at 9:39 am
I like the putter, but I don’t want a putter that has a player’s name and initials all over it. That’s kind of cheesy to me. I’ll never understand people wearing clothes with a unique players branding on it and this falls in line with. To each their own though.
TJ
Sep 8, 2020 at 9:29 am
People will cry about the price but this is pretty cool. Lots of people want this putter