The Korn Ferry Tour completed its second post-quarantine event on Saturday, rather than Sunday. No reason was given, other than, perhaps, the high holy day of fatherly adulation. The PGA Tour has no such consideration for pater familius, it appears. Its tournament will conclude on Sunday.
As such, we have learned five things about winning and not winning, and another five things about positioning. Live from St. Augustine and Hilton Head Island, it’s 5 things we learned.
The King and The Bear Classic
Top billing must be given to the concluded contest, ergo Korn Ferry before PGA Tour. This one ended traumatically, but let’s not give it away.
5. As if written by Wodehouse
If you haven’t read P.G. Wodehouse on golf, you must. If you have, you understand that the unkind end to Vince India’s week might have been written by the master himself. The golfer who could do no wrong through the end of 54 holes, could suddenly do no right over the final 18. There was no calamitous flub, no gargantuan spasm. The shots simply ebbed away with the wind. Four bogies, 14 pars. That’s it. How to explain? No manner. The birdie well simply dried up. The pitcher of eagles was emptied on Saturday. The game simply left him, and he tumbled from a four-shot advantage to a tie for sixth position, five behind the winner.
4. Zalatoris edges closer
Will Zalatoris moved closer to a first, important professional triumph. He did so by shooting his highest round of the week. Thing was, his high round was a 68, and a 68 rarely inflicts collateral damage. The Calixan (Californian Texan) had a foozle at the 10th, where he made bogie. He offset that mistake with five birdies, and tied for 3rd, a slim 3 shots back of the champion. Was -26 within reach? Yes. With the exception of a very few in golf’s competitive history, winners have lost far more often than they have won. It is these almosts and if onlys that forge the inner strength. Our money’s on the Demon Deacon over the course of the summer’s schedule.
3. Joseph Bramlett rises
It’s tempting to write about Joseph Bramlett’s performance these last two weeks, in the context of something bigger, owing to his ethnicity. If something is there, it is Joseph Bramlett’s place and right to inform the golf world, and not for the golf world to project and extrapolate. Instead, we consider his 128 over the final 36 holes. The Stanford alumnus was cruising along through 71 holes, probably happy to be at minus-20, inside the top 15. And then, lightning struck. With two flicks at the orb, Bramlett had holed for an albatross, a double eagle at the last. The rarest of birds vaulted him into a tie for 3rd with Zalatoris. Not even Wodehouse wrote so fine an ending.
2. Lower goes higher
That low-hanging fruit was irresistible. Justin Lower closed with birdies at four of his final five holes, to make Chris Kirk sweat. By going lower, Lower moved all the way to solo second, one shot behind the champion. Nerves were unsteady all around the course on day four, and Lower was no exception. He followed an eagle three at the fifth with a bogey six at the seventh. As mentioned, his inward half was settled and stellar. Like Zalatoris, he’ll be one to watch in the coming weeks.
1. Captain Kirk in command
As mentioned yesterday, Chris Kirk has been there and done that. For Vince India and the rest of the field, that was the worst combination in the top 15. True to form, Kirk played like a breed apart. He was four under par through nine holes, before an inexplicable double at the 10th gave the field a sliver of hope. Alas, it was to be dashed, as the Georgia Bulldog steadied and played his final eight holes in minus three. It was just enough to win, and for a man trying to return to the high echelon of the PGA Tour, the proper medicine.
RBC Heritage
I can’t tell you how many times I looked at the Hilton Head leaderboard and thought, “We’ll have a playoff, for sure.” I would then recall that it was only day three for the major leagues, and that today’s heroics would mean next to nothing on Sunday.
5. Goodbye, Ernie and Bryson
At Sea Pines, scores in the 70s simply will not due. Ernie Els teased us with matching 67s, then ballooned to a 72 on Saturday. Farewell, Big Easy. DeChambeau seemingly defied the odds of a bomber winning at the Heritage, then tossed a beanbag of a 70 on day three. The Big Bang Theory was reduced to a fine powder explosion. Adios.
4. Hello, Carlos, Joaquin, Daniel, Joel, and Chris
There are simply no odds for a quintet to shoot 63 on the same day and move within two shots of the lead. Yet, here we are, with Carlos Ortiz, Joaquin Niemann, Daniel Berger, Joel Dahmen, and Chris Stroud as star witnesses. Each found a method to slice and dice the Sea Pines Plantation’s signature course to the tune of eight under par. Carlos, Daniel, and Joel currently sit at 14 under, while Joaquin and Chris are one shot further back. Odds suggest that at least one of them will replicate form and be in the mix tomorrow, so I’ll go out on a limb and choose the guy whose first name ends in a consonant.
3. 15 golfers within two shots?
Yep. Turns out there are six more golfers at 13 under along with four golfers at 15 under, the ladder’s bustling top rung. Sergio Garcia, first-round leader Ian Poulter, and my prediction (Matthew Fitzpatrick) found their way into contention. Sunday will demand perfection from any of them, in order to win. Bogeys will derail each of their locomotives, so dig deep, lads.
2. A quartet at the top
Tyrrell Hatton, Abraham Ancer, and Ryan Palmer joined 36-hole leader Webb Simpson atop the heap. Will Sunday bring fireworks? No doubt. Will one of these gents repeat his Saturday heroics? I’m going to say no. The winner will come from behind (see footnote on Matthew Fitzpatrick).
1. Prediction hour
Most likely to win: Matthew Fitzpatrick. I’m sticking with him.
Most likely to fade away: Webb Simpson. 26 putts on Saturday, but most were to save par. The long game is off, and the putter won’t save him forever.
Most likely to be mistaken for Gael Garcia Bernal: Abraham Ancer. Honestly, they’re like twins!
Most likely to grind his teeth to dust while smiling: Tyrrell Hatton. Someone hurt him, but who?
Most likely to do something bizarre: Sergio Garcia. It has simply been too long.
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19th Hole2 weeks ago
19th Hole2 weeks ago
Ken
Jun 21, 2020 at 12:30 pm
Bryson was sweating profusely and seemed to be struggling with the heat. Perhaps not comfortable with an extra 40 lbs and affected his game.
Benny
Jun 21, 2020 at 7:08 am
Hahaha awesome