Golf News Summary and Commentary - February 3, 2015

With all due respect to the golf writers who endlessly pimp Eldrick and Rory, the biggest story of the weekend came out of the LPGA. Lydia Ko, at the tender age of 17, is now number one in the world. That makes her the youngest golfer—male or female—to ever scale those heights. Indeed, Ko is four years younger than Tiger was when he ascended to that position.

The LPGA is having an incredible renaissance under Mike Whan. Just a few short years ago, there were doubts about the tour’s continued existence. Some scenarios called for the PGA TOUR to purchase it. No more. It is thriving, with ever larger purses and better tournaments.

Rory was dominant at the Dubai Desert Classic. Let the Rory Slam speculation begin.

I don’t think he wins the Masters, though. In my mind, it is just as likely that Bubba wins his third green jacket—which is to say, slim. I think it more likely that the Masters winner is a first time Champion. There is just so much talent out there right now.

Congratulations are in order for Brooks Koepka for his Phoenix Open win. Koepka truly took the road less traveled—and that has made all the difference. Koepka’s decision to play on the European Tour rather than work through the Web.Com was unusual, but it has paid off in a TOUR victory, which I think is likely just the first of several.

I look forward to the Farmer’s Insurance Open at Torrey Pines. I had the opportunity to play Torrey a few years back, and I can still remember nearly every shot. As with the Crowne Plaza at Colonial, it is so much more meaningful to see a tournament played on a course that I’ve walked.

Up to this point, I’ve avoided discussing Tiger because it has been done to death. I will say, however, that based on what I saw, my own short game is better. I can’t remember the last time I skulled a shot across the green. He looked totally lost.

I am not surprised, however. In the wake of the 2009 car crash and personal melt down, I predicted in these pages that Tiger was done winning Majors. More and more, golf pundits are starting to see it my way.

It wasn’t the crash, though. It was the way he was run over from behind in the August PGA Championship by Y.E. Yang. At that moment, Tiger lost his mojo. The crash, the revelations of his womanizing and the divorce were just the fallout.