In no particular order, here are my thoughts on the 2014 PGA Championship:
It was by far the best of the Majors in 2014. It might be the best final round in a Major in years.
Tiger who?
Rory is the new face of golf. The good news is that he’s more likable than Tiger ever was. Rory actually looks as though he enjoys the game of golf. I have never been convinced that Tiger enjoyed playing golf nearly as much as he enjoyed beating his opponents and taking down records.
I was really rooting for Phil.
We will always be left to wonder how the tournament would have ended up if tournament officials had decided not to rush it at the end. I think that Phil, once he realized what was happening, should have refused to finish and taken his chances Monday morning. I’m pretty sure he had that option.
I don’t think I have ever seen a display of short game wizardry as I saw from Phil in the final round. But for about a foot of combined misses, he would have cleared Rory by four shots.
I have a sinking feeling that this was Phil’s last real shot at another Major. I hope I’m wrong.
It was the most exciting Major in years. But I already said that.
Rory: “I didn’t think in my wildest dreams that I’d ever have a summer like this.” Then he thanked Phil and Rickie for their sportsmanship. You would never have heard that from Tiger.
Phil was incredibly gracious in his post-round interview. “This is great that we were able to finish.”
One thing I liked about the broadcasts earlier in the week was the time they took to add instruction to the coverage. Obviously television can’t do that in the final rounds, but it was nice in the first two.
Rickie Fowler will win a Major next year. He’s ready.
Given that the PGA of America knew that rain was on the menu, I think they should have started everyone off in threes. That would have saved the trouble at the end.
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I think that what Rory had with Caroline was the sort of obsessive, ultimately destructive love/infatuation that I often see in teens in my classes. Those relationships become their own world and everything else falls by the wayside … grades, sports, other friends …
Hopefully his next one will be with someone who will make him better for being in the relationship.
Unbelievable.
My wife watched the final round, and the last two hours was hooked in … No other sporting event ever has captured her in this way. It us the first time she has watched more than three holes of golf. And Heinrich Stenson has a new fan.. Appearantly he is very hot. Although she did want Phil or Rickie to win.
Phil was pissed-as he had a right to be… And it was awesome that he was as gracious as he was… However didn’t he forget to congratulate Rory? You could tell he was carefully forcing himself to be gracious.
I thought that Phil might have been out of future majors as the last two passed, but as he peaked last Sunday I started to regain hope that he would contend this week, and I now think that for the next couple years he will contend. He might not get his slam, but would not be surprised at all for him to win another green jacket.
Tiger, on the other hand is done.
This time at #1 will be Rory’s for a very long time. Unless he messes it up with a girlfriend.