by Jeff Skinner
1. Kevin Na’s week took a bad turn on Sunday but I can’t help but feel for him. I despise slow play but watching I couldn’t help but empathize with him. I came out of the week liking him more than I thought I could.
2. It looked like the pros have to re-learn the gentle subtleties of some of those greens all over again. There were plenty of makeable short putts that were missed and a ton of long bombs rolled in.
3. The networks did a nice job of catching all the player/caddie chatter that goes on. It’s interesting hearing the players need as much encouragement as we do.
4. Watching Rickie Fowler play is just plain fun. He plays quickly and confidently and I don’t think there is a more appealing golfer on tour right now. He’s a godsend to the PGA Tour.
5. So Matt Kuchar plays tennis on Saturday and Sunday before he tees off and goes on to win. Maybe there’s a new training regimen in the works.
6. Kevin Na plays three great rounds with his “Swing Stutter” and then balloons to a 76 with his hurry up game on. Hmmm, maybe he’ll think twice before he gets rid of that problem.
7. It wasn’t just a great finish at The Players it was a great finish by some great guys. Kuchar, Fowler, Johnson, Laird and Na all seem like personable guys.
8. Did I notice a more confident stride by Mr. Fowler and a less confident walk from Mr. Woods?
9. On Saturday Kuch slices a tee ball and as he stands there putting some body english on it he doesn’t drop an F-bomb, let’s go with an “Ah Stinker.” You can’t make this stuff up.
10. Johnny Miller called Tiger “a regular tour player.” And he is right. But is there anything wrong with one win, one second and four top 25’s so far this season. For most players that’s a successful season but in Woods’ mind it is nowhere near acceptable.
Bonus. As usual there were too many “in the hole” screamed at the players but I did hear a new one: Light the candle. Not bad but they need to work on that. “Mashed potatoes” wasn’t bad. How about “sausage and peppers?”
Bonus. How can you not like Matt Kuchar? There’s nothing about him that isn’t classy. As far as playing with Na he knew what he was in for. “I knew going in it wasn’t going to bother me.”
Bonus. But don’t be fooled, Kuch can dish it out when he wants. He gave it right back to Jason Sobel of the Golf Channel when Sobel prefaced his question with the fact that Kuchar hadn’t won since the 2010 Barclays. Kuch, laughing told him “to suck it Big Boy” and the place broke up.
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