1. I think Jason Day’s win at The PLAYERS was damn impressive. He took apart TPC Sawgrass the first two rounds with a 63-66 start. If the Tour doesn’t screw up the greens on Saturday he could have made a run at Greg Norman’s PLAYERS record of -24.
2. Day is a fun player to watch as he rips at the ball with a ferocity few players can manage. But he used his head this week and backed off the driver to keep the ball in play and good position to attack the greens.
3. I thought it strange that a 28 year old like Day would voice his thoughts that this PLAYERS win may eventually help him earn a spot in the World Golf Hall of Fame. Heck win another major and it’s a done deal and oh, by the way you’re only 28! Forget that HOF stuff and just win baby.
4. At least Day is doing his share to keep up the image of the New Big 3. Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy…not so much. Jordan missed the cut and Rory looked out of sorts. That threesome leads the pack with wins for players under thirty: Rory=11, Jason=10 and Jordan=7.
5. Personally I don’t believe that Spieth’s poor play has anything to do with his Masters disaster. A month off is the more likely culprit. But I did notice a few times when the cameras and microphones caught him berating his caddie in addition to himself. It’s tough when a player can’t meet his own expectations and Spieth loves to use the word “team” when he talks about his golf. But the bottom line is he hits the shots and he should realize that he and he alone is where the buck stops.
6. I was pulling for Ken Duke as the 47 year old played what some players called “one of the best rounds in history” on Saturday. While no one could figure out the glassy, slick greens Duke sizzled with a 65 that was over ten shots better than the field average and propelled him into contention. For a regular guy and a PGA journeyman this would have been one hell of a story. As it is he finished T3 and cashed a $504,000 check…not too bad.
7. TPC Sawgrass has evolved into one of those iconic courses that any golf fan can recognize and it’s all because of the famed or infamous seventeenth hole. Some players and fans love it…some hate it.
8. One of the haters may be Russell Knox who drowned three balls from the tee pulling a ‘Tin Cup’ moment before he carded a memorable nine.
9. One of the lovers has to be Will Wilcox who aced the island green in the second round. It was probably the ugliest swing put on an ace since yours truly carded his lone ace a few years back with a ball that bounced off a green-side mound, rolled onto the green and hit off the pin to land in the hole. We take ’em as we get ’em.
10. This is a strange game. Rickie Fowler comes off a T4 at the Wells Fargo to miss the cut. So a missed cut at The Masters and the PLAYERS…you don’t make it a “Big 4” with play like that.
Extra Holes. Phil Mickelson comes into The PLAYERS second on tour in scoring average. He misses the cut, his third in his last four starts including The Masters. When he needed to make a few birds to make the cut his putter failed him. Something’s gotta give with Phil and soon. Oakmont is just a month away.
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This is a strange game indeed. Very entertaining thoughts!