Michigan Monday: Goes Off The Board Today

If you have followed this blog for years, you know a couple times a year I go off the board and talk a little golf. 


With Michigan Football in Spring Practice and Basketball now over, I'd thought I would talk a little Masters and what we saw this weekend. 


Coming into the Masters, all I heard was a Tiger vs. Phil match-up on Sunday again.  I thought that would be difficult as this was really Tiger's first major on his comeback and Phil is always an all or nothing guy in majors.   Starting on Sunday, Phil was in 50th place and Tiger was in 40th.  After both barely made the cut.   They both played well on Sunday but not enough to make any noise.   


I watched many of Tiger's shots this weekend and he is still struggling with his game.  Yes, it was great that he could get through 4 rounds with out pain but his game still has a ton of rough edges.  His driver is killing him, his irons are not consistent, and his short game which had been great coming into the Masters was not sharp.    He had been pretty good on the flat Florida courses and the slower bermuda, but I believe he still needs to play 3 or 4 majors before he sharpens the knife for that type of competition.


I think its great that Patrick Reed won, he has been quietly one of the better players on tour for a few years now.  His game really doesn't have any weaknesses and he showed that this weekend.   About 10 years ago, I got to attend two rounds at the Masters.   TV doesn't come close to doing the place justice, the greens look like a carnival ride (the slopes are borderline unfair).  I don't believe you would ever have a flat putt.   Experience is so important there and Pat finally found that right formula. 


US golf is in great shape.   When Jordan Spieth gets it going like that, he is clearly the best player in the world.  He had been struggling a bit this season but it looks like he has finally found his game again.  Ricky Fowler has always been talented but many had wondered if he was Sergio 2.0 (a talented kid that could never win a major), Sergio won the Masters last year and it looks like Ricky is about to win a major very soon. 


The golf industry took a big up turn when Tiger was in his prime and dominating the tour.   With Jordan, Ricky, Phil, DJ, Brooks Koepka, Day, Reed, and many more the game is in great shape.   I doubt we will ever see an uptick like we did during Tiger's run but golf might be making a quiet comeback and kids have plenty of good guys to look up to.