by Gary Williams | Oct 6, 2024 | The Card
18 observations, thoughts and predictions for the week in golf… Royal Dornoch was everything I was hoping it would be. The town square was charming, the new clubhouse being constructed behind the 18th green and in closer proximity to the water will usher in a new era for the club and fortify it for the future. Getting to play the golf course in different winds over the course of three days allowed for an even better understanding of how the golf course changes and the people were fantastic. There is a line at Dornoch about how difficult the… Read more
by Gary Williams | Sep 22, 2024 | The Card
18 observations, thoughts and predictions for the week in golf… The opining on LIV golf and the PIF of Saudi Arabia has been comical at times beginning at the beginning with many pundits exclaiming LIV’s demise before they even launched. This past week there was a report that one of the stipulations being proposed by PGA Tour members is that LIV players give back their signing bonuses specifically Jon Rahm. Is it likely that tour players have voiced that as a reflex to a possible return for some players? Sure, but as a reasonable negotiation point it’s imbecilic. PGA… Read more
by Gary Williams | Sep 16, 2024 | The Card
18 observations, thoughts and predictions for the week in golf… The Solheim Cup is the crown jewel of the LPGA and therefore every finite detail is amplified when you have the most attention you can get as a sports organization. Which makes the abject fiasco of the shuttle service on Friday morning and then again when fans were leaving that night a mind-blowing failure. The infrastructure of the club, RTJ, the years of planning and the necessity to execute the entry and exit of your fans expertly should prompt a complete overhaul of the policies and procedures of the… Read more
by Gary Williams | Aug 26, 2024 | The Card
18 observations, thoughts and predictions for the week in golf… The Curtis Cup will be contested this week at Sunningdale located 30 miles Southwest of London. It’s among the very finest 36-hole facilities in the world. The golf courses are an enchanted forest, the holes are architectural gems, and the clubhouse is a treasure trove of historical artifacts while being exceedingly warm and comfortable. With the future sites in the United States that include Bel-Air, National Golf Links, Pine Valley and Bandon Dunes it is a dead heat between the Curtis cup and Walker cup for best rota in… Read more
by Gary Williams | Aug 18, 2024 | The Card
18 observations, thoughts and predictions for the week in golf… Lauren Coughlin is one of the great stories in professional golf this year. At 31 she has taken the longer road to success and winning on the LPGA and her recent burst of winning two events in the last three starts. Lauren is a lock for the USA Solheim Cup team and her break out year reflects perseverance and belief. Coughlin has not only won twice but she has seven top 10’s this season. In her career coming into 2024 she only had three. Coughlin’s win at the ISPS… Read more
by Gary Williams | Aug 12, 2024 | The Card
18 observations, thoughts and predictions for the week in golf… Lydia Ko’s gold medal performance is one of the great moments in recent years. A past winner of a silver and bronze medal in Rio and Tokyo, Ko knew that a gold medal would gain her enshrinement in the LPGA Hall of Fame based on the point system used by the LPGA. At 27 Ko’s career is likely closer to the end than most people understand so the opportunity in Paris was precious. Ko will forever be one of the finest and most authentic people I’ve met covering sports… Read more
by Gary Williams | Aug 5, 2024 | The Card
18 observations, thoughts and predictions for the week in golf… Scottie Scheffler’s year will be defined by the Masters and then the Players repeat but the Olympics adds a unique wrinkle. The field of the Olympic golf competition is not as deep as the four Signature series events that Scheffler also won. Those wins are fantastic, and one came the week before the Players, another the week after he won the Masters, and the other two the week before and right after the U.S. Open. In the collective that achievement is wildly impressive, but the Olympics is a very… Read more
by Gary Williams | Jul 29, 2024 | The Card
18 observations, thoughts and predictions for the week in golf… Olympic golf could be great, and they are going in the right direction. I was in support of it returning to the Olympic program. The game is global, the inclusion will fuel interest in nations like China and India and I would argue the history of golf over so many other disciplines that are part of the Olympics only validates its existence. The weightiness of the accomplishment of winning a gold medal is likely to increase in time and the advancement of multiple competitions with team elements is a… Read more
by Gary Williams | Jul 22, 2024 | The Card
18 observations, thoughts and predictions for the week in golf… Xander Schauffele’s second major championship victory in a span of two months is eye opening on several levels. First, his conscious and meticulous pursuit of additional speed with the partnership with Chris Como is affirmation that it can be done and proven under the most stressful circumstances. Xander was topping 185 ball speed coming down the stretch when the event was still in doubt. Trust is powerful. Secondly, nobody in the 90-year history of the four major championships has won two majors in a year shooting 65 in the… Read more
by Gary Williams | Jul 15, 2024 | The Card
18 observations, thoughts and predictions for the week in golf… Bob MacIntyre winning the Scottish Open is the best “home” win of this year and is right there with the Nick Taylor win minus the Adam Hadwin takedown. Add in the heartbreaking loss of last year to Rory McIlroy and the eagle on 16 and birdie make on 18 and you have a dream week for Bob and the Scottish Open. The co-sanctioned event with the DP and PGA Tours is a big hit. There should be at least one more each season. Adam Scott will eventually take consolation… Read more
