by Gary Williams | Aug 14, 2023 | The Card
18 thoughts, observations and predictions… Lilia Vu book-ended major wins in 2023 and won the Women’s Open by 6 and in the process ascended to number 1 in the Rolex rankings. Players may win more and earn more, but MOST would want her year. TPC Southwind is a dreadful golf course and its only hosting a playoff event because of the sponsor but the 18th has always been a compelling closing hole and with guys trying to advance to the BMW the hole was very good theatre. Walton Heath and Bel Air may be too short for the top… Read more
by Gary Williams | Aug 7, 2023 | The Card
125 should have never been the number for the FedEx Cup playoffs. 125 was always associated with employment and 70 felt like it had edge. 70 is too small for Signature events but the right number for the tour’s “postseason”. The Tour and FedEx need to change the name. Playoffs is clumsy and is not a golf term. Make it the FedEx Cup Final Series. Lucas Glover was 185th in the FedEx Cup after a MC at Memorial and subsequently missed a two-footer in a U.S. Open sectional qualifier playoff days later. Three top 6 finishes and then a… Read more
by Gary Williams | Jul 31, 2023 | The Card
Celine Boutier joins Nick Taylor with the best home wins of the year. Biblical conditions at any “Open” like they got on Sunday at Royal Porthcawl make golf on television a tragic comedy. Justin Thomas is finally off the Ryder Cup team in my mind as I try to read Zach Johnson’s mind. Tony Finau is a multi-time winner this season and he’s as malleable a piece for Zach Johnson as he could have. He’s never not been on the team. Greensboro is a modest market with immense PGA Tour history and Sedgefield has hosted Hogan, Palmer, Nicklaus and Woods… Read more
by Gary Williams | Jul 24, 2023 | The Card
Brian Harman did to an Open Championship field what other Americans like Jones, Hagen, Palmer and Woods did before him, win by six or more. Scottie Scheffler is having one of the great statistical ball-striking seasons of all time but being shut out in the majors and his last win being in March leaves his season feeling unfilled, to this point. The Player of the Year race has fallen flat. Royal Liverpool’s new 17th hole didn’t hit the mark. It reduced the whole field to hit a wedge to the middle of the green and have the same length putt.… Read more
by Gary Williams | Jul 17, 2023 | The Card
The Card – Volume I 18 thoughts, observations and predictions: Rory’s 2-3 finish with the wind pumping and his two-iron to 18 that set up his winning birdie at the Scottish may portend a historic week upcoming and the beginning of his second major wave. Robert MacIntyre just made the European Ryder Cup team. Iona Stephen is a star broadcaster. So comfortable, confident and makes short conversations redeemable. I wish Nick Faldo’s hole-in-one reaction in his Ryder Cup singles match against Paul Azinger was equal to Steph Curry’s. A homicide as a footnote to a Ryder Cup would trump The… Read more
