As the competition from Asia, Europe, Africa, and Australia increases to the point where no American has won a major since Mickelson's 2010 Master's victory, the PGA, tour sponsors, and networks have to be working overtime to give USA golfers some type of advantage. Yes, some foreign golfers like Rory McIlroy, Sergio Garcia, and Darren Clarke are popular in all countries, but Americans atop leaderboards drive ratings at home like nothing else. Little stunts like propping up faded stars undeservedly in the world rankings (e.g., Tiger Woods in the top 30) can only help so much.
The situation by last week was so dire that CBS decided to interview a caddy on live television, a caddy from New Zealand, to boost buzz and ratings for this week's major tournament. However, Stevie Williams has an American connection: he was Woods' caddy for several years and had just been fired by the declining ex-superstar. Williams' remarks dissing Tiger were the story of the weekend. That was a bigger story than Adam Scott's victory, pounding the field into submission; after all, the deserving Scott is only an Australian.
What became the big drama early in the week? Would Tiger bounce back and achieve vindication for his ill-advised recent personnel moves (not to mention his sorry private life indiscretions). Would he exact quiet revenge against the ex-rugby-playing former employee?
Based on first round results, where Woods shot his worst round ever in a major (+7), the answer is a resounding no, and what was once the big story becomes a minor subplot at best: will Woods miss the cut or withdraw earlier to save face?
It appears the PGA, sponsors, and networks decided on an ace strategy to assist Yanks: play the PGA Championship in a hot, humid environment in August. Australia and South Africa have dry heat. Europe, apart from Spain and Italy, have little heat. Northern Asia, where the most competitive pro golfers on that continent hail from, has some heat. Nothing resembles the mind-numbing stultifying humid heat of the American Deep South except the mind-numbing stultifying humid heat of the American Midwest and American Northeast. Advantage: Team USA.
This year's PGA Championship is set at the Atlanta Athletic Club, a more interesting and better manicured course than initial reports indicated. We're talking 95 degrees and 95% humidity. Darren Clarke, the 2011 British Open Champion (to call it "The Open" is tantamount to calling Ohio State "The University"), was sweating like an eskimo in hell on the first green. He was +5 at last count.
While it's true that Lee Westwood and Luke Donald are the top two ranked golfers in the world, it's also true that the two Englishmen have a snail's eyeball of a chance of being in the final pairing on Sunday.
Announcers were quick to make a big story out of McIlroy's poor decision to swing away into a tree root in the rough. The club that flew out of his jammed hands went almost as far as the ball. The result? McIlroy kept shaking the pain and tingling out of his right wrist and forearm through the round. Was it bravery, playing to the camera and the crowd, or satisfying sponsor-mandated appearance requirements that kept him from withdrawing? Only Rory and his Chubby manager know for sure.
Not surprisingly, atop the leaderboard are the ageless Steve Stricker (-7) and lesser-known Jerry Kelly (-5), both from Wisconsin and both accustomed to humid summers.
Who else has a chance of playing in the final pairing Sunday in Atlanta? Don't rule out Mickelson, Matt Kuchar, Davis Love III, Rickie Barnes, Rickie Fowler, and too-good-to-succumb-to-the-humidity foreigners Jason Day, Martin Kaymer, Charl Schwartzel, and Adam Scott.
Kudos to CBS for its terrific seamless integration of its broadcasters with the TNT crew for the first two days. Ernie Johnson has the same kind of soothing, mellifluous host voice as Jim Nantz, but without the shameless grab-the-ankles-for-an-endorsement persona.
Will an American break the six-in-a-row foreign streak at golf majors this week? Stay tuned.
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