Argue all you want over which sport boasts the greatest athletes. There is no argument over which sport boasts the greatest drama. The Masters at Augusta National Golf Club last weekend proved once again that golf wins that contest like Secretariat won the Belmont Stakes in 1973: by over thirty lengths.
In an era where valid arguments and cogent observations reduce the once-magnificent sports of Major League Baseball(rampant free agency, labor strikes, major market favoritism, guaranteed contracts), NBA basketball (rampant free agency, labor strife, major market favoritism, uncoachable players), NCAA football (the unjust BCS system, coaching scandals, illegal recruiting), and NCAA basketball (the one-and-done farcical rule, illegal recruiting, egomaniacal coaches, undisciplined players) to rubble, professional golf and, to a lesser extent, NHL hockey and NFL football shine.
To loosely paraphrase Charles Dickens, it is the best of times and it is the best of times in the 2012 world of professional golf. Representing the old guard at Augusta, Fred Couples was a co-leader after 36 holes before winding up with an honorable 12th-place tie after 72. Representing American superstars, Phil Mickelson was a co-leader after 54 holes before ending up in an honorable 3rd-place tie after 72. Representing international superstars, Lee Westwood played steady and closed strong, finishing in a 3rd-place tie with Mickelson. Representing golf's new wave, America's Bubba Watson and South Africa's Louis Oosthuizen dueled to the end, where the spectacular but inconsistent Watson proved steadier than the steady and less spectacular (when he's not landing double-eagles) Oosthuizen in a two-hole playoff for his first major championship.
On a beautiful but tough golf course, it was beautiful to watch pre-tournament favorites Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy crash and burn, both having to settle for a 40th-place tie. It was beautiful to see great players struggle and hit average or substandard shots. There were plenty of those.
What else was striking about the Masters? While the foreign invasion was never more prevalent, including 7 of the top 10 finishers hailing from parts beyond American shores, American Bubba and American Patrick Cantlay took the pro and amateur crowns, respectively. Both champs were refreshingly humble and soft-spoken in Butler Cabin. The television coverage was near-perfect, as was the weather after the first day.
While other sports have talent pools diluted through expansion. negligent coaching, or sloppy fundamentals, golf's talent pool continues to improve and increase. Augusta National is now over 7400 yards long, but 18 players finished under par.
What else was special about the Masters? Three of the greatest all-time golfers were honorary starters: Arnold Palmer ('58, '60, '62, '64), Gary Player ('61, '74, '78), and Jack Nicklaus ('63, '65, '66, '72, '75, '86). Palmer had 8 other top 10 finishes, Player had 12 other top 10 finishes, and Nicklaus had 16 other top 10 finishes, including a tie for 6th in 1998 at age 58.
True, Nicklaus was the best of the best in consistency, longevity, and skills, but his game face more resembled the serious or dour faces of earlier legends Ben Hogan and Sam Snead. Palmer, Player, and a guy named Lee Trevino (who never could conquer Augusta) were the most important golfers to the growth of the game as television coverage took off. They had charisma; they still have it.
Guess what? Tiger Woods still has charisma, and he still boosts ratings--even when he's kicking an iron in the rough.
Bubba Watson could be the best news to hit the PGA tour since Tiger, as far as sponsors and American networks are concerned. A wild gambler off the tee and in the fairways, he's one of the longest hitters on the tour. Unlike John Daly, Watson's off-the-links life is far more restrained. Apart from great coaching he received at the University of Georgia, Bubba's pretty much self-taught and refreshingly lacks a swing coach. He drives a car made famous in a Deep South television series. In a sport where names like Davis Love III and Charles Howell III are not uncommon, he sticks with Bubba. He does dorky music videos with his golfing pals.
One can only hope he retains the rough edges against the advice of the inevitable new and more numerous corporate handlers. In that respect, Bubba Watson reminds one of Jay Leno in the '70s and '80s when the comedian flaunted his razor-sharp wit: unorthodox, brilliant, and carefree. We all know what happened to Jay.
Will Bubba become a multiple majors champ and superstar like Palmer, Player, Nicklaus, and that other famous golfing Watson, Tom, or will he be a one-major wonder? Will he change or be changed? That developing storyline only adds to the drama which is professional golf in 2012 and beyond.
No comments:
Post a Comment