Golf 2026

[MuggsyB]

Yamacrapa is 4'11.  You should be a little more respectful.

I wrote her name and it auto changed it because of her last 5 letters.  Inexcusable. I have tremendous respect for the young lady!

[cheebs09]

Wonder if anyone destroyed a Shinnecock locker to get a leg up for next year.

[tower912]

Pebble next year.

[MU82]

I'm trying to remember if I'd ever before seen a golf tournament held in America during which Americans were noticeably rooting against an American golfer.

Pretty gritty of him to hold on and win that tournament. His putt on 16 was monumental, and his lag putt on 18 was clutch.

[tower912]

Clark reaped what he had sown over the last couple of years.  To his credit, he has apologized for his actions and attempted to atone.  He is also self aware enough to recognize where the antipathy comes from.   He is giving every sign of attempting to grow beyond his past actions.   All any of us can do.

However, sports fans are not forgiving and love having a heel to root against.  Or a player to scapegoat.   Until Patrick Reed returns and LIV finishes collapsing and the turncoats come stinking back, Clark is the heel.

He showed a spine of steel and huevos grande standing up to it and letting it carry him.  And then being forgiving about it.

[JWags85]

I'm trying to remember if I'd ever before seen a golf tournament held in America during which Americans were noticeably rooting against an American golfer.

Pretty gritty of him to hold on and win that tournament. His putt on 16 was monumental, and his lag putt on 18 was clutch.

To be fair, his primary competition/chaser was also American, whether is was Scheffler on Saturday or Burns yesterday.  So its not like they were rooting for a random European over the American.

Clark reaped what he had sown over the last couple of years.  To his credit, he has apologized for his actions and attempted to atone.  He is also self aware enough to recognize where the antipathy comes from.   He is giving every sign of attempting to grow beyond his past actions.   All any of us can do.

However, sports fans are not forgiving and love having a heel to root against.  Or a player to scapegoat.   Until Patrick Reed returns and LIV finishes collapsing and the turncoats come stinking back, Clark is the heel.

He showed a spine of steel and huevos grande standing up to it and letting it carry him.  And then being forgiving about it.

He's really a prime example of sports fan fickleness and the randomness of organic narrative/reputation creation.  He was a relative no-name when he won in 2023.  Had only just recently won his first tournament, had only 2 major cuts made going into the 2023 US Open, and he beat out a beloved golfer in Rory (who was major-less for a decade at that point) to do it, so people were probably like "screw this guy".  Then he wasn't very good in that disastrous 2023 Ryder Cup.  So more confirmation bias for their feelings. 

Then the Oakmont incident sealed it.  There is no defending it, he obviously knew it was terrible and immediately went about rectifying the situation and atoning for it.  But I don't buy that neutral people were THAT offended by it.  Nobody was like "I really liked Clark, but then he broke that locker and I can never root for him again".  People overlooked far worse from Tiger in his heydey or Dustin Johnson when he was at his peak, because people liked them at the time, for one reason or another.  But a locker at a club they have no affiliation with or affinity towards is a bridge to far...cause its someone they don't care for anyways.  Its not like he damaged something cherished at Augusta.

But totally agree with your last statement too.  Especially for a guy who has struggled a ton with the mental aspect of golf at various stages of his career...whether it be after losing his mother in college or spiraling into poor performance after the Oakmont backlash.  Also, firing/moving on from a caddy is never easy, especially when he'd been with him since before he qualified for the PGA Tour, but its paid dividends with 2 wins, including the US Open, in just 3 months.

[MU82]

I would rather several others have won because I like them, but I'm not a Clark hater. Or a liker. Had I been there, I wouldn't have heckled him, nor loudly cheered him. I don't dislike him as I do DeChambeau. I'm basically indifferent.

The thing I want most as a TV consumer of golf majors is Sunday drama. He and others provided that, so that's cool.

[Pakuni]

Change is afoot.

CROMWELL, Conn. -- The PGA Tour has approved recommendations from the Future Competition Committee that will dramatically reshape the tour's competitive structure starting in 2028, the tour announced Tuesday.

The Future Competition Committee's recommended changes were approved by the PGA Tour Policy Board and PGA Tour Enterprises Board during meetings in West Hartford, Connecticut, on Monday.

Among other changes, the tour's new model will include two separate series of tournaments -- the PGA Tour Championship Series and PGA Tour Challenger Series -- that will run concurrently during the season. The Challenger Series will be the primary pathway to the Championship Series, with golfers competing to advance to the top track, including in-season elevation with two victories.

https://www.espn.com/golf/story/_/id/49152701/pga-tour-unveils-dramatic-changes-separate-fields-schedules

[JWags85]

I would rather several others have won because I like them, but I'm not a Clark hater. Or a liker. Had I been there, I wouldn't have heckled him, nor loudly cheered him. I don't dislike him as I do DeChambeau. I'm basically indifferent.

And I think that pretty much sums it up.  I don't dislike Bryson like many here, but I COMPLETELY get why people don't like him and I think it's fairly merited from that angle.  Which I never felt with Clark and the vitriol/dislike that he got.

[Uncle Rico]

And I think that pretty much sums it up.  I don't dislike Bryson like many here, but I COMPLETELY get why people don't like him and I think it's fairly merited from that angle.  Which I never felt with Clark and the vitriol/dislike that he got.

Clark made the mistake of beating Rickie and Rory in LA when either would have been the preferred winner/story.

He made another mistake of winning this weekend when Scottie was hanging around through the weekend.

I'm old enough to remember when Lee Janzen beat the preferred winner, Payne Stewart twice.  Underwhelming victor.  Not the same history of douchebaggery as Clark, but similar vibes.

[Uncle Rico]

I really believed FIGJAM was a great family man. 

[MU82]

Wow, did Nelly give away a lot of strokes with the putter today. Her drives and irons were plenty good enough for her to be in the lead.

[MuggsyB]

Wow, did Nelly give away a lot of strokes with the putter today. Her drives and irons were plenty good enough for her to be in the lead.

Yes.  As I've stayed before, Nelly is significantly better than the other top players in the world.  If she became a better and more consistent putter she might very well win at a Tiger like level.  She is still in this tournament but has missed countless short putts.   Statistically she's pretty good, but she has the propensity to miss a lot in 8-10 foot range.  It's very unfortunate but correctable.

[Uncle Rico]

Yes.  As I've stayed before, Nelly is significantly better than the other top players in the world.  If she became a better and more consistent putter she might very well win at a Tiger like level.  She is still in this tournament but has missed countless short putts.   Statistically she's pretty good, but she has the propensity to miss a lot in 8-10 foot range.  It's very unfortunate but correctable.

Nelly choked like a dog and embarrassed the troops

[tower912]

Putt well, have a chance.
Putt poorly, don't have a chance.
True on tour.
True in your round with your friends.
True in scrambles.

[MuggsyB]

We've got a barnburner at the Travelers.

[MuggsyB]

Putt well, have a chance.
Putt poorly, don't have a chance.
True on tour.
True in your round with your friends.
True in scrambles.

Exactly.  Unfortunately Nelly didn't read my post which would have led to greater focus.

[MuggsyB]

The fans are embarrassing themselves right now.

[tower912]

The fans are embarrassing themselves right now.

Right now?

[MuggsyB]

Righ now?

They did on the 18th hole with Hovland. 

[Uncle Rico]

They did on the 18th hole with Hovland. 

Trump's America. 

[tower912]

Trump's America. 

Sports fans are getting worse.

[Uncle Rico]

Sports fans are getting worse.

Emboldened by American leadership

[MU82]

Oops.

Norway parties, America weeps.

[Uncle Rico]

Oops.

Norway parties, America weeps.

Great result!