Xander Schauffele on Sunday after his victory on the PGA Championship.
Getty Photos
JUST OUTSIDE OF LOUISVILLE SLUGGER STADIUM, Ky. — I’m nonetheless sore.
Friday, I’d fallen.
Kentucky bourbon, proper. A possible suspect, for positive. Obtained to tempo your self. However no, I used to be (principally) dry this week, which Valhalla GC was (principally) not following storms. Grime had became mud. Grass had became a slip-and-slide. And slip and slide I did, to the fitting of the ninth gap, whereas watching Mark Hubbard, a shock PGA Championship second-round hopeful.
He hadn’t seen me. However about 250 others did. Their response, as I misplaced it, landed on my proper aspect and lined my hat, shirt, pants, sneakers, pocket book, ID and face in sludge?
Concern.
Useful.
And that was that. I moved on. They moved on. No cracks. I’d’ve mentioned one thing, which perhaps says one thing about me. And one thing extra concerning the Louisvillians. They had been joyful you drank their booze. Toured their baseball bat and boxer museums. Went to their horse monitor. Got here to their championship golf course. Took dwelling some soiled garments and a sore proper arm. They had been joyful you got here.
As we glance again on the PGA Championship week that was, let’s make that commentary No. 1 then. It’s a powerful one. Let’s attempt for 49 extra as we publish up at Towards the Grain, a nice downtown brewery and public home connected to Louisville Slugger Subject.
2. Some Valhalla ideas. Sunday was a hoot. Tight leaderboard. Star-packed leaderboard. And we like when the majors flip into star wars.
However was the gang examined?
Had been good pictures overly rewarded?
Had been dangerous pictures correctly punished?
Had been there bogey holes?
Now, as famous above, the monitor was softened as a consequence of rain. However issues appeared overly gettable, which is the alternative of diabolical, which is what we usually get in a serious.
Xander Schauffele’s breakthrough win? A 5-word textual content explains all of it
3. Justin Thomas, a Louisville native, says you may take the Valhalla criticism and shove it up your golf bag, although.
“I might be fairly onerous pressed to say any gamers didn’t take pleasure in this week by way of the quantity of followers that had been on the market [and] had been unbelievable,” he mentioned Sunday. “Guys can say no matter they need concerning the golf course; it at all times produces unbelievable leaderboards and an important end, and it appears to be like prefer it’s doing the identical once more this yr.
“So, yeah, selfishly I hope it has a chance to return again, however I simply suppose that the Midwest has very, very passionate sports activities followers they usually love attending to go watch golf tournaments and I believe Louisville exhibits out once they have the chance to they usually did this week.”
4. One other Ryder Cup or a Presidents Cup could be good right here. The help was unquestioned.
5. However the entrance downside must be corrected. There was only one — for an estimated 200,000 followers over the match run — and it was simply off a four-way avenue, the place visitors snarled and pedestrians slipped into the lanes. That’s clearly harmful.
6. My ideas for John Mills. Friday morning, the 69-year-old was struck by a shuttle bus as he walked into Valhalla for his shift as a safety guard. It was tragic. It put a pall over the occasion. May it have been avoidable?
7. However let’s attempt to reserve judgment on Scottie Scheffler, who, in line with a police report, had tried to enter the course shortly after the Mills accident, was stopped by an officer however continued driving, inflicting harm, in line with an incident report. He’s to face 4 prices. Notably, although, there have been witnesses — and GOLF’s Alan Bastable talked to 1 and you’ll learn that story right here.
8. Nonetheless, how weird that it occurred to Scheffler, the world No. 1.
9. Initially of his Friday press convention, he mentioned he wouldn’t discuss concerning the incident, then talked solely concerning the incident. Right here’s one change, began by a reporter:
“We’ve come to know you as a reasonably unflappable individual out right here, not affected by lots of stuff. Are you able to describe how rattled you had been when — you simply referenced being in a jail cell and whatnot. Simply describe that mindset and the way surreal that was for you.”
4,400 miles away, Xander Schauffele’s dad celebrated from a delivery container
“Yeah, I used to be fairly rattled to say the least,” Scheffler mentioned. “The officer that took me to the jail was very sort. He was nice. We had a pleasant chat within the automobile that form of helped calm me down. I used to be sitting there ready to form of go in and I requested him, I used to be like, ‘Hey, excuse me, are you able to simply come hang around with me for a couple of minutes so I can settle down.’ I used to be by no means indignant. I used to be simply in shock, and I believe my physique was simply — I used to be shaking the entire time. I used to be shaking for like an hour. It was positively a brand new feeling for me. He got here out and we had a pleasant chat after which the officers contained in the jail had been large. A few them made some jokes I believe once they discovered who I used to be and what occurred and the way I ended up there.
“This one older officer checked out me as I used to be doing my fingerprints or no matter, and he appears to be like at me and he goes, ‘So would you like the complete expertise immediately?’ I form of checked out him, and I used to be like, ‘I don’t know the best way to reply that.’ He’s like, ‘Come on, man, you desire a sandwich?’ I used to be like, ‘Certain, I’ll take a sandwich.’ I hadn’t eaten breakfast but. I imply, they had been actually sort. I’m grateful that we’ve such sturdy police, they usually’re our protectors on the market, and like I mentioned, we simply obtained right into a chaotic state of affairs this morning. That’s actually all it was.”
10. The followers rapidly reacted to the information. On Friday afternoon, I noticed this:
11. Some participant ideas. Let’s begin with Scheffler. Per week in the past — which kinda looks as if a yr in the past — he went into the PGA with questions on how he’d play following a lay-off after the delivery of his first baby, then shot a first-round 67. He shot a 66 hours after being arrested, although he believed the results of the ordeal led to a third-round 73. However then he shot a final-round 65 and tied for eighth. What can we make of all of it?
There won’t be a extra mentally secure professional.
12. He wins the U.S. Open subsequent month at Pinehurst.
13. I’m sticking with the commentary I made throughout the Masters — I believe your Open Championship winner is Brooks Koepka.
14. Who, because the defending champion, was additionally one in all this week’s greatest disappointments. A 3rd-round 74 doomed him.
15. This was good, although. On Sunday, after he completed with a 66, he had this change, began by a reporter:
“What was the distinction between yesterday and immediately?”
“I don’t know,” he mentioned, “what, about eight pictures?”
He wasn’t fallacious.
16. Xander Schauffele at all times had the sport. The transfer to swing coach Chris Como helped. However the transfer away from his earlier coach, dad Stefan, says extra to me. How do you might have that conservation? The Schauffeles did, and now Xander is a serious champion.
17. From about 25 yards away on Sunday, I watched his second, third and successful pictures on the 18th gap. The birdie putt received him the match. However I received’t overlook the second shot. Ft within the sand. Ball simply outdoors of a fairway bunker. A shank was in play. As a substitute, he muscled a ball about 220 yards down the left aspect of the outlet, and two strokes later, his arms had been raised in victory.
18. He wins subsequent yr’s Masters.
19. Or Sahith Theegala may. A serious is shut for him.
Bryson DeChambeau’s PGA heartbreak ended with ‘surprising’ twist
20. Time for a drink. As readers of this house know, we’re followers of beer right here, so first up is the Lavatory-a-vuhl Pale. I’ve struggled saying Louisville all week — my higher Midwest jaw can’t regulate — so that is good.
21. Bryson DeChambeau will win one other main (or two) — and he might need received the week. He completed runner-up, however he was a fav of the followers. Why? Exhausting to say. He’s goofy, however entertaining. He’s gifted. He’s partaking. He’s additionally labored at all of it. On Friday, he had this change, began by a reporter:
“The followers are actually, actually behind you. Are you feeling a distinction in the way it was a few years in the past?”
“Yeah. I’ve labored actually onerous to have individuals assist hopefully perceive who I’m a little bit bit higher,” he mentioned. “YouTube has been an important platform to assist that out. The Break 50 collection are lots of enjoyable. I really like doing it. It’s lots of enjoyable. It’s a problem that’s by no means been finished nor achieved with none strokes.
“So it simply retains my mind contemporary and in an leisure mode, and realizing what the sport is all about, not only for myself and successful cash or successful trophies however entertaining, as nicely. Clearly all of us need to win trophies. However with the ability to entertain the followers is what we’re all right here to do, and I believe that’s what’s crucial factor.”
22. That is a must-watch video, on lots of ranges.
23. I’m wondering how the Viktor Hovland-Joe Mayo dialog went. The player-coach discovered success. They broke up. Participant collapsed. Participant thought-about not taking part in the PGA. Participant reconnected with coach. Participant virtually received the PGA. I’m considering they’ll keep collectively.
24. Collin Morikawa appears near a breakout. However a Sunday 71 was not good.
25. Enjoying with Schauffele on Sunday, he applauded him on the inexperienced immediately after his putt. Stylish.
26. Ten years have now elapsed since Rory McIlroy received his final main, additionally at Valhalla. Did you suppose that may occur again in 2014? Golf is tough. The explanations are quite a few.
27. Information of his divorce on the Monday of this PGA was attention-grabbing. We’ll go away it at that.
28. Essentially the most uncooked press convention this week? It got here from Robert MacIntyre. Lacking his dwelling again in Scotland, he’s making an attempt to regulate to the U.S. On Thursday, he had this change, began by a reporter:
“In regards to the form of struggles coming and taking part in within the States, did you count on to must cope with these form of obstacles whenever you got here, or did it form of hit you out of the blue?”
“To be sincere, I didn’t know what to anticipate,” MacIntyre mentioned. “I used to be popping out, it was going to be a brand new atmosphere. I knew lots of guys, but it surely’s only a totally different atmosphere on the PGA Tour. It’s very a lot enterprise. There’s not as a lot chatting that goes on. In Europe, we journey the world. what I imply, we go to Asia, the Center East. We go in every single place. Whenever you’re in these nations and also you don’t converse the native language, you form of have to stay collectively. There’s only a group of fellows that I form of cling about with in Europe that make life on the street lots simpler.
“Out right here, it’s me and my girlfriend, who I really feel like we do a superb job in making an attempt to take pleasure in it as a lot as we are able to. We get individuals from my crew, household, popping out each once in a while, simply making an attempt to freshen issues up. However it’s totally different. Life is totally different. I imply, yeah, I don’t know what else to say. Should you go to Europe, in case you go to European individuals and American individuals, we’re simply totally different.”
29. I don’t know if any professional has extra enjoyable than Shane Lowry, and Sunday, he was hitting balls subsequent to MacIntyre on the vary.
30. Among the finest wings I’ve ever had got here at Hammerheads right here.
31. Jon Rahm appears misplaced, in case you’re judging by main performances. 9-over on the Masters and a tie for forty fifth. Missed lower on the PGA. Perhaps it’s the LIV transfer. Perhaps it’s a pure funk. Let’s give it a yr.
‘Keep out!’ What PGA’s turbulent last 60 minutes felt like from up shut
32. Ludvig Aberg’s missed-cut displaying was additionally shocking.
33. What can we make of Tiger Woods now, after his missed lower? Is that this our new actuality with him — simply asking this query? Every mediocre displaying is hard to observe.
34. Plenty of discuss on the state of golf, however I believe there’s additionally at the very least one easy rationalization. Woods isn’t taking part in as a lot. Golf is perhaps going through what basketball did when MJ hung ’em up. The query for golf is, can it discover its LeBron, Kobe and Steph?
35. I believed this change between Max Homa and a reporter was additionally notable.
Reporter: “I wished to ask you, there’s been lots of discuss concerning the state of golf now and what affect all the off-course stuff is having on informal followers by way of reputation and whatnot. I’m wondering out of your benefit level, the place do you see the state of the sport now by way of informal followers and why?”
Homa: “Yeah, it’s been a bit difficult. I do really feel just like the web most likely makes it appear worse than it truly is. It’s a really small neighborhood they usually’re extremely loud. So I believe in case you spend lots of time on the web, it does really feel like skilled golf is crumbling.
“It’s robust to decipher, as a result of after we’re on the grounds of occasions, it’s wonderful. Final week at Quail Hole was superior. Felt no totally different at Bay Hill. Felt no totally different — the Gamers felt no totally different. So it’s odd, it doesn’t really feel prefer it’s dying, but you hear lots of very legitimate complaints on the web.
“So I believe it’s been, it’s very troubling. I don’t like the place it’s going. It’s obtained to be exhausting to be an informal golf fan at this cut-off date. I don’t know why you’d need to hear concerning the enterprise aspect of this recreation. As a fan of different sports activities, I don’t care concerning the enterprise aspect of what the Lakers and Dodgers are doing. So, yeah, it’s troubling; nonetheless, it’s simply troublesome as a result of we come right here and yesterday was slam-packed and it was superior and everybody simply looks as if in such good spirits to simply see us taking part in a considerably meaningless observe spherical to their viewpoint.
“So it’s robust to form of utterly work out. I hope sooner or later we are able to simply get again to entertaining individuals and taking part in golf and seeing who shoots the bottom rating and never speaking about what our Participant Advisory Council goes to do and who — the followers of golf mustn’t know who’s on the board. Like that simply looks as if a reasonably apparent one. So that may be the aim going ahead.
Tour Confidential: Xander’s PGA win, Scheffler’s weird week, Rahm’s controversial feedback
“So I believe, you understand, in some optimistic mild as a fan of simply the sport of golf, the profit is golf is prospering. That’s cool. Males’s skilled golf is perhaps in a bizarre spot, so hopefully we are able to proceed to get extra individuals to play golf after which as soon as all people can get this factor discovered, hopefully we get these individuals taking part in golf to additionally take pleasure in watching a little bit little bit of golf. We have now lots occurring right here, however hopefully sooner or later all people can discover the plot once more.”
36. Farewell, Michael Block. Thanks for giving us the meme and social-media fodder. Thanks for additionally giving us hope that it’s by no means too late to satisfy a dream.
37. Nelly Korda has now received six of seven tournaments. We’re speaking concerning the PGA right here, however I hope you’re appreciating her, too.
38. Some issues seen and heard from of us on the course! On Wednesday, I used to be requested for instructions to the driving vary. And for an autograph.
39. On Thursday, two followers ducked underneath a rope and ‘petted’ the grass on the tee field.
40. On Saturday morning, I noticed three girls strolling up par-3 14th gap — solely strolling up the par-3 14th was off limits to followers. However they’d seen un-muddy grass and took their shot.
41. On Sunday, whereas strolling into the media middle, the GOLF.com crew was greeted by a golf ball sitting close to some stairs. It’d come off the membership of Erik van Rooyen, after he went left along with his tee shot on the close by tenth gap. Dylan Dethier explains the scene beneath:
42. There’s additionally this video beneath.
43. The most effective omelets I’ve ever had got here at Wild Eggs right here. It got here with 4 eggs, cheese, hen and buffalo sauce.
44. Time for some tales I preferred! Dethier known as up Stefan Schauffele after his son’s win — he was 4,400 miles away — and you’ll learn that story right here.
45. GOLF’s Sean Zak almost walked onto the tee with Scheffler on Friday, and you’ll learn that story right here.
46. GOLF’s James Colgan adopted and talked with controversial PGA Championship invite Talor Gooch, and you’ll learn that story right here.
47. Considered one of GOLF’s latest hires, social media editor Adam Christensen, went to his first main this week and took within the Woods scene. You’ll be able to learn that story right here.
48. For me, this was a enjoyable one. On Wednesday, I talked with Tracy Phillips, the 61-year-old membership professional who as soon as stop golf for 20 years and was making his PGA Championship debut. You’ll be able to learn that story right here.
49. And on Sunday, I adopted all the leaders on the 18th gap. I virtually noticed somebody get hit by a ball, too. You’ll be able to learn that story right here.
50. Time for a bourbon. Whiskey Row is true down the road. No falling down, although.
51. Bonus! Right here’s proof I used to be right here. That’s my query, earlier than Woods’ reply.
Editor’s word: I additionally wrote observations from the Masters — 102 of ’em! — and you’ll learn that story right here.
