18 thoughts, observations and predictions…
- Celine Boutier won for the 4th time this season in a 9-hole marathon playoff. She won a major in her home country, was part of a victorious Solheim Cup team and is currently first in the Race to CME Globe. I would still take Lilia Vu’s season with two majors.
- Jasper Stubbs won the Asia-Pacific amateur championship, and with-it invitations to the Masters and the Open Championship. The 21-year-old came from six shots back of Sampson Zheng to get the win at Royal Melbourne. The event, created in 2009, is a fabulous showcase of young talent and a massive platform for 37 Asian Pacific nations.
- Royal Melbourne needs a significant global event every two years at minimum. The Alistair Mackenzie design is a mythical place for golfers in the western hemisphere.
- The controversy over the new Golf magazine world top 100 has much less to do with the courses and far more to do with who is doing the ratings. Designers should have nothing to do with the rating of courses for publications. Either trust those doing the rating, like most halls of fame, or find new raters.
- Jhared Hack was a top qualifier making it through first stage of Q school. Final stage will be in December in Ponte Vedra and Hack MUST be a factor late trying to secure a tour card.
- Vanderbilt’s men’s team won the St. Andrews collegiate over at the Old Course and did it without Gordon Sargent. This current group has piled up wins, but they need a national title next spring to cement themselves one of the best teams in recent memory.
- Planning a Scottish Highlands trip for the first time is joy and torture. There are so many desired spots and not nearly enough days.
- Korn Ferry tour members Vince India and Jake Staiano were suspended for violating the PGA Tour’s integrity program by wagering on events they were not participating in. The tour is now in bed with several betting outfits and while it might seem duplicitous the players know the rules and the partnerships are putting money in the players pockets through sponsorship.
- The eight best Halloween golf costumes are as follows in #10 – #17:
- Arnold Palmer at any age and any stage of his career.
- Ben Hogan the day of the 1950 U.S. Open playoff at Merion.
- Tiger Woods with the shirt sleeve rugby shirt and straw hat of the U.S. Am final in 1994.
- John Daly flowing mullet and green reebok pullover for 1995 Open Championship.
- Payne Stewart introducing the half sleeve style by necessity for the final round of the 1999 U.S. Open at Pinehurst.
- Sergio Garcia in the canary yellow head to toe in the 2006 Open Championship.
- Jack Nicklaus in the blue diamond cashmere sweater for the final round of the 1978 Open Championship.
- Billy Horschel and the octopus pants for the final round of the 2013 U.S. Open.
- These are challenging times on many fronts, so I’ll leave you this week with a simple appeal. Be a little kinder to yourself and let those you love know you love them.