Players Championship running thread....

I disagree with the money stuff. O'Hair isn't some struggling guy just out of Q-school hoping to keep his card. He's got a lot of game, and with more experience, he's going to be around for a long time and make a lot of money. If you have any confidence at all in your ability as a golfer, the last thing you think about is, "I better make sure I get this $700,000 because if my swing completely goes into the tank, I'm going to be off the tour in three years, so I'd better cash in now." O'Hair was raised to believe he'll compete for major championships. And frankly, I find the idea that he wanted to win the golf tournament, instead of pad his bank account, refreshing.

What I disgree with is the strategy to go for it on 17. When Phil put it in the middle of the green, I think O'Hair should have said "Ok, he's in control, but anything can happen on 18. I've got to play it safe and try to birdie 18. This isn't a hole to make up strokes." If he and Mickelson both make three, Phil is still two up going into 18. But how close was Phil to putting it into the water on 18 with zero pressure from the middle of the fairway? If Phil makes bogey and O'Hair birdies, you get a playoff. If Phil makes six (not out of the question if he hits it in the water), then a birdie wins you the tournament and a par gets you in a playoff. I admire the courage to go for the flag on 17, but I'm still not sure it's the right play, even if you want to win the tournament.

In reality, O'Hair's real gaffe was missing that five foot birdie put on 16. That If he makes that putt, I think he gets into a playoff at the very least.

 

How about --- "I better make sure I finish in the top three because it will be a nice boost to my resume, my confidence, my spot in the rankings and on the money list -- and that extra 700,000 cash would be nice....."

And you and I are saying the same thing -- his strategy on 17 was idiotic -- and that is being kind.

 

Because Phil goes in the drink at 17. Guaranteed.

 

That's probably true -- but since Phil hit it on the green, O'Hair should have played the hole smarter.

 

DD speaks the truth.

And so does Junkie.

I promise you, Sean O'Hair had no problem looking himself in the mirror this a.m. That wouldn't have been the case if he'd have backed off at No. 17. Now if he'd have made that five-footer at No. 16, it's a different story.

Down one, it would have been foolhardy to attack the pin. But down two, he had to try to make something happen.

 

Zag, that's the kind of loser's mentality guys had pre-Tiger that turned people off to the PGA Tour.

 

The problem with O'Hair was that, when he was playing to win, he hit it into the water. And then, when all he realistically was doing was playing for money, he hit it into the water again.
So we're all right.

 

I think the chance are fairly good, even with as well as Mickelson was playing. He's played that hole so poorly over the years, and he's trying a new swing. Obviously it's easy to second guess, and it's not as if O'Hair's caddy has the kind of access to the stats we do as viewers or journalists on the course. But isn't O'Hair's caddy his father-in-law? I don't know the history involved well enough, but I'm curious if that's one of those things where a real veteran might step up and say, "Sean, you can put pressure back on him just by hitting it in the middle of the green."

To be honest, I think this is the kind of thinking that that hurts golf. Golf is an athletic compeition. O'Hair had a chance to win the tournament. It's one thing to protect points or dollars when you've got no chance to win, like when you need to stay in the top 10 to get invited back next year, or protect Ryder Cup points. But O'Hair can still win the tournament. That's why I'm ok with it, even though I think your chances to win are just as good, still, by trying to par 17 and birdie 18. Yes, 18 is the toughest hole on the course, even tougher than 17, but at least then you give Mickelson one more chance to fuck up before you have to really, really go for broke.

 

Well that is part of the point -- you can still play to win if you hit it on the green because who is to say you don't hit a long putt.

My problem is with course management - to go for that pin, you have to make an absolutely perfect shot and probably still get a little lucky. It just makes no sense to not use a little more caution on that particular hole.

 

Person whose screen name I unknowingly infringed upon:

Agree that O'Hair's biggest mistake was missing that putt on 16. Disagree about being conservative on 17, for a few reasons:

First, the easiest way to make up two shots over the last two holes is to get two birdies. He had a much better shot of birdieing 17 than eagling 18.

Second, you can't assume anything on Mickelson's part. I know Mickelson's history dictates wildness at some point, but Phil was in complete control all day. I'm not sure if he even missed a green at that point. O'Hair had to assume it was going to take two birdies to make it to a playoff.

So he took dead aim and hit too much club. It happens. I hated to see that ball land in the water, but I'd have been disappointed to see him play to the middle of the green. A spectacular shot there would've rattled Phil's cage a helluva lot more than a two shot cushion with one to go.

 

All that is true. And I think you're right. I'm writing with the benefit of hindsight, because to that point Mickelson had hit 16 of 17 greens (an amazing number). But I think golfers do make a mistake sometimes when they think: "I'm two down with two to play. I need two birdies." Sometimes you just need a birdie and a par, especially when you're playing the two toughest closing holes in golf. I guess you should never assume your opponent is going to make a bogey, but maybe you tell yourself this: I'm going to play the final four holes in 11 strokes, and if I do that, I'm going to make up ground and give myself a shot at a playoff. However I get those strokes doesn't matter (though ideally birdie 4, par 3, par 4) as long as I get them. But again, I'm saying this knowing Mickelson bogeys 18, which O'Hair or his caddy couldn't predict.

Here is what I do like though: Had O'Hair stuck his shot three feet from the pin, that place would have gone nuts. And that's why 17 is such a great hole, and why Tiger's moaning early in the week about it being too gimmicky for a closing hole was silly. For once a year, players get to show off the size of their balls. It's the biggest green on the course, and it's only 138 yards away. It's a great test, and it's why golf is so much fun. Every shot counts. There are no foul balls, or second free throws. Can you handle the crowd, the win, and the pressure with everything on the line? If you deserve to win, yes.

 

Junk, I agree. There is no way to know. Maybe there is more pressure on him, and maybe he dumps in the drink, or maybe with only a one shot lead, he really focuses and knocks it stiff. I'm certainly guilty of over-thinking all this after the fact, which I guess is what sports writers regularly do to athletes that irks them so much.

In regards to the Phakeness of Phil debate, it always strikes me, also, as over-thinking things. Everyone who dislikes him really, REALLY wants it to be an act because they think no one is that awe-shucks nice, and no one deserves to play the regular guy role when they're rich as hell, have a hot wife, a private plane, and three cute kids.

And everyone that likes him feels like the smiling at the gallery, the tipping his cap and the high-fiving the fans is a nice gesture for a guy who appreciates the cheers, even though he has everything already and doesn't really need anyone's love. I understand that some of it is probably an act (thought I disagree about the kids thing; nothing wrong with hugging your kids in public at all and celebrating with family), but I don't believe it's quite the Curt Schilling-level of phoniness the haters would love to believe. Not even close.

I always wonder why Phil's alleged on-the-course phoniness bothers some people so much when they seem to excuse Tiger's obvious off-the-course phoniness at the same time. It's easier for me to believe that Phil actually appreciates fans cheering for a good shot than it is for me to believe Tiger actually drives himself around in a Buick.

I'm not sure it's fair to view everything one of them does and compare it to the other, but it says a lot to me that after Mickelson double bogeyed 18 at Winged Foot last year, he stuck around an answered questions (when Monty and Furyk ducked them), sat there and got his second place trophy while Ogilvie celebrated, and then thanked the fans for their support all week, and took his lumps from the press. Meanwhile, at the PGA at Baltusrol the same year, Tiger stormed off the course, got on a plane and flew home in full pout mode while the tournament was still being played, even though he was the low score in the clubhouse. Would the Tiger apologists really like Phil more if he publicly treated fans like crud, but then put on a smiley face when it was time to sell drivers and sedans?