Is there a player you wouldn't mind watching dominate?

[MelloYello]

Somewhere in between Rory's fall down the leaderboard on Sunday, Jason Day smashing it into the galleries and Justin Thomas being slightly less fidgety than normal I started thinking about how I've become a bitter, cynic with a lot of these new players. I don’t find myself rooting for any of them.

 

Looking back to the heyday of Tiger, he just seemed to tick every box. He could pound the ball. His iron play was elite. His short game was impeccable. His putting was first class. He carried himself like a total pro (at least before he started cursing and club-throwing). He showed up to tournaments in form. He never made comments suggesting that his heart wasn't in it or that he was okay with losing.

 

By comparison, I just find it tough to "like" a lot of modern players. They just let you down. Either they are 1-dimensional players who dominate with pure power or they rely on a hot putter to win or they just don’t have a likable personality. This is what worries me. There doesn’t seem to be anyone out there who sells the game the way Tiger did. The game has to sell the current crop of players.

 

It's not that I hate them. It's just that I don't find there to be any particular reason to root for any of them. I like Rory when he's pounding it but his long game is runs so hot and cold. And with his balky putter, you just can’t view him as a complete player. He’s a power player that wins on soft courses. That’s it. Moreover, his statements suggest he's no longer as driven to win as he was 5 years ago. That’s a bad sign.

 

I find Speith to be less likable for whatever reason. Whereas Rory is honest to a fault, Jordan’s personality sure comes off as phony. Digging into his game, he's a slow player which is a capital sin. But he's also the guy who started the whole "we" thing which is another huge turn-off in competitive sports (for me). Sports is about competition. It’s not supposed to be easy. If you can't handle the pressure, just say so. Saying "we" as a means of deflecting that pressure onto "the team" is...well...kind of lame for a professional athlete IMHO. It defeats the purpose. Worse yet, it reminds you that these guys have a network of assistants helping make their life easier. The guy clearly has heart but for some reason I just kind of loathe the young Jordan Speith. I think he's also very over-marketed. Too many Golf Digest covers, I guess. He’s not a natural star to me. Seeing him marketed as such…I just don’t buy it.

 

Fowler seems like a very cool, down-to-earth guy which makes it a shame he can't avoid the big numbers and win more tournaments.

 

Rahm is petulant. He's even worse than Sergio used to be. I don’t want to see him televised, let alone having success.

 

Bubba is fun to watch on occasion but certainly not someone I want to hear from more than twice a year.

 

Thomas is obviously an unbelievable player. He has my vote for being the world’s best. I think he's the class of the tour right now. He’s a complete player with no glaring weaknesses which is great to see. It really gives you the sense he "deserves it" when he does get a win. I just wish he looked more at home in the moment. While Tiger always looked calm and collected, I feel like Thomas is probably a bundle of nerves about to throw-up. It's kind of hard to watch. What bothers me more though is how he comes from a rather "elite" golfing bloodline. He had every advantage growing up. There's a real sense that he should be achieving what he's achieving. I don't hold that against him, it's just that what he represents is kind of the very thing that makes golf appear as a "closed society" to folks on the outside. Again, nothing against Thomas. He can't choose his family. It's just easier to root for someone who's a relative underdog.

 

That said, I don’t want someone who’s numb. Guys like DJ and Brooks don’t strike me as being all that deep. As someone suggested, they are the modern golfer: they're long, athletic and numb enough not to pick up on the gravity of what they’re doing.

 

Jason Day is (I guess) the default answer to me but again, I have no real reason to like him. He’s just not doing anything to make me dislike him. He’s long. His game is good all around. There’s emotion there when he plays, but not too much. He’s demeanor makes him good to watch. And his background is definitely not what you'd think. He clearly got to where he's at through hard work.

 

 

IDK, what do you guys think?

[WV-Hick]

I loved watching Tiger in his prime. Of the guys these days, I'd like to see Jason Day more than anyone else.

[Warrick]

IDK why, but the name that keeps popping in my head is Tommy Fleetwood. I just like his demeanor, his game, his passion. I am not sure he could be "dominant", but sure find myself rooting for him a lot. He does have a well rounded game, just a pleasure to watch for me.

[sdandrea]

Justin Thomas or Jordan Spieth. For me they have the best media presence and humility to represent the tour while on top. I'd have to add Jason Day as well....same reasons.

[Vindog]

Bubba Watson. He has enough fans and haters to keep people watching. Watching to see him win or to see him lose.

 

He’s loose, he’s creative on the course, doesn’t have a packaged swing, and can win tournaments.

 

Truth be told I don’t really mind NOT having a player dominate. Flame away!

[USAF Retired E7]

I really like JT. Isn't he one of the faster players?

 

Watching Spieth slow down the game is too much for me. Like him, but don't like watching him take forever.

[MelloYello]

IDK why, but the name that keeps popping in my head is Tommy Fleetwood. I just like his demeanor, his game, his passion. I am not sure he could be "dominant", but sure find myself rooting for him a lot. He does have a well rounded game, just a pleasure to watch for me.

 

I think every golfer admires the ball-striking of Tommy Fleetwood. It's fun to watch him stripe his irons. The head flip thing is a little wonky, haha, but hey, it's impressive to watch him swing.

[Mikey5e]

To me, when somebody dominates, it starts to make golf just a bit boring. Nothing worse for TV ratings than to have a golfer 7 Strokes up starting the back nine. In fact, with Justin Thomas up for strokes in yesterday's tournament I started to shut it down because of be inevitable. It's nice to see close competition and different people winning.

[JohnnyCashForever]

Ian Poulter.

 

He's cranky. He's fierce. He's a complainer. He celebrates his good shots with that bug-eyed yelp. He can go low while mixing in a shanked approach or skulled bunker shot. If he ever were to dominate, it would be a rollercoaster ride all along the way...and it would be fun to watch.

[deadsolid...shank]

To me, when somebody dominates, it starts to make golf just a bit boring. Nothing worse for TV ratings than to have a golfer 7 Strokes up starting the back nine. In fact, with Justin Thomas up for strokes in yesterday's tournament I started to shut it down because of be inevitable. It's nice to see close competition and different people winning.

 

Mikey and I might be on complete opposite ends in regards to Phil. But here, we’re on the exact same page.

 

That was my main issue when Tiger was in his prime. When he was in or around the lead the only drama at all was wondering how many he would win by.

 

While I could appreciate his play, the tournaments themselves got to be boring. I don’t want to see a dominant player, I like seeing several people in the mix down the stretch. I love it when the coverage is scrambling to keep up with important shots.

[MelloYello]

To me, when somebody dominates, it starts to make golf just a bit boring. Nothing worse for TV ratings than to have a golfer 7 Strokes up starting the back nine. In fact, with Justin Thomas up for strokes in yesterday's tournament I started to shut it down because of be inevitable. It's nice to see close competition and different people winning.

Bubba Watson. He has enough fans and haters to keep people watching. Watching to see him win or to see him lose.

 

He's loose, he's creative on the course, doesn't have a packaged swing, and can win tournaments.

 

Truth be told I don't really mind NOT having a player dominate. Flame away!

 

The only thing is, the contingent of winners still isn't that big. So any argument for diversity is only a relative thing.

 

You're talking about a group of 8-10 as opposed to having 2-3 top players (i.e. Tiger, Phil, Ernie, etc.). There are still clearly big-time favorites.

 

And even then, a lot of guys fall down the leaderboard because of erratic driving, poor putting, etc. It's great when someone plays elite down the stretch but it's not rewarding to see a consistently bad putter simply putt badly. That make sense?

[golfandfishing]

There isn’t another Tiger on tour or in college right now. Tiger blew away AJGA, high school and college players. He was dominating as a toddler and never knew any other way. He asserted himself right away at every level, there isn’t anyone that has done that since. A guy isn’t just going to find a game like that on tour or in college golf, you don’t grow into or become that type of player, you just are. No one you named or have heard of has that in them. Players get hot and win in bunches but the sustained domination isn’t present in any of the players that we already know.

[jonsnow]

There isn't another Tiger on tour or in college right now. Tiger blew away AJGA, high school and college players. He was dominating as a toddler and never knew any other way. He asserted himself right away at every level, there isn't anyone that has done that since. A guy isn't just going to find a game like that on tour or in college golf, you don't grow into or become that type of player, you just are. No one you named or have heard of has that in them. Players get hot and win in bunches but the sustained domination isn't present in any of the players that we already know.

 

I'm not so sure. Nobody watching Tom Watson as a junior & college player could have predicted the career he would have.

[Ferguson]

There isn't another Tiger on tour or in college right now. Tiger blew away AJGA, high school and college players. He was dominating as a toddler and never knew any other way. He asserted himself right away at every level, there isn't anyone that has done that since. A guy isn't just going to find a game like that on tour or in college golf, you don't grow into or become that type of player, you just are. No one you named or have heard of has that in them. Players get hot and win in bunches but the sustained domination isn't present in any of the players that we already know.

 

 

How many times have we heard the announcers say..............."this guy could be the next Tiger Woods.

 

 

Tiger personified the word domination.

[BlackDiamondPar5]

Phil... Would love to see Phil dominate just to drive Ferg crazy :)

[MelloYello]

There isn't another Tiger on tour or in college right now. Tiger blew away AJGA, high school and college players. He was dominating as a toddler and never knew any other way. He asserted himself right away at every level, there isn't anyone that has done that since. A guy isn't just going to find a game like that on tour or in college golf, you don't grow into or become that type of player, you just are. No one you named or have heard of has that in them. Players get hot and win in bunches but the sustained domination isn't present in any of the players that we already know.

 

I don't think it's possible to have a player dominate for 10 years because the landscape has changed and the game is stocked with talent in a way it probably wasn't 20 years ago.

 

The point of the thread was more about dominating on the short-term (1-2 years). We've seen that level of play from Speith, Thomas, and DJ.

 

That's the thing that earns you Player of the Year.

[Vindog]

To me, when somebody dominates, it starts to make golf just a bit boring. Nothing worse for TV ratings than to have a golfer 7 Strokes up starting the back nine. In fact, with Justin Thomas up for strokes in yesterday's tournament I started to shut it down because of be inevitable. It's nice to see close competition and different people winning.

Bubba Watson. He has enough fans and haters to keep people watching. Watching to see him win or to see him lose.

 

He's loose, he's creative on the course, doesn't have a packaged swing, and can win tournaments.

 

Truth be told I don't really mind NOT having a player dominate. Flame away!

 

The only thing is, the contingent of winners still isn't that big. So any argument for diversity is only a relative thing.

 

You're talking about a group of 8-10 as opposed to having 2-3 top players (i.e. Tiger, Phil, Ernie, etc.). There are still clearly big-time favorites.

 

And even then, a lot of guys fall down the leaderboard because of erratic driving, poor putting, etc. It's great when someone plays elite down the stretch but it's not rewarding to see a consistently bad putter simply putt badly. That make sense?

 

Sure it makes sense. Obviously we can’t determine how players win or lose. Tiger won lots of tournaments because his FCs faltered down the stretch. But it was cool because it was the Tiger effect.

 

So while the crop of winners/favorites might not be that big, it’s bigger than one and it’s bigger than it was. Which I don’t mind.

[golfandfishing]

There isn't another Tiger on tour or in college right now. Tiger blew away AJGA, high school and college players. He was dominating as a toddler and never knew any other way. He asserted himself right away at every level, there isn't anyone that has done that since. A guy isn't just going to find a game like that on tour or in college golf, you don't grow into or become that type of player, you just are. No one you named or have heard of has that in them. Players get hot and win in bunches but the sustained domination isn't present in any of the players that we already know.

 

I'm not so sure. Nobody watching Tom Watson as a junior & college player could have predicted the career he would have.

 

I’m a big Tom Watson fan, but he wasn’t dominant in his career. He had an elite career, but he didn’t dominate the tour like TW and Jack did.

[golfandfishing]

There isn't another Tiger on tour or in college right now. Tiger blew away AJGA, high school and college players. He was dominating as a toddler and never knew any other way. He asserted himself right away at every level, there isn't anyone that has done that since. A guy isn't just going to find a game like that on tour or in college golf, you don't grow into or become that type of player, you just are. No one you named or have heard of has that in them. Players get hot and win in bunches but the sustained domination isn't present in any of the players that we already know.

 

I don't think it's possible to have a player dominate for 10 years because the landscape has changed and the game is stocked with talent in a way it probably wasn't 20 years ago.

 

The point of the thread was more about dominating on the short-term (1-2 years). We've seen that level of play from Speith, Thomas, and DJ.

 

That's the thing that earns you Player of the Year.

 

Winning POTY isn’t being dominant. It’s a great year, but you aren’t dominating your competition. Domination is sustainable, it lasts for years and takes old age or exceptional circumstances to remove.

[MelloYello]

There isn't another Tiger on tour or in college right now. Tiger blew away AJGA, high school and college players. He was dominating as a toddler and never knew any other way. He asserted himself right away at every level, there isn't anyone that has done that since. A guy isn't just going to find a game like that on tour or in college golf, you don't grow into or become that type of player, you just are. No one you named or have heard of has that in them. Players get hot and win in bunches but the sustained domination isn't present in any of the players that we already know.

 

I don't think it's possible to have a player dominate for 10 years because the landscape has changed and the game is stocked with talent in a way it probably wasn't 20 years ago.

 

The point of the thread was more about dominating on the short-term (1-2 years). We've seen that level of play from Speith, Thomas, and DJ.

 

That's the thing that earns you Player of the Year.

 

Winning POTY isn't being dominant. It's a great year, but you aren't dominating your competition. Domination is sustainable, it lasts for years and takes old age or exceptional circumstances to remove.

 

There is obviously no textbook definition or quantitative measure of being "dominant." It's merely a casual label. There is simply winning % over some period of time.

 

Anyhow, I don't think it's possible to do more than have a great year. The competition is too fierce. Players have to play essentially "perfect golf" to win any given tournament. To do that for a month is impressive. To do it for a summer is incredible. That's generally what earns someone POTY.

 

So when I ask what player you could stand to see dominate, I'm simply asking what player you don't mind watching heavily televised on a regular basis.

[bscinstnct]

Charlize!

 

[Viktoryred3]

I like JT the most out of the strong of younguns....but I’m drawn to P Reed’s “IDGAF about what anyone else thinks” attitude. Would be fun to see him polish up his entire game and contend weekly

[Gava]

Good topic Mello. I enjoyed reading your initial post.

 

Obviously form my avatar I do favor the Aussie players. From the rest, I could enjoy seeing Rory get on a run. Even though there's expectation there, I still think he's talented enough to dominate but humble enough to deserve it.

 

Fowler maybe, but can't see it ever happening. He's not really a closer on Sundays when it counts.

 

You're right, guys like DJ, Koepka, Spieth and even JT are more like robots (like JT the best out of those). Justin Rose is likeable but also a bit robotic.

 

And Reed..? Now there's a talented guy who could polarize the golfing public as he comes across as arrogant. Pretty common theme is that folks generally just don't like arrogant.

[MidwestGolfBum]

As somebody who tends to watch pretty much any and every bit of golf that I can, I can honestly say I don't know if I care to see another person dominate the way that Tiger did. Sure, it was a lot of fun to watch him blow out the field at various events as well as watching guys succumb to the "Tiger Effect" coming down the stretch. But, i really enjoy being able to see a bunch of guys play well and kind of battle it out for who is currently the best golfer out there.

 

The group of guys that have been named, JT, YJS, Rory, Day, DJ, etc., are all fun to watch for all kinds of reasons. Most of them we have been able to see some tendencies, which have also been mentioned in this thread, and when they can overcome them to win, it makes it all the more fun to watch because there is a story there.

 

Watching a group of 8-10 guys really be the story now has made golf exciting for me again in a new and different way. Until we get another guy who can come out and simply dominate the fields in the way that Tiger did, we have a ton of good stories out there with the guys who are generally on top.

[Hellstorm]

I don't think he was ever or will ever be dominant but its hard not to root for Bubba Watson. He marches to the beat of his own drum and if the right Bubba shows up, he can win any tournament....or if the other one shows up, he could punch his caddy and miss the cut.

[MelloYello]

Yeah, I watch both the men's and women's tournaments and I have to say it's not that I hate the male golfers, but the way that side of the sport is presented is kind of clownish.

 

I watched Georgia Hall defeat Pornanong Phatlum at Royal Lytham and then watched JT close out the Bridgestone and the whole vibe of the Bridgestone was different. The LPGA is so chill which is exactly what most actual golf fans would kind of prefer to have.

 

First you've got McCord who I could do with never hearing call another tournament again in my life but there's a lot of unnecessary hype around the men's side. Every win is "incredible." Every shot is "impossible."

 

I couldn't possibly watch the men's tour and the Golf Channel coverage of it week after week. I admit I've become a viewer that tunes in maybe twice a month for the more prominent events. And when it comes to the mid-week analysis, I actively avoid it.

[MelloYello]

I don't think he was ever or will ever be dominant but its hard not to root for Bubba Watson. He marches to the beat of his own drum and if the right Bubba shows up, he can win any tournament....or if the other one shows up, he could punch his caddy and miss the cut.

 

That's actually not entirely true. If you look at his career, he's prolific on select courses:

 

AGNC (2x)

Traveler's (3x)

Northern Trust (2x)

 

In tandem with the psycho on-course personality, that's part of why he's not my favorite.

[Birdie Mac]

I think the closest we'll see to dominant currently would be JT or DJ. I like to see guys that have been so-so for a while catch lightning in a bottle and go on a run. Matsuyama did that a year or so ago. It's fascinating to try to figure out why they're playing so much better, and wonder how long their run will be. I'd love to see Fleetwood or Na dominate for a while.

[Kenny Lee Puckett]

Wasn't it supposed to be Rory?

[DRRicks]

Spieth!