The Round Table: Open Championship picks and Monahan in limbo
Each week we ask our panel of writers, PGA members and golf industry experts to weigh in with their views on the hot topics of the day.
Following several weeks of leave for an undisclosed medical issue, PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan returns to work this week and will find himself embroiled in a hornet’s nest of controversies, all stemming from the vague framework agreement he and the Saudi PIF hammered out during the week of the RBC Canadian Open in June. This follows days of hearings in the United States Senate, a Congressional investigation of the PGA Tour as a monopoly and numerous player interviews during which they almost unanimously questioned Monahan’s leadership and voiced their lack of trust in him. Is Monahan a dead man walking, or does he survive to see the new entity envisioned by the framework agreement?
Jim Deeks, Fairways Magazine (@jimdeeks): I’m ambivalent about Jay Monahan personally, but I think the guy should be given an opportunity to work with his staff, and more particularly his Board, to pursue the resolution of this deal. Which will hopefully result in the death of LIV. If I’m right in my assessment of the deal (i.e., that it’s a big victory for the PGA Tour… a view that, it seems, only I hold), then Monahan may be vindicated as a brilliant leader. If I’m wrong, then yes, he’s a dead man walking.
Craig Loughry, Golf Ontario (@craigloughry): I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, there’s no way Jay comes out of this with his job. Too many things just don’t line up (what he said and what he did). He’s pissed off players (too many) on both sides. Not many trust him or will believe a word he says (I believe public sediment is the same) and if enough players say he has to go or they’ll walk, well, then, Jay has to go.
Michael Schurman, Master Professional / Hall of Fame Member, PGA of Canada: Jay Monahan is a flim flam man. He is so full of bluster it’s coming out of his ears. At $8M/year and with another $5M/year available in bonuses he is the worst example of the PGA TOUR’s defectors. However, in his case, he went directly to the top of L1V, and will undoubtedly sign for many millions. He tried to bully the players by blocking their return to the PGA TOUR. I wonder what would happen if L1V did fail? Would JM be able to return to the PGA TOUR without penalty?
TJ Rule, Golf Away Tours (@GolfAwayTJ): Now that’s a tough one to answer. I would have thought he could have been axed by now with all of the criticism thrown his way in the past month, but here we are. I guess they need to try to let him see this through, given he got them in this mess. But personally, I don’t see him lasting long given how little trust the players seem to have in his leadership. I’d hate to be the one walking into this mess in his place though.
Peter Mumford, Fairways Magazine (@FairwaysMag): My feeling is that he’ll be around until the end of the season. I can’t imagine the players staging his ouster when they’re focused on the playoffs but once those are done, sayonara Jay! There’s an old saying (thanks Einstein) that you can’t solve a problem with the same thinking that created it. Monahan’s fingerprints are all over this debacle and the sooner he, Jimmy Dunne and the rest of that greedy horde of investment bankers are gone, the better.
The Open Championship kicks off this week, one of the most exciting weeks of the year for golf fans worldwide. Looking back, what’s your favourite Open Championship?
Deeks: Without question, my favourite Open Championship was at Turnberry in 1994, when Nick Price sank a 40-foot putt on 17 to win by two strokes. Three days later, Nick and his family joined us in Montreal for the Canadian Skins Game, still in a state of euphoria. Unfortunately, Nick missed a 2-foot putt on the 18th hole there (Richelieu Valley GC), to miss winning a skin worth over $100,000, as I remember. Nick was/is probably the nicest person I’ve ever known, on or off a golf course.
Loughry: You know, over the years there have been quite a few memorable ones. Norman scaring us as an older statesman to potentially win, a few years later Watson (I still think he should have won that one), even Mickelson vs Stenson was a pretty epic battle there a few years ago. But Jack and Watson has to be the all-time best. The shot making coming in was terrific and also just because who they are and how they each showed so much respect for one another walking off the 18th green.
Schurman: 1977 Duel in the Sun. Nicklaus made the only bogie between he and Watson over the last 36 holes and that was the difference. BTW Watson finished 10 strokes ahead of the 3rd-place player, Hubert Green.
Rule: That’s an easy one for me, and it was just last year. Mostly because it’s the only Open that I have personally attended, and it was at the Home of Golf. It was such a special week, I was able to be on site 5 of the 7 days, saw Tiger up close in perhaps his last Open (or at least last one at St Andrews perhaps), and walked with the masses around the final 12 holes with Rory on Sunday. Don’t tell anyone but I was also one of those fans that hopped the fence and stood on the 18th fairway while Rory was finishing his round. The week was a very special one for me and will be hard to beat.
Mumford: Over the years, the Open Championship has produced some great drama. The Nicklaus-Watson duel in 1977 is legendary and the Stenson-Mickelson match in 2016 almost as good. My favourite though was Seve winning his first Claret Jug in 1979 at Royal Lytham, where he drove the ball all over the map but used his magnificent short game to recover and eventually beat Nicklaus and Crenshaw by three shots.
Rory McIlroy won the Scottish Open on Sunday in dramatic fashion by birdieing his final two holes to overtake hometown hero Robert MacIntyre. This provides plenty of momentum for the Irishman as he looks to repeat the Championship win he had in 2014 on the same course. By the same token, Cam Smith is the defending Open Champion and won his last event on the LIV Tour. Meanwhile, top ranked betting favourites Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm and Brooks Koepka might also have something to say about the outcome. Who’s your pick to win the Open Championship on Sunday? And who might surprise us all with his first major?
Deeks: Even if Rory hadn’t pulled off that amazing victory, he’d still be my pick for Hoylake. One worries that he might have peaked a week too early, but let’s hope he carries it forward. I just love the courageous way he plays the game, his maturity and fan-friendly attitude. He’s a great champion and deserves more majors than he has on his record to date. My second pick? Corey Conners, of course.
Loughry: I think Rory has to be the favourite going in this week. He’s trending nicely, and won here prior, all good vibes. It’s hard to win back-to-back, but I wouldn’t dismiss it with Rory. The other players just don’t jump out at me as much as Rory’s year to date. Cam might be the only one, as he has tremendous short game and imagination. I’ll be glued to the tele this week.
Schurman: It is difficult to bet against a ‘hot hand’ particularly when he has been trending. So, like everyone, I think Rory is the #1 pick. However, there are a few others who are also worthy of consideration. Tommy Fleetwood earned a ‘golf god’ make-up at Oakdale. At some point, Tyrrell Hatton will play 72 holes without imploding and Viktor Hovland can’t be denied forever.
Rule: I mentioned it last week and I’ll stick with it, my pick is Rickie Fowler. He is playing some great golf, finished T2 at Hoylake in 2014 and has won before on a links course, capturing the Scottish Open at Gullane in 2015. He’s due to win his first major and I think this could be the week. As for a long shot, I’m going with Tom Kim to be in contention come Sunday, coming off a strong performance at Renaissance Club.
Mumford: Rory’s hot but he has this mental baggage when it comes to majors. I think this comes down to an epic battle between Scottie Scheffler, Brooks Koepka and Viktor Hovland. Scheffler’s record this year is historic and you could say he’s overdue for another win. Koepka is a major specialist and his record this year is exceptional. But I think first-timer Viktor gets the victory
