The Round Table: Pebble Beach, end of a career and a fantasy grudge match

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.

Allisen Corpuz won the U.S. Women’s Open at Pebble Beach on Sunday with a score of 9-under. In total, only seven players finished under par, which likely made the USGA happy. How do you think Pebble Beach fared as a venue for an LPGA major?

Jim Deeks, Fairways Magazine (@jimdeeks): Just awesome. The course looked great and was a fair but stern test for the ladies. Nine under was a fitting score to win.  Corpuz played very steady, conservative golf, but was followed by a swashbuckler (Charley Hull) who attacked the course… just goes to show that both styles could work at Pebble. I’m delighted to see the LPGA majors going to the really best courses.

Craig Loughry, Golf Ontario (@craigloughry): Pebble played tough. I think the USGA was pleased with the event overall. It showed well, provided a solid test and the Champion played great (some key par saving putts in the final round to keep the momentum going). They really need to go back, it’s a fantastic venue for a Major, and the Woman’s game deserves it.

Michael Schurman, Master Professional / Hall of Fame Member, PGA of Canada: Pebble Beach is one of my favourite courses. I like that part of California too even though the weather can be unpredictable. I wanted to see ‘bump and run’ shots and there were a few. As some of the all-time grand old courses become obsolete to the PGA TOUR, they become relevant for the LPGA.

TJ Rule, Golf Away Tours (@GolfAwayTJ): I loved watching it and thought the course held up perfectly for the tournament.  It wasn’t over the top difficult, the players could shoot some good scores (like Charley Hull on Sunday, impressive!), but it was tough enough to warrant being a host for a major championship.  I hope they return there again soon, always fun to watch golf at Pebble Beach.

Peter Mumford, Fairways Magazine (@FairwaysMag): Fantastic! The set-up was almost perfect. They might have shortened a couple of the par 5’s, especially 18, to make it reachable with a great second shot but otherwise no arguments from me. It was particularly fun to watch the women play this course the way it was intended way back when – hitting longer irons into par 4’s – and compare to how the men play it. One of the best events of the year on any Tour.

Both Annika Sorenstam and Michelle Wie West missed the cut at Pebble Beach. Sorenstam, 52, said afterwards, “That’s about it”, when asked if golf fans would see her again. Wie West chose the Open to announce her retirement from competitive golf, even though she has played sparingly in the last few years. Sorenstam’s legacy as one of the best female golfers of all time is secure but what kind of legacy does Wie West leave behind?

Deeks: Sorenstam’s record would suggest she was the Greatest of the Modern Era (since 1973). But Michelle’s record would suggest A Great Future Never Realized. Yes, she won a US Open, but that’s a far cry from what was expected of her as a 13-year-old, twenty years ago.  What went wrong? Injuries along the way, a fixation on trying different putting techniques, perhaps a lack of focus on the game (preferring, ultimately and admirably, a focus on education), but probably above all, the burden of expectations.  Nonetheless, she has always carried herself honourably and proudly, and she retires as one of the most popular women players of all time. And I suspect she’s more than happy with that.

Loughry: I don’t hold anything against Wie, but if everyone is honest, she had a good career but a disappointing one at the same time. The hype was immense, and the bar set so high for her that anything less than Hall of Fame status would be considered a disappointment. And I’m fairly sure she isn’t getting into the Hall of Fame on her professional playing accomplishments.

Schurman: Annika is the epitome of everything you could ever ask of a professional golfer. Wie has had some of the worst injuries inflicted on anyone and is a US Open Champion. However, she is still an under-achieving whiner. I thought it was a mistake for the LPGA to adopt her swing in their motif before she won anything and I will never forget her taking a spot on the men’s tour. I have no problem with her playing; just go through the process or earn your way on your own tour like Annika did. I won’t miss her.

Rule: Unfortunately she’ll be more known for perhaps wasting her talent early on in her career and never really reaching her true potential.  And that’s a shame because she was a great player, a major champion, and by all accounts, a very likeable athlete during a time when the LPGA needed a likeable and dominant star player, particularly from the US.  She wasn’t as dominant as I think she could have been, but 5 wins including a major would be considered an incredible career for most.

Mumford: With better advice and more focus when she was younger, Wie West might have a record similar to Brooke Henderson’s (13 LPGA wins including 2 majors) or even better. I can’t think of a single sustained period when she wasn’t distracted from her LPGA career due to injuries, chasing starts on the PGA Tour, changing her game, going to school or something. Not that she likely has any regrets – she’s got a great life and I suspect her biggest impact on women’s golf is yet to come. She’s a terrific role model for young girls and seems to relish her ambassador role. Her legacy is still a work in progress.

Cam Smith won the LIV Golf event in London last week and looks to defend his Open Championship title at Hoylake next week. Meanwhile, Brooks Koepka has a win and a T2 in two majors this year, Talor Gooch has three LIV Golf wins and Dustin Johnson and Patrick Reed are both rounding into form. If this were a team match, LIV Golf against the Top 5 in the World Rankings (Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy, Patrick Cantlay and Viktor Hovland), which team prevails at the Open Championship and who do you like to nab the individual honours?

Deeks: Out of principle, I would never select the LIV team, but you ask an interesting question. As for individual honours, what the heck, I’m going with Corey Connors.  The Canadians on Tour have had a terrific cumulative year of success, and it’s about time one of them won a major.

Loughry: Oh Geez, Us vs Them, wouldn’t that make for an epic next The Match. I believe a large number of people would tune in for that. I honestly think the LIV team would win such a battle. They’re a little stronger in my opinion in the top five. Top 10 vs top 10 I’d take the PGA Tour guys though, as there’s0 just no depth for the full LIV golf fields compared to the PGA Tour. I don’t think anyone would disagree with that take. If you do, you would be wrong!

Schurman: I watched the Senate Hearing about the LIV/PGA TOUR discussions. What a circus! The Chair, Mr Blumenthal actually said he hoped every PGA TOUR player would remain with the PGA TOUR and not allow LIV to make a deal. He thinks they should play for the ‘old” (pre-designated events) purses out of loyalty and honour. Maybe the LIV Team will play a series of matches against the PGA TOUR Team starting this week at Hoylake. Why not have them pay their own expenses and all shake hands with the winners as the prize? After all, it’s only golf! Why should anyone get paid to play a sport? Cam Smith repeats in a playoff with Rory and Brooks and the USA would win the match.

Rule: That’s a great question and a coin flip in my mind.  I like to think that the PGA Tour guys would have a slight advantage, but given the performances by the LIV players at the majors so far this year, I wouldn’t be surprised if they outperformed the top 5.  In any case, I can’t wait to watch.  For individual honours among those 10, I would choose Scottie, he’s just too consistent.  But for the whole field, I like Rickie’s form at the moment, and he’s won on a links course in the past when he captured the Scottish Open at Gullane, and he finished T2 when Rory won at Hoylake in 2014.  Would be great to see him win his first major at The Open this year.

Mumford: Even without the benefit of world rankings, the top LIV players are still world class and in a grudge match or as a fantasy bet for the Open Championship, I’d give the edge to the top five LIV guys. As for an individual champion, it’s hard to bet against Koepka.