Since the PGA Tour introduced the FedExCup Playoffs in 2007, tour officials have strived to find the best format for determining a season-long champion. Over the past dozen years, the tour has made several changes to the Playoffs points system after the first one was found to have a serious problem in terms of having the FedExCup champion determined in the season-ending Tour … [Read more...]
Woods Rallies for First Time in a Major to Take Fifth Masters Title
While he was winning 14 majors between 1997 and 2008, Tiger Woods established a 100 percent predictable model for divining whether he was going to win a Grand Slam event going to the final round. When leading or sharing the lead after 54 holes, Woods was 14-0 in Grand Sam events. When he was trailing going to the final round, he was 0-for-everything else. His spotless … [Read more...]
Masters preview: McIlroy the Favorite, No Green Jacket for Tiger or Phil
The list of potential 2019 Masters champions is long, with a clear but not overwhelming favorite who comes into the tournament as the game’s hottest player, but who does not have the best relationship with Augusta National. Everything points to a Rory McIlroy victory in Augusta next week. He has finished sixth or better in each of his six starts in PGA Tour stroke play … [Read more...]
Reed fought off more popular challengers to capture 2018 Masters title
Last year’s Masters victory by Patrick Reed may not have been the most well-received conclusion in the tournament’s 80-plus year history, but it was certainly one of the most well-earned. At various stages during Sunday’s final round, Reed was challenged by three of golf’s highest profile performers, each of whom would have been a much more popular champion. Even though … [Read more...]
Masters Memories: Woods, Mickelson dominated for 2 decades
For more than two decades from the mid-1990s to the mid-2010s, golf fans could count on seeing the names of Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson on the leader board at the Masters on an annual basis. From 1995 to 2013, either Woods or Mickelson (and frequently both) finished at least seventh in the Masters. After that streak ended when Woods did not play and Mickelson missed the … [Read more...]
Masters Flashback: Johnson’s 2007 victory has unique place in tournament history
A study of Masters history reveals some interesting patterns related to the annual winning scores. Over the past three decades, the winning 72-hole total has been higher than 280 on only four occasions. Three of those Masters – 2003, 2007, and 2016 – produced three of the most surprising Masters champions since Augusta native Larry Mize toppled two of the game’s giants (Greg … [Read more...]
PGA Tour Preview: Significant Changes Highlight 2019 Schedule
The 2019 portion of the PGA Tour schedule began with two events in Hawaii, and will be followed by four annual stops in California and one in Arizona, the same as it has for the past two decades. After that, the usually standard sequence of tournaments has been significantly shuffled, along with a number of rules changes that are slightly confusing but not overly impactful. … [Read more...]
9 Players with Georgia Ties Among Early 2019 Masters Invitees
With the 2018 golf calendar down to a handful of international tournaments, invitations are about to go out for the 2019 Masters, and a smaller than usual group of golfers with Georgia ties will be among those getting an invite in the mail. Only nine players with Georgia ties will be receiving Masters invitations over the holidays, and four of them have won in Augusta, which … [Read more...]
Kuchar Ends Drought with Victory in Mexico
After 4 ½ years without a victory on the PGA Tour, Matt Kuchar collected his eighth career title Sunday in Mexico, taking the Mayakoba Classic despite a shaky showing down the stretch. Kuchar, a standout in college at Georgia Tech and one of the PGA Tour’s top players for the past decade, enjoyed an exceptional week at the Caribbean resort, setting course records for 36, 54 … [Read more...]