Hope you are all doing well…
Ok – Here we go. I can see the letters and anger coming already. Greg Norman winning the Open Championship would have been the worst thing to ever happen in golf. There, I’ve said it. Sure, it was exciting. Sure, it was fun to watch. Sure, we all expected him to fold like a paper airplane. My point however is that I do not want my Champion Golfer of the Year being someone that really does not like playing golf, let alone someone that has not made a commitment to the game, especially someone that has made hundreds of millions of dollars from the game. I am pretty sure that many years ago, Norman loved the game of golf, but not much anymore.
I had the opportunity to interview Norman, one on one, a few months back. During the interview I asked if he missed playing. “Absolutely not,” he said. I got the distinct impression that Norman has not enjoyed playing for many years. I think it came easy. Greg Norman had as much natural ability as anyone, ever. Greg Norman enjoyed making money. In my opinion, Greg Norman lost whatever passion he had for the game and played because he got him what he truly loved, being a businessman. Greg Norman got what he wanted from the game.
Let’s compare Faldo and Norman. Most hated Faldo - the villain. Faldo with the sour face, the mean look; Norman, with the straw hat; the blond hair and the great smile. The bigger difference, Norman had all the talent and not much drive; Faldo, ok talent, but incredible drive, an endless desire for perfection. Give me the Faldo’s every time.
If Norman had won it would have been a slap in the face of every golfer that spends hour after hour on the driving range working endlessly on his game.
Padrig Harrington won’t make millions from the win. He doesn’t have a clothing line or much of anything else. He just has a golf game that makes me proud to be a golfer. Don’t get me wrong: what Greg Norman has done with his professional life is amazing. He has taken being a golfer and turned it into an empire. I give him plenty of credit for that; I just don’t want him being the Champion Golfer of the Year.
Two other notes… this has nothing to do with age. I love the fact that he played so great at 53. I envy Kenny Perry and Tommy Armour. I just wish Norman had their passion for the game. Finally, if you think I am wrong, let’s see if Greg chooses to play in the PGA.
I finally figured it out this week. All I have to do is be very bad at my profession… then screw up so I can get in trouble. In other words, be disqualified, and for doing all that I will get a tremendous raise. Isn’t that in fact what happened to Michele Wie this week? After playing horrible golf for the last year, she manages to get herself disqualified last weekend for failing to sign her scorecard and now she gets a sponsor’s exemption into another PGA Tour event.
SHAME ON YOU, RENO-TAHOE… SHAME ON YOU. For those that read my newsletter each week, you know that I have been blaming the Tournament Directors for asking Michele and John to their events. Well, it has not seemed to make a difference (of course, who am I). So now I make a plea to each of you. Boycott the events. Please. Until we, the fans, stop attending, it seems they see that as a sign to keep inviting. We have to show that we really mean it; that they, the Tournament Directors, must stop giving unwarranted sponsors exemptions in the name of fan appreciation.
The last time I checked, this is the PGA Tour, not Ringling Brothers. If a Tour event honestly believes they need Michele Wie, maybe it is time for that event to move into the Fall Series. Let’s give the dates to people that want to make a Tour event. Please see Wachovia, just six years old. I know not every tour event is going to get the best players, but build a great event and many will come. And that, my friends, is enough. Maybe the Sacramento Kings need Michele. Think she would say yes to that?
We can all name at least 10 players, professional and amateur, that would make better exemptions. What can we do as a group of loving fans to stop these people from giving exemptions in our name? There is only one thing and you know what it is.
You know, I really don’t like being angry. I so love this game. I so enjoy the PGA Tour and what it has given us this year. Maybe it’s time to just accept it and move on… or not.
