The golf season is defined by the majors — The Masters in April, the U.S. Open in June, the Open Championship in July and normally the PGA in August. The Olympics have forced the PGA into July, just two weeks after the Open Championship.
The PGA Tour controls none of the majors.
It does however, puff its chest out every year about this time with its showcase event, it’s pride and joy, it’s baby — The Players Championship. This is the week. The week the PGA Tour relishes.
It has been an uphill road for the PGA Tour to try and promote it as “The Fifth Major.” Sorry, this isn’t the LPGA, you just don’t decide to add a “fifth major.” It will be forever, the Big Four — Masters, U.S. Open, British and PGA.
Sorry but that’s just the way it is.
To make up for it, the tour simply made it the “richest” event. This season, the Masters paid out $10 million, the U.S. Open will pony up the same, as will the PGA. The Brits, being the thrifty kids on the block, will fork out $9.3 million across the pond in July.
So what does the tour do? Simple, add a half-million — pay out $10,500,000.
That’s a lot of good reasons to show up and everyone will except Tiger Woods, who continues to keep the golf world guessing about this comeback stuff. He makes room reservations but that’s about it. Right now, the Memorial makes sense. But we digress.
Back to The Players and that means back to the infamous 17th. It has become one of the most recognizable holes in professional golf.
It is the dreaded island, the place where dreams drown, the place where some are realized, like Rickie Fowler last year when he birdied the heck out of it to win the 2015 title.
It is the hole that players start thinking about somewhere on the back nine. Don’t get ahead of yourselves, it’s a shot-by-shot game, but they just can’t help it. They’ve seen the disasters.
There’s no bailout. Miss it too far left, right, long or short and you’re staring at double-bogey or worse.
So you see, all holes lead to the 17th. Sure, 18 is tough, but you have to get past “the bouncer” to play there.
The 17th is as unpredictable as the winner.
This course favors no one in particular.
Jack Nicklaus is the only three-time winner of The Players (74, 76, 78) but those were played across the street at the old course on the ocean.
Fred Couples (84, 96), Steve Elkington (91, 97), Hal Sutton (83, 00), Davis Love III (92, 03), and Tiger Woods (01, 13), have all won twice.
Who is the favorite this week? Rickie Fowler is the defending champion and Jordan Spieth returns, finally.
Pick one of them or pick any player in the field.
But make sure they can get past 17.
