Each week, GolfChannel.com takes a look back at the week in golf. Here’s what’s weighing on our writers’ minds.
On the Florida swing ...
Well, that was fun. The Florida swing ended Sunday with another high-profile player holding a trophy, and that means we are only two events away from heading down Magnolia Lane.
What did we learn after four weeks in the Sunshine State? Jason Day showed at Bay Hill he’s not going anywhere after a career year in 2015. He joined fellow Aussie Adam Scott – who kicked off the Florida swing with wins at the Honda Classic and Doral – on the growing list of Masters favorites. And with his win at the Valspar, Charl Schwartzel is grouped with Scott and Bubba Watson as former Masters champs who are peaking at the right time.
Add in solid play by Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson, and we have a ridiculous amount of storylines to chew on as the first major of the year approaches. – Ryan Reiterman
On Troy Merritt’s double bogey on 18 ...
You know what? Good for Troy Merritt.
Sure, that double bogey at the last cost him a boatload of money. The difference between tying for second and tying for third is no small sum. It’s $84,000.
But Merritt went for it. He didn’t bail out left and try make a swinging 30-footer. He didn’t play for par when Day looked like he could make bogey from the left bunker.
The guy had made five straight birdies to start his back nine, charged all the way back into contention, and he fired at the pin. He just came up about 10 yards short.
The rest of us would probably like the par and the 84 grand, but Merritt walked away with $470,000 anyway. What I’m saying is, it’s really nice to be a Tour pro. – Nick Menta
On the race to make the South Korean Olympic team ...
Nobody’s taking Olympic golf more seriously than the South Korean women, and it’s serving them well.
Inbee Park says it may be harder to make the Korean Olympic team than it is to win a medal in Rio de Janeiro. Na Yeon Choi says there is crazy interest in the updated weekly Olympic Women’s Golf Rankings in Korean newspapers and on web sites.
It just might push the Koreans playing the LPGA to their best year yet as they battle for the coveted maximum four spots they can claim for the Olympics. It may push players trying to make the team to record-setting victory totals and scores this year.
Sunday in Phoenix, we saw Sei Young Kim put up a record-tying effort with her win at the JTBC Founders Cup. She equaled Annika Sorenstam’s 72-hole LPGA scoring record (-27). Kim’s closing 62 equaled Inbee Park’s record for lowest final-round score by a winner in relation to par (10 under). With the win, Kim gave South Koreans victories in four of the first six LPGA events this year. – Randall Mell
