Pebble Beach, California (AP) – The coup on Rory McILroy was that he had won his majors on soft routes. Even Sunday, when he won the at & t pebble beach pro-amMcILroy said that an argument could be advanced that he had not won over the highest reputation.
This is what made this victory a little more special.
“There are a few what I could call the golf cathedrals here-Augusta, St. Andrews of course, perhaps some others that you could add to it,” he said. “I had a big zero fatty on all those who enter here. Bringing one to Pebble to fall is very cool. I am a big historian of the game, and I remember all the championships that have been played here. And adding my name to this list is pretty cool.
Art Spander, the columnist of the longtime bay region, years ago, he referred to Pebble Beach, Augusta and St. Andrews as the three best datelines of golf. Imagine having trophies of the three.
This is a small list.
Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods have the ultimate trifecta like the only players to have won the Masters at Augusta National, the US Open in Pebble Beach and the British Open in St. Andrews.
Sam Snead won the majors at Augusta National and St. Andrews, as well as the victory of the Bing Crosby Pro-Am in Pebble. Add to the Mark O’Meara and Phil Mickelson list. They won the Masters, as well as the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and the Dunhill Cup in St. Andrews.
McILroy has only one, but he will take it, as well as some close calls.
He lost an advance of four strokes in the 2011 masters final (he was a finalist in 2022 against Scottie Scheffler but never had the chance to win) and he lost the share of the advance of 54 holes In St. Andrews in 2022, finishing third behind Cameron Smith. He also had three finalists in the Dunhill Links championship, where two towers take place in St. Andrews.
Hoffman’s letter
Charley Hoffman is the last player at Write a letter to his colleagues Asking them to do their part to improve the PGA Tour. He focused on the rhythm of play, without any additional overview. Justin Thomas wrote more about players by doing more with broadcasting.
The most special of Hoffman’s letter was the veiled shot to Rory McILroy in a letter – obtained by Golf.com – sent to membership on Sunday while McILroy played the last hole of a convincing victory at the AT&T Pebble Beach pro- Am.
“If we really care to strengthen our tour, we should support as many PGA Tour events as possible,” said Hoffman’s letter. “Many of you keep saying that you want to play fewer events, but you always find time for TGL, Race to Dubai and other non -PGA Tour events, and that will continue regardless of the size of the field.”
McILroy said at the start of the year in Dubai that he plans to play fewer events this year – He played 27 last year while continuing to support his original circuit, the European tour. McILroy is a winner six times from the race in Dubai and the only player to win the race in Dubai and the Fedex Cup during the same season.
He is also co-founder, with Tiger Woods and the former director of the Golf Channel Mike McCarley, of the Interior TGL.
As for “other non -PGA tour events”, there was only The match made for McILroy and Scottie Scheffler television played against Brooks Koepka and Bryson Dechambeau In December, considered a chance to respond to fans who wish to see the players of Liv and PGA Tour together.
It was a strange comment, especially since McILroy was congratulated to stand near his original circuit, even if the gap with the lucrative PGA Tour is growing. He played eight European touring events last year, not counting the majors.
Zinger and Tiger
Paul Azinger thinks that anticipation will be higher than ever in a year with Tiger Woods. The stake is his age – Woods will be 50 years old in December – and if he will compete in the champions of the PGA Tour.
Azinger, now an analyst on the circuit 50 years and over, said that its effect could be enormous.
“You have all these giant names on this tour and you bring Tiger, I think the world media appear immediately. I’m talking about global media, “said Azinger last week at a conference call to promote the Chubb Classic in Florida next week.
“Then suddenly the accent is on this tour,” he said. “Many guys will be in good shape and ready and try to beat Tiger if they can.”
One of them has already done so, with help. Bernhard Langer and his adult son, Jason, beat Woods and Charlie, 15 years old in playoffs.
Azinger took one more step by suggesting that Woods “could even feel an obligation” to play the champions of the PGA Tour.
“The tour has given Tiger a lot of money in recent years with this program of impact of players,” said Azinger, referring to the bonus program that gave Woods $ 45 million despite the fact that he did not Was not played much because of the injuries.
“I am sure he will give back, and it will be for the benefit of these guys here who are over 50 years old,” said Azinger.
Again, Woods is considered the engine between the PGA Tour Prix in Silver pic over the years.
CBS and the pebble assessment
The TV ratings late on the PGA Tour received a predictable boost last week, when Rory McILroy won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
The tournament falls the weekend between the NFL conference championship matches and the Super Bowl. And it’s Pebble Beach.
CBS reports that the final round was on average 3.33 million viewers, making it the most watched final tour in Pebble Beach since Daniel Berger won in 2021 and the final round of the PGA Tour most watched since Scottie Scheffler won the players’ championship last year.
The coverage culminated at nearly 4 million viewers.
Call to Galler
Laurie Canter, in England, won the Bahrain championship last week on the European tour and went to n ° 51 in the world ranking. This happened two weeks after finishing third in the Dubai Desert Classic.
It is worth monitoring in the coming months when the masters take the top 50 a full week before the first major of the year.
What is interesting about Canter is that Liv Golf did not seem very interested. Canter was part of the League funded by Saudi Arabia at the start in 2022, and he played a full season in 2023. He won just over $ 5.1 million.
But he was not recovered for 2024 – he only played at Agas a year ago, which means that his ban on any PGA Tour event would end after this week.
“I’m going to do everything I can to get into this top 50 and get the opportunities that bring. It’s great to have a target like this, “said Canter. “There is a lot to play. The PGA Tour is the carrot at the end of the year. »»
Canter got closer to last year to obtain one of the 10 cards for European members of the tour, after having won Germany at the European Open.
Divots
The PGA Tour’s The social media team followed Rory McILroy After his victory at Pebble Beach, including a trophy presentation with Jim Nantz de CBS. Nantz thanked McILroy, noting that the network had time to fill before leaving the air. “So we don’t have a slow game problem?” Replied McILroy, laughing. … Danny List, who learned to play in his hometown in Ghana, is the recipient of the commemorative exemption Charlie Sifford to play in the Genesis Invitational. The tournament has moved this year to Torrey Pines.
Weekly statistics
Rory McILroy has an average of 336.7 yards on the two measured discs when he won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Dustin Johnson has an average of 303.3 yards when he won in Pebble in 2010.
Last word
“I spent so much energy worrying about the tour and where everything is going, it’s exhausting. I am to the point where I want to focus on myself. – Rory McILroy.
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