What's Wrong With Phil?

[Sandy Divot]

I heard on XM that Phil is 51 over par since the Masters. Phil has been working hard to add club head speed.Has this search for distance hurt his game? Some folks have said that trying to hit it longer is what has hurt Jordan. Would these guys be better off just playing their game rather than trying to hit further?

[SPJr]

He's just out of his prime, wouldn't you say?

He may be making things worse by trying to change his game instead of just playing with the tools he has. But that's impossible to really know.

Regardless, Phil's best golf is behind him.

He could still pop up here and there and compete, no question. He could string together some good weeks, no question. He is one of the all-time greats after all.

[klineka]

37 minutes ago, Sandy Divot said:

Phil has been working hard to add club head speed.Has this search for distance hurt his game?

No. It's not just his driving, Phil isn't really playing that well in any facet of his game this season.

SG Off the Tee - 151st

SG Approach the Green - 139th

SG Around the Green - 95th

SG Putting - 131st

[Patch]

I think the easy answer is he is getting older, and past his "pga" prime. Way past. 

As for swinging faster, that could be the culprit. Swinging faster, physically takes the golfer out of their comfort zone. Screws their mechanics up, which could effect their whole bag of clubs. 

[Yukari]

As ppl have said, Phil is past his prime.

With regards to PGA/LPGA players trying to gain distance, I have yet to see someone become better trying to achieve more distance.  There have been players who included work out to gain more distance and became better.  But changing the swing that got them to PGA/LPGA to get more distance seems to be detrimental to high caliber players.

Weekend hackers on the other hand can significantly increase the distance by changing their swing.

[iacas]

28 minutes ago, Yukari said:

With regards to PGA/LPGA players trying to gain distance, I have yet to see someone become better trying to achieve more distance.

Francesco Molinari.

[Yukari]

1 hour ago, iacas said:

Francesco Molinari.

I stand corrected.  He seems to be a rare exception rather than a rule.

[iacas]

3 minutes ago, Yukari said:

I stand corrected.  He seems to be a rare exception rather than a rule.

Others too.

[ghalfaire]

I didn't see anyone mention this but Phil has Psoriatic Arthritis.  I don't know a lot about this disease but it is an autoimmune problem.  It Like a many other autoimmune issues they can be controlled but not cured.  It is my suspicion that this flares up now and again and would certainly affect Phil's game.  So for whatever it is worth my opinion is the arthritis is the issue with Phil.  I'm sure aging doesn't help but I doubt that is the big issue with Phil.

[ChrisP]

What’s wrong with Phil? He’s 49 going on 50. Father Time is a real thing. It’s why only a couple players have won a major past their 45th birthday. In fact has anyone ever won it past their 46th?

Edited August 13, 2019 by ChrisP