Deryck Griffith

Without any hesitation, Johnny's round was better. And it isn't whining if you are 100% right. Plus, he was asked the question and gave his answer.

Agreed. There isn't a single player on the PGA Tour (even those who haven't won) that should ever be labeled as not having talent as it is crazy to say that about anyone whom is the top 1% in his/her craft in the world.

I'm excited about the tourney this week. I was looking at the players and there's going to be a great field competing this weekend which is always fun and will be at this tournament. As it pertains to Tiger, there are only two things that I am hoping for. 1. that he makes the cut and 2, that he gets through the tournament feeling good and healthy. Health is the imperative factor to anything Tiger does going forward in his career and if his back acts up again, that'll be it. So low expectations is going to be my approach with him during the early part of the season leading up to the masters.

I was disappointed with Jason's take on this matter. It kind of reminds me of when Rory said he didn't get into golf to grow the game. In both instances / comments, they are very singular and "all I care about is me" types of attitudes that really avoid the big picture. In the big picture, growing the game benefits PGA tour players as more people participating and watching the game live and on TV only helps the tour to gain more tournament sponsors (easier) and will continue to raise purses. This "attitude" that they live in a world that us "average Joe's" don't understand is poppy cock. If you are going to ink an apparel deal with Nike golf because your status on the tour entices people to wear "said" Nike golf apparel, then "how you play" will have an effect on those same people who support Nike by buying their clothes because you are wearing them. So in the big picture, if growing the game keeps this whole Golf engine churning, and we can agree that faster play on Tour will help to set an example for amateurs and THIS example will help to grow the game (people who have families won't have to muscle through a 5 hr round at their club) then his attitude and response plain out sucks in every which way. Athletes in all sports always miss the big picture because their egos get in the way when they are playing and it's always disappointing but never a surprise... at least for me it isn't.

What a wonderful achievement. Congratulations

I think this is one of the best decisions Tiger has made to go along with some of the other good decisions he has made recently. The decision to not come back early was a good decision and this decision, to withdraw after realizing over the weekend while playing / practicing at Stanford that his game isn't "good enough" is also a good decision. No one has mentioned the fact that Tiger hasn't had the chance to religiously practice the last month due to the Ryder CUP and the Hurricane in FL (which is was he was playing in California). So it seems to me that he was "cramming it all in" the last several days and realized that it is crazy to expect to cram over several days and then show up to a PGA Tour event and play to a +8 handicap level. We've seen the opposite - Tiger coming back when he clearly wasn't ready and it didn't look good. Not to mention, the standard in which he will be covered (there will be a camera on every single shot he makes) just doesn't warrant the need to push it and come back this week. People say "other golfers hit bad shots and play poorly" but luckily for them, those golfers don't have every shot filmed and scrutinized. They can play Shi**y in relative anonymity which makes suffering from poor play easier. Tiger doesn't have that luxury. He WILL be, guaranteed covered on every single thing he does and shot he makes and with this as fact, he knows struggling with his game after all this time would be incredibly painful for everyone not to mention his own psyche. It sucks but I think it is for the best. I believe his intentions were good but it just isn't worth it. I'm actually happy to see he is capable of showing some tail between the legs restraint...

I recently last minute cancelled on a wedding trip to the Caribbean due to the Zika virus. My travel agent and other agents I know all warned that the threats are absolutely legit. It was my call to make and I decided to not risk it (and others did the same thing). IIRC, Rory was one of the most vocal PGA Tour Pros on what a privilege and how much it would mean to him to compete in the Olympics. So to me, to go from that (complete enthusiasm) to now withdrawing tells me he's obtained further information on the risks. He more than likely weighed the options and probably said, "why even go?" He's young, has a new lady in his life and considering this isn't a make or break event, it's a simple decision really and I don't think there is anything really more to it than that. If the Zika virus didn't exist, and there weren't so many other unknowns (there is also talk about some super bacteria lingering too?), I'm pretty sure he would have gone.

Personally, I feel this whole thing is less about the rule itself and more about the application of the rule by the USGA. If we agree that DJ did perform a rule infraction, and I'm sure the USGA had already made up their minds that they were going to apply it, then he should of been told on hole # 12 that the penalty will be applied so everything could be adjusted and changed; scoreboards, fox and their online leaderboard, PGA Tour radio and their reporting, my PGA Tour app, etc. . That would have prevented the lingering nature of this whole fiasco during the last part of the tournament and would have made things crystal clear, end of story. The USGA handled this whole situation poorly. The official that was with DJ's group screwed up, big time and the USGA should say that he did and say that they reversed / made the change due to the mistake instead of beating around the bush about it.

I have it in my mind that he should and would be out the entire year. I wonder if this maybe is a bit too early? He's got a tremendous medical / fitness team around him so I'm sure they are instructing / clearing him to do this and that team knows way more than me and most of us on this forums so how can I or anyone say it's too early. I just hope It isn't and well, would have voted to take all of 2016 off. We will see what happens I guess and I hope this time he's right because if he has another injury and they have to cut into that back again for a 4th time, his career (and maybe worst) will more than likely be done.

Stats don't lie. You can even take if further. As of yesterday (04-03-2016) , of the Top 10 in strokes gained putting, only 2 are in the OWGR Top 20 (Day and Mickelson; Danny Willett doesn't count). The remaining 8 are as follows: Steve Stricker (1) Jaime Donaldson (2) Adam Hadwin (4) Kelly Kraft (5) Patton Kizzire (7) Brain Harman (8) Johnson Wagner (9) Russell Henley (10) Of the Top 20 in strokes gained putting, only 4 are in the top 20 of the OWGR. Yes, only 4 (Danny Willett excluded again). Here's how it looks: The 4 that are in the Top 20 of the OWGR: Jason Day (3) Phil Mickelson (6) Jordan Speith (17) Dustin Johnson (19) The rest who aren't in the OWGR Top 20 Steve Stricker (1) Jaime Donaldson (2) Adam Hadwin (4) Kelly Kraft (5) Patton Kizzire (7) Brain Harman (8) Johnson Wagner (9) Russell Henley (10) Brendon Todd (11) Andrew Landry (12) Aaron Baddeley (13) Brice Garnett (14) Derek Fathauer (15) Jonas Blixt (16) Andrew Loupe (18) Stuart Appleby (20) When will the masses start to realize that talking about the importance of putting to the levels we do is just one big bowl of hyperbole. I would also suggest that a lot of the players in the Top 20 in strokes gained putting are there because they scramble more and more than likely make long puts for pars WHICH balloon them up in the strokes gained stats. While conversely, the good ball strikers are putting for birdies, miss the birdie putt, tap in for par and well, a 1 or 2 foot par putt when calculating strokes gained doesn't jump you up in the stats. Neither does a birdie putt that you "HIT" to 4 or 5 feet. That 4-5 foot birdie putt again doesn't jump you up in strokes gained; it's the strokes gained on the "shot itself" that should be focused on.

Protracer on every shot would be great. But if not on every shot, why can't they freaking "zoom in on the ball" from the back as it is hit. For example on the tee where the majority of the shots are from down the line, after the player hits the ball, they can absolutely zoom in on the ball as it is traveling towards the fairway from behind the ball vs. the BS white ball in blue sky shot that always happens. Zooming in behind the ball as it is moving away from the golfer creates WAY more perspective and is a much more realistic way of watching what is happening. I believe they do this a lot on #18 of the Players Championship and it is great. Things like this would do wonders to improve the telecast along with all of the others points in the article which I wholeheartedly agree with. The coverage is asinine in all aspects and they are dreaming if they think they produce a good product on TV for lovers of the game.

I also am for it If it is regulated based on temperature as that makes sense to me and is fair for the players as it freaking hot in the middle of summer for them out there. The only thing I would say is how it would look visually if some guys are wearing shorts and others aren't. There is visual consistency when everyone wearing pants and aesthetically makes sense on TV. But if some players are wearing shorts and others aren't, then that consistency from a visual aspect could be affected.

Still scratching my head on the decision to pull driver on 17 with a 2 shot lead. 5iron into the fairway followed by a wedge and I'm sure he would of had a nice look for birdie and a guaranteed par. Aside from that, quite the entertaining finish. I was pulling for Rickie but am also happy for Matsuyama. His ball striking was superb and he earned it.

Your putting stats will improve as soon as your ball striking improves. 3 putting is a lot less likely to happen when you are "striking" the ball closer to the hole vs. "striking" it poorly and leaving yourself longer putts which brings 3 putting into play. The same for your short game. When you are striking the ball better and you miss the green, a stronger ball striker will leave their shots closer to the green. Closer to the green equates to an easier executable chip and an easier executable chip equates a higher percentage chance chipping closer to the hole and being closer to the hole once again, equates to a higher percentage to not 3 putt or to even 1 putt.....you get the idea... People who say they putt well wouldn't make much of a difference to a high handicappers score because most high handicappers use up their shots to par prior to even reaching the green. That's where the conning yourself lies.... By the time a high handicapper reaches the green, they are usually putting for bogey or worst.

You are still conning yourself if you think short game is the #1 reason for not breaking 100.

One of the biggest ways I see people Con themselves is by not TRULY playing by the rules but thinking they are actually putting down an accurate score (which makes them believe they are better than they really are). Taking a breakfast ball off of the tee; ridiculous gimme putts (probably the biggest Con of all!); taking very generous drops from hazards, etc etc. Usually, they are the same players that play in tournaments where they really have to play by the rules and score way worst than "they usually score" and attribute it to a "bad day" or some other Con excuse. I con myself by not practicing properly. At times on the range, I beat balls and while I'm hitting them "well," I'm conning myself into thinking I'm having a good range session. It's artificial and in most times, ineffective practice. My practice should be more creative and purposeful. Hitting to different targets. Switching clubs more often rather than hitting 20 9irons, 20 7irons, 20 5irons and so on. I should be taking a more routine approach before hitting each shot on the range (stepping back behind the ball, focusing on a target, and stepping into the shot like I would on the golf course). I should be focusing harder on aligning myself to target rather than again, beating balls. I'm conning myself by thinking NOT practicing this way, every time (not just sometimes) is a way to get better.

Couldn't agree with you more. Aside from that, super happy Jason finally got his major! It's was a long time coming and he absolutely deserves it. What a year for golf...

Are all the other wives of PGA Tour Pros golf diggers also? Maybe the "not so attractive ones" no and the attractive ones yes? Keegan Bradley has a really hot GF. Is she a gold digger? She just met him recently (maybe a couple of years now). How about Webb Simpson's wife who met him around the same time in his career that Amanda met Dufner? She must be a gold digger too! There is no mystery that woman (and also men for that matter) are attracted to success. Just because Jason and Amanda didn't work out doesn't mean she's a "gold digger" as there are other PGA Tour wives who got with their PGA Tour husbands in the same fashion that Amanda did.

I'm pretty sure Amanda was with Dufner before he made it on the tour and started making good money so with that being true, I would assume she got with him because she actually really did like him; not because of financial reasons as you have suggested. Sure when she started dating him, he was an up and coming golfer and that probably played into some of the attraction but so what? It's no different than a girl dating a broke guy in college studying to become a doctor OR lawyer or something along those lines. In most cases, the parents of these girls encourage it - "good choice honey, he looks like he is going somewhere in life with his career and not a dead beat on the street." There are many fathers on this forum and I would be willing to bet the overwhelming majority would approve of their daughter(s) dating a guy that is going somewhere in life; especially, those going somewhere in careers that can bring tremendous success. Does that make the daughters of these fathers shallow? Only in it for the money? As for Dufner being a genuinely nice guy, you don't know that for sure and it's wrong to pass judgement on a girl just because she's "very attractive." Are there girls that gold dig, sure, but I don't feel there is enough evidence to make that assumption in this situation. Lastly regarding Tiger, Tiger is WAY too easy of a target for me to fully buy into this.

I agree with this. Heck, make it a 4 week, 8 week suspension. She has done a lot to bring attention to the game that that shouldn't of been discounted when the decision for punishment was made.

I chose the first option. It adds to the allure of the tournament which makes this tournament what it is. Would it be "ideal" for the former winners to sign off earlier, maybe BUT I can envision when I have a child one day, taking them to the Masters and saying, "that's Tiger woods maybe the best ever, I remember when he...." or "that's Phil Mickelson, one of the best ever," etc. Those opportunities are amazing and only can happen at the Masters. With how the tradition is now, the window for that opportunity is available to be experienced for a decent duration of time due to most of the former winners playing well past their prime. If former winners signed off prematurely, then that window would be much smaller than it is now.

The only time I use iron covers is when I pack my clubs for travel. So while on the course, the irons and wedges are fully exposed. Everything else is covered aside from my driver. I throw the driver cover in the basket because it's the longest club and while in the bag, it towers over everything else and doesn't clang against anything.

Tiger makes the cut, has a look at contenting but in the end doesn't. Personally, if he makes the cut and has an average round, I hope he takes it as progress and doesn't go mental on himself for not contending. To be honest, I just want him to make the cut, that's my only expectation "right now." I'm pumped.

Ripped arms doesn't necessarily equate to distance which applies to both men and woman. That said however, technically in comparison to "most" woman (not all of course), Lexi might not necessarily be considered "ripped" but certainly in phenomenal shape and being in phenomenal shape certainly is relevant to the article.