The Unofficial Start of the 2024 PGA Tour Season
That was crazy. Unbelievable. What a finish to a golf tournament.
This past weekend we witnessed something at a tournament that has NEVER been done in my lifetime.
It’s a moment I will remember for the rest of my life.
That’s right. Rory McIlroy became the first person to win the Dubai Desert Classic 4 times. I’m kidding! We’ll get to him later, though.
Nick Dunlap Wins the AMEX Drive, Chip, and Putt Contest
Of course, I am talking about Nick Dunlap’s win at the American Express. He’s the first amateur to win on tour since Lefty did it in 1991. The kid just turned 20 years old and he wins in the final group with fellow Alabama alum Justin Thomas. Rumor has it that Nick Saban left his job just to caddy for this kid!
The irony wasn’t lost on me. The defending champ was Jon Rahm. His streak of winnings this time last year was by far the best story in golf. And yet his absence is replaced. The story goes on and this is arguably an even bigger story. That’s the brilliant part of golf: there’s always someone working their butt off to dethrone you. Then again, we can get this type of story week in and week out if everyone just jumps to LIV! Now THAT’S an idea.
I don’t consider the golf season started until The Farmers this week and yet we may have already witnessed the story of the year. Surely this kid is destined to break Jack Nicklaus’s all time major records! And what are his odds at Augusta this year? Anything higher than 14-1 is disrespectful. Hyperbole aside, it is fun to watch fearless kids go out and do it.
I remember watching Jordan Spieth win the John Deere in 2015. I don’t know why I was watching that… I was more golf obsessed in high school I think. I remember our old couch in the basement watching on our old TV thinking this is going to be the next great American golfer. He was only 19 at the time. Who knows what will happen to Nick Dunlap. I won’t project into his future more than the golf world already has. But I’m sure it was a day he will remember for the rest of his life. He may even be the next great American golfer.
We might have to get ready for Sunday Crimson
Rory’s Redemption in Dubai
That drive on 18 the week before was painful to watch. I set my alarm for 5 am to watch him and Tommy battle it down on the back nine. As someone that struggles with the lefts, playing a draw on a finishing hole with water left and a one shot lead is nightmare fuel. And he hooked it.
The thing is… Rory didn’t HAVE to play a draw. He plays cuts all the time. Start it left and work it back to the fairway and he’s golden. In his interview he said that he wanted to be able to hit the “correct” shot. He wanted to trust his draw. Some could say that the correct shot is the one that wins you the golf tournament. I agree to some extent. But was that the tournament he wanted to win? Or is he playing a bigger game?
Fast forward to this past weekend. One shot lead going into the final hole again. It’s a par five and the second shot is a long iron over water to a tucked pin. All he needed was par and the tournament was his. Layup, stick a wedge, two putt and win, right?
Wrong. Rory pulled a long iron and went for the green in two. Some may not think it was that risky. But here’s some context: Rory has SKELETONS on this very hole. In 2022 Rory was tied for the lead going into the same hole. Birdie for the win, he thought before his three wood sailed into the water. He failed to make a par and Viktor Hovland won by a shot. If only we had PReed throwing tees at him this year…
The Theme: Hit the Hard Shots
Hitting hard shots when under pressure cannot be simulated. Last week’s drive on 18 was Rory trying to trust his draw under pressure. It just didn’t play out. This past week was trusting the long iron under pressure. More reps like that and hopefully more success follows when the pressure builds. At least that’s what he believes.
2024 Has Begun
Hawaii was always bonus golf. For me the real stuff starts at Torrey. That’s when all the big names came together for the first time and the West Coast Swing heats up. This week the field is okay. Good not great. But enough to tune in to watch paragliders and a course that I have a newfound appreciation for after walking it last year.
^ me explaining just how far my ball went with the full ocean breeze at my back (legit had 40 putts that day…)
My Love/Hate Relationship with Torrey Pines
I never LOVED watching this tournament on TV. It always looked like an incredible piece of property where the actual golf layout underutilized it. But being there in person changed my mind. My new philosophy is that Torrey Pines just doesn’t televise well. Sure you get the shots of the beach and the cliffs, but it’s so hard to capture the true elevation of that finishing stretch of holes (side note: did not play the course they play on the weekends).
Sure there were a few holes on the front nine that were very meh. And yes they could have more drama with shots going over the cliffs instead of around them. But we caught the perfect Sunday morning. To this day Torrey is home to the best day of my life. Even if I couldn’t make a putt.
My Pick to Win: Akshay Bhatia (+9000 (!!!))
I’ve been on this guy for years and he’s going to get it done this week. I had to fact check myself. I thought he was a San Diego native. Maybe I just assume every lefty on tour is from SD. BUT… he is from LA and I think the California kid walks out with his first legit tour win (Barracuda/Barbasol/whatever he won doesn’t really count).
Akshay is my new favorite golfer, hope he does pull it out this week