THERE have been many awkward moments this season as golf’s traditional tours and the new rebel one war over the sport’s future. At the major championships, and occasionally on the DP World Tour, the two groups of players had to share the same space. Tension, suspicion and anxiety have hung in the air like mist in a Cold War movie.
But this week, in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, it could get ugly as 17 LIV golfers tee it up, acts of defiance that range from the quietly dogged, through the brashly resilient, to unquestionably provocative. Rory McIlroy has already said of the atmosphere: “I hate what (LIV) is doing to the game of golf. It’s going to be hard for me to stomach going to Wentworth in a couple of weeks’ time and seeing them there. That just doesn’t sit right with me.”
Even in normal times, golf tours have cracks in the harmony. So many people, so many lives, all of them fuelled by ambition. Jealousy and intrigue is rife. But imagine this week! The range, the putting green, the lounge, the first tee, the course – all will be witness to endless mini-dramas. Fellows who are at odds with one another will have to interact or not interact, their every move watched by media and fans hungry to read (and misread) all manner of meaning in every twitch, glance and mutter.
The golf will be something of a side issue early on in proceedings, but it has the potential to become explosive as the action heads into the weekend. If protagonists from either side are involved we will not be watching mere golf, but the entire debate played out as a duel with sticks and balls.
Rory McIlroy
The Northern Irishman’s record at Wentworth is enigmatic, a word that could, of course, be applied to his career in general. He’s made 10 starts, with four top 10s (including victory in 2014) and also four missed cuts. Dig a little deeper, however, and he’s actually not been too bad in recent visits.
In fact, starting with that win, he’s gone sub-72 in 12 of his last 14 laps, finishing second in 2018 and recovering from a terrible start (76) to be ninth in 2019. In contrast, he went sub-72 just six times in the 22 rounds of his first six appearances.
At the right price, I would fancy him this week. Off the back of Tour Championship success, riding a white horse, if he can avoid one bad lap, he will surely contend. But the compiler likes his chances too and he’s too short for me.
It might pay to watch what he achieves in round one. No less than seven of his 10 Thursday scores in this event have been 72+. Admittedly the three exceptions have been in his last four visits, but consider it. Maybe oppose him on Thursday? Or re-consider him in the outright after 18 holes? Mere info, so here are three selections.
Adam Scott
The top of the market looks tough with Jon Rahm, Matt Fitzpatrick and Shane Lowry also a bit short. I prefer the claims of the Australian who returned to Wentworth for the first time in 15 years last September and spent the first three days in the top four before stalling on Sunday to finish T14th. He hit lots of greens through August’s FedExCup Playoffs and landed top five finishes in the first two. That gave him the confidence to say: “I played with Scottie Scheffler who’s obviously played incredible this year and I felt like my game stacked up. I felt like a top player again. Full of confidence and stuff to build on.”
Golfers… here’s your Saturday Symphony.
Adam Scott caressing a few 7-irons in warm-up for Rd 3 @playofffinale.#golf #golfswing #golftips #Aussie pic.twitter.com/lQIcB9jtoG
— Mark Immelman (@mark_immelman) August 27, 2022
Top 10 – Francesco Laporta
In the last fortnight, the Italian has found something. He closed the European Masters with rounds of 66-68-64 and opened the Made in Himmerland event with another pair of 64s and a 68 to tie the 54-hole lead. A closing 71 left him in a share of fourth but this form, allied to his experiences at Wentworth last year, is difficult to ignore. He opened 68-65-69 12 months ago to grab the thrid round lead and a Sunday 70 saw him finish in a share of sixth. Italians enjoy Wentworth (three have lifted the trophy) and, while it’s a big ask for Laporta to win, he can contend again.
First Round Leader – Sean Crocker
Last year the American thrashed a third round 66 which left him just three blows back of the lead heading into the final lap. That score was very close to being even better because he hit a superb approach into the par-5 17th before missing a 15-foot eagle putt and then dropped a shot at the 18th, another par-5.
Winning your first Tour title in St Andrews 🏴
A moment that will live with Sean Crocker for a lifetime.#HeroOpen pic.twitter.com/QJrtef7Nna
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) July 31, 2022
Earlier this summer, shortly after winning the Hero Open, he said: “I love Wentworth, it’s probably one of my favourite courses we play out here.” It’s also not so long ago that Pete Cowen, coach to many of the world’s best players, said of Crocker: “He’s a star in the making.” Memories of that low score last year can prompt a fast start on Thursday.
