Running 2024 golf thread

Billy Horschel on a heater in London.
7 birdies in a row.

 

I’ve walked over 100,000 steps and 48 miles over the last five days at the U.S. Mid-Am, and one of our locals is playing in the final match tomorrow. Goddamn shame that we lost some of these USGA championships on TV after the transfer from Fox to NBC. I can tell you from a boots on the ground perspective that the golf at Kinloch this week has been sick. Our guy Evan Beck snugged a 100-foot lag putt to 18 inches in a quarterfinal match today and then hit an impossible shot out of disgusting rough to get up and down and win a match. This Bobby Massa guy just crushes the ball and has the short game to match. Great final on tap.

 

I remember around the mid-90's, a writer for the Glob wrote that the Mid-Am was the true USGA amateur championship because all the guys playing the amateur championship were kids a year away from going pro.

 

Won with a 25-foot eagle putt on second playoff hole to beat Rory. Horschel has won the BMW twice. T2 at Troon two months ago. He must like it over there.

 

Meanwhile it couldn't have been wetter the last two days at Kinloch and the USGA says let the mud balls fly!

 

Also, not going to lie, getting to cover a guy who you've seen come through your ranks for years win a USGA championship in his home state, pretty fucking cool. Great guy to boot, great family.

 

US up 3-0, dormie going to 17 and 1 up on 16 in other. At the minimum, 3.5 in 1st session. If it goes 5-0, wow.

 

Tom Kim's got that fire, no doubt but the rest of the International Squad, not so much. I don't think it's that they come from different parts of the world, I mean its a team competition, its competition, each player is motivated.

However, I realize why the Euros are so into it, they genuinely care about it more than anyone outside of Europe. It's probably fueled by the past, the way Seve started a wave, rejoicing in the upstart non-PGA pros giving the complacent US pros the finger. Then all credit to Monty (!), Poulter, Sergio for carrying on that passion.

 

Selfishly, at least in women’s golf, I’d love to see USA/Europe vs. South Korea/Japan in some sort of cup. Would be sick.