Some critics…well, they just like to criticise. Even if it happens to be four young men – Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler, Smylie Kaufman and Justin Thomas – having fun while holidaying in the Bahamas and recording their moves on social media.
Golf Digest’s Geoff Shackleford felt the ire of players and fans when he wrote the ‘snapchattification’ of the vacation felt like it was ‘promotional’ in nature and ‘childish’.
Luke Donald and Jason Dufner replied on Shackleford’s Twitter account, while Rory McIlroy and Gary Player showed their support with their own posts.
McIlroy, who was invited to join the fun by ring-leader Fowler, instead went on a holiday with his fiancée Erica Stoll, but was apparently left regretting the decision!
On Twitter, he posted a snapshot of Fowler’s text, and wrote: “After seeing all these snapchats over the last few days… Maybe I should have taken @RickieFowler up on the invite!”
And Player posted his own picture of a safari vacation he and Jack Nicklaus went on in 1965, and wondered if he’d get an invite to #SB2k16. He wrote: “#SpringBreak c.1965. @JackNicklaus and I out on safari in South Africa. Good times. How about an invite to #SB2K17?”
#SB2K16 @JordanSpieth @JustinThomas34 @SmylieKaufman10 appreciate the support @Casamigos pic.twitter.com/R1drwspfXH
— Rickie Fowler (@RickieFowler) April 20, 2016
My own thoughts on the whole issue: As long as these players are not being childish on the golf course, they have their own life to live. And even if the trip had product placement written all over it, why do we need to bother?
Instead, it portrayed golfers in a different light – it showed they are not starchy-collared and stiff-upper lips type, but fun-loving guys. #SB2k16 really was a good advertisement for golf, if it wants to target the millennials.
As for Golf Digest, they do seem to be having a tough month.
The May issue has Paige Spiranac on the cover, and LPGA Tour stars and fans haven’t taken very kindly to it. Considered the No. 1 publication in golf, the magazine has not been very kind to the LPGA Tour players, rarely giving them cover honour.
But to feature Spiranac, known more for her social media exploits than golfing talent, ahead of someone like world No. 1 Lydia Ko, hasn’t gone down well.
You can thank me @LydiaKo, those silver pants weren't very comfortable! You'll be much more comfortable for the cover shoot you deserve??
— Paige Spiranac (@PaigeSpiranac) April 21, 2016
Julie Inkster and Stacy Lewis are just a couple of big names who have spoken out and questioned the magazine’s decision. However, one player who seems to be unaffected by the whole thing, is Ko.
She tweeted to Spiranac: “@ PaigeSpiranac you looked absolutely amazing on the cover!”
It must have been a very difficult decision for Rory McIlroy to play the Open de France instead of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.
The PGA Tour decided to shift the dates of the Bridgestone event two weeks before the Open Championship (usually it is the week before the PGA Championship), because of scheduling issues this year due to the addition of Olympics golf.
That did not go down too well with the European Tour, who had already announced the dates of the 100th Open de France that week. As a result, the European Tour has decided not to sanction the Akron event this year and is giving extra perks for players who play in Paris that week in the form of enhanced Race to Dubai points and it counting as two events in the mandatory number of tournaments members have to play.
Decisions to make: Shane Lowry.
McIlroy is a past champion at Akron, so the world No. 3 had a difficult choice to make – whether to earn more world ranking and FedEx Cup points there, or support his home Tour – but not as difficult as Ireland’s Shane Lowry. After all, Lowry is the defending champion, and he has also taken up his PGA Tour membership this year.
The pressure is now on him, but the happy-go-lucky Lowry, who just got married, is not thinking as far as July as yet. He said he will do whatever he feel is the right thing to do, closer to the tournament.
Last Sunday, Texan journeyman Martin Piller played some outstanding golf to record the best finish of his PGA Tour career – a tied fourth place at the $7 million Valero Texas Open. Unfortunately, the family bragging rights that evening belonged to wife Gerina, who topped Martin and finished tied third at the Swinging Skirts Classic on the PGA Tour.
The family takeaway that evening was a healthy $450,633, but it could have been the most remarkable finish in the history of golf if they had both won. That would have been the first instance in the history of golf of husband and wife winning on recognised tours on the same day.
“I think that’s a shame for the game of golf.”
“That’s very, very sad, because I would’ve given anything as a young man to have an opportunity to represent my country and possibly win a gold medal.” – Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player react on top players Adam Scott, Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel skipping the Olympics.
