CROWD FUNNING
More stars make majors as enjoyable
FOR THOSE wondering when the post-Tiger Woods era will arrive, look no further than the 2016 PGA Championship. And guess what? It’s not nearly as frightening as most envisioned.
Woods completes a new grand slam of sorts by missing all four majors in one season for the first time in his career. But golf is perhaps in its best place since the 14-time major winner started becoming a non-factor due to persistent back injuries that have cost him all of the 2016 season.
The final major championship of the year will be contested at Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, N.J., this week, and after Danny Willett, Dustin Johnson and Henrik Stenson captured the Masters, the U.S. Open and the British Open, respectively, to become first-time major winners, the Big Three that was once Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth and Jason Day has turned into the Big Bunch of Guys. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
“Tiger had a bigger impact than anybody has ever probably had in any s port,” Sean McManus, the chairman of CBS Sports, tol d The Post recently. “It was a guaranteed usually anywhere from 50 to 100 percent increase in ratings whenever Tiger was part of the story. Having said that, I think these young golfers and the way they conduct themselves and the way they play and the way the fans have gravitated to them has been good for the sport of golf. It’s helped our ratings and it’s been really good for fan interest.”
The f inal round of the British Open when Henrik Stenson outdueled Phil Mickelson on NBC two weeks ago was the most-watched British Open telecast since 2009 and up 46 percent from last year. The 3.3 rating was only slightly lower than the 3.4 rating for the final round of the U.S. Open on FOX in June. Should anyone of the familiar names get into contention this weekend, Baltusrol could produce another ratings bonanza and decide the PGA Player of the Year award, which is up for grabs.
Willett credits Woods for the depth of talent that will be on display this weekend.
“I think he’s helped everyone over the last 10 or 15 years try to get to a level that he was at,” the Englishman said. “I don’t necessarily think anyone did get to that level. But in pushing people that little bit harder, I think that’s how you’ve seen some of the great golf that you’ve seen over the last two or three years since Tiger has kind of fallen away a little bit.”
Spieth, winner of last year’s Masters and U.S. Open; Day, the 2015 PGA Champion; and McIIroy, the four-time major winner, were considered the best players in the sport when the year began. But each arrives at Baltusrol seeking his first major of the year. The expectations that surround them are such that anything short of winning this weekend is a disappointment.
“When you get to a certain level the year’s going to be a letdown if you haven’t won a major,” Mickelson said Tuesday, speaking specifically of Spieth, but a reality that now applies to so many.
Today’s majors are also being won in Tiger-like fashion. Day won his first major at Whistling Straits last year at 20-under to set a major championship record, which was then tied by Stenson, who won at
Troon with a 20-under 264.
“I think you’re going to see the next 10 or 15 years more records broken and more scoring records broken,” Willett said. “I think you’ll see a lot of different champions.”
Why the low numbers and multiple winners?
“I think technology has a bit to do with it,” Spieth said. “I think as equipment continues to improve, it’s just easier and easier when your misses are significantly better.”
And no one is wearing a red shirt that scares everybody.
“Not many back down these days,” Willett said. “I think you used to see it, especially when Tiger was at his best. He almost scared people away a little bit from competing with him.”
Some early predictions from players is that 6- or 7-under might be the winning score at Baltusrol, where golf has changed from all about Tiger to all about the tournament.