Rory Sabbatini is the Golf Version of Kobe Bryant

by Ryan Ballengee on May 26, 2009 12:30 PM EDT

Rory Sabbatini won the Byron Nelson Championship on Sunday by two shots and it still seems like the golf world doesn't know how to take the South African's 5th PGA Tour win.

As I wrote in a piece earlier this month, I think the success of guys like Sabbatini is great for golf. Golf needs guys that you make you feel a little queezy or a little annoyed that they're doing well. The comparsion I made at the time was that golf needed "heels" (a.k.a. bad guys) like in wrestling. Golf would benefit from players that you root against equally as much as having players with personalities to pull for and like.

Rory Sabbatini is one of those guys. He and his wife's shirts speak his mind, and he takes quite a bit in the press for it. He gets annoyed with slow play. He is cocky and acts like a guy with five majors on his belt, much less five wins. Yet somehow, I can't dislike him.

He does a ton of charity work and fundraising. He wore pink on Sunday as a sign of support for the Mickelson family as Amy goes through breast cancer treatment. And, he's one of the few players that will actually say what he thinks regardless of how the scribes misconstrue it.

The kangaroo may be scared of Rory, but I find him pretty cool.

I'll come out any say it. I'm a Rory Sabbatini fan.

He's like Kobe Bryant. Kobe Bryant is perceived as a total showboat, a jerk, and a guy that even his teammates don't like. I don't know if any of that is true, but that turns me off about him. At the same time, though, Bryant is a freakin' unbelievable basketball player. His talent is undeniable and he is basically carrying a franchise on his back. I have to like. Therefore, I'm begrudingly a Kobe fan.

Rory may carry himself like he has the golf equivalent of Kobe's talent - basically, that he is Tiger - but I like the guy for some reason.

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Golf's Ron Artest...

I like where you’re coming from and agree that it’s fun to have guys to root for and guys to root against. And while Rory Sabbatini definitely has a ton of talent, he’s still the 3rd best player on tour from South Africa and his win took him to 27th in the world rankings. Kobe is the best or second best player in his league on just about everyone’s list, has 3 NBA championships, an MVP award, and has been to 11 All-Star games.

I think Rory is a little closer to a player like Ron Artest. He speaks his mind regardless of consequence, is exceptionally talented, but has made much more of a name for himself because of his off-the-field/course comments. Sabbatini is going to have step his game up to fit the billing of the guy-you-love-to-hate, because over the past five years he has more missed cuts than top tens.

by MattSpence on May 26, 2009 1:27 PM EDT reply actions

I think that’s a better analogy. Artest is absolutely perfect for Rory. He’s the third best player on his own team!

Email me any comments or questions at ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com.

by Ryan Ballengee on May 26, 2009 1:36 PM EDT up reply actions

Ron Artest is, was, and always will be a thug – definitely an insult to Sabbatini.

Kobe is arrogant and self-centered – Rory is cocky, but not so much self-centered. Pretty sure you won’t ever find Sabbatini in court for a rape charge.

Aren’t there any good guys in the NBA that speak out AND are a bit cocky ? A Charles Barkley type ? (since we’re talking about modern players)

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on May 26, 2009 1:41 PM EDT up reply actions

I would think that’s more like LeBron or Dwight Howard. They’re both cocky for goof reason but seem like solid people.

Email me any comments or questions at ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com.

by Ryan Ballengee on May 26, 2009 1:44 PM EDT up reply actions

there you go – Dwight Howard. LeBron is THE best in the game – I was leaning away from him for that reason. Thought about Howard, but I think the height thing got me. :-) (I still love that Superman Dunk last year)

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on May 26, 2009 1:45 PM EDT up reply actions

Bottom line, there are better comparisons out there. But, the problem with Dwight is that no thinks he is a dick.

Email me any comments or questions at ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com.

by Ryan Ballengee on May 26, 2009 1:56 PM EDT up reply actions

well…there IS that part of it. (lol)

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on May 26, 2009 2:24 PM EDT up reply actions

and how is Sabbatini the third best South African ? At the moment, he is undoubtedly the best from that country. Els is way down. Goosen is doing ok, but not there yet.

If you’re going to make that comparison, then Sabbatini is the fourth best South African behind Player, Els, and Goosen. But right now, he is the top South African.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on May 26, 2009 1:44 PM EDT up reply actions