Does "Being There" Translate Into Wins?
by Ryan Ballengee on Jun 1, 2009 1:20 PM EDT
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PrintThe playoff yesterday at Colonial had three very interesting guys in it. There was Tim Clark, who was vying for his first PGA Tour win in nearly 200 starts, and battling a shake short game. Then, there was Steve Marino. The man is clearly becoming a force on the PGA Tour, but is still learning how to feel out the situation of being close to a win. Last, there was Steve Stricker - a man with an excellent record this season, but who has also choked away a couple of events this year already. All three guys had experience in "being there" in the thick of it, but only Stricker really played like a guy who had confidence in what he was doing.
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Tim Clark had a putt to win the tournament on 18 in regulation, and then again from even closer on the first playoff hole. The putt on the playoff hole should have gone in the cup. It was a straight pull from the South African. He took the miss too personally and couldn't let go of the shot. After an unfortunate break by hitting the flagstick on the second playoff hole, Clark had lost to Stricker and sauntered off of the course without speaking to the media. Clark let the situation get to him and stay with him. It consumed him to the point that he couldn't power through the yips, the misses, and the wahoo on the first playoff hole.
Meanwhile, Marino was probably playing the best of the three heading into the playoff. A couple of inches to the left and he may well have won the tournament on the first playoff hole. He was the victim of a poor tee shot on the second playoff hole to the side of the course that his swing is set up to avoid. The situation may have caused a tug to the left that Colonial made him pay for dearly.
The guy who won the event was the one that put it all together for the playoff holes. He did what he had to in order to stay alive on 18, with some help from Tim Clark. Then, he benefited from 17 being his best hole of the week. The confidence he must have had in surviving to play his favorite hole likely catapulted him to the win. Still, it wasn't as though Stricker all-world in his victory.
The playoff left me wondering if the idea of "being there" really does help a player learn to win. The argument against Michelle Wie and for Tiger Woods is that Woods had been in a position to win a tournament so many times in his amateur career that making the transition to winning pressure-packed pro events was no big shake. Phil Mickelson's supporters said that him being in the situation enough times would eventually lead to it all clicking for Lefty. It has clicked three times in a major - so maybe they're right.
At the same time, though, there are plenty of examples of guys that have "been there" plenty of times and just cannot seem to make it happen. Several of them were showcased this year. Kenny Perry at the Masters basically repeated what happened to him 13 years prior at the PGA Championship. Tim Clark finished second at Colonial again and in the runner-up position for the seventh time in his career on Sunday. Both of these guys have significant experience that one would call "being there," but neither was able to get to the plateau that each sought.
And then there are the all-timers - Colin Montgomerie and Sergio Garcia. Both have been there in major championship fights several times and neither has been able to win. Each has become very good, though, at making excuses for failing.
Why does experience work out well for some and just seems to compound the pressure for others? Can a player "be there" so many times that it actually works against them?
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I must've been watching in an alternate universe...
Clark’s putt on the first playoff hole was not a “straight pull”. The putt turned left a few inches before the hole. It was either a misread or he just didn’t hit it hard enough to go through the “doughnut” around the hole and avoid the turn.
His putt on 18 that came up short was from off the green – he just didn’t hit it – but judging putts coming out of the rough is never easy.
Even with those two shots – Clark was STILL in it to a second playoff hole where he hit his approach TOO GOOD, hit the flagstick and ended up 20+’ away. How is that a “choke” ? Give me a break.
What about Stricker’s bogey at 16 ? 27" and he missed the hole completely ? Not going to call that one a choke ? The miraculous chip in at 17 made up for it – but that has nothing to do with the putt at 16.
“He took the miss too personally” ?? What does that mean ? I don’t call striping a tee shot then hitting the flagstick on the next hole…whatever that’s supposed to mean.
If Clark had pulled or pushed that approach 1", we were looking at a 3rd playoff hole.
No “choker” cracks about Marino ? Yanks 3 consecutive tee shots left at 18 and the two playoff holes ?
Of course Stricker’s experience was a help. Being there before is almost always a help, but even he wasn’t immune to the pressure, as we saw at 16.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
You could see in Clark’s putting motion that he pulled it. It was pretty obvious from the close up. The putt on 18 in regulation wasn’t necessarily supposed to go in. But, at no point in the article did I say Tim Clark choked. I wouldn’t characterize what happened as a choke job.
I said that Stricker was the guy who handled the playoff best. He backed into it in regulation. Again, I didn’t say anyone “choked.” They all had terrible flaws in regulation or the playoff. But, once Stricker got into the playoff, he did exactly what he had to do in order to win.
Clark clearly thought too much about the regulation and playoff misses. He hit a great shot into 17 on playoff hole 2, much to his credit. But his body language exuded that he was still thinking about what had already passed him by and I think that impacted him negatively.
But, why didn’t Stricker’s screw up on 16 haunt him? That’s the point. How does Stricker get over it in a way that Clark seemingly didn’t?
Email me any comments or questions at ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com.
by Ryan Ballengee on Jun 1, 2009 2:06 PM EDT up reply actions
Better go look again – that putt was on line until it got close to the hole – where it turned left. Either a very subtle break or the “doughnut” around the hole.
Excuse me ? "Last, there was Steve Stricker – a man with an excellent record this season, but who has also choked away a couple of events this year already. " The word ALSO is in there – which means that you are including Clark in the conversation.
I don’t understand how you can conclude that he was thinkng about regulation and playoff misses with the putter. He was still in the playoff – hit two perfect shots (the second was TOO perfect) – and had a putt for birdie that is 50/50 to make at best.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
I used “also” to compare his six top 5s (I think it’s 6) to giving away the Hope, et al this season. Nothing to do with Clark there.
That was definitely a pull. Look at his hands come through contact. He pulled it. Subtle, but he pulled it.
I think his second shot would have wound up about 5-7 feet from the hole had it not hit the flagstick, but look at Clark’s reactions after the shots and putts. He dwelled on it way too much.
Email me any comments or questions at ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com.
by Ryan Ballengee on Jun 1, 2009 2:26 PM EDT up reply actions
ah – ok – 5 top 5’s plus the win – and he only blew one lead down the stretch.
you couldn’t see his hands – the shot was from ground level.
how do you NOT react that way after the shots ? by the time he got up to his next shot, he was ready to go. If you said he got nervous thinking about the win, but he wasn’t concerned with the previous shot.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
I think his body language in the moment didn’t look bad, but it was the reaction after each moment. Just seemed like he couldn’t believe it happened to him again, then again.
Email me any comments or questions at ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com.
by Ryan Ballengee on Jun 1, 2009 3:42 PM EDT up reply actions
I didn't see the playoff...
I was busy hitting balls into dihydrogen monoxide, but if Clark’s approach hit the pin then bounced 20 feet, there was probably enough energy left in the ball to go 40 feet past the pin if it doesn’t hit the pin. Or am I missing something?
Truth has a well-known liberal bias.
you did miss one major point...
…did you look at the size of that trophy ?? Maybe Clark was intimidated by the idea of having to pick that thing up ! :-)
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
Stricker could have 20 wins.....
….if he didn’t choke every time. This guy seems like he’s fighting it everytime he’s in contention. You can just tell by his emotions after every victory(tears) that it’s a huge internal struggle for him. Stricker has tremendous game, but it’s a surprise that he’s won 5 times yet at the same time a wonder he hasn’t won more. Golf is full of these talented guys that fail to maximize their performance due to emotions. Also full of less talented guys that have little fear and less game—like Daly, Holmes type guys—but can close the deal.
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