Rickie Wins! But Where Does That Leave Us?

by David Barwise

Photo: www.usatoday.com

Appearance money well spent – Stenson, Spieth and McIlroy all in the top 5 and Fowler claims a second European Tour title in his last two events.

The boy played with skill, he held himself with confidence, and he won with style. Rickie Fowler’s victory was so hard-fought and well-earned that there was actually more coverage on his game than on his shoes. Well, maybe about 50-50. But still.

Sadly, I’ve heard them already and you probably have too. The cynics. Amid all the well-wishers and those binge watching his chip-in on the 17^th, a couple of words are beginning to surface on social media…

“So what?”

It’s not a major, it’s not even too prestigious an event. Ultimately, in the context of the entire season, it doesn’t really matter too much who won this weekend.

So why focus on it at all? One word – hype. Don’t be fooled; it’s not a dirty word. Hyping up every tournament and every victory is not only a typical part of the modern game but also important when you consider which big names are going to reign supreme in 2016.

Photo: www.thenational.ae

If Jordan had replicated his electric performance at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions earlier this year, the pressure would be on McIlroy to up is game and reclaim the No. 1 spot. Had Rory come out on top, the illusion of Spieth’s invincibility would have been shattered and he would have the pressure on his shoulders. Fowler on top of the leaderboard means he’s thrown his hat into the ring – the world’s golfing glitterati will have to work that little bit harder this year.

We can’t underestimate this effect. Because these tournaments are ultimately what provide the grounding for these majors – both in terms of confidence and expectation.

To us, the general golfing viewership, it means nothing other than a little extra zip of excitement. To these guys, it is so much more. True, they are battle-hardened professionals who have experience of dealing with this expectation. But that doesn’t mean they’re impervious. The fact that Fowler has come 2^nd so many times speaks volumes. One only needs to think of the Masters and remember Rory throwing away his lead in 2011 and Spieth doing similar in 2014.

So what is the answer to my first question – where does that leave us? Maybe a better question would be – who’s under the spotlight of pressure this week? As Rickie journeys back from his holiday, he’ll return to find a big tournament – The Farmers Insurance Open – and a big player – defending champion Jason Day. Who will make a statement this week? Who will lay claim for a place in the “Big Three”? Who will survive the hype?