Four holes is just right
I would have hated to see a one-hole playoff on the 18th at Carnoustie. The R&A's four-hole aggregate playoff system is wonderful because it creates drama and gives players plenty of chances to both win and lose the title. Carnoustie is also an ideal course for the four-hole playoff because the 1st, 16th, 17th and 18th holes are close together, and the last three are among the most difficult on the course.
In contrast, the USGA is completely ridiculous in its assertion that the U.S. Open is so important that it warrants an 18-hole playoff. Really? Then why is it that if the score is tied after an 18-hole playoff, the players go to sudden death. If sudden death is good enough after 96 holes, why not after 72? The R&A's philosophy is better for the players and the fans.
Phil needs a 28-hour day
The old cliche, "robbing from Peter to pay Paul," is never more evident than when a player makes a swing change. Regardless of how good a player may be, when he makes a swing change he is going to put in more time on the range to make it stick, so other areas of his game won't get as much attention. Generally, that means short game.
Phil Mickelson missed the cut at Oakmont because his wrist was clearly not 100%, but at Carnoustie I don't think he putted or chipped as well as he's capable of because he's been working so hard on his full swing. Mickelson needed 33 putts on Thursday and 32 putts on Friday (when he 3-putted three times). That was almost three more putts per round than the field average during the first two days!
When Mickelson won The Players, his short game was still razor sharp, but you won't see consistently good results from him until he has completed the swing changes and has a chance to spend the necessary time getting his short game back in order.
Tiger was out of synch
In several events this summer Tiger Woods has either been hitting the ball great and putting so-so, or vice versa. He hasn't put it all together. His leg action looked less than crisp to me at Carnoustie, so he seemed to have a lot of trouble releasing the club properly through impact, which resulted in lots of blocks and hooks. He'll need to work that out before the PGA Championship in a few weeks.
My take is that Woods will put it all together fairly soon. But look for him to play even better yet when his wife, Elin, and their daughter, Sam, can start traveling with him.
The FedEx Cup could mean something after all
The winner of the British Open is, by tradition, called the Champion Golfer of the Year, but so far in 2007 no one has put together a body of work that makes him a clear favorite to be the PGA Tour's Player of the Year. So, if we get another first-time major winner at Southern Hills (we've had three first-time winners so far this year), the FedEx Cup could be the deciding factor.
I'm sure nothing would make Tim Finchem and the folks at the Tour happier.
