Who took home the real hardware at the Memorial?
Getty Images
Following a particularly lively Memorial Tournament, it felt like the right time to try something slightly different. So in honor of an epic and memorable week at Jack Nicklaus’ place, we’re going to eschew letter grades A-F and replace them with an award show of sorts, bear-themed in honor of the Golden Bear.
This is admittedly a bit of a leap and my sense is that you’ll either enjoy this or click out before even finishing this sentence. But I hope you (ahem) bear with me and enjoy!
The Golden Bear Award
Goes to: Jon Rahm
It would be weird to play a PGA Tour event while trying to hold onto a lead. It would be even weirder to continue to play your best, most aggressive golf while starting the day off with a four-shot lead. It would be weirdest of all to suddenly have a seven or eight-shot lead while playing one of the hardest courses on the PGA Tour, set up for carnage, amidst a turbulent Ohio summer afternoon. But Jon Rahm did all that and more en route to a five- (then technically three) shot victory. You win at the Golden Bear’s place, you get the Golden Bear award. Hats off to Rahm.
Jon Rahm fist-bumps Jack Nicklaus after his victory at the Memorial.
Getty Images
The Gummy Bear Award
Goes to: Brutal golf course setups
For being sweet, addicting and delightful to chew on. The carnage we saw on Sunday — a day when there were nine scores of 80 or worse and just one single score in the 60s — was such fun viewing. Not because of the high scores themselves, exactly. It’s just that it’s that much more fun to see the best golfers in the world truly challenged.
Most of these guys have achieved such a mastery of the basic elements of golf that they demand a tougher test than they’ll find on a week-in, week-out PGA Tour venue. By Sunday afternoon, Muirfield Village delivered. The greatness of Jon Rahm’s chip-in on 16 was set up by hours of carnage-adjacent coverage. Major props to all involved in the setup of the golf course, which felt fair throughout and rewarded the very best play while also yielding some shots and scores we’re unfamiliar seeing from the world’s very best.
Rory McIlroy was among those ready to pull his hair out amidst the challenging conditions on Sunday.
Getty Images
The Koala Bear Award
Goes to: Tiger Woods
Like the wonderful koala bear, which sleeps 22 hours a day, Woods looked at times magnificent and at times “rusty” (his words). Still, there’s power within, and there are signs of life, and you shouldn’t cross him. When he’s awake, he’s efficient as hell.
Like the koala bear, Tiger Woods is hoping to sleep well tonight after a taxing week.
Getty Images
Smokey the Bear Award
Goes to: Matthew Fitzpatrick
Remember: Only YOU can prevent forest fires. Well, nobody set the wooded expanses of Muirfield Village Golf Club ablaze like Fitzpatrick during the rainy final round. On a day when no other player broke 70, Fitzpatrick bogeyed the first hole and never looked back, making five birdies and no bogeys the rest of the way for a near-flawless round of 68. Bonus points for having Jim “Bones” McKay on the bag, who seems like the kind of guy who could deliver a hell of a PSA if he wanted to. Oh, and that move up the leaderboard? It resulted in a $641,700 payday. Good financial move, Smokey.
The Jay Cutler Award
Goes to: Tony Finau
For disappointing us on Sundays just when it seems like he’s set up for success. We won’t quit you, Tony, just like the city of Chicago couldn’t quit its most famous Bear of late. He just can’t seem to win the big one, but unlike Cutler, Finau still has plenty of time for Finau to get his Jim McMahon moment despite a hiccup on Sunday.
The Grizzly Bear Award
Goes to: Bryson DeChambeau
For not knowing his own strength. Like the magnificent grizzly, DeChambeau has threatened to become king of all his domain. But also like the grizzly, DeChambeau showed off his temperamental side en route to a week-ending 10 that involved one ball in a creek, two balls in a backyard and two imperfect interactions with rules officials (grizzlies and rules officials traditionally don’t play well together). There’s plenty to be said for power in golf, but like a grizzly cleverly snapping up a fish, DeChambeau needs to keep his focus on the finesse side of the game, too.
DeChambeau ran into a spot of bother on 15 at Memorial.
The Berenstain Bears Award
Goes to: Jack and Barbara Nicklaus
For fighting their way through a predicament and ending the story with a lesson for us all. Jack revealed on Sunday that he and his wife Barbara had gotten the coronavirus some months ago and were lucky not to become seriously ill, instead making full recoveries. The experience inspired the pair to raise money for frontline workers, particularly health care workers at the Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. Like every Berenstain Bears story, this one ends well and with an inspiring message.
Kindness counts, indeed.
The 2010-11 Memphis Grizzlies Award
Goes to: Patrick Reed
For making an unlikely, momentous rally and then coming crashing back to earth. The 2010-11 Grizzlies, as you’ll no doubt recall, entered the NBA Playoffs as the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference, but toppled the No. 1 seed San Antonio Spurs in a shocking upset. Just as unlikely was Reed’s preposterous charge up the leaderboard on Sunday, as he reached five under for his round through 14 holes and looked to have a decent shot at surging into second place if he kept it up.
Unfortunately, the Grizzlies’ dreams hit reality in a seven-game loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Reed’s equivalent was finishing bogey-double-bogey-par to post 71 and finish T10. Still exceeded expectations, but oh, what could have been.
Patrick Reed’s week came undone at No. 15 at Memorial.
The Grateful Dead’s Dancing Bears Award
Goes to: Christina Kim
For keeping it colorful, real and fun. A tournament as big as the Memorial means everyone is a little more dialed into their PGA Tour Live broadcasts, and Kim was heavily featured throughout, pulling some marathon shifts that she (and many listeners!) seemed to really enjoy.
The Goldilocks and the Three Bears Award
Goes to: Amanda Balionis
For tackling a tricky situation and handling it justtt right. Jon Rahm, who can be a bit of a hot bowl of porridge at times, didn’t know he’d potentially committed a two-shot penalty on No. 16 until Balionis asked him about it in the winner’s interview. She immediately had to walk the tightrope — she couldn’t ignore it, nor could she make an ultimately inconsequential ruling overshadow his moment. Instead, his reaction was priceless and genuine and she did a really effective job of making it clear that the win was not tarnished in any way. Kudos!
The Polar Bear Award
Goes to: Xander Schauffele
For starting off the week ice-cold and surviving anyways. On Thursday, Schauffele was comically off, stumbling out to an eight-over-par start through 13 holes. But he rallied to make the cut on the number and moved up with a 72 on Saturday before closing with a back-nine 33 on Sunday to jump all the way into a T13 finish. It’s not the sort of finish that will garner him any headlines, but we at the Bear Awards are in awe of this sort of grind.
Battle on like Xander, all you Bear Award readers. Thanks for making it this far! Until next week.
Latest In News
"really" - Google News
July 20, 2020 at 05:07PM
https://ift.tt/30sC3Xx
Memorial Awards: Who REALLY won the weekend at Muirfield... - Golf.com
"really" - Google News
https://ift.tt/3b3YJ3H
https://ift.tt/35qAk7d
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Memorial Awards: Who REALLY won the weekend at Muirfield... - Golf.com"
Post a Comment