The Loop
Missing Links: McIlroy 'the biggest yipper,' and PGA Tour taken to task in defense of Phil
Stories of interest you might have missed…
The headline to this story by James Corrigan of the Telegraph employs one of the two nastiest words in golf ("yip," the other being "shank"): "Rory McIlroy turns into the biggest yipper in town after repeat putting nightmare at BMW Championship." The story on how he four-putted the 12th green at Cherry Hills two days in a row goes easier on him.
(Getty Images photo)
Phil Mickelson was widely criticized for withdrawing from the BMW Championship midway through the tournament for no other reason stated than to rest and prepare for the Ryder Cup. This story by USA Today's Steve DiMeglio shifts much of the blame to the PGA Tour for over-scheduling (four straight weeks of FedEx Cup playoff events) in an already over-crowded schedule.
"In his career, Morgan Hoffman played in three major championships. With a third place finish Sunday at the BMW Championship, the 25-year-old earned the right to play three more in 2015," this unbylined story at ESPN.com says about Hoffman's remarkable weekend play at Cherry Hills. He shot 62-63 to finish third, earning a start in the Tour Championship and three majors next year.
European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley said for months that his three captain's picks would reflect players with strong form in the run-up to the event. He chose only one of these, Stephen Gallacher. The other two were Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood, neither of whom has been in great form. "It must be concluded that Europe's leader has been, at best, disingenuous when supposedly filling us in on his continuing thoughts throughout the qualifying process," John Huggan writes in the Scotsman. "What McGinley should have said is that Poulter was always going to be picked because of the superhuman feats he performed at Medinah two years ago."
Australian Minjee Lee, the No. 1-ranked women's amateur in the world, has turned professional and will make her pro debut in the Evian Championship this week. Recall that Lee, 18, a former U.S. Girls Junior champion, was in contention at the U.S. Women's Open at Pinehurst this summer. She already is 80th in the Rolex Rankings. Bridget Lacy of the West Australian has the story.