Birdies And Bogeys

August 11, 2011

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Birdie: The new breed

Remember when a young player would secure a late tee time on the weekend and summarily implode? Not so this week, or at least not yet. From Jason Dufner to Brendan Steele to Keegan Bradley -- the last two of whom are making their major championship debut -- this PGA has been defined by players who refuse to succumb to the magnitude of the moment. Sunday heat -- both the literal and figurative kind -- might change that, but we've still seen enough to be impressed by their audacity.

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Bogey: Phil Mickelson

His one-under par 69 helped him move up the leader board and keep him on the perimeter of contention. But Mickelson still ended the day on a sour note, bogeying 18 and then begging out of his post-round media session because he was overheated. Three-putting the last will do that to you.

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Birdie: David Toms

Ten years after claiming his lone major championship here (by way of a third-round ace and a 72nd hole lay-up) Toms gave himself another chance when he played his last seven holes in five-under par en route to a 65. No truth to the rumor he was lobbying the PGA to come back here next year as well.

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Bogey: CBS

This was not a stellar day for the Tiffany Network, even if it didn't have a whole lot to work with. In between misidentifying Robert Garrigus as Gary Woodland and not showing enough of a variety of players, they also seemed intent on cutting to commercial every eight seconds. Maybe they figured the commercials would be more entertaining than the actual tournament.

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Birdie: The Vets

The PGA hasn't been completely overrun by youth. Along with Toms, 47-year-old Scott Verplank gritted his way through a wrist injury to move within two strokes of the lead. Steve Stricker was another stroke back to give himself a shot at his first major, and even with his double bogey on the final hole, Jim Furyk is just six strokes back. None of those players are going to be confused with Hogan or Nicklaus, yet when you compare them to the upstarts standing in their way, they're giants.

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Bogey: Atlanta Athletic Club

Too much sand, too much water and too many design quirks means too much has been left to chance so far this week. Add it all up and you get a number of marquee players who never even made it into the weekend, and a group of contenders most golf fans would have a hard time recognizing.

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Birdie: Atlanta Athletic Club

The other side to consider is that for all of AAC's shortcomings, it still offers the prospect of a gripping conclusion on Sunday. The four closing holes are difficult enough on Thursday. When a major championship is on the line, it might be like watching a ten-car pile-up.

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Bogey: England's best

In a major lacking in gripping storylines, there was at least the prospect of either Lee Westwood or Luke Donald capturing a first major title. For that to happen, both will have to make up the valuable ground lost in single holes on Saturday. Westwood double-bogeyed the 14th hole when he struggled with a fairway bunker off the tee, and Donald made 6 on the last when he laid up and still found the water with his approach. At one-under par, both are close enough to threaten the lead. Just not as close as they could have been.

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Birdie: Charl Schwartzel

After struggling along with everyone else on AAC's brutal closing stretch, Schwartzel birdied the 15th hole Saturday then made three straight pars en route to a 66. Five off the lead entering the final round, he is the only player within six shots who has won a major in the last five years. As he did at the Masters, Schwartzel has a chance to catch the leaders from behind here. The difference is he won't catch anyone by surprise.

Photo By: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Bogey: Tim Finchem

Let's take stock of the PGA Tour commissioner's world as he heads into his next round of TV negotiations: the game's marquee player has lost his confidence and won't compete in the season-ending playoffs, the game has been dominated by overseas talent, and the major championship season, at least so far, has been short of must-see TV. On the bright side, there's always a chance the tour's next big star emerges on Sunday. That's at least what Finchem should be going with.

Photo By: Andy Lyons/Getty Images

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Birdies And Bogeys

Shop This Look

Birdie: The new breed

Bogey: Phil Mickelson

Birdie: David Toms

Bogey: CBS

Birdie: The Vets

Bogey: Atlanta Athletic Club

Birdie: Atlanta Athletic Club

Bogey: England's best

Birdie: Charl Schwartzel

Bogey: Tim Finchem

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