A new Big Three? Rickie Fowler out to make it a foursome

Stories of interest you might have missed…

The talk of a new Big Three in golf has Rickie Fowler determined to make it a foursome. “If he's able to win this tournament…that might not be enough to allow those calling it a Big Three to expand their list,” ESPN’s Jason Sobel writes, “but it would at least give them pause for reflection, which is just what Fowler wants. ‘I want to sneak in and be the fourth,’ he said.”

The Walker Cup won’t get a great deal of attention, though it ought to, John Huggan of the Scotsman argues. “For the true enthusiasts, the Walker Cup represents a gilt-edged opportunity to watch the stars of the near future. Over the years, almost every great player from either side of the Atlantic has participated…So buck the prevailing trend and pay attention. The Walker Cup, for all its faults, remains one of golf’s more interesting events.”

“The experience of playing in the Walker Cup is not just what occurs during the two days of competition. In fact, some of the most indelible memories are created in the days leading into the biennial event,” David Shefter of the USGA writes. “On Aug. 27, the 10 USA players and their captain, John ‘Spider’ Miller, traveled to Latrobe, Pa., to enjoy two days of golf and camaraderie with Arnold Palmer at Latrobe Country Club. ‘Guys were in awe,’ said Miller. ‘It was something … unreal. If I tried to plan it, it could not have gone better. The kids’ mouths were open and [they were] hanging on every word.’”

Missing cuts, a good thing? Sometimes, as Michael Whitmer of the Boston Globe shows in this story on how tour golfers handle weekends off. “Sometimes you learn something from it,” Jim Furyk said. “The last two times I’ve won Hilton Head I’ve missed the cut [the week before] at Augusta. I missed the cut at Augusta [this year], worked with my dad on Saturday, got some confidence in my game, went to Hilton Head and won. Sometimes you get something positive out of it.”