Jack Newton: U.S. courses too easy

Former Australian great Jack Newton has an interesting theory as to why European golfers are on the rise at the expense of American golfers: Tour courses in America are easier relative to their European counterparts.

"A lot of courses they play in America are these TPC courses which are like resort courses," Newton told Robert Craddock of the Courier-Mail. "Which is one of the reasons why the Americans are in trouble. They don't have to play enough (difficult) shots. The Europeans are playing different styles of courses each week and they learn to play different shots."

Newton made the comments in the aftermath of countryman Stuart Appleby's final-round 59 in the Greenbrier Classic on Sunday.

-- John Strege