Using both hands for confirmation I reckon there are 10 days left in 2010, so now's the time to list my top 10 stories in golf this year, and I will tell you that unlike many of my colleagues I am not picking Tiger's saga as number 1.
This list is my opinion and I'd rather concentrate on all the great drama and wonderful play we were treated to, rather than what became more than just golf, more like a tabloid, 'News of the World' sensation as we followed first the boinking exploits, then the personal family tragedy, then the ragged return to golf that was Eldrick Tiger Woods.
Yes his every move creates headlines and ratings bonanza's but so does the private life of Paris Hilton etal and in my opinion that is a sad reflection on our society, rather than a top story...
Looking back over the hundreds of articles I have written this year I realise how much I wrote about our Canadians, especially the men as we now will have 6 on tour in 2011.
While Stephen Ames didn't do anything spectacular, the ultimate cut machine (17 / 23, with 8 T25)) as Sean Foley calls him is now our highest ranked golfer as Mike Weir had his worst season as a pro falling to #170 in the world and suffering a partially torn ligament in his elbow after 19 events then being forced to take three months off for rehab. In addition he lost his long time friend and caddy Brennan Little who will now work for Sean O'Hair.
Graham Delaet has been a joy to follow for the last 2 years and he finished up at 98 on the money list with around a million in earnings, I remember his 3rd place finish at the Shell.
We followed Chris Baryla shot by shot thru Q school because he was restricted to just 7 events due to hip surgery, but his T25 finish there ensures a full card on tour this year..
Add in David Hearn for the first time since 2005 after finishing in the Top 25 last year on the Nationwide Tour and Matt McQuillan, who will be competing in his rookie season on the PGA Tour and you can see the progress
So do we have a changing of the guard here in Canada or do Weir and Ames return to sparkle in 2011.. I suspect the latter
So here is the first of my top 10 and looking back we had such a rich selection to puruse. Mickelson's shot at 13 in the Masters....Rory's 62 to win at Quail Hollow.. Tim Clark and his long putter at the Players... Graeme McDowell's year.. Louis Oosthuizen with the week of his life at St Andrews...Carl Pettersson's 60 at our RBC Canadian Open..Kaymer's PGA...Kuchar's hot streak.. Furyk the ultimate grinder wins the $10m Fed Ex..The Ryder Cup in Wales.. the battle between McDowell and Kaymer for the Racr to Dubai... Lee Westwood is #1.. Michelle Wie's magical week in Winnipeg and many more
#10 Sean Foley Sean Foley has been our guest golf instructor on Fairways for the last 5 years. He does it at 7.25am every Saturday's for nothing but respect for us and his mentor and our long time golf pro the late Ben Kern. He is without doubt one of golf's top coaches. His Canadian roots are well documented, his work with Canadian junior stars like Jessica Shepley and many others has been sensational and of course currently his pros are Ames, O'Hair, Hunter, and oh yes a certain Tiger Woods...
Get this Tiger selected Sean, not vice versa.. Sean has told us repeatedly that he wants his work to make a difference, in fact to make this world a better place and although a liason with Tiger could mess up his schedule with his family life, his association would accelerate that dream.. So when Tiger came knocking Sean said "ok I can help but I have my family first so let's be cool with the media" Tiger agreed obviously, so today we have this kid from Burlington who knows the golf swing inside out but what sets him apart, knows human psychology better, coaching the world's best known golfer.
It is a remarkable Canadian success story that is really only beginning. Who knows what Sean will end up doing.
So continued success to my pal Sean Foley #10
Tomorrow #9 Mickelson's shot at the Masters
Bryan Angus
No comments:
Post a Comment