The excitement of the Master’s is over. I’m sure Phil Mickelson is enjoying the custom fit of his third green jacket. As only the eighth player to win the tournament three times in five years, the tailor ought to know his size by heart. Mickelson joined a distinguished crowd that includes Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Sam Snead and Arnold Palmer. I’d be remiss, though, if I did not comment on the superb performance of Lee Westwood. He played a great tournament, and I predict a Major victory for him, this year.
The excitement of the final round of the Master’s lay in the fact that Mickelson maintained his composure on the final nine holes to finish at 16 under par. Last weekend’s tournament, however, engendered a whole new type of excitement. During a playoff hole against Jim Furyk, Brian Davis called a two-stroke penalty on himself for striking a loose impediment in a lateral hazard. In layman’s terms, his club illegally struck a dead, dry reed. The remarkable thing about the penalty is that Davis was the only one who noticed it. He had to prompt the officials to review the tape for definitive evidence. This veracity probably cost Davis close to a million dollars. Apparently, this was not enough money to sacrifice the integrity of the game. When Furyk – in disbelief – asked Davis, “Are you sure?” He responded, “Yes. I couldn’t have lived with myself if I didn’t call it.”
“I can’t think of a better lesson to teach all of my junior golfers,” says Julian Krinsky School of Golf Director, Grant Griffiths. “The beauty of golf is that it reveals character. Give me 18 holes with a person, and I’ll tell you who he is.” Davis certainly showed the world who he is and reinforced the old adage of golf being a game of honor. “This would have been Brian Davis’ first PGA Tour win,” said Griffiths, “but with the character and talent he displayed on Sunday, I predict many victories in the future.”
I don’t want to offer congratulations to Davis, but thanks. Thanks for giving the Julian Krinsky School of Golf this inspiring display of sportsmanship and integrity to use for years to come.
This week’s tournament takes us to New Orleans for the Zurich Classic of New Orleans where last year’s winner Jerry Kelly won $1,134,000.
