Check every week for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors while breaking down the most popular topics in the sport and participating in the conversation by tweeting us at @golf_com. This week we will discuss the Ryder Cup -Bubbel, the loss of Tommy Fleetwood in Memphis and more.
The six car-qualifying places for the US Ryder Cup team will be set after next week’s BMW championship, and with a wallet of $ 20 million offered at the BMW, there is still time for some players just outside that Cutoff to make a big move and secure their place. Which player on the bubble does most need a big week to jump into the top six, so that they don’t have to worry about receiving a captain?
Jack Hirsh, Associate Equipment Editor (@Jr_bresany): I don’t think there is a different answer this week than the title defender, Keegan Bradley. Also known as the team captain. Keegan is on the US list on the American point list and he seems to have soften his position that he would not pick himself. I don’t know mathematics, but I would assume that only a different victory would bring him to the top 6. Otherwise it will be very interesting to see what he decides to pick himself or even give up the captain.
James Colgan, News and Features Editor (@Jamescolgan26): Keegan is a good answer, but I tend to Chris Gotterup. He has been a hard charger in recent weeks – together with Cameron Young – but a T54 finish in Memphis was not enough to end the job. He still needs a strong performance.
Jessica Marksbury, senior editor (@jess_marksbury): I agree with my colleagues on Keegan and Chris and also adds Andrew Novak to the list. Novak was in 13th place on the Ryder Cup point list on the way to the Fedex St. Jude, and to be honest I was not a name that I would have considered for the team. But a T6 finish in Memphis should help his business, and supporting another strong performance next week can become a big difference maker.
Tommy Fleetwood gave the 54-hole ahead of the Fedex St. Jude Championship, but a 17th-hole bogey and last round One-Under 69 on Sunday held him a shot from a play-off (in which Justin Rose JJ Spaun defeated the third play-off hole for the title). Fleetwood has won seven times on the DP World Tour, but is still famous Winless in 162 PGA Tour -Starts. Is this sample size officially large enough to explain what stops him?
Hirsh: No! I don’t think we know what is stopping him. It can be many different things, but what is obvious is that he continues to place himself in these positions. And with a game and easily repeatable wave swing like him, it’s just a matter of time before he repeats.
Colgan: Yes! And the answer is simple: it’s in his head. I spent a while Report on the phenomenon of “suffocating under pressure” – Or perform less than your best if it matters the most – and I have learned that golfers are unique to struggle under the spotlight. It is because of how our prefrontal cortex deals with stress, and how the “repeat compulsion” of the golf swing fades while forced. The good news: practicing helps – and Tommy gets a lot of practice.
Marksbury: As Fleetwood said in his interview after the round, it is really difficult to win on tour. And it is not like his last round a complete blow-up was-a poorly timed bogey on 17, certainly, but that happens. To even have the chance to win, you have to put yourself in position for a possible disappointment. Tommy absolutely gets a lot of practice. He will eventually come!
CBS Sports reported a bump in the average target group of 17 percent on an annual basis for his PGA Tour broadcasts, the best year of Tour viewers on the network since 2018. This is after viewers in 2024 fell. What do you think the increase caused? And do you expect the figures to continue to improve next year?
Hirsh: I think the Golf was honestly this year was really compelling. This was not the case in 2024 when there was a series of winners with a low voltage. But you have had Rory and Scottie win seven times, including three of the four Majors, a really great US open that was electric in the play, a few other big names such as Ludvig, Justin Thomas and now Justin Rose have collected big wins. The PGA Bet Groot on his stars with limited fields, and it seems that those boys win more often.
Colgan: I think a number of star winners have helped. As later ended, those reviews pushed up. Just like a few large sports monoculture moments (Rory at the Masters). Just like Tweaks on Nielsen’s out-of-home Kijk. Just like a thousand other things. I think the numbers will slide a bit next year, but those drops are expected when cable -TV dies.
Marksbury: James is our resident expert in that area, but I personally think that Golf is more interesting and nicer to follow if there is a dominant character or two to cheer. Scottie seems more comfortable than ever to fill the void that Tiger has left behind. We like to see winners win, and if scottie can keep the pedal low, I think that keeps the eyeballs on golf. Throw a historical version or two from Rory and other fan favorites, and that feels like a solid recipe for success of reviews in the future.
Rickie Fowler was one of the players who moved to the top 50 to continue to next week’s second play -off stop, while Jordan Spieth was one of a group that dropped from the top 50 to it. Which movement around the Top-50-Cutoff was the most remarkable for you?
Hirsh: I thought it was great to see Rickie Fowler’s grind grinding, a top 50 berth, but I am a bit shocked as a player like Aldrich Potgieter, who had a victory and a play-off loss this year, did not make the Top-50. And if the only Rookie makes the play -offs, there will be none during the last two events of the season. It’s hard to make it on tour, and now it’s harder to succeed!
Colgan: I was inspired by Bud Cauley’s performance on Sunday, especially the chip-in for Birdie on 17-to push itself in 48th place and push them into the BMW. Gruty stuff!
Marksbury: A few impressive coupling performance to note: Akshay Bhatia ends T6 to go from 45th to 29th; Kurt Kitayamas T9 moves him from 52 to 37; And Jhonattan Vegas go from 56 to 49 after completing T14. On the other hand, a surprise was the matte week of Min Woo Lee. He started at 50, but finished for the most important to fall to 57. Jake Knapp also has to finish T62 and fall from 47 to 55 a little.
Scottie Scheffler revealed earlier this week that he spent $ 50 on Ebay to buy a replacement for a cherished Cypress Point Divot tool that he had lost. What was your mostly strange or spontaneous wavey purchase?
Hirsh: Participate in Fortrose and Rosemarkie Golf Club in Scotland after it for the second time two years ago for the second time. It costs me 250 GBP and now I am about to extend the second time!
Colgan: It was a gift, but a few years ago a buddy bought an Otto de Oranje Headcover for me. (I am a proud graduate Syracuse.) It travels the whole world with me, and it is the only item where I would buy three more if I lost it tomorrow.
Marksbury: As soon as I saw this Crystal-ineleged ball marking in the form of a pint of beerI knew I had to have it.
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