Page 50 - Golf World (February 2020)
P. 50
20 questions
Four years ago, the likes of Rory The familiar refrain of ‘C’mon Aussie’ Out of the world’s top 50 for the first
McIlroy, Dustin Johnson, Jordan has been missing across both tours in time in 25 years, months away from
Spieth and Adam Scott chose not to recent months. Jason Day, Marc hitting the big 5-0 and on the back of
play when golf made its long-awaited Leishman, Cameron Smith and Lucas a season that was, by his own standards,
return to the Olympics in Rio. Justin Herbert all slipped down the world troubled, it’s easy to predict that we’ve
Rose embraced the opportunity, won rankings in 2019. Adam Scott had a seen the best of Phil Mickelson.
the gold medal and has revelled in good year but didn’t get a win. In fact, Having reinvented himself as the
being introduced as the Olympic there were no Aussie wins on the PGA king of social media, and accepted a
Champion ever since, describing it now Tour in a calendar year for the first $3m pay cheque to play in the Saudi
as his most important victory. time since 1987, and only Scott Hend International rather than play the
This year in Tokyo, all the big got a trophy on the European Tour. Phoenix Open he’s been a fixture at
names will be there, because Rose is Australia’s rich golfing heritage is every year since 1990, it’s also easy to
proof that an Olympic gold medal undermined by a lack of strength in think that Lefty is slowly exiting the
really matters. The Olympics still depth – with only three players in the main stage and transitioning into the
might not be viewed with the same top 50 and five in the top 100 of the next phase of his life. “Given that I
reverence as the majors by most players, world rankings. So when the big names turn 50 this year, there’s a good chance
but it’s leapfrogged the WGCs for don’t perform, Aussie golf struggles. I’ve played my last Phoenix Open,” he
many of them. Those who played in Scott is the most likely to get back in reasoned, an air of finality in his voice.
Rio raved about the tournament and the winner’s circle in 2020. He had “We’ll see.”
being a part of the Olympic experience, two runners-up finishes and seven As sad as that would be, it should
the fans turned out in their droves and other top-10s last year, including T7 come as little surprise. Lefty wasn’t
responded positively after the event, in the US Open and T8 in the PGA only battling the new breed of super
and the fact it only happens once every Championship. He’s won 29 times athletes on tour in 2019, he was also
four years makes a medal an even more around the world, but the last of those battling the undefeatable adversary in
precious commodity. was in 2016. For Day and Leishman, it Father Time. His victory at the AT&T
If anyone again chooses not to play, looks somewhat trickier as both have Pebble Beach Pro-Am last February
they can’t use excuses (legitimate or struggled with injuries in recent years. showed he can still win, just not with
otherwise) like the Zika virus or Former world number one Day hasn’t the same regularity.
question marks over the location. been swinging at his best either. Phil Mickelson dropping out of
Tokyo was named the world’s safest Australian golf needs the younger the world’s top 50 for the first time in
city in 2019, Japan is a golf-mad nation players to now step up, but there isn’t a a quarter-of-a-century – for the first
and Kasumigaseki Country Club is an long queue of them. Smith and Herbert time since November 27, 1993 and the
established and highly-rated course have talent and potential, but they have first time in 1,353 weeks – only
that has hosted the Japan Open on to find greater consistency. Beyond highlights how much we’ve taken
four occasions. that, the next bright hope is 21-year- Lefty’s brilliance for granted.
Rory and Tiger have already old Min Woo Lee, a big-hitter who He will win again, no question.
declared their intention to play from should get a decent number of starts There’s every chance he’ll win this
July 30-August 2. They will on the European Tour this year. We season, next and possibly beyond, but
undoubtedly be joined by the majority might hear the cry again in 2020, but it his days as a top 50 force are now
of the world’s top players. may again be in isolation. behind him.
50 Golf World February 2020 | golfworldtop100.com
