If The Trophy Fitz

The tour de force that is Mary McKenna, Irish golfing legend and all-round good egg, has departed these shores and is now back in Ireland, cameras at the ready to capture more glorious spring and summer snaps.  We’re very happy she accepted the role of the blog’s chief photographer (unpaid position, of course) ten years ago at the inception of these ramblings.

We did spend a lovely weekend in Lichfield with the sister – well, MOST of it was lovely.  We had a stressful time listening to the radio, exhausting every ounce of willpower in order to get Spurs over the line for their first victory this year.  For a spell of a handful of minutes it looked like Tottenham would make up a couple of much-needed points on West Ham but a late goal put paid to that.  As Patricia says, “It’s the hope that kills you.”

Quelle relief when the final whistle blew.  And Mary doesn’t even like football.

There’s no doubt there’s one family in the golfing world that is, well, on top of the world just now – and that’s the Fitzpatricks.  Matt, multiple winner on the PGA tour this year and No 3, partnered with little bro, Alex, who won his maiden DP World tour title in India at the start of the month, to snatch the Zurich Classic of New Orleans title with a last-gasp birdie at the 72nd hole.  Mum and Dad were on hand to witness it all and to see their younger boy gain his PGA tour card and exempt status through to the end of 2028.

This is the stuff of dreams by anyone’s standards and it was the feel-good story of the week without a shadow of a doubt.  To share it with the whole family must have been joyous for all of them.

Alas, it seems that the opportunities for this sort of springboard in the world of golf are lessening.  There was plenty of news during the week to spark speculation and conjecture about the direction and future of various tours.  The PGA Tour have, as expected, dropped their opening two events in January 2027 in Hawaii and under the stewardship of Brian Rolapp, the new commissioner, sorry, chief executive, we are likely to see a shorter, consolidated schedule with limited fields and no cut.  Apparently, it’s all in the name of getting the best players in the world to play against each other more often.

I don’t find anything that is being promised remotely attractive.  Smaller fields and no cut is limiting, limiting, limiting.  The more open golf is, the healthier it’ll be.  Removing full fields and the cut takes away any jeopardy for the players who are having an off week – they’re going to get a hefty cheque no matter how they play.  I like seeing unknown players excel – we could witness a life-changing moment for them (as we did with Alex Fitzpatrick) which is something that draws in all sports fans.

The top stars will always wish to be in charge of their own schedules and they will ink the majors (none of which the PGA Tour controls) into their diaries first and foremost.  After that they will decide on where they’ll play.  With the prizemoney on the PGA Tour so elevated now and with the fields shrinking, stagnation beckons.

There has also been speculation swirling around the LIV Golf Tour and its ability to survive beyond the end of this year.  It’s reported that PIF, who have sunk $5 billion into the league, are withdrawing their support and now outside funding is being sought for future years.  How this year pans out for the players will be more than a little interesting.  Those whose contracts come to an end may well be seeking a route back to the conventional golfing landscape while those with ongoing contracts might find themselves with nowhere to play.

Perhaps we’re about to seriously enter the era of the Youtube Golf Tour.  (Yes, it’s already a bit of a thing!)

I’m a bit depressed at the moment about the women’s game, the coverage it receives and its future – as are some of the blog’s correspondents.  There’s either poor coverage or too little coverage.  I don’t have the answers to the perennial questions of how to secure sponsorship to the value needed to provide a top-class event with a captivating broadcast.  The first major of the year, the Chevron Championship should have provided all we wanted – but it was frankly quite unexciting and I was channel-hopping to find the Fitzpatrick brothers instead.

Nelly Korda, supreme athlete and wonderful golfer that she is, always looks as if she’d quite like to be somewhere else.  Korda won her third major and in the process recaptured her place at the summit of the world rankings.  Mind you, the sparse crowds didn’t help, but why is women’s golf not forging onwards and upwards in this era of genuine and burgeoning interest in all sorts of women’s sports?  The answer to that question seems to elude better brains than mine.

Meanwhile, I suppose I’ll just have to cross my fingers and carry on dreaming of a female Seve appearing on the scene to provide that extra something that might just pull the crowds in.  Goodness knows, the players deserve it.