The PGA Tour’s Asian swing ends this week and Cut Line breaks down the far-fetched (Simon Dyson) and the far out (Rory McIlroy) from the Far East.
Made Cut
Lost season? Many pundits declared Rory McIlroy’s 2013 a wasted year long before he failed to advance to East Lake for the Tour Championship, and maybe a victory this week at the WGC-HSBC Champions will simply be the metaphorical cherry atop the trash sandwich.
Consider, however, how a victory this week in China against an A-list field would be viewed in historical context. A triumph would be his seventh Tour tilt and give him a victory in each of his first four seasons. It would also pave the way to the European Tour’s season-ending event in Dubai, which he is currently not qualified for, and set him up for a potential finish that could well change the conversation.
Currently tied for second and five strokes back at the HSBC, the Ulsterman could well manage a walk-off finish to ’13 and quiet the critics. That is if they are even still listening.
Ko-rect. LPGA commissioner Michael Whan wisely ended any speculation as to Lydia Ko’s future this week when the circuit announced it would waive its minimum age requirement and allow the 16-year-old to take up membership in 2014.
Ko turns 17 on April 24 and has already proven she is tour-tested, having won twice on the LPGA.
“We are looking forward to having Lydia as a full-time member for the 2014 season. It is not often that the LPGA welcomes a rookie who is already a back-to-back LPGA Tour champion,” Whan said in a statement on Monday.
Whan’s measured approach to waiving the age requirement is understandable, but as the game continues to trend younger and younger, officials must realize that, at least in the women’s game, 16 is the new 26.
The PGA Tour’s Asian swing ends this week and Cut Line breaks down the far-fetched (Simon Dyson) and the far out (Rory McIlroy) from the Far East.
Made Cut
Lost season? Many pundits declared Rory McIlroy’s 2013 a wasted year long before he failed to advance to East Lake for the Tour Championship, and maybe a victory this week at the WGC-HSBC Champions will simply be the metaphorical cherry atop the trash sandwich.
Consider, however, how a victory this week in China against an A-list field would be viewed in historical context. A triumph would be his seventh Tour tilt and give him a victory in each of his first four seasons. It would also pave the way to the European Tour’s season-ending event in Dubai, which he is currently not qualified for, and set him up for a potential finish that could well change the conversation.
Currently tied for second and five strokes back at the HSBC, the Ulsterman could well manage a walk-off finish to ’13 and quiet the critics. That is if they are even still listening.
Ko-rect. LPGA commissioner Michael Whan wisely ended any speculation as to Lydia Ko’s future this week when the circuit announced it would waive its minimum age requirement and allow the 16-year-old to take up membership in 2014.
Ko turns 17 on April 24 and has already proven she is tour-tested, having won twice on the LPGA.
“We are looking forward to having Lydia as a full-time member for the 2014 season. It is not often that the LPGA welcomes a rookie who is already a back-to-back LPGA Tour champion,” Whan said in a statement on Monday.
Whan’s measured approach to waiving the age requirement is understandable, but as the game continues to trend younger and younger, officials must realize that, at least in the women’s game, 16 is the new 26.