Golf Notes – Going Low on the PGA and Major Priorities

Do you want to know why the PGA tour is so competitive? Take a look at the leaderboard from this past weekend’s St. Jude Classic. David Toms shot a seven under 64 to win. Nick Price shot a 62 and came in second! most of the top 25 players shot in the sixties. Obviously the TPC at Southwind did not put up much of a fight thanks to a lack of wind and perfect course conditions. But that just shows how tough the PGA can be; these days anyone can go low. If your a mid level player and you finally get a chance to play a tournament without Vijay Singh, Mike Weir, or Ernie Els (let alone Tiger, Phil Mickelson, or Davis Love) and what happens along comes David Toms with a 64 on Sunday. There goes Richard Johnson’s chance for a win.

In other golf news Bruce Lietzke won the US Senior Open in Toledo. Unlike Toms, Lietzke didn’t have to go low to win on Sunday, as he shot his 64 on Saturday. That was enough to hold off Tom Watson. But the reason I brought up Lietzke was not because he won his first major but because he is a man with his priorities right. Check out this story in USA Today:

“After my children were born,” Lietzke said, “golf wasn’t even in my top five priorities. My father had coached my little league team when I was a boy, and I wanted to coach my son’s little league team. When my daughter got old enough to play softball, I coached her softball team.”
As a result he stopped playing what he calls “summer time golf,” which meant he quit playing the major championships ? the U.S. Open, the British Open and the PGA Championship. From 1970 through ‘95 he played just 47 majors. In ‘91 he finished second to John Daly at the PGA Championship near Indianapolis. During that period he won 13 tournaments on the PGA Tour, but no majors. After he turned 50, he committed himself to play the Champions Tour, and he has won seven tournaments.

You have to respect a man who could have competed at the highest levels and won fame and fortune but who quietly and easily gave it up simply to spend time with his family. Talk about a role model.