19 Μαρτίου 2020, 15:55

Why the bonds of golf are so vital

If I were to play golf with Rory McIlroy and hit my drive 260 yards before he hit his 395, would that adhere to “social distancing” protocols?

As I sat home during the long, strange weekend of not covering THE PLAYERS Championship, I had this and other thoughts about the meaning of golf in all of this.

For the record, I was working on a story about how stars such as Webb Simpson and Phil Mickelson and Adam Scott celebrated winning THE PLAYERS on the decidedly un-festive occasion of coronavirus canceling the tournament. How ironic.

For the record, Simpson swung by Wendy’s for a double cheeseburger on his way home, just as he had after winning the U.S. Open. Mickelson and his lawyer popped over to Dwight’s in Jax Beach for lobster ravioli. Scott spent Sunday night at Stuart Appleby’s house in Orlando and, he admitted with a bemused smile, attended a Britney Spears concert the next day.

“Hey, it was 2004,” Scott said with a laugh.

And that all adds up to – what? I don’t know. And I’m not sure what it says that for me golf has connected some grim historical plot points: the 1989 Bay Area earthquake (I was playing), the terrorist attacks of 9/11 (playing) and the coronavirus cancellation (working, until not working).

Coronavirus canceled a friend’s wedding, too. Or postponed it. Golf was on the itinerary the day before the ceremony. On Facebook, I read about the anguish he’d felt in making the decision to cancel after all that planning and anticipation.

Relatable, if you watched in real time as PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan decided to cancel THE PLAYERS, Valspar Championship, World Golf Championship-Dell Technologies Match Play, and Valero Texas Open. The Corales Punta Cana Resort Championship: postponed.