When the previous highlight of your career was the shot above (taken at this year's World Golf Championships - CA Classic) and failing to live up to your potential in Major Tournaments, last weekend's Victory at the Players is already being cast by some as the future of things to come for Henrik Stenson.
Despite it being cast as such, I'm fail to see the track record for past winners of the tournament using it as a spring-board to Major's victory. Of the competitors who won at the TPC Sawgrass before winning a Major Championship, I can't find one that's parlayed success at the Players into Master's gold.
Often called "the fifth major" by people not content to just let it be a very good tournament that attracts a great field every year, winning the Players is supposed to signify that a golfer is ready to challenge at the big venues and bring home a number of major tournaments, using this 'major lite' as a springboard. Except it doesn't play out that way. Don't get me wrong, winning @ The Players is a big deal. It's one of the best tournaments of the year. I just can't figure out why there's this need by some in the golfing community to make it out to be something its not.
It's not the "Fifth major" and it's not a sign of future success.
Congratulations to Henrik Stensen anyway. If for no other reason than he can finally put the skivvies shot in his rearview mirror.
Oddly enough, this year, The Players marks the start of an interesting run of PGA Golf for the Texas golf fan. This weekend is the Valero Open, in San Antonio, followed by the Byron Nelson in Irving, and then the Crowne Plaza Championship (really: the Colonial) in Fort Worth finishing off a mini-Texas Swing. Too bad the Shell Houston Open didn't see the wisdom in trying to grab one of those slots.
Following that up is the Memorial, or...Jack's tournament, and then players have a down week (well, OK there's the ST. Jude being played) before Golf's best tournament, The U.S. Open kicks off at one of its best venues: The Black Course at Beth Page Municipal Golf Course in NY.
All in all not a bad May and June of Golf.
