By Bryan Douglass
July 22, 2008 6:01pm CDT

- Same old song...
As feared, the immediate reactions to the Open Championship were (a) we knew Norman couldn't hold on (not to benefit a burning desire to see him win, but more as a disappointing sidenote that adds to a career of near-misses), and (b) we knew the "big boys" wouldn't step up and take a stand during the premium opportunity they are likely to see (a major without Tiger).

It is difficult to identify the more concerning conclusions those emotions might offer. For starters, it seems to suggest Padraig Harrington is not one of the "big boys," a group that many would state includes golfers like Phil Mickelson, Vijay Singh, Adam Scott, Ernie Els, and (maybe) Sergio Garcia. The second conclusion one might draw is that the tourney lacked value and failed to entertain as expected, due to the absence of the greatest player in the game.

Nothing, on both accounts, could be further from the truth.

Start with Harrington, a dedicated golfer with tremendous skills who now sits as a two-time major winner. In fact, he is not just a two-time major winner, but he is one of a small-yet-illustrious group that has won the Open Championship in consecutive seasons. Listed with names like Lee Trevino, Tom Watson, Arnold Palmer, and Tiger Woods, the feat is one few have achieved, and all who have are worthy of respect among the greatest to ever play the game. It may be fair to debate if Harrington is worthy of being considered in that company, but there should be no doubt about his resume as it stands against the greats of today.

He competes at almost every major he hits (did you forget he finished T5 at The Masters this year, a week finished at -2 when many of the top names in the game were well over par?), he travels the globe and finds himself in the mix at almost every stop, and he's more than capable of doing work like this no matter who is in the field. To suggest the result is disappointing because a player more commonly viewed as elite failed to emerge is nothing more than failing to recognize a great golfer did pull it off.

And let's admit it... the tourney was fantastic. All four days presented various environmental challenges we all associate with this style of golf. There were highs and lows, many of those experienced by names you would expect to compete, and many of them did (Mickelson, Scott, Furyk, Els, and two names we would be wise to add to the list of the elite moving forward, Henrik Stenson and Anthony Kim, all finished amongst the top 10). We had an amateur (Chris Wood) finish in the top 10, as well (with another, Thomas Sherreard, finish at T19), and for fanatics of the game like myself, the walk up 18 with a commanding lead is just as exciting as a shot at a playoff... whether it's Tiger making that walk or not.


~ Hot Hands ~

- Adam Scott The difference between a ranking of #10 (currently held by Jim Furyk, everyone's favorite to win this next week's Canadian Open) and #4, currently filled by our Hot Hand of the week, is exactly 0.50 points. To put it in perspective, Tiger (out since winning the US Open) is about 10 points ahead of #2 Phil Mickelson, who is three points ahead of your Open Championship winner Padraig Harrington. In other words, 0.50 points is nothing, yet Scott has emerged from that group as the man to beat the most likely to jump to the rank of the elite.

I must admit taking a more negative view towards Scott's potential when the season started, but he has made me a believer and I am leaning towards his name when the PGA Championship hits the schedule in less than a month.

Thus far in '08, Scott has made just 14 starts (a good five or six fewer starts than most) but touts a dozen top-30 finishes, and from that you can break seven top-20s, four top-10s, and two wins. He has yet to miss a cut (though he has a withdrawal at the Shell Houston Open due to a wrist injury), he has just one troubling outing (T54 at THE PLAYERS), and he's playing well on courses that have caused him problems in the past.

The PGA Championship may be his shot at breaking through for that major win. Oakmont Hills suits his overall game rather well and he is playing so well, a rise to top of the leaderboard (especially with Tiger out and Lefty struggling) seems all too easy to envision.


~ Cold Feet ~

- J.B. Holmes Though he is still ranked #18 on the current PGA Money Leaders list, it is important to note one simple fact: $1.08 million of the $1.92 Holmes has raked in this season came in one strong week, winning at the FBR Open. That was back in late January, and since then, his life on the Tour has been cumbersome, to say the least.

In the 16 starts Holmes has made since that victory, he has suffered six missed cuts (two coming at majors) and has earned just two top-10 finishes (T7 at the Northern Trust, held the week after the FBR Open, and T10 at THE PLAYERS).

In fact, Holmes has finished well out of the mix a worrisome four times in those 10 times he's earned a spot on the weekend. He was eliminated on Day 1 at the WGC Accenture Match Play Championship, he closed with 74-73 at the Arnold Palmer to finish T59, he shot 75 on Saturday at the WGC CA Championship to finish T40, and he is one of few that failed to go well under par at the AT&T National.

However, for the fantasy owner, the most pertinent note of value: In four of Holmes' last five tourneys, he's failed to earn an opportunity to play a round on the weekend (with the T49 at the AT&T sandwiched in the middle).

He's struggling, he's in the midst of a horrific slump, and there is no need to gamble his way until he proves he is out of it (though, we must admit, it wouldn't be shocking to see that happen at the Canadian this week).


- FedEx Cup Standings RANK PLAYER POINTS
1 Tiger Woods 22,695
2 Kenny Perry 20,824
3 Phil Mickelson 16,199
4 Stewart Cink 15,039
5 Anthony Kim 14,272
6 Justin Leonard 12, 399
7 Ryuji Imada 10,854
8 Geoff Ogilvy 10,660
9 Padraig Harrington 10,331
10 Vijay Singh 10,309


- US Ryder Cup Point Standings RANK PLAYER POINTS
1 Tiger Woods 11,365.627
2 Stewart Cink 4,906.065
3 Phil Mickelson 4,570.000
4 Kenny Perry 4,444.950
5 Jim Furyk 4,186.292
6 Anthony Kim 3,806.797
7 Justin Leonard 3,277.523
7 Boo Weekley 2,591.546
9 Steve Stricker 2,556.571
10 Woody Austin 2,380.733


- PGA Money Leaders PLAYER EVENTS EARNINGS
Tiger Woods 6 $5,775,000
Kenny Perry 20 $4,456,550
Phil Mickelson 15 $4,034,985
Stewart Cink 16 $3,718,671
Anthony Kim 15 $3,450,365
Justin Leonard 18 $3,051,260
Padraig Harrington 10 $2,876,731
Geoff Ogilvy 15 $2,745,454
Vijay Singh 16 $2,582,531
Robert Allenby 19 $2,467,141


- Official World Golf Rankings PLAYER EVENTS AVG PTS
Tiger Woods 40 19.50
Phil Mickelson 44 9.68
Padraig Harrington 54 6.37
Adam Scott 48 5.54
Ernie Els 56 5.53
Geoff Ogilvy 46 5.40
Sergio Garcia 52 5.36
Stewart Cink 50 5.33
Steve Stricker 46 5.22
Jim Furyk 52 5.04


- World Money List PLAYER EVENTS EARNINGS
Tiger Woods 7 $6,196,717
Kenny Perry 20 $4,456,550
Phil Mickelson 16 $4,072,966
Stewart Cink 16 $3,725,020
Anthony Kim 16 $3,560,697
Justin Leonard 18 $3,050,496
Sergio Garcia 16 $3,035,567
Padraig Harrington 15 $3,031,970
Geoff Ogilvy 15 $2,750,712
Vijay Singh 17 $2,607,565