Is American golf in trouble and does it matter?

mike65

The US Open will not be won by an American player and that will be 5 majors in a row without a US player winning, the last calender year without an American win was 1995 and that proved nothing in particular other than Tiger Woods was not yet ready to dominate!

The Ryder Cup is now more likely to be won by Europe than the States. In the 16 competitions since the two first played Europe has won 9 (and that 9 was in the last 13 meetings)

Only 10 of the world top 30 is from the land of golfing presidents, in terms of money the PGA tour is still comfortably the major money generator for the game (more than twice that of the European Tour) and the US networks pay handsomely to show the game.

US golf audiences are nothing if not "patriotic", could the game as a whole suffer if Americans keep getting beaten esp in their major home turf events?

k.p.h

Thats a little bit of a silly question (no offence or anything). But its like saying why are Cork better than Kerry, Tipperary better than Kilkenny, Barcelona better than Man Utd. Munster better than Leinster (yeah yeah I know but they will never be better than Munster )

It's the same in golf as it is in all sports.It's because they have better players at the moment. But as in life and everything their is constant change. Anyone who thinks their is not a good few young american golfers waiting to do some damage dose not watch enough PGA golf.

Luckily enough we have a brilliant attitude in the European Tour that encourages hard work and perseverance and I think it gives us an edge at the moment, players are fulfilling their potential. I think if the US players fulfilled their potential things would be a lot closer.

That still dose not mean Rory, Westwood and Donald are anything other than amazing at the moment though.

soundsham

Phew thought it might be the shop !!
And all my fathers day vouchers ready to be used



God forbid the lazy gits might have to actually get passports

Opics

America's greatest young hope (the most hyped anyway) is Rickie Fowler. And I can't see him winning anytime soon. He's about to drop out of the worlds top 50 after missing the cut this week.

FISMA

I do not think that it matters, in fact, I think it helps the sport.

As an example, the Tour de France is a truly French event. But when was the last time a Frenchman won it?

Haven't the French have been waiting longer than the Irish for another win!

More international players = bigger audience = more money for hosts.

Think about the amount of money that Lance Armstrong made for France. Has to be in the hundreds of millions.

Oblomov

Americian's are very parochial in their attitude, winners from abroad, and using the Ryder cup as an example, the reaction of the American crowd to their opponents. A very unsporting display of patriotism, address that to the number of "foreign" players seen on US television and you have a recipe for disaster.

The American TV only showing American winner at the Olympic games is a clear example of xenophobic coverage. The public want to see Ameican winners, deprived of that and viewing figures will drop.

davo10

Oblomov wrote: »

. The public want to see Ameican winners, deprived of that and viewing figures will drop.

Oblomov you are right about this. A couple of weeks ago Butch Harmon and I think it was Jonny Miller were talking about the lack of good young golfers in the US. They said the likes of Kim and Fowler were more interested in "looking the part rather being the part" as top pro golfers. Both said that even with their knowledge of the college golf scene, neither could name a really good young golfing prospect in the US like McIllroy, Noh, Ishicawa etc and that was worrying to them for the very reason Oblomov said, there is no young golfer to excite the viewing public and get them to tune in/attend tournaments like Tiger, Nicklaus, Palmer etc did. If Europeans/Asians dominate the US tournaments, they will not be as attractive to sponsors. More than anything else, Yanks love winners and will forgive/ignore a lot of personal traits as long as a sportsman/woman is the best at their sport.