Naples News Article (Week of 7/15/19)

I have watched closely these last few weeks and for that matter the entire year. Watch what you ask, well watch the newest crop of young guns. It seems like every few years there is a swath of youngsters that descends on the PGA Tour at one time. Each group soon after seems to get diluted, and when the smoke clears, maybe one or two are left standing. In each of these crops, it seems maybe one, of what seemed like a bunch of no miss future superstars, actually becomes an upper echelon PGA Tour player. One who may even have that one extremely bright breakout season then fade back into the weeds.

Well as we speak the current crop may, just may be different. Wolff, Holland, Niemann, Suh, Burns, Morikawa, and Redman just to name a few are making a bunch of noise. Of course the loudest noise to date was Mr. Wolff’s 30+ foot eagle putt on the 72nd green to pull the rug out from under Bryson De Robot’s feet after he just minutes before hard eagled 18 himself only to be denied the 3M Championship in Minnesota. Enter the winners circle young Matt Wolff! What should be noted is that although Wolff provided the biggest fireworks with that eagle and a final round 65, Morikawa 66 T2nd and Holland also 65 T13 were also extremely impressive. These three combined for a nifty -56 under par for the week! Average age 21!

Now looking a bit deeper into this group of young guns, Joaquin Niemann 21 from Chile already has amassed 6 professional victories worldwide, Sam Burns 22 tallied a T7th last season at the Honda playing Sunday alongside a guy named Woods and never so much as blinked. Justin Suh is lurking. Suh played his college golf at USC where he set a school record with 64 rounds in the 60’s! Until recently the young guns were Ricky, Spieth, JT, Rory, DJ, Woodland, Rahm, Day and Brooks. Well guess what these “Old Guys” better get back to working on their golf games and put those trips to the Bahamas and those social media posts on the shelf or they just might get run over by a freight train full of fearless baby brats that can flat golf their balls.

I have been saying for some time golf is far healthier than the media might suggest. Yes we keep looking for Tiger to move the needle. Folks I might suggest you do your homework on this current crop of young guns and wrap your collective heads around them. Because of this group of youngsters and what I’ll call for convenience the “Ricky Group” we are in for 20+ years of exciting golf. Yes, and if you’re asking I think this early 20 something group is in fact the “REAL DEAL”! I’m pumped about the future of both the PGA Tour but also the world stage continues to be absolutely amazing.
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Matt Wolff 20 ~ 2019 NCAA ~ OSU ~ 1st Team All American ~ Nicklaus Award POY ~ Calif Kid ~ Eagle at last to crush Bryson by 1! Last rd 65! Captures PGA Tour 3M Classic

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Collin Morikawa 22 ~ Runner 3M final rd 66 1 shot back …Calif kid also …Cal Berkeley ….Won Sunnehanna , Trans Miss , 2017 Walker Cup Team, Western Jr. … spent 3 weeks as #1 AM on the planet, T14th Canadian Open

Victor Hovland 21 ~ Norwegian ~ Also OSU Cowboy ~ 2018 US AM Champion , 2018 Australian Open T13th , Low AM 19 Masters T32nd , 19 US Open T12th , Lowest 72 Total by AM in US Open History score 280. Previous 282 by some guy named Nicklaus….T13th at 3M -15 under! Final rd 65 also!

Joaquin Niemann 21 ~ 6 Professional Wins! Texas Open T6, Memorial T6, Greenbrier T5 …earned PGA TOUR CARD with after 4 Top 10’s in 8 events

Justin Suh 22 ~ USC ~ 4X All American selection, US. record holder with 64 rounds in the 60’s

Sam Burns 22 ~ LSU ~ Victory on Korn Ferry tour in Savannah, T41 18 US Open T29 19 PGA T7 Honda playing with Tiger

WATCH OUT Rickey , JT , DJ , Brooks , Spieth , Day , Rory , Rahm , Woodland , Tiger , here comes the Baby Brigade !