John Rahm won the 2023 Augusta Masters tournament. He has now won two Major Championships, and is the third Spaniard to win this tournament.
The tournament suffered from a collapse of trees on the seventeenth green on the second day of the tournament - which was lucky to not strike any viewers on course, who are pretentiously called 'patrons'. On Saturday the tournament was halted due to rain, meaning many players did not finish their third round until the Sunday.
The other thing overhanging the tournament was players of the breakaway LIV tournament who qualified to play. There had been a threat, or promise, that if a LIV player were to win then other players of the tour would gather at the eighteenth green to celebrate with their fellow breakaway players.
For two-and-a-half days this was a potential outcome. Firstly Brooks Koepka, a four time Major winner, led the leader board after days two and three, and the early part of day four. On day four Phil Mickelson, a six time Major and three time Masters winner, shot a final round 65 to set a Club House lead of eight under par.
Neither player had what was needed to beat Rahm.
For Mickelson his age would seem to be a factor - shooting a 65 on day four belies his 52 years on the planet, and while he looks the trimmest I remember seeing him for years, he lost his chance to win in the first three rounds.
For Koepka there is both a suspect knee and playing nearly 30 holes on the final day which can be pointed to. Though it has to be noted that Rahnm played the same number of final day holes, and Koepka's knee did not show any obvious signs of difficulty.
Last year I wrote about a likelihood of LIV players being unlikely to capture Major titles going forward, with the opportunity diminishing as things move forward.
The reason I gave, and hold to, is that LIV matches are over 54 holes, while a Major is 72. There is a different rhythm to playing 3 days than there is to playing over 4. At the present LIV players are not far removed from that playing tempo, they have grown up with it and between muscle memory and conscious determination I'm not surprised that they placed so well in this tournament.
Will three of the top four in a Major be a high spot?
I can not forsee the future. But it is possible to think about what is likely, or possible, and reason on why.
British cycling supremo, Dave Brailsford, talked and wrote about the 'implementation of marginal gains' where-by small changes to a cyclist's gear and preparation could add up to larger gains in performance.
In my original 'Here's The Thing' essay I posited that a reverse process could play with the LIV tour.
The aggregation of marginal declines is likely to see LIV players less capable of winning a Major. Over time muscle memory degrades, so the likelihood of holding things together for the extra 18 holes required for a Major will become tougher for a LIV player. This will become more prevalant the further LIV players are removed from playing 72 holes as a tournament standard.
It cannot be denied that Koepka withered in the final round. Of course, Mickelson's charge in the same round should not be overlooked, though my theory suggests that such charges from LIV players will lessen over time.
The next chance to test my theory rolls round during May 18-21 at the scene of Europe's 1995 Ryder Cup victory, Oak Hill Country CLub, Rochester, New York State.
By then LIV players will have had the chance to sharpen their mettle in three 54 hole tournaments - Adelaide, Singapore, & Tulsa.
PGA players have the chance to shoot 72 holes at four tournaments: the RBC Heritage in South Carolina, Zurich Classic in New Orleans, Mexico Open in Nuevo Vallarta, and the AT&T Byron Nelson in Texas.
DPA tour players can play 72 holes in a different four torunaments held in Japan, Korea, Italy, and Belgium.
Major tournaments used to be a competition between PGA and DPA tour players, with the PGA dominating. LIV are trying to crash the party. I can't help but feel they are likely to be unsuccessful.