Global Golf Post - January 24, 2011

Europe: You’re Up

Martin Kaymer

New
World
Order
Hope winner Jhonattan Vegas
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Maybe one day, not that far into the future,
we all will look back with clarity and say: This
was the week the conversation changed.
The European Tour assembled a better
field at a fancier venue with more compelling
story lines. It produced a striking perfor-
mance from an unsurprised young German,
who now ranks ahead of Tiger Woods.
Winner Martin Kaymer, the reigning PGA
champion, U.S. Open champion Graeme
McDowell, Open Championship winner Louis
Oosthuizen and Masters incumbent Phil
Mickelson made for a priceless photo-op
at Abu Dhabi where players stayed in fully
comped $1,000-a-night luxury suites.
Meanwhile, back in the States, the PGA
Tour fired back with B-list celebrities, free
In-N-Out Burgers, a little-known Venezuelan
rookie named Vegas and putts that still break
toward Indio. Even the late Bob Hope, rest
his comedic soul, wouldn’t think any of this is
very funny.
Tiger comes out of his den Thursday in
San Diego. But quicker than you can say “pri-
vate jet,” he, too, will be off to the Middle East
the week after next for a huge appearance
fee and stronger competition.
Maybe Europe’s stars will come back to
earth. Maybe, on another front, the USGA and
the R&A will find a way, in their talks, to put
an end to all these unnecessary DQs.
But for now the balance of power clearly
has shifted. If you don’t grasp that, you’re
looking at a mirage and seeing an oasis. And
if you didn’t sniff this coming, you weren’t
paying attention.