Apparently, some folks are reveling in the fact that J.B. Holmes is leading at the halfway mark of the PGA Championship, but for the wrong reasons. At least one of my standup comedian wannabe colleagues intentionally confused J.B. with the late porn star of a similar name, and the thought brought him to tears of laughter. (OK, so it was an evil chuckle.)
He looked at the leaderboard, and noted that Ken (Daisy) Duke and Charlie (Michelle) Wi were also in the hunt. More guffaws. (Snickers.)
But in his jesting lay a seed of reality: For many, if a marquee name isn't leading or winning, then the tournament isn't worth watching, and that's a sure sign of sporting ignorance.
Do you for a moment doubt that Mike Weir's 2003 Masters victory was greeted with anything more than a yawn outside of our borders? That the reaction was incredulous, to say the least, when Ben Curtis or Todd Hamilton won their Open Championships or Shaun Micheel his PGA? You can pick any number of other unlikely, but nonetheless deserving, major winners. How about Jack Fleck, who knocked off Hogan in 1955? Anyone recall the name Francis Ouimet? Does it matter? A major, indeed any tournament, is designed to determine the best player at that moment in time, not who has the highest TV ratings.
Going into the season's final major, Bart Bryant said that if one of the long hitters in the field was "piping it," i.e., driving it straight, then he would win the 90th PGA Championship.
At 5'11" and a couple of hundred pounds, Holmes is long (Oops. I mean J.B.). Really long. (Ditto.) He's second on the PGA Tour in driving distance at 311 yards and, with the hard, dry conditions at Oakland Hills, when he's straight, he's been really, really, really long. Like reaching the 593-yard par-5 12th with an 8-iron. Of course, that 8-iron traveled 217 yards. That means the drive was 376, assuming the tee was right on the back block.
"I hit a couple [of tee shots] out there that might have got close to 400 today," he said after his round. But, he added, it was "probably the best ball-striking I've had this year." He's 16th on the Ryder Cup list and, as it will be played in his home state of Kentucky next month, he desperately wants to make the team. Winning the PGA would do that.
As this is written, Holmes is still on the lead. Sad to say, but it's doubtful he will remain there, as he is 203rd in driving accuracy this year, and 137th in greens in regulation. Even if he stays on top after today's third round, his chances of winning are bleak as he is 183rd in final-round scoring average.
Does this mean I'm rooting for him to lose? Of course not. To me, just as to every other real golf fan, the unpredictability of the game is what fascinates us.
But should he lose, and a more recognizable name adorn the Wanamaker Trophy, that would make everyone happy as well-except for the stand-up wannabes.