Losing Perspective

J.J. Spaun stared at a screen showing his ball flying over the green and into the water on the iconic 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass. Spaun asked the reporter if he could watch the shot for a second. Spaun remained stunned as the ball flew over the green and into the water, ending his chances of winning The Players Championship. 

After watching it, he described how he and his caddie had hit balls on the range into the same wind. With each word, you could feel his disappointment and frustration. The longtime grinder was stunned. If you watched him watching the shot, there was no way you didn't feel empathy for him. 

Golf needs moments like that, and Collin Morikawa missed an opportunity to do something similar the previous week at Bay Hill: give fans the relatable perspective of defeat. 

The news in pro golf in the last three years has been dominated by division and money, lots and lots of money. It was Rahm on Fox in his LIV letterman's coat signing for $300 million, or $600 million, or whatever. The PGA Tour introduced Signature Events with fields limited to a small percentage of their members, with $20 million purses. The Tour then announced that players would own a stake in the for-profit side of a rapidly-changing sport. TGL was introduced, again benefitting the Tour's top players. 

Fans grew tired of the deal being close, then not close, then close again, and so on. Ratings fell while players from LIV and the Tour fought over billions of dollars. Money, money, money. Not relatable or that interesting to most fans.

The emotion of Spaun’s press conference was relatable. Although we can't fully relate to his deft skill or losing on such a grand stage, we can relate to his disappointment. When he looked at the screen during the press conference, you could almost see his stomach sink as he watched. Although he knew the outcome, there was a second you sensed that maybe this time, his ball wouldn't go in the water. 

"I was stunned," Spaun said over and over. Despite the biggest check of his pro career, he talked about walking away disappointed. It humanized a game that is desperate to connect with fans. The desire to win transcends a paycheck. There’s something truly pure about that.

Spaun made nearly $3 million but in that press conference, it didn't seem to matter. At that moment, it wasn't about the money. Instead, it was about the biggest opportunity of his pro career and how it slipped away. His answers were honest and filled with emotion. It is all we ask as fans. 

It’s what Morikawa failed to do after the final round of Bay Hill.  He undoubtedly felt similarly to Spaun, the agony of defeat narrowing his perspective. But Morikawa missed an opportunity to show the emotions that only a deep yearning to win can produce. He had an opportunity to show us what he felt and why it hurt. Instead, he put up a carefully worded Instagram post and doubled down on his decision to avoid reporters. 

Does he owe us anything? No, of course not. But I hope Morikawa was watching his colleague's press conference at TPC Sawgrass and considering how unique that opportunity is. It’s a window into why the best golfers play and how captivating the game is. 

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