Writers: Morikawa, Korda, Mickelson 2021 Players Of The Year

Full disclosure, I voted the Male Player of the Year was the the toughest category given the similarity in years between Morikawa and Rahm. But over the calendar year he had a slight edge if you ignored the Memorial mess. Previously, PGA Tour players voted Patrick Cantlay their Player of the Year and the PGA of America’s point system gave Jon Rahm the 2020-21 player of the year.

For Immediate Release:

MORIKAWA, KORDA, MICKELSON VOTED GWAA PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

HOUSTON (January 27, 2022) -- Collin Morikawa, Nelly Korda and Phil Mickelson have been named respective winners of the 2021 player of the year awards by the Golf Writers Association of America.

Morikawa, who turns 25 on Feb. 6, was voted Male Player of the Year for the first time. Korda, 23, earned Female Player of the Year honors for the first time. Mickelson, 51, who has never won the GWAA’s Male Player of the Year award, was voted Senior Player of the Year for the first time.

Morikawa, ranked second in the Official World Golf Ranking to Spain’s Jon Rahm, received 48 percent of the vote to 37 percent for runner-up Rahm.

Morikawa won twice in a sensational 2021 season, highlighted by his victory in the Open Championship at Royal St. George’s, where he shot 67-64-68-66 and edged runner-up Jordan Spieth by two shots. He also won the World Golf Championships-Workday Championship at The Concession.

Morikawa tied for fourth at the U.S. Open, tied for eighth as defending champion at the PGA Championship and tied for fourth at the Olympic Men’s Golf Competition in Japan. He led the PGA Tour in greens in regulation (79.17%) and capped the season by going 3-0-1 in the Ryder Cup, helping the U.S. to a resounding 19-9 victory over Team Europe at Whistling Straits.

“It is an incredible honor to be named by the Golf Writers Association of America as their Male Player of the Year for 2021,” Morikawa said. “I have a deep appreciation for the journalists dedicated to promoting our great game, and to be recognized amongst the names of past winners is humbling.”

Korda won four times on the LPGA Tour and added six more top-10 finishes. Her victories came in the Pelican Women’s Championship, the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, the Meijer LPGA Classic and the Gainbridge LPGA.

In August, she struck gold in Japan, winning the Olympic Women’s Golf Competition. She also was a member of the U.S. Solheim Cup team. Korda received 72% of the GWAA vote.

"It is a huge honor and privilege to be voted Female Player of the Year,’’ Korda said.  “I am extremely grateful to be the recipient of this year's award alongside all the other incredible past honorees. Thank you to the entire team at the Golf Writers Associate of America.  It truly means a lot to me to receive this recognition and it will be something I will forever cherish." 

Mickelson made the most of just six starts on the PGA Tour Champions in the 2020-’21 wraparound season, winning four times. He won the Charles Schwab Series at Ozarks National, the Dominion Energy Charity Classic and the Constellation Furyk & Friends and capped his season by winning the Schwab Cup Championship.

And, of course, he won the PGA Championship at Kiawah Island to become the oldest-ever major champion. He received 59 percent of the vote.

“I’m very appreciative of that honor,” Mickelson said of his Senior Player of the Year Award. “I had a really fun time playing some Champions tour events and last year was a really special year, obviously winning the PGA Championship and playing and competing in the Champions tour events, and having success was really special. Being able to spend time with so many guys that I grew up playing with, I’m just honored.”

2022's Major Venues: Ranking The Intrigue Factor

The Quadrilateral has lumped the nine men’s and women’s major venues of 2022 into one package and done what any self-respecting publication would do: rank them. I should probably also rank where this year ranks on the list of great venue years but one ranking is enough for now. Too many exciting venues sporting shiny new paint jobs to celebrate!

This entire list is for ambassadors of the newsletter, but you can get a preview of what it looks like here.

And subscription info/links can be found here.

Quadrilateral: Seth Waugh's PGA Of America Christmas Letter

The Quadrilateral scores an exclusive copy of the PGA CEO's holiday missive to members and other golf organizations. This one is for paying subscribers but those who’ve signed up at least get a flavor or what Seth Waugh said to the troops.

As always, you can see more of the Quad here (though I’m getting ready to update the site), or just sign up here.

Major(s) News And Notes: November 25th, 2021

A special Thanksgiving edition of the weekly News & Notes is available to all so check it out here.

The preview goes like this: Open qualifying commences in South Africa, Valhalla may be sold, TV comings and goings, Black Friday deals, Tiger's odds move and a bunch of things to read or listen to.

As always, I’d point you to The Quadrilateral info site to answer questions (though it’ll be getting a year-end refresh soon), or the subscribe option for The Quadrilateral. Thanks to all for the support and Happy Thanksgiving!

Major(s) News & Notes, November 18, 2021

The Grand Slam world is never dull for Quadrilateralatians so if you aren’t signed up you’re missing what just dropped in email boxes.

Rory McIlroy reiterated the importance of majors as the PGA Tour focuses on financial incentives. My thoughts on this dichotomy are shared with a very profound solution.

Plus, Inverness and Olympic Club news, Slumbers on model local rules and media, capped off by some Reads.

Major(s) News & Notes, November 11th, 2021

This week’s edition free for all to read and subscribe to for free explores the danger of pro golfers talking money. Plus, an update with links to the best reads about the chase for money.

Then the Quad dives into how major venues fared in Golf Mag's World Top 100, followed by a Frisco update, and some non-golf reads.

Quadrilateral: Ranking The Disruptive Forces

So much is at stake in the coming months and it’s a pretty stunning change from not that long ago when the “league” idea was declared dead.

For a new edition of The Quadrilateral, here are fifteen factors that have put the PGA Tour on notice and opened the door for potential pro golf anarchy.

Quadrilateral: Major(s) News And Notes, November 4, 2021

This week’s News and Notes already landed via email but here is the weekly free edition brimming with joyful anecdotes about the biggest events in golf. Included this week are some thoughts on the sneaky-huge ramifications of PGA Tour players taking initiative on the skill discussion, plus notes on Ryder Cup shirts of yesteryear, next year’s Women’s Open finally securing official tournament dates, a dreamy view of the Old Course up for sale and more.

As always, you can get a better understanding of what The Quad is about here or sign up for free here.

Quadrilateral: Major(s) News And Notes, October 14th, 2021

I had to leave a few lesser notes on the cutting room floor but there’s always next week! In the meantime, we have plenty to chew on with the 46-inch Local Rule reactions ensuring widespread adoption in 2022's majors. But Phil doesn't agree and I speculate as to why.

Plus, a cow pasture wants the '31 Ryder Cup, Masters job offerings and a whole bunch of good reads both on golf and not

This would already have landed in your inbox if you signed up. And of course, if you have and a paid subscriber you can comment and read all past issues.

Quadrilateral: Major(s) News And Notes, August 5th, 2021

This week’s Quad takes in the yuuuuuge news this week of Scottish Open points availability for both the FedExCup and Race to Dubai. It’s been undersold how meaningless this news is to fans, so I tackle that and the more important topic of oversaturating markets with watered down events.

It’s still staggering to think the PGA Tour could not find a sponsor for a New York playoff stop. And yet it’s not after so many majors, Presidents Cups and playoff events in a short time. But this matters because the majors got pulled in on many fronts and, well, just check it out.

Plus a couple of Ryder Cup notes. It’s free every Thursday! Sign up!

GoFundMe For Georgia Golf Pro Murdered Doing His Job

A tragic and senseless-beyond-comprehension story of Pinetree Country Club Director of Golf Gene Siller responding to an armed trespasser driving onto the course. Two others were also murdered and the gunman remains at large.

You can help out the family he leaves behind here.

Quadrilateral: The Drive To Produce Major Content

With The Open Championship joining the other majors in adding yet more “content” online to draw in new fans, I took the opportunity to look at these efforts as Netflix’s Drive To Survive show boosts F1.

Plus a quick roundup and links to The Open Final Qualifying results.

This one’s for all but if you like what you see, signing up is free.

Here is the R&A’s produced piece on Sam Forgan, who made it through qualifying to reach Royal St George’s.

Nellie Korda Takes Women's PGA, First American World No. 1 Since 2014

A terrific performance by Nellie Korda to win the KPMG Women’s PGA for reasons other than being just 22:

• It comes just weeks after a bad missed cut in the U.S. Women’s Open

• Arguably too fast of a golfer at times, she dueled with Lizette Salas, a wonderful player and amazing story, but a very slow one.

Beth Ann Nichols’ Golfweek story filed from Atlanta Athletic Club included this:

At 22, Nelly came into the KPMG Women’s PGA, her 26th major start, the undisputed best player on the LPGA without a major. By week’s end, kids lined the barricades that led from the 18th green up to the clubhouse shouting her name.

On a sweltering Sunday, Nelly fulfilled the promise she’d shown from a young age, becoming the first American to rise to No. 1 in the world since Stacy Lewis in 2014, ending a drought that stretched 2,678 days. She also became the first American to win an LPGA major since 2018, when Angela Stanford won the Evian Championship.

“I’ve put in a lot of work and to finally get a win,” she later said on the 18th green, “or two wins under my belt, or three wins, sorry.”

Spectacular shot by @NellyKorda! 🔥#KPMGWomensPGA pic.twitter.com/2HLFvVqNhj

— KPMGWomensPGA (@KPMGWomensPGA) June 27, 2021

KPMG Upgrading Women's PGA Stats Effort, But Still A Ways To Go

In all of the talk gender equity discussions of late, purses get most of the focus. But a closer look at the ANA Inspiration, U.S. Women’s Open, Women’s Open Championship or KPMG PGA shows room for growth in statistics.

Granted, the priorities have been on just funding the events, trying to get more network coverage and upgrading to quality venues. Now that those things are happening and more cash is great, there is a glaring disparity in available stats for women’s events versus the men. With incredible advancements like ShotLink and a similar system developed by the USGA/Augusta National, it’s time to have real data at women’s majors. Because whether it’s for bettors or simply the increased interest, context and sophistication that comes with compelling stats, talk of raising the women’s game bar must include data.

So it’s nice to read the first step with KPMG continuing their pretty relentless push at bettering the Women’s PGA this week at Atlanta Athletic Club. As Golfweek’s Beth Ann Nichols writes, “it’s not ShotLink, but it’s a quantum leap in the right direction.”

The KPMG program will be similar to what’s on the European Tour, with caddies recording shots, club selections and the lie of every shot. They’ll turn in a special scorecard after every round and get paid a stipend for the efforts. KPMG is covering that, too.

Overall strokes gained and strokes gained by game area (off the tee, approach, around the green, putting) will be available as well as deeper insights into individual strokes gained by 25-yard increments and individual shots taken. Players, fans and media will know how close players hit it on average from certain distances. There will be shot dispersion charts, average birdie putt length and performance indexing over time against the field.

PGL Co-Founder On Just Wanting a Fair Chance To Compete For Players

Phil Casey talks to Premier Golf League co-founder Andy Gardiner about the hopes of starting in January 2023 with players who would still like to earn world ranking points and possibly defect without repercussions.

Choice and other offshoots of that theme play a big part in the PGL approach this time with obvious restraint of trade issues in mind. Gardiner says:

"We went through establishing what the law says and how it applies to the players, we now know the position and that's why we are reaching out to the community to say 'There's a nice way of doing this, a great way of doing it, which is to make sure everybody gets a fair share'.

"All we've ever wanted is the ability to compete for the services of these guys in a fair and effective manner.

"I think we will be able to provide the players with the peace of mind they require, hopefully in the next couple of months, with a deal which says 'rght guys, you've now got the freedom to choose'.

"And you can choose another Tour that pays more, because that's just the case, and you can also choose it on the basis that's it in the best interests of the game long term and other parts of the game are involved in this.

"In other words there is no controversy, it's not as difficult a decision as the guys back in '68 had to make."

1968 being the year Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer, among others, led players away from the PGA of America to form the PGA Tour.

The recent Saudi-led offshoot of the Premier Golf League concept prompted an unusual outpouring of PGA Tour and European Tour support from the other Five Families. It will be interesting to see if the PGL’s latest iteration prompts similar statements from Augusta National, the PGA of America, USGA and R&A.