Happy Opening Day, golf fans!
What, you didn't realize a new PGA Tour season is starting today in West Virginia? It's true -- but you're forgiven if the occasion flew under your radar. After all, it was just 2 1/2 weeks ago when Rory McIlroy was crowned FedEx Cup playoff champion at East Lake.
It took a couple of years of transition, but the PGA Tour is now fully committed to its new schedule, running from September through August. Fall tournaments are no longer throw-away events for lesser players while the big stars wait for the West Coast Swing to begin in January. Eight official PGA Tour events will be played before the end of the year, including a big money swing through Asia expected to attract Tiger Woods and some of the other top stars in golf.
Plus, with the Presidents Cup set for mid-December in Australia, the eight golfers already on the team will want to keep their games sharp, with everyone else hoping to impress Tiger enough to earn one of his four captain's selections.
All the fun for the 2019-2020 season begins today at A Military Tribute at the Greenbrier. The field includes a pair of Aztecs in Scott Piercy and J.J. Spaun. Expect the heavy hitters to return for the Asian swing in October. Brooks Koepka is the defending champion at the CJ Cup in South Korea, while Xander Schauffele will be back to defend his title at the WGC HSBC Champions event in China at the end of the month.
Sure, it's not quite Week 1 of the NFL season or Opening Day in Major League Baseball at the end of a long Spring Training...but the start of a new PGA Tour season is still a reason to rejoice for golf fans.
P.S. I just saw that PGA Tour players voted Rory McIlroy over Brooks Koepka as their Player of the Year. If you read my blog from two weeks ago, you'll know that I applaud this decision despite Koepka's stronger record in the 2019 majors. It's Rory's third time winning the Jack Nicklaus Award.