The Nine is a monthly ranking of all things golf, golf-related, and golf adjacent from the previous month. Rankings are calculated by an idiosyncratic and temperamental formula including objective measures, eye tests, and vibe checks. From the Drop Zone assumes no liability or responsibility for the accuracy of these rankings.
The weather is getting warmer, the days longer, and the golf more often. If you're playing twilight golf though, it may be a little chilly and you'll need to wear pants. Those pants will cost you $80. The Nine made that purchase and is ready to release May's rankings.
1. Nelly Korda
She is good at golf. No further explanation needed.
2. Rose in the Garden State
In Rose Zhang's first LPGA start at a professional last year at Liberty National in Jersey City, she won. In her return to New Jersey this year at the Founders Cup at Upper Montclair, she won. Two for two in LPGA starts in the state is decent. Oh, and there was a major in New Jersey last year; she finished T8. Not bad.
Correlation or causation between her name and New Jersey's nickname? That's up for debate. Or maybe she, too, is good at golf.
3. Scottie Scheffler
With all this perspective Scottie now has after the birth of his child, you'd think he'd be even better at golf. Isn't that what happens?
Also with all the perspective, you'd think he'd avoid getting arrested. You're a father now, Scottie! What will your child think of you?!
4. Match Play at the NCAA Championships
One of the best things to happen in golf in the last decade or so (and one of the best things the NCAA has done in the last decade) was the move to match play for the NCAA Championship. In the 72-hole stroke play qualifying, the top seed won by 16 strokes. The championship match was 3-2 with the last match deciding the fate of the title.
Teams going to head to head is more exciting and more competitive. It is easy to follow for the viewers. Match play is how team golf needs to be played.
College golf needs more match play. Golf needs more match play.
5. Valhalla
Does Valhalla stink? The course isn't great.
Does Valhalla give good excitement and leaderboards? Yes.
But just because the leaderboards and excitement are off the charts at tournaments held there doesn't mean it's a good course. Those two things can be mutually exclusive.
The course is a typical Jack Nicklaus-designed championship design from the late '80s and early '90s. And courses that were designed to be what would be considered "hard" for professionals in that era just seem to get eaten up in today's professional game.
Does Valhalla look like a course The Nine would want to play every day? Nope.
The PGA of America used to have an ownership stake in the club. It no longer does. The Nine doesn't think the golf world will be subjected to Valhalla anymore. There will be no 'halla back.
6. Aerated Greens
Just because it is a necessary evil this time of year so we can have healthy grass on the greens for our future enjoyment doesn't mean I have to like it.
This is a surprisingly strong performance for aerated greens in The Nine, though. That can only mean the remaining entries really stink.
7. Talor Gooch
For supposedly the best player in the world, a T-60 finish at the PGA Championship just isn't going to get it done.
He could try to improve upon that showing the next major championship, the US Open, but he elected not to enter qualifying. The Nine wonders why that is...
8. Fans of the Senior British Open
In the latest "my actions shouldn't have consequences" statement from a LIV player, Lee Westwood is fuming that he cannot play in the Senior British Open. Because the Senior British Open is jointly run by the European Tour and the R&A and Westwood has not paid fines levied by the European Tour "for breaching [the DP World Tour's] Conflicting Tournament Regulations" the championship said in an email rejecting entry into last year's event.
Westwood went on to say that he thinks the fans are losing out. The Nine recognizes how difficult this must be for the six fans of the Senior British Open.
9. Officer Gillis
This guy did not have a good day when he arrested Scottie Scheffler. The witness reports from that day didn't corroborate his official police report. The later videos did not corroborate his official police report. His record of incidents and discipline with the Louisville Metro Police Department isn't, you know, great. The Nine hopes he collects enough money to buy new pants.
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