ESPN Golf

By Jason Sobel
ESPN.com
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They say baseball is a game of inches. Same goes for football.

Actually, that phrase can be used to describe most sports. Basketball. Tennis. Hockey. In each one, the difference between victory and defeat can be a matter of inches.

Golf is a pursuit more often surveyed in yards, but perhaps no other game defines success so frequently by such small units of measurement.

The latest example of this occurred Sunday at the Sony Open. Tied with playing partner Robert Allenby on the final hole, Ryan Palmer's greenside chip appeared destined to skip well past the hole, but instead it clanked off the flagstick and remained less than a foot from the cup for a tap-in birdie. When Allenby's own birdie attempt missed by -- you guessed it -- mere inches, Palmer secured a victory at the PGA Tour's first full-field event of the 2010 season.

The Weekly 18 begins with an examination into why one of these players has a knack for getting into the winner's circle and the other has found it such a difficult task.

Robert Allenby is a better golfer than Ryan Palmer. I'm not really going out on a limb here, stating it as fact more than opinion.

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Chris Condon/Getty ImagesIn his career, Ryan Palmer now owns three PGA Tour victories.

The numbers back me up. Allenby has finished 63rd or better on the PGA Tour money list in each of the past 10 years -- six times ending in the top 30. He owns 59 career top-10s and 18 international victories, and has been a member of five Presidents Cup teams.

Palmer, meanwhile, has finished better than 60th on the money list only once -- and he's never been inside the top 30. He owns just 15 career top-10s, has never won outside the United States and has never been a member of any international team.

Doesn't seem like a fair fight, does it?

Well, it's not ... until we look at the win column. Since Allenby's last PGA Tour victory, on Sept. 23, 2001, at the now-defunct Pennsylvania Classic, Palmer has earned three titles, collecting hardware at Disney in 2004 and the Ginn Sur Mer Classic in 2008 before claiming the Sony Open this past weekend.

How does that make any sense? In a way, it doesn't. By all logic, the Aussie is the one who should be punching his ticket to Kapalua every few years while the Texan toils on the circuit's middle ground.

We can explain it away using various conclusions, from mental fortitude to more consistent putting to luck. The truth is, each one plays a factor in how and why certain players win tournaments and others don't.

In a story that will be posted on ESPN.com this week about Jack Nicklaus turning 70 years old, fellow legend Gary Player says of the 18-time major winner, "The thing that made Jack a great champion was talent, great strength, and also a wonderful putter and really the best mind I have ever seen on a golf course. You never saw him getting upset; you could never tell if he hit a bad shot, and he always had great patience."

That's not to say that Palmer -- Ryan, that is, not Arnold -- shares many of the same qualities Nicklaus had as a player, but he might have a few of them on a much smaller scale.

As for Allenby, well, ironically enough, he's shown these traits on a global scale, most recently with wins in South Africa and Australia last month. And he didn't lose the Sony as much as Palmer won it; his final-round 3-under 67 to finish in second place certainly wasn't the stuff of disaster.

We can easily analogize this result to another that took place Sunday. Without question, the San Diego Chargers enjoyed a better regular season than the New York Jets, but the latter came through when it mattered. Which team is better? Well, that might be subject to debate, but this isn't: On Sunday, the Jets were better -- just like Palmer was better than Allenby.

I'm still unsure as to whether there is a proper explanation for an inferior player winning three more times on the PGA Tour in recent years than his more accomplished and -- let's face it -- better peer. It does seem like more than a coincidence, though.

The one thing I am sure about? As proven once again on the final hole at Waialae, golf might be measured in yards, but it is inherently a game of inches.

2. Retief Goosen

It seems palm trees and pineapples were just what Goosen needed to get off to a solid 2010 campaign.

In eight rounds in Hawaii, the two-time U.S. Open champion never shot a score above par and finished a combined 29 strokes under par for two weeks.

At the SBS Championship, he went 70-69-67-69 to finish in a share of sixth place. At the Sony Open, he fared even better, following rounds of 69, 67 and 70 with a final-day 8-under 62 to claim solo fourth place.

"Well, I'm happy," Goosen said after besting the closest competitor by two strokes Sunday. "Last week, one bad round. This week, one bad round, which was yesterday. So that cost me. Overall I'm quite happy; I think it's worked out after a month break. Working on the putting, you know, it's just been two weeks now the way I've been putting. And I'm pitching good putts. I'm looking forward to the rest of the year."

Last year was sort of a strange one for Goosen, who turned 40 early in the season. He won the Transitions Championship and finished in the top 10 four other times in 20 starts, but at the majors -- his bread-and-butter events for so many years -- he found a mixed bag, missing the cut at the Masters before finishing T-16 at the U.S. Open, fifth at the Open Championship and T-51 at the PGA Championship.

Always one of the game's better putters, Goosen is at his most dangerous when he's striking the ball well. On Sunday, he hit 12 of 14 fairways and 16 of 18 greens in regulation at Waialae, which could portend even greater success in coming weeks.

3. Troy Merritt, Blake Adams, Brian Stuard, Jerod Turner

There are players on the PGA Tour who qualify as rookies ... and then there are those who really fit the spirit of the word.

Of the 20 first-year players teeing it up this season, some already have a good bit of experience. Jeev Milkha Singh has played 37 career events, Rory McIlroy has played 12 and Rickie Fowler has played eight.

Only five players entered the season having never hit a shot in a PGA Tour event, and four of 'em took part in the Sony Open this past week.

All four made the cut.

Merritt, who was a medalist at last month's Q-school, finished T-20; Adams and Stuard were one stroke back in a share of 25th place; and Turner took an MDF, making the cut but failing to advance to play the final round after a 72 on Saturday.

It's difficult enough for a rookie with a little experience under his belt to perform well right off the bat. (Example: Fowler showed flashes of brilliance as a nonmember last year but missed the cut in his first event this past week.) For this foursome of freshmen to reach the weekend in their initial appearances is indubitably impressive.

4. Yogi Berra

There's this story about Yogi. Well, there are thousands of stories about Yogi, but this one happens to have taken place during a round of golf when he was in a particularly pessimistic mood.

At one point, he was told by his playing partners, "Yogi, stay positive." To which he responded, "I'm positive I can't make this shot."

Moral of the story? Competitors at this week's Bob Hope Classic may want to refrain from taking advice from the tournament's new ambassador.

Though Berra won't tee it up in the celebrity portion of the event, he will serve in the new role, greeting competitors on-site and, well, just being Yogi.

"They asked me to do it and I thought it was wonderful," the 84-year-old Berra told me last week. "[Bob Hope] was a great man. I've had a lot of fun playing here. I wish I could still play four days in a row, but I can't."

That doesn't mean Berra won't regale those in attendance of tales from his own game -- and yes, he'll have trouble staying positive.

When asked what he thinks about while standing over the ball, he said, "Well, sometimes I talk to myself. I say, 'Hit the ball!' My wife gets on me. She says I raise up too much and she's right, I do that. She likes to follow me and tell me what I'm doing wrong."

5. I wish I could buy stock in Charl Schwartzel.

In last week's W18, I wrote about Schwartzel's victory at the Africa Open, the 25-year-old's fourth career European Tour title.

Well, it took him only seven days to claim No. 5.

The South African followed up with a convincing six-stroke win Sunday at his hometown Joburg Open -- and it should net him a berth in the Masters.

Last week, he moved from No. 66 to 51 on the Official World Golf Ranking; this win bumped him all the way up to 35th. Those within the top 50 on the list prior to the year's first major will be invited into the field, meaning he looks like a lock to be at Augusta.

"It's been a fantastic two weeks for me. I played good last week, and it definitely carried over," said Schwartzel, who shot 63-68-64-66 at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club. "I played pretty much flawless golf and I don't know what it comes down to -- maybe a good, positive frame of mind when you hit a bad shot."

If he can top the leaderboard once again this week in Abu Dhabi, he will become the first player to win three consecutive Euro Tour events since Seve Ballesteros in 1986.

Yes, I realize that purchasing stock in Schwartzel right now would be considered a "buy-high" proposition, but this is a guy who should remain on an uptick for a very long time.

6. I wish most golf fans would realize that the bigger event this week is on the European Tour, not the PGA Tour.

The Bob Hope Classic is steeped in tradition, its record books dating back a half-century to Arnold Palmer's victory at the inaugural edition of the event. By comparison, the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship is a newbie on the scene, existing for only a half-decade.

And yet, there's no mistaking which tourney carries greater importance this week.

Let's break it down by the numbers:

• The Hope field doesn't include any top-10 players. Abu Dhabi will have five of the top 10.

• The Hope will have eight of the world's top 50 players. Abu Dhabi will have 18.

• The highest-ranked player at the Hope is Mike Weir, currently 37th in the world. The highest-ranked player in Abu Dhabi is Lee Westwood, who is fourth.

And perhaps most telling:

• There are 13 players in Abu Dhabi ranked higher than the highest-ranked player at the Hope.

Look, nothing against the five-day birdie binge in the desert, but it's clear that those who want to see the best competition in the world on display this week will need to keep a close eye on the European Tour.

7. I wish there were more opportunities for pro golfers to showcase themselves outside the competitive arena.

When Phil Mickelson appeared on a 2008 episode of "Entourage," it served as a great benefit to the game of golf, and not just for the un-Lefty-like dialogue. (His best line came before a match, asking his partner: "Is this whose ass we're going to kick today?")

Though it may not have been a stretch for Mickelson to play the role of himself on a golf course, it was nice to see a player being shown in a starring role outside of a PGA Tour telecast.

These opportunities might be few and far between, but another one presented itself recently, and the final product will air Thursday, as Rocco Mediate, Natalie Gulbis, Kevin Na and Duffy Waldorf will be featured on an episode of "CSI."

Without giving away too much of the plot, I can warn you not to tune in late, as Rocco -- playing himself, just like Mickelson -- steals the first scene. What happens? Well, I won't play spoiler, but think about it: What always happens in the opening scene of these crime shows?

"The whole experience was interesting to be on that side of the camera in that environment," Mediate said. "I obviously have been filmed before doing interviews and live shows, but playing me was tough. I am now typecast to only being able to play me; my Hollywood days are now limited. Too bad -- this was neat!"

Rocco being Rocco -- which is to say personable, engaging and outspoken -- he wasn't relegated to just acting. Instead, he served as a de facto consultant during the golf scenes, which were shot at TPC Valencia. (Hence the inclusion of local guys Na and Waldorf.)

Of course, being in front of the cameras was nothing new for Gulbis, who was featured on "Celebrity Apprentice" last year.

"I am a huge fan of 'CSI' and have been watching the show for years," Gulbis said via text message. "I was very excited to be asked to do a guest spot. To see the process of how a show is put together from first reading the script then going on site of the episode and watching them film was a unique experience. Now I can't wait to see how it comes together when the show is edited and aired."

As for the opportunity to showcase players in a different area, she said, "Having 'CSI' ask professional golfers to guest-spot is a testament to how the sport is growing in popularity in the U.S."

Let's hope it continues.

8. Robert Allenby

Don't remember his last PGA Tour victory? You may be excused, since there was some other, more important news occurring in the world at the time.

Allenby's most recent win in the United States came in the first event after the attacks of 9/11. Even those seeking a retreat through sports by that time might have had their eyes on other happenings, as that was the same day Tom Brady replaced Drew Bledsoe as the New England Patriots' quarterback.

If that seems like a long time ago, well, it was. Allenby now has made 212 starts on the PGA Tour since that day without getting back to the winner's circle, although he has collected a handful of trophies around the globe.

While his second-place finish to Palmer at the Sony Open was just the latest in a long line of disappointments, there is a silver lining for Allenby, who was competing this past week on a badly injured ankle.

"I think for me I'm happy with second," he said after shooting rounds of 65, 67, 67 and 67. "I think it's a great way to start the year and I think this is just a start of a really, really big year for me. You know, I'm positive and looking forward. I was looking forward before even coming here on a real good solid year, and I think a good solid year for me is definitely a few wins. I know I'm capable of doing it. It didn't happen today, but it will happen close in the future."

While the cynic might say Allenby's contentment with the runner-up finish could be what's preventing him from winning again -- he owns five second-place finishes since that last victory -- he's playing some excellent golf of late.

Always a fast starter and strong player on the West Coast swing, expect to hear more from Allenby in coming weeks -- if that ankle injury heals up.

9. Tim Wilkinson

Wilkinson is playing the PGA Tour this season on a major medical extension after undergoing surgery on his right thumb during the 2009 season.

On Friday, he added insult to that injury. And for good measure, he added injury to the injury, as well.

Playing the eighth hole at Waialae, Wilkinson drove his ball into a ditch. He attempted to escape trouble with a simple wedge shot, but instead, his ball flew off the club face, ricocheted off a nearby palm tree and struck the player just below his collarbone.

The good news? The Kiwi later said he was "more embarrassed than hurt" and doesn't expect to miss any action before his next scheduled start.

Wilkinson wasn't totally unharmed, though. The blow forced him to immediately withdraw from the tournament, which -- based on his opening-round 77 -- might have had only 10 more holes left, anyway.

And in the category of insult added to injury added to insult added to injury -- got all that? -- if Wilkinson had continued in his round, he would have been assessed a two-stroke penalty since he was struck by his own ball.

10. Mark McGwire

Like many of you, my first thought when I heard that McGwire had admitted to using steroids was: That's really going to taint his 2003 ADT Skills Challenge title!

What's that? That wasn't your first thought upon hearing the news? Well, consider me guilty of having a one-track mind ... and only partially guilty of sarcasm.

Seven years ago, McGwire was part of a Silly Season field that included Greg Norman, Paul Azinger, Rich Beem, Colin Montgomerie, Nick Faldo, Peter Jacobsen, Padraig Harrington and Dudley Hart, defeating those heavy hitters to win the event.

The truth is, no one was a heavier hitter than Big Mac, who slugged a 319-yard tee shot to win the long drive portion of the competition.

Though his baseball career was already two years past completion at the time, McGwire's recent admission could fuel retrospective speculation that his performance was enhanced by steroids. More importantly, it might show the advantage a golfer can receive through illegal means.

After all, if the lifetime amateur could triumph over a field of major champions and successful professionals, he had to have received a little "help," right?

Well, I'm not buying the conspiracy theories, even if I am the only one conjuring them. While it's presumed that added muscle could lead to increased swing speed and greater driving distance, there are many parts of the game that wouldn't be abetted by performance-enhancers. McGwire's case is bolstered by his results in these areas, too, as he finished second in the greenside bunker, trouble shot, putting and chipping competitions.

"Mark has no flaws in his swing," Jacobsen said after that event. "If he worked hard, and goes to [qualifying] school, he could get his card."

According to GHIN.com, McGwire is now listed as a plus-1.1 handicap at two courses in his home state of California. Steroids might forever leave an asterisk next to his accomplishments in baseball, but they shouldn't taint his ADT title or anything else he's achieved in the game of golf.

Winning the Sony Open has been a precursor to greater success since 2004 than winning the SBS Championship.

Between 1999 and 2002, when the previously named Mercedes Championship (now SBS Championship) moved to Kapalua and the Honolulu-based event took on Sony as a title sponsor, winners of the season opener went on to fare much better than those of the second Hawaiian event.

Buoyed by big seasons from David Duval in '99 and Tiger Woods one year later, the Maui champs went on to claim 11 other tourneys post-Kapalua while Sony Open winners combined for only one. To the left is the breakdown.

All told, winners of the opening event won $17,772,954 during those years, while winners of the second tournament won a total of just $8,116,931.

It all sort of makes sense, considering there was always a stronger field at Kapalua, and with only the previous year's winners included, there was less of a chance of having a less accomplished champion.

So how do we explain what has taken place over the past six years?

Discounting 2003 -- which was a wash because Ernie Els won both tourneys on the Hawaii swing -- let's examine the victories and earnings of winners at each event ever since (in the table at the left.)

Crunching the numbers, we find that in the past half-dozen years, Kapalua winners have combined for just three more victories and $18,847,554 in total earnings, while Waialae winners have earned twice as many other titles and $25,343,258.

What does it all mean? Well, maybe nothing. Then again, if recent history holds form, Sony Open champ Ryan Palmer should have more reason for optimism than SBS winner Geoff Ogilvy this season.

Jason Sobel is a golf writer for ESPN.com. He can be reached at Jason.Sobel@espn3.com.