The Holiday Wish List for 5 Top PGA Tour Players
As the carolers sing: Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat, please do...put together holiday wish lists for five top PGA Tour players.
We're happy to do the latter as you set up trees, wrap presents and hopefully avoid any outbursts reminiscent of Old Man Parker in A Christmas Story.
What do Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Rickie Fowler and Adam Scott hope the man in red brings them for Christmas?
Click through to see.
Rory McIlroy
1 of 5
On Course: Better Putting
It's tough to nitpick Rory McIlroy for a season that included two major victories.
However, as he ranked first in strokes gained tee-to-green and 41st in strokes gained putting, it's clear that if he's asking Santa for anything golf-related, it ought to be better work on the greens.
That's splitting hairs, however, and what McIlroy most likely wants on course going forward is simple: more of the same.
Off Course: A Settlement in His Court Battle with Former Management
Without weighing in on who's right, who's wrong and what each side stands to gain, it's clear that Rory McIlroy's golf game isn't going to benefit from his continued involvement in a high-stakes, high-profile legal dispute.
And while an out-of-court settlement is profoundly unlikely at this point, such an occurrence would free up the world-beating Ulsterman to focus solely on his golf.
Tiger Woods
2 of 5
On Course: It's Tough to Tell
Tiger Woods was plagued by poor performances on the weekend in major championships during the 2012-2013 season. We can assume this was the issue he most wanted to address entering the past golf season.
Unfortunately, he didn't really get a chance.
Woods' back issues throughout most the 2013-2014 season made it difficult to evaluate the true state of his golf game.
Off Course: A Year of Health
As with any athletic achievement, relative physical health is a prerequisite. Tiger Woods didn't have that in any meaningful form for any sustained period of time during the past golf season.
Thus, more than anything else, he's hoping to be well enough to make a run in major championships this year.
Phil Mickelson
3 of 5
On Course: Better Play from 125-175 Yards Out
Phil Mickelson ranked 156th in approaches from 125-150 yards out in 2014 and 81st in approaches from 150 to 175 yards out.
Precision from the 125-175-yard range is essential to making birdies. Mickelson dropped from first in birdies to 26th last year. Improvement in this range would help.
And better work with the putter wouldn't hurt either...
Off Course: A Christmas Card from Tom Watson
Phil Mickelson publicly questioned Tom Watson, his Ryder Cup captain, in a press conference following the U.S. team's 16.5 to 11.5 defeat at Gleneagles. Regardless of the merit of what Mickelson has to say, he likely fractured his relationship with one of the greats of the game.
He can't feel good about the above, even if he felt that he had to break a few eggs to make a Ryder Cup winning omelette in 2015. A Christmas card from Watson would be a welcome sight and an indication that the relationship isn't forever damaged.
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Rickie Fowler
4 of 5
On Course: A Few More Greens in Regulation, a Few More Fairways
While Oklahoma State's proudest golfing alum took a tremendous leap forward in 20014, there are still deficiencies in his golf game.
Rickie Fowler was 100th in greens in regulation in 2014, hitting 64.5 percent of greens in the expected number of shots. Fowler's driving accuracy too wasn't the greatest, as he hit less than 60 percent of fairways.
Off Course: Something Special for Butch Harmon
Fowler ought to be more concerned with the gift he's going to get his swing coach, Butch Harmon, than anything he'll find in his stocking. Harmon's subtle adjustments to Fowler's backswing in the early part of 2014 paid huge dividends throughout the remainder of the year.
He owes his instructor a heck of a Christmas gift.
Adam Scott
5 of 5
On Course: A Short Putter That Performs Better Than His Current Sweeper
Adam Scott improved from 103rd in strokes gained putting in 2013 to 55th in the stat in 2014. Still, the USGA's anchored putter ban is coming down the pike in 2016. If he could move to a short putter and improve marginally on the greens he'd be a real threat in every major.
Off Course: The Baby Owner's Manual: Operating Instructions, Trouble-Shooting Tips, and Advice on First-Year Maintenance
Adam Scott and his wife of less than one year, Marie Kojzar, are expecting their first child some time in February.
Thus, if he finds The Baby Owner's Manual: Operating Instructions, Trouble-Shooting Tips, and Advice on First-Year Maintenance under the tree, he'll have plenty of time to familiarize himself with the incredibly complicated piece of equipment he's about to be responsible for maintaining.
All stats via PGATour.com.
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