Deutsche Bank: Jason Day Leads, Tiger is Mediocre, the Course Playing Too Easy?

After the conclusion of the third round today at the Deutsche Bank tournament, I sat down and pondered a couple topics. One, what is the reason that there are so many low scores? Two, is Tiger's game in shape to help out the U.S. Ryder Cup team? Lastly, are the veterans starting to lose it to the young guns?

Jason Day leads the tournament after the third round with an impressive 17-under while Brand Snedeker is only one back. At the start of the week players were quoted saying the course was fast, hard and tough, but with a little help from the rain gods the course would open up. 

The course has played significantly easier this year compared to last year after Hurricane Earl took a pit stop over Massachusetts to soften up the course. In my opinion, "birdie-fests" are semi-boring. It is fun to watch players go birdie after birdie if your watching them in person because then you can feel momentum swings.

When you watch on TV, all you see is birdie putts after birdie putts that are not even remotely exciting when each top player has six or more a round. 

I know that the majors always play tough and close to par, and that is what makes them different, but that is the way golf should be played. For example, in any sport, the most exciting moments happen when there is a complete tug-of-war between teams.

So, in golf, the player is playing against the course just as much as he is against the other competitors, if not more. Therefore, at the TOP level of golf, there should be opposition from the course in every tournament. The commercials have all this hype about how its "The Playoffs" and what not, but the reality is, playing a course where they shoot 17-under through only three rounds is not exciting to watch. 

My favorite tournament of the year is the U.S. Open. THAT is a golf tournament, ladies and gentlemen. Since I am a golfer myself, I love to see the best in the world go at it and share common ground with the other competitors, realizing that they have to successfully manage every shot, or they will be penalized. That is the whole point of a birdie, is it not?

A birdie should be exciting and hard to come by. A birdie should be awarded when a player executes a hole to near perfection, not by having a 280 yard Par Four down-wind with soft greens that are running about an 11. Half the field this weekend has either been on that green in one or right off the front nearly every time.

I understand that the club cannot control the weather. You can make a course as fast as you want, but if it rains there is no use. But I propose something. If a course is going to play soft, and they know that there will be little to medium wind, they should move the tees back, make the pins tougher, and be more flexible.

Golf is changing, the players are full on athletes now who can drive the ball 350 yards. The players are getting longer, keep making the courses longer. 

Is Tiger Woods ready for the Ryder Cup? Will he be ready for the Ryder Cup? Tiger was quoted saying, "I have changed my swing three times and this is my fourth. Twice with Butch, once with Hank, and now again with Sean. And every time I have taken time to get back to my game."

Does the U.S. really want a guy who is working on his game to be a part of an international team who is taking on arguably one of the best European teams in history of the Ryder Cup?

The way I see it is, Tiger on his B game is just as good as any other player. Heck, Tiger is in the first stages of a swing change this whole year and he has been fourth in two different majors. He is world No. 1. You have to take him.

Lastly, are the young guns trying to take over? Day, Mcllroy, Johnson, Ishikawa, Fowler, and many more make up an impressive group of teens and 20-year-olds. This year, we have seen many young players emerge and we are starting to see a trend.

Golf is becoming more popular and I believe the young guns will push the veterans out of the way in the next five years. Players are getting started earlier and are exposed to high-tech equipment that can really help their golf game. 

The conclusion of The Deutsche Bank on Monday will be followed up by U.S. Captain Corey Pavin's Captains picks on Tuesday. 

My projection:

Stewart Cink
Tiger Woods
Zach Johnson
Rickie Fowler