Each week on GolfChannel.com, we’ll examine which players’ stocks and trends are rising and falling in the world of golf.
RISING
Bernhard Langer (+8%): His many successes in the post-anchoring world have created suspicion, but can we stop and appreciate his greatness? Since 2008, he is a whopping 179 strokes better (!) than any other player in the senior majors.
Jhonny Vegas (+6%): Consistency will never be his strong suit, but the charismatic Venezuelan remains as explosive as ever, aggressively hunting down the leaders with a Sunday 65 and then taking the RBC Canadian Open in a playoff after a gutsy shot from the bunker.
Erica Shepherd (+5%): The sweet-swinging left-hander looks like a future force, and her drama-filled run to the U.S. Girls’ title – a non-concession, a fitful night of sleep, a pre-round breakdown – should serve her well in the future. She’s tough.
Ian Poulter (+3%): His summer revival continued with a third-place showing in Canada. Though Poults is still looking for a drought-busting victory, he’s in the midst of his best season since 2012 – amazing, considering a few months ago he thought he’d lost his card.
Elizabeth Moon (+1%): Rather than criticize her for a mindless mistake, think about her week this way: The 2,246th-ranked amateur in the world was 4 feet from a spot in the U.S. Junior finals! Yes, it was a heartbreaking way to lose, especially after she was 2 up with four to play, but she showed class in defeat and won’t make that silly blunder again.
FALLING
Charley Hoffman (-1%): The Hoff dropped to 0-4 with a 54-hole lead, and this playoff loss was particularly costly, since the 40-year-old is desperate to make a U.S. team competition for the first time.
Ryan Ruffels (-2%): This kid has all the makings of a star, so it stung to watch his final-round 76 – the only over-par score among the top 30 on the board. That clunker cost him valuable points and cash, which will make his path to a Tour card that much harder.
Canadian drought (-3%): No Canadian has won his home open since Pat Fletcher in 1954, and the player most likely to end that streak soon is, um …
Karrie Webb (-4%): It’s the big leagues, so the 18th hole should feature a fixed leaderboard, but that confusion had nothing to do with her bogey-double bogey stretch late on the back nine. Winning is hard, even for Hall of Famers.
Rory (-5%): Hey, give McIlroy this: He isn’t afraid to change things up – managers, girlfriends, clubs and, now, reportedly, caddies. The timing is questionable, with an important stretch upcoming, but clearly the former Boy Wonder is ready to turn another page.
Source: Internet
