Feb 28

Written by:
2/28/2010 

I make a habit of sitting down to read up on the comings and goings of the PGA TOUR throughout the weekend, checking to see who played well and who flamed out.  I logged on Saturday evening and read a great story about how Brandt Snedeker was the third round leader at the Phoenix Waste Management Open and was finally living up to his potential.

Snedeker had arrived and was poised to collect the winner's check on Sunday.

Crowds were ready to adore him in the stadium that is the 16th hole of the TPC Scottsdale.

A tidy little 78 by Snedeker on Sunday took him out of contention early and left me wondering why we're all so quick to crown these guys before the weekend's out.  I gave it some thought and decided that it comes down to golf writers needing a compelling story to keep us coming back for updates after the television coverage has ended.

Don't get me wrong, I love golf writers.  They give us looks behind the scenes, adding to the drama of professional golf.  They also take us to exotic locations and showcase new courses that we can play on our next vacation. 

Unfortunately, they hype some storylines so much that we can't help but be frustrated or disappointed when those storylines don't play out. 

What's the point of this post, you ask?  I know there  were others who, like me, fully expected to see Brandt Snedeker come out on top Sunday.  And, like me, I'm sure there were others who looked at his first three rounds as a fluke, maybe even thought about him being unable to finish.  But that's unfair because the only thing that didn't finish up the way we thought it should was the story woven together after three competitive rounds in Phoenix.