Last Updated on May 15, 2024 by Britt Olizarowicz
Rory’s getting divorced.
Scottie has a brand new baby at home.
The PGA Championship starts tomorrow.
Rory won the PGA Championship the last time it was at Valhalla. He also won the Wells Fargo last week. That’s a pretty good track record heading into a PGA Championship.
Then we found out yesterday that he and his wife filed for divorce just this week. No details are out yet, but hopefully, for Poppy’s sake, they keep this one clean.
A divorce, however clean, is not a great thing to have on your mind heading into a PGA Championship.
Scottie’s situation is a little different. He’s got all the good things going. His life is in focus, and he’s living in that newborn bliss. It’s just hard to leave a baby. The thing about Scottie is that he’s got all the makings of a great dad. Great dads want to make their kids proud. Let’s see how this plays out.
Professional golf and life happen simultaneously. You cannot stop one while focusing on the other. This is not the first time we’ve seen major championship contenders face some personal trials while competing for big titles.
Ben Hogan Was The Ultimate Tough Guy
A near-fatal car accident in 1949 and an open championship in 1950. They told Hogan he would never walk again, and he had other ideas. His life was completely changed; his swing didn’t feel as precise, his body worked differently, and we all know that after a trauma like that, your mind is never the same. He’s probably one of the most (if not the most) resilient and determined golfers the world has ever seen.
Dustin Johnson Fought Hard
Dustin Johnson had some big-time setbacks in his career. He took off in 2014 to deal with personal issues but returned in 2016 and won the U.S. Open. It’s one thing to play great golf, another to handle the level of focus and mental coordination it takes to compete on a Sunday afternoon at a major.
Tiger Woods – It Took A While
Let’s hope for Rory’s sake that this divorce isn’t the start of Tiger’s downhill path after “the incident” with his wife in late 2009. Tiger didn’t win a major again for 10 years. He had injuries and other drama, but 10 years is a long time (when you’re Tiger).
Gary Woodland Is The Guy To Go To For Advice
Gary Woodland is known for being both a great golfer and a great guy. During the 2019 U.S. Open, he dealt with some stressful and scary things, but he still pulled ahead to win the U.S. Open.
Gary’s wife was pregnant with twins, and the last time that happened, they lost one of the babies. Managing all of that while simultaneously managing Pebble Beach on a Sunday is a lot. Two months after his win, the Woodland family welcomed two healthy baby girls.
What Can We Expect?
The odds are looking strong for Scottie this week at the PGA Championship at Valhalla. The course is a good test of a golfers skills. Yet, as we delve into the history of major championships, it becomes apparent that the ultimate test is the mental one. The golfer who remains most focused, most present—and sinks a few crucial putts—will likely be the one lifting the trophy on Sunday afternoon.
