2024 PGA: The Champions
Winners from a week in Louisville where Valhalla once again produced a memorable finish backed by exuberant fans. Other highlights include CBS, PGA Swing Analysis and the tourney app.
The Quad’s traditional post-major wrap of Champions, Cutmakers and (Point) Missers the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla, starting with the week’s winners.
Xander Schauffele. Just days after appearing overmatched against Rory McIlroy at Quail Hollow, another back nine bog down appeared imminent when Schauffele aggressively played out of a fairway bunker on the 10th hole. A bogey six seemed like a disaster but back-to-back birdies eventually followed by the now-legendary birdie at the 18th helped Schauffele ascend to the major mountaintop. His post-round “team” thank yous—an increasingly bizarre element in a sport where only one squad member hits the shots—exuded class and humility while never understating the impact of those around him. Schauffele is the rare top player to make major changes in search of greatness and somehow not make his game worse. Instructor Chris Como has guided a quest for added distance that can so often sidetrack a player. But Schauffele’s performance came down to hitting 60 of 72 greens on a 7,600-yard course with smallish 5,000-square-foot greens. All while managing what looks like an occasionally jittery wedge game. A well-earned first major highlighted by his second major championship 62 in 11 months.
Bryson DeChambeau. The star of the Sunday show had the crowd behind him and the golf world on his side after accepting a brutal defeat with dignity. Some (naturally) were offended at the suggestion of having only his B game. But the comment was in no way meant as a slight at Schauffele. DeChambeau’s absurd scrambling numbers—18 of 20 when missing the green—confirm it was not his best ballstriking week. DeChambeau’s “grow the game” efforts online “content” appear to have expanded his fan base despite LIV’s awful ratings. Maturing, humility, a thirst to get better, the 3D printed irons, and kindness to kids is winning him back fans. And now he’s high up the PGA’s Ryder Cup rankings! It’s also pretty clear after weeks like Valhalla’s that the PGA Tour sorely misses a figure like DeChambeau. Even his LIV attire did not look terrible. Or was that just because everyone is desperate to watch someone who’s a little zany play?
Louisville. We kid the CBS gang for all of their Louisville references, but the diverse range of things helping to make the city vibrant reinforces how majors are about more than just the golf course. Setting aside Friday’s tragedy and police matter,. Kentucky fans once again brought incredible support and on-course energy. The welcoming hospitality in town was superb. The restaurant scene even more vibrant in the decade since Valhalla last hosted. And there’s a golf with sensational small companies like upstart hand goods maker Bluegrass Fairway and longtime clubmaker Louisville Golf.
Valhalla. A magical stage once again produced a thriller even though it played way too soft and slow. The ingredients in no particular order: amphitheater greens, inviting shots for players to tackle, plenty of drivers off the tee, no real bias toward any one type of player, fan enthusiasm, and an 18th hole where weird things happen. As for a return? There is the whole matter of its relevance in another ten years when Valhalla might next host the PGA. We just watched a 7,600-yard course where there was little roll give up record weekend scores even after the PGA tried tough final round hole locations. The field was 113-under-par on Saturday and 135-under on Sunday. With the PGA of America still greedily resisting distance regulation by aggressively advocating for watered-down solutions, they seem oblivious to losing even modern courses where they make gobs of money. It’s a strong irony play by Frisco! But keeping free Titleists coming to their members is apparently all that matters.
CBS. The PGA Championship presentation is now the most technically cutting-edge golf telecast of the year. Once again the combination of aerials, camera work, graphics, and restrained announcing created a cinematic show. Restrained ad management really stood out this year and allowed for more enjoyment of all the gizmos and clutch shotmaking Sunday. There were a few fantastic stretches during the final round telecast where it felt like someone called an audible to stay with final round action where we could see three players emerging. The PGA allows CBS put more “stuff” on screen but it never feels like too much. At times the coordination of shot, graphics, audio, on-course reporter commentary, close-up shots, aerials and replays made the whole thing seem pre-produced for the big screen.
The weekend shows wisely started with a more subdued tone from CBS when explaining the Scheffler situation. This was in contrast to ESPN’s overall shift toward “we’ve-got-your-back” coverage of athletes (Jeff Darlington’s outstanding reporting work the obvious exception). Sunday’s CBS show opened with an unexpected but excellent piece narrated by Muhammad Ali’s daughter Laila.
CBS’s camera work seemed especially jaw-dropping at times. Traditional shots, depth of field views and strong efforts at following the ball stood out (DeChambeau’s huge 16th hole break the best of all). Incredible super slow-mo replays that we don’t get at the Masters allowed analyst Trevor Immelman to confirm contact or technique errors he saw in real-time. The network has also begun using Robovision and ARL tracer to follow a ball while a trace is on screen. This was more prevalent on shots during Featured Group and Featured Hole coverage produced for ESPN and may not be everyone’s cup of tea. I love it.
CBS loosened the reins, went to the whip and rode the bourbon, Ali and horse racing references hard. Wait, did I just do it too. Anyway, given how the PGA will head to Frisco in 2027 and the lone landmark is a water tower, they are forgiven for celebrating Louisville. And Jim Nantz seizing on the butterfly floating over DeChambeau’s ball at 18 put a smile on the faces of Ali fans.
The drone shots continued to give a fresh, birdseye course design perspective at key times. Saturday’s drivable 4th hole and the split-fairway 7th: