Lydia Leaves While Langer Lingers

I didn't expect much from either Lydia Ko or Bernhard Langer at their respective majors this week. Neither has played particularly well lately -- at least, not up to the standards we tend to expect from them -- while other players have been rounding into shape. I said as much in my "5 to Watch" posts from earlier in the week.

But even I have been surprised by the paths each has taken this week.



Out at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship, the Kobra actually missed the cut! For the first time in her professional career Lydia met a course that she just couldn't plot her way around. I didn't expect her to win this week, but I certainly didn't expect her to struggle so much. Perhaps my feeling that she's seemed tired for several weeks now wasn't far off.

And of course I had left Inbee Park off my list for the same reason -- her game (particularly her putting) has been less than what I'm used to seeing from her -- so she casually races up the leaderboard and finds herself only one shot back. And Stacy Lewis is only 3 shots back. It may be a bit early to say but I think Lydia's #1 ranking is about to vanish...

Meanwhile, out at the Constellation SENIOR PLAYERS Championship, Bernard Langer has not only kept pace with the field but has left them in the dust. A 4-stroke lead after 2 rounds, while not insurmountable, is clearly a decisive statement to the rest of the field. None of my picks are better than T14, where Kenny Perry and Monty are gazing wistfully at Bernhard from 9 strokes back!

I'm certainly not disappointed that Bernhard is doing so well -- my gosh, I've been waiting for him to get his game going -- but to turn things around so dramatically? My predictions for the Champions Tour players turned out to be horribly wrong. (It's a good thing I'm not a gambler!)

At least at the women's major I appear to have gotten some of it right. After all, I picked Suzann Pettersen as the favorite and she's only 2 strokes off the lead.

It looks like we're in for some drama this weekend at both majors. Glad I bought some extra snacks Friday!

BTW, don't forget that while GC will carry the SENIOR PLAYERS all weekend, the KPMG will move to NBC today -- and of course they'll both air at 3pm ET. Great, just great. Way to go, guys.