These are days of painful self-examination in America. A nation, with confidence shaken and greatness in question, cries out as one:
Why can’t we win a major golf tournament anymore?
There is a new force shaping the nature of golf, personified by one man who strode purposefully around the Atlanta Athletic Club on Tuesday.
He was as thick as Guinness foam, bald and bronzed by life spent at the world’s great courses. Step lively in his company, for he was clearly very busy and late for an important meeting.
“Go get that Chubby Slam,” called out a fan who at a fleeting glance recognized one of more powerful men in the game.
Chubby is Chubby Chandler, the 58-year-old founder and head of International Sports Management, the company that has cornered the majors market.
And the Slam would be a sweep of this season’s biggest tournaments by his clients. The first three are locked up. The Masters (Charl Schwartzel), the U.S. Open (Rory McIlroy) and British Open (Darren Clarke) are safely a part of the ISM portfolio. Those and other notable clients such as world-No. 2 Lee Westwood and former major winners Ernie Els and Louis Oosthuizen will tee off Thursday at the Atlanta Athletic Club with the idea of completing the takeover at the PGA Championship.
The Wanamaker Trophy would make such a lovely additional serving bowl at this year’s ISM company picnic.
Chandler is a little embarrassed by the talk of a Chubby Slam, as much as it takes the attention away from the players and as much as it sounds like a new combo at Denny’s.
“I get embarrassed by it,” he said. “It’s an unbelievable situation. If my name was Andrew [his given name], no one would ever call it the Andrew Slam. It’s just because of that name Chubby. It’s something for the media to sink their teeth into.”
His blokes have a good time with the idea of their full-bodied manager having such a title role in the events of this week.
“I’m not impressed with his preparation,” joked Westwood. “I’ve seen him drinking a bit; he’s not been in the gym; haven’t seen him on the range yet. ... He doesn’t function well in the heat. He drinks a lot, but not water, unless you count tonic water.”
They are having a jolly old time. What began in earnest 22 years ago when Chandler struck up a handshake deal to represent a then-young Irishman named Darren Clarke has evolved into one of the great group runs in golf.
His success also underscores what a perfect time it is to be catering to non-American players.
The past six major titles have been exported abroad (Phil Mickelson at the 2010 Masters being the last American winner). With the eclipse of Tiger Woods, those auditioning for the role of dominant golf personality also sound as if they are auditioning for an Irish Spring commercial.
By winning three majors between 2007-08, Padraig Harrington kicked the door open for this latest generation of international players. And they have stormed on through with the bluster of Victor McLaglen in “The Quiet Man.”
“Now and again you sit down and wonder what is going to happen next. We even have a race horse that keeps winning at home as well,” Chandler said. His and Westwood’s horse, Hoof It, just claimed a big stakes back home.
“We’ve gone from being a sort of party outfit to a very detailed one, even compared to other people,” he said, going on to credit a significant member of Team Chubby still looking for his first major. “Lee Westwood’s [physical and mental preparation] have an awful lot to do with that. He’s a very structured person, and he has made us realize how much we have to get detailed with our lives, which has improved everything.”
The English, the Germans, the Northern Irish and the Australians are all represented among the top 10 in the latest world rankings — along with four Americans (Steve Stricker at No. 5 being the highest ranked).
Young McIlroy is most often identified as the big star in waiting. He possesses a trait that Chandler knows will appeal to even the American audience, for who doesn’t like the Irish?
“The fact that two of the major champions are Irish [Clarke is the other] makes it easier for the American public to embrace them. Rory said last week in Akron that [with all the support he was getting] it was like he was in Belfast.”
This era of global golf is not so difficult to understand when Chandler breaks it down.
The answer is in the numbers: “There are a lot of people in America, but there’s an awful lot more in the rest of the world,” he said.
And in the natural expansion of the game: “[International players] have gotten a lot of opportunities to come over here. The coaching has gotten better around the world, and the players have just improved.”
And in approach: “I think a lot of them have had the chance to come over here, see what’s what and sort of temper their game. The fact that they’ve played globally as opposed to just playing here makes them stronger players all around.”
Will an American ever again win a major in our lifetime?
Clarke answered that one reassuringly.
“You still have the likes of Dustin Johnson and Rickie Fowler and the other young guys coming through over here,” he said. “I’m sure it’s cyclical and Americans will start winning again very, very soon. But at the moment, it’s a wonderful time for the European Tour.”
Chandler had a powerful feeling about his man Clarke entering this year’s British Open, knowing how well he was playing at the time and how perfectly his game was tailored to the links course.
This week, he figures McIlroy and Westwood to be the two most formidable members of Team Chubby.
Don’t let that name fool you. A juggernaut rolls this way.
And the home team is a decided underdog.
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