PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- This week it's the Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass. Everyone who played the weekend of match play last week is exhausted. We haven't seen Tiger since Augusta and he still looks rusty. That being said, $10 million is on the line, so players will suck it up trying to win a big chunk of it.
You jumped on Twitter, used #AskESPNCaddie to send me questions, and now you're on ESPN.com's golf page! Pat yourself on the back and scream for everyone to come over to the phone, tablet or laptop!
@ESPNCaddie #AskEspnCaddie As a former caddy, what were your thoughts on Pepsi's involvement in the Jimenez/Bradley ruckus?
— alex crawford (@alex_crawford) May 8, 2015ESPN.com senior golf analyst Michael Collins: For those of you who were still in hibernation, Keegan Bradley and Miguel Angel Jimenez went nose-to-nose last week after Jimenez told Bradley's caddie "Pepsi" to "shut up" during a dispute over a drop. In my opinion, Pepsi was completely in the right when he asked Jimenez if he wanted another delay. Pepsi was trying to protect his player, which is part of the job of being a caddie. Some said Pepsi mocked the Spanish accent, but that was not the case after I listened to the replay several times. I would have preferred them shaking hands at the end, but I'm fine that he refused.
@ESPNCaddie @ESPNGolf Your thoughts on the Spieth/Rory rivalry? It's just not there yet for me. Spieth has some winning to do #AskEspnCaddie
— Brian Wilson (@bwil92208) May 8, 2015Collins: Completely agree! I think it's building, but it's not there yet. Jordan Spieth needs at least one more major, or two more wins this year before we're cooking with fire. Until then, there are too many other young players who could jump up and make a play for the new kid on the block. I will say that this is the best young American we have, but watch out for Hideki Matsuyama. If he starts winning anytime soon, there could be a shift in the rivalry thinking.
@ESPNCaddie What's the best on course caddy getting fired incident you've witnessed? #AskEspnCaddie
— Rusty Ford (@shinychevy) May 8, 2015Collins: A few years ago Jay Williamson lost the Travelers Championship in a playoff. He and his caddie, Mike Mollett, started going downhill afterward. So much so that a couple weeks after the loss they had a blowup on the course during the round. Williamson told Mullett he was done when they finished. Mullett was so mad he walked over to a water hazard with the golf bag and promptly unloaded all the golf balls into the water, leaving Jay with one ball to finish his round! The good news is that Jay made it through the round with a new caddie, and Mullett had a new bag within a few weeks. The two never worked together again but can probably laugh about it now. Caddies still talk about it because every caddie has dreamed of doing something like that at some point in his career.
@ESPNCaddie Was Tiger a once in a generation icon? Or do we have hope for someone new to become a transcendent talent? #AskEspnCaddie
— Rich Douglas (@RealRichDouglas) May 8, 2015Collins: Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but Tiger is a once-in-a-generation icon. Now that the talent level has hit a new high watermark, it will be almost impossible for one guy to be dominant as Tiger once was. These guys are not scared of each other the way Tiger's competitors were of him. Rory doesn't have the consistency right now to scare people and Jordan doesn't have the power game. The next great golf icon either hasn't started walking yet or more likely hasn't been born yet. There was a generation of guys after Nicklaus and before Tiger who had success for a while. They were all great players, but none was "the one." My prayer is that I'm still around to argue with my grandchildren about how their guy could never beat Tiger at his best! Kids today...