Winning and Losing on the PGA Tour
With the conclusion of this week's Tour stop at Hilton Head, golf fans were able to see a finish that many will remember as how Brian Davis lost a tournament (albeit due to an immense amount of honesty and sportsmanship in calling a penalty on himself) as opposed to Jim Furyk winning a tournament playoff. While a win is still a win, one can almost guarantee that this was not how Furyk was hoping to finish out another victory.
In a way, however, Davis was able to make a name for himself in one respect, even if for only one week. Class and integrity will certainly go a long way for this player, and there is really no doubt that his rewards on Tour should come back ten-fold when the time is right. Davis could certainly win on Tour, that much is certain after watching his play this weekend, and for that reason he should rest easy tonight... or at least a little easier than one might assume following a second-place finish.
In essence, a player need not win the tournament in order to be seen as having a successful showing. However, most of us already know that. It actually seems more like some players need a little reminder of this fact, especially when the competitive edge might take precedence to maintaining a certain level of integrity.
Some players will admit that he only enters an event in order to win it. These players typically show emotion more on the course due to reasons ranging from an extreme adrenaline rush to immense frustration. Club-throwing is typically reserved for weekend hackers at a local municipal track, but even the highest level of players on Tour get a little carried away. Davis showcased nothing but class, and he will undoubtedly reap the benefits of his actions (or non-actions, depending on how you look at it) for many more seasons.
While he might not have won the trophy this week in South Carolina, Brian Davis won notoriety and respect from golf fans everywhere. In many ways this may be worth more than any paycheck or hardware on a mantle.
