Golf stories from journalist Peter Stone

Time for a miracle or maybe a Kim Jong il

The whispers that have surrounded The Presidents Cup for years now – well, to be exact, since 1998 – will grow to a crescendo if the United States is again victorious against the Internationals in the 2015 edition of the cup that starts in South Korea tomorrow.

Yes, the question will be asked: Does the cup have any relevance in the world of golf?

And, just what is its future? Does The PGA Tour – and its Commissioner Almighty Tim Finchem – continue to flog a dead horse or accept the sad fact that The Presidents Cup will never achieve the mighty success of the biennial Ryder Cup clash between the US and the Europeans.

Jason, take comfort from Tiger

So, Jason Day is no longer the best golfer on the planet, as he described himself a week ago after becoming world No 1 in winning the BMW Championship, as he failed to contend in the PGA Tour’s final event of the 2014-15 wraparound season – the Tour Championship – in Atlanta yesterday.

The 27-year-old Day needed to finish in a tie for fifth or better to retain the No 1 spot, but finished in a tie for 10^th after dominating in recent times with four wins in six events to claim the lofty perch he’d dreamed of as a kid.

Peter Thomson

Modesty, despite his grand achievements in the world of golf, both on and off the golf course, has always been Peter Thomson’s constant companion. Yes, he was, and still is for that matter, forever confident but quietly so unlike others who’ve reached similar lofty heights.

Indeed, Thomson was very much an amateur at heart in a professional game that, these days, has almost obscenely huge purses that, sadly, are matched by the egos of many who pocket the fat cheques.

Back in the 1993, fellow Australian Greg Norman proposed a world tour of golf with 10 tournaments. He had the financial backing of media baron Rupert Murdoch and his international News Corporation and the verbal support of many of the leading players but Norman has always believed the PGA Tour and its Commissioner Tim Finchem nobbled his idea.