Golf did its thing this weekend. The PGA Tour strategically scheduling a signature event at Pebble Beach on the first weekend without football since September was supposed to deliver the goods while building excitement for the year to come, and it checked those boxes while Rory McIlroy cruised to victory on the back nine.

Speaking of McIlroy, winning a non-major golf tournament is nothing new for him, it’s actually been his entire life for over a decade now, but something about his performance at Pebble Beach this week feels different. And yes, I realize that’s me buying into the hype as the Masters slowly approaches, but we’re not fully latching onto the bait, at least not yet.

While McIlroy’s performance at Pebble was pure class, Tom Kim’s was the exact opposite. Yes, the golf he actually played was strong, but the moments in between shots are putting a legitimate stain on the game.

We also need to dive into Phil Mickelson’s rather unique comments about LIV Golf, specifically about the opportunity fans have to take naps during tournaments, as LIV kicks off its new season later this week.

As always, any thoughts, concerns, criticisms, or shop talk, feel free to shoot an email over to mark.harris@outkick.com or follow me on X @itismarkharris.

We May Be Seeing A New Version Of Rory McIlroy

I’ve gone on record multiple times saying that none of McIlroy’s wins matter until he wins another major championship. That may not be fair, but to steal the overused phrase, facts don’t care about feelings, and the fact is that McIlroy not winning a major since 2014 has created a not-so-flattering narrative.

McIlroy’s two-shot victory at Pebble Beach, his 27th win on Tour, does not change the narrative that he is still a generational talent who somehow only has four majors to his name. However, his win out west may have given us a glimpse into a more patient and mature McIlroy.

It’s odd to say that McIlroy may be ‘coming into his own’ when we’re talking about a 35-year-old who has been a professional golfer since 2007, but that may be the case. To be more specific, he may be ‘coming into his own’ again, because most would argue a guy who won four majors from 2011-2014 certainly knew who he was, but life happens and things change over time.

Besides McIlroy letting the world know he’s the best driver of the golf ball to ever live this week at Pebble Beach, his laying out of a new playing style and executing it is the biggest takeaway of the week.

Speaking after the third round on Saturday, McIlroy talked about how playing mistake-free is a goal of his this season. 

“One of the things I really — I want to do this year is try to limit my mistakes and play bogey free. Three of my last four rounds have been that way, last round in Dubai, first round here and now this round. Just really try to limit the mistakes and play smart golf and be a little more like Scottie Scheffler basically,” McIlroy told the media.

Obviously, every player is trying to avoid making bogeys, but McIlroy taking fewer risks, aiming for the center of greens more often, and knowing par is his friend more often than not may be what’s been missing over the years.

We’ll have to wait and see if he stays subscribed to the new mindset, but so far, so good.

The PGA Tour Should Make An Example Of Tom Kim

Now to the not-so-fun segment of the program: Tom Kim and his excruciatingly slow play.

Kim is a ridiculously talented player whose ceiling can’t even be described yet, given the resume the guy has already put together before even turning 23, but that doesn’t mean he’s free from scrutiny.

Ball knowers out there took notice long ago that Kim is among the slowest players on the PGA Tour, but somehow, it seems like he’s getting slower all while the entire world is screaming for players to pick up the pace.

His pace of play, or lack thereof, was on full display on the Par 5 sixth hole during Sunday’s final round. At least four practice swings behind the ball, over 40 seconds to approach it, and nearly 30 more seconds before pulling the trigger all to pipe the golf ball into the Pacific Ocean is a tough scene, but part of the norm for Young Tom Kim.

Kim’s group was eventually put on the clock on Sunday as they lagged behind the group in front of them, but unsurprisingly, nothing happened. 

What needs to happen is the Tour needs to discipline Kim for his slow play, which would send a message to everyone, and a final round during a signature event at Pebble Beach was the perfect spot to do it. 

Kim finished T-7 at Pebble earning $640,000 in the process. A one-shot penalty would have bumped him down the leaderboard a spot and cost him over $100,000, which is significant, which significant is exactly what the Tour needs when it comes to disciplining players for slow play.

A fine would also send a message, but disciplining a player in the middle of a tournament would have far more impact. The Tour reprimanding Kim, one of the game’s top young stars who seems to be loved by (almost) everyone, would be a step in the right direction and speed these guys up. It isn’t difficult.

Phil Mickelson’s Odd Nap Comments Actually Make Sense, Sort Of

In the build-up to LIV Golf’s season opener this week in Saudi Arabia, Phil Mickelson was asked about the differences between LIV and the Tour, and more specifically why he thinks the Saudi-backed circuit will find success.

His comments were unique, to say the least, and his line about fans and children taking naps stood out for obvious reasons.

“You go to a LIV event, you feel different. Here’s why: You have music going when you’re out on the course. We don’t hear little people saying stuff. We don’t hear it. So you’re not as anxious about having your kids be quiet,” Mickelson explained on ‘The Joe Pomp Show.’ 

“There’s a fan zone like on the course where you can sit down, take a break, grab some drinks. It’s like a little hang. You can take a nap. They have a kid zone by the clubhouse where, again, you can take a nap, play putt-putt, play games for them and entertain them with a big screen so you can still see what’s going on with the golf. So when you go there, you feel calm. You feel comfortable. It’s like, ‘OK, our kids had a great time. I was relaxed. I wasn’t worried.’”

Mickelson has spent more than 20 years delivering spicy takes and comments throughout his career, and it’s safe to say he reached a little bit too deep here when bringing up the fan experience at LIV Golf events including the possibility of taking a nap in the middle of the action.

READ: Should You Attend A LIV Golf Event? An Honest Review After A Day Spent At LIV Nashville

As someone who went to LIV Nashville last year, taking a literal nap wasn’t an option, but if you take away that aspect Mickelson oddly mentioned, his comments do ring true, mostly.

The vibes at a LIV event are designed to be different than a PGA Tour event, and you do feel that when on the grounds. Things are far more relaxed and way less traditional, which may float some people’s boats while others may not appreciate it as much, which is entirely fine.