YOU CAN CALL ROBERT ALLENBY a golf grump, a whiner and a sore loser. But please don’t call the veteran Aussie golfer “a run-of-the-mill journeyman.”
That’s an actual comment I saw—and others like it—after Allenby criticized Anthony Kim’s alleged behavior on the eve of the pair’s singles match at the Presidents Cup. (Allenby was whipped 5 and 3 by Kim.)
Allenby would have been smart to hold his tongue. Understandably, his comments unleashed the wrath of many golf fans. But his game took an unfair hit. Robert Allenby is a good player. Take a look at his record.
Allenby, 38, has won four times on the PGA Tour (three of the four in playoffs). He also has four wins on the European Tour. (That’s eight quality wins.) Allenby has five top 10s in majors and has played in five of the eight Presidents Cups. He ranks 19th in career earnings on the PGA Tour.
Journeyman numbers?
For comparison, here’s the PGA Tour win total of a sampling of European and international players:
Mike Weir 8
Sergio Garcia 7
Retief Goosen 7
Geoff Ogilvy 6
Adam Scott 6
Padraig Harrington 5
Darren Clarke 2
Henrik Stenson 2
Lee Westwood 1
Paul Casey 1
Ian Poulter 0
Justin Rose 0
Colin Montgomerie 0
After rounds of 64 and 66, Allenby is currently tied for the lead with Martin Kaymer after two rounds of the Castello Masters, this week’s European Tour event. You might call Robert a jerk, but he’s no run-of-the-mill journeyman.
−The Armchair Golfer
I agree that Allenby stuck his foot in his mouth after Kim beat him. But I'm inclined to cut him a little slack, given how hard he seems to have taken his mother's death earlier this year. Add his frustration over his putter, and I think it's understandable.
Anyone who's lost someone they're close to can relate. It's not an excuse — just understandable.