A new Day? How about a whole new era?

Jason Day’s victory in the PGA Championship solidified what has been bubbling and brewing since Jordan Spieth turned pro: The next great generation – maybe golf’s Greatest Generation -- has arrived, in spectacular, record-breaking fashion, and in terms of depth and skill, there may not be another one like it.

The 27-year-old Day set the majors scoring record in relation to par in shooting 20 under in unusually benign conditions at Whistling Straits.

Spieth, 22, reached No. 1 in the world for the first time with a solo second and surpassed Tiger Woods’ phenomenal 2000 record in the four majors by shooting 54 under. His finishes in majors this year: first, first, fourth, second.


Rory McIlroy, budding Manchester United striker (kidding), is 26 and has four major titles and is a Masters win from the career Grand Slam.

Those are your top three players in the world as of Sunday, and then consider Rickie Fowler’s game now getting more attention than his clothes, and the consistently stellar play of the “old” guys like Bubba Watson, Justin Rose and Dustin Johnson, and if that doesn’t make the hair stand up on your neck then you aren’t a golf fan. It gives me chills just typing it.

Think about how this is turning golf upside down. This is a sport for which you attach yourself to one man and he’s your guy for life. You’re either a Jack Nicklaus or Arnold Palmer person. Woods or Phil Mickelson?

How do you possibly choose a standout between these top three in which one is just as well-spoken and well-mannered as the next? These guys are all the real deal as people, with good, solid, caring folks in the circles around them.


McIlroy probably has the best swing, Spieth is the most charismatic and Day has the best back story.

Pick one and make the other two villains? Not a chance. Three heroes is a shameless bounty not to be wasted.

Boon for Farmers

The Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines is in fantastic position to transition from the Woods-Mickelson era. Day will go into the 2016 event as the defending champion and Spieth figures to be a regular in San Diego because tournament director Peter Ripa gave him one of his first sponsor’s exemptions as a pro.


Throw in guaranteed regular appearances by Fowler, who endorses Farmers, and the tournament’s future drawing power looks pretty bright.

Woods in Wyndham

Tiger Woods made the right call on Monday in saying he will play for the first time in this week’s Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, N.C. He’s got to compete more often to get better, and he’s like any other average tour player out there now – in a desperate scramble just to make the PGA Tour Playoffs.

The only two-time winner of the FedEx Cup, Woods is 187th in the standings and will need a win or possibly a solo second to reach the playoffs. He’s coming off missing the cut in the PGA – an unprecedented third straight missed weekend in a major.


Wyndham Tournament Director Mark Brazil told the Greensboro News & Observer that they might get 5,000 to 10,000 more spectators because of Woods.

“He’s still the biggest draw in golf. Period,” Brazil said.

Ratings watch

The PGA’s final-round overnight rating was 5.1, down 15 percent from Rory’s McIlroy’s win last year, but that one drifted two hours into East Coast primetime because of a weather delay. This year’s mark was the second-best for a PGA Sunday since ’09, when Y.E. Yang overcame Woods.


Mickelson a captain’s pick?

Coming off a tie for 18th in the PGA that extended his winless streak to 43 PGA Tour events, San Diegan Phil Mickelson finds himself in the rarest of positions: on the outside looking in at the U.S. Presidents Cup team.

Mickelson has earned a spot to play on every American team since the biennial event was inaugurated in 1994, but is 33rd in the U.S. standings for the squad that will play the Internationals in South Korea in October.

The top 10 players through the Deutsche Bank Championship that ends on Sept. 7 will automatically be on the team. Captain Jay Haas will make his two wildcard selections on Sept. 8.


“I don’t want to be a (captain’s) pick,” Mickelson told reporters at Whistling Straits. “I haven’t been a pick for 20 years.”

That includes 10 Presidents Cups and 10 Ryder Cups. A remarkable record. But, realistically, Mickelson would seemingly have to make a big splash in the first two tour playoff events to really catch Haas’ eye.

Mired in his worst slump since 2003, the 45-year-old has only three top-10s this season, including a tie for second in the Masters.

It should be noted that the finish at Augusta extended what is a very impressive streak. Mickelson has a top-5 finish in at least one major for nine consecutive seasons. That includes his victory in the 2013 British Open and five second places – two in the U.S. Open and one each in the Masters, PGA and British.


Junior World legacy

Day’s PGA win brings to six the number of male players who have captured the 15-17 Division in Junior World at Torrey Pines and then gone on to win a major. Day shot 69-69-69-74 on the South Course in his 2004 victory.

The others are Craig Stadler (1970), Nick Price (’74), Corey Pavin (’77), David Toms (’84) and Woods (’91).

Chip-ins


Entries are open for a tournament to benefit the Wounded Warriors Project that will be played on Sept. 11 at the Welk Resort. The cost is $125 per player or $450 per foursome and includes golf alongside military personnel, followed by lunch and awards. To register for the event, go to https://patriotsonthegreen.com. To book a stay during the event, call (800) 932-9355.

Carlsbad Golf Center’s 13th annual Fall Demo Day & Custom Fitting Experience will be Sept. 12 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information go to demodays.carlsbadgolfcenter.com.