The New York Times has an article speculating about the lasting impact of Yang’s victory over Tiger Woods At The 2009 PGA Championship:

“Whenever someone accomplishes a milestone that has never been reached before — especially in sports — it tends to inspire a generation,” said Ty Votaw, the PGA Tour executive who is the executive director of the International Golf Federation Olympic Golf Committee. “The impact of Y. E. Yang’s win at the P.G.A. Championship will be felt immediately on the local tournament level — an increase in hospitality sales, ticket sales, Korean media interest and coverage at the Barclays and the Presidents Cup, for instance.

“But the long-term impact on the game of golf globally will best be measured when the next generation of golfers recalls the time they saw Y. E. Yang win the P.G.A. Championship and were inspired to pick up the game, much like what Se Ri Pak did for women’s golf in Korea 11 years ago.” Pak, then 20, won the L.P.G.A. Championship and the United States Women’s Open in her rookie season on the LPGA Tour.

This isn’t the only writer I’ve seen predicting that Yang’s victory will resound through the ages: Tiger has been shown to be vulnerable. Golf will boom in Asia (as if it isn’t already) Sponsors will return to the sport. And on and on.

I think they’re all getting ahead of themselves.  Part of it is that now that the Majors are over, there really isn’t much golf to write about, the Fedex Cup not withstanding. This is a story that has to last until the next Masters. The other is that—in our 24/7 media world—people lack any sort of perspective. Whatever happens today is the best or the worst thing that has ever happened. History began when we were in our late teens.

I personally don’t think Yang’s victory will have any lasting impact—even in Korea. It was a single, surprise victory by a player who was unknown two weeks ago. Now, if Yang manages to contend in next year’s Majors, or stares down Tiger in a future tournament, we might have something. It might even signal something if Tiger fails to win a Major again next year.

Until then, lets not put the cart before the horse.

In the wake of Y.E. Yang’s victory at the 2009 PGA Championship, a GolfBlogger reader asked if one Major Championship had produced more “one-hit wonders” than another. That depends, I think upon your definition of a one-hitter—and that’s a very subjective mark. Still, I looked at the last twenty years of major winners, and came up with a list of winners that could fall in that category.

PGA
Shaun Micheel
Rich Beem
Wayne Grady

The Masters
Zach Johnson

US Open
Michael Campbell
Steve Jones

Open Championship
Todd Hamilton
Ben Curtis
Paul Lawrie
Ian Baker Finch

I’m sure I’ll get a lot of arguments about this. All of these men are fine players, and all have more than one tour victory. Still, I’d have to say that the ones on this list didn’t (or have not yet) lived up to the stature of a major championship winner.

Some links from the PGA wrapping up the 2009 PGA Championship

Complete Wrap-Up: http://www.pga.com/pgachampionship/2009/news/daily_wrap_081609.cfm

Yang achieves Major moment in authoritative fashion: http://www.pga.com/pgachampionship/2009/news/yang_081609.cfm

For the first time, Woods can only watch Major slip away: http://www.pga.com/pgachampionship/2009/news/woods_081609.cfm

Final Leaderboard: http://www.pga.com/pgachampionship/2009/scoring/

Complete Video Vault: http://www.pga.com/pgachampionship/2009/multimedia/video/index.cfm

Photo Gallery: http://www.pga.com/pgachampionship/2009/multimedia/photo/index.cfm

I have to offer my apologies, as well as my congratulations to Y.E. Yang. I just didn’t believe he could do it. Tiger has never given up a lead in a major, and even on the seventy second hole, I thought he would chip in from the fringe, force Yang into a playoff and win it in overtime.

But he didn’t. Instead, Yang rode the eagle on fourteen to victory. This time, it was Tiger who was finishing from behind, and Tiger who made the mistakes.

Incredible. For the first time since 2004, and for only the third time in his professional career, Tiger has finished the year without a Major.

Yang played with incredible nerve. He ignored the pressure, the crowds and Tiger’s gamesmanship (the announcers pointed out that he likes to stand where his opponent will see him as they make their putt). He made the gutsy plays—how about that hybrid on the seventy second—that you expect from a Champion.

Will we see more of Yang? I don’t know. I kind of doubt it. This has been a year of upsets, and a win in a major doesn’t always foretell future success (see: Shaun Micheel, Rich Beem, Ben Curtis, Todd Hamilton, et.al.). But for the time being, he’s a real champion—and one who has done what no one else has done: caught Tiger from behind in a Major.

I’m interested in your reactions to the PGA Championship. Leave a comment.

This past season may be one time when people actually will remember the runners-up in the Majors.

Kenny Perry at the Masters, playing for his legacy.

Phil Mickelson at the US Open, playing for Amy; David Duval, trying to make a comeback.

Tom Watson at the British Open, playing for all time.

Tiger Woods, choking for the first time.