It wasn't my highlight of the sports year by any stretch, but I had to chuckle when Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy and Jason Day missed the cut by a combined 16 shots at the U.S. Open.
Nothing against them. I have followed all three around the course and it was worthwhile.
But that serves as a reminder that there are a lot of golfers who can play the crazy sport of golf. There are 156 players annually in the Open, as there are in the Greenbrier Classic, which springs back to life July 3.
The last seven majors have seen first-time winners, and all have an interesting story. Brooks Koepka began his pro career on the European Challenge Tour, won three events to earn a "battlefield" promotion to the main European Tour, and parlayed his success there to enough PGA Tour starts in 2013-14. From there he earned full Tour membership, and has earned $12.4 million and that Open title.
Co-runner-up Brian Harman gets the "who's he?" treatment, which is one of the most annoying aspects of the sport. If you dig a little (or read this), you know he is an above-average player who has stepped up his game considerably. He won earlier this year, and with the right mindset can parlay his Open experience into bigger things.
Koepka and Harman didn't come out of the blue, and now they're 10th and 27th in the world, respectively. As Bill Haas says, they weren't that far from the top levels of the game.
"I do think there are guys who have separated themselves," Haas said earlier this month. "The top 10 in the world, I think when you watch them hit it, they're the top 10 in the world. All the way from there down to 100 there's not much difference, and then from 100 to the Web.com [Tour], there's not much difference."
Harman has committed to the Greenbrier Classic, but Koepka has not. Haas hasn't, either, and I would mourn his absence more - he has been here five times, recording two top-fives and the best temper tantrum I've seen in person. (Good clubhead speed in punishing his bag.)
The entry deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, so anything can happen and usually does. In 2012, highly ranked players trickled in daily, joining a field led by a then-rejuvenated Tiger Woods.
But for now, the Classic's star power resides with Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson, John Daly and Patrick Reed. I'm throwing in the other world top-30 commits: Kevin Kisner, Kevin Chappell, Harman and Players Championship winner Si Woo Kim.
I did a double-take on Chappell, a Greenbrier regular. But he should be that highly ranked - since the 2015 Classic he has 12 top-10s, three runner-up finishes and a win in the Texas Open. He can play.
Mickelson hasn't won an event since the 2013 British and Watson is struggling this season, but they're still as entertaining as ever. Watson led the Memorial on Sunday earlier this month, but he played his last 12 holes at 4 over.
Watson has slipped to 40th in the world and 113th in the FedExCup standings after missing the cut in Connecticut this weekend. His slump may be a result of juggling fatherhood (two adopted children) and his minority ownership of the Pensacola Blue Wahoos of the Class AA Southern League.
That's part of the game. Just ask Mickelson, who withdrew from the U.S. Open to attend his daughter's graduation.
Reed was 17th in the world entering the weekend and could be the highest-ranked player in the field. That would be a disappointment - even the 2010 Classic, whose field strength was blasted by snooty national writers, had a top-10 player in Jim Furyk.
Justin Thomas (12) has been here twice, but was trying to qualify for the British Open back in 2015. A back-nine swoon cost him there, but he doesn't have that issue this time. (The Classic serves as a qualifier for the Open, which follows two weeks later.)
Thomas is one of five players above Reed who have played at the Old White TPC, but I don't see any of them entering at the last moment. Tournament officials should keep in touch with Day, who once attended media day but withdrew after reinjuring his thumb. He lives near Columbus, Ohio.
(Day missed the cut again this weekend, so he should be fresh, right?)
But what the heck. As Haas points out, the drop-off in quality of play just isn't that great. Even with the loaded 2012 field, rookie Ted Potter Jr. took the trophy.
That's the way the sport rolls, whether some fans like it or not.
nnn
The Classic has its sort-of-opening Thursday at Glade Springs, with the prequalifier at the Cobb Course. Eighty-six players are scheduled to play, with approximately 40 (and ties) advancing to the July 3 open qualifier, also on the Cobb Course.
Eight-time West Virginia Open winner David Bradshaw is in the field. He played in the 2015 Classic, missing the cut by five strokes.
Thirteen players have entered the open qualifier, with plenty more expected by the Friday entry deadline. Those include PGA Tour, former PGA Tour and other pros joining the battle for only four spots into the Classic.
Scores as low as 65 have been insufficient in the "four-spotter." Go low or go home.
Contact Doug Smock at 304-348-5130 or dougsmock@wvgazettemail.com. Follow him on Twitter @dougsmock and read his blog at http://blogs.wvgazettemail.com/dougsmock/.