At the Golfer Supremacy Rankings we celebrate diversity. Literally celebrate it. We have diversity festivals, diversity luncheons, diversity surprise parties, and occasionally even diversity brunches. We be diverse.
Sadly, we are a golf rankings system, so our view of diversity tends to be in debating whether Charley Hoffman is more white than Aaron Baddeley, then ensuring the less white one doesn't feel bad about it.
So while the PGA celebrates Black History Month and the African-American golfers that blazed new trails on Tour, the current crowd of African-American golfers still consists of one: Tiger Woods.
So, as we look back and recognize the contributions of such black golfers as Charlie Sifford, Lee Elder, Teddy Rhodes, Calvin Peete and others, at least the next generation can look back and know that the lone African-American on the Tour left the competition in shambles.
Golfer Supremacy Rankings1. Tiger Woods
Comments: Still the best (and only) black golfer on the PGA Tour, Woods finished third at the Desert Dubai Classic, running his streak of non-wins in non-PGA Tour events to three. Throw in the Ryder Cup and a few other tournaments at the end of 2006 and Woods has the greatest seven-tournament win streak that took 14ish tournaments to achieve.
2. John Rollins
Comments: Following his second-place finish at the FBR Open, Rollins is now on top of the FedEx Cup points chase. That, plus $14.95 will get Rollins a Cinnamon Dolce Latte and a blueberry scone at the nearest Starbucks.
3. Karrie Webb
Comments: After her resurgent 2006 campaign, Webb starts off 2007 in style by winning the Australian Open for the third time in her stellar career. We're strongly considering not covering the LPGA and women's golf at all this year, and just copying last year's comments for the rankings. Why? We're pretty sure 2007 will be exactly like 2006: A bunch of South Koreans will win and Webb, Annika Sorenstam and Lorena Ochoa will battle for Player of the Year again. If Natalie Gulbis or Michelle Wie win, however, we promise to scrap that plan.
Random Factoid I: Aside from his obvious disappointment at the Bears' Super Bowl loss, former Chicago coach George Halas would be horribly upset that two African-Americans coached the NFL's biggest game, after Papa Bear spent a lifetime trying to keep blacks out of the game. Luckily, Halas didn't have to witness the event due to the fact that, like his beloved Bears, he's dead. Extremely dead.
Random Factoid II: By winning the Dubai Desert Classic, Henrik Stenson surpassed Swedish striker Henrik Larsson, who was unable to find the net in Manchester United's 4-0 whitewashing of Tottenham, as the most productive Henrik over the weekend.
Random Factoid III: To celebrate becoming the first African-American head coach to lead his team to a Super Bowl victory, Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy will be honored at the Friends of the Family Banquet for the Indiana Family Institute, a group dedicated to limiting the rights of homosexuals. And the struggle continues.
--WKW
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