OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- In virtually every sport, when the playoffs begin, players know the intensity is going to rise. In football, defenses hit harder. Coaches treat turnovers by their own team like a tragedy. In basketball, you have to fight for every rebound. Postseason baseball at-bats often play out like a battle of wills.
In professional golf, something different unfolds.
The game appears to get easier.
Bogeys become rare. Doubles are almost unheard of. Players aren't tested on whether they can make birdies, they're tested on how many they can make.