Report: 2013 Mercedes Benz GWAA Dinner Presented By Aberdeen Asset Management, USGA & PGA Of America

The Golf Writers Association Of America held its 44^th annual Mercedes Benz Awards dinner and a good time was had by a few. Evening highlights included host Tim Rosaforte’s opening dance number set to award winning ledes from 2013. Later, writer Alan Shipnuck taking time away from his studies abroad to give a heartfelt take on role Twitter-censoring plays at PGA Tour stops. And it was all capped off by PGA of America lifetime achievement award winner John Hopkins revealing the scourge of journalism today: bloggers who refuse confirm with multiple high-ranking sources what the conventional wisdom says before repeating the conventional wisdom in one's reporting.

With award winners accepting their plaques to the soundtrack outtakes from the Beverly Hills Cop 3, a crowd of 200 journalists, dignitaries and select active players recalled past Mercedes Benz Award dinners. Many regaled others with former Aberdeen Asset Management winners, clutched complimentary Scotch courtesy of the financial services sponsor, and even walked a green carpet into the dinner only marred by one fainter who passed out upon learning that Jason Sobel would not be accepting his prize in the Daily Columns division.

The reigning “Players of the year” Rory McIlroy, Stacy Lewis and Roger Chapman all appeared and spoke eloquently. McIlroy brought gal pal Caroline Wozniacki and almost made it to USGA Executive Director David Fay's speech, staying around longer than Tiger Woods ever has, prompting several knowing writers to check with one-another before re-affirming their belief that Woods is still a point-miser while their Rory is the future's great hope. But it was Hopkins’s resounding speech on the horror that is the modern blogosphere which culminated the marathon evening. A former Times writer, Hopkins thanked his "hero" Jim Nugent at Global Golf Post while lamenting the lost art of checking with as many as ten people to best understand what one should be thinking.

Bloggers, who file their views without confirming with others what opinions they should and should not hold most dearly, are threatening the art of journalistic conformity, explained Hopkins as the audience scrolled their Twitter feeds and deleted junk emails. So powerful was Hopkins’s message that I even contemplated making a few notes and checking with others to figure out what to think about his lecture. Then I recalled my role as a blogger, abstaining from taking notes and rattling off my impressions without regard for the opinions of the aristocracy. A most powerful message, indeed.