To everyone that follows this blog, Team Faddy would like to say thanks.
For the next 2 weeks posts will not be updated with current golf news. We (Team Faddy) is taking a golf trip to Myrtle Beach.
We will continue blogging when we return. Until then...Cheers
Jer
Friday, February 18, 2011
John Cook says Tiger's swing is starting to click
Tiger Woods may be on the verge of a breakthrough in his swing — at least according to John Cook, who spent most of Tuesday with the former world No. 1.“He’s excited about what he’s doing,” Cook said Thursday at a press conference for the Champions Tour’s ACE Group Classic. “It’s just a matter of getting it onto the golf course under competition and what he and Sean [Foley] have been working on. (Click here for a Q&A with Foley on Tiger’s swing.)
“[Tiger] now really has a great understanding. As of Monday, it finally clicked to him … where the face of the club needs to be at certain points, which really sounded to me like kind of old school Butch [Harmon] but with a better face angle on his backswing, which means, wow, that’s something really good.”
Woods, of course, hasn’t won since the 2009 JBWere Masters — a span of more than 500 days.
“He’s in a good place,” continued Cook. “He’s playing quite a bit, so that’s a good thing. I think that’s what he needs is just reps, more reps, go play, just go out and play.
“He’s in a place where he doesn’t think he has to hit that many balls now, he can just go play. He’s not just grinding, grinding, grinding. He’s got it.”
Time will certainly tell. Woods will next play in next week’s World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship. Woods has won the event three times, the last of which came in 2008 at The Gallery at Dove Mountain.
The Accenture Match Play Championship moved to The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in 2009. Woods lost 4 and 2 to Tim Clark in the second round that year and missed last year’s event while he was dealing with his tumultuous life off the course.
This time, Woods appears to be in a much better state of mind.
“He is so happy in his life outside of golf,” said Cook, who admitted he hadn’t talked to Woods much last year. “Everything couldn’t be better. He really — he wants to play well so badly that he’s become one of us. He never had to struggle like that. He wants it so bad; now he needs to get it onto the golf course and trust it and relax and just go play, because what I saw on Tuesday was vintage.”
Still, the results have been slow to come.
In his only start on the PGA TOUR this season, Woods tied for 44th at the Farmers Insurance Open. At last week’s Dubai Desert Classic, he tied for 20th. Last year, Woods went winless on the TOUR for the first time in his career.
“I think frustration-wise, yeah [it was harder on him than any other time I’ve known him], because he was lost last year, completely lost,” said Cook. “He knew he had to make some sort of change because he just wasn’t getting it. It’s hard enough to play golf and be competitive with all the other stuff going on, and now you throw in another wrinkle where you don’t really trust what you’re doing and then you make a change and you have to relearn again and you have to take it to a golf course and compete.
“It was just the hardest thing and it just was so frustrating for him because he didn’t have really a clue, and he had always had a clue.”
Seven months into it — Woods officially began working with Foley last August – things finally seem to be clicking for Woods based on what Cook saw this week at Isleworth.
“His excitement is back, just the way he’s portraying things and his body language is upbeat again,” Cook said. “It’s not, you know, dreading the Masters. He welcomes it.
“That’s what we all need. We all need him back. He wants it, too. He still wants [Jack Nicklaus’] record. Obviously, he wouldn’t be working as hard as he is if he didn’t.” — Brian Wacker
Bubba Watson withdrawls from The Northern Trust
Bubba Watson has withdrawn from the Northern Trust Open citing a pulled muscle in his lower stomach.
Watson, who won the Farmers Insurance Open last month, told officials of his decision after completing his round on Thursday. He shot a 76 that included an eagle, one birdie, six bogeys and one double bogey.
Watson later told reporters that he went to the emergency room earlier in the week to make sure the pain wasn’t due to anything serious. “Then it was still bothering me so I did a CAT scan, so I did an ultrasound and a CAT scan, so I did two visits to the doctors two days apart,’” he said.
Watson said the blood work and other tests came out negative. He’s just very sore and found it difficult to concentrate on golf Thursday at Riviera.
“Tried to go today,” Watson said. “It’s just my mind was worried about that and not worried about playing golf. I’m not in the right place. I need to rest. I need to rest my stomach and hopefully get better for Tucson”
Watson, who won the Farmers Insurance Open last month, told officials of his decision after completing his round on Thursday. He shot a 76 that included an eagle, one birdie, six bogeys and one double bogey.
Watson later told reporters that he went to the emergency room earlier in the week to make sure the pain wasn’t due to anything serious. “Then it was still bothering me so I did a CAT scan, so I did an ultrasound and a CAT scan, so I did two visits to the doctors two days apart,’” he said.
Watson said the blood work and other tests came out negative. He’s just very sore and found it difficult to concentrate on golf Thursday at Riviera.
“Tried to go today,” Watson said. “It’s just my mind was worried about that and not worried about playing golf. I’m not in the right place. I need to rest. I need to rest my stomach and hopefully get better for Tucson”
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Manager Chubby Chandler explains Westwood & McIlroy's Players Championship snub
Lee Westwood and Rory McIlroy's decision to skip the Players Championship at Sawgrass in May has been defended by their manager Andrew Chandler.
World number one Westwood and Northern Ireland's rising star McIlroy are giving the tournament, dubbed the "fifth major" a wide berth, saying it did not fit their schedules.
Both have opted to take up European Tour membership in 2011, meaning they can only play three events on the PGA Tour outside of the majors.
Chandler told CNN that moving the PGA Tour's flagship tournament from just before the U.S. Masters to a slot in May had prompted the decisions of his star duo.
"I would think when it was played at the end of the March it was getting to be the fifth major," said Chandler.
"Moving it to the middle of May has made it about the 10th most important tournament in the world.
"It isn't a priority for them as they would rather win a major or a world golf championship event," he added.
The absence of current world number one Westwood from the TPC has been seen as a snub to the PGA Tour, but Chandler says it is purely down to the calendar.
"They cannot play every week," he said.
McIlroy has also denied reports of a rift with PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem for abandoning the U.S. circuit after only one year as a full-time member.
He wrote on his Twitter blog: "For everyone who is interested, the reason I'm not playing TPC this year is because I've never thought the golf course has set up that well for me.
"Hence, two missed cuts in two years. I have no sort of vendetta against Tim Finchem or the PGA Tour; I love playing in the U.S. and have always found the people very welcoming."
South Africa's Tim Clark won last year's Players Championship, with Westwood finishing tied for fourth, four shots behind.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Are we taking Tiger's spitting in Dubai to seriously? Some don't think so
Tiger Woods, returning to his favourite Magnolia Drive, receives his pairing sheet for the 75th Masters at Augusta. I submit that he might like, even as a four-time winner of the green jacket, to reacquaint himself with two paragraphs inscribed on the back of that pristine document.Bobby Jones, father of the Masters and president in perpetuity of Augusta National, pronounces thus: “In golf, customs of etiquette and decorum are just as important as rules governing play. Excessive demonstration by a player is not proper because of the possible effect upon competitors.”
Here is legalese of the most exquisite piety, written in 1967 and attuned to the solemnity in which golf is steeped. By “demonstration”, the great Mr Jones alludes simply to over-exuberant celebrations of a fine shot.
There seems a curious blessing in the fact that this totem of the sport, and guardian of its delicate sensibilities, is not alive to see the day when a player spits on the putting surface.
The jurisdiction of Augusta is so arcane that, as host broadcaster, you can be censured even for failing to describe the fans as ‘patrons’. By that logic, clearing the contents of your throat on the Georgia greens should be punishable by ejection from the premises – preferably headfirst, over the course’s whitewashed walls.
So whither the outrage for the crassness of what Woods did in Dubai last Sunday? No big deal, the American commentators cry. He spits all the time. He suffers from allergies.
He must have been bothered by the Middle Eastern sandstorms. But by such craven complicity in his behaviour do they ignore the very principles upon which the sport is founded.
For golf is, at its core, an exercise in self-discipline. It is the sole sporting setting in which players penalise themselves for a rules violation. Plus, beyond the rules lies that tacitly acknowledged code called etiquette: the one by which pitchmarks are required, bunkers raked, and ‘Fore!’ shouted for an errant drive. Remove it, and you have lapses as unsavoury as Woods’s established as the norm.
I confess I have always hated the sanctimony with which etiquette is invoked by golfers. Having played from the age of five, I struggled to understand why an angry gouging of the turf – or, when a little older, some muffled cursing – was not an acceptable reaction to a scuffed wedge. It appeared a paradox that the most maddening sport on earth to master should frown upon any overt emotion.
I was fortunate enough to absorb these lessons as a member of Royal West Norfolk, an institution that has tempered its exclusivity by its friendliness to black Labradors, its tolerance of spikes in the clubhouse bar and its general antipathy to tedious blazer politics. And yet I would hazard that if you spat on a green, you would be frogmarched off the links in a good deal less time than it takes to protest: “But Tiger does it, too.”
Ewen Murray, the Sky Sports golf anchor, has attracted much heat across the Atlantic for saying of Woods’s hawking: “It doesn’t get much lower than that.” It suggested, rather like Sam Torrance’s labelling of American rowdiness at the 1999 Ryder Cup as the “most disgusting thing I’ve seen in my life”, that he ought to get out more. But his remark put the army of Tiger apologists to shame.
The sycophancy around Woods stems from his portrayal by many American scribes as an athlete. His gym-rat talk of the ‘reps’ he needs to cement his swing changes is all faithfully recorded.
Indeed, his actions have been likened this week to that of a baseball pitcher spitting on the mound. Golf, though, is not athletically arduous. Lung-bursting physical exertion hardly forms a rationale for his repulsive habit.
The only reason for Woods to spit upon the Emirates Club greensward is to exhibit contempt for his own poor play. His problem is that, in doing so, he offers a grievous affront to a game he professes to love.
The apology he released – on Twitter, for goodness’ sake – was as tepid as the European Tour’s nominal fine. The killer line? “It was inconsiderate to spit like that and I know better.”
In the anniversary week of his televised mea culpa, promising change after years of philandering and on-course transgressions, golf’s fallen idol manifestly knows no better at all.
-Oliver Brown, The Telegraph
Mickelson already looking forward to "green jacket" title defense
In the seven years since Phil Mickelson rolled in an 18-footer for birdie to win his first Masters, he has made a point in every ensuing Masters of returning to that same spot on the 18th green at Augusta National to re-create the magic with a few practice putts.Since then, the most memorable shot Mickelson has struck at Augusta came last year at the par-5 13th hole on Sunday, when he ripped a daring 6-iron through two pines over Rae's Creek to within four feet of the hole. Mickelson missed the putt, but the tap-in birdie propelled him to a 67 and his third green jacket.
During a teleconference with the media Tuesday, Mickelson said that he also plans a return trip to his newest sacred spot during this year's Masters, though only during the practice rounds.
"I do plan on hitting the fairway all four days," he said, laughing.
With Phil of course, one never knows what to expect. Since winning the 2010 Masters, he has made 16 stroke-play starts without a victory. In August, he revealed that he has psoriatic arthritis, a potentially debilitating condition. And in the last seven months or so he has converted from carnivore to Five Guys-shunning vegetarian and back again.
All the way back. Mickelson said that not only is he planning on serving meat at this year's champions dinner, but that he's also considering a veritable smorgasbord of options. "I've learned one thing over the years," he said. "Many of the past champions — they love beef. And because of that I plan on having a trio of different meats, whether it be bison or venison or filet." What, no rabbit?
Mickelson also revealed that he extended a personal invitation to three-time winner Seve Ballesteros, who is home in Spain fighting brain cancer. "I just sent him an e mail saying that if he were able to come and feeling healthy enough to be able to make this tournament, I would love to have the dinner be something that he would like, like a Spanish dish of paella," Mickelson said. "I wanted to kind of honor him."
Ballesteros is unlikely to make it, Mickelson added, "so our thoughts and prayers are going to be with him that evening."
After 18 Masters appearances and three wins, Lefty has learned a lot more about the tournament than simply what to serve on Tuesday night. He has mastered the subtleties of Augusta National, what clubs to hit, and, perhaps most important for Mickelson, where he can afford to miss. "I have this feeling of confidence, that I know how to play the golf course, that I don't have to play it perfectly, and that the strength of my game, which is short game, can often save or salvage rounds and pars for me and keep me in contention," said Mickelson, who has finished out of the top 10 just once since 1999.
"It's a great feeling of confidence when I drive through the gates of Magnolia [Lane], and I think that's been one of the reasons why I've been successful there."
Good vibes aside, Mickelson is not the favorite to win in April. According to the British bookmaker Ladbrokes, the struggling Tiger Woods, at 5-1 odds, is most likely to go home with the green jacket; Ladbrokes lists Mickelson at 6-1.
Those figures jibe with a recent Golf Magazine poll of 40 PGA Tour professionals. When asked whether Mickelson or Woods is more likely to win the 2011 Masters, nearly 60 percent chose Woods. (The complete poll results will appear in the magazine's April issue.)
If Mickelson does win his fourth green jacket (and not another tournament before then), it will represent his 39th PGA Tour victory. He said today that his goal is to reach 50. "There's something magical about that number," Mickelson said. "Billy Casper, I believe, won 50 tournaments. And I just remember thinking what an impressive display of longevity and competitive golf he's put forth to win that many events.
"And although it's not with the greats of a Nicklaus or a Palmer, Tiger, Sam Snead and Byron Nelson, it's certainly up there and certainly something I would be very proud to do, especially in this day and age."
Monday, February 14, 2011
Tiger shoots dismal 75 in final round @ Dubai, gets fined for spitting
As if struggling with his golf game on the final day of the Dubai Desert Classic weren't frustrating enough, Tiger Woods has been fined for spitting on the 12th green.
"Tournament director Mike Stewart has reviewed the incident and feels there has been a breach of the tour code of conduct and consequently Tiger Woods will be fined," the European Tour said in a statement on Monday. The Tour is not expected to divulge the amount of the loogie levy.
Cameras caught Woods, who shot a three-over-par 75 and finished seven strokes behind Alvaro Quiros of Spain.
"You look at his work ethics and he is a credit to the game and an inspiration to all of those who are trying to become professional golfers but there are some parts of him that are just arrogant and petulant," an outraged Evan Murray said on Sky's broadcast. "Somebody now has to come behind him and maybe putt over his spit [on the green]. It does not get much lower than that."
Well, actually it does. Remember when Sergio Garcia spit into the cup -- the one into which hands must be placed in order to retrieve putts? Yeah, that happened, at the CA Championship in 2007. So let's recap. The European Tour fines an American for spitting onto the green and the PGA Tour did not fine a European player for spitting into the cup.
Phil Mickelson confirms he'll compete in Match Play later this month
Phil Mickelson couldn’t pull off the come-from-behind victory, but he still left the Monterey Peninsula in a positive frame of mind.
His tie for ninth was Mickelson’s second top-10 in his first three starts of the season. Small wonder, then, that the world No. 4, who has talked repeatedly about making 2011 the year he had hoped 2010 would be, was so enthused.
Mickelson will be playing in the Northern Trust Open next week. And he announced after finishing off a 71 Sunday that he was planning to compete in the World Golf Championship-Accenture Match Play Championship which had been a question mark since his children didn’t have school that week.
"I feel like I’m right on the cusp of playing some great golf because I feel like I’m driving the ball very well, better than I ever have probably," he said. "I feel like my iron play is back and my distance control has been sharp. And I feel like I’m rolling the ball very well. It’s on my line.
"It’s just not quite going in or maybe I hit just a little too much speed or not quite enough break or whatever it is. Feels like it’s so close, it feels really good and I’m walking away, even though I didn’t get out of today’s round what I wanted, with a lot of confidence, and looking forward to next week’s event."
Mickelson made five birdies on Sunday, but none after the 3-footer at the 11th hole that moved him to 10 under and within two strokes of the lead. He tied for 54th in fairways hit but shared first in greens in regulation, including 13 of 18 in the final round.
Once he got to those greens, though, Mickelson’s putter was a tad fickle. But he repeatedly burned the hole on Sunday as he took 29 putts and finished tied for first in the distance of putts made for the week. He ranked third in driving distance, as well.
"It was really a fun day," Mickelson said. "It was a beautiful day. We had great weather there. Was an opportunity out there to try to catch the lead and I put myself in position where I had some opportunities. It was a fun day. I didn’t quite get them to fall but I hit a lot of good putts and I had chances and they just didn’t quite go." – Helen Ross
His tie for ninth was Mickelson’s second top-10 in his first three starts of the season. Small wonder, then, that the world No. 4, who has talked repeatedly about making 2011 the year he had hoped 2010 would be, was so enthused.
Mickelson will be playing in the Northern Trust Open next week. And he announced after finishing off a 71 Sunday that he was planning to compete in the World Golf Championship-Accenture Match Play Championship which had been a question mark since his children didn’t have school that week.
"I feel like I’m right on the cusp of playing some great golf because I feel like I’m driving the ball very well, better than I ever have probably," he said. "I feel like my iron play is back and my distance control has been sharp. And I feel like I’m rolling the ball very well. It’s on my line.
"It’s just not quite going in or maybe I hit just a little too much speed or not quite enough break or whatever it is. Feels like it’s so close, it feels really good and I’m walking away, even though I didn’t get out of today’s round what I wanted, with a lot of confidence, and looking forward to next week’s event."
Mickelson made five birdies on Sunday, but none after the 3-footer at the 11th hole that moved him to 10 under and within two strokes of the lead. He tied for 54th in fairways hit but shared first in greens in regulation, including 13 of 18 in the final round.
Once he got to those greens, though, Mickelson’s putter was a tad fickle. But he repeatedly burned the hole on Sunday as he took 29 putts and finished tied for first in the distance of putts made for the week. He ranked third in driving distance, as well.
"It was really a fun day," Mickelson said. "It was a beautiful day. We had great weather there. Was an opportunity out there to try to catch the lead and I put myself in position where I had some opportunities. It was a fun day. I didn’t quite get them to fall but I hit a lot of good putts and I had chances and they just didn’t quite go." – Helen Ross
Friday, February 11, 2011
Tiger surges with 2nd round 66 in Dubai
Tiger Woods surged up the Dubai Desert Classic leaderboard by shooting a bogey-free 6-under 66 on Friday to pull him back in contention for his first tournament victory in more than a year.Helped by stellar putting and a consistent short game, Woods sank six birdies in the low round of the day to total 7-under 137, four shots behind leader Rory McIlroy.
McIlroy followed his opening 65 with a 68 to maintain his lead going into the weekend at Emirates Golf Club. It was here two years ago that the 21-year-old from Northern Ireland earned his only European Tour victory.
A shot back of McIlroy at 10 under were Sergio Garcia (67) and South African Thomas Aiken (67), followed by Englishman Steve Webster (68) at 8 under.
Woods was tied for fifth alongside Jean-Baptiste Gonnet of France, Anders Hansen of Denmark, Michael Hoey of Northern Ireland and Brett Rumford of Australia.
Woods, who has been outdriving his playing partners, No. 1-ranked Lee Westwood and No. 2 Martin Kaymer, added accuracy to his blistering drives and approach shots on Friday. And unlike Thursday when he missed several makable putts and hit approach shots wide of the green, the winner of 14 majors routinely gave himself chances.
"It felt good today. I hit a lot of good shots," said Woods, who likened his game on Friday to the way he played at last year's Chevron World Challenge, where he lost in a playoff to U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell.
"I felt like I drove it pretty good and more than anything I controlled my traj (trajectory) which was nice," he said. "I feel good. We worked out a few of the things last night that I didn't like."
McIlroy, who has struggled to meet expectations since winning the Quail Hollow Championship in 2010, said he was approaching his game with more patience this season. It seems to be paying dividends as he finished second in last month's Abu Dhabi Championship.
McIlroy bogeyed the par-4 2nd hole then settled with five birdies over his last 12 holes, including on the 18th for the second day in a row.
"I thought after the start that I had, I really hung in there and stayed patient and just sort of picked up my birdies when I could," McIlroy said. "I think I was 5 under from 7 onwards. So really pleased with the round, and (it) sets me up for a good weekend."
Much of the talk going into the tournament was on the powerhouse group of Woods, Westwood and Kaymer. But only Woods delivered on Friday, with Westwood (70) at 5-under 139 and Kaymer (71) on 4 under.
Westwood had four birdies but bogeyed two of his last four holes, missing two makable putts. Kaymer, meanwhile, never seemed to get his game going, posting three birdies but also two bogeys in a row on his first six holes.
"I didn't hit it so good. I didn't give myself enough chances," Westwood said. "It was just a plod round really, a bit of a boring day."
Westwood, who last year struggled with a calf injury, said his distance has been suffering as has his control. It showed as his approach shots came up short, leaving him long putts on several holes that just missed or came up inches short.
"Distance control is poor when you are not striking it very well," he said. "I'm just playing for the fat of the greens really and trying to make a few long ones which I haven't, which is the reason I'm 5 under. Still in there with a chance."
The unheralded Aiken, ranked 97th in the Official World Golf Ranking and known as much for his shoulder-length hair as for his swing, attributed his 67s in the first two rounds to the fact he's "been hitting ball pretty solid this week."
"Missed one green the whole day and I was on the fringe and I got to putt," Aiken said. "Just been putting the ball in the right positions, and these greens are so pure that you're going to sink some putts."
Garcia, the former No. 2 slipped to 79, has shown the consistency this week that had been lacking last year by carding two bogey-free rounds to put him in contention.
"I think that probably putting has been the thing I'm doing the best these past three weeks," said Garcia, who had a top-10 finish in Qatar last week. "It's nice to see my game, my long game catching up with that."
There was more at stake this weekend than the tournament title.
Westwood could lose the top ranking if Kaymer wins and he finishes lower than second, and if Kaymer finishes second and Westwood is out of the top 10. If Kaymer is tied for second, he could still become No. 1 for the first time if Westwood finishes out of the top 36.
Woods could move ahead of Kaymer if he wins and Kaymer finishes outside the top five but his recent form indicates he won't be moving up the rankings soon.
Woods, who won this tournament in 2006 and 2008, said he could do even better going into a weekend where the forecast was for much windier conditions. Still, he said he relished his second round, picking out his sixth hole as emblematic of his day.
Woods drove the fairway on the 485-yard, par-4 hole and hit an 8-iron about 160 yards to within a foot of the pin, where he made an easy birdie putt. Much as he did with a monster drive on 18 on Thursday that led to an eagle, the shot brought cheers from the crowd and a reminder of how good Woods can be if he gets his game on track.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
PGA Tour Commissioner says no halt on fans calling in rules infractions
PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem would like to see more common sense used in enforcing penalties for rules infractions phoned in by alert fans watching on television but he said on Tuesday that halting their input completely is "not an option."
"We like the fact that people call in. We like the fact people who watch the telecasts get excited about something they see," Finchem said.
"We don't want to turn those people off. We want to accept the information and deal with it. Cutting them off is not an option. It is just a question of how the rule is applied," he said in an interview Tuesday during a stop at Montreux Golf & Country Club to promote the 13th Reno-Tahoe Open Aug. 4-7 on the edge of the Sierra Nevada.
Finchem said he discussed the controversial topic in a meeting with members of the USGA executive committee in Phoenix on Friday after television viewers called in violations by Camilo Villegas at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions and Padraig Harrington in Abu Dhabi in recent weeks. Both initially were assessed two-shot penalties, but because officials were notified after the round, each was disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard.
"They are taking a hard look at it," Finchem said. "They understand our concerns. It is a complicated rule."
The first question is whether it's appropriate to disqualify a player for signing a scorecard "when you had no reason to know you were signing a bad card," he said Tuesday.
Villegas reached over to tap down a divot as his ball was rolling back down a slope to that very spot. A TV viewer tried to reach tournament officials, but his e-mail didn't make its way to Kapalua until after Villegas had signed for a 72.
Finchem also questioned whether a two-shot penalty is appropriate "when there is no way you reasonably could have known you made a penalty -- even if you knew the rule, like in Harrington's case."
A TV viewer noticed that when replacing his ball on the green, the ball moved forward ever so slightly. Harrington later said he knew the ball nudged forward, but he felt it had rolled back to its original spot. He was disqualified the next day.
"In Harrington's case, you could see the ball move a little bit in HD television. You couldn't see it move in analog. And he didn't know," Finchem said. "So there needs to be fairness and common sense to the rule."
Finchem said he wants the PGA TOUR to follow the USGA's lead and he anticipates they will end up with "a few, little, small" changes to the rules.
"I am cautiously optimistic we'll get to some modifications that will just create a better system."
"We like the fact that people call in. We like the fact people who watch the telecasts get excited about something they see," Finchem said.
"We don't want to turn those people off. We want to accept the information and deal with it. Cutting them off is not an option. It is just a question of how the rule is applied," he said in an interview Tuesday during a stop at Montreux Golf & Country Club to promote the 13th Reno-Tahoe Open Aug. 4-7 on the edge of the Sierra Nevada.
Finchem said he discussed the controversial topic in a meeting with members of the USGA executive committee in Phoenix on Friday after television viewers called in violations by Camilo Villegas at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions and Padraig Harrington in Abu Dhabi in recent weeks. Both initially were assessed two-shot penalties, but because officials were notified after the round, each was disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard.
"They are taking a hard look at it," Finchem said. "They understand our concerns. It is a complicated rule."
The first question is whether it's appropriate to disqualify a player for signing a scorecard "when you had no reason to know you were signing a bad card," he said Tuesday.
Villegas reached over to tap down a divot as his ball was rolling back down a slope to that very spot. A TV viewer tried to reach tournament officials, but his e-mail didn't make its way to Kapalua until after Villegas had signed for a 72.
Finchem also questioned whether a two-shot penalty is appropriate "when there is no way you reasonably could have known you made a penalty -- even if you knew the rule, like in Harrington's case."
A TV viewer noticed that when replacing his ball on the green, the ball moved forward ever so slightly. Harrington later said he knew the ball nudged forward, but he felt it had rolled back to its original spot. He was disqualified the next day.
"In Harrington's case, you could see the ball move a little bit in HD television. You couldn't see it move in analog. And he didn't know," Finchem said. "So there needs to be fairness and common sense to the rule."
Finchem said he wants the PGA TOUR to follow the USGA's lead and he anticipates they will end up with "a few, little, small" changes to the rules.
"I am cautiously optimistic we'll get to some modifications that will just create a better system."
Zokol gets well-earned nod into Canadian Golf Hall of Fame
Dick Zokol, who rose from the junior ranks at Vancouver's Marine Drive Golf Club to become one of this country's top touring pros, was named today as one of two new inductees into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame.Zokol, 52, and Stephen Ross, former executive director of the Royal Canadian Golf Association, were named at a news conference today in Toronto as the hall's latest inductees.
"I guess you're never ready for a call like that from the hall of fame committee simply because it's never a goal," Zokol said in an interview. "Even though thoughts may have crossed my mind about whether it would ever happen, reality doesn't hit you until it actually happens. And when it does it's a very humbling feeling.
"When I got the call I was deeply touched. It brings kind of a validation to the decision to play golf and to commit to a life and devotion to this lovely game."
Before joining the PGA Tour in 1982, Zokol captained his Brigham Young University golf team to the 1981 NCAA Championship and later that summer he won the Canadian Amateur Championship.
The highlight of his lengthy PGA Tour career came in 1992 when he won the Greater Milwaukee Open. Earlier that year, Zokol also won the Deposit Guaranty Classic, a PGA Tour event that used to be held opposite the Masters. Zokol also won on the Nationwide Tour, capturing the Samsung Canadian PGA title in 2001. He represented Canada several times in World Cup and Dunhill Cup competitions and won twice on the Canadian Tour.
Zokol now runs a highly acclaimed golf course near Merritt, called Sagebrush Golf and Sporting Club, that he co-designed with Rod Whitman.
Zokol's induction ceremony will tentatively take place July 19 at Marine Drive Golf Club during the week of the RBC Canadian Open, which is being held at nearby Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club.
"They asked me if I'd have it in Vancouver the week of the Canadian Open," Zokol said. "I think that makes a lot of sense."
That July 19 date is a special one for another reason for Zokol and his wife Joanie.
"it turns out that's our 25th wedding anniversary," Zokol said. "It's really quite thrilling for Joanie and I."
Fellow hall of famer Mike Weir will be among those speaking at Zokol's induction ceremony.
Zokol and Ross are the 68th and 69th members of the Canadian Golf Hall of fame. Other recent British Columbia inductees include Dave Barr, Doug Roxburgh, Brent Franklin, Dawn Coe-Jones and Lisa Walters.
Zokol was inducted into the B.C. Golf Hall of Fame in 2009.
Sutton Creek golf club for sale in Windsor area
MCGREGOR, Ont. -- Members of Sutton Creek Golf Club, which went into receivership Dec. 2, are being asked to be patient while the bankruptcy trustee tries to arrange a sale of the property.
Andrea Orr, a trustee with BDO Canada, said the course will be advertised for sale this week with a March 1 deadline for expressions of interest.
Orr declined to divulge an asking price, saying only that potential purchasers will be asked to sign a confidentiality agreement before being given access to financial information on the trustee’s website.
“We’ve had some considerable interest already and all from individuals or groups interested in operating it as a golf course,” said Orr.
Henry Schwager, who has been a member at Sutton Creek for 10 years, said he was prepared to wait and see what happens.
“I’m not ready to commit to another course just yet,” he said. “I know that some members have decided to move on but I’m willing to wait it out before I make a decision.”
In November, contributors to a golf enthusiasts website said the course had been listed for $3.6 million in the Globe and Mail.
The course celebrated its 20th anniversary this past season and has built a solid reputation. It’s been ranked as “an excellent golf course” by Score Golf and has hosted a number of Ontario and regional championships over the years.
Only two weeks before the receivership notice was posted, Debbie Aliberti, owner and general manager, denied the club had gone into receivership and declined further comment.
In a message to members posted on the club’s website in October, Aliberti said “as you know, we approached members about partial ownership earlier in the year but that has been put to rest.
“We have been approached by different parties interested in purchasing the club because of the rumours circulating but it has gone no further than that.”
Aliberti added that “like most clubs in the area we are struggling financially and will for the next couple of years.”
In an attempt to increase membership earlier this year, Sutton Creek reduced its initiation fees from $15,000 to $2,000.
Orr said the Windsor Family Credit Union brought BDO into the process late last year and gave instructions to find a buyer.
“We’re just asking that the members sit tight and let the process play out,” said Orr. “We’re hopeful we can find a buyer within the alloted time frame.”
Andrea Orr, a trustee with BDO Canada, said the course will be advertised for sale this week with a March 1 deadline for expressions of interest.
Orr declined to divulge an asking price, saying only that potential purchasers will be asked to sign a confidentiality agreement before being given access to financial information on the trustee’s website.
“We’ve had some considerable interest already and all from individuals or groups interested in operating it as a golf course,” said Orr.
Henry Schwager, who has been a member at Sutton Creek for 10 years, said he was prepared to wait and see what happens.
“I’m not ready to commit to another course just yet,” he said. “I know that some members have decided to move on but I’m willing to wait it out before I make a decision.”
In November, contributors to a golf enthusiasts website said the course had been listed for $3.6 million in the Globe and Mail.
The course celebrated its 20th anniversary this past season and has built a solid reputation. It’s been ranked as “an excellent golf course” by Score Golf and has hosted a number of Ontario and regional championships over the years.
Only two weeks before the receivership notice was posted, Debbie Aliberti, owner and general manager, denied the club had gone into receivership and declined further comment.
In a message to members posted on the club’s website in October, Aliberti said “as you know, we approached members about partial ownership earlier in the year but that has been put to rest.
“We have been approached by different parties interested in purchasing the club because of the rumours circulating but it has gone no further than that.”
Aliberti added that “like most clubs in the area we are struggling financially and will for the next couple of years.”
In an attempt to increase membership earlier this year, Sutton Creek reduced its initiation fees from $15,000 to $2,000.
Orr said the Windsor Family Credit Union brought BDO into the process late last year and gave instructions to find a buyer.
“We’re just asking that the members sit tight and let the process play out,” said Orr. “We’re hopeful we can find a buyer within the alloted time frame.”
Monday, February 7, 2011
Two Gloves after a double @ 17 to dash hopes of win: "This hurts"
Tommy Gainey came to the drivable par-4 17th at TPC Scottsdale Monday one shot out of the lead, meaning one good drive could put a first PGA TOUR win squarely in view.Moments later he putted out for a devastating triple-bogey seven after two penalty strokes. His drive came in hot but hugging the greenside lake, hitting a red stake and caroming into the water. After a drop he faced a sidehill chip, which also found the water.
“You see what I made on the hole; I made a 7. Next time it’ll be a little different story.”
Gainey was at the top of the leaderboard throughout the weather-plagued event, opening with a 63 and following with rounds of 65 and 68. But in the fourth round he sputtered with bogeys at 11 and 12, just before the end of Sunday’s play, then Monday he birdied 15 but missed other opportunities.
The 17th hole then not only derailed his chances at a win but hit him in the pocket, as it dropped him into a tie for eighth. That paid $164,700, whereas a par-par finish would have paid nearly $200,000 more.
“For three rounds I played really good, and today, I don’t know what to say, I just played awful,” Gainey said. “But I guess I’ve just got to deal with it. You’ve got to win with class and you’ve got to lose with class, so I’m trying to deal with that right now.”
Gainey has a runner-up finish to his credit, at the 2008 Children’s Miracle Network Classic. He’ll go to the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and try to continue the good play he enjoyed for most of the week at TPC Scottsdale.
“It’s going to sting for a couple days. It’s going to sting for a couple days,” Gainey said. “Hopefully I’ll be ready come Thursday first round of Pebble. I should be ready to play. But for the next couple of days, this hurts.”
American army officer won chance to play with Tiger in Dubai pro-am
An American army officer serving in war-torn Afghanistan has won the chance to play with Tiger Woods in the Dubai Desert Classic pro-am on Wednesday.
Lt. Col. Michael Rowells, who has a nine handicap and is deployed currently with the 401st Army Field Support Brigade, beat 16,000 other amateur golfers in a draw ahead of the tournament's traditional curtain raiser at the Emirates Golf Club.
"I am thrilled and can't believe my luck," Rowells said in a statement.
"I registered with little hope of actually being selected," he said. "Miracles do happen, and I am overwhelmed with the prospect of playing ... with Tiger. Truly a dream come true."
Woods' father Earl did two tours during the Vietnam War as a member of the U.S. Army Special Forces, rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel. It was his second tour that shaped the latter part of his life.
He met Kultida Punsawad, who was working as a receptionist in Thailand, and married her in 1969. He fought alongside Lt. Col. Nguyen T. Phong of the South Vietnamese army, a friend he nicknamed "Tiger" because of his courage and bravery.
Earl Woods promised Tiger Phong that he would name a son after him.
Lt. Col. Michael Rowells, who has a nine handicap and is deployed currently with the 401st Army Field Support Brigade, beat 16,000 other amateur golfers in a draw ahead of the tournament's traditional curtain raiser at the Emirates Golf Club.
"I am thrilled and can't believe my luck," Rowells said in a statement.
"I registered with little hope of actually being selected," he said. "Miracles do happen, and I am overwhelmed with the prospect of playing ... with Tiger. Truly a dream come true."
Woods' father Earl did two tours during the Vietnam War as a member of the U.S. Army Special Forces, rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel. It was his second tour that shaped the latter part of his life.
He met Kultida Punsawad, who was working as a receptionist in Thailand, and married her in 1969. He fought alongside Lt. Col. Nguyen T. Phong of the South Vietnamese army, a friend he nicknamed "Tiger" because of his courage and bravery.
Earl Woods promised Tiger Phong that he would name a son after him.
Celebrites playing @ Pebble Beach this week
Celebrity list for AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am
Anthony Anderson Actor, "The Bernie Mac Show", "The Departed"
Harris Barton Former NFL offensive lineman
Bill Belichick New England Patriots coach
Chris Berman ESPN sportscaster
Michael Bolton Grammy-award winning singer
Drew Brees New Orleans Saints quarterback
Matt Cain San Francisco Giants pitcher
Brandi Chastain Professional soccer player
Eric Close Actor, "Without a Trace"
Kevin Costner Actor/Producer/Director
Oscar de la Hoya Professional boxer
Tom Dreesen Comedian
Herman Edwards Former NFL player, coach
Jackie Flynn Comedian
Kenny G Grammy-award winning instrumentalist
Andy Garcia Actor, "Ocean's Eleven", "The Untouchables"
Oliver Hudson Actor, "Rules of Engagement"
Joe Kernen Talk show host
George Lopez Comedian/Actor
Toby Mac Grammy-award winning recording artist
Bill Murray Comedian, "Caddyshack", "Groundhog Day"
Craig T. Nelson Actor, "Coach", "Parenthood"
Chris ODonnell Actor, "Batman & Robin", "NCIS: Los Angeles"
Maury Povich Talk show host
Ray Romano Actor/Comedian
Tony Romo Dallas Cowboys quarterback
Kurt Russell Actor, "Escape from New York", "Overboard"
Kelly Slater Professional surfer
Clay Walker Country music singer
Anthony Anderson Actor, "The Bernie Mac Show", "The Departed"
Harris Barton Former NFL offensive lineman
Bill Belichick New England Patriots coach
Chris Berman ESPN sportscaster
Michael Bolton Grammy-award winning singer
Drew Brees New Orleans Saints quarterback
Matt Cain San Francisco Giants pitcher
Brandi Chastain Professional soccer player
Eric Close Actor, "Without a Trace"
Kevin Costner Actor/Producer/Director
Oscar de la Hoya Professional boxer
Tom Dreesen Comedian
Herman Edwards Former NFL player, coach
Jackie Flynn Comedian
Kenny G Grammy-award winning instrumentalist
Andy Garcia Actor, "Ocean's Eleven", "The Untouchables"
Oliver Hudson Actor, "Rules of Engagement"
Joe Kernen Talk show host
George Lopez Comedian/Actor
Toby Mac Grammy-award winning recording artist
Bill Murray Comedian, "Caddyshack", "Groundhog Day"
Craig T. Nelson Actor, "Coach", "Parenthood"
Chris ODonnell Actor, "Batman & Robin", "NCIS: Los Angeles"
Maury Povich Talk show host
Ray Romano Actor/Comedian
Tony Romo Dallas Cowboys quarterback
Kurt Russell Actor, "Escape from New York", "Overboard"
Kelly Slater Professional surfer
Clay Walker Country music singer
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Tiger no longer most powerful athlete
Pounded and distracted by scandal, Tiger Woods has lost his longtime No. 1 ranking on the Businessweek.com Power 100.Ever since the Power 100 was launched in 2007, Tiger Woods has held the top spot. Not this year. Shaken by scandal and struggling on the fairways, Woods is no longer America's most powerful athlete, as measured on and off the field.
He's still, however, the highest-paid. In 2010 he earned an estimated $70 million, almost 30 percent higher than the next-best-paid athlete, golf rival Phil Mickelson, who took home more than $53.8 million. But Woods's earnings came primarily from endorsements, with the big purses going to others. That left his income down 32 percent from the more-than $103 million he generated in 2009. Unless he can regain his game—and the trust of fans and advertisers—his earnings are likely to keep plummeting.
Woods wasn't the only big star to drop in the rankings because of negative publicity. LeBron James slid from the No. 2 spot on last year's Power 100, to No. 11. When he announced on live TV last July that he'd be taking his "talents" from Cleveland to Miami, numerous fans soured on him—including many far from Ohio. While the Miami Heat are having a good year, James may need to digest further crow before he can reconquer Madison Avenue and Main Street.
"If you walk into a buzz saw of negativity, then you just paid for that, so marketers are cautious," says Tony Ponturo, a consultant who see things from the sponsors' side after spending years managing Anheuser-Busch's $700 million sports marketing budget. "[The athletes] that consistently have the right profile of the corporate and human citizen are the ones that are being sought after right now."
Who, then, is the new No. 1 atop the 2011 Power 100? That honor goes to the Indianapolis Colts' Peyton Manning, popular among fans and advertisers—and one heck of a quarterback.
How did pro golfers stack up in the power 100?
Here's a list of the pro golfers that made the power 100 and their ranking...enjoy
Tiger Woods
Power 100 rank: 3
Rank last year: 1
Sport: PGA golf
Age: 35
Most recent notable achievement: Won 2008 U.S. Open
Earnings: $71.3 million
Key sponsors: Nike, EA Sports, Tag Heuer
Why he's on the list: Tiger Woods is still Tiger Woods and money is still money. He topped our estimated money list at $70 million in endorsements last year, dominated golf during the last decade, and remains the PGA career money leader by a long shot. Still, sex scandals tend to hurt earnings and unquestionably damaged Woods's performance. Dropped by such big sponsors as Accenture, he fell in our rankings—by only two places.
Phil Mickelson
Power 100 rank: 4
Rank last year: 3
Sport: PGA golf
Age: 40
Most recent notable achievement: 2010 win at the Masters
Earnings: $53.8 million
Key sponsors: Barclays, Callaway, KPMG, ExxonMobil, Rolex
Why he's on the list: Beyond the big money that goes along with big golf wins, Phil Mickelson gave sports fans the heart-warming sports miracle of the year when he won his third Masters. Waiting for him at the 18th green was his wife, Amy, recovering from surgery for breast cancer. CBS announcer Jim Nantz commented on the win—and Tiger Wood's problems—when he said: "That's a win for the family."
Lee Westwood
Power 100 rank: 21
Rank last year: Unranked
Sport: PGA Golf
Age: 37
Most recent notable achievement: Second at 2010 Masters and second at 2010 Open Championship
Earnings: $15.5 million
Key sponsors: Jaguar, Ping, UPS, Audemars Piguet
Why he's on the list: The runner-up at two major championships last year, Lee Westwood is the world's top-ranked golfer. He isn't in the stratosphere with Tiger and Mickelson because the majors remain elusive, but Westwood's endorsements added up to an estimated $12 million last year.
Jim Furyk
Power 100 rank: 28
Rank last year: 50
Sport: PGA Golf
Age: 40
Most recent notable achievement: 2010 FedEx Cup Champion and PGA Tour Player of the Year
Earnings: $15.8 million
Key sponsors: Srixon, Exelon, Johnny Walker
Why he's on the list: Although Jim Furyk slept through an important tee time and nearly lost out on the FedEx Cup, golf's everyman rallied and claimed the top spot in the PGA Tour last year. He was second in winnings, with $4.8 million, and won more tournaments than any other golfer.
Steve Stricker
Power 100 rank: 59
Rank last year: Unranked
Sport: PGA Golf
Age: 43
Most recent notable achievement: Won 2010 John Deere Classic
Earnings: $9.2 million
Key sponsors: Titleist, NYSE Euronext
Why he's on the list: Steve Stricker is like a fine aged wine. After more than a decade of middling rankings and average performance, he missed qualifying for the PGA Tour in 2005 and spent some quality time hitting balls out of a trailer in Madison, Wisc. In the past two years, his true flavor emerged as he finished back-to-back seasons in the PGA Tour's top five. Another stint in the trailer and Stricker might be able to taste a major.
Luke Donald
Power 100 rank: 87
Rank last year: Unranked
Sport: PGA Golf
Age: 33
Most recent notable achievement:
Earnings: $9.6 million
Key sponsors: Polo Ralph Lauren, Mizuno
Why he's on the list: A perennial contender, with finishes as high as third in the majors, English golfer Luke Donald is currently ranked ninth in the Official World Golf Ranking. He's not as well-known in the U.S., but Donald is raking in endorsements from the likes of Polo Ralph Lauren.
Ernie Els
Power 100 rank: 93
Rank last year: Unranked
Sport: PGA golfer
Age: 41
Most recent notable achievement: Won 2010 Arnold Palmer Invitational
Earnings: $11 million
Key sponsors: Callaway, SAP
Why he's on the list: South African Ernie Els was third on the PGA's earnings list in 2010, with $4.6 million. He's fifth all-time, with more than $40 million earned, and still going strong after 20 years in golfing. Els won the South African Open Championship in December and capped off a good year when he was voted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.
Tiger Woods
Power 100 rank: 3
Rank last year: 1
Sport: PGA golf
Age: 35
Most recent notable achievement: Won 2008 U.S. Open
Earnings: $71.3 million
Key sponsors: Nike, EA Sports, Tag Heuer
Why he's on the list: Tiger Woods is still Tiger Woods and money is still money. He topped our estimated money list at $70 million in endorsements last year, dominated golf during the last decade, and remains the PGA career money leader by a long shot. Still, sex scandals tend to hurt earnings and unquestionably damaged Woods's performance. Dropped by such big sponsors as Accenture, he fell in our rankings—by only two places.
Phil Mickelson
Power 100 rank: 4
Rank last year: 3
Sport: PGA golf
Age: 40
Most recent notable achievement: 2010 win at the Masters
Earnings: $53.8 million
Key sponsors: Barclays, Callaway, KPMG, ExxonMobil, Rolex
Why he's on the list: Beyond the big money that goes along with big golf wins, Phil Mickelson gave sports fans the heart-warming sports miracle of the year when he won his third Masters. Waiting for him at the 18th green was his wife, Amy, recovering from surgery for breast cancer. CBS announcer Jim Nantz commented on the win—and Tiger Wood's problems—when he said: "That's a win for the family."
Lee Westwood
Power 100 rank: 21
Rank last year: Unranked
Sport: PGA Golf
Age: 37
Most recent notable achievement: Second at 2010 Masters and second at 2010 Open Championship
Earnings: $15.5 million
Key sponsors: Jaguar, Ping, UPS, Audemars Piguet
Why he's on the list: The runner-up at two major championships last year, Lee Westwood is the world's top-ranked golfer. He isn't in the stratosphere with Tiger and Mickelson because the majors remain elusive, but Westwood's endorsements added up to an estimated $12 million last year.
Jim Furyk
Power 100 rank: 28
Rank last year: 50
Sport: PGA Golf
Age: 40
Most recent notable achievement: 2010 FedEx Cup Champion and PGA Tour Player of the Year
Earnings: $15.8 million
Key sponsors: Srixon, Exelon, Johnny Walker
Why he's on the list: Although Jim Furyk slept through an important tee time and nearly lost out on the FedEx Cup, golf's everyman rallied and claimed the top spot in the PGA Tour last year. He was second in winnings, with $4.8 million, and won more tournaments than any other golfer.
Steve Stricker
Power 100 rank: 59
Rank last year: Unranked
Sport: PGA Golf
Age: 43
Most recent notable achievement: Won 2010 John Deere Classic
Earnings: $9.2 million
Key sponsors: Titleist, NYSE Euronext
Why he's on the list: Steve Stricker is like a fine aged wine. After more than a decade of middling rankings and average performance, he missed qualifying for the PGA Tour in 2005 and spent some quality time hitting balls out of a trailer in Madison, Wisc. In the past two years, his true flavor emerged as he finished back-to-back seasons in the PGA Tour's top five. Another stint in the trailer and Stricker might be able to taste a major.
Luke Donald
Power 100 rank: 87
Rank last year: Unranked
Sport: PGA Golf
Age: 33
Most recent notable achievement:
Earnings: $9.6 million
Key sponsors: Polo Ralph Lauren, Mizuno
Why he's on the list: A perennial contender, with finishes as high as third in the majors, English golfer Luke Donald is currently ranked ninth in the Official World Golf Ranking. He's not as well-known in the U.S., but Donald is raking in endorsements from the likes of Polo Ralph Lauren.
Ernie Els
Power 100 rank: 93
Rank last year: Unranked
Sport: PGA golfer
Age: 41
Most recent notable achievement: Won 2010 Arnold Palmer Invitational
Earnings: $11 million
Key sponsors: Callaway, SAP
Why he's on the list: South African Ernie Els was third on the PGA's earnings list in 2010, with $4.6 million. He's fifth all-time, with more than $40 million earned, and still going strong after 20 years in golfing. Els won the South African Open Championship in December and capped off a good year when he was voted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.
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