Crane winner at Torrey/Mickelson called a "cheat"

It has been one crazy weekend in golf. So lets break it down. First things first...Ben Crane won his 3rd PGA Tour title today after a five year drought, his last being in '05 at Milwaukee. Crane won by one at 13-under, beating two tour rookies (Michael Sim, Marc Leishman), and "Opie Griffith" look alike Brandt Snedeker all at 12-under. Other notables include Ernie Els and Rickie Fowler, both finishing T5 at 11-under. Matt Every, who I was tracking finished T15 after weekend rounds of 72-72.

Phil Mickelson looked off all day and couldn't get the driver to behave. He shot a disappointing +1, 73 to finish solo 19th. I can't help but think that the allegations of him being called a "cheater" had something to do with his performance. OK so what is going on here. World's number one is in sex rehab after multiple "transgressions" and world's number two has been labeled a cheat.

What's next...John Daly going to retire only to retract his statement via twitter a day later. No wait, that did happen. Apparently John had a heart to heart with Bud Light, looked at his bank statement and figured playing golf was better then selling headcovers outside of Hooters. Welcome back John, we missed you.

OK so here's the Mickelson story... Apparently since the new groove rule took effect Jan. 1st, Phil and a few other players, most notably John Daly and Hunter Mahan have gone to an old wedge that many say doesn't conform to the new rule.

"It’s cheating and I’m appalled Phil has put [the club] into play," said Scott McCarron, a three-times winner on the PGA Tour. "All those guys should be ashamed of themselves for doing that. As one of our premier players, [Mickelson] should be one of the guys who steps up and says, ‘This is wrong.’"

The club in question is a Ping wedge that has wide, square grooves that are now non-conforming. There's a loophole however. Ping filed and won a lawsuit back in '93 against the USGA when it attempted to outlaw the club. So as part of the settlement, any Ping Eye 2 club made before April 1, 1990 was to remain "legal" under the rules of golf. A ruling that still stands. Oops...

Many in golf circles, including fellow pros say it's the spirit of the law and the integrity of the game that's being brought into question. "If you are going to win, you win fairly," Lee Westwood, Europe’s No 1, said. "It is not breaking the rules, but it is bending them. I wouldn’t use them."

Phil insists he's done nothing wrong and spewed venom back stating, "I don’t appreciate the governing bodies putting me or any other player in this position, calling into question our integrity over a rule that they made [and] a club that they approved." "Don’t put the blame on a player. Put the blame on the governing body." Phil also did state that he didn't find much of a difference between the old Ping and the new conforming V-shaped grooved wedges, and that he'll probably switch back but not because he feels he's done anything wrong.

I'd love to hear your take on this issue...send a comment and we'll post the best ones.

Cheers,

Mickelson poised for weekend run/Daly says he's done

The PGA Tour's golden boy didn't take long to shake off some winter rust. Phil Mickelson shot a 5-under 67 today on the South Course at Torrey Pines in La Jolla, California, site of the Farmers' Insurance Open. He is only four strokes off the lead heading into the weekend with a two day total of 7-under.

D.A. Points and Ryuji Imada share the lead at 11-under. Matt Every, who most will recognize from the Big Break series on the Golf Channel is T3 at 9-under.

The most shocking news of the day however came from the mouth of John Daly. In a post round interview with the Golf Channel after Daly missed the cut with rounds of 79-71, said on camera that he's "done." "I just can't do it anymore," Daly continued. "I can't keep taking spots from guys out here playing this bad." Daly retiring? That would be a shock. I mean he's been suspended, came back, lost his card, came back, suspended again, came back, now retirement. What a roller coaster career from someone that many say, including me, has the most natural talent of anyone in golf. Stay posted in days to come as this story unfolds.

Cheers, and John we love ya...

Mickelson makes 2k10 debut at Farmers'

Fan favourite Phil Mickelson made his 2010 PGA Tour debut today playing the Farmers' Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in La Jolla, California. Phil shot a respectable 2-under 70 on the South Course. Phil didn't hit an approach shot inside of 10 feet all day, and stated in a post round interview that "the greens are fast and bumpy, not because they're not in great shape. They're so soft that every step is leaving a bunch of impressions." He also said coming into the 2010 season that he feels ready to come out a shot lower scores then he ever has. That's a good sign from the world's number two.

Scott Piercy, playing the easier North Course is leading the field by one posting a 8-under 64. Scott will go the the harder South Course for his second round, so it will be interesting to see where he stands after day two.

Also Little John (John Daly) made his second start of 2010 with a sponsors exemption. John, who missed the cut at the Sony, played dismal in round one with score of plus 7, 79.

Another guy to watch this week is Big Break alum Matt Every who shot a 7-under 65. Matt is PGA Tour rookie this year after placing top 25 on the Nationwide's 2009 money list.

Stay posted to see how the boys do in round two.

Cheers,

Bill Haas wins first title at the Hope

Bill Haas, son of multiple PGA Tour winner Jay Haas, wins his first PGA Tour title at the Bob Hope Classic. Haas made a short birdie putt after a great second shot on the par 5 18th, beating Bubba Watson, Tim Clark and Matt Kuchar by one with a 8-under 64.

"I'd been wanting to win from the first tournament I played, but it's a process, and there's a lot to it," said Haas, a rookie in 2006. "It's special, but I don't know if it's a monkey off my back. I know how hard it was to win, and I'm grateful. It was the most nervous I've ever been."

I was rooting for Bubba Watson to win his first tour title, because I love the way he approaches the game, but this is a great victory for Haas who has been a stead player since his rookie year. Its just nice to see some young stars finally emerge in what has been a Tiger fueled tour for more then a decade.

Mike Weir finished his first tournament of the year with a 6-under 66 and a very respectable 6th place finish. Look for Mike to have a big year and get his name back with the elite of the game.

Cheers,

PGA Rookie has 54-hole lead at the Hope

Alex Prugh has carded rounds of 64-66-65, 21-under to lead titan hitter Bubba Watson by one shot going into round 4 on Sunday. Because of some intense weather the five round Bob Hope will have a Monday finish.

Exactly who is Alex Prugh anyway? A PGA Tour rookie that got his 2010 card by finishing 16th on the Nationwide Tour money list in '09, that included a win in New Zealand. A high finish this week could go a long way to help Prugh secure a 2011 PGA Tour card as well.

Mike Weir continues to make a quiet move up the leaderboard shooting three consecutive 67's to move into 8th only 6 back with two rounds to go.

One surprise however is the missed cut by young phenom Rickie Fowler. Fowler shot unimpressive rounds of 74-70-75 to miss the 54-hole cut. In a post interview Fowler stated that his swing feels "terrible, it doesn't feel very good." He said he'll go work on some things and figure it out before his next start. And what happened to first round leader Shane Bertsch? He followed his 10-under 62 with rounds of 69, and 77 to fall into a tie for 56th.

Stay posted for updates.

Cheers,

Shane Bertsch shots 62 to lead at Bob Hope

I have no idea who this dude is, but boy can he go low. Shane Bertsch shot a career low round of 62 Wednesday to lead by two at the Bob Hope Classic in La Quinta, Calif. Bertsch was the last player to register for the five-day event yet lights it up even through rain and wind that plagued players the first day.

Bertsch had 10 birdies, without carding a bogey. All this and still helping pro-am partners line up putts. "I was just comfortable," Bertsch said. "I always like these formats, because I help the guys out, and it keeps me maybe not so focused on myself until it's time to hit, and then I just go and hit."

Canada's own Mike Weir started his 2010 season this week carding a 5-under 67 in round one to trail by 5. Stay posted to see how Mike plays this week.

Cheers,

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