Chase The Pea

Transition requires some downshifting

2010-10-24T14:25:00.000-04:00

An apology is in order for taking so long to address queries by two Chase The Pea followers to explain a recent lack of posts on this blog. Support and words of encouragement from followers and friends of Oldgolfdawg during the past 10 months deserved better treatment, too.

The truth is a combination of factors has gone into the lack of activity. One is that with the conclusion of the Ryder Cup the serious golf season on the professional level has come and gone in 2010. Another is the golf season for regular duffers -- aka chasers of the pea -- is also winding down. I hate to say it, but it won't be long before the snow will be flying around again and we will be yearning for the sun-filled days of summer.

Beyond that, this blog was begun to keep Oldgolfdawg busy doing something while he tried to re-enter the workforce at age 56. In that regard, it has served its purpose. Oldgolfdawg began working last week as a licensed health insurance agent for NationsHealth. If he can get through a 90-day probationary period, he should have a full-time job in an industry with a brighter future than newspapers.

That doesn't mean Chase The Pea will go out of existence. It just won't have as many posts as in the past and will appear in moments of inspiration rather than following a specific agenda.

In regard to recent inspiration, Oldgolfdawg has had the chance to play Cooks Creek, Darby Creek, Cumberland Trail, Deer Ridge and Eaglesticks over the last several weeks and has decided to update his best-places-to-play-in-central-Ohio list accordingly:

5 dog biscuits: Longaberger (the alpha dog)
4 1/2 dog biscuits: East Golf Club
4 dog biscuits: Cooks Creek, Cumberland Trail, EagleSticks, Deer Ridge, Golf Club of Dublin, The Players Club at Foxfire
3 1/2 dog biscuits: *Apple Valley, Bent Tree, Blacklick Woods, Chapel Hill, Champions, Darby Creek, Granville, Indian Springs, New Albany Links, The Links at Echo Springs, Royal American Links
3 dog biscuits: Glenross, Mill Creek, Turnberry, Westchester
2 1/2 dog biscuits: Blackhawk, Crystal Springs Golf Club, Mentel Memorial, National Golf Links, *Licking Springs, Raymond Memorial, Safari Golf Club, *St. Albans, *Table Rock, The Links at Groveport
2 dog biscuits: *Airport, *Oakhaven, *Bridgeview, Marysville Golf Club, *Minerva Lake
1 1/2 dog biscuits: *Wilson Road, *Big Walnut (executive courses)
1 dog biscuit: Let's not go there
* Indicates Oldgolfdawg has not played the course in more than five years and needs feedback from others to adjust any ranking.

Tough loss for Team USA hard to explain

2010-10-04T23:22:00.002-04:00

Hunter Mahan acted as though he felt responsible for Team USA's 1/2-point Ryder Cup loss to Team Europe at Celtic Manor in Wales today. While such a notion is understandable on his part, it holds little water. The truth is he had plenty of help.

Afterward, in a team news conference, Mahan tried to express his feelings but was repeatedly overcome by emotion. As Mahan fought back tears, Phil Mickelson took the microphone from him and partly blamed himself for the USA's loss. After all, Mickelson said, he had lost three of his four matches.

Added Steve Stricker: "It really doesn't come down to Hunter. You hate to see Hunter go through what he's going through."

Though it's true Mahan chunked a chip shot on the 17th hole that sealed his fate in a 3-&-1 loss to Graeme McDowell in the final singles match that decided the competition, Team USA as a whole has to be blamed for the weight he was asked to carry. If Stewart Cink hadn't three-putted for par on the 15th hole in his match against Rory McIlroy, he would have likely earned a full point instead of a halve and the Americans would have enjoyed a victory celebration instead of the Europeans. It was that close.

The key to the competition came in the third session when the Americans, who won 3 out of 4 sessions, were drubbed 5 1/2 to 1/2. Trailing 9 1/2 to 6 1/2 going into today's final 12 singles matches, put the Americans in a tough position. But they almost pulled off another miracle like the one at Brookline in 1999 when they rallied from a 10-6 deficit to win.

But a 7-5 advantage in the final session wasn't enough for Team USA. It just made the Europeans sweat a little before the celebration began. At 11:30 a.m. in Wales, Team USA trailed in 8 of the 12 matches. Three and half hours later, the Americans were in position to keep the Cup, but they came up short.

What could have been a blowout was made interesting by victories by Stricker, Dustin Johnson, Jeff Overton, Tiger Woods, Mickelson and Zach Johnson. Stricker set the tone for an American comeback with a 2 & 1 victory over Lee Westwood. Dustin Johnson dusted Martin Kaymer, the man who edge him in the PGA Championship, 6 & 4 and Woods was 9 under through 15 holes in a 4-&-3 drubbing of Francesco Molinari.

Ryder Cup rookie Rickie Fowler, who birdied his last four holes, showed his grit by earning a halve against Edoardo Molinari after being 4-down through 12 holes. But the gutsy comeback went for naught when Mahan couldn't extend the day's final match past the 17th hole.

Some are blaming captain Corey Pavin for the loss, saying he wasn't emotional enough and didn't seem to have his players wanting to win for him. But you wouldn't think the players really needed any motivation considering Team USA has won only two of the last eight Ryder Cups and hasn't won on European soil since 1993 at The Belfrey.

You can blame Pavin for Team USA's leaky rain suits, shoddy bags and ugly outfits, but you can't blame him if the players aren't fired up. That didn't seem to be the case. The will was there but the execution came up 1/2 point short. Maybe it was those ugly purple sweaters Team USA wore on Sunday. They were enough to make the golf gods puke. That's as good an explanation as any.

For Ryder Cup video highlights, check out: http://www.rydercup.com/2010/usa/multimedia/video/videohub.cfm

Information from ESPN.com and RyderCup.com contributed to this post.

Revisiting the bargain bin

2010-10-03T12:03:00.000-04:00

As of noon today, here are some of the bargains available to central Ohio golfers for the coming week at Golfnow.com:

Monday (Oct. 4)
1 to 4 players -- New Albany Links at 8:50: $16.26 (58% savings)
1 or 2 players -- Cumberland Trail at 11:50: $15.43 (60% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Foxfire at 12:12: $13.02 (55% savings)
2 to 4 players -- Eaglesticks at 12:10: $18.56 (60% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Cooks Creek at 12:31: $21.45 (52% savings)

Tuesday (Oct. 5)
2 to 4 players -- Eaglesticks at 12:19: $22.74 (51% savings)
2 to 4 players -- Glenross at 12:20: $20.54 (47% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Westchester at 12:30: $18.74 (51% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Longaberger at 1:30: $41.15 (48% savings)

Wednesday (Oct. 6)
1 to 4 players -- Foxfire at 12:12: $14.23 (51% savings)
2 to 4 players -- Eaglesticks at 12:19 $22.74 (51% savings)
2 to 4 players -- Glenross at 12:20: $20.54 (47% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Westchester at 12:30: $18.74 (51% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Phoenix at 1:18: $16.13 (51% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Longaberger at 1:30: $41.15 (48% savings)
1 to 4 players -- The Players Club at 1:32: $20.45 (55% savings)

Thursday (Oct. 7)
1 to 4 players -- Foxfire at 12:12: $14.25 (51% savings)
1 to 4 players -- New Albany Links at 12:40: $20.13 (48% savings)
1 players only -- Westchester at 12:48: $18.69 (51% savings)

Friday (Oct. 8)
1 to 4 players -- Foxfire at 12:12: $14.35 (51% savings)
2 to 4 players -- Eaglesticks at 12:19: $22.74 (51% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Phoenix at 1:18: $16.13 (51% savings)
1 to 4 players -- East Golf Club at 1:40: $23.47 (51% savings)
1 to 2 players -- The Players Club at 2:30: $20.45 (55% savings)

Pavin wants Team USA to come out swinging

2010-09-30T18:00:00.036-04:00

The 38th Ryder Cup kicks off tomorrow at the Celtic Manor Twenty Ten Course in Newport, Wales, with more question marks than normal.

The inclusion of 11 rookies -- six for the Europeans and five for the Americans -- pushes a competition teeming with questions about Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Lee Westwood into totally uncharted waters. Add to the mix a forecast of rainy weather for the three days of the event on a 7,378-yard, par-71 layout with wide but-still-sometimes-elusive fairways and thick third-cut rough and you have a volatile concoction difficult to predict.

A look at the world rankings would indicate that Team Europe should take back the Ryder Cup it surprisingly lost in 2008 at Valhalla. But world rankings won't mean anything once the players tee it up tomorrow, and as the PGA Tour always likes to say: "Anything's possible."

The opening four-ball pairings indicate that Team USA captain Corey Pavin is hoping his long-hitting bombers can put the home team on the defensive and into an early hole. For the opening session, Pavin has chosen to play his full complement of big hitters, including two apiece in two of his four pairings, as Mickelson and Dustin Johnson will compete in the opening match with Bubba Watson and Jeff Overton playing the anchor leg of the morning matches.

"I wanted to get guys out there in better-ball that make a lot of birdies," said Pavin, who will have six of his seven longest drivers among his eight players in the first session. "It's a very aggressive game tomorrow morning, so I just look for guys that can get the ball in the hole very quickly."

The morning matches break down like this:

First match: Mickelson/Johnson (USA) vs. Westwood/Martin Kaymer (EUR)
Second match: Stewart Cink/Matt Kuchar (USA) vs. Rory McIlroy/Graeme McDowell (EUR)
Third match: Steve Stricker/Woods (USA) vs. Ian Poulter/Ross Fisher (EUR)
Fourth match: Watson/Overton (USA) vs. Luke Donald/Padraig Harrington (EUR)

That means Americans Jim Furyk, Zach Johnson, Hunter Mahan and Rickie Fowler are taking the morning off while Europeans Miguel Angel Jimenez, Edoardo Molinari, Francesco Molinari and Peter Hanson sit out, too.

It will be interesting to see how Woods and Mickelson, who haven't played particularly well of late, perform in the spotlight's glare. Neither has a dominating Ryder Cup record. Is Pavin expecting too much out of players struggling with their games? If Pavin's big hitters fail to land an early knockout punch, will the Europeans grab the upper hand and never look back?

Team Europe captain Colin Montgomerie will be watching Westwood closely to see how Europe's best player will perform in his first competition since withdrawing from the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in Akron with a torn plantaris muscle that caused swelling in his right ankle and calf. He's been out of action for six weeks.

The biggest unknown is how the rookies -- Dustin Johnson, Watson, Kuchar, Overton and Fowler for USA and Kaymer, McIlroy, McDowell, Edoardo Molinari, Francesco Molinari and Hanson for EUR -- will perform when their mouths get a little dry. Their successes or failures will play in big role in deciding which captain will be second-guessed for coming up with the wrong strategy. All these questions for an event that always stirs up a lot of national pride should make for some fun television viewing. Expect to see a lot of birdies. The Celtic Manor greens are relatively flat and smooth, conducive for a lot of cup rattling.

The Ryder Cup can be seen on ESPN (today: 2:30 a.m.-1 p.m.) and NBC (Saturday: 8 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday: 7 a.m.-1 p.m.).

For a closer look at the Twenty Ten Course at Celtic Manor, check out:
http://www.rydercup.com/2010/usa/course/tour/index.cfm

For a closer look at the Ryder Cup teams, check out:
http://www.thegolfchannel.com/2010-ryder-cup-teams/

Information from RyderCup.com, PGATOUR.com, ESPN.com and GolfObserver.com contributed to this post.

Ryder Cup stage promises lots of drama

2010-09-29T00:05:00.009-04:00

Furyk win takes PGA Tour off the hook

2010-09-27T00:05:00.021-04:00

The golf gods smiled on the PGA Tour yesterday and even gave it a mulligan with Jim Furyk's one-shot victory over Luke Donald in the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta.

Furyk overcame an ill-advised PGA Tour policy concerning pro-am play to win the FedEx Cup points race and its $10 million bonus after he was disqualified from the first round of the playoffs. Aided by strong bunker play, Furyk shot a final-round 70 that made the season-long race come down to the last putt on the final hole -- a 2-footer -- just as the PGA Tour was hoping it would and eased the pain he suffered for oversleeping and missing an obligation to play in a pro-am before The Barclays.

It was Furyk's 9-for-9 record in sand-save opportunities in the Tour Championship that enabled him to prevail and earn his third victory of the season. The well-deserved victory also probably wrapped up player-of-the-year honors for the 40-year-veteran in what has turned out to be his finest season on tour.

While TV announcers Johnny Miller and Dan Hicks were singing the praises of the FedEx Cup format and how it had achieved the desired effect, the PGA Tour braintrust was probably breathing a sigh of relief that a fitting champion emerged in the form of the popular Furyk. The only negative for the day was a rain delay and a soggy finish, but PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem was beaming at the trophies presentation to Furyk just the same.

Cries for more fine-tuning of the current format might go unheard because of Furyk's victory. But if someone like Charley Hoffman -- who didn't play in any of the majors this year -- had won the FedEx Cup, the cries would have been loud and justified. For now, the PGA Tour can sleep easier, thinking its FedEx Cup format is on track to achieve greater fan interest.

Whether that notion will hold water when the PGA Tour negotiates its next TV contract in 2012 remains to be seen. But Furyk's victory, for now, will make that less of a pressing issue.

Revisiting the bargain bin

2010-09-26T13:32:00.000-04:00

As of noon today, here are some of the bargains available to central Ohio golfers for the coming week at Golfnow.com:

Monday (Sept. 27)
1 to 4 players -- New Albany Links at 8:50: $20.12 (48% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Foxfire at 12:12: $14.23 (51% savings)
1 to 4 players -- The Players Club at 12:12: $24.15 (46% savings)
1 or 2 players -- Glenross at 12:20: $20.54 (47% savings)
1 player only -- Phoenix at 1:18: $16.13 (51% savings)

Tuesday (Sept. 28)
2 to 4 players -- Glenross at 12:20: $20.54 (47% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Westchester at 12:30: $18.74 (51% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Longaberger at 2:10: $41.15 (48% savings)

Wednesday (Sept. 29)
1 to 4 players -- Foxfire at 12:12: $14.23 (51% savings)
2 to 4 players -- Glenross at 12:20: $20.54 (47% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Phoenix at 1:18: $16.13 (51% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Longaberger at 2:00: $41.15 (48% savings)
1 to 4 players -- The Players Club at 2:30: $20.45 (55% savings)

Thursday (Sept. 30)
1 to 4 players -- East Golf Club at 8:00: $24.47 (50% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Cumberland Trail at 11:50: $17.19 (56% savings)
1 to 4 players -- New Albany Links at 12:40: $20.13 (48% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Foxfire at 12:12: $14.25 (51% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Westchester at 12:48: $18.69 (51% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Longaberger at 1:30: $41.15 (48% savings)

Friday (Oct. 1)
1 to 4 players -- Cumberland Trail at 11:50: $17.19 (56% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Crystal Springs at 12:06: $15.23 (46% savings)
2 to 4 players -- Eaglesticks at 12:19: $22.74 (51% savings)
2 to 4 players -- Glenross at 12:20: $25.56 (48% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Westchester at 12:57: $18.72 (51% savings

Statement victory would buck FedEx Cup trend

2010-09-23T00:05:00.012-04:00

Whether the 2010 PGA Tour season will be remembered mostly for Tiger Woods' swoon or something else will be determined by the Tour Championship, which begins today at famed East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta.

It would be nice if someone would step up and claim the $10 million FedEx Cup jackpot and possibly PGA Tour Player of Year honors in a dramatic and definitive manner. Through 40 events this season, no one has stood out as the dominant player. Six players have won twice (Dustin Johnson, Ernie Els, Jim Furyk, Hunter Mahan, Justin Rose and Steve Stricker) and five control their destiny (Matt Kuchar, Johnson, Charley Hoffman, Stricker and Paul Casey) in the FedEx Cup race. But if a lesser light of the PGA Tour prevails this weekend, 2010 will by remembered as the year nobody moved with authority into the void created by the winless Woods.

It's been an odd season. Of the 40 events played, there have been 34 different winners and for the first time since 1991 there is a chance that two will be the most wins for the year. Since 1996 a player has won at least four PGA Tour events, so this year definitely qualifies as a non-conformist.

Phil Mickelson, the only major winner in the field of 30 and No. 10 on the points list, needs a lot of help to win the FedEx Cup. He must win and have Kuchar finish fifth or worse, Johnson finish no better than fourth, Hoffman and Stricker finish no better than third and Casey finish no better than second. If Mickelson were to finish first or alone in second, he would finally overtake Woods in his long pursuit of the world's top ranking.

Those without a chance of winning the FedEx Cup still have a lot to play for in the no-cut event. Bo Van Pelt, No. 30 on the points, will make $175,000 no matter how he performs. But if he were to win the first-place check of $1.35 million he would probably shoot up as high as third in the overall points race, which pays another $2 million.

With that kind of money up for grabs and nothing really to lose, everyone will be birdie hunting on a difficult course that figures to play hard and fast. It should be entertaining to watch even without the game's biggest draw. The Tour Championship can be seen on Golf Channel (today-Friday: 1-6 p.m.; Saturday: 10 a.m.-noon; Sunday: 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.) and NBC (Saturday: noon-3:30 p.m.; Sunday: 1:30-6 p.m.).

Information from GolfObserver.com, PGATOUR.com, and Golf.com contributed to this post.

Don't blame Hoffman for flawed format

2010-09-20T00:05:00.019-04:00

The PGA Tour scheduled a pause in its four-event playoff series with the idea that it would help build drama before this week's climatic Tour Championship in Atlanta, where the FedEx Cup Trophy and a $10 million bonus will be presented to the year-long points champion.

But the biggest buzz created during the bye week was the fact that the most wide-open FedEx Cup race in the four-year history of the PGA Tour playoffs won't include Tiger Woods, the defending champion and the world's top-ranked player for the last 276 weeks.

The two-week build-up for golf's "Super Bowl" isn't working because the only people who really care about it are those with a shot at the $10 million bonus. The trumped up points race that is continually shoved down the viewing public's throat week after week is still not understood. Sorry, but the buzz the PGA Tour is trying to create is missing the letters bu and while adding on a few z-z-z-zs.

Despite assurances from the PGA Tour and it TV partners that the playoffs are starting to take hold, it's apparent the current format is flawed. If Charley Hoffman were to win at East Lake Golf Club this week he would win the FedEx Cup without playing in any of the four majors this year. This doesn't seem quite right when the PGA Tour would like you to believe that winning the FedEx Cup is emblematic of year-long excellence.

So why were we repeatedly told early in the year how important it was to earn FedEx Cup points? Because the PGA Tour wants everyone to think so. But it just isn't so, and Hoffman being in position to win the tour's richest prize puts a spotlight on that fact. It also probably has the PGA Tour rooting against him.

But it's not Hoffman's fault. It is the PGA Tour's points system that's out of whack. How can the winner of the three playoff tournaments leading up to the Tour Championship earn 2,500 points for each victory while the winner of any of the four majors earns just 600 points for each victory? Would you rather win the Masters or The Barclays?

If you still believe one's performance in the majors should carry more weight, then you have to be pulling for Phil Mickelson or Dustin Johnson. Mickelson won his third green jacket this year at Augusta National and Johnson battled back from disappointing finishes in the U.S. Open and PGA Championship to win the BMW Championship. It would seem more fitting if either one of them prevailed. But the golf gods might have other ideas, so don't count out Paul Casey, Luke Donald or Martin Laird as possibilities to make a mockery of the PGA Tour's best-laid plans.

PGA Tour Player of the Year honors are also on the line this week because six players have won twice: Johnson, Steve Stricker, Ernie Els, Jim Furyk, Hunter Mahan and Justin Rose. A victory by any one of them would probably earn them POY honors.

But if none of them wins, Matt Kuchar is the likely choice because of his victory in The Barclays, 11 top-10 finishes and the fact he leads the tour in scoring and money earned. It is doubtful anyone would argue with his legitimacy. The same can't be said for others in the Tour Championship's 30-man field.

Information from Golf.com, GolfObserver.com and PGATOUR.com contributed to this post.

Revisiting the bargain bin

2010-09-19T14:08:00.000-04:00

As of noon today, here are some of the bargains available to central Ohio golfers for the coming week at Golfnow.com:

Monday (Sept. 20)
1 to 4 players -- Cumberland Trail at 11:50: $13.56 (65% savings)
1 or 2 players -- Foxfire at 12:12: $12.89 (56% savings)
2 to 4 players -- Eaglesticks at 12:19: $18.33 (60% savings)
1 or 2 players -- Glenross at 12:36: $16.27 (67% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Phoenix at 1:18: $13.45 (59% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Clover Valley at 2:20: $13.18 (55% savings)

Tuesday (Sept. 21)
2 to 4 players -- Eaglesticks at 12:19: $19.15 (58% savings)
1 to 3 players -- Westchester at 12:23: $16.37 (57% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Longaberger at 1:50: $38.70 (51% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Clover Valley at 2:20: $14.20 (51% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Riviera Golf Club at 3:04: $30 (57% savings)

Wednesday (Sept. 22)
1 to 4 players -- Cumberland Trail at 7:30: $13.99 (64% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Foxfire at 12:12: $14.23 (51% savings)
1 to 4 players -- The Players Club at 12:12: $24.15 (46% savings)
2 to 4 players -- Eaglesticks at 12:10: $22.74 (51% savings)
1 or 2 players -- Glenross at 12:20: $20.54 (58% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Longaberger at 1:50: $41.15 (48% savings)

Thursday (Sept. 23)
1 to 4 players -- Cumberland Trail at 7:30: $13.99 (64% savings)
1 to 4 players -- East Golf Club at 8:00: $24.47 (50% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Foxfire at 12:12: $14.25 (51% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Westchester at 12:48: $18.69 (51% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Longaberger at 1:30: $41.15 (48% savings)

Friday (Sept. 24)
1 to 4 players -- Cumberland Trail at 11:50: $17.19 (56% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Crystal Springs at 12:06: $15.23 (46% savings)
1 to 4 players -- The Players Club at 12:12: $24.15 (46% savings)
2 to 4 players -- Eaglesticks at 12:19: $22.74 (51% savings)
1 to 4 players -- East Golf Club at 1:40: $23.47 (52% savings)

BMW victory turns Johnson's summer around

2010-09-13T00:05:00.056-04:00

Dustin Johnson earned a huge slice of redemption with his one-shot victory over Paul Casey yesterday in the BMW Championship at Cog Hill in Lemont, Ill.

Johnson, who earlier this summer shot an 82 after entering the final round of the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach with a three-shot lead and missed a playoff in the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits because of a two-shot penalty for grounding his club in a sand trap on the 72nd hole, shot a final-round 69 to move into second place in the FedEx Cup standings.

A victory in two weeks at the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta would earn him the FedEx Cup title and its $10 million bonus prize. It also would go a long way in easing the pain Johnson suffered for his meltdowns in two of the season's major championships.

Johnson hit a sand wedge to within 2 feet to birdie the 17th hole to overtake Casey, who enjoyed a three-shot lead at one point during the back nine before clicking off three straight bogeys. Casey's meltdown saved European Ryder Cup team captain Colin Montgomerie from having to eat an even larger slice of humble pie for not naming the fifth-ranked player in the FedEx Cup standings to his team.

Playing in the final group for the fourth time since June, Johnson closed with a 2-under 69 for his second victory of the season.

"To finally get it done, especially after all the things I've gone through this summer ... it can't feel any better," Johnson said. "I played really good golf today. I didn't make as many birdies as I would have liked, but I made just enough."

Johnson, 26, made three birdies, none more important than the last one.

Tied for the lead, Johnson knew the 17th hole might be his last good chance. He pulled driver and smashed his tee shot over the trees with a slight fade on the long par 4, the ball landing in the fairway and leaving him a just sand wedge that led to a tap-in birdie.

"I knew I needed to hit a good tee ball because it was going to be my best chance of making a birdie," he said. "I was just trying to cut a drive, hold it against the wind and get it around the corner a little bit. And I hit it perfect."

Missing a chance to advance to the final round of the PGA Tour's playoffs had to be humbling to the game's No. 1-ranked player: Tiger Woods. His FedEx Cup playoff campaign came to an end with a final-round 70.

It left him with a one-under total of 283, well off the lead and not enough to boost him into the top 30 places in the FedEx Cup standings. It marks the third time in five years that Woods has not played the Tour Championship. He missed in 2006 when he cut his season short, and in 2008 while recovering from knee surgery.

But it's the first time Woods will miss the event because he isn't eligible.

"That's just the way it is," Woods said. "I didn't play well early in the year and I didn't play well in the middle of the year."

Still, Woods said he was encouraged by his recent play, and believes the changes he has been working on with swing coach Sean Foley are coming together.

"I'm starting to play well now," Woods said. "I'm headed in the right direction, which is good, a lot of good signs, and I just need to keep working and stay the course."

Woods said he would spend a couple of weeks practicing before joining his U.S. teammates for the Ryder Cup in Wales October 1-3.

Information from Golf.com, PGATOUR.com and the Associated Press contributed to this post.

It's do-or-die time for winless Tiger

2010-09-09T00:02:00.005-04:00

Tiger Woods starts today's BMW Championship at The Dubsdread Course at Cog Hill in Lemont, Ill., knowing he needs a top-five finish to advance to Atlanta and the Tour Championship.

Crunch time has arrived for golf's No. 1-ranked player and if he is to salvage what to date has been basically a lost season, he must do it starting today on a course where he has won five times. He's coming off a strong showing in the Deutsche Bank Championship in which in finished tied for 11th while posting three rounds in the 60s for the first time in a winless season.

Woods, currently ranked 51st in the FedEx Cup points race, is one of 70 players seeking to win the third event in PGA Tour's playoffs. Thirty will earn enough points to advance to the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in two weeks and by doing so gain exemptions into the first three majors of 2011 if they're not already eligible.

But only five of them will reach East Lake in control of their destiny when the FedEx Cup points are reset after this weekend. If any of the top five players in reset points wins the Tour Championship, they will automatically win the FedEx Cup title and the $10 million bonus that comes with it. Matt Kuchar, Charley Hoffman, Steve Stricker, Jason Day and Luke Donald enter this week at the top five players, respectively, in FedEx Cup points.

What should make the BMW Championship a little bit more exciting is there is no cut, so players will have nothing to lose by getting aggressive. Even so, only Marc Leishman, who tied for second, and Donald, who tied for 10th, gained a ticket to the final dance from outside the top 30 last year. For Sergio Garcia (T6), Camilo Villegas (T8), Bill Haas (T10), Kuchar (T10) Brandt Snedeker (T10) and Mark Wilson (T10), finishing in the top 10 didn't punch their tickets.

While Woods will no doubt have the pedal to the metal in an effort to secure a top-five finish, it would be understandable if the FedEx Cup leaders aren't more focused on simply maintaining their top-five status if a victory at Cog Hill becomes out of the question.

"That's kind of the magic number," Donald said on the eve of the BMW Championship's first round. "If you can get to the Tour Championship still in that (top-five) position, then obviously you have the FedEx Cup kind of in your hands, so to speak."

That sounds a lot like a NASCAR driver jockeying for position in the race for the Sprint Cup doesn't it? Which should be no surprise. The PGA Tour copied NASCAR's playoff model to some extent just to keep fans interested in the golf once college and pro football took center stage at this time of the year.

Regardless, it should be fun watching the third act of the PGA Tour's playoffs unfold. The BMW Championship can be seen on the Golf Channel (today: 3-6 p.m.; Friday: 3-6 p.m.) and NBC (Saturday: 12-3:30 p.m.; Sunday: 2-6 p.m.).

Information from GolfObserver.com, ESPN.com and PGATOUR.com contributed to this post.

Fowler's selection adds color to Ryder Cup

2010-09-08T00:05:00.006-04:00

Now that the Ryder Cup lineups have been completed with Corey Pavin's announcement of his four captain's picks yesterday, the wagering can begin on whether Team USA can defend its title and win on foreign soil for the first time since 1993 when the event is held at Celtic Manor in Wales from Oct. 1-3.

Colorful PGA Tour rookie Rickie Fowler was a mild surprise as a captain's pick while the selection of Ryder Cup veterans Tiger Woods, Zach Johnson and Stewart Cink was expected. They will join automatic qualifiers Jim Furyk, Dustin Johnson, Matt Kuchar, Hunter Mahan, Phil Mickelson, Jeff Overton, Steve Stricker and Bubba Watson to form Team USA.

Pavin said his pick of Fowler, who had second-place finishes in the Phoenix Open and the Memorial this year, was based simply on a gut feeling and the 21-year-old former Oklahoma State standout's 7-1 record in Walker Cup play. Fowler, who finished 20th in the Ryder Cup point standings, reportedly edged long-hitting J.B. Holmes for the final spot.

Team Europe, comprised of Luke Donald, Ross Fisher, Peter Hanson, Padraig Harrington, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell, Rory McIlroy, Edoardo Molinari, Francesco Molinari, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood, will be favored and on paper appears to have a decided edge.

European team captain Colin Montgomerie didn't have to go any lower than 19th on the World Ranking list to form his team, and that was for three-time major winner Harrington. Meanwhile, Pavin had to dip all the way down to 32nd (winless, and-often-orange-clad Fowler) and 36th (Cink). This represents a sea change of sorts in as much as it used to be the other way around.

Since 1989, it previously had always been the Euros who had to go deep into the World Ranking to fill out their roster. But that hasn't stopped the Europeans from winning five of the last seven Ryder Cups. So maybe it bodes well that the U.S. is reaching lower for the likes of Fowler and Cink. If nothing else, the addition of Fowler will spice the proceedings.

At first glance, Team USA appears a bit overloaded with bombers. Pavin can only hope his long-hitters can stay out of trouble and don't prove to be duds on the putting greens. Team Europe might have an edge in the flat-stick department, but it also carries the burden of being the favorite. If the European team gets off to a slow start, the pressure to not lose on home soil will build quickly. So, as the PGA Tour likes to say, "Anything's possible."

Possible matchups for the competition will be fun to speculate about leading up to the event. A singles match between the flashy-dressing Fowler and 21-year-old free spirit McIlroy would no doubt draw a large following.

Information from Rydercup.com and Golf.com contributed to this post.

Closing 62 by Hoffman leaves field in his wake

2010-09-07T00:05:00.004-04:00

New England was spared being damaged by harsh winds when Hurricane Earl barely touched its coast last weekend, but the same couldn't be said of the Deutsche Bank Championship field yesterday in Norton, Mass.

With little warning, Hurricane Charley Hoffman did a category 5 number on the front-runners. Powered by a closing-round 62 that included 11 birdies, he overcame a four-shot deficit at the beginning of the day and blew past the leaders on his way to a five-shot victory over Jason Day, Geoff Ogilvy and Luke Donald.

With his first victory of the season and just the second of his PGA Tour career, Hoffman shot up to second in the FedEx Cup point list. The convincing victory also secured his PGA Tour playing privileges through the end of 2012 and qualifies him to compete at Augusta National for the first time at next year's Masters Tournament.

Not bad for a guy just hoping to advance into the next round of the FedEx Cup playoffs and who is more recognized for the shoulder-length blond locks protruding from beneath his hat -- ala Harry Dunne from the comedy cult classic "Dumb & Dumber" -- than for his golf game.

Hoffman's performance was so strong that he might have entered into Corey Pavin's U.S. Ryder Cup team plans simply because all of the other contenders didn't do much to distinguish themselves at the TPC Boston. Pavin will announce his four captain's picks today at the New York Stock Exchange.

"The best perk, hopefully, will be a Ryder Cup berth," Hoffman said after closing with the best finish by a winner at the TPC Boston since the tournament began in 2003. "Obviously, I wasn't in contention, but I hope I am now. It would be an honor to play, and I think I can play well."

But if his name is not called when Pavin announces his selections, Hoffman isn't about to lose any sleep.

"You're not going to take this one away from me," he said after finishing at 22-under 262 and tying the tournament record first set by Vijay Singh in 2008.

As things stand, Tiger Woods is expected to be a Ryder Cup pick along with Zach Johnson and possibly Stewart Cink. J.B. Holmes, who tied for 11th at TPC Boston, would bring length and an improved short game to the team. Potential rookies like Sean O'Hair, Rickie Fowler and Nick Watney have had their moments but haven't stepped up recently. Another player possibly in the mix is Ryan Palmer.

Woods, who easily advanced in the FedEx Cup playoffs, shot a 69 and held on to his No. 1 ranking for the 274th week in a row thanks to Phil Mickelson, who crashed and burned on the back nine with a triple bogey and double bogey on his way to a 76. Ouch!

Information from GolfObserver.com, EPSN.com, Golf.com and the Associated Press contributed to this post.

Deutsche Bank event might bring more clarity

2010-09-03T00:28:00.002-04:00

It seems fitting that Hurricane Earl is threatening to disrupt the Deutsche Bank Championship, which is scheduled to begin today at the TPC of Boston in Norton, Mass. It has been a season filled with unusual happenings on the PGA Tour so why should the second round of the FedEx Cup playoffs be any different?

Before a hurricane even threatened the New England coastline who would have thought the top two players in the world ranking would have a combined one victory at this point in the season? For Tiger Woods, who has become a staple of the tabloids, and Phil Mickelson, who is seeing an arthritis specialist, 2010 has been a mess, except for Mickelson's victory in the Masters.

Or who would have picked Graeme McDowell, Louis Oosthuizen or Martin Kaymer to be winners of the year's other three majors? It's safe to say 2010 has been a year for the unexpected. The fact that Matt Kuchar has emerged as a viable candidate for Player of the Year one week after winning for the first time this season sums up a 2010 in which no player has emerged as a dominant force.

That's why the Deutsche Bank Championship could go a long way toward helping Corey Pavin make his four captain's picks for this year's U.S. Ryder Cup team. He'll make that announcement Tuesday at the New York Stock Exchange. At this point, Woods and Zach Johnson appear to be bullish choices. But that could change if Woods doesn't continue to show signs he is returning to form. Projections currently have Woods needing to pick up 82 points this week, which is equivalent to a tie for 54th place, to advance in the playoffs and make Pavin's decision easier.

Beyond Ryder Cup ramifications, Woods isn't the only recognizable name on the bubble this week in the race for the FedEx Cup. Vijay Singh, who won the FedEx crown in 2008, stands 86th and likely needs a top-25 finish to sneak into next week's BMW Championship at Cog Hill. Other former major champions whose FedEx Cup season is in jeopardy include Geoff Ogilvy, Angel Cabrera, Y.E. Yang, Padraig Harrington, David Toms, Lucas Glover, Justin Leonard and Davis Love III.

The TPC of Boston, opened in 2002 and designed by Arnold Palmer, has been receptive to low scoring in the seven previous tournaments held on the venue. If Hurricane Earl dumps a lot of water on the course today, soft greens might make scoring even easier.

As the Deutsche Bank Championship is held over Labor Day weekend, it has the distinction as being the only tournament on the PGA Tour to conclude on a Monday. Tournament officials can only hope Hurricane Earl doesn't extend the proceedings beyond that.

The tournament can be seen on The Golf Channel (today: 3-6 p.m.; Saturday: 3-6 p.m.) and NBC (Sunday: 3-6 p.m.; Monday: 2-6 p.m.)

Information from GolfOberver.com, GolfChannel.com, Golf.com and PGATOUR.com contributed to this post.

Finchem makes good call on pro-am policy

2010-09-01T11:31:00.001-04:00

PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem avoided future criticism of a flawed policy by announcing yesterday that the penalty for missing pro-ams will be suspended for the rest of the season.

The announcement came too late to keep Jim Furyk from being disqualified from last week's Barclays for oversleeping and missing his pro-am time. But at least it addressed the fact that such a punishment didn't fit the crime. Finchem has asked the Players Advisory Council and PGA Tour Policy Board to evaluate the pro-am policy that has been in place since 2004, and the issue will be discussed at the next board meeting in November.

For the last two pro-ams of the FedEx Cup season, this week’s Deutsche Bank Championship and next week’s BMW Championship, and the Fall Series tournaments, a player late for his starting time will be required to play in as many holes of the pro-am as possible, then perform an additional activity such as appearing at a sponsor or tournament social event. Furyk, who could have joined his pro-am team after only two or three holes last week, would have been able to compete in the first round of the FedEx Cup playoffs had such a policy been in place last week.

Unlike the recent gaffes of Dustin Johnson, for grounding his club in a sand trap, and LPGA pro Julie Inkster, for practicing with a swing weight during a round, Furyk's indiscretion wasn't covered under the rules of golf. Instead, it was simply a matter of policy, and it is refreshing to see the PGA Tour take a proactive stance on the issue before any more damage to competition could be done.

An outspoken critic of the discontinued policy was Phil Mickelson, who said disqualifying one of 54 players (top money winners from the year before) in a field of 125 (at The Barclays) “affects the competition.”

“The rule itself applies to only half the field,” he said last week during a news conference at The Barclays. “It’s got to be a different penalty. It can’t be disqualification.”

Apparently, Finchem agreed, and he should be applauded for acting swiftly on the matter.

Information from The Florida-Times Union contributed to this post.

Kuchar moves into FedEx Cup driver's seat

2010-08-30T00:05:00.010-04:00

Poetic justice seemed to intervene in Matt Kuchar's playoff victory over Scotland's Martin Laird yesterday in the first round of the FedEx Cup playoffs at Ridgewood Country Club in Paramus, N.J.

Five shots behind to start the final round of The Barclays, Kuchar closed with a 5-under-par 66 and got into a playoff when Laird three-jacked for bogey from just inside 25 feet on the final hole. Laird, who had managed to stay in the lead most of the day because of miraculous putting, finally ran out of magic on the 72nd hole when he blew his first putt past the hole and his comeback putt never had a chance.

It was as if the golf gods wanted to see the PGA Tour's most consistent player all year (with nine top-10 finishes) prevail when Kuchar hit a 7-iron out of the rough with his second shot of the playoff. The ball came cleanly toward the back of the 18th green before it caught enough of a slope to turn sharply to the left and roll within 30 inches of the cup for a birdie. Laird, meanwhile, hit out of the rough to about 50 feet and managed to make par.

Laird, a one-time winner on the PGA Tour who entered the playoffs ranked 95th, climbed all the way to No. 3 in the rankings with his runner-up finish and will likely be among the top 30 at the Tour Championship when that group competes for the $10 million prize that goes with the FedEx Cup.

The third PGA Tour victory in Kuchar's career but first this season will likely move him to a career-best No. 10 in the world rankings. More important, it puts him atop the FedEx Cup standings. The $1.35 million winner's check also puts him atop the PGA Tour money list for the first time in his career.

Oldgolfdawg would throw The Barclays four dog biscuits on his entertainment scale of 1 to 5. The one hole playoff decided by a brilliant 7-iron from the rough was short but sweet. CBS' golf announcing team of Jim Nantz, Nick Faldo, David Feherty, Gary McCord, Ian-Baker Finch and Peter Kostis, which was entertaining all season long, will be turning over the reins of the rest of FedEx Cup playoffs to NBC. The CBS crew will be a tough act to follow.

* * * * *

Tiger Woods, who started these playoffs at No. 112 in the standings, finally got his flat stick working and closed with a 4-under 67 to easily make the top 100 who advance to the second round next week at the Deutsche Bank Championship. Woods tied for 12th, his best finish since June, and moved up to No. 65 in the FedEx Cup rankings. Among those who didn't advance in the playoffs were Lancaster native Joe Ogilvie (112) and Ostrander native Ben Curtis (119).

* * * * *

Couldn't help but be mezmerized by the Chambers Bay Golf Course near Tacoma, Wash., on which Oklahoma State's Peter Uihlein won the U.S. Amateur on his 21st birthday with a 4 and 2 victory over Stanford's David Chung.

It's not hard to understand why the USGA has decided to let the course play host to its 2015 U.S. Open. The links-style layout carved out of an old gravel pit forced me to switch channels to NBC occasionally during The Barclays just to see players tackle its various nuances which include a shoreline railway track on the par-3 17th hole and giant concrete sorting bins that acknowledge the site's mining operation heritage.

The course and its fescue greens will create quite a stir when the U.S. Open is played on it in 2015, much like the stir created by Whistling Straits.

Information from Golf.com, PGATOUR.com and the Associated Press contributed to this post.

Revisiting the bargain bin

2010-08-29T12:14:00.000-04:00

As of noon today, here are some of the bargains (* denotes exceptional values) available to central Ohio golfers for the coming week at Golfnow.com:

Monday (Aug. 30)
1 to 3 players -- *Cumberland Trail at 7:30: $13.99 (64% savings)
1 to 4 players -- The Players Club at 12:12: $21.37 (53% savings)
1 player only -- Eaglesticks at 12:19: $21.23 (54% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Cooks Creek at 12:31: $23.31 (48% savings)
1 to 4 players -- *Longaberger at 1:30: $36.68 (54% savings)

Tuesday (Aug. 31)
1 to 2 players -- Eaglesticks at 12:19: $21.44 (53% savings)
2 to 4 players -- Glenross at 12:20: $18.22 (53% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Westchester at 12:30: $15.58 (59% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Cooks Creek at 12:31: $23.34 (48% savings)
1 to 4 players -- *East Golf Club at 1:10 $19.90 (59% savings)

Wednesday (Sept. 1)
1 to 4 players -- *Cumberland Trail at 7:30: $13.99 (64% savings)
1 to 4 players -- The Players Club at 12:12: $24.14 (46% savings)
2 to 4 players -- Eaglesticks at 12:19: $22.74 (51% savings)
2 to 4 players -- Glenross at 12:20: $20.54 (47% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Westchester at 12:30: $18.74 (51% savings)

Thursday (Sept. 2)
1 to 4 players -- *Cumberland Trail at 7:30: $13.99 (64% savings)
1 to 4 players -- *East Golf Club at 8: $24.47 (50% savings)
1 to 2 players -- Cumberland Trail at 11:50: $17.19 (56% savings)
1 to 4 players -- New Albany Links at 12:40: $20.13 (48% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Westchester at 12:48: $18.69 (51% savings)

Friday (Sept. 3)
1 to 4 players -- Crystal Springs at 12:06 $15.23 (46% savings)
1 to 4 players -- The Players Club at 12:12: $24.15 (46% savings)
2 to 4 players -- Eaglesticks at 12:19: $22.74 (51% savings)
2 to 4 players -- Glenross at 12:20: $20.54 (58% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Apple Valley at 2:16: $17.57 (51% savings)

Groveport course rates as viable option

2010-08-28T14:02:00.001-04:00

Broadened my golf horizons yesterday with a round at The Links at Groveport and enjoyed the adventure. Getting out and chasing the pea with old friend Scott Minister is always fun and the weather couldn't have been better.

The course, purchased about five years ago by the Village of Groveport from a private club going by the name of The Willows, is an interesting mix of holes that offered a nice variety of challenges. We walked the course for $20 and played in less than 3 1/2 hours on a pleasant, crisp day.

The front nine, built in 1929, was designed by Frank Waugh. The back nine, built in 1971, was designed by the Hurdzan/Kidwell group. Despite being lined by trees in many areas, the mature course didn't feel overly restrictive and one could get away with a lot of wayward shots on many holes. Most shots were framed and easy to visualize.

The front nine's greens were definitely old school, as in postage stamp in size. The back nine greens were much larger and in better shape. Overall, the course was in decent shape except for the eighth hole, which was under repair and sub-standard. The sand traps had plenty of sand in them and were fair but weren't very attractive.

The par-72 course, which measures 6,591 yards from its longest tees and has a course rating of 71.3 and a slope of 123, is very playable and low scores can be recorded by anyone with a steady putting stroke. This is not a tricked-up course with a lot of frills. I would classify it more as a blue-collar course with several character holes.

The sixth and seventh holes on the front nine are great holes from which to hit nice tee shots. The drives are framed by tree-lined fairways and are sights to behold if properly struck. The ninth hole is a testy 225-yard par 3 which requires a carry over Alum Creek. The rickety old bridge one must go over while playing the seventh and nine holes also adds a dash of excitement to the proceedings.

On the back side, the par-5 11th, par-3 13th and par-5 18th holes are particularly fun to play. Each has water protecting the green that adds to the drama of a well-struck shot.

So would Oldgolfdawg put this course on a must-play list? In a word: no. But for a change of pace and its reasonable pricing and laid-back atmosphere, I would certainly consider it an option. It's a fun course in reasonably decent shape. The bottom line is -- perhaps because I scored well -- I enjoyed the layout. Funny, isn't it, how that has a way of influencing one's opinion.

Here's a link to the course: http://www.linksatgroveport.com/golf/proto/linksatgroveport/

Here's a look at my latest best-courses-to-play-in-central-ohio rankings:

5 dog biscuits: Longaberger (the alpha dog)
4 1/2 dog biscuits: Cooks Creek, East Golf Club
4 dog biscuits: Cumberland Trail, EagleSticks, Deer Ridge, Golf Club of Dublin, The Players Club at Foxfire
3 1/2 dog biscuits: *Apple Valley, Bent Tree, Blacklick Woods, Chapel Hill, Champions, Granville, Indian Springs, New Albany Links, The Links at Echo Springs, Royal American Links
3 dog biscuits: Darby Creek, Glenross, Mill Creek, Turnberry, Westchester
2 1/2 dog biscuits: Blackhawk, Crystal Springs Golf Club, Mentel Memorial, National Golf Links, *Licking Springs, Raymond Memorial, Safari Golf Club, *St. Albans, *Table Rock, The Links at Groveport
2 dog biscuits: *Airport, *Oakhaven, *Bridgeview, Marysville Golf Club, *Minerva Lake
1 1/2 dog biscuits: *Wilson Road, *Big Walnut (executive courses)
1 dog biscuit: Let's not go there
* Indicates Oldgolfdawg has not played the course in more than five years and needs feedback from others to adjust any ranking.

Finally, FedEx Cup playoffs to play decisive role

2010-08-26T00:05:00.008-04:00

For a change, the FedEx Cup playoffs, which begin today with the start of The Barclays at Ridgewood Country Club in Paramus, N.J., will likely decide who is voted the best player on the PGA Tour this year.

Unlike past years when the leading contender for PGA Tour Player of the Year was well-established by this point in the season, there is no leading contender. The misadventures of Tiger Woods, whose divorce was announced yesterday, has opened the door to others. Five players have multiple victories -- Ernie Els, Jim Furyk, Steve Stricker, Justin Rose and Hunter Mahan -- but none of them has more than two wins, and none of them won a major.

A year ago, Woods had a 1,276-point lead over Stricker going into The Barclays. This year Els begins the playoffs with a 149-point lead over Stricker. In other words, its wide open.

Phil Mickelson, this year's Masters champion, could do more than supplant Woods as the world's No. 1 ranked player with a victory this week in his eighth attempt over the past three months to do so. He could also emerge as a front-runner for player-of-year honors. But another in a long line of lackluster performances by Mickelson would continue to muddle the picture, which has been exacerbated by the fact that three of this year's four majors were won by non-PGA Tour members -- Graeme McDowell at the U.S. Open, Louis Oosthuizen at the British Open and Martin Kaymer at the PGA Championship.

Furyk, ranked No. 3 in points going into the playoffs, made things more difficult for himself when he was ruled ineligible for The Barclays after oversleeping and missing his pro-am tee time yesterday.

"The rules are rules," Furyk said. "No matter what tournament it was, I'd be upset. But I'm more upset because it is this one. We are here are the end of the (playoffs)."

Furyk has not been a week-in, week-out threat this season and missed the cut in two majors. But he's not alone in needing more on his fact sheet to earn player-of-the-year honors.

Els, who currently is leading the money list and scoring-average category, hasn't done much since winning twice in Florida in March. Stricker went nearly four months without finishing better than tied for 30th. Rose got into the field at only one major and missed the cut. And Mahan had missed four straight cuts before winning the Bridgestone Invitational earlier this month to go along with his victory in Phoenix earlier this year.

So a win this week by any of the two-time winners would go a long way in establishing a player-of-the-year front-runner. But a victory at Ridgewood Country Club won't come easy. The A.W. Tillinghast-designed course is a par-71 track measuring 7,319 yards in length. It features tight fairways lined by tall mature trees and is made difficult by juicy rough 3 inches thick. It also boasts steep-banked bunkers that players will quickly learn are best avoided.

Though the PGA Tour would never admit it, it is probably hoping one of its bigger name players rises to the occasion rather than see a repeat of last year when Heath Slocum came out of nowhere (actually 124th position) to win The Barclays. According to Nielsen, final-round viewership this season through Aug. 1 is down 16 percent. Having someone like Slocum surface to the top again this week probably wouldn't help television ratings.

The PGA Tour steadfastly refuses to admit much concern, insisting that the tour's sponsors are more concerned with the cumulative audience that builds over a tournament, not the "snapshot" developed from averaging viewership over several hours on a Sunday.

By that measure, the PGA Tour's overall golf audience reportedly is down by 3 percent this year. But that figure still might be a difficult sell when the PGA Tour is scheduled to renegotiate its network TV contracts at the end of 2011.

Information from PGATOUR.com, GolfObserver.com and GolfChannel.com contributed to this post.

Gula-McClintick Classic remains big hit

2010-08-23T01:51:00.005-04:00

Oldgolfdawg was too busy playing in the Gula-McClintick Classic in the Canton-Bolivar-New Philadelphia area last weekend to watch any televised golf, so commenting on any coverage of the pros would be inappropriate.

While Fred Funk's one-shot victory over Michael Allen and Chien Soon Lu in the JELD-WEN Tradition was a "major" on the Champions Tour, it would seem Arjun Atwal's one-shot victory over David Toms in the Wyndham Championship was more noteworthy. Atwal, 37, became the first native of India to win on the PGA Tour and the first Monday qualifier to win since 1986.

On the LPGA Tour, Ai Miyazato moved back into the No. 1 spot in the women's world rankings with a two-shot victory over Cristie Kerr and Na Yeon Choi in the Safeway Classic.

Getting together with old friends at the Gula-McClintick Classic has been the highlight of Oldgolfdawg's golf season ever since he moved back to Ohio in 1983. This year's gathering was another "smashing" success on and off the course if hangovers can be used as a measuring stick.

As usual, Billy "Bear" Carlyon schooled the grey-beards with a 70-76 performance during the prelims at Skyland Pines and Oak Shadows, respectively. In the main event scramble at Wilkshire, the team of Neal Bulman, Danny Spalding and Billy Wiggins emerged victorious. Their performance was capped when Bulman won closest-to-the-pin and Spalding won longest-putt honors on the final hole.

Notably missed from this year's event were Potts, Jiggers, Lloyds of London, Professor Putt (aka Dave Labat), Ricky (Watch Your Step) Wagoner, Big Boy, Wiggy Junior and Crow, but spirits were lifted by a Sunday cameo appearance from "Tokyo" Joe Tomayko. Also in our thoughts was tournament founder Greg "Roo" Gula, who Oldgolfdawg learned is bouncing back from a harrowing health experience.

God's speed in your recovery, Roo. Here's hoping everyone can make it to next year's gathering. Pete McClintick, aka the Commish, informed me that the tournament will go on at least until the day Oldgolfdawg wins the fewest-putts category. Gentlemen, that means we're in for a very long run. So take care of yourselves in the meantime and keep your eyes on the pea.

This weekend's scramble lacks star power

2010-08-19T00:05:00.007-04:00

If you were looking for a weekend to work on the honey-do list instead of watching golf, it has arrived. The Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, N.C., begins today as spackle in the PGA Tour's bigger picture.

But just as spackle fills voids before any paint job can be completed, the Wyndham Championship is the last chance for players on the bubble to get into the FedEx Cup playoffs. The snooze aspect of this is only one top 20 player in the world is in the field: Anthony Kim.

That doesn't mean there won't be some drama. Especially if you are rooting for Michael Letzing, the man on the bubble in the 125th spot. This event could also hold your attention if you are pulling for Mike Weir (126th in the rankings) or former Masters champion Trevor Immelman (154th). Otherwise, you better enjoy watching every player ranked 111th to 131st jockey for a spot in the big dance.

Tiger Woods, ranked 108th, is not playing, but the odds are slim that he could drop 18 slots in one event. He'll face a tough road if he makes the FedEx Cup field so far back. But he can draw inspiration from Heath Slocum, who came into the Barclays event 124th last year. Slocum won the Barclays and was able to play in all four FedEx Cup playoffs on his way to winning more than $1.5 million in earnings and finishing fifth in the final standings.

But we are getting ahead of ourselves, so let's focus on this weekend and what will unfold at Sedgefield Country Club, a course originally designed by Donald Ross in 1925 and most recently updated in 2007 by Kris Spence.

Even though Spence added 400 yards to Sedgefield, bringing its length to 7,130 yards, ball placement in the fairway will be the key to winning. Players need be in appropriate spots to have good angles to the greens, which are very undulating and slope from back to front. Good iron players will have an edge in avoiding some of the collection areas just off the greens.

Because the par-70 course is short by PGA Tour standards and dry weather has made the rough less of a factor, it wouldn't be surprising to see someone shoot a low score. Sedgefield is a lot like the course that held the Greenbrier Classic three weeks ago and its possible someone will pull off another Appleby.

Kaymer emerges from Dyeabolical wreckage

2010-08-16T00:05:00.016-04:00

The 18th hole at Whistling Straits lived up to its "Dyeabolical" name in more ways than one yesterday on its way to deciding the 92nd PGA Championship.

Before Martin Kaymer made a 2-footer for bogey on the hole to win a three-hole playoff over Bubba Watson, it was the site of a two-stroke rules violation by Dustin Johnson for grounding his club in a sand trap. The violation eliminated Johnson from the playoff after he had birdied the 16th and 17th holes to move into a one-stroke lead.

One could say the 18th hole was diabolical in allowing Johnson to think he didn't have to worry about grounding his club in a sandy area even though tournament officials had gone out of their way to warn players to be on the watch for this possibility. Still, there were a lot of people surrounding the site of his infraction and in the excitement of the moment it was easy to understand how he might not have been thinking straight.

It's also unfortunate that the rules official accompanying the day's final twosome didn't speak up and warn Johnson before his misdeed. There was plenty of time to do so while the area was being cleared of spectators to allow Johnson to have a clear shot at the green. But apparently Johnson didn't ask for a ruling and none was given.

To have this happen to someone who was seemingly on the verge of gaining redemption for his U.S. Open meltdown at Pebble Beach earlier this summer seemed almost satanic in nature. It was the cruelest ending to a major since Roberto de Vicenzo signed for a higher score in the final round of the 1968 Masters that was won by Bob Goalby. Johnson, you may remember, had a three-shot lead going into the final round of the U.S. Open before he took a bizarre triple bogey on the second hole on his way to an 82.

But the devil's work wasn't done with Johnson's misdeed on a hole named after course designer Pete Dye. One could also say the high-risk-reward 18th hole tempted Watson to shoot at the flag with his second shot during the playoff with Kaymer when a more strategic approach was merited. Watson, who was in better position than Kaymer after their tee shots landed in the right rough, probably didn't need to go at the flag with the match still tied. Whether the devil made him do it or as he claimed it was just a case of making a bad swing, Watson paid a dear price for his decision.

Watson hit a poorly struck 7-iron into water, some 30 yards short of the green even though he had a better lie than Kaymer. Watson hit his fourth shot over the green into a bunker. His bunker shot hit the flag, setting up a tap-in for a double bogey. Kaymer, who had hit a longer tee shot but into a very poor lie, resisted temptation after seeing Watson go in the water. He simply chipped out and then hit a 7-iron to 15 feet for a two-putt bogey.

Kaymer, a 25-year-old German with five victories on the European Tour to his credit, made two crucial putts on his way to his well-deserved victory. He sank a 15-foot par putt on the 18th hole to join Watson at 11-under 277. He made another 15-foot putt for birdie on the par-3 17th to draw even with Watson in their three-hole playoff after two holes.

On an entertainment scale of 1 to 5, Oldgolfdawg would throw the 92nd PGA Championship five dog biscuits. Six players had a share of the lead at some point yesterday, and during the final 30 minutes six players were separated by just one shot. That included Rory McIlroy, a 21-year-old from Northern Ireland who was trying to become the youngest major champion in 80 years, and Australian Steve Elkington, who at 47 was trying to become the oldest winner of a major.

Oldgolfdawg knows a lot of people are upset about the ruling against Johnson, but can't fault the PGA for its decision. It posted a notice in the locker room and on the first tee throughout the week, reminding players that all bunkers would be treated like hazards. Six years ago in the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits, Stuart Appleby was unaware of the rule and was assessed a four-shot penalty. Johnson should have known better.

But what does bother me is that a rules official walking along with the final twosome wasn't proactive in reminding Johnson of the rule at such a critical juncture in the tournament. There certainly was time to do so. Shouldn't that be part of the official's duties? Why wait to be asked for a ruling? Why not be proactive to prevent these things from happening?

Information from PGATOUR.com and the Associated Press contributed to this post.

Whistling Straits offers exciting stage

2010-08-12T00:05:00.020-04:00

The 92nd PGA Championship, which kicks off today at Whistling Straits in Haven, Wis., is being hyped as "Glory's last shot" by its marketers. But the current not-so glorious problems of golf's top-three ranked players leave everyone wondering more than usual what to expect when 97 of the top 100 players in the world rankings compete for the Wanamaker Trophy on a dramatic track along the shores of Lake Michigan.

It's hard to round up the usual suspects in picking a favorite when Tiger Woods is coming off the worst performance of his pro career, Phil Mickelson is battling an autoimmune disorder similar to rheumatoid arthritis and Lee Westwood is home in England dealing with a calve injury that could force him to miss the Ryder Cup matches in October.

However, that could be a plus, considering that the previous two major winners -- Graeme McDowell and Louis Oosthuizen -- were dark horses when they pulled off their victories in the U.S. Open and British Open, respectively. And the fact that Vijay Singh, a power player, won in a playoff over finesse players Justin Leonard and Chris DiMarco when the PGA Championship was last played at Whistling Straits in 2004 indicates that the course doesn't suit one particular style.

The strong possibility that Woods will get shut out for a second straight year in the majors -- a first in his career -- adds an interesting ingredient to "Glory's last shot," but it is the course itself that is mostly likely to emerge as the real star of the tournament.

Whistling Straits, built by Pete Dye along the bluffs of Lake Michigan and made difficult by the seemingly random placement of 967 bunkers, offers some of the most inspired views in golf. Course owner Herb Kohler wanted Dye to create an American version of Ireland's famous Ballybunion and even has grazing goats on the course to create a similar effect. The course is a thing of beauty, rolling along through man-made dunes bordered by native grass that is yellow and wispy.

However, the softer soil of Whistling Straits is nothing like links golf, making the course a hybrid of sorts. Players can hit 4-irons onto fairways and get only 5 yards of roll. The course will play about the same as it did in 2004 at 7,507 yards and at a par of 72. Of its seven holes along the lake, all four par 3s require demanding shots to avoid the lake.

Along with its great views and numerous bunkers, Whistling Straits boasts large greens with lots of undulations that will lead to a lot of three-putting. Blind shots into fairways bordered by tough fescue rough will make it difficult for anyone to relax on a course that can become very difficult if windy conditions arise.

“It’s like a British Open with good weather,” Carl Pettersson said. “Some of the bunkers can be quirky, but that’s part of links golf. There’s a lot of blind tee shots, like you get in links golf. I don’t think it would be much fun to play in 20 mph wind.”

This year's field includes 12 past champions: Y.E. Yang (2009), Padraig Harrington (2008), Woods (2007, 2006, 2000, 1999), Mickelson (2005), Singh (2004, 1998), Shaun Micheel (2003), David Toms (2001), Davis Love III (1997), Mark Brooks (1996), Steve Elkington (1995), Paul Azinger (1993) and John Daly (1991).

The tournament can be seen on TNT (today-Friday: 1-8 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and CBS (Saturday-Sunday: 2-7 p.m.)

Information from GolfObserver.com, PGATour.com, Golf.com and ESPN.com contributed to this post.

Count Woods down, but not out

2010-08-10T01:01:00.000-04:00

Tiger Woods has entered into uncharted waters with his shockingly poor play in the Bridgestone Invitational last weekend at Firestone Country Club.

In finishing a career-worst 18 over par on a course where he'd won an unprecendented seven times, the world's No. 1-ranked golfer has gone from being asked when will he snap out of a slump to being asked if he's bottomed out yet or is there more to come.

And the truth is it's hard to say after watching him crash and burn in such an unexpected fashion. Since turning pro, Woods hadn't finished worse than tied for 60th in an event in which he completed four rounds, and that was in his first start, the 1996 Greater Milwaukee Open. At Firestone, his 10 total birdies were buried by 22 bogeys and three doubles as he tied for 78th place with Swede Michael Jonzon. Ouch!

About the only positive thing one could say about his performance was he didn't curse on network TV for a change. But it's hard to do that when you are done playing before CBS has a chance to come on the air. How did someone who finished tied for fourth in the Masters and U.S. Open after a self-imposed, four-plus-month exile from the game come to this type of Waterloo? Beyond the distractions of a personal life strained by marital problems and a golf swing that is a mere shadow of what it once was, it's not surprising that he is struggling. Woods himself said he was not surprised.

"It's been a long year," he said after shooting a final-round 77 at Firestone, looking and sounding like a player who has lost his way along with his aura of invincibility.

There was a time when his peers would give up before they even played against him. That started to change when Woods lost to Y.E. Yang in a final-round showdown at last year's PGA Championship. Now, with the way he's playing, there's no reason to fear Woods or his mojo.

Woods needs five majors to eclipse the record 18 major championship titles held by Jack Nicklaus, but now some will begin wondering if Woods has got five more victories of any kind in him.

That's over-the-top thinking that's too close to the news of the day. If one looks at the careers of Tom Watson and Nicklaus, they will see that these icons also experienced downturns.

Sal Johnson of GolfObserver.com wrote the following about Watson's downturn:

Between 1974 and 1984 he dominated golf winning 36 of his 39 victories in that period and all eight of his major championships. He did it a lot like Tiger did with great clutch putting, which became a struggle from 1983 onward.

Watson found some flashes of glory years later, winning in 1987, then in 1996 and then for the last time in 1998. But in the time period of 1984 and 1996 Watson suffered a divorce and it was quietly mentioned that he had a drinking problem that he corrected. He has gotten remarried and has made peace with his family, thus has won on the Champions Tour and almost won the British Open at age 59.

Wikipedia provides the following information on Nicklaus' downturn:

After Nicklaus won the 1967 U.S. Open, he did not win another major championship until the 1970 Open Championship at the Old Course at St Andrews. Moreover, his highest finish on the Tour money list for the years 1968-70 was second; his lowest was fourth, his worst ranking on the list since turning professional. ...

During this period, Nicklaus also let his physical condition decline somewhat, putting on excess weight, which affected his stamina. He significantly improved his condition in the fall of 1969 by losing 20 pounds, and his game returned to top form.

In February 1970, Nicklaus' father, Charlie Nicklaus, died. Soon after this Nicklaus won the 1970 Open Championship under difficult scoring conditions where the wind howled up to 56 mph, defeating fellow American Doug Sanders in an 18-hole playoff round in emotional fashion.

He describes this period in his life: "I was playing good golf, but it really wasn't that big a deal to me one way or the other. And then my father passed away and I sort of realized that he had certainly lived his life through my golf game. I really hadn't probably given him the best of that. So I sort of got myself back to work. So '70 was an emotional one for me from that standpoint. ... It was a big boost."

Woods, the 2009 FedEx Cup champion, has vowed to keep working on his game, which he admitted hasn't been this off since he rebuilt his swing under Butch Harmon in the late '90s. It took him two years then to rediscover his A-game. It might take him longer this time around. After all, he's 34 years old, his left knee isn't what it used to be and he will remain fodder for tabloids for the rest of his life.

But it would be wrong to write him off this soon just because he experienced a tournament from hell on a difficult course. He picked a bad week to play so poorly. Normally he wouldn't have made the cut. Still, you don't win 14 major championships without having the drive to overcome adversity. When his personal life is sorted out, chances are good his golf game will return to winning form.

In the meantime, Oldgolfdawg would advise Woods to follow Sergio Garcia's lead and take a vacation. They both look like they could use one.

Information from Golf.com, GolfObserver.com and wikipedia contributed to this post.

Mahan charges his way to memorable victory

2010-08-09T00:05:00.004-04:00

One has to wonder how Hunter Mahan's two-shot victory over Ryan Palmer in the Bridgestone Invitational yesterday at Firestone Country Club will be best remembered.

Will it be remembered that Mahan shot a closing round 6-under-par 64 to overcome a four-shot deficit on the same day Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson -- the game's No. 1- and No. 2-ranked players -- shot 77 and 78, respectively? Or will it be remembered as the tournament in which Mahan beat the defending champion -- Woods -- by 30 shots?

Either way, it was an impressive victory, one that earned Mahan $1.4 million and guaranteed him a spot on the U.S. Ryder Cup team. With his first World Golf Championship title, Mahan moved to No. 12 in the world ranking and won the second time this year, joining Ernie Els, Jim Furyk, Steve Stricker and Justin Rose as the only players to do so on the PGA Tour this season.

"The last couple of weeks, the game has been good," said Mahan, a 28-year-old from Dallas who won the Phoenix Open in February by shooting 65 in the final round. "I knew it was there. I know I just had to keep going and keep trust it. This weekend, I definitely just kind of let everything go and just had some fun."

Mahan's 64 was the lowest final round by a winner since the Bridgestone Invitational became a WGC event in 1999. He ran off five birdies on the front nine and converted three clutch par putts down the stretch to record the biggest victory of his career.

Before the tournament started it would have been hard to pick Mahan, who finished at 12-under 268. Since winning in Phoenix, he had only one top-10 finish and had missed four straight cuts.

Predicting Palmer, who entered the tournament ranked 149th in the world, to finish alone in second would have required a real clairvoyant, too. But Ryan, who won the Sony Open early in the season, shot a rock-solid 69 in the final round and proved he belonged in the invitational field.

Woods, on the other hand, looked out of place on a course he has dominated in the past on his way to seven victories. He will remain atop the Official World Golf Ranking for the 270th consecutive week, despite the worst tournament of his career. But that will do little for his confidence.

Woods finished at 18-over 298 -- his highest score on the PGA Tour as a pro or an amateur -- and finished one spot out of last place. In a post-round interview he admitted he wasn't sure if he was worthy for the Ryder Cup.

"No one would help the team if they're shooting 18-over par," Woods said before flying up to Whistling Straits to sneak in a practice round for the PGA Championship next week. "Shooting 18-over par is not fun. I don't see how it can be fun shooting 18 over."

Mickelson, who shot 41 on the front nine, didn't have much fun either on his way to a closing 78 in which he sprayed shots all over the parking lot and three-putted from 4 feet. He was tied for 10th and needed to finish alone in fourth to overtake Woods at No. 1 in the world. Instead, he finished tied for 46th and in need of a lot of work.

"It was a rough day, if you couldn't tell," Mickelson said.

He wasn't alone in his misery. Sergio Garcia announced he plans to take a two-month break after next week's PGA Championship after shooting a final-round 70 that left him tied for 22nd.

Garcia, who has not won in nearly two years, likely would have to finish among the top three in the PGA Championship to have any chance of qualifying for the European Ryder Cup team. His decision will make things easier for captain Colin Montgomerie when it comes time to select three wild-card picks.

"It's been a long year," said Garcia, who has a 14-6-4 record in Ryder Cup play. "I haven't had a nice, long break my whole career. I need the break. I need to miss the game a little bit."

Indeed, it would seem that golf can wear on even the game's best players, even those named Woods, Mickelson and Garcia.

Information from Golf.com, PGATOUR.com and the Associated Press contributed to this post.

Revisiting the bargain bin

2010-08-08T13:34:00.002-04:00

As of noon today, here are some of the bargains available to central Ohio golfers for the coming week at Golfnow.com:

Monday (Aug. 9)
2 to 4 players -- Eaglesticks at 12:19: $20.56 (55% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Cooks Creek at 12:31: $20.55 (54% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Apple Valley at 2:16: $15.03 (58% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Clover Valley at 2:20: $15.22 (48% savings)

Tuesday (Aug. 10)
1 or 2 players -- Cumberland Trail at 7:30: $13.99 (64% savings)
2 to 4 players -- Glenross at 12:20: $24.16 (51% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Apple Valley at 2:16: $15.54 (57% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Clover Valley at 2:20: $15:53 (46% savings)

Wednesday (Aug. 11)
1 to 3 players -- Cumberland Trail at 11:50: $17.19 (56% savings)
1 to 4 players -- The Players Club at 12:12: $24.15 (46% savings)
2 to 4 players -- Eaglesticks at 12:19: $22.74 (51% savings)
1 to 4 players -- East Golf Club at 12:30: $24.63 (50% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Apple Valley at 2:16: $17.57 (51% savings)

Thursday (Aug. 12)
2 to 4 players -- Glenross at 12:20: $24.61 (50% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Cooks Creek at 12:31: $24.58 (45% savings)

Friday (Aug. 13)
1 to 4 players -- Cumberland Trail at 11:50: $17.19 (56% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Crystal Springs at 12:06: $15.23 (46% savings)

Brand recognition isn't a problem at Firestone

2010-08-05T00:05:00.017-04:00

Golf fans across the country have grown accustomed to watching tournaments at Firestone Country Club over the years. The storied course, commissioned by Harvey Firestone in 1929 as a park for employees of the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company, has acted as host to more professional tournaments than any other course in America.

The "old school" track has been the site of the Rubber City Open (1954-1959), the PGA Championship (1960, 1966, 1975), the American Golf Classic (1961-65, 1967-1974, 1976) and the World Series of Golf, now known as the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational (1962-2001, 2003-present). In the late '50s and early '60s, the club also held eight CBS Golf Classics, which was one of the first made-for-television golf series.

Firestone's distinctive golf-ball-on-a-tee-like water tower has become a fixture on the American golf landscape and its famous South Course has acted as host to more than 70 major championships. Firestone South has become an old friend that we are used to checking up on an annual basis, an anchor we can count on with a rich history. After scoring a triple-bogey on the 16th hole during the first PGA Championship held on the course in 1960, Arnold Palmer called it a "Monster." The name struck such a cord with frustrated golfers that the entire South Course in now known fondly as "The Monster."

Since 1960 the South Course has held a PGA Tour event with the exception of two years, in 1994 when the greens mysteriously died and the tournament was moved across the street to the more scenic North Course and in 2002 when the Bridgestone Invitational (NEC Invitational back then) was held at Sahalee Country Club near Seattle, site of last week's U.S. Senior Open.

As one would expect from a course dubbed "The Monster," the par-70 Firestone South is noted for its length at 7,400 yards. There's nothing fancy about the layout, which features 11 par 4s of more than 400 yards in length, yet it is one of the most respected courses on the PGA Tour. One simply has to be accurate with their drives because the narrow fairways are well bunkered and bordered with high rough. Shots into the greens, usually with mid-to-long irons, have to be precise. Once on the greens, however, the hard work has been done because most of the closely trimmed putting surfaces are relatively flat with very few undulations.

The list of past champions at Firestone is so impressive that it would be an upset if an underdog prevails this week. Because the tournament has attracted the top 50 players in the world it might be hard to describe any of them as underdogs. Still, don't expect anyone without a pedigree of some sort to be lifting the champion's trophy come Sunday afternoon. This is one of golf's biggest stages and it will separate the men from the boys.

Growing up in the Akron area, Oldgolfdawg had several opportunities to watch some of golf's biggest names play at Firestone. Watching Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, Bruce Crampton, Gay Brewer, Gary Player, Tom Weiskopf, Lee Elder and Jack Nicklaus up close from just behind the ropes was a real treat and left a lasting impression on me.

The first and most memorable tournament at Firestone that Oldgolfdawg observed as a teen-ager was the 1968 American Golf Classic when PGA Tour rookie Lee Elder took Nicklaus to the fifth hole of sudden death before losing. It was the highlight of Elder's season -- he went on finish 40th on the money list, bringing in approximately $38,000 -- and proved to the world that a black golfer could compete with the game's best if given a chance. There's no doubt it later served as inspiration for a yet-to-be-born Tiger Woods.

Much focus will be on Woods today when the tournament kicks off. Everyone wants to see how he will play on one of his favorite courses and whether he can emerge from his current slump. My pick is Lee Westwood, who is overdue to win a big championship, even if this wouldn't be as a good as a major. Westwood, a solid driver with enough length off the tee to tame Firestone, was a runner-up two years ago and finished ninth last year.

Another player worth watching is last year's runner-up, Padraig Harrington. He has something to prove after his triple-bogey meltdown on the 16th hole last year opened the door for Woods to win his seventh Bridgestone title. Harrington comes to Akron on the heels of a closing 64 to finish second at the 3 Irish Open Sunday.

The Bridgestone Invitational can be seen on the Golf Channel (today: 2-6 p.m., 8:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m.; Friday: 2-6 p.m., 8:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m.; Saturday 12-1:30 p.m., 9-11:30 p.m.; Sunday: 11-12:30 p.m.) and CBS (Saturday: 2-6 p.m.; Sunday: 2-6 p.m.)

Information from GolfObserver.com, PGATOUR.com and wikipedia contributed to this post.

Firestone should put Woods in comfort zone

2010-08-03T00:05:00.001-04:00

This week's Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone South in Akron will be the best measuring stick yet on how far Tiger Woods' game has fallen from its glory-day heights since relevations first emerged about his marital infidelities.

If Woods, the defending champion of the World Golf Championship event, can't finish in the top five this week on a course he has dominated in the past, it will speak volumes about just how much his game has been eroded by the fallout of his sex scandal. It also will add another big dent in his once seemingly impenetrable aura of invincibility.

Woods has won this week's event, which was known as the NEC Invitational from 1999 through 2005, seven times and has a scoring average of 67.75 at Firestone South. He has won every year at Firestone since 2005, except for when he missed the second half of the 2008 season following knee surgery.

If he can't get comfortable playing on the course where he has recorded his most career victories, then his recent swing issues and scoring problems might be more serious than first believed.

It also wouldn't bode well for his chances of winning the last major of the season, the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wis., next week. A 0-for-4 performance in this year's majors will raise the question whether Woods still has a chance to match or break Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 major championships. And what once looked like a sure thing will begin looking like a pretty tall obstacle to overcome.

Woods. who has won 14 majors, will turn 35 at the end of this year and less than a quarter of the major championship winners have been 36 or older. The only players since 1970 to win multiple majors after turning 36 are: Nicklaus (4), Gary Player (4), Ray Floyd (2), Nick Price (2), Vijay Singh (2), Mark O'Meara (2), Angel Cabrera (2) and Padraig Harrington (2).

Of course, Woods belongs in the same company as Nicklaus and Player and is obviously dedicated to physical fitness. So it certainly isn't out of the question. But he's also dominated the game for a dozen years, which is a long time in golf. Even the greatest golfers, with the exception of Nicklaus, have had a fairly short window of time when they dominated. The end of their periods of domination was marked by their inability to win another major championship.

Nicklaus won majors in three different decades, which probably explains why he's the record-holder. But his victory in the 1986 Masters at age 46 was really unexpected. Ben Hogan won all his majors from 1946 through 1953 and Arnold Palmer won all his majors from 1958 through 1964, relatively short windows. Other great champions with short spans of domination were Tom Watson (1975 through 1983), Sam Snead (1946 through 1954) and Nick Faldo (1987 through 1996).

But it should be noted that Watson almost joined Nicklaus in the three-different-decades club in last year's British Open when he lost in a playoff at age 60 in what would have been one of the best sports stories of recent memory.

So counting Woods out of the race at this stage would be ill-advised. But betting the ranch on Woods passing Nicklaus on the all-time majors list might not be such a great idea either. It will remain a major story as long as Woods keeps chasing the pea.

* * * * *

The Golf Channel is going to have to put its Michelle Wie hype machine on a back burner the way 21-year-old Yani Tseng of Taiwan has emerged as the youngest new star of the LPGA Tour.

Tseng's one-shot victory Sunday over Katherine Hull of Australia wasn't a thing of beauty at Royal Birkdale in Southport, England. Tseng had to make a 6-foot par putt on the 18th hole to close with a sloppy 73 after three consecutive rounds of 68. But it gave Tseng her third major title and second of the year to go along with the Kraft Nabisco.

Tseng, who has posted two wins and four other top-10 finishes this season, is the youngest woman to have three major championships in LPGA history and is now only the U.S. Women's Open short of a career grand slam. Se Ri Pak of South Korea won two majors when she was 20 but didn't get her third until she was 24.

Tseng's victory ended a two-major run by the Americans after Cristie Kerr won the LPGA Championship and Paula Creamer grabbed the U.S. Women's Open. Kerr was the best of the Americans at Birkdale, finishing tied for fifth five shots back. Morgan Pressel was seven shots back, Christina Kim and Brittany Lincicome were nine back, Wie tied for 17th 11 shots back and Creamer, dealing with a reaggravated thumb injury, was 13 shots off the pace.

Information from Golf.com, LPGA.com and PGATOUR.com contributed to this post.

Appleby's stellar 59 overtakes Overton

2010-08-02T00:05:00.004-04:00

Jeff Overton's worst fear came true yesterday in the final round of the inaugural Greenbrier Classic. Despite starting the round with a three-shot lead over the rest of field, he knew conditions were ripe for someone to go low and that he needed to remain aggressive in order to record his first PGA Tour victory and avoid another runner-up finish.

When Stuart Appleby decided to be that someone with a magnificent 59 that included nine birdies and an eagle, Overton could only blame himself for not managing something better than his final-round 67. Appleby managed to make up a seven-shot deficit in just 12 holes and then finished his hard-charging round by birdieing the last three holes in earning a one-shot victory at 22 under.

Jim Nantz and the rest of the CBS broadcast team began to point out how demonstrative Overton was becoming over missed opportunities and noted that his body language was changing (moving quickly and appearing fidgety) as the final stretch of holes began to unfold. Overton, who hit a woefully short iron shot into the final green after missing a short birdie putt on the 17th hole that could have forced a playoff, has said in the past he needs to get out of his own way in order to win but was unable to manage the feat.

Meanwhile, it was obvious watching Appleby that he had entered into the much coveted and often talked about "Zone." He appeared perfectly calm and matter of fact as he marched his way to just the fifth 59 in PGA Tour history, joining Al Geiberger (1977 Memphis Classic), Chip Beck (1991 Las Vegas Invitational), David Duval (1999 Bob Hope Desert Classic) and Paul Goydos (2010 John Deere Classic).

"I was quite comfortable," Appleby said. "It's not a nerve-racking thing to be involved in. I had a lot of opportunities and I made them. It was great to do that to win the tournament."

Overton, a former Big Ten player of the year while attending Indiana, had 34 putts in the final round, three-putting three times.

"I got beat by a 59," said Overton, who had his third runner-up finish of the year and remains winless in five years on the PGA Tour. "What can you say? I played great, hit a lot of great shots. You can't win golf tournaments when you putt it that bad."

Appleby, whose previous career low was a 62 in the 2003 Las Vegas Invitational, won for the first time since the 2006 Shell Houston Open. The victory earned him a spot in next week's Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, where the world's top 50 players will compete.

It should be noted that Appleby's achievement was the first 59 on a par-70 course and that he didn't have the advantage of lift, clean and place that Goydos and Geiberger enjoyed. Goydos' came on a par 71 and the others on par 72s. Appleby has no problem with some debating whether his achievement is right up there with the others.

"I agree," he said. "I can see both sides of the fence. It is a number. I shot that number. But who says par is supposed to be 72? There's a lot of great courses that aren't 72."

Information from PGATOUR.com, ESPN.com contributed to this post.

Revisiting the bargain bin

2010-08-01T13:38:00.002-04:00

As of noon today, here are some of the bargains available to central Ohio golfers for the coming week at Golfnow.com:

Monday (Aug. 1)
1 player only -- New Albany Links at 8:40: $15.58 (60% savings)
1 to 2 players -- The Players Club at 12:12: $18.53 (59% savings)
1 to 2 players -- Apple Valley at 2:16: $13.70 (62% savings)

Tuesday (Aug. 2)
2 to 4 players -- Glenross at 12:20: $19.56 (60% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Westchester at 12:30: $15.30 (60% savings)
1 to 4 players -- New Albany Links at 2:20: $14.00 (64% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Apple Valley at 2:16: $14.25 (60% savings)

Wednesday (Aug. 4)
1 to 4 players -- Cumberland Trail at 11:50: $17.19 (65% savings)
1 to 4 players -- New Albany Links at 2:20: $14.00 (64% savings)

Thursday (Aug. 5)
1 to 4 players -- New Albany Links at 2:10: $14.00 (64% savings)

Friday (Aug. 6)
1 to 4 players -- Cumberland Trail at 11:50: $17.19 (65% savings)

Sahalee cuts big hitters down to size

2010-07-30T00:05:00.004-04:00

The trend of lengthening golf courses to deal with the greater distances today's players hit the ball hasn't worked. But the solution to the problem can be seen this weekend if you watch the U.S. Senior Open at Sahalee Country Club in Sammamish, Wash.

It was fun watching the not-so-flat bellies struggle to tame the narrow, tree-lined beast during yesterday's first round. Some did manage to do so. Bruce Vaughan, who won a senior major with his 2008 Senior Open at Troon, shot a 66 even with a bogey on his final hole and has a two-shot lead over Loren Roberts and amateur Tim Jackson. Five players -- Bernhard Langer, Mark Calcavecchia, Joe Ozaki, Michael Allen and Tom Lehman -- are three shots off the lead. Tournament favorites Fred Couples and Tom Watson shot 70 along with Jay Haas and Scott Simpson.

But whether any of them are still in contention come Sunday is difficult to say. Because putting together four rounds of low scores at Sahalee is no small feat. One has to negotiate their way past thousands of trees framing famously narrow fairways that give even the straightest hitters a bad case of claustrophobia. And they have to do it four days in a row.

Most in the field came into the U.S. Senior Open having played in the Senior British Open last week at Carnoustie, one of the world's most difficult golf courses. Those who played last week in Scotland will feel like they are facing another monster, only this time the small shrubs and fescue grass have been replaced by 4-inch deep rough and a seemingly never-ending collection of cedar and fir trees.

If more golf course designers followed the lead of Ted Robinson, who designed Sahalee into a truly confounding course, talk of placing limits on golf club and ball technology wouldn't be necessary. But then most golf course designers don't have a mountain range forest to work with like Robinson had with his Seattle-area masterpiece.

Even so, it's worth thinking about for future golf course design. Instead of trying to Tiger-proof courses as Augusta National Golf Club tried to do by lengthening many of its holes after Woods brought the course to its knees with his 12-shot victory there in 1999, perhaps designers should make accuracy off the tee and from the fairway more crucial to success on the PGA Tour. Sahalee does so naturally because its built on a great piece of property. But new courses can do the same thing using different techniques -- more traps, water hazards or doglegs -- to reach the same desired effect.

A course shouldn't have to have 14 par 4s that are at least 440 yards long in order to stifle scoring. There are other ways of keeping the long bombers at bay. And this week's U.S. Senior Open at Sahalee is proof.

Information from Cybergolf and GolfObserver.com contributed to this post.

Greenbrier Classic starts in difficult position

2010-07-29T00:02:00.053-04:00

The deck is stacked against this week's Greenbrier Classic becoming a favorite stop for big names on the PGA Tour even though the first-year tournament will draw a colorful field that could produce some exciting golf.

The reason is the FedEx Cup schedule. No top player will skip next week's WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club in Akron, with its no-cut, big-money format. The following week is the year's fourth major, the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wis. Just two weeks after that is the first of four FedEx Cup playoff events in five weeks.

A player who participates in all of those tournaments is looking at six tournaments in eight weeks -- and seven in nine weeks if he is participating in the Ryder Cup. That makes this week's event in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., an easy one to pass up. It isn't a reflection on the sponsor or organizers. It's just the reality of the PGA Tour schedule at this time. Regardless, the event will showcase a historic golf resort that was rescued from demise and will make it as well known as Pebble Beach was during the U.S. Open.

Jim Furyk and Matt Kuchar are the only top-30 players in the world entered for the Greenbrier. Even so, fans should be treated to some low scoring on a historic golf course by a field that will include Kenny Perry, Sergio Garcia, Davis Love III, John Daly, Justin Leonard and Ricky Barnes.

With seven of the 12 par 4s on the Old White Course, which is acting as host for the event, being 440 yards or shorter, scores could go real low and it wouldn't be all that surprising with par being 70 that a round in the 50s is possible. The greens, with lots of undulations and bumps, will be the biggest hurdle for the players because the fairways are generous and well-suited for resort golf.

Information from GolfObserver.com and ESPN.com contributed to this post.

Hot stretch puts Pettersson in winner's circle

2010-07-26T00:05:00.006-04:00

It wasn't too surprising to see Carl Pettersson rally from six shots behind with 11 holes to play to beat Dean Wilson yesterday in the Canadian Open at St. George's.

Wilson, a 40-year-old journeyman playing on a sponsor's exemption, appeared to be running out of steam as the final round progressed even though he entered it with a four-shot lead. You had the sneaking suspicion that things might unravel before he could earn what would have been only his second PGA Tour victory. It was just a matter of time.

Pettersson, a 32-year-old Swede coming off a stellar 60 on Saturday, admitted being worried by the common belief among pro golfers that it's hard to follow a low score with another solid round. But that wasn't the case the last three times a player shot a 60 on the PGA Tour before Pettersson. In fact, two out of the three times it led to a victory. Steve Stricker followed a 60 with a 66 in winning the John Deere Classic this year. Zach Johnson followed a 60 with a 70 on his way to winning the Valero Texas Open in 2009 and he also followed a 60 with a 68 on his way to finishing second in the 2007 Tour Championship.

"I still can't believe I won the tournament," Pettersson said two days after making the cut by a stroke after opening rounds of 71 and 68. "I know it's difficult to shoot another low one after a round like that, so I was just trying to downplay it. I just tried to stay calm and (said), `Whatever happens today, happens.'"

What happened is Pettersson played a stretch of eight holes starting on the eighth in 6 under to take the lead as Wilson played them in 2 over. On that same stretch of eight holes on Saturday, Pettersson was 8 under on his way to a 60 that catapulted him into contention.

Pettersson, a former North Carolina State player, earned $918,000 for his first victory since the 2008 Wyndham Championship. He also won the 2005 Chrysler Championship and 2006 Memorial.

Wilson, who closed with a 72 after three consecutive 65s, turned in his second career runner-up PGA Tour performance. His first came in 2006, at the Valero Texas Open, the same year he won his lone PGA Tour title, The International, outside Denver.

"If you would have told me before the week that I could be second alone, I would have been tickled," Wilson said. "Being in the position that I was, I'm a little disappointed. But still, lots of positives."

* * * * *

Didn't watch much of the Evian Masters but it would have been fun to see Morgan Pressel (70) or 15-year-old Alexis Thompson (67) win. The way it worked out they had to share second place with Na Yeon Choi (66).

The winner by a shot was Jiyai Shin, who after finishing third four times and fifth three times this year scored her first victory by birdieing the par-5 18th hole and closing with a 67.

Pressel, the third-round leader, eagled the par-4 fifth hole, but let her advantage slip away by going 1 over on the back nine. Even so, it is good to see another American making strides on a big stage, following the recent examples of Paula Creamer and Cristie Kerr.

Pressel's improved play would seem to a by-product of her increased length off the tee. While still among the LPGA's top 10 most accurate drivers, she has jumped from 154th in driving distance in 2008 to 96th this season by adding about 13 yards to her drives.

Pressel credits most of the improvement to her swing coach, Adam Schriber. It just so happens that Schriber is also the swing coach of Anthony Kim.

In just her third professional start, Thompson was looking to become the youngest player to win an LPGA event. The teenager from Coral Springs, Fla., missed the cut in her professional debut at the ShopRite LPGA Classic and finished tied for 10th at the U.S. Women's Open two weeks ago. Thompson will next see action on the LPGA as a sponsor's invite at the CN Canadian Women's Open.

Thompson’s chances seemed to end when she bogeyed the 16th hole to drop to 11 under, but she made back-to-back birdies and was the clubhouse leader at 13 under before Shin sank her birdie on the final hole to move to 14 under.

Information from PGATOUR.com, GolfObserver.com, GolfChannel.com and the Associated Press contributed to this post.

It's a great time to be an avid golfer

2010-07-25T12:54:00.001-04:00

Bagging a bargain greens fee has never been easier in central Ohio thanks to Golfnow.com. If you are eager to chase the pea this week now that the recent heat wave has subsided slightly, you owe it to yourself to check out Golfnow.com.

As of noon today, here are some of the bargains that were available:

Monday (July 26)
1 player only -- Cumberland Trail at 11:50: $13.35 (66% savings)
2 to 4 players -- Eaglesticks at 12:19: $18.24 (60% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Apple Valley at 2:16: $14.46 (60% savings)

Tuesday (July 27)
2 to 4 players -- Glenross at 12:20: $16.88 (57% savings)
1 to 4 players -- Westchester at 12:30: $13.40 (65% savings)
1 to 4 players -- New Albany Links at 2:20: $14.00 (64% savings)

Wednesday (July 28)
1 to 4 players -- Westchester at 12:30: $15.55 (59% savings)
1 to 4 players -- New Albany Links at 2:20: $14.00 (64% savings)

Thursday (July 29)
1 to 4 players -- New Albany Links at 2:10: $14.00 (64% savings)

Friday (July 30)
1 to 4 players -- Cumberland Trail at 11:50: $17.19 (56% savings)

Oldgolfdawg doesn't know if these bargains are a reflection of the overall economy or just the golf industry in particular. But either way, I doubt if the pricing ever gets much better than this. Hit 'em straight!

Weir nursing injury entering Canadian Open

2010-07-22T00:05:00.062-04:00

Mike Weir will attempt to become the first Canadian to win his country's national championship since 1954 today when the Canadian Open returns to Royal George's Golf and Country Club for the first time in 42 years.

Weir, who will be making his 20th bid to end the dry spell, came close to winning the event in 2004 before losing in a playoff to Vijay Singh. Weir has been struggling of late, however, with tendonitis in his forearm and might have a tough time being the best of 13 Canadians in the field. Last year Australian Nathan Green beat South Africa's Retief Goosen on the second hole of a playoff.

The last Canadian winner of the Canadian Open was Pat Fletcher, who won at age 38 to break a 40-year dry spell for his country. Green became the sixth international player to win the event since 1980 when he won last year at Glen Abbey Golf Club.

Royal George's Golf and Country Club, which affords some great views of the Toronto skyline, is considered one of the great old courses in Canada. It is an old-fashioned layout featuring mature trees lining sloping fairways and is made more difficult by the strategic placement of 103 bunkers. Its contoured greens are undulating and demand precise iron shots.

Top names in the field include Tim Clark, Paul Casey, Luke Donald, Matt Kuchar, Camilo Villegas, Goosen, Bill Haas, Sean O'Hair and Ricky Barnes. Because the course will be a new test for everyone in the field, it wouldn't be surprising to see a relatively unknown player emerge from the pack and win. Such a scenario would fit into the recurring theme of first-time winners this summer on the PGA Tour started by Justin Rose at the Memorial and followed by Graeme McDowell in the U.S. Open and Bubba Watson at the Travelers.

Bob Charles defeated Jack Nicklaus by two shots the last time the Canadian Open was played at Royal George's in 1968. That should offer Weir more hope in as much as he and Charles are left-handers. Interestingly, Nicklaus' loss to Charles was the first of a record seven runner-up finishes in one of the only tournaments the Golden Bear never won.

The tournament can be seen on ESPN2 (today: 12-2 p.m.; Friday: 12-2 p.m.; Saturday: 2-3:30 p.m.; Sunday: 1-3 p.m.), Golf Channel (today: 12:30-2:30 p.m., 3-6 p.m., 8:30-11:30 p.m.; Friday: 2-4 a.m., 12:30-2:30 p.m., 3-6 p.m., 8:30-11:30 p.m.; Saturday: 2-4 a.m., 6:30-9:30 p.m.; Sunday: 2-4 a.m., 7-9:30 p.m.) and CBS (Saturday: 3-6 p.m.; Sunday: 3-6 p.m.)

* * * * *

For those who didn't get enough of true links golf watching Louis Oosthuizen's stunning seven-shot victory in the British Open last week at St. Andrews, there's this week's Senior Open Championship in Carnoustie, Scotland, on one of the toughest courses in the world.

Five-time British Open champion Tom Watson will be a sentimental favorite to win at Carnoustie, where he won on the Championship Course in 1975 to claim the Claret Jug for the first time.

Watson, 60, has already won the Senior Open title three times, with two of those victories coming at the Turnberry and Muirfield courses where he also won the more famous version of the event. He is still more than capable of playing magical golf, as he showed by finishing second at the 2009 Open.

Joining Watson in an all-star field are former European Ryder Cup players Bernhard Langer, Sam Torrance and Ian Woosnam. American Corey Pavin will become the first presiding Ryder Cup captain to play in the tournament, while former U.S. Ryder Cup captain Tom Lehman is also competing along with defending champion Loren Roberts.

Lehman, who captured the Claret Jug in 1996, is one of five former Open Champions playing at Carnoustie, along with Watson, Sandy Lyle, Nick Faldo, and Mark Calcavecchia.

The tournament can be seen on ESPN (today: 12-2 p.m.; Friday: 12-2 p.m.; Saturday: 2-3:30 p.m.; Sunday: 1-3 p.m.

* * * * *

The LPGA and the Ladies European Tour returns this week to picturesque Evian-Les-Bains, France, and the shores of Lake Geneva as 111 tee it up for one of the richest purses of the season at the Evian Masters.

No. 1-ranked Ai Miyazato headlines a strong field as she attempts to defend a title she won last year in a one-hole playoff against Sophie Gustafson. Also in the field are No. 2-ranked Cristie Kerr and Paula Creamer.

Creamer, playing through admitted pain from a lingering thumb injury, gave the LPGA a big boost with her four-shot victory in the U.S. Women's Open two weeks ago at Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pa. Her first major championship was her ninth LPGA Tour victory. The Evian Masters is the site of Creamer's second LPGA victory in 2005, when she cleared the field by eight shots. Last year she shot a final-round 70 to finish in a tie for fifth.

The tournament can be seen on the Golf Channel (today: 6:30-8:30 p.m.; Friday: 6:30-8:30 p.m.; Saturday: 1-4 p.m.; Sunday: 1-4 p.m.).

Information from GolfObserver.com, ESPN.com, PGATOUR.com and LPGA.com contributed to this post.

Oosthuizen victory doesn't change everything

2010-07-20T00:01:00.005-04:00

Other than Louis Oosthuizen's rise from 54th to 15th in the Official World Golf Ranking, golf's landscape hasn't change much in the wake of his impressive seven-shot victory in the 139th British Open.

Early indications pointing toward a big European victory when the Ryder Cup matches are held in October at Celtic Manor in Wales were fortified by how well the Europeans performed at St. Andrews. With the exception of Padraig Harrington, who missed the cut, it seemed as if every European Ryder regular was in contention, in addition to a few promising newcomers.

Lee Westwood took second, seven strokes back. Rory McIlroy, 21, who has never played in a Ryder Cup, shot 68 Sunday to finish tied for third at 8 under along with Paul Casey and Henrik Stenson. Martin Kaymer, who will likely make the Euro team as a rookie, bogeyed his last three holes to tie for seventh place at 6 under.

Meanwhile, the best American performances were turned in by Sean O'Hair and Nick Watney at 6 under, followed by Jeff Overton at 5 under. Rickie Fowler, J.B. Holmes, Dustin Johnson and 51-year-old Tom Lehman finished at 4 under. At this point in time, it doesn't look like the Americans, led by captain Corey Pavin, stand much of a chance of keeping the Ryder Cup they earned at Valhalla in 2008. They appear to be outclassed and outnumbered.

Another constant on the landscape after Oosthuizen's victory is the ongoing search for Tiger Woods. Despite maintaining his hold on golf's No. 1 ranking, Woods is still playing like a shadow of his former self. On his way to tieing for 23rd, Woods looked very average.

His decision to stray from his putter of 11 years didn't work out and he blamed his putting for his inability to build any momentum. You would think a guy who reportedly is going to pay around $750 million as a consequence of cheating on his wife of five years would know it doesn't pay to cheat on a putter that has served him so well.

If Woods is going to avoid getting blanked in the majors for the second consecutive season (his last major win was the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines), he'll have to regain his magic touch in four weeks at the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits. The last time Woods played the wild and windy links on the shore of Lake Michigan he tied for 24th when the PGA Championship was held there in 2004.

Woods maintains that he's not concerned about the state of his game, that it's just a matter of time before everything clicks. But Oldgolfdawg has his doubts. It almost seems as if the golf gods are going to punish Woods for his off-course indiscretions and it's beginning to look like 2010 will be a lost season for the game's once-most-dominant player.

Finally, another constant to resurface at St. Andrews is the fruitless attempts of Phil Mickelson to prove he can win a British Open. Despite determined efforts to prove otherwise, the floppy-wedge-shot artist doesn't appear the have the right kind of game to ever win a British Open, as his 43rd-place finish confirmed once again. He has one top-10 finish in the event in 17 tries.

Information from ESPN.com, PGATOUR.com and Golf.com contributed to this post.

Oosthuizen makes a major statement

2010-07-19T00:01:00.005-04:00

Thanks to the steady play of Louis Oosthuizen yesterday, the 139th British Open at St. Andrews had a finishing act as exciting as a week-old Senate hearing on C-SPAN.

ESPN analyst Paul Azinger did his best to put lipstick on a pig by marveling at its clinical nature, but Oosthuizen's seven-stroke victory at the birthplace of golf was like watching someone enjoy warm milk and cookies over the closing holes. When Oosthuizen bogeyed the eighth hole and saw his lead shrink to three shots, it opened the door just slightly for playing partner and closest pursuer Paul Casey to mount a charge.

But then Oosthuizen showed a champion's heart by driving the par-4 ninth green and rolling in a 40-foot eagle putt just when it looked like Casey had a chance to make a move. Three holes later all questions about the outcome were answered when Casey hit his drive into a gorse bush on his way to a triple bogey and Oosthuizen increased his lead to eight shots with a birdie. It was game, set, match.

The last six holes were basically a victory march for a relatively unknown son of a South African dairy farmer who enjoyed a four-shot lead after 54 holes. Though he was ranked 54th in the world entering the tournament, Oosthuizen also was a 200-to-1 long shot in most Auld Grey Toon betting parlors.

What the closing holes lacked in competitive drama was made up for in the feel-good story of a major underdog prevailing while most were expecting a collapse. Bettors afraid to bet on Oosthuizen had good reason. He had just won his first European Tour event earlier this year and had only made the cut in one of the eight previous majors he’d played. Considering his best previous finish in a major was a distant 73rd and that he had only broken 70 once in any of those venerable championships, it should be no surprise that few expected him to turn in a Tiger Woods-like runaway performance with a stress-free closing 71.

His winning margin of seven shots over Lee Westwood was second only to Woods' 2005 victory at St. Andrews and two strokes shy of the largest at the British Open in 140 years. Casey finished the back nine in 40 for a 75 and slipped into a share of third-place with Rory McIlroy and Henrik Stenson.

“He’s been unbelievable the whole week,” Zach Rasego, Oosthuizen’s caddy for the last seven years, said. “The media didn’t give him a chance at all. But he’s done it before. He won a tournament at home by 14 shots. So it’s not like the boy can not play. I understand that this is a big tournament, but people didn’t give him a chance at all.”

Oosthuizen, 27, is a product of the Ernie Els Foundation and he gave tribute to his mentor, who won the 2002 British Open, in his victory speech. Els, who missed the cut this year, was impressed by his protégé’s demeanor.

“I played a practice round with him last Sunday and, typically for him, he didn’t give himself a chance,” Els said. “He is a quiet and unassuming guy, but he has shown everyone what a great champion he is.”

With a 16-under-par total of 272, three more than Woods in 2000, Oosthuizen followed in the footsteps of countrymen Bobby Locke, Gary Player -- four and three-time British Open winners respectively -- and Els.

Oosthuizen, who rose to 15th in the Official World Golf Rankings with his victory, didn't point to himself in his victory speech, however. He instead immediately wished former South African president Nelson Mandela a happy 92nd birthday.

"It's unbelievable -- just amazing," Oosthuizen said. "It's probably going to hit me tomorrow or the week after. I felt like I played well all week and the biggest goal for me was to stay cool."

He accomplished that and more. Oldgolfdawg was struck by the effusive praise piled on Oosthuizen by the ESPN broadcast team during its telecast. Tom Watson, in particular, kept repeating how much he like Shrek's (Oosthuizen's nickname because of the gap in his teeth) swing. Azinger, Curtis Strange and Tom Weiskopf were all struck by how well Oosthuizen managed the pressure and by how well he drove the ball. For a little guy weighing all of 165 pounds, Oosterhuizen displayed amazing power and accuracy.

This British Open could turn out to be the coming out party for a new force in golf. Retief Goosen, a two-time U.S. Open winner from South Africa, is in the camp of those who believe just that, saying, "I think he'll be around for many years to come."

Information from EuropeanTour.com, ESPN.com, and PGATOUR.com contributed to this post.

Old Course promises new twist, plenty of drama

2010-07-15T00:05:00.009-04:00

It doesn't get much better than this. The 139th British Open will start today on the hallowed grounds where the game was born, St. Andrews, and the once seemingly invincible Tiger Woods will try to regain his lost groove at the site of his 2000 and 2005 triumphs.

Forecasts are calling for some nasty weather and that figures to add an extra edge to this year's tournament. It also could produce some unexpected results. Last year at Turnberry five-time British Open champion Tom Watson, at age 60, came within a playoff loss to Stewart Cink of winning the Claret Jug for the sixth time. That's a pretty tough act to follow, but considering how well Watson has played in foul weather over the years, it isn't beyond the realm of possibility.

Winning at St. Andrews is a big deal. In the 27 times that St. Andrews has acted as host to the British Open as part of the rotation, it has always produced memorable champions. Since World War II, every champion from St. Andrews has been a Hall of Famer except for Tony Lema and John Daly. The names of J.H. Taylor, James Braid, Bobby Jones, Bobby Locke, Denny Shute, Sam Snead, Peter Thomson, Kel Nagle, Jack Nicklaus, Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo and Woods are all etched on golf's most coveted trophy and to have pulled it off the Old Course, no doubt, made their victories even sweeter.

Oddly, enough, the powers to be at St. Andrews couldn't leave well enough alone this year and had to do some tinkering with what was already probably the hardest hole in golf. A controversial new tee on the famous 17th hole has a lot of the players talking and already fretting a confrontation with The Road Hole. The last time the Open was held at St. Andrews in 2005 the par-4 17th played to an average of 4.63. In 2000, it played to a 4.71. So this year the Royal & Ancient mind trust created a new tee 40 yards back of the old ones, so far back that in 2005 the area would have been out of bounds.

Now the tee shot has to be played over a hotel to a very small fairway, leading to a second shot on a 495-yard hole to a green set at a 30 degree left angle of the fairway. Players hitting into the green have to worry about a bunker that is 6 feet deep with a sodden wall. The bunker protects the middle of the green and prompts many to lay-up near the right front of the green. From 40 yards farther back this year, that may be more difficult to do, and shots hit too far to the right side of the green can roll through a paved road which as the end has a wall.

Truth be told, the Old Course, with the exception of No. 17, isn't all that difficult and the wet weather expected for the first couple of rounds might be the only thing preventing someone from going real low. Avoiding bunkers is always part of a winning formula at St. Andrews, where 112 bunkers are strategically placed and you can only see about half them while playing a shot. Woods won in 2000 without hitting into a single bunker.

A big news item entering today's first round was the fact that Woods will be using a new putter -- switching from a Scotty Cameron to a Nike -- for the first time since the 1999 Byron Nelson Classic. Will it help him snap out of his current funk and enable him to nail down his 15th major title? We'll have to watch and see what should be a memorable championship. The tournament will be televised by ESPN (today: 4-6 p.m., 7-10 p.m.; Friday: 4-6 p.m., 7-10 p.m.; Saturday: 7 a.m-2:30 p.m.; Sunday: 6 a.m.-1:30 p.m.), Golf Channel (today: 4-7 p.m.; Friday: 4-7 p.m.; Saturday: 4-7 p.m.; Sunday: 1-4 p.m., 4-7 p.m.) and ABC (Saturday: 3-6 p.m.; Sunday: 3-6 p.m.).

Information from PGATOUR.com and GolfObserver.com contributed to this post.

Rose refuses to wilt, rebounds from tough loss

2010-07-05T00:05:00.024-04:00

England's Justin Rose has gone from being an underachieving twenty-something to a force to be reckoned with on the PGA Tour in the span of a month. His one-shot victory yesterday over Ryan Moore in the AT&T National at Aronimink Golf Club outside of Philadelphia was noteworthy in several ways.

In earning his second victory on American soil in his last three starts on the PGA Tour, Rose showed he could rebound from a difficult loss. It was just one week ago that he blew a three-shot lead in the Travelers Championship on his way to a final-round 75. Yesterday he lost another big lead -- he was five shots clear heading toward the back nine -- but didn't lose the tournament when his lead dwindled to one shot. He hit every green in regulation on the back nine and closed with seven straight pars for an even-par 70, despite three-putting for bogey on Nos. 10 and 11 after having gone 274 holes on the PGA Tour without three-putting.

"I knew having not closed out last week it was important for me -- just for myself -- to do it today," Rose said. "Still, it's never easy to close these things out, I'll tell you."

Moore made sure of that by shooting a day's best 5-under-65 during which he one-putted his last eight greens. But Rose, 29, kept his cool and managed to two-putt for par on the difficult par-3 17th in the heat of the battle. He closed the deal with a par on the closing hole and put a stop to golf writers ready to pile on if he experienced another final-round collapse.

When Rose won Jack Nicklaus' Memorial tournament a month ago by coming from behind and overtaking Rickie Fowler, the U.S. Open exemption deadlines had already passed and Rose failed to qualify for Pebble Beach the next day. He said yesterday he felt as if he played a U.S. Open this week on a course that was firm, fast and demanding.

"This was my U.S. Open the way the course was set up," Rose said.

Aronimink certainly played like a U.S. Open course for defending champion Tiger Woods, who closed with a 71 and finished tied for 46th. It marked the first time he finished a regular PGA Tour event out of the top 40 since he tied for 53rd in The Players Championship five years ago. It also marked the first time he didn't finish any round under par after making the cut in a non-major tour event since 1999.

But Woods still left the course in an upbeat mood. He hit the ball off the tee better than he has all year and his irons shots for the most part were decent. But Aronimink's ridge-laced greens did a number on him. Woods took 120 putts for the tournament, a performance unbecoming of the No. 1-ranked player in the world.

"It does feel good to hit the ball as well as I did this week," Woods said. "I just need to get my putter organized a little better and really work on my putter over there," referring to St. Andrews, where the British Open will be played in two weeks.

Rose, who finished the AT&T National at 10-under 270 and earned $1.08 million, grabbed a spot in the British Open through his rapid rise up the money list. His latest victory moved him up to No. 2 in the FedEx Cup standings behind Ernie Els. Rose also likely crack the top 20 in the world ranking, probably going to No. 16.

Not bad for a golfer viewed by many to be an underachiever just a month ago.

Information from ESPN.com, PGATOUR.com and the Associated Press contributed to this post.

Clover Valley not on Oldgolfdawg's must-play list

2010-07-03T23:23:00.001-04:00

As if the fact that all the major indexes for the stock market have fallen below their 200-day moving averages wasn't enough to tell you the economy isn't in the best of shape, Oldgolfdawg can't resist adding fuel to equity holders' fears by reporting that golf owners and operators in central Ohio are going through a very rough patch, too.

I played Monday through Friday last week and, despite the stretch of excellent weather folks in central Ohio enjoyed, the courses I played were lacking for customers. If last week's great weather couldn't draw a crowd to the courses, you've got to wonder what will.

I played East Golf Club, my home course, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and felt as though the track was there for me and my playing partners alone. I played Cumberland Trail on Wednesday with Jeremy Lynch, who once again got us Golfnow.com deals that allowed us to play for $14 apiece. We teed off at 7:30 a.m. and were done a few minutes after 10:15 a.m. We had the place to ourselves. The weather couldn't have been better. Jeremy, aka Lynch Mob, noted it was San Diego weather, and he should know, having lived in San Diego for a considerable time.

Friday I finally got around to playing Clover Valley Golf Club in Johnstown, a course I had never played and had been wanting to test out for a long time. I was joined by Scott Minister, the art director of The Columbus Dispatch and a longtime friend. I used a Buy-1-Get-1-free coupon from Fairway Magazine to lower our cost to $17 apiece. The weather was perfect and for the first time all week the parking lot showed signs of life, perhaps because it was the start of the Fourth of July weekend.

Even so, I fear the combination of an over supply of good golf courses and a dwindling supply of golfers is going to continue to make things difficult for owners and operators while the economy struggles to shift into a higher gear. The senior deal being offered by East Golf Club for duffers 55 and older is a steal. Seniors can play the best public golf course within convenient driving distance of Columbus for $29 if they play before 11 a.m. Otherwise, check out Golfnow.com for better deals. They are out there because the courses are hurting for business.

Sadly, at a time when all golf courses could use a boost, I have to report I wasn't blown away by my Clover Vally Golf Club experience. The staff was pleasant, the clubhouse was attractive, the course was in relatively good shape (greens, traps were well maintained) and the layout was interesting with a variety of challenges. But I didn't have fun. The fact that the course spanked me like a misbehaving red-haired stepchild might explain my feelings. But I think it goes deeper than that.

Here's a list of things I didn't like: 1) The roller-coaster greens with severe slopes and undulation promoted three- and four-jack putting not scoring -- many greens should have had windmills or clowns mouths, especially the ninth green, which I think is the most-poorly designed green in central Ohio. Minister suggested it needed the Benny Hill television show sound track and I had to agree; 2) the course played rock-hard firm from tee to green and we've had a lot of rain lately; 3) too many shots had to be hit to mystery locations and oftentimes the greens didn't present themselves to the mind's eye for visualization; 4) the overall ambiance of the course didn't inspire.

Please take these criticisms with a grain of salt. If I had broken 80 on the course, I would have probably been singing its praises and wouldn't be so negative. But that chance went out the window when I double-bogeyed the first three holes of the back nine. At that point, my panties were in such a bunch that almost nothing could console me. I began thinking the course might be better used as a gravel pit for a cement company. And that's definitely over the top.

The course promotes itself on its website as being "Voted Top 100 must-play Ohio courses by GolfStyles magazine." http://www.clovervalleygolfclub.com/

I suggest you check it out for yourself at least once. In an effort to be fair, I'm throwing it 2 1/2 dog biscuits on my latest best-places-to-be-play-in-central-Ohio list:

5 dog biscuits: Longaberger (the alpha dog)
4 1/2 dog biscuits: Cooks Creek, East Golf Club
4 dog biscuits: Cumberland Trail, EagleSticks, Deer Ridge, Golf Club of Dublin, The Players Club at Foxfire
3 1/2 dog biscuits: *Apple Valley, Bent Tree, Blacklick Woods, Chapel Hill, Champions, Granville, Indian Springs, New Albany Links, The Links at Echo Springs, Royal American Links
3 dog biscuits: Darby Creek, Glenross, Mill Creek, Turnberry, Westchester
2 1/2 dog biscuits: Blackhawk, Clover Valley Golf Club, Crystal Springs Golf Club, Mentel Memorial, National Golf Links, *Licking Springs, Raymond Memorial, Safari Golf Club, *St. Albans, *Table Rock
2 dog biscuits: *Airport, *Oakhaven, *Bridgeview, Marysville Golf Club, *Minerva Lake
1 1/2 dog biscuits: *Wilson Road, *Big Walnut (executive courses)
1 dog biscuit: Let's not go there
* Indicates Oldgolfdawg has not played the course in more than five years and needs feedback from others to adjust any ranking.

AT&T National has lost some of its sizzle

2010-07-01T00:02:00.007-04:00

Just three of the top 20 players in the world rankings will tee it up today for the start of the AT&T National at Aronimink Golf Club outside of Philadelphia. Much like Tiger Woods, its former host and current defending champion, the tournament has suffered a fall from grace since it replaced the International on the 2007 PGA Tour schedule.

In the beginning, the event attracted stellar fields. But this year it is not nearly as strong as some other events, such as the Memorial or Quail Hollow Championship, partly because the European Tour returns to the continent and players are gearing up for the British Open. The Alstom Open de France, meanwhile, boasts top-10 players Lee Westwood, Luke Donald, Ian Poulter and Rory McIlroy, as well as Martin Kaymer and Geoff Ogilvy.

Even so, the AT&T National has attracted Jim Furyk, Dustin Johnson, Vijay Singh, Davis Love III, Lucas Glover, Y.E. Yang, Robert Allenby and Sean O'Hair. While he no longer is the host, Woods still took part in the opening ceremonies, which featured Bon Jovi. He says he is still working hard "behind the scenes," as proceeds benefit the Tiger Woods Foundation.

Aronimink, which will act as host course for the AT&T National for two years while Congressional Country Club is updated to host the 2011 U.S. Open, is relatively unknown by all except O'Hair, who is a member of the club. The course, originally designed by Donald Ross, last played host to a PGA Tour event when Gary Player won the 1962 PGA, which might also help explain this week's weak field.

The tournament falls between two of the biggest events on his golfing calendar -- the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach and the British Open at St. Andrews -- and much attention will fall on Woods, partly because St. Andrews is one of his favorite courses and partly because he tied for fourth at the U.S. Open with a spotty performance. He matched a tournament-low 66 in the third round to get into contention, only to close with a 75.

That performance left the golf world still wondering when he is going to regain his past winning form. The circumstances have obviously changed since he took a five-month hiatus from competition to cope with the fallout of extramarital affairs. But this is the longest stretch Woods has gone without winning at the start of a season since 2002.

Even so, his effort at Pebble Beach was his best since he tied for fourth at the Masters.

"Things are starting to come around, which is nice to see," Woods said. "It's just a matter of getting more and more consistent with what I'm working on and putting together better rounds."

Aronimink could play difficult for Woods and the rest of the field. It is a course with sharp changes in elevation and bends in the fairways, relatively large greens and minimal water. It is not a classic Ross course from redesigns over the years, yet it has a storied history.

Woods won last year at Congressional with a 13-under 267, outlasting Anthony Kim in the final group and holding off a late charge from Hunter Mahan. Neither of them are here this week, as Kim recovers from thumb surgery and Mahan withdrew.

Woods has played only 17 rounds on the PGA Tour this year and has only two top 10s. He has posted consecutive rounds in the 60s only once this year, at the Memorial, where he was never a factor.

The AT&T National will be televised by the Golf Channel (today: 3-6 p.m.; Friday: 3-6 p.m.) and by CBS (Saturday: 3-6 p.m.; Sunday: 3-6:30 p.m.).

Information from Golf.com, GolfObserver.com and PGATOUR.com contributed to this post.

Kerr's major achievement a TV casualty

2010-06-28T00:12:00.017-04:00

Cristie Kerr's 12-stroke victory in the LPGA Championship yesterday should have been a major victory for her tour, but it wasn't. Unable to land a television deal for the tournament with one of the major networks, the LPGA Tour blew a major opportunity to promote its product to a larger American audience at a time when it finally had something to brag about.

Oldgolfdawg suspects many TV viewers watching the LPGA Championship on the Golf Channel switched to CBS' coverage of the PGA Tour's Travelers Championship when it became apparent that Kerr was going to keep pulling away from the field. Sadly for the LPGA Tour, the opportunity to watch the most dominate victory in golf since Tiger Woods' 15-shot victory in the 2000 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach couldn't compete with the demolition derby going on in the Travelers Championship.

Normally the excuse for not watching LPGA Tour events is that no Americans are in the hunt. That wasn't the case yesterday. With a closing round of 6-under-par 66, Kerr finished at 19-under 269 after leading all four rounds. Her dominating performance gave her a second major title and left her in position to become the first American woman ranked No. 1 since the current ranking system was introduced in 2006. But that still didn't stop Oldgolfdawg from switching channels and watching the final twosome of Justin Rose and Ben Curtis implode in the final round to open the door for a three-way playoff between Corey Pavin, Scott Verplank and Bubba Watson in the Travelers.

It seems like the LPGA Tour just can't catch a break, even when an American grabs the spotlight. By winning the $337,500 purse at the $2.25 million tournament, Kerr was projected by the LPGA to overtake Japan's Ai Miyazato when the world rankings are released today. Kerr is the first American to win the LPGA Championship since Juli Inkster in 2000. Americans have won only four of the past 14 majors, with Kerr winning two of them. Americans also have won only six of the past 34 LPGA Tour events, with Kerr winning three times.

Kerr's margin of victory beat the previous LPGA Championship record by one stroke set by Betsy King in 1992. Among all LPGA majors, the 12-stroke advantage is tied for second on the list with Babe Zaharias' victory at the 1954 U.S. Open. Louise Suggs holds the record with a 14-stroke victory at the 1949 U.S. Women's Open.

The best thing that could happen to the LPGA Tour now would be for Kerr to follow up her dominating victory up with a win in the U.S. Women's Open at Oakmont Country Club in two weeks when it will be televised by ESPN and NBC. A victory at Oakmont by Kerr would solidify her grip on the No. 1 ranking and draw attention to a tour that has been going through a changing of the guard. In April, Lorena Ochoa followed Annika Sorenstam into retirement, leaving a vacuum at the top. Today, Kerr will become the third player at No. 1 in the past three weeks. Miyazato supplanted Jiyai Shin last week by winning the ShopRite LPGA Classic, her fourth victory of the year.

Kerr, 32, has been the most consistent American player for several years, staying in the top 10 for the past 323 weeks and making 74 consecutive cuts dating to May 2007. After finishing second on the money list in 2009, she accelerated her off-season conditioning routine with an eye toward a run at the top ranking.

She came into the LPGA Championship as the only American player with a victory on the tour in 2010, her 13th LPGA title coming earlier in the month at the State Farm Classic. And yet, for all her consistency, Kerr was seldom the first American mentioned in the conversation about the No. 1 spot. That burden usually fell on Michelle Wie, who finished in a tie for 19th yesterday.

* * * * *

Watson, a four-time runner-up, secured his first PGA Tour victory with a par on the second playoff hole at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn., after Pavin was eliminated on the first playoff hole and Verplank bogeyed the second. Watson, who trailed by six shots entering the final round, had a tough time hiding his emotions after his hard-fought victory.

After he watched his 3-footer for par roll into the cup on the second playoff hole, Watson removed his visor, hugged his wife, Angie, who had quickly joined him on the green, and began to cry.

"I just want to thank my mom and dad," Watson said, his voice breaking, during an television interview moments after his victory. "Without them, I'm nothing. My dad is battling cancer right now. Dad, I'm praying for you. I love you."

He then turned and walked away from CBS announcer David Feherty. The moment possessed such honest emotion that it rendered normally wisecracking Feherty momentarily speechless. After a brief pause, Feherty responded, "The rest of us will, too. Congratulations on your first win."

A victory by Watson seemed unlikely at the start of the day when Rose, coming off a victory in the Memorial three weeks ago, carried a three-shot lead into the final 18 holes. But Rose fell apart, shooting a 5-over 75. Curtis, the Ostrander native who bogeyed just two holes in the tournament coming into yesterday, hit his tee-shot on 12 out of bounds to the left, and made double bogey from there. Both he and Rose bogeyed 16 to drop out of contention. Curtis finished with a 73 and in a tie for 13th after missing two short birdie putts early in the final round that would have given him a tie for the lead.

Information from GolfObserver.com, LPGA.com, Golf.com and the Associated Press contributed to this post.

Miyazato starts LPGA Championship from top spot

2010-06-24T00:30:00.023-04:00

Ai Miyazato of Japan will be putting her new No. 1 ranking on the line and shooting for her first major title today when the LPGA Championship gets underway at Locust Hill Country Club in suburban Rochester, N.Y.

The LPGA Tour's second major of the year will have 15 of the top 15 players in the Rolex Ratings in the field, but you can bet that tournament organizers are hoping an American player such as Cristie Kerr, Michelle Wie or Paula Creamer can mount a challenge and boost television ratings.

Taiwan's Yani Tseng won this year's first major, the Kraft-Nabisco. Miyazato became Japan's first world No. 1-ranked golfer after winning last week's ShopRite Classic in Galloway, N.J., for her fourth victory in nine events this season.

Jiyai Shin, the former No. 1-ranked player, returns to action after an emergency appendectomy two weeks ago. A field of 150 players will vie for a $2.25 million purse on a course that has held regular LPGA events since 1977 but has been lengthened and toughened for this week's major. Shin last year won the Wegmans LPGA at Locust Hill so along with defending LPGA Championship winner Anna Nordqvist it's like two players will be defending their title. Nordqvist won the LPGA Championship last year when it was held at Bulle Rock.

The tournament is being televised by the Golf Channel (today: 12:30-2:30 p.m.; Friday: 12:30-2:30 p.m.; Saturday: 4-7 p.m.; Sunday: 4-7 p.m.).

* * * * *

PGA Tour fans who missed seeing birdies by the bunches at last week's U.S. Open at Pebble Beach will be able to feast on such offerings today when the Travelers Championship gets underway at the TPC River Highlands in Hartford, Conn.

Defending champion Kenny Perry, who shot a 63 in the final round last year for a 22-under 258 total, is back as 11 of the top 30 from the money list are in the field. Perry's 63 was good enough to forge a three-shot victory over David Toms and Paul Goydos.

TPC River Highlands is a par-70 course that measures 6,841 yards and has a course rating of 72.7 and a slope rating of 131. The most famous portion of the course, a three-hole stretch from No. 15 to No. 17, incorporates a 4-acre lake that has been nicknamed the "Golden Triangle." Those three holes, along with the 18th, make up one of the top finishing stretches on the PGA Tour.

The tournament will be televised by the Golf Channel (today: 3-6 p.m., 8:30-11:30 p.m.; Friday: 3-6 p.m., 8:30-11:30 p.m.; Saturday: 1-4 p.m.; Sunday: 1-4 p.m.) and CBS (Saturday: 3-6 p.m.; Sunday: 3-6 p.m.).

Information from Reuters.com, GolfObserver.com, and PGATOUR.com contributed to this post.

Drama critics' indifference unfair to McDowell

2010-06-23T18:55:00.000-04:00

Caught some grief from a few Chase The Pea followers for giving last weekend's U.S. Open 4 1/2 dog biscuits on my 1-to-5 entertainment scale. It would seem the majority of golf writers who follow the PGA Tour on a regular basis are in agreement with those critics. See my latest Suggested reading entry "How will McDowell's victory be remembered" for more context on the matter.

While it's true that Graeme McDowell's one-shot victory at Pebble Beach will not go down as one of the greatest in U.S. Open history, I still found it very interesting to watch. Maybe it was the hangover effect of Robert Garrigus' train wreck in the St. Jude Classic the week before, but I kept expecting McDowell to wilt under the pressure and he didn't. Watching 54-hole leader Dustin Johnson slide off the tracks early in his round en route to an ugly 82 was a quick reminder of how a land mine could go off at any time before McDowell made his way back to the clubhouse.

But the gutsy 30-year-old golfer from Northern Ireland, with five European tour victories to his credit, kept his head on straight while others around him didn't. And the fact that he had marquee names such as Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els nipping at his heels made his ability to grind out a victory all the more impressive.

I think the reason some were turned off by McDowell's victory is we've been spoiled by dramatic finishes in U.S. Opens at Pebble Beach. Jack Nicklaus' epic 1-iron that struck the flag stick on No. 17 in the final round of his victory in 1972 stands as one of golf's greatest shots. And Tom Watson's chip-in from the rough on No. 17 in the final round that propelled him to a victory over Nicklaus in 1982 stands right with it. You could even add to that list Tom Kite's memorable chip-in on No. 7 that propelled him to victory in 1992.

It's true that oftentimes there's a turning point during the final round of a major that decides the championship. This year's Masters had just such a moment when Mickelson hit a bold 6-iron shot from the pine straw between two trees on No. 13 on his way to a three-shot victory over Lee Westwood. But to dismiss McDowell's victory as boring makes light of how well he handled a very difficult situation. The lasting image I'll carry from the tournament will be the way McDowell turned his eyes to the heavens in relief and celebration on the 18th green after his richly deserved victory.

While others say the tournament will be remembered for the great story lines that Woods, Mickelson and Els let get away from them for not winning, I'll remember how a relatively unheralded golfer bagged one of golf's biggest prizes on its most scenic stage against the game's best by being the only player to finish 72 holes at even par. That's no small task when the course is set up by the U.S.G.A., which no doubt is patting itself on its back for keeping the rest of the field in black numbers. I guess it just comes down to the fact that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

* * * * *

Played Cumberland Trail today with friend and former Dispatch colleague Jeremy Lynch. The Lynch Mob, as Jeremy is known in many circles, went on Golfnow.com and got two greens fees for $14 a piece. It's hard to beat a price like that for a course as good as Cumberland Trail. I'm listing Golfnow.com as one of my favorite links for future reference. Some real bargains can be had on that website and I highly encourage anyone to check it out for bargain rates.

The course, which I played on a regular basis for two years, was in good shape. The greens, probably the best of any public course in the Columbus area, were smooth and fast. The only thing I didn't like about the course was the condition of the sand traps, which is a misnomer of sorts because there was little sand in them. They played more like dirt traps. They were playable just the same, but it's too bad a course that good can't go the extra mile to make the traps better.

For that reason, I'm going to stick with my current rating of 4 dog biscuits on the course. Here's my latest best-places-to-play-in-central-Ohio list:

5 dog biscuits: Longaberger (the alpha dog)
4 1/2 dog biscuits: Cooks Creek, East Golf Club
4 dog biscuits: Cumberland Trail, EagleSticks, Deer Ridge, Golf Club of Dublin, The Players Club at Foxfire
3 1/2 dog biscuits: *Apple Valley, Bent Tree, Blacklick Woods, Chapel Hill, Champions, Granville, Indian Springs, New Albany Links, The Links at Echo Springs, Royal American Links
3 dog biscuits: Darby Creek, Glenross, Mill Creek, Turnberry, Westchester
2 1/2 dog biscuits: Blackhawk, Crystal Springs Golf Club, Mentel Memorial, National Golf Links, *Licking Springs, Raymond Memorial, Safari Golf Club, *St. Albans, *Table Rock
2 dog biscuits: *Airport, *Oakhaven, *Bridgeview, Marysville Golf Club, *Minerva Lake
1 1/2 dog biscuits: Wilson Road, *Big Walnut (executive courses)
1 dog biscuit: Let's not go there
* Indicates Oldgolfdawg has not played the course in more than five years and needs feedback from others to adjust any ranking.

McDowell ends Europe's 40-year drought

2010-06-21T00:40:00.052-04:00

Pebble Beach Golf Links and the pressure of a major championship prevailed over some of golf's biggest names in the final round of the 110th U.S. Open yesterday, but that dangerous combination didn't keep Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland from being the last man standing at par 284 and ending a 40-year dry spell.

His closing 3-over-par 74 was good enough to make him the first European to winner of the event since Tony Jacklin in 1970. McDowell took advantage of an unexpected collapse by 54-hole leader Dustin Johnson, and then did just enough to hang on for a one-shot victory over unheralded Frenchman Gregory Havret.

Ernie Els, Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods had chances to challenge McDowell but were unable to close the gap. Johnson triple bogeyed the second hole and double bogeyed the third on his way to an ugly 82 while playing in the final group with McDowell.

Havret, who shot a closing 72 while the marquee names faltered, made the strongest challenge and had a chance to force a playoff before he missed an 8-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole. Els, who finished alone in third at 286, played the first eight holes 3 under before going 5 over on the last 10 on his way to a 73. Mickelson, struggling with his putter, fell back after a good start with a 73 and tied for fourth with Woods, who stumbled out of the gate and never really recovered on his way to a 75.

Oldgolfdawg returned from a three-day golf junket with friends in time to take in the entire final round and would throw the NBC's broadcast of the drama 4 1/2 dog biscuits from an entertainment of scale of 1 to 5. If anyone would have told you before the round that McDowell would have to stave off a challenge from Havret, the 391st-ranked golfer in the world, you would have thought they were crazy. Watching all of the great story lines of the marquee players get shipwrecked on a beautiful canvas made things interesting, especially watching them negotiate Nos. 8 through 10 and the ridiculously difficult No. 14. It also was neat to see McDowell's father take part in the post-victory celebration on Father's Day.

The fact that an American didn't win the event shouldn't come as a surprise. McDowell is the fifth non-American to win it in the last seven seasons, joining Angel Cabrera in 2007, Geoff Ogilvy in 2006, Michael Campbell in 2005 and Retief Goosen in 2004.

Most experts expected the event to continue its lineage of great champions at Pebble Beach: Jack Nicklaus in '72, Tom Watson in '82, Tom Kite in '92 and Woods in 2000. After all, McDowell only made one birdie -- an 8-foot putt on the fifth hole -- and his final round was the highest score by a U.S. Open champion since Andy North in 1985. But it didn't matter.

"I can't believe I'm standing with this right now," McDowell said, posing with silver trophy. "It's a dream come true. I've been dreaming it all my life. Two putts to win the U.S. Open. Can't believe it happened."

It's likely that Johnson, who held a three-shot lead over McDowell at the start of the day's play, is also in a state of disbelief. It was hard to watch him self-destruct early in his round and to miss a 2-foot birdie putt on the final hole. His 82 as the highest closing round by a 54-hole leader in the U.S. Open since Fred McLeod shot 83 in 1911. Ouch!

McDowell, 30, got into the U.S. Open by narrowly getting into the top 50 in the world at the deadline. He wound up with his first victory in America to go along with five European Tour victories, most recently the Wales Open last month at the home course for this year's Ryder Cup in October. He is almost sure to be part of the European team now, moving up to No. 13 in the world.

Information from ESPN.com, PGATour.com and GolfObserver.com contributed to this post.

U.S. Open at Pebble spurs great expectations

2010-06-17T00:01:00.005-04:00

All the ingredients needed for a memorable U.S. Open will begin being added to the mix today at Pebble Beach Golf Links when golf's most demanding championship gets underway on one of the world's most scenic courses.

The cake this mixture produces will be tasty, with its numerous interesting story lines unfolding on a majestic canvas. Masters champion Phil Mickelson has a chance to extend his majors win streak to two and would overtake Tiger Woods as the world's top-ranked player if he can pull it off. Woods returns to the site of his 15-shot victory in the 2000 U.S. Open, considered by many as the greatest in the history of the game. And Englishman Lee Westwood, fresh from a playoff victory in Memphis, will lead the charge of Europeans, who are hoping to end a 40-yard dry spell in the event that dates to Tony Jacklin's victory at Hazeltine.

Mickelson's story is interesting because he's so close to overtaking Woods and earning the world's No. 1 ranking for the first time in his career. The fact that he also holds the record for most second-place finishes in the U.S. Open with five leads many to expect a breakthrough. No one questions Mickelson's skills. His game has everything needed to win this week, but there's still that lingering question of whether he'll find another way to shoot himself in the foot if he's in a position to win, as he did at Winged Foot in 2006.

Fans and detractors will be watching Woods to see if he can resurrect his tarnished career and take a step closer to Jack Nicklaus' 18 major championships record. Ten years ago, Woods arrived at Pebble having won 12 times in the previous nine months. This year, because of revelations about his marital infidelities and a self-imposed hiatus to deal with the fallout, he has finished only 13 rounds in the previous seven months. Though he did manage to finish tied for the fourth at the Masters, his game did not appear to be sharp at the Memorial two weeks ago when he finished tied for 19th. Only time will tell if he was able to home school his game back into winning form in the short time since.

Westwood, coming off his first victory on the PGA Tour since 1998, has finished in the top three of the last three majors and finished third in the 2008 U.S. Open. He comes into this tournament with confidence and momentum on his side. He also believes that Pebble Beach is perfectly suited for his game.

"I was fifth the last time the U.S. Open was played at Pebble, in 2000. I left a few shots out there in 2000 with some bad decision-making, so I know I can play the course. And my course management is far better these days," he told his official Web site. "I love the way the USGA sets up their courses to test your accuracy and your long game. The rough is pretty severe again and that should work in my favor. I like the course, the set-up -- and I like the way I'm playing."

Pebble Beach is not a long course at 7,040 yards, but it will play much more difficult than it did in February when Dustin Johnson won the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am at 16 under. During the winter playing of the AT&T, the air is heavy, the ground is wet and balls hold, even when hit from the rough. That won't be the case this week in drier conditions.

This will also be the first U.S. Open to be played with smaller-volume, less-spinning iron grooves since U-shaped grooves have been outlawed, and players will find the greens hard to hold. At 3,500 square feet in average size, the Poa annua greens at Pebble are among the smallest in championship golf.

Fairway widths on average will run about 26-28 yards. But on the coastal holes (Nos. 4 and 8-10, all par 4s, and Nos. 6 and 18, both par 5s), the fairway cut has been pushed out to the shoreline, so golf balls won’t be as cushioned by protective rough and are more likely to find disaster.

The last four U.S. Open winners at Pebble Beach -- Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Tom Kite and Woods -- are marquee names, and Oldgolfdawg would be surprised if a lesser light came along and forged an unexpected victory. My dark-horse pick is Zach Johnson. But if I were placing a bet, it would be on Mickelson.

ESPN (today: 1-3 p.m., 5-10 p.m; Friday: 1-3 p.m., 5-10 p.m.) and NBC (today: 3-5 p.m.; Friday: 3-5 p.m.; Saturday: 4:30-11 p.m.; and Sunday: 3-9 p.m.) will be televising the action.

Information from Golf.com, ESPN.com and PGATOUR.com contributed to this post.

Mickelson worried about runaway greens

2010-06-16T00:56:00.032-04:00

Phil Mickelson seemed more concerned about the condition of the greens at Pebble Beach Golf Links than his chances of overtaking Tiger Woods in the world golf rankings at a pre-tournament news conference yesterday.

On the eve of his 40th birthday, Mickelson said the course is "the best U.S. Open setup I've seen," but suggested that without rain or a little more watering the small and firm greens could easily become unplayable. That is something Mickelson, who has finished second five times in the U.S. Open over the last 11 years, hopes the United States Golf Association can avoid. He doesn't want to see a repeat of the farce that took place in the 2004 U.S. Open at Shinnecock where players could not stop the ball on the seventh green.

"I'm certainly concerned we could have 14 potential seventh holes at Shinnecock if we're not careful," Mickelson said.

It's not hard to understand Mickelson's concern. One of his record five second-place finishes in the event came at Shinnecock in 2004. The others came in 1999 at Pinehurst, 2002 at Bethpage Black, 2006 at Winged Foot and 2009 at Bethpage Black.

Whether USGA officials listen to Mickelson or not, there already is potential for problems on the par-5 14th, especially with the front left hole location. That’s where Paul Goydos lost a one-shot lead in the final round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February with a quadruple-bogey 9, when his wedge went down the slope to the left. His first chip came back at his feet. The next one rolled down the slope on the front of the green.

* * * * *

Mickelson can reach No. 1 for the first time in his career by winning at Pebble Beach. But there are more scenarios in Mickelson's favor, according to the Associated Press:

He would go to No. 1 by finishing runner-up as long as Woods finishes out of the top four. Mickelson could finish third at the U.S. Open and go to No. 1 if Woods were to finish out of the top 18.

If Woods misses the cut, Mickelson would need no worse than a two-way tie for third.

Woods has been No. 1 for the last five years.

* * * * *

Golf.com reports that people don't always agree with "the experts" when it comes time to place bets:

Las Vegas sportsbooks have Woods as a 4-1 favorite to win this week's tournament, followed closely by Mickelson at 5-1. Lee Westwood is the third choice at 10-1, according to Chuck Esposito, casino operations manager at the Tropicana Hotel in Las Vegas.

That means that a $1 bet on Woods will pay $4 if he wins the tournament. It sounds like short odds, but Esposito said 4 to 1 is actually a value bet for Woods at a major.

"That's not short on him," Esposito said. " At a major, he's usually even money or even laying money at 5 to 6 or 5 to 7."

Woods was a 4-to-1 favorite at this year's Masters, which was his first event following his sex scandals and ensuing five-month layoff. Woods finished tied for fourth at the Masters, and his inconsistent play since then has most golf observers calling Mickelson, not Woods, the favorite at Pebble.

Esposito said that casinos set their odds based on how they think the public will bet, which doesn't always match the so-called experts' picks.

* * * * *

Speaking to media members yesterday, Woods said that Mickelson's second-place finishes show that he knows how to play a U.S. Open venue. "This is the toughest event to win and he's been there so many times, it's just a matter of time before he wins," Woods said. "He understands how to put himself there and what it takes over the long haul to be in that position, and that's not easy to do."

Still one wonders how Mickelson will react if he reaches the 72nd hole this week in the lead. He was in that position in 2006 at Winged Foot when a meltdown off the tee of epic proportions opened the door for a Geoff Ogilvy victory. The 18th hole at Pebble Beach, guarded along the left by Stillwater Cove, could provide some real drama if a similar situation arises.

Information from Golf.com, ESPN.com, PGATOUR.com and GolfOberver.com contributed to this post.

Westwood takes advantage of ugly meltdown

2010-06-14T00:28:00.005-04:00

Walking in Memphis on a sultry summer afternoon led the PGA Tour into the Twilight Zone yesterday at the St. Jude Classic, producing the weirdest finish of the year. Englishman Lee Westwood birdied the fourth hole of a playoff to edge Swede Robert Karlsson and become the first European to win the event. But it took a series of bizarre events for it to happen.

Played in 110 heat index conditions, the final round appeared ready to produce the tour's eighth first-time winner of the season when Robert Garrigus stepped to the 18th tee with a three-shot lead. Then things turned so strange that what unfolded brought back memories of Jean Van de Velde's collapse in the 1999 British Open at Carnoustie.

Garrigus, a 32-year-old pro from Scottsdale, Ariz., came into this event 377th in the world rankings and had never led a PGA event on the final day. The inexperience showed on the 72nd hole when he experienced a horrific collapse. CBS analyst David Feherty described the gut-wrenching meltdown as watching a psychotic horse galloping into a barn on fire.

Garrigus looked and sounded like Homer Simpson after putting his tee shot into the lake lining the 18th fairway. Then he made matters worse by taking a drop and yanking his next shot into the trees left of the lake before punching out over the lake. He two-putted for triple bogey to make a three-man playoff, but it seemed as if the golf gods had already made up their minds about his fate.

Things stayed in the Twilight Zone for Garrigus when the playoff began with a replay of the 18th hole and his 338-yard tee shot with a 3-wood landed in pine straw behind a tree, leaving him no choice but to punch out back into the fairway. With Westwood and Karlsson parring the fourth-toughest hole, Garrigus needed to sink a 13-footer to save par. The putt just brushed the right edge of the cup for bogey, ending his best chance for a victory in stunning fashion. After outplaying the field for 71 holes, he was left to lick his wounds in a place Elvis wrote a song about: "Heartbreak Hotel." Ouch!

Westwood and Karlsson went par-par-bogey as the playoff neither seemed ready to win continued. Karlsson had a chance to win on the third playoff hole with a par putt from 5 1/2 feet only to miss. Strangely, he didn't seem to watch Westwood miss a similar putt that could have given him a better read, standing off in the distance more intent on cleaning debris from his spikes. Anyway, Karlsson's lost opportunity came back to haunt him when the playoff returned to No. 18 once again. Westwood stuck his approach 6 feet from the pin. Karlsson left his birdie putt from 43 feet away about a foot short.

Then Westwood, who went 17 straight holes between birdies, rolled in the 6-footer for his first PGA win since New Orleans in 1998. He dropped his putter and celebrated with a fist pump. On an entertainment scale of 1 to 5, Oldgolfdawg would throw Westwood's victory 4 dog biscuits, mostly on its weird factor. Train wrecks tend to be mesmerizing, and Garrigus' was one of ugliest ones Oldgolfdawg can remember watching since Van de Velde's debacle.

Going it alone might be best for Woods

2010-06-12T14:25:00.000-04:00

Golf club manufacturer TaylorMade used to pitch its sticks with the suggestion that one must "Find your game." If that is true, than Tiger Woods is no doubt in search mode this week back in his Orlando, Fla., lair trying to get ready for next week's U.S. Open at Pebble Beach.

When last seen on the PGA Tour at Jack Nicklaus' Memorial Tournament, Woods said felt he had made some progress with his swing despite finishing tied for 19th and 12 shots back of Justin Rose, the winner. Even so, the July issue of Golf Magazine has an article that breaks down "Tiger's broken swing." After reading it, Oldgolfdawg began to wonder how Woods can even pull the trigger on his swing with so many things to fix.

The article goes on to suggests that Woods' takeaway is too outside and too flat, he's laid-off at the top, he's too steep on his downswing and he's not exiting on plane. All of these errors in combination explain why he doesn't really know where his shots are going to end up, not a place were someone in pursuit of his 15th major championship wants to be.

Woods himself might be in denial about how bad things have gotten from how good they once were, but the article backs up its assumptions with statistical proof:

In 2010, Tiger is driving the ball 10.5% shorter (32 yards) than his peak distance average of 316.1 yards set in 2005. More troubling is the fact that the gap between Tiger and the 10 longest drivers on tour is increasing while the gap between Tiger and the average tour player is shrinking. So far this season, Tiger is a middle-of-the-pack bomber.

While Tiger has always struggled with hitting fairways, he's missing them more frequently, and not in the traditional Tiger way. In past seasons, his bad miss was a block to the right. In 2010, the left rough is getting equal billing. (The numbers don't lie. In 2000, Woods found the fairway with 71% of his drives. So far this year, he's found the fairway just 52% of the time.)

Not only is Tiger missing fairways at a personal-record pace, he's missing them by greater distances than ever. The PGA Tour Shotlink system tracks how far into the rough a player's ball lands when it misses the short stuff (measured from the fairway edge). In 2010, Tiger's misses are landing 24.7% deeper in the junk that the tour average.

So the big question now is how long will it take for Tiger to "find his game."

Senior writer Randal Mell of GolfChannel.com wrote Thursday about Steve Stricker's thoughts on the matter. Stricker, who played with Woods at the Memorial and who re-made his swing on his own a few years ago in staging a career comeback, doesn't think Tiger needs a swing coach. Sticker said what he needs is a set of eyes to be his mirror. Mell wrote:

"It sounds like he's going to do it on his own," Stricker said at the John Deere Classic media day this week. "We were talking swing last week. If he listens or not is one thing, but he's got the capabilities or the abilities, I would say, to handle it better than anybody on his own.

“I don't think there's a teacher in this world that could probably teach the guy what he probably already knows. What you need is probably some good set of eyes to watch to see what he's doing, but it looks like he's going to do it on his own. He's got his camera, his iPhone out, he knows the positions he wants to be in. He knows he has some problems that he wants to fix. He's working at it.”

Stricker also made this observation about his time with Woods: “I haven't seen a happier Tiger Woods than I had this last week. He seems like he's in a good place as far as what I saw last week.”

Woods acknowledged after the Memorial Tournament that he will be working on his game alone after swing coach Hank Haney decided to move on and that he would "retrace'' steps with his swing as he tries to get ready for next week.

"Just like what I've always done when I was working with Hank and Butch [Harmon],'' he said.

Nicklaus, watching the Memorial unfold from the TV booth, said Woods working on his own is not a bad thing.

"I pretty much did that most of my career, but I think you've got to have somebody every once in a while to go back to have an eye,'' Nicklaus said. "I was always a better player when I was making my own decisions as far as what I had to do with my golf swing. Even if it was wrong, I learned how to play with it, and if I learned how to play with it then I knew what I could do.

"Sometimes someone will ask you to do something and even though it may be dead correct, you have a horrible time doing it and you don't have confidence doing it under pressure.

"I think he'll still need somebody every once in a while to look at him, but from the standpoint of controlling your own game and managing your own game. Going into Pebble Beach he'll know how he wants to hit the ball, he won't have somebody telling him how to hit the ball and I think it's ultimately for the better.''

Information from Golf Magazine, GolfChannel.com and ESPN.com contributed to this post.

Top Europeans invading land of Elvis

2010-06-10T00:45:00.004-04:00

Top European players Lee Westwood, Rory McIlroy, Padraig Harrington and Ian Poulter are using the St. Jude Classic in Memphis, Tenn., as a tune-up for next week's U.S. Open while most of the top Americans are taking the week off.

The TPC Southwind course they'll play bears little resemblance to what they'll face at Pebble Beach, but they will face a strong field when play begins today with eight of the world's top 20 players on hand. Other notables in the field include Robert Allenby, Camilo Villegas, Zach Johnson, Justin Leonard and Retief Goosen. Perhaps the lure of getting some ribs at the Rendezvous, a famous downtown restaurant, acted as an extra attraction.

Brian Gay, who won the event last year by five shots, will be defending his title, and David Toms, who won the St. Jude Classic in 2003 and 2004, also is back after finishing tied for second a year ago. Adding a little flavor to the field will be Jordan Spieth, the 16-year-old Texas amateur who made a strong showing in the Byron Nelson Championship last month. You can expect McIlroy and Spieth to get plenty of face-time on the CBS broadcast this weekend if either is a factor. The tournament will be telecast by the Golf Channel (today 3-6 p.m., Friday 3-6 p.m.) and CBS (Saturday 3-6 p.m., Sunday 3 -6 p.m.).

Last year Gay was last in driving distance but needed only 100 puts on his way to a convincing victory, the third of his career. He enters this year's tournament having made 12 of 15 cuts with two top-10 finishes.

The par-70, 7,239-yard course will force players to work hard this week as 11 of the 17 holes played over par last year. The difficulty of the back nine reaches a crescendo with holes 17 and 18 and could provide an exciting finish. The 17th is a 490-yard par 4 that was the 99th toughest hole on the PGA Tour playing to a 4.228 average. The 18th, playing to a 4.254 average, was the 69th toughest hole on the PGA Tour in 2009. Plenty of recent rain has softened the fairways along with the Bermuda greens. Scattered thunderstorms could bring more rain today and Friday for the first two rounds.

This year's tournament has a presenting sponsor in health care company Smith & Nephew but needs the cash infusion a title sponsor brings. Memphis lost its title sponsor in February 2009 when Stanford Financial was accused of massive fraud by federal officials. Stanford was only in the third year of a 10-year deal. Without a replacement title sponsor, the tournament could become a tour casualty. Only one other tour stop this year -- the Bob Hope Classic in Palm Springs, Calif. -- is operating without a title sponsor.

It would be a shame to see a tournament in its 53rd year fall by the wayside. The tournament has benefited the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital since 1970 and has plenty of history with winners like Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, Nick Price and Greg Norman. Al Geiberger shot his legendary 59 in the second round on his way to winning the event in 1977 at Colonial Country Club, an earlier site for the tournament.

Information from Golf.com, ESPN.com, GolfObserver.com and PGATOUR.com contributed to this post.

Nicklaus voices far-reaching concern

2010-06-09T01:16:00.000-04:00

Tournament host Jack Nicklaus spent a lot of time in the television booth with Jim Nantz and Nick Faldo during the Memorial. His insights during play and during numerous weather delays were entertaining and thought provoking.

Watching the telecasts while Nicklaus was in the booth, Oldgolfdawg came away with many impressions. One was that Nicklaus is confident that Tiger Woods will tame his wild swing and return to his winning form before too long. Another was that Nicklaus prefers golf course designs that feature downhill holes because they allow golfers to see what they must do. The difficult 18th hole at Muirfield Village is an exception to that rule. But for the most, Nicklaus doesn't care for a lot of blind uphill shots.

Finally, the biggest theme that Nicklaus seemed to comment on was how today's golf ball is going farther than ever and is threatening to change the game. Nicklaus played with Phil Mickelson during the pre-tournament Skins Game and watched the long-hitting left-hander shoot a 30 on the back nine. During the tournament itself, Mickelson repeatedly blasted tee shots over bunkers built to discourage such boldness as if they weren't even there. He also used driver on the 360-yard par-4 14th hole during the third and fourth rounds, unafraid of the risk/reward ramifications.

During the final round, Mickelson hit a drive on the 444-yard par-4 18th hole that left him with a 9-iron into the green. Nicklaus, upon seeing the drive, was in a state of disbelief, lamenting how the length of the drive had destroyed the challenge of the hole. It should be noted that Nicklaus also doffed his cap to Mickelson, calling him a unbelievably talented player. During the Memorial, it didn't seem like anyone was bombing the ball farther than Mickelson, perhaps explaining his penchant from providing thrills to onlookers despite the wisdom of such endeavors.

It's easy to understand why Nicklaus is upset. As a course designer, he sees the continuing advances in golf technology as a threat to a lot of classic layouts. It also has to grate on the game's most successful player to date that he played in an era without the benefit of today's technology. Ball-fitting and club-fitting weren't big considerations during his prime, and the distances players were hitting the ball were considerably shorter.

Even so, a look at Vardon Trophy scoring averages over the years indicates that all that technology hasn't significantly lowered scoring. Woods won six tournaments in 2009 and posted a Vardon Trophy scoring average of 68.05 while going 0 for 4 in majors. The all-time best average for a Vardon Trophy winner of 67.79 was recorded in 2000 and 2007 by Woods. Considering how Woods is swinging his clubs these days, that probably seems like a lifetime ago.

The Vardon Trophy is awarded annually by the PGA of America to the PGA Tour's leader in scoring average. When the award was first given, in 1937, it was awarded on the basis of a points system. But in 1947, the PGA began awarding it for low scoring average. In 1988, the trophy began going to the golfer with the lowest adjusted scoring average over a minimum of 60 rounds. In 1947, Jimmy Demaret won with a 69.90 average. In 1988, Chip Beck won with a 69.46 average.

The PGA Tour recognizes only scoring averages that were eligible for the Vardon Trophy in determining the tour record for best seasonal scoring average. For that reason, Byron Nelson's 1945 scoring average of 68.34 does not appear on its Vardon Trophy scoring averages list. This is also why Nicklaus, who had the lowest scoring average eight times during his career, isn't recognized. His averages were considered unofficial because he played to few rounds to be eligible for consideration.

Luckily, for Nicklaus, he can be comforted by his 18 majors titles instead and the knowledge that before golf entered into the age of technology, he dominated it like no player had to date. But don't expect him to stop lamenting the length of today's drives. If the PGA Tour can outlaw U-shaped grooves in irons, there's a chance it will take a harder stance against hyperactive golf balls in the future. If such a movement ever needs a spokesman, Nicklaus would be the perfect candidate to lead the charge.

Information from About.com contributed to this post.

Memorial unfolds as Rose predicted

2010-06-07T01:35:00.000-04:00

Turns out Justin Rose knew what he was talking about when he said he thought he was in good position despite trailing front-running Rickie Fowler by four shots going into the final round of the Memorial.

Bolstered by that positive mindset, Rose shot a near flawless 6-under-par 66 yesterday to overtake Fowler and record a three-shot victory, his first on American soil. Rose, propelled by one-putt greens on eight consecutive holes, became the 10th player under 30 to win on the PGA Tour this season.

Afterward, Rose quipped that he was glad to make it into that category just in time, with his 30th birthday looming in late July.

"I have always been described as a young gun, but now I'm certainly not," he said. "Rickie Fowler, Rory McIlroy, these guys are the true young guys out here. I think golf's in great hands, with more than those two, but with those two especially."

Rose ran off three straight birdies before the turn, made a 20-foot par putt on No. 10 to maintain his momentum and then seized control of the tournament when Fowler hit his tee shot into water on No. 12 on his way to a double bogey.

Any chance Fowler, who finished with a 73, had of catching Rose evaporated when the former Oklahoma State standout hit a poor bunker shot on No. 16 that led to a bogey. So the closing holes lacked the drama of some other tournaments this year. On an entertainment scale of 1 to 5, Oldgolfdawg would throw Rose's victory 3 1/2 dog biscuits.

Fowler, a 21-year-old PGA Tour rookie trying to become the youngest winner at Muirfield Village, was atop the leader board for 48 consecutive holes until his ill-fated 5-iron on No. 12 found a watery grave.

"I just made a bad swing and paid for it," said Fowler, who also finished second in February in the Phoenix Open.

It was a tall order to expect a 21-year-old to win his first PGA Tour event at the Memorial and to do so in wire-to-wire fashion. Maybe that is why Rose, a more seasoned 20-something, wasn't worried about trailing by four shots entering yesterday's play. He knew it's easier to come from behind than it is to hold onto a lead and the final round played out just like he thought it might.

When Rose tapped in for a par on the 18th hole, he thrust his fist into the air and slammed it down, almost as joyful as when he burst onto the golf scene as a 17-year-old amateur with his fourth-place finish in the 1998 British Open.

"To win here at the Memorial, at Jack's tournament, I couldn't think of a better place to win my first (on U.S. soil) tournament," he said.

Rose, with six other victories worldwide to his credit, entered the Memorial ranked 66th in the world but feeling like a forgotten man in English golf because of the recent success of countrymen Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Paul Casey and Luke Donald. That won't be the case any longer, especially because Rose joined Sweden's Carl Pettersson (2006) as the only two Europeans to win the Memorial.

Fowler should be comforted by the realization that Rose had played in 161 tournaments on the PGA Tour before earning his breakout victory. It's doubtful that Fowler will have to wait that long. His future is as bright as the orange outfit he wore in the final round in honor of his Oklahoma State Cowboys.

Information from ESPN.com, Golf.com and PGATOUR.com contributed to this post.

Fowler won't stray from game plan

2010-06-06T02:14:00.004-04:00

After yesterday's marathon third round of the Memorial finally ended a little past 8:30 p.m., Jack Nicklaus said his tournament will be Rickie Fowler's to win or lose when final-round play begins today.

It's not hard to understand Nicklaus' thinking. While Ricky Barnes made the biggest move on moving day with a stellar 10-under 62, it was Fowler who dealt with the pressure of being in the lead and who refused to wilt when he got off to a slow start. The 21-year-old PGA Tour rookie shot a bogey-free 69, punctuated by birdies on Nos. 9, 12 and 17, to build a three-shot lead over Barnes and veteran Tim Petrovic, who shot a 68. Fowler did so while dealing with six hours of rain delays. Justin Rose shot a 70 and is four shots off the pace, followed by Brendon de Jonge (65) at 11 under.

At 16-under 200, Fowler enjoys the largest 54-hole lead at the Memorial since Tiger Woods led by six shots in 2000. Not bad for a former Oklahoma State standout who turned pro just late last summer. Nicklaus, sharing the Golf Channel broadcasting booth with Nick Faldo and Jim Nantz, was impressed by Fowler's play and wished him well in his bid to become the third PGA Tour winner in the last six weeks at age 22 or under, joining Rory McIlroy, who won Quail Hollow two days before his 21st birthday, and Jason Day, who was 22 when he won the Byron Nelson Championship.

Fowler managed to keep his cool despite mounting challenges from Barnes, Petrovic and Rose throughout the day. Fowler's three-shot lead at the start of the day was whittled to one shot by Petrovic as the final threesome reached the 17th hole. But Petrovic missed the 17th green short left on his way to a bogey and Fowler drained a 20-foot birdie putt to rebuild a three-shot cushion.

"I'm hitting the ball well," Fowler said. "I kept it out of trouble, and I knew opportunities were coming around. It was just a matter of waiting for them."

Fowler showed the savvy of a veteran with his approach shot on the ninth hole, hitting a knocked-down 9 iron instead of a pitching wedge to avoid having his ball backspin into the water guarding the front of the green. It led to a 6-foot birdie that seemed to steady his play for the rest of day.

Of the top five players on the leader board, only Petrovic, who is 43, has a tour victory to his credit. It came five years ago in New Orleans. With nine tour events this season having already been won by players in their 20s, the odds are favorable that another 20-something will make that an even 10 today. With Barnes, Rose and de Jonge all being 29, it seems as though Petrovic will be playing against a stacked deck.

"It will play on everyone's minds tomorrow for sure," Rose said. "That's why being four back isn't such a bad thing. Go out there and play aggressive. I've got nothing to lose. That will be my mindset tomorrow."

Meanwhile, you can expect Fowler, who had never seen Muirfield Village until Tuesday, to stick with his current game plan come hell or high water. As he said yesterday after his round, "It's been working." That's an understatement for someone on the verge of earning a wire-to-wire victory. His only big mistake this week came on the second hole in the first round when he bogeyed. Since then he has played 52 consecutive bogey-free holes, the third-longest stretch in tournament history.

Fowler also had a game plan earlier this year at the Phoenix Open. He was in contention down the stretch and played bogey-free during those last 18 holes. But he took some heat for laying up at the par-5 15th, a decision that might have cost him the title.

"I got a lot of criticism for my layup," Fowler said, "but that was the game plan early on that week. If I didn't have an iron in my hand, I wasn't going for it. So I was happy with my finish there. If I stick to my game plan here this week and it doesn't work out, so be it. We'll get another one later on."

Spoken like a 21-year-old who is mature beyond his years.

Information from PGATOUR.com and Golf.com contributed to this post.

Fowler pulls away from Memorial field

2010-06-05T01:16:00.002-04:00

Dirt bike racing enthusiast Rickie Fowler is in position to leave the rest of the Memorial field in his dust after shooting a 6-under-par 66 in the second round yesterday at Muirfield Village Golf Club.

By following up his first-round 65, the 21-year-old former Oklahoma State standout built a three-shot lead over Justin Rose and tied the tournament's 36-hole scoring record set by Scott Hoch in 1987. By the time the Golf Channel began its 3 p.m. coverage, Fowler already had posted his score, which included an eagle on No. 15. Now he's looking forward to what could be a very big weekend for an emerging talent in search of his first PGA Tour victory.

First-time winners are a rarity at the Memorial, the last one being Tom Lehman in 1994. But that doesn't mean Fowler should be ruled out, especially because young first-time winners have been in vogue of late, with Rory McIlroy winning at Quail Hollow two days before his 21st birthday and Jason Day winning the Byron Nelson Championship at age 22 two weeks ago.

After his round, Fowler didn't seemed nervous about his position, saying: "Just being in contention the few times I have over the last eight months, this if by far the best I've felt."

Fowler, who ran off three straight birdies late in his round yesterday, didn't turn pro until last summer, but he doesn't play like a PGA Tour rookie. He lost a playoff last fall and finished one shot back in the Phoenix Open in February. Though he drew a lot of criticism for laying up at a crucial point in the Phoenix tournament, most people who have followed his career describe him as fearless.

That will make watching him this weekend a lot of fun. Many people have likened his aggressive swing to that of Lanny Wadkins. But Fowler, who plays at a fast pace and doesn't like to get too analytical about his swing, has his own sense of style, accentuated by an oversized Puma cap and baggy pants. He's definitely his own man and has the ability to attract a lot of fans if he can ring up a few victories. No doubt there's nothing he would rather do than nail down his first victory this weekend.

* * * * *

Phil Mickelson's second-round 71 was a roller-coaster ride that might have cost him a chance to overtake Tiger Woods for the No. 1 ranking. Mickelson needs a victory and a less-than-fourth-place finish by Woods to grab the top spot. But Mickelson finds himself seven shots off the pace after falling victim to a bogey binge in the middle of his round.

He appeared to be headed for a good score after a birdie-birdie-eagle stretch on the front nine before missing four par putts through the 16th hole. He drained an unlikely birdie putt on No. 17 after hooking his drive into the rough to turn things around. After a weather delay, he returned to the course and closed with a birdie to put himself in a better frame of mind entering today's play.

Still he was left lamenting a lost opportunity, saying: "It's frustrating for me because I played very well and didn't shoot the number I thought I should."

Most of yesterday's coverage on the Golf Channel focused on Mickelson, and he opened himself to some second-guessing when he decided to go for the green on the 363-yard par-4 14th hole. His 337-yard drive came up about 76 feet short of the pin just off the green. But he eventually settled for par after missing a 6-foot birdie putt.

Mickelson said after his round that he would not have taken that aggressive approach had he not missed the fairway with his previous tee shot on the par-4 13th.

Welcome to Phil's World. But good luck trying to figure it out

“I have never gone an entire round hitting every fairway,” Mickelson said, “and I hit every fairway through 11, 12 holes. When I missed it on 13, I thought I’d hit driver on 14 because it didn’t matter. If I had hit that fairway on 13, I would have hit iron on 14. I know it sounds crazy, but that’s the way I was thinking.”

Uh, OK. Whatever you say, Phil.

Information from PGATOUR.com, Golf.com and the Associated Press contributed to this post.

Woods should take lessons from Faldo

2010-06-04T00:45:00.002-04:00

Tiger Woods righted a ship in danger of sinking yesterday during the Golf Channel's coverage of the Memorial Tournament. After stumbling out of the gate and going 2 over through six holes, he did what he does better than anyone who has ever played the game: He put up a decent score despite not having his swing helping the effort.

Through sure will, great sand play and a solid putting performance, Woods managed to shoot a par 72 in the first round that left him seven shots off the pace but in position to play this weekend if he can get in red numbers today.

His bogey on the first hole was simply a case of hitting his second shot over the green on the par 4 and not being able to scramble for a par. His bogey on the sixth hole came only after he sank a clutch 15-foot putt. It was at that point that it looked like Woods might not be around for the weekend. He hit a poor tee shot on No. 4, a terrible pulled second shot on No. 5 and an awful tee shot on No. 6, which led to his near miraculous bogey after he had the bad luck of having his second shot hit a sprinkler head and bounce through the green.

After losing a drive right on No. 7, Woods gathered his forces and stopped the bleeding. With back-to-back birdies on Nos. 9 and 10. He got back to even and then proceeded to string together pars the rest of the way into the clubhouse. The round included fantastic bunker shots on Nos. 10 and 18, a solid iron shot on No. 12 and a creative lag chip/putt on No. 17 from the edge of the fringe. Still, anyone watching the action would have to say all is not right with Woods these days even if he seemed to be in denial, as usual, after the round.

It was the first time since 2004 that Woods failed to break par at the Memorial, which he has won four times. Still, afterward, he said all he had to do to get back into contention was to play the par 5s better. That will mean he'll have to start driving the ball straighter.

During a stretch from the fourth hole through the seventh hole, tournament host Jack Nicklaus joined Golf Channel broadcasters Nick Faldo and Kelly Tilghman in following the action. As they watched Woods struggle it was interesting to hear Nicklaus say Woods' swing faults could probably be fixed in 10 minutes with the right instruction.

After Woods hit his drive into a bunker on the 10th hole, Faldo said he expected to see Woods hit a good shot because long shots from bunkers demand a level swing. Faldo was right with his call. Woods hit a great shot from the bunker to set up a 12-foot birdie putt. Then Faldo and TV analyst Gary McCord suggested that Woods' problems off the tee were the result of him trying to do too much and moving his head up and down too much during his swing.

Woods hit another solid shot from a fairway bunker on No. 13, where again it was pointed out that when he's in a trap he keeps his swing more simple and level. It was suggested that such a tact in his swings sans the beach might prove beneficial. Woods' spectacular fairway bunker shot on No. 18 seemed to further cement that point.

Oldgolfdawg hopes Woods records telecasts of his play in tournaments and listens to analysts like Faldo who know what they are talking about. It's hard to watch Woods struggle with his swing when as Nicklaus suggested it could probably be fixed in 10 minutes.

* * * * * *

It was fun to watch PGA Tour rookie Rickie Fowler grab a share of the lead with his 7-under-par 65 during yesterday's TV coverage. The former standout at Oklahoma State is having a solid season and once again showed why many expect great things out of him.

It was noteworthy to see him pour in several clutch par putts, and his 25-footer for birdie on the final hole was a thing of beauty. Ironically, putting hasn't been his strength this season. He ranked 143rd in putting coming into the tournament, averaging 29.56 putts a round while the tour average is 29.14. Yesterday he needed 24 putts to make a loop at Muirfield, tied for first in that category. Apparently he likes the fast greens that remained that way despite a drenching the course received on the eve of the tournament. After his round, in an interview with the Golf Channel's Rich Lerner, Fowler sounded confident but not overly cocky. If his putting continues to improve, his ball-striking ability will no doubt make him a force to contend with in the future.

Information from Golf.com contributed to his post.

Hopes for fiery Memorial washed away

2010-06-03T01:43:00.000-04:00

A heavy rainstorm last evening will level the playing field at Muirfield Village Golf Club today for the start of the 35th Memorial Tournament.

It wouldn't be surprising to see a lot of low scores in the first two rounds now that the greens have been softened and slowed by the rain. After yesterday's Skins Game, Ernie Els remarked he thought the greens were faster than at Augusta National for the Masters. But the rain no doubt will have taken a lot of the fire out of the greens and changed the complexion of the tournament. Muirfield Village ranked as the sixth most difficult course on the PGA Tour in 2009, and the third most difficult in non-major events. Those are statistics tournament host Jack Nicklaus would like to see matched or topped. But that probably won't be the case this year unless the course dries out considerably for the third and four rounds.

If the Skins Game is any indication of what will unfold this weekend, then a shootout between the game's No. 1- and No. 2-ranked players might transpire. Woods picked up six skins out of possible nine and Mickelson picked up all nine while playing in separate groupings. Both appeared to be playing in top form in the just-for-fun event. Mickelson, in particular, looked sharp in shooting a 30 on the back nine.

Mickelson has had the upper hand in his rivalry with Woods of late, finishing better the last five times they've played in the same event, including three wins and a second-place finish. From the 2009 Tour Championship through the 2010 Masters, Mickelson won all three of the events he and Woods played together.

Over a longer period of time, Woods still holds an edge in a telling category. He has missed just six cuts in 242 PGA Tour starts as a pro, or just 2.5 percent of the time. Mickelson has missed 59 PGA Tour cuts as a professional in 395 career starts, or 14.9 percent of the time he's teed it up.

Mickelson, who missed the cut last week in Fort Worth, usually bounces back strong from early exits. In his last five starts following missed cuts, he has finished sixth or better three times, including winning at Riviera in 2008. Mickelson's best career finish at the Memorial is a tie for fourth in 2006. Woods is the defending champ and has won the title four times.

Besides wanting to win the Memorial for the first time in his career, Mickelson thinks Muirfield Village is a good place to prepare for the U.S. Open in two weeks at Pebble Beach. "I think course management is critical here," he said. "I think the short game and the opportunity to hit shots into these greens, it's one of the best golf courses, best shot values that we play. Because of that, it really couldn't be a better spot to get ready for a major championship like the U.S. Open."

Looking beyond the Woods-Mickelson angle, one can see many contenders in the field who could wind up stealing the spotlight. Zach Johnson is coming off a 64-64 finish at Colonial Country Club where he won the Crowne Plaza Invitational by three shots, and Jim Furyk, who won the Memorial in 2002, is returning to a course where he has four top-10 finishes in his career.

If you're looking for a youthful candidate, look no further than Rory McIlroy, who is back in America for the first time since following his stunning Quail Hollow victory with a missed cut at The Players Championship. If you're looking for a seasoned veteran, Kenny Perry is a good bet. No player in the field has more rounds at Muirfield Village at par or below than Perry. His 51 rounds at par or better at the Memorial ranks second to Jay Haas' 68. Should Perry win this week, he would tie Woods with most Memorial wins.

Tournament television coverage can be seen on the Golf Channel (today: 3-6 p.m.; Friday: 3-6 p.m.) and CBS (Saturday: 3-6 p.m.; Sunday: 1:30-6 p.m.).

Information from PGATOUR.com and ESPN.com contributed to this post.

Woods-Mickelson rivalry sailing in murky waters

2010-06-01T10:34:00.001-04:00

The drumroll for this week's resumption of the Tiger Woods-Phil Mickelson rivalry is somewhat muffled by the fact that no one knows what to expect when the 35th Memorial at Muirfield Village Golf Club is teed up for real on Thursday.

Woods is trying to regain his top form in time for the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach in two weeks. He has played in only three tournaments since returning from a self-imposed hiatus from competition to deal with the fallout of his highly publicized marital infidelities. Despite struggling with his swing, Woods managed to finish tied for fourth in the Masters. But he missed the cut at the Quail Hollow Championship in April and withdrew from the final round of The Players Championship with neck pain diagnosed as an inflamed facet joint.

Since then, Woods has also parted with his longtime swing coach Hank Haney. Although he says he's not 100 percent healthy, the defending Memorial champion and four-time winner of Jack Nicklaus' tournament apparently is ready to see what will happen, just like the rest of us. Rob Oller of The Columbus Dispatch wrote a great column on the state of Woods' game last week that should be checked out under my Suggested reading slug: For better or worse, all eyes will be on Tiger.

Mickelson is coming off a poor showing in the Crowne Plaza Invitational, missing the cut in a tournament he won in dramatic fashion in 2008. Perhaps Larry Dorman of the New York Times is right when he suggests Mickelson needs Woods to be in a field to perform at his best level. After Mickelson shot a sloppy 1-over-par 71 in the first round of the Crowne Plaza Invitational last week, Dorman wrote:

In a trend that started at the Tour Championship last season, Mickelson seems to have been saving his best performances for tournaments in which Woods was also playing. In fact, of the last five tournaments in which both were in the field, Mickelson won three, finished second in one and tied for 17th in another. He finished first at the 2009 Tour Championship, first at the ’09 WGC-HSBC Champions, first at the Masters, second at the Quail Hollow Championship and tied for 17th at the Players Championship, fading to a closing 74 after starting the day five strokes off the pace before Woods had to withdraw with a neck problem.

Before the Woods as Motivation theme is dismissed, it should be mentioned that in Mickelson’s first seven events preceding this year’s Masters, during which Woods was absent, Mickelson had only one top-10 finish (tied for eighth at AT&T Pebble Beach) and no other finishes higher than 19th.

It certainly is food for thought. Although Mickelson probably decided to play in the Memorial more to fine tune his game in preparation for the U.S. Open than anything else, it certainly adds to his motivation that Tiger is in the field hoping to keep his status as the game's No. 1 ranked player in the world.

Mickelson's presence at Muirfield Village this week is a big plus for the Memorial. It should be noted that tournament host Nicklaus will be playing with Mickelson in this year's pre-tournament Skins Game along with Sean O'Hair, Kenny Perry and Ernie Els. Perhaps as part of his attempt to shine a tarnished image, Woods also has agreed to play in the just-for-fun format. He'll be grouped with Zach Johnson, Rory McIlroy, Steve Stricker and Jim Furyk.

The pairings might be Nicklaus' way to show Mickelson appreciation for attending this year's event. Mickelson skipped last year's edition of the tournament for personal reasons. But Mickelson also indicated after the 2008 Memorial that he didn't like the high rough setup of the course and hinted he might not be eager to return if his flop-shot wedges were going to be taken out of play in the future. Apparently, that's all water under the bridge.

Information from Golf.com and ESPN.com contributed to this post.

Johnson weathers two delays, sets record

2010-05-31T00:30:00.003-04:00

Two stoppages in play caused by threatening storms that never fully materialized put a damper on Zach Johnson's three-stroke victory over Brian Davis in the Crowne Plaza Invitational yesterday.

Oldgolfdawg turned the channel during the first stoppage to watch Tom Lehman win the Senior PGA Championship in Denver on the first hole of an anticlimatic playoff against Fred Couples and David Frost and never did see Johnson wrap up his victory. But he couldn't help but wonder if the weather delays in Texas weren't a sign of things to come at the Memorial, a tournament with a rich history of such interruptions.

Johnson, who plans to play this week in Jack Nicklaus' Memorial tournament, closed with a a 6-under-par 64 to set the a scoring record at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas, with a 72-hole total of 21-under 259. The 2007 Masters champion came away with a plaid jacket given to the winner and a check for $1.116 million.

Davis, a 35-year-old Englishman still seeking his first PGA Tour victory, had a chance to get within a stroke of Johnson on the 17th hole, but his 8-foot birdie putt failed to stay in the cup. Trailing Johnson by two strokes heading up the 72nd hole, Davis needed a hole-out eagle on the par 4, but ended up with a bogey and a 68.

Davis finished alone in second at 262. Jeff Overton and Ben Crane, who both carded 67s, tied for third at 263.

In earning his seventh PGA Tour victory, Johnson joined Phil Mickelson in being the only players who have tour wins in each of the last four seasons (2007-2010). Mickelson missed the cut at Colonial at 4 over when he could have been the No. 1 player in the world with a victory.

Mickelson will pursue that goal again this week at the Memorial where six of the top 10 players in the world rankings and nine of the top 10 on the tour money list will play, including top-ranked Tiger Woods.

Information from the Associated Press contributed to this post.

Memorial faces possible Wall Street fallout

2010-05-30T14:02:00.003-04:00

Enjoyed Bob Baptist's article in The Columbus Dispatch today about how Jack Nicklaus' Memorial Tournament could possibly lose Morgan Stanley as its television sponsor after this year's event. It would appear the fallout of the 2008 stock market crash continues to have ramifications that could change the landscape of the PGA Tour for years to come.

The tour has produced a lot of interesting stories this year with Dustin Johnson winning at Pebble Beach, Ian Poulter winning for the first time on American soil in the Match Play Championship, Anthony Kim winning in Houston with a bum thumb and Rory McIlroy winning in stunning fashion at Quail Hollow. Mix those youthful success stories with feel-good victories by marquee players such as Steve Stricker, Ernie Els, Jim Furyk, Phil Mickelson and Adam Scott and you would have to say 2010 has been a good year. But television ratings -- perhaps because of Tiger Woods' extended absence -- have not been what TV networks expect for the money they are dishing out.

Over the course of the next 17 weeks there will be three majors played, one more World Golf Championship event and the four FedEx Cup series events. During this time, television networks and the PGA Tour are going to start looking more closely at future contract talks. By this time next year, they will be seriously considering how the TV landscape will look after 2012.

The PGA Tour's ability to extract big money from the TV networks is likely to become more difficult in the future. The FedEx Cup card that helped PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem land some sweet deals in 2006 probably won't work next time around. The FedEx Cup, much like NASCAR's Sprint Cup format, hasn't been a rousing success in building more fan interest. It's possible the PGA Tour will find ways through the internet or iPad applications to generate new money, but the future remains murky.

If Morgan Stanley, which has acted as the principal sponsor for the Memorial for the past seven years, decides to end its relationship with Nicklaus' event, the tournament has a $5 million sponsorship hole to fill.

In Baptist's story, tournament director Dan Sullivan wasn't ready to hit any panic buttons, saying:

"We're going to spend the summer trying to (discuss a renewal) with Morgan Stanley. and if they're not (interested), then we'll look to ensure we have (another) relationship in place sometime in the fall."

Oldgolfdawg is going to go out on a limb and say Morgan Stanley will end its relationship with the Memorial tournament because it no longer is cool for Wall Street firms to be associated with golf. Ten years ago that might have been the case, but the fallout from Wall Street's and the banking industry's over-leveraging ploys that created a mortgage bubble and eventual stock market crash remains a public relations concern.

Baptist's article pointed out that an economic impact study in 2002 estimated the Memorial at that time brought about $35 million a year into Columbus-area businesses. Two companies that come to Oldgolfdawg's mind that could score a lot of goodwill points locally by becoming the tournament's title sponsor are Scotts Miracle-Gro headquartered in Marysville and Cardinal Health based in Dublin.

I'm sure Sullivan and his staff have those companies and others on a list to pursue if Morgan Stanley walks. Or, as Baptist's stories pointed out, it might require a collection of companies to come together to make sure the tournament continues. We can only wish Sullivan and his staff much success in their future endeavors. Having a world-class event like the Memorial in our own backyard is a plus for the community in more ways than can be measured in dollars and cents.

Information from GolfObserver.com contributed to this post.

Hogan's hold on Colonial will never fade

2010-05-28T14:42:00.002-04:00

Ben Hogan is the first thing that comes to Oldgolfdawg's mind when Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas, is brought up in any context. The association between the two is inescapable. The tournament might be named the Crowne Plaza Invitational these days, but everyone knows it's still Hogan's tournament and his presence at "Hogan's Alley" will be felt in spirit by those competing and attending the event this weekend.

In the days when it was known simply as the Colonial, Hogan won it five times (1946, '47, '52, '53 and '59). Three of the victories came after his horrific auto accident in 1949, which might have robbed him of even more glory. We'll never really know about that in the same way we'll never really know how great Mickey Mantle would have been if he hadn't caught a cleat on a drainage cover in the outfield in his first World Series as a rookie while trying to avoid a collision with Joe DiMaggio. It's simply conjecture.

Hogan, considered perhaps the game's greatest pure ball-striker, himself said he never played as well after the accident than he did in 1948 and '49. Even so, he won six of his nine majors and 13 of his 54 PGA Tour wins after the accident, a true display of will power by someone stronger than 50 pounds of Texas onions.

Outside the clubhouse on the patio overlooking the 18th green at Colonial Country Club is a bigger-than-life bronze statue of Hogan at the top of his classic swing. One the main floor of the clubhouse is the Ben Hogan Trophy Room where all of the major accomplishments of the longtime Fort Worth resident and hero are on display. The Hawk's 54 PGA Tour victories, including nine majors, are duly noted in the exhibits. A photograph of his demolished car from the accident that threatened to end his career is also there, along with a movie poster from the film Follow the Sun that depicted his courageous recovery and comeback.

The Hawk, or "The Wee Ice Mon" as the Scots liked to refer to him after he won the British Open in 1953 at Carnoustie, was something special, and the need for corporate sponsorship money can't erase or overshadow what he has meant to his hometown or to golf as a whole. Bobby Jones has The Masters, Jack Nicklaus has The Memorial, Byron Nelson has his championship and Arnold Palmer has his invitational. But Hogan has a tournament, too, even if his name isn't prominently showcasing the event. Some things go without saying. This week's tournament at Colonial is one of them.

Information from PGATOUR.com contributed to his post.

For a detailed look at Hogan, check out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Hogan

Early focus will be on Mickelson

2010-05-27T00:03:00.000-04:00

The final stop in the PGA Tour's swing through Texas kicks off today with the start of the Crown Plaza Invitational at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth. The big question being asked in golf writing circles as play begins is whether Phil Mickelson can win and replace Tiger Woods as the world's top-ranked player.

It will take a victory by Mickelson to leapfrog ahead of Woods, but it wouldn't be surprising if he pulls it off and becomes the world's No. 1 golfer for the first time in his career. Mickelson likes "Hogan's Alley" and has two titles, 2000 and 2008, to prove it. He also has demonstrated an ability to shoot low scores at Colonial, having broken double digits under par three times in 13 starts. His final-round 63 in 2000 ties his lowest-ever score in a final round of a PGA Tour event.

Even so, he'll have to contend against a strong field that includes FedEx Cup top 10 players Jim Furyk (No. 2), Tim Clark (No. 5), Dustin Johnson (No. 7), Ben Crane (No. 8) and defending champion Steve Stricker (No. 10). Other notables in the field are Kenny Perry, Paul Casey, Stewart Cink, Lucas Glover, Y.E. Yang, Ian Poulter, Vijay Singh, Hunter Mahan and Jason Day.

"The only way to do it is to win here and there is a very strong field here," Mickelson said on the eve of the tournament. "Fortunately it's on an a golf course that I have played well on in the past and that I enjoy. And I'm looking forward to that challenge and that opportunity to overtake the top spot."

Colonial is a shot-makers' course that includes 12 doglegs. It requires strategy and often takes the driver out of the hands of the bigger hitters. Historically, it has favored experienced players over younger ones. Since 1996 all the champions have won an average of 10 PGA Tour events. The biggest exception to that norm was Sergio Garcia when he won in 2001 to register his first PGA Tour victory.

So far the Texas swing of the PGA Tour has produced three champions in their 20s: Anthony Kim (Houston Open), Adam Scott (Texas Open) and Day (Byron Nelson Championship). So it will be interesting to see if a fourth young gun can rise to the occasion this week. The Crown Plaza Invitational at Colonial will be telecast by the Golf Channel (today-Fri., 2-6 p.m.) and CBS (Sat.-Sun. 3-6 p.m.).

Woods, who announced yesterday on his website that he will play in next week's Memorial tournament, has reigned as the No. 1 player for the last 259 weeks and for 601 total in his career.

Information from ESPN.com, PGATOUR.com and GolfObserver.com contributed to this post.

Rough day for two dew-sweepers

2010-05-26T15:18:00.000-04:00

Did some dew sweeping this morning with Jeremy "Lynch Mob" Lynch at a favorite old haunt, Royal American Links. Our reward for teeing it up at 6:45 was to complete our loop by 10 and then having the rest of day to pursue other interests.

As usual, Oldgolfdawg enjoyed playing the 3 1/2-dog-biscuit-rated course. The greens and fairways were in great shape, but the rough, especially on the normal back nine, had reached extreme levels because of heavy rain the previous two weeks. As a gray membership holder at the course in 2008 and 2009, I can't recall seeing the rough thicker or higher.

The course was hit with so much rain that mowing became problematic in many areas. This week's run of good weather should help return things to normal. Shots hit just barely off the green were tricky today because of the way they settled in the lusher-than-normal fringe. TV analyst Ian-Baker Finch would have described most of the areas surrounding the greens as "juicy."

Despite the rougher-than-normal rough and fringe areas, Jeremy and I had enjoyable rounds spiced with self-inflicted wounds and brief brushes of brilliance. The scoring wasn't great but the simple joy of chasing the pea still made the time well spent. The key to building on a round where the scoring is less than stellar is to remember the good shots and to not dwell too much on the bad ones. After all, the rough was brutal in spots. That's our story and we're sticking to it.

Some tests are worth the price of admission

2010-05-25T09:38:00.001-04:00

Inspired by the latest edition of GolfStyles magazine and its list of 63 Must Play Public Courses in Ohio, Oldgolfdawg plans to roll out a list of high-fun-factor golf holes in central Ohio in the coming weeks.

Oldgolfdawg enjoyed the way GolfStyles framed its list and explained its purpose:

Rather than wading through the more than 650 public course in Ohio, subjectively trying to figure out which ones are better than the others, we offer a simple list of courses that would make a good experience for any golfer at least once during his playing career.

It's in that spirit the Oldgolfdawg will list golf holes he has taken extra pleasure in playing over the years in central Ohio because of their dramatic nature and the thrill they provided for a well-struck shot when, against all odds, it was pulled off. It's the memories of such shots on high-fun-factor holes that brings all us back to a game that can often be frustrating. In fact, holes that provide such opportunities can be worth the price of admission, or in the words of a credit card advertisement, "Priceless."

The high-fun-factor holes are going to be presented in no particular order, but the first one Oldgolfdawg wants to present today as a worthy member of this grouping is the 18th hole at Grandview Golf Course, a 340-yard par 4 from the white tees with an elevated tee box some 300 feet above the fairway. The view from the tee box is awesome and a well-struck shot from it becomes majestic as the free-falls to Mother Earth.

It's great to take some extra time on No. 18's tee box just to take in the view of the course below and also the sleepy college town of Granville itself. It's also a good idea to take some extra time because long hitters can actually reach the green if the wind if blowing right. You're smarter to let the group in front clear the green below before launching a majestic effort into the wild blue yonder, unless you're not afraid of the high cost of legal fees.

Granville Golf Course opened in 1924 and was designed by famed architect Donald Ross, the same fellow who originally designed Scioto Country Club and many other famous venues. It's a classic old course, except for the addition of three new holes, and well worth one's while to experience at least one time. http://www.granvillegolf.com/

Courses in central Ohio included in GolfStyles' must-play-list: Apple Valley, Bent Tree, Chapel Hill GC, Clover Valley GC, Cumberland Trail GC, Darby Creek GC, EagleSticks GC, Golf Club of Dublin, Granville GC, Links at Echo Springs, Longaberger GC, National Golf Links, New Albany Links, NorthStar Golf Resort, Pine Hills, Players Club at Foxfire, Royal American Links and Westchester GC.

For a complete list of GolfStyles' 63 Must Play Public Courses in Ohio, check out: http://www.golfstylesonline.com/Ohio.html

Sloppy finish doesn't ruin Day

2010-05-24T00:38:00.005-04:00

It was difficult to watch Jason Day's breakthrough victory on the PGA Tour yesterday at the Byron Nelson Championship in Irving, Texas.

The 22-year-old Australian flirted with disaster on the final hole before registering a two-shot victory over Blake Adams, Brian Gay and Jeff Overton. CBS Sports TV analyst David Feherty described the final-hole dramatics as watching someone come to a victory party in a wheelbarrow and the analogy fit. Luckily for Day, his closing 2-over-par 72 was good enough to wheel away the first-place prize money of $1,170,000.

Day, the youngest winner ever on the Nationwide Tour at age 19, appeared to have blown his chance when his approach shot to the 18th green went left into the water. But he caught a break when playing partner Adams, who said he didn't see Day's ball get wet, knocked his ball into the water, too. At the time, Adams was just one shot back and in position to force a playoff or win.

Day, who carded six bogeys in his final round, managed to bogey the 18th while Adams, a 34-year-old PGA Tour rookie, took a costly double bogey that dropped him into a three-way tie for second. On an entertainment scale of 1 to 5, Oldgolfdawg would throw the tournament 3 1/2 dog biscuits, but not because of the excitement produced by the final-hole antics of Day and Adams.

It's very possible people will look back on the tournament and remember the outstanding play of 16-year-old amateur Jordan Spieth more than anything else. Spieth, a junior at Jesuit College Preparatory School in Dallas, was within three shots of the lead on the final nine holes before he fell back into a tie for 16th, an amazing finish for a teenager who last week was the Class 5A medalist in the Texas high school state tournament. He shot a 72 yesterday, his highest score of the tournament, to finish at 4-under 276, six strokes behind Day.

Spieth, the reigning U.S. Junior Amateur champion, would've made $91,185.71 had he turned pro this week. But he's planning to wait through another year of high school, then attend the University of Texas. Of course, that might change if he keeps playing so well against the big boys. He already has gotten a sponsor's exemption to play in Memphis next month.

Hailed as another Tiger Woods while growing up in Australia, Day began playing PGA Tour events at age 18. He played 65 tournaments before finally winning one, but figures the experience was worth it, admitting he got a bit lazy after having success and money at a young age.

Day, who has been dealing with a sinus infection since the opening week of the season, nearly withdrew Thursday morning because he felt so ill. He wound up sharing for the lead after the first round and was near the top all week. He has to be glad he gutted it out despite having to endure some anxious moments on the final hole. In doing so, he became the youngest winner of the Byron Nelson Championship since Tiger Woods won in 1997 at age 21. At 22 years, six months and 11 days, Day is the second-youngest winner on the PGA Tour this season behind Rory McIlroy (20 years, 11 months and 28 days).

Information from PGATOUR.com, ESPN.com and the Associated Press contributed to this post.

Young ambition bolsters Nelson event

2010-05-22T13:15:00.000-04:00

A tournament in need of a boost because of its less-than-stellar field received one yesterday when Dallas amateur Jordan Spieth made the cut at the Byron Nelson Championship in Irving, Texas.

Spieth, a 16-year-old high school junior playing hooky from Jesuit College Prep School, became the sixth-youngest player to make the cut at a PGA event. He qualified for the final two rounds by shooting 68-69 137 through 36 holes.

At 16 years, nine months and 24 days, Spieth is the second 16-year-old to make a cut at this level this season, joining Italy's Matteo Manassero, who pulled it off at the Masters. Manassero also has the best-ever finish by someone so young, having tied for 13th at the 2009 British Open.

Spieth can take pride in doing something Tiger Woods was unable to do. When Woods was invited to play in the Byron Nelson Championship at age 17 in 1993 he failed to make the cut, shooting 77-72. Woods returned four years later and won the event, making him still its youngest winner.

Only time will tell is Spieth can better that feat, but one has to wonder if early success at such a young age is a blessing or a curse. A look at the top five youngest players to make the cut in PGA Tour history is evidence enough to merit caution before hailing Spieth the next Woods. The top five youngest are Bob Panasik, Tadd Fujikawa, Justin Thomas, Manassero and Ty Tryon.

Panasik was 15 years, 8 months and 20 days old when he made the cut of the 1957 Canadian Open before finishing tied for 66th. Fujikawa was 16 years and four days old when he made the cut of the 2007 Sony Open before finishing tied for 20th. Thomas was 16 years, two months and 23 days old when he made the cut of the 2009 Wyndham Championship before finishing tied for 78th, Manassero was 16 years, two months and 29 days old when he made the cut at the 2009 British Open and Ty Tryon was 16 years, nine months and seven days old when he made the cut of the 2001 Honda Classic.

The jury is still out on Manassero, but he appears to have a good chance of living up to the expectations that come with early success. It's safe to say Panasik, Fujikawa, Thomas and Tryon might have enjoyed their brightest moments on golf's stage at an early age.

Spieth, who was followed by a large gallery of his high school buddies during yesterday's round at the TPC Four Seasons Resort and Club at Las Colinas, seemed very level-headed during a post-round interview with the Golf Channel's Nick Faldo and Kelly Tilghman, admitting he was a bit shocked by his own success. But success for the reigning U.S. Junior Amateur champion shouldn't come as a total surprise. Just last week Spieth won a state high school title. Still, one can only wish him well as he deals with the extra weight of greater expectations.

Meanwhile, the uninhibited power of youth was also on display yesterday in Raleigh, N.C., at the Rex Hospital Open, where high school sophomore Grayson Murray became the second-youngest player to make the cut at a Nationwide Tour event.

The 16-year-old birdied five of his final seven holes to shoot a second-round 66 for a 3-under 139 total after 36 holes. The reigning North Carolina Class 4-A medalist said he "didn't have too many expectations going into a professional tournament" and is approaching the final two rounds as an educational experience. Sounds like a smart lad.

Information from ESPN.com, Golf.com and the Associated Press contributed to this post.

Cooks Creek deserves a biscuit bump

2010-05-21T16:15:00.000-04:00

Took advantage of the break in our recent run of wet weather to play a round at Cooks Creek yesterday with former Dispatch features writer Dennis Fiely. The combination of a great course, good weather and good company made for a day well spent.

Maybe it was that combination or the fact that I played well, but yesterday's round convinced me I haven't been giving Cooks Creek its just due in my best-places-to-play-in-central-Ohio list. As a result, Oldgolfdawg is throwing a half-biscuit Cooks Creek's way and elevating it to 4 1/2-dog- biscuit status.

In all the years that I've played the course, I've never seen it in better shape. Perhaps because of all the rain we've had lately, my eyes took in brilliant splashes of green wherever I looked. The fresh-cut fairways were in pristine condition, the rough was high but not unkempt, the greens were smooth and fast and the sand traps were in outstanding condition considering the recent weather.

Beyond the great playing conditions, I fell in love again with the layout of a course designed by Michael Hurdzan, Dana Fry and John Cook and given 4 1/2 stars by Golf Digest. It's an interesting mix of a links course sprinkled with some parkland-like holes that create framed shots.

The course, which opened 1993 and includes an Audubon Sanctuary and Blue Herron rookery, has three of the toughest public par 4s in central Ohio in Nos. 3 (427 yards), 12 (435 yards) and 18 (474 yards). It also includes a couple of fun pars 3s, the 113-yard, uphill 13th and the 183-yard, downhill 15th.

If your schedule allows you to play in the afternoon, it is hard to beat Cooks Creek's $30 rate for 18 holes and a cart after 2:30 Monday through Friday.
http://cookscreek.com/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1

Here is Oldgolfdawg's updated best-places-to-play-in-central-Ohio list, ranked on a scale of 1 to 5 dog biscuits:
5 dog biscuits: Longaberger (the alpha dog)
4 1/2 dog biscuits: Cooks Creek, East Golf Club
4 dog biscuits: Cumberland Trail, EagleSticks, Deer Ridge, Golf Club of Dublin, The Players Club at Foxfire
3 1/2 dog biscuits: *Apple Valley, Bent Tree, Blacklick Woods, Chapel Hill, Champions, Granville, Indian Springs, New Albany Links, The Links at Echo Springs, Royal American Links
3 dog biscuits: Darby Creek, Glenross, Mill Creek, Turnberry, Westchester
2 1/2 dog biscuits: Blackhawk, Crystal Springs Golf Club, Mentel Memorial, National Golf Links, *Licking Springs, Raymond Memorial, Safari Golf Club, *St. Albans, *Table Rock
2 dog biscuits: *Airport, *Oakhaven, *Bridgeview, Marysville Golf Club, *Minerva Lake
1 1/2 dog biscuits: *Wilson Road, *Big Walnut (executive courses)
1 dog biscuit: Let's not go there
* Indicates Oldgolfdawg has not played the course in more than five years and needs feedback from others to adjust any ranking.

Classy Nelson event lacks star power

2010-05-20T00:01:00.000-04:00

Since the death of Byron Nelson in 2006, the tournament named in his honor has had a tough time attracting the bigger names in golf. That trend will continue today when the 57th edition of the Byron Nelson Championship tees off at the TPC at Four Seasons Resort Las Colinas in Irving, Texas.

Defending champion Rory Sabbatini will compete against a field that will include only four of the top 25 ranked players in the world, the highest being 17th-ranked Hunter Mahan. The best the tournament could draw from the money-leader list is No. 9 Dustin Johnson.

“It’s sad,” said Corey Pavin, who is playing the event for the 23rd time. “I would like to see this field remain strong. ... Byron is fresh in my memory; to me, he is the epitome of golf, what it stands for."

The tournament's loss in stature is mainly due to Nelson's death. Between 1995 and 2005 the tournament was the place to play and marquee names made it a must-attend event out of respect to Nelson, who would hold court off the 18th hole and talk to players after they finished play.

But the TPC Four Seasons Resort course, designed and built by Robert Trent Jones Jr., has never been a favorite of tour players since it first opened in 1983. Over the years it has been remodeled and renovated numerous times but still isn't considered a top track. D.A. Weibring was hired after the 2007 tournament and his company came in a basically redid the greens, fairways and tees. The course has come a long way in the last 2 1/2 years since the changes and Sabbatini's record 261 total of last year could be challenged this year if weather conditions cooperate.

The PGA Tour schedule also has played in role in making the Nelson a less attractive event for golf's brighter lights, with many preferring to prepare for the U.S. Open with stops at next week's Colonial in Fort Worth, Texas, or Jack Nicklaus' Memorial in two weeks instead. Adding to the problem is the fact that the top event on the European Tour, the BMW PGA Championship, is also held this week. Past Nelson champions Sergio Garcia and Ernie Els are playing in England this week instead of in Irving.

Even so, the Nelson can be proud that of any tournament on the PGA Tour dating to 1970 it has the reputation of holding the closest events. Amazingly, 26 Nelsons have either been won in playoffs or by a shot. Last year's victory by two shots by Sabbatini, who closed with a 64, was the first non-playoff or one-shot victory since 2003.

It also should be noted that no other event on the PGA Tour has raised more money for charity than the Byron Nelson Championship. Since 1973 more than $112 million has been raised by the tournament's sponsor, the Salesman Club of Dallas. Last year in a bad economy $4.4 million was raised while in 2008 $6.1 million was given to charities.

A positive for the Nelson this week is the fact that the qualifying period for the U.S. Open and British Open for those outside the top 50 of the world golf rankings ends Sunday. That puts extra pressure on Graeme McDowell (currently ranked 50th), Vijay Singh (51st) J.B. Holmes (52nd) and PGA Tour rookie Rickie Fowler (54th).

A top-five finish in the Nelson would lift Fowler into the world's top 50, earning him an automatic exemption into the upcoming majors. Fowler, a 21-year-old Californian who would love to compete in next month's U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, skipped last week's Texas Open in San Antonio in order to be well-rested for the Nelson.

"I wanted to have a fresh week coming to these three tournaments -- the Colonial and Memorial but focusing on this week to play well," he told reporters at the TPC Four Seasons on Tuesday. "Now I know I need to finish top-five. We'll try and block it out but it will certainly be in the back of my mind."

Fowler, who turned professional last year and earned his PGA Tour card by tying for 15th at the qualifying tournament, has performed well this season after taking a week's break.

"I had a week off before (the) Phoenix (Open), I got second there; I had a week off before Hilton Head, and I tied for eighth," he said. "Those were some of my better finishes so I feel good coming in after a week off."

It will be interesting to see if the strategy pays off. The Golf Channel (today: 3-6 p.m.; Friday: 8:30-11:30 p.m.) and CBS (Saturday, Sunday: 3-6 p.m.) will be telecasting coverage of the Byron Nelson Championship.

For a better understanding of why Nelson is held in such esteem, check out this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byron_Nelson

Information from GolfObserver.com, ESPN.com, the Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this post.

(Click video screen for full picture)

Doctor who treated Woods charged

2010-05-19T00:44:00.001-04:00

One of Tiger Woods' off-the-course distractions made news yesterday when Dr. Anthony Galea was charged with unlawful distribution of drugs, including human growth hormone (HGH), to NFL players.

Federal prosecutors filed a criminal complaint at the U.S. District Court in Buffalo charging Galea with making false statements to federal officials, smuggling, unlawful distribution of HGH, introducing an unapproved drug (Actovegin) into interstate commerce and conspiracy to defraud the United States.

Galea, the Canadian doctor who treated Woods after the golfer had surgery on his left knee in 2008, faces as many as 28 years in prison for the charges and millions in potential fines. The crux of the complaint involves Galea's treatment of three NFL players who are not identified.

According to prosecutors, Galea repeatedly entered the United States to treat numerous professional athletes from 2007 to September 2009, including athletes from the NFL, Major League Baseball and the PGA Tour. According to a witness cooperating with prosecutors, Galea is not a licensed doctor in the U.S. and he understood that treating patients inside the U.S. was unlawful.

"The medical procedures described by the cooperating witness that Dr. Galea performed in the U.S. included but were not limited to a plasma rich platelet (PRP) injections, injection of drug mixtures or 'cocktails' into athletes' knees; IV drips; and ultrasounds and injections of drug mixtures into the sites of muscle tears," the complaint said. "The PRP procedure involved withdrawing blood from a patient, spinning it in a centrifuge, and re-injecting the plasma into the patient's body at the site of an injury."

Several reports identify the cooperating witness as Galea's former assistant Mary Ann Catalano. According to ESPN, Catalano identified 23 athletes during interviews with U.S. and Canadian authorities whom she said Galea treated in the United States.

At the Masters, Woods said that federal investigators had contacted his agent, Mark Steinberg, about the Galea probe, but had not asked to interview him. During that same media conference, Woods unequivocally denied taking any performance-enhancing drugs and said that Galea was treating his left leg after knee surgery in 2008.

"(Galea) never gave me HGH or any PEDs. I've never taken that my entire life. I've never taken any illegal drug, ever, for that matter," Woods said, going on to explain that Galea had given him "platelet-enriched plasma treatments," a blood-spinning technique described in the complaint.

In a recent interview with The Golf Channel, Woods's ex-coach Hank Haney said he witnessed Galea treating Woods' knee.

"I was there and watched the whole procedure," Haney said. "There was never anything that went into Tiger Woods' body that didn't come out of his body. They take blood out, they spin it, they inject the plasma back in. I totally believe that Tiger Woods has never taken any performance-enhancing drugs."

* * *

SINGH COULD MISS U.S. OPEN: Vijay Singh picked a bad time to drop from the world golf rankings' top 50. For the first time in nearly 18 years, he lost that status by slipping to No. 51 in the world rankings published Monday after he failed to make the cut at the Texas Open. It marked the fifth straight tournament in which he earned no ranking points.

Singh, the only other player besides Woods to be No. 1 in the world during the last decade, has one week to get back into the top 50 or he will have to qualify for the U.S. Open. He has played 63 consecutive majors, the longest active streak, and began the year at No. 26 in the world. He has been dealing with a back injury for the past two months but is expected to play this week in the Byron Nelson Classic.

Information from Golf.com, ESPN.com, Golf Channel, the Associated Press and PGATOUR.com contributed to this post.

"Heartbreak Annie" shows no mercy

2010-05-18T00:24:00.009-04:00

Attending a college graduation ceremony last weekend has inspired Oldgolfdawg to finish something he started back in January, his version of the toughest 18 holes in central Ohio, aka The Elegant Eighteen.

The final addition to the group is the 16th hole at The Players Club at Foxfire, which was referred to as "Heartbreak Annie" in an earlier post. It's the final test in a difficult three-hole stretch I call "The Gantlet," Nos. 14-16 at The Players. As a season pass member for two years at Foxfire Golf Club, I have to admit "The Gantlet" wore me down to the point that I grew tired of the test. And as one might expect from any gantlet worth its salt, the most difficult hole of the stretch was the last, a 426-yard par 4.

Numerous times Oldgolfdawg was on track to break 80 at The Players Club when the wheels would fall off on No. 16. The scenic hole starts from a tee box cut into the woods like a cove or inlet. A babbling brook that cuts across it about 50 yards from the tee box adds to its beauty and difficulty. Once a drive escapes the tighter confines of the tee box and clears the brook, the fairway widens but still remains dangerously tight on the left side. There is more room on the right side, but if one strays too far the second shot from deep rough becomes very difficult.

If you hit a good drive, say 250 yards in the fairway, then you are left with an uphill second shot of about 175 yards to a green you can't see because of the elevation change. But the shot to a narrow and deep green plays more like 185 or 190 yards. The front of the green is protected by three bunkers with just a small little alley available to shoot through between the traps.

Oldgolfdawg would take aim at the flag and just hope to hit the ball solidly enough to carry the three traps in front. Anything on the green was considered a good shot because of how narrow it was. But being on in regulation was no guarantee of success. The green, which is some 35 yards deep, is basically sloped from back to front but has enough undulations to make 80 percent of the first putts very difficult and often scary.

The Players Club, which measures 7,077 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 132 and a 74.2 USGA rating, is well represented in the Elegant Eighteen with three holes earning the distinction. From the white tees, where Oldgolfdawg hangs out, The Players Club still measures 6,705 yards and has a slope rating of 128 and a 72.4 USGA rating.

http://www.foxfiregolfclub.com/

Here's a rundown of the Elegant Eighteen, which is always open to revision when a need is identified:

No. 1: The second hole at Royal American Links, a 324-yard par 4 with a demanding second shot.
No. 2: The seventh hole at Chapel Hill Golf Course, a 411-yard par 4 that can easily become a trail of tears.
No. 3: No. 13 at Champions, a 394-yard par 4 with an intimidating tee shot.
No 4: No. 14 at The Players Club at Foxfire, a tight 547-yard par 5 requiring three well-placed shots to reach a well-protected green.
No. 5: The seventh hole at Deer Ridge Golf Club, a 156-yard par 3 requiring an accurate uphill tee shot and a steely putting stroke.
No. 6: No. 10 at Eagle Sticks Golf Club, a 193-yard par 3 with a demanding tee shot from an elevated tee box.
No. 7: No. 12 at Darby Creek, a 411-yard par 4 that includes a touch of Augusta.
No. 8: No. 12 at New Albany Links, a 406-yard par 4 best seen in one's rearview mirror.
No. 9: The fifth hole at Bent Tree Golf Club, a 412-yard par 4 that asks the question: "Am I feeling lucky."
No. 10: No. 18 at Cooks Creek, a 474-yard par 4 that makes finishing strong a tall order.
No. 11: No. 17 at Turnberry Golf Course, a 384-yard par 4 with a flashing yellow traffic light.
No. 12: No. 11 at The Players Club at Foxfire, a 165-yard par 3 that always delivers an anxious moment.
No. 13: No. 12 at Cumberland Trail, a 529-yard par 5 requiring a well-placed tee shot.
No. 14: The third hole at Blackhawk Golf Club, a 431-yard par 4 requiring a well-struck shot from a downhill lie.
No. 15: No. 11 at Chapel Hill, a 399-yard par 4 that makes one want to muscle the second shot even when they know it's a bad idea.
No. 16: The fourth hole at Indian Springs Golf Club, a 432-yard par 4 that doesn't need any tricks to trip you up.
No. 17: The fifth hole at East Golf Club, a 155-yard par 3 protected by water and a devilish green.
No. 18: No. 16 at The Players Club at Foxfire, a 426-yard uphill par 4 with a blind second shot to a narrow and dangerous green.

* * *

WOODS UPDATE: Tiger Woods posted on his website yesterday that he has added the British Open to his summer schedule. He has a chance to become the first player in the 150-year history of the British Open to win three times at St. Andrews, where golf's oldest championship will be held July 15-18. His two previous titles on the Old Course came in 2000 and 2005.

Woods, who withdrew from the final round of The Players Championship on May 9 with a neck injury, also has the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach and the AT&T National at Aronimink on his schedule. He has not yet entered Jack Nicklaus' Memorial tournament, where he is the defending champion.

Information from the Associated Press contributed to this post.

Scott victory offers hope to others

2010-05-17T00:38:00.010-04:00

Oldgolfdawg was glad to see that Australian Adam Scott prevailed in the Valero Texas Open yesterday at the TPC San Antonio Oaks Course. After spending much of a drive from Stow to Columbus thinking about his own missed opportunities on the greens of Silver Lake Country Club earlier in the day, Oldgolfdawg found it encouraging to learn after he arrived home that a player battling putting demons had ended a two-year victory drought with a 66-67 finish on the final day of a tournament delayed by a deluge of rain on Friday.

Scott's one-shot victory over Fredrik Jacobson came despite the fact that he bogeyed two of his first three holes to fall four shots off the lead on his way to a third-round 66. Scott then built his lead with six birdies on his way to a closing 67 to finish at 14-under 274. His 11-under performance on the 36-hole final day earned him $1,098,000 and was good for his seventh PGA Tour victory, his first since winning the 2008 Byron Nelson Classic.

More than anything, the victory was an affirmation that his game has finally come back to him after the worst season of his career in 2009. The 29-year-old Australian, once ranked as high as No. 3 in the world, has been working hard to improve his putting, which has always been the Achilles Heel of his game. The hard work paid off in San Antonio as Scott missed just one putt from inside 6 feet all week. The miss was on the final hole, but luckily for him it didn't come back to haunt him or ruin his feel-good story.

The comeback road for Scott, always known as a good ball-striker, began last year when Greg Norman selected him for The Presidents Cup and then continued late in the year when he won in Australia. But it was an impromptu putting lesson from Dave Stockton the Friday of the Quail Hollow Championship that turned him around for his success in San Antonio.

“He said he could fix me in 15 minutes and he was right,” Scott told CBS Sports after his victory yesterday. “The game is a lot more fun when you’re making putts.”

Oldgolfdawg would dare anyone to disagree with that statement. Making putts certainly helped Scott deliver one of the best performances of his career yesterday.

“When you get hot, sometimes it’s good to play 36,” Scott said. “You want to just keep going and going. I was really struggling with my putting and that was bringing the rest of my game down.”

Oldgolfdawg can relate to that sentiment. Luckily the weather was great and the company of old friends Dennis Altieri and Cornelius Bulman was even better during Oldgolfdawg's round at Silver Lake CC. Time spent playing golf with good friends is priceless no matter how many train wrecks occur on the greens.

Victories like Scott's are inspiring. The only way to overcome putting problems is to keep working at it like Scott, who recorded his first top-10 finish this year, two weeks after he missed the cut at Quail Hollow and tied for 26th at The Players Championship.

Information from PGATOUR.com contributed to this post.

New course spices start of Texas swing

2010-05-13T00:39:00.001-04:00

No one knows what to expect when the Valero Texas Open begins today in San Antonio, not even defending champion Zach Johnson, who will be trying to score a three-peat in the fourth-oldest tournament on the PGA Tour schedule. One might think Johnson would have an edge, but the event is being played on a course that just opened in January, a twist that leaves everyone guessing on how things will unfold as the tour begins a three-tournament swing through Texas.

Last year the tournament, which has gone through 16 name changes while maintaining ties to San Antonio, moved to the spring from the fall for the first time since 1972 as the tour revamped its schedule. Johnson made a birdie on the first playoff hole to top James Driscoll at The Resort at La Cantera, which had played host to the event since 1995. This year the event is moving to the new TPC San Antonio (AT&T Oaks Course) and Johnson will try to win it a third straight time against a field that includes only two of the top 25 players on the PGA Tour money list (Ernie Els and J.B. Holmes).

In the past, the tournament has been associated with low scoring. In 2003, Tommy Armour III shot a 254 at La Cantera to set the record for lowest 72-hole score in PGA Tour history. His score of 26 under was a tour record for par-70 courses. But that association is likely to end this week because the AT&T Oaks won't stand for any such assault, not with its course rating of 76.5 and a slope of 148.

The par-72 course, which can play at 7,522 yards, was designed by Greg Norman with Sergio Garcia acting as a player consultant. It features thick rough, tight fairways and three par 5s measuring more than 600 yards. It will be the second-longest course among primary PGA Tour stops so far this year, the longest being Torrey Pines South.

Johnson was four strokes worse last year in defense of his title but still managed a repeat. In 2008, he was 19 under in defeating Charlie Wi, Tim Wilkinson and Mark Wilson by two strokes. Johnson has yet to finish inside the top 10 in 11 PGA Tour starts this year and has managed just five finishes inside the top 25 this year after registering 16 in 2009. His biggest problem has been putting. His one-putt percentage is just 38.6, which ranks 61st on the tour.

Els, a two-time winner this year, will be making his first start in the tournament this week in an effort to pad his lead in the FedEx Cup standings. Garcia, who is seeking is first win since the 2008 Players Championship, will be making just his second career start in the Valero Texas Open. He finished 79th in 2003.

Three-time Valero Texas Open winner Justin Leonard will also be in the field along with Vijay Singh, Bo Van Pelt and Nick Watney. Golf Channel (today-Fri., 3-6 p.m.) and CBS (Sat.-Sun. 3-6 p.m.) will telecast the action.

WOODS INJURY UPDATE: After a magnetic resonance imaging yesterday in Orlando, Fla., it was determined that Tiger Woods has an inflamed facet joint in his neck. When the facet joints are inflamed, it causes pain in the affected area as well as headaches and difficulty rotating the head.

"I want to thank everyone for their caring and concern," Woods said on his website. "I now need to take care of this condition and will return to playing golf when I'm physically able."

Physical therapy, including soft-tissue massage, rest and anti-inflammatory medicine will be used to treat the injury. The prognosis for Woods is a full recovery, although a return date to competitive golf is contingent on how quickly the condition heals.

Information from GolfObserver.com, ESPN.com, PGATOUR.com and TigerWoods.com contributed to this post.

Woods confirms split with Haney

2010-05-12T01:37:00.008-04:00

In a short statement released yesterday, Tiger Woods confirmed his split with swing coach Hank Haney and thanked his former instructor.

"Hank Haney and I have agreed that he will no longer be my coach," Woods said on his website. "Hank is an outstanding teacher and has been a great help to me, but equally importantly he is a friend. That will not change. I would like to thank him for all he has done for me the past six years."

When Woods first employed Haney their relationship was kept secret for months so it is unlikely another swing coach will be named to replace Haney in the near future. Rumors have linked Woods and Sean Foley, an Orlando-based instructor who works with Sean O'Hair and Hunter Mahan, but Foley has denied any future arrangement is in the works.

Under Haney's guidance, Woods posted 57 top-10 finishes in 78 tournaments starting in 2005.

MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT: Masters champion Phil Mickelson has committed to play in Jack Nicklaus' Memorial Tournament next month. The world's No. 2-ranked player will be making his 11th appearance in the tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club, which runs from June 3-6.

Mickelson, who skipped the tournament a year ago after complaining the rough was too thick, has two top-10 finishes in his previous trips to the Memorial. The addition of Mickelson gives the tournament nine of the top 10 money-winners on the PGA Tour. Tim Clark, winner of The Players Championship last weekend, also has committed to playing in the Memorial.

Woods, a four-time winner of the Memorial, has yet to commit to this year's event after withdrawing from The Players Championship last week with a neck injury.

Information from ESPN.com and the Associated Press contributed to this post.

Woods' world shaken further by Haney decision

2010-05-11T00:56:00.002-04:00

TV analyst Johnny Miller should be happy to learn swing coach Hank Haney has resigned as Tiger Woods' coach. Haney made his decision known in a statement to the Golf Channel last night.

Miller had suggested that Woods' swing was out of whack because of his relationship with Haney and that the world's No. 1-ranked player would be better off returning to some of his old swing habits learned while under the tutelage of swing coach Butch Harmon. Woods had shrugged off the notion during The Players Championship last weekend, but apparently Haney had grown tired of the criticism and constant focus that troubles with Woods' swing brought him.

"I have informed Tiger Woods this evening that I will no longer be his coach," Haney said in his statement. "I would like to thank Tiger for the opportunity that I have had to work with him over the past six-plus years. Tiger Woods has done the work to achieve a level of greatness that I believe the game of golf has never seen before and I will always appreciate the opportunity I have had to contribute to his success.

"However, I believe at this time that it is in both our interests for me to step aside as Tiger's coach. Just so there is no confusion, I would like to make it clear that this is my decision. Tiger and I will always be friends but I believe there is a time and place for everything and I feel at this time and at this place in my life I want to move forward in other areas."

Haney's decision probably caught Woods off guard. During a news conference yesterday at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pa., to promote his July 1-4 AT&T National in suburban Philadelphia, Woods said that he was working on his swing.

"I talked to Hank about some of the stuff. We're still working on it," he said. "We have a lot of work to do. I can't make the movements that I made before because of the neck. I need to get healthy to play the proper way."

Woods withdrew from The Players Championship in the middle of the final round on Sunday after completing six holes, citing a neck injury.

Woods said in yesterday's news conference there is "zero connection" between the neck pain that forced him to withdraw from The Players and his Nov. 27 car accident. He also added that his neck started bothering him two weeks before the Masters, his first competition in five months. Woods brushed it off as "no big deal" until it kept getting worse.

"I'm at a point now where I just can't go anymore," he said. "I want to practice, I want to play, I want to compete, but this is not allowing me to do the things that I need to do on my golf swing to hit the proper shots. I need to get to where I can do that again."

Woods said he's been taking anti-inflammatory drugs, but they have not helped. He plans to have a magnetic resonance imaging when he returns to Orlando, Fla. He indicated that his schedule is "up in the air" and could be shaped based on what the MRI reveals.

In November, Woods was briefly hospitalized after he crashed his Cadillac Escalade into a fire hydrant and a tree outside his home, resulting in a sore neck and a cut lip. Yesterday, Woods insisted he can deal with the pain, which he feels in the right side of his neck, but cannot deal with the spasms that affect his ability to turn his head.

"For me not to play all 18 holes, that was as angry and as frustrated as I've been in a long time," Woods said of withdrawing from The Players. It was Woods' first withdrawal from a tournament since the Nissan Open at Riviera in 2006.

Woods said he never reached a point until this weekend where he felt he needed more serious treatment on his neck to alleviate the pain.

"It's possible one of the reasons I think this thing flared up is because I wasn't conditioned to it," he said. "I'd been away from the game for such a long time, then came back and ramped up really quickly in order to try and play the Masters. The body wasn't quite ready for that."

After tying for fourth in the Masters, Woods looked lost on the course as he missed the cut at Quail Hollow on April 30 with the highest 36-hole score of his career.

He was noncommittal about playing the U.S. Open on June 17-20.

"I'm trying everything I can to get back as soon as I can," Woods said.

Whenever that is, it apparently will be without Haney.

Information from ESPN.com, PGATOUR.com, and the Associated Press contributed to this post.

Clark upstages the big boys

2010-05-10T10:50:00.002-04:00

South African Tim Clark used a brilliant 5-under-par 67 final round to prevail in the battle of bridesmaids yesterday, winning the $9.5 million Players Championship in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., by one stroke over Australian Robert Allenby.

Clark, who started the day three strokes behind overnight leader Lee Westwood, produced the day's best round in demanding conditions at the Sawgrass TPC in earning his first PGA Tour victory after finishing second eight times on the circuit. He finished at 16-under 272, spurred on by a string of birdies starting at No. 9 and ending at No. 12 that staked him to a lead he did not relinquish.

Allenby, who closed with a 70, could not pick up a birdie on the final two holes that he needed to force a playoff and finished second for the fifth time since 2008. Lucas Glover (70) claimed third at 14 under. Westwood, the Brit who keeps knocking on the door of a major victory, crashed and burned when he double-bogeyed the treacherous 17th hole and finished with a 74, which left him sharing fourth place with Heath Slocum, Davis Love III, Bo Van Pelt and Ben Crane at 12-under.

With his victory, the diminutive Clark, nicknamed Penguin for the waddle in his walk, shed the tag of being the most successful player on the PGA Tour money-wise to have never won a tournament. The NBC television executives might have been hoping for a different kind of ending for this year's tournament, but Oldgolfdawg enjoyed pulling for the plucky underdog, the little guy battling for respect and redemption on one of the game's biggest stages. On an entertainment scale of 1 to 5, Oldgolfdawg would throw the outcome 4 dog biscuits.

Clark's stellar play, which included a 66-67 finish on baked greens, stole the show after world number one Tiger Woods created an early sensation yesterday -- even though he wasn't in contention -- when he withdrew complaining of neck pain that he said he feared could be caused by a bulging disk. Though he did make the cut, his withdraw marks the first time in his career that he didn't finish tournaments on back-to-back weekends.

Meanwhile, Phil Mickelson's bid to seize Woods' world number one ranking fizzled with a final-round 74 and a tie-for-17th-place finish. And the question of whether Rory McIlroy could build upon his victory at Quail Hollow was answered Friday when he missed the cut.

ESPN.com, and PGATOUR.com contributed to this post.

Greens at Blacklick Woods get green light

2010-05-08T21:14:00.000-04:00

Returned to Blacklick Woods yesterday for a round of golf with Dennis "Dr. Feelgood" Fiely and Jeremy "Lynch Mob" Lynch. After issuing a warning two weeks ago that the greens were still recovering from an aeration, Oldgolfdawg is happy to report the putting surfaces have recovered and are in good condition.

The course, part of the Metropolitan Park system, is in great condition overall. We even saw a work crew edging a sand trap. The walking rate of $16 Monday through Thursday makes Blacklick Woods one of the best values in central Ohio.

Price is right at National Golf Links

2010-05-07T20:23:00.003-04:00

Revisited National Golf Links yesterday for the first time in a long time during a round with Steve Blackledge and Mike Munden and had a very enjoyable time. We walked the links-style course for $18 and wore ourselves out chasing the pea.

The course, designed by Jody Kinney and opened in 1995, plays 7,200 yards long from its longest tees with a rating of 74.2 and a slope of 138. That was a bit more than we wanted to try to chew so we opted for the white tees, which played 6,618 yards long with a course rating of 71.5 and a 132 slope.

The large greens were in good shape and rolled nicely. The fairways were in decent shape but nothing to brag about. The rough was ... well, kind of rough in spots and the traps weren't anything to brag about either. The course management was very pleasant and appreciative of its patrons. If you like links-style golf and don't demand pristine conditions, this course is a viable option, especially because of its reasonable prices.

I enjoyed the layout, especially the back nine, which included several drives off elevated tees and a couple of difficult par 4s (Nos 11, 15). But overall I didn't feel the course merited the 3 dog biscuits I gave it in my original ranking of best places to play in central Ohio. By the number of cars in the parking lot, it would seem as I wasn't alone in that assessment.

http://www.nationalgolflinks.org/

Here is Oldgolfdawg's updated Best-places-to-play-in-central-Ohio list, ranked on a scale of 1 to 5 dog biscuits:

5 dog biscuits: Longaberger (the alpha dog)
4 1/2 dog biscuits: East Golf Club (another classic Arthur Hills layout)
4 dog biscuits: Cooks Creek, Cumberland Trail, EagleSticks, Deer Ridge, Golf Club of Dublin, The Players Club at Foxfire
3 1/2 dog biscuits: *Apple Valley, Bent Tree, Blacklick Woods, Chapel Hill, Champions, Granville, Indian Springs, New Albany Links, The Links at Echo Springs, Royal American Links
3 dog biscuits: Darby Creek, Glenross, Mill Creek, Turnberry, Westchester
2 1/2 dog biscuits: Blackhawk, Crystal Springs Golf Club, National Golf Links, Mentel Memorial, *Licking Springs, Raymond Memorial, Safari Golf Club, *St. Albans, *Table Rock
2 dog biscuits: *Airport, *Oakhaven, *Bridgeview, Marysville Golf Club, *Minerva Lake
1 1/2 dog biscuits: *Wilson Road, *Big Walnut (executive courses)
1 dog biscuit: Let's not go there
* Indicates Oldgolfdawg has not played the course in more than five years and needs feedback from others to adjust any ranking.

The Players will answer a lot of questions

2010-05-06T00:38:00.000-04:00

There will be numerous storylines to consider when play begins today in the 37th edition of The Players Championship at the TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., and all of them are juicy.

Early on the focus will be on Tiger Woods to see if he can bounce back from missing the cut last week. Woods' missed cut at Quail Hollow came by eight strokes, the widest margin of his career. The previous worst was three, at the 2005 Disney tournament and 2006 U.S. Open.

In practice rounds earlier this week, Woods still appeared to be struggling to find his past form and that might not bode well. The TPC Sawgrass has never been one of his favorite courses and chances are good that he'll struggle if he can't get his game under control because architect Pete Dye's course design ruthlessly punishes imprecision. Since winning The Players Championship in 2001, Woods has played the Stadium course six times and only finished in the top 10 once, an eighth-place finish last year.

Much attention also will be paid to Phil Mickelson, who can bump Woods from the No. 1 spot in the world golf rankings with a victory and an-outside-the-top-five finish by Tiger. Mickelson has momentum on his side coming off his Masters victory and a second-place finish last week. But he wasn't ready to make any predictions during a pre-tournament news conference.

"It's every player's goal and intent to strive to be recognized as the No. 1 player in the world relative to the rankings," Mickelson said. "It's certainly something that I have been striving for but have not achieved yet. And so it would mean a lot to me.

"But for me to accomplish that, I can't focus on that. I've got to go out and get ready to play this golf course because it's not an easy challenge, and for me to have a chance to achieve No. 1, I've got to win. So I've got a lot of work ahead."

Besides Woods and Mickelson, the golf world will be closely watching Rory McIlroy, the freshest face on the PGA Tour. After barely making the cut last week, the just-turned 21-year-old from Northern Ireland finished with rounds of 66 and 62 to win the Quail Hollow Championship by four shots. Was his amazing performance down the stretch a fluke or a turning point in his career? Only time will tell. Before winning at Quail Hollow, McIlroy had just endured two missed cuts in Houston and at the Masters.

Defending champion Henrik Stenson will be trying to jump-start his season this week against a field that includes 40 of the top-50 ranked players in the world. Stenson shot a final-round 66 on baked-out greens last year to beat Ian Poulter by four shots. Of the 10 top-50 missing this year, Steve Stricker, Anthony Kim and Retief Goosen are hurt. Edoardo Molinari, Miguel A. Jimenez, Ryo Ishikawa, Yuta Ikeda, Louis Oosthuizen, Michael Sim and Soren Hanson have simply elected not to play.

One of the biggest oddities of The Players Championship is the fact that nobody has ever repeated as champion. Five players have won this event multiple times. Jack Nicklaus is the only three-time winner (1974, 1976, 1978). Two-time winners include Steve Elkington (1991, 1997), Hal Sutton (1983, 2000), Fred Couples (1984, 1996) and Davis Love (1992, 2003).

The tournament will be telecast by the Golf Channel (today: 1 p.m.-7 p.m.; Friday: 9 p.m.-12 a.m.) and NBC (Saturday: 2 p.m.-7 p.m.; Sunday: 2 p.m.-7 p.m.).

Information from PGATOUR.com, ESPN.com and GolfObserver.com contributed to this post.

Mill Creek deserves another biscuit

2010-05-05T12:11:00.002-04:00

Got a kick out of playing the course that helped mold Ben Curtis into a British Open champion yesterday, and the chance to get together for a round with former Dispatch colleagues Mike Munden and Ray Belew at Mill Creek Golf Club in Ostrander produced a "Michelob Day."

The course, which Oldgolfdawg hadn't played in more than 20 years, was in great shape, the management could not have been nicer and the price to walk 18 holes was right at $20.00. What stood out to me the most was the great condition of the greens. Even though I had a tough time reading a lot of the breaks in them, the greens looked beautiful and rolled nicely.

My biggest regret was three-putting on the 18th green, where a young Curtis was sometimes found putting in his pajamas by family members. Curtis grew up in a house a stone's throw away from the 18th green and honed his skills at the course before going on to enjoy great success at Kent State and later joining the PGA Tour. Curtis won the British Open in 2003 at Royal St. George's when he sank about a 10-foot par putt on the final hole. He was on the practice range waiting for everyone else to finish when he learned he had won.

In my 25-plus years with The Dispatch, Curtis' British Open victory and Buster Douglas' upset of Mike Tyson in Japan were the two most memorable individual sports stories with local ties the newspaper covered. Curtis has gone on to have a solid PGA Tour career with more than $9 million in earnings. His best finish this year came in the Arnold Palmer Invitation at Bay Hill, where he finished sixth.

Oldgolfdawg needs a mulligan for throwing Mill Creek only 2 dog biscuits in his original list of best places to play in central Ohio. That was based on a faded memory. After playing the course yesterday, an adjustment has to be made because the course has aged like a fine wine. So Mill Creek is being upgraded from 2 dog biscuits to 3 in my latest rankings.

Mill Creek promotes itself in the following manner:

Opening in 1973 by Dwight and Myrtie Black, Mill Creek is one of the best conditioned family run courses in Central Ohio with a friendly staff that will serve you a great day of golf at an affordable price. The fairways are beautifully lined with mature trees and 5 ponds will test the shot making skill of all players. Located 10 minutes north of the Columbus Zoo, the Mill Creek Family and Staff welcome you to a club in the country.

During yesterday's round I didn't see one dandelion on a course that features 6,300 yards of golf from its longest tees and has a slope rating of 116. The layout is interesting but not overly penal. I also was impressed with how well maintained the tee boxes were. The bottom line on Mill Creek is that it is a great value and an enjoyable experience I would recommend to anyone.

Mickelson hopes to join elite club

2010-05-03T21:00:00.004-04:00

Phil Mickelson will be trying to become only the 13th player to be No. 1 since the world golf rankings began in 1986 when he tees it up Thursday in The Players Championship in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

His second-place finish in the Quail Hollow Championship, secured by a 15-foot birdie putt on the final hole, put him in position to overtake Tiger Woods, who has held the No. 1 ranking for five years. There is one catch. Woods has to finish outside the top five in order for there to be a changing of the guard. But considering how poorly Woods played at Quail Hollow in missing the cut, the chances of that happening appear to be good.

Apparently, the thought of losing the No. 1 ranking doesn't sit well with Woods. He arrived at the TPC Sawgrass course today for a practice round with Rod Pampling and Jay Haas. Practicing on the course of an upcoming event on a Monday is unusual for Woods, who has finished out of the top 20 at least five times in The Players Championship despite winning it in 2001.

These are difficult times for Woods. While various sources have reported he is facing an imminent divorce, a Sports Illustrated survey recently published indicates that one out of four players suspect Woods of using performance enhancing drugs. Seventy-one players took part in a series of poll questions, all on the condition of anonymity, and questions linger about his association with Dr. Anthony Galea. But Woods has never failed a PGA Tour drug test.

Some golf insiders also have been questioning Woods' relationship with swing coach Hank Haney despite the success he has had with the instructor's help since 2005. Under Haney's tutelage, Woods has won six major championships and has had more consistently high finishes that at any point in his career. But his swing problems at the Masters and last weekend's Quail Hollow Championship have once again turned up the scrutiny.

But before everyone buries Tiger and hands the No. 1 spot over to Mickelson, it should be noted that Woods has a history of bouncing back from missed cuts. After missing the cut at the 2006 U.S. Open, he won six of his next seven tournaments. He also won three of his next seven tournaments and finished second in three others after missing the cut at the 2009 British Open.

QUICK PITCH SHOTS: Rory McIlroy's final-round 62 at Quail Hollow created such a buzz in golf circles that some are calling it an historic turning point. That may be a bit over the top, but the four-shot victory over Mickelson did propel the young Irishman to No. 9 from No. 13 in the official world golf rankings released today. ... McIlroy's stunning victory wasn't the only noteworthy performance last weekend. Ryo Ishikawa fired a Japanese tour record 12-under-par 58 Sunday in winning the Crowns tournament in Nagoya, three years after he became the tour's youngest winner at 15. ... Ai Miyazato won for the third time in just five LPGA events in 2010 when she shot a 67 and edged Stacy Lewis by one shot and Michelle Wie by two in the Tres Marias tournament in Mexico. Lorena Ochoa, in her last tournament before stepping away from the LPGA Tour to pursue other interests, finished sixth, handing over the No. 1 spot in women's golf to Jiyai Shin, who won in Japan. Shin became the first person to hold that spot since Ochoa took it over in April of 2007. ... Finally, Alvaro Quiros joined Seve Ballesteros and Sergio Garcia as the only home winners of the Open de Espana since 1972 when he beat James Morrison on the first hole of a playoff.

Information from GolfObserver.com, ESPN.com, PGATOUR.com, Golf.com and the Associated Press contributed to this post.

McIlroy victory freshens golf landscape

2010-05-02T19:54:00.002-04:00

Rory McIlroy's brilliant 10-under-par 62 finish in capturing the Quail Hollow Championship today stole the spotlight from runner-up Phil Mickelson and added an exclamation point to the coming out party of a fast-rising Irish star two days shy of his 21st birthday.

McIlroy's course-record 62 included a back nine 30 that saw him record 3s on his last six holes, an amazing accomplishment considering the last three holes at Quail Hollow Golf Club are considered among the toughest three-hole-finishing stretches on the PGA Tour. His first victory in the United States solidified his status as one of the game's most promising players and even prompted CBS announcer Jim Nantz to wonder if we will look back on this tournament as a watershed moment in the sport.

Only time will tell if the likable McIlroy will continue to climb to the top of the world golf rankings, but his scintillating breakthrough victory on U.S. soil coming on the same weekend that Tiger Woods missed his first cut in a regular PGA Tour event since 2005 made it easy to wonder if a glimpse of golf's new world order was beginning to take shape.

Mickelson narrowed the gap on Woods' lead in the world golf rankings with his second-place finish and could move into the top spot with a victory this week in the Players Championship and another outside-the-top-five finish by Woods. McIlroy, ranked 13th in the world entering the Quail Hollow Championship, will move into the top 10 for the second time in his career when the new rankings are released Monday.

McIlroy sank a 40-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to finish in style and bring a roar of approval from the gallery gathered around the final hole. He finished at 15-under 273 and won $1.17 million.

"I suppose I got into the zone," McIlroy told CBS analyst David Feherty afterward. "I hadn't realized I was going in 9, 10 under. I just know I got my nose in front and I was just trying to stay there."

Mickelson, expected to face Woods in the showdown of the No. 1- and No. 2-ranked players in the world at the start of the tournament, appeared in good position to challenge for the lead until he had to play a right-handed shot from the woods on the 10th hole and made bogey. When he finally got around to making a charge, McIlroy was too far ahead. Mickelson closed with a 68, which he figured would be good enough to win, and finished four shots back.

"I've got to congratulate Rory," Mickelson said. "He played some incredible golf. He's an amazing talent. You knew he was going to come out and win out here. He is some kind of player."

Two-time major winner Angel Cabrera was tied for the lead with eight holes to play until his putter let him down. The former Masters and U.S. Open champion missed five putts inside 10 feet on the back nine and shot 68 to finish alone in third five shots back.

Oldgolfdawg didn't watch McIlroy's amazing closing round unfold so he won't offer a critique on its entertainment value. But he knows he picked a bad week to attend a Quarter Century Club gathering sponsored by his former employer. From watching the tournament highlights and catching the last half-hour of the telecast, it appears McIlroy put on a truly memorable performance.

Information from the Associated Press contributed to this post.

Crystal Springs is a fun thrill ride

2010-05-01T16:10:00.001-04:00

Forrest Gump's momma was right when she said, "Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get." As Oldgolfdawg pulled into the parking lot of Crystal Springs Golf Club yesterday for a round with old friend Scott Minister, he was afraid he might be sinking his teeth into something he might regret.

At first glance, Crystal Springs looks like a former goat ranch decorated with colored flag sticks scattered here and there. But I was determined to keep an open mind after being labeled a "golf snob" by old friend Steve Blackledge, and I'm glad I did. As Scott and I began to play and the round progressed, it became clear to me why he had labeled Crystal Springs "a poor man's EagleSticks." This mom-and-pop golf course located in the boonies of Hopewell, just off of Old U.S. Rt. 40, was like a roller-coaster ride, with potential thrills and spills all over the place. And the price was right, just $22 including the cart.

The front nine, in particular, features an abundance of elevated tee shots into valleys that are filled with danger for balls hit astray. The elevation changes, much like EagleSticks Golf Club in Zanesville, are what really make Crystal Springs fun and challenging. The seventh, eighth and ninth holes are beautifully designed and feature elevated tees that produce shots that are really fun to watch as they free fall into the distance.

The back nine, with the exception of Nos. 10 and 18, doesn't have as many dramatic shots because it takes on the characteristics of a links course. But the holes are very exposed to any wind that might be blowing and certainly are not pushovers. The 15th hole, a 288-yard, par-4 dog-leg left, departs from the links style mode and is reachable with a tee shot. But the tee shot is fraught with danger because of three well-placed sand traps and the fact that trees line the fairway where the dog-leg begins to bend.

From the back tees, the par-71 course plays 6,493 yards long. It carries a course rating of 70.1 with a 125 slope. It features just two par 5s and three par 3s. The par 3s are difficult, with Nos. 4 (176 yards) and 6 (228 yards) being all uphill and No. 14 (206 yards) being long and usually into the wind from a somewhat elevated tee.

Overall, the course maintenance was credible except for taking care of the sand traps, which were basically in a state of disrepair. Scott and I ruled we would just consider them ground under repair and wondered why they just didn't make them grass bunkers if they weren't going to take better care of them. Beyond that, the greens rolled nicely despite an occasional splotch here and there and the ball sat up nicely in the fairways.

On a scale of 1 to 5 in terms of desirability, Oldgolfdawg would throw the course 2 1/2 dog biscuits based mostly on its interesting layout. It's a 47-mile drive east from downtown Columbus to Crystal Springs and, for that reason, it doesn't deserve to rank high on anyone's must-play list. But if you're in that area and can't get a tee time to EagleSticks, a round at Crystal Springs is a good option to consider.

Wild driver, putter steer Woods to early exit

2010-04-30T20:04:00.006-04:00

A much-hoped-for showdown between golf's No. 1- and No. 2-ranked players in the Quail Hollow Championship was derailed in dramatic fashion today when Tiger Woods matched the worst nine-hole score of his PGA Tour career on his way to a 7-over-par 79.

Woods, who shot what he termed a "terrible" 74 in the first round, missed a cut for only the sixth time in his 14-year career. His 79 included double bogeys on the 14th and 15th holes and six bogeys.

"It is what it is," Woods said on the Golf Channel. "Whatever it was, wasn't good enough."

Woods, the world's No. 1-ranked golfer, had three-putt bogeys on consecutive holes on the back nine on his way to a 43. He hit rock bottom on the 15th hole when he four-putted for double bogey from just more than 30 feet. The performance is surprising in as much as Woods was coming off a tie for fourth at the Masters three weeks ago.

In his first appearance at a regular PGA Tour event since admitting marital infidelity five months ago, Woods was done in by his wild driving. After hitting just four of 14 fairways with his tee shots on Thursday, he hit just two fairways today in earning an early exit from an event in which he had three top-five finishes in his four previous appearances, winning in 2007 and finishing fourth last year.

On the 17th hole, a fan was escorted off the course for heckling Woods, shouting "No red shirt for you on Sunday, Tiger," a reference to Woods' usual final-round wardrobe choice. After his round when asked what he would do during a rare weekend off, Woods quipped: "I'll get to watch how it's done. I'll get to see how real golfers do it."

The only other times Woods has missed the cut were at the 1997 Canadian Open, the 2005 Byron Nelson Championship, the 2005 Funai Championship, the 2006 U.S. Open and the 2009 British Open. He holds the record of 142 consecutive cuts made from 1998 through 2005.

Meanwhile, Mickelson, the world's No. 2-ranked golfer, shot a 68 and is two shots back of 36-hole leader Billy Mayfair. A Mickelson victory Sunday would go a long way in loosening Woods' grip on the No. 1 ranking he's held for the last 255 weeks and for a total of 597 during his career.

Mickelson needs to win approximately 110 more points than Woods over the next couple of weeks to take over the World No. 1 spot. The Quail Hollow Championship offers 64 points for the winner and The Players Championship winner picks up a guaranteed 80 points.

The other players who have had official World No. 1 status in the 24-year history of the rankings are Bernhard Langer (3 weeks), Seve Ballesteros (61 weeks), Greg Norman (331 weeks), Nick Faldo (97 weeks), Ian Woosnam (50 weeks), Fred Couples (16 weeks), Nick Price (44 weeks), Tom Lehman (1 week), Ernie Els (9 weeks), David Duval (15 weeks) and Vijay Singh (32 weeks).

Information from ESPN.com, Bloomberg.com and officialworldgolfranking.com contributed to this post.

Big two theory faces test at Quail Hollow

2010-04-29T01:16:00.001-04:00

A theory offered up in some golf writing circles of late that Phil Mickelson has raised the level of his game to that of Tiger Woods will be put to the test today with the start of the Quail Hollow Championship in Charlotte, N.C.

A strong field that includes defending champion Sean O'Hair, Anthony Kim, Jim Furyk and Camilo Villegas could make golf's No. 1- and No. 2-ranked players also-rans on a course (Quail Hollow Club) that would be a perfect U.S. Open venue because of its length (7,442 yards), tight tree-lined fairways, 3-inch deep rough and fast undulating greens. But the fact that Woods (2007 champion) and Mickelson (four career top 10s) have played well at Quail Hollow in the past has many golf fans expecting a shootout between the two.

Mickelson, who had been ill in his hotel room Tuesday night, withdrew from yesterday's pro-am after six holes and was treated for dehydration. But he is expected to compete today, according to his spokesman T.R. Reinman. It will be Mickelson's first tournament since winning his third green jacket. He took the two weeks after the Masters off and only got back into vigorous practicing the last few days.

"I see the improvement each day, and I feel like it's back to a level close to where it was at Augusta," Mickelson said, "so I certainly have high expectations this week and next."

Woods, who has said it usually takes him two or three tournaments to get into a good flow for the season, will be competing before a regular general public audience for the first time since his sex scandal began making headlines. His fourth-place finish at the Masters, however, is reason for optimism.

"Just trying to get more fine-tuned, and I guess into the rhythm of just playing and competing," Woods said. "That takes a little bit of time."

It will be interesting to see if the time he's taken off since the Masters has improved his ability to control his temper. He received a lot of well-deserved criticism for his several outbursts in frustration during play at Augusta National and will no doubt continue to be under heavy scrutiny.

One of the keys to mastering Quail Hollow is playing well on the final three holes, and this could make for some interesting television on the final day. A year ago, the final three holes were the toughest three-hole finishing stretch on tour. So players would be wise to hitch up their britches before coming down the stretch. The 16th hole is a 480-yard par 4 that played to a 4.210 average, making it the 120th toughest hole on tour. The 217-yard 17th hole was the 44th hardest at 3.285. Since 2003, players have hit 248 tee shots into the lake guarding No. 17. Finally, the 478-yard, par-4 18th hole was the 12th hardest with a 4.374 average, making it the second-most-difficult finishing hole on the tour. It should be fun to watch on the Golf Channel (Today-Friday, 2-6 p.m.) and CBS (Saturday-Sunday, 3-6 p.m.).

Information from PGATOUR.com, GolfObserver.com contributed to this post.

Let's put a lid on Mr. Three-putt

2010-04-27T00:05:00.000-04:00

After suffering through a round at East Golf Club last week in which I three-putted three times, I started looking for some answers on YouTube. I had been lag putting fairly well this year until the aforementioned round and then all of sudden I began having to make a lot of 4- and 5-foot come-backers because of overly aggressive first putts. I came across a couple videos last weekend that offered several things worth considering. Hope it helps.

Strong finish ends dry spell for Bohn

2010-04-26T00:40:00.003-04:00

Jason Bohn, coming back from a variety of injuries and back surgery, birdied three of his last four holes yesterday on his way to a two-shot victory over Jeff Overton in the Zurich Classic in Avondale, La.

Oldgolfdawg was more interested in the NBA Playoffs, particularly the Cavaliers' Game 4 against the Bulls, and didn't watch Bohn earn his second PGA Tour title. Bohn, whose previous victory came in the 2005 B.C. Open, shot a final-round 67 and finished his wire-to-wire victory at 18-under 270. Overton closed with a 66.

Bohn, 37, was teary-eyed as he made a birdie putt on the 18th green. He led since his 65 in the opening round, but admitted he felt the pressure as several players mounted challenges. Twenty-four-year-old rookie Troy Merritt shot a 67 and finished third at 14 under. Two-time U.S. Open champion Lee Janzen managed a 69 and came in fourth at 13 under.

CHAMPIONS TOUR: Mark O'Meara and Nick Price teamed to beat former Ohio State teammates Joey Sindelar and John Cook on the second hole of a playoff in the better-ball Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf tournament in Savannah, Ga.

Price made a 7-foot putt for par on the second playoff hole to earn the victory. Cook missed a 4-foot putt that would have won it on the final hole of regulation.

With the win, O'Meara notched his first official victory on the Champions Tour after 57 winless starts. Ken Green, making his first start after his auto accident 10 months ago, finished tied for 26th with Mike Reid.

Appealing Web site for figure filberts

2010-04-25T13:02:00.000-04:00

Stumbled across an interesting Web site the other day that I thought golfers with a more analytical bent might enjoy, especially if they like breaking down statistics. The site is called mygolfgameplan.com. Here's the link:
https://www.mygolfgameplan.com/

The site allows you to input four rounds a month to study for free. It even shows you what you must do in order to reach your desired goal. If you want to input more than four rounds, there is a fee. It's up to you to decide if you think a more detailed analysis of your game will produce better results. The Web site is pretty cool whether you decide to use it or not.

Ochoa ready for new challenges

2010-04-24T00:05:00.001-04:00

Lorena Ochoa filled in the details of her announced retirement from competitive golf yesterday during an emotion-filled news conference in Mexico City. Her voice breaking and her eyes watering at times, she bid her official farewell after a career in which she reigned as No. 1 for three years, won two majors and 27 tour victories, and was honored for four straight years as the LPGA Tour's player of the year.

The world's top-ranked women's golfer will step away as an active player at age 28 after the Tres Marias Championship next week in Morelia, Mexico, to raise her family and run her charity foundation. She left open the possibility of playing in a few more tournaments, including her Lorena Ochoa Invitational each November in her hometown of Guadalajara, but an all-out return seems unlikely.

Her decision to retire is remarkable when you consider that since 2006 Ochoa had just one fewer victory on the LPGA Tour than Tiger Woods did on the PGA Tour.

"We all know that Lorena's golf has spoken for itself," LPGA Tour vice president Jane Geddes said, sitting alongside Ochoa. "But what has always been the most impressive to the players is the way in which Lorena was able to balance her rise to greatness with such humility."

Ochoa said she had planned to play the entire 2010 season, but two tournaments in Asia earlier this season changed her mind.

"I realized maybe I didn't have the necessary motivation and that I wanted to start a new life and come to Mexico and do different things with the foundation," she said. "I have achieved all I needed to achieve in sports. Now is time to change; I'm going to keep working very hard, but at home."

The LPGA Tour, down to 14 events because of a lack of sponsors, has to be hoping that a new star will come forth in the coming days and, for its sake, the sooner the better. Encouraging in that regard is the fact that 12 of the top 20 players in the current world rankings are 23 years old or younger. Michelle Wie and Paula Creamer, two of the four from the U.S. ranked in the top 20, are the Americans mostly likely to vie for the top spot in the rankings.

Korean Jiyai Shin and Yani Tseng of China are ranked second and third in the world, respectively, and will be competing for the top spot in the rankings in the weeks to come. But if the LPGA Tour is going to gain more sponsors in America, it would help if an American golfer could at least challenge. Wie is currently ranked No. 9 and Creamer is No. 11.

Information from ESPN.com, Golf.com and the Associated Press contributed to this post.

For a look back at Ochoa's career, check out this link:
http://www.golf.com/golf/gallery/article/0,28242,1811453,00.html

Zurich Classic could use more spice

2010-04-22T00:38:00.000-04:00

Sergio Garcia will be the highest-ranked player in the field when play begins today in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, which lost some of its flavor yesterday with the withdrawals of Steve Stricker and Ian Poulter.

Stricker, ranked No. 3 in the world, withdrew because of an injured clavicle. Poulter, No. 6 in the world, withdrew because of a sore left knee. That leaves Garcia, No. 23 in the world, to headline an event that might not have the right ingredients to cook up a lot of excitement.

Garcia, who held the No. 2 spot in the world rankings as recently as March 2009, is making his first appearance in New Orleans. Last week at the Verizon Heritage he missed the cut for the first time in seven PGA Tour starts this season after following up an opening-round 67 with a 77. He is currently struggling with his game and hasn't had much success this season. His best finish is a fourth in the Match Play Championships. He hasn't finished better than 37th in the other appearances, including a lackluster tie for 45th at the Masters.

When asked last week what the problem is, Garcia stated, "Well, we're working on it, but it's taking time. ... Whenever I figure it out, I'll let you know."

Still, Garcia is a five-time member of the European Ryder Cup team and has won 15 events worldwide while splitting time on the PGA and European PGA tours each year. His last victory in the U.S. came in The Players Championship in 2008. Maybe he's due to break out of his slump.

Defending his Zurich title will be Jerry Kelly, who won in 2009 when he followed an opening-round 71 with scores of 69, 66 and 68. His score of 14-under-par 274 was good for a one-shot victory over Rory Sabbatini, Charles Howell III and Charlie Wi. They all will be back competing for the winner's share of $1.152 million from the $6.4 million purse.

In the past month, Kelly has tied for 12th at the Honda Classic, tied for 13th at the Transitions Championship and tied for 12th at the Masters.

Other top players in the field include K.J. Choi, David Toms, Justin Rose, Mark Calcavecchia, Rocco Mediate, Mike Weir, David Duval, Andres Romero, Stuart Appleby, Ben Crane, Bryce Molder, Scott Verplank, Lee Janzen, and fan favorites John Daly and Boo Weekley.

Information from ESPN.com, PGATOUR.com and Golf.com contributed to this post.

Ochoa decision another blow for LPGA

2010-04-21T01:22:00.002-04:00

After dropping hints for two years that there were things she was interested in doing with her life besides winning golf tournaments, Lorena Ochoa announced yesterday that she was stepping away from competitive golf.

The decision by the LPGA's top-ranked player was delivered by way of a short press release. A news conference has been scheduled for Friday in Mexico City. There is speculation that Ochoa will enjoy a farewell appearance at next week's LPGA event in Morelia, Mexico.

Ochoa's list of accomplishments at age 28 includes 27 career victories, two major championship triumphs and the last four LPGA player of the year awards.

“I don’t think anybody close to her or close to the tour is surprised,” LPGA touring pro Morgan Pressel said. “She’s always talked about how she wasn’t going to play forever and about wanting a family. At the same time, you hear it, and the reaction is, `Wow, is this really happening?’”

Ochoa's decision comes two years after former No. 1-ranked player Annika Sorenstam stepped away from competitive golf at age 37, leaving the LPGA without two of its biggest draws.

Ochoa will give her reasons at Friday's news conference. But the decision, though earlier perhaps than most expected, isn't that hard to understand. When Ochoa married AeroMexico executive Andres Conesa late last year and moved from her home in Guadalajara to Mexico City she became an instant mom to three children. She is building a new life with her husband, a 14-year-old son and 12- and 7-year-old daughters.

She also pours herself into a Mexican-based foundation that funds a school of underprivileged children and a new American-based foundation committed to taking the benefits of golf to Latino and others under-represented in the game.

"It doesn't surprise me that Lorena's retiring, but the timing is quick," says Hall of Famer Amy Alcott. "I consider Lorena a friend, and the thing I've always liked about her is that she is more than a golfer. She has a country behind her, and that's a lot of pressure, just as Annika had. They're really icons. It reminds me of the great Will Rogers quote: 'It's great to be great, but it's greater to be human.'"

Information from ESPN.com, Golf.com and GolfChannel.com contributed to this post.

Don't get bogged down in those bunkers

2010-04-20T20:41:00.000-04:00

Ever notice how high handicappers dread hitting into bunkers while pros would rather land in the friendly confines of a sand pit than in snarly rough close to a green?

The pros like hitting from sand because they know how the ball will release from it and they understand the techniques involved in escaping its grip depending on the lie. High handicappers act as if they are walking into quicksand when entering a bunker and their fear of not escaping its grip often results in multiple flailing-away efforts with no success.

Here's a video that can help anyone better understand what technique should be applied depending on the lie of the ball. Hope it helps.

Furyk victory has anti-climatic ending

2010-04-19T00:24:00.007-04:00

Jim Furyk's playoff victory over Brian Davis in the Verizon Heritage lost some of its luster yesterday when it was decided by a rules violation. On an entertainment scale of 1 to 5, Oldgolfdawg would throw it 3 1/2 dog biscuits.

Davis called a two-stroke penalty on himself while playing out of the a greenside hazard on the par-4 18th on the only playoff hole after touching a loose impediment during his backswing (Rule 13-4). Furyk (69) and Davis (68) finished regulation at 13-under 271. Furyk parred the first extra hole to record his 15th victory on the PGA Tour. Davis was trying to post his first PGA Tour victory.

Down by a shot playing the final hole of regulation, Davis took dead aim at a precariously placed flag and nearly hit it before watching his ball stop about 20 feet from the hole. He made the ensuing birdie putt to force the playoff. On the extra hole, Davis attempted to hit the same shot into the green that he hit on the 72nd hole, but he pulled it left into the hazard that separates Harbour Town from the adjacent Calibogue Sound.

After watching Furyk putt to about 4 feet with his third shot on the playoff hole, Davis decided to play his ball from the packed sand, pitching over rocks onto the front part of the green. But shortly after doing so he motioned for rules official Slugger White and informed him that he feared he might have clipped a loose impediment on his backswing. It was ruled that he did and as a result he was hit with a 2-stroke penalty. After missing a 40-foot long bogey putt, Davis conceded victory to Furyk, who was told to putt out just the same.

"To have the tournament come down that way is definitely not the way I wanted to win," Furyk said. "It's obviously a tough loss for him and I respect and admire what he did."

The victory is the second of the season for Furyk, who won the Transitions Championship during the Florida swing. Furyk moves to No. 2 in the FedEx Cup standings, 175 points behind leader Ernie Els, the only other two-time winner on the tour this season.

Davis, who climbed to No. 37 in the FedEx Cup standings, equaled his career-best PGA Tour result, having also posted runner-up finishes in the 2007 St. Jude Championship, 2008 Legends Reno-Tahoe Open and 2009 Byron Nelson Championship.

The playoff, the 10th in Heritage history, was the first since Stewart Cink outlasted Ted Purdy in 2004. Furyk improved to 3-7 in playoffs while Davis lost in his first attempt.

Information from ESPN.com, PGATOUR.com and the Associated Press contributed to this post.

Don't fall in love with Dr. Longball

2010-04-18T15:29:00.000-04:00

One of the most frustrating aspects about golf is that lessons learned one day in what seem like epiphanies often are lost after a few rounds and must be re-learned. It is easy to get off track of something that is working because we are always attracted to the idea of hitting the ball farther.

Playing Thursday at East Golf Club, Oldgolfdawg ran into a former City of Columbus firefighter who currently works for the Transportation Security Authority at Port Columbus Airport. Turns out, Gary used to work for the bomb squad as a fireman and he has the words "Bomb Squad" embroidered on his golf bag. After seeing him hit a few drives, I came to realize the words did more than explain his occupational training. They also described his golf swing.

Gary, a solidly built fellow in his late 50s, was routinely hitting drives well over 300 yards. He told me his club-head speed had been measured at 110 mph. So after being out-driven by 60 or 70 yards a couple of times, Oldgolfdawg started trying to put a little more mustard on his own drives in an effort to keep up with Mr. Bomb Squad. Well, it didn't work. In fact, it had the opposite effect. The more mustard I tried applying to my swing, the wilder the shots became and the less distance they seemed to travel. I had learned from experience that the pursuit of Dr. Longball was never going to be the cure I needed to lower my scores. But here I was whaling away in an effort to keep up.

Eventually, reason prevailed and I dialed down the swing to about 85% and I was suddenly hitting the ball back in the fairway in reasonable position to pursue par. You would think an Oldgolfdawg like myself wouldn't need to re-learn this lesson so often. But I'm guessing it's something a lot of golfers have a problem with. Here's a video explaining why the pursuit of Dr. Longball is filled with drawbacks:

There are times, however, when hitting a drive 10 or 15 yards farther then normal can really make a difference, especially on holes requiring carry or avoidance of a sand trap. Here's a video that might help you next time you feel the urge to add a Monica Seles grunt to your swing:

Power Driving -- powered by GolfLink

Just a couple of course advisories

2010-04-16T13:56:00.000-04:00

Played a round of golf this morning with old friends Jeremy Lynch and Scott Minister at Blacklick Woods and had a great time. We beat an advancing cold front and didn't get hit with one drop of rain, although the wind at times was challenging.

The course was in great shape, the fairways, sand traps, even the rough. But the greens had recently been aerated and were slow and bumpy. I would advise faithful followers of Chase The Pea to avoid Blacklick Woods for about a week to let the greens heal. When I played the course two weeks ago, the greens were in great shape and I'm sure they will return to that condition in time.

In another advisory, Dispatch high school sports writer extraordinaire Steve Blackledge played Raymond Memorial on Thursday with my old next-door neighbor, Pipe-fitting Pat Ferry, and said the city course was in good shape for this time of the year.

Anyone wishing to advise Chase The Pea followers about their recent experiences, good or bad, at different courses is encouraged to do so. Any and all such insights would be welcomed and reported.