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CRICKET great Shane Warne drained a seven-foot birdie putt on the final hole at St Andrews to complete a one-under round of 71 at the iconic Scottish golf venue.
Warne posted the scorecard of his “best ever round” on social media shortly after competing in the Dunhill Links Championship's pro-am tournament this morning (AEST).
It would have been tough reading for some of golf's most seasoned professionals, with the larger-than-life 44-year-old recording par scores on the opening nine holes of the notoriously difficult Old Course.
A double-bogey on the 16th was a major blemish for the man with 708 Test wickets to his name but he recovered with yet another par and his ice-cool long putt on the 18th.
To put Warne's effort in perspective, his score was better than what Adam Scott and Tiger Woods managed in three of their four rounds in 2010 when The Open Championship was held at St Andrews.
He got the better of major winners Vijay Singh (74), David Duval (73) and Louis Oosthuizen (74); and was hot on the heels of Retief Goosen (70) and Ernie Els (69).
Shane Warne and Peter O'Malley, who Warne bettered by three shots, were tied fourth in the pro-am at 11 under, five shots adrift of English professional Richard McEvoy and New York banker Michael Zankow.
“Thanks everyone for your tips & support ! I shot 71 off the stick today at St Andrews, my best ever round of golf #dunhilllinks,” Warne posted on Twitter.
- See more at: Cookies must be enabled. | The Australian
Warne posted the scorecard of his “best ever round” on social media shortly after competing in the Dunhill Links Championship's pro-am tournament this morning (AEST).
It would have been tough reading for some of golf's most seasoned professionals, with the larger-than-life 44-year-old recording par scores on the opening nine holes of the notoriously difficult Old Course.
A double-bogey on the 16th was a major blemish for the man with 708 Test wickets to his name but he recovered with yet another par and his ice-cool long putt on the 18th.
To put Warne's effort in perspective, his score was better than what Adam Scott and Tiger Woods managed in three of their four rounds in 2010 when The Open Championship was held at St Andrews.
He got the better of major winners Vijay Singh (74), David Duval (73) and Louis Oosthuizen (74); and was hot on the heels of Retief Goosen (70) and Ernie Els (69).
Shane Warne and Peter O'Malley, who Warne bettered by three shots, were tied fourth in the pro-am at 11 under, five shots adrift of English professional Richard McEvoy and New York banker Michael Zankow.
“Thanks everyone for your tips & support ! I shot 71 off the stick today at St Andrews, my best ever round of golf #dunhilllinks,” Warne posted on Twitter.
- See more at: Cookies must be enabled. | The Australian
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2006/12/07
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Tom Lewis consolidated his position at the top of the leaderboard after the second round of the Alfred Dunhill Links on Friday.
Lewis, who is on 15 under for the championship, carded a seven-under-par 65 during a flawless second round on the Old Course at St Andrews. Lewis got his round off to an outstanding start after he carded four birdies during the first eight holes.
That purple patch was followed by a somewhat dry spell, where Lewis could only muster a par at the next six holes. However, the Englishman upped the ante somewhat during the remainder of the walk home, where he carded three birdies in four holes.
"Seven under is a good score at St Andrews but there was no wind today so I think you would be disappointed if you did not shoot better than five under," said Lewis, who won the Portugal Masters in his third event as a professional in 2011.
"I feel like I am home again. Links golf suits me, I won the St Andrews Links Trophy here in 2011 and it's great to come back. I knew I had good form coming in but Friday has been my enemy this year so it's good to get it out of the way," added the Englishman.
Dutchman Joost Luiten is one stroke behind the leader after he carded a nine-under-par 63 for the second round on the Kingsbarns Golf Links. Luiten carded an eagle at the third hole and followed that up with four consecutive birdies just before making the turn.
Luiten then carded birdies at holes 12, 14 and 16, which certainly helped his cause considerably ahead of what could be an exciting weekend. Richard McEvoy, Hennie Otto, Tommy Fleetwood, Oliver Wilson, Peter Uihlein and Mark Foster are all on 13 under par for the championship, after a low-scoring round of golf.
Uihlein produced one of the most astonishing rounds of golf you will ever see on a Links course when he carded a 12-under-par 60 on Friday. The American, playing on Kingsbarns, carded a birdie on the second hole.
He followed that up with eagle at the par-four third, before adding another birdie at the fourth. At this juncture, his first nine holes could already have been deemed a success.
However, the American built on that momentum by adding three more birdies before making the turn.
Uihlein carded a startling 29 during those first nine holes. While the walk home was a little quieter, it was still exceptional, as he sank three birdies and an eagle during the passage of play.
South Africa's Otto was also most prolific during his second round, as he carded a nine-under-par 63 on Friday. Otto got the ball rolling with a birdie at the par-four third.
This was followed by four consecutive birdies before making the turn. The former South African Open champion then enjoyed more fortune on the walk home, as he carded birdies at 10, 12, 13 and 18.
Three golfers are on 12 under par for the championship. That group includes: Soren Kjeldsen, Thomas Levet and Jamie Donaldson. Levet was the most prolific of the three, as he carded an eight-under-par 64 for the second round.
Chris Paisley is on ten under par for the champion and he did all of that scoring during the second round. The Englishman started his round with consecutive birdies between holes one and three. He then followed that up with a birdie at the par-four seventh.
The Englishman then made another string of birdies between holes 11 and 13 before finishing his round with an eagle at the 16th, followed by a birdie at the 18th.
Lewis keeps his nose in front | Golf365 | Golf News
Lewis, who is on 15 under for the championship, carded a seven-under-par 65 during a flawless second round on the Old Course at St Andrews. Lewis got his round off to an outstanding start after he carded four birdies during the first eight holes.
That purple patch was followed by a somewhat dry spell, where Lewis could only muster a par at the next six holes. However, the Englishman upped the ante somewhat during the remainder of the walk home, where he carded three birdies in four holes.
"Seven under is a good score at St Andrews but there was no wind today so I think you would be disappointed if you did not shoot better than five under," said Lewis, who won the Portugal Masters in his third event as a professional in 2011.
"I feel like I am home again. Links golf suits me, I won the St Andrews Links Trophy here in 2011 and it's great to come back. I knew I had good form coming in but Friday has been my enemy this year so it's good to get it out of the way," added the Englishman.
Dutchman Joost Luiten is one stroke behind the leader after he carded a nine-under-par 63 for the second round on the Kingsbarns Golf Links. Luiten carded an eagle at the third hole and followed that up with four consecutive birdies just before making the turn.
Luiten then carded birdies at holes 12, 14 and 16, which certainly helped his cause considerably ahead of what could be an exciting weekend. Richard McEvoy, Hennie Otto, Tommy Fleetwood, Oliver Wilson, Peter Uihlein and Mark Foster are all on 13 under par for the championship, after a low-scoring round of golf.
Uihlein produced one of the most astonishing rounds of golf you will ever see on a Links course when he carded a 12-under-par 60 on Friday. The American, playing on Kingsbarns, carded a birdie on the second hole.
He followed that up with eagle at the par-four third, before adding another birdie at the fourth. At this juncture, his first nine holes could already have been deemed a success.
However, the American built on that momentum by adding three more birdies before making the turn.
Uihlein carded a startling 29 during those first nine holes. While the walk home was a little quieter, it was still exceptional, as he sank three birdies and an eagle during the passage of play.
South Africa's Otto was also most prolific during his second round, as he carded a nine-under-par 63 on Friday. Otto got the ball rolling with a birdie at the par-four third.
This was followed by four consecutive birdies before making the turn. The former South African Open champion then enjoyed more fortune on the walk home, as he carded birdies at 10, 12, 13 and 18.
Three golfers are on 12 under par for the championship. That group includes: Soren Kjeldsen, Thomas Levet and Jamie Donaldson. Levet was the most prolific of the three, as he carded an eight-under-par 64 for the second round.
Chris Paisley is on ten under par for the champion and he did all of that scoring during the second round. The Englishman started his round with consecutive birdies between holes one and three. He then followed that up with a birdie at the par-four seventh.
The Englishman then made another string of birdies between holes 11 and 13 before finishing his round with an eagle at the 16th, followed by a birdie at the 18th.
Lewis keeps his nose in front | Golf365 | Golf News
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2006/12/07
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PETER UIHLEIN was just one putt away yesterday from becoming the first player to shoot the magical figure of 59 on the European Tour.
He shot two eagles and eight birdies in the second round of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
But when his 25ft putt on the ninth green stopped three inches short of the hole, instead of making history, Uihlein had to settle for the 16th score of 60 recorded in European competition.
He was two shots behind English halfway leader Tom Lewis, who shot a seven-under-par 65 to move to 15 under.
He shot two eagles and eight birdies in the second round of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
But when his 25ft putt on the ninth green stopped three inches short of the hole, instead of making history, Uihlein had to settle for the 16th score of 60 recorded in European competition.
He was two shots behind English halfway leader Tom Lewis, who shot a seven-under-par 65 to move to 15 under.
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Before we go further, a quick note about the NAOAGA. The assumption is that its members are all amputees, but that's not true. There simply must be an upper-extremity disability or a lower-extremity disability that necessitates playing one-handed. One member, for instance, has paralysis below the waist but no upper-extremity disability. He swings one-handed while using his other hand to hold himself up with a crutch.
There are two NAOAGA divisions – unassisted and assisted. Unassisted players use one arm only, with no assistance from a prosthetic device or a residual limb on the other arm. Assisted-division players use some level of assistance from the other arm or a prosthetic.
Back to PGA National. The scramble was a shotgun, and we had started on No. 3, so this was our next-to-last hole. We were in red figures, determined to stay that way. We wanted nothing worse than a par, and we wanted it bad.
We also wanted to see if we could give our one-armed player, Joe Hartley (pictured above at PGA National's famous "Bear Trap" statue), a little help, as he had been doing all day for us. Hartley is an Army veteran who lost his left arm as a result of a Scud missile attack in Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Storm. A golfer before the injury, Hartley re-trained himself to play one-handed, developing a rhythmic swing with beautiful tempo. Joe and I were riding together, and for most of the day we played "cart golf," our drives often ending up just a few yards from each other.
We all opted to copy Joe and swing "forehand" with our right arms. The other two players in our group, brothers Tracy and Rob Teter, both from Jupiter, Fla., went first. Tracy, who had been our long hitter all day, hit a pop-up that traveled about the same distance as some of his two-handed divots. Rob fared no better. Neither did I, slicing a weak, low line drive into the right rough. Each of us had the same joking self-appraisal: "Jeez, I can do that two-handed." Joe came to our rescue with a soft draw down the left side of the fairway.
The second shots were a little better, but not much. Three failures and Joe's shot. His landed in a front bunker that was under construction, so we were allowed to drop in front of it. Now all we had was a 20-yard pitch over the sand. Yeah, "all."
When my turn came, I stuck my wedge into the ground 6 inches behind the ball. Second try, same thing. Third, too. Only by deliberately trying to top the ball was I able to actually hit it properly. Of course, after three whiffs, it didn't count. So we were left, again, to rely on Joe. And again, he came through, knocking his pitch to 6 feet. We couldn't make the putt, but by then it really didn't matter. Lesson learned. This one-armed golf looks difficult enough. In reality, it's way more difficult than that.
"WHAT YOU SEE here is a tribute to the human spirit."
That's what Anthony Razzano had said as I chatted with him, his wife, Katie, and 11-year-old daughter, Julia, over breakfast before the scramble. When Razzano was 12, he was severely burned in a garage fire. His left hand had to be amputated. He was just beginning to really enjoy playing golf, having made his first bogey the summer before, but now it appeared he would have to give up the game.
Golf refused to give up on him, though, and at age 20, he picked up a club with his right hand and began swinging it. That was 17 years ago. During that time, he got his handicap index down to 11.1. Tribute to the human spirit indeed!
"I was a kid who wanted to compete," he explained. "I didn't see the limitations.
"No matter who you are, we all have some limitation."
THE NAOAGA was formed in 1999 by, as Alan Gentry of Louisville, Ky., one of its founders, describes it, "a couple of guys sitting around having a beer during happy hour."
A small group of one-armed players were competing in a National Amputee Golf Association tournament in Birmingham, Ala., and decided they were at a disadvantage against the more than 100 players who had had legs amputated. They decided to form their own organization.
They knew about a Scotland-based group, the Society of One-Armed Golfers, which had grown out of a 1931 tournament for players who had been disabled in World War I.
"It seemed like a good niche for guys who were not (necessarily) amputees but were forced to play one-handed," Gentry said. "It was somewhere for them to go play, and I thought we needed to do something like that in the States."
"But we all had careers, we all had families," said Gentry, a former geologist who lost his right arm in a drilling-rig accident, "so we've had to grow this very slowly. We've done a litle bit each year."
Since 2008 the two organizations have competed against each other in the Fightmaster Cup, a Ryder Cup-style event that is held every two years, the week before the Ryder Cup, usually in the Ryder Cup's host city. It is named after Don Fightmaster of Louisville, "the Arnold Palmer of amputee golf."
Gentry, who first met Fightmaster when he was recuperating from his drilling-rig accident, is especially proud that "there's not a single individual who's ever taken one cent of benefits or payment to make (the NAOAGA) work."
I WASN'T able to stick around for the championship proper, which was played over the rest of that week, but I checked back in with Gentry, Razzano and Hartley. Gentry gave me the winners: In the unassisted division, Vince Biser of Baltimore won for an unprecedented fifth consecutive time, but was extended to 19 holes by Steve Shipuleski of Palm Beach Gardens. In the assisted division, John Trenchik of Toledo, Ohio, won for a third straight time, defeating Bob MacDermott of Alberta, Canada, also in 19 holes. MacDermott held the assisted title before Trenchik began his run. "We've never had a championship match go extra holes before," Gentry said, "but this year, both did. It was awesome."
Biser, 25, was born with cerebral palsy. He has a
There are two NAOAGA divisions – unassisted and assisted. Unassisted players use one arm only, with no assistance from a prosthetic device or a residual limb on the other arm. Assisted-division players use some level of assistance from the other arm or a prosthetic.
Back to PGA National. The scramble was a shotgun, and we had started on No. 3, so this was our next-to-last hole. We were in red figures, determined to stay that way. We wanted nothing worse than a par, and we wanted it bad.
We also wanted to see if we could give our one-armed player, Joe Hartley (pictured above at PGA National's famous "Bear Trap" statue), a little help, as he had been doing all day for us. Hartley is an Army veteran who lost his left arm as a result of a Scud missile attack in Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Storm. A golfer before the injury, Hartley re-trained himself to play one-handed, developing a rhythmic swing with beautiful tempo. Joe and I were riding together, and for most of the day we played "cart golf," our drives often ending up just a few yards from each other.
We all opted to copy Joe and swing "forehand" with our right arms. The other two players in our group, brothers Tracy and Rob Teter, both from Jupiter, Fla., went first. Tracy, who had been our long hitter all day, hit a pop-up that traveled about the same distance as some of his two-handed divots. Rob fared no better. Neither did I, slicing a weak, low line drive into the right rough. Each of us had the same joking self-appraisal: "Jeez, I can do that two-handed." Joe came to our rescue with a soft draw down the left side of the fairway.
The second shots were a little better, but not much. Three failures and Joe's shot. His landed in a front bunker that was under construction, so we were allowed to drop in front of it. Now all we had was a 20-yard pitch over the sand. Yeah, "all."
When my turn came, I stuck my wedge into the ground 6 inches behind the ball. Second try, same thing. Third, too. Only by deliberately trying to top the ball was I able to actually hit it properly. Of course, after three whiffs, it didn't count. So we were left, again, to rely on Joe. And again, he came through, knocking his pitch to 6 feet. We couldn't make the putt, but by then it really didn't matter. Lesson learned. This one-armed golf looks difficult enough. In reality, it's way more difficult than that.
"WHAT YOU SEE here is a tribute to the human spirit."
That's what Anthony Razzano had said as I chatted with him, his wife, Katie, and 11-year-old daughter, Julia, over breakfast before the scramble. When Razzano was 12, he was severely burned in a garage fire. His left hand had to be amputated. He was just beginning to really enjoy playing golf, having made his first bogey the summer before, but now it appeared he would have to give up the game.
Golf refused to give up on him, though, and at age 20, he picked up a club with his right hand and began swinging it. That was 17 years ago. During that time, he got his handicap index down to 11.1. Tribute to the human spirit indeed!
"I was a kid who wanted to compete," he explained. "I didn't see the limitations.
"No matter who you are, we all have some limitation."
THE NAOAGA was formed in 1999 by, as Alan Gentry of Louisville, Ky., one of its founders, describes it, "a couple of guys sitting around having a beer during happy hour."
A small group of one-armed players were competing in a National Amputee Golf Association tournament in Birmingham, Ala., and decided they were at a disadvantage against the more than 100 players who had had legs amputated. They decided to form their own organization.
They knew about a Scotland-based group, the Society of One-Armed Golfers, which had grown out of a 1931 tournament for players who had been disabled in World War I.
"It seemed like a good niche for guys who were not (necessarily) amputees but were forced to play one-handed," Gentry said. "It was somewhere for them to go play, and I thought we needed to do something like that in the States."
"But we all had careers, we all had families," said Gentry, a former geologist who lost his right arm in a drilling-rig accident, "so we've had to grow this very slowly. We've done a litle bit each year."
Since 2008 the two organizations have competed against each other in the Fightmaster Cup, a Ryder Cup-style event that is held every two years, the week before the Ryder Cup, usually in the Ryder Cup's host city. It is named after Don Fightmaster of Louisville, "the Arnold Palmer of amputee golf."
Gentry, who first met Fightmaster when he was recuperating from his drilling-rig accident, is especially proud that "there's not a single individual who's ever taken one cent of benefits or payment to make (the NAOAGA) work."
I WASN'T able to stick around for the championship proper, which was played over the rest of that week, but I checked back in with Gentry, Razzano and Hartley. Gentry gave me the winners: In the unassisted division, Vince Biser of Baltimore won for an unprecedented fifth consecutive time, but was extended to 19 holes by Steve Shipuleski of Palm Beach Gardens. In the assisted division, John Trenchik of Toledo, Ohio, won for a third straight time, defeating Bob MacDermott of Alberta, Canada, also in 19 holes. MacDermott held the assisted title before Trenchik began his run. "We've never had a championship match go extra holes before," Gentry said, "but this year, both did. It was awesome."
Biser, 25, was born with cerebral palsy. He has a
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Jack Nicklaus has played enough different brands of golf balls, tested them enough and talked about them enough to determine he could build his own ball. And he's decided to do just that.
Golf World has learned that Nicklaus, winner of a record 18 professional major championships, is introducing a line of golf balls starting in November with the objective of helping golfers select a ball that best matches their skill level. Three balls will be available: Nicklaus Black, Nicklaus Blue and Nicklaus White, corresponding to the tee markers from which golfers regularly play. The Nicklaus Black is designed for the single-digit handicap golfer who might typically play from the back tees. The Nicklaus Blue is for players who use middle teeing areas, while the Nicklaus White is for higher handicap players, either men or women, who play from forward tees.
In the past, Nicklaus has lent his name to signature brands of golf balls, but the new Nicklaus line is proprietary, manufactured to his specifications after three years of testing. Nicklaus said Bridgestone is manufacturing the balls and counseled on its design.
A percentage of sales will be donated to the Nicklaus Children's Health Care Foundation, which Nicklaus and his wife, Barbara, established in 2004 to support pediatric programs nationwide.
"We all know that the game of golf can be challenging enough, so we are trying to simplify the decision-making process of selecting the right golf ball and at the same time provide consumers the highest-quality golf balls and at a price that encourages charitable support," Nicklaus, 73, and winner of 73 PGA Tour titles, said in a statement. "By buying these balls, players will get the added benefit of supporting these wonderful charities that help children in need as well as the families that dearly love them."
The balls, which go into production within the next few weeks, will be sold online at Nicklaus-com — The Official Site of Jack Nicklaus, Nicklaus Design, and the Nicklaus Companies and through golf shops at more than 200 courses in the Nicklaus Design portfolio. The Nicklaus Black will have a suggested retail price around $50 per dozen in pro shops, while the Nicklaus Blue and Nicklaus White models will be priced in the mid-$40s. Online shoppers can purchase the balls for $32 and $26, respectively, with the option of adding a donation earmarked for the Nicklaus Children's Health Care Foundation.
"For more than three years, we have contemplated entering the golf ball business, so over that time, I have been researching and testing golf balls," said Nicklaus, who has been a proponent for growing the game through the First Tee, Tee It Forward and other initiatives. "There are a lot of very good balls on the market, but I was not able to find a ball that fully met my expectations and hopes -- not just for me or other professionals, but more importantly, for the everyday golfer. So I simply decided not to enter the business until I found that ball. Well, I found that ball. Actually, I found three.
"These golf balls are designed for every level of play, from the everyday or recreational golfer -- be it men, women, children, or seniors -- to the tour professional. No matter the age or ability, there is a golf ball to fit your game. Our strategy is based on a simple principle: skill level is an extremely important factor when selecting the right golf ball. From the tees you play, we know your swing speed; this is paramount when choosing a golf ball. But no matter the percentage of players who know their swing speed, 100 percent of them know the tees they play."
The introduction of a Nicklaus-designed ball is the latest venture with Nicklaus Companies co-chairman Howard Milstein, New York Private Bank & Trust Chairman and CEO, with whom Nicklaus partnered in 2007. "The beauty of these balls," Milstein said, "is they solve the golfers' dilemma of which ball to play -- all you need to know is the tee you play from -- and no matter what your skill level, you know we've designed the highest quality golf ball best suited to your game."
For more than three decades Nicklaus has been outspoken about calling for golf's governing bodies to rein in the distance that modern golf balls travel. The extra distance makes golf more expensive through additional land, water usage and maintenance costs. He remains consistent on the subject.
"The game of golf is a lot bigger than any individual or any individual piece of it," Nicklaus said. "My position hasn't changed in relation to the golf ball. What's important is what's best for the game of golf.
"This is another way for me to contribute to the game of golf in a positive way and to help grow the game," the Golden Bear added. "It's about helping the average golfer enjoy the game more. The average golfer has to make up his mind whether he wants to hit it as far as he can or get the results that he wants around the greens. He really can't have both with today's balls. What we are offering them is a chance to play the best ball they can get that will give them the most distance, the most playability, and the most control for their swing speed."
Read More Jack Nicklaus To Introduce His Own Brand Of Golf Balls : Golf Digest
Golf World has learned that Nicklaus, winner of a record 18 professional major championships, is introducing a line of golf balls starting in November with the objective of helping golfers select a ball that best matches their skill level. Three balls will be available: Nicklaus Black, Nicklaus Blue and Nicklaus White, corresponding to the tee markers from which golfers regularly play. The Nicklaus Black is designed for the single-digit handicap golfer who might typically play from the back tees. The Nicklaus Blue is for players who use middle teeing areas, while the Nicklaus White is for higher handicap players, either men or women, who play from forward tees.
In the past, Nicklaus has lent his name to signature brands of golf balls, but the new Nicklaus line is proprietary, manufactured to his specifications after three years of testing. Nicklaus said Bridgestone is manufacturing the balls and counseled on its design.
A percentage of sales will be donated to the Nicklaus Children's Health Care Foundation, which Nicklaus and his wife, Barbara, established in 2004 to support pediatric programs nationwide.
"We all know that the game of golf can be challenging enough, so we are trying to simplify the decision-making process of selecting the right golf ball and at the same time provide consumers the highest-quality golf balls and at a price that encourages charitable support," Nicklaus, 73, and winner of 73 PGA Tour titles, said in a statement. "By buying these balls, players will get the added benefit of supporting these wonderful charities that help children in need as well as the families that dearly love them."
The balls, which go into production within the next few weeks, will be sold online at Nicklaus-com — The Official Site of Jack Nicklaus, Nicklaus Design, and the Nicklaus Companies and through golf shops at more than 200 courses in the Nicklaus Design portfolio. The Nicklaus Black will have a suggested retail price around $50 per dozen in pro shops, while the Nicklaus Blue and Nicklaus White models will be priced in the mid-$40s. Online shoppers can purchase the balls for $32 and $26, respectively, with the option of adding a donation earmarked for the Nicklaus Children's Health Care Foundation.
"For more than three years, we have contemplated entering the golf ball business, so over that time, I have been researching and testing golf balls," said Nicklaus, who has been a proponent for growing the game through the First Tee, Tee It Forward and other initiatives. "There are a lot of very good balls on the market, but I was not able to find a ball that fully met my expectations and hopes -- not just for me or other professionals, but more importantly, for the everyday golfer. So I simply decided not to enter the business until I found that ball. Well, I found that ball. Actually, I found three.
"These golf balls are designed for every level of play, from the everyday or recreational golfer -- be it men, women, children, or seniors -- to the tour professional. No matter the age or ability, there is a golf ball to fit your game. Our strategy is based on a simple principle: skill level is an extremely important factor when selecting the right golf ball. From the tees you play, we know your swing speed; this is paramount when choosing a golf ball. But no matter the percentage of players who know their swing speed, 100 percent of them know the tees they play."
The introduction of a Nicklaus-designed ball is the latest venture with Nicklaus Companies co-chairman Howard Milstein, New York Private Bank & Trust Chairman and CEO, with whom Nicklaus partnered in 2007. "The beauty of these balls," Milstein said, "is they solve the golfers' dilemma of which ball to play -- all you need to know is the tee you play from -- and no matter what your skill level, you know we've designed the highest quality golf ball best suited to your game."
For more than three decades Nicklaus has been outspoken about calling for golf's governing bodies to rein in the distance that modern golf balls travel. The extra distance makes golf more expensive through additional land, water usage and maintenance costs. He remains consistent on the subject.
"The game of golf is a lot bigger than any individual or any individual piece of it," Nicklaus said. "My position hasn't changed in relation to the golf ball. What's important is what's best for the game of golf.
"This is another way for me to contribute to the game of golf in a positive way and to help grow the game," the Golden Bear added. "It's about helping the average golfer enjoy the game more. The average golfer has to make up his mind whether he wants to hit it as far as he can or get the results that he wants around the greens. He really can't have both with today's balls. What we are offering them is a chance to play the best ball they can get that will give them the most distance, the most playability, and the most control for their swing speed."
Read More Jack Nicklaus To Introduce His Own Brand Of Golf Balls : Golf Digest
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2006/12/07
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This week in golf, at a glance. All Times Eastern.
PGA TOUR
PRESIDENTS CUP
Site: Dublin, Ohio.
Schedule: Thursday-Sunday.
Course: Muirfield Village Golf Club (7,354 yards, par 72).
Television: Golf Channel (Thursday, noon-6 p.m., 8 p.m.-2 a.m.; Friday, 1-6 p.m., 8 p.m.-1 a.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 8 p.m.-2 a.m.) and NBC (Saturday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday, noon-6 p.m.).
Format: Team match play. Thursday, six foursomes matches; Friday, six fourball matches; Saturday, five morning foursomes matches, five afternoon fourball matches; Sunday, 12 singles matches.
United States (c-captain's pick): Keegan Bradley, Jason Dufner, Bill Haas, Zach Johnson, Matt Kuchar, Hunter Mahan, Phil Mickelson, c-Webb Simpson, Brandt Snedeker, c-Jordan Spieth, Steve Stricker, Tiger Woods. Captain: Fred Couples.
International: Angel Cabrera, Argentina; Jason Day, Australia; c-Brendon de Jonge, Zimbabwe; Graham DeLaet, Canada; Ernie Els, South Africa; Branden Grace, South Africa; c-Marc Leishman, Australia; Hideki Matsuyama, Japan; Louis Oosthuizen, South Africa; Charl Schwartzel, South Africa; Adam Scott, Australia; Richard Sterne, South Africa. Captain: Nick Price, Zimbabwe.
Last matches: The United States won for the fourth straight time, beating the International team 19-15 in 2011 at Royal Melbourne in Australia. Jim Furyk became the fourth player to win all five of his matches. The United States leads the series 7-1-1.
Notes: Jack Nicklaus founded and designed the club, the first to host the Ryder Cup (1987), Solheim Cup (1998) and Presidents Cup. ... Kuchar won the Memorial at Muirfield Village in June. ... Woods has a record five victories in the Memorial, the last in 2011. ... Scott is the only player on the International team with a PGA Tour victory this year. He won the Masters and The Barclays playoff event. ... Mickelson is making his 10th appearance in the matches. He's the only player to compete in every event. ... The 2015 matches will be played at Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea in Incheon, South Korea. ... The 2013-14 seasons opens next week with the Frys.com Open at CordeValle in San Martin, Calif.
LPGA TOUR
REIGNWOOD LPGA CLASSIC
Site: Beijing.
Schedule: Thursday-Sunday.
Course: Pine Valley Golf Club (6,596 yards, par 73).
Purse: $1.8 million. Winner's share: $270,000.
Television: Golf Channel (Thursday, 3-5 a.m.; Friday, 4-6 a.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 3-6 p.m.).
Last year: Inaugural event.
Last event: Norway's Suzann Pettersen won the rain-shortened Evian Championship on Sept. 15 in France for her second straight victory and second major title. She beat 16-year-old amateur Lydia Ko by two strokes.
Notes: The event is the tour's first in China. ... Top-ranked Inbee Park is in the field along with Stacy Lewis, Chinese star Shanshan Feng, Yani Tseng, So Yeon Ryu, Beatriz Recari, Na Yeon Choi, Karrie Webb, Cristie Kerr, Jessica Korda, Solheim Cup star Caroline Hedwall and Michelle Wie. ... Park swept the first three major championships of the season and has three other LPGA Tour wins this season. ... Lewis won the Women's British Open for her third victory of the season. ... Feng won the LPGA Championship last year to become China's first major champion. ... Jack Nicklaus designed Pine Valley. ... The LPGA Malaysia is next week, followed by the HanaBank Championship in South Korea and the LPGA Taiwan Championship.
EUROPEAN TOUR
SEVE TROPHY
Site: Saint-Nom-la-Breteche, France.
Schedule: Thursday-Sunday.
Course: Saint-Nom-la-Breteche Golf Club (6,983 yards, par 72).
Purse: $2.37 million. Winners' shares: $135,430 per player.
Television: Golf Channel (Thursday-Friday, 9-11:30 a.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m.-3 p.m.; Sunday, noon-3 p.m.).
Format: Team match play. Thursday, five fourball matches; Friday, five fourball matches; Saturday, eight foursomes matches; Sunday, 10 singles matches.
Britain and Ireland: Paul Casey, England; Jamie Donaldson, Wales; Tommy Fleetwood, England; Stephen Gallacher, Scotland; Scott Jamieson, Scotland; Simon Khan, England; Paul Lawrie, Scotland; David Lynn, England; Marc Warren Scotland; Chris Wood, England. Captain: Sam Torrance, Scotland.
Continental Europe: Thomas Bjorn, Denmark; Gregory Bourdy, France; Nicolas Colsaerts, Belgium; Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, Spain; Mikko Ilonen, Finland; Miguel Angel Jimenez, Spain; Joost Luiten, Netherlands; Matteo Manassero, Italy; Francesco Molinari, Italy; Thorbjorn Olesen, Denmark. Captain: Jose Maria Olazabal.
Series: Britain and Ireland leads 6-1-0.
Last matches: England's Mark Foster beat France's Raphael Jacquelin 1-up in 2011 in the deciding match to give Britain and Ireland its sixth straight victory, 15½-12½.
Notes: Seve Ballesteros, the Spanish star who helped create the event, died in 2011 from complications of a cancerous brain tumor. He was 54. ... Continental Europe's lone victory came in 2000 in the inaugural matches at Sunningdale in England. ... Fernandez-Castano replaced Sweden's Peter Hanson, sidelined by a back injury. ... Jimenez is making his eighth appearance in the matches. He's the only player to compete in every event. ... Each member of the losing team will receive $101,575. ... The Portugal Masters is next week, followed by the Perth International.
CHAMPIONS TOUR
Next event: SAS Championship, Oct. 11-13, Prestonwood Country Club, Cary, N.C.
Last week: Kirk Triplett successfully defended his First Tee Open title at Pebble Beach, closing with a 4-under 68 for a two-stroke victory over Doug Garwood and Dan Forsman.
OTHER TOURNAMENTS
MEN
U.S. GOLF ASSOCIATION: U.S. Mid-Amateur, Saturday-Oct. 10, Country Club of Birmingham, Birmingham, Ala.
JAPAN GOLF TOUR: Tokai Classic, Thursday-Sunday, Miyoshi Country Club, West Course, Aichi, Japan.
ASIAN TOUR: Taiwan Masters, Thursday-Sunday, Taiwan Golf and Country Club, Taiwan.
PGA TOUR OF AUSTRALASIA: WA Goldfields PGA Championship, Thursday-Sunday, Kalgoorlie Golf
PGA TOUR
PRESIDENTS CUP
Site: Dublin, Ohio.
Schedule: Thursday-Sunday.
Course: Muirfield Village Golf Club (7,354 yards, par 72).
Television: Golf Channel (Thursday, noon-6 p.m., 8 p.m.-2 a.m.; Friday, 1-6 p.m., 8 p.m.-1 a.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 8 p.m.-2 a.m.) and NBC (Saturday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday, noon-6 p.m.).
Format: Team match play. Thursday, six foursomes matches; Friday, six fourball matches; Saturday, five morning foursomes matches, five afternoon fourball matches; Sunday, 12 singles matches.
United States (c-captain's pick): Keegan Bradley, Jason Dufner, Bill Haas, Zach Johnson, Matt Kuchar, Hunter Mahan, Phil Mickelson, c-Webb Simpson, Brandt Snedeker, c-Jordan Spieth, Steve Stricker, Tiger Woods. Captain: Fred Couples.
International: Angel Cabrera, Argentina; Jason Day, Australia; c-Brendon de Jonge, Zimbabwe; Graham DeLaet, Canada; Ernie Els, South Africa; Branden Grace, South Africa; c-Marc Leishman, Australia; Hideki Matsuyama, Japan; Louis Oosthuizen, South Africa; Charl Schwartzel, South Africa; Adam Scott, Australia; Richard Sterne, South Africa. Captain: Nick Price, Zimbabwe.
Last matches: The United States won for the fourth straight time, beating the International team 19-15 in 2011 at Royal Melbourne in Australia. Jim Furyk became the fourth player to win all five of his matches. The United States leads the series 7-1-1.
Notes: Jack Nicklaus founded and designed the club, the first to host the Ryder Cup (1987), Solheim Cup (1998) and Presidents Cup. ... Kuchar won the Memorial at Muirfield Village in June. ... Woods has a record five victories in the Memorial, the last in 2011. ... Scott is the only player on the International team with a PGA Tour victory this year. He won the Masters and The Barclays playoff event. ... Mickelson is making his 10th appearance in the matches. He's the only player to compete in every event. ... The 2015 matches will be played at Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea in Incheon, South Korea. ... The 2013-14 seasons opens next week with the Frys.com Open at CordeValle in San Martin, Calif.
LPGA TOUR
REIGNWOOD LPGA CLASSIC
Site: Beijing.
Schedule: Thursday-Sunday.
Course: Pine Valley Golf Club (6,596 yards, par 73).
Purse: $1.8 million. Winner's share: $270,000.
Television: Golf Channel (Thursday, 3-5 a.m.; Friday, 4-6 a.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 3-6 p.m.).
Last year: Inaugural event.
Last event: Norway's Suzann Pettersen won the rain-shortened Evian Championship on Sept. 15 in France for her second straight victory and second major title. She beat 16-year-old amateur Lydia Ko by two strokes.
Notes: The event is the tour's first in China. ... Top-ranked Inbee Park is in the field along with Stacy Lewis, Chinese star Shanshan Feng, Yani Tseng, So Yeon Ryu, Beatriz Recari, Na Yeon Choi, Karrie Webb, Cristie Kerr, Jessica Korda, Solheim Cup star Caroline Hedwall and Michelle Wie. ... Park swept the first three major championships of the season and has three other LPGA Tour wins this season. ... Lewis won the Women's British Open for her third victory of the season. ... Feng won the LPGA Championship last year to become China's first major champion. ... Jack Nicklaus designed Pine Valley. ... The LPGA Malaysia is next week, followed by the HanaBank Championship in South Korea and the LPGA Taiwan Championship.
EUROPEAN TOUR
SEVE TROPHY
Site: Saint-Nom-la-Breteche, France.
Schedule: Thursday-Sunday.
Course: Saint-Nom-la-Breteche Golf Club (6,983 yards, par 72).
Purse: $2.37 million. Winners' shares: $135,430 per player.
Television: Golf Channel (Thursday-Friday, 9-11:30 a.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m.-3 p.m.; Sunday, noon-3 p.m.).
Format: Team match play. Thursday, five fourball matches; Friday, five fourball matches; Saturday, eight foursomes matches; Sunday, 10 singles matches.
Britain and Ireland: Paul Casey, England; Jamie Donaldson, Wales; Tommy Fleetwood, England; Stephen Gallacher, Scotland; Scott Jamieson, Scotland; Simon Khan, England; Paul Lawrie, Scotland; David Lynn, England; Marc Warren Scotland; Chris Wood, England. Captain: Sam Torrance, Scotland.
Continental Europe: Thomas Bjorn, Denmark; Gregory Bourdy, France; Nicolas Colsaerts, Belgium; Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, Spain; Mikko Ilonen, Finland; Miguel Angel Jimenez, Spain; Joost Luiten, Netherlands; Matteo Manassero, Italy; Francesco Molinari, Italy; Thorbjorn Olesen, Denmark. Captain: Jose Maria Olazabal.
Series: Britain and Ireland leads 6-1-0.
Last matches: England's Mark Foster beat France's Raphael Jacquelin 1-up in 2011 in the deciding match to give Britain and Ireland its sixth straight victory, 15½-12½.
Notes: Seve Ballesteros, the Spanish star who helped create the event, died in 2011 from complications of a cancerous brain tumor. He was 54. ... Continental Europe's lone victory came in 2000 in the inaugural matches at Sunningdale in England. ... Fernandez-Castano replaced Sweden's Peter Hanson, sidelined by a back injury. ... Jimenez is making his eighth appearance in the matches. He's the only player to compete in every event. ... Each member of the losing team will receive $101,575. ... The Portugal Masters is next week, followed by the Perth International.
CHAMPIONS TOUR
Next event: SAS Championship, Oct. 11-13, Prestonwood Country Club, Cary, N.C.
Last week: Kirk Triplett successfully defended his First Tee Open title at Pebble Beach, closing with a 4-under 68 for a two-stroke victory over Doug Garwood and Dan Forsman.
OTHER TOURNAMENTS
MEN
U.S. GOLF ASSOCIATION: U.S. Mid-Amateur, Saturday-Oct. 10, Country Club of Birmingham, Birmingham, Ala.
JAPAN GOLF TOUR: Tokai Classic, Thursday-Sunday, Miyoshi Country Club, West Course, Aichi, Japan.
ASIAN TOUR: Taiwan Masters, Thursday-Sunday, Taiwan Golf and Country Club, Taiwan.
PGA TOUR OF AUSTRALASIA: WA Goldfields PGA Championship, Thursday-Sunday, Kalgoorlie Golf
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2006/12/07
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29893
A year has passed, almost to the day, and Steve Stricker admits it still stings. Perhaps not as much as it did then, or maybe not like it was in the sleepless nights afterward or even in the ensuing weeks, when the defeat was difficult to shake from his thoughts.
The 2012 U.S. Ryder Cup loss for the Americans at Medinah was particularly brutal, especially for Stricker, an at-large pick of captain Davis Love III. Stricker went 0-4, including a singles loss to Germany's Martin Kaymer -- a defeat that clinched the Cup for Europe.
Weeks later, Stricker acknowledged the difficulty he still endured, and was asked if it motivated him to want to be a part of the next U.S. team competition. "Not right now," Stricker said. "I've had a good run with it. It's been a lot of fun. I don't know. It still stings. It's not a fair question at this time."
And yet here is Stricker, 46, the oldest player on the U.S. team that will take on the International squad in the Presidents Cup at Muirfield Village Golf Club beginning Thursday.
Not only is Stricker here, but he made the team on his own merit, and is viewed by U.S. captain Fred Couples as one of his leading players. Considering where Stricker was mentally following the Ryder Cup, and that he announced he would be playing a limited schedule this year, making the team is an impressive accomplishment.
"The Ryder Cup last year left a sour taste in all our mouths," Stricker said Tuesday after a practice round at Muirfield Village, where nine members of the 2012 Ryder Cup team make up the Presidents Cup team. "Just the way that played out, the way it ended, none of us were very happy about it, or in a good spot.
"And I think because of my reduced schedule, playing less, I didn't really think I was going to have enough tournaments under my belt to qualify for the team. So I'm a little surprised being here, but I'm happy I'm here. It was a big goal for me all of a sudden at the end of the year to try to make the team on points alone. So it was fun to do it and fun to be here."
Stricker made sure of that by finishing second at the Deutsche Bank Championship, the last qualifying event, and was seventh in the final points standings, with the top-10 players earning automatic selections. Couples hinted that Stricker might see some time again with Tiger Woods -- they went 0-3 at the Ryder Cup last year but were 4-0 together at the 2009 Presidents Cup -- and perhaps with rookie Jordan Spieth.
Either way, just being here is a victory in itself for Stricker.
At the Ryder Cup, where he was one of four captain's picks, his partnership with Woods stalled. They lost two matches that went to the 18th hole and another that went to the 17th. During the Sunday singles, Stricker was all square on the 17th tee, but lost the hole to a par.
And when Kaymer rolled in a 6-footer for par at the 18th after Stricker had made a longer par putt, it meant a 1-up victory for the German and a huge point for Europe that clinched at least a tie. Had Stricker managed even a half, the Woods-Francesco Molinari match behind would have decided the outcome.
Instead, the U.S lost 14 ½-13 ½ after holding what seemed to be a commanding 10-6 lead through two days.
"I feel a lot of responsibility there for not winning a point," Stricker said. "It wasn't much fun the way it ended."
Stricker figured to be a long shot to make this year's Presidents Cup team. He made it clear he would reduce his schedule. He didn't play in the Open Championship. There was a possibility he'd miss some key events, including some of the FedEx Cup playoffs.
Instead, he posted eight top-10 finishes, with four runner-ups in just 13 tournaments. He will play in the Presidents Cup for the fifth time.
"We spoke Sunday night at the Ryder Cup," said Couples, who was an assistant for the U.S. team last year. "I've texted him 20 times a month. He's one of my all-time favorites. To be honest with you, when he set his schedule, he had a long road to hoe to get here, but he's played such phenomenal golf that he made the team, deserves to be on the team and is actually maybe more excited than anyone other than Jordan (Spieth). And that's a good thing. "I've been with Steve so many times (and) you can't win every match. You feel bad when you lose. But Steve Stricker is a true pro."
Stricker plans to pursue a limited schedule again in 2014, but he admits to having thoughts of making the U.S. Ryder Cup team that will try to win for just the third time since 1993, with Tom Watson as the captain in Scotland.
"I'm always going to look back at Medinah and think about what happened there that last day and that we didn't get it done," Stricker said. "In particular, me, not earning a point that whole week. It's a sour note, but in this game, you have a lot of sour notes and you've got to move forward, otherwise you bog yourself down and you never improve.
"I would still like to think I've got a shot at making the Ryder Cup team next year, especially the way I'm playing and if I can continue to play the way I've been playing. And I would like to be a part of that again."
Steve Stricker gets another shot at Presidents Cup -- golf - ESPN
The 2012 U.S. Ryder Cup loss for the Americans at Medinah was particularly brutal, especially for Stricker, an at-large pick of captain Davis Love III. Stricker went 0-4, including a singles loss to Germany's Martin Kaymer -- a defeat that clinched the Cup for Europe.
Weeks later, Stricker acknowledged the difficulty he still endured, and was asked if it motivated him to want to be a part of the next U.S. team competition. "Not right now," Stricker said. "I've had a good run with it. It's been a lot of fun. I don't know. It still stings. It's not a fair question at this time."
And yet here is Stricker, 46, the oldest player on the U.S. team that will take on the International squad in the Presidents Cup at Muirfield Village Golf Club beginning Thursday.
Not only is Stricker here, but he made the team on his own merit, and is viewed by U.S. captain Fred Couples as one of his leading players. Considering where Stricker was mentally following the Ryder Cup, and that he announced he would be playing a limited schedule this year, making the team is an impressive accomplishment.
"The Ryder Cup last year left a sour taste in all our mouths," Stricker said Tuesday after a practice round at Muirfield Village, where nine members of the 2012 Ryder Cup team make up the Presidents Cup team. "Just the way that played out, the way it ended, none of us were very happy about it, or in a good spot.
"And I think because of my reduced schedule, playing less, I didn't really think I was going to have enough tournaments under my belt to qualify for the team. So I'm a little surprised being here, but I'm happy I'm here. It was a big goal for me all of a sudden at the end of the year to try to make the team on points alone. So it was fun to do it and fun to be here."
Stricker made sure of that by finishing second at the Deutsche Bank Championship, the last qualifying event, and was seventh in the final points standings, with the top-10 players earning automatic selections. Couples hinted that Stricker might see some time again with Tiger Woods -- they went 0-3 at the Ryder Cup last year but were 4-0 together at the 2009 Presidents Cup -- and perhaps with rookie Jordan Spieth.
Either way, just being here is a victory in itself for Stricker.
At the Ryder Cup, where he was one of four captain's picks, his partnership with Woods stalled. They lost two matches that went to the 18th hole and another that went to the 17th. During the Sunday singles, Stricker was all square on the 17th tee, but lost the hole to a par.
And when Kaymer rolled in a 6-footer for par at the 18th after Stricker had made a longer par putt, it meant a 1-up victory for the German and a huge point for Europe that clinched at least a tie. Had Stricker managed even a half, the Woods-Francesco Molinari match behind would have decided the outcome.
Instead, the U.S lost 14 ½-13 ½ after holding what seemed to be a commanding 10-6 lead through two days.
"I feel a lot of responsibility there for not winning a point," Stricker said. "It wasn't much fun the way it ended."
Stricker figured to be a long shot to make this year's Presidents Cup team. He made it clear he would reduce his schedule. He didn't play in the Open Championship. There was a possibility he'd miss some key events, including some of the FedEx Cup playoffs.
Instead, he posted eight top-10 finishes, with four runner-ups in just 13 tournaments. He will play in the Presidents Cup for the fifth time.
"We spoke Sunday night at the Ryder Cup," said Couples, who was an assistant for the U.S. team last year. "I've texted him 20 times a month. He's one of my all-time favorites. To be honest with you, when he set his schedule, he had a long road to hoe to get here, but he's played such phenomenal golf that he made the team, deserves to be on the team and is actually maybe more excited than anyone other than Jordan (Spieth). And that's a good thing. "I've been with Steve so many times (and) you can't win every match. You feel bad when you lose. But Steve Stricker is a true pro."
Stricker plans to pursue a limited schedule again in 2014, but he admits to having thoughts of making the U.S. Ryder Cup team that will try to win for just the third time since 1993, with Tom Watson as the captain in Scotland.
"I'm always going to look back at Medinah and think about what happened there that last day and that we didn't get it done," Stricker said. "In particular, me, not earning a point that whole week. It's a sour note, but in this game, you have a lot of sour notes and you've got to move forward, otherwise you bog yourself down and you never improve.
"I would still like to think I've got a shot at making the Ryder Cup team next year, especially the way I'm playing and if I can continue to play the way I've been playing. And I would like to be a part of that again."
Steve Stricker gets another shot at Presidents Cup -- golf - ESPN
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2006/12/07
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Steve Stricker calmly got up and down from a plugged lie in a greenside bunker to par the 18th, sinking a three-footer to secure the decisive point that allowed the Americans to finish the opening fourballs leading by 3-1/2 points to 2-1/2.
At one point, the Americans led in all six encounters at rain-softened Muirfield Village Golf Club where birdies were plentiful but South Africans Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel inspired a stirring fightback by the Internationals.
Oosthuizen and Schwartzel, who briefly donned garish wigs on the first tee, came from two down after seven holes to beat Open champion Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley 2&1 in a contest of high quality involving four former major winners.
Bradley put the Americans two up by sinking a six-foot eagle putt at the par-five seventh but the South Africans won the next two holes with birdies, Oosthuizen draining a 16-footer at the eighth and Schwartzel tapping in a two-footer at the ninth.
Oosthuizen then put the Internationals one up by knocking in a three-foot birdie putt at the par-five 11th, and his good friend Schwartzel sealed victory with a birdie at the 17th.
"We knew it was going to be difficult, Keegan and Phil are a great team," said 2010 Open winner Oosthuizen.
"I think the break did us all really well," he added, referring to a thunderstorm delay of just under an hour-and-a-half which effectively stalled the early US momentum. "We came back out and felt refreshed.
"We just played well. Whenever Charl was in trouble; I played really well. And whenever I was in trouble, Charl played well."
Tiger Woods and Matt Kuchar earned the first point of the day for the US, hammering Argentina's Angel Cabrera and Australian Marc Leishman 5&4 in a match they led from the opening hole.
"We ham-and-egged it pretty good," said Woods. "Kuch made a bunch of putts on the front nine, I got it rolling there for a little bit and on the back nine. It was him or me on each hole."
Zach Johnson and US PGA Championship winner Jason Dufner never trailed before beating South Africans Branden Grace and Richard Sterne 5&3 while Stricker and Jordan Spieth ended a birdie fest against South African Ernie Els and Zimbabwe's Brendon de Jonge with a hard-fought 1-up win.
However, the Internationals did well to salvage 1-1/2 more points from two of the earlier matches out.
Australian Jason Day sank a 22-foot birdie putt at the last to seal a 1-up win in tandem with Canada's Graham DeLaet over Hunter Mahan and Brandt Snedeker, after they had been three down after six holes.
Masters champion Adam Scott of Australia and Japan's Hideki Matsuyama, who never led and trailed by two with four holes to play, fought back to square their match against Bill Haas and Webb Simpson.
The 21-year-old Matsuyama almost sank his approach at the last, his tap-in for birdie earning the Internationals a valuable half-point.
"What we showed today is that there's plenty of heart on this team," said Scott, who has competed in five previous Presidents Cups but has yet to taste an International victory.
"We were in ordinary shape for a while and now, 3-1/2 to 2-1/2 isn't a big deal."
Prior to their late fightback, the Internationals were clearly feeling the pressure in the matchplay format they prefer, as they have traditionally struggled in the foursomes.
Their captain Nick Price felt he had gained a valuable concession with fourballs featuring in the opening Cup session for the first time since the 1996 edition of the biennial team competition, and had been hoping for a fast start.
But it was the Americans who came charging out of the gate after former US President George W. Bush had greeted both teams before they teed off at the par-four first in front of packed grandstands.
US captain Fred Couples, who was given a cake by the International team for his 54th birthday, watched in delight as his players seized early control before play was suspended due to the threat of lightning.
"Our guys were rocking and rolling," said Couples. "The rain delay obviously helped them. They played their hearts out."
The US have dominated the Presidents Cup by winning seven times in nine editions, most recently with a 19-15 victory at Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Australia two years ago.
The only success for the Internationals came in 1998 when the event was first staged in Melbourne. In 2003, the two teams battled to a 17-17 draw in South Africa.
Golf - US fend off late Internationals Cup rally at Presidents Cup - Yahoo Eurosport UK
At one point, the Americans led in all six encounters at rain-softened Muirfield Village Golf Club where birdies were plentiful but South Africans Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel inspired a stirring fightback by the Internationals.
Oosthuizen and Schwartzel, who briefly donned garish wigs on the first tee, came from two down after seven holes to beat Open champion Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley 2&1 in a contest of high quality involving four former major winners.
Bradley put the Americans two up by sinking a six-foot eagle putt at the par-five seventh but the South Africans won the next two holes with birdies, Oosthuizen draining a 16-footer at the eighth and Schwartzel tapping in a two-footer at the ninth.
Oosthuizen then put the Internationals one up by knocking in a three-foot birdie putt at the par-five 11th, and his good friend Schwartzel sealed victory with a birdie at the 17th.
"We knew it was going to be difficult, Keegan and Phil are a great team," said 2010 Open winner Oosthuizen.
"I think the break did us all really well," he added, referring to a thunderstorm delay of just under an hour-and-a-half which effectively stalled the early US momentum. "We came back out and felt refreshed.
"We just played well. Whenever Charl was in trouble; I played really well. And whenever I was in trouble, Charl played well."
Tiger Woods and Matt Kuchar earned the first point of the day for the US, hammering Argentina's Angel Cabrera and Australian Marc Leishman 5&4 in a match they led from the opening hole.
"We ham-and-egged it pretty good," said Woods. "Kuch made a bunch of putts on the front nine, I got it rolling there for a little bit and on the back nine. It was him or me on each hole."
Zach Johnson and US PGA Championship winner Jason Dufner never trailed before beating South Africans Branden Grace and Richard Sterne 5&3 while Stricker and Jordan Spieth ended a birdie fest against South African Ernie Els and Zimbabwe's Brendon de Jonge with a hard-fought 1-up win.
However, the Internationals did well to salvage 1-1/2 more points from two of the earlier matches out.
Australian Jason Day sank a 22-foot birdie putt at the last to seal a 1-up win in tandem with Canada's Graham DeLaet over Hunter Mahan and Brandt Snedeker, after they had been three down after six holes.
Masters champion Adam Scott of Australia and Japan's Hideki Matsuyama, who never led and trailed by two with four holes to play, fought back to square their match against Bill Haas and Webb Simpson.
The 21-year-old Matsuyama almost sank his approach at the last, his tap-in for birdie earning the Internationals a valuable half-point.
"What we showed today is that there's plenty of heart on this team," said Scott, who has competed in five previous Presidents Cups but has yet to taste an International victory.
"We were in ordinary shape for a while and now, 3-1/2 to 2-1/2 isn't a big deal."
Prior to their late fightback, the Internationals were clearly feeling the pressure in the matchplay format they prefer, as they have traditionally struggled in the foursomes.
Their captain Nick Price felt he had gained a valuable concession with fourballs featuring in the opening Cup session for the first time since the 1996 edition of the biennial team competition, and had been hoping for a fast start.
But it was the Americans who came charging out of the gate after former US President George W. Bush had greeted both teams before they teed off at the par-four first in front of packed grandstands.
US captain Fred Couples, who was given a cake by the International team for his 54th birthday, watched in delight as his players seized early control before play was suspended due to the threat of lightning.
"Our guys were rocking and rolling," said Couples. "The rain delay obviously helped them. They played their hearts out."
The US have dominated the Presidents Cup by winning seven times in nine editions, most recently with a 19-15 victory at Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Australia two years ago.
The only success for the Internationals came in 1998 when the event was first staged in Melbourne. In 2003, the two teams battled to a 17-17 draw in South Africa.
Golf - US fend off late Internationals Cup rally at Presidents Cup - Yahoo Eurosport UK
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2006/12/07
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There are far greater achievements, starting with the three green jackets, a Claret Jug and a Wanamaker Trophy. Then there are the 42 PGA Tour victories, the $60 million-plus in official earnings, the spot in the World Golf Hall of Fame.
The accomplishments are endless for Phil Mickelson, putting him on a tidy list of history's best golfers, certainly among the tops of his generation, with only Tiger Woods ahead in the discussion during their time as pros.
So where does playing in every Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup dating to 1994 rank?
For the 19th straight year, Mickelson, 43, is competing for the United States in one of its annual team competitions, the only player to compete in all 10 Presidents Cups.
Mickelson improved his Presidents Cup record to 19-15-10 on Friday in the weather-delayed second session along with partner Keegan Bradley, posting a 4 and 3 victory against the International team of Jason Day and Graham DeLaet in foursomes. The U.S. win pushed Team USA to a 4½ to 3½ lead with four four-ball matches still to be completed Saturday morning.
The duo lost just three holes -- two coming after Mickelson and Bradley had forged a 6-up lead. They produced six birdies and an eagle through 15 holes -- which is pretty stout in the alternate shot format.
"Today we were on," Mickelson said. "We played some of our best golf together. We were down [early in the match], but on [No.] 5 we turned it around. Shot 30 on the front. ... To play these team events with Keegan, he just brings out the best in me. It's fun."
Back in that first Presidents Cup at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Virginia, Mickelson's hair was slicked back, his collar up, and he had just four PGA Tour victories to his name. But Hale Irwin made him a captain's pick and Mickelson had Tom Lehman and Corey Pavin as his partners. Lefty halved his singles match against South Africa's Fulton Allem, going 2-1-2 for the week.
It was the only time Mickelson has been a captain's pick, having made every subsequent team on his own through qualifying.
"On our bags we have a picture of the Presidents Cup for every one they have played on and I'm looking at Phil's bag and I counted 10," said Bradley, who is playing in his first Presidents Cup. "I guess I just didn't realize. I go, 'Is this your 10th Presidents Cup?'
"He kind of laughed. That's an unbelievable accomplishment. That's 20 [nearly] straight years, and he's playing on every Ryder Cup team.
"That just shows that he's been one of the most consistent players ever in this game, and I know how much these tournaments mean to him. So for him to play on every one is a pretty amazing accomplishment."
And to think, when the Presidents Cup concept came into being, there was considerable concern that American players would not want to take part annually in these team competitions. The top players had the Ryder Cup, and then in the off years, were expected to compete in a different version against a team from the rest of the world not including Europe.
Plenty of skepticism ensued, and yet nobody skips. Woods played his first Ryder Cup in 1997, his first Presidents Cup in 1998 and has been on every U.S. team since, missing the 2008 Ryder Cup due to knee surgery.
"We've done this a long time," Woods said. "You always want to be a part of these teams. For the Americans, we do it each and every year. Still being with the guys and getting together with the guys and playing as a team and playing for your country and for one another, it's a lot of fun.
"We never want to miss these teams. They are fun. Sometimes we've got to travel a little bit and then play, and we've been to Australia, South Africa. I think the next one's in Korea [in 2015]. So we've traveled a bit, but still if you get a good group of guys, a lot of needling and a lot of good times."
Nobody enjoys that more than Mickelson, who has also taken to nurturing younger players and trying to prepare them for the pressures of the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup. Among the players he has taken under his wing in that regard are Nick Watney, Dustin Johnson and Bradley, who has been his partner now in five team matches, three at last year's Ryder Cup.
They went 3-0 at Medinah and helped the U.S. to a big lead before both lost their Sunday singles matches as the Americans fell to Europe. If there is a sore spot for Mickelson, it is his 14-18-4 overall record in the Ryder Cup. Then again, most American players with any longevity have a losing record in that event; Mickelson has played on just two winning U.S. teams.
But he's made every one of them on his own.
"It's pretty phenomenal when you think about it," said Brandt Snedeker, who is playing in his first Presidents Cup after one Ryder Cup. "You think about his longevity and how long he's been relevant, almost a rock star in this game and to see him at his age, 43 now, won a major this year, still on top of his game after all these years. He's a great guy to have in the team room, a great guy to lean on with all the experience he has in these things."
Mickelson is not one to make a big deal out of his longevity, more apt to take it all in when he is done playing.
"As I look back on my career, without really thinking about it while I play, I think that will be one of the better records that I am most proud of," he said. "It just shows the level of consistency year in and year out."
Phil Mickelson reigns for Team USA at Presidents Cup -- golf - ESPN
The accomplishments are endless for Phil Mickelson, putting him on a tidy list of history's best golfers, certainly among the tops of his generation, with only Tiger Woods ahead in the discussion during their time as pros.
So where does playing in every Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup dating to 1994 rank?
For the 19th straight year, Mickelson, 43, is competing for the United States in one of its annual team competitions, the only player to compete in all 10 Presidents Cups.
Mickelson improved his Presidents Cup record to 19-15-10 on Friday in the weather-delayed second session along with partner Keegan Bradley, posting a 4 and 3 victory against the International team of Jason Day and Graham DeLaet in foursomes. The U.S. win pushed Team USA to a 4½ to 3½ lead with four four-ball matches still to be completed Saturday morning.
The duo lost just three holes -- two coming after Mickelson and Bradley had forged a 6-up lead. They produced six birdies and an eagle through 15 holes -- which is pretty stout in the alternate shot format.
"Today we were on," Mickelson said. "We played some of our best golf together. We were down [early in the match], but on [No.] 5 we turned it around. Shot 30 on the front. ... To play these team events with Keegan, he just brings out the best in me. It's fun."
Back in that first Presidents Cup at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Virginia, Mickelson's hair was slicked back, his collar up, and he had just four PGA Tour victories to his name. But Hale Irwin made him a captain's pick and Mickelson had Tom Lehman and Corey Pavin as his partners. Lefty halved his singles match against South Africa's Fulton Allem, going 2-1-2 for the week.
It was the only time Mickelson has been a captain's pick, having made every subsequent team on his own through qualifying.
"On our bags we have a picture of the Presidents Cup for every one they have played on and I'm looking at Phil's bag and I counted 10," said Bradley, who is playing in his first Presidents Cup. "I guess I just didn't realize. I go, 'Is this your 10th Presidents Cup?'
"He kind of laughed. That's an unbelievable accomplishment. That's 20 [nearly] straight years, and he's playing on every Ryder Cup team.
"That just shows that he's been one of the most consistent players ever in this game, and I know how much these tournaments mean to him. So for him to play on every one is a pretty amazing accomplishment."
And to think, when the Presidents Cup concept came into being, there was considerable concern that American players would not want to take part annually in these team competitions. The top players had the Ryder Cup, and then in the off years, were expected to compete in a different version against a team from the rest of the world not including Europe.
Plenty of skepticism ensued, and yet nobody skips. Woods played his first Ryder Cup in 1997, his first Presidents Cup in 1998 and has been on every U.S. team since, missing the 2008 Ryder Cup due to knee surgery.
"We've done this a long time," Woods said. "You always want to be a part of these teams. For the Americans, we do it each and every year. Still being with the guys and getting together with the guys and playing as a team and playing for your country and for one another, it's a lot of fun.
"We never want to miss these teams. They are fun. Sometimes we've got to travel a little bit and then play, and we've been to Australia, South Africa. I think the next one's in Korea [in 2015]. So we've traveled a bit, but still if you get a good group of guys, a lot of needling and a lot of good times."
Nobody enjoys that more than Mickelson, who has also taken to nurturing younger players and trying to prepare them for the pressures of the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup. Among the players he has taken under his wing in that regard are Nick Watney, Dustin Johnson and Bradley, who has been his partner now in five team matches, three at last year's Ryder Cup.
They went 3-0 at Medinah and helped the U.S. to a big lead before both lost their Sunday singles matches as the Americans fell to Europe. If there is a sore spot for Mickelson, it is his 14-18-4 overall record in the Ryder Cup. Then again, most American players with any longevity have a losing record in that event; Mickelson has played on just two winning U.S. teams.
But he's made every one of them on his own.
"It's pretty phenomenal when you think about it," said Brandt Snedeker, who is playing in his first Presidents Cup after one Ryder Cup. "You think about his longevity and how long he's been relevant, almost a rock star in this game and to see him at his age, 43 now, won a major this year, still on top of his game after all these years. He's a great guy to have in the team room, a great guy to lean on with all the experience he has in these things."
Mickelson is not one to make a big deal out of his longevity, more apt to take it all in when he is done playing.
"As I look back on my career, without really thinking about it while I play, I think that will be one of the better records that I am most proud of," he said. "It just shows the level of consistency year in and year out."
Phil Mickelson reigns for Team USA at Presidents Cup -- golf - ESPN
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A patriotic young woman spiced up the world's most boring sport this morning by stripping off her clothes, save for one tiny red G-string, and prancing across a fairway during the Presidents Cup.
We say "patriotic" because the woman dragged an American flag behind her, covered her nipples with miniature flag pasties and wore stickers on her chest and back saying "Support Our Troops". This proud display got a rise out of at least one excited golf fan, who yelled "God bless America".
The streaker sprinted past the American captain Fred Couples, along with fellow players Ernie Els and Steve Stricker. She was clearly a fan of the latter, because she was shouting "Streaking for Stricker". His wife was reportedly amused. Kind of.
The woman managed to evade police for a while by running into the woods, but was eventually caught and forced to cover up with a jacket. She will probably face a fine.
Meanwhile, we're actually talking about the Presidents Cup. Fancy that. For the record, the USA sealed their victory over the Internationals this morning.
Perhaps they were inspired by this streaker's enthusiastic support.
No Cookies | Herald Sun
We say "patriotic" because the woman dragged an American flag behind her, covered her nipples with miniature flag pasties and wore stickers on her chest and back saying "Support Our Troops". This proud display got a rise out of at least one excited golf fan, who yelled "God bless America".
The streaker sprinted past the American captain Fred Couples, along with fellow players Ernie Els and Steve Stricker. She was clearly a fan of the latter, because she was shouting "Streaking for Stricker". His wife was reportedly amused. Kind of.
The woman managed to evade police for a while by running into the woods, but was eventually caught and forced to cover up with a jacket. She will probably face a fine.
Meanwhile, we're actually talking about the Presidents Cup. Fancy that. For the record, the USA sealed their victory over the Internationals this morning.
Perhaps they were inspired by this streaker's enthusiastic support.
No Cookies | Herald Sun
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2006/12/07
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At one point Sunday morning, the only question about the outcome of the Presidents Cup was who would actually earn the clinching point for the Americans. That changed as the day went on with a furious International team rally, but the U.S. still prevailed in the biennial matches.
So how did the Americans pull off the victory? And who should earn MVP honors?
Our scribes tackle those topics and more in this week's special edition of Presidents Cup Monday Four-Ball.
1. What made the difference in Team USA's victory?
Michael Collins, ESPN.com senior golf analyst: Zach Johnson. The fact that he went 3-1 when he didn't even arrive on the property until late Tuesday afternoon because of how sick he was speaks volumes about his gritty ability. Without him, the team just would not have won.
Farrell Evans, ESPN.com senior golf writer: I don't want to oversimplify it, but the U.S. team made more birdies and had more depth. They were the better team. You can talk about the pairings and the weather, but the U.S. had seven out of the top 11-ranked players in the world on its roster, and only one of its players, Jordan Spieth, had never been in either a Presidents Cup or Ryder Cup.
Bob Harig, ESPN.com senior golf writer: Putting. As is typically the case, the winning team holes more putts at crucial times. For whatever reason, this works in reverse for the U.S. at the Ryder Cup.
Kevin Maguire, ESPN.com senior golf editor: Depth. Every single American earned at least two points, which is amazing. Top to bottom, the U.S. team posted victories. On the flip side, the International team had two golfers -- Branden Grace and Richard Sterne -- who went 0-4-0. A couple of victories for that pair of South Africans and we might have been talking about the first U.S. loss on home soil in Presidents Cup history.
2. Who was the biggest surprise for each team at the Presidents Cup?
Michael Collins: Jason Dufner and Graham DeLaet. You always wonder how a guy with an outward personality like Duf's is going to jell in a team format, but according to Tiger, he was the funniest guy in the team room. Then to go 3-1 was just the icing on the cake. DeLaet was so wide-eyed at the Tour Championship I just didn't know if he'd get too amped up like most rookies do in these situations. Last time I doubt a hockey player!
Farrell Evans: I didn't know much about Graham DeLaet's game until this week. By Sunday evening I had learned enough to know that with his 3-1-1 record, including a 1 up win over Jordan Spieth in the singles, he is going to be a force to be reckoned with on the PGA Tour and in future Presidents Cups.
On the U.S. side, I was impressed with Tiger Woods, who looked tired by the end of the FedEx Cup playoffs. With a 4-1 record, he looked recharged, focused and his game was in good form. He played like the best player in the world should in a match-play competition.
Bob Harig: Bill Haas for the United States, Graham DeLaet for the Internationals. Even though Haas' record was just 2-2-1, he played some excellent golf and simply got clipped by Adam Scott in singles. DeLaet, a Presidents Cup rookie, went 3-1-1 with numerous clutch shots.
Kevin Maguire: For Team USA, it was Steve Stricker. Coming off his Ryder Cup heartbreak a year ago and a few hours west of Muirfield Village, Stricker really took to the role of veteran as he guided 20-year-old Jordan Spieth throughout the week. On the International side, who would have guessed that Canadian Graham DeLaet would tie for the team lead in points at 3.5? His chip-in birdie at the 18th hole early Sunday morning might have been the most pure emotional expression by anyone in these matches.
3. Who was the MVP of each team?
Michael Collins: For the International team, Jason Day and DeLaet were co-MVP's carrying that team when they needed it most. On the U.S. side, only one guy went 4-1 and won the point that sealed the victory. Might be old to some people that he's always out front, but it ain't old to me, Tiger Woods.
Farrell Evans: For the International team, Graham DeLaet. The 31-year-old Canadian posted a 3-1-1 record and handled himself like a veteran. In the singles, he holed a bunker shot to win his match 1 up over Jordan Spieth. For Team USA, Tiger Woods. His 4-1 record was the best of any player in the matches. Bob Harig: For the U.S., you have to go with Tiger. He went 4-1, the only player to win four matches. If it were so simple, he'd do it more often. He also had the winning point. For the Internationals, I'd again go with DeLaet. He played nicely.
Kevin Maguire: Tiger Woods on the American side and Jason Day for the Internationals. Woods posted four victories -- the most of anyone this week -- to lead the U.S. again and amazingly earn the clinching point for Team USA in the third straight Presidents Cup. For Day, playing well in front of a home crowd -- the Aussie lives in central Ohio -- often proves difficult, but he managed it with great aplomb to post a 3-1-1 mark.
4. What will you remember most about this Presidents Cup (besides rain)?
Michael Collins: I'll remember that even though they flipped the order or foursomes and four-balls, the International team still lost every session until Sunday singles. I'll remember that right when they started getting momentum, something would happen on one hole and it seemed like every other match would flip at the same time.
Farrell Evans: I shall never forget Davis Love III befriending a baby squirrel during Thursday's first session matches and treating it like a pet. It was an odd thing that not even I had ever witnessed.
Bob Harig: Foursomes. It remains amazing how much the International side struggles at the format. They led all five of the matches at one point on Saturday afternoon and ended up losing the session 3½ to 1½. That turnaround led to a comfortable lead for the Americans.
Kevin Maguire: I'm tempted to say Sammy
So how did the Americans pull off the victory? And who should earn MVP honors?
Our scribes tackle those topics and more in this week's special edition of Presidents Cup Monday Four-Ball.
1. What made the difference in Team USA's victory?
Michael Collins, ESPN.com senior golf analyst: Zach Johnson. The fact that he went 3-1 when he didn't even arrive on the property until late Tuesday afternoon because of how sick he was speaks volumes about his gritty ability. Without him, the team just would not have won.
Farrell Evans, ESPN.com senior golf writer: I don't want to oversimplify it, but the U.S. team made more birdies and had more depth. They were the better team. You can talk about the pairings and the weather, but the U.S. had seven out of the top 11-ranked players in the world on its roster, and only one of its players, Jordan Spieth, had never been in either a Presidents Cup or Ryder Cup.
Bob Harig, ESPN.com senior golf writer: Putting. As is typically the case, the winning team holes more putts at crucial times. For whatever reason, this works in reverse for the U.S. at the Ryder Cup.
Kevin Maguire, ESPN.com senior golf editor: Depth. Every single American earned at least two points, which is amazing. Top to bottom, the U.S. team posted victories. On the flip side, the International team had two golfers -- Branden Grace and Richard Sterne -- who went 0-4-0. A couple of victories for that pair of South Africans and we might have been talking about the first U.S. loss on home soil in Presidents Cup history.
2. Who was the biggest surprise for each team at the Presidents Cup?
Michael Collins: Jason Dufner and Graham DeLaet. You always wonder how a guy with an outward personality like Duf's is going to jell in a team format, but according to Tiger, he was the funniest guy in the team room. Then to go 3-1 was just the icing on the cake. DeLaet was so wide-eyed at the Tour Championship I just didn't know if he'd get too amped up like most rookies do in these situations. Last time I doubt a hockey player!
Farrell Evans: I didn't know much about Graham DeLaet's game until this week. By Sunday evening I had learned enough to know that with his 3-1-1 record, including a 1 up win over Jordan Spieth in the singles, he is going to be a force to be reckoned with on the PGA Tour and in future Presidents Cups.
On the U.S. side, I was impressed with Tiger Woods, who looked tired by the end of the FedEx Cup playoffs. With a 4-1 record, he looked recharged, focused and his game was in good form. He played like the best player in the world should in a match-play competition.
Bob Harig: Bill Haas for the United States, Graham DeLaet for the Internationals. Even though Haas' record was just 2-2-1, he played some excellent golf and simply got clipped by Adam Scott in singles. DeLaet, a Presidents Cup rookie, went 3-1-1 with numerous clutch shots.
Kevin Maguire: For Team USA, it was Steve Stricker. Coming off his Ryder Cup heartbreak a year ago and a few hours west of Muirfield Village, Stricker really took to the role of veteran as he guided 20-year-old Jordan Spieth throughout the week. On the International side, who would have guessed that Canadian Graham DeLaet would tie for the team lead in points at 3.5? His chip-in birdie at the 18th hole early Sunday morning might have been the most pure emotional expression by anyone in these matches.
3. Who was the MVP of each team?
Michael Collins: For the International team, Jason Day and DeLaet were co-MVP's carrying that team when they needed it most. On the U.S. side, only one guy went 4-1 and won the point that sealed the victory. Might be old to some people that he's always out front, but it ain't old to me, Tiger Woods.
Farrell Evans: For the International team, Graham DeLaet. The 31-year-old Canadian posted a 3-1-1 record and handled himself like a veteran. In the singles, he holed a bunker shot to win his match 1 up over Jordan Spieth. For Team USA, Tiger Woods. His 4-1 record was the best of any player in the matches. Bob Harig: For the U.S., you have to go with Tiger. He went 4-1, the only player to win four matches. If it were so simple, he'd do it more often. He also had the winning point. For the Internationals, I'd again go with DeLaet. He played nicely.
Kevin Maguire: Tiger Woods on the American side and Jason Day for the Internationals. Woods posted four victories -- the most of anyone this week -- to lead the U.S. again and amazingly earn the clinching point for Team USA in the third straight Presidents Cup. For Day, playing well in front of a home crowd -- the Aussie lives in central Ohio -- often proves difficult, but he managed it with great aplomb to post a 3-1-1 mark.
4. What will you remember most about this Presidents Cup (besides rain)?
Michael Collins: I'll remember that even though they flipped the order or foursomes and four-balls, the International team still lost every session until Sunday singles. I'll remember that right when they started getting momentum, something would happen on one hole and it seemed like every other match would flip at the same time.
Farrell Evans: I shall never forget Davis Love III befriending a baby squirrel during Thursday's first session matches and treating it like a pet. It was an odd thing that not even I had ever witnessed.
Bob Harig: Foursomes. It remains amazing how much the International side struggles at the format. They led all five of the matches at one point on Saturday afternoon and ended up losing the session 3½ to 1½. That turnaround led to a comfortable lead for the Americans.
Kevin Maguire: I'm tempted to say Sammy
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When South African great Gary Player suggested to Ricky Ponting he made a mistake by picking cricket as a career, he wasn't criticising the Tasmanian's ability with the willow. Of course, 13,378 test runs at an average of 51.85 justified Ponting's decision to strap on the pads.
What nine-time major winner Player was actually suggesting was Ponting had something special with a golf club in hand - perhaps something even more glorious than that trademark pull-shot that put the man known as 'Punter' on top of the cricketing world.
"The way you hit the ball, you’re wasting your time playing cricket," Player reportedly told Ponting during a trip to Europe. Over time, Player’s comments became a constant reminder of the natural ability Ponting had tucked away behind those powerful Popeye forearms.
While the runs kept coming in his day job, so too did the birdies in his spare time, and it was soon evident that Ponting may well have taken us all for a ride. Could this bloke actually be a pro golfer wrapped in a cricketer's body?
Excuse the hype, but this isn’t another story about a supremely gifted athlete or celebrity thinking he’s good enough to beat the golf pros at their own game. We’ve seen them come and go - some embarrassingly so.
Ponting’s fixation with the ancient game is built more on a competitive passion for the sport and, undoubtedly, a rare talent for it.
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He’s beaten good friend Aaron Baddeley over 18 holes, holds an impressive +1 handicap and boasts a career-low round of 66.
They're impressive numbers for a man with little time to head to his local course at Cronulla, in Sydney's south, to work on his game.
But of course, sub-par numbers don't necessarily translate to 'professional golfer in waiting'. As all pros know,
the step from scratch marker to life on tour is the biggest and most difficult step of all ... and one 99 per cent of those who try, inevitably fail.
But fellow cricket legend-turned professional golfer Dean Jones believes Ponting can buck the trend like he did and become a 'dual professional'.
"He’s good to go," Jones declared.
"He hits it super-long, he's a great putter and he just loves golf. He spends time with his mate Marc Leishman, he has dozens of sets of golf clubs - I’ve seen his garage and it looks like a Drummond golf store. When he’s not playing cricket, he lives and breathes golf."
Jones spent years contemplating a career in golf post-cricket, and eventually made the switch when he turned 50 and was eligible for the seniors tour.
He contended on the local PGA Legends circuit before putting his career on hold earlier this year due to cricket commentary commitments overseas.
At 38, Ponting has plenty of time on his side if he was to follow in 'Deano's' footsteps to the oldman's tour.
But, there is also the option of following Davis Cup tennis star Scott Draper’s lead and make a play for the PGATour of Australasia.
But it won’t come easy, no matter how talented Ponting is, according to Draper.
"The hardest part is making up for lost time," says the 2007 NSWPGA Champion.
"The years that I had in tennis - not having them in golf was themost difficult part. You look at today’s golfers - they start as juniors, grow up playing tournaments and learn course management.
"All those years Ricky did in cricket he applied his own standards on discipline and hard work. But there’s no doubt learning the nuances of a new sport takes a bit of time and that's something Ricky will need to be prepared to do."
Both Draper and Jones admitted they received reality checks once they had made the top grade in golf. Little did they know, the real hard work was yet to begin.
“I was a club golfer who got to a handicap of +2 and shot 9-under to win my club championship. But I quickly realised on tour my short game was horrific and that I really only had one or two shots in my bag - I basically had no idea," Draper confesses.
"I cannot believe how much I learnt about the short game - playing from different lies and all that. Ricky would have the same issues. He’ll need to pick people’s brains and play as much golf in tournament conditions to adapt to the pressure.
"Tournament golf is another step up. I remember going to Kingston Heath for a round straight after theAustralian
Masters was held and I went out and shot 28 points. It’s a different game all together under tournament conditions.”
Jones, long regarded as a larrikin around his mates in the cricket world, struggled to adapt to golf’s individual lifestyle.
"It’s a very lonely sport," says Jones. "Unlike in cricket, Ricky will have to get off his backside and book everything ... from flights, accommodation to hire cars. It’s quite intimidating when you get on tour.
"I remember shooting a couple of 69s in a tournament and thought I was in with half a chance to win the tournament.Then I looked around and saw guys like Ian Baker-Finch,Wayne Grady and Rodger Davis and thought
to myself, I’m kidding myself being here. It’s been fun but it’s a lot more lonely than cricket and that will take some adjusting if Ricky was to give it a go."
Cronulla club professional Colin Arnold - father of Aussie European Tour player and good friend of Ponting, Scott
Arnold - has seen enough of Punter to know he has serious credentials in the sport.
“I suppose he will have a go [at turning professional],” Arnold says.“Whenever he has spare time I see himout here
practising his short game and putting, playing a few holes. He’s obviously a very strong and talented player – he hits it a mile with those forearms of his. But while he’s still playing cricket it will be hard for him to pursue golf. If he pulls the
pin on cricket completely and turns all of his attention to golf, he’s a chance (of making it).”
But Arnold knows it’s still a big if at the moment. Ponting has been over
What nine-time major winner Player was actually suggesting was Ponting had something special with a golf club in hand - perhaps something even more glorious than that trademark pull-shot that put the man known as 'Punter' on top of the cricketing world.
"The way you hit the ball, you’re wasting your time playing cricket," Player reportedly told Ponting during a trip to Europe. Over time, Player’s comments became a constant reminder of the natural ability Ponting had tucked away behind those powerful Popeye forearms.
While the runs kept coming in his day job, so too did the birdies in his spare time, and it was soon evident that Ponting may well have taken us all for a ride. Could this bloke actually be a pro golfer wrapped in a cricketer's body?
Excuse the hype, but this isn’t another story about a supremely gifted athlete or celebrity thinking he’s good enough to beat the golf pros at their own game. We’ve seen them come and go - some embarrassingly so.
Ponting’s fixation with the ancient game is built more on a competitive passion for the sport and, undoubtedly, a rare talent for it.
Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.
End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.
He’s beaten good friend Aaron Baddeley over 18 holes, holds an impressive +1 handicap and boasts a career-low round of 66.
They're impressive numbers for a man with little time to head to his local course at Cronulla, in Sydney's south, to work on his game.
But of course, sub-par numbers don't necessarily translate to 'professional golfer in waiting'. As all pros know,
the step from scratch marker to life on tour is the biggest and most difficult step of all ... and one 99 per cent of those who try, inevitably fail.
But fellow cricket legend-turned professional golfer Dean Jones believes Ponting can buck the trend like he did and become a 'dual professional'.
"He’s good to go," Jones declared.
"He hits it super-long, he's a great putter and he just loves golf. He spends time with his mate Marc Leishman, he has dozens of sets of golf clubs - I’ve seen his garage and it looks like a Drummond golf store. When he’s not playing cricket, he lives and breathes golf."
Jones spent years contemplating a career in golf post-cricket, and eventually made the switch when he turned 50 and was eligible for the seniors tour.
He contended on the local PGA Legends circuit before putting his career on hold earlier this year due to cricket commentary commitments overseas.
At 38, Ponting has plenty of time on his side if he was to follow in 'Deano's' footsteps to the oldman's tour.
But, there is also the option of following Davis Cup tennis star Scott Draper’s lead and make a play for the PGATour of Australasia.
But it won’t come easy, no matter how talented Ponting is, according to Draper.
"The hardest part is making up for lost time," says the 2007 NSWPGA Champion.
"The years that I had in tennis - not having them in golf was themost difficult part. You look at today’s golfers - they start as juniors, grow up playing tournaments and learn course management.
"All those years Ricky did in cricket he applied his own standards on discipline and hard work. But there’s no doubt learning the nuances of a new sport takes a bit of time and that's something Ricky will need to be prepared to do."
Both Draper and Jones admitted they received reality checks once they had made the top grade in golf. Little did they know, the real hard work was yet to begin.
“I was a club golfer who got to a handicap of +2 and shot 9-under to win my club championship. But I quickly realised on tour my short game was horrific and that I really only had one or two shots in my bag - I basically had no idea," Draper confesses.
"I cannot believe how much I learnt about the short game - playing from different lies and all that. Ricky would have the same issues. He’ll need to pick people’s brains and play as much golf in tournament conditions to adapt to the pressure.
"Tournament golf is another step up. I remember going to Kingston Heath for a round straight after theAustralian
Masters was held and I went out and shot 28 points. It’s a different game all together under tournament conditions.”
Jones, long regarded as a larrikin around his mates in the cricket world, struggled to adapt to golf’s individual lifestyle.
"It’s a very lonely sport," says Jones. "Unlike in cricket, Ricky will have to get off his backside and book everything ... from flights, accommodation to hire cars. It’s quite intimidating when you get on tour.
"I remember shooting a couple of 69s in a tournament and thought I was in with half a chance to win the tournament.Then I looked around and saw guys like Ian Baker-Finch,Wayne Grady and Rodger Davis and thought
to myself, I’m kidding myself being here. It’s been fun but it’s a lot more lonely than cricket and that will take some adjusting if Ricky was to give it a go."
Cronulla club professional Colin Arnold - father of Aussie European Tour player and good friend of Ponting, Scott
Arnold - has seen enough of Punter to know he has serious credentials in the sport.
“I suppose he will have a go [at turning professional],” Arnold says.“Whenever he has spare time I see himout here
practising his short game and putting, playing a few holes. He’s obviously a very strong and talented player – he hits it a mile with those forearms of his. But while he’s still playing cricket it will be hard for him to pursue golf. If he pulls the
pin on cricket completely and turns all of his attention to golf, he’s a chance (of making it).”
But Arnold knows it’s still a big if at the moment. Ponting has been over
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The woman who ran naked across the golf course during the final day of the President's Cup has been identified as Kimberly Webster.
In an interview with golf writer Stephanie Wie, Webster explained why she went streaking, and ripped golf for being boring in the process.
Here's what she said:
"I wanted to add a little excitement to golf because everyone seemed kind of depressed and like they weren’t having fun because of the weather. I hadn’t been to a lot of sporting events…I just thought it would be interesting to try something like this."
Shots fired.
She continued:
"The top streakers of all time were all men, so I decided I wanted to change that…It was golf — it’s quiet and boring — and it was to make the top streakers of all time (as a woman)."
In her defense, the final day of the President's Cup was unusually anticlimactic. The U.S. team had a huge lead, and the team captains did a bad job creating must-watch match play pairings. All the headlines were about the wives and girlfriends of the players.
Webster (who says she wasn't drunk) wore only tiny stickers on her boobs and a red thong (NSFW photos here). She made it all the way to the woods before police tracked her down.
Somewhat surprisingly, she was only fined $99 and allowed to return to the course to get her clothes after the cops caught her.
They gave her a sheet to cover herself. She promptly turned it into a toga and took a picture (below).
Boredom will make you do some weird things.
Read more: President's Cup Streaker Explains Naked Run At Golf Event - Business Insider
In an interview with golf writer Stephanie Wie, Webster explained why she went streaking, and ripped golf for being boring in the process.
Here's what she said:
"I wanted to add a little excitement to golf because everyone seemed kind of depressed and like they weren’t having fun because of the weather. I hadn’t been to a lot of sporting events…I just thought it would be interesting to try something like this."
Shots fired.
She continued:
"The top streakers of all time were all men, so I decided I wanted to change that…It was golf — it’s quiet and boring — and it was to make the top streakers of all time (as a woman)."
In her defense, the final day of the President's Cup was unusually anticlimactic. The U.S. team had a huge lead, and the team captains did a bad job creating must-watch match play pairings. All the headlines were about the wives and girlfriends of the players.
Webster (who says she wasn't drunk) wore only tiny stickers on her boobs and a red thong (NSFW photos here). She made it all the way to the woods before police tracked her down.
Somewhat surprisingly, she was only fined $99 and allowed to return to the course to get her clothes after the cops caught her.
They gave her a sheet to cover herself. She promptly turned it into a toga and took a picture (below).
Boredom will make you do some weird things.
Read more: President's Cup Streaker Explains Naked Run At Golf Event - Business Insider
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2006/12/07
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Well, that was fun.
It seems so long ago (not) that Henrik Stenson was lifting both the Tour Championship and FedEx Cup trophies at East Lake as the winner of the season-ending prizes, including a $10 million bonus.
Golf's offseason, specifically that of the PGA Tour, lasted 18 days.
And given that the Presidents Cup was played last week, the time between one season ending and another beginning seems even shorter.
This is a product of the PGA Tour's decision to go to a wraparound season that starts this week at the Frys.com Open in California.
The bad news is that many of the top players will be absent for a majority of the six events, including three international stops.
The good news is that these tournaments now count in a variety of ways and are not just an afterthought following a long season.
Here is a rundown of what to expect over the coming weeks.
The Tournaments
They run in consecutive weeks starting at the Frys.com, followed by the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open (Oct. 17-20) in Las Vegas; the CIMB Classic (Oct. 24-27) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; the WGC-HSBC Champions (Oct. 31-Nov. 4) in Shanghai, China; The McGladrey Classic (Nov. 7-10) at Sea Island, Ga.; and the OHL Classic at Mayakoba (Nov. 14-17) in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.
Although there will still be offseason events such as the World Challenge, Shark Shootout and Father/Son Championship, the official schedule won't resume again until the first week of January at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions.
The Logistics
Obviously, the start to the 2013-14 season is not very smooth from a geographical standpoint. San Jose to Las Vegas might be OK. But Vegas to Malaysia to China ... not so much. And then, after China, all the way to Georgia? And then from there to Cancun?
That is why we are likely to see only a handful of big names, especially at the domestic events. And the four tournaments outside of Asia most likely will attract a good number of players (depending on their priority ranking) who just earned their cards on the Web.com Tour, either through the top 25 on the money list or the top 25 in the Web.com Tour Finals.
The Big Guys
Where can we expect to see Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Rory McIlroy?
For Tiger, it will be none of the above. He is planning to play none of the six official PGA Tour events in the fall, opting for an exhibition with McIlroy in China and then a European Tour event in Turkey. He'll also play the World Challenge in December, which benefits his foundation.
Lefty, meanwhile, is heading overseas. He will be at the CIMB Classic, which becomes an official tournament on the PGA Tour for the first time, followed by the WGC-HSBC Champions, also now official.
McIlroy will play just one, the HSBC. The week prior, he will play another European Tour event (the BMW Masters) in China followed by the season-ending tour event in Dubai. McIlroy, who is headed to the Australian Open, is scheduled to play in Woods' World Challenge, as well.
The Perks
In years past, the Frys.com, Vegas and McGladrey events counted only on that year's PGA Tour money list. No FedEx Cup points were at stake, and not even a Masters invitation went to the winner. All of that changes now. These tournaments count just like the Honda Classic and Bay Hill. A win brings 500 FedEx Cup points and a spot in the Masters (the WGC event means 550 points). It offers those players who elect to compete a chance to get a head start on securing points and maintaining playing privileges.
The Hidden Perks
Not much is being said about it, but since these tournaments are now official, they will count toward a player's minimum requirements. That can be a big deal to guys like Woods and Mickelson. Lefty, especially, has said he wants to cut back his schedule. He's already going to have two official tournaments to his credit before the calendar year turns to 2014. Woods won't have any, but McIlroy will have one, and any player who competes in any of these events will have a head start on his minimum requirements.
The Bottom Line
It is easy to make fun of golf's virtually nonexistent offseason, but this move to a wraparound schedule is a good one, even if we don't see a majority of big names competing.
The simple way to handle it would be to have no official PGA Tour events following the Tour Championship -- or extend the season a few more weeks, with a later Tour Championship date, and then shutting it down. But that won't happen. The tour is about offering playing opportunities, and it doesn't want to be on the sideline while Europe, Asia and Australia are offering those chances.
So we have these six tournaments, and if we're going to have them, they might as well count. It was always awkward in the first six years of the FedEx Cup to have the Tour Championship followed by a handful of tournaments that counted toward the money list but not the FedEx Cup. It would be like playing more baseball games following the World Series to determine who finishes in third place.
This is also better for the rank-and-file players who have come off the Web.com Tour or had lackluster PGA Tour seasons. They get a chance to find some form before the end of the calendar year, and for those who play well, they'll have their future set prior to January.
Perhaps best of all, this gives golf a clean start and finish line. The tour season begins now. It ends next year at the Tour Championship in Atlanta. If you qualify for the PGA Tour playoffs, you are exempt the following year. If you don't, and don't have some other eligibility criteria, you're fighting for your card in the Web.com Finals. It's simpler, and ultimately will become commonplace for those who follow the game.
The Offseason
Let's be honest, there just isn't one. Golf is played somewhere at the professional level nearly every week of the year.
As far as the PGA Tour is concerned, the six weeks following the Mayakoba event and prior
It seems so long ago (not) that Henrik Stenson was lifting both the Tour Championship and FedEx Cup trophies at East Lake as the winner of the season-ending prizes, including a $10 million bonus.
Golf's offseason, specifically that of the PGA Tour, lasted 18 days.
And given that the Presidents Cup was played last week, the time between one season ending and another beginning seems even shorter.
This is a product of the PGA Tour's decision to go to a wraparound season that starts this week at the Frys.com Open in California.
The bad news is that many of the top players will be absent for a majority of the six events, including three international stops.
The good news is that these tournaments now count in a variety of ways and are not just an afterthought following a long season.
Here is a rundown of what to expect over the coming weeks.
The Tournaments
They run in consecutive weeks starting at the Frys.com, followed by the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open (Oct. 17-20) in Las Vegas; the CIMB Classic (Oct. 24-27) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; the WGC-HSBC Champions (Oct. 31-Nov. 4) in Shanghai, China; The McGladrey Classic (Nov. 7-10) at Sea Island, Ga.; and the OHL Classic at Mayakoba (Nov. 14-17) in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.
Although there will still be offseason events such as the World Challenge, Shark Shootout and Father/Son Championship, the official schedule won't resume again until the first week of January at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions.
The Logistics
Obviously, the start to the 2013-14 season is not very smooth from a geographical standpoint. San Jose to Las Vegas might be OK. But Vegas to Malaysia to China ... not so much. And then, after China, all the way to Georgia? And then from there to Cancun?
That is why we are likely to see only a handful of big names, especially at the domestic events. And the four tournaments outside of Asia most likely will attract a good number of players (depending on their priority ranking) who just earned their cards on the Web.com Tour, either through the top 25 on the money list or the top 25 in the Web.com Tour Finals.
The Big Guys
Where can we expect to see Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Rory McIlroy?
For Tiger, it will be none of the above. He is planning to play none of the six official PGA Tour events in the fall, opting for an exhibition with McIlroy in China and then a European Tour event in Turkey. He'll also play the World Challenge in December, which benefits his foundation.
Lefty, meanwhile, is heading overseas. He will be at the CIMB Classic, which becomes an official tournament on the PGA Tour for the first time, followed by the WGC-HSBC Champions, also now official.
McIlroy will play just one, the HSBC. The week prior, he will play another European Tour event (the BMW Masters) in China followed by the season-ending tour event in Dubai. McIlroy, who is headed to the Australian Open, is scheduled to play in Woods' World Challenge, as well.
The Perks
In years past, the Frys.com, Vegas and McGladrey events counted only on that year's PGA Tour money list. No FedEx Cup points were at stake, and not even a Masters invitation went to the winner. All of that changes now. These tournaments count just like the Honda Classic and Bay Hill. A win brings 500 FedEx Cup points and a spot in the Masters (the WGC event means 550 points). It offers those players who elect to compete a chance to get a head start on securing points and maintaining playing privileges.
The Hidden Perks
Not much is being said about it, but since these tournaments are now official, they will count toward a player's minimum requirements. That can be a big deal to guys like Woods and Mickelson. Lefty, especially, has said he wants to cut back his schedule. He's already going to have two official tournaments to his credit before the calendar year turns to 2014. Woods won't have any, but McIlroy will have one, and any player who competes in any of these events will have a head start on his minimum requirements.
The Bottom Line
It is easy to make fun of golf's virtually nonexistent offseason, but this move to a wraparound schedule is a good one, even if we don't see a majority of big names competing.
The simple way to handle it would be to have no official PGA Tour events following the Tour Championship -- or extend the season a few more weeks, with a later Tour Championship date, and then shutting it down. But that won't happen. The tour is about offering playing opportunities, and it doesn't want to be on the sideline while Europe, Asia and Australia are offering those chances.
So we have these six tournaments, and if we're going to have them, they might as well count. It was always awkward in the first six years of the FedEx Cup to have the Tour Championship followed by a handful of tournaments that counted toward the money list but not the FedEx Cup. It would be like playing more baseball games following the World Series to determine who finishes in third place.
This is also better for the rank-and-file players who have come off the Web.com Tour or had lackluster PGA Tour seasons. They get a chance to find some form before the end of the calendar year, and for those who play well, they'll have their future set prior to January.
Perhaps best of all, this gives golf a clean start and finish line. The tour season begins now. It ends next year at the Tour Championship in Atlanta. If you qualify for the PGA Tour playoffs, you are exempt the following year. If you don't, and don't have some other eligibility criteria, you're fighting for your card in the Web.com Finals. It's simpler, and ultimately will become commonplace for those who follow the game.
The Offseason
Let's be honest, there just isn't one. Golf is played somewhere at the professional level nearly every week of the year.
As far as the PGA Tour is concerned, the six weeks following the Mayakoba event and prior
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2006/12/07
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American Jimmy Walker took advantage of a late collapse by overnight leader Brooks Koepka to win his first PGA Tour title by two shots at the Frys-com Open in San Martin, California on Sunday (Monday, PHL time).
Three strokes off the pace heading into the final round, Walker coolly birdied two of the last six holes to close with a five-under-par 66 on a sun-splashed afternoon at CordeValle Golf Club.
The 34-year-old seized the outright lead for the first time when he two-putted for birdie at the par-five 15th, then made three consecutive pars to post a 17-under total of 267 in the opening event of the PGA Tour's 2013-14 season.
"I think it will sink in after a while," an emotional Walker told Golf Channel after earning a Masters invitation and a two-year exemption with his maiden win on the U.S. circuit following his 188th career start.
"I am still feeling the adrenalin and everything. I feel like a relief, a release kind of, right now but it feels really good. I am pretty excited.
"I was swinging good so I just kept saying, 'Let's just keep hitting good shots, putting good.' Everything felt like it was in control, so I just kept doing that and it worked out."
American Koepka, also seeking a maiden victory on the PGA Tour, briefly led by four shots on the front nine but tumbled backwards with bogeys on four of the last 10 holes on his way to a 72 and a four-way tie for third place.
Former world number one Vijay Singh, bidding for his first win in five years on the PGA Tour where he has triumphed 34 times during a Hall of Fame career, finished alone in second at 15 under after closing with a 68.
For the early part of the afternoon, Koepka appeared to be heading toward a remarkable victory in only his fourth career start on the PGA Tour, stretching his overnight lead to three shots when he sank a 10-foot birdie putt at the par-four second.
Early heat
Singh put some early heat on the pacesetting American, birdies at the first and third putting the Fijian two strokes off the lead before he stumbled with a three-putt bogey at the seventh.
Moments later, Koepka drained a monster putt from 45 feet to birdie the par-four sixth and briefly move four ahead of the chasing pack.
However, Walker birdied the eighth and ninth to get to 15 under and Koepka then three-putted from the back fringe to bogey the par-five ninth for his lead to be cut to just one.
Koepka also bogeyed the par-three 11th, after missing the green to the left and chipping five feet past the cup, to drop back into a tie for the lead with Walker.
Though Koepka immediately recovered with a birdie at the 12th to regain a one-stroke cushion, Walker joined him at 16 under soon after by rolling in a 30-footer for birdie at the 13th.
Walker grabbed the outright lead with his birdie at the 15th and Koepka, playing one group behind, squandered an opportunity to match him when he missed a six-footer there.
Koepka bogeyed the short 16th after missing the green to the left with a nine-iron and his title hopes disappeared with a bogey at the drivable par-four 17th where he found water off the tee.
"Obviously today wasn't the day I was expecting or anything but it's still a good tournament," said the 23-year-old Koepka who has triumphed four times on the lower-tier European Challenge Tour since turning professional in 2012.
"You've got to take the bright side and move on to next week [for the PGA Tour's Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas].
Golf: American Walker wins PGA Tour season opener | Sports | GMA News Online
Three strokes off the pace heading into the final round, Walker coolly birdied two of the last six holes to close with a five-under-par 66 on a sun-splashed afternoon at CordeValle Golf Club.
The 34-year-old seized the outright lead for the first time when he two-putted for birdie at the par-five 15th, then made three consecutive pars to post a 17-under total of 267 in the opening event of the PGA Tour's 2013-14 season.
"I think it will sink in after a while," an emotional Walker told Golf Channel after earning a Masters invitation and a two-year exemption with his maiden win on the U.S. circuit following his 188th career start.
"I am still feeling the adrenalin and everything. I feel like a relief, a release kind of, right now but it feels really good. I am pretty excited.
"I was swinging good so I just kept saying, 'Let's just keep hitting good shots, putting good.' Everything felt like it was in control, so I just kept doing that and it worked out."
American Koepka, also seeking a maiden victory on the PGA Tour, briefly led by four shots on the front nine but tumbled backwards with bogeys on four of the last 10 holes on his way to a 72 and a four-way tie for third place.
Former world number one Vijay Singh, bidding for his first win in five years on the PGA Tour where he has triumphed 34 times during a Hall of Fame career, finished alone in second at 15 under after closing with a 68.
For the early part of the afternoon, Koepka appeared to be heading toward a remarkable victory in only his fourth career start on the PGA Tour, stretching his overnight lead to three shots when he sank a 10-foot birdie putt at the par-four second.
Early heat
Singh put some early heat on the pacesetting American, birdies at the first and third putting the Fijian two strokes off the lead before he stumbled with a three-putt bogey at the seventh.
Moments later, Koepka drained a monster putt from 45 feet to birdie the par-four sixth and briefly move four ahead of the chasing pack.
However, Walker birdied the eighth and ninth to get to 15 under and Koepka then three-putted from the back fringe to bogey the par-five ninth for his lead to be cut to just one.
Koepka also bogeyed the par-three 11th, after missing the green to the left and chipping five feet past the cup, to drop back into a tie for the lead with Walker.
Though Koepka immediately recovered with a birdie at the 12th to regain a one-stroke cushion, Walker joined him at 16 under soon after by rolling in a 30-footer for birdie at the 13th.
Walker grabbed the outright lead with his birdie at the 15th and Koepka, playing one group behind, squandered an opportunity to match him when he missed a six-footer there.
Koepka bogeyed the short 16th after missing the green to the left with a nine-iron and his title hopes disappeared with a bogey at the drivable par-four 17th where he found water off the tee.
"Obviously today wasn't the day I was expecting or anything but it's still a good tournament," said the 23-year-old Koepka who has triumphed four times on the lower-tier European Challenge Tour since turning professional in 2012.
"You've got to take the bright side and move on to next week [for the PGA Tour's Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas].
Golf: American Walker wins PGA Tour season opener | Sports | GMA News Online
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A successful rookie year on the PGA Tour in America has ended with Englishman David Lynn returning to Europe and showing everyone exactly what he has learned.
The late developer from Stoke posted a marvellous final round eight-under 63 in a testing breeze to claim the Portugal Masters on Sunday.
At the age of 38, Lynn appeared destined for a life on the chorus line, with just one win to his name in 15 years of toil.
That victory was in 2004 when he landed the KLM Open title in Holland by three shots.
Everything changed when he finished second to Rory McIlroy in his first American major, the USPGA Championship, last year. He accepted the PGA Tour card on offer, and marked his season-long adventure by winning $1.6 million.
Now, one week shy of his 40th birthday, he has another win to his name, his first in more than nine years and 224 events.
‘I’m just delighted to make the breakthrough again,’ said Lynn. ‘It was a cracking day’s golf. I went out with the aim of setting a target and made it tough for the guys to get there in the wind.’
Just a stroke behind was Justin Walters, the 32-year-old South African who came here in 126th place in the Race to Dubai but who kept his European Tour card in poignant and spectacular circumstances.
Just a fortnight ago Walters lost his mother. Determined to come up with a performance to do justice to her memory, he holed a 50ft putt on the final green.
Perfect weather, good crowds, a fabulous round from the champion and a moving human drama... all the talk about a crisis looked misplaced last week as the European Tour put its best foot forward in the final event in Europe before disappearing east once more.
As ever, appearances can be deceptive. The prize money was hardly to be sniffed at as Lynn walked off with a cheque for £280,000 but it was still 25 per cent less than on offer two years ago.
At a players’ committee meeting on Wednesday the agenda was dominated by harsh reality.
How can we mount a mission improbable to salvage the Seve Trophy?
How do we boost the star power at our remaining events in Europe next year? ‘The prevailing mood was that we are riding the storm at the moment and we’ve got to make sure we keep our heads above water,’ conceded Ryder Cup captain and passionate Europhile, Paul McGinley.
‘There’s no question the recession has hit us hard. Portugal, Spain, France, Ireland and England too, it has hit all our traditional markets. So the important thing is that we ride this storm. That’s why the support of the top guys is important.’
To that end, McGinley was cheered immensely by Sportsmail’s recent revelation that McIlroy has added the Scottish Open and the Dubai Desert Classic - two events that suffered greatly this year - to his schedule in 2014.
‘Where would the Irish Open be without Rory? Scotland is really going to benefit next year,’ he said.
As for the Seve Trophy, he added: ‘It’s fingers crossed. For me the recent edition was a huge benefit.
‘Look at Gregory Bourdy, who won five out of five matches and all of a sudden he’s on the Ryder Cup radar.
‘If Gregory makes the team next year, I’ve had dinner with him, met his girlfriend, watched him on the course and how he gelled with his team-mates.
‘If he makes it to Glen-eagles, I’m going to hit the ground running with him. That’s the benefit of it.’
Unfortunately, the benefit is likely to be one unavailable to the next captain. Or at least not in its present form.
Instead, all the smart money, as we revealed last week, is for the Seve Trophy to amalgamate with the EurAsia Cup, a new event for teams representing Europe and Asia in Malaysia next March.
‘The reality is the Asians have a pot of money and maybe it will be a case of the two events melding,’ admitted the Irishman.
Sad, undoubtedly, but it would be wrong to be too gloomy. The thousands who followed the action in Vilamoura would testify to the quality of what remains on offer in Europe.
Read more: David Lynn wins Portugal Masters at Oceanico Victoria Golf Course | Mail Online
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
The late developer from Stoke posted a marvellous final round eight-under 63 in a testing breeze to claim the Portugal Masters on Sunday.
At the age of 38, Lynn appeared destined for a life on the chorus line, with just one win to his name in 15 years of toil.
That victory was in 2004 when he landed the KLM Open title in Holland by three shots.
Everything changed when he finished second to Rory McIlroy in his first American major, the USPGA Championship, last year. He accepted the PGA Tour card on offer, and marked his season-long adventure by winning $1.6 million.
Now, one week shy of his 40th birthday, he has another win to his name, his first in more than nine years and 224 events.
‘I’m just delighted to make the breakthrough again,’ said Lynn. ‘It was a cracking day’s golf. I went out with the aim of setting a target and made it tough for the guys to get there in the wind.’
Just a stroke behind was Justin Walters, the 32-year-old South African who came here in 126th place in the Race to Dubai but who kept his European Tour card in poignant and spectacular circumstances.
Just a fortnight ago Walters lost his mother. Determined to come up with a performance to do justice to her memory, he holed a 50ft putt on the final green.
Perfect weather, good crowds, a fabulous round from the champion and a moving human drama... all the talk about a crisis looked misplaced last week as the European Tour put its best foot forward in the final event in Europe before disappearing east once more.
As ever, appearances can be deceptive. The prize money was hardly to be sniffed at as Lynn walked off with a cheque for £280,000 but it was still 25 per cent less than on offer two years ago.
At a players’ committee meeting on Wednesday the agenda was dominated by harsh reality.
How can we mount a mission improbable to salvage the Seve Trophy?
How do we boost the star power at our remaining events in Europe next year? ‘The prevailing mood was that we are riding the storm at the moment and we’ve got to make sure we keep our heads above water,’ conceded Ryder Cup captain and passionate Europhile, Paul McGinley.
‘There’s no question the recession has hit us hard. Portugal, Spain, France, Ireland and England too, it has hit all our traditional markets. So the important thing is that we ride this storm. That’s why the support of the top guys is important.’
To that end, McGinley was cheered immensely by Sportsmail’s recent revelation that McIlroy has added the Scottish Open and the Dubai Desert Classic - two events that suffered greatly this year - to his schedule in 2014.
‘Where would the Irish Open be without Rory? Scotland is really going to benefit next year,’ he said.
As for the Seve Trophy, he added: ‘It’s fingers crossed. For me the recent edition was a huge benefit.
‘Look at Gregory Bourdy, who won five out of five matches and all of a sudden he’s on the Ryder Cup radar.
‘If Gregory makes the team next year, I’ve had dinner with him, met his girlfriend, watched him on the course and how he gelled with his team-mates.
‘If he makes it to Glen-eagles, I’m going to hit the ground running with him. That’s the benefit of it.’
Unfortunately, the benefit is likely to be one unavailable to the next captain. Or at least not in its present form.
Instead, all the smart money, as we revealed last week, is for the Seve Trophy to amalgamate with the EurAsia Cup, a new event for teams representing Europe and Asia in Malaysia next March.
‘The reality is the Asians have a pot of money and maybe it will be a case of the two events melding,’ admitted the Irishman.
Sad, undoubtedly, but it would be wrong to be too gloomy. The thousands who followed the action in Vilamoura would testify to the quality of what remains on offer in Europe.
Read more: David Lynn wins Portugal Masters at Oceanico Victoria Golf Course | Mail Online
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
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2006/12/07
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An eagle on his final hole gave Bel Air senior Nick Loiodice the Harford County Boys Golf Title Tuesday at Geneva Farm Golf Course and the Bobcats won the team title, concluding a second straight unbeaten season.
Loiodice shot a two-over par round of 74 to edge teammate and District 7 champion Tyler Newton, who shot 75. Loiodice also won the county title in his sophomore year and was runner-up as a freshman.
The girls title was won for a third time by North Harford senior Morgan Wirtz. She shot 85.
The final hole dramatics for Loiodice, coincidentally, came on the same hole that likely cost Newton his first county crown. The par 5, 16th hole.
"Tyler played behind me and I knew that he was three over finishing the hole and I was four over going in and I needed a birdie," Loiodice said, referencing his approach to his final hole. Off the tee, Loiodice found the left rough. "I was in the left rough and I hit a five wood to about six feet and sank the putt for an eagle to take a one-shot victory." The putt was downhill, breaking two feet, left to right, according to Loiodice. "It was probably the worst spot to leave the putt," Loiodice said. "It's a good way to go out as a senior."
For what was Loiodice's final hole, it was Newton's first. "It's like the easiest hole on the course probably," Newton said of the 493-yard hole. Unfortunately for Newton, it proved to be the most difficult.
Newton carded a triple bogey 8 and then played par golf the remaining 17 holes. "I was just behind like four trees," Newton said. "My tee shot went way right and I was behind a tree and then behind another tree and behind another tree and then I three putted."
Asked if he usually has a bad first hole, Newton said: "Not really, but I think I normally play better if I get the bad holes out first. Sometimes when I'm playing a good round, then I have a bad hole and that ruins me."
Bel Air teammate Cody Smith added a round of 79 for a third place finish and helped the Bobcats get a team score of 496. Eight players played and the top six scores were counted.
Other contributing Bel Air scorers were Kevin Morrissey, 86; Connor Small, 89; Sam Tepelides, 93; and Evan Ripple, 93.
Rounding out the top five boys were Tommy St. Clair, of Fallston, fourth with 80, while Aberdeen's Mitchell Hardin and Fallston's Connor Van Scyoc, both shot 81 to tie for fifth.
For Wirtz, her score of 85 was right in line with her previous title rounds of 84 and 89.
Wirtz pointed to the long game as her strength Tuesday
"I think my driver and my irons, they were definitely helping to get the distance covered," Wirtz said. "The fact that I can hit the driver and end up 100 yards out. That's what I did the majority of the day, excluding par 5s."
Wirtz' round consisted of one double bogey and a birdie. The rest were pars and bogeys.
"I played with more of a consistency, not having a blow up hole, where you shoot 7-or-8," Wirtz said.
Sam Bennett, of Bel Air, was the girls runner-up with 97. Rounding out the top five were Spencer Comitz, of Bel Air, 105; Rachel Lozzi, of Bel Air, 112; Emily Baker, of C. Milton Wright, 112; and Elizabeth Thompson, of Harford Tech, 123.
Fallston took the runner-up spot in team standings with 511 and North Harford was third at 524. Rounding out the field were Patterson Mill, 561; CMW, 576; Edgewood, 609; Tech, 631; and Aberdeen, 652.
Joppatowne and Havre de Grace had golfers participate, but not enough to record a team score.
Read more: Bel Air's Loiodice wins second county golf title - baltimoresun-com
Loiodice shot a two-over par round of 74 to edge teammate and District 7 champion Tyler Newton, who shot 75. Loiodice also won the county title in his sophomore year and was runner-up as a freshman.
The girls title was won for a third time by North Harford senior Morgan Wirtz. She shot 85.
The final hole dramatics for Loiodice, coincidentally, came on the same hole that likely cost Newton his first county crown. The par 5, 16th hole.
"Tyler played behind me and I knew that he was three over finishing the hole and I was four over going in and I needed a birdie," Loiodice said, referencing his approach to his final hole. Off the tee, Loiodice found the left rough. "I was in the left rough and I hit a five wood to about six feet and sank the putt for an eagle to take a one-shot victory." The putt was downhill, breaking two feet, left to right, according to Loiodice. "It was probably the worst spot to leave the putt," Loiodice said. "It's a good way to go out as a senior."
For what was Loiodice's final hole, it was Newton's first. "It's like the easiest hole on the course probably," Newton said of the 493-yard hole. Unfortunately for Newton, it proved to be the most difficult.
Newton carded a triple bogey 8 and then played par golf the remaining 17 holes. "I was just behind like four trees," Newton said. "My tee shot went way right and I was behind a tree and then behind another tree and behind another tree and then I three putted."
Asked if he usually has a bad first hole, Newton said: "Not really, but I think I normally play better if I get the bad holes out first. Sometimes when I'm playing a good round, then I have a bad hole and that ruins me."
Bel Air teammate Cody Smith added a round of 79 for a third place finish and helped the Bobcats get a team score of 496. Eight players played and the top six scores were counted.
Other contributing Bel Air scorers were Kevin Morrissey, 86; Connor Small, 89; Sam Tepelides, 93; and Evan Ripple, 93.
Rounding out the top five boys were Tommy St. Clair, of Fallston, fourth with 80, while Aberdeen's Mitchell Hardin and Fallston's Connor Van Scyoc, both shot 81 to tie for fifth.
For Wirtz, her score of 85 was right in line with her previous title rounds of 84 and 89.
Wirtz pointed to the long game as her strength Tuesday
"I think my driver and my irons, they were definitely helping to get the distance covered," Wirtz said. "The fact that I can hit the driver and end up 100 yards out. That's what I did the majority of the day, excluding par 5s."
Wirtz' round consisted of one double bogey and a birdie. The rest were pars and bogeys.
"I played with more of a consistency, not having a blow up hole, where you shoot 7-or-8," Wirtz said.
Sam Bennett, of Bel Air, was the girls runner-up with 97. Rounding out the top five were Spencer Comitz, of Bel Air, 105; Rachel Lozzi, of Bel Air, 112; Emily Baker, of C. Milton Wright, 112; and Elizabeth Thompson, of Harford Tech, 123.
Fallston took the runner-up spot in team standings with 511 and North Harford was third at 524. Rounding out the field were Patterson Mill, 561; CMW, 576; Edgewood, 609; Tech, 631; and Aberdeen, 652.
Joppatowne and Havre de Grace had golfers participate, but not enough to record a team score.
Read more: Bel Air's Loiodice wins second county golf title - baltimoresun-com
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Oh good, just what Adam Scott needs, more money, more trophies, more incredible shots.
Scott won the Grand Slam of Golf by two on Wednesday over Justin Rose by shooting a second-round 64 (a new course record, by the way) to Rose's 70.
The reigning Masters champion said the golf in Bermuda was actually quite tough.
"Obviously, I'm thrilled to come out on top," Scott said. "Fun -- but a trying couple of days here, really, especially today. Standing on the 11th tee, didn't look like a score like that was going to be possible. But I played very well and managed to slowly claw away at Justin."
The two were tied on the 17th hole but Rose birdied and Scott hit this spectacular shot and made the six inch putt for eagle to get to 8 under for the tournament.
The club Scott used was a six iron, the same club he used for his second shot on the second playoff hole (No. 10) at Augusta to win the Masters -- a shot he recently noted was the best he's ever hit.
This club was from a new set though, he said.
"This one's got some good stuff in it, too."
Both Rose and Scott went out in 33 but Scott shot a 31 on the final nine holes of the event while Rose shot a 36 and saw his three stroke lead turn into a two stroke defeat.
Jason Dufner and Padraig Harrington both finished well back of the lead at 3 under and 3 over respectively.
Scott takes home first prize of $600,000 but hey, last place isn't so bad as Harrington will carry $200,000 back home to Ireland.
Both Dufner and Rose seemed to have a good time as well. Rose said he wasn't bummed about his finish.
"I started with a two-shot lead and somebody had to shoot well to beat me," Rose said. "When you're in that position you want to close it out. But when somebody finishes it out like that, you have to tip your hat and say you were beaten rather than losing. He was 4-under the last six, so that's a strong finish."
Scott, the new course record holder, was offered an honorary membership to Port Royal in Southampton, Bermuda where the group was playing.
His response when being told this was humorous.
"Do I get to keep it if someone beats it next year?"
I'd say that pretty much sums up the Grand Slam of Golf.
Adam Scott wins Grand Slam of Golf - CBSSports-com
Scott won the Grand Slam of Golf by two on Wednesday over Justin Rose by shooting a second-round 64 (a new course record, by the way) to Rose's 70.
The reigning Masters champion said the golf in Bermuda was actually quite tough.
"Obviously, I'm thrilled to come out on top," Scott said. "Fun -- but a trying couple of days here, really, especially today. Standing on the 11th tee, didn't look like a score like that was going to be possible. But I played very well and managed to slowly claw away at Justin."
The two were tied on the 17th hole but Rose birdied and Scott hit this spectacular shot and made the six inch putt for eagle to get to 8 under for the tournament.
The club Scott used was a six iron, the same club he used for his second shot on the second playoff hole (No. 10) at Augusta to win the Masters -- a shot he recently noted was the best he's ever hit.
This club was from a new set though, he said.
"This one's got some good stuff in it, too."
Both Rose and Scott went out in 33 but Scott shot a 31 on the final nine holes of the event while Rose shot a 36 and saw his three stroke lead turn into a two stroke defeat.
Jason Dufner and Padraig Harrington both finished well back of the lead at 3 under and 3 over respectively.
Scott takes home first prize of $600,000 but hey, last place isn't so bad as Harrington will carry $200,000 back home to Ireland.
Both Dufner and Rose seemed to have a good time as well. Rose said he wasn't bummed about his finish.
"I started with a two-shot lead and somebody had to shoot well to beat me," Rose said. "When you're in that position you want to close it out. But when somebody finishes it out like that, you have to tip your hat and say you were beaten rather than losing. He was 4-under the last six, so that's a strong finish."
Scott, the new course record holder, was offered an honorary membership to Port Royal in Southampton, Bermuda where the group was playing.
His response when being told this was humorous.
"Do I get to keep it if someone beats it next year?"
I'd say that pretty much sums up the Grand Slam of Golf.
Adam Scott wins Grand Slam of Golf - CBSSports-com
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Over her first two seasons on the Rancho Bernardo High girls golf team, Jessica Wagner would celebrate shooting close to par.
Then, in team tryouts her junior year, Wagner fired a 3-under 33 for nine holes to tie a course record at Bernardo Heights Country Club, the Broncos’ home track. Her decision to practice daily during the summer for the first time paid off.
“I just wanted to get better and be one of the top players,” said Wagner, now Rancho Bernardo’s senior captain. “I went every day and practiced. I saw a lot of improvement, especially with consistency. It all came together.”
Being a leading player for the Broncos also means contributing to a program that has reached the Southern California Regional tournament the last three seasons. Each time, they qualified as the San Diego Section runner-up behind Torrey Pines, the three-time defending state champion.
Freshman Cece DeMatteo grew up in Rancho Bernardo aware of the strong RB teams. After moving to Chino Hills for middle school, she returned this year to join the team and otherwise be part of the San Diego golf scene.
“It’s great,” DeMatteo said. “It’s just a lot of fun to be around people with the same common interest. We’re all very focused on winning and having fun at the same time.”
DeMatteo brings to the Broncos the experience of twice placing in the top five in the Junior World Golf Championships.
“That has definitely motivated me to accomplish that again and work harder,” said DeMatteo, who owns a season-best 34 at Carmel Mountain. “It’s great to feel the pressure in those situations, playing against some of the best golfers in the world. It’s a great learning experience.”
RB senior Tori Hancock is in position to reach the regional tourney all four seasons during her prep career. Classmate Cassandra Kubinak and junior Hana Bradshaw are also mainstays for the Broncos, who have had four different medalists in matches this season.
Along with being section runners-up, the Broncos have also placed second to Torrey Pines in the Palomar League the last three years. To start this season, RB went 13-0 before a setback to the Falcons on Oct. 8. A rematch is set for Tuesday.
“On one hand, it’s been frustrating,” Broncos coach Tim Steigerwald said. “But it’s good for us. It pushes our kids and our program, so it makes us better.”
The Broncos finished sixth among 12 teams in the Southern California Regional tournament last year for their best finish ever. They have set their sights on the top three this season to qualify for the state tourney.
“We always want to get better,” Wagner said. “That’s a major goal.”
Just as her practice has proved.
RB golf team counting on young and old | UTSanDiego-com
Then, in team tryouts her junior year, Wagner fired a 3-under 33 for nine holes to tie a course record at Bernardo Heights Country Club, the Broncos’ home track. Her decision to practice daily during the summer for the first time paid off.
“I just wanted to get better and be one of the top players,” said Wagner, now Rancho Bernardo’s senior captain. “I went every day and practiced. I saw a lot of improvement, especially with consistency. It all came together.”
Being a leading player for the Broncos also means contributing to a program that has reached the Southern California Regional tournament the last three seasons. Each time, they qualified as the San Diego Section runner-up behind Torrey Pines, the three-time defending state champion.
Freshman Cece DeMatteo grew up in Rancho Bernardo aware of the strong RB teams. After moving to Chino Hills for middle school, she returned this year to join the team and otherwise be part of the San Diego golf scene.
“It’s great,” DeMatteo said. “It’s just a lot of fun to be around people with the same common interest. We’re all very focused on winning and having fun at the same time.”
DeMatteo brings to the Broncos the experience of twice placing in the top five in the Junior World Golf Championships.
“That has definitely motivated me to accomplish that again and work harder,” said DeMatteo, who owns a season-best 34 at Carmel Mountain. “It’s great to feel the pressure in those situations, playing against some of the best golfers in the world. It’s a great learning experience.”
RB senior Tori Hancock is in position to reach the regional tourney all four seasons during her prep career. Classmate Cassandra Kubinak and junior Hana Bradshaw are also mainstays for the Broncos, who have had four different medalists in matches this season.
Along with being section runners-up, the Broncos have also placed second to Torrey Pines in the Palomar League the last three years. To start this season, RB went 13-0 before a setback to the Falcons on Oct. 8. A rematch is set for Tuesday.
“On one hand, it’s been frustrating,” Broncos coach Tim Steigerwald said. “But it’s good for us. It pushes our kids and our program, so it makes us better.”
The Broncos finished sixth among 12 teams in the Southern California Regional tournament last year for their best finish ever. They have set their sights on the top three this season to qualify for the state tourney.
“We always want to get better,” Wagner said. “That’s a major goal.”
Just as her practice has proved.
RB golf team counting on young and old | UTSanDiego-com
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Phil Mickelson finally broke through in the Open Championship, the one event he seriously doubted he would ever win. A 19-year-old kid from Texas, Jordan Spieth, became a full-fledged superstar in one year, giving us perhaps the best season by a rookie since Tiger Woods in 1996.
By late summer, Henrik Stenson was the best player in the world.
Jack Nicklaus was right last week when he said that we have as many good players as we have ever had in the game. This season was a testament to that assertion.
Yet the year also left me with some lingering questions. Here are five I'll be mulling for the next few months.
1. Rory McIlroy's audible
The most baffling aspect of McIlroy's 2013 season isn't that he made wholesale changes to his golf equipment after rising to No. 1 in the world ranking a year ago. It's hard to scold him for taking Nike's money and joining the global sports marketing machine.
What's more disconcerting is how a player of his caliber couldn't adequately adjust to the new gear and the heightened pressure to win at least one worldwide event, or show consistent flashes of the brilliance that led him to 8-shot wins in two majors.
It's one thing to not win but still have several top finishes, but McIlroy didn't even make the Tour Championship.
Will he ever be as good as he was in 2012, when he won five times worldwide? Can he again separate himself from the game's elite in much the way Tiger has over his career? What will the 24-year-old Northern Irishman do to right his way in what has still been a very brief career?
He has the remainder of 2013 and next year to answer these questions.
What's unmistakable is that his confidence has taken a major hit in the past 10 months and that he has a lot of work to do to regain his place as the No. 1-ranked player in the world.
2. Major headaches for Tiger
For nearly 20 years, Tiger Woods' name has been synonymous with major championships. From that first historic Masters win in 1997 to his heroic victory at the U.S. Open in 2008, Woods has done perhaps more than even Jack Nicklaus to raise the public's fascination with the big four. Yet, for Tiger, the quest to break Nicklaus' record of 18 majors must sometimes feel like a heavy burden. This pressure was evident in 2013, when he won five regular events but didn't perform close to that level in the majors.
How long will this drought continue before he goes off looking for answers in a new swing instructor?
Tiger is one of the most restless tinkerers of his generation. He won't sleep well until he solves the mystery of the full swing and the short game. Earlier this year he got some helpful putting hints from semiretired, Steve Stricker, who, by season's end, was playing much better golf than his pupil.
Sean Foley has been a very attentive teacher for Woods despite a stable that now includes Justin Rose, Hunter Mahan and Lee Westwood. Foley has bandaged some of the wounds left by Hank Haney, but Tiger still regularly fights his golf swing, particularly with his driver. Struggles with short putts hurt him all year in clutch situations.
Yet Woods returned to No. 1 in the world and likely will break Snead's career wins record by the end of the spring.
But will anybody take notice of this monumental achievement if one of the victories isn't in a major?
3. No rocking chair for golf's hardest-working man
New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera is retiring this fall after 19 years in the big leagues. At ballparks across the country, he's been given a hero's sendoff.
Golfers don't get motorcycles and rocking chairs when they retire, in part because, with the Champions Tour, they never really stop playing.
Last week, Vijay Singh made his Champions Tour debut at the Pacific Links Hawaii Championship, where he finished in a tie for sixth. It's uncertain what his long-term plans are for the senior circuit, but what's clear is that he didn't have an easy passage to 50 in 2013.
For a World Golf Hall of Famer with 34 career wins, including a Masters, two PGA Championships and a nine-win season in 2004, you hope for a nice transition to the next phase of his career. Instead, the hard-working Fijian had his worst year since joining the tour full time in 1993, earning no top-10s and just $309,351 in 19 events. As a mainstay of the first eight Presidents Cups, an appearance at Muirfield Village, where he won the Memorial, in this year's edition of the biennial matches would have been a fitting way for him to end his match-play days.
But mostly what we will remember about perhaps Singh's last full season on the regular tour is that he sued the PGA Tour for exposing him to "public ridicule and humiliation" over his admitted use of deer-antler spray, which contained a minimal amount of the IGF-1 factor, a human growth hormone. The PGA Tour had suspended Singh but reversed course after the World Anti-Doping Agency said deer-antler spray no longer was considered a prohibited substance.
Regardless of the outcome of the suit, it's not a good day for anyone in the game when one of its greatest inspirational stories is mired in controversy.
Sure, Singh will continue to play in the Masters and the PGA and wherever else he wants to go, but we're not likely to see the Singh who won 22 events after he turned 40.
What will be his lasting legacy after what transpired in 2013? My hope is that he will be best remembered as one of the hardest-working players of his generation and the best ever in his 40s.
4. Lefty's Open
Mickelson is 43 and still easily one of top players in the world. We saw that brilliance in full during his win in July at the Open Championship at Muirfield. All he needs now is a U.S. Open to complete the career Grand Slam. At this