When you come to think of it that is the secret of most of the great holes all over the world. They all have some kind of a twist. C.B. MACDONALD
Of Sean O'Hair's practice swings during the final round at Bay Hill? Worse was O'Hair not being in position to begin his pre-shot preparations when the 17th green finally cleared after a long wait. He apparently hadn't realizes it was his honor, but did not make up for lost time as Johnny noted that he'd take 1:25 to get to the point where he was over the ball and about to pull the trigger.
Let's hope Johnny keeps up the slow play watch.
That's right, Tiger beats out Bart Bryant and Denis Watson stops Brad Bryant in a playoff on the old geezers tour. Or did Tiger beat Brand Dennis beat Bart?
Anyway, Tiger also happened to match Ben Hogan's all time PGA Tour victory tally while winning his fifth official event in a row, and his sixth or seventh straight worldwide win, depending on whether you count the Target World Challenge.
But really, doesn't that pale when compared to stopping the Bryants?
Doug Ferguson's game story also includes these notes:
His average score during the PGA Tour streak is 66.13, and his dominance is such that he has more career victories than Mickelson and Vijay Singh combined.
Woods finished at 10-under 270 and earned $1,044,000, putting him on the cusp of going over $80 million for his career.
And because even the AP writer can't always get in the most important facts, Tiger's FedEx Cup points total is at 13,725, well ahead of Phil Mickelson.
Golf.com features the year in Tiger pictures spanning all, gulp, three starts.
...probably knowing that with greens that bad, the only way Tiger's only coming back if he's defending.
Steve Elling reports after Saturday's third round at Bay Hill:
Palmer, who sauntered over to Phil Mickelson on the putting range and later visited Woods on the practice range, was a fount of goodwill, and coincidentally or not, the world's No. 1 seemingly took it to heart.
"He came out and watched me hit a few shots," Woods said. "He liked what I was doing with my swing and said, 'Just keep going, you're headed down the right path. Just go shoot a low one today.'"
Yes, your majesty.
Besides, what's not for Palmer to like? The king and the crowned prince have been inextricably tied for a few weeks now, ever since Woods moved past Palmer on the PGA Tour's all-time victory list, moving one peg ahead with his win last month at the Accenture Match Play Championship. It was Woods' 63rd win and he's only 32 years old.
"The way he's playing, he could double that," Palmer said Saturday.
Uh, Marty Hackel, can you send The King some socks? David Walberg took this shot that's up on golf.com. What's Arnold thinking?
Michael Garten is out as the executive director of the WGC Match Play and Greg Hansen explains the factors that led to a change.
A tepid Southern Arizona economy took a bite out of Match Play's second season. Ticket sales were off by about 8,000 from the 2007 inaugural event. That's roughly $1 million in revenue shortfall. In addition, corporate sales didn't match '07 totals. That should have been predictable and unavoidable.
Moreover, the novelty had faded. Many potential ticket buyers were scared off by reports that The Gallery Golf Club's hilly South Course was decidedly not friendly to spectators. Unlike 2007, this year's tournament was not a five-day sellout.
Some first-year sponsors, such as now-defunct First Magnus, which spent about $100,000 as a Match Play booster, didn't return. The six-figure financial involvement of home-building giant KB Home also diminished greatly. And so on.
The irony is that interest in the WGC event has skyrocketed since it moved from La Costa, Calif., where it was staged for seven years, some of them with fewer than 3,000 fans on the course. This year's TV ratings established records for the Golf Channel (the Tiger Woods factor).
"The event really found a new life in the Southern Arizona market," said Garten. "Our brand equity has solid footing. The future is promising."
I'm wondering, who actually decides when you have brand equity? Is it the brand equity fairy? The Grand Master of brand equity?
After rumors that it would not be ready after lousy weather hampered their turf grow-in, it seems the course formerly known as the TPC Las Colinas is not only ready to host the Byron Nelson, it's been rebranded!
2008 EDS BYRON NELSON CHAMPIONSHIP TO BE PLAYED ON REDESIGNED TPC FOUR SEASONS
Irving, TX – The completely redesigned TPC Four Seasons Resort Las Colinas will host the 2008 EDS Byron Nelson Championship, April 23-27, according to officials from the PGA TOUR, Four Seasons Resort and Club and the Salesmanship Club Charitable Golf of Dallas, the Championship’s sponsor.
After a thorough review of all aspects of the golf course by PGA TOUR, BentleyForbes, Four Seasons, and Salesmanship Club of Dallas, the PGA TOUR is pleased to announce the TPC Four Seasons will host the 2008 EDS Byron Nelson Championship.
"So many parties have pulled together under challenging weather conditions to get the course ready and make this announcement possible,” said Henry Hughes, Executive Vice President and Chief of Operations for the PGA TOUR. “D.A. Weibring has been the driving force with tremendous support from both BentleyForbes and Four Seasons. The Salesmanship Club will undoubtedly continue to produce record charity dollars to benefit the less fortunate in Dallas. The PGA TOUR is proud to congratulate all involved in this huge accomplishment."
Immediately following the 2007 EDS Byron Nelson Championship, D.A. Weibring/Golf Resources Group embarked on an $8 million redesign of the TPC Four Seasons.
“In redesigning the course, our goal was to honor the legacy of Byron Nelson,” said Weibring. “To that end, we created a cleaner, more defined course that incorporates traditional tee, bunker and green elements
throughout.”
Cleaner, more defined. Translation: ugly.
“PGA TOUR players will be faced with more shot options from tee to green, creating additional drama for spectators and TV viewers. At the same time, for resort guests and Sports Club members, we created a very playable layout for all skill levels,” he said.
Utilizing input from dozens of PGA TOUR players, Weibring and his partner, Steve Wolfard, redesigned every hole on the 76-acre course, including all tees, fairways, and green complexes. The course is now distinguished by traditional square tee boxes, softer mounding, better sight lines and dramatic white faced bunkers framing the fairway and green complexes. PGA TOUR professionals Harrison Frazar and J.J. Henry served as player consultants on the project.
Bring your sunglasses boys!
“The changes didn’t require us to dramatically lengthen the course. We added just 200 yards overall,” Weibring said. “Instead, PGA TOUR players will see the biggest impact in the realignment of tee shots and better contouring of bunkers and greens.”
The changes start at a redesigned 20,000 square foot putting and chipping green, designed to meet the exacting standards of PGA TOUR professionals. The course culminates on the beautiful and dramatic 18th hole, highlighted by a series of four lakes with cascading waterfalls and a challenging risk/reward decision by the player.
Not three lakes, but four lakes. Nothing but the best for Las Col...Four Seasons.
Considering Tiger's sensitivity to what he deems to be iffy greens (Pebble Beach, Riviera) and their effect on his putting stroke, you can sense his enthusiasm for Bay Hill's diseased putting surfaces:
Q. How was the course out there today?And...
TIGER WOODS: Well, the fairways and the tee boxes are in great shape.
Q. So talk about the greens.
TIGER WOODS: Well, they are not very good. It's going to be an interesting week on them. You're going to see a lot of guys hit good putts and they are going to go weird ways, unfortunately.
But, hey, we've all got to deal with it, we've all got to putt on them and you just have to accept hitting good putts and they may not go in but hopefully we hit enough good ones where they do go in.
Q. Does this venue present as big a challenge for you as any one you're playing in the next couple of months?
TIGER WOODS: Definitely. Definitely. Especially with what we have to putt on this week. It will be quite a test.
Q. Worse than East Lake?
TIGER WOODS: East Lake was just slow. These are not just slow.
GolfBrief.com's Jim McCabe offers this entertaining take on the Tripp Isenhour hawk killing fiasco:
With this story still having shelf life, part of me just can’t get away from one angle that continues to amaze. That is, the endless stream of infomercials, books, videos, and gadgets which promise to make you a better golfer. I’m not sure any of them have made improvements upon “Ben Hogan’s Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf,” that came out more than 50 years ago, but needless to say, the flow of money being poured into whatever quick fix is thrust into public view hasn’t evaporated.
“Practice Like a Pro” is a DVD collection offered for “3 easy payments of $29.98” — plus the infamous shipping and handling, of course — and if you Google it, whose face pops up but that of Tripp Isenhour. He’s there with a big grin on his face, so we assume the photo was taken before the red-shouldered hawk fell into his world with a resounding thud. Standing next to Isenhour is Dr. Bob Rotella, who knows a thing or two or three or 20 about books and videos that promise better golf. Isenhour is billed as a “PGA Tour pro,” which begs the question: Does anyone know of any “PGA Tour amateur?”
Reportedly, the Dec. 12 session was to film a video in the “Practice Like a Pro” series and you’d be wise to wager that there won’t be anything about a drill on taking aim at feathered creatures in trees. As to whether or not these videos are “revolutionary” or truly reveal “secrets of the short game,” as the advertisement states, that’s for you to decide.
This is America and thanks to our precious capitalism, Isenhour, for sure, is free to cash in on his status as a professional golfer and pitch products like the “Practice Like a Pro,” just as you are within your rights to purchase the Medicus dual-hinged Driver, the Brush-T, the Heavy Putter, the Swing Glove, or any magazine that announces on its cover that you can cure your slice or hit your drives 20 yards further.
Getting better at golf is a huge industry, but I guess it took the unfortunate death of a migratory bird to make me realize once again just how huge it is. I mean, Tripp Isenhour offering help with golf instruction? I hadn’t heard much of him since he won the Trinidad Open.
I know I should never delete the digital recording of a tour telecast until the dust has settled, but I just didn't want that Pods disaster clogging up space. Now I see on the HookedOnGolf blog that I missed one of the epic boondoggles in post-round interview history and a chance to share it with you via YouTube.
Note to Tommy Roy: rush Jimmy Roberts to an Orlando ear doctor and have those canals steam cleaned.
This isn't really of much significance except for the face we see ratings published so rarely. Thomas Bonk reports:
The combined overnight ratings for the PODS Championship on NBC were down slightly from last year. Saturday's rating was a 1.7 and four share, up 21% from a 1.4 and four share last year; but Sunday's were down 10% to a 1.9 and four share, compared to a 2.1 and four share last year.
I know some people watch NASCAR to watch the cars crash and that some dizzying amount of readers (76%) voted for protecting par in last week's Golf World/ESPN.com survey, but sheesh was that final round at Innisbrook painful to watch.
Anyway, congrats to Sean O'Hair for making it out of turn three ahead of the pile-up and winning under that yellow flag.
Now the PGA Tour needs to find a sponsor for the event. Or would a quick death be such a bad thing.
Oh right, the charity.
While nothing is funny about this episode, Thomas Bonk reports on the letter mistakenly sent by the Humane Society's Wayne Pacell.
"By setting an example of compassion for the public, the PGA has the chance to make a difference for our communities and instill an ethic of animal protection," Pacelle said in his letter.
However, the humane society might have missed its mark. The PGA of America has no jurisdiction over Nationwide Tour players, who are governed by the PGA Tour.
Steve Elling follows up on his report about Bay Hill's greens with this item:
Daniel Chopra, a Bay Hill member and resident, was asked to describe the shape of the greens and quipped, "Like fairways."
And..
There’s a formal PGA Tour notice hanging this week in the Innisbrook locker room about Bay Hill, explaining the massive mouth-to-mouth they have given the greens. The second paragraph reads as such: “On a more positive note, the overseeding of the tees, fairways and rough has excellent density and uniformity, and is holding up quite well to the high volume of winter play.”
So the greens are in such sketchy shape that a formal tour advisory was issued to players, but the course is still open to resort and membership play? Yikes.
The root structure of the greens was so meager and the surface grass was so sparse, club officials three weeks ago elected to remove the sod in the affected sections, replace the sand base, then re-seed the greens with winter rye grass, a PGA Tour official said Tuesday.
The root of the crisis, if you will, remains unclear. The tournament begins March 13.
"It stumped a lot of people," said tour rules official Jon Brendle, who took a first-hand look at the ailing Bay Hill Club & Lodge greens on Monday. "They brought in a lot of people to look at the problem and they didn’t have a clue."
Emergency surgery or not, Brendle said the greens have grown in nicely and should present better surfaces than those seen at some of the West Coast stops, like ever-bumpy Pebble Beach, he said.
"I can tell you they have come a long way in 2 1/2 weeks," he said. "I mean, it's fixed for the tournament."
How about that Bear Trap, the work of PR gurus!
You know I still get trapped trying to figure out which is No. 15 and which is No. 17, but that's another story.
Mercifully, Greg Stoda in the Palm Beach Post explains why some of us spent most of our time watching UCLA-Arizona and the Lakers-Mavs:
Hey, it's as rugged track as re-designer Jack Nicklaus intended it to be. The 15th through 17th holes aren't called the Bear Trap for no reason. And it gets windy in these parts. But what would have been wrong with a couple of more accommodating pin positions late in the test? There simply was never a sense someone would, or could, do something sensational.
And...
There just wasn't an opportunity make a closing rush under pressure. Green's birdies at the 16th and 18th holes don't qualify, and neither does Robert Allenby's finishing birdie that got him a quiet share of fourth place with Jones and Calcavecchia.
They weren't contenders.
The 77-player field managed all of 30 birdies across the final five holes in the fourth round. The field made 25 double- or triple-bogeys across the same stretch. The finishing five holes, in order, ranked as the sixth, third, fourth, first and seventh toughest statistically in the final round.
"You're just trying to make pars," Jones said.
Without question, the most pitiful element of it all is No. 18, potentially a compelling risk-reward hole that is mostly a whole bunch of risk. Would it have killed them to play the tee up today at least? Or has the old tee been bulldozed?
Geoff Shackelford is a Senior Writer for Golfweek magazine, a weekly contributor to Golf Channel's Morning
Copyright © 2022, Geoff Shackelford. All rights reserved.
