Finding An LA Marketing Groove?

Too bad the forecast for this week's Rain Dance Open at Riviera stinks, because we probably won't know if PGA Tour Championship Management's stepped-up marketing efforts are paying off.

First there was the Groupon ticket buy that sold 252 "Weekender" passes, and then (below), the super-cool plastic wrap around Sunday's LA Times featuring a free ticket offer and a Northern Trust Open-logoed green Sharpee.

Alert Child Services? Mickelson To Pass On Family Vacation For Match Play

Doug Ferguson reports on the Mickelson clan's loss becoming the PGA Tour's gain.

2011 AT&T Final Round Open Comment Thread

Now that the Dubai Desert Classic is out of the way and most of the most important people on the planet have checked out of The Lodge, maybe it'll be about just golf and promoting the Grammy's during today's final round telecast from Pebble Beach.

Freddie Will Crawl To Riviera's First Tee If He Has To

Jill Painter on Fred Couples' back acting up again. Warning, it's hard to read if you've ever had a back injury.

And sleeping, well that's not happening much these days, either.

Yet Couples, who has a home in Pacific Palisades, is always a fan favorite at Riviera and plans to commit to play in next week's Northern Trust Open.

If his back cooperates.

"I know it's my favorite tournament, beside Augusta, obviously the TPC," Couples said Tuesday in a conference call.

His love for the Los Angeles event, which he won in 1990 and 1992, is so great he's planning to drive from his home in Palm Springs and tee it up. He finished the drive last week, so he figures he can do another one.

"I drove home from Arizona around 6, and I stopped in Quartzite, and you're going to laugh. ... I didn't even get gas," Couples said laughing. "I walked around the car. I went in and got a candy bar, and I stopped in Blythe, which is only another 50 miles, and I made it into Palm Springs. I took an Epsom bath. I feel like I'm 400 years old."

2011 Waste Management Sunday Play Open Thread

It's the third round, maybe some fourth round and if we're lucky the last day of play. But the way the week has gone and as cold as it is outside, I wouldn't count on a Sunday finish. Even if they do, most of you will be watching the glory that is the Super Bowl. But if you feel compelled to comment on the golf...

"Phoenix Open will have odd Monday finish"

Jim Moriarty explains why the Waste Management Open will play during the Super Bowl and finish with just a few holes left for the leaders on Monday morning. Because the forecast for Monday is good, tour regulations stipulate that shortening to 54 holes, with a traditional Sunday ending prior to the big game, is not an option..

"In a perfect world, we'll probably finish Monday, four or five holes," said Slugger White, the Tour's vice-president of Rules and Competitions and the on-site tournament director. "It's unbelievable how frozen these greens get and they just don't thaw out."

When asked why they wouldn't just conclude the third round Sunday and then play the entire fourth round Monday, White said, "I think everybody would kind of like to get out of here. That's what we're trying to do. Guys trying to get to Pebble or trying to get everywhere. I wouldn't want to burn two hours of daylight or whatever."

You can read all of Slugger's comments here. Note that he mentions having put the 54-hole option on the table before having to obey tour regulations.

Paul Mahoney notes the irony of Tommy "Two Gloves" Gainey taking the lead.

I won't go on again as I did last year when I covered this event, but walking around today was just another reminder of what an incredible operation and tournament the Waste Management Open is. Massive crowds despite the cold, and all having so much fun. Sure there are a few drunks, but for the most part the loud-types are out enjoying the golf, placing some fun $1 side wagers and there to be part of what is ultimately a social event. The Waste Management Open really should be the model for all PGA Tour events in terms of energy, volunteer efficiency and fan experience.

Update on 2011-02-05 05:57 by Geoff

**Mike McQuaid, WMO Chairman, clarifies that it's not the tournament's call to go to Monday nor is it a money-making situation to have a Monday finish.

Q. So you're not going to make up a lot of money on Monday?
MIKE McQUAID: No, we don't anticipate it. It would be our gift back to the great community and the fans that we have. It's going to be a beautiful weekend, but certainly the week started off frustrating. It would be a free gift from the Thunderbirds and Waste Management to come out and watch the end of the final round.

Q. It's just going to be too cold Sunday morning to get going after 36 possibly?
MIKE McQUAID: Well, I think the issue is it's not so much Sunday morning. We probably may have a frost delay on Sunday morning. It's more tomorrow morning. You would have to really be able to tee off and get the players out first thing tomorrow morning, 7:30-ish, and there's going to be another frost delay, freeze tomorrow, probably an hour or two, so we just can't get enough golf in on Saturday really.

Q. I'm sorry if you already answered this, but was 54 holes an option, shortening the event?
MIKE McQUAID: That was discussed. That's a TOUR decision, and that was discussed, but my understanding is they'd prefer to play 72 holes, let the players, I guess, crown a champion based on 72 holes, which is the right thing to do. Certainly we have heard that they don't do 54-hole tournaments unless they see some type of weather pattern coming in Monday and Tuesday that would hinder the ability to play on Monday or Tuesday.

Above Torrey And Beyond

J.D. Cuban went up in the blimp Saturday at Torrey Pines and captured the idyllic weather, the epic setting, the incredible wildlife (proving CBS doesn't just rack up a tape!) and a warning to young children and those with heart sensitivities: unfettered views of the South Course bunkering.