Welcome to the Tour Blog, where Golfweek reporters Jeff Babineau, Jeff Rude, Rex Hoggard, Dave Seanor, Alex Miceli, Alistair Tait and Beth Ann Baldry deliver the latest inside news and happenings on the PGA Tour, LPGA and European Tour.
Editor's note: This is the archived material from the CA Championship and the Shell Houston Open on the PGA Tour, and the Kraft Nabisco Championship on the LPGA.
I am sick and tired of golfers and golf fans who don't recognize the Kraft Nabisco Championship as a major.
The parallels between the women's Kraft Nabisco and the men's Masters are striking and should not be overlooked or avoided:
• Both are invitationals with limited fields.
• Both are heavily weighted with international players.
• Both include leading amateurs.
• Both are played on the same course each year.
• Both are contested on great golf courses.
• Both occupy the position of first major of the year on their respective tours.
The Kraft Nabisco is a wonderful golf event. It is expertly organized, a tribute to the skills of tournament director Terry Wilcox.
The Masters draws more attention than the Kraft Nabisco. The Masters has Amen Corner, the best three-hole stretch in all of golf (11, 12 and 13 at Augusta National Golf Club).
Still, I would like to point out that the Dinah Shore Tournament Course at Mission Hills Country Club has a better closing hole. The par-5 18th, reachable with a second shot over water, provides a fabulous conclusion to a fabulous championship.
If it walks like a major, talks like a major, plays like a major, and has a field worthy of a major, it must be a major.
The Kraft Nabisco deserves far more respect than it generally receives. By any measure, it is a major championship.
– James Achenbach
Posted April 1, 2007
Watching the wildly understated Johnson Wagner after his third-round 64 at the Shell Houston Open reminded me of one of the best Nationwide Tour stories ever told.
Seems Wagner and fellow Nationwider Brandt Snedeker were playing the circuit's season-opening event in Australia a few years back when the wagering got a little out of hand during a chipping contest. Short story, Wagner lost ... a lot.
A little short repaying his debt, Snedeker offered Wagner an out during dinner that evening at an ocean-side eatery. Take a plunge in the cool waters, alfresco, and his debt would be paid.
The rest, as they say, is Nationwide Tour history.
– Rex Hoggard
Posted April 1, 2007
I have seen Bubba Watson hook his sand wedge. I have seen him almost fall over on the tee while driving the ball a mile. I have seen him make the press laugh with his country humor.
Now, today, we get to see his next possible trick: Winning a golf tournament. I'm not sure what will happen, but I can guarantee this: It won't be as boring as, say, Hogan hitting 18 greens or Retief Goosen at the microphone.
– Jeff Rude
Posted April 1, 2007
You want to find out if Jeff Maggert or Bob Estes are still playing the Tour? Then just hold a tournament in Texas. They not only show up, they show up on the leaderboard, often out of nowhere.
– Jeff Rude
Posted April 1, 2007
I've been to the vast majority of Tour events. That means a couple of things: I have seen the inside of a lot of hotel rooms and rental cars, and I know a little bit about the food at various stops.
Say what you will about Augusta's pimento cheese sandwiches and the ex-International's milkshakes and the tofu burger at any California tournament and the fried moose at the Canadian Open (yes, I'm making some of this up), but the Houston Open leads the Tour in at least one category:
Best barbecue.
Pass the sauce. Mild, please.
– Jeff Rude
Posted April 1, 2007
RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – It's not always easy to be at the right place at the right time. Last year I was on the 16th green Sunday (along with most of the media) at the Kraft Nabisco when Karrie Webb holed out for eagle on the final hole.
Today I saw Lorena Ochoa play all but one hole (13th) and left her midway through No. 17 to catch Se Ri Pak finishing up her round in the group ahead. Shortly after Pak drained her birdie putt on No. 18 to go 4 over, I heard the news that Ochoa had taken a quadruple-bogey 7 on the 17th. Say what?
I saw her tee shot hit a tree on the left side and drop straight down. She then hit her ball over the green and I walked away thinking bogey.
Ochoa met with the media after her round and patiently answered questions. She then signed loads of autographs and walked over to the practice range.
I was there trying to get a run-down on the hole from her caddie, Dave Brooker, when she walked up. "You were lucky to miss that," Ochoa said. "How do you say ... whiff?"
In Spanish that's a "paloma." Ochoa's wedge caught nothing but grass on her third shot and the ball slipped down farther into the rough. She then knocked it 60 feet past the pin and three-putted for seven.
I asked Ochoa if she remembered the last time she made a quad. It was in Mobile on a Friday at the LPGA Tournament of Champions. She went on to win that week by 10 shots.
That's a good thing for Ochoa to think about as she heads into Sunday five strokes back. She and her caddie told me I'd better come out and watch her tomorrow because she's going to put on a show.
I'll try not to miss it this time.
– Beth Ann Baldry
Posted March 31, 2007
Of all the game's slow-play issues, I find one of the most egregious to be Augusta National Golf Club's deliberate pace bringing back exemptions for current-year PGA Tour winners.
If you think Jason Gore – who began Saturday tied for the lead at the Shell Houston Open – electrified Pinehurst a few years back, then imagine his grin as he motors down Magnolia Lane for the first time.
Or the additional satisfaction Mark Wilson and forlorn caddie Chris P. Jones would have had following last month's victory at the Honda Classic.
And imagine how much fun the free-swinging Charley Hoffman, winner of the wind-swept Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, would be as he rounds Amen Corner for the first time.
– Rex Hoggard
Posted March 31, 2007
RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – One of my favorite interview exchanges of the week happened today on the practice green at Mission Hills. Brittany Lang and her older brother/caddie, Luke, were talking about what it's like being the only brother-sister team on tour.
Brittany: We've never really been at each other's throats like most brothers and sisters have.
Luke: She was a pain when she was young, but then she became cool.
Me: At what age did she become cool?
Brittany: Right now.
Luke: I'd say last year.
Brittany: I can't believe we are having this conversation.
Luke: No, I'd say when I went to college she was cool.
Brittany: Once we didn't see each other. (laughs)
In all seriousness, the Langs make a tremendous team. Brittany, 21, is tied for 10th heading into the weekend at the Kraft and has an excellent chance of making this year's U.S. Solheim Cup team. Luke, 25, played his college golf at Arkansas Tech and knows his sister's game inside and out.
Practically the only thing they've disagreed on of late is where to go to dinner. After Brittany chose Subway seven nights in a row, Luke understandably put his foot down.
– Beth Ann Baldry
Posted March 30, 2007
RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – On my way out to the practice area today I spotted Meaghan Francella walking ahead with a couple Futures Tour players. I snuck up behind her, tapped her on the shoulder and said "Excuse me, aren't you that girl who took down Annika Sorenstam?"
She laughed and gave me a hard time. The funny thing is, Francella is beating Sorenstam yet again. After two very ho-hum rounds of even par, the former UNC standout is currently tied for 10th in her first major championship appearance. Francella outlasted Sorenstam in a playoff earlier this month at the MasterCard Classic in Mexico and is currently fourth on the LPGA Money List.
– Beth Ann Baldry
Posted March 30, 2007
Shell Houston Open rally of the week candidate: Jeff Gove. On the seventh tee today at Redstone (his 25th hole), he stood 6 over par, and staring at a weekend off. In his last 12 holes, he birdied half of them – including two of his last four – to shoot 69. He made the cut on the number at 145. Weekend back on.
Gove has only one top-40 finish this season, and if the FedEx Cup playoffs started today, he wouldn't be inside the top 144. But Friday in Humble was one of those days that can help get a season turned around. At least it's a start.
Even if nobody other than Jeff Gove really noticed.
– Jeff Babineau
Posted March 30, 2007
HUMBLE, Texas – Jeff Maggert has been having a pretty poor year. Before his season, he hurt himself when he slipped on a piece of ice coming out of a convenience store. When his ribs healed enough to play in Florida, he played poorly. But Tuesday on the driving range at the Shell Houston Open, Maggert was in a good mood and talked about everything from places to eat in Houston to the Final Four.
When I was l was getting ready to leave and wished him well for the week, Maggert said that he was tired of playing "crappy" and was going to start playing better. After two rounds, Maggert is 6 under par and tied for the lead.
Must be nice to turn it on and off like that.
– Alex Miceli
Posted March 30, 2007
Justin Leonard has changed instructors and changed caddies. A couple of years ago, he changed his body, bulking up from a skinny golfy type to a muscular sort who looked like he could play strong safety for the Texas Longhorns.
Now Leonard is trying to change his results on the course. He is in the first prolonged slump of his career, a stunning one considering his pedigree. Leonard started the year with six consecutive missed cuts and then tied for 75th at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, where he shot 79-78 on the weekend.
What's more, he hasn't had a top 10 since the first week of February 2006. He's just the latest player to slump after having kids and building a big new house. Sometimes real life can interfere with golf.
So his first-round 67 at the Shell Houston Open was something of a breakthrough. Whether he can keep it going will depend largely upon how well he's able to tap into that confidence he has won big stuff with before.
– Jeff Rude
Posted March 30, 2007
RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – Nitpick of the week: It's amazing to me how many people cannot pronounce Karrie Webb's name. Without fail I hear reporters and fans alike referring to her as CARE-ee. Seems to me that after 11 years and seven majors, people should know that it's CAR-ee. When in doubt, check a player's bio on lpga.com. They have nice little pronunciation guides.
Webb showed up to the first tee this morning wearing a pink shirt and black shorts, identical to playing partner Lorena Ochoa's ensemble. Let's see if they post matching rounds as well.
– Beth Ann Baldry
Posted March 29, 2007
RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – Have to admit it's a little strange not being on Wie-watch at the Kraft Nabisco Championship. Michelle Wie has played in this event the last four years, finishing tied for third in 2006 and fourth in '04. It will be interesting to see if her absence this weekend has any effect on gallery numbers.
Gary Gilchrist, the man who "discovered" Wie at age 12 in Honolulu and taught her for a number of years, says he's confused by several things going on in Camp Wie. (Gilchrist used to be Director of Golf at the David Leadbetter Academy and now runs the International Junior Golf Academy on Hilton Head Island.)
"She was one of the most naturally gifted golfers I've been around at that age (12) and they're trying to make her into a machine," said Gilchrist. "She might not ever get that back."
Gilchrist, who is on hand at Mission Hills to work with two of his students, Suzann Petterssen and Nicole Perrot, says if they could turn back the clock the Wie family should have kept Michelle playing against girls her age.
"We shouldn't have left that because at the end of the day she would have built character," said Gilchrist. "Her peers were way mentally stronger than she was."
He also contends that if education is so important to the Wie family then she should have stayed amateur. Why go to Stanford now?
One of the biggest hurdles Gilchrist sees for Wie this year once again involves her schedule. Playing in so many sporadic events makes it hard to create any momentum. What it all comes down to, Gilchrist says, is that Michelle needs some space.
"They don't want to give up any control," said Gilchrist, who can't understand why her father, B.J., was back on the bag this year at the Sony. "So the thing is the more control you want the less control you have."
– Beth Ann Baldry
Posted March 29, 2007
Not yet noon on Thursday, and no fewer than a half dozen good stories on the board at the Shell Houston Open:
• Rocco Mediate: Healthy again, he cleary is reinvigorated by his golf game, and is 5 under par through 14 holes at Redstone. Too bad the 63-hole leader at last year's Masters isn't in this week's field at Augusta, because he is in good form. This is why the greenjackets should let Tour winners back into their fields once again.
• Stuart Appleby. If he had his druthers, probably would have preferred a week off before Augusta (where his record is terrible), yet as defending champion, he did the honorable thing and went to Houston even after a date switch moved the tournament to the week leading into Augusta. In the midst of a busy stretch, as he had the two-day Tavistock Cup following the WGC event at Doral. Hey, he's 5 under through 10 holes. Must like the place.
• Steve Stricker. Another guy headed back to Augusta for the first time in a long time (last played in '02), he probably could have used a week off. But he felt he owed a little something to the Shell folks after a sponsor exemption there a year ago helped produce a tie for third that got his comeback on track. Stands 3 under through 12. Another case of good things happening to good people.
• Tommy Armour III. Got into field once again through Monday qualifying, making that at least three times this season he's pulled off the feat. If the Tour put up $6 million purses on Mondays, TA III would be a rich man. Tied for seventh at 3 under through nine.
• Adam Scott. Playing Houston was something most of the "big-time" players chose not to do, but the world No. 5 thought he needed a week to see if he could get into contention after a miserable showing at Doral. So far, so good – 3 under through 11, and on the leaderboard.
• Jeff Maggert. Hometown guy, 2 under through 10.
Feel the buzz.
– Jeff Babineau
Posted March 29, 2007
RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – Among the parting gifts Lorena Ochoa left Phoenix with after her win at the Safeway International was a bouquet of two dozen red roses. Because her younger sister has issues with pollen and they were driving four hours Sunday night to Rancho Mirage, Ochoa decided it was best to give the roses away. Her caddie, Dave Brooker, carried the bouquet into In-N-Out Burger and handed them to an unsuspecting elderly couple.
When he was toting his bag of burgers out to the car, the confused couple put two-and-two together in a why-didn't-you-say-so moment.
Needless to say, Ochoa makes friends wherever she goes.
– Beth Ann Baldry
Posted March 28, 2007
HUMBLE, Texas – Lots of players here in the Heart of Texas, but nearly all of them are thinking about the season's first grand gala next week in Augusta, Ga. Even the ones who aren't playing in the Masters.
"Going to watch the Masters in high def TV," smiled Jason Bohn, an Atlanta-area resident who played his first Masters last year but failed to get into this year's field. "I'll have a cold beer and some popcorn and just sit and watch those guys grinding it out. It'll be fun thinking to myself, I know which way that chip goes or that putt. I wish I was there, but it'll be fun."
Bohn's excitement makes one realize that Masters week may be the only time during the course of a season that a Tour player happily succumbs to the life of a "couch potato."
– Rex Hoggard
Posted March 28, 2007
RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – U.S. Solheim Cup captain Betsy King gathered together a dozen of America's best last week before the Safeway International for a meet and greet.
The top 12 U.S. players from the end of last season rotated alternate-shot partners at King's home course, Pinnacle Peak Country Club. Because King is retired from the game, she's relying heavily on the expertise of assistant captain Beth Daniel. "She's really more of a co-captain," said King. Daniel played on the victorious 2005 team at Crooked Stick and is more familiar with the younger generation's style of play.
Natalie Gulbis, who showed up wearing orange, was surprised to see her old teammates already donning red, white and blue attire for the practice sessions. Gulbis "made a new friend" in Brittany Lang, who has a good chance of making her Solheim debut in Sweden.
King and Daniel warned those like Gulbis and Creamer, who have yet to play a Solheim overseas, to expect a different experience this time around.
"I wish we were playing in the U.S.," said Gulbis with a laugh.
Another practice session is planned the week after the Women's British Open in Sweden as well as the day after the team is announced at the Safeway Classic in Portland.
– Beth Ann Baldry
Posted March 27, 2007
RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – When Karrie Webb played a practice round Monday at the Dinah Shore Tournament Course, she and her caddie tried to find the exact spot where she hit that magical wedge on the 72nd hole last year.
"It's amazing that you don't remember exactly where you were," said Webb, who holed the shot for eagle from 116 yards to get into a playoff with Lorena Ochoa. "Like I thought I was a little further back from the bunkers; we were up sort of in the middle of them."
Webb didn't go so far as to drop a ball and give it another go. Why mess with an already perfect ending?
"That was the biggest shot of my career," Webb said. "Not just because it propelled me to win, but it sort of turned my career back into the positive and playing well again."
– Beth Ann Baldry
Posted March 27, 2007
HUMBLE, Texas - Ran into John Deere Classic tournament director Clair Peterson last night in the lobby of my hotel and had an interesting conversation about life as a major championship doormat.
Like his counterpart here at the Shell Houston Open Steve Timms, Peterson must exist in the lean fringes of a Grand Slam event, yet the two face vastly different challenges trying to fashion a field.
Although Houston is without the red, white and blue likes of Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Charles Howell III; the field this week at Redstone Golf Club features a strong international contingent including European Ryder Cup stars David Howell, Lee Westwood and Jose Maria Olazabal; as well as likely Presidents Cuppers Adam Scott and Tim Clark.
Peterson, however, rarely pulls many intentional players for his pre-British Open shindig, but he is hopeful a handful of top American pros will pop into Silvis for a Carnoustie tune-up.
Of course, Peterson could follow the lead of Houston organizers, who nip/tucked Redstone into a flimsy Augusta National knockoff in an attempt to woo players bound for the Masters. All he'd need is a sadistic superintendent, an explosive Frenchman and 30,000 slightly sunburned Scots.
– Rex Hoggard
Posted March 27, 2007
DORAL, Fla. – Here's a good 19th hole wager for you (for you readers, I note, since I, of course, don't gamble).
The world's hottest players in the men's and women's games, Tiger Woods and Lorena Ochoa, will start today's final round at their respective tournaments with four-shot leads.
Both have quality players chasing them. So who wins by more?
I'd take Tiger. (But remember, there's no gambling at Bushwood.)
– Jeff Babineau
Posted March 25, 2007
DORAL, Fla. – You want trickle-down effect of Doral's transformation from a regular tour stop to a WGC event? OK, here goes. Follow along:
Overall player participation at Doral basically gets cut in half, as the field at this week's WGC-CA Championship is only 73 players (now 72 after Davis Love withdrew), as opposed to 144 for the old Doral.
Roughly 20-22 players, or nearly a third of the field, are guys who don't normally play the PGA Tour; that means this week at Doral we have about 50 players who do.
OK, so that means this week's Nationwide Tour event in Louisiana – the first Nationwide Tour stop of the season inside the U.S. – now becomes bogged down with a bunch of guys who have either full or limited status on the PGA Tour but, with no place to play this week, are within their rights to tee it up on the Nationwide Tour. (I'm talking your Skip Kendalls, John Cooks, Larry Mizes and Steve Joneses.)
So the young guys who REALLY need to be out on the Nationwide Tour, honing their craft so that they, one day, might be good enough to qualify for elite tournaments such as the WGC events, have no place to play this week.
Make sense?
This all struck me as I walked outside to watch some golf yesterday and ran into Erik Compton, who was joining a couple of friends for lunch on the outdoor patio at Doral. In years past, Compton, a 27-year-old Miami kid, either would be competing at Doral – where he was fortunate enough to receive a couple sponsor exemptions in the past – or be in Louisiana playing on the Nationwide Tour.
And yesterday, he was in shorts, eating lunch at Doral. And you can't get any better doing that.
I know, I know. "Play better" the mantra goes.
I hear ya, I hear ya ...
– Jeff Babineau
Posted March 25, 2007
SUPERSTITION MOUNTAIN, Ariz. – I arrived at the Phoenix airport this morning and the line at the Hertz counter wrapped around four times. Lots of impatient folks were in a hurry to get their spring breaks started with baseball tickets and golf clubs in tow. Several of them must have made their way out to Superstition Mountain as Saturday set a new attedance record at 39,400.
A few observations from sun-splashed Saturday at the Safeway:
• It looked as though Ochoa might run away with the tournament on the front nine when she took a six-stroke lead over Catriona Matthew and Suzann Pettersen. Pettersen and Jeong Jang managed to cut the lead to four, with Annika Sorenstam eight strokes back.
It's going to take a scorching Sunday round to catch Ochoa. She's making it look too easy.
• It's called the Safeway International, emphasis on the International. Standing on the ninth green midway through the third round, the leaderboard showed 10 names and not one was an American. Pat Hurst snuck into a tie for ninth with an eagle and birdie on the 18th (She played the final three holes of her second round Monday morning). Hurst joins Laura Diaz as the only two Americans in the top 13. A Mexican leads the race while six Koreans, three Swedes and a Scot are in pursuit.
• Welcome back Grace Park. The former major winner vaulted up the leaderboard into a tie for 14th with a 7-under 65. It's the first time Park carded a round in the 60s since May 2006.
• European Solheim captain Helen Alfredsson has to like what she sees on this week's leaderboard. Four former Solheim Cup players are in the top eight heading into Sunday, and the firery young Pettersen is finding her form (thanks in part to Gary Gilchrist, who got rid of that hitch in her swing).
• Matthew may have stumbed a bit on the back nine today, but you've gotta cut the Scot some slack. The Safeway is her first tournament back since she took time off to have her first child. Matthew, a three-time Solheim Cup participant, last played in August of '06 at the Wendy's Championship for Children. She gave birth to Katie in December and is tied for fifth in her '07 debut.
• Don't adjust your TV screens. It really is that leprechaun green here in the desert. In fact, Sorenstam went so far as to declare the Prospector Course as "in as good a shape as I've ever seen in a golf course. I really mean that."
– Beth Ann Baldry
Posted March 24, 2007
DORAL, Fla – A media center joke you can tell your friends: Sergio's spit on No. 13 was his best shot of the day!
Thank you, thank you. We'll be here all weekend, and don't forget to tip your waitress.
Kidding aside, NBC's Jimmy Roberts did a solid job in getting Garcia to talk after his round. And now, the official SpitGate transcript:
Roberts: "It appeared you spit into the cup. Did it happen?"
Garcia: "Yes, it did. I mean, I'm not going to say no. There's nothing to it. I missed the putt and I wasn't too happy. I didn't spit, I just let it go down a bit. Anyway, it's not a big deal."
Roberts: "I would imagine you don't think that's an appropriate thing to do, in that someone else has to remove their ball out of the hole after that."
Garcia: "Well, don't worry. If it would have been ... I mean ... It went in the middle. It wasn't going to affect anyone else. Don't worry, I noticed that. I would have cleaned it."
Um, thanks?
– Travis Hill
Posted March 24, 2007
DORAL, Fla. – After missing a 7-footer for par on the par-3 13th hole, Sergio Garcia tapped in and then it looked as if he spit in the hole afterwards. Another writer and I looked at each other and both said, "Did he really do what we think we saw him do?"
Hard to believe a professional golfer would do such a thing.
– Alex Miceli
Posted March 24, 2007
DORAL, Fla. – Tiger Woods eagled the first hole Saturday. That means he took a 3-stroke lead. That means we've seen this movie before. That means drama perhaps being drained early. What, you expect another 43?
– Jeff Rude
Posted March 24, 2007
DORAL, Fla. – We have dispatched a team of investigative reporters to find out if Jimmy Roberts and Tim Rosaforte dressed in the same closet today, or got the same memo, or shopped in the same store, or have the same fashion consultant, or emailed each other a simple, "What hue today?"
Whatever, oddly, they ended up with the same lime green golf shirt on the same day on the same camera.
– Jeff Rude
Posted March 24, 2007
DORAL, Fla. – Somewhere Friday night, this may or may not have taken place ...
RRRRRRING!
"Hello?"
"Thongchai, it's Lucas Glover. Your playing partner tomorrow."
"Um, Okay."
"Listen, man. I've got a plan for us to get back in the hunt tomorrow."
"I'm listening."
"Orange worked for Tiger yesterday, maybe it can work for us tomorrow. Make sure you iron your orange shirt. You have khaki pants?"
"You know it."
"Okay, just so no one gets suspicious, you wear a white belt and white shoes, and I'll wear a brown one with some brown and white shoes."
"They'll never know!"
"It's so on."
Unfortunately for them, we all knew. The only way to tell the Orange Twins apart was that Jaidee had darker skin, and Glover was about a foot taller.
Fortuantely for them, the plan sorta worked. Glover was 1 under through 15, and Jaidee was 2 under.
– Travis Hill
Posted March 24, 2007
DORAL, Fla. – Followed Mark Calcavecchia for a few holes today at Doral. He was playing pretty well for a while, getting to 4 under through 10 holes, then stumbled by going bogey-double bogey on Nos. 3 and 4, his back nine. Then he stuffed it close on a couple holes, missed short birdie putts, and stormed off to the next tee as his fellow competitors finished up on the green.
Nonetheless, he was hanging in there OK, getting a back a shot at the par-4 seventh, and was ready to return to red numbers for the tournament at the 560-yard eighth hole, his 17th. At the time, the lead was 7 under, so anything in the red was pretty decent stuff.
Calcavecchia hit one of those big fades into the fairway, ripped his second shot onto the green from 263 yards, and then the fun began. His 45-footer for eagle came up about 3 feet short. From there, it was a lipout for birdie, then a "the engine is running a little hot" lipout on the 1-foot comebacker for par. A true Greg Owen-Bay Hill moment. Tap-in bogey. He walks off the green 1 over for the tournament, not 1 under.
He parred No. 9, then walked out of the Doral room used for scoring hobbling on stocking feet. He wasn't in much of a mood for chatting.
Oh well. Such is golf. Calc's Florida swing has included famine (missed cut at the Honda) and feast (victory at the PODS Championship), and this week looks as if it will fall somewhere between.
That's golf.
– Jeff Babineau
Posted March 23, 2007
DORAL, Fla. – Freedom! Usually, I'm the guy editing this stuff. But this weekend, I managed to sneak out of the lovely
Golfweek offices and onto the lovelier grounds here at Doral.
And today is my day off. No monitoring the AP wire, no vigorous debates over comma vs. semicolon. Nope. Today was about being Joe Average Fan, just like you. I spent most of the day walking the course, watching what Phil would do next (just an all-world par from under the bleachers on 18 today) and elbowing for room to watch Tiger's group. My biggest debate today was deciding which was more refreshing: Not being a cynical journalist ... or the beer.
A few observations:
• We may be in Hurricanes country, but Miami hats barely edged out Florida lids by my not-even-close-to-scientific count. And, I saw a guy all decked out in a Gators basketball jersey get high-fived by several folks who no doubt will be making time to watch UF play tonight.
• If I had an 8-footer for all the marbles and Tiger Woods was off changing diapers somewhere, I think I'd hand the flatstick to David Toms. He is nasty.
• Speaking of Baby Eldrick, I saw Elin walking toward the green on No. 1. At first, I thought there might be trouble in paradise, because she was walking by the fairway where Henrik Stenson was hitting his second shot. But then I looked down toward the tee and saw roughly 500,000 people there watching Mr. Woods gear up. Smart girl – the greens are the key for Tiger this week.
• What's with guys wearing golf spikes to watch golf? Are you just being prepared in case Vijay decides he is tired and wants you to finish his round for him?
• Best moment of the day: Walking from the third tee to the fourth green, and I hear someone RUNNING behind me. I started looking around like there is some kind of emergency ... when European Tour player Hennie Otto SPRINTS past me. I knew Hennie had just teed off on No. 3 and I was trying to think what in the heck he could be doing ... when he hung a right into the port-o-potties.
The PGA Tour: These guys are fast!
– Travis Hill
Posted March 23, 2007
DORAL, Fla. – A lady in the media center yesterday told me someone had already checked in as me. I didn't think much about this case of mistaken identity, writing it off as someone who should have set his sights higher when trying to be an imposter. But it did concern me because apparently the man took my lunch wristband for the day, and sportwriters don't like to miss meals.
A while later, the woman came by my desk and said the man who got my lunch pass was none other than the correspondent from Golfweek Germany. I asked her, half jokingly, to bring over a copy of Golfweek Germany. She did one better. A few minutes later she brought the Golfweek Germany reporter, Markus J. Scheck, a fashionable young man wearing a newsboy cap.
Markus, here to cover the Doral tournament but not the Masters, provided a copy of his little magazine (16 pages), which also serves Austria.
One notices right away that there are striking differences between the Golfweek you are familiar with and Golfweek Germany. Our counterpart in Deutschland is far more into celebrity comings and goings, for three-fourths of its cover featured a headline and photograph of Michael Jordan. There was also a picture of Bill Murray on the cover, as well as images inside of Bill Clinton, Michael Douglas, Goldie Hawn, Kurt Russell and Kevin Costner.
But the photo that set Golfweek Germany apart from our family publication here in the States was one on the front of the second section, entitled Biz & Talk. Down in the left corner was a beefcake shot of an attractive, lean woman holding her naked chest. She wore only skippy, Victoria's Secret-like panties.
Now I do not advise our editors to follow suit, because we want to be taken seriously in golf and publishing circles. But I find myself wondering what a subscription to Golfweek Germany costs.
– Jeff Rude
Posted March 23, 2007
DORAL, Fla. – American golf might not be dying at the highest level, but then again the current state of affairs is a far cry from the days when the Yanks dominated in, say, Jack Nicklaus' prime years in the 1960s and '70s.
The latest evidence that this isn't your grandfather's Tour, that it is a bit more global, came Thursday in the first round of the WGC CA Championship at Doral.
One American in the top six.
Five Americans in the top 15.
And we won't even mention the last two Ryder Cups. Or the fact last month's WGC-Accenture Match Play was nothing more than a showcase for international flexed muscles, what with one Yank in the final four and Euros routinely winning matches against stateside opponents.
What's the problem? Why is America – with apologies to Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Jim Furyk – declining on world golf leaderboards?
I believe it might have something to do with the crazy amount of possible diversions and distractions over here.
Just for starters: We have 500 or so channels on a cable band, whereas England has, what, four channels?
– Jeff Rude
Posted March 22, 2007
DORAL, Fla. – Thomas Bjorn went low and high Thursday at Doral. Low on the scorecard (68) and high in the logo count. Best I could tell, he clearly wins the unofficial award as Human Stock Car.
These surgically repaired eyes counted eight logos on Bjorn, all above the belt. When it comes to men, I choose to not hit or look below the belt.
The list is a bit different from standard U.S. touring pro fare, too: Backtee, Bo&, Carlsberg, Golf in Dubai, Maerek Line, Jyske Bank and the more recognizable Callaway Golf and Ecco.
I am certain John Daly, who has stock car tendencies himself, is most jealous.
– Jeff Rude
Posted March 22, 2007
ORLANDO, Fla. – I interviewed "The King" in his castle (his Bay Hill office) for a story I'm working on and I had to ask Mr. Palmer whether he had made a decision yet about becoming the ceremonial starter at The Masters on April 5.
"You're one day early," he said with a chuckle.
Whether that means an announcement is imminent or it was his playful way of saying "no comment" was left open to interpretation.
Speculation intensified last week when he said he was considering reprising the role that began in 1963 with Jock Hutchison and Freddie McLeod and continued with the legendary threesome of Gene Sarazen, Sam Snead, Byron Nelson.
Then Palmer turned to Cori Britt, his able assistant, and said, "Is it common knowledge that they're coming here to see me today?"
By "they" he was referring to Masters officials.
Britt answered with a blunt, "No."
"Well, let's keep it the way it is," Arnie said, flashing a complicit smile my way.
Whatever you say, King. Until tomorrow anyway.
– Adam Schupak
Posted March 22, 2007
DORAL, Fla. – Twenty six years ago this month, I ended up at a breakfast table here at Doral with David Graham, Tom Weiskopf and a young blond golfer I couldn't identify. When Weiskopf and the other man left the table, I asked Graham who the blond guy is.
"He's an up-and-coming player from Australia," said Graham, an Aussie himself. "His name is Greg Norman. Keep an eye on him. He's going to be good."
As it happened, Graham was right about the "good" part and his advice was heeded. We would keep a close eye on the man who would become known as the Great White Shark for the next couple of decades.
The Shark would become nationally known about a month later when he finished fourth at the 1981 Masters, his first of 22 appearances at Augusta National. Norman seemed so suited for the Masters, but he would end up with three seconds, three thirds and no green jackets.
That first year, Norman splashed onto the scene with a charming personality, entertaining writers with stories that served as his introduction to the general public. I recall clearly that after one round the Shark informed a mass gathering of the Fourth Estate that he learned to play golf from his mother, that they had played together often while he was growing up.
"When did you start beating your mother?" Hubert Mizell, then of the St. Petersburg Times, asked, drawing laughter from throughout the room and getting a great white toothy smile from Norman.
– Jeff Rude
Posted March 22, 2007
DORAL, Fla. – It's raining here at Doral, and has been spitting rain all morning, which means opening day at the WGC-CA Championship is going to be a slushy, sloggy affair at the Blue Sponge, er, Monster.
For some reason, two tees are being used, even though there are only 73 players in the field. The Tour said this is for "competitive" reasons, though for the fan's sake – and really, who cares about the little guy paying $50 for a daily ticket? – it doesn't make much sense.
I mean, when Tiger Woods goes off No. 10 at 11:30 a.m., Adam Scott, the World No. 4, will be teeing off the front side at the same time. Take your pick. At 11:20, fans can go with Ernie Els off the front or Henrik Stenson off the back nine. Again, take your pick. All this in the name of "showcasing" the world's top players. Right.
It's only Thursday, but heed this warning: Don't be too surprised if you don't get a tournament winner Sunday evening, as was the case the last time we were down this way, at the Honda Classic at PGA National. At the Honda, the late finish of TV and the choice of starting playoff holes (the par-5 18th) meant time for only one playoff hole before darkness fell. (Adding to the mess was the fact there were four players involved; but it was a disaster from the get-go.)
Three weeks later, we've added an hour of light for Daylight Saving Time, but of course, the window for the Sunday finish again will be pushed to the brink, as we're scheduled for a 7 p.m. conclusion. It's all in the name of trying to nudge the ratings needle. And we thought this only used to happen at Augusta.
If a playoff happens, better hope for one of those Craig Parry hole-outs at the famed 18th, or we all could be back here Monday morning for another finish barely anyone will see. Anyone remember Scott Hoch vs. Jim Furyk, Monday morning, circa 2003? Neither do I. Is that really how we want to end these big tournaments, as Good Morning America is signing on?
Then again, if you don't think TV rules the world, look no farther than tonight's NCAA college basketball tournament matchup between Ohio State and Tennessee. Scheduled tip-off time: 9:57 p.m. in the East.
That one, too, will finish a day later than it started.
– Jeff Babineau
Posted March 22, 2007
DORAL, Fla. – As long as you can get into these World Golf Championships – hey, Hennie Otto, Kevin Stadler and Prom Meesawat found a way – then it's an awfully nice gig. South Florida, Doral Resort, sunshine, South Beach just down the road – oh, and did we mention, the four-day, no-cut event pays 35K if you finish dead last?
The Tour cannibalized one of its best "regular" events by turning a revitalized Doral venue into a WGC event, but that's a blog for another day. Maybe the most interesting news on the eve of the $8 million WGC-CA Championship is that sometimes you can't even give thousands of dollars away. England's Justin Rose is taking a pass, citing back problems that cropped up when practicing in Orlando following yet another free-money grab, the WGC-Accenture Match Play. (Rose's 35K will go to a charity of his choosing.)
The good news, of course, is that Rose hopes to be OK by the Tavistock Cup at Lake Nona next Monday-Tuesday, which, I believe, doles out nothing short of 100K to any of its 20 playing participants. (Not to name names, but for some of those guys, it will be their biggest tournament check all year.)
Haven't told the wife yet, I've been thinking of rolling my 401k, my old newspaper pension and my piggybank savings into trying to buy a place out at Nona (small condo maybe?). I figure I could have the place paid off by the time I played in my, oh, 20th Tavistock Cup in 2027. Even if I end up on the losing side every year.
I have a longstanding relationship with Ernie Els, the Lake Nona playing captain, so I'm counting on him to find a way to get me into the lineup. Let's see, 20 years, 100K-150K in guaranteed Tavistock loot every year ... plus an extra 200K bonus in those years I might nudge out Tiger, Goose, Ernie and Sergio for low gross.
I see Chris DiMarco, who lives in Heathrow, north of Orlando, recently bought himself a place out at Lake Nona and makes his Tavistock debut next week – probably thinking EXACTLY the same way I do. Free house.
You know the saying: Great minds ...
– Jeff Babineau
Posted March 21, 2007
Posted: 4/29/2007
print
email
discuss
