Now on GolfweekTV: Hate to be Rude: Greg Norman
Jeff Rude’s “I Hate To Be Rude” column appears on Golfweek.com on Friday, the same day as his video show of the same name.• Before backing off with
an “out-of-context” excuse, Ian Poulter was quoted in a British magazine as saying, in effect, he’s the only player capable of challenging Tiger Woods. He said when he reaches his full potential “it will be just me and Tiger.” Now, I love Poulter as a colorful character and I admire confidence, but I’m thinking some of that hair bleach may have seeped into his brain. At 32, he has never finished better than ninth in a major championship. To carry a British theme, that makes his quote as shocking as that new David Beckham underwear ad. Both stick out in their own way, if you know what I mean.
• Woods opened with a 65 for a two-shot lead at the Dubai Desert Classic. Among those tied for second are Simon Dyson, Pelle Edberg, Scott Hend, Martin Kaymer, Andrew McLardy, Gary Murphy and Jyoti Randhawa. I’m sure these are nice men, but I wouldn’t know them if they jumped up and down on this word processor. So I’m thinking organizers can already fill the trophy with about $3 million and send Woods home on TWA.
• The other day on
GolfweekTV’s “Match Play” show, colleague Rex Hoggard suggested that Woods’ 2008 PGA Tour victory total would be “way under” 8 1/2. With all due respect to Sexy Rexy, the only thing Woods goes “way under” on is par.
• Just sitting here wondering who Michelle Wie’s agent is this month.
• Trivia question: What’s the only year in the last two decades a PGA Tour rookie hasn’t won a tournament? (Answer at bottom.)
• I know Ryder Cup captains are supposed to beat the drums to stir up interest. The other day, when the calendar still read January, U.S. captain
Paul Azinger got a fair amount of pub at an FBR Open news conference talking about the Ryder. I’m thinking maybe all the buildup has something to do with recent U.S. woe in that biennial match. Already talking about the Ryder Cup in January? Can we please play the four majors first?
• Best party in golf is underway at the TPC Scottsdale, where rumor has it they’re also playing golf. The so-called Greatest Show on Grass this week shares the party scene with the Super Bowl, but a little football game shouldn’t slow things down in the famed Birds Nest, the mating-dance, meat-market tent that can house about 10,000.
A little history worth repeating: The Nest debuted in 1987 to the sound of Otis Day and the Knights, the ultimate party band of Animal House fame. Apparently Otis was a bit overserved before he christened the stage, for he staggered to the microphone after a lengthy stay in a bathroom.
“I’ll never forget it,” Steve Butterfield, the first Nest chairman, said a couple of years ago. “Otis Day, decked out in a purple-sequined tuxedo with his hair freshly slicked back, belting out ‘Shama Lama Ding Dong’ while he was totally juiced. Man, the place went nuts.”
• Trivia answer: 1998.
Posted: 1/31/2008
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