Ernie Els to Miss Deutsche Bank Championship

Ernie Els has returned to his home in England and will skip this week's Deutsche Bank Championship, the second of four FedEx Cup events.

Ranked #4 in the world, Els said he has been away from home for eight weeks. His children will return to school next week and he wants to be there for them. Els has a daughter, Samantha, and a son, Ben.

On his website blog, Els said he will continue to play at the courses this week near his home in Wentworth.

He plans to return to the United States next week to play in the third FedEx Cup event in Illinois as well as the PGA Tour Championship in Atlanta the following week.

Tiger Woods Promoting in New York

Tiger Woods will spend Tuesday, August 28th doing a monumental amount of promotion.

He will be in New York City and start his day with an appearance on the Today show. That will be followed by ringing the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange, alongside with Seth Waugh, CEO of Deutsche Bank America.

The rest of the day will include appearances on MTV, ESPN and The Golf Channel.

Woods will be promoting his new EA sports video game: Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2008.

He will also be promoting the Deutsche Bank Championship which begins Friday at The Tournament Players Club Boston in Norton, MA. He is the defending champion. On Friday and Saturday, Woods will be playing with Vijay Singh and Phil Mickelson.

Better Late Than Never: Stricker Takes Barclays

Steve Stricker (left) may have went 6 1/2 years and 146 PGA Tour starts without a victory, but it was all the more sweet when he took the first ever PGA Tour playoff event Sunday. Stricker, whose Sunday turnaround was nothing less than magnificent, finished his final five holes with four birdies. Ultimately, Stricker found himself two strokes ahead of K.J. Choi (right). Stricker's last victory: the 2001 Match Play Championship in Australia. Since then, Stricker has fell and rose, highlighted by a Comeback Player of the Year title.

Stricker's win didn't come easy, considering 10 players (5 major champions) were seperated by only 3 strokes on Sunday. Rory Sabbatini was the leader at the turn, but faltered on the back nine to finish 3 strokes back.

Despite Tiger's formidable lead entering the playoffs, Woods fell to fourth in wake of Stricker's win. Also passing the world's best player by were K.J. Choi (2nd) and Rory Sabbatini (3rd). Phil Mickelson rounds out the top 5 with 99,613 FedEx Cup points, less then 400 shy of Woods.

Stricker entered the Barclays ranked 12th in FedEx Cup points.

Wanted: Peter Jacobsen's Sticks

Champions Tour star Peter Jacobsen (left)is now on the lookout for four sets of his clubs, stolen from his condominium garage on Thursday.

The missing clubs include one staff bag full of his Titleist set, which he plays with on the Champions Tour. The three other bags are of sentimental value to Jacobsen, including his high school and college bags.

Jacobsen is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the return of his clubs.

No-Backswing Swing Study

In this month's issue of Golf Magazine, Dr. Jim Suttie wrote about the benefits of a no-backswing backswing. I recently wrote on this article, and have not yet determined the merits of the no-backswing backswing.

However, Golf Magazine is now asking golfers to practice and play with the swing for one month, hwile recording their progress and submitting on September 24th -28th, 2007.

While the stack and tilt has worked well for me, I am going to give this swing a try and participate in Golf's study.

If you're interested in participating, check out Golf.com's page devoted to the "revolutionary" move. Goodbye 70% of commmon swing flaws...

I'll try to keep everyone updated.

Bernhard Langer's Son Finishes 49 Over Par

Michelle Wie has attracted numerous attacks and objections as a result of unusually high scores in her attempts to play among the best of both genders. However, the performance of Stefan Langer, son of famous German golfer Bernhard Langer (right), dwarfs Wie's mishaps by far.

At the Dutch Open, Stefan opened the tournament with a nasty Thursday 98. Among the notable scores of the round was a 12 on the par 5 second hole. Unfortunately, Langer didn't finish much better on Friday, firing a painful 91. Ultimately, the younger Langer finished 32 strokes behind Eric Kruyning, who was in second to last place.

Luckily, Stefan's father played much better, finishing 36 holes at 2 under par.

Choi Making Move at Barclays

In the first ever PGA Tour playoff event, K.J. Choi (left) made a big move to take a two shot lead after 36 holes at 12 under par. Choi, currently ranked 5th in FedEx Cup points, could make a run at the leader Tiger Woods with several spectacular finishes during the Playoffs.

Choi has stated that he will donate money from the FedEx Cup to charity. However, Choi's good intentions will not be realized for quite a while, as players will not have access to earning until they reach 45.

Right behind Choi is major champion Rich Beem, trailing the Korean by two strokes. Beem, who entered the event ranked 135th in FedEx Cup points, would have to make several big moves in order to continue playing deep into the post-season.

First round leader Rory Sabbatini fell back after a round of even par, now trailing Choi by four strokes. Also in the hunt is Sergio Garcia, six back after a Friday 67.

The No-Backswing Swing: Brilliant or Marketing?

In this month's issue of Golf Magazine, Dr. Jim Suttie explains a new approach to the golf swing, one without a backswing. According to Suttie, eliminating the backswing reduces error by 70%, taking numerous problems of takeaway out of the equation.

While Golf heralds this swing a revolutionary, it is hardly new. In the January, 2002 issue of Golf Digest, the world's second best instructor, David Leadbetter, taught the same theory. Leadbetter felt the swing would be the swing of the future, especially with players getting stronger and stronger. Moreover, the move he advocates, including the pump Suttie explains, appears to be exactly the same as Golf Magazine's version.

Also, Ryan Moore actually put a modified version in play in late 2006. Moore, a former U.S. Amateur and NCAA Division 1 champion, felt it alleviated pressure on his injured wrist. The UNLV graduate had used a no-takeaway move in practice, but first instituted it at the now defunct 84 LUMBER Classic.

With the move never really catching on, it is easy to wonder whether this cover story may be simply a marketing tool against the other revolution, the stack and tilt. Only time will tell if Golf Magazine is really starting a swing revolution.

Tiger Woods to be Inducted into CA Hall of Fame

The Terminator, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and his wife, Maria Shriver, have announced this year's inductees to the California Hall of Fame. Among them is Tiger Woods.

The Hall of Fame honors "extraordinary Californians who embody the state's innovative spirit and have made their mark on history." The ceremony will be December 5, 2007.

Others being honored include Ansel Adams, Milton Berle, Steve Jobs, Willie Mays, Robert Mondavi, Rita Moreno, Jackie Robinson, Jonas Salk, John Steinbeck, Elizabeth Taylor, Earl Warren and John Wayne.

Given that Rita Moreno was born in Puerto Rico (and a cousin to one of my cousins), and Dr. Salk was born in New York City and developed the polio vaccine in my home city of Pittsburgh, PA, apparently the honorees just needed to have resided in California -- don't have to be born there. I guess we all have a chance!

Ian MacCallister Continues His Crusade Against the NXT

I'd like to officially welcome Ian MacCallister, member of GDAD (Golf Designers Against Distance), to the golf blogosphere. A longtime marketing tool of Titleist, MacCallister opened his NXTube.com in July.

Since the NXT and NXT Tour balls were released by Titleist several years ago, MacCallister has fought hard to save the world's greatest golf courses, endangered by modern technology. However, the call of technology has been a tough one to beat as his worst nightmare is realized:

MacCallister's hipper brother has also embraced the NXT and NXT Tour golf balls in the pursuit of hitting the ball long and straight.

NXTube.com features videos from Ian, information about the enemy golf ball, and even his hit single, "Make Golf Difficult Again." The blog is certainly interesting, and in my opinion a good marketing tool for Titleist, err, a good way for MacCallister to spread his message:

It's nice to see a major corporation making a move to the blogging media.

PGA Tour Unveils New Look For Playoffs

As you probably know, the PGA Tour will begin its first ever "playoff" series this week in New York at the Barclays. Throughout the last year and a half, the TOUR has heralded the new series as the next era in golf, supported by numerous commercials. Ernie Els and former NFL star Phil Simms:

In order to shift into the new "era", the PGA Tour has revamped its website, PGATour.com, with a Playoff theme.

Nationwide Tour Grad Snedeker Wyns

Brandt Snedeker, a product of the 2006 Nationwide Tour season, captured his first PGA Tour victory with a tremendous Sunday. Despite journeyman Jeff Overton coming off the course on Saturday with a 3 stroke lead over second place, Overton finished with a 70, paling in comparison to Snedeker's 63.

Second place was split between veteran Billy Mayfair, Tim Petrovic, and Jeff Overton, who were all two back of Snedeker after 72 holes.

Jason Gore (right), the last player to receive a Battlefield Promotion on the PGA Tour, finished in 7th place. Alongside Gore was first round leader Will Mackenzie, winner of the 2006 Reno-Tahoe Open.

This, of course, was the last week before the PGA Tour enters the FedEx Cup playoff series, so those low on the money list had to make a move before events begin to run out.

Fore Inventors Only: What's Your Favorite Invention So Far?

In case you haven't caught it yet, Fore Inventors Only is an "American Idol"-like show allowing golf inventors to display their products in front of testers for fame and fortune. Well, probably not fame, but the winner of the series will have his or her product in Golfsmith stores nationwide, and will also have an infomercial made for The Golf Channel.

The show airs a new episode each Tuesday night, 10 PM EST. This week, the top 10 products will be tested by the consumer, opposed to the panel or former Big Break stars like in past weeks.

With the first season of the show coming to a close, it's time to ask, "what's your favorite invention?"

Personally, thinking about what type of product would likely appear in an infomercial on TGC or appear in Golfsmith stores, my favorite is Joseph Pagano's "Power Stance." Pagano's $150,000 investment supports a proper weight transfer and balance

It's the Playoffs: Hungry?

The PGA Tour took a big chance in 2006 when making major changes to the Tour schedule in order to facilitate the FedEx Cup. Journeymen and strugglers would definitely take a hit when building a schedule to accommodate the big stars of the game. However, the FedEx Cup has essentially done anything but that so far.

Tiger Woods and Phil Mickeson are 100% ready to skip the PGA Tour's "Playoff" events, and still take home big FedEx Cup money. The point system has done little to force the best players to participate. For instance, Tiger has played the fewest events of the top 30 players in the FedEx Cup points list. However, Tiger still has a big lead over second place Vijay Singh. Tiger's lead? Nearly 11,000 points over Veej. In essence, Tiger could split himself in two and hold three spots in the FedEx Cup top 10.

On the other hand, some fan favorites will likely take the playoff series seriously. Among these is Jim Furyk, who currently is in third place. Despite missing the cut last week, Furyk should play in all the playoff events, depending on how his back holds up.

The Stack & Tilt: What has it done for you?

Several months ago, the Stack and Tilt, a swing theory taught by Mike Bennett and Andy Plummer, revolutionized golf teaching after being printed in Golf World and Golf Digest. This month, Golf Digest printed another article on the key fundamentals of the Stack & Tilt.

Since the issue met newsstands, the move has contended for a U.S. Open (Aaron Baddeley) and a British Open (Mike Weir). Moreover, the first round leader at the Wyndham Championship, Will Mackenzie, is also a Stack and Tilter.

Personally, I have fell in love with the move. After coming back from a long trip in which I had not swung a club in two weeks, I decided to make the risky choice to try out the S&T. The results were truly marvelous. While the magazine does offer decent advice on using the move, I used the article as a springboard in re-shaping my golf swing.

From what I've heard, some players have struggled with the move, or have even over-complicated it. The best advice I have heard came from a college golfer teaching with me at the local First Tee chapter, "Just load the left side as much as possible, and feel like your really leaning." For right-handed players, the move is as easy as trying to lean over the left hip as much as possible at the top.

Aside from that, I have a few idiosyncrasies and minor comments that have made me hit the ball more effectively while still utilizing the move. If you have tried the move and disagree, feel free to post what changes have helped you.

First off, in the article, Bennett and Plummer recommend flaring your feet outward (as is a line were coming from both feet, the lines would form a V pointing away from your body). Having not known this information when I began trying the move out, it never seems to have an effect on my game. However, when I did try it from the "Stack & Tilt: Part 2" article, I felt awkward and was unable to make the solid contact I had before. In my opinion, if you feel comfortable with your stance, keep it.

Also, many players have struggled to hit their driver through long irons while using the move. However, I never really struggled with this issue. My advice: straighten your right leg (if right-handed) less when hitting the longer clubs. Essentially, I use only a miniature Stack & Tilt, which allows me to still strike the ball with some zip, but makes solid contact much easier.

For those of you who have already embraced the S&T, some players get lazy weeks later and begin to lose some of the components of the swing. In my experience, my "hip thrust" and tilted spine tended to decrease as I started to think less about how the swing should be made. I recommend trying the tip in the first article: lean far to the left after taking your stance without a club, and practice to the pop upward.

From your experience, how the the Stack & Tilt worked out for you?

Tiger Woods Skipping First FedEx Cup Event

Tiger Woods announced today that he WILL NOT be participating in the first FedEx Cup event, The Barclays.

So what does that mean??

Does it mean that the #1 player in the world is so confident that he will ultimately win the FedEx Cup that he just doesn't feel the need to participate.

Or does it mean that he simply doesn't care? Woods has been clear that the golf for the last 50 years has been defined by the majors.

Maybe a $10 million annuity when you have the chance to be at the $1 billion mark in just a few years may not be enough of an incentive.

Woods was clear that he wasn't dissing the FedEx Cup. He just wants a break.

ZealousGolfer.com Equipment Review: Layerco Wrap-Guard

Layerco has really made a name for itself in the past several months within the golf industry. After the company's release of the Poly Max Extremes, reviewed here on ZealousGolfer.com, the company has been covered in numerous blogs and even Golf World. However, Layerco happens to have numerous other great products too.

Among these is Layerco's Wrap-Guard Poly Club Covers. As a member of Range Junkies Anonymous, I also happen to have the title of "King of Golf Club Dings". My 7-iron has been hit so many times, there is a crevice a millimeter or two deep near the toe of the club (was fitted this year, so now the impact area is closer to the hosel). Thus, I was intrigued when I found out about Layerco's Wrap-Guard covers as a way to combat the destruction of my clubs' faces.

Specifically, I had the opportunity to demo the "Woods XLW" version, which functions as a shield for the faces of larger sized woods.

My Thoughts:

The Poly Club covers are definitely effective as a way to to avoid scuff marks, dings, and scratches. Using a cover is easy, as application is similar to that of the Poly max Extreme: peel and stick. That said, it is just as easy peeling off the cover and simply throwing it away. My only objection is the really the size of the cover. Unless you are hitting a highly oversized driver, or a 460 cc driver with a very tall face, you will likely want to cut the cover down using scissors. Otherwise, the cover will perform fine, but will add some visual noise to the club. Additionally, the cover likely doesn't effect distance, or at least significantly. From my experience, I would be unable to pick out the ball flight of a shot hit with a cover versus a shot hit without. Also, the cover can help to identify swing flaws since the impact position of the ball can be seen relatively easily.

Tech:

The Wrap-Guard is pretty simple: a poly material applied much like a sticker. While the cover can be bought in various colors, I tested and would recommend the clear cover, which makes the club look like any other, so not to catch your eye at a bad time during the swing or attract unwanted attention from fellow practicers.

Final Thoughts:

The Wrap-Guard is definitely a helpful product for players who hit balls frequently. However, the size of the Wrap-Guard is a little bit too much. Also, having to buy separate sets of covers for irons and woods can be a little pricey, especially when having to apply 14 covers per session. The product retails at $14.95, and come in packs of 50 covers. Overall, ZealousGolfer.com gives the Layerco Wrap-Guard 3 out of 5 stars.

Arnold Palmer Statue to be Unveiled

A life-size bronze statue of golfing legend Arnold Palmer will be unveiled next month at the Arnold Palmer Airport in Palmer's hometown of Latrobe, PA.

The statue will be done by Zenos Frudakis of Glenside. Similar statues of golfing greats can be seen at the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame.

Pro Golfer linked to Wimbledon Champ

Hank Kuehne, from Dallas, Texas, has been romantically linked to Venus Williams, who won her fourth Wimbledon Women's title this summer. Williams is looking to win her third US Open title this month.

Williams was seen supporting Kuehne at the Byron Nelson Championship where he, ultimately, missed the cut. Kuehne sat in Williams' guest box at Wimbledon.

Keuhne has played in three PGA events this year, missed the cut each time and pocketed no money. He has earned nearly $2.7 million in his career, having turned pro in 1999. In 2007, playing in three Nationwide Tour events, he has earned $8.518. Kuehne is divorced and has a one year old son.

Williams earned $1.8 million for her Wimbledon win.

FedEx Play About to Begin

The golf season isn't over .. in fact, a lot of money -- more than I will see in my lifetime -- is on the table for the top players. Both Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson have committed to playing in the next four events. The reason: the FedEx Cup.

Here's how it works:

The playoffs start in two weeks and feature the top 144 PGA players. Woods, who sits at #1, will start with 100,000 points. Vijay Singh, who is #2 in FedEx Cup points, gets 99,000 points. Player #144 will get 84,700 points.

Playoffs begin in two weeks at the Barclays. Points are earned for finishes.

The second event will be the Deutsche Bank Championship. Only the top 120 point earners will play.

The BMW Championship will be event #3 and will welcome only 70 players.

Finally, week #4, will be the Tour Championship, featuring only the top 30 players.

The winner will receive $10 million (!!!!!!). But, it won't be a lump-sum payout. Instead, the money will be placed in an annuity retirement account. Some players don't understand this. For example, KJ Choi, said he will donate his winnings to charity. Total payout will be $35 million.

And just like the comical commercial shows, this year probably is the "Eye of the Tiger."

Greg Norman's Wife Accuses him of "Starving" her out

Greg Norman was married for 25 years to Laura Norman and acquired many things during that time, including a $22 million Jupiter Island, Florida estate. Last year, Norman filed for divorce from his wife.

This year, Laura Norman is accusing the famed golfer of holding her "hostage." She filed a document stating that Greg Norman agreed to allow his wife to continue to use credit cards and pay her legal fees. She says he has now cut off the credit cards, changed the locks on the estate and refuses to pay $725,000 (!!!!!!) in her legal fees until she signs a settlement.

One of his attorneys says that the allegations are "absolutely untrue." The attorney goes on to say that, "Mrs. Norman has been exceedingly well funded and that her lifestyle has not been compromised one iota."

Here, all this time, I thought that he only time Greg Norman had to worry about choking was at the big finish of a golf tournament. Turns out, the ex has a chokehold on him too.

Mickelson Commits to Tournaments in Asia

Phil Mickelson has had a challenging year playing golf in the USA. He ended the season without a victory at a major for the first time since 2003. Apparently, he's hoping playing golf in Singapore will yield different results.

From November 1 - 4, Mickelson will compete at the Barclay's Singapore Open at Sentosa Golf Club. Ernie Els and Vijay Singh have also committed to playing in the event. It is Asia's richest purse and will feature $4 million of prizes.

From November 8 - 11, Mickelson will be at the HSBC Champions at Sheshan International Golf Club. The purse will total $5 million. Els, Singh and Sergio Garcia will compete as well.

Mickelson has not won outside of the United States since 1993. He admits that he would love to win an international title.

Presidents Cup Roster Announced

The Presidents Cup will be played September 27 - 30 at Royal Montreal. Ten players earned their spots by PGA Tour earnings for the US Team and World Rankings for the International Team.

For the United States: Players and PGA Tour earnings are:


Tiger Woods 28,925,684
Jim Furyk 15,556,781
Phil Mickelson 12,787,012
Zach Johnson 9,073,914
Charles Howell III 7,415,779
Scott Verplank 7,406,171
David Toms 7,373,140
Steve Stricker 7,059,465
Stewart Cink 6,996,578
Woody Austin 6,661,765
x- Lucas Glover, 11th 6,238,366
x- Hunter Mahan, 14th 6,082,403

Glover and Mahan were Captain's Picks. The captain of the USA team is Jack Nicklaus.

For the International Team:

Ernie Els, South Africa 7.67
Adam Scott, Australia 6.48
Vijay Singh, Fiji 5.88
Geoff Ogilvy, Australia 5.49
Choi Kyung-Ju, Korea 5.09
Rory Sabbatini, South Africa 4.96
Retief Goosen, South Africa 4.47
Trevor Immelman, South Africa 4.24
Angel Cabrera, Argentina 4.16
Stuart Appleby, Australia 3.21
x- Nick O'Hern, 11th, Australia 3.18
x- Mike Weir, 20th, Canada 2.50

International Team Captain Gary Player chose O'Hern and Weir as Captain's Picks.

Woods to Design USA Course??

Speculation is rampant that Tiger Woods will announce this week that his company, Tiger Woods Design, will take on its first USA golf course project.

Woods has confirmed that following his PGA Championship he will be at The Cliffs of High Carolina, east of Asheville, NC. A news conference has been scheduled.

His first golf course in Dubai is to be completed in 2009.

Woods Holds His Fourth Wanamaker Trophy

The only thing hotter than the 102 degree temperature at Southern Hills in Tulsa, Oklahoma at the 89th PGA Championship was Tiger Woods. Despite it being the hottest day of play, Tiger kept his cool and stayed focus on the win. Woods pocketed $1,260,000 for his stellar play. It was his fourth Wanamaker trophy. He also won the event in 1999, 2000 and 2006.

Celebrating with Tiger was his wife, Elin, and the world's first television look at his daughter, Sam (dressed in Tiger's traditional Sunday Red). The victory was the 13th Major Championship in Woods' career. He is, of course, hoping to beat Jack Nicklaus' 18 Major titles in his career. Nicklaus won the PGA Championship five times.

Woods had a little trouble on the 13th hole, which is regarded as the easiest hole on the course. His shot landed in the bunker. However, in true Woods fashion, he pulled a par out of his bag. He then went on to three putt the 14th hole which cut his lead to only one. The 15th hole Tiger found his way again with a birdie and an extremely confident step as he made his way to 16. He parred the remaining holes --including the 18th. He won the event by two strokes with a final round of 69.

As Tiger smelled the win -- he honestly looked like a predator ready for the kill.

Woods had a total of 18 birdies and 9 bogeys over the course of the tournament.

Woody Austin gave Woods a little bit of worry on the final round. He had a birdie on 3, 11, 12, 13 .. Austin never had had a top ten finish in a Major before this event. In June, he won the Stanford St. Jude Championship. He also placed second at the Buick Open. The remainder of the year has found him usually finishing somewhere between 40th and 55th place. By finishing second, he took home $756,000. The second place finish also puts him on the 2007 Presidents Cup Team (bumping out Lucas Glover).

Ernie Els had 20 birdies over the course of the week which was the most of any player at the tournament. He shot a 66 in the final round and had 6 birdies (holes 3, 5, 8, 10, 13 and 14) which was his best round of the Championship. The 11 bogeys and 2 double-bogeys over the course of the week kept him from the win. Els pocketed $476,000 for his third place finish. Els was sweating so much it looked like he had wet his pants.

Tiger's Hotter than 110 degree Heat

You would think the hottest thing in Tulsa this week would be the temperatures that soared over 100 degrees -- and a "feels like" temperature of 110 -- but you would be wrong. Tiger Woods showed once again why he has been ranked #1 in the world for years.

He shot a 1-under 69 at the PGA Championship and now has a three stroke lead over Stephen Ames going into the final round.

Ernie Els was quoted as saying, "The statistics will tell you that, yes, it's over."

If Tiger wins the PGA Championship, it will be his 13th Major title.

Sergio Garcia, who played with Boo Weekley, was disqualified from the tournament. In tournament golf, players keep each other's score cards. On the 17th hole, Weekley put down a 4 for Garcia when he actually shot a 5. The player is supposed to ensure the accuracy of the scorecard before he signs it. Garcia didn't do that. When he left the "scoring perimeter," he was disqualified.

Tiger Woods almost gets the Record

Tiger Woods has obtained nearly every record in golf. In the second round of the PGA Championship, he came inches from obtaining another one.

He shot a 63, tying him with 20 other players for the best round ever recorded in a major championship. However, shot #62, which would have gave him the record actually went into the cup for a breath of a second and then came back out. 63 is the lowest round Woods has ever shot in a major round. His career low in a PGA event is 61 -- which he has accomplished three times.

The good news for him is that he has a two stroke lead going into the third round. Even more impressive is the day when you consider he started the day in 23rd place. Woods is 7-0 in major championships when he is at least tied for the lead entering the third round.

Scott Verplank is two stroke behind Woods. Others making the cut include John Daly, Ernie Els, Stuart Appleby, Reteif Goosen, Padraig Harrington, Phil Mickelson, KJ Choi, Corey Pavin and Boo Weekley.

Among those who missed the cut: Vijay Singh, 2007 Masters Champion Zach Johnson, Rory Sabbatini and 2007 US Open winner Angel Cabrera.

Storm Rages at 100 degree PGA Championship

Graeme Storm, 29, took a two-stroke lead with a 65 after the first round at the PGA Championship. It was a long way from 2002, when Storm lost his European Tour Card and worked in a cream cake factory.

The first round at Southern Hills was played in temperatures that soared to 100 degrees + humidity.

John Daly who faced the conditions with cigarettes and diet pop had an unbelievable day, finishing with a 67.

Two players sit at 68, Arron Oberholser and Woody Austin. Seven players, including British Open winner Padraig Harrington, are tied with a 69. Tiger Woods bogeyed two of his last three holes and finished the day at 71. Over the round, Tiger shot four birdies and five bogeys.

Ernie Els is one shot behind Woods and Phil Mickelson is one behind Els.

Woods Dominating FedEx Cup Point Chase

Although he has played in only 12 events this year, Tiger Woods is thoroughly dominating the point chase in the FedEx Cup. After 12 events, he has amassed 25,624 points. He has won 4 of the 12 events and placed in the top 10 in all others.

Compare that with #2 holder -- Vijay Singh -- Singh has played in 22 events this year -- he has won two of them and been in the top ten six times.

The remainder of the top ten:
#3 Jim Furyk
#4 Phil Mickelson
#5 KJ Choi
#6 Rory Sabbatini (moving up from the eighth position)
#7 Zach Johnson (dropping from sixth place last week)
#8 Charles Howell, III (dropping from seventh place last week)
#9 Adam Scott
#10 Sergio Garcia (moving up from #11 last week)

Bargain Basement: Taylormade R580XD

TaylorMade R580XD Men's Driver

The Taylormade R580XD, the predecessor to the R7 Quad in the Taylormade driver line, has still stayed in my bag after several years. Not because I purchased it for the full $500.00 price, or because I am partial to old drivers, but because it still works.

The R580XD features a 440cc clubhead with a 65 gram M.A.S.2 Taylormade shaft. With a low center-of-gravity, the club maximizes forgiveness for off-center hits.

This driver followed the highly succesful R580, featuring a larger head with a greater sweet spot. Also, with weight added to the back of the club, the new model was much more forgiving.

Golf Galaxy is currently selling new Taylormade R580XDs for only $149.99. The R580XD can be bought in 9.5 degrees with a stiff shaft, and 10.5 degrees with a regular flex shaft.

The R580XD is perfect for golfers of all skill levels, but especially those looking for a new driver on a tight budget.

Sabbatini, Please Shut-up

Yesterday, as Rory Sabbatini walked from the 17th green to the 18th tee, a spectator screamed, "Still think Tiger is beatable." In response, the young South African turned to the security guard near him and said, "get him out of here." My response: Please quit speaking Rory.

To be honest, I am comfortable with Rory speaking his mind and calling Tiger out. However, like anything else, Rory should suffer the consequences of being pompous and arrogant. If you don't have the game to back it up, don't say it. Apparently, Rory can't stand the heat, despite his being responsible for turning on the oven.

Tiger Dominates Firestone and Field at Bridgestone Invitational

In May, Rory Sabbatini told the media that he "likes the new Tiger." In response, Tiger told the media that he "likes the new Tiger, too." While golf hasn't exactly provided a great deal of animosity between rivals at any point, the relationship between Rory Sabbatini and Tiger Woods has provided drama throughout all of 2007.

Sabbatini has told the media that he has played in final rounds with Tiger twice, and is 1/2. The first was the NCAA Championship, where Tiger fired 80 and Sabbatini shot 75 in the final round. However, Tiger still won the tournament despite a terrible final round. The second was the Wachovia Championship, where Tiger was able to ace the frequently outspoken Rory Sabbatini.

If there is one way to make Tiger play at another level, it is to question his dominance. Stephen Ames, winner of the 2006 PLAYERS Championship, learned that the hard way. During the WGC Match Play, Ames said he felt he shouldn't be counted out of beating the heavily favored Tiger in the first round. In response, Tiger handed Ames the worst loss in professional match play of all-time.

From hole one, Tiger was ready to show Sabbatini who's boss. Looking as though the Bridgestone was the final day of a major championship, Tiger birdied 3 of the first 4 holes at Firestone. Sabbatini played those four holes in even par, relinquishing his one stroke lead from Saturday. From there, Sabbatini went on to shoot a 4-over-par final round, paling in comparison to Tiger's 5-under 65.

Anyway you slice it, Tiger is still number one.

Rory finished in second place by hanging on in the back nine. However, Justin Rose made a move to second place with a Sunday 68. Both players finished the tournament at even par, 8 strokes behind Tiger Woods.

After Sabbatini and Rose, Peter Lonard and Chris DiMarco finished at 1-over-par. DiMarco, who is ranked 118th in FedEx Cup points, has found his game once again, as displayed at this year's British Open.

The third member of the Tiger Woods/Rory Sabbatini group, Kenny Perry, dropped to 4-over for the tournament due to a Sunday 75.

Sunday Showdown at Firestone CC

Rory Sabbatini has wanted to take down the World's top player with intensity over the past year. At the Wachovia Championship last May, Sabbatini got his first shot. The result: Tiger galloped past the young South African.

Still, Sabbatini was determined. On Wednesday at the 2007 U.S. Open at Oakmont CC, Rory signed up for his practice round with Tiger. Unfortunately for Sabbatini, Tiger didn't show and Trip Keuhne replaced the most dominant athlete on earth. Sabbatini remarked, "I was disappointed."

Tiger's Nike teammate will get another shot at him, but this time, he is on Tiger's turf. On Saturday, Tiger fired a strong 1-under-par round to move to 3-under through 54 holes, one back of Sabbatini.

Tonight, Rory should be scared. Firestone is one of Tiger's favorite courses, the Bridgestone Championship one of Tiger's favorite tournaments. In Tiger's entire career, he has never finished below a T-4 at Firestone.

Luckily, Sabbatini may just be arrogant enough to put on a show tomorrow in front of the thousands who will swarm Tiger's group in Akron, Ohio. Tiger and Sabbatini sit two strokes and three strokes ahead of Kenny Perry in third place respectively. Thus, it looks like Sunday will be a showdown, much like Tiger had in 2006 against Jim Furyk and Stewart Cink. The 2006 tournament ended on the third hole of a playoff between Tiger and Cink.

"Hello World?" Fujikawa Misses Reno-Tahoe Cut

Maybe it's in the water of Hawaii, but it looks like Hawaiian teens have a tendency to jump the gun. Tadd Fujikawa, the youngest player to qualify for the U.S. Open and youngest player in decades to make a cut in a PGA Tour event, decided to make his debut as a pro at the Reno-Tahoe Open.

The decision to give up his junior career, a potentially great college career, and potential numerous amateur titles, has been criticized and praised by golf fans.

Regardless of the talk, Fujikawa entered the Reno-Tahoe on a sponsor's exemption. After the first round, Fujikawa was in 125th with a 6-over-par 78 to begin his career. However, Fujikawa was able to battle back somewhat on the second day, posting a 1-under 71, which was not good enough to make the cut by five shots.

While it is tough to assess a player's career based on a single performance during his or her 16th year of life, it is hard to question Fujikawa's decision. Fujikawa may go on to earn a TOUR Card in the near future, but looking to other child golf prodigies, one can easily wonder.

Here's the story of several former child stars:

1. Ty Tryon - Tryon, a product of the David Leadbetter Golf Academy in Bradenton, Florida, turned professional at age 16. During 2001, Tryon became the youngest player to hold a PGA Tour Card. Unfortunately, his career quickly turned sour losing him his Card. In 2005, Tryon had his first professional victory in an NGA Hooters Tour event. In 2007, Tryon is playing on the Gateway Tour.

2. Michelle Wie - Having spent years working with golf teaching guru David Leadbetter, Wie started signing contracts the week before her 16th birthday. Armed with deals worth over $10,000,000 from Nike and Sony, Wie went on to several mediocre seasons. Obviously, 2007 is probably the low point as Wie has posted four scores in the 80's on the LPGA Tour, which she credits to a nagging wrist injury.

3. Casey Wittenberg - Wittenberg, another product of the DLGA, graduated from high school to play for Oklahoma State. Wittenberg took 13th in the 2004 Masters as an amateur, provoking him to drop out of school in favor of a professional golf career. In the past three years, Wittenberg has made four cuts on PGA Tour sponsor's exemptions.

Tiger Woods and American Express Split

Tiger Woods has twice signed five year contract deals with American Express, but their ten year relationship is now over.

American Express is spending its money other ways. In November, it became the first corporate sponsor of the USGA. American Express is the official patron of the PGA of America which has 28,000 members.

American Express had sponsored the World Golf Championship but severed that relationship last September.

Extreme Penalty

Wie to miss cut at Women's British Open

Michelle Wie shot a 73 on Thursday at the Women's British Open at Saint Andrews and finished the first two rounds at 7-over 153. The projected cut is 4 over.

The Women's British Open is the first women's pro event ever held at Saint Andrews --- the most revered site of golf.

Mike Weir Withdraws from Bridgestone Open

Mike Weir withdrew during the second round of the WGC Bridgestone Open Invitational due to a neck injury.

Fujikawa turns pro

Tadd Fujikawa, 16, from Hawaii made his professional debut at the Reno-Tahoe Golf Open, shooting an unimpressive 78.

He made the cut at the Sony Open in January, making him the youngest player in 50 years to make a PGA Tour cut. Last year, at the US Open at Winged Foot, he was the youngest player to ever play in a US Open.

His first round as a pro included two holes with double-bogeys. He admitted to being accustomed to the deep rough.

Fujikawa still plans to finish high school where he is about to begin his junior year and attend college. Only 5'1", he was born 3 1/2 months early.

Steve Flesch took control of the first round of the Reno-Tahoe Open shooting a 9-under 63.

Three Players Lead after Round One at Bridgestone

Rory Sabbatini, Paul Casey and Hunter Mahan all shot a 3-under 67 at Firestone Country Club at the World Golf Championship - Bridgestone Invitational and now lead after Round One.

Only 13 players broke par due to some extremely treacherous rough. The first round average of 72.181 is the highest average since the event became the World Golf Championship.

Only one stroke behind the leaders is a group of six golfers that includes Tiger Woods. Mark Calcavecchia, Boo Weekley and Stuart Appleby are also tied with Woods. Woods has won the even five times in the last seven years.