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Showing posts with label PGA Tour 2010. Show all posts
Showing posts with label PGA Tour 2010. Show all posts

Tiger Woods Heads Off to Ireland

on July 5, 2010 3:58 PM , in , , , , 0 Comments

For some reason, the golf media is pretty excited today because Tiger Woods has left the States. The destination? Ireland. He will be the headliner at a charity pro-am in the land of Graeme McDowell.


More importantly, St. Andrews is on the horizon. As the Golf Channel is reporting, this is pretty significant because it...may be the last week that Woods holds the top spot in the World Golf Rankings. Sounds like a familiar storyline, right?

This pro-am will feature the talents of actors Samuel L. Jackson and Michael Douglas, as well as many other celebs from both sides of the pond.

I wouldn't count Tiger out yet. He did win two major championships at St. Andrews (in 2000 and 2005). Plus, he hasn't exactly fallen to David Duval lows yet.

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Don't Expect to Catch Justin Rose at Pebble Beach

on June 9, 2010 1:08 PM , in , , , , 0 Comments

Justin Rose's victory at the Memorial last weekend has prompted the golf community to question, once again, the USGA's selection process for the U.S. Open.


How come? Winning the Memorial - one of the PGA Tour's toughest and most prestigious events - isn't enough to get into the U.S. Open. Rose, who previously was not qualified to play this year, will not be appearing at Pebble Beach next week.

Rose competed at this week's final qualifier for one of the final spots in the U.S. Open field. He, along with young gun and fellow Memorial contender Rickie Fowler, came up short.

So why isn't the USGA going to open the doors to players who win tournaments within the month before the championship? David Fay, head of the USGA, made it clear to the Golf Channel that this type of thing is what the U.S. Open shoots for.

The fact that a few deserving players slip through the cracks in many years trades off with the Open's 'democratic' advantage. To the USGA, giving virtually all players an equal opportunity to fight for the top prize is at the heart of the championship.

I can understand that. "Special exemptions" are probably in conflict with giving all players an equal opportunity to play. That said, it seems a little ridiculous that the U.S. Open couldn't work it into the rules for the field to be set closer to the Open.

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Tiger is returning (again) at the Memorial

on May 25, 2010 3:11 PM , in , , , 0 Comments

Well. If I haven't said it before, Tiger Woods is back. This time, of course, he will return to professional golf after a neck injury rather than knee or marital troubles.


In early May, Woods dropped mid-tournament from the Players Championship. Now, it appears that Tiger is poised to make his return at the Memorial next week - Jack Nicklaus's signature tournament.

Of course, his last two appearances on the PGA Tour have resulted in disappointment. A missed cut and a neck injury didn't help to sustain his early momentum from a solid performance at the Masters this year.

That said, Tiger will roll into Ohio to defend his title at the Memorial last year. Success at this tournament could set the stage for a return to golf's elite with a win at the U.S. Open in June. If Tiger again struggles, his 2010 could look even more bleak.

Meanwhile, Phil Mickelson could grab the top spot in the World Golf Rankings with a win this weekend at the Colonial. For Tiger to retain his position at the head of the golf world, a comeback tour is absolutely crucial.

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Singh's golden years come to a close

on May 18, 2010 4:31 PM , in , , , 0 Comments

This is a bit of a shocker. As the Golf Channel reported, Vijay Singh has fallen out of the top 50 in the World Golf Rankings.


I know that we haven't heard much about Singh lately, but still, this was surprising news. For the most consistent player in his 40's from recent memory, falling out of the top 50 may serve as a clear mark of his descent on the PGA Tour.

On top of that, it looks like he will fail to qualify for the U.S. Open because of his low rank and lack of wins in the past year. His dramatic run to the top of the rankings in 2004 (while dethroning Tiger Woods in the process) doesn't seem like so long ago.

Then again, if Singh were to have a resurgence on the PGA Tour, it wouldn't be the first time he unexpectedly turned his career around. His work ethic and determination make him a candidate for a Tom Watson-esque story at any major championship.

Coach Hank Haney leaves Team Tiger

on May 11, 2010 4:47 PM , in , , 0 Comments

This morning, acclaimed swing coach Hank Haney told the Golf Channel that he is choosing to part ways with his star pupil, Tiger Woods.


In his statement, he explained, "Just so there is no confusion, I would like to make it clear that this is my decision."

Whoa.

Professional golfers leaving their instructors is pretty common, but you don't hear much about coaches choosing to call it quits with their players.

This is especially true when you are associated with the Tiger Woods brand - Haney has produced several books and a Golf Channel television show since his relationship with Tiger began.

At least to the rest of the world, there are no hard feelings. Tiger told ESPN that Haney was and is an "outstanding teacher."

I still have to wonder why this happened. Could it be the bad press? Doubtful. If Haney was going to stick with Tiger this long, I don't understand why he would suddenly be driven to jump off the Woods ship.

With two consecutive poor performances, Haney has faced significant criticism for his student's failures. Perhaps Haney has decided to take his career in a different direction.

Tiger has not yet announced who will be in charge of repairing his swing before the U.S. Open.

Woods to tee it up at AT&T; no word on US Open

on May 10, 2010 3:15 PM , in , , , 0 Comments

The first positive news has been released since Tiger Woods dropped out of the Players Championship. He will, according to his press conference, play in the AT&T Championship during the first week of July despite his nagging neck injury.


As far as how long his hiatus will last, the answer is not yet clear. Woods will have an MRI next week to hopefully locate the problem, which he believes may be a bulging disk in his neck.

At this point, he has not ruled out playing in the Memorial or the U.S. Open. The question remains: could this injury have any relationship to his Thanksgiving night injury that prompted his first major leave from golf this year?

It wouldn't be a shocker. Sustaining head and neck trauma from a mild crash isn't exactly uncommon.

The Tiger entourage is denying this theory.

On one hand, something is clearly wrong with Tiger. Chances are, it is physical. His performance over the last two tournaments doesn't match the thrill of his return at Augusta this year. Until we know what the problem is, it is hard to say how long Tiger will be forced to wait.

On the other hand, Tiger did win a U.S. Open with one barely functional leg. My guess is that it will take a lot more than some neck discomfort to keep Tiger away from Pebble Beach, a course he has dominated at in the past.

The Tiger Woods drama shows no signs of stopping.

Woods Posts a 74 in First Public Tournament

on April 29, 2010 1:30 PM , in , , 0 Comments

Tiger Woods has signed the scorecard for the first round of his first tournament in "the public" since temporarily leaving golf. At Quail Hollow, Woods finished his first 18 holes with a score of 74, which leaves Tiger at +2.


He is far behind Bo Van Pelt, who surged to -7 in his morning round.

The first round is still being played, but Tiger is already on the outside looking in. On a day with great scoring conditions, Tiger will need a hot start to his Friday round to get under the cut line.

So much for a Phil Mickelson vs. Tiger Woods showdown, I guess.

Mickelson and Woods to battle at Quail Hollow

on April 18, 2010 5:13 PM , in , , 0 Comments

Quail Hollow, formerly known as the Wachovia Championship, is shaping up to be the encore of this year's Masters.


Tiger Woods made headlines earlier this week by officially entering the tournament. Phil Mickelson, according to the Golf Channel, has done the same.

It will kick off on April 29th.

Tickets have already sold out for the event following Tiger's announcement.

For one, this will mark the first time that Tiger plays in front of a typical PGA Tour crowd. The rules are changed at Augusta, as patrons risk tickets in the future for bad behavior.

While far more egalitarian, Tiger could face far more pressure from the crowds in Charlotte.

As he has done in the past, Phil Mickelson will ride the wave of fan support following an epic victory in Georgia.

The question remains: will this be the first time the re-surging superstars square off head-to-head?

The Masters: The Fallout from Augusta

on April 12, 2010 3:05 PM , in , , , 0 Comments

I skipped out on re-posting the results from yesterday's finish to the 2010 Masters. I'm sure you have seen them by now.


Far more importantly, I wanted to address a few of the significant consequences of what happened at this year's Masters:

1) Phil Mickelson is back. That might not be the right way to say it. I don't think I have ever seen Phil play like he did yesterday. He was composed. He was consistent. Best of yet, he was nothing short of *dominant*. The Lefty who told the press that he was an "idiot" following a U.S. Open blowup seems to have left the golfing world. That said, he is always strong at Augusta. The Masters is his tournament. This momentum could lift Mickelson into the final round at the 2010 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. He's got it again.

2) Tiger Woods is the man again - at least in the golfing sense. This could have gone horribly wrong. Fans could have hated him. He could have lost his touch. He could be missing his signature fire. Nope. He's back on top, I suppose. A great performance at Augusta almost absolved his sins in the eyes of the public. At least from the golf fans I spoke with, people are jumping back on the Tiger Woods bandwagon. It looks like he was the only one disappointed with his performance.

3) Tom Watson is an iron man. An unexpected run on a short British Open course is one thing, but Watson's performance demonstrated that he could still play with anyone. He'll get another shot this year too. The folks at the USGA have offered Watson a special exemption to play at Pebble Beach in June. Watson has already accepted.

4) Anthony Kim is coming into his own. He has always been one of the PGA Tour's hottest young players, but he is now contending late in major championships. That comes from experience, and he certainly had one at this year's tournament. Kim should have his first major championship in no time. The PGA Championship this year, perhaps?

All together, this Masters tournament will stick out. The revival of Phil Mickelson and the return of Tiger Woods in one weekend is an unparalleled sports moment.

What do you think?

ABC Uncovers the Source of Earl's Voice in Tiger Ad

on April 9, 2010 2:06 AM , in , , , 0 Comments

As I covered a couple of days ago, Nike hit the web and the airwaves with the first new advertisement featuring Tiger Woods since his Thanksgiving 2009 incident.


The fallout has been enormous. Hundreds of thousands have viewed the ad on YouTube. It has played multiple times during ESPN's coverage of the Masters. Some see it as a first step toward catharsis and recovery with the public. Others think it is a bit too spooky.

However, many viewers asked the question: where did Earl's voice come from? Tiger's father died in 2006 after a battle with cancer, yet his comments are the only audio in the new advertisement.

ABC News found the answer. Check out the full story here.

Here are the basics. Most of the clip was taken from a 2004 documentary about the life of Tiger Woods.

However, Earl was actually discussing the differences between his parenting style and that of Tiger's mother Kutilda. The introduction, "Tiger," was spliced in.

Turning Back the Clock: Thursday at the Masters

on April 8, 2010 7:42 PM , in , , 0 Comments

Wow. That's all I can say at this point. This was quite possibly the best Thursday at Augusta National that I have ever lived through.


Among the reasons why this is the case:

1. Freddie Couples is on the top of the leaderboard. When a humble, laid-back player jumps to lead a tournament, you have to be happy. This is especially the case when this player is now playing primarily on the Champions Tour. I love a blast from the past, and Couples provided it today.

2. Tom Watson is trailing Couples by one stroke. In a 90s vs. 80s showdown on the leaderboard (with Mr. Couples), Tom Watson has again sipped from the fountain of youth to put himself in contention at a major championship. While his peers have left the game or have lost their edge, Watson has somehow managed to regain the talent he displayed at the Open last year. I don't get it, but it's awesome.

3. I have a reason to talk about Tiger that isn't related to sleeping around, getting attacked by his wife, using drugs, or the like. That is good news. His comeback could not have been more of a success. Posting a 68 has to extinguish any doubts that the public had about his readiness to win again. Tiger hasn't lost a step during his time off in rehab.

4. Phil Mickelson is right next to Tiger. If this trend continues, we could see an epic showdown of golf's hottest names from the past THREE decades. Mickelson has proven that he knows Augusta National's intricacies about as well any other person on the PGA Tour at this point.

On the other hand, there were a few disappointments today.

1. Jim Furyk already shot himself out of the tournament. He posted 80. The Pittsburgh Steelers fan can pack his bags home already. As a Furyk fan, I always like to see him in the mix. I guess it's not his year.

2. Chad Campbell is giving Furyk a run for his money at the bottom of the leaderboard. After narrowly losing in a three-way playoff at last year's Masters, I thought this might finally be Campbell's time to shine. It wasn't. He is in 89th with a score of 79.

I can't wait to see what happens tomorrow. This Masters is shaping up to be everything I had hoped it would be.

Masters' Chairman Billy Payne takes on Tiger

on April 7, 2010 2:36 PM , in , , , , 0 Comments

Billy Payne, the chairman of the Masters, had his "State of the Masters" press conference this morning.


He decided to launch a groundbreaking campaign to paint Tiger Woods as a poor role model who disappointed his fans. You can see his other remarks here.

On one hand, he's right. ESPN, for whatever reason, seems to think that this was a pretty harsh move by the folks at Augusta. I don't really understand their surprise. Tiger has been accused of sleeping with a multitude of mistresses, abusing pain killers, and using banned substances over the past several months.

On the other hand, his closing remark that Tiger would not distract from the tradition and legacy of the Masters is a joke. If he believes this, he is either delusional or kidding himself.

Payne told the media:
"We are very secure in who we are, and the Masters has almost now a 74-year history. We just kind of do things our way. We are not threatened by other big news stories or things like that."

How many times have you thought about Steve Stricker's or Padraig Harrington's chance to win over the past couple of weeks? Seriously?

The reality is that the 2010 Masters will be remembered as the return of Tiger Woods. The mystique surrounding his return is the reason that CBS President Sean McManus dubbed the tournament as the biggest event for the media in the past decade other than the Obama inauguration.

I am not surprised that Billy Payne is disappointed in Tiger. I am a little shocked that he decided to criticize the single reason why his tournament is about to experience an unparalleled level of interest to the general public.

Where in the World is Angel Cabreras?

on April 6, 2010 1:39 PM , in , , , , 0 Comments

Yesterday was a wild one for golf. The return of Tiger Woods and the start of another Masters week demanded attention from most in the golf world.


Nonetheless, one prominent player was missing from Augusta's grounds: 2009 Masters champion Angel Cabreras.

So where is Angel? No one in the golf world has spotted him since last week's tournament in Houston, according to the Golf Channel.

He is expected to attempt to defend his title this week. No word yet on whether he played a practice round this morning at Augusta National.

Analyzing Tiger's Press Conference

11:58 AM , in , , , , 0 Comments

As you have almost definitely heard, Tiger Woods had his first (somewhat open) press conference yesterday since his life fell apart.


Although we've seen some one-on-one interviews and a very, very exclusive press conference to announce his return several months ago, the media had their first opportunity to ask questions to Tiger.

Here's the footage if you haven't seen it yet:

The song remains the same. Tiger accepts full responsibility for his actions. He gets that what he did was wrong. He's working to correct that. That should answer most of the questions the reporters were interested in.

The way I see it, here are some of the positive aspects of his remarks:
  • This is the first step toward normalcy. We haven't seen Tiger in a press conference like this for a long time. He answered questions well, and he looked optimistic.
  • Tiger made it clear that he is here to win. Here being Augusta National, of course. Anyone who expects big things this weekend should look forward to Sunday. I think there is a good chance Tiger will be in the mix.
  • The crowds reacted well to Tiger. This was a tricky matter. On one hand, the reactions of the "patrons" at Augusta have traditionally been subdued. The idea that they would express outrage after every shot sounds a little absurd and unrealistic. On the other hand, Tiger did give the public ample opportunity to attack him. It seems like the Tiger fan base is still pretty strong, which is a great sign for Tiger and golf's future.

Woods arrives at Augusta National

on April 4, 2010 8:32 PM , in , , , 0 Comments

Tiger Woods is back in action. He arrived at Augusta National this morning to hit balls at the club's brand new practice facility before playing a round, according to the Golf Channel.


Despite the significance of his return to golf, Tiger apparently treated it as any other day on the PGA Tour.

Tomorrow will mark the first day that Woods plays in front of the general public. Augusta National was closed to members and players today, but the tournament officially begins tomorrow with practice rounds.

Woods is set to deliver a press conference at 2 PM EST.

We are now one week away from Masters' Sunday, and it is certainly shaping up to be a memorable one. No word has been given on how Tiger played today.

The Countdown: Two Weeks Until Masters Sunday

on March 28, 2010 3:25 PM , in , , , 0 Comments

As you've probably realized, we are now only two weeks away from Masters' Sunday. CBS (among others) is already heralding this year's championship as the biggest sporting event of the year.


They have a point.

The hoopla surrounding this installment of Augusta's classic is like nothing I have ever seen with any game or event before. Everything from Tiger's performance to who he will play with has become an opportunity for speculation and debate. Just ask the Golf Channel.

Get ready. It's going to be a show.

Tiger Woods announces return at the Masters

on March 16, 2010 12:59 PM , in , , 0 Comments

It's over. The four month long hiatus of Tiger Woods is officially complete. This morning, Tiger Woods posted on his blog that he will return to the PGA Tour at the Masters next month.


"I feel like I'm ready to start my season at Augusta," Woods said.

He said that he already told Arnold Palmer that he will not be attending the King's tournament in Orlando.

Any way you slice it, this is going to be a very memorable Masters.

"I think Augusta is where I need to be, even though it's been awhile since I last played," Woods said.

Golf blogger Trailing Tiger retrieved this statement from Augusta National chairman Billy Payne on Tiger's return:

"We support Tiger's decision to return to competitive golf beginning at this year's Masters tournament. Additionally, we support and encourage his stated commitment to continue the significant work required to rebuild his personal and professional life."

UPDATE: PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem has now weighed in on Tiger's return.
We were pleased to learn that Tiger Woods will be playing the Masters in a few weeks. He has invested a lot of time taking steps, both in his personal and professional life, in order to prepare for his return. We all wish him and his family the best as he rejoins the Tour.
To be honest, I was expecting champagne and confetti from Finchem. Maybe he missed the memo?

Tiger Talk dominates Torrey Pines press conference

1:30 AM , in , , , , 0 Comments

The PGA Tour's event at Torrey Pines showed a sign of life today after Farmers Insurance stepped into the role of title sponsor.


If you remember, this was once a Buick event (that attracted the Detroit-based car company's well-paid endorser Tiger Woods on most years). After the car industry collapsed, Buick fell out, and now Farmers has fallen in.

Tour commish Tim Finchem held a press conference to celebrate the newly inked four year deal with Farmers. Of course, the media quickly forgot about this accomplishment and posed six questions about when Tiger will return.

Finchem's response? "No idea when he's playing." Thanks commish.

Woods hires Bush's Press Secretary to plot return at Bay Hill

on March 11, 2010 12:04 PM , in , , , 0 Comments

Yep. If I didn't say it before, Tiger will undoubtedly be back in action even before the Masters this April. The Golf Channel is reporting that the Woods entourage has added a brand new member: Ari Fleischer - otherwise known as the Press Secretary to George W. Bush from 2001-2003.


The objective: mastermind the return of Tiger at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Fleischer is in charge of handling the re-entry strategy as well as damage control when Tiger hits the TOUR again.

Fleischer left the Bush Administration and started his own consultant firm for troubled athletes. His clients include the poster-boy for baseball's steroid era, Mark McGwire.

One must admit that Tiger isn't messing around with this. He sent Mark Steinberg, his agent from IMG, to scout around Bay Hill earlier this week. Not surprisingly, it looks like Tiger's return to golf will be a highly planned and coordinated affair.

I am still wondering how the hometown crowd in Orlando will handle Tiger's presence.

Rory McIlroy meets with the Golden Bear

on March 9, 2010 10:12 PM , in , , , 0 Comments

With Tiger (temporarily) out of the picture, Rory McIlroy, the 20 year old Irish phenomenon, has done his part to step up to the tour's upper echelon.


McIlroy contended for several majors last year, and he made his name known on this side of the pond by jumping onto the PGA Tour this year. He has already launched into ninth place in the World Golf Rankings.

In his early days, Tiger made a number of public appearances with Arnold Palmer. McIlroy is following in this pattern perhaps but with Jack Nicklaus instead.

Golf Magazine is reporting that McIlroy turned to Nicklaus during the Honda Classic. The two met for a meal and apparently enjoyed a productive discussion about golf and competing for the game's biggest titles.

McIlroy said, "It was great to sit down and talk to him and see his approach to winning and what went through his head whenever he was in contention... It was probably the best 90 minutes I've spent in a long time."

Cool story. We'll see where that relationship heads.

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