Archive for August, 2009
August 19, 2009
The PGA Tour set the standard for scoring systems in golf when it developed Shotlink, which uses lasers to chart every shot by every player in every round of every tournament. Such data is not available at the four majors, because those are run by different organizations.
The PGA Championship is debating whether to be the first.
The PGA of America had to scramble for a scoring replacement when Unisys ended its partnership. With only four months before the final major of the year, officials opted for a bare-bones version of the tours program.
Birdies and bogeys. Driving accuracy and greens in regulation. Just no lasers.
So why the bells and no whistles?
Kerry Haigh, who runs the PGA of Americas championship, cited a $250,000 cost, short notice and concerns over spectator viewing.
We already have an awful lot of towers built on the greens, and there were challenges in that regard for spectator enjoyment, Haigh said Tuesday.
Still, he said the PGA of America will consider upgrading to the full package for next year at Whistling Straits.
Going forward, our hope is to offset some of those costs … and work out a way to do it without the towers, Haigh said. The information is what we would like to get, but doing it in a way that it doesnt affect the feel and look of a major. Wed love to be able to provide that.
The PGA Tour typically shares the cost with each tournament it runs. The PGA Championship would have to be a different arrangement because the tour has no stake in the television revenue. One way for the PGA Championship to cover the cost would be to find a sponsor when promoting data during the telecast.
When we made the presentation, we showed them everything we can do, said Steve Evans, the tours senior vice president of information systems. I truly believe they were impressed with it. I think from their perspective, everything is brand new and they had been with Unisys for so long. I think they needed a couple of events under their belt.
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CAPTAIN COUPLES: Fred Couples is playing the next two weeks, and not just so he can scout possible captains picks for the Presidents Cup. Couples had two brushes with winning this year and is 90th in the FedEx Cup standings.
Trouble is, he has only played 12 events and needs 15 to keep up his membership.
He will at least qualify for The Barclays, the opening playoff event. If he doesnt make it to the second round, Couples would have to add a tournament during the Fall Series.
That led to a question that sent PGA Tour officials searching through board documents.
The Presidents Cup counts as a tournament entered for the players. Why not the captain? After all, Couples is an active player who will be spending just as much time at Harding Park as anyone else, probably more.
Andy Pazder, the senior vice president of tour administration, went back to the 1994 policy board resolution to study the language, and found no doubt about the way it was written that it doesnt apply to captains.
Bad news for Couples, good news for the tournaments he plays.
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STARTING FROM SCRATCH: The golf ball war between Titleist and Callaway is headed back to the first tee.
In a big victory for the parent company of Titleist, a federal appeals court last week ordered a new trial in its contentious golf ball patent dispute with Callaway. Acushnet Co. said the three-judge panel found inconsistencies in the jurys verdict, and that the trial court erred by not allowing a defense and the evidence to support it.
The decision also means Titleist can sell golf balls that were at issue in the lawsuit.
Callaway sued in June 2007, claiming that Titleists popular Pro V1 line of balls infringed on several of its patents. Since then both companies have filed patent infringement lawsuits against each other.
This very positive Court of Appeals ruling affirms our contention that we were not allowed to argue our full case before the jury, and that the resulting verdict was inconsistent and not sustainable, said Joe Nauman, the executive vice president in charge of legal and corporate matters at Acushnet.
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FASHION STATEMENT: Tim Herron, the only PGA Tour player who lives in Minnesota, had to wait around the parking lot at Hazeltine for eight hours Thursday as the first alternate into the PGA Championship.
Former PGA champion John Daly walked by on his way to the tee, and Lumpy knew his hopes were gone. Making it tougher was learning that Daly, claiming an old rib injury, swatted at putts in making double bogey on the last two holes and withdrew after a 78.
Chances are, Herron would have treated that spot a little differently.
Lumpy showed up at his home course, Wayzata Country Club, on Saturday morning for a casual round. He was wearing blue-and-white checkered shorts made by Loudmouth Golf, the same shorts Daly wore this year at U.S. Open qualifying.
Coincidence? Think again.
I would have loved to play, Herron said. Hey, Johns a friend of mine. I cant blame him.
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MAJOR CUTS: Kevin Sutherland didnt think much of it until he walked out of the scoring trailer Friday afternoon after signing his card. He was among a dozen players to make the cut in all four majors.
The list does not include Tiger Woods, who missed the cut at Turnberry; Phil Mickelson, who did not play at Turnberry; and Sergio Garcia, who made double bogey on the last hole at Hazeltine to miss by one. Kenny Perry, Henrik Stenson and Lee Westwood were the only players in the top 10 to make the cut in all four majors.
The others were Angel Cabrera, Sean OHair, Jim Furyk, Camilo Villegas, Graeme McDowell, Rory McIlroy, Ross Fisher and Vijay Singh.
On the flip side were the four players who competed in every major without making a single cut - Briny Baird, Brandt Snedeker and Michael Campbell.
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DIVOTS: Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson each have been runner-up six times in the majors. … Juli Inkster has received an exemption to play in the Samsung World Championship on Sept. 17-20 at Torrey Pines. She is a three-time winner of the event. … The FBR Open outside Phoenix, which is looking for a new title sponsor after 2010, raised nearly $4.3 million for local charities through The Thunderbirds, the civic organization that runs the tournament.
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STAT OF THE WEEK: Six players won multiple majors this decade, the fewest since four players with multiple majors in the 1960s.
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FINAL WORD: If I tried to lift a golf bag, all my clubs would fall out the other side. - Michelle Wie, on Y.E. Yang celebrating his PGA Championship victory by hoisting his golf bag over his head.
August 18, 2009
The morning after South Koreas Y E Yang became the first Asian golfer to win a major championship, Peter Cho was too excited to go to work.
Instead, he grabbed his teenage son, Alex, and headed for the driving range. The Chos were hitting balls Monday morning at Majestic Golf Land, a three-story golf center near the citys Koreatown neighborhood.
For South Koreans, Yangs stunning win - over world No. 1 Tiger Woods - in the PGA Championship was inspiring, even though many are Tiger fans.
When Tiger wins, Koreas happy. When a Korean wins, Koreas happier, Cho said. It couldnt be any better for us.
The golf world was still abuzz Monday after Yangs astonishing victory. The underdog who grew up on a root-vegetable farm and had frustrated ambitions of being a body builder beat the worlds best golfer.
And he did it in style - fending off Tiger with a couple of ice-cold shots. First there was that 60-foot chip for eagle after Woods threatened to make birdie on No. 14.
And on the last hole, clinging to a one-shot lead against the man who had never before lost when he started the final round of a major atop the leaderboard, Yang hit the shot of his life. His 3-iron hybrid cleared a bunker and settled 12 feet away.
Yang finished off the birdie for a championship he - and new fans all over the world - wont forget.
At the urban island of Majestic, rising green above a busy city center, most of the patrons are Korean. Signs are written in both Korean and English, and the newspaper boxes at the entrance carry the local Korean dailies.
Some of the golfers said they called home to Korea and heard about celebrations - not unlike the commotion in 1998 when South Koreas Se Ri Pak won the U.S. Womens Open.
Myung Kim, a South Korean-born golf pro at the range, said he knew that someday, someone would beat Woods.
Hes not a god, said Kim, 44. Im happy the Korean guy beat him.
Not everyone at the range shared the glee.
I felt bad for Tiger - he returned to humanity, said Bob Ingram, 56, of Los Angeles.
Sisters Penny and Peggy Kritaya were taking the loss hard. Penny furrowed her brow and paced the ranges deck as she recapped Woods round Sunday.
I just dont understand why! she said, throwing up her hands in exasperation like a frustrated coach.
Hailing from Thailand themselves, the sisters said Woods Thai heritage got their attention in the mid-1990s.
Now, they come to the range three or four times per week and call themselves big, huge Tiger fans.
He changed us, Penny said. He got us into the golf game.
While Woods, whose mother is Thai, is celebrated across Asia, the region now has a homegrown mens champion, too.
Its a great, great day for Asian golf, Asian Tour executive chairman Kyi Hla Han told The Associated Press. Probably our biggest day. Its always been our hope that we will see an Asian player win a major, and that day is here.
Suh Gee-young, who woke up early in Seoul to watch the tournament and take a few practice swings before work, called Yang an inspiration to other Asian-born players.
I think Yangs victory will give young Asian players a confidence that they can beat the odds in any situation, he said in Seoul.
Max Garske, chief executive of the PGA of Australia, said Yangs win will help nurture the sport in the region. He said Japan, with 17-year-old star Ryo Ishikawa, has some 15 million golfers and South Korea 3 million to 3.5 million, most playing only at driving ranges.
He said Yangs win will also help in China, where the PGA of Australia is in the second year of a program with the China Golf Association to train between 5,000 to 10,000 local Chinese coaches.
In New York, Yangs victory dominated the clubhouse chatter Monday morning at Clearview Golf Course, a busy Queens layout.
Hes strong in heart, Han Chondson said before her round.
She was one of the many Koreans at the Bayside course that serves kimchi, the spicy pickled cabbage that is a Korean favorite.
Ive played golf all my life and its really surprising to me that he won a major, 52-year-old Johnny Park said. But he had experience beating Tiger in China and really had nothing to lose. I was really happy for him, but surprised Tiger lost.
Park was giving some thought to watching Yang play in person next week at The Barclays, the FedEx Cup opener at Liberty National in Jersey City, New Jersey.
Before his win, I never even thought about going, Park said.
At Alley Pond Golf Center in Douglaston, New York, teaching pro Michael Jang pointed out Yangs poise playing alongside Woods.
I dont think he was afraid of Tiger, Jang said. He had nothing to lose and thats the best kind of mindset, to just play and enjoy the round with Tiger.
Most of the older pros in Korea, like Yang and K.J. Choi, never had money growing up or parents who knew about golf. They had to do it all by themselves and had to work really hard to make it. Thats what makes them so strong.
The 38-year-old Jang will long remember Yangs breakthrough victory.
I became a U.S. citizen, but I got Korean blood in my heart, Jang said.
August 18, 2009
Y E Yangs upset win over Tiger Woods in the PGA Championship was a television hit that even picked up extra viewers for CBSs interview with quarterback Michael Vick.
Nielsen Media Research says its overnight measurements of big cities found ratings for the golf tournament up 150 percent over 2008. Only 4 million people watched the final round last year. Woods was injured and didnt play in the tournament, and the Summer Olympics were televised at the same time.
Nielsen and CBS dont yet have a precise estimate of the audience nationally for this year. In the metered markets, it was the best PGA final round since 2002, when Woods lost by a stroke to Rich Beem.
The golf tournament led directly into 60 Minutes, which featured Vicks interview about his prison time for running a dogfighting operation. CBS estimates that some 12.6 million people were watching the network between 7 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, when the golf tournament ended and 60 Minutes began with its interview with Vick, who signed with the Philadelphia Eagles last week.
The tournament brought more people to CBS, and to the Vick interview, than would normally be watching on a summer Sunday. Typically this summer, about 8 million people have watched an episode of 60 Minutes.
Woods is always a big draw for the TV networks. The metered markets show that ratings for the final two rounds of this years PGA tournament are the third highest since 1986. That ties with Woods first win in 1999, and trails Woods second win in 2000 and the 2002 tournament.
Nielsen had no immediate estimates on how many people were watching overseas, particularly in Yangs home country of South Korea. South Koreas president, Lee Myung-bak, stayed up late into the night to watch the tournament live.
The tournament also did well for TNT, which televised the first two rounds and morning action on Saturday and Sunday. TNTs average of 1.88 million viewers was up 79 percent over 2008, according to Nielsen.
Turner Sports and PGA.com also drew a record number of visitors to their Web sites over the weekend.
August 17, 2009
Justin Bolli won his third career Nationwide Tour title Sunday, closing with a 6-under 66 for a one-stroke victory over Derek Lamely and Chad Collins in the Price Cutter Charity Championship.
Bolli, the 33-year-old former Georgia player, had a 21-under 267 total on the Highland Springs course. He earned $112,500 to jump from 16th to seventh on the money list with $246,900, with the final top 25 earning 2010 PGA Tour cards.
Im definitely looking forward to getting back to the big tour, Bolli said. But it doesnt change my mindset for this season. I need to keep playing events and keep playing well. Its very important how high you finish for your priority and status.
Bolli, also the winner of the 2004 Chattanooga Classic and 2007 Northeast Pennsylvania Classic, birdied No. 15, then returned from a nearly 90-minute delay because of a thunderstorm to hole a 25-foot birdie putt on 16. He also birdied No. 17 and closed with a par on the par-5 18th.
Its hard to keep your feel, Bolli said. Its hard to get back into the flow of the round. I did hit a few putts, but spent most of the time in the clubhouse trying to relax with friends and family before getting out on the course.
Lamely finished with a 65, and Collins shot a 70.
August 17, 2009
Whenever Y E Yang was in a tournament with Tiger Woods, he would sit in the clubhouse and think about playing against one of the worlds most famous athletes.
Hed visualize different scenarios, come up with strategies.
Deep down, he had a secret that he shared with no one: Yang would imagine beating Woods.
The good players, the great names that youve mentioned, when they tee off with Tiger, their competitive juices sort of flow out and they go head to head and try to win, Yang said through an interpreter. For me, I dont consider myself as a great golfer. Im still more of the lower-than-average PGA Tour players.
Not anymore. In a matter of four hours Sunday, Yangs life - and that of aspiring golfers around the world - changed forever.
Not only did the 37-year-old South Korean become the first Asian player to win one of golfs majors - the PGA Championship - he beat none other than the sports No. 1 player to do it. Phil Mickelson, David Duval, Ernie Els, Sergio Garcia - they all tried and failed.
Not Yang, who was poised, unflappable and determined throughout.
Not bad for someone who took up golf at 19 simply as a way to pay bills and ended up finding the job of his dreams.
Honestly, Im not prepared, I think, he said. Its going to be a bit tough, sure, I know that. Its going to be fun, too. But honestly, Ive never been in this spot, so I really cant assess it. This is my first time. Im just going to try to go and improvise.
Pretty good plan, considering thats what got him here.
Yang - his full name is Yang Yong-eun - grew up on an island called Jeju, about an hour by plane south of Seoul. His father is a farmer and his older brother is in the agricultural business, too. Yang wanted to be a bodybuilder, and dreamed of someday owning his own gym.
But when he was about 17 or 18, he blew out his knee. He was, he said, like anybody else in the world, an average Joe.
Then a friend suggested he go work at the local driving range. It paid minimum wage, but Yang could eat and sleep there.
The driving range was no longer than the tent we are in right now, probably about 60 yards, tops, he said, while speaking in the interview room. The first grip I ever had was a baseball grip, and I was just whacking it into the net. It just felt fun.
The more he played, the more he fell in love with the game.
August 17, 2009
Canadian Lisa Meldrum won the iMPACT Classic on Sunday for her first Duramed Futures Tour title, shooting a 5-under 67 for a one-stroke victory over Gerina Mendoza, Song Yi Choi and Pernilla Lindberg.
The 27-year-old Meldrum, the former University of Oklahoma player from Montreal, had an 8-under 208 total in the Richmond Country Club course.
It feels unbelievable, Meldrum said. I expected to be in a playoff and I was preparing for that. My heart was pounding a little fast on the last hole, so when I finished, I just went up to the practice green and waited.
She earned $14,000 to jump from 45th to 15th on the money list with $24,614, with the top 10 at the end of the season earning 2010 LPGA Tour cards.
I knew that I had it in me and I kept telling myself that I just had to be patient and stay determined, said Meldrum, a three-time Canadian amateur champion. I knew it was going to be my turn at some point.
Mendoza finished with a 68, Choi shot a 69, and Lindberg had a 73.
August 16, 2009
Just when Ernie Els appeared to be making a move to challenge Tiger Woods at the US PGA Championship on Saturday, the South African hit the brick wall at Hazeltine National known as No 16.
Sitting at 6 under and two strokes behind Woods when he walked to the tee box on the courses signature hole, Els pushed his tee shot well left, a mistake that led to the first of three straight bogeys to finish the day.
Els shot 2-under 70 and to finish the day at 213, five shots behind Woods, a disappointing end to a round that began with so much promise.
All kind of fell apart on me at the end there, Els said. But Ive got to take a lot out of it today.
Els started the day at 1 under. After a bogey on No. 5, he birdied four of the next six holes to get the Hazeltine crowd roaring on his behalf as he dropped to 5 under.
The crowd was unbelievable, Els said. Felt like a home game to me.
They were standing up in the stands when I was coming up to some of the greens. So really a wonderful reception we got today from the crowd. And I could really feel they were pulling for me. So thats why its even more disappointing finishing it off today.
A beautiful drive on No. 15 set up a 6-foot birdie putt that moved him to 6 under, but he bogeyed 16 and then missed a putt from inside of 2 feet on 17. The spiral continued on 18 as the rain began to fall, and now it will take a big rally on Sunday to catch Woods, who has never lost a major when leading after 54 holes.
Els is looking for his first U.S. PGA Tour victory since the 2008 Honda Classic.
A lot of good things happened, the finish just wasnt great, Els said. But Im not totally out of it. Probably need something like that tomorrow and obviously got to finish it off tomorrow.
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GLOVERS UP AND DOWN: U.S. Open champion Lucas Glover has more birdies than Tiger Woods through the first three rounds of the U.S. PGA Championship.
But the mistakes he has been making at Hazeltine have cost him dearly heading into Sundays final round. Glover shot 1 under 71 on Saturday and is 4 under for the tournament, four strokes back of Woods, who has 12 birdies to Glovers 13 this week.
Yeah, it wasnt all there today, but not too unhappy with 1-under, Glover said. I feel like I left a few out there with my putter, but you know, played all right and still right there. So you know, something crazy tomorrow, you never know.
The difference so far has been Glovers seven bogeys. He had two on the back nine on Saturday - Nos. 10 and 13 - to stunt his progress.
Ive been driving it good. Ive been doing that all year, to be honest with you, Glover said. Thats why Ive been playing well on some difficult golf courses. Ive been driving it good and making a lot of my short putts. When you do that on a hard course, youre going to do all right.
And there are far worse places to be on the final day of a major than four strokes back.
We all know how Tiger is in the last round, so its going to take something crazy, but you know, I made a bunch of birdies this week, he said. I just need to putt a bunch together in one round.
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BACK TO EARTH: Grant Sturgeons short game finally caught up with him.
The club pro, who was even par through the first two days of the U.S. PGA Championship, blew up with an 8-over 80 on Saturday. He plummeted from a tie for 13th after 36 holes to a tie for 70th.
I just struggled, he said. The short game, its just pretty bad. And you hit a few bad shots and it just turned into an 80.
Sturgeon is among 20 club pros who earned a spot into the final major of the year through the PGA Professional National Championship. There used to be 40 teachers among the touring pros, a number that keeps dwindling amid criticism in some corners that the teaching pros are watering down the strongest field of the year.
No club pro has finished in the top 20 in nearly two decades.
But Sturgeon reminded everyone that club pros are more than ceremonial players. His 36-hole score was better than major champions Phil Mickelson, Angel Cabrera, Stewart Cink, Zach Johnson, Fred Couples … you get the picture.
I was actually probably more calm today than I was the first two days, Sturgeon said. I dont think that factored into me playing poorly. I just really struggled with my short game and put too much pressure on my long game and then I started to struggle a little bit.
Sturgeon bogeyed three of his first five holes and made two more on the back nine. He finished the day in particularly ugly fashion, making a triple-bogey on the par-4 18th.
It was still awesome out there, I had an absolute blast, he said. Ill go out there tomorrow and try to get back to what happened on Thursday and Friday.
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DIVOTS: Tom Lehman, the only Minnesota native in the field, shot 76 and was tied for 55th at 6 over. … South African Richard Sterne withdrew on the 15th hole because of an injury to his left hand. He was 5-over par when he withdrew. … There were only two eagles for the round, one by Vijay Singh at the par-5 seventh hole and the other on the par-4 14th by Rich Beem, who won the U.S. PGA Championship here in 2002.
August 16, 2009
Tiger Woods was one round away from winning another major but he squandered a four-shot lead and drew more company than he wanted at the US PGA Championship on Saturday.
Woods played so-so on another windy afternoon at Hazeltine National until his lead was gone. Only at the end of the day did he find some solace. One birdie on the back nine was enough for a 1-under 71. It gave him a two-shot lead over three-time major champion Padraig Harrington and Y.E. Yang.
Woods has never lost a major when leading going into the final round.
Only once in his career has he lost any tournament when leading by two shots or more.
I played conservatively today, Woods said. I didnt give myself a lot of looks. I was lag putting a lot. The only putt I really missed was on the three-putt. Other than that, it was a good, solid day.
Given the conditions and my position in the tournament, I didnt mind it.
He was at 8-under 208, finishing just as the rain arrived.
Harrington surged into a share of the lead with four birdies over an eight-hole span in the middle of the round, catching Woods with a 7-foot birdie putt on the short par-4 14th. Right when it appeared they would be paired in the final round for the second straight week, Harrington made his only bogey of the round by going over the 18th green and failing to save par.
He wound up with a 69, and much greater hopes of defending his U.S. PGA title than he had starting the day.
The narrower the gap, the better, Harrington said. If I have to take four shots and Ive taken two the first day, I suppose were halfway there. Obviously, to get a win, youve got to beat him by three tomorrow. Thats a tall order. But as I said, everybody in the situation who is behind is going to think, Well, we have nothing to lose. Youve got to have that attitude.
Woods will play in the final group with Yang, who matched the best round of the tournament with a 67. Yang won his first U.S. PGA Tour event this year at the Honda Classic, although the 37-year-old from South Korea was better known for taking down Woods at the HSBC Champions in China three years ago.
They werent playing in the same group in 2006, however. And this will be Yangs first time contending in a major.
It will be my first time playing with him, so Ill try not to go over par, he said with a smile. But Ive been looking forward to it. Ive thought about playing with Tiger recently. Surprised it came true so fast.
Woods four-shot lead was his largest in a major after 36 holes since he led by four at St. Andrews in 2005. Just like that British Open, his margin was cut to two shots going into the final round.
Suddenly, there are other challengers to try to stop Woods from winning his 15th career major, and first of the year.
Henrik Stenson, who captured The Players Championship in May, had a 68 and was in the group at 4-under 212 along with U.S. Open champion Lucas Glover (71).
Ernie Els pulled within one shot of the lead until he finished with three straight bogeys, leaving him with a 70 and five shots behind. He was disgusted with the end of his round, although the Big Easy spoke for so many others about the outlook on Sunday.
You could really feel that theres a real championship going on around you, Els said. Its not a runaway deal. Looked like a runaway thing at the end of yesterday. But it looks like the guys are really set to give Tiger a go, and the crowd could sense that.
Woods, however, has a major advantage.
He has never lost in America when leading by more than one shot, and the only time anyone beat him from that position was Ed Fiori at the 1996 Quad City Classic, when Woods was a 20-year-old playing his third event as a pro.
Lee Westwood came from two shots behind to beat Woods in the Deutsche Bank-SAP Open in Germany in 2000.
Woods appeared to be on his way when he stuffed a short iron into 4 feet for birdie on the second hole. Then came a three-putt bogey on the par-3 fourth, and he aimed away from trouble, not willing to give away shots.
I thought it was going to be playing a little bit more difficult today, but it wasnt, Woods said. I just felt that with my lead, I erred on the side of caution most of the time. If I did have a good look at it, I took aim right at it. Otherwise, I was just dumping the ball on the green and two-putting.
The lead shrank quickly.
Glover pulled within two shots until he was slowed by a poor bunker shot on No. 10.
Harrington made his second straight birdie with a 20-foot putt on the par-3 eighth, rolled in a 6-foot birdie on the 11th and made a few solid par saves along the way to stay close to Woods. He caught him at the 14th, then tried to get to the clubhouse without any damage. He almost made it, but caught a flyer out of the rough and over the 18th green.
Woods wasted opportunities, and appeared to really blow a good chance when he drove just through the par-4 14th. His chip came out hot and through the green, against the collar. Unable to hit a proper chip or a putt, he used the blade of his sand wedge to roll the ball some 15 feet to the cup. It came out perfectly, and Woods showed fierce emotion when it fell for birdie.
Over his last hour, however, he couldnt wait to get off the course. Still, he wound up with the lead, and Woods wasnt about to trade that position with anyone.
August 15, 2009
Brendan Jones has found the balance he needs.
Not necessarily with his swing, though his 70 in the second round of the U.S. PGA Championship on Friday left him in a five-way tie for second, but in his personal life.
Simply put: He has better perspective, amid the anonymity of playing on the Japan Tour and the opportunity to spend more time with his wife and 2-year-old son and even do some gardening in his Australian homeland.
After joining the U.S. PGA Tour in 2005, Jones quickly wore out under the grind, the scrutiny and the pressure. He entered 28 tournaments that year and finished in the top 10 only once, a tie for second place at the now-defunct B.C. Open in upstate New York.
When I came over here, for some reason I just found it a very stressful place, Jones said. Youre playing for ridiculous money each week, and everyones looking at the 125 and the top 40s and top 60s and whatever.
So Jones went back to Japan, where he happily commutes from Down Under for a dozen or so tournaments annually. This is his third U.S. PGA Championship, and the first time hes made the cut. The only other event in the U.S. he participated in this season was the Accenture Match Play Championship in February, when he lost to none other than Tiger Woods in the commencement of Woods comeback.
Even if hes able to overtake Woods and win at Hazeltine National Golf Club this weekend, Jones - the 64th-ranked player in the world - insisted hed still opt for playing in Japan.
Im very, very happy and by playing well there I get into these bigger events, he said. My lifes pretty good now.
It helps to be out of the spotlight.
Ive played great there the last few years, and Im just very, very relaxed, Jones said. I speak a little Japanese, not much, and the cameras arent on you all the time. You just go about your day-to-day life, and just go out and play golf.
The 34-year-old has learned not to obsess about his performance.
When Im not playing I just get away from golf totally, Jones said. And I think if I was to come back here Id have to work on my game a lot more, and it hasnt worked for me in the past. Im very, very happy with how I live my life, and where I am in the golfing world.
This relaxed attitude clearly helped him in the heat and the wind on Friday. Those conditions are nothing new to him, having grown up near the coast in New South Wales. He turned in an eagle on the 14th hole.
I felt really comfortable out there. I wasnt thinking it was a major championship, Jones said. I just went out and played, and my whole game was pretty solid.
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FISHERS FADE: With a fifth-place finish at the U.S. Open already on his 2009 record, Ross Fisher isnt a stranger to the top of the scoreboard. He was tied with Tiger Woods briefly in the afternoon before faltering and bogeying his last two holes.
Fisher finished in the five-way tie for second place, at 3 under. He didnt hesitate to acknowledge watching the standings as he walked the course on Friday afternoon.
It kind of inspires you. … I can get a real kick out of it, seeing my name up there, said Fisher, who tied for 13th place in his homeland at the British Open. I want to see it gradually creep up towards the top. I managed to do that, but unfortunately two slip-ups kind of cost me.
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SINGHS STORY: Vijay Singh has switched to a short putter this week, yet another change to his greens game about which he joked he could write a book. Hes usually not confident enough to bring it on the course, preferring to work with it at home, but he decided to do so this week at Hazeltine.
As for the long putter?
Its in the locker. Its not too far away, said Singh, who followed a 3-under 69 in the first round with an even-par 72 in the second round to remain in strong position for the weekend.
After a couple of successful putts on Thursday, he expressed confidence in that phase of his game. He reiterated that faith in his putting on Friday.
Im not thinking about it at all, Singh said. Im stroking well.
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GLOVER GAINS GROUND: U.S. Open champion Lucas Glover picked up a stroke on his tournament scorecard with a 2-under 70 on Friday to move into a five-way tie for second. Playing in the traditional champions trio with the seasons previous major winners, Masters champ Angel Cabrera and British Open victor Stewart Cink, Glover put himself in position to charge forward during the weekend as he did at Bethpage in June.
Just trying to get into contention for the last round, he said.
The 29-year-old American clearly has some momentum on his side - not to mention the power of positive thinking.
Pretty high pressure that week, and I performed, Glover said. That was very comforting. Just give you a little bit of a confidence boost, you know, that I performed under the gun.
Glover has had some help with his mindset, actually.
Hes been working for years with a sports psychologist, Dr. Morris Pickens, who has helped him find a more relaxed state on the course - particularly in these majors when the spotlight brightens.
Hes always said, You know, its really not that big a deal, Glover said. It took a little while for that to get through my thick skull. Its just something he and I have worked on, and maybe finally took hold.
Cabrera and Cink each came in at 2 over for 36 holes.
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DIVOTS: Five former U.S. PGA Championship winners missed the cut: Paul Azinger, Mark Brooks, Steve Elkington, Davis Love III and Shaun Micheel.
August 15, 2009
Scores Friday from the US PGA Championship, a $7,5 million major at 7,674-yard, par-72 Hazeltine National Golf Club.
Second Round
Tiger Woods 67-70-137
Vijay Singh 69-72-141
Brendan Jones 71-70-141
Lucas Glover 71-70-141
Ross Fisher 73-68-141
Padraig Harrington 68-73-141
Ian Poulter 72-70-142
Lee Westwood 70-72-142
Soren Kjeldsen 70-73-143
Ernie Els 75-68-143
Y.E. Yang 73-70-143
Martin Kaymer 73-70-143
John Merrick 72-72-144
Grant Sturgeon 73-71-144
Geoff Ogilvy 71-73-144
Tim Clark 76-68-144
David Toms 69-75-144
Corey Pavin 73-71-144
John Mallinger 73-71-144
Rory McIlroy 71-73-144
Henrik Stenson 73-71-144
Kenny Perry 74-70-144
Robert Allenby 69-75-144
Rory Sabbatini 74-70-144
Hunter Mahan 69-75-144
Michael Allen 74-71-145
Kevin Sutherland 73-72-145
Stephen Ames 74-71-145
Ben Curtis 73-72-145
K.J. Choi 73-72-145
Ben Crane 70-75-145
J.J. Henry 72-73-145
Hiroyuki Fujita 71-74-145
Graeme McDowell 70-75-145
Dustin Johnson 72-73-145
Richard Sterne 73-72-145
Alvaro Quiros 69-76-145
John Rollins 73-73-146
Woody Austin 73-73-146
Oliver Wilson 74-72-146
Angel Cabrera 76-70-146
Stewart Cink 73-73-146
Charl Schwartzel 76-70-146
Jeff Overton 72-74-146
Thongchai Jaidee 70-76-146
Tom Lehman 72-74-146
Camilo Villegas 73-73-146
Greg Bisconti 75-72-147
Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano 70-77-147
Francesco Molinari 74-73-147
Anthony Kim 73-74-147
Jeev Milkha Singh 74-73-147
Thomas Levet 72-75-147
Steve Flesch 74-73-147
Scott McCarron 75-72-147
Nathan Green 72-75-147
Chris Wood 74-73-147
Chad Campbell 74-73-147
Rich Beem 71-76-147
Zach Johnson 74-73-147
Sean OHair 74-73-147
Bob Tway 72-76-148
Ryo Ishikawa 74-74-148
Miguel Angel Jimenez 75-73-148
Kevin Na 73-75-148
Alastair Forsyth 73-75-148
Phil Mickelson 74-74-148
Bob Estes 74-74-148
Justin Leonard 73-75-148
Retief Goosen 77-71-148
Luke Donald 71-77-148
Richard Green 75-73-148
Charlie Wi 72-76-148
Paul Goydos 70-78-148
Jim Furyk 73-75-148
Fred Couples 74-74-148
David Smail 75-73-148
Boo Weekley 74-74-148
Soren Hansen 72-76-148
Michael Sim 73-75-148
Failed To Qualify
Bubba Watson 74-75-149
Ryan Palmer 75-74-149
Davis Love III 76-73-149
Marc Turnesa 73-76-149
Scott Hebert 72-77-149
Carl Pettersson 72-77-149
Stuart Appleby 74-75-149
Sergio Garcia 71-78-149
Justin Rose 73-76-149
Mathew Goggin 69-80-149
Mark Brooks 74-75-149
Aaron Baddeley 76-73-149
Brandt Snedeker 75-74-149
Anders Hansen 71-78-149
Ken Duke 73-77-150
Brian Davis 76-74-150
Charles Howell III 77-73-150
Andres Romero 75-75-150
John Senden 73-77-150
Steve Elkington 75-75-150
Mark Wilson 77-73-150
Charley Hoffman 76-74-150
Briny Baird 76-74-150
Nick Watney 75-75-150
Bo Van Pelt 71-79-150
Peter Hanson 74-76-150
Michael Bradley 70-80-150
Louis Oosthuizen 72-78-150
Matt Kuchar 77-73-150
Tim Weinhart 76-75-151
Ryuji Imada 76-75-151
Steve Marino 76-75-151
Steve Stricker 74-77-151
Steve Webster 76-75-151
D.J. Trahan 72-79-151
Scott Verplank 77-74-151
Craig Thomas 75-76-151
Keith Dicciani 72-80-152
Rod Pampling 74-78-152
Brett Quigley 78-74-152
Colin Montgomerie 75-78-153
Jason Dufner 79-74-153
Shingo Katayama 75-78-153
Pat Perez 74-79-153
Michael Miles 72-81-153
Mark Sheftic 76-78-154
Darren Clarke 78-76-154
Paul Azinger 74-80-154
Anthony Wall 78-76-154
Shaun Micheel 76-78-154
Will MacKenzie 84-71-155
Jerry Kelly 77-78-155
Nick Dougherty 80-75-155
Mike Weir 74-81-155
Chris Starkjohann 77-79-156
Cameron Beckman 78-78-156
Todd Lancaster 75-81-156
Prayad Marksaeng 76-81-157
Mike Small 78-79-157
Steve Schneiter 82-76-158
Sam Arnold 81-77-158
Kevin Streelman 76-82-158
Lee Rinker 78-81-159
Michael Campbell 80-79-159
Brian Gay 78-81-159
Brian Gaffney 79-80-159
Johan Edfors 77-83-160
Tim Petrovic 76-84-160
Adam Scott 82-79-161
Eric Lippert 78-84-162
Ryan Benzel 81-83-164
Mitch Lowe 84-80-164
Robert Gaus 81-87-168
Kevin Roman 87-81-168
J.B. Holmes 76-WD
John Daly WD
