Archive for February, 2010
February 22, 2010
The days when Ian Poulter could be described as all mouth and trousers have gone. No more can there be any references to him as being little more than a proud peacock.
High in the Sonoran desert, where saguaro bushes stand as tall as telegraph poles and cactus plants lie just off the fairways, Poulter played the golf of his life, demonstrating a wonderful short game and superb putting to capture one of the biggest prizes in golf and more than 1 million to go with it.
Poulter won his first World Golf Championship event and his first tournament in the United States by defeating Paul Casey 4 and 2 in the final of the Accenture Match Play Championship. It was the first time that Poulter, who began the tournament ranked No 11 in the world, had reached the final. For Casey, it was the second year in a row in which he had lost the final.
Poulter was playing off four handicap when he turned professional and had started work at the quaintly named Jack oLegs club, near Hitchin, Hertfordshire, in 1994. Would anyone have believed then that the Englishman would make such a name for himself in the game that 16 years later he would rise to world No 5 and that he would be the winner on a red-letter day for English golf, the first time two men from that country contested the final of this event?
Casey had no complaints. He could not, because he was well beaten. Having injured rib muscles last July, he has still not fully recovered. In fact, he was grateful to be playing golf at this level, even if it was golf that he himself described as scrambling.
Poulter played great today, Casey said. He did a fantastic job of keeping the ball in play and in keeping the pressure on me. I think he kept the ball in play on every single hole today, which takes some doing on this course believe me. And he holed a lot of clutch putts.
Poulter, who wore a white visor, pink sweater and trousers and shoes that were both pink and white, has improved his short game in recent years until it has become something special. There was no modesty when he said how good it had been and no need for him to be modest. It was as good as it has ever been and up there with anyones, Poulter said. That and my putting helped me keep the pressure on my opponents all week.
Watching Casey and Poulter walking down a fairway yesterday morning talking animatedly to one another was a reminder that both live over here, they like each others company and were Europe team-mates in the Ryder Cup in 2004 and 2008. When Poulter played a wonderful shot on the short 3rd in the morning round, hitting his ball to within inches of the flagstick from a bunker that was so deep he could hardly see out of it, Casey threw it back to him and Poulter, grinning, said: What do you want me to play it again?
The nub of the match came midway through the afternoon round. Poulter was two up playing the 13th and had hit a poor second, right of the putting surface. Caseys drive was so powerful that he needed no more than a seven-iron and yet, from the middle of the fairway, he inexplicably pushed the shot wide of the green and took three more to get down.
There were two men paying close attention to the final who were almost as happy as Casey and Poulter and they were both British, too. Andy McFee, the European Tour senior referee, was in charge of the morning 18 holes of this all-England clash. McFee is a tall, burly no-nonsence northerner and to have been at the centre of this epic scrap must have given him a frisson of delight.
The other person who must have been purring with pleasure at the sight of a final between two men who will surely be in his Ryder Cup team at Celtic Manor in October was Colin Montgomerie, the Europe captain.
To think that he will have two such redoubtable exponents of matchplay at his disposal come October must have cheered him no end.
New world order
There are now three Englishmen in the top six of the world rankings 1, T Woods (US); 2, S Stricker (US); 3, P Mickelson (US); 4, L Westwood (GB); 5, I Poulter (GB); 6, P Casey (GB); 7, J Furyk (US); 8, M Kaymer (Ger); 9, R McIlroy (GB); 10, P Harrington (Ire).
February 20, 2010
A downcast and sometimes angry Tiger Woods broke his three-month silence yesterday with a rambling apology to friends, fans and his absent wife.
Sighing heavily and sniffing back tears, the worlds leading golfer and first billion-dollar sportsman read a repetitive 14-minute statement to a small, invited audience during a week-long break from his sex addiction therapy.
I felt that I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptations around me. I felt I was entitled. Thanks to money and fame, I didnt have to go far to find them, he confessed. I was wrong. I was foolish. I dont get to play by different rules.
Woodss beloved mother Kultida sat in the front row at the PGA headquarters on the TPC Sawgrass course on the Florida coast, and he choked back tears as he hugged her afterwards.
His estranged wife, the Swedish supermodel Elin Nordegren, the mother of his two children, was nowhere to be seen. I understand the press wants to ask me for the details and the times I was unfaithful. I understand people want to know if Elin and I will remain together . . . These are issues between a husband and a wife, he said.
Elin and I have started the process of discussing the damage caused by my behaviour, he added. As Elin pointed out to me, my real apology to her will not come in the form of words; it will come from my behaviour over time. We have a lot to discuss.
Woods, wearing a black jacket and open-necked blue shirt, was once a clean-cut role model for his sporting prowess. But his approval rating has plunged from a record 88 per cent to only 40 per cent, according to an ABC News poll.
The golf star looked glum and showed flashes of anger as he apologised over and over again for his embarrassingly public sexual escapades with more than a dozen other women.
Apart from three statements posted on his website, yesterday was the first time that he had addressed the scandal in person since he crashed his car into a hydrant outside his house on Thanksgiving night in the early hours of November 27.
At times his remarks seemed aimed at mollifying Ms Nordegren, who has stopped wearing her wedding ring and is said to be negotiating a costly divorce.
Elin has shown enormous grace and poise throughout this ordeal. Elin deserves praise not blame, he said. The issue involved here was my repeated irresponsible behaviour. I was unfaithful. I had affairs. I cheated.
He defended Ms Nordegrens actions on the night of the accident, denying that she was attacking him when she smashed the windows of the car in what she says was an effort to rescue him.
Woods, who was also not wearing his wedding ring, confirmed for the first time that he had been an inpatient at a sex therapy clinic for 45 days. He said he planned to return to the clinic today.
The golfing superstar allowed only three news agency reporters and one pool television camera to cover the event in the Mediterranean Revival clubhouse. The Golf Writers Association of America was offered space for three reporters but voted not to accept a stinging rebuke to Woods, who has won more majors than anyone but Jack Nicklaus. The rest of the media were confined to a conference centre a mile away, where dozens of television correspondents reported from the car park bristling with satellite trucks.
Two strippers who aspired to join Woodss list of girlfriends turned up at the media camp with a sign proclaiming: I want to be No 16.
The golfers statement commanded media attention worthy of a leading world event. Networks broke into their programming; the Golf Channel began its coverage 30 minutes early with the equivalent of a pre-game show; the PGA streamed the event live on its website.
Woods arrived at TPC Sawgrass by helicopter. Usually, when he plays at the course he stays in nearby St Augustine on his aptly named yacht Privacy.
Golf fans voiced some distaste at Woodss carefully stage-managed return to the spotlight. Its the American way, said Peter Cotton, a British doctor from Kingstone, Herefordshire, who now lives in America and played golf at the Sawgrass course as Woods spoke. In Britain, you resign or kill yourself. Over here, you have counselling and then you get on your knees. I wonder if hes going to get religion now? In fact, Woods did announce that he was re-embracing the Buddhist religion of his youth.
Marion Weir, one of his American golf partners, predicted that it would take a long time for Woods to claw his way back into the publics affection. I think he has fell sic from grace in terms of being a role model. He has a long road to rebuild his image, he said.
February 15, 2010
Fred Couples gave the attention-starved Champions Tour a big boost.
The 50-year-old star won the ACE Group Classic on Sunday for his first victory on the 50-and-over tour, holding off Tommy Armour III by a stroke.
Couples closed with an 8-under 64 to finish at 17-under 199 at The Quarry, while Armour — making his Champions Tour debut — matched the tour record for lowest score in relation to par with an 11-under 61.
Couples made a 5-foot birdie putt on No. 17 and a tap-in par on 18 to wrap his first official victory since the PGA Tours 2003 Houston Open.
Thats a long time, Couples said. I am very excited that I won and Ill keep trying to win out here and I have a couple chances on the PGA Tour to make the cut. Thats really not the idea of fun.
Couples and Armour, friends since college, had some fun earlier in the week, exchanging text messages.
And then three days later I wasnt all that thrilled about the text when he was 11-under par after 53 holes, Couples said.
Armour started his charge with an eagle on the par-5 seventh, and birdied Nos. 8, 9, 12, 14, 15, 16 and 17.
I wish he wouldve shot two shots higher, Armour joked about Couples.
Armour tied Couples with the birdie on No. 17.
I hit an iron on the 15th green and I looked at the leaderboard and I was tied and seriously was shocked, Couples said.
After the second round was halted due to darkness Saturday night, Couples came back to play five holes Sunday morning to complete a 67 and take a two-stroke lead over Dan Forsman. Couples birdied four of the first five holes in the final round to push his advantage to five strokes — six over Armour.
I thought that would easily be enough, Couples said.
Armours 11-under round tied Walter Hall (2002 ATT Canada Senior Open) and Tom Purtzer (2004 Toshiba Senior Classic) for the lowest in tour history.
Birdied half of them and then one more, said Armour, who made the decision to move to the Champions Tour this year after undergoing back surgery last June.
Armour said he never looked at the leaderboard, but had a number in mind.
I figured 15 under was as high as he was going to shoot, so I figured I had to get below 15, and I did, but hes a pretty awesome player.
Couples was in contention in his Champions Tour debut last month in Hawaii, but Tom Watson birdied the last two holes to beat him by a stroke.
I got to watch that, said Couples, who was in the same group as Watson. That was easier, I think even easier to take.
Couples earned $240,000.
Scott Hoch, the 2008 champion, shot a 69 to finish third at 9 under. Bernhard Langer and Mike Goodes tied for fourth at 8 under. They also shot 69s.
February 15, 2010
Dustin Johnson stood on the 18th tee as powerful waves crashed along the sea wall along the left side of the famous 18th hole at Pebble Beach. Then he turned to face what he considers the toughest drive on the golf course.
Its such a gorgeous hole, Johnson said. If you miss it a little left, its not so pretty.
What followed was a tee shot as majestic as the scenery around him.
Johnsons drive was long and pure, setting up a simple birdie from the greenside bunker Sunday. It gave him a one-shot victory over David Duval and J.B. Holmes, making him the first player in 20 years to win back-to-back in the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.
Johnson closed with a 2-over 74, the highest final round by a Pebble Beach champion since Johnny Miller (74) in 1994. The 25-year-old Johnson is the first player since Tiger Woods to go straight from college and win in each of his first three years on the PGA Tour.
Johnson hit a 3-iron into the front right bunker, the best place to miss, and blasted out to 3 feet. He lightly pumped his fist when he made the putt, a mixture of celebration and relief from a long day in which four players had a share of the lead at some point.
All you can ask for is a chance to win on the last hole, Johnson said.
Paul Goydos didnt get that opportunity. Leading by one shot with five holes to play, Goydos hit a chip that ran off the other side of the treacherous 14th green, another chip that came back down the slope toward his feet and three-putted for a quadruple-bogey 9.
He wound up with a 78 and tied for fifth.
Two other players — Bryce Molder and Alex Prugh — also made a 9 on the par-5 14th hole, the kind of carnage typically seen at the U.S. Open, which will be at Pebble in four months.
It wasnt like I didnt try on all nine shots, Goydos said. The ninth one I really wasnt all that excited about. Just everything I did on that hole didnt work out.
Johnsons two victories were nothing alike.
He essentially won last year when he walked off Spyglass Hill on a Saturday with a four-shot lead. Johnson was declared the winner two days later when the tournament was shortened to 54 holes because of rain.
He had to work a lot longer — and harder — this time around.
Duval put together his best four rounds in years, closing with a 3-under 69 that he didnt think would be enough until Johnson went over the green and made a pair of bogeys on the back nine.
Johnsons power, and the shot he struck on the 18th, made all the difference.
Duval doesnt have the length to get home in two at Pebbles closing hole, not into the ocean breeze on soft fairways, so he played smartly to the right. His wedge came up just enough short to catch the slope and roll 30 feet away.
I feel like I did most of the things I wanted to do today, Duval said.
Holmes has the length, but he didnt have the direction on the 18th. Playing in the group ahead of Johnson, he hit into the right rough and had to lay up, then missed a birdie putt just outside 12 feet.
Would have liked it to end a little better for me, but I had a good week, Holmes said after a 71. Had my chances.
Johnson made the most of his.
The tee shot he hit on 18 was all world, Goydos said. I mean, thats never straight and narrow where hes hitting the ball, consider he has to make 4 to win the golf tournament. Pretty impressive.
Johnson became the first player since Davis Love III in 2003 to win Pebble Beach with a birdie on the 72nd hole from the final group. He finished at 16-under 270 and moved to No. 2 in the Ryder Cup standings.
His future looks as bright as the sunshine that graced the Monterey Peninsula for so much of the week. Not since Mark OMeara in 1990 has someone won back-to-back at Pebble Beach, and this can only help Johnson with the U.S. Open coming to Pebble this summer. The other back-to-back winners are all in the Hall of Fame — Sam Snead, Cary Middlecoff, Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson.
Thats not a bad list, Johnson said. Anytime youre on a list with those guys, youre doing all right.
Johnson joins Sean OHair as the only Americans in the their 20s with three PGA Tour victories.
Duval earned $545,600 and might be able to take some confidence to Mexico for the Mayakoba Classic. After he tied for second in the U.S. Open last summer, Duval took the next two weeks off and missed seven cuts over his last eight tournaments to lose his card.
The U.S. Open returns to Pebble Beach for the fifth time in June, although it will be far differently with firm greens and fast fairways. Even so, it doesnt hurt Johnson to have won twice here, even if he had only two sub-par holes in the final round.
The other was his eagle on the par-5 sixth, when he pounded a tee shot and had only a 6-iron to the green, sticking it to 4 feet.
And while he treats his two victories equally, nothing tops walking off the 18th green in sunshine before thousands of fans, instead of last year when he got a phone call at breakfast on a rainy Monday morning with news he had won.
Walking down that 18th hole with all the fans out there was just unbelievable, especially with the clear day, Johnson said. Its one of the most beautiful holes in golf.
February 14, 2010
This year’s 2009 FedEx Cup betting odds are favoring a former winner of the PGA’s playoffs, and the prohibitive favorite whenever he tees it up.
February 14, 2010
The Buick Open odds don’t quite qualify for the PGA’s Silly Season – that doesn’t start until after the PGA Championship – but this week’s host course, Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club, ranks as one of the easiest on Tour.
February 14, 2010
The Canadian Open odds will likely fall under the radar among golf betting fans this week. After all, the British Open was just last week and many of the Tour’s top players are resting and getting over their jet lag this week.
February 14, 2010
The British Open odds represent the crown jewel of golf betting for golfers and bettors around the world, as the tournament, officially named the Open Championship, is the sport’s most storied event.
February 14, 2010
The John Deere odds may not feature a star-studded field, as most of the PGA Tour’s top golfers have already traversed the Atlantic to prepare for next week’s British Open. However, several of the Tour’s hottest players are not “big names” and they’re playing the John Deere golf lines this week.
February 14, 2010
ATamp;T odds are posted for the tournament hosted by Tiger Woods, and it’s the third PGA Tour event sponsored by the communications giant ATamp;T.
