Archive for August, 2010
August 27, 2010
CBSSports.com wire Richard Finch of England shot a 6-under 66 on Thursday to lead the Johnnie Walker Championship after the opening round.
Finch is looking to end a two-year drought since winning twice in 2008, at the New Zealand Open and Irish Open.
European Tour Related links Leaderboard
Five players are a shot back. The English quartet of Robert Rock, Richard Bland, Gary Boyd and David Lynne, and Scotlands Stephen Gallacher.
Englands Simon Dyson is at 4 under and has a chance of breaking into the leading nine on the Ryder Cup points standings.
Dyson arrived in Scotland in 13th place in the standings and four places short of automatically qualifying. However, he needs to win to have any chance of clinching a spot on the European team.
August 26, 2010
Augusta Chronicle
Forget the discussion about Corey Pavin and Tiger Woods. If you were selecting the European team on Sunday night, would you take Padraig Harrington as a captains pick?
ELLING: Its darned-near impossible to envision a Ryder team without Monty, Paddy and Sergio on the active roster, isnt it? Monty running the show, Sergio went home to lick his wounds after a washed-out year and Harrington is about the fifth-best Irish player in the world at the moment. Harrington sealed his superstar status with a win at the PGA Championship 53 weeks ago for this third major in two years … and he hasnt won since. Harrington points out that he has a slew of top-10 performances in that time, which is fine if you are Jeff Overton or Matt Kuchar, and not one of the half-dozen most notable figures in the game. Only Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson have won more career majors among active tour players than Paddy, but at the moment, its hard to envision him being picked over equally worthy potential captains selections like Paul Casey, Luke Donald, Justin Rose or Edoardo Molinari, who have all won in the past two years. You could have won a bunch of beer nuts in January by offering odds that the victory total for Paddy, Tiger and Phil Mickelson would stand at one with four starts left before the Fall Series.
MICHAUX: The simple answer is no. Im as big a fan of Harrington as anyone, but this isnt much of a debate. Im trying to figure out what the big deal is. Its not like Harrington is some kind of vital cog to European success in this event. The last Ryder Cup match Harrington won was a 1-up victory against a 50-year-old Jay Haas in 2004. Yeah, thats right. The guy is 0-7-2 in the last two biennial installments, including a team-worst 0-4-1 in the friendly confines of The K Club in Ireland. His career winning percentage in five Ryder Cups (.400, 7-11-3) is actually worse than Tiger Woods (.440, 10-13-2), and everybody criticizes Woods for underachieving. So unless Harrington wins this week, he should sit this one out and work on his game. Montys toughest call will be leaving one of the following off his invite list: Rose, Donald or Molinari. If it were me, Id probably pass on Donald, who isnt the most inspiring player. With Molinari, you have the option of pairing him with his brother in a reprisal of their World Cup glory. Rose made a pretty formidable partnership with Ian Poulter last time.
No changes were made to the FedEx Cup format this year, which doesnt mean it cannot be improved. Seems like we do this every year, but each one of you gets to make one big FedEx fix. Have at it, fellas.
ELLING: Heres one I have not lamented before, but its worth noting. For some inexplicable reason, whenever those who qualify for the first-round FedEx event dont pl short FedEx fields get even shorter because player withdrawals are not replaced. Already, Corey Pavin, Sergio Garcia and Paul Goydos have skipped The Barclays for various reasons, which means the field stands at 122. No big deal? Well, last year, veteran Heath Slocum started the first-round FedEx event at No. 124 in points and beat Tiger, Ernie Els, Steve Stricker and Paddy in the most star-strewn Sunday leaderboard of the year. So clearly, players hovering around the last qualifying spot have the firepower to make upsets happen. Upsets make things interesting. The FedEx even NASCAR so lets not make them even smaller. At Nos. 126-28, Jeff Quinney, Chris Stroud and some guy named Mike Weir would have made the Barclays field if alternates were used to fill out the top 125. Instead, they are serving a forced, four-event break.
MICHAUX: We can talk about alternatives or the value of full fields until were blue in the face, but the PGA Tour isnt listening unless TV makes demands or FedEx questions whether it wants to re-up as the deep pockets behind this boondoggle. Its silly to claim that this is the crowning achievement for a full season of toil when a guy like Slocum can swoop in from nowhere in the last month and win the whole thing with a couple of timely victories. I like the idea of a season-long points race, but the whole playoff concept simply doesnt work in golf. The best thing about the series is that it brings together many of the top players for a cluster of events at a time of year when the fields used to be dead. It would be even better if three of the four major winners this year werent excluded. They should let any major winners automatically qualify for this thing and keep the fields full all the way until the Tour Championship. That would at least make each week more intriguing and keep everyone guessing until the end.
At the risk of sounding like we are picking on Tiger, when we arent, who is the No. 1 player in golf right now?
ELLING: We could have filled the entire Shotgun Start debate space with this query. Or perhaps, used no space at all. Right now, in the mens game, the world No. 1 spot sho pretty much vacated, abdicated, invalidated. Woods sits precariously atop the world rankings, as he has for the last five years, but hes nowhere near the best player in the game at the moment. So, who is? Its not No. 2 Phil Mickelson, who has blown nine straight chances to unseat Woods and hasnt gotten the job done, even with Woods moving backwards. World No. 3 Lee Westwood, who is the inarguable No. 1 in terms of consistency at big events and the reigning Euro Tour money leader, is home on the couch with a calf injury, hoping merely to return in time for the Ryder Cup. It would be a shame if Mickelson ascends to No. 1 mostly because Woods is losing points. Although in his eyes, having never been atop the world list, Lefty might take it however it comes. Somebody ought to take over the slot with a victory. At least in the LPGA, where a half-dozen players are slugging it out for the top spot, players like Japans New No. 1, Ai Miyazato, are winning and moving up. Yeah, I just made an LPGA reference. Sue me.
MICHAUX: Im inclined to believe that the world rankings are closer to correct than were giving them credit. If the criteria is which player stands the best chance to step up and contend to win a major event, your own calculations of the “Summative Slam” reve Phil edging Tiger only because Westwood withdrew from the contest. The two-year window of the ranking system isnt about what have you done lately. Despite its flaws, its still a fairly good measuring stick at the top end. Outside those top three, the guys I wouldnt want to have to beat right now are Rory McIlroy and Dustin Johnson. If Rory learns to putt, he will soon be the toughest force in golf. And if Johnson can iron out the wrinkles in his course management, hes the most powerful young American at the moment. How cool would it be to have a best-ball match at the Ryder Cup pitting McIlroy and Martin Kaymer against Johnson and Bubba Watson. It would be a version of the PGA playoff we lost out on when Dustin grounded his club and McIlroy missed his final birdie putt.
August 26, 2010
CBSSports.co For the first time all summer, Tiger Woods showed up at a PGA Tour event knowing that his day would not include phone calls from a lawyer or divorce documents to approve.
He is only married to his golf now.
Column Steve Elling
Just when it seemed the endless run of tabloid headlines had ended, Tiger Woods was dragged back into the mud pit Wednesday at The Barclays. More >> Nordegren: Ive been through hell
“This is my job,” Woods said Wednesday. “This is what I do.”
Even so, Woods slowly shook his head when asked if he felt relief that his divorce became official two days ago.
“I dont think thats the word,” he said. “I think its just more sadness. Because I dont think ever go into a marriage looking to get divorced. Thats the thing. Thats why it is sad.”
Woods still could not avoid talk about the end of his nearly six years of marriage to Elin Nordegren, brought on my numerous extramarital affairs that were exposed last Thanksgiving.
As he was teeing off in the rain during the pro-am, magazine released an interview with his ex-wife in which she spoke openly about how her world fell apart and that she has “been through hell.”
Before he completed the first hole, his agent and spokesman were outside the rope, each talking on a cell phone.
Then, after Woods hit his approach to the green, a tabloid columnist walked out into the fairway with notepad and pen to ask him questions. She had never been to a golf tournament and was not aware that reporters are to stay by the ropes.
It took five questions on his game before Woods was asked about his divorce and his ex-wifes interview, although Woods handled both questions with the same, measured tones, not revealing much.
“I wish her the best in everything,” he said. “You know, its a sad time in our lives. And were looking forward in our lives and how we can help our kids the best way we possibly can. And thats the most important thing.”
They have two children, 3-year-old daughter Sam and 18-month-old son Charlie. The divorce allowed for “shared parenting,” and Woods completed a four-hour program on family stability the day before he left for the British Open.
The process of getting a divorce consumed most of his summer, not only on the golf course, but during his weeks at home when he was practicing and preparing for the majors. Ten majors now have passed without Woods winning, matching the longest drought of his career.
Asked to describe how the details of divorce affected his practice, Woods said, “It was a lot more difficult than I was letting on.”
“My actions certainly led us to this decision,” he said. “And Ive certainly made a lot of errors in my life. Thats something Im going to have to live with.”
As for the job? Thats not going so well, either.
Despite a tie for fourth in the Masters in his return from a five-month hiatus, and a tie for fourth at the U.S. Open, Woods has played so poorly that he comes to The Barclays at No. 112 in the FedEx Cup standings, with no guarantee he will make it to the next playoff event.
For starters, he has to make the cut at Ridgewood Country Club, a course he saw for the first time Wednesday. Then, he likely has to finish somewhere around the middle of the pack to move into the top 100 and qualify for next weeks playoff event outside Boston at the Deutsche Bank Championship, which benefits his foundation.
Woods asked coach Sean Foley to look at his swing during the PGA Championship two weeks ago, and he met with Foley twice in Orlando, Fla., last week. On several holes during the pro-am, Woods tucked a golf glove under his right armpit during a full swing, a technique aimed to keep his arms connected.
Whether he hires Foley as his next coach has not been decided. Woods is not sure he wants to revamp his swing again, knowing how much time it will take and how much time he has lost already.
“Its an undertaking that I have to wrap my head around, because its going to take some time,” he said.
He drove the ball great at the AT&T National and British Open and couldnt make a putt. He hit the ball all over Wisconsin during the PGA Championship and kept in the game by making putts. And then there were weeks like Firestone, where he did nothing right and shot the worse score of his career, an 18-over 298.
For the ninth time this year, Woods can lose his No. 1 ranking to Phil Mickelson. His solution for staying at the top and getting a tee time next week on the TPC Boston is the same. “Winning takes care of everything,” he s work on some new things, working with Sean,” Woods said. “And Im trying to put that together and hopefully play well for the rest of the year. As of right now, I need to play well to make it to next week. So thats kind of the focus right now.”
Even now, though, the focus is not entirely on golf.
“As far as my game and practicing, thats been secondary,” he said. “Were trying to get our kids situation to our new living conditions and how thats going to be. Thats where our focus is going to be right now.”
August 25, 2010
Augusta Chronicle
Forget the discussion about Corey Pavin and Tiger Woods. If you were selecting the European team on Sunday night, would you take Padraig Harrington as a captains pick?
ELLING: Its darned-near impossible to envision a Ryder team without Monty, Paddy and Sergio on the active roster, isnt it? Monty running the show, Sergio went home to lick his wounds after a washed-out year and Harrington is about the fifth-best Irish player in the world at the moment. Harrington sealed his superstar status with a win at the PGA Championship 53 weeks ago for this third major in two years … and he hasnt won since. Harrington points out that he has a slew of top-10 performances in that time, which is fine if you are Jeff Overton or Matt Kuchar, and not one of the half-dozen most notable figures in the game. Only Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson have won more career majors among active tour players than Paddy, but at the moment, its hard to envision him being picked over equally worthy potential captains selections like Paul Casey, Luke Donald, Justin Rose or Edoardo Molinari, who have all won in the past two years. You could have won a bunch of beer nuts in January by offering odds that the victory total for Paddy, Tiger and Phil Mickelson would stand at one with four starts left before the Fall Series.
MICHAUX: The simple answer is no. Im as big a fan of Harrington as anyone, but this isnt much of a debate. Im trying to figure out what the big deal is. Its not like Harrington is some kind of vital cog to European success in this event. The last Ryder Cup match Harrington won was a 1-up victory against a 50-year-old Jay Haas in 2004. Yeah, thats right. The guy is 0-7-2 in the last two biennial installments, including a team-worst 0-4-1 in the friendly confines of The K Club in Ireland. His career winning percentage in five Ryder Cups (.400, 7-11-3) is actually worse than Tiger Woods (.440, 10-13-2), and everybody criticizes Woods for underachieving. So unless Harrington wins this week, he should sit this one out and work on his game. Montys toughest call will be leaving one of the following off his invite list: Rose, Donald or Molinari. If it were me, Id probably pass on Donald, who isnt the most inspiring player. With Molinari, you have the option of pairing him with his brother in a reprisal of their World Cup glory. Rose made a pretty formidable partnership with Ian Poulter last time.
No changes were made to the FedEx Cup format this year, which doesnt mean it cannot be improved. Seems like we do this every year, but each one of you gets to make one big FedEx fix. Have at it, fellas.
ELLING: Heres one I have not lamented before, but its worth noting. For some inexplicable reason, whenever those who qualify for the first-round FedEx event dont pl short FedEx fields get even shorter because player withdrawals are not replaced. Already, Corey Pavin, Sergio Garcia and Paul Goydos have skipped The Barclays for various reasons, which means the field stands at 122. No big deal? Well, last year, veteran Heath Slocum started the first-round FedEx event at No. 124 in points and beat Tiger, Ernie Els, Steve Stricker and Paddy in the most star-strewn Sunday leaderboard of the year. So clearly, players hovering around the last qualifying spot have the firepower to make upsets happen. Upsets make things interesting. The FedEx even NASCAR so lets not make them even smaller. At Nos. 126-28, Jeff Quinney, Chris Stroud and some guy named Mike Weir would have made the Barclays field if alternates were used to fill out the top 125. Instead, they are serving a forced, four-event break.
MICHAUX: We can talk about alternatives or the value of full fields until were blue in the face, but the PGA Tour isnt listening unless TV makes demands or FedEx questions whether it wants to re-up as the deep pockets behind this boondoggle. Its silly to claim that this is the crowning achievement for a full season of toil when a guy like Slocum can swoop in from nowhere in the last month and win the whole thing with a couple of timely victories. I like the idea of a season-long points race, but the whole playoff concept simply doesnt work in golf. The best thing about the series is that it brings together many of the top players for a cluster of events at a time of year when the fields used to be dead. It would be even better if three of the four major winners this year werent excluded. They should let any major winners automatically qualify for this thing and keep the fields full all the way until the Tour Championship. That would at least make each week more intriguing and keep everyone guessing until the end.
At the risk of sounding like we are picking on Tiger, when we arent, who is the No. 1 player in golf right now?
ELLING: We could have filled the entire Shotgun Start debate space with this query. Or perhaps, used no space at all. Right now, in the mens game, the world No. 1 spot sho pretty much vacated, abdicated, invalidated. Woods sits precariously atop the world rankings, as he has for the last five years, but hes nowhere near the best player in the game at the moment. So, who is? Its not No. 2 Phil Mickelson, who has blown nine straight chances to unseat Woods and hasnt gotten the job done, even with Woods moving backwards. World No. 3 Lee Westwood, who is the inarguable No. 1 in terms of consistency at big events and the reigning Euro Tour money leader, is home on the couch with a calf injury, hoping merely to return in time for the Ryder Cup. It would be a shame if Mickelson ascends to No. 1 mostly because Woods is losing points. Although in his eyes, having never been atop the world list, Lefty might take it however it comes. Somebody ought to take over the slot with a victory. At least in the LPGA, where a half-dozen players are slugging it out for the top spot, players like Japans New No. 1, Ai Miyazato, are winning and moving up. Yeah, I just made an LPGA reference. Sue me.
MICHAUX: Im inclined to believe that the world rankings are closer to correct than were giving them credit. If the criteria is which player stands the best chance to step up and contend to win a major event, your own calculations of the “Summative Slam” reve Phil edging Tiger only because Westwood withdrew from the contest. The two-year window of the ranking system isnt about what have you done lately. Despite its flaws, its still a fairly good measuring stick at the top end. Outside those top three, the guys I wouldnt want to have to beat right now are Rory McIlroy and Dustin Johnson. If Rory learns to putt, he will soon be the toughest force in golf. And if Johnson can iron out the wrinkles in his course management, hes the most powerful young American at the moment. How cool would it be to have a best-ball match at the Ryder Cup pitting McIlroy and Martin Kaymer against Johnson and Bubba Watson. It would be a version of the PGA playoff we lost out on when Dustin grounded his club and McIlroy missed his final birdie putt.
August 25, 2010
CBSSpo Mike Weir has a partially torn ligament in his right elbow and is likely out for the rest of the season.
Weir told the Canadian Press on Tuesday that he had an MRI exam over the weekend. He plans to rest the elbow and seek treatment to avoid surgery.
The Canadian left-hander had elbow pain before the British Open in July but thought it was tendinitis. A conversation with PGA pro Scott McCarron at last weeks Wyndham Championship prompted Weir to seek medical attention.
McCarron told Weir that he had a similar injury but continued to play while getting treatment. That resulted in a complete tear, which required surgery and a year off the tour.
Weir is coming off a season of eight missed cuts. His best finish was sixth at the Bob Hope Classic.
August 24, 2010
CBSSports.com wire reports
Aug. 23, 2010
Tiger Woods and his Swedish-born wife officially divorced Monday, nine months after his middle-of-the night car crash outside his home set off shocking revelations that the worlds most famous athlete had been cheating on his wife.
“We are sad that our marriage is over and we wish each other the very best for the future,” Woods and Elin Nordegren said in a joint statement released by their lawyers.
Related Info Analysis Steve Elling
How will it affect Woods play? Hard to say, but it cant possibly be any worse. Read >> Related links Woods, Nordegren issue statement on divorce TMZ.com: Woods-Nordegren divorce papers
The divorce was granted in Bay County Circuit Court in Panama City, Fla., about 375 miles away from their Isleworth home outside Orlando. The couple had married in October 2004 in Barbados and have a 3-year-old daughter, Sam, and a 19-month-old son, Charlie.
The marriage was described in court documents as “irretrievably broken” with no point in trying to reconcile. Terms of the divorce were not disclosed, except that they will “share parenting” of their two children.
“We love Elin, and we are so proud of the grace and strength she has shown during this difficult time,” said Nordegrens father, Thomas Nordegren, a talk show host at national broadcaster Swedish Radio. “We know that she will come out of this even stronger and has a bright future in front of her.”
The divorce was finalized by Bay County Circuit Judge Judy Pittman Biebel during a brief hearing in a conference room in her chambers, according to Biebels judicial assistant Kim Gibson. The hearing was very brief, only about five or 10 minutes. Both Woods and Nordegren were present, along with their lawyers, Gibson said.
“I dont comment on active cases,” Thomas J. Sasser, Woods divorce attorney, said. When asked why they chose to file in Panama City, Sasser said only it was a joint decisi which includ referred all questions to the statement.
Woods agent, Mark Steinberg, declined comment when asked if they had a prenuptial agreement or terms of the settlement. “Were not commenting beyond what was in the release,” he said.
Nordegrens mother, Barbro Holmberg, also declined comment.
The petition said the marriage was “irretrievably broken” a restored.
The couple signed a marital settlement agreement on July 3 and July 4, the weekend of the AT&T National outside Philadelphia, where Woods failed to break par in a PGA Tour event for the first time in 11 years.
The sordid sex worth millions of dollars, and he lost his image as the gold standard in sports endorsements. A month after the scandal became public, Woods spent two months in therapy at a Mississippi clinic with hopes of saving his marriage.
“While we are no longer married, we are the parents of two wonderful children and their happiness has been, and will always be, of paramount importance to both of us,” they said in the statement. … “The weeks and months ahead will not be easy for them as we adjust to a new family situation, which is why our privacy must be a principal concern.”
According to court documents, Woods completed the American Safety Institutes four-hour course on “Parent Education and Family Stablization” on July 10, the day before he left to play the British Open at St. Andrews. Woods, who had won the previous two times at St. Andrews by a combined 13 shots, tied for 23rd.
Nordegren completed her four-hour class through FloridaParentingClass.com on Aug. 16, the start of the PGA Championship.
Documents also show the two children lived at th Woods crashed his SUV and that Ms. Nordegren had moved out to a nearby residence since then.
Woods is to play this week at The Barclays, where he needs a good performance to extend his PGA Tour season and try to show he is worth picking for the Ryder Cup. It will be his first tournament as a single man since he finished ninth in a World Golf Championship in Ireland in October 2004.
Since returning to golf at the Masters, Woods has not come close to winning a tournament. He tied for fourth in the Masters and in the U.S. Open, both times taking himself out of contention early in the final round.
One example of how the impending divorce has affected him came last month when he played in a charity pro-am in Ireland, which ended on Tuesday. Instead of staying overseas to practice on links courses, Woods flew home to Florida for six days to see his children, then returned to Scotland for the Britis in his professional career. His last victory came at the Australian Masters on Nov. 15, his last trip before his serial infidelity was uncovered.
August 23, 2010
CBSSports.com w Many players came to the Wyndham Championship for a push into the PGA Tours playoffs.
Not Arjun Atwal. He was playing for his spot on tour.
Atwal won by a stroke Sunday at Sedgefield Country Club, becoming the first Monday qualifier to win on the tour in 24 years.
After leading or sharing the lead after each of the first three rounds, Atwal shot a 3-under 67 in the final round. He or, more than double the amount he previously earned this year, the reason why his future on tour had been in jeopardy.
“I told my caddie, Weve got nothing to lose this week. Just go out there and try and win it,” Atwal said. “Guys are going to be out there trying to secure their FedEx Cup spots or whatever. Weve got nothing. I dont have a card. I dont have anything. Just go out there and free-wheel it, and thats what I did this week.”
Hes the first Indian-born player to win on tour and the first to win both the qualifier and the tournament that follows since Fred Wadsworth at the 1986 Southern Open.
David Toms (64) was 19 under. John Mallinger and Michael Sim shot 62s to match John Rollins (65) and Justin Leonard (65) at 18 under.
For a few dizzying moments late in a low-scoring day, seven players shared the lead at 18 under.
Atwal, who carried a three-stroke lead into the final round, was at 19 under for most of the day but bogeyed the par-3 12th a few minutes before Lucas Glover bogeyed 14 and Toms, Rollins and Leonard all birdied No. 16.
“It just kept changing,” Atwal said. “Everybodys tied for the lead at a certain point.”
Atwal reclaimed the lead with a birdie on No. 14, Leonard birdied No. 17 and Toms birdied No. 18 to join them at 19 under. Leonard dropped back a stroke after running into trouble giving him more than enough chances to settle things himself.
Wyndham Championship Final scores and earnings
Atwal made his move on the par-3 16th, plopping his tee shot 6 feet from the flagstick and sinking his birdie putt to move to 20 under. He followed that with consecutive pars, sinking a 7-foot putt on No. 18 before dropping his putter and extending his arms upward in jubilation after closing out his first tour victory.
“I was thinking about going to the [driving] range, but when he got to 20 under and they said he had a 15-footer on 17, I just went in the clubhouse and tried to cool off,” Toms said. “I was ready to go to the range, if need be, but good for [Atwal]. I know its tough to get that first victory. … Im sure that he was battling some nerves, and to pour it in from 6-8 feet on that last hole was pretty impressive.”
Glover (67) finished at 17 under, and Webb Simpson (63), Chris Riley (64), Scott Piercy (68) and second-round co-leader Brandt Snedeker (69) were one stroke behind him.
Atwal, who has won on the European, Asian and Nationwide tours, certainly has been through plenty during the past few years.
The player perhaps best known for his practice rounds with Tiger Woods is ineligible for the playoffs and lost his tour card last month because he was too low on the money list when his minor medical exemption ran out. That came after he said he returned too soon following weightlifting injuries to both shoulders.
Three years ago, a driver trying to race him down an Orlando street died in a crash. Atwal was cleared of any wrongdoing, although the yearlong investigation took an emotional toll.
Glover made five consecutive birdies, sinking four putts from 14 feet or beyond, to catch Atwal, then briefly had the lead all to himself with a birdie on No. 9 that put him at 20 under. That didnt last long: He sent his drive on No. 10 into the rough and three-putted for bogey, and slipped out of contention after he was 3 over on the back nine.
“I didnt make anything coming in,” Glover said. “Dont win doing that.”
The Wyndham marked the last chance for players to pick up points for the playoffs that begin next week in New Jersey.
Michael Letzig, who arrived at Sedgefield at No. 125 on the points list, finished 14 under move to 118th place, solidifying his spot in The Barclays.
“The goal is to give myself another tournament to play,” he said. “Im in, so (Ill) see what happens.”
Others werent so fortunate. Mallinger started at No. 163 on the points list, but initially figured a final round that included six birdies and an eagle was good enough to propel him into next week. But when others joined him in a tie for third on the leaderboard, he slipped to 132nd place in the standings and finished roughly 40 points out of the playoff picture.
Jeff Quinney, who arrived at No. 127, only moved up one spot on the list and finished about 3 points shy of making the postseason field with his 12 under.
“I could have taken care of my own business today,” Quinney said.
August 23, 2010
CBSSports.com Ai Miyazato was in uncharacteristic territory to start the final round of the LPGA Safeway Classic.
She was nervous.
Safeway Classic Leaderboard
While Miyazato normally appears composed, the jitters were evident when the Japanese star bogeyed the par-4 second hole on the Ghost Creek Course at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club. Then she bogeyed the par-4 seventh.
It wasnt until a birdie on the par-5 ninth hole that she steadied herself - and cruised to her fifth victory of the year. Miyazato, who also led after the first two rounds, closed with an even-par 72 to finish at 11 under.
“Today was a really tough day,” she said. “I was really nervous on the front nine. But after nine holes I made a birdie and it gave me a gook kick.”
With the win, Miyazato reclaimed the top spot in the world rankings, swiping that status from Cristie Kerr, who finished two strokes back along with Na Yeon Choi.
Kerr chased Miyazato throughout the final round until hitting into the water on the par-4 18th. The American finished with a 70, while Choi shot a 71.
Miyazato, ranked No. 1 for a week in June and again for a week in July, is among five players who have been jockeying for the top ranking, including Kerr, Jiyai Shin, Suzann Pettersen and Yani Tseng. The spot came up for grabs when Lorena Ochoa retired earlier this season.
“My goal at the start of this year was to become Player of the Year. So Im aiming for that,” she said. “Everybody is so close at the top, so I dont really know what is going to happen. But its a good motivator for me.
The Safeway Classic, in its second year at Pumpkin Ridge about a 20-minute drive west of Portland, was marred Saturday when veteran Juli Inkster, in strong position to contend in the final round, was disqualified.
The 50-year-old Hall of Famer used a weighted training aid on her club to stay loose while waiting for 30 minutes to make the turn at the 10th hole. That broke rule 14-3, which meant disqualification.
Miyazato and Kim, playing in the final pairing of the day, battled on the back nine holes after Kim pulled even with Miyazato with a jaw-dropping chip from under a tree to birdie the par-3 11th. But Kim dropped two shots with bogeys on the 13th and 14th holes.
In the pairing in front of them, Kerr missed a chance to pull even with Miyazato by misjudging a 12-foot birdie putt on No. 17. Her chances slipped away with the shot into the water on the final hole.
“I just said to myself, `How could you do that?” she said.
Kerr has won twice on the tour this season, at the LPGA Championship and the State Farm Classic. She won the Safeway Classic in 2008 when it was at Columbia Edgewater Country Club near Portland International Airport.
“Im not going to be far off as far as points, so this was an important week for me to finish up there even if I didnt win,” she said.
Pettersen (69) and Song-Hee Kim (72) finished at 8 under.
Tseng, who the Womens British Open on Aug. 1 for her second major victory of the season and third in three years, finished 2 over.
M.J. Hur, the defending champion, was 4 over and did not make the cut. The Safeway Classic is her first and only title to date. Paula Creamer, Morgan Pressel and Christina Kim were among those who also missed the cut.
Inkster was in a three-way tie for second at 8 under with Kim and Choi after two rounds. But that was erased when she used the “doughnut” training aid to practice her swing before making the backed-up turn, and the image flashed on television.
LPGA Director of Tournament Competitions Sue Witters said a viewer watching the broadcast brought the violation to the attention of tournament officials via email. By that time, Inkster was almost done with her round.
“I had a 30-minute wait and I needed to loosen up,” Inkster said in a statement. “It had no effect on my game whatsoever, but it is what it is. Im very disappointed.”
August 20, 2010
Augusta Chronicle
Heres a simple query with no easy answer: Would you take Tiger Woods as one of your four captains picks for the Ryder Cup team?
ELLING: It doesnt matter what we think, of course, because it would probably represent career suicide if U.S. captain Corey Pavin didnt pick the guy, despite the fact that at the moment, Woods is about the 50th-best player on the PGA Tour. Or despite the fact that he has a losing record at the Ryder Cup. Or despite the fact that it appears hell only play one more time before the Ryder picks are due, after likely washing out of the FedEx Cup series early. Woods is having a hard time hitting two quality shots in succession, as Michaux detailed last week at Whistling Straits with a look at how poorly he played the par 5s, where he historically has eaten the field for lunch. Unless Woods shows clear improvement in his next start, expected to be at The Barclays next week in New Jersey, I would rather take the hottest player of the moment, whoever that is. Pavin would never admit it, but its hard to imagine he isnt under some pressure to pick Woods, either from NBC or the PGA of America. With Bubba Watson, Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson on the team, the U.S. needs steadier hands, not another vial of nitroglycerine. Woods didnt play well at Pebble Beach, St. Andrews or Firestone, tracks he owns. So why assume he will play well at the Ryder, where he traditionally hasnt? I must be missing the reverse logic here. Lets ask the U.S. wives whether they want him around.
MICHAUX: Ive gone on record saying I dont think Woods should be a pick, but I understand why Pavin will choose him, and if push came to shove, I would probably end up picking him myself. Before washing out at Firestone, Woods was evasive about his desire to be a captains pick if necessary. After his worst career performance, he said he didnt believe he could contribute to the team the way he was playing. A week later, however, Woods changed his tune and said he would accept a pick from Pavin and even hoped for one. He even cracked a joke about it: “I think I got a chance of maybe helping out in singles.” Woods might be a shadow of his former self at the moment, but he showed enough fight at the PGA to convince Pavin to give him a nod. I mean, as off as he is, he still has enough game to finish 28th in his worst major finish of the year. Thats better than most of the captains other options. Having talked to some of the caddies who will be there, they tell me the other players love having Tiger in the team room. And maybe his presence can deflect some of the pressure from his teammates. If Woods is there, hell be the story as always. He has a lot of proving to do and this just might be the PR opportunity he needs to further rehabilitate his image in the name of team and country. As Monty said, the Ryder Cup is a bigger deal with the worlds No. 1 player present. Like Woods, I guess Ive changed my tune as well. If he really wants to be there, he should.
The Wyndham Championship this week is allowing fans to bring cell phones onto the grounds, provided they are in silent mode. Is this the beginning of a new mindset on the games major tours?
ELLING: Three or four years ago, back when the PGA Tour actually pretended to listen to the input of outsiders, the tour brass staged a media summit at the company HQ in Ponte Vedra Beach. An expert hired to talk about future of electronic media stood before a few hundred invitees and tour officials and flatly stated that the organization needed to modify its stance on mobile phones. “They are not just te alienate fans who are tethered to the information stream on their phones and you run the risk of losing business. Thursday and Friday are work days for most. The phones are a business and personal lifeline. The Wyndham tournament modified the rule b which is quite likely a recipe for disaster, at least initially. Already, tournaments in China have been a nightmare with buzzing phones going off everywhere. But its an overdue transitional move. Metal detectors used at events are a hassle and costly, but the tour and its players rightly dont want to be interrupted by jangling phones at crucial junctures. At some point, though, the policy needs to change. If players cant get used to it and have to wear earplugs, so be it. Asking fans to go several hours without communication access, in an age of immediacy, has become increasingly unrealistic.
MICHAUX: As long as this trend never gets adopted by the Masters, I dont really care. Augusta National is a happy anachronism that should remain that way, with hand-operated scoreboards and no digital video screens or commercialization anywhere. Its an escape from the real world and that is part of its allure. But that real world is reality everywhere else and this is a sign of things to come. The GGO (it will always be the Greater Greensboro Open to me) is the testing ground. The players will just have to get used to it and learn to cope with their hypersensitivity to noise. Sometimes people cough or sneeze. Whats the difference? Quite frankly, I think the fans should be allowed to use their hand-held devices anywhere on the course as long as it remains a silent entity. If they want to take or make a call, they need to go to designated areas to talk and leave everyone else in peace. There will always be idiots who cant figure out how to turn off the ringers and alerts, and if they violate the silence policy they should be kicked out. But if they can use their handhelds to keep up with the outside world and enhance their on-site experience with leaderboards and stats and muted video and all sorts of other things that were capable of getting nowadays, whats the harm? As we saw with the kids dominating the leaderboard last week, the future is now.
Guys, weve seen two majors staged at Whistling Straits, which is more than enough time to shake out the bugs and form an opinion. Like it or loathe it?
ELLING: Based on the incredible amount of feedback received after the Dustin Johnson incident in the bunker on the 72nd hole, most readers would like to toss a match into owner Herb Kohlers facial fescue, add gasoline to his course and forget the place ever existed. But with a future PGA Championship and a Ryder Cup already slotted for the Straits, thats not going to happen. This is going to sound like George C. Scott playing the role of General Patton, when he stood before a bloody battlefield and muttered, “God help me, but I do love it so.” The course is a complete contrivance, granted. It doesnt play like an Irish links because you cant run the ball onto the green or play along the ground. Another point conceded. Its located 60 miles from civilization, a considerable handicap. But its not just another in a series of predictable parkland courses, either. You didnt enjoy watching guys like Stricker and Watson trying to hit challenging flop shots from below the hole onto greens carved out of Lake Michigan sand cliffs? Its true, there are so many rough-hewn bunkers, you cant count them all (they tend to meld into one another indistinctly). In an attempt to get reasonably close to the action, fans were allowed to tromp through the sandy areas on the periphery of the course. One boneheaded rules blunder by Johnson doesnt mean the course is irretrievably overdesigned, though. Johnson missed the fairway by what, 50 yards? Had it been any other course, he would have been in deep hay, a forest of trees, or somebodys backyard Jacuzzi. He was damned lucky he found a firm lie in that fateful bunker. He almost salvaged a par because of it. The Straits is unique, quirky and worthy of a spot in the majors rotation. That said, I admittedly have no desire to play it, either. Its so penal for regular folks, they would find me dead in one of those shallow graves that designer Peter Dye calls bunkers.
MICHAUX: For all its faults, Whistling Straits has produced two pretty good shows. It looks incredible on television and one of these years theyll get weather conditions that make it the test its supposed to be. But there are some significant flaws with the venue that go beyond the inability of the design to make it play like the faux links its supposed to be. The local rule about the bunkering that caused all the trouble is flat-out ignorant and Herb Kohlers arrogant dismissal of Dustin Johnsons plight makes it easy for me to rip the contrivances he paid for. He told Pete Dye he wanted it to look like Ballybunion, but having been to Ballybunion, I dont remember seeing useless bunkers strewn in places that are unnatural. Its just stupid to play them as bunkers when thousands of people are trampling them all day and kids are literally building sand castles in them. Play any bunkers inside the ropes as bunkers and anything outside simply as it lies. If it doesnt have a rake, its just a waste area. Bunker-gate, however, masked the worst element of Whistling Straits, which is that abominable 18th hole. Even local boy Steve Stricker hates it. That only Jason Dufner could manage a birdie on it Sunday (and with a bomb of a putt) illustrates just how stupid it is. Its fitting that the tournament ended there with one mans bogey beating another mans double. Flush it down one of Kohlers toilets and start over. Theyve got five years to fix it into something thats not an out-of-character monstrosity compared to the rest of the course. And while theyre at it, make the place walkable. You shouldnt have to risk blowing out a knee to watch a golf tournament.
August 20, 2010
CBSSports.com w If Arjun Atwal keeps this up, hell have a new PGA Tour card in no time.
Atwal tied a tournament record with a 61 Thursday and took a two-stroke lead at the Wyndham Championship.
Wyndham Championship Leaderboard
Matching Carl Petterssons 2-year-old mark at the par-70 Sedgefield Country Club course, Atwal was 9 under through the first round of the PGA Tours final event before the playoffs.
Brandt Snedeker shot a 63. John Rollins, Kevin Streelman, Lucas Glover, Boo Weekley, David Toms and Jeev Milkha Singh were at 64, and six players shot 65s during an occasionally wet day that left Sedgefields greens soft and its leaderboard crowded.
It was quite the encouraging start for Atwal, who lost his tour card last month and had to play his way into this event in a Monday where this tournament was held from 1977-2007.
He played that course twice before, finishing sixth in 2004, and wound up shooting a 67 to share first place with three other qualifiers. No Monday qualifier has won a tournament since Fred Wadsworth did it at the 1986 Southern Open.
“You get used t otherwise you wont make it,” Atwal said. “I kind of continued that today.”
The loss of his card capped a series of events that began when he injured his shoulders last year while lifting weights. He received a minor medical extension, but when he came up short on the money list following the RBC Canadian Open, his card was history.
He isnt eligible for the FedEx Cup playoffs that begin next week in New Jersey, not even if he wins. or a climb up the money lists of the PGA or Nationwide tours.
“I prefer to win,” Atwal said with a laugh.
Three more days like this, and hell almost certainly take care of that.
Atwal started his bogey-free round on the back nine, made the turn at 4 under and birdied three of his final four holes, sinking a 7-foot putt on No. 9 to cap things.
His big day also inclu the 18th.
There were a course-low 10 birdies and a course-high 54 bogeys on the freshly lengthened, 507-yard par 4 that wound up knocking several players down a peg on the leaderboard.
• Jay Williamson, who birdied four of his first five holes to move to 6 under through 17, was on the 18th green in two shots but “just hit a terrible first putt” and ultimately three-putted for his second bogey of the round. He finished at 65.
• John Mallinger, who had vaulted up the leaderboard with three straight birdies midway through his back nine, birdied No. 17 to move to 6 under before finishing his 65 with a three-putt bogey.
• Toms had three straight birdies on Nos. 15-17 to go to 7 under. He recovered after sending his second shot into a greenside bunker, only to roll his par putt past the hole and bogey the hole.
• Snedeker, who was at 8 under through 17, sent his second shot onto the back fringe, chipped well past the pin and left his 35-foot par putt about 3 feet short to close with a bogey and fall off the lead.
That put a slight damper on a brilliant back nine for Snedeker, the 2007 Greensboro winner who had six birdies in a seven-hole stretch, including five in a row on Nos. 13-17.
“I realized that its going to be a long tournament, a long week,” Snedeker said. “A guy that shoots 9 unders not going to shoot 9 under for four straight rounds, so its going to be kind of, wait until you get hot, and when you get hot, take advantage of it, and when you dont, try to minimize your mistakes.”
Day 1 was marked by threatening skies and early off-and-on showers - a “nuisance rain,” Williamson called it - that softened up and slowed down the Donald Ross-designed greens. At times, they even might have been too slow for the players who left putts short.
But at least the horn didnt sound, as it did repeatedly during a 2009 tournament memorable for its combined 9 1/2 hours of weather delays.
The greens were “a little slower than we normally play on, but overall, it was pretty much attack mode out there,” Rollins said.
Divots
Local favorite Brandan Gielow, who graduated from nearby Wake Forest, had a hole-in-one on the 164-yard, par-3 No. 6. … Matt Bettencourt (wrist injury) withdrew midway through his round.
