The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly - 2/23/09

by Ryan Ballengee on Feb 23, 2009 10:34 AM EST

Twice a week, we will take a look at professional golf news and notes through the lens of the Western classic.

The Good

Phil Mickelson - Lefty successfull defended his Northern Trust Open by leading the field in eagles and not making a single score worse than bogey.
Fred Couples - The Prez Cup Captain is 49 years old and still outdriving his playing partners by a mile. There's a technology problem there, but sometimes even I have to just enjoy the beauty. Boom Boom had a sprinkler-aided 360 yard drive this week. So? I didn't have to include sprinkler-aided.
Danny Lee - Lee birdied four of his last six holes to become the youngest European Tour champion ever in the Johnny Walker. In case you don't remember, he was the youngest US Amateur champion also. He's still an amateur and will turn pro after the Masters. If there was a category for Sick, it'd have Lee in it.

The Bad

Mike Weir - Hey, Mike, thanks a lot for making me look bad on Sunday with 77. You couldn't just shoot another 70 and make me look decent? Same with you, Goosen. 75 on Sunday?! What a scam.
PGA Tour Players' Course Management - STOP GOING FOR THE 10th GREEN! You hit it less than 4% of the time! Lay up as far left as you can and hit a 50 yard pitch to five feet for birdie. It is an easy hole.

The Ugly

Phil Mickelson - That win was tough to watch more than half of the tournament. Despite Mickelson's great 1st and 3rd rounds, he finished T15 in birdies. He went two down on Sunday only to claim the title by birdieing two of the last three. That's ugly. But that's Phil.

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Comments

WHAT ??

No mention of the Terps win over UNC in The Good ? :-)

The Champions Tour is going to get a HUGE boost next season when Freddie takes up residence full time. He may be driving half the par 4’s if he keeps this pace up.

The Ugly: Andres Romero’s OB tee shot at 12 on Sunday – that bogie cost him a decent shot of at least a playoff.

The Bad: Saturday’s TV coverage. Did anybody realize that Luke Donald was in the final group of the day until he putted out at 18 ? CBS basically ignored him until he putted out at 18. True, he was having a bad day, but don’t ignore him.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Feb 23, 2009 10:46 AM EST reply actions

Agree on Luke

I thought he deserved some time at least, not just a blow by mention that he was there too.

Romero’s shot was a big deal, for sure.

The win over UNC helped make my weekend. What an excellent game. The Terps CANNOT win on the road, but we’re pretty decent at home. Maybe that’ll get us a Duke upset.

by Ryan Ballengee on Feb 23, 2009 10:53 AM EST up reply actions

Lee "sick" ???

Let me first say clearly that I’m not “hip” to today’s lingo.

But putting Lee in the “sick” category is, itself, sick.

The young man is personable, courteous, certainly not yet a braggart, and respectful.

There are PGA Tour and European Tour players who come across as the south end of a north-bound horse, but Lee is not there

Don't worry, nothing will be allright.

by rcrusoe on Feb 23, 2009 2:35 PM EST reply actions

Sick

in the “lingo” that I’m using means damned good. And that’s what Lee is. :)

by Ryan Ballengee on Feb 23, 2009 3:01 PM EST up reply actions

I wondered about that too. Might I suggest a glossary for those of us who have probably passed the mid-point of our lives?

Truth has a well-known liberal bias.

by dianemarie on Feb 23, 2009 5:25 PM EST up reply actions

I think I can manage that :) I just won’t be as colloquial

by Ryan Ballengee on Feb 23, 2009 5:34 PM EST up reply actions

Sick

When I was in my teens and early twenties I was a professional jazz pianist – I hung around with a very large group of jazz instrumentalists and the language we used was understandable while using the words of jazz musicians. I played in New York, Cincinnati, Florida, etc. and learned that I didn’t want to do that for the rest of my life.

Example of those day’s words and today’s: “Cool” is widely used today – it had the same meaning in 1948 (yes, I’m old) – We never said “groovy” or some of the words outsiders of today attribute to musicians.

It took me a while to get used to today’s “bad” – I don’t use it even though I don’t have a mental stumble when I hear it. When I say “bad”, it’s about “bad”, not good.

I think a professional columnist must be aware of the broad span of reach today and utilize language that carries the full meaning of the columnist’s intent.

And, going back to my start, I went “legit”, got a degree in classical piano performance and left the jazz scene behind the day I graduated from college.

Sick, to me, means illness and I guess it will always be that way.

Don't worry, nothing will be allright.

by rcrusoe on Feb 23, 2009 10:31 PM EST up reply actions