Waggle Room: FanPosts

Believe it or Not, Tiger. You are Famous.

2009-11-05T23:27:04Z

It all started with a shanked tee-shot on the first tee of the HSBC Champions tournament in Shanghai, China. After that one golf swing, Tiger Woods decided to remind everyone exactly how much of a jerk he can be.

"The guy in the grandstand basically did almost a photo sequence," Woods told reporters after finishing his opening round with a 5-under 67 at Sheshan International Golf Club in Shanghai, China (Boston Golf Examiner, 2009).

Oh, come on Tiger! Is this news to you? Hey, guess what... you are famous, and 99% of the people in attendance want to see your shining, happy face. Best way for people who aren't at the tournament to see your ugly mug? Photos!

Don't look now, but it gets even worse:

The craziness continued for about the first hour, with marshals trying to stop fans from snapping pictures and wandering inside the ropes. At one point, the caddy for Woods’ playing partner, Thongchai Jaidee, walked ahead to move a photog out of the way of his player’s shot.

The commotion finally began to calm down as Woods neared the turn. "Not for the first six or seven holes, no," Woods told the U.K’s Telegraph. "But after that, yeah."

It's painful to read. I swear to everything holy, it is hard to read now. I understand how players get distracted by the shutterbugs on the course, but can't you basically expect a few in your backswing by now? Last time I checked, cameras weren't invented last week.

via image3.examiner.com

This isn't the first time Woods has complained about movement, cameras, or anything else during tournament play. Acts of frustration and anger usually follow an errant shot, many times to the point where Woods approaches the culprit on the sidelines appearing madder than hell. Far be it from me to comment on how the best player in the world chooses to swing a golf club, but for crying out loud get used to the attention.

Tiger vs. Phil, China-Style!

2009-11-04T18:50:13Z

For the half-dozen of us that actually give a hoot about professional golf in the Fall, we get what will surely be a melodramatic showdown between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson is bound to occur in Shanghai, China at the HSBC Champions.

The rivalry between the two best-ranked golfers in the world seems to have leveled-out recently, and possibly due to the news revolving around Mickelson's family life. Six weeks ago in Atlanta, the two superstars had the chance to grab everyone's attention once again, and both players ended up winning something (Tiger = the FedEx Cup, Phil = The Tour Championship) and it lacked the "flare" that one would expect from such a showdown.

In fact, the only other time that I can recall where fans were hanging on every single shot was at this year's Masters... which again didn't seem to matter since neither of them won.

Regardless, both Tiger and Phil are saying all of the right things in order to promote this snooze-fest of a golf tournament and the possibility of once again going head-to-head.

"I'm excited that Tiger and I are able to compete in the same event here in China," Mickelson said Wednesday on the eve of the HSBC Champions at Sheshan International Golf Club. "I think that it will provide some exposure to the game of golf throughout the country, and I'm hopeful that we compete head-to-head over the weekend, and are both in contention" (AP, 2009).

"I'm looking forward to it. I think everyone is," Woods said. "Having this now become a World Golf Championship, I think everyone is very excited about what this tournament means in the scope of things, not just here in China but in all of Asia. As a player, we are looking forward to playing this golf course against such a great field" (AP, 2009).

Regardless of what happens this week in China, the opinion that Tiger vs. Phil has lost a little of the pizazz is still rather strong among golf fans.

Q-School: Can We Just Call It 'Q'?

2009-11-03T13:43:36Z

You do not have to say 'Tiger Woods.' He is one of many stars where only one name is necessary to fully identify them. Kobe, Labron and Venus are also a couple athletes with one name. Terrell Owens' first name is pretty common, but, when you say 'T.O.', people know who you are talking about with just those two letters. Q-School is the only entity where once you mention the very first letter - Q, everybody knows what comes next - School.

Officially started in the mid-1960's, this qualifying tournament has haunted virtually every player playing professional golf except TW and a handful of others over the decades. Virtually every one else has had the specter of this horrific event in their brain at least a couple times throughout their career.

Ty Tryon and David Duval are two players I am following. Duval to see if he can avoid having to attend this year and Tryon, to see if he can get through successfully and obtain that little piece of paper telling him where he will be playing in 2010. Duval stands at 125th currently on the money list and Tryon just advanced to the second stage of qualifying. I wish them both luck.

John Feinstein wrote a great book on Q-School named Tales from Q School: Inside Golf's Fifth Major. It is a great read and very, very informative.

Once the season is officially over, I am going to look at the final numbers and put forth a reason the PGA Tour Q-School should be eliminated. All of the minor league triple-A baseball players do not compete at year end to go to the major league. I feel there are suitable alternatives. They will never be considered, but I have an awful lot of time on my hands and there are still a few people I have not ticked off yet, so be prepared.

Say it Ain't So... Doug?

2009-11-02T23:07:28Z

via www.espn.go.com

Well the proverbial cat is out of the bag, ladies and gentlemen, and now our beloved sport is no better than baseball, football, or even professional wrestling. Well... alright, maybe not quite.

So Doug Barron is the official answer to the trivia question "Who is dumb enough to take steroids for golf?", and the golfing world has just been thrown into the negative press spotlight that has plagued mainstream media for the past few years. Despite not knowing what Barron has taken or what he was caught with, rest assured that the likes of sports-giant ESPN will blow this puppy way out of proportion. And this is just the beginning:

The PGA Tour announced that it would be implementing full-scale anti-doping measures in December 2007, with the program commencing on July 1, 2008.
Since that time, random drug testing has occurred at PGA Tour events, including the major championships, with tests administered by the National Center for Drug Free Sport.

Barron's is the first suspension under the program, but the tour did not announce when the positive test occurred (Bob Harig, ESPN.com).

Bob. Don't do it Bob. Just stop it right there. Everything you just wrote in your "breaking news" article is perfectly fine... but leave it alone now. Yeah, I understand you are required to cover all of the facts and it is your duty to keep the golfing public informed... but for the love of everything holy do NOT turn this into another drug freakshow. We all saw what happened to baseball (in terms of popularity) after the stuff hit the fan, and golf is fragile.

Kind of like Dougie-Boy's fragile, flappy man boobs and lovehandles.

Note to Self: Don't Golf in Indonesia

2009-11-02T17:26:31Z

via media3.washingtonpost.com

Talk about country club drama. This morning, the Washington Postis reporting a recent murder at the Modern Golf Club in Tangerang, Indonesia, where a golfer was shot to death in his BMW while leaving the club:

The chief suspect: a rival middle-aged golfer who, while running Indonesia's Corruption Eradication Commission, received off-the-green services from the victim's 22-year-old wife. They'd met on the golf course when she was working as his caddie.

What is even more interesting about this story is the fact that most caddies in this region of the world are attractive young women (200 out of 250 caddies, to be exact). Furthermore, many caddies are now coming forward with evidence that inappropriate contact between golfer and caddy is more common than previously expected.

Stated one caddy, "They like to pretend they are teaching me how to hit a golf ball, you know, hugging me from behind and touching my thighs," said one Modern caddie. She asked that her name not be used. Groping golfers, she said, "usually give big tips, so I don't mind" (WashingtonPost.com).

This matter has reached higher courts in the region:

Exactly what happened at Modern and in a room at the Grand Mahakam Hotel is now under review by a Jakarta court, which recently began the murder trial of Indonesia's busted corruption-buster, Antasari Azhar. Prosecutors allege he had the husband of his former caddie killed to escape blackmail. Azhar has denied any involvement. His lawyers accused prosecutors of presenting "porn material" instead of evidence. Local television carried the proceedings live (WashingtonPost.com).

Best Wishes for Joey Sindelar

2009-11-01T23:39:12Z

Joey Sindelar remains hospitalized at Sonoma Valley Hospital, according to PGA.COM and the AP, after suffering a pulmonary embolism during yesterday's round of the Charles Schwab Cup Championship. Sindelar was on the fifth hole yesterday when he started complaining of dizziness and Golf Channel cameras taped him leaving the course on a cart with him receiving oxygen and talking to officials.

Sindelar, 51, was seven under par and in contention during the season ending Champions Tour event when he became ill.

Punctuality Truly Counts - Just Ask Angel Cabrera & Gwladys Nocera

2009-11-01T22:22:27Z

By now, you all know the story last week of how Masters champion Angel Cabrera - despite his best efforts - was late for his opening round tee time in Spain the day after competing in Bermuda at the PGA Grand Slam of Golf, getting a DNS for his troubles and effectively ending his Race to Dubai.

Now let me share with you a story from this weekend on the Ladies European Tour (LET) and the 2nd Suzhou Taihu Ladies Open, co-sanctioned with the Ladies Asian Golf Tour (LAGT) and the China Golf Association. This event last year, you might recall, was Annika Sorenstam's last ever (for now) worldwide victory as she prevailed on the 2nd playoff hole over China's Ye Li Ying.

The drama begins with a minor controversy, as a member of this year's European Solheim Cup team, Gwladys Nocera of France, shows up a mere two minutes late for her opening round tee time Friday morning with the aforementioned M.s Ye as well as Thailand's Porani Chutichai - a fact that went unnoticed by the officials. She shoots a 68 and goes to bed that night believing she had a share of the lead.

Come Saturday, when she reports for her 2nd round, Nocera is duly informed by tournament officials that one of her playing partners reported her tardiness the previous day. Under Decision 34-3/1 of the Rules of Golf, she was assessed a two-stroke penalty. She had the same two players alongside her for the 2nd round, so after asking Chutichai if it was she who ratted her out to the committee (it was actually Ye) didn't speak to either of them the rest of the round en route to a 71 and refused to speak with officials or the media afterward.

Said Chutichai after her round: "We never spoke at all after I had told her that I did not make the complaint when she questioned me. All I know is that she was late but I never made a complaint thinking that the officials there would have handled it."

Ye Li Ying, however, was more blunt: "We play to competition rules. This is a tournament and all players should abide by the rules."

Little did Gwladys realize was that those two strokes would come back to haunt her in Sunday's 3rd and final round. Korea's Bo Mi Suh was the overnight leader after opening with back-to-back 69s, leading 4th-place Nocera by 3 shots. In windy conditions, Gwladys tied for low round of the day with a 70, but Suh's even-par 72 was good enough for her first professional win and completed a Korean sweep of the Asian continent this weekend.

(Na Yeon Choi winning the LPGA/KLPGA's Hana Bank/KOLON Championship and Mi-Jeong Jeon winning the JLPGA's Hisako Higuchi IDC Otsuka Kagu Ladies.)

The one-stroke loss was a bitter pill to swallow for Gwladys, but she gamely said afterwards: "I tried my best but unfortunately it wasn’t quite enough. We will start afresh next week."

The LET's next stop, ironically, is in Korea, an event co-sanctioned with the KLPGA with the confusing moniker of the Daishin Securities Tomato Tour Korean Ladies Masters.

The "Fall Series" continues next week with the WGC - HSBC Championship

2009-11-01T17:16:48Z

The Fall Series is better than ever. I wonder what they are doing in America next week? Ian Poulter, a worldwide popular golfer pulled out a nice victory this weekend in Singapore and the fall tour then moves to Shanghai. The following week, in Hong Kong, they will play the UBS Hong Kong Open and that is immediately followed up by the Dubai World Championship.

A few neat things about about watching the European Tour this fall: (1) At least ten players whose name you know (2) 5-6 hours ahead of us, so we can DVR/TIVO and watch it whenever we want (3) Decent announcers (4) #3 PLUS no Johnny Miller (5) Free preview of the 2010 winning Ryder Cup team (6) Incredible pictures of Hong Kong, Shanghai & Singapore versus Scottsdale, Madison & Lake Buena Vista.

Greg Norman may have been right. Maybe we really should reconsider a World Tour.

I know. I know. You guys are all worried about what might happen to superstars like Rich Beem and Shaun Micheel.

If I were Davis Love IV, I would be very pissed at Davis Love III

2009-10-31T12:51:57Z

I noticed where Bryan Saltus, Anthony Kang and Jason Knotzon are playing at the Barclays Singapore Open this week on the European Tour. That Mickelson fellow is also in the field. Four Americans total are playing this event. Why only four?

Tiger Woods has 71 U.S. PGA Tour victories including 40 victories which are counted as official tournaments on other tours. In European Tour events, Tiger is #1 in career earnings, almost DOUBLE Colin Montgomery. Davis Love III has two total official non-PGA victories. Is Tiger that much better than DLIII? Well, yes he is, but that is not the answer. Like they say here about the Maryland Lottery, "Ya Gotta Play To Win.."

They always make a big deal at Hawaii and Disney that the tour players love bringing their family. How about one summer taking the kids to England, the Netherlands, France, Sweden, Germany, Italy, Scotland, Ireland, the Czech Republic and Spain? Once Davis Love IV is grown, there is a pretty chance he'll visit Disney and Hawaii regardless, but Europe for FREE? How do you beat that?

Well, not free exactly, but daddy can enter and play golf against other golfers and win money. My kids have been lucky. Rachel studied abroad and saw and vacationed Europe. My Mac hard drive is bulging with pictures of every Catholic church on the continent. She also had a blast.

Why won't American golfers play on that tour occasionally. Not just Bryan Saltus. But, Davis Love, Fred Couples and Justin Leonard. Hell, Ben Curtis returns each year, plays a few events and pays for his trip. I am sure his wife Candace loves it.

DL4 will probably be a great golfer and visit Europe anyway. But, it drives me nuts that American golfers do not compete around the world and then complain that non-PGA Tour players are stealing spots in majors and WGC events. Play abroad, meet the players, educate your kids, make a few bucks.

Trust me, very few golf fans will even know you are gone...

Get Rid of the PGA Tour Q-School

2009-10-30T14:37:29Z

The PGA Tour already has a Qualifying School. It is called the Nationwide Tour.

I am waiting for the current season to end so I will have the exact stats and the final numbers to scribble a post about why the current Q-school is not only cruel and inhumane treatment of human beings, it is blatantly unfair to a huge percentage of touring golf professionals and is unnecessary.

Also, it is outrageous that 156 players tee it up on any golf course on any day of the year and expect to play eighteen holes of golf, unless you have two or more golf courses. You now have front and back tee times from dawn to dusk. Even a one hour delay throws first or second round play into another day. 120 golfers is the maximum number each tournament should field.

It is also outrageous to continue to allow the top 125 golfers on tour to receive a free pass for the following year. That policy needs to be modified. Maybe the top 100, but definitely not more than that.

Are you ready for this one? It is outrageous how much money is given to charity each tournament. Last year, the FBR Open raised $8.6m for charity. That means sponsors and fans were overcharged that amount of money. Every event raises money for charity well in excess of seven figures. Freezing the purses and reducing sponsorship fees still allows a very nice charitable contribution.

I know everybody agrees with the above. When I finish my number crunching after next weeks tournament, I will post the solutions to all of the tour's problems. I am pretty sure Tim Finchem will implement most of them.

Trump's Newest Scot Resort Still in the Works

2009-10-29T23:51:36Z

You know what is awesome about being rich? You don't have to worry about or listen to anyone with less money than you have. Hence, the life and times of golf-fanatic Donald Trump.

No, I'm not trying to be bitter about being broke and eating my lunches from a paper bag while Trump eats his from golden plates. Instead, I am being a little annoyed at the fact that he can do whatever he wants even when everyone else tells him something is a bad idea.

For example, developers have just broken ground on Trump's newest golf resort in Balmedie, near Aberdeen in northeast Scotland. The $1.6 billion project will feature two championship golf courses, a hotel, and numerous homes. Unfortunately for Trump, the locals are not taking too kindly to him marching in and tearing up their land for profit. Fortunately for The Donald, he has his son to handle the brunt of the local complaints.

"We are trying to deliver a golf course that can really be looked at as the greatest golf course anywhere in the world," Donald Trump Junior told BBC radio Wednesday.

"The vast majority of the people of the northeast want this project to go forward and have been incredible supporters of us." (AFP, 2009)

Well... except for the fact that the vast majority of the people of the northeast are absolutely furious and anything BUT "supportive." So infuriated, in fact, that a group calling themselves "Tripping Up Trump" have gathered in the region with the main focus of halting development on a project that the group believes would never have been allowed had it not been for Trump's wealth and popularity.

New LPGA Commish Bringing Hope?

2009-10-28T17:18:04Z

via latimesblogs.latimes.com

Earlier this week the LPGA introduced Michael Whan as the organization's newest commissioner, succeeding Carolyn Bivens and becoming the newest individual associated with LPGA in the hot seat.

A former Taylor Made Golf and Wilson Sports professional, Whan faces the task of fixing a mess that includes lost sponsors, racial issues geared towards the LPGA's accepted language, and a slumping fan base. While his predecessor had a strong business mind and sales mentality, Whan brings more experience in the actual business of golf... and is more of a fan than Bivens ever was.

According to the AP, Whan stated:

"I was that crazy high school kid cutting greens at 5:30 in the morning so he could play free golf in the afternoon and caddying on Sundays," Whan said Wednesday, during an introductory news conference at Madison Square Garden.

Despite his obvious fanfare of the sport, Whan does face a rather daunting task of regaining the support of the nation's sponsorship that saw LPGA event numbers drop from 34 to 28 during Bivens' reign. While many will blame the downturn of the American economy for this drop, Dawn Hudson, the chair of the LPGA board of directors, hopes that a new face as commissioner will promote a positive turn-around.

"At this particular time, with the struggles that all sports have had and some of the controversy of the past year, we really need a commissioner who can hit the ground running," she told The Associated Press (Chron.com, 2009).

Tom Watson Should Stop Playing PGA Tour Events Before Somebody Kills Him

2009-10-27T17:56:26Z

Okay, Tommy Terrific, we know your record at The Open. We are aware of your battles with Jack. We have seen the replay of your shot in 1982 at Pebble about 54,285 times. Do you have to keep rubbing it in our face even after you have passed your 60th birthday? Please go away. Please.

Tom Watson is the 43rd highest ranked American in the Official World Golf Rankings. He is ranked 112th on planet Earth.

The American golfers listed below wish to sign and distribute a petition worded similarly to my first paragraph. I think certain guys on this list should first be required to play their next round with masks on.

44	Charles Howell-III, USA (120)
45	Bryce Molder, USA (123)
46	John Merrick, USA (126)
47	Webb Simpson, USA (130)
48	Jonathan Byrd, USA (132)
49	D.J. Trahan, USA (134)
50	Bo Van Pelt, USA (137)
51	Jeff Klauk, USA (141)
52	Briny Baird, USA (142)
53	Scott Piercy, USA (145)
54	Brett Quigley, USA (148)
55	George McNeill, USA (150)
56	Chris Tidland, USA (153)
57	Tim Petrovic, USA (154)
58	Blake Adams, USA (158)
59	Rocco Mediate, USA (161)
60	Dudley Hart, USA (162)
61	Troy Matteson, USA (166)
62	Chad Collins, USA (169)
63	Matt Bettencourt, USA (170)
64	Jeff Overton, USA (172)
65	Ricky Barnes, USA (173)
66	Scott McCarron, USA (175)
67	David Duval, USA (176)
68	Steve Flesch, USA (177)
69	Tom Gillis, USA (179)
70	Jeff Quinney, USA (180)
71	D.A. Points, USA (181)
72	Kevin Streelman, USA (183)
73	Bob Estes, USA (184)
74	Josh Teater, USA (191)
75	Bill Haas, USA (192)
76	Tommy Armour-III, USA (195)
77	Michael Allen, USA (196)
78	Ken Duke, USA (205)
79	Michael Letzig, USA (208)
80	Derek Lamely, USA (210)
81	J.J. Henry, USA (217)
82	Garrett Willis, USA (221)
83	Bart Bryant, USA (222)
84	Cameron Beckman, USA (228)
85	Will Mackenzie, USA (229)
86	Vaughn Taylor, USA (236)
87	Lee Janzen, USA (242)
88	Tom Lehman, USA (244)
89	Tim Herron, USA (245)
90	Bill Lunde, USA (251)
91	Billy Mayfair, USA (252)
92	Ryan Palmer, USA (255)
93	Roland Thatcher, USA (256)
94	Mark Calcavecchia, USA (258)
95	Anthony Kang, USA (260)
96	Rickie Fowler, USA (265)
97	Roger Tambellini, USA (266)
98	Kevin Stadler, USA (269)
99	Corey Pavin, USA (274)
100	Matthew Every, USA (275)

Pro Golf's Halloween Costumes

2009-10-26T17:12:59Z

While not one of my personal favorite holidays, Halloween is coming up fast this weekend and many people are beginning to make their final costume choices. One can only assume that a few of the golfing world's top athletes are also looking to make a splash this year with an original get-up for October 31. And, as always, my imagination has run wild:

Stewart Cink will obviously go as Tom Watson this year, if for no other reason than to show his support for one of golf's greatest ever. Well, that and the fact that Watson's choke on his 72nd hole of the Open Championship was pretty frightening.

Ian James Poulter will have a rather embarrassing moment at his Halloween party when Christina Kim shows up also wearing a blue Twitter canary costume. Such a fashion horror will be unbearable for IJP and will probably prompt numerous suicidal thoughts, 140 characters at a time.

Rickie Fowler, Charley Hoffman, and Adam Scott will undoubtedly go as Charlie's Angels, however only after deciding against the opportunity to dress up as Herbal Essence actresses.

Lucas Glover will dress up simply as himself, the US Open Champion, because everyone knows that it will probably never happen again. Yeah, I went there.

Michael Sim from the Nationwide Tour will be going as an actual PGA Tour card in commemoration of his recent stellar play, and then send photos of himself to anyone not in the running for the same honor. I'm not really sure why I assume he is the type of person to do something so inappropriate, but this is my imagination and I'll make Nationwide scrubbs cry if I want to.

Paula Cramer will throw everyone a huge curveball and dress entirely in blue, possibly as a Smurf. However, this will last all of 30 seconds before her OCD takes over and forces her to go back to pink. And by "OCD" I mean "sponsors".

Anthony Kim will go as a completely professional-at-all-times golfer, complete with bottled water, nutrition-rich diet, and Bible. Despite his efforts to remain peaceful, Robert Allenby will give in to his hatred of the American golf star and tell an interviewer that he "totally saw Anthony sweaty and swaying", which Fred Couples will excuse as just another day in OH IT DOESN'T MATTER BECAUSE THE INTERNATIONAL TEAM SUCKS.

Things Rickie Fowler needs to learn that iPhone does not have an app for

2009-10-25T11:25:52Z

Like any rookie, getting accustomed to life on the PGA tour is not real easy. Just finding out where to park your L exus courtesy vehicle can be an experience. How to treat Pro-Am partners, if or when to sign autographs and what food you should have in your bag are also very, very important.

Also, there are a few terms you should try to learn and incorporate them in your routine. No single phrase is more important to your livelihood and length of stay on the tour than "MOVING DAY". It seems Rickie had heard the word, but did not fully understand it. On 'moving day', you forget Thursday and Friday and put yourself in a position to win or at least cash a nice check. You know, you jump from T69 to T16. You propel yourself from 31st to T6. You DO NOT shoot a 69, 1-under, to DROP from T1 to T5. Moving day is for moving up, Rickie, not moving back. You will be okay, because you appear to have some serious game.

Oh, Rickie, I just checked with iPhone. There is NOT an app for that...

Ji-Yai Shin: 1st $2M Woman of '09?

2009-10-25T09:17:06Z

With her playoff win over Akiko Fukushima and Yuko Mitsuka at the Masters GC Ladies today, Ji-Yai Shin moved into the top 20 on the JLPGA money list at over 33 million yen. Combined with her $1.61M in winnings on the LPGA, Shin may well have become the first $2M woman of 2009. Even if she's a few thousand dollars short of breaking the $2M barrier, Shin's got a huge lead on Ai Miyazato, who, after losing last week to Nikki Campbell's 50-foot birdie putt on the 4th playoff hole, decided not only to skip this week's JLPGA event but to forego next week's joint LPGA-KLPGA event so she could have a 2-week vacation in the United States. I don't understand why you'd want to give up home-country advantage in the LPGA's pennant race, much less spot the likes of Shin, Cristie Kerr, and Lorena Ochoa a tournament when Player of the Year, money list title, and Vare Trophy (for lowest scoring average) are on the line. In any case, having beaten the JLPGA's #2 in career winnings and a Japanese young gun who's headed to LPGA Q-School (going in the opposite direction, by the way, as many Asian LPGA stars), Shin has to be riding a wave of confidence. Not only does she have home-country advantage next week, she's the defending champion of the Mizuno Championship the following week in Japan. If you've been tuning women's golf out lately, it's time to tune back in!

Let's Go To Vegas, Nicholas Thompson

2009-10-24T21:09:48Z

In what may be just one of the most incredible performances of all time, Nicolas Thompson had both a double eagle and a hole in one during his round today at the Fry's.com Open.

Currently 157th on the money list, Thompson found the hole on the par 5 1tth from 262 yards and a 3-wood, according to Yahoo and the AP. Then on the next hole, a 199 yard par 3, a 7-iron found the cup for the ultra rare double and putting him tied for 5th and one shot out so far in the 3rd round.

Thompson's hole in one was one of three, yep three, today. Ted Purdy and Chad Campbell aced the 16th.

This Week's Players Who Are on the Bubble

2009-10-24T12:44:22Z

With only two tournaments left after this week at the Fry's, there are some anxious players out there. Some of the guys mentioned below may have other exemptions, but for many, it is back to the Nationwide, or even worse. Of the 21 players needing a good score this week, Greg Owen stands at T4 waiting for the weekend. Seven players flat out missed the cut, including Jeff Maggert (T130).

Listed below are the 115th to 135th place players, the amount they have won this year and what they shot through thirty-six holes this week.

115   Roland Thatcher 14 $681,631 T69
116   Greg Owen 28 $677,627   T4
117   Richard S. Johnson 24 $676,878 T37
118   Steve Flesch 25 $657,052 T56
119   Ricky Barnes 21 $653,937 T8
120 Rich Beem 24 $636,831 T93 (CUT)
121   David Duval 20 $623,824 T69
122   Robert Garrigus 23 $613,954 T69
123   Jeff Maggert 26 $611,316 T130 (CUT)
124   Bill Lunde 26 $605,691 T8
125   Chris Stroud 27 $600,019 T23
126   Jimmy Walker 22 $589,833 T127 (CUT)
127   Will MacKenzie 22 $586,836 T69
128   Matt Jones 15 $581,253 T23
129   Todd Hamilton 27 $570,445 T93 (CUT)
130   Chris Riley 20 $569,777 T69
131   Troy Matteson 29 $566,070 T106 (CUT)
132   Stuart Appleby 24 $551,837 T69
133   Joe Ogilvie 27 $540,850 T106 (CUT)
134   Tim Herron 25 $524,353 T37
135   Brendon de Jonge 27 $524,270 T106 (CUT)

All Right, Who Did It?

2009-10-23T20:44:49Z

If Tiger did do it and blamed it on Stevie it wouldn’t be the first time. If Tiger didn’t do it and Stevie dropped the bomb that wouldn’t be the first time either. Farting in the fairways, or on the practice tee, maybe a tee box, or anywhere inside the ropes is a favorite pastime among players and caddies. It has never been safe to walk behind Steve in the fairway, and I’m surprised those boom mikes haven’t picked up the passing gas more often. The seven-second delay isn’t available and the mike techs are instructed to place that furry extension directly behind the caddies behind, luckily they are only there for the shot and not transfixed throughout the round.

Just imagine a large group of guys gathering early every morning in a long line, standing about two arms length behind one another. Maybe they are still sipping coffee, probably just finished breakfast, and they are loosening up for a round of golf. There are a lot of strange noises, discreet comments, and wry smiles emanating from the row of tour pros. The gallery in the stands doesn’t get a whiff of what is going on, but those little snickers from the caddies when a player pauses over his practice shot aren’t about swing thoughts or technique, the guy standing in front of him just said hello from his posterior. It happens all the time; you have to be careful who you hit balls next to, some guys are notorious.

I’m not going to mention too many names but Fulton Allem comes to mind. His caddy "Bullet" was always coughing at Fulty’s request to cover up his butt cheeks flapping. Standing on Muirfield’s par three thirteenth one year waiting for the green to clear Allem was a bit distressed and yelled, "Bullet cough for me loudly." Bullet, a veteran caddy, had never heard that request from a pro, needed some explanation, and sauntered over. Fulton explained, Bullet coughed in tune with the flatulence and nobody in the gallery heard a peep. Caddies do come in handy once in awhile.

Stevie could drop bombs in mid stride, and not just a stride or two. He was known for that strong lengthy stride, but he always had some extra propulsion when necessary. The gaseous emissions came in handy when traveling uphill or he wanted to stay in front of the rest of the group. They were usually released early in the round; we had to be serious coming down the stretch. Everybody got a good laugh nothing was discreetly passed along; Stevie was always extremely forceful with his opinion.

Even the meek and mild let loose once in awhile, it’s only human nature, isn’t it? A certain Mormon surprised us both with a posterior utterance. It was the loudest I’d ever heard him speak, and we both had a quick giggle just like little kids. Not everyone raises their leg, or their hand to claim a masterpiece, but there is always a wink and a smile quickly after the cloud clears. If everyone is walking down the fairway together and you see heads turn quickly someone spotted a stunner in the crowd or someone let loose, take your pick.

It’s human nature, sophomoric, but a biological fact everyone has fun with. What better place than the pastoral grounds of the PGA Tour fairways? The Tour cathedral in Ponte Vedra is making too big a deal out of this. I don’t think Tiger had the video pulled, he’s too human. Over the years Hollywood stars, corporate CEO’s, professional athletes, musicians, and golfers haven’t let a little wind affect their game, they have fun with the passing zephyr. Politicians, in my experience and estimation were always the worse, rarely was there any substance, just a lot of hot air. They were harmless innocuous rumblings meant only for a quick sound bite. We paid them no attention.

Arnold Palmer and Don January circled the fairway early one morning waiting for suspended play to resume farting on each other. As they passed each other a leg would rise and you gastric noises emanated from their golf slacks. They laughed like grade schoolers and continued their anal tirades until the horn blew to resume play, then they were all business. Anything can happen in between shots and before the round; the boys are only serious during the shot process.

Larry Rinker kept backing off a shot on par three tee box and looking into the large crowd. I gave it the obligatory "quiet please" routine but after the second time I moseyed over to his side, asked if he needed anything, and was surprised by the answer. "I just had to fart and couldn’t pull the trigger with puckered cheeks. It’s a swing though I’m not used too." I walked off the side of the tee box biting my lip trying not to laugh. After the built up pressure was emitted he hit a fine shot to about eight feet.

It’s natural; it’s actually revered by many players. A well timed, well placed blow can ease the tension and bring a smile to almost anyone’s face in the fairway. We’ve been doing it for years no reason to stop now.

By the way, it was Feherty in Flint’s eighteenth fairway. I got it from a very good source. The two of them are a younger version of Palmer and January. They actually have a competition running during the tournaments. Who said it’s no fun out there on tour? We aren’t that serious.

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Yang Challenges South Korea to Arm Wrestling Match

2009-10-23T13:16:00Z

In the wake of his lackluster performance at this week's Grand Slam of Golf at Port Royal due to jet-lag, PGA Champion and Tiger-slayer Y.E. Yang has decided to take action against his home country.

According to reports, numerous airport delays at a Korean airport caused Yang to jump on the only available flight to Bermuda, barely arriving in time for Yang to prepare for the tournament properly. As a result, the physically fit golfer has issued a formal challenge to anyone from his homeland to an arm wrestling match (location yet to be determined, but it will undoubtedly be nasty).

"Something has to be done to right this travesty," Yang stated through an interpreter. "Everyone knows I can beat the greatest golfer in the world, let alone these three ya-hoos! Heck, that Glover guy was barely even paying attention most of the time!"

via www.newsday.com

Those in attendance at the tournament also noticed the sleepy Yang during his rounds, often to the point that many worried about his state of mind.

"We thought he was going to fall over most of the time, especially when walking near the cliffs," one tournament attendee noted. "His caddy was basically carrying him, his clubs, and his interpreter for 18 holes. I don't know about you, but that is commitment!"

Airport officials were unable to be reached for comment regarding the cause of the delays, however many attribute ol'fashioned tomfoolery as a possible motive.

*Note: The above report is completely made up. Except for the tomfoolery, because that airport is insane.