Steve Williams Carries Adam Scott (‘s Bag) To Masters Title.

Ruined 36 Jim Nantz Angel Puns

Another great ending to the Masters.  I wonder if today, sitting around the well-pledged libraries of the clubhouse if the members are just congratulating themselves?  Someone takes a sip of Scotch, gazes lovingly at a life-sized oil painting of Bobby Jones and says, “We run the perfect golf tournament.”  It’d be hard to argue.  We’re on a run of years now with scintillating finishes and memorable shots and it’s all happened without Tiger Woods sliding into his 5th green jacket.  For a sport that seems to be reliant on individual star power, the Masters and Augusta National pull themselves above that level most years.

What I’ll take away from the event this year was the quality of the golf of the playoff.  My Masters’ playoff memories include Scott “Choke” Hoch, Len Mattiace making a thousand on 10, Ray Floyd splashing down on 11, Kenny Perry squandering his chance at history and of course, Bubba’s awful tee shot before, “THE HOOK.”  The Masters makes people choke.  Jason Day all but admitted it in his post-round comments.  The playoff is even worse.  Perhaps this is why a Masters sudden death playoff has never extended beyond two holes.  You either see something miraculous, or someone gives it away.

If you want to be picky, I suppose you could criticize the shots Scott and Angel Cabrera hit into 18 on the first playoff hole, but that would ignore the inherent difficulty of that shot.  And then Cabrera nearly holed his chip, Scott made a nervy 3-footer and they were off to the 10th.  Cabrera’s monster iron off the 10th tee was something from another era.  Thirty years ago professional golfers carried 2-irons to “get the ball in play,” and now they’re practically extinct.  Whatever souped up driving iron Cabrera hit in the playoff was something to behold.  Of course, his putt ended up teasing the edge like Oosthuizen’s last year, but there was no choke in Cabrera.  When the guy shows up–he’s there to stay.

And, Adam Scott has always been a great ball-striker.  He’s the kind of guy who would make a 2-handicap quit the game if they had to hit balls next to him on the range every day.  We’ve been hearing, “if the guy could ever make some putts,” for years.  Last year, when Scott gave away the Open Championship you had to wonder if the cumulative impact of his missed putts was starting to take hold on the rest of his game (Sergio-itis).  But, Scott found the putting stroke late Sunday and made two of the more memorable putts in Masters’ history, the first of which, I thought he had no chance to make.

I’ve always had Scott in the category of guys who I thought could eventually get a major (Hey, I picked him 3rd–not bad?).  It’s a group populated by guys like Dustin Johnson.  Eventually, these guys are just too good to not put it together for one week.  Greg Norman was the most snake bit player in the history of the majors and he gave away plenty too, but he still went out of his mind a couple of times and won the Open twice.  One of these days, Dustin will get so far out in front that he can’t blow it, or he’ll lip-in a crucial putt when he needs it, like Scott did on Sunday.  These guys are too talented to not win a major, where as players like Lee Westwood and Luke Donald–you wonder.

I’m sure it’s a relief for Scott this morning to be free of “the label.”  He’s been a guy who has been pigeon-holed his entire career.  First, he was the guy with Tiger’s swing–an automatic and unfair heir apparent.  Since then, he’s been replaced by an even younger group of Australian golfers and become the favorite of women who are stuck on the couch watching golf.  An honorable distinction, but I doubt something Scott aspired to.  Now, he’s a major champion.  He’s a guy that could have, should have won 2 of the last three majors.  It’ll be interesting to see where he takes it from here.

Some other things of note…

Disappointing Performance by the Top of the World:

Rory and Luke Donald were never factors, Tiger got lost in controversy and didn’t meet his own standards and I’m not sure if Phil Mickelson even played the event.  Did anyone see him?  It’s strange to me how someone like Mickelson can have a week like he did.  The guy has owned the course in the past.  You’re telling me Fred Couples (god that he is) can get around with relative ease for 3 of 4 rounds, can play in the last group Saturday and end up 13th at 53 years old and Phil someone with a (better?) set of similar skills and a decade younger finishes with 77-76-73?  I don’t get it.

Speaking of the Tiger Rules Controversy:

First, I don’t believe that Tiger intentionally took a bad drop.  He knows that every eye is on him and he would have never admitted to it in his interview after the round.  In fact, I wonder if as those words were coming out of Tiger’s mouth if he didn’t have an alarm go off in his subconscious saying, “OH Fudgesicle.”  I think he was flustered, or enraged by that terrible break and made one of the bigger bonehead moves you’ll ever see.  Joe LaCava failed miserably here too.  There’s really no question Tiger took a bad drop, the question is whether he should have been disqualified.  Prior to a rule change a couple of years ago, Tiger would have been out, but a new rules allows the DQ to be waived under “exceptional circumstances.”  That’s quite vague wording for a rule, but that’s golf’s style.  I don’t know that Tiger’s free pass falls in line with the spirit of the rule, but you can certainly shoe horn it in there.  Bottom line, he didn’t win anyway, and we’ll forget about it soon enough.

Closing Shot:

I think they’ve found a nice balance in the setup at Augusta.  I looked at scores on Friday and wondered how hard they could make the course if they wanted to…I’m quite certain with some moderate changes +10 would win.  But, the balance they seem to be at now is that we’re seeing less eagles and maybe fewer “runs,” but the course is still vulnerable to a hot back nine, you simply have to be playing near perfect golf to take advantage.  So, a guy like Scott who is closing well can still make the needed birdies, while someone like Brandt Snedeker, who is leaking oil, is quickly shuffled toward the back of the pack.  It may not be perfect, but it’s working for me.

That it for now–See you at Merion!

 

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Masters Predictions, Etc.

Tiger Will Likely Beat the 14-year Old. Who Else?

There’s a pretty good chance by the time the dozen of your read this, the first round will be well underway and much of the following  insight will look foolish.  I meant to get this up much earlier in the day, but LIFE INTERVENED, as they say…but just in case some of this stuff actually happens–I wanted it on the record.  The Masters, in fits and starts.

Worst Decision:  Phil Mickelson’s “Phrankenwood”

Classic Mickelson.  He’s an over-thinker.  This year he teased a special club and then debuted the 12-degree driver/FW combo item this week and Callaway has dubbed it “The Phrankenwood.”  Essentially, they are just re-releasing “The Deuce” with their new technology.  I had a Deuce.  Phenomenal club.  I probably was the best user of that club in southeastern PA.  The thing about this type of club, though?  It’s really for people who can’t hit drivers.  You basic head case chop.  That was me in 1996.  And, I guess that’s Phil now.  He’s got a complex, launch specs reason for putting this thing in the bag, but it feels like the classic Mickelson buckle.

Best Decision: Rory McIlroy’s Trip to Valero.

McIlroy intended to skip last week’s Texas Open to attend a UNICEF function in Haiti, but decided he didn’t want to show up to Augusta spraying the ball all over good god’s creation.  By Sunday in Texas he appeared to know what he was doing again.  I’m not saying he’s going to win, but he should at least keep his penalty shots in the single digits.

Does Bubba Have a Chance to Repeat:  No.

This isn’t necessarily a matter of form, though Bubba hasn’t quite hit on all gears this year, I just think the process of being defending champion is going to have him wore down before we get to Sunday.  He’s an emotional guy.  He already cried in his press conference.  I think he runs out of steam sometime before the weekend.

Does a Non-Major Winner Have A Chance:  Yes.

When Tiger won 14 Majors in nine years, or whatever it was, it seemed like there were fewer 1st time major winners, because Tiger was constantly raising trophies.  Throw in a few other repeat champs like Paddy, Phil and Vijay and the Majors felt like an exclusive club.  I think we could be headed back toward that type of era, but there is still a long list of major-less talent out there.  My top 3 Non-Major Candidates:  Kuchar, Scott and Rose.

Will Jim Nantz enter the Pun Hall of Fame:  Someday.

This is Nantz’s biggest time of the year.  He just dry humped the microphone for the NCAA Final and now he’s at his home away from home–Augusta National.  An interesting thing to monitor is Nantz’s unabashed rooting for Fred Couples.  The guy loves his college roommate.  I think Fred missed his chance, but if something crazy happened and Fred won again, Nantz would be a wreck.  He’d look like one of those dogs welcoming home a soldier.

Quick Predictions:

Highest Score:  Craig Stadler, 86 on Friday.

Lowest Score:  Lee Westwood, 66 on Thursday (he’ll buckle)

Low Head Case (Sergio or Adam Scott):  Adam Scott–I give him an outside chance at contending for 68 holes.

Low Fashion Icon (Poulter or Fowler):  Fowler–I’m just glad I don’t have a 10-year old who wants to wear dipsh*t Puma hats.

Worst Score on 12 by Someone in Contention Sunday: 6, Phil Mickelson.  Feels right.

Will There be a Hole-In-One on 16:  YES

Will Jack Nickalus Hit a Butterball Turkey Fade out there 238 yds tmmrw morning:  YES

Low Ryder Cup Hero (McDowell or Westwood):  Westwood

Low Ryder Cup Goat (Stricker or Mahan):  Mahan–eventually this “semi-retired” thing is going to catch up with Stricks

Low Lookalike (Bill Haas or Nick Watney):  Watney–I’m rooting for Watney to get a major, not sure about his demeanor.

Low BFF (Keegan or Phil):  Keegan.  He’s been on pretty good form, plus he needs one of these before they take his putter away.

Low Champions Tour Player:  Fred Couples.  This isn’t even a homer pick, guy finished 12th last year.

Five People I wish Were Playing (you figure out the reasons): Jack, David Duval, Tommy Two Gloves, Ian Baker Finch and Stacey Lewis.

And now, what you’ve all been waiting for…

The Definitive, Yet Arbitrary Masters Top-10:

1. Matt Kuchar
2. Tiger Woods
3. Adam Scott
4. Keegan Bradley
5. Louis Oosthuizen
6. Jason Day
7. Freddy Jacobsen
8. Rory McIlory
9. Phil Mickelson
10. Rickie Fowler

The great thing about the Masters is, the field is so small, it feels like this type of leaderboard is actually possible.  Everyone enjoy the coverage.

 

 

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Happy Masters Week.

Guan Tianlang, Younger Than Your Grandpappy’s Scotch.

I’m not going to write too much today.  As you probably know, much of your time on the internet today should be devoted to the Masters website.  There isn’t a whole lot to do on Monday, except reflect on past tournaments, scan the field and watch videos.  The pairings will come out on Tuesday.  Wednesday is the par-3 tournament, and then the fun starts.  I’ve got to do my scouting for the most exclusive Masters Pool in the World.  But, in the spirit of community, here are a few things to think about for the tournament this week…

1.  Guan Tianlang (pronounced Tin Long) will become the youngest competitor in the history of the Masters when he tees it up this week at age 14.  Tianlang won the Asian amateur (out of nowhere) and if I had to guess is headed toward a tee time with one of Augusta’s elder statesman–perhaps Ben Crenshaw?  Crenshaw would be a good fit, because Tianlang ropes his tee shots about 250 yds, aka Crenshaw Long.  His deadly short game will be tested this week, but I can barely wrap my head around a 14-year old playing the Masters.  When I was fourteen I was fairly impressed with myself when I made my high school golf team and occasionally shot in the low 50s–for 12 holes (and in NES OPEN).  

2. Tiger Woods returns to Augusta this week as the #1 player in the world for the first time in a couple of years.  The ranking feels significant.  Tiger looks to be on even better form than he was last year and is putting better as well, which has held him back in the majors in the post-scandal era.  The odds for the event reflect Tiger nearly getting back his lock status with the bettors.  In the heyday, Tiger would be about even money to win any event he played.  This year’s top choices according to Ladbrokes:  

1. Tiger Woods, 4:1
2. Rory McIlroy, 8:1
3. Phil Mickelson, 10:1
4. Justin Rose, 16:1
5. Charl Schwartzel, 20:1

3.  This is the first Masters since Augusta National admitted two female members last summer.  Darla Moore and Condoleezza Rice joined the green jacket ranks in August and will likely be a story on the periphery early in the week.  Rice has already made news by playing a practice round alongside Phil Mickelson last week.  Classic Mickelson move.  

4.  The weather can play a big role at The Masters.  From delays, to course conditions, rain can always be a factor.  The consensus is, Augusta is at its most difficult but is also anyone’s tournament when the course is hard and fast.  There is a threat of rain for the early rounds this week and a chance of windy conditions on Friday afternoon.  If you are trying to pick a winner, listen to the early reports of the course conditions and maybe favor the late/early tee times.  

5. A preview of what’s coming up for the rest of this Masters week…

1. A Masters Flavor (?)  Mailbag  on Tuesday
2. Pairings and Predictions on Wednesday
3. A look at the Final rounds on Friday, with the appropriate level of glee/panic depending on leaderboard

All right, that’s it for today.  Everyone enjoy the NCAA final tonight, if you can still muster any interest, or you can watch Roy Halladay try to relocate his career against Mets’ strikeout machine Matt Harvey.  Phils in dire need of some quality starts.  And you thought that statistic was idiotic…

 

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Bracket Practice.

Is There A Jumbo Ozaki Bracket?

I’ve got a new theory for March Madness this year.  Considering I’m known to correctly guess 0-1 Final Four participants each year and sit at approximately 0 for 75 lifetime in NCAA pools, I’m going to try to get some of my bad luck out of the way.  If there’s anything more unpredictable than the NCAA tournament, it’s the Accenture World Match Play Championship.  It’s not will a #1 seed lose early, it’s how many will lose in the opening round?  So, while I fill out every online contest I can find, in a pursuit to leave the 11th percentile, here’s some inconsequential talk about the golf tournament.

#1 Seeds: Tiger, Rory, Luke Donald and Louis Oosthuizen

All eyes are on Rory since he hasn’t been seen since his season opening 75-75-adios in Abu Dhabi.  The World #1 was obviously rusty, but the only equipment concern should be with his putter.  McIlroy plays longtime friend Shane Lowery of Ireland in the opening round, which could help him get off to a good start.

Five 2nd Round Matchups I will jinx Want to See:

Despite the depth of the field, there isn’t one match in the first round that jumps off the page at me.  I imagine for a more casual golf fan that feeling might be even more intense.  But, if some matches turn out on Wednesday the 2nd round could be full of highlights.  My preferences:

Rory McIlroy vs. Rickie Fowler.  McIlroy has to get by the aforementioned Lowery while Fowler will face Carl Pettersson.  Fowler has shown flashes of brilliance in this event, but has never strung together a full week–something typical of his career to this point.

Tiger Woods vs. Francesco Molinari.  Everyone loves to compare Tiger to Michael Jordan.  One place they are similar?  The perceived slight.  Molinari could have conceded a putt last year when the Ryder Cup was decided.  He didn’t, Tiger missed  and lost the match.  Could something like that inspire Tiger to a signature thrashing?

Dustin Johnson vs. Graeme McDowell.  Johnson already has a win this year and has made the “Paulina Gretzky following DJ (at fill in tournament) Slide Show” a staple at Golf.com.  McDowell, like pretty much every golfer born in Europe after 1975 seems to be a match play killer.

Hunter Mahan vs. Jason Dufner.  Mahan is the defending champion.  I’m curious about Dufner.  I like the guy, but people seem to have rushed a bit to put him near the top of the game.  I want to see how he fares this week as a top seed.

Keegan Bradley vs. Ernie Els.  Two guys who use an anchored putter and won majors.  Were they the last straw for the USGA?  If you watched the Ryder Cup you know Keegan Bradley was out of his mind.  Hard to believe he’ll be at that level of intensity and if he is he won’t last the five days.  Els has been a god in the Match Play at Wentworth, can he add this title?

Five First Round Upsets:  

Chris Wood (15) over Bubba Watson (2).  Bubba played terrible at Riviera.  I don’t see him snapping out of it this week.  Chris Wood won earlier this year in Qatar.

Padraig Harrinton (12) over Graeme McDowell (5).  What better way to prepare for the NCAAs than pick a 12/5 right?  Harrington is on what is probably his 30th swing incarnation of the last five years, and hasn’t played well the last two weeks, but I think he’s got a chance to slip by McDowell who isn’t exactly on top form.

Frederick Jacobsen (12) over Ernie Els (5).  Two 12/5s are better than one.  Jacobsen is coming off two straight top-5 finishes.  Not a real closer in stroke play events, but taking possibly the best putter in the world is never a bad choice in match play.

Henrik Stenson (13) over Steve Stricker (4).  Stenson has a pretty good record in this event and has come back from some pretty significant struggles.  Steve Stricker is playing  a reduced schedule and its hard to believe he’s sharp since he hasn’t played since Hawaii.

Ryan Moore (10) over Jim Furyk (7).  Not a huge upset, but considering Furyk’s recent performances in big spots and that Moore was an amateur match play killer, I’ll take the guy with funny shoes who occasionally wears bad ties.

My Final Four:  Tiger Woods, Charl Schwartzel, Sergio Garcia, and Nick Watney.  

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Happy Ryder Cup Week.

Current Score: 0-0.

The Ryder Cup is one of my favorite sporting events.  Throw a team format and some nationalism into golf and I’m hooked.  I’m one of the few people who doesn’t think the Presidents Cup is big sideshow.  But the Ryder Cup is clearly superior in every way.  The history, the competitiveness, the patriotism–it’s all heightened at the Ryder Cup.  It’s also nice that the US has taken on an underdog role.  No one likes a foregone conclusion.  So here’s a little preview…

Team Europe:  For the 1st time since the days of Nick Faldo, the Europeans have the #1 player in the World in Rory McIlroy.  But as far as feared players go, Sergio Garcia might be at the top of the list.  The Spaniard always finds his putter in this event and after missing the 2010 contest–expect Sergio to be motivated to further his legacy.  The Europeans also have some players like Lee Westwood who are struggling to find their form.  Interesting tidbit–European stalwart Luke Donald has called Chicago (home of Medinah) home for years.  

Team USA:  The US team does not have a single player with a winning Ryder Cup record.  Part of that is being on the wrong end of several whoopings, part of it is horrific putting.  An eye toward the flat stick was evident with Davis Love’s captain’s picks choosing Brandt Snedeker, Steve Stricker and Jim Furyk.  The U.S. team could have the advantage on the greens for the first time in a long time.  Interesting tidbit–Tiger Woods has won two PGA Championships at Medinah.  The European team has 1 player that has won two majors.  

The Course:  Medinah #3 is big, old golf course that has hosted majors, but it has been tamed by Davis Love and the PGA of America.  The rough is way down, the course will play a bit shorter and expect the setup to favor scoring and entice players into daring shots.  The par-4 15th can play as a 280-yd par four, expect that hole to be one of the focal points of the event.  

Key Format:  Alternate Shot.  Even in their darkest days the US teams has usually been able to hold its own (at worst) in singles.  That’s where their depth has always shone through.  And, the best-ball format has also been pretty kind to the U.S.  Where the numbers get ugly is in Foursomes, or alternate shot.  When these events get out of hand there is usually one session where a team sweeps, or nearly sweeps to seize momentum.  A 4-0 session puts you better than a 1/4 of the way to a victory.  The U.S. team needs to stay away from this type of momentum swing and foursomes is the most likely place it could occur.  

The Pressure:  One of the compelling things about watching golf on television is you see a manifestation of pressure.  And, there is no bigger stage for pressure than the Ryder Cup.  There is a special on the golf channel tonight at 9pm about the 1991 Ryder Cup, which was some of the most pressure packed golf ever played.  The results…varied.  Things are no longer quite that intense, but two years ago it was Hunter Mahan who fell victim to the heat with his stubbed chip at the K-Club.  Someone is guaranteed to rise to the occasion, someone is guaranteed to buckle, and there will probably be some tears.  

Most Important U.S. Player:  Phil Mickelson.  I expect Tiger to play well.  I expect the U.S. rookies to run a little hot and cold.  The U.S. veterans, the guys who have been getting their butts kicked for two decades need to step up this week and Phil is at the top of this list.  Phil has a big influence on some of the younger guys on this team (Bradley, Simpson, Johnson) so you need him to up and going well this week.  It could create a tide of momentum.  

Most Important European Player:  Ian Poulter.  When the Europeans come out on top they always have a guy (at least one) who is playing well over his head.  Poulter is a great candidate for this.  He loves the event, is a match-play killer and a great putter.  The emotional Poulter is capable of boosting the whole European team if he’s going well.  You expect Rory McIlroy to play well, if Poulter rallies the 2nd tier–watch out.  

My Best 4 US Better-Ball Pairings:

1. Simpson/Watson
2. Woods/Snedeker
3. Furyk/D. Johnson
4. Mickelson/Bradley

My Best 4 US Foursomes Pairings:

1. Z. Johnson/Dufner
2. Stricker/Kuchar
3. Snedeker/Furyk
4. Bradley/Woods

The Pick: US 14.5/Europe 13.5.  I’m almost certain this is going to be a close one, and you want it to be close.  Any lead bigger than 9-7 heading into singles and you start needing an incredible rally.  In years past, picking the US team was all heart and no brain, but I think they are good enough this time around to handle Europe, who may be at their peak form.  

 

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PGA Championship Preview: Will Soaked Kiawah Still Bite?

As A Great Man Once Said, “Fore Everywhere.”

By most measures the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island is the United States’ toughest test of golf.  It stretches over 7,600 yards.  The course rating approaches 80, and if someone ever asks you the slope rating, just say, “a billion.”  That’s an accepted figure.  With numbers like that you hardly need the Atlantic Ocean breezes or the countless water hazards, but Pete Dye isn’t known for his player-friendly layouts so there are plenty of red stakes at Kiawah and acres of sand as well.  If you are interested in seeing the best players in the World tested, this is the place you want to see them play.  The only question is, will a somewhat soggy Ocean Course live up to its expectations?

My only memory of Kiawah is the 1991 Ryder Cup, which came to known as “The War By the Shore.”  Caught up in the aftermath of the 1st Gulf War, tired of losing the Ryder Cup to the European Team, the event and the fans got a bit out of control in hindsight.  But, as I watched as a young golf fan I remember everything feeling appropriate.  The flag waving, the unfathomable pressure, it made me a Ryder Cup fan for life.  In the background was this impossible, wind-swept golf landscape.  I remember hearing that the players were lucky it was a match-play event because the medal scores would have been a bit embarrassing.  It wasn’t out of the question for a player to turn in 42 and be right in his match.  That was balata balls and Ryder Cup pressure, though.  I think these guys will break 80–no problem, but I have an expectation that the course is going to be very difficult.  I hear long and soft and I think Congressional and McIlroy.  It makes me ill.  

PGA Storylines:

1.  Tiger’s Year:  Woods is the only 3-time winner out there.  He leads the FedEx Cup race, he’s atop the Ryder Cup standings, and these are very old-school Tiger Woods stats.  But, Tiger’s weekend scoring in the majors has been nothing like it was when he was dominating, and there’s still a question if he really trusts that driver.  On this course, Tiger will be forced to pull the driver out of the bag.  Where will it fly in the wind?  Tiger said this week that he still believes he has a good 40 majors left to catch Jack.  That may be true mathematically, but not practically.  Tiger used to grade his seasons only on these events, but some new perspective has him already pleased with 2012.  I still don’t think Tiger has a shot at getting #15 until next April and if he comes up short again, his critics will have another major-less season to highlight.  

2. The weather.  You get the feeling that the weather at Kiawah will be almost as unpredictable as it is at the Open Championship.  I’m guessing it’s going to be humid.  Other than that?  Not a clue.  I’ve seen everything from thunderstorms every day, to calm conditions, to people calling for 30 mph gusts on Friday and Saturday afternoon.  If the wind blows 30 mph, they could put the tees at 6,800 yds and these guys would get eaten alive.  The only thing working in the player’s favor is the wide driving areas and receptive turf.  This event has the feel of one that will have a “good-side” and “bad-side” to the draw.  If the wind predictions for Friday afternoon are accurate, the late/early guys will be loving their good fortune.  

3.  Paspalum Grass.  Paspalum is a strain of bent grass invented by Carl Spackler.  Ok, that’s not true, but the grass is something that is rarely (if ever) seen on the PGA Tour.  The players have talked about how it “grabs” the ball around the green.  With shaved runoff areas, soft greens and paspalum the consensus is…you better have one hell of a short game to survive this event.  Translation:  Bad news for Lee Westwood.  

4.  The Closing Three Holes.  The 16th is just a 581 yd par-5.  No Big Deal.  Into the wind, this hole will be a monster, but expect at least one round where the PGA temps the players to go for this green in two.  That opens up a whole other realm of trouble.  The 17th hole (pictured above) measures 223 yards.  If the wind is blowing you are going to see tour pros bailing out like a bunch of 20-handicaps.  It’ll be awesome.  The course closes with a 500-yd par 4.  So you know, just a little easy par there to finish up.  There’s often debate over whether a great course needs a great finishing hole–well Kiawah closes with three beasts.  It’ll make someone look bad.  I guarantee it.  Which brings me to…

5.  The Choke Factor.  Johnny Miller once said the 17th hole was so hard it could “make you choke when you were playing a practice round by yourself.”  The hole was the site of one of the great double-buckles in golf history.  Mark Calcavecchia was 4-up with four holes to go against Colin Montgomerie and was already leaking oil when they got to the 17th tee–his lead was down to two holes.  Montgomerie hit first and dunked one in the water.  Then Calcavecchia stepped up and hit a cold shank into the water that never got more than 5 ft off the ground.  After they both dropped, Calc had a 2-footer for double and the win, but missed that as well.  When Calc lost 18, he was inconsolable.  He thought he’d cost the team the match, but as it turned out, the closing holes would take out a few more victims and the US would squeak out a 1-point win.  If you enjoy watching train wrecks, here’s the Calc meltdown.  Now, the pressure won’t be like this at the PGA, but the way that tournaments get lost these days, so to speak, I wouldn’t be surprised if a few guys throw up on themselves on the way in.  

The Definitive Top-10:  

1. Matt Kuchar
2. Keegan Bradley
3. Rory McIlroy
4. Paddy Harrington
5. Tiger Woods
6. Martin Laird
7. Jason Dufner
8. John Daly
9. Louis Oosthuizen
10. Jim Furyk

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Give Me Your Strongest Cider: The JSO Requires Extra Holes.

We’re One Year Away From a Denim Banana Hammock.

Not all Jean Short Opens are created equal.  They’re all held at Pickering.  They are all exclusive as hell, but sometimes the participants raise their games to previously unseen levels.  I don’t want to use the word, “complacent,” to describe last year’s JSO, but there was a certain comfort level.  A bit of the awkwardness had worn away.  It didn’t feel QUITE as special.  Then, the 2012 JSO happened.  We had spandex.  We had record Coors Light consumption.   We had two holes of nail-biting sudden death.   A quick wrap-up…

What It’s All About: The Coors Light Championship Buckle.

We have now proven, through repeated real-life experiments that there is no dress code at Pickering Valley.  You can’t get a reaction out of the employees there.  They are hardened.  They have blank facial expressions.  It doesn’t matter if you walk in wearing an Andre Agassi tennis outfit from 1991 (that’s 2 sizes too small), or if you order a quick case of beer–these people just go about their business.  Of course, I was horrified by the tribute to Agassi.  I feel other people’s shame.  And, the JSO originated as a way to get me to Pickering Valley and embarrass me as much as possible.  Mission accomplished this year.  

Loudmouth Golf Hopped On as a Sponsor This Year.

Yes, those are denim.  No, they aren’t shorts, but for the entire round a pair of scissors resided in the back pocket of these jeans threatening to turn these sweeties into cutoffs.  That level of commitment, plus any time you can incorporate the double black glove gives you a lot of leeway.  If the JSO was held in the worst European club you can imagine, I’m pretty sure this is what everyone would wear.  

We Take This Picture Every Year–I Don’t Know Why.

The Amazing 2nd Hole:  A large portion of the holes in the JSO have special rules/scoring.  On the 2nd, a devilish, downhill par-3 with the 3rd largest green on the Eastern seaboard you have to drink a beer if you are closest to the hole and also if you are furthest away.  Generally, at least one person hits the ball out of play, either into the right trees or down the hill into the abyss.  Well first I stepped up and hit a little smooth, pokey 9-iron to about 25 feet.  Not bad.  Then the mystery man hit a towering ball that should have gone into the right trees, but somehow drew back onto the putting surface about 35 feet away.  Thank you PING game improvement!  Next, Agassi hit one of his 3 solid shots of the day to about 12 feet.  When Haas’ ball landed on the green as well we decided it may have been the 1st time that all four of us hit the same green in regulation.  Not just in the JSO, but ever.  Conclusion:  More Coors Light.  

Read The Hat Again.

Great Shot Bonuses:  One of the oddities in the JSO scoring system is that at any moment you can hit a shot that is bad enough to get a stroke taken off your team score.  The opposing team must be in agreement, but it’s all done on a honor code that is taken very seriously.  The problem is, through the years, we’ve seen so much that it is tough to impress us.  A simple top is not going to cut it.  A snap hook into the water?  Boring.  This year we only had 1 “great shot.”  Someone did hit their own cart, but there were no witnesses.  Someone also hit a ball out of bounds that rattled around under a passing car, but we didn’t have a confirmation on that until the time to award the “great shot,” had passed.  The only great shot came when a ball was skulled off a stake holding the traditional awful public course yellow “no carts” ropes and bounded into the trees.  The real truth is, the match was just too close to be awarding bonus shots.  

Winning Team: We Must Protect This Trout.

So, it became apparent pretty early on that this was going to be an epic, close battle.  The mystery man and I were down for much of the front nine.  We got one back on the “putters only” par-3 6th hole.  A double bogey was enough to get the job done thanks to some unusually high fringe at Pickering this year.  That stuff ate-up even the most aggressive putts.  We were all square headed to the 9th, but Haas’ ability to put down his beer, set aside the heat rash that had to be spreading on both legs, and hit career level shots was remarkable.  He won the 9th single-handedly and we went to the back nine–after getting more beer, six packs of crackers, a bag of chips, some kit-kats, and a handful of hot dogs.  Just the usual.  

Looking For My Ball, My Zipper, Perhaps Both.

Any fan of the JSO knows that the back-nine is full of swing holes.  The 15th is 1-club.  You must play the entire hole with only one club.  It’s about a 350 yd par-4, down hill.  I chose 7-iron and parred the sumbitch “Tin Cup,” style.  How’d you like that putt on 15, which was a 7-iron as I recall?  My par, coupled with Agassi and Haas’ 13x* got us back to even once again.  Onto the 16th.  The 16th is a par-3, and it’s driver’s only.  The 16th is also the “beer par,” hole.  If you drink 3 beers on 16–you get a par.   A three was a valuable score in a tight match and Haas decided to go for the beer par.  Our team decided we couldn’t make beer par, so we baited Haas into doing it (since he was carrying their team golf-wise) and hoped he’d be too “full of life and Coors” to contribute on 17 and 18.  

Well, things went according to plan on 17.  We easily won that hole and then stepped up to the 18th tee all square.  At this point Haas hit perhaps the two greatest shots ever struck by someone whose blood Coors level was someone around 50/50.  The best my team could manage was a tie and then there was a moment where we didn’t know what to do.  Tied?  The JSO?  The first year we might have all gaily slapped backs and accepted the draw.  The Waitzkin, if you will, but now the buckles are on the line.  We decided on extra holes.  

Again this is why Pickering is amazing, because we just drove down the 9th hole and played it again.  NO BIG DEAL.  We probably could have pulled up to the clubhouse and said, “We tied, the first person to punch a 4-iron through that window from the 1st tee wins,”  and they probably would have said, “Sounds fair.”  So, on nine Agassi finally woke up.  He won a buckle in 2011 and wanted to keep it in the family.  After being told by Haas that he, “wasn’t good at playing golf,” Agassi responded with his 2nd and 3rd decent shots of the day.  I had to hit a running 8-iron under a tree from about 40 yards up to 20 feet just to stay in the match.  After the 19th hole, Agassi said, “I’m completely sober.”  There was about 10 Coors Lights worth of sweat in his spandex drawers, so maybe that’s the truth.  

So, it was onto the 20th hole.  Back to 16.  No drivers.  No beer par.  No handicap shots.  Just golf.  I rode the mystery man pretty hard all day, luxuriating in his high, butterball fade, but with darkness coming upon us, I gathered myself enough to hit an easy, breezy, guess that PW down there to about 10-feet.  It was again Haas who stepped up knocking a chip to about Agassi short-length.  We had two 10-footers for the win, and obviously didn’t scare the hole.  That left Haas with a treacherous 2-footer.  It’s hard to describe how you can have a hard putt at Pickering if you’ve never been there, but this hole was cut on the side of a hill.  It had a good 6 inches of break and was comically slow.  It dove low, and I got to keep my buckle.  Haas said, “I’m sick to my stomach.”  Not sure if that was because of the putt, or early onset heat exhaustion.  

***

Swing Coming to a Golf Digest Near You.

Oh, we were playing yellow Pinnacles.  Did I not mention that?  Also, never wear rayon from Bangladesh in the heat.  So, that was it, the 4th Annual JSO.  Will it be topped?  Next year is the big 5-year anniversary.  Everyone was in great spirits after the round.  We felt like we had revived the JSO.  Breathed fresh life into it.  Haas wanted to celebrate the occasion,”with a cool dessert.”  We shot into Wegman’s on the way home and as you may know, they have a Pub in the store.  So classy.  You know what else is classy?  Walking up to the unsuspecting bartender and saying, “Give Me Your Strongest Cider.”  

Turns Out it was Woodchuck.

 

 

 

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Scott Pilots Bogey Train to Buckleville.

Stevie Williams Denied Further Greatness.

In the days leading up to the Open Championship, we heard a lot about how hard the course at Lytham was going to play.  Then for three days, the wind disappeared and the players found a stern, but manageable test.  On Sunday, we got a taste of what a wind-swept event might have looked like.  Even a moderate breeze turned the lush course into a beast and the players, especially those in the later groups saw their scores balloon into the seventies.  Even with the lack of red numbers, the majority of the round felt like a coronation for Adam Scott.  Tiger Woods made an early triple bogey, Graeme McDowell never looked comfortable and Scott’s lead remained robust as he played conservative golf.  The Australian was operating under almost no pressure until Ernie Els starting grouping together some back nine birdies.  

There’s never been much question about Adam Scott as a ball-striker.  The possessor of “Tiger’s Old Swing,” Scott creates the kind of contact that Lytham has typically rewarded, but after the long putter turned balky–his ball-striking began to suffer as well.  It was moments after Els’ birdie roar from 18 that Scott overcooked an approach on 17 and made a bogey that dropped him into a tie with Els.  When his tee shot on 18 found one of Lytham’s famous bunkers, the outcome felt decided.  Scott’s four closing bogeys put him in unfortunate company when it comes to discussing collapses in a Major Championship.  There was nothing spectacular, no one horrific shot that turned the tide, but the trophy was nonetheless handed to Ernie Els.  

Perhaps Ernie was owed one like this, after his own disappointments and after he failed to gain entry into this year’s Masters.  Ernie has his own, long-documented struggles with the putter so the two deciding putts on 18 Sunday in some ways were a reversal of fortune for the South African.  Els was once a great clutch putter, winning two US Opens, matching Tiger Woods putt for putt in a Presidents Cup playoff–Ernie has made plenty of big putts.  He just hadn’t been making them lately, and when he did find himself in contention he never made the putt like did on the final hole Sunday.  

Ernie will be a popular champion, not quite as sentimental as last year’s winner, Darren Clarke, but Els has always been very popular in Europe.  An Open Champion is always revered, and now Ernie joins the far more elite company of multiple gold medal winners.  Other than reviving Ernie’s career (he was nowhere on my radar for the week), we can glean a few more takeaways from golf’s most global Major.  

1.  Tiger again faltered over a Major Championship weekend.  On the biggest stages, it still doesn’t look like Tiger trusts his driver.  That’s one of the few places where Tiger doesn’t look comfortable.  His irons weren’t deadly accurate this week, but if he get’s a different bounce at six, he’s possibly in position to take advantage of Scott’s gift.  And, the manner in which this ended, should provide hope to any top player.  If you can hang around in a Major these days, you never know what will happen in the end.  

2.  Phil Mickelson was a total train wreck.  It’s hard to pinpoint what’s going on with Phil.  Is it attention span?  Is he not 100% healthy?  There was a time when golfers had shorter primes.  Equipment, guys like Vijay Singh have made us assume everyone can compete into their late-40s, but that wasn’t always the case.  Phil still looks fearless out there, but I wonder how much willingness he has to go back to the drawing board at this point in his career.  He’s been out there for a long time, and you start to wonder about the cumulative grind.  He’s far from done, but he appears to be turning it on less and less in recent months.  

3.  It’s now been five majors since Rory McIlroy won the U.S. Open by lapping by field and was given his own “era.”  In those five events he’s rarely showed form and a decent start this week dissolved into a poor finish.  If Rory had opened with a 67 at last year’s Open he would have been handed the trophy.  A year later, and he’s already back to being just another 1st day story.  

4.  With so many guys winning majors, I think it adds focus to the players who the guys who continually come up short.  You can now put Scott on a list with guys like #1 Luke Donald, Lee Westwood, Matt Kuchar, Steve Stricker–what are they all waiting for?  Back when Tiger won almost 1/2 the majors you could argue that the futility of golfers like Mickelson or Monty, or even Els was understandable, but now each major starts wide-open.  It doesn’t make much sense to me how these guys can win multiple times a season and yet look so pedestrian in the biggest events.  The Schwartzels, Bradleys and Watsons of the world have obviously figured out something these guys have not.  

5.  With the Ryder Cup on the horizon in the Fall, I wonder if the Europeans are losing footing as favorites?  Coming into the week, they still held the top-3 spots in the rankings, but Americans resided in spots 4-8.  They also have 11 of the top 20, compared to just six for the Euros.  The Americans always used to hold the edge in the rankings and it was the European’s strong team play and clutch putting that carried them through. When the talent started to even out, the Americans were subject to a couple of blowouts.  With an influx of young talent and Tiger returning to form, we could be headed for another close contest at Medinah.  

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Tiger’s Favorite Major.

If The Course Was in the U.S. It’d be called, “The Estates at Tudor Manor.”

Tiger declared the Open Championship (nee British Open) his favorite major this week.  Interesting admission from Tiger, who may be trying to convince himself of that fact to get properly motivated for the week.  I would imagine his favorite major will be the next one he wins.  Before the Masters, in a rare prediction that hasn’t yet gone awry, I said that Tiger’s next best chance to win a major would be the 2013 Masters.  It’s clear Tiger is playing much better, but I still don’t think his game is ready for four rounds at tricky Lytham, or the diabolical Ocean Course at Kiawah where the PGA will be held in August.  

What I find interesting about Tiger’s claim is that it appears to be one that is becoming more prevalent, especially in the U.S.   I think there’s an underlying desire in golf to go retro, to get back to the roots.  In the United States for a long time we were building more and more massive golf courses.  Big greens, big bunkers, big rough and about 8 sets of tees.  The trouble is, this type of golf has proven to be a nightmare for amateurs and no test for the best players in the world.  We’ve realized in recent years that if you want to challenge the best players in the world, you must have a firm golf course–the length is often times a secondary factor.  So, this takes us back to the U.K. where they’ve had this exact type of course for hundreds of years.  I think there is a renewed appreciation in the Brits, the Scots, the Irish, etc. getting all these courses right the first time.  And considering the Open Championship is also the oldest and most global major, its rise in prominence, in the eyes of non-Euros, is understandable.  

The Open Championship arrives at Royal Lytham & St. Annes this year.  For most golf fans the Open Rota is St. Andrews and all the other courses.  Some know that Carnoustie is the hard course, that Troon has the “Postage Stamp,” green and that Turnberry has the best views, but Royal Lytham doesn’t have much of a profile for the casual golf fan.  If anything, the course is famous for its numerous bunkers–205 of them, but it hasn’t hosted the Open Championship since David Duval was good.  That’s 2001.  With St. Andrew’s getting doubled up in the rotation, some of the lesser known Open venues are getting less action.  

As far as the course goes, aside from the plentiful bunkering, what you probably need to know is that it’s been raining in the U.K. for about 3 straight months.  The rough is healthy.  More rain is in the forecast for this week.  Players who spray the ball offline this week are going to get punished and if the wind is up and helping balls fly into tough spots, I’d imagine the scores will be pretty high.  The Open Championship often rewards a ball-striker and the slower paced, meandering greens can be an equalizer.  That sounds like a recipe for a Tiger rout, given his improved ball-striking, but I still say he’s not ready.  I expect Tiger to be hitting it sideways by Saturday.  

Before I get into some tee times and predictions, remember that coverage for the Open Championship starts at 5am on Thursday.  Love, love, love getting up early and parking it on the couch to watch this tournament.  Might be the best part of the whole event.

***

Tee Times: 

4:09 am–Darren Clarke, Ernie Els, Zach Johnson.  Anyone remember that Clarke won this tournament last year?  It’s proven to be a career capper, not a springboard as Clarke has done nothing since.  Ernie Els has developed into one of the bigger whiners on tour, his most recent tirade claiming the equipment makes it too easy to win (for everyone except him, I suppose).  Zach Johnson won last week.  

4:20 am–Bubba Watson, Lee Westwood, Yoshinori Fujimoto.  Bubba’s still checked out after the Masters, though you’d assume he’ll put the pieces together for at least one run in this event before he’s done.  I don’t think it’s ever going to happen for Lee Westwood.  And, as far as I know, Yoshinori Fujimoto was one of the original developers of Nintendo.  

4:31 am–Dustin Johnson, Graeme McDowell, Hiroyuki Fujita.  Isn’t it about time for Dustin to choke away another major?  His O.B. block was one of the signature moments of last year’s event.  Graeme McDowell feels like a legitimate threat, and no, Hiroyuki Fujita is not Scott Fujita’s brother.  

4:42 am–Tiger Woods, Sergio Garcia, Justin Rose.  You’ll be able to watch Tiger’s entire round, and be done by 9:30 am–go on and have a full day.  As I said, I don’t think it’s Tiger’s time yet.  I like Sergio to eventually win a major before Westwood, and Justin Rose feels a bit like Andy Murray at Wimbledon to me.  

8:59 am–Hunter Mahan, Nick Colsaerts, and John Senden.  There are a LOT, a LOT of people tabbing Mahan this week.  Colsaerts is the kind of anonymous Euro Tour talent who could easily win.  John Senden is a legendary ball-striker.  Legendary.  Just not on this big of a stage.  

9:43 am–Phil Mickelson, Luke Donald, Geoff Ogilvy.  If Geoff Ogilvy can win a major…Donald should be able to win one too.  The world’s #1 has been a stark disappointment in the big events to this point, especially at Olympic–a venue that was supposed to cater to his game.  We won’t know if Donald has the stuff until he pulls it off.  Mickelson has been a mess all year.  His 73-64-65-74 last week at the Scottish Open kind of sums it up.  One of his best runs ever in this event came last year.  He’s running out of chances.  

***

Random 3-balls:

Daly, Duval, or Watson:  The American Sentimentality Triumvirate.  As I mentioned, Duval won here in 2001.  He was so good then, it’s hard to describe.  If the Duval of 1999-2001 was playing now, he’d be far and away the best player in the world and the best closer in the world.  After a few good finishes spotted around here and there, Duval’s been mostly down the last two years.  In contrast, John Daly’s game appears to be on the rise.  Still, give me Old Tom.  

Fowler, McIlroy, or Keegan Bradley:  I think Bradley will find his legs, but he’s not looking like a major winner right now.  Rory has openly admitted he’s not a fan of poor weather conditions.  His Open record backs up that sentiment.  Fowler on the other hand has been a bit of dark horse pick after his good showing last year and breakthrough win at Wells Fargo.  I’ll hop in the Fowler bandwagon, but not to win. 

Lee Westwood, Adam Scott, Sergio Garcia:  What were the odds in 2002 that these guys would go 0 for the next 40 majors?  Most people would probably have said they were more likely to have 5 combined than 0.  Scott has never showed me he can even contend regularly in these events.  Westwood and Garcia have both been beaten down by countless disappointments.  Among three great ball-strikers, I’ll take Sergio.  

Tiger, Phil, or Luke Donald:  Picking Phil to win an Open Championship is like taking what’s behind the door on Let’s Make a Deal.  Who the F–K knows.  He could shoot 64 or 84, I really wouldn’t bat an eyelash.  His two good rounds last week offer some hope.  Luke Donald is a buckler.  That leaves Tiger, who should grind well, but not finish.  I’ll take Tiger and his fancy running cleats.  

***

The Definitive Top-10:  

(US Open Pick Results:  8 of 10 made cut, 3 top-15 finishers)

1. Bo Van Pelt
2. Jim Furyk
3. Nick Colsaerts
4. Francesco Molinari
5. Brandon Grace
6. Hunter Mahan
7. Sergio Garcia
8. Tiger Woods
9. Justin Rose
10. Jason Dufner

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Thoughts on the Weekend.

Disgruntled Westwood Fan?

It’s always entertaining listening to sports radio the morning after a U.S. Open that Tiger didn’t win.  The course is always too hard, the action is always too boring.  There weren’t any great shots.  It was nothing like the Masters.  I agree that it was nothing like the Masters, but you don’t have to string together eagles and birdies to be playing great golf.  Webb Simpson’s 68-68 weekend was a ball-striking clinic.  Most casual golf fans don’t comprehend that not all 68s are equal, and so they bemoan the lag putting and Tiger’s demise.  This is why golf is in no danger of supplanting the NFL, only so many people actually find it compelling without Tiger or highlight reel shots.

Instead of charging with a back nine 30, Simpson stayed steady while the players around him crumbled.  Several contenders didn’t survive the opening six holes (see Tiger Woods).  Ernie Els, who vaulted himself into contention with an early eagle, couldn’t hit a fairway on the back nine.  Hacking out of Olympic’s rough, to its dangerously sloped targets ended Ernie’s quest for a 3rd U.S. Open.  Some young contenders, Michael Thompson and John Peterson, missed crucial putts late.  Jason Dufner didn’t make a putt all week.  And, of course there was Furyk, hitting the granddaddy of all rope hooks on the 16th hole.  Simpson won because he played mistake free golf, which on Sunday was as rare an accomplishment as blitzing the back nine at Augusta National.

Simpson’s win made it three straight majors for young American players.  It made it 15 straight majors without a repeat champion.  Parity was also exhibited by the atrocious performance of several of the game’s supposed elite.  Luke Donald, world number 1, was alleged to be a perfect fit for Olympic.  He shot a million.  So did Rory McIlroy, who is suddenly facing questions about his dedication.  The defending champion has been stringing together missed cuts like he once strung together top-3s.  Phil Mickelson and Bubba did their parts as well.  The left-handed section of the opening dream threesome was throttled by Woods over the first two days and never had a chance.

Nothing against the skills of a Cinderella story like Beau Hossler, but if a high school junior can navigate Olympic, the game’s best players should at least make the cut?  Without a dominant player, you have to wonder whether the hot golfer winning every week is a good model for the PGA Tour.  The powers that be, the media, clearly want a dominant figure, but could the wide open nature of a big golf tournament become appealing if people can move past the Tiger era?

My closing thought on Olympic is, how tough will the PGA Championship be at Kiawah Island?  What struck everyone, especially Johnny Miller, was that the week passed with almost no wind.  What would have the winning score have been if there were some gusts, or a sustained 15 mph breeze?  Eight over?  10?  The water added to the course Friday night kept things reasonable, and still no player broke par.  I wonder what the PGA of America was thinking when they saw this setup.  At Kiawah, you’re talking about  a course widely regarded as one of the most difficult in the entire country.  You expect the wind to be up there, so if it blows and they get the course as firm and severe as Olympic was, what kind of numbers could we see in August?  The USGA wants the toughest test, but the PGA will be in a position to make Kiawah as hard as they’d like–how far will they go?

***

Blog Schedule for the Week:

*Later Today–Some more tidbits on the weekend, LeBron, etc.

*Tomorrow Evening–Late Inning Phillies Live Blog.  The Phils are a total train wreck right now.  Most of the pain has come late in ball games.  I’ll use tomorrow’s game to touch on all the painful Phillies’ topics.

*Thursday–The Mail and Picture Bag.  Already have a picture or two, and a couple of questions, so keep them coming.  Also, if you fancy yourself a humorist, feel free to send a picture w/caption and I’ll be happy to give you full credit.

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