Dive Bar Golf

Johnson Beats the Rain and the Field at The Barclays

2011-08-29T19:52:00.000-07:00

Dustin Johnson beat the rain and everyone else Saturday at The Barclays to win the opening FedEx Cup playoff event.

Johnson shot a 29 on the front nine of rain-softened Plainfield Country Club for the second straight day and closed with a 6-under 65 to pull away from mistake-prone Matt Kuchar (68) for a two-shot victory.

The Barclays was reduced to 54 holes because of Hurricane Irene, and there was as much drama in the sky as on the course. Kuchar started the third and final round with a one-shot lead. If the round could not be completed, the tournament would have reverted to 36 holes and Kuchar would have been declared the winner.

The rain came down hard right after Johnson holed a bunker shot for eagle on No. 4. But it held off just long enough for Johnson to collect his first win of the year and fifth of his career. He is the first player since Tiger Woods to go straight from college and win in each of his first four years on the PGA Tour.

Johnson, who finished at 19-under 194, wasn’t the only big winner on Saturday.

Ian Poulter birdied four of his last five holes for a 64, making him one of eight players who moved inside the top 100 in the FedEx Cup standings and advance to the second playoff event next week outside Boston.

William McGirt, the last of the 125 players who qualified for the playoffs, birdied the 17th hole that pushed him to No. 96. Padraig Harrington went from No. 124 to No. 80 with his tie for 13th. And then there was Ernie Els. He would have been eliminated had the tournament been cut short to 36 holes. Els had a 67 to from 118th in the standings to No. 99.

Dustin Johnson Wins at The Barclays

Barclays Cut to 54 Holes as Irene Nears

2011-08-26T12:20:00.000-07:00

The PGA Tour on Friday reduced its first playoff event to 54 holes because of the rain and potential damage expected from Hurricane Irene.

New Jersey was under a hurricane warning, and officials feared up to 10 inches of rain could fall on Sunday. That would make it impossible for The Barclays to be a 72-hole tournament, and the aftermath of the storm would keep Plainfield Country Club from being ready even into early next week.

Tournament director Peter Mele also said the volunteers needed to be home to make plans for their families.

“It kind of makes you want to cry because of all the effort that went in, and all of the energy that surrounded this event going into the week, which is going to be the best Barclays we have ever had,” Mele said.

Irene 1999

It's very unfortunate about the Barclays, but lets just pray that everyone is safe and sound after Irene hits.

Finding Green Pastures in China

2011-08-24T18:02:00.000-07:00

Good evening divebargolf fanatics! PR sent me this article from the Wall Street Journal last week and I thought it was a good read...check it out and let me know what you think!

Brian Curley has designed dozens of golf courses in China, but none is quite as outlandish as the one he's crafting now.

On southern China's Hainan Island, Mr. Curley is shaping a regulation 18-hole course that will feature a replica of the Great Wall, a hole inside a giant bowl of noodles, a small-scale version of the Bird's Nest Stadium from the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and a tee tucked behind a waterfall. The owners sought suggestions online for their fantasy course, and then they asked Mr. Curley to turn that into reality.

Brian Curley, one of the leading golf course designers in China, oversees construction of another fairway.

"Think of miniature golf like you played as a child, but on a grandiose scale," says Mr. Curley, an American pioneer of China's golf industry and one of the most prolific course designers in the sport's fastest-growing market. "Purists might not like [the Hainan course], but I think it's exactly what golf needs," he says. "Golf has been stagnant for way too long."

There is evidence of the existence of a golflike sport in China as early as the 14th century. A Ming Dynasty scroll known as "The Autumn Banquet" shows a player swinging a club at a ball. But modern golf is still finding its feet in the Middle Kingdom. Until recently, golf was considered too bourgeois for Chinese society. As the country opened up to business—and middle-class pastimes emerged—golf gained in popularity. But in 2004, construction of new courses was halted across most of China because of concerns about the effect of rampant development on land and water resources.

Still, new golf courses continue to spring up in China—construction is allowed in some areas designated for tourism, while developers in other locations get around the ban by dubbing new sites as 'sporting facilities' or 'private clubs.' Today there are an estimated 300 to 500 golf courses in China. That still leaves plenty of room for growth—by comparison, there are more than 15,000 courses in the U.S. Just about every important course designer is looking at China's potential.

"I saw the potential in China long ago and decided to give it 110% effort when everyone else questioned why we would work there," Mr. Curley says. "China is the epicenter of the golf universe."

China's burgeoning golf industry has attracted some criticism from purists who say the game's traditions are being eroded by garish Chinese courses, over-the-top elite resorts, and poor etiquette, such as widespread gambling and cellphone use on fairways and greens. "Golf has developed in China in a very different way to in its traditional homes," says Damien McDowell, an expert on golf marketing in the Asian-Pacific region. "By starting as a game for the wealthy and with memberships something of a status symbol, the grass-roots participation, the etiquette and the broad interest in the game just has not been there. You still see mobile phone conversations on the course, people moving while others are playing and plenty of other things that would probably not be tolerated in golf's older markets."

There are also concerns that most of the new courses tied to hotel or housing developments are essentially a speculative play on the country's real-estate market.

A Schmidt-Curley designed course in Kunming, China.

Still, the outgoing Mr. Curley, over six feet tall and often dressed in dirty work boots and a cowboy hat, is too busy designing courses to worry about the critics of the path the sport is taking in China. The 51-year-old, who grew up in California near the famed links at Pebble Beach, got his start in course design in the mid-1980s. He worked with leading U.S. course designer Pete Dye and helped build standout courses in the U.S. and Asia, including Thailand's Siam Country Club, renowned as one of the leading golf clubs in the region. In 1997, Mr. Curley and Dye colleague Lee Schmidt set up their own firm, Schmidt-Curley Designs, of Scottsdale, Arizona. The pair was quick to focus on China.

The firm's big break came when it was hired to oversee work on the mammoth 20 square-kilometer golf complex at Mission Hills Shenzhen. The site, just over the border from Hong Kong, is home to 12 courses designed by leading golf personalities, including Jack Nicklaus, Ernie Els and Nick Faldo. In recent years, the resort has hosted important events on the international golfing calendar, including, between 2007 and 2009, the World Cup of Golf. The site also placed Schmidt-Curley at the head of the pack when it came to course design in China.

"Mission Hills broke all of the molds," says Dana Fry, Hong Kong-based partner with Hurdzan/Fry Environmental Golf Course Design. "When they began developing the market we thought that they were a little nuts, to be honest, but they saw the potential, and now they are the standard setters."

To date, Mr. Curley has worked on the construction of 35 golf courses in China and says about 85% of his current workload is there. He typically spends three weeks out of every month in China, often at the Schmidt-Curley offices in Kunming in Yunnan province, or on Hainan, a resort island designated for tourism development. (The rest of the time, Mr. Curley lives in Scottsdale with his wife and two sons. He rarely has time to play golf these days, and his handicap has slipped from a low of two to about nine or 10, he says).

His work in China has earned Mr. Curley the envy of many of his peers. "He has raised the bar for the golf industry in China as a whole," says Mark Hollinger of California-based JMP Golf Design Group. "Brian Curley's work in China has been quite good over a number of years, and extremely consistent, which in China is the most difficult thing of all."

Designing and constructing courses in China can be tougher than in the West, and requires ample face time with suppliers, contractors, and course owners. "Getting a job is very difficult but getting them built properly is another thing," says Mr. Fry. "The multitude of problems faced by architects to get courses built according to specs and somewhat close to their plans is enormous. Brian and Lee have made sure that top quality golf gets both designed and built."

When the owners of Mission Hills were planning their second site, in Hainan, they hired Schmidt-Curley again. On the island's eerie volcanic landscape, manicured greens and white sand traps are set against dazzling black rock. He says the tournament course at the new resort, with spacious lawns for viewers and television crews, is among the standouts in his career.

"His work at the new Mission Hills complex on Hainan island—where he has sculpted 10 excellent courses from a harsh, volcanic landscape—is incredibly diverse," says Alex Jenkins, editor of HK Golfer magazine. The resort opened in 2010. Last fall, stars including Hugh Grant teed off at a celebrity event at the resort that offered the biggest purse ever for China: $1.28 million. Work on more courses at the site—including the one with the replica Great Wall—is continuing.

Meanwhile, Mr. Curley is far too busy to worry about whether golf is to the taste of traditionalists, or even thinking about China's real-estate market. He's far too busy designing fairways, greens and sand traps. "There are really only three kinds of designers in the business," he says. "You have the ex-pros like Arnold Palmer. You have the families of golf designers and players, with the big names. And then you have the weirdos like us. We don't have names, we just build courses."

Link to Article:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903392904576511204169779430.html?mod=WSJ_LifeStyle_Lifestyle_5

If you're interested in checking out what Mission Hills has to offer go to their website at...

http://www.missionhillschina.com/

Anyone ready to go to China and play some golf???

Shorecliffs Golf Club-San Clemente

2011-08-21T15:58:00.000-07:00

Divebargolf headed back to its ole' standby on Saturday--the Cliffs' in San Clemente. We welcomed in two new golfers to divebargolf over the weekend. Mike "Don't Drive While Your Angry" Wilbur joined us all the way from Phoenix, Arizona as well as John Brett "Cheech" Garcia hailing from Mission Viejo. Divebargolf decided to play the Cliffs' as it's a great welcoming course for new players. The Cliffs' teaches players the value of wide open fairways and soft greens. As these guys can attest many lessons were learned on Saturday afternoon. PR and the Big Cat made up the foursome for the round.

Don't Drive While Your Angry (DDWYA)

Cheech

The course was jammed packed and the pace of play was slow, but fortunately divebargolf wasn't in any hurry as we took in the ocean breeze on a late August afternoon on the links. DDWYA thoroughly enjoyed the weather as he will be headed back to the sweltering cement box (Phoenix) next week.

Not much else to report from the Cliffs' this go around other than witnessing a ton of horrible golf shots, bad scores, and a celebrity sighting.

"Lefty" Himself--Phil Mickelson

Final scores went as follows:

The Big Cat--92 +20
PR--111 +39
DDWYA--121 +49
Cheech--Too Many +N/A

Some tokens from the round...

Hole 6--"The Narrow Canyon"

Sir your ball is OB!

Big Cat on Hole 13 with a 6 Iron

Divebargolf will be taking a hiatus from the game next week as we head to Las Vegas for the 2011 Fantasy Football Draft at the stunning Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino.

See you on the tee box...

Atlanta Athletic Club-Johns Creek, GA--Day 4

2011-08-15T16:15:00.000-07:00

A rally that ranks among the best. A collapse hardly anyone saw coming. There was even a guy in a red shirt Sunday, pumping his fists with each clutch putt in the final, frenzied hour of the PGA Championship.

Keegan on the 18th

In a major filled with unfamiliar names, Keegan Bradley delivered an unforgettable finish. Bradley was five shots behind with only three holes to play after his chip shot raced across the 15th green and into the water, leading to a triple bogey. That’s when he reminded himself that no lead was safe on the final four holes at Atlanta Athletic Club.

"I just kept telling myself, ‘Don’t let that hole define this whole tournament,” Bradley said. Instead, it led to one of the most stunning turnarounds in a major. Bradley made back-to-back birdies, including a 35-footer with a belly putter that rattled into the cup on the 17th.

Then came a monumental meltdown by Jason Dufner. Unflappable all afternoon, he hit his tee shot in the water on the 15th for the first of three straight bogeys that led to a three-hole playoff. Bradley birdied the 16th hole in the playoff—his first outright lead of the day—and went on to win by one shot.

The son of a PGA professional in Vermont, wearing red for his alma mater—St. John’s—Bradley became only the first player in at least 100 years to win a major championship in his first try. The Wanamaker at his side, Bradley took out his cell phone and took a picture of the largest press audience he had ever seen.

“It feels unbelievable,” he said. “It seems like a dream and I’m afraid I’m going to wake up here in the next five minutes and it’s not going to be real.” The final major of the year was hard to believe in so many ways. It was Bradley, a 25-year-old PGA Tour rookie who was ranked No. 108 in the world, who ended America’s longest drought in a major that had reached six. He became only the third player in at least 100 years to win a major on his first try.

Then came the finish—a rousing rally for Bradley, a sad collapse for Dufner. It brought back memories of Ed Sneed making bogey on the last three holes of the 1979 Masters, and even Arnold Palmer losing a seven-shot lead with nine holes left in the 1966 U.S. Open. Dufner played that four-hole finish in 3 under for the week—never once making a bogey—until the final round.

Sunday was different. He made three bogeys in regulation, another on the 17th in the playoff to fall two shots behind, and a birdie on the last hole in the playoff only made the score seem closer than it was. Dufner, now winless in 148 starts, closed with a 69.

Keegan Bradley with the Wanamaker

Congrats Keegan! Enjoy your $1.4 million!!!

Rancho San Joaquin Golf Course-Irvine

2011-08-14T13:42:00.000-07:00

Saturday, divebargolf headed to Rancho San Joaquin GC otherwise known as RSJ. Located in the heart of Irvine, RSJ is a players course. The course has rolling hills, a gentle terrain, and three lakes as a back drop. RSJ is surrounded by Orange County's brilliant city scapes and is a course that appeals to golfers of all levels. Whatever you do don't play this course unless it's for a discount! It is not worth the $60 green fee that American Golf charges. This course is worth no more than $40 per player.

On the links we had the Surgeon, PR, and the Big Cat. The round got off to an extremely slow start because we teed off behind a foursome in which two of the players had never played golf before. We caught this foursome on Hole 2. The best part of this was they waived us on to take our tee shots, however once we hit they went back out onto the green to finish their putts and then proceeded to tee off on Hole 3 before they allowed us to play through. Divebargolf doesn't salute you "Slowest Foursome Ever". Remember folks the driving range is for lessons not the course--fundamentals!!!

Slowest Foursome Ever--Par 3 Hole 2

After playing through we moved on to my favorite hole at RSJ--the Par 5 5th. This is by far the best hole on the entire course. Not only a majestic view, but precision golf shots are needed just to make par.

Par 5 5th

Divebargolf headed to the daunting Par 3 8th. This hole ate our milkshake. All three players double bogeyed the hole. We got to face the exact same layout on the Par 3 15th and every player bogeyed the hole. DBG did have to point out the disaster that was the tee box on Hole 15. American Golf--please hire a new groundskeeper ASAP--no golfer should be paying $60 to hit off this crap. The par threes at RSJ are very challenging and can really screw your scorecard.

Practicing our sand shots...from the 15th tee box.

Yet again divebargolf had an enjoyable Saturday afternoon on the links. You wouldn't have known it was August with the 78 degree temperature and the cool soft ocean breeze we played the round in. Final scores went as follows:

The Surgeon--80 + 8

The Big Cat--92 +20

PR--10 +38

After golf the Big Cat and PR built up quite an appetite so we headed over to a local establishment known as Fatburger. Here we each had a delicious burger, steak fries, and a soft drink. Fatburger's are located all over--if you're every hungry after a round head in for some delicious eats'!

See you on the tee box...

Atlanta Athletic Club-Johns Creek, GA--Day 2

2011-08-13T09:35:00.000-07:00

Tiger Woods trudged toward the 18th green, his head down after one last shot plopped into the water. The gallery at Atlanta Athletic Club mustered some polite—almost sympathetic—applause.

It was a far cry from the roar he’s heard so many times, but hardly the only thing that’s changed in Tiger’s world. Once identified by either his No. 1 ranking or his 14 majors, Woods missed the cut Friday at the PGA Championship with a performance that was even more shocking because of the numbers he compiled.

He landed in 22 bunkers

He landed in the drink 4 times

He had 5 double bogeys--most he has ever made in a golf tournament

This was absolutely staggering and quite frankly tough to watch...

With one final bogey for a 3-over 73, Woods finished out of the top 100 for the first time ever in a major. He was 15 shots behind Jason Dufner, who has never won a PGA Tour event, and Keegan Bradley, playing in his first major.

“Obviously frustration, disappointment that I’m not contending in the tournament,” Woods said.

“Next time.”

That’s going to be a while. He doesn’t expect to tee it up again until the Australian Open in November, and his next shot at a 15th major title is eight long months away, the Masters next spring.

“I got some time off again,” said Woods, who had just come off a three-month layoff last week after allowing an injured leg to fully heal. His body may be feeling good, but his game is a mess.

Well enough about Tiger...

Dufner, who hasn’t made a cut since the last week in May, holed a 25-foot eagle putt on the fifth hole and threw in five birdies for a 5-under 65 that put him atop the leaderboard for the first time in a major. Bradley, a tour rookie and the nephew of LPGA great Pat Bradley, did even better with a bogey-free round of 64.

Here's to a great weekend on the links...

Atlanta Athletic Club-Johns Creek, GA--Day 1

2011-08-11T18:41:00.000-07:00

The first round of the 93rd PGA Championship can be summed up in one word for many of the worlds best golfers--IMPLOSION.

Being an avid golfer it was wild to watch many of these guys look human today. Lets take a look at some of the numbers from the first round:

Ryo Ishikawa--85 +15

1 Triple Bogey

5 Double Bogey's

2 Bogey's

John Daly--77 +7

1 Double Bogey

5 Bogey's

Tiger Woods--77 +7

3 Double Bogey's

5 Bogey's

4 Birdies

6 Pars

These three golfers will miss the cut unless a miracle happens.

Tiger summed up his worst round ever at a PGA Championship...

"I'm not down," said Woods. "I'm really angry right now."

"I just thought, 'This is a major and you peak for these events. And once you get to a major championship, you just let it fly, let it go,'" said Woods. "And I did and it cost me … It cost me the whole round."

To put the round in perspective, Jerry Pate shot 77. Pate shouldn't be in the tournament. He should be back home cleaning a crawl space or something. He's won exactly $32,594 on the Champions Tour this year and last played in a PGA Championship 10 years ago. He last made a cut at one of these things in 1983.

Jerry Pate

It could have been worse for Woods. He could have shot 85, like Ryo Ishikawa did. He could have injured his right wrist on a tree root, like Rory McIlroy did. He could have sat near the No. 1 tee box for much of the day, like first alternate Paul Goydos did.

Instead, Woods grinded his way around the summer mugginess of Manila -- I mean, Atlanta Athletic Club. It was so hot, it felt like somebody was following you around with a steam iron. Woods wore a red-shaded shirt, a color he usually reserves for Sundays. But one more 70-something, and he'll be back home wearing a T-shirt and flip-flops for the weekend.

Take a picture it will last longer

And now for a positive note...

Steve Stricker stood a mere 10 feet away from the lowest round ever in a major, a captivating moment at any other championship. On a sweat-stained Thursday at Atlanta Athletic Club, Stricker became the 11th player in PGA Championship history to shoot 63. He opened with three straight birdies and kept right on going until he stood on the cusp of history without even knowing it. Only after his birdie putt for 62 slid by the cup did his caddie, Jimmy Johnson, tell him that it was for the record in a major.

A job well done sir...

Good luck tomorrow Tiger!

Tiger Watch--Day 4

2011-08-09T18:06:00.000-07:00

Adam Scott won his first World Golf Championship Sunday and nobody celebrated more than his caddie.

Steve Williams attributed the win at the Bridgestone Invitational to destiny. This was the first tournament for Tiger Woods in three months because of his injured left leg, and Woods’ first tournament since he fired Williams as his caddie after 12 years.

Williams was irritated at getting cut loose, and he made that clear in an interview with a New Zealand television station two weeks ago when he said he had wasted the last two years of his life sticking by Woods through all his trouble--Dude you're a freakin' caddie nobody cares shut up!

If that wasn’t enough of an indication, one only had to see the smile on his face as the fans chanted Williams’ name walking to the 18th green. Or the way he pumped his fist when Scott holed a 5-foot birdie on the final hole for a four-shot victory.

And the interviews—yes, interviews—that Williams gave after Scott signed for a 5-under 65.
Williams has only spoken to a few reporters he has known over the years, but he had so much media around him after the tournament ended that all anyone could see was the Titleist cap—not the familiar Nike “TW” brand—on his head.

Woods shot a 70 to tie for 37th, 18 shots behind, and his interview transcript was only 1 1/2 pages. Williams didn’t hit a shot all day and a transcript of his interview was nearly twice as long.

Even more shocking was how Williams described the feeling. “I’ve caddied for 33 years—145 wins now—and that’s the best win I’ve ever had,” Williams told CBS Sports on the 18th green. This from a guy whose 12 years working for Woods featured 13 majors and 16 world titles among 72 wins worldwide. That includes the 2001 Masters, when Woods won an unprecedented fourth straight major.

Now with all that said can we please be serious here for a second:

Why in the world is a caddie being interviewed, shouldnt it be the golfer that actually won the tournament? I understand that Steve Williams was Tiger Woods caddie for 12 years, but give Adam Scott his due for christ sakes. Winning that golf tournament had nothing to do with the caddie. I mean did the caddie even take a single golf shot? I think not. Enough is enough folks its time to let Tiger and Steve move on--its not like they're married--its a game and a change was necessary.

Congrats to Adam Scott, but seriously dude ditch the bitch putter!

I don't know about anyone else, but I cannot wait for this weeks PGA Championship at the Atlanta Athletic Club in beautiful Johns Creek, Georgia. Stay tuned to divebargolf as we follow the fourth and final major of the 2011 PGA season.

Miles Square Golf Course--Players Course, Fountain Valley

2011-08-08T09:00:00.000-07:00

Divebargolf yet again had an excellent Saturday. We started the afternoon at Karl Strauss Brewing Company in Costa Mesa. We knew it was going to be a heavy day of drinking on the links, so a solid lunch was definitely the right play. Each of us tried different beers--Red Trolley Ale, Belgian Abbey, Oktoberfest and then of course their was "Discover Card" who had not one, but two Spicy Bloody Mary's. Karl Strauss has a little bit of everything for eats. The Surgeon and myself indulged ourselves with the Beef Dip while Discover Card enjoyed the Piggy Bank Mac and Cheese and PR a Big Beer Burger. If you are ever in the area definitely stop in for a brew and some grub at Karl Strauss.

After a good start to the afternoon it was time to head to the golf course for our 3:00 PM tee time. We landed at Miles Square Golf Course in Fountain Valley. Miles Square is made up of two 18 hole courses--the Classic and the Players. We played the Players Course. The beers started flowing immediately on the green of Hole 1 after the Big Cat and the Surgeon drained two par putts. Divebargolf had another run in with nature on Hole 2 with a giant Egret. These birds are pristine and ready to pounce at any moment.

Egret

The pace of play slowed down tremendously upon completing the Par 5 5th Hole. The Surgeon birdied the hole while the Big Cat was able to save par. Because of the back up on the Par 3 6th and The Surgeons result on the 5th he decided to buy 4 shots of Jack Daniels from the cart girl--Kimberly. This turned out to not be the best idea, but definitely made the next few holes interesting. Poor Kimberly needed some help out there, however, as she was the only cart girl for all 36 holes at MS. Ladies there's a job opening at Miles Square Golf Course--Help Wanted.

The Surgeon/Kimberly/Jack Daniels

Now as you all will remember from the Links at Victoria the Goodyear Blimp resides in Carson. Well apparently the blimp just couldn't get enough of divebargolf because it was flying just off to the right with its birds eye view of us on Hole 7--yeah right haha it was hovering over the US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach.

The Goodyear Blimp

After a solid finish to the front 9 with birdies from The Surgeon and the Big Cat we headed to the back 9. The wheels really came off of Discover Card and PR on the back 9. It just wasn't meant to be for these two. Clearly you can see the frustration written all over Discover Cards face on the Par 3 12th. The Big Cat managed to birdie the hole.

Discover Card

Divebargolf played the last 6 holes as the sun was setting in Fountain Valley on Saturday. All in all what a great day! Final scores as follows...

The Surgeon--73 +1

The Big Cat--88 +16

PR--107 + 35

Discover Card--110 +38

See you on the tee box...

Tiger Watch--Day 3

2011-08-07T10:00:00.000-07:00

Tiger Woods has discovered something about his game that he never imagined could be a problem. He’s hitting it too straight.

In another pedestrian round Saturday that caused him to lose more ground in the Bridgestone Invitational, Woods didn’t hit a fairway until the 11th hole and struggled so much with his putting that one of his associates brought him a different putter out to the practice green after a round of 72.

I know the feeling sir...

Woods is 1-over through 54 holes, which leaves him 13 shots behind Adam Scott going in to today.

What he noticed at Firestone was the shape of his tee shots. Instead of playing a fade or a draw off the tee, depending on the shape of the flight he wanted, Woods was hitting it straighter. He said the trouble was still aiming right or left.

“Still struggling a little bit with my setup and alignments off of tee shots because I used to curve the ball a lot more,” he said. “I don’t curve the ball as much anymore, and it’s kind of hard to trust when I’m out there in tournament play. And most of my shots are missing right on the edges of fairways, so I’ve just got to get more committed to that." “I’m hitting the ball straighter,” he said. “It’s a nice change. But it’s still a change.”

He missed every fairway on the front nine, and some of them weren’t that close. His shot on No. 6 went into the gallery, plunked a fan in the back and bounced into the rough on the other side of the ropes. Brady Klotz, the college kid he struck, was so excited about being hit that he posed with the glove that Woods signed for him.

Brady Klotz

Woods picked up two birdies to offset some early mistakes, but finished poorly. A sand wedge for his third shot to the par-5 16th went over the green and into a bunker for a bogey, and he three-putted the 18th for a 72.

About all that Woods can get out of this World Golf Championship now is four rounds, and hopes of a good Sunday to improve on his standing with the FedEx Cup playoffs at the end of the month. Woods is at No. 135, although he has two weeks to get into the top 125 and appears he can at least do that.

Finish strong Tiger...

Tiger Watch--Day 2

2011-08-05T16:38:00.000-07:00

Tiger Woods took a step back at the Bridgestone Invitational, only it had nothing to do with his leg. Woods was a little sloppy at times with his short game, a sign of rust from having not played a tournament in nearly three months, and fell back to the middle of the pack at Firestone with a 1-over 71 on Friday.

He missed a 2-foot putt for par--FUNDAMENTALS SIR
A bunker shot from just below the green on the par-5 second hole barely got to the fringe--NICE SHOT ALICE
A shot from the rough that covered the flag took a hard hop over the green and led to a double bogey--KARMA

At least he wasn’t limping. “I didn’t putt as well as I did yesterday, and consequently, I just never got the round going,” Woods said.

The conditions were about the same as they were for the opening round—hot, humid, soft and ripe for low scores. Rickie Fowler had eight birdies and holed out from the fairway for eagle in his round of 64 to share the early lead at 8-under with Adam Scott and Ryan Moore.

Woods wound up seven shots behind, his chances hurt not by the shots he has to make up on the weekend, but the number of players in front of him.

Stay strong Tiger it ain't over yet just ask Jean Van de Velde...

Tiger Watch--Day 1

2011-08-05T08:07:00.000-07:00

There was no limp for Tiger Woods in his return to golf at the Bridgestone Invitational. If anything, there was a bounce in his step. Woods had said this was the best he has felt physically in years, and it sure looked that way Thursday at Firestone in his first round in 84 days. He was last seen at a tournament May 12 when he limped off the TPC Sawgrass with injuries to his left leg that kept him out of two majors and made his future look more clouded than ever. But this was different.

He had an effortless swing and more power than he has shown in some time. He smiled more. He pumped his fists for par saves on the front nine, and raised the putter in his left hand when he dropped the last of his three birdies on the 16th hole on his way to a 2-under 68--BOOM!

“I was hitting proper shots out there, and the distances I was hitting the golf ball … I hadn’t hit the ball like this,” Woods said. “This was fun.”

It was fun for just about everyone on a soft day that was ripe for scoring. And it was especially fun for Adam Scott, who matched his career low on the PGA Tour on a day of record scoring at Firestone. With four birdies over his last six holes, Scott had a 62 to build a one-shot lead over Jason Day. That he was six shots clear of Woods meant little to anyone but Scott’s caddie, Steve Williams, who Woods fired a month ago.

“I’m sure he feels good about today,” Scott said with a grin--what a dousche--may as well have Lebron James on the bag!

Even so, this day was about one score, and one player. “It feels great,” Woods said. “As anybody who’s been off and who’s been injured, first time back it’s a little nervous to see what happens. But my practice sessions were good, so there’s no reason why I should be worried out there. I went out there and let it go, let it rip and see what happens.” Oh yeah not to mention I have won 13 majors...

The attention on Woods was so great that when he stepped onto the first tee, the gallery lined the entire right side of the 401-yard opening hole and wrapped around the green. Phil Mickelson (nice period pants) was wrapping up his round of 67 at No. 9, and the fans around the green and in the grandstands had their backs turned to watch Woods tee off. Sounds about right doesn't it you Skum Devil. Looks like things are finally get back to normal on the PGA Tour!

Go get some on Day 2 Tiger!

As for Darren Clarke...he was 2nd to last on the leaderboard last time I checked. You can find him at the nearest pub at about 4:00 PM this afternnon...you can't miss him--he will be the only guy drinking a Guinness.

The Roar is Back and We're Following...TIGER

2011-08-03T19:31:00.000-07:00

I am pleased to announce the return of Tiger Woods tomorrow at 1:40 PM EST at the Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio. Unlike many I hope to see the man do well. You may not agree with the things he has done as a person, but as a golfer and a fan of the sport--its time to put the ROAR back on the links and I'm not talking about Rory Mcilroy folks. I had the privilege of attending the 2008 US Open at Torrey Pines and truly there is nothing better nor louder than the roar that is Tiger Woods.

Tiger will be paired for the first two rounds of the Bridgestone with the ole' chap Darren Clarke--maybe you have heard of him--you know the guy that just won the British Open. This should be an outstanding pairing for Thursday and Friday. Not only will this two-some provide great commentary for the golf channel, but also some great golf for the fans.

When asked about rooting for Tiger, Darren said, “Because beneath it all, beneath all the stuff that’s happened, self-inflicted or otherwise, he’s essentially a really good kid—a man—beneath everything. Sometimes his media image has been portrayed in a very poor, poor way, some of that, again, from some of the stuff that he’s been through. But underneath it all, he has been a tremendous friend to me. And there’s a real good side to Tiger Woods that nobody ever fortunately gets a chance to see. That’s why.”

One guy that won't be attending the Bridgestone Invitational is Lebron James--he's not welcome anywhere in Ohio. DICK PUNCH!

Stay tuned to divebargolf as we follow Tiger all the way to Sunday--good, bad, or ugly! Go get it Tiggggger!

Clarke's Hangover

2011-08-02T17:47:00.000-07:00

In these ever-more judgmental times, perhaps it was inevitable. But barely two weeks after his thrilling and emotionally satisfying win at the British Open, Darren Clarke was forced to defend his admittedly and obviously inebriated behavior while celebrating that career-defining triumph.

"There's been a little bit of chat: 'He shouldn't have had a drink,' 'he shouldn't have done this,' 'he shouldn't have done that,'" said the 42-year-old Ulsterman on the eve of the Irish Open, his first competitive outing since winning at Royal St. George's. "I don't know, people need to get real. Look at what happened in Norway. I won a golf tournament and people are concerned about whether or not I had one pint too many? I mean, get a life. It is just sport. I drink a little too much, smoke a little bit too much and enjoy myself a little bit too much at times. It's the way I relax, and I don't intend to change that in any way shape or form."

Just to complete what was an eventful week at Killarney Golf and Fishing Club, Clarke was stopped for speeding in his Ferrari and then missed the cut with rounds of 69-74.

How many pints of Guinness he consumed during his curtailed stay in County Kerry remains unconfirmed at this time, however.

The Greenbrier-White Sulpher Springs, West Virginia

2011-08-01T21:02:00.000-07:00

Needing a birdie on the 168-yard 18th hole to get into a playoff at the Greenbrier Classic, Scott Stallings remembered the approach shot he hit from the same distance back on No. 11. Same club. Same result.

He sent a 9-iron shot 5 feet from the pin on the final hole and made the putt, joining Bill Haas and Bob Estes in sudden death tied at 10-under par Sunday on the Old White TPC course.

Luckily for Stallings, the playoff headed right back to the 18th. Another 9 iron. Another pin-seeker.

The PGA Tour rookie curled in a 7-foot putt after Haas and Estes missed their birdie tries, giving the 26-year-old Stallings his first tour win and securing his spot in the FedEx Cup playoffs.

For the record, he flipped his putter after the putt dropped, high-fived and hugged his caddie, collected the tournament trophy, the winner’s jacket and a $1.08 million check.

Stallings on 18...Draino!

The prize was nice, but Stallings was more excited about moving from 88th to 26th on the FedEx Cup points list. The top 125 qualify for the playoffs starting in late August.

A native of Worcester, Mass., and die-hard Red Sox fan, he’ll likely realize one of his biggest goals to play in the Deutsch Bank Championship, the second stop in the FedEx Cup playoffs outside of Boston. The top 100 in the points standings after the Barclays, the first playoff stop, will qualify.

Only Green Jacket he will ever see!

The Links at Victoria-Carson

2011-07-26T20:29:00.000-07:00

Divebargolf had another magnificent weekend in Los Angeles in the South Bay. After a good night's sleep courtesy of the barkeeps of The Mermaid in Hermosa Beach the DBG crew arose to the sound of waves crashing in beautiful Manhattan Beach.

Before any big round of golf its always important to have a good breakfast. And what better place than Hermosa Beach's Ocean Diner. If you are hungry for a meal that's homemade and brings back the memories of Grandma's kitchen then this is the place! DBG headed here after a tip from "Deadly from 100" and was it ever the right call--free refills on coffee yes sir! If you are every in the area definitely head to the Ocean Diner for some good eats!

Last Saturday we had the usual competitors--"The Surgeon", "Deadly from 100", "PR", and the "Big Cat". To be quite honest the golf was mediocre all afternoon. Just when someone got going a collapse ensued. I made sure that I got a picture on the first tee box for all of the divebargolf followers who have never played at the Links at Victoria. As you can see the famous Goodyear Blimp is located just off to the right side of the course.

Big Cat with the Goodyear Blimp

The beers flowed like the salmon of San Juan Capistrano on the links. Of course we started with the typical 18'er of Coors Light, but on a hot summers day you can imagine how quickly those went. At the turn we got a chance to meet Mike Brent, Food & Beverage Manager of the course. Mike refreshed our thirst with some delicious Miller Lites and more Coors Lights. Needless to say DBG was good to go!

Unfortunately, I'm ashamed to report that divebargolf yet again played a course with no cart girl. We hope Natalie from El Prado-Chino Creek enjoyed her reign as Cart Girl of the Month--July. Remember ladies you can become the Cart Girl of the Month by sporting a nice smile and a positive attitude. Be sure to always be looking your best and have your game face on because you never know when divebargolf will be playing at a course near you!

As for the golf game it was pretty competitive between "The Surgeon" and "Deadly from 100" with about 6 holes left to play and then experience took over again. Much expected "PR" was nowhere to be found at this point and the "Big Cat" was still looking for his lob wedge, putter, and more double and triple bogies on the front 9! Final scores went as follows:

The Surgeon--83 + 11
Deadly from 100--89 +17
Big Cat--99 +27
PR--106 +34

Here's a couple of gems from the Links at Victoria:

Hole 7

Nice Tee Shot--"Big Cat"

As for next weekend divebargolf will be taking a break from the game due to a birthday party and the glory that is the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club...if you don't know what it is I suggest you research it. See you on the tee box in 2 weeks!!!

RBC Canadian Open-Vancouver, British Columbia

2011-07-25T17:52:00.000-07:00

Sean O'Hair was too happy to end a miserable slump with a win at the Canadian Open to feel bad that it came at the expense of Kris Blanks. O’Hair tapped in for bogey on the first playoff hole Sunday, and then watched Blanks lip out his bogey putt from just over 5 feet to earn the victory. It was the fourth PGA Tour win for O’Hair, but his first since 2009 and his first top-15 during a season in which he had missed 10 of 17 cuts.

O’Hair started three shots off the lead before shooting 68 to get into a playoff with Blanks (70) at 4-under 276. It was the second-highest winning total on the PGA Tour this season, and the first non-major without a bogey-free round since 2008.

Only eight players finished under par on the tree-lined Shaugnessy Golf and Country Club, so it was perhaps fitting it was won with a bogey. After a tough week, O’Hair didn’t mind seeing Blanks miss, but felt his pain.

Nice $936,000 Payout--BOOM!

Shorecliffs Golf Club-San Clemente

2011-07-19T18:26:00.000-07:00

“Shorecliffs Life Lessons”

This past Sunday started out a little rough around the edges. An epic combo of barhopping on Friday (divebargolf salutes you, Sandpiper Lounge!) and a beer pong tournament on Saturday (queba-nation forever homie!) left the DBG crew weary and on sea legs as they pointed the whip towards their home-away-from-home…Shorecliffs!

Big Cat with Rick Nueheisal at Hennessey's LB

We had a 9:30 AM tee time, but our condition caused us to run 20 minutes late--OOPS! One thing about the cliffs' is that they are very accommodating. Terrence in the pro shop is basically the man. Boom. The round featured The Surgeon, The Big Cat, PR aka “Tommy”, and a newcomer, “Uncle” Arnie.

Let me just state here and now that the round was a complete trainwreck for Tommy. Lifting of the head, avoidance of any semblance of a plane, and happy feet all plagued this up-and-comer. Even the Surgeon was a step behind, dropping the round to Uncle Arnie with rare shots like a 9 iron to the wrong fairway on Hole 8. Divebargolf is use to that from the rest of the crew, but was happy to see that everyone has a bad round every now and then. That is Shorecliffs Life Lesson #1.

Hole 1

Big Cat’s round was mostly the definition of “meh”, with a few good shots, a few really bad shots, and a lot of in between. Uncle Arnie played pretty well overall, taking care of business when needed. He helped to put things in perspective, framing the round in terms of a perfect Southern California summer day…sunny, warm but not hot, nice ocean breezes, and great views. Just get outside and swing the sticks for the sake of it. That’s Shorecliffs Life Lesson #2.

Pace was well maintained, with everyone eventually putting together a few ok strokes to keep things interesting and moving. The Surgeon unleashed a fierce new Titleist 9-10 3 wood that should prove to be a worthy addition to the bag over the long haul (be the right stick!). The Big Cat started to find his driver after finally letting the voices in his head die out. And even Tommy got in on the act, paring 18 to hit reset and start the next round with a little bit of swagger. All you need is one good hole to make it worthwhile--that's what she said. That’s Shorecliffs Life Lesson #3.

Hole 3

Divebargolf will be traveling back to Los Angeles to battle the famous Links at Victoria in stunning Carson--you know right next to the Goodyear Blimp!

See you on the TEE BOX!

Royal St. George's-Sandwich,England--Day 4

2011-07-18T17:56:00.000-07:00

After a long hard faught four days at Royal St. George's it finally came to an end. Darren Clarke's bleary, bloodshot, Northern Irish eyes told the whole story. The party began after he walked off the 18th green at Royal St. George’s with the claret jug in hand! Beer and red wine flowed through the night, the revelry not letting up until Clarke had to return Monday morning for a few more interviews and some picture-taking at the spot where he tapped in the final putt to win the British Open.

This was Clarke's 20th appearance at the British Open. No one had ever gone more than 15 British Opens before winning! Clarke became the third golfer from Northern Ireland to win in the last six majors, following U.S. Open champions Rory Mcilroy and Graeme McDowell.

Guiness--Why Not???

As for the Americans...

The Americans haven’t won any during that span, their longest drought of the modern Grand Slam era, though they did have five of the top seven at Royal St. George’s.

As I had been saying all week it was only a matter or time for this...

Phil Mickelson played the first 10 holes Sunday at 6 under and actually claimed a share of the lead at one point, only to fade down the stretch when his putter faltered.

And Another Botch...

And then there's Dustin--always a brides maid and never a bride...

Johnson was in contention again at a major but made another huge blunder, knocking a shot out of bounds just five holes from the finish.

Congrats Darren you earned this one!

Darren with the Claret Jug

Royal St. George's-Sandwich,England--Day 2

2011-07-15T18:22:00.000-07:00

Darren Clarke managed to come out of the woodworks on Day 2 of the British Open. Clarke had a very up and down round of golf, but at the end of the day he sits a top the leaderboard with the bearded American--Lucas Glover. Glover closed his round with a solid 8 straight pars.

Thomas Bjorn kept the good strokes coming and only remains one shot back as well as sie German Martin Kaymer.

Rory Mcilroy and Rickie Fowler remain in the hunt at Even Par for the Championship. These two will be paired again tomorrow for the 3rd straight day.

Rickie and Rory on Hole 18

And lets not forget about our favorite American Golf Course designer Mr. Tom Lehman sitting at -2 after Day 2.

Tom putting on Hole 17

Notable mention...Phil Mickelson at -1, but lets all be serious...the BLOW UP is coming!!!

Is there any other word than AWFUL???

And finally for our shot of the day we have to go with Tom Watson at age 61 with a Hole in One!

Hole 6

See you all bright and early at 4:00 AM EST for Day 3 tomorrow

Royal St. George's-Sandwich,England--Day 1

2011-07-14T22:03:00.000-07:00

Does anyone else think it's down right hilarious that Royal St. George's is located in SANDWICH, England or is it just me?

I will tell you one guy who doesn't think its funny and that's Tom Lewis (A)! And you ask yourself who is Tom Lewis? Well he is the man who is named after the man he was paired with today--Tom Watson. Tom Lewis shot a stunning 65 at Royal St. George's to tie for the first round lead.

Lewis is tied a top the leaderboard with crusty veteran Thomas Bjorn. But as we look at the leaderboard after Day 1 we all wonder just how long can Bjorn can compete at this high level--not long lets all be serious!

Enough about the leaders lets take a look at some of my personal favorites...

Rickie Fowler--best dressed as usual shot an Even 70!

All PUMA Black Baby

It was a struggle for everyone's favorite Rory Mcilroy on Day 1, but I don't think we have seen anything from Rory quite yet...or have we?

And lets not leave out our favorite ASU Skum Devil--Phil Mickelson

Nice Period Pants Phil

And finally for the shot of the day we have to go with the United States own--Dustin "Don't Ground Your Club" Johnson with the Hole in One!!!

Sweet 16

Can't wait for Day 2 at Royal St. George's...

Casta Del Sol-Mission Viejo

2011-07-14T18:41:00.000-07:00

Divebargolf took itself to the challenging executive golf course in beautiful Mission Viejo known as Casta Del Sol or "Casta" to us locals yesterday afternoon. While sitting at my desk at work at 3:30 PM I said to myself, "Why don't you go play a quick 9 after this nonsense?" After touching base with "The Surgeon" there we were at 5:50 PM ready to tee off on Hole 1. We chose to walk this Par 60 3,670 yard MONSTER after Ole' Man River in the Pro Shop told us it would be $10 per person to ride. Come on gents' everyone needs to walk it off now and then. If you are ever in the mood to play some quick golf after work Casta is definitely the place to do it! We each only paid $12.75!

Playing Casta was a great call by the "Big Cat". The course was wide open and we never had to wait on a tee box.

"The Surgeon" and the "Big Cat" were each able to crush a 6'er while walking the course and playing some speedy golf. We ended up getting in 14 Holes in 2 hours and 10 minutes. Scores went as follows:

Matthew Nance: 51 +4

Stephen Reilly: 58 +11

Due to darkness no pictures were taken of divebargolfers in action. Here are a few quick looks of Casta Del Sol if you've never seen it or played it...

Stayed tuned for divebargolf's next stop as we head back to Shorecliffs in San Clemente on Sunday to celebrate "The Surgeon's" 26th Birthday!

See you on the Tee Box...

If you're interested in joining divebargolf on the links please email me directly at smreilly85@gmail.com !!! We'd love to have ya...

Stricker wins Deere Classic for 3rd straight year!!!

2011-07-11T06:54:00.000-07:00

SILVIS, Ill.--Steve Stricker holed a 25-foot putt from off the 18th green to win the John Deere Classic for the third straight year. The shot that set it up was one to remember, too.

“It’s probably a one-in-10 shot or a two-in-10 shot of hitting that, but it came off,” Stricker said about his approach shot from an awkward stance on the lip of a fairway bunker.

“And then to make the putt, I don’t know what to say about that.”

After opening with rounds of 66, 64 and 63, Stricker closed with a 69 on Sunday to beat rookie Kyle Stanley by a stroke and become the 10th PGA Tour player since World War II to win the same event three straight times.

Great job on winning your 3rd straight John Deere Classic Steve!

El Prado-Chino Creek, Chino Hills

2011-07-10T12:54:00.000-07:00

Divebargolf had another stellar performance in Chino Hills yesterday afternoon. Other than the fact it was hot as balls we had an amazing time! Unfortunately, I am sorry to report that Kevin "Discover Card" Bohrer was unable to make the tee time due to unforeseen circumstances at Fat Joes' the night before. Kevin had a little too much to drink and couldn't crawl out of bed like the rest of us men. Divebargolf wishes Kevin the best and hopes to introduce him to in the coming weeks. Fortunately we were able to get a hold of Ryan "Deadly from 100" Leahy on such short notice to join us at El Prado. Pat "PR" Reilly and Matthew "The Surgeon" Nance joined us on the links as well.

The "Big Cat" at El Prado

The round started off sluggish for all of us. Was it all the booze from the night before or was it because we didn't hit any practice balls on the range? It was probably a good mixture of both. "The Surgeon" got it going with a monster 300 yard drive on Hole 2. We proceeded to Hole 3 where we ran into some wildlife. This stunning coyote was looking for a little lunch...perhaps a squirrel would have done the trick? "PR" was fascinated with Mr. Wiley Coyote!

"The Surgeon" on Hole 2

PR & Wiley Coyote

We had a two-some pushing up on us on Hole 5 so we let them play through so that they could get back to their big important lives in Chino! This fine gentleman was kind enough to let me take a picture with him after which he proceeded to hit his ball less than 50 yards off the tee. What a real 909 skumbag--wouldn't expect anything less however! A guy like this only drinks from fountains like that!

The "Big Cat" & The "909"

Once we finally tee'd off on Hole 6 I managed to push my ball right! Thank god my shot wasn't as bad as the one you see below...

Excuse me is that your ball sir?

We all had great tee shots on the Par 3 Hole 7. Everyone hit the green, but only 3 of us were able to close out their par putts. "The Surgeon" 3 putted this hole away.

After completing Hole 8 we FINALLY ran into our first cart girl! Jessica was awesome--kinda. Not only did she tell us that Jack Daniels and Original Coors makes a great drink she also would not allow us to photograph her for divebargolf. It was mainly because of the man wedding ring (man band) she was wearing. She managed to losen up once we saw her again on Hole 10 before she headed off to the Big A to watch our LA Angels battle with the Seattle Mariners. Turns out she played for Mount Sac in college and El Prado was her home course. The 4 of us then managed to put our tee shots in the shit as she looked on! Thanks Jessica-hope to see you again soon!

After everyone crushed a hot dog at the turn it was time to get back to work. Holes 10 and 11 did not turn out well for divebargolf, but once we got to Hole 12 everything changed. On the 12th tee box we ran into the 2nd cart girl of the day--Natalie! Natalie was amazingly gorgeous and we also got to watch her hit my ball twice with a 4 iron. Natalie has won the award of "Cart Girl of the Month" for July! Divebargolf is proud of Natalie!

After we got a little adrenaline from our visit with Natalie the golf started heating up. The "Big Cat" got hot draining 2 lengthy 20 foot putts to put pressure on "The Surgeon". The "Big Cat" managed to make four straight pars and could see his prey right in front of him. Going into Hole 18 the "Big Cat" had a one stroke lead. After managing to completely collapse on the hole getting a Double Par the final scores were as follows:

Matthew Nance--85 +13

Stephen Reilly--88 +16

Ryan Leahy--92 +20

Patrick Reilly--107 +35

Just another amazing weekend for divebargolf. Stay tuned for next weekend...