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I Do Not Care if Tiger Woods Ever Does Another Press Conference Again

noreply@blogger.com (Shane B.) — Tue, 29 May 2012 17:30:00 +0000

In a few hours Tiger Woods will, for the second time this year, bypass a pre-tournament press conference to tool around on the Internet and interact with friends. His first, rightfully nicknamed the hostage video, was Tiger reading, rather blandly, questions from fans while sitting on what appeared to be a set from Ikea.

On Tuesday, the interaction will take on another face as Tiger and Google+ have teamed up to give us some sort of social interaction that is live to all the golf fans across the world. And by doing this, he isn't going to show up and chat with the media before the Memorial, a tournament he's won four times.

And I do not care. One bit. I don't blame Tiger for skipping the press conference just like I don't blame media members for being upset that the most popular figure in the game won't sit around and act like he's answering questions.

Tiger Woods hasn't answered a question in years. He sits in front of cameras with that blank stare on his face and talks of his golf game and his swing and how close he is to being great again, but nothing is every groundbreaking. He isn't speaking of his personal life or his business or his future plans. He doesn't really talk about other players or his ever-changing golf swing or the fact that he doesn't win that much anymore.

And I know that Tiger's approach to press conferences could one day change the whole landscape to this in the golf world. Think about it; if you're Rory McIlroy, and you see that Tiger is never going to do another pre-tournament press conference, why would you? Sure, some people actually enjoy talking to the media (I'll wait for you to get back into your chair), but if I was a pro golfer and the most famous guy in our sport was bypassing an obligation for another means of chatting with the public, it wouldn't take me long to follow suit (think of this as golf's version of the Louis C.K. experiment).

I watched the 1999 U.S. Open a couple of weeks ago, and saw a much happier Tiger Woods strolling the fairways. He wasn't going to win that tournament, but he smiled at fans and looked like he generally was enjoying himself out on the golf course and was interested in the competition. It struck me as odd because that is so far from what Tiger looks like now when he's playing golf. He might still enjoy being in the moment and all that jazz, but when he plays bad golf he really looks like he hates what he's doing. I can relate to that. Playing bad golf sucks, simple as that, but it was fun to see a smiling Tiger Woods back in those days trying to get a leg up on history with a second major championship.

Tiger now would like to play the game and that's it. If he wants to interact with his fans instead of the media, I'm totally fine with that. If he doesn't want to talk to anyone at all, it won't hurt my feelings. This game of golf has always been an independent contractor-type situation, and Tiger can do whatever he wants whenever he wants and as long as he shows up and attempts to play solid golf at events, I'll be totally fine with that.

Nobody in this business is ever going to have a relationship with Woods now. He might as well try to get in better with his core group and not so much with the scribes that love to bash him.

Golf has and always will be Tiger's world. This is just another step in that direction.

Our Own Cool/Not Cool Golf List

noreply@blogger.com (Shane B.) — Thu, 24 May 2012 18:23:00 +0000

Golf Digest recently rolled out a list of the ten cool and not cool things on a golf course. The article nailed a couple of them (yes, it is uncool to wear red on Sundays like Tiger Woods, but it is also uncool for Tiger to do it), confused with a couple (why the heck is an eraser on a pencil uncool? You think golfers are good at math?!), but generally did what is asked of an article to start a discussion.

So here is our list of cool, uncool things to do on the golf course.

Cool / Not Cool

Cool: Bringing a music player and jamming to music in your cart
Not Cool: Getting mad that someone is enjoying some music and asking them to turn it off (News Alert: it isn't the reason you're sucking).

Cool: Buying drinks from the cart girls/halfway house
Not Cool: Sneaking beers in your bag to the course, you cheap bastard

Cool: Kids in flat-brimmed caps
Not Cool: Anyone over the age of 30 in flat-brimmed caps (via @shosheak)

Cool: Matching your belt with your outfit
Not Cool: Same belt you wear to work is also your only golf option

Cool: Having a coin in your pocket before you get to the first tee
Not Cool: Sticking a tee in the ground for the first nine holes because you "keep forgetting to get a mark"

Cool: Understanding and comprehending how far your hit the golf ball
Not Cool: Waiting for the green to clear when it is literally impossible for you to get there even if you hit the shot of your life and a dust devil picked your ball up mid-air and blew it towards the green

Cool: Offering to buy your playing partners, even if they're total strangers, the first round
Not Cool: Getting a free round and then shying away when the cart girl pulls up

Cool: Desert rules
Not Cool: Re-tee, re-tee, re-tee, re-tee, re-tee, re-tee

Cool: A confident smile after a good shot
Not Cool: "Even a blind squirrel finds a nut every now and again."

Actually ... Not Cool: Any golf cliche you have ever heard or have ever said or have ever thought. Everyone hates them. Everyone.

Cool: Saying hi to a left-hander
Not Cool: "Hey, you're hitting from the wrong side of the ball!"

Cool: Waiting until your playing partner is standing over his putt to tell him it's good.
Not Cool: Asking, or begging, for a putt to be given.

Cool: Water slapping a playing partner on a hot day (walk up and throw a small cup of cool water in their face without them knowing it)
Not Cool: Undoing the bag strap on the cart so their clubs fall off when they drive.

Cool: The Club Twirl
Not Cool: The Putter Raise

Cool: A nice, light golf bag
Not Cool: Using a staff bag if you are in fact not on staff with anyone

Cool: Playing fast
Not Cool: Slow play

Giants Plan Rory McIlroy Bobble Head Day, Misspell Own City's Name

noreply@blogger.com (Shane B.) — Tue, 22 May 2012 21:44:00 +0000

Well, that's unfortunate. The San Francisco Giants are having a bobble head day during U.S. Open week honoring Rory McIlroy, the defending champion of this nation's championship. This year's tourney is out in the Bay Area at the beautiful Olympic Club, and so Rory bobble head day is set for that Tuesday, June 12.

Sadly, the Giants went with the Irish spelling of their own city, typing San Francsisco instead of the traditional San Francisco that most usually go with.

Hey, don't feel bad, guys, you got the part of the bobble head brochure correct that means the most - "pregame Irish entertainment," which I'm assuming just means "pregame drinking."

Mini Tour Players Posts 16-under 55, Makes Me Throw All My Clubs Away

noreply@blogger.com (Shane B.) — Thu, 17 May 2012 15:41:00 +0000

There are moments when professional golfers do something that the home viewer might think, "I could have done that!" This is not one of those times.

A 26-year-old Australian named Rhein Gibson shot a 16-under 55 last week at River Oaks Golf Club in Oklahoma, and yes, you read that number correctly, and yes, I'll give you a minute to pick your jaw up from the ground.

Gibson actually started on the back nine, playing No. 10 first, and after a par on the first hole, played the next eight holes 10-under, with two eagles and six birdies. He turned at 10-under, made six birdies over his final seven holes, and posted a score that is said to have tied the lowest ever in the history of the game.

The scorecard above, via Reddit, gives us full proof that Gibson actually did it, but wow, 55 is absolutely incredible. Most of the time, 16-under wins four-man scrambles, so to think one man could do something like that is insane.

One of his playing partners, Ryan Munson, wrote a full account of the round, and it's quite good, but that is one heck of round of golf.

Nothing like saying after you putt out on the 18th, "I only made four pars ... but no bogeys."

h/t Eye on Golf

Prankster Zings Famous Irish Golf Course With Hope of a Rory Visit

noreply@blogger.com (Shane B.) — Thu, 10 May 2012 16:33:00 +0000

There are few golf courses in the world as beautiful as Ballybunion, the pinnacle of Irish golf set off the western side of the island, and there are few golfers as famous as Rory McIlroy, the young Northern Irishman with a major under his belt and potential as long as his soaring drives.

So what would happen if the two planned a get together? That was the plan in late April, or so the Ballybunion course thought. A prankster called the golf course posing as a manager to Rory and Mark O'Meara, letting the course know that the two would be swinging by the famous links on a Saturday before a big rugby match.

Ballybunion went all "the queen is coming over for tea" on the course, only to find out they'd be duped.

From the Irish Independent ...

Well used to VIP visitors, Ballybunion saw nothing amiss and swept into action with their preparations. Extra catering arrangements were made, caddies took precise measurements to ensure their yardages were spot on, and the Old Course was in pristine condition for Rory and his entourage.

Except they never showed - much to the disappointment of up to 100 young fans, club members and local media who had gathered from 7.30am. Most waited patiently until 11.30 when it became clear that McIlroy was a non-runner.

Maybe it's just the Irish mentality to be lackadaisical in double checking these sorts of things, but if I called out to Whistling Straits telling them Bubba Watson was going to swing by for a quick 18, I feel like they'd check with a manager or something to confirm.

And if nothing else, it gives me a chance to post one of my favorite commercials that has come out recently, because I'm assuming the level of disappointment on those little kiddos' faces rivals these expressions.

Tiger Woods Delivers the Pinnacle of Tiger Woods Press Conference Quotes

noreply@blogger.com (Shane B.) — Tue, 08 May 2012 18:39:00 +0000

From Tiger Woods' press conference on Tuesday at the Players Championship ...

"Well, I think it's a process, and I've said this numerous times, is that you keep building. And there's certain times when, yeah, you make great strides forward, and there's other times where you're going to take a stride or two backwards. It's a process."

That was his final quote of the day, btw.

And, obligatory video ...

Peter Alliss' Hall of Fame Speech Seemed Entertaining

noreply@blogger.com (Shane B.) — Tue, 08 May 2012 04:27:00 +0000

I must admit, I don't really get that involved in the whole "World Golf Hall of Fame" thingy. Normally it is people that you already know a ton about, and I always seem to think, "Wait, they weren't already in the Hall of Fame" when I read the list of inductees.

But, boy, I wish I had seen the Peter Alliss speech. The picture above, courtesy of Shackleford's site, had Alliss giving the bird to the crowd, and the reasoning is below.

Alliss: "So it's time to‑‑ I could waffle on for another four or five hours. I just want to say this: I think of it often because I did leave school early. I was quite bright, but I remember my last report which was sent home.

We had a headmistress that my modest school was called cross by house school. She was a Mrs.Violet Weymouth, and she was a short Welsh woman. She always had a cigarette dangling out of her mouth and the smoke used to trickle up here, and you could see where the smoke went. There was sort of a brown line up there. But she was‑‑ you didn't mess about with Mrs. Weymouth, I can tell you that. I'm always staggered today where I read that children go to school and beat up the teachers. They wouldn't have done that in my day, I'll tell you. But I remember the last report she sent back to my parents, and it went something like this: 'Peter does have a brain, but he's rather loathe to use it. His only interests appear to be the game of golf and Violet Pretty', a girl I liked. She never knew about Iris Baker, but they were the two that introduced me to some of the ways of the world, for which I'll be eternally grateful. And although we were very young, I wish to God we could do it today.

'I fear for his future' were the last words she wrote on my report. So mom and dad died a long, long time ago, and if there is such a thing as heaven and if people do look down, well, Mom, Dad, here we are. Look at this lot. Look where I've been, look what I've done. Never worked very hard at it. But it's all fallen into place. Lovely family, lovely wife, looks after me, shouts a bit occasional. But they are remarkable. They put up with all my nonsense, and I love them dearly.

And Mrs.Weymouth, if you're there, (holds up middle finger)."

Well played, Peter.

Other related golf news and articles:
-- Phil Mickelson jabs Tiger Woods during press conference
-- Rory McIlroy hits a golf shot like Happy Gilmore

OMG, OMG, OMG, TIGER'S SHIRT!

noreply@blogger.com (Shane B.) — Fri, 04 May 2012 02:18:00 +0000

Does anyone else find it incredibly odd that for a guy that dresses so well on the golf course, Tiger Woods always looks like the guy that has Castaway fashion sense*?

The above shirt was from his Tiger Jam thingy and, really, I have no words. It looks like he's wearing a Magic Eye book. Tiger, please, stop shopping in the MGM Grand shop.

* -- Castaway fashion sense is someone that dresses like if they got stranded on an island for five years, was found, and came back to find five year old clothes in his closet that are well outdated

Getty Images

Phil Mickelson is Funny

noreply@blogger.com (Shane B.) — Thu, 03 May 2012 15:51:00 +0000

It has always been a rather rocky relationship between myself and Phil Mickelson. Not personally of course, Phil couldn't pick me out of a lineup of random 20-something white guys, but as a fan. Back in my day, Phil was my guy. He was the lovable loser and also left-handed, which was an obvious pull for a southpaw kiddo hoping to make it in the big leagues.

But for some reason, after he won that first Masters, his appeal dropped. I didn't love him as much. I got sick of his cheesy smile and constant thumbs ups. His positivity ate away at me. But slowly, I've come back to Phil. Sitting in press conferences of his make it easier to like the guy. He's genuinely funny, and seems to actually enjoy the press even if that is just a complete facade he plays to because he knows it's a part of the job.

And he has a little fun with it. Like on Wednesday at his Quail Hollow press conference. Phil walked into the press center to address the media but opened with a rather simple, but incredibly clever, joke.

"Didn't you guys see my video?," Phil said with a smirk.

The joke was obviously pointed at Tiger Woods' hostage video from Sunday where he awkwardly answered questions from fans in front of what looks like the second floor of the Dallas Ikea. The thing seemed strange before the video began, but Tiger sits for 14 minutes and answers questions. It was strange. Phil knows that. He made a joke. Well played.

I like the idea of an underlying Phil and Tiger rivalry. I think it's good for the game and actually good for both players. I think they are friends deep down, but I think both don't really get the other, and both want to beat the other really bad, which is how it should be. This era will be remembered because of those two, and I like that Phil pulled out the rubber snake and flung it towards Tiger's direction.

Related articles:
-- Ten questions that we would have loved Tiger Woods to answer
-- Watch a video of Rory McIlroy hitting balls like Happy Gilmore

Getty Images

Ten Questions I'd Like Tiger Woods to Answer on Monday in His Pre-Recorded Video

noreply@blogger.com (Shane B.) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 12:46:00 +0000

As you've probably heard, Tiger Woods is planning to post a pre-recorded video on Monday from questions fans asked him on Twitter and Facebook. All of them will be softball questions, but here are ten I'd really like to hear him answer.

-- If you had to pick one way to destroy a copy of "The Big Miss," what would you go with?

-- If you had to project, how many times in your life have you used the phrase "I'm close," and yes, personal moments should be counted?

-- Phil Mickelson, Vijay Singh, Rich Beem -- f, m, k ... go.

-- When you get really old, will you buy orthopedic shoes or just drag some of your current golf shoes out of the closet and wear them?

-- Be honest with me for a second ... Crest White Strips?

-- How many minutes did it take you to stop laughing when your agent suggested you do a video blog answering questions from fans, and how long until you realized he wasn't kidding?

-- If you had to compare yourself to one professional athlete, past or present, that isn't a golfer, who would it be and why?

-- Do you still own that outfit you wore when you won the U.S. Amateur at Sawgrass and if so, how often do you put that hat on and just sit around in your bathrobe?

-- If I said I could promise you you'd win five more majors, but you had to publicly announce that your new girlfriend was Lindsay Lohan, and date her until the five majors were complete, would you take me up on my offer?

-- When is the last time you had to pay for a round of golf?

Okay, that's it! Give me your best in the comments.

Tiger Woods to Increase His Interaction With Fans in Most Tiger Woods Way Possible

noreply@blogger.com (Shane B.) — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 17:49:00 +0000

If there is one thing that Tiger Woods and his camp knows, it's how to entertain the masses, and they're really outdone themselves now with the announcement that on Monday, Tiger will post a pre-recorded video on his website answering questions from fans.

Yes, in a move that shows Tiger's golf swing isn't the only thing stuck in 2007, Tiger will take questions from his Twitter and Facebook account from fans and post that video online after his agent, Mark Steinberg, announced they're trying to do more with social media.

Via Bob Harig's story on ESPN ...

"We've been thinking about this for a couple of months now," Steinberg said Friday night. "We wanted to have a little bit more direct interaction with fans, and they've been very good to him over the years. We're probably a little bit behind with social media and this is a way to do that."

Ehh, is it really a way of doing that, Mark? Posting a pre-recorded video on the website you own?

In a time when certain professional golfers have appeared on the Bill Simmons' podcast, used Twitter to gain a serious following, and even done a AMA (ask me anything) chat over at Reddit, it seems this move isn't anymore "social media" as the fact that Tiger's Twitter account (obviously not run by him) has done just 12 updates in the month of April.

I commend Tiger and his team for at least trying something new, and any steps is at least progress, but is that entire office so clueless that their idea of moving forward is pre-recording something? Pre-recordings are to the current Internets what a Q and A via Morse Code would have been in the late 1980s.

I will say this ... it might be nice to see Tiger answer questions without staring blankly at media members like he normally does in press conferences. And hey, my coworker Steve Elling might actually get one of his questions for Tiger answered this way. You've got a 1 in 2.11 million shot, buddy!

Video: Lexi Thompson Wants a Prom Date

noreply@blogger.com (Shane B.) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 13:42:00 +0000

Yes, Lexi Thompson is still very young, but that doesn't mean she isn't aging very well in PR years.

The LPGA star went to YouTube to ask a military man between the ages of 18-20 to go to prom with her on May 18. Lexi is still 17, but I like the idea and the initiative.

Video: Rory McIlroy goes Happy Gilmore and other pro golfers being awesome

noreply@blogger.com (Shane B.) — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 15:30:00 +0000

I don't post a lot of trick shot videos, but holy mother of everything, skip to the :54 second mark and just enjoy someone doing something absolutely incredible.

Also, an added bonus; Rory McIlroy and Jason Day going all Happy Gilmore in this spot.

via Golf Monthly

Jerry Rice, PLEASE STOP!

noreply@blogger.com (Shane B.) — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 16:11:00 +0000

I have never met Jerry Rice, the former NFL superstar turned hack professional golfer. I don't know him, know his golf game, know his objectives as he approaches these Nationwide Tour events. All I know is that the man must stop doing it. Like, now.

Rice has now played in three Nationwide Tour events. The first was a two-day total of 17-over par, finishing 151 out of 152 golfers in the field. The second ended when Rice inexplicably pulled out a range finder DURING COMPETITION, getting disqualified as any golfer with a balata of sense would know was about to happen.

Now, Rice has withdrawn after an opening round 86 at the TPC Stonebrae Championship and a weather delay that had the former wide receiver open with a 42 on his first nine holes before pulling out early.

There are so many things wrong with this, I don't even know where to start.

He's taking a spot away from an actual professional golfer trying to make a living.

He's not good at golf.

He continues to try to hit the piñata, not understanding that he will never, ever, ever make contact.

I don't care if Rice is doing this for charity. I don't care if every time he tees it up an orphan finds a home. All I care about is the fact that Jerry Rice continues to disrespect the game of golf and it needs to stop.

Why the hell is the Nationwide Tour giving this guy exemptions? Can someone explain that to me? Is it because it forces guys like me to write about the tournament? is that the exposure you want for a tour event?

Jerry Rice's golf swing isn't bringing people to a golf tournament, much like Tiger Woods' jump-shot wouldn't have basketball fans rushing to a Harlem Globetrotters game. Sports fans, the real, true sports fan, wants to see talented people play the game in a way they can't comprehend.

Rice doesn't do that. He goes out and makes a lot of double-bogeys, not many birdies, and posts a score similar to what you or your dad would post at an event like this on the courses the Nationwide Tour plays.

And the biggest issue? The Nationwide Tour is a much bigger deal this year. Guys with a weak status could really use a boost at this event or that one, because playing well means a lot more in 2012 than it did a year ago.

Rice needs to give up on this dream. He's simply not good enough to make it. It was fun once. It was annoying the second time. Now, it's downright disrespectful.

When Alligators Attack! (Caddie Edition)

noreply@blogger.com (Shane B.) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 15:50:00 +0000

I know, I know, most "alligator on golf course" videos are extremely lame, but not when it's a PGA Tour tournament and the caddies are trying to scare one away so that a pro can hit his shot.

That's what happened at Harbour Town on Thursday as Brian Gay was trying to play his shot with an alligator sneaking around near the bank.

Caddies are tough people, but even this was a bit crazy for me, no?

Video: Bubba Watson Hits Best Shot Ever at the Masters

noreply@blogger.com (Shane B.) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 23:42:00 +0000

I thought I'd get this up while it's still around on YouTube, just because, damn, that's a cool golf shot. Here is Bubba Watson's shot that won him the green jacket. Enjoy it again.

Paul Azinger Not a Huge Fan of Tiger Woods' Attempted 9-Iron Field Goal

noreply@blogger.com (Shane B.) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 23:38:00 +0000

On Friday at the Masters, Tiger Woods did not play very well. He played so poorly, actually, that on the 16th hole, his frustration came out in the form of a 9-iron kick that had a lot of fans rolling their eyes and mentioning Tiger's supposed changes that he mentioned two years ago at an infamous press conference.

Tiger is of course human, and every golfer gets frustrated at times (just ask a 56-degree wedge of mine), but critics are critics and they come in the form of Paul Azinger.

The former PGA Championship winner spoke to Mad Dog Radio and had this to say about Tiger's behavior at the Masters last week.

"Tiger's antics this week were an embarrassment to the game, to the membership at Augusta," Zinger said. "I was really disappointed to see him carry on that way. He's not trying to endear himself to anybody. And after he won Bay Hill I thought, ‘here we go again, this is going to be Tiger just kicking butt and taking names.' I don't know. I thought he acted like the south end of a northbound mule."

First things first; that is a hilarious way for Zinger to put it. Yes, Tiger acted childish and all that, but to basically say the dude was an ass at Augusta National? Almost seems too good to be true.

And frankly, Azinger is right. Tiger did act poorly. So much, actually, that he apologized (Well, sort of apologized) on Saturday after his round.

Woods' frustration, in my opinion, came because the guy expected to tear it up and failed to do so. It was more anger at himself than anything else, and for once, he couldn't blame it on the course or the fans or the cameras or the greens. He, simply, played like a dog. Or an ass. Either way works.

Getty Images

Louis Oosthuizen hits the shot of his life at the Masters ... but still ends up losing

noreply@blogger.com (Jonathan W.) — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 01:36:00 +0000

What is it about the Masters that brings out the best in players? Seriously, guys just show up and hit career shots each and every year, and for the most part, most of us never bat an eyelash. You just expect guys to up their game when they come to one of the most special places on earth.

Louis Oosthuizen hit one of those career shots on Sunday at the Masters.

Standing over his second at the par-5 second hole, the South African eyed a green light situation from 260 yards out. Knowing the back right pin was for suckers, Oosthuizen did the smart thing, throwing in a picture-perfect shot that hit a ridge and funneled right to the hole ... and then it dropped in the cup for a double-eagle.

We've seen some incredible shots at the Masters, but this one has to rank right up there as one of the best.

The craziest part of all? Oosthuizen threw his ball into the crowd. One of the most historic shots in tournament history now belongs to a golf fan. It would have been a bigger deal had he won the tournament, but even with his second-place finish, the shot will still go down as one of the greatest we've ever seen. Well done, Louis.

Tiger Woods apologizes for Friday's on-course antics

noreply@blogger.com (Jonathan W.) — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 20:08:00 +0000

Here's something you don't see every day -- Tiger Woods apologizing for his language and on-course antics after a round. Hard to believe, I know, but the 14-time major winner made it a point after Saturday's round to tell everyone how sorry he was for his actions.

"I'm frustrated at times and I apologize if I offended anybody by that." Woods said. "But I've hit some bad shots and it's certainly frustrating at times not hitting the ball where you need to hit it."

Woods once again looked frustrated during the third round, hitting blocked drives and never giving himself a chance to build on the two early birdies in the first five holes. He ended the day the way he started it, at 3-over for the tournament following an ever-par 72 round that saw Masters chances end.

After talking up Tiger's chances early in the week, we most likely won't even see a single live shot of his final round ... and that might not be a bad thing. Considering the way he's acted this week, the last thing golf fans want to see is Tiger sulk around the course for another 18 holes.

Follow Jonathan Wall on Twitter during Masters week:@jonathanrwall

This shot pretty much sums up Tiger Woods' second round at the Masters

noreply@blogger.com (Jonathan W.) — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 23:25:00 +0000

Did you miss Tiger Woods' second round because you were at work or out on the course? Don't worry, because after watching this clip, you'll be caught up on exactly how Mr. Woods played on Friday.

That would be awful ... with a capital "A". Seriously, it was one of the worst rounds we've seen from him in some time. He completely lost his swing on the back nine and went completely off the tracks on the par-3 16th hole. Following another poor tee shot, Woods drop-kicked his club in anger -- something you normally wouldn't do at Augusta National.

But I guess Tiger gets a pass. He's Tiger Woods, after all, and I doubt anybody's going to chastise him for his actions. He's now 3-over for the week and looks to be a non-factor on the weekend unless he produces a ridiculously low round on Saturday.

Follow Jonathan Wall on Twitter during Masters week: @jonathanrwall

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Henrik Stenson comes unraveled at the worst possible time

noreply@blogger.com (Jonathan W.) — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 01:25:00 +0000

Henrik Stenson had it going on Thursday at the Masters. With a couple eagles on the front nine and a birdie on the 15th, the Swede found himself 6-under at the Masters with a couple holes to play. For a guy who'd never broken 70 in the tournament, this seemed like a turning point for Stenson.

He was the perfect darkhorse to make a run. Sneaky-good game? Check. Long off the tee? Check? Short game? Check. He seemed perfect. Almost too perfect, in fact.

Maybe that's why it shouldn't come as a surprise that he came unraveled late in his round. After bogeying the 16th, to fall to 5-under, Stenson stepped on the 18th hole after a par on the 17th and came unglued ... almost to the point where you wondered if he was going to storm off the course without signing his scorecard.

After hitting his tee shot under the trees on the left, Stenson asked for a drop from the pine straw but was denied. And that's where thing really went south for him. After nearly topping his second shot, it took Stenson three more swings before his ball found the green.

From there he hit his putt -- which was for six -- to about three feet ... and then proceeded to tie a nice bow on the hole with a final miss for a quadrulple-bogey 8 that saw him go from from potential leader in the clubhouse to posting a 1-under 70 that now has him four shots off the pace.

He now holds the record for worst performance on two separate holes at Augusta National, after he quintuple-bogeyed the par-3 fourth in 2011.

But wait, there's more! All this happened on Stenson's birthday. Talk about the perfect way to kick off the evening festivities.

Phil Mickelson implodes on the 10th hole at Augusta National

noreply@blogger.com (Jonathan W.) — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 01:06:00 +0000

If there's we thing you can always count on when it comes to a Phil Mickelson round, it's fireworks. Good or bad, he usually finds some way to get a mention thanks to something he does during his round.

On Thursday, it happened to be his tee shot on the 10th -- a hole made famous by Rory McIlroy last year, who managed to card a triple-bogey that all but ended his chances of winning his first green jacket.

It could end up costing Phil his fourth green jacket. After stepping up to the tee with driver in his hand, Mickelson unleashed towering slice that he knew wasn't good from the start. He slouched, yelled at himself and then told his playing partners he was taking a provisional.

He figured the ball was lost ... and he was right. Despite a search party that spent what seemed like hours in the Georgia pines, Mickelson couldn't find his ball. It was almost comical watching the fans move back brush and kick up pine straw. At one point a couple fans thought they found the ball; but it ended up not being his.

The ball wasn't the only thing missing from Mickelson's game. The triple-bogey he carded on the 10th forced the swashbuckling lefty to go into damage control. He ended up finishing the round at 2-over, but the damage had already been done.

Mickelson noted after his round that he had the fixes in place to rectify his issues off the tee. He better hope that's the case, because if he hits a few more wayward drives like the one of the par-4 10th, there's a good chance he could be heading home for the weekend.

Breaking down some of the notable opening-round Masters pairings

noreply@blogger.com (Jonathan W.) — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 21:49:00 +0000

Masters week started on Monday, but things became official earlier today when tournament officials released opening-round pairings.

Who do you need to keep an eye on over the next couple of days? The highlighted pairing are the ones that deserve your attention.

7:50/10:57 a.m.: Craig Stadler, Brendan Steele, Tim Clark
8:01/11:09: Jose Maria Olazabal, Robert Garrigus, a-Randal Lewis
8:12/11:19: Larry Mize, Paul Lawrie, Anders Hansen
8:23/11:30: Ross Fisher, Ryan Palmer, Harrison Frazar
8:34/11:41: Ben Crenshaw, Robert Karlsson, a-Bryden Macpherson
8:45/11:52: Adam Scott, Bo Van Pelt, Martin Kaymer - Scott shows up having played only three tournaments this year. Three. It's safe to say he'll be fresh. Martin Kaymer could be contender if he quits over-thinking and plays his own game.
8:56/12:14 p.m.: Steve Stricker, Padraig Harrington, Stewart Cink
9:07/12:25: Aaron Baddeley, Kim Kyung-tae, Lucas Glover
9:18/12:36: Kyle Stanley, Jason Day, Bill Haas - Three of the best young players in the game today. One of them will win a major this year. You can take that to the bank.
9:29/12:47: Trevor Immelman, Rickie Fowler, Justin Rose
9:40/12:58: Tom Watson, Johnson Wagner, a-Hideki Matsuyama
10:02/1:09: Matt Kuchar, Geoff Ogilvy, Yang Yong-eun
10:13/1:20: Gary Woodland, Henrik Stenson, Alvaro Quiros - I hope Henrik Stenson doesn't mind hitting first from the fairway. Woodland is a great pick if he keeps it in the short grass.

10:24/1:31: Charl Schwartzel, Keegan Bradley, a-Kelly Kraft

10:35/1:42: Tiger Woods, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Sang-Moon Bae - The marquee name in this group? San Moon Bae. OK, it's Tiger Woods. But Bae has the game to be a future Masters champ. Jimenez? Well, he has this.

The rest of the pairings come after the jump.

10:46/1:53: Luke Donald, Francesco Molinari, Nick Watney - Donald's flying under the radar this week, and that's absurd considering he's the No. 1-ranked player in the world. Watney has all the tools and could be a great pick to win this week.
10:57/7:50 a.m.: Scott Verplank, Sean O'Hair, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano
11:08/8:01: Mark O'Meara, Chez Reavie, Martin Laird
11:19/8:12: Sandy Lyle, Simon Dyson, a-Corbin Mills
11:30/8:23: Ian Woosnam, Edoardo Molinari, Kevin Chappell
11:42/8:34: Louis Oosthuizen, Mark Wilson, Graeme McDowell
11:52/8:45: Zach Johnson, Ian Poulter, a-Patrick Cantlay
12:14 p.m./8:56: Kevin Na, Fredrik Jacobson, Ben Crane - I'd talk about this group, but I'd probably fall asle... *snoring*
12:25/9:07: John Senden, Jonathan Byrd, Paul Casey
12:36/9:18: Bernhard Langer, Jason Dufner, Charles Howell III
12:47/9:29: Mike Weir, Brandt Snedeker, Webb Simpson
12:58/9:40: Vijay Singh, Lee Westwood, Jim Furyk
1:09/10:02: Thomas Bjorn, Scott Stallings, Rory Sabbatini
1:20/10:13: Fred Couples, Darren Clarke, Ryo Ishikawa - May want to check the pulse of this group, because there are some incredibly cool customers in this threesome. Couples, of course, is the coolest of the group -- and could be a great pick to win this week ... if his back holds up.
1:31/10:24: David Toms, KJ Choi, Sergio Garcia
1:42/10:35: Angel Cabrera, Rory McIlroy, Bubba Watson - Cabrera's fast pace messed with McIlroy's game during last year's final round. Will it be a problem this year? And don't forget about Bubba. When the driver's on he's tough to beat.
1:53/10:46: Phil Mickelson, Hunter Mahan, Peter Hanson - Golf's hottest player (Mahan) and a three-time Masters winner (Mickelson) are in the same group. There's a good chance both could in contention on Sunday.

Dog eats man's Masters tickets before he heads to Augusta

noreply@blogger.com (Jonathan W.) — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 19:22:00 +0000

At first glance this story appears to be a bad April Fool's joke. There's no way a dog could eat a guy's Masters tickets, right? RIGHT?!?

Wrong. In one of the most bizarre stories I've seen in a long, long time, Russ Berkman of Seattle, Wash., came home from a trip to the store to find his dog, Sierra, had devoured all four of his Masters practice round tickets.

Berkman, who won the tickets in the Masters lottery, had already booked tee times and rooms in Myrtle Beach, S.C, the days leading up, and then planned to head to Augusta with his buddies to check out Wednesday's practice round and the Par-3 Contest.

But his dog had other plans, leaving only the strings from the tickets as evidence when he got home. According to sports radio station KJR in Seattle -- listen to the station's interview with Berkman -- things got serious when he realized that without the tickets, he'd have to call off the trip.

So he did what any golf fan would do: He poured Hydrogen peroxide -- it's safe for animals to ingest -- into his dog's mouth and waited for the remains of the tickets to come back up. They did. Along with a bunch of other things.

But wait, there's more! Berkman not only went through the puke to find the pieces of the tickets, he also took the time to piece the tickets (or what was left of them) together, in one final attempt to keep the trip alive.

As you can see from the photos, the puke-stained tickets look pretty worthless. But they were good enough to get Berkman a new set. After taking the photos, he called Augusta National, told them his story -- seriously, I would kill to hear that audio -- and officials decided to reissue the tickets.

I guess even Augusta National has a sense of humor. The good news for Berkman is he and his buddies will be at the Masters tomorrow for Wednesday's practice round. And after everything he went through, you have to believe the time spent at the course will be that much sweeter.

Follow Jonathan Wall on Twitter during Masters week: @jonathanrwall

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Video: Martin Kaymer skips one off the water at the Masters for a hole-in-one

noreply@blogger.com (Jonathan W.) — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 03:29:00 +0000

Martin Kaymer has never had the best of luck when it comes to the Masters. Despite being the top player in the world at one point, the guy just can't seem to get past all the twists and turns at Augusta National (he even went so far as to alter how he shaped the ball prior to last year's tournament).

But maybe his luck is changing. During Monday's practice round, Kaymer hit one of the most incredible shots you're ever going to see, skipping his shot off the water, onto the 16th green ... and into the hole.

That's what you call a career shot, folks. And the fact that it happened at the Masters? Well, that just makes it even more special.

Who knows, maybe it's the kind of shot that allows Kaymer to wipe away all the bad memories and make a run this year. Even if it doesn't, he still has a memory that will certainly stick with him for the rest of his life.