Golf ... In-the-Hole

HOW ABOUT THAT PHIL...

2009-02-23T16:07:00.004-07:00

He's back for sure. Surprised us all by his explosive jump out of the starting gate. He looks better than ever. Working out has been good to him. He also played some spectacular golf the first three rounds. First round --- eight birdies, no bogies. How about Saturday? An eagle, seven birdies and no bogies. Look out Tiger!

Will Phil's comeback stand up this weekend? Will the Tiger show some rust? The only sure thing is that the media will be back in full force.

Marion

Tiger Returns to Challenge at Match Play

2009-02-23T16:03:00.002-07:00

Well, so much for my predictions. I thought five days and the prospect of 36 holes in one day would sideline the tiger until Doral. Also Accenture will be played on a hilly kinda course and Doral is flat and nicer. He must be chomping at the bit to get back into competition.

Hank Haney says he's ready. Haney doesn't worry about the leg, but he is a bit concerned about the rust. We will soon see ...

Marion

JUST A FEW OBSERVATIONS...

2009-02-19T13:02:00.003-07:00

Here's a few quickies and then I've gotta run...

Phil has finally broken thru it would appear. He is leading in the first 16 holes of the 1st round of the Northern Trust at -8. Let's watch and see if he can hold up. He had a bad start this year. Hopefully this mean it is turned around.

Veej is back after knee surgery the first part of January. Last week, he didn't look quite ready. But you know the Big Fijian! Expect him to look much better this week.

Kim will be playing. He played Malaysia last week and started slow and ended low. But we will see how his shoulder holds up. If it is under control, expect him to make a move.

Retief is showing pretty good form. He has been working out and slimmed down a bit. The new sunglasses may be a benefit also.

Marion

BACK TO GOLF...

2009-02-19T12:28:00.005-07:00

Would you like to see a pic of the new addition to the Tiger's lair? Here's Charlie.

Well, I'm finally back and ready to jump into the 2009 season. I will do some recap, but first let's look at the question everyone is asking. What is happening with the Number One player? Here's what his caddy had to say yesterday:

Tiger Woods is closing in on a return to the PGA Tour, according to his caddie Steve Williams.

Woods has been out of competitive action since winning the US Open in June last year after having reconstructive surgery on the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee the following week.

"He is ready to go anytime in the next few weeks," Williams told Television New Zealand. "He is about 90% but he won't play unless he is 100%."

He added: "He has had to modify his swing a little bit to accommodate his knee but it is a matter of getting back into the groove."

Woods, who earlier this month celebrated the birth of his second child with wife Elin, has won 14 Major golf championships and needs five more to set a new record for the most Major wins.

And Williams believes that even if Woods is a little rusty upon his return the American will have the mental strength to remain the world's leading player.

"I've said it before, the best quote I have heard about him is that 'they haven't operated on his head and you haven't operated on his heart', which are his two best components," he added.

"Maybe his game is not as good but if he is mentally stronger - we all know that he is the mentally toughest player to play the game so that in itself is a big factor."

I never expected him to play the Accenture. That is a grueling test. First of all it is a five day affair with far too many holes to play on a new knee. March 12 at Doral WGC-CA is much more realistic. Place your bets!

Marion

Spider Man Wins BMW and Assures Fed Ex Cup for Veej

2008-09-08T12:18:00.004-06:00

A spectacular performance by Camillo Villegas at the BMW third event in the Fed Ex series gave him his very first career tour win. In the process, he secured the Fed Ex Cup $10M purse to Vijay Singh. All that remains for Veej (as a result of winning the first two events) is to show up in two weeks for the final event - Coca Cola - and play 72 rounds to collect the trophy and the $10 million. I think he owes Camillo... don't you.

This is the third year on Tour for the 26-year-old Colombian and he goes home with $1.26 million. Not bad for 3 years of thrills and excitement. Anthony Kim, Dudley Hart and Jim Furyk gave him a run but Camillo kept his cool and sailed to a decisive victory. Keep your eyes on this guy and Kim for the near future. Oh, and don't forget Sergio. Maybe they can make some history before the Tiger returns.

Marion

Gosh -- It's Been Awhile - Now Back to Golf

2008-08-28T09:51:00.003-06:00

Let's play Catch Up ...

We're at the Fed Ex now. Veej has just won the first of four -- the Barclays. Coming off a win for WGC-Bridgestone, he is confident and hot.

But Sergio gave him a run... Serg is cookin' and it looks like he is due for at least one win here.

How did we get here? Stewie Cink won the Travelers. Then Kenny Perry pulled off two great wins -- Buick Open and the John Deere.

Anthony Kim picked up one at the AT&T National (hosted by Tiger). Next we had Richard Johnson at the Milwaulkee US Bank. Paddy Harrington wowed the golfing world by lifting the Claret Jug and then went on the win the PGA Championship.

With Tiger absent from the Fed Ex, anyone can jump in and win it. But what happens if there's a different winner for each event? Well, let's just sit back and watch. This is sooo cool. If the next three are as thrilling as the first, this is going to be some run of Golf!!

Marion

Tiger Woods Undergoes Successful Reconstructive Surgery June 24, 2008

2008-06-24T17:51:00.006-06:00

Tiger Woods announced that reconstructive surgery has been performed. He made this statement:

"It was important to me to have the surgery as soon as possible so that I could begin the rehabilitation process," Woods said in a statement. "I am very appreciative of Dr. Rosenberg and Dr. Cooley and his staff's guidance and look forward to working with them through the necessary rehabilitation and training.

"I look forward to working hard at my rehabilitation over the coming months and returning to the PGA Tour healthy next year."

His doctors say they were confident going in and are pleased with the results.

"There were no surprises during the procedure, and as we have said, with the proper rehabilitation and training, it is highly unlikely that Mr. Woods will have any long-term effects as it relates to his career."

Good news for Tiger.

In the meantime, Stewart Cink has moved up in the Fedex standings:

Rank	Player	Events	Points
1	Tiger Woods	6	22,695
2	Phil Mickelson	14	15,940
3	Stewart Cink	15	15,039
4	Justin Leonard	16	11,902
5	Kenny Perry	17	11,433

Look out Phil ...

Additional Comments on Tiger's Injuries

2008-06-18T17:29:00.002-06:00

I thought you might like a little more detail so I just picked this up at ESPN. This is sort of a copy and paste. But Hank Haney was with Tiger when his doctors told him he should not play so here is Hank's take on it.

Hank Haney, Woods' swing coach, said Wednesday that the world's No. 1-ranked golfer defied his doctor's advice and even predicted he'd win the Open.

"The week of Memorial [two weeks before the Open], I thought there was no chance he could play," Haney said in a telephone interview from his home in Texas. "The doctors told him he needed to be on crutches for three weeks and then three more weeks of inactivity, and then you start rehabbing.

"But Tiger looked the guy in the eye and said, 'I'm playing in the U.S. Open and I'm going to win.' "

"And then he started putting on his shoes," Haney recalled. "He looked at me and said, 'Come on, Hank. We'll just putt today.' Every night, I kept thinking there was no chance he's going to play. He had to stop in his tracks for 30 seconds walking from the dining room table to the refrigerator.

"He was not going to miss the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines. There just wasn't any discussion."

Haney said the extent of Woods' preparation for the U.S. Open was hitting four or five practice balls at a time before heading back to a golf cart.

"He couldn't walk," Haney said. "The 50 balls I'm talking about him hitting included the first 15 warm-up wedges. You're talking about 30 full swings a day."

"Tiger has such an incredible pain tolerance," Haney said. "When he said he was going to play, I knew he was going to play. The thing that concerned me most was, was he going to be able to walk? Was it just going to deteriorate so much that he wasn't going to be able to swing at all?

"And that didn't take into account the issue that he hadn't had any preparation. He didn't get to play. He didn't get to do anything. That was the concern. But Tiger has such an incredible pain tolerance.

"In my mind, I honestly thought he was just going to give it his best effort, his 100 percent best effort all the way up until the tournament. I knew he wasn't going to bag it two weeks before. He was going to hope for a miracle until the last possible point that he couldn't make it. In my mind, that was the most likely scenario: He just would try until the end and then come to the realization that he couldn't go. When he canceled out of the Memorial, he was in real bad shape then. He couldn't have played in the U.S. Open then. He couldn't even move."

Haney believes Woods had no choice but to go through with surgery now. And that, in the long run, he'll be better off.

"Why wouldn't he? I expect him to be much better than ever," Haney said. "He's going to have a strong leg and a structurally sound knee. He hasn't had that in years. There is no reason that he won't be better than he's ever been. He's going to have all this time to think about the improvements that he's going to make in his golf swing and everything else.

"It's just incredible he accomplished what he did. I'm so proud of him. I can't believe it. The guy's heart and his toughness ... wow. It really is just wow. I don't know what more you can say than that."

Well, there you have it.

Tiger Wins 2008 US Open Ending His 2008 Season

2008-06-18T12:33:00.006-06:00

By now everyone knows the outcome of probably the most amazing US Open in the history of the game. The world watched as a wounded Tiger played through the pain for 91 holes and willed his way to his 14th Major.

We knew about the knee ... it was so obvious. But we didn't know he was playing with a double stress fracture of the left tibia. Tiger said nothing about it. It happened just before the Memorial. But he was determined to play in the Open and win.

The doctors tell Tiger that the stress fractures will heal with time. How much time will be required is unknown. Tiger says the fractures were the source of his greatest pain during the game.

He is finished for the year, but not without that one last major victory that capped off a painful 10 months.

What we didn't know was that he has had a torn ligament in the knee since last July. So surgery was not optional. But he delayed it. He wanted to go for his 14th and maybe get in some more majors before going under the knife.

He says he tore the ACL while jogging at home after the British Open last July. He chose not to have surgery at that time and continued on to win seven consecutive victories, including the Dubai Desert Classic in Europe and his Target World Challenge, an unofficial event.

He had arthroscopic surgery April 15 to clean out cartilage in his left knee, bypassing ACL surgery with hopes it could get him through the 2008 season. But going 91 holes for his 14th career major made it impossible to play any longer.

Here's a quote: "Although I will miss the rest of the 2008 season, I'm thrilled with the fact that last week was such a special tournament."

Well, to sum it up, he misses a major for the first time this year and will not be in the Ryder Cup.

He has played seven times worldwide this year and won five of them. In retrospect, his performance at Torrey Pines was even more than spectacular. It was more like miraculous.

This was the Tiger's disclosure statement:

"I know much was made of my knee throughout the last week and it was important to me that I disclose my condition publicly at an appropriate time. I wanted to be very respectful of the USGA and their incredibly hard work and make sure the focus was on the US Open.

"Now it is clear that the right thing to do is to listen to my doctors, follow through with this surgery and focus my attention on rehabilitating my knee."

Prayers for complete recovery, Tiger.

by
Marion

US Open Goes to Playoff - 3rd Round Video Here

2008-06-15T20:05:00.003-06:00

Tiger made a 12-foot birdie putt on the final hole to force an 18-hole playoff with Rocco Mediate scheduled for Monday. In the meantime, you can watch a 3rd-round video of all of Tiger's shots on Saturday. Take a look ...

Marion

Tiger Takes the Lead on Saturday at the US Open

2008-06-14T20:31:00.005-06:00

The 50,000 + gallery broke out in deafening roars at least three times on Saturday in response to one of the most incredibly exciting rounds golf has ever seen. Tiger Woods, playing through increasing pain, began the round with a double bogey at the 1st and another bogey on 4. Often grimacing in pain at the end of a swing, it became obvious that the knee was taking a beating.

Then it happened on the 615 yard par 5-13th. His drive went awry far to the right into the gallery. But he was able to make an incredible shot to the back of the green. It was a dangerous 66 feet to an eagle that, if it should miss, could go all the way down the hill back into the fairway. But the Tiger put it in the hole. The crowd went wild and so did he. The roar must have been heard miles away. That put him at a minus 1 within two of the lead.

However, he bogied the next hole retreating back to even par. Next he had a couple of pars and then a bad lie in the rough as a result of an extremely painful approach shot at the par 4-17th. His third shot looked like an impossibility and saving par looked pretty bleak. However, his chip shot out of the rough, took one bounce and dropped into the hole. It was unbelievable and laughable. The crowd went wild and Tiger could only shake his head and laugh. He was back to 1 under.

In the meantime, Rocco Mediate came back to even par from the lead and Lee Westwood was leading at 2 under. Westwood went into the Clubhouse from 18 with two under.

On the 573 yard par 5-18th, Tiger somehow managed to put his ball on the back of the green in two. He no longer had two legs, so he had to come up with a unique cut that took some of the pressure off the knee. From there he made the most unbelievable, impossible 30 foot eagle for a three under par to take the lead. The crowd went wild.

Can the knee survive today? Can he handle 18 holes on Sunday? If he can get through the rest of the tourney, can he win it? One thing is certain: He is going to get tons of support from the fans. This has been an amazing day at Torrey Pines!

Marion

Sergio Two Putts 4-Footer To Take The Players Championship

2008-05-14T14:06:00.006-06:00

Way to go, Sergio. He's way overdue and he actually kissed his renegade putter when it was over. Lots of "ifs" for Paul Goydos, who was making a diligent effort for his first big one. But it was not to be.

After Goydos finished 18 and moved into the clubhouse, I jokingly asked the group sitting around the TV, "What if there is a playoff and they start it at 17?" Of course, everyone laughed. We were all shocked when the announcement was made that 17 would be the first playoff hole.

We were also shocked when a gust of wind dropped Goydos' wedge shot into the water. But Sergio dropped a beautiful shot in the middle of the green and it rolled within in a very makeable distance to the hole. Goydos made his drop and his putt rolled on past the hole.

Sergio addressed the ball from 4 feet and his reluctant putter failed him. But on his second putt, the ball dropped and Sergio was $1.7 million dollars richer. Paul Goydos earned $1.026,000.00 so he will no doubt buy nice presents for his mom and daughters.

Upon presentation of the Trophy, the Spaniard's response was, "The first person I want to thank is Tiger Woods -- for not being here." Maybe that did help a little...

Marion

Kim Makes Wachovia Look Easy

2008-05-06T08:36:00.002-06:00

Anthony Kim took control of the field at Quail Hollow and cruised to an impressive 5-shot win over Ben Curtis with a record 16 under par becoming the youngest winner in six years. With a change in attitude and in solid control of his temper, he looked like the champion we have expected him to be.

At only 5' 10" and 160 lb, it was pretty impressive to observe his power to drive the ball an average of 305.5 yards in the tourney. He should be brimming with confidence next weekend in the Players.

Here's how Anthony puts it: "I was an immature kid last year, and I feel like I've grown up quite a bit." The transformation was obvious . Can he be consistent? Time will tell. But if he is, look out Phil, Adam, Ernie, Steve, Geoff, et al. Kim has just moved up from 37 to 16 in World Golf rankings.

DID ADAM DO A FIST PUMP? - BYRON NELSON

2008-04-28T16:15:00.004-06:00

Yes, he did it! Adam Scott after surrendering his three-shot lead to Ryan Moore struggled to regain it and win the Byron Nelson. Actually, he just caught Ryan, who was playing splendid golf, on the "final" (well, not really final) eighteenth hole.

The two see-sawed back and forth with Ryan finishing first at 7 under. He then waited for Adam, who finally caught up with a birdie at 18. Actually, Adam did a kinda, sorta pump on that birdie. A little bit of a glint in his eye. Made a person think, "Maybe he's going after it." We've been waiting a long time to see Adam take an aggressive stand. With all that ability, we expected more than what we have seen from this talented young Aussie. But almost every time we think he has it, he just fades away. Well, not this time!

He and Ryan both missed opportunities on the first two playoff holes. But for Adam, the third was the charm. Back on 18 for the third time that day, he hit a 48-foot putt that rolled perfectly on line all the way to the hole and dropped decisively in.

That's when Scotty reacted! Fist pump and an almost roar. For Adam, that's raw emotion. I thought if Ryan could make his putt, we would see an Adam Scott we haven't seen before on the 4th playoff hole. But it was not to be. Ryan's putt rolled past and he had to settle for second.

Will this win give Scotty a thirst for W's? We don't have long to wait. He's entered into the Wachovia next weekend.

Oh, and by the way. I missed posting the Verizon last weekend. So Congrats to Boo! He made lots of Texicans happy. Great win.

Marion

ERNIE ELS SWITCHES SWING COACHES

2008-04-16T12:21:00.004-06:00

This is a little late, but prior to the Masters, Ernie switched from David Leadbetter to Butch Harmon. Ernie's phone call to David (Ernie calls him "Lead")was pretty emotional. He has been Ernie's coach for 18 years and they are very good friends. But the Golfer says he just needed something different and he thinks Butch can provide it for him.

Els says he thinks he needs a different feel and different words coming at him. (Whatever that means). Butch is former military and speaks bluntly. Ernie thinks maybe he could use that kind of approach. Apparently Lead is quite laid back. But Ernie says he also wants to find out more about how Butch is teaching.

Asked what he was looking to change,the Big Easy pointed to improving his posture, shortening his backswing and getting the upper and lower parts of his body more in rhythm.

"My hips were really turning too much and my shoulder, everything was kind of collapsing at the top," he said. "I'm quite a flexible guy, but swinging that long, I get out of sync with my lower body and upper, so I needed to stabilize that and shorten my backswing a little bit, and really get the club out in front of me."

Let's keep an eye on Ernie. Hope it works for him.

P.S. By the way, I just verified Leadbetter's fees of $10,000/day. This is for a one-time experience.

The David Leadbetter Experience | $10,000 | 888-633-5323

Check it out Here

Marion

THE TIGER HAS KNEE SURGERY 4/15/2008

2008-04-16T11:34:00.004-06:00

The Tuesday after his Master's runner up finish, Tiger Woods was in Park Center, Utah undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery for cartilage repair. He will be out for six weeks.

Although he never mentioned it to anyone, he has been suffering pain since the middle of 2007. The only evidence anyone has seen of it was at the PGA Championship last September. On Sunday he stumbled behind the 8th green after making a putt and stepping back for a fist pump. He hobbled a bit and then seemed to be back in form.

Hank Haney worked with him prior to the Masters and went to Augusta with him. But Hank says he knew the knee was bothering him a lot. But Tiger didn't say a word to him about it. However, he says Tiger never mentions things like that. He doesn't want to sound like he's making excuses. Hank didn't know about the surgery until Tiger called him and told him.

He likely will not be back until June for the U.S. Open. This means he will not be able to defend at Wachovia. He will also miss the Players. That tournament he has never missed since turning pro. There is a possibility he will be able to make the Memorial two weeks before the U.S. Open. That one's a wait and see.

Here's a quote: "I made the decision to deal with the pain and schedule the surgery for after the Masters," Woods said. "The upside is that I have been through this process before and know how to handle it. I look forward to working through the rehabilitation process and getting back to action as quickly as I can."

Actually, I noticed he was having a little trouble coming up out of bunkers at the Masters. The thought occurred to me that he was moving like an old man in those situations. But basically he has been winning tournaments since last August with a bum knee.

Marion

TREVOR IMMELMAN HANGS ON TO WIN THE MASTERS BY 3 SHOTS

2008-04-14T11:12:00.006-06:00

What a weekend! At the 2008 Masters Trevor Immelman, Brent Snedeker and Paul Casey put on a show that we will probably not soon forget. No one could have scripted this one.

But where was the Tiger? Did he ever roar? Just one short purr on Sunday. But nothing materialized. That was the extent of his move. This weekend we saw a Tiger we have rarely if ever seen.

For the entire tournament, the Course seemed to oppose him at every turn. But still, in spite of the wrath of the golf gods, he stubbornly refused to die and finished alone in second place.

Immelman and company didn't seem to be intimidated that this was the Masters.And that they were playing the toughest course on tour. They played the game brilliantly. But Sunday came ...

And one by one the field melted away except for Trevor and Tiger.

Well, there won't be a Grand Slam this year unless Trevor can manage it. But once Tiger steps up from this setback, he is still possible and actually probable to catch Jack in 2009.

Good golfing ahead. Stuff is happening ...

Marion

JOHSON WAGNER CAPTURES SHELL HOUSTON

2008-04-07T08:52:00.003-06:00

What a thrill for the young golfer! In a field that was clamoring for the number one spot, Johnson Wagner grabbed a lead and held onto it for his first PGA Tour win and a ticket to the Masters.

The Redstone course was giving out birdies this week and a star studded cast was out there getting their share. Freddie Couples, Davis Love III, Billy Mayfair were challenging along with names and faces unfamiliar to me.

Geoff Ogilvy and Adam Scott made a run. Adam was awesome on Thursday while playing with a fever and swollen glands. By the end of Friday, however, the fever won and he had to withdraw. Phil never made a run but this weekend he will be in contention.

So, looking forward to the Big One. Will the Tiger roar? Will Phil step up to the plate? Will it be a newbie? Stay tuned...

Marion

He Definitely Earned it! Ogilvy Wins Doral.

2008-03-24T17:38:00.009-06:00

WGC-CA Goes to Australian...

Geoff Ogilvy held onto his lead on Monday even as Vijay Singh, Retief Goosen and Jim Furyk did their best to take it away. Jealously guarding a -17, he carefully parred his way through the final holes to come away with the Cup and a 1-point lead over the three wannabes. Tiger made a charge and managed a -15 having to settle for 5th place.

It was the Aussie's fourth PGA Tour title. He had previous wins at the U.S. Open, Accenture Match Play and Tucson Open. And he and Adam Scott were pretty pumped about taking the tourney away from Woods. After Saturday's round, he said that he and Adam might put an "Aussie voodoo" on Tiger. Looked like something was working against the Number 1 on Sunday. But he didn't think 5th place was too bad considering what he called his "mistakes" and "terrible lies" and a "photographer"who "got" him on number 9 on Sunday.

Retief, Ernie, Tiger and others were scheduled to play Tavistock on Monday morning -- Tiger was to be first up. Play at Tavistock was delayed 2 1/2 hours to wait for them to finish Doral. So as soon as each finished up, they made a dash for Orlando. Tiger said it was going to be a long day.

It was a big deal for Ogilvy to beat out not only Woods, but the other big name players that were in contention. Sort of a vindication, since many considered his U.S. Open win at Winged Foot a gift from Phil Mickelson. He played a beautiful game of solid golf with only one bogie for the entire four rounds. Let's see if he can continue the dominance he showed us this weekend.

Marion

ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL REACTION

2008-03-17T14:35:00.003-06:00

Here it is ... the REACTION! This shows you how badly Tiger wanted this one.

Why was this one so important? There are lots of possibilities, but here's my take on it. There's a special camaraderie between Tiger and Arnie. Arnie's pride in the kid is almost fatherly. And Tiger expresses a deep affection for the older duffer when the two are face to face.

Arnie was pretty obvious about his desire for Tiger to win his tourney once again. "Get off your butt and go out there and shoot a low score." he ordered Tiger as he left the locker room. Later, on the practice range he walked over and gave him a little more prodding.

At the treacherous 18th,Tiger was preparing to make his 162 yard approach with a 7- iron in his hand, tied with Bart Bryant at -9. As he started to move forward to address his ball, Stevie suddenly stepped up and interrupted him. The wind was gusting and changing directions. And Stevie offered him a 5-iron.

That could be dangerous. There was just a little slip of green with water on the right and a bunker on the left. If the wind should suddenly go quiet, that could send the ball way off into the unknown.

Tiger took the 5-iron. "I hit an aggressive swing to a conservative spot," he later said. It landed 24-25 feet on the left side and behind the hole taking the water in front out of play. He called it his best shot of the week.

This was the moment of truth. Would he birdie this hole and win the tourney? Would he par the hole and move into a playoff with Bryant? Or, would he end up with a bogie and finish in second place. Not many were expecting the third possibility. But many were betting on number two -- a playoff.

It was going to be a tricky putt. It was a downhill slider and everyone except the Tiger was holding their breath as he stepped up and made his putt. The ball moved ever so slowly down the line eventually breaking left to right and trickling into the hole. WOW!

In the meantime, Arnie stood on a rise of ground with some of the officers and other observers. As Tiger moved toward the ball, Arnie predicted that it would drop. When it did, Tiger tore off his hat, slammed it into the turf and let out a rebel yell and a roar that far exceeded anything we have heard out of him before.

When it subsided, Stevie handed him his hat. Tiger looked at the hat in amazement and asked how that got off his head. He had been so caught up in the moment, that his celebration was a blur to him.

A gleeful Arnold Palmer gave him a bear hug and asked, "What else is new?"

DALY DQ'D FROM THE ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL

2008-03-16T16:28:00.005-06:00

A day after Butch Harmon fired John Daly, John received another big disappointment. He had played in the Monday Pro-AM at Bay Hill and was asked to play in the Wednesday pro-am too. He was playing on a sponsor's exemption. But when he called in on Tuesday and asked for his tee time, he was given a starting time of 9:47 a.m. What he got was his Thursday tournament time. His Wednesday time was actually 8:40 a.m.

In Arnie's tournament, if you miss the pro-am tee time you don't get to play the Invitational. So when John arrived that morning, he was told he was disqualified from the tournament. Bummer.

"I didn't even know that was my Thursday tee time," Daly said. "I should have looked into it. It stinks for me. I want to do anything I can for the tournament as a sponsor exemption. I wanted to meet the people I was playing with in the pro-am. I love Arnold Palmer to death. I called and talked to him and apologized

"And the thing that upsets me is I cost Nick O'Hern and Ryuji Imada, so now I got these guys mad at me, too."

Imada and O'Hern were alternates for the pro-am, and both thought they were assigned to the afternoon group. Instead, they were the first two names called when Daly didn't show, and when neither was around, they also were disqualified from the $5.8 million event.

Well, this is Sunday and Tiger just spiked his hat at 18. More on that later... Marion

March 17 -- Here's a little update on the above.

After calling Arnold Palmer to help set it up, John Daly played the Celebration golf course Sunday with three UBS sponsors to make up for his missed Pro-Am tee time Wednesday that disqualified him from the Arnold Palmer Invitational, according to a tournament official.

MORE BAD NEWS FOR JOHN DALY

2008-03-12T12:44:00.006-06:00

Harmon

Yesterday Butch Harmon announced that he has cut John Daly loose. Butch said he worked with him three times this year , but John's behavior at the PODS Championship was enough to end their short-lived relationship.

There was a 2 1/2 hour rain delay in the first round and John spent it in the Hooter's tent. When play resumed, Daly had John Gruden, Buc Coach, out on the course caddying for him. Butch was really frosted. Gruden caddying "was ridiculous. I thought he made a circus of the whole event."

"My whole goal for him was he's got to show me golf is the most important thing in his life,'' Harmon said from his golf school in Las
Vegas. "And the most important thing in his life is getting drunk.''

"He would work hard and get better, but when things don't go right, it's back to the alcohol stuff,'' Harmon said. "I love this kid. He's a tremendous talent. But if he's not going to give 100 percent effort, it's a waste of my time.''

John was the ninth alternate when he won the PGA Championship in 1991 at Crooked Stick, and he captured the British Open at St. Andrews four years later. His last victory came four years ago at the Buick Invitational, but his game has been in a tailspin ever since, and his personal life has been as rocky as ever.

Butch is currently voted the best swing coach in golf. He really wanted to help.

"I've let him know that after his actions of last weekend, we are no longer together,'' Harmon said. "In all honesty, I'm a very busy person. I'm willing to help the kid, but until he helps himself and makes golf his No. 1 priority, I'm not his guy."

So... it's tough for all the Daly fans, I know. If John wants to get it together, it's all up to him now.

Yuk.

Marion

Sean O'Hair Wins the PODS

2008-03-11T10:16:00.002-06:00

Stewart Cink, in a stunning collapse, during the final round of the PODS Tournament, surrendered the Tourney to young Sean O'Hair. Sean shot 2-under 69 Sunday and finished at 4-under 280 to the tune of $954,000. This should increase his total career winnings to something like $6million.

This is Sean's first victory since the John Deere in 2005. And plenty of fans are always pulling for the kid that had such a bad start with an overly aggressive father. No doubt that conversation will start up again. But Sean said last July that he now talks with his father occasionally. It would be good if they could get past the past. Sean is free to live his own life now and perhaps he can forgive and realize that life is too short to hold grudges. Marc has come from a pretty dismal background and maybe he did the best he knew how under the circumstances.

At any rate, this victory gives Sean a ticket to the Masters as well as to the WGC-CA at Doral. Nice perks! The win also moved him from the top 75 in the world to the top 40. He moved from 162nd to 13th in FedEx Cup points. Ain't it amazing what one W can do!

Marion

ACCENTURE BLOWOUT!! 47 Birdies + 2 Eagles

2008-02-24T18:19:00.005-07:00

Tiger Woods did it again. Did we have any doubts?

The 32 year old passed Arnie's record for a 63rd PGA victory putting him in 4th place for all time career wins and is one away from the King, Ben Hogan. Career wins? Yes, and his career is still in its beginning stages.

He played like a machine this week and completed the week with an 8 and 7 over Stewart Cink in a 36-hole marathon that topped anything anyone has ever accomplished in match play. Stewart could only smile and suggest:

"I think maybe we ought to slice him open to see what's inside there," Cink said, grinning. "Maybe nuts and bolts."

Well, maybe the Grand Slam in 2008. What do you think?

Marion

The Accenture - On Saturday

2008-02-23T11:12:00.002-07:00

What a shoot out! Badds punched out 10 birdies, but the Tiger roared again with 12 birdies to put it away in 20 holes.

Ernie Els, Jim Furyk and Phil all went home early. It's now Saturday and Tiger has just sent K.J. Choi home with a 3 and 2. This afternoon should be another good one. Henrik Stenson is churning it out and we will see if Woody can survive to play this afternoon. Justin and Vijay are in a shootout. And it's looking like Stewart Cink may be able to put away Angel Cabrera.

Nothing like match play is there?

See ya after the match.

Marion

BUICK INVITATIONAL 2008

2008-01-29T11:14:00.000-07:00

DO TIGERS ROAR?

He did it again! 19 under and leading by 8. This weekend he will be at Dubai with Ernie Els, Darren Clark, Sergio and a host of others from all over the world.

Will he roar again?

Meanwhile back at the ranch ... the FBR in Arizona is getting into full swing. Should be an exciting weekend.

2008-01-26T10:29:00.000-07:00

WHO IS KEVIN STREELMAN?

What a break! He was the last alternate for the Buick Invitational. He waited on the practice green on Thursday, wondering if he would get to play. He made a few practice strokes, reached down to pick up his ball. As he straightened up here’s what happened in his own words.

" Boom! He was right there in front of me." Yup, it was Tiger. "I was kind of awestruck for a second, and I said, 'Wow, I guess I am on the PGA Tour.' It was pretty cool."

Kevin says he was too scared to introduce himself. Well, obviously his clubs made the introduction for him on Friday. Saturday will bring the two together for 16 holes.

But how did he get into the tourney? Well, the 29 year old from Wheaton, Illinois had less than five minutes to get to the first tee when Mathew Goggin withdrew. He went out and shot 67 on the North and then a solid 69 on the South to put himself into contention in just his seventh PGA Tour start. What a deal!

Here’s a guy who just got his PGA card by safely working his way through the December 2007 Q School obstacle course. That’s a story in itself.

Up ‘til now he ranked 1,114th in the world, Should be an exciting weekend.

by
Marion

2008-01-21T13:08:00.001-07:00

John Daly --- The Lion in Winter

2008-01-20T11:14:00.001-07:00

This is the year John Daly needs his fans more than ever before. The Lion says he is making a serious effort to get through the rough. And, he is seeking advice from Butch Harmon.

Butch told him he needs to come to his place in Las Vegas rather than out on the course. So John made the effort to go. But I am afraid it's going to be a bit hard for him to adhere to Butch's rigid requirements. Butch has the reputation of number one Coach and he doesn't need to accept every golfer who wants his services. He wants to work with John so that's good. But John will have to follow his guidelines.

John wrecked a rib last April with a resultant shoulder problem that hasn't resolved. At any time, the shoulder can go out and they have to pop it back in. He had to withdraw from the Bob Hope because of it. If he can get his body into shape and cut back on some of the causes of his obesity, maybe he can get back into competition. But he will be 42 in 2008, so it will take a lot of self control. Let's keep our fingers crossed for him.

Having lost his card, he will need to depend on invitations and exemptions. Having lost some sponsors, the invitations may be fewer than in past years. Fortunately, he is exempt for life in the PGA Championship and AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, up to age 65 in the British Open and up through 2009 in the Buick Invitational.

He has my prayer support and I'm hoping to see him make a come back.

Marion

2008-01-11T13:28:00.000-07:00

About Dancin' Dogg Golf

I just gotta tell you about this__________

A guy has just created this neat shot making simulator. He calls it Dancin' Dogg! The images that conjures up in my mind are just hilarious. But this thing is taking the market by storm. Golf guys and gals are going crazy over it.

It's the first of its kind. It is designed to improve your game while it provides you with world-class golf simulation and swing analysis. That has to be really cool.

Dancin' Dogg lets you hit all kinds of shots from different distances and you can even do fades and draws. You get world class instructors and you can play some of the top courses in the world using the EA Sports Tiger Woods PGA Tour golf game.

Anyhow, just click on this video and watch the action.

The Dogg oughta improve your game...

Marion

2007-12-17T11:49:00.000-07:00

TARGET WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP - 2007

Well, the Tiger did it again! After a 10 week layoff, he roared back for another W. Did anyone expect the layoff to make a difference?

To quote Colin Montgomerie, “If he took a bloody year off, it wouldn't help. Never mind 10 weeks.”

At the final golf tournament of the year Sunday, he closed with a 4-under 68 to match the tournament record at the Target World Challenge and set a record for the largest margin of victory by seven shots over runner up and Masters Champion Zack Johnson.

Johnson closed with a 68, but the only challenge came from Jim Furyk.

Jim Furyk put the pressure on Tiger for two days straight and almost caught him on the front nine Sunday. Tiger had made some mistakes and was now sitting only 2 up.

On ten, Furyk hit a wedge with no spin to about 4 feet above the flag. Woods hit a wedge that spun back 12 feet below the cup where he made birdie. Jim's birdie putt slid by the cup and rolled 4 feet by. Unbelievably, his par putt missed and the Tiger was back to a 4 shot lead.

Tiger later remarked, "Jimmy put a ton of heat on me on the front nine," But the whole tournament switched on the 10th. That was a big two-shot swing there."

But the par 3 15th ended Jim's surge. On Saturday, he had been 3 back from the lead when his 6-iron off the tee found the water for a double bogey. On Sunday, Tiger pulled out his 6-iron and landed nicely on the green. Jim had his 5-iron in his hand, but after Tiger's shot, Jim put the 5 in the bag and took out his six-iron. That's when I scrunched down on the couch and moaned, “Good grief Jim! That will probably put you into the water again.” It did! Another double...

Jim lost his momentum and Zach Johnson gained his. Zach put his putt in the hole for birdie at 18 to ensure his second place finish at 15 under.

Woods finished at 22-under 266, tying the tournament record first set by Davis Love III in 2000. He earned $1.35 million, which he will donate to his Tiger Woods Foundation.

Johnson earned $840,000 for second. and Furyk closed with a 71 finishing third and earning $570,000.

From the start, none of the players expressed doubt as to the outcome of the tourney. At the end there was only one other topic of conversation --- Did Rory Sabbatini make it safely to Hawaii? At the end of Saturday, Rory was 28 shots back. He was nowhere to be found on Sunday. He had withdrawn for “personal reasons.” When angry players demanded an explanation, Rory's agent said he had shin splints. Players complained and Tiger said he is going to get to the bottom of it. Rory's pay check for last place is $170,000.

What do you think? Will he be invited back next year?

So ends the 2007 season. See you at the Mercedes Benz on January 3rd...

2007-11-02T15:50:00.000-06:00

Let's Talk about Butch Harmon...

Every golfer and every golfing fan is familiar with Butch Harmon, Phil’s new swing coach and Tiger’s previous coach.

Butch has an amazing ability to watch a shot and see about “20 things at once”. He says his head is like a computer. He sees the grip, ball position, alignment, swing path, clubface angles, and arm angles. In those moments, he can diagnose immediately the cause of a bad result. But just as important, he can explain it to the player in terms the player can understand. And, he has an uncanny knack of being able to show the player, in a very simple way, how to correct the problem.

Some have raised their eyebrows at the fact that Tiger paid Butch only $50,000/year. Doesn't seem like much, but his net worth has grown a big, big bunch from the association. There were obviously other valuable benefits. Here's a pic of Butch visiting with Tiger and Hank Haney (Tiger's current coach) on the practice range:

Butch doesn't charge his tour players anything. He says he charges only his travel expenses, based on how much time he spends with them at a tournament. He says that they all know he is on the range from "sunup to sundown" and if they need him, they have his cell number.

He tells them, if they have a good season, they can write him a check at the end of the year,"or not." Adam Scott writes the biggest checks and has been with Butch since he was a teenager. Other players, instead of money, give him very nice perks ... such things like expensive hours on their private jets.

I understand the Coach charges $600/hour to students at his school, so he's living quite well these days. And has, the past four years, been voted again the Number One Coach. David Ledbetter was voted number 2. I have read that Ledbetter charges $10,000/day. Another source says it’s $10,000/half-a-day. I have tried but am unable to verify David’s fees. If anyone knows, please post it here

Butch says there is a "pecking order" and that he let Phil know that Scotty comes first. But you can be sure that Phil will get plenty of attention. Their main objective is straightening out Mickelson’s driving , through better lower-body control and a tighter swing. Have you noticed? Phil's backswing was shortened immediately, and he seems to have better control. It also appears that he is working on "patience". No fancy shots in the backstretch when he beat Tiger at Deustche Bank. What an exciting round that was! For Phil fans and Tiger fans alike!

Phil says the driver is the main goal and that's why he went to Butch. Phil explains, "He's led two players to No. 1 in the world, and they both were great drivers of the ball." And Butch remarks, "I like Phil ... I think he's the only guy who can catch Tiger now."

Butch jokes that he led 2 players to Number 1 and both of them fired him – Greg Norman and, of course, Tiger. Well, he has two more players now … Adam Scott and Phil Mickelson. What do you think? Will history repeat??

by
Marion Walther

2007-10-30T13:18:00.000-06:00

Golf Ball Hunt

One fine day, Jim and Bob are out golfing. Jim slices his ball deep into a wooded ravine. He grabs his 8-iron and proceeds down the embankment into the ravine in search of his ball.

The brush is quite thick, but Jim searches diligently and suddenly he spots something shiny. As he gets closer, he realizes that the shiny object is in fact an 8-iron in the hands of a skeleton lying near an old golf ball.

Jim calls out to his golfing partner in an agitated voice, "Hey Bob, come here, I got trouble down here."

Bob comes running over to the edge of the ravine and calls out, "What's the matter Jim?"

Jim shouts back, "Throw me my 7-iron! You can't get out of here with an 8-iron."

2007-10-27T13:02:00.000-06:00

Woods-Haney Remains Solid

Contrary to Pro golf's underground gossip mill, the relationship between Tiger and Hank continues as a source of strength for both of them

Haney's goal has always been to help those he works with become more independent.

By John Hawkins
Photo: Scott Halleran/Getty Images October 26, 2007

While reprioritizing his life to deal with his wife's health issues this past summer, Hank Haney's relationship with Tiger Woods also changed. The swing coach stopped traveling to tournaments on a regular basis to work with the world's best player, as was the case in 2006, an absence that would eventually become a lead topic in pro golf's underground gossip mill.

"Guys who get fired don't get paid, do they?" Haney told Golf World this week. "And guys who get fired don't talk to [the person who supposedly fired them] on the phone all the time, either. People want to jump to conclusions on everything."

August's WGC-Bridgestone Invitational marks the last PGA Tour event at which Haney provided Woods with on-site consultation. Tiger won that tournament and three others in his final five '07 starts, another dominating homestretch in another mind-boggling season, which should only make speculation about Haney's job status seem all the more ludicrous.

Still, it exists. Perhaps the most overt example occurred on an analysis of Tiger's swing during the FedEx Cup playoffs, when NBC's Johnny Miller suggested that Woods had refined his technique to become a hybrid of the theories applied by Haney and his former coach, Butch Harmon. It was an insinuation no less cryptic than the viewer chose to make it.

Since joining the Woods camp in March 2004, Haney has faced a consistent undercurrent of skepticism regarding both his teaching principles and his role in helping one of the greatest golfers ever get better. A lot of it can be traced to the Butch Factor. The ultra-glib Harmon received immense credit for molding Tiger into a dominant player during their nine years together (1993-2002), and when Woods failed to achieve the same results after letting Harmon go, many wondered aloud why that partnership ended.

Woods' worst season as a pro was 2004, merely fueling the notion that he'd made a mistake in entrusting his swing to Haney. Five major titles and 21 tour victories later, we've come full-circle, so to speak, although any measure of practical thinking should lead one to believe Hank is just as valuable to Tiger giving part-time counsel as he was in the hands-on mode.

After their meeting at the Bridgestone, Woods' average margin of victory in the four wins was a whopping 3.75 strokes. He finished second in the tournament he didn't win, and though he skipped the first playoff event in what now looks like a veiled attempt to level the playing field, Tiger's late-summer brilliance turned all the drama expected of the tour's inaugural postseason into a puddle of anticlimax. Fired? Haney should get a raise.

"Part of my [philosophy] has always been to help someone become more independent, to become their own teacher," he says. "Do you think these great players just stand there and say, 'OK, tell me what to do?' It doesn't work that way. They figure it out themselves, and Tiger has gotten really good at fixing himself. I'll give him whatever he needs, but I don't think it's a whole lot."

Haney's point about self-repair is conveniently ignored by those who think Harmon took a kid playing off a 10 handicap and led him to his first nine major championships. The role of a swing coach has become remarkably overrated in recent years. There are instances when a new set of eyes or an alteration of mechanics has a dramatic and immediate impact -- Harmon's impact on Phil Mickelson this year is the most obvious example -? but a vast majority of coaching at the game's highest level is limited to observation and suggestion.

Nobody's reinventing the wheel out here. A lot of Haney's work with Woods in '06 focused on Tiger's pre-round practice routine -- he would hit a variety of different shots on the range, find the shape and trajectory he felt most comfortable with, then rely on that shot on the course. By the end of last season, Woods had perfected Haney's method to the point where he won six consecutive tour events. Questions regarding the relationship could not be taken seriously.

When the condition of Haney's wife worsened this summer, Woods' coach faced a decision that was tough to make but easy to rationalize. He was already scaling back on tournament visits, but now, somebody needed him a lot more than did the world's best golfer. Having spent more than 200 days on the road in '06, not only working with Woods but on ESPN's golf telecasts and at a substantial number of teaching clinics, Haney quickly accepted the transition that had elbowed its way into his busy schedule.

He hasn't been fired, and he's not on hiatus. He speaks to Woods over the telephone when the situation calls for it, which isn't all that often because he did his job so well. "People think that because he's hitting the ball better, he must be doing something different," Haney says. "The real breakthrough was [in June] at Oakmont, a tight, U.S. Open golf course, where he drove the ball really well.

"He has gotten to the point where he really is a lot better, and now he's showing everybody what me and a few others have been seeing [in practice] for quite a while. I don't see myself spending as much time out there as I used to. I can't do it and I'm not going to do it, but mainly, Tiger doesn't need it anymore."

2007-10-17T11:15:00.000-06:00

PGA GRAND SLAM 2007

Tuckers Town, Bermuda -The Grand Slam is in progress. Yesterday Paddy Harrington ended the day leading by one over Angel Cabrera at Mid Ocean Club in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Hawaii’s Poipu Bay was skipped over for Mid Ocean, which is only a 6,600 yard course. However, the greens were in pure condition and the swirling winds and ocean breezes are producing some unexpected results. Angel escaped with only one bogey for the day, but everyone else had their problems.
Paddy finished with a 3-under 67 and Angel missed a 15-foot eagle at the 18^th for a final 68. Zach Johnson and Jim Furyk both finished with a 71 sitting 4 back.

Tiger withdrew from this one opening up the spot for his good friend Jim Furyk. Tiger is spending these days with Elin and Sam Alexis and does not plan to return until Target World in December.

Zach’s approach shot on the 2nd bounced into someone’s back yard. He was worried about messing up their lawn and spent a few minutes picking it clean. He got free relief from a stone walkway and then two-putted for a bogey. He and the rest of the field were shocked to learn at that point that Mid Ocean does not have an out-of-bounds.

Tune in again tomorrow…

P.S. Fry’s Electronics Open begins tomorrow at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz. Phil Mickelson and Aaron Baddely (Badds) will be competing. Should be a good one.

Golf ... in the Hole eBook

2007-10-16T17:47:00.000-06:00

Golf ... in-the-hole is an eBook that I have written to provide very inexpensive instruction from Golfing Experts and Professional Instructors for guys and gals who love to golf.

The information in this book can bring about remarkable improvement for the average golfer, for the poor golfer and even for the good golfer, who may be having trouble with some aspect of his game. Golf in-the-hole provides detailed tips and suggestions for the long game, the short game, trouble in the rough , the sand and even more. You can view it at my Golfing Website:
in-the-hole

Why not run over and take a look.

GOLF ... IN-THE-HOLE

2007-10-16T16:38:00.000-06:00

Golf ... In-the-Hole is a blog that concentrates mostly on instructions and ideas on improving your golf game. It is also very into the players and how they play the game. I LOVE golf and I LOVE everything about it. I keep very close contact with all the players and the courses and what is currently happening. Everyone is welcome to jump in a put in your 2 cents worth. Let's keep it nice and keep it fun and exciting and interesting.

From time to time, I will introduce some golfing products that are available for the purpose of improving one's game. Sooo... let's get started. Oh, and by the way, this is my very first blog. I am sure I will need to do some tweaking at the first. But be patient with me. I am a fast learner and I will give my best shot.

Let's Golf!