Tiger doing his best Phil impression

Considering he’s not playing in a tournament this week, Tiger Woods sure has made a ton of headlines already. Between hanging out with his kids and girlfriend Lindsey Vonn and hosting charity events, Woods even squeezed in a press conference for his tournament, the AT&T National, on Monday morning at Congressional.

Let’s start with the stuff you care about most — Tiger vs. Sergio saga. In the latest episode of The Real Housewives of the PGA Tour, Tiger was asked if he had reached out to Sergio to mend things instead of relaying comments through the press. The answer was straightforward and simple: “No.”  (continue reading…)

Paddy Power

Padraig Harrington, one of the most prolific tinkerers in the game, played with a belly putter for the first time in a competitive round at the Wells Fargo Championship. Unfortunately, he didn’t have the best day, shooting an opening 80, which included 32 putts.

While Harrington thinks the anchored stroke should be banned, he’s using the belly putter because he thinks it’s helping him stroke it better. Which is intriguing coming from the three-time major champion and R&A ambassador because it basically strengthens the argument for the USGA and R&A’s looming ban that is expected to be announced later this month. (continue reading…)

Finchem: Let’s create a clusterf*ck

PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem interrupted the final match of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship to announce that the Tour is officially protesting the proposed rule to ban anchored putters. Earlier in the week, the Player Advisory Council and Policy Board convened to discuss the issue and the majority were against the rule change, and those who were initially for the ban were swayed to alter their position.

Now this is a big deal — the Tour openly defying golf’s governing bodies, which will most likely result in a chaotic mess, as I wrote earlier this weekend. (continue reading…)

Part-time pro golfer and Policy Board Member Steve Stricker opposes the anchoring ban

On the final day of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship, the semifinal and finals matches won’t necessarily dominate the headlines and the discussion. Instead, the announcement PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem is expected to make on Sunday will likely overshadow the actual golf.

In two meetings this week 15-member Players Advisory Council and the nine-member Tour Policy Board to thrash out the Tour’s stance on the USGA’s and R&A’s proposed ban on anchored putters, the majority of the players want the Tour brass to ask golf’s governing bodies to back off the rule change. And Finchem, who knows the “game” as well as anyone, will appear on Sunday’s broadcast to inform the world of the Tour’s objection, according to Sports Illustrated’s Michael Bamberger.

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