The Shark

As you may have noticed — especially those whose jobs rely on Wikipedia (like mine) — there was an Internet blackout to protest SOPA. Now I’m horrified WUP even published anything on Wednesday, but so be it.

I spent the afternoon (weather couldn’t be more perfect, by the way, and I may have even gotten a little burnt) loitering scouring the range for intel, but I learned what you all care about pretty quickly: The Ruth’s Chris tent (which replaced In ‘N Out) is pretty darn good. I had my sliders (with “special sauce”) and chips — I know, isn’t there supposed to be an emphasis on “Health Matters”? Errrr…. (continue reading…)

AK to return to hometown for the Hope, I mean, Humana Challenge

First, Greg Norman, and then Phil Mickelson, not to mention Matt Kuchar and Davis Love III. Now, Anthony Kim, the most recent big name to enter the Bob Hope Classic Humana Challenge. Kim went to nearby La Quinta High and has a home in the area, but he hasn’t included the tournament on his schedule since 2008 when he finished T3 (however, during last year’s event many reported AK sightings, myself included — mostly spotted him at a local watering hole). (continue reading…)

Gonzo: class ball-striker and fan of trickle-down economics.

You may have been led to believe that the class field of the week was hanging out at The Lakes, but no(!), the Singapore Open is the place to be. Or at least it was, until a downpour of biblical proportions disrupted play and forced the cancellation of the scheduled third round. (continue reading…)

Nice mullet, man

Though it was a non-sanctioned, limited-field, no-cut event, Rory McIlroy made a statement winning the Shanghai Masters, along with the $2 million check, the richest prize in golf. Winless since his dominating U.S. Open victory in June at Congressional, McIlroy had the opportunity to win in regulation, but missed an eight-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole, with tennis star girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki watching from a luxury box by the green.

Before I go into more details, I have to ask — what’s going on with Anthony Kim’s hair? Is he trying to bring the mullet back? (continue reading…)

It was only a matter of time before Anthony Kim rehabilitated his injured left-hand and regained his momentum as one of the most talented young golfers in the world.  He tore through the Old White Course at the Greenbrier Classic Saturday, posting a bogey-free, eight-under-par 62 that propelled him to the top of the leaderboard. (continue reading…)

At this time last year, Anthony Kim looked like he was shaping up to have an excellent year. And then he had to take a few months off to get thumb surgery. Since returning, he hasn’t managed to put up consistent performances. Perhaps Friday’s round at the Shell Houston Open is a sign of more positive things to come. (We’ll see.) The defending champion of this event, Kim, got hot, rolling in eight birdies on his way to a bogey-free 64 to surge into contention.

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AK: Are you $%^@# serious?

Anthony Kim caught one of the worst breaks in the history of bad cart path bounces during the first round of the Northern Trust Open at Riviera.

From 177 yards in the middle of the fairway on the par-4 No. 2, AK pulled his approach. The ball landed relatively softly on the grass to the left of the bunker (see picture below). The crowd cleared the way for the ball as it started its pinball trek onto the cart path. First, the ball hopped softly across to the other side (a few feet from where I was standing), where it ricocheted off the curb and started rolling down the hill and picking up some speed.

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Me and Jeehae in the walkway between No. 8 and No. 9 at Nicklaus Private

THURSDAY NOTEBOOK

*I walked six holes with Brian Davis. Here’s a funny story that gives you a sense of his sense of humor. On No. 6 a caddie of one of the amateurs Davis was playing with asked him if he could get him a date with the girl in the white shirt (I was wearing a white shirt). Davis looked at him with a straight face and said, “That’s my wife.”

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Stuart Appleby's best finish at the Sony Open was in 2000 when he placed 2nd

Shigeki Maruyama? Stuart Appleby? What year is it? 2001? Playing the morning wave at Waialae Country Club, Maruyama shot another five-under 65 to take the clubhouse lead early in the second round of the Sony Open. With blustery conditions developing in the afternoon, Appleby posted an impressive four-under 66 to tie him at 10-under at the event’s halfway mark.

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Amidst all the rumors of Anthony Kim’s withdrawal from the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospital for Children Open following reports of late-night boozing and gambling on the Vegas strip, we hadn’t heard from AK himself…until now. In an interview with Sports Illustrated‘s Alan Shipnuck, Kim said the details of his partying have been “way, way exaggerated.” And more important, he stressed it was his still-injured, over-practiced thumb that led him to pull out of JT’s event, and not a two-day hangover.

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