Hat tip to those on Twitter who sent me the link to the above video of the shot where Carl Pettersson, hitting out of a lateral hazard, grazed a leaf on his backswing and received a two-shot penalty on the first hole (and big thanks to Yahoo’s Jay Busbee for posting it).

I watched the replay rather closely — more than once — and I didn’t see The Leaf in question when Pettersson hit the shot. It was only when it was shown in super slo-mo and zoomed in that I could see the club cause a small flyaway object to change position (and I had to really squint to catch The Leaf). (continue reading…)

The waiting game...

Slow play has been an epidemic on the PGA Tour since as long as anyone can remember. Every year it’s the same ol’ story — fans/media/players complain and it’s always brought up at least once in the annual Players Meeting, but the pace of play on Tour hasn’t improved. It’s become one of those things that’s almost become part of the game. At least on Tour, but Kevin Na’s waggles and whiffs put a massive spotlight on the slow play issue, which was already a point of contention heading into the week.

Interesting enough, this week’s event marks the 20th anniversary of the last time a player — Dilliard Pruitt, who is now, coincidentally, a Tour rules official — was stroked a one-shot penalty for slow play at the ’92 Byron Nelson Classic.  *Update: Last player stroked was acutally Glen Day at the ’95 Honda Classic.

(continue reading…)

The Tebow brothers love their golf (that's Tim pictured above)

Tiger who? The big story on Wednesday morning wasn’t that Tiger Woods felt a twinge in his lower back on the 6th tee at Bay Hill during his pro-am. Instead, around noon news broke that former NFL first-round draft pick and quarterback Tim Tebow, who led the Denver Broncos to the AFC West title this past season (not to mention cultural luminary), was traded to the New York Jets.

While the chaos of the swap was going down, Tebow’s brother Robby (who is almost a ringer for his brother) was dealing with it from the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando, Florida. Thank the lord the deal was finalized (though apparently ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting there’s been a hang-up) just before Robby’s opening drive on No. 10 in the pro-am at 12:40 with PGA Tour player Brian Davis. (continue reading…)

AT LAST! JB Holmes sends a drive on its way

Mike Walker of Golf.com has published the results of a tedious experiment he and four others conducted during the second round of this year’s Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando. Armed with stopwatches, clipboards (for Science!) and a healthy stockpile of patience, the team took nearly twelve hours to monitor every one of 45 different players as they played the same nine-hole stretch around Bay Hill.

(continue reading…)

Love grinds it out to qualify

Go low or go home — that’s what it boils down to in one-day qualifiers. Brian Davis of England fired a six-under 64 on Monday to best the field and secure one of eight spots at hand for the British Open at America’s International Final Qualifying event. Davis Love III was one of six Americans to qualify, posting a four-under 66 at Gleneagles Country Club in Plano, Texas.

Thunderstorms caused a five-hour delay, resulting in the decision by officials to shorten the event from 36 to 18 in order to finish on Monday. (continue reading…)

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.”

(continue reading…)

Jhonattan Vegas lets one rip

Jhonattan Vegas not only has the greatest name on the PGA Tour, but he’s also got game. Despite bogeying his final hole at Nicklaus Private, Vegas managed to fire a five-under 67 for a two-day total of 13-under and a share of the lead with Boo Weekley at the Bob Hope Classic.

The Venezuelan native first learned about golf from his father. Jhonny picked up whatever he could find — often a broomstick — and swung at everything from plastic balls to rocks.

(continue reading…)