I’m out the door and headed to Merion right now, so I figured I’d post this for your viewing pleasure.
Plus, you’re going to hear a lot about Merion’s storied history of hosting U.S. Opens this week, so why don’t you get started now? You can drop all sorts of knowledge on your friends and/or significant others to impress them.
Kooooooch
Since yesterday’s “Hot or Not” format received such positive feedback, I’ll keep going with the trend of mixing it up and try a superlative-type format. Thanks for your patience while I experiment. This is fun. Again, your feedback is welcome and appreciated. (continue reading…)
Tiger Woods starts slow in defense of title
Tiger Woods got schooled by 53-year-old Fred Couples, the oldest player in the 120-man field, in the first round of the Memorial Tournament.
“He kicked my ass,” Woods joked, following his opening one-under 71 on Thursday.
Before Tiger Woods arrived in Ohio to defend his title at Jack Nicklaus’ tournament, the Memorial, he made an important pit stop in the Philadelphia area. Similar to his preparation for last year’s U.S. Open, he visited Merion Golf Club, the site of this year’s championship, for the first time on Tuesday.
He was accompanied by longtime Merion member Buddy Marucci, whom he beat in the 1995 U.S. Amateur, while he played in the pouring rain with only several onlookers. The trip was top secret, so Woods could do his work in private — just the way he likes it.
On Wednesday after he finished playing in the pro-am, Tiger, who has won four times already this season, met with the press and talked about his impressions of Merion, his feud with Sergio Garcia and his affinity for Jack’s place. (continue reading…)
Guan Tianlang, the eighth-grader who became the youngest ever to make a cut at a major championship when he finished 58th at the Masters last month, has accepted an exemption to play in next week’s Memorial Tournament, held at Jack Nicklaus’ place, Muirfield Village.
After making history at Augusta National, the 14-year-old from China, who clearly isn’t required to go to school, played at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans and saw weekend play again. He was aiming to go 3 for 3 at the Byron Nelson Championship last week, but (finally) missed the cut after a second-round 77.
Oh, goodie! He’ll finally be at a tournament I’m covering (or I’ll be covering an event he’s playing, whatever). (continue reading…)
If you watch one thing this weekend, then it has to be the above interview from Trans World Sport in 1990 with a 14-year-old Tiger Woods. I mean, wow, it’s mind-blowing.
Tiger is incredibly insightful and intelligent, not to mention candid. And of course, there’s this wonderful sense of youth and innocence.
I recommend watching the entire interview and wait until the end — for his comments on race and the Augusta National.
McIlroy: I messed up
In an exclusive interview on Sunday evening with Sports Illustrated‘s Michael Bamberger, Rory McIlroy manned up and admitted he made a mistake by walking off the golf course after dunking his second shot in the water hazard on the par-5 18th, his 9th hole in the second round of the Honda Classic, where he was the defending champion.
As some guessed, the reason behind his abrupt walk-off was a combination of dental and mental issues, with the latter playing the main role. Even so, the world’s no. 1 golfer is not making excuses for his uncharacteristic behavior.
Tiger sticking out his tongue at mud balls
Nearly a year ago, Tiger Woods started the final round of the Honda Classic trailing Rory McIlroy by nine shots. Tiger put on a solid come-from-behind performance, firing an impressive 62 — and just enough to let Rory consider his lead coming down the stretch to secure the win and his ascendance to the world’s No. 1 ranking.
Since then, Rory and Tiger have developed a strangely endearing and puzzling to some friendship and cordial rivalry, which was tattooed across headlines a gazillion times, causing the complete ruin of the word “bromance” (for me, personally). After Tiger finished knocking it around with some amateurs in the pro-am Wednesday morning at PGA National, he shared some insight into their friendship, changing equipment, and of course, the anchoring ban, among other topics.
Bradley, the first player to win a major with a belly putter, eyes the imminent anchoring ban...with respectful distaste
The anchoring ban controversy elicits strong reactions. It pits a group of people who favor one school of thought against another faction who are set in their view on the issue. (Of course there are some who are indifferent because they say it doesn’t effect them one way or the other but that’s kind of missing the point.)
Now I’m sure you haven’t heard or watched or talked about this imminent new rule that will prohibit the anchoring of a club to the body. Trust me, I am dreading 3-4 more years of this, and more importantly, it’s taken away attention away from the multitude of interesting storylines at Q-school (that I have saved yet not enough hours in the day to write and post). That said, after this, I’m putting a hold on all things anchoring — with exceptions, like if it involves opinions of players at Q-school or if Webb Simpson and Keegan Bradley picket outside Sherwood Country Club. (continue reading…)
Jack: not a member of the 47%.
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is campaigning in Ohio this afternoon in the hope he can prise some of the swing state’s coveted baby boomers from the clutches of Team Obama.
Along for the ride is 18-time major champion and Upper Arlington native Jack Nicklaus, who shared the stage with Romney during a routine rally at Westerville High School. (continue reading…)
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