A couple of major champions

When Adam Scott stepped up to the tee on Thursday morning at The Players Championship, the starter didn’t announce him as the Masters Champion. “It was the biggest disappointment of the day,” said a smiling Scott, who shot a respectable three-under 69 in his first round since winning the green jacket last month.

Rory McIlroy, who played with Scott and Steve Stricker, poked fun at his past record at TPC Sawgrass, saying he’d be announced as “coming off three missed cuts at The Players.” McIlroy has set himself up well to break that streak.  (continue reading…)

Cute alert!

It’s Wednesday before The Masters and it feels like Christmas Eve. I’ve been trying to explain that to my roommate, a non-golfer, who knows nothing about the game. She is insisting it can’t be Christmas tomorrow without presents and she will be incredibly disappointed if she doesn’t wake up to a tree with pretty lights with gifts underneath it.

“Yeah, dream on,” I told her.  (continue reading…)

In case you missed it, you can watch a wrap-up of tidbits from the first round of the Shell Houston Open. I also answered some reader questions.

Here’s one for you guys: How often should I be doing these wrap-up/Hangouts? Every day? Every other day? Thoughts?

Oh, by the way, thanks to Johnny for suggesting the name “Wei-ing in” — I think that’s a winner!

The latest putting guru on Tour: Steve Stricker

Semi-retired Steve Stricker, who has earned $1.8 million in three events this year, has a future as a putting/short-game coach if he wants to keep busy. Stricker gave Tiger a putting tip on Wednesday at Doral, and now the 14-time major champ has been unstoppable, notching PGA Tour wins no. 76 and 77 in the last three weeks.  (continue reading…)

I never left, b**ches!

Congratulations to Tiger Woods, who captured his second win in 2013 and 76th career title on the PGA Tour. Oh, and we’re back with By the Numbers after a temporary hiatus due to the pesky real world intruding. On the way to his victory at the WGC-Cadillac Championship, Tiger obviously put up some impressive numbers, but we’re going to try look at several that you (probably) haven’t heard repeated ad nauseum (100 putts total), as well as a glance at a few other players. (continue reading…)

Whoops, I forgot to post this last night. It’s hard to keep track of all the social media channels these days, but good news is I’m in the process of a massive site redesign to bring WUP into 2013. Woot!

Anyway, Luke Elvy and I broadcasted our weekly wrap-up of last week in golf, and of course, it was mostly Tiger, Tiger, Tiger. (I’m sure you’re all shocked!) Check it out above and since this is a weekly program, we’re trying to come up with a catchy name for the show. Suggestions? Send ‘em along! Thanks.

And of course, as always, we still have our training wheels and we’re open to constructive criticism and feedback. What would you like to see incorporated? Too long? Too informal? Keep doing what we’re doing? Let us know.

Hi, my name is Shoshana. You may know me on Twitter as @Shosheak or from the comments section. I’m a stats geek and researcher. In the spirit of the new season I’m (hopefully) debuting a series that will look back at the previous week’s tournament from a numbers perspective. I’d like to make this a weekly column (if all goes well and Stephanie gives the thumbs-up), so please share any comments, questions, and bitter invectives (well, maybe not so much the last!).

Side-by-side from a stats standpoint

Dustin Johnson has a new nickname: The 54-hole Specialist. With his victory on Tuesday at the 2013 Hyundai Tournament of Champions, he’s now won the last three times a Tour event has been shortened to three rounds due to weather (the 2010 Barclays and the 2009 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am).

He’s also the under-30 master, with seven career PGA Tour victories compared to six for Rory McIlroy, of course, Dustin (28-years-old) also has a few years on Rory (24). (continue reading…)

Stricker eyes semi-retirement…

That headline isn’t exactly breaking news. Everyone knows Steve Stricker is an incredible human being, but now with the recent announcement of his semi-retirement already in effect at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, I’m feeling sentimental. At least he’s easing into it, so we won’t have to worry about extreme withdrawals.

When I think of veterans that I look up to and respect the most, first two names that come to mind are Stricker and K.J. Choi.

Stricker is your genuinely nice and down-to-earth Midwesterner. As a person and a golfer, Stricker never ceases to amaze me. The more you’re around him, the more you like him. He’s one of those guys who remind me the world doesn’t totally suck, and there is, in fact, hope for human kind. (continue reading…)

DJ: I don’t lay up.

After days wondering when the golf would start–and count officially–the 2013 Hyundai Tournament of Champions ended on a high note under sunny skies with long-hitting Dustin Johnson winning by four shots over the defending champ Steve Stricker, who announced his semi-retirement his pre-tourney press conference last week. Johnson, who has now notched seven victories on the PGA Tour, overpowered The Plantation Course, which, as a beast of a track, holds its own.  (continue reading…)

Stricker announces plan to downsize schedule

While playing golf for millions around the world may seem like the most incredible job imaginable — and it is in many ways — there actually are downsides. Mostly, it’s a lifestyle, where you live out of a suitcase at a Marriott (and eat more fast food and room service than you’d like to admit) for 20-35 weeks a year.

Life on the road can be extremely lonely, not to mention the game, by nature, is a selfish sport.

For the past few years, Steve Stricker, who turns 46 in February, mulled over the idea of cutting back his schedule. But it’s not easy for golfers to walk away from the game. He is still a competitor, and resurrected his career in 2007, after a drought 5-6- year drought.

(continue reading…)