3-Year-Old Boy Hones Game for Q-School

WHEN ALEXIS THOMPSON RECENTLY turned professional to play on the LPGA Tour at the age of 15, some questioned whether she was too young for the rigors of tour life and openly wondered about the potentially damaging attention she might receive. But Thompson is a grizzled veteran compared to a 3-year-old Arizona boy who may enter the PGA Tour’s Qualifying School this fall.

The boy’s agent told ARMCHAIR GOLF in an email that his young client got an even earlier start in golf than Tiger Woods and other golf prodigies. The boy began making arm movements in his mother’s womb that simulated a golf swing and has aspired to play on the PGA Tour since he was 1. That was when he watched Woods beat Rocco Mediate in a 19-hole playoff to win the U.S. Open.

“He’s that good,” the agent said, “and he has a great attitude. Nothing keeps him down for very long.”

One large roadblock that stands in the boy’s way is the PGA Tour’s age rule. A player can enter Q-School at any age but isn’t allowed to become a PGA Tour member until his 18th birthday.

“We’re looking at it and talking to Ponte Vedra,” the agent said. “That’s all I can say right now.”

Apparently, business opportunities are also available. Golf-related companies and mega brands are always on the lookout for the game’s newest star players.

“Several potential sponsors are interested in signing him. He’s a great kid. He really is.”

For now, the boy’s parents and agent are guarding the boy’s identity should they decide to enroll him in preschool and forgo the Q-School bid until he’s 4.

−The Armchair Golfer

(This is an ARMCHAIR GOLF spoof.)

(Image: The Geary’s/Flickr)

Free Drawing for ‘THE OPEN: Golf’s Oldest Major’

THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP IS returning to St. Andrews this year, which also happens to be the 150th anniversary of golf’s oldest major. I have a special treat for you: a free drawing for a 304-page photographic history of the ancient golf championship.

Titled THE OPEN: Golf’s Oldest Major and published by Rizzoli, the book features black and white and color photographs from Getty Images. The rather sparse text is by Donald Steel, with a foreword by Arnold Palmer and afterword by Peter Dawson, Chief Executive of The R&A. This hardcover measures 12.3 x 9.4 x 1.4 inches and weighs 4.8 pounds. It’s hefty and gorgeous, a prized coffee table or sports den book for any armchair golf historian. (I love my review copy. I am not giving it up. The publisher is making another copy available for the drawing.)

Here are a couple of excerpts from the publisher’s news release:

THE OPEN: Golf’s Oldest Major revisits the history of the fourteen legendary links courses along the spectacular British coastline on which The Open has been played, with a chapter dedicated to each course highlighting the famous moments of victory, defeat, partnership, competition, and tradition that have come to define them.

The book brings together the classic images of the sport’s icons—from early stars such as Walter Hagen and Bobby Jones, and masters like Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus, to the exceptional talents of today, Tiger Woods and Padraig Harrington.

OK, I must add three names not mentioned in the above publisher copy: Harry Vardon, Peter Thomson and Tom Watson. Because those three remarkable champions won the Claret Jug 16 times. (Vardon, 6; Thomson, 5; and Watson, 5.)

WANT TO GET IN ON THIS?

How to enter this free drawing: Just email your name and mailing address to armchairgolfer@gmail.com. I’ll blind draw the winner in a couple of weeks during the championship. Good luck!

−The Armchair Golfer

Nightmare on Pebble Beach Drive

THE BEST THING FOR me about this year’s U.S. Open was that I got to watch most of the final round with my dad. We live on opposite coasts so I don’t see him all that often. He lives in California; I live in Virginia. I can’t recall the last time I spent Father’s Day with him. My brother and sister-in-law were also here on Sunday afternoon when we arrived after the two-hour car trip from LAX, making it even more special.

Before I ramble on, let me congratulate Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell for his U.S. Open victory. If you watched it, you know there were many others who had a legitimate chance to win the trophy. Yet McDowell survived the weekend better than the rest. His long game was pretty darn steady and he kept big numbers off his card. He grudgingly took a few bogeys on the difficult Pebble setup but kept grinding. It’s been a long time coming for Europe to have another U.S. Open champion, a full four decades since Englishman Tony Jacklin won at Hazeltine. This year’s trend of European winners on the PGA Tour continues: Ian Poulter, Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Lee Westwood and now Graeme McDowell.

We officially set out on family vacation on late Saturday afternoon. We drove to Charlotte to spend the night since we had an early morning flight to L.A. Consequently, I missed much of the third-round coverage. I did watch some in the hotel room with the volume turned down and the lights off until my kids asked, “Dad, when are you going to turn off the TV?” (The glow of a TV screen in a dark hotel room can manage to distract tired kids.)

Early Sunday morning I picked up the Charlotte Observer at the airport and was both surprised and impressed by Dustin Johnson’s late spurt that propelled him to a 66 and three-shot lead. McDowell, too, was hanging tough, and Els, Mickelson and Woods were lurking. And there was that fellow named Gregory Havret, a Frenchman. Wasn’t he the guy who beat Lefty in a playoff? I wondered.

About five hours later we were in Southern California and on our way north to my parents’ house in Lancaster. I arrived just in time to see the leaders tee off. It became apparent early on the only movement on Sunday for all the leaders was backwards. Davis Love was one exception, shooting an even-par 71. No one else at the top of the leaderboard matched or bettered par. Ah, the final day at the U.S. Open.

So, except for one Graeme McDowell, Sunday at Pebble Beach was a nightmare in broad daylight, but mostly for Dustin Johnson who completely came undone on the opening nine. Johnson coughed up all of his lead on the 2nd hole and fell off the radar of serious contenders a few holes later, having self-inflicted too much psychological damage. As we watched, we asked ourselves, “How does a guy shoot 66 one day and 82 the next?” Of course, we knew the answer: U.S. Open pressure.

McDowell was just McDowelling along, nice and steady, hitting fairways and many of the greens, making pars. Ernie jumped into the lead and had as good a chance as anyone until a bad stretch at 9, 10 and 11 and too many putts that burnt the edge over the final holes. Phil was hanging around but made nothing on the greens. Tiger played another dismal front nine and his putting was what you would expect from his playing partner, Havret. For now, it’s certainly a different Tiger on Sunday at the majors. The putts aren’t falling. And it’s been that way for much of the last two years.

But how about Havret? A qualifier playing in his first U.S. Open, the Frenchman ranked 300-odd something in the world very nearly sneaked into a playoff. He performed admirably in the Tiger and U.S. Open vortex.

In the end, McDowell was the only man who could shoot even par in the U.S. Open. Just the way the USGA likes it. For everyone else who had a real chance to win, it was a nightmare on Pebble Beach Drive. And the memories may haunt them for a little or long while.

−The Armchair Golfer

U.S. Open Day 1: Pebble Beach is Brutalful

SPORTSCASTER DAN PATRICK ALWAYS poses the same question at the end of his syndicated sports radio talk show: “What did we learn today?”

That’s what I’m trying to figure out about the first day of the 2010 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. Probably not a lot. Course hard. Players struggle. Scores high. Maybe I’ve watched too many of these things. I’ve certainly watched a bunch. But I’m still way way behind Dan Jenkins. I’ll have to live to about 100 to catch up with him.

“This is my 57th Open,” Jenkins wrote on Twitter, “and unless something starts happening soon, this might be the most boring first round ever.”

Was that it? Was I bored? Or was I lulled into a stupor by the postcard weather on the Monterey Peninsula? Pebble Beach is distractingly beautiful.

I must try, so here goes, a few things I learned today. Sort of.

I learned Tiger Woods can still hit a fairway with his driver. On the holes I watched Tiger, he actually controlled his golf ball quite well. Unfortunately, he’s 3-over par and carded no birdies. Tiger will probably say he didn’t get much out of his round. (He’s not alone.) If his swing holds together and he gets his putter going, it could be interesting. There are a lot of “ifs” on Thursday.

I learned the golf course will be a stubborn defender of par, just as you’d expect in a U.S. Open. I would have anticipated a few scores in the 60s in the first round, but it’s not happening. (OK, now Shaun Micheel, Paul Casey and Brendon de Jonge are on the board with 69s.) The last time I checked, the average score was about 75, or 4-over par.

I learned Pebble Beach is brutalful. That’s my new word for the course, a combination of brutal and beautiful.

I learned I like watching anybody (except those crazy celebs at the AT&T) play at Pebble Beach because it’s just so gorgeous. I mean, Tiger is getting ready to hit and I find myself watching the crashing waves and ocean spray in the background. Pebble’s scenic beauty can completely take me out of my spectator game. Surely I’ll care more about the outcome of the tournament in a couple of days. By Sunday, I hope to be tense. I need to have that feeling during a major or two.

I learned of an amateur named Hudson Swafford.

I learned Ryan Moore can make bogey on the par-3 17th from perched near the sign on the cliff-like 18th tee. My daughter, who has a flair for the dramatic, asked, “Would he die if he fell from there?”

No, but four rounds on hard, dry, wind-swept Pebble Beach in the U.S. Open might kill him and a few others. It’s only going to get harder.

−The Armchair Golfer

(Image: Keith Allison/Flickr)

Golf Digest’s 75 Best Rivalries

GOLF DIGEST HAS PUBLISHED “Best Rivalries in Golf,” the magazine’s top 75 ranking of the game’s most intense and enduring grudge matches. I can’t argue with Nicklaus vs. Palmer at No. 1 on the list. There was a nine-year stretch from 1958 to 1966 during which Arnold and Jack captured seven Masters. Actually, Nicklaus appears in at least five of the rivalries. Besides Arnie, Jack’s other listed rivals include Tom Watson, Tiger Woods, Lee Trevino and Tom Weiskopf.

Sam Snead vs. Ben Hogan is a solid pick, as is Bobby Jones vs. Walter Hagen. I’m not buying Mickelson vs. Woods at No. 4. Tiger has had no true rival to this point. (Tiger vs. Field?) That’s bound to change. And perhaps soon.

The rankings are an interesting walk through golf history and include non-player rivalries that have impacted the game. Courses, issues, architects, countries, grasses, continents, swing coaches, college programs, magazines, baseball players, equipment and even years (1953 vs. 2000) are pitted against each other.

Take a look here.

−The Armchair Golfer

(Image: Keith Allison/Flickr)

Tiger’s Swing Challenge: In Search of More Fairways

HANK HANEY HAS RESIGNED as swing coach for Tiger Woods. I won’t pretend to know anything about Tiger’s swing and what he should and shouldn’t do in regards to a coach. There are plenty of would-be experts on that subject. But I do know the fairway is there for a reason, and throughout his career Tiger hasn’t spent as much time in it as he would like.

Missed fairways have put tremendous pressure on other parts of Tiger’s game—which admittedly are brilliant, like his recovery play and putting—but it’s reasonable to expect that those skills will fade over time. His putting, even pre-scandal, has been suspect in recent majors. Almost all of the great ones who’ve played the game have eventually lost their touch and nerve on the greens.

Whether it’s a tweak or a rebuild, I think Tiger needs a swing that will put his ball in play much more often. That’s the bottom line. It will be increasingly important as he ages as a player. The putts will not always drop. And those miraculous recoveries and short-game Rembrandts depend on consistently making the five, eight and 10 footers.

A lot has changed in golf over the years: equipment, courses, swing gurus, mental coaches and more. But for all that’s changed, the game is still simple: get the ball in the hole in as few strokes as possible. And to do that, especially in the majors, it still comes down to that old adage, “fairways and greens.”

There’s this story about Hogan. Ben was complaining within earshot of his wife, Valerie, about not making more birdies. His challenge at that stage of his career was the putter. What was Valerie’s response? She suggested that her husband hit his iron shots closer to the hole. I love that. (And I think he followed her advice.)

Tiger has won 71 times, including 14 majors, with a persistently wild driver. Which is amazing, just crazy. Some have said he has the driver yips. Maybe so. Now it’s time to fix the tee ball. At 34, and with all the young guns coming along, I don’t think hitting it all over the ball yard is a sustainable strategy for winning a record-setting number of majors.

−The Armchair Golfer

(Image: Gordons/Flickr)

Video: Tiger Talks About His Neck Injury

TIGER WOODS WITHDREW FROM the Players Championship on Sunday due to a neck injury. (But you knew that.) Today, Tiger talked about the injury and what it means for his immediate future.

Humor alert: Tiger gets a good laugh and a round of applause in response to his comments about what he hopes for in his golf game. I won’t spoil it for you.

By the way, I’ve noticed there’s a lot of anger in the world, and most of it seems to be directed at Tiger Woods. The neck injury and WD apparently triggered another wave, at least from the media. The soap opera continues.

−The Armchair Golfer

America the Birdieful: Rory McIlroy Romps at Quail Hollow

Editor’s note: Brian Keogh is a golf correspondent for The Irish Sun and a regular contributor to The Irish Times, Golf Digest Ireland and other golf publications. The following piece is excerpted from his blog, Irish Golf Desk. 

By Brian Keogh
Special to ARMCHAIR GOLF

RORY MCILROY ANSWERED HIS CRITICS in emphatic fashion when he closed with an incredible run of six successive threes to win the Quail Hollow Championship by four shots from Phil Mickelson—smashing the course record by two with a scintillating, bogey-free 10 under par 62 to secure his maiden PGA Tour victory in grandstand fashion on 15 under par.

The Holywood star, who does not turn 21 until Wednesday, became the youngest winner on the PGA Tour since world No. 1 Tiger Woods claimed the Walt Disney World/Oldsmobile Classic at age 20 years, nine months and 20 days in 1996.

Flabbergasted that he had played the last 36 holes in 16 under par, McIlroy said: “I just got in a zone and didn’t realise that I was going eight, nine, 10 under. I just knew that I got my nose in front and I was just trying to stay there.”

Asked if he’d dreamt of such a day as a youngster, he said: “I did. Ever since I was 10 or 11 years old I wanted to be a professional golfer. It’s been a crazy run to up this point and I am just delighted to get here and get my first win in the US on a course like this is really special.”

As for his closing 62, which featured 12 threes, he said: “It’s ridiculous. I shot 61 around Portrush when I was 16 in the North of Ireland and it felt pretty similar today. I was just seeing my shots and hitting it and seeing the line of putts really well and everything was going in. It was one of those days where everything went right.”

Congratulated by Padraig Harrington, Lee Westwood and Jim Furyk at the finish, McIlroy beamed: “I just said to Westwood: ‘That’s how you finish off a golf tournament! Padraig said, ‘That was some bit of stuff.’ I appreciate the guys that stayed around to see me in. It means a lot.”

Tied with the lead with Angel Cabrera heading down the stretch, McIlroy was six under for the day when he birdied the 14th to go two clear of a chasing pack that included the Argentinian and Masters champion Phil Mickelson. But the best was yet to come as he spectacularly eagled the par-five 15th to go three clear, birdied the 16th from four feet, lipped out with a 54-foot birdie try at the dangerous par three 17th and then capped a remarkable performance by draining a long bomb from 42 feet for a roof-raising birdie at the 18th.

Weekend Turnaround

Just three weeks after threatening to take time out to sort out his head after missing the cut at the Masters, McIlroy stormed home in 30 blows to underline just why players like Woods, Ernie Els and Geoff Ogilvy have hailed him as a world No. 1 in waiting.

After missing the cut in his last two starts, his season changed utterly on Friday when he eagled the par five seventh, his 16th, to make the cut on the one over par mark. After that he was off and running and no one could live with him.

He fired a six under par 66 on Saturday to scorch up the leaderboard and go into the final round just four strokes behind overnight leader Billy Mayfair on five under par. But in the final round he was simply unbeatable as he tore Quail Hollow to shreds with one of the greatest final round performances ever seen on the PGA Tour.

He birdied the fourth from 10 feet and then moved into top gear with a hat-trick of birdies from the seventh, surging to the top of the leaderboard alongside two-time major winner Angel Cabrera on nine under par. He failed to birdied the par-five 10th and Cabrera, who was playing in the group behind, took advantage there to edge a stroke clear. But McIlroy had the bit between his teeth and after a 142-yard wedge to three feet gave him a birdie at the 11th and a share of lead with the Argentinian, he found an even higher gear. After a par four at the 12th, he finished with an incredible run of six successive threes to complete a victory for the ages.

Cabrera missed a four foot birdie chance on the 11th and then fluffed a delicate chip at the 12th and bogeyed to leave McIlroy alone at the top. McIlroy then drove into the greenside bunker at the 284-yard, par four 14th, splashed out to ten feet and rolled in the putt with a clenched fist salute to go two clear of Cabrera, Brendan de Jonge, Bo Van Pelt and Mickelson on 11 under. His lead was reduced to just one shot moments later when Cabrera birdied the driveable 14th but McIlroy responded with one of the shots of the season at the par-five 15th. After a 325 yard drive, he rifled a 207-yard five iron at the pin and watched as the ball took the slope and rolled up to just three and a half feet, setting up a facile eagle three which put him three clear on 13 under. But there was more to come. At the 16th he drove into a fairway bunker but clipped a perfect 167-yard seven iron to four feet and rolled the putt home.

For a while it looked as though Harrington would set a formidable clubhouse target when he birdied the sixth, eagled the par-five seventh and then racked up three birdies on the trot at the 13th, 14th and 15th to get to eight under par. But the Dubliner, who was seven strokes behind Mayfair starting the day, failed to get up and down for par at the treacherous 16th and 17th, carding a 68 that eventually left him tied for seventh on six under par.

Harrington: ‘It’s a Big Deal’

Harrington was one fo the first to slap McIlroy on the back as he walked off the 18th. But as he waited to see if McIlroy could close the deal, Harrington said: “I think it means a lot for him. We can talk about European golf afterwards, but it’s a big deal for him to come over here and start winning over here.

“He wasn’t contending, wasn’t winning, and if he can get across the line it makes it a lot easier for him going forward, and I think it could make a big difference to his career.

“It’s a lot of pressure on him, a lot of focus on the home, and it’s putting him under enormous pressure to deliver, and obviously every week that he doesn’t deliver, it’s getting on him. But you know, if he can win here, it eases it all off.”

Brian Keogh covers golf for The Irish Sun and contributes to a variety of golf publications. Pay him a visit at Irish Golf Desk.

(Image: nsaplayer/Flickr)

13 Things We Still Know After the Masters

The shot.

1. Augusta National produces the most excitement in golf. The risk-reward holes and resulting roars keep people tuning in to the Masters year after year to see who will win the Green Jacket. Often it’s in doubt until the 72nd hole.

2. Phil is going for it. That shot (above) off the pine straw through the trees over the water on 13? A Phil special. Bones was against it. Butch was against it. Millions of fans were probably trying to talk some sense to Phil through their TVs. “Lay up, Phil. Just lay up.” Phil’s NOT laying up. The 207-yard 6-iron was a gutsy and brilliant play that turned things in his favor.

3. Tiger will contend no matter what. Five months off, bailing-wire swing, Buddha bracelet—it does not matter. Tiger will find a way to be in contention, especially at Augusta. No one scores better on an off day than Tiger.

4. Lee Westwood is ready to win his first major. Unfortunately, for Lee, still ready.

5. Jack has more Green Jackets. Arnie has more fans. The dynamic duo of ceremonial starters, Arnie is still the beloved. Jack is the respected one. During the eight years from 1958 to 1966, Arnie and Jack won six Masters.

6. Some old-guy champion is going to climb onto the leaderboard. Tom Watson and Fred Couples, for example. Before them, Ben Crenshaw and Jack Nicklaus.

7. Billy Payne and Masters brass will say and do what they want. Leave it to Payne to make harsh comments about Tiger that others have thought but been reluctant to say. Don’t like it? Too bad. The Masters men speak their minds and run their club and golf tournament as they see fit.

8. The patrons will behave themselves. Or they will have their passes rescinded. Don’t even think about heckling Tiger or another player. You are in “church.”

9. CBS will use Masters vocabulary and reverent tones. At times their Masters-restrained commentary will sound just plain goofy.

10. Bobby Jones will be quoted ad nauseam. Bobby Jones this. Bobby Jones that. The five-and-a-half inch course quote will appear everywhere. I’ll be guilty of it.

11. Augusta is the Fountain of Youth for Fred Couples. Freddie will make the cut (he almost always does) and shoot a good score or two. He might even trick you, me and most of the golf world into thinking he can win it again.

12. Tiger is not a gracious loser. If he fails to win, he will not dress up and put lipstick on his bitter disappointment. He hates it, pure and simple. He will not smile. He will not congratulate the winner. It’s not in his DNA—or part of his therapy.

13. John Daly will be at the Masters. Outside the gates on Washington Road.

−The Armchair Golfer

Of Poulter, Pin Placements and Pairings

WHAT LOOKS GOOD WITH a Green Jacket? That’s a question that was posed to Ian Poulter after he finished his second round at the Masters. “Anything,” he said. Poulter shot 68 and is tied for the 36-hole lead at 8 under with fellow countryman Lee Westwood who had a 69.

Poulter could do it. So could Westwood. But even though they’re battle tested and formidable Ryder Cuppers, neither of the Brits has won a major, much less a Green Jacket. There’s nothing they would like more. They’re halfway home, but the tougher half starts on Saturday and the owners of six Green Jackets—Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson—are in close pursuit. Woods is apparently rust-proof and Phil hearts Augusta.

The group of five golfers two strokes behind Poulter and Westwood at 6 under are: K.J. Choi (71), Woods (70), Anthony Kim (70), Ricky Barnes (70) and Mickelson (71). Y.E. Yang (72) is at 5 under. First-round leader Fred Couples and Tom Watson, who both struggled on Friday, are five off the lead at 3 under.

The weekend weather is supposed to be lovely, so the men who pull the levers at the Masters and Augusta National will have maximum control of the course setup. The course will play more difficult on Saturday—firmer and faster with harder-to-get-to pin placements. The greens will be slicker and not hold as well. It should make for a typical Masters moving day. There will be few scores in the 60s. (There were only three scores in the 60s today. Poulter’s 68 was Friday’s best.)

When Phil nearly slam dunked his long birdie putt on the 18th green, CBS’s Jim Nantz mentioned that Phil would have been paired with Tiger had the putt dropped. I think it works out better for Tiger. He doesn’t need fan-favorite Phil as a distraction, although it would have been great for fan interest and TV ratings. Instead, Tiger will make his third consecutive trip around Augusta with Choi, which strikes me as a comfortable pairing for both golfers. The Poulter-Westwood pairing is also fortuitous. The two are friends and that’s bound to help as the pressure builds. I expect one or both of the Englishmen to still be at or near the top of the leaderboard on Saturday night.

Whether or not you picked someone to win before the tournament started, who do you like now?

−The Armchair Golfer

(Image: John Trainor/Flickr)

Economic Theory as an Explanation for Tiger Phenomenon

MAYBE ECONOMIC THEORY CAN shed some light on the Tiger Woods situation. Even though I never felt entirely comfortable with the subject, I did get a degree in economics from San Diego State. I admit I don’t remember much, but I do recall that our textbooks were jammed with graphs used to explain relationships between things such as unemployment and inflation, demand and price, guns (military spending) and butter (school lunches).

Maybe a graph can explain the relationship between Tiger Woods and the world.

Since the day after Thanksgiving (and even before), I’ve noticed an inverse relationship between Tiger and those who take an interest in his on- and off-course activities. Tiger is in scarce supply—consider him to be “X” on the graph, the horizontal axis. The media, fans, everybody are “Y,” the vertical axis, and have provided enough chatter to fill the solar system. As Tiger went into seclusion and said nothing, the world was compelled to say more and more and more—it’s the way inverse relationships work. Logic would dictate that more Tiger was needed to achieve some sort of equilibrium.

That’s where it breaks down, unfortunately. Here’s why. More Tiger hasn’t seemed to help. Even as he’s begun to say more—for example, his 13-minute public apology and Sunday’s dueling five-minute speed interviews—we appear to be no closer to any kind of equilibrium, and the world is still incessantly chattering away. (Thanks a lot, economics.)

Just to give it the old college try, one more graph.

For the longest time, people wanted Tiger to talk about his problems, to come clean. (More Tiger.) Now that he’s talking (at least some), it’s not doing a thing for many of those same people who wanted to hear from him. In fact, for them and others, the more he talks, the less he says. That, my friends, reminds me of the law of diminishing returns.

Tiger doesn’t want to talk. (We know this.) And when he talks, he doesn’t want to reveal much. (We know this.) Can anyone be surprised anymore?

By the way, Tiger also studied economics, at Stanford. I doubt that he could have ever imagined that his personal scarcity would create so much demand.

−The Armchair Golfer

Definition Update: ‘Indefinite’ Means Until the Masters

TIGER WOODS HASN’T MISSED a Masters in 16 years. There are no DNPs beside his name dating back to 1995 when he first qualified to play at Augusta National as a 19-year-old amateur and freshman golfer for the Stanford Cardinal. In other words, Tiger has never missed the Masters. And he won’t miss the 2010 edition either, as he announced today.

“The Masters is where I won my first major,” Tiger said at his Web site, “and I view this tournament with great respect. After a long and necessary time away from the game, I feel like I’m ready to start my season at Augusta.”

Long time away from the game? Really? You sure made it sound like it could be a lot longer.

December 11: “I have decided to take an indefinite break from professional golf.”

February 19: “I do plan to return to golf one day, I just don’t know when that day will be.”

In a saga with more twists than Chubby Checker, this may be the first unsurprising thing to happen. If you were rooting hard for Tiger’s Masters return, then you probably should thank CBS sportscaster Jim Nantz. Nantz said in a Golf Magazine interview the Masters would be fine without Tiger. That sealed it. Put his name down. Get his locker ready.

Tiger and the Masters, the Masters and Tiger. They just go together, you know? OK, I’m going to say it. Tiger will never miss a Masters. NEVER. I know I’m sticking my neck way out, but what could possibly stop him now? Whatever you can possibly think up, I’m going to say Tiger could overcome it and appear at Augusta National in mid April. And the April after that and that and that and that.

One final thought. Watch Tiger win it. Wouldn’t that just be the end-all of end-alls? The world would swoon at the sight of Woods slipping into his fifth Green Jacket. Who knows? He might even take Ari Fleisher off retainer.

–The Armchair Golfer

(Image: Keith Allison/Flickr)

Ernie Els Kicks Blue Monster Where It Hurts

2010 WGC-CA Championship Recap
Winner: Ernie Els
Score: 18 under, 270 (68, 66, 70, 66)
Quote: “I just felt different today.”
Fact: First name is Theodore.
Thought: Legit chance at Augusta if Ernie keeps his head straight.


ERNIE ELS CLOSED OUT a golf tournament on Sunday. His 66 in the final round of the WGC-CA Championship at Doral was statement golf. The Big Easy didn’t plunk one into the water on the 18th hole, nor did he back into a win. It was an impressive display from a talented player who has had his share of struggles.

“The wind was blowing and I hit solid shots,” Ernie said. “Charl [Schwartzel] came at me all day. I had to come up with the goods.”

The win vaults the tall South African from 20th to eighth in the world rankings as he sets his sights on Magnolia Lane and maybe, just maybe, a long-awaited Green Jacket. Yet Els will not swagger after putting up two 66s and an 18-under total at the feared Blue Monster.

“Two years ago when I won,” he said, “I got all carried away and thought I was going to win Augusta. This time, I just want to take it in.”

So, what does this win mean?

It means Ernie is still very competitive at age 40, his first win after reaching that milestone, and his first world golf championship title against an elite field—minus Tiger Woods, of course.

It means Ernie will head into Augusta National and Masters week with confidence. And confidence is huge. I heard Jason Gore talking about the “c” word just the other day on Golf Channel. Confidence is the intangible that Els and all players need to win a major—or any tournament.

There’s one other possibility. The win means basically nothing. It might only mean that Ernie put it all together for four rounds in Miami. My sense is that it’s something more than a great week against a great field. We’ll see if Theodore Ernest Els can build on his success over the next few weeks and the balance of the season.

–The Armchair Golfer

Tiger’s Public Apology: Check It Off the List

IT TOOK TIGER WOODS 84 days to get to the lectern, but on Friday he arrived at PGA Tour headquarters in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, looked into the camera, and told the world he was sorry for his transgressions. It was a public apology smorgasbord. I only watched it once, and I admit I didn’t read the transcript, but I’m pretty sure Tiger apologized to just about everyone who somehow may have felt wronged by his off- or on-course behavior.

Tiger didn’t say when he would return to golf, which is what many people wanted to know. Nor did he take questions.

As I’ve already written, I didn’t feel as if Tiger owed me an apology for the infidelity in his personal life. That’s a private family matter. In fact, in his reaction piece, Ryan Ballengee of Waggle Room expressed many of the sentiments I feel.

The public apology finally made—something it seems the entire world has been demanding for weeks—it fell predictably short for many. My theory: Many of those who are dissatisfied with the apology are angry at Tiger, consider haranguing to be a sport, or are simply critics. Others are OK with the apology.

Following is a breakdown of issues surrounding the apology, including some thoughts on people’s dissatisfaction.

The words were on the mark.
The words were mostly on the mark, but he should not have said (fill in the blank).

Overall, I think Tiger said what needed saying. He took responsibility for his actions and said he’s not above the rules. He said it’s hard to admit that he needs help. He could have left out a few things, saved them for another day, but the words, by and large, were on target.

It was staged and contrived.
It was too scripted.

This one makes me chuckle. Of course it was staged, contrived and scripted. Most public apologies are. They are unnatural and awkward. No one wants to make them. They are not spontaneous, even on Oprah. In rare instances are they off the cuff.

He was sincere.
He wasn’t sincere.

No one except Tiger knows. Many didn’t like the way Tiger looked, read, or failed to emote. Actually, I think we saw the same Tiger we’ve seen in the past. He’s not a super-expressive guy. Here’s the thing: A robotic Tiger could actually be sincere. A sincere looking and acting Tiger could actually be insincere. We don’t really know, do we? The words are a start. The deeds are what ultimately count.

The timing was bad.
The media, players, fans and others are mad.

As I mentioned above, I think anger is at the root of many people’s dissatisfaction with Tiger. Many people feel let down. America doesn’t like phonies and hypocrites. Tiger’s family man image didn’t square with what we now know. The media have long been dissatisfied with their relationship with World No. 1. And it took Tiger a long time to get to the lectern. For some, nothing Tiger does—Friday’s apology included—is going to cut it right now.

That said, he did make the apology. As Tiger might say about a mediocre round, he did what he needed to do. The public apology that people have been so forcefully demanding is now made. Check it off the list.

Now, can we all move on?

−The Armchair Golfer

(Image: Keith Allison/Flickr)

Tiger Woods: ‘I Have Let You Down’

Breaking sports news video. MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL highlights and more.

AFTER NEARLY THREE MONTHS of seclusion following a minor car accident and revelations about extramarital affairs, Tiger Woods made a 13-minute public statement on Friday at PGA Tour headquarters. A small gathering of family, friends, tour officials and reporters were on hand. Tiger did not take questions.

Read the full transcript

I do hope to make some comments in the next day or two. In the meantime, feel free to leave a comment.

−The Armchair Golfer

Whiskers Predicts Tiger’s Return

THERE AREN’T MANY Tiger Woods fans who are more devoted than Whiskers. In fact, it’s fair to say that Whiskers is the most extreme case of Tiger worship. It’s a simple explanation. Whiskers always watches golf when Tiger is playing. And, as ARMCHAIR GOLF has learned in prior interviews, Whiskers never watches golf when Tiger isn’t playing. Not even the Ryder Cup.

With the revelations about Tiger and his indefinite leave from the game, it was a long and disturbing off-season for Whiskers. In a recent telephone interview with ARMCHAIR GOLF, Whiskers answered questions about Tiger’s return to the game. Unfortunately, it didn’t end well. 



Q: What did you think about Johnny Miller’s recent comments on Tiger?

WHISKERS: Meow meow meow meow meow. 

Q: Well then, who do you listen to?

WHISKERS: Meow. 

Q: Fair enough. Let me ask you the question that’s on everyone’s mind. When do you think Tiger will return to golf?

WHISKERS: Meow meow meow. 

Q: No, that won’t happen. The Accenture Match Play is this week. Tiger’s not entered, although he did play in it last year. He lost to Tim Clark.

WHISKERS: Meow. 

Q: Phoenix?

WHISKERS: Meow. 

Q: Well, that’s next week, and Tiger hasn’t played there since 2001. Maybe another try?

WHISKERS: Meow meow. 

Q: Um, sorry, Whiskers, but I really don’t think he’ll be at the Honda Classic either.

WHISKERS: Meow meow meow meow, meow meow? 

Q: Yes, you’re absolutely right. I did ask you for your prediction, it’s just …

WHISKERS: Meow meow meow meow. 

Q: The Puerto Rico Open! Are you just reading down the list of tour events? Whiskers? Hello? 

−The Armchair Golfer

(This is an ARMCHAIR GOLF spoof.)

(Image: Lauryn/Flickr)

The Return of Rocco

ROCCO MEDIATE RETURNED to Torrey Pines last week for the first time since his epic duel with Tiger Woods at the 2008 U.S. Open. Rocco made the cut in the Farmers Insurance Open and finished at 1-under with rounds of 69-71-74-73.

Mediate also made noise, among the handful of Tour pros who openly criticized Phil Mickelson’s choice of wedges in light of the new groove rules. The Roc Man’s words were not as inflammatory as those of Scott McCarron, who essentially called Lefty a cheater, but they still stung.

“I don’t like it at all, not one bit,” Rocco said. “It’s against the spirit of the rule. We have to get rid of those clubs, because they’re square grooves. What else can you say?”

Phil isn’t cheating. Despite their square grooves, the ancient Ping Eye2s he slipped into his bag are legal because the company won a lawsuit against the PGA Tour 20 years ago. No rule broken. Just many restless spirits.

So, maybe Phil is trying to make a point. As World No. 2 and such a widely popular player, he has the clout and fan “capital” to pull it off. But I can’t criticize the players (except McCarron’s poor choice of words) who are hot about it. They’re entitled to question Phil on his choice to play the only club exempted from the new groove edict. He’d be naive not to expect some heat.

Coincidentally, Rocco is now working with Phil’s new putting coach, Dave Stockton.

−The Armchair Golfer

(Image: The Gordons/Flickr)

San Diego’s Homegrown Pro Golfers

“Gene the Machine” Littler.

WHEN I RECENTLY WROTE about LPGA great Mickey Wright, it occurred to me there are several past and present professional golfers who have hailed from San Diego. They include three current Hall of Famers, and at least one more, Phil Mickelson, who is a lock.

With the PGA Tour at the Farmers Insurance Open in nearby La Jolla, it’s an opportune time to recognize the many pros who grew up, live, or once resided in San Diego.

Mickey Wright (Hall of Famer)
With 82 LPGA victories, including 13 majors, Mickey Wright is arguably the best female golfer of all time. Only Kathy Whitworth has more lifetime wins. Wright will accept the 2010 Bob Jones Award at Pinehurst next week.

Billy Casper (Hall of Famer)
Billy Casper notched 51 wins on the PGA Tour, including three majors. He beat Arnold Palmer in a playoff to claim the 1966 U.S. Open. I had an unplanned visit with Billy last September.

Phil Mickelson
Lefty’s 37 tour wins and three majors are Hall-of-Fame numbers. I’ve had one close encounter with Phil. We nearly bumped into each other in St. Louis during the 2008 BMW Championship. He was exiting a hotel elevator with his large Callaway golf bag slung over his shoulder. After nearly colliding, we exchanged greetings.

Gene Littler (Hall of Famer)
Nicknamed “Gene the Machine,” Littler collected 29 PGA Tour wins, including one major, the 1961 U.S. Open. When I saw Gene last year, I mentioned that we both attended San Diego State. He said, “Yeah, but I didn’t graduate.” Things worked out OK for him nonetheless.

Craig Stadler
Craig “Walrus” Stadler was born in San Diego and attended La Jolla High School. His 29 PGA Tour titles, including a Green Jacket, should get him into the Hall someday.

Scott Simpson
A San Diego native, Scott Simpson attended USC and was a two-time medalist in the NCAA Championship. He had seven wins on the PGA Tour, including the 1987 U.S. Open. Both Simpson and Casper won their U.S. Opens at the Olympic Club in San Francisco.

Phil Rodgers
Born in San Diego, Phil Rodgers was the 1958 NCAA champion while playing for University of Houston. Rodgers won five events on the PGA Tour and lost to Bob Charles in a 36-hole playoff in the 1963 British Open. In later years, Rogers was known as a short-game guru. His most famous pupil was Jack Nicklaus.

Pat Perez
Pat Perez is a PGA Tour veteran and winner of the 2009 Bob Hope Classic. He graduated from Torrey Pines High School.

Chris Riley
Born in San Diego, Chris Riley has one PGA Tour win and a victory on the Nationwide Tour. He played on the 2004 U.S. Ryder Cup Team and is a pal of Tiger Woods.

Jill McGill
A San Diego resident, Jill McGill is an LPGA veteran who has one tour win and is a former Women’s U.S. Amateur champion.

Dennis Paulson and Lenny Clements
Both San Diego State products, Paulson and Clements played on the PGA Tour.

−The Armchair Golfer

6 Nations Vie for 2018 Ryder Cup

GOLF HAS A FUTURE, with or without Tiger Woods. I believe that because a group of men gathered in a Sheraton near Heathrow on the outskirts of London to talk about golf eight years hence.

The 2018 Ryder Cup Symposium convened to review the bidding criteria for hosting the event. Delegates from six nations—France, Germany, Holland, Portugal, Spain and Sweden—showed up to hear presentations on a range of subjects. They were briefed on the bidding process, the Ryder Cup structure, commercial and brand development, infrastructure, media and environmental issues.

“It speaks volumes for the global interest in the Ryder Cup that we have six nations eager to host the 2018 match,” European Ryder Cup Director Richard Hills said at EuropeanTour.com.

“Today’s symposium has been an enormously successful exercise for Ryder Cup Europe and these six nations who have expressed a deep desire to stage the second Ryder Cup on Continental Europe,” Hills added.

How does one measure up in the bidding process? Here, in large part, is what the decision-makers will be looking for:

• A world-class golf facility
• Infrastructure and ancillary facilities to host an international sporting event
• Government and private sector support
• Commercial opportunities
• Development of golf

There are four Ryder Cups to be played before the 2018 matches. So they have some time on this. Still, it’s never too early to plan golf’s future. I’m glad they’re working on it.

Gee, I wonder who the captains will be.

−The Armchair Golfer

(Brought to you by YourGolfTravel.com and ARMCHAIR GOLF STORE.)

Days of Christmas Giveaway: Are You Kidding Me? (Rocco’s Book)

IT’S TIME TO CLEAR my shelves of golf books, golf DVDs and a few golf accessories. So welcome to Day 8 of the Days of Christmas Giveaway at ARMCHAIR GOLF.

Today’s giveaway: ARE YOU KIDDING ME? by Rocco Mediate and John Feinstein

Subtitle: The story of Rocco Mediate’s extraordinary battle with Tiger Woods at the U.S. Open.

How to win this giveaway: Send an email to armchairgolfer@gmail.com that includes your name and mailing address. I’ll notify you if you’re the winner and drop your prize in the mail.

Keep coming back for more Days of Christmas giveaways!

−The Armchair Golfer

Day 1: Golf: The Art of the Mental Game: 100 Classic Golf Tips by Dr. Joseph Parent
Day 2: Gorilla Gold Grip Enhancer
Day 3: Jim McLean Golf School DVD
Day 4: CADDIE CONFIDENTIAL: Inside Stories from the Caddies of the PGA Tour by Greg “Piddler” Martin
Day 5: High-quality golf gloves with Virginia Tech logo
Day 6: Golf’s Red Zone Challenge by Charlie King and Rob Akins
Day 7: THE BACK NINE: It’s Time to Take Your Shot (DVD)