Katieshack

Golf news and notables this week

Katie's Recommended Reading: It was an eclectic day -- week even -- on the golf news front: cheating, scandal, records, etc. Here's some of my more favorite headlines.

Colin Montgomerie had some Tiger in his tank; apologizes for affair
The headline is well-said. I don't know why I even read these stories anymore; with all the infidelity going around, I don't think there's anyone who could come out as a cheater that would surprise me at this point. And hey, sad reminder: these stories are just about the folks that are married. Think about all the poor, supportive girlfriends out there whose Tour boyfriends are stepping out on them that don't make the news. I know for a fact about more than one player with a Ladies' Man reputation (and NO, I don't "personally" know, if you know what I mean). Is it all a bummer? Yes. Am I jaded? Clearly. But here's the bigger question I have: At what point did it become appropriate to make official statements about cheating, or hold press conferences? When did this inappropriate behavior become not a thing of shame, but something glorified by the media? These guys should all be mortified. Or it could be a great publicity stunt for those lacking air time and in need of an ego boost. Only time will tell.

Oh, and if you were concerned about Monty and the Ryder Cup (like us true golf nerds), here's what he snuck in about that:

"No way will it affect the Ryder Cup captaincy. We are looking forward to welcoming everyone here at Celtic Manor in October," Montgomerie told reporters Friday after shooting a second-round 70 at the Wales Open. "It's not going to impact the captaincy, not at all."

Fowler ties Memorial scoring mark and takes 3-shot lead
Well of course he did! Dressed in an ensemble of mint green, our boy Rickie  went 65-66 in his first two rounds to set himself up pretty nicely for the weekend rounds. See my earlier blog below. Rickie's been a winner since he was a kid.

“Just being in contention the few times I have over the last eight months or so since I turned pro, this is by far the best that I’ve felt,” said Fowler, who has four top 10s. “Game feels good. Putter’s working a bit. So we’re having some fun.”

Armour III goes low
Sadly, the seniors get lost in the PGA Tour shuffle sometimes, but Tommy Armour III's sort of kicking tail right out the gate of the Champions Tour's Principal Charity Classic. He matched the Glen Oaks CC record of 8-under 63 after the first round, shot the best opening round in the tournament's history, and currently holds a three-stroke lead. Way to avenge your terrible finish at the Senior PGA Championship!

Stanford tops USD in NCAA golf playoff
University of San Diego gave it a run, but Stanford topped them to advance in the NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship, and during a playoff at that. A little piece of SoCal was in the win though: Southland native Sihwan Kim plays for that Stanford team, and scored the sole birdie putt among 10 players on the second set of playoff holes. Now Stanford's moving on to the Elite Eight, and hopefully the championship title this weekend. 

Fun note: Tim Mickelson, Phil's bro, is the coach of USD. “The birdie putt sent us packing with a tough pill to swallow, but I’m very proud nonetheless,” he said.

Singh avoids US Open qualifying, gets exemption
Vijay Singh used to be so good! But even though he's fallen out of the top 50 in the world rankings, of which those players are exempt for the U.S. Open, the USGA threw him a bone and he'll tee it up without having to qualify with all the other wannabes on Monday at the U.S. Open Sectionals. Can you imagine having him in your group at a qualifier?

Most other golf news is just that: golf news. So that's it from here, for now.

Rickie Fowler tops Memorial; CIF wins remembered

 

As the PGA Tour's Rickie Fowler tops the leaderboard at the Memorial Tournament in Ohio, I'd like to take a moment to remember the high-school prodigy Rickie Fowler, the Murrieta wonder kid who broke pars, set records and won the CIF Championships like it was no one's business, and all before he was 18. 

All of us SoCal golf folks knew this kid was going to be something. He had the look. He had the hair. He had the fan club that attended every championship (including an adorable entourage of little girls who wore Rickie t-shirts and carried poster board signs). 

In 2004 as a freshman, Rickie shot a 64 at what is now the Golf Club at Rancho California, taking his first CIF-SCGA Southern Regional High School Boys Championship title. Come 2006, he won his first CIF-State title at Santa Maria CC, which he shyly told me afterward, "The win feels good." 

One year later, as a senior at Murrieta Valley High School, he won what would be his last CIF-SoCal Regional title, before embarking for Oklahoma State University. Not before he earned the 2007 SCGA Player of the Year title, however, thanks to strong finishes in many national junior and amateur invitational events. 

Apart from the image and the talent, which many players have, he clearly had the confidence to make this all happen, and it's fun to see the results. Puma loves him. Golf writers love him. Girls love him. He's a brand now.

Rickie will go down with a number of other notable Southland CIF-winners-turned-PGA-Tour-players who never won the SCGA Amateur Championship (like Phil Mickelson, a fellow CIF winner) and the California Golf Association State Amateur at that (ahem, Tiger Woods, although he did take the 1994 SCGA Amateur). Yet unlike most of the winners of those events, his success in his young Tour career has been impressive...will the Memorial be his first Tour title?

Here's a couple favorite photos I took during Rickie's 2007 CIF win. Gotta love the braces. I have a few I took from the 2008 U.S. Open also, that will be posted later.

And in the words of '80s singer Toni Basil, and with the words changed from Mickey to Rickie, I think the following lyrics/sentiments are appropriate to root him to Memorial victory: 

Oh Rickie you golf so fine/You golf so fine you blow our minds/Hey Rickie/Hey Rickie.

Pebble's grandstands are up

We're only 11 days from the 2010 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, and the video above shows a cool time lapse of the grandstands going up! This particular shot is of the 18th hole; I'd like to remind everyone that I bogeyed this particular hole thanks to some really stellar approach shots. Go me.  

Golf balls will stop the oil leak!

I caught an interesting video snippet online this morning, which said that BP, in its effort to stop the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico, will pump a "junk shot" into the Deepwater Horizon oil well if its current efforts do not work.

So what does this "junk" consist of? Mud, rubber tire shreds, knotted rope and GOLF BALLS!

Most of us golf aficionados certainly wouldn't consider golf balls to be junk, in general at least. Or on a good day. But hey, whatever works.

Thad Allen, U.S. Coast Guard commandant, told the Times Online that the junk shot is an exotic concept, where "They’re actually going to take a bunch of debris - shredded up tires, golf balls and things like that - and under very high pressure shoot it in...and see if they can clog it up and stop the leak.”

So why golf balls, one may ask? As Slate.com noted, the theory is that golf balls are small enough to fill gaps between the other junk, in addition to being sturdy. Think about it: Most golf balls are designed to withstand 2,000 pounds of force from a club. So in fact, the golf ball should not be considered junk at all, rather the finisher, the closer, the hero.

Slate also had this to say:

"BP has already lowered a set of pipes containing the junk to the ocean floor. The garbage is lined up inside the pipes in 10 layers, with the bigger items—the tires and rope—set to enter the blowout preventer first. Then comes the golf balls, the electrical wires, and bits of junk of further decreasing size. That way, the big items will be pushed up against the inner wall of the tower, blocking the smaller stuff from passing through the leaking valves. If all goes according to plan, the golf balls will help stopper the well while themselves being trapped in a net of rope and rubber."

Certainly interesting and food for thought next time you're teeing it up. I hope BP figures a way out of this literal mess before it resorts to the elusive junk shot, but otherwise, this is just another example of golf (and its gear) saving the day.

Romanos and Zingers and Spieths, oh my.

Katie's Recommended Reading: Just a few of the more interesting and entertaining headlines that jumped out at me today while cruisin' the golf news and boards. Along with my priceless and witty commentary, of course.

Mark Calcavecchia to end PGA Tour career at Memorial

But wait, don't be sad! Calcaveccia, who turns 50 on June 12, is teeing it up in 11 of  the 12 events on the Champions Tour. Here's to new beginnings! Oh, and while I'm on my soap box about the Champions Tour, I highly recommend taking in your local Champions Tour event at the nearest golf course. Crowds are MUCH smaller than PGA Tour events, and it's a great way to take in some high-caliber golf up close and personal. Here in SoCal, watch for the Toshiba at Newport Beach Country Club and the AT&T at Valencia Country Club next spring.

Ray Romano can't crack 90, let alone 80 goal

FORE contributer and San Diego Union-Tribune golf writer Tod Leonard comes through again with another entertaining golf story, this focusing around Hank Haney's latest project, Ray Romano. He teed it up at (hottie) Drew Brees' Cox Celebrity Championship at Morgan Run Resort, shooting 93-92 (hey, what's wrong with that?!?). Who knew Jack Wagner was so handy with the sticks though? He shot a 73 to win it.

Jordan Spieth preparing for finals, more golf

Watching such a talented kid makes one forget that he, at the tender age of 16, is still just a high school student. "It's been different," Spieth told reporters on his second day back at school in Dallas. "A couple of classes gave me standing ovations. All my friends realized that I don't want that to happen, so they've been the same around me. But it has been a little crazy." Jordan will play in his second PGA Tour event next month.

Two Kiwis to play golf for 365 days to help The First Tee

It's day 143 and these crazy vagabonds have landed at PGA West, after a round with Doors guitarist Robby Krieger at Riviera and purchasing a $2,000 Dodge truck upon landing in California. Now they're on their way to tear up TPC Scottsdale, making their way east to benefit The First Tee of New Zealand. They're going to be SO sore by day 300. Good luck.

Paul Azinger lobbyed hard for 2010 Ryder Cup

He'll be remembered as helping the U.S. to its first Ryder Cup victory in nearly a decade in 2008, thanks to a Navy SEALs type strategy. The Zinger, though, is taking a backseat to Corey Pavin this year. A good Q&A by ESPN's Jason Sobel about Paul's new book and thoughts on the 2010 U.S. Ryder Cup squad.

San Diego teen scores 6-under-par in three holes at Barona

In the category of "all teenagers are apparently better golfers than me," 16-year-old Xander Schauffele of Scripps Ranch scored a double eagle, a birdie and an eagle on consecutive holes at Barona Creek Golf Club, shooting 6-under par for three holes. Wow.

As reported by Tod Leonard, FORE Magazine contributer and golf writer for the San Diego Union-Tribune, the feat this kid accomplished is so rare, the PGA Tour doesn't even have a record of it happening. The odds of shooting a double-eagle are actually much higher than a hole-in-one also (12,000-to-1 for an ace compared to anywhere from 1-million- to 6-million-to-1 for an albatross), making Xander's hotstreak even more impressive.

Playing with dad Stefan and with PGA teaching professionals Ross Marcano (of Barona) and Paul Marchewka, Xander told the Union-Tribune that “I was so happy I couldn’t stop smiling. I had a face cramp from smiling...It’ll be a good story for my kids. This will never wear off.”

If you want to be depressed about your game, read the entire story in the San Diego Union-Tribune.

The USGA's Q&A with U.S. Open Agronomist Pat Gross

I backed into an interesting April Q&A this morning with the USGA's Pat Gross, U.S. Open Agronomist and director of the USGA's Green Section Southwest Region. Based here in Southern California, I've talked with Pat several times and not only is he a great guy, but a real expert in the areas of turfgrass and championship conditions.

The USGA's digital media writer, Dave Shefter, asked Pat several questions regarding this year's U.S. Open Championship at Pebble Beach Golf Links, and all of the factors that go into hosting a championship at a course that experiences its fair share of weather and coastal implications (anyone who's seen the 18th hole and watched the waves splash up on the fairway on a stormy day had to wonder about that hole eroding!). Some of the questions are listed below, and you can read the entire Q&A on the U.S. Open website, including all of the environmental improvements Pebble Beach has made in recent years. Enjoy!

How are things looking for the 2010 U.S. Open?
Gross: Fantastic. They’re in great shape [and] ahead of schedule. We’re really comfortable with all the preparations and programs.

Was there any unforeseen weather conditions or other issues that left anyone concerned about the prep work for the U.S. Open?
Gross: Not at all. Their worry every year – and it’s not just for the U.S. Open – are the waves crashing against that sea wall from the winter storms along the 18th fairway. It will kill grass on the tee and affect the fairway, but they are prepared. They’ve done different things to counteract the situation, and they go in the late winter/early spring and sod any damaged areas.

How do they prevent the coastal erosion from the sea?
Gross: They re-engineered the sea wall along 18 and created an angled wall to to redirect the waves. They’ve also stabilized the area and utilized engineered rock, and it looks natural. If you went out there, you couldn’t tell which one was fake and which one was natural. The other interesting thing they did several years ago under the previous superintendent Tom Huesgen, was used a sub-surface air evacuation device. They put in pipes that can be hooked up to a vacuum. So when the seawater is going onto the fairway they turn on the sprinkler to dilute that water and then they have that drainage suction system to evacuate it and minimize the salt and sodium damage. It was put in around 2003.

What are some of the agronomic procedures being done between now and the start of the Open?
Gross: April is a big push month. All of the aeration gets done on greens, tees and fairways. It's also the perfect time, temperature-wise, to stimulate the turf and get it growing with a good fertilizer application. Then in the middle of the month, they will start growing the rough. That’s a delicate balance because they are open for resort play and if we were to start growing 3-inch or 4-inch rough, it just isn’t golfer-friendly and it would slow the pace of play. They bring it up gradually, and to the point where we can make progress through the month of May and then into June.

Is it easier to do it at Pebble because of the weather versus a Northeast or Midwest site that is coming off of several months of dormant activity?
Gross: Yes, we can depend on good weather throughout the spring. The issue is controlling the height so that it is golfer-friendly. The other thing they did, starting back in November, was re-contour the fairways according to the plan and narrow the fairways where necessary. That work has all been done and is being refined. [Senior director of Rules and competitions] Mike Davis has had a few suggestions once they started doing the cuts. I was there in March and we’re adjusting a few areas. It’s the position of where the intermediate cut starts and then you build upon it from there.

Read the rest of the USGA's interview with Pat Gross.

HP Byron Nelson Championship headlines and tweets

In lieu of reinventing the wheel, here's some of the more interesting story lines revolving around 22-year-old Jason Day's victory in the HP Byron Nelson Championship. Apparently he was so sick during the entire tournament, he almost pulled out before it even started. Way to persevere.

Oh, and the 16-year-old Jordan Spieth kid finished in a tie for 16th, pretty respectable for a first huge PGA Tour showing.

Headlines:

• What they said: Jason Day (interview transcript) (PGA TOUR) 
• Day holds on despite 2 over on Sunday (ESPN/Golfweek) 
• Round 4 Notebook: Facts and tidbits on the day (and Day) (PGA TOUR)
• A Lesson Learned: Jason Day Overcomes Field and Nerves for Win (PGA.com)
• Day wins Nelson, teenager Spieth ties for 16th (golf.com) 

And from those candid Twitter boards:

• From Jason Sobel (@JasonSobel), ESPN Golf Columnist/Blogger: Covered a Nationwide event in 2007. Took straw poll of players on which peer they thought would be most successful. Everyone said Jason Day.
• From Matt Ginella (@WheresMattyG), Senior Travel Editor for Golf Digest and Golf World: PGA: Day over [Brian] Gay, which is weird.
• From Zach Johnson (@ZachJohnsonPGA), PGA Tour player: Congrats to J Day! Well done mate.

Aside from being a winner, who is Sun Young Yoo?

As the title states, still no one really knows who this player is, but 23-year-old Sun Young Yoo defeated LPGA vet Angela Stanford 3 & 1 today to win the Sybase Match Play Championship. At least No. 1 seed Jiyai Shin salvaged her consolation match against Amy Yang, 3 & 2.

An interesting tidbit to the finale of the inaugural Sybase Match Play was that it is the eighth consecutive LPGA Tour win by a foreign player, and the 25th out 26 events? Wondering who the one non-foreign player was that won? Ms. Michelle Wie, when she won the Lorena Ochoa Invitational. Before that, it was Christie Kerr, who won the Michelob Ultra Open more than a year ago. Kerr, the No. 5 seed in the Sybase, lost to Sun Young Yoo in their second match.

So now that she's a winner, let's get to know some other facts about Sun Young Yoo:

• She's from South Korea, and turned pro in 2005.
• Her best finish at a major was T12, in the 2009 Kraft Nabisco Championship.
• She doesn't have a sponsor.
• Her best score is 64, which she's shot in both 2008 and 2009.
• Best 2009 moment was ending up in her first career playoff at the P&G Beauty, where she square off against none other than Jiyai Shin and Angela Stanford (she lost).

Guess she'll be one to keep an eye on in future events. 

***UPDATE***

The LPGA just released its transcript from the post-round interview with Sun Young Yoo, as well as some interesting background into her life, like the fact that her 27-year-old sister was recently in a serious car accident the same day that Sun Young Yoo had a terrible dream that something was wrong. 

"The sisters believe that when something bad happens, it is 'reverse karma,'" the LPGA wrote, "meaning that something good will happen in return. Yoo believes that this win was that something good in return."

Jordan Spieth's not playing like a teen amateur

Guess what? The HP Byron Nelson Championship is also being played this weekend in Texas, and the most talked-about player barely has a license to drive. 

This Jordan Spieth kid is only 16, but he's good. Very good. Three-consecutive-rounds-under-par good, including a 67 today to put him in a tie for seventh, only six shots behind leader Jason Day. He won the U.S. Junior Amateur last year, one of the many national junior events he's teed it up in. The best part, though, is that given Spieth's amateur status, he's not taking home any money, which as it stands is $180,000 for seventh place. P.S., kudos to Southern Californians Tom Pernice, Jr. (T4, 203) and Corey Pavin, the 2010 Ryder Cup Captain (T7, 204), who are up there in the running also.

I'm going to yield to a great column by ESPN Dallas' Richard Durrett, who profiles the teen and his escapades during the Byron Nelson Championship. It's funny, it's honest, and it's a nice look into this kid's rapidly increasing popularity.