AT&T Amateur Field Reveals Who's Who List Of Who Has Too Much Time And Disposable Income On Their Hands

PGATour.com posts the listing of major Hollywood talent and CEOdom taking part in this week's AT&T National Pro-Am. Not a single name jumped out to me as even remotely interesting until the very last man: Jerry Yang.

Somehow I think the Yahoo founder and current CEO is going to have to WD so he can figure out whether to fight Microsoft's hostile takeover bid.  If not, expect a major shareholder revolt. 

By the way, which Golf Channel/CBS announcer will be the first to refer to a CEO as Mr. (Fill in name)? 

Holmes Wins Playoff; Mickelson Unable To Regroup From Kostis Football "Reference"

I searched the transcript but apparently the scribblers did not think to ask Phil if his mind was racing in a desperate attempt to figure out what it was that Peter Kostis was getting at with his post round interview football "reference."

Holmes Take Lead At Scottsdale; CBS Crew Set To Make Absurd Tiger Comparisons Again?

Quite possibly the best reason to watch the FBR is the opportunity to hear the CBS maestros make breathless comparisons between J.B. Holmes and Tiger Woods. You may recall that David Feherty all but declared his fellow Cobra staff member Holmes the second coming of you-know-who when Holmes won in 2006.

So hopefully they'll be more restrained Sunday should third-round leader J.B. win.

Knockdown Shots: "Tiger forgive, but he no forget."

In filing his latest Knockdown Shots column, Steve Elling applauds Tiger and Elin's decision to raise their daughter nanny free, causting him to wonder "what a poopy Pamper smells like inside the sealed cabin of a private jet as it's winging its way to Dubai." 

As always, a must read.

"It's getting a bit narrower."

Geoff Ogilvy was dragged into the inkslinger's lair at Scottsdale and offered this about the TPC:

Q. What is your impression of this golf course right now?

GEOFF OGILVY: It's pretty good. It's probably tougher than we've seen it for a while. They've narrowed some of the fairways. I've hit a couple of drivers off the tee and I thought they were fine and they've actually cut the fluff on about three or four holes than they used to, so it's getting a bit narrower. The ball goes short when it's cold like this, so it's playing quite long especially after all that rain on Sunday. It's usually quite firm here. It's actually quite soft off the tee which makes it play long, so it's tougher than it has been previously. I think the forecast is going to get a bit warmer on the weekend and it dries out pretty quickly because we're in the desert. Could be back to normal by the weekend, but today it was longer and a little bit tougher than it has been, very easily.

If You Took "Under" Super Bowl Sunday In Cuts Rule Review Pool: You're A Winner!

Doug Ferguson reports that it's now "under review" and undergoing debate during the Northern Trust Open.

"The players I've heard from are generally upset with any reduction of guys playing on the weekend,'' Finchem said. ``On the other hand, a lot of guys don't like it, but would be in favor of something else.''

And...

"What I said to the PAC was there's a lot of interest in this, we ought to have a thorough discussion the week of L.A. and made sure we're looking at all possible alternatives,'' Finchem said. ``I wouldn't predict we would change anything.''

"If you want to see how utterly silly the PGA Tour's new policy of "made cut, did not finish" is..."

As silly as the player complaining is over not knowing about the new cut rule caused by slow play, the big picture view says it still is cheating fans and could be solved with a Saturday cut, as Larry Bohannan writes.

If you want to see how utterly silly the PGA Tour's new policy of "made cut, did not finish" is, look no further than the story of Justin Leonard at the Buick Invitational over the weekend.

Leonard struggled in the first two rounds of the tournament at Torrey Pines in San Diego, making the cut at even-par 144, 12 shots behind Tiger Woods. But he was one shot from the 19 golfers who tied and made the cut but weren't allowed to play on the weekend.

Leonard then put together a strong weekend with rounds of 65 and 72 and moved up from a tie for 48th to fifth. He earned 3,450 FedEx Cup points and a check for $208,000.

But if Leonard had missed a single putt in those first two rounds, the chance for those points and that money would have been denied to him by a rule change that just seems unreasonable at best, short-sighted at worst.

"Obviously, it was a blowout, but it will still end up being one of the highest-rated tour events on a Sunday."

Reader Al wonders what to make of the lower Buick ratings spin by CBS, and I would have to agree that it doesn't make much sense. Someone help us please...

In the first network golf coverage of the year, CBS got a 4.6 overnight rating from Sunday's final round at Torrey Pines, where Woods led by as many as 11 shots before winning by eight for his fourth consecutive Buick Invitational title.

It was golf's highest rating since the PGA Championship last August, but still down 18 percent from the Buick Invitational a year ago, when Woods held off Charles Howell III over the final holes to win by two. The final round last year drew a 5.6 overnight rating.

The overnight rating for Saturday was 3.2, up 28 percent from the third round last year.

"We were up Saturday," said Rob Correia, senior vice president of programming for CBS. "Obviously, it was a blowout, but it will still end up being one of the highest-rated tour events on a Sunday. We have no complaints."

Is that all time? Or a Sunday in January 2008? 

"I think after what the USGA probably witnessed on 18 yesterday, that ball staying up, that will be shaved."

Tiger's post Buick final round chat with the media guys and gals who had to brave holes in the tent top (my condolences)...

Q. Freddie said you just screwed the U.S. Open up for everybody. Are you sorry about that?

TIGER WOODS: Well, I only did it on one hole. I think after what the USGA probably witnessed on 18 yesterday, that ball staying up, that will be shaved. Just like Augusta, you see Freddie's ball stayed up, next year it's all shaved.

Actually, before anyone goes scribbling about that, the plan was to shave the lake before today.

And this is downright funny...

Q. What about LA?
TIGER WOODS: What about it?

Q. Any thoughts yet, yes or no if you're in yet?
TIGER WOODS: I don't know.

Give it up! He's not coming back. Paraphrasing Taupin, I think it's going to be a long, long time. 

"Bettering the field average by almost 10 feet"

From Alex Turnbull, the PGA Tour's ShotLink guru, after Tiger's bogey-free 66 at Torrey Pines:

Leading the field in greens in regulation this week, Tiger was very accurate today with his irons. Hitting 17 of 18 greens in regulation today, he averaged 26 feet 3 inches from the hole on all approach shots bettering the field average by almost 10 feet (Rd 3 average: 35 feet 0 inches).

“Some reporters suggested that the movement of The Barclays was due to our view that Westchester Country Club was substandard."

PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem is quoted by Sam Weinman as making an interesting statement in his apology letter to the folks at Westchester CC:

“Some reporters suggested that the movement of The Barclays was due to our view that Westchester Country Club was substandard. Nothing could be further from the truth,” Finchem wrote. “We have great respect for Westchester Country Club—your course, your membership and your great tradition. Our players enjoy playing there. We at the PGA Tour regret any offense created by these misplaced media comments and are sorry for the impressions these comments caused. Our return to your club at least one more time indicates our view that it is a world class facility.”

Now why would the dirty, nasty, grubby media get that idea? Could it be that Ed Moorhouse wrote:

"While we believe we all attempted to make The Barclays work at Westchester in late August, I believe it simply is not possible to stage a tournament at the level we need to stage this event, satisfy the needs and requirements of our players and accommodate the needs of the Westchester membership during that time of year."

No, it's those pesky reporters!

"You may recall that the Tour had proposed terminating our Agreement in its entirety."

Not much news here except that it seems the Tour has the option to return twice and it could be any combination of 2010, 2011 or 2012.

Weinman: Tour and Barclay's Back In The Saddle Again...Sort Of

Sam Weinman reports that the PGA Tour will be returning to Westchester CC at some point, just not 2008, and the Commissioner will be apologizing for those letters that got out and where they never really meant what they said.  Oh, and here's $1.1 million for your troubles...this year.

Even better we now have a definition for accelerating the rotation. 

Update on 2008-01-26 18:03 by Geoff

The Tour issues a release confirming, everyone is happy:

The Barclays moves to Ridgewood Country Club for 2008 event Westchester remains in rotation, will host again by 2012

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FL – The Barclays, one of the premier events on the PGA TOUR schedule and the first of four events in the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup, will move from Westchester Country Club to Ridgewood Country Club in Paramus, N.J., for the 2008 event, scheduled for Aug. 18-24.

“As we have said before, we believe it is in the best interest of The Barclays to rotate among various venues in the New York area, as do other significant events,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem.  “We look forward to beginning that rotation with Ridgewood in 2008 and a return to Westchester, which has been a terrific host for PGA TOUR events since 1967, for at least one more play by 2012.  I want to thank the membership of Westchester Country Club for making this possible.  It is yet another reflection of the great integrity and character of our partners at Westchester.”

As previously announced, the 2009 Barclays will be held at Liberty National in Jersey City, N.J. The rotation for The Barclays for 2010 and beyond will be announced at a later time, though under the terms of the contract with Westchester, The Barclays will return at least once by 2012.

“Westchester Country Club has been proud to partner with the PGA TOUR for more than 40 years, and our members overwhelmingly agreed last year that rotating The Barclays among New York-area courses was in the best interest of our club and this great event,” said Westchester Country Club President Philip Halpern.  “We have agreed to begin that rotation this year in the true spirit of partnership, while ensuring that our club’s charities will benefit from the 2008 event as planned.  We are proud that Westchester remains in The Barclays rotation.  It’s an honor that our world-class golf course, and our passionate and loyal membership, have earned and deserve.”

"It's very simple, play better"

Considering his frustration with slow play, it's not a surprise that Tiger is a fan of the new cut policy, as Steve Elling reports on his CBSSports.com blog:

In fact, in 2002, 85 players made the cut at the Buick Invitational and eventual winner Jose Maria Olazabal, who advanced on the number, caught fire with rounds of 67-65 on the weekend. However, it should be noted that in 2002, Olazabal was eight shots back in a more tightly packed field, versus the 13-stroke margin the guys who were bumped on Friday would have faced.

Tiger Woods, who is leading the tournament by four shots at 12 under, hardly provided a sympathetic shoulder.

"It's very simple, play better," Woods said. "If you hit the shots that you want to hit and hit them properly, then you won't have to worry about that."

Of course, Woods almost never misses cuts.

Added Woods: "I think what I've tried to talk to some of the guys and with the commissioner is that maybe the fields might be too big when you have daylight savings, because, obviously, we're trying to get the round finished.

"And we weren't finishing the top players weren't finishing on time, guys were finishing Saturday mornings or Friday mornings, their rounds, just because it was too slow. If you had any kind of fog delay, rain delay, guys aren't finishing, a frost delay in Phoenix, things like that happen."

Kevin Who?**

I know I should know all about Kevin Streelman, currently in second at the Buick Invitational behind Tiger, but I don't. Thankfully, Matt Paulson at Brener-Zwikel passed this along:

Before graduating from Q-School this year, Kevin Streelman, who is in second right now at the PGA TOUR's Buick Invitational, earned one of his biggest single-event paychecks ever in last year’s The Ultimate Game, a unique event co-created by former Falcons quarterback Steve Bartkowski where players compete for a purse composed wholly of their own entry fees.
 
In last year’s event, Streelman won both his matches to make the 12-man final, earning $25,000 in the process, a huge chunk for a mini-touring pro in one event. And this was eight months ago. This week, Streelman could take home nearly $1 million.
 
In the final, he shot 69-70 to finish in fourth place. A class act, despite not winning anything additional in the final, Streelman was awarded another $25,000 by his sponsorship group for his effort and conduct throughout tournament week, a gesture that brought him to tears.

Update on 2008-01-26 03:18 by Geoff

Steve Elling profiles Kevin here.