Tour To Westwood: You'll Be Missed But The Fifth Of Four Majors Will Go On
/Somehow I'm not sensing they are worried about a sales dip in Ponte Vedra on the news that Lee Westwood won't be coming to The Players. Garry Smits reports:
Read MoreWhen you come to think of it that is the secret of most of the great holes all over the world. They all have some kind of a twist. C.B. MACDONALD
The Annual Anthony Kim-Snubs-Childhood-Hometown-Event-Update
/This is only fun to recall since it was Kim who complained about tournament directors not returning his calls, who received one of those calls and an invite to the 2007 Bob Hope in his hometown, and who now makes sure to pass on the event. Including this week, even though he's been spotted around town, reports John Strege.
Read MoreThe Mysterious Obsession With Playing 72 Holes At The Expense Of A Proper Conclusion
/I've long found great comedy in the PGA Tour's insistence that playing 72-holes, no matter how inconvenient and expensive, is essential to insuring that Indonesian tidal patterns and the London Tube remain on schedule.
Read More"Even in today's must-know everything culture, if pro golf's TV fortunes rise or fall on whether someone is miked up, that is a sign of greater problems."
/That's what Bill Fields says in today's Golf World Monday. He also writes:
TV could better utilize the mics already on course, and the tour mandate its players to do interviews during a round. The latter would give viewers more without taking away something from the stars of the show.
"Just get it up-and-down."
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If you watched the Sony Open finale you know Mark Wilson won by two thanks to a birdie on the last hole. It turns out the birdie wasn't necessary after Steve Marino missed his lengthy eagle putt, but as Doug Ferguson notes, Wilson did not know where he stood. I never know how guys do this, but it worked!
Wilson hit into a bunker and blasted out some 12 feet past the hole. But his par putt caught enough of the lip to fall, and he clutched his fist. Only later did Wilson reveal that he didn't look at a leaderboard, not wanting to think about anything but making birdies.
He asked his caddie as they walked toward the 18th green where they stood, and the caddied told him, "Just get it up-and-down." Wilson obeyed, pitching to 4 feet. The putt became easier when Marino missed his eagle.
Natalie, Don't Update Your Facebook Relationship Status Just Yet
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Dustin Johnson spoke to Doug Ferguson to clarify the rumors about his Sony Open WD and his fling with LPGA star Natalie Gulbis.Tom Kite Owes Camilo An Apology!
/At least, that's one takeaway from Frank Hannigan's excellent "Voices" contribution in this week's Golf World (story not posted) addressing the Camilo Villegas DQ following a viewer-reported violation. It seems that after Paul Azinger infamously improved his stance in a Doral water hazard in 1991, former Commissioner Deane Beman "ordained that one of his field staff would go into the TV production truck at the start of every telecast and monitor play from in front of a monitor."
Read More"In the age of blogging, Tweeting and podcasts, wearing microphones shouldn't be a big deal. I think it's worth a try."
/According to Sal Johnson in this uniquely conveyed disquisition, SI Golf Plus commissioned a counterpoint My Shot to Justin Rose's view that players should not wear wireless microphones. However, Ted Purdy's piece did not make the magazine and was buried at golf.com, but here it is.
Read MoreIntimacy Of Player-Caddy Relationship At Stake With Wireless Mics?
/Stephanie Wei talks to more players about their microphone-wearing reservations and, well, it's getting into a personal area for Matt Bettencourt.
Read More"We don't really like how the golf world is viewing these type of things, but at the end of the day, it is the players' responsibility to know the rules."
/Bob Harig reviews the politics and particulars of the Villegas DQ at Kapalua and asks the USGA's Mike Davis about reviews of the penalty of disqualification for signing an incorrect card.
Read More"The Tournament of Champions felt less like opening day than it did the first day pitchers and catchers report to camp."
/Rex Hoggard suggests that the Hawaii start to the PGA Tour season just isn't work, whether because of timing or energy or most likely, location.
Read MoreKapalua Ratings Up, Free Attendance Down
/Reader Robert emailed to ask about Hyundai Tournament of Some Champions ratings and Alex Miceli delivers the good news...
Read MoreJustin Rose Is Worried Other Players Will Borrow His Most Profound Strategic Insights
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He is this week's SI Golf Plus My Shot stand-in and he explains why he's against wearing a microphone."Rose didn't want the added distraction of feeling like he had to temper his emotions or get into a situation where he'd reveal his 'intellectual property.'"
/From today's SI roundtable on the topic of players wearing microphones.
Read More"At the time they signed their cards, their scores were correct."
/Sean Martin cuts to the chase on the signing "incorrect" card/DQ silliness. Now why won't the PGA Tour and USGA listen?
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