Had To Be Done Files, Rookie To Weir Edition: #hangitupmike

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The second alternate at Harbour Town for the RBC Heritage, tour rookie Dawie van der Walt was a bit miffed to see sponsor's invite Mike Weir post a 78 and WD.

Weir is a neverending saga of injuries and short starts--24 weeks in a row with an MC or WD--a once great player sadly taking up a spot when he plays tour events these days. So I can understand the frustration of van der Walt, whose original Tweet disappeared.

And that's why we have Will Gray at GolfChannel.com to summarize the event, with some pretty stunning stats on Weir's recent run of futility.

"Gota (sic) love a guy who gets an invite into a Tour event and then WD after the first round," van der Walt wrote, closing his tweet with the hashtag, "#hangitupmike."

Van der Walt later backed off, sort of.

Video: Save Lions Municipal Golf Course

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The University of Texas has plans to bulldoze and develop the historic, important Lions Municipal course in Austin.

With the WGC Match Play set to play out at a lush country club course surrounded by high-end real estate and three-story corporate tents, there's something very unsettling knowing that a historically important muni, urban green space and starting point for Austin golfers is doomed. Especially since UT-Austin has the largest university endowment in America.

Here's a good film on the course. And a reminder, as I noted in the Forward Press, the Criquet gang hosts a fundraiser Friday to help raise money for the fight.

Rejoice! Austin Country Club May Favor No One In Particular

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I can't spot an obvious design bias after getting reacquainted with Austin Country Club. The inward nine features three par-5s that will allow the bombers to attack, but also features some par-4s and 3's that will reward the patient precisionist. And the impeccable putting surfaces look to be about 12 feet and have no shortage of contour, aiding the creative minds at this week's WGC Dell Match Play.

Throw in the matter that the event starts on a Wednesday at a course that only really Jordan Spieth has played extensively, and there seems to be no obvious bias. Phil Mickelson admitted to be a little behind in his course knowledge preparation (Ryan Lavner writes for GolfChannel.com), which is probably a view shared by most of the players and caddies.

All of this is why I revised my bracket tonight and backed down off of my Rory McIlroy win selection. Of course, as Jim McCabe presents at Golfweek.com, unpredictability is the essence of this event.

Not that McIlroy can't dominate the course or handle the greens. It's the wind. The course was exposed to a healthy breeze today and much more is in the forecast. And as much as I love McIlroy in match play making 7-8 birdies a round, I don't love him in strong winds on a short, tight Pete Dye course (yes he won at Kiawah, but he could hit driver there...ACC looks like a 4-5 drives per round course).

Spieth's vaulted into my top spot based on his local knowledge, good karma after suggesting he might turn to reading things printed on paper over social media, clearing the air with his caddie, and his love of match play.

BTW, if you haven't filled out a bracket in our league, you still have time!

A few images from the course this afternoon:

 

 

. @justinprose99 under watchful eye of @truegolfcompany & Mark Fulcher, par-5 14th Austin CC @dellmatchplay @pgatour

A photo posted by Geoff Shackelford (@geoffshac) on Mar 22, 2016 at 4:47pm PDT