Butch: No Love For My Man

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Thomas Bonk talks to Butch Harmon about the state of Phil Mickelson's game and like the swallows returning to Capistrano or Gary Koch uttering "just a moment ago," the talk predictably turns to his former student.

While Harmon is encouraged by Mickelson's progress, he's not so happy with Mickelson's critics, especially after Riviera. It's all about comparisons, Harmon said.

"When Tiger wins and doesn't play as well, or wins with his 'B Game' or 'C Game,' everybody talks about how courageous he is," Harmon said. "Phil wins the same kind of way and everybody says how lucky he is. Different strokes for different folks, I guess."

Obvious Butch does not read this site since I explored the very question of luck vs. courageous play at Riviera, and came down on the courageous side.

Stage Three In Stevie's Rebranding: Pose In Tank Top With Pitchfork

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Connell Barrett talks to Stevie Williams about caddying for Tiger Woods, Phil's complete understanding of the media spinning the truth and the epic wedge shot at Torrey's 18th.

This Golf Magazine piece follows his touching release of a rare bird that just happened to include a cameraman nearby and an NBC announcing gig.

On how he got to carry Tiger's luggage:

Then, in March 1999, Williams' phone rang again. It was someone claiming to be Tiger Woods. Woods had recently fired Mike "Fluff" Cowan, and Tiger wanted a veteran caddie who, in Williams' words, "could stimulate and extend him."

I knew they were close, but geeze. That description coupled with this photo accompanying the article might give some the wrong impression. Not that there's anything wrong with that!

Williams expects pandemonium when Woods returns, and he's ready to resume his role as the Tour's resident tyrant. "People have this image of me as a bully, but my job is to give Tiger a level playing field against 150 other players. We have more photographers and press following us than anyone. To those who criticize me, I say come walk with us through practice rounds, pro-ams, the whole week, and then tell me I'm a bully." Williams regrets kicking a photographer's lens at the 2004 U.S. Open and tossing a camera into a pond at the Skins Game. But be warned: If your shutter click-clicks in Tiger's backswing, your camera may join Luca Brasi. "Heaven help anyone who bothers my boss," Williams says.

On behalf of the blogosphere Stevie, we thank you in advance!

On calling Phil a prick and making up a story about a spectator making a comment that never happened:

"I made a mistake in a fun atmosphere," Williams says. "It was a joke taken the wrong way. I was having banter with a writer. I should not have said it. Tiger was not happy. I called Phil and spoke to him to clear the air. He was very sympathetic. He said, "Steve, I totally understand.' He's had his own problems with the media. So the matter is settled."

Isn't it always the media's fault? 

 

"The more Phil talks about Masters buildup, the more golf will become like tennis."

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I make a guest appearance on this week's SI/golf.com/Golf Mag/Time Inc./People Magazine mass market paperback to discuss all things golf.

I'd like your thoughts on the content of this exchange, starting with my comment:

It's also fascinating how the win here, the Match Play and everything else are clearly secondary to him behind The Masters. He's just repeated at Riviera, which used to mean something, and all he can talk about is how it was great to be in contention to prepare him for Augusta. And the Match Play? He says it's like six final rounds, which is great preparation for The Masters. I don't ever remember someone winning here and viewing it that way. Got to love his focus on the big prize, but it's not like this is a silly season event.

Van Sickle: That's more of the Tiger Effect. Only the majors matter to him, and therefore to the rest of us. The Hogan history at Riviera, and also at Colonial, has very little meaning for the players two generations removed. Too bad.

Evans: The more Phil talks about Masters buildup, the more golf will become like tennis. Can anybody remember watching tennis outside of the Grand Slams? Golf is headed in that direction, despite reports to the contrary from the Golf Channel.

Now I may be misinterpreting Phil's reaction because he gets very strange in the media interview room depending on who asks a question. And I will say his caddy Jim "Bones" Mackay was visibly thrilled by the win and made sure to grab the flag on 18 for his collection of winning 18th hole flags.

But what do you think of what Van Sickle and Evans had to say about the bigger picture issue of majors overshadowing tour events?

Greetings From L.A., Phil-Grinds-Out-A-Win-Edition

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The general malaise displayed by Sunday's Northern Trust field resulted from a return of the dreaded Beef Stroganoff cream-of-too-much-butter pasta in the media center dining room following a week of stellar menu options.  Players could sense post round interviews would come before a refluxing band of scribblers and therefore played tentatively throughout Sunday's gloomy but warm finale.

That's my theory anyway.

Phil Mickelson sprayed it around Riviera this weekend and has a 62-72 finish and second straight Northern Trust Open trophy to show for it.Phil Mickelson tees off on the 4th Sunday (click on image to enlarge)

You can look at his win two ways.

Behind door number one, you could say his ball striking is a mess and he was lucky to win. After all, how many times of you heard of a Hall-of-Famer hitting balls after a 62?

And behind door two, you could say that much like Tiger, Phil's a man among boys. He can be shaky with the ball striking, still post two over-par rounds, and go on to win a big time event on a course that exposes the slightest miscues.

I'm definitely voting for option two.

Fred Couples approaches the 1st hole Sunday as fans and photographers look on (click to enlarge)A similar conclusion could be drawn about Fred Couples, only his problems were on the greens (well, until the shank on 18). He outdrove Phil and Andres Romero several times and his overall iron play was stellar. Not bad for a 49-year-old part-time golfer.

As for the media center reports, Doug Ferguson does a nice job encapsulating a bizarre final day.

John Bush at PGATour.com shares some pretty impressive "With This Win" deals, including this one which should give Phil slightly more satisfaction than the 500 FedEx Cup points he picked up:

The win moves the left-hander out of a tie with Vijay Singh and into solo possession of 13th place on the all-time wins list.

Freddie's record isn't too shabby either:Andres Romero plays a remarkable recovery on No. 5. Note how far right he's lined up to compensate for the sidehill lie (click on image to enlarge)

Fred Couples, the 2009 United States Presidents Cup captain, made his 27th start at the Northern Trust Open a good one, finishing tied for third. His amazing record here includes wins in 1990 and 1992, as well as 25 made cuts, 19 top-25 finishes and 13 top-10 finishes.

Mickelson on 14 (click on image to enlarge)Helen Ross wonders if in spite of the win, if this is really the confidence booster Phil had hoped for.

Ferguson also notes that Couples was playing with a heavy heart, making his play that much more impressive.

Jim Achenbach does a beautiful job explaining why Riviera is such a great spectator course.

This reminds me how much I detest modern courses that are virtually unwalkable because they sprawl from one housing segment to another. Sometimes the ride from green to tee is longer than the ride from tee to green. In my mind, there is a disconnect in this design scheme. One hole never seems to flow naturally into the next.

One last Phil shot, the 9th tee shot (click to enlarge)Unless you are Walter Driver and Fred Ridley looking for validation of the change-courses-not-the-ball philosophy, don't read the rest of the column where Jim says that it's time for the governing bodies to start looking out for the Riviera's of the world, and then advocates...oh I can't even type it. And to think we could have bickered about this Jim!

Speaking of the ball going too long, I had heard from a marshal that Shigeki Maruyama was nailed in the back by an incoming range ball Saturday while he was in the 11th fairway...past the barranca. For those of you who don't know the course, this requires about a 330 yard carry.  A reliable source says Shigeki is still awaiting a show of concern/acknowledgment of pulse from the culprit, the one and only J.B. Holmes.No. 18 continues to be one of the great stages in the game (click to enlarge)

That's all for now, but I have a few more NTO posts to mop up with this week. For now, hope you enjoy the black and white images and other iphoto distorted stuff. As someone who loves the old imagery of L.A. Opens past, I thought it'd be nice to see 2009 the way tournaments used to look. And besides, it was a B&W kinda day Sunday, don't you think?

Greetings From L.A., 63-72-62 Edition

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A 5 a.m. wake up call afforded me the chance to:

(A) watch John Mutch set up the back nine so Phil Mickelson could torch it in 30 for a 62 to follow his 63-72

(B) check out the huge sucker hole location on No. 10 that Mutch thought might be too easy but, for a second year in a row, proved way too deceiving for the majority of today's bomb and think about the consequences later

(C) think long and hard about the need to compliment the first rate media food service with a small nap area here in our media hanger for these soft, overcast, muggy days after a nice hot lunch. I'm thinking clear booths like the radio people passed on using this week so we can all see who just couldn't stay away any longer and had to lie down.Phil Mickelson after missing his birdie try on 18 that would have tied the course record (click to enlarge)

The chances are slim since last year's pleas to restore the manual scoreboard on 18 were ignored. The chances will dim even further next year when PGA Tour Championship Management steamrolls over any semblance of non-corporate aesthetics and local flavor in favor of sterility, so I guess I'll just curl up under a tree next time sleep beckons.

Fred Couples tee off on No. 9 (click on image to enlarge)Thankfully the golf was lively today, with the overcast skies apparently making it easier for players to see, as Fred Couples talked about in his enjoyable post round press conference. The cloud cover added a little "stick" to the greens in Mutch's word as we drove around and boy did the players respond. Mind you the greens were still pretty firm but just a shade slower and receptive.

Now, I know I beat this 10th hole thing to death, but watching today and witnessing the nearly endless stream of mindless shots reminded me why it is so fun and vital in gauging a player's ability. Because Riviera's 10th consistently shines a big nasty light on the course management ineptitude of today's modern golfer (look how few layed up left with a sucker front hole location in the ShotLink image right).Shotlink dispersion chart for Saturday's third round play (click to enlarge)

Robert Allenby and Fred Couples were tied for the lead after 10 holes (click to enlarge)Ah but you'll say, note that Couples hit it way right off the tee, a big no-no for a veteran. I asked about that and he explained after the round. His comments might shed some light on why he has so much success at Riviera:

Q. Talking about your love of the golf course, and the great architecture, on 10, you laid up very far to the right. Can you talk about how you approach the 10th hole all the time, and why you played that shot today?

FRED COUPLES: I shanked that shot today. (Laughter).

But to be honest with you, every day I try and go further left than people think. And very rarely do I hit driver there.

But over the years, I've played it really, really well. And I try and go this way.

And today in my mind, I knew where the pin was and I tried to go further to the right and then I told myself even further, and I just kind of luckily was in the fairway. If it had gone another yard to the right in the rough, I would have had no shot. But I hit a great little 75yard shot in there to stop it. But that's a tough, tough hole.

To recap for the 8 milionth time, the strategy is simple: play left in some way, either driving the green or laying up and you will be okay. Right is DEAD!!

CBS's 10th hole graphic says it all (click to enlarge)Just check out the killer ShotLink graphic CBS ran today on the six years of stats compiled under the system.

As for Mickelson's incredible round, the 7 one-putt day on the back side was nice but I was most astonished by just how far he is hitting his tee shots. Since the USGA and R&A keep saying distance has been capped, Phil's comments were interesting:

Q. How much longer are you hitting it with your new driver than previous drivers?

PHIL MICKELSON: It's a noticeable difference for me. When I say noticeable, it's 12 yards. I mean, that's a big difference for me. Being able to get eight, nine yards for carry, that's a really big difference. I mean, usually it would be two or three yards and you would notice a difference. This is a big difference for me.

The biggest thing, though, is that I'm able to work shots, hit cuts, draws, low shots, rather than just one standard shot.

And finally in media center news, the turnout was cut by more than half with Ryo's departure, but that still didn't stop a modified sign from being posted for those who apparently chose to smoke in the portable toilets.Women's restroom sign at the media center (click to enlarge)

I wonder what PGA Tour Championship Management would make of that handmade sign?

2009 Northern Trust Photo Caption Fun, Vol. 1: Phil Confronts Marty!

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I was the lone (impartial) witness to this heated encounter--as you can tell by the intense stare down from Phil Mickelson--between renowned white belt wearer Phil and his top critic, Golf Digest fashion guru Marty Hackel following Saturday's third round.

It went something like this:

Phil: Marty, Bones tells me you were critical of my white belt.

Marty (gesturing wildly): Love the belt! I just think you should wear white shoes with it.

Phil: Oh that would be way over the top!

From there it spiraled with no-on-the-white-belt votes from Jim Mackay and Butch Harmon, who were supervising the rare post-round ball striking session. (Yes, he was hitting balls after a 62.) Mickelson then explained to Hackel where the white belt concept came from, and if I shared the story (A) you'd never in a million years believe what he said and (B) it would violate the writer-player driving range off-the-record agreement that I'm sure I signed off when I autographed my PGA Tour media regulations form.

But naturally, you are welcome to offer your fictional versions of this encounter. Tastefully, of course.

Phil To Marty Hackel: How About That Contrast!

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Defiant to the end, Phil Mickelson appeared Friday in his all black, white belt/hat ensemble that just weeks ago drew an all caps "DO NOT HAVE CONTRAST" observation from intrepid Golf Digest fashion guru Marty Hackel. I say the white belt does a wonderful job bringing out his upper arm-tan lines. Frankly, more offensive than the white belt may be the mariachi polo.

Kostis Says Mickelson Clearly Didn't Put Enough Off Season Time In; Phil Posts 63

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The analyst offered this CBS press release perspective on Mickelson's game before Phil torched Riviera with a first round 63.

The only thing consistent about Mickelson’s game right now is his inconsistency. Clearly he didn’t put enough time in preparing in the off-season. It seems like he would have found some answers. He is changing equipment almost weekly and it’s hard to really develop your golf swing when you always have different sets of iron and clubs in the bag. You need to pick something and stick with it…

Phil Laying Ground For Next Dave Pelz Tome: Reissue Of "How To Line Up Your Fourth Putt"

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Bob Harig on Phil Mickelson's early season struggles despite supposedly correcting a putting flaw:

Difficulty on the greens is what Mickelson pointed to last year, and he said he discovered a flaw along with coach Dave Pelz around the time of the Ryder Cup. Mickelson, seemingly cured, then missed a playoff by a shot at the Tour Championship and proclaimed that the offseason would be used to fine-tune a few areas with an eye on 2009.

But putting remains an issue. During Friday's round on the North Course, Mickelson missed eight putts inside of 6 feet and had 32 total in a round of 72. And just as Golf Channel analyst Nick Faldo was commenting on the shaky state of Mickelson's game during Sunday's final round, Lefty butchered the sixth green by 4-putting.

"I just didn't like the setup there last year. They had 1½-foot rough behind the 11th green."

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Bob Verdi files an entertaining Golf World column on the state of Phil Mickelson's game and outlook. I just loved this:

Portions of Mickelson's '09 agenda are established, but there are variables. The Memorial is not among the latter. "I have decided I definitely won't play there," he said. "I just didn't like the setup there last year. They had 1½-foot rough behind the 11th green." Mickelson recalls a sequence when he reached that picturesque par 5 in two with a 3-wood, only to watch as the ball released beyond and into the aforementioned vegetation. Upon hacking out, he was unable to hold his third shot on the green. "On the other hand," Mickelson went on, "Memphis is the week before the U.S. Open. So that's a possibility. I'll wind up with 20 or 21 tournaments, like I usually do."

Jack: he's picking Memphis over Memorial. Is putting the players in place with the tall stuff working for you?

Reports: Stevie Williams To Spend Next Ten Years Impersonating Marcel Marceau

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...that's because he appears to have a wonderfully forgiving boss. One who used to have a no-exploitation policy for his last looper who was canned for giving too long of an interview to Golf Digest (as Larry Dorman notes in his NY Times story).

Doug Ferguson chiming in for the Associated Press, and therefore, most publications:

Tiger Woods said Monday he was disappointed by his caddie’s disparaging comments in New Zealand newspapers about Phil Mickelson, whom Woods referred to as a “player I respect.”

Steve Williams was quoted in the Taranaki Daily News as saying he wouldn’t call Mickelson a great player “because I think he’s a (expletive).” Contacted by the Sunday Star Times, Williams confirmed making the comment.

“I was disappointed to read the comments attributed to Steve Williams about Phil Mickelson, a player that I respect,” Woods said in a statement. “It was inappropriate. The matter has been discussed and dealt with.”

Ferguson goes on to detail the past tiffs and other oddball moves by Williams, but neglects to mention his thrillingly entertaining race track meltdown!

What isn't explained in the story or any other is how Tiger addressed this with Phil Mickelson. Reader DGS emailed wondering if Tiger's "dealt with" comment includes calling Phil to apologize for his caddy? Maybe that'd be a good question for Wednesday's press conference.

Of course so would the termination question. Which Lawrence Donegan says is likely out of the question:

The world No1 was the best man at Williams' wedding in New Zealand and in a world where player-caddie relationships are notoriously transient the two men appear to have a permanent and close friendship.

Steve Elling files a must read with too many one-liners to copy here. Amid his entertaining dissection, Elling slips in this key point which can't be overlooked:

Imagine the thermonuclear holocaust that would have ensued if a comparable statement had come from Mackay about Woods.

Several have said Phil should not have responded at all by issuing the statement. However, Elling's point is exactly why Mickelson and his media guru T.R. Reinman made the right move. This story would have died had they not put the statement out. And if team unity means anything in the Cup world, the comments needed to be heard by all because Williams must not be a part of future Ryder and Presidents Cups (assuming he is still by Tiger come Cup-time).

Speaking of Tiger, who you almost feel sorry for him if it weren't for all of the previous warning signs that Mt. Stevie would blow, Elling paints this beautiful image:

It's not difficult to imagine how Woods is processing all this. He probably has a resigned look on his face similar to when playing partner Mickelson, at the Ryder Cup matches in Detroit four years ago, whacked a tee shot so far offline, it landed stone dead against a chain-link fence. This is a decidedly different brand of alternate shot. A cornerman is involved, too.

And as much as I'm touched by wonderful sportsmanship in the game, I have to side with Jason Sobel, who says this incident and the tension between the two best American golfers does nothing to tarnish the sport. In fact, it only helps generate interest.

Woods and Mickelson will never be confused with best friends -- their interpersonal gigglefest three years ago notwithstanding -- and that's not such a bad thing for the state of the game. In fact, it could make it all that more entertaining, knowing that each player wants to win a given tournament as much as he wants the other to lose. Such emotion instills passion on the course and ensures there will be greater drama between the players when they next tee it up together.

And Ron Kroichick in the San Francisco Chronicle agrees, delving into an interesting comparison with Nicklaus and Palmer's relationship.

It's difficult to digest all this middle-school name-calling without A) chuckling at the whole silly, entertaining spectacle, B) imagining Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus engaging in a similar feud in the 1960s and C) realizing this makes the 2009 season all the more alluring.