First Thing Rory Can Buy With His Nike Money: The Ryder Cup Crown Vic

In an Onionesque tale of bureaucracy, Marie Wilson says the village of Lombard wants to sell the 2005 Vic that got Rory McIlroy to Medinah on time, but first they have to get to the bottom of a scandal! 

This scary notion that Deputy Chief Pat Rollins drives the car to and from home in case he's called to a crime scene during his off-duty hours. Perish the thought!

Trustees continued discussions Thursday night, but did not come to a conclusion on whether Rollins should be allowed to drive his squad car back and forth between his home about 10 miles from the limits of the village. Village Manager David Hulseberg said the car used to transport McIlroy cannot be sold until trustees address those concerns and authorize the purchase of a replacement vehicle.

Flashback: HSBC Dude Was For Appearance Fees Before He Was Against Them

What's funny about HSBC's Giles Morgan lamenting Tiger and Rory's absence from his WGC event this week in China?

That Rory and Tiger committed (extremely) early to HSBC's January event in Abu Dhabi where they are undoubtedly receiving huge appearance fees? No.

That the Morgan has 13 of the top 20 in the world at the HSBC, and is unhappy, even though a field like that will make it one of the strongest fields of the year?

No, downright LOL funny: speaking on behalf of sponsors who are concerned about star players not teeing up every single week, Morgan apparently forgot that back in January he praised the very thing that is undermining his event this week.

Speaking to Bob Harig in his look at the role of appearance fees, Morgan was defensive about the notion of appearance fees "commercial arrangements" with some players:

"The commercial arrangements we have with some of the players is long seated,'' said Giles Morgan, group head of sponsorship for HSBC, which is in the second year of a five-year contract to sponsor this tournament. It also sponsors the WGC-HSBC Champions in China, as well as several other tournaments.

"Golf is a product and golf is a product particularly in new markets. And you have to ensure that the players are able to showcase what the sport is to the broader public. We are trying to take this sport to a new audience, which means that commercial arrangements are much more likely.''

Of course, such "commercial arrangements" are not allowed at a PGA Tour sanctioned event like the HSBC Champions.

Acushnet And McIlroy Announce Mutual Admiration, But No Future Together

They really, really like each other. Just not enough to continue working together. For Immediate Release...

ACUSHNET COMPANY AND RORY McILROY ANNOUNCEMENT

Fairhaven, MA (October 30, 2012) - Acushnet Company, which manufactures the Titleist and FootJoy brands, and Rory McIlroy, jointly announced today that McIlroy's relationship with Acushnet will not extend beyond December 31, 2012.  McIlroy has trusted Titleist and FootJoy equipment throughout his professional career that commenced as an 18-year old in September 2007.

"Our goal has been to provide Rory with the best equipment and service that would help him be the best player he could possibly be," said Wally Uihlein, Chief Executive Officer, Acushnet Company. "He has been a great ambassador for the Titleist and FootJoy brands, and in turn, we are proud of how our equipment has contributed to his success. We wish Rory all the best, both personally and professionally, going forward."

"I would like to thank Wally Uihlein and all of the tour staff and employees at Titleist and FootJoy for everything they have done for me since I turned professional in 2007,” said McIlroy.  "I have enjoyed five very exciting and successful years with the company and I will always appreciate the contribution Titleist has made in helping me become the player I am today.”

This is not a huge surprise given Acushnet's tradition of not severely overpaying one player to use their stuff (Davis Love exempted). But the mutual statement is unusual.

From Doug Ferguson's story:

Even as McIlroy was getting courted by other companies, Titleist did not put up a big fight. The company has a history of putting the brand before the player, as it did with Woods, Mickelson, David Duval after he reached No. 1 in the world and Sergio Garcia.

It prides itself on having the most tour players use its golf ball, though it also has some 80 players around the world under contract to use its golf balls and golf clubs. This year might have been particularly costly, however, especially with incentive clauses in the contracts. It had six players from the top 16 in the world as full staff players – McIlroy, Adam Scott, U.S. Open champion Webb Simpson, Jason Dufner, Steve Stricker and Nick Watney.

Update on 2012-10-30 16:02 by Geoff

**John Strege on Nick Faldo calling McIlroy's club switch "dangerous" during a "Morning Drive" appearance Tuesday.

"I've changed clubs and changed equipment, and every manufacturer will say, 'We can copy your clubs, we can tweak the golf ball so it fits you.' But there's feel and sound as well, and there's confidence. You can't put a real value on that. It's priceless."

Tiger: "Plus I've been struggling with Sean. Hitting my short irons so *&^%$# far."

I asked earlier if Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, who were obviously wearing microphones during their Monday exhibition, knew that their conversation could be heard. After watching this Golf Channel clip it's hard to believe Tiger thought this was going out live.

I base this assumption on the number of casual f-bombs that were dropped. (Deep, I know.)

You be the judge:

Update on 2012-10-30 20:01 by Geoff

**Bob Harig on Tiger's comments, included this:

It is no secret that, despite the progress Woods has made in the past year, the short irons have yet to come around. He often hits his approach shots just as close to the hole with his long irons as he does with the short ones.

For example, Woods ranks second on the PGA Tour this year in proximity to the pin from 175 to 200 yards, averaging roughly 30 feet from the pin. Yet, from 125 to 150 yards, he ranks 69th at roughly 22 feet.

Another way to look at it: He is first in greens in regulation percentage (65.13 percent) from 175 to 200 yards, but is only 115th (70 percent) from 125 to 150 yards.

Eavesdropping On Rory And Tiger: Were They Aware They Could Be Heard?

Mind you, I'm not complaining. But since the streaming feed of the Rory McIlroy vs. Tiger Woods "Duel at Jinsha Lake" wasn't streaming, I never heard any of the banter.

Thankfully, Ryan Lavner did, and recounts all of it.

The most awkward revelations:

On the 10th hole, Woods admitted to “struggling with Sean (Foley),” his swing coach, saying, “I’ve been hitting my short irons so (expletive) far.” He went on to explain how he rarely took a divot with his short clubs under former coach Hank Haney, but now, though, “all of a sudden, I’m thinking divots.”

Whoa Nellie!

Woods said he lost eight pounds last week in Kuala Lumpur, and that the heat was so suffocating, “it felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest. I had sweat dripping off my shirt when I was over the ball.” Apparently, he also lost his pin sheet on Saturday, which could help explain the third-round 69 that dropped him off the pace. (He eventually finished joint fourth.)

They couldn't get him a replacement pin sheet?

They talked scheduling. Woods noted that this was his first full season since 2005; that he likely will dial back his number of events next season; and that, post-British Open, U.S. players are plenty busy – maybe even too busy – with the FedEx Cup and all of the late-season jet-setting.

Problems, problems, problems!

Update on 2012-10-30 06:26 by Geoff

**The Golf Channel highlights.

Misquoted? Rory's Unofficial Olympic Flagbearing Invite

Tom Degun talks exclusively with Olympic Council of Ireland head Pat Hickey who famously said Rory McIlroy would be Ireland's 2016 Rio opening ceremony flagbearer if he committed to representing Ireland. Hickey is now saying he was misquoted and is claiming the writer in question has apologized to him.

"When he asked if Rory would be considered to carry the flag at the Olympic Opening Ceremony if he choose Ireland I answered: 'Of course he would, at the level he is at, he would be a strong contender.'

"But I explained that particular decision is never made until about a week before the Games.

"He then sold that story straight to the Daily Telegraph and the Irish Independent but with false comments.

"It spread from there.

"I never used the expression pole position that he used and I certainly never used that ridiculous line that this would make McIlroy more famous."

And...

"I contacted the journalist, who apologised to me, but it is terrible to be treated like that."

Degun does not include any comment from the Telegraph or writer Justin Doyle.

Rory Downplays Rumors Of Switch To Nike

From an unbylined AFP story, Rory McIlroy downplays but does not deny. At least, unlike his agent, he's heard the rumors.

"These rumours have been going around for years and it seems to always come up at this time of the year," McIlroy said at Lake Malaren Golf Club.

"I leave it up to Conor (Ridge, McIlroy's manager) to sort out as it leaves me to concentrate on my golf."