Q&A With Dan Jenkins, Vol. 3

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Tuesday marks the paperback release of Jenkins At The Majors, a compilation of Dan's favorite write-ups from golf's majors. As he did the last two years (here and here), Jenkins answered the questions via email on the eve of 2010 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach.

GS: I know you've been distracted by the looming World Cup, but we are returning to Pebble Beach for the U.S. Open. What do you like most about the place?

DJ: Club 19 in the Lodge is what I used to like best. After that, it's 7, 8,  9, and 10. Great stretch of holes. Right up there with Amen Corner. 8 and 9 are particularly immortal. Did I once name that stretch Abalone Corner? 


GS: Pebble has produced a Hall of Fame winner every time it's hosted a major, does this mean we're due for a drone?

DJ: Pebble is probably due for a drone. Every great course gets one; sometimes more. Oakmont has it's Sam Parks Jr., Oakland Hills has its Steve Jones, Olympic has its Jack Fleck, and Baltusrol has its, well, Baltusrol.


GS: Who do you think will end up with more post-car accident major wins, Hogan or Woods?

DJ: Hogan won six majors after his accident. If Tiger Woods tops that, the good news is, I'll be dead and won't see it.


GS: You wrote that Tiger could "come back and even win again, if he man's up, but if he does he will only be a hero to the 'you-da-man' and 'get-in-the-hole' crowd. And I can't imagine him coming back as a 'humbled man.'"  How do you view his comeback thus far?

DJ: So far, his comeback is a total failure. And compared to Hogan's, it's laughable. Ben tied for the LA Open 11 months after he almost got killed, won the Greenbriar in May and the Open in June. All Tiger has done is hold a staged press conference in front of employees and hired weepers.


GS:  Phil Mickelson now has more green jackets than your man Hogan. What say you Ancient Twitterer?

DJ: Phil may have three Augustas to Hogan's two, but Ben geared his game toward U. S. Opens, of which he has five, counting the one in wartime, while Phil has a record 5 runnersup, cornering the market on silver. But I like Phil and root for him. He's good with us print guys. And he likes me. I like people who like me.


GS: So in the era of layoffs, downsizing, shrinking expense accounts and the overall demise of print, how's Jim Tom Pinch getting by?

DJ: Jim Tom is glad he lived and worked in a better world. And he has little sympathy for dying newspapers. They started digging their own graves by being spineless and politically correct.

Final word. Sorry Jenkins at the Majors is coming out in paperback before I had a chance to include Tiger's press conference for the hired weepers.

"This is a big deal not just for Augusta State but for the city of Augusta, Ga."

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It's a shame the NCAA golf championships aren't televised, because after reading Ron Balicki and Ryan Herrington's game stories and watching the Golfweek highlight reel, it looks like the match play format would make good television. Especially when Augusta State and it's well-spoken mix of American and European players knocks off big, bad Oklahoma State.
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Isn't It Great Having Jack In The Booth?

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CBS's normal nap-inducing telecast has been livened up by Jack Nicklaus's presence during the Memorial final round. Naturally I loved his snide remark about the golf ball not going any longer after Phil Mickelson drove the 14th, but I couldn't tell if Nick Faldo was needling Jack or simply obvious when he brought up Seve and the Champions exhibition at St. Andrews. Thoughts?
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"Ridiculous"

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I'm still trying to understand Paul Lawrie's eight-putt and whether it was induced by a faulty hole location at Celtic Manor (thanks reader Brian for this).

A sixth birdie of the day was his hope at that point, but after splashing out 20 yards past the flag his first putt rolled off into a hollow.

He needed three attempts to get back up, then from 20 feet beyond the cup he putted back down the slope and took three more from there.

"Ridiculous," he said after signing for a 74 and making plans to fly home to Aberdeen. Asked if the blame lay with him or the pin placing the 41-year-old replied: "Bit of both.

"I hit the first putt about a foot out. When you do that from 60 feet and you end up where I was then that's a bit silly."