Did Anyone See This Happen?
/Any viral videos out there of Tiger shank-plunking Mail on Sunday shutterbug Mark Pain's Nikon? The shot is an epic though, either way.
I thought it was nice of his paper to post the shots of him walking away in shame!
In golf construction art and utility meet; both are absolutely vital; one is utterly ruined without the other. GEORGE THOMAS
It’s back!
Twenty years later Tatra Press has kindly allowed me to bring back Grounds For Golf now that golf architecture is of more interest to the masses. A new Introduction looks at what’s driven the interest growth and two new chapters I had a blast adding (plus a few edits to keep things up-to-date).
The Amazon purchase page for the book arriving June 15, 2026.
Not All Bunkers Have Become Hazardless
/As 28-year-old Timothy Hudson found out when he took his Land Rover out on Westward Ho! You'll be shocked to know seven pints were to blame. Thanks to reader Chris for this.
Read MoreNY Times Stinker On Tiger Effect
/Ken Belson and Richard Sandomir filed a New York Times story on Tiger's effect on the golf economy and laid this egg:
Read MoreMonty Finally Gets His Major Win, Brace Yourselves!
/I can't wait to read the slobbering UK writers! By the end of the week they'll be declaring him fit for the Prime Minister's seat someday soon!
Read More2010 Ryder Cup Monday, Open Thread
/If you think I'm getting up at 1 a.m., think again. The DVR is set for USA network and with the fast forward button at my finger tips, I should be caught up by 4 a.m....after the 3 a.m. alarm goes off!
Over/under on when the Americans are closed out? I'm setting the line at 8:05 a.m. ET.
Monday Singles Pairings Set**
/A lot of great matches but no made-for-marketing matchups. Interesting that Tiger, Fowler and Mickelson are in the spots post-Brookline where you try to hide your rookies or slugs from the week. Not that I suspect anyone would disagree with the Captain's placing of them there. He needs wins early!
4:05 a.m. – Steve Stricker (U.S.) vs. Lee Westwood (Europe)
4:17 a.m. – Stewart Cink (U.S.) vs. Rory McIlroy (Europe)
4:29 a.m. – Jim Furyk (U.S.) vs. Luke Donald (Europe)
4:41 a.m. – Dustin Johnson (U.S.) vs. Martin Kaymer (Europe)
4:53 a.m. – Matt Kuchar (U.S.) vs. Ian Poulter (Europe)
5:05 a.m. – Jeff Overton (U.S.) vs. Ross Fisher (Europe)
5:17 a.m. – Bubba Watson (U.S.) vs. Miguel Angel Jimenez (Europe)
5:29 a.m. – Tiger Woods (U.S.) vs. Francesco Molinari (Europe)
5:41 a.m. – Rickie Fowler (U.S.) vs. Edoardo Molinari (Europe)
5:53 a.m. – Phil Mickelson (U.S.) vs. Peter Hanson (Europe)
6:05 a.m. – Zach Johnson (U.S.) vs. Padraig Harrington (Europe)
6:17 a.m. – Hunter Mahan (U.S.) vs. Graeme McDowell (Europe)
Update on 2010-10-04 04:01 by Geoff
**Tim Dahlberg's not a fan of Pavin's strategy, though I'm not really sure what else the man could have done based on the play of Woods and Mickelson.
Surprise might be an understatement for Pavin's decision to put Woods out eighth in the day and Mickelson two pairings later. It's almost like the taciturn U.S. captain looked at Woods' balky swing and Mickelson's lousy putter and decided they had little chance of giving him points anyway.
But emotions are everything in the Ryder Cup, and relegating the best two players in the world to support roles can't do much to inspire a U.S. team that kicked away any realistic chance of winning Sunday afternoon after briefly rallying to make it a contest. By the time Woods and Mickelson make the turn Monday, the Europeans might already be celebrating in front of crowds who care as much about this competition as they do.
Steve Elling on what the U.S. faces:
In his past four Ryder appearances, Lefty has managed two victories in 17 matches. Seemingly mindful of the struggles of Woods and Mickelson, Nos. 1-2 in the world ranking, Pavin front-loaded his singles lineup for Monday with veterans Stricker, Cink and Furyk, but left Woods and Lefty in the eighth and 10th slots.
"There have been special days and we are going to need another one," Mickelson said.
He's referring to the rally at Brookline in 1999, which absolutely nobody has forgotten. Sorry to say for the Americans, that goes double for the Euros.
"Other than coming close in a couple of majors, that is easily the most upset I have ever been at Brookline, so I will be impressing that on everyone tonight," Westwood said. "I have never seen grown men cry like they did after that loss at Brookline and we had a bigger lead then than we do now."
2010 Ryder Cup Sunday Open Thread
/Sorry I didn't get this up sooner so that we could discuss NBC's broadcast of commercial breaks broken up by intermittent moments of golf.
Read MoreIt's Almost As If NBC Wants To Finish On Monday!
/A few readers emailed to ask me about Sunday morning's television times in the U.S. and since NBC doesn't sound out press releases updating folks on this, I looked to their own site and noticed they have done their best to jinx Sunday's play:
Read More"Who are you, who are you?"
/John Huggan looks at the future well-being of the Ryder Cup and says it faces major issues due in part to the PGA Tour's apathy toward the event. Therefore, he notes the presence of a certain man all week on the first tee. Huggan calls it hypocrisy, I think that's strong. More like stunning audacity.
Read More2010 Ryder Cup Day Two AFTERNOON Open Thread
/The matches, with the U.S. leading 6-4:
FOURSOMES:
10:45 a.m. – Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker, U.S., vs. Luke Donald and Lee Westwood, Europe.
10:57 a.m. – Zach Johnson and Hunter Mahan, U.S., vs. Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy, Europe.
FOURBALLS:
11:09 a.m. – Jim Furyk and Dustin Johnson, U.S., vs. Padraig Harrington and Ross Fisher, Europe.
11:24 a.m. – Bubba Watson and Jeff Overton, U.S., vs. Peter Hanson and Miguel Angel Jimenez, Europe.
11:39 a.m. – Stewart Cink and Matt Kuchar, U.S., vs. Edoardo Molinari and Francesco Molinari, Europe.
11:54 a.m. – Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler, U.S., vs. Ian Poulter and Martin Kaymer, Europe.
Cink's Lunch Break Proves Slow Play Policy Is On Hold
/Stewart Cink's sandwich break prior to his huge birdie putt on 17 of the morning foursome match against McIlroy-McDowell appeared to be a blatant slow play move and confirmation that the Captain's agreed-upon slow play policy was a farce.
Read More2010 Ryder Cup Day Two Open Thread
/
I'll be resting comfortably when play (hopefully) resumes on Saturday, also known as Purple Cardigan Saturday for the U.S. team!
It's going to be a long day so pace yourselves, but night owls and early risers, I do expect to rise at 5 a.m. Pacific time to the sounds of Dan, Johnny and many updates on the completion of session one!
A Few Day One Ryder Cup Ledes
/Doug Ferguson for AP:
Only in the Ryder Cup can so little golf produce so much drama.
Larry Dorman for the New York Times:
Once the rain stopped falling, after a 24-hour downpour that would have drowned most golf events, putts started falling at Celtic Manor and the 38th Ryder Cup sprang to life on Friday — before taking t
Leakage And Rain Gear
/
Look, they should have had Gore-Tex no matter how wretched the company may be. But I got to thinking tonight in watching some of the action again: have you ever seen a rainsuit that had a bunch of stripes, lettering and other stitching? Why of course not because that might compromise the thing.
