Nantz, Johnny Win In Popularity Poll Landslides

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Golfweek's informal online poll on golf telecasts is up and the closest race was for Best Announcer In An "Hmmm, that's interesting" Performance.

Which analyst is most likely to make you think, "Hmmm, that's interesting"?

Paul Azinger, ESPN   12.2%
Curt Byrum, Golf Channel   2.3%
Brandel Chamblee, Golf Channel   24.4%
Nick Faldo, CBS/Golf Channel   27.5%
Johnny Miller, NBC 33.5%

Of course Johnny won by an even bigger margin in the "remote throw" division.

But even better, fans want to see more shots. Another landslide.

What reason is most likely to make you turn off the TV?

Coverage focused too much on Tiger Woods   28.6%
Don’t see enough golf shots   45.7%
Find the commentators annoying   19.1%
Prefer watching sports other than golf   6.6%

“If you ask people who really know the rules and understand the ramifications they understand why the R&A and USGA don’t want to change it."

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Rex Hoggard helps us hone in on what will be the dilemma in modifying any rule related to scorecard DQ's. Talking to the USGA's Mike Davis, he writes:

Davis’ answer to the Tour was the same then that it is now – you can’t get there from here. At least not without opening a Pandora’s Box of unforeseen, and seen, problems.

“The whole reason the (Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, which governs the game everywhere else in the world) and USGA have rejected it is there are too many ramifications if you do that,” Davis said.

“If you gave Camilo a four-stroke penalty (instead of an early exit) the problem with that is you may all of a sudden mess up a cut. It could be the U.S. Amateur and you just played 36 holes of stroke play and your entire bracket (for match play) could get messed up. It would be illogical to make a change.”

"THERE ARE NO BUNKERS ON THIS COURSE"

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Nice reporting by Paul Casey to Tweet this week's Euro Tour declaration at the Royal Golf Club of Bahrain.

However, as Steve Elling notes on Casey's reporting and the likelihood he snapped the shot in the locker room, it's "where most players doubtlessly ignored it."

Has anyone played this Monty-design who can tell us why they would make this move?

"It’s the first time Woods has been ranked behind someone younger than him."

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Doug Ferguson offers one noteworthy observation for an otherwise minor story: Tiger's drop to No. 3 in the world ranking.

What’s more noteworthy about the world ranking, however, is it’s the first time Woods has been ranked behind someone younger than him. He turned 35 over the holidays.

Woods has known this day was coming, even when his game appeared untouchable. In time, there would be a player – or players, in this case – younger than him and not as intimidated.

Sure, there was a brief challenge from Sergio Garcia. Adam Scott reached as high as No. 3, and Paul Casey did the same a year later.

Now, the youth brigade is coming in bunches.

Ahead of him in the ranking is Kaymer, the 26-year-old German who won the PGA Championship last year to become the youngest major champion since Woods.

"Because our scatter value on television would go up, and that's why we like to have better ratings, because it is a value proposition."

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Commissioner Tim Finchem took a few minutes from his schedule to visit the Farmers Insurance Open press center. While some scribes were taken by the newsworthiness of several answers, I will contend that it was his concoction of a potentially life-changing b-speakism that should be the lede story.
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Tiger Picks The South Over The North

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At least, that's what Ed Zieralski is reporting in trying to figure out why Tiger's 11 a.m. North Course tee time was changed to the South.

Woods was scheduled to play the North Course at 11 a.m. in the Pro-Am, but has been switched to the South Course.

Word at the tournament was that Woods was very unhappy with his 11 a.m. tee time and the fact he was playing the North Course in the Pro-Am. Tournament officials switched him to the South, moving Charlie Wi to the North. Tee times are given out based on money earned the previous year. Woods finished 68th on the PGA Tour money list in 2010.

And in case you were (most likely) wondering, Mark Soltau explains why Tiger is no longer getting the first spot out in the pro-am.