It's A Scarf, It's A Keffiyah, It's A Snood: New World No. 1's Neckware Generates Much Needed Semantics Debate

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I would have though Marty Hackel's pronouncement of scarf would have made this established case law, but apparently there is still some question about what to call new world No. 1 Martin Kaymer's neck embellishment during Saturday's match play.
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Cary Grant Estate Calls: Martin, We Want Our Scarf Back!**

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You have to admire the bold fashion move by Martin Kaymer, especially since he has been vehemently opposed to stripes, patterns or anything else that a good anal-retentive German would oppose.

Still, it was a shock to see his cold weather, uh, accoutrement, during Saturday's match play. Maybe a gift from his recent Middle East appearances?

In case you were wondering, Kaymer got a thumb's up from Golf Digest fashion man Marty Hackel:

"At this stage - without a contract for 2012, without a word from PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem or the Accenture high command - paranoia creeps in."

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Greg Hansen notes the uncertainty surrounding the Accenture Match Play's future at Dove Mountain.

When the Tucson Conquistadores aggressively chased the Match Play event, then located in Carlsbad, Calif., it wasn't much of a secret. Conquistadore Russ Perlich, who was also a PGA Tour board member, estimated he flew to the tour's Florida headquarters "umpteen times" over several years to broker the deal.

About 18 months before leaving golf-saturated Southern California, the Match Play people scouted potential sites in Las Vegas, the greater Phoenix area and in Santa Barbara, Calif. It settled on Tucson for five reasons: climate; the Conquistadores; a 60-year history of community support for the Tucson Open; the promise of a new golf course, designed by Jack Nicklaus; and an on-site hotel built by Ritz-Carlton.

It seemed to be enough to please the golf people for at least 10 years, but business is business, right?

Five Guys: The Game Is Tiger And Tiger Is The Game!

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My already low expectations were not exceeded by Golf Channel/NBC on Golf Channel's roundtable from Arizona featuring Johnny, Faldo, Brandel, Roger and Dan Hicks. The first 17 minutes were devoted to Tiger, followed by tour talk, and topped off by a tiny last segment glossing over the state of the game. Hardly shocking, but ultimately why the Golf Channel still doesn't have the full attention of avid golfers the way, say, Tennis Channel and lively commentary makes it must-see-TV for their hardcore fans.
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Where Would You Take The Match Play?

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It's sounding more and more like the WGC Accenture Match Play will be leaving Tucson's Ritz Carlton Dove Mountain Resort and Cholla Nursery sooner than later. Accenture is not thrilled with the place and we know how the players, media and fans feel about the Nicklaus course that was designed for this event and yet somehow manages not to include much in the way of charm of memorability.
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Day One WGC Match Play This And That

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All 32 matches are summed up at PGATour.com and the current bracket is here.

Jim McCabe files notes on the highlights from day one while Gary Van Sickle says Tiger's loss wasn't much of an upset. He also offers day two predictions.

Besides reporting on the pathetic pace of the Poulter-Cink match, Doug Ferguson's notes include this on Jason Day's savvy gamesmanship in his win over K.T. Kim.

"I made the choice to walk in front of him all the time, to be in front of him, just to show him that I was there, show him that I'm still around, instead of walking behind him and him being in front," said Day, a 3-and-2 winner.

"So, it was a little bit of a tactic to say, 'I'm still here, I'm still going to fight and I'm going to try and win as good as I could.'"

Steve DiMeglio points out that it was not a great day for the elite American players.

The Americans had four of the top 10 seeds at Dove Mountain, and Mickelson is the only one left. Matteo Manassero (FSY), the 17-year-old Italian, became the youngest winner in this tournament with a 2-and-1 victory over eighth-seeded Steve Stricker (FSY), while Jim Furyk (FSY) (No. 10) continued his struggles in losing to Ryan Palmer (FSY), who was making his Match Play debut.

In previewing the obvious match of day two (Mickelson v. Fowler), Randall Mell quotes Phil as saying he's well rested in part because of his daily jet commute during the L.A. and Pebble Beach stops.

Jim Moriarty suggests that the wackiest match crown belongs to the Els-Overton battle.