RTJ Jr. Goes To The Whip In Olympic Course Designer Derby!**

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An unbylined AP story looks at the circus that has become the race to land the Olympic golf course design bid.

Robert Trent Jones Jr. visited Brazil this week and secured a spot in the race to build the course, joining a field that includes Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Nick Faldo, Seve Ballesteros, Greg Norman and others.

You know, I don't want to be cruel, but...Seve?

"The game of golf is in Brazilian hands," said Jones, who formed a partnership Wednesday with retired Brazilian golfing great Mario Gonzalez to vie for the Olympic course design work.

Nice touch. I was wondering when someone would sign Gonzalez up!

Uh, I was able to confirm a 1953 Argentine Open win for Mr. Gonzalez. I wasn't sure if it was 52 or 53. How the memory fades.

"We have dozens of designers interested in this course, the international reaction has been great," said Paulo Pacheco, the Brazilian golf confederation's vice president of marketing. "I think it's even possible that one of these designers will offer their work free of charge just because of the importance of having their name associated with this historic tournament."

Just remember that when they charge you a $1.5 million shaping fee!

"It’s serious enough that it scared me pretty well."

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As someone who recently had something removed that was less serious than Rory Sabbatini's skin cancer, I think it's great to see him using the situation to spread the gospel and perhaps starting a foundation to help the less fortunate. Oh, and he has a five shot lead going into Sunday's Honda finale, reports Larry Dorman:
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Sorry, Had To Turn The Spam Filters Back On

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The site was hacked again today and the spam has been relentless on older posts, so for a few days I'm going to have the comment posting filter switched back on that requires you to enter those swell letters before sharing your brilliant thoughts with the golfing world. New password on this end should help too.

Sorry about this!

Shoplifters Have Spoken: We Love Adjustable Drivers!

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Barry Leibowitz explains that "decaptitated" drivers are turning up in suburban Pittsburgh's finer Dick's Sporting Goods outlets.

Investigators believe the couple is re-using the stolen driver heads to make custom clubs - or selling the stolen heads to someone who is doing that. The clubs are marked for retail, but the security code is on the shafts so the couple can leave the stores with the stolen heads without triggering anti-theft alarms.
The heads on the TaylorMade and Callaway clubs are worth $300 to $400 each.

Someone else is getting the shaft.

 

"I blame the top players, and you know who I mean."

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Ron Sirak on Nick Price's tough words regarding the potential demise of the Heritage Classic following his Honda Classic second round.

"It's sad, really sad." Price said. "That's one of our great tournaments. And it's one of the great courses of all time we play on our tour." Indeed, since Arnold Palmer won the inaugural Heritage in 1969, the tartan jacket has been put on by Johnny Miller, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Nick Faldo, Bernhard Langer, Davis Love III, Greg Norman and Price in 1997.

"When I won there I was really on top of my game," Price said, "and I used every club in the bag. A lot of the golf holes today are taking strategy out of the game. You have that at Harbour Town. I really hope something can be done to save that tournament."

MGWA Clearly Out Of Families To Give Awards To!

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I'm going to guess you'll be able to spot which one stands out there...

The MGWA is pleased to announce the honorees for the 2011 National Awards Dinner: Ernie Els, the Winnie Palmer Award, for his foundation work on behalf of autism; CBS Sports broadcaster Jim Nantz, the Lincoln Werden Golf Journalism Award; Donald J. Trump Family, Family of the Year; Metropolis Country Club, Club of the Year; Nationwide Insurance, the Bing Crosby Tournament Sponsor Award; Mary Bea Porter-King, Distinguished Service Award.  

The Bear Trap Keeps The Slow Play Spotlight Shining!

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Even with turtles Crane, Holmes and Cink having WD'd from the Honda Classic, Thursday's winds and the atrocity that is PGA National conspired to give birth to 5 1/2 hour rounds in the morning and I believe, even a longer rounds in the afternoon. Play was halted at 6:25 with several groups still on the course.

Steve Elling writes:

In a steady 30 mph breeze, the scoring average through the partially completed opening round was 73.826 for the field, or a staggering 3.83 strokes over par, which is rarefied air indeed in PGA Tour circles.

The highest scoring at any tour-sanctioned event in 2010 came at the difficult U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, where players averaged 3.98 strokes over par for the week.

"It's U.S. Open-like conditions out there," said Nick Price, a three-time major winner, after shooting 70 on Thursday.

In tough conditions like today I find the pace less offensive. It's the 5 to 5 1/2 hour rounds when the weather is good that really speak to what a blight this has become.

Tiger Hints At Another Way Augusta Makes The Course Play Longer?

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The big takeaway from Tiger's CNN International interview with Shane O'Donoghue revolved around his suggestion that maybe he wasn't ready when he came back at Augusta last year. But I was fascinated by something he mentioned in responding to a question about whether the club will have to lengthen the course for today's bombers.

Note that he mentions the added length, the second cut, the cutting of the fairways toward the tee to slow balls down, but I don't recall anyone before saying that the fairway cut is a little longer, as he does here. He certainly would know and it's something I'm going to ask a few former champions about next week.

My number one observation from watching the 86 Masters today was how much more the tee shots roll when they hit the ground. It's great fun watching what the ball does on the ground, especially on 15 fairway.