Marty Hackel: All-White Is The New White!

Golf Digest's fashion guru weighs in on the various fashion statements made during the Masters.

And he weighs in on the much talked about Luke Donald Saturday outfit:

While I thought it was solid, many had the opinion that it belonged either undercover or out at the Hamptons.

"The MC asks Woods a series of meaningless and soft questions before pulling out a piece of paper that contains 'questions submitted by the media'. This is not a good sign."

Ron Sirak writes about Tiger's promotional swing to Asia and what it means about his relationship with sponsors.

Tim Noonan of the South China Morning Post was one of the media invitees and tells (reg. required) quite a harrowing tale of how the "press conference" was structured.

When I finally arrive I'm encouraged to see there are numerous media all ready to work. Personally, I didn't spend the week clearing out mantle space for the Pulitzer, but I do need to know if he thinks he can still win a tournament with his B game, despite the plethora of young hungry talent out there. The MC asks Woods a series of meaningless and soft questions before pulling out a piece of paper that contains "questions submitted by the media". This is not a good sign.

"Nike is one of the fastest growing golf companies in the world. Why do you think that is and can you tell us more about your relationship with Nike?" I get that sick-to-my-stomach feeling as this proves to be the hardest question of the lot and I'm told there will be no questions from the floor. But again I know nothing about marketing so I think it's fair to ask, you brought all of us here today for this? Because this is about as much a press conference as the selection of Hong Kong's chief executive is an election. I ask a guy named Cheung from Guangzhou who works for QQ.com, a massive mainland website, if he or any of his colleagues submitted questions. "None of us were asked," he says. "That press conference was 45 minutes of nothing. It was embarrassing."

I am astounded and clearly need a marketing lesson. Was this all a ploy to get me to denigrate Tiger, arguably the most famous and infamous person in the world, and question whether he has any shame at all? Does he honestly think someone here in the Chinese media stayed up all night racking their brains trying to figure out what they would ask him and then show up to submit a question about his relationship with Nike? Well, clearly he does because Tiger answers the question with such earnestness and vigour that the only thing missing is for him to utter, "Gee, you guys ask some good questions."

And Noonan's main point: after a strong Masters golf course performance, getting to watch a Woods promotional presser in person provided a wake-up call.

All that positive mojo and you are going to force me to write that as far as he is concerned Woods behaves like he owes you and I absolutely nothing and as far as I am concerned that's perfect because absolutely nothing is exactly what you get? Honestly, I'm begging you marketing geniuses of the almighty swoosh - don't make me write this! Because so far the only lesson you and your man have taught me is that when it comes to Tiger Woods, class is non-existent.

Meanwhile, I'm not sure what's more fun in John Feinstein's latest jabs at Barry Bonds and Tiger (thanks reader JohnB for the link): the Tiger stuff or the jabs at Feinstein's sometimes-employer, Golf Channel.

His new thing is to say he can’t change his schedule and can’t play more golf because he needs time with his children. It’s a good line—one that’s tough to argue with. Of course it doesn’t explain why he was seen in The Bahamas gambling a few days before going to Augusta; then, after nine days in Augusta, jumped on a plane to go to China to sell Nike product a few minutes after his last blow-off line to Macatee.

Look, you want to go to the Bahamas and have fun—go for it. You want to be a Nike salesman and go halfway around the world—heck, maybe it’s in your contract. But DON’T do those things and then try to tell us how much you miss your kids. In fact, during an infomercial last Thursday on Golf Channel (which posed as an ‘interview,’) during which viewers had to sit and listen to the president of Nike golf pitch the new spring products right there on-camera with Tiger, co-host Erik Kuselias, trying to make the interview at least semi-legitimate, asked Woods about being away from his kids so much.

“That’s why Skype is so great,” Tiger said with a straight face. “It’s almost like being there.”

I am not a crook.

I didn’t know what I was putting in my body.

Skype is just like being there.

"The couple said they're selling partly because Susan, who oversees interior design for all their homes, is ready for a new project."

Thanks to Mike O'Malley for Tweeting Candace Jackson's Onionesque WSJ story on noted sandbagger Billy Walters selling one of his seven homes. In this case, the $29 million Carlsbad lovenest.

Situated on a quiet surfing beach, it's one of eight homes the couple has owned in the area over the years. The couple said they're selling partly because Susan, who oversees interior design for all their homes, is ready for a new project.

Home sweet home!

And talk about romantic...

The office is where the couple spend the majority of their time. Mr. Walters and his wife have adjacent desks facing an 85-inch television mounted above a built-in Brazilian-walnut-driftwood wall panel. It's also home to what Mr. Walters calls his mascot—a sculpture of a football referee. "It reminds me that the most important thing in our life is to have fun and keep things light," he said.

If you really want to know more, you can still watch the 60 Minutes fluff piece on Walters.

Post Na-16 Analysis: "Validation that they're finally offering a major-league course as a foundation for growth."

That's Richard Oliver's claim after Kevin Na's 16 went viral and brought great publicity to the Valero Open.

For tournament officials, who have long worked to position the Texas Open as a major-league event, it was validation that they're finally offering a major-league course as a foundation for growth.

For Valero Energy Corp., entering the final year of its title sponsorship deal, it was a welcome, unexpected spotlight for its brand — and perhaps a talking point for pending negotiations.
"We thought from the very beginning that this course was designed to test the best players," Tony Piazzi, head of Golf San Antonio, said Saturday of the Greg Norman-designed AT&T Oaks. "I think you're seeing that."

Friday offered another stark example when a brutal north wind raked the 7,435-yard layout, turning holes built specifically to accommodate seasonal south winds into maddening and often unfair challenges.

When the average scores soared to the highest levels against par in three seasons on the PGA Tour, it was a seismic development that officials hope will resonate with players not on site this week.

Uh, yes it will! Not in the way you probably hope.

The message: The Texas Open is no longer being decided on the pitch-and-putt Resort Course at La Cantera. These days, at AT&T Oaks, there just might be pain.

Judging by your comments and based on the tendencies of PGA Tour players to avoid courses that make them look or feel like fools, I'm guessing Oliver's suggestion will not be reinforced by an improved field next year.

Regarding the incredible coverage of Na's 16 (front page NY Times, Sportscenter acknowledging the PGA Tour, Jumbotron screenings at baseball games), this week's SI Confidential has an amusing rundown capped off by a beautiful comebacker from Van Sickle.

Insomniacs Rejoice: Q&A With George O'Grady

I've scanned Leslie Wilson's Q&A with European Tour honcho George O'Grady twice now and I'm convinced it's actually Watson, the IBM computer developed to answer Jeopardy questions. If anyone finds something remotely interesting or informative, please let me know. The only semi-eye-opening moment:

What is your take on the current state of golf worldwide?

Golf is in a healthy state at present but none of us in the game should be complacent.

Grass-roots golf must be considered a priority as golf continues to be a more global and accessible game.

The youth of the game is the future — we all have to leave a legacy for the youngsters to carry the baton. With The Ryder Cup, golf in the Olympics and growth in all our Tours these are exciting times for golf.

2011 Valero Open Final Round Open Thread

I won't be watching but if you are, please enlighten us should anything exciting happen!

17-Year-Old Manassero Wins Again!

From an unbylined AP story on Matteo's latest European Tour win before 18 in a field that included McIlroy and Kaymer.

Manassero, who became the European Tour’s youngest winner with his victory at last year’s Castello Masters, said it was “just fantastic” to earn another trophy before turning 18.

“It was tough,” he said. “The course is really tight and all the players were doing good and playing well. It’s just not easy to concentrate, especially to stay calm.”

McIlroy, who had to take a nearly 30-hour flight to Malaysia and arrived only a day before the tournament began, looked visibly tired during the final round, despite maintaining his smile for the huge crowd swarming around him.

However, his caddy ran out of patience when some spectators ignored the ban on taking photos while players were teeing off and asked officials to confiscate some of the cameras.

Kostis On Tiger: "It is his prerogative to answer questions any way he wants to."

John Huggan talks to Peter Kostis for the Sunday Scotsman golf column and I'm dividing this in to two posts because both are hot topics that will require their own analysis.

Here, Kostis is talking about his 2010 interview of Tiger following the final round of the Masters.

"Anyway, with Tiger last year I tried to ask open-ended questions that would give him an opportunity to go wherever he wanted with his answers. He chose, in my opinion, incorrectly. It would have been appropriate to say the fans were great, that Augusta National is wonderful and that the Masters is his favourite tournament. Whatever. But that scenario wasn't meant to be. He was just angry because he hadn't won.

"I tried to help by saying that he had made mention of trying to control his emotions and behaviour on the course but, until he holed out for eagle on the seventh hole, I had seen nothing from him emotionally. At that, he bit my head off. His feeling was that he was hitting it so badly he wasn't going to show much emotion. Which is fine. It is his prerogative to answer questions any way he wants to."

That's right. And as in this year's lame interview with Bill Macatee, the questioner gave a man who had expressed in several public apologies/pleas for forgiveness a desire to "change." These interviews provided the opportunity to show his new and improved self and he ably demonstrated both times that in fact he had changed. For the worse.

And as Kostis says, that's Tiger's prerogative. It's just not a recipe to winning back fans or lucrative endorsement deals.

About Time: ESPN Policy Precludes Announcers From Blatant Conflict-Of-Interest Endorsements

You can read ESPN EVP Norby Williamson's blog post here on the new policy banning talent endorsement deals related to equipment and apparel in any way tied to the sports ESPN covers.  From Tom Hoffarth of the LA Daily News:

On the ESPN corporate blog, Williamson also wrote the move comes after "some recent fair public criticism focused on select ESPN commentators" and ESPN also will be more transparent by reporting all of its broadcasters' endorsement deals on ESPN.com. The decision also will end Scott Van Pelt's relationship with Titleist, and a Nike deal with "College GameDay" crew Kirk Herbstreit and Lee Corso.

Will CBS and NBC follow suit?

I also wonder how ESPN will deal with this during the Masters next year when another network's announcers broadcast the event for them?