When you come to think of it that is the secret of most of the great holes all over the world. They all have some kind of a twist. C.B. MACDONALD
Oh before you get upset that I'm stating the obvious--Tiger's a gimp with his clubs collecting dust and niece Cheyenne is on course to possibly win a USGA event--but it still had to be said. If nothing else, to speak to Cheyenne Woods' continued stellar play.
Thanks to reader Tim for the heads-up on the U.S. Open Champion making an appearance tonight on CNN's Piers Morgan show at 9 ET/6 PT.
It's always fun to read a well done player profile, especially when the player is interesting and his story is bound to have men in Oxford's running around PGA Tour offices trying to figure out the spin.
So while all the stuff Dave Shedloski tells us about in the Robert Garrigus story--Memphis last year, the 2011 U.S. Open and his struggle with addiction--these are the comments bound to be brought up the next time Tim Finchem claims that PGA Tour pros are all angels and drug testing was unnecessary.
For you Wall Streeters who read this stuff everyday, I know the euphemisms don't entertain you as they do for neophytes like yours truly. Anyway, George Fellows is out, Tony Thornley is in and the, gulp, headcount is going to be reduced.
Mike O'Malley notes that it's the 10th anniversary of Pete Farricker's passing. The former equipment editor for Golf Digest was one of the game's great characters. I had the privilege of working with Pete on a project for the 1995 PGA Championship program and loved talking about the game with him. Worth reading if you didn't know the man is Jerry Tarde's salute from the September, 2001 column.
Alan Pittman's annual Golf Digest look at executive salaries in golf really is a thing to behold. Those 21 PGA Tour execs account for a staggering $19,727,308 in pay, and that's not including the $1.3 million from three World Golf Foundation incomes.The blue chips may start lining up now that agent Mark Steinberg reportedly stops the itching, err...bleeding because, according to his Keeler Darren Rovell, the agent has locked up Japanese pain cream brand Vantelin Kowa for Tiger's first post-accident endorsement deal.
A moment of silence is in order for the ten-percenters at IMG who must be feeling the pain today after losing both Tiger, Mark Steinberg and now, Vantelin Kowa.
And if you had Vantelin Kowa in the pool--collect!
Robert Collias of the Maui News obtained a Mark Rolfing email revealing that Tim Finchem's deep-sea fishing buddy will no longer serve in the breathtakingly conflicted capacity as tournament announcer, tournament organizer and presumably, charitable beneficiary of the season opening Hyundai Tournament of Champions. The story does not make clear if Rolfing's foundation will continue to benefit from the event.
"The PGA Tour and its title sponsor, Hyundai, have decided to take a new direction with the Hyundai Tournament of Champions' management, including bringing in a new executive director," he wrote. "I will be assisting with the transition and will provide counsel to the PGA Tour and tournament staff when requested.
"However, I will no longer be serving in my former capacity as tournament organizer. I would like to thank each and every one of you for the support you gave me and your help in making the 2011 Hyundai Tournament of Champions a truly special event."
Interestingly, Collias notes that he spoke to Rolfing a week ago and there was no indication that such a move would be made by the tour.
Geoff Shackelford is a Senior Writer for Golfweek magazine, a weekly contributor to Golf Channel's Morning
Copyright © 2022, Geoff Shackelford. All rights reserved.
