More On Uihlein's Comment Softer, Gentler Bifurcation Stance

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For the person who suggested I was taking Wally Uihlein's softened stance on bifurcation out of context to further my technophobic agenda, Mike Stachura offers an analysis of what was said and has the full quotes about the bifurcation topic and the Acushnet CEO's admiration for the governing bodies.
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TPC Boston's Second Green

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This revamp debuted last year but this is the first time I've had a chance to see what Gil Hanse, Brad Faxon and Jim Wagner cooked up for their remodel of the second green. I must say, television does not do this one justice. I definitely plan to spend some time there as the Deutsche Bank kicks off. And not just because it's so close to the media center.

The green is located in the same spot as the Palmer designed green, with the bail-out area changed from a giant drainage catch basin to a more level and natural look. But check out what golfers face if they do bail away from this reachable par-5 green (click on the images to enlarge).

(Above) left side lay up view, note how the "bump" creates problems.

 From above the bail out...what a wild shot!

And the view from the ShotLink scaffolding...

PGA Tour Announces TV Deal Extension Through 2021

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Details will follow. My Twitter stream has the highlights from Tim Finchem's press conference in Boston.

Acushnet CEO Sounds Open To Bifurcation

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Wednesday's press conference to launch the new era of Acushnet (Titleist, Footjoy) that is now backed by a consortium of Korean investors kicked off with a press conference. Set at the Bay Club near the company headquarters in Fairhaven, the event was co-hosted by longtime CEO Wally Uihlein and new Chairman Gene Yoon. There was the inevitable talk of value propositions, growth, stability, continuing ball manufacturing in America and plans to continue the traditions of golf's most historic brand.
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"If you can't enjoy this job, you're in it for the wrong reasons."

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There aren't usually too many great playoff stories when you compare them to, say, the U.S. Open sectionals, but Doug Ferguson does a nice job telling the Cinderella story of 32-year-old William McGirt, who has improbably made it to round 2 in Boston with a refreshing attitude.

"If you can't enjoy this job, you're in it for the wrong reasons," McGirt said.

This is from a 32-year-old PGA Tour rookie who played more mini-tours than he cares to remember; who still thinks it's a privilege - not a right - to get a courtesy car; and who thought more than once about quitting, promising himself "one more year" until he finally reached the last stage of Q-school two years ago.
He has traveled so much in the minor leagues that he once saw his wife for only eight days during a four-month stretch.

"If something happens and we never get back out here, I wouldn't kick myself for stuff I could have done," McGirt said. "I would know we gave it our best, and we had a blast while we were doing it."

There have been plenty of thrills the last two weeks.

McGirt had missed the cut in 13 of the 25 tournaments he had played, but he had done just well enough in the others that he was on the cusp of getting the 125th and final spot in the playoffs. His car already was packed in Greensboro, N.C. McGirt either was going west toward Knoxville, Tenn., for a Nationwide Tour event, or north toward New Jersey for the $8 million playoff opener at The Barclays.

Long after McGirt had finished his final round, it came down to this: On the 18th hole, Justin Leonard just missed the fairway and wound up missing a 12-foot par putt, a sequence that moved McGirt to No. 125 and sent him to the richest event he had ever played.

In Case This Is My Last Blog Post Ever...

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...let it be known that I am taking a Wednesday tour of the sexily named "Ball Plant 3" near Fairhaven, Massachusetts, followed by a press conference with Acushnet CEO Wally Uihlein and new Chairman Gene Yoon.

To my fellow scribblers attending the presser: if I don't appear at the Bay Club by noon sharp, it means my rants about technology got me sleeping with the future NXT's in a molten pot of Polybutadiene.

However, if I live to tell about it, expect some Tweets and video.

Rocco: "A lot of guys are happy Tiger isn't playing well. I'm not."

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Ron Kroichick talks to Frys.com Open defending champ Rocco Mediate about Tiger's entry into the Fall Finish event. Rocco is "disgusted" with the direction of Tiger's game.

"I love the way he plays, but I'm disgusted with what's going on with him because it's sad for our game," Mediate said Tuesday from Pittsburgh, where he will play in this week's Nationwide Tour event. "A lot of guys are happy Tiger isn't playing well. I'm not. ...

"We need to have Tiger back at the top, because he's the draw. It's fantastic all these other kids are winning, but they're not Tiger Woods."

And he's not wild about the swing:

"The physical motion is wrong," Mediate said. "To get that stress off his body is a piece of cake - the guys working with him just don't know. Sean knows some stuff, but what's going on with Tiger is not correct. That's why he keeps breaking and that's why the ball keeps going sideways."

Mediate also took a none-too-subtle swipe at Hank Haney, Woods' previous coach.

"Starting with Haney until now, it was a complete and absolute destruction," he said. "If it was me (as Woods' instructor), I would say to Tiger, 'Look, dude, I'm not helping you. You're getting worse. You've broken down three times and you've had 57 knee surgeries. It's not happening.' "

I think I smell a V-Harness in Tiger's Frys.com Open locker!