Getting In The Mood For Kiawah: '91 Ryder Cup Oral History

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I've just started it but the chatter regarding Guy Yocom and John Huggan's Golf Digest oral history of the 1991 Ryder Cup at Kiawah--host of next week's PGA--has been incredible.

Everyone who has read it has raved, so if you are looking for some good weekend beach reading this may be your choice. Of course, I know you all subscribe and read in print or on the iPad, but just a reminder not to miss this.

Tour Arrives At Firestone So Talk Naturally Shifts To Kiawah Next Week

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What is there to say? It's Firestone...a small no-cut field the week before a major, so to avoid talking about a tree-lined back-and-forth layout, Adam Scott was asked about PGA Championship host Kiawah, where he just visited.

ADAM SCOTT:  Yeah, it was interesting, it wasn't quite what I expected, although I didn't‑‑ I'd only seen the pictures in magazines, which obviously are quite stunning.  Yeah, it's two different nine holes.  The front nine is a really nice, playable golf course, and then the back nine is not.  (Laughter.)


The back nine is very severe, and it's going to really‑‑ it's going to be interesting down there.  Look, it rained a lot while I was there the last two days, and it's playing very soft and very long.  You know, it's going to be very weather dependent.  There's good scores out there in good weather, but if the wind blows, it's just going to be very difficult, even if they move tees forward and stuff like that.  Green complexes are very severe on some holes, and there is‑‑ it's just extreme penalty for a miss.  There's water one side and big waste bunkers the other.  It's certainly going to need some ball‑striking.

Tiger offered a similar scouting report.

TIGER WOODS:  It was really soft.  I don't think it's going to be like that during the tournament.  It rained almost two inches the night before.  It's going to be long.  I mean, I think it's going to be close to 7,700 yards, and that's a big ballpark.  A lot of the holes are crosswind holes.  It's different than what‑‑ and Joey has been there a couple times, but he hasn't seen it like this.  Having paspalum greens is different.  I've only played on paspalum greens one time.  But they drain great.  They're going to be firm.

Right now when I played it was slow, but it's going to be a great test.  It's going to be‑‑ I don't know how the spectators are going to get around this place.  First of all, I don't know how they're going to get to it.  But once they're there, it's going to be a great environment.

Gosh, it just sounds like it's going to be a super week!

High Score Will Win In Reno: Stableford Is Back!

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From an unbylined AP story on the return of the format at this week's Reno-Tahoe Open, livening up a tour schedule dominated by 72-hole stroke play events.

It all should make for an exciting finish Sunday on the par 5-18th that stretches to 616 yards but runs downhill, often down wind, and usually is reachable in two.

"You can come down to the last and play the hole OK, make a five and some guy four points behind you can pass you," Harrington said. "You never lose a four-shot lead coming down to the last but you could easily lose a four-point lead."

Jana Smoley, director of the 14-year-old tournament, said the course sets up nicely for the different scoring format especially with high risk-reward shots on the final three holes that include the 220-yard, par-3 16th and 464-yard, par-4 17th.

"We like to say black is the new red in Reno," she said. "The highest score wins."

Duval Opens Up About "Gigantic Financial Hit"

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A forthright David Duval was also cryptic about his TMZ-reported foreclosure, saying it was not a foreclosure but instead a long and painful negotiation with his lender that has been resolved.

First, from Doug Ferguson's lengthy story, the former Open Champion and World No. 1 admits it's distracted him.

More of it likely is due to the stress of financial problems at home.

“It’s been a very big distraction,” Duval said. “I have the weight of this on me.”

His wife, Susie, likes to be on the road with him and their children — Brayden and Sienna, along with three children from her previous marriage. She has been dealing with the bank and the home, and hasn’t gone to a tournament with Duval since New Orleans the last week in April. That was the last time Duval made the cut.

“This kind of thing can break us or hold us together, and we’re tighter than ever,” Duval said. “We’re more in love than ever. It’s a hugely stressful time, especially when information is out there that’s inaccurate. She’s been an angel. I think she’s the greatest thing ever. She’s my hero. I tell her that every day.”

And talking to Garry Smits:

"Like a lot of people in the past few years, I made a real estate investment that didn't go well," Duval said. "There is no foreclosure. That is 100 percent wrong but the web site that started that is a gossip site, no more. They never made any attempt to contact me."

Duval said he has been in constant communication with his bank to work out a resolution that will not involve foreclosure. He did not reveal specific details but he said "everyone's happy."

Phil On Playing Bethpage's 7th As A Three-Shotter

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Brendan Prunty gives us a sneak preview of the Barclays big debut at Bethpage Black and notes one key change to the PGA Tour plans for the 7th hole compared to the USGA's U.S. Open setup.

During the 2002 and 2009 U.S. Opens, the USGA played it as a 500-plus yard par-4. At the end of next month, it will play as a 550-yard-plus par-5 for The Barclays. While Mickelson continuously professed his love for the course and the New York-area galleries, the changes at the seventh were welcome news.

“I’ve always been a fan of the original designer’s interests in how a golf hole is designed to play from its inception,” Mickelson said. “As opposed to somebody else who comes in and tries to alter it for their own benefit or ego.”

And Yet Another Clarification About The 2016 Olympic Golf Field Makeup

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So today I noted Garry Smits's item pointing out that only a maximum of 4 players from one country inside the top 15 can make the Rio 2016 field of sixty competing for Olympic gold.

Earlier, Ryan Ballengee had listed the field if 2012 held a golf competition and eight Americans would have been in the field.

It turns out, I've learned both reports were correct.

Here's where the confusion lies: the current field makeup would have allowed for the 2012 field as outlined by Ballengee. But a pending change in the field structure, reportedly requested by the IOC to comply with their guidelines in similar fashion to the controversial Jordan Wieber situation that is causing so much heartache, will be enacted next year. This will then mean that inside the top 15 for the Olympic golf field, only four players from one country can make the Olympic field.

It will be very interesting come 2016 to see who gets eliminated by this IOC mandated change, but it's almost assuredly going to be controversial.

One More Olympic Golf Follow-Up: Field Size And Beds

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Some have wondered why golf's 2016 return features (A) a dull format and (B) small fields of 60 players. The dullness of the format is the result of asking players for their input and maybe a shortage of foresight by the International Golf Federation, but the field size is directly a result of the IGF's shrewd political maneuvering with the International Olympic Committee worried about...beds.

Yes, the vaunted IOC would not like a larger Olympic golf field because they are worried about too many requests for Olympic Village housing. Fine, I get it, this is a big operation.

However, golf may be different. After all, does anyone think anyone in the current world top 15, used to high-end accommodations will stay in a glorified dorm room bunk bed in 2016?

1. Luke Donald – Great Britain
2. Tiger Woods – U.S.A.
3. Rory McIlroy – Great Britain OR Ireland
4. Lee Westwood – Great Britain
5. Webb Simpson – U.S.A.
6. Adam Scott – Australia
7. Bubba Watson – U.S.A.
8. Jason Dufner – U.S.A.
9. Matt Kuchar – U.S.A.
10. Justin Rose – Great Britain
11. Graeme McDowell – Great Britain OR Ireland
12. Zach Johnson – U.S.A.
13. Hunter Mahan – U.S.A.
14. Steve Stricker – U.S.A.
15. Ernie Els – South Africa

I'm guessing some of the bottom tier players and many of the women, who are more likely to embrace the Olympic spirit, will take up the coveted beds. But on the men's side it's hard to see anyone in the world top 100 choosing a dorm room over their normal luxury lodging.