Budding Bromance: Branden Grace Unabashedly Declares For Tiger

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The quote in Randall Mell's item on Grace's third day in a row paired with Tiger reads like Grace is being held at gun point...and no I looked, he's not represented by Steiny. Yet.

“I hadn’t played with him before, but now, to have played with him three days in a row, has been unreal,” Grace said. “I've learned a hell of a lot from playing with him. The way he plays shots, the way he handles himself and things like that, has been great.  He's there because he is the best in the world. I've seen it now, and I think people really criticize him, that is wrong.  He's one hell of a guy, and he's pretty much the nicest guy I've ever played with.”

There is something wrong if Tiger is this agreeable to play with. Mercifully, they are not paired together again tomorrow.

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."