The Reset Cup Has Arrived!

Sadly, I'm almost sure Tiger Woods meant his FedExCup comments Wednesday as a subtle insult, yet I'm guessing a few Ponte Vedra algorithm programmers cancelled their Cialis refills after reading this today.

Ryan Lavner posts the quote on GolfChannel.com:

“Right now, we’re all playing for position going into the reset at the Tour Championship,” Woods told reporters in his pre-tournament news conference Wednesday at The Barclays. “Before it was just trying to accumulate whatever you can and keep it rolling. Now, you’re playing for a reset, and then anything can happen.”

Playing for a reset. Goosebumps!

“To hold otherwise would be to turn federal judges into referees for a game in which they have no place, and about which they know little.”

Thanks to reader Jim for noticing Judge Sam Sparks' ruling in the Lance Armstrong case, as quoted in Juliet Macur's story.

USGA legal might want to take note of this:

Judge Sam Sparks of the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, in Austin, who acknowledged that the case had “troubling aspects,” said that the United States courts should not be involved because the antidoping agency’s arbitration rules were robust enough to deal with the matter. He also said Armstrong had agreed to be governed by those rules when he signed for his cycling license.

“Federal courts should not interfere with an amateur sports organization’s disciplinary procedures unless the organization shows wanton disregard for its rules, to the immediate and irreparable harm of a plaintiff, where the plaintiff has no other available remedy,” Sparks said in his ruling. “To hold otherwise would be to turn federal judges into referees for a game in which they have no place, and about which they know little.”

A PDF of the entire ruling is here.

Lawyers and those who think they are, thoughts?

Sergio On Padraig: "He wouldn’t be a sure pick for me!”

Brian Keogh with a terrifically entertaining look at the bad blood between European Captain Jose Maria Olazabal that appears to pale compared to the general dislike Sergio Garcia has for the Irishman dating to the '07 Open and '08 PGA losses. Padraig Harrington shares the feeling.

Though Sergio at least is honest in his assessment of Harrington's chances to make the Ryder Cup team as a Captain's pick.

“I don’t think he’s a sure pick personally. He wouldn’t be a sure pick for me!”

Keegan And Sneaking On The Black

From Keegan Bradley, talking about playing Bethpage Black in his college days, courtesy of Mark Herrmann in Newsday:

This week, he will take major delight in the site. He knows where the superintendent's office is near the third tee because that is where the St. John's players used to park, far from the clubhouse so as not to attract attention while the course was closed to the public. "I get in trouble for saying that. My coach called me and said to stop talking about that," Bradley said, sheepishly, at a tournament recently. "But it was awesome."

So you didn't hear it from him. And it is confidential when he admits, "We played inside the road, which is 3 through 14." Credit the resourcefulness of St. John's coach Frank Darby, the former head pro at Nissequogue Golf Club, for finding the best spots.

Great News: Charleston At Huge Occupancy During PGA; 31% Mark-Up For Privilege Of Scenic Commute!

I am so glad the PGA of America's official PGA Championship twitter account shared the news of huge occupancy rates in Charleston during the 2012 PGA at Kiawah. I know all of the folks who stayed there were overjoyed by Laura Ratcliffe's story.

But just in case:

For the week of Aug. 6, Charleston County hotels were 86.4% occupied with an average room price of $148.62. This represents an increase of 12.3% in occupancy and 30.9% in room prices over the same week last year, according to the Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Hey only a 31% mark-up for an event that Golf World's Jim Moriarty wrote was so logistically challenged that the only thing missing from the Fantasy Island PGA "was Herve Villechaize in a tiny tropical suit greeting the daily arrivals yelling, "Da bus! Da bus!"

Monty: If I Were Captain, Padraig Would Be Selected!

Okay, I officially feel like an idiot.

Merely trying to stir up a little Ryder Cup discussion and maybe a nasty Tweet from Ian Poulter, I suggested Padraig Harrington would make a great Ryder Cup captain's pick even though he has the yips.

Well, now European Captain Emeritus Monty has endorsed Paddy, reports Brian Keogh.

“I would encourage Jose to pick as many experienced players as possible but that is not my position right now.”

I feel ashamed, yes.