2012 BMW TV Ratings Up Over '11's Abysmal Numbers

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The Nielsen overnights NBC's BMW Championship telecast where Rory McIlroy bested one of the best leaderboards you'll see in modern times.

Third round: 1.8 (1.0 in 2011)

Final round: 2.6 (0.9 in 2011)

DVR Alert: Golf Channel's "Legendary Conversations" With Jack, Arnie, Gary & Lee

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From Golf Channel, Monday night at 10 ET for an hour:

Legendary Conversation: Nicklaus, Palmer, Player, Trevino (Premiere)
Airtime: Monday, 10-11 p.m.

Guests: Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and Lee Trevino
Moderator: Rich Lerner

Hall-of-Famers Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and Lee Trevino come together for a rare, roundtable-style interview to share stories and experiences from their legendary careers. Rich Lerner hosts.

A preview from Rich Lerner on Morning Drive:

Reset Cup: Rory Wins Again, Then Loses His Huge Playoff Lead

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From Doug Ferguson's game story covering Rory McIlroy's impressive win over a star-studded leaderboard at Crooked Stick in the 2012 BMW Championship:

Any of the top 30 players who advanced to the Tour Championship have a mathematical shot at winning the $10 million prize.

McIlroy earned 2,500 points for winning the last two playoff events, each time 1250 more points than the second place finishers, giving him a commanding 3,232 point lead. Except that this is the Reset Cup, and now McIlroy holds a measly 250 point lead, allowing the other top five players a legitimate chance to win the vaunted trophy.

The full results here.

Mike McAllister tells us about the top 30 advancing. He explains the movement of several players near the bottom, a series of truly spellbinding moments in golf television history that NBC covered dutifully to keep Ponte Vedra happy. Even better for us viewers, allowed for perfect channel changing to NFL and U.S. Open tennis until the telecast returned to the superstars clogging up the leaderboard.

Sean Martin breaks down each of the top 30 to advance and earn exemptions into the first three 2013. Way to go John Huh, overcoming the Q-School baggage!

Jim McCabe on a how Hunter Mahan played himself into the Tour Championship without a top 10 since April and weekend rounds of 80-77. In his usual canded manner, Mahan reveals he's "out of gas," showing perhaps how hard he worked to find his game for the Ryder Cup. I mean The Playoffs.

The SI Confidential gang was very happy to see Phil Mickelson finish T2 and T4 in consecutive weeks just before the Ryder Cup.

ESPN's highlights:

"The cream has risen to the top, hasn't it?"

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That's Lee Westwood quoted in Doug Ferguson's BMW Championship gamer where a storyline pairing leaderboard emerged without the rule staff having to do a thing. As opposed to the Crooked Stick grounds crew who somehow made the course playable after 2.94 inches fell overnight on an already water logged course.

The full leaderboard. Golf Channel's Golf Central highlight package from round three.

Check out the last four groups:

Woods/D. Johnson - 1:15 - Former bomber/current bomber contrast of styles and also possible Ryder Cup teammates despite their struggles in the Presidents Cup.

Scott/Garrigus - 1:25 - Who let them in the middle of this?

McIlroy/Westwood - 1:35- Former "stablemates" have had an awkward and awkwarder relationship since

Mickelson/Singh - 1:45 - Former footwear feuding rivals still won't be sharing any stock tips even if they've softened with age and injury

The leaderboard seems to be validating Crooked Stick as a venue, something the WGA has already taken note of as they are making clear a return would be A-OK with them according to this AP note.

ESPN's highlights:

Pete Dye On Building Crooked Stick

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Dan McFeely talks to Pete Dye about Crooked Stick's backstory as the PGA Tour visits for the BMW Championship.

Both story and accompanying video include Mr. Dye talking about how the course was created and stories about negotiations with Mrs. Kerns over purchasing her farm for the course.

Fun stuff as only Pete can tell it both in McFeely's written version and in the video.

Maybe Golf Course Living Isn't For Everyone Files

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Reno's KRNV news first reported, AP has picked it up (viral!), and the New York Daily News has the dreaded mug shot of 53-year-old Jeff Fleming, who fired pellets from his shotgun at a golfer who accidentally shanked a ball into Fleming's house, breaking a window.

Alyx Sacks reports for KRNV:

According to Reno police Fleming started an argument with two golfers on the 16th hole after one hit his house with a golf ball and broke a window.

Fleming is accused of coming out of his house with a shotgun and at some point in the argument fired once at the golfers hitting one of them.

"Based off of some of the golfers we've seen around here today yea I think it's a pretty common thing to hit into houses that are pretty close to a course like here at Lakeridge so I mean I think buying a house on the course you got to be prepared for golf balls to come into your property," golfer Dan Dooley says.

Police say Fleming fled his house on Wycliffe Circle before they arrived on scene.

He later taken into custody without incident after police found him at this attorney's office.

That's the place you want to be found by police.