DVR Alert: The Kiawah Island Ryder Cup The Euros Are Still Cranky About

I look forward on re-reading Guy Yocom and John Huggan's outstanding oral history of the 1991 Ryder Cup after Golf Channel's Tuesday, September 18th's 8:30 ET "Classic Ryder Cup Golf" re-airing of the final day.

Something tells me Steve Pate still won't play singles, Calc still shanks it on 17 and Langer still misses that pressure-packed putt.  But I will still watch.

Tigeroy Bromance Update: Woods Makes Short Jokes, Rory Counters With Balding Remarks; Tickling Could Be Next

The Times' "Chief Sports Correspondent" Matt Dickinson scored some face time with World No. 1 Rory McIlroy who reveals how his bond with Tiger Woods has evolved.

McIlroy has embraced the rivalry, thrived on it, said his game improves by being paired against Woods. “It’s fun,” McIlroy says — a word you hear all too infrequently from leading athletes. And he recites the sort of conversation that takes place when world No 1 meets world No 2 on the tee; Woods calls McIlroy shorty and the Northern Irishman calls him baldy back.

“Tiger gives me stick about being short. He always asks me ‘seriously, how tall are you?’” McIlroy says.

“I’ll say, five nine”.

“Yeah, but without the hair? That’s five seven, right?” “He’ll ask me, ‘What do you do when Caroline [Wozniacki]wears heels?’ But I give him grief about all sorts. Getting old, getting bald. He doesn’t take himself too seriously, certainly not when I’m around.”

I believe Tiger would be referring to this infamous photo. A shame he didn't wait to pull that one out at the Ryder Cup!

Finchem On ResetCup: "Fans...want to be challenged to keep up with the permutations."

John Maginnes pitches the softballs, as he should when the Commish is signing his paycheck.

However, listening to this 18-minute interview with Tim Finchem on Sirius/XM, I was doing my best Mike Francesa-nodding-off-impersonation-while-listening, then had similar wild eye/wake-up moment (which Francesa swears was not what you think it was), all as Finchem started in on the fan's love of the ResetCup:

There's  a lot of different stories, things turn quickly. You know, in the early days of the cup, you know there was concern about it being too complicated and this and that. But actually, people like that. Fans want to see different things going on, they want to be challenged to keep up with the permutations. And, in today's world, 65% of our fans are sitting around watching on television, the ones that are watching on television are also following it online, so they've got another matrix of data coming at them.

You know those wild and crazy fans, they love their matrixes of data! Reminds them of work.

And uh the fans…the players are totally into it now, the fans have been into it since day one.

Day one! They have, and they've shown their love by tuning in with massive, record ratings for golf...well, the ratings are always the last thing to kick in, the scientists report.

Each year with a little history, as it gains a little stature, both the players and the fans are more into it. But yes, to answer your question, it's gotten to this point quicker than I assumed.

The Commish then declared that forthcoming calendar year schedule--you know, the one where they play PGA Tour golf about 50 weeks a year and everyone involved with the PGA Tour is a burnout by 2015--will be even better.

Next year is even better, because next year we stop the season and start a few weeks later. So everything is coming to an end. The ballots next year, the ballots will go out for player of the year right after the FedExCup is handed out, the next morning players will be asked to say who is the player of the year on the heels of the FedExCup being awarded. The money title, which is represented by the Arnold Palmer award, will be identified at the end of the FedExCup. Everything's coming to a head. For the first time we'll have a real season when, a few weeks later, everything will start, it builds up for almost a full year, then you have another conclusion. So even thigh this is going to be really going, it going to be even better next year.

It's interesting that everyone involved thinks year-round competition makes for a "real" season. What are all these other silly professional sports doing with their off-seasons and their vacations?  The morons!

The interview:

Jiyai: 18 GIR En Route To Five Shot Lead

There are a lot of great accomplishments in golf, but hitting all 18 greens in regulation has always been one of the more underappreciated feats to me. Especially doing it in a major and on a tough links, as Jiyai Shin did while firing 64 and, according to this unbylined AP story, opening up a 5-shot lead heading into Sunday's Ricoh Women's British Open final round.

The nine-time LPGA Tour winner hit all 18 greens in regulation and needed only 28 putts. The 64 is the lowest round in competition at Royal Liverpool, breaking the mark of 65 set by four players in the 2006 Open Championship.

"A bogey-free day and then bunker-free, too, so that was probably the best round I have ever played in a major," Shin said. "So that is a good thing, today's golf. I missed just one fairway. And on the back nine, it's blowing very strong wind, but I just stay focused on my tempo and my timing with my driver and shots."

South Korea's Inbee Park was second after a 68. She played alongside Shin.

The LPGA's second round notes. Inbee Park lurks at -4 and amateur sensation Lydia Ko is eight shots back.

Remember, ESPN2 added two hours of coverage so their telecast comes on at 9 am ET in the States. And Andy North is announcing, so you can't say you weren't warned.