Tiger On All Cylinders: "I've driven the ball well, I've hit my irons well, and I've chipped and putted well."

Having watched him a fair amount but much less than some of my peers, Tiger's game looks as complete as it has since, well, you know when.

He has a six stroke lead with ten holes to play in Monday's Farmers Insurance Open.

Broadcast times are as follows:11 am PT on Golf Channel, 1 pm ET on CBS. And streaming live for the office workers of America.

2020 U.S. Open Goes To Winged Foot

Doug Ferguson reports that Winged Foot's West Course will be hosting the 2020 U.S. Open.

This will be Winged Foot's sixth U.S. Open (1929, 1959, 1974, 1984, 2006).

Update on 2013-01-28 03:27 by Geoff

**Peter McCleery's oral history of the wacky 1974 U.S. Open is worth a look.

And Dan Jenkins on the 2006 finish.

Update on 2013-01-28 17:48 by Geoff

**For Immediate Release...

USGA NAMES WINGED FOOT GOLF CLUB AS 2020 U.S. OPEN SITE

Marks the Sixth U.S. Open and 12th USGA Championship

At the Historic Suburban New York Club

Far Hills, N.J. (Jan. 28, 2013) – Reflecting its continuing commitment to deliver the most compelling championship experience in golf to players and fans, the United States Golf Association (USGA) today announced Winged Foot Golf Club, in Mamaroneck, N.Y., as the host site for the 2020 United States Open Championship.

“We’re thrilled to bring the U.S. Open back to this outstanding club,” said Thomas J. O’Toole Jr., USGA vice president and Championship Committee chairman. “Winged Foot offers a spectacular setting in a dynamic market, and has justifiably earned its reputation as one of the premier U.S. Open venues in the nation. And it joins an impressive lineup of future U.S. Open Championship locations that players and fans alike can eagerly anticipate.”

This selection marks the sixth time that the West Course at Winged Foot will have hosted the U.S. Open. This will also be the 12th USGA championship conducted at Winged Foot, all but three of which were held on the West Course. The dates for the 2020 U.S. Open are June 18-21.

“Winged Foot is a quintessential U.S. Open golf course, and we’re thrilled to have the opportunity to bring our national championship back to a site that boasts such a long tradition of world-class competition,” said Mike Davis, USGA executive director. “With its wonderfully challenging green complexes and dogleg holes that emphasize proper placement off the tee, Winged Foot offers the best players in the world a spectacular test of golf and delivers to spirited New York golf fans one of the most exciting venues in the game.”

Winged Foot Golf Club, located 25 miles north of New York City in Westchester County, last hosted the U.S. Open in 2006, when Geoff Ogilvy outlasted Phil Mickelson, Colin Montgomerie and Jim Furyk for a one-stroke victory. The club also hosted the U.S. Open in 1929 (won by Robert T. Jones Jr.), 1959 (won by Billy Casper), 1974 (won by Hale Irwin) and 1984 (won by Fuzzy Zoeller). Each U.S. Open at Winged Foot has produced a highly competitive championship, as Jones and Zoeller won in playoffs, while Casper and Irwin registered the first of their multiple U.S. Open victories by narrow margins.

“Winged Foot Golf Club is truly honored to have the USGA select it as the host of the 2020 U.S. Open,” club president John Schneider said. “The club’s relationship with the USGA goes back to 1929 when Bob Jones defeated Al Espinosa to win the U.S. Open in a playoff. The relationship has been cherished by both ever since. Our two A.W. Tillinghast courses have always risen to the challenge of identifying the greatest golfers in the world. Tillinghast’s vision has truly stood the test of time and Winged Foot anxiously awaits its next group of challengers.”

Winged Foot joins Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club, Baltusrol Golf Club, in Springfield, N.J., Oakland Hills Country Club, in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., and Pebble Beach (Calif.) Golf Links as clubs that have hosted the most U.S. Opens. Oakmont is scheduled to host the U.S. Open for a ninth time in 2016. Baltusrol conducted its seventh U.S. Open in 1993, while Oakland Hills hosted its sixth U.S. Open in 1996 and Pebble Beach is scheduled to host its sixth U.S. Open in 2019.

Winged Foot opened for play in 1923 and has a rich and storied history. Beyond its five U.S. Open championships, the East and West courses have combined to host six other USGA championships. The West Course hosted two U.S. Amateurs (1940, 2004) and the 1949 Walker Cup. The East Course hosted two U.S. Women’s Opens (1957, 1972) and the first U.S. Senior Open, held in 1980. The West Course also hosted the 1997 PGA Championship.

The 2020 U.S. Open at Winged Foot Golf Club will be the 20th U.S. Open played in the state of New York, the most of any state. Future U.S. Open sites are: Merion Golf Club (East Course), Ardmore, Pa. (2013); Pinehurst Resort (Course No. 2), Village of Pinehurst, N.C. (2014); Chambers Bay, University Place, Wash. (2015); Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club (2016); Erin Hills, Erin, Wis. (2017); Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, Southampton, N.Y. (2018); and Pebble Beach (Calif.) Golf Links (2019).

Farmers Insurance Open 3rd Round Open Thread

I've just come in from the course where Tiger is cruising and looking as calm, collected and steady as he's looked in a long time. Plus, it's Fleming's lunch day in the media center. #priorities

As I post, the Golf Channel-to-CBS graphics changeover is taking place, but I just have a hunch CBS will come on and show us plenty of shots of the Adidas gliders, slip in a few promos and even show some golfers not named Tiger.

Golf Channel picks up the early fourth round coverage after CBS signs off at 7 ET.

Monday's final roud restart time has not been announced.

PGA State Of The Game Round-Up, 2013

Jason Sobel reports on the PGA of America's "State of the Game" panel discussion and it sounds like the topics were relevant. That is, if bifurcation is your thing.

Tim Finchem continues to make some intriguing comments suggesting he and the PGA Tour see no problem with situational rules for the pro game and amateur play.

"As I said the other day in San Diego, generally it's nice to think that the Rules of Golf can be the same for everybody," PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem said. "You like to think that the participants in the sport can appreciate when they look at the elite players, because they are playing by the same rules; they have an affinity to the elite players. But I don't think that gets eroded from time to time if you were to bifurcate in certain situations.

"College football is the same. Even though you only have to have one foot in, it's still the same game."

Taylor Made CEO Mark King reiterated his belief that we already have bifurcation, so why not expand it in the name of growing the game, but as several prominent voices are quoted as saying in this week's Golf World, there is no data suggesting technology has grown the game.

"It's not coming; it's here," TaylorMade CEO Mark King reiterated. "We already live in bifurcation. We already do. Nobody plays by the exact Rules of Golf on Friday afternoon with their buddies. So I think it's about time that we realize what we have, we have elite players that need a set of rules and we need to create an environment where people want to come in and enjoy this great game, whether it's one foot in the end zone or two feet, we need to create that environment for people."

Dottie Pepper wins the prize for bringing up the topic that gets most people thinking about certain equipment restrictions for professionals.

" I think one of the saddest things I've seen in the time that I've been at this level," said newly appointed PGA of America board member Dottie Pepper, "is that we are seeing places like Merion become really in the rearview mirror of championship golf and places where the game has been born and where American golf and golf worldwide have such great tradition and such great history really become that history."

DVR Alert For PGA Tour Recorders: Expect To See More Of Duke-Maryland Than You Ever Wanted

Duke, ranked No. 1 but coming off a blow-out loss, plays Maryland at 1 pm. ET Saturday.  The Farmers Insurance Open starts at 3:00 ET.

You know what that means! Painful, obnoxious and completely intentional broadcast overlap.

This means at least a fifteen minute delay to the start of third round coverage, but more likely a half hour if the game is close. Even better, Golf Channel is on from 1-2:30 ET, meaning there will be that mysterious 30-minute transition to go from Golf Channel to CBS graphics. Throw in the wait for the college game and a hour of prime PGA Tour golf goes untelevised live. It's a tradition unlike any other!

Meanwhile Tiger Woods leads the Farmers by two over Billy Horshel. But as Doug Ferguson notes, a leaderboard that was looking amazing quickly went in a less star-studded direction.

Regarding Woods and his pursuers:

And when it comes to experience, he has a 74-0 advantage in PGA Tour wins against the next seven guys on the leaderboard.

Update on 2013-01-26 16:34 by Geoff

**Saved by the fog! Delay at two hours of this posting, and it's not looking good to finish Saturday's third round if there are any more delays.

USGA Gets Into The Branded Stimpmeter Business

Knowing how Executive Director Mike Davis feels about the negative influence of faster green speeds on cost, pace of play and even in driving people to anchor putters, today's announcement of a USGA-logoed. $110 Stimpmeter won't go down as one of the best days in the organization's history. While they advocate the Stimpmeter for consistency, superintendents will tell you that the Stimp ends up encouraging faster greens.

Especially when they say this:

While different layouts present distinct challenges, each course needs to offer competitors consistent conditions in order to provide a fair test. And one of the most important aspects of course maintenance is uniform putting surfaces.

Not only do variations in speed from green to green negate a player’s skill, they also greatly decrease enjoyment of a round.

Remember when it was a skill to scout out a course and note the slight variations in speed?

Even for golfers playing a recreational round, a course with greens of varying speeds can be a bewildering, frustrating experience.

Millions of golfers, from U.S. Open contestants to beginners, have benefited from the Stimpmeter, a simple tool offered by the United States Golf Association that allows superintendents, agronomists and course officials to accurately measure the speed of greens and provide consistent playing conditions.

You can order it for $110 according to this link, but get this slab of plastic for just $75 if you trade in your old Stimpmeter. While supplies last! And let's hope for the sake of the superintendents of the world, they last and last and last.

Update on 2013-01-26 07:38 by Geoff

**John Paul Newport reports on the new Stimpmeter and the history of the device. He says they are not for sale to anyone who wants one. I'm still looking for that fine print here:

As exciting as this new Stimpmeter is, you and I won't be able to get our hands on one, even if we come up with the USGA's $110 asking price. That's because the rules-making body won't sell Stimpmeters to ordinary golfers, only to clubs, golf-course superintendents and tournament setup officials.

I'm not seeing that restriction here:

Video: 17-Month-Old Golf Prodigy

Tip of the cap to Chris Chase for spotting this video of a 17-year-old golf prodigy who appears to make solid contact as a righty or a lefty. He's a bit steep at times, but not wipey at least!

PGA Prez: Maybe We Should Consider Bifurcation

Rex Hoggard, talking to PGA of America president Ted Bishop about Tim Finchem's bifurcation comments regarding the golf ball on Wednesday at Torrey Pines.

“(Finchem’s comments) are pretty interesting and powerful words from somebody of his stature,” Bishop said.

“Maybe we are at a point where we need to consider what impact bifurcation would have and if that's an answer or a potential answer to this situation, so that we can avoid some sticky issues like we are currently involved in with banning a long putter and anchoring or even some of the issues that possibly come up in the future.”

I spoke to Bishop for my bifurcation story in Golf World and at the time he was a bit more on the fence.

Finchem and Bishop are on a "state of the game" panel Friday at the PGA Show.

Rocco On Tiger's Swing: "It doesn't produce the shots he used to hit"

Steve DiMeglio looks at the state of Tiger's game and also features a nice mini-retrospective of the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines where Woods dueled with Rocco Mediate.

Four-plus years later, Mediate still is in awe of Woods but has questions about the state of his mechanics.

" … "I love what Tiger has done for the game... I've always had a ridiculous amount of respect for what he has done. All the crap on the other side I don't care about. I don't know what happened; only he knows what happened."

Mediate says something else happened – to Woods' swing. While the jury is still out on whether Woods can again become the dominant force in golf, Mediate is a tad skeptical.

"Nothing he did ever surprised me. He's that good. But he can't do it anymore because his golf swing is different. It doesn't produce the shots he used to hit," Mediate says. "Do I think he's finished winning majors? No. Does he have as much desire? Yes. But you could ask him to hit any shot blindfolded back in the day and he could. Now he can't. I know what I'm seeing. I know what I saw before. And it's not the same.

" … I know the things outside of golf hurt him immensely, and the injuries have hurt him ... If he does find the swing again, it's game over.

The Picture Of 21st Century Amateurism

Steven Fox, current U.S. Amateur champion and still an amateur playing the Farmers Insurance Open on a sponsor's invite...as an amateur.

Morning Drive Gets New Set, Cast Expands To Grand Jury Size

For Immediate Release...

GOLF CHANNEL'S MORNING DRIVE EXPANDS TO SEVEN DAYS AND UNVEILS NEW FORMAT, NEW CO-HOSTS, NEW SET
 
11-Time PGA TOUR Winner John Cook and Travel Expert Matt Ginella Join Gary Williams, Holly Sonders, Damon Hack, Kelly Tilghman, Charlie Rymer and Lauren Thompson as Morning Drive Regulars

Guest Host Ahmad Rashad Joins the Ranks of Annika Sorenstam, Brandel Chamblee, Tim Rosaforte and Jimmy Roberts as Contributors

State-of-the-Art Studio Brings the Outside in with Four New Sets

ORLANDO, Fla. (Jan. 24, 2013) – The list of reasons to wake up to television’s only live morning golf show got longer with today’s announcement that Golf Channel’s popular Morning Drive will re-launch on Feb. 4 with a new format, a new cast of co-hosts, state-of-the-art studio and an expanded, seven days a week schedule.

“If you love golf, Morning Drive has become the way to start your day,” said Mike McCarley, President of Golf Channel. “In just two years, the show has become weekday appointment viewing for those who share a passion for the game and on the few weekends when Morning Drive has aired, Golf Channel has seen a three-fold increase in ratings. This move to seven days a week, with a new set and new additions to the cast will allow us to engage in a broader range of topics covering all aspects of the game and give viewers a reason to wake up with Morning Drive every day of the week.”

NEW AND EXPANDED CO-HOST TEAM: By expanding to seven days each week, the new Morning Drive cast naturally is going to grow. Current Morning Drive co-hosts Gary Williams, Damon Hack and Holly Sonders will be joined by Golf Channel analyst Charlie Rymer to form the on-air “foursome” typically covering Thursdays through Mondays. Williams, Hack and Sonders have been the regular co-host team of Morning Drive over the past few months and will build upon that camaraderie. Rymer will bring his exuberance for the game to the morning, in addition to his continued work as an analyst for Golf Central.

Longtime Golf Channel anchor Kelly Tilghman will be a central figure mid-week on Morning Drive, typically on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Tilghman will continue to be an anchor for Golf Central and a central figure of Golf Channel’s Live From coverage of the biggest events in golf. Matt Ginella comes to Morning Drive after 11 years as the travel editor for Golf Digest magazine. Ginella has garnered a keen sense for what makes a golf course a destination for golfers of all tastes and will be co-host throughout the week. And Lauren Thompson, who has been a regular contributor to the show, now will have a permanent role, providing news updates and reports for midweek shows.

Several regular contributors and guest hosts include:

- Emmy Award-winning sports broadcaster, Ahmad Rashad, headlines as a new guest host. A former All-Pro wide receiver, college football Hall of Famer and 25-year network veteran with ESPN, ABC, NBC and NBA TV – and a voracious golfer – Rashad will bring a unique perspective.

- John Cook is an 11-time PGA TOUR winner and recent champion of the 2013 Mitsubishi Electric Championship on the Champions Tour. The 1993 U.S. Ryder Cup team member will join the show during some of the biggest weeks on the golf calendar.

- Hall-of-Famer Annika Sorenstam will continue to make weekly Morning Drive appearances, providing insight into the professional ranks to the amateurs, and sharing her passion on growing the game.

- Other Golf Channel analysts and reporters also will continue to contribute to Morning Drive on a daily basis, both in studio and on location at various tournaments. Golf World’s Tim Rosaforte will continue to appear weekly on the show; analyst Brandel Chamblee will regularly set up that day’s tournament action on weekends; and Golf Channel on NBC’s Jimmy Roberts will be a frequent contributor in support of his new series, In Play with Jimmy Roberts.

NEW FORMAT: Since Morning Drive’s debut in January 2011, the show has become appointment viewing for viewers seeking the latest golf news and information, as well as expert analysis and discussion about all things golf. The show’s new format will continue to set the table for what’s new each day in professional golf, while expanding its scope to cover the golfing lifestyle including how to play, what to play and where to play. Resident Golf Channel experts and show guests will cover such topics as trends in golf equipment, the hottest travel destinations for golf and the latest fashions turning heads on the course.

Morning Drive’s daily polls and interaction with the show’s loyal audience will be conducted through social media, as well as themed weeks exploring unique aspects of golf.

Viewers can take Morning Drive with them via a “Best of” highlight podcast hosted by Sonders available online each afternoon and the series’ audio will continue to be streamed live at GolfChannel.com/MorningDrive.

NEW STUDIO: Morning Drive is moving into a new, state-of-the-art studio for the re-launch on Feb. 4. The studio features four dedicated sets: a main anchor desk, an interview area, a product demonstration area and a news update desk. The new home is nearly four times larger than the show’s original studio.

Panoramic, high-definition video backdrops throughout the studio will make viewers feel like the Morning Drive cast is broadcasting from just inside the picture windows of their local clubhouse. This signature Morning Drive look is accomplished by linking 20 90-inch and 10 52-inch monitors to create golf course morning vistas.

Morning Drive’s production team is led by coordinating producer Jeff Neubarth, producers Kyle Brown and Bill Hentschel, and directors Charlie Reynolds and Eric Rutledge. For Golf Channel, Molly Solomon is executive producer, Geoff Russell is executive editor and Mike McCarley is president.