Reminder: Morning Drive Re-Launch Monday

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In case you missed the Waste Management Open, the Golf Channel's morning show re-launches Monday morning with a new cast, new set and new vibe.

My hotel doesn't have Golf Channel so I won't get to see the re-launch of Morning Drive to a seven-day-a-week show, but I know your feedback will be appreciated in Orlando.

Gary Williams posts a short item on the show's new "AP" studio, named after Golf Channel co-founder Arnold Palmer.

And for Immediate Release:

ALL-STAR LINE-UP OF GUESTS FOR RE-LAUNCH OF MORNING DRIVE, STARTING MONDAY, FEB. 4
 
Bradley, McDowell, Norman, Poulter, Lewis, Pettersen, Creamer, Gal and Munoz Headline Next Week’s Guests

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

Morning Drive Debuts a New Seven-Day Format

ORLANDO, Fla. (Jan. 31, 2013) – Morning Drive welcomes an A-List roster of guests next week when the show re-launches on Monday, Feb. 4 at 7 a.m. ET with a new format, a new set, an expanded cast and a new, seven-days-a-week schedule. Headlining the roster of guests in-studio on Monday are 2011 PGA Champion Keegan Bradley, who is making his first appearance in-studio, and 2010 U.S. Open Champion Graeme McDowell.　

In addition, Monday’s show will feature the first official interview conducted in the new Morning Drive studio: a sit-down with co-founder Arnold Palmer. The interview was taped earlier this week after he cut the ribbon on the new Morning Drive set, "Studio AP," which was named in his honor. In addition to the ribbon cutting, Palmer also introduced a new autograph board that will be signed by every guest who visits Morning Drive.

Additional studio guests throughout the week include (subject to change):

Tuesday, Feb 5: Hall-of-Famer Greg Norman, including his arrival via helicopter; 10-time LPGA Tour winner Suzann Pettersen; and 2011 Kia Classic champion Sandra Gal

Take that Tavistock Cup!

Wednesday, Feb 6: Hall-of-Famer Annika Sorenstam, for her first regular weekly appearance; 2012 Sybase Match Play champion Azahara Munoz

Thursday, Feb 7: European Ryder Cup hero Ian Poulter; 2012 LPGA Rolex Player of the Year Stacy Lewis

Friday, Feb 8: Nine-time LPGA Tour winner Paula Creamer　

Joining Morning Drive regulars Gary Williams, Damon Hack and Holly Sonders as co-hosts starting next week when Morning Drive expands to seven days include Golf Channel analyst Charlie Rymer, longtime Golf Channel anchor Kelly Tilghman, Emmy Award-winning sports broadcaster, Ahmad Rashad, 11-time PGA TOUR winner John Cook, Hall-of-Famer Annika Sorenstam, former Golf Digest travel editor Matt Ginella, and host of Top 10 and GolfNow Lauren Thompson. Golf Channel contributors Tim Rosaforte, Brandel Chamblee and Win McMurry also are scheduled to join the show next week.　

Morning Drive’s new 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 cast is broadcasting from just inside the picture windows of their local clubhouse. This signature look is accomplished by linking 20, 90-inch and 10, 52-inch monitors to create golf course morning vistas.

Bamberger On PGA Prez Bishop: "Along the way, he’ll either help make the USGA stronger or be part of its demise."

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Michael Bamberger clearly spent a lot of time with new PGA President Ted Bishop and filed a lengthy story for SI Golf Plus that is worth your time. Mostly because there is some great behind the scenes info on Bishop and the battles being fought behind closed doors by the five families, along with some fun commentary by Bamberger thrown in. This is the kind of thing that should win a GWAA writing award, but won't.

Again, hit the link or read your print copy this week, I'm just documenting some of the highlights for the archives here...

Bishop and Bevacqua were having ­dinner at the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines when Davis and Glen Nager, the USGA president, asked if they could join them. The four talked for the better part of an hour about their many shared interests: speeding up play, increasing junior participation, making golf more accessible to disabled players, water usage, the many people they know in common. Henry Kissinger likes to say that history is dictated by personality, and it’s possible this amicable hour of golf chat will prove to be significant. But not likely. Two days later, when referring to a Golf World story about Davis and Nager that ran under the headline Trail ­Blazers, Bishop was almost smirking. He doesn’t think they are trailblazers. Of course, Nager and Davis don’t see themselves as trailblazers, either. They are trying to defend challenge as an essential golfing value. And for Bishop, that’s where the conflict arises.

Bishop is not a fan of a distance rollback...

The real issue in the debate goes much deeper than whether the butt end of the putter depresses human flesh. Bishop believes that if the ban goes through without a major hitch, it will empower and embolden the USGA. “I think their next step will be to try to slow down the golf ball,” Bishop said last month in his pro shop at Legends.

While we'll slap Bishop a two-stroke penalty for point-missing a possible distance rollback, but he gets points for this. Brace yourselves, this may be the last time you read the words "Glory's Last Shot."

For the PGA, and maybe for everybody, the secret weapon in this whole thing is Bevacqua, who joined the PGA of America in November, hired by a committee on which Bishop sat. (Bishop also was instrumental in recruiting Dottie Pepper to the PGA board of directors; eliminating the catchphrase “Glory’s Last Shot” from the PGA Championship marketing playbook; and initiating a thorough examination of the PGA’s TV contracts.)

Let's hope they are looking at the language that lets CBS show a promo for every shot shown on television.

This, regarding the PGA's State of the Game panel at the show, where the USGA did not participate despite efforts to get someone on the stage.

He decided the best answer would come from the USGA itself. Julius Mason, a PGA of America communications official, contacted Goode, who sent this response by e-mail: “The USGA has a number of senior leaders in attendance at this year’s show. Mike Davis, however, is preparing for the Association’s Annual Meeting.” During the proceedings, Mason wrote Goode’s response in a reporter’s notebook, ripped out the page and handed it to the panel’s moderator, Damon Hack of Golf Channel. Nobody asked about the USGA’s absence, and the statement was never read. A lost opportunity all the way around.

And in the "Where's Inga Hammond" files, you have your answer and it sounds like she's doing some sound work based on what's gone on so far in the Bishop era.

Your neighborhood PGA professional is not typically a modernist. Bishop—­married to Cindy for 36 years with two daughters in the golf ­business—is. Before assuming the PGA presidency he hired Inga Hammond, the former Golf Channel broadcaster, for intense media training, paying for it himself. Before Watson was named Ryder Cup captain, Bishop again hired Hammond to work with Watson, himself and Bevacqua. When Watson was asked about his relationship with Tiger Woods, he had a canned answer all teed up. The basic message of Hammond’s coaching is to encourage her clients to be open. It seems to come naturally to Bishop.

Richest Event In World Is Not Rich Enough Apparently

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The inaugural non-WGC Tournament of Hope in South Africa has been "postponed" due to "economic climate."

For Immediate Friday News Dump Release:

February 1, 2013 - The International Federation of PGA Tours and the Sunshine Tour announced today that the Tournament of Hope, scheduled for the week of November 18, 2013, has been postponed.

The Tournament of Hope is an event to be contested in South Africa with a primary eligibility category of the top 50 players in the world, supplemented by the individual money lists and Orders of Merit of the various Tours that make up the International Federation of PGA Tours.  The Tournament of Hope is also to be the centerpiece of a proposed worldwide AIDS awareness effort, to be coordinated by the Sunshine Tour.

“We are confident that the initial enthusiasm for the Tournament of Hope remains in South Africa and among other potential international sponsors,” said Selwyn Nathan, executive director of the Sunshine Tour, speaking on behalf of the Sunshine Tour and the International Federation of PGA Tours.  “We are hopeful that, with an improvement in the economic climate, we will be able to conclude all arrangements for a successful staging of the Tournament of Hope at a future date.”

Further announcements concerning the Tournament of Hope will be made periodically.

The entire thing was a bit complicated from day one and up until last February when its status was finally decided.

It all started with a Presidents Cup scheduling brouhaha when the European Tour scheduled the 2011 South African Open the week of the Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne.