Tiger's World Challenge To Return This Fall, Still Searching For Sponsor

Doug Ferguson's notes column leads off with the news that the World Challenge--subsidized to the tune of $4 million last year by Tiger Woods--is returning December 5-8 with limited sponsorship. For now. 

Video: Nicklaus Talks Majors, Tennis In Wimbledon Interview

Jack Nicklaus was invited to the Live@Wimbledon booth by friend Mats Wilander to talk for nearly 15 minutes about a range of topics including Rory McIlroy, majors, the state of American tennis, etc...

Nicklaus was a guest in the Royal box the day before. Thanks to reader Michael for the tip.
 

"Gullane, North Berwick, Dunbar and Musselburgh were the settings for the kind of blazing shoot-outs that would have made the Gunfight at the OK Coral resemble a playful stooshie with water pistols."

It's hard not to get your Open juices flowing when reading about the 288 lads who made the valiant effort to qualify for the 12 Open spot up for grabs, especially when Nick Rodger is giving accounts of their efforts from Scotland's Golf Coast: North Berwick, Dunbar, Gullane and Musselburgh.

The Open can't come soon enough!

Oh and a special nod to His Montyness for a fine effort off playing in the Senior TPC Sunday and making it to East Lothian to open with a 69 only to understandably fade to a second round 76.

By the time he had completed 12 holes, the big man was five under and on a roll. His bid for one of the three Open tickets was motoring along nicely but the wheels began to shoogle with bogeys at 13, 14, 16 and 17. Despite a birdie putt of 15 feet on the 18th in a two-under 69, the face and the shoulders were beginning to crumple towards half mast and the mood would become increasingly sombre during the second round.

An average splash-out from the greenside bunker on the eighth led to him thundering the offending club back into the bag before he turned round and booted the rake into the sand pit. The silence was so tense that even that aforementioned butterfly was trying desperately to control its flatulence. In the end, a weary 76 for 145 meant he slithered down the field while the assembled scribblers steeled themselves to approach him in the same tentative way as you would edge towards a sleeping lion.

There would be no startled roar and savage bite, though. "Five-under and I threw it away; I played very badly," he groaned in a resigned, downbeat assessment before beating a glum retreat.

You can view full results from the four courses here.

Pro Plays All Existing U.S. Open Courses And Wants More!

Thanks to reader Mike for Frank Fitzpatrick's superb story on Cape Fear CC professional Joey Hines playing all of the 49 existing U.S. Open courses.

He's now on a quest to now play the existing Open Championship courses and hosts of PGA's too.

But after three or four of those trips, a friend said, 'You know you've played an awful lot of U.S. Open courses.' That interested me. "I started researching. I found out there were 49 of them - actually 50, but Englewood in New Jersey had closed. So I started nibbling away." Once he gave up his dream of playing on the PGA Tour - he failed to earn a card at qualifying school on several occasions - the pace of his quest quickened. He played Open venues in bunches with friends, then began to pick them off one-by-one on his own. As difficult as the golf was at many of those exclusive venues, securing tee times was even tougher.

"They all had their rules, and you had to respect them," he said. "It wasn't easy getting on at Baltusrol or Riviera. Chicago Golf Club was brutal. Sometimes they paired you with a member. Sometimes you had to beg, borrow, and cry."

Riviera was hard to get on? They take anyone's money!

"And Merion. I've come across that road [Ardmore Avenue] five times and I've been at even, 1 under, 1 over. But I think the lowest I ever shot there was a 77. Fifteen, 16, 17, 18 have just eaten my lunch every single time." Some of the courses, particularly those that haven't hosted an Open since the event's early days, were pleasant surprises. He liked Philadelphia Country Club (1939) much better than the Philadelphia Cricket Club (1907, 1910). Among the other out-of-the-rotation "sleepers" Hines enjoyed were Myopia Hunt near Boston, the site of four Opens from 1898 to 1908; and three Chicago-area courses, Chicago Golf Club, Onwentsia, and Glen View. "Chicago Golf Club is like Merion," Hines said. "If somebody gave you a million dollars and told you to improve it, you'd go crazy because it's already perfect."

That Was More Work Than It Needed To Be: USGA Wisely Caves On Coach Casey Martin's Cart Usage

Yet another chapter in the why-oh-why files has been put to rest as Cassie Stein reports the USGA is not going to insist on Casey Martin using a one-man scooter or walking at their events to do his recruiting duties. Which, must be at least three times a year!

Martin says that his lawyers are on standby after reviewing the circumstances, but Martin has held off filing any lawsuit in hopes of a different resolution. The USGA has reached out on two occasions – executive director Mike Davis called him, including an apology in the first telephone call – and Martin is thankful for that, but still thinks this situation warrants a public apology from the organization.

The question still remains, who at USGA headquarters called out to the host course to insist Martin lose his cart privileges? And why when everyone with an ounce of common sense, including the USGA (historically), the SCGA and the host course had no issue with Martin using a cart to help him work around his disability.

Martin posted here about the escapades (30th or so post), but it was caught up in spam filters (yes, he even gets spammed!) but it is now visible to read his side of the weird day.

Forecasters Think UK May Get Warm, Dry(ish) July

Encouraging news for the Scottish Open and Open Championship this year via The Guardian.

Also, defending Open champion Ernie Els has added next week's Scottish Open to his schedule, according to this Sky Sports report.

Links Trust Still Cracking Down On Local St. Andrews Businesses

Alistair Tait files an extensive look at the St. Andrews Links Trust's trademarking efforts and their continued demands of payment from local St. Andrews businesses that have been using the town name on their town businesses for years.

Also noteworthy in the story was the annual report revelation of $27.9 million in 2012 revenues, including $16.7 million from golf operations on operating expenses of $24.3 million.

Jargon-Cutting Through The PGA Tour's Anchoring Ban Support

Doug Ferguson's game story on the Monday news dump reminds us that Commissioner Tim Finchem said in February the tour was opposed to the new rule because there was no "overriding reason to go down that road."

And now we've gone down that road with his blessing! 

Though judging by the intial poll results, not many of you buy into the idea of extending the use of anchored putters for the amateur game, as the tour suggested.

Jason Sobel feels the PGA Tour's announcement pointed to political maneuvering, but what that is remains murky.

What can’t be argued is that there was indeed a political agenda at play here. Finchem is well versed in the strategies involved in such issues. He’s implemented them in the past with similar success and this matter was no different, as he planned three, four, five steps ahead at every checkpoint throughout the process.

It may not explain everything about this decision, but it does serve to explain how an organization that outwardly opposed an anchoring ban just a few months ago is voting in support of it this week.

Scott Michaux had less trouble interpreting the decision, saying "the tour couldn’t stop itself from sticking its nose in where it doesn’t belong and sounding pompous in the process."

It's a transparent attempt to strong-arm influence any future policy regarding equipment.

The tour clearly believes that the game and its millions of golfers around the world revolve around its hundreds of tour professionals.

I've pondered the press release for a few hours now and would conclude that Michaux has it right, with the caveat that there was also an element of face-saving in this awkward language that followed the policy board decision.

Finchem knew all along from the person he has on the USGA Rules committee that the proposed ban was going to happen, yet seems to behave as if he was surprised, prompting this absurd statement in the press release:

“It is not inconceivable that there may come a time in the future when the Policy Board determines that a rule adopted by the USGA, including in the area of equipment, may not be in the best interests of the PGA TOUR and that a local rule eliminating or modifying such a USGA rule may be appropriate."

Translation: we know from our representative on the ball and implement committee that you have a ball spec and overall distance standard rollback in mind and we can't make up our mind if we like that or not, so we'll mention something about the everyday game to show we care and to appease our friends at the PGA Of America who are opposed to any kind of distance regulation.

Which then makes this largely a blatant attempt to confuse those who are not aware of the amount of access the PGA Tour has to USGA/R&A deliberations...

“Having said that, we have been assured by the USGA that as we move forward we will have an open and effective communication process on a number of levels with the decision makers at the USGA,” Finchem added. “Importantly, this will include a direct communication between the Commissioner’s Office of the PGA TOUR and the USGA Executive Committee. Such a process will ensure that our position is fully and carefully considered and addressed in future rule making.”

Apparently the Commissioner's interactions with the USGA and R&A at the USGA Annual Meeting, PGA Show, Masters, International Golf Federation conference calls, World Golf Foundation/Hall of Fame/Players Championship meetings, Golf 20/20 meetings, First Tee gatherings, U.S. Open, Open Championship, PGA Championship and assorted other points during the first nine months of the year are not enough?

Good grief.

The USGA was asked for a comment on the PGA Tour press release and declined. Frankly, who can blame them?

Update on 2013-07-02 15:57 by Geoff

**Gary Van Sickle kicks off his always fun mailbag by taking issue with Tim Finchem's actions, writing that "Finchem and the Tour aren't there for the players. The players are there for Finchem and the Tour."

He played both sides of the fence. Like lawyers often do. Using words is just a game. You know, like the whole famous routine about the definition of the word, "is."

I'm not surprised. I know one thing about the PGA Tour: It talks a big game about how much it has raised for charity; its tournaments are a tremendous vehicle for community fundraising and, yes, they're working on their second billion. That is amazing. One of its old slogans was, "Anything's possible." There were dozens of feel-good commercials.

And then, when a player came along with a disability -- a withered leg, say -- and made it to the Tour, the Tour responded by trying to sue him into oblivion instead of making him the poster boy of hope and "Anything's Possible." Casey Martin needed a cart to play golf. He was a true underdog, a true feel-good story, and the courts upheld his right to use a cart in competition under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

So the PGA Tour didn't back up Martin, either. It talked the talk but didn't walk the walk. It fought him every step of the way and did everything it could to stop Martin. Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer and others who should be embarrassed filmed depositions speaking out against Martin. Finally, against the advice of the Tour's legal experts, Finchem appealed the case to the Supreme Court. The justices sided with Martin, proving the Tour's lawyers finally got something right.

Finchem and the Tour aren't there for the players. The players are there for Finchem and the Tour.

Update on 2013-07-02 15:59 by Geoff

**Mike Stachura explains why there is almost zero chance of a ban extension for amateurs.

Update on 2013-07-02 18:58 by Geoff

**Garry Smits has the Florida Times-Union take including this reminder:

With the Tour accepting the ban on anchoring, a number of its stars will have 30 months to find another method of putting. The list includes Masters champion Adam Scott, current British Open champion Ernie Els, 2012 U.S. Open champion Webb Simpson, 2011 PGA champion Keegan Bradley and 2010 Players champion Tim Clark.

San Diego CC Lands '17 Women's Amateur

Riviera and Bel-Air host the U.S. Amateur that year and Los Angeles Country Club the Walker Cup in 17, so why not come to southern California for the U.S. Women's Amateur.

Tod Leonard with the report and backstory of how Dean Knuth for the ball rolling.

Update On Muirfield Conditions Heading Into The Open

3rd hole fairway view in 2012 (click image to enlarge)John Huggan played Muirfield recently, says the rough is not quite as horrid as rumored, but confirms the R&A's "Treatment" has included a beefing up of the 377-yard third hole to ensure that strategy is non-existent.

Traditionally, this semi-blind par-4 has required the tee-shot to be placed at least left-of-center to allow a look at the flag. Unfortunately, the ideal spot -- one your correspondent has been aiming at for the last four decades or so -- is suddenly covered in thick rough that reduced this mere mortal to a mindless hack back into play. By my estimation, around seven or eight yards of fairway have been eliminated, on both sides, left and right.

These Guys Are Not The Brightest Files: Kris Blanks Brings Gun And Ammo To TSA Edition

Thanks to WeiUnderPar for spotting Chris Alcantara's account of PGA Tour player Kris Blanks forgetting the loaded gun in his backpack as he went through security at Palm Beach International.

Just after 6 a.m. Sunday, Kristoffer Blanks, was on his way to catch a plane headed to Charlotte, N.C., when he entered an airport security checkpoint and placed his black backpack onto an X-ray conveyor belt.

As the bag went through screening, a Transportation Safety Administration officer found a .40-caliber Glock 27 with eight rounds in the magazine, a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office report said.

Deputies responded to the airport, took Blanks’ bag and arrested him on charges of carrying a concealed weapon.

During an interview with deputies, Blanks said he forgot to take his gun out of the bag after he returned home from a road trip the week before, the report said. He added he did not have a concealed weapons permit.

But other than that, everything was kosher!

Kris hasn't mentioned the incident on his Twitter account...yet.

Instant Poll: Should Governing Bodies Adopt PGA Tour's Advice And Extend Anchoring Ban For Amateurs To 2024?

In light of the PGA Tour's intriguing press release buried lede about taking a page from the groove rule change and adopting the anchored putting ban in 2024 for amateur play, what do you think?

Should the USGA/R&A extend the anchored putting ban to 2024 for amateur golfers?
	Yes
	No
	Unsure
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