Wow: Rory's Ball At $5558 And Climbing

So much for the collectibles market drying up.

Yesterday when I read Luke Kerr-Dineen's item on Rory's final Nike ball from Hoylake going up for sale at Green Jacket Auctions it was at $2852.

Now? $5558 and going up with the bidding ending August 9th.

If you were thinking of bidding and sending me the ball for Christmas, I'd prefer some more nostalgic stuff from the auction.

This painting would look nice in my office. Or this set of Tom Stewart irons would look mighty spiffy in my bag. Just thinking out loud.

Duf: "I wonder what the old-timers think as they're looking down."

As the PGA Championship run-up officially begins, check out Jason Dufner's Golf Digest My Shot with Guy Yocom. The unassuming defending champion displays a much deeper side than you might have imagined based on how he carries himself.

Random choice here from many great bits...he believes in ghosts.

IF YOU LOOK BACK on the remarks of players after they've won tournaments, you'll notice they often mention someone looking down on them from heaven. I believe that. I've definitely felt my grandfather and my father—he passed away in 2001—looking down on me, experiencing what I'm experiencing. Sometimes I wonder what the old-timers think as they're looking down. Is Bobby Jones cringing about technology? What does Ben Hogan think about slow play? Something tells me they're bemused, but not losing sleep over any of it.

Jerry Tarde's Editor's Letter includes some fun insights from Yocom on working with Dufner, from photo editor Christian Iooss on Duf as a model, and Jaime Diaz asked to compare Dufner to Fred Couples. Thankfully, Couples probably won't read this.

Not April Fools: SI Puts Actual Golfer On Cover!

As the trainers start prepping unis and lockers for the arrival of NFL stars (that's a cover!), July is close enough to NFL Training Camp Preview time that the first of this year's six Johnny Manziel covers could have been used.

But mercifully Sports Illustrated appears to have remembered their heritage of great Open Championship covers and put Rory McIlroy on the front of the "book."

Thomas Lovelock has captured him looking trim and very 21st century. 

Ed Sherman thought the cover took a jab at the PGA Championship by already hyping next year's Masters and Rory's run at the career Grand Slam.