Video: Ben Crenshaw's Design Legacy

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Using his 64th birthday as an excuse to laud the place Ben Crenshaw holds in the hearts of those who have benefitted from golf's architectural renaissance, we at Morning Drive discussed his legacy. (And Bill Coore also talked to the show via phone about his design partner's role in their many classic designs.)

While it's easy to morph Ben into the category of player-architect, his legacy is much greater than that of famous golfer who helped someone sell real estate. (Because in all honesty, pushing some lot sales is about the extent of most player-architect's legacy in the game.)

But as we discussed, Ben followed the groundwork layed by Pete Dye to revisit links golf and the efforts of our forefathers. His credibility as a lover of golf history and his worship of heros like Macdonald, Tillinghast, Ross, Thomas and MacKenzie opened the eyes of so many, including the host of this site. And by lending his name to book forwards, introductions and epilogues, Crenshaw injected his thoughts via writings that carried much needed weight with readers and decision makers at some of the world's great courses.

So while his legacy will always be tied to his amazing career as a two-time Masters champion, Ben Crenshaw's greatest contribution to golf will ultimately be his work as an advocate, historian, aficionado of golf literature and co-designer of courses.

Forward Press: Sean McDonough & Dye's Dominican Masterpiece

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Other than a 1994 Shell's Wonderful World of Golf featuring Fred Couples vs. Ray Floyd, Pete Dye's Casa de Campo design hasn't been seen much on TV. Until this week.

In this week's Forward Press, I chatted with ESPN's Sean McDonough about the difficulty of working a golf broadcast featuring an almost entirely unknown field. That's the case at this week's Latin America Amateur Championship, brought to you by the Masters, USGA and R&A where a Master berth is up for grabs.

Also included are some embeds of fun "Teeth of the Dog" preview videos, including Dye reading writings about what he has said (at times) of his beloved design.

Other viewing tips include the Sony Open and a Caddyshack airing scrubbed cleaner than a Golden Globes telecast. Enjoy.

2016 Kapalua Overnights: Best In A Decade

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Certainly it's nice to see that all of the young-gun hype and interest in Jordan Spieth's potentially historic trajectory is attracting viewers, though I'd contend it's even nicer to see Hyundai finally get improved ratings after a so-so run that likely ended after the 2016 Tournament of Champions. (However, the rumor mill suggests they are primed to be continuing on in a different PGA Tour event.)

Saturday's rating is probably the most impressive given the competition from an exciting NFL game.

From Golf Channel PR:

Golf Channel’s coverage of the PGA TOUR’s Hyundai Tournament of Champions posted Best Overnight Ratings in a Decade:

· Final Round Overnight Rating of .70 is Golf Channel’s “Highest Overnight Rating Ever” at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions. This more than doubled the Overnight Rating for 2015 of .34 (+106% vs. 2015)

· Golf Channel’s Final Round Overnight Rating (.70) was +35% from the overnight for any previous telecast of this event on Golf Channel (2007-16) and +52% from any prior Final Round at this event on Golf Channel (2007-16)

· World No. 1 Jordan Spieth’s 8-shot victory had significant television competition, including coverage posting a .60 Overnight Rating (6-8 p.m. ET) vs. Sunday’s late NFC Wildcard Game and posting a .81 Overnight Rating (8-10 p.m. ET) opposite the Golden Globes. Coverage peaked from 9:30-10 p.m. ET at .87.
 
For previous rounds, the Hyundai Tournament of Champions kicked off the New Year by posting “Highest Overnight Rating Ever” on Golf Channel (2007-2016):

· Thursday night’s First Round coverage posted a .33 Overnight Rating (+27% vs. 2015) from 6-10 p.m. ET.

· Friday night’s Second Round coverage posted a .40 Overnight Rating (+25% vs. 2015) from 6-10 p.m. ET, peaking at a .49 Overnight Rating from 8-8:30 p.m. ET.

· Saturday’s combined coverage on NBC and Golf Channel posted a Round 3 Overnight Rating of .74 Metered Market Rating (NBC 4-6 p.m. ET: .95; Golf Channel 6-8 p.m. ET: .52) and is “Highest Overnight Rating” for any 1st, 2nd or 3rd round at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, matching ESPN’s coverage of the 2nd Round in 2006 (.74).

· NBC’s coverage of Round 3 (.95 Metered Market Overnight – 4-6 p.m. ET) is the “Highest Overnight Rating” for any telecast from this event in the last 10 years (2007-16). Coverage peaked at a 1.10 from 5:30-6 p.m. ET

· Golf Channel’s coverage of Round 3 (.52 Overnight Rating – 6-8 p.m. ET) is the “Highest Overnight Rating for Round 3” on Golf Channel (2007-16) and the best 3rd Round at this event on cable since ESPN’s coverage in 2005. Going into Sunday, this was also the “Highest Overnight Rating Ever for Any Round” of this event on Golf Channel (2007-16). Golf Channel’s coverage peaked at a .63 from 7:30-8 p.m. ET.

Spieth Becomes Second To Post 30-Under In PGA Tour Event

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But go easy on the Tiger comparisons...

Doug Ferguson's game story covers the resounding season-opening win by Jordan Spieth, who beat Patrick Reed by eight strokes. Spieth became only the second player to post a 30-under total or better in a 72-hole event, and tied Woods for most PGA Tour wins by 22.

Spieth won his seventh title in his 77th start as a pro. Woods won his seventh PGA Tour event in his 38th start, and he had 18 wins in his first 77 tournaments.

"Nowhere near," Spieth said on how his record stacks up with Woods. "I don't think there's any reason to compare. It's awfully early. We're excited about where we're at to start our career. What Tiger has done, I can't imagine ever being done."

The breathless nature of the Spieth enthusiasm is mostly warranted, but the Woods comparisons bothered John Strege a bit.

A more appropriate question: Wouldn’t it be better simply to enjoy Spieth for what he is, fresh air in an often fetid sporting world (to wit, the Bengals-Steelers game Saturday night) and a reason to look forward to watching how the story unfolds in a sport too frequently capable of curing insomnia?

The highlights:

 

Video: DeChambeau's Elevates The Tight Rope Walk

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Current U.S. Amateur champion Bryson DeChambeau continues his run-up to the Masters and the day the eccentric golfer turns pro, signing with The Legacy Agency last week (Ryan Lavner reports.)

In the meantime the former SMU golfer appears to be enjoying desert life, walking a tightrope between palm trees and even having someone fire shots at him:

 

"It’s a good feeling, thinking that you’re going to hole everything you look at. And you don’t think it’s ever going to end."

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James Corrigan talked to former World No. 1 Luke Donald about hitting a low point before rekindling his fire for the game this winter. (Donald kickstarts his year at the Sony Open coming off another year of falling down the rankings.)

The 38-year-old started struggling when revamping his game in an effort to get longer off the tee, but is entirely back under the supervision of his longtime instructor Pat Goss (where have we heard this before?).

Yet it was the masterful Donald short game that suffered most when trying to change his swing, something current short game wizard Jordan Spieth seems to have learned from, choosing to use the gym as his avenue to more distance. (Though he's never specifically mentioned Donald.)

It was not too long ago that Donald was Spieth, bringing his rivals to their knees with that wand he waved on the greens. “Yeah, it’s a good feeling, thinking that you’re going to hole everything you look at. And you don’t think it’s ever going to end,” Donald said. “But for a good year there, as I focused on getting my swing back to what it was before I started working with Chuck Cook, my short game was not very good at all.

“I need to be one of the best in the world with my short game if I’m going to be successful out here with the way I play golf. But it’s improving and coming back. I’ll get there.”

Video: Golf Ball In The Corner Pocket!

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Joshua Kelley is 26, married to an apparently patient woman, lives in South Jersey and plays to a scratch. He also calls himself a trickshot artist and this little corner pocket shot shows some ingenuity both in vision and execution.

 

Kapalua: Some Incredible Jordan Spieth Stats To Ponder

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You know you're doing something right in golf when you're matching Tiger Woods records, and after opening up a 5-stroke lead in the Hyundai Tournament of Champions at Kapalua, Jordan Spieth is proving last year was only the beginning of a special career. (Rex Hoggard goes with the Tiger angle here, Brian Wacker noting some player comments that are starting to sound like the hopelessness that Woods instilled in his competition.)

First, the round highlights from PGA Tour Entertainment.
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And the near albatross on 18:


Doug Ferguson reports that Spieth intends to go after the Kapalua/TOC scoring record Sunday and why not considering his -24 start and final round scoring?

Courtesy of the gang at ShotLink who are at their best when working with a mix of history and performance. Spieth if giving them plenty to chew on and they've delivered some eye-openers.


Even more remarkable considering his blew his first four 54-hole leads.

Winners have historically torched the par-5s at Kapalua but a 3.92 scoring average and the other two gems listed below (with a round to go!) borders on the silly, especially since he's not one to overpower par-5s.

And this is impressive at any golf course, but one with greens as big, contoured and difficult as Kapalua? After being for essentially a month?

Robert Allenby's Returning To The Site Of His Alien Abduction

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Soak up the fun at Kapalua. Because following an opening week of stars, humpback whales and what looks like another impressive Jordan Spieth performance, the Sony Open will deliver us back to reality with an OK field and...Robert Allenby.

You may recall last year's lavish tale inspired by having watched one too many Taken movies. You know, the one that unraveled and included Allenby criticizing the woman who found him bloodied before giving her a gift before ultimately being loosely traced to a strip club.

Doug Ferguson reports that Allenby returns to the scene of it all next week on a one-year all-time money exemption. The vital recap for those who tried to block out the bad memories.

A Hawaii man was arrested a month later for using Allenby's credit cards to buy gift cards, jewelry and clothing. Owen Harbison was sentenced in August to five years.

Allenby stood by his story, saying the media blamed him when he was the victim. He says he suspects someone slipped a drug in his drink because he had total memory loss during a 2½-hour window from leaving the Amuse Wine Bar and being woken in the park.

Golf Channel cited unidentified sources in a strip club that Allenby was at Club Femme Nu and ran up a tab of $3,400. Honolulu Police Det. John McCarthy said the report was not true, and the police investigation showed Allenby was never in the strip club.

Allenby made only six cuts on the PGA Tour the rest of the year.

The Age included this report with Allenby's life changing advice for us all, minus the caveat that this only applies to people with big mouths, weird attitudes and a propensity for bar bickering.

"I'm very cautious, there's no question about it. Most important thing is you never leave a glass of wine or any drink unattached anywhere. And that's probably the best advice I could give anyone in the world because it's not a pleasant experience – especially the outcome of what could happen."

Padraig Loves A Good -140 Degree Cryo Bath

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After opening with a 70, the second oldest player in the 2016 Hyundai Tournament of Champions credits quick recovery from a knee injury to baths. Really, really cold ones.

Jim McCabe of Golfweek.com with Padraig's explanation for his quick recovery.

Besides the proper rehab, Harrington also utilized a cryo bath that reached unnatural temperature levels and helped him recover from the surgery faster.

But as with many things Harrington does, the bath was unique.

“I do six minutes at -140 degrees because I'm used to it,” Harrington said of the air bath where he did approximately 20 sessions in a 12-day period. “So, that's a pretty long time. Most guys are at three minutes. But it, basically, when you're working out, it boosts your testosterone. That's what it does. And it helps your recovery from injuries.”

Rickie's High-Tops Met With Disdain, Pity And Some Praise

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I feel like the only thing missing from the look is a pair of legwarmers and maybe a little 80s 'do. Which is better than some reactions, which said the boots looked like he was wearing court-ordered tracking devices.

Judging by the comments in this Golfweek.com round-up, I'm not alone when looking at Rickie Fowler trying to bring hi-tops to golf.

Buddies Tournament! Celebs Dragging Name Pros To Pebble?

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It's still a tad early to declare the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am field the best ever (the tournament director is), but the improvement is already noticeable.

The reason for more stars is interesting: celebs drawing in their buddy golf pros. Ron Kroichick reports:

Celebrity impact: Watson will play for the first time since 2007 because one of his good friends, actor/producer Mark Wahlberg, is playing. That prompted Watson to request a pairing with Wahlberg. Done.

Similarly, soon after American League MVP Josh Donaldson signed up, fellow Alabaman Jason Dufner, the 2013 PGA Championship winner, hopped aboard. Steve Stricker, a 12-time tour winner, will make his first appearance in 10 years — because he wants to play with country singer Toby Keith, a friend.

“It’s kind of turned into a buddy tournament,” John said.

Trump: Ban Me And My Scottish Projects All End

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In response to a petition signed by 500,000 (online), Parliament must debate its call to ban Donald Trump from traveling to the UK after his statements on Muslims. A second petition signed by 40,000 supports The Donald.

Understandably, this prompted a statement from Trump threatening to de-invest in Scotland.

His statement via a Sky report:


"The Trump Organization has plans to invest more than £200m into the development of the iconic Trump Turnberry resort, located in South Ayrshire, Scotland.

"Our work there has been widely supported by the local community and created hundreds of jobs for the region. Over the coming years, we intend to further develop Trump Turnberry and invest millions more at the site, creating sustained economic growth for South Ayrshire and Scotland.

"Additionally, we have plans to invest £500m towards further development at the 1,400 acre Trump International Golf Links, Aberdeen, which has been consistently rated the best modern golf course in Great Britain and Ireland by the prestigious Golfweek magazine and many others in the global golf community.


Golfweek!

"Any action to restrict travel would force the Trump Organization to immediately end these and all future investments we are currently contemplating in the United Kingdom.

We discussed Mr. Trump Monday on Morning Drive in the context of 2016 and where his golf empire heads while juxtaposed with his campaign for president. I have no real solid answers, but it's certainly going to be an interesting time for Team Trump and golf's governing bodies.

"How Christy O’Connor Jr became Europe's hero at the 1989 Ryder Cup"

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The Guardian's Steve Pye used the unexpected and way-too-early passing of Christy O'Connor Jr to remember his fascinating life in golf through the 1989 Ryder Cup.

O'Connor was a captain's pick of Tony Jacklin after Sandy Lyle withdrew due to a floundering game. A Jose Rivero mention makes it way into the piece, but in the big scheme of things it's a pleasurable way to learn about the sudden passing of a real character and also to learn that wild Ryder Cup dynamics are not solely a product of the 21st century.

A sampler from Pye's piece:

Unfortunately for O’Connor, things were about to turn pear-shaped. A missed cut left him vulnerable to a late attack, and when José María Cañizares sneaked in at the last minute, O’Connor now had to rely on a captain’s pick from Tony Jacklin. Two of Jacklin’s choices were apparently set in stone – Ken Brown and Nick Faldo, despite the latter struggling for form after remodelling his swing – and it was seen as a straight fight between O’Connor, Mark James and Gordon Brand Jr for the final selection.

To the general amazement of everyone, Jacklin chose José Rivero instead. “I am disgusted and totally shattered,” said a furious O’Connor, understandably so after he missed out on his second Ryder Cup by just £115.89. O’Connor’s ire would run and run; according to Jacklin, the only time O’Connor spoke to him in the next four years was to offer his condolences when Jacklin’s wife Vivien passed away.


O’Connor was probably happy to see the back of 1985. At the end of the year his father died after suffering a heart attack, and over the next few seasons O’Connor seemed unable to reproduce the form that had taken him so near to joining Europe’s party. Having hovered around the top 20 during the next three years, few expected his 1989 campaign to be any different. But a fine run of displays saw O’Connor finish fifth at the Volvo Open, fourth at the Volvo PGA, third at the Dunhill British Masters, and seventh at the English Open (played at The Belfry). To top it all, O’Connor won the Jersey Open, his first individual win on the Tour since his Ryder Cup debut.