Shark And Fox: Who Couldn't Have Seen It Coming?

/

Greg Norman put on a shirt for a change and Instagrammed some nonsense about business and life in reaction to getting fired by Fox Sports after just one year. The text, with hashtag included:

#MondayMorningMotivator "Over the years, I’ve learned that no business can stand still. There are always changes in ownership and personnel, and invariably challenges with keeping your product or service relevant and in-demand. The reality is that businesses change, they evolve. We are going to keep moving – just like a shark.”

Get it, like a Shark. Get it? Clever!

That's about what you'd expect of someone who calls himself the Living Brand, claims to call Presidents to console them, says he won the Tournament of Life and, in numerous other ways over the last few years has shown himself to be emphatically detached from reality.

The signs, even pre-Fox, did not stop Fox's David Hill from apparently committing to the Shark before hiring a producer, a decision that saddled Fox Sports' foray into golf with more than just a commentator who only sounded engaged when talking about himself or a fellow Aussie. By all insider accounts, Norman had a say in who was hired and who wasn't, effectively tying producer Mark Loomis' hands in year one of a twelve...twelve...year deal.

Of course it's not Norman's fault that the technical side of the broadcast had issues or that some of his fellow announcers were as flat as he was. But ultimately, the signs were all there that this was a bad hire and Fox deserves credit for not prolonging the agony. Oh sure, Norman may have made it easy by reportedly mailing it in on his own tournament this fall, after mailing in the first five events he worked for Fox in year one of the twelve...twelve year deal.

Still, the signs are enjoyable to recall.

There's his proclivity to post shirtless photos of himself.

Perhaps when he said he never watched golf, this was a sign he might not exactly have a knowledge of what makes a good commentator or who the heck is playing each week.

Because to be honest with you, I never watch golf. I really didn’t because I thought it was kind of boring. And the presentation was boring. So now that we have Fox on board, we are…I am really looking forward to it and I know golf is really excited about it."

And when he declared himself fair and balanced, he left out the part about being determined to talk about himself as the defining characteristic of his announce philosophy.

“My objective is not to be criticizing golfers. My objective is to be fair and balanced. If I see something that I feel is very pertinent to the situation, I will explain that view to the audience, and I want it to be very fan-friendly and informative.

When it was announced he would be conjoined with Joe Buck, it couldn't have been a good sign that they'd never met.

Or maybe it was just the fist bump at Pinehurst that should have been our warning.

Videos: Trick Shots In Polar Opposite Climates, Shih Tzu Puppy

/

A few of you wanted to see the trick shots we talked about on Morning Drive and couldn't find them, so alas, here they are.

From Carlos Tercero on Instagram:

Who sais you can't workout and practice at the same time!!!⛳️💪🏼 @golf_gods #golfgod #golf #workout #golfgods

A video posted by Carlos Tercero⛳️ (@c4rlost3rc3ro) on Jan 11, 2016 at 2:33pm PST


And in the polar opposite, polar climate division, Anton Rosen of Stockholm and Monterey, California:

Cali cravings ❄️🏌☃ #snowball #gopro #goprogolf #csumb @golf_gods @otterathletics

A video posted by Anton Rosén (@anton.rosen) on Jan 13, 2016 at 8:00am PST


And I know what you're going to say, it's come to this. He's posting Shih Tzu puppy dog videos. And I don't really care because he's just that adorable. Even if he weighs less than a Titleist.

Blame the Grill Room:

Captain Clarke Practically Penciling In Westwood, Poulter?

/

Captain Darren Clarke, who guided his team via Club Car to a resounding 18½-5½ victory in something called the EurAsia Cup EURASIA CUP presented by DRB-HICOM, practically named two of his biggest captaincy allies to this fall's European Ryder Cup team.

From a EuropeanTour.com report:

Clarke said: "What Lee and Poults have brought to the team room has been priceless. They have been very, very good. All the young kids have listened to them, they have all learnt from them."

Cart Driver Clarke patted himself on the back for not running over anyone in his first go behind the wheel.

He added: "I've enjoyed it immensely. It's been a wonderful learning experience for me. I've been around the game a long time and done most things in the game and been fortunate to do so.

"This is different. I really enjoyed it. The guys seemed to listen to what I had to say, and if my little part of it has helped them along, then well be it."

Brush With Inevitability: Blair's Anchoring Review

/

It only took two weeks and we had our first player questioned about possible anchoring, though by the sounds of it the officials on-site were almost doing a review as a test case. But this will not be the last time a player has to review the tape.

Brian Wacker with the explanation from the PGA Tour's John Lillivas and Zac Blair's explanation for the 17th hole putt where his club brushed up against his shirt.

“I was a bit in shock when he even asked,” Blair said. “I was asking him, ‘What is he talking about?’ But I honestly don't know what to say, other than (that) I'm not even sure what happened until I guess I saw it. I definitely wasn't anchoring it on purpose.”

Randall Mell notes that this will be an ongoing issue with the new anchoring ban:

There’s going to be no way of knowing definitively if a club’s actually anchored to a player’s body, especially when players are in sweaters and jackets in cool weather.

This also explains why Charlie Rymer wore this hotel drape of a sweater this morning. He demonstrates the issue at hand on Morning Drive:

Video: 2016 Sony Open Thriller, Gomez Edges Snedeker & Blair

/

Here is Doug Ferguson's game story on the weird and wild Sony Open final round at the already refreshed Waialae (with more to come). You had a nice variety of playing styles, ages and backgrounds, lots of emotions and best of all, some terrific shots under pressure. And no shortage of sun, palm trees and blue Pacific.

Brian Wacker filed this background story on Fabian Gomez, who is almost assured now of representing Argentina in the Rio game thanks to his world ranking. And he says it's a dream come true for a man who came from little that would have pegged him as a future PGA Tour winner.

Gomez was born in Chaco, historically one of the poorest provinces in Argentina, and was introduced to the game through caddying. He didn’t pattern his swing by watching the players he was carrying for, though -- they were all high handicappers.

Instead, he honed his talents by playing against fellow caddies with the money he’d earned from caddying and also cutting grass (the latter paid more).

If you missed it, here are the final round highlights from PGA Tour Entertainment:

The full replay of Zac Blair's excellent shot from 280into 18 and his even better (humble) declaration (here is Wacker's PGA Tour note on the shot):

Press Release: Fox & Shark "Part Ways"

/

Fox Sports makes the parting with Greg Norman official, but rest assured, they will continue to broadcast the Shark Shootout final round. Can't wait for those in-booth visits from the Living Brand.

For Immediate Release:

FOX Sports announces that they will be making a change to their commentary team, and Greg Norman will not return to the network’s USGA Championships coverage in 2016.  The announcement was made today by John Entz, President of Production & Executive Producer, FOX Sports.
 
Both parties have agreed to an amicable separation and will continue to work together to broadcast the Franklin Templeton Shootout, which remains an important part of FOX Sports’ golf platform.
 
“After careful consideration, we have decided to make this change to our USGA Championships coverage,” said John Entz. “We want to thank Greg for his contributions last year, and wish him success in all his current and future endeavors.”
 
“I put a lot into my role this past year and really enjoyed the time I spent with the commentary team,” said Norman. “I have a long history with FOX and wish them well on their journey showcasing USGA Championships. I also want to thank David Hill (former Head of FOX Sports) and the USGA for believing in me and instilling their vote of confidence in me from the outset.”

Grand Slam: Jordan 100-1, Rory 150-1!?

/

As America virtually shuts down on Sundays because the NFL is betting friendly (and even exciting sometimes), golf remains a tough sell to those who like to wager, or, at the least, enjoy discussion of futures odds.

Consider this Martin Inglis story at Bunkered on prices for the 2016 majors.

As for achieving the grand slam, William Hill believe Spieth is more likely to do so than four-time major winner McIlroy, who failed to add to his total during a 2015 which was disrupted by an ankle ligament injury.

Spieth is 10/11 to be majorless, 6/4 to win one, 6/1 to replicate his sensational 2015 by winning two, 14/1 to win three and 100/1 to become the first player to win all four in a calendar year.

As for McIlroy, the odds are slightly longer. The Northern Irishman is 5/6 to win zero, 11/8 to win one, 13/2 to win two, 20/1 to win three and 150/1 to scoop all four.

How so very...not tantalizing. Spieth just finished one of the five best years in major championship history...HISTORY...winning two majors while finishing T4 and second. Repeating that is only a 6-1...opportunity?

Neither are any of these prices even remotely tempting...

And here are the odds for some selected others to win ONE major in 2016:

• Jason Day – 2/1 
• Rickie Fowler – 9/2 
• Bubba Watson – 6/1 
• Dustin Johnson – 6/1 
• Justin Rose – 6/1
 • Adam Scott – 8/1
 • Henrik Stenson – 8/1
 • Hideki Matsuyama – 12/1 
• Patrick Reed – 12/1
 • Brooks Koepka – 14/1 
• Phil Mickelson – 14/1 
• Matt Kuchar – 14/1 
• Louis Oosthuizen – 14/1 
• Martin Kaymer – 14/1 
• Sergio Garcia – 14/1

And…
• Tiger Woods – 14/1

Right now, we should get 14/1 if Tiger will even PLAY in a major.

What I can't gauge from these numbers is if it speaks to the bettors not understanding just how hard it is to win a major in golf, or the bookmakers just instilling this obliviousness in their customers. Either way, the numbers above are only good for discussing how silly they look on paper. Give me a $20,000 Maiden Claimer any day over this!

Meanwhile punters, Rory is looking ready to go as his 2016 is about to kick off in Abu Dhabi, getting dialed in on his new Trackman.

Is the just a little taller, the swing a little tighter/shorter, and the body even more fit?

Slow motion:

A video posted by Rory McIlroy (@rorymcilroy) on Jan 17, 2016 at 6:31am PST


And full speed. Pretty tight.

Full speed

A video posted by Rory McIlroy (@rorymcilroy) on Jan 17, 2016 at 8:50am PST

16-Year-Old Costa Rican Headed To The Masters

/

The finish to the second Latin American Amateur Championship was tense but decidedly captured by Costa Rica's Paul Chaplet.

The 16-year-old fired a final round 70 and after a few hiccups, closed out in style and becomes the first Costa Rican to appear in the Masters.

Kevin Maquire with the details and this interview with Chaplet:

"I wasn't expecting to win," Chaplet said. "I was expecting to shoot under par, which is my main goal, so that was accomplished. And with that came the win, so I can't really ask for much more."

And if you watched, I don't have to tell you that Pete Dye's Casa De Campo design looked pretty spectacular. The highlights:

Shark! Greg Norman Out At Fox, Azinger In?

/

That's what Links Magazine is reporting on Twitter and I can confirm from a second well-placed source.

That source could not confirm, however, that Paul Azinger will be announced as Greg Norman's replacement after just a year as Fox golf's lead analyst. However, Azinger has gone very quiet of late on Twitter and has been widely rumored in recent days to be talking to Fox.

Furthermore, Azinger worked with Fox golf producer Mark Loomis when the trio of Mike Tirico-Nick Faldo and Azinger was widely revered for their fresh, fun and smart approach.

Azinger has most recently been lead analyst on ESPN's golf telecasts, but with the network down to just The Masters, his much-needed smart approach to players, championships, courses and the golf swing would be a great addition to Fox. Azinger will be an enormous upgrade over Norman, whose first year was marked largely by sounding unprepared, appearing unaware of players who were born outside Australia, and most of all, seeming very impressed with former World No. 1 Greg Norman.

If you're nostalgic, here is the Shark's first suggestion he would be Fox's lead man on USGA coverage, just hours after the announcement had been made.

Langley Gets $3 Million To Be Golf's First "Athlete Trading Stock"

/

Here I thought the sign of Wall Street geekdom having too much time and money peaked when they discovered high-frequency trading. Or ruining my favorite baseball team.

But reading from Yahoo's Daniel Roberts about Fantex's athlete trading stocks suggests that there is a stranger and even deeper misunderstanding of sports than I first feared.

PGA Tour player Scott Langley is Fantex's first pro golfer, inked for an upfront fee of $3.06 million, payable if they sell shares in Langley, in exchange for the privilege of 15% of his earnings. Here's how it works, according to Roberts:

The company pays every athlete it signs a one-time, upfront lump sum in return for a percentage of the athlete's future brand income—all future income tied to the athlete's brand, whether it's from the sport or from business outside of it. (That includes, for example, money from endorsement deals, fast-food franchising, speaking engagements, TV appearances and more.) In Langley's case, Fantex is paying Langley $3.06 million in return for 15% of his future brand income. Fantex raises that fee from the IPO process; if it fails to sell enough shares of the athlete in the offering, it can't pay him. It has successly brought all six of its attempted offerings public, but it had to cancel the offering of Arian Foster, who was planned to be its first stock. Foster is a bigger star than any of the athletes Fantex has brought public, but he was sidelined by a back injury shortly after Fantex announced the deal.

Masters Berth: 2016 LAAC Set Up For Fun Finish

/

With a Masters berth on the line, not even a large lead is safe. But just two shots separate the top four heading into Sunday's finale of the Latin America Amateur Championship at Pete Dye's spectacular Casa De Campo, Teeth of the Dog course.

The final threesome offers an intriguing setup, with last year's runner up and Florida golfer Alejandro Tosti paired with teaamate Jorge Garcia (Venezuela). They are chasing Campbell University golfer Gaston Bertinotti of Argentina. The U.S. collegiate aspect might be disappointing for some but also speaks to the role of NCAA golf these days in shaping players from all over.

As noted in this week's Forward Press by ESPN's Sean McDonough, Tosti's story is particularly compelling, though having a Venezuelan qualify would certainly open eyes in a country where the game has been mocked by its president, except when Johnny Vegas won a tour event.

The final round starts on ESPN2 at 11:30 am ET, with a highlights show at 5:30 pm ET.

Third round highlights:

Did Boo Weekley's Beard Earn Him A Special Visit?

/

Boo Weekley appears to be trying to outdo Graham Delaet in the Lost-At-Sea beard race, or maybe wants a cameo on Duck Dynasty. Yet only Boo got a visit from Mark Russell of the PGA Tour this week on the range, which he viewed with little concern but maybe as the tour's version of a Sicilian message.

Golfweek's Alex Miceli reports from Waialae on the latest Boo v. Tour saga, which he suggests may be a response to Boo's wraparound schedule comments last fall.

“They ain’t said nothing, just asked when hunting season was over with,” Weekley said of a conversation he had with Mark Russell, PGA Tour vice president of rules and competition, on Thursday at the Sony Open. “It’s all good. I still got awhile. We hunt year round; we hunt pigs year round.”

After missing the cut by a shot on Friday, Weekley seemed unfazed by the earlier conversation and said he is unwilling to make any facial-hair changes immediately unless required by the Tour.

“They ain’t point blank told me I need to shave it, but until they do I’m going to let it keep growing,” Weekley said. “And if they do? Then I’ll trim it up a little.”

Now, knowing Mark Russell that's a fair normal chat to have with a player so it may not have been a targeted visit ordered by headquarters. However, you may recall the Commissioner has a criteria for facial hair. It's a bit Justice Potter Stewart-ish, but I'm pretty sure Boo's not passing the Finchem Facial Hair Test.

"What I say to the players is no secret," Finchem said. "Look in the mirror and ask yourself or your significant other if [you] look good. If the answer is no, you should shave. Lucas is wearing a beard, that's a given. Not shaving that day is different. You're not wearing a beard. To some people it would connote a lack of respect, so there's a little bit of that concern. On the other hand, some guys, such as Jose Maria Olazabal, show up at a tournament with a three day growth and it looks good. Some guys are like that. There isn't a formula."

Video: Flyover Of Proposed Royal Portrush Changes

/

Nice work by Golf Central Daily to note Wild Atlantic Golf's post of the flyover video depicting the architect's vision for two new holes at Royal Portrush.

The firm of Mackenzie and Ebert's course changes, prompted by ex R&A Chief Executive/Architect Peter Dawson, calls for numerous bunker additions. The film covers the conversion of holes 17 and 18 on the existing course into a tent village for the 2019 Open Championship and shows us the two new holes being added. The narrator is Maureen Madill.

First aerial look at the course changes to Royal Portrush ahead of its staging The 2019 Open Championship.

Posted by North and West Coast Links Golf on Thursday, January 14, 2016

Another Young Gun To Watch: Ryan Ruffels Turns Pro

/

In the wealth of riches department, golf gets another intriguing young player to keep an eye on, as Golf Australia product (but American citizen too) Ryan Ruffels turns pro.

Mark Hayes with the full story on Ruffels signing with Wasserman and Nike, and planning a hard push for a PGA Tour card. He makes his first two starts at Torrey Pines and Pebble Beach.

Ruffels, for most of the past year ranked in the world’s top 10 amateurs despite completing his Year 12 studies at Melbourne’s Haileybury College, said the decision was made not long after bad weather robbed him of a chance to win the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in October.

While he tied for second in Hong Kong, only a win that would have won him direct entry to The Masters in April would have kept him in amateur ranks.

“It was one of my big goals to play in a major championship as an amateur, but that was really it,” said Ruffels, who dismissed suggestions he was turning pro too early.

“For a while now, as much as I’m 17, I feel like I’ve been playing the amateur and junior stuff for a long time.

“I played my first amateur at 12 and the men’s interstate series not long after that, so as much as people are going to say, `He’s only 17, why is he turning pro?’, I feel like the time is right.

“I’ve done what I needed to do as an amateur.”

Ruffels Tweeted his bag, which includes the Golf Australia logo.


His announcement press conference: