Arnold Palmer Funeral Coverage And Golf Digest Special Issue

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Here is the Golf Digest special issue coverage hitting newstands today ($13.99) and digitial subscriber tablets on Tuesday.

Congratulations to all, especially Mike O'Malley, Ken DeLago and Christian Iooss for the quick turnaround and excellent presentation for what is an incredible summary of the best Arnold Palmer writing and images.

Artist Dale Stephanos created the cover illustration.

And here is the plan for Golf Channel's Tuesday coverage of Mr. Palmer's funeral in Latrobe.

IN MEMORY OF ARNOLD PALMER: GOLF CHANNEL TO DEVOTE TUESDAY, OCT. 4 TO LIVE COVERAGE OF MEMORIAL SERVICE
 
ORLANDO, Fla. (Oct 3, 2016) – Golf Channel will devote an entire day to celebrating the life and legacy of the King, including live coverage of Arnold Palmer’s memorial service on Tuesday, Oct. 4 at 11 a.m. ET from the St. Vincent College basilica in Latrobe, Pa.
 
Morning Drive and Golf Central will both be onsite throughout the morning prior to the memorial service. Coverage will feature interviews with special guests in attendance, along with live reports throughout the day. Reporting on-site in Latrobe will be Golf Channel’s Kelly Tilghman and Rich Lerner.
 
At 1 p.m. ET following the memorial service, Golf Channel will feature a special airing of Arnie, Golf Channel Films’ four-part documentary on Palmer’s life and career. The celebration of the King continues at 5 p.m. ET, with highlights of Palmer’s 1960 Masters victory. At 6 p.m. ET, a second Golf Central Special show will recap the memorial service from earlier in the day, hosted by Tilghman and Lerner on-site in Latrobe and featuring special guests.
 
Primetime will return to previously scheduled programming, including the season finale of Feherty, premiering at 9 p.m. ET and featuring fellow Western Pennsylvania sports icon, Pittsburgh Steelers’ Hall-of-Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw. Golf Channel’s original series Driver vs. Driver presented by Wilson premieres at 10 p.m. ET, showcasing aspiring golf equipment designers developing the next retail driver for Wilson Golf, Palmer’s original equipment brand.
 
Join the Conversation in Memory of The King

Fans who are unable to attend Tuesday’s memorial service in-person are being encouraged to congregate at their local golf course to watch with fellow fans of The King and post a photo on social media with the hashtag, #ArniesArmy.
 
Tuesday, Oct. 4 (All Times EST)
7-10 a.m.                     Morning Drive
10 a.m.-1 p.m.             Arnold Palmer Memorial Service
1-5 p.m.                       Arnie
5-6 p.m.                       1960 Masters Highlights
6-7:30 p.m.                  Golf Central Special: Arnold Palmer Memorial
7:30-9 p.m.                  Golf Central Special: Arnold Palmer Memorial (Replay)

Made America Great Again: Team USA Wins The 41st Ryder Cup

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My quick take before writing up some thoughts on the epic Phil-Sergio match I was privileged to watch from beginning to end:

--Team USA pulled more correct strings and used its depth to ultimately prevail handily.

--Darren Clarke's strong views on experience backfired with the performances of Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer.

--Hazeltine National works very well as a Ryder Cup venue because it lent enough interest to the action and thanks to the amazing conditioning by Chris Tritabaugh's team, never in any way negatively impacted the matches. Kerry Haigh's ultra-safe Sunday holes looked more like a pro-am setup, but were probably almost too bland. Better to err that way than the other way around.

--The Task Force. Our American heroes!

2016 Ryder Cup Singles Sunday, This And That

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The day has arrived and while Team USA's chances look promising for an early win, I think most of us selfishly would love to see this one draw out as long as possible. The players and their team squads have given us all we can ask for from an entertainment perspective, now we just need the fans to only be a story because they are just that loud, and all will be well.

The PGA of America issued this statement at 10:30 am local time regarding the fans:

STATEMENT BY PGA OF AMERICA

This week we’ve seen some of the largest and most exciting Ryder Cup crowds ever.
Minnesota is home to some of the best sports fans in the country and we are so grateful for their enthusiastic support and warm hospitality.
 
Rooted in the ideals of sportsmanship and international goodwill, the Ryder Cup is about having a spirited passion for not only the victory, but for the game of golf.  
 
We are encouraging all spectators on Sunday to be passionate and support their team in a way that is respectful to those around them, the players, and the Ryder Cup.  Our security staff will continue to enforce a zero tolerance policy, removing from the course any fans who are disruptive in any way, including the use of vulgar or profane language directed at the players.
 
We look forward to a strong finish today that reflects the spirit of the Ryder Cup and provides a positive experience for all.

Alex Myers with the sign posting for fans to back up the statement.

Kevin Casey with a roundup of the lowlights from Sergio and Rory.

Bob Harig at ESPN.com is puzzled by the Rory McIlroy vitriol by fans.

Captain Mickelson clutched up Friday and he sure does sounding like he's calling shots, Brian Wacker notes.

Karen Crouse says Thomas Pieters joins the likes of Nicolas Colsaerts, Philip Walton, Phillip Price and Ignacio Garrido in wreaking Ryder Cup havoc, and the Belgian also joins the tradition of another European connecting "effortlessly" with his teammates.

Jaime Diaz sees the Europeans as looking a bit like the San Antonio Spurs.

A recent case was last season’s San Antonio Spurs, so long anchored by Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobli and Tony Parker, getting run out the gym in the NBA playoffs by a younger, faster and ultimately better Oklahoma Thunder team, as the venerable Greg Popovich let the beat down play out as if bound by sacred ritual.

The matchups, which as I noted, Davis Love has had much experience with in situations like we see today.


Follow scoring here.

Captain's Pick Report (Don't Look, Russell Knox)

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Of course the Captain's don't hit any of the shots and we have another day to go, but...

Davis Love's captain's picks through two days of the Ryder Cup, with Sunday singles remaining:


Rickie Fowler 1-1
Matt Kuchar 2-1
J.B. Holmes 1-1
Ryan Moore 1-1

Darren Clarke's picks:

Lee Westwood 0-2
Martin Kaymer 0-3
Thomas Pieters 3-1

Do recall that Thomas Pieters was the third choice.

Will A Few Fans Ruin The 2016 Ryder Cup Outcome?

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It was a glorious Saturday of Ryder Cup golf. All of the usual ingredients were in action to produce a day of drama unlike anything else in the sport. But the looming sense of an impending debacle can't be ignored.

There is nothing wrong with rooting and cheering after a ball has been struck. Hope for your team. Hope for America!

But then there is what we've seen all too often at Hazeltine during the 2016 Ryder Cup: fans gradually interfering with the competition by (A) making noise or comments as a player is preparing to play, or (B) resorting to vile language and heckling. An example:

 

There were ejections Saturday according to NBC's Dan Hicks, but the mostly-nice people of Minnesota are in danger of having their Ryder Cup tainted by an incident that impacts the matches. The American players and their entourages, who have put themselves in position to win, could have the outcome tainted if the situation is not reigned in.

Cutting off alcohol sales by noon tomorrow would help. The PGA of America undoubtedly has weighed the risk-reward elements, and plans to go for the green no matter how discouraging the signs.

A few Tweets from Sunday, including this from Christine Brennan who filed this story with Martin Rogers about the Rory McIlroy incident. 

A video of the incident as well.

2016 Ryder Cup Saturday Four-Ball: Captain's Fantastic!

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Let the second guessing begin!

As I note for GolfDigest.com, the captain's made some bold calls in the morning that didn't hurt Europe. But the afternoon is another story: Clarke wheeling out Kaymer and Westwood despite little sign Friday that they were playing well, meaning a benching of Sergio's new pal, Rafa Cabrera Bello.

The real shocker came on the USA side as Captain Davis Love sends out the struggling Phil Mickelson with Matt Kuchar over the red-hot Brandt Snedeker. It also means breaking up the Koepka-Snedeker pairing that has delivered two points so far.

The real fun should be with the long-bombing first group featuring all +300 yard drivers in McIlroy, Pieters, Johnson and Koepka.

2016 Ryder Cup Saturday Morning Foursomes This & That

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Both captain's have much on the line Saturday morning after each has made bold (questionable?) lineup decisions. Davis Love has sat Dustin Johnson in favor of the Mickelson-Fowler pairing, a surprise given Mickelson's wayward ball-striking Friday. The U.S. takes a 5-3 lead into the day, one that left Davis Love sounding somewhat pleased, writes Brian Wacker for GolfDigest.com.

Playing Mickelson in foursomes seems to be something planned in advance no matter the state of someone's ball striking. A couple of stories on Phil Mickelson reaffirm his leadership role, to the point that wife Amy is wishing someone else would assert themselves following Phil's Hal Sutton comments earlier this week.  Alan Shipnuck writing at golf.com on Phil:

“He felt awful, and he called Hal so many times he was like an ex-girlfriend,” says Mickelson’s wife, Amy. She has been through endless controversies with her college sweetheart, but the scrutiny ever since the Watson confrontation has been at a fever pitch. “It’s exhausting,” Amy says. “I would love to get off this rollercoaster. As much as I appreciate that Phil has been looking out for the other guys, can’t just one time someone else step up and say what needs to be said?”

Karen Crouse in the New York Times also considered the Mickelson influence.

In one of his daily news conferences this week, Love mentioned Mickelson by name 15 times, and that did not count his response to a direct question about Mickelson. Love said that he had been addressing the United States contingent on Tuesday night when he had noticed that Mickelson was leaning forward in his seat, eager to say something. So Love ceded the floor to him.

“Nobody has seen more team golf on our team than him,” said Love, who described Mickelson as “kind of the backbone of the team.”

As I note for GolfDigest.com, Darren Clarke's lineup offers an even bigger roll of the dice in breaking up Rose-Stenson to get two rookies into the action (Chris Wood and Matthew Fitzpatrick). John Huggan writes that Clarke was breathing easier after a successful Friday afternoon got Europe back in the matches. Still...

Clarke has a leaderingship/veteran issue as well: to play Lee Westwood, who is struggling and took himself off the lineup card Friday afternoon. Christopher Clarey of the New York Times profiled their longtime friendship for the New York Times, which could be tested this afternoon if Europe needs to keep their stalwart Ryder Cupper on the bench.

Danny Willett played Friday afternoon and heard it from the fans. Big time. Randall Mell writes

Rory McIlroy's walk-off eagle and reaction was the standout moment from Day 1 at Hazeltine. Alex Myers with the details and video.

Kevin Van Falkenburg at ESPN.com makes a strong case that the heckling is only helping Rory.

American fans needled him, yelling for his ball to "get in the water" every time he took on a hazard, and he responded with fist pumps and icy glares toward the gallery that would have made Seve Ballesteros giddy.

American fans needled him, yelling for his ball to "get in the water" every time he took on a hazard, and he responded with fist pumps and icy glares toward the gallery that would have made Seve Ballesteros giddy.

Rory also said he would apologize to caddie Austin Johnson for a perceived slight following the completion of his four-ball win with Thomas Pieters. (Dave Shedloski with more on Pieters and his great Friday play here.) 

 


 

The oversight...

 

 

 

2016 Ryder Cup Four-ball Day One This And That

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I've just returned from some of the early four-ball play between the great Tom Watson vision known as Reed-Spieth and they will be in an epic fight with Rose-Stenson. The weather is beautiful, the crowds huge (though shockingly tough on the Europeans) and the pairings decent enough. Only Europe's Matt Fitzpatrick and Chris Wood didn't get on the course today.

Here they are with a few comments, including a note about Westwood and Mickelson likely taking themselves out of afternoon play based on the morning (despite what the captains say). Mickelson told Golf Channel that it would have been a cop out had he not played Friday morning.

12:30 p.m.: Jordan Spieth/Patrick Reed (USA) vs. Justin Rose/Henrik Stenson (Europe)

12:45 p.m.: J.B. Holmes/Ryan Moore (USA) vs. Sergio Garcia/Rafa Cabrera-Bello (Europe)

1:00 p.m.: Brandt Snedeker/Brooks Koepka (USA) vs. Martin Kaymer/Danny Willett (Europe)

1:15 p.m.: Dustin Johnson/Matt Kuchar (USA) vs. Rory McIlroy/Thomas Pieters (Europe)

Fowler earns his first Ryder Cup point, with Mickelson assist, sort of. Alex Myers reports.

Jim McCabe on the dominating foursomes win by Jimmy Walker and Zach Johnson.

Myers with some of the best things said by fans at the first tee.

The Palmer bag from 1975 on the first tee. What a cool touch.

 

 

Sergio getting cocky after making a putt.

 


The Arnold Palmer tribute video from yesterday's opening ceremony.

 

2016 Ryder Cup Morning Foursomes This And That

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The bickering and bloat is a thing of the past. Let's play some golf!

The first morning foursomes pairings still have folks scratching their heads, particularly the Mickelson/Fowler group. The force better be with the Task Force, writes Ryan Lavner.

Hecklers may be comforted that one of their own enjoyed an epic moment Thursday. Danny Willett won't have to worry either way, he's on the bench Thursday morning. John Huggan with his story heading into day one.

Jaime Diaz has your Ryder Cup facts and figures, plus TV times.

You can follow scoring here.

2016 Ryder Cup Opening Session Oddities Galore

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Well, four to be exact, according to Alex Myers.

I totally concur with all four of the key questions he has about Davis Love and Darren Clarke's opening session pairings in the 2016 Ryder Cup.

After the ceremony and out at dinner, most werein consensus that the Mickelson foursome's pairing with Rickie Fowler was strange, but that he ommission of Ryan Moore was even more bizarre.

Somewhere Over The Rainbow: Palmer's Ashes At Latrobe

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Gerry Dulac with an image of this ceremonial flight over Latrobe Country Club for Arnold Palmer. A small family-only service was held. Dave Shedloski reports.

 

 

Dulac says the location of his ashes became known too...


And after the funeral, this stunning rainbow appeared...