Spicer On Trump's Golf: "He is ‘entitled to a bit of privacy'"

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President Donald Trump's criticism of former president Barack Obama's Sunday golf rounds has been well-documented. So as the (now) sitting president hangs out at Trump International with regularity, his passion for the game has become of great interest to those who documented Obama's golf habit.

Press secretary Sean Spicer says the president is entitled to his privacy and therefore should not be accountable for his affinity to tee it up on the record, reports Politico's Kelsey Sutton.

“It’s the same reason he can have lunch or dinner with somebody,” Spicer told Yahoo White House correspondent Hunter Walker when asked why Trump had not provided more information about the details of the meetings conducted on the golf course. “The president is entitled to a bit of privacy at this point, which we’ve always agreed to. We bring the protective pool, but the president is entitled to a bit of privacy as well.”

Spicer's comments:

Tiger's Tanned, Rested And A Resounding Maybe On Playing Masters

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Maybe it's shaving the goatee or just his overall upbeat glow for someone who has been off the grid, but while appearing on Good Morning America and promoting his 1997 Masters book Tiger Woods looked well. The positive appearance only adds to the mystery surrounding his latest absence due to back spasms.

Yes, he looks older without his hat and signature form-fitting golf shirts. But it's hard not to watch all of this and wonder what genuinely plagues him that he's still not able to go to his office: the golf course. But for his fans Woods offered a glimmer of hope. Steve DiMeglio reports after getting an exclusive sitdown for USA Today.

“I do have a chance,” to play, Woods told USA TODAY Sports in an exclusive interview. “I’m trying everything I possibly can to get to that point. I’m working, I’m working on my game. I just need to get to a point where I feel like I’m good enough, and I’m healthy enough to do it."

In the good news/bad news department, Woods is attending the Champions Dinner but essentially has left open the possibility for no decision on his playing status until the last minute.

Yes, we've seen this movie before and no one wanted to see it a second time.

DiMeglio filed a separate piece on the 1997 Masters book written with Lorne Rubenstein. Reading about this kind of detail sounds great:

Woods, who hopes to play in next month's Masters, explains how he used a persimmon driver to hone his swing the week before the 1997 Masters and made use of Golf Channel’s video library to study Augusta National’s treacherous greens. He tees up his thoughts about the changes made to the course to combat technological advances in the game.

In NYC, Alex Myers talked to the fans who waited a long time in line to get the book signed at Barnes and Noble.

The GMA segment featured a putting contest that made for good TV:

 

 

Costco Sues Acushnet: "This should get real interesting, real fast."

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Nice work by David Dawsey at Golf-Patents.com to spot and analyze Kirkland golf ball-seller Costco's suit against Titleist-maker Acushnet.

Many thanks to all who sent various stories in, including the full pdf of the suit here.

Dawsey writes:

Costco is seeking a declaratory judgment that it is not infringing any valid patent rights owned by Acushnet by its sale of its Kirkland Signature golf balls and that it has not engaged in false advertising regarding the golf balls. Why did they take such a provocative step? The complaint states “[t]he need for such relief exists because Acushnet has wrongfully accused Costco of patent infringement and false advertising.”

The paragraphs noted by Dawsey are worth checking out, but this seems to be the key point:

7. In response to the popularity of the KS golf ball, Acushnet sent Costco a threatening letter, wrongfully accusing Costco of infringing 11 Acushnet patents based on its sale of the KS golf ball and engaging in false advertising based on its Kirkland Signature guarantee that all Kirkland Signature products “meet or exceed the quality standards of leading national brands.”

WSJ's Brian Costa reported the story for Journal readers with this measured take, while MyGolfSpy.com, which fueled interest in the ball with its review, reveled in the news, noting that the timing may be no coincidence:

The legal wrangling comes at a time when sources are telling us that Costco is ready to begin shipping K-Sig balls to its retail stores. Coupled with the lawsuit, the clear suggestion is that, letters be damned, Costco is going to sell its golf balls and make Acushnet fight publicly to stop it.

It remains to be seen if the new ball is the same as the old one, with the USGA conforming list suggesting that a new version of the ball has been approved.

API: Marc Leishman Enters The Masters Discussion

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Granted, The Masters pales in comparison to having a healthy family after Marc Leishman's wife nearly died two years ago. But given his previous play there in 2013 and newfound security thanks to a healthy family, Leishman will be Australia's strongest hope not named Day or Scott.

Jason Sobel at ESPN.com with the backstory on Arnold Palmer Invitational winner Leishman.

Two years ago this month, Leishman was at Augusta National, preparing for the upcoming Masters Tournament, when his wife, Audrey, started experiencing flu-like symptoms.

She went to an urgent care clinic. When her fever and vomiting progressed to shortness of breath and decreased blood pressure, she was rushed to a hospital. They hooked her up to a ventilator and other machines. The doctors struggled to pinpoint the problem.

Her conditioned worsened. She could barely stay awake, a side effect of the medications. Eventually, doctors determined she was suffering from toxic shock syndrome, a manifestation of multiple bacterial infections. She had fluid in her lungs. Her organs completely shut down.

Doctors induced Audrey into a coma. She was given a 5 percent chance to live.

Marc sat with her. He cared for their boys. He cried a lot; he stopped eating; he lost 10 pounds. He certainly didn't play any golf. He felt helpless.

Ryan Lavner for GolfChannel.com:

The traumatic experience gave Leishman a much-needed dose of perspective on a tour full of charmed existences.

“It makes golf less important,” he said. “It’s not life and death. We have been in that situation and it’s not fun.”

Leishman’s hard-earned victory was a fitting end to an emotional week that was always going to be about more than birdies and bogeys.

The winner's cardigan proved a great touch:

The final round highlights from PGA Tour Entertainment.

Is Grillo The Heir Apparent To Sergio (In Club Throwing)?

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The artist's reluctance suggests an apprehension that never plagued the Picasso of petulance and Rembrandt of rage, Tommy Bolt.

Let's face it, Rory McIlroy has unleashed some gems but his heart never seemed committed to club throws.

With Sergio Garcia now engaged and seemingly mellowed out from his best works, could Emiliano Grillo be positioning himself as our next great hope?

From Bay Hill courtesy of Skratch and en route to a quadruple bogey reports Golfweek's Kevin Casey.


The justification for the toss which, in this reviewers mind, showed originality and flair.

Tiger's Agent Challenges Report Saying His Client Is "Unlikely" To Play Masters

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This would all be humorous if it weren't for Tiger appearing unable to play the Masters, especially on the 20th anniversary of his historic win and when the sport would desperately love to see him return. Yet common sense suggests a Masters appearance is looking grim.

But not in Mark Steinberg's way of thinking.

Golf World's Brian Wacker quotes unnamed sources saying Tiger "seems unlikely" to play given that the 4-time Masters winner is only putting and hasn't been seen hitting golf balls by people in Jupiter.

Woods’ agent did not respond to an email seeking an update on his condition and schedule, but one source close to the situation near Woods' home in Jupiter, Fla., said, “I would be shocked if he plays anytime soon.”

Another source said that he saw Woods recently and he "didn't look good," adding that while he hopes he is back soon, Woods doesn't look close to being ready and that a return at the Masters would be too soon. The source added that all Woods has been able to do of late has been putt.

Golf World's Tim Rosaforte was the recipient of agent Steinberg's rebuttal to the Golf World report (!) but did it via Golf Channel's Nick Menta (!!).

"I have no idea who Mr. Wacker’s really close sources are. I can tell you this, nobody spoke to him (Wacker); so how he could know something that Tiger and I don’t know is comical," Steinberg said. "I talked to Tiger four hours ago on the phone. We’re not in a situation to even talk about playing in the Masters now.

Eh, em...Steiny...psst...it starts less than three weeks from now...

He’s gotten treatments and is progressing and hoping he can do it. There’s not been a decision one way or the other. I couldn’t give you a fair assessment, but to say it’s doubtful is an absolutely inaccurate statement."

It's doubtful.

Sorry! Wish the signs pointed in a more positive direction.

Group Taking U.S. Women's Open Protest To...LPGA Stop!?

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I'm not sure if this is a failure of USGA branding or just lame ignorance, but it's disappointing to see UltraViolet planning to protest at this Saturday's LPGA Tour stop in Phoenix.

Golf.com's Marika Washchyshyn reports on protest plans including a banner-carrying plane urging the LPGA Tour to "dump sexist Trump."

Unfortunately, the U.S. Women's Open at Trump Bedminster is hosted and operated by the USGA.

UltraViolet members will also be stationed at the gates to the grounds handing out golf balls and golf ball-patterned beach balls with the message, "LPGA: Dump Trump."

"The LPGA should not be rewarding Trump's bigoted brand and normalize his platform and policies that degrade women and divide our country," Shaunna Thomas, a co-founder of UltraViolet, said in a press release. "The USGA and LPGA need to send a clear signal to young golfers, including women, people of color, and people with disabilities that it stands against Trump's brand of hate, and for an inclusive strong future by moving the upcoming U.S. Women's Open from Trump National Golf Course."

This is a shame on many levels, with the most obvious being that protestors are targeting an event and players that did not select the venue. Nor does their showing up at the most significant championship in women's golf signal anything other than a desire to win a national championship.

65 At 56: Inkster One Off Founders Cup Lead

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Maybe it's that so many LPGA players are getting younger by the day, but 56-year-old Juli Inkster's 65 should remind Solheim Cup players later this year that the captain's still got game.

Randall Mell from Phoenix on the impressive start by Inkster.

This is Inkster’s 35th year in the LPGA. She’s an LPGA Hall of Famer with 31 tour titles, including seven major championships. She is 10 years older than the oldest player to win an LPGA title.

“I’ve been working hard on my game and it’s nice to see some results,” Inkster said.

WGC's The Only Reason Arnold Palmer's Event Faces Hurdles

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I think we all hate dwelling on the future of the Arnold Palmer Invitational in the year following The King's passing. But Palmer was a businessman who loved and nurtured this event. So discussing its past, present and future would presumably resonate with him even as he would undoubtedly be uncomfortable taking attention away from the players.

Jeff Babineau did a super job for Golfweek.com summing up Wednesday's ceremony at Bay Hill to remember The King, but also reflected on how far this event has come and where it may go without Palmer.

I loved this anecdote:

The API, which moved to Bay Hill from nearby Rio Pinar (Florida Citrus Open) in 1979, has come quite a long way. The purse has been bumped to $8.7 million, and this week’s winner not only will leave $1.56 million richer, but will receive a three-year PGA Tour exemption, not the usual two a winner grabs.

This week’s event will celebrate the everyday fan who connected with the blue-collar likes of Palmer, with large public grandstands now sitting up close to seven of the course’s greens.

It’s a far cry from Year 1 at the then-named Bay Hill Citrus Classic in 1979, when the makeshift grandstand that sat behind the 18th green was borrowed from nearby Boone High School.

That little nugget is a perfect reminder that is was events like the Bay Hill Citrus Classic, the Western Open, the Los Angeles Open, the Houston Open, the Bob Hope and on and on we can go with 10-12 events that built and stabilized the PGA Tour.

And with too much regularity, the focus of these events revolves around their weaker-than-normal fields, their strange new dates or their difficulty in attracting a sponsor. Nearly all have been adversely effected by many factors, but it's the creation of World Golf Championship events that consistently tops all side-effects.

We all understand the globalization of golf and market forces, but when those forces so adversely impact even an event nurtured by a modern sports legend. it's time for all current players and executives to take a hard look at the tour's purpose. Because if this is, as they say, about playing opportunities and charitable dollars, it's these core founding events that deserve to be treated as kings.