The Northern Trust Open It Is

Golfweek's Scott Hamilton confirms with added details what was revealed here earlier this week: the L.A. Open is now the Northern Trust Open.

The headline writers might like it, but it's still the L.A. Open for me.

Update on 2007-10-15 15:25 by Geoff

According to the Tour's press release, the "new partnership marks the beginning of a process of transformation for this high-profile tournament."

Hmmm...and the Commissioner isn't shy in implying things haven't been that well run of late. No disagreement here.

"We are extremely pleased to announce this new partnership with Northern Trust and excited about its plans to further elevate the profile of this storied tournament," Finchem said. "We look forward to working with Northern Trust and the Los Angeles Junior Chamber of Commerce, as the host organization, to review all aspects of the event and determine how best to enhance its impact."

And... 

As part of the initial move to enhance the tournament, the Northern Trust Open will increase its purse to $6.2 million in 2008, an increase of $1 million over this year. Additionally, the tournament pro-am will go from four amateurs to three per group. Further changes and upgrades are planned and will be announced at a later date.

Hopefully that includes a comprehensive traffic plan for Sunset Boulevard, parking for player caddies, no more mystery meat in the press tent and of course, no more rain. Oh and we need to work on the logo too. It needs one of those forward-swooping things...

 

Bearing Point Out Before It's Ever In

You may recall a post about Bearing Point taking over for Nissan as sponsor of the L.A. Open. It was based on Thomas Bonk's story in the L.A. Times, confirmed prematurely by Riviera's Michael Yamaki.

Now, you may wonder why this is of interesting since most people around here will still call it the L.A. Open.

In that post I speculated that Phil Mickelson's bizarre outburst at Tim Finchem following the Deutsche Bank had something to do with the PGA Tour (rightfully) rejecting an idea to make Mickelson the player host of a Bearing Point Open.

Well, now I'm wondering just a bit more since it's not exactly a well kept secret that Bearing Point will not be sponsoring the L.A. Open, but instead, several sources reveal that Northern Trust will be taking over for Nissan.  

Media Watch: Praising Change

In recent years we've been subjected to plenty of stories praising the tree planting, rough and other shenanigans at Augusta National. Now that Hootie's gone, it will be interesting to see if any scribblers try to tell us that the new "premium on accuracy" is all that it's been cracked up to be. Remember, for the last few years we've heard that we need to see the course fast and firm to judge whether the lengthening, tacky tree planting or ridiculous rough could be considered an improvement.

The lengthening perhaps, but that the soft conditions exposed that the course lacked elasticity, leading to additions to the 11th and 15th tees this year (again, that should have been anticipated by the architect). 

But more important is the notion that there has been so much criticism of the changes. As Geoff Ogilvy noted in John Huggan's Sunday piece:

...for 60 years not a bad word was said about the place and for the last five a lot of very important people have been very critical.

Does this onslaught (and the likelihood that we'll read few pieces praising the rough and trees) speak to just how awful the changes have been?

Or is it more of a statement about how much Hootie Johnson was feared and disliked?

Or a bit of both?

Tiger's New PGA Tour Commercial

Doug Ferguson writes about Tiger's new PGA Tour ad, filmed during his Nissan Open week off.

While at home in Florida two weeks ago, Woods did three spots for the PGA Tour. One of them was a voiceover, and the other two were scripted roles promoting the FedExCup.

"Clearly, having Tiger do these spots is a very nice element of the campaign," tour spokesman Ty Votaw said. "It’s always good to have your No. 1 player participate in these things. He’s someone who resonates with our fans, and to see him in this kind of context is something the fans will enjoy."

Ty, no mention of texture?  And I had it marked on my PGA Tour MBASpeak bingo board! Oh well. 

Mark Steinberg at IMG said PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem approached him late last year and they found a spot in Woods’ schedule — coincidentally, it was the week of the Nissan Open, which Woods skipped for only the second time in his career.

Coincidentally, I think that's the week that he was undecided about playing up until the last minute!

Uh there's your confirmation: that lovely westside traffic really did leave a bad taste in his mouth. Can't say I blame Tiger.

This should also put to rest the silly stuff about him skipping Riviera to protect his streak.  

Nissan Open Ratings

From the good folks at Brenner-Zwikel: 

CBS SPORTS’ FINAL-ROUND COVERAGE OF PGA TOUR’S “NISSAN OPEN” RATES WITH 31% INCREASE

CBS Sports’ final-round coverage of the PGA TOUR’s NISSAN OPEN with Phil Mickelson losing in a three-hole playoff to Charles Howell III on Sunday, Feb. 18 (3:19-7:27 PM, ET) scored an preliminary national household rating/share of 3.4/7 , up +31% from last year’s 2.6/5 (ABC).

CBS Sports’ final-round coverage peaked with a preliminary national rating/share of 5.4/10 between 7:00-7:27 PM, ET.

Sunday’s 3.4/7 is the highest rating for the final round of the Nissan Open since 2004’s 3.9/9 (ABC)..

(Nielsen releases the national rating and share for Saturday’s third-round coverage on Friday, Feb. 23)

Greetings From L.A., Final Edition

After meeting Golf Digest fashion guru Marty Hackel, I now realize I have way too much khaki in my life. I need serious help. A khaki intervention perhaps?

Of course I'm not going to go all green pants and pink shirt like the sometimes Golf Channel fashion critic sported Saturday, nor will I dare to try the fire engine red slacks he sported Sunday, yet I am re-evaluating my love of beige trousers. (But it's so easy to coordinate in the dark!).

Oh, the Nissan Open at Riviera. Right. Well, the PGA Tour's setup of the course was a tad uninspired this year. Recent years have seen a nice variety of hole locations and alternate tee locations. But three straight days of a front right hole on 15 and another three straight back left on 6 did not exactly take advantage of possibilities with incredibly fast and firm greens. Then again, there were no major glitches and the players were allowed to display their talent, so all in all, a good week for the PGA Tour's Mark Russell and his hard working crew.

As in other recent years, I come away even more impressed by Captain Thomas's design despite all of the poor changes and grateful that the players love it, even if they have no idea why beyond the usual "it's right in front of you" line.

I'm not surprised by how little the major changes (length, shifted bunkers) increase scoring. Perhaps because each time the Fazio gang tends to chip away at the little subtle features and deceptive touches that make the course difficult, all in the name of visibility or framing. 

Take for instance the two par-5s on the back nine, where they brought in fairway bunkering to close off the approaches for those attempting to get home on these once-long holes. Both holes saw bunker shifting that much better defines where the green begins, which actually making it easier to pick out the target for a good player, especially for those who lay up on these holes. Both used to pose difficult third shots because of they were so undefined, but not anymore.

New look No. 11 (Click to enlarge)In the case of the 11th, the shaping eliminated an old bank which kicked balls down into the right bunker or rough. The  top edge of the bunker extension is now slightly angled to kick a ball toward the green instead of away from it. The difference is slight, but in no way is the hole more difficult for a good player. (The scoring average went down to 4.596 from 4.647 last year, even though the greens were much firmer this year and the hole had been given new "strength." The 17th also played easier this year statistically.)

As for the great tenth, I'll get to that tomorrow with some photos and ShotLink stuff. I know you can't wait.

"Golf Happens"

The L.A. Times sent out their former hockey columnist for some rivetting insights into Sunday's Nissan Open finale. Check out this killer lede:

Phil Mickelson's opportunities to win the Nissan Open were strewn around Riviera Country Club with the leaves that reclaimed the greens and cart paths after he lost to Charles Howell III on the third hole of a playoff.

The leaves that reclaimed the greens and cart paths? Wow. I need a moment to soak that poetry up.

And how about this Jim Murray-eat-your-heart-out moment:

Sunday was Howell's day to shine, to be known not as "Charlie three sticks" for the suffix attached to his last name, but as a winner.

Golf happens. Mickelson has a great short game, but he couldn't explain why he missed an apparently good putt on 13 and another on 16. Even Tiger Woods loses once in a while — though not in his last seven PGA Tour events and not here this year, since he chose to take a week off before this week's Accenture Match Play Championship at Marana, Ariz.

Mickelson, a two-time Masters champion, has lost tournaments before. And he will lose tournaments again.

Chills down the spine here in Santa Monica. 

Greetings From L.A., Volume 6

I don't have a whole lot to say yet about the final round because I want to ponder the events of Sunday and in particular, the 10th hole play. Oh, and, I want to go to bed.

In the meantime, I can report that this remark earned an audible groan from the assembled inkslingers who gathered for Charles Howell's post-Nissan Open victory interview room: 

JOAN vT ALEXANDER:   More important, you are on top of the FedExCup once again after another great week.  Congratulations.

CHARLES HOWELL III:  Thank you.  Obviously, the one time I really want to be on top of the FedExCup is a few months from now.  But I will definitely take this, and any time I can be leading a FedExCup list with the players in the world today, the players here at this field, is extremely special. 
Charles Howell (click to enlarge)

Phil on 18 Sunday (click to enlarge)Another point on Phil, before the game stories start appearing: it was a remarkable effort to shoot a final round 68 while his partners Padraig Harrington and Rich Beem stunk up the joint.

He spent an excessive amount of time waiting on them throughout the day, which may explain why they both so kindly offered to play out before Mickelson attempted his par putt in regulation.

Nissan Open Photo Caption Help, Vol. 5

Greetings From L.A., Volume 5

A hot and sunny Saturday at Riviera where the course seemed vulnerable, producing a bunch of 68s and 69s but no killer low round (well except Rich Beem's hole-in-one aided 65).

Phil Mickelson summed it up in his post round gathering with the scribblers (where I'm typing this literature): "it's hard to make a lot of birdies and hard to make a lot of bogies."

His sitdown included a beautiful rally killler:

Q.    I'm running a story about your old college roommate PerUlrik Johansson, he has lost all of his playing rights here in the States, and in Europe, can you give me a comment about that?

It's rather startling to see Padraig Harrington at 12 under considering how often he's short-siding himself, and also how many times he tried to play a pitch and run through the kikuyu. The most starting show, however, came at the 6th where he missed left of the green but had a nice bank behind the hole to throw his chip and have it go up a slope, then roll back down within five feet. He instead tried a spinning shot close to the hole that had no chance, and naturally he faced an 15-footer for par.

Here's what he said after.

6, I hit a 4- or 5iron left of the green.  And then chipped it by  it was short.  I chipped it well by the hole and missed the putt.  Seemingly I could have chipped it up the side of the green and it would have come back down.   I didn't happen to notice that.  My playing partner told me that as I was going up the next hole. 

Q.    Are you saying that was Phil that showed that to you and not Charles?

PADRAIG HARRINGTON:  Yes.  

Nice of Phil to give him some help!

Media center affairs were rather dull other than the brief power outage and Marty Hackel's green-pant-pink-shirt-yellow belt ensemble. He declined to be photographed. I will try again tomorrow though, so look out Marty!

Nissan Open Photo Caption Help, Vol. 4

Calling In The Shinto Priest

Illustration and insight from John Strege's Local Knowledge in the latest Golf World:

Those participating in this week's Nissan Open might notice that two stately redwood trees on the bank left of the 18th fairway at the Riviera CC are no longer there. They weren't removed without considerable consternation, either. In Japanese culture trees are thought to have souls, and to ensure the redwoods were dealt with properly, Riviera owner Noboru Watanabe summoned a Shinto priest to perform the ritual ceremony. A small temporary shrine was erected in front of the green. The ceremony included traditional chants on behalf of the souls embedded in the trees. The proceedings also reportedly included an O Harahi purification ceremony to cleanse the souls of those wielding the chainsaws that brought down the two trees, which were part of Riviera's landscape for about 50 years. The trees were removed in conjunction with the installation of a new irrigation system. The trees rarely came into play, and their removal is not thought to have altered the character of the course in any fashion.

Saturday Scene

One of the great scenes in golf, Phil Mickelson plays to the 18th Saturday at Riviera.

 

Nissan Open Photo Caption Help, Vol. 3

Anthony Kim, making a fashion statement?

 

Letter To The Editor

An interesting letter to the editor in Saturday's L.A. Times:

After suffering through last weekend's Pebble Beach Pro-Am, I think it's about time they put this little clambake to rest.

Years ago, when actual celebrities showed up, it was novel, and fun. Now with the B-list celebrities and six-hour rounds of hacking, it's like going to the dentist, with the pompous Nick Faldo along as commentator.

The reason I stopped playing golf was because of slow play and too many people on the course with absolutely no idea of how to play the game. Why would anybody want to watch it on TV?

D.S. ADAM
Newhall