Morning Mishegoss

There's much to discuss and little time in which to do it.  A former business partner of my family sadly passed away over the weekend, so I'm off to pick up my father to take to the funeral in the City.  Thus the truncated format....

• Riv Rap -  Ultimately my projections for the last round did not come to fruition, but I did get several important things correct.  First, it was Sunday and they did play the final round and crown a champion.  How many of you got all those things correct as I did?

So, where did it all go pear-shaped?  I believe there were six players sitting above the gaggle of stars at -8 when the day dawned.  I figured one of those six would surely shoot a 68 or 69.  I was wrong as could be....TWO of them shot 68, specifically Jason Allred and Brian Harman.

But I didn't see too many 65 or 66's out there.  Correct again, but with the benefit of hindsight there were exactly two 64's out there, and Bubba got 'em on Saturday and Sunday.  Shackelford has some great screen grabs from ShotLink of how Bubba overpowered the course.   Not sure which is more amazing, clearing the bunker at 325 yards off the 17th tee or hitting wedge into No. 18.  Must be all that time Bubba spends in the gym...

• It IS Presidents' Day, After All -  The most famous tree in golf has sustained substantial damage from recent storms.

The Eisenhower Tree, which used to guard the 17th fairway at Augusta National.

The club's press release makes clear that the damage is irreparable and no decision has been made as to how to address the loss.  That sound you hear is Clifford Roberts spinning in his grave.

• Your Weekly Dose of Schadenfreude - Via Shack, who seems to own the green energy beat these days, this item from STV:

The application, by Clare Coastal Wind Power Ltd, states: "For grant of a ten year planning permission for development at a site in the townlands of Carrowmore South, Einagh and Shragh, approximately 2 km south of the village of Doonbeg.

"The development will comprise nine electricity generating wind turbines with a hub height of up to 85 metres and a rotor diameter of up to 82 metres giving an overall height of up to 126m, hardstandings, a control building, an electrical compound, a permanent meteorological mast, associated site roads, drainage and site works."The planning application is accompanied by an Environmental Impact Statement ( EIS ) and a Natura Impact Statement ( NIS )."

Hmmm...Doonbeg?   Hasn't that been in the news lately?  I remember it went into receivership, but whose misfortune is it to own it now?  Oh yeah, it's this guy... he went about it so quietly I almost forgot:

Nine turbines?  I'll huff and I'll puff....

I do hope they're not visible from up the road at Lahinch. That would just be wrong...

• That's a Wide 3-Point Arc:  Neglected to put this one in yesterday's compilation post. 

Frankly, I'm not sure what the big deal is.  It's a hardwood floor, so it's a simple, straight putt.