Today in Bad PR Advice - Loyal readers know that while our major is clearly golf, we've chosen an elective minor in PR Fails. Today's comes courtesy of fellow Met. Golf Writers Association member Mark Cannizzaro, who provides some helpful color:
His Tuesday practice-round four-ball matches with fellow PGA Tour players — gameswhich usually entail some large stakes — have become a fabric of major tournaments. Keegan Bradley, Rickie Fowler and Dustin Johnson are among the big-name players who regularly take part in these matches.These matches have become almost as entertaining to watch as the main events themselves.
“I get in these games and I’ve got more nerves than I do in the tournament,” Bradley said before the 2012 Ryder Cup.
Mickelson often jokes that he has never lost to Bradley and that he maintains residence inside Bradley’s head.
That's the fun and games Phil that we love, and the amounts are, while seemingly large to us, relative petty cash to them. He does tell this story that I hadn't previously heard:
In 1998, Mickelson and Tiger Woods played in a practice-round money match before the Nissan Open in LA, where Mickelson prevailed. As a gag, Mickelson made copies of the $100 bills Woods paid him and left the photocopy in Woods’ locker with a note reading: “Just wanted you to know Benji and his friends are very happy in their new home.”
Maybe that's why Tiger never plays LA? Mark closes by soliciting advice from a PR professional:
Richard Torrenzano from the Torrenzano Group, a high-stakes crisis-issue firm in Manhattan, told The Post on Tuesday his advice to Mickelson is to offer as much disclosure on the matter as possible as soon as possible.
“For a guy with such a sensational record over many years, he needs to get as much information out as quickly as possible to protect his reputation and image,’’ Torrenzano said. “He’s a very aggressive player on the golf course, and he should be very aggressive in clarifying his position and making sure he doesn’t put a black spot on his stellar record.
“He’s got to clarify, and get as much information out as possible as quickly as possible. To sit silent at this point is not a good thing.’’
But Mr. Torrenzano, doesn't that depend upon, you know, the actual underlying facts? At a minimum we've got Phil transferring an unseemly amount of money and associating with some disreputable characters. You seem to be assuming innocence, and when you assume....well you, re in PR, so I'm guessing you know the rest.
DVR Alert - Forgive me for omitting last nights rebroadcast of the final round of the 1978 Oprn Championship, in which Jack won his third claret jug. But Golf Channel will be showing the final round of the PGA National Professional Championship, the appeal of which is the venue, the recently restored Wissahickon Course at the Philadelphia Cricket Club.
There's a gallery of photos at the club's website here, and there's been much discussion as to whether the restored course could be utilized for major championship play. Shack had this to say about it:
The course was a breakthrough design by Tillinghast and impacted other Philadelphian's like George Thomas. Oh, and Tillinghast's ashes were spread in Wissahickon Creek.
And if that last bit about Tilly's ashes surprises you, then do read this rather amusing John Paul Newport WSJ article on the practice:
The spreading of ashes, or “wildcat scattering” as it’s known in the cremation industry, is of questionable legality when done on private property without permission. But that stops hardly anyone. Phil Young, author of the definitive history of Bethpage Black on Long Island, N.Y., said that hundreds of golfers’ remains have been spread over the years on the Black and its four sibling courses at Bethpage State Park. “It’s not permitted, but the park does nothing to impede the practice,” said Young. (Reached for comment, a spokesman for the park said, “The official policy is that we don’t allow it and I can only comment on that policy.”)
Cremation is on the rise in the U.S., approaching 50% nationwide and much higher in many states, according to the Cremation Association of North America. However much non-golfers may snigger, it’s as natural for the families of dedicated players to seek a favorite hole or golf course for ash spreading as it is for the families of hikers to seek out a mountaintop or the families of sailors a bay.
I happen to be Jewish and my people are not into the cremation thing. My regular group knows that I expect a plaque to be placed in the treeline left of the 12th fairway, where the combination of a right-to-left ball flight and OB right conspires to place my tee shot. The plaque should read as follows:
Here lies Scott Simpson, a frequent visitor to this spot. From here he would have hit a low-screaming driver off the deck to the 100 yard marker.
Not for nothing that the location is known as my office.
Open Omissions - This video of Tom Watson should have been included with the previous post:
Winning five in his era is quite the accomplishment, though of course he famously never won on the Old.
And Bill Fields had this take on Tom after the U.S. Senior Open:
Closing with a 1-under 69 to tie for seventh place at 5-under 275, Tom Watson left the U.S. Senior Open at Del Paso Country Club encouraged about his game and his prospects in his British Open farewell next month at St. Andrews.
“The driving, the putting, the short game is good,” said Watson, who recorded his eighth top-10 finish in 14 Senior Open appearances. “It’s the best, by far [driving week], I’ve had in several years. I drove the ball beautifully. I’ve got a lot of positives looking forward to the [British] Open.”
He missed shooting his age by a single stroke, in a U.S. Senior Open! Shack speculates on Tom making the cut at St. Andrews, which would be sweet indeed....
Bubba Being Bubba - I very much enjoyed this Bubba story from the Hartford, as well as Mike Bamberger's rebuttal from this week's Tour Confidential:
4. In the final round of the Travelers, Bubba hit a wedge over a tree and joked to a fan who suggested he hit a punch shot under itby saying, 'That's why you're on that side of the ropes." What's the most memorable interaction you've seen between a player and fan during a tournament?BAMBERGER: Crusty old Tour pro is playing in the old Las Vegas Invitational years ago with four ams. Everybody is playing like sick dogs. COTP goes silent. One of the ams says to the pro something like, "I realize you're playing lousy, but a couple words from you would really help." Pro says, "You want two words?" "Yeah," the guy says. "Just something to lighten things up." Pro says, "Here's two. F--- you."
Yeah, couldn't do that today, which is our loss.
He Wouldn't - Nothing to see here, move along...Old friend Tim Rosaforte caught up with The Donald campaigning in New Hampshire. Why Tim was in N.H. will remain a mystery, but Trump had these priceless quotes:
When it comes to golf, however, Trump is not worried about repercussions.
“I have Mexicans and South Americans working for me all over the country and believe me, they love me and I love them,” Trump told Rosaforte. “I think they’re great. I’ve had great support and I haven’t heard one negative thing and frankly I don’t expect to.”
Well, they're always the last to know....Tim did have this lengthier recitation of Trump's involvement with the various golf organizations, including a couple that I missed in my off-the-cuff list:
The WGC-Cadillac Championship is played at Trump National Doral in Miami and the PGA Tour’sPuerto Rico Open is at Trump International Golf Club in Puerto Rico. Trump purchased Turnberry in Scotland, which has hosted four Open Championships. Trump National in Bedminster, N.J., will host the 2017 U.S. Women’s Open and the 2022 PGA Championship. The Senior PGA Championship will be played at Trump National Golf Club in Potomac Falls, Va., in 2017 and Trump Golf Links Ferry Point outside New York City will host The Barclays PGA Tour event in 2017. The PGA Grand Slam of Golf is scheduled for October at Trump National Golf Club in Los Angeles.
I forgot about Puerto Rico and the Grand Slam (both second order concerns), but while there have been rumors I don't think the Ferry Point event is a done deal.
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