Weekend Wrap

Spring showed up late this year, but we ate dinner outside for the first time, so maybe we're finally there...

The Full Nelson - The whiners rule, winners drool..... that's a way obscure reference to yesterday's winner on the big tour:

IRVING, Texas (AP) Sergio Garcia shot a 62 the first round he played at the Byron

Nelson and tied for third as a 19-year-old kid in 1999. He won there five years later, again with Lord Byron watching. 

With another win at the Nelson, Garcia matched Seve Ballesteros for the most PGA Tour victories by a Spanish-born player. 

Garcia made a par on the first playoff hole Sunday to beat Brooks Koepka for his ninth career PGA Tour victory. He then touched the likeness of Nelson that tops the championship trophy and wiped away tears while sharing a moment with Peggy Nelson, the late golfer's widow. 

''I just said thanks for everything, that it was great to see her again,'' Garcia said. ''It's been a very emotional week and obviously Peggy finished it off by making me cry, which I didn't think I was going to do.''

I've always had a soft spot for Sergio, and I'm not at all bitter about the seventeen Open Championships I picked him to win... Really, I've moved on.

He's just about the best pure ball-striker out there, but has a few demons in the attic like many of us.  He certainly striped it down the stretch and when asked to explain the concept of lag, I typically tell folks to watch Sergio...   Sergio at Troon?  Don't go there, wouldn't be prudent....

And because I'm in such a sunny, happy to be alive frame of mind, I'm not even going to bring up loogiegate.....

As for my use of the "W" word above, there was runner-up Brooks Koepka:

For most of the day at TPC Four Seasons Resort, it looked to be the coming out party for the 26-year-old Koepka, who held the 54-hole lead and outdueled Jordan Spieth over the weekend in his backyard with what Koepka termed his ‘C game.’ 

But Koepka coughed up a three-stroke lead on the back nine with a pair of bogeys at the 14th and 15th holes, and missed a 16-foot birdie putt for the win at the last. When he tugged his drive into the water off the 18th tee on the first playoff hole, he all but gift-wrapped the title to Garcia. 

“You can’t win a golf tournament when you’re swinging it and have no idea where it’s going,” Koepka said.

OK, I only caught the last four holes, but this big bopper was leading for most of the four days.  What I saw was a collar shrinking around his neck causing a couple of loose chips and putts. 

But our winner in this highly competitive category is the local boy for his compelling performance in the revival of What's Eating Jordan Grape?  Gary McCord had this on the CBS broadcast:

"You can tell right now that Jordan Spieth's worst enemy is Jordan Spieth"

Adam Shupak had this:

But Spieth failed to deliver, shooting a 4-over 74 and tumbled to a share of 18th place at 10-under 270, five strokes out of the playoff won by Sergio Garcia. 

“Kind of stinks, you know, given I had a chance here at a hometown event,” Spieth said.

A day earlier, the two-time major winner had scratched out a 67 despite feeling uncomfortable with his swing. He tried to smooth out the kinks on the range during a pre-round session with instructor Cameron McCormick, but it didn’t translate to a better ballstriking performance under the gun. 

How bad was his “off day?” Only two players in the 74-man field signed for a higher score on Sunday.

Shack tried to get his arms around it here:

Whether it's lingering fatigue from the bad scheduling start to his year, residual frustration from the Masters second place finish, or something else hanging over Spieth's head, his attitude is impacting his play and, I sense, fan perception of Spieth given how seemingly great his life would seem to be. (Many have noted the way he talked to Michael Greller at The Players as another sign of something slightly amiss.) 

Will Gray notes that Spieth telegraphed the so-so week and that contending at all was a positive. I would agree except that Spieth had us marveling last year at his ability to hold together his game even on the worst days. He does not have that gift yet in 2016, and my sense is that the gift did not simply disappear. It feels more like fatigue or something else weighing on him.

But didn't he just take a month off?

The strangest part is that he didn't seem any happier when he was signing for 64... The Tour Confidential gang doesn't know what to make of it any more than we do:

Bamberger: I don’t know. This is based on nothing, but I don't see him doing much of anything this year. I just don't. Follow-ups are hard and he never had an offseason.

Shipnuck: I think Spieth is like Rory was four days ago: his game is not quite there but it's pretty close, and he just needs a shot of confidence. Of course, another Sunday collapse only makes it harder to find that belief. This is looking more and more like a lost year for Spieth, and a lot of it can be blamed on absurd scheduling going back to last fall. But I will say it's fascinating to watch him scuffle and try to figure it out.

I'm with Mike in not expecting much in his encore season, or at least I was until he had a gaudy five-shot lead at the turn at Augusta...

But we have a "Doctor, Heal Thyself" moment as this hit my mailbox late last week:

So, Jordan, how does one get his A-game back?

Rors Roars Back - Quite the finish at the Irish yesterday:

Rory McIlroy tipped his head back to the skies and breathed a huge sigh of relief before

putting his hands together and applauding the roaring crowd which had ­assembled in vast numbers around the K Club’s 18th green. 

Afterwards he was to admit that, despite his four major wins, he had not felt pressure like it. No, never underestimate what winning a first Irish Open means to an Irishman. Yet to McIlroy this joy was multilayered. 

McIlroy is the promoter of the tournament, but on his last three ­attempts the galleries’ hero has missed the cut. There was much to prove, yet interestingly not just to his home country. The 27-year-old turned up in Co Kildare having finished in the top six on five occasions without lifting a title in 2016. Questions were being asked, with, among others, countryman Paul McGinley pointing to his concentration levels as he lost ground to Jason Day and Jordan Spieth at the top of the world rankings.

I'm sure that's true, but it's equally true that Rory need a win badly.... any win.

Rory closed it out with a 255-yard 3-wood to three feet, that you can see here. I can't find any video of the hailstorms that stopped play twice, but it was nasty...

Ariya Rising - With Jordan cranky, there's no time for this story:

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (AP) Ariya Jutanugarn quickly has made winning a habit on the LPGA Tour. 

The 20-year-old shot a nearly mistake-free 4-under 67 on Sunday and won the Kingsmill Championship by one shot, her second consecutive victory. The bad news for the rest of the tour is that she said this one was much easier to finish off than her first two weeks ago.

That one, she said, allowed her to accomplish her goal for the season. Everything else, it seems, is gravy.

I didn't watch a minute of it, but I'm happy nonetheless.  Ariya is a former phenom that has battled a series of injuries, had control of the Dinah Shore, the ladies' first major.  She had a pretty clear Brooks Koepka moment, when she suddenly realized it was hers to win and she drop-kicked it to Lydia....

But as it was spinning out of control for her, she endeared herself to this observer by her reactions.  Most notably, after smother-hooking her tee shot on No. 18 into the water she put her head on her caddie's shoulder and said she was sorry, consoling her looper.  Ariya, I'll always root for you to do well just for that.... I mean, unless you're up against Lydia of course...

Feeling The Bern - Yanno, at some point you've won enough and.... What?  Oh, apparently it's not that Bernie....

Bernhard Langer birdied four of his his last six holes to cruise to a six-shot and sixth senior major title at the Regions Tradition in Brimingham, Ala. on Sunday. 

Langer shot a 5-under 67 to get to 17 under to seal his victory over Olin Browne at 11 under. 

The win is the 27th PGA Tour Champions victory for the 58-year-old German. The win also matches Gary Player and Tom Watson for the third-most major titles on the PGA Tour Champions, one behind Hale Irwin and two behind Jack Nicklaus.

I know, not even I can care about the round-bellies these days, but can anyone explain the bike to me?

 

Bonus Weekend Content

Employee No. 2 and I will be entertaining the Couplands this afternoon, allowing us time to catch up on a few loose ends...  Yes, those Couplands, of Strathpeffer, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland.  Will be good fun to catch up with our dear friends that you might remember were sufficiently brave to venture to Ashkernish with us last summer.

All Quiet On The Phil Front - Not a peep to be heard on this story that broke last week, and which I didn't have time to do justice in my Friday morning rush.  

Shack had these thoughts on both the Clinton Foundation and that certain Southpaw:

Tuesday's news that the Clinton Foundation was no longer going to be associated with

the old Bob Hope Classic was surprising, and topped a day later by the news of Phil Mickelson's SEC issues seems pretty embarrassing for the PGA Tour.

Having the announcement of Mickelson as new "ambassador" a day before his SEC matter went public looks terrible given the comments of Mickelson's attorney, which suggests he knew this was coming.

As for the Clinton Foundation saying goodbye, the original 2011 announcement said it was an eight-year deal, yet they are now out after five years? 

Thought for players to consider: perhaps Tim Finchem should be spending less time working on building leveraging plays to boost his retirement package and more time talking to Bill and Phil? 

Just a thought.

Errrr Geoff, you might have been in your LA bubble a bit too long, as talking to Bill is fine if you're looking to confirm that he didn't have sexual relations with that woman.... But back here on planet Earth, The Clinton Foundation is quite obviously a political slush fund utilized for the sole purpose of maximizing Herself's political prospects.  I'm as tough on the Commish as anyone, but he did well to extricate the Tour from a potential PR fiasco....  having, of course, amde the mistake of hopping into bed with them in the first instance.

But I'm more interested in the Phil angle at the moment...  The obvious question is whether Phil made the Tour aware of his settlement with the SEC.  One is inclined to think not, since the timing of the announcements was so awkward.  If that guess is on the mark, one wonders what benefit would derive from Tim spending more quality time with Phil... Just askin'...

But this is the bit that stayed with me since my Friday post:

In 2012, the SEC says, Walters called Mickelson, who owed him money, and urged him to trade Dean Foods stock. The SEC says Mickelson did so the next day and made a profit of $931,000.

At the risk of sounding hopelessly naive, WTF?  Now we've heard lots about Phil's love of gambling over the years, his longshot play on The Ravens in 2001 and the like.  We've also been told at times that there's nothing to see here, along the lines of this:

He has long had a reputation for being a gambler, though he has said he scaled back his habit after his son, Evan, was born in 2003.

Query:  So why did Phil owe Billy money?  Was it an amount that was difficult for him to satisfy?  And, the careful wording in the excerpt above leaves us guessing, but did Walters tell Lefty to purchase the Dean stock to ensure that he collected from Phil?  Because Mom always told me that friends don't let friends trade on insider information...

Now Phil is trying of course to have it both ways, and our mission statement requires us to call him out on this:

Mickelson's management group issued a statement Thursday saying that he felt "vindicated" because prosecutors hadn't charged him with violating securities law. 

"At the same time, however, Phil has no desire to benefit from any transaction that the SEC sees as questionable," it said. Accordingly, he has entered into an agreement with the SEC under which he will return all the money he made on that 2012 investment," it said.

Vindicated?  Yeah, not actually indicted seems closer to the mark....  Because a guy like Billy Walters gives you a stock tip so you naturally assume it comes from his extensive analysis of stock charts and demographic trends.... I did not have financial relations with that man.

"Phil understands and deeply respects the high professional and ethical standards that the companies he represents expect of their employees, associates and of Phil himself. He subscribes to the same values and regrets any appearance that, on this occasion, he fell short. He takes full responsibility for the decisions and associations that led him to becoming part of this investigation," it said. 

In May 2014, Mickelson confirmed that FBI agents investigating insider trading questioned him as he finished playing a round at the Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio.

And by "Takes full responsibility" you mean what exactly?  Because six paragraphs earlier we were celebrating his vindication....I'm so confused...

And that last 'graph tells us that this situation has been public knowledge for two years.... Has the Tour interviewed Phil on this subject and did he give an accurate accounting of his actions?  If so, did the Tour see fit to impose any disciplinary action on the man?

We don't and may never know, because the Tour doesn't believe that the public should have access to such information.....Why?  Because it's a clean game played only by gentlemen and you can trust us on that.  If there were anything to be worried about we'd take care of it quietly so the rubes wouldn't get worried.

And yet..... I'm not inclined to take Commissioner Ratched's word for it...  Here's a marquee player with some obvious bad habits leading to troubling relationships that ensnare him in criminal activities, but golfers call penalties on themselves so there's nothing to see here.... Stay tuned.

Muirfield Musings - Without so much as a link to yours truly, John Huggan echos a point I made on Friday:

The first thing to understand about the already infamous vote taken by members of the … deep breath … Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers is that this was merely a battle lost, not the deciding factor in what is fast resembling a war. If the same question had been asked of the 616 jacket-and-tie wearing gentlemen 10 years ago, the 219 who this time voted “no” to the admission of female members would surely have been joined by more dissenters. So it follows, as the membership ages and inevitably passes on, that a further ballot two or three years from now will produce a result that will allow the R&A to reinstate the peerless links of Muirfield to the Open Championship rota. 

If such a thing does come to pass, the good news is that Jack Nicklaus’ favorite links from a pure golf standpoint (hence “Muirfield Village” near his hometown of Columbus, Ohio) may not even miss its next Open slot. As things stood before the vote, golf’s oldest event would not have been slated for a return to East Lothian until 2022 at the earliest. So time is on the side of the 397 Muirfield members who this week cast their ballots in favor of much-needed change. Ask the same question again in, say, 2018 and the numbers on both sides are likely to be very different.

John is a Scot and correctly identifies this as an Empire Strikes Back moment....  we know how the movie ends, just not the date.  My guess is that this will be relitigated sooner rather than later, with a predictable outcome.  Troon will seemingly get one more bite at the all-male apple, but Huggan tells us that such misogyny is the cause of this week's dreary venue:

It should be noted, too, that Honourable Company is far from alone in its stubborn adherence to what most of the wider world will see as nothing more than blatant misogyny. The members of Portmarnock Golf Club, near Dublin in Ireland, have similarly closed their doors, and minds, to the concept of women members. Which is why the Irish Open currently playing out at the K Club cannot, as things stand, return to what is widely recognized as the best course in the Republic.

“I’d love Portmarnock to change its rules and we could have the Irish Open there,” says World No. 3 Rory McIlroy, whose charitable foundation hosts the Belfast native’s national championship. “But it never will until they change their rules. They will never get any tournament. Maybe they don’t want it, of course.”

Best course in the Republic?  Hardly, though it's a good course and a proper links and far better than the dreary K Club for sure....

David Owen ensures a steady supply of hate male mail with this defense of all-male clubs:

The men-only membership policy of the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews was 

scandalous and indefensible, since the R & A is the main worldwide governing body for all of golf. But the men-only membership policy of Muirfield is not, since the tournament it will no longer be allowed to host, the British Open, is also men-only. Why shouldn't a sports event whose participants are all of one sex be held at a sports club whose members are also all of that sex?

I love it because it'll make all the right heads explode....  The linked piece is current, but David wrote a longer treatment of the subject for Golf Digest at the height of the Martha Burke era in 2003.   To be found here, it's notable for the lede in which David artfully pulls the wings off a humorless feminist (but I repeat myself) and for a long 'graph summarizing the differences between male and female golfers....  

My favorite part is the appearance of Jesse Jackson, of Hymietown fame.  Apparently, by 2003 things were going so well in inner-city Chicago that he could spare some time to shake down Augusta National....  It's all so tedious.  We know where it's headed, but we can't tolerate the slightest deviation from the current Newspeak.  

A bunch of old guys in Scotland want things to stay as they're always been....this isn't the march to Selma.  It's a golf club and we're arguing over whether women will be admitted in 2016 or 2018.... Can we chill a bit?

Narrative Fail - You know the sky is falling and I know the sky is falling, so what's with Chip Brewer, Callaway CEO, and his happy talk:

Brewer: The market’s been difficult and we’ve bucked that trend. We’ve gained more than 50% market share over the past few years. 

Now we’re the leader in the U.S. based on dollar sell-through of all clubs [for 2015].

Callaway is #1 in sales of irons, putters, fairway woods, and hybrids. 

There’s much more reason for optimism. It’s a reasoned optimism, we’re not talking double-digit growth yet, but we are talking a very stable, improved environment. The demise of golf is not a reasonable call at this point.

Phew, that's a relief.... they've come out with good product and haven't flooded the market, so what's not to like.  And this is notable as well:

Fortune: Where’s the biggest potential for near-term growth? 

Brewer: The golf ball has the greatest absolute percentage growth potential. We made money in golf ball for the first time in 2013. Now we’re starting to see nice growth, we’re #2 in the category.

A distant No. 2 for sure, but the Chrome Soft is a unique offering (and, as I putted with a loaner Truvis yesterday, you know the Fifa ball, and I'm not sure what I think of it).

What's not covered in the interview is Callaway's large stake in TopGolf, which explains part of their stock's valuation.

Tough Gets - Golf.com has an amusing item on the toughest tee time in each of the fifty staes.  Georgia's entry is no surprise, but how about New York?

NEW YORK

Fishers Island Club, Fishers Island

An island in the literal and metaphoric sense, this Seth Raynor-designed classic sits in the Atlantic, just off the eastern tip of Long Island, accessible only by boat or private plane and well beyond the reach of average blokes. You wanna talk old money? The dough here is so ancient, it calls for carbon-dating. But it doesn’t call attention to itself. In 1979, when GOLF included Fishers Island on its inaugural ranking of world’s greatest courses, a club representative wrote a letter to the editor: thanks for the compliment, it read, now please remove us from your list.

Got time for a story?  Last month, after a Met Golfers outing at The Woodmere Club, we had dinner at famed Don Pepe's with the club's Head Professional, John Gatta.  John had played a few years in the Fisher's Pro-Member, the last time with a women that was also a member of Seminole.  John was headed to Florida to play some mini-tour ebents, and the woman gave him her phone numabe ran encouraged him to call her and promised that they would play her famed club.

John called when he got to Florida, explained who he was and heard the phone click.  Awkward no doubt., so he calls back....  He explains who he is and the lady curtly responds, "I Know who you are.  I changed my mid."  Click!

No surprise that Seminole is the winner for toughest get in Florida....

They range from the predictable (Pine Valley) to the eccentric, such as the Bandon Sheep Farm and a math institute in California (no Cypress?  That would let me brag about having played at least one).

But here's one tough get that I'll pass on....

INDIANA

Wolf Run Golf Club, Zionsville

The late Dr. Jack Leer was a local dentist and low-index golfer who aimed to build a men’s club for serious sticks. With help from the architect Seth Smyers, Leer’s vision came to life in the early 1980s, and it’s a challenge all right. You’d rather have a root canal than find yourself in some of the green-side bunkers. And just getting a tee time is like pulling teeth.

Does this look like something you feel the need to play?

Strange that we've never heard of Seth Smyers.....Not.

Cheap Shots - 

With His Own Marshmallow, I'm Hoping - VIDEO: Brad Dalke replicates Jordan Spieth’s marshmallow trick shot

That's Not How You Spell Whiner - Trump Confuses Monty For Major Winner

Math Is Hard - BYU completes its third round first at the NCAA Women's Championship

Unless, You Know, Others Show Up - John Daly could theoretically win seven majors this year

How Many is a Few? - UNC player whiffs a few times, makes 10 on par 5 at NCAA Championship

Not Unless He's Dating Employee No. 2 - Are Spieth and His Girlfriend America's Cutest Couple?

News That Won't Keep

I've no time to blog, but developments require comment.... what's a fellow to do?

Rota-Ruin - The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers announced the results of their membership vote on admitting women members.... and it turns out that only those with members will be allowed to be members:

A two-thirds majority of those who voted – 616 out of the 648 who were eligible to take

part in a postal ballot from a total membership of 750 – was required to change the club’s membership policy, but 64 per cent voted in favour and 36 per cent against. 

Henry Fairweather, the club captain, and his committee had recommended that women should be offered membership on the same terms as the men at the 272-year-old allowed in the club. However they were left to rue the decision of a minority of fellow members as the proposal failed by just 16 votes at the end of a two-year review of the membership.

Notwithstanding that all the usual suspects have taken to the fainting couches, that is the result...for now.  The old guard struck back and carried just sufficient weight to keep the 21st century out in the cold a bit longer....

As we sorted through yesterday, the Old Guard staked their case on the fact that they probably wouldn't lose the Open Championship regardless.... well, shall we see how that played out?

In response to Muirfield's decision, Martin Slumbers, the chief executive of the R&A, released a statement in which he said Muirfield will no longer be able to host an Open unless its policies change.

"We have consistently said that it is a matter for the Honourable Company to conduct a review of its membership policy and that we would await their decision," Slumbers said. "The R&A has considered today's decision with respect to The Open Championship. The Open is one of the world's great sporting events and going forward we will not stage the Championship at a venue that does not admit women as members.

And by going forward you mean?  Because as I understand things, this year's Open will be played at Royal Troon, whose membership policies are identical to the Honourable Company's.  They have had the good sense to hide behind an internal review and consultative process....... rather than kicking sand in Mr. Slumber's face.

While Peter Dawson deserves a bust in the Public relations Hall of Fame for keeping the focus on Muirfield's membership policies through the 2013 Open, once the R&A made their move it was obvious that the clubs serving as venues would similarly have to get on the "right side of history".

We've seen the stick....now here's the carrot:

"Given the schedule for staging The Open, it would be some years before Muirfield would have been considered to host the Championship again. If the policy at the club should change we would reconsider Muirfield as a venue for The Open in future."

This isn't going to result in Muirfield losing a single Open, as I'm guessing those sixteen votes could be found as early as today.  

A longstanding HCEG member was reached to comment on the situation, and had this soothing comment:

Hope In The Time of Trump - Word came earlier this week that The Clinton Foundation was out as a partner on the event formerly known as The Bob Hope Desert Classic.  The local paper had this:

But growing questions about the Clinton Foundation’s financial dealings and influence (including a Wall Street Journal story just last week) and Hillary Clinton’s run for the presidency increased the political tone of the foundation’s local ties. Then again, maybe it was just time for the association to end after a good five-year run that saw the Clinton Foundation help save the tournament and Bill Clinton help provide a face to Hope’s old event. Change happens.

And by questions he means common knowledge...that was paired with the news that Phil Mickelson will be the new Ambassador, whatever that is supposed to be.  But the ink had barely dried on the fish wrapping, when this broke:

"The complaint does not assert that Phil Mickelson violated the securities laws in any way. On that point, Phil feels vindicated," said the statement released by his attorney, former White House counsel Gregory Craig. "At the same time, however, Phil has no desire to benefit from any transaction that the SEC sees as questionable."

The SEC complaint cites a July 2012 conversation he had with Walters. According to the SEC, Mickelson and Walters were friends, and the golfer owed the gambler for bets.

Walters had insider information from Davis about an upcoming spin-off Dean Food (DF)was planning, and Walters advised Mickelson to buy its stock, according to the complaint.

Mickelson allegedly bought $2.4 million worth of the stock the next day, dwarfing his total stock holdings of $250,000. When the stock rose in price, Mickelson was able to sell it at a $931,000 profit and pay off his bets with the proceeds of the trade, according to the SEC.

Awkward.... Phil has some questionable habits and uncomfortable associations, but of course had to know this was coming.  

The Tour did well to wean itself from the Clintons, and I'll remind the reader that the initial deal was supposed to run for eight years.  But Phil is a problem child...though, to be fair, it's a problem event for the Tour.

I'll have more on these two stories in coming days I'm sure...

A Little of This....

Have you missed me?  I warned that it was going to be a busy week...

The Tiger Beat - Why are you asking me?  I have no idea why he would subject himself to that, but to say that he didn't look good at his Monday presser is an understatement.  Here's Shack's take:

There have been too many peculiar moments in the otherwise majestic career of Tiger

Woods to list. Monday's awful wedge shot performance at Congressional joins the list. But as I discussed with Gary Williams today on Morning Drive, the media member in me hoped he had an exact timeline for a return to golf. The fan in me says, please Tiger, stay far away from the game until you're ready.

Unfortunately, he is teasing us with appearances and suggestions that he's hungry to return. But after dropping three balls in the water on live TV to promote the Quicken Loans, and doing it with an obviously compromised follow-through the ball to protect his back, it is hard to not wonder: what is Tiger doing?

Is he just missing the spotlight? Wanting to remain in the spotlight to convince himself he's close? Bored sitting around at home? Eager to please sponsors?

That last bit explains why he was at Congressional, but doesn't scrape the surface of why he would allow himself to look that poor in public.  So much for the aura...  He gave a follow up to the WaPo, without much further clarification:

Last month, he played five holes in public to mark the opening of the back nine of Bluejack National, the club outside Houston he designed. He said he hasn’t played 18 consecutive holes at Medalist Golf Club, the course he calls home, just up U.S. 1 from his Jupiter Island, Fla., house, which is in the midst of its most heavily trafficked time of year.

“I just don’t have the patience,” Woods said, and he laughed. 

This doesn’t sound like a guy ready to tee it up at Oakmont next month at the U.S. Open.

That last bit is a relief to me, as we don't need to see him suffering at the beat that can be Oakmont, but he just looks sad hitting those water balls.... so why do it, and why talk about Jack's record?  I do hope that he'll give himself enough time to get healthy and he'd do himself some good to avoid the brutal venues (I'd include Troon as well if the wind is up, and it usually is) and play the Wyndhams of the world until he posts a couple of decent numbers there.

Tiger, you have my cellphone number...feel free to use it.

But my real reason for catching up on this story is....well, the header tells all:

"Woods intentionally found the water!" Meet the Tiger Truthers

No!  I don't want to meet the Tiger Truthers and you can't make me.  Donald Trump could not be reached for comment. 

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes - Sawgrass is already under the knife, which we hope will be for the better.  In a short Golfworld item, Shack notes that the change in grasses is intended to allow them to keep the course firmer without risking the loss of control of the greens we saw on Saturday.  Here's an excerpt:

As part of an extensive renovation, additional hole locations at the first, fourth, eighth, ninth, 11th, 13th and 14th should help facilitate everyday guest play. Some additional pine needle and scrub areas off the fairways are being considered as well, and a completely re-imagined 12th hole will inject a drivable par 4 before the tough finishing stretch. Still, it’s unclear whether the Stadium Course (18th hole shown) will get the added length needed to intensify the visual fear factor that Pete Dye believes is required to sufficiently challenge the modern player—and which could hopefully end the temptation to push greens speeds to an absurd 14 feet on the Stimpmeter.

This came up in the lead in to the tourney, and I didn't have the time to show you what the place used to look like.  But Geoff reminds us of a wonderful webiste called GolfCourseHistories.com that offers images such as this:

On the left is the property in 2012, on the right is the similar aerial view in 1980.  It's got a gee-wiz feature that let's you scroll back and forth between the two images, which could amuse your humble correspondent for hours.

But which is more interesting?  And, dare I suggest, more intimidating....  Based upon his comments during the back-to-back Opens, I'm guessing that our next President won't like it, but that doesn't trouble me a bit....

But, dear reader, which one do you think you'd enjoy more?  Or, you know, we could just go back to 6" Bermuda....

Sandy Koufax, Call Your Office - Have you seen the Golf Channel promos for the NCAA Golf Championships?  And really, how can you miss them if you watch any golf?  I greatly enjoyed them last season and, for what it's worth, I enjoyed the women's more than the men's, but your mileage might vary.

But this about a very unique scheduling situation that we've not really seen before in high-caliber athletics, in the present case related to BYU:

BYU has a strict no-competition policy for its student-athletes on Sundays, as the university, affiliated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Provo, Utah, cites the fourth commandment: “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy,” in explaining the no-Sunday mandate. For BYU, Sunday is a day of rest, and, according to NCAA bylaws, the governing body must accommodate the Sunday exception – even if it means altering an NCAA Championship schedule. 

That never had been an issue for the men’s or women’s national championship in Division I golf. Both competitions used to be stroke-play-only, a setup that allowed the action to finish before Sunday. That changed with the move to a stroke-play-match-play combination, but no BYU individual or team had qualified for either NCAA Championship since that alteration. (The change emerged for women last year, and the BYU women hadn’t made it to nationals since 2007. The men’s format changed in 2009, but the BYU men last got to nationals in 2006.)

Hmmm....I hear you mumbling, how can you get around this?  I'm pleased to report that no babies were torn in half in settling this issue in a Solomonic manner:

In order to accommodate the Cougars’ Sunday restriction, the NCAA will have BYU play its first round on Thursday, May 19 – the practice-round day for every other team. The Cougars will play in third-round conditions, i.e. Sunday hole locations, in order to simulate conditions on the day they will miss. The Cougars then will play Friday and Saturday with the rest of the field, sit out Sunday, and then play Monday if they survive the 54-hole cut. On Thursday, the group will go out in singles, with other teams and coaches able to watch BYU’s progress. You can go here for the NCAA’s full list of adjustments.

Obviously what can't be replicated is the weather and related course conditions, but it's a clever compromise and I'm glad to see religious convictions accommodated.   And these beliefs are real, as I can tell you from my time in Salt Lake City which can seem a a ghost town on a Sunday.

I Saw It On TV - Sports Business Daily has an interesting item speculating about the Tour's planning as relates to its television contracts:

The PGA Tour can opt out of its media deals with CBS and NBC in 2018, and tour executives already have reached out to several media companies to gauge their interest in bidding for a package of rights or, potentially, helping the tour launch its own channel. 

The tour’s deals with CBS and NBC run through 2021, but both allow the tour to open the contracts in 2018 to modify some of the terms or to end the deals early, at the end of that year. The tour is locked in its deal with the Golf Channel through 2021 with no opt-out provision.

Hmmm...is this about that billion dollars they left on the table?  Next you know, they'll be scouring the sofa cushions for loose change...

Now I do feel compelled to note that businesses look at a wide range of possibilities and have an infinite amount of conversations, so I'm not convinced that anything along these lines will happen.   That caveat notwithstanding, though, this doesn't strike one as inconsistent with Comrade Stalin's view of the world.

Shack sets his phasers on "Rant", so let's see what he thinks:

But this impending network TV opt-out means Monahan might not have the chance to fully shape the next TV deal and use his skills to re-imagine, where necessary, ways to improve the television "product" going forward.

There is a sense that retiring Commissioner Tim Finchem, who loves to make deals and is obviously quite good at it, is consumed with filling his coffers and solidifying the FedExCup/calendar-year model. He wants one more big bonus that will conveniently be voted on by a PGA Tour Policy Board he has stacked with lemmings. Shoot, he's even turned thePGA of America president, who holds a seat on the board for a little while longer, into aPGA Tour employee. So he's got the votes when it comes time to sell the board on the opt-out. 

While I respect Finchem's ability to make money for his partners and coral corporate titans into writing big checks, what fascinates me at this point is the sense that the PGA Tour group is bitter that its partners are doing well. The opt-out seems driven by a desire to pursue more profit, which is very much their right, but as a fan, I don't know how many of these leveraging plays are really thinking of the best outcome for a healthier long-term PGA Tour. My sense is that this is more about Finchem's legacy and retirement savings than returning to the negotiating table with the goal of improving televised golf or securing the health of the tour over the long haul.

I agree with most of Geoff's reactions, though I don't think he does himself any favors with the allegation that it's all about Tim's bonus....  But's he's spot on that the Commish is a deal-maker, and it's completely fair game to speculate as to whether that's in the best interests of the Tour and the game.  And it's entirely believable that a deal-maker wants one big score to secure his legacy, and it's easy to see where such a deal could go bad.

But I don't get the sense this can go very far for a number of reasons....  First, there's no mention of the Tour's contract with FedEx, which I believe expires at the end of the 2017 season.  It seems to this observer that you'd have to have that renewal in place before one could logically discuss broadcast arrangements.  

Secondly, the parties that the Tour is reportedly speaking with, specifically Fox, ESPN and Turner, don't appear to be particularly promising targets.  The former is losing its shirt on its USGA contract and the latter names have exited stage left....  I suppose ESPN is always going to be a possibility, given their insatiable need for sports content, but I'd guess that the monster trucks draw as large an audience as golf.

But I think Shack is on the mark when he speaks of the Ponte Vedra family's bitterness that its TV partners are doing well.  One thing I learned in my business career is that every business looks better from a distance, and that fact explains many bad acquisitions.  The Tour is in a very good position as we speak, and would be better served, as Geoff notes, in focusing on the quality of the broadcasts.  

How's That Moat Coming? - We've had our fun over the years over the stodgy British golf clubs being dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century....  It's not an issue that I care all that much about, as the admission of a few well-connect folks with indoor plumbing doesn't change much.  I agree that symbolism can matter, as to its effect in these cases, I'll leave that to the reader...

But with the admission of women to the R & A, I've made one point several times....that if there is to be a holdout, it will inevitably be The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, d/b/a Muirfield, where the blood runs bluest. I was not previously aware that there was a pending initiative to change those membership policies, but now comes word from Martin Dempster that there's trouble on The Firth of Forth:

But the letter sent out by a 33-strong ‘no’ group is believed to have had a bigger impact on a postal vote that closes today than the club’s board had anticipated, leaving it anything but confident about securing sufficient support. 

Sent to The Scotsman, the letter was issued by members who believe the proposal to admit women members “should not be approved at this time” and have urged fellow members to give the matter “very careful thought” before voting due to it being a “very major change and will involve inevitable risk”. 

The letter states: “It is recognised that it is a very sensitive matter and the club is in a difficult position, but associations like ours with a very long and venerable history have strengths which are derived from that history.

But here's where it strikes me that they're over-played their hand:

The ‘no’ group say they are confident that Muirfield wouldn’t be dropped by the R&A from its rota for The Open, though that remains to seen, of course. 

“On the balance of issues, would the R&A actually remove HCEG from The Open circuit given the economic benefit to the national and local economy and the lack of suitable supply of alternative venues?” the latter asks. “Their position should be researched and made clear and in particular the timescale whereunder we may attempt to satisfactorily address or dispense with the issues. 

“It is accepted that we may have to change, but we should not do so now on the basis suggested. We have had a lengthy process, but it is felt that there is time to pause and consider further options to develop the club and it is hoped retain The Open.

I think this translates roughly as, "We'll be dead and gone soon enough.  Can't you please wait until then to let Lady Bonalack in."

But telling the R & A publicly that they have nowhere else to go seems to rather ensure that they show who's boss in this matter, no?  And the reader will hopefully recall that I always believed that Peter Dawson's rather substantial effort to return Royal Portrush to the Open Rota was conceived as an insurance policy for just this set of circumstances.... Perhaps also for Trump, but in the "We Don't Want to Share the Stage with This Buffoon" context, not in the "How Can We Take The Open to a Course Owned By The U.S. President" mode.

I is a great golf course and an iconic club, but political correctness rules the day....  So, good sirs, you might as well just admit a few women and, while you're at it, where are you going to put that transgender bathroom?

Pity The Lad - Rory is frustrated, and who can blame the young man?  The putting is dreadful, the wedge play amateurish, so of course he's felling it....  What, that's not his frustration?  Do tell:

Questions are being asked about McIlroy’s game. The former World No. 1 isn’t too

concerned about his game, just how it’s being portrayed. 

“I’m relaxed about it,” McIlroy said. “It frustrates me, the negative spin that’s being put on it. I know expectations for myself are higher than other players, but you look at my record this year with a third in Abu Dhabi, a fifth in Dubai, a third at Doral, fourth in the Match Play. My bad weeks are top 10s, basically. 

“So it frustrates me that the narrative is, There’s something missing in Rory’s game or, What’s wrong with Rory? I don’t feel like there’s anything wrong. It’s very close. It’s not as far away as I feel some people think. 

“I know that if I go out and play my best or close to my best, that I’m going to have a great chance to win this week, next week, basically all season, because I’m in a really good place with where my game is.

Rory, no doubt you've perfect the art of the back door Top Ten, so if you're happy with your early weekend tee times, who am I to quibble?  And really, who is this guy to quibble?

To many, it's McIlroy's short game -- particularly his putter and wedge approaches -- that are causing erraticism. Yet McGinley thinks McIlroy's problems are rooted deeper. 

“You wouldn’t question his bottle, that’s for sure," McGinley remarked. "He has proved that at the very highest level. I think he is just lacking a little bit of confidence because he hasn’t won for a while. And he is lacking a little bit of focus. 

“It is not his game. It is not his putting or his chipping. And it’s not his balls because we know he can handle the big occasions."

OK, so we can rule out his balls (that's quite the relief) and his bottle, but his problems are rooted deeper though Paul thinks he's close.  I'm satisified, how about you:

That's The Ticket - Ever wonder why your Congress has approval ratings slightly below those of Charles Manson?  Of course you don't, as it's blindingly obvious....

Your faith in that venerable institution will be confirmed by this item related to National Golf Day:

This year's event, taking place Wednesday in the nation's capital, is no different as the lobbying efforts home in on reinforcing the game's economic impact ($70 billion annually), as well as explain to government officials the industry's positions on labor and environmental issues, and, perhaps most importantly, the PHIT (Personal Health Investment Today) Act. 

PHIT expands the IRS definition of a medical expense to allow for medical-care tax treatment of qualified fitness and sports expenses. 

Why is that important to golfers? 

Because if the PHIT Act passes as currently constituted it would, along with several other physical-fitness expenses, make golf camps and clinics, lessons and training aids, green fees and driving-range fees, tournament fees and, wait for it . . . golf balls and golf clubs tax deductible up to $1,000 for an individual or $2,000 for a head of household or family.

That sound you hear is my fist making contact with my computer monitor....  They've abdicated the bulk of their Article One responsibilities, but they've noticed that I've put on a pound or two....I need to move on, and quickly!

63 In Perspective - With Oakmont on the horizon, you'll want to read this trip down memory lane:

The short answer is yes.... especially since it hadn't been done previously.  The article is structured as a refutation  of the various myths that have arisen about Johnny's feat, so to ensure that you read it I'm not even going to provide an excerpt.  Just this image of the epic scorecard:

The one myth that the authors don't address is that Miller's pyrotechnics caused the USGA to overreact in setting up their course the following year resulting in The Massacre at Winged Foot.

Note To Readers - I have an interesting golf outing tomorrow morning that will preclude blogging.

Weekend Wrap

Golf Tournaments don't always peak when they're supposed to, witness yesterday's predictably anti-climactic final round at The Players.  Was there a moment when the outcome was in doubt?  

So let's dispense with the game story and other formalities before we get the the areas of greater interest.  Alan Shipnuck takes us down memory lane in his lede:

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. –They sure don't make eras like they used to. Golf

belonged to Rory McIlroy from July 2014-April 2015. The Jordan Spieth Era lasted all of three months, from the '15 Masters until the 71st hole of that year's British Open. And now we are living in Jason Day's world; everyone else is just trespassing. 

Day's victory at this Players is the seventh victory since last August for the world number one—on Sunday Adam Scott trotted up the most hypbolic of compliments: "Tigeresqure." Day's ongoing run includes dusting Spieth head-to-head at the PGA Championship; after bettering his would-be rival by 14 strokes over the first two rounds at TPC Sawgrass, Day now has a time-share in Spieth’s head. Those opening bogey-free rounds of 63-66 gave Day the 36-hole scoring record at the Players. PGA Tour brass overreacted with an over-the-top setup on Saturday, and Day never really regained his rhythm.

My God, I haven't thought about the Jordan Spieth Era since January.... I do think that sometimes the greats impress most in winning without their best stuff, and that certainly was the case yesterday.  Though he was also quite fortunate that nobody from the chase pack did much early in the day, which allowed him to survive his scratchy outbound nine.

But you can guess what comes next, the obligatory post-mortems for that which Shipnuck amusingly calls the Neo-Big Three.  First, that Van Cynical guy:

That said, I’m this close to throwing dirt on the Big Three concept invented by the media last year after The Players. 

You heard it here first: The Big Three may be dead. Now it looks more like a Big One—Day, your Players champ and three-time winner this year—and a Medium-Large Two—Jordan Spieth, he of the Augusta Hangover, and Rory McIlroy, Northern Ireland’s champion footballer.

Does he have that right that The Big Three was coined after last year's Players won by....err...Rickie Fowler?  And when was Rory's kickabout?

 Randall Mell makes the case for Day's versatility:

He seemed to win on two different courses, with changing conditions making the TPC Sawgrass Stadium Course such an extremely different test on the weekend. His ability to navigate the diverse tests is a testament to the growing versatility of his game. He is honing more tools than Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy. He has a power game Spieth can’t match, and he’s continuing to refine a dependable short game that McIlroy can’t yet consistently match.

Thing is, power always shows up.  I compare what we saw this week from Day to Tiger circa 2006, when he won at Hoylake and Southern Hills.  When your power allows you to hit 2-iron off the tee, that's a huge advantage.  And in the Aussie's case, it's not because he needs GPS to find a fairway...

And back to Shipnuck:

Rory can't putt, his 100-yard game is a mess, he seems to battle a stretch of ennui at

every tournament. Spieth is fighting his swing, he's had a chance to win the last three majors and failed pretty spectacularly at two of them. Meanwhile, Day has no weaknesses in his game and is playing with a ton of confidence. I can see him putting the hammer down and really separating himself. In fact, he's already done it.

Day playing well is no surprise... The struggles of Spieth and McIlroy are, but perhaps shouldn't be.  Rory has always had the long, loose swing, and the inconsistent results that flow therefrom...  As for Jordan, he had this money quote:

"I'm beating myself up a little bit too much on the golf course, and it's affecting me," Spieth said after a 71. "And I realize that now." 

The culprit at the TPC Sawgrass was his putter, which typically is the most reliable club in his bag. Spieth said he worked hard on his swing when he got back to work after the Masters, and he neglected his short game.

Jordan there's simply no need to beat yourself up, that's what I'm here for... But you know who else he's beating up?  Yup, Michael Greller... Did you catch that exchange on Friday?  He plays a short iron into the sixth green that comes up woefully short, and is caught saying this on an open mic:

The double major winner rounded on his bag man when his iron approach to the sixth green came up well short in the second round of the Players Championship. 

‘Dude, what on earth were you thinking?’ raged Spieth. ‘That was not even close to being the right club.’.

Bless Dan Hicks who, without missing a beat, says something along the lines of, "I thought it was all about "We".  Trouble in paradise?  Stay tuned... Going back to the Tour Confidential panel from prior to the Players, Alan Shipnuck had this about Jordan:

Shipnuck: It's clear that Spieth is going to be more like Phil than Tiger Woods. He's not a ruthlessly efficient closer. There's an element where Jordan can get squirrelly, like when he doubled the 71st hole last year at Chambers Bay. He's going to have some wonderful wins and some spectacular flameouts. That just makes him more interesting.

Translating for non-Millennials, more Arnie than Jack....  But that got me thinking about those four names, or those seven names including the neo-Big Three.   They're all big boppers of the ball, except Jordan, and I think we should expect him to be more inconsistent simply because he has less amrgin for error.

There was much of interest in the panel, including these about the artists formerly known as The Big Three::

Shipnuck: Rory could be the beginning of a new trend where golf is more like tennis, with guys peaking younger and burning out faster. You need to win your majors in your 20s because the idea of winning them in your late 30s is suddenly old-fashioned. Junior and college golf is more intense, the international schedule takes a toll, and there's the 24/7 social-media scrutiny.

Shipnuck: It could be. Historically, many of the greats won their majors in a six-to eight-year window. That window may now open earlier and close faster. And Spieth has been doing this since he was 13, so his clock started ticking much earlier too.

I don't necessarily believe that has to be true for every player, but I do think Alan is on the mark for many.  In the good old days necessity drove longevity for many, or in the case of Vijay it was a burning grudge.  Jack showed a great path for some by balancing his home life extraordinary well, but he admittedly did so in a more forgiving media environment.

Now, about that Saturday at TPC Sawgrass....  Do you enjoy trainwrecks, because we've got you covered....First of all, let's try to explain what happened.  Mark Russell is the Tour's man on the ground and here's his explanation:

“We have done the same thing all week. We have been double cutting these greens and double rolling them and trying to get them firmed up,” said Mark Russell, the Tour’s vice president of rules and competition. “What happened today was just kind of a perfect storm with the weather. We weren't expecting a 20 mph wind all day, and the humidity 30 percent, not a cloud in the sky. And they just, you know, sped up on us.” 

But then that doesn’t explain a three-putt percentage of historic proportions? 

The Tour average for three-putts in a round is 2.93 percent, and on Thursday and Friday the field hovered around the norm with a 2.08 and 2.67 percent average, respectively. On Saturday that number skyrocketed to 11 percent.

The winner had a 4-putt and Sergio had that memorable six-jack on No. 6.  To his credit, there was no loogy in response, so let's note the personal growth.  Rory went the quantity route with five three-jacks, though that seems like more of an average day on the greens for him these days.

Did you catch the interview with Kooch?  I can't quite fathom what he was describing, because the greens weren't especially firm.  He ended up noting that there was just no friction so the balls could go anywhere... For those with an extremely strong stomach, Sergio's travails can be seen here.  I don't recommend it if you plan to play golf anytime soon...

Obviously the players weren't happy campers:

Rory McIlroy said it felt like a U.S. Open, Kevin Chappell called the greens dead and bald, and Keegan Bradley spoke for some who claimed the speeds of the putting surfaces bordered on the edge of out of control. The result: Some eye-popping numbers and not much fun for anyone, unless you’re a fan of car crashes.

Talk about burying the lede....Keegan Bradley apparently made a cut.  Who knew?

And while Ian Poulter has never been my cup of tea, this was my laugh of the week:

“A lot of caddies kept asking, ‘What’s this remind you of?’ ” said James Edmondson, the caddie for Ryan Palmer. “Everyone said, ‘Shinnecock.’ ” 

And when his back-nine 42 and round of 79 was complete, Ian Poulter blurted out “TPC Shinnecock,” only to catch himself and shake his head.
“I’ll refrain from saying anything,” Poulter declared, and wisely he moved to the autograph area and signed for a long line of youngsters.

TPC Shinnecock is spit-out-your-drink funny..... 

Let's turn things over to Shack for perspective:

While I never enjoy seeing a course setup go bad--especially when I know how sick the

PGA Tour rules staffers and weather forecasters will be following Saturday's TPC Sawgrassputting bloodbath--it's good to have days like this to remind people how close golf courses are taken to the edge in the name of resisting technological advances that no architecture can keep up with. 

When Stimpmeter speeds hover in the 12-13 neighborhood, the slightest bit of drop in humidity mixed with little root structure and unexpected wind can send greens that just days before were said to be too soft (but still wickedly fast) into a state of goofiness. We reached a point in the sport where the green is taken up to extreme speeds and allowed to play too prominent of a role at all levels in part because agronomists are so good at what they do. But mostly, it's about, but the professional game having outgrown just about every course on the planet.

As the 2016 Players joined the list of tournaments influenced by a setup gone wild, we are reminded again that the modern golf ball, when hit by the world's best, goes distances not foreseen by designers and therefore is not something manageable by any design under 8000 yards. 

The TPC Sawgrass, once a beast, is often overmatched in today's game. It's final defense, short of 5 inch rough and and adding new tees: extreme green speeds that are manageable until they're not.

 As Pete Dye says, the only thing he wants to change on the course is the ball...  It's short by modern standards though still a stern test in the wind.  The dilemma is that wind and water everywhere isn't a great combination, especially for a place that 51 weeks of the year is for hacks.  Though, to be fair, Pete has done a fine job of keeping the golf course surprisingly playable for the great unwashed masses, but most will consume a fair amount of ammo.

I don't want to leave without paying my respects to Ken Duke's Saturday 65, which Johnny called the best round of the year.  It was way better than Day's Thursday 63, but how ironic that the guy that handled the unputtable greens best happens to be 47 years old.  Go figure...

No. 17 was tame early in the week, but that didn't last....  No doubt you saw Will Wilcox's ace, though his curtain call didn't go so well.  But he gets extra credit for sending a tub of beer to the ink-stained wretches, and bonus points/pints for lifting a Stella with the lads.  As for the yellow golf ball...

Playing the role of Sean O'Hair this year was Scot Russell Knox, and he handled the difficult role with aplomb.  I wish his encore had gone better, but that which doesn't kill us...

Quick Hits - I'd be inclined to save these for tomorrow, but it's a busy week for your humble blogger.

RIP, Christy O'Connor - A legend of Irish golf has exited Stage Left:

VIRGINIA WATER, England (AP) -- Christy O'Connor Sr., the Irish golfer who played

on 10 Ryder Cup teams and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame, died Saturday. He was 91. 

O'Connor won 24 times on the European Tour. He also played 15 times in what is now the World Cup, winning for Ireland in 1968 with Harry Bradshaw. He also won the PGA Seniors Championship in Europe six times. 

He held the record for most Ryder Cup appearances - including the 1957 Britain-Ireland team that won for the first time after World War II - until Nick Faldo surpassed him in 1997. 

"We have lost not only one of the greatest Ryder Cup players the game has seen, but an incredible man," said Richard Hills, Ryder Cup director for Europe.

He lived in an era when playing the American Tour and majors was beyond his means, so his record won't convey his importance.   But as David Feherty noted on the NBC broadcast, perhaps his nickname will:

A big personality known as "Himself," O'Connor won the European Tour money title in 1961 and 1962.

They'll be tipping back pints to Himself at Royal Dublin for a while, as they should.  RIP.

The Rich Get Richer - As if we needed mare reason to return, comes this news:

Bandon Dunes is about to get even better. 

"We need more par-3s, don't we?" Bandon Dunes owner Mike Keiser said the other day by phone. 

Of course we do, and wouldn't you know it, Keiser plans to build them at his Oregon resort, where he's laid the groundwork for an 11-hole par-3 course, designed by the noted architect Tom Doak. 

With holes ranging in length from 85 to 200 yards, the yet-to-be-named course will occupy a knobby swatch of coastal land, just south of Bandon Preserve, the resort's 13-hole par-3 course designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw.

Letting Doak design a Par-3 might seem like overkill, but Keiser has already had him (with shaper-to-the-gods Jim Urbina) design a putting green.   Think it might be any good?

At Least He Didn't Six-Putt, Again - What else can go wrong out there?  Well, this...

Sunday, the birds were at it again. Putting out on the first hole, Ernie Els was pooped on. 

“I was standing right next to him and it missed me and it got him,” said playing partner Justin Rose. “So they say it's good luck if the birdie manages to sort of land on you. And I guess it was good luck for me, not Ernie today, I'm afraid.”

Good luck?  maybe if it happens on your way to the shower, but on the first hole?