Golf FanHouse

Faldo to Monty: Thanks for Coming ... Now Beat It

Ryan Wilson — 2008-08-28T13:34:00 00:00

Colin Montgomerie's run on Ryder Cup appearances could be over. Yesterday I mentioned that word on the street had captain Nick Faldo naming Ian Poulter's couture to the team, and that, coupled with Monty's recent rough patch (and by "recent" I mean "2008") could spell the end of a Ryder Cup career that spans eight events.

...[T]he 45-year-old Scotsman might have thought himself entitled to a little respect from Faldo, or at least a little insight on how his putative captain is thinking. Instead, he has been left hanging like a first-year rookie.

"None at all. None at all," Montgomerie said when he was asked if he had had any communication with Faldo. Asked if, as a senior player, he was disappointed not to have received a phone call, he struggled to remain diplomatic: "Yeah, good question. I don't know if anyone else has had any communication with him."

If I'm Paul Azinger, I'm on the horn with INS to get Monty fast-tracked as a U.S. citizen. Yeah, Montgomerie's an insufferable killjoy, but he might be America's best chance at winning one of these things. I've accepted that this probably won't happen, although I can't think of anything more riveting than watching Sergio Garcia and Montgomerie facing off in match play.

Two of the planet's biggest whiners going head-to-head makes for exciting television, I'd think. Plus, there's always a chance a cat fight breaks out. And if there's anything golf needs more of, it's cat fights. Just as long as they're in English, of course.

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Tiger Woods Continues to Pimp His Video Game, This Time on Conan O'Brien

Shane Bacon — 2008-08-28T11:18:00 00:00

Filed under: Golf, PGA

Once a year, like Christmas, we as golf fans get to see Tiger Woods completely open and talkative to all media outlets. About his video game. That EA Sports one that is named after Tiger. He will talk to anyone about this video game.

Last night Woods continued his Tour De Wii on Conan O'Brien (second part after the jump), where the two chatted about the U.S. Open victory, his knee, baby Sam and, of course, the game. As awkward as these two seemed to be together, a few of the questions thrown at our Golfing Pope brought out some solid emotion.

Asked about his knee currently, Tiger said, "It's Better, better than it was then, that's for sure." When questioned what they actually did in the surgery, Woods told us, "They took my hamstring tendon out of my right leg and put it into my left as my new ACL and repaired some cartilage damage."

Maybe the biggest zinger of the night (and comedians everywhere cringe) came when asked to describe the pain when they viewed a shot by Tiger during the U.S. Open.

Conan -- What was causing the pain at that time?

Tiger -- Constipation.

The interview seemed to linger on, but it was nice to hear about his daughter Sam and her love for golf. "We were watching a little bit of a tournament and she gets out on the rug and starts turning, she's trying to imitate the turn. And then she picked up the golf club and tried to hit the dog with it."

The two then played the new Tiger Woods PGA Tour '09 game and, shockingly, Conan's trash talking led to a win for Tiger. No matter, it's still nice to see Tiger slightly chipper and still alive.

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Greg Norman Thinks The New Generation is Scared of the Tiger

Shane Bacon — 2008-08-27T17:38:00 00:00

Filed under: Golf, PGA

No matter what you think about Tiger Woods, the one thing we can all agree on is his intmidation factor on the golf course. Just watching him on the television gets you a little out of your element.

His stare boars through walls, his fist pumps break into more senses than just sight and his build and distance almost blankets what his opponents are donig. I think it's safe to say Tiger bothers his playing partners.

Flash in the 2008 pan Greg Norman thinks even stronger about this. He thinks the opponents, especially the young lads, don't even give themselves a puncher's chance when Woods is lurking.

"This generation of golfers has just been whipped by Tiger. They go out there thinking that they can't beat him, so they don't."

Well, I think it is a little jab at the players but isn't this just fact? When people play with Woods, they're beat before they tee off, right? Who in their right mind was sitting around watching Rocco Mediate playing Tiger and thought, for a second, that Woods was defeated?I also think this theory is a touch dated. When Tiger was absolutely dismantling the PGA Tour between 2000 and '03 nobody thought they stood a chance. If Woods opened with a good round you could book it and if he struggled on Thursday you just waited a day or two before his name found the top spot. I think some of the young guys now, like Anthony Kim or Hunter Mahan, think if they're at the top of their game nobody can hang, not even El Swoosh.

It's also strange to say this about Tiger when he's both injured and probably going to lose the Player of the Year award for just the third time since his 1997 Masters victory.

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The LPGA Language Rule Might Not Be Legal

Shane Bacon — 2008-08-27T14:09:00 00:00

Filed under: Golf, LPGA

Just one day after the LPGA announced that you better be able to yell "sit" to your ball in English, some are wondering if this is even legal.

Starting in 2009, golfers on the LPGA will be forced to pass an English proficiency test and if you fail, you will be suspended from the golf tournament and not let back on tour until you improve your speaking skills. This all is predicated around the fact that pro-am partners and the media couldn't really communicate with some of the foreign golfers taking over the LPGA. But, forcing people to learn a language? That sure sounds like something that might break a law.

Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

"Language and national origin are inextricable," says Steven D. Jacobs, an attorney that is currently working on an English-only case at a sheet-metal factory in Connecticut. "The LPGA is making English a precondition of access. That's a classic no-no. I don't see how this will stand up in court if a player challenges it."

The LPGA is making their plan a little more clear after their fishy way of announcing the plan yesterday. The first language test will be next fall when the season is coming to a close, so if you fail a test you might have the entire off-season to not only practicing putting, but pronouncing. This might help deter anyone from missing golf at all.

LPGA Deputy Commissioner and former Duke Law grad Libba Galloway tried to make clear as best she could the idea behind the rule.

"We are not discouraging players from speaking other languages. They can talk to their caddie in whatever language they choose. They can speak to other players on the driving range in whatever language they choose. If they're Brazilian and a reporter asks them a question in Portuguese, by all means, answer it in Portuguese. And we're not demanding that the players be perfectly fluent in English. What we're saying is that the ability to speak to your pro-am partners and to the media, and for the winner to give their victory speech in English, will be one of our tournament regulations."

Galloway goes on to explain that learning English is "vital" to the future of the LPGA. One of the biggest sticking points to this argument is that the pro-am partners, forking up five figures, want to be able to communicate with their playing partners and this will give them an outlet to do so. I just don't know how important this really is. I know that being social and yucking it up with your playing partner is great, but not everyone has this personality. Just because a Korean girl learns minimal English doesn't mean she's going to be downing beers and knocking back hot dogs with the boys. This is a different culture and learning a sentence here or there isn't going to change that.

If a foreign golfer does challenge this legally it will be hard for the LPGA to stand up against the obvious discrimination. You can make the argument that this will help the business side of things, but we're talking about an American golf tour. I'm pretty sure the phrase "land of the free" can translate into any language.

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Tiger Has No Comment on LPGA's English-Only Stance, Kultida Unimpressed

Ryan Wilson — 2008-08-27T13:43:00 00:00

Filed under: Golf, LPGA, PGA

Tiger Woods is alive and well, even though he's not scheduled to make his triumphant return to the PGA Tour until sometime next spring. Meanwhile, during an interview on CNBC's Power Lunch this afternoon, Eldrick touched on the typical fare: he's recovering well, loves spending time with his family, can't wait to play tournament golf, blah blah blah.

He also managed to get in a plug for EA Sports AND Gillette, and name-drop both Derek Jeter and Roger Federer. After dispensing with the pleasantries, however, host Bill Griffeth got all journalistic, asking Tiger his thoughts on the whole sordid LPGA mess. Awkwardness ensued:

Griffeth: Let me ask you something before you go, here ... Golfweek broke it on Monday, the New York Times put it on the front page today -- you probably saw that -- the LPGA is now going to require all of their golfers to be conversant in English next year, or face suspension. Good idea, bad idea?

Tiger: I don't know, that's the first time I heard about it. I was just in Dubai and I just got back, so ... um, that's the first time I actually heard about that, so...

Ah, yes, the ol' "I was out of the country" excuse. That used to work really well before the advent of the telegraph, and later, the phone and a little something Al Gore likes to call the internet.

It gets better:

Griffeth: The influx of foreign golfers on the LPGA -- you know how important sponsorships are to golf, more than any other sport ... and the LPGA is concerned that those women who don't speak English don't interact with the sponsors and that hampers their ability to gain those sponsorships. Is this the way to solve that problem?

Woods: Oh, I don't know. Like I said, that's the first time I heard about it, um, it's obviously very interesting, um ... it's the LPGA ... I guess that's how they think they should handle it.

Griffeth: I didn't think you would answer that one, either, but I thought I would try anyway.

And everybody had a good chuckle.

Look, I have no issue with Tiger being apolitical, but jeebus, it's not like we're talking about Kelly Tilghman here. He dismissed her ridiculously offensive comments because they're friends, and he believed she meant nothing harmful by them. Fine. I get that.

But this LPGA issue doesn't leave much room for ambiguity. Oh, and in a related story: TIGER WOODS IS ASIAN.

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Camilo Villegas Actually Won Something

Shane Bacon — 2008-08-27T11:18:00 00:00

Filed under: Golf, PGA

A lot of "experts" talk about Camilo Villegas like he is still one of the next big stars. The thing is, the extremely good looking, muscular, Colombian hero who probably lands more women than a Gynecology waiting room doesn't really ever win. Honestly, he's probably best known for the maneuver he's doing in the picture that is supposed to help him reads putts better (?).

On Tuesday, Villegas fans can take solace in his victory at a skins game event, where he took home the gold with a chip-off against Vijay Singh, Mike Weir, Stewart Cink and Notah Begay III.

The rising Colombian star won a chipoff Tuesday against Singh, Weir, Cink, and Begay III to walk away with top money at the inaugural Notah Begay III Foundation Challenge at Turning Stone Resort's Atunyote Golf Club.

Villegas' winning pitch on the extra hole of the skins game competition boosted his earnings for the day to $220,000. Singh won two holes to finish with $180,000, and Cink finished with one skin worth $100,000 from the total purse of $500,000.

Now I know what you're probably asking yourself, so let me answer all the fuzziness for you. Yes, a chip-off is the lamest thing possible to decide the victor. The only thing worse than that is tossing a tee in the air and seeing who it points to. Yes, like you I was about a month away from totally forgetting who Notah Begay was. Yes, there could be a more random five-some on the PGA Tour, but not by much (I'm picturing a little K.J. Choi, Ian Poulter and Fuzzy Zoeller).

I guess the budding star that is Villegas will have this to hang his hat on. Sure, he's been on tour for three seasons without a victory, but the next time he is in that situation, I'm sure this chip-off victory will be that experience he's needed to finally pull through.

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Nick Faldo Might Name Ian Poulter to Ryder Cup, Unless He Doesn't

Ryan Wilson — 2008-08-27T10:02:00 00:00

Filed under: Golf, Ryder Cup

The Ryder Cup is less than a month off and Paul Azinger and Nick Faldo, captains for the American and European sides, have to fill out the rosters by the end of the week. I've pretty much accepted the fact that it doesn't matter who Azinger names with his picks (well, unless they're Europeans), the U.S. will probably lose.

Faldo, however, has some intriguing options facing him. Colin Montgomerie, arguably one of the best Ryder Cupper in history of the event, is lobbying for a spot on the team even though he's had a forgettable season, and hasn't played in two weeks.

While we wait for that drama to play out, rumors are afoot about other potential candidates:

Nick Dougherty was brave enough to articulate what most were thinking here on the range yesterday as the news circulated of Ian Poulter's late withdrawal from this week's Johnnie Walker Championship. "All I can think of is that he's been given the nod," said Dougherty. And so the great Ryder Cup conspiracy theory gathered momentum. True or not true it has given the build-up to Nick Faldo's wildcards announcement on Sunday night a fascinating edge.

A strong finish at the Walker would qualify Poulter on the Ryder Cup squad based on points. That he has since withdrawn means that either he's a captain's choice, or he's just given up on making the team. The latter sounds like a stretch, which makes the former more likely.

Ultimately, I'm not sure if it matters who Faldo names; the Europeans have owned the Americans, and if not for that pesky Justin Leonard, the '99 Cup never would've happened. That said, I'm guessing Faldo will keep Monty off the team, if for no other reason than spite.

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In Addition to Language Requirements, LPGA Should Implement a Weight Limit, Too

Ryan Wilson — 2008-08-27T10:00:00 00:00

Filed under: Golf, LPGA, PGA

The LPGA has spoken, and if you understand English, the message is clear: the tour will henceforth be a one-language operation, which creates all sorts of ironical hilarity since a good many tour winners are from non-English speaking countries.

No matter. In an effort to improve sponsorships, and presumably ratings, the tour is getting the Stepford Wives treatment: Homogenize everything. In addition to English-only requirements, players will also be encouraged to bleach their hair blond and get breast implants. Because if there's anything LPGA fans love more than watching golfers speak a language we can all understand (and by "we," I mean "lazy Americans"), it's watching golfers speak a language we can all understand while being able to point and gawk in the process.

Perhaps I've overstating things a bit, but the whole idea of require players to learn English is farcical. The theory for the new rule goes something like this: the amateurs who take part in pro-ams can't communicate with the pros because of the language barrier. Apparently, that's a no-no, and a much bigger concern than finding a way to mass-market the tour to a wider audience. Which probably goes a long way in explaining the tour's current run on abysmal ratings.

Hilary Lunke, president of the Player Executive Committee, said much of this initiative stems from the importance of being able to entertain pro-am partners. Players already are fined if the LPGA receives complaints from their pro-am partners. Now the tour is taking it one step further.

"The bottom line is, we don't have a job if we don't entertain," Lunke said. "In my mind, that's as big a part of the job as shooting under par."

I'll say it again: more blonds, more boobs, problem solved.

I fully understand the difficulties facing the LPGA: lost sponsors, lack of popularity, and no one player to point to as the future savior of the sport. The hope was that Michelle Wie would be the next -- wait for it -- Tiger Woods, but other than attending Stanford and sharing an Asian heritage, that's where the similarities end.

And with foreign players -- particularly those from non-English-speaking countries -- regularly winning events, the LPGA took action: "beginning in 2009, all players who have been on tour for two years must pass an oral evaluation of their English skills. Failure would result in a suspended membership."

According to GolfWeek, there are 121 international players from 26 countries on tour, and 45 are South Koreans. Interestingly, many Korean players don't oppose the new rule:

"We agree we should speak some English," [Se Ri] Pak said. "We play so good overall. When you win, you should give your speech in English. . . . Mostly what comes out is nerves. Totally different language in front of camera. You're excited and not thinking in English."

I think most people agree with Pak's point, I'm just not sure how making it a tour mandate suddenly improves popularity. There's also another perspective, offered by Angela Park, a second-year player who speaks three language:

[Park] knows that it's difficult to "come to a foreign country and be yourself." The Brazilian-born Korean-American said the rule is fair and will be good for the tour and its players.

"The LPGA could come out and say they only want 10 Koreans, but they're not," Park said. "A lot of Korean players think they are being targeted, but it's just because there are so many of them."

A lot of Korean players think they're being targeted because, well, that's how it looks. Lorena Ochoa, who grew up in Mexico before coming to the States to attend the University of Arizona, is currently ranked No. 1 in the world. Her English was, to put it bluntly, awful when she first came on tour and I have a hard time believing the LPGA would choose to fine her if she decided that speaking through an interpreter was her preferred pro-am means of communication.

Which brings me back to this: how does forcing players to speak English somehow make the LPGA relevant? Will ratings now go through the roof because some rich guy in a Tuesday pro-am got a putting team from a Korean player? Will the post-tourney victory interview (now in broken English!) keep on-the-fence sponsors from dropping out?

Because if that were the case, wouldn't the PGA and European Tours have done this a long time ago? Logistically, it would be almost impossible to implement, not to mention the sheer stupidity of it all. Plus, I think there's something to be said for being in FIGJAM's group and not having to be subjected to how much he really loves himself.

The LPGA will trudge on, however, common sense be damned. Golf Magazine's Michael Walker makes one last plea:

Professional athletes generally learn English because it is in their financial interest to do so, but those who don't should not be penalized. In addition to Ballesteros at the Masters, an English-only policy would have denied golf fans the great 1980 U.S. Open battle between Jack Nicklaus and Japan's Isao Aoki. Today's fans would not get to see Argentina's Andres Romero, one of the game's brightest young stars. The list could go on and on.

As long as the LPGA is issuing ridiculous directives, I'd like to add one more: a weight limit for all tour members. Seriously, fat golfers are a bigger scourge to the sport than non-English speakers. In addition to creating an athletic (sexy, even?) image, it would also reduce the tour's insurance premiums associated with on-course-related heart attacks.

And the money saved could be used to hire a marketing firm to come up with something less idiotic than "make them all speak the language!" Given the current state of things, it's definitely worth a shot.

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Tiger Woods Played the Break to Perfection

Shane Bacon — 2008-08-26T14:07:00 00:00

Filed under: Golf

As the extremely popular Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2009 hits stores, EA Sports continues to dazzle us with their marketing.

In this video, via You Been Blinded, Woods putts, and drains, a Rubik's Cube. As sweet as the walking on water ad was, this one might trump it. The celebration after Tiger makes the putt looks very sincere and raises the question, is this real or fake? I've watched it five times and can't decide.

Drop your opinion in the comments.

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LPGA Tells Players: Speak English or Else

Michael David Smith — 2008-08-26T11:53:00 00:00

Filed under: LPGA

The LPGA is telling its golfers that speaking English is now a requirement for playing on the tour, and that women who fail to learn English will be kicked out.

Golfweek Magazine is reporting that at a mandatory meeting for South Korean players at last weekend's Safeway Classic, the tour told the players that once they've been on tour for two years, they must pass an oral evaluation of their English skills, and that if they fail their membership will be suspended.

The great South Korean golfer Se Ri Pak says she understands the policy but thinks kicking golfers off the tour for failing to speak English is too severe.

"We agree we should speak some English," Pak said. "We play so good overall. When you win, you should give your speech in English. . . . Mostly what comes out is nerves. Totally different language in front of camera. You're excited and not thinking in English."

Libba Galloway, the tour's deputy commissioner, told Golfweek that she hopes no golfers fail their English test, but if they do, "We wouldn't just say, 'Come back next year.' What we would do is work with them on where they fell short, provide them the resources they need, the tutoring . . . and when we feel like they need to be evaluated again, we would evaluate."

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Vijay Singh Says He Will Now Putt Better Because He Thinks He Can Putt Better

Shane Bacon — 2008-08-25T11:44:00 00:00

Filed under: Golf, PGA

Since 2000, Vijay Singh has won more tournaments than anyone on tour not married to a former Swedish model with an identical twin.

The consistency can be attributed to his incredible ability to hit the golf ball as good, if not better, than anyone on tour and not so much to his putting, which has always plagued the Big Fijian. After his playoff win this weekend at the Barclays, his first victory in the short history of the FedEx Cup playoffs, Singh said he's finally decided to approach putting a little different. He's just going to believe he's good at it. Hey, sounds simple enough!

"I think through the past weeks and months and years, with the media talking about my putting and writing about my putting and people talking about my putting and people want to help me, I must have had hundreds of letters and phone calls and all saying that they can fix my putting,'' said Singh, who is now 8-4 in playoffs. "You know, at the end of the day, it kind of gets to your head that you're not a good putter.

"So I made a point after last week that, you know, I'm going to change that attitude, and I believed in myself that I'm the best putter, and I came out here with a different attitude, and I putted great this week. If I keep doing this, I'm going to win a lot more golf tournaments."

Sadly, golf is a game of bad memories, and those putting demons can sneak into even the best of us. As bad a putter as you are, could you imagine having a hundred people talking about it day in and day out? A win right out of the gate with this mentality could be a scary foreshadowing for any player wanting to grab a trophy over the next month.

We all know Vijay can get hot on the course, and even though he's been extremely inconsistent over the past month (two wins and two missed cuts), a confident putting Vijay will be the nastiest 45-year-old I know.

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Tiger Woods, Still Uncertain

Shane Bacon — 2008-08-25T11:02:00 00:00

Filed under: Golf, PGA

The waiting game continues with the world's most famous birdie maker and his return to the sport, with the man himself even confused about the future.

Tiger Woods, on a trip to his $1.1 billion golf development in Dubai, said if there is one certainty in life, it's that he has no clue when we should expect to see him wearing red on Sundays again. Asked if he would be back to defend his title at the Dubai Desert Classic, Woods made it clear that the future is unclear.

"All that's unknown," Woods said. "It's frustrating for me."

Woods said his schedule heading into next year is uncertain, but that he plans to "be hitting golf balls at the beginning of the year."

Since it was first reported that Woods would be out for the season, speculation has run rampant and even the closest people to him have tossed us their two cents. The bottom line is Tiger is too smart to rush back and knows that for the first time in his life, he has no control over his situation. Waiting it out to make sure it's totally and completely healed looks to be the approach Team Woods is taking.

I guess if this knee injury is too serious, he can always stick to blogging or walking on water. After that win at Torrey Pines, I think we can all agree the man has the ability to produce miracles.

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Sergio Pulls a 'Sergio', Vijay Wins in Sudden Death at Barclays Championship

Ryan Wilson — 2008-08-24T18:56:00 00:00

Filed under: Golf, PGA

Kevin Sutherland, fresh off the 2002 WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship, fired a final round 68 at today's Barclays and found himself in a playoff with Sergio Garcia and Vijay Singh. To be fair, Sutherland has had four top-10s this season, but he's about as far from exciting as you can get on the golf course.

But sometimes it's less about mind-blowing shots than it is about grinding it out, which is exactly what Sutherland was able to do today.

Garcia, on the other hand, shot a 1-under 70, and just missed a 15-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole that would've given him the outright victory. Instead, in true Sergio fashion, he burned the edge, and after Singh did likewise two groups later, all three reconvened on the 18th tee box for a playoff.

Garcia and Singh both striped their drives, while Sutherland pushed his tee shot into the trees, effectively taking him out of contention. Sergio and Vijay found the green with their second shots, both ending up some 25-30 feet from the hole.

And then things got awesome: two of the tour's worst putters proceeded to drain their birdie putts -- first Sergio and then Vijay -- like it was the most natural thing in the world. Off the the par 5 17th.

Garcia pulled his tee shot into the rough on the right, tried to hit a hook from there but watched as his ball went straight -- behind a tree on the other side of the fairway, and then hacked his way to a par. Singh smoked his drive, hit his second shot some 260 yards to 20 feet, and calmly took two putts to claim the victory. Not too shabby.

For Garcia, it's just the latest in a long line of disappointing finishes, though, to his credit, he was particularly upbeat during the whole affair. Bacon points out that Sergio is now 4-4 in playoffs, which isn't bad, so there's that.

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Portuguese TV Station Uses Iwo Jima to Advertise Ryder Cup

Shane Bacon — 2008-08-20T16:04:00 00:00

Filed under: Golf, PGA

When one thinks of war images, nothing truly translates like that timeless Joe Rosenthal image of Iwo Jima. Six American servicemen took Francis Scott Key to another octave, raising our stars and stripes on Mount Suribachi during a battle that killed nearly 7,000 American soldiers.

So, when talking about the Ryder Cup, a golf event that brings tons of emotion between Europe and the United States, what could really get us Yanks a little hot under the collar? A Portuguese television station, Sport TV, using that fabulous image as a magazine ad, dogging the United States.

Thanks to Copyranter we have the full spread of the statue raising an 18th hole flag in the air with the dates of the tournament in the top left corner. This is disrespectful and ignorant on so many humanitarian levels, but let's just talk about golf.

The Ryder Cup is match play, so a lot of the groupings never even make it to the 18th hole. Also, Portugal, really? There has never been a Ryder Cup ever hosted in the country, not to mention there has never been an individual from the country on the team to represent the Europeans.

The ad is pointless and weak. You don't see the NBA advertising Carmelo Anthony dunking an atomic bomb on Hiroshima because it would be classless and ridiculous, so why in the world would a country so meaningless in an event like the Ryder Cup drop something so brash?

You're Sport TV, stick to soccer highlights and, umm, soccer highlights?

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Padraig Harrington, Motivational Speaker

Shane Bacon — 2008-08-20T15:16:00 00:00

Filed under: Golf, PGA

It appears when you win three of six major championships in golf, people start to care what you say.

Irishman and back-to-back major champion Padraig Harrington spoke with everyone's favorite Irish light heavyweight boxer, Kenny Egan, about concentration, motivation and any other term I learned watching "Remember the Titans."

"He came to my house and basically was talking about how to peak, how to go to a big-time event and produce your best performance," Harrington said Tuesday at The Barclays. "He was obviously a very talented competitor himself and knew what to do, but was feeling that he was slightly underachieving at the big events."

The talk apparently helped, as Egan advanced to the medal round on Tuesday in Beijing.

"The only way to learn experience without actually going through it yourself is learn from somebody else," Harrington said. "Kenny was not afraid to ask a couple of people to make the contact with me. And I love to talk, so I was more than obliging."

I love Padraig, but picturing him motivate someone is just humor in my head. I just keep thinking about how many "ehhhs" he'd spit out in a single sentence.

We will see how great it actually pays off on Friday, as Egan pairs up against Britain's Tony Jeffries in the semifinals.

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Jack Nicklaus Isn't Sure if Sergio Garcia Will Ever Win a Major, Colin Montgomerie Stoked

Ryan Wilson — 2008-08-20T11:22:00 00:00

Filed under: Golf, PGA

As the only remaining person on the planet to not weigh in on Sergio Garcia's somewhat disappointing professional career, it's good to finally get Jack Nicklaus' thoughts on this very important matter.

Sergio has a reputation for crying like a little baby when things don't go his way, but apparently he had matured this season. After winning The Players Championship in May, he was thisclose to winning the PGA Championship two weeks ago, which would've taken his name off the "greatest players never to win a major" list. Didn't happen -- Padraig Harrington stuck it to Sergio ... again -- but unlike previous letdowns, Garcia handled the loss with humility and aplomb (sorta).

Anyway, Nicklaus, taking time out from another course opening, offered his thoughts on the matter:

"Sergio is a good player, but how do you continue to do what he does? Watson did it, but Watson did it at a young age-two U.S. Opens and a PGA, or two PGAs and a U.S. Open." (He was referring to tournaments Watson could have won but didn't.) ...

"You know, Watson did it; Sergio has not been able to do it. He is very, very talented. When he learns to do that-if and when he learns that, and I don't know whether he will or not--he will get to that level."

To recap: Watson did it, and Sergio's a good player who may or may not ever win a major. Got it?

To be fair, I'm guessing Nicklaus wasn't expecting to field questions about the state of Sergio's game while opening The Idaho Club, so maybe his answer wasn't as eloquent as it could've been.

Whatever, as the Golf Blog points out, neither Harrington or Phil Mickelson won a major until their 30s, so Garcia's hardly washed up, like, say, this poor sap.

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Tiger Woods Walks on Water; John Daly Is Not Impressed

Ryan Wilson — 2008-08-20T09:30:00 00:00

Filed under: Golf, PGA

Apparently, Hank Haney wasn't screwing around when he said Tiger Woods is doing just fine. Based on this ~~hidden video~~ EA Sports commercial pimping Tiger Woods '09, it looks like the world's best one-legged golfer is getting around swimmingly.

You Been Blinded's HG writes that Tiger's next miracle will include resurrecting David Duval's career. (There was some discussion about helping Michelle Wie win an LPGA event but that was deemed impossible).

Pretty impressive, I suppose, but John Daly can turn water into a beer helmet, a handful of tees into a pack of smokes, and five loaves of bread and two small fish into anything on the Cracker Barrel menu. Which, I guess, is why he's known as the "drinking man's Jesus."

Tiger On the Prowl

GRAND BLANC, MI - JUNE 27: A courtesy car is covered with an image of Tiger Woods during the second round at the Buick Open at Warwick Hills Country Club on June 27, 2008 in Grand Blanc, Michigan. (Photo by Marc Serota/Getty Images)

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SAN DIEGO - JUNE 16: (FILE PHOTO) Tiger Woods reacts to missing his birdie putt on the 19th hole of the playoff during the playoff round of the 108th U.S. Open at the Torrey Pines Golf Course (South Course) on June 16, 2008 in San Diego, California. Tiger Woods is to undergo reconstructive knee surgery and will miss the remainder of the 2008 season. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

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SAN DIEGO - JUNE 16: (FILE PHOTO) Tiger Woods pitches out of a sandtrap as he takes his third shot on the ninth hole during the playoff round of the 108th U.S. Open at the Torrey Pines Golf Course (South Course) on June 16, 2008 in San Diego, California. According to reports on June 18, 2008 Woods will be out for the remainder of the season and will need further surgery on his left knee. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

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SAN DIEGO - JUNE 15: (FILE PHOTO) Tiger Woods reacts to his birdie putt on the 18th green to force a playoff with Rocco Mediate during the final round of the 108th U.S. Open at the Torrey Pines Golf Course (South Course) on June 15, 2008 in San Diego, California. According to reports on June 18, 2008 Woods will be out for the remainder of the season and will need further surgery on his left knee. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

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SAN DIEGO - JUNE 16: (FILE PHOTO) Tiger Woods reacts to missing his birdie putt on the 19th hole of the playoff during the playoff round of the 108th U.S. Open at the Torrey Pines Golf Course (South Course) on June 16, 2008 in San Diego, California. According to reports on June 18, 2008 Woods will be out for the remainder of the season and will need further surgery on his left knee. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

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SAN DIEGO - JUNE 16: (FILE PHOTO) Tiger Woods reacts to missing his birdie putt on the 19th hole of the playoff during the playoff round of the 108th U.S. Open at the Torrey Pines Golf Course (South Course) on June 16, 2008 in San Diego, California. According to reports on June 18, 2008 Woods will be out for the remainder of the season and will need further surgery on his left knee. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

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SAN DIEGO - JUNE 16: Tiger Woods pitches out of a sandtrap as he takes his third shot on the ninth hole during the playoff round of the 108th U.S. Open at the Torrey Pines Golf Course (South Course) on June 16, 2008 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

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SAN DIEGO - JUNE 16: Tiger Woods chips onto the green with his third shot on the 12th hole during the playoff round of the 108th U.S. Open at the Torrey Pines Golf Course (South Course) on June 16, 2008 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

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No Reason to Be Alarmed: Tiger Woods Is Doing Fine

Ryan Wilson — 2008-08-19T12:51:00 00:00

Filed under: Golf, PGA

Great news, Tiger Woods fans! According to his swing coach and unofficial spokesperson, Hank Haney, the planet's best golfer is fine and dandy despite the fact that, you know, it sounds like he's not.

But just because Eldrick won't be swinging a club until 2009 isn't a cause for concern -- nor is it a reason for Phil Mickelson, Vijay Singh et al to get their hopes up -- at least to hear Haney tell it.

"He's not behind schedule," Woods coach Hank Haney said yesterday. "I think people thought, 'It's Tiger Woods, he'll be back in two months.' But it just doesn't work that way." ...

"He's doing really good with his rehab," Haney said. "He feels good about it. I talked to him [Sunday] night for a long time on the phone and he's making great progress, working hard. He's in the pool, on the bike. The ACL is a long rehab - that's just the way it is."

Apparently, not even the world's finest robots can rebound from knee surgery in a few months. I had no idea. Whatever, when Woods does return to the tour, Haney is convinced that "he'll be back better than ever." No idea if Haney's contract stipulates that he must say that at least once per public appearance or if he truly believes that, but there are concerns that Era of Tiger could be behind us.

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David Leadbetter Is Befuddled By Michelle Wie's Career Strategy

Ryan Wilson — 2008-08-19T11:23:00 00:00

Filed under: Golf, LPGA, PGA

David Leadbetter has worked with plenty of very successful professional golfers -- Nick Faldo and Ernie Els immediately come to mind -- but he is also Michelle Wie's swing coach.

Wie is arguably just as famous as either Faldo or Els but she isn't even in the same conversation when it comes to acquiring hardware since, you know, she has yet to win on the LPGA Tour. Still, Leadbetter continues to ply his trade, hoping that Wie's on-course talents will eventually overcome the off-course silliness that pervades her life (hi, B.J. and Bo!).

A year ago, he described Wie's situation as "Titanic-like" (but in a good way), and recently, he had more thoughts on Wie's (family's) career strategy that has included playing PGA events with predictable results.

Leadbetter ... on Wie's playing strategy that has included playing PGA Tour events: "It's a shock to me and to her agents that this is happening. I don't think the family is making the right choice. There's definitely more to lose than to gain.

"I've put too much time and effort into Michelle to be able to sit by and watch this happening without saying something. If she doesn't stick to doing what's sensible, we could see one of the greatest potential talents the game has ever known going to waste."

Dottie Pepper agrees with this message. Too bad B.J. doesn't give a crap.

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Trying To Make Sense of the FedEx Cup

Shane Bacon — 2008-08-18T16:10:00 00:00

Filed under: Golf, PGA

As someone who prides himself in golf knowledge, I am not afraid to tell you this -- I had absolutely no clue how the FedEx Cup worked when it was initiated last year.

Sure, I read about it and knew it was coming up, but the whole system behind it just seemed unnecessarily complicated and a little bit ridiculous. Why can't they get the money until they retire?

Luckily for most, the PGA Tour tweaked the system a bit, making it a tad more friendly for the viewer and a lot less confusing for morons like myself. With the FedEx Cup playoffs kicking off this week at the Barclays, here is a quick guide to what exactly will happen over the next four weeks.

Wait, How many players again? -- Last week was the final chance to get in the top-144 for this week's Barclays. Tiger Woods had the most points and Lee Janzen (no, seriously, that Lee Janzen) was the last guy in. After this week, the number will go to the top-120 at the Deutsche Bank Championship, then down to the top-70 playing the BMW Championship and will conclude with the top-30 at the Tour Championship. 144, 120, 70 and finally 30. Got it?

Points Reset -- You know how players are awarded all those FedEx points throughout the season? Yeah, those are all reset when players are "seeded." Confused? Well, Tiger had 22,695 points before the reset, 7,517 more than fifth seeded Anthony Kim. Now, after the reset the difference between first and fifth is 1,250. The reasoning is to give more people the opportunity to make a move in these four weeks. That or Tim Finchem hates Tiger. Meanie.

Cut, Cut, No Cut, No Cut -- The first two tournaments, the Barclays and the Deutsche Bank, have such big fields that there will still be a cut after Friday. Beginning at the 70 player BMW, however, there will not be cuts for it or the Tour Championship.

Can Tiger Still Win This? -- No.

Money, Money, Moooney -- As goofy as the playoffs sounded when they started, one thing the PGA Tour players couldn't complain about was the cash. The FedEx Cup winner gets the single largest payout in sports, $10 million buckaroos. Unlike 2007, where the winner received all of his money in a tax-deferred retirement account, the money this year will be paid out almost entirely up front (the winner gets $9 million up front, $1 million in his retirement fund). With an available payout of $35 million, even last place gets $32,000.

So, there you have it. More coverage on the way about the FedEx Cup, including a list of who we think might win and who might tank. Yes, I see you there, on the edge of your seat.

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