The Cup

With the Presidents Cup starting this week, as a US Team fan I have to wonder which team will show up this time. The US has a fairly good record in this particular exhibition, as opposed to their recent Ryder Cup meltdowns, but the fact remains that one just doesn't know which version of what is essentially a Jekyll/Hyde US Team will show up. And with the rise in confidence of International talent like Rory Sabbatini, Geoff Ogilvy and K.J. Choi over the past two years, and as well as they are playing right now, I can't help but feel we're in for a dogfight this time around. One thing's for sure, I want to see Sabbatini and Tiger square off in at least one match this week. Whether it be individually or as a team, I want them to play the same holes at the same time.

We Have a Winner

Looks like Tiger pretty much ran away with the inaugural FedEx Cup trophy. I mean seriously, was the really ever any doubt? I bet Tim Finchem and the Tour have been drunk for the past 2 days. I mean, what better way to "validate" your new baby than having the #1 Player in the world win it the first time out. I mean, it's great isn't it? Tiger wins, some other big names were in the hunt, they got a showdown of sorts between Tiger and Phil, new stars were born, and oh yeah, Tiger won. Seriously, with all the criticism the format has taken this past year, I can't think of a better outcome for the Tour and its fans. I really believe this thing can only get better from here. If they can figure out a way to tweak this thing just right so that the big names aren't basically making political, back-door deals to blackmail each other into playing in this thing, and actually get them interested in competing in it, it will be huge. I enjoyed watching the entire playoff series a huge amount more than I thought I would.

Next stop, Presidents Cup.

Does Solheim Beat Ryder?

As I sit here writing this post, Solheim Cup, Day 2 is in progress in Sweden. Well, maybe not. I don't know about the time difference and all. Annika might be kicked back eating dinner right now and what I'm seeing is on tape delay. But here's my point: I am watching the Solheim Cup, and I might be enjoying it a lot more than I will be enjoying the Presidents Cup in a couple of weeks. Why? I don't know for sure, but my sense is that I am impressed with how much these girls want it. The US Team, over the last two Cups, have given me the impression that I get from the European Team in the Ryder Cup matches. They appear to truly enjoy being there and really want to win for their country and for their own pride's sake. That's what the Men's US Team needs. I don't care who plays in the events. I don't care if Tiger and Phil stay home and play with their kids. I want 12 guys on our team who want to be there and want to win. If nothing else, I will get three days of seeing emotion, instead of the same stone faces that have become prevalent in the past several Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup matches.

FedEx Cup Opinion

I know a lot has been said about the FedEx Cup, its limitations and its flaws, but I have to admit, these last four tournaments have had me, for lack of a better term, "glued to my seat". I don't really have any excuse other than I just have this feeling as I'm watching that these tournaments somehow mean "more" than normal season-ending events. Heck, I hadn't even been watching the Tour Championship for the past couple of years, but somehow this season it seems like it's more prestigious than before. Have I fallen for what Finchem and Co. have put down; am I drinking the Kool-Aid on this?

Perhaps, but at the same time, who cares? If this little move accomplishes getting me more interested in post-major TV golf, and I enjoy what I'm seeing, what does it matter if I'm getting taken in by all the hype? It's like someone giving you a fake diet pill. If it's fake, but it does the job you want it to do even though it's all in your mind, who cares?

I know if they manage to stay with this thing, it will get better and better as the seasons go by. I don't know right now, if it weren't to be tweaked a little, if it would accomplish making the big guns play together more throughout the season and in the playoffs, but I think at the very least, based on what I'm seeing now, it has potential. And that's really all you can ask for something like this in its first season.

Philly Mick: Is He Finally Waking Up?

That's a question I have been asking myself for a few weeks now, and am asking myself even more since Mickelson's win at the Players. Is he back and will he continue to play good golf from now on, or is this
simply the latest peak in the sine wave of his golfing career?

He's played this well before people. He played this well at the 2004 Masters, slowly reverted back to his old self for a while, got it together again for the 2005 PGA, and managed to keep it going until shortly after the 2006 Masters. Everyone likes to talk about Winged Foot, but for anyone who was following Phil at the time, we knew he was lucky to be where he was on the final day of the 2006 U.S. Open. He was playing that tournament as a schizophrenic, caught between playing "smart golf" and "Mickelson golf". His raw talent got him to the position he was in on the final hole, but he didn't deserve to win that week.

His new fitness regime has gotten me inspired that maybe he's really trying to turn it around for the long-term this time. Before he seems to have just been trying to put on a band-aid at the beginning of each season, doing the things he thought he needed to do to compete in the majors, but not really buying into the philosophy for the long term. Now he's hired a fitness guy and switched swing coaches. Does that indicate he's ready to make that long-term change everyone has been waiting for?

If that is an indication, and he does make the change, then Winged Foot was good for him in the long run. Maybe it taught him a lesson that you can't just slap on a girdle and expect it to get you through to August
and then take it off and let out your gut until next year.

I am a big fan of Phil's. I have followed his career from almost the beginning, and for that reason, unfortunately, I have to say I'll believe it when I see it.

Masters Prediction

Yes, I am still alive.

Luke Donald or Jim Furyk will win.

That is all.

Times They are A'Changin'

It's really interesting to me how the fortunes of golf equipment companies seemingly come and go with the tides. About 3-4 years ago, Titleist was on top of the world, with the "#1 Ball in Golf", probably the top driver in the world, and some of the biggest names in the game pushing their products. Now, it seems fortunes have reversed, as Callaway Golf, then the company who seemed to be turning into the "Weekend Golfer Brand", is now taking away all the top names from Titleist. First they had Annika, then they took Phil away from Titleist (who had previously made fun of Monty for playing Callaway clubs), and just this week they got the Big Easy, Ernie Els.

I have no idea who is the best, and probably in truth, there isn't one. Technology is such that there's really no one solution for everyone out there. I have been playing a variety of clubs over the past several years, from Titleist, to Callaway, to Taylor Made, and can't really say any one is better than the other in terms of quality. It all comes down to how the club looks to you and how it fits your game. And with the popularity of club fitting nowadays, it probably doesn't even matter what name is on the club, because you can get them custom fit to behave any way you want them to, regardless of manufacturer.

We all know that most of the time these endorsement deals come down to who can give you the best contract. Although with players like Ernie Els, one would think that he had to have had another reason other than money to switch to Callaway. Possibly he had a disagreement with some Titleist higher-ups, maybe doesn't like the direction of the company, or maybe he fiddled around with Michael Campbell's driver at some European event and was intrigued with what he saw.

At any rate, Ernie is a Callaway man now, there are a boatload of players on tour that are endorsing Taylor Made brand, and it seems I see fewer and fewer Titleist logos on hats from week to week. Titleist will be back, of that I have no doubt, and Taylor Made and Callaway will have their down years. It's just interesting to watch the ebb and flow of endorsement dollars and ultimately how they effect the weekend golfer and the clubs we "have to have".

It's Not a Streak

Sorry, but it's just not. Byron Nelson won 11 starts in a row, and that just isn't comparable with Tiger's current 7 "PGA Tour" wins in a row. Tiger has lost in the midst of his streak, albeit not in an official PGA event. As impressive as it is, it's not a streak. His last streak ended at 5 as far as I'm concerned and his current streak sits at what... two?

Here's my take on it: Tiger is great enough without the media or anyone else trying to make up his breakage of records. What if this year or in a couple of years he actually DOES break Mr. Nelson's record (which is entirely possible)? Will it not be that big of a deal because he's already done it in some eyes? Give the man time and don't rush it by trying to grasp at straws. It just cheapens his eventual legacy.

Where'd Phil Go?

Philly Mick showed up at the Hope yesterday appearing much more physically fit than in recent years. Nothing to get excited about, as this tends to be his MO. He tends to drop a few pounds in the winter and gains it all back as the year progresses. But one will have to admit, he does seem to be much more fit than in recent years. He may well have dropped 30 or more pounds and, according to him anyways, he's been pumping a little iron as well. One would hope he has latched onto a plan that will allow him to keep it up through the home stretch, but time will tell.

Unfortunately for him, the new fitness didn't seem to translate to lower scores. But it is only his first tournament of the year, and again, time will tell.

Fujikawa Makes the Cut

Tadd Fujikawa stunned the golf world yesterday by becoming the youngest player in 50 years to make a PGA Tour cut. Looks like this kid isn't a one-hit-wonder after all. Fujikawa, who we first got to know last year when he qualified for the US Open at 15, beat out Michelle Wie and a boatload of others to finish the second round of the Sony Open tied for 25th.

I guess for now you would have to say Tadd has bragging rights against Michelle if he ever sees her: Tadd qualified for the US Open, Michelle didn't. Tadd made the cut at the Sony Open, Michelle didn't.

A Wie Bit More

Today Michelle Wie continues her quest to actually make a PGA Tour cut with her fourth attempt at the Sony Open in her home state of Hawaii. Nobody knows what will happen, and I believe she does have the talent to make a cut in a men's event. But that is all. I'm sorry, but I just don't think her game is there to actually WIN a men's event, and isn't that what it's all about? Can anyone imagine Tiger entering an event with the intention of just making the cut? Never going to happen. Michelle is a talent, and I wish her all the best... and by "wish the best" I mean, let's win an event or two Michelle, and then come back in a few years when you're a little more confident and an little more seasoned and give the PGA Tour another shot.

Azinger Next US Ryder Cup Captain?

According to this story, it's true. Paul Azinger will be squaring off against long-time rival Nick Faldo in the 2008 version of the Ryder Cup. I think this will make for an interesting match. Azinger is not short of US pride, and Faldo just likes to win. If Azinger can light a fire under some of the US players' butts, I'm all for it. At this point though, I would have to take a second to think about accepting the job. I can't imagine the pressure to win the next US Captain would be facing.

If You're Not First, You're Last

I really don't know what to say. The US has been beaten for the third straight year, and beaten 18 1/2 to 9 1/2 for the second straight year. It is embarassing to say the least. What will it take for the US to get back their Ryder Cup mojo? Who knows at this point? It's been talked about over and over, with the so-called 'experts' coming up with everything from "we have to play more loose" to "we have to find Tiger a partner". Nothing has worked and at this point, I don't see anything that will work. The Euros have the momentum going into each Ryder Cup and they are able to build on that momentum as they continually dominate us in the team portion of the competition.

But the idea that "they've always been better than us in the team format" is no excuse. There's no reason for that that I can see. Why can't we be just as good as a 2-man team as the Euros? Do all of our players hate each other or something? I don't know, but I don't think so.

It's a strange, strange thing that no one has managed to figure out and that no one is likely to figure out in the near future, or so it seems. Perhaps we need to name a Captain that demands more respect from his team, someone they can use as a rallying point, someone they will listen to and not have it go in one ear and out the other. That's no disrespect to Tom Lehman. I think he did a fine job this week. But in terms of legendary status, he's not up there with the likes of Jack, Arnie or Tom. I say ask one of them to lead our next team, or heck, ask them all to be Co-Captains. We need all the help we can get at this point.

Star of the Week

I wonder who will rise up as the star of this year's matches? Right now I'm focusing mainly on the US side. Of course Tiger will get his usual press and praise, as will probably the numbers 2 and 3 in the world, Jim Furyk and Phil Mickelson. Chris DiMarco has proven himself over the last few years in these types of team events, so he is a good candidate. But it's also possible that one of the rookies will arise as a force. If Cap'n Lehman can manage to match up the rook's with the right partners, it can build the confidence in them that they will need to go into the Sunday singles.

My personal opinion? I think if the US manages a win, the star of the week will be none other than Captain Lehman himself. I was a little hesitant when I heard that he had been named Captain a couple of years back. I didn't think it was time yet for him. After all, he's still got enough game to have made the team himself, and he probably would have if it hadn't been for the Captain's duties that he's had to deal with over the past two years. But he has changed my mind. He wants this. Sure, it's a friendly competition, an exhibition, but make no mistake about it... he wants this win.

Ryder Cup Diary

I think I've mentioned before that the Ryder Cup might be my favorite week of golf, in close competition with the Masters for tops on my list. I'm sure the folks at Augusta and the PGA are in a bitter fight for my attention. Anyway, thanks to a kind email from a friend, I have stumbled upon a nice little site called Ryder Cup Diary, which offers up some nice tidbits for those curious about the history of one of the best weeks in golf.

Ben Curtis: The Closer

Okay, so I'm not saying Ben Curtis is Tiger Woods-like in his ability to close out a tournament when he's in the lead... what I'm saying is that, of late, it seems that the Benster has a talent for winning tournaments that are not coming back next year. From Yahoo! Golf:

"For the second time in three months, Curtis won a tournament that's not scheduled to return next year, stringing a series of big putts down the stretch to claim the 84 Lumber Classic title by two shots Sunday over Charles Howell III."

It's a pretty good way to get a win if you think about it. You get the notariety of winning and the winning check, and you don't have to commit to playing in the same event next year.

Tiger Lets Furyk Win

In a show of ultimate selflessness, Tiger Woods decided to take in the U.S. Open this weekend and let someone else win a golf tournament for a change. Not only that, according to his instructor Hank Haney, he talked to Tiger Sunday morning and Tiger predicted that Jim Furyk would win. I think this demonstration of generosity and psychic ability proves my earlier theory that Tiger has in fact risen to More Than a Man, Less Than a God status.

More Than a Man, Less Than a God

From my understanding, it was confirmed late Monday afternoon that Tiger Woods has been promoted to 'God-like' status, indicating that he is indeed more than a man, but less than a God. Over his past five tournaments, Tiger has not lost. It's certainly not something that hasn't been done before, but it's damn impressive nonetheless. What blows my minds is that from what I have observed, I don't personally think he's playing as well as he can. If he ever puts together his 'A' game, he might achieve full-blown 'God' status.

Woods Takes Ryder Cup Leadership Role

Once the U.S. team was set for the Ryder Cup, the running joke was that Brett Wetterich had never met Tiger Woods. By the end of last week, Woods got to know all four rookies quite well. In another sign that Woods is taking on more of a leadership role, he took the quartet of Ryder Cup rookies to dinner Friday night at the Diamond Grill restaurant.

All I can say is, it's about time!

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Hmm, I Wonder?

Happy Gilmore was released in 1996. This Nike commercial aired circa 1993, featuring Andre Agassi and a friend playing golf. I wonder if Adam Sandler got the idea for Happy's unique swing from watching this commercial?

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