Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Waiting for the azaleas to bloom

Banging a few bunker shots while waiting for the Masters to start:

  • The PGA Tour isn’t in the habit of making public the penalties it hands players for throwing a club or being too profane during an event but it wouldn’t hurt to let it be known what, if any, penalty Sergio Garcia gets for spitting in the cup at Doral last week, just to make the point that such behavior isn’t tolerated. Garcia didn’t help himself by snapping at reporters Sunday when he was asked again about the incident. He can be charming but he can also be churlish. He should have been contrite in this case.
  • The LPGA’s first major championship is this week and it could use a star-powered shootout. The early season has flown under the national radar, but that could change this weekend if Annika Sorenstam, Paula Creamer and a couple of other familiar faces are in the chase.
  • The Masters is likely to reinstitute the rule that awards PGA Tour winners with a spot in the tournament but it will be too late for Mark Wilson and Charley Hoffman, both of whom have wins this year but didn’t qualify for Augusta. With the shortened tour schedule, it’s easier to include an Augusta invite with a winner’s check. Bringing it back will be a good move.
  • You can get an extra hour of Masters coverage each tournament day this year by using the Masters Extra on the official website, www.masters.org. It will provide one hour of play-by-play coverage in advance of television coverage each day. That means you can go on-line at 3 p.m. Thursday and Friday and see what’s happening (2:30 on Saturday, 1:30 on Sunday).
  • Did you hear about the day Paige James had at Charlotte Country Club Tuesday? She aced the par-3 third hole - her first hole-in-one - then she topped that by holing a 5-wood second shot for a double eagle at the par-5 (for women) 13th hole. In the space of an hour, she had a nice career.
  • Have you caught Fed Ex Cup fever yet? Didn’t think so.
  • For those of you into horticulture, early word out of Augusta is the dogwoods and azaleas are blooming around the clubhouse and ready to pop on the course. It will, no doubt, be as beautiful as ever.

Monday, March 26, 2007

Tiger says he's ready for Augusta

In two words late Sunday afternoon, Tiger Woods answered the most important question about the Masters, which is one week away.

Asked immediately after his victory in the latest World Golf Championship event Sunday by NBC’s Jimmy Roberts how he feels about the state of his game with the Masters at hand, Woods said, “Very pleased.”

Note to new Augusta National chairman Billy Payne – make sure Tiger’s green jacket is pressed for the ceremony April 8. He’ll be needing it.

As if there were any doubt about Woods’ role as favorite at Augusta, it was reinforced, wrapped in swooshes and sent via Buick courier to the land of azaleas and pimento cheese sandwiches after his performance at Doral.

While Phil Mickelson was left to wonder how much the Florida breezes at Bay Hill and Doral had dulled the sharp edge on his game, Woods went about the lucrative business of winning his 13th World Golf Championship event and his 56th PGA Tour event.

The worst that can be said of Woods’ performance was that it lacked drama until the final hole when the possibility of his blowing a three-stroke lead to Brett Wetterich on the 72nd hole whipped through some minds for an instant. That was never actually going to happen because, well, Tiger never lets that happen.

It probably didn’t do much for NBC’s ratings, which likely took a serious hit going against the NCAA tournament and a Bristol race where the car of tomorrow showed up yesterday and produced a race with about as much drama as Tiger’s Sunday at Doral.

Speaking of slipping television ratings and NASCAR, our racing friends need to find some stars. There’s Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Dale Jr. and Jimmie Johnson. Everybody else is Clint Bowyer.

The same has been said about the PGA Tour. But Sergio Garcia tried to spice things up Saturday when after missing yet another short putt he leaned over and spit into the cup. Sergio tried to brush it off, saying, in essence, he didn’t leave a big loogie in the hole.

What Sergio should have done was admit how childish it was. He sorta, kinda apologized but not really. I’m sure Commissioner Finchem will have something productive to do with the money he pulls out of Sergio’s Doral paycheck.

Maybe there’s a lesson to be learned. On the PGA Tour, like most other places, spit happens.

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

PGA season short on sizzle so far

Two years ago at Doral, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson staged a mesmerizing battle that Johnny Miller recently said is remembered “like a major championship.”

That may be a slight exaggeration but Miller’s point is correct – it was a tournament that made us pay attention. I was covering a North Carolina basketball game in Chapel Hill that Sunday afternoon and during time outs, several writers (myself included, often leading the pack) would slip out of our seats and duck into a room with a television to check in on the golf.

Yes, there was a television in the Smith Center tuned to the golf during a Tar Heel game.

We could use a golf tournament like that right now.

The Masters is two weeks away and it never fails to deliver, even when it doesn’t go down to the last hole.

But this PGA Tour season, which has played from Hawaii, through the West Coast swing and now through Florida, has been short on sizzle.

The best tournament finish may have been at the Honda Classic when Boo Weekly, Jose Coceres, Camilo Villegas and Mark Wilson played off. Unfortunately, it went too late and had to finish on Monday but it had plenty of drama and, almost unexpectedly, some good characters.

Too many times this season tournaments have been defined by mistakes. Guys keep missing putts when they matter.

That’s not to say good things haven’t happened. Charles Howell III has returned. Paul Goydos winning was a great story. Henrik Stenson announced himself on the world stage. Phil’s fine. Vijay’s fine. Tiger’s fine despite that 43 on Sunday.

This week is a World Golf Championship event, which means the best players are all there. That’s a good start but, to be honest, the whole WGC thing has been a little less than we imagined. You can’t manufacture gravitas. Pro golf is still about the majors (and The Players Championship).

But the WGC idea remains a good one – getting the best together. That’s what we have this week.

It’s time for a week that makes us say wow.

And Paul Casey is my pick as the guy to do it.

Monday, March 19, 2007

Put them together and it's 92

Among the certainties in life are death, taxes and the golf gods are eventually going to get you.
Sometimes it’s just for a moment, like the time you piped a tee shot and were bragging about hitting a sand wedge into the green at a 455-yard par-4 only to hit a hosel rocket second shot that led to a seven and a sudden fear of wedge shots.

Sometimes it lasts longer. Asks Justin Leonard, the latest famous player to fall into the abyss. His T-75 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational Sunday was his best finish of the year. In fact, it was the only tournament he’s finished in seven starts this year.

It can happen to anyone.

J.B. Holmes.

Even Tiger Woods.

In front of the television cameras came on at Bay Hill Sunday, Holmes posted a smooth 49 on the front nine, piling up big numbers like Donald Trump’s accountant. Earlier in the week, Holmes had reached a 580-yard par-5 in two, though it was playing into the wind.

But Sunday, Holmes was a broken man, making three doubles and a triple before he made the turn. He came back with 34 on the back nine but the gods had made their point.
Not even Tiger is untouchable.

He was one shot out of the lead with 10 holes to play Sunday and we all know how that story usually ends.

Except Sunday.

Tiger finished with 43 on the back nine. He made a double bogey on the par-3 17th then tripled the last hole in front of a crowd that probably wasn’t sure how to act. Wonder when was the last time Tiger lost a sleeve of Nikes in nine holes?

Take J.B. Holmes’ front nine and Tiger’s finish and it’s 92. Living proof the gods eventually get us all.

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Arnold Palmer may be back at Augusta

Maybe Arnold Palmer hasn’t played his last golf at Augusta during Masters week.

Palmer acknowledged Wednesday morning that he is considering – and stressed the considering part – becoming the tournament’s honorary starter as early as this year.

It sounded like Palmer may be on the first tee at Augusta National at 8:15 Thursday morning of tournament week.

He should.

And if he wants to play the first hole, great. It’s not unprecedented for the honorary starters to play nine but Arnie may not want to do that.

Palmer, 77, has been reluctant to take the role because he feels it’s for legends who can no longer play competitively. He has grudgingly conceded his game is failing him and it’s no secret he has always loved the stage.

There’s no better stage than Augusta National in April and no warmer way to welcome the start of the Masters than with the King striking the first shot. The Masters hasn’t had an honorary starter since Sam Snead conked a spectator in the head hitting the shot in 2002.

Arnie was playing in the pro-am Wednesday at his beloved Bay Hill in the tournament now named for him – the Arnold Palmer Invitational – and said he’s “embarrassed” at how he plays now. It only matters to him.

He has toughened up Bay Hill again, growing thick rough, dropping the par two strokes to 70 and attracting one of the best fields of this season with eight of the top 10 players in the world on site.

As for this week’s winner, there’s an obvious choice. Tiger Woods has won the event four times. This week will make it five.

Monday, March 12, 2007

Back into the sunshine

This is how golf season begins:
After leaving the ACC basketball tournament and St. Pete Times Forum for the last time -- where the basketball was terrific but the weather stayed outside -- you get in your Florida white rental car, drive an hour northeast of Tampa and arrive at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill.

Sunshine. Puffy white clouds. A soft breeze and 82 degrees.

There's Joey Sindelar, the 2004 Wachovia Championship winner, walking along talking to someone on his cellphone. Sindelar, it seems, is always talking to someone and he's usually smiling.

There's new Charlottean Johnson Wagner sitting on a rock wall beside the putting green talking to Mac Barnhardt and Jimmy Johnson, his agents at Crown Sports Management. Wagner has made seven cuts in eight starts and has the look of a guy who's going to hang around a while.

There's Kym Hougham, tournament director in Charlotte, leaning on a rail behind the practice range, watching Tom Lehman and Tripp Isenhour and Todd Hamilton hit shots into the sunshine.

There's Roger Clemens -- yes, that Roger Clemens -- who just finished playing in the Monday pro-am. Okay, I didn't actually see Roger Clemens but I was assured he was there as the pairing sheet said and the small group of autograph seekers waiting outside the clubhouse seemed to attest.

There's the interview schedule that says Arnie will be in the media room Wednesday at 10 a.m. Tiger's here. Phil's here. Ernie's here. But this is still Arnie's place.

It's a good place to be on Monday afternoon. -- Ron Green Jr.

Friday, March 09, 2007

Golf show to debut on WFNZ

Golf returns to the local radio menu Saturday morning with the debut of a new, two-hour show on WFNZ, 610-AM.

The station had a Saturday morning golf show for several years but is starting fresh with the new program that will air from 10 a.m. until noon on Saturdays.

Hosted by Taylor Zarzour, the e-Golf Show will focus on professional golf, concentrating on the happenings on the PGA, LPGA and Champions tours.
The weekly show will include segments with tour player John Cook and an interview with the previous week’s PGA Tour champion conducted by Greensboro’s John Maginnes, who also works for the PGA Tour Network.
There will be a feature each week on an area golf course with analysis of trends and happenings in professional golf.

"It’s going to be an up-to-the-minute information show on every tour, particularly the PGA Tour," said Zarzour, who has hosted various sports talk shows through the Southeast and is the play-by-play announcer for North Carolina women’s basketball.

-Ron Green Jr.

WFNZ golf show premiers Saturday

Golf returns to the local radio menu Saturday morning with the debut of a two-hour show on WFNZ, 610 AM.

The station had a Saturday morning golf show for several years but is starting fresh with the new program that will air from 10 a.m. until noon on Saturdays.

Hosted by Taylor Zarzour, the e-Golf Show will focus on professional golf, concentrating on the happenings on the PGA, LPGA and Champions tours.

The weekly show will include segments with tour player John Cook and an interview with the previous week’s PGA Tour champion conducted by Greensboro’s John Maginnes, who also works for the PGA Tour Network.

There will be a feature each week on an area golf course along with analysis of trends and happenings in professional golf.

“It’s going to be an up-to-the-minute information show on every tour, particularly the PGA Tour,” said Zarzour, who has hosted various sports talk shows through the Southeast and is the play-by-play announcer for North Carolina women’s basketball.

Thursday, March 08, 2007

Sorenstam has succeeded with talent, grace

The 2007 LPGA season officially began weeks ago but it really starts this weekend in Mexico where Annika Sorenstam returns to competition after a four-month break.

For all the justified chatter about Paula Creamer, Lorena Ochoa, Natalie Gulbis, Morgan Pressel and -- on those few weeks when she gets to play -- Michelle Wie, the LPGA tour still has Sorenstam at its center.

She is 36 now and has talked about starting a family. She's heavily involved in building a teaching academy in Florida and her interests reach far beyond the golf course now.

While we've all watched in wonder as Tiger Woods has redirected golf history on the men's side, Sorenstam has done a similar thing on the women's side. She has been a dominating presence, the player to beat every time she's teed it up for the better part of a decade.

Sorenstam is likely past her prime now but not far past it. Like most great players, she's driven by the major championships, knowing they will define her legacy. She made no secret of her desire to win the Grand Slam and, though it hasn't happened and probably won't, Sorenstam didn't just dream it, she chased it with a passion.

We're fortunate because Sorenstam will pass this way twice this year. She's hosting a new tournament north of Charleston at the end of May then she'll return to Pine Needles to chase another U.S. Women's Open title like the one she won there in 1996 when we were just understanding how special she would be.

Not only has Sorenstam done it with remarkable talent, she's done it with grace.

And, it's time to pick another PGA Tour winner. Or, to be more accurate, to try to pick another winner, since I've struck out so far this year.

It's ACC tournament weekend in Tampa where the PODS Championship is being played but I'm going with a guy who has no ACC ties -- Vijay Singh.

Monday, March 05, 2007

Former Tar Heel proves good guys can finish first

You have to like a guy who has his priorities in order.

There was a time during the back nine of the final round of the Honda Classic Sunday at what appeared to be the nearly impossible PGA National golf course where Mark Wilson - the eventual champion - wanted to know how things stood.

Not in the golf tournament, but in the Duke-North Carolina basketball game being played in Chapel Hill.

Wilson played college golf at North Carolina (he’s a 1997 grad) but didn’t come out of Chapel Hill with quite the fanfare of Davis Love III. Basically, Wilson came out with a degree in math and a willingness to stick with professional golf as long as it took him to succeed.

He went through Q-school three times, most recently last fall, but Wilson changed his life Monday morning by winning a four-man playoff while most people were on their way to the office.

Wilson has been a good player - finishing between 128th and 167th on the tour money list the past four years - but not an exceptional one. Now he’s exempt for two years with an immediate goal of trying to play his way into the Masters.

If you’re still not sure what to make of Wilson, consider this:

On Friday, Wilson and Camillo Villegas (who was in the playoff) were paired together and, on the par-3 fifth hole, Wilson’s caddie told Villegas what club Wilson had hit off the tee.

It’s a violation of rules that forbid providing advice to other players. Wilson - whose caddie knew better but just blurted out the club when he overheard Villegas and his caddie talking - assessed himself a two-stroke penalty.

It makes you glad he won.