| Daly making noise early at Hong Kong Open | Thursday 11/20, 10:30 PM CT |
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John Daly put himself within four strokes of joint leaders Liang Wenchong of China and South African Richard Sterne, who both shot a 6-under 64 in the first round of the $2.5 million Hong Kong Open on Thursday, according to the Associated Press. Liang and Sterne were a stroke ahead of Taiwan's Lin Wentang -- who recovered from a double bogey on the opening hole -- and 48-year-old Frankie Minoza of the Philippines. Daly was 4-under after 15 holes, but bogeys on the last two holes cost him a share of fifth place in the jointly sanctioned European Tour and Asian Tour event. "I'm not too disappointed, being a little rusty. I haven't played in a month. Two under par on the first round here is pretty good. I'll take it," the 42-year-old American told reporters.
Our View: Daly, a former British Open and PGA Championship winner now ranked No. 788 in the world, said he feels he is striking the ball well but is struggling for rhythm because he hasn't been able to qualify for consecutive tournaments. He has not had a PGA Tour card since 2006, when his two-year exemption expired from his last victory at the Buick Invitational in 2004. He made only five cuts in 17 starts on the PGA Tour this year and earned just over $56,000. Daly has also had a tumultuous year off the course, going through a divorce and spending a night in jail last month after being found "extremely intoxicated and uncooperative," police said, outside a Hooters restaurant in North Carolina. |
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| Faldo, like Azinger, wants another crack at Ryder Cup | Thursday 11/20, 10:26 PM CT |
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Paul Azinger isn't the only person who wants another shot at captaining a Ryder Cup team. Nick Faldo, who led the losing European side in 2008, says he wouldn't mind captaining Europe in 2010 or beyond, according to ESPN.com. "A month after I thought, 'Wow, I miss the guys.' I hadn't been in that situation for 11 years since my last Ryder Cup," Faldo said in Hong Kong, according to various British newspapers. "I really enjoyed it. I loved the experience and I thought the team atmosphere was great. We all got on great and I loved that buzz. It is such a special event and if something happens further down the road I will certainly think about it."
Our View: Faldo was heavily criticized, especially in the European media, for some of his decisions in Europe's five-point loss to the United States at Valhalla in September. It was the first time since 1999 that Europe had lost the Ryder Cup. His players, however, have remained loyal. Colin Montgomerie, who was passed over by Faldo for a captain's pick in 2008, says Sandy Lyle should get the nod as captain in 2010. Montgomerie and Faldo have had a frosty relationship for the past several years. Darren Clarke, who was also passed over for a captain's pick by Faldo, agreed. "The days of doing a repeat captaincy are long gone," he said. |
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| Cook takes early lead in Pebble Beach Invitational | Thursday 11/20, 10:23 PM CT |
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John Cook shot a 10-under 62 on Thursday to take a three-stroke lead over Brad Martin after the first round of the Callaway Golf Pebble Beach Invitational, according to the Associated Press. Cook, 51, one of eight Champions Tour entrants in the tournament that features players from the four major tours, had 11 birdies and one bogey. He played on the Del Monte Golf Course, one of three Monterey Peninsula courses used in the tournament. "I just kind of had it working," said Cook, who claimed his second career Champions Tour victory last month at the AT&T Championship. "I really hit some quality shots and put the ball into good spots."
Our View: Cook, whose first of 11 PGA Tour victories occurred in the 1981 Bing Crosby National Pro-Am at Pebble Beach, played on the PGA Tour and Champions Tour in 2007 before joining the circuit for players age 50 and older this year. Defending champion Tommy Armour III, one of eight former event titlists in the field, had an opening-round 66, also at Del Monte. Former PGA Tour players Bubba Dickerson (Del Monte), the 2001 U.S. Amateur champion, and Brendon De Jonge (Spyglass Hill) trail Cook by five shots after shooting 67s. Dickerson and De Jonge both played on the Nationwide Tour in 2008. Jill McGill and Janice Moodie led seven LPGA entrants after both shot 68s at Del Monte. A Champions Tour player has never won the tournament. Juli Inkster, who edged Mark Brooks in 1990, is the only woman to win the event. |
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| Hayes disqualifies self at Q-School | Wednesday 11/19, 11:52 PM CT |
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J.P. Hayes' recent decision to disqualify himself from the second stage of the PGA Tour qualifying tournament after inadvertently playing with a nonconforming golf ball has elicited deserved applause from those who respect his honesty. The decision also has sparked debate over why such practice isn't applied to other sports, according to Jason Sobel with ESPN.com. But don't cry for Hayes just yet. As the 176th-ranked player on this year's PGA Tour money list and having failed to reach the final stage of Q-school, he won't be a fully exempt member for the 2009 season. That doesn't mean he won't be able to ply his craft, though.
Our View: As a multiple champion -- he won the 1998 Buick Classic and 2002 John Deere Classic -- Hayes won't be limited in the number of sponsor's exemptions he can receive throughout the year. Based on the current prevailing feelings toward Hayes' ethical maneuver, don't be surprised if tournament sponsors are ringing his phone off the hook this week in hopes of lining him up as a special invite for their upcoming events. In fact, such an outreach could lead to a scenario in which Hayes is actually able to enter more tourneys than if he had simply swept the incident under the rug, continued on to the final stage of Q-school and qualified through those means. |
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| Azinger would "be interested" in returning to Ryder Cup | Wednesday 11/19, 11:45 PM CT |
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Paul Azinger's last victory on the PGA Tour came in 2000, and until he took on the captaincy of the U.S. Ryder Cup team, he kept a pretty low profile. That all changed with the U.S. victory over Europe in September. "I was out of the spotlight for a long time, but now I can't go anywhere without people recognizing me and acknowledging the Ryder Cup," Azinger said. "And I've had more people say thank you than congratulations." Perhaps it is such a reaction, along with the fact that there isn't a long list of candidates ready to succeed him, which has Azinger open to the idea of returning to the post in 2010, when the U.S. tries to retain the Cup in Wales, according to ESPN.com. "I've expressed to them, if it were offered to me, I would sure think about it. It's kind of up them, it's not up to me. Even if they offered it to me, I'm not sure what my answer would be. I have to play it close to the vest. I don't want to look like I'm lobbying for it, but I don't want to completely rule it out. I know that's not a good answer."
Our View: Azinger, who turns 49 in January, is a 12-time PGA Tour winner who won the 1993 PGA Championship and played on four U.S. Ryder Cup teams. Two years ago, he was named captain for the matches at Valhalla, and accepted the job only upon the condition that there be changes to the team selection process. Azinger changed the points structure, and received four captain's selections (rather than two). He also came up with a team-building plan that divided the 12-man squad into three groups of four players who practiced and were paired together during the matches. The U.S. won for the first time since 1999 and only the second time in the past seven Ryder Cups. |
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| Morse starts hot in bid for Champions Tour spot | Wednesday 11/19, 11:40 PM CT |
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John Morse shot a 3-under 69 in cool, windy conditions Wednesday to take a three-stroke lead in the Champions Tour qualifying tournament, according to the Associated Press. Morse had an 8-under 136 total at TPC Eagle Trace. Mark Johnson (71) was second, and Jay Don Blake (71) and Robert Thompson (73) followed at 2 under. "Conditions were difficult out there today," Morse said. "The winds were gusty at times and made it difficult, especially when you were putting downwind. But it turned out to be a good day for me. I made a couple of great saves and a couple of boo-boos, but it all worked out for me."
Our View: The top five after the final round Friday will receive full exempt status for the 2009 season, while the next seven players will be conditionally exempt. In addition, the top 30 finishers and ties will be eligible to compete for spots in open qualifiers at all co-sponsored events. |
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| Romero, others named as candidates for Rookie of the Year | Tuesday 11/18, 8:53 PM CT |
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The 16-man Players Advisory Council and four player-directors on the PGA TOUR policy board have nominated five players for the PGA's Rookie of the Year award, according to the Associated Press. That list includes Dustin Johnson, Chez Reavie, Andres Romero, Kevin Streelman and Marc Turnesa, with all but Streelman winning a TOUR event. Reavie (RBC Canadian Open) and Romero (Zurich Classic of New Orleans) won events that awarded full FedExCup points.
Our View: No rookie had a better season than Romero, the Argentine who made the cut in all four majors (with top 10s in two of them) and finished 36th on the money list -- the highest of the rookie nominees. He also was the only rookie at THE TOUR Championship. It will be interesting to see whether players regard him as a pure rookie. Romero, 27, has played on the European Tour and nearly won the British Open last year at Carnoustie. |
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| Love III, Mediate, Hart nominated for comeback award | Tuesday 11/18, 8:50 PM CT |
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Winning the final PGA TOUR event of the year could lead to Davis Love III winning his first award on a vote of the players, according to the Associated Press. The 16-man Players Advisory Council and four player-directors on the PGA TOUR policy board have nominated Love, Rocco Mediate and Dudley Hart as candidates for comeback player of the year.
Our View: Love is the only winner among the candidates, at Disney World for his 20th career victory. He was recovering from ankle surgery that kept him out of golf for four months and out of contention until the final month of the season. All three of his top 10s came during the Fall Series. Limited by back injuries, Mediate lost a 19-hole playoff to Tiger Woods in the U.S. Open and had another top 10 at the Memorial to finish 74th on the money list, his best year since 2003. Hart missed most of last year during his wife's illness tending to his triplets, played this year on a family crisis extension and made it to THE TOUR Championship for the first time since 1999. He had six top 10s, including a runner-up finish at the BMW Championship, which enabled him to finish 12th in the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup. |
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| Seve released from ICU following third brain surgery | Tuesday 11/18, 8:43 PM CT |
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Golf great Severiano Ballesteros was released from intensive care Tuesday following brain surgery on a malignant tumor, according to the Associated Press. The 51-year-old Spaniard will remain in the hospital to continue rehabilitation following three operations in 18 days. Madrid's La Paz hospital said the healing process is slow and there was no timetable for his release. Restricted visits are being allowed for the first time.
Our View: Ballesteros underwent a 6½-hour operation Oct. 24 to remove the tumor and reduce swelling around the brain. He was admitted Oct. 6 after fainting at Madrid's international airport. Ballesteros won the British Open three times and the Masters twice. He is often praised for having transformed European golf and helped Europe beat the United States in the 1985 Ryder Cup to begin two decades of dominance. He also captained Europe to victory in 1997 at Valderrama, Spain. |
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| Ryder Cup champions visit White House | Monday 11/17, 8:39 PM CT |
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President George W. Bush celebrated Monday with American golfers who reclaimed the Ryder Cup for the U.S, according to the Associated Press. Bush held a private picture-taking session in the Oval Office with coach Paul Azinger and seven members of the 12-member 2008 U.S. Ryder Cup team, which ended an era of frustration in September with a resounding victory over Europe.
Our View: Bush posed with Azinger, longtime Ryder Cup participant and assistant captain Raymond Floyd, and 2008 team members Stewart Cink, Chad Campbell, Ben Curtis, Hunter Mahan, Jim Furyk, J.B. Holmes and Boo Weekley. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, an avid golfer herself, was there as well. The team gave Bush a personalized Ryder Cup golf bag, the same Sunday red golf shirt and sweater vest worn by the team and a Ryder Cup money clip. |
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