Sport-Blog.com

Each year the PGA has its end of the year silly season - oh, it is more like the type of golf matches we amateurs play, but by PGA standards it is really a step down, but the money associated with it is hard to fathom.

Even the Grand Slam of Golf fits this basic standard. The only aspect that seemingly brings this event some serious recognition is the fact that the four players chosen for the event are supposed to be the four golfers who had the best performances, over all, in the four majors in 2006.

Ideally there would be the four winners of the four tournaments, the US and British Opens, the Masters and the PGA. Of course, sometimes a player wins more than one of these events, meaning the search begins for a fourth for the foursome.

Then as in 2006, sometimes even one of the winners decides he is not interested in playing. This fit the case of the 2006 Grand Slam, which featured two time major champion Woods, one time major champion Geoff Ogilvy, and two players who did not claim a win in Mike Weir and Jim Furyk - Phil Mickelson being the player opting not to play.

So it was Woods against three others in stroke play, over a two day period. One would not be surprised to learn that Woods took home the top honor. Having won eight times overall already in 2006, Woods took home his seventh Slam title in eight tries. Of course each time it has been on the Poipu course, so it is a venue that Woods seems to have down.

That seventh Grand Slam title came as a result of a two-stroke victory over second place Jim Furyk, the world's number two ranked player. Ogilvy, next in the pecking line on the year finished, yes you guess it third, and Weir who got in because of Mickelson's decision finished dead last. See the concept?

But that's where the silly part comes in - Weir took home $200,000 for just playing the two rounds.

But the Grand Slam is actually the most reputable of a long line of silly events. Next up for consideration is the Merrill Lynch Shootout. Yes this one seems a tad over the top as well, offering $2.75 million in prize money and a startling $675,000 top prize, though it must be split by the winning team.

The event hosted by Greg Norman features a modified alternate shot format on the first day, a best ball format on the second day, and then a full fledged scramble on the third day, with two players forming one team for the three day period. That is of course similar to many club events except in those cases the group can often be a foursome.

Jerry Kelly and Rod Pampling paired to win the tourney, beating Justin Leonard and Scott Verplank in a playoff. Incredibly, after stellar scoring that demonstrates the skills of these pros, the two would win with a bogey on the first playoff hole.

In the tie, both teams shot identical final rounds. Both pairs went into the final round at 18 under and put together sterling, 13-under 59s in the scramble format. Chad Campbell and Nick Price even managed a closing round of 58 for top honors on the final day. Talk about scoring.

Unfortunately for the ladies, Annika Sorenstam, along with partner Fred Couples fished last in the 12 team event. However, Sorenstam became the first female golfer to ever play in the Shootout over the 18-year history of the tournament.

Perhaps one of the more interesting events to watch is the ADT Skills Challenge. It will be televised later, on NBC, December 28th and 29th.

The event features football greats teaming with PGA golfers in contests that focus on six basic shot categories. For the macho men, there is the long drive competition, but the event remains true to its title with trouble-shots, short-iron accuracy, putting, mid-iron and chips over a hazard contests.

Dan Marino teamed with Jason Gore to win the event at the Boca Raton Resort & Hotel. Marino and Gore were the winners of the long-drive, trouble-shot and short-iron events and placed second in the putting, the mid-iron and the chip over a hazard phases. Adding in money for bonus shots, the two split $290,000 in some serious silly season dollars.

Jerry Rice and Trevor Immelman took home $190,000 for second and Sterling Sharpe and one of the top young female golfers in the country, Paula Creamer, finished third (though they took home more dollars with the bonus funds, earning $195,000).

Finally there are the two other big money events, silly season events, none other than the Wendy's 3 Tour Challenge and the well known LG Skins Game. Three Ryder Cup teammates, Scott Verplank, Stewart Cink and Zach Johnson, took home the $500,000 first prize at the Wendy's 3-Tour Challenge. The PGA Tour regulars topped the Champions Tour trio of Craig Stadler, Jay Haas and Tom Kite by five shots and the LPGA Tour threesome of Juli Inkster, Natalie Gulbis and Cristie Kerr by seven strokes. Stadler actually had the day's best round, a 9-under-par 63, while Inkster finished second with a 65.

At the Skins, Stephen Ames took home the big bucks by rolling in a three footer for birdie on the third playoff hole of the two day event. That one putt was worth a silly season total of $270,000 and pushed the Caribbean native to a two day total of $590,000 - more dollars than second place at virtually event on tour for 2006. Fan favorite Fred Couples was second with gulp, $385,000. John Daly managed a paltry $25,000 (enough for one alimony check according to the popular long ball hitter) and Fred Funk was shut out over the two days. Couples played the best golf over the two days, recording 10 birdies and an eagle, and was the first day winner totaling $175,000. Ames on the other hand, was shut out on day one.

Michelle Wie seems firm in her resolve to play in men's tournaments. She further seems resolved to play until she makes the cut against a men's field.

The young lady will likely make a cut one day, after all, as that is the theory behind playing the lottery. Play often enough and you are bound to win some money.

But at this point, her efforts seem to be the product of youthful exuberance, of nothing more than wishful thinking, rather than a real understanding of what it will take to achieve her goal. Because her latest attempt once again reveals the talented youngster simply does not have enough game to compete against the men.

This past week Wie sought to make the cut at the Japan Tour's Casio World Open, another men's event. However, by the time the second round was complete, she was trying to avoid finishing dead last.

She began the tourney with a miserable 9-over par 81 on Thursday. Needing to pull out all the stops to make some kind of charge, Wie managed to shoot just one stroke better on Friday. The two rounds put her a whopping 17-over par for the two rounds and a full 27 strokes behind the second round leader Tetsuya Haraguchi.

The player who Wie managed to top was an amateur, Tomomichi Oto. That meant Wie did indeed finish last amongst professionals in the field.

During the two rounds, she also could not birdie a single hole. Actually, Wie was very steady, bogeying 15 holes and carting one double bogey, along with 20 pars.

And there in lies the problem. Wie truthfully simply cannot strike the ball well enough for the narrow fairways, undulating greens, and the length that is part of every men's tournament course.

In her last two events on such courses, she finished last in both the European Masters and the 84 Lumber Classic. She did shoot better scores at those two events, a 157 in one, a 158 in the other, as compared to her 161 in Japan. However, the result was the same, dead last among the professionals.

In the event before these three, she actually withdrew from the John Deere Classic. Suffering from heat exhaustion, Wie was only eight over par for 27 holes before withdrawing and virtually nothing was made of her not being physically up to the task though no one else in the tournament appeared to succumb to the heat at that event.

For her brief career, Wie, now 17, is also winless in 33 career LPGA Tour appearances. In missing the mark for the 11th time in 12 men's events, she is beginning to construct a lengthy record of failure in spite of the enormous talent she possesses.

Unfortunately, Wie publicly stated that yet another poor finish would not prevent her from continuing to play in men's events. She also insisted that she did not play well this week.

She is nothing if not strong in her belief about her own ability.

I suppose we need to give her some credit, after all she missed the cut at this same event by just one shot last year. She also has that one made cut on the Asian Tour (even if it was against a bunch of unknown men). She also insists she will play the Sony Open on her home island of Oahu in January. Furthermore, she seems resolved to try again against the men despite the fact that most men are also frustrated by her slow play.

There is no doubt that the youngster is determined to become the first woman to make the cut on the PGA Tour since Babe Didrikson Zaharias 61 years ago. So we at least have to give her credit for her ambitious nature.

But right now, things are just downright embarrassing. She really should go back and hone her game before trying yet again. She really isn't a strong enough player at this point and her run of futility is becoming more of a story than her desire.

And that run of futility will take away from the achievement, if she ever does manage to accomplish the task in the first place.

For one of the very few times in Tiger Woods stellar career the game's top player gave away a late fourth round lead and with it, failed in his quest to win his third straight Dunlop Phoenix Tournament in Japan last weekend.

Capping what has been a spectacular year for himself, Ireland's Padraig Harrington rallied from three shots back with six to play to take Woods into a playoff and then top golf's best closer with consecutive birdies to prevail on the second extra hole of sudden death.

Woods appeared to hold an insurmountable lead when went three shots up after 12 holes. The key swing came on sixteen when Woods three putted while Harrington was nailing a 15 footer. The three putt bogey against the birdie of Harrington tied the match.

Both players would birdie 18 to finish regulation at nine under. With his consecutive birdies on the first two playoff holes, that meant Harrington finished his round with three straight and four birdies in five holes. Woods lamented missing the three foot putt on 16 that tied the match.

With the loss, Woods dropped to a still incredible 45 wins and 6 losses in worldwide events when heading into the final round with a lead. The loss dropped him to 12-2 overall, worldwide, in playoffs. Woods only other playoff loss occurred in 1998 when he lost the Nissan Open to Billy Mayfair.

In knocking off Woods, Harrington won more, earning $1.69 million at the Dunlop, than he did on the PGA Tour for the entire season. Entering only 15 events on this side of the pond, Harrington had one second place and just three top tens while missing three cuts in a forgettable 2006 season in America. His record translated to winning only $1.34 million during the PGA season.

But it should be noted that overall it was actually the best year of the Irishman's career. Harrington took home top honors on the European Order of Merit in 2006 for the first time in his career by edging England's Paul Casey when the Dubliner finished second at the season ending Volvo Masters. Harrington had put himself in position by winning his tenth career event world-wide, the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews, in October.

Topping Woods in a playoff also had great symbolism for Harrington in 2006. Prior to this year, Harrington was beginning to develop a lengthy track record as a bridesmaid. Though he can claim ten wins, the smooth swinging Irishman has recorded an incredible 30 second place finishes already in his brief career. In addition, the European Tour Order of Merit title had previously been just beyond his reach. Harrington had finished second in 2001 and 2002 to Retief Goosen both years, then finished third in both 2003 and 2004 before finally topping the Order of Merit this season.

Meanwhile, Tiger Woods continued what has been a sterling 2006 season, even if he failed to take home the championship. After taking off five straight weeks, Woods has returned to competition the past two weeks and though he has gone winless, the game's number one notched another pair of top tens by finishing second in each event.

If you have not heard of the Nationwide Tour you are likely not a golf fanatic. But if you have heard of that tour, you are still likely not to have heard of some of the even lesser known mini-tours such as the Canadian, the Gateway and even the Northern Texas PGA.

In relative obscurity, much like baseball's minor leagues, there are numerous golf minor leagues. But one, the Nationwide Tour, has become the standard place to serve as a training ground for the next generation of PGA Tour professionals. It is a composite group of events, offering a 31-tournament season, that is a step above the many other lesser known tours that offer cash for those golfers trying to make a living off the game they love.

And like the PGA Tour, the Nationwide holds a year end event that features the top money winners during the past year, albeit of its own scale. Invitations go out to the top sixty money winners on the season long Tour - at stake is a spot at year's end in the top twenty-two on the list. Make the top twenty-two and you graduate to the big time, earning a card to play on the PGA Tour and a chance to play against the likes of Woods and Mickelson for gasp, millions in prize money.

In almost legendary fashion, a young man by the name of Craig Kanada put together a final hole finish that vaulted him to the Nationwide Tour Championship as well as onto the PGA Tour for 2007. In one of the most spectacular of finishes in golf history, Kanada chipped in on the final two holes on Sunday, the 71st, from about 25 feet from a greenside bunker, then again on the 18th and 72nd, from about 50 feet to earn the victory.

He salvaged par on 17 with his shot, then had the miraculous birdie on 18 that gave him a final round 66 and a one shot victory over former tour player Matt Kuchar and another young Australian with game, Andrew Buckle. Adding to the excitement for the mini-tour veteran, Kuchar missed a seven footer for birdie on 18 that would have forced extra holes. Kanada also got a major assist from Kuchar on the 17th when he three-putted for bogey.

For Kanada, the $135,000 prize pushed him from 32nd (no card) to 11th on the money list and automatic berth for the 2007 season. With the event in his own back yard, taking the event before the hometown folks made the victory all the more sweet for Kanada.

Rounding out the graduates to the PGA Tour were a number of foreigners as well as a number of players who had previous stops on the PGA Tour. Ken Duke emerged as the top earner overall for the year, bringing him a Tour card that he lost after the 2004 season. Others in the top ten included four players moving onto the big tour for the first time, Johnson Wagner, Cliff Kresge, Jeff Quinney, and Brandy Snedeker, and another five returning to the higher echelon after having lost their cards for poor performances, Craig Bowden, Tripp Isenhour, Boo Weekley, Jason Duffner and Kuchar. Among the foreigners qualifying for the PGA were Buckle from Brisbane, Australia, Jim Rutledge - Victoria, British Columbia, Gavin Coles - Bathurst, Australia (previously on tour in 2005), Jarrod Lyle, Shepparton, Australia, Michael Sim, Aberdeen, Scotland, and Paul Sheehan, yet another Australian.

Those who failed to emerge from the Nationwide Tour will have one other chance this fall to make it through the brutal Q-School format.

by Ewen Chia

Buying the right gear to play the game of golf is not that hard. All it takes is for you to look at the right place and receiving worth for one's money. You can check the community directory or ask somebody for directions on how to get there. Here are some tips buying golf equipment:

1. Before you start buying, it is best to first determine your budget for it. There are many brands offered and this is sometimes the determining reason which will make you do well in the green or not.

2. How regularly will you use it is another reason. It doesn't take that much to upkeep golf equipment because all you need is a roller brush or a small towel. If you are just starting out in golf, the brand does not matter but it will later on as you decide to invest more in the sport.

3. Most golf shops advertise brand new and used gear. If you can't afford a new set, it is advisable to first begin with a used one then save up for a brand new one later on.

4. Some people can't tell the difference how one brand is better than another. If you have that issue, you should ask the sales person for help because that individual is more familiar with what is available in the store.

5. Buying golf equipment can be challenging. By looking in more than one store, you can possibly get a good deal or find an item that is cheaper in one store than the one down the street.

6. Golf specialty stores are just one place where one can get good merchandise. The other is via the internet. There are many websites that also specialize in selling brand new and second hand equipment. You can order it online and have it delivered to your doorstep. Another way of doing, which may not carry a whole line of things for golf, are auction sites where you can bid on a certain item and if you are the winning bidder, you will also be able to get it in a few days.

7. Some experts who have played golf for some time prefer to sell the old equipment to somebody which saves money in paying for a new one. If you ask around, there is a prospect that you will be fortunate to get it at a good price which is a far better deal then getting it from any golf store.

Put together a tournament in Asia and draw the likes of Tiger Woods, Retief Goosen, Michael Campbell, Padraig Harrington and Jim Furyk and you truly have a top notch event. Add to that fact that Yang Yong-eun, a South Korean native who is a regular on the Japanese Tour, took home the winners check of more than $800,000 and you quickly realize how many top flight golfers there are outside the US and the PGA Tour.

True, Tiger Woods played two poor rounds. He had trouble in round one dusting off his rested game (five weeks) but a one over par Saturday in the cold and wind spelled doom for the man who had won six straight stroke play events.

The unknown Yang Yong-eun may play infrequently outside Asia. But he showed his skills and closed with a fine, 3-under 69 on Sunday and a two-stroke victory over a fast charging Woods. The $833,000 winners' check did prove to be the biggest tournament prize ever for the 34-year-old who has won four times on the Japanese tour. Yang also won his first Asian Tour event earlier in the year, taking home the Korean Open title.

Meanwhile, third-round leader Retief Goosen dumped his approach on the 18th in the water, part of 39 over the back nine on Sunday that left him third with his final round of one over (matching Woods of Saturday). It meant the second defeat for Goosen at the hands of Yang having also teed it up at the Korean Open earlier this year. The South African tied for third with New Zealand's Michael Campbell.

The former US Open champion Campbell matched the course record with a 64 (a mark also matched by both Henrik Stenson and Woods on Friday). Ironically, Campbell also played himself out of contention on the cold Saturday, recording 10 bogeys during a five-over par 77.

Woods had the shot of the week. Playing the par-five second hole on Sunday, Woods played out of a bunker on his second shot, hitting a fairway wood to the front of the green. True to his week however, Woods was unable to get up and down and had to settle for par.

European Number One Padraig Harrington and World Number Two Jim Furyk also had Top Tens in the HSBC event. Both Yang and Woods will play at the Dunlop Phoenix in Japan this week where Woods will attempt to eliminate all rust and defend his 2005 title.

If you want to make a BIG LEAP in improving your golf game then a golf school is your best bet. A golf school is 100% dedicated to making you a better golfer. The majority of the golf schools can and will teach you to become a better golfer.

The 5 major features a good golf school should be offering are:

1. No more than a 4 to 1 teaching ratio with 2 to 1 being something to look for and 1 to 1 being ideal, but will be a lot more pricey.
2. The golf school's pros should be seasoned teaching professionals that are highly qualified. Make sure at least 2 of the teaching professionals are recognized in the golf world/community.
3. The golf school should have accommodations included in the price with the accommodations on or very near the golf course where you're taught.
4. The golf school should provide a specific lesson plan for your swing. They should tailor it specifically for you and not follow a caned plan.
5. The golf school should provide unlimited follow up via email or phone. I think this is probably the most important because it shows how genuine they are in improving your game.

You should also think of the golf school as a vacation so the accommodations and surrounding area should fit your lifestyle off the course. Also, look for golf schools that provide unlimited golf after your teaching session is over. Try to find some testimonials on their website to see what some of their previous students felt about the course.

The Internet is a great place to perform some due-diligence on the golf schools available in your area that meet your needs. Check the websites for the golf schools lessons and tips section to see if they offer any free advice. Here are some keywords you can use when performing your golf school search:

1. Arizona Golf Schools
2. Florida Golf Schools
3. California Golf Schools
4. Myrtle Beach Golf Schools
5. Golf Vacation Schools

Price will obviously play a big part in your golf school of choice so be sure to set a budget before you start looking for a golf school. There's a lot of competition between the golf schools for your attendance so expect them to cater to you when you call and inquire about their program. Don't be afraid to ask if they have any specials or if they provide seasonal discounts. If the golf school really wants your business then they'll be willing to accommodate your golfing needs.

Two things seem certain when it comes to America's Ryder Cup matches with Europe. First, great fanfare occurs after the selection of the roster, as if the Yanks finally have figured out how to select talent that will unseat the Europeans.

Then comes the Ryder Cup. The Yanks lose, often by big margins and immediately begin to think about the selection process.

It does make some sense, if you are inclined to excuse making, as in we can't seem to pick the right guys for the matches so let's look at how we select. It is in fact much easier than tackling the issue of why the people that are selected manage to fail year after year to play at the level necessary to top the British team.

So it was not a big surprise to learn when Paul Azinger was named team captain for the 2008 Ryder Cup that once again the selection format was going to be adjusted. A new point system was to be introduced that would help the Zinger determine who to offer team roster slots to.

The goal is to have the strongest possible team when the Cup rolls around. Complicating the matter for the Americans is the sheer number of quality golfers available. That said, the question becomes how to ensure the most competitive team possible at the time of the Ryder matches.

The new point system is said to focus more on the hottest players, i.e. those with their game in full gear when the Ryder Cup rolls around. Second, the new formula is to lean more to the current year as well, as in have you won a PGA Tour tournament this year. Once again, the goal is lessen the importance of the current overall standing of the golfer selected, especially if that golfer had a strong year the year before and is holding on to their current standing by virtue of stronger play from the year prior to the matches.

The new formula will stress current year earnings as opposed to top ten finishes. And instead of a straight two-year money list like the one the Americans use to select the Presidents Cup team, where a player receives a point for every dollar earned, the new Ryder Cup selection formula will use that concept but with several twists. First, one point will be awarded for every one thousand dollars earned in one of the majors during the 2007 year. Then a point will be awarded for every thousand dollars earned in regular PGA Tour tournaments during 2008 (the next year of Ryder Cup matches) but double the point allotments for performances in majors during 2008. Adjustments have been made to reduce the points for those tournaments opposite majors, giving only half a point per thousand dollars there. That is prbably the smartest move given that the overall competition is dramatically reduced at those events.

The new Zinger points system would have produced a different team for 2006, albeit not very different. The eight players with automatic berths in order of qualification under the new system would have been Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk, Chris DiMarco, Chad Campbell, David Toms, Arron Oberholser, and Zach Johnson.

So what difference would that point system have had. Well, it appears not much. The only player different would have been Oberholser, who at the time of selection was 22nd in the point standings. Oberholser would have benefited from his strong performances in the majors while J.J. Henry would have dropped out.

However, that wouldn't have seemingly created a vastly different enough roster to change the trouncing the Yanks have received at the last two Ryder Cups. Not one roster change unless somehow that person is one who can fire up the Yanks to make them more into the event.

In fact, the key is likely that motivating the team once it is constructed is more of a critical aspect. There is ample talent coming out of the USA but the Europeans seem to see the Cup as a major event while the Americans seem to approach it with a slight level of disdain. That fact and the reality that the European contingent is also extremely talented has made for the current failure of the Yanks at this event.

But still we try, new points systems and all.

There are those who still correctly note that young Adam Scott has yet to win one of the four major. But the soft-spoken Aussie made another strong statement about his golfing future with his three shot victory this weekend at the Tour Championship.

Scott, having arguably his best year as a pro, took control with a stellar third round, then fought off all challengers with a sparkling final round 66. Another player having arguably his best year as pro, Jim Furyk, took home second place with Sunday's best round, a shot better than the youngster at 65.

Scott, still just 26 years of age, added another of the second tier golf titles. Though it was only his fourth career PGA Tour win, the Aussie also won the elite "The Players Championship" back in 2004.

The smooth-swinging, long ball hitting youngster who reminds many of Woods a few years back, posted his ninth top ten finish with the win. Six of those nine had Scott finishing third or better, though the win was his first in 2006.

He resembled Woods in full form on Sunday. First Singh birdied the opening hole to pull within two strokes out of the gate. Scott had a tough par putt that could have cut the lead to a single stroke - but with Tiger-like tenacity the Aussie drained the par putt to stay two up. Then at the third hole, with Singh still just two back and the Fijan looking at no more than five feet for yet another birdie, Scott drained a long downhiller for birdie. The pressure on, Singh then missed his short putt, putting Scott back on top by three strokes. Essentially the Tour champion would cruise from that point on to the important victory.

In winning, Scott earned $1.17 million, pushing him to third on the PGA Tour money list. With earnings of nearly $5 million on the season and scheduled events upcoming in Australia, continued strong play could push Scott past Phil Mickelson into the number three slot in the world ranking.

In addition to taking home second prize, Furyk's round of 65 matched the low round of the tournament. That propelled the veteran to one of golf's most prestigious honors, the Vardon Trophy awarded to the player with the lowest scoring average on tour for the entire season. Furyk finished with a 68.86 (edging out Scot at 68.95). With the second place finish, Furyk earned $730,000, pushing his season numbers to $7.2 million and the number two slot behind Woods. Furyk also completed the 2006 season with 13 top ten finishes including two wins and four seconds on the season.

Other Tour Notes
Scott actually has five Tour trophies having won the rain shortened Nissan Open last year. Because the event only went 36 holes, the victory is not considered part of the official PGA Tour records. Tiger Woods with his $9 million in earnings and eight wins on the season had the lowest stroke average for 2006 at 68.11. But Woods elected to skip the Tour Championship and his time away from the game early in the season to attend to his ill father left him short of the required 60 rounds necessary to qualify forthe Vardon. One of the hottest current golfers on Tour, Joe Durant, continued his late season flurry with a final round of 67, good enough for third place. It was only ten to twelve weeks ago Durant was wondering if he would be able to keep his tour card for 2007. But a win at Disney and a season closing five straight top ten performances lifted him to 13th place on the money list. Whereas just a few weeks ago he was wondering about playing on Tour next year, that late season rush makes Durant eligible to compete in all four majors next year. And finally, we need to mention Vijay Singh. Though the big guy struggled on Sunday, he once again completed a top ten performance (though he was nine strokes behind Scott). His tie for eighth earned him $215,000 and a final season total of $4.6 million, the number four slot on the earnings list. The top five money winners included two Americans and two Aussies, Woods and Furyk at one and two, Scott at three, Singh at four, and Geoff Ogilvy, the other Aussie who won the US Open earlier in the year, in the number five slot.