Injured Tiger Out For The Year
Tiger Woods’ strength-sapping victory at the US Open on Monday has come at a heavy cost. The world number one will need to have further surgery on his left knee and is out for the rest of the season.
This means he will miss the final two majors of the year, the British Open at Royal Birkdale and the PGA Championship.
Woods said he had sustained a double stress fracture of his left tibia during his preparations for a return to the PGA Tour. The injury meant he could not play in the Memorial tournament and it was this ailment that caused him to wince in pain after many tee-shots at the Torrey Pines course in San Diego last week.
Woods played the US Open against doctors’ orders after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left knee on April 15, just days after finishing second at the US Masters in Augusta, Georgia.
He teed off at Torrey Pines last Thursday in his first start since recovering from the operation and without even walking 18 holes.
To add to the toll on his knee, he was involved in a gruelling play-off with fellow American Rocco Mediate on Monday, eventually winning his 14th major title on the 91st hole.
He was quoted in an AP news bulletin as saying it was time for him to obey his doctors so that he doesn’t cause any more damage to the fragile knee. He said:
“Now, it is clear that the right thing to do is to listen to my doctors, follow through with this surgery and focus my attention on rehabilitating my knee.â€
If he holds true to his word, it means he will miss a major tournament for the first time in his career, going back to the 1997 Masters. He is also forced to withdraw from the US Ryder Cup team for their match against Europe in September.
Tiger Prevails After Epic Play-Off With Mediate
At times during Monday’s US Open play-off between world number one Tiger Woods and veteran Rocco Mediate, it was difficult to determine who was mentally bullying whom.
Woods’ standing as world number has been due in no small part to his ability to psyche out his opponents. But that didn’t seem to work against the 45-year-old Mediate, a veteran on the PGA Tour but a mere pup when it comes to slugging it out with the best on golf’s premier stage.
In fact, it was Mediate, bubbling in his ever-present smile, loose limbs and distinctive shot routine with club held high above his head with both arms, who seemed to be winning the mental game.
Tiger appeared to be sailing at the 10th when he took a three-stroke play-off lead but with three holes remaining, Mediate had turned the tables and led by one.
In the end, Tiger decided to go back to basics and just do the simple things well. And one of the simplest tasks on a golf course for him is to birdie a par-five. That’s what he did on the 90th hole to force Mediate into double overtime, this time sudden death.
And on the 91st hole, Mediate’s magic finally deserted him as Tiger tapped in for par and watched his opponent miss the putt that would have extended the contest yet again.
Woods had won his 14th major title and probably his hardest victory ever, stretching over five days, 91 holes, a painful left knee and a worthy opponent.
Thousands of San Diego golf fans flocked to the Torrey Pines club to witness the Monday play-off of the US Open, which unlike other majors is decided over 18 holes.
And the two golfers certainly didn’t disappoint them. While no one really brought their A game, it was great drama nevertheless. After Woods finally won, he dropped his game face and the emotions of the week appeared to overcome him as he carried his young daughter and remembered his father Earl, who died two years ago.
When the dust settled, the status of Woods as a modern sporting icon became clear. His 14th major edged him closer to the record of 18 currently held by Jack Nicklaus. It was his third US Open triumph and, given the circumstances, was his best major win, as he said in a Yahoo! article:
“I think this is the best. This week had a lot of doubt to it, to be honest with you. I need to take a little bit of a break. It’s been sore a while.â€
Woods went into the tournament without any proper preparation having undergone knee surgery just days after finishing second at April’s US Masters. He was clearly in pain on Saturday, and despite taking medication, was often wincing in pain after big tee-shots on Sunday and Monday.
He said in an interview afterwards that he was glad the tournament is over and that he would be taking a break to help his knee fully recover.
For Mediate, the greatest few days of his career are now past him. Despite the disappointment that surely must have gripped him at the end, he kept smiling and vowed to treasure the day.
Just one year ago, Mediate was thinking about retiring because of a bad back. Now, he has gone from 158 in the world back into the top 50. He said:
“It was unbelievable. Yeah, this is huge for me. It just showed me that I still can compete and I want to keep competing. I never quit. I never quit, and I’ve been beaten down a few times. I got what I wanted. I got a chance to beat the best man in the world, and I came up just a touch short. But I think I had him a little scared once, which was great. He just said ‘Great fight!’ to me and that makes it a little better, I think.â€
Woods also paid tribute to Mediate and said he had never once thought he had the play-off wrapped up because he knew of his opponent’s tenacity. Said Woods:
“I already knew that about Rocco. He’s not only one of the nicest guys, but people don’t realize how much of a competitor he is. He reminds me a lot of (Lee) Trevino how he plays: just talking and enjoying it and smiling and having a great time with it. But when it comes down to it, when it’s time to hit the shot, he goes into his own little world. People don’t realize that. After he does hit the shot he comes out and goes, ‘Blah, blah, blah, having a good time.’ But right before each shot he gets into his own little zone. And it’s pretty cool to see.â€
Tiger Nails Last-Gasp Putt to Take Mediate Into Play-Off
“I’ll never be as good as Tiger Woods. I don’t want to be as good as Tiger Woods.†These are the words of Rocco Mediate, several years ago, when Woods was enjoying one of the best periods of his career.
For much of Sunday’s fourth round of the US Open at Torrey Pines, Mediate was actually slightly better than Woods. And far from not wanting to be, he seemed to be enjoying it very much.
But then again, not many people get to be better than Tiger for long. And on the final putt of the 72 holes of regulation, Woods got even.
After a round wary of a dodgy left knee and sometimes wincing after a big swing, Woods sunk a masterful 12-foot birdie on the 18th that gave him a 73 for the round. But more importantly, it gave him a one-under 283 for the tournament and another life.
Woods, playing for the first time since knee surgery two months ago, and Mediate, who closed with an even-par 71, will face each other in an 18-hole play-off on Monday to decide the 2008 US Open champion.
The 45-year-old PGA Tour veteran Mediate had threatened to do what no other golfer had ever done before, reel in Woods in a major. Tiger had a one-stroke overnight lead, having never given up a final-round advantage in a major before.
Going into the 72nd hole, that record was under pressure. But after two ordinary shots that saw him 100 yards from the hole and in some rough, Woods flied out to 12 feet and then sank the putt as Mediate watched nervously from the clubhouse.
“Unbelievable. I knew he would make it,†Mediate said as soon as Woods started his double fist-pumping celebrations.
England’s Lee Westwood, meanwhile, saw his play-off chances disappear on the final hole when he missed a 15-foot birdie putt that would have extended his playing time as well.
Instead, Torrey Pines welcomes back only Woods and Mediate on Monday, two endearing yet contrasting characters on the Tour.
Mediate has never won a major in his career and his laid back, talkative, smiling persona was a great foil for Tiger’s intense approach to the game. It certainly made for intriguing television that went beyond just golfing skills.
As he nursed his one-stroke lead down the stretch, Mediate would be talking to the TV crew, responding to gallery wisecracks and enjoying the moment as if he was a care-free rookie.
Even in the clubhouse, while watching Tiger, he was amenable to an interview, talking about his feelings during the last few holes.
Woods, however, was a study of concentration. He was serious, measured and focused. None of it seemed to help him, golf-wise, until that final putt. Fans are normally used to seeing Woods enact his traditional single-handed fist pump when he wins a major.
This time it was a screaming, double-handed celebration. And that was only to get into the play-off. What’s is he going to do if he wins it, for his 14th major title?
Well, first he has to overcome Mediate, who showed that he has lost none of his admiration for Woods, even as he takes him on as an equal in the play-off. Of his expectations on Monday, Mediate said in an AP article:
“Battle royale. The thing that is most amazing is the man I’m going to play tomorrow has won 13 of these. It’s amazing how much it takes. I gave all I had today and I can’t complain.â€
Mediate may still feel he is not as good as Tiger, or never will be. But he still has the chance, for even a moment, to prove himself wrong.
The Official Definition Of A Golf Stroke
The golf rules questions continue to hit my mailbox and as ever it is a pleasure to answer them. Here’s one relating to Tiger Woods on the 13th tee at the 2007 US Masters:
RULES OF GOLF QUESTION:
“Please can take a look at this YouTube clip of Tiger Woods at the 2007 US Masters and explain the reason why this didn’t count as a stroke?”
RULES OF GOLF ANSWER:
“As Tiger was distracted during his downswing on the teeing ground, he successfully aborted his stroke and there was no intention to move his ball.
They key point to understand is the wording relating to “the intention of striking” in the official Definition of Stroke stated below:
A “stroke” is the forward movement of the club made with the intention of striking at and moving the ball, but if a player checks his downswing voluntarily before the clubhead reaches the ball he has not made a stroke.”
Visit here for more Rules of Golf questions.
Disclaimer: Whilst every attempt has been made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of this information on the Rules of Golf I am human and have been known to be wrong! Neither I, nor anyone connected with GolfSwingSecretsRevealed.com, shall be held responsible for any losses caused by reliance upon the accuracy or reliability of such information. Readers should refer to the full text of the rules and decisions as published in the official publications of the R&A and the USGA, The Rules of Golf 2008-2011 and Decisions on the Rules of Golf 2008-2009.
Armour’s Immortal Memory Sustains Scots
With Alistair Forsyth and Colin Montgomerie slugging it out over the gargantuan Torrey Pines South layout this week it is easy to forget the early dominance Scotland enjoyed as golf developed into a transatlantic obsession.
Scottish golfers won 12 of the first 16 US Opens and Willie McFarlane added another in 1925. Perhaps Scotland’s most famous export in those early days, however, was Tommy Armour.
Armour’s US Open victory in 1927, coupled with his 1930 USPGA and 1931 Open wins, provided, if not the full stop, then certainly a very heavy comma on Scotland’s pretensions as a dominant nation in the game.
When Tommy Armour’s major winning days ended the Scottish nation looked around and the home of golf suddenly found that the game itself had flown the nest.
Armour, known as the Silver Scot, actually took American citizenship but he was born in Edinburgh. He went on to receive his education at Edinburgh’s Fettes College, alma mater of both the fictional James Bond and the very real Tony Blair, before being accepted at Edinburgh University.
The outbreak of the Great War was both an opportunity and a trauma for Armour. Rising through the posts of the Tanks Corp he was promoted from a rank and file private to a staff major. Dashing, gallant and handsome, Armour’s bravery won him an audience with the King.
But a mustard gas explosion left him blind in one eye and metal plates were inserted into his head and left arm. During a long convalescence he regained his sight and began playing golf. By 1920 he was proficient enough to win the French Amateur Championship and the cache of that title persuaded him he could make a name for himself in America.
Finding favour with the dominant professional golfer of the time, Walter Hagan (who he met on the trip across the Atlantic), Tommy Armour quickly found employment at the Westchester-Biltmore Club in North Carolina. In 1924 he joined Hagan as a professional golfer. Like the charming, incorrigible Sir Walt, Armour made a good living as a teaching professional and combined that with playing on the burgeoning professional tour.
That 1927 Major breakthrough, in a play off against Harry Cooper at Oakmont, proved Armour’s skill although his prowess, especially his 1930 USPGA win, was often overshadowed by the exploits of, amongst others his mentor Hagen and the incomparable Bobby Jones.
The fickleness of golf is, perhaps, most strikingly illustrated by Armour’s experience in the 1927 Shawnee Open. Crowned US Open champion just one week before Armour carded the first ever recorded “Archaeopteryx.” Or, in simple terms, he took an 18 over par 23 on a par five.
In 1935 Armour retired from major competition, although he proved a formiddable fundraising draw on exhibition tours during the Second World War, and taught golf at Florida’s Boca Raton Club. Charging $50 a lesson Armour saw celebrities and professionals queue up to be appraised by his keen eye.
In 1952 Armour produced another lasting gift for golf when wrote How to Play Your Best Golf – an instructional classic that is still read, enjoyed and lived by today. Less endearingly he also gave birth to the term the “yips†stating bluntly “once you’ve had ‘em, you’ve got ‘em.â€
Armour summed up the professional golfers life:
“It is not solely the capacity to make great shots that makes champions, but the essential quality of making very few bad shots.”
And the writer Ross Goodner summed up the qualities that made him famous:
“At one time or another, he was known as the greatest iron player, the greatest raconteur, the greatest drinker and the greatest and most expensive teacher in golf.”
After a long and lucrative retirement Tommy Armour died in 1968. Shared by both Scotland and America he summed up the pioneering spirit of those early professionals and, through his writing, shared his love of golf throughout the world.
Woods Ready to Rock After Recovering From Surgery
All eyes will be on Tiger Woods, yet again, this week as he tries to overcome a lack of match fitness and the effects of knee surgery and win his 14th major title at this week’s US Open.
The last time Woods came off a long break was when his father and the most influential figure in his life, Earl, died. He failed to make the cut at the US Open in 2006, the first time in his career he was not involved during the weekend of a major tournament.
However, there are no comparisons between that break and this one. This time, it was merely arthroscopic surgery. And the last time he recovered from a similar operation, he won. And that was at Torrey Pines, the venue for this week’s US Open.
So, the only thing that Woods really has to worry about is rustiness. He pretty much knows the course, having won the Buick Invitational six times at the same venue, including the last four. There is really no need for him to stroll through the 18 holes either. He knows it well enough. Woods said in a Boston Herald article:
“I always like playing here. I played in the Junior World from 15 to 17. Even though the golf course was renovated and changed, I still like the sightlines. Don’t have a problem reading the greens. For some reason I felt very comfortable. I feel very good about my preparation. Just really looking forward to getting out there. It’s just a matter of playing, getting into the flow of the round and rhythm and the competitive atmosphere.â€
While his missed cut at Winged Foot two years ago was because of the emotional stress he suffered from losing his father, his most recent break was physical and far easier to handle. He admitted that he struggled to cope in his first tournament back after his dad had passed away.
“You can’t compare the two. They’re two totally different places. When my dad passed, coming back and playing was a lot more difficult than I thought. If I take time off and come back, I always work on my fundamentals. Well, who taught me my fundamentals? It was dad. What I had to go through and my preparation for tournaments, my dad taught me all those things. Overcoming and getting out and practicing, I didn’t want to do that because I’d always think about him. That was my hardest thing.â€
Even though it was an emotional rollercoaster for Woods the year Earl left him, he did go on to win the British Open and PGA Championship. However he performs this week at Torrey Pines, it will be good to have him back. Golf is not the same without Tiger.
38 Years of Dreaming, Jacklin’s Win Still Gleaming
As the cream of European golf descends on Torrey Pines’ formidable South Course this week they will be chasing a milestone. Any European victory will put to rest a 38 year hoodoo that has seen every European attempt to taste victory in the US Open end in failure.
Since Tony Jacklin clinched the 1970 US Open at Hazeltine many have tried, some have come close, but none have triumphed. Nick Faldo managed four top ten finishes but could get no closer than a play off defeat in 1988. Sandy Lyle in his pomp could manage no better than a tie for 16th. Ian Woosnam finished second in 1989, Seve finished third, fourth and fifth and Bernhard Langer got no closer than fourth.
More recently Miguel Angel Jiminez finished second in 2000 but he was 15 shots behind Tiger Woods.
And, of course, Monty has come so very close so often. In 1992 Jack Nicklaus had all but awarded Montgomerie the title before Tom Kite and Jeff Sluman relegated him to third. In 1994, 1997 and 2006. In 1997 he played, perhaps, the finest golf of his career but a missed putt on the final green handed Ernie Els victory.
And so the search goes on. But in 1970 European golf seemed to be full of optimism. After capturing the Open in 1969, and inspiring Great Britain and Ireland to a Ryder Cup draw the same year, Jacklin destroyed the field.
Leading from the start he eventually romped to a seven shot victory over American Dave Hill. Only Tiger Woods freakish display of genius in 2000 has ever secured a larger winning margin. Jacklin’s Open victory was the first by a Brit in 18 years – his US Open title was the first by a European since Tommy Armour in 1927.
Jacklin had the world at his feet. He had earned the respect of the dominant beast in golf’s jungle – giving rise to a friendship that has proved so enduring that Jack Nicklaus chose to honour him at the recent Memorial Tournament.
If Jacklin wasn’t sparking a revival he was at least taking the fight across the pond. He was the standard bearer for a new era. Two years later it all came tumbling down. In the 1972 Open at Muirfield Jacklin lost out to Lee Trevino. The American, improbably, wonderfully, luckily, chipped in five times during the final round.
Years later Jacklin was to write: “My psyche was too fragile. In fact, what Trevino did not only ruined me for that day, it ruined me forever.â€
It took another decade for the Big Five of European golf to reignite the torch that had slipped from Jacklin’s grasp on the East Lothian links.
Their dominance allowed for some redemption for Jacklin. As the conjurer who pulled their talents together he became Europe’s most successful and enduring Ryder Cup captain.
And, to this day, he stands alone as the last European to capture America’s Open.
Leonard Fights Off Allenby and Immelman
Justin Leonard tuned up for the US Open in fine style with victory at the Stanford St Jude Championship, beating Trevor Immelman and Robert Allenby in a play-off.
He did it the hard way, squandering a one-stroke lead with two holes remaining, failing to get one last roll of a putt on the 72nd green and, finally, getting the break he needed on the second extra hole.
Leonard was one foot short on the first play-off hole of the PGA Tour event but took the title on the par-three 11th when Immelman failed with a birdie attempt. The former British Open champion said in an AP article:
“I don’t think that ball would’ve rolled another half-inch. It just barely got there the greens are so dry and fast.â€
It was a heavy-hitting top six in the final leaderboard. With Leonard, Allenby and US Masters champion Immelman finishing on four-under 276, tied for fourth and also fancying their chances at the US Open at Torrey Pines were Spain’s Sergio Garcia, British Open champion Padraig Harrington, Boo Weekley and Germany’s Alex Cejka.
Leonard closed with a two-under 68 as Allenby joined him at the top of the leaderboard with a four-under-par 65. Immelman, meanwhile, shot a final-round of one-under 69.
Overnight leader Tim Clark, who was two ahead of the pack at the start of Sunday, opened his round with a triple bogey and slumped to 78 for a tie of 18th place.
The victory pushed Leonard to fifth on the United States’ Ryder Cup standings and he is hoping to qualify for the team for the first time since 1999.
That was when his famous 45-foot putt at Brookline helped the Americans clinch one of the greatest comebacks in Ryder Cup history.
On the European Tour, India’s Jeev Milkha Singh benefited from bad weather and a shortened tournament to win the Austria Open in Vienna.
Jeev scored 18 consecutive birdies for his par round of 71 on the final day for a three-round total of 15-under 198 and a one-stroke victory over England’s Simon Wakefield. It was his third victory on the tour and moved him up to ninth on the Order of Merit.
In doing so, he matched Nick Faldo’s all-par effort at the 1987 British Open, although the Indian was doing his best to pick up birdies and protect his overnight four-shot lead. He said in Tour article:
“I feel very fortunate to win with 18 pars. I had no idea about matching Nick Faldo. I was trying to make birdies but they just weren’t going in. When you have a lead you don’t want to be too aggressive or too defensive, you just play ‘mediocre’ golf and hit fairways and greens.â€
There was major glory on the LPGA Tour for Taiwanese rookie Tseng Ya-ni, who emerged from a four-hole sudden-death play-off with Maria Hjorth to win the McDonald’s LPGA Championship at Havre de Grace, Maryland.
The 19-year-old became the first Taiwanese to win a major, scoring 68 on the final round for a four-round total of 12-under-par 276. Hjorth closed with 71, as did world number one Lorena Ochoa and Annika Sorenstam, who tied for third place one stroke behind on 277.
Tseng eventually took the title after a grueling play-off when she stroked home a five-foot birdie. She said in an LPGA article that she was delighted to share the spotlight with Ochoa, the dominant player so far this season.
“I feel very excited. I couldn’t believe it, I just won a major. I’m a rookie and everything just came so fast. Before I just heard ‘Lorena, Lorena’, And today it’s ‘Yani, Yani’. So it’s very exciting.â€
Tseng became the fourth rookie to take a major as her first LPGA Tour victory. The last golfer to do that was Pak Se-ri at the 1998 LPGA Championship.
Dream and Crowded Threesome for US Open
Expect to see a huge gallery following one particular flight at the US Open at Torrey Pines next week.
Organisers have guaranteed a huge presence for the 8.06am tee-off on Thursday, with world number one Tiger Woods and second-ranked Phil Mickelson drawn into the same group.
If that didn’t have enough drawing power, Australian world number three Adam Scott has been thrown into the mix. Reg Jones, managing director of the championship, uttered a bit of an understatement when he said in a Sign On San Diego article:
“Obviously, with Tiger and Phil and Adam playing together, we’re expecting a lot of people will be wanting to see them.â€
Organisers expect major traffic problems as folks try to make their way to the early tee-off while battling congested roads. Already 42,500 tickets have been sold for each round.
The organisers have been criticised for their moves, being accused of not having thought it through and claiming Woods alone would be enough to draw in a decent crowd no matter what time he tees off.
Earlier this week, Woods had his first round in anger, at the Torry Pines course, since recovering from knee surgery that has kept him out of the game for almost two months.
Woods underwent arthroscopic surgery immediately after April’s Masters, where he finished second, but timed his recovery to compete at the US Open.
His swing coach said only he and Woods were at the course, which was protected from the public and media by heavy security, and the golfer was merely using it as an opportunity to test his knee.
Haney said Woods didn’t keep score, often played several balls and did not walk. But Haney is confident Woods is ready, as he said in an AP article:
“Everything held up good. Obviously, he didn’t walk. But he hit the ball really good. In the deep stuff, it’s a sand wedge, maybe a 9-iron at the most. We were messing around on No. 10 and he tried to hit a 5-wood. Even when the grass is deep, if you open the face and hit a cut, you might scoot it 150 yards. It’s quite a sight to see Tiger 165 yards from the pin with a 5-wood.â€
Download A Free 2008 US Open Factsheet
Following on from the success of the 2007 Open Championship Factsheet and the one for the 2008 US Masters I have produced one for the 2008 US Open held next week at Torrey Pines.
This 2008 US Open Factsheet is perfect for bringing you right up to speed for the event starting on Thursday 12th June.
It’s totally on the house and it fact it would be great to think you will share it with all your golf buddies and they in turn past it on to all their golf mates!
Print it out and read it in the bath, on the train or have it just by the remote as a handy guide whilst watching on TV.
If you like the factsheet – let me know as I will do one for the US PGA and Ryder Cup.
Tap here to get your factsheet …
Enjoy the US Open and Play Well.
Cheers
Andy
Perry Eyes Ryder Cup After Memorial Victory
Kenny Perry achieved what only Tiger Woods was previously capable of doing when he won his third Memorial tournament.
Perry shot a final round of three-under-par 69 for an eight-under total of 280 and a two-stroke victory over the foursome of Jerry Kelly, Justin Rose, Mathew Goggin and Mike Weir.
Not only did the veteran American join Woods as a three-time winner at the Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio but he also enhanced his chances of playing alongside the world number one at this year’s Ryder Cup clash against Europe.
The 47-year-old Perry became the oldest winner of the tournament that is hosted by Jack Nicklaus and earned more than $1 million for his efforts, pushing him up to fifth on the Ryder Cup standings.
Earlier this year, United States Ryder Cup captain Paul Azinger said any player on the team would probably have to win a tournament this season.
And with the biennial clash between the US and Europe being played at his native Kentucky course at Valhalla, Perry is focusing more on the Ryder Cup than the majors. He said in an AP article:
“When Azinger said that you’re probably going to have to win a tournament to get on his team, that changed my thinking. I’m glad I saw it.â€
Perry said he is unlikely to make an attempt at qualifying for the US Open and instead would try to pick up Ryder Cup points at PGA Tour events where he feels he can do well, such as next week at Memphis and at the Hartford event that immediately follows Torrey Pines.
Perry swept to the lead after a birdie on the ninth hole as overnight leader Goggin squandered his three-shot advantage with a trio of bogies. He finished on 74 while Kelly, Rose and Weir all scored 71s.
On the European Tour, Australian Scott Strange overcame difficult circumstances to win the Wales Open.
The 31-year-old was suffering from dizzy spells on the course and also had some undisclosed personal issues back home in Australia. However, that did not stop him from closing with a 64 to total 22-under 262 and win the tournament by four strokes from Robert Karlsson, who also shot 64 in the fourth round.
Strange had a three-shot overnight lead and was never going to surrender much of it as he produced a fine final round with early birdies and no bogeys throughout the 18 holes. He was only one stroke away from the course record he achieved in his opening round.
Third place went to Frenchman Raphael Jacquelin, who was a whopping eight shots behind while five players, including England’s Nick Dougherty, tied for fourth place on 271.
In Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, Korea’s Lee Seon-hwa won the Ginn Tribute on the LPGA Tour after a play-off victory over Australia’s Karrie Webb.
Lee shot a 67 in the final round and then two-putted from 45 feet on the first play-off hole as Webb missed a three-foot putt that would have taken the contest to another hole.
Meanwhile, all this drama came after overnight leader Sophie Gustafson, who had a huge six-shot lead, collapsed on the final round with a seven-over 79 that left her three strokes adrift of the two play-off contestants.
Lee and Webb finished on 14-under 274 after the Australian closed with a 70. The tournament was hosted by Sweden’s former world number one Annika Sorenstam who finished tied for 32 in an event she has won three times in the past.
Teenaged Thai Hopeful Aims to Outshine the Men
Thai teenager Pornanong Phatlum will be hoping to emulate American Michelle Wie by trying to qualify for the weekend during next week’s Bangkok Airways Open.
Wie became the first female player to play all four rounds of an Asian Tour event when she took part in the SK Telecom Open in Korea in 2006.
Now, 18-year-old Pornanong is hoping to do the same thing when she tees up at the Santiburi Samui course.
The Asian women’s number one first showed a hint of her potential when she won the 2005 Hong Kong Women’s Open and has since claimed the top rankings on the Ladies Asian Tour, Orient Tour China and Taiwan Ladies Tour. She said on the Asian Tour’s webstie:
“I am very excited and happy as I am the only female player invited for the Bangkok Airways Open. I have been practising from the men’s tee in preparation for this tournament. I’ve played at the Santiburi Samui course previously and found it to be quite a challenge, so I hope to be more prepared this time around.â€
Former PGA Tour player Scott Hend, of Australia, is among the main contenders for the title along with defending champion Lee Sung, of South Korea, Thailand’s Thaworn Wiratchant and Taiwan’s Lu Wen-teh.
Pornanong has competed against men before, finishing third at the 2006 Singha Masters in Chiang Rai, where she hit off the ladies tees.
The tournament is being played on the exotic Thai island of Koh Samui, where Pornanong’s main priority will be making the cut.
Proceeding Under Rule 26-1 or Rule 27-1
Each week I receive a rules of golf question similar to the one below. It concerns a common scenario where a golfer must be absolutely clear on whether they must proceed under Rule 26-1 or under Rule 27-1:
RULES OF GOLF QUESTION:
“My friend and I were playing and she hit a long blind shot that obviously went into the red staked area and down into a wooded, sloped area. We could not find the ball, of course. She dropped another ball within two club lengths of a vague idea of where she thought the ball went out and took a stroke penalty.
My contention is that she did not see the ball go out into the red staked area so she had no idea where to take her two club lengths from and that it should be treated as a lost ball. The key here is that no one saw where the ball went out – we were all down below the hole and couldn’t see the point where the ball crossed the red staked area.
What is the rule here – lost ball or lateral hazard?”
RULES OF GOLF ANSWER:
“There is no easy answer to your question. Let me quote from Decision 26-1/1;
If a ball has been struck towards a water hazard and has not been found, the term “known or virtually certain” indicates the level of confidence that the ball is in the water hazard that is required for the player to proceed under Rule 26-1. A player may not assume that his ball is in a water hazard simply because there is a possibility that the ball may be in the hazard. If it is not known that the ball is in the water hazard, in order for the player to proceed under Rule 26-1 there must be almost no doubt that the ball is in the hazard.
Otherwise, a ball that cannot be found must be considered lost outside the hazard and the player must proceed under Rule 27-1.
All available evidence must be taken into account in determining whether knowledge or virtual certainty exists, including any testimony and the physical conditions in the area around the water hazard. For example, if a water hazard is surrounded by a fairway on which a ball could hardly be lost, there exists a greater certainty that the ball is in the hazard than there would be if there were deep rough in the area. Observing a ball splash in a water hazard would not necessarily provide knowledge or virtual certainty as to the location of the ball as sometimes such a ball may skip out of a hazard.
If everyone in your group agrees that it is virtually certain that the flight of the ball means that it is lost in the water hazard then I think that the player would be right in using her best judgement as to where the ball crossed the margin of the hazard, with help and agreement from her fellow competitors. However, if there is some doubt that the ball may have been lost elsewhere then the player has no option but to consider her ball lost outside of the hazard and play another ball from the point where she made her last stroke, under penalty of stroke and distance (Rule 27-1).”
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Woods Delays Comeback Until US Open
Tiger Woods won’t be making an early comeback after all, but he says he is still on track to take part in the US Open in two weeks time.
There was talk that Woods would return from knee surgery at this week’s Memorial but the world number one, who has been out of action since the Masters in April, said he has yet to fully recover.
He will also miss the following week’s St Jude Classic in Memphis before lining up for the US Open from June 12-15 at Torrey Pines in San Diego. He said in an AP article:
“I wasn’t ready. I started my practice basically just recently. So going to Memorial that rusty, it wouldn’t have made any sense. I wasn’t sharp enough. I didn’t hit all my shots I needed to hit yet at home and make sure everything is organised. The whole idea is to be ready for the US Open.â€
Woods was speaking at Bethesda, Maryland at the Congressional Country Club, which is hosting his own PGA Tour event, the AT&T National, in July.
The last time Woods took time off from the circuit was also before the US Open, in 2006. He was recovering from the death of his father and missed the cut at Winged Foot, the only time he has ever missed the weekend at a major tournament.
However, he also had surgery on the same knee in 2002 and on his comeback, won the Buick International. And where was that tournament played? Torrey Pines, of course.
The 13-time major winner said he knows exactly what it takes to win a tournament after a long lay-off, having done it before and it was merely a case of getting enough practice and priming himself for the season’s second major. Woods finished second at the Masters behind South African Trevor Immelman.
Remembering Old Tom Morris
May marks the 100th anniversary of the death of Old Tom Morris. For many Morris is merely a name in the record books. An Open winner in a time when it didn’t really mean that much.
But Morris was one of the pioneers that created the idea of a professional golfer as we understand it today. As a greenkeeper he remodelled the Old Course into the links that we recognise today. As a course designer he was involved with Muirfield, Carnoustie and, the original home of the Open, Prestwick.
As a tournament pro Morris won four Opens and formed formiddable partnerships with both Allan Robertson and his son Young Tom Morris. Many of these games were played for money, augmented by huge sidebets laid by gentleman golfers. The popularity of these games spread and turned golf into a major spectator sport. This fuelled its move across the border to England and, eventually, across the Atlantic.
Christian, upstanding and devoted to his family Morris was a respectable pro at a time when many of his rivals were seen as barflys and conmen. Loved and respected by the caddies he managed at St Andrews Morris made that rag bag collection of men into a more regimented and respected group.
We must also acknowledge Morris as the man who introduced modern greenkeeping, from the tending of putting surfaces to the maintenance of bunkers and hazards. He also played an integral role in the standardising of golf courses to the 18 holes we play today.
Morris also endured heartache. His first born son died in infancy. Another son was disabled from birth. And, most famously, his second son and golfing companion Young Tom Morris died at the age of 24.
Young Tom equalled his fathers haul of Opens. Three consecutive victories culminated, in 1870, with Morris Jnr being awared the Open Championship for good. At the next championship in 1872 he became the first person to win the Claret Jug.
Young Tom died only months after losing his wife and newborn baby. In legend it is said that Young Tom died of a broken heart. Old Tom, a man given to showing little emotion, would say only:
“They say Tommy died of a broken heart. That can’t be true or I’d have died myself.â€
In fact Old Tommy Morris lived into his eighties. At the age of 48 he read that the life expectancy for men in Scotland at that time was 41. Looking up from his paper he told the assembled caddies:
“Lads, it would appear I have been dead for seven years already.â€
Old Tommy Morris died after falling down the stairs at the New Club in St Andrews. Few who knew him or have celebrated his memory could ever claim that Morris was one of “the parcel o’ rogues†who made up his hero, Robert Burns’, nation.
