Singapore Open Organisers Out To Raise Profile
Organisers of the Singapore Open are keen to see their tournament become recognised as the “Asian Majorâ€. Indeed, they have done much to boost its prestige. Prize money for this year’s event has risen 25 per cent to $4 million and world number four Adam Scott, of Australia, has agreed to defend the title he has won the past two years.
Also competing from November 1-4 at the Serapong Course are Major winners Ernie Els, Vijay Singh and Michael Campbell. Irishman Darren Clarke has signed up as well.
Money and big-names, though, are not enough to give a tournament a high status. Recognising this, organisers are this year holding one of their qualifying tournaments outside of Singapore for the first time.
Two qualifying places for the Asian Tour event will be available through a two-round competition at the Shinyo Country Club near Nagoya in Japan, from October 1-2. The other qualifier, offering eight places, is to be held at the Tanjong Course, near Serapong at the Sentosa Golf Club, from October 29-30.
Whether or not such a move helps raise the tournament’s profile remains to be seen, but Graham Bell, the Open’s chairman, is excited by the development, as he says on the Asian Tour website:
“We set out to make the Barclays Singapore Open a true Open. Holding the first-ever qualifier outside of Singapore takes us a step further in that direction. With a stellar line-up, a new and improved Serapong Course, an even bigger prize purse of US$4 million and great partners that make it happen, this year’s Barclays Singapore Open will set new benchmarks for the tournament.â€
The course itself, built on reclaimed land and jutting out into the sea, is being improved to make it more difficult. When Scott won two years ago, the rough was already like steel bristles. This year, the greens will be faster while yardage has been lengthened from 6,565 to 6,710.
A unique aspect of the Singapore Open is that, unlike other relatively bigger-money events on the Asian Tour, it is not co-sanctioned by the European Tour, which is behind the recently completed Singapore Masters.
Mahan Joins New Winners’ Club
The list of new winners on the PGA Tour keeps on growing. Hunter Mahan is the latest to join the maiden victory club with his triumph at the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Connecticut.
In his fourth year on the tour, Mahan sunk a seven-foot birdie putt on the first play-off hole to outlast Jay Williamson.
Ted Exley, a regular contributor to the comments section on this blog, asked back in April if the number of new winners on tour was because the big names were too busy chasing Tiger Woods.
Vijay Singh was the only one of the big-name players to compete in the event and the Fijian finished a decent fourth, five shots behind the leading pair. Another star player active that weekend, South African Ernie Els, was playing in Europe.
The 25-year-old Mahan’s previous best this season was tied for fifth at the Shell Houston Open and he was determined to break his duck at this tournament, shooting five-under 65 in the final round to join Williamson (66) on 265.
He had made his intentions clear on the opening day with a sizzling 62, which was just one stroke short of the course record.
During the play-off, he hit a 114-yard approach to within seven feet and calmly stroked home the winner after Williamson missed a 12-foot birdie attempt.
Mahan said on the PGA Tour website:
“After that 62, I felt it almost came out of nowhere. I felt like I could play good here, I know I can win.â€
Nick O’Hern finish in third place on 269 after a final round of 66. Fred Funk was fifth on 271 while Tom Lehman, David Toms and Bo Van Pelt tied for sixth on 272.
Across the water, Sweden’s Niclas Fasth turned back a challenge from veteran German Bernhard Langer to win the BMW International Open in Munich by two strokes.
Fasth closed with a two-under-par 70 for a total of 13-under 275. The 49-year-old Langer was eager to win his home tournament for the first time but his 67 was only good enough for a share of second place with Jose-Filipe Lima, of Portugal, who shot 72.
It was Fasth’s sixth title on the European Tour and followed up a good performance the previous week at the US Open in Oakmont, where he finished fourth.
The Swede was only one in front of Langer until the 17th, when he hit a birdie. He said in a Reuters story:
“All in all I played some amazing golf. I’ve improved some things for this year and the biggest difference is that I now have huge confidence in my driver where before I didn’t hit enough fairways.â€
Langer struggled on the first day of the tournament with a neck injury but recovered sufficiently to battle for honours on the final day. The German said:
“It was a great shame I had my injury on the first day or who knows what might have happened.â€
Three golfers were tied for fourth on 278 – Argentina’s Ricardo Gonzalez, Denmark’s Anders Hansen and Maarten Lafeber, of the Netherlands. Els closed with a 67 for 279 and a share of seventh place with England’s Simon Khan.
Dope Testing Soon To Become Reality
PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem said at the Travelers Championship that golf tours around the world should work harder to implement anti-doping programmes.
It appears that every other governing body has made moves to establish drug testing. The LPGA Tour is to start testing in 2008 and the European Tour is aiming to have its own system in place by next season.
The R&A and USGA performed sample testing at last year’s World Amateur Championship in South Africa with all 12 golfers tested coming clean.
Finchem said in an Associated Press article:
“It’s unfortunate that these realities are with us, but they are. And we have to deal with them, and I think it’s important that golf deal with them collectively.â€
Finchem is merely trying to keep golf in line with other sports, many of which have not really succeeded in keeping their backyards clean but are more concerned with having some kind of anti-doping policy to show their sincerity.
Some commentators, such as Sports Illustrated’s Bill Syken, believe dope-testing in golf is laughable, as he writes:
“Does he (Finchem), or anyone else out there, really think golf as a steroid problem? I mean, look at golf’s No. 2 player. More specifically, look at his body. If Phil Mickelson is taking hormones,, they’re the wrong kind.â€
In a way, Syken has a point. However, he is looking at the wrong type of drug. Steroids are not really conducive to golf. They are mainly used by athletes in power sports where bursts of energy are required, such as sprinting, swimming or weightlifting.
And in these sports, the steroids are only of value during training, when athletes can speed up their recovery time from strenuous training activities to … well, train some more.
The PGA Tour is now in the process of establishing a list of drugs that would be on the banned list. Most probably, they will be looking at substances that enable golfers to keep calm
It is those six-foot putts for the championship where these drugs can really help, and that is where one golfer could have an unfair advantage over another.
Whether this happens already, we will never know. Maybe if we starting dope-testing, we will soon find out.
For Your Next Tournament, Practice Smarter — Not Harder
I’m in Cincinnati this week working with a couple girls I coach on the Futures Tour. One of the girls (Jimin Jeong) is preparing to play the Women’s U.S. Open next week at Pine Needles. This will be Jimin’s first U.S. Open and she is understandably very excited. She’s worked extremely hard this year and made the Open field in Chicago a couple weeks ago as the last qualifier. However, as Jimin readies to play this week, she is making mistakes that I’ve also seen lots of amateurs make. So, as I work with Jimin this week to correct these problems, I thought it would be a good lesson for all of us to remember.
Jimin’s first mistake – looking too far ahead.
Here she is, in Cincinnati, with a golf tournament to play, and most of her thinking so far has revolved around the U.S. Open. Now, I’m all for preparing for majors – and if we would have known a couple months ago that Jimin was in the U.S. Open, maybe we would have scheduled this month a little differently. But, it makes no sense in preparing for a tournament that does not resemble in any way the event you are playing in. The greens at Pine Needles, a Donald Ross signature course, will be fast and sloped. The rough will be high and the fairways will run fast. The course in Cincinnati, The Golf Club at Stonelick Hills, is beautiful – but the characteristics are much different than Pine Needles. Instead, we’re working on things that will help her not only this week – but next week as well. We’re working on her fundamentals; grip, alignment, pace, routine and short game. We are not inventing new shots – just perfecting her comfortable ones.
Learn from Jimin’s first mistake to prepare for a big event.
If you have a big event this summer – spend the few weeks prior working on fundamentals. Make sure you are aimed properly. Work on your routine. Work on short putts. Work on short shots around the green – especially if you can simulate the type of shots you’ll have in the tournament. Don’t however, start a complete overhaul of your game, which to take hold, might take months. You are looking for familiarity in pressure situations – not newness.
Jimin’s second mistake – working longer hours.
I see this one a lot. Someone has a big event and all of a sudden they try and make up for lost time. Instead of spending their usual 2 hours on the range – they spend 5. Instead of spending an hour on the putting green – they spend 3. Now, in theory, this may sound like a good idea. After all, hard work is a good thing – right? Wrong, in this case, it’s not a good thing. I had to make Jimin go back to the hotel the last couple days. She was tired and if she stayed – she would have played poorly this week and next. The trick is not to work harder – it’s to work smarter. I stopped her from hitting 500 balls a day, so she could work on finding her set up. I told her, if we found her good set up, her swing would find her – she wouldn’t have to look for it. I said, it makes no sense to hit thousands of balls this week to feel something. Instead, lets practice visualizing and walking into a good set-up a couple hundred times. Fortunately, she agreed and we’ve had a couple good days of practice. I think she will get a little better each day over the next week or so – and it wouldn’t surprise me one bit if she played well not only this week – but next.
Learn from Jimin’s second mistake to be ready for your club championship.
Trying to make up for lost time with too much practice is like trying to lose 10lbs in 2 days. It may work – but it’s not too healthy. Usually what happens to a golfer who all of a sudden spends more time on the range is – too much thinking. They will start working on something or try a new swing key. This is a disaster going into a big tournament. Again, you want familiarity, not new. You want something to rely on – instead of something you can’t trust. A better approach is to develop a game plan to play the course. The plan should be based on the state of your game now – not when you had your best ever run. If you’re struggling a little off the tee – adjust the plan accordingly. If you’re struggling with irons – play to the fat of the greens and practice chips from where you expect to miss. On the other hand, if you’re hitting it well, adjust your plan to a more aggressive nature. And remember, short game, short game, short game. Sure, Tiger Woods is the greatest winner in golf today – but that wouldn’t be the case if he weren’t also the best putter and chipper. 68% of your shots will be played from inside 100 yards – so practice accordingly.
So, to prepare for your next big event, I suggest these few tips. Ease into the week. Otherwise you may peak too early. Exercise a little each day to get the blood flowing. This will also help keep your brain sharp, which will be at full capacity under the gun. Work on your short game and develop a plan based on the state of your game heading into the tournament.
Good luck and think good thoughts for Jimin next week.
Asian Tour Needs Players On Side In Battle With Europe
The new European Tour event in India next year poses a major test of credibility for the regional professional governing body, the Asian Tour.
The professional circuit in Asia has grown tremendously over the past decade. However, it is still a work in progress and cannot compete with the European Tour, let alone the PGA Tour, in terms of prestige and prize money.
That is why Asian Tour chiefs will have to rely on the loyalty of the very golfers they nurtured to stand by them against what could be deemed an attempt at European colonialism on a golfing scale.
Protocol requires the European Tour to seek sanction from the Asian Tour to hold any pro event on the Asian continent. With the $2.5 million Indian Masters, Europe has bypassed the Asian Tour and linked up with a Dubai-based promoter and the amateur Indian Golf Union to stage the event.
As a courtesy, they should really be talking to the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), even before the Asian Tour.
Asian Tour executive chairman Kyi Hla Han said he was “appalled†by the European Tour’s actions and will be hoping that top Indian players such as Jeev Milkha Singh, Jyoti Randhawa and Shiv Kapur snub the tournament next year.
Jeev has refused to criticise the tournament but was non-committal about taking part, saying it would depend on his schedule.
Randhawa, a board member of the PGTI, was more forthright in questioning the European Tour’s line of attack, saying in an Associated Press article:
“There’s a protocol to keep the local professional golfers’ association in the loop. We feel they should have gone through us, we have a players’ body which will soon meet to discuss this development.â€
PGTI commissioner Ajay Gupta said such an event would be a boost to Indian golf but at the same time backed the Asian Tour, saying:
“We feel the Asian Tour’s stance is correct, you don’t go to another territory uninvited. My first priority is to protect the interests of Indian professionals.â€
There are already nine tournaments co-sanctioned by Europe and Asia, though the relationship between the two circuits remains frosty.
The Asian Tour really needs people like Randhawa, Jeev and other golfers who have won co-sanctioned events to support them. These players would not have got the chance to play in major tours in Europe and the US had not the Asian Tour provided them with a platform.
So far, it seems as if the players are responding to the Asian Tour’s call. We will see in 12 months time if they will stick to their guns.
Cabrera Tames Tiger for US Open Triumph
Angel Cabrera probably thought he had no chance. Everyone else almost certainly figured he had no chance. More to the point, everyone else was wondering “who is Angel Cabrera?â€.
Well, he is a 37-year-old Argentinian who is 12th on the European Tour’s career earnings list with one tournament title and he had just finished his fourth round at the 2007 US Open at one-under-par 69 for a one-stroke lead.
All that separated him from his first Major title was Tiger Woods. No surprise there. Woods needed a birdie with a few holes left to force a play-off with Cabrera.
Tiger – the mentally toughest player on the planet – in a Major tournament, needing birdie, with four holes left? Indeed, it appeared Cabrera had no chance.
However, as Tiger gradually ran out of holes at brutal Oakmont, and his approaches ran past the holes, Cabrera, trying and failing to look calm and collected as cameras focused on him watching the action on TV, was finally able to let out a huge sigh of relief.
All that tension was justified. After all, what can be more unnerving than knowing that the fate of the US Open was out of your hands … and in those of Tiger Woods?
Cabrera’s total of five-over-par 285 featured the only two sub-par rounds from a single individual all week, as well as a six-over 76 on Saturday that left him four off the pace heading into the final day.
Smoking like a chimney to battle nerves, Cabrera gave Argentina their first Major champion since Roberto de Vicenzo at the 1967 British Open.
Probably the most satisfying aspect of his victory was being able to thwart Woods, as he was quoted as saying by Associated Press, via Yahoo:
“The good thing is that I beat everybody here, not only Tiger Woods. I had to work as a caddie to put food on the table. That’s why, probably, these moments are enjoyed even more.â€
Woods, with 12 Major titles to his name, was hoping to close in on Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18. However, Nicklaus also finished second in Majors 19 times, though it didn’t make the American feel any better. Woods said:
“Finishing second is never fun. You play so hard and it’s just disappointing.â€
Another disappointed player was American Jim Furyk, who, like Woods, need birdie over the last few holes to force a Monday play-off.
However, on 17, Furyk failed to reach green with a driver and found rough instead. He ended up with a bogey five, which ended his chances.
Dougherty Stays Positive
Nick Dougherty has for long been considered one of England’s most promising golfers. Along with players such as Justin Rose, Paul Casey, David Howell and others, he has been at the forefront of the English game, which is still searching for a world-class successor to six-time Major champion Nick Faldo.
Indeed, one of Dougherty’s mentors is his namesake, who spends a lot of his time these days grooming the next generation of golfing stars, be they English or from Asia.
That is why his second-round meltdown at the US Open is so frustrating. After taking the first-round lead at Oakmont with 68, Dougherty imploded with a second round of 77. At least he made the cut and was tied 13th with a bunch of players, including Tigers Woods, going into the weekend only five shots off the lead.
I came across Dougherty at the 2006 Singapore Masters when I was hired by a Hong Kong-based public relations company to write the press releases for the Singapore Masters and the Indonesian Open the previous week, both co-sanctioned European Tour and Asian Tour events.
Dougherty was the defending champion and came across as confident without being cocky and a genuinely affable bloke. He also showed the kind of ruthless streak required of anyone who wanted to succeed in the pro ranks. With local hero Mardan Mamat leading the way after three rounds, the in-pursuit Dougherty tried to use mind games to unsettle the Singaporeans by telling the media he will go after him.
It is to Mardan’s credit that he held his nerve to win the tournament, but Dougherty provided the tournament with drama and excitement with his talent and enthusiasm. He is displaying the same positive attitude in the US Open, as he said after his second round in the Daily Mail.
“I stuck in there well really. US Open golf, and especially that today, once the shots are gone, they don’t really come back and the next hole you have another challenge. Right away after you’ve made a mistake you have another tough challenge. Seven over is a bad score, but it’s put me in the tournament. I’m relatively pleased to be honest.â€
Leith Rules With Plans To Fill Missing Links
We’re a competitive lot us Scots. Proud as well. On the course wagers to “liven†things up lead to feuds, gamesmanship and, in extreme cases, divorce. Off the course we fall over each other as we claim “firsts†and “oldests.†Oldest course, first links course, oldest club, oldest tea lady. It’s all up for grabs.
Now Edinburgh’s port, Leith, is getting in on the act. I live in Leith, I work in Leith and I socialise in Leith but until recently I was unaware of its golfing history. Separate from Edinburgh until the 1920’s it is a curious place. As the docks closed and the builders moved in so upmarket flats have begun to appear next to the early morning working men’s pubs. Polish immigrants live side by side with fourth or fifth generation Irish families.
Scornful of Edinburgh and facing the sea with deep pride but great bonhomie, Leith is unique. And yes, in part and in the past, it did deserve the infamy that Irvine Welsh brought it in Trainspotting.
What’s this got to do with golf? Well, Leith occupies a pivotal place in world golf. Turn right at the foot of Leith’s main artery, Leith Walk, and you may pass a pub called the Golf Tavern. You might wonder at the name but give it little more thought (and you probably won’t be tempted to go in). Cross over and you find yourself on Leith Links (another give away) and as you enjoy a pleasant walk past the football games, play parks, allotments and cricket pitches you might see a small stone cairn. Like most others, locals and visitors alike, you probably won’t investigate. Leith, like Edinburgh, has a fondness for remembrance and commemoration that allows monument fatigue to set in very quickly.
But the cairn marks the spot where the Gentlemen Golfers of Leith used to satisfy their golfing urges. And it was there, in 1744, that the Gentlemen Golfers wrote down the first ever rules of the game. That first written record, including instructions to play each shot honestly and not aim at a competitor’s ball, that the player whose ball lies furthest from the hole plays first, and that objects such as sticks and leaves should not be removed unless on the green, became the basis for the rules that are still used today.
Sadly the Gentlemen Golfers died out, some moving east as the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers and setting up home at Muirfield, and golf disappeared from the Links. Indeed it is currently banned to preserve the safety of passers by after youths began using joggers and dog walkers as moving targets. A group of dedicated enthusiasts, however, have tried to keep the flame alight by staging a four day Hickory Open each year. Using traditional clubs and period dress they play a temporary course on Leith Links governed by those original rules.
Now the organisers of that event, the Leith Rules Golf Society, have moved a step closer to getting golf back on the Links permanently. Plans are in place for a nine hole pitch and putt course that would allow everyone to play on the same stretch of land as those trendsetting Gentlemen Golfers enjoyed. Yet another statue, of John Rattray who founded the club in the 18th century, would watch over the first tee.
It is, of course, another attempt to grab a slice of the money pie that golf delivers to Scotland. But in recognising the home of the rules that have frustrated, challenged and delighted us for generations Scotland, the home of golf, would be doing a great service to the history of the game.
Missing Major Would Complete Full Monty
He’s fallen out with galleries, players and pundits. He’s promised us the world and fluffed his delivery. And, despite himself, he’s been a bit of a pompous twit at times.
And yet, and yet. For me, there will only be one player I truly want to win the US Open – the one player in the field who, you suspect, could play for another 100 years an never win it.
Step forward Colin Montgomerie. For well over a decade now I have shared the exhilarating highs and the colossal lows of Monty’s careers. Being slightly rotund, with bad hair and a penchant for woollen pullovers, I suppose it was inevitable that I would be called “Monty†at school. But there are more important reasons for willing him to win that elusive major.
Patriotism, for sure, plays a part: one of the two most gifted Scottish golfers of the last 50 years Monty has led the line for Scotland. As a nation we have won three majors since 1985. Sandy Lyle could have won more. Paul Lawrie grasped what is likely to be his only chance. And Monty? Well, he’s been standing at the door banging like mad but, somehow, he’s never been asked into the party.
He’s been immense in the Ryder Cup, dominated European like nobody else has ever managed and demonstrated a consistency that few others in world golf have matched. But, and with Mr Montgomerie there always has to be a ‘but’, the CV is incomplete. When future generations look at the roster of major winners there will be no mention of C Montgomerie (Scotland).
And that is as much of a tragedy for Scottish, British and European golf as it is for the man himself. Make no mistake, with his natural and inimitable swing, his innate sense of course management and his sheer determination as a competitor Monty should be regarded as one of the greats. That he has not yet won a major will, sadly, always detract from his legacy.
Perhaps it could have been different. Maybe a win early in his career would have opened the floodgates. If only he’d grasped a chance as he was starting out the massive psychological pressure that marked his later chase for a major would never have held him back.
But when they come to write the book about Monty’s majors the title will be “Perhaps, Maybe, If Only.†He’s been beaten by players who have played better on the day, he’s beaten himself with poor shots at crucial points and, perhaps, mentally and he’s been beaten by sheer bad luck. But the fact remains: he’s been beaten by the majors.
And now time is running out. He’s talking two or three Ryder Cups into the future. But nobody lasts forever. He’s not playing well, he’s sacked his caddy (always a bad, bad sign in a man that, like Monty, craves stability) and the memories of last years 72nd hole collapse loom large.
But wounded animals and all that. Maybe, just maybe, the big man has one big push left. Fingers crossed Monty. Win it for me, win it for Scotland. But most of all, win it for you!
Asian Tour Chief Hits Out at Europe over New Indian Tournament
They are no longer denying a rift. The Asian Tour and European Tour are officially at odds, at least from the Asian point of view.
Tension has existed between the two governing bodies over co-sanctioned events for a while and it finally boiled over this week after the Europeans announced a new event in India in what amounts to a snub to the Asian Tour.
The tournament is the Indian Masters in February 2008, promoted and organised by golf in DUBAI and sanctioned by the European Tour and the Indian Golf Union. The Asian Tour, which already organises events in India, has been left out.
The Asian Tour’s executive chairman Kyi Hla Han issued a statement in which he accuses the European Tour of aggression against other circuits.
“The Asian Tour is appalled with the European Tour’s plans to stage a tournament in India without the sanction of the Asian Tour next February. This move is clearly unethical and against the protocol that exists within the framework of the International Federation of PGA Tours, of which both the Tours are full members.”
“Despite media reports and quotes attributed to the European Tour, there has been no approach or communication to inform the Asian Tour about the event or its intentions.”
“This action reflects on the European Tour’s aggressive direction without any concern for the protocol of the International Federation of PGA Tours and highlights an invasive position on Asia.â€
The $2.5 million event will be the richest tournament in India and will provide the European Tour with its 37th destination. George O’Grady, the European Tour’s chief executive shied away from mentioning the Asian Tour when praising the event, as he said on the tour’s website.
“The growth of the Indian economy has coincided with the emergence of golf as a major sport in the country. We are always keen to expand our tournament portfolio into new territories and we believe that the Indian Masters offers huge potential on that front.â€
O’Grady also gave special mention to India’s leading golfers, including Jeev Milkha Singh, Arjun Atwal and Jyoti Randhawa. What he failed to mention is that their success is largely due to the support given to them by the Asian Tour early in their careers.
‘Scatter-Brained’ Austin Keeps His Head in Memphis
Woody Austin has the kind of story that brings hope to us all. Having trudged the world in a host of jobs, thinking his true calling had passed him by, the 43-year-old Austin suddenly goes out and shoots an eight-under-par 62.
Once again, the former banker, bartender and drugstore supplier was a PGA Tour winner, triumphing at the Standford St Jude Championship by five shouts at TPC Southwind.
It was his third career title and first since 2004 after he totaled 267 for victory over Brian Davis, who scored 272 after closing with 66. David Toms was third on 273.
Austin, whose career has been dogged by injury, hopes his victory will give him a new lease of life on the golf course, after what he described as a poor 2007 before last week. He said on the PGA website:
“I’ve been pretty miserable all year. In the back of my mind, I’m thinking it’s all coming to an end. The game has changed so much it’s passed me by. But I certainly don’t want the dream to end.â€
Self-taught and self-described as “probably the most nervous person who has ever playedâ€, Austin certainly held his nerve on Sunday, shooting the lowest final round of the season so far and the best in the history of the 50-year-old Memphis tournament.
He also describes himself as a “scatter-brain†and he showed signs of that by breaking his putter after the 11th hole in frustration and started putting with his wedge.
However, it all came good in the end and, apart, from the $1.08 million first prize, Austin also qualified for the US Open.
Deaf Golfer Lee Flies High in Bangkok Airways Open
South Korea’s deaf golfer Lee Sung dedicated his first title on the Asian Tour to his coach and brother Lee Sung-joo after a wire-to-wire victory at the Bangkok Airways Open on the Thai resort of Santiburi Samui Country Club.
Lee closed with an even-par 71 for a winning total of 16-under-par 268, three strokes ahead of Thailand’s Prayad Marsaeng, who shot 66 in his last round. Lee, who shot a course record 62 on Saturday, communicates with his brother by lip reading and expects to have his sibling carry his bag for the rest of the season, as he said on the Asian Tour website:
“I am extremely happy with my win today, thanks to my brother who has been very good this week. I hope to have him on the bag for the rest of the season. I have been working on my swing with my brother for the past two years and it finally paid off this week.â€
Lee fired three birdies against one bogey in his final round on Sunday to stay ahead of Prayad, who finished five shots ahead of another Thai player, Prom Meesawat, and Japan’s Taichiro Kiyota. In fifth place, on 275, was Singapore’s Mardan Mamat, who last week had a joint second-place finish at the European Tour’s Celtic Manor Wales Open.
The course record of 62 that Lee set on Saturday was matched in the final round by Australian Mitchell Brown, who helped himself to joint 15th place on 280.
Asian Tour Chief Contradicts O’Grady
There is tension again between the Asian Tour and European Tour. Recently, Asian Tour officials were reported to have criticised the European Tour for paying appearance money to so-called star golfers to play in the BMW Asian Open.
Though Asian Tour executive chairman Kyi Hla Han said he was misquoted, the reports succeeded in implanting the first public seeds of discord between the two tours. Now, European Tour executive director George O’Grady has sparked a fresh row with his claim that the Europeans are in the final stages of refining the idea of amalgamating with other tours.
However, according to a PA report, the Asian Tour has yet to hear about these developments. Han was quoted as saying:
“We have not been informed or approached by the European Tour on its proposed idea. The Asian Tour has an existing co-sanction programme with the European Tour. If new proposals are put forward to the Asian Tour, it will be evaluated based on its benefit to the Asian Tour.â€
There are several tournaments in Asia that are co-sanctioned by the Asian and European Tours, though Asian officials say the joint sanctioning programme is only supported in order to enhance opportunities for regional golfers.
Indeed, many Asian golfers such as China’s Zhang Lian-wei, Indian Jeev Milkha Singh and Singapore’s Mardan Mamat, have managed to play on the European Tour because of their success in Asian-based co-sanctioned events.
However, with the Asian Tour strengthening every year and European events seemingly threatened by the expansion of money-spinning tournaments on the United States PGA Tour, Asia clearly believes that it has a stronger say in how far they accommodate foreign tours.
Jack vs Arnie — Act II
Most historians would agree that the combination of Arnold Palmer and television brought golf to the masses.
It was the 1958 Masters, one of golf’s first televised events, which saw Palmer birdie the last two holes to win. That Masters victory propelled Palmer to become the sport’s first matinée idol since Bobby Jones. He was everything the golf world needed. He was charismatic, good looking, and played the game with reckless abandon. Plus, he literally redefined the way golfers interacted with the crowd. People loved him. And he became “The King.”
However, it was the arrival a few years later of Jack Nicklaus that really propelled golf to another level. Nicklaus was the anti-Palmer. He was overweight, not charismatic, and played the game with a Hogan like precision. He was the golfer people loved to hate. Everyone respected his ability — but very few liked the fact there was a new contender to the throne; Especially someone who didn’t smile on the course or sign hundreds of autographs afterwards. And of course, everyone remembers the epic playoff at the 1962 U.S. Open, held in Palmer’s backyard; Oakmont Country Club, just outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was there that Nicklaus did the unthinkable — beating Palmer to notch his first victory.
Still, the rivalry was great for golf. And for a 5-year stretch, if Palmer didn’t win a big event — Nicklaus did. In fact, from 1960-66, Palmer and Nicklaus won 6 of 7 Masters titles. They basically took turns putting the green jacket on one another. They challenged one another to become better and quite frankly, neither Palmer or Nicklaus would have reached their historic heights without the other’s constant presence.
I believe we are primed to see the sequel to that great rivalry over the next couple years — with the opening act this summer — coming to a major near you. It’s time for Jack vs Arnie II, which someday history will remember as Tiger vs Phil. I see so many parallels between Jack/Arnie and Tiger/Phil — with Tiger taking on the role of Jack and Phil taking on the role of Arnie.
Lets first look at Tiger and Jack. Although I would say Tiger has definitely been more loved early in his career than Jack — it is still, in my opinion, not an idol worship – but more of a reverence. We are awed by this man’s great skills and are compelled to watch him — if only on the chance that we will see something never seen before. We respect Tiger, as he does everything correctly. He never says the wrong thing. He never chokes. He never lets us down with a missed 3 footer. He is, with the possible exception of Jack, the greatest golfer to ever hold a club. He is almost machine-like and we’re all extremely fortunate to be living in the “Age of Tiger.” He plays a game very similar to Nicklaus and if possible, wins more than Jack.
Phil Mickelson on the other hand is the anti-Tiger. He rarely plays the percentages. He breaks our hearts on a consistent basis. At times, we want to reach in the television and shake him. Try to get him thinking straight — so he doesn’t hit that driver on 18 at Winged Foot. Of course, he’s Phil, which means he wouldn’t have listened anyway. Still, we can relate to Phil a little better than Tiger. Phil has been disappointed. I’m not sure if Tiger has ever failed at anything. Phil has more than 5% body fat. Tiger worked out for 2 hours before winning the 2000 U.S. Open. Phil once got into gambling debt at Mandalay Bay Casino in Vegas. Tiger once had his charity ball at Mandalay Bay.
Why do I think Phil can challenge Tiger? Well, on top of Butch Harmon, it seems Phil has made a mental switch lately. He has taken the pressure off himself by saying — he would never be as good as Tiger. And that no matter what he did over the next few years, he could never come close to his record. I think that was the smartest thing Phil ever did. Look, it’s tough to be someone like Phil Mickelson without a giant ego. It’s almost impossible to ascend to his level without complete belief that you’re the best golfer. But the truth is — Tiger is better. Tiger knows it. Phil knew it. And Tiger knew that Phil knew. This combo makes it kind of tough to compete with someone coming down the stretch – especially if you’re kidding yourself and others by saying otherwise. But by taking the pressure off, like Phil has done recently, there is a much better chance of success. And I think we will see that success soon.
I look for Phil and Tiger to go head to head this summer in one of the majors. And I look for Phil to come out on top, which will give him so much confidence, that he will ride that wave the next few years and challenge Tiger regularly. He will never match Tiger’s record. Nor will he match his place in history. But I see Phil having a 50 win career with 6-7 majors. And if you think about it — that’s pretty close to Arnold Palmer’s record (63 wins – 7 majors). Of course, Tiger will probably go on to break all of Jack’s records, which will be something to see. And by the time he’s done, Tiger (like Jack) will be loved. He will be loved for his greatness. He will be loved for his steadfastness to his mission. He will be loved for all the memories. And when Tiger plays his last British Open in St. Andrews in about 35 years, the ovation he’ll get coming up 18 will be the loudest since Nicklaus’ final walk.
But until that time — golf fans want a rivalry. And the best rivalries are when two opposites go head to head. And if we are all just lucky enough — that is what we’ll see this summer.
Memorable Victory for Choi at Memorial
South Korea’s K.J. Choi fought back from five strokes off the lead to clinch a one-shot victory at the Memorial in Dublin, Ohio. Choi closed with a seven-under-par 65 at Muirfield Village Golf Club, including four saves on the final five holes, to bag his fifth PGA Tour title with a total of 271.
Ryan Moore carded a final-round 66 to finish on 272 while Rod Pampling and Kenny Perry shared third place on 273. Stewart Cink and Fredrik Jacobson were a further stroke behind in a tie for fifth.
The tournament is hosted by golfing legend Jack Nicklaus, who is also the event founder, and the 37-year-old Choi appeared more awed by the Golden Bear’s presence than he was by his triumph. He said on the PGA Tour website:
“It’s very meaningful. It’s hard to describe in words how meaningful it is. I just feel very honored and very happy to be living in the same age, same period of time as Jack is living, and to win his tournament is so meaningful to me. I can only think this was meant to be.â€
Indeed, Choi credits his success to his younger days when his teacher gave him a book entitled, “Golf My Wayâ€, written by Jack himself.
“My teacher kept emphasizing that this is a very famous golfer, so keep reading it. As I started reading it, I could understand why he was such a great golfer because all the things that were written really started to make sense.â€
On the European Tour, South African Richard Sterne scored a final round 65 for a one-stroke victory at the Celtic Manor Wales Open.
Sterne carded a four-round total of 13-under-ar 263 to finish a single shot ahead of four players – local hope Bradley Dredge, Danish pair Soren Kjeldsen and Mads Vibe-Hastrup and Singapore’s Mardan Mamat.
The 25-year-old emerged from a drama-packed four days with a narrow triumph that did justice to the competitive atmosphere since day one, when a European Tour record of nine players shared the first-round lead.
He shot five birdies in an amazing back nine of 29 to pop his head above the crowd and take the victory, which was worth 368,812 euro and moved him to fourth place on the European Order of Merit.
He may have been a deserving winner but, from the reported reaction of the crowd, he wasn’t the most popular as the Welsh fans rooted for Dredge. As Sterne said on the European Tour website, he was able to block out the negative vibes to claim the title.
“Obviously the crowd didn’t want a South African to win but in sport strange things can happen. Bradley is a great player and he has been close a few times in his career as well and unfortunately that is how it goes.â€
Dredge missed his chance for a play-off when he bogeyed the final hole after missing a six-foot putt for par, adding to the crowd’s frustration. Dredge said:
“I hit a good pitch and missed the putt. Tension? There is always tension over a six footer. There was a lot of tension over all the putts today.â€
