Steve Williams

Steve Williams is a punk who thinks he is above the game of golf. As Tiger’s caddie, bodyguard and alter ego, his dust-ups with photographers and fans have been well documented. Tiger called him out for his intemperate remarks about Phil Mickelson. The issue I have with Williams is this: during the final round of tournaments, when he gets to the 18th green and before everyone has holed out, Williams takes off his PGA Tour-issued caddie bib. I understand that perhaps he finds the bib, which help spectators identify players and has pockets for yardage books, scorecards, etc., uncomfortable, but why does he feel compelled to remove it on the 18th green? Is it to better show off the Valvoline logo on his white mock turtle neck – he is paid to endorse their product? I think it’s an act of impunity and defiance that Williams knows he can get away with because PGA Tour officials, in deference to Tiger, won’t challenge him. If every other caddie in the tournament can leave their bibs on until the round is over, so can Steve Williams.

Hitting range balls while wondering whatever happened to Terry Snodgrass.

More From the AT&T

I love to watch Jim Furyk with his funky swing. He certainly is one of the best players on the PGA Tour. But watching him putt is unbearable. At last week’s AT&T National, I saw Furyk on several greens and to say he is methodical is an understatement. He has this routine where, after looking at the line and making some practice strokes, he addresses the putt and just when you think he is ready to go, he backs away and lines everything up all over again. Godalmighty, Jim, step up and hit it. No wonder the pros get hammered for slow play.

The best shot I saw last week came on the 10th hole, a 210-yard par three over water. With the pin cut on the right rear of a very undulating green, Anthony Kim hit his ball about pin high, a good 50 feet left of the hole. From where he was, Kim would have had to putt up a hill very close to the edge of the green to get the ball close to the hole. So Kim took out either his sand wedge or lob wedge and hit a little pitch shot off the green, over the mound near the fringe and down to the hole where it checked and stopped a foot away. Tap in par. My buddy and I looked at each and agreed the kid can play.

Hitting range balls while wondering whatever happened to Scott Simpson.

Tiger Wins Again

Tiger Woods won his tournament Sunday, outlasting Hunter Mahan and defending champion Anthony Kim who faltered down the stretch. (Mrs. Fairway thought Tiger winning his own event was a conflict of interest.) Tiger’s victory at the AT&T National Presented by Tiger Woods (as the CBS promos said), makes it a hat trick this year for victories in tournaments hosted by golf greats. Woods won the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill and The Memorial, hosted by Jack Nicklaus. Woods made crucial putts when he need them and watched as Kim, his fellow competitor in the final group, missed twice from inside 10 feet. No question that Woods will be the favorite heading into the British Open at Turnberry in two weeks. Mr. Fairway had the pleasure of attending the Thursday round and saw Tiger hole a 50-foot putt for birdie on the second hole. Stay tuned for more tournament notes.

Hitting range balls while wondering whatever happened to Bob Lohr.

Play Faster Or I'll Shoot

This not how to handle slow play. A 73-year-old Austin, Texas man complaining about how slowly the group in from of him was playing at the Lions Municipal Golf Course on Monday pointed a loaded pistol at the offenders in the parking lot after the round. Police said Edwin Dailey was charge with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after he was arrested a few blocks from the golf course. A University of Texas student assistant football coach said Dailey complained on the ninth hole that he and his two friends were playing too slowly. They argued back and forth over the next four holes and on the 13th hole, Dailey said that he would get his gun and "make them both equal." When they were in the parking lot, Dailey pulled a .25-caliber Browning handgun loaded with hollow-point bullets and pointed it one of the men. The threesome took cover and called 911. Police arrested Dailey and found another gun, a .38-caliber Beretta pistol, in his cooler.

Hitting range balls while wondering whatever happened to Rodger Tambellini.

Glover Wins U.S. Open

Lucas Glover rallied with a birdie on No. 16 Monday to win the U.S. Open, withstanding late charges by Phil Mickelson and David Duval. Mickelson saw his chances disappear after he missed two short putts (where have we seen that before?) on the back nine. Duval, who was once the number one player in the world and is now ranked No. 882, lipped out a short par putt on the par three 17th hole.

Here are a few observations about the championship:

The USGA created a wave a criticism when it bungled questions about giving rain checks to fans who had tickets for the Thursday round, most of which was washed out. While their explanation was sound for a no rain check policy, they waited too long to explain it and then had to go into scramble mode to let fans know they could use those tickets for Monday.

The USGA made a mistake by starting the fourth round Sunday evening. The leaders only played one hole. Why not end the day for everyone and come back first thing in the morning for a full 18 holes? They certainly started early enough that they still could have had an 18-hole playoff and finish by dark if necessary.

Tiger Woods will be kicking himself over his play at Bethpage. Coming off a sterling performance at The Memorial, Woods never was able to drive the ball consistently and he didn’t make enough crucial putts.

Mickelson, who now has five second place finishes in the U.S. Open, played some heroic golf, especially with the weight of his wife Amy’s upcoming treatment for breast cancer on his mind. But as I’ve been saying for years, he misses more critical putts in the 4-foot to 8-foot range than any other great player.

One reason I love the U.S. Open is that you can always count on some obscure players showing up on the leader board. This year it was Ricky Barnes (done in by a final round 76) and Ross Fisher.

Hitting range balls while wondering whatever happened to David Gossett.

Another Tiger Miracle

As he watched the final round of the Memorial Tournament on Sunday, Mr. Fairway was kicking himself for a bet he didn’t make. After Tiger Woods shot a 74 on Friday, one of Mr. Fairway’s buddies suggested he was out of the tournament hosted by Jack Nicklaus. Mr. Fairway almost made the bet that Tiger would be even money to win. Well, on Sunday, Woods came from four strokes back take the title making Tigeresque shots along the way. First there was the improbable eagle from the rough on No. 11 and the birdies on Nos. 17 and 18 – from 13 inches – to seal a 65. When Jonathan Byrd missed a short birdie putt on the 17th, woods claimed his fourth Memorial title. Jim Furyk’s birdie on the 18th game him second place alone. By winning, Woods erased any doubts that he is the prohibitive favorite to repeat his 2002 U.S. Open championship at Bethpage in New York in two weeks. An ominous sign for the Open field is that Tiger only missed five fairways off the tee all week and none in the final round. Mr. Fairway will take that bet that Tiger is better than even money to notch another U.S. Open win.

Hitting range balls while wondering whatever happened to Bruce Devlin.

Mickelson To Play Memphis, U.S. Open

Good news for Phil Mickelson fans and the golf world. Mickelson, who suspended his PGA Tour schedule two weeks ago after his wife Amy was diagnosed with breast cancer, will play in the St. Jude Championship in Memphis next week as well as the U.S. Open at Bethpage, N.Y. the following week. Mickelson said doctors believe they detected Amy’s cancer early and that he will be back on the golf course. Mickelson finished second to Tiger Woods in the 2002 U.S. Open at Bethpage Black. The other good news is that Mickelson’s return will overshadow the return of John Daly, who also is playing in Memphis.

Hitting range balls while wondering whatever happened to Brett Upper.