Reports out of Kapalua indicate that Rory “The Mouth that Roared” Sabbatini, is not talking to the press. I guess you wouldn’t be able to talk either if your size 10 Foot Joy was always in your pie hole. Sabbatini ducked the writers at the Mercedes-Benz Championship, figuring correctly that they would want to ask him about his unseemly WD from the Target world Challenge hosted by Tiger Woods. Even some of the fans at Kapalua were giving him the business for his graceless exit from Tiger’s event. The big question is how long Sabbatini’s self-imposed silence will last. My guess is that he will be spouting off and making headlines again before the Masters.
Hitting range balls while wondering whatever happened to Pat Fitzsimons.
Monday, January 7, 2008
Chopra Wins
In addition to qualifying for the Masters, Daniel Chopra’s win at the Mercedes-Benz Championship earned him enough money to keep him in hair care products for the next decade. Chopra, the bleached blonde Swede who grew up in India and played college golf at the University of Florida, held off Steve “Comeback Kid” Sticker with a birdie on the fourth playoff hole to win the opening event on the 2008 PGA Tour. Chopra had at least three putts to win that mysteriously died on the lip of the cut. Stricker, who won back-to-back PGA Tour Comeback Player of the Year awards, fired a final round 64, including a clutch birdie on the 72nd hole, to get in the playoff and starting the final round four shots behind the leader. He might have one the tournament on the first playoff hole had his putt from off the green not hit Chopra’s ball marker and stopped six feet short of the hole. All in all, it was a very entertaining opening event even if Tiger, Phil and Padraig Harrington decided not to make the trip to Maui.
Hitting range balls while wondering whatever happened to Webb Heintzelman.
Hitting range balls while wondering whatever happened to Webb Heintzelman.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Mercedes-Benz Championship Opens 2008
The 2008 PGA Tour opens today with the Mercedes-Benz Championship in Hawaii. Tournament winners from last year will play the limited field event on the Plantation Course at the Kapalua resort on the island of Maui.
As usual Tiger Woods (who hasn’t played this event since 2001) and Phil Mickelson are skipping the event, preferring to start their season at the Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines in San Diego January 24-27. Also skipping the event are British Open champion Padraig Harrington and Adam Scott, who ranked seventh in the world standings.
Boo Weekley, who qualified for his first Mercedes-Benz Championship with his victory at the Verizon Heritage, almost didn’t make it to Hawaii after airport security discovered two bullets from a rifle in his carry-on bag. Weekley had taken a hunting trip in the off-season and didn’t see them when he packed for Maui. “I had the cops there (at the airport),” he said. “I thought I was going to jail.” Looks like our boy Boo is off to another entertaining season.
Hitting range balls while wondering whatever happened to Tommy Jacobs.
As usual Tiger Woods (who hasn’t played this event since 2001) and Phil Mickelson are skipping the event, preferring to start their season at the Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines in San Diego January 24-27. Also skipping the event are British Open champion Padraig Harrington and Adam Scott, who ranked seventh in the world standings.
Boo Weekley, who qualified for his first Mercedes-Benz Championship with his victory at the Verizon Heritage, almost didn’t make it to Hawaii after airport security discovered two bullets from a rifle in his carry-on bag. Weekley had taken a hunting trip in the off-season and didn’t see them when he packed for Maui. “I had the cops there (at the airport),” he said. “I thought I was going to jail.” Looks like our boy Boo is off to another entertaining season.
Hitting range balls while wondering whatever happened to Tommy Jacobs.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
2008 Resolutions
Mr. Fairway is not big on resolutions, primarily because they usually end up like a wooden tee on par three – broken and scattered. However, he will make an exception for 2008.
First, I am going to resolve to pay no attention to Michelle Wie, the overrated former teen sensation. I’m going to get plenty of help ignoring her this year since her camp announced that she will not enter any men’s tour events. It’s about time. I reserve my right to break this resolution if she wins a tournament, but based on her performance in 2007 there isn’t much danger in that.
I also was going to resolve to pay not attention to Rory “The Mouth that Roared” Sabbatini. But the reality is that he is just too entertaining to ignore. Kind of like paying attention to John Daly and car wrecks…you want to see the carnage. His WD at the Target World Challenge was a personal affront to Tiger Woods and I want to see how that plays out over the course of the year.
Finally, I’m reinventing a resolution I have made in previous years with differing degrees of success. I am going to spend more time practicing my short game. All ration and reason indicates that average golfers could improve faster by spending more time working on their chips, pitches, sand shots, putting and other shots from 100 yards to the green. But it’s more fun to use limited practice time bashing balls on the range trying to replicate the amazing distance of Bubba Watson or Tiger Woods. It’s not going to happen for me so I’m going to make the best of it and try to improve by working on the short game. I’ll get back to you this summer on how it goes.
Hitting range balls while wondering whatever happened to Paul Bondeson.
First, I am going to resolve to pay no attention to Michelle Wie, the overrated former teen sensation. I’m going to get plenty of help ignoring her this year since her camp announced that she will not enter any men’s tour events. It’s about time. I reserve my right to break this resolution if she wins a tournament, but based on her performance in 2007 there isn’t much danger in that.
I also was going to resolve to pay not attention to Rory “The Mouth that Roared” Sabbatini. But the reality is that he is just too entertaining to ignore. Kind of like paying attention to John Daly and car wrecks…you want to see the carnage. His WD at the Target World Challenge was a personal affront to Tiger Woods and I want to see how that plays out over the course of the year.
Finally, I’m reinventing a resolution I have made in previous years with differing degrees of success. I am going to spend more time practicing my short game. All ration and reason indicates that average golfers could improve faster by spending more time working on their chips, pitches, sand shots, putting and other shots from 100 yards to the green. But it’s more fun to use limited practice time bashing balls on the range trying to replicate the amazing distance of Bubba Watson or Tiger Woods. It’s not going to happen for me so I’m going to make the best of it and try to improve by working on the short game. I’ll get back to you this summer on how it goes.
Hitting range balls while wondering whatever happened to Paul Bondeson.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Rory Takes A Walk
Rory “The Mouth That Roared” Sabbatini is in the news again and it’s not good. Sabbatini, who has a penchant for feasting on his foot (“Tiger is more beatable than he’s ever been”) withdrew from Tiger’s Target World Challenge before the final round Sunday. He failed to inform his host or tournament organizers and apparently got an early start to Hawaii where he spends the holidays. Tournament director Greg McLaughlin petitioned the PGA Tour to without one-fourth of the $170,000 that Sabbatini earned as the last place finisher in the 16-man field at the event and rightly so. Woods apparently was not amused by Sabbatini’s flimsy excuse – shin splints – and other pros properly roasted him for ducking out of the event. Common courtesy dictates that if you accept the invitation to a special event with guaranteed money, you should at least finish the tournament. Remember the uproar after Michelle Wie cited a phantom injury and left the tournament hosted by Annika Sorenstam this summer? Sabbatini has now firmly established himself as the number once scoundrel on the tour.
Hitting range balls while wondering whatever happened to Isao Aoki.
Hitting range balls while wondering whatever happened to Isao Aoki.
Saturday, December 15, 2007
PGA Tour Releases Drug Policy
Perhaps it was just a coincidence but on the same day that former Sen. George Mitchell released his long-awaited report on steroid use in major league baseball, the PGA Tour sent players copies of its anti-doping policies and procedures. The Tour had previously announced that drug testing will start this summer. Predictably, players interviewed at the Tiger Woods Target World Challenge had not read the 41-page document. Several players, including Woods, made inane statements about how “thick” the handbook was, suggesting it would be beyond their comprehension to read anything more difficult than a scorecard or a pin sheet. The booklet contains a list of prohibited substances that fall under 10 categories, ranging from anabolic steroids to human growth hormones (HGH), which were a focus of the Mitchell report on baseball. The banned substances also include narcotics to beta blockers. Unlike baseball, which apparently told players about “random” tests in advance, the PGA Tour can test players any time and any where without notice, event at non-tournament sites. In fairness, Woods and other pros said they are in favor of drug testing. The LPGA Tour also will start drug testing this year. Until the first tests are conducted, right now golf is perhaps the only major sport devoid of questions about drug use. Let’s hope it stays that way.
Hitting range balls while wondering whatever happened to Lon Hinkle.
Hitting range balls while wondering whatever happened to Lon Hinkle.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Q-School Notes
The most gut wrenching tournament of the year, the PGA Tour’s Qualifying School, concluded this week as 166 professionals attempted to win privileges for the 2007 season. Q-School always has more than its share of triumphs and heartaches and this year was no different.
Veteran Frank Lickliter opened the six-round event with back-to-back rounds of 62 to finish first. Veterans Duffy Waldorf, a former Q-School medalist, and Jim McGovern also won their cards. Tommy Gainey, a Golf Channel Big Break winner, will take his unique swing and nickname (“Two Gloves” because he wears golf gloves on both hands) to the Big Show next year. The feel good story of the week had to be Todd Demsey, a former Nationwide Tour player who played with Phil Mickelson at Arizona State. Demsey recovered from two operations to remove a tumor in his brain.
Hitting range balls while wondering whatever happened to Mac O’Grady.
Veteran Frank Lickliter opened the six-round event with back-to-back rounds of 62 to finish first. Veterans Duffy Waldorf, a former Q-School medalist, and Jim McGovern also won their cards. Tommy Gainey, a Golf Channel Big Break winner, will take his unique swing and nickname (“Two Gloves” because he wears golf gloves on both hands) to the Big Show next year. The feel good story of the week had to be Todd Demsey, a former Nationwide Tour player who played with Phil Mickelson at Arizona State. Demsey recovered from two operations to remove a tumor in his brain.
Hitting range balls while wondering whatever happened to Mac O’Grady.
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