It’s October, meaning if you haven’t secured your 2009 playing card by now you are running out of time. Last year’s PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament was contested over six rounds at two different courses at Orange County National Golf Center and Lodge. The top 25 players (and ties) all earned full playing privileges on the 2008 PGA TOUR. So, how did the 26 players who earned their PGA TOUR cards measure up in 2008?
The number one qualifier, Frank Lickliter, used the experience he gained in 362 PGA starts and two wins to kick-butt at last year’s q-school posting a whopping 29-under performance. He opened with a pair of 62s and never looked back.
However, Frank Lickliter was unable to muster any of that magic on Tour in 2008, and unless he pulls a Villegas or Singh and wins the next two Tour events, he’s going back to q-school.
Last year’s second place winner, Brett Rumford, faired even worse and is ranked 156th as of October 1, 2008. The Australian won the 2004 Irish Open as well as the 2003 St. Omer Open, and the Omega European Masters, but that was then and this is now. Brett is also headed back to q-school.
Chris Stoud, the 25-year old Texan, finished third at q-school last year. In 2007 he was close to keeping his card finishing 133rd on the Tour money list, but close isn’t good enough. However, 2008 has not been any kinder to young Chris and if nothing changes he’s going to finish 207th on the money list and that kind of play won’t pay the bills or keep your card.
Number four q-school finisher in 2007, Jin Park, would join fellow South Korean K.J. Choi on the 2008 TOUR. Showing the consistency needed to make it in the big times, Jin played bogey-free in the third and fifth rounds to secure his card. But, alas he could not carry any of the momentum over to 2008 and is presently ranked 183 on the money list, meaning that K. J. Choi may not have anyone to talk to in 2009.
Fifth place qualifier, Jason Allred, had 33 starts, made 9 cuts, and finished 74th on the 2007 Nationwide Tour. The Oregon native shot a stunning 64 in the third round of the Qualifying Tournament to move into contention for a card. He scored an incredible six eagles in the Qualifying Tournament, including an eagle on the par-4 ninth in round one. In 2008 Jason Allred is ranked 224 on the money list.
Are you starting to get the picture?
Number six qualifier, Yong-Eun Yang, is ranked 153; number seven, Tag Ridings, is ranked 152; number eight, Todd Demsey is 204; and number nine Travis Perkins is ranked 235. Of the top-ten q-school qualifiers only number ten Brad Adamonis, ranked 116, is likely to keep his card in 2009.
What a surprise. Before checking this year’s money list, I assumed that getting your card was at least half the battle, but as it turns out it’s maybe only about ten percent of the battle. I can’t imagine what it feels like to work that hard and not only make it through q-school, but finish in the top-ten, only to lose your card your first year out. It must be devastating.
There must be a lesson here, like success is a marathon not a sprint, or perhaps it is something even more obvious; the guys that keep their card year after year, the Fred Couples and Davis Love III and Vijay Singh’s of this golfing world are really, really good, and that may be an understatement.
And, by the way, this year’s q-school is December 3rd through 8th at the PGA West Stadium Course in LaQuinta, California.
Friday, January 16, 2009
If Michelle Wie Would Only Listen To Me
By now you already know what Michelle Wie shot in the first round of the Legends Reno-Tahoe Open, or perhaps you don’t care, and I’m not sure I blame you.
In a story that has gone from a feel good teenage phenomenon, to a Shakespearean tragedy, to down right Jerry Springer, Michelle Wie, or whoever is pulling the strings, continues to make one poor decision after another.
That Michelle needs to keep her mouth shut and wear beige until she wins something is obvious to everyone except Michelle and her handlers. However, what is becoming more and more obvious is that playing on the PGA Tour is all about money for Michelle… not the money she hopes to win, cause that’s not about to happen, but the money she has already collected and the money she hopes to collect as a dancing bear.
The ten or twelve million bucks that Nike and others gladly handed the teenager a couple of years ago, now looks like a mistake, and if there is going to be a second and third check Michelle needs to stay in the spotlight. But when the dancing bear ceases to be cute and can’t learn any new dance steps, people stop buying tickets and writing checks.
At sixteen Michelle was a teenage phenomenon with a long fluid swing that reminded everyone of Tiger Woods. At 18 she is just another young lady trying to make it. You will notice that I didn’t say trying to play golf for a living, because I don’t think that’s what she is doing. Whether it’s greed, or stupidity, this terrific young athlete has gone from cute to pathetic, and is looking a lot more like Paris Hilton than Lorena Ochoa.
David Duval, a guy who knows a bit about the ups and downs of a career, said Michelle needs to focus on the Futures Tour, not the LPGA or the PGA. Jay Williamson called it a joke when he heard Wie would play in the Reno tournament.
But, Michelle doesn't care that some people think it's a bad idea, especially if the somebody is Jay Williams, about whom she said, "I don't know who he is.”
That’s cold.
In an odd mixture of innocence and logic, Michelle also said "I wish I had no critics, but I'm realistic. People will write negative things about me. The only thing I can control is myself. A good score will resolve everything."
Tiger, now that you have a lot of time on your hands, perhaps you could give Michelle and her handlers a call. Talk about the fact that even you didn’t go pro at sixteen. Remind them that you also went to Stanford, however you played for the Cardinal. You could spend a little time talking about your U.S. Amateur Championships and how playing in PGA Tour events as an amateur gave you the experience without the pressure to win. Remind them how Phil Michelson won a PGA Tour event as an amateur and still didn’t turn pro until he finished school, and how when you turned pro you won a tournament before the ink was dry…
Wait a minute. Here’s something hot off the press from Forbes.com. “Wednesday, July 23, 2008. Hawaii's golf superstar Michelle Wie has been named one of the highest-paid female athletes by Forbes Magazine. Wie, 18, took the fifth spot on the list with her $12 million in earnings from endorsements, according to the magazine. She has endorsement deals with Nike and Sony, among others. Wie was previously named to the magazine's 20 Under 25 list of Top-Earning Young Superstars.”
On second thought, what the hell do I know? Michelle you look kind of cute as a dancing bear.
In a story that has gone from a feel good teenage phenomenon, to a Shakespearean tragedy, to down right Jerry Springer, Michelle Wie, or whoever is pulling the strings, continues to make one poor decision after another.
That Michelle needs to keep her mouth shut and wear beige until she wins something is obvious to everyone except Michelle and her handlers. However, what is becoming more and more obvious is that playing on the PGA Tour is all about money for Michelle… not the money she hopes to win, cause that’s not about to happen, but the money she has already collected and the money she hopes to collect as a dancing bear.
The ten or twelve million bucks that Nike and others gladly handed the teenager a couple of years ago, now looks like a mistake, and if there is going to be a second and third check Michelle needs to stay in the spotlight. But when the dancing bear ceases to be cute and can’t learn any new dance steps, people stop buying tickets and writing checks.
At sixteen Michelle was a teenage phenomenon with a long fluid swing that reminded everyone of Tiger Woods. At 18 she is just another young lady trying to make it. You will notice that I didn’t say trying to play golf for a living, because I don’t think that’s what she is doing. Whether it’s greed, or stupidity, this terrific young athlete has gone from cute to pathetic, and is looking a lot more like Paris Hilton than Lorena Ochoa.
David Duval, a guy who knows a bit about the ups and downs of a career, said Michelle needs to focus on the Futures Tour, not the LPGA or the PGA. Jay Williamson called it a joke when he heard Wie would play in the Reno tournament.
But, Michelle doesn't care that some people think it's a bad idea, especially if the somebody is Jay Williams, about whom she said, "I don't know who he is.”
That’s cold.
In an odd mixture of innocence and logic, Michelle also said "I wish I had no critics, but I'm realistic. People will write negative things about me. The only thing I can control is myself. A good score will resolve everything."
Tiger, now that you have a lot of time on your hands, perhaps you could give Michelle and her handlers a call. Talk about the fact that even you didn’t go pro at sixteen. Remind them that you also went to Stanford, however you played for the Cardinal. You could spend a little time talking about your U.S. Amateur Championships and how playing in PGA Tour events as an amateur gave you the experience without the pressure to win. Remind them how Phil Michelson won a PGA Tour event as an amateur and still didn’t turn pro until he finished school, and how when you turned pro you won a tournament before the ink was dry…
Wait a minute. Here’s something hot off the press from Forbes.com. “Wednesday, July 23, 2008. Hawaii's golf superstar Michelle Wie has been named one of the highest-paid female athletes by Forbes Magazine. Wie, 18, took the fifth spot on the list with her $12 million in earnings from endorsements, according to the magazine. She has endorsement deals with Nike and Sony, among others. Wie was previously named to the magazine's 20 Under 25 list of Top-Earning Young Superstars.”
On second thought, what the hell do I know? Michelle you look kind of cute as a dancing bear.
Golf’s First Sugar Daddy, Rodman Wanamaker And The Legacy of The PGA Championship
Ninety years ago, a Princeton man by the name of Rodman Wanamaker invited a group of golfers to lunch at the Taplow Club in New York. Although it wasn’t on the menu, by the end of the meal they had cooked up the Professional Golfers’ Association of America (PGA), and the rest is history.
As the richest guy at lunch, Rodman Wanamaker did more than pick up the check that day, he forked over 2,500 bucks and a slick looking trophy. Then, as if to prove that golfers are smarter than your average jock, some guy in the back of the room shouted, “Let’s call it the Wanamaker Trophy.” Seven months later an Englishman by the name of Jim Barnes grabbed the prize money and Wanamaker Trophy at Siwanoy Country Club in Bronxville, New York, then promptly asked his caddie to hold his 5-iron while he went off to fight the First World War.
I don’t know why this department store tycoon was interested enough in golf to lay out 2,500 bucks; perhaps he was a groupie, but he did the same thing for track and field when he started up the Millrose Games. He also inaugurated the Wanamaker Mile and reportedly began the tradition of playing The Star Spangled Banner at sporting events.
Golf’s first Sugar Daddy was also a pioneer in sponsoring record-breaking aviation projects and an early backer of transatlantic flight. Commander Richard Byrd grabbed a few of Wanamaker’s bucks and piloted Wanamaker's airship America across the Atlantic just days after Lindbergh’s historic solo crossing proving once again that second place is just the first loser.
Rodman Wanamaker checked out for good in 1928 leaving among other things the world’s largest pipe organ, a Landaulette Rolls-Royce used by General Pershing in the ticker-tape parade celebrating the end of World War One, and his Palm Beach, Florida winter home, La Guerida, that he had built in 1923. The home was later purchased by Joe Kennedy for a $120,000 and would later become President John Kennedy’s “Winter White House.” But you may remember the house from the William Kennedy Smith rape trial. Is that six degrees of Rodman Wanamaker, or what?
So, as you stroll down the fairways of Oakland Hills this week, the site of 16 national and major championships: 6 U.S. Opens, two U.S. Senior Opens, U.S. Women's Amateur, U.S. Men's Amateur, Western Open, and Carling World Open; the 35th Ryder Cup in 2004; and three PGA Championships, including the 90th PGA Championship in 2008, you can turn to your buddy and say, “That Rodman Wanamaker was a hell of a guy, wasn’t he?”
The same year that Rodman Wanamaker said, “Let’s do lunch to the PGA” the South Course at Oakland Hills was opened. The course was designed by the foremost golf course architect of his day, Donald Ross. That same year, the Club also engaged its first golf professional, Walter Hagen, who had attended lunch that day with Rodman Wanamaker, and more importantly had already won the U. S. Open.
Thirty some odd years later, in preparation for the 1951 U.S. Open, the club directors once again gave foremost golf course architect of his day, Robert Trent Jones, a mandate: create the toughest course the players had ever encountered. That year, no player broke par the first round and the scoring average was 78.4. However, on Sunday Ben Hogan’s incredible 67 stole the show and started another legend.
Almost sixty years later, Rees Jones, the son of Robert Trent Jones, has taken on a different challenge. Due to improvements in players' skills and the changes in both the golf ball and golf equipment, Jones decided to add almost 400 yards to the Oakland Hills layout, but he didn’t stop there. And, although he may not have been given the same specific mandate as his father, the changes that were made were designed specifically to challenge today's greatest players. That would be six of one and a half a dozen of the other, as they say.
Obviously, there was a certain “Return to Mayberry” aspect about the whole thing. Here was Rees Jones renovating the course that helped make his father, Robert Trent Jones, famous. All the while the membership at Oakland Hills anxiously waited to see if Rees had sharpened the teeth of the Donald Ross classic and once again made Oakland Hills the supreme test for the strongest field in golf.
Enjoy the 90th PGA Championship; it should be special.
As the richest guy at lunch, Rodman Wanamaker did more than pick up the check that day, he forked over 2,500 bucks and a slick looking trophy. Then, as if to prove that golfers are smarter than your average jock, some guy in the back of the room shouted, “Let’s call it the Wanamaker Trophy.” Seven months later an Englishman by the name of Jim Barnes grabbed the prize money and Wanamaker Trophy at Siwanoy Country Club in Bronxville, New York, then promptly asked his caddie to hold his 5-iron while he went off to fight the First World War.
I don’t know why this department store tycoon was interested enough in golf to lay out 2,500 bucks; perhaps he was a groupie, but he did the same thing for track and field when he started up the Millrose Games. He also inaugurated the Wanamaker Mile and reportedly began the tradition of playing The Star Spangled Banner at sporting events.
Golf’s first Sugar Daddy was also a pioneer in sponsoring record-breaking aviation projects and an early backer of transatlantic flight. Commander Richard Byrd grabbed a few of Wanamaker’s bucks and piloted Wanamaker's airship America across the Atlantic just days after Lindbergh’s historic solo crossing proving once again that second place is just the first loser.
Rodman Wanamaker checked out for good in 1928 leaving among other things the world’s largest pipe organ, a Landaulette Rolls-Royce used by General Pershing in the ticker-tape parade celebrating the end of World War One, and his Palm Beach, Florida winter home, La Guerida, that he had built in 1923. The home was later purchased by Joe Kennedy for a $120,000 and would later become President John Kennedy’s “Winter White House.” But you may remember the house from the William Kennedy Smith rape trial. Is that six degrees of Rodman Wanamaker, or what?
So, as you stroll down the fairways of Oakland Hills this week, the site of 16 national and major championships: 6 U.S. Opens, two U.S. Senior Opens, U.S. Women's Amateur, U.S. Men's Amateur, Western Open, and Carling World Open; the 35th Ryder Cup in 2004; and three PGA Championships, including the 90th PGA Championship in 2008, you can turn to your buddy and say, “That Rodman Wanamaker was a hell of a guy, wasn’t he?”
The same year that Rodman Wanamaker said, “Let’s do lunch to the PGA” the South Course at Oakland Hills was opened. The course was designed by the foremost golf course architect of his day, Donald Ross. That same year, the Club also engaged its first golf professional, Walter Hagen, who had attended lunch that day with Rodman Wanamaker, and more importantly had already won the U. S. Open.
Thirty some odd years later, in preparation for the 1951 U.S. Open, the club directors once again gave foremost golf course architect of his day, Robert Trent Jones, a mandate: create the toughest course the players had ever encountered. That year, no player broke par the first round and the scoring average was 78.4. However, on Sunday Ben Hogan’s incredible 67 stole the show and started another legend.
Almost sixty years later, Rees Jones, the son of Robert Trent Jones, has taken on a different challenge. Due to improvements in players' skills and the changes in both the golf ball and golf equipment, Jones decided to add almost 400 yards to the Oakland Hills layout, but he didn’t stop there. And, although he may not have been given the same specific mandate as his father, the changes that were made were designed specifically to challenge today's greatest players. That would be six of one and a half a dozen of the other, as they say.
Obviously, there was a certain “Return to Mayberry” aspect about the whole thing. Here was Rees Jones renovating the course that helped make his father, Robert Trent Jones, famous. All the while the membership at Oakland Hills anxiously waited to see if Rees had sharpened the teeth of the Donald Ross classic and once again made Oakland Hills the supreme test for the strongest field in golf.
Enjoy the 90th PGA Championship; it should be special.
Ranking Your Life
I’m a long way from being famous, but still I put my work out there for thousands of people to read each week. Some of it is good. Some is fair. And, some of it should come with an apology for wasting your time.
Over the years, I’m not sure if I have received more hate mail than love letters, but I understand that inducing a reaction from readers, good or bad, is part of my job. It’s okay to disagree with me; as a matter of fact I prefer it, not because I am wrong, which is rare, but because there’s nothing like a good verbal brawl to get things going.
Still, unbridled criticism is hard on the ego and living your life in a fish bowl makes it even harder.
Now, take the amount of public criticism that I receive times a million and you start to understand what professional golfers go through each week. If you play golf for a living every great shot is immortalized, but so is every poor one. That’s the price of fame.
We believe in perfection, or at least the pursuit of perfection. We are willing to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to witness the speed and grace that comes with perfection. But don’t falter. We don’t care if you’re tired or wounded. We don’t care if your wife charged a sex change operation on your American Express card, or if you have an ingrown toenail. You play golf for a living, I sell cars; do you want to trade? Having a bad day is not an option.
For a professional golfer the ultimate bad day is losing your playing privileges. Finish 125 on the money list and you’re a member of the club, stumble to 126 and your dream becomes a nightmare, and it’s something that everyone except the very best must go through every year.
There is also the demon that no athlete can overcome called age. It tiptoes behind each athlete everyday slowly but surely robbing them of the speed, agility and skills we envy. Age is cruel. It attacks the body before the mind, making it hard to know when to quit. But the money list never asks how old you are, or if you had some bad luck. It ranks your golf life and it never asks questions. As the Bob Dylan song goes, “Those not busy being born are busy dying,” and those not moving up on the money list are moving down.
But in two weeks it will all be over. We’ll know who gets to keep their card and who will have to try again. If you’re David Toms and choose not to play this past week you drop from 120 to 124 on the money list, which is only one better than Patrick who actually played, won $23,667 and still lost one position from 124 to 125 on the money list.
That hurts, but not as much as Jeff Overton and Mark Calcavecchia who also choose not to play and each drop out of the top 125.
With only two tournaments left paying official money, I was surprised that Fred Couples seems safe at position 102. I say this only because I haven’t seen Fred very much this year. The same goes for Corey Pavin at 104. Former U.S. Open Champion Angel Cabrera, who is one spot ahead of David Love III, at 114, is likely safe, as well.
Chris DiMarco, ranked 142, is going to need sponsor exemptions in 2009, as will guys like Jason Gore, Tom Lehman, Lee Janzen and former British Open Champion Todd Hamilton. As the old quarterback Bobby Layne once said, “In sports, it’s not very far from the penthouse to the outhouse.”
David Duval did not play this week and also lost one spot but that hardly matters when you’re ranked 223 on the money list. The same goes for big John Daly who so far has pocketed $56,017 in official money in 2008. Counting the cigarettes and Diet Cokes, I doubt if that covers half of his expenses. The same can be said for “Big Break” Tommy Gainey who has made $65,405 in 2008 and will no doubt go broke buying gloves.
You may find it interesting that the last 31 players on the money list did not play this past week and will likely not play in the last two tournaments. Some of the guys on the wrong end of the list are guys like Paul Azinger and Nick Price who didn’t expect to finish in the top 125, and some are guys like Cody Freeman who went to the tournament well 24 times in 2008 never dreaming he would end up ranked 226 on the money list.
Check out the entire official money list on PGA.com. You will notice that some guy named Tiger is likely to keep his card even though he played in only six tournaments in 2008.
Over the years, I’m not sure if I have received more hate mail than love letters, but I understand that inducing a reaction from readers, good or bad, is part of my job. It’s okay to disagree with me; as a matter of fact I prefer it, not because I am wrong, which is rare, but because there’s nothing like a good verbal brawl to get things going.
Still, unbridled criticism is hard on the ego and living your life in a fish bowl makes it even harder.
Now, take the amount of public criticism that I receive times a million and you start to understand what professional golfers go through each week. If you play golf for a living every great shot is immortalized, but so is every poor one. That’s the price of fame.
We believe in perfection, or at least the pursuit of perfection. We are willing to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to witness the speed and grace that comes with perfection. But don’t falter. We don’t care if you’re tired or wounded. We don’t care if your wife charged a sex change operation on your American Express card, or if you have an ingrown toenail. You play golf for a living, I sell cars; do you want to trade? Having a bad day is not an option.
For a professional golfer the ultimate bad day is losing your playing privileges. Finish 125 on the money list and you’re a member of the club, stumble to 126 and your dream becomes a nightmare, and it’s something that everyone except the very best must go through every year.
There is also the demon that no athlete can overcome called age. It tiptoes behind each athlete everyday slowly but surely robbing them of the speed, agility and skills we envy. Age is cruel. It attacks the body before the mind, making it hard to know when to quit. But the money list never asks how old you are, or if you had some bad luck. It ranks your golf life and it never asks questions. As the Bob Dylan song goes, “Those not busy being born are busy dying,” and those not moving up on the money list are moving down.
But in two weeks it will all be over. We’ll know who gets to keep their card and who will have to try again. If you’re David Toms and choose not to play this past week you drop from 120 to 124 on the money list, which is only one better than Patrick who actually played, won $23,667 and still lost one position from 124 to 125 on the money list.
That hurts, but not as much as Jeff Overton and Mark Calcavecchia who also choose not to play and each drop out of the top 125.
With only two tournaments left paying official money, I was surprised that Fred Couples seems safe at position 102. I say this only because I haven’t seen Fred very much this year. The same goes for Corey Pavin at 104. Former U.S. Open Champion Angel Cabrera, who is one spot ahead of David Love III, at 114, is likely safe, as well.
Chris DiMarco, ranked 142, is going to need sponsor exemptions in 2009, as will guys like Jason Gore, Tom Lehman, Lee Janzen and former British Open Champion Todd Hamilton. As the old quarterback Bobby Layne once said, “In sports, it’s not very far from the penthouse to the outhouse.”
David Duval did not play this week and also lost one spot but that hardly matters when you’re ranked 223 on the money list. The same goes for big John Daly who so far has pocketed $56,017 in official money in 2008. Counting the cigarettes and Diet Cokes, I doubt if that covers half of his expenses. The same can be said for “Big Break” Tommy Gainey who has made $65,405 in 2008 and will no doubt go broke buying gloves.
You may find it interesting that the last 31 players on the money list did not play this past week and will likely not play in the last two tournaments. Some of the guys on the wrong end of the list are guys like Paul Azinger and Nick Price who didn’t expect to finish in the top 125, and some are guys like Cody Freeman who went to the tournament well 24 times in 2008 never dreaming he would end up ranked 226 on the money list.
Check out the entire official money list on PGA.com. You will notice that some guy named Tiger is likely to keep his card even though he played in only six tournaments in 2008.
The King is Dead. Long Live the King;
It all started 20 years ago when Greg Norman decided that the PGA Tour was not the center of the universe, and now that same idea is sending Tim Finchem back to the medicine cabinet for another roll of Tums. Who cares if it makes perfect sense for the tour to go international? The PGA Tour, like my kid, is not into sharing, especially when it comes to their stars and the money they generate.
What I’m talking about is the rights to big-time golf, which the PGA Tour believes they own, more than the Euros, more than the Asians, more than anybody.
As I said, Greg Norman stirred everything up years ago with talk of a world tour, which was cut short (some say bought off) by the creation of the World Golf Championships series. But that was then and this is now. And, as powerful as Tim Finchem believes he and the PGA Tour is, it is no match for Dubai, Singapore, Berlin, South Africa and a half dozen other places around the world that will pay to see the big boys play.
This time around, it’s the “Race to Dubai” that’s causing all the trouble. It’s the Euro Tour’s version of the FedEx Cup that has caused the likes of Sergio Garcia and Geoff Ogilvy to commit to playing 12 times next year on the European Tour for a chance at the $10,000,000 paid out in Dubai, plus the additional $10,000,000 bonus money. And, unless someone figures out how to add twelve weeks to the calendar, that’s at least six fewer weeks they’ll play on the PGA Tour.
So what, you say. It’s only a couple of guys.
Well, there’s more, lead by Anthony Kim, perhaps the PGA Tour’s brightest new star, there are a half-dozen other PGA Tour players who have decided to take up joint membership in Europe for the 2009 season.
The likeable Kim, whose two PGA Tour victories skyrocketed him to No. 8 in the world ranking, laid out $3,280 in hard cash and a pledge to play in 12 events to make him eligible for the season-ending $10 million “Race to Dubai” for the top 60 players and the additional $10 million bonus pool. And, because time is a wasting, he is scheduled to play the HSBC Champions in Shanghai this week. And, AK won’t be alone. “Spiderman” Camilo Villegas, who won the final two playoff events in the FedEx Cup on the PGA Tour, has also paid his $3,280, in Euros I suspect.
And, like sharks smelling blood in the water, golfers can smell the money, so look for Phil Mickelson to join the European Tour, as well. You should also expect the big name U. S. stars to start grabbing a sizable percentage of the appearance money, which is banned on the PGA Tour. Let’s see, I get a million bucks for just showing up in Shanghai, but I have to win to get a million bucks in the U. S. Oh my, what should I do?
Are the Euros becoming a real threat to the PGA Tour? Sergio Garcia thinks so. “Anytime you get players the caliber of Camilo and Anthony to the tour, it’s great. It’s an asset, it’s good for golf, it’s good for the European Tour.”
Sergio went on to say that he expects several other PGA Tour players to take advantage of the opportunity the European Tour has to offer. “Some of the tournaments we play in the Middle East … are bigger than the ones they play in the U.S. You get good players there, so world rankings points increase,” Garcia said. “At the end of the day, that’s what the big players do it for.”
The bottom line is that Anthony Kim has become one of golf’s brightest young stars, and
Villegas is just as hot. If Mickelson drinks the Kool Aid, the European Tour will have nine of the top 10 players in the world. The only exception is Tiger Woods, the No. 1 player in golf, who said his schedule won’t permit him to play in the minimum 12 events required to be a member of the European Tour. However, he might be willing to accept a little of that appearance money now and then.
What I’m talking about is the rights to big-time golf, which the PGA Tour believes they own, more than the Euros, more than the Asians, more than anybody.
As I said, Greg Norman stirred everything up years ago with talk of a world tour, which was cut short (some say bought off) by the creation of the World Golf Championships series. But that was then and this is now. And, as powerful as Tim Finchem believes he and the PGA Tour is, it is no match for Dubai, Singapore, Berlin, South Africa and a half dozen other places around the world that will pay to see the big boys play.
This time around, it’s the “Race to Dubai” that’s causing all the trouble. It’s the Euro Tour’s version of the FedEx Cup that has caused the likes of Sergio Garcia and Geoff Ogilvy to commit to playing 12 times next year on the European Tour for a chance at the $10,000,000 paid out in Dubai, plus the additional $10,000,000 bonus money. And, unless someone figures out how to add twelve weeks to the calendar, that’s at least six fewer weeks they’ll play on the PGA Tour.
So what, you say. It’s only a couple of guys.
Well, there’s more, lead by Anthony Kim, perhaps the PGA Tour’s brightest new star, there are a half-dozen other PGA Tour players who have decided to take up joint membership in Europe for the 2009 season.
The likeable Kim, whose two PGA Tour victories skyrocketed him to No. 8 in the world ranking, laid out $3,280 in hard cash and a pledge to play in 12 events to make him eligible for the season-ending $10 million “Race to Dubai” for the top 60 players and the additional $10 million bonus pool. And, because time is a wasting, he is scheduled to play the HSBC Champions in Shanghai this week. And, AK won’t be alone. “Spiderman” Camilo Villegas, who won the final two playoff events in the FedEx Cup on the PGA Tour, has also paid his $3,280, in Euros I suspect.
And, like sharks smelling blood in the water, golfers can smell the money, so look for Phil Mickelson to join the European Tour, as well. You should also expect the big name U. S. stars to start grabbing a sizable percentage of the appearance money, which is banned on the PGA Tour. Let’s see, I get a million bucks for just showing up in Shanghai, but I have to win to get a million bucks in the U. S. Oh my, what should I do?
Are the Euros becoming a real threat to the PGA Tour? Sergio Garcia thinks so. “Anytime you get players the caliber of Camilo and Anthony to the tour, it’s great. It’s an asset, it’s good for golf, it’s good for the European Tour.”
Sergio went on to say that he expects several other PGA Tour players to take advantage of the opportunity the European Tour has to offer. “Some of the tournaments we play in the Middle East … are bigger than the ones they play in the U.S. You get good players there, so world rankings points increase,” Garcia said. “At the end of the day, that’s what the big players do it for.”
The bottom line is that Anthony Kim has become one of golf’s brightest young stars, and
Villegas is just as hot. If Mickelson drinks the Kool Aid, the European Tour will have nine of the top 10 players in the world. The only exception is Tiger Woods, the No. 1 player in golf, who said his schedule won’t permit him to play in the minimum 12 events required to be a member of the European Tour. However, he might be willing to accept a little of that appearance money now and then.
The New Face of Golf?
I met Anthony Kim at the EDS Byron Nelson Championship in the spring. He was with Blake Smith, one of his agents, who happens to be the son of Randy Smith, a former T2G contributor, and one of Golf Digest magazine’s perennial top-ranked instructors.
If I recall correctly, it was Tuesday or Wednesday of Tournament week and I was leaving the media room just as Blake and Anthony were arriving to give an interview. Blake, who I’ve known for a couple of years, grabbed my arm and said, “Sam, I want you to meet Anthony Kim.”
I remember being surprised, actually startled, when Anthony said, “Nice to meet you” in a voice two octaves lower than the bass singer of the Oak Ridge Boys. I also remember him being taller than I expected. He’s no Nick Faldo, but he’s an honest 5’ 10”. He also had a handshake like a vise, but what struck me the most is that he looked so Asian; not that there is anything wrong with that, except that he didn’t look like Jack, or Phil, or Ernie, or even Tiger. On top of that, he sounded like Toby Keith, no doubt the results of spending too much time in Norman, Oklahoma.
It was like the LPGA in drag… and I mean that in a nice way.
Obviously, Anthony is not the first player of Asian descent to play on the PGA Tour; as a matter of fact there are seven playing in 2008, but he may be the best. Forget about Shigeki, K. J. and the rest, this guy can really play… and that started me thinking.
Is it possible that the PGA is headed down the same path as the LPGA, where at last count had 57 Asians playing, plus Danielle Ammaccapane, Virada Nirapathpongporn and Stacy Prammanasudh, which makes me wonder how they get those names on a golf bag?
Granted, Anthony Kim was born in L.A., went to the University of Oklahoma and doesn’t care for Chinese food, but that’s not the point. If you didn’t know by now, golf in the United States is becoming an international game and that’s good news for many reasons. First, we want the PGA to be the best tour in the world. Forget that European Ryder Cup crap, the big dogs eat on the PGA Tour. When it suits us, we’ll travel around the world and kick butt, but most of the time we’ll stay home eating barbeque and drinking Bud; leave your corkscrew at home, this is America.
Today’s PGA looks like Tiger Woods, but it also looks like Vijay Singh, Shigeki Maruyama, Charlie Wi, Stuart Appleby, Sergio Garcia, Retife Goosen, Padraig Harrington, Gabriel Hjertsedt, Ruuji Imada, Andres Romero, Justin Rose, Rory Sabbatini and the pride and joy of the good old U.S. of A. Anthony Kim.
That’s why the PGA Tour is the best. The reason Anthony Kim is the best is that his scoring average is 70.95; his driving average is 301 yards; he’s hitting the fairway at a 58.70% clip, and greens 67.20% of the time, and averaging 29.14 putts per round. Oh yeah, and he has made $3,256,622 in 14 events in 2008.
He may not look like Tom Watson, who looks like Alfred E. Newman, who said "It takes one to know one -- and vice versa!" but he looks as American as Notah Begay III and Tiger Woods, and that’s what I like to think the American apple pie metaphor is all about.
Wait a minute; Notah Begay III is a Native American, which trumps everything.
If I recall correctly, it was Tuesday or Wednesday of Tournament week and I was leaving the media room just as Blake and Anthony were arriving to give an interview. Blake, who I’ve known for a couple of years, grabbed my arm and said, “Sam, I want you to meet Anthony Kim.”
I remember being surprised, actually startled, when Anthony said, “Nice to meet you” in a voice two octaves lower than the bass singer of the Oak Ridge Boys. I also remember him being taller than I expected. He’s no Nick Faldo, but he’s an honest 5’ 10”. He also had a handshake like a vise, but what struck me the most is that he looked so Asian; not that there is anything wrong with that, except that he didn’t look like Jack, or Phil, or Ernie, or even Tiger. On top of that, he sounded like Toby Keith, no doubt the results of spending too much time in Norman, Oklahoma.
It was like the LPGA in drag… and I mean that in a nice way.
Obviously, Anthony is not the first player of Asian descent to play on the PGA Tour; as a matter of fact there are seven playing in 2008, but he may be the best. Forget about Shigeki, K. J. and the rest, this guy can really play… and that started me thinking.
Is it possible that the PGA is headed down the same path as the LPGA, where at last count had 57 Asians playing, plus Danielle Ammaccapane, Virada Nirapathpongporn and Stacy Prammanasudh, which makes me wonder how they get those names on a golf bag?
Granted, Anthony Kim was born in L.A., went to the University of Oklahoma and doesn’t care for Chinese food, but that’s not the point. If you didn’t know by now, golf in the United States is becoming an international game and that’s good news for many reasons. First, we want the PGA to be the best tour in the world. Forget that European Ryder Cup crap, the big dogs eat on the PGA Tour. When it suits us, we’ll travel around the world and kick butt, but most of the time we’ll stay home eating barbeque and drinking Bud; leave your corkscrew at home, this is America.
Today’s PGA looks like Tiger Woods, but it also looks like Vijay Singh, Shigeki Maruyama, Charlie Wi, Stuart Appleby, Sergio Garcia, Retife Goosen, Padraig Harrington, Gabriel Hjertsedt, Ruuji Imada, Andres Romero, Justin Rose, Rory Sabbatini and the pride and joy of the good old U.S. of A. Anthony Kim.
That’s why the PGA Tour is the best. The reason Anthony Kim is the best is that his scoring average is 70.95; his driving average is 301 yards; he’s hitting the fairway at a 58.70% clip, and greens 67.20% of the time, and averaging 29.14 putts per round. Oh yeah, and he has made $3,256,622 in 14 events in 2008.
He may not look like Tom Watson, who looks like Alfred E. Newman, who said "It takes one to know one -- and vice versa!" but he looks as American as Notah Begay III and Tiger Woods, and that’s what I like to think the American apple pie metaphor is all about.
Wait a minute; Notah Begay III is a Native American, which trumps everything.
The New Year's Resolutions Of A Bad Golfer
I suppose I should start by resolving to become a better golfer in 2008, but at my age that seems like a bit of a waste of a resolution. I used to have a regular game with a retired chef by the name of Eddie Andrews who could barely hit the ball 200 yards. What Eddie lacked in power he made up for in finesse. While the rest of us were gripping and ripping and missing the fairways, steady Eddie would ease it right down the middle. A chip and a putt later, he would win the hole and the money.
You would think that after hooking more balls than I can count into the woods swinging for the fence, I would eventually understand that I am not a long-ball hitter, even on a good day.
Where is my Dave Pelz videotape?
So, the smart thing to do in 2008 would be to concentrate on pitching and putting. Let the flat-bellies swing for the fences. I'll keep it in play and pound on you with my short game. I'll re-shaft my clubs with A-flexes and slow down my swing. I'll remove my cleats to help me stay light on my feet and not be tempted to dig in and rip it. I'll practice my chipping until I can stop the ball on the downwind edge of a glass coffee table. I'll practice putting until the hole looks as big as a hubcap from a '57 Chevy.
Gosh, that sounds like a lot of work. Maybe I'll only swing hard on the par fives and the long par fours, or if it is downwind and I can get some extra carry, or into the wind when I really need more distance, or up hill, or...
Hey, I think I can swing hard and still learn to chip and putt better. Come to think of it, the further I hit the ball the easer the chip will be; and the easer the chip the closer the putt; and the closer the putt the easier the putt.
This really is an easy game.
And since this is such an easy game, my New Year's resolution is that all of us work less and play golf more. Let's resolve to play every week and three days in a row at least four times in 2008. Let's also resolve to practice now and then and warm-up before every round in 2008. No more cold shafting it. Yeah, that's a bit like work, but we should give it a try don't you think?
How about we all go with the flow a bit more in 2008, as well. As they say in New Orleans, Laissez le bon roulement de périodes, or let the good times roll and all that stuff. Stop and smell fairways and enjoy life more than we did in 2008.
We should also resolve to laugh more in 2008. God knows there are a million reasons to frown: the war, the price of gas and everything else. Still, we should take every opportunity to laugh when possible, especially on the golf course.
Finally, I hope you miss-hit all of your miss-reads into the hole. I hope you get a member's bounce every time you swing. But above all, take care of yourself, your family and your friends. And stay safe because I need all the readers I can get.
You would think that after hooking more balls than I can count into the woods swinging for the fence, I would eventually understand that I am not a long-ball hitter, even on a good day.
Where is my Dave Pelz videotape?
So, the smart thing to do in 2008 would be to concentrate on pitching and putting. Let the flat-bellies swing for the fences. I'll keep it in play and pound on you with my short game. I'll re-shaft my clubs with A-flexes and slow down my swing. I'll remove my cleats to help me stay light on my feet and not be tempted to dig in and rip it. I'll practice my chipping until I can stop the ball on the downwind edge of a glass coffee table. I'll practice putting until the hole looks as big as a hubcap from a '57 Chevy.
Gosh, that sounds like a lot of work. Maybe I'll only swing hard on the par fives and the long par fours, or if it is downwind and I can get some extra carry, or into the wind when I really need more distance, or up hill, or...
Hey, I think I can swing hard and still learn to chip and putt better. Come to think of it, the further I hit the ball the easer the chip will be; and the easer the chip the closer the putt; and the closer the putt the easier the putt.
This really is an easy game.
And since this is such an easy game, my New Year's resolution is that all of us work less and play golf more. Let's resolve to play every week and three days in a row at least four times in 2008. Let's also resolve to practice now and then and warm-up before every round in 2008. No more cold shafting it. Yeah, that's a bit like work, but we should give it a try don't you think?
How about we all go with the flow a bit more in 2008, as well. As they say in New Orleans, Laissez le bon roulement de périodes, or let the good times roll and all that stuff. Stop and smell fairways and enjoy life more than we did in 2008.
We should also resolve to laugh more in 2008. God knows there are a million reasons to frown: the war, the price of gas and everything else. Still, we should take every opportunity to laugh when possible, especially on the golf course.
Finally, I hope you miss-hit all of your miss-reads into the hole. I hope you get a member's bounce every time you swing. But above all, take care of yourself, your family and your friends. And stay safe because I need all the readers I can get.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
