September 4th, 2010 by PGA Golf Art

Colin Montgomerie had five great candidates to fill only three available spots as captain’s picks for Team Europe in the Ryder Cup, and today Monty made those hard choices. The results:

• In: Padraig Harrington, Luke Donald, Edoardo Molinari
• Out: Paul Casey, Justin Rose

The announcement came about an hour after the conclusion of the Johnnie Walker Championship, where Edoardo Molinari finished birdie-birdie-birdie to come from two strokes behind and win.

Montogmerie also announced the addition of Sergio Garcia as a vice captain, joining Darren Clarke, Thomas Bjorn and Paul McGinley as Monty’s assistants. Garcia, not a candidate to make the team as a player coming off a poor season, asked for another role with the team, and Monty gave it to him.

The three captain’s selections join nine automatic qualifiers (w-qualified via the World Points List; e-qualified via the European Point List):

Lee Westwood-w
Rory McIlroy-w
Martin Kaymer-w
Graeme McDowell-w
Ian Poulter-e
Ross Fisher-e
Francesco Molinari-e
Miguel Angel Jimenez-e
Peter Hanson-e

Westwood is still recovering from a calf injury and is not guaranteed to be ready in time for the Ryder Cup. Should Westwood be unable to play, Monty said Justin Rose would be the replacement.

Corey Pavin’s four captain’s selections for Team USA will be announced on Sept. 7.

Monty Selects Harrington, Donald, Molinari for Ryder Cup originally appeared on About.com Golf on Sunday, August 29th, 2010 at 13:36:14.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

September 3rd, 2010 by PGA Golf Art

We’ve written a couple times about the tough choices facing Colin Montgomerie for the European Ryder Cup team. Captain Monty needs to add three players to the team, but has five strong candidates for those three spots.He has to make those picks on Sunday at the conclusion of the Johnnie Walker Championship.

And things are only getting tougher for Montgomerie. Edoardo Molinari is in second place at the Johnnie Walker after three rounds, trailing only his brother, Francesco (who has already automatically qualified for Team Europe). Edoardo and Francesco teamed to win the World Cup last year for Italy. Edoardo is ranked No. 21 in the world rankings, one spot higher than Justin Rose. Edoardo guaranteed Monty this week that if Montgomerie chooses him, the Molinari brothers will go 4-0 in foursomes and fourballs at the Ryder Cup.

Can Monty leave Edoardo off the team if he wins the Johnnie Walker? If he finishes second?

The other four candidates for the three captain’s picks are Rose, Padraig Harrington (ranked 18), Luke Donald (10) and Paul Casey (9). Those four are all playing The Barclays and, so far, doing pretty good.

Rose shot 65 in today’s third round to vault up the leaderboard. Monty’s selections will be made on Sunday around the time the leaders in The Barclays are teeing off. What if Monty left Rose off the team, then Rose won The Barclays? But among the five - Edoardo Molinari, Rose, Harrington, Donald, Casey - which two get left out? As it stands now, I’d pick Molinari, Rose and Harrington. Which would mean bypassing two Top 10 players.

There are a lot of prominent people in European golf today who are glad they aren’t in Montgomerie’s shoes.

The Golf Channel will televise Monty’s announcement of his captain’s selections on Sunday following the conclusion of the Johnnie Walker Championship.

Johnnie Walker Championship leaderboard
The Barclays leaderboard

Monty’s Decisions Only Getting Tougher originally appeared on About.com Golf on Saturday, August 28th, 2010 at 16:51:53.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

September 2nd, 2010 by PGA Golf Art

We’ve written a couple times about the tough choices facing Colin Montgomerie for the European Ryder Cup team. Captain Monty needs to add three players to the team, but has five strong candidates for those three spots.He has to make those picks on Sunday at the conclusion of the Johnnie Walker Championship.

And things are only getting tougher for Montgomerie. Edoardo Molinari is in second place at the Johnnie Walker after three rounds, trailing only his brother, Francesco (who has already automatically qualified for Team Europe). Edoardo and Francesco teamed to win the World Cup last year for Italy. Edoardo is ranked No. 21 in the world rankings, one spot higher than Justin Rose. Edoardo guaranteed Monty this week that if Montgomerie chooses him, the Molinari brothers will go 4-0 in foursomes and fourballs at the Ryder Cup.

Can Monty leave Edoardo off the team if he wins the Johnnie Walker? If he finishes second?

The other four candidates for the three captain’s picks are Rose, Padraig Harrington (ranked 18), Luke Donald (10) and Paul Casey (9). Those four are all playing The Barclays and, so far, doing pretty good.

Rose shot 65 in today’s third round to vault up the leaderboard. Monty’s selections will be made on Sunday around the time the leaders in The Barclays are teeing off. What if Monty left Rose off the team, then Rose won The Barclays? But among the five - Edoardo Molinari, Rose, Harrington, Donald, Casey - which two get left out? As it stands now, I’d pick Molinari, Rose and Harrington. Which would mean bypassing two Top 10 players.

There are a lot of prominent people in European golf today who are glad they aren’t in Montgomerie’s shoes.

The Golf Channel will televise Monty’s announcement of his captain’s selections on Sunday following the conclusion of the Johnnie Walker Championship.

Johnnie Walker Championship leaderboard
The Barclays leaderboard

Monty’s Decisions Only Getting Tougher originally appeared on About.com Golf on Saturday, August 28th, 2010 at 16:51:53.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

September 1st, 2010 by PGA Golf Art

Let me begin this post by saying it’s not about Tiger Woods, it’s about the Player of the Year race on the USPGA Tour. But to answer the question in the headline: Yes, it is theoretically possible that Woods could still be the PGA Tour Player of the Year. That’s an illustration of just how unsettled, how wide open, the POY race is in 2010.

Who are the candidates for Player of the Year? We always start with the major winners:

• Masters: Phil Mickelson
• U.S. Open: Graeme McDowell
• British Open: Louis Oosthuizen
• PGA Championship: Martin Kaymer

The Player of the Year is usually someone who won a major. But none of these four have won any tournaments other than their major championship. They are all 1-victory (so far) players.

OK then, multiple winners. If none of the major winners stand out, then someone who won three or four times will probably be the POY. But there aren’t any of those (so far) either:

• Ernie Els: 2 wins
• Jim Furyk: 2 wins
• Hunter Mahan: 2 wins
• Justin Rose: 2 wins
• Steve Stricker: 2 wins

Els is also the money leader, with Mickelson second and Furyk third. Els is also the scoring leader so far, with Stricker third, Rose fourth, Mickelson seventh and Furyk eighth.

Top 10 finishes? Els, Furyk and Stricker have six and Mickelson five.

What does all that add up to? It adds up to nobody having a very strong case right now for 2010 PGA Tour Player of the Year.

Woods has been (by his standards) terrible in 2010. But he does have two Top 5 finishes in majors. And he did lead The Barclays after the first round. It is very unlikely that Woods will win two or more FedEx Cup playoff events and win the FedEx Cup title, but if it happened, he’d have an argument for POY.

Mickelson missed the cut at The Barclays, Furyk was disqualified before the tournament started, and Els is below the cutline as I’m writing this. But if any of those three (or Stricker or Rose or Mahan) wins a “playoff” tournament, they stake a claim. If none of the candidates wins over the next four weeks, then money list position and scoring average weigh more heavily, and that (as of now) favors Els.

<SCRIPT LANGUAGE= “javaScript” SRC=”http://guidepolls.about.com/golf/2939469353/poll.js?linkback=“>

See also:
Past PGA Tour Players of the Year

Could Tiger Woods Still Win Player of the Year? originally appeared on About.com Golf on Friday, August 27th, 2010 at 16:11:10.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

August 31st, 2010 by PGA Golf Art

Could this be a day that ends with Tiger Woods and Michelle Wie both leading their respective tournaments? Woods has a share of the lead at The Barclays at the time of this writing, but with some players still on the course with a chance to catch him.

Wie, meanwhile, holds the lead at the CN Canadian Women’s Open through 13 holes of her first round - a first round that includes a hole-in-one.

Wie aced the 183-yard 11th hole at St. Charles Country Club in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She bogied the next hole, but birdied the one after that. At the time of this writing, Wie was 5-under and one stroke ahead of the leader in the clubhouse, Sarah Kemp.

And by the way, good job to Seema Sadekar, the Big Break Sandals Resorts cast member whose show diary appeared here on About.com. Sadekar carded a first-round 73.

Canadian Women’s Open leaderboard

Wie’s First Round in Canada Includes Ace originally appeared on About.com Golf on Thursday, August 26th, 2010 at 17:52:59.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

August 30th, 2010 by PGA Golf Art

Very early: Through 10 holes of his first round at The Barclays, Tiger Woods shared the lead at 4-under par. It’s been a while since we’ve been able to put “Tiger Woods” and “leading” together, so there you go. Will it last? Stay tuned.

Barclays leaderboard

Tiger in the Lead Early at Barclays originally appeared on About.com Golf on Thursday, August 26th, 2010 at 09:44:30.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

August 29th, 2010 by PGA Golf Art

Former LPGA golfer Erica Blasberg took her own life, the Clark County (Nevada) Coroner ruled following a months-long investigation.

Blasberg was found dead in her Henderson, Nev., home on May 9. She was 25 years old. According to the coroner’s report, Blasberg took her own life by asphyxiation.

Blasberg was found with a plastic bag over her head, the report revealed, and toxicology screenings showed “toxic levels” of prescription drugs in her system, including drugs to treat cough, headaches and anxiety, plus painkillers.

An arrest warrant was also issued today for Dr. Thomas Hess, who is charged with obstruction of justice. Hess, according to the warrant, is alleged to have removed items from the scene of Blasberg’s death before police arrived. No foul play is suspected, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

The newspaper reported:

“The case was initially complicated when Hess, who reported the death, admitted to altering the scene and would not cooperate with investigators, authorities said.

“Hess admitted removing a suicide note, hiding it in his vehicle along with prescription medications taken from the house.”

Blasberg’s Death Ruled Suicide originally appeared on About.com Golf on Tuesday, August 24th, 2010 at 16:38:49.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

August 28th, 2010 by PGA Golf Art

A release on TigerWoods.com, issued by the law firms involved in the divorce of Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren, includes this joint statement from Tiger and Elin:

“We are sad that our marriage is over and we wish each other the very best for the future. While we are no longer married, we are the parents of two wonderful children and their happiness has been, and will always be, of paramount importance to both of us. Once we came to the decision that our marriage was at an end, the primary focus of our amicable discussions has been to ensure their future well-being. The weeks and months ahead will not be easy for them as we adjust to a new family situation, which is why our privacy must be a principal concern.”

The Woods-Nordegren marriage officially ended today with a judgment entered in Bay County Circuit Court in Panama City, Fla.

No details of the divorce settlement were announced, except that the judgment “provides for shared parenting of their two children.”

All aboard the gossip train - again - for wildly overblown and purely speculative guesses about how much Elin got. Post your guess in comments!

What do you think about the impact this might (or might not) have on Tiger’s game? Do you think he’ll be able to better focus now that the divorce is final and, perhaps, to begin showing improvement?

<SCRIPT LANGUAGE= “javaScript” SRC=”http://guidepolls.about.com/golf/2591059330/poll.js?linkback=“>

See also:

• Tiger Woods pictures
• Elin Nordegren pictures

Update: Gossip site TMZ.com has acquired and posted online the divorce papers originally filed. You can view the .pdf here. Elin and Tiger, according to the papers, reached a “marriage settlement agreement” on July 3.

Tiger, Elin Divorce is Official originally appeared on About.com Golf on Monday, August 23rd, 2010 at 15:20:36.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

August 27th, 2010 by PGA Golf Art

Peter Hanson sure knows how to complicate a guy’s life. Maybe that’s what Colin Montgomerie was thinking as he watched Hanson win the European Tour’s Czech Open on Sunday. Because when Hanson did that, he knocked Paul Casey out of an automatic qualifying spot for the 2010 Europe Ryder Cup team.

And that means that Casey, Luke Donald, Justin Rose and Padraig Harrington have all failed to qualify for Captain Montgomerie’s team, and that Monty - with three captain’s picks - must leave one of those big-name players home.

Casey, Donald and Rose still had a chance to earn an automatic berth by playing in this week’s Johnnie Walker Championship, the final tournament at which points are awarded for the European team. Instead, those three (plus Harrington) are playing The Barclays, which awards no points for Team Europe.

Hanson, meanwhile, vaulted himself into a very strong position. He’s not guaranteed to be on Team Europe, but he’s close to a sure thing. Here is how the list of nine automatic qualifiers looks today (w-qualifying through world points list; e-qualifying through European Tour points list): Read more…

‘Thanks’ to Hanson, Monty Will Be Leaving at Least One Big Star off Ryder Cup Team originally appeared on About.com Golf on Monday, August 23rd, 2010 at 10:26:05.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

August 26th, 2010 by PGA Golf Art

Rules violations don’t just happen to young players feeling major championship pressure. Dustin Johnson (and plenty of others) has company today in the form of World Golf Hall of Fame member Juli Inkster.

Inkster’s penalty was harsher than Johnson’s, too. Johnson was penalized two strokes when he grounded his club in a bunker on the final hole of the PGA Championship last week, having failed to realize he was in a bunker.

Inkster was disqualified from the LPGA Safeway Classic following Saturday’s second round of play.

Inkster, 50 years old, one of the LPGA’s greatest players and certainly one of the most knowledgeable players, had, like Johnson, a temporary lapse of good sense. During the second round of the Safeway, Inkster reached the 10th tee to find a backup of several groups waiting to play.

During the wait, she gave an on-course interview to the Golf Channel. She milled around. She tried to stay loose by swinging a club. And that’s where the problem occurred. Read more…

Hall of Famer DQ’d from LPGA Tournament originally appeared on About.com Golf on Sunday, August 22nd, 2010 at 09:36:53.

Permalink | Comment | Email this