The Rogers News

Category: Golf

  • I Picked the Winner

    I was scared watching the first round of the WGC Accenture Match Play Championship. Tiger Woods looked like he was going to confuse his number one world ranking with the timing of his exit – an upsetting first-round loss to the lowest ranked player in the tournament. But, when you’re a maker of golf history, as Tiger Woods tends to be, you don’t confuse such things. Instead you tease those with lesser ability. You lure the television audience into thinking they’re seeing a historical upset, then just before it’s too late you turn it on. You light it up. You blind them with your ability.

    That’s just what Tiger Woods did in his first round match against the formidable J.B. Holmes. Then he beat Aaron Oberholser 3 and 2, took two extra holes to squeak past another Aaron (Baddeley), defeated K.J. Choi 3 and 2, and disposed of the defending champion Henrik Stenson 2-up. All of the matches were close. All of the opponents gave it their best — and came up short. Two had already won on tour this year, an accomplishment possible only when Tiger Woods is not in the field.

    The final match was over as soon as it started. When I woke up Sunday morning, Tiger was already two up and they’d only played four holes. The lead would only grow throughout the day until the point where Stewart Cink, eight down with seven holes to play, gave Tiger Woods a conciliatory fist-bump when Tiger’s birdie putt to tie Cink’s lipped out. Tiger closed out the match 8 and 7 on the next hole. It was the largest margin of victory in the history of the event. Only fitting that the record was set by Tiger.

    With 63 PGA Tour victories, Woods has now surpassed Arnold Palmer to take fourth place alone. He’s chasing Sam Snead with 82, Jack Nicklaus with 73, and Ben Hogan with 64.

  • Me the Fan of Golf

    The World Golf Championship Accenture Match Play is this week. Match play, for those of you who don’t know, is essentially heads up golf. Instead of trying to shoot the lowest score, golfers go head-to-head. The winner of the match moves on. Think March Madness college basketball format.

    I filled out a bracket and selected Tiger Woods to win the entire tournament. He did so in 2004 and 2005, but has come up short in the last few years. You can follow my selections and comments on the tournament at my Yugflog golf blog.

    Yugflog, by the way, is “Golf Guy” spelled backwards. Now you know.

  • Tiger vs. Federer

    Who is more dominant, Tiger Woods or Roger Federer? Tiger is 30 years old. He’s been playing on the PGA Tour for ten years and has twenty years to go. Roger is 26 years old. He’s been playing on the ATP Tour for eight years and could have five to ten years left.

    When we look at majors in golf, Jack Nicklaus holds the record with 18. Tiger has won 13 in ten years. Pete Sampras holds the most major titles in tennis with 13. Roger has won 12 majors in eight years as a pro.

    In half as much time since his first major win, Federer has accumulated just one less major championship title than Woods. Federer has also won three majors in one year three times. Tiger has done that just once.

    For four years running, Federer has won two or more majors. Tiger has only won two majors two years in a row in 2005 and 2006.

    It looks like Federer is more dominant, but it is unlikely he will finish his career with more majors than Tiger. After all, the Champions Series, which is the tennis version of the Senior PGA Tour, has a minimum age of 30. The minimum age for the SPGA is 50.

  • Gun Blued Wilson 8802

    I received my gun blued Wilson 8802 in the mail today. It looks amazing. The top-line and back are matte black. The face and sole are polished. The original putter was satin chrome. I played with it throughout high school, and it showed a great deal of wear (and abuse).

    Kevin at Colbert Putter Plating did the work. There are several finishes you can choose from and you can have custom engraving and paint jobs done. I am very impressed, and can’t wait to have the putter re-shafted.

  • Funny Quotes From Boo

    Book Weekley, one of the guys representing the U.S. in the Omega Mission Hills World Cup played in China November 22 – 25, is notorious for his quotes. Here’s a recent sample:

    Q: Boo?
    BOO WEEKLEY: I’m excited to go over there, and like Heath said, it’s an honor to represent your country. I wouldn’t have gone by myself, though; it’s not that I didn’t want to represent my country, but I ain’t into traveling, especially during hunting season.

    Q: What season is it?
    BOO WEEKLEY: Deer.

    Q: It would be deer season if you were at home now?
    BOO WEEKLEY: I would have gotten up at 4:30 in the morning, and I’d probably still be in the woods right now.

    Q: You would be looking around and —
    BOO WEEKLEY: I’d be up a tree, about 35, 40 feet.

  • The PGA Tour Season Is Cooked

    The 2007 PGA Tour season is cooked. Done. Finis. The Fall Series has finally limped to a close and the top 125 spots are set. You would have had to win at least $785,180 to make keep your card. Even more impressive, ninety-nine players made over $1,000,000 this season. I don’t know what the expenses are, but even after taxes, travel and caddy expenses, they’re making a good living. (Their job is golf – I would kill for that.)

    Stephen Ames won at Disney yesterday. He seems like the kind of guy who should win “Disney.” Nice, big smile – really big smile.

    So, what now?

    I suggest you take some time away from the boob-tube and play some real golf. If it’s too damn cold out, here’s the Silly Season line-up:

    ADT Skills Challenge – Played on November 5 -6, but not aired until December 29 -30. This is like The Golf Channel’s Big Break with PGA Tour pros.

    Why I’ll watch: Greg Norman is slated to play.

    Wendy’s 3 Tour Challenge – November 12 – 13. I’d like to see more tournaments that pit the three major U.S. professional golf tours – PGA, SPGA, LPGA – against one another. Or some combination thereof. It’s fun to see the strengths and weaknesses of the women vs seniors vs men.

    Why I’ll watch: Cool to see the three tours playing on one course.

    OMEGA Mission Hills World Cup – November 22 – 25. This isn’t so silly, but it’s not that big of a draw for players. Boo Weekley, who would rather be hunting, and Heath Slocum will represent the U.S.

    Why I’ll watch: The event is being played in China.

    LG Skins Game – November 24 -25. This is the grand daddy of all the off season. It’s like the off season major, but it means absolutely nothing, except maybe to Freddy Couples who dominates this event year after year.

    Why I’ll watch: Couples is playing. Again.

    Merrill Lynch Shootout – December 7 – 9. Greg Norman hosts as player-pairs vie for silly season glory in three rounds of alternate shot, better-ball, and scramble play.

    Why I’ll watch: Good field and fun format to watch.

    Target World Challenge – December 13 – 16. This is Tiger’s tournament and it will be his first appearance after his longest break as a professional. The purse is $5.75M for a invitational field of eighteen.

    Why I’ll watch: Tiger Woods will be playing.

  • The Housing Bubble Effect On Golf Courses

    The housing market was on a huge upswing through about May 2006. It’s stagnated there for a while and now there is talk of the bubble bursting. The sub-prime market – mortgages made to those who don’t qualify for legitimate mortgages – is a mess, and part of the problem. Overvaluation is also a problem.

    Here’s a nice graph of what’s happening with housing prices in 20 major cities (link):

    So, what’s the effect on golf courses? Myrtle Beach last year:

    Sixteen area courses closed in 2005 and 2006, all with redevelopment plans that included housing developments.

    And now…

    The rash of course closures has remedied a struggling golf market that had been saturated with layouts, and contributed to the flooding of a housing market that has been burdened with increased listings but slower sales over the past two years.

    If courses aren’t now jumping to convert to the housing developments, at least they’re not closing. I suppose that’s an improvement.

    Looking at the cities listed in the graphic above, we can get a sense for what “golfing cities” housing markets are hit the hardest. I don’t have any data on the state of golf course closings or developments in these cities, but my best guess would be that course development projects will slow with the housing market.