Players Championship
 

come on kid...beat Mickleson's ass...:cool:

I like Mickelson. More than Tiger at least.

Phil played incredibly well. Congrats to him.

I still hate that stupid, goofy looking, fake ass grin on his face.

Looks like him hiring Harmon payed off eh Kev? I like the man he just chokes at the worst times it seems like. He's got ballz to keep coming back for more and I like him for that if not for nothing more.

ala brett farve

PB...it did pay off. From what I can see, his swing is tighter already. The guy is immensly talented...and when he plays within himself, he is very difficult to beat. His winning % when leading after 54 holes is a bit suspect though.

Hey leave the best QB to ever put on a uniform in the NFL out of this Hooves. This man has done nothing but lead the Packers year in and out not once asking what about me? Played thru injuries most that most Qb's would've missed 2 starts. Sure he's had some let downs but who hasn't in life? He's gone thru alot with his family and even played 2 days after his dad died for this team and he gets what back from them? Favre is always going to Be the Man in my book.

man you gotta feel for the kid....two in the drink on 17 not only cost him 700k, but might have ruined him for a long time....man that's two bad...what was he thinking hitting a 9 iron when the #'s were like 23 and 32 weren't they.....hell that's even a wedge for me....

Kev,

At least we didn't have to go through the orchestrated family photo opp...

Sam, the kid showed a ton of class talking with Maltbie aftwards...too many others would have blown him off and not spoke.

I think the wind kind of freshened into his face when he was on the tee. Like he told Roger...he wasn't playing for 2nd place. I think if he goes at the pin with a wedge, ( I think it was playing 35 hole) it most likely would have ballooned on him and come up short. He hit a helluva shot...right over the pin...just a bit too much adrenaline. Had he made that 5-6 footer for birdie on 16, things would have been different and he wouldn't have had to fire at the pin.

It was a bit "Len Mattiaceian", but I don't think this will have a long term effect on his career. Missing that putt on 16 had to hurt his confidence level going to 17. The chip on 18 was pretty bad.
By the way, Sawgrass is about the only place in this stinkin state not burning right now:eek:

I hear ya....but in that situation wouldn't you rather have to hit something hard then take something off? (Kev would have pulled a Herman and hidden the 9 iron...greatest golf story every, imo)You're right it was perfect and if the water wasn't there, it takes one hop and backs up to about 5 feet or so probably...I just hope it doesn't get him between the ears too much....looks like he has some talent....

The funny thing about Phil yesterday, was he was lights out tee-to-green, but he missed a lot of "routine" putts. He kept O'Hair in the tournament a lot longer than he should've. Phil could've won it by 5 yesterday.

BUT HATS OFF TO THE MAN. A nice win and another notch on his resume.

Speaking of bad finishes though, do you think Sergio is really regretting his finish on Saturday? He missed a 5-footer for birdie at 17, and then doubles on 18... He's not really known for hitting a big putt on Sunday (he was never really in contention yesterday, so in my eyes he didn't do anything clutch), so who knows if he doesn't drop those 2 on 18, or gets that birdie on 17, if he would've played the same... but still...

Number 17 would be a great hole if:

They had it in a valley with very little wind. You cant punch it and stay on. And the wind changes direction up that high often. I dont think it is fair that the players have to assess the wind on the ground, to figure out what is going on up above on a green like that surrounded by water.

Kev. Can they put some sort of wind sock high up in the air that shows wind direction. The players can pick the perfect club based on ground wind, hit a perfect shot and still go in the water because the winds aloft change. I know this happens with shots on other holes. But on this hole one plays too large a price for the randomness of atmospheric conditions imo.

BTW. Later in the day as the water absorbs heat energy, as does the green, the surfaces release the heat into the air in very different ways. This can drastically effect the air aloft. I dont think its a fair hole.

anyone else notice lefty's little grin after O'hair hit into the drink...

made me want to puke.

It's no worse than Tiger saying "God Damnit!!!" after every missed putt.

smirking at someone else's bad shot vs. beating yourself up after your own bad shot.

I will take the latter. I promise you Pillow...95% of the guys out there curse after missing putts....the mics just happen to be on Tiger much more than the others.

I'm just glad there have never been any mics on me when I missed putts while playing...:o :o

pillow i know you have a picture of spaulding shmailes..

Hey I don't like Mickelson either but I would much rather him smirk at a missed putt I make and not know about it until after the fact rather than make a putt to beat me and put on the biggest overblown celebration known to mankind.

Tiger may tend to "over celebrate", but to a guy like me, who has followed the PGA Tour religiously for the past 17-18 years, it's refreshing to see a guy with the attitude of just wanting to win. Too many of those guys out there are content with a top 10 finish and taking home $300K for a weeks work. Sean OHair has now become on of my favorites as well. Him telling Roger Maltbie yesterday that he wasn't playing for 2nd place tells me where this kids heart is. How many guys in his place yesterday would have played safe on 17, hit to the middle of the green and just been content to finish runner up? A great deal of them...I promise you.

I like guys that their sole desire is to win.

tin cup would have gone for it

W.W.M.N.D??

Kev,
On a generalized PGA note, have you ever seen Sergio hit a big putt on Sunday?
That stuff yesterday doesn't count, becase c'mon... was he ever really in it? His only true pressure came coming in on Saturday, when he missed a very makeable birdie putt on 17, and Double Bogey'd 18. A 3 shot swing right there...

Pete, I have seen him hit plenty of big putts on Sunday...he just never made very many of them. Yesterday was a classic example of him having a suck up 2nd place finish. He started the day 7 shots out of the lead...so there is ZERO pressure on him. Seen it from him too many times. Just look at his Ryder Cup record...he is AWESOME when partnered with someone during the 2 man matches (13-1-2)...but his singles matches (1-3-0)...that speaks volumes.

Kev would you reply to my post on #17 if you dont mind. I am not the golf guy, but I have heard so much about this hole I had to chime in after watching this weekend. So is it fair to let weather conditions that are so unpredictable to affect a golf score so much? or am I way off base...?

I feel like if it impossible to assess conditions, the punishment should not be so severe. I realize all players have to play the same hole, I just feel like its too much of a roll of the dice and it costs way too much.

Pat...no wind sock. In golf, many times, Mother Nature is the only defense the golf course has. I highly doubt that many people have given as much in depth thought into it like you have. I love the way your brain operates Pat, and only wish I possesed the same type knowledge so I could set my brain in motion like that.

Every player and caddie have a yardage book (produced by Gorgeous George) and on ever page of these yardage books there is a directional guide showing were North, South, East and West is. It is both the players and caddies job to be aware of the predominate wind condition starting the day and also the changes that it makes throughout the day. I have played enough golf in my life to know how the wind is going to affect my ball a very high % of the time. These guys are TONS better than I am, so they are even more accutely aware of how their ball is going to react in certian wind conditions. But, neither they, nor I, are ever 100% right under the circumstances. Again, it may seem "unfair", but in an era where the technology is so far advanced (especially the golf ball) and the talent gap between the PGA Tour and your average player is continously widening, Mother Nature is essentially the only defense left that keeps these guys in check. The technology has rendered many golf courses obsolete and in response to that, too many golf course architects are building longer and more difficult golf courses that are just too tough for the average player. They are too tough because the average player does not possess the skills necessary to take advantage of the advanced equipment on the market.

I need to stop because I could go on forever and bore everyone to tears. Besides, work calls. We can continue this later if you like. I have a million opinions on the game:D

# 17
 

A friend of mine, a Jax local, told me the story of 17. He said the only reason it exists is because that is where they found all the good sand they needed to build the rest of the course, so they dug deep in that area, creating the lake.. then Pete Dye's wife suggested the island green.

I had the pleasure of playing Sawgrass a few years ago and golf in general for 20+ and it is one of those crazy holes where it's a shot you hit every round and are generally pissed if you don't get to within 15 feet of your target....it's a nice smooth wedge.....the problem is you have to look up and see where you are aiming.....it's just a visually intimidating hole....no wind tricks, no gimmicks, it's hard to explain, but it's simply of smooth wedge that is complicated by this site of a green that looks to be moving as you're standing there trying to decide if wedge is enough club to hit 120 yards, (sure it is, hit the damn wedge and go putt for birdie) and once you decide that it's better to hit a 9 iron (which is your 140 yard club) your next decision is finding the drop area, cuz you just flew the green....oh, I hit the wedge on the dance floor, 2 putts, par.....our group was 2 for 4 in keeping it dry....the other person that didn't hit in the drink put it right where you walk onto the green...I thought the toughest shot on the course is the tee shot on 18.....

typical Garcia on Sunday.. flies through when there's no pressure. An each way punters dream..

Kev...is that kid ever gonna grow a sack of balls and get the job done when it really matters on Sunday? I just don't see it happening...at least not in a major. He needs to have a nice chat with Seve and Ollie about what it takes to when win it matters.

hes like a horse that never threaten to win but comes up late on the wire to grab 2nd from a horse whose battled down the stretch..

I think he needs to calm down the opening few days and relax a little... we know he can play brilliantly, I think it may be a mental thing in him..the way I see it, he's completely different in mindset to someone like Olazabal who gets himself into a position to challenge and when's he's in contention, always looks like he'll be there or thereabouts

he'll win one....but it's gonna be awhile....what is he now 25 or 26? But he could definately use a little of the Seve or Ollie arrogance....

He turns 27 this year...if he hasnt already. I know he was born in 1980. He better get on the ball Sam. It isn't gonna get any easier for him. Too many good, solid young players coming out that have no fear.


My God...in his day, Seve was brilliant...touch of a surgeon.

Kev,

What do you think of Aaron Baddeley?

It seemed like when him and Adam Scott both came from Australia (both around the same time), I used this statement to describe the two:

"Adam Scott: All game, no charisma. Aaron Baddeley: All charisma, no game" lol.
I said this because Scott got off to a much better start on the Tour than Baddeley, but he seems so much like Els or Goosen that he's just so mellow and easy (and boringly unemotional). But I loved that commercial "Badds" did for MacGregor a couple of years ago... but that's about all he's remembered for up to this season lol.

But this season, it really seems like Baddeley has made some nice strides. don't think he's won an event (or did he), but he has a lot of top 10 finishes. He was in the 3rd to last group on Sunday at the Players, starting the day at -5. Didn't look like he had a good day though, because the only 2 times they showed him on TV, was him teeing off on 1, and putting it in the drink on 17 lol.

But overall what do you think of his game and the strides he's made this season? Do you think he'll ever match Adam Scott's game and be a Top 10 world player?

BADDS has won this year. (FBR Open) and he also won last year at Harbour Town(had a top 10 finish this year in his title defense), which is a ballstrikers golf course. Very few "fluke" winners occur there. When his iron play is on, he is very good. Has his weeks though when he struggles hitting greens. He has a ton of game, evidence by winning the Australian Open at age 18. The jury is still out on him regarding his future. He will make tons of cash...but the victories may be once a year or so.

Aaron Baddely won at least once last year (sure about Harbortown). He changed his swing and found god (I'm kidding about the found god part, although it may be true). I've got to type faster, Kev beat me to the response.

Badds and his wife are both deeply religious.

I will admit I have not watched the hole played enough. When I saw the kid so sure he had hit the ball way too far and he landed in birdie range, and then Johnny Miller started to explain how tricky the wind could get I assumed in might be common place occurence. So I was just thinking it is unfair not to be able to properly assess conditions on a hole that may be easy but terribly unforgiving.

I of course would take a carton of fireworks and fire above the ground and watch the smoke blow. I mean you cant climb up a giant ladder and throw a little dead grass 100 feet off the ground.

I suppose it can get tricky at times, but I think it comes down to being afraid to pull the trigger....that hole has made some of the best players look ridiculous....it's just so damn intimidating to stand on that tee box...I was nervous as hell and other than the 3 other people in my group there was no one around...I can't imagine playing that hole on Sunday afternoon with a shot at making a around a million dollars, if I par it...I would probably hit a small bucket into the drink.

Seve making his champions tour debut this weekend....I would love to see him hit it all over the place and win by 5...

now I'm not comparing Sergio to Mickelson, but look how long it took him...I think Sergio will get one....or maybe he goes down as the greatest Ryder Cup player ever....Outside of winning the Open Championship, I'm not sure that wouldn't mean more to him anyway.....