I Make The Call

Archive for the ‘GOLF’ Category

The Tiger did not get it done, even though he made a herculean effort on Sunday, by shooting a 67 in the final round and posting a minus 7 for a total of 277.  Not bad for a recovering golfer.

If you can remember, on Friday I wrote that Tiger had to show me that he was in contention in the final round before I broke out the holy oils. He made a valiant effort by shooting the 67, but he was 5 strokes off the winning score. Had he continude his Thursday efforts on Friday and/or Saturday, he would have deserved being anointed. I am trying to recall the last time that Tiger Woods had to qualify for a tournament. Well, he really does not have to qualify, but he has to be in the top 10 to continue playing in these Fedex Playoffs.

That my golfing friends is like qualifying every week to get into the tournament. I MAKE THE CALL.

Don’t get carried away after one round of 65 by the number one golfer in the world.

We have all been spoiled by his heroics from the day Tiger came on to the tour.

Okay, so this is what we expected and hope to see every time he picks up a golf club.

Like Coach Parcells once said about Tony Romo of the Dallas Cowboys, don’t breakout the anointing oils just yet. I would like to see where he is on Sunday during the last 9 holes of the final round. Will he be in contention? Or, will he be leading or following.

We all know that the number 2, 3, and 4 players in the world have not done anything to dethrone Tiger even when he was at his worst.

Lets see what happens come Sunday at the Barclays. My money is on the Tiger retaining his number one ranking. I MAKE THE CALL.

Golf is perhaps the only professional sport where players call penalties on themselves.

I remember when Hale Irwin called a penalty on himself that no one saw but him. He was asked why he called it since no one else saw it. His response was, “I SAW IT”.

Dustin Johnson made a boo boo when he mistakenly grounded his club in a waste bunker causing him to miss a three way playoff for the Wannamaker Trophy. His excuse was, I did not know that it was a bunker. He failed to read the handout given to all of the players on the local rules. He was assessed 2 strokes and yet again came close to winning a major, but not that day. Whose fault was it? It was his and his alone. Read the rules and abide by them.

A week later, Julie Inkster suffered the same fate by not observing the rules. Only this time, Julie was disqualified. Did the punishment fit the crime? In this instance, I totally disagree with the punishment, but not with the rule. Julie was waiting to tee off on the 10th hole and there was a backup, so she took a few practice swings. Unfortunately, an avid or rabid golf fan saw her removing a donut weight from the club and called it in. She should not have used any enhancements while engaged in a tournament for any reason even though it had no bearing on the outcome of the tournament.

Being disqualified for swinging a club with a weight apparatus on it, is simply too much of a penalty. The rules officials should revisit some of these ancient rules and update them. Bring the rules into the 21st century as you did with the clubs. I MAKE THE CALL.

Two words were left of characterizing Whistling Straits: LONG and DANGEROUS!

All of the young guns were in contention going into the final round, but only a few barely survived.

Phonetically speaking, the course was BRU-TAL.

Watney went into the final round at minus 12, and came out with a melt down 81 to miss the playoffs. Overall, his play was not all that bad. He just got bitten by the Straits.

Everyone is talking about Dustin Johnson’s fatal mistake on number 18. Was it fair to penalize him for grounding his club in a waste bunker that even the commentators admittedly did not realize  was in a bunker? Sure it was an honest mistake, but it was a rules violation punishable by two strokes, thereby knocking him out of the playoffs with Watson and Rymer.

Golf being the only sport that players call themselves out for violations, called Dustin out for his on the 18th hole. I would venture to guess that Dustin would have called it on himself had he known that it was a bunker.

Rules are rules. They are just like records, made to be broken. The only difference is, “Break a Record” you are rewarded. Break a Rule, and you are punished severley. Is it right or is it wrong? You make the call.

Steve Sticker the local boy who has never won a major and is 42 years old. Is he the odds on favorite?. I don’t think so.

Phil Mickelson is having arthritic issues and admits that he can’t make a complete swing. Can he be the favorite?. Perhaps.

Matt Kuchar is hot, but then again he has no majors on his resume to date.

This leads me to the roaring twenties players:

• Anthony Kim
• Rory McLLroy
• Ryan Moore
• Jeff Overton
• Sean O’Hair and
• Nick Waltney

are all rearing to go with vim and vigor, but then again none of them has a major.

This leads me to the inevitable , Tiger Woods.

You can crticize his last few rounds and pick it apart, disect it and put it on skew, but when it comes down to it, who is the better consistent player? It is Tiger hands down. Forget his trials and tribulations concerning his family life. Although it does  effect his golf life, when it comes down to picking a favorite, I will take The Tiger hands down. I MAKE THE CALL.

El Tigre had the worst tournament of his pro career. His number one ranking was up for grabs and the two players who were in reach of taking it, did not get the job done.

Lee Westwood who played with Tiger for the first two days withdrew because of an injury to his leg.

Phil Mickelson imploded just like Tiger. The only difference was Phil lost it on the last day of the tournament. Just like Tiger was all week long, Phil’s game fell apart on Sunday. Everyone thought that Phil would be the number one golfer in the world at the end of the Bridgestone Tournament.

Well, it did not happen. Tiger dodged a bullet and is still the number one golfer in the world even though he did nothing to help him retain that status.

If I were Tiger, I would take the rest of the season off after the PGA Tournament and get myself mentally and physically ready to play golf in 2011. All is not lost and Tiger is not the first professional to hit a slump. All of the great ones had their moments. The advice for Tiger is:  deal with it, and do it as soon as possible. I MAKE THE CALL.

As I sat and watched the first round of the Bridgestone Invitational, just one thing came to my mind: after Tiger was plus 2 for 3 holes, he is not ready for this! Other than being number one and getting an automatic invite to the dance, this is one he shuld have turned down.

This is the worst he has shot at this particular venue. Plus 4 for 18 holes is not something you expect from the likes of Tiger Woods.

With all of the drama he has been through, which was brought on by his own stupidity, Tiger should sit out the rest of the season. If he is sincere that golf is not his primary interest at the moment, then don’t embarrass yourself. Take time off, get your life together, spend time with your children, then think about golf.

The record of 18 majors will still be there. After all, you are the closest to breaking the record and there is only one major left to be played this year. Take a chill pill, get away from all of this. Clear your head, and I promise you, that come next January, you will be ready to consistently bring your “A” game to the course. I MAKE THE CALL.

Stuart Appleby became the 5th PGA player to achieve that magic number of 59, previously done this year by Paul Goydos at the John Deere Classic.

The overnight leader, Jeff Overton, took a 3 stroke lead into the final round and shot a very respectable 67 but , it was not enough to fend off a surging Stuart Appleby who had one eagle, nine birdies and no bogeys in his round.

Overton had a very good chance on the 17th hole to at least get into a playoff with Appleby, but missed a short putt that hit a spike mark and meandered away from the cup.

Overton who has not won the PGA tour, but has a few top 10′s so far this year should have won the tournament, but the surging Appleby was not going to be denied the 59.

Better luck next time Jeff. I MAKE THE CALL.

Neither Phil or Tiger was able to tame the old course. Neither threatened to take the Claret Jug.

An unknown from South Africa, simply played flawlessly and took it away from the big hitters and the higher ranking players. Louis Oosthuizen, came from out of no where and simply destroy the field with his precise play.

On the final day, when Paul Casey was the closest to him, he simply eagle the 9th hole, birdied the 12th which Casey triple bogeyed and the rest is history.

His closest competitor was crushed. Louie ended up winning by 7 strokes.

Phil and Tiger were never a threat. Woods ended up shooting a 72, finishing tied for 23rd. After the birdy on 12th, you could have turned out the lights and just wait for the fat lady to sing, LOUIE, LOUIE. AT THAT POINT, IT WAS TRULY OVER. I MAKE THE CALL.

With hardly any wind or rain, the old course was there for the taking.

John Daly and Rory Mcllroy did just that.

It has been a long drought for JD, but today, he showed signs of the old JD when he won on this same course back in 1995.

Young Rory Mcllroy blistered the links in shooting a 63 and tying the record set for a major championship tournament.

Rory joined players like Vijay Singh, Greg Norman and Tiger Woods when he equaled the record 63. Hopefully, he can sustain this moment over the next 3 days.

While all of this was going on, the number one golfer in the world, Tiger Woods shot a 67, but could have easily shot a 65. Using a new putter, he missed a couple of short putts and made his first bogey on the 17th hole when he missed a putt of less than 4 foot. If Tiger is to get his game back to stay in contention, he has to go low the next 3 days.

Looking ahead, the course and the elements will not be as forgiving as it was today. I MAKE THE CALL.