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The Bum's 2015 U.S Open News-Gossips-Selections !

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  • The Bum's 2015 U.S Open News-Gossips-Selections !

    Golfers scoff at Chambers Bay warnings

    May 19, 2015

    Mike Davis hasn't caused this much consternation since he spoke at a PGA Tour players meeting about the evils of the long putter.

    Only this time, he was extolling the virtues of Chambers Bay.

    Maybe to a fault.

    The USGA's executive director hosted a preview of the mysterious U.S. Open course south of Seattle and suggested that even the best in golf will have little chance unless they arrive early and play often.

    ''The idea of coming in and playing two practice rounds and having your caddie just walk it and using your yardage book, that person's done,'' Davis said. ''Will not win the U.S. Open.''

    In the three weeks since that bold prediction, the reaction has been, well, predictable.

    ''We'll play for second,'' former U.S. Open champion Webb Simpson said at Quail Hollow with no shortage of sarcasm.

    ''What's Mike Davis' handicap?'' asked Rory McIlroy, another U.S. Open champion and the best player in the world, something Davis is not. It was a playful reminder that amateurs who run tournaments should not underestimate the skill of those who do this for a living.

    No amount of chirping would be complete without Ian Poulter weighing in. Never mind that Poulter has never seen Chambers Bay. He listened to a few players who made scouting trips on their way to the Match Play Championship and tweeted, ''The reports back are its a complete farce. I guess someone has to win.''

    The U.S. Open begins June 18. In some respects, it already has started.

    With one comment about what will be required for a golf course hardly anyone knows, Davis added a layer of mystique to Chambers Bay. And perhaps he introduced the one element of a U.S. Open that often gets overlooked.

    It's all about attitude.

    Jack Nicklaus is famous for saying how he would listen to players complain about the U.S. Open and figure that was one less guy to beat that week.

    ''It's a massive advantage if you get your head in the right place before you go,'' Geoff Ogilvy said.

    Davis didn't make the comment with intentions of putting the world's best players in a foul mood before they even arrive in the Pacific Northwest next month. Given a chance to clarify, he said his point was strategy should be as important as a good short game.

    He believes course knowledge will be imperative because of the grass, the elevation changes and sprawling fairways so unlike a U.S. Open test. It's not about how far the ball goes in the air. It's what happens when it's on the ground. The yardage book, to his point, only helps so much. And he lamented the drop in practice rounds as players appeared more concerned with conserving energy than studying for the toughest test in golf.

    ''My point is, we've seen a trend where golfers are coming and lot of them play nine holes a day and do it for two days,'' Davis said. ''In the old days, they'd come in and play three or four rounds. And they're not doing that anymore for different reasons.''

    Jack Fleck once played 188 holes over five days of practice at Olympic Club in 1955, the year he beat Ben Hogan in a playoff. That's a little extreme. Phil Mickelson can take two days to play 18 holes as he meticulously studies a course, particularly around the greens. That's Phil.

    ''Take Merion,'' Davis said, referring to the 2013 U.S. Open. ''No one played Merion more and studied it more than Justin Rose and Phil Mickelson. They spent more time than anybody studying the intricacies of Merion. And guess who finished 1-2?''

    Mickelson, however, was asked which U.S. Open course caused him to spend the most time in preparation. Merion was mentioned, and Mickelson dismissed it.

    ''It's a pretty straightforward course, Merion,'' he said. ''I think maybe Shinnecock was a course that I found there were important areas to know where to go, where not to go, that might be surprising if you played it the first time.''

    Any player would be foolish not to see Chambers Bay before arriving for the U.S. Open. Mickelson plans to head there next week, after it closes to the public and before he embarks on his schedule of playing the two PGA Tour events before the Open.

    It's impractical, bordering on arrogant, for the USGA to expect golfers to drop everything and go to the far end of the country for one tournament.

    ''With the way the tour is, no one is going to go out there and play 10 practice rounds,'' McIlroy said.

    McIlroy believes preparation is meaningless if he doesn't have his game. He plans a few practice rounds the weekend before the U.S. Open, another one during the week. That's three practice rounds, which is one more than two, meaning Davis can't rule him out just yet. Right?

    But what about the players who don't qualify until the Monday before U.S. Open week? Or the players - two of them last year - who qualify through the world ranking on the Monday of U.S. Open week?

    ''Will not win the U.S. Open,'' is what Davis said.

    Someone will. Someone always does. It could be a surprise, much like the golf course.
    Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

  • #2
    Talking Rory, Tiger & Daly

    May 17, 2015


    Before we get to Quail Hollow and the news on the course, I think we can all agree that the biggest news regarding the PGA Tour came off the course this week.

    First and foremost ESPN announced last week that their 30 for 30 series will feature a documentary on the man himself, Mr. John Patrick Daly.

    Words alone cannot possibly describe my excitement level for this historic documentary. So in order to truly sum up just how excited everyone should be for the upcoming 30 for 30 featuring John Daly, I will turn it over to the one and only, Miss Jessie Spano.

    In what can only be considered an amazing coincidence, the same day that ESPN announced their plans for the John Daly documentary, Daly's fiancée, Anna Cladakis, filed suit asking the United States Supreme Court to dismiss a lawsuit by his ex-wife that she broke up their marriage. Comedy

    John Daly + John Daly’s ex-wife + John Daly’s current girlfriend + the United Sates Supreme Court, can only end well for everyone watching at home. I have no doubt that our founding fathers had that equation in mind when they set up the Supreme Court 225 years ago. Surely one can buy standing room only seats for this court case, right? Someone get me Nancy Grace on the line ASAP.

    Speaking of breakups.

    Tiger and Lindsey broke up after he “allegedly” confessed to her in sex therapy about a woman he had sex with a few months back in San Diego.

    If there’s a silver lining for Tiger (and Vonn for that matter) that is 120 less admitted affairs than he had on Elin during their five-year marriage. Hey, at least he is making progress?

    In what can only be deemed as the world’s largest coincidence; the day the affair story broke social media bombarded us with a story about the new “softer, kinder” Tiger Woods and how he wrote a letter to a child that was bullied for stuttering like he did as a child. Letter

    I’m not saying he didn’t write it and I’m sure that letter really did mean the world to the kid he wrote it to, but do you really expect me to believe those two stories coming out hours apart are pure coincidence? He obviously isn’t the first celebrity, nor will he be the last, to try and cover up a scandal with some random PR stunt. However, you are going to have to sell that BS somewhere else, we are all full here.

    Oh yeah, they actually played a pretty big golf tournament this weekend as well. Personally, I think Quail Hollow is hands down the best “second tier” tournament they play all year. By second tier I mean behind the Majors, WGC events and Players. Between the field, the golf course and Webb Simpson’s wedding reception being held there everything about this tournament is spectacular. Despite the horrible “Green Mile” reference for holes 16-18, they are without question the hardest closing stretch of holes they play on tour all year.

    While the field at this event is typically second to none, understandably a handful of top players took the week off. The recent stretch on tour was about as brutal as they’ve ever had with upper tier tournaments in concession. From the West Coast for the WGC Match Play, then back east to Florida for the Players Championship, followed by this week in Charlotte (normally one of the most popular stops on Tour) even flying on private jets and playing golf can take its toll. Kym Hougham, the executive director for the tournament, says his event “took one for the team” this year in moving the date to accommodate the Match Play being played in San Francisco two weeks ago. Quail Hollow will return to its regular date in front of The Players next year where Rory is already on 59 watch.

    I think it’s pretty clear that after the Masters Rory decided to send a message to everyone sucking Jordan Spieth off the entire spring. It read very simply…REMEMBER ME ASSHOLES?! I’m still the best golfer on the planet and it’s not even close.

    Well, between the WGC Match Play and this weekend I would say the message was received loud and clear and it’s pretty hard to argue otherwise. What Rory did on Saturday at Quail Hollow was one of the single greatest ball striking rounds in the history of the PGA Tour. He beat the course average by over 10 shots. That’s pretty impressive but not nearly as impressive as the distance of McIlroy's 11 made birdies Saturday; 8 feet, 2 feet, 6 feet, 4 feet, 7 feet, 13 feet, 5 feet, 8 feet, 3 feet, 10 feet, 14 feet. Just to be very clear…he made 11 birdies and didn’t make a single putt over 15 feet. That’s not human. That’s Golden Tee good. I realize it lead to a boring conclusion on Sunday, but man, I’ll take getting to see a round like that any day of the week. That was just special to watch.

    Side note, I still contend that David Duval’s 59 at PGA West is to this day the single greatest ball striking round of golf ever played on Tour and maybe in the history of the game. See for yourself!

    I don’t know if Rory will win at Chamber’s Bay next month, and honestly, I don’t think anyone knows what to expect there. What I do know is he will be the overwhelming favorite…and rightfully so. I do however know what to expect at St. Andrews in 60 days, and I take back everything I have said about the British Open up to this point. Rory isn’t just going to win that tournament, he’s going to win it in record fashion.

    Dude doesn’t have another 80 in his bag there if you broke every club but his driver and his putter.

    With all of that said about Rory, the most clutch performance of the week was turned in by none other than Miguel Angel Jimenez…of course. The Open de Espana on the European Tour was sponsored by Mahou Beer who offered 288 free beers to anyone that made a hole-in-one on the 8th hole. Do you really think with 288 Beers on the line MAJ wasn’t going to make a hole-in-one? Of course just making a hole-in-one to win 288 Beers wasn’t enough for MAJ, my man then preceded to Moonwalk on the tee box in celebration. Cheers!

    The Weekly Waggle will be off next week drinking beer with MAJ for Memorial Day weekend and wishing a happy 2nd birthday to my little girl who can’t read and has no idea I even write this article.
    Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

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    • #3
      Bubba taking big breaks before majors

      May 19, 2015

      Bubba Watson has played only nine times this year, tied with Rory McIlroy for the fewest of any player among the top 75 on the PGA Tour money list.

      Watson played the Cadillac Championship at Doral and took off four weeks before the Masters. He is in the middle of a four-week break before showing up at the U.S. Open. The two-time Masters champion is simply trying to find the right balance to be a golfer, husband and father while keeping up his energy when he does play.

      ''We all know theories are just theories,'' Watson said Tuesday. ''But when you look at it on paper, I'm trying to figure out my life. I'm looking at it going, `How do I get my best energy level? How do I get the most positive thoughts?'''

      The U.S. Open is the start of three straight weeks (Travelers, Greenbrier) before he gets a week off ahead of the British Open. And starting with the Bridgestone Invitational, he plays six out of eight weeks.

      He played only one round from Doral until the Masters last year - an 83 in the opening round before he withdrew with an allergy problem - and won another green jacket. He had four weeks off this year and tied for 38th.

      Watson figures no matter how much time he takes off or how often he competes before a major, ''It doesn't mean I'm going to play well.''

      He'll at least be in Seattle a week ahead of the U.S. Open. Watson said a friend has a city church in the area and he'll spend the week with him. He already has played Chambers Bay during a charity event hosted by Ryan Moore.

      ''I don't know the rules of the USGA, but I'm going to try to play the week before,'' he said.

      ---

      BUBBLE WATCH: The BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth and the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial are the last tournaments for players to crack the top 50 in the world and receive an exemption into the British Open.

      Most of the attention is on Luke Donald, who is No. 60 and playing at Wentworth, which is assured of big points as the European Tour flagship event. Others outside the top 50, such as Thongchai Jaidee, George Coetzee and Shane Lowry, already are exempt for St. Andrews.

      Squarely on the bubble is Ben Martin, who is No. 50 and playing Colonial. Charley Hoffman also is at Colonial is on the outside at No. 53.

      As for the U.S. Open, the top 60 are exempt for Chambers Bay after next week's tournaments - the Byron Nelson Championship and the Irish Open. The U.S. Open has another cutoff June 15.

      ---

      NO SHARK: Greg Norman could not have realized at the time that Sunday afternoon in the 2005 British Open would be his last round at St. Andrews.

      Norman told the BBC that he will not return to the Old Course for his final year of eligibility. The two-time Open champion last played golf's oldest championship at Turnberry in 2009. Norman said he doesn't have time to prepare, and it wouldn't be fair to take a spot from someone who can win.

      ''For me to get ready to go and play at St. Andrews, I need to practice. And I don't have time to practice because I'm doing two USGA events for Fox,'' said Norman, the analyst for the U.S. Open and U.S. Senior Open. ''I'm not going to walk to the first tee and feel like I'm taking up the space of some young kid who could actually learn a heck of a lot more from it. I don't believe in doing that. I think it's so unfair to do that.''

      In that respect, Norman speaks from experience.

      He was scheduled to play at St. Andrews in 2010 but withdrew on the Friday before the Open because of lingering pain from shoulder surgery. He was replaced in the field that year by some young kid who made his British Open debut at St. Andrews - Jason Day.

      ---

      NICK OF TIME: Danny Kim of Toronto narrowly advanced to U.S. Open sectional qualifying, a close call measured by seconds instead of strokes.

      Kim played his 18-hole local qualifier Monday at Mendon Golf Club outside Rochester, New York.

      Texas sophomore Gavin Hall shot 63 on his home course to earn one of two spots. Kim appeared to be in good shape to finish second. He was 5-under par playing the ninth hole when he drove right into the trees, the same place where he lost a ball during a practice round Sunday. Storms moved in and halted play for nearly an hour.

      According to Rochester television station WROC, Kim was walking in when he noticed a ball in the fairway about 30 yards away. He thought nothing of it, returned after the delay and saved par from the trees.

      On the next tee, however, Kim realized the ball he played was the one he had lost in the practice round. The ball in the fairway was his tee shot - it apparently bounced out of the trees. He discovered the mistake just in time.

      Because he had not started his next hole, Kim was able to play his tee shot from the fairway with a two-shot penalty. If he had teed off, he would have been disqualified. He made double bogey (with the penalty), survived a triple bogey later in his round and shot 68 to advance.

      ''Pretty relieved to be going to the next site,'' Kim said.

      ---

      TIGER & RORY: Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy are the only players since 2004 who have twice posted scores that were at least 10 shots better than the field.

      McIlroy shot a 61 in the third round at the Wells Fargo Championship, which was 10.16 strokes better than the field average. He shot a 62 in the final round at Quail Hollow in 2010, which was 10.72 shots better than the field.

      Woods did it at two courses. He closed with a 62 in the Honda Classic in 2012, which was 10.11 shots better than the field that Sunday. A year later, he shot a 61 in the second round of the Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone, which was 10.19 shots better than the field.

      ---

      DIVOTS: Arizona State junior Jon Rahm of Spain has won the Ben Hogan Award, given to the top college golfer based on his performance in amateur golf the past year. Rahm is the first European to win the award, and the fourth straight winner from the Pac 12. ... Pinehurst No. 2 will have held four big USGA event in six years when it hosts the 2019 U.S. Amateur. The Donald Ross design had the U.S. Open and U.S. Women's Open in successive weeks last year, and it will host the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball in 2017. Bandon Dunes was selected for the 2020 U.S. Amateur. ... Rory McIlroy hit 43 out of 56 (77 percent) full tee shots over 300 yards at the Wells Fargo Championship. The field average for drives longer than 300 yards was 36 percent. ... Webb Simpson earned $624,800 for his runner-up finish in the Wells Fargo Championship, making him the 50th player in PGA Tour history to surpass $20 million in career earnings. He has four victories dating to his rookie season in 2009.

      ---

      STAT OF THE WEEK: Phil Mickelson is now 0-for-12 at Quail Hollow. The only courses on the PGA Tour he has played more times without winning are Muirfield Village (14) and Cog Hill (13).

      ---

      FINAL WORD: ''I'm glad that he doesn't play every week.'' - Will MacKenzie on Rory McIlroy, who won the Wells Fargo Championship by seven shots.
      Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

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