"Phil made new friends that night, East Coast guys who were never around him before, who just read and heard about this Left Coast character and never knew what to think."

Tim Rosaforte fawns over Phil Mickelson's appearance at a Boys and Girls Club tournament and calls him the "unofficial host pro" when the U.S. Open arrives at Torrey Pines. But more importantly, we learn that Phil is just a regular guy, carrying his own Callaway double strap bag (and here I figured Phil would have picked up a Sun Mountain on ebay).

Mickelson's buddy Gregg Tryhus, the Scottsdale developer (Grayhawk and Whisper Rock), walked every step with them, but Phil never let him take the bag.

Uh, you don't usually hand your bag off to a developer who overpays you to design a course for him.

Seeing Mickelson in shorts, carrying his own sticks, is nothing new around Torrey Pines. Lefty has been doing that since he was playing junior golf. He was out with brother Tim before the Players in the same gear and came back with a scouting report and take on the Golf Digest U.S. Open Challenge. Tim, the coach at the University of San Diego, is actually longer than Phil, who drove one 357 yards on Thursday at Colonial during an opening round 65.

"Phil has enjoyed carrying his own bag since his junior golf days," Coe said. "He just feels more connected to the course and it allows him to play at his own pace. I feel if the USGA would let him, he would pack his own bag for the Open and probably imagine he was playing in another Junior World."

And if his sponsors let him, he's play barefoot with a shred of hay tucked between in his cheek.

Now about this Boys and Girls club dinner...

Hosting the dinner was New York Times best-selling author Jim Nantz, who said during the introductions he had a vision of a Mickelson victory.

Okay I know I keep interrupting here, but New York Times best-selling author Jim Nantz? Continue...

Afterward, they sat on a stage and conducted a question and answer session that lasted almost an hour. Phil was open, self-deprecating, teasing, funny. At one point, radio host Rush Limbaugh stood up and asked an impassioned question about Tiger Woods, but Phil gave it the full dodge, as any good politician would.

Phil made new friends that night, East Coast guys who were never around him before, who just read and heard about this Left Coast character and never knew what to think.

I'm sorry, did I miss the part where this article started with "For Immediate Release?"

And talk about your buried lede. The last sentence:

Phil forgot to mention what he told the guys gathered around him on the putting green Tuesday morning at Torrey. Even at 7,607, he'll only have to hit driver four times.

"The scouting report on Oak Hill might have been a deterrent, too."

In a pair of blog posts (here and here), John Strege tries to figure out why so many geezers passed on the first of five senior majors at Oak Hill. Looking at the scores and word that the setup is entirely over the top, I think I know why.

Unfortunately, this somber tree-lined mess of rough and bad Fazio redesign work hosts the 2013 PGA. If this week is a preview, it's safe to say they haven't learned from the antics last time they hosted and will inevitably spawn another freak show finish.

"He can still be an awkward devil though"

A pair of good reads on Nick Faldo's reign as Ryder Cup captain, starting with Mark Reason who focuses on the apparent inability to find an assistant captain.

In an extraordinary press conference on Tuesday, Faldo became increasingly evasive and hostile when questioned on the subject. By the end the room was fairly crackling with animosity. When Faldo tried out a joke to alleviate the atmosphere it quickly lost altitude and crashed through the floor of the tent.

A couple of weeks ago Faldo was seen chatting to Bernhard Langer in a car park in Florida. Did he ask the German, who was such a successful captain in America in 2004, if he would consider the post of vice-captain? We may never know.

When I asked Langer what he and Faldo had been talking about he said: "I don't have to tell you. That's between him and me." Faldo would only say: "I had a couple of little questions to ask him."

John Huggan looks back at some of Faldo's early career moments and notes that he reverted to his old self during a Wentworth press conference.

He can still be an awkward devil though, as he proved the other day during an excruciating press conference at Wentworth. Seated next to an uncomfortable looking George O'Grady, executive director of the European Tour, Faldo was back to his worst in dealing with the media. Question after question went half answered as the six-time major champion reverted to previous type. He was, not to put too fine a point on it, a pain in the you-know-where.

Later, ensconced in a more intimate meeting with half a dozen Sunday newspaper journalists, Faldo was more forthcoming, although not much. Just about his only moment of real animation came in his explanation of just how his more senior players could help out any Ryder Cup rookies. Which is perhaps not surprising. One of the greater ironies about Faldo is the close relationship he seems to enjoy with many of the younger lads vying for spots on his team.

Tiger Skipping Memorial: A Break For The USGA?

With four straight Buick Invitational wins at Torrey Pines and six overall, Tiger Woods is even more of a U.S. Open favorite than normal. Mike Davis, the USGA's Director of Rules and Competitions, has joked that if Tiger does not win the Open at Torrey, the USGA would be blamed.

But with it now official that he will play no warm up event, has Tiger taken some pressure off of the USGA setup to produce him as a winner? Or is this simply the most inane question ever posed on this blog? 

Hey, it's Friday and I have to get back to the Laker game. 

Tiger Not On Memorial Field List

Somehow I don't think that's an oversight.

"Wipe the smile off your face for a start, there is nothing funny"

Tony Jimenez reports that Monty is taking his missed cut in stride.

Eight times European number one Colin Montgomerie was in a prickly mood on Friday after missing the cut at the PGA Championship for the first time in 19 years.

"Wipe the smile off your face for a start, there is nothing funny," the 44-year-old Briton told a reporter after a three-over-par 75 gave him a four-over total of 148.

Gee, I wonder who was smiling!?

Montgomerie, who won the European Tour's flagship event in 1998, 1999 and 2000, was level-par for the front nine before slumping to a three-over 40 coming home that included two sixes.

The out-of-form Scot has tumbled to 90th in the world but Europe's Ryder Cup captain Nick Faldo said on Tuesday he thought the team's emotional figurehead was still capable of rallying to qualify for the September 19-21 match against the United States.

Asked on Friday if he was encouraged by Faldo's remarks, Montgomerie replied: "That's the furthest thing from my mind.

"I just didn't play well enough. It's one of those things, you get what you deserve in this game.

"End of story. I was not encouraged by anything today."

Some Good News For The Golf Industry?

Dan Piller of the Des Moines Register talks to Todd Gray, SVP of Wells Fargo's financial leasing business who says "golf, as an industry, is healthy. It's just become more competitive."

"Golf is a lagging economic indicator," he said. "Whatever the economy is doing, golf will feel it the next year. If people feel less economically secure, they'll be less likely to put out money for a club membership or want to play at more expensive daily fee courses. If they're feeling flush, golf will benefit."

Gray's perspective comes from calling on more than 4,000 golf courses across the nation, selling and managing Wells Fargo's leasing credit business under which courses lease their fleets of mowers and turf equipment, as well as golf carts.

His frequent and lengthy trips around the country are hard on his own 12-handicap game, but give him a perspective on the health of the business, he said. Gray recently completed a five-week stint for the U.S. Golf Association helping members become more business savvy.

"Specifically, each member of the PGA TOUR Communications team is responsible for measurable results"

This is from the May Golf Writers Association of America newsletter. It's a "note from the communications staff" in Ponte Vedra.

PGATOURMBASPEAK bingo boards at the ready?

“The PGA TOUR has introduced a new initiative to engender, among all members of the Communications team, more ownership in the results of individual media outlets. Specifically, each member of the PGA TOUR Communications team is responsible for measurable results -- number of stories published or aired in print, television, radio and internet -- for two to three particular Top 50 or PGA TOUR tournament markets. Similar assignments have been made for national media, such as USA Today, Wall Street Journal, ESPN, ESPN.com, Yahoo!Sports.com etc.”

It's as if they take words and say, let's put them in a blender and make them as difficult to read as possible.

I just want to know Ty, who is assigned to me?  

Seriously, who has the job of counting ownership results? And if the results are just a bunch of negative stories about slow play or John Daly's latest hiccup, does that hurt your ownership stake? 

About That GPS Tracker In Your Cell Phone...

Thanks to Alan Bastable at the golf.com Press Tent blog for spotting this Fran Spielman story in the Chicago Sun-Times about the city employee caught golfing on the clock.

It takes an unhealthy mix of dishonesty and daring for a city employee to drive to a suburban golf course to play 18 holes on the taxpayers' dime.

You've got to be a fool to do it when you're carrying a cell phone with a GPS tracking device.

That's apparently what happened this week, landing the city's $106,115-a-year superintendent of sewers in the disciplinary equivalent of a sand trap.

Winston Cole has been placed on administrative leave with pay after he was tracked to an unidentified suburban golf course when he was supposed to be on the clock at the Water Management Department's South District headquarters, 1054 W. 95th St.

"It's under investigation, and he's on administrative leave with pay" pending disciplinary proceedings, said Tom LaPorte, Water Management spokesman.

When GPS-equipped cell phones were distributed to city employees and tracking devices were installed on city trucks, the stated goal was to increase employee productivity.

Oh that's good. Employee productivity! 

Little did anyone know that GPS would be used to catch someone playing golf.

Right!

"It’s not just about 7,500 yards. It’s about run-offs, firmness, ball control and course management."

Paul McGinley continues to use his fine play to push an anti-course butchering agenda at of all places, Wentworth (didn't Ernie mess it up?).

Jeremy Whittle reports:

But he bemoaned the emphasis on driving distance that has become so dominant in modern golf course design. "It’s not just about 7,500 yards," he said. "It’s about run-offs, firmness, ball control and course management.

"I’d love to see the game go that way. Distance is important but there should be more to it. It’s an over-reaction to technology."

"I’m not going to change the world," he said. "I play what I am given. Length is a very important facet, but you have got to have ball control and course management and I don’t think there’s enough of that in the professional game at the moment."

It's Official: Ryder Cuppers Leave Your 420 At Home!

They better not be lighting up or popping the wrong pills or eating 8 lb. chickens in those Ryder Cup team rooms, according to Steve Elling. 

PGA of America communications director Julius Mason told CBSSports.com that, "if a player is found guilty of the policy prior to, or during, the Ryder Cup, then any points won would be taken away and the result of the match adjusted accordingly."

In the event of a close match, that could make the difference between winning and losing the cup.

European Tour commissioner George O'Grady said earlier this week in England that testing is definitely on the docket for the Ryder Cup and the PGA Championship, which both are administered by the PGA of America.

"We will make this decision in conjunction with the PGA Tour for the PGA Championship and jointly with Ryder Cup Europe for the Ryder Cup, with the tests to be administered by Drug Free Sport, which is the administrator of the PGA Tour's program," Mason said. "We believe this helps achieve a consistency in the testing protocol for men's golf in America and allows the PGA of America to concentrate its full attention on the competition itself."

Turnstile Lays Off 14; Post-Noose Cover Ad Revenue Decline To Blame?

With great regret I learned tonight that 14 of our friends in the publishing business lost their jobs. According to my sources, declining ad revenue was cited as a reason for the cuts at Turnstile Publishing, which houses Golfweek along with other titles.

No one milked Golfweek's noose cover debacle more than I did, however, it's depressing to think that major advertisers are still staying away from the publication in the aftermath (come on, let's move on Carlsbad!). Jobs have now been lost as a result of a mistake that has been apologized for and the editorial quality of an important publication may be taking an unnecessary hit.

Among the casualties were three on the editorial side at Golfweek, including one of my favorite writers, Scott Hamilton, who broke several major business stories and was just developing a strong voice in the limited space provided for Golfweek's media column. I know Scott will land somewhere and someone's publication will be much better thanks to his contributions.

“It was a tough call. Not a good day to be a rules official.”

Both reports out of the NCAA Women's Championship imply that the round called Wednesday due to high winds should not have been called. Beth Ann Baldry at Golfweek writes:

Play was suspended for the first time at 1:10 p.m. May 21, just as the morning wave began to finish. Southern California and UCLA managed to wrap things up and post an 8-over 584 total. Of the teams that finished, Denver posted the day’s lowest round, 6-over 294, and trails by three.

After an initial two-hour, 10-minute delay, teams were sent out to resume play. Officials hoped for a weather lull but instead found even stronger wind gusts.

“I thought it was calmer before they called it off the first time,” said Duke’s Amanda Blumenherst, who was 3 under through 14 holes. When she returned to finish her round, Blumenherst three-putted twice to post 1-under 71.

And...

Many coaches were stunned to hear the horn blow the first time. Rules officials saw “ball movement on four different greens,” though no penalties were assessed. Tina Krah, NCAA director of championships, said conditions weren’t dangerous but felt that players were in an “unfair situation.”

“Our intent is to not wait until there are penalties,” Krah said. “Our intent is to protect them from penalties.”

As coaches and players gathered around the UNM clubhouse, many said they never saw the wind blow one ball. Tulsa coach Randy Keck called the decision “one of the worst he’s ever seen.”

At the Conference USA Championship in El Paso, Keck said “the dirt was so thick in the air you couldn’t see the ball.” Tulsa not only finished, they won.

Purdue coach Devon Brouse also oversees the men’s program in West Lafayette, Ind. He counted at least three tournaments this year where the men played in tougher winds.

“I don’t see this as a dangerous situation,” Brouse said. “You have the Rules of Golf to cover balls moving on the greens.”

Ryan Herrington got the same reaction from coaches and also noted that the possibility of a Saturday finish now exists. 

"I have told the players we are going to make them play faster."

John Hopkins reports on the slow play epidemic, and though he says the final pairing at The Players took only 4:15 (according to some readers it was 4:40), he offers this:

The answer lies partly in easing the set-up of some courses but more in harsh penalties for slow players. The LPGA Tour in the US recently introduced a policy of penalizing players who took more than 30 seconds a stroke and, furthermore, penalized Angela Park when she was only one stroke out of the lead. Compare this with the PGA Tour's policies under which a player has not bee fined for 15 years.

Tim Finchem, Commissioner of the PGA Tour in the US, said in an interview with The Times last week: "I have told the players we are going to make them play faster. I think we owe it the sport, to the players who play at this level and to the fans that we are doing everything we can to analyse and take steps on this issue."

Well, it's something. This isn't so hot:

Last Monday the World Golf Foundation, a body incorporating the United States Golf association and the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, the professional tours from around the world as well as Ladies Professional Golf Association (in the US), met in Jacksonville. I understand that slow play was on the agenda but nothing substantive was discussed even though slow play was an item on the agenda.

Thankfully, there is great news. According to Doug Ferguson, the big execs in golf are working on the real priorities at the expense of their carbon footprints. What for? To grow the game with 72-holes of stroke play once every four years. 

PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem headed for London this week, stopping along the way to pick up USGA executive director David Fay and LPGA commissioner Carolyn Bivens.

They were to join R&A chief executive Peter Dawson and European Tour chief George O’Grady at a meeting with the International Olympic Committee, the first step toward bringing golf back to the Olympics.

It was not a formal meeting, but no less important to show the IOC a unified front in golf’s desire to be part of the games.

“This will be a protracted process,” Fay said. “But this is an important first step.”

Vital. Just vital.

Phil Risks Family Values Q-Rating For Entourage Shoot

Have already lost points for his scruffy hair, Phil Mickelson is endangering his Q-rating to shoot an episode of Entourage, reports Melanie Hauser.

"It's a funny show,'' said Mickelson, who is back in the field for the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial after two years. " . . . I just think it's one of the best shows I've ever seen. Certainly it's edgy, the language is a little rough. But I just love watching the show.''

He didn't give away much -- if anything. He's on a course with Piven, Martin Landau and Paul Ben-Victor and "the four of us were having a deal." It seems Piven was trying to get someone in a movie.

"I don't know what I can or can't say,'' Mickelson said.

The bottom line? The episode will likely be shown in September, but not in the Mickelson household, where small, tender ears could hear rough things.

'It will be (shown) in 12 years,'' Mickelson chuckled.

You may recall Phil was part of an Ari Gold joke two seasons ago.