Gore and Arizona

Greg Hanson in the Arizona Daily Star writes:

The most meaningful accomplishment in UA golf history, connected to those who played for the Wildcats, could be Annika Sorenstam's ascension as the world's leading female player.  But it is not.
 
You might choose to nominate Jim Furyk for his victory at the U.S. Open, or Don Pooley for winning the U.S. Senior Open.

How about Eric Meeks' triumph at the 1988 U.S. Amateur, or that of Ricky Barnes at the 2003 U.S. Amateur?

 Close, but no.

 

Today in Idaho, former UA golfer Jason Gore is playing in the Nationwide Tour's Boise Open, which, if you are asking for perspective, is the triumph of his career as a man and as a golfer.

Not to quibble, but uh, Jason Gore transferred and led another school to an NCAA title.

That might explain why Hanson called on the former golf beat writer for a quote instead of UA coach Rick LaRose to back up the assertion that it's the "most meaningful moment in UA golf history."

Presidents Cup Day 1

Hard to get behind the U.S. team if they don't tattoo American flags to their cheeks! I mean, where's the patriotism with these guys?

 Seriously, here's the game story on the first day of Presidents Cup play. Rivetting it was. So exciting was it that I realized, if this were the Ryder Cup, no way the doctors let David Toms play. Too much stress. Presidents Cup? Eh, why not, who cares?

Here's a story on Toms as well as Jim Furyk, who was injured on day one but says he'll be fine.

If you have absolutely nothing to do, here is the Captain's post round press conference.  

Why Is It That...

...American teams can never color coordinate? Maybe the red hats are a tribute to Donald Trump's favorite golf hat color.

And why is that the player wives are walking in the fairways with their husband's matches?  Oh right, family is one of the PGA Tour's core values. I forgot, sorry.

Course looks great. Love how the cameras can't quite pick up the white bunkers, turning them into white blurs. So natural. 

Moriarty on Alternate Shot

Jim Moriarty looks at the (surprising short) and strange history of foursomes.

Peter Thomson, three-time captain of the Presidents Cup International team, held a somewhat less favorable opinion of foursomes. "I think it's a goofy game, frankly," he said in 2000. "It's a bloody British invention for old ladies at golf clubs."

Humorless Americans?

Robert Lusetich in the Australian News:

Leave it to Peter Lonard, that plain-speaking sage from south-west Sydney, to dissect the cultural dichotomies between the International team and the US at the Presidents Cup.

"The main difference is that we don't get our knickers in a twist if someone calls us arseholes," Lonard said yesterday.

Ten Reasons To Watch

Steve Elling's ten reasons why we should watch the Presidents Cup. Entertaining as always.

The Gores of Toronto

Lorne Rubinstein looks at the Gore family history and their connection to Canada, with plenty of photos.

Latest On Wie

Doug Ferguson says not so fast...the deals haven't been signed yet according to B.J. Wie. But they're almost done.  Lawrence Donegan provides a UK perspective on Wie's career move.

Presidents Cup Eve

Yes it starts on Thursday, part of the Tour's quest to not be like the Ryder Cup (well, and get another TV day). As for previews, Steve Keating of Reuters has the pairings. The Mickelson-DiMarco v. O'Hern-Clark match looks like it could be good one, though everyone will be watching Woods-Couples v. Scott-Goosen.  Meanwhile, Golf World's Brett Avery previews the teams.  And Doug Ferguson offers notes following Wednesday's practice round and press conference.

As for the to-autograph-or-not-to-autograph spat, no one asked the Captains to clarify as far as I can tell. Instead lots of dreary questions asking for comparisons between the Presidents Cup and the Ryder Cup and other boring stuff. By having the players do joint press conferences, it turns into one big rally killer session.

Callahan On Els

Golf Digest's Tom Callahan profiles the rehabing Ernie Els.

The Onion Fun

From The Onion.

Speaking of Bickering...

Jim Achenbach reports on Mitch Voges and his shady behavior at the U.S. Senior Amateur yesterday.

I rank the 36 holes I played with Voges in the 1991 U.S. Amateur qualifier at Calabasas as one of the slowest and days of golf I ever played. Not only because I played decently and didn't qualify, but because Voges and his son/caddy gave new meaning to slow and annoying golf course gamesmanship antics. Voges went on to win the Amateur that year.

Another reminder that the USGA should have banned the long putter.

The General Membership Meeting

Fun at the expense of clubs who panicked after the recent Golf Digest rankings.

Let The Bickering Begin

Hey, this Presidents Cup match may get interesting after all. Captain Jack and Captain Gary are already bickering like a couple of old ladies.

Nicklaus, the captain of the United States team, confronted Player, the International team captain, and accused him of breaking an agreement forbidding players to sign autographs at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club.

Members of the International team were seen signing autographs throughout the day, and some United States team members also signed.

After talking with Player, Nicklaus told fans - as he was signing autographs - that some of his players thought the International team had made them look like "jerks."

RTJ Golf Club Map

Golf World has another excellent course map, this time of Robert Trent Jones Golf Club. (It would be even better if they used that rubbery glue stuff instead of the staples that force you to tear it up. Not that this helps you online map viewers.)

Surrounding bestapproach.com's rendering are anecdotes provided by Brett Avery:

The course, which Jones called "my masterpiece," originally played to 7,238 yards. In subsequent years the layout has become a veritable laboratory for the tour's course design and construction division, with 13 holes changed in various redesign projects.

Ouch. Trent Jones being remodeled by PGA Tour Design Services. There's a recipe for blandness.

Avery provides the lowdown on the new look, corporate hospitality friendly Presidents Cup routing:

When is an 18th hole not an 18th? When the PGA Tour bows to corporate hospitality skyboxes and begins matches at the club's third tee. Of the 96 matches played here since the 1994 inaugural, only 30 have reached the home hole (and seven in 2000). That meant anyone there hoofed it to the action or watched TV and listened for distant gallery roars. When the club shifted its practice area from uneven terrain near the clubhouse to the other side of several "cottages," event officials moved to No. 3. That means any match going 17 holes--and 56 have in three playings here--will parade before the skyboxes. It also means crucial points could be decided at the club's opening two holes, decidedly weaker challenges than its closing two.

The back nine at RTJ's masterpiece is checking in this week at 3,895 yards, thank you very much.