Norman calls golf's drug policy 'disgraceful'

Norman calls golf's drug policy 'disgraceful'










The Sports Xchange April 29, 2013 4:00 PMThe SportsXchange



Greg Norman told The Australian newspaper on Monday that golf's anti-drugs policies are "disgraceful" and that blood testing needs to be included.

"You only have to look at what happened to Vijay Singh just recently to know the drugs issue is there," Norman said.

Singh said in January that he had used deer antler spray, which is banned by the PGA Tour because it has a muscle-building hormone and can only be detected by blood tests.

Norman said he does not know how widespread the problem is.

"I have no idea because we only do urine analysis instead of blood testing," he said. "If you really want to be serious about it and find about what's really going on, we need to do blood testing. I think it's disgraceful, to tell you the truth. The golf associations have to get together and step it up."

Norman believes all sports should prioritize drug testing.

"Any sportsman or sportswoman who uses an outside agency to improve their skills is cheating," he said. "It sickens me. They're putting a black eye on their sport. If a sport gets itself clean, the corporate dollars will always be there because people will know it's a sport they can trust. The rest will take care of itself."

Will the Players Ever Become the Official Fifth Major?

Will the Players Ever Become the Official Fifth Major?











Travis Mewhirter April 30, 2013 5:25 PM




COMMENTARY | Adam Scott bellowed. Aussies drank. Long putter supporters rejoiced. The Masters happened. Now what?

After Augusta delivered another outstanding spectacle, as is the norm with the Masters, the large majority of the golfing world went back into hibernation, sleeping out the two month drag between majors. The U.S. Open doesn't tee off until June 13; the British not till mi
d-July; and the PGA Championship closes out the grand slam in early August.



So, what to feed the golfing fans with the most voracious appetites? The Players Championship, the unofficial fifth major, of course.

That tag has long been the moniker of the Players, a tournament segueing the gap between the recognized majors, and one that the PGA Tour has long been pushing to become an official major. It's an event that's big enough and loud enough to excite the casual golfing fan who generally only flicks over to the Golf Channel on Sundays and major weeks, and attracts the most attention of any non-major tournament from the players.

It typically hosts the most elite field (the top 50 in the World Golf Rankings are exempt), playing for the biggest purse ($9.5 million since 2008), at one of golf's most prestigious and well-known venues (TPC Sawgrass), with one of the most signature holes on Earth (the island green 17th), and is the biggest event put on by the PGA Tour.

This is the Tour's baby. It has been since 1974 when Jack Nicklaus won the inaugural title. So what's the problem? What exactly does it take for the Players -- or any other tournament -- to become the official fifth major?

Of all of golf's governing bodies, you would think that the PGA Tour would have its own major. The United States Golf Association has the U.S. Open, the R&A hosts the British, PGA of America puts on the PGA Championship and the Masters is Augusta's pride and joy. But the Tour, while it does have the FedEx Cup and a staggeringly lucrative playoff system in order, doesn't have a major.

Golf, as even any 36-handicap will tell you, is a tradition-driven sport. It takes a whole heck of a lot to change anything, aside from the courses themselves, about the game. And the majors, golf's four shining pillars, are apparently not to be messed with. Ernie Els has long decried the addition of the Players to golf's Big Four, even going as far to give another tournament the nod over the Players.

"[The BMW] is definitely taking the place of the Players," he told Sports Illustrated. "I also feel we have a stronger field here and a classic course."

Els isn't the first to point to a different tournament. Nicklaus used to say the same about the Australian Open and, as SI noted, wrote in his 1969 autobiography, The Greatest Game of All: My Life in Golf, with Herbert Warren Wind: "In conversations with friends I referred to the Australian Open as a major championship, but they knew and I knew I was kidding myself. Being the national championship of a golf-minded country, the ­Australian Open was a most estimable tournament to be won but simply wasn't a major championship except in the eyes of Australians. Of course, the men who won it prized it highly."

SI would also note that Lee Trevino sided with the Canadian Open as one of the top four tournaments in the world.

Will golf ever actually add a fifth major? Who knows? I sure don't. It's getting to the point where nearly a dozen tournaments could make a case as the next logical major addition. The Accenture Match Play Championship would provide a non-stroke play major, something we haven't seen since the PGA Championship did away with match play in 1958. I know I'd like to see a match play major somewhere down the road.

But for now, renowned golf writer John Feinstein seems to have it right when he said that the Players isn't the fifth major.

There is no fifth major.



Travis Mewhirter has been working in the golf industry since 2007, when he was a bag room manager at Piney Branch Golf Club in Carroll County, Maryland, and has been involved, as a player, since 2004. Since then, he has worked at Hayfields Country Club, where the Constellation Energy Classic was formerly held, and has covered golf at the high school, college, and professional levels.

Singh avoids suspension for deer-antler spray

Singh avoids suspension for deer-antler spray










The Sports Xchange April 30, 2013 6:20 PMThe SportsXchange



Vijay Singh acknowledged earlier this year that he had used a banned substance, but he will not be penalized by the PGA Tour as a result.

Singh, 50, was told Tuesday by commissioner Tim Finchem before a practice round for the Wells Fargo Championship that he would not face sanctions for taking a deer-antler spray after the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) determined its use was no longer considered prohibitive.

The three-time major champion's case was subsequently dropped, Finchem said at a news conference, because WADA no longer considers the substance to be prohibited unless a positive test for 1GF-1, a growth factor, results from taking it. Singh did not test positive for the banned substance found in the spray.

"Based on this new information, and given WADA's lead role in interpreting the prohibited list, the tour deemed it only fair to no longer treat Mr. Singh's use of deer-antler spray as a violation of the Tour's anti-doping program," Finchem said.

Singh contended that he didn't know the spray contained a growth hormone. He was sanctioned by the tour on Feb. 19 for admitting its use, but the tour does not administer blood tests -- the only way to detect growth hormones -- as part of its routine regimen.

Singh appealed the sanctions and continued to play.

Earlier this week, former Tour player Greg Norman called for blood testing in the sport.

Korda leads Mobile Bay, but Michaels sets course record

Korda leads Mobile Bay, but Michaels sets course record










The Sports Xchange May 17, 2013 9:40 PMThe SportsXchange


MOBILE, Ala. -- Karrie Webb was just trying to keep up during the second round of the Mobile Bay LPGA Classic on Friday.

Not necessarily with Sydnee Michaels, who broke the course record by two shots at Magnolia Grove, but with long-hitting playing partner Jessica Korda.

Webb managed to stay with them. She trails Korda, the 36-hole leader, in the Mobile Bay LPGA Classic by one shot after 36 holes. Korda, a 20-year-old from Bradenton, Fla., shot a 7-under 65 in the afternoon and was at 13-under 131.

Webb fired a 9-under 63 -- a score that would have broken the course record had not Michaels beat her to it in the morning.

"When you're playing with Jess and Brittany (Lincicome)," Webb said, "if I hit a really good one, I'm 20 yards behind them. In certain parts of the golf course where they can carry parts that I can't, I'm 40 yards behind them. So I'm the little short one out there trying to keep up with the big girls."

Michaels carded eight birdies and an eagle to eclipse the course record by two strokes with a 10-under 62. She is at 10 under for the tournament.

Michaels had missed four straight cuts. Her best previous LPGA round was 7 under.

"It feels so good to finally have a good round because I've been struggling the last few weeks and going through some swing changes," Michaels said. "And the week off last week, I just said, 'You know what? I'm just going to go back to what feels good.' So I hit a lot of balls and just kind of got back to where I was feeling good over the ball again. So it feels good to finally have a good round."

Korda got a shock on the first hole.


"We give Webby a hard time," Korda said. "She did outdrive me on the first hole today, and she's like, 'What's going on?' And I'm like, 'Did you work out last night?'"

Korda's seven-birdie round came without a missed fairway. She played the four par-5 holes in 3 under. All of her birdies have come on par-4 and par-5 holes the first two days.

Korda was playing in her first tournament since injuring her wrist in the LPGA Lotte Championship on April 20.

"Honestly, right now it's Friday," Korda said, "so I think the tournament starts on the back nine on Sunday. So right now, it's great to have the lead, and I feel good. I'm healthy, somewhat, so I'm happy just to be here and playing right now."

Webb stood at 1 over with six holes to go on Thursday. She was 4 under on the final six holes in the first round and 4 under on the final five holes on Friday.

"I'm not sure the last time I had a bogey-free round," Webb said, "so I'm really happy about that. That's sort of been my problem. I have bogeys at the wrong time, and it really kills my momentum.

"That's what happened yesterday. I turned at 2 under and then doubled (No.) 1 and bogeyed 2, and all of a sudden I'm at 1 over. I just was really happy to fight back yesterday to finish at 3 under, and I think that really carried over into today."

Six players are at 10 under or better after two rounds..

Chella Choi stands at 11 under. Two golfers from Thailand -- Pornanong Phatlum and Thidapa Suwannapura -- were tied with Michaels at 10 under.

"My shot is really good and my distance is better than last year," said Choi, a Korean who likes playing in Mobile because she can drive from her home in Jacksonville, Fla. "I tried very hard on my putting because it's 80 percent putting, 20 percent shots. My shots are the same, but my putting is much better than before.

"I don't make a lot of putts (in the previous) couple of tournaments. But today and yesterday, really good -- my putting. My confidence is better."

First-round co-leader Lexi Thompson is at 9 under after a second-round 70 that included an eagle on the par-5 16th. Also at 9 under are Azahara Munoz, Ariya Jutanugarn and Mina Harigae.

Munoz holed out from the 18th fairway for an eagle on her way to an 8-under 64.

Jutanugarn, a 17-year-old playing on a sponsor exemption, has not finished worse than fourth in her four LPGA outings and had a 6-under 66.

Nordqvist sets record, but Choi still leads Mobile Bay

Nordqvist sets record, but Choi still leads Mobile Bay










The Sports Xchange May 18, 2013 8:20 PMThe SportsXchange



MOBILE, Ala. -- For the second straight day, a golfer shot herself into contention at the Mobile Bay LPGA Classic with a tournament-record round. And for the second straight day, a record-breaking performance wasn't enough to take the lead on Magnolia Grove's Crossings Course.

On Saturday, Anna Nordqvist fired an 11-under-par 61. ButChella Choi is the third-round leader, coming in at 17-under 199.

Nordqvist is one stroke back, tied for second with second-round leader Jessica Korda.

Sydnee Michaels' 10-under-par 62 of the second round lasted one day as the tournament record. Before this year, the tournament record had been 8-under, accomplished three times.

Choi got to 17 under for the tournament with her second straight 66 Saturday. Last year, Stacy Lewis won the tournament at 17 under. This is the first time that Choi has led entering the final round of an LPGA tournament.

Hall of Famer Karrie Webb is alone in fourth place at 15 under after a 3-under 69. Jennifer Johnson is another stroke back after turning in a 65, making her one of five players to shoot 7 under or better on Saturday.

Lewis gave herself a chance to repeat as the tournament champ with a 9-under 63 on Saturday to get to 13-under, where she's tied with Michaels.

The group at 12 under includes first-round leaders Lexi Thompson and Eun-Hee Ji, Nicole Castrale and Ariya Jutanungarn, a 17-year-old playing on a sponsor exemption.

In the third round, Nordqvist made 10 birdies, including holing out from the greenside bunker on No. 12, an eagle on the par-5 13th and a three-putt bogey on the par-3 14th. She birdied the third through seventh holes.

"It's just one of those days where you just feel like you can't miss," she said. "Today was a lot of fun. I started out with a couple birdies, hit a lot of good shots, and I think I missed one green. And then I made that bunker shot, and it was just like I couldn't stop smiling, couldn't stop laughing."

Korda had a bumpy 3-under 69 in the third round. After shooting 3 under on the front nine, she bogeyed 11, where hitting her ball out of a divot aggravated the wrist injury she suffered in the LPGA LOTTE Championships on April 20.

This is her first outing since that injury.

She followed the bogey with a double-bogey. But she bounced back with a birdie on the 13th and rolled in a 33-foot eagle putt on the 16th hole to get back to 16 under.

Lewis had six birdies in each of the first two rounds of the Mobile Bay LPGA Classic, but the 2012 Rolex Player of the Year was only 4 under for the tournament, thanks to four bogeys and two double-bogeys.

In the third round, Lewis didn't have any bogeys. But she did have nine birdies.

Nordqvist seizes opportunity to have chance at Mobile Bay win

Nordqvist seizes opportunity to have chance at Mobile Bay win










The Sports Xchange May 18, 2013 9:20 PMThe SportsXchange


MOBILE, Ala. -- Anna Nordqvist wore a necklace on Saturday that read: Carpe Diem.

Did she ever.

Nordqvist fired a tournament record 11-under-par 61 in the third round of the Mobile Bay LPGA Classic on to launch herself into contention for her first victory since 2010.

The Swedish golfer will enter the final round one shot behind leader Chella Choi, who is at 17-under 199 for the tournament after her second straight 66 on Saturday.

Nordqvist is tied for second with Jessica Korda, the second-round leader who shot a 3-under 69.

Sydnee Michaels' 10-under-par 62 of the second round lasted one day as the tournament record. Before this year, the tournament record had been 8-under, accomplished three times.

In the third round, Nordqvist made 10 birdies, including holing out from the greenside bunker on No. 12, an eagle on the par-5 13th and a three-putt bogey on the par-3 14th.

"It's just one of those days where you just feel like you can't miss," she said. "Today was a lot of fun. I started out with a couple birdies, hit a lot of good shots, and I think I missed one green. And then I made that bunker shot, and it was just like I couldn't stop smiling, couldn't stop laughing."

Nordqvist was 1 over in the first round and shot a 6-under 66 in the second. On Saturday, she hit all 14 fairways, was on all but one green in regulation -- and holed out from the bunker on the one miss -- and used 26 putts to get through the round.


"It's one of those days where you feel like all your hard work, and your patience is paying off," she said. "You look back in the day, you see yourself with a lot of confidence and know you can do it and believe in yourself."

Choi put her second shot on the par-5 16th hole into the greenside bunker, but she got out for a birdie to get to 17 under and will take the lead into the final round for the first time in her LPGA career.

Choi has a different approach this week -- she is scoreboard watching for the first time as she tries to match the top scorers throughout her rounds.

The Korean golfer explained that before this week, watching as scores were posted made her nervous and would erode her confidence.

"So like this week, I start watching the leaderboard. ... Starting Thursday, every hole watching the leading score. So I think much better, mentally better, than before."

Hall of Famer Karrie Webb is alone in fourth place at 15 under after a 3-under 69. Jennifer Johnson is another stroke back after turning in a 65, making her one of five players to shoot 7 under or better on Saturday.

Stacy Lewis won the tournament last year with a record 17-under score. She gave herself a chance to repeat with a 9-under 63 on Saturday to get to 13-under, where she's tied with Michaels.

The group at 12 under includes first-round leaders Lexi Thompson and Eun-Hee Ji, Nicole Castrale and Ariya Jutanungarn, a 17-year-old playing on a sponsor exemption.

Korda had a bumpy third round. After shooting 3 under on the front nine, she bogeyed 11, where hitting her ball out of a divot aggravated the wrist injury she suffered in the LPGA LOTTE Championships on April 20.

This is her first outing since that injury.

She followed the bogey with a double-bogey on No. 12. But she bounced back with a birdie on the 13th, and she set up an eagle on the 16th with a massive tee shot to get back to 16 under.

"I think they said I hit it 325 (yards)," she said. "And then I had a 6-iron in and I was 33 feet past the pin. (The putt) just went straight in the hole. I mean it was a left-to-right putt, and it was pretty."

Lewis had six birdies in each of the first two rounds, but the 2012 Rolex Player of the Year was only 4 under for the tournament because of four bogeys and two double-bogeys.

In the third round, Lewis didn't have any bogeys. But she did have nine birdies.

Fifty-four golfers are at 5 under or better. Korda said they're all in contention.

"What did Anna shoot today -- 11 under?" the 20-year-old from Bradenton, Fla., asked. "Anybody within 12 shots, I think, is still close."

Plan executed, Spittle eyes first major crown

Plan executed, Spittle eyes first major crown











PGA.COM May 25, 2013 10:42 PM

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Rod Spittle has overcome a rough start to his week to put himself in contention to win.(Montana Pritchard/The …


By T.J. Auclair, PGA.com Interactive Producer

ST. LOUIS - Back in 2004, at age 49, Rod Spittle and his wife, Ann, made a life-changing decision.

After 25 years selling health insurance, Rod quit his job, Ann quit hers, they sold their house in Columbus, Ohio, and decided to try something new - professional golf.

That's right, at age 49, Spittle - who starred as a collegiate golfer at Ohio State, where he was a teammate of John Cook and Joey Sindelar - decided all those years later to finally take a crack at the pros.

"My dream was always to play again," Spittle said. "I played at Ohio State with John Cook and Joey Sindelar, who are great guys and great gentlemen. I just thought I could always play. I won my two Canadian Amateurs when I was in school. I just chose not to chase the lifestyle of being away from my family. My hat continues to go off to John and Joey because of that. I turned pro at 49. Our kids are grown. We have three kids - our daughter is 34, and we have two boys who are 32 and 29, as well as two granddaughters. That was when we figured it was OK to do this."

It might sound crazy, but the Spittles put together a five-year plan. If it worked out, great. If it didn't, it was back to the drawing board.

Fast forward to this week at Bellerive Country Club, site of the 74th Senior PGA Championship presented by KitchenAid. With just 18 holes left to play, the 57-year-old, nine-year professional is alone in fourth place, just four shots behind leader Kenny Perry at 6-under-par 207. Spittle shot a 4-under 67 on Saturday to go along with Friday's 71 and Thursday's 69.

The nutty thing about all this is that if it weren't for burning the midnight oil on that five-year plan, Spittle wouldn't even be here this week.

So let's go back to 2010 for a minute. Spittle's five-year plan was coming to an end and it wasn't exactly the end he had in mind. Bluntly, it was getting to "dust off the resume" time.

"Having not played the regular tour, our plan was to work our way on to the Champions Tour," he said. "And I did that for a couple of years playing the Monday qualifiers. I basically learned again how to play at this level."

In the last event on the 2010 Champions Tour schedule - the AT&T Championship in San Antonio - and with perhaps a final trip to qualifying school looming in the fall, Spittle changed everything: He won.


Talk about cashing in on a five-year plan.

Spittle defeated Jeff Sluman in a playoff, earned his full status on the Champions Tour and didn't miss a single start in 2011 or 2012.

"Everybody wants to play as well as they can - no matter what level that might be," Spittle said. "That win at the end of 2010 was huge. It changed everything. Like I've told my buddies and all my kids - I played golf for 40 years and made a 3 1/2-foot putt in 2010 to win a professional golf tournament.

"I still get goose bumps [thinking about it]. That's what's so great about this sport we play. I postponed my stuff a little bit later than John and Joey. They won their tournaments at 25 and I won mine at 55."

Adding to the legend of Rod Spittle is the perseverance he showed early on this week. With a 2:30 p.m. tee time in Thursday's first round starting on the back nine, Spittle began this journey at Bellerive in the worst of the week's conditions - howling wind, sideways rain.

Through his first three holes Spittle was 3 over par - a bogey, par, double bogey start.

Simply put, it was ugly.

"You just simmer down," Spittle said. "And I think I made three birdies on the back nine to get back to even par before the turn. I got back to even par and we've been playing well ever since. I guess I had my bad holes in that first hour instead of stretching them out over the four days. The first day it was just long, wet and cold. And I'm old, so it was just a brutal start.

"That's what the last few years have taught me. You've got to be patient. You just have to ride it out and simmer down. It dried out. The rain and the wind stopped and I was fortunate to make some birdies."

Now, Spittle - sitting where he's always dreamed of eventually being - has an opportunity to do something on Sunday that he's never before even given himself the time to imagine: the chance to win a major championship.

"If it so happened that I won tomorrow night, we'd have to break out the handkerchiefs," he said. "I can't even think about what that would be like. The classic answer is tomorrow is just like any other day. You hit it in the fairway, you hit it on the greens. We'll try not to watch the scoreboard too much. You get yourself in position come tomorrow afternoon about 3-4 o'clock and we'll see what happens. I have a brilliant strategy - just try to make more birdies than bogeys. Either way, we're in a pretty neat spot."

Neat and unbelievable.

Overton DQ Suggests Golf Rules Need a Facelift

Overton DQ Suggests Golf Rules Need a Facelift
Jeff Overton was Disqualified from the Crowne Plaza Colonial Invitational for a Mild Offense. Would Tiger Woods Have Also Been DQ'd?











Adam Fonseca May 25, 2013 11:13 PM





> COMMENTARY | Jeff Overton was disqualified from the Crowne Plaza Colonial Invitational Saturday in one of the most peculiar ways you'll ever see. As a result, it may be time to update the rule book.



While waiting to tee off at hole no. 10 due to a traffic jam of players, Overton walked over to a nearby practice putting green to work on his putter alignment. Overton used a plastic rod to help him with his alignment, which is apparently a huge no-no in the Rules of Golf. He was informed of the disqualification while playing the next hole.

According to PGA Tour officials, Overton violated rule 14-3, which states that "a player is disqualified under Rule 14-3 as [an alignment rod] is unusual equipment and such use, during the stipulated round, is not permitted". A "stipulated round" consists of playing the holes of the course in their correct sequence unless otherwise authorized by tournament officials.

For the sake of clarity, a player is prohibited from using any training aid or device during a competitive round. Furthermore, it is not against the rules for Overton to carry the alignment aid rod in his bag during competition. Surely a practice green that has no bearing on the completion of a golf round would be fair game, right?

According to Mark Russell, PGA Tour vice president of rules and competition, the answer is a resounding no.

"You can go to a designated practice area and chip and putt if you'd like while you are waiting to play," Russell stated. "But you cannot use an artificial device. That's what he did. The penalty for that is disqualification."

So you can literally hit a small bucket of pitches and chips on a practice green in the middle of your round, but as soon as you lay down an object to help with alignment, you break the rules. Not only that, you don't just get penalized; you get disqualified. Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

Just for the sake of comparison, other rule violations that result in player disqualification include:
Misrepresenting your handicap under USGA Rule 6 (which will never be an issue on the PGA Tour);


Missing your starting time, a la Jim Furyk at the 2010 Barclays (prior to a pro-am round, at that);


Starting your round too early, as Ed Oliver discovered at the 1940 US Open;


Turning in an incorrect or unsigned scorecard;


Playing with nonconforming equipment, which includes the presence of a foreign substance on your clubs or using balls that do not conform to USGA standards. The Rules can even regulate your golf glove design.



As many golf fans learned during Tiger Woods's illegal drop debacle at the 2013 Masters, the USGA and Royal & Ancient Golf Club added an addendum in 2011 to offer tournament officials the option of waiving disqualification under certain circumstances. Despite the fact Woods was deemed to have taken an illegal drop - and since a television viewer whistle blower identified the violation after the fact - Augusta National officials decided to penalize Woods two strokes instead of disqualifying him.

Why didn't Colonial officials opt to simply penalize Overton instead of disqualifying him in this case? Rolling a few putts on a practice green that has no impact on his competitive round seems pretty mild in comparison to taking an illegal drop.

Where's the addendum on enforcing the Rules of Golf consistently?



Adam Fonseca has covered professional golf since 2005. His work can be found on numerous digital outlets including the Back9Network and SB Nation. Follow Adam on Twitter at @chicagoduffer.

Perry leads Haas by two shots after third round

Perry leads Haas by two shots after third round











PGA.COM May 26, 2013 6:23 PM

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Kenny Perry had an eagle, five birdies and four bogeys in his 68 on Saturday.(Getty Images)


ST. LOUIS -- Kenny Perry has been here before, and been crushed by disappointment. Whatever happens in the final round of the Senior PGA Championship, he plans on leaving with his head held high.

If his two-stroke lead over two-time champion Jay Haasdoesn't hold up Sunday, Perry said, "It's not going to be the end of the world."

"I played beautifully for three rounds," Perry said. "I'm just going to go out there and play like I did, and point and shoot."

The 52-year-old Perry is close to an elusive first major championship in a career known more for near-misses in the 2008 Masters and 1996 PGA Championship than his 16 total tournament victories. He was at 10 under overall at Bellerive Country Club, which held up fine after a rain delay of more than two hours before the last twosome of Perry and Russ Cochran teed off.

Perry is the lone player in the field to break 70 all three rounds, capitalizing on booming drives and finesse. On Saturday, he chipped in from about 30 feet from an awkward lie for an eagle on No. 4.

"I couldn't stand there all day and do that again," Perry said. "That was a one in a million shot."

The odds did not help Perry when he faltered and lost in a playoff to Mark Brooks in the PGA Championship. When it happened again in the Masters, it hurt a lot more. Perry led by two strokes with two holes to go but finished with a pair of bogeys, ending a streak of 22 holes without one. Then he bogeyed the second playoff hole and lost in a playoff to Angel Cabrera.

"That Masters loss put a big dent in my life," Perry said. "So this right here, this is awesome. I'm just going to try to do my best and hopefully the cards will fall my way this time."

Perry had the eagle, five birdies and four bogeys in the third round, mixing spectacular shots with some stumbles and doing enough of the right things for a 3-under 68. Though Perry had just one bogey the first two rounds, his closest pursuer doesn't see any weaknesses in his game.


"It was nice to stay within a few of Kenny," Haas said. "It looks like he's really going to be tough to beat."

Haas finished with a pair of birdies for a 67. Cochran was three strokes back after rallying for two birdies on the back nine for an even-par 71, and Rod Spittle was four shots back after a 67.

The 59-year-old Haas, who won the championship in 2006 and `08, shot 66 in the first round to share the lead and credited a telephone tip from coach Billy Harmon about keeping his right shoulder down for helping to steady his game.

"I think I missed maybe one or two fairways and just hit some real quality shots," Haas said. "So, that was a lot of fun."

Haas has played Bellerive a couple dozen times, but doesn't consider it much of an advantage.

"Golf is such a different game than playing at your home court or something with the fans," Haas said. "I don't know what it makes a big deal of a difference."

Perry had a three-stroke lead after the chip for eagle from an awkward lie on No. 4, with both feet in a greenside bunker and the ball on the lip. He was aiming at the gallery and just hoping to get it on the green.

"When I hit it, man, it went straight toward the flag," Perry said. "And it hit and checked a little bit and rolled right in there like a putt."

The lead was down to one after he followed up with consecutive bogeys, but he was back up by four over Cochran and Haas after birdies on Nos. 7 and 8, and no one got closer than two strokes on the back nine.

Defending champion Roger Chapman shot 66 for the second time, matching the tournament's best round, and was 1 under. Bernhard Langer shot a bogey-free 67 for the second straight day to climb back to even par for the tourney after opening with a 79.

Donald focused more on win than being No. 1

Donald focused more on win than being No. 1












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Luke Donald, ranked sixth at the U.S. Open, says the pressure to win his first major hasn't gone away just because No. 1 has slipped away.(Getty Images)

PGA.COM June 11, 2013 6:44 PM


By Dan Gelston, Associated Press

ARDMORE, Pa. - Luke Donald enters the U.S. Open more focused on a different No. 1 than reclaiming his old ranking.

Like winning major No. 1.

Donald heads into his 10th U.S. Open, starting on Thursday at Merion Golf Club.

He's had big wins over an 11-year pro career. He's even been No. 1 for a total of 56 weeks until the run ended late last year. Tiger Woods, Greg Norman, Nick Faldo and Seve Ballesteros are the only other players who have been No. 1 longer since the ranking began in 1986.

Some viewed Donald's top spot without a major as a flaw in the system. That wasn't his concern. Hoisting that U.S. Open trophy on Sunday is his lone goal this week.

"It always crosses your mind when it's going to happen," he said. "You always go back to the successes you had. The fact I was able to get to No. 1, win seven times the last couple of years, you just keep going back to those things and try and focus on that. You try and focus not on, if I can, but, when is it going to happen. Just be comfortable that what I'm doing is the right thing."

Ranked sixth, Donald said the pressure to win his first major hasn't gone away just because No. 1 has slipped away.


"There's always more attention, more requests of your time and that takes management, and that's tough," Donald said. "But within myself, the pressures are just the same. I want to win a major championship just as badly this year as when I was No. 1. It's about managing those expectations, managing those feelings and knowing what you have is good enough."

Donald played two practice rounds last week at Merion. He arrived for the tournament late Monday and skipped the day of rain that soaked the course.

"It's a real shame that we've had so much rain," he said. "I think that most people would really like to see this course play firm and fast. And I don't think we're going to get that this week. But it's a good challenge, this course. I think if it was firm and fast, this course, even despite the length, would hold up just as well as any other U.S. Open course."

The 35-year-old Donald failed to make the cut at last year's U.S. Open at the Olympic Club in San Francisco because of putting failures. He has never finished better than 12th in an Open (2006) and missed the cut three times since his 2002 debut. He was 45th in 2011 and 47th in 2010.

"I think in U.S. Opens, usually success comes from hitting a lot of fairways and hitting a lot of greens. And I think my game is more from the hole backward," he said. "I've always kind of worked that way. This year I've made a little bit more of a conscious effort to try and change that, to get a little bit more control, to work some things around, spending a little bit more time on the range working on really solidifying a few things. And it hasn't happened yet, but statistics will show I've improved in those areas."

Donald and Lee Westwood are the only players to be No. 1 without having won a major. Donald was No. 1 entering the 2011 U.S. Open and held it going into the 2012 PGA Championship. He lost the ranking after Rory McIlroy won last year's PGA Championship title.

Regarded as a mild-mannered Englishman, Donald is ready to show some ruthlessness at Merion as he chases that elusive win.

"It has a lot of tradition, this course, and I'm excited to see what it has to offer," he said.

Woods and Garcia say their case is closed

Woods and Garcia say their case is closed












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Sergio Garcia is trying to focus on his golf game now that he has met with Tiger Woods.(Getty Images)

PGA.COM June 11, 2013 6:53 PM


By Doug Ferguson, Associated Press

ARDMORE, Pa. - Unable to arrange a private meeting, Sergio Garcia left Tiger Woods a note in his locker Tuesday at the U.S. Open with hopes of moving on from his racially charged comment and getting back to playing golf.

"I did leave him a note - a handwritten note," Garcia said. "And hopefully, he can take a look at it. It's a big week and I understand that it's difficult to meet up and stuff. So hopefully, I'll be able to do it. If not, at least he has read the note and he's happy with that."

The note presumably was an apology. Garcia said it would be up to Woods to share the contents.

It was the latest - and perhaps final - chapter in a messy feud that ended badly for the Spaniard when he jokingly said at awards dinner in England that he would invite Woods over for dinner during the U.S. Open. "We will serve fried chicken," Garcia said.

He apologized to Woods and everyone he offended in a news conference the next day and said he left a message for Woods through his agent.

Garcia approached him on the practice range Monday at Merion for a handshake, and little more.

"We didn't discuss anything," Woods said. "Just came up and said, `Hi,' and that was it."

Asked if Garcia apologized, Woods said, "No. It's already done. We've already gone through it all. It's time for the U.S. Open, and we tee it up in two days."


That handshake might be their only meeting this week.

Garcia said the range on Monday was not the right time to apologize to Woods, but that the world's No. 1 player was gone when Garcia was done practicing, and the opening day of U.S. Open practice was delayed three times by rain.

They are on opposite sides of the draw - Garcia plays Thursday morning and Friday afternoon, Woods tees off Thursday afternoon and Friday morning. Unless they are near each other on the leaderboard on the weekend, they might not see each other again.

And there is some question whether Woods will even see the note.

Woods rarely goes into the locker room at the majors, except for the Masters. Through the years, his locker has been filled with requests for him to autograph various items, and outside vendors try to leave messages for him.

The dispute with Woods began during a rain delay at The Players Championship. Garcia implied in a TV interview that Woods purposely riled up the gallery by pulling a 5-wood from his bag to play a risky shot out of the trees, and that Woods should have been paying enough attention to realize the Spaniard was about to hit.

Woods, who typically prefers to avoid confrontations, denied that was the case. But then he added, "Not real surprising that he's complaining about something."

Woods won The Players, and the needling continued for a week until Garcia made the "fried chicken" remark in a light moment with the emcee at a dinner honoring Europe's winning Ryder Cup team.

The Spaniard appeared contrite in his news conference, and he said Tuesday he remained "a little bit nervous."

"But like he (Woods) said, with him taking the step forward and saying that he considers it closed, a closed deal, that obviously means a lot to me," Garcia said.

Rickie Fowler Seeks to Rekindle Merion Magic

Rickie Fowler Seeks to Rekindle Merion Magic
Contender at This Week’s U.S. Open Dominated as Amateur in 2009 Walker Cup at Storied Course











Mark McLaughlin June 11, 2013 9:29 PM




COMMENTARY | Rickie Fowler will carry some fond memories into the U.S. Open this week at Merion Golf Club.

Fowler was a star of the 2009 U.S. Walker Cup


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hat beat Great Britain & Ireland 16-1/2 to 9-1/2 in the last USGA competition to be hosted at the historic course outside Philadelphia. The then 20-year-old amateur compiled a perfect 4-0 record to lead a team captained byMerion member Buddy Marucci.



So what did Fowler pick up from that September weekend nearly four years ago that he can put to use as he chases his first major title on the 6,996-yard par 70 Hugh Wilson gem?

"My best memory is after we won it, standing on the 18th green with two of my teammates from Oklahoma State,Peter Uihlein and Morgan Hoffmann. Peter and I both went 4-0 and Morgan didn't lose a match (2-0-1)," Fowler told the Philadelphia Inquirer last week. "And playing for Buddy [Marucci] in the two years I got to play the Walker Cup was awesome. Those are pretty cool memories to be able to draw off."

Fowler and Hoffman are two of a handful of players in the U.S. Open field who have played Merion in competition. No one in the field has played a professional tournament at Merion.

Hoffman, making his third Open start, also competed in the 2005 U.S. Amateur at the Ardmore, Pennsylvania course. He was one of 64 players to qualify for match play before losing in the first round. Others in the 2005 U.S. Amateur field included:

Webb Simpson: The defending U.S. Open champion shot a 3-over-par 143 to qualify for match play before losing in the second round.

Kevin Chappell: If's there a favorite among the Merion veterans, it's Chappell. In addition to the local knowledge gleaned from making it to the third round of match play in the 2005 Amateur, Chappell tied for third in the 2011 U.S. Open at a soggy Congressional and finished tied for 10th in last year's Open at Olympic. And don't forget his late charge two weeks ago at the Memorial Tournament where he finished a close second to Matt Kuchar.

Billy Horschel: Horschel didn't qualify for match play in 2005 but he comes into Merion riding the high of his first PGA Tour win and a career year in the making.

Kyle Stanley: Stanley also missed the match play segment in 2005 but like Chappell, he's coming off a strong third-place showing in his final tune-up at Memorial.

Nicholas Thompson: Thompson, who lost in the second round of match play at Merion, is making his third U.S. Open appearance.

The remaining Merion vets competed in the 1989 U.S. Amateur and include:

Phil Mickelson: Lefty made it into match play on a Merion course that played quite differently 24 years ago due to poor maintenance. Mickelson has proven to be a good mudder - witness his 2012 win at Pebble Beach - so he's got that going for him on what should be a soggy track.

Steve Stricker: The plethora of short approaches should suit Stricker's precision wedge game. He's second in greens in regulation on the PGA Tour this year and 13th in putting -- a powerful combination if he can find enough fairways.

Jim Furyk: The 2003 U.S. Open champion grew up just 20 miles from Merion. Winning on his home turf on the 10th anniversary of his only major would be something special for Furyk. And it would provide a measure of redemption after his back-nine collapse at Olympic.

Mark McLaughlin has reported on the PGA Tour for the New York Post, FoxSports.com, Greensboro News & Record, and Burlington (N.C.) Times-News. He is a past member of the Metropolitan Golf Writers Association. Follow him on Twitter @markmacduke.

Five things to know as you watch this week

Five things to know as you watch this week












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The Crosswater Course at Sunriver River is no stranger to big golf events.()

PGA.COM June 22, 2013 7:16 PM


By John Kim, PGA.com Coordinating Producer

SUNRIVER, Ore. -- The 46th PGA Professional National Championship might not be at the top of many golf minds when it comes to great championships, but those close to the game understand its history, its significance and its cherished view among the golf industry. A very respected media veteran once remarked there were only two golf championships that really meant something: Q-School and this PGA PNC event, because they were about people playing for their lives.

There's no way I could put it any better.

As you watch and follow the action this week, understand that people are playing for the chance to change their lives. This is not millionaires playing for more millions or simply to add another trophy on the mantle.

This is a chance for history, to significantly add to your finances, to play in a major championship alongside the biggest names in golf. So with that in mind, here are five items that will help you understand and follow the drama that will unfold here at Sunriver Resort.


• The tournament runs Sunday through Wednesday so that the majority of play will be televised by the Golf Channel and covered by all other golf media unopposed by any other professional golf event.

• The most wins by any player on the PGA Tour is 82, held by Sam Snead. Snead also won this event in 1971 and came in second (losing in a playoff) in 1974.

• The Crosswater Course will play at 7,530 yards - making it longer than any major championship on any tour this year. In fact, from 2007-2010, this same Crosswater Club course hosted a major championship (the Tradition) on the Champions Tour. And to give it an even more of a major championship vibe, four players (Jeff Coston, Sonny Skinner, Bob Gaus and Don Berry) who made the cut at the 2013 Senior PGA Championship held at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis, are also competing here this week.

• The Golf Channel will air live coverage from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, and from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. ET on Monday. Coverage on Tuesday and Wednesday will air from 4:00-7:00 p.m. ET. You can, of course, follow all the action - from scores to photos to highlights - right here on PGA.com.

There also will be several social media accounts covering the action including, from PGA.com (PGA.com on Facebook, @PGA_com on Twitter, PGA.com on Instagram and @ThePGAofAmerica on Twitter. And with 312 PGA Professionals representing courses, PGA Sections and states from all over the country, you can probably follow every shot in some way, shape or form. Search for #2013PNC for all the best posts and tweets on social media.

• As many know but some do not - and all golf fans should - there is more at stake than national bragging rights, a $550,000 purse (winner gets $75,000) and the coveted Walter Hagen Cup. The top 20 players (ties will go to a tiebreaker so that 20 is a set number) will earn an exemption into the PGA Championship this August at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, N.Y. Players also will use this championship (along with last year's PGA PNC and this year's PGA Championship) to earn points toward earning a spot on the U.S. PGA Cup team - the PGA Professional version of the Ryder Cup.

Many viewers and readers will follow this event with a strong vested interest in a particular golfer - one from their home club or someone they know. But all golf fans should understand and appreciate that lives will be changed this week, and so will golf history. Many people in the golf world consider this their favorite event to attend, cover or read about. With some of these notes in mind, we hope your enjoyment and appreciation of the week increases as well.

For Lewis, tied for lead, victory would be Hog heaven

For Lewis, tied for lead, victory would be Hog heaven










The Sports Xchange June 22, 2013 7:20 PMThe SportsXchange


ROGERS, Ark. -- The fans at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship are getting their wish after two rounds of play Saturday at Pinnacle Country Club.

Local favorite Stacy Lewis, the No. 2 player in the Rolex World Rankings and a graduate of nearby University of Arkansas, used a pair of birdie runs in her second round to move into a four-way tie for the lead at 10-under par with a second-round 6-under 65.

Lewis, who considers this weekend's event her most important tour stop next to the majors, was joined at the top of the leaderboard at 10-under par by tour rookie Chie Arimura of Japan, Beatriz Recari of Spain and So Yeon Ryu of South Korea.

"Today was really cool," Lewis said. "I kind of got on streaks there throughout the round and made four birdies in a row at one point and then three in a row. So it was cool.

"You could see the crowd feeling it. And I birdied 17 today, which was really cool. I think over the last few years I kind of figured out how to handle the pressure and not make it pressure and just make it fun and have fun out there."

Lewis first played in the NW Arkansas Championship as an amateur in 2007, and was declared the unofficial winner when the tournament was canceled because of poor weather after one round.

Since then, the former No. 1 player in the world has managed two top 10 finishes in five appearances atPinnacle Country Club.

As the local hero returning home this weekend, Lewis has clearly drawn the biggest galleries and has been on the receiving end of many "Woo Pig Sooie" calls, signifying her time with the Razorbacks.

Lewis, who started the round on the back nine, carded four straight birdies from Nos. 14 through 17 got Lewis to 8-under for the tournament.


After a bogey at the par-5 18th, Lewis used a stretch of three consecutive birdies on Nos. 2 through 4 to get back to 10-under.

She briefly got to 11-under with a birdie at the par-4 eight, but fell back to 10-under with a bogey on her final hole of the day.

"I think the hard part is I'm going to want it so bad, and I know the fans are going to want me to get it really bad," Lewis said. "So, it's going to be hard.

"The hardest part is going to be staying patient and not trying to force putts in and running them through four feet by. You can't leave yourself those on these greens.

"So I'm definitely going to use the crowd some, but then I need to also just kind of scale it back and just stay in what I am doing right now, because it's working."

Arimura and Recari began the day, like Lewis, among a group of 10 players who sat two strokes off the lead at 4-under, and also posted 65s in round two.

Arimura, an LPGA Tour rookie from Japan who has 13 victories on the LPGA Japan Tour, closed with back-to-back birdies at the 17th and 18th holes.

Recari, the No. 25 ranked player in the world who won earlier this season at the Kia Classic, was 4-under through her first seven holes Saturday and added birdies at Nos. 12 and 14 on the back nine.

Recari has hit 25-of-26 fairways and 32-of-36 greens in regulation through two rounds.

"I felt really great on the range, hitting really solid," Recari said. "And then I felt like today there are some good opportunities out there where you can be aggressive, and I took advantage of that.

"I started really low very early in the round, so that helped me keeping that momentum and felt really great."

Ryu, ranked No. 5 in the Rolex Women's World Golf Rankings, is seeking her third career win and first victory of the LPGA season. She opened with a 66 on Friday and followed with another 66 on Saturday.

Mika Miyazato, the first-round leader at 6-under, is three strokes behind after a 70 on Saturday.

Miyazato got to 10-under with birdies on four of her first five holes Saturday before bogies at Nos. 2, 3 and 5 on her final nine dropped her off the lead.

Four players -- world No. 1 Inbee Park (65), I.K Kim (64), Ji Young Oh (66) and Pornanong Phatlum (65) -- are two strokes back at 8-under in a tie for fifth.

Defending champion Ai Miyazato of Japan bounced back from a 73 in the opening round with a 64, equaling the best round of the day posted by Kim, to move into a tie for 17th.

The cut-line after Saturday's round fell at even par. Among the notables who failed to make the cut wereBrittany Lincicome at 71-72 -- 143, and Michelle Wie at 75-69 -- 144.

Saturday Notebook: Family Fun Zone a big hit

Saturday Notebook: Family Fun Zone a big hit












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The free Family fun zone featured group lessons, a giant Golfzilla air target and other family-friendly activities.(Montana Pritchard/The PGA of America)

PGA.COM June 22, 2013 7:41 PM


By Randy Stutzman, The PGA of America

SUNRIVER, Ore. -- On Saturday afternoon, residents ofCentral Oregon were treated to a unique and exciting experience, as Riverbend Park in Bend, Ore., was transformed into a Get Golf Ready Family Fun Zone.

The free family golf festival featured group lessons, a giant Golfzilla air target and other fun activities conducted by a group of local Pacific Northwest PGA Professionals.

Tim Fraley, the PGA head professional at Awbrey Glen Golf Club in Bend, Ore., praised the concept of hosting events like the Get Golf Ready Family Fun Zone, which provide a dynamic way to introduce communities throughout the country to golf.

"It's always great to get out and connect with the community, and let them know just how fun the game of golf really is," said Fraley. "Through events like this, we are able to reach out to new golfers, non-golfers, kids and families to grow the game and think outside the box as golf professionals."

Marcus King, president of the Pacific Northwest PGA Section and PGA general manager at Overlake Golf and Country Club in Medina, Wash., helped coordinate the event at Riverbend Park.

"This is what we live for as golf professionals," said King. "To see smiles on the faces of kids and adults while they are swinging a golf club or learning more about the game, it makes it all worth it."

KOESTERS LOOKING FOR REPEAT SUCCESS: Dan Koesters of Las Cruces, N.M., knows "the neighborhood" as he prepared for this year's PGA Professional National Championship presented by Club Car, Mercedes-Benz and OMEGA, which begins Sunday.


Koesters, the PGA director of golf at New Mexico State Golf Course in Las Cruces, N.M., won the 1996 Oregon Open, which was hosted at Crosswater Club.

The 54-year-old Koesters, who currently serves on The PGA of America Board of Directors, also has his best career finish in the National Championship when it was staged at Sunriver Resort in 2001, when he tied for 35th overall.

RECORDS WERE MADE TO BE BROKEN: The competitive course record at the Crosswater Club, a par-72 layout, was posted by Brad Bryant of Lakeland, Fla., who shot a 62 during the opening round of the 2009 JELD-Wen Tradition, a major championship on the Champions Tour.

The competitive course record at the par-71 Meadows Golf Course was recorded by Bob Sowards of Dublin, Ohio, who shot a 65, during the second round of the 2007 PGA Professional National Championship.

Sowards, a resident of Dublin, Ohio, is a PGA teaching professional at New Albany (Ohio) Country Club.

PAIRINGS, TEE TIMES AND WEB INTERVIEWS:

Click Here to see a full list of pairings and tee times for the first two rounds of play.

Click Here to watch exclusive web interviews from the Championship.

Montgomerie fails to qualify for British Open

Montgomerie fails to qualify for British Open










July 2, 2013 6:19 PM

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Colin Montgomerie of Scotland tees off on the 12th hole during the first round of the Barclays Singapore …



(Reuters) - Former world number two Colin Montgomerieblew his chance of taking part in this month's British Open after a second-round 76 left him three over par in qualifying on Tuesday.

The 2010 European Ryder Cup captain was one shot off the lead after an opening-round 69 during Local Final Qualifying at Gullane in Scotland before a round of 76, featuring four bogeys and a double bogey, saw him miss out by four strokes.

"I got to five under and threw it away - never mind," the 50-year-old Scot said in a news release. "It's not my schedule. I just played badly this afternoon. I didn't get going at all."

Montgomerie, who won a record eight order of merit titles on the European Tour between 1993 and 2005, has never won a major despite several close calls with five runner-up spots among a total of 10 top-10 finishes.

There were three qualifying spots up for grabs at Gullane with amateurs Ben Stow and Matthew Fitzpatrick joining Sweden's Oscar Floren in securing their places at the July 18-21 major at Muirfield.

At the qualifying event at The Musselburgh, Steven Tileydominated the field to win by three shots to book his berth along with Scot Lloyd Saltman and Tyrrell Hatton.

At Dunbar, amateur Grant Forrest shot 67 and 65 for an eight-under-par aggregate and was joined in The Open field by Indian Shiv Kapur and Australian John Wade, who finished a stroke behind.

In the event at North Berwick, amateur Jimmy Mullen,Gareth Wright and George Murray took the coveted qualifying places.

(Reporting by Sonia Oxley; editing by Ken Ferris; Editing by)

Return to the Greenbrier a Great Move

Return to the Greenbrier a Great Move
West Virginia Resort is a Hidden Jewel of American Golf










Mark McLaughlin July 2, 2013 7:37 PM




COMMENTARY | One of my best childhood memories was attending the 1979 Ryder Cup at the Greenbrier Resortin White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. I think my brother still has the Maxfli golf ball Lee Trevino chipped to him from the practice green.



The Greenbrier, site of this week's Greenbrier Classic, also means a lot to the golf patrons of West Virginia and Virginia who were without a PGA Tour stop after the Michelob Championship ended its run at Kingsmill in Williamsburg in 2002.

The PGA Tour's decision to return to the Greenbrier in 2010 was a brilliant one and shined a spotlight back on one of the hidden treasures of American golf. The Greenbrier Classic is contested over the Old White Course, originally designed in 1913 by Charles Blair Macdonald, the first American-born architect of note. The resort's Greenbrier Course hosted that 1979 Ryder Cup, the first to include golfers from continental Europe.

The grand old club nestled in the Allegheny range of the Appalachian Mountains has a rich golf history, mostly synonymous with the greatest player the region ever produced: Sam Snead. Snead became the Greenbrier Resort's golf pro in 1936. When not winning a record 82 PGA tournaments, the Slammer would split his time between the Greenbrier and the Homestead, a similarly historic resort on the Virginia side of the Alleghenies.

Over the years, Jack Nicklaus, who redesigned the Greenbrier Course for the Ryder Cup, Arnold Palmer, who cashed his first professional paycheck there in 1955, and Tom Watson, the club's golf pro emeritus, have been closely associated with the resort.


But the individual most responsible for the PGA Tour's return is West Virginia native Jim Justice. With the proceeds from the sale of his family agriculture and coal business, Justice bought the Greenbrier Resort in 2009 from corporate owner CSX and convinced PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem to bring a tournament to his backyard in 2010.

In just its second year, the Greenbrier Classic won a "Best in Class" award for running one of the best tournaments on the tour schedule. Last year, the Greenbrier signed an extension to host the tournament through 2021.

"Jim Justice has shown genuine passion and commitment to not only host a PGA Tour event, but to build one into a premier stop on the PGA Tour," Finchem said at the time. "Jim has turned The Greenbrier Classic into a true celebratory event during Fourth of July week.''

This year, the event has attracted major winners Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson, Webb Simpson and Louis Oosthuizen as well as Bill Haas, winner of last week's AT&T National and a Greenbrier Classic playoff loser in 2011. Mickelson and Watson will join defending champion Ted Potter Jr. for the first two rounds in a rare threesome of southpaws.

The field also includes Champions Tour regulars Tom Watson and Kenny Perry, coming off his victory at the Senior Players Championship, as well as recent PGA Tour winners Boo Weekley and Billy Horschel.






Stuart Appleby closed with a 59 to win the inaugural Greenbrier Classic and the last two editions have been won in playoffs. So expect more fireworks this weekend in West Virginia.

Southampton Now Rivals Monterey Peninsula

If you're vacationing in the Hamptons this summer and have some A-list connections, then bring your golf clubs.

The hosting of the U.S. Women's Open this past week at Sebonack Golf Club gives the Shinnecock area of Southampton near the eastern tip of Long Island a concentration of world class golf courses to rival the Monterey Peninsula.

Sebonack, which opened in 2006 and is already ranked No. 39 in the U.S. by Golf Digest, sits astride theNational Golf Links of America, rated No. 11 and set to be on display during September's Walker Cup matches. Just south of National Golf Links sits Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, ranked No. 4 in the country. Shinnecock, the site of four U.S. Opens, will host again in 2018.

Mark McLaughlin has reported on the PGA Tour for the New York Post, FoxSports.com, Greensboro News & Record, and Burlington (N.C.) Times-News. He is a past member of the Metropolitan Golf Writers Association. Follow him on Twitter @markmacduke.