Wat, My ROY, The Scot, and Lefty: The pre-Masters Southern Swing

With the Championship Week and the NCAA Basketball Tournament on CBS (shameless plug) I have been extremely immersed in collegiate hoops. But now that it’s winding down and my brotha Jim is calling the national championship game tonight, it has officially kicked off ‘A Tradition Unlike Any Other’ Week. But first let me describe the results from the last few weeks in the Florida Swing.
At the WGC Cadillac Championship 20-something American Nick Watney out played an extremely deep field at ‘The Blue Monster’ to capture his most prestigious crown to date. He was able to hold off fellow American Dustin Johnson, Dane Anders Hansen and Italian Francesco Molinari for a one shot victory and punch his already punched ticket to Augusta.
In the Transitions Championship at Innisbrook in the Tampa area rookie Gary Woodland continued his outstanding onslaught of the PGA Tour with his first career victory in come from behind fashion. He edged 54-hole leader Webb Simpson by one stroke on a highly contested Sunday, earning a spot in the top ten of the Fedex Cup standings, and an all-important trip in the field at Augusta. I’ll brag about this all year if his hot hand continues, as he was my pick for Tour Rookie of the Year.

Another stellar field was put together at Arnie’s place, as fast starts gave way to struggles on Sunday for many of the top players. As the week went on average scores plummeted and Scotsman Martin Laird held a two shot 54-hole lead and increased it even further on the front nine on Sunday. He lost a couple of wheels coming in, but had enough of a lead to par the closing hole for a one shot victory (his 2nd career PGA Tour win) over Steve Marino, who continues to be a PGA Tour bridesmaid.
Many of the stars came out to Houston for the Augusta warn-up known as the Shell Houston Open, but to many it was their last chance to earn a spot in the Masters. But Houston was not to be for the guys on the outside looking in as Phil Mickelson lapped the filed over the weekend firing an impressive –16 (63-65) for his first win since the 2010 Masters. He is looking to repeat his ‘Win for the Family’ this week for his 4th Green Jacket. Runners up Chris Kirk and Scott Verplank came up 3-shots short for the automatic bid.

Special shout outs to Michael Bradley who won the official / unofficial Puerto Rico Open and to the guys from Lake Nona who dominated to defeat Isleworth, Albany and Queenswood to retain the Tavistock Cup.

It’s Masters week…time to strap in and get it on!

Master’Phil’

I know, I know I missed an entry where AK assaulted Redstone Golf Club and beat Augusta native Vaughn Taylor in route to his already punched Master’s ticket. And he took full advantage at the 2010 ‘Tradition Unlike Any Other.’ Now lets get to the good stuff.

In a week that was focused almost completely on the return of Tiger Woods to competitive action, he along with the rest of the field lived up to the hype…and then some. All roads led to 2:40PM EST on Thursday April 8th. Tiger teed it up and ripped a drive splitting the fairway on the par 4 first hole reintroducing himself with the serene nervy calmness that is Augusta National. As the sun descended on day one of competition most of the talk and excitement remained with Tiger who fired a round one Masters personal best round four under par 68. But with all that went on this day, he wasn’t getting all the attention.

With a calm and overcast setting for much of the day, along with not as challenging pin positions and tee placements, Augusta National on day one was more of a sleeping beast. The main defense was down just a bit with stickier and slower greens, making life that much more receptive to shots that were not pinpoint in accuracy thus leading to more red numbers. In layman’s terms, the pros were ripping it up! The talk of a dream week started early as 60 year old Tom Watson carded a Turnberry-like 67 to post his name in a tie for second after day one with the likes of fan favorite and two time Green Jacket wearer Phil Mickelson and top British hopeful Lee Westwood. But there was room for two in this Dolorean.

50 year old 1992 Masters Champion Fred Couples turned back the clock a bit himself casually strolling the hills of NE Georgia in tennis shoe-like moccasins on his way to a personal best 6 under-par 66 and the overall outright lead after day one. His recent entry onto the Champions Tour has been a bit of a rebirth for Couples game. He won the first 3 Tour events going away and in 12 competitive rounds he has posted an astonishing 77 under par! That is an average of over 6 under par per round! His hot play along with his veteran knowledge of Augusta National was a recipe of success for this gray-haired former roommate of my brother at the University of Houston.

Although Watson faded as the week went on (still finishing under par), Couples was more than game for sticking around to the finish. On a rousing Saturday: some players rose (Hunter Mahan), some players fell (Ian Poulter) and some players just didn’t do much of anything (Anthony Kim) – but it was arguably the best and loudest Moving Day in recent memory at Augusta. And as anyone who has ever walked the grounds Masters week will attest, the roars at Augusta are unlike anywhere else. The roars were almost personified in a near 30 minute stretch on the back nine on Saturday between 5:05 and 5:40.

They started on the 13th hole as crowd favorite Phil Mickelson rolled in a 20 footer for eagle sending a roar of emotion through the loblolly pines and magnolias. Just moments later on the 15th green Couples had a little magic in his bag chipping in for eagle as patrons rose and exuded their appreciation for the veteran. Only ten minutes later there was a roar of epic proportions. Standing in the par four 14th fairway with a short iron in his hand, Mickelson struck a pure shot that landed on the green and spun down the hill to the right with the contours so perfectly it disappeared into the cup. The roar was so loud it reverberated through the dogwoods all the way to ‘Amen Corner’and noticeably affected the leader Westwood who promptly missed a par putt on the 11th green. Not more than five minutes later Ricky Barnes made on of the most difficult chips in all of golf behind in back of the green at #13 for an exciting birdie. And the clincher was at 5:40 when Phil Mickelson, seeking a record third eagle in a row, nearly holed out a wedge from just under 100 yards out. Between the roaring crowd and excitement of David Feherty’s call on air, the atmosphere was as dramatic as I’ve ever seen a Saturday in Augusta.

The roars themselves were so thrilling and intense that each one had kind of a life of its own. It was one of the most sensational half-hour of golf I have ever been a witness to, and, although on site, Tiger had nothing to do with it. He would reserve his electricity for Sunday….or so we all thought.

The ‘Striped One’ arrived at Augusta clad in Sunday red in a tied for 3rd place just four shots back of leader Westwood and three shots back of Mickelson. He was paired for the fourth straight day with KJ Choi who had mirrored his first three rounds of 68-70-70. And his engine sputtered from the start. A massive hook off the 1st, failing to birdie 2 or 3, and then two straight bogies on #4 & #5 and an ugly par on #6 and it seemed like Tiger’s chances were squelched before he even had the chance to contend. He stood in the first cut on #7 a whopping seven shots back with virtually no chance before his swing, and felt like he was right back in it after. Nick Faldo referred to it as Tiger’s best swing of the week and it showed. As if it was channeling Mickelson’s ball from #14 on Saturday it landed it the perfect place and then spun backwards and to the right perfectly down the slope and falling excitedly in the hole. Tiger got his roar that ignited a run of two more birdies to finish his nine in 35 and at 9-under and only three shots back. But the Jekyll & Hyde ways continued for Tiger and his tournament was basically over with a bogey on #11 and a three putt from 6 feet for a bogey on #14. Not even an eagle on #15 and a mocking birdie on the closing hole could not be savior enough for Eldrick.

Mickelson of the other hand, dazzled the patrons with one of the most memorable Sunday walks on the hallowed grounds. But it started slow. A very un-Phil-like seven straight pars to open the round finally gave way to a scrabbling birdie on #8 and an amazing save on #9, helped Phil turn in one-under 35. Rabbits were pulled out of the hat with two pars after hooked tee shots on #10 and #11. Although hundreds watch on across Rae’s Creek, the 12 green is one of the few serene lonely places at Augusta National to mull over a 25-foot birdie putt. Putting past experiences behind him he rolled in a confident stroke and grabbed his first outright lead of the tournament entering his favorite hole on the course. But the hooks got to him again and his tee shot finished left amongst the pine straw on this breath taking par five. Enter the shot of the tournament.

Mickelson stood set up on the unsteady pine needle with a long iron in his hand poised to hit a shot that wasn’t a lay-up, between two trees in front of him. Crazy would be the word many would use, except it is Phil Mickelson, so the word may just be ordinary. A typical caddie would never even consider letting their player hit this shot between tree and over a creek to a difficult sloping green in the Masters, but make no ‘bones’ about it, Jim Mackay knows and trusts his guy Lefty. When all was said and done and Peter Kostis tried to describe the craziness that was the shot, the ball sat just five feet from the cup and seemed like the clincher. Although Phil actually missed the putt, he still walked off the green with a lead going to a part of the course he could continue his magic.

After a pedestrian par on #14 he bombed a drive on #15 and hit just another ‘run of the mill’ shot over the pond and onto the green for a 25 foot eagle putt. A two putt birdie coupled with a chip and two putt par for Lee Westwood, basically sewed up the tournament for Lefty as he walked off #15 three up with three to play. Although Westwood birdied #17 to make it halfway competitive, Phil outdid the field sticking a shot on #18 and enjoying the stroll up the hill to a massive ovation from the crowd. His closing birdie gave him his third green jacket and his 16 under par 272 was just 2 shots back of the all time low tournament score posted by Tiger in his ‘Win For the Ages’ in 1997.

All and all it was an amazing week with a great Sunday. Although the final hour seemed to be in no doubt at all, the building hours were unbelievable. The only competitor who could muster an semblance of a charge was the youngster Anthony Kim who went low on the back nine to gain control of a solo third finish. Lee Westwood kept his bridesmaid-like play in majors grabbing another Top 5. He seems to be on the cusp of cashing one in soon. No matter how you slice it or if you like it, Tiger is back…enough said. And as for Mickelson, it’s been a tough year with his wife Amy and his Mother both being diagnosed with breast cancer, and this ‘Win For the Family’ affirmed his hard work in a tough time. Unlike most, I’m not the biggest Phil fan, but I gotta tip my cap to him. He was absolutely masterful at Augusta. And now the year long lottery begins for players vying for the 2011 green jacket. Let the battle begin.

***Players who finished in the Top 16 and ties who will be invited back next year: Phil Mickelson (-16), Lee Westwood (-13), Anthony Kim (-12), Tiger Woods, KJ Choi (-11), Fred Couples (-9), Nick Watney (-8), Hunter Mahan, YE Yang (-7), Ricky Barnes, Ian Poulter (-5), Miguel Angel Jimenez, Jerry Kelly (-3), Trevor Immelman, Steve Marino, Ryan Moore & David Toms (-2).

How Phillip Got His Grooves Back

Finally! Some controversy on the PGA Tour that has nothing to do with Tiger getting down with one of the chicks from his band of merry sluts. As many of you who keep up with the Tour know that in 2010 the PGA Tour passed a rule prohibiting ‘square grooves’ or ‘U grooves’ on clubfaces. These grooves have been known to produce excess spin making shots out of the rough stop on a dime, almost eliminating the penalty of a wayward tee-shot. The rule shows that ‘V-grooves’ are now the only acceptable kind of groove…until the weasel of all weasels found a loophole.
I have bitten my tongue when it comes to my disdain for Phil, but I’ll let it be known that I am not at all a Phillip fan. I audibly laughed when he bounced a driver off the hospitality tent at Winged Foot in the ’06 Open on his way to a crippling triple bogey. I was in the stands at the 16th green at Pinehurst in ’99 when he yacked a four footer on his way to losing to Payne Stewart, and I loved it. For years I have enjoyed Phil hitting the ball all over God’s creation in route to big numbers. But I will admit on Easter Sunday in ’04 I was with everyone else rooting for Lefty to win in Augusta, as it was better for the game if he was a major champion. I feel the same way when it comes to Sergio.

My dislike of Phillip stems from his reputation on the Tour along with his reputation amongst the public. Fans (and my brother from another mother Jim Nantz) love Lefty, and there’s no denying that, but the players as a whole…well let’s just say he isn’t well embraced. And that has come to the forefront this past week at the Farmers Insurance Open when Tour journeyman Scott McCarron basically accused Mickelson of cheating by using a Ping wedge with U grooves. It was apparent that the piece of equipment in question was not illegal, but was very, and I mean very, unethical.

Years ago The Karsten Company (Ping manufacturer) sued the PGA and won in regards to outlawing their old ‘Eye 2’ irons because of the U grooves. Basically the ruling stated that these clubs could not be prohibited from play. This court order created a loophole from the new rule on tour concerning clubface grooves in regards to Ping Eye 2 irons. Enter Phillip.

Golf is a competitive sport, and like any other sport a competitive advantage is key. It’s tough for me to totally blame Mickelson for using this club, in fact just to know that the use of this club was not illegal shows he’s on top of his game; but I still see it as extremely unethical. I know what most of you are thinking. You’re saying to yourselves, ‘I don’t understand what the big deal is. He found a loophole and took advantage. Don’t hate.’ I also know that this is a new generation in the world of golf, but you still always have to remember the cornerstones in which golf was formed. It is a ‘gentleman’s game’ that stresses honor and integrity. It is a game where you are required to impose penalties on yourself, even if no one else saw the infraction. That is why what Phillip did was such a big deal.

This week at the Northern Trust Open Mickelson will not be slicing thru the kikuya rough at Riviera with his Ping Eye 2 wedge. This is obviously a proper decision based on the outrage that ensued following play this past week in San Diego. Also, McCarron apologized to Phil face to face in private and it was accepted. I’m sure this incident will blow over relatively quickly considering Tiger’s impending return to play will dominate the golf press in the possible near future. Also, I’m predicting redemption for Lefty. In a week of turmoil, I’m predicting he’ll rise to the occasion and successfully defend in Los Angeles.

This whole controversy, for whatever it is, will jump-start Phillip’s season with a trip to the winners circle. A ‘groove’ he is more than happy to talk about.