Wie Need A Sponsor's Exemption?

Hello. I just saw Michelle Wie got a sponsor's exemption to the Kraft Nabisco in March. My question is why?
Wie came one bad chip shot away from a playoff last year. I think she's been in the top 10 every year she's been in the event. Doesn't the Kraft Nabisco have a rule where you can come back the next year if you finish in the top 10, like the Masters or other tournaments?
I'm assuming Wie has to receive a sponsor's exemption because she's not an LPGA member yet. She's just under 2 years away from turning 18, so she'll have to rely on these types of free passes.
I know a lot of people are upset that Wie get these exemptions. As I've said many times, if you object to Wie getting a sponsor's exemption, then you object to the whole idea of sponsor's exemptions. Who else do you think is more deserving of a sponsor's exemption? Wie is a competitive player on the LPGA Tour who also draws in lots of fans. Name me one other person who can do more for an LPGA event who is non-exempt than Michelle Wie. The tournaments and sponsors are dying to get her into their events. It will continue that way until she's no longer competitive and/or the markets she currently attracts are no longer in existence.
Wie will be getting exemptions for the foreseeable future. Get used to it.

Regards,
Steve

Scotties Tournament of Hearts Field Filling Out

Hello. All but Saskatchewan have their entrants ready for the Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Lethbridge next month. And so far it's shaping up to be a good one.
Ontario will be represented by the Scharf team for the 2nd year in a row. I think this win validates this team as a serious contender.
Returning teams include Strong from Newfoundland, Koe from NWT, Gaudet from PEI, Jennifer Jones from Manitoba, Comeau from New Brunswick, Osborne from Quebec and of course Kelly Scott, the Team Canada entry. All are top teams who have had great success in prior Scotties.
The "new" teams may be the ones to watch, however. Whoever comes out of Saskatchewan will be tough. Sherry Anderson and Stephanie Lawton are two of the best in the business. If someone else advances ahead of them they're a force to be reckoned with. Cheryl Bernard is a top Alberta rink who made it to the finals in '96. And of course Kelley Law from BC has won a world championship and Olympic bronze medal.
Then there's Mouzar from Nova Scotia who beat Colleen Jones' "new" rink, and Colleen Jones' "old" rink. Again, she should be a force if she can retain that form.
It promises to be a great Scotties, which is nice to hear because the tournament organizers are first rate. Having met them in 2003, I can't compliment them enough. It's a first class event.

Regards,
Steve

Woods and Federer on a Different Plateau

Hello. Congrats to Tiger Woods for winning at Torrey Pines, and Roger Federer and Serena Williams for their Australian Open championships. All were tremendous demonstrations of excellence. Woods shot 66 the final day to overcome a 2-shot deficit. Federer didn't lose a set. Williams crushed Sharapova in the final.
An interesting comparison was made between Woods and Federer in thegolfchannel.com by Mercer Baggs. He says they are both way ahead of the rest of the pack, which I agree. If either of them lose this year, it will be seen as a fluke.
He then says Federer is a bit above Woods because Federer plays the equivalent of golf match play. While Woods' individual match play record is very good (82% as a pro), Federer's is 94%.
I disagree with this comparison. Federer's tennis would be the equivalent of Woods playing stroke play for one round against one opponent. If you had Woods against anyone in the US Open Monday playoff, who would you take? Woods all the time, especially if that was spelled out from the beginning. In match play the better player can lose because the format favours an inconsistent player, someone who may have 3 birdies in a row, then a triple bogey.
Let's put it this way - Rod Laver won 2 tennis Grand Slams. No one has won a pro golf Grand Slam. You tell me which sport is harder.
I have Woods and Federer at the same position, #1.

Regards,
Steve

Problems With Curling Spares? Spare Me

Hello. On Tuesday night we curled against a "hated" (in a friendly way) foe. I personally like the guy, but his reputation of win-at-all-costs gets to people. When I beat him in the playoffs last year, people reacted like they won the lottery.
I thought we had a good chance against him, because we were playing well. I felt a couple of their players weren't that good, so we could give them a battle, even though they'd be favoured.
When I got there, I found out these two players were unavailable. Instead, two players who would be in anyone's top 10 at the club were taking their place.
Most people assumed we'd get hammered. They also thought it was unfair for my opposite number to have gotten them as spares, and enhance his win-at-all-costs reputation. Not me.
The two spares ended up playing lead and second, which I think should always be the rule. I still felt we had a chance. And boy, did we give them a run. Every one at the club was watching us, as we were 1 behind after 6 ends. Unfortunately, my draw in the 7th remained open, resulting in a 3-ender the other way. Game over.
Should I have protested. No way! I loved every minute of it. If you don't want to take on the best, then you're missing out on a great opportunity to get better.
Always go into the games believing you can win. You'll surprise yourself at how well you play.

Regards,
Steve

The Dawn of Tiger

Hello. Well, it's the eve of Tiger's first 2007 PGA appearance. Already people are saying he may have his best season ever because:

1. Vijay Singh won the Mercedes-Benz. The experts consider him too old and not a good enough putter to challenge Tiger consistently anymore. Plus he didn't do great at the Sony.
2. Paul Goydos won the Sony. It was considered a fluke. It won't lead him to greatness.
3. Charley Hoffman won the Hope. He may win some more, but not enough to get to Tiger's level.
4. The supposed challengers to Tiger's crown - Mickelson, Donald, Rose and others - have not been able to put a winning tournament together without Tiger in the field. What are they going to do with him there?

Well, while these may be all good points, I think it's a bit premature. Tiger may or may not come out and win everything in sight. An upstart may have some success. And a former proven player may make a comeback.

I do think Tiger will be close to upbeatable this year. However, I want to see someone fight him for it. Are they willing to work harder than Woods (a la Singh in 2004) to make it happen? We will see.

Regards,

Steve

Hoffman, Irwin Come Through

Hello. Congrats to Charley Hoffman and Hale Irwin for winning last week. Needless to say, these guys are at different ends of the win spectrum.
For Hoffman, a birdie-eagle finish got him into a playoff with John Rollins, which Hoffman won with a birdie. It was his first Tour win. On the playoff tee shots, Hoffman made a newcomer mistake by saying good shot before Rollins' tee shot landed. It was blown by a strong wind into a bunker. I've done that before, and there's not many worse feelings. I now try to save my "nice shot" comments for when I can see the ball sitting perfectly on the fairway. Otherwise I try to keep quiet.
Irwin won his 45th Champions Tour title at the age of 61. Other than last year, Irwin has won every year he's been on the Champions Tour. Most winners are 10 years younger than Hale. He's at the age where players aren't supposed to contend anymore, much less win. Truly a remarkable run.
These wins mean pretty well the same thing to both players - proof they can be competitive. I predict both will go on to have fine seasons.

Regards,
Steve

Peyton Wins The Big One

Hello. FYI I watched the best game of this NFL season yesterday, Colts-Patriots. The recent rivalry. The Brady-Belichek duo. Peyton Manning searching for the elusive Super Bowl. The two best teams left in the Super Bowl hunt. The storylines and hype were all there. And the game didn't disappoint.
Of course, in the first half it was a "here we go again" feeling. New England led 21-6. They had intercepted Manning for a touchdown. No team had ever come back in the playoffs from 18 down. New England had the 2nd ranked defence in fewest points allowed. Common wisdom says they could've run out the clock with their superior backs against a previously porous Colts rush defense.
No one told either the Colts offense or defense that however. The defense gave up 13 second half points, which seems like a lot. Fortunately for the Colts, it wasn't as Manning got 32 points against the Patriots. He made it so Brady had to get a touchdown on the last drive. Unfortunately for Brady, he was intercepted with 16 seconds on the clock.
What does this do for Manning? A lot, but not enough. The Colts are now favoured in the Super Bowl against the Bears. They should win it. Should. If they don't Manning will be lumped with Dan Marino yet again as superior quarterbacks who didn't win it all, an invalid statement for both men.
Congrats Colts and Bears for making it to the big dance. Good luck to both squads in the Super Bowl.

Regards,
Steve

Halton-Peel A Lot Of Fun III

Hello. When do the great moments in sports usually happen? When the situation is desperate. Game 7. Overtime. Last inning. Last hole. Last shot.
In my case, it was the last end of our last game. We were one down after 7 ends in our last game of the Halton Peel. I was down to my last shot, without hammer. They were lying one on the button. There were two guards covering it. There may have been a hole wide enough to throw a rock threw it. My third and I weren't sure.
Our game was the last one of the draw that hadn't finished. Another draw was waiting to come on. As a result, everyone who was looking at the ice (at least 50 people) were looking at me. The takeout was the only chance I had to prolong our game. It was either make it, or lose right then and there.
When I threw it, the rock seemed destined to hit the right guard. I was looking at it intently, hoping for it to curl enough to get by it. It just did. Because I was looking at an angle, I didn't see if it would clear the left guard. Somehow it did. It ended up hitting shot rock. The people let up a roar. I was relieved.
The opponent skip tried the same shot, and just hit the guards. We went on to the 9th end, which we unfortunately lost.
When we got off, all people could remember was that shot. Some thought it won us the game. Some called it the shot of the day. I thought I was fortunate, since my performance prior to that shot was awful.
Now I can add a highlight to my all-too-brief bio. I hope everyone gets one moment like this they can remember.

Regards,
Steve

Halton-Peel A Lot Of Fun II

Hello. Continuing on with our Halton-Peel journey.....
Tuesday brought us back to our home rink to play yet another Acton team. After 4 ends we were up 6-0! It was an uncommon situation, and one we (meaning me) were apparently unprepared for.
In the 5th end I threw my takeout a little too hard, and missed their shot stone. They only got one point, so it was not a concern.
The 6th end saw them lying two behind cover, leaving me either a draw to the outside in untested ice, or an angle raise takeout on one or more of their rocks, again on untested ice. I chose the draw, figuring it would result in a handshake if I made it. We'll never know, since I threw it too hard. It's now 6-3. My concern is higher, but I still feel pretty good.
My final shot in the 7th was against one opponent rock buried in the back 4 foot. Full four, and we've got a 4 point lead, and maybe a handshake. Again I'll never know because once again I threw it too hard. No excuses this time, it was a flat out miss. Tension is very high. My tongue is sore from biting it. I'm beginning to panic.
The 8th end is becoming a nightmare. As I go down to throw my 1st shot, they are lying 3, with a guard to work with. I call for a takeout around the guard which knocks one of theirs out. More importantly, it's lying shot in the 8 foot. My opposite number has to make a play on it, and unfortunately for him, misses it wide. We win without me throwing my last rock, thank goodness! On to the semis!
The first game on Saturday saw us against a 3rd Acton rink. I know the skip and vice personally. I know the skip is much better than me. However, I have a career game until the 7th end. A hit and stick needed to close the gap to 1 instead rolls outside for a steal of 1. We're down 3 coming home. A double by my now former vice friend (just kidding) results in a loss.
Stay tuned for the exciting (believe it or not) "D" consolation final.

Regards,
Steve

Halton-Peel A Lot Of Fun

Hello. This past week I had the opportunity to play in the Halton-Peel bonspiel for the first time. And what a great time it was.
We started a week ago Saturday at Brampton Curling Club against a rink from Acton. Talk about fast ice! It was all I could do to keep it in play. As I told the players I knew coming out in the following draw, if they threw a draw like they do at our club, it would cause structural damage.
We lost the first game on our skip's (ok it was me) missing two takeouts in the 7th end, giving our opponents 3 game-clinching points. It was an important game though because it proved to us we could play with top teams. That team went on to lose the "B" championship game on the final day.
In our second game Saturday (still in Brampton) we got blown out by a Milton team. It was 7-0 after 3 ends. We shook hands after 6 ends at 9-2. Again our skip (still me) was very poor, and missed every opportunity to turn the game around. Making my last two shots, which were relatively difficult, to salvage a point and get back some confidence was some consolation.
Then we went to Milton on Monday to play against a fellow club team. My opposite number was a very accomplished curler. He will be playing in the Ontario Senior Mixed Championships later this month. On this day, the team ahead of me played very well, and I finally got some good shots in. After giving up a steal of 3, we clawed our way back to where making my last shot gave us an 8-7 win. We had now exceeded my expectations, as I thought we would be 0-3 and out. Now we had a chance to win this division.
Tomorrow and Thursday I'll recall our remaining adventure.

Regards,
Steve

Tadd Comes Through

Hello. Congrats to Paul Goydos for winning the Sony Open in Hawaii, his first victory in 11 years. Goydos continues last year's trend of a 40-something winner after many years without a victory (see Jeff Maggert and Tim Herron).
And unfortunately I empathize with Michelle Wie missing the cut by a long shot. I know it puts more fuel on the fire for her critics, so I'm not going to say anything bad about Michelle. All I'll say to those critics is if you don't want to see Wie in a PGA Tour event, stay away so the sponsors have no reason to put her in. That way, the next time you'd see her is if she has qualified, which should keep you quiet.
Now to the Hawaiian teen who should be getting our attention today - Tadd Fujikawa. This young man played great! 9 under for 36 holes! That's a performance worth talking about. How someone that young (2nd youngest to ever make a PGA cut at 16, behind only Canada's own Bob Panasiuk at 15) could shoot those rounds in that windy weather is beyond me. I think I've had consecutive under par rounds once ever. And to have the media hype and the hometown pressure on top of it. Definitely a great performance finishing 20th.
The irony of Tadd's performance is it won't get the press Wie got for missing the cut, and certainly not the press Wie will get if/when she makes a PGA cut or wins a tournament. Both of those things could happen, and an LPGA win should happen, but they may not. Tadd may end up being the most successful Hawaiian golfer ever. Now wouldn't that be a story?

Regards,
Steve

Changes Needed To Mercedes-Benz Championship?

Hello. My apologies for being away the last two days. There were issues getting onto the blogger.
Mark Rolfing had an interesting column on thegolfchannel.com. He mentioned more focus should be put on the start of the season, now that the end of the year has been addressed with the Fedex Cup. Here is a summary of what Rolfing felt should be done, followed by my comments:

1. Open the Mercedes-Benz up to players winning over the past two years, instead of just the past year. Personally I don't like this one, for two reasons. First, Tiger won 8 times last year, which in theory could've cut the field by 7. There is a potential for 48 players to play every year if everyone won only one tournament. This makes the field larger than the Tour Championship. Plus earning your way in every year makes players like Ernie Els play in late-season events to try to make it.
2. Move the date of the Mercedes-Benz, as it's too close to the "Tiger Tournament" (alias the Target World Challenge) in mid-December. If you are going to move the date to later in January, I'd suggest moving the Bob Hope Classic and ATT Pebble Beach to after the Fedex Cup. Either that, or move the Tiger Tournament to early December. Then again, only 16 players play in Tiger's event, so what's the big deal?

The main thing I'd do for the entire schedule is sit down with the elite players and ask them what they'd do if they had a blank sheet. If they're only going to play in 20 events, when and where would they be, and why? The Fedex Cup was an answer to their request for a shorter season, but it didn't go far enough. Keep asking and working on changes until the main stakeholders (players, TV, fans, tournaments) are mostly satisfied.

Regards,

Steve

Singh Comes Through In Maui

Hello. Congrats to Vijay Singh for winning the Mercedes-Benz Championship. Singh battled wet, windy conditions to win by 2 over Adam Scott.
With this win, Vijay broke Sam Snead's record for most wins for a Tour player over 40. Quite an accomplishment, since he's only 44.
Will this be a relaunching point for his career? Can he get back to where he was in 2004, when he had 9 wins and Player of the Year honours? Well, it's certainly going to be tough when a gentleman named Woods shows no sign of slowing down. However, Singh is the only one with the distance and the work ethic who can do it. Unfortunately for Jim Furyk (and us) he doesn't have the distance of Woods or Singh. And unfortunately for Phil Mickelson (and us) he doesn't have the work ethic of Woods or Singh.
When I saw Vijay at the 2000 Bay Hill Invitational, I thought he was the only one who could take on Tiger because of his work ethic. He was putting in the dark when I left at 10pm, only having one solitary light to assist him. Everyone else was long gone. Three weeks later he was Masters champ.
Vijay believes 40 is the new 30. As someone slightly older than him, I think he can continue to be a winner. Only time will tell how often.

Regards,
Steve

Happy New Golf Year! (Part 3)

Hello. The men are ready to tee it up in Kapalua. I wish I was there with them, as I still remember how nice it was during our honeymoon.
The following questions about the top players will be answered in 2007:

1. Is Tiger on the verge of breaking Byron Nelson's record and winning the Grand Slam? Possibly, which I never would've answered pre-Tiger. He's so much better than anyone else. If you don't believe that, I dare you to pick anyone who you think could handle him over 18 holes, let alone 72. I didn't think so. And if you think a child with bother him, remember how many Jack Nicklaus had.
2. Is Jim Furyk going to stay at #2? I believe so. He's dedicated and focused. If he could add 20 yards to his drives, he would be able to give Tiger a run.
3. Will Phil bounce back? I don't think so. He'll probably win an event or two, and may contend in the Masters, where his record is exceptional. However, he probably will never shake the 2006 US Open failure. Others like Arnold PAlmer and Sam Snead didn't either, so it's not meant to be critical. The irony is if Phil had the mindset he had a few years ago he would be able to shake it off. Then again, he wouldn't have won the majors.
4. Will Adam Scott or Sergio Garcia be able to rise to the top? No, unless they both improve their putting. It's the only thing keeping them from advancing. Ten years ago Tiger made himself a better putter. Scott and Garcia have to do likewise.
5. Will the 40+ crowd (Love, Couples, Singh, etc) be factors? Not in majors unfortunately. Singh in particular will be like Mickelson. The others will have to be content with winning an occasional tournament a la Tim Herron, Jeff Maggert and Corey Pavin.
6. Will the Euros break through individually? They seem like they're on the verge. I thought David Howell was right there. Now Paul Casey seems most likely. Here's hoping Monty contends again. Or Darren Clarke. What stories those would be!
7. How about the South Africans? Right now I'd pick Tim Clark as the best, which is amazing since Els and Goosen were so high. I don't see things changing for this group. Only very good, not great.
8. How about the Aussies? Geoff Ogilvy will have a tough time adjusting to life after a major win, a la Mike Weir. The others will win, but not big.
9. Finally, how about the Canadians? Unfortuantely the best days of Stephen Ames and Weir seem to be behind them. Hopefully the young guns can come on.
10. Will it be an exciting year? I hope so!

Regards,

Steve

Happy New Golf Year! (Part 2)

Hello. Tomorrow the PGA Tour season begins. The Mercedes-Benz Championship is on at the Plantation Course at Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii. And it will be the debut of The Golf Channel's PGA Tour coverage. The two questions are, how will it go? And who will watch?
There's no question The Golf Channel has come a long way in 11 years. It is a must for golfers. The uproar when it was moved by Rogers Cable onto a digital tier was unbelievable. Fortunately I'm in an area that is not impacted.
Will the cast of The Golf Channel be able to handle every Thursday and Friday for a whole year, with no break? They do have talent, but as I mentioned before, it may not translate into their new roles. While Kelly Tilghman does excellent interviews and hosting, doing play-by-play is a different animal. Can she be a Greg Gumbel or Jim Nantz and make the transition? I hope so, because her appearance is historic.
The next question is more interesting. Both golf and the NHL have opted for "specialty channels" instead of sure-fire ESPN. The thinking is the potential for new fans decreases because ESPN is on at the bars and is on everyone's cable package.
My thinking is it's less of an issue for golf because the third and foourth rounds are on major networks (NBC and CBS, with the British Open on ABC). These are the rounds that can grab the new fans, because they're more interesting. There's no winner declared on the weekdays, so it's tougher for a new fan to get into it.
All the best to The Golf Channel in 2007! You have a chance for TV immortality. Go for it!

Regards,
Steve

Happy New Golf Year!

Hello. Well, I thought I'd be focused on curling by now, but the weather has been so warm that golf courses are open in Ontario. Unbelievable!
As the new year starts, there are many questions surrounding the PGA Tour. The first of 3 big ones I'll tackle today is "Will the Fedex Cup be a success?".
Here's my answer - no, not like it is now.
Tiger and Phil are not playing this week in the Mercedes. They didn't in 2006 either. Obviously they're not worried about qualifying for the Fedex Cup. That's because 144 guys will make the first tournament. Not much effort is required for the elite to get in.
Here's what I would suggest:

1. Reduce the # of season-ending tournaments from 4 to 3 or even 2. There's no way the top players will play 4 weeks in a row at a high level. With the PGA Championship and the American Express Championship back-to-back just before that stretch, it means playing 6 out of 7 weeks. Not going to happen when the first two tournaments are more important to a player's career than the last 4.
2. For the one or two tournaments that are left out, have them as a way for the players who haven't qualified for the Fedex Cup to get in. It would be like a Q-school.
3. Give more points to the top events. There looks like there is not much of a spread between majors and non-majors.
4. Give byes to the final tournament for the top 30 finishers. This will keep everyone happy. The elite will get some rest, the sponsors will know they've made it, and the players will have an objective to chase for the whole season.

If some changes are made, the Fedex Cup may work. But if I were a betting man, I wouldn't like the odds of 2007 working.

Regards,

Steve