This has been one strange week in golf.
Next week promises the PGA Merchandise Show, the annual drool fest for golf gear heads everywhere and a working week for those looking to stock the shelves of the pro shop for another year. The PGA TOUR returns to the mainland for the Humana Challenge at PGA West, while the European Tour continues it’s run in the deserts of the Middle East (Qatar this time). But back to this past week…
Just two weeks into the 2015 golf year and we have probably already witnessed the collapse of the year. A PGA TOUR pro was kidnapped, robbed, and beaten over the weekend. A golf course employee has been arrested for threatening to kill a congressman. And disturbingly, bodies seem to be turning up on courses with some regularity this year. Is this golf or NCIS?
Let’s hit the links.
Hole #1: Walker Wins by Nine
One week after losing to Patrick Reed in a playoff, Jimmy Walker won the Sony Open by a record nine strokes. It was his fourth PGA TOUR win, but despite the huge margin of victory it was far from the most bizarre story to come out of Hawaii this week. [Link]
Hole #2: Allenby Kidnapped in Hawaii
Robert Allenby missed the cut at the Sony Open of Hawaii on Friday, but that was far from the worst part of his day. He also reported being kidnapped, beaten, robbed. Allenby said he’d been at a wine bar with a friend when he was possibly drugged and then abducted. The next thing he remembered was coming to in a park and being harassed and kicked by some of the homeless there. A homeless woman and a passing man came to his aid and helped him get back to his hotel where he notified the authorities. [Link]
Hole #3: Clubhouse Bartender Threatened to Poison John Boehner’s Drinks
This storyline would probably be rejected by Hollywood as unbelievable, but Michael Hoyt, formerly a bartender at Whetherington Country Club where he served Boehner and his wife drinks, was arrested by the FBI this week for threatening to kill the Speaker of the House for a long list of assumed (and crazy) affronts. [Link]
Hole #4: Kaymer’s “Stal” Provides Shocking Ending
Martin Kaymer had a six-stroke lead going into the final round at Abu Dhabi and at one point on Sunday extended that to 10 strokes. He’s the reigning U.S. Open champion and currently #12 in the world. Gary Stal was #357 in the OWGR and was playing in his 41st European Tour event. Guess who won. [Link]
Hole #5: Dominguez Heading to Masters
Chilean Matias Dominguez hung on to win the Latin American Amateur Champion by a stroke on Sunday and punched his ticket for Augusta. This is the first year of the exemption designed to help grow the game in Central and South America. [Link]
Hole #6: No Fun Allowed
By these rules, maybe New Orleans needs to cancel Mardi Gras.Safety shouldn't always trump Fun&Frivolity.
Bacchanal! pic.twitter.com/f4WGH6Z7gm
— Craig Perks (@cajunkiwi) January 14, 2015
Hole #7: Hole in One?
This is one hazard I definitely don’t recommend you try to play out of (or even retrieve your ball from). [Link]
Hole #8: Patel Suspended by PGA TOUR
PGA Tour suspends Bhavik Patel one year for doping http://t.co/BRVb3MfJeK
— ESPN Golf (@ESPNGolf) January 14, 2015
Hole #9: Another Body Found in Water Hazard
For the second week in a row, here’s a story about a body being found on a golf course. This time an AIG executive who was attending a conference in the area turned up dead in a golf course pond in California. [Link]