2005 Nissan Open Preview

Tiger has a chance to regain his #1 status in the world over a resting Vijay Singh. Can lefty dominance keep him from winning his second this year?

Nissan OpenIf you’re not a southpaw, you run the risk of getting left behind in Los Angeles this week. That’s no left-handed compliment to port-siders Phil Mickelson and Mike Weir: it’s simply the state of the PGA Tour. Mickelson has dominated the last two events, outlasting a charging Mike Weir last week at Pebble Beach. Phil’s taking this week off, but Weir will be at Riviera Country Club trying for his third consecutive Nissan Open title. And let’s not forget that the fashionably left-handed Mickelson and Weir are the winners of the last two Masters Tournaments.

Will Weir defend at the Nissan? Is this Steve Flesch’s week to get in on the lefty love?

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Sorenstam Bogeys Marriage, Files for Divorce

Annika Sorenstam is filing for divorce from her husband of eight years, David Esch. So much for retiring early to raise a family…

SorenstamAP news sources are reporting that LPGA superstar Annika Sorenstam has filed for divorce from David Esch, her husband of eight years.

“I want to confirm that I have filed for divorce,” Sorenstam said in a statement. “We are working toward an amicable resolution and we appreciate the media’s respect for our privacy. I wish David nothing but the best for the future.” In other words, bug off.

The divorce was filed February 4 in Circuit Court of Orange County. The suit is sealed and no other information is available.

Sorenstam, who has talked in the past about retiring early to start a family, is at this moment formulating a new plan. Will she stay on tour long enough to break Kathy Whitworth’s record of 88 career LPGA victories? We don’t know. Annika currently has 56.

Said David Esch about Annika, “that’s the problem with driven women… sometimes they drive right over you.” Okay, so he didn’t really say that. But it would have been funny if he had. More at pga.com.

Photo Credit: © Unknown

Staying Power: How Titleist Stays on Top

Titleist is like Wal-Mart… without the low low prices. Think another ball maker can ever challenge Titleist’s crown? Think again.

TitleistThe golf equipment business is competitive and cutthroat. Take a look at the leaders in woods and irons over the last few decades. The dominant brands of the 1950s and 60s were MacGregor and Wilson, who were usurped in the 70s and 80s by Ping and Tommy Armour. Then came the boom of Big Bertha in the early 1990s, which catapulted Callaway to the top for a decade. Now TaylorMade stands poised to take the title of top woods and irons brand from Callaway.

But through all those changes over the years, there’s essentially been one ball on top: Titleist. No other brand comes close at retail or on tour. How long can they keep it up?

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Curtis Strange, PGA Tour Great, Joins the Champions Tour

As Curtis Strange makes his Champions Tour debut this weekend, we should all take a moment to remember what a great player he was in his prime.

curtis_strange_1989_usopen.jpgThis weekend, Curtis Strange will make his Champions Tour debut at the ACE Group Classic in Naples, Florida.

Those very new to golf may wonder who Curtis Strange is. In fact, one’s view of Strange probably depends upon how long you have been following golf. If you’ve been following the game for a few years, you probably view him as the lead analyst on ABC golf coverage (Strange filled that role from 1997 to 2004) or as just another losing Ryder Cup captain (2002).

If you’ve been following golf for about a decade, then you may remember Curtis Strange as the player that played a large role in the United States’ 1995 Ryder Cup loss (Strange was a controversial captain’s pick by fellow Virginian and Wake Forest alum Lanny Wadkins).

And finally, if you’ve been following golf for much longer, then you probably remember Strange as the best player on the PGA Tour, if not the world, in the mid- to late-1980s, a player full of fire and determination.

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Maxfli’s BlackMAX

The Maxfli BlackMAX is the newest challenger to Titleist’s dominating Pro V1/V1x. Sporting a unique dimple pattern, the ball should be available March 15, 2005.

Black MAXMaxfli‘s got a new ball, and they say it’s got the distance of the Pro V1x and the feel of the Pro V1. Scheduled for a March 15, 2005 release, the Maxfli BlackMAX should MSRP for about the same as the Pro V1, and players can expect a street price of $39.95.

The BlackMAX is currently being played on every major tour, though it may be some time before big-name players switch to the new ball. This includes TaylorMade/Adidas staff player Sergio Garcia, who continues to play Titleist’s Pro V1x (second source) last year despite Sergio’s 2002 deal with TaylorMade/Adidas (second source). Most professional golfers prefer to switch balls only at the beginning of the off-season, and the Black MAX missed that window by a month or two.

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Mickelson Sails through Pebble Beach

After three days of torrid scoring, Phil Mickelson coasted to become the first wire-to-wire winner at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

phil_mickelson_att.jpgPebble Beach showed its teeth today with strong winds, cold temperatures, and light rain. However, none of this phased Phil Mickelson whose one-over-par round of 73 was enough to allow him to capture the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am title. Alternating between his old “go for broke” and new “play it safe” strategies, Mickelson showed flashes of brilliance and questionable choices throughout the round, placing his seemingly insurmountable lead in jeopardy. Fellow lefty Mike Weir fought hard to challenge Mickelson, shooting a 67 despite the poor conditions. At one point, Weir trimmed the lead down to 4 strokes. However, some crucial putts were left short and some lipped out which prevented Weir from coming back. Mickelson’s win was his first back-to-back win on Tour and marked the first wire-to-wire winner at the AT&T Pro-Am.

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The Green, by Troon McAllister

The book is a fantasy disappointment through and through.

Despite what the glowing reader reviews found on Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com lead me to believe, The Green, by Troon McAllister, is a disappointing book at best.

The story is narrated by Alan Bellamy, “Player of the Year” and Ryder Cup captain. After being defeated for $20,000 by a public links hustler named Eddie Caminetti, Bellamy names Caminetti the 12th man to the US Ryder Cup team. Heavy underdogs this year, the US team members witness Eddie’s play and agree to pay him $100,000 if he helps them to win or keep the Cup.

The first page promises that things eventually go “haywire,” but the expectation remains sadly unfulfilled throughout the book’s 289 pages.

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Pebble Beach National Pro-Am Round 3

Mickelson extends his lead to seven, firing a second consecutive 67 and setting a new three-round record at 196. Oh, and Bill Murray made the cut.

phil_mickelson_in_black.jpgDue to the prominence of mid-handicap celebrities, the third round at the Crosby Clambake is often referred to as “hit and giggle day,” and today’s round certainly lived up to its billing.

The weekend rounds of the AT&T are aired on CBS nearly every CBS actor was featured in Saturday’s telecast. Viewers saw Kevin James promote his movie Hitch, then flub a flop shot. They saw Ray Romano lament the ending of his television series before blading a bunker shot. And of course they saw George Lopez ham it up with a dog on a leash.

And in what has become a Pebble Beach Pro-Am third-round staple, Bill Murray stopped joking long enough with the crowd to hit some pretty spectacular shots, going -2 for three consecutive holes before falling apart towards the end of the round.

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Pebble Beach National Pro-Am Round 2

Phil Mickelson shows determination and heart during and up and down day two.

Phil MickelsonIf Phil Mickelson could set a course record at Spyglass Hill on day one of the Clambake, why not set another record on day two? After setting a 36-hole scoring record at Poppy Hills with a 62, Phil scrambled his way to a 5-under 67 at Poppy Hills. His current total of -15 breaks the previous 36-hole tournament record by two.

If Phil’s highlight reel from today did not include flawless execution, it did include great recoveries. He holed a 30-foot putt for par on the tenth and hit a 7-iron through the trees to the green on the par-5 12th, finishing the hole with a two-putt birdie. His birdie was impressive after hitting a tree off the tee. Phil did what it took to get the job done and sits four strokes ahead of his nearest competitor, Mike Weir.

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