Volume Four Hundred Five

Euros keep the Cup, U.S. team holds controversial presser, and what is going on with Rickie and Bubba?

Hittin' the LinksIt’s all over in Scotland. Now the hand-wringing and Monday-morning captaining begin for the U.S.

The U.S. team managed a Saturday morning rally, but the Euros answered in Foursomes that afternoon and took a 10-6 lead into the Sunday singles matches. The Americans will have two years to sort out why the Euros have won eight of the last 10 contests. The series will reconvene in 2016 at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Minnesota

Volume Four Hundred Four

The Web [dot] com Tour awarded another 25 PGA Tour cards, the Horschels’ daughter arrived, and… oh yeah, it’s Ryder Cup Week.

Hittin' the LinksWhat a week Billy Horschel had! Just days after winning the TOUR Championship and FedExCup, he sent this tweet:

I’m thinking not very many people have ever had a better week.

The PGA Tour had the weekend off, but there was still plenty of golf news. Not to mention, it’s Ryder Cup Week! The U.S.A. and Euro teams don’t tee off until Friday, but until then, let’s hit the links.

Talking to Neil Sagebiel, Author of “Draw in the Dunes”

We chat with Neil Sabebiel, blogger at Armchair Golf Blog, and author of The Longest Shot and Draw in the Dunes.

Throwing DartsNeil Sagebiel is a golf blogger at Armchair Golf Blog and author whose first book The Longest Shot detailed Jack Fleck’s stunning comeback and subsequent 18-hole playoff with Ben Hogan at the 1955 U.S. Open, and whose new book, Draw in the Dunes, chronicles the 1969 Ryder Cup.

The ’69 Cup featured two highly combative sides. 17 of the 32 matches were decided on the 18th hole, and the last match of the day, which featured Tony Jacklin and Jack Nicklaus, proved to be the decider. Nicklaus, playing in his first Ryder Cup despite having already won seven major championships, conceded a missable putt to Jacklin on the final hole, an unexpected turn of sportsmanship that became known simply as “The Concession.” Jacklin tied the match, and the United Kingdom drew even with the States, though the defending champion Americans retained the Cup.

I sat down with Sagebiel over email to discuss golf history, a few the sport’s current events, and his own game.

Volume Four Hundred Three

The PGA TOUR wraps up, and we celebrate with twice the usual links. But don’t worry, the first round of ’14-15 TOUR is Oct. 9th.

Hittin' the LinksThe 2013-14 PGA Tour season gave us Tiger Woods getting injured, having surgery, and getting injured again. Phil Mickelson failed to win for the first time since 2003. It saw the return of Martin Kaymer and Henrik Stenson to prominence. Rory McIlroy (re)claimed the number one ranking in the world, both literally in terms of the OWGR and in the minds of fans everywhere. After the PGA Championship, there is little doubt that he is the best golfer on the planet. Then again, after the past few weeks, maybe we were asking the wrong question. Instead of wondering who will be next to rival Tiger Woods, maybe we should be wondering how good a McIlroy-Horschel rivalry can be.

In addition to the wrap up of the PGA Tour, this week also the official end of major season, as the LPGA’s Evian Championship concluded in France. The week after next, the U.S. and European squads will go head to head at Gleneagles for the 2014 Ryder Cup. Until then, let’s hit the links.

Nine Holes With Patrick Reed

Top five or not, Patrick Reed is on fire.

ProfilesOver the past year, few golfers have played as well as Patrick Reed. The cocky Texan won for the first time last August, and simply hasn’t stopped.

He’s currently on the bubble for the U.S. Ryder Cup team, but his competitiveness makes him tough to leave off. Likewise, his cockiness makes him polarizing.

Let’s take a look at on of the Tour’s best golfers.

Volume Four Hundred Two

Beam me up, Scotty. Who’s this latest two-time PGA TOUR winner? And the Ryder Cup picks are in and the winners are…

Hittin' the LinksLabor Day has come and gone. There are just a few more weeks of summer according to the calendar, but there are still big events in golf to be played.

We’re at the midway point of the FedExCup playoffs and your new points leader is… Chris Kirk. It’s still anyone’s race, of course. At least anyone who is still playing. The field will narrow again this week, from 70 at the BMW Championship to just 30 who will make the trip to Atlanta for the TOUR Championship.

And the teams are now set for golf’s other big event of fall, the Ryder Cup. Which team looks better going in? We’ll be debating that for the next three weeks, but it’s almost certainly the Euros on paper (not that the U.S. made much advantage of that in the past). For now, let’s hit the links.

Talking to Andrew Fischer, Bubba Watson’s Former Fitness Coach and Founder of FishFit

Chatting with the man behind FishFit, a comprehensive golf fitness app from Bubba Watson’s former conditioning coach.

Throwing DartsFirst, thanks to all the TST readers and forum members who submitted questions over on the forum. Also, a big thanks to Andrew Fischer for the answers.

Fischer was Bubba Watson’s conditioning coach, and has a new smartphone app out called “FishFit,” which is available on the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.