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Accenture WGC Match Play Semi-Finals

And then there were two. Chris DiMarco gutted out a victory against Retief Goosen while David Toms dominated Ian Poulter to set the finals for the WGC Match Play.

Chris DiMarco and David TomsNo bracket could have predicted this outcome. How could just one top-seed make it through to the semi-finals? Although the dream match of Tiger Woods vs. Phil Mickelson didn’t materialize, the semi-finals of the Accenture WGC World Match Play provided some memorable golf. The matches were set. The first match of the day would pit uber-conservative David Toms against bleach-blond, spiky-haired Ian Poulter. In the second match, Chris DiMarco a fiery competitor would take on Retief Goosen the stoic South African. Could there be any greater contrast in styles? So how did these fire and ice matches play out?

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J-Ro Dances Through SBS Open

Jennifer Rosales won the SBS Open, but the big story is 15 year-old Michelle Wie who tied for second.

Jennifer RosalesThe LPGA kicked off the year with its first full-field event, the SBS Open. The final round concluded today and it was Jennifer Rosales who finished on top despite late round charges by both Michelle Wie and Cristie Kerr. Rosales finished the three round event with a final score of -9. J-Ro took advantage of optimal scoring conditions in the first round and jumped out to an early -7 lead. In the second and third rounds, the Hawaiian trade winds picked up and made scoring much more difficult. Rosales outlasted the competition thanks to rounds of 69 and 72 to seal her second victory on the LPGA Tour.

Although Rosales’s victory was big news, the spotlight was shining squarely on the youngsters. Paula Creamer made her first start as a professional on the LPGA Tour, and 15 year-old Michelle Wie made her second start since teeing it up with the men at the Sony Open.

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Break 90 Without Changing Your Swing

Regularly in the 90’s? Lower your score without changing your swing.

It’s my fifth year playing golf and I’m ready for the season to begin. Currently, I have only one score in the 80s (an 84 at Dunwoodie Golf Course). Usually, I miss that “89” by a shot or two, scoring 90-92 regularly. I believe this is a mental block, so my goal, this season, is to score in the 80s every time.

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Accenture WGC World Match Play Rounds 2 & 3

Friday was a day of sun and upsets at the Accenture WGC Match Play Championship.

goosen.jpgWhen Friday began at the World Match Play, the big news was that the tour would be able to complete two days of golf in a row without being interrupted by the rains that have been so oppressive over the last week in Southern California. By the end of the day, the big story changed from the beautiful weather to the huge upsets occurring throughout the day.

Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh, Phil Mickelson, and Davis Love III all were eliminated. Talk about busted brackets. Retief Goosen and Stewart Cink remain the only 1 and 2-seeds still alive.

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Accenture WGC World Match Play Round 1

The first round of the Match Play Championships yielded some expected results and some real shockers.

World Golf ChampionshipsCall it February madness, the Accenture WGC World Match Play Championships are the closest thing the golf world has to NCAA basketball’s big dance. Thankfully, Lake La Costa managed to dry up enough to allow play to continue albeit with minor alterations. The 467-yard 9th hole is normally a par-4, but the torrential rains forced tournament organizers to change it into a 160-yard par-3. The first round of competition included some very surprising results for high-seeded players. Earlier this week, we gave you our predictions of just how the tournament would pan out on each round. How did we do?

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Chrysler Classic of Tucson

The WGC Match Play Championship isn’t the only PGA tournament in town, going into its 11th year, the Chrysler Classic of Tuscon is gaining notariety.

Mark CalcavecchiaAlthough the Accenture WGC Matchplay Championship garners much of the media attention this week, there is another PGA Tour event with some recognizable names teeing it up this week in Tucson, Arizona. The Chrysler Classic of Tucson was born out of necessity seven years ago so players who fail to qualify for the Matchplay have a chance to compete and improve their world ranking. After the first round, Billy Mayfair and Mario Tiziani are tied for the lead at -9. Veteran Mark Calcavecchia, Michael Allen, Lucas Glover, and Darron Stiles are one back at -8. The event is played at the Omni Tuscon National Resort and the event is known for very low scoring. In 2004, Heath Slocum won the event with a final score of -22, 2003’s champion Frank Lickliter won with a total of -19.

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Complete your Backswing

Making a full shoulder turn is critical to both distance and accuracy.

From time to time, we all have a tendency to shorten our backswings. Your muscles may not be as loose as normal, you may be faced with a crucial shot and get over cautious, or you may think that shortening your swing will give you more control. Whatever the reason, not making a full shoulder turn can have some negative effects.

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What’s New for Titleist in 2005?

Information on the 2005 Titleist products has been sparse, but we’ve gathered up all we know here.

TitleistTitleist has a reputation for being tighter than Fort Knox about its new products. Even Titleist reps seem to have little idea of what to expect in regards to new products. Earlier this week, we introduced you to the redesigned Titleist website which includes some teaser pictures on some of the new offerings for 2005. We’ve had our ears to the ground and have some more details and specs on what to expect early on this year from Titleist. Please take what you read here with a grain of salt. This information is compiled from what we’ve been hearing throughout the industry. Although it is accurate to the best of our knowledge, it has not been confirmed by Titleist.

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They Say it Never Rains in Southern California

Heavy rains have caused another delay, this time the victim is the Accenture Matchplay Championships at La Costa Resort.

La Costa FloodIn light of the washout of the Nissan Open last weekend, the news that the Accenture World Match Play would be delayed until Thursday came as little surprise to many golf fans. Parts of La Costa golf resort were literally under water thanks to 2 inches of rain in the last day, and little relief is in sight since another inch is expected tonight. Luckily, since this is a diminished field event and each round halves the field, PGA officials are planning on playing two rounds on Friday to make up the lost time. Tournament director Mark Russell said, “It’s totally saturated, but based on this weather forecast, it’s going to get nothing but better. If we get a day of sunshine and breeze, it will get dramatically better.”

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