Nicknames are part of sports folklore. Fans are eager to slap a sticker on any player with a special skill or quirky personality. There are plenty of both on the PGA Tour. Too often players are veiled behind their own celebrity or the blasé coverage tournament announcers churn out. For my part, I think tournament coverage can be too sanitized.
On the other hand, perhaps its good that coverage is so polite as television can magnify one’s faults. I remember Bill Cosby saying someone once told him cocaine is great because it intensifies your personality. Cosby asked, “Yeah, but what if you’re an asshole?” Maybe thats what colorful tournament coverage could do for us, but I digress.
So I invite you to get to know PGA Tour players a little better through this installment of “Player Nicknames.”
After rain delayed play for much of the day the Zurich Classic got off the ground at 3:30 ET and continued until dark halted play part way through round three at TPC Louisiana. Officials gave credit to recently upgraded drainage for good playing conditions despite the weather.
Brett Quigley and Gavin Coles share the second-round lead at ten-under par. Quigley, who could be described as “Mr. Unassuming” posted his second 67 of the tournament and has put himself in a position to do very well over the weekend. Quigley’s putting has been solid as he is tied for 3rd with 1.593 putts per round this tournament. His results this year speak highly of his play as he has four top 25’s and one top ten already in 2005. “I think the biggest thing for me is I’ve come in to the first two days pretty relaxed and confident in my game,” said Quigley. “I think on the weekend I have a tendency to try too hard. I’m just going to go out and stay in my routing and not worry about results.”
Peter Lonard proved that he knows how to stick with the competition starting the third round six strokes behind Darren Clarke and shooting a 6-under 66. He overtook Clarke by one stroke and found a measure of redemption after a 
Weather was a factor during round one at the BellSouth Classic today as temperatures hovered below 40 degrees and winds gusted to 40 mph. Play was halted for nearly two hours as freezing rain and snow fell on the course. It was reminiscent of a ski slope with all the beanie caps worn today. Billy Mayfair said, “The hardest part is when it’s cold and you have delays, it’s hard to stay warm.” The delay prevented 63 players from finishing the first round including frontrunner Mayfair.
TPC at Sugarloaf couldn’t take what nature dealt it Thursday as tournament officials cancelled play because rain fell for nine straight hours during the morning and early afternoon. Phil Mickelson said “What a surprise. We’ve had such great weather all year.” The “good weather” Mickelson spoke of could very well delay the tournament further as the forecast is calling for more thunderstorms on Friday. About the only good news is that Saturday’s forecast is clear.
The Players Championship started much as it did 
The oldest sports museum in the United States is getting a worthy addition in the near future in the form of the “Arnold Palmer Center For Golf History.” Slated for completion in 2008, the center will honor the man who was the first to win a U.S. Amateur, U.S. Open and a U.S. Senior Open.