Category: PGA

The final major championship of 2005 is just one week away, but many of the top-ranked golfers are making one last stop in Colorado before heading to Baltusrol for the PGA Championship. Tiger Woods and Vijay Singh battled it out last week at the Buick Open, and Vijay eventually pulled out the victory. Both Singh and Woods will be taking this week off in preparation for Baltusrol, and Ernie Els is out for the season due to knee surgery. That being said, the rest of the big guns on the PGA Tour will be teeing it up at Castle Pines in what should be a very exciting event.

Continue reading “The International Preview”

Vijay Singh simply had too big a lead and Tiger Woods simply played the first eight holes horribly on Saturday and Sunday. End result? A comfortable four-stroke victory by world #2 Vijay Singh, his fourth of the year (and his second consecutive Buick Open). Singh is now the only player to win the Buick Open three times.

Tiger could only listen (screen capture credit to Tony @ HOG) as Vijay withstood a back-nine 30 by the world’s highest-ranked player. That 30 included a bogey at the last when he nearly missed the fairway to the right – that is, the adjacent fairway – and couldn’t get up and down from a greenside bunker.

Continue reading “Vijay Says “Listen Up, Tiger” at Buick Open”

Ernie Els, in a post on his own website, has broken the news that he injured himself sailing in the Mediterranean. He had surgery on his left knee a few days ago and is out of action “indefinitely.”

Well, I imagine many of you will be checking my website today expecting me to talk about the build-up to the big tournaments coming up in the next few weeks. Others will have already heard the news that I injured my knee while on a sailing holiday in the Mediterranean and had to have surgery on it a couple of days ago. As a result, I’m going to have to take a break from golf on the recommendation of my medical advisers. Basically it’s the only sensible course of action, so that I can be sure of the promptest recovery period. Obviously the timing is unfortunate. Although let’s face it, there’s no such thing as a good time to get injured. But what can you do? There’s no point dwelling on your bad luck, or whatever. All I’m doing is focusing on getting better as quickly as possible, so I’m out of action for not a day longer than I have to be. I’ll fill you in with some more detailed news when I write again, probably this Monday coming. Until then, bye for now.

Though Ernie has not said exactly how long he’ll be out, the world’s third-ranked player is expected to miss the PGA Championship and the Presidents Cup.

Photo Credit: David Cannon, Getty Images at ErnieEls.com.

Tiger Woods comes into the Buick Open on top of the golfing world as always. Mr. Woods won his second major of the year two weeks ago at St. Andrews to (hopefully) answer the question “is he back yet” once and for all!

Unfortunately, last year’s Buick Open took place when Woods was still facing that question, and the honor of being defending champion belongs to Tiger’s top rival, Vijay Singh. Both players will be looking to win this event for the second time in their respective careers. Singh also won it in 1997, and Tiger won it in 2002.

Continue reading “Buick Open Preview”

Ben Crane, one of the slowest players on the PGA Tour, walked away with the US Bank Championship. Carding a 1-under-par round of 69, Crane was never pressured as his nearest competitors Scott Verplank, Chris Smith, and Kenny Perry folded with rounds of 71, 71, and 73. Crane eventually won by four over Verplank and five over Chad Campbell, one of the few players to have a decent day in the blustery conditions, firing a 65.

Continue reading “Ben Crane Takes Rain-Soaked US Bank Championship”

The British Open is in the past, and as always, the show must go on. The PGA Tour stops in Milwaukee this week for the US Bank Championship. As usual, the field for this event is not nearly as strong as most on tour, but there are still some very capable golfers teeing it up. Kenny Perry will be the top-ranked golfer in the field in Milwaukee, and he has already won twice so far in 2005. Perry came into this event in 2003 with two wins that season as well, and he walked out of this event with his third victory that year. He will be looking to repeat that feat this time around as well. Perry finished in a tie for 11th at St. Andrews last week.

Continue reading “U.S. Bank Championship in Milwaukee Preview”

One of my favorite days of the year is the Sunday of the British Open. The TV comes on early and I settle in to watch the whole thing. I wish I could have invited you all over to my heavily fortified compound to watch with me, but there are space constraints and noise ordinance issues. Instead, as a public service, I kept a running diary of the final round’s events for you, as seen from my couch. Let’s get started.

8:00 a.m.: I am fully ready for the final round to begin. Caffeine and sugar are in abundance, and ABC’s coverage is on the air. An opening shot of the Swilken Bridge and an understated opening from Mike Tirico welcome us to St. Andrews, leading into a taped package showcasing the Old Course as the equivalent of Yankee Stadium. It also touches on Jack Nicklaus exiting the scene, and some exciting young fellow named Tiger playing well. Hmm. I think we might hear more about both today.

Continue reading “British Open Running Diary”

Just a few weeks removed from the U.S. Open at Pinehurst, it is now time for the British Open. The Open Championship will be played on the Old Course at St. Andrews, one of the most famous courses in all of golf. The list of winners at St. Andrews reads like a “who’s who” list of golf greats and includes names such as Bobby Jones, Sam Snead, Jack Nicklaus (twice), Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo, and most recently Tiger Woods.

Continue reading “British Open Preview”