Category: PGA

Tiger Woods made a charge on the easier North course, but Tom Lehman played well on the tough South to hold onto a lead. The story of the day was not Lehman’s ageless play or Tiger’s possible comeback from a disappointing 2004, but the fog that delayed play and prevented 59 players from completing their rounds before darkness fell over Torrey Pines.

Lehman’s 10-under 62 (North) and 5-under 67 (South) put him at -15, tying the tournament record set in 1996 by none other than Lennie Clements. (No, Roger is the pitcher. Lennie who? We don’t know; don’t ask us. He finished in third.) Tiger Woods finished 17 holes, leaving the relatively easy 18th on the North course for Saturday morning, and sits in third at -12.

Continue reading “In a Torrey Fog, Lehman Leads”

The PGA of America announced yesterday that it would reschedule the 92nd PGA Championship. Originally scheduled for August, 2010 at Sahalee Country Club in Redmond, WA, the tournament will be moved due to the 2010 Winter Olympics, which will take place in the Vancouver and Pacific Northwest.

PGA of America CEO Jim Awtrey said “One of our goals with our major championships is to take it to different parts of the country. We enjoyed a successful PGA Championship in 1998… We look forward to working with Sahalee Country Club officials to try and reschedule future PGA of America events.”

In 1998,Sahalee Country Club hosted the 80th PGA Championship (won by Vijay Singh). This year’s PGA Championship will be hosted for the first time by Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, NJ. Baltusrol has hosted two US Opens.

The story line was set, the 2005 Buick Invitational would be the first time the fantastic four of Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh, Ernie Els, and Phil Mickelson all competed in the same tournament this year. Now, with the first round of the tournament in the books, the big four underachieved to a combined 11-under par. Today, it was 2006 Ryder Cup Captain Tom Lehman who has jumped out to an early one-stroke lead after firing a red hot 10-under 62 on the North Course at Torrey Pines. Lehman’s 62 tied his career low and included birdies on nine of his last twelve holes. Lehman said, “I’m doing a lot of things right that you need to do right out here.” Lehman was followed by Dean Wilson at 9-under par and Aaron Oberholser at 8-under par.

Continue reading “Tom Lehman Leads Buick Invitational”

Ernie Els came from way back and tied the course record with a 62, but it was not enough to hold off the world’s highest ranked player. Of course, it didn’t hurt that Singh himself fired a 65.

Following a tournament in which Singh had the lead after three days of play and didn’t win, Vijay wins the 2005 Sony Open never having held the lead until the final thirty minutes. He finished at -11 while second- and third-round leader Shigeki Maruyama fell backwards, finishing at -9.

Els charged hard, finishing birdie-birdie-eagle to get to -10, tying the course record 62 in a round that included two bogeys. Els, winner of the last two Sony Opens, said of his round that he “always felt like it was going to be just a little shy. He [Singh] did what he had to do.”

Continue reading “World #1 Wins #1 at the Sony Open”

Shigeki Maruyama, the second-round leader, started Saturday’s round with a double bogey. He got it all back three holes later with a hole-in-one. Maruyama shot a 68 to retain his one-stroke lead going into the final round of the 2005 Sony Open.

In hot pursuit, one stroke back, is Brett Quigley, nephew of Champions Tour player Dana Quigley. Brett remains winless in 220 starts on the PGA Tour, but has fired three consecutive sub-par rounds of 66, 67, 68. Will a 69 on Sunday be good enough to win if the trend continues? My numerology advisor says no. (No, I don’t have a numerology advisor!)

Continue reading “Hole in One Keeps Maruyama in Front”

We’ll get it quickly out of the way: Michelle Wie missed the cut by seven, six shots worse than last year, finishing at +9. She played well in spots but couldn’t make a putt. She beat 16 men, though, and out of respect for those men’s dwindling self-respect, we won’t be publishing their names. Just kidding – losing to Michelle Wie is not something about which to be ashamed. Shooting +10 or worse? Well, maybe…

Continue reading “Sony Open: Day 2”

The PGA.com title nailed it: Ow-Wie! Amateur teen sensation Michelle Wie was anything but sensational in her 5-over opening round 75. Her round, which featured only one birdie, had one up side. “At least I’m not in last place,” Wie joked. True: at least a dozen PGA Tour players finished worse than +5.

In other words, Wie’s efforts to make the cut will, most likely, keep her short of her goal. Wie remains optimistic, however, saying “I think if I shoot under par tomorrow, if I end up at like 1-over-par, maybe I’ll make it.”

Waialae Country Club played tough in Thursday’s round with winds gusting up to 25 MPH. The breezy conditions frustrated some of the game’s best: Ernie Els shot his first above-par round (71) in 17 rounds at Waialae. Vijay Singh finished with a bogey on the par-5 18th to shoot -1 69. Singh, who made some comments last year regarding Wie, snuck out this year by saying only “It’s tough for the boys over here, you know? Going to be tough for a girl here, too.”

Continue reading “Sony, Round One: Ow-Wie!”

The 2005 Sony Open kicks off Thursday. The news this year? Pretty much the same as last: teenage phenom Michelle Wie is in the field and looking to make the cut. Last year Michelle came within a shot, shooting even-par 72-68 (and beating 47 men in the process).

The Sony Open, contested along the windy Hawaiian Waialae Country Club, is the first full-field event of the 2005 PGA Tour season. Waialae is one of the Hawaiian native Wie’s home courses.

Ernie Els, the defending champ, played a practice round with the teen star on Tuesday. Els, known on tour as “The Big Easy” for his long, flowing swing, tagged Michelle with the nickname “The Big Wiesy” during last year’s event.

Continue reading “2005 Sony Open Preview: Wie Shall See”

Stuart Appleby, the ailing father-to-be, has put an end to all that Singh-ing by winning the 2005 Mercedes Championship, defending his 2004 title.The triple bogey Vijay made on 13 certainly helped.

Appleby, unable to hit balls a week before the tournament because of nerve problems in his left leg, started the tournament with a disappointing 74. His final 55 holes were played bogey free and his one-stroke victory assures him a spot in next year’s field. “You’d have to say it’s slightly surprising,” Appleby said of his win. Appleby finished at -21, shooting 6-under 67 on Sunday a few groups ahead of the leaders.

Continue reading “The Day the Music Died”