Category: PGA

Last year at Oakmont, after arriving at 5:00am and still being only the sixth to make my way to the 18th hole grandstands, I watched Tiger Woods miss a birdie putt to force a playoff. This year, from about 50% closer, he lipped the putt in.

How fitting it would have been for Rocco to play off last year. He too is a Pittsburgh area guy. We could have even let Jim Furyk join the fray, and re-enacted (in reverse) the 1962 U.S. Open, when Jack Nicklaus (of Ohio) took down Arnold Palmer (of “near-Pittsburgh” Latrobe) in a playoff.

Instead, we saw Tiger Woods grimace his way through a +3 start on the first two holes before he “took some things” to ease the pain. We’re sure nothing will ease the pain like winning, but as many have pointed out, Rocco has nothing to lose, and like Lee Trevino over Jack Nicklaus, his care-free attitude may just get him through (not that Rocco is the quality player Lee Trevino was).

Like yesterday, we have a chat room going. Join “usopen2k8” once again on AOL Instant Messenger to chat with us.

Here is our live blog of the playoff for the 108th U.S. Open from Torrey Pines.

Continue reading “2008 U.S. Open Playoff Live Blog”

Continue reading “Photos: Sergio Garcia at the 2008 Memorial”

14:17:02: Tiger misreads his putt from just off the green poorly on the first. This may not bode well for Woods today as he’s had trouble reading greens all week at Augusta.

What does bode well for Woods today is that none of the four guys ahead of him have won a major. Trevor’s average final round score at Augusta is north of 76, and 74+ in all majors. The winds are blowing and Tiger, arguably, controls his ball better than anyone on Tour. But if he keeps putting like a spaz (yeah), it’s not gonna happen. Odd fact: the last four times Tiger’s played with Stewart Cink in the last round, he’s won.

Prediction: Woods has about a 20-33% chance of winning. There’s a lot in his favor, but he’s still six strokes down, too, so we’re not about to get carried away here. Immelman has the best chance. Snedeker will falter but not embarrass himself. Flesch will have the worst day of the three, and Casey will play solidly and perhaps finish second.

Load this page and follow along as we live blog the final round of the 2008 Masters.

Continue reading “2008 Masters Live Blog”

18:54 – That does it – a lucky 13th for Tiger Woods. Though many suspected he’d win, I doubt many would have predicted he’d have quite this much trouble. Congratulations, Tiger Woods.

18:47 – Tiger’s approach at the 18th finds the back center of the green. He has three putts to win the 89th PGA Championship. But first he has to wait for Stephen Ames, currently back to +6 for the day. His ball stops within two feet of Tiger’s.

18:44 – Nicklaus won his 13th at 35 years old. Tiger will win his 13th at 31 (and will turn 32 this December).

Continue reading “2007 PGA Championship Final Round Live Blog”

What follows is a transcription of my notes from the grandstands near the 18th green on Sunday at the U.S. Open.

4:30 am – I showered the night before, so I wake up, put my clothes on, deflate my bed for the week, and get in the car for the short drive to Oakmont.

5:10 am – I arrive at my destination for the day – the grandstands overlooking the 18th – and find that I’ve been beaten to my ideal spot by six people. The sun isn’t up yet, and people are in the 18th grandstands. My ideal spot was the back left corner, which offers views of the ninth/practice green, the 10th, 12th, and 15th tees, and the 11th, 14th, and 18th greens. With binoculars, you can see even more including the second, 15th, and 17th greens. I will be here for the next 14 hours.

Continue reading “U.S. Open at Oakmont Journal: Sunday”