LPGA Ups and Downs

The LPGA season is in full swing, and it has definitely seen its ups and downs so far.

Thrash TalkThe ladies of the LPGA Tour are three months into their 2006 season, and there have been a lot of things to talk about so far. The season’s first major championship, the Kraft Nabisco Championship, may have produced the best finish of any golf tournament in the world this year. There were a lot of big-name contenders fighting for the victory, including past stalwart Karrie Webb and young guns Natalie Gulbis and Michelle Wie.

The Kraft Nabisco Championship was one of many bright spots for the LPGA this season. However, there have been some disappointments along the way as well. I’m going to break down the early season into the good, bad, and ugly.

Bunker’s Dozen, May 2006

Was Lefty’s great month of April enough to overtake Tiger in the latest Bunker’s Dozen?

The month of April is in the books, and boy did it fly by! The first major championships have come and gone for the main professional tours, and they left us with some great memories. Phil Mickelson won his second green jacket in three years, and Karrie Webb defeated Lorena Ochoa in a playoff at the Kraft Nabisco. Other than that, it was just another solid month for golf fans worldwide.

The Bunker’s Dozen is back for another month, and business has definitely picked up in the golf world. The list has changed quite a bit, but there are still some familiar faces as well. Without further ado, here is the latest Bunker’s Dozen.

Weekend Struggles

Some of the big guns simply aren’t putting tournaments away on the weekends.

Thrash TalkThis past weekend at the Byron Nelson Championship, Adam Scott had a share of the lead going into the final round. Needless to say, the young Aussie didn’t hang on to that lead, enabling Brett Wetterich the opportunity to pick up his first career PGA Tour victory. Wetterich took advantage of the situation en route to victory, but I saw it as more “Adam Scott letdown” than “Wetterich surge.”

The Byron Nelson Championship was just another situation where a top-tier golfer had a weekend letdown. It has happened all too often over the past couple months. The top golfers in the world are supposed to dominate on Saturday and Sunday. That’s more often than not the way they earned that top ranking. That hasn’t been the case this year.

Another Win for the Europeans?

Can Europe win the Ryder Cup for the third consecutive time? Read the rest to find out.

Thrash TalkI want to start by congratulating Jim Furyk on his win this past weekend at the Wachovia Championship. It was nice to see Furyk put one away because he has been struggling in that department lately. Speaking of the Wachovia Championship, it has definitely turned into one of the best non-major events on the PGA Tour schedule. There was only one round in the 60s on Sunday, and that’s what I love to see.

Now, on to this week’s article. Last week’s Thrash Talk focused on the current United States Ryder Cup team. There is still a lot of time left, but I believe the team isn’t looking very strong right now. This week we’ll look at their likely opposition on the European side. The rivals from across the pond will be looking for their third straight triumph in Ryder Cup competition.

Early Ryder Cup Talk

The 36th Ryder Cup is still four months from now, but that doesn’t stop me from thinking about it.

Thrash TalkMy wife and I are going through our second move in about seven months, so bear with me this week. I definitely don’t suggest buying two houses in the same year. We have learned our lesson, but we can’t pass on a good opportunity.

The month of April has come and gone, and the PGA Tour has made its way into May. I was looking at a couple golf websites this past week and realized The Ryder Cup is less than five months away. It’s never too early to start talking about the best event in golf. There is no other event in the sport that displays so much passion and winning desire. I’m not sure I can wait until September for the 36th playing of the Ryder Cup.

A Major Surprise

Stuart Appleby should already be a major championship winner. Which other golfers are in the same boat as Appleby?

Thrash TalkStuart Appleby cruised to his second win of the 2006 season this past weekend in Houston. Appleby started off the year by winning the Mercedes Championship for the third straight time. The Aussie showed this past weekend just how good he is with a 54-hole lead. Appleby played well on Sunday en route to winning his eighth career PGA Tour event. It’s beyond me why he hasn’t won a major championship.

When it comes to golfers without major championships, the media always talks about Chris DiMarco, Sergio Garcia, Adam Scott, Luke Donald, etc. That’s not a bad thing because all those guys are near the top 10 in the world rankings. However, what about the golfers ranked a little lower in the world like Stuart Appleby? There are some very talented golfers without major championships, and Appleby tops the list of “underrated golfers without a major championship.”

Tiger vs. Lefty

Is Phil Mickelson better than Tiger Woods? The distance between the two isn’t as much as you think.

Thrash TalkI want to start this week by congratulating Aaron Baddeley on his victory at Harbour Town. Baddeley took advantage of a sluggish Jim Furyk on Sunday to earn his first PGA Tour win. Most of the golf media expected “Badds” to win a long time ago, but a win is a win any way you slice it. I hope this win helps elevate the young Aussie to new heights on the PGA Tour.

Now to the topic at hand. I’ve read a couple articles in the past week comparing Tiger Woods to Phil Mickelson. We even had a thread in our forum discussing the two excellent golfers, both on and off the golf course. I’ll be the first to admit I’m not a big fan of either. I would enjoy it much more if Retief Goosen was the top golfer in the world. Better yet, I would love to see Sergio Garcia, Adam Scott, and Luke Donald all making headlines at the top of the world rankings.

Time to Make a Move

The Masters is behind us, but there are still some top golfers that have yet to show up this season.

Thrash TalkThe Masters has come and gone, and now it’s time to start moving towards the U.S. Open in June. The week at Augusta wasn’t as compelling as the past couple have been, but the action was still a lot of fun to watch. Phil Mickelson just keeps on proving he is no fluke in the major championships. Lefty has picked up three of the last nine majors, and he will probably win a handful more before his playing days are done.

Bunker’s Dozen, April 2006

This month’s edition has a Masters flavor mixed with a new Players Champion and a youth movement.

Another month of the PGA Tour season has come and gone, and it’s time for another edition of the Bunker’s Dozen. The Florida Swing wrapped up two weeks ago with an exciting Players Championship. Also, The Masters is right around the corner and it’s apparent in this month’s rankings. Finally, the LPGA’s popularity is on the rise, but how many ladies managed to make our list? And remember, this list is based off results up to March 31st.

That’s enough talking for now, so let’s get to this edition of the Bunker’s Dozen!