For the second full week of January, it was sure a busy golf calendar.
The PGA Tour went full field for the first time in the shadow of the “Big W.”The European Tour split up to play the EurAsian Cup (yawn) and the Joburg Open (yaw…, oh look a monkey!). There was the new Latin American Amateur Championship, thanks to the Masters, the USGA and the R&A, contested for the first time at the Teeth of the Dog in the Dominican Republic. And if that weren’t enough, Mardy Fish handily beat a celebrity field in Florida to win the Diamond Resorts Invitational.
Not bad for January. Let’s hit the links.
Hole #1: Aloha Hawaii
Fabian Gomez made 11 birdies on Sunday, including one in the playoff that gave him the win over Brandt Snedeker. It was his second win on Tour. [Link]
Hole #2: Home Cooking
We have another first-time winner on the European Tour. Haydn Porteous won the Joburg Open in his native South Africa by two strokes. He hit every green in regulation on Sunday to earn a berth in the Open Championship as did Zandersaf Lombard and Anthony Wall, who finished second and third. [Link]
Hole #3: Orlando Dreaming
Wish you were going to Orlando for the PGA Merchandise Show to check out all the latest toys? You can still window shop thanks to the product links in the exhibitor list. [Link]
Hole #4: EurAsia Cup a Snore-fest
Insomniacs might have fallen asleep watching this one even without the late hours when it was televised in the U.S. Europe tromped on the Asian squad from day one in Kuala Lumpur, winning 18 1/2 to 5 1/2. A number of big names were missing on both sides. [Link]
Hole #5: Welcome to Augusta, Mr. Chaplet
Costa Rican Paul Chaplet won the Latin America Amateur Championship in the Dominican Republic this weekend, and with it an automatic berth for the season’s first major. The 16-year-old will be the second youngest ever to tee it up in the Masters. [Link]
Hole #6: Talking Balk
Love him or hate him, you wouldn’t want to be him on the course (except for all that money). Take a look at the trials and tribulations of Kevin Na, a fascinating look at the game between the ears. [Link]
Hole #7: Euros to Dump Donald for Dundonald
The European Tour appears to be ready to officially pull the Scottish Open from Trump International in Aberdeen due to the Presidential candidate’s comments. [Link]
Hole #8: Caddie Insider
Since Stevie (mostly) retired, we only occasional hear from Tour caddies, let alone from their wives. [Link]
Hole 9#: Cardinal Nation
How’s Tiger Woods spending his time recuperating? Giving chipping lessons, it turns out. [Link]