Rain featured prominently in two of three tournaments this weekend (and the Memorial doesn’t start until Thursday). The Byron Nelson was nearly a washout, but some solid work by the grounds crew got (most) of the course into playing condition. In Northern Ireland, the weather does a great imitation of Scottish weather, with cold rain blowing sideways across the links.
Speaking of raining on someone’s parade, the Golf Channel just can’t be nice to Monty. During an interview following Colin Montgomery’s 2nd-straight victory at the Senior PGA Championship, the Golf Channel put up a graphic noting his 31 European Tour wins, with “No majors” in parentheses.
All in all, it was a strange (and wet) week. Let’s hit the links.
Hole #1: Splish Splash
At the rainy TPC at Las Colinas, Steven Bowditch ran away from the field that couldn’t putt (Jimmy Walker) or couldn’t keep it in the right zip code off the tee (Dustin Johnson). Johnny Manziel showed more fight than most of the field. A final round 64 gave Bowditch the win at the same course where he married his bride. How’s that for a storybook ending? [Link]
Hole #2: Stanford Women Win in OT
Members of the Stanford Cardinal women’s golf team are national champions thanks to Mariah Stackhouse’s come from behind victory in 19-holes over Baylor’s Hayley Davis. [Link]
Hole #3: A Pretty Good Dane
At a rainy and cold, but still amazing, Royal County Down, a Dane took the Irish Open, which was sponsored by Dubai Duty Free. That EuroTour is just so international. Soren Kjeldsen shot 76 on his final round, but managed to get into a playoff at -2 with Eddie Pepperell of England and Bernd Weisberger of Austria, which he won with birdie on the first playoff hole. [Link]
Hole #4: Meanwhile in New Jersey
Anna Nordqvist had a two-shot advantage coming to the last hole and managed to make it interesting. [Link]
Hole #5: For Your Consideration
Who is the game’s top young star? This tidbit is interesting. [Link]
Hole #6: Is Rickie Too Nice?
Rickie Fowler just refuses to revel in his competition’s misfortunes. That’s probably a good thing. He finished T30 at the Irish Open at +7 (but he did make the cut, something his playing partners this week couldn’t say.)[Link]
Hole #7: Rain, Rain, Go Away
It rained so hard this week on the AT&T Byron Nelson Championship in Texas that the par-four fourteenth had to be made into a super-short par-three for the final three rounds of the tournament. Adding to the oddness of the moment, confusion reigned as the second round commenced as to whether the 104-yard hole was still a par four. Gary Woodland thought he’d made the PGA TOUR’s second-ever ace on a par 4 until finding out later that it was a par 3. Still an ace, though. [Link]
Hole #8: His and Her Aces
We may have to background check the witnesses on this one, but a husband and wife apparently made back-to-back aces on the same hole. These two should buy lottery tickets immediately. [Link]
Hole #9: Host Can’t Hang
Rory McIlroy’s struggles continue as the world #1 missed his second cut in back-to-back weeks and his third straight at the Irish Open. McIlroy is not expected to play again before the U.S. Open. [Link]
Trick Shot Bonus
“Don’t hit the cow!” [Link]