The final round of the Memorial might have been the wildest one so far this year: Bubba hooked one into a backyard, Na hit a spectator and left a ball imprint on her knee, Matsu broke his driver, and Scott never got it going.
Also this week, on the IR, Tiger fell to #4 in the world as Bubba Watson slid by him into #3. And just what did Phil know and when did he know it (and who told him)? It was a very interesting week in golf. Let’s hit the links.
Hole #1: Matsuyama Takes Memorial
The back nine at Muirfield on Sunday looked a little like the final round of a U.S. Open. Bubba Watson was 15 under at one point but went bogey-double bogey on the short par-4 14th and reachable par-5 15th. After double bogey on 16 and bogey on 17, Hideki Matsuyama made birdie on 18 to force a playoff with Kevin Na, who had finished his brilliant 8-under round more than an hour before. The two played number 18 again and neither player touched the fairway on the way to the green. In the end, driving it in the bunker right proved a better strategy than driving into the creek left. Matsuyama made par to take his first PGA Tour title and to become the youngest player to win the Memorial. [Link]
Hole #2: Another New #1
Stacy Lewis shot a 4-under 67 to win the ShopRite LPGA Classic (for the second time) by six shots and reclaim the top ranking in the world from Inbee Park. [Link]
Hole #3: Tide Rolls Again
The University of Alabama Crimson Tide golf team backed up their 2013 national championship by beating Oklahoma State in the finals to repeat as NCAA champions. RTR! [Link]
Hole #4: Mickelson: “I Have Done Absolutely Nothing Wrong”
There were a few unusual gallery members following Phil Mickelson on Thursday apparently… The Feds. Phil Mickelson is under investigation for insider trading. The case involves Carl Icahn and gambler and golf course owner William T. Walters. The FBI is investigating some well timed trades beginning in 2011. Mickelson says he is innocent of wrongdoing. Stay tuned. [Link]
Hole #5: There’s No Gambling at Bushwood
Fa-fa-fa-fa-fifty-five million dollars… That’s what John Daly believes he has lost gambling over the years. We’d like to think that we would have stopped after fifty… thousand! [Link]
Hole #6: PGA of America Salutes the Good Works of Bob Beach
The pro at a Massachusetts muni course has been honored by the PGA of America for his work with disabled and blind children and veterans. Great job Bob! [Link]
Hole #7: McIlroy Breaks It Off by Phone?
Now word comes out that Rory McIlroy may have ended his engagement with Caroline Wozniacki during a three-minute conversation on the phone. Smooth. [Link]
Hole #8: Woz Gets Revenge?
Rory McIlroy led the Memorial by three after day one. But on Friday his ex-fiance posted a photo of herself dressed as a witch and brewing up something in a cauldron. Coincidence or not, McIlroy blew up on the course, making a triple double at one point (that’s three double bogies, back to back to back). At the end of the day, he’d carded a 78 and dropped well down the leaderboard. [Link]
Hole #9: How to Drain a 100-foot Putt
There are few better candidates to take a putting lesson from. But from 100-feet? All you want to do is cozy it up within four or five feet of the hole, right? [Link]