Phil Mickelson Couldn't Hang 10 at Rainy Quail Hollow

Phil Mickelson Couldn't Hang 10 at Rainy Quail Hollow











Ryan Ballengee May 6, 2013 1:48 PM


COM
MENTARY | Phil Mickelson had no business winning the Wells Fargo Championship, and, in the end, he didn't.





Mickelson came up short of a playoff at Quail Hollow when two bogeys in the final three holes left him a shot out of the overtime with Englishman David Lynn and Derek Ernst, who was fourth alternate heading into the week.



The 41-time PGA Tour winner bogeyed the 16th and 17th holes down the stretch, taking him from one shot clear of the field to a solo third-place finish. Mickelson carded a second-consecutive 1-over-73, unable to drain the par-savers he so effortlessly made in the opening two rounds.



Over the first two days, Mickelson did not miss a single putt from inside 10 feet, going 31-for-31. However, on Sunday, Mickelson missed five putts in or darn close to that 10-foot radius around the cup, including three in a row from Nos. 15-17 that cost him the championship.



Of course, it's unreasonable to expect any player -- even the one with the short-game affinity Mickelson has -- to sink every pressure putt. A country-club legend has been built up that Tiger Woods has always made the clutch putts. Even at his best, that's generous rounding on his make percentage. To go 1-for-3 down the stretch, though, would not have been that much of a stretch for the 42-year-old.

The perfect percentage through the first two rounds was misleading anyhow. It was indicative of how poorly Mickelson managed to play from tee to green, needing those putts inside of 10 feet to bail him out from wild driving and lackluster ball-striking that often left him swinging from nasty, deep rough, bunkers or around trees at the majestic Charlotte club.

With his pedigree and, frankly, the pedigree of those that were chasing him most closely, this is a win that Mickelson let slip from his grasp.



Derek Ernst wound up winning the title on the first playoff hole from Lynn, who is only on the PGA Tour because he finished a distant eight shots behind Rory McIlroy to finish alone in second at last summer's PGA Championship. The check afforded Lynn PGA Tour membership for 2013, which he had to be talked into taking by friends after he initially denied interest in playing stateside full-time.



For his part, Ernst only got into the tournament because nine players withdrew for myriad cover reasons to avoid the highly criticized greens at Quail Hollow. As the fourth alternate, he was given little chance, going off at 500-to-1 odds. After battling through all four stages of PGA Tour Q-school last fall to earn his card, Ernst had missed five of his last six cuts. His best finish of the year was a T-47 last week in New Orleans.



Good on Ernst for finding nothing to complain about by earning a start and taking full advantage. It's precisely what Mickelson should have done to lock up his first multi-win season in four years.



Instead, Mickelson could not put it all together in the final round, unable to overcome ball-striking that had him T-71 in fairways hit and T-67 in greens in regulation through three rounds. The nearly four strokes he had gained on the field with his putting proficiency was not enough to get him the W.

Then again, the putter has to be working for a player to win. Just ask Rory McIlroy. If ball-striking determined the title this week, the Ulsterman would have won going away with it. However, McIlroy was near the very bottom of the field in strokes gained putting. It's a fact rich in irony, considering McIlroy said ahead of the tournament, "I don't mind (the poor greens) because I'm not a guy that relies on my putting, per se."



But back to Lefty.



The disappointment may leave him hungry enough for a buffet at TPC Sawgrass for next week's The Players Championship. The 2007 champion, however, will have to have all facets of his game in fine form to figure out Pete Dye's masterpiece puzzle. If this week was any indication, that's not very likely.



Ryan Ballengee is a Washington, D.C.-based golf writer. His work has appeared on multiple digital outlets, including NBC Sports and Golf Channel.

Derek Ernst Shocks Golf World, Wins Wells Fargo Championship

Derek Ernst Shocks Golf World, Wins Wells Fargo Championship











Ryan Ballengee May 6, 2013 2:01 PM


COMMENTARY | Derek Ernst's calendar just filled out for the rest of the year.



With a par on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff against David Lynn, Ernst won the Wells Fargo Championship for his maiden PGA Tour title.



To say this was completely unexpected is quite an understatement.



On Monday, the 22-year-old UNLV product w
as the fourth alternate at Quail Hollow, just as well assuming he would make the drive to Athens, Ga., to compete in the Web.com Tour's Stadion Classic this week. Then, largely in response to the poorly conditioned greens at Quail Hollow, the withdrawals began. There were nine in total, with Ernst landing a spot when Fredrik Jacobson decided not to give it a go.





The expectations had to be somewhat low for Ernst, who had missed five of his last six cuts in his rookie season on the PGA Tour. His best finish of the year came a week ago in New Orleans, cashing a T-47 check at the Zurich Classic -- only his second payday of 2013.



However, Ernst found himself in a seven-way tie for first after opening 5-under-67 at Quail Hollow. Most could be forgiven for assuming the likes of Rory McIlroy, Nick Watney, Ryan Moore or Robert Garrigus would be more likely threats from that Thursday gaggle to win the title on Sunday.



Ernst didn't go away, though he didn't find the 60s for the remainder of the week. He played 3-under golf for the final 54 holes, including a 2-under-70 on Sunday, May 5 that was good enough to land him in a playoff with the runner-up from last summer's PGA Championship.



Phil Mickelson could have prevented this fairy tale story from reaching its surprising conclusion, but two bogeys in the final three holes cleared the stage for Ernst. McIlroy had his chances, but atrocious putting left him in the dust or, more appropriately, stuck in the mud. Nick Watney seemed poised to win yet again, but he was unable to hang on Sunday in rainy conditions.



In the playoff, Ernst handled the pressure like a veteran twice his age. He made a rather routine-looking par on one of the most difficult holes on the PGA Tour, snagging the win when Lynn could not match him. In fact, the win was reminiscent of what Joey Sindelar, then 46 years old, did in 2004 when he won the second edition of this championship in a two-hole playoff over Arron Oberholser.



The contrast? Sindelar's win was his first in 370 PGA Tour starts. Ernst won in just his eighth start.



The week prior, another 20-something claimed his maiden PGA Tour win -- that the golf world saw coming for months. Billy Horschel, 26, had been knocking hard on the door throughout this season. The Florida product owns the tour's longest active cuts-made streak. He had finished on the medal stand in two of his last three starts before winning at TPC Louisiana. Ernst's win came amid nasty, rainy conditions in Charlotte -- not ideal for seeing something like this in the offing.



Now Ernst will get to experience all of the perks of being a rather sudden PGA Tour winner. He has a spot in The Players next week, as well as the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, the Hyundai Tournament of Champions next year and, yes, an invitation to the 2014 Masters. He also has the peace of mind from knowing his spot on the PGA Tour is secure for two years.



There likely will not be a win quite like this one on the PGA Tour for way longer than two years.



Ernst battled his way through all four stages of PGA Tour Q-school to earn his playing privileges this season. That path has been blocked, however, by the rise of the Web.com Tour finals, moving all PGA Tour cards that were available through Q-school to a four-tournament series combining the best of the Web.com Tour and the not-so-best of the PGA Tour. The Derek Ernsts of the world would likely need a one-year pit stop on the Web.com Tour to get this opportunity.



Ernst, who entered the week at 1,207th in the Official World Golf Ranking, is expected to land in the top 125 -- likely a record leap. That's appropriate considering what he accomplished in Charlotte.



Ryan Ballengee is a Washington, D.C.-based golf writer. His work has appeared on multiple digital outlets, including NBC Sports and Golf Channel.

Padraig Harrington's Anchoring Woes Don't Help Their Case

Padraig Harrington's Anchoring Woes Don't Help Their Case











Ryan Ballengee May 6, 2013 6:24 PM


COMMENTARY | Just because Padraig Harrington went belly-up in Charlotte doesn't mean that the a
nchored stroke should be saved.





The three-time major champion made the shocking switch to a belly putter for the Wells Fargo Championship. The results, albeit a small sample size, were disastrous. He opened with 8-over-80 on Thursday, May 2 at Quail Hollow to finish dead last among the 156 players in the field. A second-round 75 left him tied for dead last and sent packing for the weekend.



For at least this one week, the belly putter was of no help. But this flat-out, flat-stick failure also is of no help to the argument made by the likes of Webb Simpson, who continues to rail about the looming possibility of a full-fledged ban of the anchored stroke in 2016.



In fact, Harrington talked eloquently after his first-round nightmare about precisely why the anchored stroke should still be banned.



"I was like, 'Oh, I wonder what that looks like,' and I was surprised to see everything was better," Harrington said. "In terms of the mechanics, it was a far better stroke."



He continued, "I think it's bad for the game of golf. [But] I'm going to use everything, if something's going to help me for the next three and a half years, I'm going to use it."



The argument made by so many proponents of anchoring is that players who affix a belly or long putter to their bodies rarely crack the top 25, much less the top 10, in strokes gained putting, the PGA Tour's stat of record for putting efficiency. Reigning U.S. Open champion Webb Simpson made that argument last week.



"2 guys in the top 45 in strokes gained putting category (PGA Tour's most accurate putting stat) use a belly putter or long putter," Simpson tweeted April 27.



He continued with a not-so rhetorical question: "Is it really an advantage???????? NO."



As someone who believes the game's governing bodies are making the right decision in attempting to ban the anchored stroke, it's hard to decide which tweet to tackle first, but perhaps the latter is better.



If there was no advantage in using a belly or long putter coupled with an anchored stroke, why would anyone use it? The putters are long, unwieldy, a little more expensive because there's more material, and take time to learn. It seems like an awfully big inconvenience for gaining no advantage whatsoever.



However, it is Simpson's first line of logic that is perhaps most flawed.



Simpson is looking at the strokes gained putting stat in a way that helps his case, not the way that it should be viewed. The rubric determining the value of the anchored stroke should not be if players catapult into the top 25 in putting categories, but rather if they improve significantly as compared to a traditional stroke.



If a player gets better by switching to the anchored stroke, there is an advantage. Of course, that is not measured one round or one week at a time. It might take months for the peaks and valleys of putting level out the true advantage a player might see by committing to the anchored stroke. Therein, however, lies another problem.



Pro golf has no offseason these days. There is little time for a player to take a month or two to practice with the anchored stroke to gain enough proficiency with it to take it to a tournament with a lot of confidence. Players that struggle with putting and feel they must switch to anchoring do so because their year, their livelihood is in danger if something bold isn't done. But those players must also often compete 30 times in a season to cobble together enough earnings to keep a PGA Tour card. If anchoring doesn't prove to be an immediate fix, players are bound to abandon the evil they still don't understand for the one they might still be able to control, so they go back to the traditional stroke.



That could very well be the ending to the story of Harrington and the belly putter: It didn't work, and the Irishman might not put in enough time with it to see if it actually would pay dividends down the line.



Harrington does understand, though, that the anchored stroke must go because he sees the inherent advantage of it. In fact, a lot of PGA Tour players do. The problem with the proposed ban of the anchored stroke -- and the source of the Tour's disapproval of it -- is that it took the game's governing bodies 23-plus years to announce their reversal of course from when they blessed Orville Moody's use of the long putter to win the 1989 U.S. Senior Open.



The Harrington case should give some cover to the USGA and R&A. It probably should not have taken them two decades to decide the anchored stroke was a bad idea, but they only could have make their decision after enough players stuck with it long enough to find success -- namely the four guys (Keegan Bradley, Webb Simpson, Ernie Els and Adam Scott) who have won the last six majors.



Ryan Ballengee is a Washington, D.C.-based golf writer. His work has appeared on multiple digital outlets, including NBC Sports and Golf Channel. Follow him on Twitter @RyanBallengee.

PGA teams with Nature Conservancy, Lexmark, Monsanto, St. Louis County Parks

PGA teams with Nature Conservancy, Lexmark, Monsanto, St. Louis County Parks











PGA.COM May 20, 2013 3:18 PM

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(The PGA of America)


BALLWIN, Mo. -- Thirty volunteers from Greater St. Louis grabbed a shovel, wiped the sweat from their brows on a humid Missouri Sunday and gave something back that generations will value decades from now. Such was the teamwork to help restore native forests emanating from a partnership between The PGA of America, Lexmark International Inc., The Nature Conservancy Missouri, The Monsanto Company and St. Louis County Parks.

Together, the participants planted more than 200 native bottomland trees and shrubs to offset the impact of printing and paper products generated for the 74th Senior PGA Championship presented by KitchenAid, May 21-26, at Bellerive Country Club. The environmental project is part of The PGA of America's commitment to benefit the host communities that support its Championships. The PGA and Lexmark partnered for a similar event prior to the 2012 Ryder Cup near Chicago, by planting 50 large trees. The teamwork will continue in August prior to the 95th PGA Championship in Rochester, N.Y.

"This project is especially important to us because the plantings are alongside a freshwater stream, which ultimately flows into the Meramec River," said Betsy LePoidevin, associate director of philanthropy for The Nature Conservancy Missouri. "It's benefiting the health of an entire community. It's not just about nature for nature's sake. It's about people getting fresh drinking water. It's about people getting educated about the environment that affects them. This simply is not just a tree planting, or The Nature Conservancy would not be a part of it. It goes far beyond that, to benefit an entire community."

The tree planting featured Gateway PGA Section President Joe Schwent of St. Charles, Mo., representing the 324 members of the Section. Schwent was joined by his wife, Laura, in the volunteer corps. "I was honored to be part of this event; nothing but good things going on all day," said Schwent. "This is one great example to how we all can give something back to the environment, the community."

The roots of the new trees in Queeny Park serve as a filtering system for ground water, and help prevent a clogging of the banks. "This tiny stream system will lead into the Meramec River and provide 250,000 individuals with drinking water in St. Louis County. It's a small part, but you have to start somewhere. It will magnify positive effects for so many."


Tom Ott of Spanish Lake, Mo., acting director of St. Louis County Parks, said the partnership helps enhance the ongoing campaign to benefit what he calls "one of our jewels of the country." Edgar M. Queeny Park opened in 1974 and is named after the famed industrial-conservationist Edgar Monsanto Queeny. It is a 570-acre site and one of 70 similar sites encompassing 12,700 acres that are managed by St. Louis County Parks.

"It is great to see this partnership develop and help those who want to make the most of this park and many more like this," said Ott. "The trees and shrubs planted today will help us eradicate bush honeysuckle, which grows like wildfire and doesn't give anything else below a chance to grow under a tree canopy."

The volunteers ranged in age from 9 to over 50, and were guided on proper planting methods by Angie Webber of Crestwood, Mo., community conservation planner for the Missouri Department of Conservation. "An event like this is so important today, considering the limited resources that state and governments are able to supply," said Webber. "It is so important for volunteer support."

Lexmark International, headquartered in Lexington, Ky., is the Official Printing Technology Provider of The PGA of America. Lexmark also is a founding member of The Nature Conservancy's Corporate Sustainability Council.

"We had a great day and some outstanding support from those in the St. Louis area," said Lee Ann Disponett, Lexmark's global sustainability analyst. "We are encouraged by the effort being demonstrated in all host communities, beginning near Chicago last fall during the Ryder Cup and here. The Boys and Girls Club of America helped form our team prior to the Ryder Cup, and it was fun to see some youngsters on the team today. It all sets a great example."

About The PGA of AmericaSince its founding in 1916, The PGA of America has maintained a twofold mission: to establish and elevate the standards of the profession and to grow interest and participation in the game of golf. By establishing and elevating the standards of the golf profession through world-class education, career services, marketing and research programs, The PGA enables its professionals to maximize their performance in their respective career paths and showcases them as experts in the game and in the multi-billion dollar golf industry. By creating and delivering world-class championships and innovative programs, The PGA of America elevates the public's interest in the game, the desire to play more golf, and ensures accessibility to the game for everyone, everywhere. As The PGA nears its centennial, the PGA brand represents the very best in golf.

Colonial in 2003: The Missed Cut that Defined the Annika Sorenstam Brand

Colonial in 2003: The Missed Cut that Defined the Annika Sorenstam Brand











Ryan Ballengee May 20, 2013 9:09 PM


COMMENTARY | A decade ago, Annika Sorenstam stood on the 10th tee at Colonial C.C., about to hit an historic tee shot.



She hit her 4-wood down the chute before smiling and feigning a pair of buckling knees under the pressure of being the first wom
an to tee it up on the PGA Tour in 58 years.





Sorenstam didn't make the cut that week at Ben Hogan's tournament, but she did represent herself well in two rounds at his Alley. She shot 5 over par (71-74), beating 13 players in the field, 11 that finished 36 holes.



In the remaining 104 tournaments of her LPGA Tour career that followed those two days at Colonial, Sorenstam missed the cut just once. Once. But it is arguably her missed cut in Ft. Worth, Texas, that is the most important in her career.



As she said that week, Colonial was a chance to test herself against the best players in the world. It wasn't a statement about taking on male golfers, gender equality or anything of the sort. Annika got her one-time answer in taking on the men. She could hang around, teeter on the cut line and give herself a chance to compete. With more cracks at it, she might even be able to prosper.



Would she ever be able to dominate on the PGA Tour like she did with her female cohorts? No. But that wasn't the point.



Sorenstam stepped away, in her words, from competition a little over five years after that week at Colonial, but that Thursday-Friday in May 2003 was the week that defined the Annika Sorenstam brand.



That week may have influenced her two greatest seasons which immediately followed. The University of Arizona product would win 18 LPGA Tour titles in 2004 and '05, including three of her 10 major titles. In her final three years, Sorenstam would log 11 more LPGA wins and three more majors.



The pressure -- self-imposed and externally applied -- Sorenstam felt, embraced and dealt with at Colonial allowed the Swede to ratchet up her LPGA domination to another level. It made her show a side of herself the public rarely saw, and the public liked it.



The experience also proved to her something every superior athlete sometimes needs to know.



"That I love what I do," she said.



A passion. A passion for winning, being the best she can be. After she retired in 2008, Sorenstam again followed her passion into business. She started an academy in Florida, a wine label and a clothing label, maintains a foundation, and runs a financial group in addition to a course design business. And, yes, she's a mother of two.



Sorenstam is so busy following her passions that she cannot yet take the captain's role for the European Solheim Cup team. It's hers when she wants it.



At Colonial, Sorenstam wept tears of joy after playing because she was doing what she wanted to do. The week at Colonial is one that anchors her approach to the world: Take a risk and, win or lose, learn as much as you can from it to get better.



After she missed the cut at Colonial 10 years ago, Sorenstam was asked if another woman should be allowed to play the PGA Tour in 2013 -- if she could hang with the boys.



"If she qualifies, yes," Sorenstam said.



That "she" does not yet exist right now, which is why what Sorenstam did for two days at Colonial grows in importance with each passing year. She didn't reach the peak of her personal Everest, as she described it, but she planted a stake with her expedition that may never be passed.



"I've climbed as high as I can. And it's worth every step of it," Sorenstam said in 2003. "And like I said, I won't do this again, but I will always remember it."



Ryan Ballengee is a Washington, D.C.-based golf writer. His work has appeared on multiple digital outlets, including NBC Sports and Golf Channel. Follow him on Twitter @RyanBallengee.

No reconciliation between Tiger, Sergio

No reconciliation between Tiger, Sergio










The Sports Xchange May 20, 2013 10:20 PMThe SportsXchange



Tiger Woods provided a one-word answer on Monday as to whether he has tried to clear the air with Sergio Garcia in after their Players Championship disagreement.

"No," Woods told reporters at Congressional Country Club outside of Washington, D.C.

Woods smiled after making the remark during media day for the June 27-30 AT&T National.

Woods and Garcia were involved in a spat at the TPC Sawgrass May 11-12. Garcia was annoyed by a distraction he felt Woods could have avoided when they were in the same playing group in the third round.

After the final round, Garcia said he was glad he wasn't in Woods' group that day.

"He isn't the nicest guy on tour," Garcia said.

Later Monday, Woods told USA Today, "Obviously the matter has been put behind me. The truth came out. As I was saying the entire time, I told people what I had heard and what had happened."

Neither seems bothered by the incident.

"He doesn't make a difference to my life and I know I don't make a difference to his life," Garcia said Monday, according to ESPN.com. "This is not just one thing. This has been going on for a long time."

While speaking at an event in London on Monday, he insisted he would not back down from Woods.

"He called me a whiner," Garcia said, according to ESPN.com. "That's probably right. It's also probably the first thing he's told you guys that's true in 15 years. I know what he is like. You guys are finding out.

"He can and will beat me a lot of times but he is not going to step on me. I'm not afraid of him."

Rory McIlroy’s Misses Not Getting Smaller, but Silver Lining is on the Horizon

Rory McIlroy’s Misses Not Getting Smaller, but Silver Lining is on the Horizon
McIlroy Shoots His Worse Opening-round Score on the PGA Tour at the Memorial











Chris Chaney May 30, 2013 9:43 PM

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Rory McIlroy watches a shot during the first round at the Memorial Tournament. (Getty Images)




COMMENTARY | Golf is not a game of perfect; golf is a game of misses and for Rory McIlroy in 2013, those misses have simply been too costly.

"My misses this year have been too wide," McIlroy said the Wednesday before the Memorial when asked wha
t's the reason he hasn't won yet this season. "Last year if I missed a fairway or missed a shot, it wasn't by much. This year it seems the misses have been big and have cost me… Sometimes in golf it's not about how good your good shots are, it's about how much damage your bad shots do to you."



Those misses continued to plague McIlroy as he opened Jack Nicklaus' tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio with a 6-over par 78, his worst opening-round score on the PGA Tour.

"The game just isn't all there at the minute," McIlroy said following the round. "I'm pretty frustrated. I'm trying not to let it get to me. I don't have any explanations for it."

Here's an explanation for it: not only were McIlroy's misses with his woods and irons as equally off target, but they've crept onto the putting surface. McIlroy slapped it around the pristine and pure Muirfield greens 33 times on Thursday, including a four-putt on the 12th hole (his third of the day).

The usual suspects have come up in conversation about what's wrong with Rors: the new Nike clubs, the tennis-star girlfriend, the management company split. The excuses are as numerous and wild as the hairs on McIlroy's head.

Perhaps the biggest culprit of McIlroy's latest slump is that it's been too long since his last one, which came just about a year ago this month.

Ever the streaky player, McIlroy jettisoned off to a hot start in 2012 finishing in the top-3 (including a win at the Honda) in four of his first five tournaments of the season. Then things went a bit sideways. He missed the cut at the Players, then again at the Memorial. Two weeks later, he missed the cut at the US Open. And remember, at this point McIlroy was the top-ranked player in the world.

The same questions were brought up during that slump. Is he spending too much time with Caroline Wozniacki? Can he handle the pressures of being one of the most sought-after commodities in the sports world? Does he have the drive to be great or did success come too easily?

Then what did McIlroy do amid a cloud of doubt? Top-fived at the WGC-Bridgestone, won the PGA Championship by eight strokes, won two of the four FedEx Cup Playoff events and captured the money list titles on both the PGA and European Tours.

Gone were the doubts about his stability, his resiliency and his relationship status. We forgot about the drop off in May and June. Slump? What slump? This is the guy who's going to challenge Tiger Woods for the next 10 years, we said. We were certain of it.

Yet, here we are again, questioning what is going on with an admittedly streaky player.

"It feels like I'm waiting for that week where everything sort of clicks into place and I can get some momentum from that," McIlroy said later in that same Wednesday press conference. "A bit like last year where I got the top‑5 at Akron before the PGA and that gave me a little bit of momentum and I was able to kick on from there. I'm just waiting for one of those weeks."

It will be tough for this to be the week that everything clicks, especially given the hole he dug himself through one round.

However, with McIlroy, he is always one round away. One round away from knocking down every flagstick on the course with his irons and rolling in every putt he looks at.

So instead of trying to diagnose what's wrong with McIlroy, maybe we should just consider the player and his history. This isn't a new phenomenon; we have the scouting report on Rory: amazing highs with questionable lows, but all the talent in the world.

Right now, McIlroy is floundering in one of those lows, but his ascension back to the top of his game could come as soon as his next range session.

Chris Chaney is a Cincinnati, Ohio-based sportswriter. He has written for multiple outlets including WrongFairway.com, Hoopville.com, The Cincinnati (OH) Enquirer and The Clermont (OH) Sun.

Follow him on Twitter @Wrong_Fairway.

Is Guan Tianlang Actually Hurting Professional Golf?

Is Guan Tianlang Actually Hurting Professional Golf?











Adam Fonseca May 30, 2013 11:21 PM




COMMENTARY | In his first round of the Memorial Tournament on Thursday, 14-year-old Guan Tianlang fired an even-par 72 on one of the toughest courses on the PGA Tour schedule, Muirfield Village.

For those keeping score at home, Guan's score was better than that
of 10 former major winners also playing that day. Tiger Woods shot a 71; a mere shot better than a player 23 years his junior.



This kid has serious game and he isn't afraid to compete against the best players in the world on the grandest of stages. But is Guan Tianlang inadvertently shining a spotlight on what is wrong with professional golf in the process?

When Guan exploded onto the golf scene in November 2012 by winning the Asia-Pacific Amateur - thus qualifying for The Masters five months later -- his success was met with as much criticism as accolades. Not only was a player who can't legally drive himself to the course beating golfers twice his age, he also managed to take away one of the most coveted invitations in all of sports from those same players.

PGA Tour players Charlie Beljan and Matt Every complained about Guan's inclusion at Augusta National, stating they were more deserving of an invitation to the year's first major. Most golf fans brushed away their comments as sour grapes… but did the PGA veterans have a point?

Watching Guan play in a professional golf tournament goes exactly how one would suspect. He will usually hit driver off the tee when not playing a par-3, swinging as hard as his adolescent frame will allow. Guan's approach shot usually requires a hybrid or fairway wood, which he again attacks with free-swinging abandon. A chip and a putt or two later, Guan escapes with par or bogey and moves on to the next hole.

How is a 14-year-old able to accomplish this with the relative ease of any tour journeyman? By the miracles of modern golf technology! That's how.

Professional golf is a sport once defined by unparalleled precision and pinpoint-accurate ballstriking. In the days of persimmon drivers, balata golf balls and butter knife-esque blades, players were literally surgeons on the course. Distance came at a premium for only the strongest players while shorter players were forced to excel in the art of shot shaping.

As golf clubs and equipment have evolved over the years, so has the margin of error for today's players. Driver clubheads more closely resemble car hubcaps in both size and material. Cavity back and forged irons blast shots further than any fairway wood dreamed to achieve decades ago. Wedges are milled with grooves that literally grab onto today's multi-layered golf balls, generating spin rates and ball flights that would make Isaac Newton blush.

In other words, today's equipment allows professionals to swing as hard as they want with minimal uncertainty of where their ball will end up.

Of course, this is not to suggest that today's professional golfer is by any means less talented or dedicated to his craft as those of yesteryear. Furthermore, what Guan Tianlang is accomplishing in 2013 is both inspiring and historic. He has made two consecutive PGA Tour cuts and is well on his way to a third. I will be the first to admit I am excited and anxious to see what this young man will accomplish next.

But let's not fool ourselves by overlooking the obvious: today's golf equipment has made the game substantially easier for the world's best players, and Guan Tianlang is doing his best to capitalize on a golden opportunity.



Adam Fonseca has been covering professional golf since 2005. His work can be found on numerous digital outlets including the Back9Network and SB Nation. He currently lives in Chicago with his wife. Follow Adam on Twitter @chicagoduffer.

Tiger Woods Should Suck it Up and Put Steve Stricker on His Payroll

Tiger Woods Should Suck it Up and Put Steve Stricker on His Payroll
The World No. 1’s Putting Leaves Something to Be Desired











Chris Chaney May 31, 2013 4:56 PM

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Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker. (Getty Images)




COMMENTARY | Tiger Woods has always been a great putter.

The flat stick has been the one facet of his game that has consistently been the saving grace for the majority of his career (save for the dark ages, between late 2009-2010 when everything was off). Different swings, big misses and even altering brands of putters have come and gone, but his buttery stroke has remained in tact.

With his new Sean Foley swing now ingrained into his muscle memory, Woods has been able to really go to work on his
short game. Never one to seek out professional help with his putting in his formative years because his father had a keen eye for the stroke, Woods has enlisted only friendly advice since Earl Woods' passing in 2006.



That friendly advice has come more often than not from close buddy and Ryder/Presidents Cup partner Steve Stricker.

Stricker gave Woods his most famous lesson ahead of the World Golf Championships Cadillac Championship earlier this year en route to Woods' best putting week of his career. That would be his entire career, not just his post-hydrant career.

It would seem that Woods has begun to misremember or improperly incorporate the tips "Stricks" -- as Woods calls him -- gave him nearly three months ago.

Take the first two rounds of this week's Memorial Tournament for example. Over two rounds at a course he owns, Woods is 1-over par and has jacked it around the greens 60 times already. And he's hitting the ball well -- 24/28 fairways; 23/36 greens in regulation.

So the question has to be raised: why doesn't Woods put Stricker on his payroll? Woods' notoriously tight-knit inner circle wouldn't be compromised with an already indoctrinated member joining the ranks and realistically, it wouldn't have to be too much of a time drain on either party. A la Jack Nicklaus and his swing coach Jack Grout, Woods and Stricker would need to only meet a few times a year to brush things up, refine the fundamentals that have gotten a little loose and watch the results and money roll in.

Woods had already won once on Tour in 2013 prior to Stricker giving him some refreshers on his posture, but since the lesson, Woods has won three of the four other tournaments he has teed it up in (the only non-win was a T4 at Augusta).

That is to say, Woods is going to win tournaments simply because he's Tiger Woods. But with a practiced eye focused the most impactful part of the game, Woods could reach heights that perhaps even he hasn't seen before.

Woods ball-striking is the best it's been in years; his wedge game is on point, hitting the ball to an average of 16-feet-3 inches from the hole from inside 150 yards and his driving accuracy is giving him more opportunities than ever. As the poster boy for recovering from trouble, the only thing keeping Woods from blowing out fields is a putter that isn't always clicking; he's still winning, but not by the margins you or I know he is capable of.

Perhaps it's a matter of principle keeping Woods from reaching out to Stricker. Although semi-retired, Stricker is still ranked 12th in the world and arguably playing some of the best golf of his career despite his reigned in schedule.

More than likely, however, Woods' decision not to throw Stricker on his payroll has to do with pride and the memory of his father. Woods has never been one to ask for help, nor believe that anyone knows his game better than himself. Yet, the outside perspective from a friend like Stricker is something that could transform the 2013 Tiger Woods into an even better version of himself.

All he needs is a little help from his friend.

Chris Chaney is a Cincinnati, Ohio-based sportswriter. He has written for multiple outlets including WrongFairway.com, Hoopville.com, The Cincinnati (OH) Enquirer and The Clermont (OH) Sun.

Follow him on Twitter @Wrong_Fairway.

Miller Barber dies at 82

Miller Barber dies at 82










The Sports Xchange June 13, 2013 12:50 AMThe SportsXchange



Miller Barber, whose 1,297 combined starts on the PGA Tour and Senior Tour are an all-time record, died Tuesday at age 82.

His son, Richard Barber, told the New York Times thatBarber died in Scottsdale, Ariz., of lymphoma.

Barber earned 11 wins on the PGA Tour, then won 24 times on the senior circuit. He was noted for his unorthodox swing, in which his right elbow moved away from his body.

"We are saddened by the passing of Miller Barber," PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem wrote in a statement. "He was a wonderful player who made his mark on the PGA Tour with 11 victories and then really excelled onChampions Tour, becoming one of its best players in the tour's formative years. Miller and the Champions Tour's other early stars helped establish the tour and make it the tremendous success it has become. Golf has lost a great man and competitor."

Known by the nickname "Mr. X," Barber won five majors on the Senior Tour. He captured the 1981 PGA Seniors' Championship, the 1983 Senior Players' Championship, and the U.S. Senior Open in 1982, 1984 and 1985.

His best result in a major on the PGA Tour was tie for fourth in the 1971 PGA Championship. He had six other top-10 finishes, two of them in the PGA Championship, and one each in the U.S. Open, British Open and the Masters. Barber finished in the top team in each of those events in 1969.

Pro golfer Ricky Barnes wrote on Twitter, "Just got bad news in the golf world. Lost a great player, but a better man. U will be missed Miller Barber"

Phil Mickelson chooses fatherhood first, then races toward top of U.S. Open leaderboard

Phil Mickelson chooses fatherhood first, then races toward top of U.S. Open leaderboard











Eric Adelson June 13, 2013 11:49 AMYahoo Sports





ARDMORE, Pa. – Phil Mickelson showed up to the U.S. Open on Thursday. He didn't do much before the rains came at Merion Golf Club to suspend play, but he showed up for work, with 90 minutes to spare, at 5:37 a.m, and went on to fire a 3-under 67 to put him in the lead.



He cut it so close because he wanted to show up earlier this week in San Diego, for his oldest daughter's eighth-grade graduation. Amanda Mickelson is done with junior high now, going on to high school. Yeah, it's only an eighth-grade graduation, and Mickelson lost valuable practice time (not to mention sleep) while his competitors got familiar with a complex course. Amanda said she understood if Dad wanted to stay in Philadelphia. It's the US Open. But Dad said, "I want to be there." So he flew overnight, coast-to-coast, from his home in San Diego to his place of work, which this week is Philadelphia.

He slept two hours on the plane, one before tee time and one more during the weather delay, which halted play for some three hours.

"I feel great," he said after his round.

[Related: Phil Mickelson's recent surge puts him in U.S. Open discussion]

Mickelson wanted to be there 14 years ago, when he carried a pager around at Pinehurst, vowing he would walk off the course and out of the final round of the U.S. Open if his wife, Amy, went into labor. Mickelson finished the tournament, losing in a heartbreaker to Payne Stewart, who walked right over to him on the 18th green, held Mickelson's face in his hands, and told him there was something far more important about to happen: fatherhood.

Amanda Mickelson was born the next day.





View gallery.

Payne Stewart consoles Phil Mickelson after beating him in the 1999 U.S. Open. (AP)Stewart died in a plane accident four months later. He was 42.



Amanda's dad is now 42.

Parents make the extra effort for their children every single day because they love their babies, but also because they never know what fate might bring. To be a parent is the ultimate celebration of life, but it also comes with the sober and unspoken preparation for the day when you're not there anymore to care for them. We pray that day comes much later on, but we know that's not up to us. Jason Leffler, the NASCAR driver who was killed in a crash just a few miles from here Wednesday night, attended his son's kindergarten graduation just three weeks ago.

Father's Day, always tied to the U.S. Open and the game of golf, can be equal parts jubilant and sad. We are elated to give our kids a hug on Father's Day, and we are crushed when we can't get a hug from a father who is no longer with us. How many sons remember watching the final round of the U.S. Open with our fathers, and how many of us still watch a great putt or sand save and think, Dad would have loved this?

There aren't many golf fans, dads or otherwise, who don't want Phil Mickelson to win a U.S. Open. He's the people's champion, beloved especially here in the Northeast, even though he's from the Southwest. He's been a U.S. Open runner-up five times, sometimes making the same mental mistakes we make on weekends at the muni.

Philadelphia folks got on the train early Thursday to line up in the muddy grass and watch him on 16 –Mickelson started on No. 11 – then they hustled up a steep hill, holding their coffee cups and panting, then scrambling into the grandstands behind 17 only to have to leave moments later when the weather horn blew. They got a glimpse, and when play resumed Mickelson gave them something to cheer about. He carded four birdies on the day – two coming on long birdie putts – against only one bogey. That was good enough to give him the outright lead of a tournament that, in 22 previous attempts, has eluded him.

If he never wins the US Open, Mickelson said it will be "heartbreaking." But, he said, he thinks he will win one.

Mickelson appeals to a lot of dads, with his blend of daring and goofy, cool and seemingly approachable. He has his serious moments and his lighter ones, often within the same few minutes on the same hole. He's been touched by triumph and tragedy, famously leaping two inches off the ground when he won the Masters for the first time, and then sharing a long and emotional embrace with Amy after winning at Augusta in 2010, a year after she was diagnosed with cancer.





View gallery.

Phil Mickelson with his kids Evan, Amanda, and Sophia at the Masters. (Getty Images)He's been brave and vulnerable, the way a lot of good dads are. He's worked hard, succeeding and failing at work, putting extra time in when he'd rather be home. Yes, it must be nice for a guy with a plane to jet from one coast to the other to play for millions in front of millions. This isn't like driving through snow to drop your daughter off at swim practice at 4 a.m. before going to a construction site. Phil Mickelson is not everyman. But dads can relate. Even though Phil is a celebrity who's as unknowable as Tiger Woods or Rory McIlroy, with him we always seem to relate.



Mickelson looked tired Thursday morning as he walked through the early part of his round. It's the look so many dads know: the weariness of getting up early, or staying up late, making sure the kids get to school or making sure they get home. It may have cost Mickelson a stroke or two, which can be all the difference in this tournament. No matter. Payne Stewart was right: showing up to see your child is the greatest thing a man can ever feel.

Why Tiger Woods Should Be Rooting for a Monday U.S. Open Finish

Why Tiger Woods Should Be Rooting for a Monday U.S. Open Finish











Ryan Ballengee June 13, 2013 12:39 PM


COMMENTARY | Tiger Woods would love to have a case of the Mondays.



The world No. 1's start to his 2013 U.S. Open has been delayed on Thursday because of storms in the Philadelphia area that halted play at Merion Golf Club at 8:36 a.m. ET, with it now set to resume at 12:10 p.m. ET after a delay of 3 hours, 34 minutes. Woods was supposed to tee off at 1:14 p.m. ET with Rory McIlroy and Adam Scott. His tee time is now 4:48 p.m. ET.



Depending on if this is the last of the delays on Thursday, and with another storm coming around 1 p.m. ET it is likely not, Woods -- and the field -- are looking at a long week to determine the national championship.



That could well play into the hands of the 14-time major champion.



Weather delays have been ubiquitous on the PGA Tour in 2013. From wind warnings in Hawaii, to snow in Arizona, to hail in Houston, it's frankly surprising it hasn't rained toads this year. The delays this meteorological minefield has created on seemingly a weekly basis has forced two tournaments to Monday finishes this year: the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in January and the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill in March.




You have one guess at who won both of those. It was Tiger.



Call it a coincidence if you want, but weather delays that extend the tournament week play into the hands of the most mentally-tough players. Atop that list is Woods, who consistently finds a way to adapt to different playing conditions, flaws in his game that develop over the course of a championship and the ebb and flow of contenders that challenge him.



Woods acknowledged the likelihood of some kind of delay this week on Tuesday, responding like it was no big deal.



"We play so many events and have to deal with weather, it's just part of our sport," he said. "And we deal with delays, we deal with coming in, going back out, playing 36, finishing up rounds. It's just the way it is."



With that attitude, the longer the delay goes on Thursday at Merion, arguably the more it plays into Woods' hands. While other players often see delays as a time to socialize and joke around, Woods will not take his mind off of the task at hand: winning a 15th major championship.


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Remember, too, that Woods won his last major championship on a Monday. Five years ago come Sunday, Woods was taken to the limit by Rocco Mediate in a playoff -- again, at Torrey Pines -- for the 2008 U.S. Open. Woods, competing on essentially one leg because of multiple injuries, finally prevailed on the 19th hole of the playoff in sudden-death.



Seemingly, nothing will happen suddenly this week, but the drawn-out pace at which this U.S. Open is likely to unfold should be an advantage for the game's most patient player.



Ryan Ballengee is a Washington, D.C.-based golf writer. His work has appeared on multiple digital outlets, including NBC Sports and Golf Channel. Follow him on Twitter @RyanBallengee.

Justin Rose Could Spoil Tiger Woods’ Bid for a Fourth US Open

Justin Rose Could Spoil Tiger Woods’ Bid for a Fourth US Open
Does the Englishman Have the Game to Top the World’s Best Player on the Biggest Stage?











Chris Chaney June 13, 2013 1:01 PM




COMMENTARY | All eyes will be focused on the featured group of Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Adam Scott when (and if) they tee off on Thursday afternoon at Merion Golf Club in the fi


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TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola - Round ThreeView »rst round of 113th US Open, but it's a less fawned over Englishman who could steal the show outside of Philadelphia.



J
ustin Rose, the 32-year-old fifth-ranked player in the world has a game custom-made for this year's US Open at Merion.



The classic track has been billed as being passed up by time and technology, playing under 7,000 yards -- the first US Open to do so since 2004 at Shinnecock Hills. And while there is a fair share of birdieable holes through the middle of the course, the closing stretch along with the majority of the par-3s are all the pros can handle. There's no doubt that an all-around game is necessary to tame Lady Merion as one must also possess the mental fortitude that is required around every US Open venue.

Rose has been on top of his game in 2013 and has the numbers to back it up. He is also near the top of a handful of statistical categories that have proven to be key to winning US Opens recently.

The obvious statistics that jump out at even casual fans are hugely important this week. For example, US Opens are known for their prodigiously thick rough. This week is no exception, meaning driving accuracy will be a priority. Rose ranks 1st on the PGA Tour in total driving, a combination of driving distance and accuracy.

From there, dependent upon the hole, two types of second shots will likely face the players if they find the fairway -- a long iron from upwards of 200 yards or a short iron/wedge from inside of 100 yards.

Rose ranks favorably in both statistics, a testament to his ball striking ability (of which he ranks 8th on Tour). From 225-250 yards, Rose ranks 5th on Tour with a proximity to the hole average of 42-feet-4 inches.

From 50-125 yards, he ranks 2nd with an average distance from the hole of 14-feet-3 inches.

Consequently, with a premium placed on hitting the greens from these positions, Rose ranks 1st in greens in regulation percentage from both outside 200 yards and inside 100 yards.

As we know, US Opens are often won by the player who can minimize the damage that comes from their loose shots. With that in mind, Rose's 62.25 percent scrambling ability ranks 7th on Tour.

All signs point to Rose being in contention over the weekend at Merion, but it could be an x-factor that could be Rose's best predictor of success.

"I am not young and naive anymore, but I am not a veteran either," Rose said ahead of the second major championship of the year. "I feel in my prime, to be honest.

"Adam Scott, for example, is a good friend of mine and a great player, obviously. He has just (won a major) and I feel I am in a similar mold. We have both got lots of experience under our belt and now it is time to capitalize upon it."

For Rose to capitalize upon that hard work, all he needs is a good putting week. The ball-striking and positioning are there, but the flatstick has been his bugaboo.

If Rose can continue to give himself chances and more looks at birdie, he could spoil Tiger Woods' quest for a 15th major championship and capture the first of his own.

Chris Chaney is a Cincinnati, Ohio-based sportswriter. He has written for multiple outlets including WrongFairway.com, Hoopville.com, The Cincinnati (OH) Enquirer and The Clermont (OH) Sun.

Follow him on Twitter @Wrong_Fairway.

Park earns fifth LPGA win of season in playoff

Park earns fifth LPGA win of season in playoff










The Sports Xchange June 23, 2013 8:10 PMThe SportsXchange



ROGERS, Ark. -- Inbee Park won for the fifth time this LPGA season, holing a four-foot birdie putt on the first hole of a playoff with So Yeon Ryu to capture the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship on Sunday at Pinnacle Country Club.

Park, the No. 1 player in the Rolex Women's World Golf Rankings, improved to 2-1 in her career in playoffs, with the other victory coming two weeks ago at the Wegmans LPGA Championship.

She trailed four players atop the leaderboard by two shots heading into Sunday's final round, but closed with a 4-under-par 67 to finish even with Ryu, her South Korean compatriot.

Park quickly moved into final-round contention with birdies on the sixth, seventh and eighth holes.

After a bogey at the par-3 11th, Park used a birdie on the par-5 14th to move back to 11-under, then closed out with the birdie at the par-5 18th to finish at 12-under 201.

Park then watched as Ryu, playing one group behind, closed her round with an eight-foot birdie putt to close out a 69 and force the third playoff in NW Arkansas Championship history.

After a near perfect drive on the 18th in the playoff, Park's approach was short and left of the green. But her third shot settled four feet from the hole.

Ryu missed the fairway and was forced to lay up short of the green in the playoff. Her approach sailed over the green and her birdie chip slipped past the hole before Park holed the winning putt.

Mika Miyazato of Japan, the opening round leader with a 65, finished one shot back after a closing with a 67. Miyazato had to settle for a par on the 18th hole and wasn't able to join the playoff.

Park's five victories this season on the LPGA Tour include wins in the first two majors this season, the Kraft Nabisco Championship and the LPGA Championship.

She will try for the third straight major victory in the U.S. Women's Open, which starts Thursday atSebonack Golf Club in Southampton, N.Y.

Stacy Lewis, the local fan favorite who was a four-time all-American at nearby University of Arkansas, entered Sunday tied for the lead with Chie Arimura of Japan, Beatriz Recari of Spain and Ryu.

But Lewis struggled to find her groove and finished at 71 to tie for fourth, while Recari and Arimura both shot 72 and tied for seventh.

Golf-Duke gets first PGA win in playoff over Stroud

Golf-Duke gets first PGA win in playoff over Stroud











June 23, 2013 8:55 PM


* Long awaited victory after three times a runner-up

* Stroud forced playoff with chip-in on 72nd hole (Adds details, quotes)

June 23 (Reuters) - Ken Duke notched his first career PGA Tour title in his 187th start by beating Chris Stroud with a birdie on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff to win the Travelers Championship on Sunday.

The 44-year-old became the oldest first-time winner in 18 years when he claimed victory by sinking a two-foot birdie putt after fellow American Stroud's long birdie try trickled just past the hole on the 18th green.

"Worked hard," said Duke, who had been a runner-up three times on the tour.

"I knocked on the door a lot and here we are."

Both players parred the 18th in the first hole of sudden-death before returning to the 18th tee for what turned out to be the decider at the TPC River Highlands course.

Duke became the oldest first-time winner on the tour since Ed Dougherty, who was 47 when he won the 1995 Deposit Guaranty Classic.

Stroud forced the playoff by chipping in from across the green for birdie after sending his approach shot long after blasting a drive of some 340 yards.

"I'm glad I gave myself a chance in the playoffs," said Stroud, who was also chasing his maiden victory. "I wish that I would've won. Obviously, we all want to win. I gave it everything I had."

Duke fired a final-round of four-under-par 66 and Stroud posted 67 to tie on 12-under-par 268.


Graham DeLaet of Canada finished one stroke out of the playoff on 269 after shooting 69.

Another stroke back after a 70 was 2012 Masters champion Bubba Watson, who relinquished the lead to Duke with a triple-bogey six on the par-three 16th after finding the water fronting the green with his tee shot.

Watson, DeLaet and Charley Hoffman, who registered 72 for 272, entered the final round tied for the lead at 10 under par.

The leaderboard was jammed at the top for most of the day with a dozen players jockeying for position within two shots of the lead.

Duke took advantage of a lucky bounce at the par-four 10th, when he pulled his approach shot into the trees left of the green but the ball rattled around and bounced out onto the green to set up his five-foot birdie putt.

"I got an unbelievable break on 10," acknowledged Duke, who had only one top 10 this season from 18 starts - a tie for eighth at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

"I knew it was going to be tough and that this guy wasn't going to give up. The main thing was, I didn't give up."

Watson, who won here in 2010, had trouble pinpointing his short irons but stayed ahead by making several par-saving putts.

He led by one shot coming to the 171-yard 16th but his tee ball landed on the bank and plopped into the lake. From the drop area, he flew his 125-yard shot through the green, hit a poor chip and two-putted for triple-bogey.

Duke, who turned professional in 1994, became emotional when asked about the improvements he had made since turning to swing coach Bob Toski for help.

"I wouldn't be here without him, no question. I talked to him this morning, and he said 'it's about time for you to win'," Duke said, breaking up. "And I did." (Reporting by Larry Fine in New York; Editing by Mark Meadows)

A Lesson Learned: Persistence pays off

A Lesson Learned: Persistence pays off











Bob Toski, PGA June 23, 2013 8:58 PM


Note: Ken Duke, 44, captured his first PGA TOUR victory Sunday in the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Conn., making a two-foot birdie putt on the second playoff hole to defeat Chris Stroud.
Since his youth, Duke has been a student under PGA Golf Professional Hall of Famer Bob Toski of Boca Raton, Fla., who also is a member of the World Golf Teachers Hall of Fame. The PGA of America caught up with Toski shortly after Duke's victory. The legendary teacher offered his perspective on his relationship with Duke and what the amateur golfer may take away from having witnessed Duke's march to victory.

The phone hasn't stopped ringing after Ken Duke won the Travelers Championship. I'm very happy for him. It really is a milestone for me. I'm 86 and Ken's 44. I guess it shows you that two old farts can get it done.

I talked to Ken last night and then again this morning. I said, "If you can get a 64, you will win. I felt that 14-under would win, and anything below might be in a playoff. Well, he shoots a 66, is tied at 12-under-par, and then makes a birdie in the playoff. That' 13-under after it's all said and done, right?

I've been with Ken when he was 4 years old, and now he's 44. I have seen him go through so much, and the golf ball doesn't know how old you are and doesn't care. What you witnessed with Ken was a study of perseverance. How many amateur golfers would strive to do what he has to improve? He had his share of physical problems, but he kept working and working.

I can't tell you the technical things that will work, because you have to be with me on the lesson tee. What I can tell you is that you have to learn the fundamentals and apply them at all times -- the right grip, the right posture, and putting the ball in the right position.


Ken was never a great driver of the ball. He pushed his drive on 18 in regulation into the left rough and was able to save par. I would tell him at his setup that he was aiming left and swing to the right. If all amateurs could understand that know where you are swinging, you would be much better off. So, if you aim right, swing to the right.

How can you learn the proper way to aim to a target? I'll tell you. You head straight to the putting green.

Start by stroking in a two-foot putt in a straight line. You concentrate on that, and start moving back to a longer putt, then a chip, a pitch, moving back through your irons and then to your driver. You learn that you keep all clubs square to the line of play.

That concept was introduced by (World Golf Teachers Hall of Famer) Seymour Dunn in 1922 ("Golf Fundamentals"). You learn that it all begins with a straight line. You will find that your aim will be better. I cannot guarantee that you will be playing golf like a professional like Ken Duke, but you may see a difference.