Sergio Injured

I just read this article about Sergio Garcia having a sprained wrist. It says he may be consulting a specialist to try to get better as it's apparently been three whole weeks and it isn't healed yet. It sounds to me that three weeks isn't very long. Especially if he's tried to swing a club in those three weeks like the article says. I've had some kind of sore spot in the middle of my right palm for months and it's never healed up. Of course, I'm right handed and I pick up everything heavy with that hand until I remember to use the other one. I think it's an electric lawn mower injury. I was fighting with that horrible corded machine all summer long. It's a lot worse than a vacuum cleaner.

A Few Minutes of the Skills Challenge

I just watched a few minutes of the ADT skills challenge. When I found out that Hunter Mahan was partnering with Fred Couples, I decided that I didn't want to watch much more. I like Fred. Hunter - not so much. But it did look warm and sunny there.

I Believe

Around these parts there's an old wives' tale that says whatever you do on New Year's Eve is what you'll do all year long. Which would be why you'd want to be kissing your one true love at midnight. Although it sounds like some myth, I have reason to believe that it's true. Last New Year's Eve, I was up at midnight buying a pilates machine from QVC. What did I do all year long? Buy stuff from QVC. So, the plan this year is to get on the treadmill at midnight and walk while putting money into a piggy bank. I need to lose weight and save money in 2010.

A First Time Winner

Richie Ramsay won down in South Africa today. This is his first win on the European tour and he had to survive a playoff to do it. In doing some quick reading on Ramsay, it appears he has had some brushes with the rules of golf. Hopefully, those problems are all behind him.

Shark Shootout

I liked watching the Shark Shootout this weekend. It was warm and sunny there and everyone appeared to be having a good time. I especially liked Ross Fisher and Ian Poulter's outfits, obviously held over from the World Cup. It was good to see Steve Stricker and Jerry Kelly win. I really like Stricker. And I'm going to have to eat more at Taco Bell after seeing that they now sponsor JB Holmes.

Pablo Martin Finally Wins as a Pro

Pablo Martin had a good week down in South Africa at the Alfred Dunhill. Coming into the tournament, he was ranked 488th in the world. He was in the lead going into the final round and despite a vicious 18th with its island green, he was able to hold on for the win. That 18th hole was incredible - one player made an 11. You don't see that too often.

So, a win for Spain and Pablo is currently leading the Race to Dubai rankings. A good start for the new year. Hopefully, the rest of the year will be really great for the Spaniards.

I Hope They Move Soon

I just read that Florida Childrens' Services stuck their nose into the Tiger Woods scandal by allegedly going to the Woods' home. Nothing I've seen or read suggests that the kids are in any danger - even Tiger's accident was not officially alcohol related, and I think it's just Florida politics at work (or maybe they hoped to take some pictures with their cell phones to sell to tabloids). I find it incredible that they would take time to harass the Woods family when there were plenty of reports a few years ago of Florida's state program employees actually losing children in the foster care program down there. I wonder if they have cleaned up their act yet as it usually takes years and years for a government to be overhauled. You have to wonder where these people were before the Casey Anthony story became a story about a child missing and being murdered.

I hope Tiger, Elin and the kids move soon and leave Florida. You couldn't pay me to live there. From the whole election trouble back in the Bush-Gore election to all of the missing kids/murdered kids down there, it just has a very bad reputation.

The Big News

I have to say a few things about Tiger's announcement regarding his indefinite break from golf.

1. He had 8 months or so away from golf after the US Open in 2008 and apparently that didn't help him focus on his family.

2. I might actually watch some US PGA Tour golf this year since he won't be around. I skipped most of the events last year because the announcers just won't shut up about him.

3. Golf needs to be Tiger Free in order to develop some new stars.

4. No matter what Tiger manages to accomplish during this break, it won't help his kids when they are old enough to Google their dad's name to see what comes up. Those poor kids are going to have problems for years.

Ballesteros Honored with Award

According to this article, Seve Ballesteros is going to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from the BBC. I look forward to his farewell appearance at the Open next year. It will be a moment to remember.

Expert Analysts

I was happily watching the replay of the Shark Shootout when it was interrupted by Rich Lerner and Tiger's latest announcement from his website in which he states he's taking an indefinite break from golf. Things were going fine until Kelly Whatshername had to participate. Rich asked her about the statement and speaking on the break from golf she said something like "I imagine that depends on how things go at home." My what brilliant insight! Thank goodness for that clarity on this issue because I thought it would depend on how well his stock portfolio was doing in the first quarter of next year. Not.

If people aren't going to actually add anything new to the news story, then they shouldn't be on the air. That was a waste of time.

I turned the channel to QVC to watch the annoying host stuff her face with Pot Stickers. Thank goodness Top Gear will be on soon.

Huh?????

I'm trying to stay away from the Tiger Woods saga here on the blog. But, I just read this article that quoted Jack Nicklaus. One quote from him: "He's (Tiger) a great athlete. He'll figure it out." What does that mean? That being a great athlete is some sort of miraculous superpower that allows you to grasp the answers to life's biggest problems? He was a great athlete before all of this crap started and it didn't help him at all. In fact, it probably contributed greatly to the mess he's in. I don't think Tiger needs to be hearing that he's a great athlete right now. He needs to be hearing how horrible he is. Otherwise, he won't be learning any lessons. This "He's a great athlete" thing sounds like a free pass to me. A boys' club kind of thing.

And you know what, I bet someone once said OJ Simpson was a great athlete. Maybe they said something similar about the ear biting Mike Tyson? I'm sure people once considered Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson a phenomenal athlete as well. How about US track star Marion Jones?

Maybe the free pass would be less objectionable to me if the game of golf wasn't built entirely on honesty and integrity. It's a game where you police yourself. And it's long been a game that the whole family could enjoy. Now, the game has been tarnished, though I think tarnish is too weak of a word to describe it. The PGA Tour may still have a lot of players who are happily married, quote the bible or attend prayer meetings. But those guys never drew the headlines that Tiger did. For better or worse, Tiger defines the game right now for all of those people watching CNN, HLN and all of the other networks. And it isn't a good definition.

Still Incredible

I was surfing the web a few minutes ago and saw a picture of Tiger Woods taken at some tournament somewhere. It hit me then that all of the allegations and news are still so incredible to believe. I mean, I saw the picture and then remembered that he isn't now the same guy he was in that photo. It just goes to show you just how effective that image he projected was.

Chevron World Challenge

There was a lot of good golf in the final round. It was fun to watch a bunch of golfers trying to win for a change. Oddly enough, most of my observations come from watching the final round in HD. Graeme McDowell looks even more handsome in HD. Ian Poulter looks even skinnier. He needs some food. All of that world-wide travel must have been pretty stressful. And I could count every eye lash Jim Furyk has. That was the most fascinating part of the HD effect I think. I'll have to remember to switch over to my regular antenna to watch some HD golf in the future instead of watching the local channels on my non-HD Dish Network package.

Shark Shootout is next week. Wonder how that will look. Warmer and sunnier, hopefully.

What Cowards

I was watching a few minutes of the Q-School coverage on the Golf Channel and they had a commercial about what was coming up on the Golf Channel this week. The narrator, Kelly Whatshername, said something like "On Tuesday, John Feinstein will address the biggest news in golf". She wouldn't even say "the latest on Tiger Woods" or anything like that. If it was John Daly, you know they would be repeating his name over and over again. But for Tiger, only the most discreet, hush-hush, whisper will do. If they are going to talk about him, then they need to forget about the money, the endorsements, the influence and address the newsworthy items that should be addressed. If what you do is determined by the power of others, then you might as well be on the payroll of those people. And you sure can't profess to having any objectivity.

Personally, in terms of the Golf Channel and reporting the news of the day, I think the Tiger Woods thing shouldn't be on the table unless he loses endorsements, has to pay fines, or will be absent from the Tour for some reason. Getting into all of the details isn't golf news and should be reserved for other venues.

But it's tough for the Golf Channel. If they talk about him, they make money because more people watch. But if they say the wrong thing, then Tiger won't be nice to them anymore. Wasn't there something about a tantrum he threw after Peter Kostis criticized his golf swing? He wouldn't talk to Kostis for years after that? No one has to worry about that now. I don't think Tiger will be saying anything for about a year. I'd say even Steve Williams is going to have to learn sign language if Tiger plays and needs yardage or club info.

Real Men Wear Pink

It looks like both Ian Poulter and Graeme McDowell are wearing some form of pink today at the Chevron World Challenge. They look very sharp in their outfits.

I would make a joke about letting them do their own laundry, but we all know they pick those colors specifically - LOL

Got My Answer

I'm watching the third round of the Chevron World Challenge today and they said a little while ago that Graeme McDowell got into the event when Tiger withdrew. So, that answers the question from the earlier post.

Just One Question

Amid all of the Tiger Woods drama going on, I just have one question: Is anyone taking his spot in the field at the Chevron event this week? I know he withdrew from the event, but I didn't hear if anyone else was able to join in.

I'm not going out searching for the answer because I'll just encounter all of the speculation and innuendo that's been reported as 'fact' in the media. So, if anyone knows the answer to my question, please post it in the comments section.