<rant>

I wanted to look at the responses to Bill Jempty's FanPost about the Golf Channel showing final round action live .  As I scrolled down I noticed more than one response had second and/or third round scores.  Adding those spoils it for those of us who are anxiously awaiting quitting time at the office.  I intend to rush home to watch whatever my DVR has captured without knowing the results; I can't be the only one.

If we need up-to-the-minute results, lpga.com does a pretty good job.  The only thing you've accomplished is to keep people from checking WR for the remainder of the day.  I'm sure Ryan will thank you for that.

</rant>

Back when Mulligan Stu was the proprietor of Waggle Room, an occasional visitor was the laugh-a-minute winner of the 2006 and 2008 Women's Amateur  Public Links championship, star of the Women's Golf Team at UCLA, Tiffany Joh.

Tiffany has left the amateur ranks and is now a professional on the Duramed Futures Tour.  I had the opportunity to chat for just a moment with her this afternoon at the Duramed Championship in Mason, Ohio.  My first question:  Have you turned pro or are you playing as an amateur?  She's a pro and has entry onto the Tour by virtue of her college rank.

Second question:  We miss you at Waggle Room.  Are you coming back?  Her answer wasn't definite, but she did indicate she might pop in sometime soon.

Here's hoping she joins us for a chat soon.

From Ryan: Let me add in a quick reply to this post.  When I took over for Stu last summer, I always enjoyed what Tiffany posted.  But, I didn't have her contact information to talk to her to see if she would keep the good stuff coming.  I will absolutely echo Diane's post.  We'd love to have you back, Tiffany.

Paula Creamer failed to start today's opening round of the J-Golf Phoenix LPGA International presented by Mirassou Winery.  I have been unable to find an explanation in the traditional media and none of the blogs I regularly frequent has posted anything about her withdrawal either.

Earlier this month, at the HSBC, Paula was ill but that didn't prevent her from competing. 

It there were lots of bloggers credentialed at this event, is there any doubt all available details would be posted?

The last few years real-time scoring at lpga.com has had a feature where one could select up to ten players for an individualized leaderboard.  It's not on this year's version.  That's too bad because in the past, when the golfers were on the course and I was stuck at work, I was able to take a quick glance to see how my favorites that week were doing.   This year I'll have to scroll through up to 144 names to see how they're doing.  Bummer.

Does anyone know if this is a permanent condition?

While voting for my favorite blogs for this year's Weblog Awards, I noticed the Sports section list "Mr. Fairway's Golf Blog" as a nominee.  I've never heard of this one, it's not even acknowledged in the much esteemed "Waggle Room blogrole".  I took a look at his postings for this year and a smattering of posts in 2008.  It's not too bad, but he hardly gets any comments -- there's very little give and take between the author and his readers.

One positive, is that he has words of wisdom from Hank Haney as a result of having attended a seminar, but our own double eagle's Life in the Rough is a better deal in my opinion.

Anyway, it's too late for this year.  I'm going to research how one gets nominated.  We should be represented.

I like reading Beth Ann Baldry over at <i>Golfweek</i> so once or twice a week I'll check to see if she's got a new post.  While doing so this morning, I noticed the Sagarin Perfomance Index .  Check their POST - PGA  Championship rankings:

1.  Phil Mickelson

2. Sergio Garcia

3. Kenny Perry

4. Camilo Villegas

5. Justin Leonard

6. Robert Karlsson

7. Adam Scott

8. <b>Padraig Harrington</b>

So, the guy who has won the last two majors, and three of the last 6, has seven guys who haven't won much of anything above him.  What kind of deal is that?

Some have criticized Sagarin for various reasons.  I always figured if they ranked people somewhat close to how other services rank, they're reasonably valid.  Post-PGA Championship, this is ridiculous.

Stacy Lewis Makes Anticipated Tour Debut

Stacy Lewis of The Woodlands, Texas, made her debut with the Duramed FUTURES Tour with a round of 2-over-par 74. Lewis finished in a tie for third at the U.S. Women's Open Championship earlier this year tied for fifth at the LPGA's Kraft Nabisco Championship as an amateur in 2007.

A frustrating 33 putts left Lewis searching for answers on the driving range and putting green after her round.

"It was fun playing and it's fun to be out here," Lewis said. "I didn't hit the ball well or putt well and that doesn't add up to a very good day."

Lewis graduated earlier this year as a four-time All-American from the University of Arkansas.

Details Here.

Story here

So, she didn't get an invite to Reno, but she understands the need to play competitive golf on some level in order to stay sharp.

This will really be interesting.  The London, KY event is close enough that I could go down there for a day.  Unfortunately I won't be able to make it.

CG, that's only 4 or so hours north of you.  Maybe you should go then report back?  OK, I admit I'm adding words so I exceed the seventy-five word limit to get this posted where I want it.

Saturday at the FUTURES Tour was relatively uneventful for me.  My threesome consisted of Haley Gildea, a tour rookie; Julia Huh, an amateur from Maryland; and second year player Anastasia Kostina from Russia.  None of the golfers had a spectacular round and none made the cut.

Anastasia has some name recognition because she and her sister, Maria, are the first Russians to participate on any tour in the US.

Sunday was much more interesting.

My threesome was Sasha Medina, Song Yi Choi, and Briana Vega. 

Sasha, is in her seventh year on tour.  She had a decent front nine, but lost her focus on the 10th, where she three-putted from about two feet.  She went on to shoot 79.

Song Yi is one of the players who I carried a bag for last year.  This is her second year on tour.  She has spent most of the year in the top five on the money list.  Song Yi had an up and down day, but scrambled to finish with a 1-under 70.  She seems much more confident this year.

Bri, of course, was the winner of Big Break VI.  She shot a respectable 73, but was penalized one stroke for slow play.

Each player had someone to carry her bag, Song Yi (mother), Bri (father), and Sasha (tour player Cristina Baena), so my only tasks were to speed ahead to find where tee shots landed and be unofficial scorekeeper.  As a group we were very slow.  Although Bri got the penalty I think Sasha was more deserving because of what I thought to be an excessive pre-shot routine.  Bri isn't blameless though.  Her father carries her big tour bag.  He's not young and the bag is big and getting heavier by the hole.  I think it would benefit her if she switched to lighter carry bag.   

On the whole it was a pretty good week.  When asked, and I did, Kim Welch won't tell whether she won Big Break.