The final score, San Francisco 49ers 36 New Orleans Saints 32 has probably upset you, but I'm coming as close to back flips as my 65 year old body will allow. Exciting game. It was reminiscent of the 1982 game San Francisco vs. Dallas where the winning score was Montana to Clark at the back of the end zone. This was such a great game. My condolences, em. Bring on Giants or Packers! Who Dat? WE Dat!!

Earlier this week Charles wrote a review of the recently released film, "Seven Days in Utopia" starring Robert Duval and Lucas Black. After reading the synopsis and viewing the trailer I thought the plot line sounded a lot like "Doc Hollywood" meets "The Karate Kid."  Both Charles and Court disputed my impressions, saying:

Well, for the record, the two aren’t even very closely parallel to having the same plot line. - Charles

No – this isn’t the same. - courtgolf

This morning I opened the September 5, 2011 issue of "Golf Week" where on page 43 Entertainment and Sportswriter, Mike Cullity, cites the similarities. In paragraph two:

...aspiring PGA Tour pro Luke Chisolm (Black) finds himself marooned in rural Utopia, Texas, after crashing his car through a fence -- a jumping-off point that recalls the 1991 comedy "Doc Hollywood," in which Michael J. Fox's surgeon character becomes stranded in a South Carolina backwater after a similar collision.

and paragraph three:

Borrowing from "The Karate Kid," Crawford (Duval) plays Mr. Miyagi to Chisolm's Daniel-san, teaching the young pro golf and life lessons. And like the 1984 Pat Morita-Ralph Macchio hit, "seven Days" concludes with a David versus Goliath showdown...

The author continues:

Despite recycled plot elements and artistic embellishments, the film seeks to communicate a noble lesson: Athletic performance does not define one's self-worth.

Cullity's piece lacks Charles outright boosterism of the film, but in no way discourages getting to your local theater.

There are hardly ever new plot lines in Hollywood, or literature, or life for that matter. Identifying films that are similar does not imply disrespect. I checked the number and location of the screens "Seven Days" is playing in my area this weekend. It's pretty thin. I wouldn't be surprised if it has a quick release to DVD.

I had the pleasure of participating in this week's Duramed Futures Tour event - the Teva Championship - as a walking scorekeeper.  Over the course of the pro-am on Thursday and the three days of tournament play I got to see some pretty decent golf.

My pro-am partner was Angela Buzminski, a Canadian lefty who is about 260 off the tee.  She was talkative, funny and good to have as the pro.  We finished 7-under.   Despite leaving many approach shots within birdie range, collectively our flat sticks were cold.  The winning team was the girl's golf team from a local high school who finished at -16.  They beat a team that included Anthony Munoz, a long-time pro football player. 

The highlight for me was that we ended up using several of my shots -- women amateurs were allowed to hit from the forward tees.  When there was a 60-yard or more difference between where the pro and I hit, I generally had an advantage.

In another thread, I wrote about the slow play team I had Friday.  As a side note, one of my golfing gal pals hosted a player who, over dinner one night, said the three in that group are notoriously slow players.

Heavy rain was the story at the start on Saturday.  I was on the first tee at 8:30 with Haley Gildea, Baltimore native Angela Oh, and 2008 US Curtis Cup team member Jennie Lee in a driving rain.  Even though I stood close to directly behind each tee shot I couldn't see any as a result of the poor visibility.  Everyone parred the first and second.  We got as far as second shots to number three before play was suspended for over four hours due to unplayable conditions.  When play resumed the course still had considerable standing water (my shoes are still wet) and the greens were inconsistent.  Even though Oh started the week as number two on the money list she didn't play up to that expectation this week, missing the cut.

The weather Sunday was virtually perfect.  Mostly cloudy gave way to sunshine, with the occasional light breeze to keep the heat and humidity from making the day unbearable.  My group - Big Break winner Briana Vega, 2008 US Curtis Cup team member Jenny Suh, and rookie Dori Carter from Valdosta, GA - each had a decent round.  As a group they hit so many fairways I was surprised by the periodic miss.  The most exciting hole of the day was the par-5 ninth where Jenny chipped in for eagle and Dori, whose attempt to go for it in two landed in the pond fronting the green, made a downhill slider to save par.  

From my perspective, it was a great four days.  I reacquainted myself with players I've spent similar time with in previous years and met new that I'll check the leaderboard every week to see how each is doing.  The sad part is I'll have to wait another year for the FUTURES Tour to come back to town.

I watched Olympic speed skating yesterday.  Aside from the speed and grace of the racers, the overriding impression I got is that television commentators in this sport are incapable of closing their mouths.  Ever.  Those of us watching were subjected to a continual auditory assault of really annoying chatter throughout the race.  Golf commentators in the US have the same disease.

Golf Channel announcers get a lot of grief for what they say, but today the CBS guys weren't much better.  If commentators are expected to fill 3.5 hours with nonstop talk they will say stupid sh*t, it's the law of averages. From the time a ball is struck until the time it comes to rest is only a few seconds, but the talking heads can't seem to stfu for even that brief period.  Televsion isn't radio.  Dead air is not a sin.

I don't know the solution.  We're golf fans so we'll continue to watch when a tournament is on television.  But many of us would be happier if announcers in the US used the European model.

<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.

Mason, Ohio is the site of the second annual Duramed Championship.  This year it's being held at the Golf Center at King's Island.  It's a par 71, playing 6,183 yards.  Of course, Mindy Kim shot a 64 and is tied for the lead with Stephanie Otteson, but that's not my story. 

When I arrived at the course I was originally scheduled to go with the 1:20 group off the 10th tee.  I ran into Kim Augusta, a tour veteran for whom I drove flast year.  We chatted for a few minutes, then we brow-beat the cart driver supervisor into letting me work Kim's group.  In addition to Kim, the threesome included fourth-year player Stella Lee and fourth-year player, and Big Break VI competitor Sarah Lynn Sargent.

Since I spent the day with only one group, I really can't say what happened elsewhere on the course.  I can tell you we started on the back nine and none of the players had a caddy so I carried all three bags. 

On the first nine, Kim carded three birdies by keeping her tee shots in or just off the fairway and displaying  some excellent putting.  Although she had a couple of bogies on the first nine, she managed to finish -1 before the second nine kicked her butt, or rather the cup on number three did.  Kim pulled her drive to the left of the fairway, which has a slight dog-leg left.  Her second shot was well placed short of the
green-side bunker on the right.  Her third was a pitch over the flag about 10-feet, but she was left with a fairly slippery downhill putt for par.  That one, grazed the cup and slid by leaving her with about three feet up hill for bogey.  Her putt hit the back of the cup and bounced right back at her -- in-freakin-credible.  None of us could believe what happened.  She cleaned it up, but the double bogey ruined an otherwise really good round.  Kim finished the day at +3, 74.   

Sarah, who is probably in the 270-yard range with her driver, hit fairways and greens with regularity but couldn't get any putts to drop so through her first seven holes she had seven pars.  On her eighth hole, she pulled her drive into the deep rough, where she muscled her second shot out of the heavy stuff, but still in the rough.  Her third shot found the bunker behind the green.  After escaping the bunker, she two-putted for a double bogey, which effectively crashed her round.  Subsequent drives were scattered right and left.  When she shifted to her three-wood off the tee for awhile Sarah straightened things out and pulled off some nice up-and-downs to finish the second nine one over.  Sarah finished her day with a +3 74.

A lot of women come and go on the FUTURES Tour.  It's fairly easy to keep track of the high-profile golfers, such as those who have spent time on the Big Break, but those who haven't tend to toil in obscurity.  Such is the plight of Stella Lee.  Although she was the shortest of the three off the tee, I don't think she missed a fairway all day long.  On the par-3 holes, she was either on the green or just in the fringe.  But her day was marred by par putts that didn't drop, her first nine she carded four bogies and only one birdie.  By the second nine, those par, and some birdie, putts started to fall.  Stella finished with a 2-over 73.

Driving three bags ended up being not much more difficult than two.  It only took a hole or so to get into the flow of a player grabbing her club(s) upon reaching her drive, then I'd move the cart to the next ball.  Sarah, being the long hitter that she is, is probably accustomed to waiting for her sticks to arrive. 

Although there isn't much chatting going on I had a great time.  I'm looking forward to my group tomorrow at 8:10 am.

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