Talk of the TOUR blog

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Editor's note: Three times each week, announcers for the PGA TOUR Network on XM Satellite Radio will be blogging for PGATOUR.COM. Pontre Vedra Beach, FL

Garcia's first major?
By Fred Albers
May 11, 2008

Sergio Garcia is the 2008 PLAYERS Champion. Is he also the winner of a major championship?

It's always a topic for discussion in the media center. Is THE PLAYERS golf's fifth major championship?

History seems to say no. Golf has four major titles: The Masters, The U.S. Open, The British Open and the PGA Championship. As Jeff Sluman once quipped, "When you go to Denny's and order the Grand Slam, there are four items on the plate not five. "

History says no, but history is also fluid and public opinion changes.

When Gene Sarazen won the 1935 Masters did players congratulate him on winning a major championship? Of course not. When Walter Hagen was winning Western Open Championships, were they just more trophies in the case?

Public opinion changes and history will dictate how this tournament is remembered.

THE PLAYERS has the best field of the year and TPC Sawgrass is, without doubt, a championship venue. It already has a rich history from Hal Sutton's "Be the right club today," to Tiger Woods, "Better than most."

My guess, is in the dotage of his old age, Sergio Garcia will be congratulated and asked to recall the windy May afternoon when he won his first major, The 2008 PLAYERS Championship.

It's not all about playing golf
By Maureen Madill
May 9, 2008

Just imagine you're Aaron Baddeley and you had to tee off on Thursday in THE PLAYERS at 8.44 a.m. What time do you think you would be up and about and preparing for the day and what would you be doing?

Banish thoughts of rolling out of bed at 7:30ish. Two hours before tee off Simon Webb, your exercise physiologist (fitness trainer to those of us less savvy), would have you in the gym running through a series of light exercises and stretches designed to aid movement and help you get the best out of your body for that day. Simon would shadow you for the day, watching you traverse the undulating TPC Sawgrass layout, watching for signs of drop off in your posture and checking your hydration and nutrition. After your round and post-lunch practice there would be a light gym session of an hour or so, consisting of thirty minutes of cardio and similar of light weights. There will be two to four such sessions this week -- a light week due to the importance of the event.

Simon has a Bachelor of Applied Science degree and is one of a growing number of fitness advisors integral to the team of any serious PGATOUR player. Webb has worked exclusively for Baddeley since the end of 2007 but they met in 2000 at the Victoria Institute of Sport in Australia and started working together shortly after that.

"It's all about peaking at the right time. It's not just about getting fit -- it's the science behind it all that interests me," Webb said. "It's the accumulation factor."

By that he means the accumulation of confidence that springs from correct and sustained preparation of the body, mind and technique so that optimal performance can be reached.

It truly is a holistic approach.

We see the players on the range with their coaches honing their techniques. Unfortunately we don't tend to witness them honing their bodies and, by extension, their minds, with their fitness gurus.

There are currently a dozen or so trainers on the PGATOUR full time. Watch that number and the profile of these experts grow, just as surely as the gap between amateur and professional will grow.

Now, let me just try that stretch one more time!

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Klauk's last hurrah
By Fred Albers
May 8, 2008

Fred Klauk knows every nematoad that dares to show its face at the TPC Sawgrass. For the last 23 years he's been Course Superintendent.

"It's been great fun. A lot of work, but fun at the same time," reminisced Klauk.

Every time a player bounces a ball off the 17th green into the water, he can blame Klauk. And every time a player rolls home a birdie putt on perfectly manicured greens, he can thank the Course Super.

"I know we don't make everyone happy but we do make the golf course fair. Fair but demanding."

Players will get one more chance to examine Klauk's work. He is retiring but has one last assignment: The 2008 PLAYERS Championship.

"Last year, after we re-did the course, we were conservative in the set-up. This year we will be more aggressive."

That means firmer greens and faster fairways.

When the last putt is holed on Sunday afternoon, Klauk will turn his attention to family and fish.

"I am going to hunt down every fish in the Keys and spend time with my wife and sons. I know it's not easy playing second fiddle to a golf course so I owe them some quality time. I might caddy for my son (Jeff) on the Nationwide Tour and travel with Peggy."

Klauk and Peggy have been married 34 years.

"Fair but demanding." Those fish in the Florida Keys have been warned.

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Phil always makes time
By Maureen Madill
May 5, 2008

"Hey, Phil, over here. Over here. Have you got a minute?"

It's the Wednesday of Wachovia week and Phil Mickelson is ambling round the Quail Hollow golf course in the Pro-Am. At every turn he is besieged by autograph hunters, well-wishers and those who want him to pose for photographs with his arm around their shoulders.

It is time consuming and tiring but he obliges with a smile and a word for everyone. And then there are the post Pro-Am interviews. He goes to the Media Centre and holds a thirty minute press conference in which the national media join via AT&T teleconference. Then it's an interview with XM, followed by two public service announcements for PGATOUR.COM and then a further interview for The GOLF CHANNEL.

"Have you got everything you need?" he asks. And the tournament hasn't even started yet.

Round 1 on Thursday brings him a 68 and more interviews. There are the big three of the week -- XM radio, The GOLF CHANNEL and the local television networks -- the media center, of course, and, oh yes, the small matter of signing 74 autographs in ten minutes. Such are the demands on a successful player on the PGA TOUR.

On Friday, Phil doubles the 15th and 18th to finish on 74. No media center visit that day, but the usual interviews and more time given to the voracious autograph hunters who lie in wait near the scorer's room. Ditto Saturday and Sunday.

On the course this has been a very average week for Phil Mickelson -- a twelfth place finish after a start that promised so much. One consolation is that it cut down on his media related duties as the spotlight was turned on the new Wachovia champion, Anthony Kim.

So, when I hear those cries of "Phil, Phil have you got a minute?" I know the answer is most definitely "No!"

He hasn't got a minute. He ensures he has, quite literally, hundreds and hundreds of them.

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Golf's most elusive property
By Bob Stevens
May 2, 2008

"It" is golf's most cherished prize. No, not the green jacket from Augusta or the trophy given away at each PGA TOUR stop, though having "it" can certainly lead to those great prizes and the wealth that comes to those who possess "it" for any length of time.

No, "it" is the mastery of this most impossible game. At this week's Wachovia Championship, George McNeill had "it" for almost three hours Friday, when he picked up seven shots to par in an eight-hole span. He still had a version of "it" for three more holes, giving himself birdie chances from inside 15 feet, but as quickly as he had "it", "it" went away. He missed the three birdies, then an eagle putt at a par 5 that would have recaptured "it". "It" then left George's day for good on the very next hole when he drove it into the woods for a bogey, the first of three in a row at Quail Hollow's famed Green Mile. He still tied the low round of the week, but he had so much more going. He had "it".

Midway leader Jason Bohn found "it" when he talked to his putting coach earlier this week. He's second in putting average this week. For the year he's 120th.

Robert Garrigus claimed he found "it" on the practice green before he played, a claw putting grip he called the "crawdad" that he first tried on the second green with a par-saving putt that went down, starting him off on a round that turned out six shots better than his first, safely making it into the weekend.

Current runner-up Anthony Kim seems to have been born with "it." Tiger Woods is still chasing "it," even though it sometimes seems he's always had it. Trevor Immelman had "it" a couple of weeks ago, but left it somewhere between New York City and Texas, where he badly missed the cut last week, and at the Wachovia Championship, where he missed again this week. Maybe "it" is somewhere in the vest pocket of that green jacket hanging in his closet.

The wonder of golf is that we've all possessed "it" at some time or another. Maybe just for one shot, maybe for just one hole, maybe for one round. Obviously, the PGA TOUR pros have felt "it," played with "it," and certainly enjoyed "it" more than anyone. And yet that makes their games all the more frustrating, because "it" is a fleeting commodity, and there's absolutely no telling who'll find "it" between now and Sunday.

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Great balls of fire
By Maureen Madill
April 30, 2008

The grandstands situated behind the practice ground at Quail Hollow Golf Course in Charlotte were packed with spectators on Wednesday. The range was packed with contenders for the Waterford Crystal Trophy, which goes to the Wachovia Championship winner on Sunday. At the left of the range is a tent housing food and drinks for the players and caddies -- and also, of course, the golf balls for the gladiators to hit.

But these, of course, are no ordinary range balls. They are definitely not the ones you and I hit when we saunter down to the range at home in an attempt to tame our unruly actions. These are brand new, never-been-hit-before balls with a choice to suit every player in the 156-strong field. Take your pick from two types of Callaway Tour balls, two types of Bridgestone Tour balls or two types of Titleists. Taylor Made, Srixon, and Nike balls also add their presence to the mix. Whatever the players' choice, their ammunition is presented to them in a pristine, brightly colored, canvas bag with a drawstring keeping the pellets secure until they are despatched down the range.

This is the stuff of dreams for most of us but part of the daily routine for a PGA TOUR player. Practicing with the ball of their choice -- in other words, the one they use on the course -- helps the players hone their skills to the fine degree required to enable them to win a title and lift a trophy.

So, if you think that donning the Wachovia jacket on Sunday and hoisting that Waterford Crystal will simply be the result of sound technique, mental strength and a dose of Lady Luck -- don't overlook the balls required to make it all happen!

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Myth-Busting in Dallas
By Bob Stevens
April 27, 2008

The TOUR leaves the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex having accomplished much this week, including the revival of the EDS Byron Nelson Championship through the almost universal praise from the players for the new D.A.Weibring re-design, a four-year extension of the sponsorship of the tournament by EDS through 2014, and the crowning of a very popular champion in Adam Scott, who won the title in such dramatic fashion.

As the tents come down and the TOUR departs for Charlotte and the Wachovia Championship this week, it also has at least two fewer myths to battle.

1. Adam Scott looks great in the "uniform," but when the heat is on? Busted. Scott not only played up to his enormous talent, he also showed some strategic brilliance when, on Saturday at the par-5 16th, with only a one-shot lead and the opportunity to reach the green in two with a miracle from the fairway rough 230 yards out, he hit his second shot only 100 yards. Why? Because after processing all the options, he decided his best chance at birdie was to hit it to a number he felt comfortable wedging in from. That number was 131 yards, where he then wedged to 6 feet, made the putt, made another on 18 and set himself up with a three-shot lead headed to the raw, cold final round. Then on Sunday, after blowing the lead, he showed some moxie many have questioned whether he had when forced to birdie the 72nd hole to force a playoff with Ryan Moore. All he did was stripe a drive into the fairway, wedge into 10 feet and drain the putt. The rest, as they say, is history.

2. The "next generation" of Tiger-challengers is here. Taking out Ernie Els' win at The Honda Classic and Tiger's title at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard and the primary TOUR event winners list since the TOUR left the West Coast includes Sean O'Hair, Geoff Ogilvy, Andres Romero, Johnson Wagner, Trevor Immelman, Boo Weekley and now Adam Scott. All but Boo are younger than Mr. Woods. Add to those names the likes of Brandt Snedeker, Anthony Kim, Ryuji Imada, Troy Matteson, Aaron Baddeley and this week's rising star Ryan Moore, all of whom have finished in the top-5 in the last two months, and you have a wave of future stars who can't wait to hoist a few trophies of their own. Tiger, don't stay away too long, or these guys will really be ready to challenge your throne.

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Listen to your caddie
By Fred Albers
April 25, 2008

It was an ugly lie. The ball nestled into a bird's nest clump of grass 189 yards from the green.

Justin Leonard was playing in the second round of the EDS Byron Nelson Championship but had just mis-hit his drive on the par-4 eighth hole , his 17th hole of the day.

"I really hooked it badly. I was in the rough and there were trees and I was ready to just chip out," said Leonard.

That's when caddy Brian Smith intervened.

"Brian said go for it. He talked me into trying for the green instead of a chip out and I listened to him."

Fortune favors the bold.

Leonard did not just pull off the shot, he hit a high hook over a grove of oak trees onto the green that released to within 18 feet of the cup. It was a reminder the former U.S. Amateur and British Open champion can still dial up big shots at big courses like the TPC Four Seasons Las Colinas.

The perfect ending would have been for Leonard to birdie the hole. Instead his putt lipped out and he settled for par, part of his second round 66 that has the Texan 3-under par for the tournament and just a pair of shots behind Adam Scott.

"I'm thinking well, I'm hitting it well. We'll just have to see what happens this weekend."

The weekend figures to be a home game with cries of "hook 'em horns" cascading from the gallery in support of the Texas native and UT graduate.

"It's always nice to play in your home state and I've been able to play well," smiled Leonard.

Play well?

He's a three-time champion of the Valero Texas Open who will try to Texas two step his way to another Lone Star victory this weekend.

Just keep listening to your caddy, Justin.

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Sipping his own fine wine
By Fred Albers
April 23, 2008

Luke Donald is looking for a vintage year and it just might begin this week at the EDS Byron Nelson Championship. He has five consecutive top 20 finishes at the TPC Four Season Las Colinas, including second place in 2007.

"Yeah, I've always played well here. I'm not really sure why. The course seems to suit my eye very well," said the Englishman who brought his own bottle of wine to celebrate any victory.

Donald has entered a partnership with the Terlato Wine Group and Paterno Wines and their first bottle was released April 1.

"I'm very proud of it. I think it's very good. If anyone likes wine, I think you'll enjoy it. It's a Bordeaux blend from Napa Valley, very tasty."

About as tasty as Donald's play this season. "You know, I feel like I had some very good weeks this year, obviously a second at Honda, third at L.A., had a couple other top 20s. Missing the cut at the Masters was very disappointing."

Donald is the PGA TOUR's renaissance man. A graduate from Northwestern University he is an accomplished artist, is well read and now the venture into wines.

"I definitely am collecting wines. Where I am right now it's not a big cellar but I'm planning on buying a house right now in Chicago and plan to have a nice cellar there where I can keep some."

Wouldn't it be a happy coincidence if Donald could toast a victory at the EDS Byron Nelson Championship this weekend with a glass of his own Bordeaux.

"That would be lovely."

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Boo! It's no surprise at Harbour Town
By Bob Stevens
April 20, 2008

Some random thoughts while tying to figure out how Boo Weekley's second red tartan jacket will go with his camouflage gear on his next hunting excursion:

The Verizon Heritage doesn't have the storied history of the majors, but here's the list of multiple winners in the tourney's 40-year history: Davis Love III (five times), Hale Irwin (thrice), Johnny Miller, Tom Watson, Payne Stewart, Hubert Green, Stewart Cink, Fuzzy Zoeller and now Boo Weekley. And if you think Boo's name is the one that doesn't fit on that list, you might be underestimating this late-bloomer who has the kind of game that fits just about any course -- hit it straight, hit a lot of greens, and roll the ball pretty well.

He and his high school pal from East Milton, Fla., Heath Slocum, nearly won the World Cup last winter, maybe the most underrated event on the planet, and his victory in Hilton Head gets him closer to a Ryder Cup berth he told me he'd be "honored" to have. Imagine Boo going head-to- head with Monty or Sergio at Valhalla later this summer. They'd never know what hit 'em.

I'm sure a lot of you think Boo's homespun style is an act, but he's not making any of this up. He's just that genuine, doesn't give the canned answer to any question anyone has, and (here's the best part), he genuinely appreciates being appreciated. What you didn't see after the network broadcasts ended on Saturday (even ours) was Boo spending more than 30 minutes after his round, before even going in for the post-round press conference, signing anything anyone put in front of him along the rope line, until everyone was satisfied. Boo's not the only player who does that, but not many of them do on Saturday after grabbing the lead in a tournament that winning took one step closer to quitting the TOUR altogether.

Maybe it's appropriate that with the "circus" moving to the EDS Byron Nelson Championship this week that Boo's going home to help his six-month pregnant wife pack to get ready to move into their new home. Boo's not all that interested in 19 majors or 100 victories, or whatever Tiger's goals are. Like Lord Byron, he just wants to set up his family for the future, in his case a future of turkey hunting in that tartan jacket.

Couple of other thoughts from inside the ropes. Aaron Baddeley is sooooo classy. After losing out on a second tartan jacket himself, Badds made it a point to come back and congratulate Boo, and co-runner up Anthony Kim for a job well done with a handshake and an exchange of words that was more than just "congratulations." Where else in sport does that happen?

And speaking of Kim, he took another step toward breaking out this week, playing in the final group on Sunday for the first time and matching Weekley's score. This super-talented kid told me it was a fabulous learning experience, that he understands that he paid a price for being impatient a couple of times, but three straight birdies on the back nine prove he can get it done at crunch time. Now he goes back to his adopted hometown of Dallas with all that talent and a little more confidence. I'm sure I'm not the first to predict he'll be the next great star in Texas, and he's only 22.

What were you doing at 22? Dressing in plaid and camo?

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Food for thought
By John Maginnes
April 19, 2008

On Friday, Mark Hensby hit his second shot into the gallery on No. 5. His ball didn't just end up in the gallery -- it ended up knocking a sandwich out of one particular lady's hands.

When the dust settled, Mark's ball came to rest on the ground on top of a piece of lettuce from the unfortunate sandwich.

PGA TOUR official Mickey Bradley was called in to make the ruling. After some deliberation it was determined that Mark was to play the ball as it lies because the offending leaf was a part of nature. However, it was discussed that if the lettuce had mayonnaise or mustard on it then he would have been entitled to relief, because the condiment isn't found in nature.

The fact that the lettuce was harvested, washed, processed, sold and resold, cut and put in between two pieces of bread apparently didn't change its properties as a product of nature.

So Mark played the ball off the lettuce up onto the green. There is no word on whether or not the poor spectator was ever fed. Let it be said: Playing on the PGA TOUR is no picnic.

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A sigh of relief!!!
By Mark Carnevale
April 16, 2008

As players make their way from The Masters to the Verizon Heritage, exiting I-95 south onto 278 east, they begin to relax; they cross the bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway and see the sign, "Welcome to Hilton Head Island." Now, they can exhale.

After spending the last seven days under the mental and physical pressure of the year's first major championship, the players are now able to relax. As someone who has played in them, there is no more of a "pressure cooker" for a PGA TOUR player than the competition at a major. Requests from family and friends, as well as other time commitments, and -- most of all -- the inner pressure players put on themselves to perform will exceed anything you could ever imagine. That 5-footer to win your club championship is nothing compared to what a TOUR player goes through during a major.

This week, players bring their families, spend time on the beach, ride bikes and even consume an occasional adult beverage or two. It is well deserved. It's time to enjoy the fruits of their profession, and there is no better place than at The Verizon Heritage.

They can relax for a few days, but once the gun goes off Thursday morning, they are back to focusing on golf -- and focus is what is required to win at Harbour Town. Past champions include, Jack Nicklaus, Hale Irwin (2), Johnny Miller (2), Tom Watson (2), Payne Stewart (2), Fuzzy Zoeller (2), Arnold Palmer, Greg Norman and Davis Love III (5). To win at Harbour Town, you must be a great ball-striker and manager of your game.

Last year, Boo Weekley came out on top, and what a champion he has been. Tournament Director Steve Wilmot said, "Boo was above and beyond anything they could have asked for in a champion. He did everything that was asked of him, with grace and style. Sponsors and media praised him. They thanked him, but Boo said, "No, thank you.'"

So in the day of the question, "Who will be the next Tiger Woods?", my question is "Who will be this year's Boo Weekley?"

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What, me worry?
By Fred Albers
April 6, 2008

When Johnson Wagner arrived at the driving range prior to his final round at the Shell Houston Open, he looked like a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.

He was nervous. Visibly nervous.

In search of his first PGA TOUR victory, Wagner admitted to popping an undisclosed sum of antacid tablets since early-round scores of 63-69 had put him in the lead. However, the Texan recognized the problem, seized the opportunity and coped with his nerves.

"Sure, I'm nervous," he said with the hint of a laugh just before his final round. "I've been nervous since shooting 63, but I was able to sleep a little last night and just want the round to begin."

His hands were shaking as he teed up balls on the range, but he methodically proceeded through his practice routine, and once his final round began the nerves finally seemed to be under control.

Another native Texan, Ben Hogan, once said he was nervous before every round, but you would never seem him nervous walking down the 18th fairway.

Wagner was ever so steady finishing his round, carding five straight pars to win by two shots over Geoff Ogilvy and Chad Campbell. The final stretch included a solid one-putt par on the treacherous 18th hole at the Redstone Golf Club Tournament Course.

"I fought a lot of demons out there today, but somehow survived," he said after the victory. "I can't believe I'm going to Augusta."

The victory earns Johnson an automatic invite to this year's Masters, along with a million-dollar paycheck and two-year exemption on the PGA TOUR.

"It's a dream come true," Wagner admitted. "But yeah, I'll be a little nervous next week, too. I don't even know how to get to the golf course."

No problem, Johnson. It's just a simple right-hand turn off Washington Road onto Magnolia Lane.

By the way, you might want to stock up on those antacid tablets!

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Emerging Star State
By Doug Bell
April 4, 2008

As I dodged the raindrops during Friday's deluge at Redstone Golf Club in Humble, Texas, host site of the Shell Houston Open, I was wondering what leader Johnson Wagner was up to, as he managed to not get wet at all. He drew the late/early tee times, and it proved to be ideal, as he followed his record-setting opening round 63 with a solid 69 to finish at 12-under for 36 holes and avoid the bad weather that plagued Round 2.

On this Final Four weekend, Johnson Wagner reminds me of George Mason University, who surprised everybody a few years ago. He is currently ranked 313th in the world, and has missed 6 of his last 9 cuts. He currently is out of the top 100 in all the key stats, driving distance, driving accuracy, greens in regulation, scoring and putting.

Where did this guy come from?

He's from Amarillo, loves playing in his home state of Texas, and -- in addition to his Mom, Dad, and wife who are all following his every shot -- he is starting to pick up support from the locals who would like to see a Texas boy bring home the big enchilada.

Oh yeah, he likes the Redstone facility, having set the tournament course record in last year's event with a 64 before finishing ninth. As he listened to the XM broadcast on Thursday morning, he told his caddie Steve Hale, "There goes the record," when Adam Scott cruised in with a 63. Hale responded, by urging his man to go out and try to match it. Boy did this big guy respond. The stars just might be aligned for another Cinderella story.

It was also great to see Jose Maria Olazabal back on the course. This week's event is his first event since last August, and despite plenty of rust he's 5 under par going into the weekend. He has been battling an arthritic condition which causes the ligaments in his joints to become very painful. The 2 time Masters champion is obviously trying to get his game in order before next week, but for now he is in contention. Having not played in quite some time, Olazabal is also playing it safe in the sun. He has rubbed white zinc oxide all over his face, and has drawn some snickers from his fellow players on the range. But this guy is one of the great competitors in the game, and at 42, is starting yet another comeback.

Another low round on Friday came from Ben Crane, who fired a 65 and heads into the weekend at 5 under par. I know he still gets lots of heat for slow play, and is trying to improve that part of his game, but this man is one of the nicest guys on TOUR to the volunteers who walk along with each group. He not only signs golf balls for the walking scoring and standard bearer, but he also puts his favorite Bible verse on each ball, thanks each volunteer by his or her first name, and inquires about something they have told him over the first two days. Classy guy, who I find myself rooting for each week.

I think we're in store for a heck of a shootout. What else would you expect deep in the heart of Texas? Even though the four No. 1 NCAA men's basketball seeds are playing up the highway about 200 miles in San Antonio, I kind of like a long-shot pony with two last names, Johnson Wagner, to sip champagne from the glass slipper in Houston.

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"Houston, we have a prob ... never mind!"
By Fred Albers
April 2, 2008

The 72nd hole of the 2007 Shell Houston Open had to be one of the more unusual on the entire PGA TOUR last season. Adam Scott held a one-shot lead over Stuart Appleby on the 18th tee, hit his drive into the water -- and actually finished with a three-stroke margin of victory!

"It's not often you can hit into the water on the 72nd hole and still win the tournament," said the smiling Scott. " I got a bit lucky to get away with that one."

Of course, it helped that Appleby hit his second shot into the water on No. 18, and Scott followed up his mistake by draining a 48-foot par putt for the victory. "I have great feelings coming back here," Scott said Wednesday as he prepared for his title defense. "Last year, this might have been the best-conditioned course we played, and it's in great shape again this season."

Roger Goettsch, the director of agronomy at Redstone Golf Club, agrees with Scott's assessment. "We hit the overseeding just right this year," he told me earlier this week. "There were warm conditions and a little rain. We have lots of grass on the course and we can get aggressive with the speed on the greens."

What are the chances of the Scott repeating as champion of the Shell Houston Open? Pretty good, especially if he stays dry on the 72nd hole and keeps making those 48-footers!

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A long, action-packed Sunday
By Brett Wright
March 30, 2008

Andres Romero won the 2008 Zurich Classic of New Orleans in a strange way. Because of weather delays on Saturday, Romero was able come out and finish his third round on Sunday morning and posted birdies at 17 and 18. This momentum carried over into the final round where he started out with a birdie at the par-5 second hole and despite a lone bogey at No. 6 he went on to birdie 7, 11, 12, and 16 on his way to a 4-under-par 68. This put him at 13 under just as the second-round leaders were playing No. 2 in the final round. Those leaders, Briny Baird and Peter Lonard would come up one shot short.

I was assigned to the Lonard group for both the third and final rounds. Lonard came out of the gate on fire with birdies at Nos. 1 and 2, and then stumbled with a bogey at No. 4. After righting the ship with a birdie at the par-5 eighth hole, Lonard would make the turn at 2 under and go on to birdie 11 to pull within two shots of the clubhouse-lead at 11 under. Baird parred the first eight holes but bogeyed the par-3 ninth hole to move back to 9-under total.

Lonard would go on to birdie the par-4 13th hole with a long 29-foot putt, and on the par-3 14th, the PGA TOUR Network was called into the arena to set things straight. I had called the shots as they came into the green and Baird's approach landed and rolled out to hit Lonard's golf ball on the green, hit it and moved it about five inches closer to the hole. The players did not see the contact and when Baird and Lonard walked up on the green I let Briny know that they had hit. He asked me if I saw it and I nodded, so he called me out on the green. I showed the two players the spot where Lonard's ball was originally at rest. Lonard replaced the ball and went on to make par.

Lonard made a solid two-putt par at the 15th hole from 72 feet and then made an aggressive driver play at the 299-yard par-4 16th hole that set up an eagle putt from 70 feet. Lonard would two-putt for birdie and take a share of the clubhouse lead of 13 under with two holes to play. Lonard hit his tee ball on the par-3 17th hole to the right staying away from the water on the left hand side. He drew a good lie and hit the chip shot where he wanted to hit it. He expected the ball to check up a little bit, however it released and left him with a five-foot par-putt that refused to fall over the front lip of the cup. Lonard then drove into the bunker off the tee at 18 and had to hit his third shot from 190 yards. He hit a 5-iron onto the par-5 green but could not drain the 40-foot birdie to tie Romero in the clubhouse.

Peter walked up to me for the post-round interview after signing his scorecard. I said, "Sorry Peter," and the big Aussie said, "Not your fault mate," with a smile. Then we went on the air and he gave us a great interview covering the day just as nice and humble as he could be.

Here is a guy that just lost a golf tournament in a gut-wrenching fashion, and he is dissapointed, yet personable with the media. I have covered a lot of sports and everytime I find myself giving up on modern athletes that have too much pride and no humility I just have to come back to this fragile game that we cover. The true gentleman's game. The game where players call penalties on themselves. The game where no one is beating his chest or pandering to the crowd. The only sport where the best players in the world actually set the best example of sportsmanship. That's what makes this game great! Congratulations Andres, and great run at him Peter!

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Make the cut or hunt for duck
By Maureen Madill
March 28, 2008

I was really looking forward to tracking down John Riegger this week at the TPC Louisiana course and introducing myself to the 44-year-old from Metropolis, Ill. Not because he is a big fan of duck shooting, but because he and I were both inducted into the Lamar University Cardinal Hall of Honor a couple of months ago. Unfortunately, a clash of dates meant I couldn't make the trip.

We met up on Thursday, but little did I realize that I would be following him in the second round of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, and that I would witness him fighting like crazy to make the 36-hole cut.

At the start of the week he was fourth alternate, but on Wednesday he learned he was in the field and arrived on site that evening. Not what you would consider the best preparation for a golf tournament, and after an opening-round 74 he knew he had some work to do.

Ditto Jim Furyk, with whom John was playing and who had opened with a 75 on Thursday. Furyk's lead-up to the Zurich Classic was somewhat different, however, as he recorded a joint runner-up finish at Doral the week before in the World Golf Championships-CA Championship.

As Furyk came to the 11th tee he was only 1-over par, and normally his unerring radar would have told him he would be safely employed on the weekend if he shot even par for two rounds. Surely that would not be beyond the reach of the world No. 5?

But two pulled shots later -- one on the 11th, and one on the 12th -- resulted in a pair of bogeys, and Furyk had essentially shot himself out of the tournament. The triple bogey on No. 17 was neither here nor there, and after a 74 the tournament had a notable casualty.

John was playing well and striking the ball beautifully, giving himself lots of birdie opportunities -- but the ball simply refused to drop. A bogey on the fifth was off-set by a solitary birdie on the 11th, scant reward for a host of good shots. His 72 for a 2-over total was two too many.

The two players had very different journeys to the first tee of the Zurich Classic, but unfortunately the outcome for both was the reality of packing their suitcase and leaving for home.

Fractions are the difference between success and failure on the PGA TOUR, the difference between playing on the weekend or not, the difference between winning or being second. I don't know how the players cope with the relentless grind and the constant precision required in ball striking, strategy and positive thinking.

Maybe I'll try a little duck shooting!

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Paradise found in the Big Easy
By Brett Wright
March 26, 2008

NEW ORLEANS -- Five first-time winners have claimed the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, including K.J. Choi (2002), Steve Flesch (2003), Tim Petrovic (2005), Chris Couch (2006) and Nick Watney (2007). Watney, the defending champion at TPC Louisiana this year, was the only player in the field to post four rounds in the 60s en route to his first win, as he finished three shots clear of runner-up and former Nationwide Tour standout Ken Duke.

But it was an unlikely area of Watney's game that paved the way for his inaugural win on the PGA TOUR. Entering the 2007 Zurich Classic, Watney was leading the TOUR in ball striking, but really struggling in putting -- until something about the greens at TPC Louisiana and his putter seemed to match up perfectly.

In retrospect, Watney and caddy Tim Goodall may owe some of their victory to superstition. Early in the week, Goodall had given Watney a coin for good luck, and they used it as a ball mark in the early rounds. But after starting the final round with consecutive bogeys, Goodall noticed the ball mark Watney had been using was not the lucky coin.

"I'm not superstitious, but I asked Nick where the coin was," Goodall said. "He told me it was somewhere in the bottom of the golf bag. So when we got to the fifth tee, we searched until we found it."

The coin was quickly pressed back into service, and the magic returned immediately: Watney holed a wedge shot from 133 yards at the 442-yard par-4 fifth for eagle. With his good fortune restored, Watney would not only hold off Duke, but challenges from Bubba Watson, Anthony Kim, Alex Cejka and Mark Calcavecchia, as well.

On the eve of his title defense, I asked Nick to record a hole description for our play-by-play coverage on the PGA TOUR Network (XM 146). He said, "Sure, what hole?"

"Do you remember No. 5?" I asked, trying to keep a straight face.

His smile quickly spread from ear to ear, and Nick described the hole by concluding: "That (eagle at No. 5) was really a key to the [win] looking back. I got off to such a shaky start with bogeys at the first two holes, and [was] just trying to get back on track. That eagle calmed me a little and gave me a confidence boost."

This year Watney came to New Orleans with a trio of top-25 finishes already under his belt, including a tie for fifth at the winners-only Mercedes-Benz Championship. But his ball-striking this year is not first on TOUR -- he ranked 36th heading into the event -- and his putting is again way down at No. 94 on the list.

Watney will be looking to join J.B. Holmes, the 2008 FBR Open champion, in a select group of players who won their first two tournaments on the PGA TOUR at the same event. Can he reclaim the magic that helped him break into the winner's circle at TPC Louisiana again this year?

"Hey Nick. Where is that coin?"