Tigers at it again...

In what is considered one of the most exciting events after the Opens, Masters and Ryder Cup have been played comes the Chevron World Challenge.  The field has been set all that's left to do is speculate who will take over Jim Furyk's crown.  This tournament is an event that's help in the off-season hosted by Tiger Woods.  

In 2007 was the time we saw Woods play in his own event.  Tiger has committed to playing and will leading the charge.  This event will be played in December 2-5 at Sherwood Country Club. The following are the players who have qualified to play in the Chevron World Challenge.

• Tiger Woods
• Sean O'Hair
• Graeme McDowell
• Martin Kaymer
• Jim Furyk
• Steve Stricker
• Paul Casey
• Luke Donald
• Rory McIlroy
• Dustin Johnson
• Matt Kuchar
• Ian Poulter
• Hunter Mahan
• Zach Johnson
• Anthony Kim
• Bubba Watson

The foundation will announce the two exemptions in the near future.  This is because of the world ranking points.  These two exemptions must come from the top 50. This tournament is about bragging rights and charities.    This event features a $5 million dollar purse that is split up amongst the top 18.  The Chevron World Challenge has raised approximately $20 million to benefit education-focused non profit operations.  The Nonprofit partners include: Tiger Woods Foundation, DonorsChoose.org, Project Lead the Way, Teach for America, and Telacu.  for more information about the World Challenge please visit: http://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/r478/

Coming Soon to a Bookstore near you...

His Father's Son : Earl and Tiger Woods 

 By: Tom Callahan

           In "His Father's Son" Tom gives his readers a full-blown biography of Earl Woods.  This biography touches on interviews with Earl, Tiger, friends and family members as well as coaches and veteran golf players.  Callahan provides an extraordinary look into the lives of Earl and Tiger and how the close relationship they had.  It is a remarkable story showing its readers the love between Earl and Tiger Woods.

Available November 2, 2010

Sam: The One and Only Sam Snead

By: Al Barkow

Its unfortunate but before this book was published few knew of the man Sammy Snead was his fears, his secrets and his dark side.  Sammy Snead is considered one of the greatest golfers of all time and there has yet to be a proper biography on him.  This book looks into the life of Sammy into one of the game's most mysterious figures.

Available November 16, 2010

Golf Style: Homes and Collections Inspired by the Course and Clubhouse

By: Vicky Moon

In this book of Golf Style Vicky focuses on every aspect of the lifestyle that the game has inspired.  Through golf courses including: Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia to Celtic Manor in Cardiff Wales, to Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wisconsin.  The reader has the ability to go through famous courses and clubhouses that have played host to major tournaments over the years.  You will become aware of golf-themed art and antiques collections, learning about the delicious meals served at the Masters, recall favourite films in which golf is the real star and the exquisite trophy's inspired by the game.

Available December 7, 2010

Wonder Girl: The Magnificent Sporting Life of Babe Didrikson

By: Don Van Natta

This is the extraordinary story of a nearly forgotten American Superstar athlete.  Texas born, Babe Didrikson never tried a sport too tough for her.  Even with the attempts made to keep women from participating in sports Babe achieved All-American status in basketball and won gold medals in track and field at the 1932 Olympics.  After achieving all that most would consider that to be sufficient.  Not Babe she had to conquer golf.  Babe is one of the founders of the LPGA, and won more consecutive tournaments then any other golfer in the story. Babe soon became ill being diagnosed with cancer.  Would that hold Babe back?  Read the book to find out.

Available June 2, 2011

Is it a slice? Is it a hook? No its just a golf joke...

"When I'm on the golf course and it starts to rain or lightning, I hold up my one-iron, because I know even god can't hit a one-iron" - Lee Trevino.

"Golf is like chasing a quinine pill around a cow pasture" -Winston Churchill

"It took me seventeen years to get 3,000 hits in baseball.  I did it in one afternoon on the golf course" -Babe Ruth

Golf Swindler

While sitting at a table in the clubhouse after a game, Stewart remarked to a fellow club member, I'm not going to play golf with Jim Lawler anymore.  'He cheats."

"Why do you say that?" asked his friend.

"Well, he found his lost ball two feet from the green; replied Stewart indignanty.

"That's entirely possible,' commented his friend.

"Not when I had his golf ball in my pocket," retorted Stewart with finality.

Tiger Woods and Arnold Palmer

Arnold Palmer and Tiger Woods are playing the 16th hole, when Tiger's tee shot lands behind a huge, 100 foot fir tree.  Tiger looks at Arnie and says, "How would you play this one? Lay up and take the extra stroke?"

Arnold replies: "When I was your age, I'd just play right over this tree,"

Tiger not wanting to be shown up by ol' Arnold Palmer, proceeds to hit the ball high, but not high enough.  It bounces off the tree and lands out of bounds.  Tiger, really ticked at this point, asks Arnold how he EVER hot a ball over that tree.

Arnold replied: "Well, when I was your age, that tree was only three feet tall."

A Scratch Golfer

Two women were put together as partners in a club tournament and met on the putting green for the first time.

After introductions, the first golfer asked, "What's your handicap?"

"Oh, I'm a scratch golfer," the other replied.

"Really!?" exclaimed the first women, suitably impressed that she was paired up with her.

"Yes, I write down all my good scores and scratch out the bad ones!"

After a whirlwind romance a couple married and went on a honeymoon.  "Darling," he said. "I've got a confession to make.  I'm a golf addict and play every weekend in the summer.  You'll hard ever see me."

The wife took a deep breath and said. " I too have a confession to make.  I'm a hooker."

"That's no big deal," said the husband, "Just keep your head down and your left arm straight."

Golf Jokes are not completed without a few one liners about Tiger woods.

• Did you hear Tiger changed his name to Cheetah?
• The police asked Tiger's wife how many times she hit him.  "I cant remember," Ellin said, "Just put me down for a 5."
• Ping has a new set of irons called Elins.  They're clubs you can beat Tiger with.
• Tiger's other women aren't Mistresses.  They're provisional.

Team Europe continues the drought for Team American to win on foreign soil

The Ryder Cup has concluded for another year and it was another exciting event that those professional golfers put on for us fans and viewers.  Through torrential downpours, darkness creeping over the golf course to postponing of numerous matches to the next day, the greenskeeeping staff at the Celtic Manor 2010 Golf Club have done an extraordinary job keeping the golf course playable through horrible weather conditions. Another issue was Team America's rain suits.  Each player was decked out in their colours and once the rain started to come their rain jackets were more like towels.  They raced into the Pro Shop at Celtic Manor and bought all the remaining rain gear available.  Below is a picture of the greenskeeping staff clearing off the water off the greens.

Mondays Single Pairings that started at 4:05a.m. ET included:

Europe vs. America

Lee Westwood vs. Steve Stricker

Rory McIlroy vss. Stewart Cink

Luke Donald vs. Jim Furyk

Martin Kaymer vs. Dustin Johnson

Ian Poulter vs. Matt Juchar

Ross Fisher vs. Jeff Overton

Miguel Angel Jimenez vs. Bubba Watson

Francesco Molinario vs. Tiger Woods

Edardo Molinari vs. Ricke Fowler

Peter Hanson vs. Phil Michelson

Padraig Harringston vs. Zach Johnson

Graeme McDowell vs. Hunder Mahan

Team Europe as able to pull off the win but it came down to the final match of the day Graeme McDowell and Hunder Mahan.  Graeme won it on the 17th hole allowing team Europe to win by a small margin of 14 and 1/2 points to 13 1/2 points.  Team America did battle back harder than every after a disappointing Sunday finish.  I think its important at this time to point out how well Tiger Woods played this weekend including today on his singles match.  With all the controversy about being a captains picked he proved himself to not only his country but to the world that he was perfect for a captains pick.

Team Europe celebrating their win

 

 

 

Winning matches for Team America were:

Stricker, Johnson, Overton, Woods, Michelson, Z. Johnson

Winning matches for Team Europe were:

Donald, Poulter, Jimenez, McDowell

 

For more information please visit : http://www.rydercup.com/2010/usa/

Ryder Cup Preview

In what could be one of the most anticipated golf tournament after all major tournaments have been completed will take place the weekend of Oct 1-3.  The Ryder Cup is a fascinating tournament with two teams; Team Europe and Team America.  The Ryder cup was developed in 1927 and is one of the and is know as one of the last great sporting events founded on prestige rather than prize money.  The origin of the idea was to play international matches between the best American professionals and the best of Great Briatain.  The format for this event consists of:
Day 1- Two Man Alternate Shot Match Play
Day 2-Two Man Best Ball
Day 3-Single Stroke Play

• Team Europe 
• Captain Colin Montgomerie
• Team Members
• Luke Donald, Ross Fisher, Peter Hanson, Padraig Harrington, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell, Rory McIlroy, Edardo Molinari, Francesco Molinari, Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood
• Vice Captains
• Thomas Bjorn, Darren Clarke, Sergio Garcia, Paul McGinley
• Team America 

• Captain Corey Pavin
• Team Members: 
• Phil Michelson, ,Hunter Mahan, Bubba Watsson, Jim Furyk, Steve Stricker, Dustin Johnson, Jeff Overton, Matt Kuchar, Stewart Cink, Rickie Fowler, Zach Johnson, Tiger Woods 
• Assistant Captains
• Paul Goydos, Tom Lehman, Davis Love III, Jeff Sluman

In a teleconference on Friday Sept 23rd Pavin (Captain of Team America) spoke to the Media about attempting to be successful on foreign soil for the first time since 1993.  He talked about how he is strategically trying to form partners for the different days and give the rookies a chat to give them some clarity on what to expect.  He also talked about picking Tiger Woods he states: 

"He's in a position as a pick, and he has not played up to his own standards, but he's playing some very good golf now; that I think just like everybody on the team, he's one of the 12 guys and I'm going to pair him and talk to him just like all of the other players I've talked to about who they want to play with and who I feel is best for them."  he went on to say: "I'm just going to look at ever player and try to figure out how many times to play them and where they will do better.  The object is to get more points then the other team at the end of the competition, and that's what I'm looking at."   

When he talked about the rookies and what eh would tell them on the first tee he commented: "The first thing is...breath would be a good thing.  I think, you know, when you're nervous like that, you tend to do things a little bit quicker, so you know, I'll just ask him to slow down a little bit and take some breaths and just try to relax and just try to make a good rhythmic swing.  Things happen so fast when you're nervous."

For more of Corey Pavins interview visit: http://www.rydercup.com/2010/usa/news/pavin_teleconference091710.cfm

 

Score Golf website did a slide show about the best outfits worn in Ryder Cup history. Above are some photos taken over the years.   The outfits over the years could be considered award winning.  Whether its a reflection of the past or the dominant colours that stand out either way these guys look great.