Andrew's World Vol. V

Well here we are a week after the Masters and the great triumph of Trevor Immelman, who became the first wire-to-wire winner since Seve in 1980. Every year the Masters somehow manages to create great drama and this year was no exception. At the start of Sunday's round Brandt Snedeker, Steve Flesch and Paul Casey were all in position to make a run for their first major victories and the green jacket. By the back nine all the aforementioned wilted under the pressure of claiming their first professional major, leaving the great Tiger Woods as the only golfer standing in Trevor's way. Well you know how the story ends, Tiger suddenly can not make a putt, and the dreams of his grand slam evaporate into thin air!......

Big props to Billy Payne, the Augusta National Chairman, who agreed to televise the Par-3 Tournament for the first time this year. Watching the cute offspring caddy for their dads at the Masters warmed this television viewers heart. I also liked the addition of past major champions who Augusta National invited to fill out the field for the Par-3, Charles Coody who made a hole in one, Paul Azinger and Wayne Grady.

Last column I commented on Brad Bryant who went 514 events without taking home any hardware. Well I did some more research and discovered that Bobby Wadkins went 713 tournaments in a long career on the PGA Tour without ever winning. Mike Mccullough went 405 events and Jim Dent went 403 to round out the top three...

Ever wonder who the iron men of professional golf are? Well I have and here are the top 5 to have played in the most PGA and Champions Tour events: Miller Barber 1,292, Dave Eichelberger 1,210, Arnold Palmer 1,053, JC Snead 1,033 and Jim Colbert who teed it up in a even 1,000 tournaments...

The most underrated golfer in the modern era is Billy Casper who had the misfortune to play in the era of Hogan, Nicklaus, Palmer and Gary Player. In his illustrious career Casper played in 556 events and won an astounding 51 times. Billy also placed in the top-ten an impressive 236 times! Maybe the lack of respect stems from the fact that Billy marched to the beat of his own drum, openly embracing his Mormon faith and carrying a lot of weight on his beefy physique. I would like to see this impressive player get his due props, but I will not hold my breathe waiting for the acclaim Billy Casper deserves...

The P.G.A. Tour returns to South Carolina to the Harbour Town links for the Verizon Heritage Classic. Harbour Town is a 6,973 yard par 71, designed by Pete Dye with extensive consultation from Jack Nicklaus. In years past, Harbour Town was a must play event for the top professionals, but with the absence of Tiger, Phil and Vijay, the tournament has been reduced to secondary status on the circuit these days. This is a shame considering what a great golf challenge Harbour Town presents and the impressive list of past winners: Jack Nicklaus, Payne Stewart, Nick Price, Greg Norman and Davis Love; all Hall of Famers who have captured the title and worn their red blazers with pride...

I love to watch golf but get annoyed with the commentary provided by the talking heads of the Golf Channel, CBS, and our good buddies at NBC. I am fed up with announcers and their lack of research. Time and time again we are reminded of the same stories and facts regurgitated ad nauseum for our supposed benefit, to increase our viewing pleasure. Next time you see Shingo Katamaya do not be surprised if the analyst lets us know for the 10,000th time that he contended at the 2,001 PGA Championship. Please tell me anything else but that... Maybe he recently won a Japanese four ball event! Any time Dean Wilson appears on television they always remind us that he was paired with Annika Sorenstam in Texas a few years ago. Ryan Palmer, Bob Burns, Rich Beem, Darren Clarke all beat Tiger to win a event, but surely they have done other things while maybe not as significant, but would still enlighten us to know. I do not mean to be too critical but c’mon guys do some reading of Golf Weekly or spend some of your precious time on PGATour.com...

Well fans it is always fun to write these columns, I hope you learned some more knowledge of the game we all love!

Andrew's World Vol. IV

Golf fans rejoice, I am back and have a lot to talk about. I've had software problems and was hoping that the editor would pen an article previewing the Masters, but alas the said piece never materialized as my editor spent the weekend in the dentist chair….The Masters begins with the annual par 3 tourney today and TV cameras make their debut in what should be a very interesting 9 holes. The winner of the par 3 has never gone on to capture the Masters. In 1990, Raymond Floyd had a three shot lead with four holes to play, but lost in a heartbreaking playoff to Nick Faldo.

This writer's favorite Masters occurred in 1987, the year Larry Mize hit the chip shot which a stunned Greg Norman can only watch as he dream is denied one more time…….What do Aaron Olberholser, Lee Janzen, Rocco Mediate, Lucas Glover, and Fred Couples have in common? They prefer to play golf a-natural, which is gloveless. Bob Estes was in this group until last week in Houston, he donned a glove for the first time in his professional career…..
I am a big fan of opposite tournaments on the P.G.A. tour, which allow veteran pros the opportunity to compete on the big circuit. In Puerto Rico, longtime journeymen Joel Edwards, Phil Taturangi, Mike Heinen, Dan Forsman and Willie Wood all made appearances in what has become a rarity for older non-exempt professionals….

I have been watching a lot of the European Tour this year and have enjoyed seeing our overseas brethren ply their trade. The commentary is quite different in comparison to the often extremely chatty talking heads we have become accustomed to listening every weekend on the PGA Tour. During a telecast, the announcers often lapse into intervals of silence which sometimes last for as long as 30 seconds! The European Tour players have a very bold style of fashion unlike the majority of bland cookie cutter fashions favored by there PGA Tour counterparts. Argyles and plaids are commonplace, as are brightly colored trousers featuring bold hues: orange, canary yellow, and fuchsia!

Commenting on fashion, I have to mention Woody Austin who must be color blind or he never looks into the mirror prior to leaving for the golf course. Woody, the former bank teller, used to sport those hideous Tabasco shirts featuring what seemed like hundreds of little Tabasco bottles. At the Zurich, I noticed he had a tri-color shirt with palettes that didn’t quite match. Other players who have committed fashion faux paus include Craig Barlow who wears high-water khakis and Duffy Waldorf's shirts with colors patterns that hurt the naked eye!....

Greg Kraft captured the Puerto Rican Open in his 378 event on tour, which must have seemed like an eternity to the veteran touring pro. Dr Dirt a.k.a. Brad Bryant broke through in his 515th professional event at the Disney Classic. I did some research on PGATour.com and complied a list of the top 5 pros who have made the most starts without a win: Skip Kendall 394, Marco Dawson 353, Brett Quigley 315, Jay Willamson 302, and Harrison Frazer 282……

Chris Couch, the former golf prodigy from the University of Florida, has fallen on hard times. In 2006 he won the Zurich Classic and some $1,356,731 and the following year he made $355,386 and fell to 153rd on the money list. In 2008, he has made 1 cut and banked a whopping $1,693 in official money and Chris was not given a sponsor's exemption in New Orleans. Well Chris I hope things improve for you in 2008, looks like things can only get better for you.

I hope everyone enjoys The Masters this week. You can follow the tournament and watch live coverage at www.masters.org

Andrew's World, Vol. III

Well the Florida Swing is over and what a exciting four weeks it has been! First Ernie Els returns to the winner circle, then Sean O'Hair triumphs, and Eldrick drills a 24 footer on the 72 hole to win Bay Hill. Then we get to see Geoff Ogilvy win at Doral holding off Vijay, Furyk, Goose, and King Tiger, and add a second World Golf Championship trophy to his mantle.

The Tavistock Cup has really become a big deal to the PGA Tour. The Golf Channel televises the interclub 4-ball matches between Isleworth and Lake Nona. The roster of players participating in this event is impressive. Some of the best European touring pros and of course Mr. Woods.

I would like to share a story with you I recently read in the magazine section of the New York Times about two African American sisters from Bradenton, Florida. Ginger and Robbi Howard are 13 and 12 respectively, and are considered two of the best junior prospects in the United States. Ginger has won a astounding 83 tournaments and Robbi who plays left handed, has 62 trophies in her collection. Their father sacrifices all of his time and money in the pursuit of his daughter's dream of playing on the LPGA Tour. You can check out these very talented prodigies at gingerandrobbi.com.

The American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) celebrates its 30 anniversary in 2008, as the premiere junior golf circuit in the country. The inaugural event, called the Rolex Tournaments of Champions, was held at Inverrary Country Club in Lauderhill Florida. The roster of players who competed included future touring pros: Mark Brooks, Andrew Magee, Jim Gallagher Jr, Mark Calcavecchia, and Jodie Mudd. The final round featured the same exact pin positions of the Jackie Gleason, held earlier at Inverrary that year and won by Jack Nicklaus who closed with 5 birdies. Willie Wood took the AJGA title shooting an impressive 69, good for a four shot victory.

The following players scare me when they take their hats off, Stewart Cink, Brendan Pappas, Steve Flesch and Jonathon Byrd. Not to be too critical but a sunburned face and a ghostly white chrome dome really is very disturbing. I wonder if those guys wear their hats when they are at home?

In a 360 degree turn lets discuss the hirsute members of the tour, who sadly only count one pro amongst their ranks, Charley Hoffman. Remember days of yester-year when a few touring pros favored the look of long hair? Here is my top 5 all time list of the longest hair to grace our beloved Tour: Emlyn Aubrey, Bill Glasson, Nolan Henke, Pat Bates, and David Peoples.

Question: Are they actually going to play the Skins Game this year and will you watch? I will not because the concept is tired,un-inspiring, and just plain tedious. Last years snorefest featured bland Brett Wetterich, snide Stephen Ames, Milquetoast Zach Johnson, and Fred Couples who never seems to have another commitment around Thanksgiving. The novelty of the skins game lays in the promise of making upwards of a years salary in a two day event. Now that our heroes are making millons and are flying around the world in private jets, the charm of the Skins Game is long gone. If the tour is interested in reviving this format, they need to create some controversy. Remember when Tom Watson accused Gary Player of cheating and they had a vicious argument? I want to see hostile pairings featuring guys who do not like each other. Bring back Tiger but pit him against Rory Sabbatini, Ian Poulter, and Greg Norman. I want to see Tiger play against guys who do not like him and are jealous of his success!

Do you read the money list like a broker would the stock market? I do and here is the list of 3 pros who led the bottom of tour money for 2007: Jerry Smith, Jim Rutledge, and Jacob Van Zyl. Smith played in 19 events and made $63,335 in official money for the year. To put this in perspective, 58 year old Tom Watson played in only 2 events last year and made 64,350. So Jerry, I hope you have a better year in '08.

Well golf fans it has been fun and hope you have learned a few more useless facts ,and enjoy the Zurich Classic this week!

Andrew's World, Volume II

Retief Goosen is singing the blues. The Goose has fallen to 31st in the World Rankings and is rolling the ball like he is using a broom as a flatstick. Davis Love is another decorated veteran who is determined to improve his status on Tour. DL3 has competed in 70 straight majors and is currently on the bubble for Augusta. I am rooting for Love and Colin Montgomerie (also on the outside looking in) on their quest for Augusta.

I love watching Golf Channel presentations of classic tournaments of days gone by. Jack wins his third and last British Open in 1978 at the birthplace of golf, St. Andrews. I really dig the fashion of those days: tri-colored golf shoes and argyle sweaters. There was an impressive list of players the Golden Bear vanquished on his way to the claret jug in '78: Seve, Johnny Miller, Hale Irwin, Lanny Wadkins, Isao Aoki and ultimately Simon Owen all fell as King Jack reigns supreme and captures his 15 major championship. The Nationwide Tour, formerly know as the Hogan Circuit, celebrates its 19th year in existence. The inaugural class graduated 5 players to the big show. Those golfers are Mike Springer, Jim McGovern, Dick Mast, Ed Humenik and the still active Jeff Maggert. Speaking of Maggert, remember when he hit himself attempting a sand shot at Troon in 04? Equally unexplainable, how did Todd Hamilton beat Ernie, Steve Elkington, and Frenchmen Thomas Levet in a 4 hole playoff? If I remember correctly, Els had a relatively easy putt to win and missed, resulting in his demise.

Remember the old CBS bit profiling young up and coming players called The New Breed? I would like to nominate Aussies Jason Day, Nick Flanagan and the slightly older John Mallinger and Steve Marino as the young guns on the Tour. I guess you could make arguments for Kevin Na, Anthony Kim and the photogenic Camilo Villegas for inclusion into this club also. Villegas is featured in a commercial for a device which is supposed to increase swing speed by utilizing a weighted stick as a training aid. The infomercial claims that this apparatus will allow its user to swing the club with the same swing speed that the Colombian generates, allowing you to strike the ball a country mile! But they never mention that Camilio has like a 31 inch waist and biceps the size of baseballs and no matter how many times I swing this heavy pole, I will never hit the ball like Villegas! All of the commercials I see always claim their product or device will grant you the ability to play the long ball. But isn’t the old cliché "drive for show, putt for dough" usually true? I would rather putt like Ben Crenshaw or even Loren Roberts, than drive the ball long distances. But Roberts missed the most important putt in his life at Oakmont in '94 at the 72 hole, a fairly easy 4 footer and the glory of being U.S. Open Champion. Well… I guess it's never easy to make a putt of any length to capture a major championship; Doug Sanders, Ed Sneed, and Scott Hoch all missed short putts to lose the biggest title they almost won. Ironically the men who benefited from their misses were Jack Nicklaus, Fuzzy Zoeller, and Nick Faldo, all of whom went on to win more majors.

Ever notice that one brother is always a much better player than their siblings? Tommy and John Jacobs, Dave and Mike Hill, Lanny and Bobby Wadkins, Curtis and Allen Strange, David and Danny Edwards, Tom and Curt Byrum, Jim and Jeff Gallagher and Kevin and David Sutherland. Sometimes the universe rights a wrong and the roles reverse on the Senior Circuit; at least they have in the case of John Jacobs, Mike Hill, and Bobby Wadkins. Does anybody know how many hours we have left until Augusta?
-Andrew

Honda Classic Day Two

Brian Davis continued his solid play, getting around P.G.A. National in 67 strokes. Brian, a little known Englishmen, arrived in South Florida playing very poorly. His best finish this year was 26th at the Bob Hope Desert Classic. Matt Jones, also relatively unknown, was a graduate of the Nationwide Tour last year and turned in a 3-under 67.

Dudley Hart who is back on Tour after sitting out last year on a medical exemption, fired a 66 to continue his solid play this year. Hart, a college teammate of Chris DiMarco and Pat Bates, has all ready banked $323,000 this year, good for 49th on the money list. Ben Crane, also on a medical exemption this year, is tied with promising Californian John Mallinger.

Ernie Els is in search of his first win in the states in a long time. The Big Easy posted 3-under, tied with several players: Robert Allenby, Joe Durant and Argentinen Jose Coceres. Jose who lost in the playoff last year, won twice in 2001 but hasn’t hoisted up a trophy since then.

First round leader Luke Donald returned to Earth and could only muster 4-over, sliding all the way to 12th place. First round contenders Tim Wilkinson and Jimmy Walker had rounds over par and barely made the cut as also did the reclusive Davis Love III. Rich Beem, David Duval, Fred Funk and defending champion Mark Wilson all have the weekend off. Having spent several years wintering in West Palm...okay I was caddying for hackers to pay the rent... I would recommend hanging out at the Breakers and enjoy the beach!

Honda Classic Day One

The Honda Classic kicked off the Florida Swing on Thursday morning. Conditions were extremely tough, very windy and a cool breeze made scoring very difficult at P.G.A. National. Last year's event, won by Mark Wilson, was the third highest winning score on Tour behind only the Masters and U.S. Open. The majority of the field shot over 70, but a few players managed to post low numbers. English professional golfer and accomplished oil artist, Luke Donald turned a magnificent 6-under 64. Brian Davis also British, shot a year best to date 65. Slow start this year for Brian who is sitting a dismal 145th on the money list, banking a measly 52,000...

Australian Matt Jones was in third after posting 66 ahead of Ernie and Kevin Sutherland, lefty Tim Wilkinson, Brett Quigley and Nationwide graduate Jimmy Walker.

P.G.A. National, designed by George Fazio was given a face lift by Jack Nicklaus in 1990. The 15 hole, aptly named the bear trap, is a 228 yard nightmare that claimed 28 balls to their watery graves on Thursday. Boo Weekley, who lost in a playoff last year, opened up with a even par and gave a, interview to the Golf Channel. I would like to tell you what Boo said but I can't understand a word that comes out of his mouth. Scrolling down my blackberry while viewing the scores, I came across David Duval 2-over. Not that you would know he is there, the announcers ignore the struggling former #1 player who continues to disappoint in his comeback. Duval's struggle proves how tough professional golf can be. Rounding out the bottom are veteran Billy Andrade 79, Duke graduate and P.G.A. board member Joe Ogilivie came in with an 80 and Stadler Junior, who turned in 81.These guys are planning their weekend away from the course and Palm Beach is great place hang out!

Andrew

Andrew's World

I love to read other writers who write columns about meaningless trivialities which have no impact on our daily lives. Nothing better than celebrity gossip of Rush and Molloy or the self importance of the news according to Mike Lupica, or the words of Peter Vecsey, who has entertained me for 25 years as the mouthpiece of the N.B.A. If imitation is the most sincere form of flattery then I am guilty as charged! So in honor of these fine gentlemen I present to you Andrew's World a tribute the P.G.A. Tour's useless facts, hyperbole,and speculation So here I go… …..

Greg Norman who has been invisible for like three years on the Tour, is suddenly ubiquitous, a term not associated with the Shark in recent years. We see him in Mayakoba kissing Chrissy and then Commander Tim bestows the Aussie with the Presidents cup captaincy! Speaking of Miss Evert, the glamorous duo were reported house hunting in Palm Beach and hopefully one with a nice tennis court no doubt.

Word is Chrissy has gotten Norman to start playing tennis. Speaking of the biannual drama, made for television Presidents Cup, do you actually believe Fred Couples is the right man to lead the team? By the way nobody ever asks why Boom Boom is always single, I wonder why he and lovely Thais broke up? Steve Lowery is a example of the old adage if you stick with something long enough, you will prosper in the end. I remember his early days on tour when he was a bottom feeder, dew scraper, qualifier who wouldn’t give up. You know he has really has a flair for the dramatic with the double eagle at the International and his 3 wins all came in playoffs. The victims are in order Rick Fehr, David Duval, and Vijay! You gotta like a guy who grips the club down to the shaft.

Highly touted Aussie Nick Flanagan had a top ten finish at Mayakoba after a 5-over 75, good stuff there Junior.

Justin Leonard is off and running in his quest for the Ryder Cup and that’s a good thing. However I will never forget that 3 iron from 240 yards away at Whistling Straits that came up short and opened the door for Vijay to win the Wannamaker Trophy in a playoff. I hope the affable Texan can forget that shot next time he has a chance to win a major.

Speaking of Texas, do you wonder if Chad Campbell, the pride of Port Arthur will ever win a triumph at one of golf's big four? You know he almost had one except Shaun Micheel hit that fantastic 7 iron at Oak Hill on that sunny afternoon in Rochester, N.Y.

Strange but true coincidences: Robert Gamez hit a 7 iron at Bay Hill to victimize the Shark. Returning to Greg, I can't help myself, his first strange but true golf shot wasn’t struck by Bob Tway from a bunker on the 18 at Inverness. Norman lost his first tournament on the P.G.A. Tour in a playoff at Bay Hill to little known Mike Nicollete. Nicollete who retired from golf in 1988, dropped a bomb similar to the length of the eagle putt that Tiger made to crush J.B. Holmes. Would you watch Tiger work out and practice this week at home? I would -does that make me weird, or just plain honest?

I would like to say goodbye to Joey Sindelar who turned 50 this year. Great gig that Champions Tour with a 3 day work week with no cut. Joey won his hometown tournament, the now defunct B.C. Open. Sindelar won in 1985 and had a hole in one Sunday, which accompanied a roar from the gallery heard several counties away! Good luck Joey and thanks for the memories.

The Florida Swing

The P.G.A. Tour completed the West Coast swing with Tiger Woods' thrilling victory, at the Accenture World Match Play Championship. Now the Tour moves to East for the next month of golf which is called the Florida Swing.
In years gone past before the advent of the World Golf Championship and the emergence of King Woods, the Florida Swing was often the seasonal debut for P.G.A. Tour professionals. Nick Price, Greg Norman, Seve Ballesteroes, and Ernie Els would skip the West Coast, stay home for the holidays on their respective continents and rejoin the Tour in Florida. In the days pre-Tiger, European pros would often stay home to play and get guaranteed money for appearing in local tournaments on various tours. Now with the big $$ that is paid out weekly in the Tiger era, the European, South African and Austrailian touring pros are playing on the West Coast and are ready to compete when the Tour hits PGA National for the Honda Classic.
I am going to analyze the Florida swing discuss the golf courses and throw in some obscure facts that I have somehow managed to remember. The Honda Classic is the first stop in sunny Palm Beach. PGA National is a par 70, designed by George Fazio and measuring 7,241 yards. Redesigned by Jack Nicklaus in 1990, the track has hosted some big events in the past. The Ryder Cup was played here in 1983 and hard to believe it now, but the U.S. team was victorious. The 1987 P.G.A featured Larry Nelson outlasting fellow veteran Lanny Wadkins in a playoff. The event was won last year by journeymen Mark Wilson, the former Tar Heel who ended 11 years of frustration with his first win.
Next up is the Pods Championship slated at the Resort Copperhead at Innisbrook. The course is designed by Larry Packard, an accomplished architects with credits all over the Midwest. Mark Calcavecchia revived his stagnant career with a 1 shot victory over Heath Slocum and Austrailian John Senden.
The following week the Tour returns to Bay Hill for the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Bay Hill, created by genius Dick Wilson in 1961, is a classic design which is a relatively long par 70, measuring 7,239 yards. Robert Gamez holing out from 176 yards with a 7 iron, to take the victory is the tournament's greatest moment. For me, I vividly remember Dan Forsman taking down Ray Floyd in a playoff at the 1986 event, which inspired me to copy Forsman's swing. Unfortunately the swing did not work and soon disappeared as so lamentably has Dan from the tour these days.
The big news at Bay Hill is the return of the chosen one, Mr Woods who will make his Florida debut at Bay Hill. Tiger, who won this invitational 4 times in a row, was a member of Bay Hill in his early days in Florida until he became bourgeoisie and moved into the gated Islesworth community. The final stop in the Florida swing is the World Golf Championship, played at the famed Doral Resort & Spa on the aptly named Blue Monster. Par 72 and featuring 7,125 yards of perfection created by the aforementioned genius Dick Wilson, Doral is a stern test for the playing elite. Last year's tournament was won by Tiger, who was paired with Phil Mickelson for the first two rounds. I love the moment when lefty handed a spectator a couple $100 bills after breaking his watch with a errant tee shot. This was a first in broadcast history.
So golf fans sit back and enjoy the Florida Swing and remember that all roads lead North to Augusta!

Mayakoba Classic Recap

The Mayakoba Classic brought ideal conditions on this picturesque golf course located at Carmen del Playa. Designed by full-time businessman and occasional pro golfer Greg Norman, El Camaleon has stunning views of the Carribean Sea.

On Sunday, everyone was chasing winless Brian Gay. Gay, whose career spans 10 years, led the Colonial in 2004 after 54 holes only to stumble and eventually finish 14th. Leading by 5 shots, Gay posted a 1-under 69, good for his first win in 293 events. Steve Marino made things interesting firing a 66 good for solo-second. I really like this sophomore from Oklahoma who has made over 600,000 clams this season and looks like a player who will win soon. Matt Kuchar and John Merrick tied for 3rd, each carding a 67. Cliff Kresge, best known for falling in the water at the TPC's 17th hole island green, had a great round shooting 66 to finish fourth.

Nice to see Nationwide rookies Nick Flanagan and Roland Thatcher sneak inside the top ten. Rounding out the bottom is Brett Rumford 12-over, Martin Laird 15-over and Bob Burns +19- didn’t he beat Tiger Woods once? Well guys, do not be too upset- you made more money than I did this week and you get to hang out in Cabo. On a personal interest note I wonder what Greg and Chrissy did all weekend? Well children see you next week with more analysis, speculation and useless trivia from the writer.

-Andrew

Player Profile: Calvin Peete

It's a real shame when you consider how much Calvin Peete accomplished and the magnitude of the struggle he endured on his way to the PGA Tour and throughout his tremendous career. Calvin Peete was considered the greatest African American player until Tiger Woods came along. Calvin Peete was born on July 18, 1943 and grew up in Detroit, Michigan. Early in his life he broke his right arm falling out of a tree, plaguing him throughout his Tour playing days. Leaving school at age 13, Calvin became a migrant worker, travelling throughout the east coast selling various goods and taking any odd job he could find. One day as fate would have it, Calvin's friends made plans to play golf, a thought that Peete was against at first. Peete then decided to accompany his buddies rather than sit in a hot car all afternoon waiting for them to finish. Calvin does not remember what he shot that day, but he made a par at the short 7th hole, a par 3. From that moment on, at the advanced age of 23, Calvin devoted every waking hour to learning the game of golf. He practiced for hours in trailer parks and on football fields, often hitting thousands of balls until his hands literally bled. Throughout his learning curve, professional golf seemed like a pipe dream to a poor, black, uneducated man. Calvin learned the nuances of the game from books and quickly became a scratch golfer. He learned how to compete under pressure against golf hustlers at Genesee Valley Park.

In 1974, Calvin watched professional golfer Lee Elder win the Monsanto Open and become the first African American to qualify for the Masters. Upon hearing that Elder won a nice amount of money, Peete became determined to make it to the PGA Tour. In 1975, after only 3 tries at the PGA Tour's Qualifying school, Calvin received his playing privileges, becoming a rookie at the age of 28 with very limited tournament experience.

In 1976, Peete began the long apprenticeship in becoming a winner on Tour. He started by first learning how to make cuts and handling his nerves in contention. In his fourth year as a professional, Calvin won the Milwaukee Open and gained the much-needed confidence that a short hitter on Tour needs to win at the highest level. In 1981 Calvin qualified for the Ryder Cup, but was not able to play because of some archaic rule which required a high school diploma to participate. Undaunted, Calvin approached the situation with the determination to overcome any obstacles without becoming angry or bitter. With his wife's tutoring, he received his G.E.D. and was part of the victorious 1983 Ryder Cup team.

Calvin's breakout year occurred in 1982 when he won 4 times: Milwaukee, Anhueser Busch, BC Open and in Pensacola. Despite the success, Calvin had few friends on Tour and he was often lonely and misunderstood by fellow players. He had little in common with his upper crust white contemperaries and preferred the company of the caddies whose skin color and social background was similar to his. There was also an issue with Calvin winning the Vardon Trophy awarded to the Tour player with the lowest scoring average. He had a reputation of dropping out of Tournaments when he posted opening round high scores, leading fellow players to accuse him of withdrawing to protect his scoring average. Calvin answered his critic's disapproval with the explanation that his back and right arm often hurt so bad that he wasn’t able to swing a club.

Despite the controversy that surrounded him, Calvin continued to win more golf tournaments. In 1983 he triumphed at Alanta and in the Anhueser Busch. The following year, he won the Texas Open. In 1985 Calvin won early in the year at Phoenix and in March headed to Jacksonville in what would become his greatest victory of all.

The stadium course at T.P.C. Sawgrass was the brainchild of commissioner Deane Beman and designer Pete Dye. The course was only three years-old and was considered the toughest venue on tour, in fact, it's still considered the tour's toughest stop. Calvin arrived that week extremely confident that he could find the fairway off the tee, a strong part of his game and a must for the tight confines of the Stadium Course. The display he put on all week was astounding. Averaging less than 260 yards off the tee, he would hit fairway woods into par four greens. By Sunday it was a runaway victory.

His Sunday tee shot on the famous 17 hole island green would be the icing on the cake. Landing only a few feet away from the pin, the roar of the gallery was a tribute to a lifetime of hard work and respect that this strong African-American man deserved for his incredible victory that week and in life.

The following year he continued his winning ways by capturing the annual Tournament of Champions and the USFG played in New Orleans. Calvin never won another professional tournament and eventually played on to the Senior Tour.

Now retired from golf, Peete spends his days teaching youth the fundamentals of the game he loves. All but forgotten in the world of pro golf, he never plays on the Senior Tour and has not merited inclusion to the hall of fame. From 1981 to 1990 he led the tour in driving accuracy, won 11 times and played on two Ryder Cup team. On the Senior Tour he set a record for having a driving accuracy percentage of 80.9% that still stands today.

I personally believe he should be inducted to the PGA Hall of Fame despite never having won a major tournament. 39 years ago, a poor, black migrant worker decided to follow his friends in a game of golf, rather than sit in a hot jalopy all afternoon. The world is a better place because of his decision to play and hopefully golf will one day recognize his contributions by inducting Calvin Peete in the Hall.

-Andrew

Mayakoba Classic Day Three

On day 3 of the Mayakoba Classic, the big story was Brian Gay as the veteran fired a sizzling 62! Gay, who turned pro in 1994, is still seeking his first win in his 293 tournament starts on tour.

Brian, who grew up in Fort Worth, Texas, is used to playing in windy conditions and he distanced himself from the field with a 5 shot lead. Steve Marino posted a 6-under 64 for solo possession of second place. Matt Kuchar, who has largely been a underachiever in his 9 year professional career, shot a 63 and is tied for third. Kuchar, who finished a year best 14th in L.A. last week, won the U.S. Amateur in 1997 over Joel Kribel.

First round leader John Merrick hung in the tough conditions with a 69 ahead of Esteban Toledo, who carded a 63, to move in contention for a big cheque. Chris Stroud out of Lamar (where exactly is Lamar?), Nationwide Tour standout Roland Thatcher and redhead Tim Petrovic round out the top 10.

Nice to see Nick Price on hiatus from the Champions Tour. Nicky is tied with veteran scraper Greg Kraft for 14 place! Let's go down the leaderboard and see who is battling for last place? Harrison Frazer, Bob Burns and Aussie Brett Rumford all are fighting for last place. Well guys take solace that a bad week at Cabo is still better than shoveling snow and freezing your ass off!

Mayakoba Classic Day Two

The Mayakoba Classic continued play on Friday in Mexico. The full-field event is played opposite the Accenture World Match, offering rookies and veterans the chance to make a good paycheck. The EL Camaleon Golf Club is a par 70 6,923 yard scenic golf course with great views of the Gulf of Mexico, designed by Greg Norman. On Friday the EL Camaleon didn’t appear so pretty as the pros struggled with the heavy winds and fast greens resulting in high scores.

Thankfully Norman, who shot 79, finished his round before the telecast started, thus sparing us viewers the painful task of watching the Great White Shark miss the cut. Though we did get to see tennis queen Chrissy Evert dutifully following her man around as he could barely make a par today.

The lead again belonged to 25 year-old John Merrick, who hails from Long Beach California and played his college golf at U.C.L.A. Merrick turned in a 68, followed by winless veteran Brian Gay who carded a 67. Gay, who attended University of Florida- a team that included P.G.A. Tour veterans Chris DiMarco and Pat Bates, is best remembered for incurring a two stroke penalty on the 71st hole at the Honda and finished second.

Australian David Lutterus turned in a 1-under round for third place, followed by rising sophomore Steve Marino shot 1-under and has already banked $330,616, good for 38th on the money list. Nice to see old stalwarts Nick Price and Larry Mize playing well too. The duo of major championship winners were at 2-under par and 1-under respectively. The quartet I mentioned yesterday: John Huston, Lee Janzen, Andrew Magee, Mark Brooks; all missed the cut except for Brooks, who turned in a 1-over 71.

I always like to see Corey Pavin play well, he had a third place finish at the Northern Trust Open. Still using that ancient Accushnet bladed putter, Pavin, who won in Milwaukee 2 years ago, is in 24th place. Tom Byrum, Carlos Franco, Bubba Watson and Jim Gallagher Jr. will all have the weekend off. I wonder if you work on your game over the weekend or just hang out in Cabo and eat and drink yourself silly? Okay kids, I will be back tomorrow with more analysis, speculations and a recap of moving day.

-Andrew

Mayakoba Classic Day One

Day one at the Mayakoba Classic in Mexico started on Thursday. The tournament, played opposite the Accenture World Match Play, creates a opportunity for veterans and rookies to bring home a big cheque. The big story of day one was Greg Norman; at least that is what the T.V. announcers would lead you to believe. Making a rare tour appearance at a course he designed, Norman got off to a quick start and was 3 under at one point, but finished at even for the day. Norman, who is in the spotlight more often for his romance with Chris Evert and a contentious divorce costing him $100 million, is still in great shape for a man 53 years old!

Newbie John Merrick (No...not the Elephant Man) fired a 6-under 66, marking the low round of the day. Tour veterans Larry Mize and Robert Damron, along with Irishmen Kenneth Ferrie carded matching 5-under 67's.

Bloated John Daly posted 4-under as did journeyman Brian Gay and rookie Tommy Gainey. I really enjoy these minor events on tour which allows veteran golfers a chance to get into a full field P.G.A. sanctioned event.

Andrew Magee (Golf Channel desk-man), Len Mattiace, Mark Brooks, John Huston and Lee Janzen, all non-exempt, were in the field. Promising Australian Nick Flanagan continued his poor play and crept in with a 77, Kent Jones 80 and long-but-wrong Bubba Watson posted 81, while last place James Driscoll shot 84. These players will have the weekend off and the prospect actually looks nice. The Gulf offers nice beaches, great restaurants and every brand of tequila known to mankind! Not a bad way to spend your weekend.

See you tomorrow golf fans.

-Andrew

The Battle For #2

The P.G.A. Tour is unique among all other sports. In the N.F.L. there is usually a different Superbowl winner every year. In the N.B.A. or M.L.B. the Spurs and Sox do not always win the championship. Golf is a game where the champion of the tour is determined by a sliding scale of points assigned to all individual tournaments on the P.G.A., European, Asian and Australian tours.

In the last 9 years, Vijay was the only player to take the number one ranking from Tiger Woods; however that was only for year-ending 2004. In the following year, Tiger returned to top form and now leads the number two golfer, Phil Mickelson, by double the points value. Basically, this means that we will not see another golfer reach the number one spot until Tiger retires from the game.

Why is the golfer formerly known as Eldrick so much better than every one else? I believe the main reason Tiger is superior can be attributed to genetics. The product of a interracial relationship from a African American father and Thai mother, Tiger has inherited the best of both worlds from his parents. Asian golfers have always been competitive on the all of the professional tours, and have even contended in major tournaments. Mr. Liu from Formosa, now known as Taiwan, almost won the 1971 British Open and Japanese pros Isao Aoki and T.C. Chen both narrowly missed out on U.S. Open crowns. K.J. Choi and Shigeki Maruyama, the best Asian golfers on the P.G.A. Tour currently, have neither come close to winning one of the big 4. Tiger is also part African-American and is the most fit golfer on the circuit. His father's intense training program and unique background have made him possibly the strongest golfer ever- both mind and body. So now I have stated the obvious- Tiger is number 1- who is the leader in the race for #2?

Phil Mickelson, who was a child prodigy and groomed from childhood like Tiger to be the best in the world, is the front runner to be second best. Phil has 3 majors, 33 tour wins and has recently employed Butch Harmon as his swing coach. However, his commitment to fitness has always been suspect. I have seen him so heavy that he has sported man-boobs, though this year he appears 20 pounds lighter.

Adam Scott has also made statements recently about wanting the coveted 2 spot and has worked with Butch Harmon for years. Scott, who has a lean physique, is very determined to be the best on tour. I believe he will fail because his putting is average at best. Rory Sabbatini's dream world has a vision of going toe-to-toe with El Tigre and knocking Woods from the top. Well I liked the fact that Rory is vocal about being the best, but honestly his mouth has written some checks his ass couldn’t cover. Paired with Tiger in the final group on Sunday, he crumbled like a amateur golfer trying to qualify for the local muni-championship. Personally, I think Rory needs to work on his game more and spend less time bedazzling his belt buckles.

Last but not least we have the flamboyant Englishmen Ian Poulter. A few weeks ago, Ian made some ridiculous comments implying that when he reaches his full potential, Tiger will be the last man between Poulter and the coveted number 1 ranking. Poulter, now ranked 22 in the world, has 7 wins on the European Tour. He is a good player, but has failed to win on the U.S. P.G.A. Tour and disappears from contention in the majors. I really dig his style and taste in clothing, especially those pants with the union-jack embroidered on the pant-leg. He also has some pretty amazing hair. Sorry Ian, your fantasy will probably not come to fruition, but I really admire your moxie.

Well kids, I hope you enjoyed my analysis on why Tiger is 1 and the everlasting battle for number 2!

(Amy Mickelson is always #1 in every fan's eyes)

I've Got A Secret...

I have a secret that is embarassing to admit to even my closet friends, family and anyone who would ever date me. It's a part of my past that I assumed was buried and gone... I must accept that there is a issue that I must resolve. I know what you are thinking my friend and you are wrong. I am not talking about drugs, sex or even food. So here goes my confession to the world and may the healing begin. I love the tv show 90210 with all my heart and soul.

Despite being cancelled 10 years ago, I feel a need to watch the reruns that air in syndication on Soap Net. I get so excited to see the gang from Beverly Hills that every afternoon I am right with them at the Peach Pit. One of my favorite seasons featured the cast at a beach club for the summer. Brandon dates a racist girl, Kelly and Dylan begin to fool around while Brenda is absent in Paris, Steve wins the volleyball tournament and David works on his keyboard skills.

The season where cousin Valerie arrive from Buffalo is also one of the best years of the show. Right away she turns the conserative Walsh homestead upside down. Smoking pot in the house, sleeping with Dylan on the D.L., and causing dissension and mistrust amongst the tighly knit longtime friends. Valerie sabotoges Donna and Rays relationship and ruins Kelly and Colin- Kelly's bohemian artist from N.Y. She also accompanies the now-broke Dylan to Mexico and excites me with her great acting skills- looking sexy in a bikini on the beach.

Later in the show's life cycle, the gang visits hawaii and meets Noah, a penniless drifter who saves Brandons life and Kelly is shot at the airport returning to L.A. I really admire Kelly's determination to graduate college despite the turmoil that accompanies her at C.U. University. She gets shot, burned in a fire, has eating disorders and an addiction to cocaine, but she still does well in school. Brandon leaves for a job in Boston and Donna's cousin Gina arrives to shake things up for the Beverly gang. She sleeps with everybody and causes distrust between Kelly and Donna. Eventually, David and Donna reunite, Kelly and Dylan get it right, and Steve finds a wife making all of the viewers happy. The show ends and we are left to a world of re-runs. I wish Darren Star (the creator) would make a movie. I will even give him a working title: "Brandon Walsh saves the World!"

Northern Trust Open Wrap Up

The final round of the Northern Trust Open was a 2-man race to the finish between Phil "The Thrill" Mickelson and Jeff Quinney. The duo, both graduates of Arizona State University, played together for the first time on tour. In fact, Mickelson served as Quinney's mentor earlier in Jeff's professional career. The heavy winds, which frustrated golfers all week, were largely absent on Sunday, but Riveria still played rough and tough. Mickelson carded a final round 70, good for 12-under par, two strokes clear of Quinney for Phil's 33rd win on tour.

Mickelson has been plagued with poor putting this year, but after a lesson with L.P.G.A. hall of famer Amy Alcott earlier in the week along with changing his golf ball and putter inserts, he triumphed at Riviera for the first time in his career. British Open champ Padraig Harrington and Luke Donald tied for third, each shooting 68 ahead of Scott Verplank and Ryuji Imada. Quinney who stayed close to Phil through the first 9, faltered on the back side in search of his first victory.

Quinney, who recorded a hole-in-one on Saturday, won the U.S. Amateur in 2000. On his way to victory in the Amateur, Quinney defeated Lucas Glover, Jonathon Byrd, David Eger, and James Driscoll. That's a pretty impressive route through the amateur bracket.

Next week is the Accenture Match Play Championship, featuring the top 64 players in the world, as well as the return of Tiger Woods. I can hardly wait....how many hours until Wednesday?

Northern Trust Open Day 1

The PGA TOUR began play Thursday at the Northern Trust Open. Seventeen of the world's top twenty were present at Riviera Country club. Noticeably absent was Tiger Woods, who played his first professional tournament at Riviera when he received a sponsor's exemption at the age of 16. Coincedently, Tiger has played in 10 L.A. Open's without ever claiming victory. The closest he came to winning this elusive tourney, was in 1998 when he lost in a playoff to Billy Mayfair. Luckily for us golf fans, all the other top guns slapped the rock around the short, but tight Riviera course with dismal success.

Phil Mickelson trying to rebound from the loss to JB Holmes in a playoff in Phoenix on Superbowl Sunday, carded a 68- trailing KJ Choi , who opened with a 65, the best score of the day. Kevin Na shot 66, followed by Chad Campbell and Vaughn Taylor posting 4-under tied for third place. Davis Love III and David Duval both came out of hiding with dismal results; a 76 for Love and Duval headed back to Idaho after withdrawing in the face of the Riviera high winds.

Players who teed up in the afternoon faced difficult conditions as the heavy winds and fast greens resulted in some scores closer to 80 than 60. Jim Furyk shot 76, Retief hacked his way around the course with a 79 and last weeks winner, Steve Lowery, also turned in a dismal 8-over par. Conditions were expected to improve on Friday as players try to go low and improve their standings for the weekend. On a personal note I wonder if O.J. Simpson who was a long time member of Rivera is welcome as a guest spectator?

Pebble Beach Wrap Up

Last week the PGA Tour descended upon the Monterey Peninsula to play the annual TOUR stop at Pebble Beach Resort & Spa. Bing Crosby, the founder of this event, wanted to create an PGA event which combined celebrities, wealthy businessmen, and professional golfers. The Bing Crosby Open was a instant smash hit with a rotation of beautiful golf courses, views of the Pacific Ocean and a clambake where the crème de la crème of professional golf hobnobbed with the Hollywood elite.

For those of us who lack the ability to shoot under par consistently, or do not possess the business acumen necessary to generate enough $$$$ to visit the Pebble, we are stuck at home watching this event on television. For the record... I am a serious golf fan, so devoted to the TOUR that I would rather watch golf more than anything else on television- ever. The previous statement is true for every week on tour except for the week the tour visits Pebble. For some reasons known only to advertisers and TV producers, everybody at the event are shown playing golf, EXCEPT THE PROFESSIONALS. For every shot that Phil or Vijay, the producers show numerous shots of actors, musicians, and TV personalities playing to a level which nobody should ever be forced to watch. Witnessing a bloated Chris Berman weezing as he attempted to get the ball airborne was embarrassing. Kevin James also provided low-lights by diving into the crowd like he was at a B-list rock concert. Watching Luke Wilson hit grounders and the overly-sarcastic George Lopez tell stale jokes was a difficult task for the serious golf fan. By Friday I was so fed up with this nonsense. Gunsmoke and soap operas became more interesting than watching the Hollywood A-listers (more like B and C-listers) trying to play golf!

By Sunday most of the amateur players were home and we got to see the professionals battle for the top prize. Vijay Singh was in control until he started playing like Huey Lewis. Steve Lowery took the title in a playoff for his third win on TOUR. In closing, I would like to urge the TOUR to remove all amateur golfers from future telecasts so I can watch golf without channel surfing all afternoon! At least I got to catch Brandon & the crew at the Peach Pit on the Soap channel...

2008 PGA Tour Outlook

Tonight is the start of a new P.G.A. tour season. For those of us who consider golf to be the king of sports, the agonizing wait is over and the new season is here! The Sony Open played in Hawiwa is the P.G.A. tour's first full field event of 2008. While several big stars are absent (notably Mr Woods, Phil, and the European contingent: Justin Rose, Sergio Garcia, Padraig Harrington, and South African Ernie Els) we get to see Jim Furyk, Steve Stricker, Zach Johnson, and 22 graduates from the school with the hardest final exam: the TOUR's qualifying school, simply known as Q school.

For serious golf fans like myself, the Sony Open is the start of a long golf season which culminates at Valhalla with the 2008 Ryder Cup. What does '08 hold in store for us? Let me peek in my crystal ball and make some predictions, observations, spectulations, and flat out guesses on what will occur...

Tiger Woods wins multiple tournaments, captures several events and leads the money list...again (Well duh any person on the planet could tell you that). Will he win the grand slam this year like he eluded to? First he's got Augusta, where he is so dominant. You get the feeling that this child prodigy could beat Nicklaus and Palmer when the two golf Gods were in their prime. Next up is the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines. This is a golf couse where he grew up and has won several times. The course sets up perfectly for him: long and extremely difficult. Woody looks so comfortable there, like he is playing with Earl on a lazy Sunday afternoon. I predict Tiger will win 2 or 3 majors this year. Somewhere along this stretch, some professional will have to outplay Tiger on a major Sunday. I do not know the identity of this golfer but i will pray to God that he has a servant who can actually get the ball in the hole, in less shots than Mr Woods. Tiger wins 7 times including the Fed Ex Cup and Vardon Trophy (awarded to the player with the lowest scoring average). David Duval, Justin Leonard,Davis Love, Phil, Ernie, Furyk and Vijay realize there is not enough tournament points to be gained in the next 20 years to knock Tiger from number 1 in the universe.

Here is my top 5 money list for '08. Tiger, Phil, Furyk, Ernie, and Steve Stricker will lead the way. Bo Van Pelt, Tim Clark, and Justin Rose finally win their first P.G.A. tournaments. Vijay falls out of the top ten and Davis Love is so absent that you wonder if he is in the witness protection program or snowboarding all year in Idaho.

No-name watch: Watch out for Brad Admamonis, a personal friend who earned his TOUR card for '08, three years ago I said he should go teach and give up on his dream. Good thing he did not listen to me!!


Sit back golf fans and enjoy a wild and crazy '08!