2011 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational TV Schedule and Tournament Notes

THE 2011 WGC-BRIDGESTONE INVITATIONAL tees off on Thursday at Firestone Country Club (South Course) in Akron, Ohio. Tiger Woods returns to action after an 11-week injury layoff. Woods will be paired in the first two rounds with British Open champion Darren Clarke. A field of 76 players will compete for an $8.5 million purse. The event has no cut, assuring Woods of four competitive rounds in advance of next week’s PGA Championship.


Purse: $8.5 million
Winner’s share: $1.4 million
Defending champion: Hunter Mahan (at right)

2011 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational Leaderboard

Field
Course
Tee times
Tournament overview
Tournament news
Tournament video


TV SCHEDULE

TV coverage of the 2011 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational is
on Golf Channel and CBS.

Thu, 8/4
2-6 pm ET, GOLF

Fri, 8/5
2-6 pm ET, GOLF

Sat, 8/6
2-6 pm ET, CBS

Sun, 8/7
2-6 pm ET, CBS

SIRIUS-XM broadcast times


−The Armchair Golfer

(Photo credit: Keith Allison, Flickr, Creative Commons license)

Identifying Golf’s True Young Guns

NICK WATNEY RALLIED AT DORAL with a final-round 67 to win the WGC-Cadillac Championship by a shot over Dustin Johnson. It was Watney’s third and most significant PGA Tour victory. He faltered in the final round at last year’s PGA Championship. This time Watney struck the clutch shots and, more importantly, sank the clutch putts to close it out.

The young talent is highly touted—and for good reason. With Watney and Johnson dueling at Doral—and players such as Martin Kaymer, Hunter Mahan, Rory McIlroy, Matt Kuchar, Francesco Molinari and Rickie Fowler in the mix—the youth movement is on the rise. In Miami, another title went to a young gun.

(Photo: Dustin Johnson)

But here’s what I realized. Nick Watney isn’t that young. He’s 29. And he’ll be 30 shortly after he makes his last loop through Amen Corner at the upcoming Masters. He seems young because we haven’t noticed him much until the last two years. Just like Sergio Garcia seems ancient at 31, a mere 16 months older than Watney.

It’s easy to be enamored with the fresh faces, but the winners in this year’s first dozen events are closer to Tiger’s age. Here’s a list of the winners and their ages:

Hyundai Tournament of Champions: Jonathan Byrd, 33
Sony Open in Hawaii: Mark Wilson, 36
Bob Hope Classic: Jhonattan Vegas, 26
Farmers Insurance Open: Bubba Watson, 32
Waste Management Open: Mark Wilson, 36
AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am: D.A. Points, 34
Northern Trust Open: Aaron Baddeley, 29
Mayakoba Golf Classic: Johnson Wagner, 30
WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship: Luke Donald, 33
The Honda Classic: Rory Sabbatini, 34
WGC-Cadillac Championship: Nick Watney, 29
Puerto Rico Open: Michael Bradley, 44

The average age of winners thus far this PGA Tour season is 33. Think Luke Donald. Toss out the 44-year-old Michael Bradley and it’s still 32. Think Bubba Watson.

So here’s what I’m thinking about this young-gun business: You have to be young in a golf sense. (Not just younger than Tiger.) I don’t think Nick Watney fits, even though he’ll probably get carded at Safeway until he’s 47. I’m arbitrarily making Martin Kaymer and Dustin Johnson the cutoff. If you’re their age (26) or younger, you’re a young gun. It you’re older than Kaymer and Johnson, you’re just a gun.

That includes you Matt Kuchar, Hunter Mahan, Camilo Villegas, Aaron Baddeley, Adam Scott and Molinari brothers. But don’t feel bad. At least I didn’t call you old guns.

−The Armchair Golfer

(Photo credit: zzazazz, Flickr, Creative Commons license)

2011 WGC-Cadillac Championship TV Schedule and Tournament Notes

THE 2011 WGC-CADILLAC CHAMPIONSHIP is underway at TPC Blue Monster at Doral in Miami, Florida. A strong wind storm delayed first-round play, which will be completed on Friday. Hunter Mahan leads at 7 under par.


Purse: $8.5 million
Winner’s share: $1.4 million
Defending champion: Ernie Els

The field
The course
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Shot Tracker
Video
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2011 WGC-Cadillac Championship Leaderboard


TV SCHEDULE

TV coverage of the 2011 WGC-Cadillac Championship is on Golf Channel and NBC.

Fri, 3/10
GOLF 2pm – 6pm ET

Sat, 3/11
GOLF 2pm – 6pm ET

Sun, 3/12
NBC 3pm – 7pm ET

SIRIUS-XM broadcast times

−The Armchair Golfer

Rickie Roughs Up Phil

PHIL MICKELSON WAS SMILING. But inside he had to be hurting from the 6 and 5 smackdown he received from that young dandy clad in pink and white, none other than Rickie Fowler. The early Thursday match at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship got off to an ordinary start. Phil won the 3rd hole to go 1 up. Then Rickie climbed all over Lefty, reeling off birdie, eagle, par, par, birdie, a something (Phil conceded), birdie, birdie, par and, at last, another Phil concession. Match over.

I thought Fowler might beat the goofy grin off Mickelson’s face. I should have known better. Not going to happen. Besides, they’re friends, the Golf Channel talking heads emphasized.

Match play is a different animal. You can play pretty well and still get thrashed. Pars don’t get it done, as Phil and others (ahem, Rory McIlroy) learned. You and I might have some bad days at work. But I’ve never come home and said, “Honey, I had a tough day at the office, took an 8 and 7 beating.”

That, by the way, was the score of the Ben Crane-Rory McIlroy match. Rory, the No. 2 seed in his bracket, got “hammered,” as the PGATour.com headline writers put it, by gentle Ben. Let’s just say Crane birdied Thursday. The No. 10 seed will meet Miguel “The Mechanic” Jimenez on Friday.

Another wax job: Bubba Watson polished off Mark Wilson, 6 and 5.

With Tiger and Phil already gone, Lee Westwood became the third No. 1 seed to be eliminated, losing to Nick Watney. Kaymer, No. 1 in the Gary Player bracket, is still alive. The Germanator faces Hunter Mahan in the quarterfinals.

It could be a bloodbath. Because anything can happen in match play.

−The Armchair Golfer

2011 Waste Management Phoenix Open TV Schedule and Tournament Notes

THE 2011 WASTE MANAGEMENT PHOENIX OPEN is scheduled to start on Thursday at TPC Scottsdale in Scottsdale, Arizona. Currently, the start time has been pushed back at least two hours due to frost. A strong field will play in front of the largest crowd on the PGA Tour, including Bubba Watson, Phil Mickelson, defending champion Hunter Mahan, Dustin Johnson, Geoff Ogilvy, Jhonattan Vegas, Bill Haas and Camilo Villegas.

Purse: $6.1 million
Winner’s share: $1.08 million
Defending champion: Hunter Mahan


Inside the field
Inside the course
Tee times
Tournament overview
Tournament news
Interviews
Waste Management Phoenix Open website


2011 Waste Management Phoenix Open Leaderboard


TV SCHEDULE

TV coverage of the 2011 Waste Management Phoenix Open is on Golf Channel and CBS.

Thu, 2/3:
GOLF 4p - 7p ET

Fri, 2/4:
GOLF 4p - 7p ET

Sat, 2/5:
CBS 3p - 6p ET

Sun, 2/6:
CBS 3p - 6p ET

SIRIUS-XM broadcast times

−The Armchair Golfer

The Rules Geek: Bad Behavior Down Under?

Editor’s note: The Rules Geek is an occasional and potentially annoying feature at ARMCHAIR GOLF.

AN AUSSIE READER WRITES: Yesterday I was playing in a fourball matchplay event against an opponent well known for his gamesmanship. Talking loudly on the tee while you are preparing to hit is commonplace. At the first tee we identified our balls. I was hitting a Titleist 3 while he was hitting a Titleist 2. He made a big point of saying he always hits a 2 and never a 3.
,
As the match progressed and his side fell behind, the antics increased. With my side leading 2 up with 3 to play we hit off the 16th tee, an uphill tee shot. I hit my shot and didn't see exactly where it finished although it was in the fairway. He hit his tee shot into a similar area. He was riding in a cart and raced to check which ball was which. He announced that my ball was the farthest from the pin.

I took this at face value and paced out my distance and took a couple of practice swings before addressing the ball. I decided to check the ball and found it was the Titleist 2 and then checked the ball about 10 metres farther ahead and it was my ball—the Titleist 3.

To say the least, I was not impressed by this turn of events. I advised him that the ball was his, trying to remain composed. He played his shot to the front of the green about 25 feet from the hole. I chunked my approach to about 50 metres out. I managed to play a career lob wedge to a tight pin over a bunker to less than a foot to halve the hole. My side managed to win the match at the next hole.

Does his announcement, after checking the ball, that the ball belonged to me constitute “wrong information” under 9-2b?

[The Rules Geek sez: Rule 9-2b Wrong Information pertains to two main issues: failure to inform about incurring a penalty and incorrect information about number of strokes taken.]

If it does, a challenge at that point would have ruled him out of the hole with his partner still alive. If I had played the shot, would I have infringed the “wrong ball” rule or under equity would I have been entitled to replay my shot?

[The Rules Geek sez: Rule 15-3A Wrong Ball, which pertains to match play, states, “If a player makes a stroke at a wrong ball, he loses the hole.” So it’s good that you checked the ball before hitting it.]

This incident raises so many questions but it also leaves a sour taste in the mouth.

A followup message from the reader: I have lodged a complaint about his behaviour with the Captain. I accept that wrong information does not apply to the circumstances outlined being largely applicable to the number of strokes taken. The applicability of the rules of etiquette are applicable however. Although the behaviour would be sufficient in my view to warrant disqualification, there was no match referee on hand to make such a judgement.

[The Rules Geek sez: A breach of etiquette must be serious to warrant disqualification. Does this player’s gamesmanship and annoying antics cross the threshold?]

The Rules Geek sez rules were made to be followed. Got a rules-related tip or story? Send it to The Rules Geek at armchairgolfer@gmail.com.

More Rules Geek:
Juli Inkster and the Donut DQ
Phil Mickelson and the Proper Drop
Abnormal Ground Conditions Aid Amateur
Hunter Mahan’s Driver Replacement

(Image: devburch/Flickr)

Graeme McDowell Etches Name in Ryder Cup History

Editor’s note: Brian Keogh is a golf correspondent for The Irish Sun and a regular contributor to The Irish Times, Golf Digest Ireland and other golf publications. The following piece is excerpted from his blog, Irish Golf Desk. 

By Brian Keogh
Special to ARMCHAIR GOLF

GRAEME MCDOWELL BECAME THE fifth Irish player to clinch the winning Ryder Cup point for Europe with a sensational 3 and 1 victory over Hunter Mahan in the final singles match.

The Ulsterman provoked a mass invasion of the 17th green he described as “bananas” as the American crumbled under the pressure in the decisive game of a classic Ryder Cup.

(Photo: Captain Montgomerie / Welsh Assembly Government, Flickr)

Two down and needing to win the last two holes to help the USA retain the trophy, the Bridgestone Invitational winner came up 20 yards short of the green with his tee shot, fluffed his chip in front of him and then failed to convert a 30 footer for par after McDowell had putted up to five feet from the fringe right of the green. But like Christy O’Connor Jnr and Philip Walton, he didn’t have to hole out for victory as Mahan conceded defeat.

Despite not being comfortable with his game all week, the 31-year old from Portrush showed just why he is arguably the gutsiest golfer on the planet as he withstood incredible pressure coming down the stretch when it became clear that Europe’s Ryder Cup hopes rested on his shoulders. Three up with seven holes to play, he lost the 12th to a par and the 15th to Mahan’s sole birdie of the day before producing the goods with an incredible birdie from 18 feet at the 16th.

Rickie Fowler birdied the last four holes to come back from three down to halve his match with fellow rookie Edoardo Molinari and force McDowell to win his match to win back the Ryder Cup. And he did it in incredible style with a brilliant six iron to 18 feet at the 16th setting up a birdie that left Mahan needing to win the last two holes to give the USA a 14-14 tie that would have been good enough to see them retain the trophy.

His left to right putt tracked perfectly, falling into the hole on the last roll to crush Mahan’s will.

“That was absolutely amazing. That was bananas,” McDowell said. “The putt on the 16th was stuff I have dreamed about all my life.

“The US Open felt like a back nine with my dad at Royal Portrush compared to this. I was really nervous - there was so much pressure.

“The putt on 16 was massive, and these spectators are massive. I had to get the putt going on 16, and it was the biggest one I have hit in my life.”

Mahan was crushed by the defeat and barely capable of speech at the US team’s media conference.

“I’ve played with Graeme before. I don’t even know what day it was. But he didn’t miss a shot. I think it was alternate shot, and he played he played great today. Didn’t miss a shot. Hit a bunch of key putts, probably the last four or five holes, and you know, he … that birdie on 16, after I got it to one down, was huge. He played …. he just beat me today.”

Padraig Harrington, who lost 3 and 2 to Zach Johnson, could have found himself in McDowell’s position as he played at No 11. But he was delighted to finish on a winning team for the fourth time in six appearances.

“Every Ryder Cup’s the same,” Harrington said. “It’s phenomenal. There’s nothing like it in golf. That’s incredible.”

Montgomerie paid tribute to McDowell, saying: “Graeme McDowell was put there for a very good reason. He’s full of confidence and that showed. That birdie on 16 was quite unbelievable.

“I’m very proud. It’s a very proud moment for us all here in Europe. They all played to a man magnificently, they all gave 110 per cent and that’s all you can ask.”

McDowell added his name to the list of Irish Ryder Cup immortals at Celtic Manor.

1987 Muirfield Village, Ohio - Eamonn Darcy
1989 The Belfry - Christy O’Connor Jnr
1995 Oak Hill, New York - Philip Walton
2002 The Belfry - Paul McGinley
2010 Celtic Manor - Graeme McDowell

Brian Keogh covers golf for The Irish Sun and contributes to a variety of golf publications. Pay him a visit at Irish Golf Desk.

The Rules Geek: Juli Inkster and the Donut DQ

Editor’s note: The Rules Geek is an occasional and potentially annoying feature at ARMCHAIR GOLF.

JULI INKSTER UNKNOWINGLY BREACHED Rule 14-3 at the Safeco Classic over the weekend and was disqualified after completing her round. The Hall of Famer was three strokes off the lead when she used a weighted device known as a “donut” on her 9 iron to warm up on the 10th tee.

A TV viewer who watched Inkster on Golf Channel emailed tournament officials who in turn alerted the LPGA rules folks. After being informed of the DQ, Inktser left the course without speaking to reporters. She later issued this brief statement:

“It had no effect on my game whatsoever, but it is what it is. I’m very disappointed.”

If you read 14-3. Artificial Devices, Unusual Equipment and Unusual Use of Equipment on pages 48 and 49 in the 2010-2011 The Rules of Golf, you might be scratching your head as to the Inkster rules breach. That’s because the infraction pertains to a USGA decision related to 14-3:

14-3/10 Use of Training or Swing Aid During Round

Q. During a round, may a player make a stroke or a practice swing using a club with a weighted headcover or “donut” on it, or use any other device designed as a training or swing aid?

A. No. The player would be using an artificial device to assist him in his play in breach of Rule 14-3, but see also Decision 4-4a/7 for use of a weighted training club.

Inkster clearly violated the rule. Case closed. Should she have known the rule? You might already know how The Rules Geek feels about that.

That said, The Rules Geek doesn’t like TV tattletales. It’s weird. Stop it, OK? Unless you can stake your life on iron-clad proof of intent.

The Rules Geek sez rules were made to be followed. Got a rules-related tip or story? Send it to The Rules Geek at armchairgolfer@gmail.com.

More Rules Geek:
Phil Mickelson and the Proper Drop
Abnormal Ground Conditions Aid Amateur
Hunter Mahan’s Driver Replacement

(Image: Keith Allison/Flickr)

‘Lost,’ Starring Tiger Woods

After all, this was more than just Pavarotti missing the high “C.” It was Houdini locking himself out of his own house. It was Michelangelo falling off the scaffold. It was Shakespeare splitting all his infinitives.
−Global Golf Post, on Tiger Woods’s debacle at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational

TV’S “LOST” ISN’T OVER. It’s just shifted from a tropical island to a championship golf course, from an adventure-drama-fantasy to a grim reality show, from a cast of many to a cast of one—Tiger Woods.

“Lost,” the one-word headline I saw on this morning’s Global Golf Post, is the perfect adjective for Tiger Woods. “Unable to find one’s way” is one definition. It fits Eldrick at the moment, certainly on the golf course. Tiger can’t find a fairway, a green, or even his masterful putting stroke. First Tiger lost control of himself; now he’s lost control of his golf game. He’s stranded on an island of his own creation with no rescue in sight. It’s stunning. And it isn’t.

“Tiger seems lost with no way out” was the headline of an opinion piece penned by Tim Dahlberg of The Associated Press. “Woods is lost,” wrote CBSsports.com’s Steve Elling. “His game is in tatters. His personal life is even worse. There is no refuge for the guy at the moment.” “Has Tiger Woods lost his mojo for good?” asked FoxNews.com. Former swing coach Butch Harmon also used the “L” word.

“I think people have figured out he’s just a human being,” Hunter Mahan, the player who rallied on Sunday to win the Bridgestone, said in January. Mahan also mentioned that “No one is scared of him [Tiger]” since Mr. Kryptonite, Y.E. Yang, killed off golf’s Superman at the 2009 PGA Championship.

You and I might be shocked by Tiger’s 298 at Firestone, but Tiger wasn’t. “No, it doesn’t surprise me at all actually.”

Only Swede Henrik Stenson spared Tiger the ultimate indignity of finishing dead last in a prestigious WGC event Tiger had won seven of nine times.

Lost. The most damaging four-letter word of all for Tiger Woods.

−The Armchair Golfer

(Image: Keith Allison/Flickr)

The Rules Geek: Abnormal Ground Conditions Aid Amateur

Editor’s note: The Rules Geek may be an occasional and annoying feature at ARMCHAIR GOLF. We’ll see how it goes.

“I RECENTLY USED THE Rules of Golf in my favor while playing in an amateur tournament,” John Patota, The Pinehurst Golfer, told The Rules Geek.

“My ball had hit the green, bounced off the back, and landed in a hole about the size of a soda can. I was about to take an unplayable lie with a one-stroke penalty when the thought came to me: ‘This hole could have been made by a burrowing animal under the definitions of the Rules of Golf.’”

Let’s have a look at the rule, shall we?

Rule 25-1 Abnormal Ground Conditions says “interference by an abnormal ground condition occurs when a ball lies in or touches the condition or when the condition interferes with the player’s stance or the area of his intended swing.”

Back to John’s situation. “Sure enough, with a little more observation it was clear only some kind of animal could have made the hole. My playing competitor agreed, and I proceeded under Rule 25, Abnormal Ground Conditions, without a penalty.”

John took a free drop within one club length of, and not nearer the hole than, the nearest point of relief.

“That was the first time I can remember that knowing the Rules of Golf actually helped me,” he concluded.

This situation reminded The Rules Geek of Sergio Garcia’s burrowing animal ruling in a playoff against Vijay Singh at The Barclays in 2008. A television audience watched for several minutes as Garcia pleaded his case to PGA Tour official Slugger White. At the time, the Garcia ruling struck some golf fans as quite charitable. Singh went on to win, otherwise the ruling would have spurred more debate.

The Rules Geek salutes John for knowing the rules and calling over his playing competitor to confirm the ruling.

The Rules Geek sez rules were made to be followed. Got a rules-related tip or story? Send it to The Rules Geek at armchairgolfer@gmail.com.

Related:
Hunter Mahan’s Driver Replacement

(Image: Old Shoe Woman/Flickr)

The Rules Geek: Hunter Mahan’s Driver Replacement

Editor’s note: The Rules Geek may be an occasional and annoying feature at ARMCHAIR GOLF. We’ll see how it goes.

HUNTER MAHAN FIRED A 65 in the final round and cruised to a one-stroke victory over Ricky Fowler at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. In addition to the alcohol-fueled enthusiasm of Phoenix fans, Mahan’s round featured a driver malfunction on the second hole.

“I looked down at it, and it had a little crack in it,” Mahan said, “and I was able to take it out of play.”

Correct.

Rule 4-3 Damaged Clubs: Repair and Replacement allows a player to replace a club that “is damaged in the normal course of play.”

Mahan exercised the replacement option, but, of course, there’s a caveat: “The replacement of a club must not unduly delay play and must not be made by borrowing any club selected for play by any other person playing on the course.”

That’s where Mahan’s girl friend, Kandi, came in. Kandi had the keys to Mahan’s courtesy car and, with the help of a cart-driving rules official, hustled out to the parking lot to retrieve Mahan’s backup driver, a Ping Rapture V2.

“I got it before the next tee shot,” Mahan said, “which was nice, because the next hole is a par-5. I really didn’t want to hit a 3-wood off the par-5.”

No sir. No you did not. But you didn’t have to thanks to Rule 4-3. (And Kandi.) The Rules Geek salutes Hunter Mahan for knowing the rules, and his girlfriend Kandi for helping him to play by them.

The Rules Geek sez rules were made to be followed. Got a rules-related tip or story? Send it to The Rules Geek at armchairgolfer@gmail.com.

(Image: Chase McAlpine/Flickr)