December 2006 Archives

Quote of the day
"I knew starting the day I would have to shoot 5 or 6 under to win. Maybe that's why you never play well when he's there because you try too hard to shoot a score."
_ Geoff Ogilvy
on the effect of seeing Tiger Woods' name on the leader board. Ogilvy, the third-round leader, finished second - four strokes behind Woods.

The par-3 eighth hole at Sherwood Country Club statistically was the toughest of the week, averaging .297 strokes over par, while the par-5 11th was the easiest, at .375 under par. ... Tiger Woods tied for third in the field in greens in regulation (72 percent), was fifth in fairways hit (79 percent) and tied for second in putting (1.57 per hole).

When Tiger Woods walked into a news conference following his victory Sunday, a reporter handed him a piece of paper on which there was a story from the satirical Web site "The Onion" with a headline that read "Tiger Woods Adopts Son To Compete in PGA's Del Webb Father/Son Challenge."
Woods read the story, which said he had adopted 11-year-old orphan Randy Gearhardt to compete in the annual tournament, and chuckled.
"Is he a good player?" Woods joked.

John Daly entered the weekend at the Target World Challenge in a tie for sixth, his sights set on a paycheck larger than the $192,134 he made in 21 starts on the PGA Tour this season.
But the fan favorite shot rounds of a 5-over 77 Saturday and 8-over 80 Sunday to finish last in the 16-player field at 9-over 297.
Daly came undone Sunday at the third hole, a 202-yard par-3. He splashed two balls into the water right of the green, then found a greenside bunker with his next. A sand shot and two putts later, Daly had a quintuple-bogey 8.
Still, last place money wasn't bad, as J.D. collected $170,000.
That'll pay for a lot of chicken wings at Hooters.

Tiger Woods offered a rare look into his psyche after his victory.
Saturday, when asked whether his passion to win had been instilled by his late father, Woods admitted to having "the mentality of a football player playing golf."
Sunday, he expanded on that.
"I don't think you really lay up on par-5s on the football field, do you?" he said. "You'd get run over. Obviously, you've got to bring everything you're got or else you get hurt.
"In our sport ... some of the guys don't bring it every day, and I just don't understand that. It's not that hard to concentrate for five hours."
Woods' concentration often is cited as one of the main reasons he's the world's top-ranked player.
"I can't play any other way," he said, "because I can't go home at night and look myself in the mirror if I didn't try as hard as I could have."

After winning Sunday, Tiger Woods has finished first or second in his past 10 72-hole stroke play events.

Seen Sunday sitting in a director's chair in his backyard at Sherwood Country Club was longtime Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully.

On someone's backyard fence, high above the par-3 eighth hole, was an orange sign with black stripes that simply read "GO TIGER."

Ever wonder what pro golfers talk about on the first tee as they're waiting to play?
Tournament host Tiger Woods and Paul Casey were discussing the color of their clothes Sunday.
Tiger, of course, was wearing his traditional Sunday red.

With apologies to Perry Como, the bluest skies you've ever seen aren't in Seattle today, they're over Thousand Oaks.
As the first group in the final round of the Target World Challenge at Sherwood Country Club takes the tee, there are only a couple of non-threatening clouds in the sky.
Here's hoping the weatherman's predicted of rain was wrong.

Sunday at Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks
9:50 a.m. _ Luke Donald, Adam Scott
10 a.m. _ David Howell, Jose Maria Olazabal
10:10 a.m. _ Davis Love III, John Daly
10:20 a.m. _ Colin Montgomerie, Fred Couples
10:30 a.m. _ Michael Campbell, Padraig Harrington
10:40 a.m. _ David Toms, Henrik Stenson
10:50 a.m. _ Tiger Woods, Paul Casey
11 a.m. _ Geoff Ogilvy, Chris DiMarco

"I'm sure I'll be (nervous). I mean, I've never played in the last group at a little non-official event like this, so I don't know ... I'll tell you (this) afternoon how I felt on the first tee."
_ Geoff Ogilvy
on teeing off in the final pairing today with Chris DiMarco, one group behind tournament host Tiger Woods.

Chris DiMarco has made a habit of being a bridesmaid.
Perhaps it should come as no surprise, then, that he enters the final round in a tie for second place.
Eight times since his last PGA Tour victory, at the 2002 Phoenix Open, he has finished as the runner-up.
Three of those times were to Tiger Woods, including the 2005 Masters (in a playoff) and 2006 British Open.
"If my career ended (today) and I never got to play again, I'd be happy with the way my career was," DiMarco said. "Obviously, just winning on the PGA Tour is a great thing, and to be consistently up there the last seven, eight years, like I have been, is something."
DiMarco, whose mother died of a heart attack in July, and Woods, whose father, Earl, died of cancer in May, shared an emotional moment after playing in the final pairing at this year's British Open.
"We gave each other a hug, and we didn't need to have any words spoken, it was just kind of felt, what we were both going through," DiMarco said. "He was very gracious in his (victory) speech including my mom, which I thought was great.
"Not only is he the greatest player in the world, but the way he speaks to people is pretty unbelievable, too. ... He always says the right thing."
DiMarco, who also lost in a playoff to Vijay Singh at the 2004 PGA Championship, said having played on two Ryder Cup teams, in 2004 and '06, is more important to him than winning a major.
"Playing for your country is the greatest honor there is in the world," DiMarco said. "We don't get Olympics ... and to be able to be in a team event and strap that U.S. flag somewhere on your person is the greatest feeling you ever have, the proudest feeling, and it makes you really be honored to be part of it."

The 18th hole yielded just two birdies during the first two days of the Target World Challenge.
The pairing of Geoff Ogilvy and Chris DiMarco doubled that total Saturday.
DiMarco made an eight-foot putt and Ogilvy, who heads into the final round with a one-stroke lead over DiMarco and Tiger Woods, tapped in a one-footer.
"I've hit my tee shot perfect there every day, and just got closer and closer to the hole each day," Ogilvy said. "Hopefully, I can keep that progression going."
Ogilvy said the front-right pin position was beneficial. He was right, as half of the 16-player field birdied No. 18 Saturday.
"It's a birdie pin if you're in the fairway," Ogilvy said. "It's probably a terrible pin if you're coming out of the rough."

Geoff Ogilvy shot the best round of the day with a 67 and leads the field by one stroke. Chris DiMarco and Tiger Woods are tied for second. Ogilvy and DiMarco will play in the final group while Woods will play with Paul Casey. The forecast predicts light showers, but after unexpected early rain on Saturday, who knows. Should be an interesting final round.

Tiger Woods was 10-under par after he birdied the first two holes, but the standard bearer's sign just showed a 1. His playing partner, Henrick Stenson, showed an 8. The standard bearer was looking for a zero in his pockets for several holes. He had plenty of nines but couldn't find a 10. It was the talk of the gallery. People were constantly guessing if he was 1-under or 10-under. The standard bearer fielded many questions on the miscue, and at one point on the fifth hole, he said loudly: ``Ten, ten, ten!'' Woods stayed at 10 under for five holes, until boged the seventh. Of course, he birdied the eighth, moving to 10-under again, much to the costernation, no doubt, of the standard bearer.

About an hour into Tiger Woods' round, fans were lined up outside Sherwood Country Club to take the shuttle to their cars so they could go home. Unexpected rain hit the Target World Challenge a lot earlier than expected. As two young boys walked toward the shuttle line, one complained about how much he disliked golf. The older boy said, ``It's not golf that's bad, it's the rain.''
Tiger Woods and Henrik Stenson put on their rainpants while on the putting green on the first hole.

Adam Scott's karma finally changed a bit on the eighth hole Saturday.
The Australian, who five-putted for a quadruple-bogey 7 on the 232-yard par-3 in the opening round and three-putted for a triple-bogey 6 Friday, hit his tee shot so far right in the rain Saturday that he actually hit a provisional ball.
Scott found his original shot just to the right of the cart path about 30 yards right of the green. He wedged to about 20 feet past the cup, then made a sharp left-to-right breaking, downhill putt for par.
After the ball trickled over the front lip of the cup, Scott looked down with a wry smile and shook his head.

The forecast for noon Saturday was for mostly cloudy skies with a chance of very light rain or drizzle.
The forecast was wrong.
By the time TIger Woods teed off at 11 a.m., there was a heavy rainstorm, forcing players, caddies and fans to scramble for their raingear.
Our intrepid blogger realized he had left his umbrella in the trunk of his car ... in the parking lot ... AT THE OFFICE!
As he returned to the media center (otherwise known as the cart barn), the security guard at the entrance started laughing.
"Anybody got a camera," the guard chuckled, "we've got to get a picture of this."

Davis Love III, who took himself out of contention with an opening-round 77, became the first player this week to eagle the par-5 second hole when he did so early Saturday.
Love followed with a birdie on the par-3 third to move back to a 1 over for the tournament.

Padraig Harrington shot the day's best round with a 5-under 67, but said it could have been three or four shots better.
Harrington was especially dismayed with what he called a "careless" bogey on the 18th hole, caused by a poor drive.
"I was asleep on the tee box," he said. "You have to have all your wits about you on the 18th hole."

Chris DiMarco might not be the most recognized celebrity at the Lakers game tonight, but he'll be there to catch the game. DiMarco shot a 4-under 68 and is currently two shots behind Tiger Woods with Woods still on the course.

Tiger Woods has made his way to the top of the leaderboard at the Target World Challenge. Tiger Woods and Henrik Stenson are tied for the lead at 8-under through 15 holes. Woods started the round two shots behind Stenson and fell to four back early. But Woods, as he always seems to do, worked his way back to the top. John Daly struggled with his putter and shot a 71. He's four shots back.

Adam Scott's first trip to the Target World Challenge won't be remembered fondly.
The Australian, ranked No. 4 in the world, followed his opening 75 with an 8-over 80 in Friday's second round.
"I'm trying not to think about what's going on," Scott said, "because if I did, I'd just get mad.
"There's no need throwing the toys out of the cart for a couple of bad rounds."
Most of Scott's problems can be traced to the par-3 eighth hole.
He five-putted from 3 feet Thursday for a quadruple-bogey 7. He took three shots to reach the green Friday and then three-putted for a triple-bogey 6.
That's 7 over for two rounds on a par-3.
"I have no comment on that hole," Scott said. "I'm improving though."

"No, I don't eat yogurt or do yoga. Yoga is not in my repertoire."
_ John Daly,
on whether he had taken up yoga or done anything else to help keep his back healthy after having trouble with a sciatic nerve this season.

The weather conditions were nearly perfect for the opening round, with temperatures in the upper 60s and winds at less than 10 mph.
"Today was about as easy as it's going to play," said Ogilvy, who was tied with Stenson at 6 under until taking a double-bogey on the 18th hole.
For forecast for the weekend, however, includes showers Saturday afternoon and the possibility of scattered thunderstorms Sunday, with winds up to 20 mph each day. The temperatures Sunday could be in the 40s.
"That's not going to be fun," Ogilvy said. "It makes the ball go a lot shorter when it's cold. Then there's a lot of elevated shots here, and in big winds it would be pretty tricky."

Adam Scott, ranked No. 4 in the world, took a quadruple-bogey 7 on the par-3 eighth hole at Sherwood Country Club.

Scott missed the green and chipped to about three feet _ from where he proceeded to five-putt.

"He kept hitting it right edge and it didn't break, and then he hit it left edge and it didn't break, then he hit it right edge and it didn't break ... and he had five putts," said playing partner Geoff Ogilvy, a fellow Australian. "Everyone does it once every few years and he did it today. (It's a) shame."

Most of the fans in attendance Thursday were following the Tiger Woods-Jose Maria Olazabal pairing.

Meanwhile, the final group of the day, Henrik Stenson of Sweden and David Howell of England, might as well have been playing a practice round considering the lack of a gallery.

Could there have been a pairing in a 16-player field of some of the world's best with a lower Q-rating?

Signing autographs just outside the gallery ropes alongside the fourth fairway Thursday was Kutilda Woods, Tiger's mother.

Wonder what that'd fetch on eBay?

Three young fans, probably 8 or 9 years old, were standing next to the gallery ropes as Tiger Woods teed off on No. 3 Thursday.

They asked a course marshal if he had Tiger's autograph?

"Don't want it," the marshal said. "What would I do with it?"

One of the youngsters immediately replied, "Sell it on eBay."

Valencia's own Jason Gore isn't in the 16-player field for the Target World Challenge, but he did drop by to play in the pro-am earlier this week.

The Hart HIgh of Newhall grad, who captured the golf world's imagination a couple of years ago when, as an easy-smiling, slightly-pudgy minor-leaguer, he was in the final pairing at the U.S. Open with Retief Goosen, won't be chunking any shots next season.

He's lost 20 pounds this winter working out four times a week with a guy who trains ultimate fighters.

"I'm not in embarrassing shape. I've been practicing hard and working out. Trying to be ready (for next season) and just be a fitter, better player," Gore said. "You can't get by by getting by anymore. Not with the stuff Tiger does. That's not by accident."

As for his winter break, Gore said he has been hanging out at home.

"Can't complain at all," he said. "If I did, nobody would listen anyway."

Gore predicts some low scores this week at Sherwood Country Club.

"The greens are rolling great," he said. "If they get good weather, they'll shoot
some good scores out here."

Adam Sandler, eat your heart out!

With tournament host Tiger Woods looking on, Padraig Harrington did
his best Happy Gilmore imitation on the range Tuesday.

Harrington took a running start and cranked a 330-yard drive ...
UPHILL!

Get Paddy a Boston Bruins jersey and Bob Barker just might have a
fight on his hands.

Tiger Woods was named the PGA Tour player of the year - again - by his fellow players on the tour. It was announced Tuesday at the Target World Challenge in Sherwood Country Club. Woods won the award for the eighth time.
``That's always an honor to get the respect of your peers,'' Woods said. ``This year has been an interesting one to say the least on the golf course as well as off.''