June 2011 Archives

The PGA Tour stop in La Quinta has a new name, the Humana Callenge.
The former Bob Hope Classic landed a title sponsor earlier this year and on Thursday, the event's name changed. The tournament has a new format, it's now played on three courses - instead of four - over four days - instead of five. The purse was increased to $5.6 million.
Bob Hope's family has given its blessing to remove Hope's name for the tournament, which has struggled financially. Bill Clinton and the Clinton Foundation will work with Humana and the PGA Tour to restore the event. Clinton will be the keynote speaker kick off the event, held in January. The tournament still features three days of pro-ams as well.
The tournament has a focus on health and well-being since Humana is a company that markets and administers health insurance.
``... Mr. Hope epitomized a healthy lifestyle, living to be 100,'' PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem said in a statement. ``We will continue to honor his legacy and be forever grateful for what he did for golf, this tournament, the PGA Tour and charity.''
Said Linda Hope, Bob's daughter: ``I want to thank Humana, President Clinton and Commissioner Finchem for their commitment to ensuring that Bob Hope's legacy will be preserved throughout the tournament and beyond. My dad has been such an integral part of golf and charity in the Coachella Valley, so our family is pleased that the tournament will continue to tell his remarkable story.''

If you watch highlights of Rory McIllroy hositing the U.S. Open trophy this morning, check out the golfer in the background, that's UCLA freshman Patrick Cantlay. The only golfer among suits on the green. He's forever in the picture of McIlroy winning his first major. Cantlay earned that spot by winning low amateur at the U.S. Open. He'll play in the Travelers Championship this week in Connecticut after earning a sponsor's exemption.

Rory has one-name status here now that he's won one major, the U.S. Open. He set 12 records in the process and won by eight shots. He said he was glad to get the first one out of the way. Just how many can he win?

Patrick Cantlay shot a 1-under 70 and is 13 shots behind leader Rory McIlroy. Cantlay has a one-shot lead over Georgia's Russell Henley in the race to become the U.S. Open low amateur.

Patrick Cantlay holed out from the sandtrap on NO. 15 for another birdie. He's at 2-under and tied for 12th. He could finish the day in the top-10. Not bad for an amateur.

Patrick Cantlay will tee off in a pairing with John Senden at 11:40 p.m. Pacific. Brandt Jobe will be in the group behind him, ten minutes later. Rory McIlroy and Y.E. Yang don't tee off until 3:50 p.m. and with yesterday's rain delay and forecast of 40 percent chance of rain this afternoon, well, you see the potential problems.

Patrick Cantlay shot a 4-under 67 yesterday and had the gallery abuzz. Read more on the UCLA freshman's sizzling day.

Kevin Chappell, the ex-UCLA star, shot a 4-under 67, just like Patrick Cantlay. Chappell had six birdies but bogeyed two of the final fives holes. Had he parred his way into the clubhouse, he would've matched Rory McIlroy's 65 in the opening round Thursday.

Patrick Cantlay has met Jack Nicklaus, won four college tournaments and the collegiate player of the year via the Jack Nicklaus Award. But nothing can compare to shooting a 4-under 67 and seeing his name in the top-20 of a major. And he's just a 19-year-old college freshman.
Asked what he's learned at Congressional this week, ``just that I can compete and my game is good enough to play the course.''

Patrick Cantlay could be known as the low amateur at the U.S. Open in a couple of days, and that's quite a distinction. He had the back nine buzzing at Congressional as he posted an impressive 4-under 67. The only player to shoot lower than that, so far today, is Rory McIlroy, who's leading the event.
It was an incredible day for Cantlay. I'll have more uddates soon, but as of now, he's tied for 17th.

but he's still so unknown.
Learn more about Luke Donald and what he needs to do to get noticed, since his No. 1 ranking isn't doing the trick, in my column from Congressional.

Shinnecock in New York, site of Corey Pavin's 1995 U.S. Open victory. This will be the fifth U.S. Open at the course.

Barney Adams is on a campaign to move up the tees in golf, so people can have more fun and play quicker. How does he get courses to do this, and men to check their egos at the course and stop playing from the blues/whites.
``Red and white tees are poison,'' Adams said. ``There's so much baggage there. You know who's compalined to me the most? Women. They say, `it's insulting you would move us up there.' ''

Here is the music video debut of Rickie Fowler, Ben Crane, Bubba Watson and Hunter Mahan. Cover your eyes with Crane's outfit, which is actually a wetsuit.

Dustin Johnson will try to put last year's 54-hole lead and the ensuing debacle behind him when he tees it up at the U.S. Open here at Congressional tomorrow. Find out if he's over last year's collapse.

Brian Locke (LMU) has never played a PGA Tour event, but he's making his debut at the U.S. Open at Congressional. Not a bad start for Locke, who was born in Torrance and has played as a member at Woodland Hills CC.
``It's been great,'' Locke said. ``I've been signing autographs.''
Asked if fans knew who he was, Locke said: ``No, not really, but they're asking.''