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Showing posts from September, 2013

Lee Trevino says Phil Mickelson has such a good short game he couldn’t even caddie for him

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There are plenty of similarities between the life and career of Lee Trevino and that of Phil Mickelson. Both are showman that brought fans to the golf course in droves, some of the reasoning being they're simply fun to watch and some because of the charisma both carried around for 18 holes. Mickelson has five majors, Trevino ended with six, and both had that one major they just couldn't figure out (Mickelson at the U.S. Open, Trevino at Augusta). Trevino's short game was absolutely incredible, but how does it compare to what Mickelson can do with his wedges around the green? Trevino told Bleacher Report that Phil is so good around the greens he wouldn't even know how to caddie for him. "I love Mickelson and I love his short game, great wedge player. I don't think there's a man that's ever lived that has â€'â€' they always talked about me being good with wedges. I don't think I could have caddied for Mickelson when it comes to hitting wedges

What’s In The Bag 2013 Henrik Stenson

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Congrats to Henrik Stenson on winning the 2013 Deutsche Bank Championship.  Here’s what’s in Henrik’s winning bag. Note the Piretti Cottonwood prototype putter that is now set to become hot property! Full wicked Graphic coming later! Whats In The Bag Henrik Stenson Driver: TaylorMade R1 (9 degrees, Grafalloy Blue X shaft) 3-Wood: Callaway Diablo Octane Tour (13 degrees) 5-Wood: Callaway Diablo Octane Tour (18 degrees) 3-9 Irons: Callaway Legacy Black (Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 120X shafts) 48-Degree Wedge: Callaway Legacy Black (Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 120X shaft) 51-Degree Wedge: Cleveland 588 RTX (Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 120X shaft) 58 Degree Wedge: Cleveland 588 RTX (Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 120X shaft) Putter: Piretti Cottonwood II prototype Ball: Titleist Pro V1x Technorati Tags: What's In the Bag Henrik Stenson , witb , Henrik Stenson equipment , Piretti Putter , whats in the bag Henrik Stenson

Five Wins, Four “Cheating” Incidents- Is Tiger Woods Player Of The Year?

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Is Tiger Woods the Player Of The Year? Lets have a look at both sides. Follow @golfcentraldoc The Argument Against Woods   Let’s the bad stuff out of the way first.  Tiger was Majorless this season and will be remembered for his role in four rules incidents. Moved vines to improve ball condition in Abu Dhabi. Dropped from wrong place at The Masters but was saved by the Green Jackets would invoked some rusty old rule to keep him in the tournament.  Many say that if it had happened Nicklaus he would have withdrawn. Dropped ball 100 yards forward of where he should have at The Players. No extra penalty and won tournament. Ball oscillation at BMW Championship. The Argument For Woods For Tiger is the fact that he re-emerged as a regular winner on the PGA Tour winning five times.  He’s also firmly back as World No. 1. As well as the Farmers and Arnie’s event Tiger won two WGC events, the Cadillac and Bridgestone and the “fifth” Major, The Players. His season earnings of just over $

Doc’s Pro Lesson: Making Bunker Play Easy

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This week’s lesson comes from PGA Professional Wayne O’Callaghan at his academy in Fernhill Golf Club, Carrigaline Cork. info@wayneocallaghangolf.com, www.fernhillcountryclub.com . I have often seen players in bunkers with a great stance and the clubface perfectly splayed open to let the bounce of the sand wedge work only for it to fall apart in the execution. Then there are the players that thin the ball out of a bunker only to look down incredulously and blame the lack of sand rather than themselves. This situation happens, in my view, due to a lack of understanding about what they are trying to do. To play a good bunker shot it is fundamentally important to understand that the club has to slide under the golf ball and it is actually the sand that explodes the ball out. A great drill to improve bunker play is to place a ball on a tee in the bunker; with the ball up in the air it is easier to visualize the club going under the ball. Take your stance and swing focusing on hitting

Video: Tony Jacklin Gets Aliona On Strictly Come Dancing!

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I would not have believed it unless I had seen it with my own two eyes; Tony Jacklin on Strictly Come Dancing! T ony wouldn’t be an obvious candidate for Strictly; he’s 69 years old now and has hearing aids in each ear but seems up for the challenge.  “I’m going to lose 10 to 15 pounds doing this,” he joked. Whether Jacklin’s run in Strictly is set to be prolonged or just a cameo remains to be seen, but he has already been surprised by the arduous work load on the show. “It has been gruelling. Yesterday, we were filming for 16 hours and I’m not used to that. Four or five hours on the golf course is my usual long day.” Seeing the other celebrities unveiled for 2013, it looks like Jacklin can expect to survive two to three shows.  He’s 80/1 with the bookies with just Vanessa Feltz further out in the betting at 100/1.  Don’t write Jacklin off too soon though, his partner Aliona Vilani was the Strictly Champion two years ago with Harry Judd from McFly. Come on T

Pics: Cristie Kerr Is Absolutely Stunning At Charity Classic

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Not only does Cristie Kerr come top of my list of best looking female golfers (ever!) but she’s also a thoroughly good person having raised more than $2 million for cancer research and treatment since 2003 through her celebrity golf event Birdies for Breast Cancer. Follow @golfcentraldoc Cristie’s latest event at Liberty National in New York on Sept. 23rd, raised more than $500,000 for the Cristie Kerr Women’s Health Center in New Jersey. Celeb’s that turned up included Brooklyn Nets head coach Jason Kidd, former New York Giants center Shaun O’Hara, New Jersey Devils defenseman Ken Daneyko, Golf Channel commentator Jerry Foltz, along with Morgan Pressel, Natalie Gulbis, Beatriz Recari, Syndee Michaels, Kathleen Ekey, Irene Cho, Sara Jane Smith, Victoria Elizabeth, Sara Brown, Nicole Hage and Veronica Felibert. Cristie with Morgan Pressel. To learn more about Birdies for Breast Cancer, please visit www.cristiekerrgolf.com/birdies-for-breast-cancer/about   Technorat

The five best rounds on the PGA Tour in 2013

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5. Martin Laird's 63 on Sunday at the Valero Texas Open -- You know those days where everything clicks, and the golf swing, and putting stroke, seem effortless? That was Martin Laird on Sunday at TPC San Antonio, carding a final round 63 that included nine birdies, nine pars and a round that propelled him to his third PGA Tour win. It was a great round for a number of reasons, but without this close by Laird we would have seen Rory McIlroy raise a trophy in '13. 4. Phil Mickelson's 60 on Thursday at the Waste Management -- If there was ever a shot that proved just how cruel golf can be, it might be this putt Phil Mickelson had on the final hole at the Waste Management on Thursday. Looking over a birdie putt to post 59, the ball did everything but go in, curling around the cup and leaving the crowd, Bones and Phil all confused at how exactly it missed. Mickelson was 7-under on his front nine, made the turn and continued his run, getting to 11-under with two holes to

Devil Ball Proving Ground: TaylorMade SLDR driver

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Welcome to Devil Ball's Proving Ground, where we put the latest golf gear through its paces. Today we look at the TaylorMade SLDR driver. Tester â€" Shane Bacon â€" Handicap: +2.2 Target Golf Audience â€" All handicaps Initial thoughts When TaylorMade announced the SLDR driver, I think a lot of us were initially shocked by the complete change in the idea of TaylorMade. This is a company that dominated the golf industry with the R11 and white-headed drivers in general, bringing out multiple versions that were well received all across the world. This SLDR driver didn't look anything like what TaylorMade has hung their hat on over the last couple of years, but once you start messing around with the SLDR you realize that this is just another big jump with the technology of the second most important golf club in our bags. It's a beautiful clubhead, with the charcoal-gray crown looking menacing and solid, and I was really happy to see the company move a

Vijay Singh Delivers 40 Minute Stand Up Comedy Routine In Scotland

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By Ron for GolfcentralDaily.com (warning may contain satire)  St. Andrews, Scotland: Patrons enjoying a dram of Scotch whiskey at the Jigger Inn in St Andrews were left open mouthed last night after golfer Vijay Singh delivered an impromptu 40 minute stand-up comedy routine. Singh opened his set by donning a black wig, and pretending to send text messages whilst wildly swinging a prop Nike driver resembling a ball and chain. Heckled wildly throughout, the 50 year old continued his routine with a skit questioning several players angry personas on the golf course. “What’s up with these chumps Monty and Sabbatini and this new guy Billy Horse-shoe? Is that what he’s called? ‘Billy Horse-Shoe?’” inquired Singh with a girlish laugh. “Those guys need a can of Deer Antler Spray with an extra tube of ‘Calm The F*ck Down’ cream,” he added. Singh then performed a five minute mime seated upright against the rear wall of the public house, arms straight by his sides, his tong

The five best PGA Tour tournaments of 2013

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5. Wyndham Championship -- It was one of those tournaments that gave us such an exciting finish, and another on this list that included Jordan Spieth, who couldn't hold off Patrick Reed on his way to a first ever PGA Tour win. Spieth and Reed both ended regulation at 14-under, and while Reed played the opening playoff hole very solidly, it was Spieth who was forced to hole a downhill 25-footer to save par. Reed's birdie putt on the opening playoff hole just missed, and an errant drive on the second playoff ended just a few feet from the out of bounds. No worries, as Reed hit one of the shots of the year from the pine straw, ending up just seven feet from the hole and knocking that putt in for the birdie and the win. 4. U.S. Open -- For three rounds this looked like the major that Phil Mickelson was going to win, finally bucking that second place trend he seems to have at the U.S. Open over the years. Mickelson went into the final round with a one shot lead over Hunter

Henrik Stenson Proves Extra Loft Requirement Theory With SLDR Driver

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When Henrik Stenson smashed his R1 driver he changed to a new driver, TaylorMade's SLDR prototype for the final round of The Tour Championship. The SLDR Stenson used was 1.5 degrees more lofted than his broken R1, exactly as I had predicted after comparing both drivers. Here’s the skinny. TaylorMade SLDR Versus R1 TaylorMade’s newest driver, the SLDR, is touted as their longest ever, so I decided to put it up against the R1 in a distance test. After clinking 20 identical balls with each driver, it quickly became apparent that the SLDR is, as TaylorMade claim, consistently longer. So how can this be? After stripping back the marketing prose to expose the science, I found out why. Most modern players’ drivers have the Centre of Gravity (CG) pulled low and back in the clubhead to launch the ball high. The position of the sweet spot on the face of a driver projects out perpendicular to the CG so it’s usually pretty high up the face. Tour players however use drivers that have

The five best shots on the PGA Tour in 2013

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The year is all but over for the big names in golf, with the majors wrapped up, the FedEx Cup over and the major awards pretty much handed out. With that said, we take a look back over 2013 and see which five shots on the PGA Tour were the best. 5. Jim Furyk's second shot on his way to a 59 at BMW Championship -- I took this one over that second shot by Justin Rose at the U.S. Open simply because we have U.S. Open winners each year, but a chance for 59 on the PGA Tour is a rarity. Furyk, a man that has become a player that struggles under the pressure, manned up on this second shot at the BMW, sticking it to just a couple of feet to set up a birdie that landed him in that rare club. It was a gutsy wedge shot, and one that deserves to be on this list. 4. Phil Mickelson's three-wood on the 71st hole at the British Open -- Listen, if there was "I can't believe you pulled this off" shot of the year, it would belong to the craziest golfer on tour. Mickelson was

Even Rory McIlory is shocked at how bad Rory McIlory played this year

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On Thursday, 30 of the best golfers in the world will take on East Lake in hopes of not only winning the Tour Championship, but possibly taking home a $10 million bonus with a FedEx Cup win. Rory McIlroy, the No. 4 ranked player in the world, will not be one of them. McIlroy joined a list of names that included Rickie Fowler, Bubba Watson, Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter as notables that didn't qualify for the Tour Championship, and while those four names might be shocking, it's Rory that was dubbed the second coming of Tiger Woods and had, as best we can put it, a horrible, horrible season. [Lateral Hazard: Tiger Woods in charge of FedEx Cup race ] After switching clubs and balls to start the season, McIlroy got off to a slow start and it didn't really pick up, with the 24-year-old failing to win at all in 2013 and carding just five top-10 finishes in 16 PGA Tour starts. After his struggles at the BMW Championship last week, the two-time major winner was asked about his year

Phil Mickelson says Tiger Woods has brought the best out in his game the last few years

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This Tuesday at Oak Hill meant press conference day, and a long list of the best in the world took to the podium at the PGA Championship to talk about the expectations this week and just about anything else in the game of golf. Tiger Woods was there, but so was British Open champion Phil Mickelson, long the No. 2 to Tiger leading the charge. Mickelson is coming off some of the best golf of his career in Scotland, winning both the Scottish Open and the Claret Jug at Muirfield, and was asked about what Tiger does for Mickelson's game and career. "... Certainly my record doesn't stand up to what (Tiger's) done in the game. It's just incredible what he's accomplished with the number of wins, the number of majors and the consistency that he's shown throughout his career. But in the last five or six years, I've had some pretty good success headâ€'toâ€'head and I feel like he brings out the best golf in me. He's a great motivator for me. He

Doc’s Pro Lesson: The Links Bunt

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This week’s lesson comes from PGA Professional Wayne O’Callaghan at his academy in Fernhill Golf Club, Carrigaline Cork. info@wayneocallaghangolf.com, www.fernhillcountryclub.com. This week we will be watching professionals and amateurs battling the wind on some of Scotland’s best links courses Most golfers are familiar with the saying ‘ swing with ease into the breeze’ , but what is missing from this tip is to play with a lower numbered club than you would normally play. The reason you should swing easy is because the harder you hit a ball the more spin you create and the higher the ball will fly. To play into the wind I play the ball slightly further back in my stance than normal but resist the temptation to play it too far back. I often see amateurs playing the ball opposite their right foot; their 5-iron is turned into a 2-iron and they smoother the ball into a big hook. The backswing should be three quarter length and in control as the objective is to hit the ball much

2013 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship Betting Preview Tips and Predictions

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Stephen Gallacher 33/1 Great news that Uncle Bernard has been released from hospital after his heart attack. Stephen is a former winner of the event in 2004 and was also at the business end of the tournament last season tying fifth. Tied second in Gleneagles and top 10'd ’n Crans Sur Sierre in the last few weeks. Already a winner on Tour this season. Simon Dyson 25/1 There are so many variables at the Alfred Dunhill Links with three different courses and varying weather conditions but Simon Dyson is a perennial performer. His three top 10’s in the last four stagings include a win in 2009. Simon has been in great form since July and ran it close in France and in Holland. Big chance this week. Martin Kaymer 25/1 I like Kaymer on links and he seems to like this informal format too. Tied second in 2008 when Robert Karlsson beat himself and Ross Fisher in a playoff then won the event in 2010. No missed cut since May and hinted at form in Germany and Firestone but the season has

Higgs On Tour: David Higgins Tour Diary Part 8 - A Whisker Away From A Win!

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(Updated 1.05pm; I just got a call inviting me to the Dunhill Links this week!) Hi Everybody, David here. What a week that was in Italy getting my best result all season, tied second. At the end of the final round I really thought I had holed my putt on 18 to get into a play-off. Looking at it on your TV screens, it’s almost impossible to see how difficult that chip that Julien Quesne holed on 17 to get it to 11 under. Fair play to him to follow it up with another one on 18 to pip me. Overall, l have to be happy with the week. I hit some really great shots under pressure . This will stand to me the next time I get in the mix on Sunday evening. It is a totally different feeling hitting shots under that pressure and I was very proud of the way I stood up to it. I can't wait to get there and feel that intensity again. Initially I thought I was not in the Dunhill Links field this week . But then I got a call from the organizers Monday morning to say I’m in! Now I have a great chan

Peter Senior continues his impressive play at the 3M Championship with opening 66

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BLAINE, Minn. -- There’s no cheering in the press box, or in the media tent or even beside the 18th green. That’s the rule of sports reporters, but every once in a while a guy comes along that you have to root for. It is said that familiarity breeds content, but not so in this case. Peter Senior is becoming quite familiar in these parts, (these parts being the media tent at the 3M Championship). Only the leaders get the “privilege” of a seat in the interview room and over the past couple years, nobody has spent more time in that seat than Senior. For the third consecutive year, Senior started his week at 3M Championship with a stellar opening round, but he wasn't exactly elated with his score. After leaving a few shots out there, Senior quipped, “you always feel like you could have done a little better”. That reaction should come as no surprise though as he’s opened with 65s the previous two years here, one better than he shot on Friday. Perhaps he’s looking ahead

Tiger Woods plays himself out of the PGA Championship with 3-over 73 on Saturday

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In a season that has given us so many Tiger Woods highlights, including five PGA Tour wins, it will be another season of major disappointment for the No. 1 player in the world. Woods shot a third round 3-over 73 at the PGA Championship, dropping 15 spots to a T-53, 13 shots behind the leaders who were teeing off as Tiger was wrapping up his round. In what was considered one of the best shots for Tiger to break his slump in the majors, Woods hasn't had a thing going for him this week. When he finds the fairway his wedges end up 30 feet. When he hits it in the rough it's a pitch out and a likely bogey. When he has hit some great shots, like his tee shot on Friday that ended up on the par-4 14th green, it's the putter that lets him down, like it did with that three-putt par. Saturday marked equal frustration from Woods, who started off with two bogeys over his first three holes, got back to just 1-over for the day with a birdie on the 11th but gave two more shots back over his

Henrik Stenson leads at the Tour Championship as the rain brings everyone together

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ATLANTA - By the end of the day's play at East Lake Golf Club, which came shortly before 2 p.m. ET, the rain was blowing sideways. The fairways were soggy and the greens were soaked. Indeed, there wasn't a surface anywhere outdoors at the Tour Championship that was anything close to dry. Even so, Henrik Stenson, veteran of pelting-rain British Opens, called this just a "five out of 10" on the severe-weather scale. "This is kids' stuff, compared at least to the Saturday round at the British Open at St. George's. If I remember, that was like playing in a car wash." [Related: Tiger Woods still mired far down the leaderboard ] Even so, the weather had its inexorable way with Stenson and the rest of the field. At the turn, Stenson was leading the tournament by nine strokes and looking like he was in complete control of the FedEx Cup. Nine holes later, his lead had dwindled to four, and his chances of taking home the Tour Championship weren't quite so

Jim Furyk becomes the sixth player in PGA Tour history to post a round of 59

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The major season in golf might be over, and the interest in the sports world might be on the NFL and Johnny Manziel, but a veteran on the PGA Tour did something on Friday that should bring all the eyeballs back to golf. Jim Furyk posted the sixth round of 59 in the history of the PGA Tour, making a birdie on his final hole to shoot 12-under at the BMW Championship. Furyk looked like he might go sub-59 as his round got going, playing his front nine in 8-under only to make the turn and birdie three of his next four holes. It looked like the magic number might be out of reach after his bogey on the par-4 5th hole, his 14th hole of the day, but Furyk got back to 11-under with a birdie on his 16th hole only to set up the drama on his final hole, the par-4 9th. Furyk stuffed his second shot to just under three feet, rolling in that birdie putt to join Al Geiberger, Chip Beck, David Duval, Paul Goydos, and Stuart Appleby as the only men in PGA Tour history to go sub-60 in a tournament round.

Henrik Stenson controls Tour Championship with sore wrist; Tiger fails to birdie even once

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ATLANTA - You don't get much better days to play golf than Thursday's sunny skies at a warm East Lake, and almost everyone took advantage of the favorable conditions to start the Tour Championship off with a sprint. Henrik Stenson, still shaking off the effects of a sore wrist, claimed the first-round lead with a sterling 64. Stenson, who came into the Tour Championship ranked second in FedEx Cup standings, played the kind of golf that banks serious checks, like the $10 million awaiting the winner of the FedEx Cup. The wrist, injured last week, didn't seem to give Stenson any problems on the course, even though he conceded that it caused him difficulty in brushing his teeth. "It was really bad yesterday," he said after the round, "but a lot of icing and treatment and some antiâ€'inflammatories, and I've brought it down and seemed to have made a world of difference.  I was surprised that it didn't bother me today given the state it was in yesterda

Here is your 2014 PGA Tour schedule

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The PGA Tour released the 2013-2014 PGA Tour schedule, and there isn't a ton different besides the move of the off week at the end of the year between the Tour Championship and the Ryder Cup (this year it was between the Deutsche Bank Championship and the BMW that happens this week). The Masters kicks off on April 10, the U.S. Open begins on June 12, the British Open starts on July 17 and the PGA Championship will get going on August 7. In 2014 the Masters will obviously be held at Augusta National, the U.S. Open is at Pinehurst #2, the British Open is at Royal Liverpool and the PGA Championship will be hosted by Valhalla. The Ryder Cup will be across the pond in Scotland at Gleneagles. The rest of the schedule is after the jump, so check the dates if you're planning on attending any of the events next season. 2013 Oct. 10-13: Frys.com Open Oct. 17-20: Shriners Hospitals for Children Open Oct. 24-27: CIMB Classic Oct. 31-Nov. 3: WGC-HSBC Champions Nov. 7-10:

Man makes million dollar hole-in-one

Your browser does not support iframes. That title should say it all, but if you're still wondering, we will give you a little more information on what happened at the Corley's Albuquerque Lincoln Volvo Golf Tournament last Thursday. A man by the name of Jeff Barton was playing last week in the New Mexico event benefiting the East Mountain High School in Sandia Ridge, N.M., and had a shot after the round at the Paa-ko Ridge Golf Club for a chance at $1 million. The cash, covered by an insurance company, was up for grabs, and someone with a handy iPhone snapped the video of the ball landing on the green, rolling towards the cup and disappearing for an ace. After the ball drops, the video gets as shaky as you'd expect from someone that just saw a man go from relative obscurity to millionaire, but you have to enjoy the entire crowd going insane after the ball disappeared. Here was a tweet from someone that watched the ball go in, and then snapped a picture of it sitting in the

Dang! Mallory Blackwelder From Big Break Ireland is Getting Married.

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Remember the Golf Channel’s ‘Big Break Ireland?’  Remember the wind and rain? Remember Mark Murphy?  Remember MALLORY BLACKWELDER?  Now you have it! The bad news for all you men who love Mallory, is that she and fellow BBI contestant Julien Trudeau announced yesterday on twitter that they are to be wed. They met on the  Big Break Ireland set in the K Club in 2011. Julien got the final but was beaten by Murph. I may stand corrected but I think Julien still caddies for Graham deLaet, who had a brilliant tied second at The Barclays last week. Here’s the pic of Mallory and Julien they tweeted. And here we all are in Howl At The Moon in Orlando! Technorati Tags: Mallory Blackwelder , Big Break Ireland , Julien Trudeau , Mark Murphy

Tiger Woods continues to roll at Firestone

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It seems you've read, and I've written, this story before. Tiger Woods, with a big lead, cruising to a victory at Firestone Country Club even with an entire round left to play. Saturday was just the third round of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, but with a seven-shot lead on a golf course that they might rename Tiger's World when his career is over, the engraver had probably already pressed his name into the trophy and took the weekend off. Woods posted a third round 68, good enough to maintain a seven-shot lead with 18 holes to play. They say one of the hardest things for a pro to do is follow up a ridiculously low round with another great round, but on this golf course he didn't need to go that low to maintain his enormous lead over the rest of the field. Sunday will be a light stroll for the No. 1 golfer in the world. Sure, he will say after the third round that this tournament "isn't over yet" and there "is still one round to go" bu

Brandt Snedeker Is A Real Life Pawn Star!

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Brandt Snedeker just sky rocketed in my estimation! Turns out he used to work in a Pawn Shop (obviously alongside Rick, Big Hoss, Chumlee and Pops). Mom and Dad Snedeker owned a Pawn Shop and the young Brandt used to man the counter making wads of cash by offering unwitting customers 20% of what their items were actually worth before flipping them for a fortune.  Sneds was such a jewellery expert he picked out the diamond as a youngster, that his wife Mandy has in her wedding ring today. Among the other (less) interesting facts Mandy revealed about her hubbie on PGATour.com were He is a huge sports fan - especially Vanderbilt Athletics and the Tennessee Titans. He has lived in a five-mile radius his entire life. He grew up in a house that was right by where he went to grade school, high school and college and we still live in that same area with our two children. He likes to fish and hunt almost (okay, maybe more) than he likes to play golf. He wants to live on a farm one day.

2013 Tour Championship Pairings One Liner Breakdown!

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It’s an elite 30 man field this week at East Lake, so I can actually read through the pairings for once without getting bored! Related: Check out my Tour Championship betting tips here. 2013 Tour Championship First Round Pairings Luke Donald and Dustin Johnson (11:40 a.m.) â€" Donald only got in by the skin of his teeth,  but now that he’s  here, he loves this place. Brendon de Jonge and D.A. Points (11:50 a.m.) â€" Points collapsed on the 72nd hole at the BMW Championship thinking he hadn’t made the field.  Hard to believe a wheelbarrow full of money would mean that much to a professional golfer! Sergio Garcia and Boo Weekley (12:00 p.m.) â€" This looks like a bad draw for Sergio.  And a worse one for Boo! Charl Schwartzel and Roberto Castro (12:10 p.m.) â€" The hopes of the nation of Cuba rest on Fidel’s son.  Webb Simpson and Billy Horschel (12:20 p.m.) â€" The angel and the devil paired together! Kevin Streelman and Jason Dufner (12:30 p.m.

Lydia Ko is now the 7th ranked player in the world despite being just 16 (and an amateur!)

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On Sunday at the CN Canadian Women's Open, a familiar name was atop the leaderboard, someone a lot expected to have a good week considering her past at this event. The problem was, the person in question was a 16-year-old amateur that has left more money on the table by not playing as a professional than most of us will make in a lifetime. Lydia Ko won on Sunday by five shots over a field that included Paula Creamer, Stacy Lewis, and Inbee Park, a stacked field like most every LPGA field is these days. It was the second straight year that Ko won this event, meaning at 16-years-old she has more wins than names like Natalie Gulbis and as many LPGA titles as Michelle Wie. So the big question remains, when does Ko turn pro? In these two events alone she has left $600,000 on the table by playing as an amateur, and while I'm normally an advocate for staying amateur as long as possible and learning how to play, and win, on every possible level, Ko has already shown that isn'

2013 Italian Open Betting Preview, Tips and Predictions

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70° OPEN D'ITALIA LINDT, Golf Club Torino, Turin, Italy 19 Sep 2013 - 22 Sep 2013 also check out my 2013 Tour Championship tips here Gregory Bourdy 28/1 Gregory went to Switzerland the week after winning in Wales but took a well deserved rest last week while the others battled it out in Holland. The Frenchman has done well here for the past couple of years; he finished just outside the top 10 in 2011 and tied third last year. Traditionally one of the easiest layouts of the season for these guys, the putting contest should suit Bourdy. David Horsey 33/1 I’m a Horsey fan and delighted he’s coming back into form. David had a good run in late March and has come strong again with four top-25’s in his last five events. Breaking into the top 10 at the KLM Open last week was significant for him too. Narrowly lost out to Freddie the Hed in 2010, so knows how to go low on this course. Gary Boyd 150/1 I love when I see some long odds value and think I’ve spotted some with Gary