Keegan Bradley Wins PGA Championship in Playoff

One of several fist pumps on Sunday for the 2011 PGA Champion.

There’s a reason why people quote Yogi Berra so much, especially when watching sports. Yogi said things that contradicted themselves, sometimes so sharply that we had to coin the word “Yogi-ism” because “oxymoron” just doesn’t quite cut it. Yet at the same time, deep down we know exactly what Yogi was trying to say, even if we would have said it differently. Therein lies the genius (in most cases) of Berra’s quotable gems. When asked about the Mets chances to win the 1973 NL Pennant, Yogi said, “it ain’t over ‘til it’s over.” On the face, this appears to be a rather obvious statement of fact, but for some reason, it’s repeated over and over again. It applies to just about every sport or form of competition, yet we never seem to learn its unfailing and enduring lesson.

So it is true, then, that the world of golf had to be reminded again of Yogi’s words (thanks to the CBS broadcast team) on Sunday at the 93^rd PGA Championship. There’s a reason why you always keep watching and that’s because you never know when something incredible might happen.  There are few settings for a human drama like Sunday at a major. Yet, it did not appear that Yogi’s words would be needed through 12 holes. Jason Dufner looked like he was out for a round at the club, not part of a final pairing in a major. It helped that his playing partner Brendan Steele fell out of contention immediately and never recovered. He remained unfazed as Keegan Bradley, Scott Verplank, Robert Karlsson, Anders Hansen, and yes, even Luke Donald, Adam Scott, and Lee Westwood made decent bids to catch up.

Most efforts to catch up were undone by the difficult closing holes. Even so, it did not matter much to the unflappable Dufner. He cruised to five straight pars to start the round and then birdied 6 and 8 to complete a two under 33 on the front nine. On the 12^th hole, Bradley bombed a drive to the middle of the fairway then played a perfect iron to just a few feet, making eagle and pulling even with Dufner at nine under. It seemed like a nail biting finish was in the makings as Dufner, also in the middle of the fairway on the 12^th, scorched a fairway wood over the green and then ran his pitch too far down the hill. But he sank a comeback birdie putt and followed it with another birdie on the 13^th, regaining his two shot lead and moving to 11 under par.

On the 15^th hole, all the action started. Dufner watched from the tee as Bradley skulled a chip into the water and made a triple bogey six. After watching his lead go from two to four strokes, Dufner striped his tee ball right into the water on 15. But he made a great up and down for a bogey. Bradley’s triple only seemed to fuel his fire, not put it out. He birdied sixteen in definitive fashion and then sunk a mammoth breaker for birdie on the 17th (Dufner watching from the tee again). That was the defining moment of the tournament. Dufner bogeyed 16 and 17 as well, falling back into a tie, but made a clutch par on the 18^th to preserve the playoff. It appeared fate was on young Bradley’s side. Both men started the playoff with perfect drives, albeit Bradley was much farther down the fairway.

Dufner hit the most beautiful 5 iron I’ve possibly ever seen and nearly holed it for eagle. It was so close. Keegan Bradley took a page out of his competitor’s book. Rather than flinching, he placed an 8 iron just a few inches closer. There’s a reason why they tell you to stay below the hole. Jason Dufner certainly knows that. Unfortunately, his short downhill miss on the first playoff hole was all it took. But you have to give him tremendous credit. The 34 year old journeyman has never won a tournament at the Tour level, but still hung in there on an extremely difficult stretch of holes. He birdied the 18^th during the playoff just for good measure, even though Bradley was close enough for an easy two putt. People can question Dufner’s decision making, but they certainly can’t question his heart.

Neither can you question Keegan Bradley’s. When he matched Dufner’s shot on the 16^th, he had a look on his face that I can only describe as “that Tiger look.” My good friend Asher likewise pointed out that Dufner appeared to have “that in over my head look.” After the triple bogey on the 15^th, Bradley played six very difficult golf holes, if you count the playoff, and played them at three under par. He showed truly inspirational guts and mental toughness to regroup after that triple. While you can make the case that Dufner didn’t deserve to lose, you have to agree that Keegan Bradley deserved to win.

Tip of the cap to the PGA, Atlanta Athletic Club, and Rees Jones

If there’s one thing I’ve noticed in a golf world where Tiger misses cuts at majors, it’s the unwavering ability of the casual fan to complain about everything. Oh, this course is too hard. Too many hazards. Too many penalties. Too many double bogeys. I don’t know about you, but I can safely say that for me hazards, penalties, and double bogeys are a regular part of the game. I think most other amateurs would agree. After researching the Highlands Course at Atlanta Athletic Club for my preview article, I surmised that the course had a mix of easy scoring holes and difficult, potentially round or tournament ruining holes. I said players would have to take their chances on the scoring holes and contain disaster on the others.

As a serious fan, I want to see the players tested to the best of their abilities. Atlanta Athletic Club didn’t just live up to that challenge, it went beyond. People who criticized Rees Jones’ remodel did so on the basis that bunkers and water hazards unfairly produced too many bogeys, double bogeys, and worse. This is unwarranted for two reasons. As I mentioned in my preview, the remodel did not involve too many drastic changes. Secondly, it accomplished everything it was supposed to and then some. Keegan Bradley and Jason Dufner were both -8 after 72 holes, which is half of David Toms 2001 winning score (-15) and right on AAC’s target of 8-10 under par.

The Highlands Course arguably stands as a model of modern golf course design for all others to follow. There are so many courses that became easier and easier as time went along. Some were able to reform, reshape and play as difficult courses once again. Many had to become par 70s and unfortunately, in many cases that still didn’t make them any harder. The Highlands Course has played as a par 70 for decades, so perhaps it is only fitting. But the crowning achievement is the closing four holes, a finishing stretch that Tiger Woods called the most difficult in major championship history. Not only did they offset the easy holes, they provided the ultimate stage for drama and excitement. It’s unique and certainly not traditional, but maybe that’s what a course has to be in order to test the modern golfer.

Some things change, some stay the same: A year in review

So I know the FedEx Cup has yet to be awarded. I know to win it a golfer has to have a great season, especially in the final playoff tournaments. I’m all for it and it does provide excitement through the closing weeks of summer. But it still isn’t a major championship. There are big tournaments left on the calendar that will feature world-class fields, but major glory will have to wait until next April. What can we take from this year? What have we learned, if anything?

If you look at the list of 2011 major champions, the first thing that jumps out is the ages of each winner. Charl Schwartzel (26), Keegan Bradley (25), and Rory McIlroy (22) have become instant stars with very bright futures. In a lot of ways, 2011 represents a changing of the guard in golf. Tiger Woods made a run at the Masters, lost nearly 10 weeks to injury, only to return and miss the cut at the PGA. Meanwhile, the generation that idolized his dominance of the golf world waltzed in and won three majors. Tiger still has several years in front of him and I firmly believe we have not seen the last of his greatness at majors. But Woods should be proud of the generation he has produced.

Rory McIlroy is the youngest and turned pro the youngest. He’s been touted for several years as the next great talent, but he’s eased onto the scene in that sense. His first Tour win was at Quail Hollow in 2010 and then he secured his first major this year. Schwartzel and Bradley are a couple years older, but they have burst onto the scene and hit the ground running. It took Bradley three months to match McIlroy’s one Tour win and one major win. Schwartzel followed up his Masters win with a T-9 at the U.S., T-16 at the British, and T-12 this past week. I wonder how much longer he and McIlroy will stick to a schedule that has them playing mostly in European Tour events. The way they both play on American courses, you would think not long.

Observers of the game note that it has truly become an international game. I’m not sure exactly how to validate that, as I think Greg Norman, Gary Player, and Seve Ballesteros (if he could) would have something to say about that. But it should be noted that our three young stars all hail from different corners of the world. And after six consecutive majors without an American winner (longest in history), we in the United States can breathe easy after Keegan Bradley’s heroic victory. In just a few hours this past Sunday, Bradley instantly became this country’s new golf star – or the budding one. Either way, the chicken can stop worrying about the sky falling because Bradley has both the talent and the gusto to win more majors.

Yet at the same time, the 43-year-old Darren Clarke proved to everyone at the British Open that no matter what hand life deals you resilience, confidence, and positive thinking can carry you through the toughest of times. Perhaps the Open will become the only major venue where age and experience count for more than club head speed and will power. That’s just a maybe, though. The best finishers behind Bradley at the PGA were Dufner (34), Anders Hansen (40), Robert Karlsson (41), David Toms (44) and Scott Verplank (47). There’s plenty of fight left in the old generation and they’ve shown they’re not just going to fade away and let the new guys take over with ease.

So, some things change and some stay the same. The best part of it all is golf fans around the world get to reap all of the benefits.

Sources: PGA.com, Getty Images

2011 PGA Championship Preview

17th hole at the Highlands Course.

Last chance at major glory

On Thursday, the best golfers in the world will congregate at Atlanta Athletic Club’s Highlands Course for the 93^rd PGA Championship. Recently, the golf year’s final major has been the site of its most dramatic finishes. Two years ago at Hazeltine, Y.E. Yang took down Tiger Woods in a final round for the ages. Last year a costly penalty by Dustin Johnson put late chargers Bubba Watson and Martin Kaymer in a playoff, eventually won by the young German. We had a nail biting finish at the Masters. While Rory McIlroy’s dominant performance at the U.S. was remarkable, it left something to be desired in the drama department. The British was full of good stories and good cheer, but Johnson going OB on 14 effectively sealed the deal for winner Darren Clarke. I say it’s time for another nail biter.

Sure enough, David Toms won the PGA Championship ten years ago at the Highlands Course in a dramatic final pairing battle over Phil Mickelson. In what’s been called “the greatest lay up in major history,” Toms elected to use three strokes to get on the green on the long par 4 18^th hole. He then dropped a 12-foot par putt for the win and the lowest stroke total (265) in major championship history. Back then, Phil hadn’t won a major yet and was quickly becoming that tragic character à la Greg Norman. We all knew he was too talented and four majors victories later we can say we were right. Still, I think Lefty has some unfinished business in Georgia.

In 2001, the Highlands Course played as a par 70 at 7,213 yards. Atlanta Athletic Club hired Rees Jones, Inc. to remodel the course for this year’s tournament. Rees Jones also did the makeover for Congressional, so it will be the second major championship course played in 2011 on one of their remodels. The course will still play as a par 70 but has been lengthened to 7,467 yards. There isn’t a drastic change in strategy. The most crucial change is the placement of the bunkers that have been moved from the 240-270 range to the 280-340 range, depending on the hole. Water hazards have been expanded as well.

It seems that the one thing AAC has done is not try to kid itself and this is revealed in subtle changes that will at the very least make most golfers think twice about their club selection. In this respect, the Highlands Course maintains its former character. There are tough holes, but there are also scoring holes. With the talent that’s out there, this means we will probably see a lot of birdies, maybe some eagles, but also some bogeys or doubles. The greens figure to factor here, but I’m also thinking the water will too. The remodeled course features a grass combination that does not exist anywhere else in the world, with Diamond Zoysia fairways, Tifton 10 Bermuda rough, and Champion Ultradwarf Bermuda greens, a long way of saying each surface is a different type of grass and it’s all very fancy.

AAC also redesigned their fertilizing and drainage systems, as well as installing computer monitored watering. This is an effort to minimize the effects of the Georgia heat on the course, which by all accounts has been sweltering this summer. Head groundskeeper Ken Magnum admitted that fifteen under par (Toms in 2001) was probably too high for a major and that the new improvements hopefully will translate to a winner somewhere between eight and ten under. I think that’s a completely realistic goal, especially for a PGA Championship.

As I indicated, not a lot has drastically changed with the holes themselves beyond moving bunkers. The first hole has 25 more yards but still plays as an early scoring opportunity. Players will need to take advantage, as the second and third holes are long, difficult par 4’s at 512 and 475 yards, respectively. With a new tee adding 15 yards, the fourth hole now plays as 219-yard par 3 with water in front, to the left, and behind the green. The fifth hole was the easiest hole in the 2001 PGA and not much has changed. 25 extra yards off the tee will make it a little harder for everyone to go for it, while cross-bunkers at 100 yards in the fairway will force players to decide where to lay up safely. Six and seven are short, relatively easy holes as well. A new tee on the 467-yard par 4 eighth hole enhances the dogleg and keeps the water in the golfer’s mind. Par will be a good score there. The ninth hole presents one more scoring opportunity before making the turn.

The back nine opens with a couple mid-range par 4s. The tee shot is open on 10, but plays to a tricky, three-tiered green protected by bunkers. The eleventh hole, like the eighth, presents a scoring opportunity only with a well placed tee shot around the dogleg. The final par 5 comes at 12, which has added some length, but still plays downhill. For these guys, it’s no problem. Anyone going for it still has plenty of water to contend with down the right side, but either way, players should be able to take advantage of this hole. The thirteenth is the shortest par 4 but also the tightest hole on the course, so any wayward tee shot or approach will instantly make par a great score. And the fun is pretty much over after that.

The closing stretch at the Highlands Course is very difficult. Anyone in red numbers walking off the thirteenth green should be thinking about pars the rest of the way out because there are surely going to be bogeys during this stretch. The fourteenth is a 468-yard par 4 where the players must stay left off the tee. Anyone missing right has a very small chance of being on the green in two. The undulating green is also considered the hardest on the course. The par 3 fifteenth played as the second hardest hole in 2001. Depending on the tees and pin placements, it can play anywhere from 227 to 260 yards. The green is protected by water in the front and on the right, and by bunkers left and back. It has been a crucial hole in the past. In 1976, Jerry Pate stung a 2 iron to 8 feet on his way to winning the U.S. Open. And in 2001, David Toms made a hole in one during the third round on his way to 65 and a two stroke 54-hole lead.

Uphill and narrow, the sixteenth hole has been lengthened by 35 yards to play as a 476-yard par 4. A perfect tee ball still leaves a mostly blind approach to a very slanted green. Then the par 3 fun continues. The seventeenth plays at 207 yards but entirely over water to the green. Unless players stay well right of the green, anything mishit will end up in the water. It’s dry beyond but anyone long will have to pitch downhill to the green that slopes towards the water. That leaves the 507-yard par 4 18^th hole. The tee shot plays to the widest fairway on the course but the lake cuts the green from the fairway leaving an incredibly demanding approach, especially for short hitters, who may just have to lay up as David Toms did. There’s a reason why this hole plays as a par 5 for AAC members. As Toms demonstrated ten years ago, par is very good score on the closing hole.

Inaccuracy during the final stretch will erase most good rounds. It’s pretty clear that the strategy at the Highlands Course will require alternating aggressiveness with conservative choices. Players should try to get a birdie on one, then “hold serve” through the fourth hole. The fifth hole through the thirteenth hole is the easiest stretch on the golf course. While there are still some tricky holes in there (like 8 and 11, where a bad tee shot makes par a good score), there are crucial scoring opportunities at 5,7,9, and 12. It will depend on how the PGA decides to tackle the tee locations and pin placements, but I think the winner will be around 10 under par.

Likes, Might-Be’s, and Wild Cards

I’m going with a slightly different take here than with my previous articles. Here’s a brief rundown of who I like, who I think might be a contender, and who I think has an outside shot at defying the odds and shocking the world.

Like: Jason Day

16 events, 2 missed cuts, 8 Top-10s

Majors: T-2 at Masters, 2^nd place at U.S. Open, T-30 British Open

Most recent: T-4 at WGC-Bridgestone Invitational

Day already has two second place finishes in majors this year. He has been one of the most consistent golfers all year and seems to do better when the stakes are higher and the field is better. He comes in hot after a great tournament at Firestone. He has the game and the mindset to win at AAC.

Like: Rickie Fowler

19 events, 4 missed cuts, 4 Top-10s

Majors: T-38 at Masters, CUT at U.S. Open, T-5 at British Open

Most recent: T-2 at WGC-Bridgestone Invitational

Fowler doesn’t have the record that Day does, but his play at the British opened everyone’s eyes. Fowler certainly has the type of game to win a major and like Day, he comes in hot after a great performance at Firestone shooting four rounds in the 60s. He has the power to mitigate longer holes, and the way he hits his long irons could give him a distinct advantage on the difficult par 3s.

Like: Luke Donald

13 events, 2 missed cuts, 9 Top-10s, 1 win (WGC-Accenture)

Majors: T-4 at Masters, T-45 at U.S. Open, CUT at British Open

Most recent: T-2 at WGC-Bridgestone Invitational

While his recent performances in majors leave something to be desired, there’s arguably no one having a better year than Donald. He isn’t a bomber, but has some of the best control game and putting out there. He knows when to be aggressive and when to play safe. I think being able to control that will be huge for any winner at the Highlands Course, as it was for Toms in 2001.

Might Be: Dustin Johnson

16 events, 3 missed cuts, 5 Top-10s

Majors: T-38 at Masters, T-23 at U.S. Open, T-2 at British Open

Most recent: T-48 at WGC-Bridgestone Invitational

It’s pretty obvious at this point that Johnson has the power to take down any course. And when his ball striking and putting are on, he’s right in the thick of it. In fact, Johnson has been in the final pairing on Sunday in three of the last six majors. He has shown the ability to forget his meltdown at Pebble and grounding penalty at Whistling. Now he needs to forget going OB at Royal St. Georges. He did not have a great outing at Firestone, but seems to be a different player at majors. If he’s wild off the tee, the Highlands Course will make him pay.

Might Be: Rory McIlroy

9 events, 1 missed cut, 4 Top-10s, 1 win (U.S. Open)

Majors: T-15 at Masters, WON at U.S. Open, T-25 at British Open

Most recent: T-6 at WGC-Bridgestone Invitational

I’m making the bold statement that Rory McIlroy might be a contender this week. He might win. I just don’t have the confidence to put him in my “Like” category. We all know about his talent, we all know that this course plays into his strengths. I don’t think it’s because Tiger is in the tournament this time. I think that and the expectations are factors. But I just like history here, even though that will cause my brother to blow a gasket. History suggests it will take young Rory a few years to win another major. Of course, records are made to be broken, and usually people like Rory break them. Still, this week is a maybe in my estimation.

Might Be: Phil Mickelson

16 events, 1 missed cut, 5 Top-10s, 1 win (Shell Houston Open)

Majors: T-27 at Masters, T-54 at U.S. Open, T-2 at British Open

Most recent: T-48 at WGC-Bridgestone Invitational

You have to give Phil a decent chance in any major. He reaffirmed his golf talent by finishing tied for second at the British, an event where he typically struggles. Changes aside, Lefty knows how to score low at the Highlands Course. While he lost to Toms by one stroke in 2001, he still had four rounds in the 60s. However, I have to place Phil in the “might be” category. Two weeks ago at Greenbrier, he missed his first cut of the year and followed it up with a lackluster +3 finish at Firestone. The veteran doesn’t come in hot, but he still might be a factor.

Wild Card: David Toms

16 events, 4 missed cuts, 5 Top-10s, 1 win (Crowne Plaza)

Majors: T-24 at Masters, CUT at U.S. Open, DNP in British Open

Most recent: T-9 at WGC-Bridgestone Invitational

As defending champion at the Highlands Course, I have to give the veteran Toms a wild card nod. He bagged a win this year at the end of a string of six consecutive events where he finished three times in the top-3 and no worse than T-24. After a brief break from competition during the middle of the summer, Toms returned with a strong nine under performance at Firestone. Toms is not a long hitter, so some of the changes might actually affect his chances more than a power guy like Phil. I guess it wouldn’t be an utter shock if Toms finishes in the top-5 or better, but I think it’s an outside chance nonetheless.

Wild Card: Tiger Woods

7 events, 0 missed cuts, 2 Top-10s

Majors: T-4 at Masters, DNP in U.S. Open, DNP in British Open

Most recent: T-37 at WGC-Bridgestone Invitational

Besides making a run at the Masters and finishing tied for fourth, Tiger doesn’t have a whole lot to go on as far as his results are concerned. He does have 14 major championships, though, as well as his health back. Getting back to 100% was obviously priority number one, but now comes everything else. As Woods showed last week, that can be a tricky process. On some holes, he showed flashes of the Tiger we knew. On others, he showed flashes of the Tiger we’ve come to know. We don’t know which one will show up this week. If it’s the one that birdied three of the last four holes on Sunday, it could be a special tournament. Woods has the chance to tie Walter Hagen and Jack Nicklaus with a record five PGA Championship wins.

Wild Card: Bubba Watson

17 events, 1 missed cut, 3 Top-10s, 2 wins (Farmers, Zurich)

Majors: T-38 at Masters, T-63 at U.S. Open, T-30 at British Open

Most recent: T-21 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational

Watson lost to Martin Kaymer in a playoff for last year’s PGA, so he has got some motivation there. He’s won twice on Tour this season but has lost some of his touch lately. Last week was his best finish since winning the Zurich Classic in early May. Most of this seems to be with the putter, a club that has always been fickle for Bubba. He has all the power and creativity needed to navigate the course this week, but if he can’t putt well it won’t amount to anything. He nearly won last year, not necessarily because his putting was on, but because his ball striking and driving were really on. He needs one or the other and rarely has both. Because of this, I think he has just an outside chance to contend.

Runner Up to Likes: Steve Stricker. Tough call, but got to draw the line somewhere. In this case, it was three. Still, I’m pullin’ for ya, Strick!

Runner Up to Might Be’s: Nick Watney. He hasn’t played particularly well lately, close call next to Lefty, but I give Phil the edge.

Runner Up to Wild Card: Adam Scott. He won decisively last week, but the problem is he won last week. No one ever seems to be a real contender if they win the week before a major. Plus, his caddy could now actually be a distraction.

Sources: PGA.com, PGATour.com, atlantaathleticclub.org, reesjonesinc.com, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Tiger Woods Makes a Solid Return

The changing of the guard in golf hasn’t happened yet. A healthy Tiger Woods returned to competition this past week at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational after missing roughly 10 weeks to injury. In his absence, something Tour officials and ad execs have feared over the years, Rory McIlroy quelled fears of a Tiger-less golf world with his performance at the U.S. Open. We had a glimpse towards a future loaded with potential, one that also includes the likes of Rickie Fowler, Jason Day, and Ryo Ishikawa. Even so, the story going into the Bridgestone was all about Tiger. The setbacks may have redirected the conversation at times, but the reality is that the golf world still revolves around Woods.

In the end, the story was about Adam Scott and his newly appointed caddy Steve Williams. Scott roared out of the gate at eight under par, firing a bogey free round of 62 on Thursday. After an even par second round, he made four birdies in the final seven holes on his way to a 66 on Saturday. With Ishikawa, Fowler, and Luke Donald charging, Scott opened the final round with a 34 on the front. He then made birdies at 10, 12, 14, and 18 for his eighth career win and first World Golf Championship. The definitive moment was on the par 3 12^th. After barely missing the green to the left of the pin, Scott confidently had Steve Williams pull the flag as he chipped in for birdie and never looked back.

If anyone is going to benefit from Tiger’s reformation, it has to be Adam Scott. It is hard to overstate the importance of the caddy in professional golf. They’re not just out there to carry a golfer’s bag and scrub off their clubs. They are out there for strategical, emotional, and psychological support. A poor golfer-caddy relationship will undue a pro’s game quicker than any swing flaw. Steve Williams is one of the best ever and was on Tiger’s bag for 72 wins, including 13 of his 14 majors. Beyond that invaluable experience, Scott also gains the benefit of Steve’s course knowledge. It was Adam’s first win at the Bridgestone, but it was Stevie’s eighth. Scott played like someone who knew the course intimately, a true testament to Williams.

Entering the tournament, most of the talk was still about Tiger and whether he would win for a record eighth time at Firestone. The expectations by the media and the golf world were outrageous, so much so that it downplays how good his return actually was.  His scorecard for the week was 68-71-72-70. He finished in a tie for 37^th place at one over par. Not having practiced a full swing in 10 weeks, I’d say that’s about as well as he could have expected to play. Ironically, the one thing he had been able to practice was putting, and that’s where he arguably dropped the most strokes. But being on the practice green in your own private facility, in the backyard of your $55 million mansion is far cry from being on the green at a WGC event with the galleries watching.

His worst score was two over par, which is certainly no disaster. In the end, he’s got to be happy by the way he finished. He opened Sunday’s round with two birdies in the first five holes, but erased them with a double bogey on the 6^th. He made three more bogeys in the next seven holes. At three over par with four to play, Woods rallied for consecutive birdies at 15, 16 and 17 to finish at even for the day. Rather than harp on the negatives, Tiger needs to take whatever it was that he found during those closing holes into the PGA Championship. His final score was good enough to beat nine golfers who have won tournaments this year, including two major winners (Jonathan Byrd, K.J. Choi, Charl Schwartzel, Phil Mickelson, Rory Sabbatini, Sean O’Hair, Jhonattan Vegas, Darren Clarke, and Gary Woodland). There’s plenty to work on, but it was still a solid return.

A few other noteworthy things

- “Drive for show, putt for dough.” The 16^th at Firestone is a 667 yard par 5. On Saturday, Bubba Watson smacked a 415 yard drive off the tee, tying J.B. Holmes for the second longest on Tour this year. Still 243 yards from the pin, Bubba took an iron out and put it to 13 feet. He then two putted for birdie. The only thing standing between Watson and four or five majors is his putter.

- Baseball. The New York Yankees can’t be feeling good about the fact that C.C. Sabathia is now 0-4 with a 7.20 ERA against the Boston Red Sox this year. But think about it this way, if he wasn’t 16-2 with a 2.11 ERA, the Yanks wouldn’t even be close to Boston. Although, it still doesn’t bode well for New York. Josh Beckett stymied Yankees bats again last night. While he didn’t get the win, the Sox are still 4-0 against Yankees when he starts.

- Football. New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan is a jerk. Why do I say this? After learning that defensive end Shaun Ellis signed with the New England Patriots, Ryan had this to say: “The fact that he chose them…There’s no way I’m going to wish him well. There’s no chance of that.” That’s a hell of a way to honor an 11-year term of service during which Ellis racked up the 3^rd most sacks in team history. The gamesmanship of the Jets-Patriots rivalry is entertaining, but Ellis deserves better than that.