“Hooks and Slices” will bring you our view on whats happening in the golf world.
Believe it or not there is plenty of great golf going on this week, even without Tiger and Phil. For those poor uninformed fans that only tune in for Tiger or only at a major, they really don’t get it. This game is so much more than one player or one tournament or one tour. But, that’s a lecture I’ll save for later. Here’s an update on all the tours. There is a major going on this week!
*** At the Senior Open Championship Fred Funk has a three shot lead after holing a 174 yard eight iron for eagle on the 18th. He set a new 36 hole record for the Senior Open at 11 under. Here are great stories from three guys in the top ten. Funk, always personable and funny, could be the comeback player of the year. He was out with a knee infection that was serious enough that there was concern not only about his golf game, but about his life. It looks like he came back from that fine. Michael Allen is tied for fourth, six back of Funk. He is the guy that won the Senior PGA Championship after playing so long on the PGA tour and never won there. His first win was in 1989 at the Scottish Open and then on the “Nike Tour” in 1998. How’s that for perseverance. Of course I have to mention the story of the year so far, Tom Watson. He is tied for 6th at four under and continues his fine play. Oh, by the way, for those uniformed souls, Watson had his left hip replaced less than a year ago. Simply amazing.
*** The Evian Masters is a top tournament with a purse equal to that of the US Women’s Open. It has everything: a unique course, a picturesque setting in the foothills of the Alps, a great field, a celebrity/player soccer match, a fire at a hotel…yes, a fire. A fire broke out at one of the hotels the players stay at. Amy Yang had to jump out of a second floor window onto the mattresses that her father threw out the window. That is crazy. There were some injuries, but none serious. Ai Miyazato, Becky Brewerton and Na Yeon Choi share the lead at -9. I don’t want to play the nationalism card here, but the Americans need to play some better golf if they want to re-establish the LPGA Tour in the US. Paula Creamer is the top American at T5 with Stacy Lewis and Cristie Kerr one stroke back and T10.
*** Jerry Kelly has a one stroke lead at the Canadian Open. There are four guys one stroke behind him at the rain soaked Glen Abbey Golf Course. They are going to have trouble finishing on Sunday; half the guys haven’t started the second round yet. Sounds just like the US Open. The Canadian Open is the third oldest national championship behind only the Open Championship and the US Open.
*** Here is one of the best promotions on any tour. At the Nationwide Tour’s Cox Classic if a player makes an eagle on number nine they start selling beer for a buck. That’s right, a buck. Alex Prugh must have made a bunch of new fans when he rolled his eagle putt in on nine. For the next forty five minutes after the eagle, fans can treat themselves to dollar beers. God Bless America.
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