Tiger Woods Among Corey Pavin’s Ryder Cup Captain’s Choices
September 7, 2010 by Will Brinson · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Ryder Cup
Tiger Woods was named by Corey Pavin as one of the four “captain’s choices” for the 2010 Ryder Cup on Tuesday morning.
Stewart Cink, Zach Johnson and Rickie Fowler (the first rookie to ever make the Ryder Cup team) joined Woods as well and all four men seemed particularly excited about the opportunity.
“It’s really exciting for me, obviously, to be included on the team,” Cink said. “I think this makes my third time getting picked [as a captain's choice] which is getting close to a record. Which means I must not be that good at qualifying.”
Woods, however, hasn’t exactly had that trouble — he’s typically the first guy locked into the Ryder Cup, but obviously this season was different. Pavin refused, however, to acknowledge that he’d been thinking about Tiger’s inability to qualify on his own.
“Well, what I was trying to do was not form any opinions until almost this weekend,” Pavin said. “I didn’t want to overburden myself so I just waited and waited and waited. Tiger’s one of 12 guys on the team, and everyone’s as important as the other.”
Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Charley Hoffman Injects More Drama to FedExCup, Ryder Cup
September 6, 2010 by Mick Elliott · Leave a Comment
Say this for the PGA Tour’s FedExCup: it’s very interesting, even if the reasons are all unexpected.
Although only two tournaments now remain in the postseason playoff series after Charley Hoffman’s butt-kicking victory Monday evening in the Deutsche Bank Championship at TPC Boston, the storylines keep coming like campaign promises.
Wow! Hoffman, 33-year-old journeyman with one previous career victory, a player who once missed 16 consecutive cuts on the developmental Nationwide Tour, blew away the field with a final-round 9-under 62. He finished 22 shots on the happy side of par, five strokes in front of runners-up Geoff Ogilvy (66), Luke Donald (69) Jason Day (71). He zoomed from 59th to second on the FedEx points list, positioning himself nicely for a run at the $10 million bonus that goes to the winner.
This week’s BMW Championship in Chicago, with the field cut to 70 players, will begin with Matt Kuchar on top of the FedEx points list, followed by Hoffman, Steve Stricker, Day and Donald.
Never had Hoffman finished in the top 10 of a major championship, a World Golf Championship or a FedExCup event. But on Monday he ran off four straight birdies early to erase a four-shot deficit, took command by holing a bunker shot on the 13th and cruised to an easy win.
“I mean, the playoffs that’s what you try to do,” Hoffman said. ” I wasn’t even close to anything for the most part starting the week or starting the playoffs — mid 70s and just trying to advance into next week. Last week, if I missed the cut last week who knows if I’m even here. Played decent last week and just got it going this week.”
And then there’s Tiger. And Phil. And all sorts of other interesting angles.
Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Charley Hoffman Wins Deutsche Bank Championship; Tiger Finishes T11
September 6, 2010 by FanHouse Newswire · Leave a Comment
NORTON, Mass. (AP) — Charley Hoffman was rolling in so many putts he lost track of how many birdies he made Monday. His final stroke on a Labor Day masterpiece was his 11th birdie, more than enough to win the Deutsche Bank Championship.
The question is whether it was enough to make him a last-minute pick for the Ryder Cup.
Hoffman ran off four straight birdies early to erase a four-shot deficit, seized control by holing a bunker shot on the 13th and closed with a 9-under 62 on the TPC Boston for a five-shot victory over Geoff Ogilvy, Jason Day and Luke Donald.
Tiger Woods had three rounds in the 60s for the first time this year. He closed with a 69 to tie for 11th, and kept his No. 1 ranking in the world when Phil Mickelson imploded again.
Mickelson needed only to finish fourth to become No. 1 for the first time in his career. Instead, he took two double bogeys on the back nine and shot 76 to tie for 25th. A month ago, Mickelson had an equally good chance at Firestone and shot 78.
Even if he doesn’t make the Ryder Cup, the FedEx Cup is looking pretty good for Hoffman.
He was No. 59 in the standings and arrived at the TPC Boston wanting to make sure he advanced to the third round of the playoffs next week outside Chicago. He wound up a winner, moving to No. 2 in the standings. That assures him a shot at the $10 million bonus, and puts him in all four majors next year after not playing any of them this year.
As for the Ryder Cup? U.S. captain Corey Pavin will make his four selections Tuesday morning in New York. The frontrunners are Woods, Zach Johnson and Stewart Cink, with no one standing out as the fourth choice.
Pavin had said earlier in the week that no one should assume a good week at the Deutsche Bank would put him on the team.
Hoffman, oozing California cool with his blond locks flowing from under his cap and kelly green pants to match his shoes, made a strong impression with his game and his words.
Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Jason Day Edges in Front; Tiger 10 Back at Deutsche Bank
September 5, 2010 by FanHouse Newswire · Leave a Comment
NORTON, Mass. (AP) — Jason Day capped off an exciting day with a routine birdie to take the lead Sunday in the Deutsche Bank Championship, setting up a Labor Day finish with all sorts of possibilities.
Day watched a three-shot lead evaporate in two holes, only to get it back on the par-5 18th with a shot just off the back of the green, leaving him a simple two-putt for birdie and a 5-under 66. He had a one-shot lead over Brandt Snedeker, who made a mess of the 18th until chipping in for par and a 67.
Just like so many other times at this tournament, the Deutsche Bank Championship could be up for grabs.
And so could the No. 1 ranking.
Tiger Woods could only manage one birdie over the last 11 holes and shot a 2-under 69, leaving him tied for 23rd and 10 shots out of the lead. That set the stage for Phil Mickelson or Steve Stricker to end his five-year run atop the world ranking.
Stricker is closer to the lead. Mickelson has better odds.
Both of them might have a tough time catching up to Day, the 22-year-old Australian who won the Byron Nelson Championship in May and is starting to play his best golf during the FedEx Cup playoffs.
Day was at 17-under 196, matching the 54-hole record at the TPC Boston set by Mike Weir two years ago.
Luke Donald, winless on the PGA Tour in more than four years, was steady again in his first tournament since being picked for Europe’s Ryder Cup team. He birdied the last hole for a 66 and was two shots behind.
Defending champion Stricker played his third straight round without a bogey for a 67 and was at 13-under 200 with Charley Hoffman, who had a 69.
Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Miguel Angel Jimenez Shoots 4 Under to Win European Masters
September 5, 2010 by FanHouse Newswire · Leave a Comment
Filed under: European Tour
CRANS-SUR-SIERRE, Switzerland (AP) — Miguel Angel Jimenez won the European Masters on Sunday, shooting a 4-under 67 to beat Edoardo Molinari by three strokes.
Jimenez finished at 21-under 263 to secure his third European Tour victory of the year, following wins in Dubai and France.
Molinari also shot a 67, while fellow Italian Matteo Manassero had a 68 to finish third another two shots back.
Despite his convincing victory margin, the 46-year-old Jimenez nearly faltered on the back nine.
After leading by three shots going into the final round, the Spaniard extended his advantage to six as he covered his first nine holes in 4-under.
But in the space of four holes that lead was cut to just one stroke as Molinari produced birdies at the 12th and 14th holes, and then holed a 2-foot eagle putt at the par-5 15th.
With Jimenez having bogeyed the 14th, there was a chance Molinari might produce a late dash for the line for the second weekend running. He birdied the last three holes to come from behind and win the Johnnie Walker Championship last Sunday.
Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Chad Campbell Forgets to Sign Dotted Line, Booted From Deutsche Bank
September 4, 2010 by FanHouse Newswire · Leave a Comment
NORTON, Mass. (AP) — This FedEx Cup might be remembered as much for the winners as who didn’t get to play.
One week after Jim Furyk was knocked out of a tournament for oversleeping and missing his pro-am time, Chad Campbell was disqualified Saturday at the Deutsche Bank Championship when officials realized he never registered for the tournament.
“Just can’t believe you make a mistake like that,” Campbell said.
Much like the formality of signing a scorecard at the end of a round, PGA Tour players must register when they get to a tournament before it starts. Campbell arrived Tuesday evening, practiced all week and even played Friday, opening with a 1-over 72.
He just never signed up.
Campbell was No. 83 in the FedEx Cup standings, needing to move into the top 70 to advance to the third round next week in Chicago. He would have played Saturday afternoon in the strongest wind.
“It’s a sad thing,” said Mark Russell, the tour’s vice president of rules and competition. “I’m not at all pleased with it. But it’s a regulation that you’ve got to register when you arrive on site. And if you don’t before your competition round, the regulation says you’re ineligible from competing in the tournament.”
Several players were stunned to hear the news, including Furyk.
Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Jason Day, Brandt Snedeker Survive Weather to Share Deutsche Lead
September 4, 2010 by FanHouse Newswire · Leave a Comment
NORTON, Mass. (AP) — Jason Day and Brandt Snedeker played in far different conditions Saturday and wound up with a share of the lead halfway through the Deutsche Bank Championship.
Tiger Woods, meanwhile, kept his playoff hopes alive with a 6-under 65. One day after he bogeyed four of his first six holes, he birdied four of his first seven to not only make the cut, but give himself thoughts of winning. He was seven shots behind at the halfway point.
Snedeker went from the rain showers of Hurricane Earl to breezy conditions Saturday morning in his second round and had a 7-under 64. The wind got stronger throughout the afternoon for Day, who did well to shoot 67 and join Snedeker at the top of the leaderboard.
“I wasn’t liking my odds in the draw when I teed off yesterday,” Snedeker said. “That being said, I think it’s going to end up working out exactly the same. I think these guys in the afternoon are going to have the tough conditions we had yesterday afternoon.”
Woods turned his game around at the right time. In danger of missing the cut and missing out on the rest of the FedEx Cup playoffs, Woods didn’t hit a bad shot through six holes and played bogey-free for the first time in more than a year for a 6-under 65 that left him in the middle of the pack.
Woods, who started in a tie for 87th, moved up to a tie for 29th.
Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Anthony Kim Stumbles in Last Chance to Impress for Ryder Cup
September 4, 2010 by FanHouse Newswire · Leave a Comment
Filed under: PGA, Ryder Cup, FedEx Cup
NORTON, Mass. (AP) — Anthony Kim’s only hope now is to persuade Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin with words, not scores.
In his final chance to make an impression before Pavin announces his four picks Tuesday, Kim opened with a 68 and then crashed out Saturday with a 76 to miss the cut in the Deutsche Bank Championship.
Does he have a chance?
“If he believes my game will come around in a month,” Kim said in the locker room as he finishing writing notes to his pro-am partners. “If he judges me on my last two weeks, I probably won’t be a pick.”
The 25-year-old Kim, fresh off a victory in the Houston Open and a third-place finish at the Masters, was No. 2 in the Ryder Cup standings when he decided to have surgery on his thumb that kept him out for three months.
Since his return, Kim was 76th out of 79 players at Firestone (where there is no cut), then missed the cut in his next four events. He fell out of the automatic eight qualifiers at the PGA Championship.
Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Tiger Woods Fires Second-Round 65 at Deutsche Bank
September 4, 2010 by FanHouse Newswire · Leave a Comment
NORTON, Mass. (AP) — Tiger Woods didn’t miss many shots and didn’t make any bogeys on his way to a 6-under 65 that kept his playoff hopes alive in the Deutsche Bank Championship.
Woods was three shots below the cut line going into the second round Saturday. He birdied four of his opening seven holes to eliminate any concerns about missing the cut. When he finished with one last birdie, Woods was in the middle of the pack and starting to think he had a chance to win the tournament.
The wind that arrived in the middle of his round — at times with big gusts — could make scoring harder in the afternoon. Woods is No. 65 in the FedEx Cup playoff standings. He needs to be in the top 70 to advance to the third round next week in Chicago.
Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Johnson, Day Share Lead While Woods Struggles at Deutsche Bank
September 3, 2010 by FanHouse Newswire · Leave a Comment
NORTON, Mass. (AP) — Zach Johnson and Jason Day beat up on the course and beat the weather at the Deutsche Bank Championship.
Johnson (pictured) strengthened his Ryder Cup case Friday by rolling in putts from everywhere in easy scoring conditions ahead of Hurricane Earl, giving him an 8-under 63 to share the early lead with Day.
Geoff Ogilvy, without a top 10 on the PGA Tour since he won the season-opener at Kapalua, was 8 under with three holes to play.
On perhaps the easiest day players will see all week, Tiger Woods made it hard on himself.
Woods put his FedExCup playoffs in jeopardy by making four bogeys through six holes, and he had to fight back in occasional bursts of rain for a 1-over 72. He was nine shots out of the lead, likely to start the second round three shots below the cut line.
If he were to miss the cut, he would not make it to the third round next week outside Chicago.
“I’m going to have to shoot something good tomorrow, hopefully move up a little bit,” Woods said. “Obviously, get off to a better start than I did today.”