By Tim McDonald,
National Golf Editor
For those of you unfortunate enough to live in the North, you must be salivating at the thought of the spring golf season.
Hold on, Tiger. You ain't the man you used to be. You can't just jump up and go straight to the golf course after a long winter of sloth and mold.
Now, you will find any number of charlatans willing to sell you their total golf fitness regimens. These sleazoids always assume you're a golfer interested in a cleaner, healthier way of living and golfing. I've seen you out on the course, and I know that's not the sort of thing you're "into."
So here is my total golf fitness regimen for the "real" golfer:
• For God's sake, you have to strengthen your core! This involves eating really hard food, like jawbreakers. Eat a bag of those and have your neighbor punch you in the gut to see if your core is all it can be.
Options: Month-old fudge, Purina Dog Chow, pine bark.
• You also have to really work your obliques, I mean really work the hell out of them. Here's the perfect exercise for that. Lie flat on your back with knees bent slightly wider than your hips. If you have really fat hips, you're either going to have to really stretch your knees like in a cartoon, like The Elastic Man from India, or just skip this exercise. In fact, if you have really fat hips, just skip playing golf, nobody wants to see you out on the course.
Now, you slim-hipped people reach your hands to the ceiling like you're crying out for the Lord Jesus Christ to spare you from your miserable existence. You can hold light hand-weights, or not. What do I care? Lift your head and chest toward the ceiling and rotate to reach both hands just outside of your fat, right knee. Repeat on the left side. Now, take a breather. Ask Christ for forgiveness.
• Breathing exercises: Breathing properly and deeply is critical, especially for those tense moments on the course when normally you would start crying.
This deep-breathing exercise involves attending your local adult movie house, or calling up one of those sites on your Internet browser. Follow your instincts. It's either that or follow mine, and then you're looking at jail time.
• Horizontal abduction/adduction: I can't give you much help here, because I always get "horizontal" confused with "vertical," and I have no idea what adduction is. Who came up with that word, anyway? It's a stupid word and should be eliminated from the English language, if it's even English.
• Standing hip rotation: Don't do this. It makes you look like a girl.
• Alcohol fitness: How many times have you lost $2 Nassaus because while you were getting hamboned, your playing partners were just holding up that bottle of Jack Black pretending to drink?
Well, no need to waste good liquor. You can still drink and maintain your competitive edge. You just need to build up a tolerance. Stand upright in a dark closet, with a wide stance, and suck it down. Keep drinking until your wife leaves you.
• Aerobics: Ha! Don't make me laugh. This is golf!
• Putting: Don't bother to practice putting. Putting in golf is overrated. I play golf maybe 200 times a year and I've yet to meet anyone who can putt. You either make it or you don't. If you miss, just keep putting until the ball goes in the hole. Simple.
• Seniors: As we age, our bodies react differently, so seniors must prepare for golf differently than young punks. An important thing to remember is that there is an inverse relationship of increased ear hair to laughably short drives off the tee.
So keep those ear hairs trim and neat. If you're proud of your thick mane of ear hair, don't sweat it. If you're short off the tee, you're probably small in other areas, and I think you know what I'm talking about.
• Excuses: A healthy psychological outlook is a must for Better Golf. If you can convince yourself that the snap hook you hit into the weeds over there is not your doing at all, you'll retain the confidence needed to excel in the game.
The first time you smack one of your all-too-typical lousy shots, turn to your playing partner and snarl," "Will you stop that!" Look at him, looking all hurt and everything. Who would have thought golf fitness could be so much fun?
• Torque development in the downswing: This is so important, I can barely contain myself. This is vital to any golfer who has ever wanted to improve his score. You could even say it is absolutely critical in terms of reaching your full potential as a golfer and knowing what it is to be truly human.
• Alignment and posture: Face the target squarely and stand erect, with your rump jutting out slightly. Feels a little silly, doesn't it? Can you think of another situation in life where you would position yourself in such an odd manner? I can't.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Missouri Valley Announces Golfers of the Week
This week's Missouri Valley Conference golfers of the week are Todd Obergoenner of Southern Illinois and Missy Linnens of Missouri State. Obergoenner led the Salukis with a second-place individual finish at the ASU Indian Classic, while Linnens placed third in the Susie Maxwell Berning Classic. This week marked the final tuneup for the women's programs as the State Farm MVC Women's Championship is next week (Sunday-Tuesday, April 13-15) in Omaha, Neb.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Miller, Hood Take MVC Golfer of the Week Honors
This week's Missouri Valley Conference golfers of the week feature a pair of medalists. Illinois State's Drew Miller earned top honors at the rain-shortened Branson Creek Invitational, helping the Redbirds to a second-place team showing. And Southern Illinois' Braidy Hood won the Saluki Invitational, helping SIU to a 17-stroke team victory.
MEN
Competing for Illinois State as an individual at the Branson Creek Invitational, Miller took individual-medalist honors at the 12-team, rain-shortened event hosted by Missouri State. Miller carded a two-day-total of 143 (73, 77) on his way to a one-stroke victory at the par-71, 7,036 yard Branson Creek Golf Club. Miller’s second-round 70 was the low mark of the tournament’s second round, and helped him claim his first-career victory. Miller is currently tied for the team-lead with 23 rounds played this season and improved his stroke average to 75.1.
Branson Creek Invitational Results -- at bottom of page.
The Evansville men's team competed at the rain-shortened adidas Hoosier Invitational. Matt Hunsaker finished sixth in the field of 88 after two rounds in Bloomington, Indiana. The junior put together rounds of 75 and 70 to finish in the top ten for the Aces. Results: http://golfstat.com/2007-2008/men/mtoursp08/M4522.htm
The Wichita State men's golf team turned a two-stroke lead after 36 holes into a nine-stroke tournament victory in Tuesday's final round at the 2008 Diet Pepsi Shocker Golf Classic, which was held at the Wichita Country Club. Ryan Spears led the Shockers with a three round total of 212 (69-69-74), and finished in third place. Dustin Garza and Ty Sanders were each four strokes back with identical scores of 216, and finished tied for ninth. Results: http://golfstat.com/2007-2008/men/mtoursp08/M4931.htm
WOMEN
Junior Braidy Hood won the 2008 Saluki Invitational after shooting an SIU record low 67 in the second round of the tournament. Hood's 67 broke the previous SIU record of 68 for an all-time low 18-hole score. Hood finished the first day of the tournament tied for first with a 72. Hood's total of 139 broke the Saluki Invitational record for 36-hole score, which was previously 145. Hood broke records on her way to the tournament win despite the Salukis moving their home tournament to Crab Orchard Golf Club due to course conditions at their home course, Hickory Ridge Golf Course. Hood also had to battle wet and windy conditions at the tournament.
Saluki Invitational Results -- at bottom of page.
Elsewhere, the Wichita State women's golf team placed ninth in the University of Cincinnati Spring Invitational, which concluded Saturday at the Plantation Inn and Country Club in Crystal River, Fla. The Shockers were paced in the 54-hole event by sophomore Krista Hrdlicka, who notched a 19th-placed finish with a score of 235 (77-80-78). Results: http://golfstat.com/2007-2008/women/wtoursp08/W0202.htm
Branson Creek Invitational, Branson Creek, Hollister, Mo., Par-71, 7,036 yards
Fin Team Scores
1 Missouri St. U. 289 294 583 +15
2 Illinois State U. 285 300 585 +17
3 UMKC 299 291 590 +22
4 Drake University 294 300 594 +26
5 Murray State Univ. 292 304 596 +28
6 Eastern Illinois U. 301 296 597 +29
T 7 Oral Roberts Univ. 295 303 598 +30
T 7 Tennessee-Martin 297 301 598 +30
9 Creighton University 294 315 609 +41
10 Northern Iowa, U. of 300 311 611 +43
11 Southern Illinois U. 305 310 615 +47
12 Bradley University 323 337 660 +92
Fin Name School Scores
1 Drew Miller Ill. St. 73 70 143 +1
2 John Cronly MissouriSt 70 74 144 +2
T 3 Jack Courington MissouriSt 74 71 145 +3
T 3 Josh Taylor UMKC 73 72 145 +3
T 3 Luke Joy Drake 75 70 145 +3
T 6 Damaso Carrera MissouriSt 71 75 146 +4
T 6 Jeff Kellen Ill. St. 72 74 146 +4
T 6 Scott Stiles O.Roberts 71 75 146 +4
T 6 Terance Begnel O.Roberts 73 73 146 +4
T 10 Cameron Carrico Murray St. 70 77 147 +5
T 10 Mike Imburgia E Illinois 72 75 147 +5
T 10 Tommy Bliefnick Ill. St. 69 78 147 +5
T 13 Alex Hogben UMKC 76 72 148 +6
T 13 Ben Murphy Ill. St. 73 75 148 +6
T 13 Bradley Stevens Tenn-Mart. 74 74 148 +6
T 13 Cole Floyd Tenn-Mart. 75 73 148 +6
T 13 Jared Wolfe Murray St. 71 77 148 +6
T 13 Joe Emerich Ill. St. 71 77 148 +6
T 13 Jordan Weber N. Iowa 73 75 148 +6
Saluki Invitational, Crab Orchard Golf Club, Carterville, Ill., Par-70, 5,846 yards
Fin Team Scores
1 Southern Illinois U. 299 286 585 +25
2 Illinois State Univ. 306 296 602 +42
3 Bradley University 299 306 605 +45
4 Murray State Univ. 301 311 612 +52
5 Drake University 312 301 613 +53
6 Indiana State Univ. 309 305 614 +54
7 Northern Iowa, U. of 312 304 616 +56
T 8 Creighton University 310 312 622 +62
T 8 Eastern Illinois 319 303 622 +62
10 Eastern Kentucky 320 315 635 +75
11 Western Illinois U. 334 319 653 +93
12 Rend Lake CC 349 338 687 +127
Fin Name School Scores
1 Braidy Hood So. Ill. 72 67 139 -1
2 Kelly Gerlach So. Ill. 74 68 142 +2
T 3 Olivia Lansing Drake 76 70 146 +6
T 3 Tiffany Hockensmith IL St. 72 74 146 +6
5 Breanne Smith Indiana St 72 75 147 +7
T 6 Bari-Lynn Erais Bradley 75 73 148 +8
T 6 Leigh Sutton Creighton 72 76 148 +8
8 Molly Schemm N. Iowa 73 76 149 +9
T 9 Kayley Bodine Indiana St 78 72 150 +10
T 9 Laura Harris IL St. 75 75 150 +10
T 11 Amy Simons E Illinois 79 72 151 +11
T 11 Becky Allen W Illinois 76 75 151 +11
T 11 Melissa Rosloniec E Kentucky 78 73 151 +11
T 11 Rikki Sobel Bradley 75 76 151 +11
T 11 Stacey Miller IL St. 79 72 151 +11
T 16 Andrea Downer Murray St. 74 78 152 +12
T 16 Christine Zoerlein So. Ill. 78 74 152 +12
T 18 Carrie Riordan E Illinois 76 77 153 +13
T 18 Lauren May So. Ill. 75 78 153 +13
T 18 Mackenzie Mack Indiana St 78 75 153 +13
T 18 Whitney Cox Bradley 77 76 153 +13
Monday, March 17, 2008
Steve Skinner succeeds founder Lesnik as KemperSports CEO
NORTHBROOK, Ill. -- Steve Lesnik, co-founder and chief executive officer of KemperSports, announced last week at the company’s annual managers meeting that he is turning the mantle of CEO over to President and COO Steve Skinner. “Steve will have complete authority over the day-to-day affairs of the entire company, effective March 1,” Lesnik said.
“We have been implementing a succession plan for several years now and this is a critical milestone. My role in the future will be limited to supporting Steve, who becomes only the second CEO in the company’s 30-year history,” said Lesnik.
Lesnik said that with Steve Skinner assuming the duties of chief executive officer, President Josh Lesnik will continue to focus on overseeing all development, operations, and marketing activities at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort as well as supervising other KemperSports partnerships with Bandon Dunes owner Mike Keiser. Lesnik also will be the senior executive responsible for industry relations and golf competitions on behalf of the company.
KemperSports is entirely privately held. Initially it was owned by Kemper Insurance. It was acquired by Lesnik and co-founder James S. Kemper Jr. in 1983. Lesnik has been the controlling shareholder for the past decade during which time the Kemper family’s shares were repurchased. Recently, both Skinner and Josh Lesnik have become shareholders of the company.
Lesnik’s philosophy has been to emphasize premier service, grow the company gradually and to keep ownership within active management. KemperSports currently operates in 24 states and Latin America. The sports marketing and public relations firms have been in continuous operation since 1979, when they were founded by Lesnik and his wife Mady, and represent many well-known corporations and sporting events. Today, the company’s orbits of business activity are golf operations, athletic clubs and lodging; sports marketing; and, public relations.
In 2007, the company eclipsed a billion dollars in assets under management.
Skinner has been president and chief operating officer of KemperSports since 2006. He formerly was president of KemperGolf Management, a division of the company focused on third-party management operations. Since joining KemperSports in 1998, Skinner has been charged with various assignments, including piloting the company’s growth initiatives and development operations.
In 2001, Golfweek named Skinner to its annual “40 under 40” list. In 2000, he co-founded along with Mr. Lesnik, The First Tee of Chicago. He is also a member of the Illinois PGA Golf Hall of Fame Committee.
Prior to joining the golf industry, Skinner practiced law with Mayer, Brown & Platt in Chicago and served as an official in the first Bush Administration. He earned his law degree from the University of Chicago and a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors from Lawrence University.
Josh Lesnik began working for the company part time as a teenager 23 years ago. He is a graduate of Drake University and has a M.A. in Marketing from Roosevelt University. He is a director of the Western Golf Association, serves on the regional affairs committee of the United States Golf Association, and serves on the boards of the Chicago District Golf Association and The First Tee of Chicago.
Steve Lesnik will continue as chairman of the board of directors. He is also a member of the board of directors of Career Education Corporation (NASDAQ) and has been a member of the boards of many civic and charitable organizations in Illinois, including a term as chairman of the board of the Illinois Board of Higher Education.
About KemperSports
Northbrook, Ill.-based KemperSports operates golf facilities as well as athletic clubs, lodging venues and major sporting events, including nationally ranked courses and tournament venues such as Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, Chambers Bay, Harding Park, Dorado Beach Resort & Club, The Glen Club, Desert Willow Golf Resort and the Chicago Park District golf facilities. Affiliate KemperSports Marketing & Communications, a sports marketing, events and public relations agency, has produced and managed major national and international events and communications programs, including the EA SPORTS Maui Invitational college basketball tournament and numerous PGA TOUR events. For more information, visit www.kempersports.com.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Jacobson Renovating East Course at Indian Lakes
Golfers everywhere know about the island green on the 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass. Each year during the Players Championship TV viewers indulge in the not-so-guilty pleasure of watching frustrated PGA Tour pros dunk their tee shots into the drink around the putting surface.
It won't be long now until Chicago-area golfers have an opportunity to challenge an island green, too. Golf architect Rick Jacobson is including an island green as part of his renovation of the East Course at the Hilton Indian Lakes Resort in west suburban Bloomingdale outside
The new No. 8 hole is Jacobson's new 150-yard par-3 original whose 9,000-square-foot green sits in the middle of a large pond. "It's the kind of hole that will really get people's blood going," Jacobson said. "And it will be a great hole during competition whether it's a professional event, high school tournament, junior golf competition, or a friendly foursome, because on that hole one tee shot can change the match."
Jacobson's new eighth is just one aspect of his overall re-design of the East Course, which will go from the current 18 holes down to a nine-hole championship caliber course.
Jacobson knows his way around
The net result of the current renovation will leave the resort with a top-flight 27-hole golf course and practice facility.
Jacobson said the island green hole, which will play into the prevailing southwest wind, will feature a wood retaining wall and a front greenside bunker.
In order to accommodate
The project also includes:
* Four separate teeing areas on every hole to accommodate various levels of play and provide elasticity in course length. The separate tee areas will replace the original tee box design, which consisted of one long tee box with room for three sets of tees, one behind the other. All tees will be squared-off in order to give them a "classic design" appearance.
* All old greens will be re-graded and re-grassed to recapture original pin placements or create new ones. The existing poa annua greens will be converted to G-2 bentgrass to provide high-quality putting surfaces.
* Adding fairway bailout areas not in the original design.
* Dramatically upgrading all playing surfaces. Original bluegrass tees and fairways will be converted to bentgrass.
* Incorporating fescue to provide contrast, texture, and wildlife habitats throughout the course. "Eyebrows" of fescue lining and defining bunkers will provide continuity with Blackhawk Trace.
* Installing new irrigation and drainage systems to improve overall course conditions.
"During our renovations at
For those familiar with the East Course, Jacobson plans to save hole Nos. 2, 6, 8 (which will be the new 7th), 9, 10, 11, 16, and 17. As mentioned, the island green will be on No. 8 - or No. 26 in the context of the entire 27-hole track.
The new practice area will feature:
* A 10,000-square-foot putting green
* A double-sided driving range with an area for private instruction on the far side of the range
* Five target greens
* A short game practice area for chipping, pitching, and sand bunker practice
* Nearly an acre of turf teeing area on the driving range along with artificial turf tee areas.
Hilton Indian Lakes Resort is located at
Jacobson is known for such heralded 18-hole designs as Augustine GC in
Sad News: For Southern Illinois Golf Association
January 28th, 2008, the SIGA, the Game of Golf, and the World lost an ambassador and a friend. Mr. Phil Heckel, President of Crab Orchard Golf Club, father of Steve Heckel, and friend of many has passed away at the age of 93. Mr. Heckel was a wonderful Husband, Dad, Grandfather, Great-Grandfather, and as we all know, a great person. Our hearts go out to Ruth, Steve, and the rest of the Heckel family and all who knew and were touched by Phil. He was an SIGA distinguished service award winner, a great friend and supporter of the game of golf and the SIGA, and will truly be missed.
DePaul Men’s Golf Takes Fifth Place at Ron Smith/USF Invitational
DADE CITY, Fla. – Senior Will Cumberland carded a two-under-par final round as the DePaul men’s golf team closed out the Ron Smith/USF Invitational on Sunday. The Blue Demons earned a fifth-place finish following three rounds at the Lake Jovita Country Club.
Four birdies helped junior Cory Blenkush meet par on Sunday with a final round of 72. He closed the tournament locked in a tie for 20th overall with a three-round score of 219. Senior Matthew McMahon carded a round of 73 on Sunday and finished in a tie for 32nd with a 54-hole total of 222. Senior Nick Martin tied for 38th with a three-round score of 223, while freshman Greg Doherty earned a share of 48th place with a 54-hole score of 224.
The Blue Demons finished the tournament 13 shots over par with a combined score of 877.
Mike Van Sickle of
DePaul returns to competition, March 31-April 1 at the Larry Nelson Invitational in
llinois Garners Men's Golfer of the Week
Scott Langley, Illinois
Fr., Manchester, Mo. / Parkway South
Langley averaged a 69.33 (-8, 208) to claim top honors over the course of the three-round Argonaut Invitational in which the freshman led his squad to a second-place finish.
Friday, February 22, 2008
DePaul's Men's Golf Ties for Eighth Place at Texas-San Antonio Intercollegiate
SAN ANTONIO – Junior Cory Blenkush carded a par round of 71 on Tuesday as the DePaul men’s golf team closed out the Texas-San Antonio Intercollegiate. The Blue Demons tied for eighth in the team standings following the three-round tournament at the Oak Hills Country Club.
Blenkush tied four other golfers for 12th place in the individual standings with a 54-hole total of 219. The Blue Demon junior posted two identical rounds of 74 on Monday and finished seven shots behind tournament winner Noah Goldman of Mississippi State.
Sophomore Greg Doherty closed the tournament in a seven-way tie for 18th place. His final-round score of 72 brought his 54-hole total to an eight-over-par 221. Senior Matthew McMahon followed in a tie for 33rd place with a total score of 224, while junior Nick Martin’s three-round total of 229 earned a tie for 53rd overall.
Senior Will Cumberland tied for 60th place with a 54-hole score of 230. Michael Gammon competed as an individual and placed 86th with a total of 252.
Mississippi State won the team title with a combined score of 864, while Texas Tech took second place with a total of 873. DePaul and tournament host Texas-San Antonio finished competition with identical scores of 890.
The Blue Demons return to action, February 29-March 2, at the Ron Smith Invitational. The three-round tournament, hosted by BIG EAST Conference rival USF, is played at the Lake Jovita Country Club in Dade City, Florida.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Quinney makes an ace, but Mickelson keeps the Northern Trust Open lead
PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. (AP) -- Phil Mickelson lost his cushion, but not the lead Saturday at the Northern Trust Open.
Mickelson watched Jeff Quinney make a hole-in-one on the fabled sixth hole at Riviera that erased a four-shot margin, but saved par on the 18th hole for a 1-under 70 to stay in the lead and move one step closer to adding this trophy to his West Coast collection.
Quinney made a 35-foot birdie putt on the final hole for a 67 that set up what appears to be a two-man race in the final round.
Mickelson, whose 15 victories on the West Coast Swing have come in every city but
"I thought it was a good, solid round," Mickelson said. "It should be an interesting and tough day tomorrow."
Quinney delivered the best shot, and maybe the worst.
Along with his hole-in-one that he could hear, but not see, Quinney bladed a wedge over the green on the par-5 11th that led to a two-shot swing in Mickelson's favor, then spent the rest of the gorgeous afternoon trying to catch up.
Quinney was at 203, four shots ahead of everyone else.
John Rollins fell back with consecutive bogeys and had to settle for a 69 that left him at 6-under 207. Scott Verplank, who opened his round with a four-putt from 30 feet on the fringe, shot 71 and was another shot back with Stuart Appleby (69) and Vaughn Taylor (71).
"Other than Tiger, he's probably the next best front-runner," Verplank said of Mickelson, who is 21-7 with a 54-hole lead. "He's awful good. So I'm going to have to play exceptionally well, and probably then would need a little bit of help."
Mickelson also had a one-shot lead last year going into the final round, losing in a playoff to Charles Howell. There were five players within three shots of the lead a year ago, but only Quinney, a former U.S. Amateur champion who has not won on the PGA TOUR, appears to be in his way this time.
"He's going to bring a lot to the table," Quinney said. "I have to bring my best to the table."
Quinney did not sound the least bit concerned about a four-shot deficit to Mickelson, saying after his second round that Riviera is not the type of course where one has to shoot 64 to make up ground.
Then, he looked as though he might do just that.
Quinney birdied the first hole with a long chip across the green on the par 5, then gained another shot when Lefty three-putted for bogey on No. 4. Quinney then holed a 20-foot birdie putt to reduce the lead to one-shot going into the sixth hole, famous for having a bunker in the middle of the green.
He thought that's where his 7-iron was headed. But it landed just to the side, rolled down the slope and into the cup.
Back on the tee, Quinney had already turned away and was looking over his shoulder when he heard the crowd erupt, the sure sign that he had made ace. He ran toward his caddie, unsure whether to hug or high-five, and it turned out to be a clumsy celebration.
"We need to get that organized," he said.
That gave him the lead, but only for as long as Mickelson hit 8-iron to 5 feet and made birdie, putting both at 10 under.
They matched birdies at No. 10 -- Quinney with a wedge to 2 feet, Mickelson by driving to the front of the green -- and neither showed signs of backing down. But everything changed with one swing.
Mickelson was on the par-5 11th green in two, Quinney just short of the bunker. Quinney caught two much ball, however, and it sailed over the green. He chipped back to 15 feet and did well to escape with bogey.
Even so, it was a two-shot swing after Mickelson made birdie, and Lefty kept his margin.
Mickelson had the 54-hole lead at
"Daylight is up front, first and second," Appleby said. "If I can shoot a good round tomorrow, 4 or 5 under, that would be a good score. Now, what's that mean for the tournament? Does that threaten the top? Probably not. It's not really an open tournament."
Divots: Pat Perez isn't any more optimistic about the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship than he was last week, when he thought he was playing Tiger Woods in the first round and didn't want to embarrass himself. He was told Saturday morning he would be playing Phil Mickelson. "Yeah, that's much better, because he's playing like (dirt) right now," Perez said with typical sarcasm. J.B. Holmes will play Woods and had a different outlook. "I'm in," he said. "That's all that matters." ... Marc Turnesa was on his way home Saturday morning until John Merrick missed a 4-foot par putt, meaning 78 players made the cut at 3 over. Turnesa then shot 67 and moved up to a tie for 29th at 1-under 212.
Sorenstam wins season-opening SBS Open for her 70th LPGA Tour title
KAHUKU, Hawaii (AP) -- Annika Sorenstam waited 17 months to collect a T-shirt from her sister and a bottle of wine from a friend with No. 70 proudly displayed on them.
"It's probably dusty," she said. "I'm ready to collect it now."
Sorenstam won the season-opening SBS Open for her 70th LPGA Tour title and first since September 2006, birdieing two of the last three holes Saturday for a 3-under 69 and two-stroke victory.
"It's great to win tournaments and there's some tournaments that mean a little bit more and they come in a special time, and I would say this is one of them," she said.
The 37-year-old Swedish star, coming off an injury-shortened season where she failed to win last year for the first time since her rookie season in 1994, finished with a 10-under 206 total. It also was her second straight win in
"We've talked so much about '07, it's time to talk about '08," she said. "My clubs did the talking this particular week."
Rookie Russy Gulyanamitta (68), Laura Diaz (70) and Jane Park (70) tied for second. Angela Park (69), the 2007 rookie of the year who was assessed a two-stroke penalty, and Japanese rookie Momoko Ueda (71) tied for fifth, three strokes back.
Sorenstam dropped to a knee and shook her fist as she calmly sank a 24-foot downhill putt on the par-4 17th that ended any suspense.
"That was huge," said Sorenstam, who has won 47 times when holding the lead going into the final round. "That's one of those putts I'm going to remember for a long time."
She then waved both arms in the air and hugged her caddie after putting for par on the 18th hole.
"It's been a while," caddie Terry McNamara said as they hugged.
Sorenstam was limited to 13 events last year because of neck and back injuries and had six top-10s finishes, but couldn't add to her trophy collection.
In the first event of 2008, the world's former No. 1 looked like her old self -- relaxed, focused and dominant.
"This means so much to me," she said. "Last year was not a year I wanted to remember inside the ropes. I was determined to come back."
Sorenstam smiled as she walked the fairway on the par-4 16th after hitting a wedge to 4 feet, which she dropped for the outright lead that she wouldn't lose.
Sorenstam said she was a little hesitant and trying to protect her lead until she reached the turn when she told McNamara, "Let's play some golf."
She first went up by two strokes on the par-4 10th by sinking a 14-foot birdie putt, but quickly lost a stroke when her long birdie putt whizzed 8 feet passed the cup on the next hole. She three-putted for her only bogey of the day.
Ueda and Jane Park each birdied to tie Sorenstam for the lead at 8 under. Jane Park made a long putt on No. 15. Seconds later, Ueda rolled in a 12-foot birdie putt on No. 14, drawing a roar from the sizable Japanese gallery.
However, no one could keep pace with Sorenstam.
Sorenstam was playing at
Gulyanamitta, who earned just $4,411 in her previous 17 events, jumped around the 18th green after sinking a long birdie putt. She made $75,867 Saturday.
Like Sorenstam, Diaz also was hungry for a win. She hasn't hoisted a trophy since 2002. Diaz shared the lead with Sorenstam until a double bogey on No. 7 dropped her into a crowd.
Angela Park (69) was assessed a two-stroke penalty for slow play on the par-4 10th that gave her a triple bogey and cost her a shot at the lead and about $60,000. Park then birdied three of the next four holes to get back within a stroke of the lead before Sorenstam's late birdies.
Park said she wasn't holding up play. "I really don't think it's fair especially because I was in contention. I don't think it's fair at all."
Rules officials said Park's second, third and fourth shots on the hole all exceeded the time limit. Park disagreed and was visibly upset, in tears after her round.
"I was so mad out there," she said. "I was flying through the course on the back nine. I was so frustrated."
Without the penalty, Park would have finished 9 under, alone in second place for $100,458. Instead she earned $40,872.
Conditions were unusually calm on Oahu's
Ueda used an umbrella. Sorenstam hid under the ironwood trees.
Sorenstam and Erica Blasberg (74) were co-leaders heading into the final round at 7 under. Blasberg was playing in the final group for the first time in her career.
Her troubles started when she pulled her drive near the water hazard and had to pitch out on No. 7 for bogey. Blasberg tied for eighth with Cristie Kerr (73), In-Kyung Kim (71) and Yani Tseng (69) at 5-under 211.
Defending champion Paula Creamer closed with a 69 to finish at 4 under. She hit 18 greens in regulation but putted 34 times.
"I was grinding it out there," she said. "I saw the leaderboard and I think I got a little anxious."
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Illinois wins fifth straight Tinervin Cup
For the fifth straight season, Illinois has begun the spring season with a victory in the Tinervin Cup. The Illini defeated Illinois State, 8-1, in a match play format at the Coral Creek Golf Club in Placida, Fla.
The event, hosted by the Tinervin family, benefactors for both programs, began with a 2-on-2 best ball format in the morning. The team of junior Larry Blatt and sophomore Zach Barlow won their match 1 up; the duo of junior Jon Krick and senior Mark Ogren prevailed 4 and 2; while the freshman tandem of Chris DeForest and Scott Langley was victorious in their match 3 and 1.
Illinois won five of the six singles matches in the afternoon. Barlow and Ogren paced the Illini by shooting 70s in winning their matches. DeForest fired a 71, Langley a 74 and Krick had a 75 in victories.
"It was a great experience for us because every shot in a match carries a little more importance," said Illinois head coach Mike Small. "ISU has a good program, so I'm pleased with how well we responded to start the spring."
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Shoreacres Makes Golf Magazines Top 50 Courses
Shoreacres, IL, USA
Green Keeper: Tim Davis
Once upon a time, on a beautiful piece of property along the shore of Lake Michigan�
If this sounds like the beginning of a storybook tale from a bygone era, that's because it is. To complete the tale, the year was 1918, the piece of property was in Lake Bluff, Illinois, along Chicago's north shore. The founding members of Shoreacres hired Seth J. Raynor to construct a course worthy of its setting.
Raynor's typically steep and deep bunkering is evident here at the seventeenth.
Making the turn at the discrete Shoreacres - Members Only sign, one can feel a connection to the early 1920's when Raynor laid out this course. The journey into the Club is a definite part of the overall experience as the drive passes the third fairway and the second green with the creek wrapping around it. One languidly proceeds through an avenue of trees. To the north is the first fairway and to the south is the miniscule practice field. The road again bends to the left by the practice putting green and the eighteenth green and past the David Alder white clubhouse perched on the bluff. The professional's shop is further around to the west, closer to the course.
By now, any of life's worries have melted away and the golfer is just itching to play. Best yet, the course does not disappoint.
Shoreacres and Camargo, which also opened in 1921, were Raynor's first great solo design efforts. Their immediate success assisted Raynor as being the preferred architect at such remarkable sites as Yale, Fisher's Island, and Cypress Point in the second half of the 1920s.
Shoreacres is as original a Seth Raynor design as exists. Green Keeper Tim Davis has been at Shoreacres for over twenty years and knows his course as well as any Green Keeper in the country. Working in collaboration with Tom Doak's Renaissance Design Firm, they have thoughtfully restored every Raynor feature possible to its original state. Over time, the greens have been returned to their initial size, in some cases increasing the green size by more than one third. A direct consequence of such a restoration is that many of the most interesting hole locations are brought back into play along the outer parts of the greens.
Though Raynor in general produced broad greens, getting at hole locations in their far reaches is a study in shot making. For instance take the fifth green. A front left location is diabolical as anything in the middle of the green leaves a putt sloping fiercely downhill and off the green. The golfer may be better off to miss the green left with a draw and have a straightforward chip shot into the green slope. Conversely, a back right hole located a top one of the plateaus requires a running cut shot to scamper all the way back.
Everybody talks about the stretch from the tenth to fifteenth and many feel that it represents Raynor's very finest work - high praise indeed. Most of Raynor's favorite type holes are to be found on this course, as we see below.
Holes to Note
Second hole, 345 yards; Because of the hole's modest length, the golfer will rarely have more than a short iron approach. The green is an extension of the fairway and is open in front. The golfer feels that he should make something happen. And yet when they start moving the hole locations toward the back and left, apprehension creeps in as a creek loops across the back and down the left of the green. A golfer in control may attack the flag while the less sure will tentatively play toward the front and hope for a two putt par. Regardless, the hole is a good barometer of the nerves of one's opponent and the state of his game.
Down the left of the second is where all the trouble lurks.
As seen from behind the green, left hole locations such as this one bring the creek well and truly into play.
Fourth hole, 370 yards; A Cape tee ball with a creek zigzagging across the tee line. The green itself is quite big and is bunkered left and right. The optimal angle into it is - you guessed it - from as near to the creek as possible. This green is another beneficiary of the reclaimed greens as some very interesting hole locations are found on the upper back left and right areas.
The approach from the swale after this long hitter carried the ditch on the Cape tee shot.
Sixth hole, 190 yards; A shorter than usual Biarritz hole that has both the front and back halves as green. The green itself is eighty-three yards long and features a two foot swale approximately in the middle. The Club has not always maintained the front half as putting surface. Interestingly enough, all the greens at Shoreacres have an original cinder base and when Tim Davis went to reclaim the front half, there was no cinder. Perhaps Raynor never intended the front half to be green but the hole is infinitely more interesting because it is.
The full length Biarritz green, complete with swale, as seen from behind the sixth green.
Tenth hole, 455 yards; A terrifying version of the Road Hole that embodies many of the best characteristics of the original. Out of bounds is all down the right. The brave line off the tee is to flirt with a small ravine on the right in order to shorten the route home. A greenside bunker covers the left third of the green and a long bunker occupying the space of the road on the original version is ominous indeed.
The landing area at ten is pinched on the right, both by this gully and the out of bounds which lines the hole.
A true Road Hole green complex: the false front, Road Hole bunker, the shallow green and a deep bunker
over all conspire to make this a very difficult target to hit on one's invariably long approach.
Chicago Golf Club Makes Golf Magazine's Top 20 Courses
Beauty and the Beast
Mid Ocean and Chicago Golf Club, USA
The distinctive Chicago GC clubhouse.
How much does and should the setting of a layout play in judging the quality of the course? Should the architectural merits of a course on uninspired land be overshadowed by a striking course over dramatic property?
To illustrate this debate, let's look at Chicago Golf Club and the Mid Ocean Club. Both were originally designed by the mighty Charles Blair Macdonald and both share similar holes (e.g., a Redan, a Short hole). However, there the similarities end. The two sites could not be more different: Chicago GC on its barren plain and Mid Ocean on hilly terrain with several holes bordering Bermuda's cliff tops. Also, Chicago has been zealously preserved from when Macdonald's pupil Seth Raynor re-did the course in 1922 whereas Mid Ocean was subjected to a major rework by Trent Jones in the 1950s.
Chicago GC is notable for its strength and difficulty with no weaknesses in a pleasant setting that would not be noticed were it not for the course. The club adopts the imminently laudable feature of leaving trees out of play. In fact, if a tree grows to a point where it affects play, the club will quickly fell it. It is a course that lets you know how good of a player you really are, and there is little to distract you from your game.
Mid Ocean, on the other hand, is a roller-coaster, in terms of the land, the emotions and the quality of the course. While Chicago has nothing close to an indifferent hole, Mid Ocean has several, such as the 6th and 11th. However, the course more than compensates for these shortcomings by having just as many all-world holes (e.g., the 5th and 17th). There are holes where the player is content with bogey (the 9th) and holes where anything less than birdie is a disappointment (the 2nd).
Raynor would later employ the same stairstepped bunkers at Lookout Mountain
as pictured here at the 1st hole at Mid Ocean.
While Chicago has the atmosphere of a museum, Mid Ocean reminds one of those colorful travel posters from the 1950s.
Holes to Note:
1st hole, Chicago GC, 440 yards: There is no 'easing' into the round here, as this brute leads the way over gently rolling land to a large, open green that features one of the enduring characteristics of many greens on the course - square corners. This hole asks a lot of the player right out of the gate, but the area around the green is generous, and the player is not disheartened walking away with 5 as he admits to himself that that would likely be his score no matter where in the round the hole fell.
Chicago's tough 1st, but note the open green
1st hole, Mid Ocean, 410 yards: This appealing opener starts from a high tee with the player playing across a valley to the fairway and then across a more severe valley to the green perched at the edge of the cliff. The topography provides the player with a choice of plays off the tee - would he rather have a level stance or a shorter approach? An inspired start.
The left greenside bunker shot at Mid Ocean's 1st.
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