Should the Tournament Players Championship be considered a major championship and thus raise the quantity of majors from four to five? This question arises every year and is debated everywhere in the golf world ad nauseam, ad infinitum, ad boredom. It’s no secret that Tim Finchem is trying his hardest, subtly or brazenly, to get the golf world to accept the TPC as a major. The answer to any golf traditionalist or purist is, of course, a resounding, “No!” The most basic reason is that the math doesn’t work. The “Grand Slam” is based on the number four. It’s a baseball ... full post »

Perhaps it may be time for the PGA Tour to alter its catch phrase just a touch. After watching the devastation over the weekend at the Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., the new phrase could be, “This Guy Is Good.” Yes, I know the TPC is a most difficult golf course and it was set up to devour the world’s best golfers. Or we could take the more positive approach and say that it was set up to challenge the world’s best. In that case only one met the challenge – Stephen Ames. When the ... full post »

Walking around at the LPGA Safeway International last week, it became obvious why this tournament continues to grow in popularity and attendance year after year. In 2004 there were 90,000 fans through the gates; in 2005 it was 105,800; and based on the attendance the first two days of competition there’ll be a new record in 2006. But this doesn’t come about with just a wave of a magic sand wedge. There is a reason all this happens and it forms a tight loop making this event so popular with players and fans. The field is always one of the best ... full post »

We were able to observe just one shot from the “golfing machine” (sometimes known as Annika Sorenstam) yesterday playing in a prelim event at the Safeway International at Superstition Mountain Golf and Country Club in Superstition Mountain, Ariz. Standing behind the green on the 18th hole, a slightly uphill par-5 with water along the entire left side, we noticed Annika and her four playing partners in the fairway about 230 yards from the green. Being the lady that she is and in deference to the scramble format they were playing, she allowed the four guys the first opportunity to hit the ... full post »