Some folks think that gambling is one of the roots of all evil. However, I’m not one of them. I don’t mean to dismiss the problems and pain that some have suffered as the result of a mind or soul that has been twisted from gambling. To be sure, it can be a dangerous thing – like, say, guns or alcohol – when used improperly or to excess. But to most of the population gambling can be wonderful entertainment. For instance, how much fun is holding a $1 lottery ticket when the pot is up to an astronomical number? While ... full post »

And the hits just keep on coming for Ernie Els. He could not be any happier with the way he is coming back from the knee injury & surgery which has kept him sidelined for half a year. The knee is still tender but he deemed it fit enough to play for a third week in a row down in South Africa. Els did not win as he did the previous week. What he did was to finish second to Retief Goosen in a classic match-play situation on Sunday. But again, I say, look at how he did it. Because of the ... full post »

Commissioner Carolyn Bivens has done her part to get the ball rolling by granting Morgan Pressel full LPGA Tour membership at the beginning of the golf year. Now 2 of the big 3 rookies (Pressel & Ai Miyazato) have secured entry into the Kraft Nabisco, the 1st Major tournament on the 2006 LPGA schedule. However, the biggest professional rookie has an entry problem. Michelle Wie does not have full LPGA Tour membership - she hasn’t even applied - and the Kraft Nabisco does not extend sponsor’s exemptions to non-LPGA member pros. Michelle Wie has crossover appeal which the LPGA hasn’t had ... full post »

Morgan Pressel has wisely filed for re-consideration of her application for LPGA Tour membership before she reaches the currently-legislated age of 18. Former commissioner Ty Votaw bent the rules slightly to allow her to participate in the LPGA Q-school, but ruled that if she were to qualify for Tour membership, she could not accept that membership until her 18th birthday in May. The very talented Pressel was the top-ranked amateur in the United States entering the tournament and easily qualified for her card despite not playing up to her usual standards. So now, the application is sitting in front ... full post »

Will the real Robert Allenby please stand up? The past few weeks have been mighty kind to Robert Allenby. He played the best golf of his life and won the Australian Triple - the Masters, Open and PGA. It’s never been done before. Don’t scoff too loudly at a “lesser event” as the fields were dotted with world class players such as Adam Scott, Stuart Appleby and Peter Lonard. Impressive. Some of this next statistic may be luck but he also is a perfect 10 for 10 in playoffs - never has been beaten with the title on the line. That’s even ... full post »

Ernie Els is back and better than ever! Ok, ok, I know what you’re thinking …. what kind of drugs has Shanks been smoking? After all, it was only the Dunhill tournament in South Africa that he won against a less than stellar field. The top 20 finishers included only a few names that golf fans outside of S.A. might recognize like Immelman, Haeggeman & Lynn. For God’s sake, he was 4 shots behind the incomparable Ulrich van den Berg with just 10 holes to go. Were it not for an ugly triple bogey by the leader on the 9th ... full post »

There has been a lot of discussion in these blogs about the relative strength of men vs. women, particularly when it comes to the case of a 16 year-old female wunderkind, one Michelle Wie. She dreams of playing in the Masters and duelling with Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and the like. Much anecdotal evidence has been offered supporting the pro and con views of her future in the game. Golf is a game of skill and nerve, where physical strength is a huge advantage when combined with them. Fred Funk defies rational thought in this area. He’s small in stature, ... full post »

Jim Furyk is quietly building a very strong resume and may be the next player that has to be considered in the top echelon of the best golfers in the world. Doubtless you know that he won the Nedbank Challenge in South Africa last week by chipping in for birdie on the second hole of a playoff with Darren Clarke, Adam Scott and Retief Goosen. Furyk showed a lot of the grit by overcoming a 72nd hole bogey that caused the playoff in the first place. Most golfers don’t seem to be able to recover from the final hole gag ... full post »

With very little fanfare here in the U.S., Ernie Els will make his first appearance in over 4 months this weekend at the Nedbank Challenge in South Africa - formerly the Million Dollar Challenge - after being off to recuperate from a knee injury suffered while sailing. Funny, I didn’t know that sailing was a contact sport. But I digress. Ernie birdied his first hole in his first practice round this week to get off to a rousing start but admittedly struggled with the knee towards the end of the round. There was some swelling and who knows if he will ... full post »