Monday, May 31, 2010

WHO IS DAMON GREEN?

Fort Worth, Texas---Lift, lug and quiet, the creed of a PGA tour caddy. Ranked 35th in the world to start, Zack Johnson broke Colonial's tournament record, won his third tournament in the Lone Star State and headed back to Iowa .

Needing to calculate every nasty turn and bumpity-bump, caddy Damon Green packed the buckboard and aimed it toward the next tournament sight in Ohio .

Luck, no way you say; Brian Davis went 54 for 54 inside of eight feet until an announcer, needing something to say during a late day rain delays, jinxed the Brit. He spun out two at the finish, good enough for a runner-up finish.

Brilliant but hardly noticed, Jeff Overton and Ben Crane tied for third at -17.

K.J. Choi forgot about his Saturday stumble. On cruise control and headed for a possible 59, a collection of bad decisions and unneeded risks left him with a quadruple bogey at his 54th hole. He didn’t pout; and never blamed his caddy. His closing 68 today tied him for 13th.

Sunday, May 30, 2010

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DIVOT

TEXAS WINDS MISSING

Fort Worth, Texas---Fast fairways and no wind left Colonial at the mercy of the world’s best golfers. Determined trees set narrow openings to well bunkered greens protecting the legend of Hogan’s five victories. Members squirmed, watching their pride and joy give way to a 67.9 scoring average on Saturday.

Forecasts of limp to variable winds for Sunday leaves the crown open for a good ol’ Texas shootout.

Bryce Molder made nine one putts in a row, most longer than members “gimmes,” setting the pace for the 54 hole lead, tied with Brian Davis at 16-under par. Davis is battling an infected gum and a streak of missed cuts, proving to excuse makers to keep kickin’.

Relying on hitting fairways and greens in regulation, Zack Johnson, one spinout from the lead, alerted the tee-bombers to watch the scoreboard on Sunday.

Crane, Overton and Bohn posted 14-under, odd hats, birdies and eagles at every look and still two behind the record breaking pace of the leaders.

Corey Pavin is fifty; his putter is old enough to call him ‘Junior’. His 67-64-67 dismissed a tournament low driving length of 255 yards, giving hope to granddads tired of losing to grandkids.

Paul Goydos, another fifty year old, relieved any thoughts of putting woes with his oversized weapon on a shaft when he holed a five-iron on #13 for an ace. His demons rested.

John Daly ended his bogey free streak on his 39th hole. Three more on the back nine left him with a day high 75.

Leaders will toss and turn, some thinking of history, others worried about keeping their card. Windless Colonial will narrow at the end.

Saturday, May 29, 2010

GOLFER DIES ON NATIONAL TV

GOLFER DIES ON NATIONAL TV

COLONIAL INVITATIONAL

Fort Worth, Texas—If you saw it, you’ll never be the same. He’s fallen to mismatched thoughts, a bag full of oddly shaped putters and a variety of grips better suited for vaudeville. Vijay Singh’s long game overpowered the embarrassment on the greens. After missing the hole from inside of five feet four times, Singh wilted but refused to quit. Eye witnesses turned away. An even par 70 hid the truth; Vijay Singh died May, 27, 2010 on the back nine of a long career. His ghost used the last rays of light bludgeoning himself on the putting green, looking for renewal.

This year’s Ryder Cup Captain and winner at Colonial in 1985 and 1996, Corey Pavin topped an opening round 67 with a brilliant 64, using a putter from the 1950s. If not careful, he may find himself playing for this year’s cup against Europe.

John Daly, with St. Andrews on his mind, dismissed his demons for one more day: 11 of 14 fairways in regulation and hitting 14 of 18 greens kept them away. A mistimed double-bogey at the last tempted revival but held.

Long waits shrink green. Jim Furyk led the list of notables with the weekend off. Master winner Trevor Immelman, U.S. Open champion Y.E. Yang and Phil Mickelson found that shade works better for fans than players.

Jason Bohn, Brian Davis and Kris Blanks went to bed wondering how Bryce Moulder took their lead. Nine birdies verified his 62.

Some say Ft. Worth is where the west begins; leaders up all night dreading the tee shot on #15 and par threes disguised as par 4s hardly care.

Friday, May 28, 2010

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DIVOT

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DIVOT

Joe Dahl

CROWNE PLAZA INVITATIONAL at COLONIAL

Fort Worth, Texas---The land of legend, boots and tuxedos invited the best. Five of the world’s top eight came for a piece of history and the $6.2 M purse.

Phil Mickelson arrived in gangster pants; two birdies out of the box forgave the look. Camera crews followed him through the trees; wreck route after wreck route, he escaped the laws of fairways and greens until the seventh. A shaded deep grass lie, train whistles, and a gallery just off of their medication, took down his red numbers. An opening 71 hardly discouraged the world’s number two player.

Opportunity, front and center, met a weather changing stare from John Daly. Inspired by a sponsors exemption and thoughts of wasting his twelfth second chance, Big John toned down his wrap around swing and temper long enough for four birdies without a bogey. The opening 66 showed the pedigree of much lower; a case of the go-by-putts from fifteen feet or closer heard him mutter but never break.

Last week’s runner up, Jeff Overton, threatened his putter to a week in a rental bag at a low-end resort. It worked. After seven straight pars, Overton made seven birdies in eleven holes, leaving him tied for the lead at 63 with early starter John Bohn. Jet noises from nearby Carswell Air Force Base and a wondering gallery never punctured Bohn’s concentration.

Aching, puffed but determined, Brian Davis disregarded an abscessed tooth on the way to an impressive 64. A late day interviewer cut it short, pain and a dental appointment as the reason. Brian’s 7:30 tee time on Friday exposed the golf-gods sense of humor.

The truly deranged, sat by the 13th green all day. An intermediate par three until factoring in a wall of water taking all of the land right of the green, a pin spot licking the lake and a go-too-far fringe of grainy Bermuda grass offering long stretches of go-slow grass followed by please stop, please stop grass headed for the pond. Fearing reprisal, they cheered for pros escaping the dread.