Mickelson a candidate for World Golf Hall of Fame Class of 2012?

Three-time major winner Ernie Els, former President George H. W. Bush, 19-time PGA Tour victor Doug Ford, Japan’s Masashi “Jumbo” Ozaki, the late Frank Chirkinian and the late Jock Hutchison were inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame Class of 2011 in St. Augustine, Florida yesterday.

WGHF Chief Operating Officer Jack Peter said, "The Class of 2011 comes from South Africa, Japan, the United States and Scotland. The global nature of this wonderful Class embodies so much of what the World Golf Hall of Fame stands for. We are thrilled to welcome all of them into the Hall of Fame family."

 World Golf Hall of Fame inductees: Class of 2011

The World Golf Hall of Fame honors golf's greatest players and contributors. Criteria for induction indicates an  honorary must be forty-years old, must be a PGA Tour player (on the PGA Tour ballot) for ten years and have either ten Tour wins, two majors or two Players Championships to be considered. 

Perhaps Phil Mickelson needs another Players Championship win under his belt before being added to the ballot?

Ernie Els was interestingly enough inducted through the PGA Tour ballot and has won more than sixty golf tournaments worldwide. He has been a fixture on the PGA Tour, the European Tour and on six Presidents Cup teams.

“I can think of no more worthy candidate than Ernie to enter the World Golf Hall of Fame,” said George O’Grady, Chief Executive of The European Tour, speaking as Chairman of the World Golf Foundation. “He joins two South African legends of the game in Bobby Locke and Gary Player, which is testament to his immense ability, his superb achievements and the wonderful example he has set to all in the field of golf and, indeed, the world of sports.”

President Bush will become the second president inducted in the Hall of Fame, inducted through the Lifetime Achievement Category. CBS lead golf broadcaster Jim Nantz presented while the former President accepted his Induction in a pre-recorded address. Bush is the original Honorary Chairman of The First Tee and the Presidents Cup, as well as the recipient of the 1997 PGA of America Distinguished Service Award and the 2008 Bob Jones Award.

The late Frank Chirkinian is known throughout golf and broadcasting circles as “the father of televised golf.” From 1959-1996, Chirkinian was the executive producer for golf on CBS and led its Masters coverage. Chirkinian, who was inducted through the Lifetime Achievement Category, is responsible for myriad innovations, including the installation of a camera on a blimp and adding microphones to tee boxes.

The late Jock Hutchison was inducted through the Veterans Category. Hutchison combined with Jim Barnes and Walter Hagen to form the “American Triumvirate” during the 1910s and 20s. Hutchison is perhaps most famous for becoming the first U.S.-based player to win the Open Championship in 1921.

Masashi “Jumbo” Ozaki, a Japanese legend who has won more than 100 times worldwide, was inducted through the International ballot. Ozaki led the Japan Golf Tour money list twelve times but could not make the Ceremony due to back issues and the recent events in Japan.

Each Inductee has donated memorabilia from their standout career, which has been built into special Inductee exhibits at the Hall of Fame. Each Inductee will receive a case in Shell Hall and a permanent space in the Member Locker Room. The exhibits will be open to the public on May 10.

What can Mickelson donate if he becomes an inductee into the World Golf Hall of Fame 2012?

Perhaps a Masters flag, one of his three green jackets or maybe even one of his trusty putters?

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Tiger Woods ready-or-not for 2011 U.S. Open?

Remember when Tiger Woods finished off Rocco Mediate in a playoff at the 2008 U.S. Open? He hobbled around the course wincing in pain from a torn ACL in his right leg. Prior to that, Woods won two additional U.S. Open tournaments, in 2000 and 2002, in both cases being the only golfer to score under par!

Ahh, the good old days of the Tiger Woods mystique, when fans thought him to be an alien, a great guy and basically the most winningest golfer who one day would take more events than, and could be in line for, Jack Nicklaus' vacated throne.

Then came the downfall and both Tiger Woods and the game of golf suffered immeasurably. Woods' comeback and attempt to win the 2010 US Open failed as he remained within reach but struggled for fourth place, a 4-over par score of 75, to tie with Phil Mickelson who grapples year-after-year with his own demons to conquer the US Open.

Fast forward to May 5th, Cinco de Mayo, and Tiger Woods' Terminator-esque video statement, "I'll be ready!"

A precautionary walking boot on a "minor injury", a "grade 1 mild medial collateral ligament sprain to his left knee and sprain to his tendon has sidelined the former number-one golfer in the world to opt-out of this week's Wells Fargo Tournament,  

"I personally contacted tournament officials and expressed my regret in not being able to play," Woods said. "This is an outstanding event, but I must follow doctors' orders to get better."

A consideration as to whether or not Woods will enter the Players Championship or sit on the sidelines until the next major currently depends on his physical recovery but, with gossip mills churning out stories of Elin Nordegren "scoping for a new honey" and reports of how Tiger has been interfering in her private life, fans can see that the road to recovery is a long one.

It was Tiger Woods' mental lapse, not necessarily his physical condition, that interfered with his game.

It is interesting to note, however, that in spite of Tiger Woods' sprains and despite the fact that he has not won an event and has only placed in the top-ten two times this year, U.S. Open betting shows Woods to be an odds-on favorite (currently 11/1) at Congressional Country Club.

So, ready-or-not, Tiger Woods has decided to play the 2011 U.S. Open. Having a win under his belt at Congressional in the 2009 AT&T National hosted by the Tiger Woods Foundation should conjure up some positive memories and, if he can leave his emotional battle on the sidelines, Tiger Woods could make the U.S. Open his first win since the 2009 Australian Masters (unless of course, he enters, and wins the Players....)


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Bubba Watson: America's newest golf and fan favorite?

An article in The Palm Beach Post, "He's Bubba Watson, he's American and he's becoming a big time player," made Tom Petty's song "Freefalling" come to mind:

"She's a good girl, loves her mama
Loves Jesus and America too..."

Gerry "Bubba" Watson is fast becoming both a USA and PGA Tour 'best hope' as a young number-one player most likely to grab the top spot in the Official World Golf Rankings.

Although it will take time to 'rule' the rankings and push past European Tour golfers, I was curious as to why Bubba is fast becoming a fan favorite.
 

Can it be his social media conversation that engages fans? Although Watson's tweets are less than memorable, he still currently lays claim to over 122,000 followers. Bubba also shares videos with the fans and answers questions ...but he's no Ian Poulter!

Bubba Watson Twitter profile? Christian, Husband, Pro Golfer who enjoys giving back to help others grow in life! Your welcome.

A link from Twitter to Facebook simply leads a user directly to the Bubba Watson Facebook page (over 18,000 strong) which shows affiliations with great American charities,
"The Ronald McDonald House Charities, The First Tee of Northwest Florida, University of Georgia, PGA Tour, The Birdies for the Brave and The Green Beret Foundation."

Bubba may not be the great communicator that helps drive Lee Westwood or Ian Poulter's fan base, so it may well be his golf game that draws the crowd.


Watson has become a solid Tour golfer. After his second victory of 2011 came last week at the Zurich Classic and his third overall on the PGA Tour, fans are starting to cheer Bubba.

Avid golf fan and Yahoo contributor Mark Paul gave a sense of the typical fan feelings about Bubba, "He is a popular golfer because of his style of play. But he is also becoming popular for his quality of play."

Brett Martel , writer with the Associated Press added, "The lanky lefty's unorthodox swing and awe-inspiring power were already a draw."

In my opinion, being a left-handed golfer with a huge "down the middle" drive certainly helps Watson stand out in a crowd. Combine these attributes with his Mickelson-esque family involvement and his determination to become a better man and Bubba has all the makings of a PGA Tour standout.

Bubba was considered a bit of a "hothead" earlier in his career, "My wife, my caddie and my trainer would say my attitude's in the right spot," Watson said. "This week, I won [by] not getting down on bad shots, just staying focused on what I'm supposed to be doing."

"All the bad boys are standing in the shadows...", Tom Petty, "Freefalling"

Perhaps it was the ability to manage his anger which turned around Bubba's golf game placing him in a position to win. "If I'm going to support kids and do charity work, that's not a good example to lead on a golf course," relayed Bubba. "So I still have backwards steps, but hopefully I take two forward when I take one back, and so far it's working." Sounds like Watson has finally stopped freefalling and is starting a forward motion which may make him unstoppable.

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Happy with par at Zurich Kodak Challenge Hole #17?

Although there have been a few aces in the history of the 215-yard 17th golf hole at TPC Louisiana, many golfers at the Zurich Classic consider this Kodak Challenge hole to be a very long and difficult par-3.

Darron Stiles may have used a 7-iron to ace the 17th hole in 2005 with Daniel Chopra needing a 5-iron to do the same in the final round of the 2007 New Orleans Zurich Classic but the vision of water and newly reshaped green may be problematic for the players.

Tournament Director Rommy Fonseca conveyed about TPC Louisiana's Hole #17, "This is a unique hole that has proved very challenging for the players. It has also provided some great play over the years."

RotoExperts.com assessed that the onslaught of Hurricane Katrina caused the redesign of the 17th...

"...giving Dye the opportunity to move some bunkers around, redesign the green and generally make it hell for everyone who dares to gaze upon it from the tee box. Last year, the hole was ferocious, ceding just 38 birdies against 85 bogeys. The 17th claimed another 26 double-bogeys or worse. With a scoring average of 3.23, par will be considered a victory."

Photo Credit: WamGolf.com

WamGolf.com affirmed the 17th golf hole as a favorite, detailing the way an average golfer might play it (from about 70 yards forward):

"This was clearly a different hole from the TOUR Tees than our tees. From our tee box there was almost no forced carry over the water which runs down the left side of this hole. If you miss the green left, you're wet. A tee shot right and you're left with a chip shot to a green running away from you. It's a long green and a back left pin placement makes this hole more challenging. I was fortunate enough to hit the green in one and then three putt."


Luke Donald, looking for a way to win the Zurich Classic this weekend and take the number-one spot in the OWGR from Lee Westwood had a different version of the hole, saying a birdie at 17 during the opening round helped him to get back on track.

“I was playing great, 2 under, just not holing the putts when I had the chances," mentioned Donald. "It will make dinner feel a lot better with those birdies on 17 and 18. I played really solid today. I only missed a couple of greens. It was as good a display of iron play as I’ve done all year.”




Watch as Brad Faxon drops in a 27-foot putt for birdie on TPC Louisiana at the par-3 17th Kodak Challenge hole...opening round of the 2011 Zurich Classic of New Orleans:





Will the wind wreak havoc this week at the Kodak Challenge Hole #17 or will one of the PGA Tour players ace the hole creating a Kodak moment?



About the Kodak Challenge

The Kodak Challenge highlights many of golf's most exciting and picturesque holes in 2011 as players take on "the greatest scorecard in golf."

Created to celebrate the beautiful holes and memorable moments in golf, the Kodak Challenge is a first-of-its-kind competition on the PGA TOUR. Players must play at least 18 of 30 Kodak Challenge holes throughout the season to qualify. The golfer with the best Kodak Challenge score relative to par at the end of the season will win the Kodak Challenge trophy and $1 million dollars.


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Should a golfer be number-one without a major?

Type "World Golf Rankings" into Google and you will be exposed to less-than-positive perspectives ranging from "unimpressive" to "who cares?"  How important are the World Golf Rankings and to whom?

John Feinstein, a contributor to GolfChannel.com writes, "in a pure golf sense, the world rankings are used to determine who gets into major championships, who gets into lucrative World Golf Championship events and, in the case of the WGC match play event, the rankings determine the seeding of the 64 players."

“Ranking Points”, according to the Official World Golf Ranking website, "are awarded according to the players’ finishing positions and are generally related to the strength of the field. The four Major Championships are rated separately to reflect the higher quality of the events."

Points span a two-year "rolling" period so Tiger Woods' with his big point spread was able to remain in the top spot during most of the 2010 season despite not winning an event all year!  Cause for concern?

Now that Woods has finally "released his stranglehold" from the top spot of the OWGR, a shuffling of golfers has allowed the rankings to truly become more global. However, as soon as one player wins, another takes his place. Is this constant shift good for the game and the fans?

Lee Westwood, tagged as the latest 'golfer never to win a major', regained his number one status on the OWGR last week with a win at the Indonesian Masters. An appearance fee of $500,000 tempted him there but the only player with a top-50 ranking at the event certainly made it easier to climb the rankings with a good showing. Although Westwood's victory was worth twenty world ranking points, Luke Donald had to win in order to become the world number-one.

The points awarded at the Indonesian Masters was the same amount as a third-place finish at The Heritage, the PGA Tour's stop last week.

Is too much emphasis being placed on points? Should points or the fans determine who should be number-one golfer in the world?

With the shuffling of the OWGR three times since the end of 2010, golf writers and fans are now waking up to the fact that this rating system needs to be scrutinized and adapted for a global environment: perhaps a voting system to take into account appearance fees, two-year accruable points and other basic "common sense" issues.

Whereas Feinstein believes that "golf experts" should have a say, should a voice also be given to the avid golf fan, the publinks golfer, and golfers new to the sport and to whom the sport is trying to entice to grow the game? The number-one golfer in the world used to be recognizable: not knowing the names on top of the World Golf Rankings could hurt viewership with no real hero to talk about or cheer onward.

Perhaps a golfer should not even be considered for the number one spot unless he has at least one major in his professional career?

The top five players in the World Golf Rankings this week are: Westwood, Kaymer, Donald, Mickelson and McDowell.

Mark Paul, a fan who added his thoughts to Yahoo Sports, received the top spot in Google Golf News for the term "World Golf Rankings" this week. He questioned, "how impressed should golf fans be by these rankings?"

"Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer, and Luke Donald," Paul stated, "are all within percentage points of each other. However, it is easily the least impressive top three in the history of the rankings."

Ron Furlong in his Bleacher Report column asked "Who Cares?" calling the World Golf Rankings title "make-believe."

"In the end, the rankings mean very little to nothing. In fact, the rankings often don't even depict who the best player in the world is."

So, in fact, with so much buzz circulating about the rankings in the world of golf, it should be determined that they are a big deal. If you could pick the number-one golfer in the world, who would you choose? Do you agree with the current rankings?



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Tiger Woods headlines in Las Vegas

Tiger Woods' flat blade may not be earning much money for either the former number-one golfer or his Foundation so it is up to Tiger Jam 2011 to make up the difference.

On April 30th, Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas and Woods will host the thirteenth annual Tiger Jam. Last year, the Charity Concert did not take place as Tiger sorted out his domestic life issues.

 

Photo Credit: InFlexWeTrust.com

 

The "exclusive VIP" fundraising "Jam" has raised $12 million to date for the Tiger Woods Foundation and features some of the best musical talent on the planet.

This year Grammy award winning artists John Mayer and Keith Urban will rock the house with a blend of country, rhythm and blues. Before the Concert, Tiger Jam features dinner and a silent auction "filled with a vast array of unique experiences and luxury items from entertainment personalities and sports teams, fine jewelry, spectacular resort getaways and one-of-a-kind experiences."

 

John Mayer and Keith Urban headline Tiger Jam 2011

 photo credit: Chaplain of Pop

 

"I'm thrilled these two talented musicians are joining us for Tiger Jam," Tiger Woods said. "We have had so much success with this event over the last thirteen years and we are excited to continue that tradition."

Tickets (starting at about $70) are still available for the Concert through Ticketmaster. A limited number of sponsorship packages are available ($1,000) which include access to the Concert, a Tiger Jam Reception and House of Blues Party where you might even catch Tiger Woods busting a move.

 
What has Tiger Woods been up to when not playing golf on the PGA Tour? Could he be gearing up to re-invent himself as the new PING-PONG champion in China?

 

Check out this seven second video on the Tiger Woods website in which Woods' backhand goes up against Chinese Olympic gold medal hurdler Liu Xiang.

"Great day hanging out with Liu Xiang in Beijing, really cool dude. Hope he does well in London games next year." 12 days ago on Tiger Woods' Twitter page.

 

 

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