Friday, July 13, 2012

Will Phil Mickelson hang up his golf shoes for cleats?

Although FedEx golf rankings show Phil Mickelson in ninth place with a chance to win ten million dollar prize at the end of the 2012 season, his weekly record is not so good begging the question, "Is Phil Mickelson making his last stand in golf?" Is it time for Lefty to move on to his next adventure...in baseball?

PGA Tour golf tournaments from January through the present show an uneven season at best for Phil with one win at Pebble Beach, two cuts and one withdrawal at the Memorial in May. Although Mickelson played admirably at the Masters, he considers Augusta National to be one of his favorite and "fun" golf courses to play in spite of course changes which he believes to have hampered his birdie-making abilities.

The U.S. Open, on the other hand, was a complete disaster for Phil this year finishing in a tie for 65th position.

The European Tour may help to put Phil's golf game on the right track for the Open Championship. Mickelson left his family in Rome to grab the last sponsor's exemption in the Scottish Open hoping that preparations here will lead to a win at Royal Lytham next week. Lefty struggled yesterday stating, "I’ve played very poorly, and I added this week because I need to play a bit more,” Today Phil rebounded with a 64 to lie five shots off the pace further proving his uneven tendencies.

So what is a professional golfer who is playing poorly supposed to do? If it's Phil Mickelson, hedge his bets and buy into a baseball team!

Although it has been in the news for weeks that Mickelson wants to buy into the San Diego Padres along with an investment group that includes former Dodgers owner Peter O'Malley, the deal said to be at $800 million is close to finalizing with Phil excited at the prospect of ownership and creating  "a personal involvement with the players and the community."

Is Mickelson planning a move on to the next stage of his life, namely a career as a baseball team owner? Well, Phil cited fatigue when he W/D'd at the Memorial and he has Psoriatric arthritis which hampers his ability to play golf. Mickelson is also in the 'over-forty" crowd on the PGA Tour with young guns easily pumping out 350 yard plus drives, forcing Phil to work harder at playing safe, which is not in his DNA.

That being said, I think that if the San Diego Padres deal goes through, expect to see Phil Mickelson sporting a baseball cap in 2013 and ditching his KPMG logo (although there's still plenty of room for that sponsorship on his cap too!)

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photo credit: BittenandBound.com

Monday, July 09, 2012

2012 U.S. Women's Open Comes Full Circle from Se Ri Pak to N.Y. Choi

The final round of the 2012 U.S. Women's Open was an exciting look at how both skill, spirit and a little bit of luck played a part in the golf tournament. Although Na Yeon Choi pulled several tee shots into the woods, she never lost her cool and bowed briefly before her idol, Se Ri Pak, as if to say "thank you" for paving the way for Korean dominance in women's golf.

 

Na_yeon_choi

 

Here are a few quirky and funny notes and quotes from the final round of the U.S. Women's Open.

 

On Na Yeon Choi’s par-save from the tall grass on No. 12:


Dan Hicks – “She has experienced every type of emotion you can possibly have on the last three holes.”

Dottie Pepper – “Houdini would have been proud.”


On Na Yeon Choi’s tee shot off the rocks on 13:


Dan Hicks – “This is one of the biggest roller coaster rides I have seen in a long time on the back nine at an Open.”


On Na Yeon Choi’s lucky bounce past the bunker on her drive at 15:


Dottie Pepper – “I’m thinking if I’m Na Yeon Choi, I send my manager to go buy a lottery ticket.”


On Na Yeon Choi as she set up for a long putt on 16:


Dottie Pepper - “She’s put enough stress on herself to go around for a few people.”


On Na Yeon Choi after she made a long putt on 16, to go 8-under-par:


Dan Hicks - “It’s starting to look like destiny.”


On Na Yeon Choi:


Dan Hicks - “South Korean domination. We are going to have the tenth different Korean to win a women’s major, all in the last 15 years. Na Yeon Choi looks like she will be the latest.”


After microphones captured Na Yeon Choi speaking with her caddie before a shot on 18:


Annika Sorenstam – “Did you talk a lot with your caddie?”

 

Dottie Pepper- “I did, but I liked comparisons from other rounds. I have a really good memory for numbers. I always wanted to know how the hole I was playing compared to other holes. I could then make the appropriate decisions.”


On Na Yeon Choi:


Roger Maltbie - “She just never seemed to lose her cool. This girl is a solid player. She is going to be around for a long time.”


On Na Yeon Choi winning the 67th U.S. Women’s Open:


Dan Hicks – “This championship has come full circle. From Se Ri Pak in 1998 to Na Yeon Choi in 2012.”

 

 

Thanks to the NBC Sports Group for providing me with this information.

 

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Posted via email from stacysolomon's posterous

Friday, July 06, 2012

Lexi Thompson Sports Independence Day Golf Spirit at U.S. Women's Open

From the patriotic spectators watching the U.S. Women's Open Championship to superstar golfer Lexi Thompson out on the fairway, many showed off their red, white and blue spirit in Wisconsin this week.

 

Take a look at these people wearing a flag on their pants and tell me what you think. Personally, I don't believe in wearing the flag on my bottom but that's just my opinion. Old Glory should be displayed but perhaps instead flying majestically from a pole?

 

Patrioticspectators_zab10304

 

Below is seventeen year-old Lexi Thompson hitting a chip shot in her red, white and blue outfit at the 2012 U.S. Women’s Open at Blackwolf Run Golf Course in Kohler, Wisconsin. With a strong start and currently in a tie the lead, Thompson's sixth U.S. Women's Open could be her winning moment.

Lexi_zab10323

 

Lexi has the right idea about how to attack Blackwolf Run. "I would definitely take four rounds at 2-under par, but I’m just going to try to do the same thing I did today and stay confident, patient,” Thompson said. “That’s pretty much all you have to do in an Open out there.”

 

Finally, in my opinion, amateur Samantha Marks rocked the course with this terrific Independence Day golf outfit:

 

Samantha_marks_2012womenopenpreview
Photo: Zimbio.com

 

The U.S. Women’s Open runs July 2-8 and children seventeen and under receive complimentary admission with a ticketed adult, all week-long. If you can't watch the action live in Kohler, Wisconsin, make sure you check out the extended TV coverage on ESPN2 and NBC on the weekend.

 

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Posted via email from stacysolomon's posterous