Archive for September, 2009
PGA TOUR – BMW CHAMPIONSHIP, Cog Hill Golf & Country Club, Lemont, Illinois
The eligible field of players has been trimmed to just 70 for the third event of the FedEx Cup playoffs, the BMW Championship.It will be narrowed even further following this week’s event, with only the top 30 in the standings moving on to the Tour Championship, which begins Sept. 24 after a rare one-week break in the schedule.Last year, Camilo Villegas captured his long-anticipated first career PGA Tour victory with a two-under 68 in the final round, holding off a hard-charging Dudley Hart to win the BMW Championship by two shots.Villegas moved to No. 2 in the playoff standings following the win, but was statistically unable to overtake Vijay Singh for the FedEx Cup and its $10 million top prize.Singh, who won the first two playoff events last year, simply had to finish four rounds at the Tour Championship to claim the lucrative title. As there is no cut in the playoff finale, Singh easily kept his position at the top — even as Villegas claimed his second-straight victory.There is no cut at the BMW Championship either, so all 70 players in the field this week will have four rounds to make something happen. Forty of them will not move on.Steve Stricker overtook Tiger Woods for the No. 1 spot in the playoff standings after winning the Deutsche Bank Championship on Monday. Woods fell to No. 2 in the standings and was followed by Barclays winner Heath Slocum, Zach Johnson and Scott Verplank.Following the Tour Championship in two weeks, the No. 1 player in the standings will earn the $10 million bonus. Second place receives $3 million, third gets $2 million, fourth earns $1.5 million and fifth place receives $1 million.Villegas got up and down for par to defeat Sergio Garcia on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff to win last year’s Tour Championship, taking second in the playoffs to Singh.To follow this week’s action at Cog Hill, tune in to Golf Channel on Thursday and Friday, and NBC on the weekend.
EUROPEAN TOUR MERCEDES-BENZ CHAMPIONSHIP, Golf Club Gut Larchenhof, Cologne, Germany
Robert Karlsson had nine top-10 finishes worldwide and was among the hottest players in golf heading into last year’s Mercedes-Benz Championship.Only one thing was missing from a season that saw Karlsson place in the top-10 in three consecutive majors — a victory.The lanky Swede broke free of his close-but-no-cigar streak with a two-shot win at Gut Larchenhof, posting a one-under 71 in the final round to finish at 13-under 275. It was his first win in two years and the eighth of his career on the European Tour. He claimed No. 9 in his next start, winning the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in a three-way playoff.Karlsson’s win made for a nice story, but this tournament is all about the Germans.Four-time Mercedes-Benz champion and Hall of Famer Bernhard Langer will lead a home contingent in Cologne that also includes red-hot Martin Kaymer and Alex Cejka. Langer, who spends most of his season playing on the Champions Tour, won the tournament in 1989, 1991, 1997 and 2001.Golf Channel will have coverage of all four rounds this week beginning at 9:30 a.m. (et) on Thursday and Friday and at 8 a.m. both weekend days.Next week is the Austrian Golf Open, where Jeev Milkha Singh won last year.
LPGA TOUR NW ARKANSAS CHAMPIONSHIP, Pinnacle Country Club, Rogers, Arkansas
Seon-Hwa Lee closed with a four-under 68 in the final round last year, making birdie on the final hole to win by one shot over hard-charging Jane Park and Meena Lee.Seon-Hwa Lee finished at 15-under 201 to capture her fourth LPGA Tour win and second of the season.Park, playing in one of the first groups out Sunday, fired a 10-under 62 in the final round to vault up the leaderboard and tie Meena Lee for second place.This is only the third year of the tournament. It made its debut in 2007 under unique and unfortunate circumstances as the first full-length LPGA Tour event shortened to 18 holes.Persistent weather problems left the tour with no choice but to cancel two of the rounds. Stacy Lewis, then an amateur, was not credited with an official win after finishing atop the leaderboard with a seven-under 65.Golf Channel has coverage of all three rounds this week beginning at 12:30 p.m. (et) on Friday and at 1 p.m. on both weekend days.Next week is the Samsung World Championship, where Paula Creamer won last year.
NATIONWIDE TOUR UTAH CHAMPIONSHIP, Willow Creek Country Club, Sandy, Utah
Brendon Todd shot a four-under 67 in the final round last year to capture his first Nationwide Tour win.Then a 23-year-old rookie, Todd finished at 22-under 262 for a six-stroke victory over six players.Todd made it to the PGA Tour but has struggled, missing 13 cuts in 18 starts — including seven in a row. He has also played twice on the Nationwide Tour, with his best finish a tie for 50th place at the Athens Regional Foundation Classic in April.He will be in the field this week looking to become the first player in tour history to successfully defend a title.Golf Channel has coverage of all four rounds beginning at 6:30 p.m. (et) the first three days and at 7 p.m. on Sunday.Next week is the Boise Open, where Chris Tidland won last year.
UNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION WALKER CUP MATCH, Merion Golf Club (East Course), Ardmore, Pennsylvania
The Walker Cup Match, to be played on Saturday and Sunday this week at historic Merion Golf Club, pits two teams of amateur players against each other — one from the United States and one from Great Britain & Ireland.The match is contested every two years, alternately in the U.S. and Great Britain/Ireland, between teams with no more than 10 players.The U.S. retained the Cup with a one-point victory in Northern Ireland in 2007.
USGA SENIOR AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP – The Beverly Country Club, Chicago, Illinois
George “Buddy” Marucci, Jr. defeated George Zahringer, 2-up, to win last year’s USGA Senior Amateur Championship. Marucci, the U.S. Walker Cup captain, collected his first USGA championship after coming close 13 years earlier at the 1995 U.S. Amateur Championship, where he lost to a young Tiger Woods.The championship, played for the first time in 1955, is open to amateurs 55 and older.
USGA SENIOR WOMEN’S AMATEUR – The Homestead (Cascades Course), Hot Springs, Virginia
Diane Lang rolled to a 6 & 5 victory over Toni Wiesner last year to claim her third USGA Senior Women’s Amateur championship in four years.The Jamaican-born Lang won the first hole at Tulsa Country Club and never trailed in the final match. She also captured the championship in 2005 and ’06.Started in 1962, the Senior Women’s Amateur is open to female amateurs 50 and older.
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September 8th, 2009
Steve Stricker birdied the final two holes Monday to collect his third win of the 2009 season and move to a career-best ranking of No. 2 in the official world golf rankings.
Tiger Woods made a big charge Monday, but it wasn’t enough to get a victory. He remained the top-ranked player in golf.
Phil Mickelson and Paul Casey each slipped a spot to three and four, while Kenny Perry held steady in fifth and was again followed by Henrik Stenson, Sergio Garcia, Geoff Ogilvy, Padraig Harrington, Lee Westwood and Stewart Cink.
Jim Furyk and Martin Kaymer exchanged places with Furyk up to 12th. Vijay Singh remained No. 14 and was followed again by Lucas Glover, Camilo Villegas and Anthony Kim. Retief Goosen inched up one to 18, while Sean O’Hair climbed three to 19 and Robert Karlsson moved up a notch to 20th. Ian Poulter, down three to 21, and Ernie Els, down a pair to 22nd, both dropped out of the top 20.
On Sunday, Ryo Ishikawa picked up his third win of the season and fourth of his career on the Japan Golf Tour and that helped him improve to No. 47. It is his first trip inside the top 50 and could help him earn one of Greg Norman’s captains picks for the International team at next month’s Presidents Cup. Those selections will be announced Tuesday.
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September 8th, 2009
Saturday’s going to be a difficult day for some of the best football players in the world.
There’s only room for 53 men on every NFL roster, spread out among 22 positions plus special teams. Saturday is the final cut day before the start of the 2009 season. Most of the personnel decisions have already been made, but there are still some jobs on the line during Week 4, the final week of the preseason. A handful of those who don’t make the cut will go on to the CFL or the new United Football League and be back for training camp next year. Others have some tough career choices to make.
Then there are the players in football limbo. They’re suspended, have yet to sign contracts, will start the year on the injured list, or are named Michael Vick. Keeping track of these players is doubly important as we prepare for both Week 4 of the exhibition season and Week 1 of the regular season.
The Commish
It looks like NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will rule Saturday if and when Vick will be allowed to play for the Philadelphia Eagles. Goodell doesn’t have to make any decision at all until Week 6, but getting the decision in by cut day will allow the Eagles to make the appropriate roster moves. Rumors/press leaks have it that Vick will be made eligible to play in Week 3 against the Kansas City Chiefs, with some hope for an immediate reinstatement. Meanwhile, Vick will reportedly play QB for the second half of Philadelphia’s preseason finale against the New York Jets (-3 at home). Second-string QB Kevin Kolb will start, with Vick lining up here and there in the Wildcat.
Vick’s Rub
The Eagles were one of the fashionable choices to win the Super Bowl this year at 12-1 when the futures market opened. At press time, those odds were down to 10-1, and they could shorten even further after Saturday’s announcement. The over/under on regular season victories was put up on the board more recently and remains (for now) at 9.5. The Minnesota Vikings moved from 22-1 to 12-1 after signing QB Brett Favre; their total for victories is nine. Favre is not expected to play for Minnesota on Friday night against the Dallas Cowboys (+3 on the road).
According to Croyle
The Chiefs are one of the few teams uncertain who their starting QB will be in Week 1. There are conflicting reports in the news about the status of Matt Cassel (knee) for the season opener. If he’s unable to go, the torch will be passed to either Tyler Thigpen or Brodie Croyle. And it appears Croyle has the inside track at the moment; he’ll get the start in Thursday’s Week 4 matchup with the St. Louis Rams (+1 at home). Thigpen (74.4 career QB rating) started 11 games for the Chiefs last year after Croyle (67.5) was injured in the season opener.
Marshall Marshall Marshall
The Denver Broncos haven’t made any headway in their attempts to satisfy WR Brandon Marshall’s trade wishes. He was suspended for the last two games of the preseason, leaving the Broncos short on skill players for Thursday’s matchup with the Arizona Cardinals (-3.5 on the road). QB Kyle Orton has a dislocated right index finger, QB Chris Simms has a high ankle sprain, and RB Knowshon Moreno has a sprained MCL. All three are expected to be ready for the season opener, but WR Jabar Gaffney (broken thumb) is out indefinitely.
The Walking Wounded
Here is a list of some of the other key injuries as the preseason draws to a close.
Cincinnati Bengals RT Andre Smith: stress fracture, out indefinitely
Tampa Bay Buccaneers P Josh Bidwell: hip, out for season
Arizona Cardinals WR Anquan Boldin: hamstring, day-to-day
Indianapolis Colts S Bob Sanders: knee, doubtful for Week 1
Atlanta Falcons RB Jerious Norwood: knee, day-to-day
Detroit Lions QB Daunte Culpepper: toe, day-to-day
Green Bay Packers WR Greg Jennings: concussion, day-to-day
Carolina Panthers DL Maake Kemoeatu: Achilles’, out for season
New England Patriots WR Wes Welker: undisclosed, status uncertain
Baltimore Ravens DB Samari Rolle: neck, PUP list, out until Week 7
Seattle Seahawks LT Walter Jones: knee, out indefinitely
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September 3rd, 2009
PGA TOUR – DEUTSCHE BANK CHAMPIONSHIP, TPC Boston, Norton, Massachusetts
The second FedEx Cup playoff event, the Deutsche Bank Championship, kicks off on Friday with Vijay Singh defending his title at the TPC Boston. Singh trailed third-round leader Mike Weir by three strokes last year, but fired an eight-under 63 to win his second straight playoff event. He had won The Barclays the week before and those two wins were good enough for the Fijian to take home the FedEx Cup’s $10 million annuity. Heath Slocum fended off four of the biggest names in golf last week to win The Barclays. Slocum ran home a 21-footer for par on the final hole to beat Tiger Woods, Steve Stricker, Ernie Els and Padraig Harrington by a single stroke. Singh enters the Deutsche Bank ranked 78th on the points list and will need to move into the top 70 to advance to next week’s BMW Championship.
The BMW Championship will have a 70-player field with no cut, and several big names may not make it there. Along with Singh, Sergio Garcia, Bubba Watson, Justin Rose and Nick O’Hern are among those on the outside looking in.With the elevated points awarded for the playoffs, K.J. Choi missed the cut last week and tumbled from 92nd to 101st on the points list to miss this week’s event. Lee Janzen, Boo Weekley, Bob Estes and U.S. Presidents Cup captain Fred Couples are on the bubble to make next week’s field. This week’s event features a 100-player field and runs Friday to Monday to give it a Labor Day finish. The Golf Channel and NBC will split coverage from 3-6 p.m. (et) the first three days, before NBC broadcasts action from 2-6 p.m. for the final round. Next week is the BMW Championship at Cog Hill. Camilo Villegas won that title last year.
EUROPEAN TOUR OMEGA EUROPEAN MASTERS, Crans-sur-Sierre, Crans Switzerland
The European Tour moves to Switzerland this week for the European Masters.This event carries a little more significance than normal as it kicks off the scoring for the 2010 European Ryder Cup team. Some of the big names will be in the United States however for the second of four FedEx Cup playoff events.
In a blow to the tournament, European Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie withdrew citing fatigue. Monty has played four of the last six events on the European Tour schedule and has struggled with three missed cuts and a tie for 31st last week at the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles. Miguel Angel Jimenez, Graeme McDowell, Lee Westwood and Oliver Wilson are among those looking to make the European Ryder Cup team and all four will be at Crans-sur-Sierre this week.
Joining those four in the field will be former major champions Michael Campbell and Trevor Immelman, as well as Jean-Francois Lucquin and Rory McIlroy. Lucquin birdied the second playoff hole last year to beat McIlory for this title. The Golf Channel has three hours of coverage all four days. Next week is the Mercedes-Benz Championship, where Robert Karlsson won last year.
LPGA TOUR CN CANADIAN WOMEN’S OPEN, Priddis Greens Golf & Country Club, Calgary, Alberta
The LPGA heads North of the Border this week for the Canadian Women’s Open, where Katherine Hull earned her first LPGA Tour title last season. Hull closed with a three-under 69 to fend off Se Ri Pak by a single stroke, while third-round leader Yani Tseng faltered to a five-over 77 to end alone in third at minus-nine. The event rotates around Canada and last year was contested at Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club in Ontario. It shifts to Priddis Greens Golf & Country Club in Calgary this year.
Twenty of the 24 players that competed in the Solheim Cup two weeks ago have committed to appear at Priddis Greens. This will mark the first time Priddis Greens will host the tournament as an LPGA Tour event. The Canadian Women’s Open joined the LPGA Tour schedule in 2001, but has been played since 1966. The Golf Channel will have 2 1/2 hours of tape-delayed coverage of the final two rounds. Seon-Hwa Lee is scheduled to defend her title next week at the P&G Beauty NW Arkansas Championship.
CHAMPIONS TOUR WALMART FIRST TEE OPEN at Pebble Beach, Pebble Beach Golf Links & Del Monte Golf Course, Monterey Peninsula, California
Jeff Sluman returns to Pebble Beach this week to defend his title at the Walmart First Tee Open. Sluman, who nearly won at Pebble twice in 1992, finally broke through on the scenic course. He fired three rounds in the 60s to cruise to a five-shot win over Craig Stadler and Fuzzy Zoeller.
This unique event features Champions Tour players paired with youngsters from the First Tee program in a pro-am format. The leading amateur teams and individuals will play opposite the Champions Tour players in the final round at Pebble Beach. The first two days of play will shift between Pebble Beach and Del Monte Golf Course.The Golf Channel will have live coverage of all three rounds. After a one-week break, the Champions Tour returns to the East Coast with the Greater Hickory Classic at Rock Barn, where R.W. Eaks won last year.
NATIONWIDE TOUR MEXICO OPEN, El Bosque Golf Club, Leon, Mexico
After being rescheduled due to the Swine Flu outbreak earlier this year, the Mexico Open will be the Nationwide Tour’s final stop outside the contiguous United States. In early February last year, Jarrod Lyle carded four rounds in the 60s, including an eight-under 63 in the final round, to win by five strokes over Matthew Every. The win was Lyle’s first on the Nationwide Tour and he won again later in the season en route to earning his PGA Tour card for the 2009 campaign. Just two players ranked in the top 10 on the money list are scheduled to be at El Bosque Golf Club this week — No. 9 Derek Lamely and No. 10 Garth Mulroy. That gives those outside the top 25 a better chance at getting into the top 25 to earn their PGA Tour cards for next season. There is no television coverage this week. The Nationwide Tour heads to Sandy, Utah next week for the Utah Championship, where Brendon Todd won last year.
CANADIAN TOUR CANADIANTOUR CHAMPIONSHIP, St.Catharines Golf & Country Club, St. Catharines, Ontario
The top 132 players on the Canadian Tour Order of Merit tee it up this week at St. Catharines Golf & Country Club. Tom Stankowski is the defending champion and headlines the field with Graham DeLaet, who is a two-time winner this year and leads the Order of Merit. St.Catharines normally plays to a par-72, but will switch to a par-70 layout for this championship. National Pines Golf Club has hosted the tournament the last two years. There are three events left for the Canadian Tour this year. Fall Q-School is next week, and there will be two events in Mexico, one at the end of September and the other the first week of October. Those tournaments were postponed by the Swine Flu outbreak earlier this year.
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September 1st, 2009
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