Golf - Sport Guru

Look at that couple. Don't they just look so happy?

You've already heard enough about Tiger, and I don't want to burden you with more of the same. I just have one--hopefully unique--take.

Certain members of the media have spoken out in defense of Tiger's right to privacy. Even Tiger himself has asked for that respect. Now, I'm not proposing that we post up secret cameras in his house, but I take issue with this notion because of the ignorant hypocrisy implicit in it. Tiger, buddy? Don't you realize that with all the benefits and rights the public eye affords you come responsibilities? That by gaining so much notoriety, fame, and wealth through the channel of the mainstream media you surrender most, if not all, of your claims to privacy?

For someone like Tiger Woods to make this claim and not realize how much he has reaped from having his likeness plastered on every billboard and TV commercial is ignorant, shortsighted, and contradictory by nature. Eldrick, if its privacy you want in your time of personal turmoil, then I suggest you resign all your sponsorships, advertising deals, and make yourself a little more aware of how this game is played. Oh wait, all your sponsors dropped you already. Looks like you're getting an involuntary taste of the privacy you so rightly deserve.

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January 6th 2010 @ 19:52

Posted By: Jason Heim - Category: Golf

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Tiger's Tour?

When people talk about golf or the PGA specifically, the first thing everyone else jumps to is Tiger Woods, and deservedly so. The man's resume and killer instinct are unrivaled in the history of golf, if not matched only by one Golden Bear. I enjoy watching Tiger charge up the leaderboard to win a major on Sunday, and his ledger of wins and major championships is so impressive that I don't even remember whether he won or lost a particular tournament. However, I think all the talk about taking Tiger over the field every time a major rolls around is irresponsible, unrealistic, and sells some other fantastic golfers way short.

On a rain-soaked weekend at Bethpage State Park's Black course, the site of the U.S. Open, the Tiger obsession by the NBC commentators was embarrassing. With Woods sitting 7 or 8 strokes back in the final round (and showing no signs of moving), the network just couldn't help but give Tiger the majority of coverage. Don't get me wrong, the guy is the heartbeat of the PGA Tour and is absolutely essential to its prosperity, but this ridiculous attention he garners is moderately off putting. I'm just sick of it. Its like they were trying so hard to make Woods a contender for the championship that they pretended he was and covered him like he was.

I have to stop myself right here because I'm guilty of the same thing the media is: glorifying Tiger and ignoring everything else. I'm 3 paragraphs deep in this post and I haven't even mentioned the names of the Open's only contenders. Those men would be Open champion Lucas Glover (he won right?), David Duval, and Ricky Barnes.

Yep, that's Glover on the left. Didn't know what he looks like, did you? The leaderboard was absolutely dominated by these three, and Tiger Woods never sniffed the top 5 until his mini-charge on the back 9 in the final round, and still finished tied for 6th at 4 shots back. What? You don't believe its true? Check out the final leaderboard.

Once again, Tiger deserves 98% of the coverage and discussion he gets. He is an immortal among mortals. However, I think its appalling that every time a no-name player accomplishes something great, all we can manage to talk about is the absence of Tiger and how his late run wasn't quite enough and how something was wrong with Tiger's short game that week. Why can't we embrace the underdog like we do in every other sport and give credit where credit is due without Tiger Woods being our point of reference? Let's stop picking Tiger to beat a full field of elite golfers before the tournament starts. Let's stop wishing him into the final group when he's not even close. Let's stop analyzing his defeat when we should be telling the story of the champion.

Maybe the Tour knows this is the only way that it can survive and thrive and I'm being unrealistic. I am sure, however, that there is much more to this sport than Tiger Woods.

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June 23rd 2009 @ 20:25

Posted By: Jason Heim - Category: Golf

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Golf: Australian Geoff Ogilvy Wins Mercedes-Benz Championship In Hawaii

Although six shots up at the start of the day, Victorian Geoff Ogilvy was only one stroke ahead when he arrived at the 9th tee at the Kapalua Plantation course on Maui, Hawaii, during the Mercedes-Benz Championship. However, he still managed to hold on, and claim his fifth US Tour win.

The 2006 US Open champion hit a near-perfect shot at the perfect time, a towering three-iron approach that settled six metres from the pin at the par-five 9th hole, and when his previously frazzled mind suddenly felt a whole lot better, he drained the putt for an eagle.

"As I walked off the 9th green, I felt the best I had all week. All of a sudden, a switch flicked and I felt decent,'' said Ogilvy, who promptly birdied five of the next six holes to charge clear again on his way to a six-stroke victory over American Anthony Kim in the US PGA Tour's season opener.

"I hit it great this week, except for about four shots this morning. It was as good a 63 holes as I've ever played.''

Ogilvy, who shot a closing 68 to finish at 24-under-par 268, admitted that the tension of holding a big third-round lead contributed to his poor start.

"It's an uncomfortable feeling to know you were six shots out in front and now you're almost back to tied, because you can just imagine what people are thinking,'' he said.

"If somebody is birdying every hole to catch you, that's a completely different story, but I made only one bogey (through 54 holes) and then I made four on the front nine this morning.

"I was fairly frustrated walking off the 8th green. I wouldn't say it was panic, just 'can I go somewhere else for a while' because it's just uncomfortable.''

Ogilvy, who broke his Australian duck when he won the PGA Championship last month, received $US1.12 million ($A1.6 million) and a new 2009 Mercedes-Benz SL500 for his fifth PGA Tour victory.

And he continued the stellar Australian record at Kapalua, where Stuart Appleby won three consecutive times from 2004.

Ogilvy spent three months in Australia at the end of last year, his longest stretch back home in a decade. He enjoyed the extended break from the grind of the American Tour and arrived here not only mentally refreshed but also feeling competitively sharp.

"When Geoff plays well, he never looks like he's going to hit a bad shot,'' said compatriot Adam Scott, who tied for 18th in the 33-man field.

"I think that's why he does really well at big tournaments. He doesn't look like he's going to hit a really rank shot and get into trouble.''

Actually, Ogilvy did hit a couple of rank shots early in the final round, but steadied the ship before it totally capsized.

"It was definitely a round of two halves,'' he said. "I really enjoyed every hole on the back nine.''

AAP

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January 12th 2009 @ 02:13

Posted By: Oracle of Delphi - Category: Golf

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A Fundamental Ignorance

Tiger's Tour?

Golf: Australian Geoff Ogilvy Wins Mercedes-Benz Championship In Hawaii