1. If at first you don't succeed...
Keep trying. Congratulations go to Bryce Molder in surviving a six-hole playoff (the 17th playoff during the 2011 PGA Tour season and the longest since 1970) to win his first title at the 130th time of asking. He overcame Briny Baird who has now gone 348 tour events without a win - he's got to be thinking it isn't going to happen for him.
Keep trying. Congratulations go to Bryce Molder in surviving a six-hole playoff (the 17th playoff during the 2011 PGA Tour season and the longest since 1970) to win his first title at the 130th time of asking. He overcame Briny Baird who has now gone 348 tour events without a win - he's got to be thinking it isn't going to happen for him.
Which means it probably will.
2. The Tiger is growling...
The anticipated roar never came but he's starting to find his voice again. Tiger Woods overcame his pretty ordinary first round to
post three consecutive 68s, the first time shooting three rounds in the 60s
since the 2010 Deutsche Bank Championship. So many writers and commentators were quick to shout that Tiger's career was over after his error-strewn effort on Thursday.
For the rest of the tournament, Tiger demonstrated that (despite his pre-tournament boast) whilst he's not quite ready to win again, his revised technique is sound and will stand up to tournament conditions. Once he fully trusts his swing, the confidence and the good numbers will come. That and getting into tournament golf as often as possible.
Bubba Watson was right - just play more golf.
For the rest of the tournament, Tiger demonstrated that (despite his pre-tournament boast) whilst he's not quite ready to win again, his revised technique is sound and will stand up to tournament conditions. Once he fully trusts his swing, the confidence and the good numbers will come. That and getting into tournament golf as often as possible.
Bubba Watson was right - just play more golf.
3. A win is a win.
Rickie Fowler is only 22 and in his second full season as a professional golfer. Quite why he should be criticised for not having won a tournament is slightly bewildering. He decided to schlepp over to Korea to headline the Kolon Korea Open alongside local favourite Y.E. Yang and the US Open champion Rory McIlroy. Rickie proved he has some substance to go with the style, winning by six shots from Northern Ireland's God-elect and proving, much like I discussed last week, that a W is a W, regardless of the situation.
4. Golf deserves respect.
John Daly is becoming an embarrassment to the golfing world - after walking out of the Austrian Open two weeks ago, he slashed and hacked his way through rounds of 76 and 74 at the Bankia Madrid Masters to miss the cut by a comfortable margin. How much longer will he continue to receive invitations to tournaments and then perform at this standard? This situation is not great for those people battling for their tour cards and needing every euro available to them to survive. Personally, I've been a fan of JD since watching him take the 1995 Open at St Andrews (dodgy haircut and ropey green jersey aside) but it's no longer amusing. Tiger Woods was called out by Tom Watson about showing respect to the game of golf after his indiscretions - it's high time someone did the same for John.
5. Ace for show...
Having a prize on offer for a hole-in-one is normal at a lot of pro tournaments. In deciding to offer the protagonist's weight in Iberico ham as a prize, I am sure the sponsors hadn't banked on Elliot Saltman taking the honours. Saltman aced the 204-yd third hole during his second round on Friday at the Bankia Madrid Masters. Elliot tips the scales at a salad-dodging 240 pounds. "This is going to last me until next Christmas, never mind this one," said Saltman. "I've been trying to lose some weight but I'm glad now I've not lost that much," he added. What impact did this achievement, his third ace this season (including two in one round at the Wales Open in June), have on his position in the tournament?
He missed the cut.
He missed the cut.
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