By KrisF on 11/27/2008

The PGA Tour announced this week that they'd made another change to the way the FedEx Cup playoffs will work in 2009.  I've gotta say, this may be the best change yet.I love playoffs, I think all sports should have them (NCAA, are you listening?).  I've actually found myself more entertained by the late golf season because of the FedEx Cup that's been played over the last couple of years.  The problem is, though, that the winner has been a forgone conclusion by the time we've reached the Tour Championship.Tiger Woods could have skipped the event and won the inaugural cup; Vijay Singh just had to show up and make it around East Lake four times to win the cup.  Boring, boring, boring.Next year, though, points earned before the start of the FedEx Cup will not be reset until the start of the 30-man field of the Tour Championship.  At that point, a win by anyone within the top five would give them the cup; the rest of the top 10 could mathematically win the championship by winning the tournament.This new formula should...

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By KrisF on 11/25/2008

Tetherow Golf Club in Bend, Oregon has just garnered another accolade. It's more proof that Central Oregon's newest course will continue to be one of the state's most unique golf properties.The Audobon Society announced that Tetherow will be designated as a Certified Audobon International Signature Sanctuary, the only golf course with that designation in the state.  In fact, it's one of only 77 such projects in the entire United States.So what's this designation mean?  It means that David McLay Kidd and the staff at Tetherow took the time to minimize the impact on the habitat when constructing the course and in their daily grooming practices.  In a state where green is the way to go, I think we should all applaud Kidd's decision to pay such close attention to the environment.  This award, combined with Golf Week's designation of Tetherow as one of the 'Best New Courses in the Country', shows that course designers and managers can build a great course that doesn't destroy the resources surrounding it.Well done....

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By KrisF on 11/24/2008

General Motors announced Monday that they would no longer be working with golf megastar Tiger Woods.  The announcement marked the end of a nine-year deal that had Woods pushing vehicles (mainly Buicks) around the world.  GM cited the economy and the need to make cuts to stay alive for the split.  Is this a bad thing?  Not for Tiger.  The world's most popular athlete now gets a little more time with his family, being free of the responsibilities that come with major endorsement deals.  He also has the freedom to take up the endorsement of another line of vehicles, if he so chooses.I've always thought Tiger would look better in a convertible.For GM, the deal is not as sweet.  For almost a decade, they've had the most recognizable face on the planet peering from behind the wheel of their vehicles.  Will GM sell fewer Buicks without Tiger?  Who knows, but the relationship could have only helped bring younger, upperclass buyers to GM dealerships.Right now, though, General Motors is simply trying to stay alive.  Tiger...

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By KrisF on 11/21/2008

The ballot is out and there are five names on it, all great golfers on the PGA Tour.  At the top of the list are Tiger Woods and Padraig Harrington.  With three of the year's four majors between them, these two guys are really the only viable options for the award (Trevor Immelman won the Masters and then quickly disappeared for the rest of the year).  A case could be made for either Woods or Harrington, that's up to you.  That's not what I want to talk about.Let's take a look at the other three guys on the ballot.  Vijay Singh, Kenny Perry and Camillo Villegas were added by the 16-man Players Advisory Council to round things out.  I think they would have been better just giving voters the choice between Woods and Harrington rather than snubbing at least one more multiple winners.Anthony Kim, the 23-year-old sensation who won twice against full fields and was in the mix throughout the FedEx Cup events, was left off the list.  That makes Villegas an odd addition to the list because he also won two events, but they...

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By KrisF on 11/20/2008

According to a variety of newspaper reports, Nick Faldo has said he wouldn't mind captaining the European Ryder Cup team again. 

In Nick's words, he "really enjoyed it" and thought he and the team "got on great."  He must not have watched the matches on his DVR afterwards because the Europeans looked frustrated, irritated and as disjointed as most of our recent American teams.  They just never pulled it together as they have over the last decade.

A number of players (Monty and Darren Clarke in particular) have said that would be a mistake.  Faldo captained a veteran team that pummeled by an American team full of rookies and youngsters.  In addition to that beating, Faldo himself was ripped apart by the British tabloids both during and after the Ryder Cup for the way he ran the team.

In my humble opinion, the European team needs a shakeup.  That's what the Americans got this year with Paul Azinger.  He was a laid-back captain who didn't try to micro-manage the team (the exact opposite...

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