Rory McIlroy has finally vindicated himself of being branded a choker in golf’s major tournaments. Having folded at last years British Open and again at this years Masters, after leading bothTournaments after 54 holes. He cruised to victory with only one hiccup on the 17thhole of the final round, where he three putted for bogey. An extremely talented young man with a golf club in his hands, he is a force to be reckoned with as he has now gotten the proverbial “Monkey off his Back”. He made Congressional look easy from the first round on as he shot a 65, which commenced his “Wire to Wire” victory at 22 years and one month, three months younger than golf legend Jack Nicklaus was when he won his first major. This bodes well for Rory and he is predictably drawing comparisons to Tiger Woods, who is conspicuously sidelined for the time being. As Tiger drew a bulls eye on Jack’s record at an early age, Tiger now has one on his and if Rory’s play in the last few majors is any indictation of his golf skill and ability he could very well meet or exceed his goal . Tiger will hopefully heal his mind and body and return to take him on, as he is now the only obvious Amercan player who may be able to provide Rory with a challenge.

Tiger Woods goal of beating Jack Nicklaus’s 18 win major record is further away than ever and McIlroy may have as good a chance, if not better of catching Tiger. Some golfers have flash in the pan success, but I think Rory’s performance in the last four majors have shown that he has great potential staying power. He could have easily won three of the four, if not for final round meltdowns, where he shot 80 and 81 respectively and still placed in the top three. Another factor in Rory McIlroy’s favor is that the American public has adopted him as a fan favorite, especially since Tiger is presently out of contention and may be out of competition indefinitely. During the course of the first three rounds I was awaiting the emergence of a contender, hopefully American, who would make it interesting down the stretch. But no one rose to the task, and Phil Mickelson, another fan favorite, miscued on shot after shot, experimenting with a driving iron, which did not serve him well. I am elated for Rory as he was robbed in the last few majors, especially this years Masters but he is over the hump and now has his first major under his belt, an incredible feat in itself at his young age. His victory at the U.S. Open drew comparison to Tiger’s 15 stroke -12 victory at Pebble Beach in 1997. Although not quite as amazing a performance as Woods win in 1997, it is surely a close second as Rory set so many records. They include the lowest finishing total of 16 under in a major, beating the previous total by Woods by 4 shots, and Rory was the first golfer in Major history to break 200 for the first three rounds. Absolutely Incredible!

Jason Day also showed excellent form as he ineffectively chased Rory in the final round, but his 65 on Saturday and 68 on Sunday showed the field he is not to be taken lightly. The only American presence in the top ten was Kevin Chappell, who shot a brilliant closing round 66 and Robert Garrigus who closed strong with a one under 70, both tying for third place at six under par. Lee Westwood, one of the top golfers in the world, also closed with 70 and tied for third with Y.E. Yang at -6. Y.E. Yang, the player who will be remembered for staving off Tiger at The PGA in 2009.  Yang was at -8 and had the best opportunity to reach double digits, until his collapse on the closing holes, bogieing two of the last three holes with uncharacteristic blunders. Peter Hanson and another familiar name, Sergio Garcia, who was once lauded as the next Seve Ballesteros, finished at a respectable tie for 7th at -5. Recent Masters champion, Charl Schwartzel and major champion victor Louis Oosthuizen finished tied for 9th place at 4 under, edging Davis Love lll and Graeme McDowell, the previous U.S. Open Champion, who finished in 11th and 14th place respectively. With Rory McIlroy’s victory, Ireland retains the Open title for the second year in a row, which is unprecedented and shows what direction the golf trend is disappointingly heading for in the future. I am an avid golf fan and I am happy for Rory but my heart is with the U.S. Team. The foreign born and European golfers have dominated the majors in the past few years and if this is any indication of what is to come, the Ryder Cup may stay in Europe’s hands a while longer unless a number if talented American golfers emerge in the near future.  

Congratulations to Rory McIlroy , whose skill with his golf clubs this week , was unmatched by his peers. A well deserved victory for a talented golfer. Happy Golfing to All!

Having been and remaining a huge Jack Nicklaus fan, I had been watching the hi-lights for the first three days to see how he was fairing against an iconic field of players. The leader board was a virtual who’s who of golf’s greatest players of that time or any era for that matter. The field included Greg Norman , who was leading Jack by four strokes on Sunday, Nick Price, Bernard Langer, Seve Ballesteros, Tom Kite and none other than Tom Watson, Jack’s fiercest rival in the majors. Jack Nicklaus was 46 years of age and many had written him off but I had  a gut feeling that he was not yet finished. From the Carolina Cherry or the ninth hole on, my eyes were fixated to the television screen and I was glued to my seat as I was privileged to see the Golden Bear wield his magic wand and view golf history in the making. The Bear played well enough on the first eight holes to remain close to the lead but he would have to make something happen soon if he were to have any chance for a win. When he birdied nine, ten and eleven, he made enough noise to send shivers up the spine of his competitors who proceeded to falter under Jack’s heroics hole after hole down the stretch. The Golden Bear, and he was affectionately and aptly named, stumbled at the Golden Bell12th with a bogie, only to par Azalea and Chinese Fir, 13 and 14, to set up his historic run on the last four holes. Having bombed his drive off the tee at the par five 15th or Firethorn, he left himself about 200 yards to the pin. He consulted with son Jackie 11, who was on his bag and asked what he thought about an eagle here? I’m sure Jackie concurred that would further ensure his dad’s possibility for a 6th green jacket and 18th major. He skillfully laced a four iron to 12 feet and converted the putt for EAGLE!, two out of the lead. The next hole, Rosebud or par three 16th put the icing on the proverbial cake as he hit his shot, the ball tracked off the slope toward the pin and he almost holed out as the ball nudged the hole as it rolled past by about three feet. He easily made the putt, putting him eight under and ONE back - Jack was on the move! He reached the 17th hole, which was to be the defining hole of the tournament. Jack hit driver and a wedge to set himself up for a birdie opportunity. When he drained an incredibly difficult putt from about 12 feet and raised his putter toward the sky in an iconic pose, I knew my idol had secured his 6th Green jacket. Jack made a difficult two putt for par on 18 look easy while Greg Norman and the rest of the field faltered including Seve Ballesteros, whose ball found water on 15 and Tom Kite who narrowly missed a birdie chance on 18 which left him one shot short of a playoff. Jack Nicklaus’s win at the 1986 Master’s Championship, was his 18th major victory, a feat no one has come close to except Tiger Woods. Tiger’s attempt to match Jack’s record was derailed in November of 2009 when his personal life became fodder for the news and TV media. He is not yet done but no matter what the record books show, Jack Nicklaus is the number one golfer of all time, at least in my book!

It is approaching the 25th anniversary of the Golden Bear’s awe inspiring Master’s Victory and I offer my hand in applause to the greatest golfer who ever played the game! Congratulations to Jack Nicklaus.

You tube: http://youtube.com/watch?v=DjYA6k0Gyy4

* Dailymotion: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/26201040

* Blip: http://blip.tv/file/4368830

* Metacafe: http://www.metacafe.com/w/5480962

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The USA Team fell behind early and left themselves with a 9 1/2 to 6 1/2 point disadvantage going into the singles matches on Monday due to the rain and weather delay. The Americans were counted out after they lost 5 1/2 out of 6 points on Sunday but the embattled Americans refused to give in and almost could taste victory as it came down to the final pairing in the singles of Hunter Mahan and Graeme McDowell, this years U.S. Open Champion and Monty’s (Colin Montgomerie) anchorman, for the European team. Rickie Fowlers four consecutive closing birdies to win his match by a half point over Edoardo Molinari and Zach Johnson’s win to tie the matches at 13 1/2 points each fueled the fire of a possible US win at Celtic Manor. Corey Pavin, the US Captain, was crossing his fingers, legs and any other body part that would bend to aid the US win in that match, but Hunter fell short and the Cup went to Europe. This was the first time the American team made the last match count since the 1991 Ryder Cup at Kiawah Island.  

A fan favorite, Phil Mickelson, continued to struggle in this years matches and he has now surpassed Raymond Floyd for the most setbacks, seventeen, in the history of the US team in Ryder Cup competition. He is one player who epitomizes the American spirit of competitive play but he has not had much success in his eight Ryder Cup appearances. The victory in his singles match over Peter Hanson 4 & 2 did, however, allow the American team a glimmer of hope for victory. Alas, it was not meant to be, so we will have to wait for another two years to bring the Cup back to where it really belongs – the Good old US of A. Congratulations to the US team and Corey Pavin who made their country proud by by never waivering in their quest for victory. No one hits golf balls like our players – I feel a win at the Presidents Cup brewing! Happy Golfing to all!

I can’t even say his name let alone acknowledge his victory at the British Open but Oostuizen’s  performance and final total score of -16 speaks for itself. The next player, Lee Westwood, finished seven shots back  at -9 which is an indication of how well  Oosthuizen really played for this prestigious tournament at the world’s oldest and most revered golf venue, St. Andrews. I have to admit this years Open was a bit boring for golf fans in the United States as the top American player, Sean O’Hair finished at -6, ten strokes back and tied for seventh place. None of our players even sniffed at  a chance for the top three spots, which is unusual for the U.S. team.

Tiger Woods, who has not yet returned to true form, struggled with the putter and had to settle for a tie for 23rd with a -3 finish total on Sunday. John Daly, who was on the leader board on Thursday with a first  round sixty six, Stewart Cink, last years winner in the Open over Tom Watson, and Phil Mickelson, a fan favorite, all shot plus one and tied for 48th place, which is not so impressive for these U.S. players. I had high hopes for Phil Mickelson coming into this championship but he his play has been less than stellar since his Masters victory in April of this year.

The British Open has been the second major golf tournament in a row where the European and other top world players have stymied the United States from the leaderboard. In the U.S. Open in June, the top three places went to McDowell, the barely known Frenchman,  Havret and Ernie Els from South Africa. The outcome and lackluster performance by the American players in these last two major venues does not bode well for the U.S. in the coming Ryder Cup championship in September of 2010. Corey Pavin, the captain for the U.S. has his work cut out for him if the Amercian team is to be competitive enough to win this years Ryder Cup. I wish them the best of luck as they may surely need some this year. Our players had better get to the golf range and start hitting golf balls to prepare for the challenge they face ahead.

Congratulations to Louis Oosthuizen on a stellar performance in this years British Open. If he keeps playing in this form we may be hearing from him again soon. Happy Golfing to All!

Tom Watson, a fan favorite, showed his tenacity as he hung on for a tied for 29th place finish. Tom could have finished tied for 27th had he made a short putt on the 18th hole but he let it slip off to the side as he was not the only player at Pebble Beach to miss on the short grass. There were three putts from inside two feet at this years Open. Tom Watson can still hit golf balls with the best of them as he bested the likes of VJ Singh and Stewart Cink, who just edged him out at last years British Open. Can this be Tom Watson’s last U.S. Open? In my opinion, I would have to say he is not yet done and we’ll see him back next year. Congratulations to Graeme McDowell on his victory as he held on for one stroke lead over Gregory Havret, the frenchman, who finished plus one and solo second place.  Next up – The British Open! Happy Golfing to All!

Since his arrival on the golf scene in 1997, and his dramatic win at The Masters, where he beat all comers by 12 shots, he has exuded superior golfing skills to the other players on tour. Over the last few years Tiger has seemed out of sorts at times and faltered during competition where that would have never occurred prior to that time. It became blatantly and painfully obvious during the PGA Championship last season when he lost to Y.E. Yang on the back nine on Sunday after being in the lead after 54 holes. It has now become clear what caused the lack of concentration and his unprecedented collapse at the PGA. His distraction and pre-occupation with his personal life has exposed his shortcomings and frailty to his peers and he has let the door open for another great  player to potentially fill that void. Great people and players rise to the occasion when the opportunity arises and he provided that possibility to happen.

Despite his shortcomings it will be no easy task to dethrone Tiger Woods as the # 1 golfer as he is still a great player no matter what turmoil has befallen him in his personal life. Besides his divorce proceedings which are underway and his neck injury which caused him to withdraw from The Players Championship, he has just split with his long time golf coach, Hank Haney.  The split was initiated by Haney and understandably so. Tiger will have an uphill battle to regain the justification of  his place in golf immortality but also to reacquire the respect of his peers, his at one time many fans and his sponsors. His ability to hit golf balls is perhaps matched by no other, but it takes more than skill to make a man the gentleman he is supposed to be in order to participate and compete in this centuries old game of golf! Happy Golfing to All!

There are a number of excellent golfers on the PGA Tour  and with Tim Clark’s victory at The Players Championshiphe may have broken the no win streak by the foreign players.  Since Tiger Woods is out of the picture for now, in my opinion Phil Mickelson is the main contender to win the majors this golf season. Tiger’s missed cut at the Quail Hollow Championship and his neck injury that caused him to with draw from the competition on Sunday at The Players, indicate he is definitely not in form mentally or physically to play the type of golf required to beat Mickelson or an assortment of other good players who will be in the field. I’m not saying another star player such as McElroy, Villegas, Els, Harrington or Anthony Kim could not rise to the occasion but just stating that Mickelson is the man to beat. Any of the players mentioned here can hit golf balls with the best of them but Phil Mickelson is poised to win and he may do it just it a little better than the rest. I also feel he has gained the confidence needed to maintain his poise on Sunday and not fold under the pressure as he did so blatantly at Bethpage Black in 2002 and Winged Foot  in 2006 ( see photo above) where he had real opportunities for victory in the U.S.Open.

I wish Phil Mickelson much success and hope he can be the great player he was meant to be. His sheer pleasure in victory is indicated by the smile on his face in the photo on the left as he gets his second green jacket at the 2006 Masters.  The presenter was none other than Tiger Woods who had won the previous year. Happy Golfing to All!

He shot an unprecedented final round score of 62, which broke the course record by two but his eagle 3 on Friday allowed him to make the cut and give him the opportunity for the win. Tiger Woods struggled and missed the cut for only the sixth time in his career. His play was predictable given the stress of his pending divorce from Elin Nordegren, and the isolation from his children. But this day was about Rory McIlroy who is hitting golf balls with the best of them. I knew this was going to be an interesting golf season and it was good to see Phil in the hunt again so soon after his Masters victory a few weeks back . Phil made a late charge but a bogey on the final nine all but ended his chances for a win.

Congratulations to Rory McIlroy, who won the Quail Hollow Championship in style with a closing 62 on Sunday. Happy Golfing to All!

The advantage that Phil Mickelson has it that he is still a young man with all the skills he needs to win again. When Tiger Woods presented Phil Mickelson with the Green jacket in April of 2006 it was a great day in golf. The world’s two greatest golfers of the modern era shared back to back victories as Tiger Woods had won the Masters the previous year in 2005. Phil was also the victor in his second major, the PGA, that same year. His four wins in the major golf tournaments since 2004 have provided him with the confidence he needs to win more majors even though he let the U.S. Open at Winged Foot and Bethpage get away. Phil has finally found the zone and his putting stroke as he has stood toe to toe with Tiger on a few occasions recently, like the WGC last year, just prior to Tiger’s sex scandal, and this year’s Masters and has come out on top. If he can maintain this momentum he may put another major or two under his belt before this golf season is over, which is what the sport so desperately needs right now.  Tiger has lost the respect of some fans, his sponsors and his peers and justifiably so. I was a huge fan and had never expected Tiger Woods to become embroiled in such a scandal as he appeared to be almost superhuman in his golf career and personal life. Since he has shown the frailty of being a mere mortal he may have left the door open for another golf hero to emerge and I can think of none other more deserving than Phil Mickelson.  

I have also been very impressed with the play of Tom Watson and Fred Couples, who are 60 and 50 respectively and who have played some of the best golf of their careers as of late. Their performance in this years Masters is a good for instance as Fred Couples finished in sixth place and Tom Watson placed tied for 18th, an incredible feat for both of them at their age. It is my guess that Tom Watson’s spectacular showing in last years British Open at age 59, where he finished second to Stewart Cink in a four hole playoff, after tying in the final round, has given him and other players nearing or in the senior tour age bracket the confidence they need to realize they can still remain competitive regardless of their years. I wholeheartedly agree with this point of view and I know I would not allow age to affect my thought process if the skills and health requirements to hit golf balls and score well were still intact.

I have a premonition that this year in golf will be one of the best we have seen in a while where the cream will rise to the top. As I have noted in past posts I had been disappointed in the majors last year but 2010 has started off with a bang. I am rooting for Phil Mickelson, Tom Watson, one helluva golfer, and Fred Couples as they have earned the respect and admiration they deserve on and off the golf course. I also want to close by wishing Amy Mickelson well as she has been an inspiration for husband Phil and all women fighting the debilitating disease of breast cancer. Go Amy, Go Phil. Happy Golfing to All!