Keegan Bradley, a rookie American golfer wins the 2011, 93rd playing of the PGA Championship at Atlanta Athletic Club in a three hole play off with Jason Dufner after tying for 72 holes. Jason Dufner was five shots up on Bradley after Bradley tripled the 15th hole par 3. He bladed a short chip shot through the green and into the water and carded a six, but amazingly he regained his composure as Dufner, whose play was consistent through all four rounds, bogied three of the last four holes. While Dufner’s golf game was deteriorating, Bradley made back to back birdies, one an incredible 35 foot putt on the 207 yard par 3 17th to reach -8, which was enough to tie Dufner and the play off ensued. They were escorted by golf cart back to the 16th tee and Keegan used the momentum from his stellar finish in regulation to play the three holes in one under and beat Jason Dufner to take home the Wanamaker Trophy.

It was good to see the Americans finally halt the slide in the majors, having come up short in their last six attempts. There was a lot of red, white and blue on the leader board as the U.S. placed in 11 out of the top 20 spots, with Phil Mickelson rounding out the top 20. Two other U.S. Players, David Toms and Scott Verplank finished tied for 4th with Verplank having a credible shot at the trophy until his ball found water on one of the closing par three holes. The last American victor in a major was Phil Mickelson, who won the 2010 Masters and who finished even, T19 in this years PGA at Atlanta Athletic Club in Johns Creek, GA. Tiger Woods was also conspicuously absent on Sunday after missing the cut as he ended at +1o, and out of the top 100 for the first time in a major. The upheaval in his personal life is taking more of a toll on his game than I think even Tiger may have imagined. Playing with what appeared to be a wrist injury, Rory McIlroy also finished well back in the pack at a tie for 64th place, not where one would expect this years U.S. Open Champion.

It is good to see new names in the hunt each week, but at the same time a bit disappointing to not see the former two top golfers in the world, Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods out of contention week after week, when they were the best of the best just a very short time ago. Tiger has to clear his head and rid himself of his demons before he can hope to regain his form and return as the top golfer once again. Phil is now in his forties but plenty of time left to be competitive if Tom Watson is any indication, after his near miss at the British Open at 59 just a couple of years ago. Hang in there Phil and Tiger, you will both be back if you want it bad enough.

Congratulations to Keegan Bradley who let his golf clubs do the talking as he takes home his first major trophy, The Wanamaker, in his second win of the year as a rookie on tour – Great Job! Happy Golfing to All!

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!

Congratulations to K.J. Choi for his valiant effort down the stretch at the TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Verde Beach. He holed his par putt on 17, the 130 yard par 3 as Toms let a short par putt slip away to bogey the hole and hand the victory to Choi. Happy Golfing to all!

After we settled in, the hunger pangs kicked in, so we decided to visit Disney Market Place, and dine at one of our favorite restaurants, Wolfgang Puck.  We were lucky enough to be seated near a window, which I requested since it overlooked the lake, adjacent Pleasure Island and the view complemented the ambiance of the restaurant setting. After we satisfied our appetites we strolled through the Market Place and window shopped at various locations at Downtown Disney. After walking for a while the lack of sleep finally caught up to us and we headed back to our room to chill. We watched TV for a short while and then fell asleep for the night. We awoke refreshed the next morning and we were excited as the weather forecast could not have been better. Temperature around 85 with low humidity, sunny all day and the weathermen were actually on target – Simply Beautiful! We checked in at the pro-shop, grabbed a quick breakfast to go and proceeded to the East Course to commence our golf round. We played fairly well for the front nine and even better on the South Course back. We were enjoying the gorgeous day and golf so much we decided to replay another nine holes on the North Course. We finished up at approximately 3;00pm as we anticipated visiting one of the Disney Resort Parks. We decided on Hollywood Studios, formerly MGM, as we have so many fond memories of our prior visits there. Beauty and The Beast and Fantasmic were the two shows that were priority and we made sure to see them while we were there. After Fantasmic, which ended at 9:45pm we returned back to the resort and hit the sack for the night so we were well rested for our final day of golf on Mother’s Day!

We teed off at 7:30am on Sunday and played two full 18 hole rounds as we were enjoying ourselves so much we did not want it to end. I played as well as ever, shooting a 37 on the East Course from the blue tees, or around 3400 yards, which included three birdies and was only one over par and also one of my best nine holes scores to date. We then played the South nine and I finished with a score of 81, not too shabby for the final day. We then visited the clubhouse 19th hole and relaxed as we discussed our golf round and another magnificent clear sunny day with little or no wind to speak of, which made our golf rounds that much more enjoyable. We enjoyed a few cocktails and a light appetizer as we anticipated dining later that afternoon at another one of our favorite spots at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, The White Horse restaurant. The golf may have been over but strolling the grounds at the Grand Hyatt was most enjoyable as the tropical setting and some of the design elements reminded me of my trip to Hawaii some 35 years ago. We spent the last few hours of our weekend getaway meandering through the beautiful grounds of the Grand Hyatt and viewed the sun as it was setting on the Grand Hyatt landscape as it accented the silhouette of the palm trees with an orange hue- (see photo). The serenity and beauty of the surroundings was so exhilarating that I took approximately 200 photos while there. Unfortunately our trip was quickly coming to an end, but the memories and good times while away will not soon be forgotten.

We played 18, 27 and 36 holes respectively, while at the Grand Cypress Resort so I guess you can say we hit enough golf balls to hone our game a bit to prepare for the coming golf season. As always, the trip was way too short, but we have another getaway planned for late July in Myrtle Beach to look forward to. Happy Golfing to all!

It’s been about four years since we visited Grand Cypress Resort in Orlando, Florida. It is a 45 hole golf complex designed by none other than the golden bear himself, Jack Nicklaus. Three of the nine hole layouts are the North, South and East, the latter being the location that Tiger Woods was filming  a commercial for Nike, the last time we were at the resort. There is also an 18 hole layout appropriately titled The New Course, as it incorporates some of the same design characteristics as The Old Course at St. Andrews, so I guess you could say it is The New Old Course!. We are looking forward for a quick golf getaway weekend and this is a top notch to play, as it is listed in the top 500 resorts in the world. The Disney World resort is only a few short miles away and we fully intend to check it out and make the most of our time while in sunny Florida.

The photo provides an aerial view of the club house and the adjacent golf holes complementing the view. In a few short days we will be teeing off and enjoying 18, 27 or even 36 holes a day depending on weather and how well we are playing. We haven’t been to Disney World since October of 2008 and as noted previously we will visit at least one or two of the magical parks where Mickey and Minnie reside. I am presently stowing the golf clubs for the trip and I’ll be reporting all about all the good times and great golf experiences upon our return. Happy Golfing to All!

The day belonged to Charl Schwartzel, who was a virtual unknown before this years Masters. If his four birdie finish is any indication of his ability and endurance under the extreme pressure conditions in golf, then we have not heard the last of this young golfer, who is sure to have a promising career in the future. His intimidating play on the final four holes would have made any past champion marvel at his performance, even Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer, two of the best under the toughest of tournament conditions and most especially the Masters. Most players vying for the green jacket on Sunday would be ecstatic to par out on the final four holes, but not Charl, who with nerves of steel, birdied hole after hole for a two stroke victory and his first major victory, The Masters. His ability to wield his golf clubs on Masters Sunday was second to none and Charl Schwartzel is to be congratulated for his tenacity at Augusta National, the pinnacle of the worlds’ most magnificent golf venues. Happy Golfing to all!

I am in the process of getting out the golf training aids and setting up the golf net in the backyard so I can loosen up a bit before the trip. If I don’t, I may be donating to the19th hole bar tab as my buddies like the occasional friendly wager when we play. The golf course in the photo is none other than Caledonia Golf Course, a Mike Strantz design and our favorite course to play at Myrtle Beach. This view depicts the approach shot to the 18th green, which is full carry over water and it can be quite challenging, especially when the wind is blowing in your direction. Caledonia offers all a golfer could ask for , beauty, challenge and great 19th hole to unwind after the golf round. If you ever visit Myrtle Beach I would highly recommend giving it a try, a bit pricey but worth the price of the ticket! 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.

Mere mortals like you and I can never hope to emulate his swing mechanics or achieve his distance, as he is one of a kind, at least for now. Jamie has significantly impressed many of the world’s finest teaching professionals, who are using the latest in computer technology to break down his swing and see if they can determine what makes him tick. Even if we can’t achieve the same results as Jamie, utilizing even some of his techniques can probably allow us to achieve greater distance hitting the golf ball than we might have imagined. I am quite certain that Jamie has now set a precedent, that many new young players will try to emulate and strive to equal or beat his accomplishments to date. That is what it is all about in golf and other sports, striving for new and better techniques to gain more distance and become a better player. The teaching pros will most definitely use this young mans techniques and adjust the information they impart to their students, to complement the ability and goals of the golfer they are working with. Jamie Sadlowski is a unique individual and I am curious to see how far his ability can take him if he decides to turn pro and compete on the PGA Tour. I’m sure the present players on the Tour circuit are not that eager to have him join their ranks. It’s like Tiger Woods arrival on the golf scene in 1997 all over again. On the other hand,  the smart player will recognize that he will be good for the game, drawing more media attention to golf and additional sponsors and advertisers, thus converting to larger prize money for all! I have to go now- need to start stretching, losing weight and practicing my shoulder turn, hip rotation, etc. so I can be like Jamie! Happy Golfing to All!

Another option is to get out your Wii and load up a golf game such as Tiger Woods Golf. I know it is not the same as playing on a real golf course but better than not playing at all. So grab your golf clubs and Wii controller and play golf no matter what the weather is doing outside. Happy Golfing to All!