The fate of golf would seem to lie in the hands of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club and the United States Golf Association. Can we expect that they will protect and reverence the spirit of golf?
MAX BEHR
I know you were not going to be able to function this weekend without getting an answer to the question. But Jerry West, new advisor to Golden State Warriors ownership, will be continuing on with his Northern Trust Open Executive Director duties according to the PGA Tour.
Nothing says big news like a Friday afternoon For Immediate Release...
Northern Trust extends sponsorship of Northern Trust Open New agreement carries Northern Trust Open through 2016
CHICAGO and PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – The PGA TOUR and Northern Trust (Nasdaq: NTRS) today announced a four-year sponsorship extension for the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles through 2016. Northern Trust’s original five-year agreement expires after the 2012 tournament.
That Nasdaq symbol helped. Much appreciated, even though we all had it memorized.
"When Northern Trust first came on board as title sponsor in 2008, its executive team clearly was committed to invigorating this historic tournament and reestablishing its profile as a premier event," said PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem. "Over the past four years, we have seen tremendous strides and a renewed energy surrounding the Northern Trust Open,
Renewed energy!
particularly with the addition and leadership of Jerry West as Executive Director. With today’s announcement of Northern Trust’s four-year extension, the tournament undoubtedly is going to continue to grow and have a positive influence on the Los Angeles area."
While the charitable impact of the 2011 tournament has yet to be announced, last year’s Northern Trust Open generated nearly $1.5 million. Since Northern Trust’s title sponsorship began, the tournament has raised more than $5 million.
"We are proud to renew our commitment to the Northern Trust Open," said Northern Trust Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Frederick H. Waddell. "This is a terrific event that attracts the world’s best professional golfers while supporting our business goals. The Northern Trust Open provides a premiere event for clients, improves brand awareness, and helps the community by generating substantial charitable donations and economic activity."
Yes, for The Golf Channel.
A study commissioned last year by the PGA TOUR with Beacon Economics showed the Northern Trust Open is responsible for an economic impact of more than $21 million on Los Angeles County. The impact includes the equivalent of 201 full-time jobs for a year created by the event, with earnings of approximately $7.4 million and local tax revenues of $350,000.
And now for Jerry West's quote, in the voice of David Pillsbury.
"Northern Trust is an engaged, committed, passionate title sponsor, and the organization’s leadership has helped reestablish the tournament as a major sporting event in Los Angeles," said Jerry West, Northern Trust Open executive director. "Northern Trust's continued commitment will help the tournament continue to grow and make a bigger difference in the lives of our neighbors in need."
Doug Ferguson looks at the players' love-hate relationship with match play and as usual there is more disdain than affection. The embarrassment of a possible one-and-done situation is the real driving force behind player antipathy toward the event.
Robert Karlsson, who would seem to be tough in match play, had never won a match until last year. It certainly wasn't for a lack of effort. Three years ago he drew Paul Casey in the opening round and shot 65, only to lose. Casey shot 64,
So when he was asked if he looked forward to the week, Karlsson paused.
"Yes and no," the Swede said with a smile. "It's a bit funny. It's good fun, and we don't play it very often. I do enjoy the Ryder Cup match play a little more. This one here, the week can become so short. One year I was there for less than three hours."
That was in 2007 when he played all of 11 holes before Stephen Ames beat him.
In this week's Golf World (column not posted), I write a plea for my match play and in particular, another event on a grand scale similar to the WGC, but with two twists: nine hole matches and round robin pool play.
The idea is to legitimize the nine-hole round for the good of the game and also to create matches with a bit more urgency. The round robin pool play would also let players stay around at least two days at the minimum.
Does anyone know of some fun formats played on the amateur level with round robin pool play?
;)
I see on the Twittersphere that Kevin Na is taking a beating for his Sunday pace at Riviera, but I must say that J.B. Holmes, who played in the last group Saturday, may actually be slower. He definitely is on the greens. But that's beside the point.
The real problem at the Northern Trust Open and other West Coast events: field size in winter.
144 players start the week, and it's been years since the first round actually ended on Thursday. And the last time it happened, as luck would have it, an electronic scoreboard lit up the final green to help guys finish.
Last year at Riviera, they cut the field to 132 players because of the earlier date and shorter days. Play was faster. Not great, but faster.
This year I believe 78 made the cut. With shorter days and television demanding a certain finish time, that means threesomes on the weekend off split tees. There is no answer to this problem, except having a smaller number of players make the cut would help.
Either way, the players have proven they will not speed up voluntarily. The Commissioner has made it clear that he believes a few precedent setting two-shot penalties for slow play are unnecessary. Therefore, as much as I hate the idea, it's become clear that field sizes must be reduced to speed up play because the players and tour leader won't otherwise do anything about it. Sad, but this is what it's come to.
Monday, February 21, 2011 at 11:21 AM 28 Comments | in 2011 Northern Trust Open, PGA Tour, Slow Play, Tim Finchem I know television rules the world, but I took such joy watching an incident unfold more than once over the weekend, most notably on the 14th tee.
Fans are waiting at the ropes to see the leaders only to have CBS camera crews arrive and block their view. Hardly a newsflash. However, this time when the fans asked the dude manning the super slow-mo camera to not block their view, the guy turned with a look on his face that I can only describe as if he was Lady Gaga and one her backup dancers suggested her toosh was getting too big. Mr. Important then turned to watch the action...which he was not filming.
Now, I know that these high-def slow motion shots hold the key to the U.S. nuclear arsenal. But when your network puts out a tired, dreadfully uncool, promofest of a telecast that starts late and ends on-time, just maybe you might think of treating the paying fans with an ounce of respect.
Monday, February 21, 2011 at 11:11 AM 25 Comments | in 2011 Northern Trust Open, Golf and Television ;)
Baddeley approaches 18 with a real, honest to goodness gallery (click to enlarge)People!
What a miracle seeing so many live bodies return to the fairways Sunday in a retro L.A. Northern Trust Open finale. Thanks to fan-favorite Fred Couples and cooperative weather, it was by far the biggest crowd in two years, though attendance figure never did make it in my hands. But I'm sure it topped last year's made-up 30,000 number.
While the event has a long way to go but progress was evident on many fronts, particularly marketing and corporate sales. But in terms of fan experience, the PGA Tour's Championship Management is not exactly resembling some of the better event operations on the tour.
An example: a fan trying to find out scores will find the task nearly impossible thanks to the elimination of manual boards and the ad-clustered ShotLink-driven video scoreboards. Some of those boards are placed so low that they are obstructed by standing fans. Thankfully in 2012, fans will be able to access smart phones, but that should not be the place you go to get scores.
;)
Couples on the 14th tee (click to enlarge)Also worth noting: the hostile (at best) to the non-golf fan. Assuming a novice can get to the course, information kiosks are non-existent. Unless you know the game, you'll be lost trying to find players, holes or hospitality options. And since the tournament eliminated the Birdsnest-lite pavilion near the shuttle drop off, the overall "energy" (PGA Tour executive buzzword alert) continues to be lacking compared to this event's well-attended and raucous heyday in the late 80s and 90s.
Unless you're part of a corporate chalet package, the options are extremely limited for socializing and generally excessive consumption which is vital to get through the wretched pace of play maximize charitable contributions.
;)
Baddelay on No. 16 (click on image to enlarge)As for the golf I'll leave it to the following scribes to give you the lowdown on what was a more eventful Sunday.
Doug Ferguson notes that Aaron Baddeley was a worthy winner, but not a popular one in LA.
Finally a winner again, Aaron Baddeley raised his arms when his last putt dropped into the cup Sunday in the Northern Trust Open as his wife and two young daughters came over to share the moment.
They might have been among the few cheering him on at Riviera.
Randall Mell writes about the latest surprise winner on the PGA Tour.
No offense to Aaron Baddeley, he’s a good story, by all accounts a terrific gentleman, but despite the stardom predicted for him as a hotshot kid from Australia, he’s been mostly a supporting actor in the four seasons since his last victory.
Baddeley arrived at Riviera ranked No. 224 in the world.
In that respect, he’s a perfect fit in the PGA Tour winner’s circle this year.
The world rank of the average winner this season is No. 151.
Bob Harig talks to Fred Couples' caddy Joe LaCava about the day and the turning point at No. 7.
"I thought he had as good a chance as anybody coming into today," said Joe LaCava, Couples' longtime caddie, who has seen plenty in more than two decades inside the ropes. "He's just as good as those guys
"Age is a factor, sure. But not to the point where he can't play. He's in good shape and hits it just as far or farther than these guys. And he's got experience."
As noted in Harig's story, Couples said he was never the same physically after the 7th hole. That's where the 51-year-old made double bogey and Baddeley holed out from off the green for birdie.
My post round YouTube autopsy:
Kevin Na has his caddy line him up on tee and fairway shots. I can deal with that. But the plumb-bob putt reading does not belong on the PGA Tour.
;)
(click to enlarge at your own risk)
Five hours and 17 minutes for the Northern Trust Open final round, breaking Saturday's five hour and 20 minute marathon. The people were heard.
This one has possible train wreck/last man standing written all over it. Either way, I'm leaving it up to you to report what you see and, in small doses, what you hear.
There's no rooting in the press center (none! never!), but I can say that if a 51-year-old geezer with a bad back were to win, there will be a lot of jovial scribblers Sunday night.
Five hours and twenty minutes for the leading threesomes to play their NoTrust Open rounds in cool, sometimes showery conditions?
What I found striking Saturday was just how many people brought up the wretched pace without my usual bitching prompting. Funny how much more painful the plodding, standing, fidgeting and general malaise becomes when it's under 60 degrees.
The causes during a week when there is no rough: faster greens than players are used to here, difficult weather conditions, and worst of all, the consistent inability of players to play "ready golf." Some of the faster players will tell you they don't play ready golf because it won't help, and now it appears that it's a rare moment when players commence their pre-shot preparation and information collation prior to the moment it becomes their turn to hit. I know some suggest this is an etiquette issue, but I say it's good manners gone awry.
While the leaderboard was littered with some of the tour's slowest pokes, I'm not sure you can blame this one on the J.B. Holmes's of the world (2 minutes, 10 seconds on the 6th green for one putt!). But the boys would be wise not to pull a similar stunt Sunday when a decent crowd (hopefully) is watching.
__
As for the finale, almost nothing happened Saturday, which bodes well for a lively Sunday where the leaderboard suggests any number of characters could win. Doug Ferguson reminds us that leader Aaron Baddeley played 22 holes Sunday to grab the lead by one, while Larry Dorman explains that this is Baddeley's most serious run at a title since returning to Dale Lynch.
Bob Harig explains how Vijay, who turns 48 Tuesday, is threatening a rally kill by closing to within 2 of the lead. And John Strege on local boy Kevin Na trying to win for his ailing dad. The PGA Tour wrap up and highlights try to make the best out of a pretty blah Saturday. And here are the tee times. Leaders tee off at 10:30 with a 3:30 ET sign off. Let's hope they can finish on time though this one is just screaming playoff.
;)
Ryan Moore looking sharp Saturday (click to enlarge ;)
NoTrust CEO is telling Golf Channel that attendance is up 50%. (click to enlarge)
Reader Tom saw Doug Ferguson's Tweet of my very, very brief media room siesta--John Strege thinks I was only out one minute--and suggested this one needs a caption. To help jumpstart your creative juices, this occurred around 2:00 when Saturday's third round was laboring, the skies were opening up, the heater was working particularly well, the sweet potato side dish was taking over and I was dreaming of what fascinating things CBS guys might have been saying about Riviera.
Be nice!
P.S. - if you are a press roomer who fell asleep with a popsicle stick in your mouth during the last year, you better not even think of posting a caption
I checked with the Mirage, Wynn and the Bellagio and here are over/unders for today's noon Pacific, 3 ET telecast from Riviera:
Delayed start time of telecast after Notre Dame-West Virginia basketball game runs late: 12:30
Number of Bel-Air references by CBS announce team: 4
First Jim Nantz "friend/friends" reference: Off the board.
