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
Entries in 2011 PGA Tour (367)
Sony Open In 3D, To 83 Million Homes!?
Some of you considering a new HDTV with 3D capabilities will be glad to know you can see the Sony Open in a stand alone 3D telecast this year, though I found one Sony claim a bit dubious.
The upcoming tournament will be the first PGA Tour co-sponsored event televised live in 3-D, said company and tour officials who have been testing the technology at several events this year. The Masters was aired in 3-D.
"We have seen what high-definition does for golf telecasts, and 3-D is the logical next step to enhancing our broadcasts and providing fans with the ultimate viewing experience, particularly in such a beautiful setting as Hawaii," PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem said in a statement.
Sony estimated 83 million households in the U.S. have 3-D-compatible TV sets.
Really?
Anyone who has 3D interested in commenting on their experience with it, particularly for golf telecasts?
"The so-called sure thing was first downgraded to a long shot, then was scratched from the race entirely." **
Steve Elling talks to several folks who are disappointed with the PGA Tour's abandonment of the designated tournament policy that had been in the works, including a tournament director who was not afraid of becoming designated.
After indicating earlier this year that the proposal seemed destined for passage, the tour has yet to formally explain its rationale for shooting down a notion that had been green-lighted by the Players Advisory Committee five months ago with, "really, zero negativity," Steve Stricker said at the time.
PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem all but guaranteed that the idea, designed to force top players to visit locales they hadn't played in years, if ever, would be added to the books in some form in 2011. Now it's morphed into a voluntary plan, which will be about as effective as you might expect.
I think the real giveaway is in this quote from Davis Love.
"Right now, we don't really need any controversy. We need things to keep moving along, because we have a TV contract coming along and everything is really going pretty well. When you look at our business vs. every other business in the country, we are really, really good."
I guess we'll find out this year just how good things are. I find it hard to believe that the PGA Tour is happy to rest on its laurels and sees no need to improve their position with the networks and fans. Or at least, is trying to give that impression to enhance their bargaining position.
Bob Harig also talks to a few people about the policy and notes this:
One problem that was not resolved was spreading out the top players among the designated events.
What if a designated event was not chosen by anyone? That certainly would have looked bad.
Then again, wasn't there a solution of some kind to be worked out, one that would be better than doing nothing at all?
Geoff
**Garry Smits says "this was a 2-foot gimmee putt. And you just lipped it out."
Let's put it this way: if a method isn't found for more of the top players to play in just one or two more events a year, the problem will take care of itself. Some of those events may simply have to fold.
And that will hurt the rank-and-file of Tour players who do support those tournaments, by subtracting playing opportunities; to say nothing of the economic impact and charitable dollars realized in those communities as a result of the Tour stop.
Viking Classic To Become Opposite Event On FedExCup Schedule
I really don't see how it's an upgrade to go from the fall to a spot opposite the Open Championship or WGC Bridgestone. But whatever makes Viking happy and supplying ovens at cost to the PGA Tour VP army...
Adam Schupak reports.
And The Hits Keep Coming: Phil To Launch '11 Season In UAE
Does anyone want to play the PGA Tour? Sheesh. I'm almost feeling sorry for the Commissioner. Almost.
From the AP courtesy of reader Gene.
Westwood Affirms #1 Ranking With Runner-Up Finish
Jason Sobel on the HSBC results and Westwood solidifying his spot at the top:
For now, though, all accolades and celebration should be heaped upon Westwood, who emerged from his first week atop the world ranking by putting greater distance between himself and the competition. That he failed to triumph at the HSBC should only serve as a symbol for his career: He might not always be good enough to win, but he is indeed good enough to be the best.
Sure, it sounds like a bizarre conundrum, but in a week that began with the world's best players brandishing swords in one another's company, bizarre might very well now be the norm anyway.
The SI guys weren't so kind.
Morfit: It is a bit odd that Westwood is winning so infrequently. On the other hand, he's played golf pretty infrequently, so maybe finishing second this week isn't so bad. I'm a lot more worried about a few other players who got a lot of publicity coming into the week.
Shipnuck: I'm way past the point of getting excited about Lee Westwood racking up another lucrative top-5 finish. To paraphrase "Glengarry Glen Ross," he needs to put down the coffee. Coffee is for closers.
Hack: Second place, a set of steak knives.
Shipnuck: Third place, you're fired. That means you, Luke Donald.
Rolfing Has Even More Reason To Rave About All Things Hawaii
Ann Miller reports on announcer Mark Rolfing's charity becoming the beneficiary of the renamed Hyundai Tournament of Champions. It pays to go fishing with the Commissioner!
Note how Miller puts the current PGA Tour buzzwords in quotes. Underpin! New energy! Energize!
Now SBS will "underpin" the tournament through 2019, according to the tour. That will include hospitality and other on-site activities. The Mark and Debi Rolfing Charitable Foundation became the non-profit host organization, required by the tour, in August.
Back then Rolfing, an NBC golf analyst from Kapalua, characterized his involvement as a "last-gasp" effort to keep the tournament in Hawaii. Hyundai's sponsorship gives the event room to breathe.
Rolfing's vision is to bring "new energy" to the tournament, which he considers vital for its future. Starting in 2011, there will be no admission charge -- a first for the PGA Tour. Rolfing plans to turn the TOC into a weeklong event that will attract people from the whole state and "energize" the world about the start of the golf season.
There will be a Hawaii Junior Golf Festival the Sunday before the tournament and three days of special events similar to baseball's all-star week, with a long-drive contest and pros interacting with amateurs, juniors and celebrities. The night before the tour tees off (Jan. 5), Golf Channel will have a 2-hour prime-time special from the first tee.
"I felt if we could create energy for the tournament by doing different things it would make it more attractive to a new sponsor and, lo and behold, it did," Rolfing said. "I don't think anybody imagined we'd get a new sponsor two months out, but this is going to continue because the new sponsor basically bought into the concept."
And don't you know we'll hear all about from Rolfing during the telecast.
