Rory McIlroy Wins 2013 Australian Open

The Australian PGA's social media roundup from the 2013 Emirates Australian Open sums up the amazing scene as Adam Scott possibly over-clubbed his approach into the 18th at Royal Sydney, opening the door for Rory McIlroy to birdie the last and take the title.

While it's big news that McIlroy finally won a tournament in 2013 after such a stellar campaign last year, this one will long be remembered for Adam Scott's run at the Triple Crown of Australian golf.

In defeat, Scott proved classy as ever, prompting Mike Clayton to compare him to Australian greats Peter Thomson and Kel Nagle.

Scott as his is way took the loss with grace and he will steel off into the night with the knowledge he has made the summer of golf in Australia. For a month he has signed autographs, spoken at dinners arranged in his honour, had hundreds if not thousands of photographs taken with green jacketed arm around adoring fans and all the way he was shooting even 67s.

What is more impressive is he looked like he enjoyed every step of the four-week journey through Queensland, down to Melbourne and then up to Sydney. Nothing was a problem or a drama. He never once looked like he was doing us a favour by being here when he could have been sunning himself in Bermuda.
Australians have always loved the selp-depricating and modest sportsman.

Scott is a throwback to the generation of Thomson and Nagle and he surely will win a lot more.

The official highlights include the finish and that epic scene on Royal Sydney's 18th where the crowd spills onto the fairway edges and seemingly every bit of available free space:

McIlroy's post round press conference:

Update on Sunday, December 1, 2013 at 09:17 PM by Geoff

**From Glen Jackson's Sydney Morning Herald story on Scott feeling "gutted" after losing the title:

Perhaps feeling like the bloke who turned the lights on at the party, McIlroy apologised to the crowd. ''I'm sorry that I had to ruin Adam's triple crown,'' he said.

''He's had a phenomenal year. It's a real credit to him that he came down and played all four weeks. It would have been very easy to skip a couple … to play four in a row is a credit to him.

''He knew what responsibility he had coming down as Masters champion, the first Australian to win a green jacket. That's the sort of guy he is - he is a true champion. He's a credit to the game but he is also a credit to this country.''

Scott, whose bogeys came on the first and last holes, was doing his best to remain upbeat. ''It was going to be a tough day no matter what, and Rory made his move and I just couldn't knock in the putts you expect to make. I've made them all week but slight misreads and not quite the right pace, didn't match,'' he said.

Lorne Signs Off From The Globe And Mail...For Good

Esteemed golf writer Lorne Rubenstein, who said goodbye last year but was drawn back in by reader demand to continue his golf column at The Globe And Mail, signed off Friday.

Thanks to reader Taylor for catching this tribute from Bob Weeks and of course, for Lorne's final time in newspaper print. He will continue to write online and you can follow him on Twitter.

Weeks writes:

Over more than three decades, Rubenstein's column was essential reading for anyone in golf. While he covered the major players of the game, he also wandered into intriguing areas not always given the full attention of the press. Amateur golf, course design and issues affecting the growth of the game. He once even wrote a column on courses that had a par palindrome. Always, his words were full of passion and intent.

This Week In Golf Channel Ratings: LPGA Dislodges The Big Break

Thanks to Son Of The Bronx as always for this week's numbers, which show Golf Channel averaging 90,000 in prime time and 58,000 the rest of the day, up over last week and well up over a year ago (69,000/39,000).

More impressive were the solid numbers for the LPGA Tour's season finale even when it went up against the NFL. Whe the PGA Tour's Mayakoba event was televised live at the same time as football the week before (drawing 116,000 for the final round), the LPGA Tour drew 189,000 for its final round broadcast. That was strong enough to knock off Big Break NFL as the channel's top rated show.

More impressive were the LPGA numbers Saturday (186,000), Friday (167,000) and Thursday (113,000) which all topped the PGA Tour's World Cup from Australia that aired in prime time/late night ET. Note that the LPGA's strong numbers fed some solid ratings for Golf Central pre and postgame shows.

Saturday's World Cup final round telecast was the highest rated, drawing a 111,000.

Adam & Rory Set For Australian Open Weekend Duel

After a second round 65 at Royal Sydney Rory McIlroy has moved to within two shots of leader Adam Scott, reports Martin Blake.

Scott is making his final start of 2013 and attempting to win the Australian triple crown after capturing the Australian Masters and Australian PGA.

Also of note: U.S. Amateur semi-finalist Brady Watt is tied for fifth at six-under par and 15-year-old Ryan Ruffels, who was discussed on this week's State of the Game, also made the cut. Mike Clayton reports on Ruffels' impressive second round 68.

State Of The Game 32: Australia 2013 In Review

We recorded this week's State of the Game just a few hours before Adam Scott played one of the more amazing rounds of the year--62 at Royal Sydney with six birdies to start, four to finish--but we talk with Mike Clayton about his impressive play at the even more impressive Royal Melbourne.

Other topics covered include Royal Melbourne's design and setup, Rory McIlroy's game as seen up close by Clayton and 15-year-old amateur Ryan Ruffels.

As usual you can access all episodes here on the State of the Game webpage, or on iTunes.

Or for this week's episode you can download the mp3 here or, subscribe/listen on iTunes. Or here:

Fun Times: Vijay v. PGA Tour Discovery Heating Up!

We had some idea where Vijay Singh's legal team was headed in their lawsuit against the PGA Tour earlier this month, and now Rex Hoggard says the discovery requests have begun.

And you'll be shocked to know they are not requesting the recipe for TPC Sawgrass' turkey dressing.

Singh’s lawyers requested any information “related to any positive tests by any golfer for any substance listed as a banned substance under the program, (and) any discipline imposed,” specifically anything related to a “possible or actual violation of the program” by Doug Barron, Mark Calcavecchia, Scott Verplank, Dustin Johnson and Matt Every.

In other words, a settlement check is right around the corner!

Golf Sponsor Drops Player Over Admiration For Cruz & Beck

Mike Opelka of the online publication The Blaze reports on Virginia-based businessman Brian McMahon dropping his sponsorship of aspiring golf pro Jeff Cochran.

The issue came down to a golf bag bible verse and the professional's professed admiration for Glenn Beck and Ted Cruz.

In late October, Cochran, his agent David Reynolds and NGC’s Brian McMahon both claim they were at a dinner and the conversation turned to Cruz. Cochran says he praised Cruz and his father, Raphael, mentioning that he had seen the elder Cruz on an episode of “The Glenn Beck Program.”

Cochran told TheBlaze that his sponsor was taken aback by this statement and was also troubled by the fact that his business associate was a fan of Beck. Following his pro-Cruz statement, Cochran said McMahon asked him, ”Would you be willing to give up our support to stand with that wackjob (Beck)?” Cochran answered “yes” and said the dinner continued without any additional tension or drama.

But the next morning, Cochran’s agent said, he received an email from NGC announcing that it was pulling all financial and product support from Cochran.

The email, a copy of which was provided to TheBlaze, demanded immediate return of all equipment and that Cochran stop using their logo as well. The initial email from McMahon to Cochran’s agent was quite specific as to the reason for the split (emphasis added):

David, I have never had an issue with you or really Jeff for that matter, but this situation is very disturbing. I have been tolerant of his religious views and even supported his off course speaking. However, I just can’t allow my company to be associated with these radical political views. The idea that Jeff would line up with the likes of Glenn Beck or Ted Cruz or any other individual interested in destroying America, just isn’t something I can swallow.

Pressed by The Blaze, McMahon was firm in his convictions.

Responding to McMahon’s email, we tried to correct some of his misconceptions (Beck doesn’t have or represent a “political party”), learn more about his organization (Nebraska Golf Card), and further understand the reason, or reasons, he terminated Conchran’s sponsorship. He did reply to our email. According to him, Nebraska Golf Card “is run by me alone.” He addressed a question about the ability to terminate someone for religious and political reasons by stating, “Jeff was not an employee but rather a private contractor.”

McMahon ended his email by saying,  ”the only people who will care what happened to Jeff are the same religous (sic) zealots. Finally, my character might not be what you like, but I think for myself.”

Update on Wednesday, November 27, 2013 at 07:34 AM by Geoff

**Cochran will need his faith if this is him, as the story says a Jeff Cochran is going to jail for two years. Thanks to reader Dennis for catching this story on his Monday sentencing after pleading guilty to theft of jewelry.

Prosecutors say Cochran would steal expensive jewelry, including Rolex watches, from people at out-of-state golf courses before bringing the merchandise to Las Vegas and selling it.

Authorities say Cochran's thefts happened between September 2010 and March 2012.
The case was investigated by the FBI.

Cochran has been ordered to report to prison on Feb. 25.

**A search of photos of Jeff Cochran's playing golf would suggest they are about 8 years apart and not the same person.

Update on Wednesday, November 27, 2013 at 10:16 PM by Geoff

**Ryan Ballengee is on the case and now nothing is simple in this story. Including whether or not the entire thing is a hoax that The Blaze fell for.

Australian Open At Royal Sydney Includes Three Open Spots

The Royal Sydney official website has a tour of the many-times manipulated-but-still-lovely course set in one of the most beautiful neighborhoods imaginable.

And while we here in the states generally just enjoy the late night Australian golf thanks to the fine courses and broadcasts (particularly Ian Baker-Finch on his A game analyzing play), there is history at stake in the Australian Open as Adam Scott goes for the trifecta of the Australian PGA, Masters and Opens in the same year he won THE Masters. Robert Allenby is the only player to have won the big three titles of Australia in the same year (2005).

For those not already exempt, Brent Read reminds us that the R&A is exempting three to the Open Championship based on this week's play.

Golf Channel provides live coverage from 8 p.m-1 a.m. ET Wednesday-Saturday nights, with next day replays from 1-6 p.m. ET.

"He didn't consider he played full-time golf until he was nine."

I think you'll enjoy Gary Van Sickle's Q&A with Cameron McCormick, the Australian teacher living in Dallas who has worked with Jordan Spieth since the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year was twelve years old.

While I giggled at the quote posted above, you get the sense McCormick knows how to show restraint with a talented pupil with no plans to try anything silly with Spieth's game.

At what point did you realize teaching was what you wanted to do and you were good at it?

CM: That was in early 2002, soon after I started at Dallas C.C. and worked with some high school players from Highland Park. It was my first exposure coaching youth who were goal-oriented -- they wanted to go to college and potentially play beyond college. As my wife puts it, that's what makes my heart sing. That's when I knew what I wanted to do. I went to Brook Hollow and still had Highland Park players under my guidance, then began to expand. One day I got a call from a guy who said, "Hi, I'm Shawn Spieth." His son, Jordan, was 12 and hadn't had formal instruction outside of some advice from a local pro, and group lessons. We met in July of 2005 and Jordan told me he'd shot 62 in an event. I thought, wow, he's got the skills but the style is interesting. He was one-dimensional, with a mostly right-to-left shot. I took him to the back tees at Brook Hollow.

We played six or seven holes. In conjunction with that I put three balls down around three greens and said, "I'm going to put some pressure on your short game." It's a form of skill-testing. "Par on these holes is two," I said. "If you score 21 or better, that's three over, and I'll buy you a hat."

We get to the final hole and he's four over par on our short-game contest. So he's behind the eight ball -- he's got to hole one and get the other two up and down. I put the first ball in a medium difficult location and he chips the sucker in. Now he's three over. I put the next one in a little more difficult situation because he knows he's got the hat in hand. He chips that one to a foot. I'm under the screws-I need to make it tough. So I give him a flop shot downhill to a green that's running away from him. He holes the sucker again and finishes at two over.

That was the second are-you-kidding-me moment. The first was when I found out he shot 62 as a 12-year-old.

Augusta National Buys More Real Estate

Michael Buteau of Bloomberg reports that Augusta National Golf Club purchased The Greens on Washington Road for $8.3 million in 2012 and is razing the apartment complex to build a parking lot.

The land totaled 9.3 acres and sits east of the club's Par 3 Course, extending the club's interest in that direction and increasing speculation, says Buteau, that the club wants to expand player and dignitary housing during Masters week.

A Google aerial showing where the property sits in relation to the club:

Update on Wednesday, November 27, 2013 at 08:03 AM by Geoff

**A July 8, 2012 Steve Crawford story had Augusta National member Robert Johnston buying The Greens for $8.3 million in a deal separate from the club.

Video: Clayton On Royal Sydney

The Australian Open heads back to Royal Sydney this week where Alister MacKenzie had visited and as architect Mike Clayton explains in this interview with Andy Maher, the Good Doctor's routing is still around.

The clip:

The Australian Open official site is quite robust with full coverage of the historic tournament.

Golf Channel coverage begins Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET.

How Google Glass Could Change Golf

Ryan Ballengee considers the possibilities of Google Glass transforming golf and talks to Paul Goldstein, creator of GolfSight. It's an app that recently debuted at a Google Glass event.

Naturally as an app inventor, Goldstein thinks Google's data recording and sharing glasses will be great for golf.

In a broader sense, Goldstein thinks Glass will be great for golf, furthering the game’s technological revolution. Golfers can get the data they need to play the game in real time, as well be able to see and respond to outside distractions — like email and text messages — without having to become an on-course nuisance.

Another feature golfers will love about Glass and GolfSight? The ability to create their own, real-time highlight reel.

“I think Glass is also great for sharing about golf with friends,” Goldstein said. “It’s great for snapping a quick picture of the course without having to dig out your phone.”

He added, “If you’re fast enough you can turn on the video in time to see your putt role into the hole.”

You may recall that in August Billy Horschel wore the glasses at a tour event range in blatant violation of the PGA Tour's video policy, compromising not just the rights of tour media partners, but the entire broadcast structure in America. Horschel has lived to tell about, or at least the footage has.

A GolfSight promotional video: