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Geoff Ogilvy Wire to Wire at Mercedes
Geoff Ogilvy began the day 6 shots ahead and promptly went into reverse. With a double bogey on the first hole and a bogey on the third his lead was halved by Anthony Kim. “Not angry, just frustrated,†Ogilvy said. “Is there a difference between angry and frustrated?†Is how he described his feelings at the time. Yes, there is a difference; frustrated is what you feel after that beginning, birdie two holes, then bogey holes seven and eight before getting it back together with an eagle on the 9th.
Geoff Ogilvy began the day 6 shots ahead and promptly went into reverse. With a double bogey on the first hole and a bogey on the third his lead was halved by Anthony Kim. “Not angry, just frustrated,” Ogilvy said. “Is there a difference between angry and frustrated?” Is how he described his feelings at the time. Yes, there is a difference; frustrated is what you feel after that beginning, birdie two holes, then bogey holes seven and eight before getting it back together with an eagle on the 9th. Follow that eagle with birdies on five of the next six holes to restore a 6 shot lead and frustration is a fleeting sensation. Play the back 9 like you played the front and anger is what takes over.
“It’s not a very nice feeling to feel you’re frittering away your lead with weak shots and bad shots,” he said. “There was something I was not doing on the first eight holes as I had been all week for some reason. I wouldn’t say it was panic. It’s just not a nice feeling. No panic or ‘What am I doing?’ just ‘Can I go somewhere else for a while?’ Because it’s just uncomfortable.” Sounds like a Southwest Airline commercial eh? The iron shots Mr. Ogilvy hit on the back 9 were precise and accurate. The results led to a restoration of his 6 shot lead and his fifth Tour victory, a very very large check, a new Mercedes, and the really large trophy.
Mr. Kim and Davis Love III finished second, representing the young bucks and the old guys successfully to begin the year. “Something made him mad, I guess, somewhere coming up on the ninth fairway,” Love said. “And then I guess he made eagle and went nuts.” describing Mr. Ogilvy’s back nine. The second place finish moved him up the world ranking to number 55, closer to the top 50 and an exemption into the Masters. What I see as especially encouraging is his continued consistent good play carried over from the "Fall Series" last year into the beginning of this year.
Mr. Kim opened Sunday with a 32 on the front, and got as close a single shot. “I knew he was just teasing me for a little while there, and he was going to make some birdies,” Kim said. “Unfortunately, I couldn’t.” Which sums up the back 9 quite well.
So the 2009 season is under way on the PGA Tour. It’s always difficult for me to watch golf in January, not only because of the NFL playoffs, but because I can’t get out and play. With a fresh 13 inches of snow on the ground and 2-4 more on the way, followed by sub zero temperatures, I get frustrated by my inability to get out and play. But then, I do live in Wisconsin and this happens every year. Still, a few hours on the range followed by 18 holes would be a nice distraction.
This tournament, despite being limited to the winners of the previous years tour events, did not have the top 4 players in the world ranking. With the sponsor’s contract up in 2010 I wonder how readily the Mercedes Benz folks will part with $20 million or more for another four years. Hawaii is a long trip for the European players, so some say. When the tournament was in southern Californian weather was an issue. Rumors are flying that Mercedes wants to host at a different location, yet where else is weather not going to be a major factor? Commissioner Tim Finchem thinks that just because Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson don’t play doesn’t justify changing venues. He’s right, but convincing the title sponsor, in this economy, will cost the negotiator more than one nights sleep. I noticed a lack of spectators on Sunday. I’m not familiar enough with that course to know if it’s not conducive to watching play from hole to hole, although I did see the players getting into SUV’s to go from tee to green, which would indicate that one could not easily follow a specific group all 18 holes. That may be an issue as well. If economic recovery is not forthcoming, the day of million dollar winners checks may be a thing of the past.
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Morning 9: Wyndham Clark on back injury | DiMarco’s bold Champions Tour take | Houston Open photos
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News
Four books for a springtime review
One thing that never changes over time: snowy evenings give purpose to reading (is it the other way around?) It has been a snowy 2024 in western New York, and I’ve had ample time to tuck into an easy chair with a blanket, coffee, and a book. You’re in luck, because despite the title of this piece, I’ll share five books and their worth with you.
There is great breadth of subject matter from one to five. Golf is as complicated as life, which means that the cover of the book isn’t worth judging. The contents begin the tale, but there is so much more to each topic presented within. If you’re like me, your library grows each year. Despite the value of the virtual, the paper-printed word connects us to the past of golf and humanity. Here’s hoping that you’ll add one or more of these titles to your collection.
Hughes Norton interviewed with Mark McCormack for 20 minutes (30 if you count the missed exit at Logan International) while driving the founder of IMG from Harvard to the airport. The lesson of taking advantage of each moment, of every dollar, because you might not get another opportunity, is the most valuable one that life offers. I say to you, be certain to read this book, because another opportunity to bend the ear of Hughes Norton may not come our way.
Hughes Norton was with Tiger Woods for waaayyy fewer years than you might guess, but they were the critical ones. Be warned: not all of the revelations in this tome are for the faint of heart. Some, in fact, will break your heart. Golf was a sleepy hamlet in the 1990s, until the 16-lane interstate called Eldrick “Tiger” Woods came into town. Everything changed, which meant that everything would change again and again, into eternity. Once the ball starts rolling, it’s impossible to stop.
My favorite aspect of this book is its candor. Hughes Norton is well into his time on Planet Earth. He has no reason to hold back, and he doesn’t. My least favorite aspect is that George Peper got the call to co-author the book (and I didn’t.) Seriously, there is no LFA for me, so this is the best that I could do.
Decision: Buy It!
The Golf Courses of Seth Raynor
Michael Wolf, James Sitar, and Jon Cavalier, in abject partnership, collaborated to produce a handsome volume on the work of gone-too-soon, engineer-turned-golf course architect. Seth Raynor was pulled into the game by Charles Blair MacDonald, the crusty godfather of American golf. Raynor played little golf across the 51 years of his life. His reason? He did not wish to corrupt his designs with the demands and failings of his own game.
Jon Cavalier began his photography career as a contributor to the Golf Club Atlas discussion group. I met him there in a virtual way (we still have yet to shake hands) and have exchanged numerous emails over the years. Despite the demands of his day job, Cavalier has blossomed into the most traveled and prolific course photographer alive today. His photography, both hand-held and drone, makes the pages pop. Michael Wolf invited me and two friends to play his home course, despite having never met any of us in person. His words, melded to those of James Sitar, are the glue that connect Cavalier’s photos.
My favorite aspect of the books is the access it gives to the private-club world of Raynor. Fewer than five of his courses are resort or public access, and knowing people on the inside is not available to all. My suggestion? Write a letter/email and see if a club will let you play. Can’t hurt to try! My one complaint about the book is its horizontal nature. Golf is wide, but I like a little vertical in my photos. It’s not much of a complaint, given the glorious contents within the covers.
Decision: Buy It!!
Big Green Book from The Golfer’s Journal
Beginning with its (over)size, and continuing through the entire contents, there is no descriptor that defines the genre of the Big Green Book. It is photography, essay, layout, poetry, graphics, and stream of consciousness. It harnesses the creative power of a lengthy masthead of today’s finest golf contributors. Quotes from Harvey Penick, verse from Billy Collins, and prose from John Updike partner with images pure and altered, to immerse you in the diverse golf spaces that define this planet.
One of my favorite aspects is the spaces between the words and photos. Have your friends and others write a few notes to you in those blank areas, to personalize your volume even more. One aspect that needs improvement: the lack of female voices. I suspect that will be remedied in future volumes.
Decision: Buy It!!!
Troublemaker and The Unplayable Lie
Books that allege discrimination and mistreatment check two boxes: potentially-salacious reads and debate over whose perspective is accurate. In the end, the presentation of salacious revelation rarely meets the expectation, and the debate over fault is seldom resolved. Lisa Cornwell spent years as a competitive junior and college golfer, before joining The Golf Channel as a reporter and program host.
Despite the dream assignments, there were clouds that covered the sun. Cornwell documents episodes of favoritism and descrimination against her, prior to her departure from The Golf Channel in 2021. Her work echoes the production of the late Marcia Chambers, who wrote for Golf Digest in the 1980s and 1990s. Chambers took issue with many of the potential and real legal issues surrounding golf and its policies of access/no access. Her research culminated in The Unplayable Lie, the first work of its kind to address issues confronted by all genders and ethnicities, and immediately predated the professional debut of Tiger Woods in 1997.
My favorite aspects of the two works, are the courage and conviction that it took to write them, and believe in them. My least favorite aspects are the consistent bias that many groups continue to face. Without awareness, there is no action. Without action, there is no change.
Decision: Buy Them!!!!
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
GolfWRX is on site in the Lone Star State this week for the Texas Children’s Houston Open.
General galleries from the putting green and range, WITBs — including Thorbjorn Olesen and Zac Blair — and several pull-out albums await.
As always, we’ll continue to update as more photos flow in. Check out links to all our photos from Houston below.
General Albums
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Monday #1
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Monday #2
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Tuesday #1
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Tuesday #2
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Tuesday #3
WITB Albums
- Thorbjorn Olesen – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Ben Silverman – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Jesse Droemer – SoTX PGA Section POY – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- David Lipsky – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Martin Trainer – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Zac Blair – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Jacob Bridgeman – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Trace Crowe – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Daniel Berger – WITB(very mini) – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Chesson Hadley – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Callum McNeill – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Rhein Gibson – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Patrick Fishburn – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Peter Malnati – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Raul Pereda – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Gary Woodland WITB (New driver, iron shafts) – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Padraig Harrington WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
Pullout Albums
- Tom Hoge’s custom Cameron – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Cameron putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Piretti putters – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Ping putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Kevin Dougherty’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Bettinardi putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Cameron putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Erik Barnes testing an all-black Axis1 putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Tony Finau’s new driver shaft – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.
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