Sure it is November. Sure it is a Non-Ryder Cup year. But all eyes in the golf world will descend on Australia – specifically the Royal Melbourne Golf Club as the 2011 Presidents Cup begins on Thursday.  This is the ninth Presidents Cup, which was started in 1994 to give Non-European golfers the opportunity to showcase their talents in match-play competition. Unlike the Ryder Cup which takes place over 3 days, the Presidents Cup is spread out over 4 days, and  includes three different types of match play:

Foursomes:

Sure it sounds a little dirty, but this type of match play is commonly known as “Alternate Shot”.  Alternate shot includes two man teams that play with one golf ball, alternating shots until the hole is completed.  This format can prove difficult as golfers must adapt their golf style to their teammate’s in order to be successful. This format will be used on Thursday and Saturday morning. Adding to the fireworks was today’s announcement that Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker will go against Adam Scott and K.J. Choi in Alternate Play. With Steve Williams, Tiger’s ex-caddie on Adam Scott’s bag, it will be interesting to see how Tiger reacts. Will the moment get to Tiger? Or is it business as usual? Interesting note: Tiger and Stricker have been teammates before in Alternate Play and have a 6-1 record in match play. I expect a very motivated Woods to help make that a 7-1 record after Thursday.

Four-Ball:

Again broken into two man teams, this match play format has all four players playing their own ball throughout the round. Each hole is won by the team who has golfer with the lowest score. Four-Ball will be played on Friday and Saturday afternoon. As of right now, the matches have not been announced; something that is not uncommon in match play competition. Most Team Captains prefer to wait until the night before to announce their lineup for that day.

Singles matches:

Traditionally left for the last day of the competition, this involves golfers going head to head as they earn a point for each hole in which they have a lower score than their opponent.  The most points accumulated after 18 holes  wins the coveted point for their team.

Points:

In total there will be 34 matches over the weekend.  Each match is worth one point. For each match won, that team will win one point. In any matches in which the score is tied after 18 holes is “halved”, and each team wins a half of a point. The first team to accumulate more than 17 points wins the Cup.

Prediction:

The  U.S. team has won the past 3 President Cups, and 6 of the previous 8 Presidents Cup.  A lot of the U.S. players at the end of the season were playing well, and should benefit from playing in last year’s Ryder Cup. I expect the trend to continue. The U.S. team retains the Presidents Cup.

By Aaron M Smith

On November 14th, 2011, the 9th Presidents Cup will take place at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The Cup started in 1994 offers Non-European players the opportunity to compete in a team match format similar to the Ryder Cup.

This week, we are going to take a look at the United States team, led by captain Fred Couples.  Like his counterpart Greg Norman, Freddie is no stranger to the Presidents Cup himself. Couples was the team captain in 2009 and participated in 4 different Presidents Cups himself. This United States team features a good mix of veteran Presidents Cup players and several golfers making their Presidents Cup debut. Let’s take a look at the team:

Phil Mickelson (9th appearance):

In some ways  it feels like 2011 wasn’t a great year for Lefty, however a closer look reveals a different story.  7 Top-10 finishes, highlighted by a victory at the Shell Houston Open and a 2nd place finish at the British Open. An overall record of 15-13-10, Mickelson will have to avoid the inconsistency that plagued him in last year’s Ryder Cup.

Matt Kuchar (1st appearance):

After a breakthrough 2010 season, Kuchar followed up with an excellent 2011 season. 9 Top-10 finishes in 2011, but no victories. Kuchar remains one of the most consistent ball strikers on the Tour. His 64.75% driving accuracy is one of the best, and his 66.98% Greens in Regulation is nothing to take lightly. This is Kuchar’s first Presidents Cup, and will be sure to rely on his experiences during the 2010 Ryder Cup.

Steve Stricker (4th appearance):

There has been a lot of speculation about whether Stricker will be able to play in the Presidents Cup. With a herniated disk in his neck, Stricker has been dealing with weakness in both his left arm and hand. However, Stricker is determined to play, and this U.S. team can use him. The tandem of Stricker and Tiger Woods was deadly in the last Presidents Cup. Overall Cup record of 9-6.

Nick Watney (1st appearance):

Watney is coming off one of his best seasons on the Tour with 10 Top-10 finishes, including victories at the AT&T National and World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship.

Bubba Watson (1st appearance):

One of the more popular players on the Tour, Watson had only 3 Top-10 finishes in 2011. However he made them count with victories at the Farmers Insurance Open and the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. Watson averages 314.9 yards in Driving Distance. Another Presidents Cup rookie, Watson will rely on his experiences at the 2010 Ryder Cup loss.

David Toms (4th appearance):

A revival of sorts in 2011.  After a disappointing 2010 campaign, 2011 saw 7 Top-10 finishes by Toms. If anything was indicative of Toms’ 2001 season -  after a disappointing 2nd place finish at the Players Championship, he promptly followed it up with a win the following weekend at the Crowne Plaza International at Colonial. Toms has a 6-7-1 record in Presidents Cup play.

Dustin Johnson (1st appearance):

Closed the 2011 campaign with a victory at the Barclays, and a second place finish World Golf-Championships -Cadillac Championships in the last leg of the season. 6 Top-10 finishes overall. Another long hitter who averaged 314.2 yards off the tee. Another Presidents Cup rookie, Johnso will look to improve on his Ryder Cup appearance from a year ago.

Hunter Mahan (3rd appearance):

The best sunglasses on the PGA Tour. Mahan had a good 2011 campaign, finishing in the Top-10 on 9 different occasions. Mahan will look to redeem himself after a horrible Sunday in the 2010 Ryder Cup. Part of the last pairing in the singles matches, Mahan left his approach to the Par 3 17th hole well short of the green. Losing the hole, it cost Mahan and the United States a chance at retaining the Ryder Cup. I am sure he is glad I brought this up. A 4-4-1 record in previous Presidents cup play.

Webb Simpson (1st appearance):

A player of the year candidate in 2011, Simpson finished with 12 Top-10 finishes, including victories at the Wyndham Championship and the Deutsche Bank Championship.

Jim Furyk (7th appearance):

Furyk is one of the veterans that Couples will rely on in the 2011 Presidents Cup. An overall record of 15-10-3 in Cup play. Furyk’s 2011 campaign wasn’t one of his best with just 4 Top-10 finishes in 2011. Normally one of the best putters on the Tour, Furyk switched to a belly-putter after struggling for most of 2011.

Tiger Woods (7th appearance):

A controversial Captain’s pick by Couples, who is counting on a struggling Woods to return to form in time for the Cup. Woods only played in 9 Tour events in 2011 and battled injuries for most of the summer. Did finish 4th in the 2011 season at the Masters. Has been making major swing changes, and has struggled at times. Healthy and having several weeks to practice has been huge for Woods. At the Frys.com tournament, Woods appeared to be regaining his form. Will it continue? Overall Presidents Cup record of 18-11-1.

Bill Haas (1st appearance):

Another Captain’s pick who capped a successful 2011 season with a memorable win at the Tour Championship by Coca-Cola.  The victory included a shot out of the water to help save his victory. That’s right, it was out of the water. Overall Haas had 7 Top-10 finishes, including 2 second place finishes.

Next: Presidents Cup preview and predictions

By Aaron M Smith

On November 14th, 2011, the 9th Presidents Cup will take place at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The Cup was started in 1994 to offer the Non-European players the opportunity to compete in a team match format similar to the Ryder Cup.

This week, we are going to take a look at the International Team, led by captain Greg Norman.  The Shark is no stranger to the Presidents Cup himself, having participated in 3 different Cups. This experience should pay dividends as the 2011 International Team features 4 golfers making their Presidents Cup debut. Let’s take a look at the team:

Jason Day (1st appearance):

The young Australian had a strong 2011 year, having 10 Top-10 finishes during the year. Was in contention in 2 of the majors, finishing tied for 2nd in the Masters and in the U.S. Open.  A long hitter, Day has the ability to both get himself into big trouble and get himself out of it. In match play the lack on consistency could prove to be a huge problem for Day and the International Team.

Adam Scott (5th appearance):

A fellow Australian who saw a major revival in his game during 2011. His 7 Top-10 finishes included a victory at the  World Golf Championships – Bridgestone Invitational, and a 2nd place finish in the Masters (tied with Day). The catalyst of the current belly putter craze, Scott made headlines for his innocent bystander part in the Tiger Woods/ Steve Williams divorce. Count on Scott to have a strong Presidents Cup. Anyone else see a Woods/Scott singles match on Sunday?

Ryo Ishiskawa (2nd appearance):

Hard to believe that this 20 year old has been playing on the PGA tour for 2 years. Has not won a tournament on the PGA tour, but has shown flashes of the brilliance he displayed in Japan. Many experts expect Ishiskawa to win his first tournament in 2012.  Has struggled with consistency for most of 2011, but if he catches fire during match play – could be a deadly force for the International Team.

K.J. Choi: (3rd appearance):

At the tender age of 41, Choi enjoyed one of his best seasons on the Tour.  8 Top-10 finishes, including a victory at the Players Championship. Look up consistency in the Golf Dictionary and Choi’s picture is right next to it. Not the longest hitter on the Tour, but one of the most accurate with a 61.99% Driving accuracy and 65.93% Greens in Regulation accuracy in 2011.

Charl Schwartzel (1st appearance):

After catching lightning in a bottle, winning the 2011 Masters – the South African struggled for a better part of 2011. At times he showed flashes of regaining the form he displayed at Augusta, including a 9th place finish at the U.S. Open. If he gets hot, he certainly has the ability to “tebow” the U.S. chances of retaining the Cup. Yes, I have officially adopted using tebow as verb.

Retief Goosen (6th appearance):

2011 saw a reduced schedule on the PGA Tour for the South African. Playing in only 16 events on the Tour, Goosen had only 1 Top-10 finish. This former U.S. Open winner is a season veteran in the Presidents Cup, which should prove to be invaluable.

Ernie Els (7th appearance):

2011 has certainly been a season of revival for the smooth swinging South African. With 2 Top-10 finishes in 2011,  Els brings a 16-12-2 record into President Cup play.

Geoff Ogilvy (3rd appearance):

Ogilvy’s 2011 season got off to a rough start with a surfing accident right before the beginning of the season in Hawaii. Still the Australian recovered to post 4 Top-10 finishes, including a 4th place finish in the Masters. Will look to prove on a 4-5 career record in Presidents Cup play.

Y.E. Yang (2nd appearance):

The South Korean had a solid 2011 campaign with 5 Top-10 finishes, including a 3rd place showing at the U.S. Open. Yang has a 2-2-1 record in his Presidents Cup debut. Norman will undoubtedly look to Yang to bring an anchor for this team.

Kyung-Tae Kim (1st appearance):

Making his rookie debut in the Presidents Cup, Kim has played a majority of his short pro career on the Asian Tour.

Aaron Baddeley (1st appearance):

2011 was a revival year for the Australian after several disappointing years on the PGA Tour. 5 Top-10 finishes, Baddeley won the Northern Trust Open for his first win in over 4 years, and looks to continue his strong play in Melbourne.

Robert Allenby: (6th appearance):

Allenby is one of Norman’s Captains Picks and found himself stuck in an early war of words between Norman and U.S. Captain, Freddie Couples. After Norman took a shot a Couple’s choice of Tiger Woods, Couples returned fire wondering if Allenby had won anything lately. Allenby had 3 Top-10 finishes in 2011, and holds a 8-13-3 record in Presidents Cup play.

Up Next: The United States Team

   This isn’t to be confused with Lois Lane’s ” Why the World needs Superman”. I am not going to start suggesting that Tiger Woods and Superman should be in the same sentence. But tomorrow, the Golf world converges on the Royal St. Georges Golf Course for the 2011 British Open and most of the talk has been about  a golfer who is missing – Tiger Woods.

This is the fourth time the British Open has been at the Royal St. Georges – the second time in the last decade. The 2003 British Open featured  American Ben Curtis holding off a field that included Tiger Woods and Vijay Singh. The 2011 Open Championship has the potential for the PGA to crown its new superstar – Rory McIlroy. Among the golfers looking for their first major includes Martin Kaymer, Luke Donald, Lee Westwood and Matt Kuchar all ranked in the Top 10 in the world.

 The PGA however, has a huge void missing this weekend – Tiger Woods. Due to leg injuries, Woods has been forced to sit out his second straight major and raise questions about his health for the rest of 2011. PGA commissioner Tim Finchem has a perfect opportunity. For years, the PGA has tried to create a rivalry that included Tiger Woods. Before it was Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson and Arnold Palmer. They tried with Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia and Ernie Els. That rivalry has never materialized and that is part to Tiger Woods’ dominance.

But now Finchem and the PGA has seen the emergence of a new star – Rory McIlroy. McIlroy’s dominance of the U.S. Open at Congressional,  has golf experts comparing the young Irishman to who else – Tiger Woods. Here is the PGA’s chance and Tiger Woods is nowhere to be seen.

  Let’s not forget the obvious – the longer Woods is out, TV ratings will continue to plummet. In fact TV ratings for golf have been known to shift by almost 50% when Woods is either  in a tournament or is in contention to win. With Woods’ continued absence, attendance at tournaments is starting to decline and eventually – tournament purses will follow suit.

This week should be about the emergence of a rivalry between Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy. This week should be about whether Tom Watson can re-create and make a run at one more Claret Jug. It should be about what the British will think about Ricky Fowler’s all orange outfit come Sunday. It should be about the wind and its influence on the tournament.  Instead is about the absence of Tiger Woods.

I am not sure if the world needs Superman. What I do know is that the PGA needs Tiger Woods – a healthy Tiger Woods.

Bobby Jones

This week the golf world will converge on Augusta, Georgia for the first major in the 2011 PGA season – the Masters.  The host?  The Augusta National Golf Club, founded by Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts in 1933 has hosted the Masters tournament since 1934. The Masters is the only major hosted by the same venue every year and it has allowed golf fans the unique opportunity to become familiar with a golf course that is ranked #1 in America.

Every hole is named after a shrub or a tree. If I tell you I am on the Tea Olive, you know it is Hole #1. If I tell you that Phil Mickelson is currently his tee shot on Azalea, then you know that he is on the 13th hole and just started Amen Corner.

The 2011 season has seen European golfers quickly take over the #1 ranking in the world with Lee Westwood replacing Tiger Woods, only to see Martin Kaymer take over the top spot just a few weeks later.  However a European golfer hasn’t won at the Masters since 1999 (Jose Marie Olazabal). Will this year bring the end of that drought? Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer are obvious favorites, but don’t count out Luke Donald who has been impressive in the early stages of 2011.

For the Americans, Phil Mickelson is heading to Augusta in full stride after looking.. well masterful at the Shell Houston  Open this past weekend. Mickelson was on fire all weekend,  shooting 20 under par for the 4 days. Lefty is the Master’s defending champion and is the odds on favorite heading into this weekend. But don’t look past the new wave of American golfers. Bubba Watson, Dustin Johnson, Anthony Kim, Rickie Fowler and others all figure to have a say about who gets the green jacket by the end of the weekend. And oh yeah – don’t forget about a guy named Tiger Woods.

This is the only weekend that I pray for rain. Just an excuse to cozy up on the couch and spend the weekend watching the Masters. It will start with the honorary starters – Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player. It will end with Phil Mickelson putting a green jacket on a golfer come Sunday afternoon. As Johnny Miller predicted this past weekend – will it be himself? Either way, take a walk down Magnolia Lane and get ready.

It is golf at its finest.

It consists of two teams, 24 golfers and 3 days of spectacular golf. The tournament has been held every other year for the past 83 years, stopping only for a World War and the September  11^th terrorist attacks.  It is the Ryder Cup.  The tournament features the United States against most of Europe, with the venue alternating between courses in the United States and Europe. The 2008 Ryder Cup was held at the Valhalla Country Club in Louisville, Kentucky and featured a spectacular United States victory over a heavily favored European team. The 2010 Ryder Cups starts this weekend and is hosted by the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, Wales.

The Ryder Cup is aptly named after the man who donated the original trophy back in 1927 by Samuel Ryder.  The tournament takes place over three days with a total of 28 matches. Friday features 4 four-ball matches in the morning, followed by 4 foursome matches in the afternoon. The same type of matches are on Saturday, but the format flips. On Sunday there are single matches (12 of them) and all team members must play.  The winner is determined by the number of points accumulated by either winning or halving the matches. The reigning Ryder Cup champion only needs 14 points to retain the cup.

The Europeans have won 5 of the last 7 Ryder Cups.  The 2008 United States’ victory at Valhalla ended a 6 year reign by the Europeans. Before that, the previous United States victory happened at the Country Club of Brookline in 1999 and  occured under both spectacular and controversial circumstances.

The 2010 United States team features 5 Ryder Cup rookies. Let’s meet them:

Phil Mickelson (10-14-6 Ryder Cup record)

Hunter Mahan (2-0-3)

Bubba Watson  (Debut)

Jim Furyk (8-13-3)

Steve Stricker (0-2-1)

Dustin Johnson (Debut)

Jeff Overton (Debut)

Matt Kuchar (Debut)

Stewart Cink (4-7-4)

Rickie Fowler (Debut)

Zach Johnson (1-2-1)

Tiger Woods (9-13-2)

Captain – Cory Pavin

Thoughts:  Only Hunter Mahan has a winning record on the US team. Does that affect the team’s psyche heading into the tournament?  5 rookies and on foreign soil – will the pressure get to them? We have seen how Dustin Johnson does under the pressure of majors – ouch.  In light of recent comments by Rory McIlroy – will Tiger Woods make him eat them? Between Bubba Watson and Dustin Johnson what will be the over/under on the numbers of greens that are driven?

Let’s meet the European Team, which features 6 Ryder Cup rookies:

Luke Donald (5-1-1)

Ross Fisher (Debut)

Pete Hanson (Debut)

Padraig Harrington (7-11-3)

Miguel Angel Jimenez (2-7-3)

Martin Kaymer (Debut)

Graeme McDowell (2-1-1)

Rory McIlroy (Debut)

Edoardo Molinari (Debut)

Francesco Molinari (Debut)

Ian Poulter (5-2-0)

Lee Westwood (2-4-0)

Captain – Colin Montgomerie

Thoughts:  6 rookies on the European team, but they are home. Home course advantage should work in their favor, but if the Europeans fall behind, will they succumb to the pressure? How much pink will they allow Ian Poulter to wear?   Europeans have been playing well, with 2 of the major champions on the Ryder Cup team – so they have to be favorites. But they were the favorites in 2008 – don’t expect the Europeans to take the United States team lightly like they did in 2008.

Prediction:  Europe is favored, but the United States team relishes the underdog role. I am going with a mild upset. United States retains the Ryder Cup.

Care to make a prediction??

For those who haven’t seen a local Rochester newscast, read the Democrat and Chronicle or watch the Golf Channel in the past week – Rochester was in the spotlight of the LPGA this past week. For the past 33 years, Rochester has been a traditional stop on the LPGA tour – 2010 upped the ante as the Wegman’s Classic became the LPGA Championship. Rochester was hosting a major! Now don’t get me wrong – this isn’t the first time that Rochester has seen a major. Oak Hill has been the host for several PGA majors and was also the site of the 1995 Ryder Cup.  But for Locust Hill, this was a first and a potential permanent stop for the LPGA Championship. Rochester had to come up huge and for the most part – it delivered.  After walking the course Thursday and working the last 3 days as a course marshal – I thought I would share some of my thoughts and experiences from the weekend:

1. Cristie Kerr absolutely dominated on a course that caused most golfers to struggle all weekend. When most golfers struggled to stay below par – Kerr dominated from the first day. There haven’t been too many golf tournaments that I have watched, where the tournament was over on Friday.  When I think of dominating performances, Tiger Woods’ 2000 US Open victory comes to mind. Not sure if this weekend’s performance compares, but it has to rank as one of the top performances in LPGA history.

2. Locust Hill and Rochester deliver! It is a great sign when the crowds surpassed tournament officials expectations on Friday, forcing officials to call in additional shuttles. The weather on Saturday forced tournament officials to push up the tee times, but Rochester fans were there. On Sunday, the crowds were huge and really showed their support for all of the golfers. Locust Hill Country Club was in phenomenal shape – possibly the best I have seen it in the last 3 years. The fairways were like walking on a carpet and the greens were in fantastic shape. The rough was U.S. Open like and penalized any golfers who missed the fairway with their drives. How deep was the rough? Put it this way, when I stepped into the rough – these size 12s disappeared.

3. Two instances where I was really impressed with several of the golfers. During a back-up at the 13th hole, Morgan Pressel was on the tee waiting to hit her drive. Since there was a delay, Morgan proceeded to walk down and start up a conversation with a 7 or 8 year old girl that she had never met before. While the little girl was shy at first, Pressel continued to talk with her and by the end – she had a new fan. Something tells me that little girl will be talking about her encounter with Pressel for quite a while. On Sunday, Michelle Wie missed a birdie putt on the 16th green. As she was walking off the green and right by me – she tossed her golf ball to an unexpecting little boy. His eyes were as huge as saucers and the look he gave his Dad said it all. Wie could have pouted after missing the putt, but instead took the high road. That is how you create fans…. What you don’t do is…

4. Boos to Dottie Pepper and her comments against the LPGA Championship being in Rochester. Her anti-Rochester rants on multiple occasions were in these eyes – out of line. Sure she can have a opinion, but wait until after the tournament to share them. Blasting Rochester, while the tournament was here was of poor taste. Rochester has been a major stop for years on the LPGA and has supported players like Pepper throughout the years.  Wegmans has been a major corporate sponsor over the years and has been good to the LPGA. Wegmans is one of the reasons that the winner of the LPGA Championship walked away with a check for $370,000.  Rochester being a small market city, is not the reason that NBC, ABC,CBS or ESPN didn’t cover the tournament. The fact that it was the LPGA is probably the main reason for the lack of major television coverage.

5. We got the full spectrum of Rochester weather this weekend. Cool weather to start the tournament, rain on Saturday – followed up by hot and humid on Sunday. Regardless, the fans were troopers and were out in full force. LPGA officials have to think Rochesterians are crazy.We will sit through anything.

I am not sure if the LPGA Championship will be back in Rochester in 2011. Wegmans and Locust Hill have expressed an interest, and as of right now – so have has LPGA officials. The opinion amongst the players, is they are in favor of it returning, albeit it is not overwhelming. What I do know is that the LPGA needs Rochester, NY on the tour and Rochester needs the LPGA. One way or another – there will be a tour stop in 2011. Whether it is a major is a different story. For right now, Cristie Kerr is the defending champion.

After two months of a steady diet of NHL and NBA playoffs, June has brought on a new flavor to our sports infused diet. June has brought us World Cup soccer and starting tomorrow – U.S. Open Golf. Yes,  golf is back in the limelight and this time around, the U.S. Open is going West Coast Style – Pebble Beach to be exact.  Opened in 1919 and designed by James Neville, Pebble Beach golf course is known for its spectacular views of  the Pacific Ocean. 6,828 yards and a Par 72,  – if it sounds good, well you too can play Pebble Beach. Probably not this week, but it can be done. Just be prepared to mortgage the family home as a round of 18 will cost you $495… plus another $35 for a cart.

Of the previous 109 U.S. Open tournaments, Pebble Beach has hosted 4 previous U.S. Opens. Past winners at Pebble Beach are:

1972 – Jack Nicklaus

1982 – Tom Watson

1992 – Tom Kite

2000 – Tiger Woods

The U.S Open has developed the reputation of being tough on the golfers. Higher then usual rough (“Open rough” as it is commonly referred as),  pinched fairways and tough pin placements, leave the golfers beaten after 4 rounds. In fact don’t be surprised if you see even par in contention come Sunday.  In 2006 and 2007, the U.S. Open winner finished at a +5 for the tournament.

So who are the favorites? Well if the past U.S. Opens have taught us anything – expect the unexpected. Last year,  Lucas Glover and Ricky Barnes came out of nowhere to battle it out on Sunday. The year before – Rocco Mediate.  So who is this year’s surprise contender?  Well one player not being talked about – Tiger Woods.  Tiger arrives at Pebble Beach in an unique spot – he not on the short list of favorites. Names like Mickelson, Villegas, Rose, Els and others are mentioned before Woods. In fact Woods is so far out of the limelight – I wouldn’t be surprised if this is the tournament Woods makes a run.

So who will win the 2010 U.S. Open? Do we have another Lucas Glover? Another Frances Quimet? Or will it be a dominating performance by someone like Tiger Woods? No one knows. But starting Thursday morning, 156 golfers will attempt to write their names in the history book as the 110th winner of the U.S. Open. Will you be watching?

Me? I expect to get  a healthy serving of U.S. Open golf this weekend. After all – it only comes around once a year.

By Aaron M Smith

As I was driving home from work today it hit me – is there a better week in sports than the one we are in right now? Think about it – Opening Day with the greatest rivalry in sports, College basketball will name both a King and a Queen, the Frozen Four, and all week – the Masters. Can it get any better?

Yes, here it is – my annual article all about the Masters. The name says it all  – the Masters – the best of the best. The tournament is by invitation only and if the Augusta National Golf Club doesn’t think you make the cut ( excuse the pun), well you better find somewhere else to play for the week.  For the first week of April, Augusta, Georgia is the focus of the golf world.  The Magnolias and Azaleas are in full bloom, and 97 golfers will  fight for the elusive green jacket.

No other course is more recognized than Augusta National Golf Club. Ask even the most marginal of golf fans and they will tell which course has names such as Amen Corner, Hogan’s Bridge and the Eisenhower Tree.  Most fans know that Augusta National built in 1934, is the brainchild of golf great Bobby Jones and course architect Alister MacKenzie. But did you know that while most golf courses in the world have been rated by the USGA – Augusta National stands alone? Only Augusta National has its own rating and has refused to have its course rated by the USGA.

So what will the 201o Masters bring us? In 2009, we watched Angel Cabrera hold of Kenny Perry to win his first green jacket on the second playoff hole. In 2008, it was South African, Trevor Immelmann. This year’s Masters marks the return of Tiger Woods to the PGA.  Tiger who has already won 4 green jackets will be looking for his fifth – one shy of the Jack Nicklaus’s record of six Masters championships. Controversy aside, here is hoping that Tiger has a smooth return to the PGA.

When you hear Jim Nantz on CBS with the famous phrase, ” The Masters:  A time honored tradition” – they aren’t kidding.  Every year the week starts off with an honorary tee shot. In past years it has been Sam Snead, Byron Nelson, Arnold Palmer. In 2010 Jack Nicklaus takes a turn. No other tournament has a Champions Dinner – hosted by the prior year’s Masters champion.  A Par 3 tournament signals the end of the festivities and the beginning of tournament play.

For years I couldn’t wait for opening day.To me, opening day meant the return of spring and the end of winter.  But now? It is the beginning of the Masters. And this is the only time you will hear me say it – I hope it rains this weekend. But until then – enjoy the week – it is the best sports has to offer.

"Here you go buddy."

By Aaron M Smith

First let me go on the record as saying that I am happy Tiger Woods is returning sooner rather than later to the PGA Tour. However, I am not in favor of Tiger making his return to the Masters. I know, I know  – Augusta National officials have a different opinion about Tiger coming back to Masters. Trust me – I get it.  But for me, the Masters are sacred and Tiger’s return is going to be a media circus. The circus doesn’t belong at Augusta National.

Over the last few days, I have listened to experts say how the Masters is the perfect for Tiger’s return. The familiarity of the Masters for Tiger, Augusta’s ability to control the media and the cordial fans – should allow Tiger to play without distraction. Really? I am always up for a challenge, how about you?. How do we distract Tiger Woods at the Masters? Well, I have brought it upon myself to come up with a list of ways to distract Tiger – some plausible, some ridiculous.  Here they are:

10. During Tiger’s first press conference, which I am sure is going to be interesting – have Tiger Wood’s wife, Elin Nordegren sitting in the front row, taking notes.

9.  Have the course marshals trade in their uniforms for priest costumes.

This would give a new meaning to the green at Amen corner.

8.  Replace those familiar Masters flags on each hole with familiar choices from Victoria Secret. If you don’t know – ask Tiger.

7.  As Tiger is hitting his approach to one of the greens have spectators hold up pictures of  Rachel Uchitel. Ouch!

6.   If Tiger hits a drive that is headed wayward – course marshals yell “Fifty.”  See if he notices the difference.

5.  As Tiger approaches the 18th green, the gallery serenades him with the Righteous Brothers, ” You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling.”

4.  Get fellow golfers that are golfing with him to clean their clubs while he is trying to hit and say, “Oh yeah, that feels good..”

3.  Some of the golfers can gain new sponsors – like Viagra and Cialis. A new golf bag with that new sponsorship should certainly provide a distraction.

2. Have Dr. Phil waiting on the first tee box. “Tiger, let’s talk….”

1.  This was already suggested on this site, so I can’t take credit. If you are paired with Tiger Woods on Sunday – hire a Playboy Bunny to be your caddy on Sunday.

In all seriousness, I wish Tiger Woods the best in his return to golf.  But we can have a little fun, right Tiger? Sorry that was a low blow. I promise I’ll stop..
Got a way to distract Tiger Woods? Let’s hear it.