Shenzhen, China — On october 30, Mission Hills played host to some of the very best names in golf who gathered ahead of the WGC-HSBC Champions 2012 which tees off on November 1 on the 7,301 yard Olazabal Course at Mission Hills’ Dongguan resort in southern China’s Pearl River Delta.

A truly first-class line up will greet spectators including defending Champion Martin Kaymer, as well as a host of other major winners from around the world in Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els, Bubba Watson, Keegan Bradley, Graeme McDowell, Paul Lawrie and Louis Oosthuizen.

Other top players to join the field from both sides of the Atlantic include Lee Westwood, Luke Donald, Ian Poulter, Nicolas Colsaerts, Peter Hanson, Francesco Molinari, plus Dustin Johnson and 2012 FedEx Cup Winner Brandt Snedeker from the US as well as a crop of players from Asia-Pacific headed by Asian Order of Merit leader Thaworn Wiratchant from Thailand.

It remains to be seen if the Olazabal association does for the Europeans what the spirit of Seve did for them in last month’s Ryder Cup at Medinah, but they should like the connection all the same.

The longest of Mission Hill’s 12 courses at its Shenzhen – Dongguan resort, Jose Maria Olazabal’s course is designed to challenge the best in the game. The design objective was to create a course that is playable to everyone yet one that provided a demanding tournament layout that stretches to the back tees.

Olazabal’s reputation as one of the game’s best sand golfers is reflected with over 160 menacing bunkers. Designed to blend in with its natural surroundings, numerous majestic vistas cropped with untouched foliage and natural running streams will ensure that there is no shortage of scenic backdrops on show. The high, sand flashed bunkers contain a number of contoured fingers, thick grassy vertical lips and deep ‘bowled’ bottoms, which are sure to attract the attention of the players.

Competitors will be faced with an option on how to play each hole – either opting for a conservative, safe route, or the risk and reward route that may result in anything from an eagle to a double bogey or worse. This is a perfect tournament venue, guaranteed to provide the professionals with a true test of golf and the hundred thousand plus spectators with plenty of excitement along the way.

Commenting on his first impressions of this year’s course, Defending Champion Martin Kaymer said, “It looks very good. I think they changed the grass so there’s less grain on the greens now which I think makes the course even better. 15 is an exciting par 5 where a lot can happen and then 18, you need to be brave with a tee shot but it’s definitely a very exciting finish.”

A sentiment shared by two time tournament winner Phil Mickelson who added, “I think this golf course is wonderful. The 15th hole, I believe, is the most interesting as it gives a player many ways to play it. It’s also an important hole for the tournament’s final result because it’s an important birdie – you need to make a 4 there to be on top of the lead if you want to win.”

Dr. Ken Chu, Chairman and CEO of Mission Hills Group added, “We’re delighted to bring such a prestigious event as the WGC-HSBC Champions to Mission Hills China for the first time and provide a spectacular showcase event for golf lovers. It is for sure that we would harness the opportunity to promote the further development of the game in China and throughout the region.”

The WGC-HSBC Champions boasts a prize fund of US$7 million and is one of four World Golf Championships sanctioned and organised by the operational committee of the International Federation of PGA Tours, which includes the Asian Tour, European Tour, Japan Golf Tour, PGA TOUR, PGA Tour of Australasia and Sunshine Tour. The other World Golf Championships include the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship, WGC-Cadillac Championship and the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.

Image Courtesy of  turbotoddi

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Ernie Els played a solid final round of golf to clinch the Claret jug for the second time in his career after Adam Scott threw away a commanding lead.

Els finished seven-under-par after he birdied the 18th hole. Scott bogeyed the final four holes to leave him one shot adrift at the challenging links course at Royal Lytham & St Annes.

Els, who started the day six shots off the lead, wins his fourth major title ten years after he won his first British Open in 2002.

“I am just numb at the moment, I feel for Adam Scott, he is a great friend of mine,” said the 42-year-old South African. “We both wanted to win so badly, but I really feel for him. That is the nature of the beast, that is why we are out here.”

“It was my time. I was hoping at best a play-off. A lot of people never thought I would win but I started believing this year, getting a lot of help from my family and the professionals around me,” he added.

Scott had a four-shot lead with four holes to play, and will regret not making the most of the opportunity to secure his first major win.

His meltdown was reminiscent to Rory McIlroy’s 2011 US Masters crumble, which saw the Northern Irishman lose a four-shot lead in spectacular fashion in the final round of last year’s event at Augusta.

“I’m very disappointed but I played so beautifully for most of the week I really shouldn’t let this bring me down,” said Scott.

“I know I’ve let a really great chance slip through my fingers today, but somehow I’ll look back and take the positives from it,” he added.

Elsewhere, Tiger Woods played, by his standards, fairly poor golf. A triple bogey at the seventh hole saw his chances of a 15th major championship disappear, but he birdied the final hole to finish tied for third with Brandt Snedeker.

World number one Luke Donald had a solid four days, but would have liked to have holed more putts on a tough course. He finished in a tie for fifth place with Graeme McDowell, whose final round struggles saw him drop from second place overnight.

It was the 16th consecutive major with a different champion, a trend that looks likely to continue with a wealth of up and coming young golfers.

Results:-7: Els (SA)-6: Scott (Aus) -3: Snedeker (US), Woods (US)  -2: Donald (Eng), McDowell (NI) - 1: Aiken (SA), Colsaerts (Bel)

Image Courtesy of   photogolfer / Shutterstock.com

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Illinois, U.S.A. — The PGA of America is pleased to announce that Justin Timberlake will serve as the first-ever Team Ambassador for the United States during the 39th Ryder Cup at historic Medinah (Ill.) Country Club. The 39th Ryder Cup, the first to be conducted in Illinois, will take place Sept. 25-30.

In this new Ambassador role, Timberlake will appear at the Ryder Cup Gala on Sept. 26 at the Akoo Theatre in Rosemont, Illinois, as well as Ryder Cup Opening Ceremonies on Sept. 27 at Medinah Country Club.

“The Ryder Cup continues to generate incredible excitement as September approaches, and Justin Timberlake’s involvement is an added bonus for one of the most highly anticipated sporting events in the world,” said PGA of America President Allen Wronowski. “The Ryder Cup is truly a global event, and Justin [Timberlake] is a household name internationally. As someone who is passionate about golf, he’s the perfect fit to be a Team Ambassador, and The PGA of America is proud to have his support for the 2012 Ryder Cup.”

“As Captain, I’m very excited to have Justin [Timberlake] on board as an Ambassador for the U.S. team,” said 2012 U.S. Ryder Cup Captain Davis Love III. “He’s a true champion for our sport, and I’ve been very impressed with his commitment to growing golf and sharing his passion with others. He genuinely loves the game. I know golf fans are going to embrace his participation and share in his excitement for the Ryder Cup.”

Timberlake said he was thrilled to have the opportunity to experience the Ryder Cup firsthand and lend his support to the U.S. team.

“Golf has been a lifelong passion of mine – whether I’m out playing the game, working on the course at Mirimichi or sharing my love for the sport with others,” Timberlake said. “There is no greater stage for the sport than the Ryder Cup, and I’m proud to be an Ambassador for the U.S. Ryder Cup team and take part in such a time-honored event. It’s going to be a special week for golf fans around the world, me the most.”

For more information about the 2012 Ryder Cup activities, visit www.RyderCup.com.

Image Courtesy of  DFree / Shutterstock.com

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The pairings are set for both days of the 2012 Tavistock Cup that returns to Lake Nona Golf & Country Club March 19 and 20. The ninth installment of the event features 24 of the top touring professional members of Albany, Isleworth Golf & Country Club, Lake Nona and Queenwood Golf Club.

The tournament’s first-day pairings feature better ball stroke play. Each team will post three 18-hole better ball scores. The team with the lowest cumulative score will lead after the first round.

Day 1

• 10:50 a.m: Justin Rose & Tiger Woods (Team Albany); Charles Howell III & Bubba Watson (Team Isleworth)
• 11:05 a.m.: Ben Curtis & Peter Hanson (Team Lake Nona); Soren Kjeldsen & Paul McGinley (Team Queenwood)
• 11:20 a.m.: Tim Clark & Ernie Els (Team Albany); Thomas Bjorn & Adam Scott (Team Queenwood)
• 11:35 a.m.: Sean O’Hair & Bo Van Pelt (Team Isleworth); Ross Fisher & Retief Goosen (Team Lake Nona)
• 11:50 a.m.: Robert Allenby & Daniel Chopra (Team Isleworth); David Howell & Tom Lewis (Team Queenwood)
• 12:05 p.m.: Trevor Immelman & Ian Poulter (Team Albany); Graeme McDowell & Gary Woodland (Team Lake Nona)

The second-round pairings feature individual stroke play. Each team will count six 18-hole individual scores. The team with the lowest score in relation to par at the end of both rounds will be crowned World Golf and Country Club Champion.

Day 2

• 10:50 a.m.: Tim Clark (Team Albany); Robert Allenby (Team Isleworth); Ben Curtis (Team Lake Nona); Paul McGinley (Team Queenwood)
• 11:05 a.m.: Ernie Els (Team Albany); Charles Howell III (Team Isleworth); Retief Goosen (Team Lake Nona); Soren Kjeldsen (Team Queenwood)
• 11:20 a.m.: Trevor Immelman (Team Albany); Daniel Chopra (Team Isleworth); Ross Fisher (Team Lake Nona); David Howell (Team Queenwood)
• 11:35 a.m.: Justin Rose (Team Albany); Bo Van Pelt (Team Isleworth); Peter Hanson (Team Lake Nona); Adam Scott (Team Queenwood)
• 11:50 a.m.: Ian Poulter (Team Albany); Bubba Watson (Team Isleworth); Gary Woodland (Team Lake Nona); Tom Lewis (Team Queenwood)
• 12:05 p.m: Tiger Woods (Team Albany); Sean O’Hair (Team Isleworth); Graeme McDowell (Team Lake Nona); Thomas Bjorn (Team Queenwood)

Each year, Tavistock Cup contestants play for prize money, team hole-in-one prizes and the title of World Golf and Country Club Champion. But the tournament also exists to raise money for many worthy causes. The Tavistock Cup has generated more than $7 million for charity in its short nine-year history. In addition to various player charities, a number of major beneficiaries include The First Tee, Orlando Minority Youth Golf Association, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, The UCF Foundation and the Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute.

The Tavistock Cup has become one of the most unique golfing events of the year as tickets are not sold to the public. Only club members, sponsors, designated charities and invited guests are able to attend the two-day event. Once in, there are no ropes separating the world’s best players from the spectators.

The tournament will be broadcast live on the Golf Channel in the U.S., Canada, China and Japan and airs on international affiliates throughout the United Kingdom, Australia, Latin America and South Africa. TavistockCup.com will feature real-time live scoring of the 2012 Tavistock Cup.

Image Courtesy of   Tony Bowler / Shutterstock.com

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With the recent conclusion of The 140th British Open Championship, there are many storylines that the can be focused on.  Some of theses storylines include, the Success of Chubby Chandler, the wave of success that golfers from Northern Ireland have enjoyed and the struggles of Rory McIlroy, but more importantly the triumph of McIlroy’s fellow countryman, Darren Clarke, who was able to win his first major championship.

Luck of the Irish

It is the luck and fortune of Northern Ireland that is catching the golf world by surprise. With Darren Clarke’s recent British Open win, Northern Ireland has, “more of golf’s recent major champions than anyplace on Earth.” Speaking of Northern Ireland’s recent success, Clarke, a native of Northern Ireland himself, says, “We have fantastic golf courses, we have fantastic facilities. But to have three major champions from a little small place in a short period of time, it’s just incredible.”

The win by Clarke gives Northern a reason to boast; he is “Northern Ireland’s third major champion in the past 13 months” and cements the small country of Northern Ireland as the home to “three of the last six major winners.”

What makes Northern Ireland’s recent success and triumphs all the more amazing is the countries small size and population. As Jeff Shain, of the Orlando Sentinel, pointedly writes, “Statistically speaking, Northern Ireland covers about the same amount of land as Connecticut and boasts a population equivalent to metropolitan Charlotte.”

Rory McIlroy

Obviously, one major storyline coming into this British Open was how Rory McIlroy would fair, especially after coming off a phenomenal performance at the U.S. Open back in June. After shooting a dazzling total of 16 under par, though four days at the U.S. Open, McIlroy was rightly favored to win going into the British Open championship.

Compared to the caliber of play he showed he is capable of during the U.S. Open, McIlroy couldn’t muster up anything close to the same performance during this championship; McIlroy finished at a dismal seven over par through four days.   Even more horrendous was the fact that McIlroy finished the tournament tied for 25th on the leader board. The fact is he put up a very ugly and lackluster performance.

Darren Clarke

This British Open was Clarke’s 54th major of his career and his first major win; there is no doubt the guy has been around the block. Despite the 42-year-old Clarke not being as well recognized as the Tiger Woods’s and Rory McIlroy’s of the world, his win at the British Open cannot but be admired, especially considering his past.

The guy has gone through adversity. “Clarke lost his wife, Heather, to [breast] cancer in 2006”. Despite this devastating loss, Clarke has rebounded from this solemn past. Clarke’s turnaround from this heartbreaking tragedy is a story that defines perseverance; one would be hard pressed not to feel happy for the guy.

As BBC Sports reporter and blogger Rob Hodgetts eloquently states about Clarkes triumph at the Open championship “this is the vindication for a man who has weathered his share of life’s storms, but kept his eye on the prize and not lost his belief ”.  Before the Open trophy, Clarke was quoted saying, “I always believed I would get myself back up here…I always believed I had enough talent to challenge and win one.”

Plus, it doesn’t hurt that everyone who knows Clarke gets along with him. He is liked by many of his piers on the PGA Tour quite possibly because of his genuine and easygoing personality.  In reference to Clarke, Hodgetts says, “The man from Dungannon [Northern Ireland] had always been popular, with the public and fellow pros alike.

A man the fans could identify with, not a gym-obsessed robot. A man who liked a drink and a smoke and carried a bit of weight. Downing a pint of Guinness on the K Club balcony in celebration only served to reinforce the image.” He’s a down to earth guy who doesn’t mind having a bit of fun.

Chubby Chandler

An equally compelling storyline at the recently played British Open, is Agent Chubby Chandler’s. Chandler represents some of golf’s biggest stars, including all three of the golfers that have won major championships this year. If Chandler ends up representing the winner of the PGA Championship this year, a new term might come of it; that term is the “Chubby Slam”. “This year Charl Schwartzel (who won US Masters in April), Rory McIlroy and Clarke make up three-parts of the “Chubby Slam”.

The term grand slam in golf means that a golfer has won all four major championships in the same year. These four majors are, the Masters, the U.S. Open, the British Open, and the PGA Championship. Because he isn’t a golfer, Chubby Chandler isn’t technically qualified to win the grand slam.

However, if Chandler ends up representing the PGA champion, he would be an agent who has notched all four majors this year. If in fact Chandler does end up representing the winner for each of the four majors (this year), one could argue, it would be notionally the same as winning the grand slam.

Three Northern Irishmen: Three Competitors And Three Friends

Graeme McDowell, who was last year’s U.S. Open champion, relinquished this year’s U.S. Open trophy to his fellow countryman in Rory McIlroy. Following his outstanding performance at the U.S. Open (this year), McIlroy was heavily favored coming into the British Open (this year). However, like he beat Graeme McDowell (this year) Darren Clarke beat him in the British Open.

First, Graeme McDowell won a major, then, so did Rory McIlroy, and now Darren Clarke. These three fellow countrymen who are challengers on the golf course now share the bond of winning a major like the bond of friendship they share off the course. Despite their competitiveness on the golf course, all three have an unwavering unity for Northern Ireland and admiration and each other.

All three are known to be close friends.   Speaking of the relationship, Clarke says, There’s a huge rivalry between us all, but also a huge respect. We all get on great, otherwise we wouldn’t be in Chubby’s stable. We hang out and eat with each other a lot. But stepping on to the first tee, the competition is there and always has been.”

The Story starts with Clarke, who showed McDowell and McIlroy the path to success. As agent Chubby Chandler says, “Darren led them…Darren was the one who set the bar, went over [to the United States]. G-Mac’s followed him, and now Rory. It’s a great thing. They all look up to him.”

These guys all look up to one another and are truly supportive friends as well. This might be attributed to the fact that, “Northern Ireland is a very small place. It’s all a very close-knit community.” For example, it was Clarke who convinced McIlroy to sign with ISM’s (International Sports Management’s) agent, Chubby Chandler.

Now, these guys are tweeting each other and partying together after their big wins. After Clarke’s recent win at the British Open, McDowell tweeted, “Darren Clarke aiming to be the first Northern Irish golfer to win a major in almost four weeks!” McIlroy was equally excited by Clarke’s win tweeting “And the winner of the gold medal, the champion golfer of the year, from northern Ireland DARREN CLARKE!!!!!” In another tweet McIlroy proclaimed gleefully, “Northern Ireland…..Golf capital of the world!!” Since Clarkes win, MacIlroy has also tweeted, “@Theprincedc [Darren Clarke]” saying “you’ve made everyone proud!”

Despite the age difference between these guys, they still celebrate together too. There have been many parties taking place in Northern Ireland lately due to the success of these three guys. There was a “Party for G-Mac [last year] at Portrush and party for Rory a couple of weeks ago,” said Clarke.

“I’m sure they’ll have another one this week.” Clarke even skipped a tournament in Germany to join McIlroy in celebrating his US Open victory. The day after Clarke’s triumph McDowell tweeted,  he will, “probably [be] drinking a few pints with the 2011 Open Champ”. And how right he was; McDowell has since shared celebratory details of the three friends tweeting, “I won theGuinness pint-drinking contest (vs McIlroy & Clarke). That’s my first win of the season.”

Clarke said it all when he proclaimed, “We’re blessed to have obviously two fantastic players in Rory and Graeme and I’m just the old guy coming along behind them.” Clarke may be older but lest anyone forget, he is a core member of the fantastic trio from Northern Ireland that has taken the majors by storm, and he certainly enjoys a fresh pint of Guinness and a good celebration to boot, with his two fellow countrymen.

Compelling Enough?

I am sure that there are many people out there who will say this British Open wasn’t at all compelling, however I am not one of them. I was heartened to see 42-year-old Darren Clarke win a major. I am particularly heartened, because of the tumultuous hardship he must have gone through when his former wife passed away.

Now, Clarke can bask in the glory of what he has been dreaming since he was a young boy: winning the British Open. In the words of Clarke, it’s been a dream since I’ve been a kid to win the Open, like any kid’s dream is, and I’m able to do it, which just feels incredible.”

For me the Open was spectacular to watch. I was personally thrilled and enthralled seeing Darren Clarke accomplish this gratifying achievement and to see Clarke finally capture something he had been dreaming of, almost all his life. For a while the dream eluded Clarke; but, due to his perseverance, the dream finally came true.

Image Courtesy of  http://pga.com

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There’s a great bit of luck involved in sports as we’ve seen, but this serge of luck always seems to occur at the most opportune times to the most unlikeliest of people.  That was the case in this year’s British open with its unlikely winner, Darren Clarke.  It is important to remember though, luck is not the only reason he won; it is not the only reason he holds the Claret Jug instead of names like Phil Mickelson or golden boy, Roy McIlroy.  He played well enough to be in the position to capitalize on those moments.

Clarke delivered in the final round while players like Dustin Johnson faltered in the latter parts of Sunday’s round.   We shouldn’t be surprised at the outcome only from this standpoint, a different golfer won the last 10 majors we have seen played and I’m not sure if that will change anytime soon.

Sports fans have come to expect Phil to crumble when it matters most, but it was different this time.  Different because, although Clarke is a seasoned golfer, he doesn’t strike fear in anyone who knows the game or have played it; thus there should be no pressure- aside from the pressure being applied by the course itself.

For a man who has seen his share of disappointment on the golf course at this stage of his career, you would think he would have figured out a way to avoid these lapses in crucial tournaments (Majors).

After being tied entering the 8^th green, things took a turn for the worse on a day where there were only two birdies completed throughout the round.  It is important to note also how difficult it was to have played on this course; the conditions were brutal to deal with considering the rain and relentless winds that seem to alter the play of many golfers.

Clarke finished 5 under par after bogeying the final hole while Mickelson finished 2 under par. This continues the drought of American winners with Irishmen Clarke, who is a popular sympathetic figure on the tour.

Now it’s interesting to consider what happened with golden boy McIlroy; Roy McIlroy was in contention early on after a slow start, but never got things going. Some say it is a direct result of his inactivity after winning the last major in which the Tiger comparisons began to creep up. Not sure which had greater impact on his play, the pressures of such talks or the difficulty of the course itself?  Either way, he finished 7 over par and wasn’t a factor down the stretch.

I wonder how he will recover from this outing after his star was so bright just weeks ago.

We must congratulate Clarke for winning his first major and acknowledge the manner in which he accomplished the things he did.  But I, like most sports fans can’t help but wonder about the golfer who was not present for this major.  Tiger Woods misses many tournaments but is always present for majors- this win is great in the realm of golf and golf purist who will watch this sport regardless of whether tiger plays or not.  The problem instead is that a casual sports fan who did not watch this major will likely not watch most majors if Tiger is not playing.

The ratings will not be at high levels as long as Tiger remains M.I.A; America responds to sporting events, not the everyday dealings of niche sports like golf or tennis.  Events usually involve big personalities that have an identity outside of that particular sport and it is clearly evident that we have yet to find someone to fill that vacant gap left by Tiger Woods.

A great victory for Darren Clarke, a player who has been around for a very long time; but I’ll be the first to admit that the excitement is not there.  My excitement along with the enthusiasm of the collective sporting world remains in search of something special; sadly enough, that wasn’t it.

Image: photogolfer / Shutterstock.com

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The recent news, of Dr. Anthony Galea pleading guilty to “bringing unapproved drugs, including human growth hormone, into the United States”, begs the question: did Tiger Woods take steroids? What makes this question even more interesting is the fact that Dr. Galea “is not licensed to practice medicine in the U.S.”

The question then becomes a two part one: why would Woods need to see an unlicensed doctor, when he could just as easily see a licensed doctor? Did he go to Dr. Galea because he wanted something that a licensed doctor couldn’t offer (such as steroids)?

Galea and his lawyers claim, that he legally, “administered what’s known as platelet-rich plasma therapy to some athletes, including golf star Tiger Woods.” The treatment is legal in sports; However, Galea himself might have sealed his own fate, by admitting that he occasionally, “injected a cocktail of drugs to help injured athletes recover faster.

This mixture included, at times, human growth hormone — a drug banned in sport — as well as Acotovegin – a derivative of calf’s blood not approved for use in humans in the U.S. or Canada.”

Further information also might hint to the possibility of Tiger Woods taking steroids, including the fact that “In the plea agreement, Galea says he injected human growth hormone into the knees of some athletes to treat joint inflammation”. Tiger Woods is known to have had knee surgery and has admitted to having ties with Dr, Galea.

Another fact that could be telling is Dr. Galea’s ties to other athletes besides Woods. Galea is known to have treated other star athletes, one of which is known to be third baseman Alex Rodriguez (of the Yankees), who admitted to taking steroids before the start of the 2009 baseball season.

The ultimate question is: Was Tiger Woods one of the patients who Dr. Galea injected with this “cocktail of drugs”, that included the illegal substances, human growth hormone (HGH) and Acotovegin? Despite the question being far from answered, all the known knowledge so far, might pointedly lead one to believe that it isn’t out of the realm of possibility that Tiger Woods took steroids.

The question is: did Tiger Woods take steroids?

Brad Thompson / Shutterstock.com

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The world will in fact be coming to an end if this fall is without football or basketball…what will happen if I wake up the first Sunday in September with no football or the first week of November without games being played in the NBA.

What will we have left? It brings tears just thinking about that sad day…yes tears, real manly tears of course.

Ray Lewis spoke of increased violence if football is not played, obviously an exaggeration- but speaking of myself, I might literally harm someone; I apologize in advance.  I mean really though, what will I do, what will I talk about with friends?

Maybe we will do some shopping and bond over our newly improved wardrobes. Or talk more about the same famous movie stars which we will never have…but how long will that last…our pop culture references will surely improve though.   On Sundays, maybe church will occupy those hours which were reserved for the nfl.  On second thought, that’s not likely to happen- service on Sundays will only remind me of where I should be and what team I should be praying for; I know I’m not the only one.

I know what I’ll do, this could serve as a perfect opportunity to catch up on some illegal movie downloads and exhaust my appreciation for Netflix.

Oh how depressing you may be saying to yourself, but what choice do I have. Do you expect me to spend my Sundays watching the last round of an irrelevant golf tournament without tiger woods? Do you see me or any self respecting fan to watch the Canadian league? No sir,I won’t do neither.

I’ll just watch some soccer hoping America develops a striker good enough to lead us somewhere down the line…while taking breaks between a DVD set of the wire from starting from season 1…please Don’t judge me fellow spots fans.

Oh yeah I forgot about our pastime, baseball…the problem is, that gets old real quick and sadly enough, won’t last forever; I know I just confused some of you, but that last line makes sense if you read it from the mind of a scared confused sports fan.

Most importantly, I won’t get a chance to redeem myself from last year’s beat down in my fantasy league.  I had great team by the way, injuries just did me in…but it doesn’t matter now does it.  I had a perfect name in mind for my team this year that I won’t get to unveil; it’s a shame if you ask me.

It’s sad to say but I’ll probably watch NFL network on Sundays, pretending I haven’t seen that particular game before.  Next I’ll flip to NBA TV, watch the replay of Lebron chocking in the finals while wondering as did Dwight Howard, where his hair line will be by next year.

What else can I do? What would you do in a world without that one thing that occupies a large portion of your thoughts and ideas? That one thing that causes arguments between brothers and sisters, sometimes resulting in blood lost; at the same time causes men to gamble away the rent.

This is my take on the importance of such sports in our society; of course in an exaggerated manner, but to some, football is their religion and basketball is a soap opera that we can’t turn away from.  So ask yourself what your Sundays will look like in the winter…can you feel the chill?

Cold isn’t it?

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Oh how quickly they forget.

How quickly they forget the man who made you and I even care about golf…only three American athletes have made my mother ever speak a word of sports- Michael Jordan, Lebron James this post season and Tiger Woods.

Speaking to me about Lebron, my mother says, “Why won’t they just leave him alone? He looked like he was trying really hard.”  I couldn’t help but laugh, but she felt sorry for the man and how could she not; at least a little bit.

But back to tiger Woods, whose unfortunate circumstance as of late, have brought a little bit too much happiness to those who speak about the sport.  They seem so eager to replace a man who made golf so much money at the same time showing such greatness that we appreciated, seemed to admire and love for over 10 years.

But things have changed; we have a new wonder boy who we can’t wait to crown king.  One person, whose name escapes me right now, had the nerve to say that Rory McIlroy, the new king of golf is the best golfer he has ever seen.  A performance that is being described as the most historic performance in golf this past weekend… not only do we have amnesia, no it can’t be- it’s not amnesia because we chose to forget, we chose to forget due to his perceived disrespect on and off the course; so replace him we must.

Tiger was not the most beloved by golf purist because of his attitude on the golf course; his golf etiquette I guess was not up to par (no pun intended) but they tolerated the man because he provided great golf and gave all these golf analyst a job, making them wealthy men for ten years- 10 years in which tiger made millions as well, so no pity on that end.

Maybe this crowing has a lot more to do with Americans’ infatuation with young talent and always looking out for that next big thing or maybe it’s golfers feeling that Tiger never had any true competition throughout these years, now looking to this young talent, (which he is) to provide great competition and drive Tiger; If he ever comes back…maybe but I doubt it.  This I think speaks to a larger distain for Tiger combined with a hunger for golf to be big again.

Now I don’t want people to think that I don’t see the brilliance in young McIlroy or I didn’t watch this past weekend thinking about that great performance from tiger, a performance in which he was the only player under par in a major- I did and I loved every minute of it… but it made me sick watching a tournament where people spoke as if no one ever did this before- and this slap in the face to a great champion was un called for, showing  once again the elitist attitude that the culture of golf has always had.

They speak of a new era in golf not realizing that a different person has won the last 10 majors and there is so much more to prove for this young player.  But maybe I’m just late to the coronation, maybe I’m completely wrong.

Will Rory be a great all time player? I have no clue. If he continues to play the way he played, then yes of course he will; I just chose to wait until he does more and accomplishes half of what Tiger Woods has done.

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If the game of golf was ever thought to be in jeopardy with the absence of Tiger Woods, the answer came this past Sunday, with, quite possibly the beginning of a new era for the world of golf.

This new era includes, the young and talented 22-year-old Rory MciLRoy from Northern Ireland, who put on an epic performance at the U.S. Open. With his talent, MciLRoy seems to have the wherewithal to put his name up there among the likes of renowned golfers Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.

This past Sunday, on the evening of Fathers day (June 19), the U.S. Open wrapped up with the 22 year old MciLRoy sinking a short putt and giving a casual first pump before embracing with his father; the embrace can’t help but bring back memories of a young Tiger Woods embracing his father when he won his first Major (the Masters) at Augusta National in 1997.

What could be seen as a difference between Woods and MciLRoy this past Sunday, was the way MciLRoy with his elbow bent and close to the his body— casually fist pumped, even after finishing off a performance, that historically ranks better than Wood’s performance during the 2000 U.S. (at Pebble Beach). Woods, starting from the first major he won at Augusta National, has always been known for his effervescent fist pumps, in which after wining a tournament he punches or undercuts the air with his arms and fist[s] extended.

Maybe MciLRoy casually fist pumped, because he knows he has a long way to go before breaking Woods’s and Nicklaus’s records of majors won. Maybe MciLRoy doesn’t want to count his chickens before the eggs hatch, but, if he plays the way he did this past Sunday, he will definitely be mentioned in the same sentence as these two golfing greats. If MciLRoy continues to emulate this masterful performance he just displayed, he will certainly be up there alongside his boyhood idle, Tiger Woods, as one of the greatest golfers to ever play the game.

Following his epic U.S. Open win on Sunday, MciLRoy’s credited his play to Woods, saying on breaking his boyhood idles record, “I couldn’t ask for much more…I know how good Tiger was in 2000 to win by 15 in Pebble. I was trying to go out there and emulate him in some way.”

MciLRoy’s appreciation for Woods has been documented before; in 1998, when MciLRoy was just nine years of age, BBC reporter Rod Nawn did interview and a news story on him. In foretelling manner during the news story, Nawn says,  “Remember the swing and remember the name, for at just nine-years-old Rory McIlroy from Holywood is following in the footsteps of his golfing hero, Tiger Woods.”

There is no doubt that this past Sunday brings Nawn’s prophetic words a little bit closer to fruition. On Sunday, MciLRoy beat Wood’s U.S. Open performance at Pebble Beach by 4 strokes, finishing at 16 under par— 4 ahead of Wood’s 12 under par at Pebble Beach back in 2000.  Other U.S. Open records MciLRoy holds following his win at Congressional Golf Course on Sunday, include,

• The 72-hole record at 268. (Courtesy of ESPN)

• The 54-hole record at 199. (Courtesy of ESPN)

• The 36-hole record at 131. (Courtesy of ESPN)

• Most under par at any point at 17 under. (Courtesy of ESPN)

With Sunday’s performance, MciLRoy joined Lee Jansen and Lee Trevino, “as the only players to post all four rounds in the 60s.” MciLRoy shot 65 in round one, 66 in round two, 68 in round three and 69 in round four, to finish at 268, beating Wood’s total of 272 at Pebble Beach. One more feat MciLRoy accomplished on Sunday was, becoming the, “Quickest to reach double digits under par”; in just 26 holes, MciLRoy reached 10 under, during the second round.

MciLRoy’s two best holes for the tournament came in round two on Friday, at the 8th hole and round four on Sunday, at the 10th hole; MciLRoy eagled both holes for his two best scores for the tournament. MciLRoy’s eagle, on the 8th hole was picture perfect. On an approach shot, MciLRoy, who was 114 yard away from the pin at the time, landed the ball “15 feet behind the flag”; despite the ball landing 15 feet back, it miraculously rolled towards the hole and in. The miraculous shot was so good, even Phil Michelson was applauding afterwards.

As good as MciLRoy played, the moments that summed up his performance the most seemed to be the awe inspired spectators. Their were, “chants of “Let’s go, Ror-eee” coming from the massive gallery, and teenagers climbing pine trees to see golf’s bright new star…” The up and coming MciLRoy must be a relief for people who rely on ticket sales and T.V. ratings. Some experts consider MciLRoy’s swing to be the best in golf and others even think it might be the best ever.

If MciLRoy lives up to the high-expectations that have been put upon his shoulders, the “Let’s go, Ror-eee” chants will become louder, the ticket sales and T.V. sales will soar and Rory MciLRoy will get the chance to have many memorable showdowns with his golfing hero—Tiger Woods. Who knows, maybe Rod Nawn is right about MciLRoy; maybe MciLRoy will follow in the footsteps of Woods and win 14 majors, Then again maybe MciLRoy will surpass him. MciLRoy definitely has the talent to surpass Woods, the question is: can he emulate his performance at the U.S. Open for years to come?

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Everyone knows by now that Tiger Woods will be absent from the U.S. Open due to leg injuries; however, the question is: do people care? The answer to this question is yes, people do care—especially Americans, about Tiger’s absence from the U.S. Open. The question to ask is: do Americans root for Tiger because they don’t want European golfers to win? In regards to European success, the numbers speak for themselves. As Simon Veness of skysports.com explains in a recent article of his,

“the fact Woods has so dominated the scene for the past 13 years has certainly skewed things in terms of the Uncle Sam quotient. But, take Tiger’s 14 Majors out of the equation in that time…the rest of the world wins 55 percent of the time when Mr Fire Hydrant is not in the field. A sobering thought for the country that stages three of the four.”

Europeans have won 55 percent of the time. This is more than half the time! This is quite dreadful for American golfers, especially since three of the four majors are in the U.S. as aforementioned by Veness. In the article, Veness also points out that out of the last ten U.S. Opens only four Americans have won. With all that said, Even if Americans are not rooting for Tiger because of the facts Veness points out, it is not surprising because Americans love a come back-story.

Despite Tigers noted troubles, as bad as they may be, people still root for him. There is no fact as telling as the recent report by Eben Novy-Williams, of bloomberg.com, that discusses the impact of ticket prices since Tiger’s withdrawal from the U.S. Open on June 7th. In the report Novy-Williams says “ticket prices for golf’s U.S. Open have dropped 20 percent on the resale market”. More specifically, referring to the resale market in the report, Novy-Williams writes, “Four-day tickets to the tournament on EBay Inc. (EBAY)’s Stubhub dropped today to $402 from almost $500 on June 7, when Woods withdrew”. The report, which was written on June 9th (2 days after Tigers announcement) “anticipates prices will continue to drop another 17 percent” before the start of the U.S. Open.

Not only do fans and people in the market that depend on television ratings and ticket sales care about Tiger’s absence, but so do his competitors. Recently, defending U.S. Open champ Graeme McDowell said that he hopes Tiger is able to recover and have a chance to break Jack Nicklaus’s record of 18 major champion-ships won. In an article by Paul Mahoney, a contributor to Golf Magazine, McDowell  says in reference to Tiger,  “I hope for golf’s sake that he’s not finished…I hope this injury is not as bad as it seems and that he comes back and wins more majors and has a chance to beat Jack’s record.” The Golden Bear (Nicklaus’s nickname) shares McDowell’s sentiment saying recently in an article by John Dillion of the website express.co.uk, “Nobody ever wants their records to be broken, that much is obvious. but I certainly don’t want Tiger not to be healthy and not to have the opportunity to play to break those records.”

All in all, if Jack Nicklaus doesn’t want Tiger to finish his career this way, no one should. I think this sentiment is shared by many people, and not just by Americans, but, by many golf fans all across the world. It would be upsetting to see Tiger finish his career due to injury, especially since his talent cannot be doubted for a second. Tigers resume of 14 major speaks for itself. It would be unfortunate to see Tiger go out this way and have to ask the following questions: could he have won four more majors? Could he have won four more majors, which would have tied Jack Nicklaus’s record of 18 major championships won? Would he be considered the best golfer of all time if he tied Jack Nicklaus’s record? These are the questions everyone might be asking in the near future but right now people are wondering the same questions Graeme McDowell is asking, “Is he finished? Is he not finished? It’s an interesting one.”

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The golf legend leaves this world with an age of 54. Early this morning Seve passed away in his home in Pedreña, located at the North of Spain, near Santander. His loves ones were present by his side in the last minutes of his life. Severiano Ballesteros, with Spanish nationality was battling with a brain tumor since 2008; he was diagnosed after losing conscious at Madrid Airport that year.  He passed through four operations in order to remove the tumor, and was following the specific chemotherapy treatment.

The church in his home village Pedreña, will be the place where the funeral ceremony will take place, this coming Wednesday.

His talent was remarkable. He started his notorious career, and remarkable performance with the age of 19 where he won his first European Circuit tournament. Then by the age of 22, he made a stupendous roll and won the first big Tournament, the British. By 31, he won his third and last British. It was not until he turned 50 that he decided to retire from the golf world.

In one of his lasts Public Interventions, the golfer claimed simply: “ I am the best sportsman of Pedreña”. His talent was not only known in his country but he got an enormous admiration in the United Kingdom, where his reputation characterized for being considered of the most remarkable sportsman of the history.

The day that he retired from his professional carrier, in the Scottish field of Carnoustie, days before the 2007 Open started the spoke these words: “ I felt much love, overprotected, by the British audience. Thank you, but now I’ve realized that I have other priorities: my friends, my three children, my private life, and my business. I want to enjoy the childhood and youth that I never had.”

The only thing is left to say is that his work and exceptional achievements in his life, left just one thing to his fans and love ones. Which is pride. His figure will always be remembered with admiration and example for the next golf players who want to follow his steps, and see him as a role model.

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The first three months of the year are always a busy time in the world of sports. March Madness, the Super Bowl, MLB Spring Training, NASCAR, and the march to the NHL playoffs highlight the television listings. Only a few viewers realize that the PGA Tour season begins sometime early in January. Despite the early tournaments, pro-ams, and practice swings, golf really doesn’t come to the national forefront until the Masters in early April.

Well, it’s early April and professional golfers are once again descending upon the well-manicured fairways of Augusta National Golf Club for the Tour’s first major of the year.

The frontrunner for this year’s prize is obvious. Phil Mickelson, the reigning champion, is coming off a big win at the Shell Open in Houston last weekend. Mickelson, who has three green jackets to his credit, looks to be a contender once again. Mickelson has three top-ten finishes in eight tourneys this season, and his 69.83 scoring average is among the Tour leaders. Being the favorite puts a big target on his back. The arrows flying toward Mickelson will be coming from many different archers this weekend. Besides Phil, only two other players have finished in the top ten at both of the past two Masters – Tiger Woods and…

Hunter Mahan. That’s right, Hunter Mahan. Mahan has carded -7 weekends the past two seasons, ending tied for seventh in ‘10 and tied for fifth in ‘09. Mahan has once again flown under the radar this season, with five top tens in nine events. He has been on the cusp of greatness on the last two Saturdays at Augusta, only to have inconsistent final rounds do him in both times. With a break or two, Mahan could once again be in the mix. The hunt should be the place for Mahan on Sunday afternoon.

Then, of course, there is that Tiger guy mentioned earlier. To say that the reinvention of Tiger Woods has been an adventure would be an understatement. Woods’ game has shown flashes of brilliance, as noticed in rounds at Doral and in Dubai. But somewhere along the way, Woods finds a way to digress with one bad round. But Augusta National does something to Tiger. Just stepping foot on the course makes him a contender; after all, he does hold the course scoring mark for the championship. Without dramatic strides (his putter has been maddeningly inconsistent), Woods’ game may be a couple of months off from making a legitimate charge at this Masters.

Ninety-six other players will set off Thursday morning on the chase for the Masters championship. Only one can come out with the title. Will Phil dazzle the masses again? Or will a Tiger find his prowl again?

On Sunday afternoon, as people around the country sit down to enjoy afternoon barbeques, the folks at Augusta National will hand out a new green jacket. Somewhere, someone in the crowd will make the clever observation: “It’s Mahantime!”

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