Golf Talk

Michelle says only LPGA in 2008.

After all the flak that has she has been getting over the past year, it appears that Michelle Wie has actually learned from her mistakes and is turning the corner to perhaps living up to the potential that pegged her as the next best thing in women’s golf. Michelle Wie, or her parents, or agent, or swing coach, or whomever is speaking for her these days has acknowledged that Michelle will not be playing with the men in 2008.

I actually think that Michelle and her parents got a lot of pressure from her corporate sponsors to not enter men’s tournaments for 2008 and try to win some tournaments on the Ladies Tour instead. 2007 was a disaster from a public relations standpoint. Lets recap the carnage, Michelle withdrew from the Ginn Classic hosted by Annika, citing her ailing wrist, then was seen practicing early just a day after at the US Open. This caused Annika, lady duke of golf of all people, to publicly call out Michelle for the lack of respect. Not to mention the fact that Michelle was trying to avoid posting a double snowman and thus being kicked off the Tour for one year. Then there were the various disasterous finishes and missed cuts. Just a couple of months ago in October, Michelle finished dead last in a field of 25.

I’m certain that if it was up to Michelle and her overbearing parents, she would be playing with the men in 2008. But when Nike and Sony are paying her upwards of $20 million dollars, it’s clear who holds the upper hand in that relationship. 2007 was so bad, that Michelle’s corporate sponsors cannot afford another disastrous year like that, especially considering the money they are paying her.

Will it make any difference? I’m not certain it will. Michelle’s confidence in golf is so shot at this moment, I’m not sure it will ever recover fully. She’s never been fully in control of her life, it almost seems like losing is her way of defying her parents. It’s a defense mechanism. If she wins, the harder they will push, the more pressure she has to deal with. If she loses, she can always blame an injury, or something else.

Michelle Wie, LPGA

We like Natalie just the way she is.

Just days after an article from a Virginia newspaper reported that Natalie Gulbis was under going an image makeover, Natalie Gulbis Inc. has released a statement discrediting that original article. Richmond Times-Dispatch reporter Jeffrey Kelley wrote that Gulbis, the biggest sex symbol of the LPGA Tour was going to have her image ‘revamped and de-vamped’ by a Richmond (VA) branding agency called Circle S Studios. The article cited Natalie’s recent win at the Evian Masters as part of the reason for the change to a more professional look. The Natalie Gulbis camp was most alarmed with the following quote from Circle S Studios President and Managing Partner Susan Hogg:

With the original stuff, she was in a beautiful bathing suit, tights and things and that certainly got the attention of a lot of people. But we’re trying to scoot it more to who she is and where she wants to take [her career and name] . . . and being a role model, specifically to young girls and women in general. That’s the brand we’re trying to portray.

A spokesman (which was not named) told the Golf Channel that the quote above from Hogg were for the most part ‘incorrect’. The Gulbis camp did admit that changes were being made to the calendar for 2008 but the result of which was not due to a rebranding but rather to increase the outlets where the calendar could be sold. The 2007 calendar was ruled to be too ‘risque’ by the USGA and thus was pulled off the shelves of many mainstream retail outlets. The new 2008 calendar will be designed to meet the USGA standards and thus should be available at your local Wal-mart, Walgreens, Target, Walden Books and Amazon.

Ironically, the spokesman went on to say that the ban by the USGA actually had the opposite effect in that sales increased and the exposure was more than expected.

Personally, I don’t have any problems with the calendar or the Natalie Gulbis brand. She should be free to market herself anyway she wants. The public will determine whether or not her calendar is appropriate through the numbers sold. Just because she is drop dead gorgeous we shouldn’t hold that against her. The LPGA is stocked full of young beautiful girls that should they wish to, they could all easily market themselves in a more sexually way, but they choose not to for whatever reason, which is also fine. Don’t judge Natalie just because she has something that you don’t have.

Natalie Gulbis, LPGA Tour

Morgan Pressel admits an addiction to her crackberry.

In a candid interview with reporters, Morgan Pressel, the Kraft Nabisco Championship winner this year admitted she had time management issues following her win in April. At the tender age of nineteen, Pressel beat Suzann Pettersen to win the Kraft Nabisco Championship and become the youngest ever winner of that major in its history. Between all the mandatory sponsor engagements, media requests, and Tour promotions, Pressel said her game suffered as a result of the many new demands on her time.

All the extra-curriculars she admitted had an impact on her training hours during the season and she said she was often exhausted after a long day’s work, “Although it’s been a lot of fun, you still have to work on your game otherwise it’s gone really fast. You’ve got to look at what got you there in the first place, and that’s your game. Next year, I need to schedule my events a bit better to maintain a high level of performance throughout the season, and not just in the beginning.”

Having not played golf in college, it’s easy to see how Pressel found the Solheim Cup team win to be such an enjoyable experience. “It was one of the best weeks I’ve ever had. That, winning the (2005 U.S.) Amateur, winning the Kraft and finishing second at the (2005 U.S.) Open were all awesome experiences but the Solheim Cup is almost above all of those. It was really special because these are players and team mates who you play golf with but, when you spend a week together, you really get to know people and make some great friends. It was really cool.”

In another candid admission, Pressel talked about her addiction to shopping and her ‘crackberry’ and how it it literally attached to her. “I enjoy going shopping every now and then and spending way too much money, I am good at that. We should surgically attach it [blackberry] to my hip, or to my hands actually, but then it would be kind of difficult to grip the club.” said Pressel.

Somehow Pressel has garned the reputation of being a prima donna and her nickname is ‘Little miss Piggy’, I think what people don’t realize that she’s only nineteen and that she lost her mother to cancer four years ago. So she’s had to learn a lot of things in life and womanhood by herself. I like her game, and how she wears her emotions on her sleeve, she’s not afraid to be herself. I think there will be plenty of majors to come for Pressel.

Morgan Pressel

The PGA Tour sure has its perks.

It was actually a pretty busy weekend in golf in case you missed it. Lorena Ochoa wraps up another win besting the small field of twenty to take the Samsung. Ernie Els won his seventh World Match Play Championship. Finally, a rookie, George McNeill wins the Frys.com or better known as Las Vegas Open on Sunday.

First up, the Samsung. Lorena Ochoa continued her dominance on the LPGA Tour by winning with a 6-under 66 in her final round, 4-shots clear of second place, Mi Hyun Kim. With the win, Lorena clinches back to back Player of the Year honors. Is there any doubt now that Lorena has springboarded herself to the top of the totem pole? Does anyone really think Annika can come back to her pre-injury form to challenge Lorena? At 25, Lorena has at least 10 years of peak performance to look foward to. There are some good challengers from the US and Korea, but I think week in and week out, Lorena is far ahead of any of her competitors right now.

Ernie Els wins the World Match Play Championship beating Angel Cabrera 6 to 4. The best part of the story was Ernie rushing back to his private jet to catch the Rugby World Cup match between South Africa and Argentina. How much of a coincidence is that, both players from both countries happen to face each other while their mates from the same countries duke it out in Rugby.

Rookie, George McNeill, won his first PGA Tour event on Sunday winning the Frys.com Las Vegas Open. The story is always the same, rookie wins, glad to not go through Q school. Not to mention the nice $720,000 cheque. George, don’t blow it all on one hand of roulette.

Finally, what would a post be without a mandatory Michelle Wie bashing. Apparently, her agent, Greg Nared has left his job. I guess attempting to run interference for the worst parents in sports history was too much despite the fat commission cheques. Oh well, Michelle and Co. will find some other lacky to abuse. Good night now…

LPGA Tour, Samsung, Ernie Els, George McNeill

Rough tournament, rough year for Michelle.

The controversy surrounding Michelle Wie continues to stir after another dreadful round on the course on Thursday. The same day as her eighteenth birthday, Michelle shot a 7-over 79, 3 shots worse than Bettina Hauert and good for last place. Granted there are only twenty competitors in the field, but Michelle is taking her game to the next level, the wrong way.

Earlier in the week, Michelle made the comment that, “The only thing that I would do differently (is) I wouldn’t have played this year. It’s as simple as that. The only thing that I did wrong this year is that I did not take my injuries as seriously as I should have.” Yet, after Annika Sorenstam turned down the exemption this week to play, Wie jumped at the opportunity to play here saying, “I just feel like a cleaner, healthier person.” Well after her first round debacle, and her second round isn’t looking too pretty right now either, Michelle can’t even take her own advice. She says she regrets playing at all this year, but she takes the sponsor exempt and continues to play. How can you sympathize with her situation? She has done this too herself. Some may say I’m being harsh, but it’s the truth.

It’s a good thing Michelle is going to college, because it doesn’t appear the golf gig is turning out so good. She seems to be taking in the classes pretty well, we’ll see how well she gets through exam week, or maybe she’ll weasel her way out of it and cry home back to daddy.

LPGA Tour, Longs Drugs Challenge, Suzann Pettersen, Lorena Ochoa

Pettersen tops Ochoa in a playoff.

After Suzann Pettersen chased down and took out world number one Lorena Ochoa in a playoff last week at the Longs Drugs Challenge, one has to wonder whether Suzann Pettersen’s meltdown at the Kraft Nabisco Championship was the best thing ever to happen for her. Since that fateful day six months ago, Pettersen has won the Michelob ULTRA Open at Kingsmill, then the McDonald’s LPGA Championship and now the Longs Drugs Challenge. Add two second-place finishes to her three wins this year and you can see why she is ranked second in the world behind Lorena Ochoa.

Sometimes, you have to go through adversity before you achieve greatness. You have to suffer agonizing defeat, get beat in the worst way possible, then fight your way back. The way that Suzann Pettersen lost the Kraft Nabisco to Morgan Pressel in May was as bad a way to lose as one could possibly imagine. With a three-shot lead and four holes to play, Pettersen closed with two bogeys and two double-bogeys. Yes, she cried after, who wouldn’t after blowing what seemed to be an almost sure win. But she stormed back, determined to climb the mountain and overcome her fears. At the McDonald’s, she had to hold off a hard charging Karrie Webb, hitting some key putts to maintain the lead. Here at the Longs, after a bad stretch of bogeys from holes 9 to 12 that saw her lose her 2-shot lead, she came back in the final few holes to force a playoff and beat Lorena Ochoa.

Not that it means anything really, but since Morgan Pressel won the Kraft Nabisco in May (her first LPGA Tour win) she has not won a single tournament since…

LPGA Tour, Longs Drugs Challenge, Suzann Pettersen, Lorena Ochoa

I read this from Ed Lee’s The Golf Blog and just thought i couldn’t resist to comment. Natalie Gulbis blogs on her website about their private party in Monte Carlo following Team USA’s win at the Solheim Cup last week. And they spared no expense. I mean, for most people, this would be like their wildest fantasy, I know it is for me. This ain’t your regular groupies you’d be partying with, can you imagine partying up with Natalie Gulbis, Paula Creamer, Morgan Pressel, Brittany Lincicome, Stacey Prammansudh, Christie Kerr Laura Diaz and Nicole Castrale (OK, the last three are married, but when did that ever matter. Fellas, don’t tell me you haven’t thought of tappin’ that ass, which ones?? All of them).

Well, you can go ahead and read Nat’s account on the link above, but I prefer to narrate with pictures.

First they win the Solheim Cup, in stunning comeback fashion no less,

Then, they take a private jet from Sweden to Monte Carlo,

They get put up in one of the finest hotels in the world, much less in Monte Carlo,

Get dressed and dolled up to go out on a night on the town, party time baby,

They take a 100-foot yacht for a private party on the water under the city lights,

Then spend the night in their 5-star hotel and the next day they shop to their hearts content and after all that hard work, they spend the afternoon at the spa,

At night, they enjoy a tour of the largest wine gallery in the world drinking to their hearts content back on the yacht,

At last, the party is over and they get flown back on the lear jet back to America,

Chokin’ Freakin’ Dogs?? I think not. These ladies know how to party. Dottie Pepper, you ain’t invited and Michelle Wie, you ain’t no Ms. Thang.

Solheim Cup, Team USA, party in monte carlo

Dottie Pepper was a little too fired up yesterday when she made her now famous ‘Choking freakin’ dogs’ comment that was supposedly off-air, but was actually on-air. I mean, don’t you hate it when that sh*t happens (oops, did I say that out loud?)

But seriously, Dottie shouldn’t have to apologize for anything as some suggest that she do. She wants Team USA to win, and got upset when they started faltering. She thought she was off-air, but some buffoon in the booth didn’t flick the ‘go to commercial’ switch. It’s not like she dropped an f-bomb or made a sexist/racist comment. She simply stated what was happening at the time in it’s simplest of terms, ‘choking freakin’ dogs’.

If fact, that’s my new favorite phrase. Everytime we see Phil or Sergio tank it on a Sunday, we’ll call them as we see them - CFD, ‘choking freakin’ dogs’.

Dottie Pepper, Choking Freakin’ Dogs, LGPA Tour, Solheim Cup

Team USA surged back on the final day to take the singles matches to win the Solheim Cup. All the talk of chocking by Dottie Pepper, comments by Laura Davies didn’t mean a damn thing when the ladies hit the tees.

And what of the controversy over Nicole Castrale getting the final spot over Christina Kim? Nicole sunk the 8-foot putt at the end to clinch the win.

So, it’s been a while since the visiting team won and Team USA defends their title. In the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t mean a whole lot, since the best players in the world now are from South Korea. They should have a South Korea vs. Team USA Cup, that would really tell us who the best in the world is.

LPGA Tour, Solheim Cup

After the four-ball matches, Team USA still leads 4.5 to 3.5 at the Solheim Cup. These are the results of the four-ball,

Match 1
Team USA Pat Hurst/Brittany Lincicome
4 and 2
Team Euro Catriona Matthew/Iben Tinning

Match 2
Team USA Angela Stanford/Stacy Prammanasudh
Halved
Team Euro Annika Sorenstam/Maria Hjorth

Match 3
Team USA Nicole Castrale/Cristie Kerr
3 and 2
Team Euro Sophie Gustafson/Gwladys Nocera

Match 4
Team USA Paula Creamer/Morgan Pressel
Halved
Team Euro Trish Johnson/Laura Davies

Shot of the day, was Laura Davies par save from the bushes. Other stories include the cold and windy weather (hence the long sleeves and pants, shucks, and here we thought we’d get to see more than just golf). Other buzz include Laura Davies’ comments to the press on Thursday. This is what she had to say about ‘one’ of the Team USA members (wonder which one),

“We’re all good friends now. Except for maybe that one — I consider all of them my friends.”

And who would ‘that one’ be? “I would never tell you,” she said.

Later in the same press conference she had this great quote,

“I’m playing as well now as I’ve ever played, and age is nothing,” Davies said. “Golf — everyone goes on about all this fitness — but golf is walking and swinging a club.”

LPGA Tour, Solheim Cup

Americans lead the Solheim Cup 4.5 to 3.5 in the day one foursomes. These are the results of the matches,

Match 1
Team USA Cristie Kerr/Pat Hurst
Halved
Team Euro Suzann Pettersen/Sophie Gustafson

Match 2
Team USA Sherri Steinhauer/Laura Diaz
4 and 2
Team Euro Annika Sorenstam/Catriona Matthew

Match 3
Team USA Juli Inkster/Paula Creamer
2 and 1
Team Euro Laura Davies/Becky Brewerton

Match 4
Team Euro Gwladys Nocera/Maria Hjorth
3 and 2
Team USA Natalie Gulbis/Morgan Pressel

Big surprise of the day was the Natalie and Morgan dropping their match to the unknowns (Maria Hjorth isn’t an unknown but Nat and Morgan should’ve won). Another slight upset in cagy vets Laura Diaz and Sherri Steinhauer downing Annika Sorenstam and Catriona Matthew. Annika hasn’t been on her game all year long, but still, Laura and Sherri haven’t either.

It’s looking good for Team USA so far, but anything can happen in a couple of rounds. We’ll see how they turn out.

LPGA Tour, Solheim Cup

Your Solheim Cup teams,

Team USA:

Paula Creamer
Cristie Kerr
Morgan Pressel
Juli Inkster
Stacey Prammansudh
Pat Hurst
Natalie Gulbis
Brittany Lincicome
Angela Stanford
Sherri Steinhauer
Nicole Castrale *
Laura Diaz *
Betsy King - U.S. Team Captain

Team Europe:

Annika Sorenstam (Sweden)
Laura Davies (England)
Trish Johnson (England)
Gwladys Nocera (France)
Catriona Matthew (Scotland)
Suzann Petterson (Norway)
Sophie Gustafson (Sweden)
Becky Brewerton (Wales)
Bettina Hauert (Sweden)
Iben Tinning * (Denmark)
Linda Wessberg * (Sweden)
Maria Hjorth * (Sweden)
Helen Alfredsson (Sweden) - European Team Captain

There is some bickering about whether Christina Kim would’ve been a better selection than Nicole Castrale. I think that’s debatable. Yes, Kim is loud and obnoxious and a major pain to play against in match play due do that, but Castrale has the results this year, she’s the better player.

Can anyone stop her?? Doesn’t appear to be. Lorena Ochoa is so hot right now, she’d could play one-handed with her eyes closed and still win. I think its safe to say she’s replaced Annika as the most dominant player in women’s golf.

After winning her first major at the British Open, she came back to N. America and won the Canadian Open and now winning the Safeway Classic.

She’s taking a month off though so we won’t be seeing a fourth in a row.

LPGA Tour, Safeway Classic, Lorena Ochoa

A selection of quotes from last week’s Wyndham Championship and Women’s Canadian Open.

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Lorena Ochoa is simply on fire right now. After winning the British Open a few weeks ago, she looks like a woman possessed, possessed to win. She is killing right now. I’d have to say she is unstoppable at the moment. Now, we’re still waiting to see how she reacts when put under pressure, but she’s steamrolling the field right now.

Paula Creamer was the only player making any kind of charge, but it wasn’t even close. Lorena wins with 3-shots to clear.

Is Lorena the next Tiger Woods of the LPGA? Quite possibly, she’s certainly taken over from Annika Sorenstam who looks closer and closer to retirement as the months go by. She’s only 26, and while there are some talented players on tour, nobody has her ability to play well week after week, Lorena has staying power.

LPGA Tour, Canadian Open, Lorena Ochoa, Paula Creamer