Lewis, Stanford close in on leader Jutanugam

Lewis, Stanford close in on leader Jutanugam










Kevin Dunleavy, The Sports Xchange May 3, 2013 8:00 PMThe SportsXchange



JAMES CITY, Va. - Americans Stacy Lewis and Angela Stanford shot the same score (68) in the first two rounds of the Kingsmill Championship. But there was little question which day they played better.

With the sun baking Kingsmill in the morning and swirling winds whipping off the James River, conditions turned hard and fast on Friday, a departure from the opening round when players were permitted to lift, clean, and place on the saturated fairways of the River Course.

After a day of retreat for many, Lewis (68-68 - 136) and Stanford (68-68 - 136) matched the best score of the day and are at 6-under-par, one shot behind Ariya Jutanugarn (64-71 - 135) at the midway point at Kingsmill.

Jutanugarn, a 17-year-old from Thailand who entered on a sponsor's exemption, played in the afternoon when the sun disappeared, the temperatures dipped into the mid-50s, and the day turned raw. After blitzing the River Course with nine birdies on Thursday, Jutanugarn needed 12 holes to make one on Friday. But after playing the first eight holes in 3-over-par and falling two shots behind, she played the rest in 3-under to regain the lead.

Two strokes back are a pair of past Kingsmill champions, American Cristie Kerr (66-71 - 137) and Norway'sSuzann Pettersen (68-69 - 137). The 35-year-old Kerr, who won at the River Course in 2005 and 2009, is the only two-time champion in the eight-year history of the event. Pettersen captured the title in 2007.

On a day when only 20 players broke par, a feat which 72 accomplished on Thursday, some took a precipitous fall, including Dewi Claire Schreefel (67-78 - 145), Hee Young Park (68-77 - 145), and Jennifer Rosales (69-77 - 146), who missed the cut by a stroke.

As the course grew teeth, it was not a day for those who lacked tournament experience. The 35-year-old Stanford, who hit 14 greens in regulation and took 29 putts for the second straight round, called it "Groundhog Day." Upon further reflection, she revised her opinion.

"Yesterday I was sad I left some out there," Stanford said. "I felt like I got the most out of today."

Among a group of six players within three strokes of the lead are reigning LPGA champion Shanshan Feng (69-69 - 138), 2011 U.S. Women's Open champion So Yeon Ryu (67-71 - 138), Ai Miyazato (68-70 - 138), and 52-year-old Juli Inkster (69-69 - 138), a seven-time major champion.

Bucking the trend of experienced players emerging at Kingsmill is former South Carolina All-American Katie Burnett (68-70 - 138), who continued her strong play after making the tournament via sponsor's exemption. This is only the second LPGA event for the 23-year-old.

Notes: Among the name players who missed the cut were 2004 Kingsmill champion Se Ri Pak (72-74 - 146), Michelle Wie (73-73 -- 146), Morgan Pressel (74-76 - 150), and Christina Kim (76-80 - 156).

Lewis, Stanford gain on leader Jutanugarn

Lewis, Stanford gain on leader Jutanugarn










Kevin Dunleavy, The Sports Xchange May 3, 2013 9:10 PMThe SportsXchange


JAMES CITY, Va. -- Americans Stacy Lewis and Angela Stanford shot the same score (68) in the first two rounds of the Kingsmill Championship. But there was little question which day they played better.

With the sun baking Kingsmill in the morning and swirling winds whipping off the James River, conditions turned hard and fast on Friday, a departure from the opening round when players were permitted to lift, clean, and place on the saturated fairways of the River Course.

After a day of retreat for many, Lewis (68-68 - 136) and Stanford (68-68 - 136) matched the best score of the day and are at 6-under-par, one shot behind Ariya Jutanugarn (64-71 - 135) at the midway point at Kingsmill.

Jutanugarn, a 17-year-old from Thailand who entered on a sponsor's exemption, played in the afternoon when the sun disappeared, the temperatures dipped into the mid-50s, and the day turned raw. After blitzing the River Course with nine birdies on Thursday, Jutanugarn needed 12 holes to make one on Friday. But after playing the first eight holes in 3-over-par and falling two shots behind, she played the rest in 3-under to regain the lead.

"On the back nine my putting got better, but I still missed a lot of short putts," Jutanugarn said.

Two strokes back are a pair of past Kingsmill champions, American Cristie Kerr (66-71 - 137) and Norway'sSuzann Pettersen (68-69 - 137). The 35-year-old Kerr, who won at the River Course in 2005 and 2009, is the only two-time champion in the eight-year history of the event. Pettersen captured the title in 2007.

Also two back is Germany's Sandra Gal (68-69 - 137).

"Yardages don't really matter. It's controlling the spin," Pettersen said of the rugged conditions. "On a day like today, you gotta play smart. You gotta pick the right club at the right time, with the right gust. Today was a day where you could easily take yourself out of the pack."

On Friday only 20 players broke par, a feat which 72 players accomplished on Thursday. Some took a precipitous fall, including Dewi Claire Schreefel (67-78 - 145), Hee Young Park (68-77 - 145), and Jennifer Rosales (69-77 - 146), who missed the cut by a stroke.


As the course grew teeth, it was not a day for those who lacked tournament experience. The 35-year-old Stanford, who hit 14 greens in regulation and took 29 putts for the second straight round, called it "Groundhog Day." Upon further reflection, she revised her opinion.

"Yesterday I was sad I left some out there," Stanford said. "I felt like I got the most out of today."

Before hitting their approach shots, many players examined tree-tops, trying to gauge the swirling winds. Judging shots became more difficult as players reached the treacherous final three holes, which play close to the river.

"It was blowing when we started, but it was probably midway through the front nine when it really started to blow pretty good," Lewis said. "It's drying out the course. So [on] the downwind holes, it's releasing on the greens and it's definitely affecting some putts. The 18th hole is playing brutal today. They moved the tee up and I still hit a 4-iron into the green."

On a quality leaderboard, four of the top six are ranked in the world's top 20. Considering the course, it was no coincidence that quality players rose on Friday. The seven past champions at Kingsmill have won a combined 28 majors, all claiming at least one.

"It's hard, especially today with the wind," Lewis said of the River Course. "It became comical how many times we hit 6-iron into a green today. We hit 4, 5, 6-irons and then you've got to hit your wedges close on the par 5s, so it demands every shot in the bag. That's why the list of past champions is so good."

Among a group of six players within three strokes of the lead are reigning LPGA champion Shanshan Feng (69-69 - 138), 2011 U.S. Women's Open champion So Yeon Ryu (67-71 - 138), Ai Miyazato (68-70 - 138), and 52-year-old Juli Inkster (69-69 - 138), a seven-time major champion.

Bucking the trend of experienced players emerging at Kingsmill is former South Carolina All-American Katie Burnett (68-70 - 138), who continued her strong play after making the tournament via sponsor's exemption. This is only the second LPGA event for the 23-year-old.

With the wind expected to continue to blow over the weekend, Petterson expects the cream to continue to rise.

"This is probably the best course we play all year," Pettersen said. "I think you can see on past champions, it's great ball-strikers, good golfers. I'm glad I was able to put my name on that list on this course."

Notes: Among the name players who missed the cut were 2004 Kingsmill champion Se Ri Pak (72-74 - 146), Michelle Wie (73-73 -- 146), Morgan Pressel (74-76 - 150), and Christina Kim (76-80 - 156) ... Jutanugarn's 18-year-old sister, Mariya Jutanugarn (73-70 - 143), played the final nine holes in 4-under and made the cut.

Kerr takes 2-shot lead to Sunday at Kingsmill

Kerr takes 2-shot lead to Sunday at Kingsmill










Benjamin Standig, The Sports Xchange May 4, 2013 7:00 PMThe SportsXchange



JAMES CITY, Va. -- Cristie Kerr shot a 5-under 66 on Saturday to take a two-stroke lead after three rounds of the LPGA Tour's Kingsmill Championship on the River Course at Kingsmill Resort.

Fellow American Stacy Lewis carded a 68 and is for second with Suzann Pettersen of Norway. Angela Stanford is alone in fourth at 7-under.

Kerr started the day two strokes behind first and second round leader Ariya Jutanugarn, a 17-year-old from Thailand, who entered on a sponsor's exemption.

The 35-year-old Kerr rolled in six birdies, three on each side and all coming after a bogey on the second hole.

Kerr, who has 15 career victories, is the only two-time champion in the eight-year history of the tournament, winning at the River Course in 2005 and 2009. Pettersen captured the title in 2007.

Jutanugarn, the current leader on the Ladies European Tour money list, finished her round at 73 after carding bogeys on three of her first four holes and totaling six in all.

Ilhee Lee of South Korea had a wild round that ended with the South Korean's third straight 69, leaving her four shots back in fifth place.

Inbee Park of South Korea, ranked No. 1 in the Rolex Women's World Golf Rankings and a three-time winner this season, shot 69 and is tied for eighth.

Overcast morning conditions gave way to sunny skies once the final groups hit the course, but chilly temperatures remained throughout, as did swirling winds.

Jutanugarn shot a first-round 64 and dominated the front nine on Thursday and Friday, but opened Saturday with bogeys on the first two holes. Another followed on the fourth.

With Jutanugarm dropping back, several players took turns atop the leaderboard.

Lee initially emerged from the pack with a 30-foot eagle putt on the seventh hole and started the back nine with a two-stroke lead.

Four holes later, the lead vanished thanks to back-to-back double bogeys on 12 and 13, although Lee recorded birdies on the next two holes.

Kerr, who last won at the Lorena Ochoa Invitational last November, led almost exclusively from there.

Briefly joined by Pettersen at 8-under, Kerr jumped ahead for good with a birdie on 13. She extended her lead with a birdie on the par-5 15th.

Lewis, the top-ranked American and No. 2 in the world, moved back into the contending mix with birdies on 15 and 16.

The only player without a bogey during the third round, Lizette Salas turned in the day's low score with a 65, jumping from 40th place overnight to a tie for sixth with Jutanugarn.

NOTES: Top-ranked Inbee Park, coming off a victory in the North Texas Shootout, bounced back from a 1-over-par 72 in the second round. She carded a bogey on the first hole, but played the last 17 holes in a bogey-free 3-under, but starts the final round six strokes behind Cristie Kerr, who was No. 1 in the world three times during the 2010 season. ... Playing in her first event as a member of the LPGA tour, 23-year-old American Katie Burnett has posted rounds of 68-70-71 and is tied for eighth with Park.

Course Source: Bell Bay Golf Club, World Golf Village

Course Source: Bell Bay Golf Club, World Golf Village










Tom LaMarre, The Sports Xchange May 20, 2013 1:31 AMThe SportsXchange


IN THE PUBLIC EYE: Bell Bay Golf Club in Baddeck, Nova Scotia, Canada.

THE LAYOUT: Thomas McBroom, one of Canada's most noted designers, crafted 18 exceptional holes on Cape Breton Island with sweeping views of the Bras d'or Lake -- North America's majestic inland sea.

Also in view across Bell Bay is Beinn Bhreagh (Gaelic for Beautiful Mountain), the estate of Alexander Graham Bell, where the inventor of the telephone spent the latter part of his life and died in 1922.

The Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site houses the largest collection of Bell artifacts and archives in the world.

Bell Bay Golf Club, which plays to 7,037 yards from the back tees, has a course rating of 74.3 and a slope of 136. However, Bell Bay is eminently playable for all golfers, with a rating of 69.9 and a slope of 125 from the white tees.

The season at opens in May and runs through October, weather permitting, at Bell Bay, which was voted best new course in Canada in 1998 and hosted the 2005 Canadian Amateur Championship in addition to the 2006 Canadian Club Champions Championship.

GENERAL MANAGER: Michael Gillan.

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE: Bell Bay Golf Club received international recognition in 2001, when the Wayne Gretzky and Friends Invitational was held there and televised on the Golf Channel. NHL stars Gretzky, Brett Hull and Joe Sakic played a match against Mike Weir, the left-hander who won the 2003 Masters and is considered the best Canadian golfer of all-time.

Every hole at Bell Bay is named for a ship that sailed the Seven Seas from Baddeck, which was settled by Scottish shipbuilders. The course starts with three strong par 4s, measuring 407, 415 and 433 yards from the back tees.

The best of the opening threesome is No. 3, a 433-yard hole named for Scrapper, a legendary craft built at Bell's laboratories at Beinn Bhreagh. The hole gets its difficulty from the second shot, which is uphill from between 135 to 175 yards into the prevailing wind.

No. 6 is the most challenging of the par 3s at 227 yards from the tips to a green guarded by seven bunkers. The hole is named for Typhoon, a 45-foot ketch that crossed the Atlantic Ocean in a then-record 15 days in 1920. The voyage was made even more remarkable because it was accomplished entirely under sail after the engine failed two hours into the trip.

When you make the turn at Bell Bay, the best is yet to come, especially what the locals call "The Final Four." But before the golfer gets there, he must navigate No. 13, a 508-yard par 5 named for the brig Challenger, which was built in Baddeck in 1848 and lost at sea the following year on a journey from Sydney, Nova Scotia, to Boston. Like the ship, many golf balls find a watery grave in the lake that runs nearly the last half of the hole and guards the left side of the green.

The last four holes are considered one of the best windups in Canadian golf.

No. 15 is Perseverance, a daunting 463-yard par-4 with one of the smaller greens on the course. The hole was named for a brigantine built in 1845 that was later re-rigged as a schooner.

The 16th hole is Argyle, named for a brig built in Baddeck that was given the name of a town in Scotland. This is the shortest par 4 on the course, at 365 yards, but perhaps most scenic, routed through a densely wooded corridor of trees that is especially impressive when the fall colors are in their glory.

But the best at Bell Bay is saved for the absolute last. No. 17 is the signature hole, while No. 18 has the signature view.

On the 182-yard, par-3 17th, called Banshee, the tee boxes are perched on a hillside and the shot must carry a spectacularly wooded ravine. Banshee was a female spirit in Gaelic folklore whose wailing warned the clan of danger. The cry is similar to that heard from golfers as their tee shots disappear into the ravine.

The 18th hole is named for Bradalbane, a 101-foot barque that is believed to be the largest and best vessel built at Baddeck. It was instrumental in Rev. Norman MacLeod's expedition to New Zealand in 1857. There is a spectacular panoramic view overlooking the Bras d'or from the tee box on the 566-yard par-5 hole, and the prevailing wind from behind the golfer allows him to let out the sails with the driver.

OTHERS COURSES IN THE AREA: For the perfect golf doubleheader, play Bell Bay and Highland Links in Ingonish Beach, a classic Stanley Thompson layout on the edge of Cape Breton Highland National Park. Highland Links was selected as the No. 1 course in Canada in 2000 by Score Golf magazine and has been rated one of the top 100 courses in the world several times by Golf magazine.

Also worth the trip are Dundee Resort and Golf Course in West Bay, Le Portage Golf Club on the banks of the Gulf of St. Lawrence and on the Cabot Trail in Cheticamp, Passchendaele Golf Club in Reserve Mines, Lingan Golf and Country Club (established in 1895) in Sydney and Seaview Golf and Country Club in North Sydney.

WHERE TO STAY: The Inverary Resort in Baddeck, known for its Celtic charm and lakeside boardwalk, offers stay-and-play packages for Bell Bay Golf Club, as do Glenghorm Beach Resort in Ingonish and Ceilidh Country Lodge in Baddeck.

First-class lodging also can be found at Dundee Resort in West Bay, Castle Moffett in Baddeck, the Maritime Inn in Port Hawkesbury, Chanterelle Country Inn in Baddeck and Haddon Hall Resort Inn in Chester -- Nova Scotia's version of the French Riviera near Halifax, where many of the Titanic victims are buried.

ON THE WEB: www.bellbaygolfclub.com



THE LAST RESORT: World Golf Village, which features the King and Bear Course, and the Slammer and Squire Course, in St. Augustine, Fla.

THE LAYOUT: At the top of the list for any golf vacation to Florida has to be the World Golf Village and Hall of Fame, located in St. Augustine, the oldest city in the United States.

Not only can golf fans browse through artifacts the greats of the game utilized in their diverse roads to glory, they also can play the two world-class courses on the property, named after four of those all-timers.

The King and Bear Course, about three miles from the Hall of Fame, but still on land owned by the World Golf Village, is the only collaboration in golf course design by Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer, opening in 2000.

Palmer and Nicklaus played a match that was televised for Shell's Wonderful World of Golf to mark the opening of the course, which also hosted the Champions Tour for the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf in 2001 and 2002.


The Slammer and Squire, named for Sam Snead and Gene Sazarzen, was designed by Bobby Weed, although he received input from those great champions, who were still alive when the course opened in 1998.

The original course on the property, located a short walk from the Hall of Fame and the hotels on the property, the Slammer and Squire hosted the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf in 1999, and also has been the venue for PGA Tour Qualifying School and Champions Tour Qualifying School.

DIRECTOR OF GOLF: Jeff Hartman.

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE: The King and Bear is the more challenging of the two courses, playing to 7,279 yards and a par of 72 from the back tees, with a course rating of 75.2 and a slope of 122.

It is what the British would call a parkland course, with wide fairways (for which Nicklaus designs are known) on the front nine lined by loblolly trees. The more winding fairways on the back side are framed by 200-year-old live oaks.

The 17 lakes that dot the King and Bear are lined by coquina rocks.

"Arnold and I have varying styles on how we do golf courses," Nicklaus said. "(The King and Bear) reflects both of our styles."

The course opens with two strong par-4s, measuring 426 and 435 yards respectively, but there are five sets of tees and plenty of room in the driving areas.

Stay well clear of the water and sand all down the right side at No. 1, where the green is guarded by a large bunker complex. The water on the tee box at No. 2 should not come into play, and the shot to a green protected by three bunkers on the left is slightly uphill.

The best par-5 on the course probably is No. 7, at dogleg that swings left and measures 573 yards, with a large lake on the left to deal with on the layup and the shot to the green.

The front nine finishes with two more challenging par 4s, No. 3 and 1 in difficulty on that side, at 462 and 448 yards from the back, respectively. The eighth has water on both sides of the fairway and the ninth features a large lake all the way to the green.

Palmer included No. 12, a 412-yard par 4, as one of his "Dream 18" in a Sports Illustrated article in 2006. Considered the signature hole on the King and Bear, it winds around a lake to the left to a green sitting on a small peninsula.

No. 14 is a 200-yard par 3 with water and sand on the right, although there is bail-out room on the left, and it leads to a strong finish.

Following three more exceptional par 4s at 360, 467 and 427 yards, the King and Bear finishes with a 563-yard par 5 devoid of water, although there are wetlands to swallow any shot that goes left of the bunker that runs the length of the hole on the left side.

The par-72 Slammer and Squire Course, more of a user-friendly resort course even though both are eminently playable for golfers of all abilities, measures 6,939 from the tips, with a rating of 73.8 and a slope of 135.

The course plays through native wetlands, hardwood hammock trees and old-growth pine trees.

After a relatively straightforward start, the golfer reaches the No. 1-handicap hole on the course, with No. 4 a par 5 that measures 522 yards from the back tees. Water and sand run down the right side off the tee before the hole doglegs dramatically to the left to a green protected by water on three sides.

The seventh is a 178-yard par 3 on which the water on the left must be carried from the back tees, with bunkers guarding both sides of an elevated green that requires an extra club.

The front nine concludes with a 401-yard par 4 that plays back toward the Trophy Tower that sits atop the Hall of Fame, and although there is no water on the hole, there are eight bunkers to deal with from tee to green.

The best hole on the back nine probably is the par-4, 442-yard 12th, which has a water hazard that cannot be seen from the fairway about 120 yards from the green. Collection areas on three sides of the green make it difficult to get up and down for par if you miss the putting surface.

The finish is challenging, starting with the 576-yard, par-5 16th, the longest hole on the course with sand and water to deal with all the way to the green.

The Slammer and Squire finishes with par 4s measuring 459 and 425 yards, respectively, both bending to the left. The penultimate hole has water on both sides as you approach the green, and the final green has a spectacular view of the Hall of Fame across the water.

The fun isn't over when your round ends at the World Golf Village, because there are hands-on exhibits in the Hall of Fame, which features "Shanks for the Memories," an exhibition dedicated to comedian Bob Hope's career and love of golf.

In addition to the largest PGA Tour merchandise shop in the world, on the property is Caddyshack Restaurant, owned by the Murray brothers, which is a tribute to Bill Murray's role of assistant course superintendent Carl Spackler in the movie "Caddyshack."

If you don't have time for a round of golf, you can still play the 18-hole natural grass putting course, take a shot to an island green on the 132-yard Challenge Hole reminiscent of No. 17 at TPC Sawgrass or watch a movie in the IMAX Theatre.

As Gary Player, World Golf Hall of Fame Global Ambassador, says in TV commercials for the Hall: "For the love of golf, go."

OTHER COURSES IN THE AREA: The World Golf Village and Hall of Fame are only about a 20-minute drive from TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, home of the PGA, Champions and Nationwide tours. On the property are Pete Dye's Valley Course and the Stadium Course, with its infamous island 17th green, site of the Players Championship every May.

Also in the area are Royal St. Augustine Golf and Country Club, St. Augustine Shores Golf Club, the Golf Club at South Hampton in St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra Golf and Country Club at Sawgrass, St. John's Golf and Country Club in St. Augustine, the Ocean Course designed by Jack Nicklaus at Hammock Beach Resort in Palm Coast, Queens Harbour Yacht and Country Club in Jacksonville, Magnolia Point Golf and Country Club in Green Cove Springs, and Eagle Harbor Golf Club in Orange Park.

About an hour's drive south on Interstate 95 in Daytona Beach is LPGA International, home of the LPGA Tour, with the Legends Course, designed by Arthur Hills, and the Champions Course, designed by Rees Jones.

WHERE TO STAY: Stay on the grounds of the World Golf Village at the Renaissance Resort, the Comfort Suites, Laterra Resort and Spa or the Grande Villas, which all offer golf packages for the Slammer and the Squire, and the King and the Bear.

Historic St. Augustine is the oldest European settlement in the United States, first visited by Ponce de Leon in 1513, and there are numerous hotels and B&Bs in and around the city. Among the best are the Bayfront Marin House, the Casablanca Inn on the Bay, Casa Monica Hotel, the Bayfront Westcott House, St. George Inn, Our House Bed and Breakfast, Alexander Homestead Bed and Breakfast, the Pirate Haus Inn and the Carriage Way B&B.

In Ponte Vedra Beach are the Sawgrass Marriott Resort and Beach Club, Ponte Vedra Inn and Club, the Lodge and Club at Ponte Vedra Beach, the Hilton Garden Inn and the Fig Tree Inn B&B.

Golf resorts in the area include the Hammock Beach Resort in Palm Coast and Amelia Island Plantation.

ON THE WEB: www.golfwgv.com

Golf rankings, player capsules

Golf rankings, player capsules










Tom LaMarre, The Sports Xchange May 20, 2013 1:31 AMThe SportsXchange


The Sports Xchange's 2013 PGA Tour rankings, selected by TSX Golf Staff, based on 2012-2013 performance.



1. Tiger Woods, United States -- Following his fourth victory in seven stroke-play events on the PGA Tour this season at the Players Championship, Woods began his two-week break by heading for Las Vegas, where he hosted Tiger Jam 15 at Mandalay Bay Events Center. Kid Rock was the star attraction, following another rock musician, Uncle Kracker, to the stage. Tiger Jam raised in the neighborhood of $14 million in its first 14 editions, with the proceeds going to the college-access programs sponsored by the Tiger Woods Foundation. ... Tiger also made it official last week that he will defend his title next week in the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village, where he has won five times. In announcing that he would play in the tournament for the 14th time, he said that what makes winning the event extra special is that it is hosted by Jack Nicklaus, his idol since he posted the Golden Bear's accomplishments on his bedroom wall as a kid growing up in Cypress, Calif. ... Some people are starting to compare Woods' season to his epic 2000 campaign, when he claimed nine titles, as he has reached four earlier than he did in that or any other season. His fourth title that year came at the U.S. Open in June, but what made that season so remarkable was that he captured the last three major titles, part of a run in which he won six times in eight events beginning with the Memorial. Of course, Woods came back the following year and captured the Masters to complete what became known as the Tiger Slam.



2. Rory McIlroy, Northern Ireland -- After taking a week off, McIlroy hopes to find some consistency in his game this week when he plays in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Club, outside London. He has had some solid results of late, finishing in the top 10 four times in his last six tournaments on the PGA Tour, but he has yet to put everything together with his new Nike clubs and some changes to his swing. ... Rory, who announced last week that he is leaving Horizon Sports Management and starting his own firm, played in the flagship event of the European Tour five times previously, but has only one top-10 finish and has missed the cut twice, including last year at 74-79--153. That was part of a slump in which he missed the weekend in three consecutive tournaments and four of five before he heated up later in the year to win three times and claim the No. 1 spot in the World Golf Rankings. His best finish on the famed West Course at Wentworth was solo fifth in 2009, when he shot 7-under-par 65 in the third round. He finished at 10 under that year, but he is a cumulative 24 over in his other four appearances in the tournament. ... The numbers indicate that McIlroy might not be far away from his late-2012 form, as he ranks 16th in total driving (a combination of distance and accuracy), fifth in green in regulation at 71.33 percent and is third in the all-around category, a combination of eight major statistics. However, he must get better on the greens, as he ranks 108th at 29.28 putts per round and 94th in strokes gained-putting at plus-.004.



3. Brandt Snedeker, United States -- Snedeker, who has played 10 times this season despite missing a month and a half because of a strained intercostal muscle, is taking two weeks off before returning to the PGA Tour next week for the Memorial Tournament. Despite spending time on the sideline, he still ranks second in the FedEx Cup point standings behind Tiger Woods and second to Woods on the money list with $3,388,064. ... Sneds, who captured the 2012 FedEx Cup by claiming the Tour Championship last September, picked up right where he left off at the start of this season and seemed headed for an even bigger year before being injured. He finished in the top three in four of his first five tournaments, including his sixth PGA Tour victory in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, but struggled once he returned to health. Snedeker missed the cut in his first two tournaments back before returning to form since by tying for sixth in the Masters and tying for eighth in the Players Championship. ... Snedeker has done it this season by playing well in all phases of the game, which has put him fifth in the all-around ranking, a compilation of eight major statistical categories. He ranks 10th in driving accuracy at 69.39 percent, 13th in greens in regulation at 69.84 percent and 16th in strokes gained putting at plus-.604. Snedeker leads the PGA Tour in birdie average at 4.66 per 18 holes, is fifth in scoring average at 69.823 and is 10th in scrambling, getting up-and-down for par 65.26 percent of the time.



4. Adam Scott, Australia -- Having made the most of his abbreviated schedule this season with three top-10 finishes in five stroke-play tournaments, including his first major victory in the Masters, Scott is taking what is a short break for him, two weeks. He is skipping the two events in Texas, even though he captured the 2008 Byron Nelson Championship and has claimed three of his nine PGA Tour titles in the Lone Star State. He's returning next week for the Memorial Tournament. ... Scott was able to get away for three weeks after winning at Augusta National, but he said he still worked hard on his game, and he didn't seem to have a real letdown when he tied for 19th in the Players Championship. A 3-over-par 75 in the third round kept him from another top-10 finish, but he wound up in the top 25 for the fourth time this season. ... Scott has not returned to Australia since becoming the first player from Down Under to claim the Green Jacket, and it figures to be a madhouse whenever he does. His mentor, Greg Norman, has said that there will be even more pressure for Scott to play in top Australian events, the first of which is the Perth International in October. In the final weeks of the year are the Australian Open, which he won in 2009, the Australian PGA Championship and the Talisker Australian Masters, of which he is the defending champion. Scott usually plays in two of the three, but it will be more difficult for him to pass on any of them this year.



5. Phil Mickelson, United States -- The schedule page at philmickelson.com still does not show when Lefty will play next, although he did commit last week to play in the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open at Castle Stuart Golf Links in July, a week before the 142nd Open Championship not far away at Muirfield. He has said often that he likes to play a week ahead of major championships because he feels rusty in the Grand Slam events on Thursday if he does not. It will be his 11th appearance in the Scottish Open, and he came closest to winning it when he was beaten in a playoff by Gregory Havret of France in 2007. ... Mickelson is not in the field this week for the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, even though he has played in the tournament 14 times previously and won it in 2007. He could play the following week in the Memorial for the 14th time. Last year, he withdrew after shooting 79 at Muirfield Village because he was exhausted. That came during a stretch in which he played four tournaments in five weeks and squeezed in a trip to Paris to celebrate the 40th birthday of his wife, Amy. His last chance to tee it up before the U.S. Open would come the following week in the FedEx St. Jude Classic, but he has played only twice at TPC Southwind, in 2001 and 2009. ... Mickelson, who captured the Waste Management Phoenix Open in February and also finished third in the WGC-Cadillac Championship and the Wells Fargo Championship, needs something to regain momentum after missing the cut in the Players Championship.



6. Dustin Johnson, United States -- Once again hit by the injury bug, Johnson withdrew early last week from the HP Byron Nelson Championship because of a back injury that caused with to pull out of the Players Championship after he opened with a 2-over-par 74. That came a week after he could not play in the Wells Fargo Championship because of a wrist injury. It was the fourth consecutive tournament from which he withdrew, as he also pulled out of the Ballantine's Championship in South Korea because of the political unrest in the region. ... Johnson posted a message on Twitter that he had inflammation in his facet joints, but he hoped that rest and daily therapy would permit him to play this week in the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial. He has played in the tournament only once before, in 2009, when he finished in a tie for 74th after making the cut on Friday by shooting 1-under-par 69, but then missed the secondary cut a day later when he posted a 72. ... DJ missed nearly three months last year, when he admittedly came back too soon from offseason knee surgery, which led to lower back problems. Once he got healthy, he captured the FedEx St. Jude Classic in June and he appeared to be primed for a big season this year when he won the Hyundai Tournament of Champions. It seems that all he has to do is stay healthy for his immense talent to take him to the top of the charts, but he has been unable to do that in the past two years.



7. Luke Donald, England -- Donald was in London last week to receive his MBE (Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) award from Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace. He is sticking around for the BMW PGA Championship, which he has won each of the last two years. Perhaps returning to a venue in which he has had great success is what he needs after not being much of a factor this season, even though he has not played badly, finishing in the top 25 in six of his seven events on the PGA Tour. His only top-10 finishes, a tie for fourth in the Tampa Bay Championship and a tie for third in the RBC Heritage, came in his last four events, so he could be ready to bust out. ... Donald posted four scores in the 60s last year on the West Course to claim a four-stroke victory over Paul Lawrie and Justin Rose. A year earlier, he opened with a 7-under-par 64 and was near the lead all the way before sinking a seven-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to beat Lee Westwood, from whom he took over the No. 1 spot in the World Golf Rankings. Luke has three other top-10 finishes at Wentworth in eight appearances, including a tie for second in 2010, one stroke behind Simon Khan, and a tie for third in 2008, two shots out of the playoff in which Miguel Angel Jimenez defeated Oliver Wilson. ... Donald, who also will play in the Memorial next week, ranks fourth in scrambling on the PGA Tour, getting up and down 67.47 percent of the time, but that's because his iron play hasn't been up to his standards. He has hit the green in regulation only 61.57 percent of the time, which ranks 170th.



8. Matt Kuchar, United States -- Normally a top-10 machine, Kuchar has finished outside of the top 30 in each of his last three tournaments, including a tie for 33rd last week in the HP Byron Nelson Championship. He has not been at his best since before he shot 1-over-par 73 in the final round to tie for eighth in the Masters, his fourth top-10 finish of the season and 33rd in the last three-plus seasons, the most on the PGA Tour in that span. ... Kooch is staying in Texas this week and will tee it up in the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial for the seventh consecutive year, even though he has finished in the top 10 only when he finished solo ninth in 2008. He posted his lowest round at Colonial that year, shooting 6-under-par 64 in the second round. Kuchar, who might not play again until the U.S. Open in three weeks, has broken 70 at least twice in all of his appearances at Colonial, but simply has not been able to go low enough. ... Kuchar, searching for the form that took him to the title in the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship earlier this year, posted bookend rounds of 1-under-par 69 last week at TPC Las Colinas, but he simply did not make enough birdies. He seemed primed for a big week when he birdied two of his first four holes after starting on the back nine on Thursday, but he could manage only one more, at No. 7, the rest of the day. The highlight of his week was holing a 17-foot eagle putt on the same seventh hole while shooting 70 in round three, but he could record only 10 birdies in 72 holes.



9. Keegan Bradley, United States -- Bradley shot a tournament-record 10-under-par 60 in the first round of the HP Byron Nelson Championship last week and seemed headed for his fourth PGA Tour victory after three rounds. However, he struggled to a 72 in the final round in windy conditions, faded down the stretch and finished second, two strokes behind winner Sang-Moon Bae of South Korea. Disappointing as it was, Keegan posted his sixth top-10 finish of the season, the most on the circuit. ... According to the schedule page at keeganbradley.com, he is going to take a week off before playing in the Memorial Tournament for the third time, having missed the cut in his first two appearances. Keegan has to figure out how to play Jack Nicklaus' course because he ranks fifth in the United States standings for the Presidents Cup, which will be played at Muirfield Village in September. The Memorial will be his final tournament before the U.S. Open at Merion. ... On Sunday at TPC Las Colinas, where winds gusted to 40 mph, Bradley did not post his only birdie until he sank a 17-foot putt on the 15th hole to tie Bae for the lead after falling behind earlier by four strokes. However, after Bae holed a five-foot birdie putt on the next hole, and Bradley's birdie try from four feet lipped out. Bradley fell two strokes back and virtually was finished after making a bogey at No. 17. He recorded 10 birdies, an eagle and two bogeys in the first round and was trying to become the first wire-to-wire winner in the tournament since Tom Watson in 1980.




10. Webb Simpson, United States -- Simpson left TPC Sawgrass feeling good about his game as he heads toward his title defense at the U.S. Open in three weeks after posting easily his best finish in the Players Championship, a tie for 15th. That came after he recently lost in a playoff to Graeme McDowell in the RBC Heritage, and he claims his game is in better shape than it was before the second major of 2012, which he captured at the Olympic Club. ... He had yet to commit to the Memorial Tournament next week as of the weekend, but he has played in the tournament each of the last four years, with his best finish a tie for seventh in 2011. Expect a strong field of American and international players at Muirfield Village, where the Presidents Cup will be played in October, and Simpson certainly figures to be on the U.S. team because he ranks seventh in the point standings. Webb has made two team appearances as a pro, in the Ryder Cup last year at Medinah and the Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne in 2011, after playing in the Walker Cup and Palmer Cup as an amateur. ... Simpson said on U.S. Open media day that Merion, where he will defend his title, might be his favorite course. He played the course in the 2004 U.S. Amateur, when he lost in the first round of match play, and also in corporate outings. Last week, he posted a message on Twitter that he was playing another classic course outside of Philadelphia, Aronimink Golf Club.



11. Justin Rose, England -- Following a missed cut in the Players Championship, his worst outing in what has been a solid start to his season on the PGA Tour, Rose took a week off before heading back to England for the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, the flagship event of the European Tour. Even though he has yet to claim a 2013 victory as he tries to extend his winning streak to four years on the U.S. circuit, he has three top-10 finishes and six top-25s in seven tournaments, including second behind Tiger Woods at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. ... Rosy is playing in the BMW PGA Championship for the 10th time and has come close to winning the tournament twice. He opened with a 4-under-par 67 last year and was at par or better in all four rounds while finishing in a tie for second, four strokes behind Luke Donald. In 2007, he shot 66 to tie for the first-round lead with Paul Broadhurst, also of England, and was in the hunt all the way before losing in a playoff when Anders Hansen of Denmark beat him by holing a 25-foot birdie putt on the first extra hole. Rose got even with a tap-in birdie on the 72nd hole after a remarkable pitch shot, but he missed a 10-foot birdie putt that would have prolonged the playoff. ... Justin had not yet committed to the Memorial Tournament as of the weekend, but he is expected to return to the PGA Tour next week. He won the Memorial three years ago for the first of his four victories on the PGA Tour. He has played at Muirfield Village five consecutive years and eight of the last nine.



12. Lee Westwood, England -- Westwood should have plenty of confidence this week as he heads home to England for the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth with a string of strong performances on the PGA Tour fresh in his mind. He has finished in the top 10 in four consecutive events in his first year of living in the United States, including ties for eighth in both the Masters and the Players Championships, the two biggest events of the year to date. He made the move from England so he can concentrate on the three majors played here. ... Lee is playing in the flagship event of the European Tour for the 19th consecutive year, and while he has never won it, he has come close twice. In 2000, he played the West Course at Wentworth in 65-68 on the weekend to tie for second, three shots behind Colin Montgomerie. Two years ago, he closed with 69-69-68 to catch Luke Donald, who had been leading since shooting 64 in the first round. Westwood actually took a two-stroke lead after 15 holes in the final round, but Donald caught him with a birdie-bogey exchange on the next hole. Then Luke took the title and the No. 1 spot in the World Golf Rankings with a seven-foot birdie putt on the first extra hole, where Westy hit his approach into the water. ... Westwood has shown improvement on his short game, ranking sixth on the PGA Tour in scrambling at 66.29 percent, but he must improve his average of 29.14 putts per round to start turning those close calls into victories, on both tours.



13. Bubba Watson, United States -- With two weeks off following the Players Championship, perhaps Bubba can start to relax after the buildup to his title defense at the Masters and a possible letdown afterward. He has not played his best golf since tying for fourth in the season-opening Hyundai Tournament of Champions and tying for ninth in the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship earlier this season. After winning at Augusta last year, he had eighth finishes in the top 25 the rest of the year, including a tie for second in the Travelers Championship and a tie for fifth in the Tour Championship, but he has not found that form this year. ... Watson is playing in the Memorial Tournament next week, but Muirfield Village might not be the ideal place for him to find his game. In seven previous appearances, his best result were ties for 23rd in 2007 and 2009, and he has missed the cut twice, including last year at 75-74--149. He needs to figure out the course because he should be a prominent member of the United States team for the Presidents Cup in September at Muirfield Village. He's currently ranked 10th in the points standings. ... Bubba spoke out recently about fans calling in to report perceived violations by the pros during golf tournaments, and his opinion of it is not positive. He pointed out that it's happened to him twice, and both times the fans were wrong. Watson wanted to know where people got the phone number to call, saying he does not know it, and wondered if perhaps they might have had too much time on their hands.



14. Steve Stricker, United States -- Even the Memorial Tournament, which Stricker won in 2011, apparently isn't enough to drag Stricker away from his home in Wisconsin in this season in which he is cutting back his schedule. As of this time, he's planning to play just 11 tournaments. He still has the rest of this week to commit to play Jack Nicklaus' tournament for the 14th time at Muirfield Village, which isn't that far away in Ohio, but there has been no indication that he is even considering it. ... Stricker's plan to play less seemed to pay off at first when he finished in the top five of his first three tournaments this year, including second to Dustin Johnson in the season-opening Hyundai Tournament of Champions and second behind Tiger Woods in the WGC-Cadillac Championship. However, despite having at least one good round in each of his last three events, he has shown the rust of not playing competitively, tying for 38th in the Shell Houston Open, tying for 20th in the Masters and tying for 37th in the Players Championship. After posting four scores in the 60s while chasing Woods to the finish at Doral, he has broken 70 only twice in his last 12 rounds and is averaging 74.0 on Sunday. ... Stricker's numbers belie his recent struggles, as he ranks 14th on the PGA Tour in driving accuracy at 67.66 percent, third in greens in regulation at 71.93 percent and 14th in strokes gained putting at plus-.635, although he is not happy with his average of 29.05 putts per round.



14. Hunter Mahan, United States -- After skipping the HP Byron Nelson Championship last week even though it wasn't that far from his home in Colleyville, Texas, Mahan will make the 30-minute drive to Fort Worth this week to play in the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial. He will be able to sleep in his own bed as he seeks his second professional title in Texas, having won the Shell Houston Open for one of his two victories last season. However, that was the last of his five PGA Tour victories, and it came more than a year ago. ... Hunter has not fared well in the Dallas-area events on the PGA Tour, with only one top-10 finish in a total of 16 appearances. That was a tie for 10th at Colonial in 2011, when he followed rounds of 67-69-69 with an even-par 70 to finish a distant 10 strokes behind champion David Toms. He hasn't broken into the top 25 in any of his eight other appearances and missed the cut three times in a span of four years through 2010. His best score came in 2009, when he broke 70 in all four rounds to finish at 7 under par, but all that got him was a tie for 27th. ... Mahan slumped in the second half of last season and missed out on the U.S. Ryder Cup team, but after starting this year with a tie for 26th in the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, he reeled off seven consecutive finishes in the top 25, including second to Matt Kuchar in his title defense at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship. Following a skid that lasted four tournaments, he got back on track with a tie for 19th in the Players Championship.



16. Ernie Els, South Africa -- Even though he has missed the cut in three of his last five tournaments on the PGA Tour, including his last outing in the Players Championship, Els said he left TPC Sawgrass with the feeling that he is getting closer with his game. He added that Pete Dye's Stadium Course reveals any weakness, and because of that, he knows exactly what he needs to work on. Ernie also has some confidence because when he did reach the weekend, he tied for 13th in the Masters and tied for 15th in the Wells Fargo Championship, in addition to finishing second in the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters. ... Els is going to play for the 18th time this week in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, where he still owns a home and was on the design team that reworked the course a few years ago. He has missed the cut only twice in the tournament, in 1992 and 2008, and last year tied for seventh to record his seventh top-10 finish. Els has never won the tournament, but he finished solo second, one stroke behind Jose Maria Olazabal, in 1994; tied for second, two strokes behind Ian Woosnam, in 1997, and tied for second again the following year, one shot behind Colin Montgomerie. Els did win the World Match Play Championship a record seven times at Wentworth. ... According to the schedule at ernieels.com, the Big Easy will return to the PGA Tour next week, playing the Memorial Tournament for the 20th time. He has finished in the top 10 on six occasions at Muirfield Village, winning in 2004.



17. Graeme McDowell, Northern Ireland -- Once he got past personal nemesis Nicolas Colsaerts of Belgium in the quarterfinals, there was no stopping G-Mac, who came from behind to beat Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand, 2 and 1, to win the Volvo World Match Play Championship at Thracian Cliffs Golf Course in Kavarna, Bulgaria. It was the Irishman's second victory of the season, as he also captured the RBC Heritage in a playoff over Webb Simpson last month. ... McDowell will play on the European Tour again this week, teeing it up in the BMW PGA Championship for the 11th consecutive year. He has never finished in the top 10 at Wentworth. He tied for 13th in 2009, when he closed with 68-69. He has missed the cut in the flagship event of the Euro Tour four times, including each of the last two years. According to the schedule page at graememcdowell.com, that will be his final tournament before the U.S. Open in three weeks at Merion. ... McDowell beat Chris Wood of England, Stephen Gallacher of Scotland, Bo Van Pelt (the only American in the field), Colsaerts, Branden Grace of South Africa and Jaidee en route to his title in Bulgaria. Colsaerts had beaten him in the tournament each of the last two years, including in the 2012 final. McDowell, who took over the lead in the European Tour's Race to Dubai, was in danger of going 3 down to Jaidee in the final, but he sank a 12-foot putt to save par on the fifth hole. He was still 1 down at the turn before winning three of the next four holes to take command.



18. Ian Poulter, England -- Probably the biggest surprise in the Volvo World Match Play Championship in Bulgaria was that Poulter did not make it out of group play, losing to Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand in the first round, 3 and 2, before crashing out of the tournament the next day when he lost on the 18th hole to Thomas Aiken of South Africa. Poulter has been called the "King of Match Play" in Europe, and not only because of his Ryder Cup prowess. He captured the Volvo tournament in 2011 and the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in 2010. ... Poulter is staying in Europe this week for the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, near London. He is playing in the flagship event of the European Tour for the 12th time, but he never fared very well in the tournament until the last two years. After missing the cut seven times in his first nine appearances on the famed West Course, he tied for 18th in 2011 and tied for 10th last year. He will skip the Memorial Tournament next week and return to the PGA Tour for the FedEx St. Jude Classic the week before the U.S. Open at Merion. ... Poulter rallied from two holes down against Aiken last week with birdies on the 15th and 16th hole to get even, but he missed a seven-foot par putt that would have sent the match to a playoff. The Englishman blew a chance to win the 13th when he three-putted to halve the hole, lipping out his four-footer for par. Poulter didn't use it as an excuse, but he was bothered by a stomach problem while losing in the first round to Jaidee.



19. Jason Dufner, United States -- Dufner was at his best only when he shot 3-under-par 67 in the third round last week in defense of his title at the HP Byron Nelson Championship. He could not break 70 in any of this other three rounds and wound up in a tie for 33rd, continuing his so-so play this season after breaking through for his first two PGA Tour victories last year at the age of 35. Since posting a tie for 20th in the Masters, when it appeared his game was coming around, he has been unable to crack the top 30 in his last four events. ... Duf is staying in the Dallas area this week for the Crowne Plaza Invitational, playing in the tournament for the fifth time. After missing the cut twice and tying for 59th in his first three appearances, he seemed to be headed for his third victory in four events last year at Colonial. After opening with round of 65-64-66, Dufner closed a 4-over-par 74 that included a double bogey and a triple bogey. He finished three strokes behind Zach Johnson in second, but the final margin was reduced when Johnson was assessed a two-stroke penalty for failing to re-mark his ball on the final green after moving it because it was in Dufner's line. This might be Dufner's final event before the U.S. Open. ... Duf opened with 70-70 last week at TPC Las Colinas, holing his second shot from 129 yards for an eagle on the first hole while closing on the front nine on Thursday. He was trying to break 70 in the final round for the first time in eight events this year, but he carded four bogeys in the first eight holes and finished with a 72.



20. Zach Johnson, United States -- Coming off one of his better performances of the season, a tie for 19th in the Players Championship, Zach will try to find the best in his game when he plays this week in the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, which he has won two of the last three years. In fact, four of his nine PGA Tour victories have come in Texas, as he also captured the Valero Texas Open in 2008 and 2009. ... In 2010, Johnson posted four scores of 4-under-par 66 or better at Colonial, including 64-64 on the weekend, to win by three strokes over Brian Davis of England. After finishing fourth in his title defense, again posting four scores in the 60s capped by a 65, he started with rounds of 64-67-65 last year before a closing 72 was good enough to beat Jason Dufner by one shot. It seemed that Johnson was going to win by three, but he forgot to re-mark his ball before his final putt from five feet after moving his coin because it was in Dufner's line. He was assessed a two-stroke penalty, but still won for the first time since his victory two years earlier at Colonial. ... Johnson, who has committed to play next week in the Memorial Tournament, also won the John Deere Classic in July, making it the third time in his career that he won twice on the PGA Tour in one season. It could have been a mammoth year, because he barely missed in two other events, finishing second to Carl Pettersson in the RBC Heritage and tying for second behind Matt Kuchar in the Players Championship.



Others receiving consideration: Louis Oosthuizen, South Africa; Nick Watney, United States; Rickie Fowler, United States; Bill Haas, United States; Charl Schwartzel, South Africa; Sergio Garcia, Spain; Carl Pettersson, Sweden; Bo Van Pelt, United States; Jason Day, Australia; John Merrick, United States; Charles Howell III, United States; Michael Thompson, United States; Martin Laird, Scotland; Angel Cabrera, Argentina; Kevin Streelman, United States; D.A. Points, United States; Billy Horschel, United States; David Lingmerth, Sweden; Sang-Moon Bae, South Korea.

A Lesson Learned: Golf in the wind

A Lesson Learned: Golf in the wind











Blake Graham, PGA May 20, 2013 7:19 AM





In a thrilling end to the HP Byron Nelson Championship,Sang-Moon Bae battled back and then hung on to win his first PGA Tour title. A great ending to an always special event. Congrats to Bae!

What I found so impressive with Bae's performance wasn't just that he had to chase down Keegan Bradley (who opened the tournamnet with an amazing 60 (with two bogeys!) on Thursday) but also how he regained his composure after he lost a four-shot lead on the final day. And it wasn't just that he was battling his nerves and former major championship winner in Bradley - he was doing it in wind gusts that were blowing near 40 mph!

And that leads us to this week's "A Lesson Learned". Trust me, if there's one thing we golfers in Kansas know all about - it's playing in the wind.

We could talk (write?) forever about playing in strong wind. But I want to keep it simple here, just offer a few thoughts that I want you to remember the next time you tee it up under gusty conditions.

1.) When hitting into the wind:
- Take more club: Don't be afraid to go one or even two or three clubs up. The worst thing you can do is swing harder so more club, less loft, is your friend.
- Grip down on the club, make a shorter backswing: Again, making too big of a swing will destroy your chances of hitting the golf ball the proper distance. Control is essential.
- Move the ball back in your stance: flighting the ball lower and making more a more controlled swing will give you the best chance of achieving your desired distance with the shot at hand.

2.) When hitting with the wind behind you:
- Remember that the wind will actually affect the higher shots the most - so short iron shots may show more effect than the longer irons.
- Controlling distance with your irons means you may still want a lower ball flight.
- It will be harder to stop your shot so play the roll out when determining distance.

3.) Hitting into a cross wind:
- If you can work the ball in directions, you want to work the ball INTO the wind.
- If you can't, obviously adjust your aim accordingly with the direction of the wind.
- A controlled, on balance swing is still the best swing for you.
- Flighting the ball lower will still be an advantage for you.

Obviously, there's many variables that go into playing a shot in strong wind. But these tips should give you a solid foundation and a better chance for a good golf shot. Playing in strong wind is never easy, but if you remember these pointers and keep your poise, you'll have a better chance than others who try to overpower the wind regardless of how it's blowing.

I hope these tips help and you play the best golf of your life in 2013!

Blake Graham is the PGA Head Professional at Hallbrook Country Club in Leawood, Kansas. Graham is a 3-time Midwest Section PGA Player of the Year and will be a competitor in the 2013 PGA Professional Nat'l Championship at Sunriver Resort in June. You can follow Graham on Twitter at@BlakeGrahamPGA

Lateral Hazard: Boo Weekley keeps it simple, returns to winner's circle ... five years later

Lateral Hazard: Boo Weekley keeps it simple, returns to winner's circle ... five years later











Brian Murphy May 27, 2013 1:26 AMYahoo Sports




View gallery.

Boo Weekley celebrates after being presented the champion's blazer for winning the Colonial on Sunday. (AP)
Ladies and gentlemen, the golf fans at Colonial Country Club aren't booing. They're chanting "BOOOOOO … "



Wait. When is a "BOO" not a "BOO!"?

This could get confusing and existential. And with that multi-syllabic word, we have officially lost the interest of the happily simple Boo Weekley, the winner at Colonial this week with a scintillating Sunday 66.

Boo doesn't do existential. He does fishin' and huntin' and, for a day job, golfin'. He used to do it so well he earned a spot on the 2008 U.S. Ryder Cup team, where he was part of the rarest of Ryder Cup birds: an American win. That was so long ago, many of you probably forget that Boo teed off for his Sunday singles match against Europe's Oliver Wilson and promptly departed the tee box "Happy Gilmore" style, riding his driver like a bronco. That produced two things: One, enough momentum and energy to spur a 4-up Weekley win; and two, the sight of Weekley's white crew socks set off against his dark, team-issue slacks.



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Boo Weekley waves his cap after sinking a putt on the 18th hole to win the Colonial. (AP)



Nobody ever confused Boo Weekley of Milton, Fla. with Mister Blackwell. That's the beauty of Boo.

It's been so long since Weekley won a PGA Tour event – the 2008 Heritage at Harbour Town was his last – that when he did, Tiger Woods was still married to Elin Nordegren and winning majors; and Sergio Garcia was only a whining underachiever.

Now, five years later, Tiger is divorced and dating Lindsey Vonn, and looking for his first major in half-a-decade. Meanwhile, Sergio has graduated from whining underachiever to whining underachiever who will coarsely drop racist remarks.

Talk about "BOO!" No, Sergio, I'm not cheering for Boo Weekley. I'm booing your sorry and tired act.

The 'Week of Sergio' – and his Sancho Panza, moronic European Tour executive director George O'Grady– made us crave a positive story in golf that could take our mind off 'El Nino' becoming 'El Idiot-o'.

Boo provided it, with a story of perseverance. Since his Ryder Cup triumph and two wins at Harbour Town in '07 and '08, he lost his swing, injured his shoulder and slumped mightily. Golf can be fickle and fleeting that way. It'd be easy to imagine we'd heard the last of Boo Weekley on a leaderboard. Turning 40 this July, he appeared to be yesterday's news in a world where 20-somethings like Russell Henley and John Merrick and Billy Horschel were winning golf tournaments.

In fact, it'd been 124 starts since Boo last won. But still, there were stirrings from the paunchy, bearded, drawlin' Weekley. His shoulder healed. He tinkered with his swing and putting stroke. Mostly, he didn't succumb to the temptation of his fishing pole, and kept playing – Colonial was his sixth consecutive start and he'd made 12 of 14 cuts this year, including three top-10s.

At Colonial, he drove it long (298 yards average, 17th in the field), drove it straight (71 percent of fairways, 6th in the field) and pounded greens like Boo does (75 percent clip, 5th in the field). Weekley is 7th on Tour in greens in regulation.



View gallery.

Boo Weekley, left, hugs his caddie, Barry Williams. (AP)



And then most important, he had a 'moment': his 22-foot birdie putt on the 13th hole kept Matt Kuchar at bay and provided him with a fist-bumping surge of adrenaline with his caddie, Barry Williams. And speaking of Williams, how about his role? Weekley developed twitches in his eye at Colonial that rendered his green-reading skills moot. He had to call over Williams on nearly every hole for a read. The twitch may have been nervous energy, and it's hard to imagine laid-back Boo consumed by nerves, but hey – even self-proclaimed rednecks want to win, badly, too. Yes, Boo has called himself a 'redneck' in the past. Why wouldn't he?

In fact, it's sort of funny that Weekley won on the same day Japan's Kohki Idoki won the Senior PGA Championship, on his first-ever trip to the United States. So, for the two guys who won big on Sunday, speaking the King's English doesn't come natural.

What does come natural for Boo is plaid. By winning at Colonial, he won a tartan plaid jacket, just like the two he won at Harbour Town. That's three wins, three plaid jackets. If the Police sang about the 'King of Pain', maybe somebody should sing about the 'King of Plaid'. Just make sure it's a bluegrass tune, so Boo'll like it.

SCORECARD OF THE WEEK

74-75—Missed Cut – Rory McIlroy, European Tour BMW PGA Championship, Wentworth Club, Surrey, England.

What in the name of awful golf is going on with everybody's favorite former No. 1 player in the world?

And yet, here's Rory at it again, tweeting out happy congratulations to the winner, 20-year-old Matteo Manassero.





Massive congrats to @manasseromatteo!! Makes me feel like an old man! #phenom— Rory Mcilroy (@McIlroyRory) May 26, 2013



I could do with a few less exclamation points from Rory and a few more wins.

Don't forget, he'd tweeted out on the eve of Wentworth that he was "Excited to get started! Game is feeling good." If 74-75-MC is "feeling good", I don't want to see "feeling bad".

And on May 12, when Tiger Woods won the Players Championship, Rory took time from his busy day to tweet out: "Congrats @TigerWoods! #goat"

Again, always making sure to stroke his competition. I mean, I'm assuming #goat refers to Rory's too-easily-given take that Tiger is the 'Greatest of All Time' and not a reference to a local elementary school putting on 'The Three Billy Goats' Gruff' for Parents Night.

So, here we go again with young Rors. He's entered in the Memorial this week, and Tiger will be there, along with Masters champ Adam Scott and a tremendous field. And here we go again with what I'm sure will be Rory's Defenders, pointing out he's a streaky winner who still can rip off two or three 'Ws' by autumn, and who has four top-10s in eight starts on the PGA Tour this year.

I'm just wondering when the guy Nike paid hundreds of millions will be interested in dreaming of the hashtag '#goat' being applied to his game, instead of him willingly applying it to others.

BROADCAST MOMENT OF THE WEEK

"My answer was totally stupid and out of place, and I can't say sorry enough about that . . . I feel sick about it." – Sergio Garcia, The Golf Channel, from Wentworth in his apology to Tiger Woods for saying he'd "serve fried chicken" to Tiger for dinner.

On the one hand, an apology is an apology, and even Tiger tweeted out he's ready to "move on." On the other hand, there are times when apologies aren't enough, when you see incredibly lame behavior and have no interest in accepting apologies.

Between Fuzzy Zoeller in 1997, and Steve Williams wanting to "shove it up Tiger's black arse" and now Sergio saying he'll serve stereotypical fare if he has Tiger over for dinner, what kind of message does golf send when its guard is down? When Fuzzy has a couple of drinks, and 'Stevie' thinks he's off the record and Sergio is all rattled because he dumped two balls into the drink at Sawgrass and cried about being the 'victim'?



View gallery.

Sergio Garcia of Spain acknowledges applause during the BMW PGA Championship. (Getty)



I think we know the answer, and it's ugly.

And while we're on the topic, who asked Colin Montgomerie to chime in and tell us all we're making a "mountain out of a molehill"? Apparently, poor 'Monty' was upset and hoping the Sergio firestorm wouldn't detract from Wentworth, which he said was a 'fantastic' tournament.

Oh. So sorry to have bothered you, Monty. I know it's a huge hassle for you, and it's so important you have your boy Sergio's back, but maybe we can take a moment away from your treasured BMW PGA to wish for a world where a guy of mixed race isn't taunted because he's not white.

"We're all frightened to say anything," whined Monty. "We're all frightened to say something that isn't kosher in 2013."

Or, an alternate view: We're all hoping we don't look the other way or make excuses for people who try to insult and demean a person because he isn't Caucasian.

Forgive me, Colin, for crossing the street to avoid being dragged down into the gutter of denial in which your comments dwell.

MULLIGAN OF THE WEEK

Given how good of a story Boo Weekley is, not many outside of Scott Stallings' family were rooting for him to win at Colonial. But still, not many wanted to see what happened to Stallings at the 15th hole.

Nursing a two-shot lead and a chance at his third career PGA Tour win, Stallings had a little chip shot from off the green, his third shot on the par-4 hole. Except … he took a page right out of every 20-handicapper's book, and decelerated on the chip. Nightmare.

The club hit more turf than ball, and what little of the ball the club got, only sent it fluttering into a bunker one foot in front of him.

You could almost see Stallings' heart beating out of embarrassment and rage when he quickly took his stance in the bunker and . . . did the exact same thing, leaving his fourth in the sand. His fifth barely made it out, and his double bogey '6' allowed Weekley to take over the lead en route to victory.

Stallings would finish tie-4th, three shots back of Weekley. He still shot 66, but that would qualify as a bitter 66, if ever there is such a thing.

So, in the interest of a little 72nd hole drama, maybe even a playoff, or just to be humane, how about we go back out to the 15th green, remind Stallings he's not a 20-handicapper, that he chips shots like that close for a living, because he's a golf pro, and … give that man a mulligan!

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

Tiger is coming back, and he has to be ticked. Not only has Sergio awakened what is probably a lifelong grudge in Tiger against the racist knuckleheads who always looked at him differently, Tiger's also arriving at Jack Nicklaus' Memorial with every armchair rules official hot to analyze his every drop, cell phone at the ready to call in and bust the guy who has won four times in six stroke play events this year.



View gallery.

Sergio Garcia, left, and Tiger Woods talk in a 2002 file photo. (AP)



Combine that surely simmering rage in Tiger, and his incredible game right now, and the fact that he wins at Muirfield Village when he rolls out of bed (five wins, and two in the last four years) and you have a dude in a red shirt on Sunday ready to go Ferrigno on the field.

Adam Scott will be there, and so will 17 of the top 25 world-ranked players. Like that matters to Tiger right now. I'd mention that Rory is entered, but he's no factor.

Sorry to see no Sergio Garcia at the Memorial. I'd love to see him wilt on American soil in his first post-fried chicken tournament. Guess we'll have to wait for Merion's U.S. Open in two weeks to see that comical disaster.

Coston and Mielke end week sharing honors

Coston and Mielke end week sharing honors











PGA.COM May 27, 2013 1:52 AM

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PGA of America President Ted Bishop (c) presented Jeff Coston (l) and Mark Mielke with their crystal …


By Bob Denney, The PGA of America

TOWN & COUNTRY, Mo. - Mark Mielke of East Norwich, N.Y., deflected a near-disastrous trip around Bellerive Country Club Sunday with three back-nine birdies, including a five-footer on the 72nd hole, to clinch a share of Low PGA Club Professional honors in the 74th Senior PGA Championship presented by KitchenAid.

[Video: Click here to see the trophy presentation for Coston and Mielke.]

Mielke and Jeff Coston of Blaine, Wash., became the first dual Low PGA Club Professional honorees since the Senior PGA Championship began recognizing the feat with a crystal bowl in 2005.

Mielke, the 50-year-old PGA head professional at Mill River Club in Oyster Bay, N.Y., made his first appearance in the most historic and prestigious event in senior golf. He finished with a 1-over-par 73 and even-par 284 total to tie Coston, who struggled with four back-nine bogeys for a closing 72. They tied for 28th place, tops among a 42-player PGA club professional delegation in the Championship.

Don Berry of Rogers, Minn., rallied with a 71 and Sonny Skinner of Sylvester, Ga., finished with a 74 to each finish at 285, while Bob Gaus of St. Louis, who had a 73 and 290 total, rounded out the five PGA club professionals who made the weekend.

"It's awesome, it really is," said Mielke. "Just to make the cut here and be here on the weekend was an incredible experience. Let alone to birdie 18 was just awesome!"

Mielke overcame a triple-bogey 7 on the 10th hole - a hole where he was 6 over par for the week - by, making birdies on Nos. 11, 14 and 18. Mielke said that he knew he had a chance for the Low PGA Club Professional by a communication channel between his wife, Leigh and his caddie, former PGA apprentice professional Will Thursby.

"I had a bad experience on 10 with a triple there. That kind of took me out of it. I just said, 'Keep hanging in, and try to make a birdie or two," Mielke added. "I knew I had to birdie 18 for the tie. I hit a great shot in there to about six feet and I don't remember hitting the putt. I just knew that I had to make it."


Thursby appeared as proud as the man who hired him for hauling his clubs around Bellerive.

"The man has got as much courage for a golfer as I could imagine," said Thursby of Mineola, N.Y. "After making a 7 on No. 10, a hole that has beaten us up all week, he held it together and we made some birdies coming in and here we are."

It was a bittersweet ending for Coston, 57, the PGA teaching professional at Semiahmoo Golf Resort. He was sailing along at 3 under par on the front side, and then struggled home. He bogeyed 13, 15, 17 and three-putted 18. It left him with his second Low PGA Club Professional honor since 2007.

"I was riding the wave there, man, like Switchfoot for a while," said Coston. "And that was good fun. And golf is weird. And weird people play it and I'm glad I'm one of them. But some things happened and boom! It can happen to anybody. At least that's what they tell me."

Mielke's playing partner, Sonny Skinner of Sylvester, Ga., made his bid for the honorary crystal before bogeys at 13, 14 and 16 derailed his chances. He birdied 17 to get within one stroke of Mielke and Coston. Skinner nearly holed his greenside bunker shot on 18 for a birdie.

"I really didn't have it today," said Skinner, the reigning Senior PGA Professional Player of the Year. "I hit the ball decent early, couldn't make a putt. I kept trying to scramble, but then began three-putting. I finished nicely after hitting a terrible tee shot on 17 to make birdie. I played 18 pretty good, but not good enough. The guys that tied today (Coston and Mielke) are extremely good friends of mine and I'm happy for them."

Berry, the PGA head professional at Edinburgh USA Golf Club in Brooklyn Park, Minn., came away from his debut with special memories.

"I kind of struggled with the putter, but I have nothing but good feelings about the day," said Berry. "It is just a great golf course and getting a chance to play with all these great players. Shoot, on Monday I came out and played a practice round with Tom Kite and Andy North. I never played with two U.S. Open Champions before. So, just seeing these guys and watching them - how they play and stuff - that was really fun for me."

For Bob Gaus, a PGA teaching professional at Tower Tee Golf Center in St. Louis, his debut in the Championship was a positive experience regardless of his final score.

"I can take away the fact that I can compete out here probably in some way or another," said Gaus. I know that I can compete with them. It's getting the experience. I felt more and more comfortable every day that I was out here. I missed a couple short putts. I got a little nervous, but who doesn't?"

Course Source: River Course at the Alisal, Circling Raven Golf Club

Course Source: River Course at the Alisal, Circling Raven Golf Club










Tom LaMarre, The Sports Xchange May 27, 2013 2:10 AMThe SportsXchange


IN THE PUBLIC EYE: River Course at the Alisal in Solvang, Calif.

THE LAYOUT: Created by Halsey Design Group of Bonsall, Calif., and opened in 1992, the River Course runs alongside the Santa Ynez River with scenic views of the Santa Ynez Mountains on California's Central Coast.

The course plays to a par of 72 at 6,930 yards from the back tees, with a USGA rating of 73.1 and a slope of 126.

John Pate, the 1999 Southern California Amateur champion whose brother Steve played on the PGA Tour, set the course record of 66, which was tied by Chad Wright, who played at USC and on the Canadian PGA Tour.

HEAD PROFESSIONAL: Robert Scarpati.

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE: Although the River Course is less than a mile from its sister course, the resort Ranch Course at the Alisal, they are located in two entirely different settings.

The River Course plays through a wide valley and has a feeling of openness on most holes. Since it is newer, the trees have not matured, but even when they do, it will never look like the more traditional Ranch Course, which is located in a woodsy area.

The most dramatic and difficult hole on the River Course is the 438-yard, par-4 seventh, which has trouble everywhere you look. Hit a big slice off the tee and your ball can wind up in a vineyard of Mission Meadow Winery, which runs the length of the hole. Hit a hook and your tee shot might wind up at the bottom of the lake that runs all the way up to the green.

The front nine finishes with a scenic par 3, 172 yards down the hill into the prevailing wind across Alamo Pintado Creek, which crosses the course in several spots.

The back nine opens with the No. 2 handicap hole, a 430-yard par 4, but it plays downwind on the tee shot through a chute of trees. Another stand of trees runs down the left side of the fairway, and a gaping bunker guards the right side of the green.

The last four holes cover a plateau below the clubhouse. The 123-yard 17th looks simple enough but is almost surrounded by water and sand, although the most challenging of the final four is No. 15, which plays uphill across the creek and often into the wind.

The golf scenes in the movie "Sideways," starring Paul Giamatti, were filmed on the River Course.

OTHERS COURSES IN THE AREA: La Purisima Golf Course a few miles down the road in Lompoc, is one of the best public courses in California, having played host to the PGA Tour Qualifying School and U.S. Open qualifying.

Also nearby are several other outstanding courses -- Blacklake Golf Resort in Nipomo, Avila Beach Golf Club, Marshallia Ranch Golf Course at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Cypress Ridge Golf Club in Arroyo Grande and Rancho Maria Golf Course in Orcutt.

Only 40 minutes south are several more top-shelf courses in Santa Barbara, including acclaimed Sandpiper Golf Course (called "the Pebble Beach of Southern California"), Rancho San Marcos Golf Club, Glen Annie Golf Club and Santa Barbara Golf Club.

WHERE TO STAY: The 10,000-acre Alisal Guest Ranch and Golf Resort offers tennis, horseback riding, biking, swimming and hiking, plus boating and fishing on Alisal Lake.

The Ranch Course can be played only by club members and guests at the Alisal Guest Ranch, which was founded in 1946 and became a hideaway for Hollywood icons such as Doris Day and Clark Gable, who married Lady Silvia Ashley in the old library on the grounds. There are nature walks and bird-watching on the property, which borders Ronald Reagan's Rancho del Cielo that served as the Western White House during Reagan's presidency.

Solvang, an authentic Scandinavian village founded by Danish settlers in 1911, is one of the top tourist sites in California. Of course, the Spanish padres arrived much earlier, in 1804, and founded Mission Santa Ines on the edge of town.

Solvang features several themed hotels, including the Royal Scandinavian Inn, the Best Western King Frederik Motel, the Kronborg Inn and Svendsgaard's Danish Lodge.

Also close is the Best Western Pea Soup Andersen's Motel in Buellton.

ON THE WEB: www.rivercourse.com



THE LAST RESORT: Circling Raven Golf Club in Worley, Idaho.

THE LAYOUT: For destination golfers, the Coeur d'Alene Resort Golf Course deserves its lofty praise; the well-manicured course is picturesque, has a famous floating green and all the amenities one could ask for, from pre-round massages to world-class food.

But ask avid Northwest golfers for their favorite course on the east side of the Cascades, and they are likely to point you 40 minutes south to the small town of Worley, Idaho. Tucked a short drive away from the Washington border sits Circling Raven, the gem of the Coeur d'Alene Tribe that operates the casino and hotel next door.


Designed by Gene Bates, Circling Raven winds through 620 acres next to the Coeur d'Alene National Forest. The par 72 course is 7,189 yards from the tips, and heed the advice of the starter to play from the blues (6,589) or whites (6,108) unless you're an accurate bomber who has played the course before.

There are five tee boxes in all, and a true test of golf awaits from each.

Circling Raven weaves along its expansive property with significant elevation changes and a well-thought-out design on every hole. No two shots feel the same, but a good score can certainly be had with fairly wide fairways on most holes and receptive greens that roll true and fast.

There is a distinct feel of Bandon Dunes-style golf. You won't find much trouble unless you're wayward off the tee, and most of the score-busting comes in the form of plentiful bunkers and errant shots snagged by the wetlands and grasslands.

When Golf Digest re-ranked it biennial list of America's 100 Greatest Public Courses to factor in greens fees in 2009, Circling Raven ($65-95) was ranked No. 19.

Golfweek ranked Circling Raven No. 89 among its top 100 resort courses in October 2012, and Golf.com ranks it No. 90 among the best public golf courses in the United States.

DIRECTOR OF GOLF: Tom B. Davidson.

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE: Tony the starter is chock full of information, and soak it all in while you can because Circling Raven's undulations, bunkers and waste areas aren't all easily viewable for first-time visitors to steer clear of. Once you're out on the course, the state-of-the-art golf carts provide GPS guidance and hole-by-hole overviews.

Consider your clubs selections very carefully. The elevation changes -- particularly on several of the par 3s, can turn a good swing into a sideways bunker lie in the blink of a 6-iron when a 7-iron would have done the job.

The 18-hole journey begins with the No. 7 handicap on the course, a 513-yard par 5 with a hard dogleg left. A well-placed drive -- Tony will caution you about anything left -- makes this a reasonable opening birdie look on a green that slopes right to left.

From there, you're through the tunnel under the railroad tracks and to a 395-yard par 4 that plays uphill and has a dogleg to the right. One of the prettiest views of the course awaits at the par-3 third, which plays 217 yards, with a two-club drop down the valley and a green that is well-protected by big, deep bunkers you want no part of.

If you appreciate scenery and not ducking shots from other holes, Circling Raven has more than eight miles of cart paths. Enjoy the wide swaths of blue grass as you approach No. 4 -- the hardest hole on the course at 406 yards from the gold tees.

The front nine also features the short eighth, 386 yards down the hill, but with danger to the right and a green again protected by bunkers. It's drivable, depending on the tee box you choose.

The trek back to the clubhouse on the outward half closes with the 474-yard ninth, which requires a big drive that avoids the wetlands down the left side.

The back nine begins with a fun carry off the tee at the 336-yard 10th, where it's wise to play to a full club and not leave yourself an awkward approach if you're not able to drive the green.

Bates' unique vision for each hole continues on the 11th, a winding uphill par-4 that showcases the bluegrass and huge space that Circling Raven takes advantage of.

If you play the tips, the 253-yard 13th with a forced carry of the wetlands is a monster. Heck, at 218 from the blues it's no picnic.

When you reach No. 15, trees greet you on all sides for a downhill 426-yard par-4 that includes another dogleg.

The 18th plays alongside the road, where white stakes definitely come into play and can snag a solid back nine score right out of your hands. And don't get overaggressive with the approach shot -- anything long or right will be stolen by the wetlands.

OTHER COURSES IN THE AREA: The Coeur d'Alene Resort Course really should be on any golfer's bucket list, but it will run you between $150-$250 depending on the time of year, so check for good specials on twilight and replay rates.

A favorite of the locals, and where many of the employees of the resort frequent, is Avondale Golf Club about seven miles away in Hayden.

A 6,573-yard course that weaves among the trees, Avondale has a fun layout with water coming into play on several holes. Bring your straight driver, however, as the course is littered with white stakes that can balloon scores quickly.

Worley is less than an hour from Spokane, Wash., which has five fun courses that you wouldn't expect to see from a city-run operation. Each is unique and well worth the $30-35 greens fees.

Palouse Ridge on the Washington State campus in Pullman and the University of Idaho course are also local favorites.

WHERE TO STAY: The Coeur d'Alene casino has more than 300 rooms and gaming that includes slot machines, high-stakes bingo, off-track betting, table games and entertainment. Call well ahead of time, however, as events like the Ironman triathlon sell the hotel out quickly.

The Coeur d'Alene Resort also can book up quickly and is very pricey. For more reasonable accommodations, head to Spokane. You can drive from Spokane to Worley, up to Coeur d'Alene and back for 36 holes in a well-traveled day. We'd advise staying in Spokane and replaying Circling Raven if you can't stay at the casino.

On the web: www.circlingraven.com



--Circling Raven review by Derek Harper, The Sports Xchange