The Grind: Local Knowledge: Golf Digest

Print
E-Mail
Feeds

Local Knowledge Blog: golfdigest.com

Results in The Grind Back to Local Knowledge Index

The Grind: Broken windshields, too much Guan and a historic streak on the line

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Welcome to another edition of The Grind, where we've had this week circled on our calendars all year. No, it's not the U.S. Open, but it is Crowne Plaza Invitational week, and that means we'll be trying to extend our improbable streak of predicting the past two winners at Colonial.

In other words, we're going for the "Grind Slam" (Copyright pending). And while a fantasy golf achievement may not garner the notoriety of the Grand Slam or the Tiger Slam or Byron Nelson's 11-tournament winning streak, it should because prognosticating the sport is only getting more difficult. Have you watched a non-Tiger PGA Tour event lately?

"Guys, this isn't even close to my ugliest jacket."

WE'RE BUYING

Sang-Moon Bae. We're especially happy for the latest surprise winner on the PGA Tour. Why? Because no one has ever been a victim of more bad geography jokes in history.

Oklahoma State golfers. First, Peter Uihlein picks up his first professional win at the Madeira Islands Open. Then another former Cowboy, Morgan Hoffmann earns his best PGA Tour finish with a T-5 at the Byron Nelson. Rickie Fowler better watch out or he might not be the most famous orange-wearing tour pro soon.

American women golfers. Stacy Lewis became the first U.S. woman golfer to win the LPGA's Player of the Year in 18 years last season, but she has company. Cristie Kerr won earlier this season and last week Jennifer Johnson picked up her first LPGA win in Alabama. Add in popular and talented players like Paula Creamer, Natalie Gulbis, Michelle Wie and Lexi Thompson and there's no excuse for U.S.-centric fans not to watch the LPGA anymore.

Martin Kaymer. Remember this guy? He's German? He won the 2010 PGA Championship? He was ranked No. 1 in the world? He sunk the winning putt at last year's Ryder Cup? Well, the 28-year-old finished T-5 in Dallas, perhaps indicating a return to the glory days way back when he was 26-27.

WE'RE SELLING

Anchored putting. USGA President Glen Nager couldn't have said it any better when he stated "It can never be too late to do the right thing." Golf's founders may not have had the foresight to see this becoming an issue, but we're pretty sure they never envisioned guys putting with broomsticks tucked into their chests, either.

Cruel timing. We're happy 14-time winner and longtime golf announcer Ken Venturi was elected to the Hall of Fame before he passed away, but we're sad he was passed over long enough to the point he was unable to attend his own induction ceremony. If golf can elect players who are still in their prime, why does it wait so long to give others their proper due?

Guan's latest sponsor's exemption. It was fun while it lasted. Tianlang Guan dazzled us all by making the cut at the Masters and the Zurich Classic before finally coming up short at the Byron Nelson. But now he's getting an invite to the Memorial, a limited-field event, as well? We're sorry, but enough is enough, especially when he's taking away precious spots from tour pros. Not to mention, Jason Dufner has probably seen the inside of a classroom more than this 14-year-old over the past couple months.

ON TAP

As mentioned, the PGA Tour stays in Texas for the Crown Plaza Invitational. Last year, Zach Johnson overcame a red-hot Jason Dufner (Dufsanity!) and a brain cramp on the final hole to win. ZJ received a two-shot penalty when he didn't move his mark back to its original spot before holing his final putt. Good thing he did or we would have had #Markgate on our hands!

Random tournament fact: Like the RBC Heritage, the winner at the Crowne Plaza Invitational dons a plaid jacket. Unlike the Heritage, this event can claim that Ben Hogan wore its ceremonial piece of clothing five times. Advantage: Crown Plaza Invitational.

WEEKLY YAHOO! FANTASY LINEUP

While we have an incredible two consecutive correct predictions here, we also have a heartbreaking streak of two straight weeks our pick has shared the lead late on Sunday before coming up short. Hopefully, Mr. Hogan's spirit will put us over the top. Again.

Starters -- (A-List): Tim Clark. A former runner-up here is our pick as we look for the unimaginable trifecta. He also happens to be one of the most vocal supporters of anchored putting. Fight for what you believe in, Tim!

(B-List): Zach Johnson. Coming off a disappointing week, it'll be nice for him to return to the site of his first PGA Tour title.

(B-List): Matt Kuchar. The "Matt Kuchar Rule" states this guy can't have two bad performances in a row. Maybe we need to change that to he can't have four mediocre performances in a row. . .

(C-List): Kevin Streelman. A winner in Tampa, he is quietly the hottest player on the PGA Tour not named Tiger Woods with three straight top-six finishes.

Bench -- Jason Dufner, Fredrik Jacobson, Bo Van Pelt and Rickie Fowler.

PICTURE OF THE WEEK

Mike Miller, an up-and-coming amateur who I had the pleasure of covering when he was in high school, had quite a day last week. Playing in a pro-am, he made two eagles and a hole-in-one that won him a two-year lease on a Lincoln. But then this happened when he tried to imitate Rich Beem's celebration for winning a car with an ace in 2007:

In the words of Ron Burgundy after jumping into the bear pit at the end of Anchorman: "I immediately regret this decision."

VIRAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Nicolas Colsaerts had to take relief from a toilet during the Volvo World Match Play. No, seriously. And yes, this will probably be the easiest video to choose for this spot all year.

RANDOM PROP BETS OF THE WEEK

-- Zach Johnson will get penalized again for putting from the wrong spot: Million-to-1 odds

-- Tim Clark will win now that we've boasted about our streak: TEN Million-to-1 odds

THIS WEEK IN DUSTIN JOHNSON-PAULINA GRETZKY DISPLAYS OF PUBLIC AFFECTION

Two observations: 1. I think I have that shirt. 2. Is that a bracelet around her arm?

THIS WEEK IN TIGER WOODS-LINDSEY VONN DISPLAYS OF PUBLIC AFFECTION

Lindsey watches Tiger play poker during his Tiger Jam charity event in Las Vegas. Hey, it's not much, but perhaps when it comes to Tiger, Vegas and girls, the less we see and hear, the better.

THIS AND THAT

Tiger Woods doesn't plan on making nice with Sergio Garcia. Good, it gives us more to talk about. Now if only the USGA would pair them together next month at Merion. . . . This week marks the 10-year anniversary of Annika Sorenstam's historic round(s) at Colonial. Something tells me Vijay Singh isn't throwing a party at his house for people to come and watch the new Golf Channel documentary. . . . These chocolate chip/chunk cookies from Costco are the best chocolate chip cookies EVER. Um, make that second best. Sorry, mom!

RANDOM QUESTIONS TO PONDER

Would Ben Hogan have liked Twitter or fantasy golf? (Nope)

Does Vijay Singh have any regrets? (We hope)

Will Tim Clark make the "Grind Slam" a reality? (Not a chance)

-- Alex Myers is an Associate Editor for GolfDigest.com. Feel free to email him and please follow him on Twitter since he has self-esteem issues.

Keywords:

The Grind: Tiger tames TPC Sawgrass, Island fever spreads & "Nelsoning"?

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

By Alex Myers

Welcome to another edition of The Grind, where we've got island fever and the only prescription is... more islands! Island fairways? Fun! Island tee boxes? Pretty! Island drop areas? Cruel and fun! Imagine making a player who has already dunked a ball in the drink get into a boat and row his own way out to a solitary spot to his his next shot? Johnny Miller would have a field day! Alas, for now we'll have to settle for the excitement TPC Sawgrass' 17th hole provides us on a yearly basis. And that's not such a bad thing.

WE'RE BUYING

Tiger Woods. Now he's winning on courses where he's never been comfortable? The rest of the tour is really in trouble. Woods' latest win was his biggest since his return from his 2009 scandal. It also gave him four wins in a season at the earliest point of any season in his career. Of course, Woods himself has said he only characterizes a season as great if he wins a major, but he still has three more chances to make that happen in 2013. Would you bet against him?

One word, two syllables: Swagger.

TPC Sawgrass. It may not host a major, but it always seems to provide major drama. No. 17 gets most of the attention from fans, but there are plenty of other spots on the course that get the attention of the players. How exciting is the Pete Dye track? Sunday proved that even a Tiger Woods three-shot lead on its back nine isn't safe.

David Lingmerth. Where did this guy come from?! Even as he entered the final round tied for the lead, the Swedish rookie remained an afterthought to most prognosticators. Yet it was Lingmerth who remained the last man standing in the latest Tiger vs. the field competition. If he can hang in like that under those circumstances, it would probably be wise for golf analysts to start practicing pronouncing his name correctly (Hat tip to Swedish colleague, Stina Sternberg). Johnny, like in your name, the "H" is silent.

WE'RE SELLING

Sergio Garcia. This could have been a week where the Spaniard punctuated his return as one of the game's elite players. Instead, he further solidified his reputation for both whining and coming up short in the big spot. After his controversial comments towards Woods on Saturday, Garcia had a stunning meltdown over the final two holes. We feel a little bad for him, but we feel a lot worse for his caddie, whose big payday sunk with those three water balls at the end.

People complaining about TPC Sawgrass. There was a lot of talk about how there weren't a lot of drivers hit there, especially over the weekend. While that's true, guess what? It's 2013 and players can now hit 3-woods farther than they used to hit the Big Stick. Hey, no one is stopping these guys from pulling out the driver. Also, doesn't this somewhat contradict the complaints that these guys are hitting it too far off the tee?

Vijay Singh. Here are the bullet points: Singh admits to using a banned substance, the PGA Tour comes under fire for not acting quickly, Singh is eventually cleared of a doping violation on a technicality, then sues the tour for damaging his reputation. Say what? Sorry, Vijay, but A) This doesn't seem to make much sense (Or does it?) and B) What reputation?

Male Hall of Famers. None of them showed up to this year's Hall of Fame induction ceremony, which takes place a short drive from TPC Sawgrass. None. Not even for Mr. Cool, Freddie Couples? Weak effort.

ON TAP

The PGA Tour heads to Dallas for the HP Byron Nelson Championship. Last year Jason Dufner won. Of course, he became much more famous when he returned last month for media day and by accident started a craze that became known as "Dufnering."

Random tournament fact: The late, great Byron Nelson tried to start a fad called "Nelsoning"* in which he would show up to parties randomly posing like he'd just struck a perfect golf shot. Sadly, it never caught on since none of his fellow pros at the time could tweet about it.

*Not true. But maybe we could start that. . .

WEEKLY YAHOO! FANTASY LINEUP

It's great to see our jinxing power is in full effect. First, Tiger Woods made it four-for-four in 2013 when we don't pick him. Second, unbeknownst to Sergio Garcia, we picked him to win at TPC Sawgrass, just adding to the list of things working against him. In other words, he had NO chance when he stood on that 17th tee tied for the lead.

Starters -- (A-List): Jason Dufner. The defending champ also finished T-8 in 2011.

(B-List): Keegan Bradley. Coming off a disappointing week, it'll be nice for him to return to the site of his first PGA Tour title.

(B-List): Marc Leishman. The Australian has contended at the two biggest events of 2013. It's time to take notice, especially at a course where he has three top 12s in four appearances.

(C-List): Jason Day. Has finished in the top 10 all three times he's teed it up at the TPC Four Seasons, including earning his lone PGA Tour title in 2010.

Bench -- Padraig Harrington, Jimmy Walker, Matt Kuchar, and Jordan Spieth.

VIRAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK

We enjoyed this clip of journeyman PGA Tour pro Todd Fischer having fun with the fans at No. 17 during a practice round. Fisher purposely shanked multiple balls into the pond, while a stunned crowd probably wondered how the heck this guy ever got into the field. Our favorite part is when someone else on the tee says, "Give him a bad [ball]." Fischer also wins our award for "Well-Orchestrated Ruse of the Week."

THIS WEEK IN DUSTIN JOHNSON-PAULINA GRETZKY DISPLAYS OF PUBLIC AFFECTION

A sore subject this week. I was hoping to see the two in person, but after missing them on Day 1, what did DJ do? He withdrew for a second straight week (this time for his back, last week it was his wrist) and took off before I had a chance to stalk..um, make that follow them.

THIS WEEK IN TIGER WOODS-LINDSEY VONN DISPLAYS OF PUBLIC AFFECTION

That didn't look awkward or anything. . . Hey, don't feel bad, Lindsey. Tiger's post-victory celebration with caddie Joe LaCava wasn't very smooth, either.

RANDOM PROP BETS OF THE WEEK

-- Sergio Garcia will ever willingly watch a replay of Sunday's finish: Million-to-1 odds

-- Official odds Tiger Woods will win the U.S. Open: 3.5-1

-- Unofficial odds everyone is giving Woods to win at Merion: LOCK

THIS AND THAT

For a second straight tournament, Tiger Woods is having a drop he took questioned. Weird. Controversy never seems to follow this guy. . . . Billy Horschel's PGA-Tour best cut streak of 23 came to an end when he didn't make it to the weekend at the Players. However, I ran one of the great (disturbing?) streaks in the world to 15. I ate at the same Chili's all FIVE nights for a THIRD year in a row during my stay in Ponte Vedra Beach. Top that, Cal Ripken! Pictured are the tasty "Wings over Buffalo," which only have 68 grams of fat.

RANDOM QUESTIONS TO PONDER

Why isn't there a Chili's within an hour of me?

Why aren't there more island greens?

Where can I place a bet on Tiger?

-- Alex Myers is an Associate Editor for GolfDigest.com. Feel free to email him and please follow him on Twitter since he has self-esteem issues.

Keywords:

The Grind: Derek Ernst steps up, Tiger and Lindsey step out, & Players picks

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

By Alex Myers

Welcome to another editon of The Grind, where we don't understand the shock surrounding Derek Ernst's win at Quail Hollow. So what if he was the fourth alternate and ranked 1,207th in the world. There are SEVEN BILLION people in the world. You're legit if you crack the top 2,000 in anything. Like we've said before, the PGA Tour's slogan should really be: "These guys are ALL good." As Ernst proved, that includes guys who aren't even in a tournament's original field.

WE'RE BUYING

Derek Ernst. To win in your eighth PGA Tour event is remarkable, but the way he pulled it off was even more impressive. Ernst shot a back-nine 33, including a birdie on the difficult 18th hole to get into a playoff he eventually won. We just feel bad for him for all the Ernst & Young jokes that followed.

Haha that's OK. No one else had heard of me either.

Playoffs. On a sports weekend in which the Kentucky Derby stole most of the spotlight, golf had a trifecta of its own. Ernst won in extra holes, but so did Cristie Kerr on the LPGA and Esteban Toledo on the Champions Tour. And speaking of Toledo, he became the first Mexican winner on the senior circuit and he did it on Cinco de Mayo. How's that for timing?

Related: Golfers who play fast

David Lynn. Yes, the Englishman came up just short in what is perhaps the least-star-studded playoff in PGA Tour history. But on the bright side, after a strong opening-day performance at Augusta and this latest performance, he's not just "that guy who finished runner-up at the PGA Championship" anymore.

Jim Nantz. We'll admit, we're not the biggest Nantz fans, but we have to give props to a guy who inducts two players into the World Golf Hall of Fame on the same night and who has now given the speech for five players total. Jimmy, when you get your Hall call, we've got your back. We'll start making notes and practicing your Masters voice.

WE'RE SELLING

Withdrawals. Yes, the greens were bad, but the list of big-name withdrawals -- Dustin Johnson, Ian Poulter, David Toms, etc. -- was a little much. We're sure some of the nine guys who pulled out late (Derek Ernst should send them all thank-you notes) had legit excuses, but it sure didn't look good. Speaking of not looking good. . .

Quail Hollow's greens. We weren't fans of the excessive complaining and questionable WDs, but wow, were some of those greens brutal. To be fair, and most of the players were, Quail Hollow deserves a pass based on its track record. The good news is the course is putting in new Bermuda greens in a couple weeks and it has another four years before it hosts the PGA Championship.

World Golf Hall of Fame. If you're going to let two big-name, borderline candidates in (Sorry, Freddie and Monty), shouldn't you spread them out a little?

The Vijay Singh situation. This whole thing was just a mess from start to finish. First off, Singh admitted to using a banned substance. Yes, it has since been taken off WADA's list, but he admitted to using a banned substance while it was banned. It seemed like case closed, but the PGA Tour cleared him. Secondly, there's no real proof that deer-antler spray does anything!

Sunday TV coverage. Weather interfered with the PGA Tour yet again, but there's got to be a way to show live coverage instead of coming on tape-delayed an hour after anyone with electricity or a phone could learn the result. At least Derek Ernst had time to tell all his friends and family to set their DVRs.

ON TAP

The PGA Tour heads to PGA Tour headquarters for the Players. It used to be called the Players Championship. We don't blame you if you're confused.

Random tournament fact: There are 17 other holes at TPC Sawgrass' Stadium course other than No. 17.

WEEKLY YAHOO! FANTASY LINEUP

Our homer Wake Forest picks laid an egg last week. Sorry. Wait, what are we apologizing for? Some guy named DEREK ERNST won!

Starters -- (A-List): Sergio Garcia. His biggest win came here in 2008, a year after he was runner-up in the event.

(B-List): Zach Johnson. ZJ has broken par at TPC Sawgrass nine of his past 12 rounds and he finished T-2 last year.

(B-List): Bo Van Pelt. We're back on the "BVP is due for a win" bandwagon after a T-6 at Quail Hollow.

(C-List): Jason Day. After a close call at the Masters, the young Australian seems poised for his first big title.

Bench -- Graeme McDowell, Nick Watney, Luke Donald, and Lee Westwood.

THIS WEEK IN DUSTIN JOHNSON-PAULINA GRETZKY DISPLAYS OF PUBLIC AFFECTION

DJ sends Paulina flowers! What does the other Paulina pic have to do with anything? Nothing.

THIS WEEK IN TIGER WOODS-LINDSEY VONN DISPLAYS OF PUBLIC AFFECTION

We joked about golf's newest power couple's lack of public affection last week, but they stepped it up this week by attending the Met Gala in New York together. Several surprises here. A.) It had to happen sometime, but this was a pretty publicized event for the couple's big debut; B.) The timing of it, since it's both the week of the Players and it occurred the same night of his friend, Fred Couples, getting inducted into the Hall of Fame; C.) It appears Tiger is wearing NO Nike apparel!

VIRAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK

How bad were the greens at Quail Hollow last week? On the third hole on Friday, Sergio Garcia -- our pick to win the Players -- opted to chip a six-footer for par (below). He made it. Hey, we think we've found the solution to his putting problems!

RANDOM PROP BETS OF THE WEEK

-- Derek Ernst will not be recognized on the first tee on Thursday. By his playing partners: 2-to-1 odds

-- NBC, which owns the Golf Channel, will figure out a way to show live coverage on Sunday if tee times are moved up: LOCK

-- The phrase "watery grave" will get more air this week on NBC than during all other 2013 tournaments combined: LOCK

THIS AND THAT

A 12-year-old broke 80 in both rounds at the Volvo China Open, becoming the youngest golfer to ever play in a European Tour event. Yet somehow, ESPN UK wasn't impressed. We are not impressed with ESPN UK. . . . TPC Sawgrass has gotten so much rain of late that the famed island-green 17th hole actually was an island green at one point. Here's video proof. . . . Tying a bow tie is HARD. A group of friends took on the task to honor a buddy getting married and it was a struggle. I eventually did better than what's pictured (and also shaved and put on a dress shirt), but this effort came after more than an hour of hard work and a mini-nervous breakdown.

RANDOM QUESTIONS TO PONDER

Who will give Tiger's Hall of Fame induction speech?

Why weren't we invited to the Met Gala? We can tie a bow tie!

Can deer-antler spray cure a slice?

-- Alex Myers is an Associate Editor for GolfDigest.com. Feel free to email him and please follow him on Twitter since he has self-esteem issues.

Keywords:

The Grind: Jason Collins' announcement, Rory's b-day gifts & pies in the face

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

By Alex Myers

Welcome to another edition of The Grind, where we are really impressed by Jason Collins. It takes a lot of guts to do what he did. A finely-tuned professional athlete coming out and admitting he's a bad golfer? Well done. Ohhh, that wasn't the big announcement? He also did what?! Wow. Good for him and hopefully others will follow. And great job by him to pay tribute to a cause close to his heart by wearing the No. 98. We just hope he doesn't think that's the type of score he should settle for on the golf course. After all, the NBA's off-season coincides perfectly with the golf season in most of this country. Jason, get to work!

WE'RE BUYING

Billy Horschel. We saw this one coming when we plugged him into our lineup last week. Then again, didn't everyone? It seemed like Horschel was going to keep playing every week until he finally got his first PGA Tour win. A Sunday 64, including a dramatic 27-footer for birdie on the final hole, got it done. While the former college star probably felt this was a long time coming, he pleasantly reminded us that you don't have to take a long time to hit a shot to be a good golfer.

We'd hoot and holler like we just won a million bucks, too, if we just won a million bucks.

Tianlang Guan. For a second time this month, this 14-year-old phenom teed it up at a PGA Tour event and for a second time, he made the cut. To put this accomplishment in perspective, keep in mind Tiger Woods didn't make a PGA Tour cut until he was 19 and in his eighth try at the 1995 Masters.

Related: Golfers who play fast

Inbee Park. Or should we just start calling the No. 1 player in women's golf "Winbee"?

WE'RE SELLING

PGA Tour drug testing. Greg Norman ripped the PGA Tour's drug testing policy, pointing out that the Vijay Singh situation could just be the tip of the iceberg. While we agree the PGA Tour has been lax on this issue (there's no reason golf should lag behind other professional sports), we just wish it didn't come from Norman. Adam Scott's recent Masters win for Australia seems to have put Norman back in the spotlight -- and the Shark seems to be eating it up.

PGA Tour weather. From fog to snow, we've seen every possible type of delay in the book this year. But a lightning delay with the two contenders -- one of whom has been agonizingly close to getting his first tour win of late -- in the middle of the FINAL hole of regulation? C'mon, Mother Nature. That's just cruel.

Michael Jordan. We love MJ's passion for the game, but a wedding reception on a golf course? On a Saturday? How are the members of the Bear's Club supposed to keep their games sharp? Oh right, they all probably just played at one of their other clubs over the weekend. However, we are NOT selling Yvette Prieto, Jordan's new wife. In addition to being beautiful, she even puts up with sitting through Charlotte Bobcats games with the team owner (above).

ON TAP

Speaking of Charlotte, the PGA Tour heads there for the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow. Unfortunately, a couple of the course's greens had to undergo emergency replacement recently. This means the pros might actually have to play a couple less-than-perfect greens for the first time in years. What an OUTRAGE!

Random tournament fact: This is the only event in which Tiger Woods has missed the cut twice as a pro. In semi-related news, Tiger Woods isn't playing this week.

WEEKLY YAHOO! FANTASY LINEUP

Why were we such big fans of Horschel's win in New Orleans? A. We had him in our lineup last week; B. We pegged him as one of our Sleeper Picks heading into this season and highlighted him as the guy on the list with the most potential. Man, do we look smart now. . .

Starters -- (A-List): Bill Haas. The 2011 FedEx Cup champ played his college golf up the road at Wake Forest University and has a pair of T-4s on this course.

(B-List): Webb Simpson. Another Demon Deacon with a good track record here, Simpson lives in Charlotte. He'll get to feel what it's like to commute to work for a week and should have plenty of crowd support.

(B-List): Lucas Glover. The 54-hole leader in New Orleans is familiar with being in contention at Quail Hollow as well. He won here in 2011 and was a runner-up in 2009.

(C-List): Lee Westwood. The former World No. 1 finally got the hang of this track last year with a T-5 (68-66 over the weekend) and seems to be hitting his stride with back-to-back top 10s. We also liked his hungover report on Twitter following his 40th birthday celebration.

Bench -- Rory McIlroy (2010 champ), Zach Johnson, John Senden, Rickie Fowler (2012 champ).

VIRAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Geoff Shackelford's headline says it all: "Oosthuizen's 500-yard, 120-second cart path drive." As if these guys needed any help with distance.

RANDOM PROP BETS OF THE WEEK

-- Phil Mickelson will conduct a 10-minute interview/lecture on Quail Hollow's two make-shift greens and the different types of Bermuda grass: 2-to-1 odds

-- Tianlang Guan has a lot of homework to catch up on: LOCK

-- Michael Jordan will find a way to play golf while on his honeymoon: LOCK

THIS WEEK IN DUSTIN JOHNSON-PAULINA GRETZKY PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF AFFECTION

Paulina tweeted this photo to DJ and he retweeted it. Teamwork!

THIS WEEK IN RORY MCILROY-CAROLINE WOZNIACKI PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF AFFECTION

Via Twitter: "Got these awesome early birthday presents last night from @CaroWozniacki! #lucky" Apparently, Rory loves him some Louis Vuitton.

THIS WEEK IN TIGER WOODS-LINDSEY VONN DISPLAYS OF PUBLIC AFFECTION

(. . . )

THIS AND THAT

A 12-year-old will play in this week's China Open,, breaking the European Tour record. Two questions: Why isn't Guan playing in this and is this kid his younger brother? . . . Muirfield was lengthened for this year's Open championship. Why? Because every course HAS to be lengthened before it hosts a major again. . . . Brad Faxon gave Jeff Sluman a vicious pie in the face after the two teamed up to win last week's Legends of Golf event on the Champions Tour (Unfortunately, there's no picture. Hence, the photo of Evan Longoria giving the treatment to a Rays teammate). It's one thing for younger guys to do this, but the over-50 crowd? We're just glad no one involved was hurt. . . .

RANDOM QUESTIONS TO PONDER

When will a professional male golfer come out as gay?

Is this Dumb and Dumber sequel really going to happen?

What did Tiger get Michael and Yvette as a wedding gift?

-- Alex Myers is an Associate Editor for GolfDigest.com. Feel free to email him and please follow him on Twitter since he has self-esteem issues.

Keywords:

The Grind: New Orleans fun, G-Mac's cool, and DJ and Paulina heat up

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

By Alex Myers

Welcome to another edition of The Grind, where we're wondering what has happened to American golf? After opening 2013 with 14 straight victories, a U.S. player hasn't won THREE weeks in a row. C'mon, guys, that's almost an entire month! We already stink at tennis; we can't lose our grip on the other main country club sport! At least, the red, white and blue contingent will have a chance to get back on track this week. Why? Because the PGA Tour NEVER stops and neither do we. Here's what has us talking.

Who says there's no teamwork in golf? (Getty Images)

WE'RE BUYING

Graeme McDowell. G-Mac finally picked up his long overdue second PGA Tour win at Hilton Head. And then he called his new restaurant, Nona Blue, and opened the bar to all those dining there. No wonder he made our list of the coolest golfers ever.

Suzann Pettersen. A win in Hawaii has the Norwegian in the mix for the suddenly-competitive top spot in women's golf. As for her dancing (below), that we are selling. . .

Bernhard Langer. A week after contending on Sunday at Augusta National, Langer won his second event of 2013 on the Champions Tour. This guy might be the most in-shape 55-year-old since Sylvester Stallone did one final training scene in Rocky Balboa (aka Rocky VI).

WE'RE SELLING

Charley Hoffman. People often wonder why the long-haired Hoffman only has two career PGA Tour wins. Those people must not watch him on Sunday enough. Entering the final round at Harbour Town with a two-shot lead, Hoffman shot a 77 for a T-6.

The wind. After playing in very gusty conditions in the Northeast over the weekend, we were glad to see the pros have to suffer through a similar test in Hilton Head on Sunday. That being said, wind stinks. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's part of the game. We get it, but that doesn't mean we have to like it.

Guys who haven't won a major. We came up with a formula to determine who the best of this current crop is. That being said, outside of a select few (namely Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia), their collective track records in majors is embarrassing. It's not just that they haven't won a big one yet, for the most part, these guys haven't even come close. Fortunately, it's golf, and as Tom Watson proved, you can still contend when you're approaching 60. So they all still have time -- even Steve Stricker.

ON TAP

The PGA Tour stays in the Southeast, heading to New Orleans for the Zurich Classic. Ahh, New Orleans. Home of great jazz, the NFL's Manning family and "The Jester." What is "The Jester," you ask? Only the greatest frozen drink ever concocted. Just a word to the wise: If a friend offers to pay for as many as you can drink the day you're flying home, don't take him up on that offer.

Random tournament fact: Fourteen-year-old Tianlang Guan is in the field after accepting a sponsor exemption. He is NOT allowed to drink Jesters yet.

WEEKLY YAHOO! FANTASY LINEUP

Starters -- (A-List): Jason Dufner. We're not big fans of playing defending champions, but we just have a feeling here.

(B-List): Justin Rose. The best player in a watered-down field.

(B-List): Fredrik Jacobson. The Swede has been knocking on the door for his second PGA Tour win all year.

(C-List): Billy Horschel. Does this guy ever take a week off?

Bench -- Bubba Watson, Ernie Els, Andres Romero and Rickie Fowler.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Natalie Gulbis went snorkeling while in Hawaii for the Lotte Championship and snapped this photo. On behalf of snorkeling fans everywhere, thank you.

RANDOM PROP BETS OF THE WEEK

-- Tianlang Guan will win this week: 1,000-to-1 odds (actual odds)

-- Tianlang Guan will receive another slow-play penalty this week: 10,000-to-1 odds

-- Any player who misses the cut will feel a lot better after a few Jesters: LOCK

VIRAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK

He's back!

Another fantastic effort by South Korean star Psy. We just wish he had shot a scene on a golf course. Psy's previous hit, "Gangnam Style," prompted Jesper Parnevik to put together a crew to do a parody video. Psy's videos are awesome. Of course, it helps when they have a higher budget than most Hollywood blockbusters.

VIRAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK (NOT INVOLVING PSY)

And to think, this actually used to be a penalty. . .

I have a friend who learned about a player being penalized for the wind moving his ball and he would remind me from time to time how stupid it was. It was a great day when I was able to inform him it was no longer a rule. Now I just hope he doesn't find out that you can still get disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard when MILLIONS of people around the world know what you shot.

THIS WEEK IN PAULINA GRETZKY-DUSTIN JOHNSON DISPLAYS OF PUBLIC AFFECTION

DJ drops the "L-bomb" and Paulina replies by telling him "You're the best thing that's ever been mine." Sorry, guys. This is getting serious!

THIS AND THAT

Raphael Jacquelin won the Spanish Open in a record-tying nine-hole playoff. That must be a pretty difficult hole if if took the Frenchman 10 tries before he could birdie it. . . . Speaking of playoffs, Angel Cabrera got back to winning them in his hometown event on the PGA Tour Latinoamerica. Cabrera has played two events on the circuit created before the start of the 2012 season. He's won both. . . . This is a "Jester" (above). Drink at your own risk.

RANDOM QUESTIONS TO PONDER

Why don't they sell Jesters in the Northeast?

Will Jason Dufner #Dufner when he wins again?

When's the Johnson-Gretzky wedding and can we come?

-- Alex Myers is an Associate Editor for GolfDigest.com. Feel free to email him and please follow him on Twitter since he has self-esteem issues.

Follow @AlexMyers3

Keywords:

The Grind: Why Adam Scott's Masters win will really grow the game

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

By Alex Myers

Welcome to another edition of The Grind, where we're convinced Adam Scott might grow the game of golf more than anyone since Arnold Palmer. For non-golfy women around the country casually tuning into the end of the tournament -- or perhaps looking for "60 Minutes" -- watching the end of the Masters was a real eye-opener (Even ABC's 'The Bachelor' is wishfully targeting Scott). Guys, be aware going forward. When your significant other asks, "Is there any golf on TV this weekend?", that's really code for, "Is that dreamy Australian guy playing this weekend?"

"I know I'm single, but please calm down, ladies."

WE'RE BUYING

Adam Scott. The Australian had plenty of guys drooling as well with that perfect swing. And after struggling on the greens all Sunday, Scott finally got that broomstick putter of his to knock a couple in when it mattered most. Good for him for bouncing back so quickly from his collapse at last year's British Open. Good for me, since his breakthrough won me GolfDigest.com's first-ever Masters fantasy draft. And again, good for the game.

Angel Cabrera. Serious question: Other than the handful of times he's either contended or won a major championship, where does this guy go? What a performance, especially under the utmost pressure. The approach to kick-in range on 18 will long be remembered, but so should his putting and that chip shot on the first playoff hole that somehow didn't drop. Cabrera couldn't pull it out this time, but he served notice yet again that if he's in the mix, watch out.

Tianlang Guan. Not even a slow-play penalty could keep the 14-year-old from making the cut at the Masters. We probably shouldn't be too surprised with anything age-related in golf after a 59-year-old Tom Watson nearly won the British Open four years ago, but still, what a remarkable performance. Two stunning stats: Guan didn't make more than a bogey all week and he didn't three-putt on Augusta National's diabolical greens once. It shouldn't be too long before Tiger Woods asks the young man for a putting lesson.

The Masters. It delivers every year, doesn't it? And now Lindsey Vonn and Paulina Gretzky (unnecessarily shown above) can say they've been! Even when most of the final round is a bit of a snooze -- we'll give the rain a lot of the blame for that -- we wind up witnessing one of the most exciting finishes ever at a major championship. Whether its the routing of the course, the setting, or Jim Nantz's hushed tones, you can always count on an exciting finish -- and a dose of depression when it's over.

WE'RE SELLING

Brandt Snedeker. We thought he was over final-round pressure with his gutsy performance at the Tour Championship to win the FedEx Cup's $10 million bonus, but Sneds still looked a lot like the guy who melted down Sunday at Augusta five years ago the first time he had a chance to win his first major.

Tiger Woods. Even Nick Faldo marveled at the bad breaks Woods got during the week, most notably the shot off the flagstick into the water on Friday and what he termed a "400-degree lipout" on Saturday. That being said, here's a simple request for the World No. 1 and a man who has played more rounds of golf in his life than the combined staff of Golf Digest: KNOW THE RULES!

Phil Mickelson. From adding the "Phrankenwood" to his bag to worrying about the PGA Tour's schedule leading up to the season's first major, it seems like Mickelson over-analyzed his way to a disappointing Masters finish. What will Phil and Callaway cook up for the U.S. Open at Merion? A half-putter, half-doughnut maker?

ON TAP

Wait, there's another tournament this week? But the Masters is over! Hmm, let's see. . . why yes, it's the RBC Heritage at Hilton Head.

Random tournament fact: Not sure if you've seen it before, but there is a lighthouse on the 18th hole at Harbour Town Golf Links.

WEEKLY YAHOO! FANTASY LINEUP

First, we started the PGA Tour Sleepers Jinx and now? The Tiger Woods Win Jinx. As has been pointed out to us by several people on Twitter, it wasn't the flagstick on the 15th hole or the incorrect drop or the TV viewer who called in, but us who cost Tiger his fifth green jacket. Simply put, when we start him, he loses. When we stick him on the bench, he wins. Every time. We'll keep that in mind the next time he tees it up. . .

Starters -- (A-List): Bill Haas. Tied with Keegan Bradley and Brandt Snedeker for the most top 10s on the PGA Tour this year, Haas is getting close to career win No. 5.

(B-List): Luke Donald. With another major disappointment in the books, it's time for Donald to refocus at a course where he finished T-2, T-3 and solo second from 2009-2011.

(B-List): Bo Van Pelt. Why does he always wait until Sunday to make his move at Augusta?

(C-List): Billy Horschel. After close calls in Houston and San Antonio, Horschel and his PGA Tour-best streak of 21 consecutive made cuts will be looking once again for his breakthrough tour win.

Bench -- Brandt Snedeker, Aaron Baddeley, Matt Kuchar, and Jason Day.

RANDOM PROP BETS OF THE WEEK

-- Thomas Vonn (Lindsey's ex-husband) is confirmed as the "TV viewer" who blew the whistle on Tiger: 100-to-1 odds

-- Brandel Chamblee is confirmed as the "TV viewer" who blew the whistle on Tiger: 2-to-1 odds

-- Jim Nantz will not scream "A Life Changer!" after the winning putt at Harbour Town: LOCK

-- You will not watch as much golf on TV as you did last week: LOCK

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

It's the story that just won't die. We thought we could move on from #Dropgate and then the Augusta Chronicle released these side-by-side photos indicating that perhaps Woods didn't violate a rule after all when he took his now infamous drop on the 15th hole on Friday. What's next? The Golf Channel's first made-for-TV movie event?

PHOTO OF THE WEEK (NOT INVOLVING TIGER WOODS)

We don't know who these people are, but they seem pretty awesome. A guy proposes to his girl in front of the Augusta National clubhouse and she says yes? Very cool. We're just glad Augusta National doesn't have a rule against that type of thing.

THIS AND THAT

TV ratings for the final round of the Masters were up 26%. It helps to have Tiger on the first page of the leader board, even if it's at the bottom. . . . Inbee Park moved to No. 1 in women's golf during her off week. World rankings! . . . A 14-year-old made the cut at the Masters. Sorry, but we can't say that enough.

RANDOM QUESTIONS TO PONDER

How many more years will Fred Couples "turn back the clock" at Augusta National?

Why doesn't Angel Cabrera take over those "Most interesting man in the world" beer ads?

Who wouldn't want to be Adam Scott's agent right about now?

-- Alex Myers is an Associate Editor for GolfDigest.com. Feel free to email him and please follow him on Twitter since he has self-esteem issues.

Keywords:

The Grind: Jim Nantz's week, Tiger's task, Augusta's food & Masters picks

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

By Alex Myers

Welcome to another edition of The Grind, where we're starting to question Jim Nantz's whole "Hello, friends" routine. After all, the guy will go straight from covering one of the most exciting Final Fours ever to working golf's most-anticipated event. Considering how jealous we all are, wouldn't "Hello, resentful viewers" be more appropriate? In any matter, the Masters is finally upon us. HELLO, FRIEND! We've missed you. . .

So that's why the grass is so perfect at Augusta National. . . (Photo: Getty Images)

WE'RE BUYING

The Masters Classic Chicken Sandwich. As in, we'd buy a sack of these bad boys to feast on all day if we were at Augusta National. After being off the menu for a couple years, this legend has returned to the Masters. The price is apparently up to $3 now (the highest of any food item), but they're well worth it. Those things are fit to be served at the Champions Dinner.

Martin Laird. OK, where did that come from?! Before his final-round 63 at TPC San Antonio netted him a third career PGA Tour victory, Laird had missed the cut in four of six events and a T-34 was his best finish in 2013. His club even finished in last place at the recent Tavistock Cup. The only downside for this win was the timing, as everyone's attention had already shifted toward Augusta before he even collected his winning check. At least, now the Scot will be teeing it up there.

Inbee Park. If we feel bad for Laird, then we really feel bad for the winner of the LPGA season's first major. John Daly has already received more attention for setting up his trailer at the Augusta Hooters this week.

WE'RE SELLING

Darren Clarke. We're nearing the two-year anniversary of the Northern Irishman's out-of-the-blue win at the British Open. It seems even more out-of-the-blue now considering how little he's done since. Clarke withdrew from the Masters earlier this week due to a pulled hamstring. That must be one bad hammy.

Sunburns. I go to Miami for a bachelor party, get out in the sun for a few hours for the first time this year, and I come back with my forehead and shoulders more red than the average Tiger Woods Sunday golf shirt. How come we never hear about this happening to tour pros? These guys really are good.

Donald Trump. Speaking of said trip to Miami, our group ventured to Doral, where I snapped the above lovely photo of the Blue Monster being renovated. First off, thanks, Donald, for not waiting to start digging until after our trip. Second, what are you doing? Are you trying to "Tiger-proof" a course where Woods has won eight times? Do you not want people to watch? You're fired!

ON TAP

It's Masters week. Woo! Enough said.

Random tournament fact: You probably know or have heard that the Masters is the most enjoyable event to attend, but what doesn't hurt that indisputable fact is that the civil atmosphere makes it the event in which tour wives and girlfriends mingle most. I was standing next to one a few years back when another patron started talking to her. "So, are you following Adam Scott?" he chuckled. "Um, no. I'm following my husband. . . Phil Mickelson."

WEEKLY YAHOO! FANTASY LINEUP

Gotta admit, there's not a lot of creativity this week, as I went with more chalk than in Dick Vitale's typical NCAA bracket. If you want to see some better analysis, check out GolfDigest.com's first-ever Masters fantasy draft. If I win, I get to run GeoffShackelford.com for a day. Just kidding, Geoff! Or am I. . .

Starters -- (A-List): Tiger Woods. In one word? Back. In another? Due. The march to Nicklaus' majors record resumes this week.

(B-List): Justin Rose. The third-ranked player in the world is going to win a major at some point. Why not now? (See above for answer)

(B-List): Matt Kuchar. Kuch has steadily been building toward breaking through at a major the past few years, including his close call at Augusta last year.

(C-List): Adam Scott. Like Rose and Kuchar, it just seems like a matter of time before he wins a big one. Doing it this week would be especially sweet after letting the claret jug slip away from him last summer.

Bench -- Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Fredrik Jacobson and Charl Schwartzel.

VIRAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Not surprisingly, Augusta natives are very proud of having the attention of the sports world for the week. So much so that apparently some of the younger residents ditch "more normal" spring break activities to hang around for the week. And apparently, some of those people even feel strongly enough to write long, original songs about the experience. As this lovely, young lady says, "Sit back, relax, grab an Arnold Palmer and enjoy."

RANDOM PROP BETS OF THE WEEK

-- Tiger Woods will hit a shot out of the pine straw at some point: 2-to-1 odds

-- It will make for a fantastic photo: LOCK

-- Augusta National will run out of Masters Chicken Sandwiches, BEDLAM ensues: Let's not bet on this. It would be too painful for those there.

THIS AND THAT

The Masters unveiled a drive, chip and putt contest for kids, ages 7-15, beginning next year at Augusta National. Fourteen-year-old phenom Guan Tianlang, who is in the field this week, has been listed as an early favorite. . . . Caroline Wozniacki will caddie for boyfriend Rory McIlroy at Wednesday's Par-3 Contest. Wozzilroy! . . . Mojitos in Miami are really good.

RANDOM QUESTIONS TO PONDER

How many navy blazers does Jim Nantz own?

Why doesn't CBS do a "One Shining Moment" montage video for the Masters?

Can someone bring me one of those chicken sandwiches back from Augusta?

-- Alex Myers is an Associate Editor for GolfDigest.com. Feel free to email him and please follow him on Twitter since he has self-esteem issues.

Keywords:

The Grind: #Dufnering spreads, Holly Sonders poses, & Valero picks

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

By Alex Myers

Welcome to another edition of The Grind, where we treat every week with the same excitement that "Opening Day" gets in baseball. And now, the Masters is here! Woo! Wait, that's next week? Dagger. OK, OK, we said we treat every week like it's special so we'll stick to our promise. Here's what has us buzzing at the moment.

WE'RE BUYING

D.A. Points. The 36-year-old was previously best known as the golfer who danced with Bill Murray at Pebble Beach. Now, he'll also be known as the guy who won with a putter he stole from his mother while wearing a Lego belt buckle. Congrats, Darren Andrew. With a second PGA Tour win, you are no longer a "journeyman" in our book.

Henrik Stenson. The Swede who once rose as high as fourth in the Official World Golf Ranking needed a strong performance in Houston to qualify for the Masters and he came up clutch. A final-round 66 earned him a T-2 and an invite to Augusta, where he was a surprise first-round leader last year. That is, until he made a snowman on the 18th hole. You sure you want to go back, Henrik?

Holly Sonders. The holiday weekend was fun, but the "Hollyday" on Monday, when GolfDigest.com released this slideshow of the Golf Channel "Morning Drive" host, was even better. Let's just say the magazine's May (The Fitness Issue) cover girl created some decent website traffic. Guys, it's for a good cause. Fitness is important.

WE'RE SELLING

Bill Haas. I hate to criticize my Wake Forest classmate, but Haas has not been getting the job done in final rounds. Sure, the five top-10 finishes have him tied with Keegan Bradley for the most on the PGA Tour, but he's failed to break par in the final round in the past three of them, and in two of those, he had the 54-hole lead. Bill, it might be time to change up your Sunday routine.

Drivers. As Hank Haney recently pointed out, many of today's top players aren't hitting driver much anymore, in large part to the technological advancements that have made 3-woods almost as long. How much does Phil Mickelson love his new 3-wood? The man once famous for putting two drivers in his bag for certain tournaments was carrying two 3-woods and no drivers in Houston.

Rory McIlroy. Another mediocre performance prompted McIlroy to add this week's event to his schedule so he could have more preparation for the Masters. We like that he cares about playing better, but we wish it didn't come at the expense of cancelling a planned trip to Haiti. How bad have things been for Rory in 2013? He went to the much-hyped Spurs-Heat game the other night only to see LeBron and Dwyane Wade sit out.

ON TAP

The PGA Tour stays in the Lone Star State for the Valero Texas Open. Usually, this tournament is played at some point after the Masters, but the decision to hold the Masters a week later than usual this year (Boo!) opened up an earlier date.

Random tournament fact: The Greg Norman-designed TPC San Antonio will play host to this event for a fourth time. It is NOT a favorite of players. . .

WEEKLY YAHOO! FANTASY LINEUP

OK, so last week was rough. But Tiger Woods not playing makes things a lot harder to predict. Here's who we're going with this week:

Starters -- (A-List): Rory McIlroy. Do you think Rory will be a big part of the TV coverage this week? It seems silly to play him despite his rough stretch, but we haven't started him yet this year and this field isn't exactly stacked with the guys leading the current FedEx Cup standings.

(B-List): Charley Hoffman. Hoffman has finished in the top 13 all three times TPC San Antonio has hosted this event, including a T-2 in 2011.

(B-List): Cameron Tringale. Still riding high from a career-best third-place finish in Tampa last month, Tringale has finished T-8 and T-5 here the past two years.

(C-List): Charl Schwartzel. As with the McIlroy pick, it's tough to overlook a major champion in this spot.

Bench -- Kevin Chappell, Matt Kuchar, Fredrik Jacobson and Jordan Spieth.

FREE FINAL FOUR ADVICE

Just enjoy the games, especially watching Chris Paul-clone Trey Burke and Michigan. There's no need to take any action on any of the action.

(Side note: I already won my NCAA Tournament auction pool. Woo!)

PICTURE OF THE WEEK (NOT INVOLVING HOLLY SONDERS)

An unflattering photo of Jason Dufner moping at a Youth Center in Dallas wound up enhancing the golfer's popularity, as #Dufnering became a trend on Twitter. Ah, the magic of social media. Of course, we've seen this face before from Jason. . .

RANDOM PROP BETS OF THE WEEK

-- Last year's Valero winner, Ben Curtis, will repeat this year: LOCK*
*April Fools! He's probably about a 1,000-to-1 shot.

-- Whoever wins this week will follow Points' lead and take a picture #Dufnering with the trophy: 2-to-1 odds

-- That "tradition" will stop at next week's Masters: LOCK

VIRAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Henrik Stenson, move over. Andreas Harto became the latest pro golfer to hit a shot in his underwear at the Trophee Hassan II event in Morocco. On the par-3 14th hole, Harto took his pants off to blast his golf ball out of a water hazard. Kudos to the broadcaster for his "not quite Hasselhoff" line.

Like our inclusion of a photo of a shirtless Dustin Johnson a couple weeks back, we're just trying to be fair to both genders when it comes to provocative images.

THIS AND THAT

Johnny Miller said he thinks Rory McIlroy's new clubs will cost him at the majors this year. Way to go out on a limb, Johnny, after McIlroy's rough start to the season. . . . I played my first round of the season over the weekend. Not surprisingly, I was NOT sharp. Must be the equipment's fault. . . . The year's first major takes place this week with the LPGA's Kraft Nabisco Championship. We hear Yani Tseng will travel to Mission Hills with two alarm clocks. . . . Did we mention we have some great pictures of Holly Sonders?

RANDOM QUESTIONS TO PONDER

What percentage of people wear their Easter dinner outfits to work on Monday?

How did my boss not realize why I was so dressed up?

Can we just fast forward to Masters week?

-- Alex Myers is an Associate Editor for GolfDigest.com. Feel free to email him and please follow him on Twitter since he has self-esteem issues.

Keywords:

The Grind: Tiger "Swooshes up," DJ dresses down, & Bay Hill picks

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

By Alex Myers

Notice how Lindsey's Under Armour logo is tough to see? Very smart, Nike...

Welcome to another edition of The Grind, where we nominate Tiger Woods as the best company man of all time.

Is there ever a situation in which he's not wearing Nike? If "Suit up" is a popular cry for men changing into dress clothes (Thank you, Neil Patrick Harris), then "Swoosh up" may as well be Tiger's fashion motto. His new photos with girlfriend Lindsey Vonn? Nike. When he goes to a sporting event? Nike. Even in this grainy pic of him at a Las Vegas night club, Woods is wearing one of his Sunday red golf shirts. We wouldn't be surprised if the suits he wears to the Ryder Cup gala are hand stitched by Phil Knight himself. Hey, whatever makes him happy. And apparently, Vonn, despite the fact that she's sponsored by Under Armour, makes him happy as well. Or maybe he just hasn't noticed that yet. . . In any matter, here's what else we've noticed:

WE'RE BUYING

Kevin Streelman. March Madness may officially start this week, but we've already had our first major upset, as Streelman picked up his first PGA Tour title in his 153rd start. How bad were things for this journeyman? Well, from the pictures, it appears he resorted to taking a pair of Phil Mickelson's pinstripe pants.

Stacy Lewis. The new No. 1 in women's golf didn't just pick up another title, but she won after overcoming a two-stroke penalty that stemmed from a TV viewer phoning in to inform officials that her caddie had tested sand in a bunker on Saturday. Lewis thanked the person for calling in because she said it served as extra motivation. Is she from the same planet as the rest of us?

Related: Golf's Power Couples

Jordan Spieth. He's 19 and in the last two weeks he's finished T-2 and T-7 in PGA Tour events. Enough said.

Tiger and Lindsey. OK, so the whole going public on Facebook with staged photos was a little cheesy, but good for them for making it official. Maybe more than anything, a solid relationship is what Tiger needed to really get back on track. As long as he can control his competitive spirit from racing Vonn down the slopes, of course. . .

WE'RE SELLING

Innisbrook. I was disappointed when I played the resort's Copperhead Course this past summer, but I blamed that on being dumb enough to take a golf trip to Florida in late July. However, I was almost as disappointed when I watched some of the world's best players take on the track in prime conditions. PGA Tour players seem to really like this course, but other than the snake statue that marks the start of the closing three holes dubbed the "Snake Pit," I didn't find anything about it very memorable.

Related: Golf's #FirstWorldProblems

Big names. With a watered-down field, several of the game's top players were in perfect shape to pick up a PGA Tour title heading into the weekend. But by Sunday afternoon, Adam Scott, Sergio Garcia, Jason Dufner and others had let that opportunity slip away. The result was Kevin Streelman having to track down Boo Weekley, who had posted a 63 more than three hours before. Not exactly what NBC had hoped for.

Malaria. Poor Natalie Gulbis.

ON TAP

The PGA Tour concludes its Florida Swing at Bay Hill for the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard, aka one of those tournaments that Tiger always wins.

Random tournament fact: Woods' emphatic hat throw upon sinking the winning putt here in 2008 was the best cap spike in Florida since Steve Spurrier and his often-abused visor coached the Gators.

WEEKLY YAHOO! FANTASY LINEUP

Starters -- (A-List): Sergio Garcia. Garcia has six top 10s in 11 tries here. Psst. That guy we have on the bench, though, has seven wins here and has won both times this year we've put him on our bench. . .

(B-List): Jim Furyk. The Grinder is still having problems on Sundays, but he's playing fairly well in 2013 (coming off a T-7 in Tampa) and has three straight top 11s at Bay Hill.

(B-List): Webb Simpson. The Wake Forest product hasn't had much success at this Wake Forest legend's event, but we think that's due to change. He's also due for a win with six top 20s in eight starts so far in 2013.

(C-List): Ian Poulter. It's tough to pass on Poulter while he remains eligible as a C-List play -- especially when he finished third here last year.

Bench -- Tiger Woods (PLAY HIM), Justin Rose, Kevin Na and Ryan Moore.

RANDOM PROP BETS OF THE WEEK

-- Lindsey Vonn will come onto the 18th green to congratulate Tiger if he wins: 10-to-1 odds

-- Arnold Palmer will be spotted drinking an Arnold Palmer from the Bay Hill clubhouse: Even odds

-- The Arnold Palmer that Arnold Palmer is drinking will be delicious: LOCK

CELEBRITY/ATHLETE WE'D LIKE TO PLAY GOLF WITH

Steve Carell. The last three movies I've seen are Lincoln, Silver Linings Playbook, and. . . The Incredible Burt Wonderstone. Let's just say only one of these was not, um, incredible. Carell was brilliant as the clueless boss Michael Scott on the Office for seven years, but no one has had a more hit (Crazy, Stupid, Love, The 40-year-old Virgin) or miss (Evan Almighty, Date Night) run of late when it comes to movies. His latest venture falls in the latter category. Steve, let's hit the links and talk. I'm not sure your agent knows what he's doing. Ohhh, you got paid as much as $15 MILLION to be in that? Never mind. . .

PICTURE OF THE WEEK

I've been getting some complaints about my pictures (mainly of Paulina Gretzky) demonstrating some sort of gender bias, so I'm going to try to be fair here. Just check out Dustin Johnson enjoying a trip to Cabo. This guy must workout. Looking go--, sorry, I can't do this. Paulina! I miss you! Below is what the photo looked like before I cropped it:

Ahhh, much better. By the way, colleague Stina Sternberg raised a great question recently: do Paulina and DJ have someone follow them around just to take pictures? If so, where do I apply for the job?

FREE MARCH MADNESS ADVICE

It's that time of year for me to enter way too many NCAA pools and burn way too much money. Yay! But since I did correctly pick Kentucky to win it all last year (Who didn't? They had an NBA team), a lot of people have been asking for my Final Four picks. And by a lot of people, I mean my mom and my grandma. But here they are: Florida, Louisville, Indiana and Wisconsin. In the finals, I have the protege, Billy Donovan, topping the mentor, Rick Pitino. In other words, you should probably stay away from the Gators and Cardinals. Speaking of gators. . .

VIRAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK

This is an old video, but considering it happened on a Tampa golf course, it seems appropriate. Oh yeah, it's always an appropriate time to watch awesome footage of two alligators wrestling:

THIS AND THAT

What's the good news about a guy falling down an 18-foot sinkhole in a fairway? It got Dave Shedloski to write this fantastic piece on the course. . . . Tiger Woods had a funny new commercial come out. Take a wild guess what company it was for. . . . My college buddy Jim lives in Austin, Tex., and recorded his first hole-in-one over the weekend in 80-degree weather. Congrats, Jim, but yes, I'm extremely jealous. Not only do I not have an ace, but it's still SNOWING here in the Northeast.

RANDOM QUESTIONS TO PONDER

Why do salads taste so much better when they're chopped?

Will I ever have a hole-in-one?

Will Golf Digest's headquarters ever move to a warmer location?

-- Alex Myers is a contributing editor for GolfDigest.com. Feel free to email him and please follow him on Twitter since he has self-esteem issues.

Keywords:

The Grind: Tiger's fist pumps, Rory's "comeback," and Tampa predictions

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

By Alex Myers

Welcome to another edition of The Grind, where like Tiger Woods, we always enjoy a good fist pump. When we think of an idea to stick in the column? That gets one of TW's subtle overhand ones. Write what we believe to be an amusing sentence? That draws one of his trademark big uppercuts. And when we actually finish the column? Well, that's when we do the emphatic, leaning back, double fist a la Torrey Pines in 2008 (look at that perfect form above). We just need to remember to do some light stretching first next time. . .

Anyway, after a big week, golf's biggest star is on break again, but we aren't. Here's what has us talking:

WE'RE BUYING

Tiger Woods. And just like that, Woods is the undisputed best player in the world again. He's the first player to multiple wins in 2013 and he's now a 4-to-1 favorite to win the Masters (Rory McIlroy is second at 9-to-1). Woods may have 76 PGA Tour titles now, but this was historic since it was the first time he won on my birthday. Thanks, Tiger! I thought you had forgotten about me again. . .

Scott Brown. Tiger Woods wasn't the only golfer winning a PGA Tour event last week. The journeyman (can you be a journeyman if you're still under 30?), who was splitting his time between the PGA and Web.com Tours took advantage of a weaker field in Puerto Rico to get his first big victory and lock up his tour card for the next two years. He took home by far the smallest winner's check ($630,000) on the PGA Tour. Somehow, I doubt he's complaining.

Related: Golf's #FirstWorldProblems

Steve Stricker. The Strick Show dealt out another putting lesson to his buddy, Tiger, and then wound up finishing runner-up to him. What a guy! We also admire his ability to play so well despite playing so infrequently. He's being efficient with his money, too. Stricker may not be teeing it up as often, but by having his wife on the bag, he's bringing home a bigger percentage of his paychecks. Shrewd!

WE'RE SELLING

Bandwagoners. Yeah, yeah, I've said Tiger is "back!" more than anyone, but at least I'm consistent. It's people who change their minds about the guy every five minutes who drive me nuts. And now that same fickle treatment happens with Rory McIlroy, who is everyone's darling again after a public apology and a Sunday 65 for a "back'door" top 10. Guys, it's a long season and golfers have LONG careers. Let's be a little more patient.

Luke Donald. A fairly quiet start to 2013 got even rougher at Doral, where LD didn't break 70 once on a very tame Doral and managed to double bogey the 18th hole ALL four days. Karma can be pretty nasty, huh Luke? We'll explain later. . .

TaylorMade's "-IER" campaign. It was bad enough seeing guys wearing "17" on their hats last year to indicate the average distance TaylorMade claimed people gained by switching to their RocketBallz line. This year's slogan, "RocketBallz-IER" and the accompanying "#IER" hats being worn are even worse. I mean, why would the company do such a thing? Do they want people to be talking about it after the tournament or something? Ohhhh, we get it. Touche, TaylorMade. Touche.

ON TAP

The PGA Tour heads across Florida for the Tampa Bay Championship at Innisbrook's Copperhead Course. Wait, there are still tournaments that are just named after where they are played? Were the clocks turned ahead an hour this past weekend or turned back about 50 years?

Random tournament fact: Luke Donald won here last year and shortly thereafter, I reached out to the then World No. 1 for help on how to play Copperhead because I was going on a golf trip there later that summer. He didn't respond. Is it a coincidence that he hasn't won a tournament since? I think not.

WEEKLY YAHOO! FANTASY LINEUP

Twice we have had Tiger Woods as our A-list bench player and twice he has gone on to win that tournament. Lesson learned. In future tournaments that he plays, we will keep doing that to sabotage our fantasy team, but make side bets on him to win.

Starters -- (A-List): Sergio Garcia. Sergio is coming off a T-3 at Doral and has shot over par at Copperhead just once in his past 11 rounds there. He's also one of those "-IER" guys, making his last name Garcia-IER in the new campaign. C'mon, that's four vowels in a row!

(B-List): Matt Kuchar. Kuch had a disappointing week in Miami, but have you heard of the "Matt Kuchar Rule"? It states that he never has two bad weeks in a row.

(B-List): Webb Simpson. The Wake Forest product had a tough runner-up here two years ago when he bogeyed the final hole, but his last three years at Copperhead have produced 10 rounds in the 60s and three top-15 finishes.

(C-List): Adam Scott. The Aussie dressed like he didn't think he was going to be on TV on Sunday (yellow pants with a grey shirt?), but his closing 64 brought him a lot of air time. Scott hasn't played here much, but his sparse schedule has made him focus better when he tees it up.

Bench -- Jason Dufner, Aaron Baddeley, John Senden, and Jason Day.

(PAULINA GRETZKY) PICTURE OF THE WEEK

I know, I know, there were pics of her and Dustin Johnson on the beach, including ones of her putting her dog in her shirt, but I I like this better. No frills. Just Paulina. With a sultry look. Hey, cut me some slack, it's still close to my birthday. So, to recap, Tiger gave me a win, Miami gave me this Paulina pic and my boss gave me work to do. What did you get me?

RANDOM PROP BETS OF THE WEEK

-- NBC's announcing crew will say "The Snake Pit," Copperhead's closing three-hole stretch, as much as it said "The Bear Trap" at the Honda Classic: 100-to-1 odds

-- Unlike Donald Trump, Innisbrook's owner will not arrive to the course by helicopter every day: Even odds

-- Golf's TV ratings will be lower this week: LOCK

CELEBRITY/ATHLETE WE'D LIKE TO PLAY GOLF WITH

Scott Weiland. Remember him? He was the lead singer of Stone Temple Pilots before his, um, problems, led him to be fired recently. That hasn't stopped him from touring with another band and this weekend I saw him in action. He still has a great-sounding voice. Well, when he's not spending a good portion of the show challenging someone in the crowd to a fight. . . Scott, let's tee it up together. I think it will help relax you, plus, we can spend the whole round discussing how legendary 90's rock is.

VIRAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Our two favorite things about Phil are his love of going for the bold (sometimes stupid) shots and his borderline overanalysis of the game. This brilliant clip following Thursday's first round at Doral combined both. It is the ultimate "Phil being Phil" moment. If you haven't seen it yet, you are in for a treat:

THIS AND THAT

A Dallas judge stopped the auction of a Masters jacket. Poor Greg Norman. The guy can't even buy a green jacket. . . . Speaking of Greg Norman, the Shark is going to advise China's golf team leading up to the 2016 Olympics. There's got to be another Greg Norman joke in there somewhere. . . . I recently rediscovered eating cereal with milk (don't ask), specifically, Lucky Charms (above). Congrats, General Mills. I don't know what you put in those things, but they are "magically delicious" -- as in I can't stop eating them once I start.