Since the U.S. Open in June, U.S. Golf Association president Walter Driver (and his controversial administration) has been the focus of a large amount of media coverage, some of it positive, most of it critical. Attorney and journalist Gary Galyean, as a longtime USGA volunteer on the rules committee (he officiates at most USGA championships), possesses  an insider's perspective on the workings of the USGA and its volunteer network. He also authors "Gary Galyean's Golf Letter," a bi-monthly newsletter about the golf industry, and in the July/August issue, he penned a no-holds-barred assessment of the present state of USGA affairs:

Media Center
Anyone who has spent time around the press, particularly when they are concentrated in one media center covering one event, knows that they are a tough crowd. That's their job. Attempting to control what they write or broadcast always backfires. GolfWorld's June 8th cover story -- Can the USGA survive Walter Driver? The tumultuous reign of the association's controversial president -- set the early tone in the U.S. Open Media Center. There was blood in the water. No matter how it was spun, Mr. Driver's standing with the press was built by him and his performance on and off stage during his years as vice president and president. Post-championship columns continue to reflect an assessment that refuses to be spun by glad-handing or verbal dexterity.

USGA Volunteers
The volunteer base serving in various capacities at the Open were nearly universal in their dissatisfaction with the direction the USGA has taken under the presidencies of Fred S. Ridley and Walter W. Driver Jr. Corporate jets, corporate partnering, an arrogance of power, an attempt to stifle open discussion, packing the Executive Committee, and the general turning away from the association's traditional values were topics continually at the center of whispered discussions during the Open. A fractured fissure grew wider between those who have served for years in order to extend and improve golf in America and those who are either new to the USGA culture, or, like the current and immediate past president, simply don't get it.

As distasteful as the past three and a half years have been, of greater concern is the impact both Mr. Ridley and Mr. Driver will have as rising, successive chairmen of the Nominating Committee. Mr. Ridley will serve two years as vice chairman (2008, '09) and two years as chairman (2010, '11). Mr. Driver will vice chair Mr. Ridley's chairmanship and follow with two years in the chair (2012, '13). For six years they will influence the selection of those offered positions as USGA officers, Executive Committee members and Nominating Committee members.

Their deplorable arrogance and stunning lack of judgment has left most of the senior volunteer base disappointed, disoriented, weighing the future donation of their time and expertise, and pondering how in the world the USGA got into such a situation.

Following the Nominating Committee debacle of 2004, the past presidents were blamed for exerting too much influence often without explanation or accountability. Executive Committee members with proven, effective records were sometimes dismissed without explanation, while weaker substitutes were elevated for, once again, unexplained reasons. For outsiders, it was like forecasting the political landscape of the Soviet Union based on who was sitting where at the annual Politburo banquet.

The public and press outcry in 2004 to what appeared to be yet another arbitrary and unwarrantable change to the Executive Committee precipitated a monumental change in the nominating procedure. The emotional goal was to eliminate vagarious, capricious, out-of-touch control by the powerful past presidents. The effect, however, in reality lessened the influence of those who, regardless of sometimes fickle or unexplained political maneuvering, understood the culture of the USGA.

The lessening of the influence of those who "get it" created a political vacuum into which strutted those who don't. And their influence will be felt until 2014 unless the nominating system is amended again.

Very truly yours,

Gary A. Galyean

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland - The only thing cooler than the weather here is the reaction of the LPGA players to being at the Old Course. The mood in the pub at the Dunvegan Hotel Monday night was absolutely party-like as giddy players gushed about the thrill of being at the Home of Golf, and having the opportunity to compete in the first women's professional tournament on the links that is synonymous with the game. This is my fourth Open Championship here -- I saw John Daly win in 1995 and Tiger twice (2000 and 2005) -- and I still get goose bumps each time when I first walk onto the grounds. I can imagine how exciting it is for these women to be making history.

On a cold Tuesday morning with the mercury struggling to climb into the high 40s, stocking caps were the order of the day, but passion still ruled. "I've never been so excited for a practice round," said Nicole Castrale, the American who got her first victory earlier this year. "I love the last three holes here," beamed Lorena Ochoa, who got in a practice round Monday afternoon when she arrived from the Evian Masters in France. "What a fun finishing stretch." And Meaghan Francella, another American first-time winner this year, paused as she was putting, looked around and said: "I could stay here all day."

Among those getting an early practice round on Tuesday was Beth Daniel, the Hall of Famer who has been playing part time this season. "I played here 29 years ago," she said. "I was in England for the 1978 Women's British Amateur and my Mom and I came up and played two rounds. My caddie says it's changed since then," she said with a laugh. Daniel played her practice round with Meg Mallon. Also out early was Michelle Wie, who played with Julieta Granda and tugged her tee shot on No. 1 left into the middle of No. 18 fairway. "That's the way to miss here," said one veteran caddie watching Wie. "You can miss left all day. But I was walking through the gorse yesterday on the right of one hole and I found a ball with Michelle's mark on it. If she hits it right the way she has been she ain't playing on the weekend."

Heathrow airport in London improved on its dubious reputation as a black hole for luggage. By last count, 17 players who made a connection at Heathrow failed to have their clubs show up at Edinburgh. The good news is that British Air has about seven flights a day from Heathrow to Edinburgh and the hope remained that the sticks could always be on the next flight. Upon hearing the story of missing clubs, Greg Johnston, the veteran looper who caddies for Brittany Lincicome, looked at his player and smiled. "Now he'll be impossible to live with," Lincicome said. "Greg had me fly into London Sunday night, collect my clubs, stay in a hotel there overnight and fly up Monday morning so I wouldn't lose them." Good plan.

--Ron Sirak

(Photo: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

Golf Digest contributing editor Mark Soltau remembers the time he left during the middle of a Stanford football practice and accompanied Coach Bill Walsh to the nearby Stanford driving range. Walsh, who died Monday at age 75, needed a cure for the shanks, and Soltau was able to help.

A couple of years later, Walsh developed a lasting bond with Tiger Woods.

Read Soltau's memories, "The football genius who's crazy for golf".

--Craig Bestrom

(Photo: Gary Newkirk)

EVIANS-LES-BAINS, France - Want an indication of the tension level surrounding the Michelle Wie Camp as she continues to struggle with her game? David Clarke, who is about the 14th person to caddie for Michelle - and I'm being serious with that number - was approached by a reporter after Saturday's round and asked what club she hit on the 115-yard par-3 17th hole and replied: "I've been told by the family not to talk to the press." Hardly seems like revealing club selection is divulging a state secret. Clarke should know how to handle these situations. He toted luggage for Justin Rose on the men's tour before swing guru David Leadbetter hooked him up with Wie. At least Clarke finished the Evian Masters. Two years ago, Brian Smallwood, a long-time caddie for Betsy King, quit after one round here, fed-up with second-guessing from Wie's parents. And last year, Wie fired Greg Johnston after she finished T-26 in the Women's British Open the week after the Evian. Why caddie for Wie? The possible upside is too great - and there is that six-figure guarantee.

Sunday morning was overcast and cool and Wie, playing in only the second group out at 7:39 a.m., made a rare appearance in long pants. Her game did not warm up however. She made a double bogey 6 after driving out of bounds on the first hole, turned in 40 and had to rally to shoot a 76 and finish at 26-over-par 304. Interestingly enough, there was no standard bearer with the group. That's an indignity reserved for distance also-rans. Michelle's parents, mother Bo and Father B.J., always walk many yards apart as they follow their daughter, almost as if they are spreading out their very vocal cheering section. But, in a pattern that began as Saturday's third round spiraled out of control to an 84, Mom and Dad walked closer together and chatted occasionally, perhaps trying to answer the question on the minds of everyone: "What's going on with Michelle?"

There was a poignant moment on No. 16 when Wie left a 25-foot chip about 8 feet short and the sparse gallery following her applauded awkwardly, wanting to be encouraging but knowing the shot really did not warrant applause. It made you feel badly for the kid. If it is this painful to watch this kind of golf imagine what it must be like to play it. St. Andrews is not a good place to spray the ball the way she has at the Evian Masters this week - and the way she has in all her events this year. That miss to the right especially can really get you in trouble on the Old Course.

Speaking of the Old Course, I ran into five caddies at the kabob stand last night and none of them have been to St. Andrews, only seen it on TV. The plan for most is to hire a local caddie early in the week to walk practice rounds with them and help get yardages and locate the bunkers that at times seem to be scattered randomly. They all say they know three things about the course: Miss left if you are going to miss; lag putting is important on those huge double greens; and stay out of the bunkers. They also know that if the weather turns nasty their preparations will pretty much be useless. The five-day forecast for St. Andrews - and my experience is that the only accurate weather forecast in Scotland involves looking out the window and seeing what's going on right now -- is for little rain, high temperatures in the low 60s and 10-15 mph wind.

One final thought from Evian-les-Bains: Standing high on the sixth fairway at Evian Masters Golf Club early on a Sunday morning and following the lazy glide of a white sail boat on the bright blue of Lake Geneva while being serenaded by the sound of a church bell tolling in the distance is about as mellow as it gets. Makes you realize where the c'est la vie attitude comes from. Not a bad thing. Talk to you next week from St. Andrews where the beer is warm, the curry is hot and the weather is always unsettled.

--Ron Sirak

(Photo: Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

EVIANS-LES-BAINS, France - The Rue Nationale is one of those quaint European streets wide enough for about a car and a half and, mercifully, closed to all motor traffic, except for those people who happen to decide they are going to drive across it anyway which, with the aid of the horn, occurs more often than it should. Caddies, who stay in the tiny, air-condition-less hotels that line the street above the bars and restaurants that spill out onto the cobblestones, refer to the rue as "The Alley." Hang out long enough at one of the outdoor pubs on Rue Nationale the week of the Evian Masters and you'll see just about everyone.

Juli Inkster (above right) is doing some shopping with her younger daughter, 13-year-old Cori while Hayley, 17, is off and about exploring on her own. Annika Sorenstam and her boyfriend Mike McGee are out looking for pizza. Former LPGA commissioner and current PGA Tour executive VP Ty Votaw and his wife, LPGA player Sophie Gustafson, are out to dinner with Helen Alfredsson and her husband, former NHL player Kent Nilsson. Being out with three Swedes is a good test for those Rosetta Stone language lessons Gustafson got Votaw for Christmas. Test results? Not so much.

And stopping at a hole-in-a-wall kebab shop for a sandwich of tasty lamb is Heather Drew, the 47-year-old former LPGA player who was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis in 1996. Drew, who is caddying for Heather Young at the Evian Masters this week and next week at the Ricoh Women's British Open, controls her MS with daily injections of Copaxone and says she has had no relapses in seven years. "If I can't play this is the next best thing," Drew says cheerily. "I'm really looking forward to St. Andrews, and Heather is the best to work for." Drew's only complaint is that her hotel room is right over the outdoor pub where the caddies hang out. "I hear everything they say," she says laughing. "And a lot of it you don't want to hear."

Speaking of caddies, one interesting sight at the Evian Masters was seeing veteran looper Worth Blackwelder and Cristie Kerr, with whom he split on less-than-amicable terms, sharing a pint along with Cristie's husband Erik Stevens. Blackwelder left Kerr after the 2005 season and began working for Inkster, who needed a caddie because her man of 12 years, Greg Johnston, had left to work for Michelle Wie, who fired him after last year's Women's British Open. Wie now uses David Clarke, who came over after a stint with Justin Rose on the men's tour via her swing coach David Leadbetter. And that's pretty much how the caddie carousel works. Probably the longest tenure going is Terry McNamara, who has been with Sorenstam since September of 1999 -- and has cashed a lot of checks.

One of the more amusing highlights of the day was being stopped while walking the course and asked -- en Francais -- the time. Figuring it was easier to show than to tell, I held up my watch and saw a totally bewildered look spread across the man's face. Then I remembered I always leave my watch on New York time because those are the deadlines that matter to me.

--Ron Sirak

(Photo: Andrew Reddington/Getty Images)

Sergio Garcia's major championship heartache continues with final-round collapse and subsequent playoff loss.
More bad news for the Spaniard: He won't be able to spit in the claret jug.

Questionable rulings, politically incorrect speech mar R&A's week.
Only saving grace for R&A officials? Walter Driver isn't their president.

Gary Player says he knows of one golfer who uses steroids.
Barry Bonds plays golf? Who knew?

-- Geoff Russell

For more of Geoff Russell's weekly Front 9 column, subscribe to Golf World magazine.

During a recent round, I suffered every golfer's nightmare: getting hit by a shot. Worse, I did it to myself. The story:

My first drive of the round goes right into the rough, and I find my ball sitting right next to a medium-sized rock that I couldn't move. I take out my sand wedge to punch it out, but instead, the ball came straight up and hit my face. I then went to the ER and got five stitches. No big deal. It could have easily been worse if it hit me in the eye, nose, tooth, ear or, well, you name it.

I waited a week to play another round. Did I flinch? Well, after hitting my first shot eight feet from the hole, I missed the putt for birdie.

So let us know by sending us a comment below -- what's the worst injury you've seen or suffered on the course? (And no, your sunburned nose doesn't count.)

-- Shu Matsuo

One last thought on Carnoustie: A number of people have asked what the heck all the marshals and officials were doing inside the out-of-bounds fence just left of the 18th green, suggesting that it was akin to baseball umpires putting themselves in play by standing in fair territory down the foul lines.

After all, they say, John Senden's 3-wood approach to the 18th on Saturday hit the grandstand right of the green, sending the ball ricocheting left and heading out-of-bounds before it hit an O.B. stake and stayed in. Imagine if Padraig Harrington or Sergio Garcia had missed an approach left on Sunday, only to be saved by a ball plunking an official. Better yet, imagine if they had nailed the same official who was hit by Andres Romero's drive at the 12th hole, deflecting his ball into the gorse and resulting in a double bogey.

As if enough strange stuff hasn't happened at Carnoustie.
 
Carnoustie's 18th is wedged in by the first hole and grandstand right of the green, the hotel behind it, and the Burnside course/O.B. fence/grandstand left of the green. Not to mention the Barry Burn in front.

No wonder it's so claustrophobic. And crowded.

-- Mike O'Malley

Now that The Simpsons Movie is out, it reminded us that Peter Jacobsen grew up with Simpsons creator Matt Groening (in photo) in Portland. This from the July 2005 Golf Digest Interview with Jacobsen by Jaime Diaz:

"We went through school together, first grade through 12th. Matt's nickname was Matt the Brat, which morphed into Bart. His father's name was Homer, and his mother is Margaret, and that became Marge. He would draw pictures of Bart on the back of his homework, and I would draw golf course layouts on mine. When we see each other, we laugh at how we turned out."

-- Mike O'Malley

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France -- Negotiating a French menu is a little bit like reading the greens at Augusta National. Not everything is what it appears to be. So here at the Evian Masters, Morgan Pressel and Brittany Lincicome have decided that discretion is the better part of valor and putting shame aside, they took the safe road to culinary satisfaction. Let me explain.

The Ermitage Hotel is a swanky joint where almost all of the players and LPGA officials are housed this week. It’s not as opulent as the Royal Hotel, where the top-10 finishers from last year get to bunk, but it is pretty cool. In fact, way cool.

Pressel and Lincicome, who are 19 and 21 years old respectively, have figured out a rather brilliant way to get food with which they speak the same language. They order off the children’s menu, which offers up chicken nuggets and French fries. (The don’t call them Freedom Fries here.)

-- Ron Sirak

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France - Let the record show that after 11 hours sleep I am somewhat adjusted to France time, and let it also show that the wireless Internet in my hotel room I was telling you about doesn't work. And let the record further show that  Lorena Ochoa is as nice a person as she is talented as a player. One of her endearing qualities is that she starts every interview with the media with a cheery "Hello!" Vijay almost never does that. Ochoa also has an extremely rare condition among players -- both her hands are the same color. She is in that small group that doesn't wear a glove. Ochoa is also one of the best-conditioned athletes on tour. Her best half-marathon time is one hour and 47 minutes and her plan is to extend to a full marathon when her days in competitive golf are behind her. "I would love to run a marathon," she says, "but it's not a smart thing to do while I'm still playing golf. I'll stick with half marathons for now."

Lorena's other non-golf passion is water skiing. "It makes me strong for golf," she says, smiling broadly. "That's my excuse. When I do my workouts I ask my trainer for exercises that will make me better at water skiing." Of course there was the inevitable "Are you worried about not having won a major" question. "No," she says. 'My family and the media worries more than me. It was my goal for 2007 to win a major and I have one more opportunity. I think I'm ready. I really want to get that trophy." She's talking about the trophy that next week will be handed to the winner of the Ricoh Women's British Open, the first women's professional competition held on the Old Course at St. Andrews.

Annika Sorenstam, looking more relaxed and in control than she ever says she is pain-free following the ruptured disc in her neck discovered in April but says her conditioning and her game is still only at about 85 percent. "I am better than I was two weeks ago and certainly better than I was two months ago. I want to get to 100 percent and we'll take it from there. Sorenstam is winless this year and the last time she was shutout in an LPGA season was 1994, her rookie year. Since then she has won at least three times every year. Sorenstam had a lot to keep her occupied while she was shut down because of the injury. She opened her golf academy at the Reunion Resort in Orlando, launched her website annikasorenstam.com and began work on golf course design projects in South Africa and Canada. By the way, one of Sorenstam's playing partners in Wednesday's pro-am was former LPGA commissioner and current PGA Tour executive VP Ty Votaw, who is in town to watch his wife, Sophie Gustafson.

Today's Michelle Wie Watch reports that she knocked off the new Harry Potter book in a day and a half and that she is still having problems putting the driver in the fairway. She describes her injured left wrist as "better" and says of the difficult 12 months she has gone though: "Hopefully, this will make me a stronger person mentally and physically." Wie, who turns 18 on Oct. 11, says she is still undecided about whether or not she will try to become an LPGA member. As things stand now she would have to go through two stages of qualifying school to get a playing card. Asked her goal for the week, Wie said: "I just want to play as freely as I did last year, as happy as I did last year. I just want to play pain free." It was one of the most genuine, non-scripted answers she has given in a long time. It had a real ring of truth about it. Asked if that meant she would be happy if she missed the cut but felt no pain she looked startled and said: "I don't think there's a cut here. Is there a cut?" she asked looking to the tournament official to her right. Informed that there was she said, "Oh."

Instituting a cut is one of several changes made this year at Evian. The field was expanded from 78 to 90, the tournament finish was moved from Saturday to Sunday and several holes were lengthened. Remarkably, this is Wie's fourth Evian Masters. She first played here when she was 14. Sorenstam says one of the advantage of the Sunday finish is that lost luggage has an extra day to catch up with the players. Pretty much, London's Heathrow airport is the black hole of air travel. Luggage goes in and only reluctantly comes out. Did I tell you the media dining area here has a wine list? Don't tell my boss. Au revoir.

-- Ron Sirak

(Photo: Getty Images)

Being good at golf when you're young is a gift many of us wish we had. But just because you can hit the ball long and straight and sink some putts doesn't mean you should turn pro at any moment.

But the teenage trend is currently in overdrive, what with 16-year-old Hawaiian Tadd Fujikawa recently going pro, as well as Salt Lake City brothers Tony (17) and Gipper (16) Finau.

What other teen stars might follow their path?

RORY McILROY: This 18-year-old Northern Irishman (in photo) suddenly became the center of attention at last week's British Open when he started the round with a bogey-free, 3-under 68. Before this championship, he became the youngest golfer to win both the West of Ireland Championship and the Irish Close Championship. He has also played in a few European Tour events and had decent results. He says he hopes to turn pro after the Walker Cup this fall. But is he ready to turn pro before college? I don't know how good European college golf is, but maybe he could come to an American university and gain more experience like Luke Donald and Camilo Villegas did.

RYO ISHIKAWA: He became the youngest ever to win a pro golf event when he won the Japan Golf Tour's Munsingwear Open KSB Cup in May at age 15, but he should avoid the allure of going pro. Sure, he beat some of top Japanese pros, but he failed to take down the world's best junior golfers at last week's Callaway Golf Junior World Golf Championship in San Diego when he finished 23rd. He certainly needs to be the best in his age group before facing the big guys.

JAMIE LOVEMARK: The 19-year-old sophomore at Southern Cal is arguably the world's best amateur. Of all the teen golfers, he has the most experience and knows how to play consistently. He appeared on the leaderboard at the AT&T National after opening up with a 3-under 67. Before that, he became the youngest ever to win the Western Amateur at age 17, claimed the NCAA Championship victory as a freshman and nearly became the first-ever winner of a Nationwide event in June. But while Lovemark may be ready to compete at the pro level, he says his goal is to finish college.

Memo to other teen golfers: Take note of Lovemark's example. And follow it.

-- Shu Matsuo

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France - There are worse places to spend eight hours than on the night flight from Newark to Geneva, but aside from forced captivity at 36,000 feet wiithout a baseball game to watch there is that slight problem of arriving in Switzerland at 7:45 in the morning or, according to my body's clock, 1:45 a.m. the previous night. To sleep or not to sleep, that is the question. The game plan that works best on these sojourns to Europe is to try to stay awake until it's time for an early dinner then wakeup the next morning in blissful harmony with the host time zone.

The first thing I see as I emerge from customs is a shuttle driver holding a sign that reads "Sirak." That's a good start. I won't have to hitchhike to Evian-les-Bains, the stunning French resort town that is home of the Evian Masters, easily the most luxurious stop on the LPGA Tour. The second thing I notice is another placard that reads: "Kim/Lee." Oops, rookie mistake by someone. This is the LPGA come to town, you gotta be more specific than that. There are, after all, 11 Kims and seven Lees on tour. I had on my flight former U.S. Women's Open champion Birdie Kim, two-time LPGA winner Meena Lee and Seon-Hwa Lee, who won the HSBC Women's world Match Play Championship on Sunday. The suspense is ended when I find Meena is the Lee to join me in the car with Birdie.

The sleep-or-not-to-sleep decision is made slightly easier by the fact it is raining like a shower without a water-conserving showerhead. The car ride in which Korean, French and English is spoken with varying degrees of success by our international gathering is occupied mostly by Birdie and I trying to figure out exactly what we had to do to dial out on our European cell phones as they bounced between Swiss and French service providers.

That sleep decision is mercifully (or not) taken out of my hands when I get to the Hotel Alize (air conditioning, high-speed internet and walking distance to restaurants) only to find out my room is not ready yet. Oh well, might as well go to the course and get checked in. That turns out to be a good decision when the rain stops and players show up at the Evian Masters Golf Club to practice and shake off the cobwebs of jet lag.

Annika is there, as well as Paula, Karrie, Morgan, Brittany, Cristie, Birdie and, oh yeah, Michelle. The last time we saw the rapidly-closing-in-on-18 soon-to-college-freshman she was pulling out of the U.S. Women's Open after playing the first 27 holes 17 over par. In three disastrous starts on the LPGA this year Wie has quit twice and finished last the other time. A lot of folks thought she might skip the Evian Masters and next week's Ricoh Women's British Open. A lot of people suggested she skip them -- me, for example. But here she was back for more.

With caddie David Clarke at her side, mother Bo standing across from her holding a club straight out so that the grip rested on Michelle's head while she swing and father B.J. sitting behind her staring intently, Wie hit ball after ball and appeared to be swing better than she did at either of her three previous LPGA events. The question, of course, is how the swing will hold up under pressure when tournament play starts Thursday.

It's been a while since Wie has had a positive experience on the golf course. In fact, she has not broken par in a competition since the final round at this tournament last year when she tied for second with Laura Davies, one stroke behind Karrie Webb. She sure could use something positive to happen this week.

Speaking of positive things, I wonder if that room is made up yet.

--Ron Sirak

(photo: Getty Images)

Reigning U.S. Women’s Amateur champion Kimberly Kim (right) shot a career-best, 10-under par 62 yesterday at Tacoma Country and Golf Club  to take a six-shot lead into round two qualifying for match-play at the U.S. Girls’ Junior.

Her 62 tied the men’s non-tournament course record shared by Tacoma's head professional Rich Friend, club president Mike Givens and runner-up in the 1986 U.S. Senior Amateur John Harbottle. It also matched LPGA Tour player, Christina Kim’s 62 from the 2001 U.S. Girls’ Junior at the par-70 Indian Hills Country Club.

She’s only 15.

Everything is relative when you are talking about K². "I was telling my dad I was hitting really bad and putting really bad, so don't expect anything," she said. "I don't know what it was, but everything seemed to work out."

As Dan Raley of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer writes,  "Kim is more concerned about getting into the match play than posting record scores."

To see how Morgan Pressel’s sister, Tiger Wood’s neice, 12-year olds Alexis Thompson, Alison Lee and Annie Park did take a look at the leaderboard.

--Jeff Patterson

(photo: Getty Images)

-- Caddie Ronan Flood (pictured on right), who is married to Harrington's wife's sister, on the 72nd hole: "It was a 3-wood or a driver, and we both liked driver. There was a left-to-right wind, and he hit a bad tee shot [into the burn]. After the drop, I said, 'There's more than one way to make a 4.' And there's more than one way to make a 6, as it turns out. We had a 5-iron, 203 to the front, and he just didn't quite catch it [knocking it into the burn in front of the green]. The up-and-down [with a lob wedge] was phenomenal. It easily could have been a 7."

-- Dr. Bob Rotella, on the drive at the 72nd: "One more half foot and it's over the bridge. That's why golf is a game of mistakes."

-- Flood, laughing, on the putt at the 72nd: "Luckily I didn't look at it--maybe that's why he holed it."

-- Dr. Bob Rotella (says he's worked with Harrington for about five years): "When he made the up-and-down [for a 6 at the 72nd hole], he said, 'Everything I needed to know about myself, I just found out.' "

--Rotella: "When we first started working together, he said, 'Everything has always come hard for me.' Then on the putting green [before the playoff], he said, 'I told you nothing comes easy for me.' "

-- Rotella, on Harrington's son on the putting green before the playoff: "At the putting green, the kid was like an adrenaline rush. Every time Padraig hit a putt, the kid would kick the ball off the green. I said, 'See, Padraig? It's just a game.' "

-- Rotella, on the 72nd hole: "He's worked on acceptance for a long time. It's a hard hole. We said, 'By the end of the week, Van de Velde is going to feel a lot better--there are going to be a lot of guys making 6s and 7s.' "

-- Rotella, on the 18th hole: "He told me earlier in the week, 'All I want to do is make a 4 or a 5.' But what a great hole. It's all we've all talked about all week. A hole like Doral's [finishing hole], there's no comparison: This is the hardest finishing hole in golf, no question."

-- Harrington: "One of the most disappointing days of my life was on this golf course." (His caddie was a little muddy on the details, but says in the 1992 British Amateur Harrington was all square going to the 18th in the semifinals or quarterfinals but hit his second shot out-of-bounds  to lose.)

-- Rotella: "Friday night, he wanted to get into a serious discussion, and I told him, 'We'll have that discussion next week.' "

-- Rotella, on waiting on the putting green before the playoff, "He told me, 'Every time you see my hand like this [Rotella pumps his right hand], that's me lifting the claret jug.' "

-- Harrington: "Miguel Angel Jimenez came up on the first tee [before the playoff] and said, 'Well, we've got a European winner.' "

-- Flood: "It was easy he played so good. He could have shot anything. I've never seen him play so well."

-- Flood: "They say Vijay is the hardest worker; I'd put him [Harrington] against anybody. He's had to tone it down. He can beat balls with anyone."

--On Friday, Harrington said this: "I broke a driver a couple of weeks ago, and I haven't found one I'm comfortable with. The one in my bag this week, I haven't used for a year." After the playoff, Flood said this: "Wilson got him a new driver, and we put it in the bag Saturday." (I'm not great on equipment, but it was a 9-degree Dd6+).

--John Paramor, European Tour rules official, observing Harrington writing his acceptance speech by hand (on a paper, on the underside of the brim of his hat) before the prize-giving: "The man is writing his own speech--brilliant."

-- Flood worked in a bank before taking Harrington's bag: "I quit three years ago to do this, and it's all worth it today." (Flood says his brother went to school with Harrington, "and I've known him forever.")

-- Rotella: "I was talking with Davis Love, and I told him Padraig is as understanding about his game as well as anyone I've ever seen."

-- Flood, when Harrington's mother balked at having her picture taken: "He wants a picture with you--he's the Open champion."

-- Rotella got eight pumps on the back from Harrington shortly before he went out to give his speech.

-- Lehman hung around and gave Sergio a pat on the back. As Sergio departed, he threw four gloves and a ball into the grandstand.

Think they're happy in Ireland? Consider this reaction from The Independent newspaper following Padraig Harrington's win at Carnoustie:

That we should be alive today to witness Irish sporting history made by a modest hero from Dublin is simply wonderful.

The Holy Grail that was the British Open, the oldest and most respected golf Major of them all, has been brought back to Ireland for the first time in 60 years.

Victory by Pádraig has at a single stroke done for Irish golf what Jack Charlton's team did for the national soccer prestige when they qualified for the 1988 European Championships.

Probably the only people in the United Kingdom who were sad about Harrington's victory were the bookies.

"It was an absolute nightmare of a result for us in Ireland. We've been absolutely cleaned out." Tony Kenny, spokesman for booking agency William Hill, which paid out €3,000,000 ($4,142,843) on Harrington, who started the British Open as a 28-1 shot.

CARNOUSTIE, Scotland -- OK, this is getting ridiculous. Tiger Woods has suddenly turned into ... Gerald Ford?

After starting Friday's second round with a drive that ended in the creek, Tiger on Saturday blasted a second shot at the par-5 sixth that found the noggin of a specator. The woman was treated for a cut on her head, although the photo below suggests something a little more serious -- like a quick trip to the emergency room. After hitting her head, the ball bounced toward the green, and Tiger eventually made par.

Wonder if the British touts are laying odds on the whereabouts of Tiger's next errant drive?

CARNOUSTIE, Scotland -- The cost of whacking a tee marker at the British Open?

$1,028.

That's how much Sweden's Henrik Stenson was fined for whacking a tee marker on the eighth hole at the British Open during Friday's second round. Stenson swung at the marker in disgust after a poor shot, taking out half of it. He was fined 500 pounds -- the equivalent of $1,028 -- under the European Tour's disciplinary procedure.

Stenson made triple bogey on the par-3 hole and wound up shooting a 5-over 76. He missed the cut by one stroke.

CARNOUSTIE, Scotland -- Who's the biggest villain in British Open history? Graham Spiers of the Times of London has the 10 men who have been the "subject of mirth and mockery at golf's most famous tournament."

Ranking No. 2 on the list is Maurice Flitcroft (in photo), who died earlier this year and was the topic of a Dave Kindred column that appeared in the July issue of Golf Digest. Spiers writes that the "infamous Mr. Flitcroft perfected a routine of sneaking into the Open pre-qualifying, shanking and splaying the ball everywhere. It caused much mirth for the media but a headache for the Royal and Ancient, who were forced to tighten up the rules."

(There's that word "mirth" again. Must be a British thing.)

So who's No. 1? Well, that honor goes to a certain American who played the Open once, won it, and swore never to come back. If you know the answer, then we'd encourage you to go out and celebrate with lots of mirth.

CARNOUSTIE, Scotland -- For Saturday's third round, Sergio Garcia is dressed in red pants, red hat and red T-shirt, peach-colored golf shirt and sweater. He's also wearing white shoes with red stripes.. The last time he looked this colorful -- at last year's British when he wore all yellow -- he imploded. He is truly a vision.

HARD FINISH: Shaun Micheel, on the difficulty of the 499-yard par-4 18th hole, which he bogeyed Saturday during his round of 1-under 70:

"It's probably the hardest finishing hole ... it may be one of the hardest golf holes, period," he said. "It's just mainly a short par-5. The tee shot is absolutely crucial because if you miss it there, then you're debating whether or not you want to lay up. Unfortunately, I come to that hole first of all thinking about getting my driver in play, and second of all, if I make a five, I'm not as disappointed. I just think four is a bonus."

CHEERS FOR BOO: Boo Weekley has captured the attention and appreciation of the locals. On the first tee Saturday, he received a louder ovation than playing partner Jim Furyk. They were also a few hoots from the grandstand.

-- Mark Soltau

Foul balls may be common in baseball, but you hardly expect them to come off the club of the world's greatest golfer -- at a major no less. But Tiger Woods' errant drive to start his second round ended up in the Barry Burn at Carnoustie, where 14-year-old Willie Smit of South Africa fished it out of the water (while Tiger hit a do-over en route to double bogey). Hey, Willie, want to pay for your college education (or at least PlayStation3)? One word, kid: eBay.

Notes and quotes from Carnoustie:

Charles Howell III after his round Friday: "It's strange. I actually had to fix a few ballmarks out there."

Chris DiMarco: "This is the greenest British Open I have ever seen."

Nick Watney, a first-time winner this year, is playing in his first British Open and made the cut after rounds of 72-71. "I'm having a great time," said Watney, who is rooming with Kevin Stadler in a house near the course. "After watching this course on television, it's pretty cool to experience it in person."

Usually affable Matt Kuchar bogeyed the last two holes and shot 76. As he departed the 18th green, he pounded a wooden barrier with his right fist, clearly uphappy with his finish. He's at 8-over 150.

Happiest people at the Open: those hanging out at the Bollinger Champagne tent next to the media center. Dozens of guests were enjoying buckets of the bubbly, clearly oblivious to the tournament cheers.

-- Mark Soltau

CARNOUSTIE, Scotland -- It wasn't nearly as impressive as his opening-round 68, but a second-round 76 from 18-year-old Rory McIlroy assures the British Open of something that hasn't happened at a major championship in 2007: an amateur making the cut.

The native of Holywood, Northern Ireland, was the fancy of many spectators at Carnoustie after posting the only bogey-free round Thursday and ending the day tied for third, three shots back of Sergio Garcia. McIlroy, whose baby-face looks would make you swear he isn't a day out of grade school, said that nerves weren't the cause of the eight-shot difference in his performance despite more benign conditions Friday.

"A 76 really wasn't reflective of the way I hit it today," McIlroy said. "I hit some good ones but just couldn't get any putts to drop. I had more adrenaline than anything today. I hit a 2-iron almost 290 yards [off the first tee]."

McIlroy finished secondary school in Northern Ireland two years ago and considered going to college in the U.S. Once away from the textbooks, however, he decided he didn't want to turn back. He remained an amateur in hopes of playing on this year's Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup team, a spot being fairly certain after this week's performance.

Locals have long been eyeing McIlroy as a star in waiting ever since he became the youngest player to win both the West of Ireland and the Irish Close Amateur titles in 2005. He followed it a year later by winning the European Amateur and earlier this month helping Ireland win the European Amateur Team championship.

Unless one of the two amateurs still playing this afternoon can post a sub-par round, McIlroy likely will be the only pay-for-pride player left for the weekend, assuring him the silver medal for low amateur. If that is the case, he said that he will be gunning for a top-10 finish as a target.

"I'm just excited to be playing in the Open, and I'm having fun out there," McIlroy said. "That's my No. 1 goal. I'm trying not to think about anything else."

-- Ryan Herrington

CARNOUSTIE, Scotland -- Henrik Stenson had time to cool off and was even able to smile about taking out part of a tee marker after sending his tee shot to the par-3 eighth hole out-of-bounds.

Stenson was signing for a 76 that included a triple-bogey 6 at the eighth when he was informed by European tour rules official John Paramor that he would be fined.

"I don't know the amount; they don't do cash payments," said Stenson, who is 5-over for the tournament. "When I missed the bunkers, I didn't expect out-of-bounds just eight to 10 yards off the side of the green."

Stenson, who finished with a bogey that convinced him that he won't make the cut, clipped the tee marker with a pretty good swing after going O.B. at the eighth. Asked about it after the round, he smiled. "I don't know how you react after you make a triple," he said. "I'm sure I won't be the only one to make a high number at 8 or 18."

-- Mike O'Malley

CARNOUSTIE, Scotland -- Padraig Harrington was in good shape at 2-under before double bogeying the 18th hole Friday for a 73 that left him at even par for the championship, six behind Sergio Garcia.

"I dropped my shots with my driver," Harrington (photo) said. "I broke a driver a couple of weeks ago, and I haven't found one I'm comfortable with. The one in my bag this week, I haven't used for a year."

LUCKY BREAK: Jim Furyk made five birdies and four bogeys during a second-round 70 that put him at two under for the tournament, but one of the better bogeys came at the 10th, where his second shot barely avoided the burn short of the green but stopped next to a tree. "I saw it take one bounce, and that was it," Furyk said. "I've never been so happy to see my ball stymied up against a tree."

Furyk pitched up and two-putted for 5. "If it had been in the water," Furyk said, "it would have been a good 5 but a probable 6."

PUB CRAWL: Furyk and wife Tabitha had grabbed a couple of pizzas to take home after the first round Thursday night before they joined Justin Leonard, Scott Verplank and others at a local pub. "They talked us into one pint," Furyk said. "We got our arms twisted. I wasn't in the condition of quite a few of the patrons."

-- Mike O'Malley

Much to Buddy Marucci's chagrin, BYU All-American Daniel Summerhays has decided to turn pro.

After winning the Nationwide Tour's Children's Hospital Invitational at Ohio State's Scarlet course last week, Summerhays said he was undecided whether he would remain an amateur in order to play on Marucci's U.S. Walker Cup team or turn pro before the biennial event. The victory gave him a 60-day window where he could turn pro and join the Nationwide Tour.

But he didn't wait long to make a decision.

"I would have loved to play in the Walker Cup," Summerhays said. "But when things went so well in Columbus, I had to sit back and take a look at what was best for my career. I don't know what playing in the Walker Cup could have done for my career that winning on the Nationwide Tour didn't do last week. My value to sponsors is probably higher right now than it would have been if I waited almost two months to play in the Walker Cup."

Summerhays, who plans the final seven credits he needs to get his degree from Brigham Young via online studies, will make his professional debut at the Cox Classic in Omaha next week. 

-- John Antonini

So much better.

Sergio Garcia is in contention to win this year's British Open, thanks in part to cutting 36 strokes off his score from his first two rounds at Carnoustie's 1999 Open, in which he carded an 89 in the first round (see photo for proof). In '99, Garcia shaved his head; this year he has shaved three dozen strokes off his score.

The signs of improvement were evident right from the first hole of the championship Thursday. Consider that eight years ago, the then-19-year-old made seven; this time he had a birdie three.

"I got off to a great start. I hit two really solid shots on the first and a wonderful putt," Garcia said. Noting the importance of setting the tone early, Garcia added: "I got my round going from there."

On the ninth hole Thursday, Garcia's four this year was a two-shot improvement over '99; on the 10th and 12th, his three was a three-shot improvement; on the 17th, his three was two shots better; and on the home hole, his up and down from the bunker beat '99's score by another two shots.

In all, the Spaniard improved on 14 out of 18 holes from 1999. On the other four holes (2,3,7,14), Garcia duplicated what he had: par, par, par, birdie.

Garcia's second round saw nine holes of improvement and nine that stayed the same. His par four at the seventh and ninth was two shots better than the sixes he made last time.

You can compare his scorecard from 1999 to the one from this year.

-- Jeff Patterson

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y.-- When you get right down to it, match play is the purest form of golf. It's all about focusing attention on the now. This hole and this shot is all that matters.

Nowhere was that better demonstrated than on No. 14 in Thursday's first round match between Karin Koch and defending champion Brittany Lincicome in the HSBC Women's World Match Play Championship.

Koch was 3-up through 13 holes but appeared to give Lincicome a window back into the match when she drove into the concession stand to the right of the 14th fairway. After much discussion about exactly where she could take her free drop, Koch hit a brilliant punch-cut with a 21-degree hybrid club under one tree and around another to about 40 yards short of the green.

Lincicome, who bombed her drive, left her approach shot from 80 yards about 16 feet above the hole. Koch then wedged it to 4 feet. Lincicome trickled her birdie putt 3 feet past and, after Koch rolled in her par putt, found the tables entirely turned, now needing a 3 footer to halve a hole just moments earlier it appeared she would win.

Lincicome missed and when Koch made another up-and-down from 60 yards on the next hole -- after yet another errant drive -- the Swede won the match.

--Ron Sirak

CARNOUSTIE, Scotland -- Raw.

It's the best way to describe conditions in the morning of the first round of the British Open here at Carnoustie. The persistent rain that greeted the morning threesomes has subsided -- who knows for how long -- but the winds are strong and the temperatures are only in the 60s. It was cold enough that when Tiger Woods' eagle putt on the par-5 sixth fell in the hole for him to take a share of the lead, you could see his breath as he picked the ball out of the hole.

Needless to say, the competitors and the spectators are taking to the tough conditions rather well. As of noon local time, more than a dozen players are under par -- first time anyone has written that sentence from a major this year. Meanwhile, fans, who are allowed to bring food and drink in with them, have packed accordingly. In the grandstands beside the sixth tee, a husband and wife from nearby Aberdeen following Paul Lawrie were drinking coffee from a thermos in their backpack.

Unfortunately, we're all likely going to have to get used to feeling like we're walking around inside a refrigerator. The forecast calls for three more days of similarly dreary weather.

-- Ryan Herrington

CARNOUSTIE, Scotland -- It wasn't the dreary rain and cold of a Scottish summer that dampened Peter Dawson's mood on the eve of the Open Championship. It was knowing that drugs and racism will dominate the Thursday morning headlines all over the United Kingdom -- and that, as secretary of the Royal and Ancient GC, he'll be criticized for being too soft on both levels. The day was being called "tabloid heaven," by veteran observers of U.K. journalism.

Gary Player, the Presidents Cup captain and three-time Open champion, threw out the charge in his news conference that at least 10 players on tours around the world are using performance-enhancing drugs. The R&A, like all of golf, is slow-playing the issue. Random testing is being mentioned but Dawson, the R&A secretary, is speaking the same language as PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem: The World Federation of Tours has to get the details worked out and coordinated -- and even then, Dawson says, it'll probably take a year of education before implementing an anti-doping program that Player says is needed.

Dawson (in photo) also had to deal with the offensive and racist comments made at Tuesday night's Association of Golf Writers dinner in the R&A tent at Carnoustie by Graham Brown, a highly respected member of the R&A's rules committees and former club president at Royal Liverpool GC, site of last year's Open Championship. While it was clear that Dawson was embarrassed and dressed down Brown privately, he wasn't going to ask Brown to resign. He apologized for Brown, who was described by Dawson as "horrified at the impression he has left and horrified at learning the effects or the impact of some of his remarks."

Writers from Scotland's Daily Record and London's Daily Express -- the two largest tabloids in their respective countries -- were questioning Dawson the hardest. The AGW issued a statement of apology. Dawson said the R&A did not condone racism and that Brown was not representing the R&A at the podium.

What's both scary and telling is that in this day and age, Brown had no clue he crossed the line. The man is so knowledgeable about the rules of golf, but so out of touch when it comes to knowing his audience. He's one of those guys who has probably never heard of You Tube, let alone Hall Thompson.

-- Tim Rosaforte

The latest -- and last -- Harry Potter book will go on sale Saturday, and while that might not impact your tee time, it's likely your children will want to read whether the boy wizard lives or dies. In honor of what could be the most highly anticipated book release of this generation, here is Golf Digest resident historian Cliff Schrock's list of top golfing Harrys (along with a few variations).

By the way, The Complete Golfer, written by top-ranked Harry Vardon (see book cover in photo), ranks 428,623 in Amazon.com's sales ranking -- or roughly 428,622 behind where Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows may soon end up.

1. Harry Vardon -- Six-time British Open champion and 1900 U.S. Open winner; his method for holding the grip by itself earned him immortality.

2. Harry Cooper -- "Lighthorse" Harry won 31 pro titles; the Englishman won the first-ever Vardon Trophy.

3. Harry Lillis Crosby -- You might know him as Bing. A fine amateur player whose 1937 clam bake at Pebble Beach started a love affair with pro-ams.

4. Harry Bradshaw -- 1949 British Open runner-up who on the fifth hole in the second round hit a ball that had rolled into an empty beer bottle in the rough.

5. Harold Henning -- South African pro who won the 1965 World Cup with partner Gary Player.

6. Harold Hilton -- Won the 1892 British Open and was a four-time British Amateur champion and U.S. Amateur winner.

7. Harold McSpaden -- One of the Gold Dust Twins with Byron Nelson, McSpaden was a 17-time winner on tour.

8. Harrison Frazar -- A steady performer with more than $7 million in tour earnings.

9. Harry Weetman --A 7-time Ryder Cupper for the British side.

10. Harry Ashby -- Won the 1972 English Amateur.

11. Harry Givan -- From Seattle, was a 1936 Walker Cup player and contender in many U.S. Amateurs.

12. Harry Toscano -- Senior PGA Tour player who had attended the University of Houston.

13. Harold Ridgley -- Runner-up in the 1957 British Amateur.

14. Harry Bannerman -- Scottish pro who played in the 1971 Ryder Cup.

15. Harry Bentley -- Won the 1936 English Amateur, and was a three-time Walker Cup player.

16. Harry (Big Crawford) Crawford -- Scottish caddie back in the early 1900s.

17. H.S. (Harry) Colt -- British golf course architect.

18. Harry Todd -- American who was low amateur in the 1941 U.S. Open.

19. Harriot Curtis -- U.S. Women's Amateur c