Jack Nicklaus' appearance before the first round of the Deutsche Bank Championship was warmly nostalgic. The 67-year-old Golden Bear came to Boston to meet with the U.S. Presidents Cup team he is captaining for the third straight time, as well as promote a book on his career, "Simply the Best!" that presents the finest compilation of Nicklaus photos ever seen. Produced by Martin Davis in the style of his classic, "The Hogan Mystique," the seven-pound, coffee-table volume is a wonderful contribution to golf history and is being excerpted in the upcoming October edition of Golf Digest. My only quibble is the exclamation point in the title, which Davis will hopefully lose in the second printing.

At the book promotion, Nicklaus was insightful as ever. Looking back, he said he essentially had two careers. The first was as a beefy 210-pounder with a crew cut who in his late teens and early 20s hit the ball so hard that he routinely cracked the heads of persimmon-headed drivers. The swing photos in the new book of the young Nicklaus entering the hitting area with a driver are the epitome of golf power being unleashed, the positions so correct, athletic and obviously explosive that they almost by themselves supply the reason for his greatness.

The second career came after the then 29-year-old Nicklaus decided, upon finding himself inordinately tuckered out at the 1969 Ryder Cup, to lose weight. During a break of three months from competition, he accomplished his goal mostly by playing "speed" golf at the course he lives next to in North Palm Beach, Fla.--Lost Tree--running between shots while carrying six clubs and finishing 18 holes in about an hour. After getting down to about 185 pounds, Nicklaus said he definitely lost some of his distance and power, but felt healthier, grew his hair longer and became a better strategist. "After I dropped the weight, I couldn't do some of the things with the golf ball that I used to, but it was worth it," he said. "I think I won my first three tournaments when I rejoined the tour, and I played the best golf of my career from 1972 to 1975."

Nicklaus said what pleased him most about the new book were the tributes written by his toughest competitors and close friends Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Lee Trevino and Tom Watson. The book is a rich repository of old photos and memorabilia, but when asked how much he has been concerned with retaining such stuff, Nicklaus made a circle with his index finger and thumb. Most of the saving has been done by Barbara Nicklaus, who is such a pack rat that according to her husband, she still has the dress she wore at her high school prom. And only recently did Barbara finally part with a white vicuña coat that Jack gave her as a makeup gift for forgetting their first anniversary in 1961. "She gave it to an old friend, who wears it all the time," Nicklaus said. "It cost me $900 when I didn't have a lot of money, but it got me out of trouble."

--Jaime Diaz

Paul Casey continues to demonstrate that he really isn't such a bad guy. In an interview before starting defense of his title at this weekend's Johnnie Walker Classic, Casey announced he has started a foundation to introduce children ages 6-15 to a variety of sports, including golf, tennis and cricket, at the club in Surrey, England, where he learned the game growing up. "Sport is on the decline in schools," Casey explained at the press conference. "I'm not going to save the world or anything, but I think it's time I did my bit."

--Mary Rung

(Photo: Andrew Reddington/Getty Images)

It's becoming more and more fashionable among the rock stars of the game to skip at least one FedEx Cup event. Tiger Woods set the precedent at The Barclays. Ernie Els bowed out of this week's test, the Deutsche Bank Championship. So, who's next?

The logical choice among the game's superstars would be Phil Mickelson, who has until 5 p.m. Friday to commit to the BMW Championship in suburban Chicago. Phil's decision to play or not will hinge on whether he wants to play four straight coming back from a wrist injury when—like Woods and Els—he really doesn't have to. (Not after finishing T-7 at The Barclays, with points worth more at the Tour Championship.) His record at Cog Hill is also less than stellar: one top-25 in 10 appearances, including two missed cuts dating back to 1992.

No word from the Mickelson Camp, but the subject will no doubt be something he and Woods chat about Friday afternoon during the opening round at the TPC-Boston. As for Vijay Singh, don't worry: He'll probably play the remaining five Fall Finish events--after four straight on the FedEx circuit and the Presidents Cup--just to stay loose.

The subject never came up during Mickelson's "Five Good Minutes" segment on ESPN's PTI with Tony Kornheiser and Dan Le Batard. The hot topics were Phil's pick for the Super Bowl, his take on the FedEx Cup, his relationship with Woods, and Commissioner Tim Finchem's (sort of) announcement that the tour will begin drug testing in 2008.

In a playful mood, Mickelson said while discussing drug testing: "Well, I think I'm going to cut back now. . . . I think it's been obvious it was directed toward me."

When Mickelson was asked, "Stop the steroid use?" Lefty kept the one-liners coming.

"Well, I thought it was flaxseed oil, but that's my misunderstanding."

--Tim Rosaforte

(Photo: Travis Lindquist/Getty Images)

Tim Finchem, in typical Tim Finchem fashion, played his cards close to the vest when he spoke with reporters at the Deutsche Bank Championship on Thursday. The two revelations:
1) He's not upset that players are taking weeks off during the FedEx Cup Playoffs
2) The PGA Tour could have drug testing in place by the start of next season.

Of course, if you really read through the transcript, you're not sure he said anything of the kind. In fact, you're not even sure it's the English language.

For instance, on potential FedEx Cup Playoffs revisions, Finchem says: "But the actual process of dealing with, well, does this suggestion make sense or that suggestion make sense, is something that would be later."

And on a potential drug testing program: "It'll be a combination of things that are banned, and then the extent to which we execute on the policy will cover all the substances that are banned. So I'll have more definitive information for you later."

Eeeek!

But then maybe this clears it up . . . or doesn't: "But you know, I don't know the extent to which any commissioner can take responsibility for eradicating the problem, but you have to take responsibility for taking your best efforts to either deal with the problem or try to eradicate it."

Of course, keeping us in the dark tends to be just the way the Commissioner likes it.

--Mike Stachura

(Photo: Scott Halleran/Getty Images)

Rory Sabbatini has become a media favorite in the past few months, mostly because he's not afraid to tell it like it is. During his sit-down in the interview room yesterday at the Deutsche Bank Championship, outside Boston, Sabbatini addressed:

1) His latest confrontation with a fan. ("Say it to my face, buddy.")
2) How the media has paraphrased his statements to their liking and put a very bitter taste in his mouth
3) Why, unlike some players, he speaks his mind.
4) What he really thinks about Tiger.
5) Who he'd choose to take on Tiger in the Presidents Cup singles match if he were captain Gary Player.
Check out his transcript here.

And while you're it, don't miss what Jack Nicklaus had to say about Sabbatini, and who Jack identified as the one guy who riled him up by running his mouth back in the '60s.

(Photos: Stuart Franklin, Hunter Martin/Getty Images)

NEW YORK--Outside the Ritz-Carlton, Central Park, George Lopez was easy to spot. The iconic comedian/tournament host and cast member in those beautifully done Crowne Plaza round-tables was in Manhattan on Wednesday for the debut of his new movie, "Balls of Fury," with Christopher Walken. But like any golf fan, Lopez had an opinion about the FedEx Cup.

Lopez liked the golf played at Westchester but not the concept. "It's a tough sell," he said, the premise being that, "Golf isn't about points, it's about strokes." And unlike the checkered-flag finish of a NASCAR race, it's not like the FedEx Cup is going to be decided by something dramatically comparable, like a hole-out on the last hole. "It's too slow moving," he said.

Before letting him go, I had to ask about those Crowne Plaza commercials that also feature Lee Trevino, David Feherty, Natalie Gulbis, Alice Cooper and legendary Golf Digest writer Dan Jenkins. Lopez said that Jenkins "validated them." George also loved the work of Feherty as the commercial's straight man. Lopez's interaction with Trevino, however, is what really works, especially his line about the wrench.

In the spot called "Wrench," Feherty asks what everyone thinks about technology. To which Lopez says, "I was against technology until a club company came out with a club that you could buy that had a wrench. Now for Latinos, you know . . . We kept the wrench and threw the club away."

Somewhere down the line, when Lopez does a golf movie, it will be as Trevino in the life story of the Merry Mex.

--Tim Rosaforte

(Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

With a $10 million annuity going to the winner of the FedEx Cup and a total purse of $35 million being paid out, one hot topic on the practice range lately has been what kind of bonus caddies can expect if their player wins a ton of dough.

A hotter topic this week at the Deutsche Bank will be some of the player-caddie breakups that have gone down in recent days.

Scott Gneiser, who had caddied for David Toms for more than eight years while Toms won 11 times and earned almost $25 million, has been let go. Fortunately for Gneiser, he wasn't unemployed for very long. Anthony Kim has hired Gneiser to work for him this week at the Deutsche Bank.

Kim, a PGA Tour Rookie-of-the-Year candidate who has earned more than $1.5 million this year, dumped caddie Ron (Bambi) Levin after the final round of The Barclays on Sunday. Levin had been with Kim since late last year, when Kim finished tied for second at the Valero Texas Open and T-16 at the Southern Farm Bureau Classic. Prior to that, Levin had caddied for 2004 British Open champion Todd Hamilton.

Toms will have former Justin Leonard caddie Brent Everson on the bag this week.

--Tim Rosaforte

(Photo: Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

Bomb & Gouge were inspired to take on the subject of long putters, thanks in no small part to Colt Knost's victory in the U.S. Amateur on Sunday at the Olympic Club. The recent switch by Sergio Garcia to a belly putter has improved his game, and Retief Goosen and Mark Calcavecchia were seen trying long putters at The Barclays last week. Bomb has no problem with the longer putters. He says there's no rule against them, so play on. Gouge? Well, let's just say Gouge takes a slightly different view. Check out the latest exchange between the Equipment Editors of Golf Digest and Golf World.

This week The Angry Golfer is relieved to report he wasn't roughed up by any overly enthusiastic security guards at Westchester Country Club.

Colin Montgomerie has a new woman in his life, and reports are the pair will be married as early as January. Monty's new love is Gaynor Knowles.

As Shan Ross and Mike Aitken report in The Scotsman today, Knowles, 40, is the widow of Scots furniture tycoon George Knowles whose family built up the Tillicoultry-based Sterling Furniture Group.

She inherited a £20 million fortune on his death in 2003. Her late husband was an avid collector of classic cars and he left 70, including a Ferrari, a Lamborghini and an Aston Martin.

She lives in a £1.5 million mansion at Drum of Garvock near the village of Dunning, a few miles south of Perth, with her four children - son George, 18, and daughters Lindsey, 15, Christie, 12 and seven-year-old Aimee.

She has admitted having little knowledge of golf but has supported Montgomerie at major tournaments. Her calming influence has been said to have helped Montgomerie regain his golfing form.

(Photo: Andrew Reddington/Getty Images)