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David Toms: How To Hit The Short Grass

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Reaction: Debating the 2014 United States Ryder Cup captain

Steve Hennessey — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 20:48:00 GMT

Davis Love III led the U.S. team out to a four-point lead before Sunday's final round. He admits he still second guesses some of his decisions. By Stephen Hennessey The European cheers from the...

PGA hints Ryder Cup pick will be "different"

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 20:40:00 GMT

By Sam Weinman

For those handicapping the U.S. Ryder Cup captain's selection, consider this somewhat loaded remark by PGA of America president Ted Bishop at a media luncheon Tuesday in New York:

"We've done something a little bit different this year," Bishop said.

Tom Watson in 1993 was the last Ryder Cup captain to win in Europe. Photo: Chris Cole/Getty Images

Presumably Bishop was referring to more than the decision to announce the picks on the "Today" show Thursday morning, but also the standard PGA of America practice of designated a forty-something former major champion winner as the team's next captain. That philosophy stems from the idea that such a player would be young enough to be in touch with today's tour stars, but old enough to no longer be competitive themselves. But perhaps because there's a dearth of such players available -- David Toms, 45, is the only one who jumps out (though, he reportedly has not been approached about the position) -- the PGA may be more leaning toward the likes of Larry Nelson (65) or Tom Watson (63).

Watson was captain of the last U.S. team to win in Europe, at the Belfry in 1993 and said this week he'd love another chance at a captaincy. Nelson, meanwhile, is a three-time major champion with a 9-3-1 career Ryder Cup record who has famously been passed over in the past. But if Bishop's statement is an indicator, he could be getting a second look this year.

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Rosaforte: Gainey a true rags-to-riches story

Sun, 21 Oct 2012 23:52:00 GMT

By Tim Rosaforte

Tommy Gainey Sr.--the original Tommy "Two Gloves" Gainey--had to excuse himself and step outside. There was so much noise inside Bishopville CC in South Carolina on Sunday night that he couldn't hear. Up on a TV screen, his son, Tommy Jr., had just won the McGladrey Classic with a final-round 60 to beat three potential Hall of Famers: Davis Love III, Jim Furyk and David Toms. It was an open bar.

"I'm telling you right now I'm the proudest papa in the world," Gainey said. "Tommy is such a good boy and for somebody to come from a small town like Bishopville, be a little unorthodox, never went to college and win on the PGA Tour? How hard do you think that is?"

Photo by Getty Images

When he was a boy, Tommy and his brother Allen would come to Bishopville CC in their bare feet and hit shag balls while their father played in his two gloves. Working in the factories as a material planner for 41 years, Mr. Gainey didn't have enough money to buy his sons two sets of clubs, so they shared.

"I knew the talent Tommy had," his dad said. "He had a special talent ever since he started playing. What I'm so proud of, even though this year hasn't been great to him, is that somehow or another, he can find a 60 inside him last day of a tournament. That is just remarkable."

What's remarkable is that Gainey started the day seven strokes back, or that he shot the lowest score on the PGA Tour in 2012, or that four years ago, at the Children's Miracle Network Classic, he shot a final-round 64 to finish solo second. It was his best finish on the PGA Tour until Sunday on St. Simons Island, Ga., but he didn't earn enough money to keep his card. The man that beat him that day was Davis Love III.

That was the Tommy Gainey that Tommy Gainey saw on the mini-tours, or on the Golf Channel's Big Break, when he learned to play in front of the cameras.

"It's tough being a daddy to start with," Gainey Sr. said. "But buddy to have a boy 37 years old out there, never been taught anything about golf, and he beats some of the world's best players, I feel so doggone good it almost hurts."

What hurts so good is that this won't change Tommy "Two Gloves" Gainey. During the two-and-a-half-hour wait between when Gainey posted his 60 and Furyk, Tommy Sr. and Tommy Jr. talked on the phone. When Toms hit a drive, Tommy Jr. could hear Tommy Sr. rooting it into a fairway bunker.

"He said, 'Dad, you can't pull against these guys," Gainey Sr. said. "I said, 'Tommy, those three guys they have everything, they're Hall of Famers."

When it was over, Tommy Sr. headed back to his house in Bishopville so his wife, Judy, could punch the clock for the graveyard shift at the wood plant. He took early retirement when he was 57 but now, at 65, he does consulting work for A.O. Smith, the factory where Tommy Jr. worked as a teenager wrapping insulation around water heaters for $8.25 an hour.

That was on the mind of Tommy Sr., and in the conversation with his son on the range at Sea Island Resort, as he hits balls waiting to see what Toms, Love and Furyk would do.

"I told him he better hurry up and get home," Gainey Sr. said. "You've got a $2,000 bar bill at the club."

Tim Rosaforte is a Golf World senior writer and Golf Channel's Tour Insider.

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What the stats project for Day 3 at the U.S. Open

Sat, 16 Jun 2012 12:45:00 GMT

Five notable second-round stats that indicate how the U.S. Open might unfold Saturday, provided by Golf World contributing writer Brett Avery, who compiles the Rank and File statistical sections for the magazine's coverage of the major championships and other significant events.

David Toms has the best third round scoring average in majors among the three 54-hole leaders. Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images

1. Which of the three former major championship winners who share the lead at one-under-par 139 traditionally turns in his best performances in the third round of majors? It would be tempting to guess Tiger Woods (69-70), but his lowest average round is the second (70.281), followed by the third (70.500 in 58 career third rounds). Or perhaps it's Jim Furyk (70-69), but he's also best in the second round (71.910) and Saturday is only his third-best day (72.094 in 63 rounds). Actually it's David Toms (69-70), who has averaged 71.727 in 33 career Saturday rounds in majors. Toms, however, has been inconsistent recently Saturday at majors. He shot 76 in the 2010 Open at Pebble Beach (T-33) and 75 in this year's Masters (T-50). Furyk hasn't broken 70 in the third round of a major in his last nine tries, since his 68 in the '09 Masters (T-10). And Woods has broken 70 just once in six attempts since his 2009 car crash, a 66 in the '10 Open (T-4).

2. After Michael Thompson grabbed a three-shot lead following 18 holes, the field was able to bunch up after he collapsed (66-75). By sundown 14 players remained within four shots of the frontrunners. The 36-hole leaders in the first four Opens at Olympic Club:

--1955: Tommy Bolt and Harvie Ward at four-over 144; seven others within four

--1966: Billy Casper and Arnold Palmer at three-under 137; two others within four (Rives McBee and Phil Rodgers at par 140)

--1987: Tom Watson and Mark Wiebe at 137; 21 others within four

--1998: Payne Stewart at 137; 10 others within four

There is a history of a gang of contenders sticking around through 54 holes at Olympic. Ben Hogan (217) was pursued by eight players within four shots in '55 and Watson (208) still had 19 players equally as close. Then again, Palmer and Stewart (207 apiece) each had only two players within four shots, yet lost.

3. Of the 14 players within four strokes, only two have won major championships: Graeme McDowell (69-72, 2010 Open) and Charl Schwartzel (73-70, 2011 Masters). In the true fashion of an all-comers Open, that group also featured three players in the world top 10 (Hunter Mahan, 72-71, ranked eighth; Matt Kuchar, 70-73, sixth; Jason Dufner, 72-71, ninth) and three players outside the top 500 (John Peterson, 71-70, 831st; Aaron Watkins, 72-71, T-734; amateur Beau Hossler, 70-73, unranked).

4. Hossler, 17, who temporarily took the lead at -2 after making birdie at the first hole, threatened to become the first amateur leading after an Open round since Mike Reid's 67 at Atlanta Athletic Club was the only sub-par return in 1976's Open round. He finished T-50. Hossler promptly went bogey-par-double-bogey-bogey-birdie-bogey to shoot 73 and settle into a tie for ninth. The last time an amateur led the Open through 54 holes was Jim Simons, who closed with 76 at Merion in 1971 and totaled 283. That put him in a tie for fifth, three away from the Lee Trevino-Jack Nicklaus playoff. Hossler, who missed the cut last year at Congressional, became the first high school player to qualify for consecutive Opens since Mason Rudolph in 1950-51.

5. With the cut made, everyone begins the last two rounds at the first tee. Looming in front of every competitor are the first six holes, which played to a combined +2.647 over par in the second round. The leaders versus those holes in the first 36:

--Furyk: +1 (one bogey, two birdies)

--Woods: E (three bogeys, including the sixth both days; three birdies)

--Toms: +2 (three bogeys, including the sixth both days; one birdie at fourth)

--Peterson: +2 (double at sixth Thursday; three bogeys; three birdies)

--Nicolas Colsaerts: +5 (doubles at first and third Thursday; bogey at sixth Friday)

--Graeme McDowell: +1 (three bogeys, two birdies)

--Thompson: +3 (five bogeys, including the fifth both days; two birdies)

-- Brett Avery
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PGA Tour: Fantasy Fix: FedEx St. Jude Classic

Alex Myers — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 16:00:00 GMT

We discuss Tiger's big win, Rory's big struggles, a big Swede's close calls, and of course, this week's PGA Tour stop.

PGA Tour: Fantasy Fix: Crowne Plaza Invitational

Alex Myers — Tue, 22 May 2012 04:00:00 GMT

We discuss Jason Dufner's domination, Ben Hogan's legacy, rookies with cool names, and of course, this week's PGA Tour stop.

Toms finishes strong in return from difficult loss

Sun, 13 May 2012 19:16:00 GMT

A year after one of the toughest losses of his life, David Toms hoped returning to TPC Sawgrass would help jump start his 2012 season and it did. It just took 59 holes to get going.

At one-over par through five holes of his final round at the Players, Toms holed a wedge for eagle from 123 yards on the par-4 sixth. A couple hours later, he'd made the biggest move up the leader board on Sunday, closing with a 65 to jump into the top five at the time of signing his card.

"I was so far back, and I was just trying to have a decent finish," Toms said. "So, you know, no reason why I shouldn't shoot at a flag. What's the difference in 44th and 34th? That's the way I was playing out there, and I just happened to play a great round of golf."

Toms puts last year in past, looks to jumpstart 2012 at the Players

Wed, 09 May 2012 20:19:00 GMT

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- Like plenty of players before, David Toms saw his chance to win the Players vanish on TPC Sawgrass' 17th hole last year. The difference was his golf ball never got wet.

Toms did the hard part on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff with K.J. Choi, hitting the island green and leaving himself a 18-foot birdie putt for the win. But after running his attempt some three-and-a-half feet by, he missed the comebacker for par to assure Choi the win.

Photo by Getty Images

Despite the letdown, Toms vowed in his post-tournament press conference to build off his otherwise great week that included a birdie on the 72nd hole to force the playoff. He went so far as to say he would "win again soon," and he did, winning the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial the following week.

Equipment: Every's Extreme Putter Raises Old Questions About Role Of MOI

E. Michael Johnson — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Increasing a club's moment of inertia to reduce twisting at impact is a good thing, but, especially for putters, some believe there may be a point of diminishing returns.