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13 Horribly-Timed Water Balls

Luke Kerr-Dineen — Mon, 13 May 2013 04:00:00 GMT

Recounting shots that found the drink at inopportune moments

Harrington answers Ryder critics with his play

Thu, 23 Aug 2012 18:08:00 GMT

(Photo: Scott Halleran/Getty Images)

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. -- Padraig Harrington entered the FedEx Cup playoffs knowing it was mathematically impossible to make the European Ryder Cup team on his own. With no points awarded for the four FedEx Cup events, Harrington is dependent upon a captain's pick from Jose Maria Olazabal, something the Irishman knows is far from a guarantee. A 64 on Thursday -- including a 29 on the back nine -- at the notoriously-difficult Bethpage Black should help his cause, if not add a little more intrigue into an already juicy subplot at this week Barclays.

"I don't know where I sit," Harrington said, before cracking, "or maybe I do. I'm Irish, and we pay a lot of attention to the bookmakers and their odds, and I'm sure if I went and had a look at the odds, I would be a longshot to make the team."

Despite his strong play throughout most of 2012, Harrington's weak schedule -- he missed out on eight tournaments that guarantee world ranking points due to a poor 2011 -- has dropped him to 62 in the world and put him well outside of the top 10 automatic qualifying spots for the European team. And a much-publicized run-in with Olazabal at the 2003 Seve Trophy has many wondering if the bad blood will overshadow Harrington's strong performances at the year's big events. Though he remains winless in 2012, Harrington finished in the top 10 at both the Masters and U.S. Open, and in the top 20 at the PGA.

Related: FedEx Cup's Finest

Prior to the season's final major, Olazabal said Harrington would need to play "extraordinarily well" at Kiawah to sway his hand toward selecting the six-time Ryder Cup player. And though a T-18 might not have done much to move the needle in his favor, his opening round on a two-time U.S. Open venue definitely caught the captain's attention.

Olazabal was told of Harrington's 64 after his own opening round Thursday in the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles, the final qualifying event before he announces the final two selections on Monday. But when asked what the four-time Ryder Cup winner had to do this week in order to make the team, Olazabal replied bluntly: "At least win."

"I would be a liar to tell you I'm not thinking about the Ryder Cup," Harrington admitted. "I thought about it too much at the PGA [Championship] for sure. I think I've had a little bit of clarity since the PGA and certainly I've had a better ability to do my own thing this week."

"Guys in the U.S., you can't understand how big of a deal [the Ryder Cup] is in Europe. It's very important. It's just a big, big deal."

On Wednesday, when asked about the choice facing his fellow countryman, Sergio Garcia backed his captain, saying Harrington "wouldn't be a sure pick" if he were in Olazabal's shoes. Ironically it was Sergio's win at Wyndham -- securing a guaranteed spot on the Ryder Cup team -- that re-opened the door for Harrington. With only two spots remaining, Garcia was seen as a favorite to earn one of the captain's picks, but now that he's locked up a place on the team, the spotlight has turned back to Harrington.

One thing Harrington and Sergio can both agree on is that Olazabal will pick whoever he thinks is best for the team. And while it wouldn't guarantee him a spot, a win at this year's Barclays -- against a field boasting nine of the world's top 10 -- would certainly help Harrington's cause. That sentiment was echoed by world No. 1 Rory McIlroy who said a win this week would make the choice obvious. "Of course, you'd have to [pick Harrington]."

Either way, Harrington needs to do his own part here at Bethpage if he plans on making his seventh consecutive Ryder Cup team.

"I'm sitting here after shooting 64 around Bethpage leading the tournament, and we're spending 90 percent of the time talking about [the Ryder Cup]," Harrington joked, knowing full well his performance throughout the tournament will be put under the microscope. If Thursday was any indication of how well he handles the pressure, Harrington should have little to worry about.

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What the stats project for Day 3 at the PGA Championship

Sat, 11 Aug 2012 02:18:00 GMT

By Brett Avery

Six notable second-round stats that indicate how the PGA Championship might unfold Saturday at Kiawah Island's Ocean Course, 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.

Carl Pettersson ranks 19th on tour this year in scoring average, but 29th on Saturdays. Photo by: The State/Getty Images

1. For more than a decade it was a foregone conclusion that Tiger Woods (69-71) had the capacity to stun people with his weekend play in major championships. Saturday and Sunday have become the litmus test, however, since losing the 2009 PGA to Y.E. Yang and then suffering his one-car accident a few months later. Woods averaged 70.396 on weekends in majors as a professional through the '09 PGA. But since returning to competition at the '10 Masters, he has averaged 71.083 in majors and 71.750 after those cuts. Woods has broken par just once in his last 12 weekend major rounds -- a 67 in the '11 Masters as he placed T-4. In those same dozen rounds he's averaged 72.333. So far this season on the PGA Tour, Woods ranks fifth in scoring average before the cut (69.98), but 33rd in third rounds (70.18) and 24th in final rounds (70.20).

2. Vijay Singh has been saying to anyone who will listen (or read his Tweets) for the last few months that he's been close to form. Singh's 71-69 at Kiawah Island makes four straight rounds in majors at par or better, following his 68-70 conclusion at last month's British Open at Royal Lytham. That is Singh's best such run since a seven-round streak encompassing every round at the '05 British at St. Andrews (69-69-71-72, T-5) and three of the '05 PGA at Baltusrol (70-67-69-74, T-10). Singh has not had back-to-back major top 10s since the '06 Masters (T-8) and U.S. (T-6).

3. Carl Pettersson (66-74) bogeyed three of his last four holes, the Ocean Course's sixth through eighth, yet kept a share of the lead at four-under 140. It is the fifth time the Swede has led through 36 holes in a PGA Tour event. He failed to convert at the '04 Honda Classic (T-13) and '05 Children's Miracle Network Classic (T-15) but he was successful in the '06 Memorial and '08 Wyndham. This season Pettersson won the RBC Heritage down the coast at Harbour Town on Hilton Head Island after seconds in the Sony Open in Hawaii and Houston. Pettersson ranks 19th on tour this year in scoring average (69.79) but his weakest day has been Saturday (70.07, ranked 29th).

4. The field scoring average for the second round was 78.107 when play was halted at 8:16 p.m. with Joost Luiten the only player on the course. Regardless of how Luiten plays the 18th hole Saturday morning, the second round will rank as the highest day in a PGA since the first round in 1958 at Llanerch (76.8). It also will be the highest round in a major since the closer of the '04 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills (78.727), followed by the first round of the '99 British at Carnoustie (78.314). This year's second round also finishes slightly below the first round of the 1993 Buick Invitational (78.383).

5. Sixteen different players have won the last 16 majors, a streak that kicked off with Padraig Harrington in the '08 PGA at Oakland Hills. Only four contenders in the top 23 at sundown Friday night can prevent that streak from reaching 17: Rory McIlroy (-2/T-5), Phil Mickelson (E/T-12), Graeme McDowell (E/T-12) and Keegan Bradley (+1/T-15). Of those 23 at one over or better, only nine have won majors. And in that streak of 16 victories, only one was secured with an over-par total: Webb Simpson shot one-over 281 in this year's U.S. Open at The Olympic Club.

6. Unless someone withdraws or is disqualified during the last 36 holes, a dozen players will make the cut in all four majors this year. Adam Scott (987) and Graeme McDowell (990) are the only two beating par of 992 for the first 14 rounds. Closest to them are Ian Poulter (995), Tiger Woods (997), Padraig Harrington (998) and Jim Furyk (1,001). Those standings indicate a player from outside the United States will post the lowest aggregate total for the 15th time since 1960, but the fourth time in the last five seasons. Harrington won the unofficial title in 2008 (1,139) followed by Ross Fisher (1,138), Mickelson (1,130) and Charl Schwartzel (1,118). Two rounds of par 72 at Kiawah Island would put Scott at 1,131.

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Weekend Tip: Winning at match play

Roger Schiffman — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Head to head. Mano a mano. You against me. However you put it, July and August are traditionally the months for match-play tournaments. Many club championships are contested at match play, as are most member-guests....

Kuchar quietly plays his way into striking range on Saturday at the Travelers

Sun, 24 Jun 2012 00:29:00 GMT

Matt Kuchar tees off during the third round of the Travelers Championship. Photo by: The Hartford Courant/Getty Images

CROMWELL, Conn. -- While Bubba Watson and Padraig Harrington were capturing the crowd's attention with swift moves up the leaderboard, it was the stoic consistency of Matt Kuchar that might have gone the most unnoticed. Yet with a third round 66 that put him in a five-way tie for 6th place, the normally quiet Kuchar is now in position to make a lot of noise on Sunday at the Travelers Championship.

"I think it would be a lot of fun to make a good run tomorrow... I think everyone up there is playing well and I think going to play well, so somebody's going to have to go low to win tomorrow."

Kuchar's back nine on Saturday showed he's very much capable of going low. After a disappointing first 11 holes that saw the 2012 Players Championship winner fall to one-over on the day, he reeled off five birdies over the last seven holes -- including a dramatic putt on 18 -- to play his way back into contention.

"Fortunately things picked up pretty quickly with four birdies in a row ... and then I made a bomb on 18, so it was a great finish."

Related: Matt Kuchar's swing sequence

"Glad I made that last putt," Kuchar admitted with a wry smile, before explaining how difficult the read was. "It was tough. The green is completely in the shade. [When] the shade comes over, all the breaks kind of go away and I had my caddie actually take a look at it, and I never call him in. We got a similar read, and fortunately I had a good feel for what I thought it was going to do and got it on a good lie and just kept trickling. Went all the way in."

Heading into Sunday's final round, Kuchar finds himself in a packed field, tied with Harrington and Charley Hoffman, one ahead of Watson, and one behind Stuart Appleby. But with some unfamiliar names atop the leaderboard, including leaders Roland Thatcher and Brian Davis -- neither of whom have won on the PGA Tour -- a come from behind victory is a totally reasonable expectation. Even if the reserved Kuchar would never let on. "I'm happy to be a little closer, within range to have a chance."

He may not do a lot of talking off the course, but Kuchar's game speaks for himself. And after that tremendous final putt on 18, the crowd let the leaders a few holes behind him know exactly who they should be wary of.

"Kooooooch!"

-- Derek Evers
Follow @derekevers

Saturday stats: Hanson-Mickelson unbeatable

Sun, 08 Apr 2012 03:03:00 GMT

(Paul Lawrie has the lowest world-ranking among the top-10 competitors at The Masters. Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Nine notable third-round Masters stats from Golf World contributing writer Brett Avery, who compiles the Rank and File statistical sections for the magazine's major championship coverage.

1. World rankings of the contenders: Peter Hanson 25th, Phil Mickelson 14th, Louis Oosthuizen 27th, Bubba Watson 16th, Matt Kuchar 18th, Hunter Mahan fourth, Padraig Harrington 96th, Henrik Stenson 171st, Lee Westwood third, Paul Lawrie 186th.

This Sunday can be the longest day of the year

Sat, 07 Apr 2012 23:56:00 GMT

(Peter Hanson and the scoreboard of players chasing him on Sunday. Photo by Robyn Beck/Getty Images)

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- So you wake up at 7 o'clock, as usual. Only it's not the usual day. This day you have a chance to be somebody. You can win the Masters. Before you can do that, though, you wait. The contenders tee off late. So you wait. Then wait. It might be noon before you leave for the golf course, and you leave only because you can't figure out another way to wait.

"You're thinking, 'What's the day hold?' 'How confident am I in what I'm doing?'" Brandt Snedeker said he asked those questions of himself on an April morning in 2008. That day he was up at 7. He waited. He was two shots off Trevor Immelman's lead. "It's a hard wait. You know how important it is. You get this nervous feeling." He smiled because he knew what he'd say next is too true to be funny. "Golfers are not good with idle time."

Is Garcia ready to break through at Augusta?

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 22:20:00 GMT

(Photo: Getty Images)

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- A reporter asked Sergio Garcia which of the golfer's fingers was bothering him.

"This one," Garcia said, flashing a mock obscene gesture with his left middle finger to roars of laughter Friday afternoon in the interview room at Augusta National GC.

For a change, despite his infected fingernail, birds of a different sort weren't rare for Garcia at the Masters.

The Spaniard had six of them en route to a four-under 68 and a 36-hole total of 140, one stroke behind the leaders heading into the weekend. Midway through the major championship that has been the most frustrating in a career full of Grand Slam disappointment, Garcia is in great position to break his 0-for-53 drought in the majors.

Harrington selling advertising space to raise money for family tragedy

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 18:35:00 GMT

Your name could appear on Padraig Harrington. And it's for a great cause.

To raise money for his wife's cousin, who was recently paralyzed for life from the after a recent car accident in Ireland, Harrington is offering companies the chance to advertise on any part of his attire, the Irish Times is reporting.

The three-time major winner and Ryder Cup player, who's currently 87th in the world, said he'll be sporting the new endorsements for three weeks, from the Shell Houston Open, through the Masters, and ending the week of the RBC Heritage at Hilton Head Island.

That means a company will have rare sponsorship opportunities at Augusta National during one of the world's most watched events, which will go to support Gerard Byrne, a 35-year-old father of three who is the eldest son of Harrington's wife's aunt.

Related: Can Paddy Find His Way Again?

"This is why I never want to complain about golf," Harrington told the Irish Times yesterday. "Obviously Gerard [Byrne] will need a lot of assistance in his life - a wheelchair-enabled car, renovations to his home and other things - so my current sponsors have agreed to allow me to offer all the branding on my clothing and bag to the highest bidder."

--Stephen Hennessey
Follow @s_hennessey

(Photo courtesy of Brian Keogh/The Irish Times)

Trending: The world's craziest golf courses

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 14:52:00 GMT

After seeing a recent post on Buzzfeed offering a glimpse of the craziest golf courses from around the world, we had a flashback to this old video of Padraig Harrington making the first-ever par at the world's longest (and highest) par 3. The 394-yard signature "19th" hole is part of the Legend Golf Course in Limpopo, South Africa. The hole is actually only 310-yards long, but the 640-yard (1,410 feet) elevation raises the distance to it's near 400-yards. Aside from being the first person ever to par the massive par 3, Harrington helped design The Legend's 10th hole.

-- Derek Evers
Follow @DerekEvers