Tees2Greens

Reviewing the Ping G2i Craz-E C putter

chipshot — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 18:10:00 GMT

After over 10 years a using a Ping Zing 2 putter, a few years back I bought a copy of a two-ball putter for about $25 - I liked it, but I just didn't have good feel with putts over 8'-10'ft. But when I tried to go back to a blade putter I just couldn't do it! So last winter I decided to buy a new putter, and honestly the main reason I purchased the Ping G2i Craz-E C putter was because two of the best putters I know at my local course had a Craz-E. I have been using my Ping G2i Craz-E C putter for about 4 months, and after initially being frustrated with it, I am now putting better and scoring more birdies than I ever have! There are a lot, and I mean A LOT, of putters out there (over a dozen new Ping styles alone), but I don't think I'll be shopping for a new putter again for awhile!

The specs:

Model - Ping G2i C (center shaft)

Shaft length: 32 inches

Blue Ping Stock grip

What I liked:

When looking down at the putter head I really like the style and set up of the profile - the line is helpful, and it doesn't feel heavy.

The grip is soft and feels very comfortable to hold.

I was a bit nervous buying a 32" putter, but being only 5'6" the length is actually great. (I can't tell you how many people I see that choke way down on their putters - mine sets up so nice for me).

For me, the longer profile putter head gives me the mental impression of a flowing putting stroke, and I feel like I am more square on my follow through vs. a blade putter.

The Center Shaft is SO comfortable for me - I've tried a couple of the different versions of the Craz-E with the end shafts, and I just love the feel and sight lines of the shaft in the middle of the head.

What took me a while to get used to:

The blue color - I really wanted the black version of the same putter, but couldn't find it (for the price I wanted to pay).

Shortening my backswing - for some reason when I first started putting with it I just took the putter too far back and then decelled through - but now I'm in a much better groove.

Trusting the line on the putter - I've never used a putter with a guide line like that and for the first month I had a hard time believing I had lined up the putt right - so I would pull everything left...but now I believe what I see!

I purchased this putter for less than $65 with shipping from Ebay. It was used, but looked in new condition with a putter cover and a serial number. I couldn't be more thrilled with the purchase and would give this putter 5 stars!

A Father’s Pride

Steven Gribin — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 17:51:00 GMT

Well, I can finally say it, “I am getting old.” I never thought it would happen. I am so young at heart; except for the grey hair, everyone says I look great for my age; I still walk the golf course 85% of the time; I get along great with the younger players on the tour, so why do I, unfortunately, come to this sad conclusion? The past few days, I drove the 1104 miles from Dallas to Bluffton, South Carolina, to enroll my son, Doug, into the University of South Carolina at Bluffton. My son in college… that must make me ancient.

It seemed liked just yesterday that I was pushing a stroller with my kid inside. From his first tee-ball game to lacing up his first pair of skates to learn to play hockey; from buying his first small golf club to watching him break his collar bone in PeeWee football; from all the soccer games to his making the winning basket to beat the undefeated team in the champion game of the Highland Park Youth Basketball League… I have had incredible joy watching Douglas grow from a little boy to a young adult.

Somewhere along the way, a very interesting thing happened - as the boy became a man, he chose some very important values, values that many are unable to choose. During the summer vacation of his 16th year, Doug, along with a half a dozen of his high school friends, spent 4 weeks studying French at the University of Biarritz. It was during that trip that my son made the decision to not smoke or drink. Because of that choice, he took much grief from his friends. You remember those days, right? “Let’s go do this… or let’s go try that. What are you afraid of?” Well, Doug made his choice and stood behind that decision, taking plenty of crap from his friends. It made me realize that Sandie and I, no matter how hard it was along the way, had raised an amazing son.

Like many men, it is hard for me to sometimes show my true emotions to my oldest son. The pride I have felt as he decided to take on the game of golf at the very old age of 17. The pride I have felt over the last year watching Doug go through what most boys that take up the game go through at 12 and 13. The pride I have felt watching him go through the 94’s and 95’s to get to the 84’s and the 85’s, to winning his first tournament. There are not many 18 year olds that could have dealt with the levels of beginner golf at such an old age but Douglas Newton Gribin is not your normal kid. Through all the difficult times, the normal crap we all go through as parents, the constants with Doug of telling the truth and taking responsibility for his mess-ups are always there. Doug Gribin is an amazing young man, and while other boys his age are off to the first year in college, Doug has chosen to continue his path towards playing college golf by enrolling in the Post Graduate Program at the Hank Haney International Junior Golf Academy and taking just a couple of classes at USCB, putting off his real freshman year for another 6 to 9 months.

So you go, Doug… keep doing your 10 hour practice sessions; keep handling the good times and the difficult times with the class of a 30 year old; keep chasing your goal; keep listening to Hank and never quit trying to capture your dream. I know I don’t say it enough, but I am really proud of you and love you very much. And I’ll keep getting older… of course your mom never ages.

One closing note as we head into the Fed Ex Cup. Last year at this time I was writing what a mistake the “Race for Cup” seemed to be. I apologized the week after Tiger won the Tour Championship, the first Cup and ten million dollars. As we enter the 2008 Fed Ex Cup without Tiger Woods, I am, once again, wondering where and from whom we will find our excitement. Will it finally appear from Sergio? Could Padrig Harrington take another step towards solidifying his place as “the” Tiger chaser? Can Phil find some inner strength and turn a miserable year into a $10 million payday? Or will some unsuspecting Tour Player create some much needed magic as we turtle our way to the Tour Championship and the Fed Ex winner.

In the middle of all this, we will get one of sport’s greatest events, the Ryder Cup. Even without Tiger, I am really looking forward to this year’s Cup. I truly believe our US team enters as a big underdog. Over the next few weeks, USA Captain, Paul Azinger, will choose the four additional members of the team. That alone will add some excitement to the first two tournaments of the Cup. One thing is certain, Azinger needs to find a couple of very hot players to add to his team. Who will answer the call? We’ll have to wait and see.

How Do I Hit My Driver Better?

Kevin Smeltz — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 14:00:00 GMT

This is one of the most common questions I receive at corporate events. And now readers of Tees2Greens.com can get the same great advice I give those golfers right here. Just click play.

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Duration: 01:01

Video Tip: How to Stop Hitting the Ball Thin

Stuart Smith — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 13:58:00 GMT

Watch as Stuart discusses a few things you may be doing wrong if you're hitting the ball thin.

Don't forget to subscribe to Stuart's blog to receive new video tips in your inbox as they're posted live to the site. Look in the right-hand column of this page to do so.

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Stretching the Powerhouse Muscles of Your Golf Swing

Mindi Boysen, TPI CGFI — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 13:55:00 GMT

You can't have a consistent and effective golf swing without a good solid base. And if that base is too tight, it'll lead to inefficient ball swing or even injury. So watch as I show you two stretches to eliminate this potential problem.

Video produced and provided by CyberLinksGolf.com.

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Duration: 02:15

Just Like Batman, Tiger Needs His Joker

Sam 'Bogey' Johnson — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 12:56:00 GMT

Greatness does not necessarily require a challenger, but it helps. Magic Johnson would have been great without Larry Bird and vice-versa. However, there is one thing that we all know for sure; it was great fun to watch the two go at each other.

Golf rivals are no different. Bobby Jones had his Walter Hagen and Gene Sarazen; Ben Hogan had his Byron Nelson and Sam Sneed; Arnold Palmer had his Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player; and Jack Nicklaus had his Lee Trevino and Tom Watson and a half dozen others. But exactly who has Tiger got? Phil Mickelson and Adam Scott, or is it now Padraig Harrington?

Only time will tell if Tiger really has a Bird to his Magic, a Batman to his Joker, or a Fred to his Barney?

Perhaps I’m not giving Phil, Adam or Padraig enough credit, or maybe I’m giving them too much. There’s a better than even chance that the next great challenger, the Tiger killer, the next coming, the foil, the measuring stick is still to come? The question is, will he toss a rubber snake at Tiger like Trevino did Jack, or chip in on seventeen like Tom Watson did? I ask these questions for the good of golf, or at least for my own viewing pleasure.

Right now it’s Anthony Kim’s turn to be the next challenger, but only time and Tiger will tell if he can measure up. We had the same expectations for Sergio Garcia a few years ago. He was going to challenge Tiger every week, and he was going to do it all while still learning to speak English. Granted, he has had a nice run, but in the four previous times that he has had the opportunity to be the man at a major, he didn’t get the job done.

I think of Adam Scott in the same way. He’s a great player, but he seems unable to grab the game or Tiger by the throat when the opportunity presents itself.

Padraig Harrington is an enigma. He’s not some twenty-something kid trying to make his move. He’s 37 years old and one of only six people in the world still playing Wilson Staff. I wish he was the kid coming from out of nowhere to capture the title, but he’s not. Certainly he’s got that steely-eyed look and a fearless charm about him. Still, with a two shot lead, he did bounce the ball off the bridge at the ’07 British Open, and didn’t he hit his drive into the rough on 18 at this year’s Open giving Sergio one more chance to choke? Tiger killers don’t do that, or they will become one more notch on Tiger’s belt.

I don’t know if Tiger takes measure of every new challenger; somehow I doubt it, after all there’s a new one every week. However, if there ever was an opportunity to set the stage to challenge Tiger in 2009 this is it, the 2008 FedEx Cup.

There are 35 players under the age of 30 playing this week. On the other hand there are also 35 players 40 and over. There are 28 tournament winners playing, four of them multiple winners. There are also 22 major winners with 32 titles including the guy that has won three out of the last six. All in all, there are 136 players from 15 countries (eight players are absent), seven of which have actually won the Barclays in the past.

Is there a Walter Hagen, Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Byron Nelson, Sam Sneed, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Lee Trevino, or Tom Watson among them? Is Phil, Adam, Padraig, Serigo, Camilo, Luke, or Anthony ready to become Tiger’s Joker?

Wouldn’t it be really cool to have a both Butch and Sundance playing every week?

Justin Rose Looks to Cement Ryder Cup Place

Golf International — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 12:25:00 GMT

The Ryder Cup means more than making some extra cash to Justin Rose. Rose is competing at the KLM Open rather than the opening leg of the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup playoffs this week.With two weeks to go in the race for Ryder Cup places, the man ranked 12th in the world is still not certain of a Ryder Cup debut. “I hope there will be 20 more FedEx Cups for me - but I’ve been looking forward to this Ryder Cup for a long time,” Rose said.

The 28-year-old is eighth on the points table, and that means three players have to pass him to knock him out of an automatic spot.

“I might not need to make one more Euro, but by coming here it’s in my hands,” he added.

“It’s certainly a situation where I would not feel comfortable sitting in the States. But I am still in a very comfortable situation - the other three are really sweating over it.”

Oliver Wilson and Soren Hansen are $84,465 and $89,095 behind Rose in ninth and 10th spots. But the player pushing them, German Martin Kaymer, is just $395 further back.

If all goes well for Rose - a top-three finish should virtually guarantee him a first cap - he will head straight back across the Atlantic, although he may be too far back in the FedEx Cup standings by then to have a realistic chance of the $9.3 million jackpot there.

If all goes badly, however, he will have to play the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles - the final event of the year-long qualifying process.

If all goes badly there he might be struggling for a wild card - unless, that is, captain Nick Faldo shares his view on how the side is shaping up.

Colin Montgomerie - out of form since his runner-up finish at the French Open at the end of June - and Darren Clarke, unbeaten two years ago when he played just six weeks after the death of his wife, already need a pick.

“I think there’s enough experience there already. The team is looking exceptionally strong,” Rose said.

Padraig Harrington, Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia, Henrik Stenson, Robert Karlsson, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Graeme McDowell are all on Faldo’s team sheet - and of those, Ulsterman McDowell is the only uncapped player.

Rose, Wilson, Hansen and Kaymer would all be debutants. But for the wild cards Montgomerie and Clarke are already in competition with Paul Casey - while Open runner-up Ian Poulter, currently 12th in the standings, needs a great week in America to save himself from a trip to Gleneagles next week.

Hansen has not had a top-60 finish in his last four starts - including, of course, the last two majors of the season - but gave his confidence a much-needed boost on Monday when he had a putt for a 59 in a company day for one of his sponsors.

“It was from 30 feet, and I hit it way too hard and three-putted,” the Dane said.

Wilson, four times a runner-up this season but still to register his first European Tour win, piled the pressure on himself as well by missing the cut in both The Open and PGA Championship.

The Mansfield golfer goes head-to-head with Rose in the opening two rounds but will be just as interested in how Hansen, Kaymer and those just a bit further back - defending KLM Open champion Ross Fisher and Nick Dougherty - are faring.

Second FedEx Cup Begins at The Barclays

Golf International — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 12:23:00 GMT

From Kenny Perry to Lee Janzen, the FedEx Cup playoffs offer plenty of incentive whether you are ranked the highest or lowest in the field.

Back for a second year and with a restructured points system that better rewards strong week-to-week performances over the next four events, the playoffs begin on Thursday with The Barclays at Ridgewood Country Club.

After each of the tournaments the field will be reduced according to the FedEx Cup rankings, with 120 of this week’s 135 starters moving on to next weekend’s Deutsche Bank Championship, the top 70 after that progressing to the BMW Championship a week later with only the leading 30 players in the rankings qualifying for the finale at the Tour Championship at the end of September.

For Perry, second in the FedEx Cup rankings following a three-win regular season and the highest ranked player among the top 144 eligible to play this week in the absence of Tiger Woods, there is a point to prove while for Janzen, No.144 heading into this week’s event, the new scoring system allows the last guy in to vault to the top.

“You couldn’t move much last year,” Perry said. “And now it’s like here I come in here this year and I think 11,000 points is first place, if I understand correctly.

“I guess if the scenarios work, the guy who finishes 144th, if he wins, he could be No. 1 in points next week, if I have the math right. I’m like y’all, I don’t know exactly how it goes.”

Perry will be competing following treatment for a scratched cornea that forced his withdrawal following the opening round of the PGA Championship at Oakland Hills two weeks ago.

He was on a hot streak starting with victory at The Memorial and included wins at the Buick Open and John Deere Classic as well as two top-sixes and a tie for 24. The run came to an abrupt halt at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational when he finished tied for 66th, a week before his trip to Oakland Hills.

Whatever the permutations, Perry is clear what is expected and he is not overly thrilled.

“I’m definitely going to have to play well,” he said. What I think is kind of a bummer, if I don’t play well these three weeks, I won’t be in THE TOUR Championship. I mean, I’ve had a great year, and I think that’s not right. I don’t think that’s fair at all for me to win three times and be kicked out of THE TOUR Championship, but I’ve kind of been kicked out of all of the tournaments anyway.

“I won the Memorial and that didn’t get me in the U.S. Open. Anyway, that’s how my year has been going and I have to keep proving myself and I have to somehow get back on the horse and play well this week.”

Perry’s mantle as the hottest player on tour has been handed unequivocally to Padraig Harrington, the Irish world number three who in the last five weeks has won back-to-back majors at the British Open and PGA Championship.

His win at Oakland Hills moved him to fourth in the standings and with third-ranked Phil Mickelson will join Perry at the 10th tee on Thursday at 8:16 EDT.

Harrington believes a victory at The Barclays for any one of the current top 10 and the 11,000 points that goes with it could seal overall FedEx Cup victory.

“There’s lots to play for,” Harrington said. “You know, anybody realistically, anybody in the Top-10 I suppose, if they get at least one win and then follow it up with some good performances, can win this FedEx Cup; maybe anybody outside might need two wins.

“But there’s a lot to play for in that sense. I’m ready to go.”

A lot to play for there may well be but that didn’t stop one final withdrawal on Wednesday. Bob Tway headed south to Pinehurst in North Carolina when he received news that his son Kevin, a sophomore at Oklahoma State, had reached the round of 32 at the U.S. Amateur.

And there, father will caddy for son without the need of a calculator or an eye on the points table.

PGA Seniors Championship Launches in Style with Rooftop Challenge

Golf International — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 12:21:00 GMT

Rocca wins Rooftop Charity Challenge, at the luxurious Slaley Hall, and £1,500 for Cystic Fybrosis and The Golf Foundation charities

To celebrate the return of championship golf to the North East and to the Hunting course at De Vere Slaley Hall, four of golf’s and the Senior Tours biggest stars took to the roof of the Edwardian hotel for a unique challenge. 2002 winning Ryder Cup captain Sam Torrance, former Ryder Cup stars Gordon Brand Jnr and Costantino Rocca, as well as defending Champion of the PGA Seniors Championship Carl Mason scaled the hotel in a charity challenge that saw the famous four try and out shoot each other in a nearest the pin challenge.

The pin was 127 yards from the 18th green on a specially constructed teeing platform that sat between two turrets of the Edwardian Slaley Hall hotel. After a few warm-up shots the competition was in full flow when Rocca hit a knock down 9 iron to inside 2 feet of the pin. With the other three players unable to better this outstanding shot, the charismatic Italian was awarded a cheque for £1,000 to the charity of his choice; Rocca kindly donated the prize to Cystic Fibrosis with a further £500 being donated by the De Vere Collection PGA Seniors Championship to the Golf Foundation.

“This was a great event. I have never hit a ball from the roof, but this was a lot of fun and I am delighted to have raised money for charity,” commented Rocca.

Director of Golf and Leisure of De Vere, Daniel Hodson commented: “This was a magnificent way to launch the tournament and I can’t thank the players enough for lending their support to the Rooftop Challenge. It promises to be a fantastic week, with some great players and golf on show. We are very excited about staging this prestigious tournament in the Seniors Tour calendar on one of the UK’s finest courses.”

The main event starts today (21st August) and this will be the first time that Slaley Hall has hosted the PGA Seniors Championship. Tickets for the event can be purchased by calling 01675 477812 or at the gate.

The par 72 Hunting Course is a real treasure that is magnificently maintained, featuring rolling moorland, streams and lakes, towering trees and banks of rhododendrons. Well placed bunkers and tricky greens make this USGA standard course a real challenge. Slaley Hall also boasts the Priestman Course on the west side of the estate, designed by Neil Coles, which offers stunning panoramic views of the Tyne Valley. Further information about the golf facilities on offer at the resort can be found by logging onto www.devere-hotels.com or by calling the Pro Shop on 01434 673350.

Padraig Harrington Motivated for FedExCup

Golf International — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 15:04:00 GMT

Padraig Harrington will end a well-deserved break after his PGA Championship victory nine days ago to resume his pursuit of golf’s big prizes in this week’s Barclays Classic.

The Irishman, who has won three majors after adding the PGA crown to his second successive British Open victory last month, said on Tuesday he would have liked another week off after house-hunting with his family in North Carolina.

However, the PGA Tour’s FedExCup playoffs begin at Ridgewood Country Club on Thursday and the stakes are high.

“There’s a great chance of winning the title Player of the Year, as in leading the (European) order of merit,” said the 36-year-old Harrington. “I think that’s number one motivation.

“After that, they are all good tournaments and you want to win those, and obviously I would have one eye on the world rankings, so that would be a definite motivation in it.”

Harrington, who ranks third in the world behind number one Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, is among 136 players from 15 countries playing in the opening event of the FedExCup series, where the overall points leader collects a $10 million prize.

Last year, most of the bonus won by FedExCup champion Tiger Woods came as a deferred payment. This year the playoffs winner will pocket $9 million in cash with $1 million deferred.

The $7-million Barclays, with a top prize of $1.26 million, is the first of four FedExCup tournaments.

The top 120 on the points list following this week’s event qualify for the Deutsche Bank Championship starting on August 29 in Boston. Seventy players advance to the BMW Championship in St Louis on September 4 and the leading 30 players go on to the Tour Championship finale, staring on September 25, in Atlanta.

Series leader Woods, whose season ended in June with reconstructive knee surgery, is not back to defend his FedExCup crown.

The top points earners going in are Americans Kenny Perry (99,500) and Mickelson (99,250), followed by Harrington (99,000) and 23-year-old American Anthony Kim (98,750).

The winner of the Barclays gets 11,000 points, the runner-up 7,400 and the 10th-place finisher 3,350, with points awarded down to 90 places.

The field includes Steve Stricker, who won the Barclays by two strokes over South Korean K.J. Choi last year.

This year’s Barclays tournament has moved venues from Westchester Country Club to Ridgewood, half an hour’s drive across the Hudson River from Manhattan.

Ridgewood, which hosted the 2001 Senior PGA (won by Tom Watson) and the 1990 U.S. Senior Open (won by Lee Trevino), is a 7,319-yard layout featuring the best 18 holes from the club’s three A.W. Tillinghast-designed nine-hole courses.

One pivotal hole could be the drivable 291-yard, par-four fifth, named “Five and Dime” by old-time members, who played it with a five-iron off the tee and a 10-iron (wedge) into the narrow, elevated green guarded by deep bunkers.

One of the Best Bargain Packages Available on a Cancun, Mexico Golf Vacation

GolfVacationInsider.com — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 14:48:00 GMT

Anyone who has ever taken a Mexico golf vacation has undoubtedly come down with a case of sticker shock over the often exorbitant green fees found at many of the resorts throughout the country. However, if you want to bag the best bargain on your next Mexico golf vacation, our advice is head to the island of Cozumel and the charming Playa Azul resort.

This boutique resort is a departure from the larger, all-inclusive hotels on the island. Playa Azul, which is not otherwise an all-inclusive property (a big buffet breakfast is included, however), stakes its claim as one of the best for discount golf vacations because it is the only hotel in Cozumel that offers unlimited free golf with every room. All you'll have to pay for at its affiliated and nearby Cozumel Country Club is your golf cart, which runs about $25.

Read the rest of this tip at GolfVacationInsider.com

The Barclays Predictions - the Playoffs Begin

Lefty Links Blog — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 19:45:33 GMT

With the start of the Barclays this week at Ridgewood Country Club in Paramus, NJ, the FedEx Cup Playoffs are upon us. I have to admit I’m not as excited as Federal Express and the PGATour want me to be—as I wrote a few days ago, the money doesn’t add drama for me, (these guys [...]...(read more)

Best Budget Lodging for an American Club Kohler Golf Vacation Gets Even Better

GolfVacationInsider.com — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 14:56:00 GMT

Taking an American Club Kohler golf vacation to play Whistling Straits golf course and its other fine layouts is not an inexpensive proposition. However, there are less expensive options besides staying at the classy American Club Hotel and the little-known private mansion and sporting club called Riverbend, which we recently told you about.

Two years ago, we shared with you fact that the Inn on Woodlake was, "The Best Budget Hotel Option on Your American Club Kohler Golf Vacation." In light of its recently completed major renovation, we now view the Inn on Woodlake as an even more compelling, lower-priced lodging alternative, particularly for visitors more focused on golf than accommodations.

Read the rest of this tip at GolfVacationInsider.com

Padraig Harrington, Sergio Garcia and Adam Scott to play in HSBC Champions

Golf International — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 13:27:00 GMT

Newly-crowned US PGA Championship winner and British Open champion Padraig Harrington has confirmed his participation in the 2008 HSBC Champions at Sheshan International Golf Club, Shanghai, from November 6 to 9, 2008.

The 36-year-old Irishman, who has risen to number three in the world after claiming back-to-back Major titles, will renew his rivalry with Sergio Garcia, after the world number four and winner of the 2008 Player’s Championship also declared his intention to take his place at the HSBC Champions.

Harrington dramatically duelled with the Spaniard on the final day of the US PGA Championship earlier this month and beat Garcia in a play-off in the 2007 British Open to claim the first Major of his career.

World No.11 Adam Scott has also added his name to the entry list. The 28-year-old Australian qualified for the event after his win in the Qatar Masters at the beginning of the year.

The three star golfers join defending champion and world number two Phil Mickelson and 2008 Masters champion Trevor Immelman, in entering the US$5 million event.

“You’ve got four of the world’s best golfers in a very high-class field,” said Harrington, who became the first European in over 100 years to successfully defend the Open Championship crown and the first in 78 years to lift the US PGA Championship trophy.

“Throw in the fact that Phil is defending his first big title outside the States and Trevor is going to be there as the reigning US Masters champion and you can see that it will be a tough tournament to win. I’ve had a sixth and a fifth in the last two years, so I’m getting closer!”

Three of the world’s top five players are now in the field which will, once again, boast the strongest field in Asia. Referred to as ‘Asia’s Major’ by many of the players, tournament winners from around the world are invited to compete alongside the world’s top-50 leading players.

Garcia said: “Last year I really thought it was a great tournament and I really enjoyed visiting Shanghai. I love to play around the world and I am really looking forward to returning to China to play in this world-class event.”

Scott said: “I am very excited to be playing the HSBC Champions for the first time this year. I made sure I could fit it in my schedule as it is one of the most talked about tournaments amongst the players on Tour. It already has a fantastic mix of players and for sure, the ‘Champion of Champions’ title is one I’d love to win.”

Giles Morgan, HSBC’s Group Head of Sponsorship, commented: “Golf lovers in Asia have come to expect the stars to come out to Shanghai and we’re happy to be able to deliver a world-class field once again. Winning the right to play in the HSBC Champions is an achievement in itself, and after Lorena Ochoa won the first HSBC Women’s Champions in Singapore earlier this year, I think the Champions title has become even more prestigious.”

Robbie Henchman, Director of Golf, IMG Asia added: “In 2007 the HSBC Champions field was considered the strongest ever assembled for an tournament in Asia. At this early stage, the 2008 field is shaping up to be just as strong. This will be only the fourth HSBC Champions and yet it is already an integral part of the players’ schedules and we are eagerly anticipating another fantastic week in November.”

The HSBC Champions prize fund of US$5 million matches the largest on offer in Asia and the event is co-sanctioned by The European Tour, Asian Tour, the PGA Tour of Australasia, the Sunshine (Southern Africa) Tour, and the China Golf Association.

A new qualifying criteria now allows the inclusion of past Champions from the previous three years ensuring the inaugural winner, England’s David Howell, and the popular Korean winner in 2006, Yang Yong-eun, will be assured of a place in the line-up this year.

Nick Faldo to Design Golf Course at Revelstoke Mountain Resort

Golf International — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 13:25:00 GMT

Nick Faldo will design an 18-hole resort golf course to open in summer 2011 at Revelstoke Mountain Resort in British Columbia. The 18-hole course will be Faldo Design’s first project in Western Canada.

“Revelstoke Mountain Resort will offer a golfing experience that combines breathtaking views with engaging and tactical golf,” says Nick Faldo. “Set amidst towering trees and meandering creeks, the course will incorporate strategic features that take full advantage of the varied terrain and natural characteristics of the site.”

Opening last winter to international acclaim, Revelstoke Mountain Resort now offers the longest lift-serviced vertical descent in North America at 5,620 feet. In addition, Hawkair Aviation begins scheduled service four times a week between Calgary and Revelstoke this December.

The Revelstoke Mountain Resort course will sit at the base of the mountain adjacent to the village base and the Nelsen Lodge condominiums. Offering spectacular views of the Columbia River and the Monashee Mountains, the valley location will ensure a long playing season from mid-April to October. Crews will break ground in spring 2009.

“The development of the resort’s golf course will take the resort from an exceptional winter experience to the ultimate year-round recreational destination,” says Paul Skelton, president of Revelstoke Mountain Resort. “We have created a pure skiing and riding experience that has captured the world’s attention. With Nick Faldo’s understanding of golf and his record for excellence, we will deliver that level of excitement on the golf course.”

This ski season, the first of three buildings in Nelsen Lodge will open with 59 condo units, ranging in size from studios to three bedrooms; it will be managed by Boutique Hotels and Resorts of British Columbia. By 2009 there will be over 200 condos in Nelsen Lodge plus 24 townhomes and 50 single family lots, some with private helicopter landing pads.

The $CAD1 billion, four-season Revelstoke Mountain Resort is expected to be completed over 15 years and include over 5,500 new housing units comprising top-tier luxury hotels, townhomes and single family homes, along with more than 300,000 square feet of commercial and retail space.

Rich Beem Qualifies for FedEx Playoffs

Golf International — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 13:23:00 GMT

Rich Beem was among five golfers at the Wyndham Championship who played their way into next week’s first event of the FedEx Cup playoff series.

Beem shot a scorching 7-under-par 63 in the final round at Sedgefield to finish third on Sunday, four strokes behind winner Carl Pettersson.

In doing so, he jumped from 166th to 114th in the FedEx standings.

The top 144 are exempt into the first playoff event, the Barclays Championship starting in New Jersey on Thursday.

The field will be reduced for each of the remaining three playoff tournaments, with 120 playing the second event, 70 the third and 30 at the Tour Championship.

The others who jumped into the top 144 courtesy of strong play here were J.J. Henry, Martin Laird, Justin Bolli and Lee Janzen.

The five displaced from the top 144 were Gavin Coles, Tag Ridings, Todd Hamilton, Brett Rumford and Marco Dawson, who all missed the cut.

“I needed a good week just to make it into the first round of playoffs,” said Beem, the 2002 PGA champion. “So I’ve got a flight I’m going to miss going back to Austin tonight because I’m going up to New York tomorrow now.

“I knew I had to play my butt off just to make it up there. I didn’t want four weeks off and I’m glad I at least got into the first one. I’m ecstatic.”

Henry, meanwhile, played his way into the first playoff event thanks to a closing 62 to finish tied for fourth here.

Not that golf is the first thing on his mind just now, because his wife is expecting their second child Monday.

“Sometimes there’s more important things in life than playing golf,” said Henry, whose current plan, subject to change of course, is to tee it up on Thursday.

“I was really motivated today and I went out and played very well and I’m proud of the way I hung in there and finished,” Henry said. “I was on the outside looking in.”

Ryder Cup Teams No Clearer

Golf International — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 13:20:00 GMT

The outcome of the Wyndham Championship on Sunday did nothing to clarify the American Ryder Cup team, and only further muddied the European waters.

With most of the big boys having a week off before the start of this week’s FedEx Cup playoff series, American captain Paul Azinger was looking for some of his countryman to step up and make a Ryder Cup statement.

Azinger has two more weeks before he makes his four captain’s picks to round out his 12-man line-up to take on Europe at Valhalla in Kentucky, but he must more confused than ever.

There were several players in Greensboro who must harbor hopes of making the team - David Toms, Davis Love, Zach Johnson and Brandt Snedeker, for example - but none exactly made a compelling case.

Johnson tied for 26th, Toms for 41st, with Love and Snedeker even further back. Not quite the stuff to force Azinger to take notice.

In fact, the top three Americans finishers were men that until Sunday were not even on the radar screen - Scott McCarron (second), Rich Beem (third) and J.J. Henry (tied fourth).

While Azinger has said he will go with players in hot form, it’s hard to believe he will pick McCarron, Beem or Henry unless they fire again this week at the Barclays Championship.

Actually, Azinger could probably do worse than select McCarron or Beem, because both are upbeat, extroverted characters who would make the team room more fun to be around.

But they have to back it up this week and perhaps next. One good performance against a thin field at Greensboro is not enough.

Azinger says he wants winners on his team but the past seven PGA Tour events have produced only two American winners - Chez Reavie in Canada and Parker McLachlin in Reno.

But McLachlin followed up his Reno success by promptly missing the cut at the PGA Championship, while Reavie hasn’t had a top-50 finish in his subsequent two starts. That’s not exactly the sort of consistency Azinger will want to take a chance with.

All of which suggests Azinger, like it or not, still has an open mind, with everything to play for the next two weeks.

On the European front, Carl Pettersson’s Greensboro victory brings him into consideration for one of Nick Faldo’s two captain’s picks.

Note that Faldo has only two choices, while Azinger has four. Right now, they probably both wish it was the other way around, because Faldo has an embarrassment of riches.

Among those currently outside the top 10 on the qualifying list are Pettersson, Ian Poulter, Paul Casey, Colin Montgomerie, Darren Clarke and Peter Hanson.

All have legitimate cases, particularly Poulter and Casey. Poulter was a strong second at the British Open, while Casey has been playing consistently well lately. He tied for 26th in Greensboro, no disgrace, and that was his worst finish in his past five starts.

“I have played some very good golf the past few weeks,” said Casey, whose putting touch has been missing for most of the year. “The one thing that hasn’t been good all year has been putting and that’s been coming around very nicely the past week. That’s what I’m excited about.

“If I can continue playing good golf the next few weeks and stick my nose in there for a possible pick, that would be great, but there’s only one guy who knows what he’s going to do, and that’s Nick. It’s very much out of my hands. I’ve just got to worry about myself and play great golf.”

Casey, a member of the past two victorious teams, has an impressive Ryder Cup record - three wins, one loss and two halves.

But he knows he cannot count on being picked, not with so many good players vying for those two spots.

“It’s so open and I think that’s good for our team,” he continued. “I think it’s a very difficult position he (Faldo) is in.”

Casey, by the way, plans to play the next two weeks on the PGA Tour, rather than return to Europe, even though next week’s tour event near Boston does not count towards the European standings.

However, the European Tour event in Scotland the same week does count, but Casey thinks his best chance is to stay in the same time zone and play well enough to give Faldo no choice.

One European who hasn’t received much fanfare is Peter Hanson, but his victory at the SAS Masters in Sweden on Sunday cannot be overlooked, especially if he continues to play well the next two weeks.

Maybe Faldo will pick Pettersson and Hanson with a view to pairing the two Swedes up. Stranger things have happened.