Thursday, October 18, 2007 Chiongbian: Boring Grand Slam of Golf By Edgar R. Chiongbian Teetime
DOES anybody know what’s going on in the PGA Grand Slam of Golf tournament in Mid Ocean Club, Bermuda? Does anybody care? This event had a good reputation for exciting golf matches and used to be one of the most awaited tournaments as the PGA season winds down.
The grand slam tournament is a match up of the four winners in the PGA majors. This year’s winners were Padraig Harrington, Angel Cabrera, Zach Johnson and Tiger Woods. Except for Woods, the three are first time major winners with only a few wins in the PGA and are not very popular.
So when Tiger decided not to play and was replaced by Jim Furyk, the reading in the “thrill meter” drastically dropped. Aside from the beautiful and scenic view of the Bermuda Ocean, the most exciting thing so far in the tournament was the free lift of Cabrera.
The Mid Ocean Club golf course does not have an “out of bounce” so a player can get a free relief anywhere. In this case the ball ended up far away on a stone walkway and it was ruled as though it was on the cart path, and Cabrera got a free drop on a nicely manicured lawn. All four competing players just laughed it off. How exciting!
Almost like here but without permission. After the first day, Harrington leads Cabrera by one stroke and by four over Furyk and Johnson.
ASIAN TOUR. What could be exciting to Asians is the expected participation of top PGA pros from America who will be playing in big-ticket events in the Asian Tour.
Phil Mickelson has already said it aloud that many Americans are now very excited to play in Asia because the nice golf courses, enthusiastic golf fans and excellent hosting. Jim Furyk just played last week in the Korea Open and Mickelson will be at the Singapore Open.
Mickelson didn’t say it but I believe that the major reason is that the prize money in the Asian Tour has come up to the level that is acceptable to the US pros. Foreign exchange against the US dollar helps too. But even with the Philippine peso getting stronger vs. the dollar, I doubt if we can host a top billing of PGA players unless Malacańang will be the sponsor. Hahaha.
The Back-to-back dessert tournaments of Frys.com in Las Vegas and Fry’s Electronics Open in Gray Hawk GC, Arizona are keeping and holding up the interests of avid golf fans as very few golf tournaments are left to play. I have played at Gray Hawk GC at TPC Scottsdale and had serious trouble playing it from the blue tee, as the golf course is mighty long and the greens very fast.
DANCERS. Congratulations to the Mandaue-based Centre for Dancesport Training Philippines in getting 10 medals at the DSCPI National competition in Phil-Sport Arena, Pasig last Saturday. The new group is composed mostly of juvenile athletes and some of them with only a few months’ training.
GOLF TIP. Many bad shots are caused by a faulty backswing, such as over-swinging or starting the downswing before you finish the backswing. So it is a good idea to establish a point of reference when your backswing should stop and the downswing begins.
There are many ways to do this but a good way to end your backswing is when your right arm forms a 90-degree bend at your right elbow. For most players this would mean that your right arm (elbow to wrist) is almost vertical to the ground at the top of the swing. From this hinged position you are ready to produce a powerful golf swing.
