Kenny Perry knows Jack!

Kenny Perry became one of only two to win Jack Nicklaus’s Memorial Golf Tournament three times this past weekend. It is safe to say that the first two tournaments were not coincidence, and he joins Tiger Woods (who won three years in a row), in displaying three coveted trophies from this prestigious event found by Jack Nicklaus. Perry also won in 1991, and 2003.

Back in 1976, Jack’s idea of an “Augusta style” event took shape after years in the making. With but three goals in mind, began the annual event at Muirfield Village Golf Club. The first goal was to have an event that would attract the best players in the world (only 75 of the previous year’s earners are invited); next was to host in his hometown area where his love of the game learned at a young age would be well represented. Third, to use a portion of the proceeds to benefit worthy charities.

Currently, the main beneficiary of The Memorial is the Nationwide Children’s Hospital, having received millions in donations from the tournament founded by Nicklaus on the course he co-designed. This was, incidentally, the first golf course built for both player and spectator alike with its “amphitheater” viewing. What Jack developed, along with land planner Desmond Muirhead, was nothing less than a spectacular golf setting in Dublin OH, dubbed #17 on the top-100 courses in America by Golf Digest.

Kenny Perry may have not only solidified his chance to get on the Ryder Cup team by repeating what was his first win on the PGA Tour, but also has to some degree followed in the footsteps of Jack Nicklaus by finding ways to give back, and promote the sport of golf.

While their approaches differed slightly Kenny Perry also built a golf course, (Country Creek), in 1995. Country Creek caters to the average, to high handicapper. Green’s fees are daily fee, in the $30 range; however, both his, and Jack Nicklaus’s intent are in lock step, i.e., giving something back to the community, and giving something back to the game of golf they both took up as young boys.

PGA Tour win number eleven must have indeed been as sweet as "number one" for Kenny Perry, but just with another ONE on the end.

Congratulations!


From Gotta-Grip

Golf Will Miss Ms 59!

Annika Sorenstam known by some as “Ms. 59”, the only woman golfer to turn in a score of 59 for a day’s work, announced she is retiring from the game. She will be missed, and it remains to be seen if/when she will be joined in that exclusive club of ONE.

When people like Tiger Woods consider you an amazing athlete on the golf course, as well as consider you a close friend, you know you have been good for the game of golf.

By retiring at the age of 37 (at the end of the 2008 season), she will hold short of becoming the all-time winning golfer on the LPGA. This will also prevent her from capturing more majors than others, but she certainly has nothing to feel unfulfilled about.

Annika Sorenstam stands at 72 all-time wins, and 10 majors, putting her in the company of Louise Suggs ( 58 wins, 11 majors), Patty Berg (60 wins, 15 majors), Mickey Wright, (82 wins, 13 majors), and Kathy Whitworth (88 wins, 6 majors). Annika, however is likely to stand alone in the “59 club” for some time.

Ms. 59 also leads the pack to the bank with over $22 million won during her career.

Annika made more history for being the first woman since 1945 (under a sponsor’s exemption), to compete on the PGA Tour at the 2003 Bank of America Colonial. For me, watching her teary-eyed remarks on TV after missing the cut, was almost like watching Dorothy leaving OZ. She indeed tested her mettle to the breaking point, using the scar tissue from that hurt to serve as her inspiration for the remainder of her career.

There are many newcomers on the LPGA Tour poised to take a shot at the throne Annika leaves behind. As she departs to start a family with her future husband Mike McGee, many are likely breathing a sigh of relief knowing their odds of winning just increased substantially.

You Go Girl!

The Gotta-Grip Team

A Great Year for Golf—and Byron Nelson

As the 2008 EDS Byron Nelson Championship drew to a close, the weather teased the players with a wet course to open the final round. The players teased us with a tight race, which ended with another tease of a sudden-death playoff after Adam Scott drained an eight footer to tie Ryan Moore. This ultimately ended with Adam Scott on top after three extra holes.

Reflecting on this tournament led me to discover that three golf greats (Byron Nelson, Sam Snead, and Ben Hogan), were all born in the same year, 1912.

Today’s event is perhaps something that Golf’s Ultimate Gentleman (as he was known), of this trio, Byron Nelson, would have approved of the growing popularity of his namesake tournament, having 41golfers from other countries competing as of Thursday.

Perhaps he would be pleased that six of the top ten left on Sunday were from America. Certainly, Mr. Nelson would be proud of Bart Bryant, and Brian Gay, who are both native Texan’s, as well as fellow golfers.

Most of all, he may be proudest of the over 100 million dollars this tournament has raised in the past 40 years.

We marvel at Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player (as we should), but the likes of Ben Hogan, Sam Snead and Byron Nelson laid the foundation of modern golf, and they are owed much for their contributions to the game.

Tiger has many accomplishments to his illustrious career, but we should not forget that in the short 14 years that Byron Nelson played professional golf, he managed 11 victories in a row, keeping him ahead of Tiger by five, and all before his retirement at the age of 34…one & a half years older than Tiger’s age today.

Here’s what the top ten from today’s Byron Nelson Championship have to shoot for…From the list of professional golfers with the most wins.

Sam Snead – 82 wins, Jack Nicklaus – 73 wins, Ben Hogan – 64 wins, Tiger Woods – 64 wins, Arnold Palmer – 62 wins, Byron Nelson – 52 wins, Billy Casper – 51wins, Walter Hagen – 44 wins, Cary Middlecoff – 40 wins, Gene Sarazen – 39 wins.

Compared to the top ten from today’s tournament, with a total of 13 (counting today) PGA career victories between them, Byron Nelson’s 52 wins in fourteen years looks pretty amazing indeed.

Congratulations to Adam Scott for winning the 2008 Byron Nelson Championship in spectacular fashion sinking a 49’ put to put the tournament away after three sudden death playoff holes.

Nevertheless, remember that in retrospect, 1912 was indeed a great birth-year for golf too.

Congratulations to all from the Gotta-Grip team.

PGA Drug Testing One, Two. A Prescription for an Interesting Summer 08

It looks like it is a forgone conclusion that there will be drug testing on the PGA Tour. I am sure the opinions about this vary from player to player, fan to fan, and official to official.

However, the one whose "opinion" counts, PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem, has made it official.

While it is generally believed that Mr. Finchem agrees that golf is the sport where honor, integrity, and honesty dictate that players turn themselves in for breaking any rules, and therefore no such testing is needed, it is nonetheless a fact that testing starts summer 2008.

Golfers have received training as to what to expect, what is legal and illegal, and what, how, why, but not necessarily when and where they can be tested. This may include surprise visits to their homes for random testing.

Looking at other sports like football, baseball, basketball that have employed drug testing, one might deduce that it is only fair that professional golfers also follow suit.

If you look at the way golf is is set up; i.e., if a player does not play well in [any] tournament, they don't get paid that week, then it stands to reason that there would at least be the temptation for using performance-altering substances to enhance their chance of taking home the trophy (and cash) for their efforts.

However, I think what drug testing in the PGA will uncover, is that these athletes are indeed full of mood-altering, and performance-altering substances foreign to most others...Substances like Character, Pride, Generosity, Hope, Charity, Skill, Witt (see David Feherty), and good old-fashioned hard work.

It may be hard for us not making a living by doing something that we "enjoy" playing every chance we get, to fully understand what it's like for most players on the PGA Tour. Traveling up to 30 weeks per year, living away from family & friends, and having to be at the top of your game—just to keep your card so you can come back and do it again next year must take its toll.

I for one, will be glued to the TV this summer, waiting for any infraction of the new PGA Tour Drug Testing Policy to be announced during my favorite tournament(s).

Tournaments showing the professional golfers that I admire so much. Tournaments sponsored by Cialis, Viagra, Ambien, Plavix, and other fine products whose commercials include warnings like "see your doctor to make sure that "NAME OF DRUG HERE" is right for you...Side effects may include: vomiting, dizziness, erections lasting longer than four hours, drowsiness, fainting, diarrhea, constipation, and in rare occurrences, death". You know the ones!

After having the United States Congress hold hearings on whether baseball players did, or did not, take something to enhance their play, it's good to see that the professional players in golf, for the most part, haven't had to be dragged kicking and screaming into the new testing reality this summer. We don't need to waste another (whatever it costs to hold hearings for three days in Washington), [penny] on what athletes are doing to their bodies.

Bottom line is this was inevitable, but I fear the only scandal that may arise out of this is the illegal sale, and trading, of Tiger-Urine...for human cloning of his DNA.