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The Seve Trophy | Doc’s Eye View

This week it’s the turn of team golf where we get the chance to see our Ryder Cup heroes get some much needed team practice ahead of next years Ryder Cup defence in Chicago. The first Seve Vivendi Trophy since the passing of the great Spaniard will be a glowing tribute by Europe’s elite lead by his close friend Jose Maria Olazabal.

Or so it was supposed to be. As usual however it didn’t quite pan out that way. Yet again the event has been dogged by cancellations and pullouts. The reason? Every reason under the Sun, except the real reason; money.

Some can’t find a place in their schedule. Others might just be too young to remember Seve at his best. The whole episode is said to have disappointed Jose Maria Olazabal greatly; he was counting on his Ryder Cup charges all showing up to take part in this competitive tribute. Instead the likes of Luke Donald, Martin Kaymer and Rory McIlroy will all be elsewhere. That’s three of the world’s top four. Add to that list Graeme McDowell, Paul Casey and Robert Karlsson and even more of the allure is missing.

“I’m sad that all our top players are not going to be playing in the Vivendi Seve Trophy after his death this year,” said Olazabal last week. Off the record you could probably replace ‘sad’ with ‘mad as hell’. Of all the players opting out, only Luke Donald seems to have a genuine excuse with his Playoffs commitments.

Throw a couple more million at the event, and they would all be there like wasps around a can of fizzy orange. As it is, this proverbial can has gone flat. Maybe it’s too long open, maybe it needs a shake up?

Let’s end on a positive note. Those who are playing include Lee Westwood, Darren Clarke, Thomas Bjorn and Miguel Angel Jimenez. While Lee Westwood’s pass to next year’s Ryder Cup is already stamped and dated, I just wonder will Captain Olazabal remember just who showed up for the Vivendi Trophy and more importantly, who didn’t, when it comes to dealing out the Captain’s picks for Medinah.

10 things you didn’t know about Keegan Bradley | Doc’s Eye View

10 things you didn’t know about Keegan Bradley:

Brady Bunch: Keegan grew up in New England and is massive fan of Boston sports. Following the Boston Red Sox and the New England Patriots is his number one hobby. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is Keegan’s idol!
Fish Fingers: A big man of being outside and on the water, Keegan says if he hadn’t become a professional golfer he probably would have become a fly fisherman.
Party Trick: “I can juggle a little bit” says Bradley, “that’s the only hidden talent I have!”
First Concert: Metallica at Gillette Stadium near Boston. “It was unbelievable”.
Worst Job: Brad’s Dad was a PGA head pro. Son says his worst job was “Picking up golf balls on my Dad’s range my whole life. For free!” “It was fun though.”
Best Golf Tip: “Hit it hard, worry about later”, was what Keegan’s father always taught him. And it seems to be working!
Favourite Food: A New York Pizza, straight cheese.
Best Sports Event You Were At: “I was at the 1999 Ryder Cup at Brookline and I actually got to see Justin Leonard’s putt go in. It was spectacular. It was an unbelievable day of sports I will never forget. I feel like it just happened yesterday.”
What’s Your Dream Fourball: “Tom Brady, Ben Hogan, my Dad and myself!”
Irish roots: Keegan famous golfing Auntie Pat had grandparents from Ballycotton in Cork, Ireland. The Bradley’s come to Ireland regularly. Pat is an honorary member of the Old Head of Kinsale golf club.

Top 5 Foot In Mouth Moments | Doc’s Eye View

Top 5 Foot In Mouth Moments

No 5: Bubba Watson, 2011 Bubba Watson, one of the nicest guys in golf, right? Not if you carry a French passport. At this years French Open, Bubba really riled the locals after calling the Eiffel Tower “the big tower,” the Arc de Triomphe the “archway,” and the Louvre “that building that starts with an ‘L.’” That was only the start of Bubba’s problems, after playing terribly he blamed his performance on tournament security and crowds. “It’s different for me, there’s cameras, there’s phones, there’s everything. I don’t know which holes to walk through; there are no ropes. It’s something I’m not used to, I’m not comfortable with.”
No. 4: Vijay Singh 2003 Revered in Fiji, reviled in every other territory! Vijay’s crowning glory came in the lead up to the 2003 Colonial where the world’s best female golfer at the time, Annika Sorenstam was set to play. He told a reporter he hoped she missed the cut “because she doesn’t belong out here.” He may not have been the only player thinking that, but he certainly was the only one stupid enough to say it!
No. 3: Fuzzy Zoeller, 1997 In 1997 a skinny black kid called Tiger Woods was on top of the leader board at The Masters and some of the old guard were not happy. One of whom was past champion Fuzzy Zoeller who, referring to the champions dinner, told reporters “tell him not serve fried chicken next year or collard greens or whatever the hell they serve”. Zoeller got hammered by the press, lost his two sponsors and had to watch Tiger win by a record margin.
No. 2: Paul Casey, 2004 Ever notice the way Paul Casey puts on a sickly sweet smile in front of the camera and wondered why? It’s because he will never forgive the day he said what he really felt and turned a whole nation against him. That was on the eve of the 2004 Ryder Cup at Oakland Hills, when, referring to the opposition, he said “We properly hate them,” and wanted to “beat them as badly as possible.” Hardly clever when you play on the PGA Tour, live in America and employ an American coach.
No. 1: Stevie Williams 2008 If you think Stevie’s recent dig at Tiger Woods after he won with new boss Adam Scott were bad, they don’t hold a candle to his Phil Mickleson incident. Okay everybody knew Woods and Mickelson weren’t the best of pals but neither had ever uttered one hurtful word about the other. Enter Stevie. In an interview he said “I wouldn’t call Mickelson a great player, cause I hate the prick.” Mickelson responded saying, “After seeing Steve Williams’ comments all I could think of was how lucky I am to have a class act like Bones on my bag.”

Why The Irish Open Should Stay in Killarney | Doc’s Eye View

Why The Irish Open Should Stay in Killarney

Having been in Killarney all last week I can unequivocally say to you that this year’s Irish Open was a rip roaring success. Not only that but I think any suggestion that the venue should be changed would be a major mistake. There may not have been a title sponsor this year but you can bet your bottom dollar there will be next year. The suits are sitting around a table discussing it as we speak.

It is the “far away hill are greener” theorists that are suggesting the Irish Open should be moved either to a links in the North or a better hub like Dublin. Are they crazy? Taking the event out of Killarney would be like taking a fully fit Brian O’Driscoll out of the Irish rugby team. In my opinion, it would go downhill rapidly.

I was chatting with Tour player David Howell last week about just how busy the town of Killarney was and the buzz that is around the streets at night. He was trying to think of just one pub in all of England that could match The Grand’s (a pub in the town) claim to fame of having live music practically every night of the year and eventually drew a blank. The caddies, who are an excellent gauge of how good the venue is, rate Killarney as the best Tour stop of the season. They say “Mallorca for Sun, Stockholm for the supermodels and Killarney for the craic!”

Munster “gets” sport and Killarney “gets” tourism. The welcome from everyone from the lady in the B&B, to the girl serving breakfast rolls, to the Captain of the golf club is honest, warm and genuine. I suggested to Failte Ireland that they should put together a team from Killarney Golf Club to travel around the country and give training courses to the rest. If there were golf handicaps for hospitality, Killarney would be off plus five!

I also am firmly of the opinion that The Killeen Course, with the possible exception of Adare, is the best equipped golf course to stage the Irish Open. Every part of the infrastructure just seems to fit snugly; when the Tour trucks and the production vehicles roll in they slot in to place like a jig saw puzzle. On the course spectacular scenery, excellent vantage points and just tough enough to provide just the right blend of birdies and calamity in equal measure. Just ask Simon Dyson and Ricard Green.

So here’s hoping that common sense will prevail and Killarney, like the fully fit O’Driscoll, will take its place in next year’s lineup.

The Williams Woods Split | Doc’s Eye View

The Williams Woods Split

Tiger and Stevie are no more and the big question now is how long before the tell all book?

Now I’m all for what Woods and Williams have achieved in the game of golf, but hand on heart, I’ve never been a Stevie fan. That youtube video of him going berserk at one of his car races didn’t endear him to me. His calling Phil Mickelson a “prick” then made it a little bit worse. And the way he took off his bib before GMac had putted on the 18th green during last year’s 2010 Chevron World Challenge, as if to say “you’re a loser”, for me, was the height of disrespect and bad manners.

So hand on heart, I had convinced myself that Stevie, that burly blunt bagman with the barbed wire personality had to have known what Tiger was up to, on and off the course.

However, having seen Stevie’s post break up interview on New Zealand TV last week, I almost felt sorry for him. From the outset of the interview it was clear the interviewer was going to have an easy day. He just basically needed to point the Kiwi in the direction of the camera and let him rip. “I’m a big stickler for loyalty,” Williams started. “… a lot of people thought that I should have left his side when things weren’t going the way they should be going … but I’ve stuck with Tiger and the last 18 months have been pretty difficult for myself and also my family. And to have battled through the last 18 months, through his scandals, his swing changes, a new coach … to be let go during a period where I’ve stuck through thick and thin and been incredibly loyal to the guy, that’s what I find very disappointing.”

That “loyalty” Williams refers to was his Tec-7 like sticking to Tiger as all around him jumped ship. As the scandal mill started grinding Tiger down, Williams name was dragged into the hopper and the common consensus was ‘sure he had to know what was going on’. He was found guilty by association and guilty by his silence. Now however Stevie is setting the record straight. When asked about the scandal he said, “There’s no way I should have been put through that. My name should have been cleared immediately, but it wasn’t, and that makes it even more disappointing, what has transpired.”

Williams then revealed what he said to Tiger after the 2009 scandals. I told him when I first met back up with him in 2010 at Augusta that he had to earn my respect back and obviously he would know right now that I’ve lost a tremendous amount of respect for him.”

So as if Tiger Woods hadn’t enough problems in his life, he now has to deal with a clearly angry jilted caddy. And as for the book, Williams says the section about Woods is going to make for one “very interesting chapter”!

Pick Up and Drop Holes At Killarney | Doc’s Eye View

Pick Up and Drop Holes At Killarney

A record equalling 18 under par won the event last year, but if you think for a second that Killarney is pushover, think again. When Nick Faldo won the event at Killarney in 1991 only three players were under par for the tournament! Here’s your guide to where you might expect to see birdies and bogeys this week.

Drop Holes

18th Hole – Rank 3:
The 18 hole is the third hardest hole on the course and one of the toughest closing holes on Tour. From the elevated tee, water flanks the fairway all the way up the left hand side and wobbles the knees of even the very best. Drive it long off the tee and increase the risk of water damage, drive it short and you still have to deal with the water with a long iron approach. The 18th may have yielded 50 birdies last year, but accounted for 91 bogeys and 24 card wrecking double bogeys. Harrington’s third round par here last year after driving it in the water was considered one of the greatest miracles since the loaves and fishes!

11th Hole – Rank 2:
Hit your drive 300 yards on the straight away par four 11th and you are left with another 186 yards just to reach the green on this brutal hole. Only 34 birdies were achieved by the field over the course of the week last year, accounting for an average of 4.22. The ideal drive needs to hit the right hand side of the tree lined fairway, as the mighty mature trees block out the approach of anything down the left. Ross Fisher’s two birdies here last year were a testament to his supreme form last year.

6th Hole – Rank 1:
The sixth hole is 211 yards of pure terror for the Touring Pros. From the tee you are faced with a long iron or even a hybrid into a green guarded by water on the front and right. The natural tendency here is to bale out left but doing so results in the ball inevitably finding a downhill lie leaving a lob shot back up to the green which is just dying to funnel your ball back into the drink. Padraig Harrington won the Race To Dubai shot of the week here last year for his final round second shot from left of the green. The sixth accounted for 62 double bogeys in 2010. I also head straight for this hole when I park the car at the Irish Open!

Pick Up Holes

When the caddie flips the page on the strokesaver to reveal a 389 yard par four, a big smile breaks out on his bosses face. The 14th hole is the easiest par four on the course and ranks third easiest overall, providing some respite after the two tough previous holes. The two easiest holes are par fives. The par five 16th hole is the second easiest hole and represents the last real pick up hole on the course. Statistically, the seventh at only 513 yards was the easiest hole last year and played on average 4.56 shots yielding 235 birdies and 12 eagles.

A Potted History Of Last Year’s Irish Open | Doc’s Eve View

A Potted History Of Last Year’s Irish Open

Day One: The story of 2010 began with the Aussie, Richard Green, who claimed the Killarney course reminded him of the course he grew up on. Clearly at ease, Green blazed out of the blocks with a six under 65. One man who wasn’t so lucky was Robert Rock, the Englishman who lost a playoff to Shane Lowry in Baltray in 2009, was disqualified after an error was discovered on his card after the round. To rub salt into the wound Rock had shot a 65 that would have seen him share the lead with Green!
Day Two: A damp and dreary morning prompted one wise local to state “If you can see the mountains, it’s going to rain. If you cant see the mountains it’s raining!” Padraig Harrington soon brightened the mood as he put on an exhibition of putting on his way to a 67 and a surge up the leaderboard. Then a whisper started about the possibility of a first ever European Tour 59 and the crowds began to flock to Ross Fisher’s match after he birdied six holes in a row on the front nine. Fisher then birdied four more in a row on the back to get him to ten under for the round, needing just two more in the last four holes for the 59. Alas he could only par home but his 61 saw Fisher lead by three at the halfway point.
Day Three: The third round is often called “Moving Day” and saw the field bunch up behind a stumbling Ross Fisher who was suffering something of a golfing hangover as he took 10 more shots than on Friday to negotiate the course during the third round. He still lead by one from Chris Wood and Francesco Molinari, who hit 17 greens in regulation but nursed a putter with the flu. Three back however was Padraig Harrington who produced a round of 69 that had elements of Harry Houdini mixed with the great Seve. Harrington missed seemingly every fairway but time and again battled for par and even the odd birdie. From hitting the trees twice on the first then chipping in for birdie, to driving into the water on the last, then holing a putt the length of the green for par to rapturous applause, the round had everything.
Day Four: A fairytale end in a fairytale location was on the cards as Padraig Harrington, three back at the start of the day, sent cheers reverberating back to Ross Fisher’s group as he birdied four of the first nine. Reaching the par five seventh level for the day, the then Ryder Cup hopeful Fisher made eagle and with it put one hand on the trophy. But Harrington wasn’t finished yet, with birdie and eagle on 15 and 16 on his way to a 64, narrowed the gap once more. In the end however it wasn’t quite to be another home win for the three time Major winner who had to settle for second behind the simply sublime Fisher whose final round 65 for a 266 aggregate, 18 under par, matched the tournament record set nine years previous by Colin Montgomerie.

The Jimenez Gyrostretch | Doc’s Eye View

The Jimenez Gyrostretch

We could not the occasion pass without honouring the bizarre stretching routine that Miguel Angel Jimenez unleashed on the world at The Open Championship. The Spaniard’s pre round warm up has gone viral on youtube, getting even more hits than the highlights reel of Darren Clarke. The 47 year olds set of exercises have been termed “gyrostretch” by the world’s golfing media. Positions include something resembling a New Zealand Haka, an unsavoury bottom up pose, and the knees together hoola hoop dance. All performed while expertly balancing a cigar in the mouth. Shown the footage of his routine Jimenez said “Wow, look at that. That’s flexibility,” and added, “Dancing on the floor, it’s good, right?” Those of you who say that golfers are not athletes, may now eat their hats.

Doc’s British Open Awards | Doc’s Eye View

Doc’s British Open Awards

Best Dressed Award: Goes to the Wilson Staff professionals and team who sported very trendy flat caps for The Open. Paddy in a traditional Irish flat cap, plastered with logos? Strange but at least he looked good missing the cut!
Worst Dressed Award: Goes to Rickie Fowler’s black day one jacket with a splash of white. Peter Alliss suggested that it looked like Fowler had been standing on the promenade and was bombarded by seagulls.
Best Shot at Redemption Award: Goes to Thomas Bjorn, who only found out he was in the field on the Monday of the tournament. On returning to the 16th hole in the first round, the site of his Open losing double bogey in 2003, he received an outrageous hop and saw his ball squirt down to four feet, from where he sank the birdie putt! Bjorn went on to finish fourth.
Best Golf Term Award: Came from Ken Brown on the Beeb, who suggested Rory McIlroy needed to “nerdle” his ball to the green. We’re guessing that a “nerdle” is an impossibly difficult 60ish yard pitch to a front pin position, off a rock hard lie, that needs to land between two pot bunkers, and somehow scuttle up near the pin.
Foot In Mouth Award: Goes to Mark James from the BBC who had his foot firmly embedded in his mouth throughout. First commenting on Ryo Ishikawa’s frayed style hat, James quips “I think he needs to divert some money from that Japanese thing to buy a new hat. That “thing” James was referring to is the Japanese earthquake where nearly 21,000 died. Then when Darren Clarke sank a putt on 18 and co-commentator Andrew Cotter suggested Northern Ireland could retire if Clarke joins GMac and Rory as Major Champions. James jumped in “Perhaps they might even stop fighting each other“. His apology later on must have been the hardest thing he has ever done!
Best Shots Of The Week: Dustin Johnson recreated Tony Jacklin’s first ever hole in one on TV on the 16th at Sandwich in 1967, when his low looping hook hammered into the hole. It saw Johnson go from four over back to level in three holes. Then in the second round 61 year old Tom Watson repeated the dose, this time on the sixth. A remarkable achievement by a remarkable man.
Worst Shot Of The Week: They said it would never happen again. They said not with the steadying influence of Fred Couples old caddie Joe LeCava on the bag. But it did. Dustin Johnson proved he learned absolutely nothing from the US Open and US PGA nightmares when, just two shot s back, when went for the green on the 14th. The result. Out of bounds, double bogey and another Major gone.
Best Supporter Award: Goes to a Martin Kaymer supporter who used the “Make your own Tee Shirt Iron On Transfer Kit” tom wonderful effect with her “Kiss Me Kaymer” creation.
Best Tribute: Hats off to the Peter Dawson and all at the R&A for their fantastic tribute to legend Seve Ballesteros. The entrance to the tented village was lined with several photos of the Spaniard celebrating his Open wins. His famous icon was on the grandstand behind the 18th green and a large segment of the trophy ceremony speech was dedicated to the great man. Seve.

Thanks to the following for use of their images:
Padraig Harrington in hat: http://www.sportinglife.com/golf/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=golf/11/07/14/GOLF_Open_Harrington.html&BID=585
Rickie Fowler: http://blog.worldwidegolfshops.com/?p=716
Ken Brown: http://www.whoisintown.co.uk/view_story.php?id=78
Mark James: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/golf/theopen/8641450/Open-2011-Diary-Northern-Ireland-quip-lands-BBC-commentator-Mark-James-in-hot-water.html
Tom Watson: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/gallery/2011/jul/15/the-open-2011-golf-theopen
Dustin Johnson: http://dailypostal.com/2010/06/20/dustin-johnson-leads-us-open-golf-tour/
Kiss me Kaymer: http://www.golfcentraldaily.com/
Seve Tribute: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/jul/13/the-open-seve-ballesteros-tribute

Doc’s Five Favourite Things About The Open | Doc’s Eye View

Doc’s Five Favourite Things About The Open

1. Peter Alliss and his legendary commentary

Alliss is an Open institution and at this stage can pretty much get away with anything. However he’s a gentleman and whatever he comments on will be as carefully crafted as the Claret Jug itself. I love the way he fills the tension filled seconds as the leader approaches the green by saying “I received a lovely letter from an old friend Milly Critchbold to tell me about wonderful Crail Golf Club celebrating its 225th anniversary. Dear old Milly, she was there at the opening!”

2. The Big Yellow Scoreboard

With the green scoreboards at Wimbledon now gone forever, the oldest landmark scoreboard is the big yellow one at The Open. Always manned by the children of some ludicrously named private school such as Frimley Green or Chuzzlewick House who will be putting the numbers on upside down and hanging out every orifice to get a view. The camera always pans to the scoreboard at the end for the “Well done …, See you in 2012”. Except for last year when it read “Well done Louis, Shaggy Woods”!

The Open Championship big yellow scoreboard

3. The Engraver

This guy should be sponsored by Xanax. With the camera pointing over his right shoulder he has to wait until he’s doubly sure who has actually won, before spelling it correctly and fitting it in. Until the late 1960s, the Open winners would take the jug away and have it engraved themselves, but one year Roberto De Vicenzo (Open Champion of 1967) brought it back without his name engraved. Then, when Gary Player’s name was engraved in huge letters that took up about two columns the R&A decided to do it themselves. The job is now done by Garry Harvey who took over from his father in 2006 when he retired after 32 years. Garry cites his toughest moment as having to fit the name “Padraig Harrington” onto the trophy.

4. Woolly Hats and Under Armour

Isn’t it just great to see players, who at no other time in their lives have played golf in anything other a T-shirt, trudge around in rain gear, under armour and woolly hats at the British Open. We like to turn down the volume and play guess the golfer in the worst of the weather.

5. Sergio

Sergio Garcia’s career in the Open has parallels to that of boxer Wayne McCullough. Except for the winning bit. From carefree kid to head scratching grump, Sergio always gets the airtime at The Open with six top 10’s in the noughties. Pummelled by Podge in 2007 at Carnoustie and again a year later at the PGA, Garcia has been at the bottom and is now powering his way back up. Whether he still has the nerve to carry off a repeat of the famous canary yellow outfit, we will just have to wait and see. Remember when he used regrip it forty times before he hit it?

Thanks to the following sites for their images:
Peter Alliss – The voice of BBC Golf: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1316648/Charles-Sale-Beeb-faith-old-Master-Peter-Alliss-new-contract.html
The Open Championship big yellow scoreboard: http://www.weiunderpar.com/post/the-open-scoreboard-salutes-one-shaggy-woods
The Open Championship Claret Jug: http://www.sweetblawgdude.com/2009_06_01_archive.html
Waterproofs at the Ryder Cup: http://www.walesonline.co.uk/multimedia/sport/ryder-cup-2010/images/2010/10/01/first-day-of-play-at-ryder-cup-91466-27379665/
Sergio Garcia cheeky smile: http://www.sportressofblogitude.com/2010/10/20/this-wont-end-well-after-hiatus-sergio-garcia-begins-quest-to-be-world-no-1/