Kaymer reaches the top with wins, not questions
February 28, 2011
MARANA, Ariz. (AP)—Four years ago in another desert, caddie Fanny Sunessonwas sitting near the putting green at Bighorn Golf Club waiting for her work dayto start when she mentioned her part-time job with the German national team.
Bernhard Langer was approaching 50. There was no heir apparent in Germangolf.
Sunesson, filling in for Michelle Wie at the time, mentioned one youngprospect with natural skill and amazing poise who had recently turned pro. Hisname was Martin Kaymer.
“Didn’t I tell you to remember his name?” she asked playfully from behindthe 10th green Saturday morning at Dove Mountain, where she watched Kaymerdispose of another opponent in the Match Play Championship on his way tobecoming No. 1 in the world.
Stardom came faster for Kaymer than it has for any player this side of TigerWoods.
And there were early signs of greatness, even if not as many people werepaying attention.
Kaymer shot 59 on a mini-tour in Europe, a magic number at any level. Heearned his European Tour card without going to Q-school, then was rookie of theyear. After winning his first European Tour event in 2008 at Abu Dhabi, he threwdown a birdie-birdie-eagle finish in Dubai to finish one shot behind Woods.
Ernie Els wasn’t kidding three years ago when he said of Kaymer, “He’sgoing to be something, I promise you.”
Kaymer officially took over as No. 1 in the world on Monday. How long hestays at the top remains to be seen, for Lee Westwood will have a chance to takeit back this week at the Honda Classic.
This time, however, this is no debate over No. 1.
Despite critics of the world ranking system—most of them in the UnitedStates—Westwood earned his No. 1 ranking. Although he has not won a major, noone performed better and more consistently in the biggest tournaments over thetwo-year period that the ranking uses to measure players around the world.
So why the debate?
Westwood only had three wins during those years. One was the St. JudeClassic, a middle-tier event on the PGA Tour, and only because Robert Garrigusmade triple bogey on the 18th hole. Adding to the skepticism, Westwood was homein England the day he reached No. 1, clinched when Kaymer didn’t finish in thetop two that week at the Andalucia Masters.
Kaymer’s rise to the top was far more active.
The 26-year-old German has won seven times over the last two years. He won amajor with the kind of shots that suggest the PGA Championship won’t be his lastone. Kaymer holed a 15-foot par putt on the last hole that got him into aplayoff. After Bubba Watson birdied the first of a three-hole playoff, Kaymeranswered with a birdie on the toughest par 3 at Whistling Straits.
That was the start of three straight wins.
There already is a mystique about the “Germanator,” who has no glaringweakness and is determined to fix the flaws only he can see. When Europe’s best— not to mention Phil Mickelson—gathered at the Abu Dhabi Championship, Kaymerbeat the strongest field on the European Tour by eight shots.
And when Westwood was bounced out of the second round of the Match PlayChampionship, it opened up an opportunity for Kaymer to reach No. 1 if he couldget to the championship match.
He rallied over the final six holes to beat Hunter Mahan in the third round.He hit hybrid onto the 18th green to secure par and beat Miguel Angel Jimenez inthe quarterfinal, then calmly holed an 8-foot par on the 18th hole to beatWatson in the semifinal.
For sure, Kaymer did not back his way into No. 1.
It would have been even sweeter to win a World Golf Championship on his wayto No. 1.
But that wasn’t necessary.
There should be no argument about it. For now—and perhaps for awhile—Kaymer is the guy to beat, although the ranking is so volatile that a half-dozenplayers could be No. 1 when the Masters rolls around.
Woods has slipped to No. 5, his lowest ranking since the week before he wonthe 1997 Masters. Kaymer might be a solid No. 2 if not for Woods’ free fall,first with his personal life and then with his golf swing. Kaymer’s average inthe world ranking is 8.36. Woods was at 14.67 when the 2009 season ended.
So in that respect, Woods has as much to do with who’s No. 1 as the playerwho gets there.
What’s different this time around is that Kaymer is nearly a decade youngerthan Woods, polished but not quite refined. His best golf could still be aheadof him.
Kaymer might have been here even sooner if not for some emotional andphysical bumps along the way.
His mother died in 2008, just three weeks after Kaymer won the BMWInternational Open in Munich. A year later, he won the French Open and ScottishOpen in consecutive weeks and had a shot at his first Order of Merit beforeinjuring his foot in a go-cart accident and missing six crucial weeks.
Being No. 1 is not likely to alter his ambition.
“I want to go out and win tournaments. I want to compete, get myself in thelast group on Sunday and feel that heat, preferably against the best playersever, so that I can compare myself,” Kaymer said. “And if I compare myself, Ican see my weaknesses or strengths that I have, and I can move on and work onthat.
“But it’s always the vision of getting better and winning moretournaments,” he said. “That’s what keeps me going. And that is what I love todo.”
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Long live King Kaymer! (Yahoo! Sports)
February 28, 2011
Was it Jack Nicklaus, or Hal the Computer who once said: “The day Tiger Woods falls to No. 5 in the world; the day Tiger Woods looks up at Martin Kaymer, Lee Westwood, Luke Donald and Graeme McDowell … is the day you’ll see golf in Arizona halted by snow.”
It could have been Al Roker, I’m not entirely sure. I think Roker passed Tiger in the world rankings, too.
Put on your scarves, golf fans – or buffs or whatever the heck we’re calling Kaymer’s neckwear – because golf has a new look. Kaymer is No. 1 in the world, or as they say in the fatherland of the “Germanator,” Kaymer is Nummer Eins. (Like my mastery of Kaymer’s native tongue? I got that from an English-to-German Yahoo! search. Technology can be your friend, or freund, as I was just saying to my kamerade, Bernhard Langer, the last German golfer to be ranked No 1.)
More From Brian Murphy Another tour letdown on Sunday Feb 21, 2011 Its Sunday afternoon live with Bill Murray Feb 14, 2011 
Luke Donald doesn't do any one thing great, but he's a solid player who should be a factor in this year's majors.(Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
Here’s another German phrase the computer threw at me: der Beste. With a win at last year’s PGA Championship, a win at Abu Dhabi and a recent runner-up finish at the World Golf Championships Match Play in the winter wonderland known as Dove Mountain, Ariz., Kaymer is simply der Beste.
Get used to it, too. I don’t think Kaymer is going anywhere. When Lee Westwood ascended to No. 1 some 17 weeks ago, it felt like he was there because somebody other than Tiger had to be, according to both the computer and to our eyeballs. But Westwood never wore the sheen or carried the swagger of the top dog, and we had the feeling his stay wouldn’t be lengthy.
It wasn’t. As Johnny Miller said accurately on NBC: “Yeah, Westwood got to No. 1 and then played like he didn’t want to be there.” (Somewhere, Phil Mickelson just popped his head up and said: “Are you guys talking about me again?”)
Remember when Tiger was der Beste, better than all the rest and all that stuff Tina Turner sang about? Now he’s No. 5, and there is little indication he’ll do anything but fall from there. His first-round exit against a ragged Thomas Bjorn was startling for two reasons: 1.) poor shotmaking (fanning a tee shot into the water; driving into cactus with the match on the line); and 2.) its lack of surprise.
Seriously – when I pondered the fact that Tiger Woods just lost a first-round match to a player who hasn’t made waves in years (I know Bjorn won in Qatar this year, but he hasn’t made a cut at a major since 2007), it didn’t rattle my golf sensibilities. Like many of you, I shrugged and looked ahead to the round of 32.
Tiger has fallen to a point where the quality of his ball-striking is so erratic, the lethal nature of his short game has been so de-fanged and his confidence level is eroding so visibly that what’s shocking is how we are not shocked when he stumbles – again, and again.
The revolution is here, golf fans. All that chatter about the oncoming European domination is no longer chatter – it’s reality. We’re back to the world of the late 1980s and early 1990s, when Nick Faldo and Ian Woosnam and Langer and Jose Maria Olazabal and Sandy Lyle won all the majors. American golf fans endured that cycle, then felt re-assured when Tiger and Phil won 18 majors from 1997-2008.
Now who’s the best American player? Tough question to answer. Bubba Watson? Maybe, with a near-miss at Whistling Straits, a win at Torrey Pines and a semifinal appearance in the Match Play. Dustin Johnson? He nearly won two majors last year. Mickelson? He’s the defending Masters champ. Mark Wilson? He’s got two wins this year. The world rankings say Tiger is – and without discernible evidence to back that up.
Some would say hell would freeze over before such blasphemies are uttered. Well, either that or snow delays in Arizona – whichever came first.
Scorecard of the week
• Luke Donald d. Martin Kaymer, 3 and 2, World Golf Championships Match Play, Dove Mountain, Ariz.
Now, about that winner.
Luke Donald is easy to forget. He doesn’t do any one thing spectacularly. He doesn’t drive it like Bubba Watson. He doesn’t putt it like Graeme McDowell. He doesn’t wear his hair like Rickie Fowler. He doesn’t mainline M&Ms like John Daly.
And, his critics will note, despite a world of talent, he doesn’t win like Luke Donald should win.
Donald’s last win in the U.S. was at the 2006 Honda Classic, way back when Luke Donald winning an event didn’t necessarily cause surprise. Like a lot of players, moderate success on the golf course translated to a financially comfortable existence, and as years passed without a Donald win, some suggested he was happy just putting on the visor, speaking in a quiet English accent, wearing his Polo clothes and cashing checks.
This rankled Donald, he admitted on Sunday, and his assassin’s demeanor at Dove Mountain suggested he was up for putting some pelts on the wall, not just winning enough cash to pay for high tea and crumpets. He rolled through his opponents, dusting Ryan Moore 5 and 4 in the quarterfinals, and obliterating Matt Kuchar 6 and 5 in the semifinals.
Beating Kaymer, currently the best in the world, finished the job, and now Luke Donald joins the list of Players We Need to Watch come major championship time. That is, if he doesn’t get all fat and happy with the win and take the next five years off again. Kidding, Luke! Kidding.
Mulligan of the week
• Down in Mexico, the PGA Tour held an event for the players not in the top 64. They call it the Mayakoba Golf Classic, and usually nobody pays any attention. Or did you forget to send your congratulatory text message to the 2011 champion, Johnson Wagner?
Wagner now has two wins on tour, but the key here is who he defeated – a 26-year-old firebrand from California named Spencer Levin, who would have rocked the golfing world with a win in Mexico.
Levin is a character, all emotion and shot-making and charisma. In his younger days, he wore his collar high, like a character in the movie “Valley Girl,” and chain-smoked cigarettes on the golf course like Arnold Palmer in the early ’60s. You’d know where to find Spencer Levin – just follow the cloud of smoke that followed the guy with the swagger.
At Shinnecock’s U.S. Open in 2004, he was low amateur and made a hole-in-one, and New York galleries loved the kid’s moxie, shouting: “Spen-cuhhhhh!” when he walked by.
But making it on the tour is a long road, even for the most talented, so for Levin to make good on all that promise has been a while in the making. And there he was on Sunday in Mexico, shooting 65 in the final round to force his way into a playoff with Wagner. It was his time – until he drove his tee shot into a bunker and watched Wagner close out the win. Levin rued his drive, and we rue the fact that a colorful kid didn’t get his long-awaited win, so let’s head back out to that playoff hole at Mayakoba, smoke ‘em if you got ‘em and … give that man a mulligan!
Broadcast moment of the week
• “It’s a little bit like a Mike Tyson story, to be honest with you. Sort of invincible, scared everybody, performed quickly under pressure – until Buster Douglas came along. Tiger started to hit that in his life, and his life crumbled.” – Johnny Miller, The Golf Channel’s “State of the Game Live.”
As usual, Miller rattled some cages. These are some strong words, and while USA Today’s Michael Hiestand took exception with the analogy, I actually find myself siding with Miller.
Hiestand thinks it offensive to compare Tiger to a disgraced boxer convicted of rape who once bit the ear off Evander Holyfield. But those falls from Tyson’s grace occurred after the Douglas fight – the point being that the Douglas fight sent Tyson into a tailspin from which he never recovered.
It’s a similar thing with Tiger. His Buster Douglas moment was the Escalade into the tree on Nov. 27, 2009 – and he has yet to recover.
Tiger still has time to render moot Miller’s Tyson comparison. But right now, some 15 months after the Escalade/tree/Buster moment, the analogy stands.
Signs to watch for further Tiger worry: a Maori face tattoo, a sudden interest in pigeons and any cameos in “The Hangover 3,” “The Hangover 4” or “The Hangover 5.”
Where do we go from here?
• Farewell, West Coast Swing. We will miss you: your craggy, romantic coastlines (Pebble Beach), your gently swaying palm trees (Hawaii), your cliff-dwelling hang gliders (Torrey Pines), your dramatic mountain vistas (Palm Springs), your eucalyptus-lined classicism (Riviera), your drunk, screaming hordes (Phoenix) and your hail/sleet/snow delays (Dove Mountain).
Off to boring old Florida: flat layouts, weird Bermuda, humidity and thunderstorms. Yes, I’m biased. Knock yourself out, Honda Classic!
Brian Murphy writes a weekly golf column for Yahoo! Sports. Send Brian a question or comment for potential use in a future column or webcast.
Golf-Westwood can quickly regain world number one spot (Reuters)
February 28, 2011
By Tony Jimenez
LONDON, Feb 28 (Reuters) – The topsy-turvy nature of the2011 world rankings could be reflected again this week with LeeWestwood pushing to reclaim the No.1 spot from European RyderCup team mate Martin Kaymer.
If the second-ranked Westwood finishes third or better atthe Honda Classic in Florida, the absent Kaymer’s reign asnumber one will have lasted for just a week.
With the elite players now involved in a logjam at the topof the rankings, there is a stark contrast to previous yearswhen Tiger Woods appeared untouchable at the summit.
“At the moment it is as tight as it has been in many ayear,” said Tony Greer who helps compile the rankings.
“Tiger has dominated so much in recent years, with a fewpeople snapping at his heels occasionally like Phil Mickelsonand Vijay Singh, and there hasn’t really been much movement inthe upper echelons,” Greer told Reuters on Monday.
With Woods and Mickelson also taking time off this week, anopportunity beckons for Rory McIlroy to move into the top five.
The eighth-ranked Briton needs a victory to leapfrog Woodsat five, Mickelson at six and the absent Paul Casey at seven.
A McIlroy win would also give Europe a grip on the top fivepositions for the first time since 1992 when Ian Woosnam, NickFaldo, Jose Maria Olazabal, Seve Ballesteros and Bernhard Langerdominated the world order.
The out-of-form Woods dropped out of the top four on Mondayand could slip even further next week.
OPPORTUNITIES GALORE
However, it seems that no matter how much his performancesdeteriorate Woods maintains an Indian sign over arch-rivalMickelson in the rankings.
“Woods is still just ahead. Mickelson hasn’t been in frontof Tiger since the 1997 U.S. Masters,” said Greer.
“He had opportunities galore last season. He could have gonepast Woods many times but always missed out.”
When the rankings began Greer said it was unimaginable thatmore than a handful of Europeans would be invited to compete atthe Masters, the season’s first major championship.
“We launched the rankings 25 years ago and at that pointthere were three Europeans in the field for the 1986 Masters —Sandy Lyle, Ballesteros and Langer,” said Greer. “There arealready something like 26 Europeans in the field this year.”
Yet another twist to the rankings tale is possible should13th-ranked Ian Poulter triumph at the Honda Classic. A win forthe Briton could potentially give Europe a record total of sevenplayers in the world’s top 10.
“The Americans would not be amused by that,” said Greer.
(Editing by Martyn Herman. To query or comment on this storyemail sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
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Golf-Euro Tour chief salutes ‘staggering’ Donald win (Reuters)
February 28, 2011
By Tony Jimenez
LONDON, Feb 28 (Reuters) – European Tour chief executiveGeorge O’Grady has hailed Luke Donald’s maiden World GolfChampionship (WGC) victory as a “staggering” achievement.
The Briton rocketed from ninth to third in the worldrankings after capping a brilliant week by beating Ryder Cupteam mate Martin Kaymer 3 & 2 in Sunday’s Accenture Match Playfinal at Dove Mountain in Arizona.
“He (Donald) didn’t play the 18th hole all week and hisstandard of play was staggering,” O’Grady told Reuters in aninterview on Monday.
The 33-year-old Englishman started out by crushing CharleyHoffman 6 & 5 before beating Edoardo Molinari 2 & 1. He thenpolished off Matteo Manassero 3 & 2 and Ryan Moore 5 & 4 beforescoring another 6 & 5 win over Matt Kuchar in the semi-finals.
O’Grady said the runs to the final of Donald and new worldnumber one Martin Kaymer of Germany would give another big boostto the European Tour after a spectacular season in 2010.
In 2010, Kaymer won the U.S. PGA Championship and GraemeMcDowell the U.S. Open, Lee Westwood rose to world number oneand Europe beat the United States in the Ryder Cup.
“It was a tremendous achievement to get two of our playersin the final last week,” said O’Grady. “It will give greatconfidence and self-belief to the tour.
SPECIAL GOLFERS
“Martin, Lee, Luke and Graeme are now the top four in theworld rankings and they are all pretty special golfers.
“We have actually got six in the top eight including PaulCasey at seven and Rory McIlroy at eight. That’s a tremendousachievement for the tour—there are no two ways about it.”
O’Grady paid special tribute to the dedication of theleading European contingent.
“The workrate of all these players and the fitness levelsare tremendous,” he explained. “Luke had not won in America fora few years (since the 2006 Honda Classic) but he’s good enoughnow to win any week he plays.
“He has certainly worked hard. The work ethic of the lot ofthem is phenomenal and I think they’re all reaping their justrewards.
“But nobody will be slacking off. There is healthycompetition at the top and I look forward to catching up withthem all when I go to the WGC-Cadillac Championship in Miaminext week.”
In the meantime, the continuing success of Europe’s leadinggolfers will do no harm to O’Grady and his team in thenever-ending quest for new sponsors and financial backers.
“I think sponsors see we are unearthing new talent like theMcIlroys, the Manasseros, some young Spanish players, some youngBritish players,” said the tour supremo.
“The national federations are also strong and there areinitiatives in all of our developing countries. They are seeingwhat these guys have achieved and are saying, ‘We can do ittoo’.”
(Editing by Ed Osmond. To query or comment on this storyemail sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
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This Heritage likely last one unless sponsor found
February 28, 2011
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (AP)—The longtime Heritage golf tournament likelywon’t make it past April without finding a title sponsor.
PGA Tour vice president Ty Votaw says it is “imperative” for thetournament to secure a replacement sponsor to keep the tournament at HarbourTown Golf Links for 2012 and beyond.
Tournament director Steve Wilmot said it would cost about $7.6 million for acompany to underwrite the event.
Votaw and Wilmot spoke Monday at the Heritage’s gathering in advance of thetournament, which will be played from April 21-24.
This is the first time since 1986 that the Heritage won’t carry titlebacking from Verizon, which left after the 2010 event.
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Donald wins Match Play in record fashion
February 28, 2011
MARANA, Arizona (AP)—The Match Play Championship ended with what must havefelt like a strange sensation for England’s Luke Donald. He was posing Sundaywith a trophy on American soil.
Donald spoiled Germany’s Martin Kaymer’s rise to No. 1 in the world bywinning with a performance so dominant he never played the 18th hole all week.
On a bizarre final day in the high desert, which began with snow coveringthe fairways, Donald pulled ahead for good with a birdie on the par-5 11th and apar on the next hole, eventually closing out Kaymer on No. 16 for a 3-and-2victory.
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The consolation prize for Kaymer is going to No. 1 in the career, which heassured by reaching the championship match.
Tiger Woods was knocked out of the first round of the Match Play Championship for only the second time in his career.(Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
Donald was in more dire need of this trophy, however.
It was his first win in America in five years, and it was only his secondwin worldwide since he captured the 2006 Honda Classic. The 33-year-oldEnglishman had done just about everything right except win.
“I solely focus on trying to win tournaments,” Donald said. “I felt likeI hadn’t won my fair share for as good a player as I felt I was and could be. Itwas disappointing. It was frustrating to me. To come here and compete againstthe best players in the world and win the trophy is very gratifying.”
In what was a week like no other in the 13-year history of the AccentureMatch Play Championship. Donald played only 89 holes in six matches and nevertrailed in any of them. In fact, he led after 81 of those holes.
“It feels amazing,” Donald said. “I had a bit of a monkey on my back. Ihadn’t won in the U.S. in five years.”
Donald won his first World Golf Championship, and became the second playerfrom England to capture the Match Play Championship. He goes to a career-bestNo. 3 in the world to continue a European resurgence in the ranking.
The next world ranking will be Kaymer, Lee Westwood, Donald and GraemeMcDowell. It’s the first time since March 15, 1992, that the top four spots havebeen occupied by Europeans.
Matt Kuchar defeated Bubba Watson in the consolation match and will go toNo. 10 in the world.
This Match Play Championship will stand out for reasons beyond golf.
A late winter storm dusted Dove Mountain with nearly an inch of snow, andthe fairways were blankets of white in the morning. Donald looked out his hotelroom and suggested on Twitter that a snowball fight determine who had honors onthe first tee.
The snow had melted when they teed off, although dark clouds on the horizonloomed. Sleet began falling when the championship match reached the third green,and play was stopped when sleet covered the fourth fairway.
“Do we have to keep playing?” Kaymer asked chief referee Mark Russell.
Kaymer, who purchased a snood to wear around his neck, pulled it up over hismouth and looked like a real Western gunslinger (except for the pattern of flieson fish hooks). Donald took out his blue-and-white umbrella and crouched beneathit.
“It was kind of bizarre crouching under my umbrella like that,” Donaldsaid. “We had to pause for 10 or 15 minutes just for the green to dry out. Itwas testing conditions.”
When the fairways turned from white back to green, play resumed.
Donald seized on the moment. Already 1 up from his 18-foot birdie on thepar-5 second, he watched Kaymer hit a fade over the bunker to about 7 feet, thenanswered with a shot into 2 feet for a conceded birdie. Kaymer missed, andDonald was 2 up.
On the next hole, Kaymer pulled his drive into the desert and fell anotherhole down.
Donald three-putted for bogey from below the ridge to lose his first hole,and Kaymer squared the match at the turn with a birdie on the eighth and a bogeyon No. 9, where Donald hit his approach into a desert bush and had to return tohis original spot in the fairway.
The turning point might have been No. 10.
Tiger Woods and Thomas Bjorn shared a moment after Woods was ousted from the first round. The game of golf needs him back at his best, Bjorn said.(Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
Kaymer had all the momentum and blistered a tee shot down the middle, whileDonald went from a scrubby lie in the desert to a waste area short of the green.Donald, however, blasted out to 3 feet for a conceded par.
He took the lead on the 11th by making an 8-foot birdie putt as Kaymermissed his birdie from just inside 6 feet, and Donald regained all the moment onthe next hole when Kaymer came up short into the sand and took bogey.
Donald went 3 up on the 15th when Kaymer missed a birdie putt from inside 4feet, and the “Germanator” conceded the match on the 16th when he failed tohole a 30-foot birdie putt.
It was the first time the championship match was decided over 18 holesinstead of 36.
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A Lesson Learned: Executing the Perfect Pitch (PGA.com)
February 28, 2011
What a great show this week at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship. The incredible play of Luke Donald was as impressive as you could ever hope to see in such a format. Donald only played 89 holes total, he led after 81 of them and never trailed to an opponent all week! And Martin Kaymer's performance elevated him to the no. 1 player in the world according to the World Golf Ranking. For any golf fan, it was a week to watch, enjoy and of course, to learn from.
For this week's "A Lesson Learned," the topic seemed easy for me. So many people kept making a reference to the yardage here at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club at Dove Mountain, as if hitting it a long way would be key to winning. Obviously, it wasn't as Luke Donald is nowhere near the bomber than Bubba Watson, J.B. Holmes, Phil Mickelson or Tiger Woods is. So what was key this week? Believe it or not, it was the short pitch shot. Because when a course is this long, you're going to miss greens and an effective short game is what would set a player apart.
As we all saw this past weekend, those greens at Dove Mountain in Arizona were not only fast but undulating, making getting the ball close impossible at times! The key to conquering tough greens like those when pitching is to create a game plan. Watch the PGA and LPGA players closely as they design their pitch; a technique easily noticed as they walk all over the place. First they walk to the flagstick area, often pacing out the line while finding a solid landing zone. Next, they gauge the distance and carefully examine the terrain between themselves and the hole.
At first glance, it may look unnecessary, but there is a great deal of information being gathered and implemented. To execute the perfect pitch, follow this game plan.
1. Pick your trajectory
Judge how high or low you want hit the shot. I always stress taking the low route as often as possible because there is less room for costly error.
Some factors that play into the trajectory decision are:
How close you are to the green How much green is between you and the flag The terrain between you and the greenThe speed of the greens The lie of your ball
2. Pick your landing circle
A hula-hoop sized landing zone is usually perfect. It is not too big and is small enough that it creates a more specific target. Remember, once the ball lands it will begin to roll like a putt. This means you must take the break, speed and other factors into account
3. Rehearse the stroke
Start by taking practice swings looking at the landing zone and visualizing the balls trajectory, hitting the zone and rolling to the hole. It is vital to take real, purposeful practice swings.
4. EXECUTE
Limit the time you stand over the ball thinking, and pull the trigger.
At first, this system seems a bit much, but as you continue to practice and plan out your pitch it will become second nature and you'll be left with much shorter putts.
Chris Fry, founder of the Chris Fry Golf Academy, is one of the leading instructors in Arizona. Coupled with his considerable experience having taught over 5,000 lessons in the last 4 years, Chris expects the CFGA to help golfers dramatically improve and enjoy the game even more. You can visit www.ChrisFryGolf.com for more information on Chris and/or follow him on Twitter at @ChrisFryGolf
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Golf-Sheer relief for Donald after ending PGA Tour title drought (Reuters)
February 28, 2011
By Mark Lamport-Stokes
MARANA, Arizona, Feb 27 (Reuters) – Relief seemed to oozeout of every pore of Luke Donald’s face as he spoke to thegolfing media on Sunday after ending a PGA Tour title droughtof five years.
The Briton had just won the biggest tournament of hiscareer, a 3&2 victory over German Martin Kaymer earning him theprestigious WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship.
“It certainly bothered me,” Donald said of his long waitfor a third PGA Tour career victory. “My goal every year is towin tournaments. It’s a long time since I’ve tried to play formoney, you know.
“My first couple of years, maybe, as a rookie, you thinkabout making your Tour card and making cuts and making enoughmoney to play the next year. But it’s been a long time sincethat.”
Donald had not triumphed on the U.S. circuit since the 2006Honda Classic, although he recorded seven top-10 finishes toend the 2010 season seventh in the money list with earnings of$3.66 million.
“I solely focus on trying to win tournaments,” said theEnglishman, who will rise to a career-high third in the worldrankings on Monday.
“I felt like I hadn’t won my fair share for as good aplayer as I felt I was and could be. It was frustrating to me.Winning in Europe took a little bit off but obviously it was alittle bit of a smaller event, not a field like this.”
Donald claimed the third European Tour victory of hiscareer at last year’s Madrid Masters.
“But to come here and compete against the best players inthe world and win the trophy is very gratifying,” he added,referring to the elite World Golf Championships (WGC) eventthat brings together the world’s top 64.
WINNING OBJECTIVE
Asked what his next objective might be after winning hisfirst WGC title, Donald replied: “Hopefully I gain a lot ofconfidence from it and I go on to win more events. Every year,the goal is to win tournaments and to try and win majors.
“I had a very consistent year last year, won once in Europeand had 10 top-threes around the world. I was certainlyknocking on the door, but I wasn’t winning.
“The most disappointing thing about last season was Ididn’t really contend in a major, I didn’t really have achance.”
Donald is renowned for his superb short game but, as amedium-length hitter in a sport increasingly dominated by powerdrivers of the ball, he made a tactical error four years ago totry to beef up his golf.
“Back in 2007 … I decided to try to hit the ball a littlebit farther, to try to catch up to some of my peers, and Ithink it made my swing get off kilter,” he said.
“And it’s taken a good two or three years for it to getback to almost where I need it to be.”
For Kaymer, who will take over from Britain’s Lee Westwoodas world number one on Monday, Donald’s consistency and shortgame mark him out as a player to command the highest respect.
“He’s definitely one of the most consistent players on theTour and I think he’s probably the best in the world in theshort game at the moment,” Kaymer said.
“I have played with Phil Mickelson a few times and it isunbelievable. But what Luke is doing at the moment is a joke.Wherever he is, you know that he will make the up-and-down ifhe doesn’t hole it.”
(Editing by Steve Ginsburg; To comment on this story emailsportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
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Donald, Kaymer notch big wins in Arizona (Yahoo! Sports)
February 28, 2011
The biggest names in the game fell, one after another, as they often do at the Match Play Championship in Arizona. Nonetheless, there was still plenty of superb shotmaking to go around – along with some efforts that were not nearly as inspiring …
Luke Donald: The fact that Donald never trailed in any of his six matches must be considered one of the most impressive accomplishments on the PGA Tour in a long time. At 33, Donald is still one of the premier iron players in the game and has time to put up the numbers many have long expected.
Luke Donald never trailed in any of his six matches at the Match Play Championship.(Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
Martin Kaymer: It would have been appropriate for Kaymer to cap the week he secured the No. 1 ranking by finishing the tournament off with a victory. No matter. Nobody in the world has performed better than Kaymer since he broke through at last year’s PGA Championship, and it’s possible he will stay at the top for a while. There isn’t a single weakness in his game.
Bubba Watson: No player produces more memorable shots week after week than Watson, who is becoming a folk hero of sorts. Whether he possesses the all-around game to be a major force in the years ahead remains to be seen. No doubt he will be fun to watch.
Matt Kuchar: So much for his big slump. A week after he shockingly missed the top 10 for the first time in what seems like an eternity, Kuchar rebounded with a strong effort in the desert. Amazingly, he seems almost unchanged from the amateur who was such a refreshing presence at the Masters over a decade ago. The tour needs more players with his attitude.
Rickie Fowler: So he was knocked out by Kuchar in the round of 16. So what? Fowler brought magic to the tournament with his 6 and 5 trouncing of Phil Mickelson on the second day, highlighted by his two long irons to set up eagles at 11 and 13. One of these days, though, being flashy will get a little old. Fowler needs to win. A lot.
Miguel Angel Jimenez: One can’t say enough about the mechanic, who, at 47, was the oldest competitor in the 64-man field. He made it all the way to the final eight, where he took Kaymer to the final hole. Give that man a cigar.
Tiger Woods: Perhaps the most remarkable thing about Tiger’s early exit is that we weren’t the least bit surprised. In fact, we’re not surprised by anything that happens to him on the course these days. This time, at least, he didn’t lose to Nick O’Hern, who has taken Woods down twice in this event. Johnny Miller is right: Tiger has to play more.
Tiger Woods was eliminated on the first day of match play in Arizona.(Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
Lee Westwood: When you are the No. 1 player in the world, going out in the second round – he fell to Nick Watney for the second straight year – is not acceptable. Westwood looked shaky on the greens, a problem he’ll have to fix if he hopes to contend at Augusta and secure a long-overdue first major crown.
Rory McIlroy: Losing in the match play format is certainly no disgrace – unless you lose in the manner that McIlroy did, 8 and 7 to Ben Crane. Ben Crane? The Irish youngster did not capture a single hole against Crane and conceded at No. 11 after his drive disappeared in the desert.
J.B. Holmes: Holmes is very fortunate in one respect: If this had been a major tournament, he would have secured his place among the all-time meltdowns, blowing a five-hole lead to Watson on the back nine at Dove Mountain (By the way, there is no truth to the rumor that J.B. is still waiting for another ruling).
Phil Mickelson: For Lefty, his lackluster showing at match play epitomized his lackluster West Coast swing. He did nothing, except for Torrey Pines, where he uncharacteristically took the conservative route on 18 when he needed an eagle to tie Bubba Watson. Memo to Mickelson: Next time you think about playing five in a row, think again.
Ian Poulter: Defending champion Poulter was knocked out on the first day by Stewart Cink. Look on the bright side: He had more time to indulge in his other pastime, tweeting.
Michael Arkush is an editor for Yahoo! Sports. Send Michael a question or comment for potential use in a future column or webcast.
Donald dominates the competition (Yahoo! Sports)
February 28, 2011
Luke Donald wasn’t supposed to win the Match Play Championship at Dove Mountain in Marana, Ariz. The week was instead set up for a comeback by Tiger Woods, a breakthrough by Rickie Fowler, or perhaps a victory by the popular Bubba Watson.
There were a whole host of likely scenarios. None of them included the name Luke Donald.
Donald, after all, hadn’t won on the PGA Tour since 2006 and was coming off a missed cut last week at Riviera. Then, even when he did make it to Sunday’s final, the odds were still stacked against him. He would be facing the new No. 1 in Martin Kaymer, and even though Donald had made the easiest trip to the finals of anyone ever in this event, the journey would surely end there.
By winning the Match Play Championship, Luke Donald confirmed his status as one of the game's elite players.(Elaine Thompson/AP Photo)
But nothing about this week was normal, such as the cold weather, highlighted by a hail storm on the fourth hole of Sunday’s match that forced the eventual champion to duck under his umbrella and wait while ice pelted players and fans alike. This was actually happening. In Arizona.
But Donald was cool all day. He was cool as he walked to the first tee and calmly shook hands with commissioner Tim Finchem. He was cool as he gained a 3-up lead and then gave it right back to Kaymer. And he was cool when the hail finally stopped, and he answered Kaymer’s second shot to a tucked pin by hitting it within the leather, jumpstarting his final round.
But that’s Donald. Nice on the outside, a killer on the inside. No moment showed this more than the turning point in the match. After some loose swings on the eighth and ninth, Donald came to No. 10 in desperate need of a momentum shift. A colleague actually commented, “This thing is over,” when Donald dumped his second shot in the wash. But a nifty little chip shot nestled the ball to a couple of feet. Kaymer gave him the putt, and Donald then went on to win the next two holes. Game, set and match.
Luke didn’t just beat people this week, he demolished them. In five of his six matches, he didn’t have to play the 17th hole, including in his Sunday 3-and-2 win over Kaymer. It wasn’t as if Donald got some favorable draw. He had to take on the promising Italian teenager Matteo Manassero, a red-hot Ryan Moore and the consistent Matt Kuchar, who looked destined to make the finals. Donald made 33 birdies in 89 holes and became the first player to never trail in a single match the entire week.
If there is ever a new-age match play performer, it’s Donald. He isn’t super long off the tee, but he isn’t short, either. He doesn’t stuff his irons all day long, but he rarely misses them in the wrong spot. He makes the putts he needs to make, nestles the others close enough to pick them up and walks away from most of the matches as the guy with the smile on his face. He has never been on a losing Ryder Cup team, and the victory on Sunday cemented him as one of the best in the world, even without all the victories to highlight his trophy room.
Sure, he could have won a few more times, but, at 33, he now seems likely to win in bunches. Look at his finishes lately in big events. In 2010, he recorded his second straight top-11 finish in the British Open, and despite struggles in past U.S. Opens, he belongs on a short list of Europeans likely to dominate in those type of conditions.
We talk all the time about the English golfers with tremendous talent, such as Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and Paul Casey. But it is Donald we should be keeping our eye on more and more.
This week showed why. He never let up, he constantly kept the pressure on his opponents and he left as the champion. Next time, he won’t be overlooked.
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