Season-long running golf thread

Yeah, but watching Phil chunk that chip from the green about three feet was awesome. Now that's something I can do with a 60-degree wedge.

 

Heading for a playoff. Some ballsy putts from Howell to get there.

 

Anyone seen Mickelson's wife and kids? Let's see if they run out and embrace him when he loses.

 

Heh. Chipping off the cart path. Totally impressed with CHIII's mental game here.

 

As much as I dislike Nantz on basketball, he's freaking tremendous on golf. Pulling out that someone had the same putt on 18 in the Nissan 17 years ago and missed left, that's doing your homework. Good points on the two not recognizing the changing course conditions and not changing clubs accordingly. I'll take Phil in a short-game showdown, thanks.

 

Usually I would, at least.

 

Howell beat. Phil missed his par putt. Howell sank his four footer. Nice come from behind win for CHIII.

 

The Thin Man won. Phil got an unlucky bounce on his putt which killed the speed and he missed his par put. Howell had a chip and a putt and made a 3 footer for the win. Faldo sounded more nervous for Howell than his parents. Guess that Howell gets to play at home in Augusta -- hope he doesn't get beat by any geriatrics this time.

 

Longest Nissan Open playoff in 25 years, or since Watson came from behind to beat Johnny Miller on the third playoff hole.

The keys to this were: 1) Howell's ballsy six footer for par on the 18th hole in regulation, and 2) Mickelson's decision to gorilla an 8-iron second shot from 204 yards on the same hole. TV doesn't do justice to how much uphill that hole plays, he had a not-so-cool lie in one of the few patches of kikuyu rough that was actually gnarly this week and even (slightly) downwind with the ball above his feet and a hook lie, he wasn't getting home from there with that club.

From his transcript....
"I just thought downwind an 8 iron was enough. I wanted it to fly 185. It was 180 to the front. That green was brick hard. I thought an 8 iron downwind would make it, but it just didn't. "

Nice redemption and a good win for Chuckie Three Sticks, who let this one get away in a two-hole playoff to Mike Weir four years ago. In fact, after he drove onto the cart path on No. 10 in the playoff, two writers in the media center and myself almost said simultaneously "We've seen this before..."

 

Howell played very well. It's about time No. 3 got a win at Riviera. I know Phil wasn't mired in the traffic much since he flew back and forth from his Rancho Santa Fe home to the course, but even as short a plane ride as that is back home, it'll feel long to him in terms of his mental game. Would have been great to see Phil get back-to-back PGA wins, this one especially since he had not played the Nissan Open since, I believe, 2001.

Also, Birdscribe, I was at said tourney when Howell and Weir played the playoff. Deja vu for sure, but glad it went III's way today.

 

Check out John Daly's card from today at the Wachovia. Started on the back nine and was even for his round as he went to No. 18. Made double there, then shot 49 on the front side.