LOUISVILLE, KY – Boo Weekley turned a Tiger-less Ryder Cup into one of the year’s greatest sporting spectacles, right there with the Federer-Nadal Wimbledon finals, Michael Phelps’ gold medal runs and even topped Tiger and Rocco’s U.S. Open clash. When Boo bull-danced his way off the first tee Sunday afternoon, it capped a performance this week that is worthy of a lifetime Ryder Cup Matches exemption. Until Weekley decides to hang it up for his fishing rod, he should be a captain’s pick should he not qualify. He rallies his teammates and makes the Europeans want to whine their way ...

LOUISVILLE, KY – This is what happens when free beer is served after dinner in the media center… If you saw the European team’s press conference Sunday night on the Golf Channel, you know the media was feeling a little feisty. It turns out they went easy on Faldo. According to our shuttle bus driver from Valhalla to downtown Louisville, her van turned into The Octagon. “There were two Americans in the van and the rest British,” she recalled. “One of the Americans said something about Sergio’s putting…and they started arguing.” It’s about a 30-minute drive from Valhalla to the downtown ...

LOUISVILLE, KY – No one has felt the heat more than European Captain Nick Faldo this week, who hasn’t made a decision without someone calling it “boneheaded” or “English-biased". Now that the Americans have officially clinched the Ryder Cup, thanks to nothing short of genius Captaining by Paul Azinger, it’s only just begun for Faldo. I was in the European Tour hospitality tent this afternoon chewing the fat with some European vets, who said the love-hate relationship between Faldo and the press all dates back to his Open Championship win at Muirfield in 1987. For those like me who were ...

LOUISVILLE, KY – Before I get started with Sunday’s pairings and my predictions, I want to get something of my chest. I was hanging with a few golf writers last weekend who didn’t speak very highly of Valhalla, with “overrated” sprinkled all over their arguments. I don’t know what they’re smoking - or maybe they’re just jaded to a certain degree. I think Valhalla has everything you could ask for in a tournament golf course. I’ve walked the course a few times now, and I’m itching to play this thing myself. No two holes look alike. No two holes play ...

LOUISVILLE, KY – Lee Westwood, after complaining about Boo Weekley’s conduct yesterday, then sitting out the morning match because of what Nick Faldo said to be “blisters from new shoes", will get another shot at Weekley this afternoon. Westwood and Hansen will rematch Weekley and J.B. Holmes after halving yesterday. Weekley and Holmes were electrifying yesterday but will be facing loads of pressure, which is increasing after Europe gained a little ground back this morning, down now by just two points. With the match in their hands on the 18th tee, the Americans both put their drives in the drink ...

LOUISVILLE, KY – U.S. Captain Paul Azinger is sticking to his guns Saturday morning, going with the same lineup that earned him three points in Friday’s foursomes. European captain Nick Faldo is doing his best impression of an over-caffeinated Wall Street day trader with his irrational, panicky pairings for Saturday morning. With the pairings having just been announced, Faldo is benching both Sergio Garcia and Lee Westwood. Together, Garcia and Westwood have made up one of Europe’s best pairings over the years. Apparently America’s first lead after Day 1 since 1995 will cause you to throw your veterans under the ...

LOUISVILLE, KY – Louisville may as well be in Texas right now. Hunter Mahan and Justin Leonard are stealing what was supposed to be Kenny Perry and J.B. Holmes’ show and the crowds are going nuts at the Ryder Cup. After a rough start this morning, Leonard and Mahan dominated Henrik Stenson and Paul Casey, closing out U.S.A.’s first match of the morning 3 & 2. They’ve carried that momentum to the afternoon versus Team Spain match and the galleries are going wild for them. Leonard is especially loose, yelping “Oops!” to the crowd as he sorted through them to ...

LOUISVILLE, KY – You can’t listen to an American player talk about Valhalla this week without mentioning that it caters to “aggressive” play. Apparently they’ve taken a page from the Tim Duncan-style interview. “If you hit the fairway, you can be aggressive,” said Stewart Cink yesterday. “You have to shoot at some pins and try and make some birdies and be aggressive,” said his partner this morning Chad Campbell. They are two down with Chad Campbell in their match against Justin Rose and Ian Poulter. Mickelson of course has never seen a venue he couldn’t be aggressive on. “It wasn’t going ...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The United States Ryder Cup team is swinging for the fences with it’s lead-off hitter tomorrow morning at Valhalla. In an attempt to end a dismal losing streak to the European team, captain Paul Azinger is counting on the sometimes brilliant, sometimes miserable, always entertaining World No. 2 to lead the charge, pairing Phil Mickelson in the opening 8:05 match with young stud Anthony Kim. They’ll go up against Europe’s Padraig Harrington and Robert Karlsson. Mickelson’s recent Ryder Cup record has been abysmal. It’s progressively gotten worse through the years even, culminating in a goose egg 0-4-1 ...

FRENCH LICK, Ind. – I was offered a sneak preview of the new Pete Dye Course at the French Lick Resort in Southern Indiana this morning. The course isn’t slated to open until the spring of 2009, but the first 16 holes on the course were playable today. It’s no doubt one of the most anticipated new openings in America and for good reason. The French Lick Resort has put $500 million into its facilities and golf is a major piece of that puzzle. Probably the only thing similar about the existing Ross course at the Resort and the modern ...

FRENCH LICK, Ind. – What’s left of Hurricane Ike unleashed it’s wrath on the Midwest today. I was in southern Indiana today at the French Lick Resort for a media event, where the storm made it’s presence. High winds knocked down trees blocking the entrance to the hotel and cut power all afternoon (not in the casino of course, that was going strong). Local radio reported a turned semi truck on the highway. Many writers showed up to the media event late due to blocked roads heading to the resort. One writer canceled on the media event here (wimp). Even ...

IRON MOUNTAIN, Mich. – Northern Michigan does elevated tee shots better than anywhere. So much so I paid homage to my favorites awhile back - and I know I have only scratched the surface. It’s the signature shot of the destination. Book a couple rounds up north and you’re bound to play one, and today in the Upper Peninsula I played a doozie. It’s the par-3 17th at Timberstone Golf Course in Iron Mountain. 215 yards, straight downhill, about a two or two-and-a-half club adjustment. The green, with two separate tiers, is one of the more challenging I’ve seen on ...

I don’t want to jinx the American greenback, but lately it’s been on quite a tear versus many of the world’s foreign currencies, most notably the Euro and the British Pound. I was in the United Kingdom in May, and the rate was right around $2 to £1. The worst I’ve ever seen it in the last two years was about $2.04 to £1. The Euro has been even worse, getting to levels of over $1.60 per €1. Apparently Americans are not only good at exporting fast food and Hollywood, but also subprime interest loans and our lack of credit ...

I was a pretty big fan of Paul Azinger’s captain style in the Ryder Cup proceedings. I liked how he took some jabs at European Captain Nick Faldo in pre-tournament interview sessions and I like how he’s been at Valhalla several times catering the course to the American’s suitability. He was also very nice to my grandma once on Hilton Head Island, which obviously scores serious points. Well, that’s all out the window now, thanks to his captain’s picks and his decision to pass up on his good friend Rocco Mediate. Mediate’s broken up about it and he should be, ...