There's a spirited body of opinion in the forums this week that can be classified as "I wouldn't be seen dead backing Justin Leonard at less than 30." Poor Justin is not the tipsters' favourite either - he warrants hardly a mention. It all sits oddly w… more »

It might not seem so to Rory Sabbatini, but that was a hot round of golf he served up on Sunday. The wind made it hell on tees for everyone - an average of more than two strokes harder than the day before. The lowest round of the day from George McNeil w… more »

You don't really have to do the sums. The market price of less than 1.3 says all you want to know about the likelihood of K J Choi ending up a wire-to-wire winner. It's going to take a monumentally bad day at the office for the Korean to let this one sli… more »

Steve Marino and Fred Funk are looking like the exceptions that disprove the rule. We all know what a stickler Funk is for accurate tee shots and he is again the most precise player after round two to edge himself up into 4th place. Marino might not have… more »

So remind me. Who is it I can't say should be lynched? Because I've got a long list here (I'm in a particularly vindictive mood today), but I really wouldn't want to fall foul of that Rev Sharpton geyser. He sounds scary. Is he really a Christian? Mind… more »

Where's Michelle Wie when you need her? Yes, I know I used to rant about all the media attention she used to siphon off at events like this, but at least it injected a scintilla of life into the proceedings. The news from Honolulu this year is so rivetin… more »

I was almost on my knees by the end praying for someone to win it. The sun might have been setting on the drama at Kapalua, threatening a spill-over into Monday, but back here in England we weren't far off the other end of the day. You really don't want… more »

Since the turn of the millennium this competition has gone one of two ways on Sunday: the overnight leader has taken the spoils or the victor has sprung out of the chasing pack from four shots back. That's happened three times: Stuart Appleby in 2005, Se… more »

I wish all you guys would stop talking about Canada taking over the leaderboard. Mike Weir might be topping the chart at the half-way stage, but he has a doughty Brit sitting right on his tail in the shape of Stephen Ames. Don't look at me in that tone… more »

So where was PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem when his small but perfectly-formed band of professionals needed him at Maui? Considering the special ceremony they held to inaugurate the 2008 season, you'd have thought he might have made at least a flying… more »

If more players shun this season opener you'll easily be able to fit those left into a single Merc, which would be handy for sightseeing. Not that the dwindling numbers deter the PGA Tour people. They've decided to hold a special ceremony at Kapalua to m… more »

Stephen Ames is not the world's greatest scrambler. Until the weekend he was 123rd in the PGA Tour scrambling table. Sunday he vaulted 37 places, an achievement sealed by that match-winning effort of the last hole. You can imagine a little tightening of… more »

Scott Verplank had his chance Friday and blew it. Everyone else had the same opportunity Saturday and they blew it too. Or maybe more accurately the wind blew it, aided and abetted by the soggy course. Verplank is right to say it only needs one of abou… more »

Some careless headline writers got ahead of themselves after round two, trumpeting that Scott Verplank "took charge" of the Children's Miracle Network Classic. Quite the reverse. When he had the chance to slam the door firmly shut he left it wide open wi… more »

I never like to see a player I'm backing leading the first round of a tournament. How many times do they go on to win? Something in the order of one in 10 if I recall the last time I did the maths? So I'm very grateful to J P Hayes for going a shot clear… more »