Since President Barack Obama was announced as the Nobel Peace Prize winner, I - unlike every other human on the planet - did not form an immediate opinion. There must be something to this that we’re missing, thought I. And then it came to me - Tiger Woods. Yes, my friends, forces throughout the world came together to ensure that Obama would receive the award - and $1.4 million prize. They did this for Tiger. I’m sure of it. Woods, you see, is not a billionaire. I know, I know, it seems ludicrous that he isn’t. But he’s not. And Obama can ...

Now listen, I understand that much of the audience for this blog will scream blasphemy and that it’s been a brilliant year for the PGA Tour. And I’m with you on that, but this is about entrenched golf fans. This is about the middle-of-the-road sports fan that needs a reason to watch golf. And while the FedEx Cup may have become the most important golf event playoff thingy on the planet this year, it certainly isn’t bringing in the casual fans. There was an actual headline last weekend “Woods makes cut.” Oh yeah, that’ll get the youth audience. Generation Tiger, ...

The world of golf has spent the past month or so talking about Yang. And Tiger. It’s also spent the past several weeks not talking much about Stewart Cink winning the British Open. But if there’s one golf subject out there not getting enough media play, it’s the Solheim Cup. Starting today, the 11th Solheim Cup, the LPGA’s answer to the Ryder Cup, starts today with morning four-ball matches at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Ill. Today’s matches in the battle between Europe and the U.S.: – Paula Creamer & Cristie Kerr vs. Suzann Pettersen & Sophie Gustafson – Angela Stanford & ...

For the past decade or so, South Korean golfers have been a dominant presence on the LPGA Tour. With roughly three dozen South Korean women in the LPGA, tournaments can often become a battle solely between S. Korean ladies. Carolyn Bivens believed that the South Korean domination of the LPGA Tour was bad for the game, and went as far as suggesting that all South Korean women learn and speak English so they could draw more fans and sponsors. Bivens, of course, was fired not long after. Now, however, the South Korean men have decided to show up. With Y.E. Yang’s historic ...

Folks, I’m well aware I’ve spent the year predicting the collapse of Tiger Woods’ amazing career. There are two main reasons for this. First, I am an admittedly horrible prognosticator. And second, I feel confident Tiger never reads my blog. With that in mind, however, I present my only fool-proof prediction of the year - Tiger Woods is going to win this PGA Championship. Possibly by a lot. Don’t get me wrong, Woods has some serious competition chasing him. Vijhay Singh, Padraig Harrington, Geoff Oglivy, et al. But I believe we’ve seen this film before. So enjoy the show, because Tiger Woods ...

A short while back, Lebron James found himself in a mini-controversy when it was learned that he had asked Nike to disappear a video tape of James being dunked on. While the incident certainly isn’t world-shaking by any means, it was a chance to see inside the massive ego of one of this era’s great athletes. Of course, it’s not like James was the first superstar athlete to hide his flaws. About 100 years ago, Babe Ruth would eat 20 hot dogs, drink 30 beers, sleep with 28 prostitutes and then go 2-for-4 with a dinger. And the press would dutifully ...

There is an eternal debate amongst sports fans when it comes to their favorite sports - which generation is better? It’s always an enjoyable debate, but usually one that can never be answered with any true authority. Luckily for us golf fans, that question has been partially answered by one Tom Watson. At 59, Watson summoned all his skill and intelligence to put on what was possibly the greatest performance ever at the British Open. More than that, Watson proved that this generation of PGA Tour players suck. Yes, Stewart Cink is the British Open champion - because Watson missed a putt. And ...

I’m sure Tom Watson is still dealing with the harsh feelings of not being able to close the show and become the oldest major champion and becoming only the second man to win six Claret Jugs. He’s an athlete and competitor, so of course it hurts. But his mindset will change soon enough, and when it does, I believe we all owe Watson a debt of gratitude. Because while Tiger Woods missed the cut, the Open was all set to become a Saturday and Sunday full of Tiger Woods. Why did he miss the cup? How is his knee? Oh God, ...

If Tom Watson manages to win the British Open, everything changes. Markets will open, credit will flow like wine and the ever-growing list of pain-in-the-ass despots around will get together and change their ways, sending the world a one-line note: “Hey everyone, sorry. We’ll cut all that out now.” A Tom Watson victory at the British Open would be like the 1980 U.S. Hockey team plus Michael Phelps plus Susan Butcher winning four Iditarods (that one’s for you, “Real America.") A 59-year-old American cleverly winning the Open would give the U.S. the pride it currently needs. Everything would get better. Don’t ask ...

As Tom Watson finished his first hole of the third round of the British Open at Turnberry, I was struck by how odd it was that the 59-year hall-of-famer was a co-leader. And then I thought about how strange it was that Tiger Woods stumbled about and missed the cut. Then I was puzzled and pleased that former Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino was tied with Watson for the lead, obviously trying to score the big win that so long eluded him in the NFL. Really, John Daly’s pants are about the normal thing at this British Open; Should be a fun weekend. –WKW

John Daly made the cut for the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth in Virginia Water, England. But while his play fell off during the final round, his class was in full effect on Sunday, when he wore pink pants to show his support for Amy Mickelson, who is currently fighting breast cancer. “I had a pair, so I figured I’d do that for her today. I thought it would be a good gesture,” Daly told the Associated Press. “I know Phil very well and I know Amy. I’ve known them for a long time – we’ve played the Tour together. She’s ...

Long-time followers of this blog are well aware that I, William K. Wolfrum, have a nearly encyclopedic knowledge of all things golf. For years, I have taken this incredible knowledge for granted, but now I have decided to do something about it, by creating “Wolfrum Alpha” the newest and most important golf blog research tool in the history of humankind. Wolfram Alpha is the first step in an ambitious, long-term, slightly insane project to make all systematic golf knowledge immediately computable by anyone. All you need to do is input a golf question into the comment field below, and my built-in ...

For many, the controversy over performance-enhancing drugs has already passed. Much like how a great part of the nation has been rendered immune to torture due to years of knowing about it, many sports fans have reached a point where they just don’t care what athletes stick into themselves. As long as they perform, let them do what they want. Still, there are holdovers that take umbrage to their favorite athletes cheating. And there are others who will side with their favorite athletes when they deny using steroids. Remember, we are but a decade removed from fans arguing that man-mountain Mark ...

There has always been a great problem for sportswriters when it comes to Tiger Woods. The “Tiger Conundrum” as we call it, means that Tiger is to be praised effusively when doing good, and praised effusively when he doesn’t do as good. To put it into simple, day-to-day words - Tiger Woods is Barack Obama, with the exception of being able to land a 1-iron on a nickel from 300 yards out. Basically, like Obama, all sins are rendered moot, because for god’s sake, it’s Tiger Woods we’re talking about. But this is why media giants like The New York Times are ...

Oh to be a fly on the wall when Tiger Woods visited President Barack Obama in the White House on Monday. –WKW