There has been a war going on right under your noses. For 15 years now, golf has been under a sustained attack. Not a very effective attack, mind you, but an attack, nonetheless. Brought to my attention by reader-golfer-warrior King Robert of Shankalot, I have learned about the Global Anti-Golf Movement (GAM). Started in 1993, on April 29, GAM celebrated 15 years of fighting the golf world. Among the accomplishments of GAM in that time: 1. Inclusion in this blog post. And that’s only in 15 years, mind you. Imagine what the next 15 years will bring. GAM has an actual Manifesto and ...

When Tampa, Fla., golf-ball diver Dwight Monreal woke up on Saturday morning, little did he know his day would include a brief and savage romantic interlude with an alligator. But, then again, who really prepares for that as well as they should. It was at hole No. 13 at Tampa Palms Golf and Country Club where the 62-year-old Monreal was grabbed by a gator, only to be tossed and turned before help arrived. “We rushed toward the water and the gator let go of him,” golf cart attendant Matt Johnson said. “I like to think we scared him.” So there you have it ...

Despite a growing dedication to golf, the Colorado River and impressive hotel casinos, Laughlin, Nevada still tends to be overlooked in favor of nearby Las Vegas or Arizona golf destinations. This weekend, however, Laughlin - best known as place where old people go to live and play and young go go to play on the river - is the place to be for a different section of society - Harley-Davidson motorcycle lovers. Yes, this is the weekend of the infamous Laughlin River Run, a time when nearly 100,000 Harley lovers congregate to pay tribute to their rides. “The Laughlin River Run helps kick ...

By winning the Indy Japan 300, Danica Patrick has just smashed through a wall for women. The first female driver to win in Indy Racing League history, Patrick has shown that women can not only compete with men at that level, but beat them. Which is why I believe a woman could someday win on the PGA Tour. I know such thinking is sacrelige among these parts, but I have five main reasons for believing such a thing. 1) Annika Sorenstam played a PGA Tour event once. Just once. And she missed the cut by four strokes after shooting a first-round 71. And ...

WorldGolf.com has received a transcript of an upcoming interview on ABC News titled “Tiger Woods: The Greatest Golfer in History?” hosted by Charles Gibson and George Stephanopoulus. Here are some highlights. Stephanopoulus: Tiger, you recently underwent surgery on your left knee. Are you aware that former Weather Underground figure William Ayers also has a left knee? Woods: Well, no … Gibson: And Ayers has admitted to golfing. Woods: Um, I … Stephanopoulus: Tiger, your father was in the military. Why aren’t you? Woods: Uh, I … Gibson: The Reverend Jeremiah Wright. You’ve never denounced his views. Why not? Woods: Well, I don’t go to … Stephanopoulus: So you agree ...

Tiger Woods underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee on Tuesday to repair damaged cartilage. It is the second operation Woods has gone through on his left knee in five years. The surgery was announced on Woods’ Web site, and comes just two days following his second-place finish at the Masters. “I made the decision to deal with the pain and schedule the surgery for after the Masters,” Woods wrote on his site. “The upside is that I have been through this process before and know how to handle it. I look forward to working through the rehabilitation process and getting ...

It wasn’t long ago that I’d have bet 10 euros (US$14,555) that Tiger Woods would go undefeated in 2008. Then March came and it all went to heck. Simply put, the last month has been one of disappointment for Woods: He lost at the CA-Championship at Doral. He blitzkrieg’d a photographer with obscene, verbal threats, giving Brandon Tucker an extreme case of the vapors. He lost the Tavistock Cup individual tourney to J.B. Holmes. He submissively took second place at the Masters. He’s had to have lost a bundle on the stock market. His financial ...

Congratulations are in order for Trevor Immelman, the first South African to win the Masters since Gary Player pulled the feat in 1978. It’s also the first Masters win for a South African since apartheid ended in the early 1990s, for what it’s worth. Notables such as Ernie Els and Reteif Goosen couldn’t earn a Green Jacket at Augusta, but with Immelman’s win, South Africans everywhere are drinking sex on the beaches (or whatever it is they drink) to celebrate Immelman’s big, and surprisingly easy victory at the Masters. Coming back from surgery to remove a tumor from his back last year, ...

With a few holes left to play yet, something has become perfectly clear: Tiger Woods was a huge disappointment. Unable to make anything resembling a charge, Trevor Immelman has put things on cruise control and will win the 2008 Masters, possibly by as much as half-a-dozen shots. All praise must go to Immelman. While the media kept pursuing the angle that this Masters was anyone’s to win, that analysis was as wrong as could be. The South African has ran the table and watched as Brandt Snedeker and Steve Flesch faltered badly. It would be folly to think that Woods will never ...

That Tiger Woods is the greatest golfer of this era goes without saying. But even the best has his flaws. Today, as the final round of the Masters unfolds, the golf world will see if he can put a dent into what many consider his biggest flaw - that he is not a player that makes a last round charge. Woods’s victories over the years have been spectacular, by all means. But there has been a noticeable trend of how he wins. He stays within striking distance during round one, moves loser to the leaders after round two, is within a ...

This week, Augusta National began its junior patronage program, allowing children to come in to the hallowed club to watch Masters action for Kids Day. Masters opens itself to junior patrons AUGUSTA, Ga. — Everything was gray at the beginning of the 59th Masters: The old champion who would hit the ceremonial first tee shot. The old course itself, the piney hills and hollows draped in a veil of fog. But Thursday at Augusta National was designed to highlight the more vivid colors of youth. So, as Arnold Palmer limbered his 78-year-old bones for his one shot of the tournament, the club’s chairman, Billy ...

With Round Three of the Masters in the books, golf fans have to be pleased. South African Trevor Immelman takes a two-shot lead into the final round over Brandt Snedeker, with whom he’ll play with Round Four. Tiger Woods did nothing to disappoint in his third round, firing a 68 to leave himself six back at 5-under. But while a half-a-dozen shots back, Woods is only trailing four players - none of which has ever won a major title. Expect plenty of drama Sunday. Will we see a new American Idol in Snedeker or Steve Flesch? Or will we see the Green ...

In 2008, it seems Gary Player is on his best behavior following a controversial run which saw him tell the press that he knew of golfers that used steroids, while taking heat for his involvement with a golf course in Myanmar. At the Masters, however, Player played it safer, even though his South African bias may have added some hyperbole: “His swing is absolutely the closest that I have seen to Ben Hogan, and I’ve always thought that Ben Hogan was the best striker of the ball from tee to green that I ever saw, from tee to green. And I think ...

About 30 years ago or so, this pundit picked Steve Flesch to win the PGA Championship. The reasons were simple - looking for an underdog, Flesch had been playing well, he seems like a great guy, and his name is “Flesch.” It was like the perfect storm for a bad prediction. Heading into Saturday at the 2008 Masters, however, Flesch has put himself within striking distance, just three shots back at Augusta National. Flesch is an easy guy to root for at the Masters. He paid his dues on the Asian Tour and then on the then-Nike Tour to finally make his ...

If you’re flying American Airlines this weekend, I have two words for you - good luck. “More pain for travelers - American grounds 595 flights” NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) – The chaos facing air travelers continued Friday as American Airlines grounded 595 more flights, or 25% of its schedule, and stranded tens of thousands of passengers. Friday marked the fourth straight day of trouble for American - the nation’s largest airline - which has canceled nearly 2,500 flights affecting some 300,000 passengers. Overall, U.S. carriers have shut down about 3,700 flights since late March in response to failed Federal Aviation Administration safety inspections of MD-80 ...

I’m well aware that golf is the big show right now in the U.S., with the Masters taking center stage and the best of the best competing for the Green Jacket. The first major of the year has thrusted golf back into the national spotlight as normally Tiger Woods is able. Now such names as K.J. Choi, Trevor Immelman, Justin Rose and others get their chance to put themselves in the media spotlight, ala Zach Johnson in 2007. So when Phil Mickelson talks about making golf an Olympic sport, it’s understandable that he’s caught up in the excitement of it all.But ...

At Augusta National, Tiger Woods is officially on the course, and soon golf fans will see if he’s on course for another Masters triumph and another step toward Jack Nicklaus’s all-time record for major titles. Of course, some will be following his actions much more closely than others. At The First Church of Tiger Woods, for example (www.tigerwoodsisgod.com), faithful worshipers will be following Woods every move in search for the latest sign from the deity of their choice. The brainchild of radio show host John Ziegler, the First Church of Tiger Woods contains updates, testimonials, polls and other Tiger-centric information. “Celebrating the emergence ...

As Tiger Woods approaches the Masters,most will be surprised if he doesn’t win. His talent, focus and drive are otherworldly. Of course, to many in the GOP, he’s just another one of “them.” David Bellavia, in introducing John McCain at a speaking engagement said, passionately: “You can have your Tiger Woods, we’ve got Senator McCain….This is the real audacity of hope.” Mulligan at The Golf Blog said it best: It’s also unfortunate that John McCain said nothing about this slam on Tiger Woods. Just because Tiger’s black, his name is thrown out there as associated with Barack Obama, all in a disparaging way. The ...

The 2008 Masters will be the five-year anniversary of Martha Burk’s protest at Augusta National. And while the protest itself was small (two dozen or so people with twice as many police officers as protestors) it was effective. Because a light was shone on Augusta National and the Masters that cannot be extinguished. And that light has made the truth explicitly clear: Augusta National is a sexist organization. Those who would argue that Augusta National falls into the same category as the Girl Scouts are either intentionally ignorant or clueless. Augusta National is a not the Girl Scouts. It’s a society where ...

If ever there was a non-story at the Masters this year, it’s defending champion Zach Johnson. The man who will be placing the Green Jacket on this year’s winner is just a footnote in Masters’ coverage that is fully Tiger Woods-centric. If you remember your golf history, it was in 2007 that Johnson stunned Woods and the golf world by playing a remarkably steady four rounds at the suddenly brutal Augusta National course, winning his first major and marking himself down as a player to keep an eye on. Johnson won just one more time in 2007, and slowly saw his ...

You know, it was about a year ago this time when I made the bold prediction that Sergio Garcia would win the Masters. It was a bold and stupid prediction and I rightly took a beating for it both before and after as Garcia didn’t even make the cut. So this year, my pick for the Masters is none other than Sergio Garcia. And I have no real idea why. It’s obvious that to really stand behind anyone not named Tiger Woods is pure folly, but I just can’t help myself. Sergio just has something. Blast him and those yellow pants. Because ...

Kansas needed to pull a miracle or two but did enough to top Memphis in the NCAA Basketball Championship final. Mario Chalmers calmly drained an off-balance three-pointer to lead a desperate Kansas comeback, as the Jayhawks notched their third NCAA championship title. The game was fantastic. I know that because the announcer wouldn’t stop saying so. But it was a heck of a game, and a shame to see Memphis lose its historic season due to missed free throws. With the week starting with Lorena Ochoa’s stellar win at the LPGA Kraft Nabisco Championship, Kansas followed suit with its own ...

It turns out that Lorena Ochoa was the safest bet golf has seen all year, as the World’s No. 1 female player proved her dominance by taking a 5-stroke victory at the LPGA Kraft Nabisco Championship. As the Masters approaches, many are likely to feel that Tiger Woods will be the bet at Augusta National. They’d be right, of course, as the World’s best golfer has shown no real inclination to lose lately. Still, the question remains, what are the odds? And where can you make a wager on those odds. Now, let me be totally forthright here - I know nothing ...

Now, first and foremost, let me say this, I am by no means saying that Tim Finchem’s blog on PGATour.com is written by anyone other than him. That would be wrong. However, as someone who spends a lot of his times giving people his opinion whether they want it or not, I felt inclined to offer an opinion about Tim Finchem’s blog. There’s no way in hell he writes that thing. Honestly, I feel sorry for the Schmuck or Schmucks that have to write these things. It’s a no-win situation. But such are the hazards of turning to the PR Dark Side. ...