Fansided

This Week in Golf: Belly Putters, Weather and Fried Chicken

By Les Bailey

July 19, 2012; St. Annes, ENGLAND; Tiger Woods (center) shakes hands with Sergio Garcia (far left) and Justin Rose (second from right) on the 18th hole during the first round of the 2012 British Open Championship at Royal Lytham
July 19, 2012; St. Annes, ENGLAND; Tiger Woods (center) shakes hands with Sergio Garcia (far left) and Justin Rose (second from right) on the 18th hole during the first round of the 2012 British Open Championship at Royal Lytham /
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July 19, 2012; St. Annes, ENGLAND; Tiger Woods (center) shakes hands with Sergio Garcia (far left) and Justin Rose (second from right) on the 18th hole during the first round of the 2012 British Open Championship at Royal Lytham
July 19, 2012; St. Annes, ENGLAND; Tiger Woods (center) shakes hands with Sergio Garcia (far left) and Justin Rose (second from right) on the 18th hole during the first round of the 2012 British Open Championship at Royal Lytham /
Have you ever been sitting around with friends, feeling good about yourself, and said something that you wished you could pick up and stuff back in your big mouth along with your foot? I’ve done it, and I’m sure most everyone has made that mistake. That’s what Sergio Garcia did at a “Black Tie” dinner prior to the BMW PGA Masters on Tuesday night. He made a funny that wasn’t funny when he indicated that if Tiger Woods came to dinner, he would be serving Fried Chicken.
Have you ever been sitting around with friends, feeling good about yourself, and said something that you wished you could pick up and stuff back in your big mouth along with your foot? I’ve done it, and I’m sure most everyone has made that mistake. That’s what Sergio Garcia did at a “Black Tie” dinner prior to the BMW PGA Masters on Tuesday night. He made a funny that wasn’t funny when he indicated that if Tiger Woods came to dinner, he would be serving Fried Chicken. /

Instead of yuking it up, Sergio realized what he had said, and began the process of trying to shove it back in his mouth. Well, you and I, and Sergio knows you can’t ever get it back in your mouth, so then you go into damage control mode….which Sergio spent his Wednesday doing.

On Wednesday, Sergio and his people(if he still has people) held a press conference where he apologized and indicated he went home the night before, sick at his stomach after he realized what he had done…er said. I was surprised to see him address the media in his Taylormade cap, and wondered how they were taking the news about what their representative had done. Turns out, they contacted him, slapped his hand under the table, and told him to not do it again. No sanctions, suspensions or anything.

Tiger, who is not scheduled to compete until The Memorial Next week, only made a couple of post on Twitter, but has said noting formally regarding the incident.

The weather is playing havoc with golf around the world. The LPGA is in the Bahamas for the first edition of The Pure Silk – Bahamas LPGA Classic where the course has been deluged with rain, turning some of the fairways and holes into lakes. They weren’t able to get started on Thursday, and are approaching the weekend with a modified event, and a modified golf course. Some of the holes will be unplayable, so it has been shortened to twelve holes at the last count. There will be no cut, and they will be playing foursomes until it’s over.

There is a full field with nine of the top ten LPGA players in the world at this event. It was shaping up to be a shootout with the Rolex Standings, and Solheim Cup Points on the line. This is the second of four tournaments leading up to the LPGA’s second Major of the year. Jennifer Johnson won her first LPGA Rolex event last week at The Mobile Bay Classic, and is in the field this week. Because this is an inaugural event, there is no defending champion, and no statistics available.

The European Tour is experiencing weather problems as well. The first round was suspended during play for rain, and as they began play on Friday, some players were still finishing their first rounds, and some were beginning their second. The BMW PGA Masters is being contested at the Wentworth Country Club at Virginia Waters in Surrey, England. Sergio Garcia was even par in his first round, and at this writing, Rory McIlroy was finishing with his second round and at +4 over par. The current projected cut is +2 over, and Rory is looking to possibly miss another cut.

The PGA Tour is finishing up the Texas loop in Ft. Worth at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial this weekend. Ryan Palmer shot a first round _8 under par 62, and had a one-shot lead after the first round. Zach Johnson is the defending champion. There are two tournament left after this week leading up to the US Open in Merion. The Memorial is next week where Tiger Woods will be defending.

The USGA(United States Golf Association) and the R&A(Royal and Ancient) held a press conference on Tuesday and indicated they will impose a ban on the Anchored Putting Stroke beginning on January 1st, 2016. This will give players two and a half years to re-tool their games.The PGA is not in favor of this implementation of rule 14-1b and are going to take some time to decide if they will comply. The PGA itself doesn’t want the rule to be instated, but some of the players have been strong in their conviction that they are glad the rule has been enacted.

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