Sunday, March 2, 2014

United States team holds slim lead on Day 1 of 2012 Junior Ryder Cup

Gavin Hall and Alison Lee
Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images
Gavin Hall and Alison Lee of the USA will resume their mixed foursomes match with a 1-up lead.
0
By 
Randy Stutzman
The PGA of America

Series: PGA Feature
OLYMPIA FIELDS, Ill. -- With one match remaining on the course due to darkness, the United States holds a slim 6 1/2 to 4 1/2 lead over Europe after six morning foursome matches and five afternoon mixed four-ball matches at the 2012 Junior Ryder Cup. Play was delayed 90 minutes in the morning due to frost at Olympia Fields Country Club.
The Junior Ryder Cup, a premier international team match-play competition, features 12 junior golfers from the United States hosting their European counterparts.
The United States team was led in the morning foursomes by Casie Cathrea of Livermore, Calif., and Samantha Wagner of Windermere, Fla., who won their match, 3 & 2, over Bronte Law of England and Quirine Eijkenboom of Germany.
"We lost a few holes in a row a few times today, but we didn't get down and kept each other up all day," said Cathrea, 16. "We played well as a team and it feels great to get a point for the United States."
Wagner and Cathrea were the second group off in the morning, and captured the first point for the United States.
"We putted well all day and that's what you need to do on these greens," said Wagner, who finished runner-up in the 2012 Junior PGA Championship. "It was important to get that first point for our team."
The United States' three girls' teams swept their foursome morning matches.
The European team was led in the morning foursomes by Matthias Schwab of Austria and Dominic Foos of Germany, who won their match in convincing fashion, 5 & 4, over Scottie Scheffler of Dallas, Texas, and Robby Shelton of Wilmer, Ala.
Schwab, 17, was runner-up in this year's British Amateur Championship.
Jim Liu of Smithtown, N.Y., and Esther Lee of Los Alamitos, Calif., paced the United States in the afternoon mixed four-ball, winning their match by a convincing 6 & 5 over the Swedish duo of Victor Tarnstrom and Linnea Strom.
"I had a lot of putts lip out in the morning match and it was pretty frustrating," said Liu, who lost his morning foursomes match, 3 & 2. "But both Esther and I played well this afternoon and were able to help the team out with a full point."
U.S. Captain Roger Warren was pleased with the play of his team on the opening day.
"Any time you come out of the first day with the lead, it's very good," said Warren. "We still need to finish well tomorrow morning and you never know what can happen in singles."
European Captain Stuart Wilson is looking forward to singles play and the opportunity to capture the team's first Junior Ryder Cup since 2006.
"There are still a lot of points to play for tomorrow," said Wilson. "My players will have no problem getting motivated for tomorrow and hopefully we can close well and see what happens."
The final mixed four-ball match, featuring Gavin Hall and Alison Lee from the United States and Matthias Schwab and Quirine Eijkenboom from Europe, will resume at 8:00 a.m. CT. Hall and Lee have a 1-up advantage through 16 holes.
The 12 singles matches are scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m.
DAY ONE RESULTS
MORNING FOURSOME MATCHES
Tree/Moynihan, EUR, vs. Champ/Hossler, USA, halved
Cathrea/Wagner, USA, def. Law/Eijkenboom, EUR, 3&2
Schwab/Foos, EUR, def. Scheffler/Shelton, USA, 5&4
Chung/Danielson, USA, def. Lee/Sanjuan, EUR, 2&1
Tarnstrom/Paratore, EUR, def. Hall/Liu, USA, 3&2
A.Lee/E.Lee, USA, def. Strom/Pedersen, EUR, 1 Up
AFTERNOON MIXED FOUR-BALL MATCHES
Cathrea/Champ, USA, def. Law/Tree, EUR, 1 Up
Pedersen/Moynihan, EUR, def. Wagner/Hossler, USA, 2&1
Lee/Paratore, EUR, def. Danielson/Scheffler, USA, def. 5&3
Chung/Shelton, USA, def. Sanjuan/Foos, EUR, 3&2
Liu/E.Lee, USA, def. Strom/Tarnstrom, EUR, 6&5
A.Lee/Hall, USA, vs. Eijkenboom/Schwab, EUR, (USA 1-up thru 16)

Lessons from a Ryder Cup Loss

U.S. Ryder Cup Team
Getty Images
The members of Team USA looked like someone had killed their dog after the historic loss at Medinah. But there are lessons to be learned from the defeat.
0
By 
Steve Eubanks
PGA.com

Series: Eubanks
You can't blame them for being in shock.
When the American Ryder Cup team made their way into the giant media tent tucked in the trees between the clubhouse and Medinah Road on Sunday night, each one of them looked as if he’d just walked away from a plane crash. Some were numb, others jumpy and raw, still others so unsure how to feel that they lapsed into oddly inappropriate giggles. Phil Mickelson wore the disappointed smile of a man who had been there too many times. He also offered comforting solace, sotto voce, to Brandt Snedeker who sat next to him at the inquisition table. Snedeker nodded and drew his facial muscles tight, fighting back tears.
Jim Furyk looked like Joe Pesci in "Goodfellas," his barely contained fury a signal that you were one ill-timed comment away from being beaten with a tire iron and tossed in a trunk. When the inevitable – and quite appropriate – question about how this collapse compared to others came up, Furyk berated the questioner and won himself no new fans in the process.
Passing days have dulled the ache as shock has given way to anger, then depression and, finally, acceptance. But as more information comes to light and more questions are answered, there are some takeaways from this Ryder Cup, some things that can be learned and some mistakes that can be avoided in the future.
For starters, as tempting as it is to blame the captain in these circumstances, Davis Love III did almost everything right. In fact, the more we learn about Davis’ strategy, the more brilliant it seems. Not only did he pair off his players before they arrived in Chicago, he let everyone know two things from the outset: The partners they had at the beginning of the week were the partners they would have at the end. They were like dive buddies or wing men: in it for the duration.
Secondly, they were all told that they would sit out a session. Nobody would play all five, not Tiger Woods who had never sat down in a Ryder Cup, and not Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley who played only 12 holes of alternate shot on Saturday (effectively six holes worth of shots per man).
Armchair quarterbacks are already giving Davis jazz about sitting Phil and Keegan, but the job of the captain is to put his players in the best position to perform.
By laying out the plan ahead of time, the players could focus on hitting the shots and holing the putts without having to think ahead and without worrying about who their next partner might be. They could sell out for the men next to them and pour everything into the matches at hand.
For two days it worked like a charm.
But then something happened. On Saturday night in the team room, the players exchanged gifts – a Ryder Cup tradition – and told stories about what the Ryder Cup meant to them. Both Presidents Bush came in, as did Michael Jordan along with all the wives and girlfriends. It was a big bonding session, a "Kum Ba Yah" moment for everyone.
But it wasn’t intense. It wasn’t a night where anyone told the guys they needed to put their big boy pants on and prepare for the toughest day of golf they would ever experience. It wasn’t a "put your knee in their throat until they stop squirming" night of preparation.
It would take a record-setting performance for the Europeans to win, so everyone went to bed Saturday night assuming that, with an average Sunday performance, the matches would be over.
Unfortunately, when things turned below average, there was no backstop, no emotional dig left in the players. They weren’t prepared for the kind of across-the-board charge the Europeans made. And it cost them.
In the end, Team USA lost on a couple of putts that probably couldn’t be holed again if the Euros had 10 mulligans. But the Americans also beat themselves by making one of the oldest mistakes in the book.
They thought it was over before it was over. They let a wounded opponent get up off the mat. And in doing so, they made the kind of history no American Ryder Cup player or captain ever wants to see again.

James Hahn ties Justin Hicks for lead on third day of Web.com Tour Championship

James Hahn
Getty Images
James Hahn carded eight birdies and a bogey in his third-round 64 at the Web.com Tour Chapionship on Saturday at TPC Craig Ranch.
0
By 
PGA.com news services 

Series: Web.com Tour
McKINNEY, Texas -- With warmer temperatures and calmer winds prevailing on Saturday, Californian James Hahn fired a 7-under-par 64 to catch halfway leader Justin Hicks at 12 under par after three rounds of the season-ending Web.com Tour Championship at TPC Craig Ranch.
Two shots back at 10 under is University of Georgia product Justin Bolli, who posted a 67. Another shot back at 9 under is former PGA Tour member Michael Putnam from Lakewood, Wash.
On a day that began with the thermometer barely above freezing, Hahn posted the lowest round of his Web.com Tour career. The South Korean-born Hahn reeled off eight birdies and just one bogey. He has bettered his previous days’ score by three each day after opening with rounds of 70-67.
With 25 PGA Tour cards for 2013 to be awarded after play on Sunday, he is already assured of securing his card for the first time. Hahn, who turns 31 next Saturday, entered the Web.com Tour Championship 13th in earnings. A victory on Sunday would be his second of the year. In June, he captured the Rex Hospital Open in Raleigh, N.C.
“It was a good day, but I’m not going to say it was a great day,” Hahn said.  “I was even on the par 5s.
“I could care less about the money,” he added. “It’s all about taking home a trophy. I believe it would be contagious and it would be nice to take home some hardware and just build on it.”
This week’s purse is $1 million, with the winner taking home $180,000.
Hicks is looking for a special birthday celebration of his own on Sunday, when he turns 38. The former Michigan Wolverine has nine top-10s on the year, including one runner-up, but has yet to enter the winner’s circle.  He continued his steady play of the first two days adding a 67 to rounds of 65 and 69.
Like Hahn, Hicks is assured of collecting his PGA Tour card.  Unlike his fellow co-leader, Hicks will be returning to the PGA Tour, where he played in 2011.  He is 11th in earnings.
“Tomorrow is my birthday,” Hicks said. “I’ve got my family out, so it’s a good week regardless.”
He looks to draw inspiration from last year’s Web.com Tour Championship winner. 
“I watched my friend Ken Duke just jump everybody when he won,” Hicks said.  “You know in the back of your head that if you have a good week, whether you win or not, it can really springboard you ahead of some people. If somebody catches you, so be it.”
His game plan for Sunday is simple.
“The best defense is a good offense,” he said.  “I can’t say there was ever a round where I told somebody we made too many birdies.”
Both Bolli and Putnam are looking to play their way into a PGA Tour card for next year. They came to the Dallas area 30th and 44th, respectively, in earnings.
A pair of Web.com Tour rookies, Luke Guthrie and Russell Henley, are locked in a tie for fifth place with veteran Cliff Kresge at 8-under par.  Guthrie and Henley are pursuing their third win of the year and a shot at the money title.
Leading money winner Casey Wittenberg fired a 67 and is tied for eighth, one shot back.

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Joe Flacco, Offense Must Learn New Terminology



Posted Jan 30, 2014

Garrett DowningBaltimoreRavens.com Staff Writer@Ravens All Garrett Downing Articles



There will be some change from the previous system under the new offensive staff.


Joe Flacco may have some new state names to shout at the line of scrimmage next year.

When new Offensive Coordinator Gary Kubiak and Quarterbacks Coach Rick Dennison install their offensive system in Baltimore, there will be some different terminology for Flacco and the offense to master.

“There will be some carryover with [terminology], and I think there will be some changes,” Head Coach John Harbaugh said Monday. “The changes, in my mind, will be for the better.”

Before announcing Kubiak’s hiring Monday afternoon, he and Harbaugh had already started discussions about how the terminology would change.

“We’ve gotten pretty specific – not down to the last detail – but pretty specific in some areas about what we want to do,” Harbaugh said.



“A system has to work together. You can’t piecemeal a system; you’ve got to build it in a way that makes sense to the guys. One word builds off another word, so it makes sense to the guys, and they can have an organized thought process into their responsibilities.”

Since Harbaugh took over in Baltimore in 2008, the Ravens have primarily used the same offensive system. Former Offensive Coordinator Jim Caldwell kept the system the Ravens ran under Cam Cameron, so there wasn’t an overhaul in the terminology.

This offseason will be the most significant change during Harbaugh’s tenure, and he called the transition a “fresh start” for the offense.

“We want to build a system, so we’re going to build a Ravens’ system that’s best for our guys in terms of their talents, that’s best for our guys in terms of their ability to learn and get things right,” Harbaugh said. “We’ve got to get our assignments right, so let’s build it from the ground up and build it well. That’s what we plan on doing.”

While the style and terminology may look different next season, one definite carryover is at quarterback. Flacco is entrenched as the Ravens franchise quarterback, and the new offensive staff is set on building the system around the former Super Bowl MVP.

“There may be some terminology things here and there … but you definitely build your offense around your quarterback,” Dennison said. “It starts with Joe, and those are conversations that we’ve had going forward. So, we are going to do whatever we can to make Joe the best player he can be, and Joe is pretty fired up about that.”

Monday, December 23, 2013

さくら7位タイフィニッシュ…賞金女王はアン・ソンジュに!



2010年11月21日19時33分




リーダーズボード
順位 選手名 スコア優勝 キム・ナリ -13
2 馬場 ゆかり -12
3 ジョン・ミジョン -11
4 上原 彩子 -10
T・ダーディン -10
6 服部 真夕 -9
7 北田 瑠衣 -7
竹末 裕美 -7
横峯 さくら -7
10 有村 智恵 -6


順位の続きを見る


大王製紙エリエールレディスオープン 最終日>◇20日◇エリエールゴルフクラブ松山((6,442ヤード・パー72)

 愛媛県松山市にあるエリエールゴルフクラブ松山で開催された、国内女子ツアー「大王製紙エリエールレディスオープン」の最終日。逆転賞金女王には優勝が絶対条件の横峯さくらは、スコアを3つ伸ばすがトータル7アンダー7位タイでフィニッシュ。この結果アン・ソンジュ(韓国)が今季の賞金女王に輝いた。

 前半は快調にスコアを伸ばした横峯。「ショットにも自信を持って打てていた」というように、4つのバーディを奪ってハーフターン。後半の11番でもバーディを奪い、一時は首位と1打差まで詰め寄った。しかし、15番で3パットをしてからは流れが一変。その後、バーディを奪えないまま、最終18番もボギーとし賞金女王への道が途絶えた。

 2年連続賞金女王にはなれなかったが、それでも横峯は「今年は調子のいい時期が少ない中で2勝していることは自分の成長もあると思います」と前を向く。プレッシャーからも解放され、来週はすっきりとした形で臨む最終戦。最高の形で締めくくり、来季は女王奪還を目指す。

 一方、韓国人選手初の賞金女王に輝いたアンは「まだ実感がわいてきません。来週も試合があるのでそれが終わったら実感がわいてくると思います」と正直な心境を語った。今季は参戦1年目でいきなり開幕戦優勝。その後、日本ツアーで戦うにはショートゲームの向上が課題だと痛感し猛練習の末2勝、3勝と積み重ねる。ここまでトップ10フィニッシュが18回(優勝含む)と抜群の安定感で女王の称号を手にした。

 「日本のツアーが好きになりました。来年はアメリカに行くようなことはありません。このまま日本ツアーで続けていきたいです」と話すアン。圧倒的な強さを示しただけに来季はさらなる活躍が予想される。横峯ら日本人選手はそれを阻止することができるか。

【最終結果】
優勝:キム・ナリ(-13)
2位:馬場ゆかり(-12)
3位:全美貞(ジョン・ミジョン)(-11)
4位T:上原彩子(-10)
4位T:タミー・ダーディン(-10)
6位:服部真夕(-9)
7位T:竹末裕美(-7)
7位T:横峯さくら(-7)
7位T:北田瑠衣(-7)
10位T:有村智恵(-6)他2名

13位T:アン・ソンジュ(-5)他6名

Friday, November 29, 2013

優作、駆けつけた妹・藍の前で1打差スタート




2011年12月01日19時06分




リーダーズボード
順位 選手名 スコア1 ドンファン -4
藤田 寛之 -4
谷口 徹 -4
4 宮里 優作 -3
片山 晋呉 -3
平塚 哲二 -3
7 P・シーハン -2
S・K・ホ -2
松村 道央 -2
B・ジョーンズ -2


順位の続きを見る





藍の応援に応え、17番で長いパットが入りテレ笑いする優作(撮影:岩井康博)








ゴルフ日本シリーズJTカップ 初日◇1日◇東京よみうりカントリークラブ(7,016ヤード・パー70)>

 「カシオワールドオープン」で2位に食い込んで今大会への出場権を手にした宮里優作。優勝争いの勢いそのままに、4番からの3連続を含む5バーディを奪い初日を3アンダーでホールアウト。片山晋呉平塚哲二と並んで首位と1打差の4位タイにつけた。

【関連ニュース】宮里優作、最後まで競るも初優勝はならず…単独2位で終戦

 この日は勝利を呼ぶ女神も駆けつけた。妹の宮里藍が家族と共に兄のプレーを観戦。「今日は朝飯を一緒に食べました。僕というより姪っ子ですけどね。僕は“じゃーね”って言ったくらい」と朝はそっけない兄妹の再会となったが、妹の来場に気合いが入らないはずは無かった。

 「自分のやるべきことは、先週からずっとやっていると思います。今日は9アンダーが出るくらい(ショットが)ついてましたね」と、カシオワールドオープンからの好調はキープ。2回目の出場で「形状が頭に無くて。リーディングが上手くいかないのは課題です」と慣れない東京よみうりCCに苦しんだが手ごたえは十分だ。

 「予選落ちが無いので気がかりが減ってショットに集中できる。先週の経験もあるので、週末良いところにいければ」。先週悔しい思いと共に得た、確かな自信を胸に残り3日間戦い抜く。

首位タイスタートの藤田と谷口、対照的な2人のコメント




2011年12月01日18時07分




リーダーズボード
順位 選手名 スコア1 ドンファン -4
藤田 寛之 -4
谷口 徹 -4
4 宮里 優作 -3
片山 晋呉 -3
平塚 哲二 -3
7 P・シーハン -2
S・K・ホ -2
松村 道央 -2
B・ジョーンズ -2


順位の続きを見る





初日、好スタートを切った昨年覇者の藤田寛之(撮影:岩井康博)








ゴルフ日本シリーズJTカップ 初日◇1日◇東京よみうりカントリークラブ(7,016ヤード・パー70)>

 昨年大会の最終日をデッドヒートで盛り上げた藤田寛之谷口徹が4アンダーでドンファン(韓国)と並んで首位タイスタートを切った。藤田も谷口も共に4バーディ・ノーボギーながら、その2人のホールアウト後のコメントはまさに対照的だ。

【関連ニュース】松山英樹の1アンダー12位タイ発進に遼も感嘆の声

 ディフェンディングチャンピオンの藤田は「今日はなぜか(調子が)良かったですね。なにかやっていたわけでは無いですけど…」と首位タイスタートにも首をひねる。「去年と同じような流れなのかもしれない…ただ不安要素があるので」とどこまでも歯切れが悪く、この日のゴルフに納得はしていない様子だった。

 一方の谷口は「良いスタート切れて、自分の予定通りというか良かった。最終戦これで日本人トップ(賞金ランク)というのを決めたい。連戦の疲れも無い」と会見では持ち前の谷口節が炸裂。最後には「このコースは僕向き。誰にも負けない自信がある」とトドメのビッグマウスも飛び出し、威勢よく引き揚げていった。

 藤田のボヤきも谷口のビッグマウスも、国内男子ツアーではもはやおなじみの光景。しかし、この2人は口だけではない。藤田はそのあくなき探究心で、谷口は強い気持ちでここまで勝ち星を積み重ねてきた。それぞれがそれぞれのやり方で挑む最後のメジャー。アプローチの仕方は違えど目指すところはただ一つだ。


【初日の結果】
1位T:ドンファン(-4)
1位T:藤田寛之(-4)
1位T:谷口徹(-4)
4位T:宮里優作(-3)
4位T:片山晋呉(-3)
4位T:平塚哲二(-3)
7位T:石川遼(-2)他4名
12位T:松山英樹(-1)※アマチュア他1名

28位:池田勇太(+5)