Tiger's Fatal Flaw

I hate myself for doing this but I can not resist. I’m being sucked in like a hairball to a Dyson. In about a thousand words and sixty minutes I will be, perhaps, the billionth person to share my opinion on this little news story of which you may be aware. It’s the biggest story in sports in a long time. Perhaps it is the largest story every to waltz the line between sports and celebrity but OJ might have something to say about that.

I don’t even have to introduce the story, I’ll just get right to it. Here’s thing, Tiger didn’t break a law. He broke a commandment and maybe, a Swedish heart. The fallout of the breaking news of his philandering has been incredible, I wonder if he had just admitted it, wholeheartedly from the start, would it have passed by now? Afterall, Letterman pulled it off. With Tiger’s money, you’d think he’d have better handlers. This should not have turned into the fiasco that it has. Bryon Bell, well done kid, you blew it and now you don't have a best man for your wedding.

I think Tiger made a huge mistake. I will say at the outset, I strongly feel what he did was a terrible thing, it really was. On that we can all agree. However, we may not agree fully on ever aspect of this story. Cheating (or getting caught) is not the mistake to which I was referring. I think his fatal flaw was getting married in the first place, much too early. Elin also made a mistake - she married a star pro athlete who had yet to peak.

Male pro athletes have no trouble finding partners who want to transgress with them. The bigger a star you are, the easier it is. You can transgress when you want, where you want and with whom you want. There are obviously exceptions, but, in general this is how it is, you can’t convince me otherwise.

I'll go out on a limb and say Tiger hadn’t done a whole lot of transgressing prior to meeting his wife to be. He was Urkel with nice follow through – he wasn’t Wilt Chamberlain or even Joba Chamberlain. Along came Cupid dressed in J. Lindeberg and the rest was history. I remember when this happened, Elin was the first woman romantically linked to Tiger so it was noteworthy. Emails were sent around with pictures of Tiger’s girlfriend and the world collectively gave a solid single ‘of course that’s Tiger’s girlfriend’ nod. I’m sure at this point, Tiger was very excited but knew not what was to come.

From all reports, it appears it was just months prior to his wedding day that Tiger first transgressed. Although, this seems to change daily as women come out of the woodwork telling of their exploits with the big cat. I could be wrong, but there’s a good chance that it was a little while before this that Tiger was first being put in the position to turn down offers to transgress constantly. I would also lay down some money that he did hit the reject button on many of the early offers. However, not that I can relate, but it must have begun to get difficult for him to be turning his head from so much Tiger bait. It seems that at some point he decided he was going to take a run at everything that came his way. Sad, really. Eventually, he reaches the point where he realizes that he isTiger Woods. For someone who is renowned to be the most mentally tough golfer of all time, his toughness clearly is left for golf.

At the point he gives in, he is the biggest star on the planet and still getting bigger. It was bound to happen.

With mistakes come penalties.

Tiger’s penalty when you break it all down is monetary. His image is forever tarnished. He made golf cool, which was no easy task. He got ripped, he looked good, he won everything, he reaped insane benefits. The bigger they are the harder they fall. Tiger is now going to lose a ton. Anyone who thinks he is going to make his way out of this is a few clubs short of a set. This putt is going to hang on the lip of the cup and not fall. If you’re expecting a fist pump, forget it. And once it’s gone, it won’t be easy to get back. Michael Jordan, I’m sure you’re reading this, get ready to take the throne back, even with the $170 million payment to your ex, you're back on top as the highest earning athlete of all time. Tiger’s endorsements are taking a hit from which he will not recover.

Elin’s penalty is losing Tiger and having to mend a broken heart, presumably. The interesting thing is that we’ve heard just one side of the story. I would be surprised, as would we all, if all of a sudden Elin admitted to transgressions. It would be high comedy if tmz.com starting revealing male mistresses of Elin. The point is, we only know what Tiger was doing. In any event, everyone has had a break-up, a lot of people with families and it can’t be easy. However, people bounce back and I expect in some time, maybe sooner than we think, Elin will as well. Why wouldn’t she? Not to mention, she should be sitting on a fine wad of cash. So, Elin’s penalty is bouncebackable.

So who is the big loser in all of this? It has to be Tiger, doesn't it?

I'm not defending Tiger Wood's actions by any means. I am simply saying that he made a massive error that other young athletes before him had also made. When every young athlete turns pro, advice on relations with the fairer sex should be mandatory. Rookie orientation 101 should include the following lesson "Marrying Before You Retire: Don't do it". Before you can turn pro, you have to get an A+ in this course. Tiger can be guest lecturer. If you just can't pass this course, perhaps you have to take a course in cheating. Tiger would get an F-minus in both.

In the end both Elin and Tiger are going to be fine, this much we all know. I just think Tiger has done too much damage to repair it with a Kobe.

Attention Tiger Woods: Privacy is Dead

In the majority opinion in Griswold v. Connecticut, Justice William O. Douglas wrote that the "right to privacy" was found in the "penumbras" of other constitutional protections.  Other subsequent decisions have referred to some sort of "right to privacy," although it is not found explicitly in the constitution.  In the last week or so, Tiger Woods has been trying to hold on to some sort of "right to privacy" as the media, bloggers, and anyone with any sort of public forum (that means you facebook and twitter members) attempts to claw away at it with speculation and the release of small parts of what happened.  Give Woods credit for attempting to control the flow of information about him, but the dam will give eventually.

In the age of TMZ, social networking and cell phone cameras, privacy is dead - especially for celebrities.  As much as they try to hide it or deny it, the public knows when a celebrity starts dating someone new, when they get arrested or in a car accident.  It's only a matter of time before more details become public and Tiger loses his control of the flow of information.  His best bet may be to come clean - in more direct terms than his statement on his website about his "transgressions" - because his assertion of his privacy seems almost defiant at this point.  If he comes clean, he will still maintain control of the flow of information about him. 

If history is any indication, America is willing to forgive its athletes for wrongdoing.  Kobe Bryant admitted to cheating on his wife, came clean, and has slowly recovered many of the endorsements he lost.  Has anyone mentioned Andy Pettitte in the same sentence with "performance enhancing drugs" since his admission in 2007?  On the other hand, America does not appreciate defiance... just ask Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds. 

Two Stroke Penalty For Negligence? The Happy Gilmore Decision.

I enjoy golf - for the most part. I was once decent but over the last few years my scores have increased more than K-Fat's appetite. While I used to be concerned with how things turned out after 18, I now care a lot less. If my 9-iron is reading this post he is shaking his dented head and wondering if not caring is why I snapped him over my knee. I did it because it made me feel better. The other thing that generally makes me feel better is having fun on the course and not taking the game too seriously. It is a work in progress, but, I've come a long way. The point is, the game should be fun and the older you get, the more apparent that should be. That is why I was appalled when I read the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal's decision in the case of Bezanson v. Hayter - as Encyclopedia Brown might call it, "The case of the Happy Gilmore shot".

I had been waiting for the perfect opportunity to write about sports and law and today, it's time. Before I continue, I should point out once again that I am from Canada. Our legal system differs somewhat from the United States, so for our purposes, here is a quick hit in the law of negligence. This is in no way to be taken as advice. My lesson in civil negligence in four steps:

1. There is a duty of care owed from one party to another. The standard of care varies on the situation.
2. There is a breach of that duty of care.
3. Injury results.
4. The injury is caused the breach of the duty.

Got it? Good. It's important.

So, I was saying, my approach to golf now is that I should be having fun. From time to time, I have been known to swing the wrong way, hit a ball off a beer can or, more importantly, do the "Happy Gilmore". But, after reading Bezanson v. Hayter, I may end up checking my swing as I walk into my next tee shot. Why? Because the "Happy Gilmore", in Canada, now can end up in a pretty stiff penalty and there's no mulligan.

The day started like any other day, four guys, one being the bachelor soon to be wed, a golf course and, as the Judge stated, "an inventory of Baja Rosa Tequila, marijuana and Wildcat beer." Boom! By the 16th hole, the factual record states that Hayter had consumed nine beer and half a pint of tequila. Hayter put his tee shot in the bush and hit a second in the fairway. Bezanson and the others proceeded to their balls. Hayter did not.

With the three other players ahead, Hayter teed up a third ball and stepped into it - the "Happy Gilmore" shot. The ball struck Bezanson in the wrist and ricocheted into his chest. One of my favourite things in the court decision is that the "defendant maintained that he can reliably hit a "Happy Gilmore" shot". I have no idea how good of a golfer Hayter is or was. But, I do know that he had put his first shot in the trees and had admitted to having consumed nine beers and half a pint of tequila over roughly three hours (so, probably had drank more). I doubt he could reliably fasten the velcro on his glove.

Bezanson was left with permanent damage to the radial nerve or to a branch of the radial nerve. The judge found that Bezanson's current complex regional pain syndrome was directly attributable to the golf ball injury and my never fully heal. Bezanson sued Hayter.

Immediately I have a problem with this, as most people would. If you don't, you should. Negligence is an unintentional tort and it was never considered whether Hayter intended to strike or to bring harm to Hayter. Nor should it have been considered in a strictly legal sense. However, it should have been considered at least somewhat in Bezanson's contemplation of suing one of his friends - presumably a good friend. The end result was an award of $227,500.00. To me, it seems to be a shrewd and cowardly move on Bezanson's part. That is my opinion on the facts as I know them.

Basically, we have a small group of guys playing a sport, inebriated, perhaps a little outside of the normal boundaries and one gets hurt. To hold one of them liable for the resulting injury to the tune of a quarter of a million dollars is a little harsh. I can't even type what I'm thinking - we have editors. Put it this way, I have a feeling with the holiday season upon us, Bezanson shouldn't hold his breath to see if Hayter drops off a bottle of scotch - or Baja Rosa Tequila as is the case.

You just don't sue a friend in this situation. You don't. I presume there no insurance meaning Hayter pays from his pocket. In any event, Bezanson did not see it this way, there was a civil trial (and an appeal) and Hayter was held liable in negligence and ordered to pay Bezanson. Some friend. It is worth pointing out too that Bezanson had a pre-existing wrist condition (carpal tunnel syndrome) that limited him from his employment as a wood cutter.

So, my first issue was with a court action being initiated by one friend against another. That's just terrible friend etiquette. My second issue is with the Courts' decision itself.

"I am convinced that the 'Happy Gilmore' shot would have been less controllable than a normal tee shot," the trial judge wrote in his decision.

Back to my lesson on negligence. I will consider just the first two steps. I don't doubt Bezanson was injured. I don't doubt it was caused by a 100mph golf ball.

Step one - Is there a duty of care? According to the Court - Yes. In this case, I can accept and agree that there is a duty of care owed from one golfer to another on the course. However, I feel that the possibility of getting hit is an inherent risk of being on the course - not only from your playing partners, but, from everyone. The bottom line though, there is a duty of reasonable care to your playing partners.

Step two - Was there a breach? According to the Court - Yes. However, it appears the judge would have decided differently had Hayter not taken a Happy Gilmore shot. Does this make any sense? I think it sets a dangerous precedent. The breach has its roots in the danger or carelessness in taking a Happy Gilmore shot and hitting it poorly. The assumption is that hitting a Happy Gilmore shot is less controllable than a regular shot. This is not always the case. Regular shots are often hit just as poorly. I know.

Here's the thing, I have a hunch that Tiger Woods can control a Happy Gilmore shot. Picture this, I'm playing a round with Tiger, or better yet, Adam Sandler (we know he can control a "Happy Gilmore" shot!) and they take one, and strike me. Based upon the Nova Scotia precedent, am I precluded from suing them based upon their ability to 'control' the shot? What about if I get struck by just some hacker who can't control a stationary shot? Are they breaching the standard by taking a regular shot when they know there is a possibility they hit a wayward flier and strike a me? If that's the case, and right now it appears that it is, you can find my clubs on craigslist (http://toronto.en.craigslist.ca/tor/spo/1484324136.html). I clearly need to hang them up before I'm held liable for hitting somebody.

I simply think that the precedent now is too loose. In order to establish the proper standard of care, the Court will have to hear evidence on golf ability, or, more specifically, ability to hit a "Happy Gilmore" shot. Hayter tried to use his generally poor golf skills as a defence, to no avail. Happy wasn't a great 'stationary' golfer but he was a great golfer with his method. What if Happy hit somebody?

Hayter also argued the Bezanson consented implicitly to the risks of being on the golf course. The trial judge accepted this argument but stated further, "Mr. Hayter's behavior was not among the natural risks of golf to which the plaintiff can be said to have consented." The Court of Appeal judge agreed saying "Mr. Hayter's running whack, toward his playing partners ahead, deliberately abdicated control and was not an ordinary feature of the game."

I think it's pretty simple. Hitting a wayward shot is an ordinary feature of the game. No matter what stance or method was used to hit the ball, it happens. A lot. I cannot come to terms with why the method of hitting the ball or type of swing has anything to do with negligence - at least in this case. And the method of hitting ball really seems to be why the Courts found negligence. If Hayter had taken a normal swing, I cannot say with complete certainty, but it appears, the Court's would have found that getting hit was now among the "natural risks of golf".

So what are we left with? Regular swing, no negligence. Happy Gilmore swing, negligence.

Really?


Note:
Link to the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal decision.
http://www.courts.ns.ca/decisions_recent/documents/2009nsca113.pdf

The Mulligan: The Tour Championship

We are down to the Final 30 as the Tour Championship is upon us. This week the Tour’s Top 30 players (based on FedEx Cup points) head to Atlanta, Georgia and East Lake Golf Club. The Par 70, 7,154 yard course was the home course of legendary Bobby Jones before recently being named the permanent home course of the Tour Championship. Let’s take a look at the 30 players who made the final cut and now seek the Championship. Next to each players name you will find the total amount of FedEx Cup points each player has.

Tiger Woods 2500
Steve Stricker 2250
Jim Furyk 2000
Zach Johnson 1800
Heath Slocum 1600
Padraig Harrington 1400
Sean O’Hair 1200
Scott Verplank 1000
Kenny Perry 800
Jason Dufner 00
Dustin Johnson 480
Nick Watney 460
Geoff Ogilvy 440
Phil Mickelson 420
Retief Goosen 400
Marc Leishman 380
Brian Gay 360
Kevin Na 340
David Toms 320
Lucas Glover 310
Y.E. Yang 300
Ernie Els 290
Hunter Mahan 280
Angel Cabrera 270
Steve Marino 260
Stewart Cink 250
Mike Weir 240
Luke Donald 230
Jerry Kelly 220
John Senden 210


All of the numbers involved in this scoring system bring up a common question. How does the scoring work for The Tour Championship? It is actually pretty straightforward. You simply take the point total of the players to this point in the season after the reset and add this total to the number of points earned this week at the championship. In other words, you take the number listed next to the player’s name above, and add that number to the amount of points earned this week, as listed below.

If you finish... Then you get...

1st 2,500 points

2nd 1,500 points

3rd 950 points

4th 675 points

5th 550 points

6th 500 points

7th 450 points

8th 425 points

9th 400 points
10th 375 points

11th 350 points

12th 325 points

13th 300 points

14th 285 points

15th 280 points

16th 275 points

17th 270 points

18th 265 points

19th 260 points

20th 255 points

21st 250 points

22nd 245 points

23rd 240 points

24th 235 points

25th 230 points

26th 225 points

27th 220 points

28th 215 points

29th 210 points

30th 205 points

This point structure results in some players controlling their own destiny while others need help. Basically, if Tiger Woods, Steve Stricker, Jim Furyk, Zach Johnson or Heath Slocum win this week, that player will be the Champion. These 5 players are the only players controlling their own destiny this week. Anyone else must have help in the form of Tiger Woods and the rest of the top seeds playing poorly. Obviously, the odds of winning decrease as you move down the rankings. If you want to check out the exact scenario’s of what must happen for your favorite player to win, click here.

Obviously the Top 5 players have a distinct advantage in terms of winning it all this week. Others are looking to challenge and move up the rankings even if it is highly unlikely for them to take home the main prize. Here are a few players that I expect to play well this week at East Lake.

Jim Furyk finished 2nd place two weeks ago at the BMW after a 5 under final round. He looked very sharp coming down the stretch with a 67 in round 3 and a 66 in round 4. and I think he is firing on all cylinders right now. He finished T-15 at the Barclays and T8 at the Deutsche Bank so his past three showings are impressive. Furyk ranks 3rd on Tour in scoring average, 17th in driving accuracy percentage and 20th in putting average. A well-rounded game and momentum make him a favorite this week.

Dustin Johnson has put on a good showing for his last four starts. Going way back to Early August at the WGC Bridgestone, Johnson finished T-22. He followed that up with a T-10 at the PGA, a T-15 at the Barclays a T-4 at the Deutsche Bank, and a T30 at the BMW. Johnson is a long hitter, ranking 3rd in driving distance on tour. He is also ranked 12th is putting average and 9th in eagles per hole. I like his chances this week to continue his hot streak.

Steve Stricker shot a 77 on Sunday at the BMW to finish T-53, but I still expect him to play well this week. Prior to this performance, he was the hottest player on Tour, finishing T-2 at the Barclays and winning the Deutsche Bank. I think the BMW was the result of an off day rather than anything that should raise a red flag. Stricker is still feeling it and he should play well again this week.

Padraig Harrington’s new swing looks better every day. Don’t take my word for it, look at his tournament performance. In his first 14 starts, Harrington failed to finish in the Top-10. In his last 5 starts, Harrington has finished in the Top-10 every time including two second place finishes. I expect his recent success to continue this week in Atlanta.

I hope you all have the opportunity to watch this weekend as the playoff season comes to an end. It should be an exciting week in golf.

The Mulligan: Stricker On Fire Heading Down The Stretch

The playoffs continue to heat up this week at the BMW Championship on revamped Cog Hill No. 4 in Lemont Illinois (just outside Chicago). With only one event left before the championship, many players are fighting to stay alive, while others have already punched their ticket to Atlanta. This is a long course with a few very tight fairways so players who have a well rounded game off the tee should play well this week.

I picked Steve Stricker last week. I am picking Steve Stricker this week. I will continue to pick him until he gives me a reason not to. Anyone who watched the Deutsche Bank Championship last week saw a man who is in control of his golf swing. He is taking dead aim at the pin on almost every shot and sticking the majority of them. I have never seen Stricker so confident and I think he will continue to roll. Look for him to build on last week's win.

Tiger Woods plays well everywhere, but he plays especially well in the Chicago area. He has won 33% of his starts in the area and finished in the Top 8 in 66% of his starts in the area. Even for Tiger that is pretty good. He is coming off of a superb 63 on Sunday and, again, its Tiger Woods. How can you bet against him?

I am going to go with Dustin Johnson this week as well. He has enjoyed a breakout year in 2009 and he continues to improve. Johnson finished 4th last week at the Deutsche Bank Championship and should bring solid momentum to this week's event. Johnson is making his first start at this event, so its hard to say how the course fits his game. That being said, he led the field in driving distance last week and that distance off the tee will prove very helpful this week.

Sleeper Pick: Mark Wilson is currently ranked 41st in Fex Ex Cup points and needs to jump 11 spots up into the Top-30 to make it to the Championship. I think he will do it with a solid performance this week. Wilson already has a win this season at The Mayakoba, and he finished 3rd at The Memorial. He has flown under the radar this year and has quietly put together a nice resume. Wilson is accurate (38th in Driving Accuracy) but not all that long (128th in Driving Distance). I still think Wilson is going to make some noise and make it into the Top 30 this week.

Good luck this week and let's keep moving to the top of the fantasy golf rankings!

The Mulligan: Deutsche Bank Championship

We are now heading into the 2nd week of the PGA Tour FedEx Cup Playoffs and this week brings us the Deutsche Bank Championship which is played on TPC Boston in Norton, Massachusetts. TPC Boston is a par 71, 7207 yard course with an interesting finishing hole. Number 18 is a 528 yard par 5 that is easily reachable in 2 shots for the long hitters. This means that even 2 shot leads can be made up in one hole if 18 is eagled. I have a feeling number 18 will provide a good deal of drama on Sunday evening as the leaders come down the stretch.

This week the field has been narrowed from 125 down to only 100 players. The field will be cut down to 70 players by the end of the week, so it is do or die for those players on the bubble.

Ernie Els should have a good week again at TPC Boston. Last year he finished T-3 here so we know he can manage this course. Also, The Big Easy has been playing very well recently, including a T-2 finish last week and four Top-10 finishes in his last six starts.

Steve Stricker has become a no-brainer pick at this point in the season. He is playing very consistent, very good golf and there is no reason to expect that to change this week. Stricker is coming off of a T-2 finish last week and he now has five Top-10 finishes in the Playoffs. Stricker also knows how to handle TPC Boston, having finished in the Top-15 here in his last three starts on the course.

Don't be surprised if you see Steve Marino hoisting a trophy sometime in the near future. It may be this event, it may be three weeks from now, but I think he is due for a win. Marino is coming off of a T-15 finish last week at The Barclays and his game looked up to snuff. Also, Marino finished T-10 at TPC Boston last year. Since he is playing well and he likes the course, this might just be his week.

Tiger Woods is a no-brainer as usual. He won this event in 2006 to go along with two 2nd place finishes.

Good luck this week and let's keep moving to the top of the fantasy golf rankings!

The Mulligan: The Barclays

The first round of the PGA Tour playoffs kicks off this week at The Barclays. This event will be played New York on a brand new course, so it is difficult to make any predictions based on which players have a game that fits the course. For that reason, I am going to pick players that have played extremely well in 2009 and should make some noise both this week and throughout the rest of the playoffs. Those players are Tiger Woods, Steve Stricker and Hunter Mahan.

Tiger has eleven Top-10 finishes in 13 starts this season. He has won 5 events and only finished outside of the Top-1o once. He is the greatest player in the game right now. I dont need to say much else. Tiger will compete this week and for the rest of the year.

Steve Stricker ranks in the Top-30 on Tour in several key stats: greens in regulation, putts per greens in regulation, and scambling. He has won twice this year (Crowne Plaza Invitational and John Deere Classic) and he has finished in the Top-10 eight times. Stricker has a great all around game that should bode well for him on any course he faces down the stretch. It appears as though the only thing lacking from his game in the past was confidence. Now that he has it, watch out.

Hunter Mahan has had a superb year. He has 6 Top-10 finishes this season including recent finishes of T6, T4, 2, T4. He ranks 12th in total driving and 13th in greens in regulation percentage. He has really enjoyed a breakout season and he is riding a big momentum wave right now. I expect big things from him for the rest of the year.

Good luck this week and let's keep moving to the top of the fantasy golf rankings!

The Mulligan: Why Phil Mickelson will win The 91st PGA Championship

The final major of the year is upon us as the best players in the world prepare to tee it up on Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota. The 91st PGA Championship boasts the longest golf course ever to host a major championship. The par 72 track measures 7674 yards long and it will play tough. In fact, three of the Par 5’s are over 600 yards long! This is not a course for the short hitters, but it isn’t necessarily a bombers paradise. It will take a complete player to win this week and probably a couple of good breaks as well. Let’s take a look at the field.

Lefty

Phil Mickelson will come into Hazeltine as he has for his past few appearances on the PGA Tour; with his mind in another place. This could actually be a good thing for Phil this week. As you probably know, both Phil’s mother and his wife were recently diagnosed with breast cancer. The good news is that both are recovering well, so Phil is obviously feeling better about that. That being said, it is hard to focus on golf when two people you care about have been going through serious health treatments.

We have all heard how mentally draining major championships can be on players. Many experts are predicting the mental drain of a major, coupled with Phil’s other concerns might hinder his game this week. I disagree. I think Phil will be able to relax and just play golf this week. He has a mindset this week that many players would love to have at a major. Phil can come out and play his best golf and, win or lose, he goes home to spend time with his family because he realizes how important that is. In other words, Phil will actually be able to handle the mental drain of a major championship BETTER, because he has more important things on his mind; the well being of his family.

In addition, I think Hazeltine is the perfect course for Phil to come out and show off his ridiculously good short game. I mentioned the length of the course at the beginning of this article. This length will help Lefty, but not in the way you might think. Par 5’s normally play to the advantage of the long ball hitters who can reach the greens in 2 shots and putt for eagle while the shorter hitters are forced to lay up and hope for birdies at best.

At Hazeltine, the Par 5’s will likely be too long for even the longest of hitters to reach in 2 shots. That means that the best scores on these holes will likely come from players with good distance coupled with a good wedge game. Phil Mickelson is that player. He can bomb a drive, hit a lay-up shot to about 100-125 yards and then fire darts at the flag-stick with his wedges. I think this will result in a great week on the long Par 5’s for Phil, and if he can play well throughout the rest of the course he will win this tournament.

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Tiger

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Tiger has won two straight tournaments and has made us all forget about his missed cut at the British Open. He already has five wins this season and he has finished in the Top-10 in ten of his last twelve starts. He is the best player in golf and the hands-down favorite to win this week. Additionally, he has gone 0-for-3 this year in majors, so he has plenty of motivation this week to get a win. We all know how good he is and we all know that he steps up in the spotlight. Overall, there are just too many factors to pick against Tiger this week (or ever), but I think Phil Mickelson is going to find a way to edge him out this week.

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Stricker
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Steve Stricker has a lot going for him this week. He is having a career year in 2009 and it is quite likely that he will contend this week as well. Stricker has two wins to go along with eight Top-10 finishes this season, landing him in 2nd place overall in the FedEx Cup point standings. He put together a good tournament last week in Akron finishing tied for 6th, so he has some momentum coming in.

Additionally, Stricker has played well in majors this year. He finished tied for 6th in The Masters, and tied for 23rd in The US Open (but tied for 52nd in the British Open). To top it all off, he is from Wisconsin and went to college at the University of Illinois, so he should find decent support from a crowd in Big Ten country.

Harrington

Padraig Harrington looks to defend his PGA Championship title this week with another Wanamaker Trophy for his overflowing trophy case. Overall, Harrington is having a disappointing 2009 coming off of a tremendous 2008 that included victories at the final two major championships of the year. Despite his 2008 success, Harrington has been tweaking his swing and this is likely why he has had a rough patch thus far in 2009.

However, last week at Firestone Harrington posted his first Top-10 finish of the season, and his game looked much better than it has all season. Has Harrington worked out the kinks in his new swing? Its hard to say, but if he has you can count on him to be near the top of the leaderboard Sunday afternoon.

Sleeper Picks

I am going out on a little bit of a limb and taking a shorter hitter this week in Luke Donald. I am going with Donald this week because he has history at Hazeltine. The lengthy beast is where Donald won individual gold (the individual championship) in the 1999 NCAA Championships. He has been playing well this season including only 2 missed cuts in 16 starts. He is ranked 2nd in putting but only 183rd in driving distance so the length could easily pose problems for him. I just have a feeling about this one.

Justin Leonard finished tied for Fourth at Hazeltine in the 2002 PGA Championship, and he is a good dark horse pick for this week as well. Like Donald, he is a shorter hitter (ranked 121st on Tour) but has the short stick working (5th in putting average).

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Mike Sim was my US Open sleeper pick and he came through with a T-18 finish. I am sure he was happy with that, but I think he might have played better if he was not paired with Tiger for the final round. That is a lot of pressure for a Nationwide Tour player who isn't used to all the attention. I think he could contend again this week because his record has only improved since the US Open. He now has seven Top-10 finishes this season on the Nationwide Tour to go with that Top-20 major finish. Plus, he now has experience competing in the final round of a major which should really help for his second time around.

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Good luck this week and let's keep moving to the top of the fantasy golf rankings!

The Mulligan: Bridgestone Invitational

This week the Tour heads to Akron, Ohio to famous Firestone Country Club for the Bridgestone Invitational. There are plenty of big names in the field this week so this should be a great tournament to watch. Tiger is coming in with momentum and he has been known to play well here, but there are many other great players eyeing victory this week.

Retief Goosen should play well this week too. He has finished in the Top-5 in his last two starts and he plays Firestone well. He finished fourth here last season and looks to possibly improve on that finish this year. He will be in my fantasy golf lineup this week.

Stewart Cink makes his first start since beating out Tom Watson at The Open Championship in a 4 hole playoff to take home the Claret Jug. Cink is riding high on that victory and his momentum should carry over onto Firestone this week. He has historically played well here including 2 Top-10 finishes and a victory in 2004. Look for the Open Champ to have another good showing this week.

Finally, I think Luke Donald will play well at Firestone. Donald has a great track record on this course and he is due for a good performance. He has 2 straight Top-25 finishes here in his last 2 starts including a T-8th finish. He already has 5 Top-10 finishes in 2009 and he is looking to add a victory to his stat sheet. To top it off, he is ranked 2nd on Tour in putting average and 1st in sand save percentage.

Good luck this week and lets keep moving to the top of the fantasy golf rankings!

The Mulligan: The Buick Open

The Buick Open is played at Warwick Hills in Grand Blanc, Michigan. Kenny Perry took home the trophy last year, edging out Woody Austin and Bubba Watson by a stroke at 19 under for the tournament. Warwick Hills is a Par 72, 7127 yard course that is relatively easy so don't be surprised if you see more birdies than a Hitchcock movie this week. On easy courses like these, I always like to pick players who are hot, and players who have played well on the course in the past. The Buick Open is one tournament where players that have played well in the past really seem to repeat that performance. For this reason, I am placing a premium on consistent performance in the Buick for my picks this week, while also taking into account momentum in 2009.

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First, I want to say that I think Tiger Woods is going to win this week. In fantasy golf, this is the tournament that everyone, EVERYONE, should start Tiger. He has 2 victories here, 5 straight finishes of 3rd or better and only one finish outside the Top-10 in 8 starts here. Don't let his poor performance at the Open bother you. Tiger felt that his ball striking was there, but that he got a few bad breaks on a couple of bad shots. For example, if Tiger didn't lose that ball in the tall grass coming down the stretch, he would have finished Friday 2 shots ahead of the cut line. Tiger did make mistakes but they were compounded by the difficulty of Turnberry. This week, Tiger will make up for his Open performance on a course that he thrives on.

I think Jim Furyk will play well this week. Jim won here in 2003 and he consistently plays well on Warwick. In fact he has played the Buick 14 times and finished in the Top-10 in 8 of those starts. I think his precise shot-making will help him again this week and he will contend again at Warwick.


Brian Gay has two victories already this season, and he has been on the top of several leaderboards. Last year at Warwick he finished in the Top-10. He also has 4 other Top-25 finishes as the Buick, so this could be a great week for him.


My sleeper pick for this week is Michael Letzig. After his T-8th finish last week at the Canadian Open, Letzig hopes to see his momentum carry over this week at Warwick. He has only played here once, but he finished T-12th last year. He has a well rounded game, ranking 48th in putting average, 47th in sand save percentage and 44th in driving distance. Look for Letzig to compete in some tournaments the rest of the year, possibly starting this week.


Good luck this week and lets keep moving towards the top of the fantasy golf rankings!

The Mulligan: The 136th Open Championship

The Mulligan has been on a roll lately, picking 3 straight winners. Hopefully we can keep up the momentum for this week's tournament; "The Open Championship." This year, The British Open is being played on Turnberry in Ayrshire, Scotland. This should be a great week for all golf fans. I can't wait for Thursday.

Rory McIlroy has played well in the few majors he has participated in. He has the distance to give him an advantage over the shorter hitters, and growing up in England makes me think he has the game to handle the British Open style courses. I think The British Open is the title McIlroy has always dreamed of winning, and I think he will bring his A game.

Geoff Ogilvy has righted the ship after hitting a mild slump. If you have been following The Mulligan this season, you know how much I like Ogilvy. I stayed away from picking him recently because his game didn't seem as good as usual. However, mark my words. Ogilvy is back! He has finished in the Top-15 in 2 of his last 3 starts and I think it is safe to pick him again. Look for Ogilvy to finish this season strong, maybe with a jump start major victory at Turnberry.

I have a gut feeling that Henrik Stenson is going to contend this week. The Swede is due for a major championship. He won the Players earlier this year and he finished 9th in the US Open. He seems to elevate his game for the big tournaments and this is a big tournament.

The No-Brainer pick is Tiger Woods. Rather than waste your time about why I think he is a good pick, I will post this link that a friend of mine sent me telling about how Tiger and other players have their outfits chosen over a year in advance. Interesting stuff.

For this week's sleeper, I am going with Soren Kjeldsen. If you haven't heard of this Denmark native, don't worry. Unless you follow the European Tour with some regularity, you have no reason to know of him. However, Kjeldsen is the real deal. He has been tearing up the European Tour this season. He has finished in the Top-15 his last 4 starts and I think he could make some noise at The Open.

Good luck this week and lets keep moving to the top of the fantasy golf rankings!

The Mulligan: Back to Bethpage

Back in 2002 The US Open was played on a course that many players called the toughest course they have ever played. The course was long, the greens were fast, and the smallest of errors resulted in terrible consequences. That course was Bethpage Black. Bethpage is a public course in Southampton, New York, the first public course to ever host the US Open. Before teeing off on the Black Course, players are greeted by a warning sign, explaining that the course is recommended only for "highly skilled golfers."

The US Open is once again set to be played at Bethpage, but tournament officials have attempted to make the course a little more manageable for the players. The fairways will be a little wider, and some bunkers have been leveled off. Also, there are some new teeing grounds that may or may not help the players out. The forecast shows rain all weekend, so the greens may play softer and slower than usual. Even so, this course will likely be one of the toughest the Tour sees all year and the course is actually 200 yards longer this year than it was in 2002 when Tiger Woods was the only player to shoot under par for the Tournament. He shot 3 under, good enough for a 3 shot win over Phil Mickelson. and the field .

Tiger Woods looks to become the first player to win back to back US Opens since Curtis Strange did it back in 1988 at Brookline and 1989 at Oak Hill. We all remember Tiger's one legged defeat of Rocco Mediate in a Monday playoff last year at Torrey Pines. I watched it all day at work, making for a productive day.

Tiger will have some stiff competition. The field at the US Open is always loaded. Good players who know how to handle adversity should play well this week. Also, players who can hit the ball a long way should fare better than the short, accurate hitters. You can't play well at any US Open without a short game either, and mastery of the greens is a necessity this week. Players who have the combination of distance off the tee and a strong short game will play well at this years US Open.

First of all, I want to mention that I think Tiger Woods will win this week. He is playing great right now, and he is the greatest player to ever live. I will assume that you will all put him in your fantasy golf lineups without me saying anything else about it.

Next, Paul Casey is the perfect pick for this week. He his ranked in the Top-25 on Tour in driving distance, and 19th in greens in regulation. This is the perfect combination for Bethpage. Casey will be able to handle the slick putting surfaces, while still managing the 7,426 yard distance. Casey is also playing great golf this year. He is currently ranked 3rd in the world and has consistently competed in tournaments this year. In fact, Casey has finished in the Top-20 in six of his eight PGA Tour starts this season.

I like Geoff Ogilvy's chances this week as well. He played well 2 weeks ago at The Memorial (with the exception of hole number 14 on Sunday) and he already has 2 wins on Tour this year. Geoff has proven that he can win the big one under pressure against a tough field. He fended off Mickelson at the US Open at Winged Foot in 2006 to win his first major. His game fits this course perfectly as well, and he should play well this week.

Dustin Johnson has the game to compete this week. He is 3rd in driving distance and 26th in putting. He has a win this year and has found himself on many leaderboards in 2009. He has no strong finishes in majors, and really doesnt have a lot of big game experience. Some may find it suprising to pick him here, but he has the game for Bethpage and momentum is on his side.

SLEEPER PICK: There are so many big names in the field for the US Open that I really shouldn't pick a sleeper this week. But it is just too much fun. Besides, the US Open always has at least one no name at the top of the leaderboard at some point. I think the no name might come from the Nationwide Tour this year. Mike Sim has been tearing up the Nationwide Tour with two wins and six Top-10 finishes in nine starts. He is also first in putting average and total driving on the Nationwide Tour. He could turn some heads at Bethpage.

Good luck this week and lets keep moving to the top of the fantasy golf rankings!

The Mulligan: Quail Hollow Championship

This week, the Tour heads to Charlotte for the Quail Hollow Championship. Measuring 7442 yards, Quail Hollow is a longer course so the heavy hitters should play well this week. So, as you can imagine I am going to put some guys who hit the long ball in my fantasy golf picks list this week.

Tiger is back in the field this week, and he is a previous winner of this tournament. I am not saying anything surprising or original when I say that Tiger Woods is the best player in golf. He has won here before, but he has won everywhere else too. The question is whether to start Tiger this week or save him for a later tournament. There is really no good way of determining this, except that I recommend starting him in as many majors as possible since he tends to play his best golf under pressure. If you feel good about starting Tiger this week, I say go for it. If not, there will be plenty more opportunities down the road. Of course, if you play in a league that does not limit how many times you can start a particular player, Tiger should be in your lineup.

Phil Mickelson has finished in the top 10 in three of five starts at Quail Hollow. After an inconsistent start to the season, I am sold that Phil is worthy of a start in most tournaments from here on out. The most convincing evidence of this came on the front nine of Augusta where he tied Johnny Miller's front nine record of 30. I think Phil is a great play this week, and he will be in my starting lineup.

Brian Gay is a good momentum play this week coming off his 10 shot slaughtering of the rest of the field. While a repeat of his performance two weeks ago is unlikely, a good showing wont surprise anyone. Consider him the new Rory McIlroy and hop on his bandwagon before the wheels fall off.

Ian Poulter is my final pick this week. His putter is on fire (averaging approximately 28 putts per round) and he has played well this year as a result. Although his showing at Quail Hollow has been lackluster in the past (2 missed cuts and 25th), he did finish in the top 25 here last year. I think this is the perfect time to start him.

Good luck this week and lets keep moving to the top of the fantasy golf rankings!

The Mulligan: Masters Preview

This is the week we have all been waiting for. It is finally time for the best of the best to duke it out on one of the most beautiful courses in the country, Augusta National. This week, the Tour heads to Georgia for the best tournament of the year; The Masters. The best players in the world are all in the field this week with no exceptions. From Wednesday’s Par 3 Game to the final walk down Amen Corner on Sunday, this should be a great week for golf fans everywhere.

Before you pencil in your fantasy golf lineup, check out my preview. I have broken down some of the noteworthy players in the field by placing them in 3 categories: (1) Proven Players, (2) Wild Cards, and (3) My Picks.

Proven

The following players are ranked in the top 10 in the world and have a history of playing well at Augusta National. They have proven that they can play with the best and all of them have the potential to compete for the Green Jacket this week.

Padraig Harrington

One of the most interesting golf stories in 2009 is Padraig Harrington’s pursuit of the “Paddy Slam.” Harrington won both the British Open and the PGA Championship last year and he is hoping to keep his major streak alive by winning this weak at Augusta. Harrington has never won a Masters, but he finished 5th last year at Augusta and has a good chance to compete this week.

Phil Mickelson

Phil Mickelson has 2 Green Jackets, winning at Augusta in both 2004 and 2006. He is obviously another player that should be in the running this week at the Masters. He has 2 victories already this season, so a good performance this week would be no surprise. However, Lefty struggled last week in Texas, missing the cut during his Masters tune up. This is reason enough for me to keep him off of my fantasy golf picks list for this week. There are just too many good players in the field that are riding high on momentum to take Phil after last week’s let down.

Vijay Singh

“Vijay” translates to “Victory” in Hindi. Singh lived up to his name at the 2000 Masters where he won one of his 3 major titles and his only Green Jacket. He has finished in the top 20 every year since his 2000 victory, so he has a history of playing well here. He is not playing all that well so far this year, however, having started 7 tournaments with only one top-10 finish.

Sergio Garcia

Sergio finished 4th in 2004 and 8th in 2002 at Augusta, so he can handle the course and the pressure. However, since 2004 his best finish is 46th, and he has put his clubs in the trunk on Friday multiple times. He has never won a Green Jacket and it is unlikely he will get his first this week. Sergio has proven himself at Augusta, but his recent performances here make it unlikely that he will do much this week.

Henrik Stenson

Stenson has finished in the top 20 each of the past two years at Augusta. He tied for 3rd last week at the Shell Houston Open in his Masters tune up where he played extremely well. Look for some of that momentum to carry over to this week for Stenson. He is a proven player who could really contend this week.

Wild Cards

The following players are wild cards. They could all contend this week, but they are either unproven or have a history of playing poorly at Augusta. I would not recommend putting any of them in your fantasy golf lineup, but they could make some noise if things go right this week.

Camilo Villegas

Villegas has played in two Masters and has been cut twice. However, he has three top 10 finishes this year and is playing well. This combination makes him a wild card for this week’s tournament. It is too soon to know if he simply plays poorly at Augusta, or if he has just had a couple of bad tournaments here.

Kenny Perry

Perry hasn’t played in the Masters since 2005 where he finished 29th. He has never won at Augusta, and really has never played all that well here. He has started 2009 off very well and he already has five top 10 finishes, including a win at the FBR open. Perry has been a model of consistency this year and he has not missed a single cut in 9 starts. Perry’s poor history at the Masters and his 3 year hiatus make him a wild card this week and it is hard to know what to expect from him.

Nick Watney

Watney tied for 11th at last year’s Masters and he already has a victory this year to along with four other finishes of 12th or better. Watney is playing the best golf of his career right now, but he is still unproven on the big stage. Watney is a wild card this week, and he could silence all of his critics by proving himself this week on golf’s biggest stage.


My Picks

The following 3 players are my picks for the 2009 Masters. If you have a fantasy golf team, consider playing these guys for the first major of the year.

Geoff Ogilvy

No Aussie has ever won the Masters. Stuart Appleby predicts that will change this year. An Aussie himself, Appleby was in the driver’s seat in 2007 with the lead after Saturday’s round, but he faded to 7th on Sunday. This year, he has a different Australian in mind as the favorite for the Masters. Allenby says: "I would say right now that Geoff is No. 1 in the world. . . . He's got a lot of confidence, plus he has an incredible short game. Yeah, sure, Tiger is always going to be a favorite, but I would put Geoff Ogilvy in front of Tiger. If Geoff controls his nerves and his feelings at that tournament, there's no reason why he shouldn't win." I think Ogilvy will need to clear out some closet space after this weekend. He has the best chance of anyone this week to win his second major, and become the first Aussie to win at Augusta National.

Robert Karlsson

The best player you have never heard of is a Swede named Robert Karlsson. He finished tied for 8th in last years Masters, his second trip to Augusta. He also posted top 10 finishes in the British Open and the US Open last year, so Karlsson has proven that he can play well in the majors. I think he is due for his first major win this season and maybe even his first Green Jacket. Expect Karlsson to be in the mix on Sunday afternoon.

Tiger Woods

It doesn’t take a genius to put Tiger Woods on the list of players who have a very good chance of winning this year’s Masters. Tiger has won this tournament 4 times before in 1997, 2001, 2002 and 2005. The last time we saw Tiger this season he was burying a 16-foot putt on the 18th at Bay Hill to cap off a dramatic Sunday comeback. Tiger has room for a few more Green Jackets in his closet and he is the obvious fantasy golf pick this week. Tiger is a big time player who steps up in big time situations. It doesn’t get much bigger than the Masters.

The Mulligan: A Loaded Field at Doral

This week, the Tour heads to Doral for the WGC – CA Championship, where the big names always seem to win. Only four players have won this tournament over the last 10 years, and they have all been big names. Tiger won six of them (including 3 of the last 4), Mike Weir won in 2000, Ernie Els won in 2004, Geoff Ogilvy took the cup last year, and the tournament was cancelled in 2001.

One reason that big names win here every year, is that there are so many big names in the field. This field is loaded. Tiger is making his first appearance in stroke play this year and he always plays well in this tournament. I think Tiger will play well, but after watching his match against Tim Clark in the Accenture Match Play Championship, it might be a good idea to hold off on putting him in your fantasy golf lineup. You will have plenty of tournaments to start him later in the year after he proves he is back.

The rest of the Top-10 golfers in the world are in this field alongside Tiger this week. That is the first time this year that a field has been this tough. There are 80 players total in the field and there is no cut, so it will be a long weekend for everyone.

Geoff Ogilvy is playing as well as anyone right now and I am not betting against him this week. I mentioned earlier this year that I think Ogilvy is going to have a career season, and I am not backing off of that prediction. This guy is the player of the year so far. The challenge for fantasy golfers is picking the right tournaments to start him. I give you the green light this week, based on momentum and his win here last year.

If you are looking to find some fantasy points outside the top 10 golfers in the world, I direct you once again to Rory McIlroy. McIlroy is playing very well right now, and the 19 year-old is beaming with confidence. I think it is a good idea to ride this waive of momentum for now to see how long he stays hot. I haven’t hopped off the Rory McIlroy Bandwagon quite yet.

The Mulligan: The March Madness of Golf

This week we have the pleasure of watching 5 days of head-to-head match play format. The Accenture Match Play Championship starts today and runs through Sunday. On top of that, Tiger Woods will be making his return after what seems like an eternity.

I have had several discussions and read several articles about how Tiger Woods will come out with a rusty swing and disappoint during this tournament. I beg to differ. Most of us don’t have the privilege of knowing the status of Tiger’s knee, or if he really is ready to come back. There are a few things that I am sure of, however, regarding the greatest player to ever live.

First, Tiger Woods is not the type of player to sit around playing Tiger Woods Golf on his Xbox 360. He is not the type of player to even think about allowing the competition to gain an edge on him. Tiger was unable to really swing a club normally for quite some time after his surgery, and many assume that he let his game atrophy. A more likely scenario is that Tiger was on the putting green, perfecting every detail of his game that didn’t strain his knee. This could mean that Tiger’s already ridiculous short game has significantly improved. This is a scary thought if you are Brendan Jones, Tiger’s first round opponent. Good luck Brendan, you are going to need it.

Second, Tiger missed only 1 fairway in his practice round on Tuesday. I think this fact alone defeats any arguments about a “rusty swing.” (On a side note, I once played a round of golf where I missed only 1 fairway. It was a Par 3 Course that had one par 4 at the end which was the only hole with a fairway).

Finally, Tiger has won 3 of these tournaments before (along with every other award known to man including the Nobel Golf Prize and Global Miniature Golf Championship). I mean come on. IT’S TIGER. Don’t bet against him.

Okay, so the way this tournament works is similar to the NCAA Tournament Bracket. You can view the matchups here. There are 4 small brackets and the winners of each bracket comprise the “Final Four.” Here are my picks in each bracket followed by my pick to win, which may be obvious by this point.

The Bobby Jones Bracket: Tiger Woods. There is tough competition here with Retief Goosen and Geoff Ogilvy. Rory McIlroy could be a sleeper in this bracket.

The Sam Snead Bracket: Henrik Stenson. He will have to get by a seasoned vet in Davis Love III in Round 1, and he has Padraig Harrington to worry about in later rounds.

The Ben Hogan Bracket: This is the bracket of the Johnsons. Take your pick between Zach or Dustin in this bracket although both have tough first round draws.

The Gary Player Bracket: Paul Casey. In this bracket lies my UPSET ALERT pick...Matt Goggin over Kenny Perry in the opening round.

The Winner: Tiger Woods - Your 2009 Accenture Match Play Champion

[Remember to check back each and every Wednesday at 1pm for another edition of "The Mulligan" - always packed with PGA tournament previews and fantasy golf picks you won't find anywhere else.]

The Mulligan: The Buick Invitational

This week, the Tour heads to Torrey Pines in San Diego, California for the Buick Invitational. If the greatest player ever were in the field this week, he would be the obvious pick to win. Having won 5 of the last 6 Buick Invitationals, Tiger owns this course. But, obviously he is not playing this week.

Last year’s best player will be making an appearance, however. Padraig Harrington will make his 2009 PGA debut this weekend. Look for him to compete as always.

If you are looking for a sleeper, look at Rory Sabbatini. He placed 3rd in this tournament last year, and he has played very well this year with two 12th place finishes thus far (The Sony and The FBR).

My pick to win this week, and a definite fantasy starter, is Ryuji Imada. Although he was cut last week, Imada is due to score some fantasy points. He finished 2nd behind Tiger last year, and his game fits this course well.