TIU OUTTAKES: Missed Cuts Happen

Tiger Woods missed the cut today (yes, I’m publishing this before he’s done) at the Quail Hollow Championship. He played utterly atrocious, and deserves to be going back home.

But before people say Tiger’s done, consider this. Coming into this week Tiger missed 5 cuts in 240 career starts. Looking at the current consecutive cut streak statistic on the PGA Tour, Phil Mickelson leads with 19, followed by players at 13, 12, 11, 9, 8 and then 7. And scrolling down the screen, most are between 1-5. Making cuts time after time after time is not something that is normal on the PGA Tour. What Tiger has done over the course of his career has been rare.

I’m not trying to defend Tiger. I’ll defend anyone on the topic of cuts. As for Tiger, his game seemed completely off this week. He failed to drive it in the fairway, and then packed it in down the stretch. Can he win next week at The Players? Yes, but he’ll need to play extremely well on another demanding golf course.

I’d look for Tiger to look more like Tiger at the Memorial in June.

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PGA TOUR: Use Shot Tracker

Tiger playing in the first regular event of the PGA Tour season gives me a chance to remind you that you should check out PGA Tour Shot Tracker.

Like its predecessor, Tourcast, Shot Tracker uses Shotlink data to give you the exact distance of shots and putts, and giving you very precise stats. It’s a must use for golf fans, letting you see every shot of every hole of your favorite player.

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GOLF: Terry Gannon Joins Golf Channel; Player Meeting

Terry Gannon, most recently of ESPN and ABC has been added by Golf Channel as a PGA Tour and LPGA Tour play-by-play man. This now, by my count, gives the Golf Channel 4 main P-B-P voices for American golf broadcasts: Kelly Tilghman, Rich Lerner, Brian Hammonds, and Gannon. It’s a good hire for GC.

Speaking of the Golf Channel, Rex Hoggard reported that there was a Mandatory Players Meeting the other day at the Quail Hollow Championship, which spoke about slow play, microphoning players, the second cut (also known as MDF), and Tim Finchem’s pay.

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TIGER WOODS: Returns Tomorrow at Quail Hollow

Tiger makes his first regular PGA Tour event appearance since the scandal at the Quail Hollow Championship. He’ll be paired up with Stewart Cink and Angel Cabrera, a favorable pairing for both in what could be a rowdy scene.

The regular public could buy tickets, which could make for some heckling and other unfortunate events. We’ll just have to wait and see.

Tiger met the media today. You can read the transcript here.

By the way, I think there will be some instances, but Tiger will work right through them, play fairly well, but have another T-4 or T-5 finish this week. Watch out for Fred Couples, he could win this week easily.

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PGA TOUR FANTASY: Quail Hollow

Here we go:

A: Tiger Woods (Backup: Phil Mickelson)
B: Jim Fuyrk (Backup: Alex Prugh)
B: Fred Couples (Backup: Camilo Villegas)
C: Matt Kuchar (Backup: Jason Bohn)

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PGA TOUR DIGEST: Vol. 3 No. 17

It’s the Quail Hollow Championship this week on the PGA Tour, one of the most prestigious and beloved events on Tour. Tiger’s back, Phil’s back, and 9 of the top 15 have descended on Charlotte.

Now I’m very confused on TV Times for the Golf Channel, so I’m going to probably edit this post. Their website has it as 3-6pm ET Thursday and Friday, but the PGA Tour website has it at 2-6pm ET Thursday and Friday.

I do know that CBS’ TV Times are Saturday-Sunday, 3-6pm ET.

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VARIOUS: A Great Website for Interview Transcripts

I should have made this post much earlier in this blog’s lifetime but if you ever want to read interview or press conference transcripts I have an excellent website for you:

ASAPSports.com

They have rights with almost every major sport, plus golf, tennis, NASCAR and more. It’s easy to read, and as the name states, they try to get the transcripts up as soon as possible.

Use them!

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PGA TOUR: CBS, NBC, Golf Channel and ESPN’s Golf Music Part 5

We have an answer! Post-Masters I asked if anyone knew the name of the uplifting, inspirational, full band song CBS played a ton during those two great days of golf.

Well through some hard work by my new friend Eric Spiess, I have now figured out that it’s called “Thrill of Victory” by E.S. Posthumus, the guy who has done so many of CBS Sports’ theme songs of late. You can listen to it on E.S.’ Facebook. or on YouTube:

Thank you Eric!

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NEW YORK JETS: Draft Recap

The Jets made 4 picks, and made 2 major moves. They:

1) drafted CB Kyle Wilson in the first round, who will be a great nickel back, and could be a return man now that Leon has moved on.

2) drafted Vladimir Ducasse in the 2nd round, who will now be in the running to replace Alan Faneca on the offensive live.

3) drafted Joe McKnight, who will now replace Leon Washington (he’s a clone), and could be a key player for them for years to come

4) drafted FB John Conner, who pretty much should be Tony Richardson’s successor once he moves on after this season.

The cutting of Faneca did aggravate me. If the profootballtalk.com report that he could have stayed a Jet if he had just taken a paycut, is true, then he should have done it and stayed a Jet. He could have had a legitimate chance of winning a Super Bowl. Bill Callahan, you better do your work.

Well, as I linked to yesterday, the trading of Leon Washington, does, in a way, make sense. He would have hard to sign and he may not have been ready for opening day. But McKnight better be good, or else a lot of people are going to have major regrets about this decision for years and years to acme.

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NEW YORK JETS: Leon’s Gone

You all know by now, Leon Washington is no longer a Jet.

At first I was mad, and very sad. But I’ll trust Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum when he says:

“It would’ve been very, very, very difficult to re-sign him at the end of this year,” Tannenbaum said.

…

Obviously, Washington’s physical condition factored into the trade. If they thought he’d be 100% by the start of the season, they wouldn’t have minded taking their chances on a short-term deal. Tannenbaum admitted it was “going to be hard for Leon to be here by opening day.”

And, as Rich Cimini points out, from Nick Mangold to Darrelle Revis, a plethora of Jets need new contracts after this season. And unfortunately, someone has to bite the dust, and it was Leon.

I hope for the best for him in Seattle, and hope Joe McKnight can pick up where Leon left off in New York.

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