Crouching Tiger Hidden Hydrant

Tiger Woods has issued a second statement regarding his now infamous car crash last Thursday night/Friday morning. If you haven't heard about this by now, then you've probably been living under a rock for the past week. Woods, for reasons unknown, left his house at 2:30 a.m. or so last Thursday (Thanksgiving) night and then proceeded to crash into a fire hydrant and tree outside for his home, again for reasons unknown.

Woods is unimpressed with the scrutiny he’s been under since the crash – there’s been a mountain of speculation about affairs with at least two women. However, that does come with the territory of being the most famous and wealthiest athlete in the World. This is the first time that he has felt the full force of fame’s dark side, and now he’s not playing ball.

There’s a reason that the speculation won’t go away, and Woods has no one to blame but himself. Website statements don’t mean a damn – we want more. We want him in front of cameras, speaking about the events of the night and explaining what happened. We’ve seen this before – earlier this year, Alex Rodriguez sat down with Peter Gammons of ESPN shortly after it emerged that he was a drugs cheat. The interview showed a contrite A-Rod and this, coupled with a press conference, allowed the speculation to go away quicker than it would have had he hidden in a hole, a la Tiger. His silence gives gossip sites further licence to probe deeper into his private life. The facial lacerations that he has picked up in the crash, may or may not be due to domestic violence and we don’t know the truth because Tiger himself hasn’t interacted with the insatiable media. He can put that confrontation off for as long as he wants, but he has to return to golf at some stage.

Woods, literally, needs to show his face.

***

Here’s a video, presumably from a Chinese news broadcast, which shows (in animated form) what happened and what happened. Gas stuff.

Women's Boxing, Golf, Rugby Sevens All Olympic Bound

It’s been a good day for Ireland in the Olympics. An unusual thing to say in 2009, granted, but nonetheless decisions made today could pave the way for Olympic success for our fair isle.

The obvious bit of good news is the decision to allow women’s boxing into the Games from London 2012. While some people will have problems with seeing women fight, and I must admit that I’m not sure if I’m overly comfortable with it myself, this means that Ireland’s most dominant sportsperson, Katie Taylor, will get to strut her stuff on the world’s highest stage. Taylor has won 39 fights in a row, 60 from 61, and was named Women’s Boxer of the Year for 2008. Should she be able to cope with the undoubted pressure thrown her way ahead of the 2012 Games than she will be the hottest favourite for a gold medal, perhaps in any sport. Amhrán de bhFiann should be heard, loud and clear, thanks to her in about three years time.



Today’s other Olympic announcement is also good news in that two new sports are likely to be added to the Games from 2016. Pending approval at the IOC congress in Copenhagen in October, golf and rugby sevens shall both return to the Olympics after long, long absences. Ireland’s golf legacy is well known and the sport is one of our most successful. Aside from three-time Major Champion Padraig Harrington, Ireland has also produced Ryder Cup stars and European Tour winners throughout the years. By 2016 Rory McIlroy is likely to be one of the sport’s biggest stars while people like Graeme McDowell could also have broken through to become legitimate medal contenders. Again, I have issues with the inclusion of golf. I always feel that sports who wish to take part in the Games should pass one test – would winning an Olympic gold medal be the biggest potential prize in your sport? If no, that sport shouldn’t be allowed. It’s one of the reasons that football fails to register in Western Europe, despite it being the world’s most popular sport. For as long as a Green Jacket is more important than a gold medal, and that is likely to remain the case no matter what, golf’s inclusion will never sit easy with me, no matter how successful Ireland may or may not be.

Rugby sevens is a sport that will pass this test. A sport that is played throughout the world, particularly in the Pacific Rim, it has true global appeal and is at that stage where inclusion in the Olympics will be a real boon in it’s strive for growth. As outlined in an article on The Guardian’s website, this decision means that rugby will now be taught in schools in countries such as Russia where Olympic sports are king, and also receive funding in some countries. For Ireland, well we may not be world powerhouses in the sevens version of the game, but it is a sport that is very, very popular here or obvious reasons. A decision like today’s, which means that sevens becomes even more important, could and should see more of a concerted effort being made to allow Ireland’s men and in particular our women, to go for gold from 2016.

Woods Breaks Wind!

Tiger Woods, it seemed, took the chance to relieve some tension during the final round of last weekend’s Buick Open. This video has cropped up on Youtube and it appears to show Eldrick, arguably the finest sportsman on the planet, farting. Yes, farting. Check it out.



Sounds fake, right? I thought so too, I won’t lie. Yet here’s another video, taken from a news broadcast the next day, which shows the same thing.



EDIT: It seems that our old friend David Feherty, CBS golf analyst, is to blame.

Sports-Packed Sunday On The Way

It’s not football season, uneventful pre-season friendlies notwithstanding, but tomorrow could nonetheless be a great day of sport.

Now, as a Galwegian, you might think that I’m about to blog about the fortunes of my county’s footballers. I should, I know, and I hope we beat Mayo, and follow the example of our hurlers who were impressive in the second half of tonight’s win over Cork. However, I won’t.

I may not even watch tomorrow’s match. My interests tomorrow lie in the fate of two very different sportsmen. Though both are American, there’s little else to unite Tom Watson and Lance Armstrong. While Kansas native Watson is amiable, likeable and easy to root for, Armstrong is divisive, brash, arrogant and a controversial figure. Depending on the outcome of their prospective events tomorrow, this pair could vie with each other for the sports story of the year.

Hard as it would have been to believe just three days ago, Tom Watson goes into tomorrow’s final round of the Open Championship at Turnberry with the outright lead. He’s looking for his sixth Championship, a mere 26 years after his last. Nicklaus’ 1986 Masters triumph was great, but a Watson win tomorrow would eclipse even that.



Watson has already lifted the Claret Jug at Turnberry, though the last time was in 1977. On that day, Watson was involved in an epic duel with Nicklaus. He had shot 65 on the Saturday and did so again on the Sunday to take the title by just one shot. Good? This was one of golf’s and arguably Watson’s finest ever hour. Tomorrow could beat both.

Another...storied competitor in his sport is Armstrong. I wanted to say legend there but I couldn’t bring myself to do so. My feelings on him are clear. Armstrong, a cancer survivor who has been called a cancer to his sport, has had as many drugs accusations levied at him as Michael Jackson and he needs a good result in tomorrow’s mountain top finish in Verbiers. 8 days ago I tweeted that Armstrong’s 2009 Tour was over when his teammate Alberto Contador blitzed him and the other competitors near the end of the mountain-top finish in Andorra-Arcalis. I’m not sure if that’s the case anymore. Armstrong looked strong in yesterday’s climb up the Col du Platzerwasal but whether that was a fleeting show of force or a sign of things to come, only time will tell.



Armstrong is one of those men who won’t go away...hence his current comeback. He’s also, despite his many, many, many faults, one of the fiercest competitors in sport. He can end tomorrow in yellow. He can win an eighth Tour de France. Will he? Probably not. But you can bet that he won’t give up battling until he crosses the line atop Mont Ventoux next Saturday.

Tomorrow afternoon, I and several other sports fans will sit at our television screens to watch both of these events. It will be a brilliant day of sport, with drama and intrigue. Watson and Armstrong will be at the centre of events in Turnberry and Verbiers. I know which one I will be rooting for.

***

PS Congratulations to Nicholas Roche on his fine performance today. Second place was a great achievement and a good performance in the mountains could cement a place on the Grand Tours for him in years to come. Was great to see an Irishman doing well in Le Tour for the first time since the days of his dad and Seán Kelly.

The Open Championship - Day 1

Just a quick update on the tips I gave you yesterday. Here's how my selections have gotten on after the first round at Turnberry.

Hunter Mahan @ 34
Mahan had a nightmare start today, playing the first 12 holes in +3. Despite a double bogey on the 15th, he fought back well near the end of his round. I can see him moving up the leaderboard tomorrow - but he has to.

Now available @ 170.


Graeme McDowell @ 85

McDowell shot an impressive 68 today, leaving him on -2. A victim of the tricky 16th, he could be even higher up the leaderboard but the Northerner knows this. Out at a tricky time weather-wise tomorrow though. Needs to be sharp.

Now available @ a very tasty 60.



Soren Hansen @ 140

Statistically my best tip interms of odds improvement, Hansen also shot a 68. It was a round that could have been better - he played the last six holes in three over par. Nonetheless, the Swede is a contender heading into the weekend.

Now available @ 80


David Duval @ 150

David Duval only hit 6/14 fairways, but he drove the ball long and his putting was fine. His +1 today shouldn't rule him out of contention at all, but like many others he needs a better Friday.

Now available @ 300.


Padraig Harrington @46

A 69 for the two-time defending champion, hence a shortening of his odds. But I didn't like what I saw from the Dubliner today. He seemed timid and lacking confidence. I shall be laying him immeadiately.

Now available @ 27.



A couple of other comments. I was very impressed with Ryo Ishikawa. The 17-year-old didn't flinch under the spotlight of being with Woods. He won't win this weekend, but he did well>

Woods didn't. He was shaky throughout and punters who backed him at such low odds must be regretting that now. He's now available at 6.6 on Betfair. I wouldn't, but there's a little bit of value there if he handles tomorrow's high winds.

Does anyone care about the Lyle/Monty spat? Didn't think so.

And I know I didn't tip them, but I'd just like to point out that the other golfers I named yesterday (O'Hair, Villegas and McIlroy) all had decent outings today. Let's hope they don't fall into the 'ones that got away' pile.

Open Tips

After picking Lucal Glover for the US Open, I thought it only fair that this time I put my neck on the line and publish my picks for this week's Open Championship.

The winner should be Tiger. Sorry. But he's unbackable at 12/5. On Paddy Power the second favourite is 22-1 so if you can pick a winner that's not named Eldrick than you're on to a good one.

As I always do, I'll go with five. If one of them comes in, mine’s a Guinness.

First up at Turnberry, the weather is King. This is a micro-climate given it’s proximity to the sea so there’s little point in checking area forecasts. For the record, local folklore is that the wind is at it’s highest when the tide is too so for calm conditions (I’ve looked this up) you want to be on course from apx. 9:30-2:30 each day. The wind should be more calm on Thursday, so I’m focussing on players who will get the best of things on the Friday, which will be key this week.

Padraig Harrington, David Duval, Kenny Perry, Soren Hansen, Paul McGinley, Rory McIlroy, Hunter Mahan are all among the players who fall into this category. On the Thursday, there’s Tiger Woods, Robert Rock, Camilo Villegas, McDowell, Sean O’Hair.

These players have a huge advantage – in the recent US Open, 12 of the top 13 finishers were lucky enough to be given a nice draw and were out on the calmest day, Friday.

You can make cases for so many of these...

Hunter Mahan: hasn’t missed a cut all year, is striking the ball well.

Padraig Harrington: two-time defending champion is quietly confident having returned to form in recent weeks.

Sean O’Hair: 6 top tens in 15 starts.

Greame McDowell: Grew up on a links course.

Camilo Villegas: one day he will win a major. I’m not sure that’s this weekend.

David Duval: He can putt, he’s won this before, and Bethpage gave him confidence.

Soren Hansen: 3 top 10’s in his last four outings.

Rory McIlroy: a future star.





I’m going to go with the following (quoting Betfair prices)

Hunter Mahan @ 34

Graeme McDowell @ 85

Soren Hansen @ 140

David Duval @ 150

Padraig Harrington @46



I’ll also pick one more, extra long-shot special (now known as the Lucas Glover award)

Paul McGinley @ 510



Best of luck. Tips are given for free, but taken at your own risk.

Lovin' Lucas

Apologies for the comparative silence here recently. Got college results today so... you know. Havin' fun. I'm enjoying the golf though, 'cos I've a bet on Lucas Glover at rid-onk-ulous odds. Go Glover!

US Open Update

So the heavens have opened up over Bethpage and it looks like there won't be much play today but I saw and enjoyed this. Ian Poulter is providing live twitter updates to pass the time. http://twitter.com/Ianjamespoulter

Open For Business

As I write this, the opening groups at the US Open have begun their rounds. The year’s second Major has always been a favourite of mine. The courses used in the US Open don’t have the beauty of Augusta, and there’s a lot more history in the Open but regardless of this, there’s something special about the US Open. To see golfers tested on an exceedingly difficult course, and to see them fail like us mere mortals is oddly satisfying, in a slightly sadistic way.

Perhaps because of this, the US Open has the feel of a people’s Major. The pomposity of the Masters is not present, nor the formality of the Open, and in a way this is most evident at this year’s venue, Bethpage Black. Seven years ago the 2002 US Open at the same venue was one of the first major international events to be help in New York State since 9/11. Tiger won, naturally, and he’ll be the favourite to do so again this weekend in a tournament that will be held in the background of a massive global recession.

Again this can be tied into Bethpage. It is a course that was built as a public project during the Great Depression of the 1930s and it’s also one of the most accessible Major venues. Over 30,000 rounds are played on the Black course annually and weekday green fees are a modest $50 for the local residents who’ll be out in force this weekend, over 250,000 of them.



Last year’s US Open was a memorable affair. A virtually one-legged Tiger won in the Monday playoff, beating off the genial Rocco Mediate while Lee Westwood was a nearly man who had a putt on the 72nd green to join the Americans on the Monday. Only in the aftermath of the tournament did we learn how hurt Woods actually was (he wouldn’t play again for over eight months due to the extent of the ligament damage to his left knee) and he himself has called it his favourite ever Major win. Along with the 1997 Masters, it was certainly his most impressive.

Phil Mickelson will be the darling of the crowds. His wife Amy is continuing her battle with breast cancer so while it would be unreasonable to expect too much from Lefty, it would be lovely to see him do well. Padraig Harrington may have won two Majors in the last twelve months but his recent slump in form shows no sign of abating – it would be rough weekend for Paddy. Rory McIlroy is being touted as the best Irish hope but in only his third Major it’s probably too soon. If there is to be a European winner, Paul Casey is probably most likely but anyone will do well to beat Tiger. No matter though, we’ll enjoy the next few days. After all, it is our Major.

A Storm In A Tin Cup

If you play any of the Tiger Woods games then you'll notice a Northern Irish voice as part of the commentary. David Feherty was a pretty unremarkable golfer. He won five European Tour events, made one Ryder Cup and came close at The Open a couple of times. He is best known for his analysis work on CBS in the States, where I have found him to be witty and intelligent (unlike his Playstation persona). In this month's issue of a Dallas based magazine, 'D Magazine', Feherty wrote about his feelings on George W Bush moving to the home of the Cowboys. His piece included the following extract:

"From my own experience visiting the troops in the Middle East, I can tell you this though," Feherty wrote toward the end of his column. "Despite how the conflict has been portrayed by our glorious media, if you gave any U.S. soldier a gun with two bullets in it, and he found himself in an elevator with Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and Osama bin Laden, there's a good chance that Nancy Pelosi would get shot twice, and Harry Reid and bin Laden would be strangled to death."

Leaving politics aside, it's a tasteless joke. Feherty shouldn't have written it but he did. However, he's still as good a golf analyst as he was before he did write it, not that you'd think so judging by this statement from his employers, CBS. "We want to be clear that this column for a Dallas magazine is an unacceptable attempt at humor and is not in any way condoned, endorsed or approved by CBS Sports... "

Golfing authorities chipped in too... if you'll pardon the pun. "David Feherty is an insightful and sometimes humorous commentator for CBS Sports' golf coverage," the PGA Tour said in a statement. "However, his attempt at humor in this instance went over the line, and his comments were clearly inappropriate. We hope he will use better judgment in the future."

Media Matters for America went a step further. In a press release, they called his "violent" comments "disgusting" and said they "insulted the integrity, honor and professionalism" of American servicemen. They went on to tell CBS that they should demand an apology from Feherty, even though the joke was not made on a CBS telecast but in a non-CBS related magazine.

Feherty's judgement is lacking here, that's fine. But the shit storm that has erupted around this case is ridiculous, surely. Feherty expressed his opinion in the form of a joke, something that's done on countless other TV and radio shows across America and the world.

Here's something that's not promoted as much as Feherty's gaffes and alcohol troubles. Though Irish -born, he has become a naturalized American citizen and has travelled to Iraq on two separate occasions to be with the troops. He works with them as part of the 'Troops First Foundation' which aims to raise $15m for troops who lose limbs in service. He's someone who doesn't give lip-service to American troops but gives up his own time and money to thank them for the service he obviously appreciates. So when CBS and Media Matters America are quick to lash Feherty, they should in truth take a moment to realise that though they disagree with the sentiment behind his quip, this so-so golfer from Bangor knows a lot more about the sentiments of the troops serving in Baghdad than most.

And for the record, he commended George W and Laura for their decision to move to Dallas.

* * *

EDIT: David Feherty has apologised for the remarks referred to in the above article.

The Best Sporting Event No One Follows

One of the best and most undercovered events of the year is taking place this weekend. The European Tour Qualifying School Final is taking place in Girona in Spain. It won't get much coverage - I'm pretty sure it's not on TV, while the website of the European Tour itself isn't giving the Tournament much prominence.

Yet this is golf, and indeed sport, at it's purest. Men, and their caddies, playing for a living, for a livelihood. I'd love to talk about the stories but they're difficult to find out! I'd love to advocate that you follow it but, again, that's not the easiest thing to. The drama is easy to imagine though. One putt, one hooked shot, one lucky bounce could be the difference between getting a Card and not. Sure, it's for money rather than winning, but it's an event where dreams can come true...or not.

Yet I shall say this - good luck to the Irish who are competing in Girona this week. The Almost Daily Sports Blog wishes long, straight and true shots onto Michael McGeady, Simon Thornton, Michael Hoey and Johnathon Caldwell.

And for the rest of you, check out the account of the USPGA Final Qualifying School Tournament in John Feinstein's A Good Walk Spoiled. A compelling read, and a great book.

Shut Your (Get In The) Holes!

Today's a great day for Irish sport. Padraig Harrington has, for the second successive year, collected the Claret Jug as the winner of the British Open. His last nine holes took just 32 shots and his approach to the 17th green was, in a nutshell, remarkable. (bit early to provide a youtube link but if you find one then leave a comment)

Golf's a great spectator sport, even on TV. I enjoyed this afternoon, even if it did not have the drama of last year's playoff win over Garcia. To be fair, it never could. The problem with golf though, is the peons who go to tournaments and, cleverly, shout 'get in the hole' at every shot.

I'm not the first to give out about this problem. I won't be the last either. But when drives from over 400 yards are sent off to the mantra of the morons, you have to wonder how can we fix this problem?

Personally, I advocate a shoot on sight policy. Seriously. It's not like these guys are suggesting something that the golfers haven't already thought off. These people are useless cretins and are destroying the sport from within. At the very least they should be kicked off the course by some burly bodyguards, never to return. Ever. I have never heard a logical argument that explains the enslaught of this stupidity. I hate them. Even one of the greatest shots of all time is forever ruined by them. Happy Gilmore has a lot to answer for...