Golf Central

Maybe Graeme McDowell should play golf in the dark more often ...: Yeah, that was a pretty impressive birdie he made on 18 wasn't it?
I don't know! I didn't see it! ...: I'll admit, it was difficult. But with a second-round 64, McDowell's our leader, although he still has a bit of a mountain to climb.
Lots of those around here ...: Yep. And Johan Edfors, your handy IGWT betting tip for this week is two shots back of the Irishman, along with India's Jeev Milkha Singh, who seems to be in contention in Europe every week lately.
But we're not in Europe ...: I thought we settled this yesterday.
Sorry. Who else is in the mix?: Well, it looks like we're in for compelling battles on both the European and PGA Tour fronts this week. A handful of regular PGA Tour guys are in the hunt ... you've got young Anthony Kim, the Korean-American star, on 8-under, and Chris DiMarco is still a factor at 6-under.
Anyone else?: Oh yes, Paul McGinley is on 9-under, and Padraig Harrington and Thomas Bjorn are both in the group with Kim on 8. So it's an attractive looking leaderboard. Speaking of which, did you do your Obscure Golf Pros assignment?
Yep. My guy is Hwang Inn-Choonof South Korea ...: Why's that?
I just like his name. And he's No. 1352 in the world, the lowest-ranked of the guys who made the cut ...: Nice work. Any room at the Inn?
Not sure ...

On this day in 1934, the great Southern gentleman, founder of the Masters and one of the fathers of American golf Bobby Jones admitted that he was having a problem with one key component in his golf game. That's right, Bobby Jones had a case of the yips.

It's something we can all understand (OK, you can ... some of us can knock in putts with the regularity of a metronome), but it is pretty scary (or re-assuring, take your pick) when one of the grandest figures to grace the game of golf in the last 100 years fesses up to having a bit of trouble drawing the old flatstick back ...

How beautiful is this?: Shall we count the ways? 65 strokes, 5-under for a 48-year-old Fred Couples at Bay Hill, and after a week of slogging after John Daly everything is sweet as silk again.
It's like stepping back in time, except you can't really step into time, can you?: Who are you, Fred Couples? ... Only Freddie is allowed to really torture the hell out of quotes on this website, pal.
Ahhh, this is good ...: Yes it is. Time for a cigar and a port. Even Tiger Woods, five shots behind, had to open his "W-at-all-costs" heart and say it was good to see Couples tied with JJ Henry on top of the leaderboard. That's saying something. And it's not JJ Henry I'm talking about.
Speaking of saying something, get to the good stuff! What did Freddie say after his round?: He had some beauties. Reminiscing about his duel with Phil Mickelson in the Masters two years ago, Freddie said: "I just couldn't get him when the nitty-gritty was the nitty-gritty ..."
And when is the nitty-gritty not the nitty-gritty?: I'm not sure! Maybe when it's just nitty, or gritty. And then, reflecting on his career as a whole, Freddie said: "You have to have the numbers. I know that I'm certainly talked about, but do I need to be in there? I would like to be in there. Should I be in there? Probably not. But I'm close."
What did he mean by that?: I have absolutely no clue! But I'm sure he meant it. And he certainly meant it when he was talking about his back pain.
What did Freddie say?: He said: "I don't fear my back. My back will go out and when it does, I'll know. But as far as worrying about it, there's not much you can do."
Except for worry about it, perhaps ...: Perhaps. But isn't he a gem?
Isn't he just. How many points do you reckon our hero Freddie would score in a Me Myself & I interview?: Probably a big fat zero. But it would be the most entertaining zero you ever had. To say Freddie takes life one shot at a time would be like saying you could actually step back into time, which we know you can't do.
You've been hanging around Fred Couples too much ...: That's the end of the interview, pal ... Stogie and port time ...
Stogie and port ...: Sure is nice. Got your slippers?

Tiger, Tiger, burning bright ...: Quit chanting. He's not coming here to South Korea. And anyway, it's "Tyger Tyger burning bright" if you want to be accurate ...
Hey, I'm not a journalist ...: I never said you were one. But get it right for once.
OK. So who's leading this thing then?: That would be Mikko Ilonen of Finland on 5-under ...
Isn't he the race car driver?: No ... and he's tied with Tony Carolan of Australia.
Isn't he that guy off Neighbours?: No again. But you asked me who the leaders were, so I told you. Journalistic duty.
Ah well, another round of Obscure Golf Pros Dept. No. XXX quick-hitters duty this weekend then. ... Anybody I've ever heard of playing here?: Your best bet for a story line is the American from Koreatown in Los Angeles, Anthony Kim, who might be the best player in the world under the age of 25. He shot a 4-under 68, one shot behind the leaders, in the land of his ancestors. And Kim and Sergio Garcia get along about as well as Tiger Woods and Rory Sabbatini, which is a nice Ryder Cup year ...
"Story-line?": As near as we can see it. Can't see Ilonen or Carolan being popular champs here on Jeju Island. But then again, the really popular story would be native son KJ Choi, the world No. 5, taking a week off Bay Hill to play back in his homeland. Choi is 1-under.
But you told me anything can happen on the European Tour, didn't you ...: Yes, including playing in Korea, of all places.
Will you let me know when this whole thing gets a little less confusing please?: I'll try ... get on the Obscure Golf Pros beat though, will you ...

It's hard to pinpoint exactly what day Arnold Palmer became a true American icon, but you may as well go with this day in 1960, when Arnie won the Pensacola Open for his third win on the trot and the 17th of his PGA Tour career.

It was a thrilling one-shot victory, with Palmer sinking one-putts on nine of the last 10 greens and making birdies on the last two to beat Doug Sanders. It was the near-midpoint of Palmer's period of domination in the early '60s, and it cemented Arnie's king-like status in the state of Florida, which continues today: Especially this week at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill ...