GolfBlogger: Golf News, Golf Reviews and Golf Opinion

Bad news for the PGA Tour. Computer Associates (CA) has dropped the World Golf Championships after this year.

I honestly don’t think they’ll have a problem finding a sponsor for this event. I’d expect to see a new one inside of a month.

From the Tour’s press release:

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla.—The PGA TOUR and CA announced Wednesday that CA will not renew its title sponsorship of the World Golf Championships event at TPC Blue Monster in Doral, Fla.

“Since 2006, CA has enjoyed an incredible partnership with the PGA TOUR,” said Bill Hughes, Corporate Senior Vice President, Global Communications. “Our sponsorship of the World Golf Championships further strengthened our relationships with our customers, raised the visibility of CA’s brand worldwide, and provided a strong platform for our philanthropic efforts. Going forward, CA will be executing a new corporate marketing program focused on delivering more regional events and customer relationship programs around the world.

“As a result, we will no longer sponsor the World Golf Championships beyond 2010. Importantly, CA will continue to work closely with the PGA TOUR to identify additional opportunities that align with our new marketing initiatives. We would like to thank all CA employees, PGA TOUR executives and the hundreds of volunteers, and our agency partners, who worked tirelessly to make the CA Championship a truly world-class event.”

PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem said: “On behalf of the International Federation of PGA Tours, I’d like to thank CA for its commitment to the World Golf Championships as a whole and the CA Championship in particular over the past four years.

“The CA Championship has been a strong part of golf’s tradition to give back to the communities in which events are played, and CA’s support has enabled more than $4 million to be returned to local charities since 2007. We look forward to identifying future opportunities with CA to align its marking objectives with the PGA TOUR and professional golf.

“The CA Championship has provided some amazing tournaments with thrilling finishes, and this year’s return to the winner’s circle by Ernie Els was no exception. There is a tremendous amount of interest in the World Golf Championships—the great fields, global exposure, incredible venues—and we will move forward in securing a new title sponsor for the CA Championship. We are confident we will be at TPC Blue Monster at Doral next year.”

Detroit’s Marygrove College has added both Men’s and Women’s golf to their roster of NAIA athletics. The announcement follows on the heels of Marygrove’s launching their Urban Golf Project in partnership with Midnight Golf. That program will result in a Tom Doak designed practice facility in downtown Detroit.

From their press release on the teams:

DETROIT, Mich.-Marygrove College, a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), today announced the addition of men’s and women’s varsity golf programs to its growing slate of athletic offerings.

The golf programs, along with newly added men’s and women’s track and field teams, will begin competition in Fall 2010. An official search for a coach to direct the golf programs is underway

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From their press release on Urban Golf and Midnight Golf:

Marygrove College is pleased to announce that it has partnered with Midnight Golf and world renowned golf course designer Tom Doak to build a state-of-the-art golf practice course for urban youth on its campus.

The “Urban Golf Project” will support Midnight Golf—a 30-week empowerment and mentoring experience to improve underserved young adults’ personal development, educational preparedness and appreciation of the game of golf —with a place to gather, learn and practice. The golf facility will offer a unique urban land-use plan, designed with the intent to incorporate state-of-the-art sustainability practices, such as minimalist site-impact, water conservation and environmentally conscious fertilization and maintenance. It will feature a large practice putting green, a large sand bunker, two practice tee areas to accommodate up to 26 hitting bays and a 4-hole short course. World renowned golf course architect, Tom Doak has committed to providing the design and construction oversight. Doak has designed over 30 courses worldwide, four of which are rated in the top 100 courses in the world.

I’ve never been to Marygrove, but perhaps they’ll invite the GolfBlogger for a tour when the facility is finished. I’d love to take a look and take some photos.

During the first round of the Masters, Tiger’s playing partners, Mark O’Meara and Sean O’Hair both notice that he has a pair of women’s thongs protruding from his left sleeve. Not wanting to see their friend become the target of even more media ridicule, they take Tiger aside after Flowering Peach (the third hole).

“Tiger,” O’Meara says. “I don’t know if you realize it, but you’ve got some bimbo’s thongs stuck to your sleeve.”

Tiger just laughed. “Oh, it’s ok.” he said. “I’m on the patch.”

I just made this up, so if its not funny, I’m entirely to blame. It’s modified from another joke I heard:

Two rednecks are speeding while drinking and driving down a country road. A state trooper pulls them over.

“Quick,” Jimbo says to Billy Bob. “Pull a couple of labels off those beer bottles.”

Jimbo does, and Billy Bob slaps one on his shoulder.

The Trooper steps up to the car. “You boys been drinking?” he asks.

“It’s ok, officer,” said Billy Bob as he pulled up his sleeve. “I’m on the patch.”

The irrepressible John Daly now has his own John Daly Pizza brand. It’s an in store solution of the sort you see at golf courses and convenience stores: a compact oven cooking prepackaged foods.

Just a thought. Who will be victimized by being forced to play with Tiger in the first two rounds of the Masters. To be fair to the guys who have a realistic chance of winning, I suggest that he be paired with the amateurs. I should think they’d be thrilled—I know I would be.