Golfgal on GFW

Big Break's Golf Vixen breaks first

Last week we were left a little high and dry without an elimination on the Big Break Ka'anapali, but not this week.

Now don't get me wrong...I don't wish anyone back luck, but I did expect to see someone go home and when it didn't happen, I felt like I was watching the last episode of a major TV show with a "continued next week" at the end.  Having to wait a whole week to find out who would be the first to go home would have been really tough if I hadn't been enjoying 5 days of 90 degree golf in Vegas.  Fun fun fun!  When you live in Canada and it's April, and you're itching to play in something other than a ski jacket, basking in 90 degree weather and watching your balls fly 20 yards longer than they do at home is pure heaven.

Anyway, although not everyone on the Golf Forums out there is enamored with BB Ka'anapali, I have to admit, I can't wait to get home on Tuesdays to watch it.

This week was a good show and finally someone went home.  If you didn't watch the show, you wouldn't be surprised to hear that the barefoot "Iron Warrior", Cirbie Sheppard was eliminated this week.  But you'd probably be surprised to learn how close she came to beating out the much more experienced, Tina Miller (who has won 7 tournaments in college and played in two US Women's Open Championships ('04 and '05) and two LPGA events (the 2005 Wendy's Championship for Children and the 2007 Corning Classic) on sponsor's invites.)

Let's hear what Christina Lecuyer thought of this week's show (sorry Christina, I know you're a bit shy, but I couldn't resist this great pool shot :))...

First impressions of last night's show?

I thought it was a lot better than the last show.

That was a pretty cool immunity challenge playing blind shots like that. 

It was.  You know, I had no idea that my ball went off the green by that little because we didn't get to see our second shot.  So I was kind of disappointed because I hit two really good shots and didn't win, but I was also happy because I was really trying to hit good shots this time because last show I didn't hit many good shots.

After hitting such good shots, you must have been disappointed when Lori not only got immunity, but then the $5K check in the bonus round that could have been yours.

Yeah, it was tough to choke down that due to the fact that I hit some good shots.  I didn't even get a chance to swing at it for $5,000 so that was pretty disappointing sitting there, knowing I couldn't compete.  I am sure my mouth just dropped down to the ground when we all first heard about the $5,000 bonus.

You said after Lori won the $5K you were happy for her, but that after 2 good shots you weren't sure how you'd feel that night.  How did you really feel?

At the time she and I were getting along pretty well and so I said, "Okay, sounds good - good job, let's move on"  At that time I was also hoping there would be more opportunities like that ahead.  So I just said to myself, "Let's get safe today and hope for another opportunity tomorrow."

Liz seems to be very desperate - much more than the others.  She's said many times how much she needs this.

I know Liz pretty well and it is actually quite sad because out of all the people on the show she needs the money more than any of us.  You know, she lives on food stamps sometimes and can't fly into some events.  She'll play an event and then have to take a month off to work.  So she really needs the money.

That makes a lot of sense and now I understand why she said about Sophie, "I hope she gets 2 zeros.", while Sophie just said Liz was great.

Absolutely, and I was actually glad someone else said what they really think.  Even Susan, who in the early Big Break commercials, made some comment about my "I hope she chokes" said, "Hey if it's your competitor, of course you don't want them to do well."  So at the beginning I looked bad, but now everyone else is saying, "Hey this is a competition and I'm here to win."  If you're not here to win, why are you here?  I think finally everyone is starting to figure that out. 

In fact, I was just in a meeting with Kathy Whitworth - all time great LPGA Hall of Famer and she just said, "If you're not here to win, why do you play?"

Stina said that you have "a lot of guts."  She seems quite impressed with you.  What did you think when heard that last night?

I liked that complement. In fact, both Stina and Andrew said that I like to take risks.  In another interview I had, I was asked if I always take those kinds of risks.  And you know... after hearing these comments, I think on that show I took more risks than I do in a normal golf event. 

Lately I haven't been playing very well and and now I'm thinking I've been playing too tentatively.  On the show I played like I did in college.  In college, I wasn't afraid of anyone and I went out every week and said to my boyfriend, "I'm going to win."  And now I see all these players on the tour and feel intimidated and so I play it safe.  But now I'm thinking I have to start to play the way I know I can play and believe I can beat everyone, and when I do that, I know I'll do a lot better.

First we saw Cirbie playing in bare feet and now we see Adrienne hitting shots off her knees on the range?  Does she always practice like that?

<laugh> No...that was just a fun thing they taped.  We were goofing around on the range and we were all still getting along, so she was just having some fun.

In your words from the show, the elimination challenge was a combination of "Holy Moly" and "Holy Mother of Pearl".  Ha ha...sounds like you and everyone else were pretty shocked during that challenge. 

<big laugh> My boyfriend's mother told me not to swear on the show because all her friends would be watching and so I text messaged her and said, "See...I'm 3 shows down...noooo swearing!"

Was it really that Cirbie played better than normal or was Tina off her game.  Is Tina typically that reckless off the tee?  Is she really that inconsistent? Being in two eliminations, you have to start to wonder.

You know I was talking to one of my girlfriends, Kelly, who said that she knew Tina as an unbelievable player.  I didn't know Tina, but from what I saw, I didn't see her as any type of threat.  But now looking at her bio and her record - how good she was in college and she's played in a couple of Opens, I'm wondering...this girl could barely beat Cirbie who can't even hit her own shadow!

However I was impressed in the end. My boyfriend thought I was being sarcastic when I said, "Good job Cirbie", but I really wasn't.  She really hacked it out to stay in the game with Tina that long.  I felt really badly for her.  They didn't show it, but she was crying and she was so nervous she could barely hold the club.  So we were all feeling really sorry for her.  But we also all knew she'd be the first one eliminated.  Tina really didn't put up a fight.

What do you think Cirbie's handicap is? 

I have no idea, but it's not very good.  To be honest I understand from a TV perspective why they would pick her, but she had no chance.  I don't understand the reasoning, but it's hard to advertise her as one of the top 12 women in golf when it's obvious she really can't play golf.

We heard you say on camera, "I'd hate to play a round of golf with her [Cirbie]."

Oh my, it was horrendous. It was like, "Come On!!!"  She took literally 5 minutes on 1 putt.  Unbelievable.

Was she doing that to rattle Tina or was she just being clueless and shoeless?

I don't think she knew what she was doing - she wasn't thinking about anything at that point.

Stina said that Cirbie was "on the clock" - was that really true - did they say something to her?

Yes, they took her aside and said they were giving her 1 minute per shot. So, we knew she wouldn't do very well in the playoff because they rushed her.  To be honest, if she had had 5 minutes per shot, she may have taken it to another hole <laugh>

Cirbie's outfit in the confessional showed off her cleavage a bit more than anyone else's.  Was this because she was leaving the show and wanted to leave an "impression"?  She's got some fans on GolfWRX - guys who think she's hot - someone compared her to Rosanne Barr.

She definitely has a lot of fans. You know, she's a really good girl and people may see her on the show and think she is an idiot, but she's a really nice girl who keeps in touch and has a positive attitude.  She's engaged to an unbelievable rock star - hard core metal type - and she's really liked in that circle.  Yea, she's a really good girl, but she just can't play golf - it's that simple.

Tina's first 3 putt where she flew it past the hole was shocking for someone with her experience.  Were the greens that tough?

A 15 foot 3 putt - that's adrenalin and "Oh my gosh, I don't want to be beat by someone who can't play golf."  You know, its so different than anyone could ever imagine out there.  There's so much pressure, so it was just nerves I think.  But yes, the greens were fast.

What did you think when you watched the "confessionals" of the other ladies?  Any surprises? 

I was happy to finally hear Susan and Liz say that they were here to win.  It's true.  Everyone is saying it in confessional and in interviews, but I was the only one saying right out there on the course.   I'm not going to say anything mean about anyone and I'm not going to do anything to hurt anyone, but I will admit thousands of times, "You're here to win and if you say you're not, you're lying." 

Thanks Christina!

Well, one down...ten more to go.  If I were to pick the next contestant to be eliminated, the obvious choice would be Susan who isn't really in the same league as the others.  But she's stayed out of elimination so far and maybe she'll be the lucky one again next week.  It wouldn't surprise me - actually nothing really would in this "Holy Moly" series.

Golfgal

www.golfgal-blog.com

Received this comment from Cirbie on the post...

Loved the interview with Christina, yet there were some things that I HIGHLY do NOT agree with. Just to clarify My Golf Game to the viewers:
There's a lot of negativity surrounding how I performed on the BB this year, which I understand. But I want to clear things up, without anyone taking offense to what I'm bluntly going to say, so take it how ya want. I have a 1.5 HDCP from the Men's Tees. I was playing on a wrist injury from summer of '07 (as TGC knew) & am still injured & starting rehab for my wrist. It's tough enough to compete on the BB, & even Tougher to play on an injured wrist, especially knowing that I was the least experienced golfer with my background. I performed poorly the first episode, I do admit I was overwhelmed at first & couldn't perform well, especially after accidently ripping out my Neck piercing (dermal anchor) at 4am before the challenges, so my head was definitely somewhere else. The "cleavage" BS... hahaha... I am not your "typical conservative golfer" & would Hate to be one. I am a rocker wild girl to the core. Nuff said with that. I was the ONLY girl who DID NOT CRY on the show, just to clarify. I was shaking, often, due to adrenaline & wonderin' if I was able to perform with my wrist on short shots.  I must say that I had an amazing time, & look forward to getting back into tournaments & the like. I love golf & before I injured my wrist, I was playing the best I have ever played: scores of 67-73. I've been workin' hard as a CEO asst & in charge of International Expansion for an international natural products company, so golfing comes second right now. I will be on tour someday soon, & can't wait to be competing with these awesomely great players once again :)
Love to all!
Rock Hard. Roll On.
*GolfVixen*

Thanks Cirbie!

Great golf - even without Tiger and Lorena

What an exciting weekend in golf - even without Lorena or Tiger!

First, Annika Sorenstam held off Paula Creamer on the first playoff hole to win the Stanford International and the 71st title of her career.  It's heartwarming to see Annika playing so well again and win her 2nd event this year.

Next, Adam Scott, the "too cute for words" Australian, long overdue for a win, sank an unmakeable 48-foot birdie putt on the third playoff hole yesterday to defeat Ryan Moore of the U.S. and win the Byron Nelson Championship.  I thought only Tiger Woods did things like that.  But perhaps Mr. Butch Harmon was right when he said that Adam"is the only one who can challenge Tiger Woods in the next four or five years".

But the story that touched me the most, was the come back of the decade, when Darren Clarke of Northern Ireland won the BMW Asian Open with a 40 foot putt on the final hole (see Irish Independent story below).  Darren has won 2 World Championships and 9 other European Tour events, but this one was by far the sweetest. 

Not a lot of North Americans follow the European Tour, but few golfers wouldn't know Darren Clarke.  The amiable Ulster man made US headlines in 2006 when he was chosen as a Ryder Cup Captain's pick only 6 weeks after he tragically lost his wife, Heather, to cancer.  I was one of those skeptics who thought it was too soon and that he wouldn't be able to perform at the highly stressed event, but his courage and determination made him a star at the Ryder Cup.  It was one of the most emotional Cups I have ever watched and even now it brings tears to the back of my eyes when I remember Darren winning his match 3-2 over Zach Johnson on the 16th hole and breaking down into tears.  I still get goosebumps over that.

Everyone who knows him, loves Darren Clarke, with his Spike hair and a grin that would make any golf gal swoon.  Sure, he smokes a cigar on the course when plays and he can drink you under the table, but he is a dedicated professional.  He is well loved by players on both sides of the pond.  Even when Elin Woods won her court case, she donated her money to a charity in his wife's name. 

This weekend, Clarke dedicated his win to his two little boys, Tyrone and Connor.  And hearing him say it brought more tears to my eyes. 

“This is very special, probably the greatest I have achieved. It has been the toughest of them all, to try and get back up to where I feel my golf should be. It’s nice to win again, a very good feeling.  Hopefully, I have made Tyrone and Connor very proud,” said Clarke. “This was always going to be a massive hurdle for me, to get the first win since Heather had passed away.  It’s nice that I just about managed to clamber over it. Being honest, I probably fell over. [Always a joke for the media from the Irishmen :)]

I've been watching the European Tour looking for the old Darren since 2006, and this year I really felt he was coming back into his prime again.  Every weekend I looked for him on the leader board and this year he hasn't been that far off.  A year ago, he could hardly make a cut.

How many of us could go through such heartbreak and come back out the other side?  I'm not sure I could do that. I probably would have quit after last year.  Heck, I wanted to quit yesterday after a pathetic round of golf.  But Clarke, with the support of family and friends (many of them PGA Tour pros) never gave up.  He is a great role model for his kids and us adults too.

Welcome back Darren!  I will be your biggest supporter for this year's Ryder Cup team.  Given your comeback this year, I have no doubt, there's a major win inside of you, just clamoring to get out!

Golfgal
www.golfgal-blog.com

Photo by: © Isogood | Dreamstime.com

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Wonder- putt secures Clarke’s ‘greatest win’

Irish Independent
28 Apr 2008

DARREN CLARKE threw his arms wide in utter elation. “Yeahhhhhhhhhh,” the Ulsterman roared, before catching his caddie Phil ‘Wobbly’ Morbey in big bear hug. “Wow,” said Clarke. Wow indeed. There could have been no more spectacular conclusion to Clarke’s...read more...

Tech Tags: Irish Independent newspaper Sport

Big Break Ka'anapali - Episode 2 - The Eliminator (Not)

Well well well...wasn't that an interesting episode of The Big Break Ka'anapali ... an elimination round without an elimination. 

Here we thought someone was going home and instead, everyone started sleeping together.  Yes, it was roommate madness in this episode with each of the ladies being assigned a new surprise roommate after the luxury of having their own rooms the first few days they were on Maui.

I would not have enjoyed bunking with a stranger, but I guess beggars can't be choosers, and so you had to hope for the best and get a roommate who didn't snore and didn't back stab you in the night to improve their position in the Big Break.

Then, on top of that, the competitors had to partner with their roomies in the "safety challenges" and hope that they wouldn't pull them down when they were fighting desperately to stay in the game.  Challengers became buddies, but for how long?

I asked Big Breaker, Christina Lecuyer, who's playing a Futures Tour event in Texas this week what it was like that day...

What was with that weather!?  That doesn't look like the Ka'anapali I came to know and love when I played there last year.

You know, that was probably our 5th day on the island and the weather was awful.  One day we sat in the hotel room the whole day because everything was just wiped out.  Even the roads were closed - the weather was that bad.

How did you enjoy your first elimination challenge?

Well, I probably hit two of the worse shots I've ever hit... well maybe not ever hit... but I'm definitely not proud of the two golf shots I hit on this show, but hopefully there is more to come.

In terms of roommates, you and Lori seemed to be okay with each other.

Absolutely, we were fine.  But Lori had a big problem with Dana in the beginning.  Lori and Dana weren't getting along.  I had no problem with Dana or Lori.  Frankly, I would have probably been happy with anyone (at that time).  [Golfgal aside...something tells me that later she might not have been so comfortable with "anyone"]

But if you were asked to choose a roommate, was there one person you would have chosen over the rest?
Hmmm...If I could have chosen a roommate, I probably would have chosen Sam.  She's the one I probably talked with the most during the first few days, but I was happy to be with Lori. 

Were there any "oil and water" pairings?
I kinda thought that Adrienne and Cirbie were a little bit different, but not in the end.

So what was all the fuss about the flag?

Well, for that part of the competition, it was a race.  And they said, "On your mark... get set... go!" And I took off.  The wind was really blowing and our flags were kind of blowing together and I grabbed both of them by mistake. But I gave one to Susan when I realized I had both of them.  Then, I ran and put our flag into the ground and I thought I had it.  I'm not going to apologize for going for it. I wasn't about to say, "Oh sure, go ahead." It was a race!

When it was over, I went over and said I was sorry I grabbed her flag and said, "Hey, I didn't mean to grab your flag, but that it is the way it happened." 

But that wasn't the end of it...

Well, when I said I didn't mean it and it was just what happened, Dana said something stupid, "Just because I didn't mean to hit it out of bounds doesn't mean I didn't hit it."  She was being a smart__s about it.  Whatever... 

Lori seemed more upset about the whole thing than you did.
Lori got pretty mad about it, but it really wasn't that big of a deal.  I tried to blow it off. I think she was more upset about Dana's comment.

Do you think she hit it fat because she was upset?
They didn't show it on the air, but we had a really crappy lie [remember, Lori and Christina were at 115 yards when they were forced to give up their spot to Susan and Dana].  It was an area that wasn't really mowed down properly and it was really wet.  It just happened.

Given how competitive you are, how did you feel relying on another player to keep you out of elimination?  Watching it, it reminded me of Solheim or Ryder Cup matches.

As you can tell in this show it really helped me. In this show, it worked in my advantage.  If I was Courtney I wouldn't have been very happy. But, you know, things happen and you can't really do anything about it.  It could have been the other way around, but I'm happy that in this case she helped me.

Did you like the final elimination challenge being non-competitive?

It was okay, but as Liz who said, "This is a game and I want to see as many people as possible go home that is not me." 

Even though I didn't say it, I have to be honest...I was hoping that they'd both go home. It's a competition and the more people that get kicked out that isn't you, the better chance you've got.  So I was kinda of with Liz, to be honest.  After all, it is a game show.

Do you think that The Golf Channel are portraying the women objectively? Some of the ladies (Lori, in particular) are getting pretty beat up in the golf forums.

I don't know....I think everything will work out in the end.  Right now, I think they are using comments that will get people talking and I guess there are talking...right? :)

Yes, they are talking...

Golfgal

www.golfgal-blog.com

Lorena needs a new nickname

Jack Nicklaus, arguably the greatest golfer that ever lived, went from "Fat Jack" to "The Golden Bear".  I think it might be just a tad overdue to give Lorena a new nickname and drop the "Ochoka" forever from her resume.

The No. 1 player in the game, Lorena had been frustrated by her inability to close out a major championships until she broke her 0 for 24 stat by winning the British Open last year at St. Andrews.

Yesterday, Lorena did something even more impressive - she became the 4th LPGA golfer in 45 years to win four tournaments in as many weeks, claiming the Ginn Open title on Sunday.  "Ms. 59", Annika Sorenstam, won four consecutive LPGA titles in 2001. Mickey Wright did it in 1962 and 1963 and fellow  Kathy Whitworth followed with her streak in 1969.

So what is it with nicknames?  It you take a look at all the great golfers, they usually all have nicknames - some more than one.  But in the men's arena, even the lackluster have them as well.  Our friend at The Sand Trap did a nice job listing a ton of male golfer nicknames for us, including:

Phil Mickelson - FIGJAM (I won't share with you what this means in a G-rated blog)
Craig Stadler - The Walrus
Ernie Els - The Big Easy
Retief Goosen - The Little Easy (also called the Silent Assassin by some)
Tim Herron - Lumpy
Mike Weir - Weirzy
Brian Gay - All Day Gay
Constantino Rocca - The Italian Bandit
Fred Couples - Boom Boom
K.J. Choi - Tank
Miguel Angel Jimenez - The Mechanic
Corey Pavin - The Bulldog
Greg Norman - The Shark
Loren Roberts - Boss of the Moss (I like this one personally :))

...to name a few.  Even PGA caddies have nicknames - like Jim Furyk's caddie, "Fluff" and Phil's caddie, "Bones".

So, why don't more women golfers have nicknames?  Sure, we have the Pink Panther (Paula Creamer) and The Big Wiesy (Michelle Wie).  And JoAnne Carner was called "The Great Gundy" and "Big Mama" in her heyday.  Nancy Lopez was sometimes called Slowpez (but not to her face).  Mae Louise Suggs was known affectionately as "Miss Sluggs."  So there are some, but I really could only find a handful in my research.

To this day, Lorena hasn't been given a nickname that does her justice.  She has a Superman club head cover and her coaches in college called her "Super Ochoa", but even that doesn't seem to be enough for a women who reigns supreme in Golf Stadium.

Hey, that's it!  Lorena Ochoa doesn't need a nickname, what she needs is a respelling of her name to:  Lo-Reign-a!

Golfgal

www.golfgal-blog.com

Photo by: © Isogood | Dreamstime.com

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Ochoa simply dominant

The Vancouver Sun
21 Apr 2008

M I A M I — Wo r l d No . 1 Lorena Ochoa became the first player in seven years to win four successive LPGA titles with a three- shot victory at the Ginn Open in Orlando on Sunday. Mexican Ochoa, a stroke in front overnight at the Ginn Reunion Resort,...read more...

Tech Tags: The Vancouver Sun newspaper Sports

From the Red Tees

It funny what happens when you've done something for a while...you think everyone knows what you know.  This is a mistake I continue to make in my life.  Once I know something, it must be common knowledge for everyone, right?  Wrong!

When I ran across this article in WSJE, I thought to myself - hmmm...a full page of common sense about golf.  What's newsworthy about that?  Everyone knows this stuff.  Wrong again!

And then I was reminded about something that happened to me earlier this year...

Back in February, when I was at the Buick Open I bought a book called "From the Red Tees".  The author, Celeste Palermo, was in the pro shop at Torrey Pines autographing copies and I had to have one - I'm a sucker for autographed books, especially ones about golf.

I started to read it on the plane home and thought to myself, "Well, she does write well. It's funny and entertaining, but there is nothing new here.  I know this stuff!"  So I put the book away and read a golf magazine instead (Did I mention I'm addicted to golf?)

Anyway, I arrived back at work the next day and was telling my colleagues (guys who don't golf) what it was like watching Tiger at Torrey Pines.  I had written down every shot and went through his back nine in quite a bit of detail for them.  Stunned faces stared back at me.  They had no idea what I was talking about. 

One of them said to me, "Gayle, you're speaking Greek!".  I laughed out loud.  I guess I was using terms like chip, draw, slice, thin, dogleg, etc. and they really didn't have a clue what I was saying.  We had a great laugh over that and now we talk about "wining and dining", rather than "nining and dining".

That night, I went home and finished the book.  And I came to realize what a gem this book would be for business women who want to take up the sport, but are nervous about looking like neophytes in front of their male colleagues or clients.

It is full of information that every new golfer needs to know and it is written with humor and humility.  Celeste has no problems sharing some of her most embarrassing moments, like the time she had an allergy attack and no tissues in her bag.  She was so desperate to blow her nose that she blew her nose in her golf towel - yuck!  Personally, I don't think I would have shared that story with the world, but this book is choked full of funny "lessons learned" at the expense of Palermo's ego.

If you are already a golfer (male or female) and you want to encourage someone else to take up the game, then you should pick up a copy.  And then before you give it to your wife/friend, sneak a peek inside.  It will make you laugh and you will probably see yourself somewhere in the pages.  I found myself on page 78.

Golfgal

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On course with etiquette
By John Paul Newport
The Wall Street Journal Europe
18 Apr 2008

Principle No. 1: If you’re not paying attention, golf can be dangerous. People pretty quickly figure out that they don’t want to get hit by either a club or a ball. But for newcomers it’s worth noting how safety concerns determine the fundamental flow...read more...

Related:
Missing links? Not any more

Tech Tags: The Wall Street Journal Europe newspaper Sports

Will the Olympics be Golf's next major?

It's funny how a topic comes up every 6 months or so and everyone gets on a bandwagon, but nothing ever seems to get done.  Well, maybe now that PGA Tour  commissioner Tim Finchem has finally announced his support of golf being an Olympic sport, it just might happen.

Golf was part of the Olympics in 1900 and 1904, but some dorks (I'm using a Christina Lecuyer term of endearment here :)) decided all that should change and so 104 years later, we're still debating an issue which should be a no-brainer..

Last fall Phil Mickelson came forward and said “I think if golf became an Olympic sport, it would help golf on a global basis." 

Ernie Els and Nick Faldo are somewhat supportive but think it should be for the  top amateurs only.  But the Olympic Committee has made it clear they don't want golf unless the world's best players would compete and that means Tiger Woods.

Unfortunately, Tiger shares Els' and Faldo's view, making it clear he wouldn't compete, "It would be great to have an Olympic gold medal," he said, "but if you asked any player, 'Would you rather have an Olympic gold medal or green jacket or Claret Jug', more players would say the majors."

Hmmm...I wonder about that...

Look what the last Claret Jug winner Padraig Harrington said, "Some golfers say we now have four majors and that is enough. But the four majors were not the four majors 70 years ago. You never know, in 50 years maybe the Olympics will be the No. 1 major. It has to start somewhere. I would put in on my schedule now."

I like the way you think Padraig!

There are lots of arguments against golf in the Olympics and its effect on sponsors and the PGA Tour in its prime schedule.  But I agree with USGA Executive Director David Fay who, like Lefty, says we have to think globally, "Golf in the Olympics could grow the game worldwide, particularly in places where it's not that big. Take countries like Croatia or Russia. In order to jump-start interest and support of the sport in these countries, you need money. The best way to get that is through two sources —- your government or the national Olympic committee, For these countries, there's no substitute for it being an Olympic medal sport."

Anything that grows interest in golf gets my full support.  And anything that can grow interest in women's golf gets my undying gratitude!   Apparently the LPGA has previously indicated their support, so hopefully women and men will be on the Olympic greens together in 2012.

But you just never know...2010 is full of controversy over women's ski jumpers not being allowed to compete in Vancouver.  Surely the IOC wouldn't make two sexual discrimation blunders in one decade. 

Golfgal

www.golfgal-blog.com

Icon image by: © Sabri Deniz Kizil | Dreamstime.com

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Clearing hazards for an Olympic tee time
Nicole Jeffery Golf Additional reporting: Agencies
The Australian
17 Apr 2008

THE sport’s push for inclusion in the 2016 Olympic Games gained momentum yesterday with the endorsement of USPGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem. The co-operation of the allpowerful USPGA Tour is essential if the sport is to return to the Games after an...read more...

Tech Tags: The Australian newspaper Sport

Big Break Ka'anapali - Episode 1 - Christina's View

After waiting for weeks for this show to air, I am happy to say it finally arrived.  The Big Break Ka'anapali kicked off tonight on The Golf Channel and I was glued to the set.

I've been posting about it for a while now, so you might want to check back with some early sneak peeks into the show and one of its stars.

Meet the unforgettable Big Breaker Christina Lecuyer

Count down to Big Break Ka'anapali - more from Christina Lecuyer

It was so great watching the show knowing that I'd have a post show commentary by Christina (I circled her in this picture). I kept wondering what she was thinking as she saw it for the first time.

I'm not sure if the show started with a bang or a whimper for me.  I was so anxious to see the golf, that the first 10 minutes of the show made me impatient.  I also thought the drama and catty side of the ladies was brought on a bit too quickly.  I wanted to like all the girls to start, but it was hard because the producers/editors/directors really left you with some first impressions that weren't good. I'm not sure that was fair to the ladies. 

Anyway, enough of what I thought, let's hear from the Big Breaker herself...

I caught up with Christina Lecuyer tonight in Lafayette Louisiana where she’s preparing for a Friday tournament and we had a short chat about her thoughts on the first episode…

What were your first impressions of the show, Christina?

It was hard to watch. <chuckle> I feel like such a dork sometimes. Obviously I’ll say this over and over again, but I’m so competitive and I don’t even know the cameras are there. I’m concentrating so hard on winning and the competition. I am just playing the best that I possibly can and so I’m really focused on that and not the cameras.

When I hear myself say, “Oh man, I hope she chokes”, I realize that it’s not great.  But it’s just the competition and that’s all it is to me.  I don’t mean anything personal by it; I don’t even know these girls.  But that was kind of hard to watch.

It surprised me to see you rip your clothes off to get into the water after our last conversation where you shared that you weren’t comfortable in a bikini in front of the cameras.

<laughing> Seeing myself in a bathing suit on national television -- that was really hard.  Knowing there are guys at my country club watching and my parents and all kinds of other people watching – that was very difficult for me.  But I didn’t think about it at the time; it was just me and the competition.

What was with that first competition – digging in the sand for a clue – guessing hula moves – driving like maniacs to get to the first set of tees – seemed kind of silly to me…

It was very Reality TV-like.  One of the associate producers is a huge fan of The Amazing Race and since it is one of the most popular reality TV shows, really well produced and has won a lot of awards, The Golf Channel wanted to try something new and that was their take on that.  I don’t think we’ll be seeing too much more of that.

What was the first tee shot like on the Big Break Ka'anapali?

Obviously I didn’t know if I had the right club in that 30 mph wind and I screamed at the ball “Get Up!”  Well, the adrenalin was pumping and I hit a hybrid and I flew the circle by quite a bit.  The second time I took one quick breath beforehand and tried not to kill it, and it ended up being great.

When you said “miss it miss it miss it”, do you remember saying that?

No, I really do not remember saying those things at all and it is so embarrassing watching it now.  At the same time, what I was saying is probably what the other girls were thinking.  I’m not going to take it back, but it’s not like I want to be mean to anyone - it’s a competition and I want to win!

Drama seemed to be starting already between the ladies and they just met. For example Lori closed off the show saying Dana is tough to get along with.  I didn’t see anything on the show to warrant that.  Did I miss something?

There was a lot of behind-the-scenes stuff they didn’t show tonight, but I think as the series goes on you’ll be able to see perhaps where that was coming from.

I was surprised at the obvious differences in talent out there as well.  Cerbie and Susan seemed a bit out of place with their inexperience.

I think that was all of our first impressions when we first went out there. I think that the bets going around after the first show, and everyone’s assumptions were, the first two people to be kicked off will be Cirbie and Susan, but you just never know…

Susan doesn’t seem to take things as seriously as others.  She ended the show saying she wanted to be in the elimination challenge because then she’d get to play more games and that she likes playing games.

When you first meet Susan she comes off as a little ditzy, just ho-humming around.  Who knows maybe it will change throughout the series. <silence>

We never got to see the elimination challenge.  That really disappointed me as it is often the most exciting part.

I think they are trying to put a different mix in this show and it has thrown a lot of people for bit of a loop.  I think it will become more "mainstream Big Break" going forward.

After the first day, who did you think was your toughest competitor? 

I didn’t pick one, but I definitely narrowed it down to a few girls who had a really good chance of going far.  You can obviously tell when you look at someone’s golf swing, when you look at someone’s demeanor, when you look at someone’s attitude, when you look at how nervous someone is, you can tell a few things and see who is ready to play or who’s not.

Girls that stuck out at the beginning that I didn’t think were going to go very far were Cirbie and Susan.  Girls that I thought were good competitors -- the 3 biggest ones in my mind were:

Adrienne – she was the only girl I’d every met prior to the show and I knew she had a lot of talent.

Lori – just because she was extremely driven and competitive.  She was there to win. And like she said on the show, she’ll run you over to get there.

Kim – she’s a great player.  You can tell by her talent level, she smokes the ball.  She hits the ball soooo far.  It’s intimidating, but then it’s not intimidating. Obviously she’s not on the LPGA and there is a reason for that.  I made it just as far as she has in golf, so it’s not like I can’t beat her, but she definitely smokes it.  I think Adrienne said she hits it like a guy and she’s right.

Any other comments about the first episode filming you want to end with here?

That first episode took almost 4 days to shoot.  That last scene where all four of us had to hit different shots from different locations…that took almost a full day of shooting.  We sat on some guy’s porch the whole day.  The weather was not cooperating with rain and thunder.  It was pouring so hard you couldn’t see two feet in front of your face.  It was eally tough.

Don’t get me wrong, it was a lot of fun, but it was a lot of work.

Thanks Christina...always a pleasure chatting with you. Same time next week?

Absolutely...see you next Tuesday, same time!

Golfgal

www.golfgal-blog.com

Master Champion Trevor Immelman - could he be #2?

2006 you're on top of the world and named PGA Rookie of the Year.

2007 you contract a serious virus, lose 20 pounds and wonder if you're ever going to feel strong enough to compete again.

Then just as you get your game back on track and tie for 6th place at the 2007 PGA Championship, life tries to knock you down again, putting you in the hospital to have surgery to remove a tumor from your ribcage.  You can barely walk for 2 weeks.

How do you enter 2008? 

Well, I don't know how you would do it, but I'd tentatively enter the year, hoping to make some cuts and come back slowly, not taking any risks...not expecting too much of myself...staying low of the radar.

Thank goodness, Trevor Immelman isn't me!

Known for focus, determination, a competitive nature second only perhaps to Tiger Woods, Trevor Immelman did it his way and he was awarded the coveted green jacket with a score of -8, 3 ahead of the world's number one (Tiger Woods), and 6 ahead of the world's number 2 (Phil Mickelson).

I loved watching Trevor this weekend. His poise and focus were very evident as he walked the course with his head down, concentrating on every shot.   The crowds were loud and supportive and he tipped his hat often, but he never lost focus of what he was trying to do.

Even when he holed his final putt to win, there was no Tiger-like fist pump - no "YES!" - no antics of any kind. He was calm, quiet and gracious.  It almost looked to me like he was in a bit of a daze. 

When asked in the post round press conference how it has been for him given all his challenges over the last year, Immelman shared honestly, "It's been the ultimate roller coaster ride and I hate roller coasters....and after missing the cut last week to winning the Masters this week, it's the craziest thing I've ever heard of."

Going into 2008, Immelman said he was eager to play, but his game wasn't there; he wasn't happy with the way he was playing.  He had to start from zero again, but he kept chipping away, trying to stay positive as he slowly got better.

I've always enjoyed watching Trevor play golf, but I really didn't know that much about him. 

I didn't realize that he said he wanted to be the number one in the world at the age of 5. 

I didn't know that he was so competitive with his sister playing board games, that if he didn't win, he wouldn't play.  haha...

I didn't know that his mother used to caddie for him at tournaments and said to him, "I won't walk in the rough and I won't rake bunkers.  If you go into either of those places, you'll have to deal with that yourself."  And sure enough, she'd sit in the middle of the fairway and he'd have to walk back and forth to get his clubs - LOL!

There was a lot I didn't know about the first South African since Gary Player to win a Masters, but after he won, the TV was full of great stories and facts about his life.  Isn't it great to see someone being profiled besides Tiger Woods?

Trevor is blessed with talent, amazing good looks and a beautiful family.  He refers to his wife as "fantastic" - gotta love that!  They met in high school 15 years ago and have a very young son Jacob, who he obviously adores.  It was great to see Jacob run to his dad on the 18th hole - that's when we saw the big smile and joy on Trevor's face (and what a smile!). 

I just heard Trevor say on TV that he wants to be a role model to young kids.  Well, Trevor, as far as I am concerned...

- your professional demeanor on the course (no spitting in cups, not chewing tabacco, no smashing of clubs)

- your kinds words for your fellow competitor, Zach Johnston (calling him a fantastic man, fine champion and an incredible ambassador)

- your public recognition of the sacrifices your parents made to help you achieve your dream

- your commitment to your family

- and your humility in front of the cameras and fans

tell me, you're already a great role model. 

Called a diamond that needs a little polish by Gary Player, Trevor Immelman is a rising star who could have fallen after his past year of health scares.  But instead, Trevor Immelman is shining bright and I believe he has the talent and perseverance to climb the ladder to number 2 by the end of 2008.

What do you think?

Golfgal

www.golfgal-blog.com

Ryder Cup 2008 - Let the mud-slinging begin!

I'm not sure if you read the story last week about US Ryder Cup Captain, Paul Azinger taking pot shots at European Captain, Nick Faldo, but it resulted a lot of indignation by many golf analysts and commentators on The Golf Channel and in the golf forums.  Whether you like this kind of tabloid talk or not, it does makes headlines and it does create drama...lots and lots of drama - very "Big Break-like".

Now, before we start throwing flaming golf balls at the guys for misbehaving, we golfgals should look at our own Solheim Cup antics and remember some mud wrestling of the female kind...

Remember the Irish Independent's story about Catrin Nilsmark's remarks about Cristie Kerr being a "brat" and Michelle Redman "having no talent"? 

And what about Laura Davies saying she was friends with everyone on the US Solheim Cup team last year, except for "one".  That really got us going - who was that "one"?  Rumour has it that it was Nicole Castrale, but it really doesn't matter.  I think Laura planted that statement for a reason -- drama.

Anyway, it would appear that even with Azinger's back peddling on the comments made about Nick Faldo in the Daily Mail, some European Ryder Cup members are not taking it lying down.

Lee Westwood, who is looking very fit these days and seems to be in a bit of a resurgence with his game (coincidence?), took no time stepping forward to defend his captain, "I don’t know why you’d stir it unless you were worried about the outcome.  I think he [Azinger] must be trying to wind us up."

However, Westwood was quick to speculate that perhaps Azinger was just trying to create some early media attention for the Ryder Cup, "It must have been tongue in cheek. Nobody would be writing about the Ryder Cup just now if there wasn’t a bit of mud-slinging.   It does sound like playground stuff. Next it will be my daddy's bigger than your daddy. Comments like that can't be serious."

So is Westwood brushing it off?  Or is he trying to stir the pot a little more himself?

In reference to Azinger's comments that Faldo being unpopular with a generation of golfers, Westwood countered, "I think everybody gets on with Nick. There's no European who's better respected. I’ve played with him in the Ryder Cup and he's great to play with."

Darren Clarke, who is also showing some of his old talent these days shared, "They've obviously had a few clashes in the past, and you know Zinger's a very fiery personality – that's the way he is. The two of them don’t see eye to eye – that’s pretty much public knowledge. He's [Faldo] a six-time major champion and the best player we’ve ever had. Whether people like him or loathe him – and it's pretty obvious you have people in both camps – you cannot disrespect at any stage what he has done in the game. His record speaks for itself. He is a legend in the game of golf."

Anyway...I can't wait to find out what Monty has to say about all of this.  Apparently, Faldo texted Azinger after reading the original article with this little jab, "Zinger, I read this whole article and you don't like Monty more than me, do you?"

I'm not sure who will win the "mudder" award this season - The Big Break Ka'anapali or the Ryder Cup.  All I know is, I'll be following every minute of it -- aaaaand loving it!

Golfgal

www.golfgal-blog.com

Flaming golf ball from © Tom Schmucker | Dreamstime.com

Pretty in Pink - Prettier in Green

There is a cliche that I learned very early in my career and it proves itself to be true, over and over again my life.  "It's better to be remembered for something bad, than not to be remembed at all."  I was reminded of it again when I read the article below in The Guardian about Ian Poulter being "desperate to prove he is not just a major joke"

Do you like Ian Poulter?  Come on...tell the truth.  Don't you just love his outrageous style and boyish charm?  I do and so do all my women friends who follow golf, even when his pretty pink shoes are in his mouth.

If you check out his past and then look at what he's accomplished, you can appreciate his candor and confidence - his road was quite the uphill climb.  It also doesn't hurt that he's a cutie. :-)

You may recall that Ian "stepped in it" when he shared what he really thought in an interview with Golf World Magazine earlier this year.  In case you missed it, Ian say that when he reached his full potential ‘it will just be me and Tiger’.

Okay, so Ian made a mess of an interview.  Who really cares?  But I loved the picture that went with it - some men really can wear pink.

It's been a tough couple of months for Ian with all the teasing and negative press, but he's taking it like a man now.  As he confesses, he "did take it personally, but he won't let it affect him on the golf course". 

I won't quote all the stories about the teasing - they're all in the article.  But the one that first annoyed me, but now makes me laugh is the one about Tiger always grinning and saying, “Hi, No2” when he runs into Ian.  But Ian's no fool...his response?  "Hello No 1".  Smart Ian...very very smart.

It's all in good fun now, but Ian will always be remembered for this blunder.  It will be brought up again and again and again whenever the next young gun says something about the world's number one. 

Ian said, "I have had a lot of it from the lads — Westie [Westwood], Clarkie [Darren Clarke], Tiger — and that’s fine. If they had taken it personally they wouldn’t have said anything to me, they would just have given me the cold shoulder. The fact that they are having a laugh and a joke and taking the piss suggests to me that everything is fine.”

So, what about this weekend?  Does Poulter have a chance for the green jacket?  I think so.  He tied for 13th last year and he's playing pretty well these days.  He could be the dark horse. 

I am pretty sure he'll be in the top 10, if not the top 5.  In fact, I chose him in my fantasy golf games this week. 

Now... I'd prefer to see him in lime green with his pink shoes but hey...any green will do.  I'm sure he can coordinate something that works.

Golfgal
www.golfgal-blog.com

Photo of Ian on green by: © Isogood | Dreamstime.com

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Poulter desperate to prove he is not just a major joke
Lawrence Donegan Augusta
The Guardian
08 Apr 2008

Scenes from a golfing village, part one: Tiger Woods and Ian Poulter are hitting balls on a driving range in Tucson, Arizona, when along comes Lee Westwood and takes his place between them. “Oh, I’m so nervous,” says Westwood, who is almost as good at... read more...

Related:
How England’s young lions regard the Tiger
Verbal pariahs fail to back up trash talk

Tech Tags: The Guardian newspaper Sport