HTWD Bold Predictions: #7 - The USA will win the Ryder Cup

Here is HTWD Bold Prediction 7. Although a lucky number for some players, including Arnold Palmer, Gene Sarazen, and Harry Vardon, who all won 7 major championships, 7 is definitely not a number you want to have on your scorecard. Off we go.


The 2010 Ryder Cup was one of the most entertaining events in recent sports memory. The match was as close as it could get, with the final score being 14 1/2 to 13 1/2.  Like in years past, it took a late USA surge to give them a chance at victory. Ryder Cup rookie was as clutch as you could be to keep the Americans in it until the end. It came down to the Hunter Mahan vs. Graeme McDowell match, in which McDowell came out victorious.

With that said, I'm predicting that the USA WILL come out on top in the 2012 version, for a few reasons. For one, Tiger Woods should be in better form than he was last time. He won't be needed to be selected as a captain's pick again. Also, it will be on the USA home turf, which always help. Finally, the wealth of American talent is beginning to emerge, which means the final Ryder Cup team assembled for the Americans will be LOADED. It will definitely be fun to watch, and it will be even sweeter to see the USA take home the trophy.

photo via twimg

Happy Birthday Tiger Woods!!!

Today is Tiger Woods' birthday, in case you didn't know! El Tigre turns 36 today, and we hope that he has had a wonderful birthday so far! Tiger has gone through a lot of turmoil since 2009, but ended this year with a win, and now things are looking up for him. Hopefully this birthday of his can start another stretch of Tiger domination in the golf world. The 14 time major champion needs to start winning again, and it would be amazing to see him do so in 2012. It would definitely turn a lot of heads. So with that, Happy Birthday Tiger! HTWD hopes you had a great one.

photo via thegrio

HTWD Bold Predictions: #8 - Sergio Garcia Wins a PGA Tour Event

Sergio TwoGun Garcia 

HTWD  Bold Prediction Countdown continues with #8, which in golf is called a quadruple bogey. Stay tune everyday, as the Countdown reaches its finale. 

The spanish stallion or "El Nino", Sergio Garcia finished up a tasty year on the European Tour racking up back to back wins in his native country of Spain, at the Castello and Andalucia Masters. Garcia hasn't won on the PGA Tour since his victory at the '08  Players Championship over Paul Goydos in a playoff. Not to mention top 10s at both the U.S. Open and British Open this year. So it is evident the guy still has the game to compete at the highest level but, when will he win on the PGA Tour? Folks, I believe Garcia is slowly settling into his prime, so 2012 will be the year, Garcia wins on the PGA Tour. The golf world is patiently waiting for Garcia to pull through in a Major Championship, solidifying his career as a professional golfer. Don't forget to bookmark our page and spread the word. Till next time, FORE!!!!! 

HTWD Bold Predictions: #9 - Rickie Fowler Wins A PGA Tour Event

You heard it here - Rickie will reach the winner's circle this year!

Alright, so to get some excitement going for the upcoming PGA Tour season in a little over a week, HTWD is doing a Bold Prediction Countdown, which will end right around the start of the new season. Each day, one of us will be writing a little prediction for the upcoming season, with each prediction getting more and more bold. We will count down from 9 to 1, because the number "9" in golf is very relatable. Enjoy!!


Ok, so for my prediction, I'm going with a pretty simple one that many would agree that will happen this year: Rickie Fowler will finally win on the PGA Tour for the first time! Yes, he will break through sometime in the 2012 year and capture a trophy in his all orange attire. I am also guessing it will be early in the season too. My guess is he will win where he has been very close before; the Waste Management Open. This could possibly spring him to other wins and possibly a major, too. All in all, Rickie will win this year, and it will make golf a lot more interesting!! Stay tuned for prediction #8; Bernardo's prediction.

Photo via lifegoesstrong.com

Happy Holidays

SF

Happy Holidays from the folks at HTWD. May these days bring you and your loved ones some happiness and relaxation. Not to mention a break from the tough days on the golf course. Don't forget to like our Facebook page and follow our twitter. Stay tune for a new year filled with many new blogs. 

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. 

Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/HackTillWeDie

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/#!/hacktillwedie

TaylorMade R11S Driver

click on image

Besides all the talk about RocketBallz, TaylorMade will also be releasing a new and improved version of the R11 called “R11s”. TaylorMade continues to innovate the golf club sector, with products that allow the club to be fitted to the golfer, not the golfer to the club (haha). TaylorMade went with the white crown, it will be interesting to see if they will return to the standard glossy black crown. Both the RBZ and R11s will be available on Feb 3, 2012. The video below shows Sergio Garcia, trying out the new technology. Hopefully he doesn’t throw this one in the water.  

The Story Behind "RocketBallz"

Yesterday, it was announced that TaylorMade released a new line of metalwoods to follow up their successful R11 line. Many would have guessed that the title of the woods would be like "Burner 3.0" or something along those lines. But no. TaylorMade decided upon the name "RocketBallz" (yes, you read that right) to be the title of these new clubs.

If you are like me and were completely weirded out by that name, then you must be wondering HOW IN THE WORLD they decided on that name. Well, after a bit of researching and watching the video below, I'm still shocked on why they gave it this truly weird name. Check the video out below, and see for yourself.



Make sure to follow us on twitter, @hacktillwedie, for more golf related updates and news.

Tiger Woods Has His Swagger Back

Don't believe me? Well look at the facts. The dude just won a tournament for the first time in over 2 years, and it seems like his clutch gene is back and here for some more fun. Oh, and he tweeted a nice little vid to all of his followers to read:
"who's up for some ll cool j? :)http://bit.ly/sOPGoe - @TigerWoods"
Apparently, the link leads you to an old LL Cool J song, titled "Mama said knock you out". And clever enough, the first words in the song are "Don't call it a comeback". 


Here's the vid. And check out all of the Tiger comments on it, just for proof: 



Who knew Tiger was this clever and humorous at the same time? I can only imagine what will happen if he returns to full form next year. Watch out, world. 

Victory Never Tasted so Sweet

Tiger doing what he does best, WINNING.
photo via Getty images 

After two years Tiger Woods clinched a must needed win at the Chevron World Challenge at Sherwood Country Club. Tiger made a clutch birdie on the 17th hole after Zach Johnson birdied  the 16th hole, heading into the 18th hole both tied at 9-under par. So the moment of truth came down to the 18th and Tiger certainly displayed he is back for good, making a clutch birdie, crowning himself champion. 

Here at HTWD, we dearly admire Tiger Woods both on and off the course, below are a few thoughts and notes on Tiger's win by Bernardo and JJ: 

Bernardo:
Whoooop! Its been a long time waiting, for Tiger Woods to obtain a win after the numerous scandals that consumed his circle for quite sometime. We all knew Tiger had potential in his bag but, were apprehensive to throw out dates or tournaments that Tiger might be able to put everything together and get that W. His win might catch many by surprise (including myself)  but Tiger’s performance kept knocking on the door and finally got a response this week. The big question that comes to mind is, when will Tiger win a Major? I believe Tiger has to take baby steps, rack up a win or two, then hopefully take full aim at the Masters or the U.S Open. Overall Tiger’s play was a mirror image of the old Tiger: the swag walk, the pose, and beautiful shots.

Lets see what Mr.Sanchez has to say:

JJ: One word comes to mind once Tiger clinched the win with a clutch putt on the 18th: FINALLY. He finally was able to come through in the clutch with vintage Tiger play on the 17th and 18th holes when he NEEDED the birdies. He finally was able to back up all of this "I'm really close to winning" talk by actually beating an elite field and coming out on top after 4 full days. He finally seems to have his game  fully figured out, by not fading away or crumbling under the pressure. You can also tell he's super pumped by this win, especially by what he said on his twitter (@TigerWoods) -- "Birdie birdie feels pretty damn good. Fans made it feel better than great." He's been saying for over a year now that it's a process, and now, I think it's safe to say that this process is nearly complete, don't you??

Some other notes/remarks on Tiger's win:
- It was officially 749 days between any individual wins for Mr. Woods.
- He earned about 1.2 million for this victory, but rumors are he'll donate his winnings back to his foundation.
- He REALLY needs to go back to black shoes on Sunday. But since he won with the white, who knows, he might just wear these more often. Even though I think we all agree black always goes much beater with his "Tiger Red" outfit.
- The 2012 Golf Season just got a hell of a lot more interesting.

Tiger Woods Is Doing It Again

He has a chance yet again, ladies and gentleman.

Yes, in case you haven't heard or haven't been watching any golf the past few days, The Chevron World Challenge in Thousand Oaks, CA, is on. It features 18 elite world players, including the prestigious tournament host, Tiger Woods. It also so happens that Tiger is leading this tournament, with a great chance to win this week.

He is starting to put himself in this position more and more often nowadays, just like when he was in his prime. A few weeks ago, he took a 1 shot lead going into the weekend of the Australian Open, only to finish in 3rd place. He also played really well at The President's Cup, clinching the winning point for the USA. So he's been getting better and better, and has been starting to look more comfortable under heat as well.

Now many will immediately start asking if the old Tiger is fully back. In my opinion, I just want to know if he can win this week. Tiger coming back to his old form has started with some consistent play in a row, and now he can take the next step with a win at a tough course with a solid field.

Tiger currently leads at -8; he has 3 shots to spare. Last year, he had 4 shots going into the final round but blew it. Let's see if he can close the deal on this tournament by Sunday afternoon. If he does hold on to win, then the golf world will DOMINATE the sports headlines. But he definitely has to show us he can first.

Round 2 recap here:

Getty Images

Say goodbye to Movember/No Shave November

Yep, in case you haven't heard (and you should have by now), November is coming to a close and December is opening it's door. That means one thing: The moustaches and beards of November will soon be gone. Say goodbye to some of the rugged looks you have been seeing around your town/city, for it is the time of the clean man once again.

Especially say goodbye to the great looks from a few international golfers that we have seen over the past month:

Clearly Geoff Ogilvy had the best 'stache going on during his support for Movember. The Luigi look-a-like sported it well, and he played as good as Luigi would in Mario Golf. Heck, he was probably the MVP for the International Team in the President's Cup while rocking the facial hair.

Heck, Geoff was playing and pulling off the look so well, Charl Schwartzel even gave it a try, as you can see above. The two definitely brought up the Movember movement in the golfing community.

So there you have it. Two of golfs best International stars keeping the Movember spirit alive. Who knows, it may spark some more intrigue next year. Hopefully it will. It's a month where you can see how great (or how horrible) you look when you leave the shaving utencils in the closet. And if you were a part of this No Shave November/Movember month, major props to you, and good luck in your future trimmings.

Photos via golfweek and bleacherreport

2011 Presidents Cup: Sunday Singles

Straight business with the shades 

Well folks the U.S. Team is crowned 2011 Presidents Cup Champions and they did it a fashionably manner. The final score was 19-15, the same as the previous encounter, and shout out to my follow blogger for predicting the final score. This Presidents Cup will certainly be remember in Presidents Cup history. For the fact that there was some interesting results. Hats off to Jim Furyk for going 5-0, he joins a selective group of players that have achieved a undefeated record. This will be a painful lost for the International team since they had the home field advantage and many of members of the team were from Australia.  

Below is a brief recap of Sundays Singles matches: 

Both teams were able to win half of the matches of the day. 

Match 1: K.T. Kim wins 1 up vs Webb Simpson 

Kim prove to the golf world that he is here stay, defeating one of the hottest players on the PGA Tour. (He was also filling in for Anthony Kim hahaha)

Match 2: Charl Schwartzel wins 2&1 vs Dustin Johnson 

Schwartzel continues to excel as a player, becoming one of South Africa’s finest golfers. The match was a close battle, sadly Johnson wasn’t able to catch up. Johnson also did not have a great Presidents Cup, only winning 1 1/2 points for the U.S. 

Match 3: Ryo Ishikawa wins 3&2 vs Bubba Watson 

This was a bit surprising, since Watson seemed to be the favorite. Ishikawa certainly put on a show winning six holes thru out the match, at one point he was 4 up.

Match 4: Geoff Ogilvy wins 2 up vs Bill Haas

Haas has had a great PGA Tour season but it wasn’t enough for the king of match play. Ogilvy also tied for the best record on the International team. 

Match 5: Hunter Mahan wins 5&3 vs Jason Day 

All I can say is someone got handled. 

Match 6: Nick Watney  wins 3&2 vs K.J. Choi

Watney exhibiting his machine like play against the tank. 

Match 7: Adam Scott wins 2&1 vs Phil Mickelson 

Two experienced players always play out for a great duel, but Scott carried the extra weight on his shoulders for his country.  

Match 8: Retief Goosen wins 1 up vs Matt Kuchar

This was an exciting match after Kuchar went from 3 down to AS, making Goosen earn the point.  

Match 9: Jim Furyk wins 4&3 vs Ernie Els 

The MVP of the Presidents Cup lit the candles and blow Els out. 

Match 10: David Toms wins 7&5 vs Robert Allenby 

David Toms showing us he still has the mojo and still has a bright future. Allenby just wasn’t able to match Toms consistency today. 

Match 11: Tiger Woods wins 4&3 vs Aaron Baddeley 

Whoop about time Tigers shines a bit of light on us. Tiger had total control of the match never allowing Badds to obtain any lead. Tiger was only able to cook up 2 points for the U.S. Another disappointing lost for the Aussies. 

Match 12: Steve Stricker  wins 2&1 vs Y.E. Yang 

Stricker’s overall performance at this Presidents Cup hasn’t been up to par but he made up for it on the final day, winning the final match of the day. Not to mention Y.E. Yang has only won 1 point for the Internationals. 

Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

2011 President's Cup: Day 3 Recap and Final Day Preview

Tiger hasn't had the greatest week so far. Can he turn it around on the final day?

As Day 3 of the 2011 President's Cup comes to a close, we are getting ready for the 4th and final day of this battle. Although not a certainty, at this point, it sure does look like the American squad is gonna walk away with a victory here, barring a miracle by the International team. The Americans dominated the first 3 sessions of play. And although the International team made a little run by earning 3 points in the 4th session, it still will require a massive comeback in the final session, which is 12 singles matches and can get crazy.

After Day 3, the Americans lead the Internationals by a score of 13-9.

Here are the results of Day 3, and a preview for Day 4 of this year's President's Cup!!

SATURDAY MORNING: FOURSOMES


Match: Simpson/Watson def. Allenby/Ogilvy, 3&2
Match: Els/Ishikawa def. Haas/Kuchar, 1 up
Match: Mahan/Toms def. Goosen/Schwartel, 5&4
Match: Woods/Johnson def. Scott/Choi, 3&2
Match: Mickelson/Furyk def. Baddeley/Day, 2&1

SATURDAY AFTERNOON: FOURBALLS


Match: Goosen/Schwartzel def. Simpson/Watson, 2&1
Match: Kim/Yang def. Woods/Johnson, 1 up
Match: Ogilvy/Choi def. Stricker/Kuchar, 1 up
Match:: Mahan/Haas def. Baddeley/Day, 2&1
Match: Furyk/Watney def. Scott/Els, 1 up

FINAL DAY: SUNDAY SINGLES PREVIEW


NOTE: Matches begin in USA on Saturday, 6:30pm ET.


Match 1: Webb Simpson vs. K.T. Kim
- Captain Couples has been sending out Webb first everyday, and for the most part, it's worked. Look for Webb to play some more solid golf today; he's been really impressive as a rookie. But don't count out Kim just yet. He's been playing with some confidence lately.

Match 2: Dustin Johnson vs. Charl Schwartzel
- This match has two players on opposite sides of the spectrum. Schwartzel has been posting some points up and has been playing well, while Dustin really hasn't gotten going all week. His putter has let him down greatly.

Match 3: Bubba Watson vs. Ryo Ishikawa
- This will be Bubba's first time  not being in the first group of the day. He's also strongly favored in this match too. Don't sleep on Ryo, though. He isn't a multiple winner on Japan for nothing.

Match 4: Bill Haas vs. Geoff Ogilvy
- Ahhh, now here is the first Australian to join the party. And a good, experienced on at that. They both have had their share of good moments this week, but look for Bill to get tested by this great veteran who has been rocking the 'stache very well.

Match 5: Hunter Mahan vs. Jason Day
- This match could be the best of the day.You have two young stars representing their countries, trying to earn a solid point. If Jason were to win this match, then this could potentially set off some momentum  for an International run,

Match 6: Nick Watney vs. KJ Choi
- Here is another example of a struggling player going against a hot one. Choi has collected 3 points so far, while Watney finally got his first win in the fourball matches on Saturday.


Match 7: Phil Mickelson vs. Adam Scott
- Another match that has potential to be great. You have the best player on the International team going up against arguably the hottest player on the American team right now. Look for some creative shot making to be seen in this match, as these guys light up golf courses when they are in their zones.


Match 8: Matt Kuchar vs. Retief Goosen
- If you think about it, these guys are actually quite similar. They aren't the most flashy players around or win 5 times a year, but they are always in contention with a chance to win when they are playing well. These consistent players might have to be aggressive a few times to win this match.


Match 9: Jim Furyk vs. Ernie Els
- Surprisingly, these two have been playing steadily well this week. This might prove to be a pivotal match as well. A win for Furyk could seal it for the USA at this point. However, if Els wins, madness might ensue. He did say that they'll need a "Brookline-eque" finish to win, so you never know...


Match 10: David Toms vs. Robert Allenby
- Allenby honestly hasn't played very well at all this week. He needs to turn his play around, or else he'll be done quick.

Match 11: Tiger Woods vs. Aaron Baddeley
- Ooooh, here's el tigre! Going up against Badds, and this one should be another entertaining one. At this stage, this match could be quite meaningless to the competition or it could be very critical. Either way, any match with Tiger in it is going to get a LOT of airtime.


Match 12: Steve Stricker vs. Y.E. Yang
- These anchor men have had had mediocre weeks, but a singles win would have them end this tournament with a good taste in their mouths. They are both solid ball-strikers and putters, so we'll see how this one plays out.


So there you have it guys!! Who do you have winning these final matches? Do you see the Americans taking this thing at the end of the day? Let us know in the comments!


Photo via Getty Images

Tiger Woods Finally Earns A Point

Well, there you have it folks. Tiger Woods is now on the scoreboard for this weeks President's Cup. He and Dustin Johnson defeated the partnership of Adam Scott/KJ Choi, who obliterated Tiger and Steve Stricker on Day 1.

Tiger got a bit of revenge today. He finally was able to claim victory over Steve Williams (maybe Steve will call this the worst loss of his life, who knows) since their debacle went down. He was also able to win more than just 1 hole, which is what he did the first 2 days.

It was clear that Tiger is playing better and better as this week continues to go on. He finished the match off with a solid birdie putt, and as long as his game continues to get better on this beast of a course, he could potentially come out of this President's Cup with a winning record, despite starting 0-2-0. Next up for Tiger and DJ is KT Kim and YE Yang in four-balls. Hopefully a lot of pressure is off TW and now he can just go let it fly and gain confidence.

Current Update: Team USA currently leads Team International, 11-6 heading to the 2nd portion of Day 3. This portion is four-balls (aka better ball), and it starts soon. Make sure to catch the action, as it basically is now or never for the International Squad.

Stay tuned for another blog for the recap of Day 3, and a preview of Day 4!!!

Getty Images

2011 President's Cup: Day 2 Recap and Day 3 Preview

photo via Getty Images 

The US team holds off the International team with a final score of 7-5 thru two days of competition. It was another day of surprises, including Tiger Woods coming up short once again for the U.S.. Overall the day was a draw between the two teams, with each team winning 3 of its matches. It will be interesting to see how the next few days will play out. The International team will need a good day of play to overcome the U.S. lead.  

Day 2 Friday Four-Ball results:

Match 1: Watson/Simpson win 3 & 1 vs Els/Ishikawa 

This was certainly the group to watch. You have Webb Simpson who is coming off his best professional season, Ryo Ishikawa, the next big thing to hit Asia, and finally two long hitters. Overall the Americans had the momentum in the match winning 6 holes over the span of 18 holes compared to 3 by the international dual. 

Match 2: Baddeley/Day win 1 up vs Johnson/Woods

This was one of my favorites. Tiger partnered up with Dustin Johnson, now thats a lot meat behind that stick. Compare them to two of Australia’s best golfers, resulting in a must see match. This is evident when you look at the scoring differentiation between the two teams which was close to none. But sadly this was a lost for the U.S. and for the millions of Tiger Fans. 

Match 3: Mickelson/Furyk win 2 & 1 vs Scott/Kim

The veterans showing us hows it done, never allowing Scott/Kim to obtain the lead in the match.

Match 4: Ogilvy/Choi win 1 up vs Hass/Watney 

This result was a bit surprising, for the fact that Hass and Watney seemed to be the favorites coming into this match. But Ogilvy once again showed us, he is a fierce match play competitor, getting the job done. 

Match 5: Kuchar/Stricker win 4 & 3 vs Yang/Allenby 

The Kuchnator took full control of the match by winning 5 holes thru out the match. Robert Alleby is a great match-play player but wasn’t able to find that little spark to get the engines roaring. 

Match 6: Goosen/Schwartzel win 2 & 1 vs Mahan/Toms 

This group was stacked with talent. The result of the match is not surprising, Goosen and Schwartzel both major champs can handle the pressure and from experience know how to deliver a great show. 

Day 3 Saturday Foursomes 

The International team will have to win a majority of the matches to overcome the U.S. , giving them a bit of breathing room heading into Sunday Single matches. 

Match 1: Watson/Simspon vs. Allenby/Ogilvy 

Match 2: Hass/Kuchar vs Els/Ishikawa

Match 3: Mahan/Toms vs Goosen/Schwartzel

Match 4: Woods/Johnson vs Scott/Choi

Match 5: Mickelson/Furyk vs Baddeley/Day

Followed by Saturday Four-Ball

2011 President's Cup: Day 1 Recap and Day 2 Preview

Whew. What a first day to start off with at this 2011 President's Cup. There was so much drama and so much going on, it was truly must see television. You had a ton of stuff going on all at once. It's too bad Golf Channel couldn't host all 6 matches on different channels; it was really crazy to try to keep up with all of what went down. You had your shocking blowouts, your surprise victories, and your clutch comebacks. It was like the first few days of March Madness out there.

In the end, after Day 1, the USA team leads the International team, 4-2. Now, here's a recap of each match that went on yesterday and a few notes about each. (FYI: A match win earns 1 point for the team, a "half" is a tie which results in 1/2 points for each team)

DAY 1, THURSDAY FOURSOMES RESULTS:


Match 1: Bubba Watson/Webb Simpson def. Ernie Els/Ryo Ishikawa, 4&2

- This match's result was pretty surprising. You have Webb, a rookie, going up against two experienced President's Cup players. Not only that, but they were 2 down thru 4 holes, and simply started playing great golf. By the end it was reported that they were 7 under par thru the 16th hole. They really lit it up.

Match 2: Bill Haas/Nick Watney halved Geoff Ogilvy/Charl Schwartzel

- This match also started off with the American's down early. They were 2 down thru 8 before turning it around on the back 9 and earning a crucial tie and 1/2 point. In fact, they had to win their last 2 holes just to get the tie, so they came up big.

Match 3: Matt Kuchar/Dustin Johnson halved Jason Day/Aaron Baddeley

- This match got crazy at the end. The Aussie duo were in complete control of this match, and were 3 up with 7 to play. It looked virtually over for the Americans. But then, they took the 12th hole, and the chase was on. It seemed like nerves and errant shots got to the young Aussie team, as they let the last 2 holes slip away and eventually tied the Americans for a 1/2 point.

Match 4: Phil Mickelson/Jim Furyk def. Robert Allenby/Retief Goosen, 4&3

- To be honest, I didn't really pay attention to this match much. After an early lead by the International team here, the Americans gained control of this match and never really looked back.

Match 5: Hunter Mahan/David Toms def. K.T. Kim/Y.E. Yang, 6&5

- This was a complete rout. The International partnership only won one hole in the round, and the American duo were just on fire. Watch out for this partnership for the Americans; it seems to be a great success so far.

Match 6: Adam Scott/ K.J. Choi def Tiger Woods/Steve Stricker, 7&6

- This was the match EVERYONE was talking about and wanted to see. And oh boy, was it BAD for the Americans. This loss was so bad that it tied the worst loss margin in history of the President's Cup. And while it's true that Woods and Stricker weren't on their game yesterday, Scott and Choi were just as good. Scott and Choi looked like world beaters that day, and wouldn't let up by finishing off this damaged American side with a birdie. Too add insult to injury, Woods and Stricker couldn't even make a birdie in the match. This was just that forgettable. It was so bad it ended before some of the other matches, and they started last! Luckily for them, it was the only loss the American's suffered all day.

DAY 2 PREVIEW, FRIDAY FOUR-BALL:


Day 2 will be played earlier than expected, as they prepare for inclement weather. Therefore, Golf Channel coverage will begin at 5:30 ET today. Here is the list of projected matches for the Friday Four-Ball(aka, Best Ball format):

Match 1: Bubba Watson/Webb Simspon vs. Ernie Else/Ryo Ishikawa

Match 2: Tiger Woods/Dustin Johnson vs. Jason Day/Aaron Baddeley

Match 3: Phil Mickelson/Jim Furyk vs. Adam Scott/K.T. Kim

Match 4: Bill Haas/Nick Watney vs. Geoff Ogilvy/K.J. Choi

Match 5: Steve Stricker/Matt Kuchar vs. Y.E. Yang/Robert Allenby

Match 6: Hunter Mahan/David Toms vs Charl Schwartzel/Retief Goosen

Make sure to follow us on twitter (@jjsanchez92) or check back on this blog for updates.

Photo via ymig

HTWD Preview: President's Cup

This week in the golfing world we have the 2011 President's Cup, hosted at Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Australia. In this blog we will give insight on our opinions of what we expect of this year's Cup and our prediction of the outcome. 

JJ: Whelp, this week we finally have some interesting golf to talk about!! Woohoo! We've got the biennial President's Cup going on, which puts a 12 man American squad vs. an International team in Australia, starting tonight in the USA (due to the time zones). This President's Cup also has a lot of storylines; most notably the fact that Steve Williams Adam Scott will be competing against Tiger Woods at least once in this Cup. You also have a ton of talent on both teams. You have young but experienced stars like Jason Day, Aaron Baddeley, Adam Scott, Ryo Ishikawa and Rickie Fowler. You also have the veterans who are trying to get their games back up to elite levels, like Phil Mickelson, Robert Allenby, and the aforementioned Tiger Woods. There is gonna be a lot of great ball striking at this event, so, if you're interested in ways to strike the ball better, just sit back and take notes. 

Overall, I am predicting that the USA will prevail over this current International team. The USA team is just too loaded and talented and experienced to lose this President's Cup, regardless if it's not on their home territory. I think the USA will win, 19-15. Now let's see what Bernardo thinks...

(By the way, I'd like to give a happy birthday shout out to my fellow blogger Bernardo, aka the creator of this blog. Share some love for him by leaving a comment or sharing this page to your friends. Happy Birthday dude!! )

Bernardo: The American Squad heads to Australia for a week of competition against the International team for the Presidents Cup. The U.S. comes in as the favorite after defeating the international team 19½ to 14½ at Harding Park GC in 2009. The international team is headed by Greg Norman who is from Australia, giving the team that extra motivation to win in his homeland. In addition the international team has five players that are from Australia, basically this Presidents cup is setting up to be U.S. vs Australia.

Both teams have their share of veterans and rookies. It will be interesting to see how this year’s President’s Cup will play out with so many great players and pride involved, expect to see some rare moments from both sides of the playing field.

As my fellow blogger mentioned, the buzz this week is about the Steve Williams-Tiger Woods commotion. The media will certainly be absorbed with their encounter on the course. We know Tiger Woods will carry himself in a respectable manner, but we would love to see some fist fly. 

Now back to my prediction, I’m going with the  U.S. Team to come out victorious over the international team. Based on both teams line ups, I believe the U.S has the right combination of players to take on their opponent. Finally, I believe the companionship between the members of the U.S team will be an advantage. The U.S. Will win with a score of  19½ to 14½. 

Photo via turramurraskins

Greatness in the Making: Yani Tseng

Yani Tseng 

Tseng continues to dominate the LPGA Tour, filling in the shoes for some giants like  Lorena Ochoa or Annika Sorenstam, She is the youngest player in professional golf to have won five majors at her current age. Not to mention she is Ranked #1 in the Women’s World Golf Rankings and in the Rolex points. Tseng’s lead is tremendous, with her nearest competitors far from close, to overcoming her lead. Tseng was able to achieve this by shooting over 40 rounds in the 60s throughout the season.

Tseng has won 7 times this year, resembling Tiger Wood’s prime years on the PGA Tour. Anytime you can win 7 times including 2 majors in a single year, you know your doing something right. Whatever the case is for Tseng, she certainly is riding this momentum to a level of greatness. 

Tseng is an example of the growth in the game of golf in the United States, with golfers from Asia (Tseng is Taiwanese) making a name for themselves in the American soil. The birth of golf was in Europe but the U.S seems to be the center of attention when it comes to competitive golf. This is evident in the PGA Tour with so maybe great players playing full time that are from over seas. 

The question that comes to mind is will Tseng continue to dominate and one day over come the ladder of legends or will stars like Michelle Wie, Paula Creamer, and Suzann Pettersen finally fill in the gaps that the LPGA Tour depressively  needs. The LPGA Tour concludes this week at the CME Group Titleholders, with a field full of big names anything can happen. But a win for Tseng could really validate her as a great player. 

How Will Tiger Woods Fare This Week?

(That's the burning question that everyone wants to know. Heck, it not only applies to this week at the Australian Open, but it'll apply next week too, for the President's Cup.)

Yes ladies and gentlemen, in case you haven't heard (although you probably have), Mr. Woods is returning back to action this week down under to tune up for the President's Cup next week. And although reports are out that not many Aussies have been out there to watch him practice, it won't mean a thing. I know first hand what Tiger does to people. He brings them to golf tournaments and sells tickets. Good or bad, this polarizing dude attracts haters and fans.

But-- how will he do this week? He came off a mediocre performance last month at the Frys.com Open (it could have been so much better, its crazy) and hasn't played much this year. He also is just coming off another spat with Steve Williams, who threw a racial slur at him a couple of days ago. So, you know, these are those distractions that he is going to have to overcome to compete at a high level this week.

Regardless of all that, I think he'll do well this week. The man keeps saying he's practicing at his old pace, which is a great sign. I don't think he'll win, but I foresee a top 10 finish this week, with at least one low round in there. I think he will open the tournament with a respectable 69 or 70, and steadily improve each day. But that's just me. How do you guys think he'll do this week? Comment below.

Photo via pokerpurist

WGC- HSBC Champions

Martin Kaymer rallies to a impressive win over Fredrik Jacobson after shooting a bogey free final round 63. Not to mention that Kaymer started the final round five shots back from leader. Such a performance brings back memories of Tiger’s ability to catch the leaders on the final day.  There is still more than a year left for the next Ryder Cup but the European Team seems to be building some momentum and four Europeans are within the Top 10 in the official World Golf Rankings. 

Keegan Bradley surprised many with his great start, because a victory for Bradley, could have stopped Luke Donald from winning Player of the Year. Donald was unable to attend the tournament due to his wife’s pregnancy.

Other news floating around was all the talk about Steve William's racist comments, about his previous boss. Just goes to show you some people seem to go backwards instead of progressing. We’ll see if Adam Scott will be able to overlook the unnecessary media attention. 

Final Round coverage:

Steve Williams May Have Just Gone Too Far

This Stevie Williams - Tiger Woods saga just won't end. After their breakup that was well publicized and told with different stories, Williams goes on and takes clear shots at Woods after new employer Adam Scott's victory at the Bridgestone earlier this year. Then, he apologizes for it, saying it was all out of emotion. Which, for the most part, is understandable.


But now he may have gone wayyyyy too far in this mess. Now confirmed by a multitude of sources, Steve Williams took a racial jab at Tiger at the HSBC Champions this week. It was at a pre-tournament ceremony, and he said something along the lines of this, referring to the post-tournament interview at the Bridgestone:


“My aim was to shove it right up that black --------.”


Wow. Just wow. This left everyone at the ceremony in shock. Some people are throwing out rumors that he was really intoxicated during this event, and geeze, for his sake, I kind of hope he was. To say this sober is a terrible, terrible idea. Actually, its just terrible to say it altogether. 


He is holding a serious grudge, that's for sure. And needs to just let it go. Tiger has moved on, and he needed to; except now, it will only arise more questions. Now the media is going to attack Tiger with reaction to what Steve said. That's EXACTLY what he didn't need. Tiger was starting to get rid of all the distractions, and now comes this...


I really don't know why Steve would say this now. Was he bored? Did he want a story for us golf writers to write about since the season is essentially over now? Does he still want to keep taking shots at Tiger as long as he's still a caddy? Whatever it was, it definitely got our attention.


UPDATE: Steve Williams has now apologized for the comments he said earlier this week, on his website.


Photo via Palm Beach Post

Sergio Garcia's Comeback

 Andalucía Masters Champ

Sergio Garcia wins for the second week in a row! There has been much talk about Garcia’s resurgence. Many were hesitant to say whether the spanish stallion would ever be the same. If you can win two weeks in a row that certainly proves something. One you can maintain a level of great play and handle the pressure of winning week after week. Garcia was able to score well on a course that was not bringing in great scores. This is evident when the cut line was 10 over par. 

This win seems to have a immense effect on Garcia’s career outlook. When Garcia first hit the professional scene everyone predicted he would become the next tiger-like star. But maybe this streak of great play is a sign of Garcia’s prime in the making. Garcia is now 31 and we have seen players in their 30s (Luke Donald and Nick Watney) suddenly rack up wins and become fan favorites not to say Garcia isn’t one already. 

With this win Garcia will move back into the top 20 in the Official World Golf Rankings, were I believe many including myself want to see  Garcia. Now we just patiently wait for Garcia’s first major championship win, solidifying his career. 

Is Sergio Garcia... Really Back?

Sergio Garcia after hitting a shot while standing in water during the 3rd round 

Has anyone else noticed what Sergio Garcia has done lately? If not, I'll let you know. First off, he's had quite a solid year on the PGA Tour, with 3 top 15s in the majors, which showed he arguably had the best season in terms of play in majors this year. This is after 2 rough, rough years in which reports indicated he might even quit golf altogether.

Now, rather than just putting in solid play all year whilst not winning, he's even returning to THAT winning form. I don't know if you heard, but he absolutely dominated at the Castello Masters last week, putting on a clinic for his hometown crowd while on cruise control to at 11 shot. I don't think I've ever seen him play that well, other than at The Players Championship in '08.

This week, El Nino has a chance to win yet again! He currently sits 2 ahead of everyone this week at the Andalucia Masters, with a nice 3rd round 67. This course has shown to be extremely tough, as he's only at 6 under par so far. He's vying for three things right now: back-to-back wins, a spot in next week's HSBC Champions, and the first Spaniard to win this event while held at the challenging Valderrama golf course.

If Sergio goes on to win this thing, then I believe people will start to definitely take notice that he's coming back stronger than ever. We all know that he's one of the most talented players in golf, and when he is confident, he's easily one of the best. Even if he weren't able to capture this title, it wouldn't be so bad. Because even then, we still have seen the best out of Sergio since 2008, where I believe he was the Player of the Year.

I really hope Sergio wins this event. When he's playing well, it's good for the game and tv ratings. His talent and polarizing figure bring more interest to the sport. If he can keep this amazing form up and take it to the PGA Tour next year, then we should be in for something special.

Photo via Getty Images

A Year In Review: 2011 PGA Tour Season

So uhh, in case you haven't heard, the PGA Tour season is pretty much over. Yes, there is still the President's Cup and Chevron World Challenge in November, but that's just icing on the cake of the golf season. 2011 is over. And now since there are no more events to do a Pick of the Week for, the dudes at Hack Till We Die are going to do something different for this Wednesday. They will be doing their synopsis of the PGA Tour season that was. Included will be: Their recap, favorite memory, Player of the Year (POY), and hopes for the 2012 season. Fore, please! HTWD now driving.


JJ: First of all, let me congratulate Bernardo for thoroughly handling me in our first ever Pick of the Week race. I'll admit, I was schooled. Bad. But I'll get him next time! Anyways, now let me say that this PGA Tour season of 2011 was absolutely ridiculous. The amount of first time winners this year was insane. I don't know the number of first time winners exactly, but if you do, let me know please. It seemed like there was a stretch where every week the tour event would go to a playoff, and every week it would produce someone who has never one before on the circuit. It just goes to show you how deep the fields are on the Tour nowadays, and that anyone has a legit shot at winning the tournament they're in.

Now, here is my...

Favorite Memory: The Masters. Yeah yeah, I know we went to the Frys.com Open and it was great and all, but this Masters Tournament was ridiculous. I still remember that day vividly- I really thought Tiger had no chance to win it after Saturday's round, but BOOM! 4 holes into his round he's charging up the leaderboard, and everyone started to text me. Especially after his awesome shot at 8. Yeah, he didn't win it (Charl Schwartzel somehow did), but still, a Tiger charge creates the biggest buzz and the greatest memories.

POY: Luke Donald. Getting to No. 1 in the world with a struggling Tiger Woods is one thing (See, Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer), but staying there is another. And that is what Luke Donald has done this year, with a whole lot more to boot. He's won a ton of awards this year (except for the FedEx Cup, but who cares), and has been easily the most consistent golfer on the planet. Kudos, Luke.

Hope for 2012: To see great golf by great players. I'll admit it; this year was, although ridiculous, a bit boring for me. It was nice to see all the first time winners reach success, but I enjoy watching golf the most when all of the interesting names are on the first page of the leader board. You know, the Tigers, Sergios, Phils, Rorys, and Lukes of the world. These guys attract attention and create drama (the good kind). I wish to see at least one to two majors where we have some huge names dueling it out for a title, because that would make many fans happy.

So there you have it, there's my jargon about the PGA Tour in Review. Let me know what ya think in the comments. Let's see what Bernardo thinks... Hmm....

Luke Donald at the WGC-CC
(Getty Images)

Bernardo:

Recap: Well folks sadly this season has come to end. 2011 exhibited its share of up and downs, including the forging of a young and talented class of players that will one day fulfill the shoes of the current stars. Some people might say this year was a bit disappointing because the influence of big names like Phil Mickelson was close to none but, in reality they are talking about Tiger Woods. Woods just has that kind of supremacy and it is clear as the day, that the golf world wants a tiger-like player to add some excitement. 

Besides the absent of some favorites, this year’s Majors Championships certainly provided for some interesting results. First the Masters Tournament, which had so many scenarios of who could win, Charl Schwartzel would come out victorious with a great back nine that consisted of four straight birdies. The U.S Open displayed the comeback of the talented Rory Mcllroy, after a disappointing finish at the Masters, he proved to the critics that he was more than capable of winning a Major. The British Open crowned a well deserved candidate, Darren Clarke. Clarke’s major win gave Northern Ireland its third major winner in a stretch of 13 months. Finally the PGA Championship was a great twist, Keegan Bradley a PGA Tour rookie, became one of three golfers to win a major during their rookie year. Not to mention he also won the HP Byron this year.  

Overall this season was great and you can give the thanks to the rookie class of 2011, that consisted of 35 players and some notable players like Luke Donald and Nick Watney. 

Favorite Memory: There is a hand full of great memories this year but hands down I have to give it to Bill Haas. The up and down on the 17th hole from the water at the Tour Championship was just amazing. Yes we can say it was similar to playing a bunker shot but for those of us that play golf, whenever you find yourself in the water hazard, you don’t expect to get up and down for par very often. Not to mention this was during a playoff, now thats what I call clutch. Bill Haas would win the Tournament and become the 2011 FedEx Champ (year long points race). Thats a total of 11.4 million dollars in earnings!

POY: I’m gonna have to go with Luke Donald for the Player of Year. Beginning with his win at the WGC-Matchplay, Donald has been Mr.Consist throughout the season. Donald only needed 19 starts to be the money leader, compared to Webb Simpson with 26 starts, who was the nearest competitor battling for the Money Title. Donald also had to deal with the added pressure of being world #1 and maintaining that position. So with that added pressure and playing well week after week, he certainly deserves to be Player of the Year. Best of luck to world #1 Luke Donald. 

Hopes for 2012: My personal hope for the upcoming season is for my favorite golfer Sergio Garcia to rack up some wins. In the overall scope, I want to see some great golf from some of the crowd pleasers like Rickie Fowler, Camilo Villegas, Bubba Watson, Anthony Kim, Rory Mcllroy, Adam Scott, Jason Day and many more. These guys are too talented not to be in contention and winning more often. Who will step up to the plate when the world is patiently waiting for the next Tiger to emerge?  

The Surge is Back

Sergio Garcia
 (Getty Images)

Its about time Sergio Garcia finds himself in the winner’s circle. Garcia is coming off some not so great seasons, so winning by 11 strokes in his home country of Spain, at the Castello Masters, certainly should be the remedy for his lack of love for the game. Garcia set a tournament record of 27-under par with rounds of 67,63,64, and 63 at a par 71 course. The closest competitor was Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano at 16-under par. Besides setting a tournament record for the Castello Masters, Garcia set the the overall record on the European Tour. This is Garcia’s first worldwide win since 2008. 


Garcia has won the Castello Masters before so it is evident the guy loves playing in his home country, similar to most sports teams, that rather play in front of their home crowd for the added support. Not to mention Garcia’s father is the head pro at the course the Castello Masters is played on. 

Surprisingly Garcia’s putting was on fire. For those Sergio Garcia Fans out there, including myself, we know Garcia has come up short in many tournaments because the lack of putting confidence. We saw the switch to the belly that brought some success, but now he is back to a normal length putter and putting better than ever. 

So the question that comes to mind is, what is next for Garcia? Is this a sign of great play to come or just a random spark of greatness. Garcia certainly proved to the golf world and critics that he still is a world class player, now that he finds himself ranked in the top 50 in the world. Its great to see Garcia back because he brings a certain flare to the game of golf that is indescribable and amazing to watch. 

Garcia on 18th

The Happiest Man on Earth

Luke with Mr. Donald Duck himself

We finally have a winner for the money list title, folks. 

With a scorching hot 64 by Luke Donald, he won the 2011 Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Classic at Disney. He came back from 5 shots on the final day to take the title by 2 shots over Justin Leonard. He started the tournament trailing Webb Simpson by $363,029 - basically meaning that he had to win the darn thing to overtake him for the money lead. And that, he did. 

It came down on the latter half of his round, at one point draining 4 straight birdie putts with a nice 45 footer for birdie on the 15th. With nobody left to catch him and with Webb out of the picture to win it himself, Luke eventually got news that he was the winner as soon as Leonard was technically out of it.

Donald called this win "one of the most satisfying of my career". Nobody should blame him about this either, even if it is a Fall Series event. He came through in the clutch when he needed to, and he put on a display like the No. 1 player in the world should. This performance not only got him the money title, but also should most likely wrap up Player of the Year honors for him, and it clinched the Harry Vardon Trophy to boot (this award is given to the player with the lowest stroke average over a PGA Tour season). 

All in all, Donald had a fantastic week here with the win, and a fantastic overall year, with 2 PGA Tour wins, the Money List of both the PGA and European Tours, and earning the World No. 1 ranking earlier this year. Oh, and he and his wife are also expecting a child sometime within the next week. So now, at the culmination of the PGA Tour season at what is known as "The Happiest Place on Earth", Luke Donald can call himself "The Happiest Man on Earth".

Highlights of Donald's final round here:

Photo via Getty Images

Pick of the Week: CMNH Classic (J.J.)

Kevin Streelman (photo via zimbio)

Ahhhhhh. The final PGA Tour event in the Fall Series. The culmination of what has been a very, interesting season to say the least (more on that later on this month...). Here we are- at the Children's Miracle Network Hospital Classic at Walt Disney World. Players will be sure to bring their familes to enjoy the fun. A select two also plan to bring their "A" game, too.

Here is where Luke Donald and Webb Simpson will do battle for the No. 1 spot on the Money List year, which may in fact have Player of the Year Implications. Simpson pretty much guaranteed that Luke would be here, too, by playing last week at The McGladery. Heck, they even got paired together for the first two rounds at least, so that should make things VERY worthy to watch.

Now, onto my pick of the week. I'm going to go with Kevin Streelman. He finished in 6th place at The McGladery last week, and also placed T-6 here in 2008, so he can play this course pretty well. He may not be a household name or anything, but in my opinion he's a very good player that often flies under the radar. AND he's doing his best to get better. Recently he was part of a "mentoring" project presented by Charles Schwab, where former World No. 1 Tom Lehman gives him advice on how to become a top player in the world. It's obviously been helping him, and hopefully he snags a win here this week.

In case you're interested, here's the video:



Already used- Phil Mickelson, Geoff Ogilvy, Rickie Fowler, Aaron Baddeley, Hunter Mahan, Ricky Barnes, Luke Donald, Justin Rose, Anthony Kim, Adam Scott, Jason Day, Steve Stricker, Lee Westwood, Matt Kuchar, Bubba Watson, Nick Watney, Jonathan Byrd, Martin Kaymer, Ryan Moore, Charles Howell III, Dustin Johnson, Tiger Woods, Jim Furyk, Sergio Garcia, Brandt Snedeker, Webb Simpson, Jeff Overton, Paul Casey.