Way To Go KP
I am so sick and tired of hearing how bad a move it was for Kenny Perry to skip the US Open qualifying and not get a chance to play in the US Open. Ten years ago, I probably would have been one of those knocking the pride of Franklin County, Kentucky. I mean, it is the US Open, right? It is our national championship. How in the world could Kenny Perry not want to play in our national championship?
It is simple, and because it is so simple, people are missing the boat. Kenny made it clear at the beginning of the year that his goal was to make the Ryder Cup team and play for the US in his home state at Valhalla. In reaching his goal, Kenny set up his schedule to fit where he plays best and has the best chance of earning points towards making Captain Paul Azinger's team. Well let’s take a look at how he has done in trying to reach his goal. Remember the goal was to make the Ryder Cup team, not win a major, or a tourney or win the FedExCup or any particular event. 
In eighteen events, Perry has 2 Wins, 1 second, 1 third, 5 top 10's, 10 top 25's and has made the cut in 17 of 18 starts! Pretty good towards that goal. What’s more, he is presently 3rd in FedExCup points which when you throw out TW, he is essentially second in the standings. He is 4th on the money list and is ranked second average. So the guy planned his way to make the Ryder Cup team and after his win at the Buick Open he sits 4th on the Ryder Cup standings and is a lock to play for the US side in September.
So why the anger at KP not teeing it up at the US or British Opens? Why are we worried about Kenny Perry playing or not playing in tournaments when he has every right to play or not to play in whatever events he wants? Yes, I know they are majors and are important, but what was important to good guy Kenny Perry was making the Ryder Cup. He has done it. Good for him and his decisions that have led to making the team. LEAVE THE GOOD OL’ BOY ALONE!!!
Boring Ass US Women's Open
Dan O'Neill posed the question prior to the US Women's Open in the Post-Dispatch: With Tiger Woods out will more golf fans focus on LPGA Tour? Well if last week’s US Women's Open was any indication, THE ANSWER IS A RESOUNDING NO!!! Don't get me wrong, I give all the credit to In-Bee Park for playing great golf and becoming the youngest winner of the US Women's Open. The final round ratings on Sunday actually beat the Buick Open nationally, which is a positive for the gals. However the lack of anyone compelling (or for that matter anybody that we knew on the leaderboard), the event was a dud!!! Two Parks, two Kims, Castrale, Lewis, Sergas and you might remember Helen Alfredsson made up the top nine! In fact, let me give you a little bit of info about our "NATIONAL Open." There were two Ahns, a Choi and a Chung, a Han, a Jang, a Kang and a Kung, a Ji, SEVEN KIMS, three Lee's, a Lu and a Lua, a Min and Myazato, and Oh and three PARKS, a Shin and Tseng and a Yokomine all played the weekend: NATIONAL OPEN - right.
I know the game is global, but in this country women's golf will never reach a higher popularity with Ochoa and Asians on top. Sorry it is just a fact!
A TIGER PRIMER FROM THE TOUR
I got this via email from the PGA Tour regarding questions that have arisen since Mr. Woods announced his sabbatical.
Q. Can Tiger still be named the PGA TOUR Player of the Year?
A. Definitely. Woods has won the Jack Nicklaus Trophy in a vote of his peers eight of the last nine years and nine times overall. At this point, Phil Miickelson and Kenny Perry are the only other multiple winners of the season; both owning two titles to Woods' four. The two remaining major championships would certainly have some bearing -- particularly if Mickelson, Perry or Masters champ Trevor Immelman wins one of them.
Q. Could Phil Mickelson overtake Tiger as the No. 1 player in the world?
A. It's a possibility, but Mickelson would probably need to win one of the two remaining majors, as well as the remaining World Golf Championships event, the Bridgestone Invitational, and another couple of tournaments to accumulate enough points by Dec. 31. That's a tall order. Official World Golf Ranking points are based on a two-year span and gradually reduced. Woods currently has an average of 21.14 -- roughly double that of Mickelson -- and would finish the year with an average of 11.968. Projections indicate that if Woods remains idle, his ranking average wouldn't approach Mickelson's current 10.214 until just before next year's Masters.
Q. Can Tiger win the FedExCup again this season?
A. No. Even if Woods can hold onto first in the regular season standings -- he currently leads Phil Mickelson by 6,953 points --- he will have no shot at remaining No. 1 at the end of the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup. When the players are reseeded entering the Playoffs, Woods would only be 500 points ahead of second place and just 7,930 ahead of No. 144. A win at The Barclays, the first Playoff event, is worth 11,000 points and second 7,400 so Woods is sure to be supplanted. Even with Woods out of the mix, though, the man who wins the FedExCup will have played stellar golf. Projections indicate the winner of the $10 million bonus will probably need a victory and a top-five finish or two in the Playoffs. And for the record, as was the case last year when Bernhard Langer elected not to participate, the starting field for The Barclays will be 143 players. The 145th will not gain entry just because Woods is not able to play.
Q. How will Woods' absence affect the Ryder Cup?
A. Not even a clairvoyant would be able to predict whether the Americans can wrestle back the cup for the first time since 1999. No one knows how the U.S. will respond to losing the man many believe is the best player in the history of the game. Woods mathematically sewed up a spot on Paul Azinger's team with his U.S. Open victory. Now, though, the automatic qualifiers will be the players who rank Nos. 2-9 in the standings and Azinger will still have four Captain's Picks.
Q. Will Woods still remain a member of the PGA TOUR even though he doesn't play the required 15 events?
A. Absolutely. He is now exempt through 2013 after winning at Torrey Pines since the majors carry a five-year exemption. And there is a clause in the PGA TOUR bylaws that allows players who miss part of the season due to injury to retain their voting membership.
Q. Can Tiger win the Vardon Trophy?
A. No. He needs a minimum of 60 rounds to win the award that goes to the pro with the lowest adjusted scoring average. Woods, who has won the Vardon Trophy seven of the last nine years, has only played 20 rounds this year. And while we're at it, the Byron Nelson Award for low scoring average -- which is adjusted based on the average score of the field -- is out, too, since the winner needs to have played 50 rounds. Woods has won the Byron Nelson Award eight of the last nine years, including the last three straight.
Q. What about the money list?
A. That's anyone's guess. But three times in the last four years, the man who has earned the Arnold Palmer Award that goes to the leading money winner has made more than $10 million -- and Woods picked up the trophy in 2006 with $9.9 million. Woods currently leads the money list with $5.7 million while Mickelson is second with $3.9 and Stewart Cink third with $3.7. Woods has won the Arnold Palmer Award eight of the last 11 years, including the last three years.