WAM Golf

Can McIlroy retain Number One Spot?

Rory McIlroy starts 2013 under pressure as the World Number One and has already courted controversy by his decision to join Tiger Woods at Nike. With figures as high as $250 million being bandied about for the ten-year deal, it is no wonder that some are questioning the motives behind the switch from Titleist. Six-time major championship winner Sir Nick Faldo has been among the most outspoken in suggesting that money has been put ahead of McIlroy’s golf game.

Faldo has been at pains to state that he is a fan of the Irishman but he feels the short term gain could be outweighed by the risks to his overall game. Faldo was well known for his meticulous attention to detail and is a great believer in the power of confidence. McIlroy already has a US Open and a US PGA to his name during his time with Titleist and clearly there has not been a lot wrong with their association. Faldo also questions the wisdom of signing for Nike, a brand well established as that of Tiger Woods. Faldo believes that McIlroy is perfectly placed to launch his own brand and does not need to be associated with “someone else’s brand”, especially that of the current World Number Two and the man most likely to push him for the top spot this season.

 

Rory McIlroy insists that the change of equipment will not damage his progress and points out that there really isn’t that much difference between the manufacturers. Whether that is down to his youthful confidence or a touch complacent, only time will tell. The 23-year-old did nothing to silence his critics when missing the cut badly in Abu Dhabi on his debut for the Nike stable. Of course it would be foolish to read too much into that but several of the other leading golfers have already signalled a return to form. Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson have both landed running with tour victories whilst Brandt Snedeker also gained reward for his consistency with a first tour win of the season. You can bet on Rory McIlroy to expect the likes of Luke Donald and Louis Oosthuizen to be chasing him for points this year.

McIlroy’s Nike deal has certainly drawn attention to his game in perhaps a way that he would not have wished. Every detail is recorded in the golfing press from the new heavier Nike putter to the change of shaft on his driver. It has often been said that staying at the top is harder than getting there and the young Irishman must already be feeling extra pressure. The world rankings points system means that he must at least match his tremendous 2012 season. Every tournament he enters will be gauged against his performance last year, giving rivals the opportunity to pick up points more readily. 

There is no escape off the course either for McIlroy. You can media attention focusing on his relationship with Danish Tennis star Caroline Wozniacki. The pair were forced to deny rumours of an engagement at the end of last year. McIlroy has said that the tennis player has been a great influence on him with her hard work and dedication to her sport. There has been media speculation that the reverse is true for Wozniacki and that her fall down the rankings is, at least in part, due to her relationship with the golfer.

Rory McIlroy will be eager to detach himself from the furore about his change of equipment as soon as possible with the US Masters at Augusta not that far away. He insists that his objectives remain simply to be the best player that he can be and to win more majors. Victory for Woods at the Farmers Insurance Open cut the gap in the official world rankings to within 3.14 average points. The worst years appear to be firmly behind Tiger as he goes in pursuit of the number one spot that he had made his own before his dramatic fall from grace. Woods seems entirely focused on winning tournaments this year and it could be quite a struggle for McIlroy to keep his new stable companion at bay.

Guest post provided by Karl. Karl is an expert who helps people bet on golf via the webiste Oddsbetting.co. Opinions are his own and do not reflect those of WAM Golf or any websites associated with WAM Golf.

Image via Register Citizen.

Phil Mickelson Wins the Waste Management Phoenix Open

It didn't take long for Phil Mickelson to earn his first PGA Tour victory of the young 2013 season. Just 7 days after Tiger Woods claimed victory at the Farmers Insurance Open, Mickelson went wire-to-wire to earn his 41st PGA Tour career victory.

 

Mickelson created a buzz on Thursday when he shot a 60 after narrowly missing his putt on the final home for a 59 (video above). After the heartbreaking miss, "Lefty" went on to shoot 64-65-67, while holding off a charge from Brandt Snedeker. Snedeker was the runner-up the previous week at the Farmers Insurance Open. He did it again as Mickelson shot 28-under the par, good enough for a four stroke victory over Snedeker who was 24-under.

Mickelson's Numbers

Mickelson's 41st win was done by dominating the field. He came up just shy of the coveted 59 in round one and missed the 36 and 54 hole PGA Tour scoring records by just one stroke. His 28-under, 256, was the second lowest score ever in a PGA Tour event. It's the third time Mickelson has won this event.

Mickelson's scorecard for the week included:

• 29 Birdies
• 1 Eagle
• 1 Bogey
• 1 Double Bogey
• 40 Pars

Mickelson made four consecutive birdies twice during the tournament and three consecutive birdies two more times. It also marks the 20th PGA Tour season where Phil Mickelson has earned a victory.

The Stage Is Set for a Great 2013

The focus of the 2013 PGA Tour season was on Tiger Woods v. Rory McIlroy. Tiger and Phil Mickelson now have PGA Tour victories early in 2013. Rory, has not played a PGA Tour event in 2013.

The PGA Tour heads to Pebble Beach for the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am where Phil Mickelson won in 2012. If Mickelson can successfully defend his title it will be the first time he has earned back-to-back victories since 2006 when he won the BellSouth Classic and seven days later was crowned Masters champion.

5 Questions with Anthony Scorcia: Scorcia on Par Radio

 

Anthony Scorcia on TV

Through Social Media I have been fortunate enough to connect with Anthony Scorica, host of the Scorcia On Par radio show on Long Island. When it comes to golf on Long Island, there are few people with the passion an knowledge Anthony has. I have personally enjoyed listening to his shows on Saturday morning (during golf season) and he has been kind enough to be our first "5 Questions" guest on WAM Golf.

 

5 Questions With Anthony Scorcia

1. You have a weekly radio show, Scorcia On Par, which has become one of the most popular golf shows in New York. Why did you start this show and what do you attribute your rapid success to?

A: I have a fairly active mind, so I’m always trying to find new ways to challenge myself. One day I was listening to the PGA TOUR Network on SiriusXM and I thought there should be a golf talk radio show that celebrated golf on Long Island. Doing “On Par” was not something I took lightly, so it took a lot of planning and talking to people to really see if I should pull the trigger. I like things to marinate a bit before I throw it on the grill. Season two was a big jump forward. I don’t think anyone listening this past year would have thought it was only my second season. As for it’s success, well, thank you for the kind words, but we’re not there yet.

2. When people think of Long Island Golf, they immediately think of Bethpage. Black. Suppose a golfer couldn’t get on Bethpage, where would you suggest they play?

A: You’re right, people do think of Bethpage, but they also think of Shinnecock GC and National Golf Links of America as well. In fact, Long Island is probably more known for its historic and very private golf courses. You could say that the subtext of my show is to celebrate public golf on Long Island and not just the courses behind wrought iron fences. As far as your question, selecting a course on Long Island can pose unique challenges. For one, people forget how vast Long Island actually is, so the first question might be: Where are you staying? For example, if you’re heading out to the east end, then I suggest you go all the way and visit Montauk Downs. The Downs was part of the renovation agreement with the State of New York to get the “Black Course” ready for the U.S. Open in 2002. There is no doubt that the USGA could hold a Public Links Championship there if it weren’t for issues regarding infrastructure. The course is that good and from the tips, it’s that hard. It is definitely worth the drive to experience that course and it's location is a destination in and of itself.

3. I think Long Island is often overlooked as a golf destination. Do you agree and if so, why do you suppose this is?

I do agree Mike and it’s a very good question. For me, it’s the $64,000 question, because I feel Long Island golf should be marketed precisely that way: A destination experience. There are plenty of opportunities for it, but there lies a challenge in changing the way local governments think about golf on Long Island. In a lot of ways, small government politics is much worse than government on the federal level. What seems like a simple paradigm shift for you or me is not so simple for local legislators.

4. Over the past 5 years golf has been struggling. Too many courses and the demand appears to be down due to money and time. What do you think the future holds for Long Island Golf and the golf industry as a whole?

A: Personally, I think that despite all these initiatives to get people to play more golf, I feel it will always be a niche sport that is dependent on the economy. Like any other business, sometimes you get the tiger and sometimes the tiger gets you. Fortunately, golf on Long Island will always be ok because there is a healthy enough appetite on the island for golf to keep it sustainable.

5. We can agree you're passionate about Long Island Golf but if I made you leave the island, what three golf destinations would you like to visit?

A: The first place I’m going is to Scotland and the home of golf as well as a visit to the highlands. If you love golf and you’ve never been, it has to be the number one answer. Secondly and since I’ve already been to the Emerald Isle, I would like to spend some time at Bandon Dunes. I’ve heard so many great things about the place and as a bonus, you can play the ball along the ground. Finally, I’m spending a couple of weeks on the sand belt of Australia. The courses there are magnificent and comparatively, it may be the only place in the world that rivals the quality of golf on Long Island. So as you can see, I prefer a links golf experience than what is traditional here in the states.

 Connect with Anthony & Scorcia on Par:

Scorcia On Par Radio Show

Twitter: @Scorciaonpar

Facebook.com/onparradio

Top 100 Public Golf Courses of 2013-2014 (via Golf Digest)

This wasn't supposed to be my first post of 2013 but the list is too exciting to ignore. As I start to plan where I would like to play in 2013 I can't help but glance at this list to see if I can add a new Top 100 to my list.

 

The 3rd hole at the Bayside Resort.

 

Last year I wrote about Golf.com's Top 100 Golf Courses You Can Play and I was fortunate enough to tackle six of them. This list comes to us from Golf Digest and golfers will have from 2013-2014 to play these gems. On this list I was able to play three of the top 100:

• The Dunes Golf & Beach Club (#52). I played here in 2007 on my annual golf trip and everyone loved it. I skipped over it on my last trip to Myrtle Beach but will I plan on returning in the future.
• Atunyote Golf Club (#55). This is in my personal top 10 of all time and could easily be top 5. It's a beautiful golf course in upstate New York that played host the PGA Tour for a few years. It runs about $200 but you can take advantage of the replay rate to maximize your buck. Add this to your list of courses to play especially if you're going to be upstate. (Read my review of Atunyote)
• Bayside Resort Golf Club (#79). This was the highlight of our 2010 Golf Trip to Ocean City and the Delaware Shore. We all agreed it was one of the most challenging we have played but also worth the pain. An excellent design by Jack Nicklaus, the course is carved out of creeks, marshland, and the woods to challenge every golfer. (Read my review of the Bayside Resort)

What's your favorite golf course on the list? How many have you played? Leave a comment!

Click here for the Golf Digest List of the Top 100 Public Golf Course's in America 2013-2014.

Funny Golf Pictures: When Driving a Golf Cart Goes Wrong

The highlight of my golf season is often our annual golf trip. We just completed our 8th year and I have begun planning the 9th and 10th. There are certain variables on golf trips you can't account for... this was one of them. On a bright note, we're blessed with a funny golf picture where no one was hurt and no property damage was done.

What were golf trips like before we all had camera phones? I was a group ahead of this so I didn't see it live. To answer your questions:

• The only editing was to add "www.wamgolf.com" and blur the face.
• Yes, this happened.
• No one was hurt.
• There was not damage to the cart or property (shockingly).

I don't understand physics but to this day I have no idea how they pulled this off. Needless to say they did not drive golf carts (or cars) for the rest of the trip. They did, however, provide us with one of the most dangerous funniest moments in our golf trip history. Thank you guys!

Disclaimer: Don't try this. Seriously.