TITLE FIGHT TONIGHT!

These Two have been Boxing it out - Stroke for Stroke All Weekend.

Only One will Survive the Final Round Today. 

KO came on Tour 2 Years Ago - at 15 Years of Age

Recently Voted one of the Worlds Top 100 Most Influential People.

I Personally Can't Stand Stacey Lewis.

Hope the Kid Kicks her Ass. 

Whomever you Root For - Worth a Watch!

 4PM (PST) TODAY GOLF CHANNEL

_______________________________________________________________

AFTER NINE HOLES
 ALL SQUARE

PAR 4 10TH
Lydia KO (-10)
Tees Off on 10 with a Casual Stroke and Workman Like Efficiency
She Drives the Fairway
She grabs her tee and Moves aside
Its as if she Doesn't Even have to Think About it.   
At 17 This is Already Instinctual for Her.

Approach

Through the Green - onto Rough in Front of Bleacher

Chip

15 Feet Past

Put

6 Inches Left

BOGIE

(-9)

Stacey Lewis (-10)
The Cocky Veteran. Hooks it Left and Drops her Club Behind her. 

In the Rough.

Approach

In Greenside the Bunker 

Chip

15 Feet Short

Put

2 Feet Left

BOGIE

(-9)

PAR 4 11TH
Lydia KO (-9)

Approach

Inside 20 Feet

Put

Curves into Hole - But stops 2 inches Short

PAR

(-9)
Stacey Lewis (-9)
Approach 

Inside 15 Feet

Put

Just Right

PAR 

(-9)

PAR 3 12TH

Lydia KO 

    PAR    

(-9)

Stacey Lewis
PAR
 (-9)

PAR 4 13TH

Lydia KO 

Fairway

Approach

Green Inside 10 Feet

Put

Birdie!

(-10)

Stacey Lewis

Bunker

    Approach 

Short of Green

Chip 

5 Feet Short

Put

Missed Left

BOGIE! 

(-8)

PAR 5 14TH

Lydia KO (-10)

Fairway

Approach

On the Green in 2!
20 Feet

Eagle Put

1 Foot Short 

BIRDIE

 (-11)

Stacey Lewis (-8)

Fairway

Approach

On the Green in 2!
10 Feet

Eagle Put

1 Foot Left

BIRDIE(-9)

PAR 3 15TH

Lydia KO (-11)

Approach

Inside 20 Feet

Birdie Put

1 Foot Past
Stacey Lewis (-9)

Approach

Inside 20 Feet

Birdie Put

2 Feet Past

PAR 4 16TH

Lydia KO (-11)

Bunker 
Approach

Fringe 20 Feet

Birdie Put

4 Inches Short
PAR
(-11)
Stacey Lewis (-9)

Fairway 
Approach

Inside 3 Feet!

Birdie Put

BIRDIE
(-10) 

X 

PAR 4 17TH

Lydia KO (-11)

Bunker 
Approach

Through the Green 30 Feet- Rough

Birdie Chip

Long Hooking toward Pin - 1 Foot Short
PAR
(-11)
Stacey Lewis (-10)

Fairway 
Approach

Inside 15 Feet

Birdie Put
Short Right

PAR

 FINAL HOLE!

PAR (5) 18TH

Stacey Lewis (-10)
TeeShot 
FAIRWAY (Beside KO)
Shot 2

FAIRWAY
Shot 3
INSIDE 4 FEET!
Shot 4
IN THE HOLE!
(-11)

Lydia KO (-11)

 TeeShot
FAIRWAY (Beside Lewis)
Shot 2

LEFT ROUGH
Shot 3
INSIDE 6 FEET!
Shot 4
IN THE HOLE!
 (-12)

KO WINS! 

 Keep in Mind - She's 17!
Held the lead and Closed on 18
Post Interview:
"Someday I want to be a Great Golfer like Stacey"
Think that day has Come.

Tiny Bubbles for Michelle Wie

Windy Conditions and Rough Start in Hawaii

On Sunday 4 Shots Back

Michelle Threw Darts and Made One 10 foot Put after another to Catch the Leader.

 Local Hero

 

Congrats Michelle!

THE MASTERS

SPIETH LEADS THE MASTERS!

Final Round Tomorrow 11 am (PST) CBS
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2013

EPIC

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Longshots in the Championship Tonight

Post Game

They had a chance to win. In Football Terns - they choked in the Red Zone. 
Missing Freethrows is what everyone talks about.
For me it was not playing as a team on offense. One guy got the ball and drove to the Hole - No passing - No play - often with little success. So yeah, 5 more Freethrows or 3 Offensive scores and they win.

To the Kentucky coaches credit - in his on court interview - right after the loss - he did not throw his players under the bus - He took all the blame and credited his players. We need more of that in sports.

Congrats Uconn!
Napier is Ridiculous!

Pre Game 

Let’s keep this short and sweet.  Kentucky was 50-1 and UConn was 100-1 to win this whole thing.

I am proud of my prediction that the Kentucky Wildcats would be one of the last standing and am holding a ticket at 35-1 having bet on only 3 teams.

It would be less than honest if I did not confess at this 11^th hour that I believe UConn will hoist the trophy tonight.  They have the single best player on the court and how many times can Kentucky continue to squeak by with last second heroics?

I TRULY want to be wrong and have these diaper dandies take it all the way to the house.

Enjoy what I think will be an incredibly exciting contest perhaps similar to the last second win by Duke over Butler a few years ago.

Michelle Wie Tied for 1st - Now you have to watch!

 Update - Wie Leads at Nabisco!

2pm Today Golf Channel

Imagine if Tiger Woods left the game for a while at 17

Then came back in his early 20s - and was leading a tourney on Sunday.  

With a Chance to win for the first time in years!

Would you watch? 

Well here's your chance!


She excelled like Woods at the tender age 10 - as the youngest player ever to qualify in a USGA amateur.  At 15, Michelle Wie turned pro and was anointed as the next golf superstar. She has Maybe the most "perfect" golf swing ever, on any tour. She even Tee'd it up on the men's tour at the John Deer in 2006.

She was also beautiful - she did not look like a kid and was under a very adult spotlight. Like Tiger - she was a big draw for the tour. But unlike Tiger she did not dominate on tour and has been absent from the top of leaderboard for years - a has been or might have been at 24.

Michelle Wie never left the game. She decided to go to college. 
She is still a big name. You might have seen her a year ago in the KIA commercials. 

Today for the first time in years - she may be back as the most popular and potentially most important woman on the LPGA tour. If she starts winning - ticket sales and media coverage explode.

She is tied with Lexi Thompson - a blonde, Midwestern, girl next door, child prodigy - who successfully campaigned for membership on the LPGA at 16 just a few years ago. 

Between those two and Jump into Poppies pond for the winner - This one is a can't miss for any sports fan. 

Perfect Game

It not every day you see someone pitch a perfect game. Lexi Thomson almost did exactly that on Sunday at Nabisco. From the Tee - Wie - Center Fairway. Thompson - Center Fairway - 40 Yards Farther.  On Approach - Wie - Inside 15 Feet. Lexi - inside 10. On the Green - Wie - Misses just Right. Lexi - from the left - In the Hole. 

This was a coming Home party for Michelle Wie - Coming home to the Top of the Leaderboard. Something she hasn't done for years. 

Instead - it became a First for Lexi Thompson - Winning her First Major at 19.
Also the First Flip Performed during the Winners Jump into Poppie's Pond. 

Great Expectations.
The Media and Myself made this Final Round the End All Be All for Wie. But it wasn't. It was not her last Rodeo. If she becomes a regular at the top of leaderboards - it will be a Game Changer for the LPGA. That remains to be seen. As for Sunday. As it should be. Two young women under a glaring spotlight - looked more like girls walking in the Mall- Rather than Opponents at the years First Major. It is just a game after all - and Michelle Wie has a life outside that game. 

-Rick Jansen

Kentucky Baby!

I don't even like basketball, but the 2nd half of last nights Kentucky game had me shouting and fist pumping. 

Mike called it - young enthusiastic team coming together at the right time. You think? 
My God! I tuned in for the 2nd half to see a true team effort - a miss followed by a tip in. and then more of the same. Guys were getting brick walled inside- shoving shots straight up in the air and still scoring as a team.  Just minutes into the 2nd half - a 4 point deficit turned into 12 unanswered Blue Devil scores.

We got this now I thought. Me knowing nothing about Wisc. Then Swish. Swish, Swish.
The Badgers responded with drives executed to perfection and a Hail Storm of 3 pointers. These guys aren't human. I thought cloning was still illegal? 

Lead Gone Now what?
Well. Kentucky hadn't even attempted a 3 point shot in the 2nd half. We score 2 - they score 3. 
Impossible scenario. Guess were done. With 15 seconds left - one last drive - down by 2.
Kentucky takes it down - denied inside - time running down - pass to the outside - Harrison from for 3 - hits the rim - BUT IT'S IN! 

5.7 left - Wisc drives - Miss - It's Over!

1 Game left - thanks to Mike (kinda) I have Kentucky for $350 tomorrow night
Win or lose - I got my $10 worth at 35-1. 
I was told picking a winner instead of just game by game was for morons.  
We'll see - so far - ignorance is bliss.

Guess this game is worth watching. That was sick!

My favorite part was the Kentucky player interviewed right after they won. 

The anouncer asked him some dumb question

He smiled and Replied: 

"Did you see what just happened?

Don't Forget The Girls

UPDATE!
Michelle Wie is Back!
After being absent from the leaderboard for years.
The Beautiful Child Prodigy is leading the Tournament
(T2) After the 2nd Round.
(In Purple Below)
Follow on Golf Channel. 

Even is you Hate Golf

There are 2 Minutes of it on the LPGA You Don't Want to Miss. 

Once a year - the winner of the Kraft Nabisco jumps in Poppy's Pond.

Tune in Golf Channel - Starts 2pm Sunday (PDT)

Just Good Clean Fun

(Now that they chlorinated the Pond.)

 If That's Not Enough to Get you to Watch

These Two Will be Playing

Wet Tshirt Contest?

You NFL Fans Made me Stoop to this.

No that's Not Photo-Shopped

The suit was Painted on for Sports Illustrated 

To Avoid sounding Sexest. 

I'll Remind you men that any of these women

 could hand you your ass on the golf course any day of the week.

x

The Final Four

Please Read Mikes Original Post
His Picks Pre-Tourney:
http://happycapper.blogspot.com/2014/03/let-madness-begin.html

The Final Four.  The most famous alliterative term in sports.

I am very pleased that I told you before the tournament to not overvalue Michigan State (No one at ESPN was listening).  Now we have UConn, Wisconsin, and my two original picks Florida and Kentucky.

Wanna take a shot at UConn?...Not with my money.  They may have the best remaining player in the tournament, but I don’t see them winning it all.

How about Wisconsin?  They are the best coached team remaining, but by far not the most talented.

That leaves us with my two originals…Florida and Kentucky.  Any follower of the game will tell you that Florida is the logical choice…coach Billy Donovan’s third NCAA title.

I will stick with my 35-1 longshot (50-1 at some books) The Kentucky Wildcats.  I said it then and I will say it now.  Beware of the young team that comes together at just the right time.  They are the first squad since the 1992 Michigan Wolverines to go to the final four with all five freshmen starters.  Michigan lost in the championship game.

Go Big Blue!

-Michael Lawrence

Guest Columnist

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Jordan Spieth Comes Home

My Apologies
Well, my Joe Namath impression failed. I guaranteed a win for Spieth over a difficult 3 game stretch. Bad timing, trying to introduce all you NFL fans to the PGA - during the worst season in years. Although we hit 2 winners last week -  I'll stop telling you to bet him every week. He is at home in Texas the next two weeks. We didn't end up with a winning ticket yet. But, there is way more to the story. The conclusion is well worth watching.

As Luck Would have it.
If you're like me - Mud bowls are fun once in a while. But, you would rather see crisp routes run on astroturf and perfect spirals thrown high in the air for touchdowns. It's the same for golf. Watching an approach shot sail hundreds of feet into the air and land a few feet from the hole is a thing of beauty. Not as much fun when they bounce off the green and land in the rough 30 feet away. The Legends on the PGA tour made a living doing 3 things well. Hitting Fairways, Hitting Greens and Putting. Up and Downs from the Bunker are important - but only if you didn't do one of the first two right. This season you can get them all right and still finish 35th. As we move into week 13 of the PGA season - luck continues to play way too much of a role in the outcome of tournaments. 

Changing of the Guard
In spite of firm greens and high winds - there is more to the story. Tiger woods and a host of other marque names are either out with injury or simply failing to dominate. Tiger Woods made Golf cool 15 years ago. Those kids who thought so - are on tour now. Lots of them! They all have the advantage of knowing everything about swing theory and ball flight that their predecessors had to discover on their own. But as Sean Foley has proven - coaching Tiger Woods - technical expertise is not enough. Woods has wasted the last few years on technical snake oil. He'd have 3 more majors if he just relied on his knowledge of the game instead of reinventing his swing. So being Young, Talented, and having Technical Expertise is not enough in the long run. But a lot of these kids have been playing for years and are learning the ropes on tour quicker than anyone expected.

Paying your Dues.
Once you have all the mechanics in place - then you learn how to play golf on the PGA tour.  When to go for it - when to lay up. Walking miles of fairway with a microphone recording your every whisper. That's not a problem for most rookies. They don't don't even get coverage for 5 or 10 years - if ever. 150 play every week. How many names do you know? Jordan Spieth has been under the microscope from the gate - before he was even a PGA member. Keeping your head straight and your emotions in check for 4 days straight is a mental and physical marathon. They don't get golf carts like we do. This newcomer has been paying his dues since the age of 11. That's when he won his first junior amateur. Then he excelled in the NCAA. Now he's doing them same on the PGA tour. All before he's old enough to order a beer or rent a car.

Jordan Spieth - Seriously

Is that the Face of a Kid Playing Around?

The answer is twofold. First of all YES. He loves this game and has fun playing it. At the same time NO. He will shake your hand, sincerely admire your accomplishments, and then embarrass you in public. He did exactly that to Tiger, Phil and Matt Kuchar - all before he was old enough to drink. When paired with Tiger and Phil, he bettered them both by 8 strokes. Kuchar called him a "Little Kid". Spieth Crushed Him - Head to Head - in Match play the next day.

He's Got Game
Joe Montana didn't have the arm strength or other attributes to make him a first round draft pick. But he had the will to win. Spieth dos not always lead the PGA in stats - but he too - has that special quality you cant teach or practice. He has Game.  

Uneven Playing Field
Unlike Montana, he has been thrust into the spotlight faster than any athlete in sports history. Last year, before he even had his tour card - he was given Prime time Tee Times, Won his first PGA Tourney, earned an invite to the Masters and was Chosen for the Presidents cup.
Unlike Montana - he's not playing on the same field every week. He's never seen half the courses he plays on. Competing against veterans who've been winning on them for decades.

19 with a Bullet
He turned 20 after his first win. The kid has been pushed through the Media Machine faster than soft lead through a gun Barrel. Amazing his head hasn't changed shape. He has the youthful good looks of Ricky Fowler, but his wardrobe doesn't cater to 12 year olds. He is as gracious as Steve Stricker - But with the calculating edge of a Hitman.  I think he will come out on top - because above all - he is a student of the game. You get to the head of the class quick - doing homework when the other kids are playing. All PGA players work hard at their craft. I just think he may be more solely focused than anyone else right now. That, and the fact that he was raised right - is the only reason he has handled the unequaled attention he has received in a very short period at a very young age. He has learned to be cautious, and Lay up when needed. But he is not playing for second place either. That makes him dangerous. I think his strongest asset though is the rare combination of Confidence and Humility. 

Valero Interview
In this weeks pregame interview  - I listened closely. Had the attention went to his head. Where was his head at? When asked about the high expectations the media has predicted for him - he passed the test. Instead of boasting - he pointed out that other young players have several wins on tour this year. He is still looking for his first. That's maturity and class speaking. You can't teach that.

Valero and Beyond
This weeks Texas Venue features narrow fairways and lots of trees and hazards of you miss them. Great place to dominate if you know the course. He does. Also an easy place to choke if you make a few wrong moves. So, rather than guaranteeing a win. I will guarantee only one thing. Now that you know his story. If you enjoy rooting for a talented underdog. Watch him on Sundays - you wont be disappointed. The Final Round is broadcast each week on NBC or CBS starting around Noon. 

The Masters - Just Another Week?
Spieth was interviewed this week about his upcoming Masters debut. He referred to it as "Just another week." Was that Bravado or disrespect? No! It was survival. Unlike Patrick Reed - He did not call himself Top 5 or boast in any way. He was just keeping things in perceptive. Anytime you see your opponent as bigger or better than yourself - you have lost. After all, on any given Sunday - on the PGA - you are not playing the Field you are playing the Course.

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Photo Story

2 WINNING GOLF TICKETS THIS WEEK!

CHA CHING!

PGA $500

EURO PGA $300  

Read More

Let The Madness Begin!

The Final Four! (Click to View)


UPDATE - 2 of 8 - Elite 8!

Mike's Original Picks: Kentucky and Florida Still it it.

Michigan is the favorite. Mike Likes Arizona and Florida at This Stage


I know Nothing and would bet a 2 Team Moneyline on Uconn and Dayton. Just for this Round - because They won by the Largest Margins and and Offer the best Parlay Odds.

UPDATE - 4 of Five - Still Alive!

Bring out your dead.  Now only 16 out of 68 remain and four of those 16 were on my must watch list.

Kentucky plays Louisville so one of them has to go in this cataclysmic match between intrastate powerhouses.  I would like to see Kentucky win it, but I can only anticipate a great game that goes down to the final seconds.

Iowa State had a key injury in its last game putting star forward Georges Niang on the sidelines the rest of the way.

For some reason I see several people feeling that Florida will get upset by UCLA, but I am not buying it.

My only casualty is Duke which shocked just about everyone with its immediate exit.

Have fun this weekend as we pair it down to the final 4.

-Michael Lawrence 

Guest Columnist

PRE-TOURNAMENT

Experts Pick? 

It would seem that everybody’s darling is the streaking Michigan State Spartans.  Caution…when this many “experts” are on a side of a team it does not go well more often than not.

For one thing, this team has not been playing together for a large part of the season.  The red flag there is when they face a team that knows what each other is thinking on the court every second it could be the death of their title hopes.

You have to win 6 straight games against the toughest competition in America and I feel that could be the destiny of senior laden Florida.

Whatever may transpire over the next three weeks it continues to be the most exciting time of the year on the sports calendar.

Hot Commodities

Besides Florida here are four other hot commodities…Iowa State (Well coached with a veteran presence), Louisville (The defending national champs playing their best basketball of the season right now), Kentucky (Young players coming together at the right time) and, Duke (Always a factor).

Good luck with your brackets!

-Michael Lawrence 

Guest Columnist

Because I Know Nothing about Basketball. Thanks Mike!

-Rick Jansen

Just for Fun

  
PLAYOFF? PLAYOFF?
Don't Try this at Home 
(Pin is in Far - Top-  Right Hand Corner. Barely Visible)

Full Story

Devastation in Florida! 

Spoiler Alert: If you haven't seen "Gravity" Don't Watch.  

 Click Here to Read More

Spieth Wins Round 1 Match Play 
Spieth Wins Round 2 Match Play 
 Spieth Wins Round 3 Match Play  
Final WGC
Click Link Above
Check the Videos at the bottom of Post
UNREAL!


Golf is a Contact Sport Too!

Part 1
Rory Reacts to Hitting Spectator (Guy on Right Cringes)

Bet you can't Guess what Happened to Spectator?

Part 2 
Fell in Jumping Cactus. Good thing she had her Car Keys. 

 

Part 3

Can you Count the Cactus Removal Tools?

See... Golf is Fun to Watch.

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Alert: WGC Starts Tomorrow

PGA Tournaments usually start on Thursday.  This Week WGC Starts on Wednesday.

It's a special Match Play Format. So Bets need to be in by Tonight

Highlights of Last Years Final Round:

 

 Teen Superstar

A Look Back 2013

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