Posted on 08/04/2009 2:16:45 PM PDT by cleveland gop
My favorite week of the golf season(other than the majors of course)has FINALLY ARRIVED!!!! The world's best make their annual appearance in my back yard, if you consider 30 miles close that is!!!
Firestone Country Club(the South Course)is the scene for an event that actually dates back to 1962. The classic, straightforward design provides very few tricks, but creates an opportunity for low scoring which lots of touring pros love to see.
The field of 79 players, encompasses all 5 worldwide tours(PGA, European, Japan, Austrilasian and the Sunshine(South Africa)contains 17 of the top 18 top ranked players in the world.
Six-time winner Tiger Woods leads the field, along with Masters Champ Angel Cabrera, US Open Champ Lucas Glover and Open Champ Stewart Cink. Others that always provide great action include major champs Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk, Davis Love, Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Ben Curtis and youthful studs like Camilo Villegas, Anthony Kim, Danny Lee are sure to give us some weekend highlights!!!!
Now for a little history. Like I said before this event has its roots that date back to 1962 when CBS created a made for TV event called the Rubber City Classic. Only 4 players, in a match play format participated in the event. Only major championship winners played, and if there was a multiple major winner the next best player was selected.
Of course golf already had a worldwide appeal led by Gary Player and within a few years more players were invited to Akron and in 1976, the World Series of Golf was created. The best of the best played every year, the field consisting only of players who won events on tour in the previous 12 month period.
If there are 2 things I could keep the same it would be to keep the World Series of Golf name and to keep the field limited to the way it was back then, anywhere between 40-48 players.
Anyway, in 1986 NEC attached itself to the tourney and until 1998, nothing much changed, until 1999, when the World Golf Championships concept was created with 4 yearly events, this one being the third of the 4 events.
With that the field size was changed allowing for a more worldwide appeal. Now, along with winners of selected tournaments from each of the 5 worldwide tours, Ryder and President Cup members are also part of the field, bringing the total size of the field to around 80.
This is a no-cut event. Everyone who starts the event finishes it and is guranteed some money.
So does Tiger make it back-to-back and win his 7th title in Akron? Or does Phil after another long layoff gets a win for the family?
Glad to see Stricker and Cink up there. BBL
Yes, it rained off and on the 6 hours I was there.......
Details later, including why I got turned in to the double secret Akron police squad!!!
Details later, including why I got turned in to the double secret Akron police squad!!!
I hope that the rains ended by 4 or 5 PM - this is a rare occasion where a friend called me from Akron (I'm in Tennessee) asking me how the radar looked. I gave him my best guess as to when I thought the rain would end. I hope I wasn't too far off!!
Oh, I'd like to hear about your encounter with Akron's finest. The only encounter I've had with Akron was when I lived in Medina - I recieved, by mail, a radar camera ticket for a car that belonged to the previous owner of my house. I sent it back.
Hey there!!!
I left there at 2:00 cause I had to get to work and it rained the whole way home. From watching the rest of the day’s action on the tube, it looks like the majority of the rain ended right around 5:00, so you did good!!!
Now for the situation. You’ll notice my 2 posts from this morning were from the course. I was sitting at 1 tee watching from there. If you’ve ever been to any professional tour events, we all know cellphones are a no-no because of that 1 idiot who screws everything up for everybody.
Anyway, I sneak my phone in today. Putting the battery in my pocket and the phone in my hat. They don’t bother to wand my hat and it works...... That is until I sent the 2nd post. Apparently a couple of sheep, I mean fans complained to the cops that I had a phone and was using it. So while I’m posting the 2nd, female cop waves me down and with male cop(let me say they were extremely well behaved and courteous, and before I left the course I made sure to let them both know that)and they both almost in unison asked how I snuck the phone in. I pointed to my hat and they’re laughing but asking me to take my phone back to my car.
The female cop is walking me back to the gate when I try to make my case....
1)I own my own business 30 miles away from here(a store). If any emergencies occur, I’m the judge jury and executioner and have to react at a moments notice.
2)I have the phone in total silent mode. I give her my number and she calls the phone and I show her there’s no noise.
She doesn’t budge. I ask her to pass the following message if she sees either party the rest of the day......”If by chance some misfortune happens to affect me or my family and I don’t find out about it for hours cause I didn’t have my phone, may you also have some misfortune lay at your feet, TIMES 2!!!”
I get to the gate and the security asks me how I snuck the phone in, and I point to my hat again. When I come back to re-enter, the first thing they point to me to take off, my hat!!!
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE DAY.......
The salute to local military personnel that took place inside the Ambassords’ Club this morning. Very well done!!
The standing ovation many in the crowd at #1 gave Phil Mickelson when he came to start his round today. Several players wore pink today as did some in the gallery as Saturdays are Cancer awareness days on tour.....
Nice update, LOL!
Also good to hear the support for Phil
It was awesome to see and hear the reaction Phil got. And he loved it too!!!
Chad Campbell knew who everyone was rooting for in that twosome!!!
Ya know I figured out why that happened to me today????
I’M PART OF THE MOB!!!!! At least someone thinks I am.....
Need a T shirt,
Just One of the Pesky Mob
Thx for the ping...I had totally missed this thread. Gotta be more vigilant!
Give a shout out to my nephew.
He needs to turn it up a notch tomorrow!
Are you going to the PGA next week?
A cell phone is like your wallet nowadays. And they ask you to take a bus or a shuttle so it’s next to impossible to attend without it. How many courses have lockers outside? At least that’s the way it is an most events.
LOL!!!
No worries!!! I’ll make sure to ping you for the PGA!!!
Not going out there tomorrow but I’ll root from the TV. He’s lurking, only 5 back. Plenty of time to be there at the end!!!!
Wish I could go to the PGA, but won’t be there......
At Firestone, homeowners adjacent to the course open up their yards to auto parking. For $5, I parked 6 houses away from the gate. Only about a 5 minute walk, if that. So when I had to take my phone back I wasn’t far away.
To me, it’s such a stupid rule, cause 99.9% know to silence a phone and only go to use it only if needed away from any kind of players or action. Like I said before if there were an emergency at the store or a medical issue, and I didn’t find out about it till I got back to my car, someone would have been pissed of royally.
But again I’m glad to be part of the MOB!!
SNOOP DOGG signing off!!!!
Too bad. My sis is going to be there...I know she would have loved to meet up with you.
I know!! That would have been fun. Maybe next year at Firestone or at Jack’s tourney in Columbus!!!
Stewart’s so cool. I could tell watching him on the range and at #1 how much he’s loving life right now!!!
It’s always easy to remember why golf will always be the greatest game ever played.
Yeah, it really shows through in his “tweets”!
Wooo-hoooo! -1 thru 1.
Now I need it to come on tv so I can blow on the putts of opponents and knock them off course!
LOL! I really do that. :)
I was so proud of Stewart and pleased for you when he won the British Open. I told everyone who was watching with me that I “knew” his aunt, lol....(from the old Guild threads, remember me?)
Of course! I miss the Guild. Never laughed so hard in my life.
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