Sports Then and Now

Lee Westwood is making a charge at the world number one golfer ranking.

If world rankings in sport were decided solely on the basis of personality, there’s little doubt that a few of the current holders of the respective top spots would look slightly different. Perhaps, based on this criteria alone, Lee Westwood, who is currently vying for the number one spot in golf, would find himself unchallenged in his bid to sit at the pinnacle of the rankings.

After all, it’s clear to any golf betting pundits who have watched Westwood compete, let alone met him in person or been around him for any length of time, that this is a sportsman who doesn’t take himself too seriously; he’s always quick to crack a joke and is more often than not one of the most gracious players in defeat that you could hope to observe in this sport.

His technical ability is also worthy of admiration but we need to remember that world rankings shouldn’t be based on personality or how well an individual takes defeat. If Westwood, as could happen soon, does become number one in the world, is it deserved? Read the rest of this entry →

Could Justin Rose be left off the European Ryder Cup team?

Regardless of the fact that he is a two-time US Tour winner, Justin Rose is a serious doubt for the European Ryder Cup team having chosen to defy team captain Colin Montgomerie’s request that all players take part in the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles next month.

Having endured a highly disappointing Irish Open, where he finished 44th, Rose has left himself with a lot of ground to make up if he wants to be included in the team, something that has been questioned after a recent lack of enthusiasm when asked about his intentions.

These reports have intensified since Rose’s statement that “the Ryder Cup is important to me, but I’m third in the FedEx Cup standings and that’s where my focus is going to be.”

With competition for places in the European team intense, especially given Ross Fisher’s victory in the Irish Open, Monty will be looking to pick players truly dedicated to the cause as Europe look to regain the trophy lost back in 2008. Read the rest of this entry →

Because he didn't give many details and may not have been telling the complete truth, the public statement by Tiger Woods on February 19 has not stopped the media frenzy around the golfer.

After months of receiving headlines on the tabloids, Tiger Woods is hopeful that returning to professional golf at the Masters will shift the focus from his personal life back to his golf prowess. Unfortunately, it is my belief that until Tiger completely defuses the situation, he will never truly be free of his past.

Let me start by saying that while I don’t agree with Tigers’ actions, I don’t believe it is any of my business or that I as a fan and consumer am “owed” anything by Woods.

However, because Tiger has built an empire based on the perception that he is an average guy with super-human ability, his handlers have tried to temper the collateral damage of his actions.

Their first attempt was a 13-minute public statement given by Woods in front of a small group of friends and business associates and watched by millions of people on television. Read the rest of this entry →

Tiger Woods is going to talk on Friday, but how much will he really say?

If the media is to be believed, when Tiger Woods speaks in public on Friday morning for the first time since his infamous accident last November it will be one of the biggest events in the history of sports. One teaser even went as far as to suggest that you will forever remember where you were when Tiger spoke. Really!?

Like many Americans, I have spent the last decade and a half watching with amazement the golf domination of Tiger Woods.

It isn’t just that he has won 14 major championships and millions of dollars in earning, but he has performed with both a consistency and a flair that has captured the interest and imagination of countless sports fans.

Even people who really don’t care much for golf often have not been able to stay away from the television when Woods is in the hunt at one of the major championships.

That aura has transcended to the advertising world as Tiger has become one of the most recognized “pitchmen” in the world as his multi-cultural heritage has made him a star around the globe.

Part of what made Woods so captivating was that even though his wealth and talent were well beyond the comprehension of most people, there was also still a human quality that helped him connect with those of us who could only dream of having such talent or wealth. Read the rest of this entry →

Arnold Palmer was the first American in the modern era to regularly play in the British Open.

The absence from The Open Championship (often referred outside of England as The British Open) of Tiger Woods last year and the decision by Phil Mickelson not to make the trek across the pond this year harkens back to a time when it was common practice for the top Americans to skip golf’s oldest championship.

Of course, both Woods (knee surgery) and Mickelson (family illness) have legitimate reasons for not competing in the only major tournament not played in the United States. However, had it not been for a decision nearly 50 years ago by popular American golfer Arnold Palmer to compete in The Open, it is possible that the list of great Americans not playing in the tournament would be significantly longer.

Read the rest of this entry →