My Sports News Digest

Louis Oosthuizen got his final round of the 2012 Masters off to a good start. On the second hole, he made a 2. The second hole is a par-5. That’s a double eagle, only the fourth double eagle in the history of The Masters. The first one in still the most famous, Gene Sarazen’s “Shot Heard ‘Round the World” in 1935. Many fans today believe Sarazen’s shot won him the tournament, but it didn’t. It did help him get into a 36-hole playoff against Craig Wood, however, and in the playoff Sarazen finished off the victory. Will Oosthuizen’s hole-out from [...]

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The tournament known as The Heritage certainly does have a rich heritage, dating to 1969, boasting Arnold Palmer as its first-ever champion, and taking place every year at Harbour Town Golf Links at Hilton Head. That heritage almost ended, however, when Verizon dropped sponsorship following the 2010 event. In 2011, it was played without a title sponsor using an emergency tournament fund. Only when RBC – the Royal Bank of Canada – stepped in as sponsor was the event’s place on the 2012 PGA Tour schedule secure. That 2010 event was won by Jim Furyk, and he’s among the favorites [...]

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Bubba Watson switched to an all-pink driver this year as part of a fund-raising drive for charity coordinated with Ping, makers of Bubba’s driver. And because he loves pink. And now that pink driver is one of the most famous clubs in golf in the aftermath of Watson’s win at the 2012 Masters. Can you say, “opportunity”? Ping announced today that a limited edition all-pink version of its G20 driver, the same model used by Watson, will be available at golf shops on or around June 1, 2012. Five-percent of proceeds from pink driver sales will go to the fund-raising [...]

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Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer have been rivals for most of their adult lives, and in various markets: On the golf course, as course designers, in the club business, in golf apparel, in wines, and in many other venues. So why not in the beverage business? You’re familiar with the Arnold Palmer drink, right? Several years back the Arizona Beverages company (makers of Arizona Iced Teas and various other beverages in the tall-boy cans) began offering several versions of the Arnold Palmer drink. Now, Arizona Beverages has teamed up with Nicklaus to start offering Golden Bear Lemonades. The line began [...]

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One week ago, Bubba Watson defeated Louis Oosthuizen in a playoff to win the 2012 Masters. In the week since, the Bubbster made the rounds of talk shows in New York City, a well-deserved victory lap, and one in which his wit and sense of fun probably drew a few more fans to golf. And Oosthuizen? He merely hopped a plane and spent 30 hours traveling to play in the Maybank Malaysian Open. Was the effort worth it? You bet. Oosthuizen won in Malaysia today, despite the travel fatique, despite weather interruptions to the tournament, despite having to play 26 [...]

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The golf world visits the second-largest U.S. state and the third-largest country (both by area) this week with the PGA Tour Valero Texas Open and the European Tour Volvo China Open. The Texas Open is played on the Oaks Course at TPC San Antonio. In 2011, that golf course was seventh-toughest on the PGA Tour in relation to par, but every course ahead of it was either a par-70 or par-71. Oaks is a par-72. And in stroke average, TPC San Antonio was the toughest track on the PGA Tour in 2011. Kevin Na’s infamous 16 on one hole didn’t [...]

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The golf world visits the second-largest U.S. state and the third-largest country (both by area) this week with the PGA Tour Valero Texas Open and the European Tour Volvo China Open. The Texas Open is played on the Oaks Course at TPC San Antonio. In 2011, that golf course was seventh-toughest on the PGA Tour in relation to par, but every course ahead of it was either a par-70 or par-71. Oaks is a par-72. And in stroke average, TPC San Antonio was the toughest track on the PGA Tour in 2011. Kevin Na’s infamous 16 on one hole didn’t [...]

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One week ago, Bubba Watson defeated Louis Oosthuizen in a playoff to win the 2012 Masters. In the week since, the Bubbster made the rounds of talk shows in New York City, a well-deserved victory lap, and one in which his wit and sense of fun probably drew a few more fans to golf. And Oosthuizen? He merely hopped a plane and spent 30 hours traveling to play in the Maybank Malaysian Open. Was the effort worth it? You bet. Oosthuizen won in Malaysia today, despite the travel fatique, despite weather interruptions to the tournament, despite having to play 26 [...]

Read the full story