I’m not sure that I’ve ever watched a European Senior Tour event (I don’t even think they’re televised in the US). But apparently at least one person over on Golfwrx does, as he spotted what might be the worst scorecard in pro golf from this past weekend’s Casa Serena Open.
The astounding score of 52-over for after 3 days belongs to Pai-feng Tsai of Taiwan. Tsai didn’t start Day 4. I wonder why? Speculation is that Tsai received a sponsors exemption due to a presumed relationship with Foxconn, a Taiwanese manufacturing company, who happened to be the main sponsor of the event. Has anybody ever seen a worse scorecard at a professional event?
The European Tour definitely has come up with some great promo shots in the past. They’re back at it again trying to keep Scotland from being invaded by pirates. All the golfers have to do is drop a golf ball onto a target about the size of a garbage can, bobbing around in the ocean off the windy coast of Scotland.
Easy right? Are the French going to be Scotland’s last hope for salvation? Video after the jump.
Thomas Levet won the French Open on Sunday at Le Golf National (home of the 2018 Ryder cup). Being only the 3rd Frenchman to win the French Open in 3 decades, he was overcome with joy and jumped into the pond next to 18. Just in case you’re not aware, ponds/lakes on golf courses are usually very shallow and not meant for people to jump into.
Apparently Levet had not heard about Stacy Lewis’s mother breaking her leg earlier this year after jumping into a pond when her daughter won the Kraft Nabisco Championship. Can you guess what happened next? Yes, the leap resulted in a fractured shin and now . Smooth move.
Bubba Watson went on a “charm offensive” this week at the French Open. After missing the cut by a mile today, he basically did everything he could to reinforce the “ugly American” stereotype that many Europeans have.
, for one, was not impressed with his behavior and went on a twitter tirade against Watson:
Luke Donald defeated Lee Westwood on the first hole of a playoff at the BMW PGA Championship yesterday in Wentworth, England. With his victory, Donald claimed the #1 world ranking from Westwood. No, Donald hasn’t won a major (so I guess now he’s the best player in the world to have never won a major – AKA TBPITWTHNWAM), but he’s been playing incredible golf this year.
Robert Karlsson is a 41-year old rookie on the PGA Tour. He’s not exactly new to professional golf though. While he may not be a household name in the US, Karlsson has been playing on the European Tour since 1990 and won the Order of Merit in 2008.
When he decided to join the PGA Tour this year, he relocated his family from Monaco to Charlotte. It looks like they’re enjoying their new home (and what a nice home it is). But still, it must be a heck of an adjustment going from the gambling and tax haven of Monaco to North Carolina.
Along with the video of Phil that I posted the other day, Callaway has released videos featuring a number of their marquee players, including first round co-leader of the Masters, Alvaro Quiros.
Quiros talks about his passion for a variety of other sports and how he learned to hit the ball so far.
The USGA and R&A have finally come to their senses and announced a rule change that will allow players who learn of an infraction after signing their scorecards to be assessed a penalty rather than being disqualified.
The new rule applies when a “player is not aware he has breached a Rule because of facts that he did not know and could not reasonably have discovered prior to returning his score card”.
The change comes after Padraig Harrington and Camilo Villegas were disqualified for signing incorrect scorecards earlier this year in different tournaments. In Harrington’s case, his ball moved on the green. He knew that the ball had moved, but thought that it had returned to it’s original position and consequently did not replace the ball and take a penalty stroke.
Tiger Woods was fined an undisclosed amount by the European Tour today for spitting on the 12th green yesterday at the Dubai Desert Classic.
Commentator Ewen Murray was less than amused:
It’s disgusting what he’s just done there. You look at his work ethic and he’s a credit to the game and an inspiration to all of us who are trying to be professional golfers, but some parts of him are arrogant and petulant.
Lt. Col. Michael Rowells was the winner of last month’s contest to play in the Dubai Desert Classic pro-am with Tiger Woods. Over 16,000 people (myself included) entered their names for a chance to fly to Dubai and play with Woods.
Lt. Col. Rowells had to fly in from Afghanistan where he is serving with the 401st Army Field Support Brigade. He hadn’t played in 4 months and the rust showed on the course. However Rowells still said the experience was amazing:
