C4 Wednesday 3-21
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
PAGE 4C - WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21, 2012 Sports DAILY NEWS, BOWLING GREEN, KENTUCKY GOLF Els’ slump will likely cost Masters spot PGA Tour announces sitions Championship and was close call, that brilliant duel with poised to win, which would have Mickelson on the back nine in changes, ends Q-school given him an automatic invita- 2004. Els has immense stature in By DOUG FERGUSON tion to drive down Magnolia the game, but not at the Masters. The Associated Press Lane. With a one-shot lead, he You get the sense that no one ORLANDO, Fla. — Ernie Els missed a 4-foot birdie putt on the will be rooting harder for him has been playing the Masters 16th hole. Needing to make par than Augusta National, but prob- since 1994, and he has not gone on the 18th hole to join the play- ably not enough to send him an away entirely empty. off, he tried to jam the 4-foot invitation. He has 12 pairs of crystal gob- putt into the cup with his belly The club is big on tradition, lets from making eagles during putter and pulled it badly. not compassion. the tournament. He twice won a Els showed a mixture of shock crystal vase for having the low and anger during an awkward Nationwide Tour will now be score of the round. And he has TV interview, yet it was a snap- primary qualifying path two silver medals and silver shot of why he’s such a popular ORLANDO, Fla. — PGA trays from being the runner-up in figure. There is a raw honesty Tour commissioner Tim 2000 and 2004. about Els that makes him real. Finchem, saying it was “time to What he doesn’t have is a “I was so hot I found it diffi- get better,” announced Tuesday green jacket. cult to even think straight,” Els sweeping changes that will end And that’s why Els might not said the next day on his website. nearly 50 years of Q-school as a be going back – at least not this “I’ve had a night to sleep on it, way to get to golf’s biggest tour. year. though. It still hurts the way I The policy board Tuesday The sentiment is that Augusta finished the tournament, but I approved two significant compo- National should give a special know in my heart how well I nents to the overhaul – the PGA invitation to the Big Easy, a giant played all week. I have to Tour season will start in October, in the game in so many ways. believe that if I keep doing what and the developmental Nation- Beyond his induction into the I’m doing, the results will reflect wide Tour will be the primary World Golf Hall of Fame last that and I’ll give myself plenty path to get a PGA Tour card. year, Els is the modern pioneer more opportunities to win.” Cards would be awarded at a as a global golfer with 74 wins He needs one to get to the three-tournament series blending worldwide. Masters. Brian Blanco/AP Nationwide Tour and PGA Tour But the club is doing the right The Arnold Palmer Invitation- Ernie Els (center) congratulates Charles Howell III (left) and Soren Kjeldsen on Tuesday after completing the players. thing by not giving him one. al has a field strong enough that 18th hole during the Tavistock Cup exhibition tournament at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club in Orlando, Fla. The board approved the con- Els has no one to blame but Els, who is No. 62 in the world, cept, which has been talked himself for being in this predica- might be able to finish second This is the second time any major, runs the tournament Venturi in 1960. Mark O’Meara about for several months. ment. Since last year’s Masters, alone and move into the top 50. Ishikawa has received an invita- the way it sees fit. In an era when did it to David Duval in 1998. What remains are the details – he has only three finishes in the This week is the cutoff for the tion. international players had a hard Tiger Woods did it to Chris a lot of them. top 10 (including a playoff loss top 50 in the world ranking to But this isn’t about comparing time gaining access to the three DiMarco in a playoff in 2005. “Any time you make a change, in South Africa in January) and get Masters invitations. Els with Ishikawa, the kid whom American majors, it was Augus- Tom Weiskopf was a runner- human nature is, ‘Why are we he has missed the cut six times. Otherwise, his last chance will Els took under his wing at the ta National that invited them. up four times at the Masters. changing? If it ain’t broke don’t He started the year at No. 56 in be to win the Houston Open. Presidents Cup in November. It’s Now, the club is targeting There were three second-place fix it.’ There’s another way to the world and had three months One reason it looks as though more about Els being a PGA growth in Asia, along with finishes for Johnny Miller, who look at things,” Finchem said. to crack the top 50. the Masters should give Els an Tour player who had more growth in its international TV like Els was a U.S. Open and “When things are going pretty That’s what made Innisbrook invitation – historically reserved opportunities to qualify and did- revenue. British Open champion. well, that’s the time to get better.” so excruciating to watch. Els for international players – is that n’t. True, Ishikawa played in all Norman was in a league of his But while the tour wants to made a spirited run up the it already gave one to 20-year- The Masters, which already four majors and three World own when it comes to players make sure players are better leaderboard Sunday in the Tran- old Ryo Ishikawa of Japan. has the most exclusive field of Golf Championships last year. who don’t own a green jacket. equipped when they reach the Six of them, however, are in “Greg has provided our PGA Tour, money is behind the American. For some reason, patrons with much excitement change, too. Japanese players have a hard by his inspired and superior play The tour wants to make the time making the adjustment – during his 21 years at Augusta Nationwide Tour more appealing culture, golf courses, travel – to National,” former club chairman as it searches for a new title S Southouth LLoganogan WWaterater AAssociationssociation the PGA Tour until they actually Hootie Johnson said when he sponsor – this is the final year of South Logan Water Association set up a base in America, as gave Norman the invitation for sponsorship for the Ohio-based insurance company. Finchem Denise Gunderson Shigeki Maruyama did. the 2002 Masters. The last non-Asian to receive Norman twice led after 54 said the tour is talking with sev- ADAIRVILLE from South Logan a special invitation to the Mas- holes, including his infamous eral companies, though “close Water Association ters was Greg Norman in 2002. six-shot lead he lost against Nick might not be the right word.” By starting the official season ELEMENTARY visits students during If that’s the proper compari- Faldo. Larry Mize chipped in on their newspaper son for Els, then it’s no contest. him from 140 feet in a playoff. in October – shortly after the activity. South Logan Els is on the short list of play- He made a late charge and was FedEx Cup season ends – it SCHOOL ers who have had their hearts poised for a playoff until hitting allows the tour to give more Water Association ripped out by Augusta National 4-iron over the green on the 18th value to the tournaments now has been a very part of the Fall Series. If they are SAYS over the years. For five straight hole and making bogey in 1986. dedicated sponsor years, he finished no worse than That gave Nicklaus a sixth green not treated like other tourna- for NIE. Thank you sixth and twice was runner-up. jacket – Norman deserved an ments, odds are they would not THANK for giving back to The most devastating was in invitation for that reason alone. renew their sponsorship, which 2004, when Els was on the Els might need an exemption would eliminate some $25 mil- the community and lion in prize money. YOU putting green waiting for a play- to the U.S. Open one day. He our future leaders. off when the ground shook from should get one as a two-time Starting the season in October roars of Phil Mickelson making champion. means that Q-school no longer an 18-foot birdie to win. But this is the Masters. can be an avenue to the PGA Els isn’t the only player to Els has never been closer than Tour. Instead, Q-school will Nicole Robinson lose to a birdie on the 18th hole. three shots of the lead going into award cards for only the Nation- Adairville School Arnold Palmer did that to Ken the final round. He had only one wide Tour. 3rd Grade Using the newspaper gives my students a AUTO RACING chance to discover real-world connections to the content we are learning about in my class. This week we are studying about time. IndyCar building new stars We hunted in the newspaper for anything that pertained to elapsed time and glued what we found into our math journals.