Green Reading

Johnson active in MB and with sponsor before victory

Some time spent in Myrtle Beach last week might have done Dustin Johnson some good. He won his first tournament of the year Saturday in The Barclays.

Johnson was in town last weekend prior to heading to New Jersey for The Barclays, and had a gathering with friends Saturday night at Broadway at the Beach.

Before the tournament, he also took part in a promotion for his primary sponsor, TaylorMade. Johnson helped TaylorMade Golf, FedEx and the PGA Tour celebrate the delivery of the company’s one-millionth white metalwood.

Disguised as a FedEx driver, Johnson ambushed an unsuspecting consumer in Clifton, New Jersey, with the special delivery containing a gold-plated R11 driver. You can watch, and share, the video by clicking here.

Johnson wins The Barclays, moves to No. 4 in world rankings

Coastal Carolina University alumnus and former Myrtle Beach resident Dustin Johnson shot a 6-under-par 65 in Saturday’s final round to win The Barclays at Plainfield Country Club, the first event in the PGA Tour’s four-tournament Playoffs for the FedExCup.

Johnson’s 19-under 194 total was two strokes better than runner-up Matt Kuchar, and three better than Vijay Singh and Brandt Snedeker, who shot a 10-under 61 Saturday.

Kuchar began the day with a one-shot lead over Johnson, who took over the lead in the FedExCup standings and earned $1.35 million of an $8 million purse.

The tournament was cut to 54 holes because inclement weather from Hurricane Irene was expected to pass through the area Saturday night and into Sunday.

It’s the second consecutive year Johnson has claimed victory in a playoff event, as he won the BMW Championship last year before finishing fifth in the playoffs and earning a $1 million bonus. The FedExCup playoffs winner earns a $10 million bonus.

He now has five PGA Tour wins, including at least one in each of his four seasons.

Johnson wrestled the lead from Kuchar with a blistering 6-under 29 on the front nine. He made birdies on holes 1, 2, 5, 7 and 9, eagled on the 328-yard par-4 fourth hole by holing out from a green-side bunker, and bogeyed the par-3 third hole. Pars on the final nine holes were good enough to earn the win.

Kuchar made the turn one stroke behind and birdied the 11th hole to tie Johnson for the lead, but he bogeyed holes 12 and 13 and was unable to mount a charge down the stretch.

The lead threesome of Kuchar, Johnson and Singh teed off in the final threesome at 8:50 a.m. as PGA Tour officials tried to beat the expected heavy rain and wind. Golf Channel has tape-delayed coverage through 3 p.m., and CBS has coverage from 3-6 p.m.

 

McPherson motivated for 2013 Solheim Cup

Kristy McPherson doesn't want her next appearance in a Solheim Cup to come down to a captain's decision.

After qualifying for and competing in the 2009 Solheim Cup by finishing in the top 10 in U.S. Solheim Cup points, the Conway native stumbled to a 13th place finish this year and wasn't one of captain Rosie Jones' picks on Sunday.

McPherson tweeted Sunday night: "Well...ill b there for the 2013 Solheim Cup in Colorado I promise!!! GO USA!!!"

I expect her to keep her promise, as I'm sure her former USA teammates do as well.

 

South Carolinian wins PGA Junior title

Amateur and junior golf is currently strong in the Carolinas.

Some prestigious national amateur events have been won by amateurs in the Carolinas this year, including the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship by Corbin Mills of Easley and Clemson University.

Last week, Cody Proveaux of Leesville, who is committed to Clemson for the fall of 2012, claimed the boys' title in the 36th Junior PGA Championship in thrilling fashion.

Proveaux, who owned a three-stroke lead heading into the final round but struggled to a 3-over-par 39 on the front nine at Sycamore Hills Golf Club in Fort Wayne, Ind., was forced to make a 15-foot putt on the 18th hole to win.

Lorens Chan of Honolulu, Hawaii sank a similar putt on No. 18 to draw even with Proveaux, who was playing two boys' groups behind him. Chan used a final-round 69 to finish alone in second.

"I didn't even know I was tied until I was walking up to the green on 18, and my second shot probably wouldn't have been so good if I did know," Proveaux told PGA of America media officials. "I just took a deep breath and told myself I could do it. Then I took the putter back and made it.

"This is my first major victory in a stroke-play event and I am so happy to have won. The field this week was so good and I knew it would take my best effort to win this trophy."

Proveaux closed with a back-nine 34 for a final-round 1-over-par 73 and 282 total to take home the Jack Nicklaus Trophy. Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand, 15, closed out her second straight national junior title in dominating fashion to take home the Patty Berg Trophy.

Proveaux has played in a few tournaments on the Grand Strand, and finished second to Davis Womoble of High Point, N.C., by a couple shots in December’s Charles Tilghman Junior at the Surf Golf and Beach Club.

 

Johnson gets Fowler and Garcia at PGA Championship

Pairings were released Friday for the 93rd PGA Championship at the Atlanta Athletic Club in Johns Creek, Ga., next week, and former CCU standout Dustin Johnson will be paired with young American star Rickie Fowler and Spain's Sergio Garcia. They go off the first tee at 1:25 p.m. in Thursday’s first round and off the 10^th tee at 8:15 a.m. in Friday’s second round.

Tiger Woods' return to major championship golf begins at 8:35 a.m. on the 10th tee Thursday. The four-time PGA Champion will play the first two rounds with 1997 PGA Champion and 2012 U.S. Ryder Cup Captain Davis Love III, and 2008 PGA Champion Padraig Harrington of Ireland. The group tees off the first hole at 1:45 p.m. Friday.

The pairings also feature the traditional grouping of the winners of the first three major golf championships of the year. South African Charl Schwartzel, the 2011 Masters Champion, will be joined by Northern Irishmen Rory McIlroy, the 2011 United States Open Champion, and Darren Clarke, the 2011 Open Champion. The trio tees off on Thursday at 1:45 p.m. on the first tee and Friday at 8:35 a.m. on the 10th tee.

Betting on Tiger's new caddie

Speculation persists on who Tiger Woods will hire as his next caddie.

European bookmaker Paddy Power has established veteran caddy Fanny Sunesson, who caddied for Nick Faldo from 1990 to 1999 and won four majors with him, as the bookie's 6/4 favourite to take over Tiger’s bag. The Swedish blonde is currently working with Henrik Stenson as well as serving as Martin Kaymer’s mental coach.

Tiger’s childhood friend Byron Bell is caddying for Tiger in this week's WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and was installed as the 13/8 second favorite, though Woods said this week Bell is only a temporary caddie. He's ahead of Paul Tesori at 7/4, veteran PGA Tour caddie Tony Navarro at 6/1 and Yorkshireman Billy Foster at 8/1.

Paddy Power is also taking bets on whether Woods or Williams next win a tournament.

Tiger’s next permanent caddy
6/4       Fanny Sunesson
13/8     Byron Bell
7/4       Paul Tesori
5/1       John Wood
6/1       Tony Navarro
8/1        Billy Foster
12/1     JP Fitzgerald
20/1      Joe la Cava
33/1      Colin Byrne
500/1    Powakaddy

Next to win a tournament?
8/15      Tiger
11/8      Williams

Grand Strand mini-golf attracts a little attention

Myrtle Beach not only receives attention for its golf courses, but it also gets a bit of pub for its miniature golf courses.

The RealSimple.com website lists Hawaiian Rumble in North Myrtle Beach as one of summer’s “10 Superlative Family Vacation Destination Ideas.”

It says Hawaiian Rumble is the Most Rockin’ Mini-Golf location, and sites a 40-foot volcano that erupts every 20 minutes and greens that have been re-covered with the same top-of-the-line carpet that Ernie Els and other pros use for their own practice greens.