Not on speaking terms, Padraig Harrington (left) and Sergio Garcia
Picture by courtesy of Getty Images(c)
FROM THE GOLF.COM WEBSITE
There is no love lost between Tiger Woods and Sergio Garcia, as both made clear at The Players Championship and in the weeks that followed. The same could be said for Garcia and Padraig Harrington, as the Irishman showed on a couple of occasions this year in his subtle style.
Speaking to a small group of reporters at the TPC Sawgrass, where the Woods-Garcia flap was starting to unfold, Harrington said of all the times he has played with Woods he considered his etiquette "absolutely impeccable."
"I've played with Tiger many times," Harrington said. "I give him an A-plus on his etiquette on the course. I give him an A-plus for his respect for fellow players on the course."
A British reporter then asked Harrington what kind of grade he would give Garcia.
"I'm not in a position to rank players," he replied.
Later that summer, Harrington finished a practice round at Muirfield and was signing autographs. One fan had the Open programme turned to the page that showed Harrington winning his first Claret Jug. That was in 2007 at Carnoustie, after a play-off against Garcia.
Harrington signed the page and held onto the book for the longest time, staring at the photo with a satisfied smile.
"You like that picture?" the man said.
"More than you know," the Irishman replied.
IS THERE A DENTIST IN THE HOUSE?
Rory McIlroy generated a buzz no matter where he went at the start of the year. He had the hefty deal from Nike. He was No. 1 in the world. And he was struggling early with a missed cut in Abu Dhabi and a first-round departure in Match Play. Nothing caused a stir like Friday at the Honda Classic, when he abruptly shook hands with Ernie Els as they were making the turn and walked straight to the parking lot.
Information was a trickle. He was vague during a brisk walk to the car. Later, a statement from his management company said he had a sore wisdom tooth.
There was a golf tournament still going on. Michael Thompson shot 65 on that Friday to move to the top of the leaderboard. It was early afternoon and no one seemed interested. The announcement sounded more like a plea. "We have Michael Thompson in the interview room," the official said.
One voice broke the awkward silence. "Is he a dentist?" a reported asked.
No. But he did win his first US PGA Tour event that week.
CABRERA IS AN ANGEL WITH KIDS
Angel Cabrera is a man of few words and loud actions.
A month after losing the Masters in a playoff, he was walking off the 18th green at TPC Sawgrass following a practice round. Fans thrust programs and flags for him to sign. There was bumping and pushing, and a marshal started to bark at everyone to back up.
Cabrera stepped back about 10 feet, and then instructed only the children to come under the ropes and join him. He spent the next 15 minutes signing for them.
MENDEZ SOAKED UP ATMOSPHERE
Among the visitors at The Players Championship was Ulises Mendez, who plays on the US PGA Tour Latinoamerica. The Argentine earned his card last year when he tied for 15th in Latin America Q-school. His player badge allowed him access to the tournament, and he camped out just beneath the bleachers behind the 17th green.
He stood there for an hour as the best players came through the 17th. It was an inspiring day.
"To know where you need to be," Mendez said, "you need to see where you want to go."
ROSE'S CADDIES LOVES THURSDAYS
The final week of December is the one week no meaningful tournaments are played on any tour in the world.
The golf year is endless, and it can feel even longer.
Mark Fulcher, the caddie for Justin Rose, has been at this a long time. The crowning moment was at Merion, where Rose won the U.S. Open for his first major. This was in late October, halfway around the world in Shanghai. Everyone was tired. Rose was just starting the stretch run to the end of his year. The caddies were talking about the drudgery of early rounds at a tournament.
Except for "Fooch."
"The day I stop caddying, I'll either be dead or I won't be excited on a Thursday morning," Fulcher said that day. "Thursday is the greatest day in golf. It's the perfect reset, isn't it? You're reminded, even if you won, that everyone starts all over the next week. And if you've played absolute rubbish, there's always the belief that it's about to turn around. I love Thursday. Just love it."
It's a good reminder for everyone involved in this game. You never know what's going to happen next. Or when.
Published by scottishgolfview.com