After three rounds of the 137^th British Open at Royal Birkdale… leading by two shots is none other than GREG NORMAN!  WHAT?  Is TIGER watching this? 

 

 It was truly an amazing performance by one the games great players today as the winds blew everyone into higher scores.  Greg managed the elements as good as anyone to remain at 2 over for the tournament and a two shot lead over Choi and Herrington.  The winds blew at 35 miles per hour all day with several of the back nine holes being severe cross winds. Two over, in my opinion was equivalent to shooting a round at five under par today. 

  During the 1985 Kapalua Invitational, we played in winds of over 40 miles per hour.  I remember hitting a 10 foot putt directly into the teeth of the wind that lipped out and then watched the wind get this ball rolling back toward me to then pass me and end up off the front of the green with a 40 foot chip coming back.  So, I have played in competitions where it has blown like this and the hardest part is staying steady over the putts without getting so firm in grip pressure that you disconnect from the feel of your instrument.  So, when you see the players struggling on the greens, think of what it would be like if as you were ready to stroke and your buddy walked behind you and gave you a light shove on your back or shoulder.  Wind gusts over 20 mph can cause you to loose your balance.  Unless you are a wide base low to the ground posture putter like what we see with Padriag Herrington.   So, it doesn’t surprise me to see him again on top of the leaderboard at the British Open.  Norman has also putted excellent in the windy conditions, judging “the wind-break” extremely well.  Yes the wind break.  When winds are gusting that hard and the greens are drying out and stemping at speeds of 10 or higher, you can have as much as 6 inches of wind-break on a 20’ putt.  

  

Yes, these players are that good that there higher faculties are sensing and intuitively feeling what adjustments are required to create the shots that they want to execute.  For those that embrace the challenge (like Norman), will continue to enjoy the experience that “Mother Nature” and the spirit of “Old Tom Morris” bring to tomorrows final round.  Will it be history with the oldest winner to ever win a major championship?   Or will it be the first Korean to win the Claret Jug?  A repeat for Ireland?  Or a come from behind early posting for a first timer?  What’s your prediction?  Blog in and shore your comments and opinions!  It’s all good!

 

 Happy golfing,

  

Brad Brewer

Greg Norman, David Duval...Rocco Mediate... what?  And we thought with Tiger out that we wouldn’t have a story!?! 

 

 

The story this weekend will be how the young and "very experienced" deal with golf's toughest challenge of winning the oldest Championship at Royal Birkdale, The Open, as referred to by all but the USA. 

 

 

I applaude Greg Norman’s attitude in his interviews of which I have witnessed so far.  To recap, Greg said he has "no expectations" and what he proposes to do over the weekend is stay focused on being calm and relaxed and not to get caught up in the hype.

 

 

We can all learn something from Greg's thoughts.  When we have expectations we can expect to be disappointed.  When we commit to our intentions we are able to grow toward our ideal with astute awareness of staying in the moment and creating what we want, one shot at a time. 

 

 

How cool (not mocking the weather over there) would it be to see Choi, Villegas or Allenby bust through the terror barrier and winning their first major.  Certainly a Duval comeback would be so well received.  And then there is the story of Rocco post the amazing battle to the sudden death match against Tiger at the US Open, where both deserved to win!  Or how 'bout history made with The Shark winning at 53 years young?  It is all good!!!

 

 

 

 

 

April 20, 2008 

I’m joyful and grateful to be sharing my thoughts with you this Sunday evening on what happening in this great game of golf.

So when have we ever heard a winner being celebrated with a  BOOOOOOOOOO? 

How about Mr. Boo Weekly, with what now is his “Annual” victory of the Verizon Heritage Classic Harbour Town South Carolina?! 
Weekly’s s ability to do things in a certain way each day carried him through to a wire to wire finish for a consecutive year. 

Congratulations to our life long friend, Robert Damron whom today won on the Nationwide Tour at the Athens Regional Foundation Classic on the first playoff hole against Aussie, Greg Owens. "I'm not saying I knew I was going to make it," he said. "I knew I had a good read. I knew was putting good. There was a strong chance in my mind that I was going to make it. I like the position because if I make it then the pressure's on Greg."  The Secret to your best golf takeaway here is that even though he said he was not confident with his ball sticking, he continued to focus on what he wanted one shot at a time.  This put him into a position for victory.  His will to stay focused no matter what was his strength to finish off the playoff with the correct thoughts and a win.

Ochoa WOW!  Lorean Ochoa wins again at the Ginn Open with a convincing 3 shot victory over Yani Tseng.  How good is this player playing?  Five of the last Six tournaments are convincing victories with a aggregate total of 99 under par.  WOW!  Can you say, TIGRESS Performance! 

Whats so cool about this customer to me is her “PALMER ATTITUDE” of GRATITUDE.  My dear friend Doug Wherry who travels the LPGA Tour with YES Golf told me this great insight to whom I think is the best performer in golf right now.  Doug said that Lorena is not only a great player, she has this attitude of gratitude that is so cool, making eye contact with people in the gallery and talking with them between shots.  But the coolest thing is that during the week Lorean will take her time to  thank the local grounds crew in person for there work in preparation for the event.  NOW that is the attitude of gratitude that real Champions in life success are made of!  Good on you Lorean.

 
Until next time,

 
Happy golfing,

 
Brad Brewer

Sunday 4/13/08

Masters Sunday

 

Tiger makes his first roar of the day on 11 after rolling in a 30+ footer.  I really thought, here we go!  At that time he comes within 5 shots on Trevor Immelman.  Trevor playing solid as a rock continues to keep his lead by holing the putts when he needs to and hitting key shots at the proper time.  Side note: In my opinion, Trevor’s swing is as good as Hogan’s!

Tiger’s real opportunity to apply the tooth came on 13 when he hit an amazing recovery shot out of the pines through the fairway right to a lay-up of 105 from the green.  He then hits this perfect wedge 20 plus feet above the hole to spin back almost into the hole--ending up 4 foot below.  Unlike Tiger he jabs another short putt and pulls it left.  If he would have holed that putt, it would have sent major vibrations through the pines of Augusta to a group waiting to tee off on 12 and what Trevor’s mentor; Gary Player calls the “toughest par 3 hole in golf.”  Especially on Masters Sunday, with the green jacket on the line and in his mind.  But the missed putt gave room for this first time Major Champion to put it into cruise control his own game and not be concerned with the number one player in the world taking it from his grasp.

The Secret to Trevor’s Success today was found in his ability to stay focused on doing things in a certain way.  His routine never changed during any point of his round.  All week he spent more time behind the ball in the think box focusing on what he wanted before walking into the play box.  He was locked in befre he walked in.  This allowed him to consciously create his success, subconsciously feel good about it and send these good vibrations into the body to take action on the task at hand.  And he did into an amazing performance that entitles him to be called a Masters Champion for life!

How cool is that!  Congratulations Trevor… and a personal send out to his fitness trainer, and Golf Fitness Magazine Advisory Staff Member, David Herman!

Ok… How do you feel about Tevor having to hit the ball out of someone’s left divot?  Do you think that this is part of the game or should the divot be considered ground under repair?  What is your opinion?

Tiger from six back into the final day at the Masters.

So, how many of you would give anyone other than Tiger a chance to win The Masters from 6 shots behind going into the final round?  Even though Tiger has never won  a major from coming from behind, he is still my pick for a variety of reasons.  The major reason being that he will have the opportunity to use his momentum as a “terror barrier” against 4 players that have yet to win a major championship.

"You want to win the Masters, period," Woods said. "Doesn't really matter how you do it as long as you do it.

"This is the highest score I could have shot today," said Woods, who is 5 under. "I hit the ball so well and I hit so many good putts that just skirted the hole. But, hey, I put myself right back in the tournament."

Be prepared to watch a successful person do things in a certain way tomorrow.  His ability to WILL the ball into the hole when it really matters is becoming legendary.  And that my friend is his SECRET.  I look forward to your comments.

Until next time, Happy golfing,

Brad Brewer