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MI Golf Holidays

MI Golf Holidays / Events

Events

Upcoming Events

28

May
Mon

The Style Blog: Holiday looks

Memorial Day is the official start of summer, and for many, a great excuse to take a golf trip. Personally, I'm not going anywhere farther than my local muni -- and very much looking forward...

28

May
Mon

Final thoughts from Women's NCAAs

FLOATING ALONG THE CUMBERLAND RIVER, TENN.--In my job covering college golf, I don't pull for any particular team or individual to succeed. For one thing, it's not good for business--you try getting somebody to return...

27

May
Sun

Johnson wins 'pillow fight,' impersonates Bobby Locke

It was a scene from the pages of history, which at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial tends to suggest that Hogan was its author. But this one was written by another legend from the same era and oddly re-enacted at the conclusion of an altogether strange afternoon on Sunday. For the record, Zach Johnson won, which was less of a surprise than the fact that Jason Dufner lost. More on that momentarily. Fifty-five years ago, at the '57 British Open, Bobby Locke won by three only for officials to learn later that Locke had forgotten to return his ball marker to its original position after moving it a putter-head to clear it from Bruce Crampton's putting line. He then putted out from the wrong place. Locke could have been disqualified, but the Royal and Ancient ultimately decreed that "with his three-shot lead and no advantage having been gained, the equity and spirit of the game dictated that he should not be disqualified." The equity and spirit of the game were not applicable at Colonial Country Club on Sunday, when Johnson carried a three-stroke lead into the final hole and similarly moved his ball marker a putter-head away to clear a line for Dufner, then forgot to replace it.

26

May
Sat

England's Chapman ties Snead's 54-hole record

(Getty Images photo) BENTON HARBOR, Mich. - For three nights running, Roger Chapman has eaten dinner with a book and his thoughts at the Grande Mere Inn in nearby Stevensville. He was planning a fourth visit Saturday night. And why not? Chapman's third round of the 73rd Senior PGA Championship was his best yet at the GC of Harbor Shores, a brilliant, seven-under 64 that put him at 14-under and five strokes ahead of John Cook after 54 holes. The Englishman's 54-hole total of 199 matched the championship record held by Sam Snead, and his ball-striking today would have been something the Slammer would have admired. Chapman, utilizing what he described as the best iron play of his life, peppered the flagsticks throughout the day and holed a pair of 25-foot birdie putts to boot. "It was pretty special," Chapman said. "Coming here I had no real expectations, but I knew I was playing OK and everything the first three rounds has gone really well for me." He has hit 48 of 54 greens through 54 holes, the type of golf that makes one wonder why he only won once during his long European Tour career. That victory, in the 2000 Brazil Rio de Janeiro 500 Years Open over Padraig Harrington in a playoff, came on his 472nd start. He never won again, and at 53 is still looking for his first win on the European senior circuit after playing a truncated schedule on the Champions Tour last year. At Harbor Shores, Chapman has looked like he is on cruise control. "He's swinging the club beautifully, and his distance control has been spot on," said Cook, who was grouped with Chapman Saturday. "And he's used those ridges [on the greens] perfectly. It really was a great round to watch. If he keeps swinging the way he is right now, it's going to be tough. Somebody's going to have to shoot something very low." Harbor Shores has a lot of trouble, but so far Chapman has avoided most of it with rounds of 68, 67 and today's course-record tying 64. His challenge will be to stay clear of it again tomorrow, even with the comfortable cushion starting the day. After Cook at nine under, Steve Pate and Hale Irwin are tied for third place, seven shots behind the leader, with Joel Edwards another stroke back in fifth place. "There's a lot of trouble out there," Cook said. "If you don't quite have it, it can make you look silly." Through 54 holes, Chapman has simply looked superb. -- Bill Fields

26

May
Sat

Weekend Tip: Dufner's coach on why you need two swings

I was playing a quick nine the other evening after work with Golf Digest's Design Director, Ken DeLago. Ken is a very good player. He can flat-out crush his driver. He told me when he...

25

May
Fri

Alabama women captures first NCAA title

FRANKLIN, Tenn. (AP) -- Alabama won its first women's golf title Friday, holding off two-time champ Southern California by a stroke on the 72nd hole in the NCAA Division I championship.Oklahoma's Chirapat Jao-Javanil won the...

25

May
Fri

Irwin, 66, shoots his age, recalls Winged Food in '74

(Photo by Getty Images) BENTON HARBOR, Mich. -- When Hale Irwin got to the Senior PGA Championship this week and heard so much carping from his peers about the severe greens at Harbor Shores, it reminded him of a championship long ago. "Well, it reminds me a lot of Winged Foot in '74," Irwin said. "There were a lot of disgruntled players in '74, and 70 percent of them were out of the tournament before the tournament even started." The dogged Irwin, of course, survived Winged Foot's rigors in 1974 to win the first of his three U.S. Opens. Through two rounds of the Senior PGA, Irwin is in the thick of contention at age 66. He matched his age Friday in a remarkable ball-striking display that moved him to five-under 137, in third place, two shots behind Roger Chapman and John Cook. "He played behind me and I knew he got off to a good start and it looked like he was making birdies on every hole," Cook said. "And I go, 'Oh my God, look at this, we're battling around there just trying to make pars and here's this 66-year-old just whipping our butts.'" Irwin three-putted the par-5 ninth hole (his 18th) for his lone bogey of the day. He missed six birdie putts inside 15 feet on a day that could have truly been something to talk about. "I really didn't putt very well," Irwin said, "I just played very, very well." Irwin's shotmaking was personified by a beautiful, cut 5-iron on his 11th hole, a 176-yard par 3, where his ball chased back to within five feet of a rear hole location. He has only had one top-10 finish this season on the Champions Tour (in the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf with partner Ian Baker-Finch) but is inspired by the tougher challenges at the senior majors. "These are exacting golf courses and they require exacting shots," Irwin said. "And that's the way it should be and why I think there are some of us that look so forward to these kind of events. And if I can do well in them, exel in them and have a chance the last day, then - I hate the term - that's what it's all about. That's why we continue doing what we do and continue trying to push that bar beyond where some people might stop. I just don't believe in that. It's just not in me to do that." At Valhalla GC last year, Irwin made a spirited run at his fifth Senior PGA Championship, sharing the 54-hole lead before closing with a 73 to finish two shots out of the Tom Watson-David Eger playoff won by Watson. Now, with two rounds to play at Harbor Shores, Irwin is right back in the mix. "He's such an inspiration," said Cook. "Hale just keeps getting it done." -- Bill Fields

25

May
Fri

Irwin, 66, shoots his age, recalls Winged Foot in '74

(Photo by Getty Images) BENTON HARBOR, Mich. -- When Hale Irwin got to the Senior PGA Championship this week and heard so much carping from his peers about the severe greens at Harbor Shores, it reminded him of a championship long ago. "Well, it reminds me a lot of Winged Foot in '74," Irwin said. "There were a lot of disgruntled players in '74, and 70 percent of them were out of the tournament before the tournament even started." The dogged Irwin, of course, survived Winged Foot's rigors in 1974 to win the first of his three U.S. Opens. Through two rounds of the Senior PGA, Irwin is in the thick of contention at age 66. He matched his age Friday in a remarkable ball-striking display that moved him to five-under 137, in third place, two shots behind Roger Chapman and John Cook. "He played behind me and I knew he got off to a good start and it looked like he was making birdies on every hole," Cook said. "And I go, 'Oh my God, look at this, we're battling around there just trying to make pars and here's this 66-year-old just whipping our butts.'" Irwin three-putted the par-5 ninth hole (his 18th) for his lone bogey of the day. He missed six birdie putts inside 15 feet on a day that could have truly been something to talk about. "I really didn't putt very well," Irwin said, "I just played very, very well." Irwin's shotmaking was personified by a beautiful, cut 5-iron on his 11th hole, a 176-yard par 3, where his ball chased back to within five feet of a rear hole location. He has only had one top-10 finish this season on the Champions Tour (in the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf with partner Ian Baker-Finch) but is inspired by the tougher challenges at the senior majors. "These are exacting golf courses and they require exacting shots," Irwin said. "And that's the way it should be and why I think there are some of us that look so forward to these kind of events. And if I can do well in them, exel in them and have a chance the last day, then - I hate the term - that's what it's all about. That's why we continue doing what we do and continue trying to push that bar beyond where some people might stop. I just don't believe in that. It's just not in me to do that." At Valhalla GC last year, Irwin made a spirited run at his fifth Senior PGA Championship, sharing the 54-hole lead before closing with a 73 to finish two shots out of the Tom Watson-David Eger playoff won by Watson. Now, with two rounds to play at Harbor Shores, Irwin is right back in the mix. "He's such an inspiration," said Cook. "Hale just keeps getting it done." -- Bill Fields

25

May
Fri

Kevin Na gets upset after being put on the clock at Colonial

Kevin Na, the man with the stuttering golf swing, ran afoul of the law at the Crowne Plaza Invitational in Friday's second round when his threesome with Johnny Huh and Aaron Baddeley were placed on the clock for slow play. Na objected to the action strenuously. Huh shot a 66 Friday and was at four-under par through 36 holes. Baddeley's 70 left him one-over par going to the weekend. Na made three bogeys after being put on the clock -- Nos. 9, 12 and 14 -- but birdied Nos. 16 and 17 to shoot 71 and also be at one over after 36 holes. Here's what Na had to say after Friday's round at Colonial CC: "We were in position all day. We were waiting the first few holes. I'm constantly looking where we are in position. Off the sixth tee we were in perfect position, off the seventh tee we were doing fine, we were in perfect position. We struggled a little bit on eighth, the par-3, as a group because we had long shots and long putts coming in and we stand on nine and we get off the tee and they are telling us we are on the clock. I get on nine green and I look down 10 fairway and they are on the green. We have an 11-minute interval and we are in position. After I putted on the hole I called them over and said, 'Look, we're in position, we shouldn't be on the clock.' That's all." Asked if he thought he was being singled out, Na said: "No comment, no comment." But he was clearly angry:

25

May
Fri

Michael Allen makes remarkable turnaround at Senior PGA

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. -- Same guy, same course, different day. Michael Allen shot a 77 Thursday in the first round of the 73rd Senior PGA Championship. He was 13 strokes better than that Friday, carding a course-record, seven-under 64 to vault into contention on a much calmer day at Harbor Shores. Allen, 102nd after his six-over opening round, was T-5 at one-under 141 when he got to the clubhouse, three strokes behind leader Roger Chapman, who was early in his second round. It was the lowest round shot in the Senior PGA since Allen Doyle closed with a 64 to win the event in 1999 at PGA National GC. His turnaround equaled the 13-shot swings by Brad Bryant (80-67) and Bill Loeffler (82-69) from the second to third rounds during the 2010 Senior PGA at Colorado GC. Allen -- the hottest player on the Champions Tour this season with two victories and four other top-four finishes -- made seven birdies (only one on a par 5), saved par after hitting his approach long on No. 7 and didn't have a bogey.