A Little Catch Up

Australia’s Katherine Hull won the Canadian Women’s Open on Sunday for her first LPGA Tour title, taking advantage of Yani Tseng’s final-round meltdown for a one-stroke victory at Ottawa Hunt. The 26-year-old Hull, six strokes behind Tseng at the start of the round, shot a 3-under 69 to finish at 11-under 277. Se Ri Pak closed with a 72 to finish second, and Tseng’s 77 left her two strokes behind at 9 under. Hull, the former Pepperdine star who second behind Meena Lee in the 2005 tournament at Glen Arbour in Nova Scotia for her best previous LPGA Tour finish, had four birdies and a bogey Sunday. She earned $337,500. Top-ranked Lorena Ochoa, the 2007 winner at Royal Mayfair in Alberta, shot a 73 to tie for fourth with Sun Young Yoo (69) and Song-Hee Kim (70) at 7 under. Annika Sorenstam, leaving the Tour at the end of the season, had weekend round of 76 and 74 to tie for 21st at 2 over. Michelle Wie, using the last of her six LPGA Tour exemptions this year, tied for 12th at 3 under. She had rounds of 75, 70, 69 and 71. Lorie Kane was the top Canadian, finishing at 4 over. The 43-year-old from Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, finished third in 2001 and fifth in 2004.

Carl Pettersson was one imperfect hole from leading the full final two rounds of the Wyndham Championship. It was that brief slip-up that propelled the Swede to victory in his adopted hometown. Pettersson won his local tournament for his first PGA Tour victory in two years, shooting a 2-under 68 on Sunday for a two-stroke victory at Sedgefield Country Club. Irked by a bogey on the 11th hole that temporarily dropped him into second place, Pettersson responded with three birdies during the four-hole stretch that followed to finish at 21-under 259 and earn $918,000.

Scott McCarron briefly led midway through the final round before fading into second with a 68. Rich Beem’s second straight 63 left him four strokes off the lead, with J.J. Henry (62) and rookie Martin Laird (63) another shot behind him. Pettersson made his move immediately after slipping out of the lead for the first time since Friday, when his tournament-record 61 in Round 2 shot him up the leaderboard. He began the back nine with consecutive bogeys, falling one stroke back to 19 under when he missed an 8-foot par putt on the 11th. McCarron gave the stroke back on the 12th, missing a 13-foot birdie putt and lipping out a 4-foot par attempt during just his second bogey.Pettersson birdied the 13th for a one-stroke lead, then went back up by two shots with a birdie on the par-5 15th — the easiest hole on the course for everyone but him, after two bogeys and a par on it. This time it was McCarron’s turn for trouble; he sent his second shot into the sand, recovered and lipped out an 8-foot birdie putt.

Quit acting like a brat

Doctors have cleared Woods for one golf activity, putting, but the best player in the world said he isn’t interested. Tiger said he won’t be playing golf until next year, so there is no reason for him to hit the practice green right now. After his first knee surgery this year in April, Woods said after a week or so that he was bored from riding the exercise bike. After being laid up and not being able to do anything following the more extensive surgery in June, he was glad to be able to finally hop on his stationary bike recently. Woods did a radio interview with his pal Scott Van Pelt of ESPN last week and said he watched only the last few holes of Padraig Harrington’s victory in the British Open last month. He said it was difficult because he wasn’t there to defend his title and that he also didn’t plan to watch much if any of the PGA Championship, which he won the last two years.

 Personally, i think Tiger is acting like a BRAT! I understand that it sucks not being able to defend the title and not being able to add another one to your belt but if you respect the game and your fellow players–don’t you think you should be more supportive? Instead of being a whiner, how about sucking it up and showing a little more support to the other players out in the field.

Woods added that he watched only highlights of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, which he has won six times. He also discussed the Brett Favre situation and said when it’s time for him to retire, he won’t have any problem putting the clubs away and leaving them there.

PGA Grand Slam of Golf

PGA and British Open Champion Padraig Harrington of Ireland has opened the door for two past major champions to complete the foursome for the 26th PGA Grand Slam of Golf, to be conducted in Bermuda and Mid Ocean Club, Oct. 13-15.

Harrington’s win at Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Township, Mich., was his third major championship and his second of the season. He won his second British Open championship in July at Royal Birkdale Golf Club.

By winning two major championships this season, Harrington and Masters Champion Trevor Immelman form one-half of the elite foursome. Invitations will be extended to the top two finishers in the Major Champions Point List — Phil Mickelson and Retief Goosen. Reigning U.S. Open Champion Tiger Woods will not be playing for the rest of the season due to knee surgery.

The PGA Grand Slam of Golf is a 36-hole event broadcast by TNT to an audience of 89 million U.S. homes along with an international audience from more than 100 countries in a prime-time telecast.The PGA Grand Slam of Golf purse is $1.35 million, with the winner receiving $600,000; second place $300,000; third place $250,000; and fourth place $200,000.

PGA Grand Slam Week begins Monday, Oct. 13, with the Champions Clinic and Pro-Am. The Champions Clinic features the major Champions demonstrating various golf skills and insight on how they execute their shots.Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct. 14-15, are the competition days, where the limited gallery will experience the major Champions up close, as “inside-the-fairway” access will be enjoyed by all spectators.

I would love to see Phil take this one home- how about you?