"WELCOME!"

"Welcome to the Hall of Fame Padraig"
Padraig Harrington wins the PGA Sunday after a thrilling back-nine duel against Ben Curtis and specifically, Sergio Garcia. The win likely gets Padraig into the Hall of Fame with 3 majors, 2 other PGA Tour wins and somewhere between 6 and 10 European Tour wins. Throw in a few Ryder Cup squads and the Irishman suddenly finds himself in amazing company after a whirlwind last 15 months of stellar play. He also joins the top of the list of active players with the most major wins (not counting Tiger) joining Phil, VJ and Ernie (only 1 since 1997 though). Well done Padraig!

Personally, my favorite moment of the day was when Sergio stuffed it on #17 after Padraig just hit it to 12 feet or so. I was holding my 8-month old daughter in my lap and audibly went "Oh!", causing her to get scared and cry. Mommy wasn't too happy with me. If only Sergio had made the putt.

Thoughts on the PGA:
I drove home from my own debacle of a finish Sunday (drained a 30-footer for double-bogey on the most difficult hole finishing hole ever for 79) in great anticipation of perhaps watching Sergio make a charge and capture his 1st major. I just want him to get the monkey off his back and get embraced for what a great player he is. Remember, he is still only 28! Not everyone can be Tiger Woods and the expectations have been so great since his 1999 Medinah run and jump up the hill.

Sergio got me excited, starting impressively with birdie-eagle and playing perhaps the best 7 holes of golf I have ever seen to start a final round in a major. Unfortunately, his last birdie of the day would end up being on the 6th hole. I used up a lot of energy rooting for him during the round and I have to ask…"What does he have to do to win one of these?" I guess I feel this way after watching a solid front nine 31 and the shot on #15 that he almost jarred, but looking in totality at his back nine play a day later, he only had 1 one-putt (for bogey on #16) and no birdies. In addition, there were two shots and one putt that cost him big.

#1: 3rd shot on #12, the par 5 - in perfect position from in front of the green in the fairway, Sergio inexplicably laid the sod over his pitch shot and left himself 40feet for birdie while Padraig rope-hooked one from behind a tree for his 2nd shot and got up and down from the gunch behind the green for his birdie to close within 1.

#2: Obviously, the 2nd shot on #16 that found water - I can't hammer Sergio for this one. He hadn't hit a poor shot really all day and I am sure he took an appropriately conservative line and it just didn't come off. Helluva up and down for 5 to stay in the game.

#3: Missing the putt on #17 after Padraig drained his gave Padraig the likely knowledge that even a bogey on #18 would get him in a playoff. Sergio - it's uphill…take the break out of the putt and hammer it home.

Conversely, on the back nine, Padraig made putts in the 10-15 foot range on #10, 13, 16, 17 & 18. Sergio must inwardly feel a little snake-bitten. Other than Tiger Woods, who does that on the back nine of a major? Padraig, who I believe played his final 27 holes of the tournament in -7, now has shot a pair of 32's in the last two majors on the back nine to seize victory. You think Tiger Woods wants to get back soon? He probably hates that someone other than him is gaining the confidence to win these big events down the stretch. He must be relishing the thought of taking down Padraig when he returns. Likewise, Padraig has to be thinking, "Can I do this when I'm looking at Tiger instead of Sergio?" Wouldn't it be great if it happened that way? It's so unlikely - we've been wanting Tiger v. Phil down the stretch for years and it hasn't happened.

Getting back to Sergio, the media really worked him over after the round and he tried to maintain his composure, and did for the most part before walking away when somebody asked him to comment on Padraig's play. Other than a little whining about Padraig's good lie in the rough on #18, Sergio took most of the questions well. Sergio has to be disappointed but know he is heading in the right direction, especially with his putting. Like I mentioned, he really played great other than 3 shots and putted great otherwise in a final round of a major. This after his big Players win earlier in the year. You just have to feel that he is nearing that elusive 1st win. Similar to what Phil went through for a number of years, all that talent has the media foaming at the mouth to ask him why it isn't happening. Phil had to work on course management and Sergio has to continue to work on his putting to win. Then, I think multiple wins will follow.

Speaking of Phil Mickelson, what a disappointing last two weeks. First, his feeble finish at Firestone and then after starting -3 through 4 holes of his last round in the PGA, never tasting birdie again. In the majors this year, Phil simply looked like the old Phil from years ago, thrashing about the golf course from everywhere but the fairway. How's that coaching from Butch Harmon going? I don't see any improvement in the results to date. Maybe in 2009.

Congratulations to Ben Curtis also. Of the three most unlikely big tournament winners over the last 5-6 years (Curtis, Shaun Micheel, Craig Perks), I always thought Curtis was the one who truly had the potential to win out on Tour and stick around for a few years (I have no proof of this statement but anyway…). However, I never really believed he would win Sunday, but contending down the stretch again in a major, plus the two wins he has added since the '03 British win, proves he is no fluke. And Holy Cow, he is on the Ryder Cup team now, knocking Steve Stricker out of the mix for now. Hard to believe that Stricker, who was #3 in the world starting the year and lost to Daniel Chopra at the Mercedes to start the year and had other top 10finishes in subsequent weeks, can barely finish in the top 25 these days. I haven't checked out his stats lately to see what the issue is, but what a fall from grace. Goes to show you how finicky this game is we all love.

And regarding the Ryder Cup, it's still a touch early to discuss Azinger's picks with 3-4 weeks of playoffs ahead, but I will anyway. As of today, here would be my picks and why:
(1) Rocco - great presence in the locker room, playing fairly well and guys respect him for taking Tiger to the limit. Will have to play well in at least 1 Playoff event I believe still to warrant a pick; not the greatest putter though.
(2) Brandt Snedeker - why? Relaxed personality and can flat out putt, something the U.S. teams in the last 10 years have sorely lacked. Also played well at the Masters and decent in the other big events.
(3) D.J. Trahan - winner on Tour this year, top 4 at U.S. Open and playing more consistent. Similar to Rocco, would need a good showing in at least 1 Playoff event to make the team.
(4) Sean O'Hair - great guy, solid young player and starting to show signs of his game coming around again. Will his putting be a detriment to him making the team.

Why not these guys?
- David Toms - this is the one veteran I could see Captain Paul selecting if he can show signs over the next few weeks. Has been battling injuries but seems fired up of late and was in the mix at the PGA for a bit.

- Woody Austin - NO WAY would I take this guy after basically throwing up over himself twice while in contention in 2nd tier events this year. Played great last year on the President's Cup and loosened up the team, but that was easy in that event. The Ryder Cup is different.

- Hunter Mahan - has not played that consistently this year and his awkward comments basically took him out of the running in my mind.

- Steve Stricker - playing poorly - past issues have included not finding fairways, which is a problem, particularly for options in foursomes.

- J.B. Holmes - I liked JB and his length and Kentucky roots until yesterday's 81 - yikes! Also, doesn't really look like the best option to make putts with the long putter and his caddie lining him up prior to the stroke (although O'Hair does the same thing).

I can't say I am exactly fired up for the FedEx Cup after the last 3 great majors, but it is more interesting without Tiger in complete control. Ultimately, I feel like Phil will come around and win it with more consistent finishes than the other contenders. That's not really going out on a limb so my back-up picks will be Anthony Kim and Jim Furyk.