Friday
Sep162011
Stricker withdraws after 70, citing neck pain
Friday, September 16, 2011 at 1:03PM
Writing from Lemont, Illinois
Friday, September 16, 2011
A fan or two might want their money back if they come to Cog Hill on Saturday hoping to see Steve Stricker, only to discover he withdrew after Friday’s 1-under-par 70.
Stricker, who said Wednesday of the Jemsek family, “They need to get their money back, I guess,” regarding Rees Jones’ 2008 renovation of the 1964 Dick Wilson-Joe Lee design, exited after the second round and sent word through his agent he wouldn’t be back for the weekend because of neck pain.
“After consulting with his doctor he had decided to rest at home for a few days in hopes of regaining full strength for the Tour Championship,” Jon Heaton said.
He shot 5-over 76 in the first round, but was 3-under for the second round through 16 holes. Bogeys on the 17th and 18th might have soured the outlook of the 1996 Western Open winner. In that affair, when wife Nikki was also his caddie, he was plodding along near the lead until she read him the riot act walking from the 14th tee to the green. He played the next 18 holes in 61 strokes and won the Western by eight.
By withdrawing, Stricker gets no points from this week to carry forward to the Tour Championship. The good news for him is, bow-hunting season opens tomorrow in Wisconsin.
Among the others who criticized Jones’ renovation, Phil Mickelson added a 2-over 73 to his opening 72 and is at 3-over 145 through 36 holes. An extremely reliable observer who was at the eighth tee on Thursday said Mickelson was booed by a handful of spectators when he took to the tee. Mickelson ignored them.
Bill Haas understands what Jones had in mind with his renovation of Dubsdread. After his 5-under 66, Haas said, “You have to put it in the fairway. They definitely narrow up the more agressive you get on some holes. If you’re not in the fairway, you can’t attack the green.”
Mickelson, for instance, has hit 10 of 28 fairways in two rounds, while co-leaders Mark Wilson and Justin Rose have hit 23 and 25 fairways, respectively.
Oh, baby
Webb Simpson, sitting third through 36 holes, has no trouble with Saturday’s early tee times.
“With a 7-month old baby I’m used to being up in the morning,” he quipped after his round of 3-under-par 68. “He sleeps 7 to 7, so he gets his 12 hours.”
How cold is it?
So cold – 59 degrees, with a nagging overcast, for the high for the second day running – that this is shaping up as the coldest Western Open, by any name, since the 1940 Western, played at River Oaks Country Club in Houston in the chill of February. The warmest day at that Western was a second-round high of 58 (as opposed to a 50-degree day for the first round, the coldest ever for the Western). These two days tie for the 10th coldest for the championship.
That’s one reason the crowds are down. Only about 20,000 were on hand Friday. Add in the estimated 14,000 for Thursday – the Western Golf Association doesn’t release totals – and the total of 34,000 is less than many single weekend days when Chicago’s biggest golf show was played in July.
Around Dubsdread
Defending champion Dustin Johnson isn’t defending well. He’s at 6-over 148 through 36 holes, well back in the pack. ... Saturday’s tee times start at 7:25 a.m. The fun of that is seeing whether or not Sergio Garcia, Aaron Baddeley and Jason Day, marquee players not accustomed to such an early start, have the sand rubbed out of their eyes at that hour. ... Friday’s turnaround group was Luke Donald, Brandt Snedeker and Day. Collectively 10-over on Thursday (and with Snedeker at even par), the trio posted rounds of 66, 66 and 65 on Friday, 16-under-par, for a 26-stroke swing. ... Bill Haas understands what Rees Jones had in mind with his renovation of Dubsdread. After his 5-under 66, Haas said, “You have to put it in the fairway. They definitely narrow up the more agressive you get on some holes. If you’re not in the fairway, you can’t attack the green.” Phil Mickelson, for instance, has hit 10 of 28 fairways in two rounds, while co-leaders Mark Wilson and Justin Rose have hit 23 and 25 fairways, respectively. ... In an effort to get people to hang around after Saturday’s 2:30 p.m. conclusion of play, three big-screen video boards will show college football (probably NBC’s Michigan State-Notre Dame telecast) and food and drinks will be priced two-for-one.
– Tim Cronin
Friday, September 16, 2011
A fan or two might want their money back if they come to Cog Hill on Saturday hoping to see Steve Stricker, only to discover he withdrew after Friday’s 1-under-par 70.
Stricker, who said Wednesday of the Jemsek family, “They need to get their money back, I guess,” regarding Rees Jones’ 2008 renovation of the 1964 Dick Wilson-Joe Lee design, exited after the second round and sent word through his agent he wouldn’t be back for the weekend because of neck pain.
“After consulting with his doctor he had decided to rest at home for a few days in hopes of regaining full strength for the Tour Championship,” Jon Heaton said.
He shot 5-over 76 in the first round, but was 3-under for the second round through 16 holes. Bogeys on the 17th and 18th might have soured the outlook of the 1996 Western Open winner. In that affair, when wife Nikki was also his caddie, he was plodding along near the lead until she read him the riot act walking from the 14th tee to the green. He played the next 18 holes in 61 strokes and won the Western by eight.
By withdrawing, Stricker gets no points from this week to carry forward to the Tour Championship. The good news for him is, bow-hunting season opens tomorrow in Wisconsin.
Among the others who criticized Jones’ renovation, Phil Mickelson added a 2-over 73 to his opening 72 and is at 3-over 145 through 36 holes. An extremely reliable observer who was at the eighth tee on Thursday said Mickelson was booed by a handful of spectators when he took to the tee. Mickelson ignored them.
Bill Haas understands what Jones had in mind with his renovation of Dubsdread. After his 5-under 66, Haas said, “You have to put it in the fairway. They definitely narrow up the more agressive you get on some holes. If you’re not in the fairway, you can’t attack the green.”
Mickelson, for instance, has hit 10 of 28 fairways in two rounds, while co-leaders Mark Wilson and Justin Rose have hit 23 and 25 fairways, respectively.
Oh, baby
Webb Simpson, sitting third through 36 holes, has no trouble with Saturday’s early tee times.
“With a 7-month old baby I’m used to being up in the morning,” he quipped after his round of 3-under-par 68. “He sleeps 7 to 7, so he gets his 12 hours.”
How cold is it?
So cold – 59 degrees, with a nagging overcast, for the high for the second day running – that this is shaping up as the coldest Western Open, by any name, since the 1940 Western, played at River Oaks Country Club in Houston in the chill of February. The warmest day at that Western was a second-round high of 58 (as opposed to a 50-degree day for the first round, the coldest ever for the Western). These two days tie for the 10th coldest for the championship.
That’s one reason the crowds are down. Only about 20,000 were on hand Friday. Add in the estimated 14,000 for Thursday – the Western Golf Association doesn’t release totals – and the total of 34,000 is less than many single weekend days when Chicago’s biggest golf show was played in July.
Around Dubsdread
Defending champion Dustin Johnson isn’t defending well. He’s at 6-over 148 through 36 holes, well back in the pack. ... Saturday’s tee times start at 7:25 a.m. The fun of that is seeing whether or not Sergio Garcia, Aaron Baddeley and Jason Day, marquee players not accustomed to such an early start, have the sand rubbed out of their eyes at that hour. ... Friday’s turnaround group was Luke Donald, Brandt Snedeker and Day. Collectively 10-over on Thursday (and with Snedeker at even par), the trio posted rounds of 66, 66 and 65 on Friday, 16-under-par, for a 26-stroke swing. ... Bill Haas understands what Rees Jones had in mind with his renovation of Dubsdread. After his 5-under 66, Haas said, “You have to put it in the fairway. They definitely narrow up the more agressive you get on some holes. If you’re not in the fairway, you can’t attack the green.” Phil Mickelson, for instance, has hit 10 of 28 fairways in two rounds, while co-leaders Mark Wilson and Justin Rose have hit 23 and 25 fairways, respectively. ... In an effort to get people to hang around after Saturday’s 2:30 p.m. conclusion of play, three big-screen video boards will show college football (probably NBC’s Michigan State-Notre Dame telecast) and food and drinks will be priced two-for-one.
– Tim Cronin
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