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Posted 05/09/2007 at 07:09 PM
Tomorrow kicks off my favorite golf tournament of the year, the Tournament Player's Championship from Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. This tournament is at the top of my list for one reason, the course its played on.
Just a few miles from Jacksonville lies the TPC facility which consists of two courses, the Stadium and the Valley. The course is also home to the PGA offices. The Stadium course, where the PGA Event is held, has a signature hole that is more dramatic than any on tour. The 17th at the TPC is a 140 yard par-3 to an island green. There is nothing like seeing a PGA professional take the tee with a pitching wedge in his hand and his knees knocking as he views the crowd.
What makes it even more exciting is knowing that as long as you make a reservation at the Marriott Sawgrass, you can have every opportunity to try your pitching wedge as well. Actually, you might need a nine iron or even an eight if the wind is blowing. If you play your cards right, you may get the chance to tee off with one of several PGA pros who call this course "home."
The TPC could be considered the fifth major of the PGA season. While it falls short of the title, the event does draw a high quality field which means that we're in for a four day battle between the best in the world. While Chris DiMarco and Camillo Villegas are the local heroes graduating from the University of Florida, the largest crowd this week, as every week, will be following the world's number one Tiger Woods.
Woods is coming off last weeks win at the Wachovia Championship and he arrived in Jacksonville early to get a few practice rounds in. Woods, like the most of the field, is getting his first look at a course that made some improvements during a nine month long renovation. The biggest improvement is actually off the course where the TPC erected a 70,000 square foot clubhouse.
Log onto PGATour.com Thursday and Friday to catch all the action from the 17th hole. The Golf Channel will have TV coverage Thursday and Friday afternoons before the tournament moves over to NBC for Saturday and Sunday coverage.
While the PGA should dominate my weekend sports calendar, I will have an eye on the NBA playoffs. The Suns/Spurs series could be one of the best we'll see this year and with Eva Longoria telling her future husband that there won't be any sex in their house till after the playoffs, I'm wondering just how much energy Tony Parker will have now.
Now that Barry Bonds is now just 10 home runs away from tying Hank Aaron's record, everyone in the media is feeling the need to chime in with their feelings on Bonds and steroids. Apparently this his spilled over to some players like Curt Schilling. An idea for players when asked about this topic; shhhhhhhhhhhh.
The swimming community is up in arms after Amanda Beard has agreed to pose for Playboy magazine. Note to swimmers everywhere; this might get people to actually "look at you."
The hockey playoffs are still going on and I have to admit to watching a few Sabres/Rangers games (mostly because of some good looking wimen who have decided to frequent my favorite sports bar during the games). Unfortunately, the Rangers are out and so are the women. Amazing what it took to get me to watch hockey again.
I've decided that a NASCAR event should be help on April Fool's day where the driver's actually turn "right."
On PTI today, Tony Kourheiser introduced the idea to hte PGA tour commissioner of Tiger Woods going out and starting his own tour. While the commissioner laughed off this idea, you can bet he wasn't happy about it being brought up.
The New York Mets shaved their heads in a sign of unity. They now look as dumb as the new slogan that accompanies their playoff hopes; Glavine; Maine; Pray for Rain!
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