Starting off the 2009 season...

I’m starting to like the off season as much as the season itself. As for action, with the money being offered, the Silly Season isn’t silly anymore. If you don’t believe it, ask the IRS. This is the real deal. With the race to Dubai, the European Tour has a 53-tournament schedule. Play close attention to how many of our guys fork over the $3,500 membership fee to the Euros. It will be interesting.

Always a favorite in this corner is John Daly. PC’d after being over served at a Hooters in North Carolina, he was vilified everywhere. Okay, he was drunk and belligerent, but he was never arrested. Most bartenders who I know (and I know a few…look at the name of this blog) would recognize the condition of the person on the outside of the bar. They’d stop serving him long before he was awarded the orange wardrobe the local constabulary gave him.

Now, PGA Tour commish Timmy Finchem has suspended JD for six months. Granted, the suspension is probably not solely for this event, but rather for the compilation of his misdeeds. In effect, this might be a good turn of events for Daly. He can play on the European Tour and if he’s serious about finding his enormous game again, will be able to do it under the radar. This has to be a good thing for the PGA Tour’s version of a rock star (Fred Couples aside).

There is a potential downside for Daly however. Previously saddled with three or four of the wackiest wives in the world (Like he’s been the sanest of husbands), the word is his latest girl friend has the potential to rock the world of wacky. Oy vay, JD when is your life going to stop being a soap opera?

*********

Michelle Wie actually did something on her own. She qualified for the LPGA Tour. Now, we might be able to get a true sense of what her real talent is. Hopefully, her parents will stop insisting that she play against the boys on the PGA Tour. In fact, hopefully now that Michelle has turned 18, they will leave her alone altogether. Unfortunately, the Korean culture may keep her subservient to her parents forever.

I never thought I’d say this, but her talent might have been maximized had she had a father more in the mode of Earl Woods. Think of this, her talent level has waned since she almost made the cut as a 13-year-old at the Sony in her native state of Hawaii. The closest she has come to legitimate accomplishment since then was one miss-signed scorecard last year that could have secured her playing privileges for 2009. Now she’ll be on the LPGA Tour on her own merit with something she’s never had before—respect from the other card carrying members.

Hopefully for Michelle this current event will catapult her career to what had been predicted for her years ago. All she has to do is take control of her career and ignore the incessant caterwauling of her overbearing parents.

Bartender, please bring a case of Miller Delight for John Daly. I think he’s going to need it. Another night in jail might provide him some relief. Also a glass of red (make that Stanford Cardinal red) wine for Michelle. Yeah, like she’s never had a glass of wine before. Me? I’m just going to sit back and watch this car wreck.

See you on the first tee.

Jack