The Mark Graham Sports Blog's posts tagged PGA

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• Rory McIlroy, Nike Agree on $200 Million Contract

  January 14, 2013

  

  Nike adds yet another golf superstar to its already strong stable in securing Rory McIlroy to a $200 million contract.

  The McIlroy-Nike deal was announced in a lavish ceremony in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The ceremony was held just ahead of the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship to be held later in the week.

  "I chose Nike for a number of reasons," McIlroy said. "It's a company and a brand that really resonates with me. It's young. It's athletic. It's innovative. They are committed to being the best, as am I. Signing with Nike is another step towards living out my dream."

  Last October, McIlroy became a free agent of sorts after ending his relationship with Acushnet Co., which had supplied the world's number one golfer with Titleist and FootJoy equipment since the start of his professional career five years ago.

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• Comedian Norm Macdonald Predicted USA Collapse in the Ryder Cup

  September 30, 2012

  

  After the USA's big Saturday performance at the Ryder Cup, no one predicted that the Europeans would stage a comeback and retain the cup. All the golf experts thought that the US could just coast to victory.

  Except one man.

  Comedian, yes, comedian and not golf expert, Norm Macdonald predicted that the Europeans would stage a huge comeback against the Americans.

  Macdonald said on his Twitter, @normmacdonald, earlier today, "The American team is much better. It would be the greatest comeback ever. And yet, it somehow seems likely."

  He gave a pretty good play by play of the final round on his Twitter and Macdonald really knows his golf. He even predicted that if the US clinches it today, then Jason Dufner would be the golfer to do it. He was oh so close on that one.

  Macdonald also gave a nice little tidbit by saying that a full moon shined down on Medinah last night, the first time that's happened at a Ryder Cup since Brookline in 1999 when the US staged an epic comeback against the Europeans.

  Not only is Norm Macdonald a very funny comedian, but I would now call him a golf expert. Someone should really hire him for his golf expertise.

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• McDowell, Furyk Disagree During First Ryder Cup Match

  September 28, 2012

  

  It didn't take long for the 2012 Ryder Cup to have controversy.

  On the par-3 second, Graeme McDowell's playing partner, Rory McElroy, hit his tee shot to the right of the green where it landed near a sprinkler head. McDowell requested relief, but American Jim Furyk didn't believe that the sprinkler head would effect McDowell's swing.

  “We’re going to have to agree to disagree,” Furyk told McDowell.

  The match was delayed for ten minutes while officials decided what was the right move. Eventually, the officials agreed with Furyk and McDowell was forced to chip onto the green. McIlroy missed the par putt and Brandt Snedeker saved par as the US won the hole to go one up.

  The European team of McDowell-McIlroy got the last laugh as they topped the US team of Furyk-Snedeker, 1-up.

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• Charl Schwartzel Putts Like One of Us

  September 02, 2012

  Former British Open champ Charl Schwartzel didn't have a great day at the course today.

  In fact it was downright dreadful.

  This sequence of putts was the highlight, or should I say lowlight, of Schwartzel's round. Schwartzel had a birdie putt from three feet away when it rimmed out of the cup. His next shot pretty much did the same thing and his third putt he completely rushed and missed totally. He finally sunk the putt on his fourth try.

  Four putts from three feet away. Not good.

  Schwartzel finished with an eight over, 79 and dropped forty spots at the Deutsche Bank Championship at the TPC Boston.

  Well, better luck next time, Charl.

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• Reporter Asks Adam Scott Perhaps Dumbest Question Ever

  July 22, 2012

  

  Adam Scott seemed like he was going to win his first major championship by leading the Open Championship by four with four holes to play. Instead, he had one of the most epic collapses of all time by bogeying his last four holes and giving the Claret Jug to Ernie Els.

  Scott faced the media and the inevitable questions of his collapse. But there was one reporter from the BBC that may have said one of the dumbest questions ever to a still reeling Scott. (Jump ahead to about the :23 mark)

  "The run of three bogeys didn't help you at all did it?" Really!?

  Is this a fill-in reporter they got from a temp agency? I mean, c'mon!

  Seeing as how Scott was leading by four with four to go, no it didn't help him out very much. Also, the reporter got the question wrong, Scott bogeyed the last four, not three, holes.

  Credit to Scott for handling it like a classy individual seeing as how the last four holes were a crushing blow to him.

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• Tiger's Still Got It, Holes Out From Bunker

  July 21, 2012

  Tiger Woods ended the second round of the Open Championship on a high note after what was a poor approach shot.

  Tiger hit the bunker by the 18th green, his first bunker of the Championship thus far. Tiger uttered, "God Almighty" after his shot into the bunker.

  It looked like Tiger would need some help just to save par, but he decided he'd rather have a birdie instead and chipped it in from the bunker, his fourth of the day.

  Tiger ended up with a three under 67 and at the end of the round is four shots back from leader Brandt Snedeker at -6.

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• Drunk Massachusetts Woman Drives Into Sand Trap; Blames GPS

  June 20, 2012

  Golfers at the Whittinsville Country Club in Massachusetts were in for quite a surprise on Monday.

  Patricia Malone, 46, was arrested and charged with driving with a suspended license, drunk driving, negligent driving, and driving with an open container after she drove into a sand trap.

  That's right a sand trap.

  Police said that she had been drinking since 10 in the morning, a Monday morning, and found a Burger King cup filled with vodka. Malone had told the police that her GPS told her to turn left and it brought her into a "cornfield" and she just kept driving to get out and winded up into the sand trap.

  Just for safe measure, she told the police that she doesn't even like golf. That defense will probably get her off the hook.

  It makes you think, is this woman some how related to Michael Scott?

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• Fan Intrudes US Open; Webb Simpson Wins

  June 17, 2012

  The 2012 edition of the US Open is in the books and Webb Simpson has come out on top. Simpson had a round to remember by shooting a 68 on a very difficult course and overcoming a four shot deficit.

  However, the moment of the day happened during the trophy presentation, when this happened.

  Drunk? Perhaps. Greatest videobomb ever. ABSOLUTELY.

  Webb Simpson handled it pretty well with his improv skills by saying, "Enjoy the jail cell, pal."

  This drunk Brit (I'm assuming) is the best interfering fan in sports since that Arena Football fan, yes, there are some, held a player from returning a kick.

  But seriously, nice round, Webb and congrats.

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• SHOCKING: MIchael Vick Named The Most Disliked Athlete

  February 08, 2012

  

  In shocking news, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick was named the "Most Disliked Athlete" in a Forbes Magazine poll conducted by Nielsen and E-Poll Market Research.

  Vick actually tied with Tiger Woods, but Vick received more "dislike a lot" votes than Woods. Vick and Woods both were at 60%. New York Jets wide receiver Plaxico Burress was third with 56%, Detroit Lions defensive end Ndamukong Suh was fourth at 51%, and New Jersey Nets forward and Kim Kardashian's ex-husband Kris Humphries rounded out the top five with 50% of the vote.

  Vick was sentenced to 23 months in prison and three years probation due to his involvement in a dogfighting ring. Vick was released in November of 2008 and signed with the Eagles shortly after.

  Although, Vick has been out of prison for some time now, people do not wish to forgive Vick and his reprehensible actions. His awareness number, 42%, is up there with Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, but people know Vick for all the wrong reasons.

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