The Presidents Cup kicks off Friday in San Francisco, with the United States trying to go for the turkey leg. With wins in the last two events, you might think the Americans have the upper hand, but this International squad is stacked. So who are these guys trying to take the cup from the mighty USA? Find out, as you click along.
Over the next two weeks, FanHouse will be delivering any and all awards for the 2009 PGA and LPGA Tour season. It will be a collection of anything that needs to be awarded, from Player of the Year, to Best Shot of '09 to Breakthrough Twitterer. It is, simply named, The Green Jacket awards.
The saying goes, "I'd rather be lucky than good," and anyone that has been paired with a random twosome on a beautiful summer day has probably heard it after a bounce goes their way or a high lip decides to let the ball in the side-door.
On the PGA Tour, that saying holds true just like for any hacker -- a guy hits a poor tee shot only to have it kick off the lip of the bunker, roll through the second cut and find itself perched up in the fairway, awaiting a short iron to set up another birdie. The biggest breaks usually come in the biggest tournaments, and 2009 was no different. So what was the luckiest break of the year?
Tiger Woods won five times in 2009, but for the fourth time in his 13-year career, he was shutout in the majors. That may not be cause for concern for Woods, but it gives fans and the media something to talk about. It also makes the "How would you rank the major championships?" question a lot more interesting.
With only one tournament left on the PGA Tour calender, now seems like as good a time as any to make my case. Obviously, this will be a scientifically rigorous endeavor, and I hope that you would treat the results accordingly. Or don't. Whatever, let's get to it.
In reverse order, the most exciting majors of 2009:
If you're like me, Sunday at the Masters is the pinnacle of the golfing year. Starting Monday, we face the longest stretch of time before we get to hear the wonderful sounds of Augusta again, see the bursting colors of the azaleas and cheer on guys to make eagles on 13 or 15 coming down the stretch Sunday. At this year's Masters, one of the better ones you will ever see, there were both winners and losers. Check out who we thought was the best choice for both.
Every Monday during the PGA Tour season, Monday Pin Placement will run as a wrap-up of the weekend's action. Basically, we'll focus on what you missed while you were out grinding on the putting green.
In 1996, Greg Norman had one of the most epic collapses in the history of golf. Carrying a six-shot lead into the final round of that year's Masters, Norman was set to finally grab that green jacket that had eluded him for so long.
You all know the story. Norman wound up losing the tournament to Nick Faldo and in accordance with the old saying "a picture is worth a thousand words," has this lasting image that summed up his experience at Augusta. After a final round 78, Norman had two choices: he could duck out of Augusta or he could face the music. Norman responded courageously by heading into the press room and answering all questions asked of him for 45 minutes. He earned the respect of darn near any golfer that has played the game.
Will Brinson, Ryan Wilson and Shane Bacon fired up the podcast machine shortly after the 2009 Masters ended to talk about what the tournament means, as well as a bunch of other stuff, including who they would pick to replace Jim Nantz if he ever retires, and whether Shane could shoot a 75 at Augusta tommorow. Download and/or listen after the jump.
AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Please resist any temptation to call it anticlimactic, a multi-car pileup won by the least-damaged vehicle, a classic movie with a clumsy ending, a spectacular piece of drama ultimately doused by Rae's Creek and sabotaged by mental blunders. Yes, Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods gave us four vintage hours in the Octagon, if the stuffy fathers at Augusta National allow UFC slang. Yes, they were followed by 99.9 percent of the patrons, with only friends and family types watching those actually leading the tournament in a scene both sad and surreal.
And, yes, Mickelson oh-so-predictably wilted after a historic front nine while Woods somehow lost his way when the usual clinch hold was expected.
The final day of the 2009 Masters certainly unfolded in a bizarre fashion, but after Kenny Perry pulled his second shot on the 10th hole left of the green and failed to get up and down, Angel Cabrera had two putts to win the tournament on the second sudden-death playoff hole and became the last golfer standing in a Sunday slugfest at Augusta.
Perry seemed locked to win the tournament, holding a two-stroke lead with just two holes to play, but he finished bogey-bogey down the stretch, allowing playing partner Cabrera and Chad Campbell to join him in a sudden-death playoff.
Kenny Perry had the Masters wrapped, staring down a two-stroke lead with just two holes to go. But he missed just left on 18 to close out bogey-bogey, and after an impressive Angel Cabrera up-and-down for par on 18, there's going to be some free golf at Augusta.
If you expected the two major championship-leaders to come out a bit timid in the third round of the Masters, you probably weren't alone. Many times in big golf tournaments, names sneak up on the leaderboard that slowly fade as the weekend progresses.
Kenny Perry is 48 and skipped major championships last year to focus on his goal of making the Ryder Cup. Angel Cabrera hasn't been heard of since that '07 U.S. Open victory. Chad Campbell hasn't won on tour since 2007.
Over the next two weeks, FanHouse will be delivering any and all awards for the 2009 PGA and LPGA Tour season. It will be a collection of anything that needs to be awarded, from Player of the Year, to Best Shot of '09 to Breakthrough Twitterer. It is, simply named, The Green Jacket awards. 
Tiger Woods won five times in 2009, but for the fourth time in his 13-year career, he was shutout in the majors. That may not be cause for concern for Woods, but it gives fans and the media something to talk about. It also makes the "How would you rank the major championships?" question a lot more interesting. 
Every Monday during the PGA Tour season, Monday Pin Placement will run as a wrap-up of the weekend's action. Basically, we'll focus on what you missed while you were out grinding on the putting green.
The final day of the 2009 Masters certainly unfolded in a bizarre fashion, but after Kenny Perry pulled his second shot on the 10th hole left of the green and failed to get up and down, Angel Cabrera had two putts to win the tournament on the second sudden-death playoff hole and became the last golfer standing in a Sunday slugfest at Augusta.
Kenny Perry had the Masters wrapped, staring down a two-stroke lead with just two holes to go. But he missed just left on 18 to close out bogey-bogey, and after an impressive Angel Cabrera up-and-down for par on 18, there's going to be some free golf at Augusta.
