FanHouse NickFaldo

If this had happened three weeks ago at Memorial, it wouldn't even have merited a mention in the clubhouse after the practice round. But because Lucas Glover is now introduced as "2009 U.S. Open champion," whatever he does (or is done to him) is news. Even on a Wednesday prior to a tournament most people don't care about.

That was the case yesterday at the Travelers Championship, two days after his improbable victory at Bethpage Black. Following his introduction on the first tee to start his practice round, and amid polite applause from the gallery, Lucas teed up his golf ball, stepped back to begin his pre-shot routine, and promptly took a pie to the face, courtesy of PGA Tour buddy Johnson Wagner. (Click the photo above to see the video.)

In an effort to keep our golf visitors well informed on what is going on around the Internet, Range Balls is our weekly link dump. Every Tuesday during golf season, we will toss out some of the most interesting things we came across. If you have a tip, e-mail us at fanhousegolf@gmail.com. Enjoy the links.

-- In a lengthy piece about "The Haney Project," Charles Barkley admits that he "felt bad, to be honest with you, that I didn't improve more for (Hank Haney)." If anyone watched the television show, they know how much the two worked together, but from this video at the Regions Charity Classic, it sure shows the nasty truth -- swing coaches aren't miracle workers. [The Sports Network]

Colin Montgomerie has softened in recent years. Not physically -- he's still as cuddly as ever (though not worthy of a portrait, apparently) -- but in terms of his on-course demeanor. Known as something of a curmudgeon throughout his career, Monty seems accepting of his fate as the "best player to never win a major," and his suddenly less-surly disposition reflects as much. Even after Nick Faldo kept him off the 2008 Ryder Cup team, Montgomerie was measured when disagreeing with the decision.

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.

The final round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am was set to begin at 7:35 AM PT, but due to inclement weather, the pros are still in the clubhouse and the ams have been, in the words of CBS golf analyst Jim Nantz, "excused." Which is a nice way of saying, "Yeah, sorry about that, but this year's event is just a three-round affair for the hackers."

UPDATE: the fourth round is now postponed until Monday. Hopefully.

Nice Faldo, step right over there, sir. The Europeans have a new honcho to take over your "captaincy."

Colin Montgomerie, or "Mrs. Doubtfire" to some, was named captain for 2010 on Wednesday, becoming the youngest captain ever for the Euros.

"It's not just an honor but a huge responsibility as well," Colin Montgomerie said Wednesday after being chosen to captain Europe's team for next year's Ryder Cup in Wales. "It is important we do everything we can to claim back the Ryder Cup in Wales in 2010."

Nick Faldo is obviously insane. There are any number of reasons to think so, the latest being his admission that he'd happily reprise his role of European Ryder Cup captain following what happened at Valhalla a few months back.

After leading the Euros to defeat (and handily, I might add), Faldo is eager for more. Hmm, sounds like a horrible idea, particularly since he was roundly criticized for his efforts.

I suspect others' opinions don't phase Faldo -- he was never Britain's most popular player (or close to it, really), despite winning six majors. So this probably won't change his opinion either: Ian Poulter, the same guy Faldo named to the '08 Ryder Cup squad amid some controversy, feigns indifference about the prospects of Faldo returning in '10:

Apparently, Colin Montgomerie can't even mind his own business without having somebody take a few shots at him. I'm sure he's just now getting over the injustice perpetrated by that egomaniacal monster, Ryder Cup captain Nick Faldo, only to have to deal with this, easily the funniest golf-related item I've read since, well, yesterday.

[Jack Vettriano, a] 56-year-old painter said he was approached to produce a painting of the sportsman for the National Galleries of Scotland but turned the commission down, saying: "I don't do men with breasts."

According to the Telegraph, Vettriano "enjoys huge popularity with the public and his paintings sell for hundreds of thousands of pounds," but feels shunned by the art community because they don't appreciate his work. So, basically, he's the art world's version of Colin Montgomerie. And yet, it wasn't enough to persuade Vettriano to waive his "no moobs" clause. Sad, really.

He wasn't done, though; the humiliation gets ratcheted up a few more notches: