OUR FANHOUSE TOOLBAR INTEGRATES THE LATEST SPORTS NEWS INTO YOUR WEB BROWSER AND INSTALLS IN SECONDS.
YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE TOOLBAR HERE.

FanHouse NickWatney

Latest NickWatney Stories

Steve Stricker Proves Experience Matters

Posted: Jun 1st 2009 10:50AM by Shane Bacon (author feed)
Filed under: PGA

2 COMMENTS
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.

Stricker Uses Experience to Edge Others -- There were three golfers in the playoff at the Colonial on Sunday, but only one had hoisted a trophy on the PGA Tour. Steve Stricker, by all accounts, had struggled on Sunday. The man that relies on his putting to get it done on the golf course hit multiple lips on his way to the 17th hole after he came off a frustrating bogey on the par-3 16th.

A second shot from just over 150 yards on 17 was yanked a hair, and Stricker found himself over the green with a tricky little pitch out of some thick rough. It didn't matter for the 42-year-old. Pitch. Roll. Pin. Birdie. Reminiscent of Nick Watney's shot on the ninth hole at the WGC earlier this year, Stricker's birdie gave him a chance at a playoff.

Inexperience by the others got him in.
Continue Reading Steve Stricker Proves Experience Matters

Early Leaders Enjoying Ideal Conditions at Augusta National

Posted: Apr 9th 2009 1:25PM by Shane Bacon (author feed)
Filed under: PGA, Masters

0 COMMENTS
The 2009 Masters are underway, and unlike last year, when Arnold Palmer hit the ceremonial first shot into a cloud of fog, it has been an incredible day, weather-wise, from the start.

Palmer's first shot this year found the middle of the fairway and the first group built on that momentum. In the second group of the day was Par-3 Tournament winner Tim Clark, who, in typical form, bogeyed his first two par-3s before getting it together and reeling off four birdies on his closing 12 holes before posting a 4-under 68, leading the tournament in the clubhouse.

Right behind Clark are Ross Fisher, Kevin Sutherland, and Prayad Marksaeng who all posted 3-under 69s and will enjoy the rest of the mid-70 degree day fine-tuning their game while other golfers try to put the finishing touches on some rather salty (read: "good") rounds.
Continue Reading Early Leaders Enjoying Ideal Conditions at Augusta National

2009 Masters Has Makings of a Classic

Posted: Apr 9th 2009 8:32AM by Shane Bacon (author feed)
Filed under: PGA, Masters

0 COMMENTS

Sebastian Junger wrote a non-fiction book about a 1991 Halloween Nor'easter that was, as you probably know, known as "The Perfect Storm". Play just started at Augusta National in the 2009 Masters (the gentleman above starts his day at 1:52 PM ET), but the story lines are quickly adding up to what could quickly become a Perfect Storm at Augusta. In fact, could the story lines at this year's Masters make it the most memorable Masters ever? Let's dive in.
Continue Reading 2009 Masters Has Makings of a Classic

Big Phil 'Toughs' It Out

Posted: Mar 16th 2009 12:03PM by Shane Bacon (author feed)
Filed under: PGA

3 COMMENTS
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.

Mickelson Toughs It Out -- You don't usually see "tough" and "Phil Mickelson" in the same sentence. His lone shining moment under pressure was at the 2004 Masters, when he rolled in a birdie putt on the last hole for his first major championship. Otherwise, he has never been that dominant in the high stress environment of the Ryder Cup, and his additional attempts at "clutch" have ended with "fore left" at Winged Foot and final-hole major losses to David Toms (2001 PGA Championship) and Payne Stewart (1999 U.S. Open).

Well, on Sunday, at a tournament he had never won, on a golf course he had never conquered, Mickelson had to be tough. And tough he was.
Continue Reading Big Phil 'Toughs' It Out

Phil Mickelson Wins at Doral

Posted: Mar 15th 2009 7:00PM by Shane Bacon (author feed)
Filed under: PGA

24 COMMENTS

When Phil Mickelson's birdie putt on the 18th hole rolled near the lip, followed by a tap-in for par and the title, it meant a few things. It meant Mickelson won his first World Golf Championship event of his career. It meant he got to hoist the trophy at Doral for the first time ever and it meant that he has quickly and firmly become the best player in the world, rankings be damned.
Continue Reading Phil Mickelson Wins at Doral

Mickelson Dazzles, Tiger Struggles

Posted: Mar 12th 2009 6:08PM by Shane Bacon (author feed)
Filed under: PGA

6 COMMENTS
You hear a lot about Phil Mickelson and his short game, which he's able to keep relevant more from muscle memory (the brain is a muscle, right?) than from any recent success he's had. His short game is fabulous, sure, but it seems that people speak more about the crazy shots he has pulled off over his career than the simple ones he's missed of late.

Well, on Thursday at the WGC-CA Championship, Phil's short game was back on, and I mean on. On a day people were focused, once again, on Tiger Woods returning to the golf world, this time in a stroke-play event, Mickelson reminded everyone that he was still around too. Phil went out on his front nine in a mediocre 35, that included a chip-in par on the par-3 4th hole, but went bananas on the back, making six birdies that included consecutive chip-ins to close his round.
Continue Reading Mickelson Dazzles, Tiger Struggles

Tiger to Return at Accenture ... Maybe

Posted: Feb 15th 2009 10:00AM by Ryan Wilson (author feed)
Filed under: Golf, PGA

2 COMMENTS
Some 24 hours after Tiger Woods' wife, Elin, gave birth to Charley Axel, the couple's second child, the world's best golfer had his swing coach on the phone. Apparently, Tiger's really close to making his triumphant return to the PGA Tour. And let me just say: hurry.

Yes, Camilo Villegas has played well, but Anthony Kim and Phil Mickelson have not. And while it's nice to see young guys like Nick Watney win big events, it's no substitute for Eldrick. Obviously.

The question then, of course, is when, exactly, Woods will tee it up.
Continue Reading Tiger to Return at Accenture ... Maybe

Monday Pin Placement: Has Phil Lost It?

Posted: Feb 9th 2009 12:00PM by Shane Bacon (author feed)
Filed under: Golf, PGA

4 COMMENTS
Every Monday during the PGA Tour season, Monday Pin Placement will run as a wrap-up of the weekend's action, with a little commentary mixed in. We'll focus on what you may have missed while you were out grinding on the putting green.

Phil Mickelson Struggles Again -- There is no reason to get totally riled up and make the assumption that Mickelson has gone the way of Ernie Els. Mickelson is still ranked fourth in the world and is a threat to catch fire and burn up future installments of this column. But the idea still has to be brought up: Phil Mickelson could be losing his luster.
Continue Reading Monday Pin Placement: Has Phil Lost It?

FanHouse U.S. Open Media Guide, Page 15

Posted: Jun 11th 2008 6:37PM by Shane Bacon (author feed)
Filed under: Golf, PGA

0 COMMENTS
We've come to the end, so enjoy your last (extended) installment of the FanHouse Media Guide.
  • D.J. Trahan -- CUT -- At 27, he's one of the better golfers on tour nobody's heard of, winning the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic earlier in the season. His dad recorded 13 career aces, which makes me hate Poppa Trahan 13 times more than I hate a normal person.
  • Jonathan Turcott -- DNP -- A terrible start to the year, Turcott didn't cash a check in his first five Nationwide tournaments. A little better of late, Turcott has made six of his last eight cuts.
  • Kevin Tway (a) -- DNP -- Son of 1986 PGA Championship winner Bob Tway, Kevin can hold his own, winning the U.S. Junior Amateur in 2005. A freshman at Oklahoma State, Kevin will have dad on the bag to help out around Torrey Pines.
  • Scott Verplank -- t-7 -- A trivia question to stump your buddies, Verplank is the only American golfer to record a hole-in-one in Ryder Cup competition. Also, in a fit of lunacy, said the Bryon Nelson Championship is a "fifth major" after he won in 2007. In unrelated news, the Augusta National golf committee still won't allow me a spot in the Masters because they don't consider the "Lakeside Fourth of July Scramble" a professional golf victory.
  • Camilo Villegas -- t-26 -- The Sand Trap has a pretty good outline on why people love Villegas, I just haven't landed on board yet. He has never won a PGA Tour event but continues to finish high enough at the end of the year to retain his card. Oh, and he's really strong looking.
  • Nick Watney -- CUT -- A win at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans last season was his first on tour, but he's having more trouble in '08. He's only missed two cuts, but he isn't finishing his rounds, breaking 71 just once all year in the final round.
  • Bubba Watson -- t-5 -- Maybe my favorite golfer on tour, Bubba hit a drive in 2006 398 yards. Watson's wife Angie played in the WNBA and is an inch taller than him. He's struggled some this season, carding only one top-10 in 16 starts.
  • Boo Weekley -- t-26 -- His two wins on tour came at the same event, the Verizon Heritage. Was asked once what season it was, and answered "deer." I haven't found online evidence that Boo is a member of Mensa, though I have a hunch.
  • Mike Weir -- t-3 -- Weir has made seven of nine cuts at the U.S. Open and five top-10s, a stat that is pretty definitive of the caliber of player he is. A tie for second at the Memorial two weeks ago has Weir in top form heading to a tournament some feel he could win despite his length.
  • Lee Westwood -- t-5 -- Westwood hasn't had a top-10 finish in a major since 2004, but he did make the cut in all four last year and in the Masters earlier this season. According to Wikipedia, he supports a soccer team named the "Nottingham Forest" which even my weird brain can't believe is true.
  • Brett Wetterich -- CUT -- The 2006 Byron Nelson champion hasn't had a great year, with his best finish a tie for 36. His dad started teaching him golf at age 2, the same time my parents were finally figuring out what to call me.
  • Dean Wilson -- t-30 -- Wilson is one of those guys that without checking, you know was born in Hawaii. A winner of the now deceased International in 2006, Wilson has made six cuts heading into the U.S. Open.
  • Jeff Wilson (a) -- 59 -- Wilson, 44, won the Southern California Golf Association Mid-Amateur Championship with rounds of 67-66-73 and finished third in the Santa Barbara City Championship before heading to U.S. Open qualifying.
  • Oliver Wilson -- CUT -- I've never heard of this guy, but he's got an awesome homepage and he drinks Sugar Free Red Bull. Nobody believes me that Red Bull is good for you, but Wilson drinks it and is third on the European Tour Order of Merit so it must do some good.
  • Casey Wittenberg -- t-36 -- Pretty interesting, Wittenberg shot a four day total of 296 at the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, the second best score ever by an amateur. Playing well on the Nationwide Tour, he's currently 13th on the money list.
  • Tiger Woods -- WON -- Honestly, what else can you say? The U.S. Open starts tomorrow people and we get to see Tiger play for the first time in ages.


Featured Writers

Sports on AOL Radio

Get the latest coverage on your favorite teams thanks to CBS Radio. Listen Now

Featured Voices