Some Golf notes

*- This weekend marks the culmination of the 2006 PGA Golf Tour. The Tour Championship will be played outside of Atlanta Georgia. 27 of the tour's top 30 money winners will tee it up there beginning Thursday.

The big news concerning this event is Tiger Woods' withdrawal. The reason given by Tiger is physical and mental fatigue.

To be honest this sounds a little hollow. Tiger is playing in events the three weeks after the Tour Championship. While he has the right to make his own schedule, we know why Tiger is playing in Asia rather than Atlanta. Money, the PGA tour doesn't pay appearance fees.

With Woods withdrawal, plus Phil Mickelson's hanging it up for the year and Steven Ames being injured, The Tour Championship will have its smallest field ever. Some how all of this doesn't bode well for the FED EX Cup to begin in 2007. I have already stated my opinion on that gimmick.

*- Last weekend was a big one for Korean golfers. Besides KJ Choi winning in Tampa, Jin Joo Hong won the LPGA Kolon-Hana Bank Championship in South Korea. She became the 3rd KLPGA player to win the former 9 Bridges tournament in its five year history.

Unlike previous winners Shi Hyun Ahn and Jee Young Lee, Ms. Hong may not come to play in the US. This week she is attempting to qualify for the JLPGA. Her mother lives in Japan, and from what she said at the press conference, I think Jin Joo is not all that interested in playing in the states.

That's ok, at 23 years old Jin Joo would be an old lady so far as Korean golfers trying to make a career on the LPGA. LOL, look at Christina Kim, Lee and Ahn, and Seon Hwa Lee. All started on tour by age 20 or their late teens.

If you ever wonder about Korean men golfers and their lack of success(Other than Choi who has won 4 times on the PGA Tour) at golf, there are a couple of reasons. One that all Korean males have to serve a two-year stint in the country's military. Secondly, Korean culture or family attitudes don't deem golf as a suitable career for men. It is considered risky and less safe than college and or a job in the business world.

So an explosion of Korean men on the PGA Tour doesn't appear likely. Who knows, that could change.

*- This weekend's LPGA tour stop is in Japan. The Mizuno Classic has been site to displays of incredible golf by Annika Sorenstam. Actually Annika has won the event five consecutive years beginning in 2001. No other golfer in LPGA history has done such a feat.

Can Annika be stopped this weekend? If I were to pick a golfer to beat Annika, it would be Se Ri Pak. Se Ri appears on top of her game at present. She finished 3rd last weekend. Still I wouldn't bet against Annika in Japan. More so since she won last weekend in Dubai.

*- The ADT Championship is only two weeks away. TFM's once a year chance to watch the LPGA's best is coming to West Palm Beach. I don't like the tournament's new format, but barring health issues I'll go and watch play on at least 3 days the women are in town.

Linked to- Mark My Words, Bright & Early,