PGA - Northern Trust Open

Surely more interesting this week than the European Tour offering in India, the NT Open from Riviera

First US event of the year for the likes of Luke, Adam Scott and Jason Day taking on the Kyles, Spencers, Johnsons and Harrisons

Early tee times from about 3pm UK today

It does seem very late for Luuuke to be starting the season doesnt it? maybe it follows on from playing later in the season last yr than he intended to originally.

The weather is cooperating with the golf gods. The wind was gusty and brisk at 4:45 a.m. this morning. At 6:15 a.m. the air was dead still and starting to warm up as the sun was rising. A typical morning for the Santa Monica Bay area and should be a great week as far as course conditions go. The scenes will be picture perfect when the broadcast finally begins with the occasional clouds moving through the area. Why can't they show us 8 hours of golf instead of the 3 or so hours they usually feed us? Hell, many of us would go out to the course and operate the t.v. cameras for free.

7:00 a.m. local update: Suddenly the winds have picked up but just a touchy 5 -10 mph breeze heading south. But the location of Riviera is one of the blessings of the course. It's located in Santa Monica Canyon about 1 mile from the beach and is protected by the north and south ridges which engulfs the course and gradually closes up at the eastern end. While on the course, one rarely feels the actual conditions outside the canyon unless the weather is extreme.

Note: also posted on kwini's weekly over on the 'darkside.'

Didn't stay up for the play-off. Couldn't stand watching anymore of the
tardy cum tourettes, spitting little irritant that is Keegan Bradley.

he really needs to get hit with some sort of slow play fine/penalty.
fair play to Andrew Coltart in the sky studio for being honest about his views on it.
interesting to hear that in Dim Tims reign nobody has even been penalised for slow play

gaelgowfer wrote:Didn't stay up for the play-off. Couldn't stand watching anymore of the
tardy cum tourettes, spitting little irritant that is Keegan Bradley.

I so agree with you. I wonder if he is on somethng, as spitting is a sign of dehydration which is a symptom of drug (mis)use. That and his OCD pre-shot routine, his twitches and strange eyeing up of putts with the opposite eye. I wonder Auntie Pat Bradley hasn't had a word with him. Does anyone know if he has ever been drug-tested?

Full marks to Andrew Coltart for saying what he did in the Sky studio. Trouble is, nothing will make Dim Tim take action against any of his US "stars".

LadyPutt wrote:

gaelgowfer wrote:Didn't stay up for the play-off. Couldn't stand watching anymore of the
tardy cum tourettes, spitting little irritant that is Keegan Bradley.

I so agree with you. I wonder if he is on somethng, as spitting is a sign of dehydration which is a symptom of drug (mis)use. That and his OCD pre-shot routine, his twitches and strange eyeing up of putts with the opposite eye. I wonder Auntie Pat Bradley hasn't had a word with him. Does anyone know if he has ever been drug-tested?

Full marks to Andrew Coltart for saying what he did in the Sky studio. Trouble is, nothing will make Dim Tim take action against any of his US "stars".

I wondered about that, LP, he did look quite out of it at times.

As for hitting him with a 2 shot penalty, that would be ok but I wanted to hit him with something a lot more solid last night, like a baseball bat! Never been so irritated by a golfer in my life (not even the one's who've beaten me!)

Interesting comments regarding suspicions of drug misuse. Do any of the professional tours routinely random test the golfers for drug use? Has anybody ever failed such a test?

Isn't the left eye thing more to do with the latest gimmick of using the dominant eye to line up putts?

BC ... Finchem is so secretive about such matters, can't even be sure if drug-testing is taking place at all!

Anyone remember when poor old Annika was drug-tested after her final ever round on tour?

Glad to see Bradley apologize on Twitter for his spitting. He says it's a long time habit for him and he was hardly aware he was doing it but now it's been brought to his attention he will do his best to break the habit

Perhaps more disgusting than the original offense are the replies from some of his US fans who tell him not to apologize and be such a wuss - use it to "stick it up them". Sad people...