Guan’s Masters berth highlights long-putter
Do you think they’re highfiving one another around chairman Billy Payne’s office at Augusta National, now that the club’s decision a few years back to plough funds and expertise into the Asian markets has yielded a 14-year-old Chinese kid who has qualified for the 2013 Masters ... using a belly putter? Unlikely. Giving the winner of the Asia-Pacific Amateur an exemption into the Masters seemed like a good idea at the time, though there’s little doubt the move was, first and foremost, aimed at international TV numbers and extending the tournament’s (and golf’s) reach into a fast-emerging market.
But now they’ve got the worst-case scenario: Guan Tianlang, an eighth-grader who never did learn to putt the traditional way. And he’s headed their way, the youngest player by miles ever to qualify for the Masters and the second 14-year-old in as many years to qualify for a major (following Andy Zhang at last year’s U.S. Open.)
“I feel very proud to be playing in the 2013 US Masters at Augusta — I know I have the game to win it and take golf in China to a new level,” Guan wrote on Twitter account.
Sour Scott
Tiger Woods’ idea of mandating that the putter be the shortest club in a tournament professional’s bag has raised a few eyebrows, but in Adam Scott, all it’s raised is his hackles.
Not only does the Aussie think Woods is all wet about the length of putters, he argues that the debate over long putters is hiding the real problem in golf: i.e., length off the tee, with juiced driver faces and shafts, and turbo-powered golf balls.
Of course, the sport’s governing bodies aren’t about to kill the manufacturers’ golden geese.
Balls and drivers make golf ’s economic world go round. Putters are relatively low-hanging fruit. If they ban the long ones, they’ll simply sell more short ones.
Belly putters
The USGA and R& A have talked the anchoring issue to death but still haven’t got around to banning belly putters, though they’re expected to do it within a matter of months — and then, no doubt, will end up facing a series of legal challenges from the players who are making millions by anchoring their putters: Keegan Bradley, Webb Simpson, Adam Scott (who anchors a longer version to his chest) and a growing legion of others.
Matter of Tate
So, Kevin Glenn goes 10-5 as the Calgary Stampeders’ starting QB, essentially salvaging what might have been a lost season after Drew Tate was hurt in early July — but loses his start in the West semifinal, because Tate is healthy again?
Tate is good, and he’s clearly the team’s future.
Glenn has always seemed to me the kind of quarterback who was just about to make the mistake that would cost you the game. But 10-5 is 10-5. Sitting him is harsh, even for John Hufnagel, who isn’t exactly Mr. Softy.