Golf

19th Hole

Briefs and news of note from the world of golf.

By BOB HARIG
Published July 6, 2006

Divots

PLAYOFF BLUES: After Monday's playoff to decide the U.S. Women's Open, cries are again being heard to eliminate 18 holes as the way to decide a championship that is tied. Other golf organizations long ago went to other methods. The Masters went to sudden death in the mid 1970s. The British Open went to a four-hole aggregate playoff in the mid 1980s, and the PGA Championship also adopted the plan. Even the USGA has gone to an aggregate playoff for the U.S. Senior Open.

So why not the U.S. Open and the U.S. Women's Open? If you need any more proof, NBC's Johnny Miller and Roger Maltbie did not stick around for the Monday playoff.

MORE PREPARATION: Phil Mickelson seems to be taking his final-round meltdown at the U.S. Open pretty well. Last week he visited Royal Liverpool, site of the British Open in two weeks, for two days. And on Tuesday, while in town for the Western Open, he snuck over to Medinah Country Club, site of next month's PGA Championship, where Tiger Woods won his second major in 1999. "I thought it was just terrific," Mickelson said. "The golf course was in great shape. The greens were just immaculate." Mickelson said he'll make a few other trips to the course before the PGA. "(Tuesday) was just a fun round," he said. "I'll do (the heavy work) after the British."

Quotable

"Well, I'm not ever going to forget it, that's obvious." -Mickelson, who is playing this week at the Western Open, on his U.S. Open loss.

Stat of the Week

Annika Sorenstam's victory at the U.S. Women's Open made it eight straight major championships for international players. Meg Mallon was the last American to win a major, at the 2004 U.S. Women's Open.

[Last modified July 6, 2006, 06:32:20]