Tiger on Augusta / NZ Open

[Mark_Huxford]

That's just the beauty of technology for everyone, it enhances our chances to play better golf. And that's one of the reasons why we love new technology that comes out. We all buy it and we all get it and we all want to try it and become better. Has it changed Augusta? No doubt about it, we're carrying bunkers guys never used to carry before. And that's one of the reasons why they did change Augusta and made it quite a bit longer for those reasons.

I got a chance to play with my good buddy Mark o'Meara and we sat down after we played and basically what the club told us is the reason why they made the golf course longer is not for us, the players right now, it's for the kids coming up. Those are the kids that hit the ball a lot longer than we do. The college kids... they did a stat this year [the college kids] hit the ball 10 yards longer on average than we do on the tour. Those are the kids who are going to be coming out on tour in the next ten years or so and they're the ones that are going to be bombing it past us. That's why they had to change it now.

- Tiger Woods (Jan 8, first New Zealand Open press conference)

[Brian Phillips]

Hux,

I beg..beg..beg you to just enjoy this week without thinking too much about the changes...on your course or whatever he has to say...

You have Tiger on YOUR course and you should enjoy it...PLEASE

Enjoy it while you can .  You will only spoil your week...shit I sound like my wife...

Brian

[Mike Duffy]

Mark,

The young boy, the 13-year-old who qualified for the tournament, has taken my interest.

I was wondering if you would be so good as keep me (us) informed of his progress during the first two rounds. I suspect that he probably won't qualify for the final two days owing to media spotlight etc. My curiosity has been aroused and I would like to keep up with his progress.

[Mark_Huxford]

Mike, Jae An is his name. His family came from South Korea three years ago and he is part of this amazing collection of school boy golfers from Rotorua High School. Their team is so good he was only the reserve when they won the world schools championship at Wentworth last year. Sam Hunt - the current New Zealand strokeplay champion - is also playing this week. Sam's old news though because he's a veteran at 16 years old

Jae was the medalist at the Monday qualifying at Waikanae with a 65. He also holds the course record at Springfield in Rotorua with 65.

The best place for live scoring is on http://www.nzopen.co.nz

[Chris Kane]

Mark,

Were you at the practise round yesterday?  I read about it in the paper this morning...ten thousand people on the Tuesday makes you realise how big this event has become.

Has there been any word on how ticket sales to the actual event have progressed?  Heard a couple of days ago that they were struggling: I suppose that now he's arrived its going to be mayhem.

I have a feeling that the $4m issue is going to be forgotten in a hurry this week.  What a horrible precedent that sets for other tournaments in relatively small countries.  If the tickets at the Australian Open at Victoria in November end up like yours have, I'll be shattered.

[Mark_Huxford]

Shane, before the tournament started I thought Tuesday could be the biggest day because it was only $40 to see Tiger. I heard the official figure was 9,923 people. I think a few people were upset he only played the back nine though. The tv report said lots of spectators were waiting at the first tee and didn't realize Tiger was going to go off the 10th.

The first two rounds are $105 a day and the weekend rounds are $170 a day. It will be interesting to see if the galleries increase above 10,000 during the actual event or drop away. If they did get 20,000 people a day watching basically one group however I reckon it would be a borderline stampede situation so maybe it's better like this.

Forecast is for a rough first two rounds and then windy unsettled weather for Saturday before coming fine again on Sunday. Should be an interesting event. Hope it's on the golf channel for most of you guys.

[Mike Clayton]

I'm down at Paraparaumu this week and I have to say the course isnt great.Mackenzie in the Spirit of St Andrews wrote something like

'golf in NZ is dead,in fact it has never been alive.Committees there fail to realize the game is played for pleasure and insist on using long grass as a penal hazard and as a consequence players will not put up with the annoyance of looking for lost balls'

Sad to report nothing has changed. 25 yard fairways ,long rough around the greens that stops the contours taking the ball where it ought to go and soft poa greens combine to render the golf course devoid of strategy. If they widened the fairways got themselves some decent, firm bent greens and cut all the long mess around the greens it might play the way Mackenzie would hope and his partner Russell envisaged.

As Greg Turner says 'its not the ignorance that astounds me its the extent of it'

[Tommy_Naccarato]

Greg Turner is my newest hero.

Maybe my last one.

(But I have been known to say that before.}

If this indeed is a quote from Tiger Woods, then I'm going to be sick. I may even give up playing. Funny how he is saying all of this on the eve of the PGA Show in Orlando.

Maybe it is me just being me again? Pardon me while I go and toss some cookies.

[Doug Wright]

"...the club told us is the reason why they made the golf course longer is not for us, the players right now, it's for the kids coming up."

Way to lay this off on the "kids" Tiger. Sheesh.

Remember your mantra Tommy: "The TOUR is not golf, The TOUR is not golf, The TOUR is not golf, The TOUR is not golf..."    

[Tim_Weiman]

Tommy:

Nice to see us back on the same side again.  I'll remember the Turner quote for a long time.

Mark Huxford:

I"m disappointed with Tiger.  Maybe its the Cleveland, sorry, IMG, influence.  Tiger is a vey bright guy, but it seems like he doesn't dare touch the influence of technology on the economics of the game.

One would have thought his Stanford education would have taught him better.  I'd love to see some journalist ask him why he thinks demand for golf has remained flat in the US over the past ten years.

[Mike Clayton]

Mark



3rd tee I would keep -good hole from way back there
3 and 18 are not dangerous for us but the pro-am wasnt great.
12 is a mess -needs your double fairway and why didnt they cut down the 4 pines
Trees ? It would be fine without any but most offensive are the poplars by the 5th tee and that money making pine plantation in the middle

If you are around I will be on the range from 4 till 5.30.

What they need is a mower.

[Brian Phillips]

I can't believe those prices!!  I paid less than £500 for two fullweek (YES FULLWEEK) tickets for the Ryder Cup last year!!

The only ripoff is the B&B's in the area!!

Brian

Sick....