Four-Ball Day-1: Chilly But Dry

Well the MGA championship season is off and running for 2010 with the Four-Ball being played today and tomorrow at Turner Hill GC and Ipswich CC. While the players and officials won't be enjoying the same warm weather that we've been experiencing of late, at least it will be dry (today for sure and hopefully tomorrow as well). I don't want to jinx it so I will just be cautiously optimistic.

Last year we weren't so lucky on day-2 of the Four-Ball at Ledgemont and Crestwood. We thought we might be able to fight through some rain and get the day in, but Mother Nature had other ideas. Hopefully we can get it done this year without getting nicked up.

It's a busy week for golf in Mass. US Open Local Qualifying is going on today at Twin Hills and another qualifying round is being played Wednesday at Pinehills. Unfortunately, the weather does not look as promising on Wednesday, but we'll keep our fingers crossed.

Tonight (Monday, 5/10) will also feature another annual highlight, the Ouimet Fund Banquet in Boston. This year's honoree is Annika Sorenstam. Always a successful event, it's apparent that Annika in retirement still has star power because more than 1,400 are expected to attend tonight's event at the Boston Marriott Copley Place. I read online over the weekend where a senior golf writer commented, 'Who'd have thought that Annika and Lorena would retire before Julie Inkster?' Very true. Former LPGA Tour Commissioner, Charlie Mecham, is the MC tonight. I'll be making my way there after checking in at one of the Four-Ball sites. Should be a nice evening. (I think some Bruins fans in attendance may be checking their Blackberries as our B's try to wrap up the Philly series at the Garden. Who, me? OK, guilty as charged.)

I was very happy for Tim Clark on winning his first PGA Tour event at The Players Championship on Sunday. He played a flawless final round on a golf course that seemed to have really dried out and was playing pretty brutal. Too bad for Lee Westwood and Robert Allenby, but a definite tip of the cap to the wee South African.

And how about Rory McIroy and Ryo Ishikawa shooting final round 62 and 58(!) respectively to win in the US and Japan a week ago. These two young guns sem to be the real deal and will be contending at majors in no time. The Tiger saga is far from over, but at least we have a lot of good young players stepping up to keep the entertainment side of the game interesting. And there seems to be a lot more positive energy around the recreational side of the game, too. The game has contracted a bit, but appears to have weathered the worst of the economic storm. Let's hope the nice weather continues in the northeast to keep golfers out on the course.