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ENLARGE
John Renslow
Phil finally beat Tiger, mano-a-mano. The game, however, was Chinese Chess (which from appearances is akin to checkers). An update to the lifetime tally has Tiger ahead 14-3 in major tournament wins and Phil ahead 1-0 in board games.
The two then made there way to more familiar territory, hitting golf balls. Dozens of balls were hit, red golf balls that all went in the water. The two were joined by Sergio Garcia and Y.E. Yang as all four put on an exhibition, hitting balls into the Shanghai River for the home town folks.
Often known as the “silly season”, because the tournaments don't count towards the PGA Tour's Money List, the late autumn has events such as the "skins games" and "3-tour challenges" on the schedule.
Yet, this week, China will host its first World Golf Championship sponsored by HSBC.
The World Golf Championships are a group of four annual events created by the International Federation of PGA Tours.
At the 1996 Presidents Cup, golf's five world governing bodies; the European Tour, Japan Golf Tour Organization, PGA TOUR, PGA Tour of Australasia and Sunshine Tour, formed the International Federation of PGA Tours and reached agreement on several key elements of professional golf designed to create new international events, beginning in 1999. The Asian Tour joined the organization as a full fledged member in November 1999.
Interesting that although the number of golfers here in the States is essentially flat, the game continues to grow around the globe with the number of participants and golf courses on the rise. However, from 2000 to 2006, two or three of the four “world” events were staged in the United States and one or two were staged elsewhere.
Starting in 2007, all three of the individual World Golf Championships events were played in the United States (the fourth was the World Cup team event), which attracted criticism from some golfers and media, primarily from those outside the United States.
If the events are billed as global, with the perceived goals of inviting the world's best to compete and an introduction to new players, would it not be best to expose the game to a variety of cultures and locales?
Toward this end, World Golf Ranking No. 1 and No. 2, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, will be in action today at Shanghai Sheshan International Golf Club in China. Due to the difference in time zones, live coverage starts on Golf Channel at 11 p.m., but the replays begin at 11 a.m.
Whether it's the “Thrilla in Manila” (between Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali) or the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos travelling to London for a regular season football game, it is great fun to have the best on the world stage.
And, as golf takes on more importance throughout the world (knowing that golf is once again an Olympic sport), it just might be good for the game here at home. Hopefully, we'll see Tiger and Phil walking down the 18th fairway on Sunday. If not, Tiger will have to try and even things up with a game of checkers.
John Renslow is general manager and director of golf at Alta Sierra Country Club. Please contact John with your questions or comments at jrenslow@pga.com.
The two then made there way to more familiar territory, hitting golf balls. Dozens of balls were hit, red golf balls that all went in the water. The two were joined by Sergio Garcia and Y.E. Yang as all four put on an exhibition, hitting balls into the Shanghai River for the home town folks.
Often known as the “silly season”, because the tournaments don't count towards the PGA Tour's Money List, the late autumn has events such as the "skins games" and "3-tour challenges" on the schedule.
Yet, this week, China will host its first World Golf Championship sponsored by HSBC.
The World Golf Championships are a group of four annual events created by the International Federation of PGA Tours.
At the 1996 Presidents Cup, golf's five world governing bodies; the European Tour, Japan Golf Tour Organization, PGA TOUR, PGA Tour of Australasia and Sunshine Tour, formed the International Federation of PGA Tours and reached agreement on several key elements of professional golf designed to create new international events, beginning in 1999. The Asian Tour joined the organization as a full fledged member in November 1999.
Interesting that although the number of golfers here in the States is essentially flat, the game continues to grow around the globe with the number of participants and golf courses on the rise. However, from 2000 to 2006, two or three of the four “world” events were staged in the United States and one or two were staged elsewhere.
Starting in 2007, all three of the individual World Golf Championships events were played in the United States (the fourth was the World Cup team event), which attracted criticism from some golfers and media, primarily from those outside the United States.
If the events are billed as global, with the perceived goals of inviting the world's best to compete and an introduction to new players, would it not be best to expose the game to a variety of cultures and locales?
Toward this end, World Golf Ranking No. 1 and No. 2, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, will be in action today at Shanghai Sheshan International Golf Club in China. Due to the difference in time zones, live coverage starts on Golf Channel at 11 p.m., but the replays begin at 11 a.m.
Whether it's the “Thrilla in Manila” (between Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali) or the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos travelling to London for a regular season football game, it is great fun to have the best on the world stage.
And, as golf takes on more importance throughout the world (knowing that golf is once again an Olympic sport), it just might be good for the game here at home. Hopefully, we'll see Tiger and Phil walking down the 18th fairway on Sunday. If not, Tiger will have to try and even things up with a game of checkers.
John Renslow is general manager and director of golf at Alta Sierra Country Club. Please contact John with your questions or comments at jrenslow@pga.com.
