Key Components of a Good Golf Swing...
1) There are 3 Common Golf Grip's
* Vardon Overlapping Grip
* Interlocking Grip
* Ten Finger Baseball Grip
2) Backswing
The key to a Good Backswing is to focus on bringing the club back with your arm's and shoulders, trying to keep your front arm straight and shifting your weight to your back foot.
This will force your body to rotate. (turn on or around an axis or a center) If you practice this move, it will lead to a very smooth consistent golf swing.
3) Downswing
It is very important to use the right sequence of movements, when starting your downswing to hit the correct golf shot. You want to start from the ground up.
This means the feet move first, followed by the knees, hips and then the upper body and arms. This is the progression, we need to use in order to get the club in the right position to hit the ball on a solid and consistent path.
4) Follow Through
The key to a good follow through, is to be focused on a smooth weight shift, from your backswing to follow through. Your weight, as your body uncoils, should naturally transfer to your front foot. Your wrists should rotate, which brings the club face square to the ball at impact.
5) Balance
Balance is a crucial part of a good golf swing. Improvements in your balance, will lead to lower golf scores, as balance makes for consistency.
6) Posture
Correct posture plays a vital roll in golf, putting you in position for a balanced and powerful, consistent ball striking.
Posture tips:
* Set your feet shoulder-width apart.
* Flex your knees only slightly for good balance.
* Bend at the hips
8) Strength
Golf is a demanding sport. The golf swing is an extremely high-speed, torquing movement that needs optimal muscular strength in the entire body, especially the abdominals and lower back.
9) Speed
We all know that club head speed is the answer to longer drives, but it is far more important to measure the speed of your hips. Ball travel is directly related to club head speed, the more the speed the further the ball travels. Controlling club head speed is essential for accuracy in the game of golf.
10) Concentration
Developing a positive attitude is one of the golf basics. Develop mental toughness to motivate yourself out of a difficult situation, or to turn things around. A good idea is to find a golf role model, and imitate the confidence of this golf role model, when in a difficult situation.
Remember, golfing success begins and ends with your great positive attitude. It is earned through your determination and perseverance to stay positive at all times. As the saying goes: Keep your cool head, while others around you are losing theirs.
Golf requires you to think clearly and be analytical which is an attribute, that is shared by good golfers.
There are a lot of factors involved in a proper golf swing, even when trying to
break it down to the barest of the fundamentals. However, you have to start
somewhere.
Keeping things as simple as possible in the beginning will keep you from getting overwhelmed with all that's involved in a good golf swing.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Golf Instruction
When we come to getting golf instruction we want to be sure we are getting the best. We want to get instruction that will begin by ensuring we are assisting our body in getting the action right. Many of us golfers, when performing our golf swing (you can also read back swing here), let our left knee go down on the back swing. The outcome of this is that our shoulder will drop causing our hips to sway and overturn. Don't allow the knee to move. Good golf posture encourages us to maintain a steady stance. To have a good golf swing you need to maintain that stability, tension if you like, in both your legs. Some instructors suggest holding some kind of ball between your knees, I don't think that is going to be very practical on the course. See how using your imagination for this works, you could be surprised how effective it is.
Golf instructors often point out a common fault in beginners and that is they carry out the swing to fast. A key to eliminating this problem with your golf swing is to relax. If you find that you are rushing things try and slow it down a bit. Contrary to what you may think rushing it does not make the down swing any faster and in fact may have the opposite effect. Maintain a steady action for best results. One key to good golf is to get a steady action in your golf swing and this can be achieved by a pause for a brief moment at the top of your golf swing. This will allow you body to relax and compose itself for the coming down swing.
Your golf instruction is going to be great if it teaches that your golf is the sum of correctly performed parts. It will look at stance, posture and action. Another key, especially at the beginning, is your grip. Are you able to hold a club right now? Try this. When you have the club at waist height, grip the club with your left hand and your right hand in the "hitchhiker position" (NB: the palm of your hand should neither be facing up nor down), you should see your thumb pointing up. If you don't get the grip together in the beginning you are not likely to improve you gold swing at all.
To conclude our short list of golf instruction tips today, I am going to end with an exercise you can do that will help establish some of the fundamentals we've talked about here. Good instruction will help you to improve your golf swing and to be consistently hitting the ball well you need a steady tempo and be able to keep good balance. These foundational elements are necessary to improve your golf swing. Good instruction will reinforce these fundamentals through practice. Try this. With your feet close together, about 15cm, hit some shots. This is going to make you keep better rhythm, balance and speed and will result in improvement when you return to your normal golf swing stance.
The best thing you can do is to do some research into golf instruction. Getting it, getting it from the right instructor, can really make playing golf that much more enjoyable, and that's what it is all about in the end isn't it!
Golf instructors often point out a common fault in beginners and that is they carry out the swing to fast. A key to eliminating this problem with your golf swing is to relax. If you find that you are rushing things try and slow it down a bit. Contrary to what you may think rushing it does not make the down swing any faster and in fact may have the opposite effect. Maintain a steady action for best results. One key to good golf is to get a steady action in your golf swing and this can be achieved by a pause for a brief moment at the top of your golf swing. This will allow you body to relax and compose itself for the coming down swing.
Your golf instruction is going to be great if it teaches that your golf is the sum of correctly performed parts. It will look at stance, posture and action. Another key, especially at the beginning, is your grip. Are you able to hold a club right now? Try this. When you have the club at waist height, grip the club with your left hand and your right hand in the "hitchhiker position" (NB: the palm of your hand should neither be facing up nor down), you should see your thumb pointing up. If you don't get the grip together in the beginning you are not likely to improve you gold swing at all.
To conclude our short list of golf instruction tips today, I am going to end with an exercise you can do that will help establish some of the fundamentals we've talked about here. Good instruction will help you to improve your golf swing and to be consistently hitting the ball well you need a steady tempo and be able to keep good balance. These foundational elements are necessary to improve your golf swing. Good instruction will reinforce these fundamentals through practice. Try this. With your feet close together, about 15cm, hit some shots. This is going to make you keep better rhythm, balance and speed and will result in improvement when you return to your normal golf swing stance.
The best thing you can do is to do some research into golf instruction. Getting it, getting it from the right instructor, can really make playing golf that much more enjoyable, and that's what it is all about in the end isn't it!
Tips On Myrtle Beach Golf Courses
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina has become well-known for its golfing, with many people traveling to what has become known as the Grand Strand, specifically for this purpose. The area includes more than one hundred golf courses throughout, with the golfing being offered on an individual basis and also through golf package deals. Depending on what you are looking for from a golf course, you will find it here. These courses are designed by some of the greats, such as Tom Jackson, P.B. Dye, Clyde Johnston, George Fazio, Rees Jones, Gene Hamm, Fred Couples, William Byrd, David Johnson, and Jack Nicklaus.
These golf courses are well-honored. The Aberdeen Country Club offers the "Meadows", "Highlands", and "Woodlands" nines, and has received Golf Digest's medallions for value and service, as well as the Blackmoor Country Club. Both Golf Digest and Golf Magazine have named the Arcadian Shores Golf Club as a "Course of Distinction", while Golf Magazine selected Grande Dunes as "Top Ten You Can Play."
Lion's Paw at Ocean Ridge Plantation has been judged by Golf Digest as one of the "Places to Stay" and "Best in the Myrtle Beach Area." Oyster Bay Golf Course is seen as one of the top fifty public courses in the country. Golf Week selected River Hills Golf Club as one of the top fifty in the southeast, while River Oaks was rated one of the top five on the Grand Strand by Golf Course Magazine. Tidewater Golf Club and Plantation has been ranked number one on the Grand Strand and one of the top thirty-two public courses in American since its debut. Golf Digest refers to True Blue as the seventh best in South Carolina and the number one course in Myrtle Beach.
Many of these courses have outstanding reputations. Brierwood Golf Club, just north of Myrtle Beach, is the most played course on the Carolina Coast. Myrtlewood Golf Club Pinehills Course is believed by some to be the best-kept course on the Grand Strand. Designed by Ray Floyd, holes two, three, and four of "The Cypress" at Arrowhead Country Club are said to be the most scenic in America. Myrtle Beach golfers voted one of the holes at Colonial Charters as one of the "dream holes", and hole number nine at the Indian Wells Country Club has been named to the "Grand Strand's Dream Eighteen." The three toughest holes to finish on the Grand Strand are thought to be at Eagles Nest. Caledonia Golf and Fish Club has often been thought of as the best course built in the past twenty years.
These golf courses are well-honored. The Aberdeen Country Club offers the "Meadows", "Highlands", and "Woodlands" nines, and has received Golf Digest's medallions for value and service, as well as the Blackmoor Country Club. Both Golf Digest and Golf Magazine have named the Arcadian Shores Golf Club as a "Course of Distinction", while Golf Magazine selected Grande Dunes as "Top Ten You Can Play."
Lion's Paw at Ocean Ridge Plantation has been judged by Golf Digest as one of the "Places to Stay" and "Best in the Myrtle Beach Area." Oyster Bay Golf Course is seen as one of the top fifty public courses in the country. Golf Week selected River Hills Golf Club as one of the top fifty in the southeast, while River Oaks was rated one of the top five on the Grand Strand by Golf Course Magazine. Tidewater Golf Club and Plantation has been ranked number one on the Grand Strand and one of the top thirty-two public courses in American since its debut. Golf Digest refers to True Blue as the seventh best in South Carolina and the number one course in Myrtle Beach.
Many of these courses have outstanding reputations. Brierwood Golf Club, just north of Myrtle Beach, is the most played course on the Carolina Coast. Myrtlewood Golf Club Pinehills Course is believed by some to be the best-kept course on the Grand Strand. Designed by Ray Floyd, holes two, three, and four of "The Cypress" at Arrowhead Country Club are said to be the most scenic in America. Myrtle Beach golfers voted one of the holes at Colonial Charters as one of the "dream holes", and hole number nine at the Indian Wells Country Club has been named to the "Grand Strand's Dream Eighteen." The three toughest holes to finish on the Grand Strand are thought to be at Eagles Nest. Caledonia Golf and Fish Club has often been thought of as the best course built in the past twenty years.
A Few Golf Tips From Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods is the undisputed king of professional golf. With a smooth technique you could set your watch by, he makes winning those championships look like a walk in the park.
Imagine if you could sit with Tiger for a few minutes and pick his brain to help improve your game. Here are some great golf tips from Tiger Woods.
It's All About Rhythm
Every player has their own natural rhythm. Some players are energetic and full of motion; others are stoic and deep in concentration.
Tiger says that when he's playing his best, everything he does is just second nature. He just goes with the flow, and there's little else involved. That's because he's found just the right groove that suits his natural rhythm.
If the rhythm's off, Tiger misses a swing or two. When things are flowing for him, he has to work a little to get it back into a natural rhythm.
So, how do you learn to keep your natural rhythm? There are a few ways Tiger suggests to help you find your groove and keep it.
Stick To Your Routine
Rhythm and consistency are important, so how you get ready both physically and mentally for the game is essential. Tiger has a practice routine that he does before every single game. He uses the same clubs, and the last club he uses for his pre-game warm-up is the one he plans to use for the first hole.
The point isn't to practice swinging, but to get into your groove.
The First Hole Is The Most Important
Long before he swings for that first hole, Tiger plans the whole game ahead. He prepares himself for the game mentally and emotionally. This involves relaxation, and deciding his game plan beforehand.
An awkward, uncertain first shot is a sure-fire rhythm-killer.
Keep Things Steady
To keep your rhythm going, you have to keep the tempo steady. When you get stressed, you start to speed things up. All that nervous energy makes you hurry to the next hole, and you end up making silly mistakes you wouldn't have made otherwise.
The next time you watch Tiger play, pay attention to the way he walks to the next hole. Even after a great shot, you'll never see him rush on to the next one. He'll pump his fist, smile, and stroll to the next hole with the same leisurely pace.
Tiger recommends a good pre-routine warm-up that helps you get into a relaxed frame of mind. This will get you started on the right foot. For more info see http://www.getgoodatgolf.com/ on golf course.
Posture Means Perfect
When asked for practical golf tips, Tiger Woods always mentions posture. Tiger always stands straight and tall, a decent distance from the ball so that he can keep his chin up. Lots of golfers (including Tiger when he was a beginner) put their address position too close to the ball, and end up having to bow their head down too much. Tiger says to keep a good distance away so you don't have to lean over the ball.
Tiger Woods is not only one of the best players, he's also one of the most reflective. Perhaps the key to his success is his ability to look at his mistakes and shortcomings, and work to improve them, instead of getting frustrated. This is why his golf tips are so helpful to his fans. When you blow it, think about why you did it. Then, correct it next time, and you'll see improvement.
Imagine if you could sit with Tiger for a few minutes and pick his brain to help improve your game. Here are some great golf tips from Tiger Woods.
It's All About Rhythm
Every player has their own natural rhythm. Some players are energetic and full of motion; others are stoic and deep in concentration.
Tiger says that when he's playing his best, everything he does is just second nature. He just goes with the flow, and there's little else involved. That's because he's found just the right groove that suits his natural rhythm.
If the rhythm's off, Tiger misses a swing or two. When things are flowing for him, he has to work a little to get it back into a natural rhythm.
So, how do you learn to keep your natural rhythm? There are a few ways Tiger suggests to help you find your groove and keep it.
Stick To Your Routine
Rhythm and consistency are important, so how you get ready both physically and mentally for the game is essential. Tiger has a practice routine that he does before every single game. He uses the same clubs, and the last club he uses for his pre-game warm-up is the one he plans to use for the first hole.
The point isn't to practice swinging, but to get into your groove.
The First Hole Is The Most Important
Long before he swings for that first hole, Tiger plans the whole game ahead. He prepares himself for the game mentally and emotionally. This involves relaxation, and deciding his game plan beforehand.
An awkward, uncertain first shot is a sure-fire rhythm-killer.
Keep Things Steady
To keep your rhythm going, you have to keep the tempo steady. When you get stressed, you start to speed things up. All that nervous energy makes you hurry to the next hole, and you end up making silly mistakes you wouldn't have made otherwise.
The next time you watch Tiger play, pay attention to the way he walks to the next hole. Even after a great shot, you'll never see him rush on to the next one. He'll pump his fist, smile, and stroll to the next hole with the same leisurely pace.
Tiger recommends a good pre-routine warm-up that helps you get into a relaxed frame of mind. This will get you started on the right foot. For more info see http://www.getgoodatgolf.com/ on golf course.
Posture Means Perfect
When asked for practical golf tips, Tiger Woods always mentions posture. Tiger always stands straight and tall, a decent distance from the ball so that he can keep his chin up. Lots of golfers (including Tiger when he was a beginner) put their address position too close to the ball, and end up having to bow their head down too much. Tiger says to keep a good distance away so you don't have to lean over the ball.
Tiger Woods is not only one of the best players, he's also one of the most reflective. Perhaps the key to his success is his ability to look at his mistakes and shortcomings, and work to improve them, instead of getting frustrated. This is why his golf tips are so helpful to his fans. When you blow it, think about why you did it. Then, correct it next time, and you'll see improvement.
News and notes on the PGA Tour's top 20 golfers
1. Tiger Woods, United States — Even though he has not hit a golf shot since winning the U.S. Open in June, Woods continues to be in the news. He made some last week by announcing on his website that he and wife Elin are expecting their second child sometime after the first of the year. He said that the inactivity caused by his knee surgery has been a "blessing and a disappointment" because, despite being away from the game, he has been able to spend so much time at hole with Elin and 1-year-old Sam Alexis, their first child. On Woods' recent trip to New York to promote his new video game for EA Sports, he appeared on the Conan O'Brien Show and was able to rub elbows with Olympic gold-medal winners Michael Phelps, Misty May-Treanor, Kerri Walsh and Bryan Clay. Woods is another golfer who has said he would love to play in the Olympics if golf is added to the schedule for the 2016 Games. He will be 40 then, and because he keeps himself in such good shape, he still might be in his prime if the left knee holds up. There was a report that Woods might show up for at least one day next week to support the U.S. Ryder Cup team, even though he said earlier he would not go. Captain Paul Azinger said he has not discussed it with Tiger but added that he has Woods' phone number and will keep him in the loop.
2. Padraig Harrington, Ireland — After winning the British Open and the PGA Championship, Paddy had nothing left for the PGA Tour playoffs. He finished in a tie for 55th last week in the BMW Championship and fell six positions to 50th in the FedEx Cup standings when he needed to finish in the top 30 to qualify for the Tour Championship in two weeks at East Lake in Atlanta. Harrington finally was able to return home to Dublin after six weeks in the U.S., but he will be back next week to help the Europeans try to keep the Ryder Cup. After missing the cut in the first two events of the PGA Tour playoffs, the Irishman broke 70 at Bellerive only when he shot 69 in round one. Harrington was at even par through 36 holes and needed a strong finish, but he could manage only 72-71 because he made only one birdie on each of the last two rounds after making three in each of the first two. He refused to criticize the new, more volatile scoring system in the playoffs, saying it's exactly what it should be, and said he did not deserve to play in the Tour Championship after missing the cut in the first two events. Missing the Atlanta event does not mean the end of his season, because he leads the Order of Merit on the PGA European Tour and probably will play in at least one more event on that circuit in an attempt to nail down the title.
3. Vijay Singh, Fiji — The Big Fijian ran out of gas last week and tied for 44th in the BMW Championship, but his victories in the first two events of the PGA Tour playoffs were enough to guarantee him the FedEx Cup under one condition: He must play all four rounds in the Tour Championship in two weeks at East Lake in Atlanta and the $10 million prize will be his. Camilo Villegas allowed Singh that luxury by winning at Bellerive and preventing the likes of Jim Furyk, Anthony Kim and Sergio Garcia from doing so. Singh didn't break the par of 70 until he closed with a 69, and even that was a bit untidy as he made a double bogey and a bogey sandwiched around two birdies on his last four holes. The unerring putting stroke he used to win the Barclays and the Deutsche Bank Championship was missing as he averaged 30.3 putts per round to tie for 55th in the field, taking fewer than 30 only when he had 28 in round two. It continued a hot-and-cold late season run by Singh, who won three times and missed the cut three times in his previous six tournaments. Only those closest to Singh know how he feels about virtually clinching the FedEx Cup because he declined a television interview while Villegas' victory still was in doubt. The enigmatic Singh left the course without talking to reporters, who probably won't get the chance to question him until he arrives in Atlanta.
4. Phil Mickelson, United States — Lefty had to be a little encouraged by his 68-65 start last week in the BMW Championship, but he faded in the last two rounds to a tie for 17th. Mickelson shot 71-70 in the last two rounds and continued his season of missed opportunities. He has wound up in the top 25 in 18 of his 20 starts this season on the PGA Tour and has won twice, but he has missed several chances for additional victories with poor finishes. It was more of the same at Bellerive, where he made seven bogeys in the last two rounds after making only two over the first 36 holes, both in round one. Mickelson fell one spot to ninth in the FedEx Cup standings, and even though he qualified for the Tour Championship for the 15th time, there is no guarantee he will play in Atlanta after the Ryder Cup next week. He skipped the season finale in 2005 and 2006 even though he qualified by finishing in the top 30, and since Vijay Singh has wrapped up the FedEx Cup, Mickelson might decide to stay at home in San Diego again. Captain Paul Azinger hopes Lefty shows up at Valhalla next week with the form that he used to shoot a bogey-free 5-under-par 65 in round two in St. Louis, where he hit 12 of 14 fairways and 15 of 18 greens, then took 28 putts. Mickelson was 1-under the rest of the week.
5. Kenny Perry, United States — Perry put everything he had into making the U.S. Ryder Cup team and hopes he has something left for the matches next week at Valhalla. He has seemed to be running on empty in recent weeks after his spectacular summer run; last week, for example, he tied for 44th in the BMW Championship. That dropped him four positions to 13th in the FedEx Cup standings after leading before the playoffs, but he still made it to the Tour Championship for the ninth time and the first one since 2005. Perry's week was not a complete washout as he shot 66 in the first round and 68 in the third at Bellerive. But he struggled home with a final-round 74 that included 33 putts. He made three consecutive bogeys early in the round and only a single birdie, on No. 13. Even Perry's opening round could have been better, because although he made five birdies in one stretch of seven holes, he also mixed in three birdies. He claimed three victories in five weeks this year and barely missed a fourth when he lost in a playoff to Ryuji Imada in the AT&T Classic. Perry tied for sixth in the U.S. Bank Championship in Milwaukee the week after this third victory, but in four events since he has not broken into the top 40. That has to be a concern for captain Paul Azinger heading to the Ryder Cup, where Perry hopes the home fans can wake him from the doldrums.
6. Sergio Garcia, Spain — It was another solid week for El Nino, but his tie for 20th in the BMW Championship was not enough to keep him in the race for the FedEx Cup, which was virtually clinched by Vijay Singh. Garcia slipped behind winner Camilo Villegas into third place in the FedEx Cup standings heading to the Tour Championship in two weeks in Atlanta, where he will make his sixth appearance in the regular-season finale. In the meantime, he hopes to continue to torment the Americans in the Ryder Cup next week at Valhalla. Garcia was unable to post four rounds in the 60s last week at Bellerive only because he left his 12-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole short and closed with an even-par 70. It appeared the Spaniard might be able to back up his victory earlier in the year in the Players Championship with another win when he made a hole-in-one on the third hole of the second round. The first competitive ace of his career, pro or amateur, helped Garcia tie for the lead at one stage of the round, but he faded with three bogeys on his last eight holes and couldn't catch up. The improvement with the putter that has carried him recently was not there this time. He averaged 30 putts per round, and his 27 in round two represented the only time he took fewer than 30. Don't expect that next week because he is a wizard on the greens in the Ryder Cup.
7. Anthony Kim, United States — The 22-year-old led four members of the U.S. Ryder Cup team who finished in the top 10 of the BMW Championship, which had to do wonders for captain Paul Azinger's confidence. Kim had a chance to win for the third time this year on the PGA Tour but couldn't quite catch Camilo Villegas and wound up in a tie for third, three strokes back. That was his seventh top-10 finish of the season but his first since he took batting practice with the Boston Red Sox in July at Fenway Park and lost his stroke. Kim posted four rounds in the 60s at Bellerive and made a run at Villegas with three birdies in a span of four holes on the back nine in the final round, but it was simply the Colombian's day and week. The kid from the mean streets of Los Angeles finished second in the field with 21 birdies, but four bogeys kept him from going very low in an opening-round 68, and he had three more miscues in his closing 67. That lifted him one spot to third in the FedEx Cup standings and ensured his first berth in the Tour Championship in two weeks. But first he will try to help the United States regain the Ryder Cup next week for the first time since 1999. He tied for seventh at Bellerive by hitting 55 of 72 greens in regulation and averaging 28.5 putts per round to tie for 17th. Numbers like that at Vallhala could make him a Ryder Cup hero.
8. Ernie Els, South Africa — The Big Easy was able to punch his ticket to the Tour Championship for the 13th time in his career when he tied for 17th in the BMW Championship. The only time he missed the regular-season finale came in 2005, when knee surgery in July knocked him out of action for several months. Els made it to Atlanta by posting a 66-68 finish in the last two rounds at Bellerive, making only one bogey in each of the last two rounds. He wasn't quite as sharp as the week before, when he tied for third in the Deutsche Bank Championship, but the big South African did enough to move on even though he dropped two spots to 21st in the Fed Ex Cup standings. His trip to Atlanta had been in jeopardy when he missed the cut in the Barclays and fell to 52nd in the standings. Two surges in the last two rounds of the BMW pushed him through to the finale. Els made three consecutive birdies through No. 15 in the third round and then made three more birdies in the first eight holes of round four before making par on nine of his last 10 holes. He did it with solid all-around play, hitting in the neighborhood of 70% of the fairways and greens, then averaging 28.3 putts per round. Els could have finished in the top 10 if not for a 72 in round two, when his only birdie came on the seventh hole.
9. K.J. Choi, South Korea — Playing his best golf on the PGA Tour since March, Choi shot 64-67 in the last two rounds of the BMW Championship to tie for fifth. That was his best result in the U.S. since a tie for fifth in the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in March, although he did win the SK Telecom Open in South Korea for the third time in April. He rose four spots to eighth in the FedEx Cup standings and will play in the Tour Championship for the sixth consecutive year. After suffering through a stretch of six tournaments in which he did not crack the top 40, Choi finished in the top 25 for the fifth time in his last six events. He made only one bogey in each of the last three rounds at Bellerive and was in the hunt until the last of them on the 15th hole in the final round. Choi was solid all week, but his best stretch came when he made seven birdies in a span of 12 holes in round three. He led the field by hitting 60 of 72 greens in regulation and could have claimed his second victory on the PGA Tour this year had he not averaged 30.3 putts per round. But he got better in the last two rounds, when he took only 56 putts after needing 65 in the first 36 holes, including 34 in round one. Since missing the cut in the PGA Championship at 11-over-par, Choi is a cumulative 24-under in his last three events.
10. Jim Furyk, United States — Right when it appeared Furyk finally was going to claim his first victory of the season, he made three bogeys in four holes in the middle of his final round and finished in a tie for third in the BMW Championship, two strokes back. Other than when he was injured in 2004, Furyk has won at least once every year on the PGA Tour since 1998, and he was in the lead last week until starting that skid on the ninth hole. The good news heading to the Ryder Cup is that he finally started to make some putts; he averaged 28.3 putts per round at Bellerive to rank ninth and finished second with an average of 1.648 putts per green in regulation. Furyk also had his straight-and-steady game from tee to green, hitting 46 of 56 fairways to tie for third in the field and 54 of 72 greens in regulation to tie for 11th. Those are the kind of numbers captain Paul Azinger is hoping for from Furyk at Valhalla, especially in the foursomes and four-ball portion of the matches. Furyk moved up one spot to fourth in the FedEx Cup standings heading to the Tour Championship, which he will play for the 11th time in the last 12 years. He might not have a victory this year, but he has eight finishes in the top 10, which leads the PGA Tour. He was the 36-hole leader at Bellerive after a brilliant 62, the best round of the week.
11. Justin Leonard, United States — Leonard couldn't match the seventh-place finishes he had in the first two events of the PGA Tour playoffs, but he still managed a solid tie for 17th last week in the BMW Championship. That dropped him three positions to seventh in the FedEx Cup standings heading to his 11th appearance in the Tour Championship but his first since 2005. The hero of the 1999 Ryder Cup, the last time the Americans won, has posted 12 consecutive rounds of 70 or better since shooting 80 in the final round of the PGA Championship, exactly the form he is looking for next week at Valhalla. Leonard could have posted four rounds in the 60s at Bellerive, but he drove into a fairway bunker on the 72nd hole, could not reach the green in two and ran his 15-foot birdie putt past the hole. But he had the all-around game that will be needed against the Europeans — he hit more than 70% of the fairways and greens, then averaged 28.5 putts per round — all in the top 25 in the field. Leonard made three consecutive birdies through No. 17 to salvage a second-round 67, his best round of the week, and it could have been better if not for three bogeys. His first-round 69 was marred by a double bogey on the fourth hole, his only hiccup of the day, and prevented him from posting his eighth top-10 of the season. But he finished in the top 25 for the 13th time.
12. Adam Scott, Australia — Scott's downhill spiral since winning the EDS Byron Nelson Championship in April concluded when he tied for 50th in the BMW Championship. That dropped him four positions to 47th in the FedEx Cup Championship, the first time he has finished outside the top 30 and missed the Tour Championship since 2003. After claiming the sixth victory of his career a little more than four months ago, the Aussie tied for eighth the following week in the Wachovia Championship. Then he finished no better than a tie for 16th in the British Open over his last eight tournaments of the PGA Tour season. At least he got to play the final round last week at Bellerive after missing the weekend cut twice and the secondary cut once in his last three events. But needing a low score Sunday to move on to Atlanta, he made a birdie on the second hole but none the rest of the way en route to a 2-over-par 72, his worst score of the week. Scott played his best golf of the week when he posted a 4-under-par 31 on the back nine in round two, making five birdies in his last eight holes. But that only salvaged a round of 71 because he toured the front nine in 40, including double bogeys on the sixth and ninth holes. At least some of Scott's problems might stem from a chronic throat problem, and he might have to have his tonsils removed over the offseason.
13. Trevor Immelman, South Africa — Other than a couple of big hiccups last week in the BMW Championship, Immelman played his best golf since he tied for second in the Stanford St. Jude Championship in June. He finished in a tie for 13th, his only result in the top 20 other than a tie for 19th in the British Open since losing in a playoff to Justin Leonard at Memphis. He moved up two spots to 19th in the FedEx Cup standings, guaranteeing his spot in the Tour Championship for the second time. And he did well the only time he got to East Lake, tying for fifth in 2006. Immelman could have finished in the top 10 last week at Bellerive, but he made double bogeys on the second hole in the third round and the fifth hole in the fourth. He might have won the tournament had he been able to play only the back nine, where he was 10-under-par for the week, but he was 3-over on the front. Immelman had two torrid streaks in St. Louis, starting with four birdies in seven holes at the start of the back nine in round two. Then he made six birdies in 12 holes through No. 17 in the final round. The South African might finally be getting comfortable carrying around the title of Masters champion and could be a threat to win again when he returns to Georgia in two weeks.
14. Geoff Ogilvy, Australia — Even though Ogilvy recorded the best finish in his last six tournaments, a tie for 28th in the BMW Championship, it was not enough to get him into the Tour Championship. He slid two spots in the FedEx Cup standings to 32nd and wound up 249 points behind Chad Campbell, who earned the 30th and last berth even though he withdrew after the first round at Bellerive to be with his wife for the birth of their first child. Ogilvy seemed to regain his 2006 form earlier this year when he won the WGC-CA Championship and tied for second in his next outing at the Shell Houston Open. He has placed in the top 10 nine times this year, but not since he tied for ninth in the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines in June. He put himself in position for a Sunday push that could keep him in the top 30 by shooting 67 in round three last week, making four consecutive birdies on the back nine. Ogilvy still had a chance when he made birdies on the 13th and 14th holes of the final round to offset two earlier bogeys, but he could not make the one more that he needed and finished with four consecutive pars. He flew the green with his approach on the final hole and made a nice chip to within two feet, but he needed to hole the shot. Even averaging 28.3 putts per round, tied for ninth in the field, couldn't pull him through.
15. Camilo Villegas, Colombia — Spider-Man had been close so many times without winning in his three years on the PGA Tour, but he left no doubts this time by holing three clutch putts on the back nine of the final round in the BMW Championship. That gave him a two-stroke victory over Dudley Hart at Bellerive and lifted him to second in the FedEx Cup standings heading to the Tour Championship, where he tied for ninth last year. The playoffs seem to be made for Villegas, who has five top-10 finishes in the seven postseason events the last two years. He took the 54-hole lead after a bogey-free 66 in the third round in the BMW but gave it back with bogeys on the fifth and sixth holes of the final round. Then, after regaining the lead when Jim Furyk made two bogeys, Villegas sank a 12-foot putt for par on the 12th hole, a 10-footer for birdie on the 13th and a 35-footer for birdie on the 14th. He hit 60% of the fairways and 70% of the greens, but it was the putter that carried him at Bellerive. Villegas averaged 27.0 putts per green, including 25 in the final round, and 1.608 putts per green in regulation to lead the field on both categories. He didn't lose his confidence with the flat stick after a four-putt double bogey on the ninth hole of the second round and three misses inside eight feet early in the final round. Villegas finally broke through after finishing second and third four times each on the PGA Tour.
16. Steve Stricker, United States — Five days after Paul Azinger made him one of four Captain's Picks for the U.S. Ryder Cup team, Stricker showed that he might be a real factor next week at Valhalla. He posted a brilliant, bogey-free 66 in the final round at Bellerive to finish in a tie for 10th, his third consecutive finish in the top 20 in the PGA Tour playoffs. That moved him up one place to 12th in the FedEx Cup standings, in which he finished second to Tiger Woods last year. Stricker said he felt much more at ease than he did in the last month or so, when he was thinking every shot might have a bearing on whether he made the Ryder Cup team. He also shot a 66 in the rain-delayed first round at Bellerive, his only bogey coming on the sixth hole. Stricker might have challenged for his first victory since the 2007 Barclays, but he played the sixth through 11th holes in round two in 5-over-par, starting with a double bogey on No. 6. He salvaged a round of 71 by making three bogeys in four holes through No. 17. Stricker has put together the best three-year run in his career on the strength of some remarkable putting, and he averaged 28.3 putts per round in the BMW Championship, tying for ninth in the field. Putting is always a major factor in the Ryder Cup, so he could be a key man if the U.S. is to end its drought.
17. Stewart Cink, United States — Cink might be a concern for captain Paul Azinger heading into the Ryder Cup next week after he failed to break the par of 70 and tied for 60th in the BMW Championship. Still, he dropped only four places to 15th in the FedEx Cup standings and advanced to the Tour Championship at East Lake for the seventh time in his career. Cink has not finished in the top 30 in six tournaments since he claimed the Travelers Championship in June. He shot even-par 70 in the second round at Bellerive by making birdies on three of the last five holes of the second round and another 70 in the final round by making birdies on the last two holes. Cink got off to a bad start in the rain-delayed first round, making his only birdie on the 11th hole before carding three bogeys on the last five holes to shoot 73. Once one of the better putters on the PGA Tour with his long wand, Cink has struggled on the greens the last two seasons, and he averaged 30 putts per round in the BMW, tying for 51st in the field of 70. He took fewer than 30 strokes on the greens only when he had 27 in the third round. That might make him a liability for Azinger next week at Valhalla because putting always is a key element in the Ryder Cup.
18. Ben Curtis, United States — With a strong finish at Bellerive, where he closed with 68-65, Curtis continued his good play heading toward the Ryder Cup. He wound up in a tie for 13th in the BMW Championship, remained 10th in the FedEx Cup standings and will be looking for a high finish in two weeks when he plays in the Tour Championship for the second time. Before that, Curtis will be playing in the Ryder Cup for the first time next week. A double bogey each of the first two days of the BMW kept him from getting into red numbers in his 70-70 start, but he turned it around by making only one bogey in the last 36 holes, on No. 9 in round three. His scorecard was immaculate in the final round, when he needed only 25 putts, and he finished the tournament with an average of 27.8 putts per round. Curtis hasn't played as brilliantly in his last two events as he did in the previous two, when he tied for second in the PGA Championship and tied for fourth in the Barclays. But he has performed well enough to keep his momentum heading to Valhalla, where the 2003 British Open champion could be a key player for the U.S. team. Curtis has finished each of his last three tournaments at 7-under-par and is a total of 24-under in his last five. He has shot par or better in 17 of his last 20 rounds.
19. Boo Weekley, United States — Boo had a ticket to his second Tour Championship in hand before making bogeys on two of the last four holes last week in the BMW Championship. Weekley finished in a tie for 28th at Bellerive and dropped from 31st to 33rd in the FedEx Cup standings when he needed to climb back into the top 30 to go to Atlanta. NBC golf analyst Johnny Miller quipped that there were "a lot of deer out there," hoping Weekley, an avid hunter, would make it to the finale. Needing a par on the final hole, he drove to the edge of the trees, could not reach the green in two and left his 29-foot putt for par a foot short. The 18th hole also got him in the first round, when he made a double bogey there, his only miscue on the card in a round of 71. Again, it was the putter that let Weekley down. He averaged 30.3 putts per round to tie for 51st in the field, including 33 putts in the first round and the third. That might not bode well for him next week at Valhalla, because putting always plays a pivotal role in the Ryder Cup. His best golf of the week came when he shot 65 in the second round, but he stumbled with two bogeys on the last four holes of the front nine after starting on No. 10.
20. Stuart Appleby, Australia — Appleby couldn't follow up a first-round 66 last week in the BMW Championship, but his tie for 38th was good enough to get him into the Tour Championship for the eighth time after he missed last year. A year ago, he tied for 25th in the BMW, but it knocked him out of the playoffs as he wound up 36th in the FedEx Cup standings after starting right on the bubble at No. 30. The Aussie slid three spots to 20th in the FedEx Cup standings this time and wasn't in danger of falling out of the top 30 because he finished with two solid rounds of 70. He made five birdies in a span of seven holes in that first round, when his only bogey came on the fifth hole after he started on No. 10. His good work in the other three rounds overcame a 73 in round two, when he made four bogeys in a span of seven holes. Appleby, who is on the entry list for this week's European Tour event, the Mercedes-Benz Championship in Cologne, Germany, started the year with five consecutive finishes in the top 10 on the PGA Tour, but his tie for second in the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational is his only one since. He has finished in the top 25 on 13 occasions and said last week that he believes he has continued to play well but not gotten the same results. A good finish at East Lake, where he tied for 10th last year, could change all that and end his season on a high note.
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