A QUICK NINE....

- If Brandt Snedeker plays the way he did at Pebble Beach on his last 18 holes during a major, he will finally get his. Happy for him.
- Watch for Jordan Spieth in the majors. He is due. Pick him to win in Los Angeles at Riviera. Call your bookie or Las Vegas.
- Tiger says he'll come back when he is ready. Many of us think he is ready to come back and say good bye to golf. Several tour golfers have empathy for Tiger. My humble opinion, right or wrong, is that Tiger changed his swing at least one too many times. Now he has "paralysis by analysis". Worse than the "yips".
- Jack Nicklaus, who received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from president George W. Bush in 2005, will now receive the Congressional Gold Medal this coming March (The "King", Arnold Palmer, received the Congressional Gold Medal in 2012 and the Presidential Medal in 2005 as well)
- Charlie Sifford, the first black golfer accepted to play in the PGA Tour, died a few days before Billy Casper, I must say I am a bit bewildered because I did not hear it until the same weekend that Billy Casper died. I played one round with Charlie Sifford during the Raleigh Cup in Mexico back in 1973. He won, both the tournament we played in (Santa Anita) and then won the cup -a series of about 6 tournaments- and was a great gentleman.
-Surprise!! Davis Love III was picked as the next Ryder Cup Captain. Why? Why not Mickelson? He can be the next playing captain!
-Darren Clarke will be Ryder Cup Captain for Europe. No surprise there.
-Frank Nobilo says that Tiger Woods enjoyed equipment edge in winning in the early 2000's (starting with the end of 1999). True to a certain extent. Tiger was the first good player to switch from wound to solid balls, but, everyone had the same opportunity and did not take it. Plus, Tiger was Tiger then.
-Everyone knows one of my favorites is Jordan Spieth. I have many reasons for this, some personal about his demeanor and will to win. But, if Erik Compton, a two time heart transplant survivor is around the lead on Sunday, I will be pulling for him. His story, in itself, even without winning, is a remarkable story of perseverance for life itself.