Joey's Golf Bag

Tiger shoots 65 to win Dubai by a stroke.

On a day of thrilling drama at the Emirates Golf Club, Woods emerged the victor after a quite sensational back nine of six under par 31 that culminated in a stunning up and down for a title winning birdie on the 18th green. It was a classic Woods moment, the kind of finish that only a man of his peerless mental fortitude could produce.

If you count unofficial and non-PGA Tour events, Tiger has run his winning streak to five events (three straight on the PGA Tour):

1. Dubai Desert Classic
2. Buick Invitational
3. Target World Challenge
4. Tour Championship
5. BMW Championship

Let’s see how many events Tiger can win before his streak runs out. He will probably tee it up next at the Accenture Match Play Championships.

Michelle,

It was a really tough year, huh? Here’s what you need to do to get your mojo back and start winning:

• Send the parents back to Hawaii. ‘Nuff said.
• Decline all invitations to men’s events. Oh, you already did! Great!
• Defer school until after your playing career is done. After all, you banked $19M this year.
• Announce your intention to play your way onto the LPGA tour.
• Just do it!

That’s what you need to do. Do it now.

Love,

Joey (your biggest fan)

Y’all may be watching the men play the Bridgestone, but I’ve also got the Women’s Open on the Tivo. Stuff like this just doesn’t happen on the PGA Tour…

The Old Course at St. Andrews has never seen anything like it: Paula Creamer doing a cartwheel in front of the famous Swilcan Bridge at the 18th hole.

The fabled course is offering plenty of surprises to the players preparing for the Women’s British Open, the first women’s professional tournament to be held at the home of golf.

“When you’re watching it on TV, everything seems like it’s straight in front of you,” said 17-year-old Michelle Wie, still trying to get her game back on course after a wrist injury. “It’s just so different when you play it. I never realized that almost every tee shot on the front nine is a blind tee shot.”

Full story: Flipping out at the Women’s British

Natalie Gulbis breaks through with her first win at the Evian Masters in France.

Natalie Gulbis won the Evian Masters with a birdie on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff with Jang Jeong of South Korea on Sunday.

It was the first LPGA Tour victory for the 24-year-old American.

Gulbis and Jang had finished the fourth round tied at 4-under 284. Gulbis had a final round 70, and Jang birdied the last hole to finish with a 72.

Unfortunately, I don’t have the Golf Channel, so I didn’t see the tournament.

Morgan Pressel, 18 years old, steals one at the Kraft Nabisco Championship in Kid Becomes A Champ.

Morgan Pressel became the youngest major champion in LPGA Tour history Sunday with a game well beyond her 18 years, closing with a 3-under 69 at the Kraft Nabisco Championship as everyone around her self-destructed.

I watched the tournament, and Morgan barely made the telecast until nearly her last hole. Congrats on a great win!

Yesterday, Sal Johnson, who smartly reset his picks after the third round, squeaked by Ron Sirak and Alan Shipnuck on picking the winners of the third round of the Accenture Match Play. Let’s take a look at their quarterfinal round results. Note: Of the three, only Sal Johnson didn’t pick the later rounds in advance, so he’s got a clear advantage because his picks get reset every day. Whatever.

None of Ron’s or Alan’s picks made the quarterfinals, so there is no sense in continuing to check. Sal managed to get only 1 of 4 right in the quarters.

My pick for the victory is Geoff Ogilvy to repeat as winner.

Yesterday, Sal Johnson, who smartly reset his picks after the second round, wiped out Ron Sirak and Alan Shipnuck on picking the winners of the second round of the Accenture Match Play. Let’s take a look at their third round results. Note: Of the three, only Sal Johnson didn’t pick the later rounds in advance, so he’s got a clear advantage because his picks get reset every day. Whatever.

I’m shocked that Tiger Woods lost to Nick O’Hern, but that’s match play.

Aussie ends Woods’ winning streak

Tiger Woods’ winning streak is over no matter what tour he is playing.

In a shocking end to a PGA TOUR streak that began in July, Woods failed to notice a ball mark in the line of his 4-foot birdie putt that would have won his third-round match against Nick O’Hern. He missed the putt, then lost in 20 holes when the Australian saved par with a 12-foot putt Friday at the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship.

Yesterday, Ron Sirak edged out Sal Johnson and Alan Shipnuck on picking the winners of the first round of the Accenture Match Play. Let’s take a look at their second round results. Note: Of the three, only Sal Johnson didn’t pick the later rounds in advance, so he’s got a clear advantage because his picks get reset every day. But, what the heck.

Sal kicked ass, but then, he had the advantage of resetting after the first round. Ron edged out Alan again.

Tiger Woods is back in action at the Accenture Match Play. Let’s take a look at picks from Ron Sirak of Golf World, Sal Johnson of Golf Observer and Alan Shipnuck of Sports Illustrated and see how they performed.

Ron Sirak edges out Sal Johnson and Alan Shipnuck, despite not picking the Ogilvy v Stricker match (website said Stenson! — if Golf World corrects the pick, I’ll fix it here). The big surprises were Els getting knocked out by Bradley Dredge, Davis Love III losing to Ben Crane and Tim Clark defeating Robert Allenby.