Ryder Cup Captains Agree on Condensed Sunday Finish

The Associated Press reports that a new schedule has been created by Ryder Cup officials that details six alternate shot matches in the second session instead of just four and then two alternate shot and four better ball matches in the third session which means all players will play the course for both sessions.

The report says officials hope to finish the team play by Sunday morning and then have all 12 singles matches afterwards which will leave all 28 points up for grabs.

Officials had both captains from each team agree upon the changes.

The AP story says that rain is in the weather forecast for Sunday which could push the Ryder Cup into Monday.

Sherlock Among Group of Canucks Heading to Q-School

There will be five Canadians including Stephanie Sherlock of Barrie, Ont. looking to earn their LPGA Tour card in December as they each finished within the top-30 of the final LPGA sectional qualifier on Friday.

Sherlock fell slightly in the standings after carding a final round 73 but still kept her status as top Canadian in the field at T-11.

Isabelle Beisiegel of St. Hilarire, Que. matched Fort St. John, B.C.’s Kirby Dreher’s round of 74 to share the 25th spot.

Two other Canadians, Seema Sadekar of Toronto and Sue Kim of Langley, B.C. reached the magic number and tied for 30th place- the cut-off for earning an invitation.

Of the six Canadians who started the final LPGA sectional qualifier, Ashley Scholer of Hamilton, Ont. was the only one left outside of the bubble after a tough final round 78 that plummeted her ranking to T-60.

The five Canadians who finished inside the bubble will now join Ashley Smith of Calgary in December at the final Q-school tournament to try and grab their 2011 LPGA Tour cards.

Mills Clicking in California

Jon Mills of Belleville, Ont. has his PGA Tour card in sights and a chance to take the lead at the Soboba Golf Classic after going red-hot Friday at the Country Club at Soboba Springs in San Jacinto, Calif.

Mills sky-rocketed his position after starting T-81 and went eight-under-par before play was suspended when he entered his final hole due to thunderstorms.  Mills started on the back-nine and scored five birdies and one bogey and continued his strong play into the front-nine nailing four more birdies-- three consecutively on the 4th to 6th holes.

Only the top-25 on the Nationwide Tour money list will earn their 2011 PGA Tour cards and the top-100 will retain their spots on the Nationwide Tour-- Mills hasn’t played on the PGA Tour since 2008 and was ranked No.32 going into this week’s tournament. 

The only other Canadian inside the top-25 is David Hearn of Brantford, Ont. who entered this weekend at No. 22 and is currently below the Soboba Golf Classic cut-line as he struggled in the second-round after carding a 68 Thursday. Hearn is currently four-over through 14 holes.

Canadian Chris Baryla of Calgary has appeared to shaken the rust off in his second start on the Nationwide Tour since major hip surgery in April to repair a torn labrum and was three-under through 14 holes and carded a 69 Thursday. Baryla earned his PGA Tour card last year via the Nationwide Tour and will now use a medical exemption to get back onto the PGA Tour.

Three other Canadians who are currently below the cut-line are waiting to tee-off including Ted Brown of Calgary, Bryan DeCorso of Guelph, Ont. and Barrett Jarosch of Edmonton.

Woods, Stricker Look To Rekindle Magical 2009 Team Performance

Although Tiger Woods won’t be in the starting group at the Ryder Cup- a first since 1999, the world No.1 ranked golfer will however play with a familiar face in Steve Stricker at the Celtic Manor in Wales Friday morning.

This very same duo was the first to go 4-0 at the 2009 Presidents Cup and U.S. captain Corey Pavin hopes they will rekindle their chemistry Friday as they will be the third pairing in a fourball match against European teammates Ian Poulter and Ross Fisher.

The match-ups will go as follows: (courtesy of rydercup.com)

7:45 AM -- Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson (USA) vs. Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer (EUR)

8:00 AM -- Stewart Cink and Matt Kuchar (USA) vs. Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell (EUR)

8:15 AM -- Steve Stricker and Tiger Woods (USA) vs. Ian Poulter and Ross Fisher (EUR)

8:30 AM -- Bubba Watson and Jeff Overton (USA) vs. Luke Donald and Padraig Harrington (EUR)

Sherlock Strong in Q-School Qualifier

Stephanie Sherlock of Barrie, Ont. is looking to join Ashley Smith of Calgary at the final LPGA Q-school stage in December after moving into a tie for seventh-place Thursday as she carded a 70 at the sectional qualifier in Florida.


Only the top-30 spots including ties will advance to December’s final qualifier for an LPGA Tour card and so far four Canadians are inside that mark.


Isabelle Beisiegel of St. Hilarire, Que. is T-21 with Kirby Dreher of Fort St. John, B.C.


Another golfer out of British Columbia, Sue Kim went two-over par 74 and now sits in a tie for 27th place. 
On the outside looking in is Seema Sedekar of Toronto as she bolted up 27 spots and is currently T-36 after her one-under-par 71 performance Thursday left her just two-strokes behind advancing to December’s final stage.


Ashley Scholer of Hamilton, Ont. trails the magic number by five strokes at 11-over-par.

Tour Ends Suspension For Barron

40-year-old Doug Barron’s suspension for violating the PGA Tour’s anti-doping policy was lifted by The PGA Tour Thursday and Barron was granted a Therapeutic Use Exemption for testosterone according to a report by the Associated Press.

The AP report states that PGA Tour spokesman Ty Votaw confirmed the suspension was over through an email but would not give additional information on the exemption.

Barron of Memphis, Tenn. became the first player in 2008 to be suspended for violating the PGA Tour’s anti-doping policy after testing positive at the PGA’s St. Jude Classic in his hometown for anabolic steroid testosterone and propranolol, a nerve calming beta-blocker and also failed to fulfill the requirements in his original request for the drug exemption.

Barron, who hasn’t been on the PGA Tour in three years, allegedly stated that he was under doctor’s supervision and recently submitted new information to the PGA Tour Therapeutic Use Exemption Committee which allowed his suspension to be lifted and granted his exemption.

Barron was quoted in the report as saying after now having completed his one-year suspension, he looks forward to being eligible to compete on both the PGA and Nationwide Tours. 

Azinger Healing After Motorcycle Crash

According to golfcanada.ca Paul Azinger is healing from his injuries he suffered last week in a motorcycle accident close to his Bradenton, Fla. home.

The Florida Highway Patrol said in the report that the 50-year-old Champions Tour rookie was traveling north on his 2010 BMW motorcycle when another driver attempted to make a left turn onto the street. The report states that police say Azinger laid the bike down in an attempt to avoid a collision. The driver of the car was reportedly cited by police for a violation of right of way.

According to a tweet by the 1993 PGA champion, he has been on morphine and painkillers since Friday for three broken ribs and road rash but he also tweeted that he was fine and is doing really well.  

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