Sunday, August 24, 2014

Crawford's Golf Daily, For August 24th, 2014

By Gregory Crawford---COO of Kiyokawa Crawford Sports Management---@wchoops @kcsportsmgmt

LPGA---- This coming week marks the 43rd edition of the LPGA coming to Portland, Oregon. It is always an exciting time in the Oregon/SW Washington sports scene.

The tournament will have a new name this year, the Portland Classic, present by Cambia Solutions, after a great 17 year run as Safeway being the title sponsor. But like life, things in sports do change. The tournament this year will have a big Portland, Oregon feel, with a large wellness tent and plenty of Portland's world famous food carts out on the course for the pleasure of the galleries.

One thing that will not change. This tournament is run so well each year by Tournament Golf Foundation, with its mostly volunteer group and the site for the tournament, Columbia Edgewater is one of the best conditioned courses in all the world.

If you want to attend a great sporting event, get out to North Portland this week and soak it all in. And you will be happy to know, this tournament will continue to support local charities, with over $17 million given to now, more to come.

Where Did They Go----You always wonder what happens to great golfers, some who have won and some have had the potential to win. Many players come to mind, but a couple to think about are Retief Goosen and Rory Sabbatini? Goosen has won plenty, but sure has faded as of late and Sabbatini has yet to provide us with the excitement, we all thought he was capable of doing.

More Gregory Crawford blogs:

http://gregcrawfordbasketball.blogspot.com

http://crawscorner.blogspot.com


Monday, August 18, 2014

Crawford's Golf Daily, For August 18th, 2014

By Gregory Crawford---COO of Kiyokawa Crawford Sports Management @wchoops and @kcsportsmgmt

59 Again----The weekend saw lots of great golf, exciting as it gets. Should anyone ever shoot a 59, golf's equivalent of a no-hitter, they seem to have trouble backing it up the next day.

On Saturday it was Kevin Sutherland, shooting a 59, missing a six-footer on the 18th hole for a 58. It was the first time on the Champions Tour for someone shooting a 59, a 58 would have been the first time ever in competitive golf. Per usual, it was tough for Sutherland to come back, as on Sunday he scored a 74.

What else is new, in the same tournament Bernhard Langer finished with a 66 and wins again. It seems now you really have to consider Langer for the European Ryder Cup team.

Good-Bye Rochester----What a way to end a 38 year run for the LPGA in Rochester, New York, with the Wegman's LPGA Championship, the great Inbee Park winning in a playoff. Next year this tournament moves to the New York City area, combining the LPGA and PGA of America to present a championship. It is great for the PGA of America to get involved with women's golf, it probably is not great for the wonderful golfing city of Rochester to lose a golf tournament they have supported for many years. I would have to think Rochester will be back in the LPGA rotation really soon.

Portland, Oregon---The Portland, Oregon metro area will see a great run of golf in the next two weeks, with the Web.com WinCo Foods Portland Open being played at the world famous Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club all this week and 43rd edition of the Portland Classic on the LPGA Tour taking place at the iconic Columbia Edgewater the 25th to 31st. Portland and the state of Oregon have proven over and over they love golf and are willing to support top events.

More Gregory Crawford Blogs:

http://gregcrawfordbasketball.blogspot.com

http://crawfordsgolfdaily.blogspot.com

Saturday, August 16, 2014

Crawford's Golf Daily, For August 16th, 2014

By Gregory Crawford---COO of Kiyokawa Crawford Sports Management, on twitter @wchoops and @kcsportsmgmt

2014 Ryder Cup---While all the talk about this year's Ryder Cup has been on who will Captain Tom Watson pick to fill out his 12 man roster, it really should be noted, can the European team leave 57 year old Bernhard Langer off the their team ? Langer might not be the best player in golf right now, Rory is for sure, but Langer has been the more dominate player in golf this season, playing on the Champions Tour and winning four events, two majors and just over $2.3 million, with plenty of the golfing season left to go on his Tour.

Senior Ryder Cup---It appears almost certain oow that there will be Senior Ryder Cup every two years, with the first year taking place place in the United States in 2015. Nothing against seniors, I am one myself, but do we really need this? It takes away from the "real" Ryder Cup and golf needs really special majors, like last week's PGA Championship, not more majors. A great alternative, add one player to both the European and American team from the Champions Tour each year of the event. Those selections would be really exciting and controversial each time.

Champions Tour----Statistical proof that the Champions Tour which is having a banner year, has not been good to everyone. Two multiple winners in past years of the four majors, Hal Sutton and Larry Nelson, are having awful years in 2015 on the Champions Tour.

Sutton has played in 12 events on the Champions Tour this year and won a paltry, $63,037 and Nelson in sevent events has won $36,084.

Of course these two guys have had wonderful golf careers and no one should feel sorry for them at all. The average yearly salary for workers in the United States is just over $44,000.

Jim Furyk----One of the greatest golfers of all time, Jim Furyk is having some major trouble as of late holding leads in golf tournaments. Seven straight times now after holding the 54 lead in an event, he has failed to win the event. Frustrating for him  and a pretty remarkable statistic.

BWC Golf Tournament----This is a story which has sadness, but at the same time, things you do like to hear about people and how giving we are as a society.

Linfield College in McMinnville, Oregon, which just happens to be my alma mater, each year is the site of a BWC Golf Tournament and tailgater during Homecoming Week.

While every  college hosts many special events during their homecoming weeks, the BWC has had a great run of 27 years and growing.

While many individuals make the BWC a special event, the two driving forces behind the success from Day One have been Steve Lathrop and Gil Hargreaves. This past July Gil passed away, shockingly and unexpectedly. Sad news for so many people.

But the BWC has turned the sadness into something pretty special. They will continue to be big financial supporters of an alumni scholarship in Gil's name, which will continue to grow up to $4,000.00.

Even more special, the BWC has now started their own scholarship in honor of Gil, "Leave No Wildcat Behind", of which they will contribute at least $300.00 towards an individual to come to the BWC, who might not be able to make it to the BWC tournament for various reasons. A creative and extremely thoughtful idea, by some really special people. (For those who read this around the world, Wildcats is the nickname of Linfield College).

Gregory Crawford's other blogs:

http://gregcrawfordbasketball.blogspot.com

http://crawscorner.blogspot.com

Monday, August 11, 2014

Crawford's Golf Daily, For August 11th, 2014

By Gregory Crawford--- COO of Kiyokawa Crawford Sports Management  On twitter @wchoops @kcsportsmgmt

Rory---- It was big time finish and win for Rory and his 4th major. The question now should be asked, can Rory break Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 majors, or perhaps will he break the 20 majors won by Tiger Woods. Of course I personally think when he is done, Jordan Spieth will hold all golf records. What do you think, comments are welcome in Crawford's Golf Daily.

Rickie---Rickie Fowler had another wonderful tournament, finishing third in the PGA Championship. By doing so,  he did make history, becoming only the 3rd player in golf's great history to finish in the top 5 in the same year, of all 4 majors. Of course it is pretty easy to figure out the other two players, who have done it twice----Mr. Nicklaus and Mr. Woods.

Portland Classic--- What a tough break for the Portland Classic and its management group Tournament Golf Foundation. With the finger injury to Michelle Wie, she will not be playing in Portland, during the tournament which runs August 28th-31st. Even without Wie, who has been in Portland every year, the field is still strong and without question this event is one of Oregon's premier sporting events.

PGA Championship---I did not like the way the PGA finished. It was bizarre to say the least. No, not the fact Rory won, but the fact that Rory wanted to play in with Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler on the 18th hole, with darkness setting end, so Rory would not have had to come back on Monday. I did not like the idea of letting Rory "hit up" after Mickelson and Rory reached the 18th fairway.

It just did not seem right, considering a major championship. If they had to come back on Monday, so what. This is major golf, with so much on the line. What are your thoughts?

PGA in Portland, Oregon----Louisville is a great sports town and for certain deserves to be the rotation for the PGA for many years to come, as it will be. But what about the Northwest, which has not seen a PGA Championship, since 1998 when the great event was held at the wonderful Sahalee Country Club outside of Seattle.

Weather for Portland, Oregon and Seattle, during last week's PGA? Perfect---with no chance of any rain or weather delays, as it typically is in the month of August. Baffling, why the PGA has not returned to the Pacific Northwest in 16 years.

WinCo Foods Portland Open---Speaking of great golf, if you are in the Portland, Oregon area the week of August 18th-24th, you should plan to attend the WinCo Foods Portland, Open, part of the Web.com Tour.

This outstanding event will played at the legendary Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club, on the private Witch Hollow Course. You will not only see great golf, but what a wonderful course to walk and view the tournament. Stay right here for some great coverage of this tournament, as well as the following week the Portland Classic.

For all your golf needs, especially increasing revenue and play at your course, visit, http://kiyokawacrawfordsportsmanagement.weebly.com. We are here to help.

More Gregory Crawford Blogs:

http://gregcrawfordbasketball.blogspot.com
http://crawscorner.blogspot.com


Saturday, August 2, 2014

Crawford's Golf Daily, For August 2nd, 2014

By Gregory Crawford, COO of Kiyokawa Crawford Sports Management @wchoops @kcsportsmgmt

Slow Play---Slow play is one of the most talked about events in all of golf. Some people think it is a huge problem, other people just think the subject is overrated. How do you feel about it?

I would love your comments below, which would be read by many on the subject.

1. Do you feel it is a problem, or overrated?

2. What is a course you have played that enforces slow play measures?

3. Share your ideas on how we can speed up play if necessary.

4. I think every course should have clocks on the course, these certainly help and make people think about their pace of play, how about you?

5. All comments are more than welcome.

More of Gregory Crawford's blogs:

http://gregcrawfordbasketball.blogspot.com

http://crawscorner.blogspot.com