The Golf Watch

Anchor laughs at Snedeker

Watching this video makes me truly appreciate the on air personalities on The Golf Channel.  As much as we rag on the network for airing shows like The Approach, we have to acknowledge that they at least have class...

Snedeker gets emotional during press conference

Preparing for and playing in a major championship can be an emotional rollercoaster.  Tiger Woods crying in Steve Williams arms after his win at the British Open in 2006 comes to mind.  How about Phil Mickelson's debacle at Winged Foot when he said, "I just can't believe I did that."  We witnessed another one of those moments on Sunday.  Brandt Snedeker started the day at 9-under, but shot a 5-over 77 in the final round to finish in a tie for third.  When Snedeker reached the press room, he got emotional, and left in tears.  Snedeker warned the press ahead of time:

I'll try to take some questions guys.  I can't guarantee anything right now. I'm still, obviously, a little emotional.  It's just a rough day out there.  It's hard to put that much effort in something and get so little out.  It's just part of life, part of growing up.  Obviously, I need a lot more of that.  It's just tough right now.  So, ask away, and I'll do my best.

It is refreshing as a golf fan to see a player care that much, and show that much class.  Snedeker shouldn't get down on himself about his performance.  Rather, he should be proud that he played in his first final group in a major championship and never gave up. Snedeker needs to remind himself that he is still very young (27), and will have many more opportunities.

Snedeker runs into bad luck, cracks driver

2007 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year Brandt Snedeker had the first round lead at the Mercedes-Benz Championship at 5-under-par as he approached the par-4 17th hole.  Snedeker hit his tee shot in the middle of the club face and even Golf Channel announcer Billy Andrade called it a "beautiful swing."  But when Snedeker went to find his ball, he realized that it had only gone about 180 yards.  Snedeker's driver had cracked on the top of the face and was no longer hittable.  He went on to double-bogey the hole.  Then on the 660+ yard par-5 18th, Snedeker was forced to use a 3-wood and would bogey the hole, finishing at 2-under-par overall.  "I don’t know, it’s the first time it’s ever happened to me," said Snedeker after his round.  "I had this driver for a long time…It’s been two years that I’ve had it in the bag.  I cracked the top of the line of it.  I hit a good drive on 17, ripped it up, and thought I was right in the middle of the fairway, and ended up right in the middle of the hazard, went about 180 yards."  Fortunately, Snedeker brought an extra driver this week which he will use for the remaining three rounds.   

Snedeker calls a penalty on himself, Parry wins Australian Open title

2-time PGA Tour winner Craig Parry captured his first national championship at the Australian Open earlier today by one stroke over American Brandt Snedeker, and Australians Nick O'Hern and Lee Won-joon.  Snedeker, who was voted earlier this week as the 2007 PGA Tour rookie of the year, could have won the title, if not for the 14th hole.  Snedeker called a one-stroke penalty on himself when he tried to remove a leaf from his ball, which caused the ball to move. Bernie Pramberg of The Melbourne Herald Sun called the win for Parry "one of the most popular Australian Open wins in years." An emotional Parry said after his round, "I've worked pretty hard over my whole career, and this is the one I wanted." Pramberg called Snedeker "unlucky."

Hewitt: Snedeker hottest player in Barclays field

Golf Channel analyst Brian Hewitt writes on thegolfchannel.com that due to Brandt Snedeker's win at the Wyndham Champoinship, he will be, "arguably, the hottest player in the field going into next week’s inaugural FedExCup event—The Barclays..."  Prior to his first win in Greensboro, Snedeker had finished in the top-25 in six out of his last seven events.  In addition, Hewitt writes that Snedeker is "the odds-on favorite to be voted Rookie of the Year by his peers at the end of this season."

Snedeker shoots final round 63, wins first PGA Tour event

Brandt Snedeker was already considered a favorite for rookie of the year prior to this week, but after shooting a final round 9-under 63 at the Wyndham Championship, the 26-year-old should be a lock.  Snedeker had 10 birdies and one bogey on Sunday, giving him a two-shot victory over Tim Petrovic, Jeff Overton, and Billy Mayfair.  "I still don’t really believe it right now," said Snedeker to Peter Kostis of CBS Sports.  "I’m talking a mile a minute doing everything a mile a minute just trying to realize what just happened.  It’s a great day…It’s been an unbelievable experience this week, it’s great."  Snedeker moves up to number nine in the FedEx Cup standings and is almost guaranteed to play all four events.  Jeff Overton, the third round leader, finished in a tie for second place, enabling him to sneak into the top-144 in the FedEx Cup standings.