Thursday, August 22, 2019
NFL19 Update
The Miami Dolphins are playing a live professional-football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on national, prime-time television. Comments flow!
Wednesday, August 21, 2019
What's On TV Tonight (1973)?
I think I might have some things I would like to say about this made-for-TV movie, “The Couple Takes a Wife,” which aired at 7:30 p.m. Central on Channel 3 on Aug. 21, 1973, as ABC’s Tuesday Movie of the Week. I've got some stuff to do early this 2019 evening, and then I plan to take a look while I fold laundry later tonight. So, you know, we'll see. Here was the description in the Paducah Sun-Democrat: "Girl hired by a working couple to take care of the domestic chores turns the household upside down by going beyond the call of duty."
Sunday, August 18, 2019
BMW Championship -- Day Four Wrap-Up
Well, it was a long and disappointing day for John Augenstein (of Owensboro Catholic and Vandy) in the finals of the U.S. Amateur at Pinehurst. After 28 holes of the 36 hole match, Augenstein was 2-up with only eight holes to play. Then the roof fell in. His opponent, Andy Ogletree of Georgia Tech, won the 29th hole thanks to a bogey by Augenstein. Then Ogletree birdied the 31st hole to tie the match. Then Augenstein bogeyed the 32d hole to go 1 down. And when Augenstein double-bogeyed the par-3 35th hole, he was 2 down with only 1 hole left, and the match was over. So Ogletree is your new U.S. Amateur Champion, and Augenstein will be left to ponder what might have been.
Another Kentuckian, however, had a much better day. Justin Thomas (of Louisville St. X and Vandy) picked up his first win of the year, and the 10th win of his career, by cruising to a three-shot win at the BMW Championship in Medinah. Thomas had a huge lead going into today's round, since he shot an 11-under par 61 yesterday. But given that Medinah was basically playing like the typical pitch and putt, you knew that other guys would have low scores today. Sure enough, Hideki Matsuyama shot a 63. Patrick Cantlay shot a 65. If Thomas had been shaky, his lead could have gotten away. Instead he shot a solid 68, and won by three shots.
From my perspective, the experiment of treating the BMW Championship like a major tournament was a failure. It had a great field, and Medinah is a great old course that has hosted numerous majors in the past. Thomas is a major-quality winner. But the barrage of birdies and eagles that we saw over the last few days made it feel like you were watching something more like the John Deere Classic than the PGA Championship. (When Brooks Koepka won the PGA at Bethpage Black earlier this year, his winning score was 8-under par.)
Next year we have the Olympics and the GOP Convention in August, so maybe there will be enough sports to get through that month. But I don't think the BMW Championship is the answer.
Oh, and neither Tiger Woods nor Jordan Spieth qualified for next week's Tour Championship. And the PGA has come up with some sort of gimmick that is supposed to create more drama, but which will make me want to turn to the channel. No matter what they try, I am never going to believe that winning the Playoffs is a bigger deal than winning a major. I wish they would accept that, but I fear that they won't.
1. J. Thomas: -25 (65+69+61+68=263)
2. P. Cantlay: -22 (66+67+68+65=266)
3. H. Matsuyama (JPN): -20 (69+63+73+63=268)
4. T. Finau: -18 (67+66+68+69=270)
T5. J. Rahm (ESP): -16 (68+69+66+69=272)
T5. B. Snedeker: -16 (66+71+67+68=272)
T7. C. Conners (CAN): -15 (69+66+69+69=273)
T7. L. Glover: -15 (66+69+69+69=273)
T9. A. Scott (AUS): -14 (67+71+69+67=274)
T9. K. Kisner: -14 (68+68+69+69=274)
Another Kentuckian, however, had a much better day. Justin Thomas (of Louisville St. X and Vandy) picked up his first win of the year, and the 10th win of his career, by cruising to a three-shot win at the BMW Championship in Medinah. Thomas had a huge lead going into today's round, since he shot an 11-under par 61 yesterday. But given that Medinah was basically playing like the typical pitch and putt, you knew that other guys would have low scores today. Sure enough, Hideki Matsuyama shot a 63. Patrick Cantlay shot a 65. If Thomas had been shaky, his lead could have gotten away. Instead he shot a solid 68, and won by three shots.
From my perspective, the experiment of treating the BMW Championship like a major tournament was a failure. It had a great field, and Medinah is a great old course that has hosted numerous majors in the past. Thomas is a major-quality winner. But the barrage of birdies and eagles that we saw over the last few days made it feel like you were watching something more like the John Deere Classic than the PGA Championship. (When Brooks Koepka won the PGA at Bethpage Black earlier this year, his winning score was 8-under par.)
Next year we have the Olympics and the GOP Convention in August, so maybe there will be enough sports to get through that month. But I don't think the BMW Championship is the answer.
Oh, and neither Tiger Woods nor Jordan Spieth qualified for next week's Tour Championship. And the PGA has come up with some sort of gimmick that is supposed to create more drama, but which will make me want to turn to the channel. No matter what they try, I am never going to believe that winning the Playoffs is a bigger deal than winning a major. I wish they would accept that, but I fear that they won't.
1. J. Thomas: -25 (65+69+61+68=263)
2. P. Cantlay: -22 (66+67+68+65=266)
3. H. Matsuyama (JPN): -20 (69+63+73+63=268)
4. T. Finau: -18 (67+66+68+69=270)
T5. J. Rahm (ESP): -16 (68+69+66+69=272)
T5. B. Snedeker: -16 (66+71+67+68=272)
T7. C. Conners (CAN): -15 (69+66+69+69=273)
T7. L. Glover: -15 (66+69+69+69=273)
T9. A. Scott (AUS): -14 (67+71+69+67=274)
T9. K. Kisner: -14 (68+68+69+69=274)
Saturday, August 17, 2019
BMW Championship -- Day Three Wrap-Up
It's a shame I decided to take a nap, because I missed one of the best rounds of golf you will ever see. Justin Thomas put on a spectacular show at Medinah today, shooting an 11-under par sixty-one in order to pull away from the field.
On the other hand, a major problem with trying to treat the BMW Championship as a major tournament is that the course is not set up like a major. The scores this week look more like the best golfers in the world are at Paxton Park than at a famous old country club.
Anyway, the golf world is better when Justin Thomas is playing well, and we will hope he can win tomorrow.
In retrospect, I should have been following the U.S. Amateur, which is also being played this weekend, and which is an actual major tournament. This year, they're playing the Amateur at Pinehurst Number Two, and one of the great stories of the week is another Kentuckian -- John Augenstein. Augenstein played his high school golf for Owensboro Catholic and now plays for Vandy. Here's what he's done so far:
In the round of 64, he played Ryan Smith, a rising high school senior from Carlsbad, Calif. He beat Smith 6 and 4.
In the round of 32, he played Akshay Bhatia, the top-ranked player in the country under 18. He beat Bhatia 4 and 2.
In the round of 16, he played Ricky Castillo, the number-9 amateur in the world. Castillo just graduated from high school, and he will be playing for Florida in the fall. He also had the second-best score of anyone in the qualifying rounds at the Amateur. This was a great match. After eight holes, Augenstein was 4-up. But then Castillo won the 10th hole with an eagle, the 11th hole with a birdie, and the 12th hole with another birdie. Now Augenstein was only one up. But he parred the last six holes in a row -- and all Castillo could do was match him par for par. With the one-up victory, Augenstein moved into the quarter-finals.
In the quarterfinals, Augenstein faced Palmer Jackson, who just graduated from high school in Murrysville, Pa. and who will be playing at Notre Dame in the fall. Augenstein was 3-up after five holes, but lost the eighth and ninth holes due to bogeys. But he righted the ship, and the next five holes were halved. Jackson then bogeyed the 15th and 16th holes, and Augenstein had a 3 and 2 victory.
In the semifinals, Augenstein faced William Holcomb V from Crockett, Tex. Holcomb is a rising senior at Sam Houston State. Holcomb birdied the third hole to go 1-up. Augenstein tied him with a par on the 4th. Holcomb then bogeyed the 6th and 7th holes, and found himself 2 down. But he birdied the 9th and was only 1 down. The next four holes were halved, but Holcomb lost the 14th with a bogey. When Augenstein won the 16th with a birdie, he had a 3 and 2 victory and a trip to tomorrow's 36-hole final.
So Kentucky golfers are going for a double tomorrow. Justin Thomas -- of Louisville St. Xavier and the University of Alabama -- will be trying to win the BMW Championship. John Augenstein -- of Owensboro Catholic and Vanderbilt University -- will be trying to win the U.S. Amateur. He will be taking on Andy Ogletree, a rising senior at Georgia Tech.
Meanwhile, here are the scores from Medinah:
1. J. Thomas: -21 (65+69+61=195)
T2. T. Finau: -15 (67+66+68=201)
T2. P. Cantlay: -15 (66+67+68=201)
4. R. Sabbatini (RSA): -14 (67+68+67=202)
5. J. Rahm (ESP): -13 (68+69+66=203)
T6. B. Snedeker: -12 (66+71+67=204)
T6. C. Conners (CAN): -12 (69+66+69=204)
T6. L. Glover: -12 (66+69+69=204
T9. K. Kisner: -11 (68+68+69=205)
T9. X. Schauffele: -11 (67+68+70=205)
T9. H. Matsuyama (JPN): -11 (69+63+73=205)
On the other hand, a major problem with trying to treat the BMW Championship as a major tournament is that the course is not set up like a major. The scores this week look more like the best golfers in the world are at Paxton Park than at a famous old country club.
Anyway, the golf world is better when Justin Thomas is playing well, and we will hope he can win tomorrow.
In retrospect, I should have been following the U.S. Amateur, which is also being played this weekend, and which is an actual major tournament. This year, they're playing the Amateur at Pinehurst Number Two, and one of the great stories of the week is another Kentuckian -- John Augenstein. Augenstein played his high school golf for Owensboro Catholic and now plays for Vandy. Here's what he's done so far:
In the round of 64, he played Ryan Smith, a rising high school senior from Carlsbad, Calif. He beat Smith 6 and 4.
In the round of 32, he played Akshay Bhatia, the top-ranked player in the country under 18. He beat Bhatia 4 and 2.
In the round of 16, he played Ricky Castillo, the number-9 amateur in the world. Castillo just graduated from high school, and he will be playing for Florida in the fall. He also had the second-best score of anyone in the qualifying rounds at the Amateur. This was a great match. After eight holes, Augenstein was 4-up. But then Castillo won the 10th hole with an eagle, the 11th hole with a birdie, and the 12th hole with another birdie. Now Augenstein was only one up. But he parred the last six holes in a row -- and all Castillo could do was match him par for par. With the one-up victory, Augenstein moved into the quarter-finals.
In the quarterfinals, Augenstein faced Palmer Jackson, who just graduated from high school in Murrysville, Pa. and who will be playing at Notre Dame in the fall. Augenstein was 3-up after five holes, but lost the eighth and ninth holes due to bogeys. But he righted the ship, and the next five holes were halved. Jackson then bogeyed the 15th and 16th holes, and Augenstein had a 3 and 2 victory.
In the semifinals, Augenstein faced William Holcomb V from Crockett, Tex. Holcomb is a rising senior at Sam Houston State. Holcomb birdied the third hole to go 1-up. Augenstein tied him with a par on the 4th. Holcomb then bogeyed the 6th and 7th holes, and found himself 2 down. But he birdied the 9th and was only 1 down. The next four holes were halved, but Holcomb lost the 14th with a bogey. When Augenstein won the 16th with a birdie, he had a 3 and 2 victory and a trip to tomorrow's 36-hole final.
So Kentucky golfers are going for a double tomorrow. Justin Thomas -- of Louisville St. Xavier and the University of Alabama -- will be trying to win the BMW Championship. John Augenstein -- of Owensboro Catholic and Vanderbilt University -- will be trying to win the U.S. Amateur. He will be taking on Andy Ogletree, a rising senior at Georgia Tech.
Meanwhile, here are the scores from Medinah:
1. J. Thomas: -21 (65+69+61=195)
T2. T. Finau: -15 (67+66+68=201)
T2. P. Cantlay: -15 (66+67+68=201)
4. R. Sabbatini (RSA): -14 (67+68+67=202)
5. J. Rahm (ESP): -13 (68+69+66=203)
T6. B. Snedeker: -12 (66+71+67=204)
T6. C. Conners (CAN): -12 (69+66+69=204)
T6. L. Glover: -12 (66+69+69=204
T9. K. Kisner: -11 (68+68+69=205)
T9. X. Schauffele: -11 (67+68+70=205)
T9. H. Matsuyama (JPN): -11 (69+63+73=205)
BMW Championship -- Round Three
The big story from Chicago yesterday was Hideki Matsuyama setting the course record at Medinah with a stunning 9-under par 63. That puts him at 12-under par for the tournament, and left him all alone in first place after two rounds.
The big story so far today is that Tiger Woods is 5-under for the day through 17 holes. That brings him to 7-under for the tournament and puts him in a tie for 25th. As of now, he is projected to finish 39th in the FedEx Cup standings, which will keep him out of the Tour Championship next week -- since you have to be one of the top 30. There will be a bunch of disappointed folk in Atlanta, but silly rules lead to silly results.
We haven't heard much from Gary Woodland since he won the U.S. Open in June. But today he posted a 64 that moves him to 9-under par, just three shots off the lead. However, my guess is that Matusyama and company will shoot low scores of their own before the day is over.
Matsuyama is about 20 minutes from teeing off. Here is your current top 10:
1. H. Matsuyama: (JPN): -12 (36 holes)
T2. P. Cantlay: -11 (36)
T2. T. Finau: -11 (36)
T4. J. Rahm (ESP): -10 (40)
T4. X. Schauffele: -10 (38)
T4. J. Thomas: -10 (36)
T7. G. Woodland: -9 (54)
T7. W. Clark: -9 (54)
T7. J. Dahmen: -9 (41)
T7. S.W. Kim (KOR): -9 (41)
T7. R. Fowler: -9 (40)
T7. K. Kisner: -9 (39)
T7. C. Conners (CAN): -9 (38)
T7. R. Sabbatini (RSA): -9 (37)
T7. A. Hadwin (CAN): -9 (36)
T7. L. Glover: -9 (36)
The big story so far today is that Tiger Woods is 5-under for the day through 17 holes. That brings him to 7-under for the tournament and puts him in a tie for 25th. As of now, he is projected to finish 39th in the FedEx Cup standings, which will keep him out of the Tour Championship next week -- since you have to be one of the top 30. There will be a bunch of disappointed folk in Atlanta, but silly rules lead to silly results.
We haven't heard much from Gary Woodland since he won the U.S. Open in June. But today he posted a 64 that moves him to 9-under par, just three shots off the lead. However, my guess is that Matusyama and company will shoot low scores of their own before the day is over.
Matsuyama is about 20 minutes from teeing off. Here is your current top 10:
1. H. Matsuyama: (JPN): -12 (36 holes)
T2. P. Cantlay: -11 (36)
T2. T. Finau: -11 (36)
T4. J. Rahm (ESP): -10 (40)
T4. X. Schauffele: -10 (38)
T4. J. Thomas: -10 (36)
T7. G. Woodland: -9 (54)
T7. W. Clark: -9 (54)
T7. J. Dahmen: -9 (41)
T7. S.W. Kim (KOR): -9 (41)
T7. R. Fowler: -9 (40)
T7. K. Kisner: -9 (39)
T7. C. Conners (CAN): -9 (38)
T7. R. Sabbatini (RSA): -9 (37)
T7. A. Hadwin (CAN): -9 (36)
T7. L. Glover: -9 (36)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)