Blood and Sand

Some high jinks from Ian Poulter and the possibility of Tiger not winning has at last got me interested in the Dubai Desert Classic. I was glad to see Ian setting the record straight on his apparently misquoted remarks, though I don't think that a bit of self-belief is so much of a bad thing. Since then Tiger has dropped out of the lead with Els starting today at the top of the leader-board. Will he make it? Not being blessed with Sky I'll have to wait for the match reports. I think a lot of people would like Ernie to win but suspect fewer really believe he can do it. I myself wonder if some of the hunger has gone. At least from a distnace it looks like he has it all - happy home life, charitable interests, multi-million pound business, not to mention a sunny temperament. How much does winning matter? And this clearly begs the question - what keeps Tiger going?
Whoever wins I think it's not going to be Tiger, i.e. another shock-horror situation, a bit like the Australian Open Tennis where Federer failed in the semis. I'm ashamed to say that I had to go out checking blogs to find out who the winner was. I hope Dubai is remembered for its winner, not just as the time that Tiger failed.

World Masters: the big men of golf

As Ernie Els and Angel Cabrera battle it out at Wentworth, the BBC is struggling to fill in the gaps between shots. Let's face it they've been there all day with only one match to cover. As the players trudge up the fairway there are no other matches to cut to. Peter Aliss, as we know, can witter for Britain and Ken Brown is keeping him company by interviewing tongue-tied junior spectators, but there's only so much 'Swingmaster' analysis I can take. As for comparing a golf swing to a rugby kick - er- patriotism apart, I don't think so! I suppose I should be sympathetic. On a pleasant autumn day I certainly wouldn't turn down Maureen Madill's job, but I'm beginning to wish Ernie would just get it over with. Oops, Angel's hooked one. Maybe I won't have to wait much longer!
Thanks to Mike Davis for posting the photo on Flickr with a Creative Commons licence.

Ernie Els, fashion victim?

Ernie Els has quite a website. I now know he grows wine and does all kinds of saintly things as well as swinging a club, though even that’s only when family commitments don’t get in the way. Speaking from the distaff side, I should be pleased that Ernise (whom I recently mistyped - sorry Ernie) is upholding family values and not leaving it all to Mummy Els. I suppose personal websites are inevitably self-congratulatory, and I’m sure Ernie is as nice a guy as he makes himself out to be, but I feel distinctly less convinced about it now than before I visited his site.
One thing you can do there is vote on which colour shirt you think Ernie should wear, which brings us to Golf Girl’s fave topic of fashion, and in particular the colour pink. I actually thought that men had been allowed to wear pink since the 1970s, but I suppose I may have missed a few fashion trends in between. Dan Bernstein found his day got a lot more interesting when he wore a pink golf shirt, and apparently only men ‘comfortable with their sexuality’ can do the colour justice.

IMHO it’s about what suits you. Dark skinned types can wear ‘hot’ pinks with aplomb. Blonds are better in pastels. This applies across the sexes, so Tiger and Laurena look great in raspberry, but Ian Poulter looks better in pale pink. I don’t think it would work the other way around, and a lot of golfers could do worse than go in for colour analysis as offered by companies like Colour Me Beautiful. Just think how great it would be if Sergio Garcia gave up those limes and oranges! Right, I have now cast my vote for Ernie in pink, though I think maybe this coral tone suits him quite well. (Thanks to MCHart for the picture as posted on fickr.)

Fashion is sadly not a priority on my home course. Last week there was a guy behind us whose very big beer belly was encased in a pink striped polo shirt worn with red shorts. Not a good look. Be grateful I didn’t have my camera.

Cracking finish at Loch Lomond

What a a superb last day at the Scottish Open and a great run-up to Carnoustie. The weather and the golf at Loch Lomond really sparkled and made up for a drab Sunday down south. I would have been happy for either Mickelson or Havret to have won but was surprised that when it came to the play-off Mickelson's experience in big competitions failed to pay off. Well done to Havret for keeping his nerve. Good too that he doffed his hat and glasses on the eighteenth so that we could actually see his face and will recognise him when he gets his well-deserved place at The Big One.
Apart from the nail-biting climax, it was also great to see so many Brits come through, including Ian Poulter who finished at 10 under. Luke Donald, whom I recently accused of under-achieving, did even better at 11 under and only 3 strokes off the lead, and it was a great pity that he was missed from the final day T.V. sceduling.
To top it all, Ernie Els, a previous winner at Carnoustie, has suddenly regained his form. All in all, next week is a mouth-watering prospect.
Fashion foot-note? For once Ian Poulter's golf was as eyecatching as the gear, though I particularly like his more subdued Saturday outfit of blue, blue and blue. In any event, he was in the pink on Sunday in every respect.
Footnote to the footnote. Edberg's headband makes him look like a crash victim. Is there a story behind it?