A year in review.........2010

The LPGA 2010 season was delightful in many ways. From the changing of hands of the World's No.1 Title, to seeing new faces on the 18th green claiming trophies. The Title of World's No.1 started the season in the hands of Lorena Ochoa, who suddenly announced her retirement in May. The title then exchanged hands several times through the remainder of the season, with stops in the hands of Jiyai Shin, Cristie Kerr, and Ai Miyazato. Yani Tseng ended up with that title at the final event of the season, The LPGA Tour Championship.

Cristie Kerr became the first American to hold that title since the inception of such in 2006. Cristie Kerr has shown the world that she is worthy of the title she held at two separate times this year. I predict she will hold this again in 2011. Crisitie also held the largest landslide victory of the season with her 12 stroke win over Song-Hee Kim at the LPGA Championship presented by Wegman's. She's often spoke of the book by Joseph Parent, "Zen Golf". Cristie shows that Zen-like focus in every round she plays.

Also close but never close enough was Suzann Pettersen. I have given her the name of "The Susan Lucci of Golf". And while I don't mean that in a critical way; it merely captures the many times she was poised to win a tournament and let it slip away. She became a 2nd place finisher. Jiyai Shin held the spot for several weeks until withdrawing from the LPGA StateFarm Classic due to an emergency appendectomy. She may be small in stature however, she is always smiling and always looking to better her game in a big way. And she showed that, when she came back and re-took the title back from Ai Miyazato.

Paula Creamer made things happen, when she earned her only win this season at the Women's US Open. After suffering a thumb injury and going through the lengthy rehab, she had missed more rounds than she would have liked. Perserverance paid off.

Inspirational move of the season goes to In-Kyung Kim, who donated her entire $220,000 winner's check from the Lorena Ochoa Invitational to charity. She stated half to go to the Lorena Ochoa Foundation and the other half to a charity that was yet to be named. Lorena, who was In-Kyung's idol couldn't have been more proud.

Michelle Wie, won her 2nd career victory at the CN Canadian Women's Open with a 3 stroke win over Jiyai Shin. While only 20 y.o. at the time of her win, she has developed into a mature, well poised golfer whom I predict is just in the start of her many many wins to come! Tackling college at Stanford while playing in as many tournaments as possible, is not an easy task and I commend Michelle for how she's handled such. She is truly a remarkable athlete and I believe she's only scratched the surface of her golf career.

Now, Go Hit Some Balls..........

On the Men's side, Congrats to Graeme, Westwood & Furyk!

The picture says it all. Graeme McDowell who poured it on in his final round, was able to stay in contention after he took a penalty drop on the 18th. He managed to compose himself and still card a bogey for the hole. Woods, then made a great shot to capture a birdie and take the tourney into sudden death. Although Graeme's 2nd round with a double bogey and 3 singles left him behind, he carded a round 3 68 with only 1 bogey.

Nearly a repeat of the 18th hole in regulation, Graeme had another lengthy putt drop from about 25 yards out for a birdie on the 1st playoff hole. Woods had approx 15 feet for his shot that would extend the tourney yet again, but caught the right of the cup edge and did not drop. I was at my folks' watching the finish before I could even think of driving home. The excitement on the last 2 holes of regulation and the playoff hole was intense. I myself kept cheering for Tiger; which confused my pup (who yes, is Tiger Wood's namesake). I nearly scared my mother out of her chair with my screams, when putts would drop!

Tiger led the tourney all 3 rounds and went into the final round with a 4 shot lead. From a history standpoint, Tiger had never lost a tournament when going into the final round with at least a 3 stroke lead on Sunday. Had he not had the double bogey that allowed Graeme to close the gap, he would have won his own tourney. Tiger should indeed be proud of the way he played throughout the tourney. I for one think it is safe to say....The Tiger is back! This is just a beginning to his new start back on the course in his great form. It gave me chills to see the well known "fist pump" after his shot onto the 18th in regulation. That image was rarely witnessed this season prior to Sunday's final round. To have this momentum going into the off season is huge to say the least. It's what gets good golfers to continue during the off season and become great golfers the next. The 2011 season starts in January for the PGA, with a clean slate for the Fed-Ex Cup.

Another winner was Jim Furyk, who finished in 12th place Sunday at Even Par, was named the PGA Player of the Year on saturday winning the Jack Nicholaus Trophy. It is the 2nd consequtive year that the PGA Player Tour Player of the Year did not win a major. This, to the guy who was disqualified from the Barclays earlier this year when he overslept for the pro-am. An apparent battery death on his cell phone alarm. At that time, Furyk was 3rd in the Fed-Ex Cup standings and felt that this likely was harmful to his year and race for the Cup. Furyk's victories came at the Transitions Championship, The Heritage at Hilton Head and the Tour Championship. He himself thought there was no chance at winning the Trophy. The tour had 39 different players win in 2010, compared to 31 last season. And although there was question as to why the Tour ended the vote before the last tourney was completed,remains unknown. This is only the 4th time since '97, that Woods did not win the Jack Nicholaus Trophy and the 5th time he did not win the money title.

Lee Westwood ends his 2010 season ranked as the Worlds No. 1 Player. He sealed this deal by winning the Nedbank Golf Challenge at Sun City on Sunday. His final round of 68 carried him on to finish with an 8 stroke win over Tim Clark. Lee ends the season on his final event. This win is his 2nd of the year, but his first since becoming World's No. 1. His earlier win of the season came in June, at the St. Jude Classic on the PGA Tour.

Lee finished 2nd at the HSBC Champions tourney and 3rd at the Dubai World Championship. Dealing with a victory at Nedbank this past weekend, is something he can surely enjoy! After a season plagued by his calf injury, he had to withdraw from the WGC Bridgestone Invitational. He played 21 events and had 12 top ten finishes this season. Well done Lee, well done!

Now, Go Hit Some Balls.................

Congrats to Hjorth, Tseng, Choi & Munoz

Wow! The LPGA Tour Championship finished yesterday with Maria Hjorth emerging as the WINNER! She shot even par for the day and won the tourney at -5 overall.  She defeated Amy Yang by 1 stroke, with her birdie putt on the 18th.

Yang had also made a birdie putt to get her within contention for a playoff if Maria had missed her putt. She did not, and So Amy Yang placed 2nd at -4 followed by In-Kyung Kim and Cristie Kerr in a tie for 3rd place at -2.
Maria, who came back last year after having a child, celebrated with Emily in her arms and tears flowing on the 18th green. With the expression caught on Emily's face, it is clear she knew this was something big for Mommy!

Na Yeon Choi finished in a tie for 5th place with Laura Diaz at -1 however, she won the Vare Trophy. And Yani Tseng who finished at +5 in 21st place held on to the World's No. 1 and took home the Rolex Player of The Year Trophy. Now, she can add another Trophy to her vastly open trophy case which was previously home to Annika Sorenstam, prior to her purchase last year. Her home in Lake Nona, is still nearby to Annika's new home at Lake Nona and Yani knows she can go there with any questions or simply the inspiration she has gotten from her in the past two years since her Rookie year in 2008.

Na Yeon has had 2 wins and 16 top ten finishes this season, out of the 24 tourneys she has played. Out of 83 rounds she has played, 37 of those were in the 60's. Yani's season overview touts 3 WINS and 8 top ten finishes. She has now had 5 career victories. Out of her 68 rounds played, she's carded 25 in the 60's.

Another winner for the 2010 season, was Azahara Munoz, who won Rookie of The Year in a ceremony friday evening at Cypress Golf Club. While Azahara didn't make it to weekend play for this last tourney of the 2010 season, she felt she accomplished one of her goals; which she stated in 2008, was to get the Rookie of The Year. It was more of a dream she had had since she was a little girl just learning the game of golf. She recalled a moment in college when she was crying on the phone with her dad after not doing well in a tourney. He told her that if golfing made her cry, then she should stop. And stop she did not. That gave her the focus and the fuel to steam ahead and make her dreams a reality. She has had 22 starts this year with 3 top ten finishes. While her best finish this year was 4th, she carded 20 rounds in the 60's. She is ranked 18th in her scoring average and of course 1st in her Rookie Points at 704. We will be seeing alot more of this young lady in the coming seasons!

I would be remiss, to not mention this next lady, Cristie Kerr. While Cristie Kerr may not have won this tournament to become the first American to win the Rolex Player of the Year Trophy, she's a winner in my book! She needed the win to exceed the 6 points she was behind Yani Tseng for the title. Cristie has the panache', focus, and dedication it takes to accomplish this title and she will be moving forward into the 2011 season with that goal in mind. While already being one of the best putters on the LPGA this season, she is also one of the most determined. She doesn't walk up the fairway making small talk with her caddy or other players, she speaks of how she could have made that shot better and what her task is for her next shot. She is zen-like when she steps on the green and you can almost see the grid lines beaming from her eyes as she readies her putt. She has had 2 wins this season and 14 top ten finishes. She now has 14 career victories under her belt. She is ranked 2nd in birdies & her scoring average. Out of her 78 rounds played, 50 were under par and 31 were in the 60's. Cristie may not have won this season ending title this year however, she is still a Champion Golfer and great example to all the young girls and women of the sport! Hat's off to a great season Cristie and an even better 2011.

To see a list of the seasons winners, click on this link; LPGA .


Now, Go Hit Some Balls.......................

Who will win World's No.1 tomorrow at the LPGA Championship?

The gates will open at 8:00 a.m. in Orlando, Florida for the final tournament of the season at Grand Cypress Golf Club. The anticipation of who will be crowned worlds No. 1 is rising with each passing hour. The position, which has changed from Lorena Ochoa to Jiyai Shin, to Cristie Kerr and currently Yani Tseng. While the first round started in rather brisk temps, today was much better when the mercury hit into the 70's. This was after a frost delay this morning. We've seen players go from stocking caps to visors throughout the first and 3rd round of this week's tourney. The wind was also a factor in round one, with gusts up to 30 mph at times. Tomorrow's temperature is expected to reach 69 and holds a chance of showers. A delay or Monday finish will not bode well for those set to jump on a plane sunday evening and head to Dubai, United Arab Emirates where Michelle Wie will try and defend her title at the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters.

Current leader Amy Yang will tee off with Maria Hjorth at 11:35 a.m. Cristie Kerr and Seon Hwa Lee will be off at 11:25, following Laura Diaz and In-Kyung Kim who tee off at 11:15 a.m. Katherine Hull who has been playing a solid tourney this week, currently sits in a tie for 6th place with Morgan Pressel and In-Kyung Kim, all remain even. Cristie Kerr is tied with Seon Hwa Lee in 3rd placce at -3, just 3 strokes off our leader Amy Yang who is at -6. Maria Hjorth is one stroke behind Amy at -5. The Susan Lucci of Golf, Suzann Pettersen currently sits in a tie for 16th place with a +3. Juli Inkster is +5 and one of my favorites, Christina Kim is at +5 going into the final round.

Amy Yang's 3rd round did not fair as well as her first two, as she carded 2 bogeys and one double bogey. She did have 3 birdies, which allowed her to finish at +1 on the day. Her first round of 67 included 4 birdies and 1 eagle. Round two brought 5 birdies and 3 bogeys. For Amy to hold off those chasing the trophy for the final tourney this season, will have to eliminate those bogeys and I anticipate need about 5 birdies to stay in contention tomorrow.

Cristie Kerr sunk 3 birdies today to counterbalance her 2 bogeys and finish -1 for the day. She's had 3 rounds of 71. I anticipate Cristie will come out firing tomorrow and have at least 4 birdies on the front 9. While known to be the best putter on the LPGA, she will need to have a hot putter tomorrow if she's going to take the title back of World's No. 1. She's hit 33 fairways this week and 34 greens, with one sand save and 83 putts.

Azahara Munoz won "rookie of the year" and was presented a trophy at last night's festivities. She however, is not seeing any weekend play and missed the cut at +10. This had been one of her dreams she said, as she choked back tears throughout her acceptance speech. Tom Abott said there wasn't a dry eye in the house.

Televised coverage can be seen on Golf Channel at 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. ET

Now, Go Hit Some Balls...............

What is Power Balance?

Power Balance is Performance Technology designed to work with your body's natural energy field. It was founded by athletes and is a favorite among some of the world's most elite at that! The hologram is based off of the idea of optimizing the body's natural energy flow, which is similar to concepts behind many Eastern philosophies. The hologram is designed to resonate with and respond to the natural energy field of the body.

I first found out about Power Balance after tweets from Bill Rancic (The Apprentice winner of season 1). The list of professional athletes using and being an ambassador for Power Balance varies to nearly every sport. From Lamar Odom (Basketball), Shaq, Drew Brees (NFL), Todd Rogers (Beach Volleyball) and Rubens Barrichello (Formula One Racing).

Power Balance also believes in giving back. Their special Ovarian Cancer Research Fund silicone wristband sales, give a $15 donation from every single one sold, directly to the OCRF! 

Made of 100% surgical grade silicone, these wristbands are durable and made to last no matter what your leisure or sport involves. It has a built in stretch factor to allow getting it over your hand and then having a nice fit on your wrist. With a hologram on both sides, it looks stylish at every angle. There are many colors to choose from, with white print or black print or even white on white (which is what I sport). They are super comfortable and so lightweight that you forget you have one on. 

The latest craze of the Power Balance wristbands, is the addition of NEON ones! You can pick one for every day of the week or whatever your mood is, from traditional colors to NEON. They come in sizes from XS, S, M, L, and XL. Aside from the silicone wristbands, they also have neoprene ones that have a smooth spandex lining to allow the most comfortable fit. If you don't like wristbands, you can choose from their Zinc Alloy Pendants that feature the "flower of life" on one side and a Power Balance hologram on the other. There is also a pendant made of sterling silver, with a PB hologram on the back under a clear epoxy resin. On the front is the PB initials for a classy look. One of the latest additons is the silicone pendant. There is something for everyone! 

You can order yours online at Powerbalance.com . They are also on Facebook as well as Twitter via @powerbalance . The first 12 days of December are days of giveaways, so follow them via Twitter and you might just win your first PB wristband! I for one know that I will getting a couple of more NEON wristbands to add to my collection! When I ordered my first silicone wristband, the size was alittle big for my tiny wrist. I had a very pleasant experience with the customer service and had a speedy exchange. When companies stand behind their products, give back to a great charity/cause, and have great customer service; they're the ones who get my repeat business and Power Balance has all 3! 

Drew Brees doesn't play a game without his PowerBalance silicone wristband.  I only review the products I actually have personally and try. I now wear mine daily. Enough said! 

Now, Go Hit Some Balls..............

Woods is up by 4 strokes going into final round of Chevron World Challenge!

While the skeptics say he'll finish the season winless; I beg to differ with them. Tiger Woods is by far playing his best golf of the season and has lead all 3 rounds of the Chevron World Challenge!

What a befitting tourney to win, after the months spent trying to regain his form, focus and most of all his desire to win. Tiger knew it wouldn't be easy. Afterall, try to have your most intimate details of your marriage and your life, in the news for the world to read and judge you. I don't care how big of a celebrity you are, having those details of the most private part of your life spread thoughout the media is NOT easy for anyone! I have always felt Tiger would get his win this season and so he was my pick going into this tourney and I have faith that he will WIN it on Sunday!

Tiger started the Chevron World Challenge with a first round 65. He had 8 birdies and only 1 bogey. He followed that with a round two 66; consisting of 4 birdies and an eagle to card a bogey free round. For today's round 3, Tiger shot a 68. Although he had 2 bogeys, he also had 6 birdies to go -17 under for a 4 stroke lead.

Graeme McDowell is in 2nd place at -13, followed by Paul Casey at -9 and Luke Donald at -7. Ian Poulter is also in the top 10 at -6. And, although Ian was not happy with his play today, he's vowed to come out and finish strong tomorrow.

Jim Furyk is the defending champion of this week's tourney in Thousand Oaks, California. He finished even after round one, with 2 bogeys, 1 double bogey and 4 birdies. Round two was not any better, he had a double bogey and 1 birdie to finish at +1. Today, Furyk finished at -1 and sits in 12th place and even for the tourney.

Others to watch for on Sunday, will be Bubba Watson, who is in a tie with Anthony Kim for 14th at +2. Matt Kuchar is in 16th place, followed by Camillo Villegas. Bubba had an amazing shot in Friday's round when he shot an "albatross" or double eagle on a par 5 from 284 yards out! That truly should be the "Shot of The Year"!

Tune in tomorrow on NBC from 3:00 - 6:00 pm ET for the conclusion of the final round.

Now, Go Hit Some Balls.................

FORRRRE is the PERFECT card game for GOLFERS!

This game looks and feels like a regular deck of cards, but it's NOT. When you are caught in the coolness of off season/winter months, you can still be on the course with Forrrre!

This game has bright colors like the scenery of a well-kept golf course and can be enjoyed by all ages and all levels of golfers! You can play anywhere from 2-5 players. Developed by  Waist Deep Card Games , it can be purchased now at Amazon . This game is brand new and just recently been launched. So, I recommend you get it now while it's still in the inaugural offering.

You will come across lighting strikes, birdies, bogeys, little ornery gophers and errant tee shots, and cart girls that will cost you strokes. That's right, penalty! Whether you want to play a quick game or have hours of fun, this game is the one!

The box comes complete with the "Rules of Play" and has a "Key" also. You may come across a mulligan, Shankin it card or "Out of Bounds" card. At any rate, you have to keep an eye on your opponents and by all means, Stay Out of The Rough! The object of course, is to have the lowest score. Sound familiar? It's bringing the course home to your dining room table!

For a mere $9.99 at Amazon, you can get this for Stocking Stuffers this Christmas! Perhaps you're having a New Years Eve at home this year; break out the game and let the excitement begin.

I played this game with both golfers and non-golfers, of which they both had equal fun. As a matter of fact, the non-golfers said it makes them want to consider taking up Golf! I highly recommend it and give it my 2 thumbs UP! :)

The media contact person is Jennifer Niederhoffer at Impress Media. You can find her on Twitter via @impressmedia . If anyone needs a contact for wholesale orders or simpy more information, contact via email to info@waistdeepcardgames.com

Now, I've given you all the info to connect and grab this game while it's still in the inaugural offering and low price of $9.99 through Amazon. I am merely providing a review of this unique new card game, to get the word out for the folks at Waistdeepcardgames & impressmedia. The rest is up to you.....hope you all have good rounds!

Now, Go Hit Some Balls.....................