Is a Win Really a Win

NEWS: Adam Scotts victory at the Nissan Open is officially unofficial.

VIEWS: The big loser here is probably the Nissan Open itself. The 2005 PGA Tour season arrived at Riviera red-hot. It was a major let-down that the event had to end on a Monday after Scott had played a total of 37 holes all week.

And how about the good folks at the Mercedes Championships? Kapalua golf boss Gary Planos was keeping a stiff upper lip late Monday when reminded that the commercially-attractive Scotts unofficial win didnt qualify him for the 2006 Mercedes. Ill still bet the over that Adam wins before the season is over, Planos said. But, yes, we were pulling big-time for Nissan to become a 54-hole event. If the players had managed to complete 54 holes, everything about the tournament would have been deemed official.

NEWS: Scott Draper, one half of the reigning tennis mixed doubles championship team at the Australian Open, shoots 79-72 and misses the cut at last weeks Jacobs Creek Open Championship.

VIEWS: All of a sudden everybody wants to be good at golf. This week in Eustis, Fl. Marc Savard is attempting to earn his playing privileges for the Canadian Tour. Savard is center for the NHLs Atlanta Thrashers and.well.he doesnt have much to do these days now that the NHL season has been canceled.

Savard has been playing golf for six years and has pared his handicap to one. Hes a regular practice partner in Atlanta of PGA star Stewart Cink and says Cinks biggest piece of advice for Canadian Q-School is dont throw shots away. The 28-year-old Savard boasts a career-low round of six-under for 18 holes but doesnt expect to make a career of golf. Im a hockey player, he told me Monday.

In Tuesday’s first round Savard struggled shooting a 6-over 78.

NEWS: Bracketologists scrutinize early picks for WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship.

VIEWS: One of the most interesting and overlooked first round pairings is Fredrik Jacobson vs. Chad Campbell. Most people forget that Campbell destroyed Jacobson 6 and 5 in the HSBC World Match Play in 2003. Few people have forgotten that Campbell finished second to Scott in Mondays sudden death playoff at the rain-shortened Nissan Open. Campbell has jumped back up to No. 15 in the Official World Golf Rankings. And he is starting to putt well again.

Sharpie, the company that bought the space on Campbells golf hat, couldnt be happier. And Campbells people tell me hes continuing to test clubs, with the field of final candidates having been narrowed to two major clubmakers. The longer Campbell continues to play well, the larger the numbers will be when he finally signs on the dotted line.

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