golf

Vijay Singh wins last week's PGA Tournament at The Barclays in a playoff with Sergio Garcia and Kevin Sutherland ... yawn.

I was looking down the top-10 finishes at the Barclays -- Matt Goggin, Martin Laird, Kevin Streelman -- not exactly media standouts. Where are Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Phil Mickelson and Jim Furyk, all world-class players?

Most golfers have gone through a period of bad putting. And some of us have had the putting yips and not been able to make it from two feet.

So what are the putting yips? Well, here goes.

A few years back, when the idea of trying to return golf to the Olympics resurfaced, Tiger Woods didn't completely shoot down the idea.

But he didn't exactly embrace it, either.

Paul Azinger, the U.S. Ryder Cup captain, revamped the selection process for 2008 to lean more heavily on recent play. Azinger also emphasizes winning tournaments.

Last week, I was sadly watching Ernie Els play in the PGA Tour event at Firestone Country Club.

I say sadly because he was hitting the ball 8 to 10 feet from the hole every time and then missing the putt. I am sure you have occasionally experienced similar problems and said to yourself: "What in the world do I have to do to get the ball in the hole?"

The final LPGA major of the year, the Women's British Open, began Thursday in Sunningdale, England. It would make for a terrific storyline if Annika Sorenstam can resurrect her old magic: An all-time great player, making one last, emotional start in a major championship, walks away with the trophy.

Of course, this depends on your definition of "last."

I just received an e-mail from a student that says he thinks too much while he is trying to swing.

There are probably many of you out there who suffer from this problem. Maybe you read too many golf books or magazine articles.

Paul Hargarten says he and his wife, Judy, will be in Louisville in September for the 2008 Ryder Cup matches.

So will Kenny Perry.

And that's no coincidence.

The two men -- the 83-year-old retired banker from Vero Beach, Fla. and the 47-year-old PGA Tour player from Kentucky -- have authored what might be the feel-good, golf story of the summer.

There was a time, not long ago, when this column repeatedly and vigorously defended Michelle Wie's decision to play in an occasional PGA Tour event. If Wie thought she would improve her game by competing against men, and tournaments extended her an invitation, then more power to her.

But is this really the right time?

There was pain in this Open, too, not the illustrious kind when Tiger Woods defied good sense and the limits of his sport to win the U.S. Open in June, but this one was the kind that comes with not knowing at just what point Greg Norman would blow another chance.