I feel very confident in saying whoever wins the 2011 PGA Championship late Sunday will be absolutely thrilled. He will smile greatly when handed the trophy and even shed a tear or too. But those of us who are interested in writing about the season's fourth major, or watching it on TV, would like and simply need for the greater good of the game somebody other than the current members of the Witness Protection Program who was gathered around the top of the leaderboard. I mean these guys, J Dufner, B Steele, K Bradley, might not never be household names in their own household. It's not personal. two of these guys won Texas PGA Tour events this year and I talked with them personally and a third S. Verplank is two shots out of the lead and is a fellow Texan. But come on. We need names, drama and people to grow the game of golf. We have now gone 13 straight majors with a differerent winner and we're headed for a 14th Sunday. At least root for Adam Scott who has a marketable caddy. Can we just forget this golf year and hope for better times soon. That's what golf needs the most right now. Better times and a thrilling PGA Championship finish, but I'm not holding my breath!

In a way it seems odds to be talking about Tiger Woods' chances at the PGA Championship this week in Atlanta, when he clearly is not a favorite, doesn't have a full-time caddy, still getting used to his new coach and hasn't won in two years. But when you authored the most dominant decade-plus in golf history, 1997-2008, and became the most famous and recogized athlete in the world, in any sport, that's what happens. Based on four rounds at Firestone CC last week and two pracitice rounds at Atlanta Athletic Club, it's hard to see Tiger challenging for the lead at any time this weekend. His scores got progressively worse after an opening 68 last week and there is one major red flag that should worry all Tiger fans, not to be confused with the Sunday red shirt which used to strike fear in the hearts of his fellow PGA Tour players -- putting.
The bottom line is for all the talk of swing changes and head confusion, Tiger Woods has lost confidence in his once unbeatable putting stroke and is changing putting on a round-by-round basis. That's a horrible sign for any golfer, much less the greatest must-make putter of all time. From the very best players (which he once was) to the very worst, the short and sweet motto is, 'Can't putt, can't play." With the way he hit the golf ball at this year's Masters, the old putting Woods would have won by 10 shots (which he has done before), this current model of player finished T4. Until his putting returns to form, which is as much mental as physical, don't expect any majors and few very victories from Woods. What to expect? About what we saw last week, flashes of brilliance, missed short putts and a middle of the pack finish. And another new major championship winner, a bad sign for the game which needs a dominante player to emerge that way Woods once ruled the golf landscape.

After four days of Tiger Woods latest comeback, at the World Golf Championship in Akron, the question is what did for learn for this week and next at the PGA Championship in Atlanta. Woods looked rusty and unprepared to win against a world class field this week, not surprising since he had only played 9 holes in competition since this Masters this year. After an opening score in the 60s, Woods drifted further and further behind each day. He failed to hit fairways, like the old Tigers, but perhaps most distressingly  missed short putts much like he did at the Masters when he had a real shot at victory. On the bright side, he had a good attitude all week, seemed happy with his game and talked with the media at every round, not like the snarling Tiger who has refused to interact with the media or the fans which get their information that way. It's not a stretch to say Woods appears humbled by his long layoff, happy to be back at the game he loved and once dominated and eager to play more golf. Judging by this week he shouldn't be much of a factor to win at next week's PGA Championship, but his game does appears headed upward somewhat. It's a long climb to the top, but finally for the first time in a long time, Woods appears headed in the right direction.

The final day of an exciting golf month, july, should bring anther fantastic finish as all across the golfing world professional golf tournaments are posed for a thrilling finish. At the Irish Open, local hero Rory McIlroy survived a brush with the 36-hole cut and a verbal run-in with a golf commentator to get ready for another dramatic final round finish. In America, young U,.S. pro star Anthony Kim, who has been slow to come back from a thumb surgery last year, shot a third round 62 and shot to the top of the leaderboard at the Greenbrier Classic. Former Masters and Open Champion Mark O'Meara is two shots behind in his race for the U.S. Senior Open title, his first as a 50-and-over star. Back in Scotland, Germany rookie Caroline Masson holds a two-shot lead over defending champion Yani Tseng in the Women's British Open. Lots of drama in all time zones and all over golfing world as a fantastic Sunday closes a most fantastic golf month!

probably 5 is too many, but at least the LPGA is trying to space them out more, putting the Evian in September is help cap the year!

One of the many reasons for Americans to love the Open Championship, other than the fact you can finish lunch and golf and watch the final few holes of the tournament is seeing what true links weather -- hard, pelting rain, swirling, dashing wind and big temperature drops -- is and seeing how the best of the world's players competes in the worst of the weather. Saturday was the day we had all be hoping for. Horrible conditions to play in, but delightful to watch on the telly 3,000 miles away.
In the end, perhaps it's not surprising to see Northern Irishman Darren Clark lead the pack for a second day, after having played hundreds of rounds in weather like like, much of it in his fine links home course Royal Portrush. Another person unaffected by the harsh weather was five-time Open Champion Tom Watson, who embrached the conditions for an even par 72, one day after getting his first Open Championship ace.
Who wins late Sunday, who know?, but lets hope for more wild and wicked weather in the final day. The lads will be back to the warm sunshine soon enough in the states.
 

In American, an extended holiday weekend is underway as millions of American celebrate their independence day by heading to the golf courses. While the economy begins to recover in the U.S., golf courses are coming back as well with full tee sheets for this holiday weekend, special Flag tournament and multiple events and chances to play. All over the U.S., school is finally out for high school and younger kids and especially on the East Coast, courses are being flooded with people. A prime example is on the tiny island of Nantucket, which sits just 40 miles off the U.S. East Coast, the Santanky golf course is full after setting empty most of the year as is the Miacomet Golf Course, which expects more than 200 rounds a day over the holiday.
In other parts of the world this summer, golf is alive and well. St. Andrews, the home of golf has reported bookings are up, almost to their highest levels since 2007. In China, golf participation has doubled over the last three years with now 2 million registered golfers in the huge nation. This weekend, the French Open golf tournaments takes place at the national French golf course, the site of an upcoming Ryder Cup, the first for that nation. Canada Day is next week and it will bring a Champions (senior) Tour event to Montreal along with a state visit by the Duke and Dutchess of Cambridge, noted golfer himself, Prince William.
All around the globe, this weekend in the U.S., and this summer in the rest of the world, let golf freedom ring!

Tiger Woods appeared in a press conference Tuesday supporting his tournament this week at the AT&T National, wearing a new goatee and street clothes, not the golfing appearel sported by those getting ready to play in his tournament. While Woods wasn't wearing a walking boot or crutches as he had in an earlier press conference, he said he wouldn't play golf again until he is 100 percent healthy and had no idea when that would be. Finally after conning himself and others that he was close to returning and that his injuries mentally and physically were minor, he has found harsh reality. In other words, don't bet on Woods playing in next month's British Open at Royal St. George's, where he would be flying 4.000 miles to walk a links course on his bum knee with little or no practice against a new wunderkid who has all the confidence in the world and the golfing world at his feet after his 8-shot romp at the U.S. Open. Woods said he can still pass Jack Nicklaus' major championship record, he can still dominate, but those are topics for another day. The main message is, those wanting to see a Tiger vs. Rory showdown next month in England may have to wait until 2012.