I'm Just Like The Cubs

Would you rather your team never gets to the playoffs rather than blowing out, without so much as a wimper, in the first round?

How do the Redskins lose that game at home? I guess it's because "this is the NFL, and on any given Sunday" anything can happen - either that, or they somehow knew they were the heaviest picked team in the weekly suicide pools throughout our great gambling nation. I spoke with (and this isn't scientific, just a bunch of guys at the local pub) a few other suicide pool participants - all but one had picked the 'Skins (that guy had New Orleans, who played like a team is supposed to play at home against a weaker opponent).

Anyway...congratulations to the four remaining contestants, good luck and don't forget to make your picks.

~ Max

Avoiding The Big Upset

The Week 6 Power Rankings were released on ESPN today - so I updated the graph that shows who has picked which teams so far and it's a little surprising that there are four teams ranked in the "Top 10" (as if these rankings actually mean anything) that haven't been chosen by any of the seven remaining players in the pool. (click the image to enlarge)

Nobody has used the Titans (5-0), Redskins (4-1), Broncos (4-1) nor Bears (3-2). They are a combined, 16-4.

Good luck surviving.

~ Max

The Magnificent 7

The name of the game is survival. Keeping a strong team for that safe pick until later does you no good if you're not alive long enough to use it. Five weeks ago we started with 28 hopefuls, now we're down to seven. There are only two undefeated teams left, the Tennessee Titans - and oddly enough, nobody has picked them through the first five weeks and the NY Giants - who have been picked by four of the remaining seven contestants.

I thought it would be interesting to compare which teams have been picked by each remaining survivor and to also see which of the current Top 10 (according to ESPN's Power Rankings) are available to be chosen in the upcoming weeks. I'm sure the rankings will change some for next week since the Eagles, Bills, Chargers and Buccaneers all lost. (click on the image to enlarge)


Good luck (and I'm still alive!!!)

~ Max

Eight Left Heading Into Week 5

Four more players were eliminated yesterday. Three lost when the Redskins upset the Cowboys and another one bit the dust because the Broncos have no defense and they proved it against their arch rivals KC. That one wasn't nearly as big of a surprise to me since the Broncos rarely win there. Mike Shannahan's record is now 3-12 at Arrowhead.

Three people survived by the skin of their teeth. Jacksonville hung on to beat the Texans by a field goal in OT.

How about the Raiders attempting that 76 yard field goal against the Chargers? Or how about the Bears defense stopping the Iggles on four straight shots at the goal line to wrap up their win and move to 2-2.

Good luck next week.

~ Max

Five More Bite Dust

Miami??? Wow! Four people had picked the Patriots to win yesterday and Ronnie Brown taking four direct snaps for touchdowns might mean that the Dolphins don't need a QB :-)

The Colts dropped their second game of the season, costing one other person life in the pool. The Buffalo Bills (picked by 5 players) needed a last second field goal to get by the Oakland Raiders at home. Oakland had a 9 point lead, late in the fourth quarter and I'm sure there were a few people questioning their faith at some point in that game.

My pick is the only one left to go this week, yup, I've got the Chargers tonight. Something has to give, Favre is 5-0 against the Bolts and is usually awesome on MNF - but I think (read, hope) that Rivers and Co. can put this one in the win column tonight in order to avoid going to 0-3 and trailing the AFC West leading Broncos (I love the sound of that!) by three games.

If the Chargers pull off the win, there will be 12 left going into week 4.

~ Max

17 Remain

We lost another 3 players last week. Now there are seventeen entries remaining.

What's a bigger surprise? The Packers at 2-0 minus future HOF quarterback, Brett Favre. OR The San Diego Chargers, favored by many to reach the Superbowl, sitting at 0-2. Discuss...

We lost one player this week due to a "no pick". I did make attempts to reach him, but was unsuccessful. For those of you who don't know, Fannon is a force to be reckoned with in these things - so it's bittersweet that this happened - I was looking forward to the challenge.

You can avoid this from happening to you - you can pick several weeks in advance (all the way through the end of the season if you wish). That way, if you do forget or find yourself stranded out of town or out of power, you will at least have a pick logged.

Good luck to everyone this weekend.
~Max

Now That's Crazy

What a wild first week we've had so far. So far? Because we have two, count 'em two, Monday Night Football games tonight. However, nobody picked any of tonight's teams for their eliminator choice.

Week 1 is in the books as far as our pool goes, every pick has played and the result is we have 20 entries advancing to next week - and it could have been worse (better ;-) if either the Dolphins or the Chiefs could execute at the end of their games.

At this rate, we might be starting a new pool around week 5 ;-)

Go Broncos!
Max

Week 1 Is Underway

Finally!!!

The 2008 NFL season has started and we have 28 entries to our pool. Assuming all funds are remitted (still waiting on the proverbial checks that are in the mail of a few), we'll have a total purse of $1400 - I might finally be able to justify a new TV ;-)

Good news for the Bears - should be able to get two wins from the Detroit Lionesses this year as they failed to chalk up a victory against the lowly Falcons and their rookie QB and new head coach. This also gives us our first victim in the pool, Pretzel Logic is out.

Nine of us picked Philly and they didin't disappoint. New England lost Brady to injury and are struggling against the Chiefs, but manage to pull out a last second victory - holding KC out of the endzone on the final 4 plays of the game.

~ Max (still alive!)

After You Receive Your Password

Some of you have sophisticated email spam filters and I'm unable to send the full instructions for getting set up for the pool. So, here is the "Welcome Letter" with all of the instructions - minus the password. Once you have received the password from me in your email, follow these steps.

You can send your entry fee using Paypal to my email address max_rose@sbcglobal.net, give the fee to Ridge or Dwyer, mail it to me (email me if you need my address), or leave it for me at The Beacon Pub in Forest Park.

This Is Harder Than It Looks - Last Man Standing Pool

You will be making your weekly picks online at www.frogsoda.com. If you are not already registered, you will need to sign up - yes, it's free.

Go to the league page: This Is Harder Than It Looks
- if you are a Frog Soda member, click "log in", if not click "Sign Up"
- Once you have created an account and are signed in, click "Join League"
- This is a private league, you will need the password to join (this will be sent to you once your entry fee has been received).

Here are the rules:
- You will make your pick each week. Pick one (and only one) team that you think will win.
- If your pick is correct, you will advance to the following week. Where you will choose another (different) team that you think will win.
- You may only use one NFL team one time during the season.
- If your pick is incorrect, you are out of the pool. If your pick ties, you are out of the pool.
- The last one remaining will win the total pot.
- If no single player remains "alive" after any single week, the pot will be equally split among the "live" players heading into that week.
- If, by some miracle, multiple entries make it through the entire regular season, those players will split the pot.
- This pool will not carry over to the NFL Playoffs - but it is likely we will be (depending on interest level) starting a new pool specifically for the Playoffs.
- All updates will be posted at http://2008tigerless.blogspot.com
- You have until the kick-off of the game you intend to pick to send your entry. - - The site will lock games already played, or in progress.
- You can also make changes to your picks, so long as the team you picked hasn't already started playing their game. So that means, if you forget to make your picks on Sunday morning - you still have the afternoon games, the Sunday night game and Monday night game (in most cases) to get your pick in.
- While I will try to send out reminders to get your picks in - it is your responsibility to do it. NO EXCUSES, NO EXCEPTIONS.

Good luck - and remember - even in bye weeks, there are going to be 14 winners - you only have to pick one.

~Max

Last Man Standing Pool

Now that all of the Major golf tournaments are complete for the 2008 season. I'll be using this blog for other pools. I'll probably have to either change the name of this one, or get a new one at some point. But, for now, this will serve its purpose.

Next on the horizon is the beginning of the NFL season. I've been persuaded to put together a Suicide Pool (aka, Last Man Standing). In Last Man Standing, players choose one team to win each week. You can only pick each team once per season. When your team loses, you are out. The winner is the one who lasts the longest. Also known a Survivor Pool, a Suicide Pool, and an Elimination Pool.

The entry fee is $50 - this is for the entire season. The season-long contest will be hosted by Frog Soda, if you're not already a member - sign up - it's free. Our group name is This Is Harder Than It Looks. It's a private group, so you'll need a password to enter. I'll email the password to you once your entry fee has been received. There are several ways to send your fee - the easiest is with Paypal (send the fee to max_rose@sbcglobal.net), but you can also mail it (send me an email if you need my address), give it to Ridge or Dwyer, or you can leave it for me at The Beacon in Forest Park (by the way, have you seen how nice the new outdoor patio is at The Beacon!)

Let me know if you have any questions. The first week of the NFL season kicks off with a Thursday night contest between the Redskins and the Giants on September 4, 2008. In order to guarantee your spot in the group (so that I have time to email you the password) you should send your entry fee as soon as possible - don't wait until the last minute, because I might be busy that weekend.

Good luck. Have fun.

~Max

Harrington Wins 3rd Major in 13 Months

Once lucky, twice so lucky he must be Irish, three times - this guy is really good. Padraig Harrington won the Wannamaker trophy by holding off Sergio and the rest of the field. The Monster was a great test, only three players shot under par for their four round total.

Oh, back to our thing here. Really sorry I wasn't able to post a third round update - just couldn't get it done. The final scores are in, Ridge finished in 1st place, Cohen 2nd and newcomer Adkins 3rd. Prizes will be going out within a day or so.

Thanks for playing.

~Max

Storms Cause Delay - Play to Resume Sunday

Due to heavy thunderstorms that pounded Oakland Hills Country Club on Saturday afternoon, the third round of the 90th PGA Championship was suspended until Sunday morning. Play in the season's final major will resume at 7:15 a.m. ET, with the final twosome of leader J.B. Holmes and Charlie Wi scheduled to tee off at 7:40 a.m. ET.

I'll be playing golf this morning and will do my best to update a couple of times today.

~ Max

Picks Who Made Cut

So, who are the players we are watching over the weekend? This graphic (pictured left, click to enlarge) shows every golfer that we picked, who is also playing this weekend. This is where our LRD will come from for both Saturday and Sunday's rounds. The list shows the number of pool entries that picked each player, so Furyk was picked by six of us. If Furyk scores well, so do most of us. The key are the golfers who have only been picked on one entry sheet - those are the golfers to be rooting for (if you have one) to have a great couple of rounds this weekend, if you are to move up our Leader Board.

Remember, we really don't care (for scoring purposes) what any golfer not on this list does. The LRD will come from a player on this list, so at least one entry will earn 5 points for the 3rd round. This is different from past pools, where we used the scores from the entire field who made the cut, whether they were drafted or not. This should make the final two rounds a little more exciting, providing a better opportunity to score.

~ Max

Holmes Tames Monster (well, sort of...)

J.B. Holmes is known for at least two things on tour - his booming drives and slow play. He's leading after the second round, so at least he won't have anyone waiting impatiently behind him. Holmes is the only player under par (-1), this is the first time since 1972 (at Oakland Hills too) that only one player was under par after 36 holes.

Ben Curtis and Justin Rose (nope, no relation) each shot the Low Round of the Day (LRD). All-in-all, there wasn't much scoring in our pool in round two, only a total of 10 points - and 5 of those were by Rose.

After 36 holes in our contest, Mike Ridge has taken the lead. Mike was the only player to have all eight of his picks make the cut (that's only happened one other time I think, I'll research and get back to you). Cary and Andy are in 2nd & 3rd places.

Remember that the scoring for the final two rounds is a little different. For the LRD, we'll only be looking at scores from PICKED players. So, at least one contestant will earn 5 points in the third and fourth rounds - so even tho I'm sitting in last place, if Andres Romero can shoot the LRD each of the last two days and end up winning - I still have a chance!!!

Good luck, enjoy your Saturday.

~Max

They Call it The Monster for a Reason

Oakland Hills Country Club is living up to its nickname, The Monster. It's nasty, green and scary. Weather shortened the first round yesterday and it was completed this morning. Sixteen holes played OVER par - sounds like one of my rounds!

The two leaders after round one are much better known in places outside of the United States - Robert Karlsson and the other guy on tour with the last name of Singh - Jeev Milkha. So, the Low Round of the Day (LRD) was a 68. Click on the images to enlarge the Leader Board and see where you stand, right now it's Andy Cohen with a 2-point lead over three entries tied for 2nd place right now.

Oh, and by the way - even if Kenny Perry manages to play in another major - I won't be picking him, nor rooting for him. Up until this latest stunt, I was a solid supporter of him. I kind of admire a guy for recognizing his strengths and weaknesses and using that self-awareness when making both business and personal decisions. However, he should have simply withdrawn before the tournament began (his doctors ordered him to not wear contacts for at least two weeks!) - by teeing it up for Round One, he cost the 1st alternate a shot at competing - that's just selfish.

~ Max

Here Are Your Picks

I know, finally right? I won't be able to post the first round score until tomorrow morning. Please double check your picks and let me know if there are any errors (with the way the past couple of days have gone for me, I wouldn't be at all surprised).

Have a great day!

~ Max

Posting Picks Soon

Hey everybody. I've been dealing with some personal stuff all morning. I should have everyone's picks posted very shortly. Thanks for your patience.

~ Max

Get Your Picks In

You have about 16 hours or so to get your picks in. So far, I think we five (including mine). I've heard from someone who said that they were having trouble downloading the Entry Form - if that's the case, send me an email and I'll forward one to you. Try to get the guy/gal in the office next to you to play too - it makes it more fun when you can have a little side bet with your buddies.

My email is max_rose@sbcglobal.net.

Good Luck!
~ Max

This is the full link to download the form.
http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/view.php?id=731018&da=y

Scoring Adjustments Will Make it More Exciting

This all printed on the Entry Form as well, but I'll also post it here. The last couple of tournaments have been lackluster in the excitement department on the final day - so, I've tuned things up a bit and I think you'll all like it much more.

Scoring: Thursday & Friday (1st and 2nd Rounds)
5 points is awarded to every golfer who shoots the Low Round of the Day (LRD). Every chosen golfer in our pool will be compared to the LRD, and will earn points based on how far behind the LRD they were for the day. The LRD can, and sometimes does, come from a golfer who nobody has picked.

Scoring: Saturday & Sunday (3rd and Final Rounds)

The LRD is the LRD of any PICKED player, not from the entire field. This should make the final rounds a little more exciting - so no matter who actually shoots the lowest score of the final two rounds, for our scoring purposes, we'll only be comparing the scores of players chosn in our pool - this means, that at least one player will receive 5 points for that round.

Example: If the LRD is 2-over par, then every golfer who shoots 2-over would receive 5 points, 3-over would get 4 points, 4-over would get 3 points, 5-over would get 2 points, 6-over would get 1 point and every other score would get 0 points. So, to earn points, your golfers must shoot a score within 4 strokes of the Low Round for the Day.

3 Bonus Points will be awarded to each player making the cut.
8 Bonus Points will be awarded to the actual winner of the Tournament.
5 Bonus Points will be awarded to 2nd place (and all ties for 2nd place).
3 Bonus Points will be awarded to 3rd place (and all ties for 3rd place).
2 Bonus Points will be awarded to 4th place (and all ties for 4th place).
1 Bonus Point will be awarded to 5th place (and all ties for 5th place).

Ties: Ties will be broken based on the entry with the most players who make the cut; if still tied, the shares affected will be split.

~ Get your entry form here.

PGA Blank Entry Forms Available

Thanks for your patience everyone. Had a lot going on this weekend, so there was a slight delay. But you don't need to wait any longer - you can download the PGA entry forms now.

I'll post more soon.

~ Max

'Tis But A Flesh Wound

When Padraig was asked about his wrist after the first round, he responded with a famous Monty Python quote. If you can't pull it from your own memory banks, check out this YouTube clip.


He certainly proved worthy this weekend, posting a 283 total and winning by four strokes over Ian Poulter (who, according to Poulter, he and Tiger are the best two golfers playing right now ;-). The Shark didn't win, but he certainly proved that he's still got it - nobody expected him to be in the final group on Sunday before the week began. I admit, I even chuckled when I added his name to the roster for our picks.

As for our pool, Jeff Fannon wins again ($175) - making him the first back-to-back winner of the Tigerless Golf Pools. Congratulations Jeff - it's now your duty and privilege to recruit a few more players for the PGA! Cohen ($50) doubles his money by taking 2nd and Ridge ($25) gets his entry fee back.

Well, I have a tee time in about an hour and I have to get moving. I hope you all enjoyed it and I look forward to seeing you next month for the PGA. Check back here soon for the updates leading up to the final major of the year.

~Max

What's in Store For Norman

He was ranked #1 in the world for about five straight years in the the 80's and 90's. He's won 82 professional golf tournaments, including two times at The Open. However, he's mostly remembered for blowing a six-stroke lead at Augusta in 1996. Gagging a final round of 78 to Nick Faldo's 67. Faldo won by 5. That wasn't the first (or last) Major Meltdown for The Shark, but it is probably one of the greatest choke jobs in all of sports. Wouldn't it have been great if Faldo were part of the ABC crew this weekend - now that would have been special.

Norman has an opportunity to put all of that sordid past behind him today. With a win, he'll become the oldest player to win a major (53 years and 160 days). He'll become only the fourth player to win a tournament in three straight decades and he'll make everyone who has ever teed it up, no matter how old they are, believe that they too can go out and shoot the round of his life - the next time they play that is ;-) With a top-5 finish, The Shark will get an invite to next year's Masters tournament too.

Enjoy your Sunday and the final round at The Open.

Time to Feed The Shark

Nobody could have imagined this. The Shark holds the 54 hole lead by 2 shots over Harrington and Choi. He's 2-over par for the championship and the last time that The Open leader was over par after three rounds was back in 1986 at Turnberry. That too was Greg Norman, he was 1-over par after three rounds and held a 1-shot lead over some guy named Tsuneyuki Nakajima. In the final round of his first British Open win (that was 22 years ago by the way), The Shark shot a 1-under 69 to win by five strokes.


Back to what matters...Andy Cohen and Jeff Fannon are tied for the lead with 50 points and Mike Ridge sits alone in third place with 44. Anthony Kim (found on 5 entries) was our best scorer of the day with 4 points and Padraig Harrington scored 3.

It should be an exciting finish.


~Max

48 MPH Gusts Can't Stop Love

The conditions are brutal. No rain, but the wind is howling and players are finding it difficult to mark a ball on the green.

So far, the LRD is even par 70. Both Davis Love III and Henrik Stenson have accomplished this feat. Even par today is equivalent to the 5-under round that Villegas shot yesterday. Love's round had one birdie, one bogie and 16 pars. At this point, he's moved up the leaderboard by 40 spots. He was tied for 69th at the start of the day and is currently tied for 29th. If even par holds up for the LRD, you'll need scores of 74 or better to earn points today.

Good luck!

~Max

Weather Will Play Role Saturday

The forecast is for a high of 59 degrees, rain and 20-30 mph winds. The conditions will favor the pure ball strikers and those with experience playing in weather. It should be a lot of fun!

TNT Television coverage begins at 6:00 am (CDT) and moves to ABC at 8:00 am (CDT). Tee times and pairings can be found here.

~Max

Catch The Leader

Even though 21 points separate first and last place, everyone is still mathematically alive for a prize. There are 10 golfers that are held by one entry and 4 golfers can be found on only two sheets. So, if you are behind - you just need some great rounds by your picks who aren't on anyone else's list.

I've posted a chart that shows every golfer in our pool who made the cut and the number next to his name shows how many entries picked him. Personally, I'll be rooting for Adam Scott, Andres Romero and Martin Kaymer this weekend. Who is your wildcard?

~Max

Cohen Leads After Two

Camilo Villegas' 5-under, 65, gave a lot of players hope - but, there wasn't a lot of scoring at Royal Birkdale today. There wasn't a lot of scoring in the pool either. Only ten points were registered in the entire pool for the second round, compared to 36 in round one.

While 83 players made the cut (low 70 and ties), we had 24 picked in our pool. Only Andy Cohen had all eight picks make the cut. Fannon, Ridge, Dwyer and Hasan all have seven players teeing it up this weekend.

Today we may have witnessed the resurgence of David Duval, who made only his second cut of the season by shooting 73, 69. He enters the weekend only three shots behind leader, KJ Choi. We also may have witnessed the demise of John Daly, who shot a two-day total of 169 - 29 shots over par. Daly will be looking for something else to do this weekend. Do they have a Hooter's over there?

Villegas Shoots 65, Norman Leads

Camilo Villegas finished his second round with 5 straight birdies to card a 65. I'm almost certain that score will hold up for the LRD, meaning that your players will need to shoot under par (69 or better) today to earn points for Round 2.

The Shark, Norman, is the leader in the clubhouse after shooting is second straight round of even par, 70.

The projected cut is 8-over par. Currently there are 81 players sitting within the cut-line.

~Max

Detailed Round 1 Leaderboard

If Birkdale plays the same way tomorrow, it's possible we'll be looking at a double-digit cut-line. Top 70 and ties make the cut to play the weekend. As you know, you receive 3 points for each player who makes the cut. So, ideally, you need your players to post a two round total under 149 to be within in the cut-line tomorrow. Anything can happen, and it probably will ;-)

In 1999, Aussie, Rod Pampling shot a 70, to take the first round lead. He followed that up with a round that you or I might shoot - an 86! He failed to make the cut.

I posted the detailed Leaderboard. The summary is in the previous post.

~Max

Rocco Rolls, The Shark Smooth

They don't give out trophies for this, but Rocco Mediate holds the best total score over the last five rounds of play in major championships. Rocco is tied for the lead with Graeme McDowell and Robert Allenby - all are at 1-under par, 69, and that was our Low Round of the Day (LRD). So, 69=5 points, 70=4 points, 71=3 points, 72=2 points and 73=1 point. If your player shot 74 or higher, they receive 0 points for the round.

Greg Norman carded an even-par, 70 today. He looked as if his game is in good shape (maybe he's hoping to get some back, after the $103 million divorce settlement). His new bride, Chris Evert, looked very pleased after Norman stroked a long birdie putt on 17. It's obvious that the Shark is still as smooth as ever.

Andy Cohen picked up right where he left off in the US Open Tigerless Pool, in the money. Cohen is tied for the first round lead with newcomer, Cary Petron. Amer Hasan and Mike Ridge are tied for 3rd.

There are quite a few tools on websites to track your favorite players. I like the one at The Open site slightly better than the one available at the PGA site. Check them out, it sure makes it easier to keep track of what's going on while you're in the office.

~Max

Sergio Appears To Be Our Favorite As Well

Not only is he the bookies' favorite, the young Spaniard can be found on over half the entries. It makes sense, he's probably the best ball striker in the field, and that will help him battle the elements at Royal Birkdale. The question is...will his putter be there? While 7 out of 10 entries have Sergio, the most picked player is Retief Goosen with 8.

Click on the image to enlarge. Please check your picks and let me know if there are any errors. Good Luck!

~Max

Harrington's Wrist Problem

Padraig Harrington, the defending Open Champion, said in a press conference today that he injured his wrist while hitting into an impact bag on Saturday. He said he is getting treatment, and hasn't hit a full golf shot since Saturday. He's hoping that his wrist will be at full strength to play come Thursday.

The entries are starting to trickle in, don't forget that because the quest for the Claret Jug is in Europe, your entry forms are due by Midnight on Wednesday, July 16th. Get your Blank Entry Form here.

The pairings for round 1 are out. You can find them here. If you want to familiarize yourself with Royal Birkdale's layout, go here.

TNT will have live coverage of The Open on Thursday and Friday, starting at 6:30 am ET.

Entry Form Ready For Download

Ok, the stage is set, the players are in position and the blank entry forms are ready to be downloaded, filled out and emailed back to me.

Read these directions carefully and if you are having trouble, email me for assistance. ENTRY FORMS ARE DUE BY MIDNIGHT ON WEDNESDAY, JULY 16.

When you click the Blank Entry Form link to the right (or the hypertext in this post) you'll be taken to a web address that should ask you to either Open, Save or Cancel. You should choose Save and download it to your PC. The file is in Excel and I've made sure that it is safe, and virus free. If you are having problems downloading or viewing the file, please send me an email and I'll simply email you the file directly.

After you've saved the file, you can open it and complete the form. The cells that say "Pick A Winner!" are dropdown menus that contain the names of the players for that category. Once you've chosen all of your players (2 from Group A, 3 from Group B and 3 from Group C), save the file and attach it to an email and send it to me at max_rose@sbcglobal.net.

Make sure you send your entry fee at the same time, unless you've already done so (thank you to those who already have).

ENTRY FORMS ARE DUE BY MIDNIGHT ON WEDNESDAY, JULY 16.

It should be a very exciting tournament. Be sure to pass this on to all of your friends, co-workers and associates.

Good Luck!
~Max

Villegas, Kelly In, Donald and Toms Out

Jerry Kelly found out yesterday that he's going to the British Open. Kelly was the second alternate. Luke Donald withdrew yesterday because of a wrist injury that he suffered at the US Open (who says golf isn't a rough and tumble sport?). David Toms also withdrew, giving Kelly a spot at Royal Birkdale.

Camillo Villegas was the first alternate, and got his invitation when Kenny Perry made his decision not to compete at The Open.

To see the entire field, and how each player qualified, check out this Sporting News article.

Entry Forms Available This Weekend

154 players have qualified for The Open at Royal Birkdale, so there are only two spots up for grabs. One will come from the John Deere Classic and the other will come from the Scottish Open, both are playing this weekend.

There will be 27 countries represented this year at the 134th British Open, 41 from the US, 27 from England and 18 from Australia are already in and will be teeing it up next Thursday, July 17.

The rules will be just like we used for the US Open this year and here they are.

Rules:
Entries must be in by Thursday, July 16, 2008 at Midnight. Email sheets to max_rose@sbcglobal.net.
No handwritten picks will be accepted, everyone must use this Excel form (will be posted by Sunday, July 13).
This is the "Tigerless" British Open Pool, so Tiger Woods' scores will not affect the outcome of our contest (not that it matters).

How To Complete An Entry Form:
Select a team of 8 players from The British Open Field (listed on the left). Your team must be made up of players based upon the following criteria:
- 2 different players from Group A ( World Ranking 2-11)
- 3 different players from Group B ( World Ranking 12-30)
- 3 different players from Group C ( Rest of the field)

Scoring:
The LOW Round of the Day (LRD) will earn 5 points. Every golfer will be compared to the LRD and will earn points based on how far behind the LRD they were for the day.

Example: If the LRD is 2-over par, then every golfer who shoots 2-over would receive 5 points, 3-over would get 4 points, 4-over would get 3 points, 5-over would get 2 points, 6-over would get 1 point and every other score would get 0 points. So, to earn points, your golfers must shoot a score within 4 strokes of the Low Round for the Day.

3 Bonus Points will be awarded to each player making the cut.
8 Bonus Points will be awarded to the actual winner of The Open.
Ties: Ties will be broken based on the entry with the most players who make the cut; if still tie, the shares effected will be split.
Scoring Updates: I will be posting scoring updates on a this blog.

Please be sure to include your phone number and e-mail address on your entry form to be updated.
SPECIAL NOTES:
1. Multiple entries are welcome.
2. Your picks are not officially entered into the pool until we receive your entry fee. Entry fee must be received or postmarked by Thursday, July 17.
3. Payment can be Paypal, cash or check. Check must be made out to "CASH". Any checks made out to "The Administrator" will not be accepted and your entry not activated in the pool.
4. Include a copy of your entry sheet with your payment.
5. Entries will be turned off if we do not receive your entry fee in time. Yes even if you are in the money. So send your entry fee to us before the tournament starts.
6. Deadlines are firm!! (If you know me, feel free to call me if you are having a problem, I may let you slide for a day :)
7. The Administrator will play one entry for free.
8. Mailing Addresses for The Administrator:
Max Rose, 627 Forest Ave., River Forest, IL, 60305
Email Address: max_rose@sbcglobal.net
Void where prohibited.

Rocco Is In

By virtue of his play the past couple of months, journeyman Rocco Mediate has qualified to play in The Open at Royal Birkdale.

Rocco came ohhhh so close to winning the US Open, only to lose on the 91st hole of competition to a one-legged Tiger Woods (geez, how far behind are Phil, Adam and the rest if they can't beat Tiger when he's injured??). Now he'll have a chance to compete for the Claret Jug without the number one golfer in the universe in the field. Rocco hasn't played in the British since 2002.

David Frost (48), who was often in the hunt back in the 80's and 90's, will return to The Open for the first time since 2005, where he placed 15th. He also recorded 3 top-ten finishes when he was in his "prime". Frederik Jacobson from Sweeden also sealed a spot by placing 2nd to Anthony Kim at the AT&T last weekend.

So, the entire field is almost set. A top-5 finish at the John Deere Classic this weekend will earn a meeting with the Queen. Some of the notables who haven't yet qualified are: Katayama (ranked 47 in the world), Villegas (50), Perez (51), O'Hern (55), Kelly (58), Olberhoser (65). For the most part, the field is pretty much set - with the exceptions of Tiger and Kenny Perry, the top golfers in the world will all be at Royal Birkdale next week.

Once the field is set, I'll post the entry forms. Feel free to send your entry fee ($25) in advance. You can give it to me in person, drop it off at The Beacon or O'Sullivan's in Forest Park (send me an email or call me if you do that), mail it or use Paypal.

Watch your email for future announcements.

~Max

Hottest Golfer NOT Going to Royal Birkdale

Kenny Perry's goal is clearly evident...he wants to play on the U.S. Ryder Cup team in his own backyard at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville (pronounced Lew-uh-vull), Kentucky. He won the Buick last week and the Memorial a few weeks ago. He skipped the U.S. Open and now he's skipping The Open at Royal Birkdale, so that he can play in The BC Open, on a course that suits his game better - presumably to guarantee his spot on the Ryder Cup team. By most everyone's calculations, he's already sealed a spot.

So, The Open at Royal Birkdale has a great chance for someone to get his first win of 2008. Who is going to win? Who knows. But, you'll be able to choose eight golfers from the field...and if you're right, you just might win the 3rd Tigerless Major Pool of 2008.

Please help in spreading the word, and let's get a good pot for this pool (The Open starts on July 17, so the field will be set a few days before then, after the completion of the qualifying rounds). Tell all of your friends, enemies, co-workers and family about it. As soon as the field is set, I'll post the entry form. But before that even happens, tell everyone you know how much more fun it is to watch a Major when you have some players hitting shots that mean something for you, as it does for them and their caddies ;-)

If you were sent here by a friend and want to be included in the update emails, please send me an email and I'll add you to the list.

~ Max

Fannon Takes 1st Place

So it's David vs. Goliath. After today, that saying could be replaced with Rocco vs. Tiger. Yesterday's action was one for the books - highly entertaining!

It looked as if it might be a three-way playoff today, but unfortunately for Andy Cohen, Westwood couldn't seem to get his last few putts all the way to the hole. As it turns out, Jeff Fannon held onto his lead because Heath Slocumb fired a Championship low round of 65, that meant that our picks needed to shoot 69 or better to score points - only three of our players managed to do that.

So, Fannon takes first, I got lucky and took 2nd and Cohen finished 3rd. Winnings will go out today.

Next month we'll be doing this again for the British Open, or as it's officially named The Open, at Royal Birkdale. This is by far my favorite major championship event - not that I'm especially fond of links golf, but the fact that it's on in the morning here, weather conditions play such a huge role and the history is so interesting.

Till next month.

~Max

Snedeker Fires LRD of 68, Fannon Extends Lead

Brandt Snedeker got off to a quick start, shooting a 68 early in the day. That score held up as the LRD - the closest any of our picks got was 70, which was accomplished by 5 players.

But the story of the day was Tiger and his knee. I know this is the "Tigerless Pool", but you have to be in total awe of what he did today. Eagle putt on 13 from at least 40 feet, chip in for birdie on 17 that took one bounce then hit the pin and dropped, then he dropped a bomb on 18 from 25 feet, a putt that had at least 3 feet of break. Every time he took a full swing, the NBC cameras took a close up of his face, grimacing in pain.

Appleby, the leader heading into the third round, shot an 8-over par 79 and has taken himself out of the tournament and the always smiling Rocco Mediate is still hanging in there at the ripe old age of 45.

Jeff Fannon extended his lead by two points and is sitting in the driver's seat to win the pool, it should be a great day of golf tomorrow at Torrey Pines.

To all dads, have a happy Father's Day tomorrow. Hopefully we all get to play some golf (I'll be teeing it up with Ridge tomorrow at Big Run).

Good night.

~Max

Appleby Birdies 18 and Cuts 11 Sitting at 8-Under

Stuart Appleby birdied #18 to finish with a round of 70, and 3-under par for the tournament. That meant that 11 players sitting at 8-under par won't make the cut and won't be playing on the weekend. Appleby leads Rocco Mediate, Robert Karlsson and Tiger Woods by one stroke heading into the third round of the US Open.

Miguel Angel Jiminez shot a 66, the low round of the day (LRD). That means that any golfer who shot a 70 or better would earn points for the round. Overall, we did pretty well as a group, of the 31 golfers chosen in our pool, all but 10 failed to make the cut - and that includes two who withdrew.

Jeff Fannon has jumped into the lead and has all 8 picks playing this weekend. It's going to take some good luck and good shooting to catch him.

Have a good Saturday.

~Max

Timberrrrrr

I couldn't post a scoring update last night because a tree behind my neighbor's house fell down and took out the power line. The entire block was without power. Once the ComEd crews got everything back to work, I was already asleep.

The LRD for Round 1 was 68, so any golfer who shot a 72 or better earns points for this round. We've had a couple of WD's from the tournament, Ian Poulter and Sean O'Hair, so they can no longer earn points.

Andy Cohen leads the pool after the first round with a score of 13. I'll post a Leader Board for Round 2 later this evening.

Have a great night.

~ Max

Everyone's Picks

Here are everybody's chosen ones (click the image to make it larger). We have only 8 players in our pool, but I'll make the most of it by providing timely scoring updates as the tournament progresses.

Please double check your picks and let me know if there are any errors. Thanks.

~ Max

Entries Are In

The entries are in and I'll need a few hours before I can get the picks posted. I have some meetings this afternoon, but will post picks as soon as I can, check back sometime after 4:00.

~ Max

Get a Player's View of Torrey Pines

The USGA has put up some nice features on their website for this weekend, including a Virtual Tour that shows you how the course looks to the players. Each hole has a Walk Through, with commentary from USGA officials and course designer, Rees Jones, providing explanations for each shot on the Par 71 layout. You'll also find aerial flyover views and a Panoramic 360 Viewer. Take a look.

Get your entries in. Email me if you are having problems at max_rose@sbcglobal.net.

~ Max

Golfers Missing

Someone mentioned to me that there are some golfers missing from the group.

There are a total of 156 golfers in the US Open field - I took the liberty of eliminating all but the Top 85 and threw in some of the bigger names that aren't currently ranked in the top 85 (Janzen, Campbell, Parnevik). Sure, it's possible that someone who isn't on our list might win, but it's unlikely - regardless, we're all working from the same list and that makes it fair for scoring purposes.

Good luck,
~Max

How Scoring Works

Because the US Open is set up by the USGA as a supreme test of skill, birdies are often hard to come by. I've seen quite a few US Open tournaments where the winning score is actually over par - so rewarding points only for shooting under par (as we did in the Masters Pool) would be pretty boring.

The scoring for our pool will work like this:

Low Round of the Day (LRD) - 5 points.
1 stroke over LRD - 4 points.
2 strokes over LRD - 3 points.
3 strokes over LRD - 2 points.
4 strokes over LRD - 1 point.
5 or more strokes over LRD - Zero points.

So, even if the lowest round of any day is 2-over par, points will be scored by every golfer who shoots 6-over par, or better. Tiger's score DOES count - so if he shoots the LRD - all scores will be in relation to his score.

Bonus Points - 3 points for every player making the cut to play the weekend. 8 points for the winner (unless Tiger wins, then these points will not be awarded).

There is a minor mistake on the entry form - Andres Romero is listed twice (this was a major pain getting the information about this field into a spreadsheet - had to type in all manually, geez) - he should only be used in the "B Group".

Good luck and get your entries in.

~Max

U.S. Open Entry Sheets Ready To Download

You can now download the Entry Form for the 2008 Tigerless U.S. Open Pool. Use the link on the right or click here. When you go to the download page, check the box for the spreadsheet and then click on the .xls file - you should be able to download the whole Excel file to you computer and complete the form.

There is one major scoring rule change this year. I'll explain further in the next post, but the details are one the Entry Form.

Good Luck!

Max

Time To Prepare For Torrey Pines

We'll be putting together a pool for the U.S. Open being held at Torrey Pines, San Diego, CA from June 9-15. The scoring system will be slightly different, since the U.S. Open is notorious for extreme rough and high scores. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

I know that Sopha has played there - so he'll either have to pay extra or give us all strokes ;-)

Hopefully, I'll be playing there later this year, as I plan to visit some old friends who live in the San Diego area this Summer.

Another hopefully. I hope Spring finally gets here and we all get plenty of golf in this year. If anyone is ever looking for playing partners, I'd hope that you'd check with the guys who played in this pool first. As for me, I'm available almost anytime, provided I have at least 2 hours notice ;-)

All the best,

~ Max

Wind, Sunday Pins & Pressure

The pressure for the final round at The Masters must be intense. Only four golfers managed to shoot in red figures; Jiminez -4, Slocum -3, Appleby and Watney -1. Nobody made a serious charge up the Leader Board, both on the course and in our pool. See the final spreadsheet here.

Scott Steinlauf takes 1st place with a total of 66. Bob, Jim and Jeff also win a little $. I wish it had been more money guys; help me get a larger pool for the U.S. Open.

I know the rules allow for me to play a free entry for running the pool - but with only 12 entries, I can't do that. So the payout will be:

1st - $156.00

2nd - $ 48.00

3rd - $ 24.00

4th - $ 12.00

Thanks for playing. I hope you enjoyed it.

~ Max

Very Little Red

The wind has picked up at Augusta and scoring is becoming very difficult. Right now there are only a handful of golfers in red figures. Tevor Immelman continues to lead Snedeker by 3 shots.

The next post I do will have the final scores for our pool. I'm stepping out for the rest of the afternoon.

Good luck!

~ Max

Immelman and Snedeker Birdie 18

Neither Immelman nor Snedeker showed signs of pressure affecting their rounds. While they each stumbled on a couple of holes, they managed to muster the determination to finish strong. Immelman will try to post a wire-to-wire victory tomorrow.

Scott, Jim, Bob and Jeff are atop our Leader Board, but things could change quickly tomorrow. Nine golfers are tied at 2-under par, one would have to think there will be some low scores from that group. For the final round, each shot under par will garner 4 points. Full spreadsheet is here.

~ Max

Moving Day Update

Tiger made a move today. I think everyone expected it. The question is, will it be enough? Oh, wait...who cares?

Scott is still leading our contest, but Jeff has moved into 2nd place with two of his players, Boo and Zach, each shooting 4-under today.

There are currently 4 of our picks under par still on the course, Immelman, Casey, Cink and Goosen. Everyone else has either finished, or are currently even or over par.

~ Max

Who's Watching Who?

Go ahead and cheer for your favorite player(s) while you are watching The 2008 Masters Tournament today and tomorrow. But if Ogilvy, Goosen, Mickelson or Singh do well, so does most of your competition. You probably want to cheer for the player on your team, that is unique to you (Um, I don't have one of those, so I'll just be cheering for JB Holmes to shoot lights out; and maybe I'll come in 2nd place ;)

Do you have a player on your team that nobody else has (Sopha has two!)? If he shoots well, it'll be good for you, and no one else. There are 8 golfers who are on only one team, so that's who you should be rooting for this weekend.

~ Max

Round 3 Pairings

It looks like the leaders will have some weather to deal with on Saturday. The third round is commonly known as Moving Day, so expect things to tighten up. The guys who tee off early, look to have an advantage because it's projected to get windy and wet in the afternoon.

Here are the pairings and tee times for Round 3.

~ Max

Quiz Challenge

Who was the last eventual champion to be outside the top 10 after 36 holes? Name the player and the year.

The first person to post the correct answer in the comments will win a 2-for-1 entry in the next pool I run. It will most likely be for the U.S. Open, unless something comes up before that.

~ Max

P.S. - I'd really like to hear any feedback on this pool. How am I doing? How can we grow this thing to be 50-100 entries next year?

Hold That Cut Line Steady

The cut line moved from 3-over to 4-over and back to 3-over this afternoon. As I suspected, 3-over would be needed in order to make the cut. Congrats to Scott, Drew and Bob - all three had 7 players make the cut and are ready to score points over the weekend.

On a personal note (and a note that describes the core belief of golf, and what separates golf from nearly every other sport). I really thought I'd have the only Amateur to make the cut. Michael Thompson was riding the cut-line the entire round, and was ready to putt for birdie on 15 (it was about a 5 footer). Just as he grounded his club, his ball moved - it took several replays before the announcers could determine that it did, in fact move. He called a penalty on himself. Obviously a little shaken up, he pushed the putt, and what had originally looked like a birdie turned to bogie. He didn't make the cut. Amateurs playing on the weekend these days are rare; honesty and integrity in the game of golf are common. I love this game!

I've uploaded the latest spreadsheet and the Leader Board is on the left side of this post. The scoring takes into account 3 points for making the cut. Remember that in Round 3, the points double (so if your player shoots 2-under, you get 4 points) and in Round 4, the points quadruple (so if your player shoots 2-under, you get 8 points). It's not over! And, if your player wins, you get an additional 8 points.

Have a great weekend.

~Max

The Field is Backing Up

Now the projected cut is 4-over par. Phil Mickelson shot a 4-under 68.

Scott Steinlauf is our leader with 28 points so far, but we still have about 22 players on the course. I've updated the complete spreadsheet and posted the Leader Board on the left, this is as of 3:10 Chicago time.

It's shaping up to be an exciting weekend. And, with Tiger struggling, it might truly be "Tigerless".

~ Max

3 Over Par Should Be The Cut

Trevor Immelman fired another 4-under 68 for a two-round score of 136, or 8-under par. In addition to the Top 44 and Ties, there is another provision for making the cut - be within 10 shots of the lead after two rounds (one that I failed to mention yesterday). That won't matter now. Not unless a bunch of them currently at 3-over, par drop a shot. There are currently 18 players under par on the course.

The best round of the day so far was registered by Steve Flesch, a bogie free 5-under 67. But none of us picked him ;-)

I'll post a mid-day Leader Board once a few more groups finish.

~ Max

A Better Way To Wager

If you're like me, you have found yourself watching a sporting event either alone or with buddies and you get the feeling, "you just know what's going to happen next".

No other sportsbook does what Tradesports.com does. At Tradesports, you can wager on a LIVE event - that's right, make a wager on the outcome while the game, round, tournament, match, etc. is actually taking place. What is unique, is that you are actually making wagers (trades) with other people, just like you and me, all around the world through a trading interface.

When you trade on Tradesports.com you are pitting your wits against other members of Tradesports. Tradesports provides the platform whereby members can trade between themselves without paying a sportsbook margin or vig. The winning member will receive the profits, the losing member pays the loss.

With no vig, no juice, no artificial spread, Tradesports charges a small transaction charge per lot traded.

Odds/Prices on Tradesports are usually much better than those available elsewhere, as the prices are established by you and other TradeSports members at prices you want to trade.

TradeSports has long-term offers like "who will win the March Madness tournament" and short term offers like "will the Dow close UP today". All major events are covered.

So, if you now think that Tiger (or Trevor, or Ian) will now win The Masters, you still have time to make that wager at Tradesports.com. Oh, and if you think anyone won't win, you can do that too.

There is a great DEMO on the site, it's worth checking out.

~ Max

How Our Picks Fared

The scoring system awards a performance that is better than par. But if you want to know how your players did in relation to the field (and the upcoming cut) I'll post round by round totals. The cut line for The Masters is Top 44 players and ties. After the first round there are 51 golfers that meet that criteria. I've shaded all of our picks who don't currently "make the cut". They will need to pick up strokes on the field if they hope to play on the weekend.

~ Max

(click the image to enlarge it)