Our man at the Barclays Singapore Open takes an irreverent look at the US$5 million spectacular at Sentosa Golf Club.
Jet Lag Pill...
When is someone going invent a jet lag curing pill I ask you. I used to laugh in the face of jet lag, but, as my body continues its sharp, irreversible, decay towards old age, the jet lag is taking its revenge. I made my way from bonnie Scotland, via Paris, to Singapore on Sunday evening, arrived at the outstanding Shangri-la Rasa Sentosa Resort on Monday evening feeling tired and emotional. I forced myself down to the bar to join my colleagues for a few medicinal red wines in the hope that the red grape juice would guarantee a good sleep. I headed for bed about 10:30 pm feeling like I could slip into a coma at any time, only to get to the room, lie down on the bed and helplessly feel my mind spring into what can only be described as an alarming state of alertness. I spent the next eight hours wondering how the hell the brain can think you are awake when you don’t have the strength to move your elbows. At least I will acclimatise to the time difference by the weekend, probably sometime on Sunday night when I am making my way to the airport to go home...
Feelin’ groovy...
You may or may not be aware, but the R&A and USGA are introducing a revision to golf’s equipment rules on January 1, 2010 that will see a limit on groove volume and groove edge sharpness at the game’s top level in an effort to “increase the spin differential between shots from the fairway and shots from the rough”, and therefore put a premium on accuracy over brute force. In theory, the professionals will not be able to create the same amount of spin from the rough as they do from the fairway when the new grooves are introduced. The R&A have two representatives here at the Barclays Singapore Open, who are measuring grooves and advising the players here what’s right and what’s wrong in the groovy world of irons and wedges.
Humidity gone mad...
Has anyone ever drowned in their own sweat? I can’t find any record of it on the worldwide web so I may be in line to make history this week. Podgy, pasty-faced Scottish people are just not built for Singapore’s humid environment (we had 100 degree humidity here on Wednesday). Every time I step outside the magnificently air-conditioned Barclays Singapore Open media centre I am in danger of flooding the golf course as well as inadvertently killing myself in a pool of my own fluids. I think I’ll stay put inside said media centre for the rest of the week....
Bjӧrn survives the Spanish inquisition...
Thomas Bjӧrn may have tendered his resignation as Chairman of The European Tour’s Tournament Players Committee, but that didn’t stop the big Dane being subjected to a Spanish Inquisition at the Barclays Singapore Open Players’ Barbeque on Wednesday night. I couldn’t help but notice many of Spain’s finest inviting Thomas to join them at their table and then start a wonderfully Spanish discussion that involved much arm-waving and general gesticulation towards the out-going Chairman. One of the main reasons that many of the players on Tour don’t want Bjӧrn to resign is the fact that he gives so much of his time to European Tour cause and Wednesday night was the perfect example. After a good 30 minutes of what looked like a pretty tasty debate, the big man seemed to placate the Spaniards so well that the meeting finished with handshakes and hugging all over the place. Another diplomatic victory for Bjӧrn...
Harrington the weatherman...
Padraig Harrington’s press conferences are becoming the stuff of legend. The Irishman is almost over-accommodating towards his inquisitors these days, always trying to provide a good answer to any question, no matter how ridiculous. The below example sums Harrington up perfectly....
Question: Do you think the weather will be a big factor this week?
Harrington: I have no idea what the weather will be like over the next four days. It could be a factor or might not be. If I could tell the weather I would probably be doing a different job. Actually, if I couldn’t tell the weather I could still be a weatherman!
I’m sure we all agree that Padraig should stick to the golf...
