Just Sayin'

By Ken Cohen
We're halfway through 2011, so let's see how I'm doing with this column published in the January 2011 E-Traveler:

A PGA Tour victory for someone named Kevin
That could be Stadler, Streelman or Na
At Pebble, Bay Hill or Doral Resort and Spa

I see Dustin Johnson expunging past disasters
By powering his way to victory at this year's Masters
A senior will win on the PGA Tour
I'm picking Fred Funk, who turns Fifty-four

Where does Lee Westwood go from here
Now that he's No. 1 in the entire hemisphere?
I think he stays right at the top
While Tiger and Phil continue to drop

Who from the Nationwide Tour will be a big deal
I'm going with little known Brendan Steele
From the qualifying school, there's medalist Billy Mayfair
Or perhaps Jim Renner will come out of nowhere

For comebacks, I say David Duval breaks his winless string
And don't be surprised if we hear from Vijay Singh
I'm expecting a big year from David Toms
As he gets back to making those long bombs.

As for the LPGA and the Champions Tour
I'm always left yearning for more
It just doesn't suffice
Watching Jiyai Shin and Nick Price

There will be more rules situations to debate
I hope TV doesn't interfere with a player's fate
Kelly Tilghman will continue to annoy me
Thank God Golf Channel comes with no extra fee

This might be the year Johnny Miller goes too far
In berating a player who inexplicably made par
I'm still hoping Curt Byrum gets his chance
To broadcast besides the reliable Jim Nantz

Will Sergio Garcia finally come to realize
That the golf gods have nothing to do with his demise
And maybe the PGA of America will understand
That it needs to clearly mark hazards full of sand.

Who will lead America's next Ryder Cup team?
Let's loosen things up and go with Rich Beem
Finally, who will be The Player of the Year?
I'm going out on limb and picking Mike Weir.

Eagles

• Brendan Steele won the Texas Open!
• David Toms is having a big year, winning the Colonial, finishing second at The Players and No. 5 on the Money list.

Birdies

• Vijay Singh is having a very respectable year, currently inside the Top 30 on the Money list

Pars

• Lee Westwood has held his ground and Tiger and Phil have spiraled down the World rankings
• There were more rules situations where television came into play (Camillo Villegas, Jerry Kelly, Padraig Harrington)
• Kelly Tilghman is still annoying

Bogeys

• Nothing from any Kevins – yet.
• No Green Jacket for Dustin Johnson

Double Bogeys

• Billy Mayfair, Jim Renner and Mike Weir are nowhere to be found

That comes out to one-under par at the turn – I'll take it. We'll check back in November to see if we can turn some of the bogeys and doubles into pars or better…