by Mike Livingston; Co-Host, The CaddyShack Radio Show
Do we know how to host a major or what, people??!! The Coachella Valley and Mission Hills Country Club in particular looked absolutely spectacular all week and weekend-long (especially if you have 40’ or bigger, HDTV). The course was in immaculate shape thanks to Dave Johnson and his staff and that provided the prime conditions for all of the drama that followed in the season’s first major, including a playoff finish that really never should- have- been….poor little I.K. Kim, don’t you just want to reach out and hug her? I know Dibble does…I think he did-on the 10th as he once again served as the tee announcer, calling the names of each of the players and their respective countries, as well as the name of a soldier assigned with each group which he told me was really a proud moment. (More proud than chatting it up with Cristie Kerr, for example). Dibble was also part of the winning team in the Pro-Am competition, so go figure……..but about that red jacket. I wonder if Avis reported that missing or it was returned before they opened on Monday, hmmm…….
So I.K. Kim comes down the 18th fairway with a two-shot lead and leaves having missed the shortest tap-in putt anyone in golf, anyone covering the event, any fan, “anyone-anyone” can remember…….not Doug Sanders’ four-footer at the British open; not Scott Hoch’s three footer at the Masters (couldn’t happen to a nicer guy); oh no….this was a 14-inch putt to close the deal, to win a major and she missed! Mission Hills went collectively silent as Kim fought to hold back tears as the stage was set for a sudden death playoff with Young Sun Yoo. You see where this is going right?…..well, it only took one hole from there as Yoo closed the deal, sinking an eight-footer to win the Kraft Nabisco and Kim continues to search, carrying the burden of having missed the shortest putt in major history.
As far as the dudes were concerned, the guys of the PGA Tour (who hadn’t already headed to Augusta to get loose) took to Redstone Golf Club and the Shell Houston Open. Hunter Mahan outlasted a tough field and humid conditions as they played multiple rounds Saturdays and went split tees Sunday just to finish. Mahan posted a -16 to outlast Carl Pettersen and Louis Oosthuizen.
Join us on The CaddyShack this week as we celebrate the season’s first major with our big Masters Show!
Mike Livingston is the Co-Host of The Caddy Shack Radio Show on KNEWS 94.3 FM on Saturday Mornings from 6:00-8:00 a.m.; Additionally, Mike is the Director of Management for Personalized Property Management Company, in Cathedral City.
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