When I created BogeyLounge it was all about golf babes and golf gear... and it was good.

So as I begin to work my way back to regular posting and giving this site some sorely needed TLC, it is only natural that I get the creative juices flowing with a BogeyLounge Site of the Day that honors nothing other than"golf babes".

This is a Flickr group called Golf Babes and it includes a ton of babe goodness in all sorts of golf states.

From fans in the gallery, to hotties inside the ropes, to those wonderfully cheeky booth babes at the PGA Merchandise Show.

Enjoy... as I muster up the energy to bring the Lounge back to its rightful place among the golf blog elite.

Link: Golf Babes [Flickr]

Tiger Woods told reporters last year at Oakmont, generally considered the toughest golf course in America, that no 10-handicapper could break 100. With Torrey Pines refurbished into a 7,643-yard “monster”—the longest in U.S. Open history—it served as a suitable stand-in for a challenge, hosted by Golf Digest magazine and NBC.

Tony Romo, Justin Timberlake, Matt Lauer and an essay contest winner (John Atkinson) played Torrey Pines today, under "US Open" conditions (wink... wink) and two of the three broke 100.

While I'm not so impressed that an NFL star had the athletic chops to break the century mark, I've got to say it is pretty impressive that pretty boy singer/dancer played the back tees at Torrey and lived to say he shot a 98.

At 100, Lauer's feat is also somewhat impressive, but I've got to wonder what he really thought he would shoot going into today. (I think he thought he could shoot at 85 and I'm probably right).

OK... Enough shenanigans... let's get to the pros and the already overhyped Tiger vs. Phil matchup.

Read more: Romo, Timberlake break 100 at Torrey Pines [Yahoo!]

- Live Video and Scoring at the Official Site: Masters.org

- Tony is doing his normal great coverage over at "Hooked on Golf Blog"

- TV Listings at Golf.com

- Always one of my favorites during Masters week is Augusta.com

- Nice Leaderboard here at the PGATour's Masters Site

Must Reads: The Sand Trap | GolfBlogger | Golf Punk

Enjoy!

See also: Live Masters Video Post

St. Andrews, where until recently, a sign hung outside the clubhouse behind the 18th green that read, “No dogs or women allowed”, hosts the Women's British Open for the first time in history.

Links: A New Day at St. Andrews Golf Course [NY Times]

Old Course has some surprises for first Women's British Open [Herald Tribune]

Women's British Open host the Old Course at St. Andrews will be friendly to Ochoa - but it isn't for regular lady duffers [WorldGolf]

2007 Women's British Open Information [LPGA.com]

Like this post? Then you'll really like these...

Way back on March 9, 2005, I wrote: "She may be interested in photo shoots and improving her Q-rating but not at the expense of her golf. She's got game, and it looks like she's got heart... only time will tell if she can be a champion." [link: Gulbis: Calendar queen or golf ball-striking machine?]

That was in reference to Natalie Gulbis, who at the time was being compared to Anna Kournikova for being all show and no go.

Today, Natalie Broke through by winning her first LPGA Tour title at the Evian Masters with a birdie on the first hole of a playoff with Jang Jeong of South Korea on Sunday. Gulbis, who won $450,000, gave part of the credit for her win to a back injury two months ago that forced her to take a month off and make some adjustments.

Way to go Natalie! We knew you had it in you... Now that you're an LPGA winner, you can shoot as many swimsuit calendars as you wish and no one can complain.

Link: Masterful Gulbis [ESPN.com]

To purchase the Leadbetter SwingSetter or any of David's Training Aids: Click Here [Leadbetter Online Store]

This is a product I have used for over a year now and still think it is the single best way to get back on track or understand the basics of a proper golf swing. As regular readers know, I've always been a big fan of Leadbetter products, but the SwingSetter is my favorite. My wife could do without all the click-clacking, but it's an almost addictive feeling once you get into a nice groove.

In what is certainly the golfing opportunity of a lifetime, golfers (6 of them) will have the opportunity to get hands-on training from the godfather of golf instruction David Leadbetter.

As part of a promotion for the David Leadbetter Golf Academy location at the luxurious Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, David will host an exclusive six-person TWO-DAY RETREAT on Tuesday, August 21st and Wednesday, August 22nd of 2007.

The package (available to the first 6 students who reserve a spot) costs $5,000 and will cover all aspects of the game, including all areas of the short game. Extensive video and computer analysis will be utilized and instruction will be custom tailored to each individual's personal swing.

Each participant will receive a gift package, a specific plan for ongoing improvement on a personal take home DVD, lunch each day with David and his staff, and a five-star dinner experience on Tuesday, August 21st in the company of David Leadbetter.

This guy has tutored players to over a dozen major championships and more than 100 worldwide tour wins, so while $5,000 sounds steep it also sounds real intriguing.

Maybe Mrs. BogeyMan can consider it as an early 40th birthday present for her favorite hubby.

Link: Attention All Golfers [DavidLeadbetter.com]

Can we now please put Jean Van de Velde's meltdown to rest? The 18th at Carnoustie is tough and no lead is safe (sort of like Fenway Park), Harrington overcame a catastrophy and won, Van de Velde's was more of a circus, but not that much different from Harrington's.

Cheers to Padraig Harrington, 2007 Golf Champion!

Silly as this may sound, I was talking to friend at lunch yesterday about how I thought Sergio Garcia (who at the time had just finished up his second round and remained in the lead at -6) looked like he was serious about this week and that is was nice to see him in more mature looking apparel. "He finally looks like a golfer who could win a major", I said.

While I like the crazy and trendy look sported by some of the tour's younger players, it seems as though those guys never break through because they are worried more about style than substance.

So when Sergio comes out on the final day of a major wearing canary yellow from head to toe, I have to wonder how serious he can be taken or how serious he is taking himself... and sure enough after 5 holes he's already out of contention. Coincidence? I think not.

This morning, TNT shows Sergio warming up in this ridiculous outfit. Trendy, yes. Conducive to taking on the world's best and holding a lead at the Open Championship? Probably not.

I could be wrong (and I hope I am), but I think Sergio drops 6 shots and will be lucky to be at even after today's round.

UPDATE (11:30am) - OK, after nine holes Sergio is -2 and -8 for the tournament, so maybe my theory is wrong... or maybe it's because he's covered up those heinous red pants with black rain pants? Hmmm....

UPDATE (2:00pm) - Sergio stands atop the leaderboard 3 strokes ahead of Steve Stricker (who went an amazing -7 today). So much for my theory, but then again, he was wearing black rain pants all day that covered up the blood red pants.

What color will he show up with tomorrow. A simple black, white, brown or navy? Think again, I'm sure it will be a bright blue, green or maybe even pink? Cheers to Sergio... I hope he gets his first major tomorrow.

Thursday (TNT 7am - 7pm)

Friday (TNT 7am - 7pm)

Saturday (TNT 7:00am-9:00am) (ABC 9:00am-2:30pm)

Sunday (TNT 6:00am-8:00am) (ABC 8:00am-1:30am)

There has been a sense, at least before the first official shot was struck, that this Carnoustie is a softer one than in 1999.

“Very fair,” said Jim Furyk, among the favorites this week.

2007 Open Championship Live Scoring [PGAtour.com]

Open Coverage: Golf.com | Golf Digest | ESPN |

I don't know what it feels like to win the Masters but I do know that it can't top the feeling I have every morning when a look over my daughters crib and she looks up, recognizes me and lights up with a big smile.

Perspective will change for Tiger, but I don't think it will affect his golf in a negative way.

Tiger's comments (from TigerWoods.com) can be found after the jump.

Link: Tiger Woods' wife gives birth to first child - Reuters

Eye of the Tiger or Bad to the Bone? Tiger Woods and Aaron Baddeley will be the final group out in today's US Open, but will they be able to fend off Oakmont and the rest of the field and give us an unforgettable finish? Or will someone from the field emerge with a low score and then sit in the clubhouse and watch Tiger and Badds try and catch them?

One thing's for sure and that is that anything can happen. Enjoy the show...

More: Tiger flirts with near perfection but settles for 69 [PGA]

Baddeley leads, Woods stalks [NewsDay]

Woods coming on strong in U.S. Open [IHT]

Aaron Baddeley Leads the Open, but the Story Is Still Tiger Woods [AOL FanHouse]

I've add UK Golf Blog to our blogroll and invite any other golf blogs to write us in request of a link exchange. You can reach us at staff[at]ilounge.tv

Here's a little secret for our friends at UKgolfBlog... BogeyMan is secretly pulling for a Euro to take home the US Open. Hey, Tiger and Phil are getting on my nerves and if Ben Curtis can take home a Claret Jug than why not have a Dougherty or Poulter go home with whatever the US Open trophy is called?

I'm just saying.

Thursday
ESPN 10am-3pm
NBC 3pm-5pm
ESPN 5pm-7pm

Friday
ESPN 10am-3pm
NBC 3pm-5pm
ESPN 5pm-7pm

Saturday
NBC 1pm-7pm

Sunday
NBC 1pm-7pm

If an 18–hole playoff is necessary on Monday, ESPN will begin coverage at noon, with NBC picking up play at 2 p.m.

The Lounge has never had a problem with cat fights, but when the scuffle involves the first lady of golf (Annika Sorenstam) and the gonna-be-great Michelle Wie, we are inclined to look the other way.

This isn't the kind of controversy that raises interest and increases ratings... No, this is the kind of awkward situation that exposes the ugly side of professional sports - full of out-of-touch athletes parents, greedy agents and enabling sponsors.

Annika is no angel, but she has the results and history to back up what she says. Michelle Wie, on the other hand, continues to come off as an arrogant, immature and spoiled kid (which is expected of a 17-year-old).

The problem with Camp Wie isn't the star, it's the people who should be giving her guidance and helping her go from unpolished kid to adult professional. If her agent, father, mother, public relations handler and sponsors really cared about Michelle, they would hand her her ass after some the responses she has been giving the media regarding her latest controversy.

"I don't really feel like I have to apologize for anything. I just have to take care of my body and move forward and only think of positive things." - Michelle Wie

A recent internet search for the definition to "sideshow" rendered the following response: Sideshow - A diversion or spectacle that is incidental to a larger set of circumstances or a bigger issue of concern.

Is there a better way to describe Michelle Wie and what has quickly gone from a promising career to a letdown of biblical proportions?

Today, she withdrew after 16 holes with a +14 score... just a two more strokes over par and she would have been banned from LPGA tour events for a full year.

What is going on? Here are a few opinions.

1. Her parents are pushing her too hard.
2. Nike is pushing her too hard.
3. She is using the injury as a safety net for when she doesn't perform.
4. Deep down, she is rebelling against her pop by performing poorly.
5. She should go to college and continue to practice and come back in two years.
6. She should focus on dominating the LPGA before trying to prove anything else.
7. She needs to grow up but can't until number one stops being a factor.

I hope Michelle "recovers" in time for next week's LPGA Championship at Bulle Rock. I thoroughly enjoyed watching her during the event last year when she contended into the final day.

Michelle Wie still has the potential to become one of the greatest athletes we'll ever see. I just hope she doesn't have to reach rock bottom in order to get to the top.

The truth is that Bogey likes to place the occasional wager on a match and our game had no money involved. I think he was hoping that by playing worse than usual he would lure me into a wager, but I am half Scottish, and therefore quite fond of my money, I didn't bite. Now he had to finish the round poorly or look like he was trying to sucker me in.

Actually, I think he would have wanted to play better, we all do. The round was still fun. He is a gracious host, I traveled to him, and a very pleasant playing partner. If you ever get a chance to tee it up with him I recommend it. Although, if there is money involved I still think he will turn into Birdieman.

Michelle Wie's coach said a few weeks ago that she wouldn't play against men anymore, reasoning that she'd be better suited working on her game on the women's tour.

Now a sponsor has offered her cash to play against men, and she's jumping at it. The 17-year-old Wie will play in the John Deere Classic in July, making her eighth attempt to make the cut against men. So far, she's 0-for-7.

Wie's coach, David Leadbetter, said earlier this month that he had worked on convincing her parents that she's not ready to play men. "The thing I've tried to explain to them is that you have to work your way up the ladder," he said. Apparently that message didn't get through.

Link: Michelle Wie to Play Against Men in John Deere Classic [AOL Sports Blog]

Last month I went on a Carnival Cruise sailing from Miami and stopping at Key West and Calica Mexico. I brought my golf clubs along because I was playing Bay Hill the weekend after the cruise and I was not going home in between. Since I had my clubs on board I thought that it might be fun to do a golf excursion or two. I booked both Key West Country Club and Iberostar Playa Paraiso Golf Club since I am not much of a snorkeler.

The first excursion was to Key West. I meet the golf pro down at the gangway and waited for the ship to dock. Not much time in Key West so we had to be first off the ship. Just as we were about to leave the chief of security received a phone call. He chatted for a few minutes gesturing to the pro and then passed the phone over to him. A few more minutes passed and Mike, the golf pro, handed the phone back to the chief of security and turned to talk to me.

The Sony was a similar tale, still in Hawaii; I managed to get a few minutes to select some players and left them in place for the week. Result: a smattering of points.

By this point I was really behind but there was still time in the season to make up for it right? Wrong!! I played for the next 15 weeks carefully selecting my picks and making most changes from round to round. I made up some ground sure but not enough to make me believe that I was going to catch anyone.

Then life happened. The days grew longer, I spent more time on the course than watching golf, weekend getaways started to crowd out my fantasy golf time. Now, I don't even know who is still on my team and I can't bring myself to care much. How does anyone with a life pay attention to this stuff for an entire season? I tried to care and came up well short.

Next in line to join the "I'm gonna play on the PGA some day" is non other than boy bander Justin Timberlake.

Joining a long list of PGA wannabe's like Michael Jordan, Michelle Wie and Ty Tryon - the 26-year-old Timberlake seems hell bent on getting his game N'Sync for the tour.

“Justin is a very keen golfer and he’s playing to a very high standard now,” states a source.

It's over (finally), and what could have been a phenominal finish, ended up being just so so. However, we did get what we love here at the Lounge - A first time major winner.

While we don't cheer against the Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelsons of the world, we do like pulling for the underdog and first time major winners fall nicely into that category.

Zach Johnson has been one of those "full of potential" golfers for the last few years, but I didn't think he had major championships in him. After watching him three-putt a 3-foot birdie attempt that would have given him a 2 stroke lead going into Saturday, I thought Zach was cooked.

Today, he showed he had the shots and more importantly, the mental makeup to win the big one.

One of the beautiful things about golf is how life changing a major win is for a golfer. Zach just went from professional golfer to Masters Champion. Surely a title that will follow him for the rest of his days on the earth (even if he never makes another cut in his career). Cool stuff.

Oh and by the way, is it just me or does Zach Johnson look a lot like Joaquin Phoenix?

Links: Zach "I'm a normal guy" Johnson wins Masters [China View]

Johnson claims Masters as Appleby fades [The Age]

The 18 men standing atop the leaderboard are separated by 5 or fewer strokes and in an event where you blink and see a guy go from -3 to +1, anyone can win.

Tiger Woods at +3 has got be the favorite, but with names like Mickelson, Toms, Donald, Furyk, and Tim Clark all bunched up at +6, it's anyones guess who will survive down the stretch.

Experience trumps anything in situations like this, so look for the seasoned vets to be atop the board at the turn, although I'd love to local boy Vaughn Taylor make a run today.

Enjoy the golf... we've got a good one today.

Links: Only constant at Masters? Tiger in hunt [Charlotte.com]

Tiger Woods poised to pounce as Masters reaches crucial stages [Sportingo]

Brutal conditions suck life out of Masters [Edmonton Sun]

Here at the Lounge, we are all about promoting things that are good for the growth of golf. OK, we're also all about Paula Creamer, Natalie Gulbis, gear that will add 30 yards to our drives and Tiger Woods Golf on the Nintendo Wii, but I digress.

One of the biggest opportunities the game of golf has for exponential growth is in Asia and India is as primed a market as any. With millions of people, a thriving economy and the largest concentration of billionaires in Asia, India could become the next hot bed for golf, and a good showing by Jeev Singh in this week's Masters could be the tipping point for golf in India.

FACT: This is Gary Player's 50th Masters. [link]

OPINION: I wish Arnold and Jack were in good enough shape to still be playing at Augusta.

FACT: Despite their Ryder Cup mastery, the Euros are currently in an 0-29 majors slump [link]

OPINION: A European will finally break through this week and break that slump.

FACT: Darren Clarke has turned to David Leadbetter to rekindle his game. [link]

OPINION: Clarke will be one of those Euros in the hunt on Sunday.

Watching your wife go through the pain of a c-section surgery, naming your daughter Augusta and then jumping on a plane to get back in time for the Masters is reason enough to pull for him to at least be in the thick of things on Sunday.

See, I do have a soft side.

Read: Quigley's Diary: I'm a First-Time Father [Baltimore Sun]

At first I read this promotion as 'A chance for you and three of your friends to play around with Natalie' and I thought "Wow, that is a nice buddy trip".

Then I realized that the Golf Channel had not stooped to that level and was actually offering us a chance to play "A Round" with Natalie. That's ok, because I'm sure her hippy haired dad would have been there either way. Talk about a buzz kill.

Anyway here's the link: Win A Round With Natalie [TGC]

Looks like Phil Mickelson will be employing the "If it ain't broke don't fix it" philosophy when he packs his golf bag for Thursday's first round.

From Callaway Golf - It’s likely that Mickelson will once again carry two drivers like he did so successfully last year at Augusta National. “I'm planning on using two. I have an FT-5 Driver, which I've been using and I’m very excited with how I've been driving it,” Mickelson said in February.

“And the FT-i Driver is a square driver, designed to go straight. That's what it does. It just goes straight. I'm able to use a longer shaft, swing a little harder and pick up 15 yards or so off the tee. There are some holes I'd like to use that, holes like 17, holes like No. 2.”

I had read this earlier, but Hooked on Golf Blog just confirmed that Phil announced that during his Masters press conference today.

Read: Mickelson Looking for Repeat Win [CallawayGolf.com]