This week: PGA Tour's Wachovia Championship, Thursday through Sunday, Quail Hollow Country Club, Charlotte, N.C.
World ranking: 72nd.
2008 earnings: $905,696 (36th on the PGA Tour).
Last tournament: A breakthrough? After losing to Australian Adam Scott on the third playoff hole at last week's Byron Nelson Championship, Moore sure thinks so. The Puyallup resident notched his fourth runner-up finish, but this was the closest he's come to his first professional win – tying Scott at 7-under 273 for first place. "Obviously, some injuries and what not have held me back, and it's been a little frustrating at times. At the same time … maybe that's given me the time I need to work on things I need to work on to win more tournaments in the long run," Moore said.
Tee time Thursday: 5:20 a.m. PDT off the 10th tee with Alex Cejka and Bubba Watson.

This week: PGA Tour's Wachovia Championship, Thursday through Sunday, Quail Hollow Country Club, Charlotte, N.C.
World ranking: 465th.
2008 earnings: $43,478 (32nd on the Nationwide Tour).
Last tournament: Putnam spent much of last week near the Henrico Open leaderboard before settling on a tied-for-17th finish (9-under 279), his sixth made cut in eight Nationwide appearances this season. This week, after earning one of the four Monday qualifying spots (4-under 68), he tees it up on the PGA Tour for the first time since missing the cut at last year's Children's Miracle Network Classic in November (and skipping this week's Nationwide Tour stop, the South Georgia Classic in Valdosta, Ga.). Putnam qualified for Wachovia last year, tying for 56th. "It's one of the best courses on the PGA Tour, with a lot of exciting holes," Putnam said.
Tee time Thursday: 11:10 a.m. PDT off the first tee with Kyle Reifers and Brett Rumford.

Turns out, Tacoma's Michael Putnam will play in a PGA Tour event this season.

The Life Christian Academy graduate had one of those head-turning, gut-twisting afternoons at the Monday qualifying tournament (which finished up Tuesday) for this week's Wachovia Championship in Charlotte, N.C.

Putnam endured a rough start, a five-hour rain delay, and almost walked off the course at Firethorne Country Club, and jumped back in the car to drive to the Nationwide Tour tournament in Valdosta, Ga.

Then something odd happened – he started making birdies. In fact, he couldn't stop.

And when the day was over, Putnam's 4-under-par 68 nabbed one of the four qualifying spots for the Wachovia event, which starts Thursday at Quail Hollow Country Club.

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PGA TOUR
Wachovia Championship
Site: Charlotte, N.C.
Schedule: Thursday-Sunday.
Course: Quail Hollow Club (7,442 yards, par 72).
Purse: $6.4 million. Winner's share: $1,152,000.
FedEx Cup points: 25,000. Winner's share: 4,500.
Television (all times PDT): Golf Channel (Thursday-Friday, noon-3 p.m., 5:30-8:30 p.m.) and CBS (Saturday-Sunday, noon-3 p.m.).
Last year: Tiger Woods won the third of his seven 2008 titles, finishing with a tournament-record 13-under 275 total for a two-stroke victory over Steve Stricker.
Last week: Adam Scott won the EDS Byron Nelson Championship, beating Puyallup's Ryan Moore with a 48-foot birdie putt on the third hole of a playoff.
Notes: Woods is sidelined by a knee injury. ... Nineteen of the top 25 in the world ranking are in the field. ... Jim Furyk won in 2006, beating Trevor Immelman on the first hole of a playoff. In 2005, Furyk lost to Vijay Singh on the fourth extra hole. Joey Sindelar also won in a playoff in 2004. ... The Players Championship is next week at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., followed by the AT&T Classic in Duluth, Ga., and the Colonial in Fort Worth, Texas.
On the Net: http://www.pgatour.com.

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1, NEW BAG MAN
Puyallup's Ryan Moore got plenty of television air-time this weekend at the EDS Byron Nelson Championship, as did his new caddie, Matt Hauser.

Hauser, 35, is no stranger to the PGA Tour. He worked with veteran J.J. Henry for nine years, including the 2006 season when Henry won his first tournament title, and was on the U.S. Ryder Cup squad.

Perhaps Hauser is best known in Brett Quigley's flare-up at the 2007 Buick Open. Quigley led after the first round, but shot a 3-over-par 75 on Friday. Later that night, Quigley replaced his caddie, Tim Mork, with Hauser.

Hauser, a scratch golfer, and Henry grew up together in Connecticut, playing baseball and golf together in high school. He is an avid alpine skier, and hooked up with Moore right before the Puyallup golfer returned from a nearly month-long break after the PODS Championship in March.

2, STILL A LEGEND
Once a year, Fircrest's Ken Still takes to the first tee with one thought in mind – winning a golf tournament.

He was paired with Mason Rudolph in the Demaret Division (70-and-older) at the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf event last week at The Westin Savannah Harbor Resort and Spa in Savannah, Ga.

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This week: PGA Tour's EDS Byron Nelson Championship, TPC Four Seasons Resort Las Colinas, Irving, Texas.
Final-round score: 2-under-par 68.
Position: Moore and Australian Adam Scott both finished first at 7-under 273. Scott won the title by making a 50-foot birdie putt on the third sudden-death playoff hole, and Moore missed his 15-footer.
Recap: One of the lasting images of Moore's tournament came at the end of regulation. Finished with a one-stroke lead, the Cascade Christian graduate sat anxiously huddled in the scoring tent while Scott, ranked 10th in the world, sized up an 8-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole to tie, which he converted, forcing the playoff. The Puyallup native registered his fourth runner-up finish on the PGA Tour in his 75th start, but none was as disheartening as this one, watching his fellow UNLV alum make an improbable 50-footer down the hill to win in the playoff. Moore played well enough to claim victory, leading the field in birdies (19) and putts per green hit in regulation (1.585), and was rock solid Sunday with 25 putts. He made a career-best $691,200 in this tournament.
Some of Moore's post-round comments:

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This week: Nationwide Tour's Henrico County Open, The Dominion Club, Richmond, Va.
Final-round score: 2-under-par 70.
Position: Putnam (9-under 279) finished tied for 17th, five strokes behind winner Greg Chalmers (14-under 274), who defeated Henrik Bjornstad in a playoff.
Recap: Putnam put together his best round of the tournament, from tee (hit 12 of 14 fairways) to green (14 of 18 greens in regulation), and made very little on the greens (32 putts). He finished up strong with birdies on the 15th and 18th holes, and was tops in the field in driving distance this week (297.4 yards per drive). Putnam earned $6,767 for his finish.
Next: South Georgia Classic starting Thursday at Kinderlou Forest Golf Club in Valdosta, Ga.

This week: PGA Tour's EDS Byron Nelson Championship, Thursday through Sunday, TPC Four Seasons Resort Las Colinas, Irving, Texas.
Third-round score: 2-under-par 68.
Position: Moore (5-under 205) is tied with Bart Bryant, Charley Hoffman and Kevin Sutherland for second place, three strokes behind leader Adam Scott (8-under 202).
Recap: The Puyallup golfer is right where he wants to be contending for his first PGA Tour victory. A slow start (bogey at No. 2) was suddenly reversed with an eagle-3 on the par-5 seventh, and then he birdied two of the most difficult holes on the course coming in – the par-4 15th (4-foot putt) and 18th holes (35-foot putt). His last birdie, off a wedge approach shot from 120 yards, came on the heels of his only back-nine bogey when his tee shot plugged in a sand trap. Moore posted one of the 24 under-par rounds Saturday out of a remaining field of 76.
Some of Moore's post-round comments:

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This week: Nationwide Tour's Henrico County Open, Thursday through Sunday, The Dominion Club, Richmond, Va.
Third-round score: Even-par 72.
Position: Putnam (7-under 209) is tied for 26th, seven strokes behind co-leaders Bryan DeCorso and Matt Hansen (14-under 202).
Recap: "Moving day" was there for the taking for the Tacoma native, who saw overnight leader Bubba Dickerson drop off after a big lead. Putnam was steady at 1-under on his round before coming to the par-5 18th, and he did something that likely will stick with him for a while – he couldn't get out of the rough, and finished with a bogey to fall off the pace (a hole he birdied the two previous days). The Life Christian Academy product hit only six of the 14 fairways Saturday.
Tee time Sunday: 6:35 a.m. PDT off the first tee with Kris Blanks and Brad Fritsch.

Don't let the nylon head scarf and the shy demeanor fool you.

Kim Welch is a bomber.

Joining Tacoma's Dana Bates on the 12-person cast of the Golf Channel's "Big Break Ka'anapali" in Hawaii is Welch, who also spent time in Washington as one of the best golfers to come out of Washington State University.

She won 11 times and had 29 top-10 finishes for the Cougars between 2003 and 2005. She shares the school's single-round record of 66, set in her senior season.

Welch, 24, is now a member of the Futures Tour, hoping to win the reality-television show competition, and earn an LPGA Tour tournament exemption.

“I’m probably the most anti-social girl on the … Futures Tour," Welch said.

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This week: PGA Tour's EDS Byron Nelson Championship, Thursday through Sunday, TPC Four Seasons Resort Las Colinas, Irving, Texas.
Second-round score: Even-par 70.
Position: Moore (3-under 137) is tied for fifth, two strokes behind leader (and fellow UNLV alum) Adam Scott of Australia (5-under 135).
Recap: It could have been better – the Puyallup golfer fell from the overnight lead. But it certainly could have been worse – 101 of the 154 rounds played Friday in windy conditions were over-par. Moore had it to 5-under for the tournament at one point, but found trouble on the par-4s (five bogeys). He did birdie the par-5 16th to get back to even-par for the round, and is still tops in the field in birdies (12).
Some of Moore's post-round comments:

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This week: Nationwide Tour's Henrico Open, Thursday through Sunday, The Dominion Club, Richmond, Va..
Second-round score: 4-under-par 68.
Position: Putnam (7-under 137) is tied for 15th, seven strokes behind leader Bubba Dickerson (14-under 130).
Recap: The Tacoma native moved up 12 spots on the leaderboard Friday, but did not make up ground on Dickerson, who also shot a 68. With five inches of rough, this course demands driving accuracy, and Putnam had hit 20 of 28 fairways through two rounds. On Friday, four of his five birdies were made on 6-foot putts or shorter. "I'm shocked how low the scores are," Putnam said. "I've played very well, and felt in control the whole way the first couple days, and I'm seven (shots) back. Maybe the greens are a little softer (than in 2006), and that's why the scores are lower." The All-American from Pepperdine shot back-to-back rounds in the 60s for the first time this season.
Tee time Saturday: 7 a.m. PDT off the first tee with Tom Byrum and Greg Owen.

Second-round play Friday at the Byron Nelson Classic in Irving, Texas has not quite wrapped up, but Puyallup's Ryan Moore, one of the first-round co-leaders, went out early, and stayed in the hunt after his even-par 70.

Moore is currently tied for third with six other players, two strokes back of leader Adam Scott.

The Cascade Christian graduate had five birdies and five bogeys on his card Friday, hit only 10 greens in regulation but, again, made critical putts when he needed to.

Here are some of Moore's post-round comments:

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This week: PGA Tour's EDS Byron Nelson Classic, Thursday through Sunday, TPC Four Seasons Resort Las Colinas, Irving Texas.
First-round score: 3-under-par 67.
Position: Moore is a co-leader with Eric Axley and Matthew Goggin.
Recap: The Puyallup product easily had his best round of 2008 on Thursday. And the fact it came early was even more of a surprise, since he ranked 106th on tour in scoring average before the cut (71.59 strokes). Moore went off in the afternoon of a typical blustery Texas day, and made the most birdies in the field (seven). He made four birdies in five holes (Nos. 12-14, and 16), but noted the hole that perhaps saved his day was on the par-4 18th. He had to punch out of the woods after his tee shot, hit a 9-iron approach shot to the front of the green and rolled in an 18-foot putt for par. "That was a little nice putt to keep the momentum going, where I could have bogeyed two out of (four) holes there," said Moore, who bogeyed the 15th hole. He fell back on his final nine, but rallied with birdies on Nos. 7 and 9, tapping in a 4-footer on his final hole. It was the first time Moore has led a tournament after a round since the 2007 Fry's Electronics Open in late October.
Some of Moore's quotes afterward:

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This week: Nationwide Tour's Henrico Open, Thursday through Sunday, The Dominion Club, Richmond, Va.
First-round score: 3-under 69.
Position: Putnam is tied for 27th, nine strokes behind leader Bubba Dickerson (10-under 62).
Recap: If you tuned into pgatour.com in the wee hours of the morning, Putnam was the face of the guys who were posting great rounds early. That didn't hold up as others blistered the course in the afternoon, but the Tacoma native's round (five birdies, two bogeys) was still impressive.
Tee time Friday: 9:50 a.m. PDT off the first tee.

Washington State University's existing nine-hole golf course had become a laugher, only challenging enough to host the modest hacker for a couple of hours.

Campus officials have know that for a while, so they pushed for an upgrade.

In a few months, they will have it – Palouse Ridge Golf Club, a championship 18-hole facility designed by Tacoma's John Harbottle III.

The hope is not only will Palouse Ridge be the type of course to attract corporate sponsorship for the university, but someday it could host the Pacific-10 Conference championships, or even an NCAA men's championship.

"No doubt," Harbottle said, "it will host any tournament it wants."

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This week: Nationwide Tour's Henrico Open, Thursday through Sunday, The Dominion Club, Richmond, Va.
World ranking: 476th.
2008 earnings: $36,711 (32nd on the Nationwide Tour).
Last tournament: Putnam registered his best finish of the season at last week's Athens Regional Foundation Classic (7-under 281), and moved up 17 spots on the money list. The Tacoma native held a share of the lead after the first round with his opening 66. He's now made the cut in five of seven tournaments, and his 77 total birdies rank fifth on tour. Putnam played this event during his rookie season in 2006, finishing tied for 47th (4-over 292).
Tee time Thursday: 4:50 a.m. PDT with Bob May and Rick Price.

This week: PGA Tour's EDS Byron Nelson Championship, Thursday through Sunday, TPC Four Seasons Resort Las Colinas, Irving, Texas.
World ranking: 119th.
2008 earnings: $214,496 (121st on PGA Tour).
Last tournament: For the second time this season, the UNLV All-American from Puyallup missed back-to-back cuts. He was one stroke off the pace at last week's Verizon Heritage (2-over 144). Moore has now shot 12 consecutive rounds of 70 or higher, and has fallen to 126th on the tour in scoring average (71.44). He has played the Byron Nelson Classic only one other time, missing the cut last season (3-over 144).
Tee time Thursday: 10:10 a.m. PDT off the 10th tee with J.P. Hayes and Jay Williamson.

Here is a link to The New York Times' piece earlier this year on the recession in golf.

Some of its highlights:

• The total number of people who play has declined or remained flat each year since 2000, dropping to about 26 million from 30 million, according to the National Golf Foundation and the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association.

• More troubling to golf boosters, the number of people who play 25 times a year or more fell to 4.6 million in 2005 from 6.9 million in 2000, a loss of about a third.

• The industry now counts its core players as those who golf eight or more times a year. That number, too, has fallen, but more slowly: to 15 million in 2006 from 17.7 million in 2000, according to the National Golf Foundation.

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PGA TOUR
EDS Byron Nelson Championship
Site: Irving, Texas.
Schedule: Thursday-Sunday.
Course: TPC Four Seasons Resort Las Colinas (7,166 yards, par 70).
Purse: $6.4 million. Winner’s share: $1,152,000.
FedEx Cup points: 25,000. Winner’s share: 4,500.
Television (all times PDT): Golf Channel (Thursday-Friday, noon-3 p.m., 5:30-8:30 p.m.) and CBS (Saturday-Sunday, noon-3 p.m.).
Last year: Scott Verplank won in his 21st start in his hometown event, beating Luke Donald by a stroke for his fifth tour title.
Last week: Boo Weekley won the Verizon Heritage for the second straight year. Anthony Kim and Aaron Baddeley tied for second, three strokes back.
Notes: Champions Tour player D.A. Weibring and Steve Wolfard recently completed an $8 million redesign of the TPC Four Seasons Las Colinas, the sole tournament course for the first time since 1993. Cottonwood Valley also was used from 1994-2007. ... Trevor Immelman is making his first start since winning the Masters. He finished second in 2006, a stroke behind Brett Wetterich. ... Weekley also is in the field along with international stars Adam Scott, Sergio Garcia and Ian Poulter. ... Colt Knost received a sponsor exemption. Knost, the former SMU player who won the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Amateur Public Links last season, shot a 64 in the second round last year on the TPC course en route to a 67th-place tie. He gave up spots in the Masters, U.S. Open and British Open when he turned pro, then failed to secure a PGA Tour or Nationwide card at Q-school. ... Nelson died in September 2006. ... The Wachovia Championship is next week in Charlotte, N.C., followed by The Players Championship.
On the Net: http://www.pgatour.com

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Does the back ache, or the patience run out at the turn of a five-hour round on a regulation golf course?

Reconsider the nine-hole plan.

Pierce County has four nine-hole, non-executive public golf courses that range not only in skill level, but each layout is distinct.

Here is how The News Tribune breaks down those four courses – Fort Steilacoom, Tanwax, Tapps Island and University Golf Course:

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This week: Nationwide Tour's Athens Regional Foundation Classic, Jennings Mill Country Club, Athens, Ga.
Final-round score: Even-par 72.
Position: Putnam (7-under 281) placed tied for seventh, four strokes behind winner Robert Damron (11-under 277), who defeated Greg Owen in a sudden-death playoff.
Recap: The Tacoma native badly needed to get off to a blistering start. That didn't happen. he bogeyed three of the first seven holes, and fell out of contention. His three birdies Sunday came on par-5 holes, and his 21 were tied for best in the field. Putnam earned his biggest paycheck of the season ($16,931).
Next: Henrico Country Open starting Thursday at The Dominion Club, Richmond, Va.

This week: Nationwide Tour's Athens Regional Foundation Classic, Thursday through Sunday, Jennings Mill Country Club, Athens, Ga.
Third-round score: Even-par 72.
Position: Putnam (7-under 209) is tied for fifth, three strokes behind co-leaders Greg Owen and Brendon Todd (10-under 206).
Recap: The Tacoma native was rolling right along at 9-under for the tournament when he ran into the par-5 seventh – and promptly fell back with a double bogey. Positive momentum was difficult to find thereafter, even though he hit his share of greens (14 of 18), he couldn't make any putts (32 for his round. Putnam still leads the field with 18 birdies through three rounds.
Tee time Sunday: 9:30 a.m. PDT with Joe Daley.

The putting yips nipping at your stroke?

Help is on the way.

Brian Mogg, the ex-PGA Tour player and Tacoma native who is regarded as one of the best teaching professionals in the country, will host a one-day "Lights Out" putting tutorial for the public on June 5 at Chambers Bay Golf Course in University Place.

Mogg will be joined by Mark Sweeney, the president of TPSgolf who has introduced cutting-edge geometrical analysis of putting to renowned instructions nationwide in the past year; Ken Still, the former PGA Tour player out of Fircrest; and Brent Zepp, the assistant pro at Chambers Bay, for lessons in areas such as green reading, putting alignment, pace and distance control and mechanics.

The three-hour session (8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.) costs $195 per person, and is open to the first 16 people who sign up (E-mail at bmogg@moggperformance.com or voicemail message at 1-800-954-2672).

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This week: Nationwide Tour's Athens Regional Foundation Classic, Thursday through Sunday, Jennings Mill Country Club, Athens, Ga.
Second-round score: 1-under-par 71.
Position: Tied for second (7-under 137) with two other golfers, one stroke behind leader Brendon Todd (8-under 136 after second-round 68).
Recap: Looks as if the Tacoma native plans on sticking around in contention. He leads the field in birdies through two rounds (14), including six on Friday (Nos. 2, 7, 8, 12-14). That enabled him to survive an early double bogey on the par-3 third hole. Putnam recorded back-to-back under-par rounds for the first time this season.
Tee time Saturday: 9:30 a.m. PDT off the first tee with David Branshaw and Todd.

This week: PGA Tour's Verizon Heritage, Thursday through Sunday, Harbour Town Golf Links, Hilton Head, S.C.
Second-round score: 1-under-par 70.
Position: Moore missed the cut by one stroke (tied for 76th at 2-over 144). Lucas Glover leads at 10-under 132.
Recap: His ball-striking dipped (hit seven of 14 fairways) from Thursday, hit just half the greens. And yet, the Puyallup product nearly rallied to make the cut behind his putter (26 putts, 1.667-putt average per green hit in regulation). He sank a 20-footer for birdie on the seventh hole to get back to even-par on his round, got another one on the par-5 15th (his lone back-nine birdie) and just missed on a 25-foot birdie putt on the final hole to get to weekend play.
Next: EDS Byron Nelson Classic starting next Thursday at TPC Four Seasons Resort in Irving, Texas.

Sometime this month, the USGA will name its No. 2 course for the 2010 U.S. Amateur behind Chambers Bay Golf Course in University Place.

The candidates? The Classic Golf Club in Spanaway and The Home Course in Dupont. Here is how The News Tribune sizes up the two venues:

1, THE CLASSIC GOLF CLUB
Location: Spanaway.
Opened: 1991.
Architect: Bill Overdorf.
Yardage, par: 6,902 yards, par 72 (slope 134, rating 73.2).
USGA events hosted: 2005 U.S. Amateur sectional qualifying, 2006 U.S. Senior Open sectional qualifying, 2007 U.S. Amateur Public Links sectional qualifying.
Pros: All that recent USGA experience, for starters. … Endulating fairways and greens really put bite into the course. … Enough room on east side of clubhouse to set up temporary accommodations for golfers and USGA officials.
Cons: Is there a major USGA event that doesn't require a 7,000-yard layout? If that's the case, The Classic might be a smidgen short. … Room for practice facilities are adequate, at best.
What we think: The USGA is as much about its image as it is its championships, so why not have the U.S. Amateur come to the home course of one of the most heralded USGA champions of all-time – Puyallup's Ryan Moore, who is now on the PGA Tour? In the past year, course management has really gotten The Classic in tip-top shape, and the greens call roll as fast and true as the USGA prefers. The Classic's tree-line nature is a stark contrast to the links style of its counterpart, Chambers Bay, but the bottom line is how good a test would this be for the best amateur players in the world? We say it holds up just fine.

2, THE HOME COURSE
Location: Dupont.
Opened: 2007.
Architect: Mike Asmundson.
Yardage, par: 7,437 yards, par 72 (slope 132, rating 76.5).
USGA events hosted: None.
Pros: Vicinity is important, and The Home Course is close enough (15-minute drive) to Chambers Bay for players to be shuttled to and from for qualifying. … Very few facilities in the Northwest have the spacious practice area (two driving ranges, many practice greens, chipping area) this one does. … New course is mature past its upcoming 1-year anniversary.
Cons: The Home Course has no track record in hosting any high-profile event, much less a USGA championship. … The course plays extremely fast on a regular basis, so the 7,437 yards isn't as daunting as one would think.
What we think: In a decision such as this, it would be foolish to underestimate the presence of the Washington State Golf Association, which makes The Home Course its headquarters. By 2010, the WSGA will have this course running as a full-service facility. Also, even though The Home Course isn't a links-style course like Chambers Bay is, the "feel" of this course much more closely resembles the links style than The Classic, if that is something that is important to the USGA.

Conclusion: The News Tribune predicts The Home Course is awarded the secondary course for the 2010 U.S. Amateur.

It's an advantage to have friends in faraway places.

Especially in regions where wind can play havoc on a golf course.

Forgive Olympia's Cameron Peck for not knowing much about how to play golf in the wind. He plays in the docile conditions of Washington on a daily basis.

But last year, when he struggled at the AJGA's Wellstone Communities Junior at Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas, he pulled aside a few of his comrades for the junior-golf circuit, and requested a couple tips how to control the ball in swirling gusts.

"I have a lot of friends in Texas and Oklahoma. I told them, 'I cannot play in the wind,' so they showed me a few things," Peck said.

Maybe too much. Peck won that same tournament last week when he brought home a two-stroke victory at the Wellstone Communities Junior at Craig Ranch for his first AJGA triumph.

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This week: Nationwide Tour’s Athens Regional Foundation Classic, Thursday though Sunday, Jennings Mill Country Club, Athens, Ga.
First-round score: 6-under-par 66.
Position: The Tacoma native is tied for the lead with Rich Barcelo, Sebastian Fernandez, Greg Owen and Geoffrey Sisk.
Recap: The Tacoma native sputtered early, and hit the gas late with six birdies over his final 11 holes (Nos. 17, 1, 2, 4, 5 and 9) to grab a share of the lead. It’s the first time he’s led a tournament after a round since his rookie season on the Nationwide Tour in 2006 when he led at the midway point of the Rex Hospital Open in Raleigh, N.C. When Putnam rolls the putter well – and he did Thursday with a 1.58 putt average on greens he hit in regulation – he’s lethal. "The putter was going, but it wasn't crazy-hot," said Putnam on Thursday, who made four birdie putts of 10 feet or shorter. "I was hitting good shots, and had a couple of tap-ins. It was kind of a solid day." Maybe something came out of an early-week practice round at Tacoma Country and Golf Club when he made nine birdies.
Tee time Friday: 5:10 a.m. PDT off the first tee.

This week: PGA Tour’s Verizon Heritage, Thursday through Sunday, Harbour Town Golf Links, Hilton Head, S.C.
First-round score: 3-over-par 74.
Position: Moore is tied for 95th, and trails co-leaders Lucas Glover, Justin Leonard and Davis Love III (5-under 66s) by eight strokes.
Recap: Shedding a little rust? Perhaps. The Puyallup product, who was off the past five weeks trying to get in better physical condition, started off slow (two bogeys, double bogey in first five holes), showed a brief glimpse (back-to-back birdies on Nos. 1 and 2) and ended on a positive note by hitting his wedge approach shot close on the par-4 ninth, and sank a 10-foot birdie putt.
Tee time Friday: 9 a.m. PDT off the first tee.

Seattle's Ryan Benzel played out the hand.

And what a hand it was.

Benzel is a local teaching golf professional whose scorching summer, which included a 71st-place finish at the 2007 PGA Championship at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Okla., opened doors few in the golf business see.

One of those opportunities was attempting to qualify for the PGA Tour, which Benzel did last November. He fell short in the second stage at Royal Dunes Golf Club in Arizona, eventually withdrawing after rounds of 69-76-75.

Disappointed? Sure. Down for long? Not this guy.

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This week: Nationwide Tour's Athens Regional Foundation Classic, Thursday through Sunday, Jennings Mill Country Club, Athens, Ga.
World ranking: 506th.
2008 earnings: $19,780 (49th on the Nationwide Tour).
Last tournament: On U.S. soil, the Tacoma native has rarely missed the cut (22 of 27 events) during his career, but did two weeks ago at the Livermore Valley Wine Country Championship in California (4-over 148), one of the most difficult stops on the Nationwide Tour. Putnam has been solid so far (4-of-6 cuts made) this season, but is in search of his first top-10 finish. This is the third time he's played in this tournament, and has made the cut in his previous two appearances (tied for 50th last season, tied for 19th in 2006).
Tee time Thursday: 10:10 a.m. PDT off the 10th tee with Bubba Dickerson and David Peoples.

This week: PGA Tour's Verizon Heritage, Thursday through Sunday, Harbour Town Golf Links, Hilton Head, S.C.
World ranking: 109th.
2008 earnings: $214,496 (118th on the PGA Tour).
Last tournament: It's been a while. The Puyallup resident last played in early March, missing the cut at the PODS Championship (8-over 150). After that tournament, Moore decided to take an extended break to cure a few ailments, and that has resulted in a five-week vacation, most of which he spent in Tacoma. Moore hasn't had a round in the 60s since early February (second-round 69 at the FBR Open). The All-American from UNVL played in the Heritage last season for the first time, finishing tied for 56th (4-over 288).
Tee time Thursday: 4:20 a.m. PDT off the 10th tee with J.P. Hayes and Matt Kuchar.

PGA TOUR
Verizon Heritage
Site: Hilton Head Island, S.C.
Schedule: Thursday-Sunday.
Course: Harbour Town Golf Links (6,973 yards, par 71).
Purse: $5.5 million. Winner’s share: $990,000.
FedEx Cup points: 25,000. Winner’s share: 4,500.
Television (all times PDT): Golf Channel (Thursday-Friday, noon-to 3 p.m., 5:30-8:30 p.m.) and CBS (Saturday-Sunday, noon-3 p.m.).
Last year: Boo Weekley won his first PGA Tour title, chipping in on the final two holes to hold off Ernie Els by a stroke.
Last week: Trevor Immelman won the Masters, closing with a 3-over 75 — matching the highest final round by a champion — for a three-stroke victory over Tiger Woods. The first South African winner since Gary Player in 1978, Immelman finished at 8 under.
Notes: Five-time champion Davis Love III is making his 23rd straight appearance in the event. He failed to qualify for the Masters, ending his string of major appearances at 70. Love last won at Hilton Head in 2003, beating Woody Austin on the fourth hole of a playoff. ... In 2004, Stewart Cink beat Ted Purdy on the fifth extra hole after overcoming a nine-stroke deficit with a 64. Cink also won in 2000. ... Aaron Baddeley won in 2006. ... The EDS Byron Nelson Championship is next week in Irving, Texas, followed by the Wachovia Championship and The Players Championship.
On the Net: http://www.pgatour.com

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When the federal government cut off all golf-related funding to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in 1995, it put the American Lake Veterans Golf Course at a crossroads.

Sink or swim?

That answer is easy to see today. Staffed by 145 volunteers, the nine-hole course in Lakewood is fully operational

"A lot of them are (military) veterans," said Mike Kearney, the director of Friends at American Lake Veterans Golf Course, the volunteer group. "A lot are guys retired from the fire department, police department and some volunteers were never in the military."

In the past season, the volunteer group has not only spearheaded much-needed upgrades to the facility, it has reached out to various military groups for free golf lessons.

For its work, the group was chosen the recipient of the 2008 American Hospital Association's Hospital Awards for Volunteer Excellence honor, celebrating the contributions of those volunteers.

Kearney, who has been a volunteer at American Lake Veterans Golf Course for the better part of a decade, flew back to Washington, D.C. for the awards ceremony April 7. He gave a brief presentation about the program's workings, and was awarded a glass trophy as this season's best volunteer organization for VA hospitals.

"It's a pretty big feather in the hat for the people involved," Kearney said.

Anyone interested in donating time, or other resources to the Friends at American Lake Veterans Golf Course, are encouraged to contact Kearney at (253) 583-1058.

In the 1990s, Tacoma's Dana Bates had two driving forces in her life – golf and motherhood.

At the end of the day, raising a daughter won out by a stroke or two.

So, Bates gave up the competitive golf life, and became a full-time teaching professional. She is now the head pro at La Quinta Country Club in California.

Reality television has given actors, singers and yes, even golfers, a second lease on their careers, and Bates has swiftly caught on to that.

Bates, a Wilson High School product, is one of 12 participants on The Golf Channel's popular "Big Break" show, with this ninth season filmed at Ka'anapali Golf Resort in Hawaii. This season's debut installment airs Tuesday at 7 p.m. PDT.

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That talented class of 2007 isn't faring too badly in the NCAA Division I men's golf ranks.

Pacific's T.J. Bordeaux (Bellarmine Prep) and Pepperdine's Andrew Putnam (Life Christian) are already climbing the ladder to elite status in just their first seasons.

Bordeaux already has a win under his belt, collecting the title at the Oregon Duck Classic in late March.

His victory earned his a spot in the annual British Amateur Championship this summer (June 16-21) at The Westin Turnberry Resort in Scotland.

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With an eye on the future toward a few of the outside-the-rope ventures, Chambers Bay Golf Course has hired Matt Allen as its new general manager, replacing Joe Wiscoki IV.

Allen, 34, spent the past nine years as Bandon Dunes Golf Resort's assistant GM in southwest Oregon. He started his new position at Chambers Bay on March 24.

With Chambers Bay approaching its one-year anniversary in June, and the 2010 U.S. Amateur and 2015 U.S. Open on the horizon, Allen found this an ideal opportunity to change jobs.

"As happy as I was (at Bandon Dunes), I couldn't believe how well-suited I was for this opportunity," Allen said Thursday. "One, I could make a chance within the company (KemperSports). Two, I could continue an affiliation with the USGA. And three, I could open another place, knowing how much I liked that. Bandon is still growing … but it's approaching stabilization."

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One year wasn't enough. Puyallup's Ryan Moore will host another "skins game" installment later this season.

Unlike last year's "Ryan Moore and Friends" skins game for PGA Tour players held in October, the date of this event has been moved up, to Sept. 12-13 (also a Friday-Saturday event, as opposed to last year's Monday-Tuesday tournament) at Chambers Bay Golf Course in University Place.

One reason this year's tournament was moved to September, in between tour stops at the BMW Championship (Sept. 4-7) and the Tour Championship (Sept. 25-28), was improving the chance of drawing better weather.

"We'd love to get it where there are more people available," said Mike Moore, one of the tournament organizers.

Last year's two-day setup will be similar. A pro-am and shot-making clinic will be held the first day at The Classic in Spanaway, and an 18-hole skins game is slated for the following day at Chambers Bay. Mike Moore said the format of the skins game could be altered.

No accompanying field other than Moore has been set. Last year, Australia's Aaron Baddeley, Florida's Bubba Watson and Tacoma's Michael Putnam participated in the inaugural event.

Make no mistake, Gig Harbor's Larry Gilhuly will be an important figure in the United States Golf Association's preparation of Chambers Bay for the 2010 U.S. Amateur, and the biggie – the 2015 U.S. Open.

Gilhuly, the Western director of the USGA Green Section, was part of the associaton's site visit at Chambers Bay from March 25-28 where dialogue centered around what modifications the golf course in University Place will undergo for the two national championships.

On Tuesday (March 25), Gilhuly and Mike Davis, the USGA's senior director of rules and competitions, walked the entire course to gather ideas.

The following day, March 26, support USGA staff, Pierce County officials (including executive John Ladenburg), three architects from Robert Trent Jones Jr's firm (including Jones himself) and two officials from the KemperSports management team covered the grounds.

On Friday (March 27), David Fay and Jim Hyler of the USGA executive committee toured the course as well.

"The process was fascinating," Gilhuly said. "It wasn't just the golf course guys here, it was the outside-the-ropes guys."

Some of the tidbits from the visit:

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PGA TOUR: THE MASTERS
Site: Augusta, Ga.
Schedule: Thursday-Sunday.
Course: Augusta National Golf Club (7,445 yards, par 72).
Purse: TBA ($7.4 million in 2007). Winner’s share: TBA ($1,305,000 in 2007).
FedEx Cup points: 27,500. Winner’s share: 4,950.

Last year: Zach Johnson won his first major title, closing with a 3-under 69 for a two-shot victory over Tiger Woods, Retief Goosen and Rory Sabbatini. Johnson finished at 1-over 289, the first winning score over par since 1956.

Last week: Johnson Wagner won the Houston Open for his first PGA Tour victory, holding off Chad Campbell and Geoff Ogilvy by two strokes. Wagner earned a spot in the Masters with the victory. ... France’s Gregory Bourdy won the Estoril Open for his second European tour title, edging England’s David Howell in a playoff.

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One of Puyallup golfer Ryan Moore's goals for 2008 was to earn a spot in this week's Masters tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga.

Moore last played at the Masters in 2005 when he was the low amateur (1-under 285), tying for 13th. He had to forfeit his spot the following year because of a wrist injury, and hasn't been back.

One of the requirements used to be that the top three money leaders for the season leading up to the Masters earned spots in the year's first major championship. That was eliminated two years ago.

The only way Moore could get into the Masters this year was to be in the top 50 in the world rankings the week prior to the tournament. Moore is currently 90th.

Here's the first- and second-round tee times and course changes for this year's tournament. Click here.

Gig Harbor's Kyle Stanley, a sophomore at Clemson, is one of 24 NCAA men's golfers on the 2008 Ben Hogan Award watch list, given to the nation's outstanding player.

Stanley, the reigning NCAA runner-up, is one of three returning PING first-team All-Americans from a year ago in the group, joined by Florida's Billy Horschel and Southern California's Jamie Lovemark, the 2007 NCAA champion.

Semifinalists will be announced April 16, and three finalists will be flown to Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas for the ceremony May 18. Ken Venturi, the 1964 U.S. Open winner, will be the keynote speaker.

In the inaugural Golf World coaches' poll for the 2008 spring season, Clemson is ranked 13th (one of six Atlantic Coast Conference programs in the top 25).

Stanley, a Bellarmine Prep product, is currently ranked 50th in Golfweek's NCAA men's individual rankings (Clemson teammate Sam Saunders, the grandson of Arnold Palmer, is 80th), but No. 4 in the men's amateur ratings behind Lovemark and Horschel.

Tacoma's Andrew Putnam, a freshman at Pepperdine, has the highest NCAA ranking, at 22nd.