In 1986, 46 year old Jack Nicklaus was 4 back as he left the 14th green. Five different golfers had or shared the lead during the final round. On the Par 5 15th Nicklaus knocked his second shot to 12 feet of the cup and made the eagle putt to pull within two of Seve Ballesteros. On the par three16th, Jack hit his tee shot to within 3 feet and made the birdie and now was one back. Meanwhile Seve was playing in the group behind Nicklaus and when he heard the roars of the crowds watching the Golden Bear's charge, he got a little jumpy and put his second on 15 into the water. Suddenly three golfers were tied for the lead (Seve, Jack and Tom Kite). On 17 Nicklaus made the birdie putt champions make- from 18 feet to go into the lead by one. Nicklaus was -7 for his final round and an amazing -6, 30 for the back nine. We recently heard Jack say that after a few years out of contention, he suddenly remembered how to win on the back 9 at Augusta in 1986. Which golfer will find his game and charge on the back nine this Sunday and win? It's fun to watch.
Speaking of famous second shots on the par 5 15th, yesterday Tiger Wood's second at 15 hit the flag-pin and bounced back off the green and into the water hazard. An unlucky break. Tiger then elected to drop two yards back from where he hit his original shot. A kerfuffle has erupted.
Rule 26-1 allows a golfer to seek relief from a shot in a water hazard at either the drop zone or "by playing the ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played."
After his round Tiger was interviewed about the shot and stated that he went two yards back from his original shot because after seeing the shot that hit the flag stick he didn't want to over shoot the green. Query: is two yards back "as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played?" Doesn't seem so. Tiger recorded a six on 15 and submitted his card reflecting a six. But if his drop was incorrect he should have given himself a one shot penalty and recorded a seven. The penalty for submitting an incorrect scorecard? Disqualification. Tiger is playing great golf and is currently two back of the leaders. WOW.
Breaking: Tiger was given a two shot penalty. Seems hypocritical. Anyone else would have got DQ'd.
Jacqueline Koo- the wife of the late, great REG Judge Dominic, passed away at age 91 on March 28, 2013. For those lawyers who don't remember a world before cell phones and Starbucks , Dominic Koo was Miami's (and surely Florida's ) first Asian-American Judge. Koo ran for County Court Judge under the then decidedly non-politically correct slogan "give a chinaman a chance".
Dominic Koo was a true original. He was a man of common and uncommon wisdom and the type of judge who was always in good humor and made litigants in his courtroom feel comfortable.
It's important to remember the great Judges and lawyers who held court long before most of us ever arrived on the scene.
Enjoy your spring weekend.