Bill Haas: Wins AT&T National

Bill Haas: Wins AT&T National










RotoWire.com Staff July 1, 2013 5:17 PM

Update: Haas shot a 5-under 66 Sunday to win the AT&T National by three strokes.

Recommendation: Haas has knocked on the door many times this year but has failed to seal the deal, but this week he took control with three straight birdies on holes 8-10 Sunday en route to an impressive victory, leading the field with 25 birdies on the week.

Rose victory was Casey's Irish Open inspiration

Rose victory was Casey's Irish Open inspiration










Tony Jimenez July 1, 2013 5:28 PM

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England's Paul Casey reacts to his tee shot on the second hole during the first round of the 2013 U.S. …


By Tony Jimenez

(Reuters) - Paul Casey has suffered his share of trials and tribulations in recent years and it was close friend Justin Rose's first major victory at last month's U.S. Open that inspired him to land the Irish Open title on Sunday.

The three-shot victory at County Kildare represented his first win on the European Tour for two and a half years, a period when form and fitness deserted him and he also went through a painful divorce.

"Watching Justin really lit the fire for me," Casey told reporters after a win that sent him soaring from 169th to 102nd in the world rankings.

"Justin's victory was phenomenal. He's a good friend and I was so proud of what he did, the way he played and the way he conducted himself," he said of his fellow Englishman.

Casey's win was his 12th on the European Tour but he said it felt like a breakthrough triumph.

"Psychologically I think this is huge," the 35-year-old explained. "This almost feels like a first win.

"I have struggled with confidence and this is a huge relief, knowing I am moving in the right direction, that I've got some great golf left in me for another 10-plus years."


Casey rubber-stamped his victory at Carton House by rolling in a 60-foot eagle putt at the final hole.

"This week the putting clicked," he said. "I switched putters, put a new one in the bag.

"I think I was chasing things a little bit over the last couple of months because I knew I was playing quite well and just needed something to click."

Casey has a home in Arizona and has spent much of his career playing in the United States.

Although he said he would never turn his back on Europe, his targets are to get back on the U.S. Tour, play in the Ryder Cup again and win the British Open.

"I want to replicate what Justin did," Casey added. "I want to go and win the Scottish Open (next week) and get myself in the British Open.

"I still want to be an Englishman lifting the Claret Jug. Those sort of goals have very much been thrust back into my mind again."

(Editing by Sonia Oxley)

Is Inbee Park the Best Golfer on the Planet?

Is Inbee Park the Best Golfer on the Planet?










Adam Fonseca July 1, 2013 9:02 PM


COMMENTARY | Inbee Park won her third straight major championship on Sunday, becoming only the seventh player in the history of the game to win three in one season.





In doing so, Park may have proven that she is by far the best golfer on the planet, male or female.

Only LPGA legend Babe Zaharias has equaled the feat Park accomplished last weekend, having won the first three majors of the season in 1950. Amateur golf icon Bobby Jones did the same in 1930; however two of those victories were American amateur titles. Only Jones, Zaharias, Mickey Wright, Ben Hogan, Pat Bradley and Tiger Woods have won three majors in the same year.

That's a pretty strong group of names Park just joined, wouldn't you say?


Of course, there are the obvious arguments that always arise when discussing who is "the Best Golfer on the Planet." Every fan has his or her favorite, most of the time coming from the PGA Tour. Could it be possible, however, that the true designation belongs quite deservedly to a female golfer that has yet to become a household name?

The same question came up while witnessing Yani Tseng's explosion in recent years. Between April 2010 and February 2012, the LPGA superstar won an astounding 16 times worldwide, including four major championships. There was a time when Tseng was statistically more likely to win a golf tournament than not, regardless of the event or the rest of the field.

For a few moments, Tseng made Tiger Woods look like an amateur. Inbee Park is nearing that status this season.

At only 24 years old, Park has already won 14 times among three professional tours. She is ranked No. 1 in the Rolex World Golf Rankings, No. 1 on the LPGA money list and routinely distancing herself from her peers on both. She is now a four-time major winner, having also won the 2008 US Women's Open.

Sustainability is always the bigger factor when discussing who truly is "the best" in any sport. Like Woods, Park continues to raise the bar on her own greatness with every victory. At some point, however, that bar will be raised to a height that not even she can reach. With it, the world's expectations of Park will also rise. It is the nature of the beast.

Will Inbee Park win the next two LPGA majors, becoming the only player in the history of the game to win five majors in a season? She'll be the favorite to do so by a wide margin. There are few players on the LPGA Tour who can step up and challenge her.

As we have seen so many times before with other great players, it seems the only person standing in the way of Inbee Park's historic run is herself.



Adam Fonseca has covered professional golf since 2005. His work can also be found on the Back9Network. Follow Adam on Twitter at @chicagoduffer.