July 2010 Archives

It's early, but if Erik Crompton ever won the inaugural run of The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, W. Va., it would rank about the best -- or maybe THE best -- stories in sports history.

Crompton has had two heart transplants, so bogeys on his second and third holes Thursday obviously didn't cause any adverse palpatations. Crompton merely regrouped and made nine birdies the rest of the day in a 7-under-par 63 that tied him with Matt Every for the lead after the weather-delayed first round of The Greenbrier Classic.

"It was a difficult start," said Compton, who persevered again to shoot his low round of the year after mud on his ball on No. 2 and three putts from 43 feet at No. 3 led to the early bogeys.

But a 30-year-old known for perseverance then proved it again.

Plus, Compton has a special comfort zone at The Greenbrier. He said the Old White Course sets up like one back home in Florida even though everyone is in the West Virginia mountains among stately Norwegian Spruce trees.

"It's really pretty," said Compton, who is playing on a sponsor's exemption. "You have to have drive it good.  If you do, you can definitely take advantage.  You know, I hit some really close shots, a couple good putts, and just ... I guess the round just kind of developed like that."

Compton has a little extra motivation this week. A friend, Victor Bilskoog, is caddying for him, and Compton is "trying to make as many birdies as I can for him so he can go to qualifying school."

Bilskoog's brother is a good friend of Compton's and caddied for him when he won in Morocco. Compton wanted to give Victor a behind-the-scenes glimpse of life on the PGA Tour.

"He needs to get ready for q-school," Compton said. "He just turned pro, and every time we play he puts some pressure on me.  I feel like if he's out here, he can see how the guys on the TOUR play.

"Hopefully he can follow in, you know, in somewhat of my footsteps.  I know if I was as strong as him I would probably be a lot better. But it's good for him to see just the type of play, and especially even today, how the round developed.

"You don't need to do anything extra special.  Just get it the green and keep plugging away and save the shots that you can."

Every, who is in his rookie season after a stellar collegiate career at the University of Florida, started on No. 10 and had an eagle, four birdies and only 11 putts while shooting a 6-under 30 on the back nine. But he managed only one birdie and eight pars on the front nine to tie for the lead.

Trinity College grad Jay Williamson is tied for 11th at 66, two better than Taft-Watertown grad James Driscoll and three less than Fairfield native J.J. Henry. University of Hartford grad Jerry Kelly shot 70.

Despite having to withdraw from the Connecticut Open before the start of the second round Tuesday because of pain in his right leg, Danbury native Ken Green is still hopeful and joking around as demonstrated in the ensuing item on his blog Thursday. He shot a 4-over-par 74 in the first round at the Country Club of Fairfield and was tied for 49th, with the low 40 and ties after 36 holes advancing to the final 18 holes Wednesday.

But Green's right leg, which was amputated from the knee down after a horrific RV accident nearly 14 months ago that claimed the lives of his brother, girlfriend and dog, was too painful and swollen that he couldn't put on his prothetic. That's when Kenny decided "enough is enough" and remained in Danbury, where will stay until next week before returning to his home in West Palm Beach, Fla. He hopes two special treatments to freeze nerve endings in his damaged leg will enable him to play again this year and hopefully rejoin the Champions Tour.

Meanwhile, let's enjoy another chapter of Ken's Korner:

Road Still Bumpy,

Ouch says the one legged fat guy from Ct. I gave it a try and played pretty well considering how long it's been since I've done anything. A 74 would've been a lot better if I didn't have 3 monster lip outs - I've forgotten how bad those piss you off when they happen. I simply could not play the next day.

I'm trying hard to be patient with the kryo blast procedure, so I'll just wait it out.Today is not so bad.  Yesterday might have been my worst day ever for pain, so how does one figure this stuff out?

I'll be heading back to see my Mr. Munch on Monday and just wait it out with him as to what I do next.

By the dog's tail - I have a debate with a fellow human - what is the first thing you think about when you wake up every morning? Is it consistently the same thing or different daily?  

Calc (longtime friend Mark Calcavecchia) told me that Sahalee (in Washington) is playing stupid hard, so the scores will be high in the (U.S.) Senior Open.

Swing hard,

Ken

LIke I said, it's hard not to enjoy Kenny's postings and to pull hard for a guy who's a shining example of what it means not to quit. Here's hoping the special treatments reduce the pain quickly and he can get back to the game he loves so much.

Blue Fox Run Golf Course in Avon is offering a 50 percent reduction on greens fees on Wednesday, Aug. 4. Make a tee time, print a coupon and present it at the counter for the half-priced green fee.

Blue Fox Run is a 27-hole facility located at 65 Nod Road, just down the street from the Avon Old Farms Inn. For more information, call 860-678-1679 or visit www.bluefoxent.com.

Spots remain for the first Whalers Golf Classic Aug. 13 at Tunxis Plantation Country Club in Farmington.

The tournament, which has a 9 a.m. shotgun start, commences the first Whalers Reunion and Fan Fest weekend of Whalers Sports and Entertainment, which is trying to revitalize hockey in the area and eventually bring a NHL team back to Hartford.

Entry fee is $300 for individuals and $750 for a threesome, which will play with a former Whalers player. Among those scheduled to participate are Hall of Fame center Ron Francis and fellow captains Kevin Dineen and Mike Rogers, Hall of Fame announcer Chuck Kaiton, center, coach and general manager Larry Pleau, coach Don Blackburn, Joel Quenneville, Bob Crawford, Andre Lacroix, Paul Lawless, Dana Murzyn, Chris Kotsopoulos, Alan Hangsleben, Garry Swain and the Babych brothers, Dave and Wayne.

To enter, visit www.whalersproshop.com. For more information, contact Lori Leniart at 860-728-3366 or lori@whalerssports.com.

That evening at 6 p.m., the Arthritis Foundation Hat Trick Reunion Dinner will be at the Marriott Downtown Hartford. Sponsorships range from $3,500 to $35,000 and dinner tickets are $300, with all proceeds benefitting the Arthritis Foundation. To attend, contact Heather Schold at 860-563-1177, Ext. 108, or hschold@arthristic.org. The event is limited to about 550 people.

The Fan Fest at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, requiring a $5 donation to the Whalers Wives Foundation, will run under cover from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Aug. 14. It will feature meet-and-greets with former Whalers players, team mascots from the Connecticut sports scene, interactive games, rare memorabilia and much more.

The LPGA has many of golf's most intriguing young players, none moreso than 15-year-old Alexis Thompson. Yes, FIFTEEN-year-old Alexis Thompson, the gal that local golf fans likely remember rolling to victory in the 2008 U.S. Girls Junior Championship at Hartford Golf Club.

After going 4-0-1 in leading the United States to another Curtis Cup victory earlier this month, Thompson decided to turn pro, even though the LPGA doesn't allow membership to anyone under 18. So Thompson can accept only six sponsors' exemptions until she applies for special dispensation.

And in case you think Thompson is jumping into the pro waters too quickly (see Michelle Wie), think again. Having watched the long-hitting Lexi play and interact so well with her father/caddie/agent at Hartford GC, I thought she could have turned pro right then and there and been successful. Especially since her dad wasn't as overbearing as many parents of child prodigies, notably those of Wie.

Lexi's decision proved correct when she tied for 10th in the U.S. Women's Open. Then last week, he tied for second in the Evian Masters, a shot behind Jiyah Shin.

But Thompson isn't in the Ricoh Women's British Open, which begins Thursday at Royal Birkdale in England, thanks to a bizarre series of rules. She won exemption into the British Open's final qualifying because she was a member of the Curtis Cup team, but she lost it when she turned pro. That's not unusual because part of the debate about youngsters turning pro is to give up childish things like exemptions earned as an amateur.

But the real absurdity sets in when Thompson didn't have a chance to play her way into the tournament because the Ladies Golf Union, which oversees the Open, made the insane decision to schedule the pre-qualifying the day after the U.S. Women's Open. So Thompson, one of the hottest and most sought-after commodities in golf, has no exemption into final qualifying and no chance to play in pre-qualifying.

"Exemptions into final qualifying for professionals are not the norm," Shona Malcolm, the Ladies Golf Union's CEO, told Golfweek's Sean Martin in an email. "The main circumstances would be medical exemptions or, occasionally and very exceptionally, players of reputation who had previously been long-term participants in, supporters of or winners of the Ricoh Women's British Open."

Thompson might soon resemble Wie in her troubled early years, but it's doubtful since Lexi isn't interested in matching shots with the guys. Good move, Lexi!!!!!

So all Thompson and her dad can do is move on and hope the rules and qualifying dates are changed so another young deserving phenom doesn't suffer such a ridiculous snub.

After a lacklustre showing in the British Open two weeks ago, Tiger Woods will return to competitive golf next week to defend in the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio.

Woods has won seven times at Firestone, including last year when he rallied in the final round to beat Padraig Harrington and Robert Allenby by four strokes. That made Woods the first player to win a stroke-play event seven times on the same golf course on the PGA Tour or European Tour.

The No. 1-ranked Woods, who tied for 23rd in the British Open, has never finished lower than fourth at the Bridgestone Invitational. Bu he's winless this year and 107th in the FedExCup standings, which he has won twice. The top 125 after the Wyndham Championship will make the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup.

On Tuesday, one of Woods' U.S. Presidents Cup teammates, Anthony Kim, announced he would play the Bridgestone Inviational. It will be Kim's first start since wrist surgery three months ago.

The Bridgestone Invitational field again includes playing members of the last named Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup teams, winners of tournaments from around the world since the 2009 Bridgestone Invitational whose victories are considered official and have an Official World Golf Ranking strength of field rating of 115, and the top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking.

World Golf Hall of Fame member Nick Price, whose 18 PGA Tour victories include the 1993 Canon Greater Hartford Open, earned more deserved accolades Wednesday.

Price was chosen to receive the 2011 Old Tom Morris Award from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA). The GCSAA's most prestigious award will be presented Feb. 8 during the 2011 GCSAA Education Conference held in conjunction with the Golf Industry Show at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla.

The award is presented annually to an individual who "through a continuing lifetime commitment to the game of golf has helped to mold the welfare of the game in a manner and style exemplified by Old Tom Morris." Morris (1821-1908) was a greenkeeper and golf professional at the St. Andrews Links Trust Golf Club of St. Andrews, Scotland; a four-time winner of the British Open (1861, '62, '64 and '67); and ranked as one of the top course designers of the 19th century.

Price, who is from Zimbabwe and lives in Hobe Sound, Fla., has won three majors and finished second in two others. Two victories on the Champions Tour this year brings his total to three, along with the 18 PGA Tour wins and 24 international titles. Between 1992 and 1994, Price won 16 of the 54 tournaments he played in worldwide, including the 1992 PGA Championship, 1993 Players Championship, and both the British Open and PGA Championship in 1994.

Price was named Player of the Year twice each by the PGA Tour and PGA of America. He earned two Vardon Trophies from the PGA of America and one Byron Nelson Award from the PGA Tour for the lowest scoring average of the season. Price was the PGA Tour's leading money winner twice. He is a five-time member of the Presidents Cup's international team and won the Junior World Championship at Torrey Pines as a 17-year-old.

Price spent 43 weeks atop the World Golf Rankings and won the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit in 1983. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2003 and received the Bob Jones Award from the USGA in 2005. Price shares the course record at Augusta National with Greg Norman after a third-round 63 in the 1986 Masters.

In 2002, Price was the first winner of the ASAP Sports/Jim Murray Award from the Golf Writers Association of America for his consistent and thoughtful cooperation and accommodation to the media. Later that year, he received the Payne Stewart Award from the PGA Tour for his respect for the game, his professional conduct and his commitment to charities.

Price's charitable foundation supports charities that benefit children within Palm Beach County (Fla.) and his native Zimbabwe. Price has been the major supporter of the Harare Shelter, a program for children in Zimbabwe and also supports a variety of charitable programs in West Palm Beach. He also formed the Nick Price Junior Golf Foundation in 1997 to support junior golf in Zimbabwe.

In 1997, Price published an instructional book, The Swing. He has designed golf courses in the U.S., Europe, South Africa and the Caribbean, with two courses currently under construction in Cancun, Mexico.

Congratulations to Kyle Gallo, one of golf's real good guys.

Gallo didn't have his A game or reach his target score Wednesday at the Country Club of Fairfield but still walked away with the big prize in the Connecticut Open.

Gallo, who lives in Berlin but plays out of Hop Meadow CC in Simsbury, shot a 1-over-par 71, his highest score of the week by six strokes. But a 10-under-par 200 total was good for a three-stroke victory over Evan Beirne, who led a 2-3-4 finish for amateurs.

Gallo, who began the day with a six-shot lead after opening 65-64, birdied the par-5 10^th hole to get to 1 over, then parred in to record his fourth Connecticut Open, tying the record held by Connecticut Golf Hall of Famer John Golden (1932-35). Gallo also won in 1998, 2000 (at Fairfield) and 2004 and was second in 1997, 2003, 2007 and 2008.

"I know (tying the record) is very special, but I can't think about it right now," Gallo told reporters after earning a $10,000 first prize. "When I look back on it, I'm sure it'll be a tremendous accomplishment. It's nice to get it over with because I finished second recently. So it's nice to get the monkey off my back."

The 35-year-old Gallo, who had hoped to shoot 15 under for 54 holes, again plans to attend the PGA Tour qualifying school in October. He missed earning his card by a shot in 2004 and played on the Nationwide Tour in '05 and '06.

Beirne (New Haven CC) had six birdies and a double-bogey 6 at No. 5 in shooting 66 for 203, which earned him $750 in merchandise credit at CC of Fairfield.

"I was just trying to shoot as low as I could," said Beirne, who a 58 on his home course in June. "I knew if I made a few birdies, got within three or four over the last five or six holes, which I did, maybe I could put a little pressure on him. I knew I had to make a few birdies coming in trying to chase Kyle. I just couldn't make any putts down the stretch."

Tim Kane (Simsbury Farms GC) made double-bogey 7 on the first hole but rallied with seven birdies and only one bogey to shoot 66 and move into third at 205. That was one less than Cody Paladino (Timberlin GC-Kensington), who started the day in second place and shot 71 to finish fourth.

Paladino got within four shots when he two-putted No. 1 for birdie 4 while Gallo was making a bogey after pull-hooking his drive into sea grass. Paladino, who lives in Berlin and has often played with the champion at Timberlin, then got within three when Gallo bogeyed the eighth and ninth holes. But Gallo birdied No. 10, and Paladino shot 2-over 36 on the back nine when he bogeyed Nos. 16 and 17.

"I made a few big putts in the middle of the round, but at the same time, I missed so many short birdie putts," Paladino said. "I was hitting my irons great, and I just couldn't convert. It was a tough way to finish."

Congratulations to Lida Kinnicutt and Toby Schuman for winning their respective divisions in the Connecticut Women's Golf Association Seniors and Legends Championships at Tumble Brook Country Club in Bloomfield.

Kinnicutt, of Hartford Golf Club, shot two-over par 74 and 79 to win the event open to women age 55 and older by two strokes over Jean Sennett of Wampanoag CC in West Hartford (81-74). Kinnicutt has won 11 CWGA Championship and Connecticut State Women's Amateur Championships, and Sennett was runner-up to Lynda Milligan in the CWGA Championship in June.

Schuman, playing on her home course, shot 92 to win the competition is open to women age 70 or older. She finished two ahead of Anita Fivek.

Great news Monday. Sad news Tuesday.

Danbury native Ken Green had to withdraw from the CT Open because of pain in his right leg, which was amputated from the knee down after a horrific RV accident about 14 months ago that claimed the lives of his girlfriend, brother and dog.

"The pain was too much," Green said when reached where he's staying in Danbury. "It was unfortunately too much to handle. I wasn't able to get up and move around. The nerve endings went ballistic (Monday) night, and my leg swelled up so bad (Tuesday) morning that I couldn't get my prothesic on."

Despite missing several makeable putts Monday, Green shot a 4-over-par 74 in the first round at the CC Fairfield and was tied for 49th. The low 40 and ties after Tuesday's second round advance to the final 18 holes Wednesday.

But Green, a two-time winner who was low pro in another State Open, grimaced several times after shots, indicating just how much pain he was in despite two special treatments last week to try to freeze nerves in his leg.

"I guess it was too much too soon after the treatments, but that's my world now," Green said. "I played (Monday) because I wanted to play. Connecticut and the Connecticut Open have always meant so much to me, so I really wanted to give it a try.

"But now I have to get healthy. If the treatments work, I can get back to playing again this year. But the pain is wearing me down. I've got to get better, then golf will be easy."

Green plans to return to his home in West Palm Beach, Fla., in a week, then return to Connecticut in September and October.

Green was scheduled to start at 8:10 a.m. on the first tee with leader Kyle Gallo of Hop Meadow CC in Simsbury (5-under-par 65) and 2003 champion Steve Sokol of Orange Hills CC (72).

Barring a meltdown, Gallo will join John Golden (1932-35) as the tournament's only four-time champions. Gallo, who won his second State Open at Fairfield in 2000, birdied six of the last 13 holes for 64, a 36-hole total of 11-under 129 and a six-stroke lead over amateur Cody Paladino (Timberlin GC-Kensington, 68).

"After the first round, my goal was 15 under," said Gallo, who led by two shots after 18 holes. "Today was a continuation of yesterday. I played really well again."

Gallo and Paladino both live in Berlin and will paired in the final group Wednesday. Paladino, the 2006 Connecticut State Golf Association Player of the Year who will be a senior at Baylor, shoots for his first CT Open title.

Tied for third at 137 are former PGA Tour player Bobby Gage (Candlewood Valley-New Milford, 68) and amateurs Evan Beirne (New Haven, 69) and Brenden Chicorka (eClub of River Valley, 68).

Sokol shot 71 for 143 and a tie for 19th. Forty-six players who shot 146 or better, including tennis Hall of Famer Ivan Lendl of Torrington (75-146), qualified for the final round.

Gallo, Palladino and Gage will be paired Wednesday in the final group, which tees off at 10 a.m. For results and starting times, visit www.csgalinks.org.

The 5-under-par 65 that Kyle Gallo shot to take a two-stroke lead after the first round of the Connecticut Open at the Country Club of Fairfield on Monday was inspired. Inspired? Yes, inspired — by playing partner Ken Green.

“I told Kenny he’s my new hero,” said Gallo, whose only previous pairing with Green was in the first two rounds of the 2002 PGA Tour qualifying school finals. “How can I comment on what he’s been through?”

Gallo said he — and no one else — knows exactly what it’s like trying to play golf after having the lower part of your right leg amputated and losing your girlfriend (Jeannie), brother (Billy) and dog (Nip) in a horrific RV accident nearly 14 months ago and then having your son (Hunter) found dead in his dorm room at Southern Methodist University from an accidental drug overdose in January.

But Gallo, a three-time champion, sure had some stirring words about Green. “I have tremendous admiration for the guy for what he’s been through, what he’s done and what he did today,” said Gallo, who shot nine less than the two-time champion. “It was very special, and I consider myself very fortunate to have been paired with him and (2003 winner) Steve (Sokol), whom I’ve known for many years. I wouldn’t want to be paired with anybody else than (Green) today. That was an absolute treat to see that first-hand. I’ll definitely take a lot away from this as it soaks in over the years and looking back on this day. Whether he makes it here tomorrow or not is relevant to what this State Open is right now.”

Gallo said it’s “amazing” that Green, a Danbury native now living in West Palm Beach, Fla., has been able to keep a somewhat positive attitude after what he has endured. “The game is hard enough, but to see him come out here …,” Gallo said. “He’s got to be in pain, not only with what’s going on inside his head but physically. I saw him grimace a few times, but it’s so inspiring and puts things in perspective. The more you live, the more bad things tend to happen and the more experiences you have. I think 10 years ago I probably would have looked at it in a different light as far as brushing it off, but to recognize what he’s been through and to see him out here just giving it all he’s got is just something to admire. His score is irrelevant. It means nothing. What he did in the past and is doing now just keeps him going.”

The free-spirited Green, who turned 52 on Thursday, said he wasn’t sure if he would make his 8:10 a.m. starting time Tuesday but was generally satisfied with how he played to finish in a tie for 49th (the low 40, plus ties, make the cut Tuesday), beating 70 able-bodied entries. Green did it riding in a cart with longtime friend/caddie Greg Begler that the Connecticut State Golf Association allowed Green to use, though he did back off several shots because of pain. He putted with a miniature golf putter (24 inches). His hat had a NIP pin on it. He wore a shirt that had a golf ball logo on the sleeve with the words Jeannie, Bill, Hunter and Nip under a 14th-hole flag (the 14th was his former girlfriend’s birthday).  His green (of course) prostheses included golf balls inscribed with Jeannie, Billy, Hunter, Nip and BJHN (for all four).

“It’s a different world that I’m in,” said Green, a five-time PGA Tour winner and now a part-timer on the Champions Tour. “Finishing 18 holes is the first accomplishment with the leg problems I’ve had. So when you do that, you have to say, ‘OK, that was a positive.’ “My brain is still my brain, so you don’t like shooting 74s, but it was just a fraction away. The lowest I’ve shot in competition is 2 over, so I was just a fraction from that.”

While Green’s swing and game have changed, his humor hasn’t. After the first of two putts rimmed the cup and stayed out, Green walked off the green and muttered, “I still lip out the same.” When he hit a low shot into the right rough, he said, “Nice shank.” And Green certainly is high on determination.

“Lately, it’s more of trying to get rid of the pain,” he said. “That’s my first priority, to get through days without slitting my throat. When that (no pain) happens … I believe it will happen. Can I go out and shoot scores? It’s there, just a question of how to make certain swings under certain conditions. But being out here and just playing is just an automatic high. It’s weird because you’re so happy to be just playing, but then when you don’t play well, part of you is, ‘Oh, some of those lips outs.’ You pretty much lost everything in life, have to start over and figure it out. I’ll never be angry. I might be angry at a shot or moment now where I knew where I was. I was expressive back in my earlier years. You knew how I felt. It’s kind of ironic because they’re begging for players to show emotions.”

Green could play and show some of his emotion for the first time since pain forced him to withdraw from the final round of the Champions Tour’s Dick’s Sporting Goods Open on June 28 only because of a recent procedure in which a doctor stuck “big ass needles” with minus-100 degree Freon in his leg to try to kill one nerve that had curled up. They froze me up pretty good, and I didn’t feel much,” Green said. “The other option is to slice me open and cut it out. I’ve played twice since the Dick’s, and here I am trying to shoot a decent score. But I haven’t done anything on a brand new leg, really, in the last few weeks. But what I’ve done (since the accident) is pretty good. It’s my world to get these (pain) zaps. It’s a bolt of pain. I say to myself, ‘I have to get rid of this nerve issue.’ I really think I can play some quality rounds. I’m really curious as what will happen, but I can’t stay like this forever.”

Green showed some flashes of brilliance while hitting 13 of 14 fairways, but he hit only nine greens in regulation and missed nine of 11 putts from 4-to-10 feet, including for birdie at his first hole, No. 10, and for par at his last, No. 9. He finished with one birdie (30-yard pitch to 3 feet at the par-5 first) and five bogeys, with his best shot coming at No. 12, where he lofted a 50-foot pitch shot over a bunker to 3 feet and made the putt for par.

Meanwhile, Gallo, shooting for a record-tying fourth State Open title, had six birdies and one bogey to finish two ahead of Cody Paladino (Timberlin GC-Berlin) and amateur Brian Murphy (Brooklawn CC-Fairfield). Murphy’s 67 started with a bogey at the par-5 10th hole, and he then made two pars and six birdies for a back-nine 29 before closing with a bogey and double bogey in his final two holes for a 2-over 38 on the front nine.

“I’m very pleased,” said Gallo, of Hop Meadow CC in Simsbury. “I missed one shot all day that cost me a bogey (at the par-4 16th). I feel the 65 could have been a 62 or 63, definitely feel I left shots out there. But considering the (windy) conditions and how well I struck the ball and thought my way around the course and how well I made putts on a little bumpy greens late in the day, I’m thrilled.”

Gallo, who won his second of three State Open titles at Fairfield in 2000, said it was his best round of the year. “It was very nice to see because I’ve been working very hard at Hop Meadow (with teaching pro Ken Doyle) but haven’t really seen much out of my golf game,” said Gallo, who also won in 1998 and 2004 before playing on the Nationwide Tour in 2005-06. “I’ve played well, but it’s always even (par), 1 under, 2 under and then scrape it around to an even-par round. Nothing ever seemed to flow and finally everything was on, from the driver to the irons and putter. I’ve been waiting for this all year, so it was nice to come in the first round, with the morning round tomorrow. The only way to play well in the wind is to hit it solid, and I did that and hit my spots all over the golf course. Hopefully tomorrow the wind is a little less and the greens a little smoother. If I bring the same game, then that 63 or 64 might be out there.”

If so, Gallo would be well on his way to winning the $10,000 first prize and, more importantly, joining John Golden (1932-35) as the championship’s only four-time winners. Green, meanwhile, doubts even making the cut Tuesday will get him to the final round Wednesday. “The odds of (playing three days) are pretty slim,” Green said. “I just do one day at a time. In my case, it’s one hour at a time. I’ll see what happens (Monday night). If (the leg) fires up, I’ll just say no (on playing Tuesday).”

Despite the thoughts of Gallo and anyone else who sees Green play, Kenny says he doesn’t consider himself an inspiration. “It’s hard to think of myself that way,” he said. “I do understand (the last year) has been pretty bizarre. We’re trying to do some things that are good for me. If I can turn it around and do it for other people, put a little smile on their face or a slap on the back, he or she can regroup. “It’s not such a bad deal that I’m going through. I’m starting to do stuff with the disabled and Wounded Warriors in Florida. I’ll do whatever I can. It’s my job, my obligation.”

Kenny, you don’t think you’re inspiring? Don’t tell that to Kyle — or me. I watched you play for the first time since your accident, and I must say I was more moved than when you were winning tour events and representing the United States in the Ryder Cup.

Here’s hoping Ken can make the cut and play 54 holes, though more pain and suffering is the last thing anyone, including the championship leader and yours truly, wants to see for the gritty Green.

Great news!!!!! I just called the Country Club of Fairfield pro shop and was told Ken Green will be playing in the Connecticut Open.

The five-time PGA Tour winner and current Champions Tour player from Danbury will be making his first in-state competitive appearance since losing his girlfriend, brother, dog and eventually the lower part of his right leg in a horrific auto accident 13 months ago.

Kenny, a two-time State Open winner, will start today at 1:10 p.m. off the 10th tee with former champions Kyle Gallo and Steve Sokol. So if you're in the area --- or if you're not --- head to the CC of Fairfield for what is sure to be an emotional and inspirational day.

Good luck to all three former champs and the rest of the field, but especially Ken, who has recently undergone special painful treatments for physical and neurological problems after having to WD from his last Champions Tour start.

I'm headed to Fairfield in a few minutes. Hope to see you there. If not, you can follow everyone's progress at www.csgalinks.org.

One of the best lefties in the history of golf has swung his clubs competitively for the last time.

Legend Bob Charles shot a second-round, 6-over-par 78 at Carnoustie (Scotland) Golf Club on Friday to miss the cut in the Senior British Open Championship, It ended a brilliant career highlighted by becoming the first New Zealander to win a major championship with a victory in the 1963 Open Championship at Royal Lytham.

The 74-year-old Charles was the lone New Zealander to capture one of golf's biggest prizes until Michael Campbell won the 2005 U.S. Open at Pinehurst (N.C.) Country Club.

Charles also was the first lefthander to win a major, which was among 68 titles in more than 50 years as a pro, including six PGA Tour events. In 2007, at age 71, he tied for 23rd in the New Zealand Open.

Happy retirement, Bob. You were the antithesis of Lee Trevino when it came to verbiage, but a classy man through and through.

Tiffany Joh nearly made it two wins in a row on the Duramed Futures Tour on Sunday.

Joh, of San Diego, Calif., shot a 7-under-par 65 for a 54-hole total of 10-under 206, but she finished one behind second-round leader Jenny Shin of Torrance, Calif., in The International at Concord at in Beaver Meadow Golf Course in Concord, N.H.

Shin birdied the 18th hole to shoot 69 and claim her first professional title.

A week ago, Joh rallied from a five-stroke deficit and birdied the fourth playoff hole to beat Gerina Mendoza in the ING New England Golf Classic at Wintonbury Hills GC in Bloomfield.

Shin earned $15,400, Jon won $11,000.

Sophia Sheridan (Guadalajara, Mexico) shot 70 to finish third at 207, one ahead of Hannah Jun (San Diego, Calif.), who closed with 66.

Can things get much worse for Tiger Woods?

As if the incessant reports of his marital infidelity and the lose of $22 million in sponsorships weren't enough, one of his United States Golf Association records fell Saturday.

Jim Liu, of Smithtown, N.Y., became the youngest champion in the history of the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship with his 4-and-2 victory over Justin Thomas of Goshen, Ky., in the scheduled 18-hole final at Egypt Valley Country Club in Pinehurst, N.C.

It doesn't look good for Ken Green making an emotional return home next week for the Connecticut Open.

The Danbury native, who lost his brother, girlfriend, dog in a horrific car accident 13 months ago and then had the lower part of his right leg amputated, hoped to play in the State Open on Monday through Wednesday at the Country Club of Fairfield.

But in a blog entry today, Green wrote: "The CT Open is not looking real good but I still have hopes of doing something stupid."

Ken has been known to do plenty of what even he considers stupid things over the years, but hopefully he won't do another next week. Golf fans everywhere would love to see the personable Green take a shot at his third State Open title but not with the possibility of permanently jeopardizing his career, perhaps even his life.

In the spirit of the free-spirited Kenny, here's his posting from Florida in its entirety:

More Boredom,

Hello good people of planet earth! It's only 7:50 am and I'm going insane again!

I'm on orders to accomplish nothing for a few days so here I am disobeying my orders by doing a blog, this is a semi violation of conducting unbecoming a professional patient. My kryoblast supposedly went well but I will not really know anything for a few days more.

The CT Open [July 26-28] is not looking real good but I still have hopes of doing something stupid.

Speaking of stupid I have no choice but to mention how idiotic some of the announcers were in regards to lambasting Tiger for switching putters. How on earth can they figure out what the best putter on the planet is doing wrong in regards to why and if he should have ever switched? He managed to change women all the time so why not putters? Then they have the audacity to critique all the guys who putted bad during that wind storm. It's just impossible to putt in those conditions.

I would like you all to know that up to this point I actually thought I was the most unorganized dope in the country. I do believe that the Obama administration may now have slurpped ahead of me after this Sherrod fiasco.

I saw recently that the 2 highest paid athletes in the world were Tiger & Phil - I'd like to say that its a testament to their integrity but I do say its just that corporate America wants to entertain their clients with these damn good golfers. I'll have you know that I fell out of the Top 10 due to a recent slump.

Take care and I'll keep you posted,

Ken

See, I told you Kenny, even in the worst of times, could be the entertainer of the year. Get well ASAP, and don't make that trip north next week unless you're absolutely certain it won't make matters any worse. As if that's possible, eh!!!!

This is a golf blog, but I'm firm believer that no good deed should go unnoticed or unrecognized.

Especially by a team that has been so successful in Hartford.

Several weeks ago, the American Hockey League's Hartford Wolf Pack announced the start of a "Wolf Pack Wish" program. On Thursday, they announced the program's first two winners.

Marek Czyzycki, Jr. of Wolcott and Noah Farley of Palmyra, Va., will have the opportunity to take advantage of free registrations provided by the New York Rangers to the team's 2010 Youth Hockey Camp Aug. 16-19 at the Wonderland of Ice in Bridgeport.

Ten-year-old Marek plays youth hockey for the Watertown Red Wings and is a lifelong fan of the Wolf Pack and Rangers. Noah is 8 years old and started attending Wolf Pack games shortly after his birth. His family has moved out of the area, but Noah remains an enthusiastic and dedicated Wolf Pack fan.

Marek and Noah were chosen from nominations submitted to Wolf Pack community relations manager Kristen Connolly at kconnolly@xlcenter.com. Other opportunities will be offered throughout the year to take advantage of special Wolf Pack-oriented experiences. Full details on the "Wolf Pack Wish" program are available on the team's website, www.hartfordwolfpack.com, which also will be posting updates on Marek and Noah's experiences at the Rangers camp. The two youngsters and fellow campers will receive top-level instruction from professional coaches, Rangers alumni, trainers, scouts and others.

Season tickets for the Wolf Pack's 2010-11 season are on sale. For information on season seats, and all of the many ticketing options, visit www.hartfordwolfpack.com or call the Wolf Pack ticket office at 860-548-2000 to talk with an account executive.

Joe Parrillo resigning from the Connecticut State Golf Association was sad news.

Now, unfortunately, comes tragic news.

Tex Kane, a longtime member of the Connecticut Section PGA, has died at 64 after a bout with cancer. He was a terrific instructor at several courses in the region and had been the head pro at Hunter Memorial Golf Course in Meriden since 1996.

Hopefully, Tex was coherent enough near the end to know that his beloved 10-man Hunter team won the New England Public Links Championship on Tuesday in Rhode Island.

Somewhere Tex is smiling about that one, but we'll all frowning about losing another good man. RIP, Tex!!!!

So sorry to hear Joe Parrillo, the longtime director of member services for the Connecticut State Golf Association, has resigned to seek other opportunities.

Don't know what those opportunities are, but regardless of what they are, he'll be sorely missed. Joe was one of the really good guys in the game --- and a darn good player, too.

Best of luck in your future endeavors, Joe, and keep in touch.

The World Golf Hall of Fame is moving its induction to the spring to coincide with the start of The Players Championship, the PGA Tour's flagship event. I'm fortunate to be a voting member of the Hall of Fame and will be interested to see who makes it next year.

Here's the release from the Hall of Fame:

St. Augustine, Fla. (July 22, 2010) - The 2011 World Golf Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place on Monday, May 9, 2011, at World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Fla. That Monday marks the first day of THE PLAYERS Championship week.

"The Induction Ceremony continues to be an incredibly important event for golf each year as we take the opportunity to recognize the sport's greatest achievers," said Tim Finchem, PGA TOUR commissioner and World Golf Foundation board member. "Moving the Ceremony to the spring will heighten the event's exposure in a variety of ways and will add a new level of excitement to THE PLAYERS for fans, media, sponsors and past and current players."

"Staging the annual Induction Ceremony in the heart of the golf season, just before one of golf's most thrilling events, is a great opportunity for the Hall of Fame," said its COO Jack Peter. "The spring date is sure to give fans around the world an even better opportunity to witness the celebration."

Class of 2011 PGA TOUR and International ballots have been mailed to the respective voting bodies and the voting results will be announced later in 2010.

Further details on the Induction Ceremony will be released this fall. To learn more about the World Golf Hall of Fame, visit www.WorldGolfHallofFame.org.

Some familiar names, especially in the Southern New England Women's Golf Association ranks, duked it out in the Connecticut State Golf Association's Women's Four-Ball Tournament at Orange Hills Country Club.

Former SNEWGA Championship winner Jen Holland and Myra Macmillan combined to shoot a 1-over-par 75 and tie Debbie Johnson, who won a second SNEWGA title two weeks ago, and past champion Lisa Fern-Boros. Holland and Macmillan then birdied the first playoff hole to win the title.

And two teams missed the playoff by a shot: Jean Sennett, a finalist in the Connecticut Women's Golf Association Championship in June, and Nicole Coffey, along with the duo of Linda Lyons and Tania Stenberg.

I imagine most, if not all, of these combatats will be competing in the Connecticut State Women's Amateur Championship Aug. 16-18 at Oronoque Village CC in Stratford. Let's hope it's as competitive then.

Guess we all better start taking a collection for the beleaguered Tiger Woods.

It's not bad enough that Le Tigre is on the verge of a divorce from the lovely Elin and has been putting worse than me while going winless this year, but now his estimated endorsements for 2010 are worth $22 million less than last year, according to Sports Illustrated's annual analysis of America's highest-earning athlete.

Woods remains No. 1 in the rankings' seventh straight year. But his estimated total earnings of more than $90 million are down 30 percent from nearly $128 million in 2008.

Masters champion Phil Mickelson is again No. 2 with earnings of more than $61 million. His estimated endorsement income is $52 million, compared with $70 million for Woods. Maybe Phil can send along a few bucks to his buddy (sic) Tiger.

Boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. is third on the list, followed by LeBron James (Miami Heat), Alex Rodriguez (New York Yankees), Shaquille O'Neal (NBA free agent), Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers), Derek Jeter (Yankees), Peyton Manning (Indianapolis Colts) and Dwyane Wade (Heat).

The horrific storms that rolled through Connecticut Wednesday caused havoc with the second round of the New England Amateur at The Course at Yale in New Haven.

Before play was halted at 7:20 p.m., Devin Komline of the Dorset Field Club in Vermont shot a 6-under-par 64 for a 36-hole total of 133 and a one-stroke lead over Josh Salah of Bass Rocks GC in Massachusetts.

Tom McCarthy of Twin Hills CC in Coventry (69) is third at 135, one ahead of Mike Ballo of Woodway CC in Darien (68) and Richy Werenski of The Orchards GC in Massachusetts (70) and Garrett Medeiros of Metacomet GC in Rhode Island, who is 4 under through nine holes.

Kevin Josephson of Timberlin GC in Berlin shot 69 and tied for seventh at 137.

The second round will be completed Thursday, starting at 8 a.m., with the low 40 and ties advancing to the third and final round, which should begin around 9:30. The tournament was scheduled to be 72 holes.

Well, folks, I'm finally back!!! My wife and I spent 15 days in Florida, where it was cooler than it has been around Connecticut. Then when I was ready to get back offering info and opinion, my laptop went bonkers. Thanks of Zac Coffey, a friend of my daughter who works with her at Max Amore in Glastonbury, I'm back on line, though it took a day to get used to the new connections to my blog.

But now, let's get back in the swing of things. Please pass along any thoughts you have. Bruce