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New web site about bad checks soon! Help Desk 810 429-2418
If you can't view show screen below - Get Adobe Flash Player - FREE Buick Open Pro-Am Team with Tiger Woods and "I always enjoyed being here," said Tiger Woods behind the 18th hole following his round. "The people here are absolutely fantastic. It's a small, kind of intimate atmosphere. That's one of the main reasons I like playing here, and this year we're going to have to go low, but I think everyone knows that." Going low will not be the storyline when it comes to the size of the crowd or the media in attendance. The sportswriters, radio, television and cable sportscasters assembled behind the 18th hole were packed in like sardines, fishing for answers to questions from golf, to what the fans were like along the course, as well as musical queries regarding the state of Michigan native son Seger. "Did he sing any "Old Time Rock and Roll" to you or anything," one member of the media asked Woods? "No. Actually that song was playing on 16. Yeah. On the fairway, it was either a house or something over on the left-hand side was playing it," replied Woods. "And I already had in mind if I would have hit the driver off the fairway with a bad driver, I would have blamed it on him (Seger). So I hit a good one, so he got the credit," Woods said with a smile that mirrored the smile of just about everyone around the Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club layout. "It seems like a Sunday crowd. The numbers have been great," said Rich Fairman General Manager at the Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club site of the first PGA Tournament with a corporate sponsor (1958 Buick Open won by Billy Casper), as he scanned the 18th fairway watching the Woods-Seger team walking up the finishing hole green, moments before the unofficial Woods press conference that took place following his round. The large crowd at the Wednesday Pro-Am was driven by Buick Open fans that have supported the tournament through the years and now are hoping that this won't be the last tournament in Grand Blanc, Michigan sponsored by General Motors through Buick Motor Division. The player's appreciate Warwick Hills and the Buick Open as well. "I'd be disappointed because I've played here so many times and played well here for so many years and I enjoy coming," said Jim Furyk winner of the 2003 Buick Open. "I like the golf course, and the community really supports the golf tournament, and they've been through a difficult time with GM and Buick and everything. So it would be disappointing from a lot of factors. Just have to wait like everyone else and see what the decision is," Furyk added. When asked what the fans meant to him and the players, Furyk was emphatic about his feelings. "I think they make the tournament. It's always been great to come back, have a good time. On Sunday, the hole on 17, the whole day at the golf course. And if you get to the 18, it'll be about three hours there on the golf course. And that kind of support, that kind of commitment from the fans to come out and see us play. That's what makes a golf tournament special and what the guys enjoy. There was nothing disappointing about the loud appreciative crowd as the Woods-Seger team stepped to the tee box on the first hole at 7:00 a.m. Along with Woods and Seger were Bill Matthes, Bob Goodfriend and Gary Doyon. But for Seger, who during his peak performing years drew ear splitting applause, as familiar cords were recognized by fans when he stood delivering music to the ears of his faithful, standing and playing off tee number one with Tiger Woods was something special. "Oh, my God," said Seger in the press room following his round. "… I had a good swing on that tee, popped it up a bit high, but yeah, nerves. Oh, my gosh, through the first six holes I was a wreck. I don't know how I made those putts, but I did." The fans appreciated his play, especially when he was introduced at the first hole, as one media member noted in the media center as Seger shared his feelings. "Oh, I've been here 40 years, you know. I got a few fans around here," said a smiling Seger looking every bit like the proverbial kid in a candy factory surveying his playground. "Yeah, but he's (Woods) really special. To stand that close is so-such a privilege, to someone that great," gushed Seger. "I've played golf for about 16 years, but this is it. This it the top of the-I mean you can't get better than this. This is really something." The admiration for Woods by Seger was not a one way street. "He played great," said Tiger. I was surprised how well he played and how well he putted. He made a lot of putts. As you saw on 18 there, that's kind of how he played all day." Seger dropped a 20 foot putt on the finishing hole for par, after his tee-shot with a five-wood skipped off the pond some 150 yards away, traveled another 40 yards and landed safely on the grass some 245 yards from the green. His second shot and then chip from short of the green put him in a position to make four. But the par four by Seger and the five under par 67 for Woods were not the stories of the day for their team when it came to the fans of music and musical golf shots. "I can't tell you how many times I would hear out there, "thank you for coming, Tiger, thank you for coming, Tiger," said Seger. "I mean everywhere he was walking, "thanks for coming." Although Tiger did not defend his 2006 victory after the birth of his first child and knee surgery kept him from playing last year, he has been a fan of the tournament, the fans and Buick. "… You see the same people on the same greens, on the same tees each and ever year. You kind of get to know them, say hit to them, how's everything going," said the number one player in the world of golf. "I think that's just how the people are. It's a smaller town." "You don't get to say that in any other tournament, except for maybe the Masters because for some people have been going to the Maser for 50-plus years in the same seat. But that is basically the only other tournament I've experienced that in, Woods continued. The efforts and contributions from Buick are not lost on Woods either. "Buick's been a huge sponsor of the TOUR, huge partner. Not only the four tournaments they used to be part of, but just an overall partner of the TOUR, I think they've been great," said the two-time tournament champion. "… hopefully they don't lose this one." There were no losers on Wednesday, July 29, 2009, at the Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club for the 2009 Buick Open Pro-Am and that was music to the ears for fans and players alike. The beginning of tournament play on Thursday will feature the full
field of 156 golfers and thousands and thousands of fans who don't
want this to be the swan song for a tournament that has helped weave
the fabric of where modern golf began and where it has evolved to
be. As Seger sang with the song "Against the Wind" … It seems like yesterday, but it was long ago," For the Buick Open it was 1958 with Billy Casper edging Arnold Palmer and Ted Kroll winning $9,000 of the $52,000 dollar purse and the Buick Open was born. Then with the Seger song "Like a Rock" " … And sometimes late at night As some golf fans might recall, the years 1964 and 1965 it was "Champagne" Tony Lema winning back-to-back Buick Open titles, the only player to do so in tournament history. In 1987 Buick Open historians had to rewrite the record books, with help perhaps from the prose of Seger. "Just take those old records off the shelf …" And Robert Wrenn helped do that by shooting a record setting 26 under par to win the 1987 Buick Open. However, the script is written and the records earned for golf play out over the next four days at Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club in Grand Blanc, Michigan, thank you to Buick, the golfers, the volunteers and the fans for the chapters written from 1958 through what the 2009 event has in store us. As Bob Seger sang in 1971: "Let it Rock."
2009 Buick Open Player Profile John Daly … Age: 43 Born: April 28, 1966 Sources: 2009 Buick Open Player Profile Rocco Mediate … Age: 46 Born: December 17, 1962 Note: Rocco finished 600th among 5,619 players in his first World Series of Poker Main event in 2005. Sources: 2009 Buick Open Tournament: Buick Open TV coverage: Thursday/Friday July 30-31 Golf Channel 3:00 - 6:00
p.m. Radio Coverage: Thursday, July 30 Sirius XM 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Note: All times Eastern; Schedule subject to change. Source: 2009 Buick Open Media Guide 2009 Buick Open Wednesday Pro-Am features star
studded local cast!
For local fans it will be music to their ears as Michigan native Bob Seger will be attempting to send his tee-shots singing with Tiger Woods at the 2009 Buick Open Pro-Am. The Woods-Seger team will tee off at 7:00 a.m. on hole number one (1) Wednesday morning. The Woods - Seger pair punctuate a cast of players in the 2009 Buick Open from the Michigan sports and entertainment world. The field of players for this years Pro-Am include new Detroit Lions head coach Jim Schwartz and three of his players with Jason Hanson (placekicker), center Dominic Raiola and former Michigan State University quarterback Drew Stanton (now a backup in Detroit). Also in the field of competitors in the Wednesday Pro-Am are Detroit Rings Stars Kirk Maltby and Dan Cleary, new Detroit Pistons head coach John Kuester and Pistons greats Bill Laimbeer and Vinnie "The Microwave" Johnson. The all-time Flint high school basketball scoring leader Charlie Bell, member of the 2000 Michigan State Spartans National Champions, now with the Milwaukee Bucks is also in the field as well as Shane Battier now with the Houston Rockets (Birmingham, Michigan native) along with sports radio host Bill Simonson from the "Huge Show". Local golfer Jeff Conlee, CO-Owner of Conlee Oil Company in Clio will also be in the Pro-Am field with Mike Harrington carrying his bag. Conlee is a past winner of the "Nana"mal Open, while Harrington is the owner of the Mt. Morris-Clio Herald Newspaper Group. The Pure Michigan Pro-Am should be a treat to watch for those fans who like the sports in a variety of "slices" even on the golf course. Protective head gear is optional, while laughs, good times and a great atmosphere will be available in plentiful helpings. The normal $30 dollar ticket price has been reduced to $25 at the tournament gates and that rate IS NOT available at Ticket Master. This will be the last day fans will be allowed to bring their cameras to take pictures of the celebrities and golfers. Play begins at 7:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 29. Be sure to check local listings for tee-times of your favorite golfers and celebrities for the Pro-Am. You can get more Buick Open ticket information by visiting: www.ticketmaster.com or call (800)-878-OPEN [(800)-878-6736]. To get general tournament information, please log onto www.buickopen.com. The Oldest Championship
in Golf Set to Tee-Of f 2009 British Open to be played at The Ailsa
Course at Turnberry.
Greatness over Grit wins 2009 Wimbledon Title for Federer and Record Setting 15th Slam Singles Title Monday, July 06, 2009 It took 16 Grand Slam tennis events before Roger Federer won his first championship, defeating Mark Philippoussis to earn the 2003 Wimbledon Title. Since then he had racked up 13 more Grand Slam Titles tying Pete Sampras (14 Grand Slam Titles) atop the tennis major title board.
The win by the 27 year old Federer who has been ranked in the top 10 of the end of season ATP rankings every year since 2002, came against the only other player that shares that distinction. Although the 26 year old Roddick, an Omaha, Nebraska native, now living Austin, Texas, has played in the shadow of Federer much of his career, he has been the only other player to finish in that top 10 ATP ranking from 2008 through 2008. In set number two Federer, who was down 6-2 in the tie breaker, staved off 4-consecutive set points before completing the second set comeback to even the 2009 match with an American trying to win his first Wimbledon Title. Roddick, who with a win would have kept his fellow American Sampras tied at the top for a few more weeks at least, was nearly perfect in his serving game, saving serve in 37 consecutive service game opportunities. But champions are, if nothing else resilient and Federer held on when Roddick's flirt with serving perfection finally escaped him in the final set to win his 15th Grand Slam championship, by finally breaking the American's serve. The win by Federer, his sixth Wimbledon title, was his third in as many tries against Roddick in a Wimbledon final (2004, 2005 & 2009), pushing his overall record against the American to 19-2. The only other player who Federer has faced three times in a Wimbledon final, Rafael Nadal, has not only evolved to be his biggest foil in tennis, but was the man who kept him from winning his sixth straight on the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in 2008. Now, Federer, who has fashioned a record of 182-26 in Grand Slam events, including a record of 15-5 in championship matches, can begin his attempt to set the bar higher in a sport that has seen, arguably, over the last 40 years, the best talent in its history. And Federer, by the numbers at least, is the best. But there is much left to weigh even with the numbers. Among his contemporaries and arguably his toughest foe, match in and match out is Nadal, who ended the Federer record of 237 consecutive weeks ranked number one in the world in August of 2008. The streak began on Ground Hog's Day, February 2, 2004 and Federer gets to relive the feeling of being the number one ranked (ATP) player in the world all over again. But, Nadal, when healthy is more than a formidable challenge having won five Grand Slam titles. Nadal, who lost in the 2009 French Open and failed to defend his 2008 French Title, has won 13 of 20 matches with Federer. However he has been nursing knees that have failed to withstand the pounding his body takes with his frenetically paced play and was not able to defend his 2008 Wimbledon championship leaving some asking "what if"? The fans still enjoyed great tennis and did so in the company of past tennis greats who watched from the Royal Box as history was made at Centre Court. Pete Sampras, Bjorn Borg and Rod Laver, who make up much of the tennis royalty of the last 40 plus years of the "Open ERA", devoured the action as it unfolded and each could appreciate the quality of play from different perspectives. Sampras flew in from the states and arrived during the third game of the first set without having to worry about missing anything. The best was yet to come. His record total of 14 Grand Slam Singles Titles, including 7-Wimbledon titles had been tied when Federer won the French Open. His fellow American did the best he could to keep Sampras tied at the top but in the end the native of Basel, Switzerland had added a 15th Grand Slam Trophy to his collection. Among the amazing aspects of this achievement, it has only taken Federer seven years to accomplish what took Sampras 13 years. Borg was an 11-time Grand Slam Champion, over eight years, who won five straight at Wimbledon from 1976 to 1980 to go with six French Open titles. He sat next to Laver one of the greats who bridged the ERA of tennis past to the "Open ERA" when the Grand Slam events were open to amateur and professional players. Laver won all four Grand Slam singles titles twice in one year, in 1962, when he as an amateur and again in 1969 as a professional, becoming the only player to do so in the Open ERA (1968 to present). Laver could probably relate as well as anyone in attendance, player or fans to the 77 game battle that Federer and Roddick experienced Wimbledon. He defeated fellow Australian Tony Roche in a 1969 Australian Open Semifinal surviving a grueling five set 90 game test of wills en route to the title. In the end those three tennis greats joined the man who made history on Sunday, July 5, 2009, in a picture of champions, the Champion of the 123rd Wimbledon Lawn Tennis event, Roger Federer. |
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