RealClearSports: McIlroy One 'Tough Guy' in Easy Open

By Art Spander
For RealClearSports.com

BETHESDA, Md. — Over the hill at Capitol Hill the Senate was voting to reject the $6 billion credit to ethanol producers. Business as usual. Out on the course, Rory McIlroy was taking the lead in another major. Golf as usual.

There was a story in the New York Times that the pols, from President Obama to Speaker of the House Boehner will not be attending the U.S Open here at inappropriately named Congressional Country Club. "These days they would just as soon not be associated with the game of golf,'' said a long-time lobbyist.

Read the full story here.

© RealClearSports 2011

SF Examiner: Tiger's out of sight, but never out of mind at U.S. Open

By Art Spander
Special to The Examiner

What do you think Tiger Woods was doing Thursday? Possibly watching the U.S. Open as many others were, knowing he should have been playing, and would have been playing, were it not for that knee injury?

Was he sprawled on the couch, grabbing a potato chip or a Gatorade when he might have been grabbing a wedge?

Read the full story here.

Copyright 2011 SF Newspaper Company

SF Examiner: It's all about survival at the US Open

By Art Spander
Special to The Examiner

In the mind’s eye, there’s Payne Stewart standing in disbelief on the severely sloped 18th green at San Francisco’s Olympic Club, his 8-foot birdie putt attempt rolling 25 feet below the hole. Ah yes, the U.S. Open, agony and very little ecstasy.

That was then — and might be again next year when the Open returns to Olympic — but this is now, the 2011 Open at Congressional Country Club in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. The bewilderment and suffering are much the same.

Read the full story here.

Copyright 2011 SF Newspaper Company

RealClearSports: Maybe It's Phil's Time, Maybe Never

By Art Spander
For RealClearSports.com

BETHESDA, Md. — This is what you like about Phil Mickelson, a golfer never afraid to go after a tough question or a difficult hole: While others choose to revel in what he hasn't accomplished, Phil has found satisfaction in what he has.

Let's agree on this. In America, except to the cognoscenti, only two players truly matter, Tiger Woods and Mickelson. And with Tiger not at this 111th U.S. Open at Congressional Country Club in the leafy suburbs of Washington, D.C., Phil finds himself a majority of one.

Read the full story here.

© RealClearSports 2011

SF Examiner: San Francisco Giants find a way to persevere

By Art Spander
Special to The Examiner

“You move on because you have to.”

Bruce Bochy, the philosopher, said that Saturday. And later, when the Giants were smacked around by the Cincinnati Reds 10-2, you sensed the only place they were moving was down.

It was so bad ...

Read the full story here.

Copyright 2011 SF Newspaper Company