Jim Furyk Partners With Children's Miracle Network, Announces Miracle Birdies

Beginning with this week's tournament, The Heritage in Hilton Head, SC, 2010 PGA Tour Player of the Year Jim Furyk debuts his partnership with Children's Miracle Network. The network is a charity that raises funds for over 170 children's hospitals in North America. Miracle Birdies is a new program where individuals, groups, and sponsors can pledge money every time Furyk makes a birdie during his play in 2011. Importantly, donations are are localized so the money ends up in the person's local hospital.

I must admit I have a parochial interest in this program. My brother John Brancato is a pediatric emergency physician at Connecticut Children's Medical Center in Hartford, CT, a Children's Miracle Network facility. His husband, Thomas Richardson, is Senior Director of Strategic Planning & Development at the hospital. Here's what they and Martha Schall, President of the hospital's Foundation, had to say about being a part of Children's Miracle Network;  

"Children's Miracle Network Hospitals support touches every corner of Connecticut Children's Medical Center.  Those gifts make possible investments in state-of-the-art technology, groundbreaking research and development of new clinical programs that provide care of the highest quality in the most effective and efficient ways possible.

Children's Miracle Network donors number in the thousands every year.  Every donor makes a difference, and we hope every donor remembers we are here for their families and their friends' families, so that every child in our region who has the chance to receive the special care that comes from doctors and nurses who only treat children, and have the comfort of an environment specially designed for children and their families."

 

There's no better way to invest in our future than through our children, our most precious resource. The golf community has a validated history for charity, so I ask you to consider this cause, as Furyk has, and add to that legacy. 

Here's where you can enroll... Miracle Birdies

Davis Love III Over Tommy "Two Gloves" in Thriller at Disney.

Davis Love III shot his second consecutive 64 to hold off a back nine charge by Tommy "Two Gloves" Gainey and win the 2008 Children's Miracle Network Classic at Disney World Resort. Gainey's 30 on the back nine almost had the victory he needed to retain his card. Instead it's back to Q school for the two-time Big Break contestant. Love III finished at -25, one stroke better than Gainey, and knocked a treacherous bunker shot on the 18th to within three feet and sealed the victory. $828,000.00 was pocketed by Love III for the triumph.

It was a two man battle as the nearest finishers were Steve Marino and Scott Verplank, each at -20, 4 strokes in arrears. Joe Durant's superb 65 in the final round gave him solo 5th place. The trio of Scott Sterling, Kevin Streelman, and Troy Matteson finished at -18, T6.

Average Golfer was pulling for Gainey, the every man's representative. His 2nd place finish moved him 40 spots on the money list from 208 to 168, but it was a win he needed to secure his card for 2009. In the glass half full category, he'll have a confidence boost going into Q school. I'm certain we'll see more of Gainey. Everyone refers to his work ethic and drive. That's a huge part of the battle on the tour.

Bubble News

The results are in after this, the last tournament of the season. The "Thank God" spot, #125, belongs to Martin Laird. Those keeping their jobs by a whisker were Brad Adamonis, 124, Jason Bohn, 123, Angel Cabrera, 122, Nick Watney, 121, and Brett Quigley, 120. Those wishing they'd played better earlier in the year included Shane Bertsch, 126, Bob Estes, 127, Patrick Sheehan, 128, Joe Durant, 129, and Charles Warren, 130. $11,504.00 separated Laird and Bertsch, the difference between 126 and 125. Here's the final 2008 money list for your perusal.

Now is when writing on a golf site separates the men from the boys. Two months of "not much" will test Average Golfer's imagination. Maybe I'll start doing a series of reviews on golf tees. Perhaps throw in a contest with the winner receiving a free tee! Gotta nice ring to it.

Til' next,

Eclectic Bunch Atop Children's Miracle Network Classic Leaderboard.

Someone for everyone. A certain Hall -of-Famer, a grizzled veteran with many wins and Ryder Cups in his pocket, a young upstart, a Big Break contestant, the man with the shortest putter, (28 in.), a rookie of the year candidate, and the group of veterans you'd expect heading into the last lap of the 2008 season, the final round of the Children's Miracle Network Classic.

Steve Marino is bogey free for the tournament and his 66 today left him tied with Scott

Verplank, who slipped with a 69. Hard to believe that a 69 would get you going backwards, but it did today. Both are tied at -19. Davis Love III shot 64 today to claim solo 2nd place, -17, going into Sunday. Tied for 5th spot at-16 were Tommy "Two Gloves" Gainey, Robert Garrigus, he of the midget putter, and Troy Matteson, whose 69 today backed him up from 2nd to 5th. Locked in 8th position at -14 were Ken "Of Hazard" Duke, Robert Gamez, last spotted at the Hope, Jason Gore, and Kevin Streelman.

Notables that didn't make the weekend were Steve Elkington, Daniel Chopra, Jesper Parnevik, Bubba Watson, Brad Adamonis, Charles Warren, Ryan Moore, Jay Williamsom, and Fred Couples. Adamonis, Warren, and Williamson shot themselves in the foot and out of the chase for their 2009 Tour card. Spots 126-150 have some provisional status though, especially in the lesser events that play at the same time as the big tournaments. Still, I'm sure they're all crestfallen. I've been just dying to use crestfallen in Average Golfer.

The back nine tomorrow will show you how PGA players do or don't handle pressure. Anyone that's near the magic 125 has to be trying to figure what he has to shoot to be in the club. Geez, as if golf's not head game enough.

Til' next,

PGA Pros' Last Shot at 125 - 2008 Children's Miracle Network Classic

Let me preface by saying I'm an advocate of the Children's Miracle Network. Kind of hard not to be, but my interests are parochial. My brother is a pediatric trauma physician in Hartford, CT. His immense concern and actions have made me aware of all sorts of children's health issues. Thank you John.

Back to the action. the Children's Miracle Network Classic at Walt Disney World Resort this week is the penultimate in pressure cookers for pros on the bubble. Stephen Hawing might struggle to explain all the mathematical possibilities and permutations, so I won't even attempt. We'll clue you in on numbers 120-130, the players with the immediate needs. Here we go.....

• 120 - Brad Adamonis - Has had a nice year. Needs a decent finish to stay in top 125.
• 121 - Tim Petrovic - 39th in birdies. At a birdie fest course.
• 122 - Nick Watney - Best finishes were early in year. Better regroup.
• 123 - Michael Allen - T3 at Timberlake. Needs that magic at Magic Kingdom.
• 124 - Shane Bertsch - 20 of 28 cuts. Just one top ten.
• 125 - Jeff Overton - Bubble Boy himself. Appendectomy recently. Waiting for medication approval from last week by PGA.
• 126 - Martin Laird - Scotsman shouldn't be in this position. 3 top tens in '08.
• 127 - Charles Warren - The other Charles. 3rd in FBR, T10 at Turning Stone.
• 128 - David Toms - Has career exemptions to fall back on. Don't worry, you'll see him in '09.
• 129 - Patrick Sheehan - Never won. Can make birdies in bunches.
• 130 - Mark Calcavecchia - Didn't expect him here. Lots of nagging injuries.

Find the up to date money list here.

Notables with a chance.....

136, Jason Gore, Needs to be the Gore of old.
138, Jason Day, Remember, he's 19 years old!
139, Rich Beem, Hard to picture tour without him. Larger than life.
142, Jesper Parnevik, See Beem.
144, Chris DiMarco, Injury train. Pulling for him.
148, Todd Hamilton, Open Championship seems eons ago.
149, John Huston, Perhaps can ride last week's momentum.
157, Aaron Olberholser, Another injury plagued year.
163, Chris Riley, '06 Ryder Cupper. Taken big fall.
168, Carlos Franco, White hot for a while. Love to watch his game.
217, David Duval, Win might not even get him in.

Plenty of drama on a birdie laden golf course. Should be a great way to see the PGA Tour for the last time in 2008. So, unless the Silly Season is your bag, tune in for this one.

Til' next,

*Average Golfer tidbit......The Children's Miracle Network was founded in 1983 by the Osmond family and John Schneider.