This Week in Golf

PGA Tour - The Bridgestone Invitational is being contested this week at the challenging Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. Golf enthusiasts are excited about the return of fan favorite Phil Mickelson. Phil's wife and mother were both diagnosed with breast cancer this spring, and their treatment began in July. Mickelson has been caring for them most of the summer. In his last appearance on Tour, he nearly won the U.S. Open at Bethpage Black. He will now play Firestone as a warm-up for next week's PGA Championship at Hazeltine. Phil has never won at Firestone, and even though I do not expect him to contend on Sunday, I'll be pulling for him all week along with thousands of others. Tiger is in the field once again. Much has been made about his unprecedented back-to-back events leading up to a major. I predict he will do well both this week and next. When Woods is in the field, you cannot bet against him, especially at a course he has such a strong history at. My sleeper pick this week is J.B. Holmes. The course is long, and no one is longer off the tee than the young Kentuckian. If he can keep it straight, he has a good chance to win. Weekend coverage of the event can be seen on CBS.

The Legends Reno-Tahoe Open is also being held. No one ever pays attention to it. The Montreux Golf Course is lovely, but the field is weak as a result of playing opposite the Bridgestone. Bryce Molder is finally breaking through with some low rounds. I expect the Georgia Tech grad to have a solid showing outside the spotlight on the Golf Channel.

Kyle English - Congrats! English is a Flordia Gulf Coast University freshman-to-be. However, he did not let his inexperience stop his chance to become only the second golfer to win the Bloomington-Normal Golf Association's Triple Crown. English won all three of the 2009 major BNGA events, the Match Play, Two-Man Best Position, and Medal Play tournaments. The only other man to do so was Tom Kearfott in 1994.