Some takes on the TPC:

Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods was a non factor at the TPC despite shooting a great round Sunday to bring himself back to even par. He seemed pretty stumped by the greens at the TPC until Sunday when it was too late. Tiger hasn’t had his “A” game for quite some time. I’m wondering where it is. Like the saying goes: “I’d like to play my A game just once.”

Tiger wearing sunglasses on the back of his hat

Did Tiger go to the Rocco Mediate school of sunglasses etiquette? I’m no expert but I personally think it’s worse to be constantly putting them on and taking them off, freaking your eyes out with the changes of brightness. Maybe Tiger needs some Peak Vision, Tifosi Optics or Callaway Eyewear golf sunglasses instead of the Nike ones.

Despite the lack of Tiger the TV ratings were apparently very good. This is a good thing.

Phil Mickelson

A couple of weeks with new coach Butch Harmon and all the sudden Phil Mickelson can hit a fairway under pressure? Wow is Butch that good? Phil’s driver swing (and many other full swings) no longer is going insanely past parallel. The result is more accuracy and really not any notable distance loss.

Phil’s Brain

Phil’s talent has never been in doubt and now with some tweaking by Butch it appears he may get even better. But his brain is still the main problem he has and will no doubt cost him some victories. Despite winning Phil made some mental errors at the TPC. He just happened to get away with them this time.

Sean O’Hair train wreck costs him $747,000

Man you gotta feel for Sean O’Hair. This was the biggest stage, biggest opportunity of his young golf career. He was getting more and more nervous and spastic as the round on Sunday progressed. And he got slllloooowwer as the round progressed as well. That became fairly annoying to me and apparently Johnny Miller who pointed it out.

I hope O’Hair can overcome the train wreck he had on #17 where he cost himself $747,000 in prize money by going from 2nd place to 11th. Let’s see, he got a 7 on #17 so each stroke on that hole cost him over $100,000. Ha, $100,000 a stroke and I get nervous trying to make a 2 footer to win $2 from my golf pals…

Sergio Garcia

This was as good of a tournament as Sergio Garcia has played in a long time. He even showed that he can actually make a putt or two on Sunday, something he hasn’t shown since I can remember. Was this a case of a blind squirrel finding a nut or is Sergio close to winning some tournaments? Personally I think he’s a head case who may win a few tournaments but won’t win any majors.

Circling the drain?

Ernie Els tied for 37th. I still don’t think Ernie or Retief Goosen are living up to their “big 5″ status….

I’m beginning to think we’re seeing the last of Justin Leonard and I’m pretty sure Craig Perks will be long forgotten. At least for Perks they’ll show his Sunday chip-ins a zillion more times once a year when The Players is on TV.