Johnson Wagner's mustache

Johnson Wagner is playing with Rory McIlroy today at the Doral. That's the only reason I know who this guy is. He just rolled onto the 1st tee with one of the most captivating mustaches I've ever seen. Unprecedented. Is he the only guy with a mustachio on the tour? This thing is as good as it gets.

The (Green) Jacket

Many of you are probably in Masters pools and goodluck to you. The greatest golf tournament is well underway on Day 1 (it's 1:30 EST as I write this) yet the TV coverage does not begin for another 90 minutes. Weak.

Keep up with the guys from The Sports Brief's picks listed below...

BESSE:

Dustin Johnson

Martin Kaymer

Martin Laird

Hunter Mahan

Phil Mickelson

Nick Watney

Bubba Watson

Lee Westwood

Mark Wilson*

Tiger Woods

*May have let his boss pick a random 10th.

KEEFE:

Phil Mickelson

Tiger Woods

Lee Westwood

Martin Kaymer

Dustin Johnson

Rory McIlroy

Graeme McDowell

Bubba Watson

Ian Poulter

Matt Kuchar

Golf Channel's Brutal Photoshop Job

I saw this banner rollover ad on ESPN this morning and it caught my eye, not because it was cool, but for a couple other reasons:

A) The Golf Channel went with Phil Mickelson instead of Tiger Woods
B) Phil's follow through didn't look right.

As a lefty golfer, his top hand would be his right hand. In this picture, his left hand is his top hand. And his follow through would lead the club across the right side of his body, meaning it would be in front of him in the photo from this angle; here, it's across his left side.

Clearly, this is a terrible photoshop job by the agency handling The Golf Channel's online advertising. What a travesty. How does someone not stop that from launching?

Merry Christmas.

-Bess

Is Mickelson the best short game player ever?

That's a claim the voice over makes at the end of the video below. And the backwards shot he makes here offers up a pretty compelling argument. I'm going golfing with Reeds today and I almost WANT to have a ball end up on the downward slope of a backside of a bunker so I can try this shot out. It's ridiculous, check it out...



I'm not sure what's more amazing: the fact that he actually did hit it backwards, or that he put it within 5 feet. We've all watched the billiards trick shot competitions on ESPN from time to time (admit it, you have). This makes me want to see one for golf. I'd love to see Phil and Tiger go head to head, although in this case, you may have to favor Phil.

-Bess