Devastated and “without appetite for life,”
Rafael Nadal contemplated a move into profes-
sional golf after a career-threatening injury
sidelined him,
the 10-time
Grand Slam
champion has
written in his
autobiography.
The Spanish
player writes
in “Rafa” that
doctors dis-
covered a rare
foot injury in
2005 that had
the potential to
sideline him for
good, prompt-
ing thoughts of
a future in golf.
In the book, provided to The Associated Press and
to be released in the United States on Tuesday,
the 25-year-old Nadal describes his toughest
on-court battles with Roger Federer, at the 2008
Wimbledon final and subsequent Australian
Open.
to read more.
An injured Rafael Nadal toyed with the idea of a future in golf.
the San Diego store, taking over the shop for
four-and-a-half hours. It’s the seventh time the
Start Smart program has been run with more
than 5,000 children from 90 schools taking part
since 2005.
to read more.
FUTURE COMMISH?
On the day before the start of the AT&T
National, Joe Ogilvie beamed as he strolled off
the Aronimink GC driving range. This had been
a good afternoon. He had already spent the
morning playing in a pro-
am with a trio of powerful
executives. It may be true
that Tiger Woods expanded
golf’s appeal, but it is even
more clear Ogilvie could
wield his own influence on
the game someday. The
37-year-old Ohio native
is arguably the smartest player on the Tour,
and more people have wondered if his destiny
doesn’t lie in becoming PGA Tour commissioner
some day.
to read more.
Joe Ogilvie
©John Mummert, USGA
GOOD PEOPLE
Phil Mickelson is well-known for his char-
ity work and one of his most unusual annual
events took place last week in San Diego. Each
year, the Phil and Amy Mickelson Foundation
sponsor Start Smart, an event that sees needy
children take over a local Target store to stock
up on essential supplies for the coming school
year. This year, 1,500 children were on hand at
CANADA RISING
The facts are difficult to ignore. There hasn’t
been a Canadian winner on the LPGA Tour for
more than a decade and the best finish by a
Canuck other than Charlottetown’s Lorie Kane
was Hamilton’s Alena Sharp’s seventh-place
showing in October 2007. So, has Canadian
women’s golf hit the skids? Kane doesn’t think
so and, at age 46, she remains relevant on the
LPGA Tour, even though her last visit to the
winner’s circle was back in February 2001.
Erin Hills thanks the
friends of Erin Hills
And we congratulate the
Champion, Kelly Kraft.
