Johnny Miller, 20 years ago, effectively predicted Tiger Woods’ back woes

Hindsight is easy, foresight not so much. Looking back, the Red Sox should not have sold the Babe to the Yankees to finance “No, No Nanette.” Had they known ahead of time the decades of wandering in the wilderness to which they would be sentenced, they’d have kept him.

Which somehow brings us to Johnny Miller.

Miller gets criticized frequently for, what, having opinions with which some don’t agree? Can’t we just stipulate that a man who was the best player in the world for a time, a winner of the U.S. Open and British Open, a remarkable ball striker who had the yips and acknowledges having choked, who basically came out of retirement to win the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in 1994, might know what he’s talking about?

Related: Did Johnny Miller have Tiger figured out all along?

But we digress. Miller used to write a column for Golf World’s print edition. I stumbled across one written 20 years ago, just after Tiger Woods won the U.S. Amateur for the third time, before he had played his first event as a professional. Miller wrote this:

“The only thing that bothers me is that Tiger at 20 already has swing-related injuries and signs of a bad back even though he works out and is in buff condition. The combination of being wiry, strong and blazing fast puts a lot of stress on his spine. He weighs about 155 pounds and can carry the ball almost twice that far in yards. That’s almost unheard of. If you take a 350 Chevy small block engine and it puts out 400 horsepower, no problem. But Tiger puts out about 650. When you do that in a car, it’s easy to throw a rod.”

Well, Woods threw several rods in the ensuing years. Most recently, he has had two back surgeries that have prevented him from playing competitively for nearly a year with no time frame for when — or if — he might return.

Woods’ absence from the PGA Championship this week is the 10th major championship he’s missed since winning the U.S. Open in 2008. He’s keeping the repair shop in business.

Source: www.GolfDigest.com

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McIlroy new betting favorite for PGA Championship

Rory McIlroy is looking for his third PGA Championship title in the last five years, and bettors appear to like his chances.

McIlroy has received steady support at the Westgate Las Vegas Superbook, and he is now listed ahead of Dustin Johnson as the betting favorite this week at Baltusrol Golf Club. The Ulsterman, whose odds opened at 8/1 after The Open and was available at 9/1 on Tuesday, is now available at 7/1.

According to Westgate manager Jeff Sherman, his book has received more money on McIlroy than all but one player in this week’s field – Phil Mickelson, who won this event at Baltusrol in 2005 and is currently 15/1.

Here is a look at the odds on some of the tournament favorites as of Wednesday afternoon:

7/1: Rory McIlroy

8/1: Dustin Johnson

10/1: Jason Day

12/1: Jordan Spieth

15/1: Phil Mickelson, Henrik Stenson

20/1: Sergio Garcia

30/1: Adam Scott, Justin Rose

40/1: Rickie Fowler, Branden Grace, Matt Kuchar, Bubba Watson, Patrick Reed, Brandt Snedeker

50/1: Zach Johnson, Charl Schwartzel, J.B. Holmes

60/1: Brooks Koepka, Louis Oosthuizen, Bill Haas, Hideki Matsuyama, Jim Furyk, Martin Kaymer

80/1: Jason Dufner, Steve Stricker, Lee Westwood, Danny Willett

100/1: Keegan Bradley, Kevin Chappell, Scott Piercy, Tony Finau, Justin Thomas, Rafael Cabrera-Bello, Gary Woodland

Source: www.golfchannel.com

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Staying Hydrated – Staying Healthy

When the temperatures rise, getting enough to drink is important whether you’re playing sports, traveling or just sitting in the sun.

And it’s critical for your heart health.

Keeping the body hydrated helps the heart more easily pump blood through the blood vessels to the muscles. And, it helps the muscles work efficiently.

“If you’re well hydrated, your heart doesn’t have to work as hard,” said John Batson, M.D, a sports medicine physician with Lowcountry Spine & Sport in Hilton Head Island, S.C., and an American Heart Association volunteer.

Dehydration can be a serious condition that can lead to problems ranging from swollen feet or a headache to life-threatening illnesses such as heat stroke.

How much water do you need?

What does being well hydrated mean? The amount of water a person needs depends on climatic conditions, clothing worn and exercise intensity and duration, Batson said.

A person who perspires heavily will need to drink more than someone who doesn’t. Certain medical conditions, such as diabetes or heart disease, may also mean you need to drink more water. People with cystic fibrosis have high concentrations of sodium in their sweat and also need to use caution to avoid dehydration. And some medications can act as diuretics, causing the body to lose more fluid.

Thirst isn’t the best indicator that you need to drink. “If you get thirsty, you’re already dehydrated,” Batson said.

Batson said the easiest thing to do is pay attention to the color of your urine. Pale and clear means you’re well hydrated. If it’s dark, drink more fluids.

If you want to know exactly how much fluid you need, Batson recommends weighing yourself before and after exercise, to see how much you’ve lost through perspiration. It’s a particular good guide for athletes training in the hot summer months.

“For every pound of sweat you lose, that’s a pint of water you’ll need to replenish,” Batson said, adding that it’s not unusual for a high school football player, wearing pads and running through drills, to lose 5 pounds or more of sweat during a summer practice.

Not sweating during vigorous physical activity can be a red flag that you’re dehydrated to the point of developing heat exhaustion.

Water is best.

For most people, water is the best thing to drink to stay hydrated. Sources of water also include foods, such fruits and vegetables which contain a high percentage of water. Sports drinks with electrolytes, may be useful for people doing high intensity, vigorous exercise in very hot weather, though they tend to be high in added sugars and calories.

“It’s healthier to drink water while you’re exercising, and then when you’re done, eat a healthy snack like orange slices, bananas or a small handful of unsalted nuts ,” Batson said.

He cautioned against fruit juices or sugary drinks, such as soda. “They can be hard on your stomach if you’re dehydrated,” he said.

It’s also best to avoid drinks containing caffeine, which acts as a diuretic and causes you to lose more fluids.

Batson says drinking water before you exercise or go out into the sun is an important first step.

“Drinking water before is much more important,” he said. “Otherwise, you’re playing catch-up and your heart is straining.”

Source: heart.org

 

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