Former PGA Tour Jim McGovern feeling dandy ahead of '13 PNC debut

Former PGA Tour Jim McGovern feeling dandy ahead of '13 PNC debut











PGA.COM June 14, 2013 2:01 PM

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PGA Professional Jim McGovern, who won the 1993Shell Houston Open , is now in his third season as the …


By Bob Denney, The PGA of America

Two decades removed from winning the Shell Houston Open, his lone victory of a 22-year PGA Tour career, Jim McGovern is at peace in a place where television doesn't shine its bright lights or draw the rapt attention of a scrutinizing national audience.

It is home, sweet home.

In his third season as the PGA head professional at White Beeches Golf and Country Club in Haworth, N.J., McGovernhas not retired from competition. He merely refined his priorities to what comes first -- his family. McGovern, 48, will be part of the 312-player field in his first PGA Professional National Championship, June 23-26, at Sunriver (Ore.) Resort. He earned his berth by finishing third in last fall's New Jersey PGA Championship.

"It's great; I like being home," says McGovern, sounding ever like a man who found Shangri-La. "I love it here. The traveling was getting to me. My kids were getting bigger and I wasn't there to see them grow up. I have even dabbled a bit as a basketball coach."

One of nine children of Howard and Terese McGovern, owners of a family trucking business, McGovern has six brothers. Brother Rob is a former NFL linebacker turned U.S. Army military attorney; and brother Bill is the linebackers coach for the Philadelphia Eagles.

"Bill getting that job means that I might have to put on a little green, but not when they face my (New York) Giants," joked McGovern.

The McGoverns are a hard-working family, says Jim, and that stems from parents who believed in earning what comes from sound business practices and building those you care about most. "My dad made us who we are, what we are," says McGovern. "Mom is still going great at 82, and she is working in our golf shop."

A native of Teaneck, N.J., McGovern says he hurt his arm playing baseball during the same part of the season as when golf season was starting in school.

"The golf coach also was a gym teacher," says McGovern. "I was a junior in high school at the time. I remember the coach saying, 'Hey McGovern, you better try golf.'"


McGovern's path to full-time golf was later sealed when he suffered a knee injury in football at Bergen Catholic High School. Perhaps it was destiny as the McGovern brothers had grew up near the fourth hole at Hackensack Golf Club near Oradell. They would sneak on the course at twilight for any game that they could squeeze in before sunset. "It was like the biggest backyard we'd seen," says McGovern.

"Golf was a perfect challenge for me," says McGovern, who turned professional in 1988. "For me, it was facing one opponent -- the golf course. I love being tested."

The competitive side of McGovern carried over to his responsibilities as a PGA club professional. He reviews merchandise orders, trains an apprentice, coordinates junior camps and oversees details for the club's member-guest tournament.

This is the same guy who made nearly 200 PGA Tour cuts, tied for fifth at the 1994 Masters, and earned nearly $3 million. He remains just the second New Jersey native to win on the PGA Tour, following 1941 PGA Champion Vic Ghezzi, an 11-time Tour winner.

When McGovern defeated John Huston in a playoff in the rain-shortened 1993 Shell Houston Open, he became one of six first-time winners on Tour that year and pocketed $587,495. He would never win again, spending years between the PGA Tour and the former Nationwide circuit.

He regained a Tour card for the 2008 season, making just 11 cuts in 26 events. By then a lack of success and the travel away from his wife, Lauren, and their four children had taken its toll.

A disappointing 2008 season convinced McGovern it was time to consider making a career change. After playing in a handful of Tour events through 2010, McGovern interviewed successfully for the head professional job at White Beeches, a 1920 Walter Travis layout, just a few miles from his Bergen County home.

The new experience of competing against his club professional peers in The PGA of America has been a fulfilling transition. "I enjoy being with the guys that I have met in this Section," McGovern says. "They have accepted me."

The chance to compete at the highest level has been a part of McGovern's DNA throughout his career.

"I like being competitive. I'd rather be watching a tractor pull than a soap opera," says McGovern. "It excites me."

The 46th PGA Professional National Championship is presented by Club Car, Mercedes-Benz and OMEGA. The Championship, June 23-26, will be televised live by GOLF CHANNEL.

Tiger Woods has an injured elbow, but remains in U.S. Open contention

Tiger Woods has an injured elbow, but remains in U.S. Open contention











Eric Adelson June 14, 2013 5:24 PMYahoo Sports







ARDMORE, Pa. – What looked at first like a new ailment has been bothering Tiger Woods for a while.

Woods' left elbow, originally believed to be a wrist injury, has become one of the major storylines of this major tournament. It flared up again on Friday after nagging him as early as the second shot of the U.S. Open here on Thursday. After shooting even par for his second round, Woods admitted his elbow has been hurting since The Players Championship in early May.

Woods didn't seem to show much (if any) pain during The Memorial leading up to the U.S. Open, but his poor performance there now seems more of a source of wonder than an aberration. How badly has the elbow been hurting, how often, and how much is it affecting his game?

Woods, closed-lipped as ever, gave a snippy answer when asked how he hurt the elbow.





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Tiger Woods grimaces after hitting his second shot on the eighth hole. (Getty Images)"Playing golf," Woods said.



Playing golf was certainly the cause of aggravation on Friday. The winces of Thursday became full-fledged grimaces as the afternoon wore on, not on every hole but especially when he was forced to escape from rough as tangled as late '80s computer wires.

The most pain seemed to come on Hole 7, when Woods tee shot veered left and left him in the tall grass behind a large tree. His ensuing shot caused him to swing his left arm behind his back in pain. Woods then flubbed his next shot, hitting a wedge no more than two feet, before carding a bogey that left him six shots off the lead at the time of the conclusion of his round.

The injury makes Woods' impressive second round even more notable, as he fought to even par and watched many of the other leaders fall away. After the end of his first round Friday morning, Woods was tied for 45th. After the end of his second round Friday afternoon, his 3-over was tied for 27th with many others still battling the course. The world's top golfer has a puncher's chance for his 15th major, bad elbow or not.

The pain doesn't seem to be weighing on Woods mentally. Keep in mind, his last U.S. Open win came on a torn ACL.

Asked if he liked his chances over the weekend, Woods simply said, "Yes."

Amateurs enjoy solid performances at US Open

Amateurs enjoy solid performances at US Open












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Cheng-Tsung Pan shot a 2-over 72 that put him in good position to make the cut.(Getty Images)

PGA.COM June 14, 2013 8:00 PM


By Dan Gelston, Associated Press

ARDMORE, Pa. -- Cheng-tsung Pan had a pretty good day on the course. He felt even better about it when he scanned the scores.

"When I look at the scoreboard with my last name up there, it's pretty cool," he said.

The Taiwan-born Pan was one of several amateurs who had a respectable showing in Thursday's opening round of the U.S. Open. Pan shot a 2-over 72 at Merion Golf Cluband put himself in solid position to make the cut.

Kevin Phelan of Ireland topped the four amateurs who completed early rounds with a 1-over 71 that put him four shots behind clubhouse leader Phil Mickelson.

Pan and Phelan did great at No. 13: Both parred the hole and picked up a birdie or two elsewhere.

"It's always nice to be able to compare yourself to the best in the world," Phelan said. "It's the first time I've had a round anywhere close to them. It's nice, but there's a long way to go."

Pan, 21, is a junior at the University of Washington. He missed the cut in his other Open appearance in 2011, saying he was too excited and had too many distractions to play his best game.

He brought only two friends with him to Merion. And this time?

"I had it going," he said.

Pan, who also answered questions in Mandarin, wants to graduate from Washington and become the first member of his family to earn a degree. He played nine holes Wednesday with his idol, Luke Donald, but never could bring himself to say how much he admired his game.


"Nah, too embarrassing," he said.

Phelan, who failed to make the cut in the 2010 Open, plans to turn pro later this year and attend Q-School. With more rounds like Thursday, Phelan just might reach his goal of making the Great Britain-Ireland Walker Cup team.

"It certainly can't hurt," said Phelan, 22, who lives in St. Augustine, Fla.

He was nervous before his first tee, but calmed down after his first swings. He came away from a practice round with Masters champion Adam Scott with some useful advice for taming the soggy course.

Sure, it's only Thursday and the amateurs concede there's too much golf ahead to start thinking about making the cut. But perhaps history could be on their side.

Only 21, amateur Jim Simons took a two-shot lead into the final day of the 1971 Open played at -- yes, Merion. Trying to become the first amateur to win the event since 1933, Simon faded to fifth. Lee Trevino would go on to beat Jack Nicklaus in a playoff. No amateur has led again on the final day.

Bobby Jones won the U.S. Amateur in 1930 at Merion, clinching his Grand Slam.

On Thursday, Michael Kim had three birdies and shot a 3-over 73 to join Pan and Phelan as the top-three amateurs. The 19-year-old Kim was more jittery playing practice rounds than approaching his first Open tee shot.

"I didn't really feel too nervous out there, other than maybe a couple moments," he said. "I just tried to have fun. Tried not to expect too much."

Three of eight amateurs made the cut last year at Olympic Club and the best score for the tournament wasJordan Spieth at 7-over 287.

"The gap between amateur and pro, I think it's getting smaller," Pan said. "As an amateur, we're getting more chances, more opportunities to compete in professional events. We learn from those."