Ryding High at the Cup

Day One of the 2008 Ryder Cup is in the books, and I must admit how surprised I am about the United States' 5.5 to 2.5 lead. A while ago, I spoke with Paul Azinger immediately after he was selected as team captain, and I asked him if he had any new strategies to motivate the troops.

"These guys don't need a bunch of rah, rah, rah," he told me. "If they aren't excited about winning, there's nothing I can say that will change that. Trust me, they all want to win as badly as the Europeans. I'm just going to stay out of their way and encourage an atmosphere of fun. Oh yeah, and making a few putts is going to help."

So far, mission accomplished. The Americans are high-fiving like crazy, doing dances on the greens, revving up the crowd, staying loose and enjoying the moment...and they are definitely making some putts. Keep it up, boys!

On another note, last week I returned from caddying for my friend Lee Palms at the USGA Mid-Amateur in Milwaukee. Lee played fantastic, but unfortunately our stay in the Badger State was shorter than anticipated. He had a rough three-hole stretch that absolutely demolished his score. Lee hit a couple of poor shots (as everyone does), but also got some horrendous bounces, and the next thing we knew, he had missed the match play cut by one stroke. He was obviously disappointed, but true to his new mindset, he was able to dismiss his bad breaks and focus on the positive: He had played 33 holes at just 2-over par. Lee said he learned a lot from the week, and he's fired up to return to this championship next year at Kiawah. Next on his "to do" list...Win the South Carolina Mid-Am next month.

The Jedi Mind-Tricks Triumph Again

Okay, I stand corrected. Maybe Vijay wasn't kidding when he told me last week that "he is the best"! Winning back-to-back FedEx Cup Playoff events is beyond impressive, and his flawless putting has been mind-boggling. Have you heard about Singh's new attitude toward putting? After months (years) of sketchy results on the greens, he recently started convincing himself that he's the "Best Putter in the World". Sounds like a page out of Bob Rotella's Your 15th Club book. The positive self-talk is definitely working for Vijay.

Speaking of Rotella's book, remember my amateur friend Lee Palms who has been on a roll lately, thanks to the concept of self-generated confidence? He tees it up this weekend in Milwaukee for the USGA Mid-Amateur Championship, and I'll be caddying for him. He competed in the U.S. Amateur at Pinehurst last month, and after an opening 76, rallied with a strong 69 to finish tied for 63rd after stroke play. He ended up in a 26-man playoff for the remaining two match play spots. Lee told me he stuck his approach to twelve feet on the first playoff hole, hit his putt right on line, but it just didn't drop (of course that's what he told me...it's all about the inner swagger). He admitted to having a blast, and he's taking it up a notch in Wisconsin. Hello, 2009 Masters! Keep an eye on us via the USGA website.

Padraig's Secret Weapon

Padraig Harrington is the new man to beat! He flips on the turbo-boosters when he needs to, and the Irishman fills the current Tiger-shaped void as someone who actually goes out and snatches the championship away from the other contenders.

Sergio played valiantly for the week, but a couple of key errors coming down the stretch cost him (why do you flirt with the water on #16?). Don't feel too sorry for Sergio, though...did you know that he has actually beaten Padraig in playoffs twice before? Garcia first humbled him on the European Tour at the 1999 German Masters, and again at the 2004 Buick Classic on the PGA TOUR. As much as Sergio probably dreads a head-to-head showdown with Padraig these days, it used to be the other way around. What has turned the tables? It's Harrington's secret weapon, or what he calls his fifteenth club...his superior mental game!

Padraig will be the first to admit that his swing and natural talent have never been head of the class. But he is a tireless worker, and more importantly, has totally embraced the notion of resilient attitude and a "soft focus". His mental coach is acclaimed golf consultant Bob Rotella, who just published a new book entitled Your 15th Club. In his book, Rotella reveals how Padraig's intense dedication to the mental side of golf has been the catalyst for his stellar play in the last few years.

You always hear a victorious pro praising their ability to focus and stay in the moment. I've never really considered "how" you are supposed to fine tune such abilities, but a good friend of mine named Lee Palms recently clued me in. Lee played briefly on the mini-tours after college, but quickly traded in his golf clubs for a briefcase and family life. In the past decade, he's had some success as a local amateur golfer in South Carolina, defeating most of the other "30-something" guys. But this summer Lee Palms has caught fire. He recently qualified for the upcoming U.S. Amateur at Pinehurst, beating out dozens of flat-bellied college players, and then last weekend he again stuck it to the "young guns" when he won the South Carolina State Amateur. This week, he qualified for the U.S. Mid-Amateur in September, shooting 66 and earning medalist honors for his site. During a congratulatory phone call, I asked him what has made the difference in his game.

"Don't laugh," he started out, "but it's seriously been my improved mental approach. Simplifying my routine, being target-focused over the ball, accepting my bad shots and moving on, positive self-talk only, journaling my good shots and building up my self-image as a successful golfer."

"OK, but how exactly do you do all that?" I asked. "My mind is going a mile a minute when I play a competitive round!"

"This is where Rotella's new book has really helped. He provides a bunch of techniques and phrases to help you establish a daily mental routine of affirmation and confidence. And then it's up to you to really practice and apply this stuff. It takes some commitment, but I've been working really hard on it, and it's obviously started paying off."

So there it is...a book about golf's mental game that is showing some real results. Not only is it benefiting Padraig Harrington, 36-year old winner of three of the last six major championships, but it's also helping Lee Palms, 39-year old working man and reigning SC State Am Champ. I've got no aspirations of following in the footsteps of either guy, but I do want to become a better golfer and maximize my potential. Stay tuned, because I'm ordering Bob Rotella's Your 15th Club today and getting on board.