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Plenty of Golf This Week

“Hooks and Slices” will bring you our view on whats happening in the golf world.

There is plenty of golf this week as all the major tours have tournaments scheduled.

The PGA Tour is back in New Orleans for the Zurich Classic. New Orleans is still feeling the effects of Katrina, and this tournament has a significant impact on New Orleans. The tournament brings $30 million into the area and donates $1 million to charity. Zurich’s chief executive is Jim Schiro and he has a special relationship with this tournament. His company took extraordinary measures to settle claims with its policyholders after Katrina. Larry Dorman, in the New York Times, offers an insightful look at the commitment of Zurich and the effect this tournament has on the people of New Orleans.

Some of these guys might be holding the trophy come Sunday: Nick Watney won here in 2007 and has one win already this year. John Merrick is continuing his hot season; he’s going to win somewhere this year. It’s welcome back to Kenny Perry, the most popular loser on tour this week. Danny Lee with his new deal with IMG makes his pro debut. Louisiana’s own David Toms would love a win here. He has three top tens and has found his game again after a sub-par ’08.

The Champions Tour offers up the “team format” of The Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf. Tom Watson and Andy North defend their title. Tom Lehman is making his Champions debut and is paired with Bernhard Langer. Many Champion favorites are in the field and these guys love the team format. Norman, Haas, Trevino, Crenshaw and first time winner Nick Price look to cash another check at Savannah. Price recalls his first professional victory thirty years ago.

The LPGA starts up again, they seem to play as much as Tiger does. At least they play three of the next four weeks. The girls get a jump on “Cinco de Mayo” with the Corona Championship in Mexico. Lorena Ochoa is defending and seven of the top ten players are there including a pair of hot Americans, Paula Creamer and Cristie Kerr. Stacy Lewis and Vicky Hurst are two of the American rookies in the field.

The European Tour is in South Korea for the Ballantine’s Championship and Ernie Els is doing his best imitation of Gary Player as he travels the world to play golf.

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