The scoop- Kuchar shot a 5-under-par 66 during the final round and made the playoff when Laird had a three-putt bogey on the final hole. Kuchar and Laird finished 12-under through four rounds. Kuchar receives a prize of US $1.35 million over the total cash purse of US $7.5 million at the Barclays. Laird came in second place on the leaderboard, and tied for third place were Steve Stricker and Kevin Streelman.

The Barclays started out looking favorable for Tiger Woods, and by far his best tournament of the year since his divorce. The world’s number one golfer led the leaderboard during the first round tied for 12th place at 7-under.

With the playoffs heating up this week, we should definitely look forward to adding stark competition to the Deutsche Bank Championship this week as Phil Mickelson and Jim Furyk join this tournament.

In other news, Michelle Wie won on the LPGA Tour, and top ranking Amateur Oklahoma State’s Peter Uihlein defeated David Chung to win the U.S. Amateur on Sunday. Uihlein had a great 21st birthday present on Sunday with this win.

Atwal, best known for his practice rounds with Tiger Woods, was ineligible for the playoffs and lost his tour card last month because he was too low on the money list when his minor medical exemption ran out. That came after he said he returned too soon following weightlifting injuries to both shoulders. Atwal had previously won on the European, Asian, and Nationwide tours.

The Wyndham marked the last chance for players to pick up points for the playoffs that begin next week in New Jersey. The top 125 in the Fed Ex Points will play at The Barclays, and the following week at the Deutsche Bank Championship the top 100 will play. Looking forward, many golf fans are wondering if Tiger Woods will play well enough to make it to this field.

Making the final cut, Michael Letzig, who arrived at Sedgefield at No. 125 on the points list, finished 14 under move to 118th place, solidifying his spot on The Barclays.
Most likely with so many surprising turns of events, golf fans have a lot to look forward to in the next 5 to 6 weeks as the season intensifies at back to back tournaments.

The American side’s automatic qualifiers for the Ryder Cup were determined following the PGA Championship. The world No. 1 announced on his website Thursday that he will play in The Barclays next week. The event kicks off the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup playoffs for the top 125 players on the points list.

Woods, who also won the first FedEx Cup in 2007, will have an uphill struggle to capture his third title. He currently ranks 108th on the points list and isn’t playing at this week’s Wyndham Championship. While it’s unlikely he will drop out of the top 125, he could mathematically fall as low as 132nd by Sunday, according to the tour.

After The Barclays, only the top 100 are eligible for the second round, the Deutsche Bank Championship outside Boston, which ends on Labor Day. That will be the final event before the U.S. Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin announces his four wild-card picks. The big question being will he pick Woods? It is most likely Woods will be just the player capable of handling the pressure during a Ryder Cup as the American team hopes for a win after a three year losing streak.

Players are grouped at The Barclays based on their FedEx Cup standings, and Pavin is currently at No. 107. However, he said last week he is unlikely to play Ridgewood because of a summer schedule of four majors (three on the Champions Tour) in a five-week stretch.

Most likely with the many surprising turn of events, golf fans have a lot to look forward to in the next 5 to 6 weeks as the season closes with the Playoffs and the Ryder Cup.

The problem for Johnson was that with all of the people standing in the area for four days had made it look like a non-bunker area. However, each player had received a note in their locker letting them know that anything in sand – whether just off the fairway or way in the galleries – is considered a bunker.

Unfortunately, this technicality cost Johnson the Championship as he was not included in the playoff. Instead, it was a two man playoff between Bubba Watson and Martin Kaymer. Watson started off hot with a birdie on the first hole, but Kaymer answered back with a birdie on the tough par three 17th hole, where he made it in two. On the final hole, the same hole which Johnson had the two stroke penalty assessed on him, Watson played a very poor second shot into the water. Kaymer laid up and then hit his 3rd onto the green. Watson hit a poor 4th shot, but almost made an improbable 5th shot from the bunker, the ball hit the pin and came off about 3 feet. In the end it was Kaymer making 5 and Watson making 6.

It was an unbelievable ending with all kinds of unlikely events happening in this major. Kaymer, from Germany, won his first major. Even though most of the spectators were pulling for Watson, Kaymer played the 18th much better and deserved the win.

A lot of young talent is coming up, with another first time major winner taking this tournament.

The fans definitely got their money’s worth at this PGA Championship!

Phil Mickelson comes forth as he reveals that he has been diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis.  The pain was so bad at one point he could not even walk.  Now that he is getting treatment for this, he is feeling about “80%”.  He is able to get back to practicing and in the weight room again.  It kind of makes sense now, because before that 78 on Sunday at Firestone, nobody would have thought (under normal conditions) Phil would shoot that kind of score on Sunday, even if his game was off.  Having arthritis must take away a lot of his feel in his golf game when the pain is high which would cause an errant shot like the bunker shot that flew the green by 30 or 40 yards on the Second Hole @ Firestone.  I don’t ever remember seeing Phil hit that poor of a shot especially around the green where he is a master.   It makes more sense now why he shot that kind of score on Sunday.   Phil, being the Champion that he is, did not make the excuse of his arthritis conditions and blame the 78 and or that bad shot on the second hole due to his condition.  According to Phil, he just had a really bad day.

I think a lot of professional golfers as they approach their 40’s and 50’s have some sort of mild arthritis issues whether it be the elbows, knees, hips, and or joints due to the years of hitting lots of golf balls and playing a lot.  This is a normal thing that happens to a lot of golfers as they get older.  I have been fortunate enough to have been introduced to a great brand of glucosamine that has worked wonders for me.  I would never tell anybody to take anything unless it was approved by their doctor.  The great thing for Phil is that technology has come so far in the past 10 years and great treatment is there for him.  The main thing is that if the treatment can keep the pain level down, he can practice and train and have that great touch that we are so use to watching over the years.

Tiger Woods opens up this week to let the world know that this has been a difficult year for him personally.  He mentioned that when his Father passed, he would come out to the golf course and think of the great times that had together.  Now, when he comes out, it is different and difficult to deal with.

I think that most of us have had challenging times in our lives and when we go out to the golf course and or to the driving range to practice, it helps us put those issues aside.  Because golf is such a mental game, it is hard to play well when there are so many negative and or distracting things going on in the outside like the issues Tiger is dealing with.  As time goes on we learn how to deal with the issues better or we put them behind us which frees up our mind and that helps to let go and move on.

I think we are in for a great championship this week.  If you take a look at the course, I believe that this will test the nerves of every player in the field.  There are some really long holes this week, along with narrow fairways and oh yes, we cannot forget about Lake Michigan coming into play on every hole on this course.  It should be fun to watch for the spectators.

Tiger said that he would say “Yes” to a spot on the team if Corey Pavin picked him as one of the four wildcard picks. Tiger would prefer to earn the spot on the team.  He went as far to say that Corey Pavin should choose someone else if he did not earn the spot on the team.

I find that one of the most important pieces to my workout and my golf game is meditation, which helps focus me mentally for the task ahead.  This may be as simple as a few deep breathing exercises before a round or actually sitting down and spending a little time before a workout.  I’d like you to try it along with me now, and then be sure to add this to your own routine.  Over time you’ll find this an effective way to relax and focus before your own golf game.

Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth slowly.  It helps me to count when I do this, in on 1 and out on 2 but you can do whatever works for you.  Let’s try that again.  Breathe in through your nose, 1 and out through your mouth, 2.

Now I’d like you to clear your mind of the stresses from work, family, and your last missed putt. Instead focus on what you want to accomplish.  Are you about to get ready for an intense work out?  Focus on having the best workout you’ve ever had.  Are you at work, getting ready for a presentation? Imagine yourself giving a fantastic presentation.  Are you about to go out for a round of golf?  Visualize yourself hitting right on target with every swing.    Now take another deep breath in, 1 and out, 2.

See?  That was easy!  You can do meditation at any time during the day to get yourself relaxed if you feel tense or anxious but where I really recommend you use this consistently is on the golf course during your round.  If you hit a really bad shot or just had a bad hole, take a minute to meditate and visualize that next tee shot going exactly where you want it to.  If you don’t have a minute, just take 30 seconds.  You don’t even have to close your eyes – just take a few deep breaths. If you just had a really great shot and the adrenaline is flowing, this is also a great time to get yourself back into mental focus.  Go ahead, take 30 seconds and calm yourself down.  Your buddies will never know you just had a Black Belt Golf moment – until you let them in on the secret!

Want to find even more Black Belt Golf Secrets?  Get the White Belt Lesson now!  Click here to purchase your copy today!