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**truebluefan** · 03-09-2008, 09:08 PM

Harbour Town Golf Links, Hilton Head, South Carolina
Purse: $5,500,000

**truebluefan** · 04-16-2008, 08:20 AM

Brandt Snedeker didn't know whether to laugh or cry.So after registering his best finish in a major championship Sunday at Augusta National, Snedeker did both.And he said he woke up Monday with no regrets of how he handled himself while playing in the final group at the Masters and shooting a 77 en route to tying for third."I can't remember the last time I cried like that," Snedeker said. "That's probably why it happened there, because I needed a good cry. ... If there's one tournament in my life that I would want to win, it would be that one.

**truebluefan** · 04-16-2008, 08:21 AM

Today was just a day for relaxing and shopping. I never did make it to the outlets, but I made it to some of the boutiques on the island, and you can find some really neat stuff.

At one of the boutiques, a girl who worked there asked me if I lived here. I told her no, and then she asked why I was here. I told her that, actually, my son is playing in the tournament. She asked me my name, and I told her. She said, "I read your article in the paper this morning. I knew that was you."

I'm just killing time because Boo needed to practice today, and I don't want him to feel like he needs to baby-sit Mom. It's just him and me here now. Boo drove his courtesy car from Augusta, and my husband Tom and I followed in our car. Tom had to fly back home after opening ceremonies, though.

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**truebluefan** · 04-16-2008, 08:23 AM

As the golfer ranked third in the world, Ernie Els can fix a swing. But he can't fix Ben, his only son. Ben is 6, and he has autism. On Tuesday, Els used the same press tent at the Verizon Heritage where he usually diagnoses fades and hooks to speak at length about Ben for the first time publicly.

"You know, you want your kid to be a normal kid, like everybody," he said. "You want your kid to play sports and you want your kid to do normal things, and when it doesn't happen, you kind of ask questions, and that's when you really want to know exactly from doctors, you want to know the answer."

Like so many others, Ernie and Liezl Els thought their son was simply a slow developer. When they spoke to him, there was no response. He didn't walk until he was 2.

They had Ben tested across the globe only to find that there is no simple, straight answer.

One in 150 American children -- and almost one in 94 boys -- has autism. It's a disorder with no known single cause. It affects a person's ability to communicate and interact with others.

As Els, 38, stands on the Harbour Town driving range this week, he can't help but think how many of the younger players up and down the line will wrestle with autism. They'll need a program to follow, and that's why Els said what he said to the world Tuesday.

"... We all want to have families and we all want to live happily ever after," he said. "But things happen in life, and you've got to be more prepared when it happens."

Life is not as easy as his famous swing, but Els offers hope.

"The good Lord gave us a good challenge here, and he won't give it to people that can't handle it," he said. "That's what I feel like."

Picture perfect

Linda Hartough of Spring Island -- called "the Rembrandt of the back nine" by The New York Times -- will host a public drop-in from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. tonight at her gallery next to CQ's restaurant in Harbour Town.

Her Lowcountry landscape paintings were discovered at the island's Red Piano gallery in the early 1980s. She was commissioned to paint the 13th hole at Augusta National Golf Club and the rest is history. She's now the only artist ever commissioned by the U.S. Golf Association and the Royal and Ancient Club of St. Andrews to do the annual, official paintings and prints for the U.S. Open and British Open.

Now those first two golf commissions -- the 13th and 16th holes at Augusta -- are back in her gallery and for sale. Bring your checkbook. They're $70,000 each, or two for $130,000.

**truebluefan** · 04-18-2008, 10:00 AM

American Boo Weekley, who grabbed his first USPGA Tour title at this event last year, returns to defend his crown at the Verizon Heritage which begins on Thursday.

Weekley won last year by firing a 14-under-par 270 to edge South African Ernie Els by one shot.

Entering the event this week, Weekley has three top-10 finishes in 11 events in 2008.

He was in contention at The Masters last week before a final-round five-over 77 led to a 20th-place finish.

"I feel like if I can putt halfway decent on them greens, when I get here maybe I can carry that over and putt a little better here this week," Weekley said.

A runner-up here in 2005 and 2006, American Jim Furyk indicated there is an adjustment from the courses from last week at Augusta (7,445 yards) to the shorter Harbour Town Golf Links (6,913).

"It's more of a challenge to adjust than people might think," Furyk said.

Weekley will be trying to keep a streak intact this week as no defending champion has missed the cut at this event since Davis Love in 1993.

A five-time winner at the Harbour Town Golf Links, Love returns to the event this week.

Els, who missed the cut at The Masters, will try to turn things around this week. He has one win this season but also has missed two cuts in five overall events.

"I've been working a little bit with (coach) Butch Harmon," said Els, of Johannesburg.

"Obviously it wasn't great timing, starting to work with him just before the Masters. But I really kind of lost my swing a little bit after the Honda Classic and I needed to do something. I wanted to go his route."

Also in the field are Stewart Cink and Brandt Snedeker - a pair of players who were near the top of the leaderboard last week in Augusta.

Cink and Snedeker tied for third, four shots behind winner South African Trevor Immelman, who is not entered.

**truebluefan** · 04-18-2008, 10:02 AM

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. - There are a handful of instantly identifiable images associated with the PGA Tour’s annual stop on this boot-shaped island.

The red and white striped light house.

Boats bobbing on the Calibogue Sound.

And Davis Love III.

Complete article

**truebluefan** · 04-19-2008, 10:42 AM

Lucas Glover's tired of keeping his frustrations to himself. Two more rounds like this at the Verizon Heritage and he won't have to.

Glover shot his second straight 66 to move to 10 under and take a one-stroke lead over defending champion Boo Weekley (64) on Friday at Harbour Town Golf Links.

Anthony Kim (67) was alone in third at 8 under, with two-time Verizon Heritage winner Stewart Cink (68), Cliff Kresge (66), and Stephen Ames (64) another shot behind.

"I've been a pain at home, (that) would be fair," Glover said. "But I take it out on myself and kind of clam up in my own little shell."

Glover felt he'd uncovered a problem with his ball positioning and posture at the Shell Houston Open, where he posted his first top-15 placing of the year.

**truebluefan** · 04-19-2008, 08:37 PM

Defending champion Boo Weekley continued his remarkable run at Harbour Town Golf Links, using a stretch of five straight birdies to move in front Saturday in the Verizon Heritage.

Weekley shot a 6-under 65 to reach 15 under and move three strokes ahead of Anthony Kim (67) and five in front of Aaron Baddeley (67), Jason Bohn (67) and Cliff Kresge (68). Second-round leader Lucas Glover shot a 73 to drop seven shots back.

Weekley chipped in on the 71st and 72nd holes a year ago to beat Ernie Els for his first PGA Tour victory. The good-natured, self-proclaimed country boy from the Florida Panhandle hasn't slowed down in his return.

"Overall, it was a great round," Weekley said. "I kind of got to feeling solid over my putts."

No one's had a better start than Weekley at Pete Dye's menacing masterpiece of tight fairways, smallish greens and railroad ties.

Weekley has a sting of seven straight rounds in the 60s. That tied Greg Norman for second at Harbour Town behind Nick Price's nine in a row.

Those major champions had made several Harbour Town starts before their streaks began. Weekley hadn't teed it up here until last year.

Weekley started the day a stroke behind Glover. Weekley fell two back after finding the sand on the par-5 second hole and settling for par while Glover made birdie.

Then Weekley's run began with — what else? — a chip in on the par-3 fourth.

"It was good to see something go in," he said. "That got me jump started."

A two-putt birdie on the par-5 fifth followed. Weekley stuck his approach on the next hole to 7 feet for a third straight birdie and a tie with Glover.

Complete article

**truebluefan** · 04-20-2008, 11:46 PM

Justin Rose has withdrawn from the Verizon Heritage with a bad back.

Rose opened with a 5-over 76 on Thursday at Harbour Town Golf Links and was 10 shots off the first-round lead shared by Davis Love III, Justin Leonard and Lucas Glover.

The seventh-ranked Rose was one of three golfers in the top 10 competing one week after the Masters. The others are No. 3 Ernie Els and No. 9 Jim Furyk.

**truebluefan** · 04-20-2008, 11:48 PM

Boo Weekley won his second straight Verizon Heritage — and didn't need any dramatic chip-ins to do it.

Weekley captured his second career PGA Tour title at Harbour Town Golf Links on Sunday, shooting an even-par 71 for a three-shot victory over Anthony Kim (71) and Aaron Baddeley (69).

A year ago, Weekley needed miraculous chips on the 71st and 72nd holes to edge Ernie Els by a stroke. In this one, Weekley took a three-shot lead into the final round and watched it grow by mostly staying trouble free, and seeing competitors struggle to try and catch up.

"It was a lot easier than last year, wasn't it?" a smiling Weekley said to his group on the 17th hole after his routine par.

Kim trailed by three at the start and, paired with Weekley, was in the best spot to pressure the leader. But Kim's chance at a first PGA Tour title disappeared with a double bogey on the par-4 ninth.

Jim Furyk, ranked ninth in the world, was the hardest charger early, cutting a six-stroke deficit in half with three birdies in the first five holes. Furyk, though, fell back with a bogey on the 11th.

He shot a 69 to finish fourth, his third top-five finish in the past four Verizon Heritages.

No one else, including former Verizon Heritage champs Baddeley and Stewart Cink, could make a run at Weekley.

"I just struggled," Weekley said. "I reckon everybody struggled."

Not that Weekley didn't add his own pizazz to the round. He made bogey on No. 8 after botching a chip, then looked in trouble on the 10th with a difficult pitch over a bunker. And Weekley killed it — right into the cup for a birdie that put him up by five.

Weekley grinned as the gallery chanted his name over and over.

He did it again four holes later, slam dunking a 30-footer for birdie from the fringe that if it didn't hit the cup might have rolled into the water off the edge of the peninsula green.

Again, the crowd ate it up as Weekley pumped his fists in celebration.

Weekley earned $990,000, and a second straight invitation to the Masters. He tied for 20th at Augusta National to miss qualifying for 2009.

Complete article