Grip on Sports: Golf is a traditional sport that, locally at least, isn’t afraid to change
A GRIP ON SPORTS • It is such a beautiful Saturday, one wonders why anyone would ever stay indoors. Let’s hope you are reading this on your phone while walking in the woods and enjoying the warm spring air. Watch out for tree roots though. We don’t want you blaming us for tripping.
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• The woods we were referencing? Maybe they are on a golf course. After all, that’s a great way to not only commune with nature, but to satisfy your competitive urges as well.
Not in competition with others, mind you. You have to be too good at the game to do that. But in competition with yourself. Can I actually make a putt outside of 7 feet? Can I hit more than three fairways off the tee? Can I keep my temper? See, competition on the course can come in many different forms.
It also can come in its traditional way, between really good players. And at a local tournament, such as the Lilac Invitational.
If you follow the local golf scene, you might be wondering why I would mention the Lilac on the first day of June. After all, it’s a July event, right?
Not anymore. As Jim Meehan explains in his weekly golf column, the Lilac has moved up the calendar this year.
Instead of its traditional mid-July dates, the Lilac will be held next week at the Fairways, the traditional course. There were lots of reasons to make the change, which Jim covers, so the organizers pulled the trigger.
One difference between July and June, though, is the weather. June is a little more up and down, with the chance of a day filled with soaking rain and highs in the 60s much more prevalent. The early forecasts call for the cooler temps next week, though only one day, Sunday, is forecast for precipitation. Of course, all that can change.
Just like the tournament itself.
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WSU: Around in the Pac-12, only one top-seeded team lost yesterday in the NCAA baseball tournament. That would be the Oregon State Beavers. Now they will have to battle through the losers’ bracket if they want to move on. … UCLA, the overall No. 1 seed, and Stanford won, while Arizona State lost. … Two Pac-12 schools met at the softball world series, with UCLA exploding late to top Arizona. … The saga of one USC football recruit is truly mind-boggling. … Herm Edwards has changed the direction of Arizona State football.
Gonzaga: Women’s basketball coach Lisa Fortier will have a great subject if she needs to write one of those how-I-spent-my-summer-vacation essays. Jim Allen explains what the subject would be. … The rowing team is competing at nationals.
Hoopfest: Though registration is limited, there are still a few spots left for this month’s premier downtown event. Ryan Collingwood explains how to fill the openings.
Preps: Dave Nichols joined Larry Weir yesterday for the latest Press Box pod.
Mariners: Hey, the M’s won, 3-2. Mike Leake pitched well and Jay Bruce hit the 300th home run of his career. … The M’s may give Yusei Kikuchi a break. … Gene Warnick has his Out of Right Field recap.
Seahawks: The Hawks may lose one of their front-office folks.
Sounders: Seattle will be without one of its key players today when it faces FC Dallas on the road. Nicolas Loderio is out due to yellow cards. … The future, however, belongs to Cristian Roldan. …The Timbers will be the US Open Cup opponent in Tacoma.
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• We will be inside some today. And outside. Not as much of the latter, however, as I would like. Until later …