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Courtesy of Greg Hardwig
Naples Daily News
NAPLES - England's Ian Poulter is a traveling man, to say the least. Poulter, like many Europeans, isn't one to shy away from crossing continents to play professional golf.
 Poulter is competing in his second consecutive Shark Shooutout. |
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But he took it to a different level over the past six weeks.
It started with the World Golf Championship-HSBC Champions in Shanghai, China, then the UBS Hong Kong Open, the Dubai World Championship, then to Shenzen, China, for the Omega Mission Hills World Cup, and then the Chevron World Challenge in Thousand Oaks, Calif. That finished on Sunday. Poulter, who also lives in Orlando, was in Naples on Tuesday for the pro-am party.
How in the heck did Poulter get himself ready physically for this stretch?
"I did six solid weeks in the gym, four or five days a week, 7 o'clock in the morning, trying to get my body prepared for what was going to be a grueling seven weeks," he said. "I've played very, very solid, all but one in the top 10. It's been good. I've weathered the travel aspect very well."
Grand total? 31,000 miles.
"It's been hard, but it's been fun," he said.
And some nice frequent flyer miles.
Shark Making Rounds
Greg Norman isn't playing, but the Shark was still circling the grounds at Tiburón Golf Club at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort.
 Norman had his picture taken with each Pro-Am group. He also attended a Chamber of Commerce breakfast Wednesday morning. |
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Norman, the founder and host of The Franklin Templeton Shootout, jumped in a golf cart to make the rounds to all of the pro-am teams Wednesday, and had his picture taken with each group. He also attended a Chamber of Commerce breakfast Wednesday morning.
Norman can't play because of a slower-than-expected recovery from late September right-shoulder surgery. It's the first time in the 21 years of his tournament that he isn't playing.
"I think it's going to be a better presence on the golf course," he said. "People won't be able to watch me play. When you're playing, you've got six hours on the golf course."
In addition to his usual hosting duties, not playing will allow Norman to talk more with corporate guests, hospitality areas, pro-am participants and fans, although nothing concrete has been set up to meet with fans.
"It's hard to plan," said Norman, who will spend some time in the booth during NBC's telecasts Saturday and Sunday. "I'll just go with the flow. I'll be going around and watching the guys play, so I'll be interacting that way. People will see me, and I'll be engaged to some degree."
Faxon Meets With Juniors
About 50 kids and parents were on hand in the Tiburón clubhouse Wednesday evening to listen to former Shootout champion Brad Faxon, who is playing again this week.
Faxon, 48, told of how he got involved in the game of golf -- one of the earliest was putting on a helmet and going out on a range and picking up golf balls in his native Rhode Island. He stressed that golf taught him such things as good manners, and how to shake hands and look somebody in the eye. But Faxon also played other sports, such as hockey and baseball, even table tennis.
"I played a lot of different sports," he said. "People ask me when do you just play golf, and when do you do other things. If you look down the money list of all the different golfers, they all played different sports.
"You may not think that other sports will help your golf. But when you're little and learning how to play baseball and tennis ... all of those things help you."
Faxon said that when golfers go to the Titleist Performance Institute out in California, they're asked what other sports they played, then tie in drills or regimens keeping that in mind.
"I think it's very hard when you're 6 to be a golfer for the rest of your life," he said. "I think you want to make sure you do a lot of different sports."
Faxon also stressed that parents should try to avoid overcoaching their kids.
"Let kids play, and let them learn how to do that themselves," he said. "That may sound crazy. I think there are many parents that try to over-teach and over-coach their kids."
Pro-Am Results
Duh-duh-duh, duh-duh-duh. ESPN's Chris Berman is part of the group tied for the lead after the first day with a 52. Teams played a shamble format -- each member hit a tee shot, then the best was picked, and each member then played their own ball the rest of the hole.
 The amateur team featuring Chris Berman (with Matt Kuchar) is in the Pro-am lead after day one. |
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Matt Kuchar was the pro with the team of Berman, Edward Eiswirth, Kevin Froemming and Michael Murphy. That group will play with pro Graeme McDowell on Thursday, starting at 10:23 a.m.
The team of Shawn Anderson, Dale Champion, Neil Rohrer and Andy D'Jamoos, who played with Chad Campbell, also had a 52. That team will play with George McNeill today.
Still time to sign up for 5K: The Franklin Templeton Shootout Charities are hosting a 5K race at Tiburón on Saturday morning, starting at 7:15 a.m. Runners can register up until 7 a.m. on Saturday.
Participants will compete on a self-contained course within the Tiburón Golf Club community.
Proceeds from the race directly benefit CureSearch National Childhood Cancer Foundation, the Shootout's primary charitable beneficiary.
Race-day registration is $30 and includes a daily grounds ticket. Children 18-and-under are $10.
Complimentary parking will be located at the Shootout's general spectator lot at the intersection of Airport-Pulling and Orange Blossom Road. Shuttles will be provided to event location. Bag/personal item check will be available on site.
Packet pickup is at Naples On the Run, 2116 Tamiami Trail North, from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. today and Friday, or at 6 a.m. on race day at the race site.
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