Miracle Birdies - Helping Others

CHILDREN’S MIRACLE NETWORK HOSPITALS ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH  JIM FURYK

2010 PGA Tour Player of the Year Launches New Miracle Birdies Program to Raise Funds for Children’s Hospitals

SALT LAKE CITY (April 13, 2011)—Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals® a charity that raises funds for 170  children’s hospitals across North America, announced today a new partnership with 2010 PGA Tour Player of the Year and FedEx Cup champion Jim Furyk. Furyk has named Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals as his charity of choice for the next two years.

 To kick off the partnership, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and Jim Furyk are launching Miracle Birdies, a new fundraising program in which individuals, groups and sponsors can make a monetary pledge for each time Furyk makes a birdie during his tournament play in 2011. Each individual’s entire donation will be donated to their local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital. Individuals can participate by signing up at www.MiraclesBirdies.com.

 "I am honored to be partnering with Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals in the important cause of raising money for children’s hospitals,” said Furyk. “Through our ongoing support of one such hospital—Wolfson Children’s Hospital in Florida—my wife and I have witnessed many of the miracles that happen through the generosity of others. My hope is that together we can all create many more through the Miracle Birdies program.”

 “Jim Furyk is committed to our cause of saving the lives of children across North America, and we are appreciative of his support and the generosity of fans who will contribute to the Miracle Birdies program,” said John Lauck, President and CEO of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. “Through Jim’s extraordinary talent and career success, he will be a strong voice in motivating his supporters, sponsors and other individuals and groups to raise funds for sick children at hospitals in communities across North America.”

 Fundraising through the 2011 Miracle Birdies campaign is slated to begin in April at The Heritage PGA TOUR golf tournament and will conclude in October at the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Classic in Orlando, Fla. In addition to supporting the Miracles Birdies program, Furyk will sport the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals’ logo on his hat during tournament play. For more information on Jim Furyk’s Miracle Birdies, visit www.miraclebirdies.com.

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About Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals

Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals® raises funds for 170 children’s hospitals across North America, which, in turn, use the money where it’s needed the most. When a donation is given it stays in the community, ensuring that every dollar is helping local kids. Since 1983, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals has raised more than $4 billion, most of it $1 at a time. These donations have gone to support research and training, purchase equipment, and pay for uncompensated care, all in support of our mission to save and improve the lives of as many children as possible. Learn more at CMNHospitals.org.

 Please go to the link and pledge whatever you feel you can - thanks!

2010 PGATour Season Notes

Well - that's a wrap! The season finished with a whimper in Orlando today and I turned my thoughts to the year that was 2010. Tiger, Dustin, Rickie and players from Britain seemed to dominate the headlines this year and here are a few of my selections from the year with a handful of stats and predictions that should be of interest to you.

Player of the Year:  Dustin Johnson

Player of the Future:  Rory McIlroy

Money Leader:  Matt Kuchar $4.9 big ones

Best Day (in golf) of the Year: Phil's win at Augusta (closely followed by Ryder Cup Monday!)

Most Dominant Performance (in an event that matters):  Louis Oosthuizen

Feel Good Win of the Year: Robert Garrigus at Disney after giving up 3 shots on the 72nd hole at Memphis.

Sneakiest Player/s of the Year:  Retief Goosen (3rd in stroke average and 2nd in top 10's) and Bo van Pelt (13th Money)

Biggest Faders (player/s who started strong and vanished by mid year): Geoff Ogilvy, Phil Mickelson and Camillo Villegas.

Best Finishers (player/s who finished the year on a good note):  Matt Kuchar

Biggest Flops of the Year:  Tiger, Sergio, Padraig, Baddeley, Mike Weir and Boo

Biggest Surprise of the Year:  Matt Kuchar, David Duval (106 Money) and Jeff Overton (12 Money)

Best Hitter of the Year:  Joe Durant by a mile (1st in GIR and 2nd in FIR) Interestingly enough Joe also produced the most spin off the driver on tour...

Best Golf Course of the Year:  St. Andrews (The wind was a nice cherry on the top!)

Longest Yardage for Putts Made in any Round: 190' Fredrik Jacobson (Think about that...!)

Best Putter:  Brandt Snedeker (None of the top five putters were in the top 130 in GIR rank)

Consecutive Sand Saves:  Luke Donald 18

Holes Without a Three Putt:  Padraig Harrington 227 and counting...

Consecutive Fairways Hit:  Nick O'Hern 34

In a ten week span from April 29 - July 4 only two US golfers won on the Tour!

Rickie Fowler at the Memorial (Getty)

Player I would most like to be:  Rickie Fowler

Player I would least like to be:  Tiger Woods

Major Winners in 2011:  Retief Goosen (Augusta), Lee Westwood (Congressional), Rory McIlroy (Royal St. Georges) and Dustin Johnson(Atlanta)

Brightest Stars of the Future:  Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler and Matteo Manassero

Players to Watch in 2011: Adam Scott, Justin Rose and Ricky Barnes

Here are the Top 10 Shots of the Year according to PGATour.com

Thanks so much for your readership and support - I recently had my 100,000th hit here! Oh, and feel free to call me out on any of my selections or predictions for 2011....