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Old American Golf Club: "A Classic"

There may come a day when the name Tripp Davis resonates as loud and clear to golfers as the names Tom Fazio and Pete Dye. If that happens (more likely "when" it does), golf writers and golfers likely will point to The Old American Golf Club in The Colony as one of Davis' first original masterpieces of golf course architecture.

Further, by the time Davis' fast-rising star reaches its apex, The Old American will have grown in and become one of the absolute premier courses in Texas. Even now, a few months shy of its scheduled grand opening in the fall, it is spectacular. Playing it for the first time, one is amazed that, hole after hole, there is no let up in interesting design features, daunting challenges and awe-inspiring views.

It's simply a classic golf course designed by one of America's best young architects.

To read Mark Button's DFW Links review by, click here.

Justin Nominated for Texas Sports Hall of Fame

University of Texas standout, four-time Southwest Conference titleist and the nation's top collegiate player in 1994, US Amateur and British Open champion, Ryder Cup hero, and longtime PGA Tour star Justin Leonard has been nominated for the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.

The ballot was determined by media members around the state. The inductees will be determined by official voting members of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame and the selection committee. Members of the public may become voting members by joining at the museum’s website, www.tshof.org.

The official announcement of the Class of 2010 will be made in September. Ceremonies to enshrine the Class of 2010 will take place in early 2011 in Waco.

Leonard is the only golfer on the primary ballot. The late Dave Marr, University of Houston star and PGA champion, is on the veteran nominee ballot.

Others on the primary ballot include the Dallas Cowboys' Drew Pearson and NFL coach Lovie Smith.

Among the golf luminaries already in the Texas Sports Hall of Fame: Ben Crenshaw, Jimmy Demaret, Ben Hogan, Tom Kite, Byron Nelson, Harvey Penick, Lee Trevino, and 'Babe' Zaharias.

Steady Play at Pebble Earns Justin T14 at US Open

Four steady rounds of golf over the very difficult Pebble Beach Golf Links earned Justin Leonard a tie for 14th place in the 2010 US Open. Justin posted scores of 72-73-73-73 for a 7-over-par 287 total in an event in which no player finished under par. JL shared 14th with Ben Curtis.

It was the 3rd Top 15 finish in a US Open in Leonard's career and his 5th Top 25. His best is a T12th at the long and wet Bethpage State Park Black Course in 2002. Justin placed T16th at the Open at Pebble Beach 10 years ago, and T15th at Pinehurst #2 in 1999.

Old American Evokes Classic Designs - Golfweek"

"Options … abound at Old American. The course, as the name suggests, is a gesture of emulation toward the classic American designs that have inspired Davis and Leonard for decades. A student of design can read into these 250 acres features and touches that call to mind the likes of Shinnecock Hills, Prairie Dunes, Crystal Downs, Pinehurst No. 2 and Riviera. There are no copies of famous holes at Old American. But the rough-hewn bunkers with their droopy-eyebrow grassing lines evoke Perry Maxwell’s Prairie Dunes."

To read the entire "Rater's Notebook" review by Golfweek's Bradley Klein, click here.

Nike SQ Machspeed: "My New Secret Weapon"

"Optimizing aerodynamics in the total golf swing pulls the clubhead and shaft through the air faster, which leads to more distance." - Tom Stites, Director of Club Creation for Nike Golf

Justin Leonard can't get it in his bag fast enough. "This is my new secret weapon," said Leonard. "I am hitting it 10-12 yards further and am really excited to put it in play."

After successfully testing the new SQ Machspeed driver, Leonard likely will be using the Nike SQ Machspeed for the first time in competition at The Presidents Cup this week.

The new SQ Machspeed driver will use the power of aerodynamics to help golfers hit the ball farther and straighter - all due to speed.

The Machspeed driver is loaded with a combination of ground-breaking technology that was born from the minds of Nike Golf's team of engineers. In addition to having a lower, deeper Center of Gravity (CG) for a higher launch and increased distance, the SQ Machspeed features the award-winning Nike STR8-FIT technology, square technology and Nike's Total Swing Aerodynamic Design.

Click here to read more about the new Nike SQ Machspeed driver

Justin using new 'forward-roll' METHOD putter from Nike Golf

Justin Leonard has switched to the new METHOD putter, as have Nike PGA TOUR staff members Lucas Glover (2009 US Open champion), Stewart Cink (2009 British Open champion), Paul Casey 3-time winner on the American and European tours this year), and Stephen Ames.

The much talked about putter represents the emergence of yet another ground-breaking innovation from Nike Golf’s Research and Development center, “The Oven,” in Fort Worth, Texas (see the related story below). The Nike METHOD follows on the same game-changing trail blazed by square drivers and adjustable drivers, which were also created and developed at Nike Golf’s Texas facility.

The Nike METHOD groove technology dampens impact vibrations for a soft touch.

Inspired by the philosophy of the “scientific method,” the Oven’s team of designers and engineers combined steel and polymer in multiple ways before discovering the unique polymetal groove technology. The revolutionary and visibly distinctive polymetal groove technology is influential in creating a faster forward roll after impact for the kind of accuracy and consistency that is demanded by TOUR professionals. While most traditional steel-faced putters start the ball with backspin, causing the ball to initially bounce a little higher, the Nike polymetal groove technology starts the ball with forward spin to minimize bounce and keep the putts on line.

The new Nike METHOD will officially be available in the market on February 1, 2010, with limited, special edition quantities becoming available starting on November 1, 2009.

Nike Golf's "Oven" Re-Opens in Texas

"The Oven" - Nike Golf's state-of-the-art research and development center in west Fort Worth, Texas, re-opened recently. The nearly 50,000-square-foot facility is dedicated to the design of high-performance golf clubs and golf balls, including collaboration with Nike Golf Tour members such as Justin Leonard, Tiger Woods, and Paul Casey.

The name "The Oven" is suggestive of "cooking up great ideas," according to Kel Devlin, Nike Golf's Global Sports Marketing Director.

"Invariably when I come to 'The Oven,' I change equipment," Justin comments. "I always prepare myself on the drive down I-30 that one of my clubs is not going to be used again."

Each club that is manufactured for a Nike Golf Tour staff player passes through stringent tests. A Tour player gets measured for various specifications, and the club is produced based on those numbers. The club is checked against the specs at least five times. The Tour player then utilizes the hitting area to test ball flight, trajectory, impact noise, feel, and other nuances crucial to his game.

Part of the renovation includes a display of Nike golf clubs dating back to their first models, and historical mementos that highlight the evolution of the company's golf division.

"The Oven" is located next to Leonard Golf Links, owned by Marty Leonard (no relation to Justin).

Justin Featured in Jimmy Roberts' New Book

“I was trying to make myself believe that I was playing okay,” Justin Leonard recalls during his dismal start to the PGA TOUR season in 2007. “Because it’s hard to go out there and play with no confidence. And sometimes you have to try and trick yourself a little bit. It doesn’t mean I thought I was playing great, but I thought, ‘My game’s pretty good on Tuesday and Wednesday; why can’t I get that to Thursday and Friday?’ I had some brutal Friday nights.”

The story of how Justin turned it around with the help of his wife, swing coach Randy Smith, and mental game specialists Dick Coop and Lanny Bassham, is chronicled in NBC and ESPN golf analyst Jimmy Roberts’ new book, Breaking The Slump.

Click here to read more about this chapter in Justin's career.

Outside The Ropes Video Capsules Justin's Balanced Perspectives

"I'm a fairly conservative feel player. My game is to put the ball into play, and from there try to get more aggressive."

In a PGATour.com "Outside The Ropes" video, Justin comments on memories of taking up the game of golf, when he realized he could be competitive on the TOUR, the importance of the TOUR to communities, Tiger's dominance, family fun, musical tastes, weekly goals, and more.

Click here to view Justin's reflections.

Return of the Tactician

Golf Digest features Justin Leonard's New Swing

"I changed my grip and my setup with the help of my teacher, Randy Smith, and I started hitting the ball solid again. Once I was in control of my distance and trajectory, I could shape shots off the tee and into greens, like I always have. It's been the difference between hanging on to make cuts and playing late on Sunday with a chance to win." -- Justin Leonard

"He had to re-access that old Justin attitude -- that he wanted to chew your leg off," says Smith. "It was still in there. And he can hit more shots now than ever before. He's a big fish. Now he's swimming with them again." -- Randy Smith

Click here to watch the action sequence of Justin's new swing and to read Randy Smith's analysis.

Check out Justin's latest statistics:

Justin's PGA TOUR player profile
Justin's PGA TOUR results
Justin's PGA TOUR statistics
FedEx Cup Point Standings - Playoffs
Ryder Cup Point Standings
President's Cup Point Standings
Official World Golf Ranking