Way Down South With John Riegger
 

John is in Panama City, Panama, this week. He tees off at noon ET today in the Nationwide Tour's season-opener, the Movistar Panama Championship, at the Panama Club de Golf. His Internet and telephone access will be limited until he returns to the USA.

For a bit of the rich history of the PGA TOUR and this venerable site, click on http://www.pgatour.com/2007/h/01/24/...ure/index.html.

For some insights on the upcoming Nationwide Tour season and its players, click on http://www.pgatour.com/2007/h/01/18/...807/index.html and also http://www.pgatour.com/2007/h/01/23/...tes/index.html.

A Good Start
 

John opened today with a 2-under par 68 and is currently T-6 in a 132-man field. :salut:

His round included four birdies on the back nine (his first) and an eagle 3 at the par-5 4th (his 13th).

Go get'em, John! :dance:

Let's hope he can put together three more solid rounds. :)

More On Tap
 

I had the pleasure of spending four days with John this month...two in Las Vegas and two in Delray Beach, Florida.

There is more here.

Trust me...

There is more.

:)

Hangin' Tough
 

John had two birdies offset with three bogeys today, finishing with a 1-over 71. At 1-under for the tournament, he made the +3 cut comfortably and is now T-17.

Saturday is 'moving day' in big-league golf, and John can make it happen.

Good luck John
 

Tied 17th, swing so much better than previous times ( comparing his video form last year with old stuff on V1 download).... just need that panamanian sun to divert a few rays onto your putter and its game over for the others!

Good luck!

Thanks for posting the links re. schedule, Yoda. It is a great move for the "Nationwide" to go "global" and have tournaments in Australia and New Zealand. If there is one thing that has set some of the European/ Rest-of-world great players apart from their competitors in US is their ability to travel and win. Seve saw it as a crusading mission ( almost class war in his case), Gary Player travelled for competition itself( but demonstrated that his country was far more that Apartheid) and Ernie took over his role. They all won majors!!!

The real U.S. greats did travel and THE OPEN owes much to Arnold Palmer and co. for their airmiles!

It will be tough for some guys with family ties but a young buck will gain enormously from an adventure "down under". Aussies are some of the toughest competitors on this planet!! ( please note that the English cricket team have been soundly thrashed by Aussies over the last 2 months:( - despite beating them in England only 20 months ago. An Aussie with something to prove, playing on home territory, is a beast!)

Judgment Call
 

Unfortunately, John will not be playing the two Nationwide events in Australia and New Zealand. He really wanted to play -- in fact, he had committed to the tournaments -- but ultimately decided against it. The travel time and expense were just too burdensome. He will deploy both elsewhere, the first being the 4-spotter qualifier for the Nissan in Pacific Palisades, California.

Back Nine Blues
 

Tough day for John in Panama. He made the turn 1-under but posted four bogeys on the back side. Today's 3-over 73 gives him a total of 212, +2 for the tournament and T-23.

First Blood
 

John closed with 74 today and finished at 286, +6 for the tournament and T-37. Not his best week, but...

There are more weeks to come.

Thank you for the updates
 

Thank you for keeping us posted, Green One.

UPP in way way too cold to play Ohio