(By John Perry)
May 10, 2018:
Tiger is in need of a good opening round at The Players, after his closing round of 74 Sunday at The Wells Fargo.
Tiger Woods walks the fairway on Thursday’s opening round of the 2018 Players Championship (photo by John Perry)
Being contested at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, The Players Championship will showcase some of the greatest golfers in the world, including Tiger Woods, Rickie Fowler, and Phil Mickelson, all who will start their second round Friday morning.
In the midst of the battle, keep in mind that among that tri (Woods, Fowler and Mickelson) there sits a combined four Player Championship titles and 19 majors. Start times on Friday are at 8:27 a.m. ET.
Tiger coming off hole #5, where he bogged to put him at +2, eight back of the leader at -6. (photo by John Perry)
Woods (even) and Fowler (2-over) stayed around par during Thursday’s first round of the competition while Mickelson seemed to get lost in it all during his four final holes. Mr. “Lefty” (Phil Mickelson) came out of it with even par through 14 in the first round, however, final results put him at double, double, bogey, and double to finish overall at 7-over.
Professor Rahman Ali, a 10th Degree black belt and Founder, Yield Institute For Education & Leadership Development, at the 17th hole during the 2018 Players Championship
At the 17th Hole, I caught up with Professor Rahman Ali who is a 10th Degree black belt in “UPKU DO”. The acronym stands for: U: Upping, Knowledge, U: Unique, and “DO” To Work at. The UPKU DO martial arts system was founded by Grandmaster, Professor Rahman Ali. in 1993.
The “UPKU DO” (pronounced UpKuDo) style is something Rahman has perfected to a science. The native Floridian has been into martial arts for over four decades. Born and raised in Jacksonville, Fla., he has been married for 21-years and is the proud father of four boys and two girls.
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The solidly built fellow says he plays golf every once in a while, recreationally would be putting it up a notch. He attended Florida State University in Jacksonville. He studied Martial Arts under Grand Master Charles Dixon, a 10th Degree black belt and says that his favorite golf course is the Ritz Carlton, home of the PNC Father/Son Challenge down in Orlando.
Rahman also attended the University of Martial Arts College in San Diego, Calif., and is also the Founder of the Yield Institute For Education & Leadership Development, located at 1023 North Liberty Street, Jacksonville, Fl. 32206. Phone: 904-537-3846.
The professor has a younger son attending Bethune-Cookman and another goes to Alabama A&M. Rahman stresses self-defense as a life necessity, and, who can argue with that, especially in today’s world of uncertainty and blatant disregard for life in general. There was another “Ali” who was pretty strong on self-defense, too. And he had quite an illustrious career. “Nuff Said.”
HOPEFUL FANS
Fans were hopeful that Sergio Garcia would take the lead into Friday’s round, after gaining four birdies on the back nine, sitting on top of the list at 7-under, but shooting into the water on 17 made for a double bogey and resulted in 18 to finish his round two shots back, at 68.
Tied at the very top of the leaderboard a 6-under 66, are six amazing players including 2012 Player Championship winner Matt Kuchar, along with Billy Horschel and Brandt Snedeker.
John Perry is a freelance writer, poet and active golfer with a passion for calling shots like he sees them and, then, telling it like it is. He resides in Orlando, Florida.
