Mills' knees aren't knocking; Paul zings the PGA Tour

There's a good story on Canada's Jon Mills on the back page of today's Globe, written by all-around nice guy Michael Grange.
Grange goes over Mills' career pretty well and gives an indication of just how hard it is to keep your tour card as a rookie these days. Then Michael heads to Mills' wife, Megan, asks some questions and gets a funny response. Of course, there are reasons why you don't let you don't let your wife talk to the media, even someone as pleasant as Michael Grange. It is because of quotes like this:

"I was surprised how calm he was last week," she said of her husband's PGA rookie debut. "I've seen him knocking his knees at the Bell Canadian Open, but last week was like a regular week, and the same thing this week."

Then again, I think it makes sports stories more interesting to have some human element in them. And it is surely better than saying, "Well, I hit a 9-iron to three feet on 12...."

Mike Weir (who finally shot a good round yesterday) also had nice things to say about Mills:

"I like his game," Weir said. "He's long, which will help with the way the courses are set up out here, but more important, I like his demeanour. He's fairly relaxed and not awestruck. He's been a pro four or five years -- I think I got my card at about the same point -- and you're kind of ready by that time. It's a good time to get out here. You've played some smaller tours, you've worked your way up and you're hungry."

Mills isn't the only one who had a good day at the Bob Hope. Pat Perez shot 60!, while David Duval continued to put it in red figures.

If you're looking for interesting commentary on golf, plan to watch some ABC coverage and listen to Paul Azinger. Knowing that ABC won't be televising golf beyond this year means the gloves are coming off:

"I'm going to be no holds barred this year. If I think it, I'm saying it," Azinger told USA Today.

Zinger offers a lot to think about:

•On the subsequent 2007 schedule changes : "There's not a player out here that gets to vote on it. Input? They didn't ask anybody I know," Azinger says.

•On how to get Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Vijay Singh and other star players in the same fields : "If (Tour officials) don't put their foot down, the stars will always play where they want...."

•On the Golf Channel: "You have to look for golf to find it on The Golf Channel; you stumble on golf to find it on ESPN. You've got ESPN on in all the bars, and then golf comes on, which is good for the players. The Golf Channel's not on in too many bars."

And the final word: "The Golf Channel already treats the Tour with kid gloves. You won't ever see an exposé of any player coming off The Golf Channel."

I guess that's telling it like it is. Fascinating.