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Irish Red Ale SoCal style

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By Jared Dillon

 

Ireland is synonymous with beer, specifically stout. Another style Ireland is known for is the Irish Red Ale.

Originating in the town of Kilkenny, it finds its history in the style of an English Pale Ale. The primary difference between the two styles is color.

A roasted barley is traditionally used to give Irish Red Ale a darker color than English Pale Ale.

Interestingly enough, the style is not very popular in Ireland. Coors purchased the rights to Killian’s in the 1980s and through intense marketing, made it a popular American style.

Irish Red Ales typically are beers with a medium body and light-hop profile. Craft brewers around the country, though, have over-hopped the style in many cases. San Diego beers, such as Port’s Shark Attack or Green Flash’s Hop Head Red, are examples.

One of my favorite locally produced red ales comes from Ritual Brewing in Redlands. Its Extra Red Ale is one of their flagship brews and is everything a solid Irish Red Ale should be.

The flavors aren’t super intense, the beer has a nice, smooth mouthfeel, citrusy hop flavors and a lightly sweet malt profile. The beer itself pairs well with pretty much any style of food, given its relative inoffensive flavors.

This Saturday, Aug. 23, we will be doing a beer tasting with Ritual from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. at Idyll Awhile Wine Shoppe. Stop by and enjoy one of these fine beers and some delicious food.

Art Alliance stages Art and Treasures Weekend

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A recent Art Alliance of Idyllwild 2nd Saturday Art Fair at Idyllwild Community Park.
A recent Art Alliance of Idyllwild 2nd Saturday Art Fair at Idyllwild Community Park.

The Art Alliance of Idyllwild, one of the busiest and most visible of local nonprofits, presents a weekend of outdoor art. The Art and Treasures Weekend, envisioned as a mini Sawdust Festival (with a nod to Laguna Beach), gives AAI member artists an outdoor venue for two full days, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 30 and 31, under the pines at the Idyllwild Community Park.

Designed to attract Labor Day yard sale treasure seekers, locals and tourists, and showcase the wide diversity of local artists’ creations, the two-day event features entertainment by Tim Hornsey. Hornsey, whose art is featured at the show, will entertain with keyboard and guitar from 1 to 4 p.m. both days.

AAI President Gary Kuscher notes the growth in numbers of participating AAI artists as well as the quality of their work. “The work of member artists gets better every year,” he said.

There is no charge to attend the event now in its fourth year, and Kuscher said the vivid palette of colors and images, shapes and forms featured over the weekend will ensure there will be treasures for each attendee’s tastes.

“It’s great to be able to feature art at the Community Center site and continue to enhance Idyllwild’s reputation as a town of artists and a destination for finding quality art,” said Kuscher.

Goldspotted oak borer expanding sites

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D-shaped exit holes indicating infected tree.  Photo courtesy of University of California
D-shaped exit holes indicating infected tree. Photo courtesy of University of California

After only about a month, the number of confirmed oaks infested with goldspotted oak borers has surged 20 percent, to 48 from the 40 identified at July’s Mountain Area Safety Taskforce, according to Division Chief Gregg Bratcher, Cal Fire and Riverside County Fire Department forester.

Just as alarming as the rapid spread of the pest is the fear present within the community of seeking help identifying the sick and dying trees.

“I’ve heard from several sources that people don’t want to call the hotline because they’re afraid county fire will come and take the tree or trim it,” Bratcher said.

He emphasized that these actions are not permitted without the permission of the property owner. “We have no jurisdiction without permission,” he stressed.

Many inspections confirm that the oak is not infested with GSOB. In addition, Cal Fire and the Mountain Communities Fire Safe Council are compiling a database of where the infected tress are or were.

Calling the hotline to report a suspicious tree provides valuable data about the current GSOB infestation if the tree truly is infested.

“Any and all data is important to tracking and understanding the pest’s behavior,” Bratcher said. Identifying an infected tree may provide information on how quickly and when the damage is occurring, where are the “hot spots,” as well as how the infestation is moving within the community.

“If the tree is damaged enough to be cut, we’ll send a section to UCR [University of California, Riverside] to analyze it,” he added.

If property owners suspect an oak tree may be infected, They should first visit the UCR’s GSOB site at http://ucanr.edu/sites/gsobinfo/. Then call Cal Fire’s GSOB hotline at 951-659-8328.

Concerns expressed about Idyllwild Fire management

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Three individuals — two former reserve Idyllwild Fire firefighters and the father of one former limited-term firefighter and one current reserve — spoke at the Aug. 12 Idyllwild Fire Protection District meeting.

Unlike local residents who praised the medical service they received this summer, these three were appalled at the district’s leadership, both at Chief Patrick Reitz and the commission.

They described several incidents of personal abuse and orders beyond the scope of good management. Further, they feel the district’s commission has ignored these charges and abetted the poor, if not abusive and inappropriate, behavior.

While the commission and chief have referred to the two former firefighters as “disgruntled,” current staff have corroborated and confirmed several of these accusations.

Frank Altamirano
Frank Altamirano was the first to speak to the commission. He was a reserve firefighter for more than two years, starting in January 2011.

Summarizing his observations during this period, Altamirano said, “There was a lot of lying, cheating and manipulating of the system.”

Two incidents involving misrepresentation were the focus of his statement. The first was an offer from Capt. Mark LaMont to sign off on Altamirano’s FireFighter 1 training. Since he had not completed all of the required courses, Altamirano objected for fear that if he worked elsewhere this falsification of training would be apparent.

The second event was when IFPD truck 621 backed into one of the ambulances while on a call. Altamirano and Reserve Brett Leesburg were with the ambulance. Firefighter Adam Rodriguez was driving the truck and LaMont was his passenger.

While removing the gurney from the ambulance, it jolted and they nearly fell. The truck had backed into the ambulance without anyone guiding it, which is against protocol.

LaMont encouraged and suggested one of the ambulance crew “take the blame for the accident,” according to Altamirano, who eventually agreed after several meetings with LaMont.

Later in the week, Altamirano said Reitz had called him after last week’s meeting but not to ask about the incidents Altamirano described. Instead, he said Reitz wanted to know with whom Altamirano had shared his letter and who invited him to the IFPD meeting.

Kyle O’Dell
Kyle O’Dell, a former paramedic intern, spoke out about his treatment at Idyllwild Fire.

“I thought I was the only one with multiple problems with Capt. LaMont. I talked to the grand jury and I came tonight,” he started. Then he described how LaMont alleged O’Dell had forged LaMont’s name on training papers and he would lose his chance to complete his paramedic training. O’Dell spent $1,100 of his own money for a forensic handwriting analysis to prove it wasn’t O’Dell’s writing but LaMont’s.

O’Dell said he shared this incident with former Chief Michael Sherman, who replied that he would stand behind LaMont.

When O’Dell finished, he told the commission, “This is a defining moment. A decision has to be made. I’m willing to answer questions.” But no one asked him anything.

Thomas Gibby
Thomas Gibby has two sons. Eric is a former reserve at IFPD and works at a city fire department in the county. Vincent, starting paramedic school, is still an IFPD reserve.

Gibby effusively praised LaMont for the firefighter training he gave the sons. But he felt misstatements and innuendos were being spread about Eric and said LaMont said his source was Thomas.

Since Thomas was the supposed “source” of these falsehoods, he felt compelled to write the commission in January. Over the next three weeks, he wrote two more letters. None of these have been directly answered, he said.

“All I wanted was a response to my seven-page letter,” he implored the commission. “In the future, the commission might want to think about how it communicates. This situation snowballed.”

Commission President Jerry Buchanan acknowledged that he had not responded to Gibby. When he received the complaint about staff, he referred it to Reitz.

“It’s board policy that the chief deals with public complaints,” Buchanan explained.

According to Buchanan, Reitz did speak to Gibby. And eventually, they did use an outside investigator to pursue it further and decided no action was needed.

RMRU rescues Casey Abrams – in the past

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Casey Abrams (center) with his rescuers at Humber Park this week, Lee Arnson (left) and Les Walker of Riverside Mountain Rescue Unit. Photo by Jack Clark
Casey Abrams (center) with his rescuers at Humber Park this week, Lee Arnson (left) and Les Walker of Riverside Mountain Rescue Unit. Photo by Jack Clark

Several years ago, perhaps in 2007, Casey Abrams and friends were lost and stranded off the South Ridge Trail. Idyllwild’s Lee Arnson, surveyor, and Les Walker, photographer and ceramicist, both of the Riverside Mountain Rescue Unit, rescued them that night.

Abrams was in town this week because of Jazz in the Pines and stopped by the Town Crier with his rescuers to share the story that occurred when he was an Idyllwild Arts sophomore and before he was famous for being an American Idol finalist.

Abrams and his friends had decided to visit the fire outlook station on Tahquitz Peak.

“We made it to the top, looked through the windows, took some pictures and headed back,” he said. Unfortunately, getting tired and unfamiliar with the trail, they decided to take a short cut.

“It was terrible. We were lost and thought we’d have to eat ants. It was super scary,” he said, smiling. “We were down to our last drop of water, which we were saving.”

Although their phones’ batteries were dying and reception is poor in that area, the father of one of the boys did call 911 and reported them missing. This activated the RMRU unit.

First they saw a small light in the distance and as it got closer it grew; then the wind picked up a blast of air and they recognized the helicopter. “We were dancing on a rock, just happy and chillin’,” he said.

Arnson got out of the helicopter but was still a considerable distance from the boys. He had to go through all the manzanita and chinquapin — legs and arms getting scratched and cut. Finding them, he gave them water, but still had to escort them to the landing site.

“This is my favorite part,” Abrams said. As they approached the helicopter, they saw it had landed on a boulder, balancing on one skid. Arnson cautioned to go slowly, one at a time. Just then RMRU got another rescue call. So Arnson changed tactics. He and the boys just ran to the aircraft and jumped in.

“The helicopter ride was awesome,” Abrams said. They landed at Keenwild Ranger Station where the father who reported them missing was waiting to drive them home.

At the time, Abrams was just another Idyllwild youth who needed RMRU’s help. Arnson and Walker have been on many of these rescues.

But what is much rarer happened this weekend. The rescued party, Abrams, remembered, sought them out and thanked them profusely.

“You’re a big part of why I was on that show [American Idol].” Abrams said.

PHOTOS: Idyllwild’s 21st Jazz in the Pines

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When Deanna Bogart saw Vic Sirkin of Idyllwild (and a jazz fest volunteer) relaxing on the grass in the front row during her performance, she literally got “down and dirty,” bringing her lively entertainment directly to him and then throughout the audience during the 21st Jazz in the Pines at Idyllwild Arts last Sunday. Photo by Jack Clark
When Deanna Bogart saw Vic Sirkin of Idyllwild (and a jazz fest volunteer) relaxing on the grass in the front row during her performance, she literally got “down and dirty,” bringing her lively entertainment directly to him and then throughout the audience during the 21st Jazz in the Pines at Idyllwild Arts last Sunday. Photo by Jack Clark
The Euphoria Brass Band surprised Evan Christopher (second from left) when they paraded down the Holmes Amphitheatre as Christopher and other Idyllwild Arts alumni finished their performance Saturday afternoon. Jason Jackson (left) is on trombone, Henry Franklin on bass, and Bob Boss is on guitar and The Euphoria Brass Band members are on the right.           Photo by J.P. Crumrine
The Euphoria Brass Band surprised Evan Christopher (second from left) when they paraded down the Holmes Amphitheatre as Christopher and other Idyllwild Arts alumni finished their performance Saturday afternoon. Jason Jackson (left) is on trombone, Henry Franklin on bass, and Bob Boss is on guitar and The Euphoria Brass Band members are on the right. Photo by J.P. Crumrine
Marshall Hawkins on bass and Harry Pickens on piano in the Stephens Recital Hall last Sunday during Jazz in the Pines. Hawkins is the music director for the festival. Photo by Peter Szabadi
Marshall Hawkins on bass and Harry Pickens on piano in the Stephens Recital Hall last Sunday during Jazz in the Pines. Hawkins is the music director for the festival.
Photo by Peter Szabadi
Big Dev’s “Down Home” Barbeque returned to the jazz fest for the fifth year. Few of his plates were available by late Sunday afternoon.             Photo by J.P. Crumrine
Big Dev’s “Down Home” Barbeque returned to the jazz fest for the fifth year. Few of his plates were available by late Sunday afternoon. Photo by J.P. Crumrine
American Idol and Idyllwild Arts alumnus Casey Abrams gets up close to his audience at the Main Stage as the last entertainer of Jazz in the Pines Sunday. Photo by Jack Clark
American Idol and Idyllwild Arts alumnus Casey Abrams gets up close to his audience at the Main Stage as the last entertainer of Jazz in the Pines Sunday.
Photo by Jack Clark
Harry Pickens awes a large crowd in the Stephens Recital Hall during Sunday’s festival.      Photo by Peter Szabadi
Harry Pickens awes a large crowd in the Stephens Recital Hall during Sunday’s festival. Photo by Peter Szabadi
Ruby Presnell performs with Ruby Blue on the Main Stage during Jazz in the Pines on Sunday. Her other band, Ruby and the Red Hots, performed at the French Quarter on Saturday.        Photo by Jack Clark
Ruby Presnell performs with Ruby Blue on the Main Stage during Jazz in the Pines on Sunday. Her other band, Ruby and the Red Hots, performed at the French Quarter on Saturday. Photo by Jack Clark
Henry Franklin plays the bass with clarinetist Evan Christopher on Saturday afternoon at the 21st Jazz in the Pines festival. On Sunday afternoon, Franklin performed as the Skipper and Crew playing John Coltrane and Ornette Coleman in Stephens Hall.      Photo by J.P. Crumrine
Henry Franklin plays the bass with clarinetist Evan Christopher on Saturday afternoon at the 21st Jazz in the Pines festival. On Sunday afternoon, Franklin performed as the Skipper and Crew playing John Coltrane and Ornette Coleman in Stephens Hall. Photo by J.P. Crumrine
The Euphoria Brass Band from San Diego greeted people at the front gate Saturday morning as they entered the 21st-annual Jazz in the Pines festival. Photo by Jenny Kirchner
The Euphoria Brass Band from San Diego greeted people at the front gate Saturday morning as they entered the 21st-annual Jazz in the Pines festival.
Photo by Jenny Kirchner
The Associates of the Idyllwild Arts Foundation hosted its annual “thank you” dinner for all the people who volunteer to help make the Jazz in the Pines festival so successful. This year’s event was Wednesday, Aug. 13, at the school’s Nelson Dining Hall.           Photo by J.P. Crumrine
The Associates of the Idyllwild Arts Foundation hosted its annual “thank you” dinner for all the people who volunteer to help make the Jazz in the Pines festival so successful. This year’s event was Wednesday, Aug. 13, at the school’s Nelson Dining Hall. Photo by J.P. Crumrine
A large buffet table was set out for the Patrons Dinner Friday night at Idyllwild Arts. Photo by Jenny Kirchner
A large buffet table was set out for the Patrons Dinner Friday night at Idyllwild Arts.
Photo by Jenny Kirchner
Marshall Hawkins (left) on bass, Jeff Olson on drums and Bob Boss on guitar perform during the annual Patrons Dinner at Idyllwild Arts Friday night. Ruby and the Red Hots also performed to a crowd that had a hard time staying off the dance floor. Photo by Jenny Kirchner
Marshall Hawkins (left) on bass, Jeff Olson on drums and Bob Boss on guitar perform during the annual Patrons Dinner at Idyllwild Arts Friday night. Ruby and the Red Hots also performed to a crowd that had a hard time staying off the dance floor.
Photo by Jenny Kirchner

Lisa Haley closes Summer Concert Series

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Lisa Haley and her Zydekats will perform next Thursday, Aug. 21, at the Idyllwild Summer Concert Series. This is the final concert of 2014. Photo by Peter Figen
Lisa Haley and her Zydekats will perform next Thursday, Aug. 21, at the Idyllwild Summer Concert Series. This is the final concert of 2014.
Photo by Peter Figen

Lisa Haley and her Zydekats close the 14th Idyllwild Summer Concert Series. Wildly popular with Idyllwild audiences, Haley and her trademark blue fiddle return on Thursday, Aug. 21, to raise the musical temperature, heighten the humidity and spread the contagion known as zydecosis — an infectious inability to refrain from dancing, from smiling and from fully enjoying the moment.

With storm clouds predicted for next week, the arrival of Haley and her Zydekats will roll in additional weather fronts. She has been described as a force of nature, with her brand of bayou-born toe-tapping instrumental music colored by Haley’s smoky vocal stylings.

Grammy-nominated
fiddler, dancer, vocalist and songwriter Haley serves up heart-moving bayou rhythms that leave audiences feeling better and shaking their heads in wonder at how much better they feel.

Hayley’s 8th album, “Joy Ride,” is getting radio airplay in both the U.S. and in Europe, fueled by Hayley and her Kats’ international tours.

Happy to be returning to the ISCS stage, Haley spoke about the joy of playing in the beautiful outdoor Idyllwild setting. “We love Idyllwild,” said Haley.

Haley’s bayou roots and Louisiana heritage are deeply ingrained and boldly color her music as a fourth-generation fiddler. Her mother’s family were Irish immigrants who arrived in Roddy Bayou, Louisiana, in 1718 to escape a smallpox epidemic, just before a French diaspora forever changed Louisiana. The family soon married into prominent French families further imprinting the musical meld that became zydeco.

Mentored by Cajun and zydeco accordion legends Queen Ida, Danny Poulard and Joe Simien, Haley learned her fiddle secrets from Cajun fiddle master Canray Fontenot.

The Zydekats are: Lisa Haley on violin and vocals; David Fraser on accordion, harmonica, keyboards and vocals; Andy Anders on bass and vocals; and Cam Tyler on drums, rub board and percussion. Called “The Mick Jagger of Zydeco, with swamp rock ala Bonnie Raitt and Lucinda Williams” (Jake Bacon, KUCI radio, Orange County public radio), Haley is a musical experience not to be missed.

Opening at 6:15 p.m. for Lisa and her Kats are locally popular Swift Pony. Haley takes the stage at 7 p.m.

ISCS producer Ken Dahleen and his board thank the Idyllwild community for their donations and sponsorships that have made this series the first in 14 years to make budget before the end of the series. Any money collected at the final concert will be applied to next year’s concert budget, guaranteeing that Dahleen and board will be able to bring the best entertainment to year 15.

Slight increase for Covered California health premiums

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Covered California announced new premiums for 2015. “The vast majority of Covered California consumers will see low increases in their health insurance premiums for 2015, and many consumers will see no increase or even a decrease,” said a recent press release.

Consumers will have a choice of 10 health insurers for 2015. Open Season begins Nov. 15 and plans take effect Jan. 1, 2015.

An average increase for policies in Riverside and San Bernardino counties is 4.5 percent. The largest average premium increase is 8 percent for both Anthem (preferred provider organization) and Health Net (exclusive provider organization) plans, which covered 13.9 percent of the enrollees. Kaiser Permanente plans declined 1 percent, ranging from a 7 to 1 percent decrease.

The insurance companies and rates are preliminary because they are subject to independent review to determine if the rates are reasonable and state review of other regulatory standards. After the reviews, which should be completed by the end of August, Covered California will announce the final selections and rates.

All insurers submitted bids for products that include children’s dental plans, making it convenient and affordable for families to get dental care for their children. In response to customer feedback, some health insurance plans will offer expanded provider networks so Californians may choose from a wider selection of doctors, Covered California said.

According to Covered California, nearly 123,000 individuals in this region chose its coverage this year and 90 percent received premium assistance. During Covered California’s first open-enrollment period, from October 2013 through March 2014, nearly 1.4 million Californians enrolled in coverage through Covered California, of which more than 1.2 million were eligible for premium assistance to help pay for health care coverage. Another 1.9 million Californians qualified for low-cost or no-cost Medi-Cal coverage.

In most areas of the state, the amount of subsidy individuals receive will either increase or remain very close to 2014 subsidy amounts. This means that for many consumers, any increase in premium will be offset by an increase in subsidy.

 

Off the main roads: Leading a group hike …

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You’ve been asked to lead a large group of your friends out into the wilderness. Holy responsibility, Batman. What do you do? Don’t panic. Just follow these tips to help you pull off a safe and successful trip.

1. Prepare: Always research your hike. Check weather forecasts and prepare for the worst conditions possible. Make sure that you and your participants all have enough food, water, appropriate clothing and the 10 essentials. Review the topo map or mapping software, and use the distance, elevation gain, time and number of people to help you plan your itinerary. This will help you get a real feel for the true difficulty of your hike. Plan accordingly to make sure you’re not groping your way home unexpectedly in the dark.

2. Choose participants wisely: Don’t take just anybody into the wilderness. Consider participants’ levels of conditioning and experience. As a leader, it’s your responsibility to turn down people who might pose a risk to the group based on the type of trip you are planning. Remember, it’s better to hurt feelings than to injure people.

3. Lead and sweep: Every large hiking group should have both a lead and a sweep. A good leader sets a pace everyone in the group can follow without undue strain.

If you’ve gotten to the peak and half your group is utterly exhausted, you’re at a much higher risk for injury or mishap on the way down.

The sweep follows along behind the group on the trail making sure everyone in your party is accounted for. If someone stops for a bathroom break, the sweep stays back to wait. No more, “Hey, where’s George?” at the peak.

And no, do not let your inexperienced kids run ahead of the lead or lag behind the sweep unless you want to meet search and rescue.

4. Fastest last: Large group hikes tend to move along like an unwieldy accordion. The fast people at the front jack-rabbit up the trail until they realize they haven’t seen their slower partners for the last 20 minutes.

They stop, wait until the tortoises catch up, then head off again helter-skelter, leaving the tired tortoises with no real time to rest.

By putting your fastest hikers at the back of your group, you avoid the “accordion effect” and keep all of your group in happy hiking condition.

5. Backpack bathroom breaks: If a group member absolutely must jump off trail for a quick call of nature, they should leave a significant piece of gear, such as their backpack, alongside the trail to signal the sweep behind them to wait. And never go too far off trail to just use the bathroom. Too much modesty can get you lost.

6. Communicate information and expectations: Send out an email ahead of time with the trip itinerary, mileage, elevation gain and expected time back. Make sure friends and family also are aware of this information just in case someone outside your group needs to sound the alarm for you.

7. Personal responsibility: Everyone should have their own 10 essentials, map, compass and know where the heck they are going. You’d be amazed how many people just blindly follow behind the leader with no awareness of their surroundings.

You never know when you may become separated from the group. If you haven’t been paying attention, your chances of getting lost skyrocket.

8. Buddy system: Everybody on the hike should have a buddy to look out for. Buddies are responsible to make sure their partners are eating and drinking enough and that their physical condition is good. Any issues need to be reported to the group leader and the sooner the better.

Good luck and enjoy a safe trip.

 

Steele in the money at the PGA

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Brendan Steele didn’t tear up the course in Louisville last week, but he played the weekend, earned some money and gained a few more FedExCup points in the PGA Championship, the final major of the year. It also was the Idyllwild native’s final tournament of the regular season, since he will sit out this week’s Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Steele posted an even-par 70-71-73-70 — 284 on the Valhalla course, finishing in a tie for 59th place. His major stats were off a bit across the board, particularly strokes gained putting, which was -0.417. Still, he won more than $20,000 in prize money and gained 10 FedExCup points.

Steele finishes his regular season in 65th place on the FedExCup points list, which earns him a spot in next week’s The Barclays, the first of the four FedExCup playoff tournaments. Although the playoff tournaments are worth quintuple the points of regular-season events, which injects a great deal more volatility into the point standings, he should also have enough points after The Barclays to compete in the second tournament, the following-week’s Deutsche Bank Championship, open to players in the top 100 on the points list.

If Steele is still in the top 70 after the Deutsche Bank, he will play in the BMW Championship the week after that. He will need to improve into the top 30 to make the Tour Championship by Coca-Cola on Sept. 11.

 

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