Leave it to Bubba Watson to pantomime what many critics think about the Golf Channel's daytime filler coverage.

Special thanks to Yahoo!'s Jonathan Wall, who tracked down this video of TGC's Alex Miceli (guest starring the Masters champ) from last week at the Barclays.

Watson, like most reasonable people, appeared unmoved by the newfound knowledge that Charlie Hoffman plays 2007 model-year Pro-V1s, and ... let's go to the tape:

Clearly, Watson was eager to get back to the infomercials of Montel Williams endorsing Tommie Copper Compression Sleeves, and Mark O'Meara selling Medicus Drivers. You know, the good stuff.

(Also of note here are the related videos provided by YouTube at the end of the clip. "Bentley the Bulldog Puppy is Fussy pt. 2," "Smoky the Kitten & Mr. Squirrel," and Synchronized Fountain Swimming. Golf fans, this is what the Internet thinks of you.)

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. -- On Wednesday at the Barclays, Keegan Bradley talked about playing clandestine eightsomes with the St. John's golf team at Bethpage Black, what he expects to hear from the New York fans this week, trying to schedule a game with Tom Brady and more. Here are the highlights.

Bradley started by saying how much he was looking forward to the week:
I love Bethpage. It's my favorite course in the world, and it feels great to be back here. A lot of really great memories of this course.

What could you tell us about the one greatest moment you've had here even though maybe it wasn't in a tournament or competition?
Yeah, I remember vividly the first time I got to come play here. We used to -- it's supposed to be secret but it's not secret anymore. The superintendent Craig Currier used to allow us to come up and play on Mondays when the course was closed. We'd pull up and park at his house and we'd start on the third hole and play, because there was nobody out here, so we could play, us all in one group,  seven, eight guys, and just having such fun little matches and basically having Bethpage Black to ourselves. I don't know if there's anybody in the world that's ever experienced that. Just great memories of the team at St. John's.

You keep telling that story, and you keep saying it's a secret. You understand if you keep telling us it's not a secret anymore, right?
Yeah, my coach called me one day, kind of joking but kind of not. He's like, "You've got to stop talking about it or we'll never get back out there." It's kind of a cool story because in 2009 I really wanted to make this U.S. Open. It was my first year as a pro and I bogeyed the last two holes of the second stage to miss by one, and I was devastated. So I'm so happy to be able to come back and play here and have a chance to play in front of these fans.

I think you told me that you had gotten a hole-in-one out here.
My first hole-in-one was on the 12th hole on the Red. My mom was out there. It was at our St. John's tournament. And what people don't realize is how good the Red Course is here. I think it's close to the Black, it just gets overshadowed a little bit.

And I also know that you have built a bond with Tom Brady. Have you had a chance to golf with him yet?
I haven't had a chance to play with him, but I'm watching as much as I can. Someday we'll get out there. He doesn't play during the season, so we're kind of in a tough spot because it's my off-season, his season. But we'll get out there.

Do you know what his handicap is?
No, but I think he's pretty good from what I hear. I think he can break 80, so I'll give him a few shots.

You're a guy that can play under pressure. What's the atmosphere like here in the playoffs, and especially on 17 when all those fans are going to be lining it?
Yeah, I think that the fans here are the most vocal of any fans maybe other than Phoenix. It's going to be a lot of fun, a lot of St. John's guys out there, which makes it great, and I think 17 -- that whole back side -- on Sunday is going to be something to remember. I think there's going to be some good and some bad. But it's going to be really fun, and I would just love to be there on Sunday to experience it late.

You said after your last win, your reaction was that you loved everyone. Do you feel that way this week?
Definitely not, no. I have a lot of "Go, Yankees" yelled at me this week. But they can have their run this year because the Red Sox are a little bit embarrassing at the moment.

Bradley will start on the back nine Thursday at 8:05 a.m. Eastern. For a full transcript of Bradley's press conference, go to ASAPSports.com.

(Photo: Ross Kinnaird / Getty Images)

Scott Halleran / Getty Images

A Woods-McIlroy rivalry may be only a wistful dream for golf fans (and writers), but don't think the players are unaware we're pulling for it.

Consider the scene during press day at The Barclays. Rory took the mic before Tiger and ran a little long -- long enough that Tiger had to wait for his turn. After answering a slew of questions about the Ryder Cup, McIlroy gave Woods a little wave. Then, he was asked another.

"I know the Ryder Cup is a ways away," one reporter asked, "But how --"

McIlroy snatched the question mid-air: "Yeah, I'd love to go out there," he joked. "I'd love Tiger to go out first and kick his ass."

Woods, never one to joke about something so serious as golf, stopped the gag cold with one word and a canny grin.

"I know he was joking, but are you ready to have your ass kicked by Rory at Medinah?" asked a voice from the crowd minutes later.

"At Medinah?" Tiger said, already slipping into a smile. "No."

Take heart golf fans (and press). As they say, jokes often spring from a kernel of truth. I think Ben Franklin said that. Maybe the Simpsons. No matter: We will be free to imagine any rivalry we want Thursday morning, when the two take the course side-by-side in first round of The Barclays at Bethpage.

For the complete transcipt both press conferences, go to ASAPSports.com.

Spencer Levin, ranked No. 45 in the FedEx Cup standings, withdrew from The Barclays Monday following the death of his brother, Blake, according to the Golf Channel.

“The Levin family is touched by and appreciative of the ongoing support they have received,” said Levin’s agent at Legacy Agency, Kevin Canning, in a statement released by the PGA Tour and cited in The Golf Channel article. “Spencer will be returning to the PGA Tour as soon as time and family will allow.”

With Levin out, and Jason Dufner skipping The Barclays for much lighter reasons (vacation), the field is down to 123. The open two spots will not be filled.

The best sound bites from Tuesday's press conferences at Bethpage:

MASTERS CHAMPS TALK AUGUSTA
Bubba Watson: "We got the text or the call from my manager that there was going to be two ladies, and so yeah, my wife joked she wanted to be one of those ladies, but obviously she didn't make the cut. Maybe she's the third lady."

"But no, it was good to see. It's always in their time. They want to do it the right way, they want to get the right membership in there what they're looking for, and obviously it's great. It's great for golf, it's great for the game."

Zach Johnson: "In my opinion, or based on what I've read and what I've seen, the timing is right to have a couple women members so far and hats off to them. ... I know this time of year is when they start inviting new members, so I know there's a longer list than just two women. ... Knowing some of the members there, they're always very gracious to have new members come in, and I don't foresee that being any different. It seems like Chairman Payne is a guy -- well, I think he's great. I think he certainly has always had a pretty open mind about things, and that's why you've seen some tweaks and changes at Augusta and the Masters. Yeah, I think it's fantastic."

ON THE LENGTH OF BETHPAGE BLACK
Bubba Watson: "We're the only sport that keeps changing our distances. LeBron James feels like he can jump over the goal but they're not raising the goal in basketball, not changing football fields with guys throwing passes farther. So it's going to get tougher as I get older, it's going to get tougher the longer the golf courses are. Some of the guys out here just don't hit it as far, so it makes it really tough. For me, I'm loving it; for them, they're probably not as happy as I am."

Zach Johnson: "Everything about it is just big. It's almost like each hole is its own little -- you don't see another hole, you're on that hole and that's it. There's a couple holes that are side by side, especially on the back nine. But elevated tee shots, uphill tee shots. ...  Granted, my memory of '09 is we had a deluge, so there was no roll. I think as of right now we're getting some roll, and we could even get more roll if the forecast stays the same."

"But I think it's great. I mean, it's right out in front of you. It's not hidden. There's certain holes you've just got to get off with a great shot, starting the tee box through the green, and that's what separates a championship course from an okay course."

Dustin Johnson: "It's whoever is going to drive it the straightest and the furthest is who's going to win. The rough is very penal. But you definitely have an advantage being a longer hitter."

LOOKING AHEAD TO THE RYDER CUP
Bubba Watson: "This week I'm staying with a Wounded Warrior. I'm staying with another active military member, and staying with these guys in a house this week, talking to them, and seeing what they do for us, our freedoms. For me to put the red, white and blue stripes on and wear that badge proudly, it's the only time I get to be somewhat close to military. I'm not as tough as those guys, but somewhat to have a flag on, so it's just representing our country."

Zach Johnson: "I've been on both sides of [the selection process]. Fortunately I'm on the secure side this year. Every year you start off, one of your goals is the Ryder Cup or the Presidents Cup, depending on the year, and I think those are outcome-oriented goals, so you have objectives you have to accomplish. Those goals are really what's more important, and I think this is one of them."

Dustin Johnson: "You know, he probably already has the guys he's going to pick, I would say, and these next couple weeks probably could change his mind. But most of the guys have played well all week, and I've played pretty solid all year long, and I think I'd be a great asset to the team, and hopefully I'll get picked. "

TALKING 'BOUT PLAYOFFS?
Dustin Johnson: "It's hard not to get up for them. I'm always excited, especially you want to make it to the Tour Championship and obviously win the FedExCup. That's a nice check in the pocket. So that's how I get up for it. You know, it's great, and I don't know how you couldn't when you're playing for that kind of cheese."

THE TIGER FACTOR
Zach Johnson: "Well, you can't deny the fact that he's taken the game to another level. I mean, guys have done that prior to him, and I think guys will probably continue to do that. I don't know that we know who those individuals are yet. But yeah, I mean, the game of golf has grown, and then when you kind of inject Tiger Woods into it, it just adds another boost to it, I guess. In the late '90s it just started to skyrocket. And fortunately we have a guy, I think, who understood that and a Tour who understood that in Tim Finchem, and we've made of best of that from a business platform, from a financial platform, and certainly it's helped me and my peers financially. I mean, you can't deny that, relative to the '80s and '90s."

"But I think we've also shown that when he had some injuries and whatnot that we can survive without him, too, and we can build and grow. So he is a huge, huge part of the PGA Tour, no one is going to deny that. But I still think that our game is in a great position, and I think that our product is in a great position with the PGA Tour. I don't think anyone or any entity is above that."

JOHNSON ON PLAYING WITH TIGER AND RORY IN THE MARQUEE GROUP
Zach Johnson: "Two guys that you certainly can get caught up watching just because of the shots they can hit, shots they can hit that I can't hit. I'm just hoping my boring golf kind of gets in the way, and that's really what it boils down to. I like boring golf. That's kind of what butters my bread."

"I guess if I wasn't playing with them and I was working out or in my hotel, I'd probably be watching them on TV, so now I've got a firsthand watch. I know the crowd will be pushing them quite heavily, and it'll be fun."

WATSON AND THE WOUNDED WARRIORS
Bubba Watson: "...Russ Holden represents a lot of different charities, but Caddie for the Cure is a big one, and Wounded Warriors, he helps with them. He contacted me and asked if I wanted to stay at the house, and I said, a free house? Yeah, I want to stay there. So he told me who was going to be there, and Teddy, my caddie, could stay there, too, so we all are staying there."

"Last night we got in. They cooked dinner, we had some steaks and we just talked and asked them about the Wounded Warrior, asked them about what happened, and he showed me a picture of the car that blew up and all the things."

"Basically I'm there just talking to them. I'm in awe of them, they're in awe of me, but I'm really just watching them and learning from them about how much they fight for our freedoms not knowing who we are, not knowing anything about us. They're out there taking bullets and dodging bullets for us to give us freedom to do what we do. It was an honor for me to stay with them and be a part of just communicating with them and talking with them and hopefully cheering them up a little bit when they get a little down."

READ COMPLETE TRANSCRIPTS AT ASAPSPORTS.COM

This is why Bubba Watson can't have nice things. Because he'll hit golf balls off of them.

Check out these video's of Watson's warm up before his Tuesday practice round at Bethpage, which he posted on his Twitter account.

First: off the pillow, from the deck, nothing but the bottom of the lake...

Next: from the stranger's living room, off the nice rug, right past the camera man's exceedingly trusting forehead...

Let's let Bubba explain himself, which he attempted to do at his press conference later that day:

This house that we're staying in, it's off the lake there, and the owners that aren't here, of the house, asked if I'd take a picture in front of their house so they can tell their friends that I've stayed there and whatever. So I was talking to Russ Holden from Caddie for the Cure. So I just said, why don't we just hit balls off the deck into the lake. I can do it. He goes, you don't have that much room. I said, I can do it. So I came out, I got ready to come to the golf course, so I came out in my golf clothes, had my club, my new glove, got some balls, hit off the pillow. Then I said, let's move this indoors. So I moved it indoors and hit off the rug. I had to fly...the little railing is about five feet high, four feet high, so hitting 4-wood off the tight carpet was a little tight, but I just got it up and made it out of the house.

To put the homeowners at ease, the Masters champ added that he didn't break anything, because "[he's] alright at golf, sometimes."

Not everyone was impressed. Jason Dufner, who's on vacation this week, razzed Watson via Twitter.

@bubbawatson since when do u hit 3-woods?? Driver of the pillow please. Be a man!

— Jason Dufner (@JasonDufner) August 21, 2012

On Bubba's behalf, we'll ask Duf to up the ante: Let the lumber loose in your own living room.

Watson did manage to entertain some more important company, though. He's staying in that house with both injured and active members of the military, and they all seemed (rightly) amused. We'll let Bubba explain this, too:

[Russ Holden, who represents the Wounded Warrior Project] contacted me and asked if I wanted to stay at the house, and I said, a free house? Yeah, I want to stay there. So he told me who was going to be there, and Teddy, my caddie, could stay there, too, so we all are staying there.

Last night we got in. They cooked dinner, we had some steaks and we just talked and asked them about the Wounded Warrior, asked them about what happened, and he showed me a picture of the car that blew up and all the things.

Basically I'm there just talking to them. I'm in awe of them, they're in awe of me, but I'm really just watching them and learning from them about how much they fight for our freedoms not knowing who we are, not knowing anything about us. They're out there taking bullets and dodging bullets for us to give us freedom to do what we do. It was an honor for me to stay with them and be a part of just communicating with them and talking with them and hopefully cheering them up a little bit when they get a little down.

That'll do, Bubba. Looks like you're off to a good start.

Just before Sergio Garcia finished his victorious Monday slog through the Greensboro mud at the Wyndham, news of his impending victory was bumped down the chain by some big news from Augusta. But none of that satisfies every T&R devotee's burning question: "I wonder what Rory McIlroy is up to?"

Breathe easy, now we know. McIlroy -- along with his shiny new Wanamaker trophy -- was at Dyker Beach Golf Course in Brooklyn to run a clinic for some 50 juniors, according to Bill Pennington of the New York Times. And, apparently, he wasn't responding well to some of the borough's more unique atmospheric touches:

Rory McIlroy hunched over the putt Monday, his eyes determined and fixed on the hole in the middle of the putting green.

Suddenly, a loud, piercing siren interrupted his concentration. Two fire trucks roared by on the adjacent street, alarms wailing and tires screeching. McIlroy straightened.

“I’ve never been to Brooklyn before,” he said in his Irish accent. “Got to love that.”

Then he missed the putt.

Better get used to it. He can expect to hear things both louder and more profane once he gets to Bethpage for The Barclays later this week.

No matter. Rory's preparing in his own special way: By smashing tennis balls with a golf club in an empty football stadium. Here's the video, put together by the New Haven Open, where McIlroy's girlfriend, Caroline Wozniacki, is the four-time defending champ:

Curious sounding tennis ball. Actually, just a curious little video all around. Expect to see much more of Rory in romantic tennis situations, though. He rolled out his first (vaguely Shakespearean) advertising photo for the WTA Tuesday, found here via WhoSay:

Apparently, Wozniacki was too busy playing tennis in New Haven to make the trip to Brooklyn.

Jason Dufner, currently ranked No. 3 in the FedEx Cup standings, is taking a slow approach to the start of the PGA Tour playoffs. He's skipping the first event.

Dufner announced his intention to skip The Barclays on Friday in order to rest up for his late season schedule, according to Helen Ross of PGATour.com.

"I’ve had a pretty heavy schedule since Firestone or so and I’m looking forward to the second part of the Playoffs," Dufner told Ross. "I’m just not going to be able to do eight out of nine weeks with the TOUR Championship and Ryder Cup at the end of it."

Guessing that's not what the Tour wants to hear. Dufner is playing this week at the Wyndham Championship, and actually has a chance to vault over Tiger Woods and into Cup's top spot with a good showing. (He'll go into the weekend at five under -- seven shots back.) As it is, the Duf was slated to play in the marquee group alongside Woods and Rory McIlroy next week at Bethpage.

But Dufner's priorities are less immediate than that, and, apparently, his motivations are less monetary. Dufner defended his choice to play the Wyndham rather than the more lucrative Barclays, explaining that he has played in Greensboro each of the seven years he's been on tour, and felt a strong need to extend that streak. In our book, there's nothing wrong with that.

On Monday, Tiger Woods formally committed to play in The Barclays. Formally is the operative word here: There was little doubt Woods would head to Bethpage to play the playoff event, which starts Aug. 23.

But, barring any serious changes, that commitment means fans won't have to wait until the Ryder Cup to see Woods and Rory McIlroy go head to head, according to PGATour.com. As No. 1 (Woods) and No. 2 (McIlroy) in FedEx Cup standings, the pair will play side-by-side during their first two trips around the Black Course in the tournament's top threesome.

McIlroy vaulted six spots in the FedEx Cup points standings after his eight-shot win in the PGA Championship, locking up a top-three finish in the final standings even though he won't play this week. The third spot in that group -- currently held by Jason Dufner -- remains up for grabs, as does the order of finish. But only Carl Pettersson, who, along with Dufner, is in the field this week at the Wyndham Championship, can muscle his way into the marquee group. Petterssen currently trails Dufner by 450 points; the winner of the Wyndham earns 500.

Regardless, Duf or Carl will feel like a third wheel to most fans, and you can expect many fans will make the trip to Long Island to see golf's two biggest names go shot-for-shot.

Hurricane Irene is expected to hit New Jersey late Saturday, and tournament organizers at the Barclays are watching the radar closely.

"We’re keeping an eye on the situation and looking at numerous options,” said Slugger White, vice president of rules and competitions for the PGA Tour. “But there won’t be a decision made on changing or moving tee times until Friday when we have a better idea of what the storm will do."

According to NJ.com, the options for playing all 72 holes are shaping up like this:

- A 36-hole final on Saturday.
- Playing Saturday's third round and as much of the fourth round as possible and finishing up on Monday.
- Playing a full third round on Saturday and then getting in as much play as possible on Sunday, if the storm were to stall and finish on either Monday or Tuesday.
- Finishing on Monday and/or Tuesday depending on the weather and the condition of the golf course.