Tucson draw means McIlroy and McDowell can only meet in final

World number seven McIlroy faces Boo Weekley

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland and caddie JP Fitzgerald during practice prior to the start of the World Golf Championships - Accenture Match Play at the Golf Club at Dove Mountain in Marana, Arizona yesterday. Photograph: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images

Two little slips in the world ranking – Rory McIlroy down from sixth to seventh, and Graeme McDowell from 15th to 17th – have contrived to ensure the only two Irish players in this week’s WGC-Accenture Matchplay Championship can only meet if they both make it all the way to the final in Tucson.

With three of the world’s top-four ranked players – Tiger Woods, Adam Scott and Phil Mickelson – staying away, Sweden’s Henrik Stenson is the top seed in the championship and McIlroy is actually the top-ranked player in the Ben Hogan bracket, where he will open his quest for the matchplay title against American Boo Weekley.

McDowell is seeded fourth in the Sam Snead bracket, on the opposite side of the draw to McIlroy, where he has a first round encounter with the big-hitting American Gary Woodland.

Two-week breakMcIlroy returns to action after a two-week break, following his tied-ninth finish in the Dubai Desert Classic. An indicator of McIlroy’s determination to push his body came in the interim when he attended the Human Performance Lab established by GlaxoSmithKline, and “focused on applied and discovery research” to help professional athletes achieve their full physical potential.

Whilst McIlroy – who has finished second and ninth in his two outings in the Gulf Swing, in Abu Dhabi and Dubai – has improved his physical conditioning, he has always worked on sharpening his game. Last year, as world number one, he made a first-round exit at the hands of Shane Lowry. In 2012, he was a finalist when he lost out to US Ryder Cup player Hunter Mahan.

The winner of the McIlroy-Weekley first-round match will meet whoever emerges from the Lee Westwood-Harris English encounter.

McDowell – whose best finish at Dove Mountain was in reaching the quarter-finals last year – opens his quest for a maiden WGC title with a match against Woodland, with the winner facing either Hideki Matsuyama or former US PGA champion Martin Kaymer.

Having just made the cut in the Northern Trust Open, Bubba Watson’s peerless display of golf over the weekend – two 64s without dropping a shot – gave the left-hander his first win on tour since he captured the US Masters in 2012.

Of rediscovering the winning habit, Watson, who missed a short putt on the final green to forced a play-off in the Phoenix Open two weeks ago, confessed: “You never know when your last win is going to be. My last win could have been the Masters, which would have been a great way to go out. But winning (the Northern Trust Open) is nice, any time you can get another win, it’s very nice.

“I never looked down, I never felt down that I haven’t won yet but just kept plugging along and somehow it fell into my lap, adding: “I’m always going forward now. You’re always trying to go forward.”

Watson has moved on to the WGC-Accenture matchplay as one of the favourites, especially given his form with the driver. Watson ranks first in driving distance (averaging 320 yards) but has also improved his accuracy, and was ranked fifth in driving accuracy at Riviera. Watson opens his matchplay quest with a first round meeting with Finland’s Mikko Illonen.

Although he has switched from playing to caddying, the Northern Trust Open also proved to be a good one for Bray native Keith Nolan. The one-time US Tour player was on the bag of Jason Allred, who secured a place in the field through the Monday qualifying tournament.

ExceededAllred finished third behind Watson, which earned him a $388,600 cheque that exceeded the total he had made in his previous 153 events on tour.

“I’m so thankful to have Keith Nolan, my buddy, and a great caddie on the bag, really helping me,” said Allred, whose third-place finish earns him an invite into the Honda Classic in two weeks’ time.

McIlroy in optimistic mood ahead of a busy schedule

World number seven looking forward to matchplay test as season swings into full gear

Graeme McDowell plays a shot during practice prior to the start of the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play at Dove Mountain in Marana, Arizona. Photo: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)

Rory McIlroy might have gone down on bended knee to ask for Caroline Wozniacki’s hand in marriage but when it comes to golf, he’s more of a pragmatist than a romantic.

The world number seven has been more concerned about his putting than the demise of Augusta National’s Eisenhower tree as he prepares to face the colourful Boo Weekley in the first round of a WGC-Accenture Match Play that is without three of the world’s top four in Tiger Woods and the reigning Masters and Open champions, Adam Scott and Phil Mickelson.

“It’s a tree,” McIlroy shrugged, smiling broadly.

Seeded number four at Dove Mountain this week, the 24-year-old is in Arizona looking for his first win of 2014.

More consistentBut rather than trying to get back to the level he showed in 2012, when he reached the final in Tucson and counted a second Major victory among his five wins that year, he’s looking to improve on that by being even more consistent and contending even when he’s not at the top of his game.

“I haven’t hit the ball as well for a long time,” said McIlroy, who said things are far different to 12 months ago when he arrived in a chilly Tucson and made an early exit to Shane Lowry, having struggled with his game and his new clubs.

Asked if 2012 was the benchmark, he said: “I can do better. I went through a period in 2012 when I missed four cuts in five events . . . It was a benchmark because anytime I got into contention, I was there or thereabout or I won, but I feel I’d like to try and got better than that.”

Having spent the early part of this week working with Dave Stockton his putting, especially his grip, he’s hoping to win here or at the Honda Classic or the WGC-Cadillac Championship Doral in a fortnight so that he goes in to the build up to the Masters with a win under his belt.

Third in Abu Dhabi despite a two-shot penalty in the third round and ninth in Dubai after an average putting performance in the final round, his confidence is high though he’s aware that in 18 hole matchplay, anything can happen.

Chipping and putting is crucial and that’s the key for Graeme McDowell, who is on the opposite side of the draw to McIlroy. He is hoping tactics and putting will count for more than length when he faces his Lake Nona neighbour Gary Woodland in the opening round.

The big-hitting American will be outdriving McDowell by 50 yards or more but the Rathmore man points to the fact that a bomber doesn’t win at Dove Mountain every year, despite the fact that it measures more than 7,700 yards from the tips.

Putting wellMcDowell said. “Length is important in some areas but you also have to place it well as well so I wouldn’t call this necessarily a bombers’ track.

“Look at the past winners – Hunter Mahan, Matt Kuchar, Luke Donald. It hasn’t historically been the bombers who have taken care of business around here.

“This format has a lot to do with iron play and putting. You can really destroy a guy by putting really well.”

McDowell is feeling good about his game after knocking the rust off with a seventh place finish in his first start of the season in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro Am two week ago.

“There are no easy matches and you have just got to get your head down and try to get out of Wednesday.”

This week’s event is the first of eight for McIlroy which will see him use a bag bearing the logo of his sponsor’s Bose in exchange for a contribution to the Rory McIlroy Foundation.

McIlroy plans to tee it up in the Honda Classic and the WGC-Cadillac Championship before playing the Shell Houston Open, the Masters, the Wells Fargo Championship, The Players Championship and the Memorial Tournament before auctioning off the bags for his Foundation.

Royal County Down to host 2015 Irish Open

McIlroy and McDowell welcome move to bring event to course they know well

Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell enjoy a round of golf at Royal County Down.Photograph: Mark Pearce/Presseye/Inpho

Another iconic seaside course in Northern Ireland is to play host to the Irish Open in 2015. Royal County Down, the wonderful links in Newcastle with a backdrop of Slieve Donard, is set to be confirmed by the PGA European Tour as the site for the championship next year.

As a course, it is a very worthy choice, but its selection will come as a surprise, given the likely crowd restrictions. When the 2007 Walker Cup between Britain and Ireland against the United States was staged there, the crowds were limited to 10,000 a day with spectators allowed to walk the fairways as is tradition in the amateur match.

When the Irish Open was staged at Royal Portrush on the Causeway Coast in 2012, it was a sell-out with 112,000 attending over the four championship days. Such crowds won’t be possible at Royal County Down due to health and safety factors, but the establishment of a rota system involving courses in the North and the Republic – the event returned south to be staged at Carton House in Co Kildare last year and will be held at Fota Island in Cork this June – means that historic venues are again getting the opportunity to stage the championship.

Royal County, which last staged the Irish Open in 1939 when England’s Arthur Lees won, has consistently been judged among the top ranked courses in the world.

“Royal County Down is definitely one of my favourites in Ireland,” admitted former US Open champion Graeme McDowell. Speaking to BBC Northern Ireland, McDowell said: “There is always that internal debate in Northern Ireland which is the best? They are very different tracks, Portrush and County Down. County Down is an acquired taste, you have got to play it a few times to find your way around, with those blind tee shots, but the more and more you play it, the more you recognise it for the class place it is.”

Rory McIlroy also welcomed the anticipated move to bring the Irish Open to a course he knows like the back of his hand. “I think it was a huge success at Portrush and I think going to County Down can only be great for the Irish Open and for golf in Ireland in general,” said McIlroy. “In my opinion, it would be a good idea to alternate between a course in the south and one in the north every second year.”

＜中間速報＞池田勇太、スコアを2つ伸ばして後半へ！N・ベーシックが首位

2011年08月19日14時58分




リーダーズボード
順位 選手名 スコア1 Ｎ・ベーシック -13
2 チョ・ ミンギュ -9
3 武藤　俊憲 -8
4 吉永　智一 -6
Ｍ・ママット -6
白　佳和 -6
7 田保　龍一 -5
8 星野　英正 -4
ドンファン -4
10 小泉　洋人 -3


順位の続きを見る


＜関西オープンゴルフ選手権　2日目◇19日◇小野ゴルフ倶楽部(6,929ヤード・パー71)＞

　兵庫県にある小野ゴルフ倶楽部で開催されている、国内男子ツアー「関西オープンゴルフ選手権」の2日目。20位タイスタートの池田勇太が前半を終了。2バーディ・ノーボギーとスコアを2つ伸ばし、トータル3アンダー11位タイに浮上して後半のプレーに入った。

　3アンダー9位タイスタートのネベン・ベーシック(オーストラリア)が、2イーグル・6バーディの“61”をマークしトータル13アンダーでホールアウト。現在首位に立っている。

　4打差の2位はトータル9アンダーのチョ・ ミンギュ(韓国)、武藤俊憲はトータル8アンダー3位でホールアウトしている。

＜速報＞N・ベーシックが単独首位！池田は24位タイに後退

2011年08月19日17時41分




リーダーズボード
順位 選手名 スコア1 Ｎ・ベーシック -13
2 チョ・ ミンギュ -9
3 武藤　俊憲 -8
4 吉永　智一 -6
Ｍ・ママット -6
白　佳和 -6
7 田保　龍一 -5
8 星野　英正 -4
ドンファン -4
10 小泉　洋人 -3


順位の続きを見る


＜関西オープンゴルフ選手権　2日目◇19日◇小野ゴルフ倶楽部(6,929ヤード・パー71)＞

　兵庫県にある小野ゴルフ倶楽部で開催されている、国内男子ツアー「関西オープンゴルフ選手権」の2日目。2イーグル・6バーディの“61”をマークしたネベン・ベーシック(オーストラリア)が、トータル13アンダーで単独首位に立った。

　4打差の2位はチョ・ミンギュ(韓国)、3位は武藤俊憲。池田勇太は前半で2つスコアを伸ばすが、後半の8番パー3で池に2度入れてしまい痛恨の「7」。トータルイーブンパー24位タイに後退してしまった。
　
【2日目の結果】
1位：ネベン・ベーシック(-13)
2位：チョ・ミンギュ(-9)
3位：武藤俊憲(-8)
4位T：吉永智一(-6)
4位T：マーダン・ママット(-6)
4位T：白佳和(-6)
7位：田保龍一(-5)
8位T：星野英正(-4)
8位T：ドンファン(-4)
10位T：谷口徹(-3)他5名

24位T：池田勇太(E)他8名

勇太、8番パー3で池ポチャ2発…24位タイに後退

2011年08月19日19時01分




リーダーズボード
順位 選手名 スコア1 Ｎ・ベーシック -13
2 チョ・ ミンギュ -9
3 武藤　俊憲 -8
4 吉永　智一 -6
Ｍ・ママット -6
白　佳和 -6
7 田保　龍一 -5
8 星野　英正 -4
ドンファン -4
10 小泉　洋人 -3


順位の続きを見る





8番でパー3でこれまでの貯金をすべて吐き出してしまった（撮影：上山敬太）









＜関西オープン　2日目◇19日◇小野ゴルフ倶楽部(6,929ヤード・パー71)＞

　兵庫県にある小野ゴルフ倶楽部を舞台に開催中の国内男子ツアー「関西オープンゴルフ選手権」の2日目。「全米プロゴルフ選手権」から16日(火)に帰国し、強行スケジュールでこの試合に臨み、初日1アンダー20位タイとまずまずのスタートを切った池田勇太。だが、この日は終盤で大きくスコアを崩す苦しい展開になってしまった。

池田勇太、最多勝、賞金王への思い

　INスタートの池田は、出だしの11番でバーディを奪取。16番でもバーディを奪い、2つのパー5で着実にスコアを伸ばし、トータル3アンダーで折り返す。後半に入るとチャンスにつけるもなかなかバーディが奪えない我慢のゴルフになるが、6番でバーディを奪取しキャディと笑顔でグータッチ。いい流れで終盤を迎えたが、8番パー3で悪夢は起こった。

　まずティショットがショートし、グリーン手前の斜面を下り池へ落ちてしまう。すると、打ち直しの3打目もグリーンに届かず、再び池ポチャに。その後も寄らず入らずで、このホール7の大叩き。4つスコアを落としてしまい、これまでの貯金をすべて吐き出してしまった。

　この日は斜面に切られたピンに対し、横につけることが多く、難しいラインばかり残してしまった池田。スコアが伸ばせなかった上に、1ホールでのワーストスコアとなる+4まで出てしまった。ラウンド後は「残り2日間で消化しますよ」と言い残し練習場へ向かった。

【2日目の結果】
1位：ネベン・ベーシック(-13)
2位：チョ・ミンギュ(-9)
3位：武藤俊憲(-8)
4位T：吉永智一(-6)
4位T：マーダン・ママット(-6)
4位T：白佳和(-6)
7位：田保龍一(-5)
8位T：星野英正(-4)
8位T：ドンファン(-4)
10位T：谷口徹(-3)他5名

24位T：池田勇太(E)他8名

「がっついてなくても勝てるときがくる」武藤俊憲、5打差3位で決勝Rへ

2011年08月19日19時16分




リーダーズボード
順位 選手名 スコア1 Ｎ・ベーシック -13
2 チョ・ ミンギュ -9
3 武藤　俊憲 -8
4 吉永　智一 -6
Ｍ・ママット -6
白　佳和 -6
7 田保　龍一 -5
8 星野　英正 -4
ドンファン -4
10 小泉　洋人 -3


順位の続きを見る





この日も得意のドライバーで好スコアをマークした武藤俊憲（撮影：上山敬太）











＜関西オープン　2日目◇19日◇小野ゴルフ倶楽部(6,929ヤード・パー71)＞

　兵庫県にある小野ゴルフ倶楽部を舞台に開催中の国内男子ツアー「関西オープンゴルフ選手権」の2日目。トータル13アンダーでネベン・ベーシック（オーストラリア）が首位に。4打差の2位にはチョ・ミンギュ(韓国)、5打差の3位には武藤俊憲がつけた。

武藤俊憲、後半怒涛の5バーディ【初日】

　INスタートの武藤は前半でスコアを2つ伸ばして折り返すと、後半は2番でセカンドショットを1.5メートルにつけバーディを奪取。6番でも2打目を1メートルにつけスコアを伸ばすが、続く7番でボギーを叩き68ストロークでホールアウト。スコアを3つ伸ばしたが、ベーシックがコースレコードとなる61のビッグスコアをたたき出したため、首位との差は開いてしまった。

　初日に続き「気持ちよくドライバーが振り切れるようになったことが大きい」と語った武藤。約2年ぶりとなる勝利に向け熱くなっているかと思いきや、「青木（功）さんに“別にがっつかなくても勝つときは勝てるんじゃない”と言われました」と優勝にはそこまでこだわりを見せていない。「勝ちはそのうちくるんじゃないですかね。自分のできることをやって結果を残せれば。消極的と言われるかもしれないけどこれが僕のプレースタイルです」とあくまでマイペースを貫き、プレーを続けるかまえだ。

【2日目の結果】
1位：ネベン・ベーシック(-13)
2位：チョ・ミンギュ(-9)
3位：武藤俊憲(-8)
4位T：吉永智一(-6)
4位T：マーダン・ママット(-6)
4位T：白佳和(-6)
7位：田保龍一(-5)
8位T：星野英正(-4)
8位T：ドンファン(-4)
10位T：谷口徹(-3)他5名

24位T：池田勇太(E)他8名

Beatriz Recari wins Kia Classic in playoff

Beatriz Recari wins Kia Classic in playoff










Forrest Lee, The Sports Xchange March 24, 2013 10:41 PMThe SportsXchange



CARLSBAD, Calif. -- Spain's Beatriz Recari sank an 18-foot putt on the second hole of a playoff to defeat I.K. Kim of South Korea and capture the $1.7 million Kia Classic at Aviara Golf Club on Sunday.

"I can't think right now," Recari said, breaking down in tears after the victory. "I'm just thinking about my family, my coach, everybody that has really been with me for so long."

It was the second LPGA Tour win for Recari, who earned $255,000 for her effort. Recari won the CVS Pharmacy Challenge as a rookie in 2010.

Twice this season she came close to winning, but couldn't seal the deal. She finished tied for third at the Honda Thailand event and tied for fourth at the ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open in February.

Kim, who has three LPGA Tour titles, won $156,616 for her runner-up finish.

Both players, who were tied at 279 in regulation, had chances to clinch the title on the final hole in regulation, but neither managed to come through. Kim missed a 30-foot putt for birdie on 18, coming up about six feet short. Her shot for par sailed right for bogey and dropped her one shot back of Recari.

But Recari failed to take advantage of the opportunity. She also 3-putted on 18, coming up empty on a putt from 25 feet that sailed four feet past the cup. Her attempt for par lipped out right, and she bogeyed the hole and to force a playoff.

On the first playoff hole, both players bogeyed.

Recari, who didn't bogey a hole for the first three rounds, carded three on Sunday. Kim had four, including three in a row on holes 11, 12 and 13.

Several players were in contention throughout the final round. Thailand's Pornanong Phatlum made a strong run for the title. Phatlum, who started the day seven shots off the lead, was tied for first before bogeying the 18th. She finished at 280 and tied for third with Mo Martin and Cristie Kerr.

Hall of Famer Karrie Webb, who was two shots back to start the day, shot a 74 and tied for sixth at 281 with Jane Park and Lizette Salas.

Stacy Lewis' bid for a third consecutive tournament title was dashed on the back nine with a double bogey on 11 and a bogey on 14. On 18, she hit a tee shot in the water and double bogeyed the hole.

Recari wins Kia Classic in playoff

Recari wins Kia Classic in playoff










Forrest Lee, The Sports Xchange March 24, 2013 11:40 PMThe SportsXchange



CARLSBAD, Calif. -- They call her Iron Woman on the LPGA Tour. On Sunday, though, Spain's Beatriz Recarishowed her softer side.

Recari, who earned the nickname after she made the cut in 27 events last season, kept her poise through regulation and a two-hole playoff in the final round of the Kia Classic at Aviara Golf Club. However, when she sank an 18-foot birdie putt to defeat South Korea's I.K. Kim for the tournament title, she could no longer keep her emotions in check.

"I can't think right now," Recari said as she broke down in tears. "I'm just thinking about my family, my coach, everybody that has really been with me for so long. I'm definitely more emotion than my first win."

Her second Tour win allowed her to claim $255,000 in prize money. Recari's first victory came in the 2010 CVS Pharmacy Challenge as a rookie.

She shot a 2-over-par 74 Sunday to finish with a four-day total of 9-under 279.

Kim won $156,616 for her runner-up finish.

"I had a good day, I have to say," said Kim, who shot a 71 Sunday. "Just on the back nine made a few mistakes, and reading the green was really tricky out there. But I had a chance. Everybody's the same story, but it was just one of those days."

Twice this season Recari had similar days to Kim. She came close to winning but couldn't seal the deal in earlier tournaments, finishing tied for third at the Honda Thailand event and tied for fourth at the ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open in February.

At times, it almost appeared she might not win the Kia Classic, either. Recari and Kim had chances to clinch the title on the final hole in regulation, but neither managed to come through.

Kim, who has three LPGA Tour titles, missed a 30-foot birdie putt on No. 18, coming up about six feet short. Her shot for par sailed to the right for a bogey, and she dropped one shot back of Recari.

Recari failed to take advantage of the opportunity. She also three-putted on No. 18, coming up empty on a shot from 25 feet that sailed four feet past the cup. Her attempt for par lipped out right, and the bogey forced a playoff.

On the first playoff hole, back at No. 18, both players shot bogeys. But Recari prevailed on the second playoff hole, again at No. 18, pumping her fist as her birdie putt rolled toward the hole.

"I had a good feeling, but like the same as the other putts that didn't go in, the other ones went by, missed the hole, and this one went in," Recari said. "I had the same (approach) in every shot. Nothing different. And I'm always trying to do my best, and I'm just happy that it dropped in."

Said Kim, who missed a birdie putt on the second playoff hole, "It would have been great if I had won, but I played well this week and even last week I played well, so I think I'm going in the right direction and I just think I'm working on the right things. It's getting better, so I'm very excited about this season."

Recari, who didn't bogey a hole during the first three rounds, carded three bogeys Sunday, then another on the first playoff hole. Kim had four prior to the playoff, including three in a row on Nos. 11, 12 and 13.

"They were the only three bogeys that I made all week," said Recari, who fought through a sinus infection since the opening round of the tournament. "I mean, I was playing very solid and I was managing to do very good. ... I just told myself not (to) be hard on myself. I dropped shots. Everybody does. I'm human, (but I) just kind of continue and have a positive attitude."

Several players were in contention throughout the final round. Thailand's Pornanong Phatlum made a strong run for the title. Phatlum, who started the day seven shots off the lead, was tied for first before bogeying the 18th. She finished at 280, tied for third with Mo Martin and Cristie Kerr.

Hall of Famer Karrie Webb, who was two shots back to start the day, shot a 74 and tied for sixth at 281 with Jane Park and Lizette Salas.

Stacy Lewis' bid for a third consecutive tournament title was dashed on the back nine with a double bogey on No. 11 and a bogey on No. 14. On No. 18, she hit her tee shot in the water and double bogeyed the hole.

Tiger reclaims world No. 1 ranking with Bay Hill victory

Tiger reclaims world No. 1 ranking with Bay Hill victory










The Sports Xchange March 25, 2013 2:31 PMThe SportsXchange



Tiger Woods took over the No. 1 world ranking for the first time since October 2010 by winning the weather-delayed Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill on Monday.

Woods shot a final-round 2-under 70 to finish the tournament at 13-under - two shots ahead of Justin Rose. It was Woods' 77th career PGA Tour victory and his eighth at Bay Hill, and he took over the No. 1 spot in the 2013 FedEx Cup rankings.

"I play well on this course," Woods said with a smile. "I made my share of putts."

He had to wait an extra day to complete the Bay Hill victory after a fierce storm dumped heavy rain and rendered the course unplayable Sunday. But Woods was solid in polishing off his third victory of the year Monday.

"I've turned some of those weaknesses from last year into strengths," he said.

Woods said he is looking forward to taking a few days off and will not play at this week's Shell Houston Open as he prepares for the Masters April 11-14. Rory McIlroy, who lost the No. 1 world ranking to Woods, will play in Houston.

Woods' victory at Bay Hill on Monday tied him with Hall of Fame member Sam Snead for the most victories at a single PGA Tour event.

Celebrity couples seen everywhere at Masters

Celebrity couples seen everywhere at Masters











PGA.COM April 11, 2013 10:55 PM

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Lindsey Vonn played hide-and-seek with some photographers on Thursday at the Masters.(Getty Images)


AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Think of it as power couples instead ofFred Couples.


Some of the talk Thursday at the Masters wasn't just about what was happening on the tees and greens, but who was outside the ropes looking in. The No. 1 and No. 2-ranked players in the world, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, had entourages that included girlfriends with some pedigree of their own.

For Woods it was Lindsey Vonn, the Olympic ski champion and now his very public companion. She watched from the clubhouse lawn as Woods teed off on No. 1, and lingered around to see him after he came off the 18th green.

In between, she drew a crowd of photographers who gathered around her while Woods played the ninth hole.

Woods and Vonn acknowledged their relationship last month in posts on social media, complete with studio pictures of the couple. The last time Woods won the Masters, he was married to Elin Nordegren. They divorced in 2010 after Woods admitted numerous marital indiscretions.

Caroline Wozniacki, once the No. 1 tennis player in the world, has been linked to McIlroy for nearly two years. She's now No. 10 in world standings.

Wozniacki put on a caddie's bib Wednesday for the Par 3 contest, and McIlroy even had her hit a shot, which she topped in the water. On Thursday, she was in the crowd following the Irish player during the first round.

McIlroy and Wozniacki were prominently featured on television coverage of the Par 3 contest, an informal outing for players and their families.

As far as lingering camera shots on celebrities during the tournament, ESPN spokesman Josh Krulewitz said:

"The focus of our coverage remains on the competition."

Celebrity couples aren't new to golf. Sergio Garcia once dated tennis player Martina Hingis, while Dustin Johnson currently dates Paulina Gretzky, daughter of hockey great Wayne Gretzky and actress Janet Jones.

Teen star Guan plays like old pro in first round

Teen star Guan plays like old pro in first round











PGA.COM April 11, 2013 11:29 PM

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Guan Tianlang wasabout the only person who didn't seem impressed with how he played on Thursday.(Getty …


By Nancy Armour, Associated Press


AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Guan Tianlang put off his homework for a few hours, grabbed the snack his mom had made and went out to play with his friends.

His playground was Augusta National and the world had tuned in to watch the 14-year-old from China, the youngest player ever to tee it up at the Masters and youngest at any major in 148 years.

That's some play date.

"I felt a little bit nervous on the first tee," Guan said. "But I hit a great tee shot and, after that, everything feels comfortable. ... I just had fun today. Pretty much fun."

Played great, too.

Guan made a 15-footer from off the fringe to birdie his final hole Thursday, finishing with a 1-over 73. As the ball rolled into the cup, the crowd around 18 gave the teenager a standing ovation, with two-time Masters champion Ben Crenshaw leading the cheers for his young playing partner.

Play like this again Friday, and he's got a shot at making the cut.

"I'm telling you, he played like a veteran today," Crenshaw said. "Played a beautiful round of golf. He stays well within himself. He's very confident and, obviously, beautiful hands. His thought process never got rushed. Very patient. Very, very, very impressive."

He wasn't the only one who was impressed. The same "wow" murmurs could be heard on every hole, as fans -- young and old -- marveled at the eighth grader who was holding his own with the greatest golfers in the world.

"That's the 14-year-old."

"Fourteen? You're joking!"

"Fourteen? That's amazing."

"It's amazing. Absolutely amazing," said Lisa Nichols, whose folding chair, from the 1998 Masters, was older than Guan.

And more than a little bit humbling.

"It makes me feel a little lousy," 15-year-old Daniel Thrailkill said sheepishly. "I do (play). I can't play as good as him, though."

About the only person who didn't seem impressed with Guan was Guan himself. He strode onto the first tee with confidence, shaking hands with Crenshaw and Matteo Manassero, who three years ago, at 16, became the youngest person to make the cut at Augusta National, and their caddies.

He gave a long look down the fairway before taking a few warm-up swings, then stepped up to the tee and let it rip.

At 5-foot-9 and about 150 pounds, he doesn't hit it anywhere close to the big guys. But he rarely strayed from the fairway, and his short game more than makes up for what he lacks in length.

He got his first birdie on No. 3, chipping to about 12 feet past the hole and rolling it in. After his drive on the long par-4 No. 5 sailed far right, he recovered with a nice shot to just below the green, then chipped within 3 feet.

And though he didn't have the distance to reach the green on the par-5 15 in two, he got close enough to give himself a makeable birdie putt.

"(Adam Scott) and I were talking about it, joking a little bit, if we would have been here at 14 years old, we would have been shaking," said Sergio Garcia, who knows a little bit about being a phenom. "It happened to me at 16 when I played the British Open and I thought I was going to miss it on that first tee shot, so I can't imagine how he must have felt."

If Guan was nervous, he never let it show. Didn't show any emotions, really. There were occasional smiles, a fist pump when he rolled a putt in for a birdie, a polite touch of his cap to acknowledge the cheers of the crowd.

But the baby-faced teenager never looked flustered, and there was never a hint of the petulance.

"People were very nice to me," he said. "And I feel comfortable on the course."

If he ever did get overwhelmed, Guan knew his parents were only a few feet away.

After having breakfast with their only child -- potatoes, beef, rice, vegetables and stir-fried eggs -- Hong Yu and Han Wen followed him for the entire round, joined by several family friends. But unlike the parents of some other young stars, they didn't seem overbearing or caught up in their son's results.

After Guan's second shot on the first hole, while everyone else followed the flight of the ball, Han Wen watched his son, breathing a sigh of relief when the youngster nodded in satisfaction. He clapped enthusiastically after every shot -- his son's and those of his playing partners.

Asked if his son would turn professional soon, Han Wen answered with an emphatic no.

"Not for a long time, maybe," Han Wen said. "Amateurs have fun. Enjoy it."

But if Guan keeps playing well, surely there will be pressure on him to turn pro before he's out of high school.

Golf is only beginning to catch on in China, making it a huge untapped market for the tours, sponsors and television. Guan is the first Chinese player with real star potential, and don't think golf's marketing gurus aren't already envisioning him as the Asian Tiger Woods.

There was even a little something Tiger-esque about the reaction Guan got Thursday. The galleries buzzed when he walked by. Kids followed him from hole to hole, running ahead so they could stake out spots to watch him.

"He's going to come right by us!" 12-year-old D.J. Kellar exclaimed after Guan's second shot on No. 2 landed on the right side of the fairway.

Pretty heady stuff for someone who arrived at Augusta National with six textbooks stuffed in his bag. Guan still goes to public school back home -- math, English and history are his favorite subjects -- and he spends at least 90 minutes a day studying.

But Guan is wise enough to know he's not going to contend at the Masters.

Not this year, at least.

"But I think I can win in the future," he said, flashing a smile.

Masters Notebook: Good scores, colorful shirts

Masters Notebook: Good scores, colorful shirts











PGA.COM April 12, 2013 12:11 AM

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At the Masters, Dustin Johnson (pictured) and Sergio Garcia wore the same shirts, as determined by their …


By Tim Dahlberg, Associated Press


AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Dustin Johnson and Sergio Garcia played just one group apart Thursday and were only one shot apart on the leaderboard at the Masters.

That wasn't terribly confusing, though their shirts were.

Viewers around the country had to be doing double takes as the cameras switched between the two players as they battled for the lead in the late afternoon on the back nine. That's because both were wearing the same garish shirt, color and all.

"Well, we are not wearing the same outfit because we want to," Johnson said. "This is Adidas; they script our clothing this week. We are wearing the same outfit because they told us to."

The shirts were partly striped and an acid shade of green. From a distance, it was hard to tell which player was which.

Whatever they looked like, the shirts seemed to work. Garcia shot a 66 to tie for the lead, while Johnson was a shot back at 67.

Johnson was asked if he would like to wear something on Sunday that moderator Tom Nelson -- an Augusta member -- was wearing in the interview room. That, too, comes in green and is put over the shoulders of the Masters champion.

"I would love to," Johnson said, laughing.

MICKELSON MOMENT: There's a reason fans love Phil Mickelson. He usually goes the extra step to please them.

Mickelson was at it again Thursday after finishing his opening round of 71. After signing his scorecard in the clubhouse he came out to see about 30 fans lined up in a roped off area hoping to get autographs from Lefty.

Mickelson asked if anyone had a marker pen, then had caddie Jim Mackay fetch it from a woman in the crowd. He then took out a used glove and signed it for a little boy who was waiting with his father.

"You can't sign outside the clubhouse but for him I'll make an exception," Mickelson said.

Those waiting applauded the move, then someone yelled out that Mickelson should sign for the woman, too, for giving him the Sharpie.

He didn't, and said it should serve as a lesson.

"Sometimes you can do something nice without anything in return," Mickelson told them.

WEATHER ALERT: Spring means unpredictable weather in Georgia, and the forecast for Thursday was ominous with late afternoon thunderstorms expected.

It held off, though, until just after the final groups were done and players had signed their scorecards. Rory McIlroy was just beginning his post-round interviews when thunder rumbled and the weather siren sounded and everyone was ordered off the course.

For McIlroy it was a chance to get some dinner early. For the Masters, it was the break the tournament might have needed to remain on schedule.

"Can you believe this," one green jacketed member said. "What a deal."

The storms may still come, with a 50 percent chance of rain predicted for Friday. But all 93 players got their full rounds in Thursday despite the best efforts of Mother Nature.

AMATEUR WOES: Alan Dunbar would have been happy to break 80 in the first round after getting his first look at Augusta National this week.

Unfortunately for the amateur from Northern Ireland, he couldn't even do that.

Dunbar made only one par on the front nine Thursday on his way to an 11-over 83 that was the worst score of the day. It included a triple bogey on No. 2, and he didn't make a par until the ninth hole.

"It's definitely a learning experience on a course like this," said the 22-year-old, who qualified for his first Masters by winning the British Amateur.

Dunbar rebounded after a 46 on the front nine to shoot 37 on the back. He even made a birdie on the par-5 15th, and was positive about his day despite the bloated score.

"I enjoyed the whole way around," he said. "I wasn't scoring great, but I enjoyed it. It was a great experience. "

RACING AROUND: Rickie Fowler used to race motocross, so he knows a few things about crashes and spills.

After making double bogey on the first hole Thursday, he could have stayed down. But Fowler came back to play the next 17 holes in 6-under and put himself in contention after the first round of the Masters.

Afterward, Fowler was asked to compare the roller coaster round to a motocross race.

"I would have went down pretty hard on the first corner and probably been out of the race," Fowler said. "Yeah, could have been a pile up in the first corner, so I would have been heading back to the pits."

Fowler was even happier that he had few problems with his back after spending much of the last year battling back issues. He said he kept the back problem mostly quiet as he worked his way through it.

DRIVERLESS DONALD: Luke Donald is a man in search of a driver.

Donald's opening around was going smoothly enough when he looked down at his driver on the 14th hole and noticed it had a crack in it. He managed to finish the round at 1-under 71, but will have to put a new driver in the bag for the rest of the Masters.

"It's going to be tough," Donald said. "I'm going to have to get some drivers here as quickly as possible and obviously not having teed up one, having a fresh one, it's not where you really want to be. But I'll manage."

Donald made six birdies on a day when he said the greens were as soft and slow as he's seen them in the nine years he has played in the Masters.

Pettersen wins playoff in Hawaii

Pettersen wins playoff in Hawaii










Kyle Galdeira, The Sports Xchange April 20, 2013 10:30 PMThe SportsXchange



By Kyle Galdeira

KAPOLEI, Hawaii -- After building a six-shot lead through eight holes, Suzann Pettersen appeared ready to cruise to victory in paradise.

But Lizette Salas was not about to concede the tournament. She posted an event-record 10-under-par 62 in an improbable comeback that ultimately led to a sudden-death playoff with Pettersen after both finished the final round of the LPGA Lotte Championship at 19 under.

Salas' effort would not quite be enough, though. Her approach shot on the first hole of

the designated-playoff hole at No. 18 found the water hazard fronting the green at KO Olina Golf Club and Pettersen won by two-putting for par. Salas finished with a bogey.

Pettersen shot a final-round, 5-under 67 under clear skies and lazy breezes en route to her 11th career tour win.

The players used the favorable conditions to their advantage.

Salas strung together seven birdies and an eagle during a nine-hole stretch to tie Pettersen at 19 under with two holes remaining. While Pettersen inched ahead by a stroke with a birdie on 17 after Salas parred the hole -- and Salas' birdie attempt lipped out on the par-4 18th -- Pettersen bogeyed the final hole to send the match into the playoff.

Pettersen, a 10-year tour veteran, was the only golfer to post four consecutive sub-70 rounds. She drained eight birdies in the final round after totaling 18 in her first three rounds combined. She birdied every hole on the course during the tournament except the par-5 No. 5 and the par-4 No. 18.

Pettersen, the sixth-ranked player on the tour, received $255,000 of the event's $1.7 million purse.

Salas' final round featured nine birdies and a long eagle chip that helped her rally from five shots off the lead at the start of the final round.

Salas, ranked No. 37, made a hard charge at the lead, including her eagle on one of the course's toughest holds, the par-4 10th. Her iron shot from roughly 150 yards bounced on the green and rolled in.

Thailand's Ariya Jutanugarn, a rookie on the Ladies European Tour, finished third after taking the first-round lead with a tournament record-tying 64. The 17-year-old finished with a 6-under 66 that included seven birdies.

Top-ranked Inbee Park continued to ride a wave of positive momentum and tied for fourth at 13 under with fellow South Korean I.K. Kim after shooting a 67.

Ai Miyazato, the ninth-ranked player and the defending tournament champion, rallied to post a par 72 and tie for sixth at 11 under.

NOTES: South Korean Hee Kyung Seo, the 2011 Rookie of the Year, wrapped up the tournament with a 3-over 75 and tied for ninth at 10 under after starting the day in second, one shot behind Pettersen. ... Second-ranked Stacy Lewis also finished in the six-way tie for ninth. A two-time tournament winner in 2013, Lewis could have regained the No. 1 spot with a victory this week.

Pettersen earns 11th career LPGA win with playoff in Hawaii

Pettersen earns 11th career LPGA win with playoff in Hawaii










Kyle Galdeira, The Sports Xchange April 20, 2013 11:10 PMThe SportsXchange



KAPOLEI, Hawaii -- After building a six-shot lead through eight holes, Suzann Pettersen appeared ready to cruise to victory in paradise.

But Lizette Salas was not about to concede. She posted an event-record 10-under-par 62 in an improbable comeback that ultimately led to a sudden-death playoff with Pettersen after both finished the final round of the LPGA Lotte Championship at 19 under.

Salas' effort would not quite be enough, though. Her approach shot on the first designated playoff hole at No. 18 found the water hazard fronting the green at Ko Olina Golf Club and Pettersen won by two-putting for par. Salas finished with a double-bogey.

Pettersen shot a final-round, 5-under 67 under clear skies and lazy breezes en route to her 11th career tour win.

"I just tried to stick with my own game plan. I didn't really look behind me," said Pettersen when asked if she was aware of Salas' late charge. "I putted great, and that's how you win tournaments."

The players used the favorable conditions to their advantage.

Salas strung together seven birdies and an eagle during a nine-hole stretch to tie Pettersen at 19 under with two holes remaining. While Pettersen inched ahead by a stroke with a birdie on 17 after Salas parred the hole -- and Salas' birdie attempt lipped out on the par-4 18th -- Pettersen bogeyed the final hole to send the match into the playoff.

Pettersen, a 10-year tour veteran, was the only golfer to post four consecutive sub-70 rounds. She drained eight birdies in the final round after totaling 18 in her first three rounds combined. She birdied every hole on the course during the tournament except the par-5 No. 5 and the par-4 No. 18.

"My game's been feeling great," Pettersen said. "You get older, you get smarter. I play well when I stay aggressive. I hate to play defensive. For me to shy away and not step on the pedal, that's not me. If I make an error being aggressive, I can live with it. I felt like I executed four good rounds under very different conditions."

Pettersen, the sixth-ranked player on the tour, received $255,000 of the event's $1.7 million purse and credited her improved putting for playing a key role in the victory.

"I've been putting with my eyes closed all week," Pettersen said, explaining a technique she utilized in the past when struggling in the short game. "I visualize everything in my head and that's it. It's a very releasing feel because I'm just letting it happen. Once the ball's left the (club) face, there's nothing I can do."

Salas' final round featured nine birdies and a long eagle chip that helped her rally from five shots off the lead at the start of the final round.

Salas, ranked No. 37, made a hard charge at the lead, including her eagle on one of the course's toughest holes, the par-4 10th. Her dead-on six-iron shot from roughly 150 yards bounced on the green and rolled in.

"I played my butt off today. Some wrote that I lack a punch. I had plenty of punches out there today," Salas said, fighting back tears. "I'm sad just because I wanted to win for my dad. I wanted to win for me. I'm almost there," she added, in reference to her search for a first LPGA win.

Thailand's Ariya Jutanugarn, a rookie on the Ladies European Tour, finished third after taking the first-round lead with a tournament record-tying 64. The 17-year-old finished with a 6-under 66 that included seven birdies.

Top-ranked Inbee Park continued to ride a wave of positive momentum and tied for fourth at 13 under with fellow South Korean I.K. Kim after shooting a 67.

Ai Miyazato, the ninth-ranked player and the defending tournament champion, rallied to post a par 72 and tie for sixth at 11 under.

NOTES: South Korean Hee Kyung Seo, the 2011 Rookie of the Year, wrapped up the tournament with a 3-over 75 and tied for ninth at 10 under after starting the day in second, one shot behind Pettersen. ... Second-ranked Stacy Lewis also finished in the six-way tie for ninth. A two-time tournament winner in 2013, Lewis could have regained the No. 1 spot with a victory this week.

Lateral Hazard: Graeme McDowell conquered elements at Harbour Town like only he can

Lateral Hazard: Graeme McDowell conquered elements at Harbour Town like only he can











Brian Murphy April 21, 2013 11:41 PMYahoo Sports





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Graeme McDowell puts on his new plaid jacket after winning the RBC Heritage tournament. (AP)
With Adam Scott not playing this week – he was too busy eating breakfast cereal in his green jacket; working out in his green jacket; going grocery shopping in his green jacket; making ladies swoon in his green jacket – the storyline in golf shifted to a tenacious winner from Northern Ireland, an Ulsterman with major championship swagger who surprised no one with his victory at Harbour Town.

Yes, Graeme McDowell now has more wins on the PGA Tour in 2013 than that other kid from his country. What's his name? Maury? Oh, Rory? Sorry about that.

Hey, now. Just a little golf humor to perk up your post-Masters hangover. You know we love Rory McIlroy's game here at Lateral Hazard. A little locker room towel-snap from this slice of cyber space may just be the thing to get him going, right?

In the meantime, it's all about the other Northern Irishman – the one who preceded both Rory and countryman Darren Clarke to the major championship win circle when he won the 2010 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach in true Graeme McDowell style. In other words: tough, unglamorous, admirable golf.

It was no surprise that the only player left standing at Harbour Town with McDowell was a fellow U.S. Open champion, the reigning national title-holder Webb Simpson. In fact, Simpson's U.S. Open at Olympic Club was only sealed when McDowell himself missed a birdie try on the 72nd hole in San Francisco. So these two dudes know each other, and these two dudes were just the guys to handle Harbour Town's lethal cocktail of gale-force winds and Sunday pressure. You don't win a U.S. Open unless you're the guy who embraces adversity on a golf course. Harbour Town on Sunday, thy name was adversity.

[Also: James Driscoll will donate $1K per birdie to Boston bomb victims]

I mean, did you see those leaden skies and fierce gusts? Yo, Harbour Town. The British Open called. It wants its wind back. I was thinking of leading the column with an original line – "It was a dark and stormy night" – but didn't want to be sued for plagiarism by Snoopy.

How windy was it? You couldn't tell which was more tussled – third-round leader Charley Hoffman's game (final-round 77) or his Spicoli-like hair (final-round mess).




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Graeme McDowell is congratulated by Webb Simpson after winning Sunday. (AP)



For McDowell, the Sunday 69 in the difficult conditions reminded us of the kind of conviction with which the 33-year-old plays. Whether it's a Ryder Cup-clinching match in 2010, or two monster putts in Tiger Woods' face at Tiger's Chevron World Challenge in 2010, or a 6-iron from 165 yards struck to 15 feet on the windy 18th hole in the playoff at Harbour Town on Sunday, the man who everyone calls one of the sweetest gentlemen on Tour can be a stone-cold killer if he has to.

Always the sportsman, he watched Webb Simpson's par putt slide past the hole, and grimaced instead of celebrated. He slapped Simpson on the back and told him, in that Northern Irish accent: "You hit a better putt than it showed." Of course, that doesn't mean McDowell feels so bad for Simpson he won't celebrate his win with Guinness-soaked gusto. Heck, he might do so at his new restaurant he just opened in Orlando, a place so hip that Nick Faldo name-checked it on CBS, then followed it up with a plea for a free meal at the joint. I will leave that to the rest of you to ponder.

McDowell's win was a fun way for all of us to ease back in after all that Masters drama. After all, Scott won't play again until the Players Championship in May, and Angel Cabrera wasn't even in the Northern Hemisphere. Tiger's off for a while, as is Rory.

[Also: Shaq, Bubba Watson team up for ridiculous photo]

So why not enjoy a player who is best on the PGA Tour in scrambling, one of the most accurate drivers of the golf ball out there and a player who scores his golf ball time and time again – tie-3rd at Doral, quarterfinals of the WGC Match Play, tie-5th at last year's British Open. He missed the cut at the Masters last week, but that's not a place that suits his game as much as a U.S. Open.

In fact, the USGA's annual shindig is less than two months away, at a ballstriker's paradise, Merion Golf Club. Just suggesting, is all.

SCORECARD OF THE WEEK

72-72-76-64 – Even par 284, Angel Cabrera, winner (playoff), PGA Tour Latinoamerica 82 Abierto OSDE del Centro, Cordoba Golf Club, Cordoba, Argentina.

Hard to tell what's the best part about this story.

That Cabrera won in a playoff, the week after losing the Masters in a playoff.

That he did it at the club where he was a caddy as a youth.

That he followed a Saturday 76 with a Sunday 64.

That he eagled the 18th hole, a par-4, to force the playoff.

That he flew from Augusta to Argentina, stuck a peg in the ground just four days after his major heartbreak, and wound up hoisting the trophy.

[Also: Adam Scott talks Masters win, Australia, and relationship status]

Everything about Cabrera's game and style that was on display last week at the Masters goes into making this story the best of the week. His connection to his hometown, his competitive spirit, his flair for the dramatic – all of that goes into the narrative here. Think about his 72nd holes in one week's time. He eagled the 72nd hole at Cordoba for the playoff. One week earlier, he stiffed that 7-iron to three feet after Adam Scott let loose the Roar Heard Down Under moments earlier.

Sure, the quality of the PGA Tour Latinoamerica field didn't exactly mimic the final groupings at Augusta National, but Cabrera still had to fight off jet lag, letdown and the pressure of his hometown to produce that Sunday magic. I'd encourage Angel to mightily enjoy the win, but something tells me he doesn't need my prompting.

BROADCAST MOMENT OF THE WEEK

"From what I can gather, he took an illegal drop, signed a scorecard and left the course. Under most circumstances, that would result in disqualification. If the rules of golf are upheld, I believe he should have been disqualified." – Steve Williams, caddie to Adam Scott, former caddie to Tiger Woods, on 3 News, a New Zealand TV station, about Tiger's illegal drop at the Masters.






View gallery.

Adam Scott celebrates with Steve Williams at the Masters. (AP)Here's a bad new joke: Did you hear doctors discovered a new disease called Stevie Williams Alzheimer's? Yeah, you forget everything but your grudge against Tiger.



While Williams went on to say he didn't think Tiger "was trying to gain anything on the field", you still have to marvel at how the guy Tiger called 'Stevie', and the guy Adam Scott simply calls 'Steve', continues to keep Tiger in his sights. He could have easily declined comment on the situation, and while his words aren't especially venomous – and I happen to agree with him – it still constitutes filing under that catch-phrase of social media today: shots fired.

You'd think after his ill-advised racial slur against Tiger last year, that Williams would avoid the subject of his old boss. But then again, he was asked, and he answered. And for those of us who like rivalries and enemy combatants on a sporting field, this is room service.

MULLIGAN OF THE WEEK

Charley Hoffman has won twice on the PGA Tour – the 2007 Bob Hope and the 2010 Deutsche Bank – but he will forever be known as the dude with the hair. He said he grows it longer to be different, and for that we applaud him. Why not? Shake it up. Life is short. Besides, he's got a receding hairline on top, so he might as well grow the yarn long in back to make up for it. And, as he proudly notes, his lack of hair on the front end disqualifies anyone from accusing him of sporting a mullet.

So, Hoffman's got the 54-hole lead at Harbour Town. He's homing in on his third Tour win, and building on last week's tie-3rd in Texas. He's tied for the lead. And he comes to the 14th hole, a devilish par-3 in the wind with water in front and just flat fans his tee shot. Ker-splash. Wet. It wasn't even close.

[Also: Adam Scott, the actor, is not happy with all the Masters jokes]

Hoffman would make double bogey, and shoot 77, finishing tie-6th.

But it would have been fun to see Hoffman in that playoff with McDowell and Simpson. It would have been fun to see his blonde tresses doing battle with the Harbour Town breezes under the most intense of pressures.

So, let's go back out to that 14th hole, remind Hoffman that he was representing longhairs everywhere, drop another one on the tee box and . . . give that man a mulligan!

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

It's on to New Orleans, where nothing says "Laissez les bon temps roulez" like the stoic, unchanging face of defending champ Jason Dufner.

Thing about Dufner is, he's got a dry sense of humor that he flashes regularly on Twitter. After last week's Masters, he tweeted: "Semi enjoyable week at the Masters, improving each year. T30, 2010. T24, 2012. T20, 2013. Ten years time I should be slipping on the green jacket."

That made me laugh.

Plus, of course, there'll be Dufnering on Bourbon Street by some golf fans.

Is Tianlang Guan Playing Too Much on the PGA Tour?

Is Tianlang Guan Playing Too Much on the PGA Tour?











Ryan Ballengee May 16, 2013 9:46 AM


COMMENTARY | When you were 14 years old, what better things did you have to do than go to school and play golf? Not much.



So it's hard, then, to blame Tianlang Guan from taking another sponsor's exemption on the PGA Tour, playing in this week&
#39;s HP Byron Nelson Championship in Dallas.





For Guan, that will mark his third PGA Tour start of the year. He became the youngest Masters participant in history back in April, then became the youngest player to make the weekend at Augusta National. A fortnight later, Guan did it again, easily earning a spot in the weekend field at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.



It's pretty heady stuff from a kid whose head could grow a ballcap size overnight thanks to a growth spurt.



Now, however, he's making at a third start in a month and a half. For his part, world No. 1 Tiger Woods has played one tournament less in the Masters-to-Nelson stretch, with his win last week at The Players Championship coming in his first post-Masters start.



It might be a bit much for Guan, who can hardly be expected to continue making cuts like this.



Patrick Cantlay had a magical summer in 2011, shooting a record 60 in that year's Travelers Championship as part of a run of top-25 finishes while still at UCLA. He turned pro and, with pay on the line, the task got harder. However, in 2013, Cantlay has already won on the Web.com Tour and appears poised to head to the PGA Tour with membership and direct deposit privileges.



Then there's Lydia Ko, the Kiwi by way of Korean birth, who, at just 15 years of age, won the LPGA Tour's CN Canadian Women's Open last summer. She nearly won the Women's Australian Open to kick off 2013 for another phenomenal win. She's obviously closer to Guan in age, though Ko seems already in the same class as most of the LPGA players she can't even yet call peers because of the tour's age restrictions and her unwillingness to dive head first into what could be a deep pool, filled with money and fame.



Maybe that's the example for Guan. Follow Lydia. Enjoy this start at the Nelson and see what happens. Made or missed cut, call it a spring. Head back home. The opportunities will be there for him to return and play as he sees fit.



As he grows, mentally and physically, Guan will have to adjust. His game will change. His world view will change. Eventually, he will probably turn pro and try to become the biggest golfing name his country has ever known -- just in time, perhaps, for the 2020 Olympics. However, as Tiger Woods says so often, it's a process that must unfold naturally and be handled with care. Otherwise, there are plenty of cautionary tales in the graveyard of premature expectations.



Ryan Ballengee is a Washington, D.C.-based golf writer. His work has appeared on multiple digital outlets, including NBC Sports and Golf Channel. Follow him on Twitter @RyanBallengee.

Tiger Woods inviting a cloud of suspicion

Tiger Woods inviting a cloud of suspicion











Jay Busbee May 16, 2013 10:08 AMYahoo Sports







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Tiger Woods takes a drop on the 14th hole during the final round of The Players Championship. (Getty Images)Barely a third of the way into the 2013 golf season, Tiger Woods has already found himself the focus of three different rules controversies. He's been questioned for his behavior on the course and, in effect, called a liar for his comments off it.



He was penalized two strokes for an illegal drop at the HSBC Championship in January, nearly got disqualified from the Masters after an illegal drop there and this past weekend was questioned for giving himself a favorable drop in the final round of The Players Championship.

[Related: Two marshals on the grounds at Players said Tiger Woods did not lie]

(And if that weren't enough, Sergio Garcia accused Woods of a breach of etiquette during their third-round pairing on Saturday at The Players, leading to a he-said-she-said exchange from four course marshals, two of whom essentially called Woods a liar, two who defended him.)

All of this leads to the question: Why is this happening to Woods again and again?

While it's certainly true that Tiger is the most scrutinized golfer on the planet, watched by millions every time he enters a tournament, it's impossible to ignore the pattern that's developing: that time after time, when given the opportunity, Tiger Woods chooses the interpretation of the rules that's most favorable to him. Each situation isn't a huge deal when examined individually, but within a body of work they matter, especially when considering where he's headed – straight at Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 majors.






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Tiger Woods avoided disqualification after taking an illegal drop at the Masters. (AP)Let's get this out of the way: There is absolutely no indication that Woods is cheating on the golf course. None. No golfer in history has been as closely monitored as he is. In an age where hi-def TV viewers can pick up when a ball rotates by a single dimple, there'd be nowhere for Woods to hide.



But there is latitude in golf, which is a game officiated by the players themselves. So it's worth an inspection when a player interprets the rules in a way that consistently benefits him.

Consider, for instance, the infamous "loose impediment" ruling from the 1999 Phoenix Open. There, Woods hit his tee shot into the desert alongside the 13th hole; the ball came to rest behind a one-ton boulder roughly the size of a dishwasher. Woods asked whether the boulder was considered a "loose impediment," meaning it could be moved without penalty. A rules official assented, and Woods asked members of the gallery to haul the boulder out of the way. They happily obliged, and Woods would go on to birdie the hole.

And we already have three separate events in 2013 where Woods' interpretation of the rules has come under scrutiny:

• At the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship in January, Woods (with the blessing of his playing partner Martin Kaymer) took a free drop after his ball was embedded in a bushel of vines. He was later assessed a two-stroke penalty for taking an illegal drop, and that was enough for him to miss the cut.

• After putting his approach shot into the water on No. 15 during the second round of the Masters, Woods took a drop behind where he hit his initial approach. That's illegal, and he was assessed a penalty the next morning. Only through some legalistic gymnastics was Augusta National able to find an interpretation of the rules that kept Woods from being disqualified.

• At The Players on Sunday, Woods hit a ball into the water in the final round on the 14th hole. Both Woods and playing partner Casey Wittenberg agreed that the ball had hooked hard into the water, even though Woods had turned away from the tee shot before the ball even hit the water. Woods took a drop well up the fairway, rather than playing back from the tee, where it appeared from some replay angles to have last crossed land.

You see where we're going here. In every instance, Woods was conceivably within the rules – or at the very least could claim to be acting within what he thought were the rules – but in each case he opted to err not on the side of caution but on whatever side benefited him. In one case, it got him sent home early; in another, he escaped that fate by the thinnest of margins.

Golf also has expectations for player conduct on the course, and yet Woods constantly pushes that boundary as well. His tendency for screaming profanities on the course keeps broadcast directors up at night. Crowding competitors on the tee, walking off the green and taking the gallery with him before his opponent has finished putting, standing in sight lines … one man's gamesmanship is another's poor sportsmanship.

This just-inside-the-lines style has become Woods' trademark, and it leads to a perception that he cares only about what benefits him best.

It's worked quite well for him so far, but as Woods resumes his march into golf history, we're entering new territory. Imagine for a moment that Tiger had won the Masters in April, giving him major win No. 15. Considering a sizeable faction (including some of his peers) believed he should have been disqualified from the tournament for the illegal drop, what then would we have made of his pursuit of Nicklaus' record? What would history have made of it?

It doesn't seem that Tiger considers public perception – his one public apology in the wake of the cheating scandal had all the warmth of a hostage video – which, of course, is his right. But while perception doesn't always match reality, it can serve as a pretty accurate indicator of what's causing the rumblings. In this case, it's Tiger Woods' interpretation of the rules of golf.

If Woods was under heavy scrutiny before 2013, it's only going to get more intense now that he is firmly back on track in his pursuit of Nicklaus. As Barry Bonds can testify, pursuit of a legend is hard enough; pursuit of a legend under a cloud of suspicion is a lonely road.

Unlike Bonds, Woods has it in his power to dispel any concerns about his approach to the game. But so far, he's shown little interest in doing so. He can certainly argue that he acted within the letter of the law. But can he credibly argue that he acted within the spirit of it?