Taiwanese golfer Yani Tseng recently rejected a five-year NT$1-billion sponsorship deal offered by a Chinese enterprise, which required her to become a Chinese citizen, her father was cited as saying yesterday.
The business, which had been trying to woo the star golfer since last year, approached her again last month with a five-year contract worth US$25 million, plus the use of private jets and a luxury villa in Beijing, the father was quoted by Apple Daily as saying.
But the deal came with an extra term requiring Tseng to change her nationality to Chinese.
“We cannot change the nationality,” the father, Tseng Mao-hsin, was cited saying. “So we rejected it right away.”
The golfer currently is number four in the LPA ranking, having won many important championships.
Apple Daily said the Chinese enterprise hoped that Tseng could represent China in the 2016 Olympics.
Hsu Ya-tien, head of Taiwan's golf association, questioned the motives of the China offer.
Hsu said Tseng is Taiwan's most prized player, and the association would be glad to see a “pure commercial deal” done.
But if the goal is to make her play for China, the association would never make any compromises, Hsu said.
Yani Tseng refused offer to become Chinese citizen
Golf-Masters-Woods hopes fade but keeps grand slam dream alive
By Steve Keating
AUGUSTA, Georgia, April 11 (Reuters) - Tiger Woods's hopes for a fifth green jacket and a calendar grand slam were fading on Friday after the world number one battled to one-under 71 in the U.S. Masters second round.
Woods will enter the weekend trailing leader Trevor Immelman by seven shots and will have to produce a personal best comeback to keep his bid alive for a 14th major title and dream of a calendar grand slam from crashing at the first hurdle.
A pair of birdies on the back nine and an adventurous par on the 18th after sending his tee shot deep into the trees limited the damage and kept the 32-year-old within sight of the leader.
"It was nice to end up under par for the day and under par for the tournament," Woods told reporters. "Seven back is really, on this golf course, under these conditions we're going to have coming up, you can make that up."
After a bogey at the 10th left Woods nine off the pace, it would have required him to produce the greatest 36 hole comeback in Masters history, bettering the eight-shot rally by fellow American Jack Burke in 1956.
But all Woods will require now is a personal best, having never come back to win from more than six shots behind going into the final two rounds of a major championship.
"I'm in good shape," assured Woods. "I'm seven back but I need to play well, obviously we got some tougher conditions coming in, and stay patient.
"This golf course, you can make up shots here quickly. Just got to hang in there.
The American world number one won his first four tournaments this year before finishing fifth at last month's WGC-CA Championship in Miami. He has won nine times in 11 starts worldwide since last August.
"Obviously I've got to make a few more birdies and eliminate the mistakes, hit the ball a little bit closer than I have," said Woods looking ahead to the weekend. "You've just got to stay patient.
"I mean, this golf course, anything can happen. You can come back pretty quickly here.
"You've just got to keep being patient and keep hanging in there."
(Editing by Greg Stutchbury)
Ogilvy holds one-shot lead as rain stops a Tiger slide at Doral
DORAL, Fla. (AP) — Tiger Woods finally looked human Saturday at the CA Championship.
Then came some help from the heavens.
Woods couldn't make a putt, scowled more than he smiled, and was struggling to stay at par on a day when the Blue Monster was yielding birdies. What stopped his slide was a rumble of thunder and a torrential storm that dumped 3 inches of rain and suspended the third round until Sunday morning.
Geoff Ogilvy was at 14-under par through 11 holes and kept his one-shot lead, only now it was Adam Scott on his heels, not the world's No. 1 player who has won every tournament he has played since September.
Woods was at 11 under, even for the day, the only player among the top 18 who was not under par for the round.
Scott was practically flawless, making up five shots in five holes against Woods, taking the outright lead with a 25-foot birdie putt that swirled around the cup before falling, looking confident with every hole he played. Ogilvy still hasn't made a bogey this week, and two late birdies allowed him to regain the lead.
And then it rained.
"If it was our day," Scott said, "it was cut off way too short."
They will resume play Sunday at 8:30 a.m. - if conditions allow - to finish the third round, with the final round of this World Golf Championship scheduled for Sunday afternoon.
The break could not have come at a better time for Woods, who three-putted his first three holes, had two other putts spin off the lip and picked up his only birdie when his wedge stopped 30 inches away on No. 7.
``I'm right there, only three back,'' Woods said. ``A lot of holes to be played tomorrow. And hopefully, I can get it going and get hot for the rest of the day.''
The CA Championship looked like it might be a three-man race, but now is loaded with possibilities. Although the third round is incomplete, Woods headed back to his yacht in a three-way tie for third place.
Vijay Singh was 8 under for his round through 16 holes and faced a 7-foot birdie putt on the 17th when he returned. Also at 11 under for the tournament was Tim Clark, who was 7 under through 15 holes. Graeme Storm nearly made an ace on the par-3 15th that put him at 10 under with three holes remaining. Jim Furyk was 10 under through 13 holes.
Five shots separated eight players when the third round was stopped.
No one was complaining.
``Look, it's where you want to be,'' Ogilvy said. ``You want to be leading with 25 holes to play. I'm happy with where I'm at. If I can keep playing the way I'm playing and putt well, you never know.''
All signs pointed toward Woods seizing control of this tournament. He is the three-time defending champion at Doral and at this WGC event, he was swinging well, making every important putt and had the good vibes of winning six straight official events around the world.
Woods gets weary when people anoint him before the trophy is handed out, and he showed what can happen Saturday.
He reached the back of the green on the par-5 opening hole, but left himself 70 feet on the fringe. He lagged to about 4 feet, but his birdie putt banged off the back lip. That ended Woods' streak of 18 consecutive birdies or better on the first hole at Doral.
Then he three-putted the next hole, lipping out from 3 1/2 feet and making bogey.
``To three-putt the first two holes right out of the gate, never a good thing,'' Woods said.
Scott, meanwhile, looked determined to erase those two bogeys he made at the end of the second round. He holed a 20-foot birdie putt on the third hole, and raised his putter when a 25-foot birdie dropped on the fifth. He missed two other birdie putts inside 8 feet.
Ogilvy couldn't find the fairway, but kept his rhythm with par after par until making a 4-foot birdie on the seventh. He couldn't help but notice that Woods was lagging behind.
``He was hitting it very well. He just didn't putt like he normally putts,'' Ogilvy said. ``It was just one of those stretches that was probably frustrating the hell out of him. He was playing fine. He just didn't make anything.''
The break in play could prove beneficial to Woods, as if he needs any help.
He has trailed going into the final round only twice during this winning streak, by one shot at the BMW Championship and by four shots at the Dubai Desert Classic. But it looked for the longest time on a short day Saturday that Ogilvy and Scott had a chance to put some room between them and Woods.
``I would have liked to get the round in,'' Scott said. ``My round had gone a little stale after a fast start, and I was looking forward to getting to the 12th, a par 5, and giving myself a chance to get moving in the right direction. Geoff just got a little momentum going toward the end of the front nine. And yeah, Tiger was struggling a little bit to get it going.
``It would have been nice to keep playing more holes. But my attitude is the day is over. We'll start tomorrow just like we did today, and hopefully, I get off to a fast start and set the tone.''
The Associated Press
Ogilvy is bogey-free, but not free of Tiger
DORAL, Fla. (The Associated Press) — The birdie putt broke sharply and was just inside 25 feet, similar to the one Tiger Woods made last week at Bay Hill for a one-shot victory to extend his winning streak to six months.
He knew it was in. Everyone did.
The biggest difference was the celebration. Woods spiked his cap into the ground at Bay Hill. When he finished his round on the par-3 ninth at Doral with an unlikely birdie, he merely raised the putter in his left hand as the ball still had 8 feet to travel.
Then again, this was only Friday at the CA Championship. No one hands out a trophy until Sunday.
And this time, Woods wasn't even in the lead.
He closed with two birdies on the Blue Monster for a 6-under 66 that ultimately left him one shot behind former U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy, but still poised to add to a variety of winning streaks.
"A lot better than yesterday," Woods said, alluding to a three-putt finish on Thursday.
The cheer for his final birdie was so loud that Masters champion Zach Johnson backed off his putt across the lake on the 18th green and smiled, as if he had to look to see who was responsible for such noise.
But the roars didn't reach Ogilvy, who was on the front nine finishing his round and kept right on plodding. Ogilvy holed a 30-foot birdie putt on No. 5 to take the lead, then finished with four gritty pars. Ogilvy did a lot of that Friday. He saved par from the bunker four times, got up-and-down from easy spots off the green and wound up with 23 putts in his round of 67.
Ogilvy was at 12-under 132, one shot ahead of Woods, three shots ahead of his best friend, Adam Scott (68). Scott could have been a little closer until having to play one shot left-handed and hitting another into the water, making bogeys on his final two holes.
Even so, they will make for quite a threesome for Saturday, when tee times were moved up to avoid storms.
``How can you not enjoy playing with the guy who's on his way to being the best golfer of all time?'' Ogilvy said.
Ogilvy wouldn't mind if Woods took a detour on the weekend of this World Golf Championship. He has not won since the U.S. Open at Winged Foot in 2006, and while he certainly feels capable, there is no denying what Woods has done since September.
``Seven in a row? Six in a row? It's pretty impressive,'' Ogilvy said. ``That's a good career. But I mean, so many things can go wrong in a week, even if you're going well. That he just seems to even ride those out, it's pretty good.''
Woods had a solid round, nothing spectacular, even when he made two eagles in one round for the first time since the 2007 Buick Invitational, on the North Course at Torrey Pines in the first round. One came at the par-5 12th, when he holed a bunker shot that at worse would have stopped within tap-in range. The other came at No. 1, where he hit a 7-iron downwind to 6 feet.
``The par 5s are where you've got to score,'' Woods said. ``With today's wind, you could probably hit two par-5s with irons - actually three of the four par 5s with irons - so you've got to take advantage of those holes.''
Woods is 8 under on the par 5s, his 36-hole score being 11-under 133.
Is the tournament over?
Woods has never felt that way at the Masters, a major, the Battle at Bighorn, anywhere. Doral is no different.
``They don't just hand it you because of the way you've been playing,'' he said.
Even so, he has been playing some pretty good golf. Consider the streaks on the line this week - PGA Tour victories (five), worldwide victories (six), wins at Doral (four), wins at this WGC event (four).
``He's won these last however many golf tournaments,'' Ogilvy said. ``He hasn't lost too many when in contention after two rounds. He hasn't lost too many at Doral. There's a lot of things in his favor.''
Those things include the odds.
After the round ended, Ladbrokes had Woods as a 1-to-3 favorite, even though he was in second place. Ogilvy, the 36-hole leader for the first time in three years, was listed at 5-to-1, with Scott at 8-to-1.
``So it doesn't matter who it is playing against Tiger,'' he said. ``They've been getting burned, the bookies. I read somewhere this week everyone kept loading up on Tiger and they keep taking the bets, and they keep losing. That's reality.''
What Ogilvy could use is a dream finish for his second WGC title, no small task with Woods only one shot behind.
Everyone else was listed at 66-to-1, for good reason. Look beyond the final group Saturday, and the next best was six shots behind Ogilvy. Phil Mickelson was nine shots behind after missing a handful of short par putts that lipped out. There was a Singh in the mix, but it was Jeev Milkha Singh of India with a 70 to finish in the group at 6-under 138, not the three-time major champion Vijay Singh, who had a 68 and only got to 141.
Ernie Els is helping to bring up the rear at 5-over 149, leaving him 17 shots behind.
Els takes command in Dubai
Ernie Els, the master of the Emirates Golf Club, hit his stride in the third round of the Dubai Desert Classic with a blistering seven under par 65 to take the lead as he chases an unprecedented fourth title.
The final day is poised to be yet another classic over the Majlis Course with Els on 11 under par 205 and leading the defending champion, Henrik Stenson, by a shot with the current European Number One, Lee Westwood, and Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell a further two shots behind.
World Number One Tiger Woods was totally out of sorts as he struggled all day, shooting a one over par 73, his first over par round in five visits to Dubai. That left him on seven under par 209, four shots off the lead and sharing fifth place with five other players including Damien McGrane, who can hold his head high after outscoring his illustrious playing partner.
Sergio Garcia, Martin Kaymer, winner of the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship two weeks ago, Peter Hedblom and Shiv Kapur are also on five under par
Els clearly loves coming to Dubai and a tournament he has won three times – in 1994, 2002 and 2005 – and finished runner-up the last two years.
And, in his first event of the year, he once again played at his imperious best to rise to the top of the leaderboard. Five birdies and a magnificent eagle on the tenth decorated his card and the World Number Five moved to the top of the leaderboard.
"I enjoyed it today," said Els. "It was a round that I really needed. I was a bit disappointed with my round yesterday. I felt I probably needed two 64s to have half a chance in the tournament, and as it turned out, a 65 today, and probably need a really low one tomorrow. I can't see Henrik with Tiger and the other guys, not shooting low. So just got to keep going tomorrow."
Els is clearly comfortable in Dubai, where he opened his course at Dubai Sports City on Monday, The Els Club.
Stenson feels even more at home as he lives in Dubai and after two second place finishes in his first two events of the year in the Gulf, he is right on form and has no intention of relinquishing the title lightly.
The Swede got off to a flying start with three opening birdies although his momentum was slowed with a bogey on the fifth. But two birdies coming home completed a round of 68 and put him on ten under par 206.
"I'm looking forward to tomorrow," he said. "It's always hard to defend a title and I think especially this one will be hard. I'm very happy with the job I'm doing so far, so I'm proud of that, and just looking forward and hopefully I can go out and play a solid round again.
"It's all about positioning yourself and hopefully being a couple of shots into the lead, going into the back nine, give yourself chances to win tournaments, and at least so far, I'm in with a good chance."
Westwood is another form-horse having secured three top five finishes this season and eight top tens in his last nine European Tour events. Two birdies to finish put him at eight under par and only three off the lead.
Similarly McDowell has being showing promise recently and lies alongside the Englishman after a 69.
Woods looked out of sorts from the moment he missed a four foot birdie putt on the first hole. The precision of the first round was lost as he struggled to find fairways and greens. A bogey on the last, when he hit his second into the water, pretty much summed up an uncharacteristic off day.
"I didn't play well today," he admitted. "I didn't hit the ball close enough on the greens, and consequently I was lag putting a lot. Never really gave myself a lot of looks at birdies. I have to go out and play a good round of golf and play better than I have the last two days and obviously start making some putts."
McGrane might have found himself in unchartered water playing with the best player in the world but outscored Woods with a 72 to Woods' 73. McGrane lies 318 places below Woods in the Official World Golf Ranking but battled hard and kept himself in the tournament at seven under par.
Colin Montgomerie adds World Cup title to his resume
SHENZHEN, China (AP) — Add the World Cup of Golf to Colin Montgomerie's long resume.
By STEPHEN WADEAP Sports Writer, APMontgomerie and Marc Warren gave Scotland its first victory in the World Cup, defeating Americans Boo Weekley and Heath Slocum on Sunday with a par on the third hole of a playoff in southern China.
The victory at the Mission Hills Golf Club made up for Scotland's loss last year in Barbados on the first hole of a playoff with Germany's Bernhard Langer and Marcel Siem.
Montgomerie's tap-in for par on the third extra hole was good enough for the Scots when Weekley missed a 15-foot attempt to save par.
"It's been a long time for Scotland to win the World Cup, since 1953," said Montgomerie, an eight-time European No. 1. "There was pressure to come back after a playoff loss like we did last year, which was disappointing."
The Americans forced the playoff on the last hole of regulation in alternate-shot play when Slocum made a 5-foot birdie putt.
On the first playoff hole, Slocum missed a 7-foot birdie attempt that would have won it. Seconds before, Warren holed a 12-footer to save par. A miss would have handed the event to the Americans. On the second extra hole, both teams narrowly missed birdie attempts - Weekley from 20 feet and Warren from 12.
Weekley's approach shot on the final playoff hole was short, and Slocum's chip left his teammate with a difficult putt.
"Putting is the strong suit of my game, and I really didn't have a good putting week at all,'' Slocum said. "I was just due for the week to make something."
Montgomerie chimed in, saying Slocum's missed putt was the turning point.
"From then on, I felt we were the favorites," he said.
Scotland shot a 6-under 66 and the Americans - they led by a stroke after each of the first three rounds - had a 67 to finish regulation at 25-under 263. France's Gregory Havret and Raphael Jacquelin had a 67 to finish a stroke back. England's Ian Poulter and Justin Rose also had a 67 to finish fourth at 23 under.
Weekley and Slocum were fortunate to be playing in the event. Weekley, ranked No. 43, was invited after 13 Americans ranked ahead of him turned it down. He then picked Slocum, his high-school friend from the Florida Panhandle.
"We weren't even supposed to be here and that's even a bonus," Weekley said. "I know we feel disappointed how we finished up, but overall it was a great week."
Montgomerie and Warren took a two-stroke lead with an eagle on the par-5 15th after Montgomerie's approach left Warren with a 6-foot putt. Slocum pulled the Americans within one with a 10-foot birdie putt on 15, and the United States forced the playoff with the birdie on No. 18.
The Americans reached 23 under with four birdies in five holes on the front nine - the last two on Nos. 6 and 7 on putts by Slocum.
But they scrambled after that.
They missed a chance to reach 24 under when Slocum's 2-foot birdie lipped out at No. 9. Weekley made a 10-foot putt to save par on 12, and Slocum missed a 15-footer for birdie on 13.
The World Cup was first played 54 years ago as the Canada Cup and has been won by Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Sam Snead, Ben Hogan and Tiger Woods.
The tournament has struggled in recent years to gain traction. This was the first year of a 12-year contract at Mission Hills, a lush, rolling layout.
"It was a wonderful experience," Slocum said. "This would have been icing on the cake to top it off with a victory."
The Associated Press
Stephen Ames Wins His Third PGA Tour
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla.Canadian Stephen Ames has won the Children's Miracle Network Classic that took place at Disney and which he had played until the last hole, on Sunday.
Ames won his last PGA Tour 17 months ago, at The Players Championship last year, where he made a double bogey and still blew away the toughest field in golf by six shots at the TPC Sawgrass.
Despite a winless season, the Calgary resident already considered this year a success because he revamped his swing to eliminate nagging back issues. He twice contended in majors, when he was tied for the lead on the final day at Oakmont and played in the final group at Southern Hills.
One last trip to escape the chill of Alberta turned into so much more Sunday.
Ames ran off three straight birdies on the back nine at Disney, the last one a 4-iron that was close to perfect, then saved par from 65 feet away in a bunker on the closing hole for a one-shot victory in the Children's Miracle Network Classic.
"I came down here to work on my golf swing," Ames said. "Here I am winning an event, which is awesome."
Ames closed with a 4-under 68, and that bunker shot to three feet for par on the 18th hole at the Magnolia Course was enough to hold off hard-charging Tim Clark in the final PGA Tour event of the season.
Clark birdied six of his last 10 holes for a 66, the lowest score on the weekend of a tournament that no longer is a pushover.
"I didn't everything I could, and it wasn't enough," Clark said.
Ames won for the first time this year, and he had to work hard for it. Seven players were tied for the lead at some point in a final round filled with sunshine, and even a one-shot lead with three holes to play was no bargain.
"It was a grind coming down the stretch," Ames said. "The way I finished with three pars, I'm quite happy I did."
Ames, who grew up in Trinidad & Tobago and moved to Calgary 13 years ago, heads home to a winter of freezing temperatures, plenty of work in the gym and an earlier start to next year than he anticipated.
After previously hitting a bunker around 65 feet away from the hole, having Tim Clark only one shot behind him. However, he succeeded to blast out to three feet and make the par for a 4-under 68, coming to the end of an already successful season, since he already had a victory in the final PGA Tour of the year.
Verplank shared the 54-hole lead with Ames and was tied with four holes to play until he couldn't match Ames' birdie on the 15th and three-putted the 16th from about 70 feet. He shot 71 and tied for third with Tag Ridings (70) and Robert Gamez (68).
Ames earned 828,000 dollars for his third PGA Tour win and moved to 31st on the year-end money list, four spots ahead of Weir.
Kevin Stadler won the consolation prize, tying for 15th to move into the top 125. He finished the 124th.
Ames’ victory was said to be difficult to predict and along with Mike Weir's title in Arizona two weeks ago, they made the first couple of Canadians who won the PGA Tour in the same year since 50 years ago, when Al Balding and Stan Leonard accomplished the same thing.
Ames declared that his next destinatination is Maui, where he planned to go for his Christmas vacation, but now has one more reason to do so, referring to the winners-only Mercedes-Benz Championship that kicks off the PGA Tour season in January.
Mickelson and K.J. in the hunt at Singapore golf open
SINGAPORE (AP) — 
Australia's Gavin Flint and Kane Webber and Jin Park of the United States upstaged the big names at the Singapore Open, shooting 5-under 66s to share the first-round lead Thursday.
Flint and Webber both had five birdies in bogey-free rounds, and the Korean-born Park had six birdies and a bogey to top the leaderboard ahead of players such as Phil Mickelson, Vijay Singh and Ernie Els.
Angelo Que of the Philippines had a 67 and was one shot off the lead at the remodeled 6,710-yard Serapong Course at Sentosa Golf Club.
Phil Mickelson made a smooth transition to the rigours of Asian golf Thursday to lurk two off the pace alongside K.J. Choi after the opening round of the Barclays Singapore Open.
The world number two, in a rare outing to the region, fired five birdies in his three-under-par 68 to remain in touch with a trio of overnight leaders -- Australians Gavin Flint and Kane Webber, and American Jin Park.
Korea's Choi, the world number nine, also carded a 68. Filipino Angelo Que stands alone in second on 67.
Defending champion Adam Scott, rusty after a month off, recovered from a bogey on his first hole to shoot a 70, which was matched by Fijian star Vijay Singh.
But Ernie Els, fresh from his victory at the World Match Play championships at Wentworth last month, struggled to a 72 after suffering a stomach upset on Wednesday. US Open champion Angel Cabrera posted an even-par 71.
Mickelson, whose only blemishes were a double bogey on the third when he went into the trees, and a bogey on the fifth, raved about the "immaculate" Serapong course on Sentosa island but said his driving let him down.
Mickelson's double-bogey on the par-4 third ultimately cost him a share of the lead, and he finished at 3 under along with South Korea's K.J. Choi and Japan's Tetsuji Hiratsuka.
"I scored well and got the ball into the hole well," Mickelson said. "But my driving has been terrible and the worst that it's been since I started working with (coach) Butch (Harmon).
"It's 10:15 his time at night and I'm going to give him a call, wake him up. I'm lucky to escape with a three-under-par round. I'll talk to Butch to see if I can get it ironed out for tomorrow."
Singh - who had an eagle on the par-4 10th - and two-time defending champion Adam Scott were among 13 players at 70.
"I seem to hit it to about 15 to 20 feet quite a lot," Scott said. "A few came up short, especially when you're putting down the green. But I hit some good putts, I just haven't quite got the pace down yet, that's something I have to work on."
U.S. Open champion Angel Cabrera also recorded a double-bogey on the troublesome third hole and ended even-par, along with Darren Clarke and Lee Westwood.
Els, the European Tour money leader who elected to play this tournament instead of the Volvo Masters and thus jeopardize his chances of claiming the Harry Vardon trophy, shot a 72. The South African had a double-bogey on the par-5 seventh to go with two bogeys and three birdies.
Mickelson, who is attending the tournament after his family home in California narrowly escaped the wildfires, was surprised by the difficulty of the course and the ability of the players.
"I didn't expect the course to be that difficult," Mickelson said. "This is a Tour-caliber golf course. The fairways are in perfect condition, and it's tight. The rough is thick and the greens are fair and fast. It's a good test of golf.
"I haven't been made aware of how good the golf is in Asia. These players are strong."
Six players did not complete their round and would play the final holes on Friday morning.
The Associated Press
Woods finished with designs for 3 holes on Dubai course
NEW YORK (AP) —
Tiger Woods has completed the designs for three holes on his first golf course in Dubai, and it doesn't look like he's too concerned about the area's desert terrain.
Woods and his design company are developing a 7,800-yard, par-72 course called Al Ruwaya in Dubailand, the region's largest tourism and leisure project. It's the marquee attraction in a 55-million square-foot development that also will include a hotel, golf academy, community center and luxury homes.
Woods' three completed holes feature lush greenery, including grass and shrubs, and greens well protected by bunkers or water. It's the first glimpse of his course style since he created Tiger Woods Design last year.
``The complexity in those three holes ... has set a different benchmark in the golfing industry,'' said Abdulla Al Gurg, the project director for The Tiger Woods Dubai.
No. 12 is a par 3 at 181 yards, featuring a couple of different elevations and bunkers on the left and right of the front of the green. The next designed hole is No. 17, a drivable par 4 of 341 yards with three bunkers in the front and one in the back.
Woods also has completed the plans for the finishing hole, a difficult par 4 playing at 507 yards. A stream will run in front of the tee and water lines the right side of the hole.
``Overall, I think if you walk off 18 with a par, you will feel like you made some smart decisions and executed properly,'' Woods said in a promotional brochure for the development.
The world's No. 1 golfer has 61 victories on the PGA Tour and 13 major championships. He announced plans in August to develop his first American course in North Carolina, and has impressed his partners in the Dubai development.
``He really resembles the word excellence,'' said Al Gurg, who toured several courses with Woods in January and was in New York this week for a charity event. ``He looks at things in detail.''
Woods' 50,000 square-foot mansion adjacent to Al Ruwaya, which means serenity, will be one of 287 residences in the development, a joint venture between Woods' design company and Tatweer, a member of the government-affiliated Dubai Holding.
While Woods works on the course design, he's also starting to delve into the look of his home.
``He might choose not to go ahead with one of those Arabian looks but he's actually liking them very much,'' Al Gurg said. ``He does. It's a different look and feel.''
Some of the homes will be over 100,000 square feet, and the cost will range from $12 million to $23 million. Construction has already started, and it's expected to completed in 2009.
``This is one of the primary projects for the government of Dubai and for Dubai in general,'' Al Gurg said. ``Everybody is looking at this project and craving for when we actually open our doors.''
The Associated Press
Daniel Chopra completes 1-stroke win at Ginn
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - Daniel Chopra was born in Sweden, raised in India by grandparents and had to fly overseas just to buy golf balls. He spent time on about every pro tour imaginable, and those stops flashed through his mind as he stood over the final putt.
Daniel Chopra collected his first USPGA Tour victory on Monday, outlasting compatriot Fredrik Jacobson and Japan's Shigeki Maruyama to the Ginn Classic by one stroke.
Chopra, 33, completed a two-under par 71 in the delayed final round to finish with an overall score of 19-under 273 in the 4.5 million-dollar tournament.
``You never know how you're going to react,'' Chopra said.
He reacted just fine - and got his first PGA Tour victory.
Chopra re-claimed the outright lead with a birdie at the par-5 16th hole Monday morning and held on to win the oft-delayed Ginn sur Mer Classic, edging Fredrik Jacobsen and Shigeki Maruyama by one shot at Tesoro Club.
``It's amazing,'' Chopra said. ``It's something that I've dreamed about for a long time.''
Chopra finished at 19 under, becoming the 12th first-time winner on tour this season.
The win came in Chopra's 133rd career start, and the $810,000 winner's check pushed his career earnings to just shy of $5 million. He saw a four-shot lead over his nearest pursuers evaporate as darkness fell on Tesoro Club Sunday night, then returned in the morning and found a way to prevail.
It was hard to tell who was happier: Chopra in victory, or Maruyama in defeat.
The Japanese player left with one pretty good consolation prize - a card for next season. His tie for second earned him $396,000, vaulting him from 137th to 103rd on the money list with just one tournament remaining, meaning he's a cinch to finish among the top 125 and have full playing privileges next season.
Not bad, considering he was at No. 208 on the list earlier this year.
``This year was really hard, the most difficult year in eight years for myself,'' said Maruyama, who had been in the top 80 on the money list in each of his first seven years on tour. ``I'm really happy.''
He may skip next week's Children's Miracle Network Classic at the Disney courses near Orlando.
``Bye, bye, Disney,'' Maruyama said.
Jacobsen's finish was his best in 96 starts on tour.
``I'm proud that I was trailing a bit coming into the week and getting closer and closer,'' Jacobsen said. ``I ended up having a shot at it, which was nice.''
Dicky Pride (64) was alone in fourth at 16 under, earning $216,000 - the second-biggest check of his career, $9,000 shy of what he earned for winning the 1994 St. Jude Classic.
Chopra, Maruyama and Jacobsen all entered the morning 18 under, with Chopra having three holes left to play and the others with two. That figured to give Chopra a big edge, since his first hole on Monday was the par-5 16th, the easiest on the course this week and one he'd already made birdie on three times.
Make it four.
Chopra's 10-footer - after missing the fairway off the tee - gave him a one-shot lead, after Maruyama and Jacobsen both missed the green and scrambled for par at the par-3 17th.
``Well, 17 is not an easy hole, especially not starting on it,'' Jacobsen said. ``You warm up, you do everything and then you're riding a car out to the tee and playing for a tournament when you're trying to finish off a round as well. ... You feel the pulse going a bit.''
Chopra didn't find 17 easy, either. He hit the green, albeit 55 feet from the hole, and made a 4-footer to save par and maintain the lead. At the 18th, needing par to win, his drive found a bunker, but his second shot stopped 25 feet from the hole to set up the clinching two-putt.
It reminded him of those nights in Europe, when he'd play on that tour during the day and watch the PGA Tour at night, hopeful of one day being on those leaderboards.
This time, he finished on top of one.
``The first one is hard and it's meant to be that way, because you get to enjoy it more and treasure it,'' Chopra said.
In a week filled with weather delays, wet conditions and six-hour rounds, he simply survived. Chopra had been close before, with 13 previous top-10 finishes, and finally got it done.
Ken Duke (70), Charlie Wi (71), Sean O'Hair (74) and Cameron Beckman (72) finished tied for fifth at 13 under. That was huge for Beckman, who jumped 10 spots to 118th on the money list after winning nearly $160,000 at the Ginn and greatly enhancing his odds of avoiding qualifying school.
Chopra didn't need to worry about the money list this week, and won't have to for a while. He'd been in the lead before, been in final groups before, but never found a way to break through - until now.
``Next time around,'' Chopra said, ``I'm sure it'll be a lot easier.''
Notes: Only six players needed to finish their rounds Monday morning. ... It was only the second tournament this year to allow players to lift, clean and place balls in the fairway for all four rounds. Pebble Beach was the other. ... Chopra's 19-under score was his second-best in relation to par on the PGA Tour. He was 21 under at the Frys.com Open last year.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Roger Federer or Tiger Woods?
By Jeff Gordon
Roger Federer and Tiger Woods have become good friends in recent years, which is no surprise.
They have so much in common. They are the two most dominant athletes in professional athletics. They wear the target at every event they enter. They have few — if any — peers in the sports they play.
This summer they co-starred in a Nike commercial celebrating their remarkable success.
"It's not often that you can relate to someone about things that are going on but we can," Woods once said of Federer. "It's nice to pick his brains. I've been lucky to get to know Michael Jordan pretty well and it's good to find people you can talk to about preparations and distractions, about getting to the top and then moving forward."
Federer, 26, owns tennis, as he demonstrated during the past two weeks by winning his fourth U.S. Open title and his 12th Grand Slam championship.
Woods, 31, rules golf, as he underscored by capturing the BMW Championship over the weekend for his 60th PGA Tour victory.
But how do these titans really match up? Let's see how they compare in a number of critical categories:
Week-to-week success: Advantage Federer.
On any surface but clay, he has remained nearly unbeatable. He has reigned as the world's top-ranked player for 188 consecutive weeks. That's more than three years!
Even Woods, superhuman that he is, suffered a significant slump while tinkering with his swing.
For a 35-year span, 1970 through 2005, no man reached all four Grand Slam finals in the same calendar year. Now Federer has done it two years running.
Federer's consistent brilliance is unmatched.
Competitive drive: Draw.
Neither player gets tired of winning. Marriage hasn't tamed Tiger and neither has fatherhood.
And freakish success hasn't left Federer complacent. He seems unfamiliar with the concept.
"New guys challenging me — this is my biggest motivation out there," Federer said after winning the U.S. Open. "Seeing them challenging me, and then beating them in the finals."
Quality of competition: Advantage Woods.
Golf's competitive depth is amazing. Phil Mickelson isn't the only guy chasing Tiger. On a given weekend, there may be 100 golfers with a legitimate shot at outplaying Woods.
In tennis, second-ranked Rafael Nadal can consistently beat Federer on the slower surfaces. Nadal won eight of his first 13 matches against him.
Novak Djokovic, 20, could be the Next Big Thing based on his brilliant play at the U.S. Open. He took Federer the distance.
Other than that, though, few players can even hang with Federer on the court. Poor Andy Roddick has lost to Federer 14 out of 15 times. He played an almost flawless match at the U.S. Open and still got dusted.
Historical standing: Draw.
Federer is just two grand slams behind Pete Sampras' record of 14. Barring a catastrophic injury, he will blow away that record.
He has already flown past legends like Bjorn Borg and Rod Laver. He has reached 10 consecutive Grand Slam finals and won eight of them. He has won 34 consecutive matches at Wimbledon.
But Tiger won his 13th major this summer, the PGA Championship, and shows no sign of slowing down. He is gunning for Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 majors and barring something entirely unforeseen, he's going to get it.
"When you first start your career, 18 is just a long way away," Woods said after winning the PGA. "And even though I'm at 13, it's still a long, long way. You can't get it done in one year. It's going to take time. It took Jack 20 years to get it done, 20-plus years. Hopefully health permitting and everything goes right and I keep improving, that I'll one day pass that."
Earning power: Advantage Woods.
Both players dominate their sports in total earnings, but Tiger has moved into a whole new category.
Thanks to his deal with Nike and his ability to command $3 million appearance fees overseas, Tiger became the first athlete to earn more than $100 million per year. So says Forbes Magazine, which annually computes the earning power of the rich and famous.
But don't feel sad for Federer. Forbes estimated his take at $29 million per year, thanks to lucrative endorsement deals with Gillette, Rolex, Nike, Swiss Air and Wilson.
Staying power: Advantage Woods.
Martina Navratilova played well until she was 50. Tiger will excel at least that long, given his commitment to fitness.
It would be hard to imagine Federer staying on top much past 30, given the tremendous physical demands of his sport. Eventually he will lose a step.
Celebrity power: Advantage Woods.
He is the rare golfer with global appeal. Tennis players have enormous appeal in Europe, but Tiger will draw more paparazzi than Federer almost anywhere in the world.
Now, if Roger had married one of the Spice Girls ...
The bottom line
Federer is hotter right now. He almost never loses. He has one rival, Nadal, and perhaps one up-and-comer to contend with, Djokovic.
But Woods is the more dominant performer overall. He has been at it longer and he figures to keep winning long after Federer scales back. He faces more competition from week to week.
He is the bigger global celebrity and the biggest money-maker in athletics. He is more than a golfer, just as Muhummad Ali was more than a boxer and Pele was more than a soccer player.
It's Tiger's world. Every other athlete, Federer included, just lives in it.
The PGA of America, Helping To Make Golf A Powerful Business Tool
It has long been known that the game of golf is a powerful business and social tool.
Presidents and prime ministers all over the world play the game. CEOs and other senior business folk use the game to court clients and consummate deals. Families use it as a way to spend quality time together, and at risk teens in urban areas have found golf programs as a healthy escape from the dangers of the streets. Wherever you look, it is not uncommon to find golf playing an important role in someone's life.
Specifically, the use of golf as a business tool has grown exponentially in recent decades.
Any career person who has taken advantage of the game's business benefits can clearly explain why. First, it is a well-known fact that most people who play golf don't just like golf, they usually love it. As such, if a business person takes the time to invite a client, customer or associate to play golf, likely at an impressive facility, that often can be a winning situation all in itself.
Second, once you have that client or associate out on the golf course, you cannot compare the power of spending four hours on the course in peaceful, enjoyable surroundings with any office or meeting room environment. The chances of bonding and getting to know that person on a different level are much higher.
Third, you can learn a lot about a person's character and integrity in how they play the game of golf. Time out on the golf course is an ideal opportunity to get to know a client, customer or associate in a way that might not be apparent in other meeting situations. Likewise, they will also have the chance to get to know you on a deeper level.
Assuming that the on-course experience has been a pleasant and enjoyable one, the ongoing business relationship most likely will move on to a whole new plane. Picking up the phone, or sitting across a meeting table now is all the more comfortable, based on the new bond formed during the golf outing.
We must also consider that the positive aspects of playing golf in business are not reserved only for entertaining on the course.
Just the ability to mention during business conversations that you play golf can bring down numerous relationship barriers. Golfers love to talk golf, and if that golfer happens to be your boss, your client or your prospective business partner, your ability to engage in a dialogue about the game can be a critical advantage.
The PGA of America has been a leader in recognizing the power of golf as a business tool and, as such, has implemented and supported a number of initiatives to grow that side of the game.
While many people might be aware of the myriad of benefits the game has to offer, it is not always as obvious to those who haven't yet got into the game. Even for those who are interested in playing golf, it isn't that easy to know how to go begin. If your family or friends don't already play golf, the prospect of finding a way to enter the game can be a daunting and intimidating proposition.
Our Association of 28,000 men and women professionals across the country has developed or supported three programs that have a specific focus on attracting people to the game of golf because of its business benefits. They are: Golf: For Business and Life, a unique and innovative program that works with students at universities across the country; Link Up 2 Golf, a newly-introduced program that is designed for beginners and is rapidly becoming known as "America's Welcome to Golf Program"; and the Executive Women's Golf Association (EWGA), a non-profit organization formed to foster opportunities for women to learn, play and enjoy the game, while benefiting their business and personal lives. The EWGA (see Page 71), which is supported by The PGA of America, is comprised of 17,000 members in 100 chapters in the U.S. and Canada. (for more information on the EWGA, log onto www.ewga.com.)
These three initiatives are among a number of innovative PGA-driven growth of the game projects. Link Up 2 Golf expanded to 34 new markets. Already with a great deal of success to its name, the premise of Link Up 2 Golf is to create a fun and relaxed environment for beginners to learn the game, and for former golfers and occasional golfers to connect or reconnect with golf. Participating facilities can host the program by focusing it toward beginning golfers of various segments including couples, families or busy career professionals with emphasis on using golf as a business tool (For more information on Link Up 2 Golf, log onto www.playgolfamerica.com).
Another target to capture the attention of young people just embarking on their careers has been the Golf: For Business and Life program. The concept of the Golf: For Business and Life program originated at Purdue University under the direction of university professor Dr. Tom Templin.
A lover of the game of golf, Dr. Templin wanted to find ways in which to get young people interested in golf, such that they could benefit from the game both in their personal and their business lives. He achieved this with remarkable success after piloting the program. In fact, the program has been so well received that Golf: For Business and Life now has expanded into 35 universities nationwide, and is funded by The PGA of America's Growth of the Game initiative.
This national program teaches junior and senior college students how to use golf as a business tool, no matter which career path they choose. It offers an instruction element, clinics on rules, etiquette and terminology, and guest lectures by key business leaders who impart their wisdom on how they use golf with their business.
The program has taken root with tremendous results.
One particular success story has been the program introduced in 2002 at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. In an effort to expose more young people to the business and social pleasures of the game, The Golf House of Tennessee and Vanderbilt University last year collaborated to offer Golf: For Business and Life to a select group of Vanderbilt students. With the support of The PGA of America, they introduced 72 young adults to the game through a nine-week program.
The results of their first program in Nashville were exciting and fulfilling, both for the students who took part, and for those at The Golf House of Tennessee and Vanderbilt who got to see how positively these young people responded to their first golf experience. The group quickly realized how much golf was going to be a powerful addition to their academic qualifications as they continued on their fast tracks to graduation and their ultimate entry into the business world. How those students now see golf playing a role in their lives varies from including golf in their job interview process, to entertaining business colleagues and partners once they are employed, through to actually finding a job within the golf industry. After the completion of the program, students are continuing to play and are also introducing their friends to the game. Even more important to their future careers, these students have realized the value that golf brings in cultivating successful business relationships.
All in all, the Vanderbilt University example highlights the power of a growing nationwide program that is preparing its participants to graduate and move into their careers with golf as a new tool.
They know how to play, how to conduct themselves on the course, and how to hold a dialogue about golf. Now, The PGA of America and its partner universities will be sending out to the workplace a well-educated and talented group of young people. Thanks to the Golf: For Business and Life program, those young people now have a powerful new tool to complement their resumes—the wonderful game of golf.
Jim Awtrey is CEO of The PGA of America.
Golf is Everyone's Game
Despite its relatively small size, rocky terrain and famously inclement weather, Scotland has given the world two extraordinary gifts—whisky and golf.
Although, like most games, it's played with a ball, golf isn't the equivalent of a "combat situation." You don't occupy enemy territory and rack up points by scoring. You play primarily against the course, then your opponents. It's also the only game, besides racing events, where the lowest score wins.
No one recorded how such a singular game first originated. My guess is that a shepherd got bored minding his flock and started hitting round stones, of which Scotland has many, down a rabbit hole with a stick. Finally, he—I assume he, because golf began to interest women at a somewhat later date—found a root or a cudgel roughly the size of a golf club that worked better. If he'd been Irish, he could have used a shillelagh. Then another shepherd came along, and the first one said something like: "Hey Rob, I'll bet ye I canna get me stone down that hole hitting it less times than you hit yours." Golf was born.
The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, founded in 1754, gave the game its first formal rules. However golf was apparently a popular sport there as early as 1413, when the University of St. Andrews was founded. It became so popular that King James II banned the game in 1457 by act of the Scottish Parliament because it was interfering with archery practice.
Eventually stone and wooden balls were replaced with gutta-percha (a kind of natural rubber) which in turn paved the way for the high tech ones used today. Cudgels gave way to wooden shafted mashies, niblicks and pitchers, which in turn were replaced by numbered woods and irons constructed of the same materials used in making stealth bombers.
Golf has spread far beyond Scotland, and is arguably the most popular game in the world. Soccer, for all its popularity, isn't yet an American sport. Baseball is mainly played in the U.S., Japan, and Latin America. Basketball is still quintessentially American, even though more and more players come from abroad. Other than races, only golf, along with tennis and possibly fishing, are truly international sports.
The best players come from anywhere and everywhere. While American players predominated in the recent U.S. Open, golfers from all five continents, as well as Australia, Fiji, and New Zealand, competed. The best woman golfer, Annika Sorenstam, is Swedish, and Tiger Woods is African-American and Thai.
Golf is a game anybody can play, because skill matters more than size. Modern football and rugby players resemble small tanks, and weigh about as much. Basketball players can hitch rides on low flying planes, but golfers, while they do need physical strength, look like everybody else. Some are fat, some are thin; they're big; they're small, but above all they're normal.
Neither size nor, to some extent, age, decides who wins. "Bantam" Ben Hogan, one of the greatest golfers ever, was 5'9". He came back from a car crash that almost killed him, to win the 1951 Open. In 1953, at the age of 41, he again won the U.S. Open, as well as the British Open and the Masters. Jack Nicklaus won the 1986 Masters at the age of 46. A Brit named Philip Golding just won his first title, capturing the French Open at the age of 40.
Woods is no monster of the fairway—at 6'2" and 180 pounds, he's about the size of the average 27-year-old American male. Because of this everyone who plays the game, and a lot who don't, can identify with its stars. "Hey I'm the same size as Tiger Woods—why don't I play like him?" Which of course gives golf its mystique. Give Woods, or any other top pro, only an ancient mashie, a niblick and a croquet mallet and despite all the high tech stuff in the average golfer's bag he'd probably win by 10 -12 strokes.
Golf, as played in the U.S., has also become increasingly democratized. In Europe it's still somewhat of an elitist game, but here anyone can rent clubs, take lessons and play the local muni course. Country clubs do tend to remain the preserve of businessmen and a lot of rich retired ones at that. Have you ever wondered what they'd do if the Scots hadn't invented golf? But you don't need country clubs to play the game.
In fact you don't need to play at all. While some may think that golf on TV is the equivalent of watching paint dry or grass grow, many more are fascinated by it—my 96-year-old mother for one.
Why does she watch golf? "It's a nice game, a good game; the men who play it are gentlemen; and they're not trying to kill one another," she said. Maybe a non-combat game appeals to us because it takes our minds off the world's upheavals. Perhaps it could be popularized in Iraq.
By Charles E. Boyle
Golf Tips [MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION]
Golf magazines-Golf Tips [MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION]
This magazine is edited to provide instruction and tips to golfers of all levels. Its articles are written by teaching professionals who offer insight into the sport. Each issue features equipment guides, selection guides, instruction of new and old techniques and information on challenging courses.
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If you are the type of golfer who wants to improve your putting, your swing, your choice of equipment, or anything else golf related, then Golf Tips is the magazine for you. This magazine, unlike other golf publications, dedicates almost all of its pages to improvement. Most every golfer wants to get better over time, and Golf Tips is one of the few publications available that focuses all of its contents on self improvement.
As far as the advice goes, Golf Tips is a good magazine and it tries to cover several different aspects of the game in the same issue, so readers can find a relevant article that relates to their own problems. Maybe your problem area is putting. If it is, there is likely a putting article someone in the current issue. Another person might be having trouble perfecting his/her swing and if so, there are plenty of helpful articles that include diagrams so readers will know exactly what to do.
Other magazines include diagrams to illustrate proper maneuvering of the hands and body when swinging a golf club but Golf Tips takes this a step further. It includes not only picture depicting the right way to do it, there are also pictures showing what not to do. With some of these, Golf Tips will make sure the casual reader knows which photo depicts the wrong way to swing by showing a red circle with a line through it (same symbol seen on certain traffic signs), superimposed over the picture. With an illustration like this, there will be no doubt in the golfer's mind what he/she is not supposed to do.
Overall, Golf Tips is a good magazine for someone whose primary interest is improving his/her game. There are other magazines that include some instruction on the game, but Golf Tips concentrates most all of its pages in this area. I prefer a more balanced golf magazine like Golf Digest but I can see how Golf Tips could come in handy. The advice is written like a pro, and it covers something about many different problems in each and every issue.
Golf magazines-Golf World
Golf magazines-Golf World
The best weekly news magazine of golf. Each issue of GolfWorld features: same-week tournament coverage, profiles and in-depth interviews with tour pros, and a comprehensive look at the stats and analysis that helps you put the it all into perspective. Covers the PGA, LPGA, Champions, Nationwide and International Tours.
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U.S. win shares spotlight with Weir beating Woods
By Doug Ferguson
Associated Press
MONTREAL The Presidents Cup didn't end in another tie, but it sure felt that way yesterday.
The Americans celebrated another victory, taking more than enough singles matches at Royal Montreal to make a winner out of captain Jack Nicklaus again and capture their first cup on international soil in 14 years.
Even more rowdier were those Canadians crammed into the bleachers and pressed against the ropes, waving the Maple Leaf flag, cheering and chanting at every turn as their beloved Mike Weir won the last two holes to take down Tiger Woods.
"When he won on 18, you could hear it all the way to Kansas City," International captain Gary Player said.
The final cheer was for the consolation prize.
The Presidents Cup went to a United States team that was overwhelming in the team matches and good enough in singles for its second straight victory over the International team, 19 1/2 -14 1/2 .
David Toms earned the most points. Scott Verplank won all four of his matches. Woody Austin drew the most laughter, falling into a lake on the 14th hole Friday and making fun of himself by wearing a swimming mask as he walked down the same fairway yesterday.
As usual, the inspiration and laughs came from Nicklaus, a seven-time runner-up at the Canadian Open who finally left the Great White North with a shiny gold trophy.
"I've always loved playing for Jack, and hopefully, he'll come back," Woods said. "He's the greatest player of all time, and to have him as your captain to lead us, it doesn't get any better than that."
The Canadians found something equally special.
The cheers were relentless on a spectacular autumn day, and they carried the former Masters champion from a sudden collapse to an unlikely victory. Woods was 1 up with two holes to play when Weir made a 10-foot birdie putt to win the 17th, then watched as Woods pulled a tee shot that splashed into a pond -- right in front of a Canadian flag that fans were holding behind the ropes.
"It's mixed emotions for sure," Weir said. "Our team didn't win. I won a point. It's only one point."
But what a point it was.
Woods beat Greg Norman when the Presidents Cup was in Australia, and he beat Ernie Els in South Africa four years ago. Weir only made the team as a captain's pick, but he was the International team's best player -- especially yesterday.
"Obviously, winning the Masters was such a thrill," Weir said. "But to play Tiger ... he's the best player there is, and I had to play my absolute best today to beat him."
Woods and Weir shared a hug on the 18th green after Woods conceded the hole as the gallery filled the air with chants of "Mike! Mike! Mike!"
"I told him I was proud of how he handled himself," Woods said. "He had to carry an entire country on his shoulders. Not too many people can play as well as he did. He handled it magnificently."
The Americans were superb, too.
Verplank completed a 4-0 week with birdies on the 16th and 17th to beat Rory Sabbatini, 2 and 1. Phil Mickelson hammered Vijay Singh, closing him out on the 14th hole while wearing soft spikes. Stewart Cink delivered the cup-clinching point after birdies on the first five holes led to a 6-and-4 victory over Nick O'Hern.
"We came into this week with a little score to settle up in the international golf arena," Cink said. "I think we showed everybody that we can play again."
Woods says drug-testing will keep sport honorable
By Doug Ferguson
The Associated Press
MONTREAL -- Tiger Woods said this week that anyone who tests positive under golf's new drug policy should pay a steep price.
"Given our reputation in our sport, how honorable our sport is and always has been and will continue to be, I think that the penalty has got to be somewhat significant," Woods said in a conference call to announce the field for the World Challenge.
The World Golf Foundation, composed of major golf organizations around the world, announced last week that a drug policy would begin in 2008. The PGA Tour has yet to disclose the full list of banned substances until it can share it with the players, and commissioner Tim Finchem said details such as how and when to test -- as well as penalties -- are still being worked out.
He said testing could begin as early as next spring.
Woods was in Montreal for the Presidents Cup, and he said Finchem was to begin meeting with players this week on the drug policy. Woods said he was curious to see what would be on the banned list, suggesting golf might not need to test for everything on the banned list for Olympic sports.
Finchem said two classes of drugs -- Glucocorticosteroids and Beta-2-Agonists -- were left off the golf list because they are not believed to enhance a golfer's performance and would cause an administrative burden. Each tour could choose to add those classes to its respective lists.
"How severe are we going to be on this is the question," Woods said. "That's the thing that we're looking forward to talking to Tim this week, getting more detail on how far and how extensive is the list going to be."
Woods said he was not aware of any golfer currently using performance-enhancing drugs, and while he said the penalty for anyone caught should be severe, the biggest blow would be to a player's honor.
"I think it would be very disappointing if it did happen," he said. "I think that person's reputation would be obviously damaged pretty significantly."
Tiger skipping FedEx Cup
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press
The PGA Tour has touted its new FedEx Cup competition by making references to the Green Bay Packers and New York Yankees. But when golf's version of the playoffs begin new week in New York, it won't include Tiger Woods. Golf's star attraction said Friday he will sit out the first playoff event at The Barclays, saying he was worn out from back-to-back victories at Firestone and Southern Hills.
"My body is spent and I need a break," Woods said on his Web site.
The announcement was a setback for the PGA Tour, which had promoted the FedEx Cup as a "new era in golf" and instead was left with an old problem of convincing fans that golf was still relevant after the majors were over.
The FedEx Cup is a season-long points race that culminates with the playoffs, when the points are reset for four tournaments through the Tour Championship. The winner gets a $10 million annuity from a $35 million bonus pool.
Woods is the No. 1 seed and still can win the FedEx Cup despite skipping The Barclays. He is the defending champion at the Deutsche Bank Championship outside Boston, and he is a three-time winner at the BMW Championship outside Chicago. The Tour Championship is held in Atlanta at East Lake, where Woods has twice been runner-up.
There were indications last week that Woods might skip the Barclays, even though he said he "intended" to play them all.
He won the Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone, which played as tough as a major -- Woods was the only player to break par. He followed that with a victory at the PGA Championship, which featured 100-degree weather the entire week. Woods said majors are grueling and require more time to recover.
Plus, he has never finished in the top 10 at Westchester Country Club, site of The Barclays.
"This is in no way a knock on Barclays, their new event next week or the new FedEx Cup series, which I fully support," Woods said in his statement. "I just hope that this extra week of rest will rejuvenate me for the final three playoff events and Presidents Cup. It is still my goal to win the FedEx Cup and I am hopeful this will give me the best opportunity to finish the year strong."
Woods was not at Kapalua in January when the FedEx Cup began, with tour officials asking players to deposit their golf ball into the trophy to signal the start of this new era. And he won't be at Westchester for the start of the playoffs.
"We're disappointed that Tiger will not be playing The Barclays next week," PGA Tour spokesman Ty Votaw said. "It's clear from Tiger's statement he remains focused on winning the FedEx Cup. Whether he can do it will be one of the many exciting things our fans will be following over the next four weeks."
Tour officials had suggested that players would have to play all four weeks to have a serious chance at winning.
Woods' superlative season gave him an 11,000-point lead over Vijay Singh at the end of the regular season, although the reset reduced his lead to only 1,000 points -- and 15,300 points over the 144th and final seed -- going into the playoffs.
PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem last year compared that to the New York Yankees winning the AL East by 20 games, then starting from scratch in the playoffs. More recently, PGA Tour spokesman Ric Clarson spoke of the significance of the FedEx Cup by suggesting the Green Bay Packers did not know in 1967 that their league championship would become known as the Super Bowl.
Woods, however, made clear what matters most -- golf has been defined by the majors for the last 50 years, and his decision not to play all four playoff events drives home that point.
Despite not having Woods at Westchester, the PGA Tour most likely will have the best players in the world -- Woods included -- over the final three weeks of the season. That kind of participation after the majors are over is unprecedented.
The biggest issue is 2008 and beyond.
After the Tour Championship, most players will get one week off before the Presidents Cup at Royal Montreal. Next year, the top players will be asked to compete four consecutive weeks and then go straight to the Ryder Cup, one of the most draining weeks in golf. It is not likely that Woods or others will play all the playoff events.
Woods was among those who asked Finchem to shorten the regular season, and some thought he would show his support by playing in all four events. Woods even contributed to the tour's marketing campaign. One spot showed Woods lacing up his golf shoes in the locker room while whistling the song, "Eye of the Tiger."
But when the PGA Tour Playoffs begin on Thursday, its All-Pro quarterback will be on the bench.
"Well, it makes it easier for us," Carl Pettersson said Friday at the Wyndham Championship. "I'm kind of glad he's not playing next week. I kind of told my caddie after he won the PGA, I told my caddie, 'I bet he doesn't play the first event because he's got that big of a lead now.' And I'm sure he's playing the other three and it's a little unfortunate that he's not going to play, but it will still be a great event. Gives us a better chance to move up."
Padraig Harrington on top of the world
Country: Ireland
Born: 31.8.71
Birthplace: Dublin, Ireland
Residence: Dublin
Family: Wife: Caroline (m. 1997); Child: Patrick (2003)
European Tour International Schedule Victories: Total 9
Other Tournament Victories: Total 6
Best 2006 Performances: 2nd Open de France ALSTOM, 2T Booz Allen Classic, 5th US Open Championship, 5T WGC - Accenture Match Play
Turned Professional: 1995
Teams: Ryder Cup 1999, 02 (winners), 04 (winners); Alfred Dunhill Cup 1996, 97, 98, 99, 00; World Cup 1996, 97 (winners), 98, 99, 00, 01, 02, 03, 04, 05; The Seve Trophy 2000, 02 (winners), 03 (winners), 05 (winners)
CARNOUSTIE, Scotland - Padraig Harrington woke after only two hours sleep on Monday so he could see the British Open claret jug by his bed.
"I went to bed at about 4 am and woke up at six wide awake," he said. "I woke my wife and said: 'I'm the Open champion. I can't believe I've done it.' She said: 'I can believe it, there's the trophy, now can you go back to sleep?'''
The Irishman, who has finished at least tied for fifth five times in three different majors and who was tied for seventh at this year's Masters, finally got his hands on the sought-after trophy by beating Sergio Garcia in a four-hole playoff at Carnoustie on Sunday.
Harrington thought his chance was gone after a double-bogey six on the 18th. But Garcia's par putt lipped out, and the Irishman holed a three-footer at the fourth extra hole to claim the title.
"I was just standing there, just thinking I was the Open champion,'' said Harrington, who ended Europe's eight-year drought in majors since Paul Lawrie won at Carnoustie in 1999.
Now, he is confident that the Europeans, who consistently beat the Americans in the Ryder Cup team competition, will start collecting more of golf's biggest prizes on a regular basis.
"I definitely think we have banished the hang-up for the moment,'' Harrington said. "European golf is very strong. This may be the start and, if it is, I will be telling people I started it.''
Harrington wants to follow the example of Phil Mickelson, who won the Masters in 2004 after 46 majors without a victory before adding the PGA Championship in 2005 and the Masters again in 2006.
"I have always had it in my head that if I won one major I would want to win more,'' Harrington said. "I got that from observing the other guys who've won majors, like Mickelson, and you have to have goals to keep you moving forward. If your goal was to win one major then that would be it. I am definitely focused on winning more than one.''
Garcia, who was four strokes ahead of the field at one stage in Sunday's final round, is still waiting to win his first major after 36 attempts.
"He is probably the best ball striker in the game and he is still young,'' Harrington said. "I really felt for him. I know he is under incredible pressure to win a major, and he will. It will happen.
"The more he believes that the quicker it will happen. But the longer it takes the harder it gets. He could have left the field behind here and run away with it."
Harrington said when he was walking to the 18th green having twice played shots into the water known as the Barry Burn, he thought back to Jean Van de Velde's triple bogey at the same stage in 1999. The Frenchman was three shots in front at the last hole, but ultimately lost to Lawrie in a playoff.
"One big part of me making six was that it wasn't seven,'' Harrington said. "I was counting it up in my head. It crossed my mind that Jean took seven to lose the Open and I was sliding down that slippery slope too."
British Open; Woods stays focused amid life changes
CARNOUSTIE, Scotland — So, all together now: What's up with Tiger?
It's obviously a pertinent question, since the best golfer of his era has managed to finish only second in the first two majors of the season. After winning the last two last year. Which, at the ripe old age of 31, merely left him with a dozen for his career. Or a half-dozen shy of Jack Nicklaus' once-unapproachable mountaintop.
Woods held at least a share of the lead on the front nine of the closing 18 holes at the Masters in April and again at last month's U.S. Open. There was a time when that meant it was history. Yet somehow, he found a way to end up two shots behind Zach Johnson at Augusta, and one behind Angel Cabrera at Oakmont. It happens, even if it never had happened to him before.
And just like that, well, you know how this stuff works.
Should we mention that at Oakmont, Woods played the final round knowing his wife, Elin, was about to deliver their first child a few weeks early? He never said a word about it until after their daughter, Sam, came into this world the next day.
We'll never know what he would have done, had Elin gone into labor 24 hours earlier. Or if he had been able to force a Monday playoff. We only know how he handled the moment.
"It all depended on the situation with Elin and how everything was going," Tiger said Tuesday at Carnoustie Golf Links, where, beginning today, the two-time reigning British Open champion will try to become the first man in a little more than a half-century to threepeat at any major. "Doctors assured me that everything was OK for the time being. And it was what it was. It worked out.
"It was harder than normal to stay focused all day, but you have to do it. Time to play. You go out and concentrate and give it all you've got. The doctors assured me and she assured me she was doing fine. They said, 'There's nothing you can do here, so just go win the Open.' Well, I didn't quite do that. Win or lose the Open, in the end seeing Sam born was the greatest thing ever."
Still, it hasn't kept certain precincts from whispering.
"Well, they have been saying that [I'm vulnerable] a lot," he said with a smile. "First it was getting engaged, and then it was getting married. And now having a child. It's always something."
And he always has provided an appropriate response. Even when he lost his father, Earl, to cancer 14 months ago. After missing the cut at the U.S. Open in his first start back, he successfully defended his British Open crown at Hoylake. Four weeks later, he added a third PGA Championship.
Even though some wonder whether fatherhood somehow will bring his game back to the posse.
"I don't see how it can be negative," he insisted.
Maybe he doesn't look quite as bulletproof as he did just last August. He's still the best there is. The bookmakers over here, where wagering is not only legal but highly encouraged, have him listed as the 3-1 favorite. The next two names on the board, Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els, are 12-1. Nobody else is lower than 20. That doesn't mean Tiger will win. But he remains the one to beat.
"All I know is that I feel good about my preparation so far," he said. "My chances? If I continue doing the things that I'm doing, I like the way I'm swinging, I like the way my short game is, I like the way my speed is on the greens so far. I just have to carry that into the tournament."
Last July, he put on a clinic. Left his driver in the bag and hit long-iron approaches like nobody's business. He thought it out. Then he executed the game plan. And hoisted another Claret Jug.
When the Open was last held at Carnoustie in 1999, he tied for seventh, despite never shooting lower than 72. The winning score was 6-over-par, on a course that was set up to create a disaster.
It promises to be more user-friendly this week, though that's a relative phrase. As always on these links, a lot depends on Mother Nature.
"So far in three practice rounds, I've played in three different winds," said Woods, who went on to win five of the six majors following the last Open here. "I've never heard anyone say Carnoustie was easy. If the wind is into you coming home, it's all you want on the golf course."
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