Woods wins, tightens hold on No. 1 ranking

VIRGINIA WATER, England, July 6 (UPI) -- Tiger Woods has run his reign as the No 1 golfer in the world to 213 consecutive weeks, rankings released Monday indicate.
Woods won his own tournament Sunday, which solidified his hold on the rankings' top spot. He defeated Hunter Mahan, who had a course-record tying 62 Sunday to get into contention while Anthony Kim finished third.
Woods has been the top-rated men's golfer for 555 weeks. Greg Norman (331 weeks) is the only other golfer to be No. 1 for more than 100 weeks in the 23 years of the rankings.
Phil Mickelson is still second on the current list with Paul Casey third, Kenny Perry fourth and Sergio Garcia in fifth.
Geoff Ogilvy, now sixth, switched places with No. 7 Henrik Stenson in the only change in the Top 10 this week.
Steve Stricker is eighth, followed by, in order, Jim Furyk and Vijay Singh.
Mahan's strong finish allowed him to improve 13 spots to a No. 26 ranking. Kim went from 15th to 14th this week.

When 62 isn't good enough

Even after 67 victories, Tiger Woods hadn't had a finish quite like Sunday's at the AT&T National.
Challenged by Hunter Mahan's record-tying 62 at Congressional in Bethesda, Md., Woods plotted his way along the back nine and delivered the decisive birdie with a 20-foot putt on the 16th green, closing with a 3-under-par 67 for a one-shot victory.
With three birdies in a five-hole stretch, Woods surged past Anthony Kim, who finished third, four shots back, in the high-charged final pairing. Mahan finished second after making six birdies on the back nine and tying Kim's course-record 62 set Thursday.
Woods had routine pars on the final two holes to finish at 13-under 267 for his third victory this year.
He won in his second try at the tournament he hosts, just as Jack Nicklaus won his Memorial in the second year.
"It was great shaking my hand today," Woods said.
The 68th victory of his PGA Tour career moved him to the top of the money list and FedEx Cup standings for the first time this year.
It was the ideal final pairing at Congressional - the world's No. 1 player and tournament host tied with Kim, a confident 24-year-old who was the defending champion.
"I had a lot of fun," said Kim, who didn't have a birdie on the back nine. "I know I'll be knocking on the door again. It's only a matter of time. I learned if you have a birdie putt, you better make it."
YI PREVAILS: Eunjung Yi squandered a six-stroke lead, then hit a 10-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to defeat Morgan Pressel and collect her first LPGA victory in what might be the final Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic in Sylvania, Ohio. The 21-year-old from South Korea, who had missed the cut in four of her seven starts this year and collected just more than $11,000 on her biggest payday, won $210,000 Sunday. Michelle Wie made a back-nine rush to finish 16-under, tied for third.
PLAYOFF WIN: Martin Kaymer hit an 18-foot putt on the first playoff hole to beat Lee Westwood and win the French Open in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, a PGA European Tour event.

Woods Draws a Crowd at Congressional

Glover, Hoffman Get a Taste of What It's Like to Play With World's No. 1 Player

Tiger Woods was still three holes away, but the audience started to build at the 10th hole. Congressional's clubhouse balcony was full. Fans surrounded the tee boxes, crowded the rope along the fairway and fought for space at the green.
For Woods, the attention is standard. It is not as customary for the golfers he partnered with yesterday.
Lucas Glover and Charley Hoffman both said they enjoyed the hordes of onlookers that watched their round during the first day of the AT&T National. It helped that Glover won the U.S. Open in June, which enhanced his name recognition. Hoffman, with only one PGA Tour victory on his résumé, is not as renowned but did receive supporters wearing wigs that resembled his flowing golden locks.
"To see the support [Woods] gets every week, and see how he deals with it, it's pretty impressive," Glover said. "I tried to hang on to his coattails early, but couldn't keep up."
More so than the airtight crowd, the lasting impression for Glover and Hoffman was watching Woods's talent up close. Woods shot a 6-under-par 64 -- trumping Glover's 1-under 69 and Hoffman's 1-over 71. They were both impressed by Woods's consistency.
Hoffman noted that it was not the outstanding shot that helps Woods, but the infrequency of a bad shot. While Glover bogeyed four times and Hoffman double-bogeyed and bogeyed, Woods bogeyed just once.
"Any time you can play the best in the world, put your game against his -- and see it's not where his is at right now -- it's fun to watch," Hoffman said.

Yet when Woods is involved, it is not simply 18 holes that must be accounted for, but also the uncontrollable surroundings.
Wherever Woods goes, a mass of humanity both awaits and follows. The gallery turns silent as Woods prepares for his shot. Once he finishes his follow-through, cameras provide a chorus of clicks while the crowd reacts.
Even when Woods is not shooting, he remains the center of attention. At the seventh hole, camera clicks capturing an image of Woods speaking with his caddie disrupted Hoffman's putt. When the ball dropped, Hoffman turned and motioned toward the photographers.
"I wouldn't say that's playing with Tiger," Hoffman said. "That's camera people not doing their job."
Hoffman said it's actually easier to play with Woods. Because so many fans watch, it is not noticeable when a single person moves. By crowding the ropes, the fans provide a de facto fence. And a good shot while grouped with Woods in the first round can draw similar reactions to a good shot in the U.S. Open.
"The yells, the urges on and everything were okay," Glover said. "It wasn't a hassle, as it has been before. [The U.S. Open] helped me get used to it. It was a good experience, then and now."
The threesome will return to the 10th hole at 8:12 this morning, at which point Woods will again earn top billing at his tournament. But for Glover and Hoffman, it provides an opportunity to measure their game against golf's best -- and possibly gain some of his fans, too.
"You know you're going to see good shots from Tiger, you know the crowd is going to be rooting for Tiger," Hoffman said. "But you hope you can get some people getting on your side."

No Shame! When It Comes to Clubs

By BILL PENNINGTON
Published: June 28, 2009
If you are feeling embarrassed that a shot-saving club like a 7-wood has crept into your bag, or maybe a hybrid has replaced your 5-iron, you should know that Tiger Woods has faced the same situation and is not ashamed.
“I now have a senior club in my bag,” Woods said at a clinic recently. “It’s a 5-wood. I’m O.K. with my senior club.”
Woods did not win the United States Open last week, but he came close. All around him at Bethpage Black, other top professionals were using hybrids, 5-woods and even the occasional 7-wood. From the rough, these clubs are a godsend. And who is in the rough more than anyone? The average player, that’s who. So if you haven’t already, add one of these user-friendly weapons to your arsenal.As Woods said: “When I was a teenager, I hit a 1-iron. Then I moved down to a 2-iron. So now that I’m in my 30s, I’ve got the 5-wood. When I’m in my 40s, it will probably be a 7-wood. A decade later, it’ll be a 9-wood. And in my 60s, I’ll probably be playing an 11-wood. I have no shame; this game is too hard.”

WSU's Spears Leads US Open

by Bryan Holmgren

Day One of the US Open was mostly a wash - unless you're Wichita State alum Ryan Spears.
The 23-year old has never even played in a PGA event, let alone on one of golf's biggest stages, yet finds himself tied with three others at one-under par.
The catch: He only actually played three holes to get there. Spears birdied the second hole on a long putt from the fringe, shortly before the rains forced a stoppage of play Thursday morning at Bethpage Black. Over half of the field had yet to tee off, and even the earliest groups has only just made the turn.
None of that matters for Spears, a second team All-American for WSU, who snuck into the field as a qualifier and is a long shot just to make the cut. He's two shots ahead of Tiger Woods and a host of other world-class golfers.
Woods double-bogied his fifth hole but came back immediately with a birdie on the sixth to put himself in a 12th place tie at one-over.
Play is scheduled to resume early Friday morning. Officials were hoping to have the second round completed by the end of Saturday with the goal of playing 36 holes on Sunday. That may be overly optimistic with more rain expected over the weekend.

Tiger Woods makes TIME Magazine's 100 Most Influential People list

If you can't be People's Sexiest Man Alive, here's a decent consolation prize.

This week TIME Magazine included Tiger Woods in its 2009 list of the top 100 most influential people in the world. Woods is included in the category of "Heroes and Icons," where he joins an eclectic collection of notables including Captain Sully, Michelle Obama, Sarah Palin and George Clooney. The only other athletes on the list are tennis player Rafael Nadal and Filipino boxer Manny Pacquino.

"You rarely see an athlete who single-handedly changes an entire sport," Woods's friend, fellow Right Guard pitchman and Nike brother Roger Federer writes in TIME. "When Tiger couldn't play last year because of an injury, golf ratings suffered. He has changed the way golfers train and prepare themselves and has brought huge numbers of new fans to the sport, including me. I never followed golf when I was younger. Now I do."

Looks like my invitation to the World's Most Influential People dinner must have gotten lost in the mail.

Tiger Woods Gives Simple Swing Advice

Tiger Woods, who most would agree was a pretty fair junior player, was asked recently at a clinic I attended how to teach a young beginning golfer some basics, like how hard to swing.

“Obviously, you can’t tell an 8-year-old to swing at 85 percent of normal,” Woods said.
“An 8-year-old doesn’t know how to gauge something like that in the middle of a swing, or how to interpret what 85 percent of some movement is. So when I was young, my father told me that I could swing as hard as I wanted, just so long as I was in complete balance when I had finished my swing.
“At the end of a shot, I couldn’t be swaying side to side, falling back or lurching forward. I had to be in balance. I still think it’s a great tip: swing as hard as you like so long as you can be in balance. It puts you in charge of managing the speed and pace of your swing.”
That advice still works for junior players. It would work, most likely, for everyone.

Looking back, 2009 Masters will go down as one of the best

Spectators who were fortunate enough to be at Augusta National for the final round of the 2009 U.S. Masters will never forget the experience as the birdie roars returned to the undulating, par-72 layout with a vengeance.
On a sun-kissed spring afternoon in Georgia, Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods led the way with a sizzling display of shot-making, charging into contention after starting the last day seven strokes off the lead.
Although both Americans ultimately fell short of a three-way playoff eventually won by Argentina’s Angel Cabrera at the second extra hole, they attracted arguably the biggest crowds ever seen at Augusta with the fans massing 30 deep around some of the greens.
Throw in a few late fireworks by overnight leaders Cabrera and American Kenny Perry and Sunday’s final round proved to be one of the most unforgettable at the Masters.
Mickelson exploded out of the gate with six birdies in seven holes to reach the turn in a record equalling six-under-par 30.
Woods, although not at his very best, rammed in a 25-footer to eagle the par-five eighth before making birdie on 13, 15 and 16 to surge into contention for the title.
The game’s two leading players got to within a stroke of the lead before slipping back over the closing stretch.
Perry, meanwhile, struck his tee shot to a foot at the par-three 16th to forge two strokes clear before allowing Cabrera back into the tournament with a bogey-bogey finish.
The messy finale to the opening major of the season — Cabrera clinched his first Green Jacket by simply parring the two playoff holes — will undermine the argument made by many that this was one of the most unforgettable finishes ever at the Masters.
However, probably only two other editions over the last 30 years at Augusta can lay claim to being more memorable.
In 1986, the 46-year-old Jack Nicklaus shot a final-round 65 featuring an explosive back nine of 30 to win his sixth Green Jacket. He eagled the par-five 15th, almost aced the 16th and birdied the 17th to complete a stunning comeback and a one-shot victory.
In 2004, Mickelson scuppered the hopes of South African Ernie Els after the pair had duelled in an epic battle of shot-making in the final round.
Els, who had led by two strokes with five holes to play, closed with a five-under-par 67 but had to settle for second place after left-hander Mickelson birdied five of the last seven holes.
The Masters has long established a reputation for the resounding birdie roars on the back nine during the final round with much of the drama focusing on the two par fives — 13 and 15.
Cold and windy conditions in 2007 and 2008 had conspired to leave Augusta strangely silent but Mickelson, Woods and company, helped by glorious weather, changed all of that in spectacular fashion in 2009.

Ping Rapture V2 Driver Review

Ping is introducing several new club families for its 2009 product lineup, clubs that will complement the existing G10 Series, i10 irons, and the i-Series and Karsten Series putter lines.
The new series are the Rapture V2, which includes driver, fairways, hybrids and irons; the S57 irons; and the iWi putters.
All the new club lines are multi-material in construction, but Ping chairman/John Solheim says in a news release, "The common material throughout all of the new products is tungsten. From the driver to the putters, we've utilized the density of tungsten in strategic locations to optimize weight distribution and maximize performance. Plus, they all offer multiple fitting variables to ensure golfers can be properly fit for every club in their bag."
Here is a thumbnail look at the new-for-2009 Ping clubs, which will begin shipping in late September, 2008:

Ping Rapture V2 Driver
Materials: 460cc titanium body with external tungsten weight pads located in back, near heel and toe.
Specifications: Available in lofts of 9, 10.5, 12 and 13.4 degrees. Standard shafts are the Ping TFC939D (in flexes of Ladies, Soft R, R, S, and X) and Mitsubishi Diamana Blue (in flexes of R, S and X).
Fitting variables: Loft, shaft flex/type, shaft length, grip size/type, swingweight.
MSRP: $500 (graphite only).

Ping says:
"Tungsten weight pads position CG for lower spin and high launch with higher MOI for improved distance and accuracy. Plasma-welded, machined, variable thickness face for increased ball speed. Taller face and aggressively tapered crown. Double-Rapture alignment aid on crown."

Cobra S9-1 Driver 2009 Review

CG is the name of the game for the new Cobra S9-1 Driver. The all titanium driver has been downsized to take advantage of each loft. In addition to the optimized CG, rather dramatic changes have been made from last year’s model such as slightly narrower face and less crown surface area. The weight has been reduced by almost 6 grams to increase club-head speed - this to me is a biggie. I am an advocate on stripping unnecessary weight to increase club-head speed. This is the name of the game to gain additional yardage.
Other notables for the Cobra S9-1 is the new Hotter 9 Points technology to further increase clubface efficiency. What is this? It’s the design of the driver to maximize COR using a Dual Rhombas insert to promote higher ball speed and a more consistent ball flight across the entire club face.

Comes in three different models (excluding the S9-1 Pro): S9-1 M for swing speeds of 87-108 and ball speeds of 125-155, S9-F for swing speeds of 97 or less and ball speeds of 140 or less and finally the S9-M (offset) for swing speeds of 97 or less and ball speeds of 140 or less.

Cobra S9-1 Spec Sheet-

Face Height…….. 53 mm

Shaft Length…… 45.5

Face Area……….. 43.7

Heel to Toe…….. 107 mm

Front to Back…… 120 mm

MOI……………….. Very High

Actual Player Feedback-

“I had no slice whatsoever on any shot”
“Feels great and goes straight”
“Absolutely SWEET!”

Pros/Positives-

Absolutely great looking driver. Cobra has always come out with stellar drivers and this one is no exception. Very high MOI and balanced face makes this one of the straighter drivers on the market today. Excellent custom shaft selection such as Graphite Design, YS-6+ and YS-7+, Aldila DVS, Aldila NV, Grafalloy Prolaunch, Proforce V2, Fujikura Speedax, Rombax, and the Mitsubishi Diaman to name a few.

Cons/Negatives-

Driver is probably more geared for the average player. Lacks lower loft selection (starting at 9.5) unless you go to the Cobra S9-1 Pro model. These are not negatives to the majority of players however…
Overall Rating-
The Cobra S9-1 is definitely a great driver for the average to better than average golfer looking for distance and accuracy. A high launch driver that’s straight and long, this is the general consensus. Made Golf rating in the Golf Digest Driver reviews for 2009′. This is definitely a driver putting on your short list this spring.
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TaylorMade 2009 Burner Steel Iron Review

The TaylorMade 2009 Burner Iron is the best looking, best performing iron the company has ever produced. TaylorMade’s designers changed their approach to irons by looking at short, middle and long irons differently and the result is a set of irons that performs throughout the bag. The long irons feature Inverted Cone Technology to ensure distance remains consistent on even off centre hits and the clubface has been thinned to make each club more flexible and faster.

The clubhead is larger and combined with a wider sole to both increase MOI and lower the CG location. The result is longer irons that are as easy to hit as TaylorMade’s Rescue club but with the added benefit of accuracy and control that only irons can bring.

These advances in iron technology were also used to create the 2009 Burner middle irons which are more accurate and longer than any previous TaylorMade iron. Short irons were designed to deliver responsive, controlled clubs that kept the classic prescision looks of traditional short irons.

The result is short irons that are both classic in design but which also score highly on all counts of accuracy, forgiveness and feel. The real beauty of the TaylorMade 2009 Burner Irons is that, despite the separate design processes, the whole set combine to give the golfer a powerful weapon.

Distance gaps between each iron are even leaving no difficult, unbridgeable gaps between clubs and, throughout the bag, the 2009 Burner Irons deliver high, soft landing ball flight combined with accuracy and carry.

Rossa Itsy Bitsy Monza Spider Putter Review

Just like the original Rossa Monza Spider, only smaller? Almost, but not quite.
TaylorMade's Rossa Itsy Bitsy Monza Spider putter is, at a glance, just a smaller version of the original. The Itsy Bitsy is 20-percent smaller than the Monza Spider, to be exact. It's a mid-sized, rather than an oversized, mallet.
But the Itsy Bitsy does have a couple differences, beyond its smaller size, that show up on closer examination:
The "wings" - where the Moveable Weight Cartridges are located and used to adjust weight and feel - don't stick out as much on the Itsy Bitsy.
The alignment decal on top of the Itsy Bitsy putter head is an abbreviated version of the "full-court alignment" decal on the original. Hence, TaylorMade refers to this one as the "half-court alignment" decal. The Rossa Itsy Bitsy Monza Spider has the same steel wire-frame head construction as the original, larger putter; an aluminum core; and the Moveable Weight Technology ports on the wings. Combined, these features allow for the repositioning of weight around the perimeter, pulling the center of gravity rearward and increasing MOI.
The Rossa Itsy Bitsy Monza Spider from TaylorMade will carry an MSRP of $240.

Rossa Core Classic Putters Review

The Rossa Core Classics from TaylorMade are four putters employing traditional shapes: Two blades (the Daytona and the Lambeau) and two mallets (the Fontana and the Suzuka).
All four employ Rossa's AGSI+ clubface insert, but a new version that TaylorMade says is 50-percent softer at impact. The four models are made of soft stainless steel with a Tuscan nickel finish.
In addition to the soft feel at impact, the AGSI+ insert is designed to mitigate backspin and promote forwardspin to get the ball rolling more smoothly off the clubface.
The Rossa Core Classic putters come with a new "big bird" black tour grip, which features the new Rossa logo prominently displayed. All models are available in right-hand; the Daytona (one of the blades) is also available in left-hand. The MSRP is $142 each.

TaylorMade Burner Plus Irons Review

TaylorMade counts a lot of clubs in its Burner series, including many iron sets. So what type of golfer is the target audience for the TaylorMade Burner Plus irons? These irons, the company states, are "developed for the 10+ handicap bomber who loves his Burner driver and wants an iron that shares the same personality and the same fast-and-long qualities."
The Burner Plus irons have the highest MOI of any irons in the TaylorMade stable, according to the company. That means increased forgiveness on mis-hits and less loss of distance on off-center strikes.
The muscular clubhead design has a thick topline with a wide beveled sole. In between is a thin clubface, significant perimeter weighting and a center of gravy very low and deep to help promote a high launch and trajectory.
The Burner Plus irons also have more offset than other TaylorMade irons, discouraging a fade and promoting a draw ball flight.
The Burner Plus irons are equipped with with 47-gram TaylorMade arrow grips and TaylorMade SuperFast RE*AX 60-gram graphite shafts in S, R, M and L flexes (or SuperFast 85-gram lightweight steel in S, R and M flexes).
Standard set configuration is 4 through attack wedge, which carries an MSRP of $799 with graphite shafts or $599 with steel shafts. The clubs are also available in a Combo configuration, which includes Burner Rescue hybrids 3 and 4, then 5-iron through pitching wedge. The MSRP for the Combo set is $899 with graphite shafts and $699 with steel shafts. And there is also a Ladies configuration of Burner Rescues 4 and 5, then 6-iron through attack wedge. The MSRP for the Ladies set is $899 with graphite shafts, $699 with steel shafts.

TaylorMade Tour Preferred Irons Review

TaylorMade Tour Preferred irons is the latest high-performance set from the company, which touts them as blending "modern technology with classic design."
Classic design: The Tour Preferred irons have a thinner topline than most current irons, and are shorter heel-to-toe than most contemporary irons. That gives them the smaller "players look" at address preferred by some golfers.
Modern technology: All the usual TaylorMade bells and whistles, such as inverted cone technology. The "tour-configured" sole has softened leading and trailing edges, which are designed to minimize resistance and discourage digging.
A shallow, undercut cavity allows for repositioning weight to the perimeter, and is also home to a "vibration-management sound badge," designed to help produce a solid, pleasing sound at impact.
The TaylorMade Tour Preferred irons are targeted at low- to mid-handicappers. The stock shaft is True Temper Dynamic Gold steel shafts, and the stock grip Golf Pride Tour Velvet. Available in 2- through 9-iron, pitching wedge, attack wedge and sand wedge. MSRP for a set is $899

Golfing for Novices: Part Two

By Rhys Jones
What to keep in your golf bag.There are many golf bags available; some are designed for fashion, some for utility and some that combine both features. There are big bags, bigger bags and bags so big that they would keep everything I need for a long week-end vacation in one of the side pockets!

As a rule of thumb, you only need a golf bag large enough to hold your clubs, spare balls, your glove, keys, tees, spare pencils, ball markers, a ball retriever, suntan lotion, a plastic mac, and an umbrella.

It is also recommended that you carry in your bag: some tissue paper, sticking plasters and, whether necessary or not, some insect repellant.

A small pack of baby wipes comes in very handy; in your bag they get warmed by the heat, so when you get sweaty or a sand trap covers you with sand, a nice warm wipe can be very refreshing.

I happen to be allergic to the stings of bees, hornets and wasps, so my Epipen is an important addition to my bag. I am also hypoglycemic so I carry Lifesavers, the packs of which have to be replaced several times throughout the year because they have a tendency to melt.

You should also switch off your mobile phone before stowing it away in one of your golf bag's side pockets to prevent it from upsetting other players. You have to be considerate to you fellow players and mobile phones on a golf course are considered a nuisance as they are in restaurants. Having these items in your golf bag should provide everything you will need, even in a minor emergency (like a blister) or a major inconvenience, like a sudden rainstorm. Being prepared makes the game a great deal more fun.
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Woods leads players in support of 2016 Olympics Golf bid

World number one Tiger Woods is one of 18 of the world's leading golfers to back the International Golf Federation's (IGF) bid to have the sport included in the 2016 Olympic Games.
Woods has written personally and sent a 32-page brochure outlining the bid to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) member for the United States.
Ireland's Padraic Harrington, winner of two majors last year, Fiji's Vijay Singh, Europe's 2010 Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie and Spain's Sergio Garcia, have also written to their respective IOC members to try and restore golf to the Olympic fold for the first time for more than 100 years.
"As we have consistently stated from the outset of the bid process, it is imperative that the best players in the world support golf's Olympic effort," Peter Dawson, chief executive of The R&A and joint secretary of the IGF, said.
Dawson said in a statement this would give golf "the best chance of being selected by the IOC to participate in the 2016 Olympic Games."
The IGF's Olympic committee, which represents golf's main organisations and tours, hopes to claim one of two spots for new sports available at the 2016 Games after golf missed out on the 2012 Games.
Dawson said last year that a strokeplay competition would be the proposed format for golf at the Games, with men and women taking part. The last time Olympic medals were up for grabs in the sport was at the 1904 Games in St Louis.
Golf faces competition from baseball, karate, roller sports, rugby sevens, softball and squash with the IOC's final vote taking place in October when the host city will also be chosen. Chicago, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo are the contenders.

Dueling duds, Tiger Vs Phil

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- A supercharged duel between the world's two best players ended with a thud Sunday at the Masters, leaving someone else to claim the green jacket. Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson fell apart down the stretch as Angel Cabrera won the major in a three-way sudden-death playoff. Here's a look at the pairing between Mickelson and Woods:

The quotes
"We've had some good matches in the past. I've usually been on the wrong end of it."
Mickelson, on beating Woods by one stroke overall Sunday.
"I was pretty much dead from there."
Woods, on his bogey on No. 17 after climbing within a shot of the lead before unleashing two errant drives.
The history
Sunday was the third final-round pairing between Woods and Mickelson. The others:
2001 Masters
Woods went into Sunday with a one-stroke lead over Lefty and wrapped up an unprecedented fourth straight major title -- the Tiger Slam -- with a 68. Mickelson shot 70 and settled for third, three strokes behind.
1997 PGA Championship
Their other final-round pairing in a major saw both shoot a 75 in a tournament won by Davis Love III.

Tiger woods Snubs McIlroy who will be the next Major winner

When Tiger Woods declined to play a practice round with Rory McIlroy this week, his friend Mark O'Meara told the teenager to take it as a compliment.
It meant the world No.1 already regarded the Ulsterman, who watched Woods claim his first Green Jacket on TV in his pyjamas as a seven-year old, as a genuine threat.
The American superstar knows any player whose world ranking is lower than his age has got to be the real deal.
Woods, the winner of 14 Majors, does not like to share tips or banter with players he reckons are his direct competitors. He prefers players past their peak (O'Meara and John Cook) or journeyman pros (Bubba Watson and Sean O'Hair).
Players like Ernie Els and Phil Mickelson, who never tee up with Tiger, have almost had their careers defined by losing to arguably the greatest ever player. But before playing his first Major since last June's US Open, Woods acknowledged the biggest danger to his domination will come from the next generation of players like McIlroy, Danny Lee and Ryo Ishikawa, who play without fear.
He admitted: "It's just a matter of time before these guys gain experience in Major championships.
That's something that they have not done yet. Once you start getting a taste of it, start getting a feel for it, it's just a matter of time.
"But you look at their games and they certainly have the talent. It's just a matter of gaining experience."

Gary Player to play 52nd and final Masters

AUGUSTA, Georgia (AFP) — Nine-time major champion Gary Player will play his final Masters this week, the 73-year-old South African legend announcing Monday he will call it quits after his 52nd Augusta National start.
"I've decided I would like to make this my last appearance in the tournament," Player said. "This will be my last major championship that I will play on the regular tour."
Stretching the famed Augusta National layout to 7,435 yards over the past few years has proven too much for even the fitness-focused Player.
"I'm exercising profusely, but at 73 it's difficult to build strength," he said. "The course is so long there are very few holes I can hit an iron to. It's just too long for me."
Player won the Masters in 1961, 1974 and 1978 and he is one of only five men to capture a career Grand Slam, joining an elite group that also includes Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan, Gene Sarazen and Tiger Woods, who did it at age 24.
"I think that's the greatest feat that has ever been accomplished in world sport - to win the Grand Slam at 24," Player said.
Player's other major titles include the British Open in 1959, 1968 and 1974, the 1965 US Open and 1962 and 1972 PGA Championship.
South African Ernie Els, who followed in his countryman's globetrotting footsteps, told Player that his best round at Augusta was not one to win a title but his 77 from round two in 2007 due to his age and the tougher course.
"I've managed to break 80 the last two years. It's getting to a stage where I don't know if I can do that any more," Player said. "I'm getting old and it's getting so much tougher."
Player joked that "I'm hitting the ball so short now I can hear it land" and "the hole is getting the size of a Bayer aspirin. You wonder if you can squeeze it in there."
Having become the first golf star to dedicate himself to playing tournaments around the world, Player will break his own record for the most Masters starts with number 52 on Thursday but says he expects his mark will one day fall.
"It will be broken," Player said. "We're in our infancy when it comes to the art of the mind and the body. We haven't had the big men playing golf yet. They are coming... You will find bionic men coming out in times to come."
Player said his greatest Masters memory was his rally to win in 1978, when he birdied seven of the last 10 holes to fire a 64 and recover from seven strokes off the pace to win.
His worst memory came in 1962 when he told his caddie, "We've won," only to watch Arnold Palmer sink a long putt and overtake him for the triumph.
"I've had it all. You can't be greedy," Player said. "I'm very grateful. I realize my talent is on loan.
"I prefer ranching to golf. I'm still going to come to this tournament. I'm not getting out of golf. But there comes a time. You will not see me come back and play."
Player, who cited his nine over-50 majors as a superior feat to his nine regular ones simply because of the shorter time frame in which to win them, sees his legacy in the faces of players from around the world who now find success in majors.
"It's possible my wins energized the international players to feel like they could win," Player said. "You will see a lot more players coming from China and India, where golf is booming."

Tiger Woods' greatest Masters moments

At 8, when many of us were still lining up toy cars, Tiger Woods made his first hole-in-one.
Woods has yet to register an ace in 14 official starts at the Masters. Yet it's not as if he has struggled to produce memorable moments at Augusta National.

A look back at his five greatest:

The Chip Heard 'Round Augusta (2005): Woods' tee shot on the 16th hole of the final round left him in such an awkward spot, he had to aim 20 feet left of the pin and pray for the forces of gravity.

Woods' chip, fueled by a hill in the green, began rolling toward the cup. As if Nike had choreographed it, the ball momentarily froze, allowing for a close-up of the Swoosh. Then, Woods joked, "an earthquake happened.

"The ball's final revolution led to raucous cheers and awkward high fives between Woods and caddie Steve Williams.

"Oh my goodness!" CBS' Verne Lundquist screamed. "In your life have you seen anything like that?!

"The Perfect Ending (1997): Woods could have 13-putted the final green and still become the youngest-ever Masters champion. But by rolling in a testy 4-footer to cap a scrambling par, Woods posted the Masters' lowest score (270) and completed 72 holes without a three-putt.
Hug it out (1997): Woods shot a 40 on his opening nine. But rounds of 70-66-65 made Sunday more of a coronation than a competition. Woods' Sunday gallery contained two prominent members: Lee Elder, the first African-American to compete in the Masters (1975); and Woods' father and mentor, Earl.

After Woods holed out on the 72nd hole, he and Earl locked in a long, emotional bear hug. President Clinton called it the "best shot" he had seen all week.

The Final Dagger (2005): So juiced by his chip-in on No. 16, Woods bogeyed the 17th and 18th to finish in a tie with Chris DiMarco. But Woods claimed his fourth Green Jacket by draining a 15-foot birdie on the first playoff hole.

Fore? Four! (2001): Woods' second title featured few "Did you see that?" moments, but it hardly lacked in significance. By closing with a 68, Woods captured the "Tiger Slam"--becoming the first player to hold all four professional majors at once. Masters chairman Hootie Johnson called it "the greatest achievement in modern-day golf."

Basic Golfing Tips For Beginners: 1

By Rhys Jones
The sport of golf has really boomed in public awareness over the last 45 years. It has produced fantastic world-champions such as Arnold Palmer, Greg Norman and Tiger Woods and world-renowned courses like St. Andrews, Sunningdale, Pinehurst ans Augusta.

Why has golf become so popular these days? Its the opportunity to be outside, to get a good whole body workout, network with friends or business colleagues at a leisurely pace, and to play a game that you can never play perfectly.

Your scorecard, over time, will demonstrate your improvement, which keeps you playing time and time again.This is the first lesson for the novice golfer who doesn't know anything about golfing.The typical round of golf is played on a course of eighteen holes, each or which has its own 'par'. Par is the total number of shots it should take a player to complete that hole, ie all the tee shots (drives), fairway shots, chips (short shots onto the green) and puts into the hole.This 'par' value is based on the length and difficulty of the hole in question. Pars range from three to six, so if you get the ball into the hole in four shots on a 'par four' hole, you made 'par'. However, if you took three shots, it's called a 'birdie' or five shots a 'bogie'.

'Hazards' or obstructions are usually placed before all the holes. Ponds, sand bunkers and trees are positioned in such a way as to make it more difficult to reach the green. Novice golfers should try to find a course with fewer hazards, which is therefore easier to play.

Each player keeps his or her own score, marking the total number of shots for each hole. At the end, each person adds up their scores - the one with the lowest number is the winner.

It is important for beginner golfers to not take themselves too seriously. It takes a long time to get good at this game; even though the professionals make it look so easy.Take a lesson or two at the start of your golfing 'career', because it will help you develop a proper swing and help you get off to a good start.
About the Author:
Are you new to golf? We have some great tips for the really novice golfer at http://golfing.the-real-way.com/ This and other unique content '' articles are available with free reprint rights.

Masters awaits, giving Tiger reason to celebrate

By Tim Dahlberg, AP Sports Columnist
NEW YORK — Tiger Woods has some work to do before the Masters begins next week. His caddie could use some practice, too.
You would think they would have it all worked out by now. They've done it so many times it should be routine.
But there they were in the gloaming (I'll explain this word later) in Florida, engaged in an awkward dance of sorts on the 18th green as a bemused Arnold Palmer looked on. The fist pump was fine, but when it came time to hug and give each other high fives, neither player nor caddie seemed quite sure which should come first.
Arnie couldn't help because, in his day, celebrating a win meant tipping your hat to the crowd and shaking your playing partner's hand. Players didn't give high fives, and hugging your caddie would do nothing but get a lot of tongues wagging at the next tour stop.
I bring this up because Augusta National is a place Woods has done quite a bit of celebrating, and not all of it well. Case in point was the curling chip on the 16th green in 2005 when he and Stevie Williams ran around looking like a couple of computer nerds who had just scored their first dates.
I also bring it up because right now there's not a lot more Woods needs to work on other than his dance moves and his victory speech at the Masters.
His left knee seems as good as new, and he's hitting the ball perhaps better than he ever has. He can still make more putts when it really matters than anyone who ever played the game, and his Sunday glare remains the most intimidating look in sports since Michael Jordan was sticking his tongue out (a move Woods imitated on Sunday, by the way).
And, yes, as you may have noticed at Bay Hill, he hasn't lost his flair for the dramatic.
Nothing, of course, was going to match his last win, when he hobbled his way to an overtime victory over Rocco Mediate to win the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines. But if Woods needed to make a statement that he was back, coming from five shots behind and sinking a birdie putt as flashes went off everywhere in the near darkness wasn't a bad way to do it.
Once again, the country was riveted. Once again, Woods delivered in a way that only he can.
NBC got a break when rain earlier in the day forced the conclusion into prime time, but it was Woods and Woods alone who drew a bigger television audience than watched either of the last two majors played without him. Sean O'Hair is a nice enough guy, but he was merely a role player in this drama, and his role was to be just good enough to make Woods seem even better.
Mission accomplished, and now Woods heads to Augusta fresh off his 66th PGA Tour win and in search of his fifth green jacket. At the age of 33 he's now within a handful of major wins of passing Jack Nicklaus and there aren't many who have watched him play who don't already consider him the greatest golfer ever.
Importantly, he brings a presence and star power to a sport that has sorely lacked both ever since Nicklaus and Palmer faded into the background. Woods transcends the sport, bringing eyeballs to television screens and fans to tournaments who don't know the difference between a bunker shot and a putt.
That's great for golf, which muddled along in Woods' absence only to be invigorated again by his return. But it's not so great for the Sean O'Hairs of the world, who rise up to challenge Woods only to get knocked down time and time again.
And it certainly doesn't bode well for the future of the sport because there will be a time when Woods is no longer playing and a lot of people will be no longer watching. We got a taste of it during his forced hiatus from the game and it wasn't pretty, though Padraig Harrington tried his best to make it interesting.
Golf was a niche sport before Woods arrived on the scene, and it will become one once again when he leaves. He gives people a reason to care, something the mostly robotic group of players who make up the PGA Tour can't even come close to doing.
Which, as I promised, brings us back to gloaming. It's a word golf writers tend to use when they're searching for something dramatic to describe the time of day when light is fading and darkness is about to envelop everything.
You know, precisely the time Tiger Woods decides to call it quits.
___--
Tim Dahlberg is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at tdahlberg@ap.org

Tiger widens rankings lead

Tiger Woods was in jeopardy of losing his top spot in the world rankings last week, but a victory Sunday at the Arnold Palmer Invitational strengthened his standing.
Woods was first, followed by Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia, Geoff Ogilvy and Padraig Harrington.
Vijay Singh was sixth again this week, while Robert Karlsson and Camilo Villegas switched place. Karlsson finished seventh and Villegas came in eighth. Kenny Perry moved up to ninth and Henrik Stenson slipped one to No. 10.
Steve Stricker and Paul Casey remained in 11th and 12th, respectively. Anthony Kim and Lee Westwood each rose one, but Jim Furyk dipped two down to 15th.
Ernie Els, Rory McIlroy, Stewart Cink, Mike Weir and Martin Kaymer all held pat from last week to complete the top 20.
Sean O'Hair, who finished second to Woods last week, jumped 13 places to 28th in the world, his highest career ranking.
03/30 12:22:10 ET

Mickelson set to overtake Woods

The gap between Woods and Mickelson in the standings is the smallest ever
Tiger Woods could see his position as the world number one taken by Phil Mickelson ahead of the US Masters.
The gap between the two has gone down to only 0.2 points in recent weeks.
Woods, who is back in action after eight months out following knee surgery, plays in this week's Arnold Palmer Invitational in Bay Hill.
If he fails to finish in the top two, Mickelson, who is not in action this week, would have a chance to leapfrog Woods at next week's Houston Open.
Woods has been world number one for the last 198 weeks, taking over from Vijay Singh and has been top of the standings for a total of 540 weeks in his career.
Mickelson has never filled the top spot in the rankings.

The Ellen DeGeneres Show - Tiger Woods

Tiger does some stunt shots on TV shows too.

TESTED: Nike SQ Dymo STR-8 FIT and SQ Dymo drivers

I got this article from GolfMagic.com, the best review on the driver that I have found so far!

Hit it straight'
New Nike Dymo STR-8 FIT with its traditional shape show how the shaft can be adjusted in the hosel to give different ball flights
Fans of Nike golf gear are in for a long, cold winter before they can get their eager mitts on the latest equipment from the Tiger Woods stable. A new range of drivers, fairway woods, irons, wedges and putters not due to hit the shops in Europe before January but ever resourceful Golfmagic.com has got its hands on all the clubs and can offer a short series of sneak previews, starting with four new driver options.
THERE'S NO DENYING the Nike Sumo driver and its square-headed compatriot the Nike Sumo2 made quite an impact in 2007/8 with their distinctive looks and sound that set them apart from their rivals. But in an industry where trends and tastes change as quickly as a Wall Street share index, manufacturers have to be constantly updating their products to satisfy the insatiable appetites of their customers for a driver that hits the ball straighter and further.
Enter, the Sasquatch (SQ) Dymo STR-8 FIT, with a price tag of £360 and the SQ Dymo (£250), both of which will be available in square and traditional rounded head shapes.
In terms of technology, the most ground-breaking of the two is the STR-8 FIT, which joins a growing band of drivers that can be adjusted to suit the golfer's preference. And while TaylorMade and Mizuno drivers have been introduced to allow the headweight to be manually altered to change the shape of shot and its trajectory, the SQ Dymo STR-8 FIT offers the chance to adjust the face angle in what it calls 'eight different ways to hit it straight'.
Touting both Dymo (Dynamic Moment of Inertia) STR-8 FIT drivers as the solution for players who want to counteract the effects of slices or hooks without having to change an already grooved swing, Nike says golfers with straighter shot patterns will be able to adjust the face to promote a draw or a fade according to the conditions out on the course.
A torque wrench is provided with the club and, like the Mizuno MP-600, fits into a pocket on the outside of the clubhead cover. A couple of twists and a player can slot the shaft into the head into eight different positions - three 'closed', two 'neutral' and three 'open'. Angles range from a neutral position of zero degrees to one and two degrees, closed or open. In each clubhead position of the lie angle also changes slightly.
Nike Dymo2 STR8FIT with its square-shaped head and shaft adjustmentIt sounded feasible in theory but how would it work in practice? Pretty effective, actually. The head can be adjusted easily with the spanner which emits a high pitched noise to tell you that the shaft has been tightened sufficiently won't fly off at the top of your backswing. There's also a step-by-step manual to ensure the butt of the shaft is aligned correctly - a sort of DIY puring!
Opting for maximum draw, somewhat unerringly, I was able to get the ball swinging dramatically right to left before loosening, then tightening the head to the maximum fade option to fight a 20mph crosswind off the right and have the ball flying pretty straight.
With no wind, shots with this adjustment would have curved my ball to the right. So far, so good, but don't we all make adjustments in our address and posture when we set up for a draw or a fade?
The only difference here, it seems, is that when you look down at the clubhead you're fighting the natural tendencies of your hands, eyes and senses to address the ball square-on with the face. The result is that, refusing to let rip with a closed face, your hands tend to get well in front of the ball to keep the flight straight and behind the teed-up ball as you try to square up a driver that's set up for a fade.
It didn't look or feel right and with the Rules of Golf preventing adjustment of a club during a round, the idea of opening up the face to deal with a dogleg right hole with the initial set-up aiming to make the most of the opening dogleg left, it could lead to some confusion. And golf is difficult enough without the added trauma of an adjustable clubhead.
Anoraks might argue that you could open the face by one degree for the entire round to perhaps deal with a persistent cross wind. Well that's great if all the holes were in the same direction and you could catch a bus back to the clubhouse! But golf isn't like that and the idea of using a club to groove a swing fault goes against the grain. Surely we'd be better off having a few lessons from the pro?
In my experience, golfers with slices and hooks already compensate for these faults by aiming left or right, so buying a club to do this for you could make the game even more complicated than it already is.
Different power bow options on the Nike Dymo2 square head drivers without the adjustable shaftsHaving described the technology and the thinking behind it let's consider how the clubs performed.
Ball flight
With the square-head model, the ball flight was high - even using a 9.5- degree model with a stiff shaft. The High Launch model (13 degrees of loft), offers an even higher ball flight, but my shots headed dead straight down the range. This would be a good choice for those who struggle to get the ball airborne with their tee shots and don't mind sacrificing a bit of distance for increased accuracy.
Distance
The square-headed Nike drivers are all about increasing accuracy because the shape helps reduce twisting of the face at impact. Though they are far from short in terms of distance compared with traditionally pear-shaped drivers (especially on damp winter fairways when carry is more important than roll), there are many drivers, which deliver a longer, more penetrating ball flight and offer the kind of launch conditions that better players demand. However, for the rest of us, the yardage on offer is perfectly acceptable.
Sound
A huge amount of research - far more than most of us would believe - goes into creating a distinctive but acceptable sound from the face of our golf clubs that generates a satisfying feedback to the golfer. The sound generated from the Dymo models is akin to the most recent family of Sumo drivers. It was noisy but pretty solid and without any of the tinniness that has been associated with the first models - similar, perhaps to rattling dustbin lids (before the emergence of today's wheelie bins)
Looks
Nike has toned down clubhead cosmetics, dispensing with the garish bright yellow on the sole of the Sumo clubs and introducing a more pleasing black and brushed steel with a subtle, classier red logo. The contrast between the Power Bow weighting on the crown of both models has also been blended making it much less distracting. If the square driver doesn't appeal - and many still perceive the shape as too contemporary - the rounded model will satisfy more traditional tastes, while delivering the same technology.
Specifications
Priced at £360, the SQ Dymo STR-8 FIT is available with three shaft options - the Nike Golf UST Proforce AXIV Core in 59, 69 and 79gram weights. Loft options are: Men's 8.5 (right-hand only), 9.5, 10.5, 11.5 (RH/LH) and High Launch (RH only) and Women's 11.5 (RH/LH) and HL (RH).
Nike Dymo 2 driver with distinctive looks but more subtle cosmetics
Dymo and Dymo 2 drivers
For those for whom the adjustable driver concept doesn't yet appeal (and as you've probably detected, I'm one of them) the Dymo and Dymo2 drivers might prove a more appropriate choice.
Dymo stands for 'Dynamic Moment of Inertia' which, says Nike, combines all the elements of driver performance, including head size and geometry, centre of gravity, loft and lie angles as well as spin ratios to offer the optimal performance for each club.
The main design feature in both models is the size of the Power Bow Weighting - different in each loft option. The weighting is smallest in the lower-lofted 9.5-degree model and features a higher face, with a more forward centre of gravity, to promote a more penetrating trajectory with less spin.
The higher-lofted 10.5-, 11.5- and 13-degree models have the weight progressively increasing, moving the centre of gravity further and lower back from a shallower face to create higher launch angles and spin rates.
Performance
Out on the range, the effects of the different weighting and centre of gravity locations was hard to distinguish in terms of performance, any more than you would in any other group of drivers with different lofts. The lower lofts were more penetrating and were more workable, especially in the rounded head, while the square model produced the kind of high, floating, dead straight shots around which the square geometry has built its reputation.
Specifications
Priced at £250, both models are fitted with Nike Golf's UST Wide Body Shaft with an AXIV Core. It features a larger overall diameter throughout the body, to provide more stability through impact. Loft options are: 9.5 and 10.5 (RH/LH), 11.5 and 13 HL (RH only), Women's 13 HL (RH only).
Golfmagic verdict
The concept of interchangeable face angles is innovative, but that's about all it has going for it. The idea of moving towards DIY custom-fitting is, in my opinion, a backward step, as is the idea of grooving bad swings. The introduction of drivers that make your bad swings less painful is one thing but with its adjustable face technology, Nike seems to be taking the concept one step too far and creating confusion rather than simplicity.
The movement of weight to create different launch trajectories in the Dymo and Dymo2 is not new, but is this the way driver design trends are going - with two or three heads that deliver different shot shapes for different players?
The cosmetics of all four Dymo models is a considerable improvement on their predecessors but I'm not convinced, in these stringent times, despite some improved performance, it will tempt those with Sumo drivers already in the bag to make the upgrade or encourage those not already locked in to the Nike brand to make the switch.

http://www.golfmagic.com/news/article/mps/uan/5861

Woods surprised at own title wins

DUBAI (Reuters) - Never in his wildest dreams did Tiger Woods guess he would have 13 major championship titles at the age of 32, the world number one said on Wednesday.

"When I first turned pro could I ever have foreseen this happening this soon in my career? No, certainly not. Not having 13 majors by the time I'm 32," Woods told reporters on the eve of the Dubai Desert Classic.
"I wouldn't have foreseen getting to that point because at the time my game wasn't good enough. I had not matured and had not understood how to play the game."
The American, who has 62 PGA Tour victories to his credit and is chasing Jack Nicklaus's all-time record of 18 major wins, says his experience and course strategy has made him the player he is.
"Over the years understanding how to manage my game around the course and getting the most out of it every day, that takes experience," said Woods, the favorite here after his eight-shot triumph at the Buick Invitational in California on Sunday.
"When I first turned pro there is no way I could ever have foreseen that. I didn't have that experience. I didn't have that knowledge to get around the course."
SELF DOUBTS
Despite his overwhelming superiority over his international rivals, Woods acknowledged self doubts did occasionally creep in.
"Of course they do," he said. "That's part of the game of golf and part of life.
"You have those doubts and the whole idea is to obviously keep pushing through and keep improving and have a game plan to execute."
Woods also said he was gaining more satisfaction from his work as a course designer, with two projects up and running in Dubai and the U.S.
"I am certainly looking forward to getting more into the course-design business," he said. "I am just having so much fun with the one in High Carolina and the one here.
"The amount of detail that goes into it has been eye-opening. I didn't realize that but I have loved it.
"I spend hours just looking at plans and thinking and creating. That to me is fun, trying to give the developers what they want."
When it comes to courses that have already been built, Woods rates one above all the others.
"My favorite is St Andrews," he said.
"It's the home of golf and the history behind it, the nuances and the intricacies behind it and understanding how to manage your way around that course, that's fun."

Golf fans jostle for a glimpse of Tiger's return

I've been privileged in the past to witness Tiger Woods out on a golf course. And I can tell you, it's a painful, frustrating process.
Not because the golf he produces isn't spectacular and at times utterly dazzling but it's the sheer volume of people he attracts that help convince me each and every time golf has to be one of the worst "out on the course" spectator sports going. That's just my opinion though.
Try telling that to the legions who got themselves to Arizona this week once they heard the world's top player was making his return to the game after more than eight months.
Woods' first competitive slice of action in the best part of a year wasn't due to get under way until around lunchtime here though judging by the fans already out on the course you'd have thought his tee-time was more like 7am. Even those jostling for position to catch a glimpse of him on the range or putting green were taking no chances and ensuring they arrived in plenty of time.
Remember all of this was before he even teed off!

The scene on that first hole was as expected bustling to say the least. The small gantries were packed anyway due to the whole array of talent on show through this week, but it got even more frenzied when the Woods-Jones match- up was announced.
Mayhem to say the least! Those seated in the stands were the lucky ones, it was the unfortunate spectators trying to stand and strain every sinew to catch a glance of that first shot from the world number one I felt for.
Even us media suffered! With seconds to go before the American struck his drive, one television camera crew, which really should have known better, blatantly blocked us from getting that prized shot. Only quick last-gasp thinking from our cameraman John saved the day.
In case you were wondering that Woods drive was just majestic and he would go on to win the first two holes in fine style.
When he strode off down the first fairway, there was a stampede with those looking to brave the soaring temperatures here in Arizona and follow him every step of the way. The Woods 'wow factor' is still very much alive and kicking. The question is will the so-called bionic knee hold up in the weeks and months to come?

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/SPORT/golf/02/26/snell.tiger.golf/

Tiger Woods returns with a bang

Ever the resident of some sublime golfing planet with a population of one, Tiger Woods walked into a coronation Wednesday under the weird impression he'd come just to hit an advantageous tee shot.

"Mr. Woods has the honors; play away, please," said the starter, and beneath a high desert sun that could chafe an iguana, Woods stood over his first PGA Tour drive since June 16 at Torrey Pines in the U.S. Open, eight months and one day since surgeons reconstructed his left knee.He backed off once, stepped back up there, blasted the thing and gave the club that familiar twirl that seems to translate into satisfaction. It wound up 301 yards up ahead on the right edge of the fairway, and after all the speculation and all the anticipation and all the noise, he'd been focused on bunkers."I was just in my own little world," he said, "just trying to make sure that I knew what the number was to the bunker, where the wind was coming from, slightly off left, am I going to hit a flat three-wood, draw the ball, trying to decide what shot to hit."
Off in a flourish with a birdie and a conceded eagle on the first two holes, steady in the middle while losing only one hole on the front nine and thrilling near the finish with a 19-foot eagle putt from fringe on No. 13, he ensured his clamber toward fitness would get at least one more day at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, and that it would involve a second-round opponent he scorched 5 and 4 in the second round in 2007, South African Tim Clark.With that bout secured, Woods headed toward elevation and ice, his knee's two latest friends."I'm very pleased at how it felt all day," he said. "I thought that it would be more stiff" on the No. 15 tee, which he accessed only after a long sit because of a backup. "But it felt fine."It traveled the necessary 16 holes in the ligament heaven of Arizona, starting up the first fairway to an approach shot Woods would strike to within five feet. The defending champion and inveterate No. 1 golfer hurriedly went 2-up when his approach on No. 2 skied 236 yards and nestled in 5 1/2 feet from the cup, promising an eagle Jones would concede."His ball flight is different to pretty much everyone else's, and it was fun to see different trajectories that he hits the ball," said Jones, the world's No. 64 player and an eight-time winner on the Japan Tour who later added, "Yeah, he's Tiger, he does freakish stuff."Jones did hang in, halving four holes and then halving the deficit, winning No. 7 when Woods couldn't get up and down from in front of the green, but Woods countered on No. 8 with a seven-foot birdie, then won No. 12 when Jones burrowed in the green-side fringe, and No. 13 with that eagle.Down four holes with five to play, Jones did rise well above the road-kill level before Woods' closing 3 1/2 -foot par putt on par-three No. 16 called off the festivities and led Jones to say, "I was beaten by the best player on the planet. Three and two to Tiger Woods, I'm pretty happy with that."In a startling development, other players also played Wednesday, the event insisting on conducting 31 other first-round matches. Anthony Kim and Camilo Villegas won easily, and Northern Ireland's 19-year-old Rory McIlroy, a winner this year in Dubai on the European Tour, also advanced. He could play Woods in the third round if he can win against Hunter Mahan today and then refrain from fainting on the first tee Friday as he meets his idol.Phil Mickelson steeled as he did at Riviera on Sunday to beat Angel Cabrera in 19 holes after losing holes 15 through 18, but Sergio Garcia, the world's No. 2 player debuting on U.S. soil in 2009, went out to South Africa's Charl Schwartzel by 1-up with a bogey on No. 18, and No. 3 Padraig Harrington was ousted by Pat Perez. Many players remarked about the slowness and undulation of the greens, which Villegas and Woods found unprecedented.To the teeming assemblage of reporters and the three-deep midweek galleries, though, all of that ran well below the radar of what Woods called a comeback "totally different" from his others because his surgery had been major.Certainly the hubbub around No. 1 had been totally different for a February in Arizona, even as a 301-yard drive had been just the same. "It really is just another shot," Woods said. "Just because I've taken time off and away from a competitive environment doesn't change the nature of how you execute a golf shot."Commotion all around, and the golfer who caused it barely realized? You might say Tiger Woods had returned.

Tiger's Return - The Video

Yeah, I know they made a video about Tiger Woods coming back, (tomorrow actually, by the time of writing this!)
A sweet clip about the party being over during the period that Tiger was away.
(Looks like it does not take much to get these guys into acts like this one)
A nice fun clip!

There must be a team of marketing and PR strategists at Nike Marketing, figuring, how to get extra mileage out of situations like these (and I must say they get excellent mileage).
And all these guys (including Tiger) must have a clause in their contracts, saying; they must put down what ever they are doing and coming running to make these TV commercials.
I'd come running too.

Welcome Back Tiger
We've Missed You!

Even Tiger Woods is curious how he will play

Tiger Woods has been on the golf course every day … practicing … playing … hitting his full array of shots without fear of pain shooting down his left leg or bones sliding out of place.
But when it comes to shots that he has to count …
“It’s one thing to do it in a practice environment at home against my buddies for a little cash,” Woods said Friday in his first interview about his comeback. “It’s a totally different deal to do it at a PGA Tour event against the best players in the world. I’m excited to get out there and experience that.
“I’m as curious as you.
“One of the great things coming back is my bones aren’t moving anymore. It’s a very comforting feeling hitting a golf ball without your bones sliding all over the place. That’s been very exciting to play that way, and I’m looking forward to the season.”
Woods said his knee has been ready for several weeks. He was awaiting the birth of his son, Charlie Axel.
“It was making sure the family was all good with the birth of Charlie and making sure Elin was OK, Charlie was OK, everything was safe and sound on the home front,” he said. “Then the focus was on playing again.”
The Associated Press

Japanese Tiger Woods To Tee Off At Riviera

No pressure kid. All you have to do is be the Japanese Tiger Woods.
Ryo Ishikawa came out of nowhere to win on the Japanese tour at age 15. He instantly became a sensation on the island nation, and has won again on that tour at 17. Win at a young age in golf and there is only one person everyone compares you to — and it’s about as fair as young basketball players being compared to Michael Jordan. But now it comes with the territory.
Ishikawa makes his American debut at the Riviera Country Club as he tees off Thursday in the first round of the Northern Trust Open in Los Angeles.
And that fits right in with the Tiger comparisons. Back in 1992 (one year after Ishikawa was born) a 16-year-old Orange County high schooler named Tiger Woods came to Riviera (back when the event was called he Los Angeles Open) to test himself. Woods missed the cut that time around, but since then has gone on to do pretty well for himself.
There are about 100 members of the Japanese media following Ishikawa’s every move around the legendary Pacific Palisades course. And this is just a tune up for the Masters in a few weeks, where he also has an invite to play.
The presence of Ishikawa should divert attention from some of the other players, like defending champion Phil Mickelson, who would probably like not so many people to watch his game lately.
In three tournaments this year he has finished no better than 42nd, and he has missed one cut. Last year was considered an off year — only for someone of his standards, really — with just two wins.
But one of those was at Riviera, so there is hope that if he is going to turn it around and give the fans a name they know and love atop the leaderboard.
Unless Ishikawa is about to become that kind of name.
Copyright NBC Local Media

15 Tips on Golf Swing Shots

By Mick Euan Tait
Golf swing tips can be found on-line or you can purchase one of the golf swing instructional e-books. Most of the tips on golf swing techniques in these guides have lots of details - more often than not - too much detail. What most of us with a golf swing fault need are just a few basic golf swing tips; whether it is to fix a slice or learn more about iron shots.
5 Tips on How to Drive Long Off the Tee
One of the best ways to achieve lower scores is to gain more golf distance. When you are faced with a shorter distance to the green you will have more chance to score par or better. Needless to say, you will need accuracy as well as distance; otherwise you will be in a worse position. Here are 5 easy and quick tips to help you drive long:
(1) Don't hit the ball with all your power - use a steady rhythm and work on increasing your swing speed;
(2) Tee the ball up higher and position it off your leading foot's instep so that you hit the ball on the upswing;
(3) Turn your shoulders a full 90 degrees for maximum distance;
(4) Cock your wrists early on the backswing and un-cock them as late as possible on the downswing;
(5) Use the right shaft flex for your swing speed - use a flexible shaft if you have a lower swing speed.
5 Tips on How to Master
The Golf IronsMastering the golf irons is an often overlooked topic. You will find many resources available to help you improve your driving or putting but not much importance is placed on golf iron play. Learning to dominate your golf irons is easy with these 5 tips:
(1) To know your average distance with each golf iron in your bag, practice on the driving range;
(2) Bu using the right iron for the distance you want to hit it, you will be able to use a full swing which is easier to control;
(3) Make sure you take into account the wind distance and strength as well as other factors like the slope you are playing from and the height to the green;
(4) Playing out off the rough is different from playing off the fairway - you will need to adjust your ball position, stance, iron loft, and your attack angle;
(5) Learn how to use course management to your advantage - sometimes going for the pin is not the best option.
5 Tips on How to Improve Your Golf Short GameOne of the most important areas of the golf game is the golf short game. If you are able to hit long and accurate drives, that is great, but if you can't chip or pitch the ball on the green, all that effort will be wasted. The short game of golf is where you really need to put more practice time into, so check out the 5 tips below:
(1) Use a bump and run from under 50 yards, and get the ball rolling as quickly as possible; (2) Place your feet closer together and use a slightly open stance;
(3) Pick one club, a 7, 8, or 9 iron for example, and practice your chipping from different distances with the club you are more comfortable with;
(4) The length of your back-swing will determine the distance the ball will travel (carry and roll);
(5) If you have to play over a hazard, use a more lofted iron with a pitching style of swing.These tips on golf swing technique cover three areas of the game that are important but there are other areas that you have to learn to dominate. They are bunker or sand trap play, putting, pitching, and learning how to cure a slice or hook (if you have these swing faults.)
Golf is an all round game - meaning that you have to be proficient in every aspect of the game. Don't just concentrate on how to be a long driver; instead practice with every club in your golf bag.
About the Author:
You can find more detailed tips at Mick's website on how to Improve Golf Iron Play and How To Drive Long Off The Tee, as well as the other important golf swing techniques.

Tiger Woods, Sports Needs You Like Never Before- Scott Soshnick

Commentary by Scott Soshnick

Feb. 13 (Bloomberg) -- Lost in the hubbub of humiliations, including admissions from Alex Rodriguez, came two words of hope from one of the few untarnished athlete icons left.
“Full-bore,” was the status report delivered last week by a post-operative Tiger Woods, a one-man cure for diminished expectations.
Whether it’s Rodriguez and ‘roids or Michael Phelps and his bong, the best keep disappointing those who so desperately want to believe in athletic supernovas.
Maybe it’s all tied to the recession. Along with a credit crunch there’s a crisis of character. Too many excuses for personal failures. A-Rod, for instance, said the pressure made him do it.
It’s laughable when you consider pressure and Woods, who carries more of a burden each time out than any baseball player. A-Rod has teammates who can pick him up, help him out or perhaps pat him on the back.
Golfers go it alone. Everyone chases The Chosen One. For Woods it’s one man versus the field. If you think that’s an exaggeration, then consider the reason 2008 Player of the Year Padraig Harrington gave for wishing Woods a speedy return.
“He will draw away attention, which is not a bad thing,” Harrington said during a press conference at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. “It’s obviously a lot easier to compete when you’re under the radar.”
Power, Precision
The best of the tennis bunch, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, did their best to fill the greatness gap, but nothing in sports -- nothing -- inspires awe like Woods’s power and precision.
I walked San Diego’s Torrey Pines Golf Course during last year’s U.S. Open, standing a few yards behind a wincing Woods, who blocked out the pain of an injured knee and beat the rest on one good leg.
Take a good look at Woods, who has the same V-shaped physique as A-Rod. Does anyone think Woods is a pharmacological phony?
Remember, back in 2006, PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem decried drug testing without evidence that golfers were using steroids.
One day later, one, Woods, the most powerful man in the sport, volunteered his veins.
“Tomorrow would be fine with me,” he said. That sounds like Yankees captain Derek Jeter, who somehow, as far as we know, coped with playoff pressure and expectations in New York without steroids.
Need Him Back
With a tip of the cap to Simon and Garfunkel, a sports-mad nation turns its lonely eyes to you, Mr. Woods.
We haven’t seen golf’s god since he underwent surgery in June. We need him back.
Woods, 33, didn’t give a time, date or place for his return to the tee box. Right now, he’s focused on improving stamina and spending time with his new arrival, son Charlie Axel, who was born on Feb. 8.
Family first, said Woods, who made it clear that his return date is linked to his ability to dominate.
“Early on, I didn’t miss golf because I enjoyed staying home with (wife) Elin and (daughter) Sam, and I knew I wasn’t physically able to play,” Woods said. “The truth is, I would have embarrassed myself.”
If only Phelps and A-Rod had such insight into forethought.
Fact is Woods’s presence has never been more needed. Emotionally and economically.
Recession Cure
Golf’s television ratings dip without him. Sponsorship dollars fall. To quote Finchem, the recession puts pressure on PGA sponsors, many of whom are slashing marketing budgets. But this is Woods, who commands eyeballs, which leaves advertisers drooling. If he’s there, they’ll spend.
“Tiger brings significant numbers of people to our telecasts that don’t watch all the other weeks,” Finchem told me over the telephone in December. “They’re engrossed in the No. 1 athlete in the sport and the most recognizable athlete in the world.”
Engrossed is the perfect word for watching Woods.
People stop what they’re doing when he lines up a big-time putt or prepares to launch a drive. I’ve seen conflicted travelers, panicked by the final boarding call for their flight, weighing whether to miss their plane or the latest wonder from Woods.
More than one chose Woods, who spent some of his downtime in the nation’s capital, speaking at the ceremonies leading up to Barack Obama’s inauguration.
Woods didn’t give us a date for his return. Only an update. Full-bore. It won’t be long now.
“It’s going to be a hectic spring,” he said.
A hopeful one, too.
(Scott Soshnick is a Bloomberg News columnist. The opinions expressed are his own.)
To contact the writer of this column: Scott Soshnick in New York at ssoshnick@bloomberg.net