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January 2008 - Posts

• Annika Sorenstam Will Start 2008 in Hawaii

  Annika Sorenstam will begin the year at the LPGA Tour's season-opening SBS Open, tournament officials said Wednesday. It will be the first Hawaiian appearance in years for the 69-time winner. The Swedish star recently said she planned to enter about 18 to 20 tournaments. She played in only 13 events last year because of neck and back injuries and had one of the worst seasons of her career, going winless for the first time since 1994. Paula Creamer will attempt to defend her title at Turtle Bay. The tournament runs Feb. 14-16. Posted Jan 31 2008, 08:34 AM by Golf International with no comments Filed under: Golf International, Annika Sorenstam, Paula Creamer, Women in Golf, LPGA Tour, SBS Open

• Paul Azinger Changes Ryder Cup Format

  Ryder Cup captain Paul Azinger is switching the format with hopes of giving his American team an edge, going back to alternate shot in the opening matches for the first time since 1999. "I felt like the Americans had an edge in alternate shot," Azinger said Wednesday at the FBR Open. "And I think it's partly responsible for why Europe has gotten off to a pretty hot start." The Ryder Cup will be played Sept. 19-21 at Valhalla, and the home captain gets to decide the order. Alternate shot, or foursomes, had been used in the first sessions every year since 1981 until European captain Seve Ballesteros opened with better ball (fourballs) in 1997 at Valderrama. U.S. captain Ben Crenshaw switched back to alternate shot in 1999 at Brookline, but the last three Ryder Cup matches have started with better ball. Europe has won the last three Ryder Cup matches, and five of the last six. The Americans have not led after the first of five sessions since 1991 at Kiawah Island. Azinger said he also would work with the Valhalla superintendent on setting up the golf course. He credited Europe in recent years, particularly at The Belfry in 2002, for setting up the course that made fairways extremely narrow beyond 290 yards, which negated some of the power of Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and other big hitters. He said the PGA of America has given him freedom to set the course up however it fits his team. "Maybe if everybody hits it as straight as Jim Furyk ... I don't know if I can narrow the fairways, but I can sure have the rough deep," Azinger said. "But if I have a bunch of Bubba Watsons, J.B. Holmes, Pat Perez, Phil Mickelson, guys that crank it and bomb it, maybe there won't be rough. I don't know yet. We'll see." Azinger already has made one drastic change to the selection process, taking only the top eight players and basing the points entirely on money, with most of the points earned in 2008. Only money earned at the majors counted in 2007. Posted Jan 31 2008, 08:32 AM by Golf International with no comments Filed under: Golf International, Ryder Cup, Paul Azinger

• Kim Relishing Chance to Put on a Show in Korea

  Rising star Anthony Kim is anticipating an "awesome experience" when he plays his first tournament in Korea at the inaugural Ballantine's Championship in March. The 22-year-old Kim is one of the brightest young talents on the PGA Tour and will be among the stellar field lined-up confirmed for the event to be played from March 13-16. Kim has visited Korea previously but has never played in a tournament there. The American-born ace is looking forward to the challenge and is delighted that his proud parents, Paul and Miryoung, will be making the trip with him. "It's going to be my first time playing in front of so many Korean fans, although I've had quite a few Koreans following me at tournaments in the US," said Kim. "It will be an awesome experience and I'm glad I'm going to get to enjoy it with my parents, who are coming with me. "We used to visit Korea once a year for probably 12 or 13 years, but recently we haven't been back so often, so I'm looking forward to heading out there." Kim is particularly relishing the chance to play alongside Korean sporting idol Choi Kyung-ju who is the world number eight and a seven-time winner in the US. "He's a great player and it's going to be an honour playing with him, especially in Korea," said Kim. "He's done what I want to do. I'm sure he's going to keep improving, he's such a hard worker and it's nice to have him as a role model." Choi and Kim are just two of the star names to feature at the Ballantine's Championship to be played at Pinx Golf Club on the picturesque island of Jeju. Joining them in the US$2.9 million tournament, the first co-sanctioned event by the Asian Tour, European Tour and the Korea PGA to be held in Korea, will be British Open champion Padraig Harrington of Ireland and World Cup winner Colin Montgomerie of Scotland. Korean star S.K Ho - a nine-time winner in Japan - and the 2007 Asian Tour’s Order of Merit champion Liang Wen-chong of China have also been confirmed. Kim grew up playing golf on courses around his hometown of La Quinta, California, where his parents settled after emigrating to the US in the 1970s. After three years at the University of Oklahoma, he turned professional in August 2006 and made an immediate impact, finishing tied second on his PGA Tour debut at the Valero Texas Open, having got into the starting field on a sponsor exemption. He then earned his PGA Tour card by finishing tied 13th at the Tour Qualifying Tournament, having successfully qualified through all three stages. In 2007, as the youngest rookie on the PGA Tour, he enjoyed a successful first campaign with four more top-10 finishes. After a lengthy winter break, during which he returned to La Quinta from his base in Dallas to work with his coach, he opened 2008 in style by tying for third at the recent Bob Hope Chrysler Classic. That tournament was played in La Quinta and Kim was cheered on by a large group of fans wearing bright yellow "Team AK" tee-shirts. "It's unbelievable how much it helps having people support you that way," he said. "I've met some people who've really helped me along, not just in my golf but in life in general, and some of those people make up the team. They're personal friends that I've got to know in La Quinta." Kim's friends were not his only fans at the tournament - former British Open champions Mark O'Meara and Justin Leonard were bowled over by his talent. "I would say of all the young players I've played with, just like Tiger Woods, Anthony Kim is by far the most talented young player I've seen come along in a long time," O'Meara told reporters. "People always ask me, 'Who's the next great young player coming along?' And for a long time, I had a hard time telling you who I saw. But I tell you what, Anthony Kim has serious game." Leonard agreed: "I love his game, and I like the things he's doing off the golf course." Kim's next target is to register his first professional victory, but he is refusing to put too much pressure on himself. "I realised last year that it takes more than good golf to win," he said. "You need some good breaks to go your way as well, so I'm not going to push it as much as I did last year. I made winning too much of a priority so that if I didn't have a chance to win with nine holes to go, I was pretty discouraged. "So my goal this year is to stay patient and keep playing golf the way I know I can and hope for the best results." With his Korean background and outstanding game, Kim is certain to be a crowd favourite at the Ballantine's Championship and he is aiming to give the fans plenty to cheer about. "I'm looking forward to being out there and hopefully playing some good golf and putting on a show for them," he said. Posted Jan 31 2008, 08:29 AM by Golf International with no comments Filed under: Golf International, PGA Tour, Anthony Kim, Korea, Rising Talent

• FBR Open Has an Atmosphere of Its Own

  For a change, the FBR Open isn't the biggest show in town, not with the Super Bowl just down the freeway. Still, it's "party on" when the PGA Tour's most raucous event begins a four-day run Thursday at TPC Scottsdale. The FBR draws the largest crowds on the PGA tour. The biggest day is Saturday, when more than 150,000 revelers are expected to attend. Some even watch the golf. Total attendance has topped a half-million each of the past four years. When the Super Bowl was held in nearby Tempe in 1996, the tournament moved up its schedule with the final round on Saturday. Not this year. The competition will end Sunday, about an hour before the Patriots and Giants kick off in Glendale. As usual, Tiger Woods is not entered, opting instead for a more lucrative trip to Dubai. Woods hasn't played here since 2001, when it was known as the Phoenix Open. The biggest name in the competition for a winner's purse of just over $1 million is two-time champion Phil Mickelson, who beat Justin Leonard in a playoff to win that 1996 event. Mickelson, who attended Arizona State and lived in Scottsdale for 12 years, also won in 2005 but missed the cut last year. "I putted just terribly," he said. "The next three or four days after this event all I did was putt. Then I won the following week (the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am)." Attempts are being made to calm the Arizona crowd a bit. Fans will be limited to two beers per trip to the concession stand and beer won't be sold in the stand closest to the infamous 16th hole. Bleachers surround that par-3, 162-yard hole, packed with rowdy fans who sometimes greet golfers with their college fight song or, for the international players, maybe their national anthem but lustily boo bad shots. "It's special to this tournament. It's special to this town," defending champion Aaron Baddeley said. "People around here who don't know anything about golf know the 16th hole in Phoenix. "It's like the shortest, easiest most intimidating hole in the world because it's not a difficult hole, but when you've got 17,000 people ready to boo you if you hit a bad shot, it's a little bit intimidating." The course was drenched by rain Monday but clear weather was forecast through most of the rest of the week. Temperatures only reached the high 50s during Wednesday's pro-am but are expected to climb into the mid-60s Friday and Saturday. There is a chance of showers on Sunday. With it's wide-open desert layout, the par-71, 7,216-yard course lends itself to low scores. "You're probably going to have to shoot 20 under to win," Baddeley said. "It's just go out there, play hard, hit it straight and make some putts. That's the key. It's making putts, really, because everyone is going to hit fairways, everyone is going to hit some greens." Baddeley, an Australian who now makes his home in Scottsdale, won last year with a 21-under 263, one shot better than John Rollins and two ahead of Jeff Quinney. There has been no repeat champion in the event since Johnny Miller in 1974-75. Why? "Like I said, you've got to putt well," Baddeley said. "Some weeks putts don't drop and some weeks they do." Posted Jan 31 2008, 08:26 AM by Golf International with no comments Filed under: Golf International, Phil Mickelson, PGA Tour, Aaron Baddeley, TPC Scottsdale, FBR Open, The Super Bowl

• Tiger Woods Seeks to Maintain Winning Streak

  Tiger Woods isn't slowly easing into the 2008 season. He's playing back-to-back tournaments -- and flying halfway around the world to do it. After a commanding win in California, Woods is feeling fresh and hoping for a fifth straight title in sunny, skyscraper-studded Dubai. "It's one of those things where I've always played pretty well coming off breaks, and you feel fresh and my practice sessions were pretty good," Woods said at palm tree-lined Emirates Golf Club, where the $2.5 million Dubai Desert Classic gets under way Thursday. "Coming over here after playing well last week, (I'm) really looking forward to teeing it up this week and giving it a go." Woods' dominant eight-stroke win Sunday at the Buick Invitational was his fourth straight and 62nd career title, tying Arnold Palmer for fourth on the PGA Tour list. If he triumphs in Dubai, it will be his seventh win in eight starts, including a victory in his own tournament, the Target World Challenge in December. After working on his swing for months and taking a 10-week break following the Tour Championship and another five weeks off after the Target World Challenge, Woods has high hopes for this season. Earlier this month, he declared that winning the Grand Slam in a calendar year is "easily within reason." On Wednesday, Woods again said if he controls his own play and peaks at the right times this year, the four majors are in reach. "It's about playing well at the right times," he said. "It's about getting lucky, actually. You have to have everything go your way." But Woods also attributed his winning streak to years of tinkering with his game. "One of the reasons why I made the changes that I made is to get to this point," he said. "And the great thing is, we have a long way to go." Unlike the Buick Invitational, which Woods has won four years in a row, the Dubai Desert Classic has not always gone his way. He is 1-for-4 here -- and his win in 2006 didn't come easily. Woods had to go birdie-birdie over the final two holes to get into a playoff with three-time champion Ernie Els, whom he defeated on the first extra hole. Last year, poor putting troubled Woods, who finished third behind the South African and winner Henrik Stenson. Along with Els and Stenson, Woods will face some of the European Tour's other top players, including money leader Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia and Colin Montgomerie, another former Dubai Desert Classic winner (1996) who will go head-to-head with Woods in the first two rounds. Stenson, who is coming off of two second-place European Tour finishes in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, said it's possible to beat Woods -- by focusing on a good score, not the world's top player. "You have to believe it," Stenson said. "I've done it once, so I've sort of proven it myself that I've won a tournament where he played at least." The Emirates Golf Club is a lush green oasis in the middle of Dubai, a booming desert city in the oil-rich United Arab Emirates. The club is surrounded by gleaming skyscrapers, towering construction cranes and traffic-clogged highways -- but its jewel is the 7,211-yard, par-72 Majlis Course. The weather is almost always warm and sunny on the tip of the Arabian peninsula, and Wednesday was no different. Woods said the greens were a bit slower than in the past due to recent spate of rain, and the rough was up a touch. "But all in all, the golf course is ... in perfect shape, and it is year-in and year-out," he said. Playing golf won't be the only thing on Woods' agenda in Dubai. In late 2006, Woods announced he was designing his first golf course here. Called Al Ruwaya, which means serenity in Arabic, the course will be built in Dubailand, the region's largest tourism and leisure project, and will feature a 7,700-yard, par-72 course, golf academy, 320 villas and an 80-suite boutique hotel. It is expected to be completed next year. Woods plans to visit the site during his stay. So far, the first two holes have been shaped. "It's been eye-opening, the detail that goes into it. I didn't really realize that, but I've also loved it, too," Woods said. "I absolutely spend hours ... just looking at plans and thinking and creating." Dubai and the United Arab Emirates are trying to establish themselves as a premier location for sports like golf and tennis, and other players have announced plans for courses in this city. Els launched his $18 million, 7,538-yard links-style course in Dubai Sports City on Monday. It will open to the public in March. Dubai also plans to host the world's richest golf tournament beginning next year with a prize fund of $10 million. The European Tour's Dubai World Championship, to be held at another luxury club -- the Jumeirah Golf Estates -- also will include an annual $10 million bonus pool. Posted Jan 31 2008, 08:22 AM by Golf International with no comments Filed under: Golf International, Tiger Woods, PGA Tour, Dubai Desert Classic, Winning Streak

• Mixed Reactions from Players Over Drug Testing

  Torrey Pines turned out to be a real wake-up call. Some players were overwhelmed, nervous, even a little scared. Others were frustrated. Most of them were deeply concerned about the future of golf, perhaps not grasping the magnitude of what lies ahead. And that was before Tiger Woods teed off. In morning and afternoon sessions last week at the Buick Invitational, more than 100 players filed into a white tent for a mandatory meeting on the PGA Tour's new anti-doping policy. Drug experts have been available since the Sony Open. The tour doesn't release attendance figures for such voluntary visits, but it's a safe bet these guys had more interest in Pro V1s than TUEs (therapeutic use exemptions). That might have changed last Tuesday. PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem was at the helm, joined by two staff attorneys and three outside advisors. One of them was a top expert on the World Anti-Doping Agency list, which the tour used as a guide for its policy and procedures. And while just mentioning the name of certain banned substances is enough to put someone to sleep -- bendroflumethiazide, anyone? -- it wasn't long before reality set in. Do you really know what's in that energy bar? Those protein shakes? "The only thing disconcerting is that you're totally responsible for what you take," Charles Howell III said. "You might take a product, and there's nothing on the label that's illegal, yet you don't know if there's cross-contamination." Even more disturbing was the process of random testing, which could happen anytime and anywhere. Ryder Cup captain Paul Azinger was indignant over having a "collector" accompany him into the restroom to watch him drop his pants and lift his shirt to make sure he didn't have a urine sample taped to his side. And when it was mentioned that "anywhere" could include coming to a player's house, Frank Lickliter suggested in so many words that the drug official bring a warrant. "He's going to have a hard time getting off my property without a bullet in his (behind)," Lickliter said. The reaction to Lickliter was almost as loud as the cheer when Woods made that sweeping 60-foot birdie putt on the 11th hole Sunday on his way to an eight-shot victory. If nothing else, the meeting got their attention. The anti-doping policy was announced Nov. 12 to little fanfare among players, perhaps because everyone had gone home for the year. But the closer golf gets to testing -- July 8 is the target date -- the more resistance it meets. "I was caught off guard," Jim Furyk said. "I thought everyone was pro-testing. What I drew out of the meeting was that a few guys aren't. Not a few. Let's say more guys had negative opinions." Lickliter doesn't understand why the tour adopted WADA guidelines for golf, noting that Vick's Vapor Inhaler is prohibited. "If I use Vick's nasal spray three times, they can kick me off the tour forever," Lickliter said. "Now, do you think Vick's nasal spray is helping me compete out here? Half the stuff they're testing for doesn't help golfers. These so-called experts are not experts in golf." Furyk told of a player who confided having a disorder that required drug treatment. Requesting a TUE for the drug means letting his secret out. Tim Herron wonders if Danny Edwards' failed attempt to start a players' union 10 years ago was ahead of its time. For many, it was the thought of a positive test for something not intended to help them lower their score, even if no one has been able to identify a drug that will do that. "I don't think anyone on tour is in the business of trying to find something to enhance performance," Jeff Maggert said. "Maybe there is, and I'm naive. There's a bigger chance of someone getting tested positive who has absolutely no intent of trying to break the rules. The downside outweighs the upside by 1,000-to-1. The downside is just terrible." For all the discussion, there is no getting around the fact that drug testing is coming. Whether golf needs it no longer is an issue, although it is hard to refute the recommendation European Tour chief George O'Grady offered in half-jest last year about only testing Woods. "If he's clean, what does it matter what the rest of them are on?" O'Grady said. Asked recently about his diet, Woods said he knows exactly what goes into his body. He said 18 months ago that drug testing could start "tomorrow" and believes golf is "heading in the right direction of proving that our sport is clean." What bothered so many players was golf losing its heritage of an honor system that has guided the game for two centuries. This is the only major sport in which players call penalties on themselves. "And now they're treating us like criminals," Lickliter said. Finchem is more sympathetic than autocratic on this topic. He has resisted drug testing for years, demanding to see evidence of a drug that helps golfers at the highest level. But there was no getting around the question of knowing golf was clean without a test to prove it. Drug testing in golf was simply inevitable. Twilight set on Torrey Pines after the second session, and Finchem walked slowly along the 18th fairway toward the hotel. He thought the meetings went well and that it was a good step toward educating the players. But it was clear he was not thrilled with where golf was headed, offering a quiet comment without prompting to no one in particular. "This is so counterintuitive to everything golf is about," he said. With apologies to endless PGA Tour hype, this is the new era of golf. It's just a different cup. Posted Jan 30 2008, 07:43 AM by Golf International with no comments Filed under: Golf International, Drug Testing, PGA Tour, Paul Azinger, Jim Furyk, Danny Edwards, George O'Grady, Tim Finchem, Charles Howell III, Anit-Doping Policy, Jeff Maggert, Tim Herron, Frank Lickliter

• Phil Mickelson Looking to Get on Track

  Twice champion and world number two Phil Mickelson plans to make up for lost time at this week's Phoenix Open in Scottsdale, Arizona. The 37-year-old American believes he is a week behind in his early season schedule after battling respiratory problems and bronchitis for the last three months. Mickelson tied for sixth at the Buick Invitational on Sunday, his first tournament of 2008, after being confined to bed rest and antibiotics by his doctor at the start of the week. "I'm behind on my game just because I haven't been able to practice but, as the week wore on, I started to play better and I started to feel better," the three-times major winner said. "These two rounds under par on the weekend give me a little bit of momentum heading into the Phoenix Open," Mickelson added, referring to his 68-71 finish at Torrey Pines. "I don't feel like I'm that far off for being a week late in my preparation. I'm driving it better but I need to make adjustments in my lag putting, sharpen up the short game a little bit and get better distance control with my irons." Mickelson, who attended Arizona State University before winning the Phoenix Open in 1996 and 2005, feels more confident going into his second event of the season than he did 12 months ago. "I was working hard last year but I wasn't getting the results," he said, speaking to reporters after shooting a one-under-par 71 in the final round of the Buick Invitational. "I feel like even though I'm a week behind this year, I'm ahead of where I was last year." Mickelson launched his 2007 PGA Tour season by tying for 45th at the Bob Hope Classic and sharing 51st spot at the Buick Invitational the following week. This week, he faces a strong challenge on the Stadium Course at the TPC Scottsdale where seven of the world's top 20 will be in action. Apart from Mickelson, third-ranked Steve Stricker, Rory Sabbatini (ninth), Vijay Singh (11th), Geoff Ogilvy (14th), Aaron Baddeley (17th) and Trevor Immelman (20th) are playing. Australian Baddeley defends the title he won last year by a shot after American Jeff Quinney bogeyed the last two holes. "I'm really looking forward to it," Scottsdale resident Baddeley said. "Being able to defend in front of my hometown crowd is going to be really exciting for me." Regardless of who wins this week, the Phoenix Open crowds will deliver the biggest party on tour, especially with the high-octane Super Bowl also in town. Half a million fans are expected and most of them will savor the grandstand atmosphere around the par-three 16th, the noisiest hole in golf. Posted Jan 30 2008, 07:40 AM by Golf International with no comments Filed under: Golf International, Phil Mickelson, PGA Tour, Phoenix Open

• Many Birdies Predicted at Phoenix

  Australia's Aaron Baddeley won last year's Phoenix Open with three birdies in the last four holes and believes something similar will be required if he is to defend his title this week in Scottsdale, Arizona. Twelve months ago, Baddeley fired successive seven-under-par 64s over the weekend at the TPC Scottsdale to clinch the second PGA Tour victory of his career by a shot. "It's all about making putts because everyone is going to hit fairways, everyone is going to hit some greens," Baddeley told reporters on Tuesday during preparation for Thursday's opening round. "The forecast is pretty good so you're going to have to shoot 20 under probably to win. Go out there, play hard, hit it straight and make some putts. That's the key. You've just got to putt well." Scottsdale resident Baddeley, who took advantage of a stumbling finish by American Jeff Quinney to triumph last year with a 21-under total, is eager to build on a solid start to his 2008 campaign. Buoyed by winning his first Australian Masters title two months ago, he tied for 12th at the season-opening Mercedes-Benz Championship and shared 13th spot at last week's Buick Invitational. "I'm just trying to build on last year," Baddeley, 26, said. "I felt like last year was a good year. My consistency was a lot better than it had been in my previous years and I felt my game was going in the right direction. "I'm just trying to build on how I played last year, and how I played towards the end of last year, winning in Australia and then coming back here. That gave me great confidence about my game." World-ranked 17th, Baddeley would dearly love to win this week in front of his adopted home fans. "It's going to be a great week," he said. "I always look forward to this week and this year is going to be special being defending champion. I just love playing here in Phoenix because it feels like my hometown." Baddeley joins six other members of the world's top 20 in this week's field: second-ranked Phil Mickelson, Steve Stricker (third), Rory Sabbatini (ninth), Vijay Singh (11th), Geoff Ogilvy (14th) and Trevor Immelman (20th). Posted Jan 30 2008, 07:38 AM by Golf International with no comments Filed under: Golf International, PGA Tour, Aaron Baddeley, TPC Scottsdale

• Tiger Woods Aiming for Second Dubai Title

  Europe's top players get the chance to try and stop Tiger Woods at the Dubai Desert Classic this week after the PGA Tour's biggest hitters all failed in the task. The incomparable Woods, who launched his season by romping to an eight-shot triumph at the Buick Invitational in California on Sunday, makes the long trek to the Middle East aiming to capture his second Dubai title. The world number one seized his 62nd PGA Tour win at the weekend, joining Arnold Palmer in fourth place on the list of victories, and his fifth appearance in eight years at the Emirates Golf Club has the cream of European golf buzzing with excitement. "Dubai is one of the best tournaments we play," order of merit leader Lee Westwood told the tour's official Web site. "The tournament is fantastic, it's a great field and it's great Tiger is coming." Westwood is performing at the top of his game, having secured his third successive top-five finish at last week's Qatar Masters and his 11th top-10 in 12 outings. "I am playing very well, week in week out I have been in contention," said the 34-year-old Briton. "I am delighted with the way things are going." Westwood's Ryder Cup team mate Henrik Stenson is also in red-hot form as he prepares to defend his Dubai title in the third and final leg of the tour's 'desert swing'. The Dubai-based Swede followed up his tied second place in Abu Dhabi by finishing runner-up in Qatar behind Australia's Adam Scott, who produced a course-record 61 in the last round. "The putting was good again and I don't think I made a bogey at the weekend so I'm really happy with that," said Stenson. "It is going to take some good golf to defend my title but I'm looking forward to the challenge." Among the other contenders for the first prize of 283,000 euros are world number five Ernie Els and European Ryder Cup players Sergio Garcia, Colin Montgomerie, Darren Clarke, Paul McGinley, David Howell, Niclas Fasth, Robert Karlsson and Ian Poulter. The tournament starts on Thursday. Posted Jan 30 2008, 07:36 AM by Golf International with 1 comment(s) Filed under: Golf International, Tiger Woods, PGA Tour, Dubai Desert Classic

• Michelle Wie to Begin Season at Fields Open

  Michelle Wie will begin the season in Hawaii for the fifth straight year, this time against the women. Wie accepted a sponsor's exemption Monday to play in The Fields Open at Ko Olina, hopeful of getting her career back on track after a troublesome season of injuries, missed cuts and withdrawls. An 18-year-old freshman at Stanford, Wie has started her season at the Sony Open on the PGA Tour the last four years and nearly made the cut as a 14-year-old when she shot a 68. But she has yet to make a cut in seven tries on the PGA Tour, and she did not play the Sony Open this year, a sign that she plans to concentrate on the LPGA while trying to regain her form. The Fields Open, where Wie tied for third two years ago, is Feb. 21-23 and is the second event on the LPGA Tour schedule. Wie injured both wrists last year and kept playing, making only three cuts and breaking par twice in 19 rounds against the women. Posted Jan 29 2008, 05:00 PM by Golf International with 1 comment(s) Filed under: Golf International, Michelle Wie, Women in Golf, LPGA Tour, Fields Open

• Tiger Woods Send Ominous Warning to Rivals

  Tiger Woods's comfort factor at Torrey Pines, where he won a record sixth Buick Invitational on Sunday, will have sent a collective shudder down the spines of his rivals for this year's U.S. Open. The second major of the season will be staged from June 12-15 on the scenic South Course at Torrey Pines, a coastal layout Woods has played countless times since his youth. As if that was not enough to inspire fear into any would-be Tiger hunter, the world number one says he is now playing the best golf of his life. His eight-stroke victory romp at the weekend earned him his 62nd PGA Tour title, and his 16th in just 32 starts since the beginning of 2006. The benchmark for Woods was previously his golden run of form in 2000 when he clinched the last three majors of the year, ending that season with 11 victories worldwide. "I'm starting to get better," he told reporters after spread-eagling the field at Torrey Pines in his first tournament of 2008. "I'm hitting shots that I never could hit before, even in 2000. "People think: 'Yeah, you played great' but I made everything (with the putter). I'm actually hitting the ball better now than I did during that (2000) stretch." U.S. Ryder Cup player Stewart Cink, a four-times winner on the PGA Tour, was awestruck after partnering Woods for the last two rounds at Torrey Pines. "I'd say this is the best I've seen him play," Cink said after tying for third at the Buick Invitational. "The last couple days, off the tee, the control he had was just really very impressive. "The Tiger that we saw a year and two years ago, hitting it sort of all over the place, I think that's a thing of the past. He's got it geared down and he came out and played really well." Six-times major champion Nick Faldo, while working as a golf analyst for CBS television for the last two rounds at Torrey Pines, said: "The message Tiger sends to his fellow competitors is a bit of a bolt." The last time a venue on the PGA Tour staged a regular event and the U.S. Open in the same year was Pebble Beach in 2000. Again, the omens are bleak for Woods's rivals. The remarkable American won the 2000 Pebble Beach National Pro-Am by two shots before returning four months later to post a record-breaking 15-stroke victory at the U.S. Open. Already a winner of 13 major titles, Woods triggered shock waves in the game earlier this year when he suggested on his Web site that a sweep of all four in 2008 was "within reason." At Torrey Pines, he added: "The question is: 'Do I see it as a possibility?' and I say yes. "A lot of different factors go into it and hopefully all those factors line up for me. The venues this year, I like all of them but I've liked all the venues before in the past. "It's just a matter of getting your game coming together at the right time and getting all the right breaks. Hopefully you get lucky at the right times." Although the course set-up at Torrey Pines will be different in June when the U.S. Open features its traditional tight fairways, thick rough and lightning-fast greens, Woods's comfort factor will still apply. "I've always felt comfortable coming down here and playing, ever since my junior golf days, even though the golf course has been redesigned," he said, referring to changes made to the South Course in 2001. "I still feel comfortable even after the redesign. I still felt good with the lines. I picked up on the greens pretty quickly and I've had success ever since then." Posted Jan 29 2008, 04:57 PM by Golf International with no comments Filed under: Golf International, Tiger Woods

• Scott Up to World No. 4 as Tiger Extends Lead

  World Number One Tiger Woods won his fourth consecutive Buick Invitational title at Torrey Pines by eight shots with a final round of 71 for a 19-under-par total of 269. Outright second place was claimed by Ryuji Imada who closed with a birdie for a final round of 67. Woods extends his lead over Phil Mickelson at the top of the Official World Golf Ranking to 11.02 average points while Imada jumps to World Number 97. Adam Scott shot a breathtaking final round of 11 under par 61 to win the Commercialbank Qatar Masters presented by Dolphin Energy for the second time, beating Henrik Stenson by three strokes at Doha Golf Club. The Australian, who won the last time he played in Qatar in 2002, climbs 4 places to World Number 4. James Kamte shot a five-birdie back nine to overhaul his rivals and win the Dimension Data Pro-am at the Gary Player Country Club. Kamte climbs to World Number 236, a leap of 185 positions. The 2008 Nationwide Tour kicked off with the Movistar Panama Masters which was won by Scott Dunlap by a stroke from Jeff Klauk. Dunlap jumps to World Number 404. Posted Jan 29 2008, 04:53 PM by Golf International with no comments Filed under: Golf International, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, PGA Tour, Adam Scott, James Kamte

• Ernie Els Opens His Own Golf Course in Dubai Sports City

  World Number 5 golfer Ernie Els today unveiled The Els Club at Dubai Sports City, the world’s first integrated sports city. The Els Club is the first sports facility to open in Dubai Sports City and will sit alongside other facilities including the ICC Cricket Stadium & the ICC Global Cricket Academy, The Manchester United Soccer Schools, The David Lloyd Tennis Academy & Next Generation Club & the World Hockey Academy. The Els Club is Ernie’s first step from golf into hospitality. Els, the former British and US Open Champion, was joined for this official opening in Dubai by English cricketer Andrew Flintoff, South Africa’s World Cup winning rugby captain John Smit, tennis legend Martina Navratilova and Manchester United goalkeeping legend, Peter Schmeichel. Flintoff was particularly impressed with both Dubai Sports City and Ernie’s course: “What a course!” commented the England all-rounder who is making a good recovery from injury. “I cannot wait to play here on a regular basis! Golf is the second sport for so many sportsmen and to have this on the doorstep of what looks like one of the world’s leading cricket stadium will be fantastic.” “Ernie’s a great guy and when he invited me out here to see Dubai Sports City and The Els Club, it was a great chance to see something unique and support a friend. I’m looking forward to having dinner in the 19th once it is open!” The prestigious Els Club course stretches 7,538 yards from the back tees. The “desert links” layout combines a traditional classic design with truly immaculate fairways and greens. The Els Club will officially open for play in March 2008 and will set a new benchmark for golf in Dubai. Ernie is looking to create a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere at the Els Club with a worldclass service: “The Els Club will combine the best of all the great clubs that I have played worldwide. The golf challenge will be second to none. We’ll have great food in our restaurants….. and I particularly want the 19th to be special!” “I am really proud of what we have achieved here. When I first saw the site, I could see the potential for a great Desert Links course and we’ve achieved just that. Whether you are an 18 handicap or a scratch golfer, it will be a great test of golf. Even if you don’t play well, we’ll make sure that you have a great time in the clubhouse!” U.Balasubramaniam, the CEO of Dubai Sports City was delighted to see the first of many world class amenities at project officially opened, “It was clear from the very first meeting that Ernie’s vision for The Els Club matched our own at Dubai Sports City. Those who appreciate life's finest pleasures will embrace this true sporting gem which has been sensationally created by Ernie and his team.” Posted Jan 29 2008, 04:51 PM by Golf International with no comments Filed under: Golf International, Ernie Els, Golf Course, Dubai Sports City, The Els Club

• Tiger Woods Coasts to Eight Shot Victory

  Tiger Woods joined some elite company Sunday, even though he might as well have been playing alone. He thrilled the four-deep gallery with an improbable flop shot from the muck of trampled grass behind the ninth green to save par. He sent Torrey Pines into delirium with a 60-foot birdie putt that started in one direction and slid into the cup from the other. He made three straight bogeys on the back nine, a rarity for him when he's in the lead. And none of it mattered. The outcome was never in doubt at the Buick Invitational, only the final score. A 10-foot birdie on the 18th gave Woods a 1-under 71 and an eight-shot victory, the ninth time in his career that he has won by at least that many. It earned him a fourth straight title at Torrey Pines, a third straight PGA Tour victory and congratulations from the King. It was his 62nd career victory, tying him with Arnold Palmer for fourth place on the tour list. "I'm sure that there are many, many more coming in the future," Palmer said. "There isn't any question about that." He won't get an argument from Woods. Having won for the fifth time in his last six starts on the PGA Tour, Woods said he was at another level -- even better than 2000 -- and still had room for improvement. Better than 2000, when he won nine times and three straight majors? "Yeah," Woods said without hesitation. Woods finished at 19-under 269 to win the Buick Invitational for the fourth consecutive year, tying a PGA Tour record for consecutive wins in a single tournament. Woods is the only player to own such a streak at two events, having also won four in a row at Bay Hill. He won for the fifth time in his last six starts. Throw in his Target World Challenge at the end of the year, and Woods has won his last three tournaments by a combined 23 shots. "I'm starting to get better," he said. "I'm hitting shots that I never could hit before, even in 2000. People think, 'Yeah, you played great.' But I made everything. I'm actually hitting the ball better now than I did during that stretch." Ryuji Imada won the B-flight. He matched the best score of the final round with a 67 and was the runner-up. "My goal going into today was to finish second," Imada said. "That's almost like winning the golf tournament to me." Woods returns to Torrey Pines in June for the U.S. Open, and if this week was any indication, it could be another long week for his peers. The world's No. 1 player now has won six times as a pro at Torrey Pines, and his comment earlier this month that the Grand Slam is "easily within reason" looked every bit of that. "What he's going to do is screw the U.S. Open up for everyone else," Fred Couples said. "If he had shot 10 or 11 under, the USGA would have said, 'Well, maybe we have it in the right spot.' Now, they may have to regroup a little." Then again, it might not matter. The 71 ended Woods' streak of 14 consecutive rounds in the 60s, dating to the second round of the Deutsche Bank Championship. He has finished no worse than second since the British Open in July, when he tied for 12th at Carnoustie. Woods planned to leave Sunday night for the Dubai Desert Classic, and he likely won't return to the PGA Tour until the end of February at the Accenture Match Play Championship. Next in line on the career list is Ben Hogan with 64 victories, and each win moves Woods closer to the record 82 won by Sam Snead. "You'd like to think it's surprising, but it's not," Charles Howell III said. "It's Tiger." Woods is 6-of-12 in his PGA Tour debuts, but he has never won with such ease. He went back to work after the holidays, and it was as if last year never ended. It was a powerful message to the rest of the PGA Tour, even if it was unintentional. "They can look at it however they want to look at it," Woods said. "I know that I'm trying to win and trying to improve and trying to get better." The only surprise was the weather, a pleasant one at that. The forecast was for heavy rain overnight and into Sunday, with the possibility of a Monday finish. But the clouds cleared as Woods was warming up, and he played the front nine under brilliant blue skies. Only on the back nine did clouds return and temperatures plunge. He closed out his victory under a mixture of rain and clouds, and smile that showed all was right in his world. "He's just much better," said Couples, who posted his first top-10 finish since the 2006 Masters. "It's fun to see. I've been on tour for 28 years, and I've never seen this stuff." Rory Sabbatini also had a 67 to tie for third with Stewark Cink (73). "I'd say this is the best I've seen him play," Cink said. "The last couple days, off the tee, the control he had was just really very impressive. The Tiger that we saw a year and two years ago, hitting it sort of all over the place, I think that's a thing of the past. He's got it geared down and he came out and played really well." Justin Leonard closed with a 72 to finish alone in fifth, 12 shots behind. Phil Mickelson also made his 2008 debut this week, but was slowed by illness and was never a factor. He shot 71 on Sunday and tied for sixth with Durant (75). "Nobody thought too much about winning," Mickelson said. Posted Jan 28 2008, 07:20 AM by Golf International with 2 comment(s) Filed under: Golf International, Tiger Woods, PGA Tour, Buick Invitational, Arnold Palmer

• Tiger Woods Takes Command at Torrey Pines

  Kevin Streelman had his head down as he rapped a few putts to kill time, realizing that as third alternate at the Buick Invitational, the 29-year-old rookie probably would get a chance to play. When he looked up, he was startled to see Tiger Woods in front of him. "I was kind of awestruck for a second and I said, 'Wow, I guess I am on the PGA Tour," he said. "It was pretty cool." It might be even more jarring to see Woods on the first tee in the final group Saturday at Torrey Pines. Woods made short work of the North Course on Friday with a 7-under 65, giving him a four-shot lead as he tries to win the Buick Invitational for the fourth straight year. Adding to his odds is being a chased by a rookie who's just happy to be here. Streelman was the last alternate to get in, opened with a 67, then made it around the tough South Course on Friday with a 69 that put him in second place on the leaderboard, and under a big spotlight on the weekend. "Obviously, it's going to be a huge ordeal out there, but it's going to be great," Streelman said. "If I play great, great. If I don't, it's going to be a tremendous learning experience." For Woods, it was old hat. He chipped in for par, escaped from a couple of trees and matched his best start ever at Torrey Pines at 12-under 132. The hard part might be reminding himself the tournament ends Sunday. "If they handed out the trophy today, then it would be over and no big deal," Woods said. "But since we have so many more holes to play ... as you've seen on tour, anything can happen." In this case, "anyone" might be more appropriate. The world's No. 1 player said he had never heard of Streelman, and when told that he was No. 1,354 in the world ranking, Woods replied, "I think he might be going up." Joining them will be Stewart Cink, who shot a 69 on the South and was another shot back at 7-under 137. Troy Matteson got turned in the wrong direction. After a 65 on the South Course that he said he couldn't top, he was 10 shots worse on the North Course, shooting a 75 to fall eight shots behind. For the second time in three weeks, nearly 20 guys left town with last-place money and no tee time. The cut of top 70 and ties amounted to 85 players, and because that number exceeded 78, only 66 players advanced to the weekend. Among the casualties were Kenny Perry, Chris DiMarco and Jay Williamson, who was one of six players who signed a petition at the Sony Open to get rid of the new cut policy. Fueling their frustration is that Jose Maria Olazabal won the Buick Invitational in 2002 after making the cut on the number. But that year, Olazabal was only eight shots behind the co-leaders, J.L. Lewis and Kent Jones. The 19 players who made the cut and can't play the weekend were 13 shots behind Woods, who is turning this Pacific property into his personal playground. Under sunny skies and a stiff breeze, Woods got his round going with a par. He drove it well to the right, then bladed his iron so far over the green that he was happy that his third shot stayed atop a ridge in the rough. That left him 25 feet for par, and he chipped that in. He holed a 10-foot birdie putt on the next, then made three straight birdies around the turn to seize control. Along with chasing Woods, the biggest frustration might be weather. The forecast was for rain to arrive Saturday afternoon, with heavy rain expected on Sunday. That leaves a dual challenge of trying to catch golf's best player and cope with potentially miserable conditions. "Chasing Tiger Woods is always the tallest task on the PGA Tour, so I get a chance to try again," Cink said. For Streelman, it's a new experience, and one he is relishing for all the right reasons. Whereas Woods never had to go to any stage of Q-school to earn his card, Streelman has been toiling on the mini-tours since leaving college. When he learned he was in the field, he had enough time to call his fiancee in Phoenix and his sponsors in Southern California, and they rushed to Torrey Pines to watch him play. "It's going to be, for me, very gratifying, and a tremendous learning experience," he said. "To be able to walk next to him, to just kind of see what he does and try and compare ... obviously, if I can keep doing what I'm doing, just play the golf course, that's all it is." Woods is 30-6 when having at least a share of the 36-hole lead on the PGA Tour, but one reason that Woods closes so well is that he never takes any lead for granted -- no matter who is trying to catch him. And the more he learned about Streelman, the more he liked his story. "People don't realize the difference between someone making cuts, getting on the tour, and winning a golf tournament," he said. "It's just a couple of good shots here and there, maybe a couple of lucky breaks here and there. It really isn't as big a gap as people might think. The great thing is watching guys taking advantage of opportunities, whether they're first alternate or they get an exemption. "Those are fun stories to see transpire." North Course 132 Tiger Woods 67 65 138 Aaron Baddeley (Aus) 71 67 139 John Senden (Aus) 70 69 140 Hunter Mahan 71 69, Robert Allenby (Aus) 70 70, Jeff Quinney 69 71, Kenneth Ferrie (Eng) 73 67, Troy Matteson 65 75, John Mallinger 74 66, Fred Couples 71 69 141 Vijay Singh (Fij) 73 68, Jim Furyk 73 68, Kevin Sutherland 73 68 142 Dustin Johnson 72 70, Rodney Pampling (Aus) 70 72, Parker McLachlin 69 73, Briny Baird 71 71, Shigeki Maruyama (Jpn) 71 71, Matthew Jones (Aus) 72 70, Frank Lickliter II 72 70 143 Chris Stroud 73 70, Jon Mills (Can) 73 70, Matt Kuchar 71 72, Cliff Kresge 76 67 144 Tag Ridings 73 71, Jamie Lovemark 73 71, George McNeill 72 72, Steve Marino 74 70, Justin Leonard 76 68, Travis Perkins 76 68, Sean O'Hair 76 68, Roland Thatcher 73 71 145 Charley Hoffman 73 72, Vaughn Taylor 77 68, Omar Uresti 76 69, Chris DiMarco 70 75, Lucas Glover 72 73, Nick Flanagan (Aus) 74 71, Alex Cejka (Ger) 74 71, Kenny Perry 74 71, Y. E Yang 74 71, Fredrik Jacobson (Swe) 75 70, Jay Williamson 74 71, Bo Van Pelt 74 71, Jason Bohn 75 70 -----------------------------Missed the Cut-------------------------------------- 146 Chris Riley 73 73, Paul Azinger 73 73, Brandt Snedeker 72 74, D.J. Trahan 75 71, Tommy Armour III 76 70 147 Patrick Sheehan 73 74, Jerry Kelly 74 73, Duffy Waldorf 75 72, David Duval 76 71, Peter Lonard (Aus) 76 71 148 Kevin Na (Kor) 76 72, Bart Bryant 75 73, Brad Elder 76 72, Ben Curtis 76 72, Brian Bateman 78 70, Ryan Moore 78 70, Nicholas Thompson 73 75 149 Brett Rumford (Aus) 76 73, Ronald Whittaker 76 73 150 Richard Johnson (Wal) 77 73, J J Henry 77 73 151 Mark Calcavecchia 74 77, Robert Garrigus 76 75, Todd Demsey 73 78 152 Bob Tway 79 73, Pat Perez 78 74 153 John Daly 77 76, Peter Campbell 80 73, Mark Hensby (Aus) 79 74 155 Kenny Kim (Swe) 79 76, Justin Hicks 78 77 157 Will MacKenzie 80 77 South Course 136 Kevin Streelman 67 69 137 Stewart Cink 68 69 138 Brad Adamonis 66 72, Boo Weekley 72 66 139 Stuart Appleby (Aus) 67 72 140 Dean Wilson 69 71, Nathan Green (Aus) 68 72, Joe Durant 70 70, Bill Haas 72 68, Carlos Franco (Par) 71 69, Douglas Labelle 68 72, Charles Howell III 68 72 141 Ryuji Imada (Jpn) 69 72, Camilo Villegas (Col) 69 72 142 Rory Sabbatini (Rsa) 67 75, John Rollins 71 71, Kevin Stadler 68 74, Carl Pettersson (Swe) 70 72, Steve Elkington (Aus) 71 71 143 Phil Mickelson 70 73, Jeff Maggert 71 72, Justin Bolli 74 69, Marc Turnesa 73 70 144 Jin Park (Kor) 71 73, Tim Herron 72 72, Cody Freeman 70 74, Bubba Watson 73 71, Tom Pernice Jnr. 71 73, J.B. Holmes 71 73, Mark O'Meara 72 72, Craig Barlow 71 73, Brett Wetterich 72 72, Jason Day 72 72, Jason Gore 73 71 145 Ben Crane 74 71, Anthony Kim 68 77, Scott Sterling 70 75, Martin Laird 71 74, Craig Kanada 69 76, Nick O'Hern (Aus) 70 75 -----------------------------Missed the Cut-------------------------------------- 146 Michael Allen 73 73, Rich Beem 72 74, Stephen Leaney (Aus) 71 75, Rocco Mediate 69 77 147 Eric Axley 72 75, Ken Duke 71 76, Brenden Pappas (Rsa) 72 75, Jesper Parnevik (Swe) 71 76, Tim Wilkinson (Nzl) 69 78, Stephen Ames (Can) 70 77 148 Nick Watney 73 75, Billy Mayfair 75 73, Brandt Jobe 73 75, Todd Hamilton 76 72, Tim Clark (Rsa) 73 75, Mark Wilson 73 75 149 Charles Warren 74 75, Kyle Thompson 76 73, KJ Choi (Kor) 72 77, Geoff Ogilvy (Aus) 74 75, Chez Reavie 74 75 150 Kent Jones 75 75, Paul Claxton 72 78, Scott McCarron 75 75, Bob Estes 76 74, Mathias Gronberg (Swe) 70 80, J.L. Lewis 74 76 151 Michael Letzig 74 77, Cameron Beckman 72 79, Mathew Kodama 78 73, Ryan Armour 74 77, Tom Lehman 76 75, Johnson Wagner 72 79 153 Jeff Overton 74 79, J.P. Hayes 73 80 154 Woody Austin 77 77 157 Jason Allred 72 85, Paul Wise 75 82 Posted Jan 26 2008, 04:05 PM by Golf International with no comments Filed under: Golf International, Tiger Woods, Buick Invitational, Kevin Streelman