Gatorade sinks Tiger Woods sponsorship (Reuters)
February 26, 2010
* Latest corporation to walk away after sex scandal
* Partnership with Tiger Woods Foundation to continue (Adds details, background)
LOS ANGELES, Feb 26 (Reuters) – Golfer Tiger Woods wasdumped by sports drink brand Gatorade on Friday, becoming thethird major corporate sponsor to abandon him since details ofhis adulterous affairs surfaced late last year.
“We no longer see a role for Tiger in our marketing effortsand have ended our relationship,” a spokeswoman for PepsiCo’sGatorade said.
“Our partnership with the Tiger Woods Foundation willcontinue. We wish him all the best.”
Gatorade decided before the sex scandal that it would dropits “Tiger Focus” drink.
AT&T and technology outsourcing and consulting companyAccenture have already ended their sponsorships, while Gillettehas distanced itself from the world-famous athlete, who isconsidered to be one of the best professional golfers of alltime.
A somber Woods apologized for his behavior in a tightlycontrolled, televised event a week ago, but he kept the golfworld and his sponsors hanging by failing to say when he wouldreturn to competitive play.
Woods had been largely absent from public view for the 12weeks since he crashed his car outside his Florida home, and asthe details of his multiple infidelities unraveled in a flurryof media coverage around the world.
Woods, who is believed to be the world’s wealthiestathlete, was estimated to have earned $100 million annually inendorsement deals before he confessed to “infidelity” and saidhe was taking an indefinite break from professional golf inDecember.
While some sponsors have sunk sponsorship deals, othersincluding video gams publisher Electronic Arts have moved aheadwith endorsement plans.
Electronic Arts will introduce the next installment of itspopular Tiger Woods PGA Tour franchise in June. (Reporting by Lisa Baertlein; Editing by Gary Hill and TedKerr)
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Gatorade drops Tiger Woods
February 26, 2010
NEW YORK (AP)—Add Gatorade to the list of endorsement deals that TigerWoods has lost.
A spokesperson for the drink, sold by PepsiCo Inc., confirmed late Fridaythat it had ended its relationship with the golfer.
“We no longer see a role for Tiger in our marketing efforts and have endedour relationship,” a Gatorade spokeswoman said. “We wish him all the best.”
The spokewoman said Gatorade would continue its relationship with the TigerWoods Foundation.
Gatorade discontinued its Tiger Woods-brand drinks in November, a decisionmade before Woods’ marital problems and infidelities became known.
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Getty acknowledges photo setup with Tiger (Yahoo! Sports)
February 26, 2010
Last Wednesday, two days before Tiger Woods’ statement, Getty Images released a photo of the golfer jogging near his Florida home.
More on Tiger Woods from CNBC.com
When asked about how the photo – which dampened hopes of the paparazzi getting the first clear picture of Woods – was arranged, the folks at Getty had no comment.
On Thursday, Michelle Caruso-Cabrera and I asked Getty Images CEO Jonathan Klein on “Power Lunch” how it all worked out.
On how the deal came together:
“Over a long period of time, Getty Images has established itself as the gold standard in terms of not only the image quality, but the way we behave,” Klein said. “As a result of that, we don’t do paparazzi images and as a result of that, we often get a called in either for a non-profit basis like we do all the Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie photos entirely non-profit. …
“We were approached and Tiger happened to know the photographer (Sam Greenwood) and has known him for a long time.” (Click here to watch the entire interview)
On how much Getty made on the photo: “Very little because the deal that we did with them was we would make them available to the other wire agencies.”
Questions? Comments? Email SportsBiz@cnbc.com. Or check out more Sports Biz with Darren Rovell.
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Live Report: Waste Management Phoenix Open, Round 2 (PGATOUR.com)
February 26, 2010
Phil Mickelson was trying to take advantage of an early tee time on Friday.
FAN FARE (12:20 p.m.): The attendance at the Waste Management Phoenix Open is staggering. While Thursday's figures were down ever-so-slightly from 2009, a total of 69, 475 people still enjoyed the fun at TPC Scottsdale.
Live Report essentials PGATOUR.COM's The Live Report has all the news and notes from the Waste Management Phoenix Open, and we'll be providing updates all day long for each round, so check back often. (All timestamps are Eastern Time.) LIVE SCORING: Shot Tracker | Leaderboard | LISTEN: PGA TOUR Network | RESPOND: Facebook | Twitter | FanZone
More than 35,000 were there on Tuesday—nearly three times as many as a year ago—and 47,476 attended the pro-am. With the rain holding off on the weekend, the tournament could top the half-million mark.
BIG BREAK? (12:15 p.m. ET)—Looks like we might get a break from Mother Nature. The rain that is expected on Saturday now looks to arrive after 6 p.m. local time—which would be three hours after the leaders should be putting out on the 18th hole.
There is an 80 percent chance of rain in the evening with an accumulation of half an inch or more. The showers could linger into Sunday morning, but shouldn't be much of an issue. The temperatures will drop into the lower 60s for the highs but Friday and Saturday will be about 10 degrees warmer.
Going for the Green 
Waste Management presents the "Going for the Green" closest-to-the-pin contest. Waste Management will donate $25,000 to Keep America Beautiful in the name of the player who is closest to the pin at the par-3 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale this week. The distance from the hole each day will be added together to reach a cumulative total. Of the proceeds, 50 percent will go to the local Keep Phoenix Beautiful chapter and 50 percent will go to Keep America Beautiful's national Think Green grant. Play TPC Scottsdale 
TPC SCOTTSDALE: The 162-yard 16th will look a lot different without 100,000 people around, but the experience will still be worthwhile. For a limited time, take advantage of reduced pricing for golf vacation packages with arrival before April 4, 2010. With a savings of approximately $150 per golfer, there is no reason why you would want to pass up the opportunity to escape for some Scottsdale golf and play where the pros played during the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Click here for package information, tee times, more | Book a golf package Groups We're Watching Tee time Players 10:04 a.m. ET,No. 10 
Ian Poulter, Ryan Palmer, Phil Mickelson Mickelson was up and down in Round 1, but he will benefit from an earlier tee time on Friday at TPC Scottsdale. 2:44 p.m. ET,No. 1 
Geoff Ogilvy, Brian Gay, Camilo VillegasVillegas is on fire after an opening 62, but a later tee time will make things more difficult for him on Friday. 3:02 p.m. ET,No. 10 
Brandt Snedeker, Greg Chalmers, James DriscollWatch out for Snedeker (66 on Thursday), who has played very well this season and always has a shot at a low round. MORE ROUND 2: Tee times | Inside the field | Inside the courses | FANTASY GOLF: Power Rankings | Fantasy Insider | Play our game … free! Live Essentials 
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Stanford, Kim share lead in Singapore
February 26, 2010
SINGAPORE (AP)—Angela Stanford shot a 1-under 71 on Friday for a share of thelead with Song-Hee Kim after the second round of the HSBC Champions.
Stanford, the former TCU star who has four LPGA Tour victories, and Kim (70)had 5-under 139 totals on Tanah Merah’s Garden Course during another hot, windyday where the temperature reached 94 degrees.
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“I felt like I played the front nine really well and the back nine, not sowell,” Stanford said. “So I don’t know, I guess it could be a combination ofthings, but it was a completely different wind on the back side, literallyswitched as I got to (the) tee.”
Hall of Famer Juli Inkster (70) was a stroke back along with Ai Miyazato(71), Suzann Pettersen (70), Hee-Won Han (67) and Sun Young Yoo (70). Last weekin the season-opening LPGA Thailand, Miyazato rallied to beat Pettersen by astroke.
Cristie Kerr (73) trailed by two strokes, while Karrie Webb was another shotback after a 72.
Top-ranked Lorena Ochoa, tied for the first-round lead after a 68, had a 79to drop eight strokes back at 3 over. She had four bogeys and a triple bogey onthe par-4 18th. The Mexican star won the inaugural tournament in 2008.
It was reminiscent of her 79 in the second round of last year’s U.S. Women’sOpen. Her worst round on tour is an 81 at the Wegmans LPGA at the Locust HillCountry Club in Pittsford, N.Y., in 2004. But she was not yet counting herselfout of contention.
“I’m still going to try to finish strong,” Ochoa said. “It’s importanttomorrow to shoot 6 or 7 under.”
Opponents had to look twice when they saw the score.
“I thought it was a mistake,” Stanford said. “I looked up at the boardand I’m like ‘Do they have that right up there?”’
Defending champion Jiyai Shin was 2 under after her second straight 71, andMichelle Wie was 1 over after a 73.
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Stanford, Kim share HSBC Champions lead
February 26, 2010
SINGAPORE (AP)—Angela Stanford shot a 1-under 71 on Friday for a share of thelead with Song-Hee Kim after the second round of the HSBC Champions.
Stanford, the former TCU star who has four LPGA Tour victories, and Kim (70)had 5-under 139 totals on Tanah Merah’s Garden Course.
Other Popular Sports Stories Tiger conquers another continent NFL players extraordinary act of kindness Stage set for boxings dream fight; will it happen?
Hall of Famer Juli Inkster (70) was a stroke back along with Ai Miyazato(71), Suzann Pettersen (70), Hee-Won Han (67) and Sun Young Yoo (70). Last weekin the season-opening LPGA Thailand, Miyazato rallied to beat Pettersen by astroke.
Top-ranked Lorena Ochoa, tied for the first-round lead after a 68, had a7-over 79 to drop eight strokes back at 3 over. She had four bogeys and a triplebogey on the par-4 18th. The Mexican star won the inaugural tournament in 2008.
Defending champion Jiyai Shin was 2 under after her second straight 71, andMichelle Wie was 1 over after a 73.
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The Daily Wrap-up, Round 1: WM Phoenix Open (PGATOUR.com)
February 26, 2010
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP)—The memory of a missed 3-foot putt did nothing to diminish Camilo Villegas's game Thursday in the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
The 28-year-old Colombian tied the tournament first-round record with a 9-under 62 to take a one-shot lead over former Florida teammate Matt Every.
Villegas regrouped with a bogey-free round Thursday after making the semifinals of the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship last weekend, but missing the short putt that would have put him in the final. He beat Sergio Garcia in the third-place match.
Justin Rose, Mark Wilson, Ryuji Imada, Rickie Fowler and Pat Perez were three strokes back at 65 in near-perfect conditions at TPC Scottsdale.
Phil Mickelson and defending champion Kenny Perry were in a large group at 68. Match Play champion Ian Poulter struggled to a 72.
Playing the back nine first, Villegas wrapped up his round by chipping in from 21 feet on the par-4 ninth for his ninth birdie.
A two-time winner on the PGA TOUR in 2008, he credits a more relaxed approach to the game to his strong start to this season.
"I was getting a little too concerned with my world ranking position and money list and this and that," Villegas said, "and I just got a little tight on the golf course. So I needed to put all those things aside and remember that I'm playing golf for a living, and there's a million people out there that would love to be in my shoes, and have fun with it."
In keeping with that attitude, Villegas shrugged off the missed short putt in last week's semifinal match against Paul Casey.
"You know what? It's OK," he said. "I've got no problem with it. I wish I would have made it, yes. But you know what? It ain't going to change me as a person."
Villegas' 9-under round tied the first-round tournament record shared by Steve Jones (1997) and Harrison Frazier (2003).
Every, who earned his PGA TOUR card by winning last year's Nationwide Tour Championship, also had no bogeys on a wide-open desert layout that was relatively quiet and calm with an estimated crowd of 69,475. That should change when even more rowdy fans stream in to what has become essentially a big party with a golf tournament running through it.
As many as 150,000 are expected Saturday, although rain could dampen the turnout.
Every ran off a string of six consecutive birdies starting on No. 17, the longest streak of its kind so far in the young PGA TOUR eason.
He is coming off an unfortunate week at the Mayakoba Golf Classic in Cancun, where he signed an incorrect scorecard that had been kept by his lifelong golf hero and fellow ex-Gator Mark Calcavecchia in the third round and was disqualified.
Every said he was so upset with his play that he stormed away and signed his scorecard without even looking at it.
"It's 100 percent my fault, and he felt horrible, but it's in no way his fault," Every said. "He's still my favorite player and he was a blast to play with."
Every said he hasn't dwelt on last weekend's mistake, noting that he would have been near the bottom of the leaderboard going into the final round.
"I haven't even thought about it the whole week really until somebody said something to me right after the round," Every said. "Just because I got DQ'd doesn't mean I'm going to stop hitting it well."
Every played two seasons with Villegas at Florida.
"It's pretty neat," he said of the first-round results. "Obviously we played a lot of golf together. Not in the last few years, but he's a really, really good player. … It's good to see him playing well, especially after last week. I mean, he missed that little putt and he rebounded well, so that says a lot about his attitude."
Thursday's BestEASIEST HOLE TOUGHEST HOLE 
The 332-yard par-4 17th hole was the easiest with a Thursday scoring average of 3.431.EAGLES: 5 BIRDIES: 78 PARS: 57 BOGEYS: 3OTHERS: 1 
The 469-yard par-4 11th was toughest with a Thursday scoring average of 4.257.EAGLES: 0BIRDIES: 19PARS: 77 BOGEYS: 40OTHERS: 8
INSIDE THE ROPES WITH THE PGA TOUR NETWORK PGA TOUR Network correspondent Michael Collins offers these observations from Thursday. Listen to PGA TOUR Live coverage on XM 146/SIRIUS 209 or right here at PGATOUR.COM.
The story for tomorrow is going to be this: Will the guys who lit up the course in the morning with no wind be able to do it when they play the second round in the afternoon in the wind?
Yeah, Camilo Villegas (62) and Matt Every (63), teammates at the Universty of Florida, had great rounds, but there are a slew of big names that played pretty well in the afternoon in much more windy conditions.
Watch out for Pat Perez, who made three huge changes this week. He has new irons, new putter and a new putting grip. All that, and he shot 65 in the first round. I think I'm just going keep my clubs in storage for the rest of the year.
Ok, it's been two years now, I'm just gonna say it: The 16th hole at TPC Scottdale isn't as good totally enclosed. The grandstands look cool, but it's too hard for people to get up into them to watch golf, so they're not as packed as they should be.
The best story of the day out there was Braxton Marquez. He's a 22-year-old Arizona State student, whose father used to have a catering business in the skyboxes at TPC Scottsdale. The dream was for the father to watch his son play in this tournament and walk with him from the 15th green thru the tunnel to the 16th tee, but the father, Randy Marquez, died of cancer last year. As Braxton tapped in for par on No. 16, he looked skyward, the son smiling up at the father. And the father smiling right back.
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Villegas shoots 9-under 62 to take Phoenix lead
February 26, 2010
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP)—The memory of a missed 3-foot putt did nothing todiminish Camilo Villegas’s game Thursday in the Phoenix Open.
The 28-year-old Colombian tied the tournament first-round record with a9-under 62 to take a one-shot lead over former Florida teammate Matt Every.
Villegas regrouped with a bogey-free round Thursday after making thesemifinals of the Match Play Championship last weekend, but missing the shortputt that would have put him in the final. He beat Sergio Garcia in thethird-place match.
Justin Rose, Mark Wilson, Ryuji Imada, Rickie Fowler and Pat Perez werethree strokes back at 65 in near-perfect conditions at TPC Scottsdale.
Phil Mickelson and defending champion Kenny Perry were in a large group at68. Match Play champion Ian Poulter struggled to a 72.
Playing the back nine first, Villegas wrapped up his round by chipping infrom 21 feet on the par-4 ninth for his ninth birdie.
A two-time winner on the PGA Tour in 2008, he credits a more relaxedapproach to the game to his strong start to this season.
“I was getting a little too concerned with my world ranking position andmoney list and this and that,” Villegas said, “and I just got a little tighton the golf course. So I needed to put all those things aside and remember thatI’m playing golf for a living, and there’s a million people out there that wouldlove to be in my shoes, and have fun with it.”
In keeping with that attitude, Villegas shrugged off the missed short puttin last week’s semifinal match against Paul Casey.
“You know what? It’s OK,” he said. “I’ve got no problem with it. I wish Iwould have made it, yes. But you know what? It ain’t going to change me as aperson.”
Villegas’ 9-under round tied the first-round tournament record shared bySteve Jones (1997) and Harrison Frazier (2003).
Every, who earned his tour card by winning last year’s Nationwide TourChampionship event, also had no bogeys on a wide-open desert layout that wasrelatively quiet and calm with an estimated crowd of 69,475. That should changewhen even more rowdy fans stream in to what has become essentially a big partywith a golf tournament running through it.
As many as 150,000 are expected Saturday, although rain could dampen theturnout.
Every ran off a string of six consecutive birdies starting on No. 17, thelongest streak of its kind so far in the young PGA season.
He is coming off an unfortunate week at the Mayakoba Golf Classic in Cancun,where he signed an incorrect scorecard that had been kept by his lifelong golfhero and fellow ex-Gator Mark Calcavecchia in the third round and wasdisqualified.
Every said he was so upset with his play that he stormed away and signed hisscorecard without even looking at it.
“It’s 100 percent my fault, and he felt horrible, but it’s in no way hisfault,” Every said. “He’s still my favorite player and he was a blast to playwith.”
Every, who earned his tour card by winning the Nationwide Tour Championshiplast year to finish 10th on the developmental tour’s money list, said he hasn’tdwelt on last weekend’s mistake, noting that he would have been near the bottomof the leaderboard going into the final round.
“I haven’t even thought about it the whole week really until somebody saidsomething to me right after the round,” Every said. “Just because I got DQ’ddoesn’t mean I’m going to stop hitting it well.”
Every played two seasons with Villegas at Florida.
“It’s pretty neat,” he said of the first-round results. “Obviously weplayed a lot of golf together. Not in the last few years, but he’s a really,really good player. … It’s good to see him playing well, especially after lastweek. I mean, he missed that little putt and he rebounded well, so that says alot about his attitude.”
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American D’Alessio leads NZ Women’s Open
February 26, 2010
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand (AP)—American Diana D’Alessio shot a 4-under 68 onFriday to take a one-stroke lead over Australia’s Sarah Kemp in the LadiesEuropean Tour’s season-opening New Zealand Women’s Open.
D’Alessio had a 9-under 135 total on the Pegasus Golf Club course.
Kemp shot a 67. South Africa’s Ashleigh Simon (70) and Norway’s MarianneSkarpnord (73) were three strokes back at 6 under.
Canada’s Lorie Kane was fifth at 5 under after a 66—the round of the day.
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Golf-Asia could host a women’s major – LPGA chief (Reuters)
February 25, 2010
SINGAPORE, Feb 26 (Reuters) – Asia is clearly capable ofhosting one of women’s golf’s major championships in thefuture, according to new LPGA commissioner Michael Whan.
The top four professional women’s tournaments do not havethe tradition or stability of the men’s equivalents but nonehas ever been played outside North America or Europe.
“There is certainly zero doubt that the (Asian) markets weare in can handle a major, that we can get media coverage, thatwe can get television coverage and that the players wouldcome,” Whan told Singapore’s Straits Times newspaper.
“All of those check marks are checked and so is itfeasible? The answer is yes, it is.”
Of the current majors, only the Women’s British Open isplayed outside the United States with the Kraft NabiscoChampionship, LPGA Championship and U.S. Women’s Open roundingout the quartet, as classified by the LPGA.
The Ladies European Tour classes the Evian Masters, whichis played in France, as a major.
The lucrative Asian golf market is becoming increasinglyattractive to professional tours with the men’s U.S. PGA,European Tour and World Golf Championship all now sanctioningevents on the continent.
In women’s golf, however, the commercial growth has beenmatched by Asian playing success with seven out of the currenttop 10 on the LPGA money list hailing from the continent. (Reporting by Nick Mulvenney in Beijing; Editing by JohnO’Brien; To query or comment on this story emailsportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
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