Fantasy Insider: Best of the rest, others to avoid in Doral (PGATOUR.com)
March 9, 2010
I took a direct hit on the chin last week, falling some 12,000 spots in the Yahoo! game, but mama said that there would be weeks like those. Mama said.
I’ve brushed myself off and my confidence remains intact. That’s what a no-cut, 68-man field featuring 48 of the world’s top 50 (no Tiger Woods and Ryo Ishikawa) will do to the psyche.
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In addition to the importance of hitting greens at the TPC Blue Monster (per my Power Rankings on Monday), expect the majority of the front-runners on Sunday to share the ability of moving it off the tee. With greens expected to be relatively soft, approaches from the rough will hold, giving the edge to the bombers. NOTE: If you have specific questions about the Puerto Rico Open, e-mail or tweet me.
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TOP PICKS: See Power Rankings for Anthony Kim, Phil Mickelson and Vijay Singh.
Zach Johnson—I’m somewhat stupefied by his relatively slow start. He’s the TOUR’s leading ball-striker but has yet to post a top 10 in four starts (including the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship). At the top of the year, I slotted him third in my full-membership fantasy ranking, figuring that he might benefit most from the grooves rollback. Instead, while his iron game remains tremendous, he is four-and-a-half percent lower in his scrambling against his ’09 clip. That translates to a difference of 134 spots in that ranking. Doral’s rough lives up to its name, so ZJ is leaning toward a sucker play this week.
Steve Marino — The Honda Classic, where he withdrew after 27 holes due to flu-like symptoms, was his final start as a twentysomething. Marino turns 30 on Wednesday, March 10 and remains a non-winner on the PGA TOUR. He has a pair of top 5s this year, so he might be closer than ever to breaking through. This is his first career start in a World Golf Championships event, and he hasn’t competed at Doral, but he does have a good albeit brief history in no-cut events. As much as I’d like to encourage plugging him in this week for the Yahoo! game, he’s a smart save for events where the other studs won’t play. Incidentally, other non-winners on the PGA TOUR with TOUR cards turning 30 this year include Matt Jones (April 19), Michael Letzig (May 7), rookie Derek Lamely (July 12), Brendon de Jonge (July 18) and Justin Rose (July 30).
Luke Donald—First start since becoming a dad for the first time at the end of February. (His daughter, Elle Georgina, arrived a month before the due date.) Donald has played well of late, and because he’s so skilled it’s doubtful that any results could support the potential influence of the nappy factor, so I’m not expecting a dive or surge in the short- or long-term. That said, I almost always give guys at least one start after joining the fraternity of fatherhood before I ride their wares in the fantasy game. ________________________________________________________________________________________
TOP PICKS: See Power Rankings for Jim Furyk, Rory McIlroy, Camilo Villegas and Oliver Wilson.
Sergio Garcia—Seriously, is there anything he’s doing right now to convince you that he’s a smart short-term own? I didn’t think so. Put him in the corner and let the dust build.
Geoff Ogilvy—As much as I love the guy, until he exhibits more consistency week-to-week, he is not an automatic start or even a benchwarmer. Off soapbox … Yet, it’s insane that he’s first in greens in regulations and eighth in putting. (In 2009, Tiger Woods was 16th in GIR and 23rd in putting. Yes, Ogilvy deserves that comparison.)
Retief Goosen—He’s getting a lotta love from readers in e-mails, so Yahoo! gamers might need to find a spot on the bench just to keep pace. He’s like a greased pig in fantasy circles. The moment you think you have a handle, he’s darting in another direction. Kudos if you pick the right week, but I prefer the long-term own here.
Padraig Harrington—I was tempted to unleash a little frustration, but he started slow last year as well. That was blamed on what was eventually determined to be an overstated swing change. I love his philosophy but I also subscribe to the KISS method. If it helps, in 21 career starts in stroke-play WGCs, he has just two top 5s – 2009 Bridgestone and 2000 CA.
Picks for other formats ONE-AND-DONE: CA Championship: Paul Casey. Merely going with the No. 1 in my Power Rankings.Puerto Rico Open: Kevin Stadler. The No. 1 in my other Power Rankings. (Rob’s 2010 earnings: $1,866,153.00) DUFFER: CA Championship: Adam Scott. Just hasn’t made the immediate impact we expected this year.Puerto Rico Open: Notah Begay III. This is his second start. (I snuck Brad Adamonis in at Pebble Beach before he lost status.) NB3 shot 74-74=MC in Colombia. (Rob’s 2010 earnings: $136,000.00) Rob’s YAHOO! Stats: 1,443 points (19,304th)
Dustin Johnson—His three wins aside, this is the kind of hardware that he really needs to climb to the next level. DJ is 161st in fairways hit, but he’s a crisp 26th in hitting greens from lies off the fairway. He should devour Doral.
Sean O’Hair—Since revealing in January that he played 2009 with a stress fracture in his left forearm, he’s posted nothing better than a T35 in three stroke-play events. (He went 1-1 at Accenture.) Although his game sets up very nicely for Doral, play it conservatively here.
Lucas Glover—This is the first time he’s qualified for this event since Doral first hosted it in 2007. He finished T26, but that was ages ago in terms of Glover’s career. As long as he can hole a few putts, he should contend, so consider him for a bench spot on your Yahoo! roster. (Because of the quirks of TPC Scottsdale, where Glover missed the cut, I tend to discard results there as they relate to projecting future play.)
Henrik Stenson—First start since conceding his opening tilt against Ben Crane at Accenture. A year ago, after getting bounced from the Match Play, he didn’t play again until Doral, where he proceeded to finish T70 in greens hit and 79th in putting. He capped off his T77 finish with a smooth 83. Let’s just hope he keeps his clothes on this year, shall we?
________________________________________________________________________________________
See for Paul Casey and Ian Poulter.
Angel Cabrera—My most loyal of followers know that I don’t like to touch El Pato very often – maybe three times a year – but he deserves a nod because of where he sits in the Yahoo! game. You can throw out course history and recent play. He’s as capricious as his golf game (which makes sense, actually). So, my advice is if you’re just not feelin’ Casey or Poulter, go waddling.
Martin Kaymer—Positioned for an American coming-out party, but we might be waiting a little longer than expected. Hype is a four-letter word, and Kaymer won’t officially arrive on the U.S. scene until he makes a serious run at a title in the U.S. This is just his 14th career start in a PGA TOUR event. Like many bombers, he’ll need to manage his game well to score – i.e. keep the ball in the short grass as much as possible.
Rob Bolton is PGATOUR.COM’s new fantasy columnist. His views do not necessarily reflect those of the PGA TOUR. To contact Rob, please e-mail him at .
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Expert Picks: WGC – CA Championship (PGATOUR.com)
March 9, 2010
The second World Golf Championships event of the season takes place in Doral, Fla., this week at the TPC Blue Monster. Here’s how the PGATOUR.COM experts—including the newest member of our editorial team, producer Anne Szeker—size up the top contenders. Since Anne is the new kid on the block, we’re giving her the honor of the first pick this week.
EXPERT PICKSHow it works: Our experts from PGATOUR.COM select the player they think will win this week’s event. By using a draft process, no two picks can be the same. The player who wins the previous week picks last the following week.MORE CA CHAMPIONSHIP: Power Rankings | Inside the Field | Inside the courseMORE EXPERT PICKS: Puerto Rico Open presented by Banco Popular Expert picks: CA Championship Expert Pick order Player selected AnneSzeker 
STEVE STRICKER. He moved to No. 2 in the world earlier this year, with three top 10s in his first three starts. He’ll step up again this week with former No. 2 Phil Mickelson in the field. LaurenDeason 
PAUL CASEY. Just can’t pull the trigger on picking Phil with the way he’s been playing lately, so I’m going with the Englishman who’s finished T10, second and T4 in his three starts of the season. If Deason had the top pick … Casey RyanSmithson 
PHIL MICKELSON. Obviously, he’s been struggling, but a feel player like him can make a minor adjustment and be back to normal. For Phil, “normal” includes shooting 15 under at TPC Blue Monster. If Smithson had the top pick … Mickelson HelenRoss 
CAMILO VILLEGAS. He was T5 at TPC Blue Monster in ’09 and joint second when the course hosted the Ford Championship. He’s also on a major-league hot streak right now, so it seems like a no-brainer. If Ross had the top pick … Villegas JohnSwantek 
ANTHONY KIM. With improved results in each of his five ’10 starts, AK is peaking after Honda runner-up. Finishing five strokes back of another young star, Camilo Villegas, will provide added incentive. If Swantek had the top pick … Kim BrianWacker 
JIM FURYK. Mr. Top-10 hasn’t had any so far this year, but Doral sets up perfectly for his game and the results have proven that with a third last year and a second the year before. If Wacker had the top pick … Kim NickZaccardi 
LEE WESTWOOD. I’ll take Europe’s No. 1 again this week. His last three stroke-play finishes were T3, 2 and T9. Throw out that third-round 78 in Doral last year, and he places much higher than T61. If Zaccardi had the top pick … Mickelson MikeMcAllister 
OLIVER WILSON. In his last four WGC starts in the U.S., he’s finished no worse than a T11—including a T5 at Doral in ’09. He’s bound to break through with a win soon, so why not this week? If McAllister had the top pick … Casey Standings after Week 9 LAST WEEK: Nick Zaccardi grabbed the top spot from Brian Wacker when Lee Westwood tied for ninth at The Honda Classic, while Mike McAllister moved from last into third with Camilo Villegas’ win: Position Name Wins Top-5s Top-10s Top-25s FedExCup points 1 Nick ZaccardiAssociate Site Producer. PGATOUR.COM 1 2 6 7 1008.83 2 Brian WackerSite Producer, PGATOUR.COM 1 4 3 3 988.93 3 Mike McAllisterManaging Editor, PGATOUR.COM 1 1 2 6 766.33 4 Lauren DeasonEditorial Coordinator, PGATOUR.COM 1 1 1 5 738 5 Ryan SmithsonSite Producer, PGATOUR.COM - 1 2 4 366 6 Helen RossChief of Correspondents, PGATOUR.COM - - 1 4 293 7 John SwantekHost, PGA TOUR Today - - 1 4 291.83 8* Anne SzekerSite Producer, PGATOUR.COM * – Making her first appearance as an expert
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The world championships of America
March 9, 2010
DORAL, Fla. (AP)—On his way to the practice range Tuesday at Doral, PadraigHarrington stopped to sign autographs for three fans. One was from Puerto Rico,another from Colombia, the third from Peru.
So at least it sounds like a World Golf Championship.
And there is little doubt that events like the CA Championship look like aWorld Golf Championship, with 19 countries represented in a field of 68 players.
But there is no getting around the dateline, which is strictly American—Arizona, Florida, Ohio. The PGA Tour, which is the managing partner of theseworld events, now can point proudly to another WGC that is held each fall inShanghai, although it’s hard to recognize the HSBC Champions when the PGA Tourstill doesn’t count it as an official victory.
“That’s inside baseball,” commissioner Tim Finchem said in a recentinterview. “What’s important is what the fans see, and they see tournamentsdesigned to attract all the best players in the world. And by and large, that’swhat they’ve done.”
To that point, the WGCs have done well entering their 12th year.
What continues to disappoint, however, is how these world championshipsremain concentrated in the United States.
They once traveled to countries like Spain, Australia and Ireland. Momentumbegan to slow when the all the WGCs were held in America in 2003, and it didn’thelp that one of them was played on a new golf course located so deep in thewoods that it was either in northern Georgia or southern Tennessee, maybe both.
This is the fourth straight year the original three WGCs are in America. Andthey aren’t going anywhere soon.
The title sponsorship at Doral expires this year, and there is no indicationComputer Associates will renew. That would seem to be a ripe time for this WGCto travel abroad, except that Finchem says the tournament is tied more to the TVcontract than a sponsor contract. The network television deal is through 2012.
“I think we’re a little bit away from that question,” Finchem said.“We’re not going to make any changes until we’re through ’12. We have atelevision schedule to meet. What happens after ’12 with the WGCs is a functionof a variety of factors.”
Ideally, the tour could release Doral from its WGC status and return it to afull-field event that it had been since 1962. The Blue Monster once bustled withactivity from the first ray of sunlight until darkness, with 144 players splitup into morning and afternoon tee times. Under the WGC structure of a limitedfield and no cut, the 68 players tee off in a span of two hours.
The WGC event then would be free to move. And without a new title sponsor,it might do that.
It just won’t go very far.
Even if CA doesn’t renew its sponsorship, or if the tour can’t find areplacement, Finchem said this WGC event will stay in the Eastern time zone ofthe United States.
“We don’t see any reason to move right now,” he said. “It meets ourtelevision requirements and air times.”
The potential for these World Golf Championships living up to their namecould come after 2012, and the Olympics could be the catalyst. Harrington isamong those who believe South America—Brazil, in particular—could be thenext big growth area in golf.
The Irishman went to Brazil in 2000 when the European Tour had consecutivetournaments. He lost in a playoff to Roger Chapman in Rio de Janeiro, then wonthe following week in Sao Paulo.
“It is an untapped market for golf,” Harrington said. “South America isthe next big growth area.”
The Nationwide Tour just finished its first tournament in Colombia, andFinchem indicated more tournaments could follow to help build interest ahead ofthe 2016 Olympics.
“We will be looking for some opportunities to play some PGA Tour, ChampionsTour, some golf in Brazil leading into ’16 to create some interest in thatcountry, particularly Rio for sure,” he said. “I can’t tell you what form thatwould take. But we definitely want to play.”
Finchem has mentioned taking the Presidents Cup to South America in 2015.Argentina is among countries interested, although that might not move the needlein Brazil.
Another possibility?
“It could be a World Golf Championship one year,” Finchem said. “It couldbe just to play a winter event. There are a number of things we can do, but weneed to do some stuff.”
The sooner the better. Golf was voted into the Olympics for 2016 and 2020,but it faces another vote in 2017 to determine whether it stays beyond twogames. The sport essentially has one shot to show it’s worth keeping, whichmeans it desperately needs a good tournament, a strong gallery and a solid TVpresentation.
“We’re playing essentially in a fledgling golf country,” Finchem said.“We need galleries from one of two sources—either people who live in Brazilwho can become golf fans, or people who are coming to Brazil for the Olympics.That would be a broader percentage of golf fans, but there’s all kinds of stuffgoing on.
“We’ve got to build some interest in Brazil,” he said. “To do that, weneed to do a number of things. And one thing is to play.”
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Golf-Be patient and the wins will come, Nicklaus tells McIlroy (Reuters)
March 9, 2010
By Simon Evans
MIAMI, March 9 (Reuters) – Jack Nicklaus has told Britain’sRory McIlroy that he needs to add patience to his armoury if heis to continue his climb up golf’s world rankings.
The 20-year-old from Northern Ireland has risen swiftly toninth in the world rankings but has just a solitary win from theEuropean Tour.
McIlroy, who has joined the PGA Tour this year, toldreporters that he had lunch last week with 18-times major winnerNicklaus and received a few tips from the maestro.
“I think one of the biggest things that I took from it waspatience, and just to learn to wait and learn to bide your timeand know that if you believe in yourself that it will happen; itwill happen one of these days so it’s just a matter of waitingand staying patient. That was one of the big things I got fromhim,” McIlroy told reporters after practice for this week’sWGC-CA Championship.
McIlroy is to work with sports psychologist Bob Rotella, whohas worked with a number of leading golfers, in an attempt toimprove his mental approach to the game and the lunch withNicklaus allowed him a chance to tap the ‘Golden Bear’ forsuggestions.
“It was an unbelievable experience. He sort of got in touchwith us and he heard that I was going to work with Bob Rotellajust to sort of work out a mental approach to things.
“He’s (Nicklaus) been the best at winning. One of thereasons why I wanted to go to Bob was to try to finish the joboff a bit more and be a bit more clinical and Jack was probablythe most clinical of them all.
“It was great to sit down and talk to him and see hisapproach to winning and what went through his head whenever hewas in contention and what things he might have done differentlythan other people. You know, it was probably the best 90 minutesI’ve spent in a long time,” he said.
McIlroy said that Nicklaus, who won 73 times on the PGATour, had indicated that a golfer needs to accept that sometimesthe best performance doesn’t always bring the best result.
“I think one of the biggest things he said to me, was thatthe best ever tournament he played, he didn’t win. He said heplayed his best ever at The (British) Open in 1977 at Turnberry,the one Tom Watson won. He played the best he played and hedidn’t win. He said there were other times where he didn’t playhis best but he got the job done,” said McIlroy.
“I felt very privileged to have lunch with him and just pickhis brain. He’s won 18 major championships and just to get someof that knowledge and to just learn from it was justincredible”.
(Editing by Miles Evans; To query or comment on this storyemailsportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
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Golf-Great Europeans are behind England’s golden run, says Casey (Reuters)
March 9, 2010
By Simon Evans
MIAMI, March 9 (Reuters) – English golf is enjoying a spellof rare global prominence with three players in the top-10rankings and number six Paul Casey believes the credit lies witha great generation of Europeans led by Seve Ballesteros.
Ten years ago there were just two Englishmen in the top 100but with Casey now just below fourth-ranked Lee Westwood andfifth-placed Ian Poulter, the transformation has beenimpressive.
“My take on it is, it’s the result of the great Europeangolf that I was watching when I was a kid back in the 80s andearly 90s,” Casey told reporters on Tuesday ahead of this week’sWGC-CA Championship at Doral.
“Nick Faldo, Seve, Ian Woosnam, Bernhard Langer, Sandy Lyle,Monty (Colin Montgomerie) … (Jose Maria) Olazabal was quiteyoung but he was sort of part of that movement too. ThoseEuropeans got me interested in the game.
“That was when I loved to watch and I got to see them live.I think if you asked these other Englishmen, Brits and Europeanswho have now risen among us in the world rankings that was thereason they got hooked,” said Casey.
“It’s just taken 20 years or so for us to hone our skills.”
For the 32-year-old Casey it was five-times major winnerBallesteros who made the biggest impression.
SEVE’S PASSION
“I remember each one of those great golfers for differentreasons. For Seve it was the passion, it was the sort of spirithe played it in and the recovery shots.
“More often than not the memories are the shots he hit outof trouble, difficult situations … I don’t remember the pureshots he hit from the middle of the fairway even though I’m surethey were fantastic,” said Casey.
“It was that ‘anything’s possible’ attitude and usually hepulled the shots off. I got to see it live and I feel very, verylucky I got to see it in person.”
Casey, Westwood and Poulter are now mentioned among thecontenders in each tournament they enter but it is the searchfor a major title—the last Englishman to win one was Faldo atthe U.S. Masters 14 years ago—that animates them the most.
“It’s a bit of a race right now. I think a big challenge iseach one of us wants to win a major … who is going to be thefirst guy to do it?,” said Casey.
“When you think of how many good Englishmen there have been,potential is one thing but these guys are starting to fulfil itand show everybody we have a lot of great players.”
(Editing by Tony Jimenez. To query or comment on this storyemail sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
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McIlroy picks up a tip from Golden Bear
March 9, 2010
DORAL, Florida (AP)—Rory McIlroy began his road to the Masters with what hecalls the “best 90 minutes” he has spent in a long time.
He had lunch last week with Jack Nicklaus.
McIlroy, a 20-year-old from Northern Ireland who already is No. 9 in theworld, met with Nicklaus at The Bear’s Club on the eve of the Honda Classic, alunch set up through a network of friends.
He wanted to learn as much as he could about winning from Nicklaus, whose 18professional majors are the benchmark in golf. He got more than he could haveimagined.
McIlroy says it was great to “see his approach to winning and what wentthrough his head whenever he was in contention.
“It was probably the best 90 minutes I’ve spent in a long time,” he said.
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Expert Picks: Puerto Rico Open (PGATOUR.com)
March 9, 2010
While 68 players tee it up at the World Golf Championships-CA Championship, 132 golfers will play in the Puerto Rico Open presented by Banco Popular. Here’s how the PGATOUR.COM experts—including the newest member of our editorial team, producer Anne Szeker—size up the top contenders. Since Anne is the new kid on the block, we’re giving her the honor of the first pick this week.
EXPERT PICKSHow it works: Our experts from PGATOUR.COM select the player they think will win this week’s event. By using a draft process, no two picks can be the same. The player who wins the previous week picks last the following week.MORE PUERTO RICO OPEN: Power Rankings | Inside the Field | Inside the courseMORE EXPERT PICKS: World Golf Championships-CA Championship Expert picks: Puerto Rico Open presented by Banco Popular Expert Pick order Player selected AnneSzeker 
JOE OGILVIE. With most of the big names at Doral this week, there isn’t really an easy pick in Puerto Rico. I’ll go with Ogilvie. He carded consecutive 66s to briefly lead in Phoenix (ended up T8), and finished T26 at last week’s tough Honda Classic. LaurenDeason 
RORY SABBATINI. After a runner-up showing at the season-opening SBS Championship, he’s been pretty quiet. The five-time PGA TOUR winner is the highest ranked player in the FedExCup standings in the field this week, though, and I expect him to win. If Deason had the top pick … Sabbatini RyanSmithson 
ALEX PRUGH. The big reason this rookie has already racked up three top-10s this year? He’s 15th in total driving. Actually, Prugh’s in the top 100 in every statistical catagory … except nose hair. If Smithson had the top pick … Prugh HelenRoss 
JEEV M. SINGH. A year ago, he finished fourth at the World Golf Championships-CA Championship. Now a PGA TOUR member, let’s see if Singh can make some noise at the Puerto Rico Open. If Ross had the top pick … Singh JohnSwantek 
JOHN MERRICK. Record this year is nothing special (one top-25 in 7 events), but the southern Californian really comes alive in these alternate events, including finishes of 13th and 6th the last two years in Puerto Rico. If Swantek had the top pick … Merrick BrianWacker 
JOE DURANT. He was second at the Mayakoba Golf Classic in Mexico three weeks ago and finished in a tie for ninth in Puerto Rico a year ago. I like that track record and his chances in this field. If Wacker had the top pick … Durant NickZaccardi 
KEVIN STADLER. Stadler could be on his way to his first $1 million season with two top-10s and three top-25s in five events so far. He also owns solid history in Puerto Rico (T44, T4). If Zaccardi had the top pick … Sabbatini MikeMcAllister 
BRYCE MOLDER. Hard to ignore his last two starts—a tie for 10th at Pebble Beach and a tie for eighth at TPC Scottsdale. Also hard to ignore the fact he’s averaged more than four birdies a round in his last 12 rounds on TOUR. If McAllister had the top pick … J. Singh Standings after Week 9 LAST WEEK: Nick Zaccardi grabbed the top spot from Brian Wacker when Lee Westwood tied for ninth at The Honda Classic, while Mike McAllister moved from last into third with Camilo Villegas’ win: Position Name Wins Top-5s Top-10s Top-25s FedExCup points 1 Nick ZaccardiAssociate Site Producer. PGATOUR.COM 1 2 6 7 1008.83 2 Brian WackerSite Producer, PGATOUR.COM 1 4 3 3 988.93 3 Mike McAllisterManaging Editor, PGATOUR.COM 1 1 2 6 766.33 4 Lauren DeasonEditorial Coordinator, PGATOUR.COM 1 1 1 5 738 5 Ryan SmithsonSite Producer, PGATOUR.COM - 1 2 4 366 6 Helen RossChief of Correspondents, PGATOUR.COM - - 1 4 293 7 John SwantekHost, PGA TOUR Today - - 1 4 291.83 8* Anne SzekerSite Producer, PGATOUR.COM * – Making her first appearance as an expert
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Tournaments ready for Tiger’s return
March 9, 2010
DORAL, Florida (AP)—Not long after Tiger Woods returned home and startingpracticing, the PGA Tour began checking with tournaments to make sure they wereprepared to handle the hype over the world’s No. 1 player getting back to golf.
That even includes tournaments he has never played.
“Historically, he hasn’t played the week before the Masters,” said SteveTimms, tournament director of the Houston Open, which is the week before theMasters. “But these are unusual times. We’re prepared from a security and mediastandpoint. We’ve been watching the media closely, and we’ve had some weirdones.”
Timms, like other tournament directors, are in touch with PGA Tour officialsabout who is applying for media credentials.
The more immediate focus is in Florida. Woods hasn’t played at Innisbrooksince Kelli Kuehne was his partner in 1996 at the old JCPenney Classic. Longbefore Woods was exposed for cheating on his wife, there had been increasingspeculation that he was considering the Transitions Championship one of theseyears, although this doesn’t appear to be one of them.
Even so, tournament director Gerald Goodman said tour officials contactedhim last week.
“They described it as talking to all tournaments,” Goodman said. “Theygave no indication that they knew anything, they were just wanting to bethorough. They asked us if we had room for media. We’re a large resort on athousand acres. There’s plenty of room.”
Scott Wellington didn’t need a phone call to start planning. He’s thetournament director of the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, where Woodsis a six-time champion (including last year) and lives a short drive away.
Wellington said the tour shared information from its experience at the TPCSawgrass, where Woods spoke publicly Feb. 19 for the first time since his caraccident the morning after Thanksgiving. Some 300 media came to a nearby hotelto cover the event.
Bay Hill is not the largest property, although it typically has a largemedia turnout because it is two weeks before the Masters.
“We’ll accommodate to the extent we’re able to,” Wellington said. “Butit’s like a balloon. It can only get so big. We’ve discussed ‘Plan B’ scenarios,and we’re prepared to react as best we can. Obviously, it would help to get asmuch advance knowledge as we can.”
Woods typically does not enter a tournament until a day or two before the 5p.m. Friday deadline, although there are indications from his management teamthat more notice will be given in this case.
PGA Tour spokesman Ty Votaw described the phone calls as typicalconversations the tour has with its events on subjects ranging from mediacoverage to charity to television. In this case, another topic was added—thereturn of Woods.
“We’ve not indicated that we have inside knowledge,” Votaw said. “We justwant them to be aware so they’re no scrambling.”
MR. HARRINGTON GOES TO WASHINGTON: Padraig Harrington can’t think of abetter way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day—at the White House for a partyhosted by President Barack Obama.
Ireland’s three-time major champion says he has been invited to the WhiteHouse on March 17 for an annual St. Patrick’s Day party that the president hostsfor the Irish taoiseach.
“I’m looking forward to it,” Harrington said, who shared his good newswith no prompting. “I want to meet one of the most charismatic people in theworld, and the most influential leaders in the world. And he’s a golfer. I quiteenjoy celebrating St. Patrick’s Day.”
But he’ll take it easy on the celebration.
“I have a tee time the next day,” Harrington said.
In what is sure to be a busy week, the Irishman plans to play that week inthe Transitions Championship at Innisbrook.
ENGLISH LESSON: Of the eight English players among the top 75 in the worldranking, four of them are PGA Tour members. All but one of those four—JustinRose—has won in America.
Ian Poulter was the most recent at the Match Play Championship, with PaulCasey winning a year ago and Luke Donald a two-time winner. Rose is 0-for-154 onthe PGA Tour and can only hope he’s next.
“I played good enough golf to win out here,” Rose said after histhird-place finish at the Honda Classic. “I’ve been close a few times. I wouldhave hoped that one of them would have got in the way by now. Sometimes winningjust gets in the way without you trying too hard.”
PINEHURST MAKEOVER: Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw have been hired for arestoration project at Pinehurst No. 2 that has nothing to do with the U.S. Openreturning in 2014. The course will not be significantly lengthened, only one teebox will be changed, the course will have minimal mowed rough and the fairwayswill be widened.
Coore and Crenshaw will return natural and strategic character to thecourse, with work set to begin in the fall. The changes include a return tosandy waste areas, native wiregrass and natural bunker edges on the Donald Rossdesign.
“It is not our intent to radically change this golf course,” Coore said.“We’re trying to uncover it, not recover it. We’re trying to take what Rossleft and perhaps bring it back to the character and definition of what was oncehere. In short, we’ll bring the strategy back, and reinstate its character.”
The course closes from Nov. 15 until March 2, and the majority of the workis expected to be done by then.
“We’re not doing this for purely environmental reasons, nor are we doingthis project as preparation for the 2014 U.S. Open and U.S. Women’s Openchampionships,” said Pinehurst president Don Padgett II. “We’re doing itbecause it’s the right thing to do, as stewards of this historic course.”
DIVOTS: Larry Thiel, who for years was executive director of TheInternational, has joined the Bob Hope Classic as tournament chairman. … Sevenformer major champions are in the field at the Puerto Rico Open, including TomKite. … A Massachusetts couple bid $28,500 to play in the Houston Open pro-amwith U.S. Open champion Lucas Glover and ESPN radio hosts Mike Greenberg andMike Golic. Shell Oil added $20,000, with proceeds going for the V-Foundationfor Cancer Research. The couple’s bid also includes airfare and hotel.
STAT OF THE WEEK: Italian brothers Edoardo and Francesco Molinari are No. 47and No. 48 in the world ranking, separated by .0000275 points.
FINAL WORD: “Three rounds is a good thing. They don’t need to kill us outhere.” Fred Couples on playing the Champions Tour.
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BRIEF-Golf-Portuguese and Austrian opens in dates reshuffle (Reuters)
March 9, 2010
LONDON, March 9 (Reuters) – Next month’s Portuguese Open hasbeen pushed back until June, the European Tour said in a newsrelease on Tuesday.
The Estoril tournament was originally due to be held betweenApril 1-4 but has now been switched to June 10-13, the weekpreviously occupied by the Austrian Open which has been moved toSept. 16-19.
“The opportunity to move … to a new summer date has beenwelcomed by all parties and will showcase (the) Penha Longa(course) and the Estoril region in the height of the golfingsummer,” said the tour’s chief operating officer Keith Waters.
(Writing by Tony Jimenez, editing by Justin Palmer; To queryor comment on this story emailsportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
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Golf-Tournament clash to make Malaysia a ‘laughing stock’ (Reuters)
March 8, 2010
KUALA LUMPUR, March 9 (Reuters) – Malaysian golf chiefs arethreatening to withdraw their endorsement of the U.S. PGA’sfirst event in Southeast Asia over a clash of dates with anexisting Asian Tour event in the country.
The $6 million Asia Pacific Classic, co-sanctioned by theU.S. PGA and Asian Tour, and the Iskandar Johor Open are bothscheduled to take place in Malaysia from Oct. 28-31. “In my view, the timing is wrong. There cannot be two big golftournaments going on in the country at the same time,”Malaysian Golf Association (MGA) president Robin Loh toldTuesday’s Star newspaper.
“This does not happen elsewhere and we will definitely bethe laughing stock of the world. If they come to talk to us, wewill ask them to reconsider the dates.
“We understand the Asian Tour is looking at the IskandarJohor Open as one of their main events and we do not want it tobe interrupted.
“Otherwise, in the event of this conflict, we will write tothe Sports Commissioner’s office to ask them not to issue thelicence.”
On Tuesday, a spokesman for the Asian Tour said meetingswere taking place between the interested parties in order tosort out the schedule.
The Asia Pacific Classic takes place at The Mines resort inKuala Lumpur, while the Iskander Johor Open, which the Starsaid would have a purse of $2 million this year, will be hostedby the Royal Johor Country Club in the south of the Malaypeninsula. (Reporting by Nick Mulvenney in Beijing; Editing by JohnO’Brien; To query or comment on this story emailsportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
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