Five birdies were enough to put Charl Schwartzel among the leaders at the CA Championship. He wound up alone at the top because he was the one player who managed to avoid a bogey.
DORAL, Fla. -- Charl Schwartzel managed to get around the famed TPC Blue Monster at Doral course without a bogey on his way to a 5-under 67 and a one-shot lead Thursday on a rough-and-tumble day in the World Golf Championships-CA Championship.
Five birdies were enough to put Charl Schwartzel among the leaders at the CA Championship. No mistakes is what put in the lead alone Thursday on a rough-and-tumble day at Doral. Schwartzel, who got into the elite field with two victories in his native South Africa at the start of the season, managed to get around the Blue Monster without a bogey on his way to a 5-under 67 and a one-shot lead over...
Heavy rain forced the suspension of first-round play Thursday in the PGA Tour's Puerto Rico Open. Before play was suspended at 7:19 a.m., Skip Kendall holed a 7-iron shot from 159 yards for eagle on the par-4 10th. Eighteen players teed off before play was stopped. Play was called for the day at 1:30 p.m.
Charl Schwartzel managed to get around the famed Blue Monster course without a bogey on his way to a 5-under 67 and a one-shot lead Thursday on a rough-and-tumble day in the World Golf Championship event. Schwartzel, who got into the elite field with two victories in his native South Africa at the start of the season, had five birdies in a mistake-free round.
DORAL, Fla. -- The 18th hole at TPC Blue Monster certainly lived up to its reputation on Thursday during the first round of the World Golf Championships-CA Championship.
During the first round of the WGC-CA Championship, Phil Mickelson clearly had his wife Amy's battle with cancer on his mind. Somehow, Lefty managed to stay within four of the lead at Doral, writes ESPN.com's Bob Harig.
DORAL, Fla. -- A little jet lag isn't necessarily a bad thing. At least, it wasn't for Phil Mickelson on Thursday during the first round of the World Golf Championships-CA Championship.
Tiger Woods intends to remain out of golf at least until the Masters, two people with knowledge of his plans told The Associated Press on Thursday. Woods has been practicing at Isleworth near his Orlando home the last two weeks, and swing coach Hank Haney flew there during the weekend to work with him.
Weather: Mostly cloudy and breezy conditions with a high near 80 degrees. Scattered showers and thunderstorms will be possible today as deep tropical moisture returns across south Florida. Total rainfall over the next 2 days is expected to range from 2-3 inches. Dry conditions will return over the weekend as humidity levels drop and slightly cooler air returns.
More signs are pointing to Tiger Woods' return to golf in two weeks, at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill in Orlando, according to a report in the New York Post
NORCROSS, Ga. -- A period of iron testing with English talent Chris Wood has developed into a longterm equipment agreement, officials at Mizuno Golf have announced. The 2009 PGA European Tour Rookie of the year has signed a multi-year agreement to play the Japanese manufacturer's renowned Forged irons.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Bill Susetka, the former president of Clairol's U.S. Retail Division and president of global marketing at Avon Products, has been selected by his fellow LPGA Board members to serve as chairman of the board this year. Susetka brings more than 30 years of business leadership along with pertinent Board and LPGA experience to the position, most recently serving as the LPGA's chief marketing officer from 2007-2009.
DORAL, Fla. -- The chances of Tiger Woods making his comeback in two weeks' time improved on Thursday with a report claiming that he has been talking with a former presidential advisor.
DORAL, Fla. -- With mounting speculation that Tiger Woods could be only a few weeks away from his comeback, England's Paul Casey has said he would like to be right up close when it happens.
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- Noh Seung-yul made it a week to remember after the Korean teenager followed up his Maybank Malaysian Open victory last Sunday by claiming a spot in the British Open on Thursday.
The New York Postreported today that unnamed sources tell the paper Tiger Woods is going to play the Arnold Palmer Invitational in two weeks. (See update at bottom of post.) In the land of unnamed sources, that rumor is nothing new. The most oft-repeated rumor of Woods' return has pointed to the Tavistock Cup a few days prior to the Palmer. Woods can play the Tavistock, then the Palmer, and satisfy both rumors: Tavistock becomes the site of his return; the Palmer becomes the site of his return to the PGA Tour.
The Palmer tournament is where Woods came back last year following a long layoff after knee surgery.
The Post article does contain something new, however: According to the paper, Woods has hired Ari Fleischer to help with his media and PR strategy. Fleischer is the former press secretary for President George W. Bush. Since leaving the Bush White House, Fleischer has launched a PR firm, and runs Ari Fleischer Sports Communications as, the Post reports, "a joint venture with IMG Sports & Entertainment." Woods is represented by IMG.
According to various reports, Fleischer's shop has worked with baseball commissioner Bud Selig, former baseball slugger Mark McGwire, and the Bowl Championship Series. Hmm. That doesn't exactly give me confidence in Fleischer's abilities to rehabilitate his clients' images. Selig, McGwire and the BCS are just as unpopular today as ever.
But is Woods really unpopular now? No doubt he has fewer fans than before; he's fodder for late-night comedians, and many golf media members feel used now that they know his public persona - which the golf media relentlessly hyped - was a sham. But my sense, based on comments left here on About.com and in emails I've received from readers, along with voting in various polls, is that Tiger's reception from fans upon his return will be much friendlier than many in the media expect.
Tiger might be hugely unpopular with the golf media right now, but most golf fans seem to believe - again, this is just my sense based on feedback of About.com readers - that Woods' transgressions were of a personal, private nature, and have nothing to do with appreciation of his golf talents.
Maybe Fleischer can help Woods strategize about dealing with the media. I don't think Woods will need any help in dealing with golf fans. He won't be as popular as he was before, but he'll be welcomed back by most fans.
Update: The Associated Press now has a couple unnamed sources, too, sources that contradict the Post's sources. The AP says Woods will likely return at The Masters, but will not before that.
Seve Ballesteros, who has been battling brain cancer for more than a year, has fully recovered after falling off a golf cart and banging his head on the ground last week in Pedrena, northern Spain.
DORAL, Fla. (AP) -- Five birdies were enough to put Charl Schwartzel among the leaders at the CA Championship. He wound up alone at the top because he was the one player who managed to avoid a bogey.
DORAL, Fla. (AP) -- Tiger Woods intends to remain out of golf at least until the Masters, two people with knowledge of his plans have told The Associated Press.
MADRID (AP) -- Seve Ballesteros, who has been battling brain cancer for more than a year, has fully recovered after falling off a golf cart and banging his head on the ground last week in Pedrena, northern Spain.
DORAL, Fla. (AP) -- Lee Westwood is the leader of an English revolution in the world of golf as the highest-ranked player at No. 4 in the world and a two-time winner of the European Tour money list.
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- Defending champion Laura Davies shot a 5-under 68 to take a two-stroke lead after the first round of the Women's Australian Open.
DORAL, Fla. (AP) -- One of the billboards at Doral promotes this World Golf Championship with a familiar slogan and some familiar faces, a photo sequence of five players under the phrase, "The World is Watching."
The Acushnet Company (a subsidiary of Fortune Brands, Inc.) is the owner of the Titleist, Pinnacle and FootJoy brands.
And the Cobra Golf brand. But not for long. Acushnet has agreed to sell Cobra to Puma, whose golf business has heretofore been limited to accessories such as shoes and apparel.
"With the sale of Cobra, we have the opportunity to devote all of our resources to the global growth of our industry-leading Titleist and FootJoy brands," Wally Uihlein, Chairman and CEO of Acushnet Company, says in the company news release announcing the sale.
Assuming regulatory approval, Puma acquires the Cobra brand, along with inventory, intellectual property and endorsement contracts. Camilo Villegas, Ian Poulter and J.B. Holmes are among the tour pros playing Cobra equipment.
Acushnet will continue to provide production and distribution of Cobra Golf equipment, along with customer service, for the time being, in agreement with Puma, until Puma is ready to assume those services itself. That servicing agreement extends beyond the closing of the sale, but the period of time is unspecified in the announcements today by Acushnet and Puma.
Mark O'Meara told the Golf Channel the he won't be suprised if Tiger Woods plays the Tavistock Cup in two weeks. "It might be the right spot or the right fit for him to come back," O'Meara said.
O'Meara and Woods are buddies, although O'Meara hasn't had much contact with Woods during the Tiger scandals, only recently starting to trade text messages. But O'Meara is the captain of the Isleworth team in the Tavistock Cup, which pits teams of pros representing Lake Nona and Isleworth country clubs.
Does O'Meara wants his friend on the Isleworth team? You bet: "Who wouldn't? ... It certainly would help our team quite a bit."
He went on to say that getting back on the golf course might be part of Woods' "healing process":
"It's been a rough road the last three or four months in Tiger's life and his family's life. It's a very difficult situation. Golf is what Tiger does and possibly part of the healing process is to get back at it."
Are the signs pointing to a Tavistock Tiger return? There have been rumors about the Tavistock Cup for more than a month. Returning there would put Woods in front of smaller, invitation-only galleries, and in complete control of how much time he spends in front of media (as opposed to the media obligations that exist in PGA Tour events). He'd also be playing with friends.
The Tavistock Cup takes place March 22-23. O'Meara's comments follow reports from the Golf Channel and Golf Digest that swing coach Hank Haney has joined Woods on the Isleworth driving range.
Meanwhile, PGA Tour tournaments on the near-term schedule have started developing plans for handling the crush of media and fan interest should Woods choose their tournament as his return event. Not because they know anything, tournament directors quickly add, just because it's the prudent thing to do.
The PGA Tour and Ping announced an agreement Monday that will allow the tour to finally ban square-grooved Ping Eye 2 clubs, effective at the end of the month.
The controversy early this year on the PGA Tour over the so-called "Ping Eye 2 loophole" to the new groove regulations is near a close. Ping announced today it has reached an agreeement with the PGA Tour and the USGA that allows those organizations to close the loophole in PGA Tour events and in the U.S. Open.
Short version of the loophole: Long-ago legal proceedings between Ping and the PGA Tour and Ping and the USGA resulted in Ping Eye 2s made in the late 1980s remaining "legal" for play despite having grooves that otherwise wouldn't conform to today's rules. (For the long version, see this.)
With new groove rules in place on tour this year, new rules that many pros feared would make their wedges less effective, a handful of touring pros have taken advantage of the loophole by using those old Pings in tournament play. John Daly was one of the first; Phil Mickelson was the highest-profile, and Phil's use of the old Pings at the Farmers Insurance Open led to the word "cheating" getting thrown around.
But today, in a news release, Ping announced:
Ping Chairman and CEO John Solheim announced today that Ping will waive its rights that prevent the PGA Tour from prohibiting the use of pre-April 1990 Ping Eye 2 irons and wedges that do not meet the 2010 Condition of Competition from being played at PGA Tour professional competitions.
The waiver goes into effect March 29 and applies to the PGA Tour, Champions Tour and Nationwide Tour. As a result of a request from the USGA, Ping will also apply the waiver to the U.S. Open in June. The PGA Tour will then adopt a Condition of the Competition that does not provide an exception for the pre-April 1990 Ping Eye 2 irons.
The waiver by Ping of the rights brokered under that long-ago legal agreement does not apply to USGA-sanctioned amateur tournaments. If you're an amateur, and you've been taking advantage of the loophole to use old Ping Eye 2 wedges, you can keep right on doing so in any tournaments governed by the USGA Rules of Golf.
Tiger Woods won't be at the WGC CA Championship this week, and neither will Ryo Ishikawa. Tiger's absence is no suprise at all, but now that he's practicing again we can expect to see stories every Friday afternoon - the deadline to commit to the following week's event - noting when Woods fails to join the field.
But keep in that mind that the CA Championship will be only the third PGA Tour event that Woods has missed during his, ahem, hiatus. To this point in the season, Woods would only have played the Farmers Insurance Open (Torrey Pines) and the WGC Match Play Championship in one of his "normal" years.
Ishikawa has a much better reason than Woods for missing the CA Championship: He's attending his high school graduation. Today, in fact. The 18-year-old is in Tokyo with his fellow students getting his diploma. Good for him.
Anyone think Camilo Villegas isn't the favorite this week? In three tournaments in 2010, he's finished third, eighth and first. The defending champion is Phil Mickelson. Remember him?
Check the WGC CA Championship tournament page for the list of past champions and more tourney info and trivia.
Steve Pate became the oldest champion in Nationwide Tour history, winning the Bogota Open on Sunday when Aaron Watkins missed a 3-foot par putt on the second hole of a playoff.
PGA Tour: Camilo Villegas has the looks, the swagger, the charisma, the game, the "Spider-Man pose." Now he has another win. Villegas kept the pedal down all week at the Honda Classic, opening with a pair of 66s, going 67-68 on the weekend.
He led by three at the start of the final round, and by five at the end of it. It's PGA Tour victory No. 3 for Villegas, and his first since the 2008 Tour Championship. Villegas has played three tournaments so far this year, and finished eighth or better in all three. Details (And see also: Camilo Villegas pictures)
Champions Tour: If you thought Villegas was off to a hot start, that's nothing compared to Fred Couples' start on the Champions Tour: second, first, first. Freddy Cool's second Champions Tour victory was by four strokes at the Toshiba Classic. Details
Nationwide Tour: Steve Pate defeated Aaron Watkins in a playoff at the Pacific Rubiales Bogota Open in Colombia (Camilo Villegas' brother Manuel finished 15th). Steve Pate ... wasn't he a Ryder Cupper once? Twice, actually, in 1991 and 1999. But this note from the PGA Tour media guide about his 1991 Ryder Cup gives a clue to the nature of Pate's career: "... played in only one match due to bruised hip suffered in traffic accident on way to team banquet."
Pate finished sixth on the PGA Tour money list in 1991, but injuries took a toll. He cracked a wrist in 1996, and broke his right hand and wrist in a car wreck in 1997. In 1999, he was PGA Tour Comeback Player of the Year, finishing 13th on the money list. But his game quickly fell off after that. Now he's a couple weeks away from 49. Champions Tour, here he comes! But please be careful in traffic, Steve. Details
European Tour/Asian Tour: 18-year-old Korean Seung-yul Noh, the 2008 Asian Tour Rookie of the Year, beat KJ Choi by one stroke. He did it by chipping from behind a hospitality tent, off the fringe of the practice putting green, to the 18th green, then making the last-hole birdie putt. Details
LET/ALPG:Karrie Webb flirted with a 59 before "settling" for a course-record 61 to win the co-sanctioned ANZ Ladies Masters for a record seventh time. She won by six strokes over Katherine Hull and Bo-Mee Lee. Details
JLPGA: Ai Miyazato's attempt to win three straight weeks ended in Japan at the Daikin Orchid Ladies tournament, where Ai finished tied for seventh. The winner was Korean Sun Ju Ahn, running away from runners-up including Jiyai Shin and Inbee Park. Details
1. Which Hall-of-Famer whiffed a putt on the 72nd hole of a British Open to fall out of a playoff?
2. Which Hall-of-Famer, upon visiting St. Andrews for the first time, spotted the Old Course and said, "That looks like an old, abandoned golf course?"
What would happen if you tried to duplicate Camilo Villegas' so-called "Spider-Man pose" for reading greens? I could probably get down into the position, but would need the help of three buddies to get back up again.
Villegas became a fan favorite early in his PGA Tour career, well before he established himself as a star by winning, in part due to the unique method he employs for reading greens. Villegas gets low. Very low. He strikes the Spider-Man pose. Check out some images of Villegas employing his green-reading technique, and cast your vote in a poll on the last page.
Paula Creamer withdrew from the LPGA season opener a couple weeks ago after re-injuring her left thumb. Since then, she's posted a few updates on Twitter, including about the raft of hand specialists she's visited. Creamer has had appointments in Detroit, Cincinnati and Alabama.
What are the findings? You only have to follow Creamer on Twitter to get the news straight from her. Short version: Strained ligament, hyperextended joint, return to LPGA action up in the air.
The (only slightly) longer version was posted in four tweets. I've put those tweets together into this statement from Creamer:
"Many of you have been wondering what the latest is with my thumb. I have been diagnosed as having a stretched ligament in my left thumb. This leads to hyperextension of my MCP joint. I've learned more in the last 2 weeks about orthopedic sports medicine than I ever thought I would. Anyway, I'm working with an occupational therapist now to determine if I can wear a support brace while playing. It's too early right now to say when I'll be able to return to play. Thanks everyone for your concern, support, and all the get well wishes you have sent."
I'm sure I speak for our readers when adding our own get-well wishes. The LPGA needs Creamer's star power. It's three weeks before the LPGA plays again, at the Kia Classic Presented by J Golf, March 25-28.
Tiger Woods is back practicing at the Isleworth Country Club driving range, and some fellow PGA Tour pros are taking notice. So far, Charles Howell III and J.B. Holmes have both shared the range with Woods, and both came away impressed.
Howell told CBSSports.com that he spent an hour with Woods, including watching Tiger hit balls. Did Woods look rusty? No:
"... (H)e looked as good as he ever has," Howell said. "Seriously, he seemed like he was hitting it the same as he ever did."
Holmes watched Woods from the other end of the Isleworth range, and told Golfweek:
"I watched him hit about five or six drivers, and it looked like they all ended up in a 10-yard area. I said to myself, 'It looks like he's hitting it pretty good.' "
The Masters is one month away. Between then and now, there are two PGA Tour events that Woods plays, the WGC CA Championship next week and the Arnold Palmer Invitational March 25-28. There's also the Tavistock Cup March 22-23, an event that has been the subject of speculation as a potential return target for Tiger.
Meanwhile, Jack Nicklaus said of Woods' possible return, "I can't imagine in 100 years he's going to miss Augusta."
Irene Folstrom, who claims to be Tiger Woods's girlfriend from Stanford, has written an essay defending him, his values, and asking people to give him a second chance. She also reveals underage drinking and a normal sexual relationship! Talk about TMI!
Charles Howell talked to Tiger Woods for an hour yesterday out at Isleworth Country Club. According to CHIII, Tiger was hitting the ball as good as ever. Howell said they exchanged chit-chat, but didn't talk about his return (or the sex scandal, for that matter).
Our take: It seem very clear to us that Tiger Woods is gearing up for the Masters.
The side show's over. Tiger Woods came out of hibernation--meaning sex addiction therapy--to publicly apologize for cheating on his wife in several now well publicized affairs.
Although Tiger didn't get into specifics, the affairs allegedly involved at least 12 women, including Rachel Uchitel, former porn star Joslyn James, Jamie Grubbs (who had the infamous voice mail of Tiger Woods), Cori Rist, and, perhaps the most shocking of all, Perkins waitress Mindy Lawton. The pattern in each of these affairs was that Tiger pursued the women for long term relationships (not just bootie calls), each woman thinking that Tiger really cared for her and even possibly loved her--and in some cases, might leave his wife for her. In several of the affairs, the women said they ended the relationship, yet Tiger kept on calling them for months, if not years, trying to hook up again. For at least some of the women, Tiger left voice mails and text messages that were overtly sexual in nature. By several accounts, Tiger Woods had a huge, perhaps insatiable sex drive and liked engaging in threesomes and watching girl-on-girl action. There may even be sex tapes of Tiger Woods, as well as some guy-on-guy action in the threesomes, if some of the rumors are true.
So, after all these embarrassing and scandalous allegations, Tiger Woods finally surfaced yesterday after nearly 3 months. In 13 minutes, he apologized numerous times for his cheating and indefensible behavior, reading from a written statement that he wrote himself.
While some critics have attacked Tiger's reading of the statement, calling it mechanical, scripted, and and even robotic (like a Terminator), these criticisms miss the point of Tiger's apology. That Tiger read a statement he wrote does not diminish the fact that Tiger Woods has owned up to his huge transgressions against his wife and family--and, by all appearances, is now trying to save his marriage by, among other things, addressing his sexual infidelities and narcissistic behavior. Don't know if he will succeed, but at least he's trying. In the end, whether we, the public, believe Tiger Woods is a "changed man" matters far less than whether his wife Elin does. Everyone else should now move on with their own lives.
TRANSCRIPT OF TIGER WOODS' STATEMENT Good morning, and thank you for joining me. Many of you in this room are my friends. Many of you in this room know me. Many of you have cheered for me or you've worked with me or you've supported me. Now every one of you has good reason to be critical of me. I want to say to each of you, simply and directly, I am deeply sorry for my irresponsible and selfish behavior I engaged in.
I know people want to find out how I could be so selfish and so foolish. People want to know how I could have done these things to my wife Elin and to my children. And while I have always tried to be a private person, there are some things I want to say.
Elin and I have started the process of discussing the damage caused by my behavior. As Elin pointed out to me, my real apology to her will not come in the form of words; it will come from my behavior over time. We have a lot to discuss; however, what we say to each other will remain between the two of us.
I am also aware of the pain my behavior has caused to those of you in this room. I have let you down, and I have let down my fans. For many of you, especially my friends, my behavior has been a personal disappointment. To those of you who work for me, I have let you down personally and professionally. My behavior has caused considerable worry to my business partners. To everyone involved in my foundation, including my staff, board of directors, sponsors, and most importantly, the young students we reach, our work is more important than ever. Thirteen years ago , my dad and I envisioned helping young people achieve their dreams through education. This work remains unchanged and will continue to grow. From the Learning Center students in Southern California to the Earl Woods scholars in Washington, D.C., millions of kids have changed their lives, and I am dedicated to making sure that continues.
But still, I know I have bitterly disappointed all of you. I have made you question who I am and how I could have done the things I did. I am embarrassed that I have put you in this position.
For all that I have done, I am so sorry. I have a lot to atone for, but there is one issue I really want to discuss. Some people have speculated that Elin somehow hurt or attacked me on Thanksgiving night. It angers me that people would fabricate a story like that. Elin never hit me that night or any other night. There has never been an episode of domestic violence in our marriage, ever. Elin has shown enormous grace and poise throughout this ordeal. Elin deserves praise, not blame.
The issue involved here was my repeated irresponsible behavior. I was unfaithful. I had affairs. I cheated. What I did is not acceptable, and I am the only person to blame.
I stopped living by the core values that I was taught to believe in. I knew my actions were wrong, but I convinced myself that normal rules didn't apply. I never thought about who I was hurting. Instead, I thought only about myself. I ran straight through the boundaries that a married couple should live by. I thought I could get away with whatever I wanted to. I felt that I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptations around me. I felt I was entitled. Thanks to money and fame, I didn't have to go far to find them.
I was wrong. I was foolish. I don't get to play by different rules. The same boundaries that apply to everyone apply to me. I brought this shame on myself. I hurt my wife, my kids, my mother, my wife's family, my friends, my foundation, and kids all around the world who admired me.
I've had a lot of time to think about what I've done. My failures have made me look at myself in a way I never wanted to before. It's now up to me to make amends, and that starts by never repeating the mistakes I've made. It's up to me to start living a life of integrity.
I once heard, and I believe it's true, it's not what you achieve in life that matters; it's what you overcome. Achievements on the golf course are only part of setting an example. Character and decency are what really count. Parents used to point to me as a role model for their kids. I owe all those families a special apology. I want to say to them that I am truly sorry.
It's hard to admit that I need help, but I do. For 45 days from the end of December to early Februar y, I was in inpatient therapy receiving guidance for the issues I'm facing. I have a long way to go. But I've taken my first steps in the right direction. As I proceed, I understand people have questions. I understand the press wants to ask me for the details and the times I was unfaithful. I understand people want to know whether Elin and I will remain together. Please know that as far as I'm concerned, every one of these questions and answers is a matter between Elin and me. These are issues between a husband and a wife. Some people have made up things that never happened. They said I used performance-enhancing drugs. This is completely and utterly false. Some have written things about my family. Despite the damage I have done, I still believe it is right to shield my family from the public spotlight. They did not do these things; I did.
I have always tried to maintain a private space for my wife and children. They have been kept separate from my sponsors, my commercial endorsements. When my children were born, we only released photographs so that the paparazzi could not chase them. However, my behavior doesn't make it right for the media to follow my two-and-a-half-year-old daughter to school and report the school's location. They staked out my wife and they pursued my mom. Whatever my wrongdoings, for the sake of my family, please leave my wife and kids alone.
I recognize I have brought this on myself, and I know above all I am the one who needs to change. I owe it to my family to become a better person. I owe it to those closest to me to become a better man. That's where my focus will be. I have a lot of work to do, and I intend to dedicate myself to doing it. Part of following this path for me is Buddhism, which my mother taught me at a young age. People probably don't realize it, but I was raised a Buddhist, and I actively practiced my faith from childhood until I drifted away from it in recent years. Buddhism teaches that a craving for things outside ourselves causes an unhappy and pointless search for security. It teaches me to stop following every impulse and to learn restraint. Obviously I lost track of what I was taught.
As I move forward, I will continue to receive help because I've learned that's how people really do change. Starting tomorrow, I will leave for more treatment and more therapy. I would like to thank my friends at Accenture and the players in the field this week for understanding why I'm making these remarks today.
In therapy I've learned the importance of looking at my spiritual life and keeping in balance with my professional life. I need to regain my balance and be centered so I can save the things that are most important to me, my marriage and my children. That also means relying on others for help. I've learned to seek support from my peers in therapy, and I hope someday to return that support to others who are seeking help. I do plan to return to golf one day, I just don't know when that day will be. I don't rule out that it will be this year. When I do return, I need to make my behavior more respectful of the game. In recent weeks I have received many thousands of emails, letters and phone calls from people expressing good wishes. To everyone who has reached out to me and my family, thank you. Your encouragement means the world to Elin and me. I want to thank the PGA TOUR, Commissioner Finchem, and the players for their patience and understanding while I work on my private life. I look forward to seeing my fellow players on the course.
Finally, there are many people in this room, and there are many people at home who believed in me. Today I want to ask for your help. I ask you to find room in your heart to one day believe in me again. Thank you.
Ernie Els said, "It's selfish. You can write that. I feel sorry for the sponsor. Mondays are a good day to make statements, not Friday. This takes a lot away from the golf tournament."
Sporting News reports from a friend of Elin Nordegren that she's given Tiger Woods 6 months to prove to her that he won't sleep around with other women. This follows Tiger Woods' completion of a stint at sex addiction rehab in Mississippi. (More click here)
Answer: yes. If they are permitted by the USGA and PGA Tour, then any pro golfer can play them--even if they are grandfathered in because of a lawsuit brought by Ping. To anyone who says Phil Mickelson is "cheating," play a Ping wedge or shut it.
We found Win McMurry. She's left the PGA Tour for The Golf Channel. She says, "It's been forever since I last tweeted but wanted to share that I'm now at Golf Channel hosting studio updates during live TOUR coverage!"
Here's a look down memory lane with Win last year.
Wow, we loved this spectacular image of our good friend Bill Browne on the driving range. Not only does he have a good swing, but the color contrast and imagery are breathtaking. (c) Bill Browne. (photographer Greg Moore)
Follow the action at the USGA Senior Amateur's Official Web site. Real-Time Scoring, news, blogs, photos, course information and more can be found. The USGA Senior Amateur is being held at Flint Hills National Golf Club in Andover, Kan.
Follow the action at the USGA Senior Women's Amateur's Official Web site. Real-Time Scoring, news, blogs, photos, course information and more can be found. The USGA Senior Amateur is being held at Sunriver Resort in Sunriver, Ore.
Far Hills, N.J. - Fiddlesticks Country Club in Fort Myers, Fla., has been selected by the United States Golf Association as the site of the 2010 USGA Senior Women's Amateur Championship. The dates of the championship are Oct. 9-14.
Far Hills, N.J. - Rickie Fowler, 18, of Murrieta, Calif., and Kyle Stanley, 19, of Gig Harbor, Wash., have been selected to complete the 10-man squad that will represent the United States of America for the 2007 Walker Cup Match. The Match is scheduled for Sept. 8-9 at Royal County Down Golf Club in Newcastle, Northern Ireland.
Far Hills, N.J. - A proposed amendment to the 2008 Rules of Golf regarding additional forms of club adjustability has been approved by the USGA. Any such adjustment(s), however, cannot be made during a stipulated round. All new forms of iron and wood adjustability must be approved in advance by the USGA.
2008 scandalz.net
Why is it that we rejoice at a birth and grieve at a funeral? It is
because we are not the person involved.
-- Mark Twain
