Zach Johnson out duels Brian Davis at Colonial

Johnson comments about first win of '10

Luke Donald wins in Madrid

Luke Donald's late eagle helped secure a one-shot victory over Rhys Davies at the Madrid Masters on Sunday.

Tied with Davies heading to the 16th hole, Donald claimed the lead after hitting his approach shot from 252 yards to within 12 feet of the hole and sinking the eagle putt.

Donald sealed his first title since 2006 when his Welsh rival missed a chance to take it to a playoff by missing a 20-foot putt at the last.

Donald shot a final-round 5-under 67 to finish at 21-under 267. Davies finished with a 68, while Italian star Francesco Molinari also shot 68 and was three shots back.

Mickelson shoots 71-73 to miss cut at Colonial

Phil Mickelson’s hopes of becoming the No. 1 golfer in the world will have to wait another week.

The 39-year-old lefty began Day Two at the Crowne Plaza Invitational looking to rebound from an opening-round 71.

"I played well the first four holes but the last 14 I played terrible,” Mickelson told reporters following his first round. “So I’ll have some work to do. I already was in there texting Butch [Harmon, his coach] so I’ve got some direction for in the morning. I’ll probably get out here for an early session."

But Mickelson was unable to muster any momentum on Friday in Fort Worth, instead carding a 73 and will miss a cut for the first time since April 2009.

Mickelson will leave Colonial empty-handed in his second attempt this year to supplant Tiger Woods atop the Official World Golf Ranking, however he will see his foe’s familiar face next week with Woods in the field trying to defend his Memorial title.

-Score Golf

Highlights from round two at Colonial

Is Sean Foley Tiger's next swing coach?

Sean Foley doesn't know how it started, but his future certainly is a hot topic in golf right now.

Foley has been rumoured to be the next swing coach for Tiger Woods, who recently was set free by Hank Haney.

Pretty heady stuff for a 35-year-old Canadian who has been working with PGA Tour players for four years after Stephen Ames brought him on board.

So the burning question remains: Is Foley set to take on the world's best golfer as a client? Not that he knows of.

Would he take on Woods if given the opportunity? Maybe...

"It's just all rumours," Foley said Wednesday morning from Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Tex., where he was keeping a close eye on the four players he coaches (Ames, Hunter Mahan, Sean O'Hair and Justin Rose) in the field at the Crowne Plaza Invitational.

"I don't know how (the Tiger rumours) all got started. I have my hands pretty full as is."

Ever since the Burlington, Ont., native walked a practice round with Woods at The Players Championship (Mahan and O'Hair also were in the group), Foley has been fielding questions about working with Tiger.

Despite reports, Foley said there has been "no discussion at all," with Tiger or his handlers.

One would think that the cerebral teacher, who works out of the Core Golf Junior Academy in Orlando and lives not too far from Woods, would be bothered by the constant badgering, but Foley finds it humorous.

"It has been kind of funny. One article was saying that it's amazing that I've gotten to where I am because I am bipolar," said Foley, who is not bipolar. "You wonder where they come up with this stuff. People read it and believe it. Someone is going to come up to me at a tournament or in an airport and say, 'My brother is bipolar too!' "

It is no mistake, however, that a relative newcomer is being touted as one of the great coaches in the game.

Foley's success speaks for itself and in a world where golfers change putters, grips, breakfast cereals or coaches if they think it's going to help, results are everything.

"It's my fourth year out here and the players take notice," Foley said. "I'm not surprised. I'm very confident in what I do."

Foley, however, did not completely dismiss the possibility of working with Woods.

"I don't know," he said when asked what his answer would be if Woods called him up and asked him to be his coach. "I don't think about it until I'm actually asked."

For this week, at least, he'll be focused on his players at Colonial.

When asked who he likes to win, Foley wisely kept his cards close to his vest regarding his players.

"I think they're all playing well and they are all capable of being in the top-15 if they're able to stay focused."

With that type of poise, Foley just may land himself the top prize in the swing-coaching business.

-Toronto Sun

Woods to return at Memorial from neck injury

Tiger Woods will return to competition at next week's Memorial Tournament after a layoff because of a neck injury.

He will return to action at the Muirfield Village course in Ohio, where he has won four titles and is the defending champion.

The world number one withdrew from the final round of the Players Championship on May 9th due to the injury.

Woods plans to play in next month's US Open at Pebble Beach, where he will try to win his 15th major.

-Guardian.uk

Tiger has to earn Ryder Cup spot says Captain Pavin

Tiger Woods won't get a free pass onto the U.S. Ryder Cup team, captain Corey Pavin said Sunday.

Pavin, who has four captain's picks in addition to eight automatic qualifiers for the 2010 American team, is taking a wait-and-see approach as Woods returns from a five-month hiatus from the sport.

"I'm not going to treat Tiger any different than any other player," Pavin told Reuters after the final round of the Byron Nelson Championship. "He's certainly not going to be an automatic pick.
"He's just going to be treated like everyone else. I'd love to have him on the team but I want him to be playing well."

Woods is 11th in the latest Ryder Cup standings. He trails No. 10 Matt Kuchar by 32 points (1,978.69-1,946.16), but has a healthy lead over No. 12 Nick Watney (who has 1,655.24 points). Phil Mickelson has a healthy overall lead, followed by Anthony Kim, Jim Furyk, Lucas Glover, Hunter Mahan, Steve Stricker, Dustin Johnson, Stewart Cink, Ben Crane and Kuchar.
Pavin told Reuters he hasn't spoken to Woods this year.

Woods has played only three tournaments since returning to golf after an offseason that included an auto accident, confirmation of marital infidelity and a trip to rehab. He withdrew from the Players earlier this month with a neck injury. His next tournament is unknown, though he is entered in the U.S. Open, which begins June 17 at Pebble Beach.

Pavin told the British media in December that he hoped Woods would be back for the Ryder Cup.

After the Masters, Pavin said: "I hope he plays some more and continues to play well and makes the team, but I will just have to wait and see what his schedule is. He has other things that he is focusing on as well and I don't think he knows what his schedule will be, so it depends on how things go in his private life and I respect him for what he is going to do and I will have to just wait and see."

The Ryder Cup is set for October in Wales. Woods missed the 2008 Ryder Cup after having knee surgery. The Americans won the Cup at Valhalla in Louisville, Ky.

-ESPN

Jason Day wins first tour event in the Lone Star State

Day talks about his win right after the final putt

16 year old amateur Jordan Spieth in contention at the Byron Nelson

Jordan Spieth continued to defy the expectations of everyone but himself, shooting a 3-under 67 Saturday to move solidly into contention going into today's final round of the Byron Nelson Championship in Irving, Texas.

Spieth's best round yet left him tied for seventh, six shots behind leader Jason Day, and injects all kinds of intrigue into an event that was thought to be missing an attention-grabbing headliner.

"I know the pins are going to be the toughest pins I've ever experienced in my life, but I'm confident," said the 16-year-old Spieth, who just last week won a high school state tournament. "I'm going to start firing because I got nothing to lose, nothing to hold back."

Wie eliminated from Match Play

Top-ranked Jiyai Shin knocked out Michelle Wie in the Sybase Match Play Championship quarterfinals Saturday, winning 2 and 1 on another hot, humid day at hilly Hamilton Farm.

"I just didn't play that well coming in," Wie said. "I didn't play as well as I wanted. I think I know exactly what I need to work on. I'm going to work hard the next two weeks and try to win."

Shin will play Sun Young Yoo — a 2-and-1 winner over fourth-seeded Yani Tseng — in the semifinals Sunday morning. In the other quarterfinals, 10th-seeded Angela Stanford beat Catriona Matthew 5 and 3, and No. 30 Amy Yang edged Haeji Kang 1-up.

"This match was so big," Shin said. "When I saw the pairing, I was a little bit worried because she's so long."

The 22-year-old Shin is chasing her first LPGA Tour title of the year after winning six times in the last two seasons. She also has 23 international victories.

Tiger back on the prowl; divorce imminent

Tiger Woods has been laying low for a couple of weeks now and we were actually enjoying news without any mention of his name. But it seems that it was too long for the guy and he is once again back in the spotlight. Since both him and wife Elin have hired divorce lawyers, it’s safe to say that he knows the marriage is completely over. So why waste time being single when there are a million ladies who would love to share company with the pro golfer?

Since hanging out in Orlando practicing his golf, he has now been spotted hanging out with a blonde woman who looks a lot like Elin, reports Radar Online. An eyewitness stated, “Tiger was on the golf course the other day, hitting balls. He was with a very pretty blonde who looked a lot like Elin. She was sitting in the golf cart while he was playing. They were talking and laughing and obviously having a good time.”

It obviously didn’t take very long for him to get over Elin.

-Hollywood News

Wie makes it to round of 16 at the Sybase Match Play

Michelle Wie easily advanced to the round of 16 in the Sybase Match Play Championship on Friday, beating Hee Young Park 5 and 4 on a warm, humid afternoon at hilly Hamilton Farm.

The eighth-seeded Wie will face 57th-seeded Karine Icher on Saturday morning, with the winner advancing to the afternoon quarterfinals.

"I'm just trying to hit fairways and greens and make some putts," Wie said. "It's definitely a grind out there."

Icher, from France, beat Eun-Hee Ji 2 and 1.

With by far the largest gallery following Wie, the 20-year-old Stanford student took a 4-up lead on the front nine and ended the match with a par on No. 14.

Wie won the Lorena Ochoa Invitational in Mexico in November for her first LPGA Tour title and has two top-six finishes in six events this year.

"You never know with match play," Wie said. "I'm just going to go out there and play my hardest. ... I put pressure on myself to play the best I can."

Cowboys QB Tony Romo on to sectionals trying to qualify for US Open

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo is a step closer to competing in the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach.

Romo was among seven golfers who moved on to the sectional round following a round at The Honors Club of Dallas. Romo shot a 2-under 69, which put him in a four-man playoff for three spots.

Romo advances to a 36-hole qualifier June 7 at The Woodlands. If he's among the top finishers there, he would have a spot in the season's second major tournament June 17-20 at Pebble Beach.

Last week, Romo advanced to the Monday qualifier for the HP Byron Nelson Championship, but had to drop out because it conflicted with a Cowboys workout. The first round of the HP Byron Nelson Championship was Thursday.

There's no Cowboys conflict June 7.

C. Beckman fires 61; 16-year old makes cut at the Byron Nelson

Wie to open against Prammanasudh in Match Play this week

Michelle Wie splashed her way around the course, determined to get in a full practice round for the Sybase Match Play Championship.

"I played 18 holes, so that's good in the rain," said Wie, seeded eighth in the 64-player event that begins Thursday at Hamilton Farm Golf Club. "I was pretty proud of myself."

The 20-year-old Stanford student is set to open play against 50th-seeded Stacy Prammanasudh. Wie won the Lorena Ochoa Invitational in Mexico in November for her first LPGA Tour title and has two top-six finishes in six events this year.

"I'm just trying to become the best player I can be," said Wie, trying to fill the void left by the retirements of Ochoa and Annika Sorenstam. "I'm working as hard as I can to win tournaments and to play well and to be that dominant player. Everyone is vying for that spot now and everyone is working extra hard."

The top 32 seeds selected their opponents in a blind draw Tuesday.

Top-ranked Jiyai Shin will face South Korean compatriot Kyeong Bae. Shin took over the top spot when Ochoa retired three weeks ago after the Tres Marias Championship.

"Match play is fun, but if you lose, you go home," Shin said.

Second-seeded Ai Mayazato, the Japanese star who has won three of the first six events of the season, will open against Jeong Jang. Third-seeded Suzann Pettersen drew Hall of Famer Juli Inkster, and fourth-seeded Yani Tseng will play Wendy Ward.

Hamilton Farm also was the site of match-play events in 2005 and 2006. Marisa Baena won in 2005, and Brittany Lincicome took the 2006 title, beating Wie, Ochoa and Inkster in the final three matches. In 2007 at Wykagyl in the tour's last 64-player, match-play event, Seon Hwa Lee beat Miyazato in the final.

Lincicome, coming off a playoff loss to Se Ri Pak on Sunday in Mobile, Ala., in the rain-shortened Bell Micro LPGA Classic, will open against Beatriz Recari.

Pak will play Azahara Munoz.

Tiger confirmed for The Open at St. Andrews in July

Tiger Woods has added the British Open Championships to his playing schedule for this year, despite still recuperating from a neck injury that forced him out of the recent Players Championships.

The American champion, recently returned to the game after a self imposed break due to his much publicised infidelities, will now officially compete at this year British Open in July. This years Open, the third major, will be held at the famous St. Andrews golf course where Tiger has one the last two titles in 2000 and 2005.

Tiger, already committed to the US Open in June and the AT&T National at the start of July, has included the British Open into his schedule further signifying his slow comeback to the game.

Woods recently withdrew from the final round of this month’s Players Championship because of neck pain. He had been planning to compete in the Memorial tournament in Dublin which he is the current title holder, however those plans have been put on hold due to his current injury issues.

While he gave no hint as to the timing of his return to the US PGA Tour, Woods said last week he expected to make a full recovery. “I now need to take care of this condition and will return to playing golf when I’m physically able,” the 34-year-old said in a statement.

Woods added that the injury would be treated through physical therapy, soft-tissue massage, rest and anti-inflammatory medicine.

Hank Haney tells Golf Channel that Tiger is a sex addict

Tiger Woods has admitted to being in therapy — but not to sex addiction. On Sunday, Woods' ex-swing coach Hank Haney told Golf Channel's Jim Gray the world's No. 1 golfer is a sex addict.

Woods never confirmed receiving treatment at a sex-addiction clinic in Mississippi. When Gray asks Haney point-blank what Woods is in therapy for, the golf teacher candidly said: "Well, the only thing that I knew about was his, you know, issue with the sex addiction."

But Haney, who stepped down as Woods' coach last Monday, said rumors Woods used performance-enhancing drugs are "100% false."

"People that say otherwise are just starting rumors," said Haney. "It's based on no facts at all. There's a lot of jealousy."

Woods' blood-spinning treatments with Canadian doctor Anthony Galea were also above board, he added.

Gray told USA TODAY: "I think what the public is interested in knowing is whether or not Tiger was in there for prescription drugs, or other drugs, or alcohol, or was it sex addiction because so many questions have been left unanswered. … Tiger says it's all in the police report. But clearly it's not."

Woods withdrew from the Players Championship because of a neck injury. Haney said Woods would be "better off if he was just was a little more forthcoming" about his injuries.

As for Woods blocking tee shots to the right, Haney said his former pupil "has a fear of hitting shots to the left and, as a result, he misses a lot of shots to the right."

Gray said he's "never seen anything like" Woods' swift fall from grace. "We were watching Picasso paint. It's just very sad. Nobody was against Tiger Woods. He had no enemies. He's become his own. The only enemy has been himself. … You can only hope he can go about his life and regain his stature."

-USA Today

Adam Scott wins his 7th PGA Tour title at the Valero Texas Open

It good to see the "Great Scott" back on top of his game. It been a while between wins and many wondered if Scott's game was gone for good.

Well weekend rounds of 66, 67 prove that Adam still has what it takes to compete at a superior level and show the young gun slingers of the tour that he hasn't hang up his holster just yet.

Cheers,

Se Ri Pak beats Brittany Lincicome and Suzann Pettersen in playoff to win the Bell Micro

Se Ri Pak birdied the third playoff hole at No. 18 to beat Brittany Lincicome on Sunday in a rain-shortened Bell Micro LPGA Classic.

The Hall of Famer from Korea used a nice bunker shot to set up the shot that sealed her 25th career win and first since 2007's Owens Corning Classic. Pak hit within 10 feet below the hole on a fairway bunker shot from 164 yards to give herself a birdie chance while Lincicome saved par with a long downhill putt.

Suzann Pettersen also made the playoff, but bogeyed the second hole on the par-4, 402-yard 18th and headed to the clubhouse.

Pak is unbeaten in six career playoffs.

Se Ri Pak leads the LPGA Bell Micro heading into round three

Se Ri Pak shot a 6-under 66 on Friday to take a one-stroke lead over Brittany Lincicome and Wendy Ward in the Bell Micro LPGA Classic.

Pak, who opened on the 10th tee, had five birdies in a six-hole stretch on her final nine holes to top the second-round leaderboard at 9 under on The Crossings course at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail's Magnolia Grove complex.

Pak won events on the course in 2001 and 2002.

"Of course I have such a great memory about it," Pak said. "I play really well and the scores are really low, too. That helps a lot.

"I know so many holes, where to miss, how to play, how to make the shot. That actually helps a lot, especially during this week."

Many of the players wore purple ribbons and wristbands with "EB" and a heart honoring Erica Blasberg, a 25-year-old tour player who was found dead in suburban Las Vegas on Sunday. The flag was at half-staff.

Police have not said if they suspect foul play and the coroner said a ruling on a cause of death was pending blood and tissue tests that could take four to six weeks to complete.

Ward had the low round with a 65, six strokes better than her opener.

Lincicome got off to a fast start with birdies on six of her opening seven holes, but had a finishing bogey for a 66.

First-round leader Azahara Munoz was in a group of four players three strokes back after a double bogey on No. 17 and a 73.

The 22-year-old former Spanish amateur star and 2008 NCAA individual champion for Arizona State had navigated the course unscathed in scoring a bogey-free 65 to open.

The Hall of Famer Pak is pushing $11 million in career earnings but hasn't finished better than 15th in her first five events of 2010 or won since the 2007 Owens Corning Classic. She withdrew from the Tres Marias Championship in Mexico two weeks ago after an opening 84. She said putting has been a problem since last fall.

"I really have been struggling on the green, but golf is a patient game so I'm kind of patient myself and keep working exactly the same thing and change a little bit of routine," Pak said. "Finally, I make some putts here and there and then (that) gets me my feel back and then I have a lot of confidence back. And then of course I have a great chance."

-Associated Press

NFL hall of famer Jerry Rice DQ'd from Nationwide event

Maybe Jerry Rice should have stuck to football.

The Hall of Fame receiver was disqualified from the Nationwide Tour event in Mill Spring, N.C., yesterday because his caddie used a range-finding scope to check yardages. The disqualification came a day after Rice shot a 92, the highest round since the BMW Charity Pro-Am began in 1992.

“A rookie mistake that I made,’’ Rice said with a smile. “So I got DQed.’’

Rice announced after a second-round 82 that he’s done competing on golf’s Triple A circuit.

“Because I can’t commit to golf the way I want to, this is probably my last Nationwide Tour event,’’ Rice said. “These guys, they’re working their butts off and they deserve to be out here.’’

The error by his caddie means that Rice won’t take part in today’s third round, the last before the celebrity event cuts the field for tomorrow’s finale.

Rice was in violation of Rule 14.3, which prevents competitors from using a yardage measuring device. His caddie checked the yardage scope several times during the round at The Carolina Country Club.

Rice was told in the scorer’s tent after improving to an 82 at Bright’s Creek Golf Club. The BMW Charity Pro-Am is played over three courses in North and South Carolina.

Rice was gracious and jovial with his partners and the fans, some who had his famous No. 80 49ers jersey for him to sign.

Right now, Rice thinks his golf future is purely recreational. He’s glad for the chance to try and the perspective he received from other pros.

“Like I said, this was not a publicity stunt,’’ Rice said. “I came out here, I played hard, and I tried my best.’’

-Boston.com

Johnny Miller is an Idiot?

Here's a cool article I found on some lash back from Johnny's comments about Hank Haney.

Enjoy the read...

Brad Redding is a Golf Magazine Top 100 teacher and a disciple of Hank Haney and he’s interviewed by golf.com’s Farrell Evans

The Haney/Woods parting of the ways has received lots of coverage and as regular readers are well aware of the fact I try to refrain from adding to the ad nauseum coverage of the life and times of Tiger Woods. In fact I find the golf writers’ obsession with Tiger stories, a pain in the neck, metaphorically speaking and nothing to do with Tiger’s latest health issue.

However when Bred Redding says, “Johnny Miller is an Idiot” then I just had to go there and find out more.

Judging by comments on golf forums about Johnny Miller’s golf commentary style, he’s either liked or loathed. There’s rarely any middle ground although I have to say I’m OK with Johnny but much prefer Gary McCord.

Farrell Evans makes the observation that Johnny Miller has been one of Hank Haney’s most vocal critics and Brad Redding responds.

“Johnny Miller is an idiot. If I were Hank, and thank God he has more class than I do, I would go over and punch him in the face. It's a ridiculous, dumb statement for him to say that Tiger needs to go find his 2000-era golf swing. I guess that means when he went downhill after injuries, he should have went back and found his U.S. Open-winning swing. Besides when was the last time Miller coached a guy to a U.S. Open win or had a guy of Tiger's caliber come to him for help. I call him the Howard Stern of golf announcers.”

And Brad has a point. Tiger’s recent neck ailment the latest indication that his body isn’t like it was in the early 2000s.
Ten years is a long time in an athlete’s life and as we golfers well know, but average Joe Doe doesn’t, it can be hard on the body

When asked, “Well, why did they split?”

Brad replied, “I think Hank had gotten a little tired. There has been a full-out assault on him. Every armchair golf-swing coach had a comment as to why Tiger's swing wasn't good. He was tired of the pounding. When he came to our PGA section to speak in February he already seemed weary from the constant harassing by the press about Tiger. It just got old.”

Brad also makes some very interesting comments when comparing Tiger’s swing when he was with Butch Harmon, to the time he worked with Hank Haney.

This again from Brad, “When Johnny Miller said that Hank's swing involved too much wrist action I wanted to scream into the TV and say, "Are you stupid?" With Butch's swing, Tiger needed more hand action than through Hank's method, which is about more body and forearm rotation. This is the way Hank put it: "Why would you strive to re-route the golf club when you can strive for perfect symmetry."

Round 1 wrap-up from the Valero Texas Open

Tiger Woods has inflamed neck joint, full recovery expected

Tiger Woods got some rare good news when he underwent an MRI in Orlando Wednesday. He doesn't have the bulging disk he feared but an inflamed joint in his neck.

He announced on his Web site that the prognosis is for a "full recovery" but did not say how quickly he might return to golf. The layoff is not expected to be extensive but "can vary," his Web site said.

"I want to thank everyone for their caring and concern," Woods said in a statement posted on the site. "I now need to take care of this condition and will return to playing golf when I'm physically able."

The inflammation is in a facet joint. The small stabilizing joints exist in pairs between and behind adjacent vertebrae, separated by a thin layer of cartilage. According to the Web site, inflamed facet joints can bring on pain, headaches and difficulty rotating the head. According to an article by Dr. Charles Ray, they provide about 20% of the twisting stability of the neck and can be aggravated by twisting motions such as a golf swing.

Woods said at a press conference on Monday that there was "zero connection" between his current neck problems and the sore neck he said he experienced after he crashed his SUV into a fire hydrant Thanksgiving night.

No surgery will be required. Treatment will involve physical therapy, soft-tissue massage, rest and anti-inflammatory medication. Except for the rest, Woods had been following that regimen but said the condition steadily got worse. Injections can also be used, but Woods did not indicate they would be necessary.

Woods said last week that he needed to play and practice more to get back on track, but that doesn't fit in with a prescription of rest. It might take some time before he feels comfortable enough with his game to test it again.

Woods had been planning to defend his championship at the Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio, the first week of June, two weeks before the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, where he roared to a historic 15-shot victory in 2000.

Woods withdrew from The Players Championship last Sunday after his neck "locked up," he said. After missing the cut at Quail Hollow the week before, he made some of the ugliest shots of his career at TPC Sawgrass.

His swing coach, Hank Haney, resigned on Monday amid rumors that he would be fired.

-NY Daily News

Young LPGA golfer found dead in home Sunday

The sudden death of a beautiful young LPGA golfer remained shrouded in mystery Tuesday, when her father said he has serious questions about how she died.

"At first glance, it looks like she might have taken her own life, but at second glance, something is very, very strange about it," Mel Blasberg told the Riverside Press-Enterprise in California. "Either way, I lost her and it's impossible to deal with."

Erica Blasberg, a 25-year-old two-time All-American from the University of Arizona, was found dead Sunday in her two-story, three-bedroom home in Henderson, Nev.

"She died on Mother's Day. [Her mom, Debra Blasberg] didn't get the phone call, so she knew something was wrong," the golfer's aunt, Ilene Osinski, told the Daily News.

Police won't say how she died.

Henderson police spokesman Keith Paul called it "a death investigation." He wouldn't say who placed the 3 p.m. 911 call.

Erica Blasberg's bags were packed for a trip to the Bell Micro LPGA Classic in Mobile, Ala., where she planned to play Monday. Her father said she was in a good mood.

Erica Blasberg's agent told The News he was in the dark about what happened, too. "Our frustrations are the same as the media's, trying to figure out the details," Chase Callahan said.

"Police haven't given her family or me any indication of anything."

Erica Blasberg, who turned pro in 2005, competed two weeks ago at an LPGA event in Mexico, where she tied for 44th place.

"She made a little money. She felt good. She knew this year was going to be a tough year, but she was motivated. She didn't seem down," Mel Blasberg told the California paper.

The coroner's office said it will take four to eight weeks before toxicology tests are completed.

Osinski said the golfer's divorced parents are helping each other cope.

"They're together right now and dealing with this in a good way. I know that my brother as well as the ex-wife are devastated," Osinski said.

She said her brother was close to his daughter.

"He was her manager for years and he was an amazing golfer. He went all over with her. He was one of those athletic dads that got kicked off [the course] now and then," she said.

Erica Blasberg grew up in Southern California and was in her sixth season on the LPGA tour.

A funeral is scheduled for next Wednesday in California, and there will be a memorial service at Eagle Glen Golf Club.

"She was 25," Callahan said. "She hadn't reached her peak yet."

-NY Daily News

Hank Haney throws in the towel as Tiger's swing coach

Hank Haney, who began working with Tiger Woods as his swing coach in 2003, resigned Monday evening. Woods won six of his 14 major championships and 37 of his 71 PGA Tour titles with Haney.

"I am incredibly grateful of the opportunity that I had to coach Tiger Woods," Haney wrote in an email to USA TODAY. "It was just time for both of us to go in another direction."

The news of Haney's resignation was first reported by the Golf Channel.

On Haney's website, he wrote: "I have informed Tiger Woods this evening that I no longer will be his coach. I would like to thank Tiger for the opportunity that I have had to work with him over the last six-plus years.

"Tiger Woods has done the work to achieve a level of greatness that I believe the game of golf has never seen before. And I will always appreciate the opportunity that I have had to contribute to his success. However, I believe at this time that it is in both of our best interests for me to step aside as Tiger's coach.

"Just so there is no confusion, I would like to make it clear that this was my decision. Tiger Woods and I will always be fiends, but I believe that there is a time and place for everything and I feel at this time and at this place in my life I want to move forward in other areas."

-USA Today

Tiger unsure when he'll tee it up again after neck injury

Tiger Woods is unsure when he will play golf again after a painful neck injury forced him to quit the Players Championship in Florida on Sunday.

The world No. 1 said he would undergo scans this week to determine the full extent of the problem.

"A lot is up in the air still, which I don't like," Woods told a news conference in Pennsylvania on Monday.

"I still need to go home and get a picture of this and see what's going on."

The American said he had been troubled by neck pain since returning from self-imposed exile at last month's Masters but added it was not related to the car crash outside his home last year that led to revelations about his infidelities.

"Zero connection. Absolutely zero," said Woods. "My neck started to bother me when I really started to practice a lot."

Woods finished tied fourth on his return from a five-month absence at Augusta National but has struggled since, missing the cut at the Quail Hollow Championship in North Carolina before pulling out during his final round at Sawgrass on Sunday.

"I can deal with the pain but once it locked up I couldn't move back or through. I couldn't actually turn, going back, and I couldn't turn coming through," he said.

"For me not to play all 18 holes, that was as angry and as frustrated as I've been in a long time.

"I'm going to start getting more treatment. I'll have an MRI scan on it and see exactly what's going on, why it's behaving the way it's behaving."

Woods said he had planned to make his next appearance at the Memorial Tournament in Ohio next month, an event he won last year, then head to Pebble Beach for the U.S. Open but his plans were now dependent on the test results.

"It actually started bugging me two weeks before the Masters and it was just on and off. I thought it was just sore and no big deal," he said.

"But as I kept playing, kept practising, it never got better. It actually was getting worse and now I'm at a point where I just can't go on any more."

It is the latest setback for Woods who has struggled with his knees in recent seasons and is still facing intense scrutiny over his extra-marital affairs.

"There's a lot of things going on in my life and I'm just trying to get everything in a harmonious spot and that's not easy to do," said the 14-times major winner.

"I'm also trying to make life changes as well and trying to do that under the microscope of everyone asking me and watching everything I do doesn't make it easy."

Courtesy: National Post

Tim Clark wins first PGA Tour title in 206 starts

Tim Clark on his thoughts of his first PGA Tour win.

Rumours emerge of Tiger dropping Haney from the payroll

There have been many rumours of a parting of the ways in the life of Tiger Woods of late, but as he teed off in the second round of the Players Championship here yesterday the gossip featured the world No 1 splitting with his long-time coach.

Woods has been working with Hank Haney since 2004 and in this time has won six of his 14 majors. It has hardly been a fruitless partnership, so why the whispers? Just because he missed his sixth cut in 14 years as a professional last week? That would seem rather harsh, given that before this week he had played six competitive rounds in more than five months and that four of them happened to be classed as "heroic" in earning him fourth place at last month's Masters.

But where there's Woods there's talk, and in this regard the player himself did nothing to dismiss the speculation. In fact, after signing for a first-round 70 – which incidentally equalled his best opening round in almost a decade and a half of playing in golf's richest event – Woods convinced many journalists that a sacking was imminent.

When asked what he was doing differently here, Woods replied: "I feel I can draw the ball now. At Augusta, I couldn't draw the ball at all. I was just kind of scrapping it with kind of a cut, and trying to get it around. When I'm swinging well, I'm manoeuvring that ball from right to left and it feels good."

"So you figured out this for yourself?" came the follow-up question. "Yeah, yeah," replied Woods.

The implication was that Woods had something to fix and did not go to Haney to do the fixing. So two was inevitably added to two – particularly when it was realised that Haney is not in Jacksonville this week – to make "shown the door". This isn't the first time Haney has apparently been hours from a painful call, though it could be the worst time.

Johnny Miller, the former major winner and NBC analyst, had whipped up this storm with his comments on Wednesday. "It might be a little harsh, but I really believe he needs to, every night, watch the US Open in the year 2000 at Pebble [Beach] and just copy that swing and forget the Haney stuff," Miller said. "He either needs a new, fresh, teacher or just to go back to what is natural to his game. What he is working on now, I believe, is ... no disrespect for Hank Haney, but it is not working."

For his part, Haney seems exasperated by the constant rumour-mongering. He has revealed that he has recently received his quarterly cheque – "You don't pay someone for the next quarter and then fire them the next day, do you?" he said to Golf Week – as well as pointing out that he has rarely accompanied Woods on the tour circuit.

"His clubs are the same, his coach is the same, his caddie is the same, his putter is the same. What's changed?" Haney said. "I don't want to sound like I'm making excuses. I think it's obvious that he has a lot of things going on in his life. I'm sure that if people will give him a little bit of a chance that he'll [be] back to playing golf
the way he knows he can."

Courtesy: The Independent

Tiger withdraws from final round at THE PLAYERS

Tiger Woods withdrew during the final round of THE PLAYERS Championship on Sunday with an injury that he fears might be a bulging disk in his upper back. .

"I've been playing with a bad neck for quite a while," Woods said. "I've been playing through it. I can't play through it anymore."

Woods' next announced start had been next month's U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, a course where he won the U.S. Open by a record 15 shots in 2000. No update has been announced on his status for that event.

Woods, winner of THE PLAYERS Championship in 2001, was 2 over through six holes when he pulled out.

After hitting his tee shot on No. 7 into the native area far right of the fairway, Woods called over an official. He hit his second shot to just short of the green, 51 feet from the pin, and grimaced in apparent pain again.

Woods then walked to the middle of the fairway to shake hands with playing partner Jason Bohn before leaving on a golf cart.

As he was driven off in the cart, Woods continually squeezed his right hand and released his fingers.

He then went to the TOUR's fitness trailer for further examination and treatment.
Asked what caused the injury, Woods replied: "I don't know. I know playing doesn't help it."

Woods said he first felt the problem prior to the Masters, his first start of this year. He then tweaked it while warming up prior to starting Sunday's round. He said he's "having a hard time with the pain" and that he feels tingling in the fingers of his right hand.

"They want me to go get (an MRI) next week," he said.

Woods said his neck hurts on his "backswing, downswing and follow-through."

"Setting up over the ball is fine," Woods added, "but once I start making the motion, it's downhill from there."

It is the first time Woods has withdrawn from a tournament since the Nissan Open at Riviera in 2006, when he narrowly made the cut and withdrew from the final two rounds because of the flu.

THE PLAYERS Championship was only his third tournament back from a five-month hiatus. Woods tied for fourth at the Masters, then missed the cut last week at Quail Hollow with the second-highest round (79) and the highest 36-hole score (153) of his TOUR career.

Woods at times stretched and rolled his neck between shots over the last three days, when he produced some good golf along with some shots that didn't remotely resemble the No. 1 player in the world.

He popped up two tee shots with his 3-wood, and hit another one at a 45-degree angle. In relatively easy scoring conditions, Woods had rounds of 70-71-71 and was tied for 45th going into the last round.

Drunken golf fan tasered after heckling Woods

A drunken golf fan got the shock of his life Friday when cops Tasered him after he refused to stop heckling Tiger Woods on the 11th hole of The Players Championship.

Travis Parmelee, 36, of Jacksonville, Fla., was charged with disorderly intoxication and resisting arrest, officials said.

Security guards at the Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., tournament told Parmelee to stop yelling several times before calling the sheriff, who dispatched deputies to make an arrest.

Capt. Dave Messenger said officers attempted to calm Parmelee down, but he became more combative. When they tried to take Parmelee into custody, he resisted - and was Tasered once.

Messenger said Parmelee had been drinking.

Woods made the cut after the second round of the Players Championship, shooting a 70 the first round and a 71 the second round. He was nine strokes back from the lead.

The ruckus came four days after a Philadelphia police officer Tasered a teenager who rushed the outfield during a Phillies game at Citizens Bank Park.

Foolish fan Steve Consalvi, 17, went down like a sack of potatoes when zapped.

Some Phillies players covered their faces with their gloves and appeared to be laughing at the wild scene.

Consalvi later was able to walk off the field - with some help - and was charged with criminal trespassing.

Westwood leads half way through The Players

Tiger and Phil shoot 2 under in the first round of The Players

Catch up with what happened in round one at the proclaimed "5th" major. Pretty in Pink breaks it down heading into round two.

Cheers,

Is McIlroy golf's heir apparent to Tiger?

Here's a great article that truly makes a strong stand on Rory surpassing Tiger as golf's golden boy. Sure it's premature to think that Rory will match or beat Tiger's amazing feats on the course, but it starts with one, and Rory got that first one in superstar fashion.

So the question is: Does McIlroy become the next young phenom to challenge what Tiger has done and become #1 in the world in the next few years?

Cheers,

"He's some kinda player" said Masters champion Phil Mickelson talking about Irish sensation Rory McIlroy, barely out of his teens.

He's got that right.

Mickelson was commenting on the County Down native after he had burned past Mickelson in the final round on Sunday to capture his first PGA event in America.

Indeed, McIlroy will surpass Tiger Woods as easily as he surpassed him at the weekend.

Tiger failed to make the cut and McIlroy destroyed the course, especially in Sunday taking only 30 shots on the back nine.

By then Tiger was back home in Florida watching the kid on TV and seeing his own reflection at the same age I'd say.

But McIlroy can be better than Woods.

He can actually play shots that Woods could not at his age --and he handles the pressure.

No less a judge than Ernie Els said last year that the world of golf is probably looking at the next No. 1 when it sees McIlroy.

He is already the youngest since Woods to win a PGA event, the youngest player to ever make the top 50 in the World Golf Rankings and the second youngest to ever crack the top 10.

Last year he almost won the European Tour's Order of Merit last year and won the Dubai Desert Classic last year.

He is also learning to handle the pressure "I had never felt expectation up until this year," McIlroy said. "I think I got to seventh in the world at the start of the year, and I'm thinking, well, if I'm the seventh-best golfer in the world I should be going out and competing, and I was putting a lot of pressure on myself, which you shouldn't.

"Sometimes you need to sit back and say, look, you're only 20, 21 years old, and you're doing pretty well, and just putting things in perspective a little bit. I was probably trying to get to that point too soon the way I was pushing and pushing, and it probably wasn't great for my game.

"After the Masters I've just tried to free it all up, relax a little bit and just go out and play. And it's obviously worked this week, and hopefully I can have that same attitude going into the rest of the season."

Spoken like a true modest champion who knows what he has to do in the most competitive sport on earth.

Expect McIlroy to go all the way tot he top and have Tiger in his rear view mirror any day now.

As he showed on Sunday he's that good.

Tiger continues to fight distractions on and off the course

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- Who would have thought five months into the season the Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods rivalry would be so one-sided? Or that Woods would be the one searching for answers?

The world's No. 1 player didn't find any on Tuesday at TPC Sawgrass, where he hit five balls in the water during a 9-hole practice round, according to the Associated Press. Woods won't be No. 1 if he keeps doing that. Should Mickelson wins THE PLAYERS Championship and Woods finishes outside the top 5, Mickelson will supplant him as the game's top-ranked player.

No doubt this comeback has been different than the last time Woods returned from a long layoff in 2009 when he missed eight months following season-ending knee surgery.

"I certainly didn't have the distractions last time getting ready for events," Woods said. "You know, helicopters don't normally fly over you on the range and kind of hover and film you. That wasn't the case then, but that's the case now."

Those outside distractions continue to cause problems inside the ropes for Woods, who is coming off his worst score in the U.S., a 79, as a professional and the worst nine-hole score, a 43, of his career.

Is this the lowest moment of Woods' career, at least in terms of golf? In a word, yes.

"I've had two different low moments," said Woods, who has never missed two cuts in a row. "What I'm going through now and then my father's death.

"When my father passed, I really struggled with practicing. I really had a hard time practicing and working on my game initially, and my performance showed it at Winged Foot. This time around, practicing has been a place where I can get out there and enjoy it again and get out there and work."

That hasn't made it any easier for Woods, even if he has only himself to blame.

Has it taken an emotional toll?

"Yes, definitely," he said.

Physical?

"Absolutely," he continued.

It's obvious from watching his swing and talking to those who know it best, which includes Woods, that his posture and takeaway aren't right.

"I tend to get a little bit narrow at times," said Woods, who also put to rest any rumors of a split with Hank Haney.

Equipment continues to be an issue, too. Woods has always struggled with finding the right shaft for his driver and that hasn't changed. He's experimented with at least two this year, but likely more than that.

"I've always been very simple with 43½ inches, just an X100, just tip it," Woods said. "The shaft that I used at the Masters is great at one length. The shaft I use now is at a different length. So that's one of the experiments. Once you find one that works, it's pretty good."

Pretty bad is about how Woods would summarize his play of late. "I teed it up really well," he said, referring to his play at Quail Hollow. "I didn't have any balls fall off tees. It just kind of got worse from there."

And it might not get any better this week. As dominant as Woods has been at certain courses, this remains not one of them. He has just four career top-10s and hasn't won here since 2001 for his lone PLAYERS Championship title. Only one of those top-10s, an eighth-place finish in 2009, has come in the last seven years.

Clearly, Woods was dealing with issues off the course long before they became public, and he still won. Now, everything is different as he prepares for a tournament that features the best field in golf.

"I've been trying to make life adjustments and make life changes," Woods said. "A lot of people when they go through treatment, they're able to make these adjustments in anonymity; I'm not. And that makes it a lot more difficult."

Courtesy: PGA Tour

Rory McIlroy fires final round 62 and becomes the youngest PGA Tour winner since Tiger in '96

McIlroy's press conference after win at Quail Hollow

Got a little time to burn? Watch Rory's entire press conference after shooting a scorching 62 in the final round at Quail Hollow to win his first PGA Tour title.

Cheers,

18-year old sensation Ryo Ishikawa fires final round 58 to win in Japan

Ryo Ishikawa fired a 12-under-par 58 on Sunday, the lowest score ever recorded on a major tour, to win The Crowns event on the Japan Golf Tour.

Ishikawa's 58 broke the tour's record of 59 set by Masahiro Kuramoto in 2003. Al Geiberger, Chip Beck and David Duval each had 59s on the PGA Tour and Annika Sorenstam equaled the mark on the LPGA Tour.

In a 2000 U.S. Open qualifier, Shigeki Maruyama, Saturday's third-round leader, shot a 13-under 58.

Ishikawa, just 18 years old and ranked 47th in the world, opened with rounds of 68-70-71 to trail Maruyama by six shots at the start of the final round.

Ishikawa recorded seven birdies over his first nine holes and picked up two more at 10 and 11. He parred his next two, but birdied three in a row from the 14th to reach 12-under par for the round.

He had a 15-foot birdie chance at the last to shoot the unimaginable 57, but the putt barely missed. Ishikawa tapped in then waited for his seventh Japan Tour title.

Ishikawa finished at 13-under 267 and won by five strokes over Hiroyuki Fujita (66) and Paul Sheehan (68).

Courtesy: TSN

Tiger Woods not welcome in Jasper Parnevik's home

STOCKHOLM (AP) — Swedish golfer Jesper Parnevik says Tiger Woods is not welcome at his house and he's not looking forward to seeing Woods on the golf course.

Parnevik introduced Woods to his Swedish wife, Elin Nordegren, a move he regretted publicly after reports emerged of Woods' marital infidelity.

Parnevik told Swedish tabloid Aftonbladet in an interview published on Saturday that Nordegren who once worked as a nanny for his family regularly visits him and his wife at their Florida home but "Tiger is not welcome here any longer."

Sidelined with back problems, Parnevik has said he hopes to return to the PGA Tour this year. He says running into Woods on the golf course is "not something I'm looking forward to. But I won't hit him with a golf club."

Courtesy: USAToday

Mickelson 2 back heading into final round at Quail Hollow

Tiger shoots 79 in Rd. 2; misses 6th career cut

Woods nearly fires a pedestrian like 80 in round two at Quail Hollow. Tiger only hit 2 of 14 fairways today, had 33 putts and shot a back nine 43. Yikes....

It finally looked like Tiger, normally steely and calculating, looked worn down, beat up, tired and simply confused with a swing that has been his most trusted ally throughout his historic career.

Tiger missed the cut by the biggest margin of his career, 8 shots, and shot a career high 153 for the first two rounds of a tournament. Will Tiger bounce back at The Players? Time will be our answer.

Cheers,

Tiger comments on his second round 79