2010 sports year in review

Gifts for golfers that sometimes money can't buy

If the story of “A Christmas Carol” teaches us anything, it’s that the holidays are a good time to do a little self-examination and maybe change a few things we’d really like to change about ourselves

That’s probably as true in golf as it is in any other aspect of life. I’m certainly not suggesting that three ghosts need to visit Tiger Woods this week to help him straighten out his life, but than again, I can’t imagine that would hurt, either.

So, in a world where some of golf’s biggest names and tournament need something other than a sweater and a dozen balls for Christmas, here are a few intangibles I’d like to put under a few people’s trees this weekend.

Tiger Woods: A normal life. I mean, as normal as a life as he can possible have. Something a little more normal than the last 10 years, or the last 12 months, for that matter.

Phil Mickelson: Health. Health for him, health for his wife, health for his mother. everything else Mickelson wants or needs should come if he and his wife are healthy.

Mike Whan: The commissioner of the LPGA needs, well, just about all the good fortune he can get. Or maybe just a major championship win from Michelle Wie.

Michelle Wie: A major championship win.

The Kraft Nabisco Championship: A win by Michelle Wie. And some smart, aggressive company to come in and take over from Kraft, which never really seemed to embrace the idea of sponsoring a women’s golf tournament.

The Bob Hope Classic: Speaking of sponsorship, the Hope needs a five-year deal with some company that recognizes the hospitality potential of the event and its pro-am. Also, a little looser grip on his history and tradition, something that might help insure the future of PGA Tour golf in the desert.

Rickie Fowler: His first tour win, finally. And a slightly less electric shade of orange to wear on Sundays.

Dustin Johnson: A personal rules officials to help him recognize a bunker when he’s in one. And a personal on-course marshal to help him get all those people out of the bunker only he is supposed to be in.

Lorena Ochoa: A little time to herself. And then a return to the LPGA.

Jiyai Shin: Some recognition in this country that she is smart, personable and happens to be the No. 1 ranking player in women’s golf.

Anthony Kim: The La Quinta High School graduate needs a healthy thumb, a little earlier curfew and a major championship win.

Nicole Castrale: The former Palm Desert High School star is coming off a fourth shoulder surgery. A fast start to secure he exemption on the LPGA would be a perfect gift.

-Larry Bohannan

Where oh where has Trevor Immelman gone?

Trevor Immelman has no interest in looking at the world rankings these days.

It's not that he doesn't have time to scroll through the pages until he finds his name at No. 269. Immelman has lost the better part of two years with a left wrist injury, and these are the consequences. He accepts that.

He just has trouble recognizing that guy so far down the list.

Of all the major champions from the last five seasons, all but Immelman remain in the top 60 in the world.

"Really, in the last 18 months, that hasn't been me playing," he said. "I don't mean that in an arrogant sense. I know what I'm capable of when I'm feeling good and feeling strong. I'm going to give myself a full season, and then see how that pans out."

For the first time in two years, Immelman wakes up without feeling a pounding sensation in his left wrist. He has been working diligently on the practice range at Lake Nona for a new season. It feels like a new beginning, complete with an equipment deal soon to be announced.

"I'm excited," he said. "Everything is right on track. I'm looking forward to a full season again. It's been a few years."

The last time Immelman felt this good about his health was in 2008, and it featured a masterful performance.

The 30-year-old South African was so dominant at Augusta National that he built a six-shot lead on the back nine and went on to win the Masters by three shots over Tiger Woods. One of the lasting images was Immelman striking a muscleman pose on the 18th green.

Such strength has not come easily since then.

Immelman already has dealt with a few health scares even before slipping on the green jacket. He lost 25 pounds from a stomach parasite in 2007. Later that year, doctors had to slice open his back to remove a tumor from inside his rib cage, and only after the operation did they learn it was benign.

The most recent scar doesn't look like that big of a deal. Immelman rolled up a winter coat on a cold day in Orlando, then brushed back some hair to show a tiny scar from his wrist surgery last December.

So small, yet so much trouble.

He first noticed a twinge in his left wrist toward the end of 2008, and it got so bad the following year he had to withdraw from the U.S. Open, British Open and PGA Championship. He thought the rest would help, but the few times he tried to play, he didn't finish higher than 50th if he made the cut.

"The final straw was in Las Vegas last year," he said. "I played a Tuesday practice round, and I was in so much pain that I went back to the hotel and said to (wife) Carminita, 'I don't think I can muscle through this."

He withdrew from the tournament, flew to New York and had surgery a short time later. Immelman was in a cast for three weeks, and it was three months before he had enough strength to even grip a putter.

It was an exercise in patience in so many other ways.

Immelman is the opposite of another Masters champion -- Phil Mickelson -- in that he does everything left-handed except playing golf and playing the guitar. He had to learn simply chores like brushing his teeth with his right hand.

Swing coach David Leadbetter says the strength in his wrist is about 95 percent, and the desire is as strong as ever.

"I think he's in a good place," Leadbetter said. "I fully expect him to really get it back. It wasn't a shock he won Augusta because he's been a very, very good player for a long time. Since that time, people say, 'Geez, what happened to him? He dropped off the face of the earth.' Not quite. Certain injuries can derail a player.

"The good thing is he's young enough, and experienced enough, that he's looking at a new dawn, so to speak."

Immelman plans to start his new season at the Bob Hope Classic. The only change might be travel, for while he is loyal to the European Tour, the new minimum requirement of 13 tournaments might be tough on him because of his status. Having fallen so far in the ranking, Immelman is not in the World Golf Championships that count toward both tours.

About the only good that came out of his injury was time at home.

His wife recently gave birth to a daughter, and Immelman has had a blast with his 4-year-old son, Jacob. The boy loves sports and loves to fish. Immelman chuckles as he tells stories of Jacob dressing up in his astronaut suit to go to the grocery store and wearing his Dallas Cowboys uniform to church.

"He kept his helmet on the whole time," Immelman said.

Now, Immelman can only wonder if he did as much damage to his confidence as to his wrist.

His doctors told him that while it was safe to play this year after surgery, he might not trust himself until later in the year, and that proved correct. Immelman doesn't believe he can find confidence hitting balls on the range or fine-tuning his swing with Leadbetter.

"Confidence only grows when you shoot 65, when you hit 18 greens in regulation, when you get your name on the leaderboard," he said. "It's never fun not playing how you know you can play. You see that in aging athletes. The game peels off strictly because of age, but they know how great they are and it's tough."

"The relief for me is I'm only 30," he added. "I truly believe my best golf is still ahead of me."

Golfers not responsible for all bad shots

An errant shot that left a man blind in one eye has produced a message for golfers: you are not responsible for all of your bad shots.

The errant shot came while three friends were playing at Dix Hills Golf Course on Long Island in 2002. The man who lost part of his vision, Azad Anand, was no longer able to work as a neuroradiologist. He sued Annop Kapoor, the golfer whose shot hit him, claiming that Kapoor should have warned him by yelling fore.

But on Tuesday, the New York State Court of Appeals ruled that Kapoor was not responsible for yelling fore because Anand was not in the intended path of the ball, so Kapoor was not responsible for paying damages.

The court, which sided with several lower courts, ruled that Anand assumed the risk that he could be hit by an errant ball when he decided to play golf. And Kapoor was responsible for yelling fore only to golfers in the ball’s intended path.

“What this now means,” said Carl Tobias, a professor of law at the University of Richmond, “is that when you play golf in New York, you are only liable for hitting someone” if that person is in front of you.

Anand said he never heard anyone yell fore. On the first hole, Kapoor’s second shot landed in the rough about 20 yards from Anand’s ball, which was sitting in the fairway. Kapoor did not wait for Anand to find his ball and hit his third shot, which struck Anand, who was not in the intended direction of the ball, according to the court ruling.

The decision was the latest in a series of similar rulings about who is liable when a golfer is struck on a course. In 2007, the California State Court of Appeals made a similar ruling, saying golfers were not responsible for many injuries sustained by fellow golfers on the course.

New York and California are two of the leading states in tort law, and both states ruling the same way “will almost certainly have larger implications for the rest of the country,” Tobias said.

Fore has been used by golfers since the 18th century to warn others of an errant shot. Although historians are divided on its origins, many believe it originated in the 1700s, when, before artillery was fired, it was customary to shout, “Beware before.”

Dalton B. Floyd, a lawyer in Surfside Beach, S.C., who specializes in golf-related litigation, said courts had traditionally found that golfers are not liable for hitting those golfers not in their intended path.

“There is an inherent risk in golf that not everybody is going to hit a straight shot,” he said. “It’s different, however, if you are driving the ball and you normally hit 200 yards and there is a person 150 yards out and you hit them and don’t yell fore. In that case you have to warn them and if you don’t you are liable.”

Most issues arise, Floyd said, when a golfer hits someone on a green when the golfer thought the green was farther away than it actually was.

“Where we have the most controversy is with the suing of the clubs,” he said. “A guy hits a 3- iron and thought he was 210 yards out but the marker on the course was wrong and someone on the green is hit.”

AP crowns Tiger Woods soap opera sport story of the year

The Associated Press has named its top 10 sports stories of the year, based on ballots from US news organizations that make up the AP's membership.

Tiger Woods is No. 1 on this list.

Yes 2010 was a tough year for Tiger Woods, who went without a win for the first time in his career, lost his No. 1 professional golf ranking, and saw his marriage crumble following allegations of infidelity (made in 2009).

But does Woods deserve a spot atop this list in a year when the New Orleans Saints won their first Super Bowl, thousands of fans converged on Africa for a historic and vuvuzela-fueled World Cup, and Lebron James captivated a nation for 5 minutes with his free agency frenzy?

Not everyone agreed with the AP choice.

"The Tiger Woods story was really more of a 2009 story, right?" asked Andrew Sharp on the sports site sbnation.com. "It spilled well into 2010, but the real story in all of it was the Thanksgiving car crash in 2009, and the phenomenal reporting in the weeks that followed. None of which was done by sports reporters, because, um, well, good question. In any case, US Weekly owes Tiger money (which will go straight to Elin)."

"The fallout from Woods' admission of serial infidelity edged [out] a very different sort of story: The New Orleans Saints winning their first Super Bowl championship, giving an emotional boost to their hurricane-ravaged city." said bloggers from The San Francisco Chronicle's SFGate.com site. "It doesn't take too much of a national perspective to see why those two stories might have trumped the Giants in news value if not pure sports exhilaration."

Others, however, said that the AP's selection was on the money. "When Woods squandered a four-shot lead in his last tournament of the year, it marked the first time in 29 occasions he had lost a lead of more than two strokes in the final round and the first time since 1995 ... he went through a year without a win," noted Phillip Hersh in his stories of the year list for The Chicago Tribune. "Also gone: his wife (divorce), his No. 1 ranking, a reported $22 million in endorsement income ... and a reported $110 million in the divorce settlement."

McDowell voted player of the year by US golf writers

Graeme McDowell has picked up another award.

The U.S. Open champion has been voted player of the year by the Golf Writers Association of America.

McDowell received 87 votes to beat Jim Furyk (61) and Martin Kaymer (51). The Northern Irishman won three times this year and captured the decisive match in the Ryder Cup for Europe against the United States.

McDowell also won the Golf Writers Trophy from the British-based Association of Golf Writers. He shared European Tour player of the year with Kaymer.

Yani Tseng won female player of the year from the GWAA, topping Cristie Kerr and Ai Miyazato. Bernhard Langer was the overwhelming choice as the senior player of the year.

They will be honored April 6 in Augusta, Ga.

Teen golfer prodigy breaks a Tiger Woods record; has pro career in sights

As a golfer, having your name uttered in the same breath as Tiger Woods for your achievements on the course is quite a feat, but to have your name mentioned with Woods for breaking his records in undeniably remarkable.

Such a feat has been accomplished by Smithtown transplant by way of Queens, Jim Liu.

This past July, Liu, then 14 years old, became the youngest Junior Amateur Champion in the history of the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship when he fired the equivalent of a 64 in the first of the two-round championship round in Ada, Michigan. He surpassed Tiger Woods' record to win the U.S. Amateurs.

Because of his accomplishments, Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy honored Liu with a proclamation in late November.

"It was a great honor to meet Mr. Levy and to receive a proclamation from him and Suffolk County," Liu said.

"Jim's accomplishments are refreshing," Levy said. "The hours that go into perfecting a craft are countless. It's obvious he has put in an extraordinary amount of work and it is that work ethic that I find so refreshing from such a young man."

Winning both the championship this summer, being named in the same sentence as Woods, his childhood idol, Liu admitted was a great honor for him.

"I've always been influenced by Tiger Woods," Liu said. "He was a big hero of mine growing up and I've always looked up to him for how great of an athlete he was and how great he was in golf."

Jim and his family moved from Queens to Smithtown when he was five-and-a-half years old, and began playing golf when he was six years old. He admitted that he and his family had no idea how to play the game at first.

"We thought it'd be funny to live in a town and not know how to play golf," he said. "So we went to a driving range and a local clinic to try to get a feel of what it's about and I actually loved the game at the clinic."

Liu credited his parents for keeping him discipline and for helping him stay dedicated to his craft.

Jim's father, Yiming Liu, strongly believed his son has a gift, and is enjoying what Jim loves to do.

"I always remind him to make sure that he has fun," he said. "And I always support him, that's the key."

Jim spends about three-to-four hours daily working on his golfing game.

"If you really love the game, you just have to embrace it and work hard at it," he said. It'll all pay off in the future — you never have to think about practicing that much. It's more about enjoying the game while you're practicing."

Liu's accolades on course accolades are matched his accolades achieved in the classroom as the gold prodigy is maintaining A's in all of his classes. Currently, colleges are recruiting the student-athlete.

"I definitely see myself going to college," he said. "I'm not sure yet where I'm going, I'm just starting the recruiting process but that's something I'm looking forward. Hopefully after college golf, I'll go pro and maybe I can fulfill my dream to be the best that I can."

Elin Nordegren migrates with kids for Christmas

Tiger Woods' ex-wife Elin Nordegren was spotted in Stockholm with her children.

The Swedish former model, who divorced the philandering golfer this year, went out for a stroll in the snow with the couple's children, Sam and Charlie, and some unidentified friends.

It was recently reported that Woods had the children for Thanksgiving and Elin would have them for the Christmas holiday, and take them to her native Sweden.

Kirby, Wong named Canada's top amateurs

Eugene Wong of North Vancouver, B.C., and Jennifer Kirby of Paris, Ont., are Canada's top male and female amateur golfers, Golf Canada announced Thursday.

Wong, 20, was runner-up at the Canadian men's amateur, tied for fourth in individual play at the world amateur, and advanced to the round of 32 at the U.S. amateur. He competed at the 2010 RBC Canadian Open at St. George's Golf and Country Club but missed the cut by four shots.

Rounding out the top five on the men's Order of Merit were: Mitchell Evanecz of Red Deer, Alta., Albin Choi of Toronto, Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., and Cam Burke of New Hamburg, Ont.

Kirby, 19, a sophomore at the University of Alabama, was a semifinalist at the U.S. women's amateur, a quarterfinalist at the British ladies amateur and finished ninth at the Copa de las Americas.

Rounding out the top five in the women's national rankings were: Sara-Maude Juneau of Fossambault, Que., Christine Wong of Richmond, B.C., Jessica Wallace of Langley, B.C., and Nicole Vandermade of Brantford, Ont.

Choi and Rebecca Lee-Bentham of Richmond Hill, Ont., were named Canada's top junior golfers for 2010.

Mike Weir and long time caddie Brennan Little part ways

After 12 years it appears as though Mike Weir is ready for a change.

TSN golf analyst Bob Weeks has learned that the 2003 Masters champion has parted ways with caddie Brennan Little. According to Scoregolf.com, Little informed Weir following the conclusion of last weekend's Shark Shootout that he had accepted an offer to carry the bag of Sean O'Hair full time for the 2011 season.

"Mike and I are great friends, and always will be," Little told Scoregolf.com. "He understood that while it was a very difficult decision for me, I do have to consider what is best for my family. He knows that I will always be there for him, helping in whatever way I can."

Weir said that he felt no ill will towards the St. Thomas, Ont. native who caddied for O'Hair twice when Weir missed time with an elbow injury earlier this year.

"I wish him nothing but the best," Weir told Scoregolf.com. "I told him that if he wanted to get another job he should. I know he has to look after his family."

Weir and Little met playing junior golf in Ontario. Little agreed to become Weir's caddie in 1999 with Weir picking up all eight of his victories on the PGA Tour with Little on his bag.

The change could be advantageous to Little from a financial aspect as O'Hair finished 41st on the PGA Tour's money list last season, earning $1.85 million. Weir meanwhile finished 151st with $559,092 last season.

Weir's 2010 campaign was cut short last summer due to a partially torn elbow ligament.

Tigers' ex-wife on the arm of another?

Tiger Woods' ex-wife Elin Nordegren is moving on from the shamed sports star and is dating a new man, according to U.K. reports.

The couple split last year after news of the sportsman's numerous infidelities hit the headlines, and their divorce was finalized in August, with the Swedish former model walking away with an estimated $100 million.

She only spoke to the press once throughout the scandal to reveal her embarrassment over her husband's infidelities and insisting she just wanted to focus on her two children and her studies for a college course in psychology.

And now Nordegren has been linked to a 35-year-old South African she met while studying in Florida, a source tells Britain's The Sun.

Dustin Johnson & Ian Poulter take the Shark Shootout

Wie finished T6th in Dubai; Tinning claims trophy

Iben Tinning of Denmark ended her career with a victory at the Dubai Ladies Masters on Saturday, clinching the win with a birdie on the last hole to hold off Sweden's Anna Nordqvist by two shots.

The 36-year-old Tinning, who is retiring after 15 years on the tour, shot a 3-under 69 in the final round to finish at 11-under 277.

Lee-Anne Pace won the Ladies European Tour Order of Merit despite struggling to a tie for 52nd at 299. She became the first South African to top the women's money list when Laura Davies of England failed to finish first or second.

American Michelle Wie, struggling with back problems all week, was eight shots behind going into the final round, but moved up to a share for sixth place after shooting a 67, the best score of the day, to finish at 283.

"Yeah, I'm just happy to be done. I'm happy I made it through," Wie said. "It's been a little bit of a struggle this week but I was really happy to end on a really good note. Things happened a lot better. Just hit a couple of shots closer."

Tinnen was a shot ahead of the 16th-ranked Nordqvist and England's Melissa Reid going to the 18th and got safely on the green to set up the birdie putt that sealed the victory.

Tinning hugged her husband, Lasse, who caddies for her, after Reid made a bogey putt to end up in third place. It was Tinning's sixth tour victory -- and first since 2005 -- and will help erase the bad memories of playing here in 2007 when she missed a putt on the 17th and then hit a shot in the water on the 18th to hand the win to Annika Sorenstam.

"It's crazy," she said with a smile. "I know it's going through my head now but I can't believe I won. It was amazing. I just tried to keep strong out there and it was tough sometimes. I cannot believe this. I am so happy."

Pace, who lost her European Tour card in 2007 and was 21st on last year's money list, is now looking ahead to next year, setting her sights on a first major title and a maiden win on the LPGA Tour.

"Now, my goals are a lot bigger and I believe I can do anything I want," she said. "After winning five tournaments this year, I know anything is possible."

The 56th-ranked Pace won her first tournament on the tour in Switzerland in June and then four more to take the money lead. She earned more than $449,000, while Davies finished second with over $412,000.

Davies shot a 3-over 75 on the first day to effectively end the title race. She finished in a tie for 19th at 1-over 289.

Davies played eight fewer tournaments than Pace, but praised the South African as a deserving winner.

"She's the one that when I went ahead of her after Spain, she hit back with two wins and you just can't say enough about that," said Davies, a seven-time Order of Merit winner.

LPGA looking for way out of TV deal with Golf Channel

After a year of tape-delayed broadcasts, the LPGA may be reconsidering its long-term deal with Golf Channel, according to Golf World’s Ron Sirak.

“Sources tell Golf World the LPGA is looking for a way out of the 10-year contract that made Golf Channel the exclusive cable partner for the women's tour beginning this year,” Sirak wrote Monday.

Former LPGA commissioner Carolyn Bivens inked the pact that made the women’s tour an afterthought in Golf Channel’s live programming. Because the PGA, European, Champions, and Nationwide Tours rule over the LPGA in the Golf Channel pecking order, the network aired 38 of 94 official LPGA rounds on tape delay, Sirak noted. TV audiences could not find another 11 at all, even with the golf network offering hours of canned programming.

With more than half of the tour’s contests blacked out, “It’s hard to build a fan base that way,” Sirak said of the struggling LPGA. The women’s tour, which has yet to announce its schedule for next season, offered an abridged calendar in 2010.

LPGA and Golf Channel spokespersons did not respond to Waggle Room requests for comments.

Another John Daly meltdown. This time in Australia

SUNSHINE Coast golf fans have witnessed another John Daly meltdown after the loudly dressed golfer couldn't find form with his putter.

The wild one of golf - who famously hurled his putter into a lake beside the 18th green of the Hyatt Regency Coolum course in 2002 - crashed out of the second round of the Australian PGA after a shocking 83.

A triple bogey, three doubles and three bogeys saw the American with an 11-over par to bomb out of the event.

Daly - who has had huge crowds following him around the Coast course - was one of the drawcards of the PGA - and has been paid handsomely to appear.

Daly was playing along defending champion Robert Allenby and leading Chinese player Wenchong Liang.

Throughout the day he appeared disinterested, rushing his shots and his putts as any hope of making the final cut slipped away.

Tournament promoter Tony Roosenberg, a longtime Daly friend and suppoter, sprung to the American's defence, denying he and Allenby had words.

"That's definitely not the case," Roosenberg told AAP.

"He was very disappointed but there was absolutely no words between the two players.

"John has been playing really well but he can't get the putter going.

"He's been very frustrated and today was a bit much.

"That's the way it goes with John. It must have all gone wrong. He missed the cut (at last week's Australian Open) in Sydney and he had 83 today, which is disappointing.

"He's striking the ball well which makes it all that much harder for him."

Bad back still an issue for Wie @ Dubai Ladies Masters

Danish veteran Iben Tinning, playing in her final Ladies European Tour tournament, was tied for the lead Friday with England's Melissa Reid going into the final round of the Dubai Ladies Masters.

The 36-year-old Tinning, who will retire after 15 years on the tour, was two shots back at the halfway mark but had four birdies on her way to a 3-under 69 to pass overnight leader Lydia Hall of England. Reid was three shots back but managed her best score of the tournament -- a 4-under 68 -- to grab a share of the lead on the final hole at the season-ending tournament in Dubai.

Hall remained in the hunt a shot back, after she recovered from an early double bogey to shoot even par and remain at 7 under. She was tied with 16th-ranked Anna Nordqvist of Sweden who briefly topped the leaderboard before falling back after carding a late bogey.

American Michelle Wie, battling back troubles, had a rollercoaster round. She birdied the third hole to go 2 under, but then had two bogeys on the back nine before stringing together two birdies. On the 18th, she double-bogeyed to move to even par 216 for the tournament and a tie for 17th.

Tinning hasn't won on the tour since a 2005 victory in Denmark and admitted she had butterflies early on knowing she was battling for the lead. She calmed herself down and went onto play some of her best golf of the tournament, aggressively going for the pins and making several clutch putts including one on 15 to save par and on 16 for a birdie.

"This morning when I went out to play, I was really nervous the first few holes," she said. "And it was funny. I said to my husband 'well, this actually what I'm going to miss'. So I've got to enjoy it, even thought it was a bit terrifying."

Tinning acknowledged she "wasn't prepared" to be at the top of the leaderboard going into Sunday but said she would continue playing do-or-die golf knowing "she has nothing to lose."

"I've been waiting for a career win for, what six years and I think it's about time and that's probably one of my last chances," the 110th-ranked Tinning said with a smile.

Reid, who won her first tournament in Turkey earlier this year, moved into contention after making three birdies on the front nine and said she was "quite happy" to finish with two more birdies on the final two holes. Despite a lone bogey on nine after she hit into the water, Reid said she "played solid today" and felt she was in good position to earn her second tour victory.

"Yeah, it would be a nice little Christmas present wouldn't it to win this week," said the 67th-ranked Reid.

Hall appeared to be fading after a double-bogey on the second but she settled herself down to get four birdies on the back nine. A relative unknown on the tour who has yet to finish better than sixth, Hall credited her improved performance with a training routine the past 10 weeks and work on her swing that has resulted in her adding 10 yards to many of her shots.

"There are huge names on the leaderboard and I'm just concentrating on myself, one shot at a time," she said. "We'll see what happens. Anything can happen."

Wie, who rushed right to the putting green after her round, lamented some missed opportunities on the front nine where she parred every hole except one and the par 5s where the normally big-hitting Wie had two bogeys and a double bogey to go along with a lone par.

"I didn't play well on the par 5 in the end. Oh well," Wie said. "I didn't make any birdie putts in the beginning which is a struggle for me. Other than that, I played pretty solid. I just have to monkey with a couple of shots."

PGA Tour banking on young guns for '11

Move over, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, and all you other golfing geezers. With the 2011 U.S. golf season weeks away, Woods winless, Lefty under the weather, and hot-shot Rickie Fowler hoisting the Rookie of the Year trophy, the PGA Tour has embarked on a marketing blitz to push the 20-somethings making their marks on fairways worldwide.

The first stage of the “New Breed” vs. The Establishment (Choose Your Side)” promo, which PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem made official Thursday, aired during last weekend’s Chevron World Challenge. The 40-second spot, dramatic music and all, purports to pit young guns Fowler, Dustin Johnson, Camilo Villegas, and Anthony Kim vs. Woods, Mickelson, Player of the Year Jim Furyk, and Steve Stricker, respectively.

The piece -- with the tagline “There comes a time when every generation must rise up. That time is now” -- is the start of a TV and print marketing plan “to better familiarize fans with up and coming stars,” according to Joel Schuchmann, the tour’s communications director. The tour wants fans to “‘pick sides’ and have favorite players above and beyond the Tigers and Phils of the world,” Schuchmann said.

Finchem wants to cash in on “the tremendous interest in young players coming up," the commissioner said during a season-ending conference call with reporters. "I've never...seen so much buzz and interest about rookies and young players creating exciting performances. Actually, it has led us to conclude that we really need to focus on that dynamic as we go into 2011."

The tour will spotlight other “new breeders,” including British Open winner Louis Oosthuizen, Travelers champ and big hitter Bubba Watson, and FedEx Cup contender Jason Day. The golfers who’ll grab the headlines will be those who show up week to week, including potential newcomers.

“Obviously, for this marketing plan to be successful,” Schuchmann noted, “the players have to do some positive things on the course in 2011.”

Nationwide Tour POY and PGA Tour rookie, 22-year-old Jamie Lovemark, could figure into what Schuchmann said would be a “nimble” advertising effort that will “adapt” to who’s hot and who’s not.

“If [Lovemark] or other up-and-comers win or make a splash early on, they would probably be added to the overall campaign,” Schuchmann added.

As for Europeans like wunderkind Rory McIlroy and others who will take their talents across the pond in 2011 -- don’t look for them in the tour’s adverts.

“While as a non-member [McIlroy] most likely won't be part of this campaign,” Schuchmann said, “we’re excited he will most likely play 10 [or] 11 times on the PGA TOUR next year and will add a great deal to our overall product during those weeks.”

Despite what seemed to be a bit of Tiger trashing, don’t get Finchem wrong. He knows that Woods remains the tour’s cash cow. One glance at the ratings from the Chevron’s final round could tell him that.

“[Tiger’s] overall presence as a player who is chasing big records and a perennial No. 1 player, now No. 2, is that he increases interest across the board in the sport, whether he's playing or not,” Finchem massively understated. “From a television perspective, Tiger...increases the audience.”

But, after weathering the first season with zero Woods’ victories in 14 years, Finchem needed some new glamour guys to fill the gaps when Tiger’s off his game. Looks like Fowler, Johnson, and other eager young tour players will be Finchem’s 2011 “It” boys.

Merry Christmas; Lee Westwood remains #1 with win in South Africa

For Graeme McDowell and Lee Westwood, contenders for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award later this month, the weekend could not have gone any better and their successes are further reflected in the latest World Ranking.

Westwood went into the Nedbank Golf Challenge knowing that Tiger Woods had a chance to overtake him as the World Number One should the American win his own tournament – the Chevron World Challenge – and Westwood finish outside the top two in Sun City. Westwood’s response? To win by eight strokes and extend his lead over Woods to 0.8 points at the top of the Official World Golf Ranking, stamping his authority at the top of the order.

McDowell’s fourth win of a dream season, where he denied Woods in his own backyard by winning a play-off for the Chevron World Challenge, elevated him to a career high of seventh in the World Ranking, a climb of four places from last week. McDowell started the year in 39th place but his US Open success coupled with victories in the Celtic Manor Wales Open, Andalucia Valderrama Masters and now the Chevron World Challenge, have lifted him to his highest position in the World.

There are currently six Europeans in the top ten of the Official World Golf Ranking with Westwood top, Martin Kaymer third, McDowell seventh, Paul Casey eighth, Luke Donald ninth and Ian Poulter tenth.

Monday Backspin with Casey Black

Tiger loses lead and tournament in playoff to Graeme McDowell

U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell capped off his greatest year with two clutch putts that gave him the greatest comeback ever against Tiger Woods.

McDowell holed a 20-foot birdie putt on the final hole to force a playoff Sunday in the Chevron World Challenge, then made another birdie putt from a little longer away to deny Woods a victory in his final tournament of the year.

"It's the stuff of dreams -- 2010 has been the stuff of dreams," McDowell said.

Woods, despite losing a four-shot lead, was poised to end a turbulent year with a victory in his final event. Tied for the lead playing the 18th hole at Sherwood Country Club, he stuffed an 8-iron inside 3 feet for a sure birdie. It was vintage Woods, the kind of magic he has he delivered so often in his career.

But it wasn't the same old outcome.

McDowell, with his own reputation as a tough closer, stayed in the game on the 17th by taking a penalty drop on the 18th tee and escaping with bogey. Then after Woods' great shot, McDowell answered with an all-or-nothing birdie putt.

In the playoff on the same hole, McDowell coaxed in another birdie putt from about 25 feet. Woods had about 15 feet to extend the playoff, but it missed just right of the cup.

"Probably two of the great putts I've made," McDowell said.

It was the first time Woods has ever lost a tournament when leading by at least three shots going into the final round. And it was the first time Woods has lost an event and felt good about himself.

"It was a great week, even though I didn't win," Woods said. "I'm proud of the way I played today, even though I lost."

Indeed, it was the first time Woods like the No. 1 player of old. He opened with three rounds in the 60s, the first time since the PGA Championship last year that he led after the first three rounds.

But he three-putted twice for bogey early in his round, lost the lead with a double bogey on the par-5 13th, then rallied to give himself a chance to win when McDowell paid for a few bad shots.

Ultimately, it was great theater. And for the first time all year, it included Woods.

"He will be back to winning tournaments very soon," McDowell said.

McDowell closed with a 69, while Woods shot a 73 to match him at 16-under 272. They were four shots clear of Paul Casey, who had had a 69 to finish alone in third.

McDowell showed why he is considered such a tough closer, despite letting Woods back into the game late.

He had a one-shot lead -- courtesy of Woods chopping his way to double bogey on the par-5 13th -- when McDowell pulled his tee shot on the par-3 17th into grass so deep that he took a penalty drop onto the 18th tee. But he dropped only one shot when Woods missed his birdie putt and McDowell pitched over a tree to about 7 feet and made the bogey putt.

Then, Woods had a big advantage again -- but not for long.

"We had a good battle out there," Woods said.

Woods was shaky early on with the putter to quickly lose his four-shot cushion, but he didn't fall out of the lead until the 13th.

He took his hand off the club on a poor tee shot that went into the left rough, forcing him to lay up. Then came another poor swing, again letting the club fall from his hands, as his wedge sailed over the green. He chipped through the green, chipped back 6 feet long and missed the putt to make double bogey.

McDowell reached the green in two for a birdie, which was a massive three-shot swing.

It was the first time Woods trailed in the tournament since the 13th hole of the opening round, a stretch of 54 holes.

McDowell needed only four holes to put some tension into this final round, with plenty of help from the host.

Woods three-putted for bogey from about 25 feet on the opening hole. Two holes later, he ran his birdie putt about 3 feet beyond the cup and three-putted again for bogey. McDowell closed within one shot with a 4-foot birdie on the fourth, and that's the way it stayed for the next eight holes.

Woods probably should have lost the lead earlier.

He holed a tough, downhill putt from 8 feet for par on the sixth to stay one ahead. And on the par-3 eighth, after a flop shop from deep rough sailed 15 feet onto the fringe, Woods again made a key par putt to keep the lead.

Woods was grinding to keep his game together, which was not unusual considering it had been one year and 20 days since he last played in the final round of a tournament with the lead. He never got it back, thanks to the clutch putting from McDowell.

A year ago, McDowell was a last-minute alternate to this tournament when Woods' personal life began to collapse. He finished second and earned enough Official World Golf Ranking points that he eventually got into the U.S. Open, which he won at Pebble Beach.

At a party Saturday night, McDowell asked tournament director Greg McLaughlin if he could at least try to win the tournament. Woods and a four-shot lead used to be a given. Upon seeing McLaughlin after winning, McDowell apologized.

It may have ruined a good story for Woods. It capped a dream season for McDowell, who won $1.2 million and moved up to No. 7 in the Official World Golf Ranking.

Jim Furyk named PGA Player of the Year

Jim Furyk, who won the FedExCup on the strength of three PGA TOUR victories, was named the 2010 PGA TOUR Player of the Year on a vote by his fellow competitors, PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem announced Saturday at the Chevron World Challenge.

Furyk, 40, earns his first-ever Player of the Year award after winning the Transitions Championship, the Verizon Heritage and the season-ending TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola. His three victories were more than any other player on TOUR and he totaled seven top-10s in 21 starts.

Furyk also finished second on the money list with $4,809,622 and fifth in adjusted scoring average at 69.83.

"The year just keeps getting better is all I can say," Furyk said. "I'm not sure I want 2010 to end at this point."

Furyk, who will receive the Jack Nicklaus Trophy as Player of the Year, beat out Ernie Els, Dustin Johnson, Matt Kuchar and Phil Mickelson.

"Jim is a tremendous player, a consummate professional and with three wins and the FedExCup title, his season was certainly worthy of the award," Finchem said.

Furyk had gone more than two years without winning until his victory in the Transitions Championship in March, then won again a month later at Hilton Head. He ended the year with a par save from the bunker on the final hole at East Lake to not only win the Tour Championship, but the FedEx Cup.

He previously won player of the year from the PGA of America, an award based on points. This was a vote of PGA TOUR players.

"This one is very meaningful ... having all my peers and colleagues -- basically the guys I play against week in and week out -- and to have them vote for me as player of the year is what's special," Furyk said.

Rickie Fowler was named PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year and Jamie Lovemark was named Nationwide Tour Player of the Year.