Golf International Magazine Online

Tiger's Event Only Flaw is a Weak Field

Golf International — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 12:19:00 GMT

Tiger Woods is 33 and already has more PGA Tour victories than Arnold Palmer. One of these days, he might have the kind of influence on players that the King can wield with a mere glint in his eye.

Consider the case of one player, whom every tournament would love to have in its field. He had no intention of playing the Arnold Palmer Invitational this year, for no other reason than he wanted to change up his schedule leading to the Masters. The young star was at Seminole in early March when he ran into Palmer, who greeted him with a smile, a firm handshake and a question.

“Are you coming to my tournament?” Palmer asked him.

Strangely enough, his plans changed that moment.

As far as anyone can tell, Woods never had that kind of moment with any of the big names who were somewhere other than his AT&T National last week. Only four of the top 12 players showed up at Congressional.

Would it have helped if Woods had done some recruiting?

“I’ve never asked anybody to play,” Woods said. “I don’t … I feel awkward doing that. If the guys can find time in their schedule to play, we’d love to have them.”

Congressional managed just fine without them.

The golf course, which will host its third U.S. Open in two years, is a classic that rivals any on the PGA Tour.

The tournament honors the military over the Fourth of July holiday outside the nation’s capital. Kids not only get in free, one marshal named Ron Fitzsimmons plucked a dozen of them out of the gallery each day and parked them behind the seventh tee so they could see. Proceeds will go toward building another Tiger Woods Learning Center, this one in the Washington area.

In three years, the AT&T National has become a model event.

Along with those trappings, it was quite a show inside the ropes. Woods played in the final pairing with the dynamic defending champion, Anthony Kim. He wound up beating another rising star, Hunter Mahan, who threw down a 62 in a final round that some 40,000 fans didn’t want to see end.

To no one’s surprise, the overnight TV rating was up 200 percent from last year.

“You’ve got Tiger and Anthony Kim in the last group,” Fred Couples said. “Does it really matter who’s not here?”

Even so, it was clear Couples was perturbed by the no-shows, and he wasn’t alone. There was plenty of grumbling going on outside the Beltway as tournament organizers quietly took roll.

More than 100 players earned over $1 million last year, and most of them owe that to Woods.

Was it too much to return the favor by playing his tournament?

None of the no-shows would have sold any more tickets. The crowd was estimated at over 160,000 for the week, and that doesn’t include Wednesday’s pro-am when Woods played with Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo in Redskins territory.

In a twist of fate, perhaps it was only fitting so much attention was paid to absentees.

Strength of field has been a debate since the days of Palmer and Jack Nicklaus, into the era of Couples and Greg Norman, yet no one has brought more attention to it than Woods.

Ask tournament directors if they would rather have nine of the top 10 players in the world without Woods, or only one player in the top 10 as long as that one was Woods. If they take Door No. 1, it’s only because they don’t have Tiger.

The perception is that if Woods plays, it’s a great field, even when it really isn’t. And when he doesn’t play, golf is irrelevant.

Four PGA Tour events that Woods missed this year had a higher-rated field than he attracted to the AT&T National, yet there was a story every week, in Los Angeles and Houston, in Fort Worth and Phoenix, about why Woods wasn’t there.

Remember, the only reason the AT&T National exists is because Jack Vickers folded his tent at Castle Pines after spending a decade trying to lure back Woods to the International (ignoring that he had Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els, Vijay Singh and Sergio Garcia every year).

The AT&T National has everything a player could want, much like Quail Hollow and the Memorial.

So why don’t more top players show up?

A strong field starts with a great course and a good spot on the schedule. What once appeared to be a great date—a week involving the Fourth of July—is starting to look suspect.

Sure, the Western Open rarely suffered when Woods, Nick Price and Tom Watson were winning against a strong field. However, that was when the PGA Tour season ended in early November, not the middle of September in the FedEx Cup configuration. A contracted schedule means more choices, and good events get crammed together in the summer.

Plus, more Europeans are in the top 50, and this is when their schedule actually takes them to Europe—France last week, the Scottish Open this week, then the British Open.

Don’t be surprised to see the AT&T National move to May if a spot in the schedule opens up in 2012, if not sooner.

In the meantime, Woods said all the right things Sunday night.

“For the guys who have come here over the last three years and played,” he said, “hopefully they’ve enjoyed their time.”

That’s all he can ask.

And as long as Woods is host of the tournament, that’s all it needs.

Dozen Qualify for British Open at Final Qualification

Golf International — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 12:17:00 GMT

Austrian Markus Brier and British brothers Lloyd and Elliot Saltman were among 12 players who earned places at next week’s British Open in local final qualifying on Tuesday.

Also going through were Swede Fredrik Andersson Hed, Australian Daniel Gaunt, Irishman David Higgins, South African Thomas Aiken and former Ryder Cup player Peter Baker of Britain.

But there was disappointment for twice U.S. Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal of Spain who failed to advance at Kilmarnock Barassie, one of three venues in Scotland staging the qualifiers.

Brier, a double winner on the European Tour, followed a course-record 64 with a seven-under-par 66 to lead the field by a staggering six strokes at Barassie.

Two days after celebrating his 41st birthday, the Vienna native was able to toast his fifth appearance in the world’s oldest major championship.

“I’m really looking forward to it because I love links golf,” a beaming Brier told reporters after piling up 17 birdies and just one bogey in 36 holes. “The Open is the biggest tournament we have.”

The Saltman siblings became the first brothers to qualify for the British Open since Spaniards Seve and Manuel Ballesteros 26 years ago.

Olazabal, who also failed to qualify for last year’s British Open at Royal Birkdale, missed out by seven shots after carding 70 and 73 at Barassie.

The 138th British Open will be played at Turnberry in Scotland from July 16-19.

Kenny Perry the Favorite for John Deere Classic

Golf International — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 12:16:00 GMT

American world number four Kenny Perry is known for his red-hot streaks and will launch his title defence as heavy favourite for this week’s John Deere Classic in Silvis, Illinois.

Perry clinched his 14th PGA Tour victory in his most recent start, at the Travelers Championship nine days ago, and will be bidding for his third win this year when he tees off in Thursday’s opening round.

“My whole career has been like that,” the 48-year-old Tour veteran told reporters in the build-up to this week’s event at the TPC Deere Run. “I’m a very streaky player.

“I won three times in ’03, the Colonial and Memorial back-to-back and two weeks later I won again. It just seems like whenever I get on these streaks I can hold my game together for four, five or six tournaments.

“I did that again this year,” Perry added, referring to a run of six top-10s in his first 10 PGA Tour appearances of the season. That streak included a victory at the Phoenix Open in February and a playoff loss at the U.S. Masters in April.

He has since triumphed by three shots at the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Connecticut and can be expected to flourish again this week at one of his favourite venues.

Twelve months ago, Perry received widespread criticism for competing at Deere Run and then skipping the British Open at Royal Birkdale the following week.

Instead, he honoured his pledge to play at the Milwaukee Championship and his desire to qualify for the U.S. team at last year’s Ryder Cup in his native Kentucky.

“This was a huge tournament for me last year to win,” said Perry, reflecting on his playoff victory over compatriots Brad Adamonis and Jay Williamson.

“This really springboarded me right into the Ryder Cup. As everybody knows, I took a lot of grief for skipping a couple of the majors but I had a goal, I had a plan.”

Perry will, however, compete in next week’s British Open at Turnberry in Scotland.

Although most of the top players are already in Europe preparing for the third major of the year, this week’s PGA Tour event has attracted three members of the world’s top 20.

Apart from Perry, fellow Americans Steve Stricker (eighth) and U.S. Open champion Lucas Glover (17th) are also taking part.

There is added incentive this week as the leading player finishing in the top five at Deere Run not yet exempt for the British Open will secure an automatic berth for Turnberry.

LPGA Wants to Focus on US Women's Open

Golf International — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 12:15:00 GMT

LPGA officials and players want to concentrate on this week’s U.S. Women’s Open instead of reports that some of the tour’s top players want commissioner Carolyn Bivens to resign.

LPGA spokesman David Higdon declined to comment Tuesday on reports that more than a dozen players sent a letter to the LPGA Tour’s board urging Bivens to step down, telling The Associated Press in an e-mail he couldn’t comment on internal matters.

Higdon said the tour is focused “first and foremost” this week on the Open at Saucon Valley Country Club. But Higdon said the tour and its board take seriously any topic raised by the players.

Former Women’s Open champion Cristie Kerr read a statement asking the media to restrict its questions to the event, golf—and her wine making.

On Monday, Golfweek Magazine reported that key players said in the letter that the tour’s woes cannot be blamed on a poor economy and that the LPGA needs a new leader to rebuild relationships with sponsors.

The LPGA has lost seven tournaments since 2007.

“There are always differences of opinion on business matters, and as they arise, we resolve them as best we can in order to further the business of the LPGA,” Higdon said.

Because Kerr doesn’t hold an official position with the players’ organization, she said she couldn’t speak on LPGA operations. She did point out that the players’ organization is focused on how the dismal economy is affecting the tour.

The players are working with tour officials to create the best possible product for tour partners and fans, said Kerr, who never was asked about her wine making.

Defending champion Inbee Park sidestepped the issue of LPGA infighting, citing respect for the USGA event.

Saltman Brothers Qualify for The Open!

Golf International — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 12:13:00 GMT

Twelve players have secured their places at Turnberry after progressing through Open Championship Local Final Qualifying today. The 288-man field completed 36 holes during the last two days, with four berths available at each of the three LFQ venues; Glasgow – Gailes Links, Kilmarnock (Barassie) and Western Gailes.

The story of the day was the qualification of brothers, Lloyd and Elliot Saltman at Kilmarnock (Barassie) and Glasgow – Gailes Links respectively. The pair will now go on to play at Turnberry; Elliot, 27, making his debut Championship appearance and Lloyd, 23, with his first Open start since winning the Silver Medal as Leading Amateur at St Andrews in 2005.

“It’s a dream come true to be in The Open, especially along with my brother, Lloyd,” said elder brother, Elliot, whose other brother, Zack, was on his bag at Glasgow – Gailes Links. “Mum’s over the moon. She was on the phone to him while he was here watching me on the 18th.”

Markus Brier, whose nine under-par total of 64 set the pace at Barassie yesterday, ensured his fifth Open appearance with a 66. The 41-year-old from Austria only had one bogey in 36 holes, managing to make an astonishing 17 birdies to finish six shots ahead of the field on 16 under-par.

“I'm really looking forward to it because I love links golf. The Open is the biggest tournament we have and I love it,” said an elated Brier. “Do I have a chance? If I play like I have for the past two days, of course I have a chance but we will have to see how they set Turnberry up. Links golf is in my body, it just suits my game because I hit it with a low trajectory and low spin and I love it when I can hit six or five iron into par fives and they just keep on running.”

At Glasgow – Gailes Links it was South Africa’s Thomas Aiken who led the way, posting a four under 67 today to lead by two strokes on six under-par. Aiken has played two previous Opens, in 2006 at Royal Liverpool and at Royal Birkdale in 2008.

“I again played very solid, trying to limit the bogeys,” said the 25-year-old who will celebrate his 26th birthday on 16 July, the first day of the 138th Open Championship. “I stuck to the same game-plan as in the first round and it paid off.”

And at Western Gailes Fredrik Andersson-Hed’s 36-hole total of 137, which came courtesy of a four under-par 67 today, made sure that he will be at Turnberry in just over one week’s time. One shot behind the Swede was England’s Steve Surry who qualified for his first Open after scoring a day-two 66, five under-par.

“Getting into any Major is always special but I think for us Europeans, The Open is the one,” Surry explained.

The other players to qualify at Glasgow – Gailes Links were veteran English Ryder Cup competitor, Peter Baker, and Ireland’s David Higgins. At Kilmarnock (Barassie) Daniel Gaunt of Australia and Denmark’s Peter Ellebye earned their Open places. And at Western Gailes Englishmen Thomas Haylock and Daniel Wardrop also secured their Turnberry berths.

The Open Championship will take place next week from 16 – 19 July on the Ailsa Course at Turnberry.

Notah Begay III Excited About Tiger Commitment

Golf International — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 13:22:00 GMT

Notah Begay III was nearly at a loss for words.

“I am humbled,” Begay said Monday in announcing that Tiger Woods, his former roommate at Stanford University, would play in a skins game in August to benefit Native American children. “You come up with certain ideas and sometimes they come true. Part of what I learned at Stanford is that you try and create win-win situations, and this is a win-win for everybody. What a testament to our foundation’s work.”

Woods, who originally agreed to play last year but had to pull out after undergoing knee surgery, has rarely played in charity events like this. He will be competing against Begay, Mike Weir, and Camilo Villegas on a layout he’s never played, Atunyote (uh-DUNE’-yote) Golf Club. The course, one of three at Turning Stone Resort and Casino, also hosts a PGA Tour event.

The inaugural NB3 Challenge in 2008 was the foundation’s first national event and raised nearly $200,000. Begay, the only full-blooded Native American on the PGA Tour, said he expects this year’s competition to net between $600,000 and $800,000.

“It’s the Tiger factor,” he said.

Begay said only 3,000 tickets would be sold, partly for security reasons. It will not be televised, but Begay said he would explore the possibility of having the players miked so fans can hear their banter.

“We want it to be intimate,” he said.

The Notah Begay III Foundation, established in 2005, seeks to reduce diabetes and obesity among Native American youth.

The event is a collaboration between Begay, the Oneida Indian Nation of New York, and the San Manuel Band of Serrano Mission Indians of California. It also presents an opportunity for the Oneidas to showcase the three championship golf courses the resort has built.

Having Woods in the field is a major breakthrough.

“I was celebrating,” said Ray Halbritter, chief executive officer of the Oneida Indian Nation of New York and a driving force in developing Turning Stone into one of the nation’s top golf attractions. “I couldn’t believe it, really. I just hope we can make the course hard enough for him.”

Last year, Villegas won a chip-off against Weir, Begay, Vijay Singh, and Stewart Cink to walk away with top money of $220,000. Singh donated $80,000 of the $180,000 he won. Cink also won a hole, but Weir and Begay were shut out.

Begay said he would do his best to keep Woods at bay.

“I’m not going to give him any tips,” Begay said. “If a putt breaks left, I’m going to say it breaks right.”

The total purse will remain at $500,000. A year ago, the first six holes were worth $10,000 apiece, the second six $20,000, holes 13 through 17 $50,000 each, and No. 18 $70,000.

It was difficult to score a skin last year despite picture-perfect August weather with temperatures in the mid-70s. When Villegas hit a 250-yard fairway shot to within a foot of the pin at the par-5 fifth hole to set up an easy eagle, Weir nullified it with an 18-foot eagle putt.

With Woods competing, Begay said one thing would change.

“It’s going to be me, Mike and Camilo against Tiger,” Begay said, smiling. “Mike and I got shut out last year and I don’t want that to happen again. If we have to resort to tackling him, we will.”

Players Call for LPGA Boss to Resign

Golf International — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 13:20:00 GMT

Top LPGA players have lost confidence in the Tour’s leadership and have called for the resignation of commissioner Carolyn Bivens, according to a media report on Monday.

Mexican world number one Lorena Ochoa and American Paula Creamer were among a group of players who met last week to express concern over the health of the LPGA in the face of the global economic downturn, Golfweek magazine reported on Monday.

Following that meeting, which took place during the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic, a letter was sent to the LPGA’s board of directors urging Bivens to step down and requesting that new leadership be installed.

According to Golfweek, up to 15 LPGA players attended the meeting in Toledo, Ohio but the magazine did not report how many of those signed the letter calling for Bivens to resign.

The LPGA refused to be drawn on the report.

“This week we are focused on the U.S. Women’s Open and it’s not an appropriate time to discuss internal LPGA matters,” LPGA Chief Communications Officer David Higdon said in an email to Reuters.

“We all care deeply about the Tour and are working hard for its long-term success.”

South Korean Jang Jeong echoed the concerns of many of her fellow professionals over a U.S. women’s circuit which has lost seven tournaments since 2007, including all three in Hawaii.

“In the beginning of the year, I was like: ‘Whatever’,” Jang told Golfweek. “Now, I’m really worried about it.”

Australian Katherine Hull told Golfweek that tensions among the players were “mounting more every week”.

“We’re getting to the point where we don’t know who to believe, which is hard,” she added.

“When tournaments that have been very loyal to us start withdrawing, that’s really a red flag to me.”

From next year, the LPGA is taking ownership of the LPGA Championship, the second major of the season which will have to find a new venue.

“I am concerned,” world number four Paula Creamer told reporters covering last month’s LPGA Championship.

“I’m 22 years old, this is my fifth year on tour and we don’t know where one of our majors is going to be. It’s a scary thought.”

Bivens, who replaced Ty Votaw as LPGA commissioner in September 2005, has two years left on her contract.

Tiger Woods in Preparation for The British Open

Golf International — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 13:18:00 GMT

When Tiger Woods takes a vacation, golf is not his escape - it's what he's trying to escape from.

"I don't play golf on my vacations," Woods said. "I get away from it. I would never, ever have a golfing vacation because it's not interesting for me to go out there and do that."

World number one Woods needs a purpose to entice him into golfing and nothing will bring as much dedication as this week when he will be at home in Florida training for the 138th British Open next week at Turnberry, Scotland.

"I love playing, but when I'm at home, it's more preparing," Woods said. "I'll go out and play, but it's preparing for the next event. I rarely ever go out and just play just to play.

"I enjoy going out and practicing, playing nine or 18 and testing what I just worked on. But that's just how I've always done it."

Woods will be seeking his 15th major title, three shy of matching the career record of 18 majors won by Jack Nicklaus. Woods won the 2000 and 2005 British Opens at St. Andrews and also lifted the Claret Jug in 2006 at Royal Liverpool.

But he is without a major title for the first time in five years and looking forward to his chances to change that in Scotland and next month at Hazeltine in Minnesota, where Woods finished second to American Rich Beem in 2002.

"Looking forward to the next two," Woods said. "I've never played Turnberry, so I'm looking forward to getting there and playing. Hazeltine, it has been a while, but I came close there, and I like Hazeltine."

Woods, comning off a victory at his PGA National event, will emphasize ball control and shotmaking in working with coach Hank Haney as he prepares to handle the fickle winds that can blow away British Open title dreams.

"Just making sure that you can flight your ball and making sure you can maneuver it both ways efficiently, because over there you don't know what kind of weather you're going to get," Woods said.

"You have to be able to be confident in controlling your golf ball and manoeuvering it all around and feel like you can do it efficiently."

As important as practice sessions will be for Woods, part of his preparation will include watching video of television coverage from prior British Opens at Turnberry, including Nick Price's 1994 triumph and Tom Watson's 1977 victory.

"I've seen the highlights. I think everyone has. But I haven't seen it in a while," Woods said. "More than anything, depends on the camera angles, what they show you, what they're able to show you.

"I'll take a look at it. But from what I hear, they have changed a few holes. I don't know what holes they have changed, but maybe I'll get an idea of that first before I took a look at it."

The course is 247 yards longer with only the four par-3 holes unchanged. Woods knows there's nothing like seeing what he will be up against on the blustery Scottish shore.

"There's only so much you can see on videotape. I'll have to get there in person," Woods said.

"But the whole idea before I get there is actually to have everything dialed in, feel comfortable with my swing, short putting, everything, then start getting the feel for how to play over there.

"I have to do more homework once I get there and do more prep work on the greens and make sure I truly understand how to play the golf course and have a game plan come Thursday."

Weather can play havoc with British Open dreams, but Woods appreciates a course that can offer a challenge and Turnberry will certainly fill that bill.

"I've always preferred playing harder courses," Woods said. "I've always liked to play a golf course that you have to think and work your way around the golf course, like a chess match."

Phil Mickelson's Mother Diagnosed with Breast Cancer

Golf International — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 13:17:00 GMT

Six weeks after Phil Mickelson announced his wife had breast cancer, his mother was diagnosed with the disease and is to have surgery later this week.

The San Diego Union-Tribune reported on its Web site that Mary Mickelson discovered she had breast cancer last week. She is to have surgery Friday at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, the same hospital where Mickelson’s wife, Amy, had surgery last Wednesday.

Mickelson’s sister, Tina, told the newspaper she wanted to make her mother’s condition know so she could receive the same outpouring of support and prayers that meant so much to Amy Mickelson.

Mickelson has not spoken publicly since the U.S. Open where he was a runner-up for a record fifth time.

His parents live in the same San Diego house where they raised their three children. Mary Mickelson was honored in 1998 as “Mother of the Year” by the San Diego chapter of the March of Dimes. She said at the time, “I don’t know if I’ve done anything extra than other mothers. We’ve always been involved and have just been there.”

Mickelson said at Bethpage Black that it was “highly unlikely” he would play the British Open, and said his schedule the rest of the year depended on his wife’s battle with cancer.

International Icons Line Up for The Senior Open Championship

Golf International — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 13:36:00 GMT

Sir Nick Faldo, Greg Norman and a cast of international golfing icons will headline the strongest field to assemble in the 23 year history of The Senior Open Championship presented by MasterCard at Sunningdale Golf Club from July 23-26, 2009.

Sir Nick Faldo - Picture © Getty Images

Norman, at 54 rolled back the years at last year's Open Championship when he finished third after leading going into the back nine and Faldo, recently knighted in the Queen's birthdays honours list has won six major titles include three Opens. They will be joined by fellow Major Champions, Bernhard Langer, Tom Lehman, Tom Watson, Mark O'Meara and Ian Woosnam, as well as former European Ryder Cup Captains Mark James and Sam Torrance.

Norman, a two time Open Champion, is searching for his maiden Senior Major Championship after finishing fifth behind winner Bruce Vaughan of America in the 2008 Senior Open Championship at Royal Troon Golf Club.

Norman won The European Open at Sunningdale in 1986 - the same year as his first Open Championship - while Langer (1985), Woosnam (1988) and Faldo (1992) also lifted the European Open at the Berkshire venue. Faldo is also still the holder of the course record for the Old Course at Sunningdale which his has held since 1986 with a round of 62.

James and Torrance currently occupy two of the top three positions on the European Senior Tour Order of Merit having won the Son Gual Mallorca Senior Open and the DGM Barbados Masters respectively in 2009, while Englishman James finished as the top European in the recent US Senior PGA Championship.

Golf fans will also be able to see Faldo's first appearance on the Senior Tour since he captained The European Ryder Cup Team at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, last September, while Tom Watson is chasing his fourth Senior Open Championship title.

Meanwhile Lehman, the 2006 American Ryder Cup Captain, is making his debut in the Championship after turning 50 on March 7 and winning the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf with Bernhard Langer in April.

Last year's Senior Open Championship presented by MasterCard attracted record crowds to Royal Troon Golf Club and the world class field should ensure packed galleries at Sunningdale, which hosts the Championship for the first time.

David Hill, The R&A's Director of Championships, said: "This is undoubtedly the strongest field ever assembled for The Senior Open Championship and we are delighted to see so many Major Champions and former Ryder Cup Captains playing at Sunningdale.

"Each year the field gets stronger and the Championship grows in popularity as fans want to see some of golf's most iconic names. This year will be no exception and Sunningdale, where so many of our illustrious names have already won, will provide a fitting venue for this prestigious Championship."

Michael Robichaud, Vice President, Global Sponsorships, MasterCard Worldwide, said: "MasterCard is proud to serve as presenting sponsor of The 2009 Senior Open Championship for the second consecutive year. Our cardholders have a strong affinity for golf - particularly The Senior Open Championship - and we share that passion. With this year's extremely competitive field and Sunningdale Golf Club as the venue, we anticipate yet another 'priceless' week of golf action."

One day tickets are now on sale for just £25.00 with a season ticket for the four days available for £70.00. Paying with a MasterCard will get you a 10% saving on the admission price

Tickets for the Championship can be booked now in advance either via www.europeantourtickets.com or by calling +44 (0) 800 023 2557. Tickets will also be available on the gate at the tournament.

Eunjung Yi Beats Morgan Pressel in a Playoff

Golf International — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 13:35:00 GMT

The gallery was going wild. There was no question what had happened.

Eunjung Yi - Picture © Getty Images

Eunjung Yi watched from the 17th tee and knew that Morgan Pressel, playing just ahead of her, had holed a lob wedge from 70 yards for eagle that had erased what had only a few holes earlier had been a six-shot lead.

Rather than let her mind wander or allow herself to be distracted by all of the people cheering for Pressel, Yi shut everything out.

“I didn’t think about her,” she said. “I thought about my golf.”

Yi recovered to roll in a 10-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to beat Pressel and capture her first LPGA Tour title Sunday in what might be the final Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic.

Pressel, a runner-up for the second time in three years at the Farr, tipped her hat to the winner.

“She won the tournament,” Pressel said. “She made a birdie on the playoff hole. I had my opportunities.”

The 21-year-old Yi, the 2005 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links winner, began the day with a four-shot lead. She birdied two of the first three holes to go up six shots. Yet she remained oblivious; she never looked at a leaderboard and didn’t ask her caddie about her status.

“I was just focusing on my golf,” she said. “I didn’t see the scoreboards at all. I just hit the driver, the second shots—I was very centered.”

Pressel, chasing her third career victory, pulled even by holing that wedge shot on the par-5 17th hole.

Yi, from South Korea, finished at 18-under 266 to earn the $210,000 first prize—more than she had earned in her previous 23 LPGA Tour starts combined. She had missed the cut in four of her seven starts this year and her biggest previous check was just over $11,000 for a 26th-place tie at the Corona Championship.

Yi closed with an even-par 71 and Pressel had a 67. Michelle Wie had a career-best 64 to tie for third at 16 under, but lost a chance to put extra pressure on the leaders when she misfired while going for the par-5 18th in two and had to settle for a par.

On the playoff hole, the 18th, both Yi and Pressel were in the fairway inside 100 yards away in two. Pressel’s approach came up short to the back left pin location, ending up on the first cut of rough about 20 feet from the hole. Yi hit a lower, harder shot that stopped 10 feet away.

Pressel’s birdie putt held the line and almost fell as it scooted past on the left edge. She then tapped in for par.

After looking over her putt, Yi hit it firmly and—before the ball even settled into the cup—she raised both arms in victory.

“When I hit it, I thought it was going in,” she said.

The instant Yi left the green she picked up her cell phone and called her father back in Temecula, Calif., who was working at his restaurant, the Minong Korean Barbecue. When she first soared to the lead in the third round, she vowed that if she won the Farr then her father would serve free meals to everyone who came in.

Her father, Kuyng Su, was watching the tournament on TV. She let him know that he needed to be ready for a lot of giveaways.

“Everything, for whoever comes—all free,” she said with a laugh.

Pressel trailed by four shots as she went to the 16th tee. But a Yi bogey and a Pressel birdie set the stage for the shot of the day.

At the 17th, Pressel was upset by her drive and stopped just short of slamming her driver into the turf. But she was able to chase a 3 wood into the fairway. From there, with 70 yards to the hole, she pulled out a lob wedge on the 513-yard, par-5 hole. The instant she made contact, her caddie, Barry “Rock” Cesarz, shouted, “Go! Go!” The ball, however, didn’t need any help.

It cleared the bunker in the way of the back left pin placement, bounced twice and then rolled into the cup for the eagle that tied her for the lead. Pressel flashed a wide smile, turned to Cesarz and traded a high-five with him.

“Sometimes you get a little lucky,” she said.

As her score was posted on the large magnetic sign near the 18th green, the crowd went crazy.

Both then parred out to set up the drama that unfolded on the extra hole.

Yi’s playing partner, Song-Hee Kim, had a 25-foot birdie putt at the final hole that would have also put her in the playoff, but she missed it and then missed the comeback putt. Kim, who shot a 69, ended up tied for third with Wie and Seon Hwa Lee (67).

Wie made a back-nine rush—birdieing holes 14, 15, 16 and 17—in her 64. But she needed to win the Farr to get into next week’s U.S. Women’s Open at Saucon Valley in Bethlehem, Pa.

“I feel like I’m on the brink of playing extremely well but I still have a lot yet to learn,” she said. “I have a lot to improve. I want to just keep the same feeling as the last 10 holes that I played and keep moving forward from there.”

The tournament’s contract with its title sponsor, the LPGA Tour and Highland Meadows Golf Club expired after the final round.

“I certainly hope we can come back,” said Pressel, who frequently visited her grandparents in nearby Detroit when she was young. “It would be disappointing to not come back, with my family here and so close to where I spent so much time as a kid.”

Martin Kaymer Wins French Open in Playoff

Golf International — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 13:34:00 GMT

German Martin Kaymer won the French Open on Sunday after defeating former European number one Lee Westwood of Britain in a sudden-death playoff.

MARTIN KAYMER - Picture © Getty Images

Kaymer took the 930,000 dollars first prize with a par at the first extra hole after both men had finished on 13-under-par 271, three strokes better than Briton Ian Poulter.

After signing for a three-under 68, the young German fared better at the tough finishing hole at the National in the shootout.

His ball just carried the lake and he was able to chip and putt from 18 feet, while Westwood, who had matched his 72 hole score with a 65, saw his ball slide into the water.

A series of lengthy putts, the longest an 84-footer on the eighth, proved the key in the end to 24-year-old Kaymer’s third European Tour victory. Westwood, though, with a similar hot putter as he ran in seven birdies came close to ending a run of four second places in 2008.

A bogey on the long 14th subsequently cost Westwood the chance of outright victory. Kaymer’s big chance came even later as he missed a birdie putt of only seven feet on the penultimate hole.

“That was one of my few misses because my putting had been great all week,” Kaymer, who had equalled the course record 62 to lead the first round, told reporters. “I made so many putts from everywhere.”

Victory takes Kaymer to fifth on the European money list and he is sure to move from 28th place into the world top 20.

“The world ranking is the important thing to me,” added Kaymer. “I’ve never been so high before.”

Westwood hid his disappointment with his best result of the season.

“Playoffs are fickle. Martin carried the water by a foot and my ball went in by a foot,” the 2000 European number one said.

“But I putted better today and that’s what I need. Then I’ll be winning events by a couple of shots and not needing playoffs.”

A furious Poulter (67) blamed a press photographer for his round faltering over the closing holes, vowing he would not return to the tournament in future after finding the lake on the 15th.

“It was a tournament I wanted to win and some stupid cameraman makes it difficult for you,” Poulter told reporters.

“I had a simple wedge into 15 and he fired off three shots on my way down (in the swing) from 25 yards away. It was very difficult to get my mind back on the job then.

“I’ll not be back. It’s a shame but that’s what happens when you let novices come in and ruin our livelihoods.”

Overnight leader Rafa Echenique’s chances of a maiden victory looked slim when he ran up a triple-bogey seven on the 15th.

When he repeated the feat on the 18th he plummeted to 13th place with a 77, eight strokes away from the playoff. Only a week before, the young Argentine albatrossed the final hole in Munich to take second place in the BMW International Open.

Late Birdie Seals Victory for Tiger Woods

Golf International — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 13:32:00 GMT

Even after 68 victories, Tiger Woods never had a finish quite like Sunday at the AT&T National.

It had nothing to do with the golf, which was all too familiar.

Challenged by Hunter Mahan’s record-tying 62 at Congressional, Woods plotted his way along the back nine and delivered the decisive birdie with a 20-foot putt on the 16th green, closing with a 3-under 67 for a one-shot victory.

The trophy presentation was unlike any other.

“I’ve always wanted to do this, so bear with me,” Woods said, cradling the silver trophy in the shape of the Capitol. Then, the tournament host interviewed the tournament champion.

In this case, it was the same guy.

“So Tiger, how did you play today?” Woods said in a mock Q&A as thousands of fans broke into laughter.

This is what Woods meant earlier in the week by wanting to be a “greedy host” at Congressional.

It was his tournament, and his show.

With three birdies in a five-hole stretch, Woods surged past Anthony Kim in a high-charged final pairing. Then came a 62 from Mahan, tying the course record at Congressional that Kim had set Thursday. With some 40,000 fans waiting to see how the final hour would unfold, Woods rolled in a 20-foot birdie and walked stoically to the cup, nodding his head.

He closed with routine pars to finish at 13-under 267 for his third victory this year, along with some uncanny coincidences.

— Woods won in his second try at the tournament he hosts, just as Jack Nicklaus won his Memorial in the second year.

— He now has won all three PGA Tour events hosted by players in one year. Woods won the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March with a birdie on the final hole, getting another hearty handshake from the King. And he won the Memorial with a final-round 65, with Nicklaus standing behind the green to congratulate him.

“It was great shaking my hand today,” Woods said.

One other coincidence: All three of his victories came in his final start before a major. Woods finished four shots behind in both the Masters and the U.S. Open at Bethpage Black two weeks ago. The next stop is the British Open in two weeks at Turnberry, on a links course Woods has never seen.

This victory was meaningful because it was his own, started three years ago. Inside the ropes, however, it felt like any other tournament that Woods was trying to win.

“You go out there with the same intensity to win,” he said.

The 68th victory of his PGA Tour career moved him to the top of the money list and FedEx Cup standings for the first time this year.

Mahan made six birdies on the back nine for a 62, the final birdie giving him a share of the lead. He had to wait more than an hour to see if it would hold, going into the family dining area to watch alongside Woods’ wife, Elin, and 2-year-old daughter Sam.

Woods missed a 10-foot putt on the 14th and Mahan said he jokingly cheered in a light moment.

But he knew better.

“I mean, he’s pretty good,” Mahan said. “He knows what he’s doing. He knows how to play this game better than anybody.”

Kim simply couldn’t keep up.

It was the ideal final pairing at Congressional—the world’s No. 1 player and tournament host tied with Kim, a confident 24-year-old who was the defending champion. Kim lost four shots in four holes on the front nine, and didn’t make a birdie on the back nine.

He shot a 71 to finish alone in third, four shots behind.

“I had a lot of fun,” Kim said. “I know I’ll be knocking on the door again. It’s only a matter of time. I learned if you have a birdie putt, you better make it.”

Bryce Molder closed with a 68 to finish alone in fourth, which came with a $288,000 check that was worth more than money alone. It put him atop a special money list that ended Sunday, earning a trip to the British Open. The other spot from the money list went to Paul Goydos.

Brandt Snedeker, finally healthy after a rib injury, had a 68-67 weekend and tied for fifth with U.S. Open champion Lucas Glover. Snedeker also earned a spot at Turnberry as the leading player among the top five not already eligible for the British Open.

Mahan had to settle for his third straight top 10, although he put on quite a show, even if hardly anyone noticed.

Most of the 40,000 fans at Congressional scrambled for a sight of the present and the future—Woods and Kim—until Mahan started dropping in putts from everywhere on the back nine.

“I think everybody was watching AK and Tiger and expecting kind of a battle there, and I knew I just had to go low today,” Mahan said. “I figured great players up on the leaderboard like that, I figured they’d make it to at least 13 or 14 under.”

Playing with Woods for the first time—in the final pairing at Woods’ own tournament, no less—Kim walked with a swagger and a smile to the first tee, dressed in white pants and a royal blue shirt. He then smoked his driver some 25 yards past Woods, nearly holed out his wedge and tapped in for birdie for a quick advantage.

A four-hole stretch changed everything.

Kim three-putted the fifth for bogey, and Woods took the lead with an 8-iron over the water to 15 feet for birdie. Their day was summed up at the par-3 seventh, when both hit tee shots 6 feet away.

Kim missed, Woods made.

Kim then three-putted from 20 feet on the eighth, missing a 3-foot par putt.

The threat came from Mahan, an explosive player like Kim, minus the hip-hop.

He teed off more than an hour before Woods, then poured it on along the back nine with six birdies, including a 15-foot putt on the final hole to tie the course record.

Mahan was on his way to the range when they heard a roar a half-mile away and his caddie checked his phone to see that Woods had made birdie. Mahan finished hitting balls and was headed to the putting green when a young girl approached him for an autograph.

He might not have noticed what was written on the back of her T-shirt: “Tiger’s Back.”

Anthony Kim & Tiger Woods Set for Sunday Showdown

Golf International — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 13:30:00 GMT

Anthony Kim finally gets a crack at Tiger Woods, and when he says he has been practicing for a moment like this all his life, Kim isn’t kidding.

As a 10-year-old growing up in Los Angeles, in those final hours of twilight as he waited for his father to pick up from the golf course, Kim imagined he was in the final pairing with Woods and had a 10-foot putt for the victory, with the world’s No. 1 player watching.

“Man, they were going in a lot,” Kim said, laughing.

He can only hope fantasy meets reality Sunday in the AT&T National.

Kim kept his cool after a couple of blunders at Congressional, saving par from 84 yards with a creative chip he had been too scared to try in competition, then making birdie on the 16th that led to a 2-under 68 and his name atop the leaderboard.

Woods, having lost a three-shot lead in a span of two holes with a double bogey on the 11th, found one last birdie with a putt up the slope of the 16th green to tap-in range that allowed him to salvage a roller-coaster round at 70.

That gave him a share of the lead with Kim at 10-under 210, and gave Congressional a Sunday showdown a bustling gallery has been craving since the tournament began Thursday.

Woods is tournament host. Kim is the defending champion.

Woods is the guy who made golf cool, a multiracial talent who shattered records during his rise to No. 1. Kim is perfecting cool, a bundle of energy at 24 who practices with music blaring from his iPod.

They are separated by just under 10 years, but this generation gap seems wider than that. Woods also grew up in Southern California, and he often stayed late on the practice green dreaming of the putt to win a major.

And who was he trying to beat?

Jack Nicklaus. Arnold Palmer. Ben Hogan. Sam Snead.

Told about Kim’s tale of trying to beat him, Woods offered a wry smile.

“I’m aging,” he said. “That’s what that means.”

But he has been around long enough to have built a 45-3 record on the PGA Tour when he has at least a share of the 54-hole lead, a statistic that has defined why it’s so tough to beat him.

Kim is only thankful for the chance. He has never played in the same pairing with Woods, nor has Kim ever finished higher than Woods in any of the tournaments they have played since Kim joined the PGA Tour three years ago.

But the kid has an idea what he’ll see.

“I expect he’s going to be wearing a red shirt and be out there ready to go,” Kim said. “And I’ll be ready, as well.”

They both would do well do look over their shoulders, for this is far from a two-man race.

Michael Allen, who is 0-for-336 in his PGA Tour career but undefeated on the Champions Tour when he won the Senior PGA Championship earlier this year, made seven birdies in a round of 65, the best score Saturday.

Allen turned 50 in January and ventured out to play against men his own age only once, winning at Canterbury at a senior major. He has won on the Nationwide Tour, the PGA European Tour and the Champions Tour.

This one would be the most meaningful.

“It would be a culmination of what I’ve always been try to do,” Allen said. “And champagne for everybody.”

He was at 9-under 201 with Cameron Beckman, who chipped in for eagle on the par-5 16th for a 66.

A dozen players were separated by four shots going into the final round, including Jim Furyk (69) and Rod Pampling (71) at 8-under 202, and U.S. Open champion Lucas Glover (68) another shot behind.

Woods had a one-shot lead over Pampling, an advantage that was gone after the opening hole when Woods drove into the gallery and couldn’t reach the green out of the thick rough, a sign of a struggles that would last most of the warm, blustery day before an enormous gallery that was as energetic as any for a non-major this year.

He recovered with a 3-iron to 25 feet, and a leaning fist pump when the eagle putt fell, giving Woods a three-shot lead.

Then came the 11th hole, which has given Woods fits this week. From the left rough, he hit into a bunker some 50 yards short of the green, caught that shot too heavy and slammed his club when it tumbled into another bunker. Woods blasted out to 7 feet, then missed the putt to make double bogey. He has played that hole in 4-over par for the week.

This one cost him the lead.

He didn’t make any mistakes coming in, although he didn’t give himself hardly any birdie chances except for the par-5 16th.

“It was a tough day,” Woods said. “One of those things you just had to grind it out and get through it. There were a lot of lag putts. I just never had a whole lot of birdie chances.”

Woods might need some Sunday playing with Kim, an explosive player who is regarded as the next American star the way he won last year at Quail Hollow and Congressional, then energized the U.S. team in a Ryder Cup victory.

“I’m excited to be there,” he said, and it was evident the way he leaned into the microphone and smiled. “I’m excited for the opportunity. There’s not too many chances you get to play against the best in the world at his golf tournament. I’ve won this tournament before, and I don’t see why I won’t have a good opportunity tomorrow.”

He won last year with a 65 in the final round, and when he made the final putt for the victory, Woods was watching—from his couch in Florida, recovering from knee surgery.

“On TV,” Kim said. “He was in a different state, which was weird. But he was watching. I would love to play great tomorrow.”

Drug Testing a Year Old with No Positives

Golf International — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:03:00 GMT

PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem was the first to be tested for drugs under its anti-doping policy that began last year at the AT&T National. Tim Clark was the first player to be tested.

One year and more than a thousand random samples later, Finchem says the tour remains clean.

“There have been no suspensions because of doping,” Finchem said Wednesday. “It’s not going to surprise me if we have some issue, but I think what’s clear is we do not have a doping problem. Having an issue or two as we go forward does not mean we’re having a problem. It could mean a lot of things. But — knock on wood—we’re very pleased at this point in time.”

Under the anti-doping policy, the tour is required to notify the media if a player tests positive for a performance-enhancing drug.

Finchem declined to say, however, if anyone has tested positive for a recreational drug, such as marijuana.

While such drugs are covered under the policy, the tour treats that as “conduct unbecoming a professional” and would not make any positive tests public.

“I said we have had not positive tests with respect to performance enhancing,” he said. “We may have had some test results that trouble us in other areas that we treat in a different bucket. But we don’t publicize those.

“We may in those instances—I’m not saying this has happened or not, I’m just saying what the process is—consider it conduct unbecoming, and what are our choices? We can suspend a player, we can fine a player, we can do both of those and put a player into treatment. We could also add to that regular treatment.”

He asked to confirm if anyone has tested positive for recreational drugs.

“I wouldn’t say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to that,” he said. “I’ll say this—we don’t have a problem in that area.”

Finchem said the International Olympic Committee observed the tour’s drug-testing procedures earlier this year and was impressed. And while he says golf remains clean on the one-year anniversary of testing, he would not be surprised if that changed.

“I think when you’re dealing with hundreds of athletes, and things can get into your body, we may very well have problems,” Finchem said. “But at this point, not only do the players accept the rule, they put it on the same level as any other rule of golf. They work hard to understand what they need to be doing. They stay updated, and we’ve avoided problems.”