Golf archive

Held in Geneva to mark the official press launch of the 83rd Geneva Motor Show, the awards, now in their 50th year, are the oldest and still most prestigious for all automakers who sell cars in the European mainland.

The latest Volkswagen Golf beat a field of 32 new cars, which had been whittled down to eight finalists to be crowned the car of the year by a jury of 58 motoring journalists from 22 European countries.

Giving the Golf over 200 points more than its closest rival, the Toyota GT 86, the judges praised the Golf for its comprehensive features, performance, safety and comfort.

As Hakan Matson, Jury President and automobile expert of the Swedish business paper Dagens Industri, explained of the decision: "The Volkswagen Golf VII received amazing results in our intensive test drives. It is a modern car with a high level of quality and safety, a wide range of drive trains as well as an outstanding driving performance.

The Car of the Year winner has to show excellence in a number of categories -- with special attention to the needs of consumers. All the members of our jury are experts and put the finalists through a series of exhaustive tests to provide substantial purchasing criteria for consumers."

The key criteria for Car of the Year are innovation, value for money, safety, quality and design as well as environmental aspects.

Following the Golf's overall score of 414 and the Toyota GT 86's score of 202 was the Volvo V40, which garnered 189 points to give it third place. The top five was rounded off with the Ford B-Max and the Mercedes-Benz A-Class.


VW Golf named European Car of the Year 2013 - Times LIVE

Rory McIlroy has been going through damage control the past five days after his abrupt departure when he was 7 over par through eight holes and decided to call it quits at the Honda Classic in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

After an apology to Sports Illustrated, he faced the media Wednesday at Doral (Fla.) and took all the blame.

"In the long run, Friday will be a blessing in disguise," he said, referring to the day he withdrew. "It was like it just sort of released a valve, and all that pressure that I've been putting on myself just went away. And I was like, 'Just go out and have fun. It's not life or death out there. It's only a game.' I had sort of forgotten that this year."

At the time last week, he told reporters that his head was not in the right place and then issued a statement that his sore wisdom tooth made it difficult to concentrate.

Turns out the wisdom tooth wasn't the whole truth.

While McIlroy's behavior was questioned last week, it's his game that has been the most curious.

He played with Tiger Woods when both made their 2013 debut in Abu Dhabi, and McIlroy had rounds of 75-75 to miss the cut. Woods also missed the cut that week because of a two-shot penalty, though he flew halfway around the world the next week and won at Torrey Pines.

McIlroy had a sloppy performance on Dove Mountain (Ariz.) and lost in the first round of the Match Play Championship, and then made it through only 26 holes at PGA National.

His expectations for this week's Cadillac Championship?

"Just work on my swing," he said as he walked out the door after his news conference. "Try to get my swing back."

McIlroy dismissed suggestions that his new equipment deal added to the pressure. He signed with Nike for what is said to be upward of $20 million a year.

"It doesn't make a difference what deal or what clubs I play. That's irrelevant," McIlroy said. "It's about me on the golf course, and the expectations and the pressure that I put myself under."

He also said his poor play has nothing to do with his relationship with tennis star Caroline Wozniacki.

"Just because I have a bad day on the golf course and Caroline loses a match in Malaysia, it doesn't mean that we're breaking up," he said with a laugh. "It's sport. And look, I'd rather keep my private life as private as possible. Everything on that front is great, and I'm looking forward to seeing her next week when she goes to Miami."

Wozniacki, in Indian Wells, also laughed off speculation that she and McIlroy were on the outs.

Woods is coming off a mediocre performance in the Honda Classic, failing to break par in any of the four rounds on his way to a tie for 37th.

Woods can appreciate the scrutiny McIlroy faces. He also had some sound advice. Keep going.

"We play week after week," Woods said. "Once one week ends, you have to move on the next one. And we're on a different venue and different golf course. For me over the years, I've just put it aside and moved on, whether it was good or bad, whether I won the tournament or missed the cut, whatever it may be."

The World Golf Championship events tend to group the top players in the world ranking, meaning McIlroy gets to spend the opening rounds Thursday and Friday with Woods and Luke Donald (tee time 8:53 a.m. PT).

Brandt Snedeker is skipping the Cadillac Championship to make sure his sore ribs are ready for the Masters on April 11-14 at Augusta National (Ga.). He hasn't played since winning the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am on Feb. 10. Snedeker plans to play in the Arnold Palmer Invitational, which begins March 21 at Bay Hill (Fla.).

Phil Mickelson, who made a detour to Augusta National with Keegan Bradley on Tuesday, returns from a two-week break. "The first week I didn't touch a club and this last week I've been practicing pretty hard," he said.


Golf: Rory McIlroy accepts blame for walking off course mid-round at Honda Classic - San Jose Mercury News

He brought with him a new attitude and a new extended waggle in his pre-shot routine, but Rory McIlroy couldn't shake the same old problems.

Tiger Woods just looked like his old self.

Six days after walking off the course in frustration at the Honda Classic, McIlroy, the No. 1 player in the world, was back in the spotlight at the WGC-Cadillac Championship playing alongside Woods and Luke Donald, who trail immediately behind him at No. 2 and 3 in the world, respectively.

McIlroy didn't fare well outright or by comparison Thursday, spraying the ball off the tee but eking out two late birdies to salvage a 1-over-par 73 on a relatively calm afternoon at the TPC Blue Course at Trump Doral.

Woods, meanwhile, buoyed by his putting lesson from Steve Stricker Wednesday afternoon, converted nine birdies in a 6-under 66 that gave him a share of the first-round lead with four others.

Donald recovered from two drives in the water to grind out a 2-under 70.

"Whatever [Stricker] says I'm going to do," Woods said with a smile after a round in which he needed just 23 putts. "He's one of the best putters that's ever lived.

"I think I'm going to have a contract with him," he added playfully. "He's only going to play, what, five tournaments this year? So I'll bring him out in his off weeks."

A winner in his first PGA Tour start of the season at the Farmer's Insurance Open, Woods was off his game last week at the Honda Classic, finishing T-37. But he appeared comfortable on the Blue Monster and perhaps left a shot or two on the course. His nine birdies was one shy of his personal record for 18 holes and just two fewer than he converted over 72 holes at PGA National.

"I played well. It was certainly a day that could have been a little bit lower," said Woods, tied atop the leaderboard with Bubba Watson, Graeme McDowell, Sergio Garcia and Fredrik Jacobson.

McIlroy, the reigning PGA Tour player of the Year after winning four times in 2012, probably couldn't get any lower after his struggles at PGA National that prompted a mid-round meltdown and withdrawal for which he has since apologized. In that light, his untidy 73 was a step in the right direction, especially towards the end when he hung in and birdied two of his last three holes.

"It was a bit of a struggle, to be honest," said McIlroy, 23, of Northern Ireland. "Hit some good shots, hit some not so good shots. But, yeah, as I've been saying all week, this is a work in progress, and I'm working at it and I'm staying patient."

It takes patience when you hit only three fairways and 11 greens. "It was nice to sneak in a couple birdies on the last three holes and make it look somewhat respectable, even though everyone seems to be going pretty low out there today," he said after five birdies against six bogeys.

"I don't think he's quite drawing the ball like he used to, that he wants," said Woods, who would not divulge what advice, if any, he has shared with the struggling Ulsterman. "Maybe just a little bit defensive out there. And that happens, and we have all gone through stretches like this. It happens, and it happened to him last year in the middle of the year and he ended up all right at the end of the year.

"When you play golf and you play golf for a very long time, you're going to have spells like this. You can't play well every week, even though you try. You're going to have ups and downs and just got to battle through it."

Reminded that during his long run as the No. 1 player in the world he seemed to avoid such fallow periods, Woods smiled and shrugged his shoulders.

"He's working through some stuff in his swing, obviously," said Donald, who is the midst of incorporating with his own incremental swing refinements. "You can see his pre-shot routine is a little different. He's got that little waggle trying to get the club going more on the outside, and he's thinking about it a little bit. That's the toughest time in golf when you can't concentrate on just hitting good shots. You're focusing on you swing. It's tough a tough one to deal with, to leave the range behind you. It's a game of confidence, and once he gets a little bit of that back he'll be fine."

Read More Rory, Tiger have very different days at Doral: Local Knowledge: Golf Digest

Tiger Woods was starting to pull away with six birdies over a span of eight holes. Phil Mickelson, on the other side of the golf course, caught up to Woods briefly when he started his second nine with four birdies in five holes.

And that's when Graeme McDowell decided to ruin the reunion on the Blue Monster.

Woods and Mickelson have staged some memorable battles at Doral, twice playing in the final group together on the weekend. They bring out the biggest crowds, and the loudest. This was Friday in the Cadillac Championship, and the anticipation was building.

McDowell stepped in, telling caddie Ken Comboy, ''Let's spoil this party.'' He birdied his last two holes to break up the Woods-Mickelson pairing.

''I'm sure they would have liked Tiger and Phil in that last group tomorrow,'' McDowell said. ''Would have been great for the tournament. But I certainly will enjoy the position of being in the last group and the mix. That's right where I want to be.''

Woods is where he expects to be.

He had a 7-under 65 and set a personal record with 17 birdies in two rounds at Doral for a two-shot lead over McDowell, who had a 67. Mickelson couldn't keep up at the end, dropping a shot at No. 7 and failing to birdie the par-5 eighth. The consolation was a 9-iron that came inches from going in for an ace on the par-3 ninth hole, giving him a 67. Mickelson was three shots behind and will play Saturday with Steve Stricker, who also had a 67.

Woods and McDowell for a final group on a Saturday afternoon outside Miami isn't bad, either. They played in the final round at Bay Hill last year, when Woods pulled away in hard, crispy conditions. McDowell closed out a dream 2010 season by doing the unthinkable when he rallied from a four-shot deficit in the final round to beat Woods in the Chevron World Challenge at Sherwood.

''The intimidating thing about playing with him is what goes on inside the ropes, and it isn't him,'' McDowell said. ''He's an incredible guy to play with - very sporting, always complimentary. And like I say, I've played with him enough now to feel comfortable. It's more the environment that goes on inside and outside the ropes. A little louder. A little busier. And that's really what I've learned to understand and control and deal with and kind of get acclimatized to.

''But end of the day,'' McDowell added, ''it really doesn't matter who you're playing with. You're playing against the golf course.''

It only feels like everyone else is playing against Woods.

He is a three-time winner at Doral and has put on a clinic in just about every aspect of his game. Woods is keeping the ball in the short grass off the tee, allowing him to generate spin to keep it somewhere near the hole on the greens that are firm and fast. And after that putting tip from Stricker on Wednesday, he looks good as ever.

The result is a 13-under 131, his lowest 36-hole on the PGA Tour since the 2009 AT&T National at Congressional.

Woods might not have guessed that when he left the practice range Friday. He described his swing as ''sporadic,'' and his suspicions were confirmed when he had to struggle for par on the par-5 opening hole, the easiest at Doral. He hit a poor approach from the middle of the second fairway. He hit what Woods described as a halfway decent shot into the third hole that gave him some hope. And then, he hit the shot that changed everything for him.

''All I need is one shot,'' he said. ''And as soon as I feel it on one, I can pretty much carry through. And I did that today.''

It was a 4-iron on the par-3 fourth hole, the toughest on the Blue Monster.

Woods hit a bullet with a slight fade at the left edge of the green and heard the crowd cheer as the slope and the grain took the ball to within 4 feet for birdie.

And just like that, he was on his way.

He made six birdies over the next eight holes, the stretch ending with another 4-iron on another tough par 3, this one a high, soft fade that settled 15 feet away for birdie. Despite a late mistake, he never lost the lead after that.

As for those 17 birdies, breaking his personal best of 16 in the 1999 Byron Nelson Classic?

''It left me a two-shot lead,'' Woods said.

And there are plenty of big names right behind him.

Masters champion Bubba Watson recovered from a shaky back nine for a 69 and was at 9-under 135 with Freddie Jacobson (69). Former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel also had a 65 and was five shots behind, along with former PGA champion Keegan Bradley, who had a 68.

Mickelson also wanted in that last group with Woods, especially with his track record against him over the last five years. He was happy with his game, though, coming off a two-week break, with a detour to Augusta.

''There's something very spiritual about playing Augusta if you love the game as much as I do, and going there gets me fired up,'' Mickelson said.

Rory McIlroy showed signs of turning the corner with a 69, although he ended with a sloppy three-putt bogey. It was his first round under par this year, a small consolation for the world's No. 1 player. He was still 11 shots behind Woods.

''You go through these periods in golf where you just have a tough time and things don't click right away,'' McIlroy said. ''It's understandable. It would be great if it wasn't like that, and it would make the game a lot easier. I'm pleased with today.''


Y! SPORTS

Tiger is back!!

RETAILER American Golf intends to open 30 stores and create 250 jobs over the next three years as it seeks to grow revenue by 40%.

The golf equipment and clothing specialist said its best-performing stores were at Braidhills in Edinburgh and Clydebank, and those helped it post a 3% rise in sales to £133 million.

Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation are likely to come in at £7m to £7.5m, down from £8.5m, which the company attributed to investment in its infrastructure.

It recently opened its 100th shop and is targeting a rise in sales of more than £50m through its expanding retail estate and a growing online arm.

The e-commerce division is introducing iPad functionality to allow customers to order and arrange delivery using the tablet device.

American Golf, which has 11 of its stores in Scotland, also plans to introduce more dedicated in-store sections for ladies equipment and clothing.

The Warrington, Cheshire, firm said its card membership scheme increased by more than 160,000 to in excess of one million in the 12 months to January 31, 2013.

New store openings are initially targeted at England and Wales but a spokesman confirmed the business intends to open further outlets in Scotland.

At the moment it is refurbishing much of its Scottish estate, with the East Kilbride site the next to get a makeover.

Chief financial officer Stuart Owens said: "We occupy a position of real strength in the sector as Europe's leading specialist multi-channel golf retailer in a global and growing sport.

"Combined with a solid financial platform and an unrivalled proposition, we see enormous potential to continue growing the business and consolidate our position as the dominant European leader in golf retail."


American Golf aims to grow revenue by 40% | Herald Scotland

Despite being only a few feet from a driving range, celebrated golf instructor Bob Toski was willing to go without his signature white cap and clubs and instead held his new hall of fame plaque.

Toski, 86, was one of eight inducted into the PGA Golf Professional Hall of Fame at the PGA Education Center on Tuesday night.

“This is very special and quite elating,” Toski said. “The award is special, family is special, friends are special. When you look back at the history of what I’ve done, it’s people who made it happen. A lot of memories that go way back, but fortunately for me, it’s good memories. A lot of people have been successful in life and they don’t have good memories. I’ve got a lot of good ones.

“The fact that when I played on the Tour, I met some of the greatest people in the game — Byron (Nelson), Sam (Snead), and then you go into the teaching field and I’m with guys like Jim Flick and all the great teachers, now you’ve got Hank Haney and those guys, it’s nice to look back and then see what guys are achieving now.”

Other inductees include golf instructor Michael Hebron, late pioneers in diversity Jimmie DeVoe and William Powell, PGA of America Honorary President Allen Wronowski, 2011 PGA Golf Professional of the Year Donald “Chip” Essig, 2010 PGA Golf Professional of the Year Jim Mrva and the late Bill Ogden, who played and taught in Illinois. The group was celebrated for its diversity as well as its commitment to teachingthe game.

“As a golfer, I thought to myself, ‘These are the people who basically devote their lives to helping us learn the game and they’re so incredibly committed to it,’” said NBC Sports’ Jimmy Roberts, who served as the master of ceremonies. “It’s really all about paying it forward. Each one of these people was just so incredibly devoted and committed. When you’re talking about people like Jimmie DeVoe or Bill Powell — people of enormous historical import, I’m humbled to think about what people like that sacrificed and what their lives were like. All because they wanted to help people better themselves. They’re all remarkable people.”

DeVoe was the first African-American to gain membership into the PGA of America after the rescinding of the PGA’s “Caucasian-only Clause” in 1962. He was 74 years old when he was elected to the PGA, making him the oldest everto be elected.

“It’s unbelievable,” said Dr. Jeffrey T. Sammons, a New York University history professor who championed DeVoe’s recognition. “Hardly anyone knows about him compared to his accomplishments, and that’s amazing.

“Jimmie was a crossover artist. He was able to bridge black and white worlds. He’s now gone from virtual obscurity to the hall of fame. It’s unreal.”

While much of Tuesday was spent reminiscing, Wronowski was determined to look forward.

“This is just such a humbling experience and something you never dream of growing up,” he said. “It’s fun to watch some of the programs that started under my tenure continuing and strengthening, seeing a really good resurgence of the Association and growing the game of golf. “I think the game is in a great place. I think it’s been very, very resilient with some of the external factors we’ve had to face over the last few years, and I just see us growing. Our goal is to get to 40 million golfers by 2020 from the 26 million we have now.”


PGA Golf Professional Hall of Fame Class of 2013 includes renowned golf instructors, first black PGA member » TCPalm-com

A year after the city- owned Henry Stambaugh Golf Course lost $57,407, the facility ended 2012 with a loss of half that amount and more in line with its 2009 and 2010 deficits.

Robert Burke, Youngs-town’s park and recreation director, said he’s hopeful the trend will continue this year.

“We’d like for it to break even or make a little bit of money,” he said. “The golf course is one of our gems. We did better last year and expect to do well this year. We’re looking at ways to” make more money.

That includes a haunted hayride near the North Side golf course in September and October, Burke said.

Years ago, the course usually had annual deficits of at least $100,000, previous park and recreation directors have said.

The last six-figure deficit was in 2008 when the city lost $113,342.

Because of city financial problems, the course was closed for a few days in April 2010.

The 90-year-old course had a $27,288 deficit that year when the city privatized most of the course’s operations.

When the city ran the course in 2011, a year later, Stambaugh finished with a $57,407 deficit.

Last year’s deficit was $28,511, about half the loss of 2011.

“It’s an improvement, and we’ve got to continue to improve to help the city’s bottom line,” said Mayor Charles Sammarone. “They’re moving in the right direction.”

The reduction in the course’s deficit largely was because of nice weather, and the additions of a concession stand and additional golf carts, Burke said.

The concession equipment was purchased by the Friends of Stambaugh Golf Course, an organization created by a group of golfers to raise money for improvements to the facility.

During the first year of concessions — hot dogs, soft drinks, coffee, candy and chips — the course made a $1,769 profit.

The nice weather last year led to $10,630 increase in green fees compared with 2011, Burke said.

Also, the course added three golf carts to its fleet last year and saw a $11,882 increase in cart fees compared with 2011, Burke said.

This all came without an increase in fees, he said.

City residents pay $8.50 to play the nine-hole course. Those who don’t live in the city pay $9 a round. Those age 60 or older play for $1 less.

Golf-cart rentals are $5 each.

Also helping was a $10 special during weekdays for a round of golf with a cart, Burke said.

Though the nice weather helped increase revenue at the course last year, the weather is delaying the start of the 2013 golf season at Stambaugh, Burke said.

The course usually opens on or around March 1. But the recent rain and snow have made the course wet, delaying the opening, Burke said.

The course should open in the next week or two.

The course usually closes in late November, depending on the weather.

The course’s friends organization helped raise money last year for an overhaul to Stambaugh’s clubhouse exterior as well as improvements to the nine-hole course, including a refurbishing of the 12-foot-high mesh metal fence on the 7th hole.

Also, the group wants to contribute money this year to help the city purchase or lease a rough-cut mower, said John Russo, director of the friends group.

The mower is expected to cost $15,000 used or about $50,000 new with a five-year payment plan.

The city’s proposed capital improvement/equipment purchase budget includes $486,000 for equipment purchases for the park and recreation department, but nothing for the golf course.


Youngstown News, Stambaugh Golf Course losses reduced

There could be a million dollar windfall for a pair of area golf courses. It's all because 150 trees were killed two years ago by a herbicide that is now banned in Indiana.

In the summer of 2011, most of the pine trees at Coyote Crossing Golf Course and Battle Ground Golf Club started dying after they were treated with a herbicide called Imprelis made by DuPont.

"They started to die in all the areas that we put that down. Basically, once it got into the soil, it started to kill all the trees," said Shane Weist, General Manager of both Coyote Crossing and Battle Ground.

The state of Indiana banned the sale of DuPont that fall.

Weist said the golf courses lost nearly 150 trees combined. But the golf courses weren't the only ones affected.

"There were a lot of residential areas and businesses. There were actually some lawn care companies that went out of business from the occurrence," Weist explained.

He said the golf courses are in the process of getting reimbursed by DuPont for the damage. He said an expert will come out and evaluate the size and worth of the trees. The amount of money the golf courses will get for some of them may be shocking.

"We had some trees that were worth $10,000 because they were 30-foot pine trees, so the monetary value is really good. It's a really good return," Weist said.

Weist believes the golf courses will receive nearly $1 million when the settlement is completed. However, it won't go towards replacing all of the trees.

"We'll actually put it back in other areas and try to improve the facility in other ways," Weist said.

Weist said just last summer, more trees were killed at Coyote Crossing because of Imprelis. Therefore, the settlement still isn't complete. He said Battle Ground received its money a couple of months ago.

Weist said residents and other people who were affected by using Imprelis have been calling him with updates on the settlement. He thinks DuPont tried working with businesses first and residents are next.



Golf courses plan for $1M after settlement | WLFI - West Lafayette, Indiana

President Obama's high-profile round of golf with Tiger Woods last month in Florida might have been a mistake. Not because it wasn't fun, according to both men, but because it attracted unwanted attention on the eve of across-the-board budget cuts under the sequester. Now, as penance, Obama is coming under pressure to use his golf games more for the greater national good. It's as if you or I were suddenly asked to abandon golf as a getaway and use it primarily as a tool for, say, working on our marriage. It might work. Many husbands and wives bond over golf. On the other hand, it might not, and giving up golf as an escape is a lot to ask.

By way of background, Obama's long golf weekend in Florida, which also included lessons from Butch Harmon, inspired a legislative proposal by Rep. Louie Gohmert (R., Texas) to bar the use of taxpayer funds for transporting Obama to or from golf courses until public tours of the White House resume. Some have charged that Obama put the tours on hold to dramatize the impact of the sequester's budget cuts. By Gohmert's reckoning, one or two fewer golf trips by Obama, including the cost of security, would save enough money to prevent the furlough of 341 government workers.

This little political squabble inspired Michael Bloomberg to opine on Sunday that Obama should play more golf, not less, during the sequester. "He should be doing that every weekend," the New York mayor said, as long as he plays with political opponents, not the staffers and pals he usually tees it up with. "You always can work better with somebody that you have a chance to build a social relationship with," Bloomberg told CBS's "Face the Nation. (Whether Bloomberg practices what he preaches on the course is murky, because his rounds—many of them on weekends in Bermuda—are kept very private.) Either path—not playing golf at all to save taxpayer money, or playing only with political opponents—would be a big change for Obama. Until now, he has used golf the way most presidents have, even glad-handing extroverts like Bill Clinton: as an escape from phones and cameras and pressure and the constant demands on their time.

"One of the reasons I always liked golf is because the rest of my life is going at breakneck speed and everything had to be done fast and this is the place where I had to slow down," Clinton told Don Van Natta Jr. in "First Off the Tee," the definitive book about presidents and golf. "You literally can't think about anything else. If you do, you can't hit a shot."

Golf, an enduring symbol of elitism and exclusion no matter the demographic reality, has always been a tricky, often toxic subject for presidents. John Kennedy, who according to Van Natta was the most accomplished golfer ever to occupy the Oval Office (despite chronic back problems), kept his affection for the game under wraps to create a more youthful image than that which clung to his beloved predecessor, the truly golf-besotted Dwight Eisenhower. Ike played more than 800 rounds of golf while in office, a quarter of them at Augusta National.

Obama thus far is at 115 rounds, according to obamagolfcounter-com, which takes its figures from White House pool press reports. The website keeps tabs on Obama's links activity from a decidedly hostile point of view. A typical commentary, from October 2011: "Making a break from conducting class warfare, President Obama yesterday loaded up his 12-car motorcade and went golfing for the 25th time this year." Such is the flak any president takes for pursuing golf while in office—and it doesn't matter which party, because golf is clearly a bipartisan sin. Clinton took heat for his loose self-enforcement of the rules. Both Bush presidents were ribbed for their golf habits, particularly the rabbitlike speed with which they dashed around the course. George W. Bush felt golf was such a political liability in a time of war that he stopped playing entirely from August 2003 until the end of his second term.

Given that playing golf for fun is almost always a political negative for presidents, maybe Obama should take Bloomberg's advice and use the game for political gain. Doing so would meld with his recent attempt at a charm offensive toward Republican legislators.

Unfortunately, Obama's previous attempt to use golf as a icebreaker with Republicans didn't work out so well. In 2011, amid the deadlock over increasing the nation's debt limit, he invited House Majority Leader John Boehner and Republican Ohio Gov. John Kasich for a round with him and Vice President Joe Biden at Andrews Air Force Base. Officially, a good time was had by all. Obama and Boehner beat Biden and Kasich out of $2 a man. But the needle on comity barely budged.

As I've written before, the power of golf as a social and business broker tends to be exaggerated, as it is with politics.

"I would like to say that golf is the cure for our national dysfunction, but I just don't think it is," said Rep. John Yarmuth (D., Ky.), who is probably Congress's best golfer (his handicap is listed as +0.5). Yarmuth was the captain of the Democratic team that each year takes on a Republican team in a Ryder Cup-style charity event called the Roll Call Cup.

"I think people misread what relationships are like to begin with. We all get along pretty well. I have many Republican friends. We talk basketball and sit down for lunch together," said the congressman. "But in the final analysis, our political positions are driven by our constituencies." He added that 24/7 media scrutiny of politicians these days makes any kind of behind-the-scenes deal-making based on friendships, or golf, much more unlikely than in the past. We'd all probably be better off if our presidents just played golf for the reason most of us do—to relax and let off steam.



Why Golf and Politics Don't Mix | Golf Journal by John Paul Newport - WSJ-com

While Jaco van Zyl and Chris Swanepoel will be looking to put some distance between them and the traffic jam on the final round leaderboard at the Telkom PGA Championship, Thomas Aiken plots a course for victory at the Avantha Masters in Asia today, George Coetzee will be in prime position for PGA Tour glory tonight and David Frost, who rolled back the years to take charge of the Toshiba Classic, will be gunning for his fourth Champions Tour title.

Van Zyl lined up his second Telkom PGA Championship title on Saturday when with a five under 67 to join Swanepoel in pole at 17-under-par 199.

No stranger to the winner’s circle, Van Zyl took his Sunshine Tour tally to 11 with victory at the 2013 Dimension Data Pro-Am in February, but the 2009 champion might need to summon every ounce of experience to hold off his co-leader.

The Bela-Bela pro, who reeled in nine birdies for a flawless nine under 63 at the Woodmead course for a share of the lead, has never been more on song both physically and mentally, and could pose a serious threat to Van Zyl’s dream of a double.

The leading duo will also have some serious contenders chasing.

Lurking at 16 under, Jean Hugo brings a wealth of experience after 13 victories. Four-time winner Brand Pieters sits at 15 under, former world No 1 amateur Dylan Frittelli threatens at 14 under and Oliver Bekker and Ulrich van den Berg – both multiple Sunshine Tour winners – are just four off the pace at 13 under with England’s Steve Surry.

Meanwhile Thomas Aiken will take a three shot lead into the European and Asian Tour co-sanctioned Avantha Masters in India after firing a stupendous 10-under-par 62 in the third round at Jaypee Greens Golf & Spa Resort.

Aiken, a seven-time Sunshine Tour winner, is hunting his second European Tour win after breaking through at the 2011 Open de Espana.

Frost will take a one stroke edge over American Freddy Couples into the final round of the Toshiba Classic, after he sank a 15-foot eagle putt for a five-under-par 66 on Saturday.

In addition to the eagle, Frost reeled in four birdies - three of those coming on the back nine - to hit the front on 13-under-par 129.

A 10-time PGA Tour champion and three-time Champions Tour winner, Frost has posted 10 consecutive top-10 finishes on the Champions Tour this season.

And all eyes will turn to Coetzee tonight.

The South African received a sponsor’s invitation into the Tampa Bay Championship and has made the most of this rare opportunity to grab a share of the lead in Florida.

In just his eighth appearance on the PGA Tour, Coetzee till start the final round at Copperhead alongside Kevin Streelman and Justin Leonard in a three-way tie on six-under-par 210. The 27-year-old currently ranks 42nd in officials world golf rankings and will be making his Masters debut in a couple of weeks.

With four top-10 finishes on the European Tour this season, here’s hoping Coetzee pulls off the unthinkable and wins in the US before winning in Europe. Go George!


Awesome Sunday for SA golf - SuperSport - Golf

It will never top the list of his achievements, not when he just won his first PGA Tour event on Sunday. But Kevin Streelman is also a member at an exclusive golf club in Arizona where just a few years ago he worked as a caddie.

That, alone, is pretty impressive, even if perhaps not as stout as playing the final 37 holes at Innisbrook's Copperhead course without a bogey to claim his first victory at the Tampa Bay Championship presented by EverBank. Streelman, 34, did have career earnings of more than $6 million coming into this year, so it's not as though this is some rags-to-riches story. But the former Duke golfer -- who along the way applied for and was turned down for an assistant golf coach position at his alma mater -- did beat it around golf's bush leagues, struggling to put himself in a position where he prevailed.

Much like the tour event he won Sunday -- the Tampa Bay Championship is without a title sponsor and in danger of not being on the 2013-14 schedule -- Streelman has fought to remain part of the scene, never quite having enough success to be secure.

This win by 2 shots over a hard-charging Boo Weekley helps take care of that.

He's in the Masters in three weeks, as well as the PGA Championship later in the year. The Tournament of Champions will also be on the schedule.

All for a guy who had to caddie to help finance his golf career -- all in the past 10 years.

"I went from caddie to club champion at Whisper Rock, which is a pretty cool story," Streelman said.

Whisper Rock is the Arizona course designed by Phil Mickelson with a roster of tour pros who paid full freight -- believed to be six figures -- just to join. In 2002, a year after graduating from Duke, Streelman caddied there on the weekends as well as another course during the week, trying to make ends meet and keep his golf dream alive.

"And then I would play golf from 2 until dark," he said.

At one point, he led the money lists on both the Hooters Tour and the Gateway Tours at the same time, which isn't exactly the same as leading the money list on the PGA Tour and European Tour at the same time -- as Rory McIlroy did last year and Luke Donald in 2011.

But it nonetheless helped him get to where he is now. Streelman made it to the PGA Tour in 2008, having survived all three stages of Q-school. He's been a consistent money winner ever since, and finished among the top 30 in the FedEx Cup standings in 2010 -- which got him to the 2011 Masters.

He achieved that FedEx accomplishment on the basis of a tie for third at the 2010 Barclays, which makes winning and getting to Augusta National all the more gratifying.

"To do it on my own is very special," he said. "To do it at Tampa Bay and Innisbrook and such an incredible golf course is really, really awesome."

Almost to a man, those competing in the tournament say similar things about the venue, how it is one of the best on tour, that none of the other Florida courses has anything on the Copperhead. Nonetheless, the tournament went without a title sponsor this year, and will need to sign someone up in the next few months to return in 2014. And that's how it always has been, which since its inception in 2000 as an opposite field event never has been able to keep a title sponsor beyond one contract.

Last year, Transitions Optical decided not to renew, after PODS did the same thing four years earlier and Chrysler before that. It is a testament to the PGA Tour that such sponsorship issues are not more prevalent, especially in a difficult economy the past few years.

But it does point to the have, have-not status of PGA Tour events. Despite great weather and a well-regarded golf course, the Tampa Bay event finds itself in a precarious place on the schedule -- as do a handful of other events throughout the year.

The sponsorship responsibilities doesn't decrease, even though the field strength is inevitably going to look poor compared to last week's WGC event in Miami, where nearly all of the top 50 in the world participated. Two weeks prior, it was another WGC event with the top 65 in the world entered. At the Honda Classic, McIlroy and Tiger Woods played. Next week's Arnold Palmer Invitational has nine of the top 15 in the world, including defending champion Woods.

So perhaps it was fitting that a former caddie, Streelman, and a Panhandle beauty in Weekley, who once worked as a hydro-blaster at a chemical plant, should be the ones at the top.

Weekley finished nearly three hours ahead of Streelman, shooting an 8-under-par 63 that included a back-nine 30 to post 8 under. And for a long, long time, it looked like it might hold up, or at least qualify for a playoff.

"Even I'm kind of shocked at how good I really hit it," said Weekly, a two-time tour winner and member of the 2008 U.S. Ryder Cup team who has battled injuries the last few years. "Overall it was one of the best days I've had in ball striking in a long time."

Weekley finished so early he didn't know what to do. "Ain't got a clue yet," he said. "I was going to go catch me some bass in Orlando, but that's fine. I'll wait around."

He did, eventually making his way to the driving range to prepare for a possible playoff. But Streelman never flinched. His birdie putt at the 13th hole gave him a 1-stroke lead, he knocked in a testy par putt at the 16th, then drained a 20-footer for birdie at the 17th to go 2 shots ahead. A slew of tour winners who were in contention -- Justin Leonard, Jim Furyk, Sergio Garcia -- could not make a move.

Streelman, playing in his 153rd PGA Tour event, had his first win and an invitation to the Masters.

"It's a total dream come true," Streelman said. "Ten years ago I was in a car driving to mini tours and the Hooters Tour and Gateway Tour and U.S. Pro Tour and I've been very blessed, but I've worked hard to get here, too.

"The game is getting harder and younger and these kids are fearless out here. I've worked diligently and I

Tiger Woods, the 14-time major golf champion whose infamous sex scandal with multiple mistresses led to a 2010 divorce, is dating ski star Lindsey Vonn, the two US sports icons announced on Monday.

"I guess it wasn't a well-kept secret but yes, I am dating Tiger Woods," Vonn said in a Twitter posting and a longer statement on her Facebook page that included pictures of the couple.

"Our relationship evolved from a friendship into something more over these past few months and it has made me very happy. I don't plan on addressing this further as I would like to keep that part of my life between us, my family and close friends. Thank you for understanding and your continued support! xo LV"

Woods posted a Twitter message that said, "Just posted some pictures of @Lindseyvonn and me on Facebook" and wrote his own statement revealing his relationship with Vonn on his Facebook page.

"This season has been great so far and I'm happy with my wins at Torrey and Doral," Woods said.

"Something nice that's happened off the course was meeting Lindsey Vonn. Lindsey and I have been friends for some time, but over the last few months we have become very close and are now dating.

"We thank you for your support and for respecting our privacy. We want to continue our relationship, privately, as an ordinary couple and continue to compete as athletes."

Woods dominated golf until 2009 when his marital infidelity with several women was revealed, leading to a televised public apology and a break from golf in a spectacular fall from grace that cost him several rich endorsement deals.

Woods divorced Elin Nordegren the following year. The couple had a daughter, five-year-old Sam Alexis, and a four-year-old son, Charlie.

It was one year ago this week that Woods won the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill for his first PGA victory in 30 months, ending a drought that coincided with the aftermatch of the sex scandal.

World No. 2 Woods has already won twice this year, at Torrey Pines in January and at Doral earlier this month, and will resume his quest to beat the record 18 career major titles won by Jack Nicklaus next month at the Masters.

Woods, 37, is not the only star golfer with a sporting love connection. World No. 1 Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland is dating ninth-ranked women's tennis star Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark.

For Vonn it is a rare bright note in a season that has been marred by problems off and on the piste with a stomach ailment seeing her hospitalised, her revelations of battling depression for several years and her divorce with Thomas Vonn being finalised.

The 28-year-old's season came to a premature end when she tore right knee ligaments in the Super-G event at the World Ski Championships in Austria in February and underwent surgery to repair the damage.

She has said she plans to be ready to defend her Olympic downhill title at next February's Sochi Winter Olympics.

Read more: 'From friendship to something more': golf star Tiger Woods and Olympic ski champion Lindsey Vonn reveal relationship

Arnold Palmer bought Bay Hill Club & Lodge because he loved the golf course and wanted it for his own, not having any idea where it all would lead.

Now his name adorns a PGA Tour event that has been a staple of the Florida Swing for 35 years. It’s also carried by two hospitals that specialize in children – one named after his late wife, Winnie, and where more than 93,000 babies have been born since 2006.

Oh, and he’s having dinner with Kate Upton this week.

“Did you see this?” Palmer said, holding up the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue with Upton on the cover. “She’s coming here. Did you know that?”

He put it back on his desk, gave it one last look, and then grabbed a stack of papers to place over the magazine.

“I better cover this up,” he said.

He grinned. The man is simply timeless.

How a supermodel wound up at Bay Hill explains so much about the 83-year-old who built his kingdom by being a man of the people.

The manager for Upton is Lisa Benson, whose father is from Punxsutawney and used to regularly play golf with Palmer at Latrobe Country Club. She was looking for a job at IMG, which, in addition to managing sports and entertainment, also represents top models. Her father talked to Palmer, who talked to IMG to arrange an interview. She got the job and years later connected with Upton.

Upton grew up in Melbourne on the central coast of Florida, and her parents were huge Palmer fans. Given the back story, Upton thought it would be a great idea to come to Bay Hill, meet with Palmer and see the work he is doing with the hospitals. She also plans to take part in a social media campaign involving the “Arnold Palmer” tea drink.

So in a roundabout way, a casual round of golf leads to dinner with a supermodel? “That’s been a fun deal,” Palmer said after telling the story.

There have been thousands of casual rounds like that for Palmer, whose passion for golf never dies. There have been more friends than he can count. There are probably more stories like this, all because he takes an interest in people.

“It’s easy,” he said. “And I love it.”

Brad Faxon surely had Palmer in mind when he said years after a golf trip, “I wish we had more guys on tour who liked meeting people.”

Palmer is one of those guys. Always has been. And that’s why so many people want to meet the King.

A staff member came into the room and mentioned two men who were outside the office and wanted to say hello. One was Seth Jones, the editor of Golfdom magazine who recently interviewed Palmer for a project he was working on.

“Well, bring him in,” Palmer said, rising from behind his desk with a broadening smile. Dressed in slacks and a pink shirt, Palmer made sure the two men met everyone in the room and made small talk for a few minutes before closing with that powerful handshake and a smile. “Nice to see you guys,” he told them.

He sat back down at his desk and picked up a sheet of paper. It was a letter to David Frost, who won the Toshiba Classic on the Champions Tour the day before.

“Congratulations on your strong performance in the Toshiba Classic,” he said, reading the letter aloud. “He’s playing pretty good.”

He reached for a black pen and signed his name, as famous as any signature in sports.

The other letter on his desk was for Kevin Streelman, who won the Tampa Bay Championship for his first PGA Tour title in 153 tries. Palmer watched most of the back nine on television and was impressed with what he saw. He had this letter placed in Streelman’s locker downstairs.

Talk about a tradition like no other. For years, Palmer has written a note of congratulations to the winners on every tour every week. Palmer looked down at his desk and found two index cards that had been marked up, and then started rattling off numbers. The 443 beds in the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies. The 13,000 babies born last year alone. The only high-level trauma center in central Florida dedicated to children. More than 3,500 employees and 450 doctors employed by both hospitals.

“That’s just a few of the things that we are pushing,” Palmer said. “It’s a big deal. We’d like to be the No. 1 children’s hospital in the world for children and women.”

The Arnold Palmer Invitational starts this week with one of the strongest fields among PGA Tour events this year. Tiger Woods is the defending champion and a seven-time winner, with a chance to go back to No. 1 in the world with another victory. Brandt Snedeker is playing for the first time since his win at Pebble Beach, missing the next five weeks with a rib injury. Masters champion Bubba Watson will be there, too.

Palmer smiles at the mention of Watson’s shot out of the trees on the 10th hole at Augusta National last year to win a playoff.

“It was a great shot, but I don’t think it was spectacular,” Palmer said. “It was more natural for him to hit than anything in the world.”

Not many can appreciate the art of recovery quite like Palmer. It’s part of what made him so famous. He was willing to take on any shot, hitching up his pants and slashing away. It was never boring watching him play.

“People enjoyed that,” he said. “That was one of the things that attracted them to what I did.”



When it comes to golf, Palmer is still the king - Spokesman-com - March 20, 2013

Twelve-year-old Chinese golf prodigy Ye Wocheng will smash the record for youngest player at a European Tour event.

The Dongguan schoolboy was able to card a triple-bogey eight and still finish third with a two-day score of two-under-par 142 at Chengdu's Wolong Valley Country Club, punching his ticket to the Volvo China Open in May.

Ye follows Masters-bound Guan Tianlang and Florida-based Andy Zhang, both 14, to become part of the group of young stars emerging from China.

Guan holds the current European Tour age record after he played last year's China Open in Tianjin at 13 years and 177 days. Hong Kong's Jason Hak became the tour's youngest cut-maker, aged 14 and 304 days, at the 2008 Hong Kong Open.

Despite international victories by the likes of veterans Liang Wenchong and Zhang Lianwei, China has only three players in the world's top 650, confounding hopes the country's golfers would quickly make a big impact on the sport.

However, China's teen and pre-teen players are now leading the charge, with Andy Zhang setting the trend when he became the youngest to tee off at the US Open last year.

In April, Guan will attract more headlines when he becomes the youngest to play the US Masters, lowering the 2010 record of Italy's Matteo Manassero, who was 16 at the time, by a distance.

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For Guan, the sky is the limit as he told AFP he dreamed of becoming the first player to achieve the legendary 'grand slam' of golf.

"I have a dream since I was a little boy," Guan said in an exclusive interview. "I wish, one day, I can win all four majors in one year."

After Guan's appearance at the April 11-14 showpiece at Augusta National, Ye will hog the limelight when he sets the European Tour's new age record at the China Open on May 2.

Jin Daxing, who won this week's qualifying tournament, and second-placed Li Xinyang will join him at Binhai Lake Golf Club as the other top-three finishers.

Ye is already known internationally after he won the US Kids World Junior Championship in San Diego in 2010 and 2011 and finished runner-up last year. He also holds the tournament record of 12 under par.

This year, he won the Guangdong Junior Championships by a record 18 shots. He credits his father, who caddied for him in Chengdu, with introducing him to golf. "My dad was my first coach, so I owe him a lot for starting me off and helping me to develop my swing," he said, according to the European Tour website. "He's a pretty good player himself - an eight handicap."



Chinese golf prodigy to set record | Golf | Fox Sports

Justin Rose takes a two-shot lead into the second round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, where Tiger Woods trails by four shots as he attempts to return to the top of the world rankings with an eighth win at the event.

Rose had a 7-under-par 65 yesterday at Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando, Florida, to lead John Huh, who is 5 under. John Rollins and Brad Fritsch share third, one shot ahead of Rose’s playing partner, Woods, one of 10 golfers at 3 under par.

“Starting out this morning, the first six, seven, eight holes felt a grind,” Rose, a 32-year-old from England, told reporters. “It was cold. It was windy.”

Defending champion Woods would return to the top of the Official World Golf Ranking for the first time in 2 1/2 years with a third victory this year on the PGA Tour. Woods, 37, has won five times in his past 20 starts on the world’s richest golf tour. An eighth title at Bay Hill would also tie him with Sam Snead for the most victories at a single PGA Tour event.

Woods tied for the lead with an eagle on the 16th hole yesterday before dropping back with bogeys at his last two holes.

’’I didn’t drive it well, didn’t hit my irons well and didn’t control my distances or trajectory well,’’ Woods said. “But I scored well and I kept myself in the tournament.”



Justin Rose Leads Arnold Palmer Golf; Woods Trails by Four Shots - Bloomberg

Kylie Kummer and Haley Guse each had a 101 to lead Othello to a victory at the Othello girls Invitational.

At Othello Golf Course (par 74) Team scores—Othello 338, Toppenish 392. Top 5—Kylie Kummer (O) 101, Haley Guse (O) 101, Annie Milne (Wapato) 121, Marisol Avila (T) 123, Carly Gearheart (O) 129, Victoria Sanchez (T) 129. Othello—Savannah Crnick 71 (9 holes), Kristin Wolfs 76 (9 holes). Royal—Carly Smith 71 (9 holes).

Read more here: Othello wins girls golf invitational | High School Sports | Tri-CityHerald-com

Tiger Woods’s bid to return to the top of golf’s world rankings was delayed a day by a thunderstorm and tornado warning that suspended play at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, where he’s pursuing an eighth win.

Woods has a three-shot lead with 16 holes remaining at Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando, Florida, where some fairways were swamped by 1 1/2 inches of rain and television camera towers were toppled by winds as fast as 60 miles per hour (96 kph). Play was suspended yesterday after a delay of about two hours and the U.S. PGA Tour said the final round will resume today at 10 a.m. local time. It’s the third time this year a PGA Tour event has been extended an extra day due to bad weather.

A victory today would vault Woods past Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy in the Official World Golf Ranking, putting him at the top for the first time in 2 1/2 years.

“It sort of was one of my goals to get back to that position after being out of the top 50 there for a while, being hurt, and having all my points come off where I couldn’t play,” Woods said after the third round. “That was not a fun stretch, but I had to get healthy in order to compete, and so far I’ve had five wins on our tour in the last couple years. So I’m heading in the right direction.”

Keegan Bradley, Rickie Fowler, Ken Duke and John Huh are tied for second place, three shots behind Woods at 9-under par, with a group of five players at 8-under. Woods had moved into the lead two days ago by shooting a 6-under-par 66.

Woods has won twice this year on the PGA Tour and five times in his past 19 starts on the world’s richest golf circuit. An eighth title at Bay Hill also would tie him with Sam Snead for the most victories at a single PGA Tour event.

Woods won the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines earlier this season after fog delays pushed the tournament to a Monday finish. The season-opening Tournament of Champions in Hawaii was also extended an extra day by high winds.


Tiger Woods

The moment was vintage Tiger Woods, and so was his reaction.

Seconds after Rickie Fowler made a 40-foot birdie putt on the 12th hole to pull within two shots of the lead, Woods posed over his 25-foot birdie putt until he swept the putter upward in his left hand and marched toward the cup as it dropped for a birdie.

Fowler, standing on the edge of the green, turned with a slight smile as if to say, ''What else can I do?''

Woods won the Arnold Palmer Invitational on Monday and returned to No. 1 in the world for the first time since October 2010, the longest spell of his career. After all that time, after so much turmoil with his personal life and his health, Woods looks as good as ever.

Maybe better.

''It's a byproduct of hard work, patience and getting back to winning golf tournaments,'' Woods said.

He essentially wrapped up his eighth title at Bay Hill with an 8-iron out of a fairway bunker on the par-5 16th that easily cleared the water and landed safely on the green for a two-putt birdie. Woods dangled his tongue out of his mouth as the ball was in the air, another sign of his swagger.

Just like his other two wins this year, Woods never let anyone get closer than two shots in the final round. With a conservative bogey he could afford on the final hole, he closed with a 2-under 70 for a two-shot win over Justin Rose.

Woods walked off the 18th green waving his putter over his head - truly a magic wand at Bay Hill - to acknowledge the fans who have seen this act before. His eighth win in the Arnold Palmer Invitational tied a PGA Tour record that had not been touched in 48 years.

This win had extra significance. He's back to No. 1.

''If I get healthy, I know I can play this game at a high level,'' Woods said. ''I know I can be where I'm contending in every event, contending in major championships and being consistent day in and day out - if I got healthy. That was the first step in the process. Once I got there, then my game turned.''

A year ago, he came to Bay Hill without having won in more than 2 1/2 years. He left this year having won six times in his last 20 starts on the PGA Tour.

Next up is the Masters, where Woods will try to end his five-year drought in the majors.

''I'm really excited about the rest of this year,'' Woods said.

Woods fell as low as No. 58 in the world as he coped with the collapse of his marriage, a loss of sponsors and injuries to his left leg. One week after he announced he was dating Olympic ski champion Lindsey Vonn, Woods returned to the top of golf.

''Number 1 😡😡😡😡!'' Vonn tweeted moments after his win.

Asked if there was any correlation to his winning right after going public with his relationship, Woods smiled and said, ''You're reading way too much into this.''

Like so many other victories, this one was never really close.

Fowler pulled to within two shots with a 25-foot birdie putt on the 14th hole, but after he and Woods made bogey on the 15th, Fowler went at the flag on the par-5 16th and came up a few yards short and into the water. Fowler put another ball into the water and made triple bogey.

''I was swinging it well. I made a few putts, and trying to put a little pressure on them, let them know I was there,'' Fowler said. ''Just would like to have that 7-iron back on 16. Just kind of a touch heavy.''

Woods played it safe on the 18th, and nearly holed a 75-foot par putt that even drew a big smile from the tournament host.

Woods tied the tour record of eight wins in a single tournament. Sam Snead won the Greater Greensboro Open eight times from 1938 to 1965 at two golf courses. Woods tied his record for most wins at a single golf course, having also won eight times at Torrey Pines, including a U.S. Open.

''I don't really see anybody touching it for a long time,'' Palmer said while Woods made his way up the 18th fairway. ''I had the opportunity to win a tournament five times, and I knew how difficult that was.''

Rose, who played the first two rounds with Woods, closed with a 70 to finish alone in second.

He pulled to within two shots of Woods with a birdie on the 16th. Woods was in the group behind him in the fairway bunker on the par 5, and hit 8-iron over the water and onto the middle of the green for a two-putt birdie to restore his margin.

''He plays every shot like he plays them on Sunday,'' Rose said. ''His intensity is the same on Thursday often as it is on Sunday, and that makes Sunday a lot less different for him. He plays in that kind of atmosphere far more regularly than a lot of guys do, and it's an adjustment for most of us. It's a known for him.''

Fowler had to settle for a 73 and a tie for third with Mark Wilson (71), Keegan Bradley (71) and Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (72).

Rory McIlroy had been No. 1 since he won the PGA Championship last August. He can reclaim the No. 1 ranking by winning the Houston Open this week. Woods heads home to south Florida for two weeks before the Masters.

Asked the last time he felt this good going to Augusta National, Woods replied, ''It's been a few years.''

This was the fourth time in his career that he already had three PGA Tour wins before the Masters - he didn't win a green jacket in any of the previous years (2000, 2003 and 2008). More telling, perhaps, is that Woods has won back-to-back starts for the first time since the Buick Open and Bridgestone Invitational in August 2009.

''I think it shows that my game is consistent,'' he said. ''It's at a high level.''

Woods finished at 13-under 275 and won for the 77th time on the PGA Tour, moving to within five of Snead's record.

Fowler, his first time playing with Woods in the final group, opened with eight pars when he needed to be making up ground. And when he finally had a few openings on the back nine, Woods refused to let him through.

Woods salvaged a two-putt par with a 7-footer on the 11th hole to keep a three-shot lead. On the next hole, Fowler

Rockford Public Schools and the Rockford Park District will partner this spring to give young golfers a chance to compete for their middle school team.

The partnership will bring golf to all Rockford middle schools for the first time. District officials hope to boost participation of younger golfers at middle schools that haven’t had a steady program, or in some cases never had a team.

“I think it’s going to do a lot to attract kids back to the public schools, by giving them opportunities they don’t have right now,” said Duncan Geddes, head golf pro and general manager at Aldeen Golf Club.

Introducing golf to Rockford’s middle schools will help improve students’ success at the high school level, which can lead to college scholarships, Duncan said.

“The real goal is creating lifelong golfers and helping kids enjoy the benefits of the great game of golf,” Geddes said.

Rockford Public Schools will provide coaches and transportation for the teams. The Park District will provide time on the course, lessons and clubs for students who don’t have their own. The district has more than 70 sets of junior clubs for students to borrow.

Middle school students will compete in organized match play on modified tees starting later this spring at Ingersoll Golf Course, 101 Daisyfield Road.

Lynn Stockton hopes the program will lead to more participation at the high school level. Stockton’s daughter, Kaylin Janicke, was the only girl to sign up for golf at any of the district’s high schools this fall. Janicke, an Auburn sophomore, was the lone member of a co-op team from Auburn, Guilford, Jefferson and East. “Once they know that the opportunity is there — that there’s a program, that there’s a coach, that there’s a commitment by the district — I think it could turn around in a year or two,” Stockton said.

A kickoff event will be April 13 at the Aldeen Practice Center, 1902 Reid Farm Road. Parents with students interested in participating should talk to their middle school athletic director.



Rockford middle schools add golf with Park District's help - Latest News - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star