Tiger Makes Right Call About The Masters

Tiger Woods' announcement that he will return to golf at the Masters in three weeks makes sense because it allows him to return in the closest thing to a controlled environment that tournament golf allows.

The media attendance will be limited to the organizations that have already been credentialed meaning it will be essentially the same golf media that's at Augusta every year. Assuming Woods does a pre-tournament press conference, it will be managed by Augusta National and the gossip websites and television programs won't have access. That doesn't mean he won't get tough questions, but the vibe will be different.

It's also a place where the galleries are more likely to be respectful of Woods than at some other venues where the combination of beer, sunshine and boorish behavior could make it uncomfortable for not just Tiger but for some spectators, too.

Woods may hear a few catcalls at Augusta but not like at some other places. He's smart enough to know he's going to hear from the crowd whereever he plays but Augusta is different than every place else. I'm sure the basics of good behavior will be emphasized to everyone entering the gates.

It's great for golf that Woods is returning. Maybe this is the last phase of this long, ugly ordeal. Once Woods gets back on the golf course and his game can become the focus again, the quicker the rest of it will fade as he tries to move on. It will take a while, though. Just by playing again, the water is churned and it won't end with one tournament.

What happens if he plays the Quail Hollow Championship three weeks after the Masters? Or The Players Championship? Or The Memorial?

He could have chosen to play next week in Orlando at the Tavistock Cup and the Arnold Palmer Invitational but choosing the Masters figures to make his transition back into the public eye a little easier. Not easy. Just easier.

As for questions about whether he can win the Masters without having played a tournament since last fall, yes, he can win.

And wouldn't that be a story?

Want To Play East Lake? Sage Valley? Long Cove?

If you're looking to play golf someplace special you might not otherwise have the opportunity to play, here's your chance.

And you can help the turgrass industry in the process.

Rounds4Research, which started in North Carolina last year, will include courses in South Carolina, Texas and Virginia this year, giving golfers the opportunity to participate in an online auction for rounds of golf at more than 500 courses, including some very famous and very private ones.

The money raised will go to benefit turfgrass research at Clemson University and N.C. State.

The online auction will be held April 7-21 and information is available at www.Rounds4Research.com.

Among courses that are offering spots for foursomes are East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta; Harbour Town Golf Links at Hilton Head; Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro; Pinehurst No. 2; Kiawah Island's Ocean Course; Yeaman's Hall near Charleston, S.C.; Sage Valley near Augusta, Ga.; Eagle Point near Wilmington; Love Cove Club at Hilton Head; and, The Homestead's Cascades Course in Virginia.

U.S. Open champion and Clemson alum Lucas Glover has signed on as spokesman for the project, which raised more than $55,000 for trufgrass research last year.

Will Tiger Play Masters Then Quail Hollow?

It’sstill largely guesswork at this point but I think Tiger Woods is going to take a pass on playing the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill next week and make his return to golf at the Masters.

And if he does, it raises the possibility that the Quail Hollow Championship could be the first regular tour event Woods plays.

They’re making contingency plans at Quail Hollow in the event Woods decides to play here and, it’s safe to assume, that Bay Hill is doing the same thing.

Woods and his camp have said nothing publicly about when he will return to golf but it’s obvious he’s preparing to play again. There’s a chance he could play the two-day Tavistock Cup with his buddies at Isleworth next Monday and Tuesday but making the Masters his debut seems more likely.

Initially, the idea that Woods would show up first at Augusta and bring all that comes with him to the Masters seemed unlikely.

The Masters isn’t a place for sideshows and there’s no way Woods can play without bringing a circus to town with him. But it’s going to be that way wherever he plays, at least for a while, and at the Masters, it will be easier to contain the craziness.

Media credentials are limited at the Masters, making it virtually impossible for the TMZs of the world to get access inside the media center.

The tournament also has a different clientele. That doesn’t mean some of the patrons won’t get a little chatty when Tiger walks by but it won’t be like Saturday at Phoenix. The Masters will make sure of it.

The Masters is the closest thing to a controlled environment in tournament golf, which makes it a logical place for Woods to return. Every effort will be made by the tournament to make sure he’s as comfortable as he can be.

It will be a huge moment when Woods returns. CBS president Sean McManus was quoted recently saying it may be the biggest television moment of the past decade aside from the Obama election.

Imagine the ratings if Woods were to return at Augusta and win there.

Woods hasn’t played competitively since last fall but he’s had long layoffs before major championships before. He missed the cut at the U.S. Open after his father’s death in 2006 and he took two months off before returning to win the Open at Torrey Pines on a broken leg nearly two years ago.

If Woods returns at Bay Hill or the Masters, the Quail Hollow Championship -- three weeks after Augusta -- suddenly comes into the picture. He’s made it a regular stop, missing it only because of his father’s death and knee surgery, since he first played here in 2004.

If it’s his first regular tour event, the media storm will be intense. So will the fan interest.

Is Tiger Getting Close To A Return?

Studying the scene at Doral from afar this week, one item is particularly interesting:

Mark Steinberg, Tiger Woods' agent, was on the scene at the WGC-CA Championship, adding to the growing fire of speculation about the possiblity that Woods may return to the PGA Tour sooner rather than later.

Woods, it has been reported, is back at work on his game at Isleworth, taking the counsel of swing coach Hank Haney and apparently gearing up for his eventual return.

Couple that with the Steinberg sighting and it's easy to speculate that Woods may indeed play in the Masters next month. Maybe Steinberg was there onn other business or maybe he was just testing the Tour's temperature regarding his client but it is interesting timing.

After watching Woods' public statement last month, I thought there was very little chance he would play at Augusta. Now, I'm leaning the other way.

It's conceivable Woods may play the private and easy to insulate Tavistock Cup in Orlando the week after next then make his tour return at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill. That theory is gaining momentum though it's all guesswork.

By playing Bay Hill, it would allow Woods to get in one tournament before the Masters and go through a week back in the public eye.

Maybe it's all just smoke right now, no real fire. But it's nice that the conversation about Woods these days is more about his golf than the other stuff.

Ping, PGA Tour and USGA Reach Agreement

If you haven't sold your pre-1990 Ping Eye2 wedge yet, the market just crashed on you.

The wedges won't be allowed for use on the PGA Tour or any other professional tour after March 29 following an agreement by Ping to drop its right to exempt those clubs from the new rules related to grooves that went into effect this year.

The agreement closes a loophole in the new rules that all sides were aware existed before several tour players decided to put the old clubs into their bags this year.

“We’re thankful for Commissioner Finchem’s understanding of our position and his role in helping bring about this resolution. We all believe it is in the best interests of golf,” said Ping president John Solheim said in a statement.

“It levels the playing field on the PGA TOUR and resolves a very unfortunate situation that we predicted would happen when the USGA first proposed the new groove rule more than two years ago. It keeps in place all of our other rights established in the 1993 PGA TOUR settlement and the 1990 USGA settlement, including ensuring amateurs will continue to be able to play their pre-April 1990 EYE2s at all amateur events played under the USGA Rules of Golf.”

The agreement has one caveat: Several tour players had Ping Eye2 wedges made recently that meet the grooves regulations that went into effect in 2010. Those clubs are still legal.

As part of the resolution, the USGA announced it will hold an equipment forum later this year in hopes of finding better ways to resolve equipment issues between manufacturers and governing bodies.

Villegas, Fowler And Other Encouraging Signs

So I'm looking at the list of winners on the PGA Tour this season and I'm thinking this isn't bad.

Steve Stricker won and moved into No. 2 in the world rankings, jumping past the slow-starting Phil Mickelson.

Dustin Johnson, Hunter Mahan, Ian Poulter and Camilo Villegas have all won, reinforcing the idea that there's an encouraging blend of talent and style in what feels like a new generation.

Bill Haas finally got his breakthrough win and Rickie Fowler has become a star without winning.

And Tiger's hitting golf balls again.

The PGA Tour might just survive after all.

If there's been a benefit to Woods' self-imposed absence, it's been the enhanced focus on other players. With Mickelson not doing much so far, others have seized their moments.

Poulter and Villegas, in particular, have personas as big as their games. It was important for Poulter to win something substantial over here to be known for more than his clothes. Now he's done it and I expect he'll do it some more.

Villegas has played well all year and has the look of a guy in a good place. He's talked about being more relaxed and smiling more and maybe there's something to that. The way Villegas takes a rip at the ball and his Spiderman routine -- even if it's become part gimmick by now -- he's fun to watch. That's what sells the tour.

That's why Fowler is the new rage. With his Lanny Wadkins-like slash at the ball, all wrists and whip, he has that fearless look about him beneath his long hair. He got justifiably chided for his lay-up decision at Phoenix when he had a chance to win but he did what he felt was in his best interests. If he had it to do over, he might do it differently.

This week, the big guys are all together again at Doral for a World Golf Championship event. Maybe it's Phil's time. Wouldn't that be fun with Augusta getting closer by the day.

Pinehurst No. 2 Now In Coore-Crenshaw Hands

Pinehurst has made official the hiring of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw to oversee a restoration project to Course No. 2, a project that will be done gradually with a minimal impact on resort play.

The intention is to restore many of the natural aesthetic characteristics of the original Donald Ross design while bringing back many of the strategic elements of the course Ross considered his masterpiece.

That means expanding sandy waste areas off the fairways, restoring the native wiregrass in those areas, some bunker work and widening of some fairways while reducing the amount of manicured rough.

In short, it means bringing No. 2 back to its full and original glory. In Coore and Crenshaw, Pinehurst has found the ideal pair to handle a delicate but necessary project.

The gradual pace of the project is expected to allow the course to remain open until November.
“It is not our intent to radically change this golf course,” Coore said in a press release.

“We’re trying to uncover it, not recover it. We’re trying to take what Ross left and perhaps bring it back to the character and definition of what was once here. In short, we’ll bring the strategy back, and reinstate its character.”

Course No. 2 is scheduled to close Nov. 15 and remain closed until March 2 while significant work is done.

The project does not involve any work on No. 2's greens and there will be no significant lengthening to the course that will host the 2014 men's and women's U.S. Opens. There are plans to build a new tee on the par-4 seventh hole to enhance the dogleg.

“When you see it and feel Pinehurst, you know it’s something different,” said Crenshaw. “In Ross’ mind, it was the best way he believed a course should be played – his masterpiece. His courses are so beautifully balanced, intended to test every part of your game. This piece of ground was special to him. To contribute our ideas here is a high, high honor.”

Watson's Idea: Match Young Against Old

Forever young Tom Watson has a good idea.

During a pre-tournament interview this week in advance of the Toshiba Classic on the Champions Tour, Watson suggested getting the top 30 players from the old guys tour and the top 30 off the the regular tour and having them play a tournament together.

Set the course up at 7,000 yards -- that's not too long for the best Champions Tour players -- and have a go at it.

It would be interesting to see what happens.

There's a bit of crossover at the Masters each year but Augusta National is so long and difficult now, it's not a fair test for the seniors.

But put the best players from both tours on a course that's fair to both groups and we might be surprised by how it turns out. The regular tour players would probably fill the top of the leaderboard but I think the seniors would do surprisingly well.

Watson nearly won the British Open last year. Fred Couples can still play. So can Bernhard Langer, Tom Lehman and several others. The courses they play are set up differently than regular tour courses -- they're shorter and pins aren't tucked into invisible corners -- to encourage birdies.

If length isn't an overriding factor, talent becomes an equalizer. There is, however, the matter of old nerves.

Young against old. It would be fun, if nothing else.

John Daly Does It Again...What A Surprise

It's a good thing John Daly has a new reality show on The Golf Channel right now.

That may be the only place he'll be seen for a while.

Angry over a story in the Florida Times-Union newspaper detailing the many details in his PGA Tour disciplinary file -- it's over 450 pages of bad acting and the fallout that comes with it -- Big John decided to get even with the writer, Garry Smits. Daly's file, it should be noted, became public record as part of a lawsuit, allowing a glimpse into otherwise private case.

Daly Tweeted Smits' cell phone number -- two different times on Tuesday -- and suggested his fans pepper Smits with complaints about how their hero was being treated.

Another brilliant move by John Daly.

Though you'd think Daly wouldn't get embarrassed any more, he probably was when word got out he's been suspended six times by the tour and ordered to counseling or rehab seven times. Then there are the 21 incidences of Daly being cited for failing to give his best effort. It's also called quitting.

So Daly, who claims in his TV show that he's trying to rehabilitate his self-inflicted image, tries to rally the troops to make life miserable for the guy who wrote the untold story of his professional life.

The PGA Tour has a policy of not talking about the disciplinary action it takes against players. It may be time to rethink that, especially in Daly's case. His folder is about to get thicker.

Quail Hollow Commitments Starting To Roll In

The Quail Hollow Championship is still two months away but the tournament has already received commitments from eight of the top 25 players in the world golf rankings.

U.S. Open champion Lucas Glover and British Open champion Stewart Cink are on the commitment list along with Lee Westwood, Rory McIlroy, Robert Allenby, Retief Goosen, defending champion Sean O’Hair, Jim Furyk, David Toms, Hunter Mahan, Tim Clark and Bill Haas.

The tournament (www.quailhollowchampionship.com) is scheduled April 26-May 2 at the Quail Hollow Club.

Tiger and PETA, A Bad Combination

A few chip shots while waiting for the mud to dry:


-- According to a report in the Orlando Sentinel, PETA is planning to put up a billboard near Tiger Woods’ home in Windemere, Fla., featuring Woods’ image and the message “Too Much Sex Can Be A Bad Thing…For Little Tigers, Too.”

I couldn’t make this stuff up.

The idea – a really wretched one – is to promote spay and neuter programs for animals, according to a PETA spokesman. That’s why the billboard also says, ‘Help keep your cats (and dogs) out of trouble. Always spay or neuter.”

Woods, of course, has nothing to do with the billboard and PETA is looking for a company to sponsor the billboard, according to the newspaper.

Good luck with that. And the lawsuit that follows.

-- John Daly has an underwear endorsement with a company called Slix. That’s not something I really want to think about.


-- Prepare to be bombarded with talk about the par-3 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale this weekend. It’s where thousands go for a party and a golf tournament breaks out. Sounds like fun if you’re there and, while you wouldn’t want it every week, it works in Phoenix.


-- Three events into the Champions Tour season and the winners have been Tom Watson, Fred Couples and Bernhard Langer. That’s precisely what the Champions Tour needs.


-- Almost a week after Woods’ public statement, the buzz is finally subsiding to a dull roar. He’s still getting blistered by plenty of people, who won’t ever get an apology/admission that will satisfy them. I can’t help but wonder how different things might be – if any – had Tiger made the same statement two months ago instead of waiting as long as he did.


-- I’m still waiting for Phil Mickelson’s big bang season to start. It’s been pretty muffled so far.


-- They’re starting to aerate greens around here which means, despite the weather, that spring can’t be far away.


-- A question of style: Is it too much to have all of your clubs, your golf bag and your cap with the same equipment company logo? If you’re not getting paid to do that, I mean. Just wondering…


-- David Feherty recently became a naturalized citizen of the United States. It’s a better country already.


-- The Masters is six weeks away. I’m thinking Tiger’s return is further away.

Poulter Proves He's More Than A Peacock

Professional golf has always had its peacocks.

Jimmy Demaret had a brash sartorial style and Doug Sanders’ career was painted in pastels as much or more than in championships.

Now we have Ian Poulter, who until his overdue victory in the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship Sunday, was known more for his trousers than his trophies.

If his impressive performances in the 2008 British Open and Ryder Cup matches didn’t convince doubters that Poulter is more than just a man with an eye for bold colors and expensive fabrics, his win over Paul Casey and a list of prominent match-play victims beforehand should.

Poulter jumped to fifth in the world rankings with his victory and if that seems high, it isn’t by much. While we’ve been watching his wardrobe, Poulter has been refining his game.

In the Tiger-free world of the PGA Tour, Poulter is exactly what professional golf needs. He stands out, not just because of his clothes, but because he can play.

And I like his clothes. They wouldn’t look good on me – or most of the people I know – but on Poulter, they look right. He has an eye for fashion, something the sartorially bankrupt John Daly is sorely lacking.

If you haven’t heard, by the way, in addition to wearing and endorsing the appropriately named Loudmouth Pants, Daly recently inked a deal to endorse a new brand of underwear. I couldn't make that up.

But back to Poulter. He took some heat last year for saying that when he’s on, he has the game to challenge Tiger. It was a bold statement for a guy who had never won a PGA Tour event and agreed to pose for a magazine cover wearing nothing but a well-placed golf bag in front of him.

Poulter has the edge to be different and in golf, it doesn’t take much to be different. Pink pants and a pink sweater make you different.

So does winning a World Golf Championship event.

Tiger's talk revealing, effective

If we've learned over the past three months about a Tiger Woods we never knew existed, we saw on Friday a Tiger Woods we haven't seen before.

He was shaky, uncomfortable, nervous, angry, emotional, contrite and sorry.

He looked like a man who didn't want to be there but understood why he had to stand before the world and confess his sins and failures. It had to be one of the most uncomfortable moments of his life and there have been plenty of those recently.

There will be more.

For all the discussion about the format - no questions allowed and only a handful of people in the room - Woods took a large and necessary step in his public and private rehabilitation process.

It was revealing and effective.

Was it everything everyone wanted to see and hear? No. But it was a strong start.

Woods talked about feeling entitled to a lifestyle that violated the principles and values on which he was raised. It was a powerful admission, saying he believed he could live by different rules even when it comes to marriage.

Scripted or not, it got to what this is all be about.

He talked about all the people he disappointed and he admitted he needs help. Part of Woods' persona has been built on the image of a man always in control - on the golf course, in the boardroom and in life.

Instead, he showed his vulnerability and admitted to it.

Yes, he was reading off a script but he came across as genuine. Particularly striking was his defense of his wife, Elin, and his children. It was when he was the most forceful and you could sense him feeling the pain he's caused.

Woods defended his right to privacy when it comes to his relationship with his wife and family and he's right. He scolded the media for following his children, a justifiable dig at the tabloid publications that have treated the whole thing as a feeding frenzy.

There will be plenty of complaints about what he did or didn't say and why he wouldn't take questions but the message he delivered Friday gave the world a glimpse into his upside-down world.

The whole thing felt strange but everything about what's unfolded since Thanksgiving weekend has felt strange. There was no way this wasn't going to be uncomfortable.

He has put himself in an impossible situation. He has wrecked his life and his image and the process of rebuilding it doesn't come with a how-to manual. He didn't blame anyone but himself.

When he was finished speaking, Woods walked over and gave his mother a long, close hug. He spoke to a few people then walked away.

Behind a curtain again.

Is Tiger Closer To Returning To The PGA Tour?

Forget for a moment -- if that's possible -- all the allegations, revelations and speculation about what Tiger Woods has or hasn't been doing these past few months.

Put aside the storm of controversy surrounding his method of delivering his message tomorrow.

Consider the golf question:

Will his public statement Friday bring him closer to returning to the PGA Tour?

Is he going to say he's prepared to return to the tour sometime soon?

You have to think so.

Maybe he's ready, or close to ready, to come back to golf. We've seen a recent photograph of him out jogging but not one of him with a golf club in his hand. Maybe that's next, after the flood of images from his public statement on Friday.

For all this runaway story is about, it eventually comes back to golf. That's why we cared about Tiger Woods in the first place. When he comes back, we'll pay attention again.

He's lost some people for good. Others he'll win back. Some can go either way.

There are plenty of flashpoints in this whole tangled story. As for golf, it will be nice to see him back.

Westbrook Headed To CPGA Hall Of Fame

The Carolinas PGA Hall of Fame will get a little richer Sunday night when Jim Westbrook, a fixture at Carmel Country Club, is inducted during a ceremony at Myrtle Beach.

Westbrook exempified what a good professional should be, overseeing a large operation at Carmel while always focusing his attention on the members. Like many others in his business, Westbrook got into golf because he loved to play but as a club pro, his duties and responsibilities kept him around the golf course more than on it.

“I always tried to put the members first,” Westbrook said. “Customer service was paramount to me. When someone pays that kind of money to join a golf club, they want to be treated well.”

Westbrook started in the golf business in Nashville,Tenn., then went to Waynesboro, Va., and Florence, S.C., before coming to Carmel in Oct. 1973. Westbrook spent nearly 29 years as head pro at Carmel before retiring in 2002.

He was instrumental in developing a number of assistant pros who went on to their own head professional jobs at other clubs. Westbrook created a business model with each assistant on his staff having specific duties. As the assistants moved up on the staff, their duties changed. “That way,” Westbrook said, “when they were finished, they understood every aspect of the operation.”

Westbrook also played a big role in the creation of the annual Carmel Pro-Am, the richest two-day pro-am event on the Carolinas PGA schedule.

“It’s very humbling for something like to happen,” Westbrook said. “It’s an honor.”

Golf -- As It Wasn't Meant To Be

If we lived in Cleveland or Milwaukee or one of those places where they spend as much time with a snow shovel as with a sand wedge, this winter thing might not be so bad.

But this is North Carolina, where golf is supposed to be a year-round game. Just not this year.

One day soon, the sun will shine, the thermometer will nudge near 60 and the wind will take a day off. And there won’t be a tee time to be found.

Until then, I’m tired of:

• Checking the seven-day forecast and seeing daily high temperatures that resemble my nine-hole scores;
• Spending time on the computer looking at Scotty Cameron putters instead of using one;
• Looking at brown grass;
• Hitting practice shots off of plastic grass. It’s nice plastic grass but it’s still plastic – and leaves green plastic skid marks on the bottom of your 8-iron;
• Eating soup at lunch in the grill room and wondering if it’s worth putting on four layers of clothes and my old mud-stained golf shoes to play nine holes just because…
• Watching enough golf on television to recognize Alex Prugh;
• And, Troy Merritt.
• Thinking about the stretching exercises I should probably be doing because they’re supposed to be good for me;
• Seeing commercials for ‘Being John Daly;’
• Telling the same golf stories because no one’s had a chance to warrant new ones;
• Waiting for Tiger Woods to return;
• ‘Carts On Path’ signs;
• Wondering whatever happened to my shorts;
• And my tan;
• Practicing my set-up in the garage in front of a mirror. (Okay, I don’t really do that but I’ve heard it helps);
• Feeling guilty about not playing through the casual water and cold weather like some guys I know;
• Washing my golf towel and calling it working on my game;

MIke Strantz, Sterling Sharpe And Lousy Weather

Thinking about golf while wondering if it’s worth playing in the wet, muddy and cold conditions that are in no hurry to leave us:

• With the addition of Monterey Peninsula Country Club to the rotation in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am this week, it’s a reminder of talent of the late Mike Strantz.
  

He reworked Monterey Peninsula shortly before his death, adding his artistic touch to a beautiful piece of land.

We’re fortunate around here because so much of his work is nearby. Tobacco Road in Sanford is great fun to play, Tot Hill Farm near Asheboro is unique, Caledonia at Pawley’s Island is outstanding and Bulls Bay near Mt. Pleasant, S.C., may be on my 10 favorites’ list.

Strantz was part cowboy and part artist. He liked to ride the property on horseback and he painted watercolors of the holes he intended to design.

I was fortunate to play golf with him twice on his courses and listening to him explain his designs was enlightening. He believed in visual intimidation but, in reality, his courses give players plenty of room to roam. Sometimes he pushed too far but he saw golf courses as art. He helped us see them that way, too.

• When the eGolf Tour kicks off its 2010 season next week at Hilton Head Island, former NFL star Sterling Sharpe will be in the field for the kickoff event. Sharpe will play as an amateur but he’ll add a bit of star power to the field.

• One good thing about the lousy weather we’ve had the past six weeks – this is the latest I’ve ever been even par for the year.
  

• Are you going to get a pair of those new Ecco golf shoes Fred Couples has been sporting? The ones that look almost like slippers or sneakers? He’s been wearing the dark ones but they make them in white, too, and from what I’ve heard, they’re already backordered.
  

• The latest rumor is that Tiger Woods will make his return to golf next month at the Tavistock Cup in Orlando which matches Isleworth members against Lake Nona members.

Is it likely? Who knows.

It would allow him to slide back into the public arena in a controlled atmosphere. But everything still sounds like guesswork to me.

• There’s a report that Jesper Parnevik’s golf career may be over. He’s dealing with a serious back injury that could require fusion surgery. No one wants to hear that.
  

Raleigh's Hyler Right Man For USGA Leader

PINEHURST – Sitting in the lobby of the Carolina Hotel Saturday afternoon, a few hours before being installed as the new president of the United States Golf Association, Raleigh’s Jim Hyler was already looking ahead.

There was a speech to deliver, a new focus on environmental issues to push ahead, a U.S. Open at Pebble Beach to prepare for and the lingering issue of grooves legislation to button up.

At a time when golf rounds have declined in the United States, Hyler begins his term as the USGA president with the chance to turn challenges into opportunities.

Though he didn’t join the USGA’s Executive Committee until 2004, Hyler’s quick ascension to president speaks to his understanding of the game and its traditions as well as his ability to work cooperatively with others.

In a position that has had its share of strong, divisive personalities, Hyler has a softer, more persuasive style.

“He’s what the USGA needs,” says Mike Davis, the organization’s senior director of competitions and championships. “He’s a big picture type person who understands what a national governing body should be doing and our role in the game.”

Hyler sees that role as being progressive. When he joined Davis on the championship committee in 2006, Hyler agreed with Davis’s notion that the U.S. Open needed a makeover.

The championship has always been designed to be the toughest tournament test in golf. In that pursuit, course set-ups became unforgiving. There was no margin for error and, by becoming so demanding, the U.S. Open became predictable. Miss a fairway, make a bogey. Stretch every yard possible out of the course.

Hyler and Davis introduced graduated rough, giving players a chance to recover if they weren’t far off line. They decided to adjust teeing grounds from round to round. They reintroduced the notion of the short par-4 hole, offering drivable holes at Winged Foot, Oakmont and Torrey Pines.

It was borderline radical.

“It was a significant change in philosophy,” Hyler said, crediting Davis for many of the changes. “Our mantra is hard but fair. We didn’t want to ease up on the hard part but we wanted to make it more fair.

“We wanted to challenge the players’ thinking and the way they approached holes.”

It worked, earning generally positive reviews from players.

“When you chair the (championship) committee, the buck stops with you,” Davis said. “I’d do most of the detail work but if didn’t go well, it was Jim’s neck that was out there.”

A Virginia Tech gradate who plays out of Old Chatham Golf Club in Durham, was instrumental in the success of the 1999 and 2005 U.S. Opens at Pinehurst and he was involved in the decision to stage both the men’s and women’s Opens at Pinehurst in 2014.

He assumes his presidency at a time when the game is dealing with changing dynamics. The number of rounds played has declined over the past five years in the United States though they have grown in South America and Asia.

While the PGA of America and other organizations focus more directly on growing the game than the USGA does, the organization has donated more than $65 million over the past 13 years in golf initiatives, Hyler said.

“We’re always concerned about the health of the game,” Hyler said. “We’re not worried about it. We’ll support efforts to defend the game and grow the game as our mission allows us. We think as the economy comes out of this recession that things will come back to what I would term a new normal, which will somewhere between where we are now and where we five or six years ago.”

Hyler said he’s pleased with the rules changes that went into effect Jan. 1 regarding the eventual elimination of u-shaped grooves from competition. He has monitored the controversy that erupted around the use by some PGA Tour players of 20-year old Ping Eye-2 wedges that are still allowed under terms of a legal settlement in the 1990s.

“We knew that this Ping legal settlement was out there. We were a little surprised some of the players elected to use those clubs because that 20-year old clubs – we thought the newer grooves today would still be better than those grooves – but its perfectly legal.

“We’re trying to work through a solution to this.”

In his speech Saturday night, Hyler urged the USGA to take a larger leadership role in environmental issues, particularly regarding water use. Golf courses do not have to be perfectly green to be in good playing condition, Hyler said.

“We have done a lot of environmental research over the years. It’s our best-kept secret,” Hyler said. “We’ll start talking about sustainability and water and our view of courses.”

Looking around the hotel lobby Saturday, Hyler had the look of man energized by his new role.

“I’m very excited,” he said. “It’s something I never dreamed would happen. I’m very lucky and maybe a little bit nervous.”

The Best In The World Not Named Tiger

Steve Stricker knows he doesn't have to cry every time he wins a golf tournament but he can't help it.

It's a sweet problem to have.

Stricker may be the nicest man in professional golf, with a sense of grace that's impossible to miss. Forget the media training some players get to teach them how to deal with the cameras and the questions.

Just look at how Stricker does it. That's the model.

By winning the Northern Trust Open Sunday -- his fourth win in 15 months -- Stricker jumped past Phil Mickelson and into the No. 2 spot on the world golf rankings. It's a remarkable story considering that five years ago, Stricker had virtually no status in professional golf.

His driver yips had become so severe he seriously considered abandoning the game. Once a star, Stricker had become a casualty of a cruel game.

He stuck with it, often in the cold solitude of Wisconsin where he worked through winters to find what he'd lost. Now he has it back and better than ever.

Stricker has a putting stroke that seems to have come from angels, which is the greatest asset a player can have. Tee to green, he's not spectacular but he gives himself chances and he's learned to seize those opportunities.

He doesn't have the sizzle that Tiger or Mickelson have but he has a quiet dignity. He's easy to pull for -- tears and all.

In Golf, Bigger Isn't Always Better

If you're watching the telecast of the Northern Trust Open this weekend, you'll no doubt hear plenty of chatter about the charms, the merit and the diabolical nature of the 315-yard, par-4 10th hole at Riviera Country Club.

For good reason.

It's one of the great short par-4 holes, not just on the Tour schedule but anywhere. And, to my mind, good short par-4s may be the most fun holes to play in golf.

They equalize the field, for one thing. It's not about how far you hit it but where you hit it. And the really good ones, like the 10th at Riviera which begs you from the tee to take a whack at the green sitting diagonally in the distance, make you consider a variety of options.

It's relatively easy to play long par-4s. You bang it far down the fairway as you can to have the shortest possible club into the green and, from there, you try to avoid whatever trouble is around the green.

Well-designed short par-4s force you to think, which is where a lot of us get into trouble. They'll reward a well-played shot but the risk-reward element comes into play with every swing. That's the thing about the 10th at Riviera. If a player takes a shot at the green off the tee, there's a reasonable chance he's going to find himself with a second shot that may be short but may have compounded the challenge.

Even by taking a more conservative play off the tee, a good short hole still demands a careful approach.

Golf is about options and the more of them a course gives a player, the better it typically is.

That's why the changes to the par-4 seventh at Augusta National were a mistake. Before all the length was added, it was a short hole that required you to keep it between the trees off the tee then prove you were a good wedge player. By making it longer, it has lost some of its magic though it's become more difficult.

At Harbour Town, the 300-yard ninth hole is pencil-thin but bold players can hammer a driver into the greenside bunkers if they feel chesty. It puts them close to the hole off the tee but there's no room to stray right or left. And even if you play safe, hitting an iron off the tee, it better be precise or you're looking through pine trees from 80 yards away. It tempts you but doesn't offer an easy way out despite its short yardage.

As golf as shown us so many times and in so many ways, bigger isn't always better.

Nagy To Tee It Up In Elite Jones Cup

Charlotte 49ers golfer Corey Nagy will tee it up this weekend in the Jones Cup, a 28-player event at Ocean Forest Golf Club at Sea Island, Ga.

It's a testament to Nagy's place among the top amateur players that he earned an invitation to the special event. The 54-hole event has developed an international reputation for the quality of its field and its setting.

Former Clemson golfer Kyle Stanley won the event last year.

"The Jones Cup is among the very best amateur golf tournaments in the country and has once again attracted an elite field for the event," Charlotte golf coach Adam Pry said in a statement. "After taking a short break from competition, this is a great opportunity for Corey to compete on a championship course, against the best amateurs in the world."

Mickelson, McCarron Make Up, Eye-2s Still Okay

As best as I can tell, the most significant things that have happened in the past couple of days related the PGA Tour's sudden firestorm around the use of 20-year old Ping Eye-2 wedges is that Scott McCarron has apologized to Phil Mickelson for saying he's cheating and it's going to be a while -- probably a long while -- before the issue is put to rest one way or the other.

During a media conference today, commissioner Tim Finchem said the PGA Tour didn't anticipate the wedge issue becoming the firestarter that it has. The tour knew the old Eye-2 wedges were legal (by virtue of a legal settlement years ago) but didn't think it would make much difference.

Then again, Finchem didn't expect the tour to be reprimanding McCarron for accusing Mickelson of cheating. Mickelson, according to Finchem, accepted McCarron's apology.

How big an issue is the Eye-2 thing?

Through the first four PGA Tour events this year, Finchem said only five of 218 players have used the club during competition. More, however, may be considering adding one of the wedges to their bag if they aren't in violation of their equipment contracts.

Secondly, how much difference does the old club make?

Finchem said if the wedges that were legal before the rules change went into effect imparted a spin rate of 100 rpm (he's making the numbers easy to understand), a Ping Eye-2 has a spin rate of approximately 60 rpm. Under the new rules, u-grooved wedges impart a spin rate of approximately 50 rpm. That' s a difference of 20 percent between the Eye-2 and the new rules.

So what's next?

Tour players will continue to be allowed to use the Eye-2 wedges if they want.

"There's nothing wrong with that," Finchem said.

However, the issue isn't resolved. Finchem sounded hopeful that weekend comments by John Solheim of Karsten Manufacturing (which makes Ping) left room for a possible settlement that may close what is a legal loophole in golf's rules.

If that doesn't happen -- Finchem said there may be a meeting between Solheim and USGA officials in the next week -- the Tour Policy Board could send the issue to an independent committee for its evaluation. That's where it gets complicated as most committee work is.

For the time being, nothing has changed. And it's probably going to be a while -- if ever -- before it does.

Irish Creek To Host PGA Tour Qualifying Event

It's nice to see that a first stage qualifier for the PGA Tour will be played at The Club at Irish Creek in Kannapolis in October, rekindling the club's long relationship with the Q-school process.

The event will be played Oct. 18-22 at the popular layout redesigned by Davis Love III and his brother, Mark, a couple of years ago.

Long-time PGA Tour rules official Mark Russell, a Kannapolis native, was instrumental in bringing the qualifying event back to the club.

Irish Creek will also host the North Carolina Open June 7-10, one of the top Carolinas PGA events of the year. Additionally, the Irish Creek Collegiate Classic will be played April 2-4 with Davidson, Belmont Abbey and Charlotte hosting the event.

Mickelson Cheating? Uh, Not Exactly

So, all it took to get our minds off Tiger Woods was a 20-year old wedge and Phil Mickelson being accused of cheating.

Normally, talk of golf equipment specifications is better than Nyquil at putting me to sleep but the mini storm that's brewing around the clever loophole found by tour players who are using Ping Eye-2 wedges to circumvent the rules about square groove has produced a few sparks.

You probably know the basics: U-shaped (or square) grooves are no longer allowed on the PGA Tour but, because a long-ago lawsuit Ping filed against the USGA, the Eye-2 wedges are exempt from the legislation. That means play 'em if you've got 'em.

That's what a handful of players have done, rummaging through their garages and attics to pull out the old clubs and put them back into play, figuring they may provide a smidgen of advantage while still meeting the letter of the law.

It wasn't until Scott McCarron said Phil Mickelson and other players were "cheating" by usinan Eye-2 wedges that the story got semi-sexy (in a golf equipment kind of way).

Mickelson said he was slandered and hinted at legal retaliation.

It's hardly on the level of the Woods soap opera but it's interesting.

McCarron went too far when he invoked cheating into the discussion. The clubs are legal under the rules therefore, there' s no cheating.

His point, I think, is that the players are taking advantage of a loophole in the rules that should have been closed, keeping Eye-2 wedges out of play. He's right. Even Mickelson essentially acknowleged as much in discussing his use of the old wedges.

Depending on your level of conspiracy theorist, some suggest Mickelson is using the wedges to make a point that the loophole needs to be closed.

That, of course, involves lawyers and, well, you know what that means.

There's the whole argument about the letter of the law versus the spirit of the law. Then there's the Ping position, having won legal approval 20 years ago for their clubs to remain legal in perpetuity.

There's an easy solution to this -- the PGA Tour should adopt a local rule outlawing Eye-2 wedges -- but it's not easy. This is where the lawyers get involved again.

The Tour uses local rules already, so adding the Eye-2 to its special rules isn't a giant leap. The Tour uses a one-ball rule that isn't standard in the golf rules. It prohibits the use of carts, another local rule.

Do the old wedges make that much difference? If you play golf you know that if your brain thinks it helps, it probably does, at least for a while.

I expect this will get hashed out soon enough and the Eye-2 wedges will end up in the attic again.

Or on e-bay...if you're looking for one.

Tiger's absence becomes real this week

This is where we start missing Tiger Woods.

This isn't about what he did or didn't do and whether or not he's in a Mississippi clinic. This is about the fact that Tiger isn't at Torrey Pines this week where he typically makes his PGA Tour debut each year.

This is where "indefinite leave" goes from gray to black. He's not at a tour stop he never misses and if anybody thinks they know when he's coming back to the golf course, they're only guessing.

This is the first time Tiger hasn't been someplace we're accustomed to seeing him. It won't be the last time.

It's possible he'll sit out the whole season while cleaning up the mess outside the ropes. It still seems a long-shot to me but with every day that passes without any definitive word from Tiger, it seems a little more possible.

The PGA Tour isn't going to collapse because Tiger's away. Phil Mickelson is back this week and the tour season will begin to develop a rhythm as the west coast swing plays out and then everyone heads to Florida.

It's different without Tiger, no doubt.

But they're playing at Torrey Pines without him. It takes some getting used to, though.

'Can't Miss Kid' Gets His First Win

By winning the Bob Hope Classic Monday for his first PGA Tour victory, Bill Haas released all the pressure that had been building since he arrived on tour after an exceptional career at Wake Forest.

Interestingly, Haas said despite not winning in his first four seasons on the tour with a pair of third-place finishes as his best performances, he felt less pressure recently than when he was a rookie.

"When I came out, all the articles were about the 'can't-miss kid,'" Haas said Monday night. "I had a great college career but this is so different. Ever missed putt is not a slow ride back to campus. It's taking money out of your bank account and can affect whether you can play the next year.

"The pressure starting out was great. I don't want to say I failed but I didn't live up to the expectations of others."

Having grown up watching his father, Jay, live the ups and downs of tour life, Haas understood what he was getting into. He'd played enough golf with his father and his father's friends to know that success in college didn't guarantee anything on the PGA Tour.

"I knew how good everyone was out here," Haas said. "Even when I was finishing college, I was only beating my dad about one out of every 10 times we played so I knew has tough it was."

Nice start for Watson, Couples and seniors

A strange thing happened on Sunday.

I watched a Champions Tour event and actually got involved in what was happening. Admittedly, I ducked in and out of the telecast during timeouts in the Minnesota-New Orleans NFC Championship game but watching Tom Watson and Fred Couples trade birdies in Hawaii was fun to watch.

The success of the Champions Tour has always been about its stars. Nothing against the Keith Ferguses and Tom Jenkins of the world but put Freddie and Tom Terrific on the back nine battling against each other -- and holding a ridiculous number of putts -- and it's got my attention.

Maybe it was because of Couples, who seems too young to be a senior golfer, but he's always had a gentle way of pulling in fans. He makes golf look easy, even if it isn't.

It takes some getting used to those new skateboardish looking shoes he's wearing but Couples could be the best thing to hit the Champions Tour since the no-cut rule.

Watson, meanwhile, spent the afternoon being Tom Watson. He answered the birdies Freddie threw at him and made one more.

It was a nice start for Watson, for Couples and for the Champions Tour.

And it was nice to be pulled in to what they were doing.

Golf torture: New clubs but no chance to use them

Golf torture takes many forms.

There's the putt that hangs on the lip, half in, half out and refuses to fall, no matter how slowly you walk to tap it in, whether you put your shadow over the ball or not.

There's getting stuck behind a foursome of chops who are slower than tax reform and who never once consider letting you play through while they smoke their stogies and make their doubles.

There are captain's choice events.

And, there's getting a brand new shiny set of irons and not getting a chance to use them.

That's where I am right now.

There's a brand new set of Titleist AP2s in my not-so-new golf bag -- a Christmas present to myself -- and except for a 15-minute stretch on the practice tee that left some of that green sticky stuff from the artificial mats on the bottom of clubs, they haven't been used.

It's been about a month now and I still haven't missed my first green in regulation with them. Even when the weather broke for a few days, I didn't have the chance to play.

Tiger Woods and I finally have something in common -- neither one of us has been on a golf course in months.

I'm not one of those guys who changes clubs all the time. Some guys go through clubs the way John Daly used to go through beers. I had the same irons for four years and, honestly, there was nothing wrong with them. But the itch struck and I scratched it.

I don't pretend the new irons are going to make me better. The clubs supposedly make it easier to work the ball. Here's how I work the ball: I take a swing and look up to see if I hit a slice, a fade, a hook or a really big hook.

I don't mind being tortured on the golf course. That's part of the deal.

But having a new set of irons and no chance to use them, that's no fun at all.

Happy 70th, Jack

Today is Jack Nicklaus’s 70th birthday which means, in golf terms, he has another stroke to play with when it comes to shooting his age.

If you’re wondering what Nicklaus is doing to celebrate the big day, he’s on Christmas Island near Malaysia where he’s getting in a little fishing.

Kinda what you figured, huh?

Nicklaus admitted recently the fishing trip and his birthday weren’t part of a grand design. They just happened to overlap but there are probably worse ways to celebrate.

Jack still plays a little golf from time to time as he showed last weekend, teaming with Tom Watson to win the Senior Skins Game in one of the few competitive events he still plays. He probably plays more tennis than golf these days, though.

At a time when his golf game is just a shell of what it once was, Nicklaus looks as grand as ever.

His record is complete, showing 73 PGA Tour victories (second all-time to Sam Snead’s 81) and 18 professional major championships (four more than Tiger Woods).

With Nicklaus, though, it’s about more than trophies and numbers. His example as a sportsman and a family man is as impressive as his record on the golf course.

While the events of the past two months have redefined Woods’ image – sadly, not for the better -- they have also reminded us of how special Nicklaus has been.

He will celebrate his 50th anniversary with his wife, Barbara, in July.

As a golfer, he reshaped the game. He played powerful golf, hitting the ball well over 300 yards in the days of steel shafts and persimmon drivers. In his prime, Nicklaus was a great putter in the same way Woods has been. Both have made the putts that needed to be made regardless of the pressure.

Until Woods, no one ever played golf as well with their mind as Nicklaus. That’s where he and Woods may have the most in common, understanding how to think themselves around a golf course and through a major championship.

Nicklaus’s game lacked the flamboyance of Woods’ but not the confidence. Both had intimidation as a 15th club.

As Woods has assaulted Nicklaus’s major championship record, we have virtually conceded the idea that he will break the Golden Bear’s magic number of 18. It still seems likely -- I think Tiger gets the record -- though less certain.

We don’t know where Woods goes from here. It’s fair to assume he will return to his dominating ways on the golf course but the challenge of surpassing Nicklaus’s record is more formidable than it was for many reasons.

What we have been reminded of is the measure of the man Woods has been chasing.

Happy birthday, Jack.

Barron, Fujikawa join eGolf Tour

Doug Barron, the first and so far only player to be suspended from the PGA Tour for violating the organization's policy on performance-enhancing drugs, has joined the Charlotte-based eGolf Tour for the 2010 season.

Barron, 40, is serving a one-year suspension from the Tour for an undisclosed violation.

He missed the cut in his only PGA Tour start in 2009 at Memphis and missed the cut in his four starts on the Nationwide Tour.

"Legally, we can't do anything to keep him from playing," said Stewart Moore, chief operating officer of the eGolf Tour.

"It's not our right to keep him from playing our tour based on the rules and regulations of another tour. We don't have a (drug-testing) policy of our own."

Barron has entered the first two events of the season, which begins Feb. 17 on Hilton Head Island.

Hawaiian teenager Tadd Fujikawa has also joined the eGolf Tour for 2010 and anticipates playing a full schedule.

Fujikawa, 19, is moving to Sea Island, Ga., where he will be closer to his instructor, Todd Anderson. Fujikawa has spent time at Sea Island in the past and without status on the PGA Tour or Nationwide Tour, he will play primarily on the eGolf Tour.

In 2006, Fujikawa qualified for the U.S. Open as a 15-year old, the youngest player ever to qualify for the event. As a 16-year old in 2007, he became the second-youngest player to make the cut in a PGA Tour event when he accomplished the feat at the Sony Open in Hawaii.

"I talked with (my) coaches and we really tried to decide how we were going to do this because the past years, I have been playing on exemptions," Fujikawa told reporters at the Sony Open last week. "I play one week and then I have a two or three-week break, then play another week. It's hard to get some rhythm and momentum going.

"So we decided to try to get out there and play a few tournaments in a row and see how well I can do out there and put myself in contention every week."

Clanton, Moore named CGA players of the year

Cydney Clanton of Concord and Charlotte's Patty Moore have been honored as the best female amateur golfers in the Carolinas in 2009.

The Richard Tufts awards are based on Carolinas Golf Association rankings at the end of the year.

Clanton, a junior at Auburn, was named Carolinas women's player of the year. She was runner-up in the Women's North & South Amateur, reached the quarterfinals of the U.S Women's Amateur Public Links Championship and reached the round of 16 at the U.S. Women's Amateur Championship.

Moore was named Carolinas senior women's player of the year for the sixth straight year, the longest streak in the history of the Tufts awards. Moore, 59, had one victory in 2009 and didn't finish lower than third in any event that included ranking points.

Mark Anderson of Beaufort, S.C., winner of the South Carolina Amateur, was the men's player of the year while Raleigh's Paul Simson was named senior player of the year for the fourth straight year.

'Caddyshack' now part of college curriculum

At Lynn University in Boca Raton, Fla., students are being offered a course this semester entitled, ‘Caddyshack 101: Lessons From The Coolest Sports Movie Ever Made.’

The course may be offered at Faber College, too, but I’ll have to check with Bluto Blutarsky.

Imagine, getting college course credit for studying, ‘Caddyshack.’

Who’s the dean of Lynn University? Al Czervik?

I know a ton of guys who practically have masters degrees in the movie’s dialogue and they didn’t have to get off their couch.

You know the guys. They’re always saying stuff like, “Do you know what the Lama says? Gunga galunga…gunga, gunga-lagunga. So we finish the 18th and he’s gonna stiff me. And I say, ‘Hey, Lama, hey, how about a little something, you know, for the effort, you know.’ And he says, ‘Oh, there won’t be any money, but when you die, on your deathbed, you will receive total consciousness.’

“So I got that goin’ for me, which is nice.”

Lines from ‘Caddyshack’ have become part of the golf lexicon. An overused part. In fact, it may be against the rules in a captain’s choice event to play 18 holes without someone throwing in at least one “Be the ball” reference. Enough with the Ty Webb stuff, guys.

Don’t get me wrong. I loved the movie the first time I saw and it and the 23rd time I saw it. I still love it.

I’d take the course if they offered it online. But, as Judge Smails reminded Danny Noonan in the movie, “The world needs ditch diggers, too.”

The course is being taught by Ted Curtis, an assistant professor for sports management at Lynn University. It’s part of what’s called a ‘Dialogues of Innovation’ curriculum and, while I’m not exactly sure what that means, it darn well beats studying ‘Beowulf.’

The idea is to use the film as a basis for studying and discussing everything from social-class stereotyping (“Some people just don’t belong”) to the importance of civility and etiquette (“Pool and a pond…Pond would be good for you”) to animal rights (“I have to learn to think like an animal and, whenever possible, to look like one. I’ve gotta get inside this guy’s pelt and crawl around for a few days”).

That’s sounds a little high-minded for a movie where Al Czervik breaks wind, Spaulding Smails picks his nose and Judge Smails asks Danny Noonan “How about a Fresca?”

But at Lynn University, they take an innovative approach to sports management education. They had a course last year on viewing life through the New York Yankees. They’ve used the Super Bowl, Final Four, X Games and other major events as part of the educational process.

If studying ‘Caddyshack’ makes young people a little smarter, what’s the harm in that?

Let’s get to it.

As Judge Smails would say, “Chop, chop.”

Is it ever too cold to play golf?

Is it ever too cold to play golf in Charlotte?

Apparently not.

"We had about 12 players on Saturday and maybe 18 on Sunday," Chris Eichstaedt, general manager at Highland Creek Golf Club said today.

It's been about the same at The Divide, where the frosty weather has slowed play but not totally stopped it.

"We have a few players every day. They're hearty," said Mike Musialowski, general manager of The Divide.

With temperatures staying at or below freezing for most of January, the local golf business has essentially gone into hibernation. Play always drops off this time of year but it has plummeted with the temperatures recently.

At The Divide, Musialowski said the only golfers on the course are members of the semi-private course.

"No one's paying to play golf right now," he said. "We might get a few people on the range once in a while."

There hasn't been much window of opportunity for golfers recently. Most courses don't open until late morning to allow frost to burn away or frozen greens to thaw. With darkness coming early, the temperature starts falling around 4 p.m.

If you've ever mis-hit a 5-iron on a cold day, you know it's not much fun.

At The Golf Club at Ballantyne (formerly Ballatyne Resort), the course has been closed all but one day this year. To make sure no serious damage is done to the layout's new bermuda grass greens, the putting surfaces have been covered with tarps, something that will continue to be done if the forecast calls for extended periods of time with the temperature below freezing.

With an improving forecast this week, director of golf Woody Allen said the tarps will come off Tuesday and, hopefully, remain off the rest of the winter.

There is hope on the horizon. The forecast for Friday calls for temperatures in the mid to upper 50s, a veritable heat wave for local golfers.

"We're going to have that one really nice day and then you won't be able to find a tee time," Eichstaedt said.

Is it too early to make Ogilvy a Masters favorite?

I supppose Geoff Ogilvy suddenly became the favorite to win the Masters.

Okay, Ogilvy and Phil Mickelson.

Watching Ogilvy give a clinic in how to win a golf tournament Sunday evening from Kapalua was a reminder of how good he is when he's on. If there's a criticism of Ogilvy, it's that he's typically on in the early season then fades away when the weather gets warm around here.

His challenge this year is to sustain his level of play once the spring flowers have faded. He knows it and wants to change it. Still, he has proven himself to be among the top players in the game with one U.S. Open trophy and three World Golf Championship trophies to prove it.

No doubt the Titleist folks were grinning over the weekend, seeing the latest addition to their stable of clients taking apart the Plantation Course at Kapalua. His first week out with new equipment, he wins. Somewhere ad departments are busy.

The thing that impresses me about Ogilvy is how in control he seems when he's in contention. While Lucas Glover was coming apart in the final round, Ogilvy was rock-steady. He remarked that it was the first time he had to play to a number to win a tournament, knowing Rory Sabbatini had already posted 21-under par. He sounded impressed with himself that he did it.

He should be.

Not only is Ogilvy a superb player, he's insightful and not afraid to speak his mind. He's an excellent interview because it's obvious he gives thought to his answers. He sees beyond the obvious and has a knack for finding the essence of an issue.

And, he's on the short list of favorites at Augusta, already.

Kapalua: There's no place like it

If you're sitting there one of these cold evenings, watching the start of the PGA Tour season at Kapalua and wondering if it's really as eye-popping gorgeous as it appears on your big flat-screen, it is.

I've been fortunate enough to play the Plantation Course at Kapalua twice and it's stunning. It's different than any other golf course I've ever played -- it's the only one I've ever played that was carved out of a pineapple patch since there aren't many of those around these parts.

It's one of those places where they should hand out cameras on the first tee because it has more beautiful views than the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition.

It's borderline extreme golf, but that's part of the attraction. It has fairways so wide even I can't miss them. Let me rephrase that. They're wide enough that I can hit many of them.

I heard Bill Coore, who co-designed the course with Ben Crenshaw nearly 20 years ago, talking about how they wondered if a golf course could be laid across the property. The fact they got it done speaks to their imagination.

There are moments -- many of them -- when you just stop and look around. You see mountains and ocean and adjacent islands and some really great houses where really rich people live.

When they built the par-5 18th hole -- it's playing 663 yards from the tour tees this week -- they got it right. The view is spectacular and hitting a drive down the big hill is one of those moments you remember. It's like hitting a drive down an impossibly wide ski slope, only warmer.

Want to hit a 300-yard drive? You can do it there.

It's a good place for the PGA Tour season to begin. I know Tiger and Phil aren't there this week (for various reasons) but seeing Kapalua in January conjures up golf dreams.

And if you get the chance to go, you need to make that dream come true.

Five predictions for the 2010 PGA Tour season

I feel the same way about making predictions as I do over a long bunker shot -- not too good.

But it hasn't stopped me.

I'd like to say I'm as prescient as my friend Scott Michaux, the sports columnist for the Augusta Chronicle. Besides regularly drumming me in an annual pick the winners golf contest we're both in, he has a knack for seeing the future. At least he did.

In a column predicting what would happen in 2004 (I know, that was a while ago), he correctly predicted Phil Mickelson would end his 0-for-majors drought by winning the Masters after a lousy 2003.

But that's not all he predicted.

He also predicted the Boston Red Sox would end 86 years of frustration by winning the World Series that year. Bingo.

And, he correctly predicted Steve Spurrier would be the next football coach at South Carolina.

I can't accurately predict what I'm going to have for dinner. Nevertheless, here are five things I see happening on the PGA Tour this year:

1. Tiger Woods wins the British Open

Who knows, Tiger may not even play this year but I'm guessing he will eventually return and when he does, I like him to win at St. Andrews where he's already won twice.

It will be different when he returns (that's deep insight, I know) but he's still the best player in the game. When it gets back to just golf, he'll win again and again and again. I just hope he gets back to golf this year.

2. Rory and Rickie break through

Rory McIlroy proves this year that he's the real deal, if he hasn't already. He's going to play 15 PGA Tour events (including the Quail Hollow Championship) and he's going to win something, maybe something big. He's going to win around the world and become a huge star.

Rookie Rickie Fowler has the look and the game. He improves golf's cool factor by the power of 10 just by showing up with his long hair and trendy clothes. He gave us a taste of his talent last fall. This year, we see it blossom.

3. Sean O'Hair cracks the top 5

When O'Hair won at Quail Hollow last May, he talked about how it's the kind of event he needs to win, beating a stacked field on a tough course. The win came just weeks after a wicked loss to Tiger at Bay Hill and spoke to O'Hair's toughness.

He doesn't scare. He's outside the top 10 right now but by the end of the year, he'll be in the top five in the world rankings.

4. Tim Clark finally wins on the PGA Tour

Forget the best player without a major discussion (Sergio still leads that one). How about the best player without a PGA Tour win?

That's Tim Clark, the former N.C. State golfer. The drought ends this year, perhaps sooner rather than later. (I think I made this prediction last year, too).

5. Phil Mickelson wins the Masters

For the first time in forever, Mickelson didn't want the season to end last fall. He'd rediscovered his putting stroke, thanks to Dave Stockton, and found a comfort zone in his game. He closed by winning the Tour Championship, going 4-0-1 in the Presidents Cup and winning the HSBC Championship.

He sounds full of confidence and primed for a big year. This is his moment to shine. I'm thinking he seizes it.

Big-hitter Mobley to host local radio golf show

If you've ever seen David Mobley hit a golf ball, you haven't forgotten it.

There are long hitters, really hitters and there's David Mobley.

He won the 2004 Remax World Long Driving Championship and he's made a nice career out of bashing golf balls ridiculous distances. He's been featured in magazines, on television and made countless appearances where audiences have watched his power in disbelief.

Starting next month, Mobley -- who lives in the Charlotte area -- will host a one-hour radio show about golf. Named 'The Golf Mob,' the show will air 7-8 a.m. on WFNZ, 610 AM starting Feb. 13.

Mobley, who was a central character in The Golf Channel's 'Big Break X, Michigan' will talk about golf, tell stories and offer his own perspective on the game.

It's nice to have the PGA Tour back

It's finally about golf again.

That doesn't mean Tiger Woods won't remain the most compelling sidestory but the PGA Tour season starts this week in Kapalua, meaning we can sit on our couches at night and watch golf in prime-time. We'll get plenty of shots of palm trees blowing in the trade winds, surfers on the waves and Molokai across the water from Maui.

Okay, so the SBS Championship field is missing Tiger and Phil Mickelson but it's nice to have the PGA Tour back, even if it faces some serious issues over the coming months.

It'll be nice to see Stewart Cink and Sean O'Hair and Zach Johnson playing golf again.

It's freezing around here (though almost 40 players at my club spent Saturday getting their cheeks frosted while playing in the chill) so most of our golf experience will run through the television for a while.

We can listen to the players talk about the new grooves rule, check out the shirts we'll be buying this spring and dream about that trip to Maui we keep saying we're going to take one day. It's nice to have golf back.

Best of all, it means the Masters is only 13 weeks away.

Watch Arnold Palmer "SportsCenter" commercial

And now, a commercial interruption: Arnold Palmer does "This is SportsCenter":

Pinehurst offering on-line gift giveaway today

Looking for that last-minute gift for a golfer?

Today, Pinehurst is conducting a 7 Days 'til Christmas giveaway through its Facebook page: http://bit.ly/893WKO. If you friend Pinehurst on Facebook, you can participate in answering questions that will be posted hourly by the resort.

Some of the giveaway items include golf packages, spa packages and apparel, among other things.

Tiger deserved to be Athlete of the Decade

Tiger Woods got something he deserved this week.

He was named Athlete of the Decade by the Associated Press, being chosen over Lance Armstrong and Roger Federer, among others.

It was the right call and the obvious call.

Despite all that has happened over the past three weeks, Woods dominated the decade like no other athlete. The fact that more than half the votes were cast since the scandal surrounding him has unfolded speaks to the magnitude of his achievements over the past 10 years.

Woods' numbers are impressive enough: 64 worldwide wins, including 12 major championships. In this decade, Woods' 54 PGA Tour wins are more than all but four players have won in their careers.

But Woods' deserved the honor because he did more than win tournaments. He changed golf and the way it's viewed around the world. He became, arguably, the most recognizable athlete in the world.

Obviously, what we've learned these past three weeks has changed the way Woods is viewed as a person but that doesn't dim what he's accomplished on the golf course. He became the only golfer to own all four major championships at the same time and he made golf must-see viewing when he was in the chase.

Armstong, Federer, Michael Phelps and others did spectacular things over the past decade but none of them did as much as Tiger Woods. While the attention directed at Tiger has turned to his personal life and his sudden fall from grace, he remains the most transcendant and accomplished athlete of the past 10 years.

2010 City Amateur goes back to Quail

Let's forget Tiger Woods for a moment.

Eventually, when the rain and the muck and the cold are gone, there will be golf played around here. Our own.

If you're good enough, you can make the Charlotte City Amateur your goal for 2010.
It will be played next year at Cedarwood, Carolina and Quail Hollow on the weekend of Aug. 20-22.

It's the second year in a row Quail Hollow will host the final round, changing the course rotation slightly. Because the U.S. Women's Amateur is being played at Charlotte Country Club Aug. 9-15, the decision was made not to play the final round of the City Amateur there next year. Quail Hollow agreed to host it the final 24 players again, a testament to the quality of the championship.

The Charlotte City Amateur does more than determine a champion each summer. It recently made a $10,000 donation to The First Tee of Charlotte.

Does scandal change Tiger's place in history?

How does the Tiger Woods' scandal change his place in golf history?

Ultimately, not much.

It changes the way we see Tiger, no doubt. There's a stain that will fade over time but it will never completely go away. The golden image has been forever tarnished but I expect he'll work hard at rebuilding his reputation when he returns to the public eye. It won't be easy to undo the disappointment he's caused.

But he'll get a second chance from almost everyone except a small group that will refuse to forgive him.

As a golfer, his legacy is still being written. He's reached a critical point now, closing in on his 34th birthday and facing the second long absence from the game in 18 months. He didn't win a major championship in 2009 and he's still five shy of surpassing Jack Nicklaus's all-time record. The work is getting harder.

He is the best there's ever been. He doesn't have all the records yet but chances are he will. We've never seen anyone play golf the way he has -- as spectacularly as he has -- for as long as he has.

Woods has always judged himself against Nicklaus's record and that will continue. The public, however, will also judge him against the Nicklaus image and that's where Woods has taken a devastating hit. Time and hitting all the right notes in his public and private life can soften the long-term impact.

It makes for a more awkward comparison now, however.

When he plays again -- and when he wins again -- Woods will remind us of why we were drawn to him in the first place. When the subject is golf, Woods' place in history is secure.

How long will Tiger be gone?

How long will Tiger Woods take an indefinite break from golf?

It's anybody's guess right now.

It wouldn't surprise me if he doesn't play before the U.S. Open in June at Pebble Beach but that's purely a guess. He might be away longer than that.

It's safe to say he won't show up at Torrey Pines for the San Diego Open in late January, which is when he was expected to make his 2010 debut. If he were only going to miss one event, there wouldn't be much need for the announcement he made Friday evening.

That probably takes out the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship and maybe his regular stops at Bay Hill and Doral.

If he skips the Florida events, it seems unlikely he'd debut at the Masters. That's not a place for the circus that will surround his return.

Could he return at the Quail Hollow Championship? The Memorial? The U.S. Open?

That's Tiger's call and I'm guessing he doesn't know when he'll come back.

Some have suggested Woods should take all of 2010 off. Repair the personal damage he's done to his family and himself. Maybe that's his plan.

We'll have to wait and see.

Charlotte Country Club wins top honor

Charlotte Country Club's recent renovation project has earned it a high honor -- it has been named the top remodeled golf course in 2009 by Golf Digest magazine.

It's one of the premier honors in the golf course business and further enhances the reputation of the course. Ron Prichard handled the remodeling project, working to bring back the classic elements created in the original design by Donald Ross.

Charlotte Country Club was ranked ahead of Olympia Fields outside Chicago, which hosted the 2003 U.S. Open, the California Golf Club of San Francisco and Austin (Tex.) Country Club in the remodel category.

The Pete Dye Course at the French Lick Resort was named best new public course while Pikewood National Golf Club in Morgantown, W.Va., was named best new private club. Sagebrush Golf & Sporting Club was named best new course in Canada.

“America’s Best New Courses of 2009 are all about old school. All four winners were designed by senior golfers with decades of experience…and all four courses built for the purest of reasons, the sheer enjoyment of the game," wrote Ron Whitten, Golf Digest's senior editor for architecture.

More than 900 panelists were involved in the selection process.

De Jonge regains PGA Tour card for 2010

Charlotte resident Brendon de Jonge fired a final-round 66 Monday to easily secure a spot on the 2010 PGA Tour, finishing tied for fifth in the qualifying tournament at Bear Lakes Country Club in West Palm Beach, Fla.

De Jonge is one of several players with local connections who earned their tour cards. Tour veteran Neal Lancaster of Smithfield also tied for fifth to assure his return to the tour after three years without full privileges. Former Duke golfer Joe Ogilvie also secured his tour card for next year.

Five players from the Charlotte-based eGolf Tour also earned tour cards, including Martin Flores, Billy Horschel, David Lutterus, Cameron Tringle and Brent Delahoussaye.

Charlotte resident Bobby MacWhinnie tied for 72nd, former Charlotte 49er golfer Trevor Murphy tied for 78th and Tommy ‘Two Gloves’ Gainey tied for 64th. They will have status on the 2010 Nationwide Tour.

Among the notable names who failed to gain their PGA Tour cards were David Duval, Tom Pernice Jr. (who double-bogyed the last hole to miss by one stroke), Jason Gore, Jesper Parnevik, Shaun Micheel and Todd Hamilton.

At the LPGA Tour qualifying tournament, former Duke golfer Amanda Blumenherst earned her tour privileges by winning the event while another former Blue Devil, Liz Janangelo also earned a spot on the tour.
-- Ron Green Jr.

When and how does Tiger story end?

Another day, another rumor.

When and how does the Tiger Woods story end?

On Oprah? That's one rumor. But there are hundreds of rumors, far more of them than facts.

While Woods created the firestorm in which he's now caught, it just keeps burning. When Nancy Grace gets involved, you know it's crossed into a different dimension. When John Daly is piping in with offers of help, it's jumped the shark.

Maybe Tiger doesn't face the public until he shows up at Torrey Pines in late January to start his 2010 PGA Tour season. That's when his caddie, Steve Williams, said he expects Tiger to play again.

On one hand, it's hard to believe he'll let this story continue to spiral out of his control without saying something. Someone dug up Tiger's quote about the Michael Vick situation a few years ago where he suggested Vick needed to get out in front of the story.

On the other hand, it's not like Tiger to go public with private matters. He's done it already with his statement last week. That may be all we get from him.

The only thing for sure is the story isn't going away any time soon.

de Jonge in third place at Q-school

Charlotte resident Brendon de Jonge is tied for third place after two rounds in the final stage of the PGA Tour qualifying tournament at Bear Lakes Country Club in West Palm Beach, Fla.,

de Jonge trails leader Troy Merritt by two strokes after shooting 68-69 in the first two rounds. The top 25 finishers will earn full playing privileges on the PGA Tour for 2010.

Smithfield's Neal Lancaster is tied for eighth after two rounds and former Duke golfer Joe Ogilvie is tied for 18th.

Former Charlotte 49er golfer Trevor Murphy is tied for 111th place while Charlotte resident Bobby MacWhinnie is in 147th position, tied with Tommy 'Two Gloves' Gainey.

Where does Tiger Woods go from here?

Now that Tiger Woods has publicly confessed to his transgressions, where does he go from here?

It had to be incredibly difficult for Woods to release the statement he did today, essentially admitting that what the gossip magazines and celebrity stalkers have been suggesting is true. He is a proud man and, as he said in his initial statement after the auto accident, he is embarrassed. Probably more than any of us can appreciate.

Image agents and brand builders can talk about the damage to the Tiger Woods brand, and there will be some of that for sure. It was so carefully crafted and so polished that it can't help but be dented by the events of the past few days.

People - fans and critics - will never look at him in quite the same way.

Sadly, the same may be said of his family. The personal cost may be far greater than the commercial cost.

But he is still Tiger Woods and once the storm has passed and golf has resumed, he'll go back to being Tiger Woods the golfer. Eventually, the story will become his quest to break Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 professional major championships.

There has always been an almost otherworldly view of Tiger. He cultivated it, using his mental and physical skills to create an aura that helped him win golf tournaments. He has always seemed different in an almost imposing way.

Now, he seems terribly human.

It's clear now why Woods was reluctant to offer more details about what happened at 2:30 a.m. last Friday. Beyond the legal issues related to his accident, it's evident there wasn't much he could truthfully say without making the matter more uncomfortable.

It reached a point, however, where he couldn't escape the storm. There's a whole argument to be made about the bottom-feeding style of journalism practiced by gossip sellers, but Tiger can only blame himself.

If we've learned anything the past few years about athletes and celebrities and their failings, it's that we'll eventually forgive them if they'll come clean. Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds and Mark McGwire apparently still haven't figured that out.

Tiger has always kept his fans at a comfortable distance. It would be wise of him to engage them more when he returns to the golf course. Smile more. Bump a few more fists. Let them touch you.

People admire Woods and they want to love him. They may be disappointed in him right now, but he can win them back.

He's shown us he's not perfect. He's told us he's sorry. What we see from him from now on may tell us more than we ever knew before.

Harrell named state's top junior boys golfer

Logan Harrell, an 18-year old senior at Hopewell High School, has been named North Carolina junior boys golfer of the year by the Carolinas Golf Association and the Tarheel Youth Golf Association.

Harrell, who lives in Huntersville, had a consistently strong year that included 10 top-10 finishes in the 13 events used to determine the state junior rankings.

Among the highlights of Harrell's season, he was medalist in sectional qualifying for the U.S. Junior Amateur where he reached the semifinals of match play; he qualified for the U.S. Amateur; he reached the round of 16 in the Carolinas Amateur; and, he tied for second in the AJGA's Cliffs Championship.

Harrell has committed to play college golf at South Carolina.

Katherine Perry, a 17-year old student at Athens Drive High in Raleigh, has been named the state's junior girls golfer of the year.

Show of faith keeps Rock Barn on tour schedule

When the 2010 Champions Tour schedule was released Tuesday afternoon, the first thing I looked for was to see if the Greater Hickory Classic at Rock Barn was on the list.

It is and it was a nice surprise.

There's no guarantee the tournament in Conover will be played next fall but the fact the tour put it on the schedule in late September/early October is a show of faith that Don Beaver, Jim Correll and the others who run the event will resolve the sponsorship issue that threatens the event's future.

"We are so close," Correll, the tournament's executive director, said. "It's one of those things where until we dot the final Is and cross the final Ts we're not quite there. But we're extremely optimistic."

There are bigger Champions Tour events played in larger markets but there's a nice feel to the Rock Barn event. It's comfortable, the players enjoy it and it celebrates the tour.

It's not trying to be the Quail Hollow Championship. It's succeeding in being a good place for the Champions Tour to spend a week each year, tell some stories, sign some autographs and play some golf.

It's a good thing to continue.

Former 49er golfer Murphy makes Q-school finals

Former Charlotte 49ers golfer Trevor Murphy moved one step closer to the PGA Tour Saturday when he played his way through the second stage of the qualifying process at Southern Hills Plantation Club in Brookville, Fla.

Murphy finished tied for 18th (69-73-67-71) in the second stage qualifier, earning a spot in the final stage which will be played Dec. 2-7 at Bear Lakes Country Club in West Palm Beach, Fla.

By reaching the final stage of Q-school, Murphy will have at least conditional status on the Nationwide Tour in 2010. Depending on how he plays in the final stage, Murphy could earn a PGA Tour card or full status on the Nationwide Tour.

Also advancing through the second stage were Charlotte resident Bobby MacWhinnie, former North Carolina golfers Tom Scherrer and Matt Davidson, along with former N.C. State golfer Chris Mundorf.

Quail Hollow Championship deserves its honor

When the Quail Hollow Championship was recognized this week as 'Best In Class' by the PGA Tour's Tournament Advisory Council it reinforced what many people already knew -- it's one of the premier events in professional golf.

What tournament director Kym Hougham, general chairman Mac Everett, Quail Hollow president Johnny Harris and many others have done is create and sustain an event that gets it right in areas big and small.

It lands the best players in the world every spring because of the golf course, the hospitality and the vibe. It engages the community which, in turn, has embraced the tournament.

Talking with the tournament director of another top-level PGA Tour event recently, he gushed about all the things the Quail Hollow Championship has done so well. It has become a standard of excellence on the PGA Tour.

It would be easy to take it all for granted but the people in charge haven't done that. Each year they keep list of potential improvements and go to work on them immediately. They've scaled back in some places, upgraded in other areas.

Everett may have explained the philosophy best a couple of years ago when he said that unlike many businesses that immediately say no to any request then look for a reason to say yes, the Quail Hollow Championship tries to say yes and only says no when it must.

Each spring, it's Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and other the golfers who get the attention but the stars of the Quail Hollow Championship are the many people who make it happen.

Second-stage qualifying starts today

Second-stage qualifying for the PGA Tour begins today in six spots around the country, another step in the whittling process for players hoping to earn -- or retain -- their playing privileges on the PGA Tour.

The bonus for players who survive this 72-hole test is the promise of at least some status on the Nationwide Tour in 2010. The goal, though, is to get through this week then play for a tour card in early December.

Drew Weaver, the former British Amateur champion from High Point, is among the players trying to advance this week. So is Jay Haas Jr.

Trevor Murphy, the former Charlotte 49er, is playing as is Charlotte resident Trae Ely.

For some familiar tour players, it's a chance to get back out on tour. Among the familiar names in second-stage qualifying this week are Shaun Micheel, Jason Gore, Kirk Triplett, Joe Durant, Robert Gamez, Mark Hensby and Carlos Franco.

Wie's win likely the first of many

Now that Michelle Wie has had a few hours to celebrate her first victory on the LPGA Tour -- the Lorena Ochoa Invitational, in case you haven't heard -- it's time to ask the next question:

How many more will she win?

Hopefully, many, many more.

Though Wie's victory was buried in a mid-November avalanche of football, it was a huge moment for the LPGA Tour, which needs her the way fish need water. In a year when most of its news has been negative, the LPGA Tour finally got the image it's needed -- Wie smiling and holding a trophy.

The 20-year old -- she didn't win as a teenager, it turns out -- can't solve all the LPGA's problems but she help minimize them. Professional golf is driven by stars. Just ask the PGA Tour about its muffled bang last year when Tiger Woods was on the shelf after knee surgery.

Wie is the biggest star on the LPGA tour. Ochoa may have a tournament named for her but Wie makes people pay attention. Paula Creamer, Morgan Pressel and Jiyai Shin are talents with some personality but they're not Michelle Wie.

It took Wie 65 starts on the LPGA Tour to finally win. Is that longer than expected?

Absolutely.

What does it mean?

It means she's just getting started. She's already been through the classic celebrity/sports cycle where she has been adored then criticized, tossed aside as a disapppointment and a bust.

Now she's back with a game that's growing up with her. Wie has refocused, concentrating on succeeding on the LPGA Tour rather than making the cut in a men's professional event. To me, a win on the LPGA Tour is far more impressive than making the cut at a PGA Tour event with a mediocre field would be.

Wie has already shown she can contend in major championships. What she hadn't shown was that she could win -- it had been years since she'd won a trophy of any kind -- an LPGA Tour event.

She proved that Sunday.

It's what Wie -- and the LPGA Tour -- needed.

Rory McIlroy puts Quail Hollow on 2010 schedule

With the Quail Hollow Championship still six months away, it's a little early to get into the question of who's coming and who isn't but one star has already put the event on his schedule.

Rory McIlroy, the young Irish star, said in Hong Kong on Wednesday that he has joined the PGA Tour and will add the Quail Hollow Championship to his schedule.

McIlroy will play eight straight events in the United States starting with the WGC-Accenture Match Play Champinship in March.

"The big fact in making this decision is that I want to play in the best tournaments in the world," McIlroy was quoted in the Irish Examiner. "I've already played in many of those (PGA Tour events) already and the only events new to me next year will be Bay Hill, Quail Hollow and the Memorial."

McIlroy is considered by many to be the game's next superstar and his 2009 performance strengthened those opinions. McIlroy finished tied for third at the PGA Championship, a fourth-place week at the HSBC Championship in Shanghai and a top-10 finish at the U.S. Open.

McIlroy said the European Tour will continue to be his home tour. He will play eight events in the States during the spring, return to Europe in the summer, then come back to the U.S. in advance of the PGA Championship to meet his 15-event minimum in the U.S.

Has it become Phil's show, not Tiger's?

Has Phil Mickelson supplanted Tiger Woods as the best golfer in the world?

I'm not ready to go that far.

But after the way Mickelson won The Tour Championship and how he left Tiger in his dust in Shanghai over the weekend, there's no question Lefty is right there.

This is the Mickelson we've seen in spurts, the Mickelson brimming with confidence and swagger. He stands over putts now expecting to make them, not hoping to make them and, if you've ever played golf, you know the difference is enormous.

When Dave Stockton tweaked Mickelson's putting stroke earlier in the fall, it was like polishing a diamond. He put Mickelson back where he was comfortable, the hole suddenly looked twice as big and the game became, relatively speaking, easier.

The only downside to Mickelson's resurgence is the timing. He's done now for the year, just as he's hit his peak. Usually, Phil has been long gone by this time of the year, ready for vacation. Now he probably wishes he had another few tournaments to play.

There may be a little rust when he comes back next year but I'm thinking this latest run has reinvigorated him. He posed with Tiger after the Tour Championship, having won that event, and his win in the HSBC event over the weekend was made more noteworthy by the way Tiger went backward on Sunday.

The question isn't whether Phil can beat Tiger right now.

It may be whether Tiger has lost something. He was a mess early in the final round, lipping out putts, hitting a shot in the water, chopping his way out of contention on a Sunday stacked with stars.

Maybe his edge has dulled just a little. It's easy to make too much of the fact that Tiger didn't win a major this year. That's going to happen from time to time but because everything he does is overanalyzed, it raised questions.

Where does Tiger go from here? My guess is he keeps doing what he's been doing, grinding to make himself better, sorting out the little things that kept him from winning this year. There will be calls for him to ditch Hank Haney but that seems unlikely.

He didn't play well on Sunday and it was striking because it so rarely happens. Throw in the fact he lost to Heath Slocum in a playoff event and didn't win at East Lake and eyebrows go up.

Tiger is playing again this week in Australia and everybody will be interested to see how that goes.

Maybe not everyone. It may not matter to Mickelson.

A red flag but what does it mean?

When it was announced recently that Doug Barron had earned the distinction of becoming the first PGA Tour player to test positive for performance-enhancing drugs, it drew an interesting reaction.

There wasn't much of one.

It's probably because only die-hard professional golf fans are familiar with Barron -- he hasn't spent many Sunday afternoons on camera -- and what's left of the golf season has been buried beneath the World Series, pro and college football and the ongoing angst surrounding the break-up of Jon and Kate.

Once the Tour and its players decided to have testing, it was inevitable someone would be red-flagged. That it was Barron, who didn't make a cut in four Nationwide and one PGA Tour start this year, came as a mild surprise. But given the tour's general insistence that there is no PED problem, it would be head-turning regardless of whose name first popped up.

Barron, if you don't know, is a 40-year old whose game has gone away. He's made less than $2,000 in his last 16 starts and breaking par has been as difficult for him as it is for the average 10-handicap.

The tour and Barron were suitably vague in announcing the positive test and the suspension that accompanies the result. No one's saying what Barron tested positive for and it's unlikely anyone will.

If you were expecting the drug testing policy to expose some muscle-bound bomber you're disappointed. Barron looks like a lot of 40-year old guys who haven't spent enough time in the gym.

He's had health problems, say people who know him. Maybe that factors into the positive test.

What does it say about professional golf? Not much. If someone wants to avoid detection, there are ways to do it.

If there's a problem with performance enhancing drugs in professional golf, I'd be surprised. Commissioner Tim Finchem initially wasn't for drug testing because he said, in essence, there was no need.

Barron's case doesn't necessarily validate the testing. It hardly moved the public opinion needle. It's the first positive test since the program began more than a year ago.

If it were someone else, the reaction would probably be different. So might the attention.

Ten years old, Carolina Invitational still strong

For 10 years, the Carolina Invitational four-ball tournament at Carolina Golf Club has been true to its mission.

The idea was to create a fall event that would feature many of the best players in the region, playing as two-man teams, on a golf course originally laid out by Donald Ross.

It isn't played with a lot of fanfare. It's more about the golf, the competition and the fun.

But if you can wrangle an invitation to the Carolina Invitational, bring your A game.

The 10th annual tournament Saturday and Sunday at Carolina is stacked with good players. The average team handicap -- yes, average -- is + .15. There's no room for choppers, unless you're former U.S. Amateur finalist David Strawn, whose nickname is Chopper.

Strawn is in the field along with defending champions Michael Teague and Robby Kirby. Joe Jaspers, one of the top players in the Charlotte area for years, is playing as is former pro Brett Boner and many others.

What began a decade ago as a tournament designed to bring together the best players in the area continues to do that.