After a difficult few weeks deciding whether or not to play in his home country's Irish Open or the AT&T National -- Which is held at Congressional where he won the 2011 U.S. Open in such convincing fashion.
World No. 2 Rory McIlroy has announced he will tee it up in his home country at the 2012 Irish Open.
The 2012 event has been moved to June 28 - July 1 to avoid the Summer Olympic games, which will be held in London in July.
The Irish Open this year was held on July 28 - 31, two weeks after the British Open.
Moving the event in 2012 also meant McIlroy would have a tough choice on his hands. Would he forgo his National Open to play in the AT&T National at Congressional?
A
fter all, he did walk away from the field at the U.S. Open there earlier in 2011 to claim his first major championship in his career on this same course.
Long hitting Dustin Johnson underwent arthroscopic knee surgery on Tuesday to repair cartilage damage in his right knee.
This procedure will side line the five time PGA Tour winner until at least mid-January, which could possibly keep him out of the first event of the year at the Tournament of Champions in Kapula, Hawaii -- Which begins on January 6th.
Johnson was expected to play this week at the Chevron World Challenge, of course he has now withdrawn from the event.
His agent David Winkle, said doctors have explained to them that he; on crutches now, will be able to begin chipping and putting within a few weeks and able to get back to regular preparations for the 2012 season by late December.
The surgeon that performed the procedure was Dr. George Caldwell. "He was in the hands of an excellent surgeon and a full and speedy recovery is expected," Winkle went on to say.
Johnson has been feeling this right knee pain as far back as the British Open in July, where he finished runner-up to Darren Clarke.
Odds makers have made Tiger Woods the favorite to win this week's Chevron World Challenge, an event Woods hosts and has won four times.
Played at the Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, California, the event is an elite 18 player field featuring some of the youngest and biggest talents in the game.
Names like Webb Simpson, Jason Day, Rickie Fowler, Bill Haas and Keegan Bradley.
Woods has been set by many odds makers to be the 11/4 favorite to win the event. Though he has won this event four times in the past as mentioned above.
The world's former No. 1 player is still looking for his first win since 2009 -- And though he did show promise with his play in both the Australian Open and Presidents Cup, there are still many questions surrounding his game.
If any event is to be his first win in almost two years, this week could be the perfect setting for that to happen.
A golfer's career is most often measured by not only his success at winning golf tournaments, but the number of majors he has won over his career.
Australian Greg Chalmers is looking to win Aussie golf's version of the 'Triple Crown', if and when he tees it up in the PGA of Australia's Masters in three weeks time.
He has yet to commit to the tournament as of yet.
The 38-year old from Sydney of course made headlines a few weeks ago by winning his country's Open at The Lakes course in his home town.
Winning the Australian Open for the second time, and claiming his first victory since 1998 in the same event.
This week at the Australian PGA Championship, Chalmers won the second leg of their three majors, by taking the victory in a playoff over Marcus Fraser (second round leader) and Robert Allenby.
Not since 2000 when Tiger Woods and David Duval hoisted the World Cup of golf trophy has the United States been victorious in the now biennial competition.
Matt Kuchar and Gary Woodland ended that drought, holding off England who shot a 63 in the final round, to win the World Cup with a four day total of 24-under par.
For Kuchar and Woodland, it was a come from behind victory as they trailed the Irish team of Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell by two strokes heading into the final round.
Q-School -- The very thought of it will brings chills and terror to many golfers chasing their dream of teeing it up on the PGA Tour.
Many are the stories of golfers trying more than a dozen times before finally reaching their goals, or falling short of them.
Last week, 134 players from across the United States advanced to the final stage of the PGA Tour qualifying school (q-school). Which will be held at the PGA West course in LaQuinta, California November 30th through December 5th.
The players know making it through the different stages of q-school is just the first step. The final stage is a 108 hole grueling test of not only your golf game. But your mental capacity and toughness as well.
Four years and 106 events later on the LPGA Tour, Hee Young Park is now a champion. Holding off all chargers late in the final round, to claim her first win at the CME Group Titleholders in Orlando.
With a star studded leader board, Park played steady golf in the final round at the Grand Cypress Resort to claim her first victory by two strokes over Sandra Gal and Paula Creamer.
Finishing her maiden win off with a two-under 70, park closed out her event with a clutch chip shot on No. 18 with not only the tournament on the line -- But, her first win on the LPGA Tour as well.
“It’s a dream come true. I still can't believe it.” said Park after her win.
The 2005 Korean LPGA Rookie of the Year, said she had felt pressure from sponsors and perhaps her native South Korea; a golfing powerhouse, to produce a win after not doing so in nearly four years on the LPGA Tour.
The last time the U.S. team lost the Presidents Cup was in 1998, when it was played at the very course the 2011 cup was to be held on.
Peter Thompson, captained the International side to a 21 1/2 to 10 1/2 victory over Ken Venturi's U.S. team -- The outcome would be different this time around at Royal Melbourne.
With ever changes weather conditions by the hour it seemed this week in Melbourne, the U.S. team did not seemed to be bother by the conditions and won the Presidents Cup for the seventh time, 19 to 15.
A big surprise most likely to Couples and to all the U.S. fans perhaps, was the play of Jim Furyk this week down under.
Day four at the Presidents brings the singles matches as well as the close to the 2011 competition.
The U.S. team has a commanding 13 and 9 lead heading into the final day of the event.
Greg Norman's International side fought hard in the rainy afternoon pairings of four-ball, on day three. Still, unable to make up significant ground on the U.S. team.
No Presidents Cup competition has ever seen a losing side come back for the victory during the singles portion of the event.
With most of the matches from the morning session of four-ball still going on, captains Fred Couples and Greg Norman headed to the captain's room to put together their pairings for the afternoon session at Royal Melbourne.
The super pairing of Bubba Watson and Webb Simpson for the U.S. keeps trucking right along.
They won their match this morning to stay perfect so far at the Presidents Cup by beating Robert Allenby and Geoff Ogilvy 3 and 2.
Hunter Mahan and David Toms put a pretty good beat down on Retief Goosen and Charl Schwartzel that only went 15 holes as the U.S. pairing won 5 and 4.
With the U.S. team still in the lead 7-5 over the International squad heading into day three in Melbourne Australia, the home team will need a strong third day of competition to narrow the gap.
A still struggling Tiger Woods for the U.S. team has shown no ill effects on the rest of the squad.
Phil Mickelson and Jim Furyk as well as Bubba Watson and Webb Simpson, remain undefeated through two days at the Presidents Cup.
A few players will not participate on Saturday down under. Steve Stricker and Nick Watney will watch from the sidelines for the U.S. team.
Both teams made slight changes to their pairings on day two at the Presidents Cup in Melbourne Australia. Mixing things up still didn't give the International team the boost it needed to close the gap on the U.S. team.
After two days of competition, the U.S. side leads the Internationals 7-5.
Saturday brings a great opportunity for both teams with a double session of play, meaning twice as many points are up for grabs.
The Internationals can gain much needed ground on the U.S., however the U.S. team can pull even further into the lead with a big day on Saturday.
With the alternate shot pairings and competition behind us after day one, which saw the U.S. team battle back after being down in several matches to win 4 and 2.
We now turn our attention to day two of the Presidents Cup and Fourball matches at Royal Melbourne.
I'm sure the International team is thinking they let a grand opportunity slip away during day one as they were up in most of their matches heading home.
However, as we said earlier, the U.S. team was able to claw their way back into a few of those matches to force halves and end up on the winning side after day one.
The International team had all the advantages heading into day one of the Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne.
They had the home turf advantage. They had players with all the local knowledge of a golf course that is as quirky as any in the world. They had the home bias support of the fans.
However, at the end of the first day of competition, the International team finds itself in a familiar position in the Presidents Cup -- Trailing the U.S. team.
Not that the U.S. team did not have their own struggles early on at Royal Melbourne during day one.
Here are a list of the 2011 President Cup Pairings, for the opening matches on Thursday. As you can see, everyone is getting their wish with a Tiger Woods and Steve Williams, I mean Adam Scott pairing.
Never have I seen the fans and media want a pairing to happen so badly, that had absolutely nothing to do with the two players -- But a caddy.
Nevertheless, here are the pairings for the Presidents Cup matches for Thursday.
Thursday in Melbourne Australia, the ninth playing of the Presidents Cup will tee off at Royal Melbourne, as Fred Couples takes his U.S. squad against Greg Norman and his International team.
Many story lines could be swirling around before the competition is contested; however, it seems only one is getting any media attention.
That being of course, will we see a Tiger Woods and Adam Scott match at any point during the event?
This subject is very interesting to me to say the least. It seems everyone wants to see this pairing. Unfortunately, the reasoning for it is not the players themselves -- Rather a caddy.
Well, the belly putter switch seems to have been short lived for Phil Mickelson.
'Lefty' made the switch in the FedEx Cup Playoffs at the Deutsche Bank Championship, to an exact copy of the long putter that his young protégé Keegan Bradley won the PGA Championship with.
This week in Melbourne Australia, Mickelson is switching back to his standard length putter for the Presidents Cup.
"I will use it as a practice aid and will spend some time with it during the off season," said Mickelson when asked about the switch.
The four time major champion has been known to be more than a little 'iffy' when it comes to three to five foot putts in years past.
For proponents of the belly putter, it tends to help players with that very thing.
Funny how the perceptions, actions and legacy of a person can change in the realm of professional sports -- Especially in the world of golf.
Two time major winner John Daly was once thought of as a 'people's champion' of sorts, when he virtually came from no where as the ninth alternate, to win the 1991 PGA Championship at Crooked Stick Golf Club over Bruce Lietke.
'Long John' as he was dubbed by the fans and media, went on to win two more times in 1992 and 1994 before winning his second career major, at the 1995 Open Championship in a playoff over Constantino Rocca at St. Andrews.
Since those glory days, Daly has had more than his fare share of both on, and off course dilemmas.
From losing his PGA Tour card, to more recent issues of withdrawals and even banishment from certain events.
Last week at the Australian Open, Daly was having more than a few issues on the 11th hole at The Lakes Course in Sydney.
It's Presidents Cup week 'Down Under' as both the U.S. and International teams converge on Royal Melbourne for the 2011 chapter of this event.
Of course, much was made in the media about Tiger Woods and his former caddy Steve Williams, as Williams had reportedly used a racial slur aimed towards his former boss at a caddy's event earlier last week.
All seems to be well; as far as we know, between the two and we can now look forward to the Presidents Cup competition actually on the golf course instead of off of it for a change.
In his home town of Sydney Australia, Greg Chalmers fought off a late charge from Tiger Woods and 54-hole leader John Senden to win the Australian Open for the second time in his career.
The 38-year old left-hander carded a final round three-under 69, as he watched a seemingly resurgent Woods' name start to creep up the leader board.
Chalmers also had to endure watching Senden missing a birdie opportunity to force a playoff on the last before he could lay claim to the victory.
"I've got my name twice on the Stonehaven Cup and that's phenomenal," said Chalmers in his post round interview.
Earlier in the week, Tiger Woods said that he needed his bad rounds to be under par, not over par. That he needed to turn his 73 and 74 rounds into 68's or 69's.
However, on Saturday in the third round of the Australian Open, Woods once again; as he has done much of his recent events, was unable to put three rounds, much less four good rounds together.
After taking the 36 hole lead heading into the weekend, Woods began his round bogey, bogey, bogey en route to carding a three-over, 75.
That would drop him down the leader board into a tie for eighth spot. Six shots off the lead of Aussie John Senden, who set the course a blaze in his third round.
The 2006 Australian Open Champion Senden, took a one shot lead over fellow Aussie Jason Day after carding a nine-under, 63.
Tiger Woods finished up his second round of the Australian Open in Sydney on Friday in a position he has not been in much over the past two years -- At the top of the leader board.
After carding a five-under par 67, Woods took a one shot lead over Aussie Peter O'Malley; who actually bested Woods for low round of the day, firing an impressive six-under 66 to finish in solo second.
Woods always seems to play well 'Down Under'. His last win against a full field was in 2009 when he won the Australian Masters.
Yes, it's been two years since Woods has won.
The World Golf Hall of Fame announced today in a press conference in Singapore, that it will enshrine American golfer Phil Mickelson into it's Hall of Fame class of 2012.
Mickelson, who is playing in the Singapore Open this week as a tune up for the Presidents Cup, received 72 percent of the votes.
The highest percentage a player has ever received since Greg Norman in 2001, when the 'Shark' received 80 percent.
PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem made an announcement on the Hall of Fame selection of Mickelson.
In an eventful first round at the Australian Open that included an albatross and a player walking off the course, Aussie golfer Jarrod Lyle grabbed the first round lead in his country's open at The Lakes Golf Club in Sydney.
Lyle, a Shepparton, Victoria native, kept a clean card on his way to firing an impressive seven-under par 65, to take a one shot lead after the opening 18 over Dustin Johnson and Nick Watney.
The Aussie came out of the gate firing, birdying three holes on the front nine. He also added two more birdies on the back side to go along with his eagle on the par-five 14th.
Seven-under par 65, is Lyle's lowest round of the year so far in 2011 and I am sure a very welcome sight as he finished 167th on the PGA Tour money list this season.
That will force him to go back to Q-School to attempt to regain his PGA Tour status.
‘‘I’ve played solid all year, but I just haven’t really achieved anything,’’ said Lyle on his post round press conference.
The PGA Tour has officially released it's list of five players that have made the ballot for the 2011 Player of the Year award.
All players that make the list must have had competed in at least 15 official PGA Tour money events and are voted on by the peers -- The PGA Tour players themselves.
The week of December 12th is when the winner of the Jack Nicklaus trophy will be officially announced.
Here are the five players that have made the ballot and their accomplishments during the 2011 PGA Tour season.
22-year old Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy, is now one step closer to a goal he has set for himself in the coming years -- To be the number one ranked player in the world.
After his recent tie for fourth place in Shanghai at the World Golf Championship - HSBC Champions. McIlroy inched by Englishman Lee Westwood into the No 2 spot in the Official World Golf Rankings.
In doing so, McIlroy became the first Irish golfer to ascend this high in the rankings.
Of course, the current U.S. Open champion made headlines back in September when he said he wanted to be the number one player in the world.
In Sydney, Australia, two days before he will tee it up in the Australian Open in preparation for the upcoming Presidents Cup matches. Tiger Woods responded to his former caddy Steve Williams comments he made at a caddy dinner in Shanghai.
Of course we all remember what was said so, I will not repeat it yet again when it is out there for everyone to read.
Many thought it was in very poor taste and saw that it could be a racial slur against Woods himself.
However, Woods did respond to questions regarding the comments in his press conference.
Tom Lehman is looking to become a member of a very exclusive club in 2011. This club is so exclusive, he would in fact be the first and sole member.
The 52-year old Austin, Minnesota native, is trying to become the first player in history to win the Player of the Year award on all three Tours -- The Nationwide Tour, PGA Tour and Champions Tour.
Lehman captured the season long race for the Charles Schwab Cup this past weekend holding off Mark Calcavecchia by 74 points to earn the cup for 2011.
"The ending was pretty tight, pretty down to the wire." said Lehman after his round.
"I remember, '96, when I won Player of the Year, I won the season-ending tournament, THE TOUR Championship to win the money title and to win the Player of the Year and the Vardon Trophy and all that kind of stuff. Looked like Calc had a great chance of doing it here, of taking it all one fell swoop at the end. He played great. Really, really impressed with the way he played and the way he battled."
Martin Kaymer began the final round of the World Golf Championship HSBC-Champions five shots off the lead. A superb play on the front nine out of a green side bunker would spark his run to finish with a nine-under 63, and charge to victory in Shanghai.
Carding six straight pars to begin round four is not the way to help yourself erase a five shot deficit when you're trying to win a golf tournament.
Kaymer needed a spark to his game, and needed it fast before it was too late.
The 26-year old German holed a bunker shot on the par -four sixth hole to give him his first birdie of the day -- Triggering a birdie barrage that would lead to a three shot victory over Fredrick Jacobson.
Kaymer would go on to finish the final round carding nine birdies over his final 12 holes on the Sheshan International course.
Tiger Woods former caddie was much criticized for the way he conducted his self after he and new employer, Adam Scott, won the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. Basically taking all of the credit for himself and giving little to no praise for his new boss.
Well, he has certainly stepped up his smack talk recently -- Or rather down I should say.
Williams who is in Shanghai, China with Scott playing in the WGC HSBC Champions event has taken it over the line with his recent comments towards his former boss, Woods.
At the caddies' award dinner hosted by some of the sponsors of the HSBC, in which many of the Tour's players (including Scott) and of course caddies in attendance. Williams said something about Woods that had many left with their jaws open in almost disbelief.
Upon receiving an award for 'Best Celebration' Williams got off a blast on his ex boss saying this about what he said after he and Scott won the Bridgestone Invitational earlier this season in August.
Overcast skies and rain have been the scenario for most of the week in Shanghai at the World Golf Championship - HSBC Champions, providing the players with softer conditions in round two.
First round leader and reigning PGA Champion Keegan Bradley was unable to back up his first round score of 65, carding a 70 on the 'easier' conditions to slip down the leader board to solo fourth.
Three players that were able to take full advantage of the softer conditions were Louis Oosthuizen, Fredrik Jacobson and Adam Scott.
Oosthuizen, was able to fire at pins all round long and card an impressive nine-under 63, which was also good enough for low round of the day.
"If you're hitting good shots, you get rewarded," said Oosthuizen after his bogey free second round.
"There's a few holes where you can take it on or lay it up. Today, I really didn't take much risk. I just made the birdie putts."
Keegan Bradley knows everything that is on the line this week at the World Golf Championship - HSBC Champions in Shanghai, China.
The reigning PGA Champion opened the event with a bogey free seven-under par 65. Taking a two stroke lead over Fredrik Jacobson, Bo Van Pelt (who won last week in Malaysia) and Alexander Noren.
The PGA Tour rookie has been involved in a lot of talk the past few weeks. Concerning not only his absence from the Presidents Cup team, but also in the Player of the Year talk as well.
Obviously Luke Donald, who many consider the favorite for the award. Is not here this week as he and his wife are expecting the birth of their second child.
Bradley who already has two wins on the 2011 season, with a win this week, would become the only player with three wins on the year.
Add that with his major victory at the PGA Championship, could vault him to the top of the list for POY.
“You know, all I’m trying to do is win this golf tournament,” said Bradley after the first round.
Tiger Woods will be doing something he has never done in his career when the WGC HSBC Champion event is played this week in Shanghai, China -- He will not be in the event.
For the first time since 1999, he is not eligible to participate in a World Golf Championship (WGC) tournament.
Woods' struggles in the past two years in the world of golf have been well documented. Almost, too well documented for many.
The former No. 1 player in the world has seen his personal life and professional life take a major hit.
Woods is now ranked 56th in the OWGR, therefore making him ineligible for this weeks HSBC Champion event.
All of this coming from a player that has dominated the four WGC events in years past.
He has racked up 16 wins in 36 tournaments in the WGC, including at least one per year stemming back to 1999. That's almost a 45% win percentage against the top-50 players in the world.
Michael Jordan has been replaced as an assistant captain to Fred Couples for the 2011 U.S. Presidents Cup team, by 11-time PGA Tour winner John Cook.
Jordan expressed his concern to Couples that he needed to stay in the U.S. during the current NBA lockout, as he is the majority of the Charlotte Bobcats organization.
"After careful consideration, it is with regret that I have decided to cancel my trip to Australia later this month for The Presidents Cup," Jordan said in a statement.
"With the NBA labor situation unsettled, as the majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats, I feel it is necessary that I remain in the country. It was an honor to have been chosen by Fred Couples to serve as a Captain's Assistant. I wish Fred and the United States Team the best of luck."
It seems in recent memory every time a female golfer is dominating the women's game, the subject of 'how would she do against men' comes up.
Rightfully so in some aspects I suppose.
Annika Sorenstan did it -- Michelle Wie gave it a go a few times, though neither were able to make a cut in the PGA Tour events they participated in.
Now it seems, you can enter Yani Tseng's name into that discussion.
The 22-year old Taiwanese super star said recently she would not be against teeing it up against the men.
In a recent interview with the China News Agency, Tseng said, "If an opportunity presents itself, I would like to play in a PGA tournament to learn more from male golfers."
After a difficult few weeks deciding whether or not to play in his home country's Irish Open or the AT&T National -- Which is held at Congressional where he won the 2011 U.S. Open in such convincing fashion.
