2010 PGA Open Championship Rankings

That's how long it's been since there was a major championship field that included Tiger Woods but didn't have him listed as the prohibitive favorite.

Until this week.

With Woods coming off a T-78 finish (in an 80-player field) at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, the 14-time major winner has seen his listing drop below that of Phil Mickelson in the eyes of most oddsmakers. Such news is interesting, though it underscores the real story here: There is no favorite.

Let's break it down. Woods is coming off the worst four-round tourney of his career; Mickelson shot 78 on Sunday to drop from 10th to 46th; Lee Westwood has withdrawn due to a calf injury. We're left with a field of elite players from which to choose, but really, is Steve Stricker -- with no career major wins -- worthy of being No. 1 in his home state this week? Or Jim Furyk, who owns a scoring average of 74.75 in the previous three majors? Or Rory McIlroy, who is 21 and has only two career wins? Or Ernie Els, who can't seem to be able to put everything together at the big events anymore?

Each of those players is capable of winning this tournament, but none are necessarily worthy of being called the favorite, which means things are wide open here at Whistling Straits going into the event. And speaking of this week's host venue …

Here's a fun little party game if you have the time and resources: Blindfold a buddy, strap a parachute to his back and drop him out of a plane, right into the middle of this 7,514-yard behemoth.

Chances are, the experimentee will believe he has somehow jumped continents, figuring Lake Michigan for the North Sea, the gusting winds for those in the U.K. and the entire scene for something more often found in Scotland or Ireland.

It's true that this track looks unlike most other U.S.-based courses, thanks to conditions that are usually unique to Open Championship sites.

As if the European contingent needed any further help.

Players from the other side of the pond represent some of the hottest golfers in the world right now, with nine of 'em in the top 20 of the most recent Official World Golf Ranking. That correlation has carried over into the majors, too. At each of the three so far this season, the number of U.S.-born players in the top 10 has decreased, while the number of European players has increased.

Don't be surprised if the contingent from that continent thrives once again this week. My ranking of the top 50 in the field begins with one of Europe's best who is searching for a first career major title.



1. Rory McIlroy Those still doubting the unique talents of the Boy Wonder were silenced not only by his record-tying 9-under 63 in the opening round of the Open Championship, but his impressive bounce back from a second-round 80 to finish T-3 overall. T-3, 2009
2. Phil Mickelson Can he build off the 66-68 start at Firestone? Or did he lose momentum with a 71-78 weekend? After finishing two shots out of the playoff here six years ago, it's difficult to imagine Lefty not being in the mix come Sunday. Win, 2005
3. Padraig Harrington Exactly two years ago this week, Paddy won his third major title of the last six that were played. Since then? He's failed to earn a trophy on any major circuit, but Harrington is playing better of late and should feel at home on the Ireland-inspired links. Win, 2008
4. Paul Casey Was still in the hunt -- well, sort of -- heading to the back nine at St. Andrews, only to finish with a share of third. One of the game's better ball strikers appears ready to win a major, though, and this could very well be the week. T-15, 2008
5. J.B. Holmes Somewhat quietly, the long-hitting Holmes has enjoyed a massive season so far, with 18 made cuts in 19 starts. Played in the final group at this event two years ago only to shoot 81 and finish T-29. If he gets into contention again, expect him to stay there. T-29, 2008
6. Stuart Appleby Let's see … he's a very good wind player … has renewed confidence coming off his final-round 59 to win the Greenbrier Classic … and has finished in the top 25 in eight of the past 10 editions of the year's final major. Yup, consider Appleby among the serious contenders. T-4, 2000
7. Charl Schwartzel Don't know much about this young South African player? Think Louis Oosthuizen … only better. The two good friends play plenty of practice rounds together, and Schwartzel actually stayed behind the 18th green at St. Andrews to watch his buddy win. That might give him confidence that he can pull off the same feat soon, too. T-43, 2009
8. Nick Watney Any list of the best 20-something American-born players needs to include this two-time PGA Tour champion, who is enjoying a terrific year so far. With 11 top-25 results in 18 starts, plus seventh-place finishes at Augusta and St. Andrews, Watney has proved he's ready to win a big one soon. MC
9. Matt Kuchar Just call him Mr. Consistency. Kuchar has earned that moniker this season, posting finishes of 17th or better in every single month, while co-leading the PGA Tour in top-10 finishes with eight. All that's missing from his year-long résumé is a third career victory. MC
10. Jason Day Now that his first PGA Tour win (at the Byron Nelson Championship) and his first career major start (T-60 at St. Andrews) are both out of the way, expect this ultra-talented 22-year-old to start seriously contending at more big-time events. First appearance
11. Justin Leonard Just when it looked like his disappointing season was about to turn around at Firestone, he posted a final-round 76 that dropped him from fourth place to a share of 22nd. 2, 1997, 2004
12. Jeff Overton Simply put, no one's been better over the past three months: Overton has put together seven finishes of 12th or better in his past eight starts. T-32, 2009
13. Ernie Els In 2004, he missed the playoff by a stroke, failing to convert a mid-range putt on the final hole. Six years later, those putts are still the biggest issue in his game. 3, 1995, 2007
14. Robert Karlsson He has not only made the cut at each of the year's first three majors; he's improved his standing, too. T-20, 2008
15. Retief Goosen Other than his two major wins, the Goose is playing some of his best golf since turning 40, with 13 top-10s in the past two seasons. T-6, 2005
16. Ryan Moore Playing some very solid golf over the past two months, with four finishes of 16th or better in his past six starts. T-9, 2006
17. Steve Stricker Home-state advantage? Yes. Home-course advantage? No. The Wisconsin native had only been to Whistling Straits once before last week. 2, 1998
18. Bo Van Pelt Turning into a top-10 machine during his best season on the PGA Tour to date. T-27, 2005
19. Tiger Woods Your guess is as good as anyone else's. He checks in here on the list because, well, any higher didn't feel right, but any lower didn't, either. Win, 1999, 2000, 2006, 2007
20. Luke Donald Owns the best sand save percentage on the PGA Tour this season -- and no one else is even close. T-3, 2006
21. Sean O'Hair Many competitors at the PGA will have to go through O'Hair this week. Oh, wait. Sorry, meant O'Hare. Or maybe both… T-12, 2006
22. Anthony Kim In his first event back after thumb surgery, AK sounded optimistic following his performance at the Bridgestone. T-50, 2007
23. Graeme McDowell Since winning the Open, GMac has finished T-23 at St. Andrews and T-22 at Firestone. T-10, 2009
24. Ross Fisher Fresh off a win at the Irish Open, a strong week here could solidify his spot on Europe's Ryder Cup team. T-19, 2009
25. Boo Weekley One of many players given a special exemption into the event, Boo could put a scare into some of the competition. T-9, 2007
26. Chad Campbell Players from Texas have fared well here in the past, including Leonard's runner-up finish in 2004 and Brad Bryant's Senior U.S. Open win in '07. 2, 2003
27. Dustin Johnson Everyone knows about his collapse at Pebble Beach, but remember: He had to have the game to get into that position in the first place. T-10, 2009
28. Adam Scott He owns just four top-10s in 38 career major starts, but one of them was a T-9 here in 2004. T-3, 2006
29. Rickie Fowler PGA Tour rookie has no fear of the spotlight, as evidenced by his sublime final three rounds at last month's Open Championship. First appearance
30. Jim Furyk A pair of top-10s in his past two starts have to instill some confidence in one of the game's most consistent players. T-6, 1997
31. K.J. Choi Gotta wonder about a guy who tinkers with a gimmicky putting style at the Open Championship, then goes conventional at the Scandinavian Masters. T-6, 2004
32. Trevor Immelman The 2008 Masters champ is starting to regain his form after a few injury-riddled seasons. T-6. 2007
33. Zach Johnson Has made the cut at all three majors this year, but followed with weekend scores averaging 76.33. T-10, 2009
34. Ryo Ishikawa This kid looks more mature every time he tees it up. His game does, too. Big things on the horizon for Ryo. T-56, 2009
35. Hunter Mahan Coming off the biggest win of his career, it might be asking too much of Mahan to expect him to seriously contend again this week. T-16, 2009
36. Geoff Ogilvy Only two players have more than two top-10s at the PGA in the past five years. One is Woods. The other is Ogilvy, with three. T-6, 2005, 2007
37. Stewart Cink Results don't show it, but he's hitting it much better off the tee, going from 97th in total driving last year to 32nd this season. T-3, 1999
38. Jerry Kelly As if he isn't fiery enough already, Kelly will be ultra-pumped to compete in front of the home folks in Wisconsin this week. T-26, 1999
39. Ricky Barnes Former amateur wunderkind is turning into the rarest of players -- a guy who doesn't contend much on a week-to-week basis, but often finds the leaderboard at majors. First appearance
40. Tim Clark Lengthy course shouldn't suit his game, but Clark knows how to get around with plenty of pars on his card. 3, 2003
41. Brendon de Jonge The big man is getting accustomed to seeing his name on major championship leaderboards -- at least for a little while. First appearance
42. Bubba Watson Yes, he booms it a long way, but Bubba also owns a more creative arsenal of shots than almost anyone else out there. 70, 2008
43. Louis Oosthuizen It was difficult to watch him at St. Andrews and not think his game is built for majors, but seven MCs in eight previous appearances suggest otherwise. 73, 2008
44. Justin Rose His breakout PGA Tour season has included two victories, but he may need another big week to wrangle his way onto Monty's roster for the Ryder Cup. T-9, 2008
45. Angel Cabrera Here's a beguiling stat: Should El Pato win this week, he'd be three-quarters of the way to a career Grand Slam -- something Ernie Els, Phil Mickelson, Vijay Singh and Padraig Harrington can't say. T-19, 2000
46. Ben Crane Never discredit a guy who rolls the rock as smoothly as Crane. T-9, 2004
47. Y.E. Yang Hard to believe it was only one year ago when he took down the previously invincible Tiger during the final round at Hazeltine. Win, 2009
48. Fredrik Jacobson Owner of one of the game's more unconventional swings, Freddy Yock finished T-17 here six years ago. T-17, 2004
49. Carl Pettersson Riding a current hot streak that culminated three weeks ago with his fourth career victory at the Canadian Open. T-47, 2008
50. Vijay Singh Will either feel good vibes from his victory here in 2004 … or will be reminded by them that he hasn't won a big one since. Win, 1998, 2004

Friday's Tee Times for British Open

ESPN.com
Friday
Starting time (ET), players
1:30 a.m.: Mark Calcavecchia, Peter Senior, Anders Hansen
1:41 a.m.: Louis Oosthuizen, Jeff Overton, Colm Moriarty
1:52 a.m.: Ignacio Garrido, Hirofumi Miyase, Shane Lowry
2:03 a.m.: Tom Lehman, Kevin Na, Marc Leishman
2:14 a.m.: Sandy Lyle, Bradley Dredge, Koumei Oda
2:25 a.m.: Simon Khan, Vijay Singh, Scott Verplank
2:36 a.m.: Luke Donald, Y.E. Yang, Ricky Barnes
2:47 a.m.: Toru Taniguchi, Robert Karlsson, Dustin Johnson
2:58 a.m.: Alvaro Quiros, Jerry Kelly, Katsumasa Miyamoto
3:09 a.m.: Peter Hanson, Francesco Molinari, Ben Curtis
3:20 a.m.: Paul Casey, Angel Cabrera, Rickie Fowler
3:31 a.m.: Miguel Angel Jimenez, Lee Westwood, Adam Scott
3:42 a.m.: Jim Furyk, Graeme McDowell, Geoff Ogilvy
3:53 a.m.: Hiroyuki Fujita, Steve Stricker, Sergio Garcia
4:09 a.m.: Colin Montgomerie, Phil Mickelson, Retief Goosen
4:20 a.m.: Rhys Davies, Edoardo Molinari, Justin Leonard
4:31 a.m.: Zach Johnson, Martin Kaymer, Eric Chun
4:42 a.m.: K.J. Choi, Bubba Watson, Victor Dubuisson
4:53 a.m.: Ben Crane, Richard S. Johnson, Thomas Aiken
5:04 a.m.: Jason Bohn, Kurt Barnes, Laurie Canter
5:15 a.m.: Darren Fichardt, Jose Manuel Lara, Heath Slocum
5:26 a.m.: Paul Streeter, Brian Gay, Gareth Maybin
5:37 a.m.: Tim Petrovic, Paul Goydos, Jean Hugo
5:48 a.m.: Gary Clark, D.A. Points, Danny Chia
5:59 a.m.: Glen Day, Josh Cunliffe, Tyrrell Hatton
6:10 a.m.: Jae-Bum Park, George McNeill, Simon Edwards
6:41 a.m.: Paul Lawrie, Thomas Levet, Steve Marino
6:52 a.m.: Loren Roberts, Mathew Goggin, Marcel Siem
7:03 a.m.: Robert Rock, John Senden, Bill Haas
7:14 a.m.: Simon Dyson, Jason Dufner, Soren Hansen
7:25 a.m.: Todd Hamilton, Ryuichi Oda, Alexander Noren
7:36 a.m.: John Daly, Andrew Coltart, Seung-Yul Noh
7:47 a.m.: Martin Laird, Sir Nick Faldo, Soren Kjeldsen
7:58 a.m.: David Duval, Ross McGowan, Trevor Immelman
8:09 a.m.: Gonzalo Fernadez-Castano, Ryan Moore, Charl Schwartzel
8:20 a.m.: Robert Allenby, Nick Watney, Oliver Wilson
8:31 a.m.: Lucas Glover, Rory McIlroy, Tim Clark
8:42 a.m.: Thomas Bjorn, Hunter Mahan, Shunsuke Sonoda
8:53 a.m.: Ian Poulter, Ernie Els, Stewart Cink
9:09 a.m.: Sean O'Hair, Yuta Ikeda, Ross Fisher
9:20 a.m.: Tiger Woods, Justin Rose, Camilo Villegas
9:31 a.m.: Padraig Harrington, Ryo Ishikawa, Tom Watson
9:42 a.m.: Henrik Stenson, Jin Jeong, Matt Kuchar
9:53 a.m.: Jason Day, Chris Wood, Kenny Perry
10:04 a.m.: Mike Weir, Darren Clarke, Davis Love III
10:15 a.m.: Thongchai Jaidee, Fredrik Andersson Hed, J.B. Holmes
10:26 a.m.: Mark O'Meara, Byeong-Hun An, Stephen Gallacher
10:37 a.m.: Alejandro Canizares, Michael Sim, Gregory Havret
10:48 a.m.: Zane Scotland, Tom Pernice Jr., Jamie Abott
10:59 a.m.: Bo Van Pelt, Phillip Archer, Ewan Porter
11:10 a.m.: Cameron Percy, Tano Goya, Kyung-tae Kim
11:21 a.m.: Mark F. Haastrup, Steven Tiley, Tom Whitehouse

Phil Mickelson goes from Pink to Green

Green jacket a fitting -- and overdue -- happy ending for Mickelsons
great article from steve elling www.sportsline.com
AUGUSTA, Ga. -- It was the obvious question, for many reasons, some of which probably didn't even occur to her.
Amy Mickelson, attending her first golf tournament in 11 months because of a nasty battle with breast cancer, had just watched her husband win his third Masters title and still had a quivery voice when I put forth the question that made her go into emotional shutdown. Do you believe in karma?
"You know, I am a believer in a lot of things right now," she said before the magnitude of the moment washed over her and she was whisked away to the family celebration in the famed Butler Cabin.
Sappy as it sounds, tears never tasted so sweet -- and not just for the Mickelsons.
In a poignant ending that was wondrous for all the right reasons, Phil Mickelson shot a 5-under 67 and finished 16 under on Sunday to don the green jacket for the third time at Augusta National, giving his family and the game of golf a shot of decidedly good news after one of its darkest periods ever.
Mickelson's wife was diagnosed with cancer last May and Phil's mother, Mary, got similar news only a few days later. It was a double-whammy that only close friends and family members have completely grasped. Given her reaction to her medication, Amy has been bedridden and hasn't been to the golf course since the Players Championship last May. Mary Mickelson walked the front nine during two of her son's rounds.
So it wasn't just a tonic for the troops, it was a pick-me-up for the entire sport, which has suffered tremendously during the five-month-long Tiger Woods scandal, a.k.a. the biggest story in golf for all the wrong reasons.
As more than a few pointed out, the disgruntled bishop in Caddyshack, bummed out because of a dream round that went sideways, was wrong: There is a god. No knock on Lee Westwood or K.J. Choi or Fred Couples, but the right guy won. If anybody disagreed, they were not within 50 yards of the 18th green as Amy Mickelson's husband walked up the hill to find his entire family assembled outside the scoring shed.
Waiting to greet Mickelson were Amy and their three kids, both of his parents, Amy's parents, swing coach Butch Harmon, Phil's younger brother Tim, and caddie Jim Mackay's wife, Jen. Eyes welled and throats locked up tighter than the Augusta membership policies. Harmon, a former military man, turned away, removed his sunglasses and dabbed at his cheeks. Mackay, Mickelson's caddie for 18 years, buried his face in a soiled golf towel outside the scoring center, unable to speak. There wasn't a dry eye in the area, and not just because the pollen count this week could have choked a horse.
Amy hugged Phil like he was a G.I. coming back for shore leave, holding the embrace for 30 seconds. Like the entirety of the family illnesses, they handled the moment with class and dignity. A million cameras documented the heartrending reunion.
"Not much was said," Lefty said.
The picture was worth a million words. It marked Mickelson's fourth major and third title at Augusta since 2004. You can guess where it ranks in terms of familial popularity.
"This is probably more meaningful to him and his family than the first two were," said Steve Loy, Phil's longtime agent and college coach.
Take out the "probably" and he nailed it.
Two days earlier, I had posed a question to Lefty's father (also named Phil) about what the victory would mean to the family because it seemed as though there was something magical brewing this week. He guessed at the time that it might finally break up the black medical cloud that has enveloped the family for nearly a year. He sold it short.
"You asked me that question earlier this week, and it was all of that and more," he said quietly. "It's just such a neat ending, a neat time for the family to all be together in a very positive way. I'm so happy for Phil, the whole family, and for his success, based on all the work he has done."
Mary Mickelson walked the front nine on Sunday, then trekked to the clubhouse because there were about 30,000 fans following her son's group and she couldn't see much. She watched on TV and awaited Amy's arrival.
"It was just an incredible day," Mary said. "It's a tremendous lift. You don't think it is going to happen, and you hope that it will, and then you come out here, and the way he responds to this course, and the way people respond to him, it just was a boost.
"Then, when Amy arrived, it was just the top of the cake."
Amy watched on television at the family's rented home until after her husband played the 13th hole, which will be recalled fondly at Augusta for as long as they play golf tournaments. Mickelson pulled his drive into the trees and found his ball nestled in the pine straw, 205 yards from the flag.
The fact that there was a 50-foot pine tree situated two yards in front of him blocking his view of the green didn't dissuade him from going for the green on the short par-5 hole in two -- even though he was already leading by a shot at the time.
As soon as Phil birdied the 12th to take a two-shot lead, Amy knew she was going to crawl out of bed and head to the course to surprise him afterward. But she waited until he finished the fateful 13th first because it's his favorite hole. And that was before he played it in a head-shaking 6 under this week.
After nearly 20 years together, she knew he was going to go for the green. He knocked the ball within three feet and birdied the hole.
"My phone has been ding, ding, ding, ding with all the texts and calls all day," said Amy, one of the most popular wives on tour. "But when he hit that shot, I think it dinged 30 times and everybody was, like, 'Amy, best shot I have ever seen. Win or lose, that's hands down the best shot ever.'"
Um, lose?
"I could tell, in the trees, 'oh my gosh, he is thinking about going for it,'" she said. "The body language, I can tell a lot from his body language. I like that in him, and I know people say sometimes that it's a mistake, or ask why he did that.
"I don't. I believe in him and I have seen shots like that win so many tournaments. A lot of those shots are the reason he has so many victories. I know he wasn't coming out today to try to finish second."
Even Woods, who seemed destined to play the spoiler's role and had some questioning whether there's such a thing as kismet, couldn't screw up the providence of this one. By the way, for those who believe Woods is kryptonite to every other star, Mickelson, 39, has won the last three tournaments in which both stars have played.
What a week it must have been at the Mickelsons' two rented abodes. Phil's oldest daughter, Amanda, fell and broke a wrist on Saturday while roller skating and they had to take her in for X-rays and a splint at around 10 p.m.
So, yeah, they were due a few positive breaks, no? Two wayward Mickelson drives on Sunday caromed off trees or spectators and found their way back into play, so somebody up there was finally paying attention.
Amy was unable to keep her composure as she watched the last few hours unfold. She had no trouble admitting it.
"It's very surreal and very overwhelming, and I am just so proud of him," she said, pausing several moments to swallow the golf-ball-sized frog in her throat. "Just being here, it's just good to be somewhere where it feels, just, normal. I mean, I would not call this normal, but just to kind of be here and be together and be at a tournament, because it's been so long, almost a year."
While her husband was off receiving hosannas of his own, a parade of well-wishers hugged Amy and patted her gently on the back. If it had been at all possible -- the simple act of walking makes her tired and occasionally queasy -- she would have been out far sooner. But the admittedly sappy, emotional, blubbery appearance with the kids on the 18th was worth the wait.
"I have been trying to stay at the house and rest so that I wouldn't get sick, because probably if I had come out here it would have been too much," she said. "I just wanted him to concentrate on winning the Masters this week and to worry about him, and not about whether I was sick or I was out here walking and not doing well."
Typical Amy, still taking one for the team.
She said the crying jags began on the 12th hole. For a moment, I couldn't remember what her husband had done on the tricky par-3, where his final-round hopes last year were dashed by a double-bogey. This time, he rammed home a clutch 20-footer.
"No, no, it was a birdie," Amy laughed. "It was a good cry."
Finally, mercifully and long overdue.









Phil, Phil, Thank God
good article from john garrity si.com
The Phil people are delirious. The Tiger people are devastated.
The good guy, a green jacket draped comfortably over his open-collared polo, addresses an adoring crowd at sunset. The bad boy, who was last seen walking past the clubhouse in his no-longer-bulletproof red victory shirt, heads for home (wherever that is) to the yawns of a surfeited tabloid press.
The winner's family — the adoring wife, the two daughters, the mischievous son, the proud mother — wrap him in hugs and kisses. The third runner-up's wife and kids …. well, they're out there somewhere. Possibly on another continent.
Phil Mickelson's third Masters win is as emotionally satisfying as it gets, for obvious reasons. A cancer-battling wife. A cancer-battling mom. Three anxious kids. CBS commentator Jim Nantz practically tapped it in backhanded when he tagged Mickelson's tournament-winning putt with a sonorous, "That's a win for the family." But it was more than that, thanks to Tiger Woods's ragged, sometimes brilliant, but mostly desperate play on Sunday. It was a parable of comeuppance, a High-Def dispersion of just deserts.
For more than a decade, after all, Phil has been eating Tiger's dust. Before Sunday, his 37 PGA Tour wins and three major titles were compared unfavorably to Tiger's 71 and 14, respectively. Phil was famous for screwing up. (He hit the hospitality tent at Winged Foot! He yanked it into the ocean at Pebble Beach!) Tiger was lionized for buckling down. (He won by 12 at St. Andrews! He beat a U.S. Open field on a broken leg!)
Phil played low-percentage golf. Tiger always played it smart. Phil changed equipment companies on the eve of a Ryder Cup. Tiger made his equipment company adapt to him. Phil made millions. Tiger was said to be pushing a billion. On top of those indignities, you had the perception — encouraged by Woods — that Phil couldn't handle pressure. Who can forget the look of contempt that Tiger gave partner Phil eight years ago, when Lefty nearly yanked his tee shot out-of-bounds on the final hole of a Ryder Cup alternate-shot match.
If Tiger was steak, a columnist wrote, Phil was salad.
Well, that's no longer the case. Phil was the high-cholesteral golfer the past week, seizing the stage on Saturday afternoon with a three-hole, five-under-par stretch that Bobby Jones couldn't have imagined in his wildest dreams. Was Phil dangerously bold at times? Yes he was. His final-round 5-iron to the 13th green — snaked between two pines and plopped down a yard past the bank of Rae's Creek — was total Tin Cup madness. And it made you vibrate to your core, having been privileged to witness it.
It was the sort of shot we've come to expect from a charging Woods. And to be fair, the returned-from-tabloid-hell philanderer hit a number of Tigeresque shots during his four-birdie, two-eagle final round. Overall, however, Tiger looked like Mickelson at his most erratic, driving balls into adjoining fairways, playing pinball in the trees, and on the 14th green — mirabile dictu! — taking three putts of less than five feet in the space of fifteen seconds. Blame Tiger's frantic, lurchy swing on his five-month layoff if you like, but at least consider the possibility that he may never master the Hank Haney-authored swing drills he has been practicing for years.
But if swings are hard to master, relationships can be that much tougher. The pre-scandal Woods seemed to understand that. He set up house with a photogenic blonde, just like Phil. He fathered a couple of adorable kids, just like Phil. He looked for his loved ones in the crowd after sinking the winning putt, just like Phil.
But that's where Tiger drew the line. He craved a different kind of intimacy.
That's why, at the end of the day, it's the sight of the emotional Mickelson, locked in a never-ending embrace with his plucky wife, that drives home the point.
Phil's got it all. Tiger's got nothing.

2010 Masters Tee Times and TV Schedules

The Masters Thursday and Friday Tee Times

The top 44 and ties and players within 10 shots of the lead after 36 holes will make the cut.

Thursday tee times
Starting time, players
7:40 a.m.: Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus
7:50 a.m.: Nathan Green, Heath Slocum, Louis Oosthuizen
8:01 a.m.: Craig Stadler, John Merrick, Jerry Kelly
8:12 a.m.: Ian Woosnam, Brian Gay, Marc Leishman
8:23 a.m.: Bernhard Langer, Scott Verplank, Brad Benjamin
8:34 a.m.: John Senden, David Toms, Graeme McDowell
8:45 a.m.: Mark O'Meara, Rory Sabbatini, Nathan Smith
8:56 a.m.: Martin Kaymer, Geoff Ogilvy, Luke Donald
9:07 a.m.: Tom Watson, Tim Clark, Steve Marino
9:18 a.m.: Bill Haas, Todd Hamilton, Anders Hansen
9:29 a.m.: Dustin Johnson, Oliver Wilson, Alvaro Quiros
9:40 a.m.: Mike Weir, Lee Westwood, Matteo Manassero
9:51 a.m.: Open
10:02 a.m.: Chad Campbell, Francesco Molinari, Paul Casey
10:13 a.m.: Ernie Els, Anthony Kim, Ryo Ishikawa
10:24 a.m.: Angel Cabrera, Jim Furyk, Byeong-Hun An
10:35 a.m.: Phil Mickelson, Robert Allenby, Y.E. Yang
10:46 a.m.: Retief Goosen, Hunter Mahan, Robert Karlsson
10:57 a.m.: Ben Crane, Simon Dyson, Michael Campbell
11:08 a.m.: Larry Mize, Ryan Palmer, Chris Wood
11:19 a.m.: Sandy Lyle, Justin Leonard, Kevin Na
11:30 a.m.: Ben Crenshaw, Steve Flesch, Ben Martin
11:41 a.m.: Ryan Moore, Ross Fisher, Nick Watney
11:52 a.m.: Trevor Immelman, Soren Hansen, John Rollins
12:03 p.m.: Open
12:14 p.m.: Vijay Singh, Jason Dufner, Sean O'Hair
12:25 p.m.: Thongchai Jaidee, Ben Curtis, Soren Kjeldsen
12:36 p.m.: Camilo Villegas, Kenny Perry, Rory McIlroy
12:47 p.m.: Zach Johnson, Henrik Stenson, Chang-won Han
12:58 p.m.: Fred Couples, Sergio Garcia, Shingo Katayama
1:09 p.m.: Miguel Angel Jimenez, Edoardo Molinari, Lucas Glover
1:20 p.m.: Charl Schwartzel, Stewart Cink, Padraig Harrington
1:31 p.m.: Yuta Ikeda, Ian Poulter, Steve Stricker
1:42 p.m.: Tiger Woods, Matt Kuchar, K.J. Choi
1:53 p.m.: Adam Scott, David Duval, Ricky Barnes

Friday tee times
Starting time, players
7:50 a.m.: Ben Crane, Simon Dyson, Michael Campbell
8:01 a.m.: Larry Mize, Ryan Palmer, Chris Wood
8:12 a.m.: Sandy Lyle, Justin Leonard, Kevin Na
8:23 a.m.: Ben Crenshaw, Steve Flesch, Ben Martin
8:34 a.m.: Ryan Moore, Ross Fisher, Nick Watney
8:45 a.m.: Trevor Immelman, Soren Hansen, John Rollins
8:56 a.m.: Vijay Singh, Jason Dufner, Sean O'Hair
9:07 a.m.: Thongchai Jaidee, Ben Curtis, Soren Kjeldsen
9:18 a.m.: Camilo Villegas, Kenny Perry, Rory McIlroy
9:29 a.m.: Zach Johnson, Henrik Stenson, Chang-won Han
9:40 p.m.: Fred Couples, Sergio Garcia, Shingo Katayama
9:51 a.m.: Open
10:02 a.m.: Miguel Angel Jimenez, Edoardo Molinari, Lucas Glover
10:13 a.m.: Charl Schwartzel, Stewart Cink, Padraig Harrington
10:24 a.m.: Yuta Ikeda, Ian Poulter, Steve Stricker
10:35 a.m.: Tiger Woods, Matt Kuchar, K.J. Choi
10:46 a.m.: Adam Scott, David Duval, Ricky Barnes
10:57 a.m.: Nathan Green, Heath Slocum, Louis Oosthuizen
11:08 a.m.: Craig Stadler, John Merrick, Jerry Kelly
11:19 a.m.: Ian Woosnam, Brian Gay, Marc Leishman
11:30 a.m.: Bernhard Langer, Scott Verplank, Brad Benjamin
11:41 a.m.: John Senden, David Toms, Graeme McDowell
11:52 a.m.: Mark O'Meara, Rory Sabbatini, Nathan Smith
12:03 p.m.: Open
12:14 p.m.: Martin Kaymer, Geoff Ogilvy, Luke Donald
12:25 p.m.: Tom Watson, Tim Clark, Steve Marino
12:36 p.m.: Bill Haas, Todd Hamilton, Anders Hansen
12:47 p.m.: Dustin Johnson, Oliver Wilson, Alvaro Quiros
12:58 a.m.: Mike Weir, Lee Westwood, Matteo Manassero
1:09 p.m.: Chad Campbell, Francesco Molinari, Paul Casey
1:20 p.m.: Ernie Els, Anthony Kim, Ryo Ishikawa
1:31 p.m.: Angel Cabrera, Jim Furyk, Byeong-Hun An
1:42 p.m.: Phil Mickelson, Robert Allenby, Y.E. Yang
1:53 p.m.: Retief Goosen, Hunter Mahan, Robert Karlsson



The Top 10 in the Field for this years Masters according to ESPN.COM
1. Padraig Harrington The three-time major champion obviously has what it takes to make clutch putts down the stretch. He's playing well with a pair of top-10s in the past month and he has fared well at Augusta recently, with two finishes of seventh or better in the last three years.
Sure, his final-round 77 in Houston -- which included two doubles and four bogeys -- might have sent up a red flag, but Paddy has never been on top of his game prior to winning a major. Besides, would anyone else in the field look better in green?
T-5, 2008, 2002

2. Retief Goosen The Goose is back. From 2002-07, he finished in the Masters top three on four different occasions; at 41, he is now on top of his game once again, with two fourth-place results and two fifths already this season.
The two-time U.S. Open champion is renowned as one of the world's best fast-greens putters -- and yes, the surfaces at Augusta are a little quick.
2nd, 2007, 2002

3. Jim Furyk You may not remember it, since the tournament's conclusion coincided with the airing of Woods' first interviews of the year, but Furyk won for the first time since 2007 at last month's Transitions Championship.
He's never seriously contended at Augusta, but still owns a stellar record, with only one missed cut in 14 appearances and no other finishes of worse than 33rd.
4th, 2003, 1998

4. Phil Mickelson Listen to Lefty and you'll hear a man who's confident despite his results. The two-time Masters champion is a notoriously fast starter, but hasn't finished better than eighth in any of his seven tournaments so far this season.
Even so, he maintains that his game is coming together, a statement that was evidenced on the back nine in Houston on Sunday, where he rattled off six straight birdies.
Win, 2006, 2004

5. Lucas Glover The reigning U.S. Open champion hasn't competed at Augusta since 2007, but finished in a share of 20th that year. He's a much more improved, mature player now and should thrive in this atmosphere.
His game hasn't looked great lately, but remember: He wasn't very successful in his last few events prior to winning at Bethpage, either.
T-20, 2007

6. Tiger Woods While most observers believe it will be mindset and focus that could derail Woods in his bid for a fifth career green jacket, expect something more tangible to act as the biggest factor.
Since winning his last Masters title in 2005, Tiger has struggled with the flatstick here, though he's remained in the top six during each of the last four editions of the tournament. Don't be surprised if he finds a similar fate this time around, too.
Win, 2005, 2002, 2001, 1997

7. Lee Westwood There's no doubt this top-5 player has the talent to win a major someday, but you've got to question his chops while under fire; he's missed final-hole putts to reach a playoff on two separate occasions in the past two years.
Westy appears on his game entering this week, though, coming off a T-8 finish in Houston -- his second top-10 in his last three U.S. starts.T-6, 1999

8. Mike Weir The bad news for the 2003 Masters champion: If it rains, this might be too much course for him to contend. The good news: It's not supposed to rain, other than a possible quick thunderstorm on Thursday.
Weir maintains that his game is on the brink of a breakthrough and he always plays well at tough events, so this could be another big week for him.
Win, 2003

9. Ernie Els Many believe that the Big Easy -- who is the PGA Tour's only multiple winner so far this season -- should be enlisted as the favorite entering this event, but he's got plenty of demons at Augusta National.
Once believed to be a lock to someday shoulder a green jacket, Els' recent Masters results look like a McDonald's drive-thru order: MC-MC-MC.2nd, 2004, 2000

10. Jason Dufner Hey, we all know the entire leaderboard won't be comprised of superstars. Somebody has to be a dark-horse selection, so the pick here is Dufner, who is quickly earning a rep as one of the better iron players in the game.
With so much emphasis on second shots at this course, the first-timer could surprise some folks. After all, someone's gotta do it, right?

TV TIMES AND STATIONS
Wednesday, April 7
ESPN – 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM ET
Sirius XM radio – 2:00 PM -7:30 PM ET

Thursday, April 8
ESPN – 4:00 PM – 7:30 PM ET
Sirius XM radio – 2:00 PM – 7:30 PM ET

Friday, April 9
ESPN – 4:30-7:30 PM ET
Sirius XM radio – 2:00 PM – 7:30 PM ET

Saturday, April 10
CBS – 3:30 – 7:00 PM ET
Sirius XM radio – 2:00 PM – 7:00 PM ET

Sunday, April 11
CBS – 2:00 PM – 7:00 PM ET
Sirius XM radio – 2:00 PM – 7:00 PM ET

Tiger Woods 1st Interviews

click here to watch Tiger's interview with the golf channel




Tiger Wood's New Bracelet
www.yahoo.com
At the end of Sunday night's Golf Channel interview with Tiger Woods, interviewer Kelly Tilghman made note of the bracelet Woods wore on his left wrist. From the official transcript:

KT: I noticed you're wearing a bracelet, can we see it?
TW: Yeah.

KT: What does it mean?
TW: It's Buddhist, it's for protection and strength and I certainly need that.

KT: When did you start wearing it?
TW: Before I went into treatment.

KT: Will you be wearing it during the Masters?
TW: Absolutely.

KT: For the rest of your life?
TW: Absolutely.

The bracelet itself isn't the big deal; you can pick one of those up at the mall for five bucks (Amazon has hundreds of "Buddhist bracelets" for those who want to be like Tiger.) It's what the bracelet represents -- the idea of remembering one's "core values" -- that makes it significant.
Certainly, it's not uncommon for people embroiled in scandal to suddenly wrap themselves in religion as a way of deflecting criticism. Prisoners and politicians alike often turn to religion when their worldly deeds come crashing down around them. So it's understandable to view Woods' embracing of Buddhism, Sunday and at his Feb. 19 press conference, as a cynical ploy for sympathy.
Thing is, Woods publicly professed his connection to Buddhism long before the scandal broke. In a May 2008 Reuters interview shortly after the birth of his second child, Woods noted that he adhered to tenets of Buddhism such as meditation:
"I practice meditation -- that is something that I do, that my mum [sic] taught me over the years. We also have a thing we do every year, where we go to temple together," he said. "In the Buddhist religion you have to work for it yourself, internally, in order to achieve anything in life and set up the next life. It is all about what you do and you get out of it what you put into it. So you are going to have to work your butt off in every aspect of your life."
And as he admitted Sunday, he's got plenty of work ahead.
Also, the conspiracy-minded -- or those with too much time on their hands -- will note that Woods doesn't have a wedding ring on, and will surely scream that it's the sign of marital apocalypse. Not so, at least not based on that alone. Tiger never wears his wedding ring on the golf course, and as the photo at right shows, he apparently doesn't wear it when he's out with his family, either.

John Daly is 115 Pounds Lighter??

I love John Daly, so I found some new news concerning him and his life. Enjoy!!!


John Daly is slimmed down and fired up for Hollywood
By Jay Busbee
www.yahoosports.com
As one golf star falls, another rises.

For the past two decades, the name "John Daly" has been synonymous in golf circles with the kind of lifestyle better suited to country music than the soft piano tones you hear on every golf telecast. He could grip it and rip it better than anybody on Tour, and played his way into two majors, but off the course his life was one long speed down a dark highway with the lights off.
Daly hit rock bottom around this time last year. He was found passed out outside a North Carolina Hooters, and later smashed a fan's camera while playing in Australia. The PGA Tour suspended him for six months, and it looked like the long, hard road of golf's most famous party animal was about to end in an ugly fashion.
But then Daly did something nobody would ever have expected -- and considering what he'd done in the past, that's saying something:
He cleaned up. And now he might be going Hollywood.
Daly, as the photos above indicate, has shed well over 100 pounds in the last year as a result of lap-band surgery, and he's now a slim, trim 185. He's talking about writing a new book, and at a press conference Tuesday prior to the Australian PGA, he noted that he'd also like to see a movie made of the insanity that has been his life, both on and off the course.
He's already thought about who would play him in the movie. He recommended pal Kevin James for the "before" version. And for the "after"? "I just saw Matt Damon, how he swung a golf club, and I thought if I ever made a movie, I want him to be me," Daly said.
"The problem is, who is going to play all the ex-wives?" Daly laughed. He has four ex-wives whom he immortalized in a song, "All My Exes Wear Rolexes."
Daly's in the middle of a yearlong redemption tour. In addition to playing well at the British Open -- he made the cut where Tiger Woods didn't -- he's now back in Coolum, Australia at the site of one of his most famous blowups. In 2002, he carded a triple-bogey 7 on the 18th hole, then threw his ball and putter into the lake and stormed off without signing his scorecard, disqualifying himself from the tournament. He was fined nearly $6,000 by the Australasian PGA Tour and ordered to write an I'm-sorry letter. It doesn't look like Daly will be producing those kinds of sparks this weekend, but that's probably for the best.
Daly may no longer have the biggest waistline on tour, but he's still -- sappy sports metaphor coming -- got one of the game's biggest hearts. He donned pink pants in support of Phil Mickelson's wife Amy in her fight against breast cancer earlier this year. And Tuesday, he took a not-so-subtle shot at players like Jesper Parnevik who have criticized Woods for his alleged off-course behavior: "I'm not too happy with what some of the players have said. Without him our tour would not survive as what it is when Tiger plays."
Whether or not Woods returns any time soon, it looks like Daly is back to stay. And that's very good for golf indeed.



Prepare for a new John Daly book, then the movie?
www.golf.com
COOLUM, Australia (AP) — Now that John Daly has his weight problem sorted out, he figures a movie about his up-and-down career - and life - might not be far behind.
Just before heading out to the revamped Hyatt Regency resort course for a practice round ahead of the Australian PGA, the slimmed-down Daly, who has lost 115 pounds, entertained an early morning news conference Tuesday with his cinematic plans based on a new book he would write himself.
He nominated "King of Queens" star Kevin James as the actor who might play him before his weight loss, and ahead of February's lap-band surgery.
And who'd play the now-185 pound Daly?
"I just saw Matt Damon, how he swung a golf club, and I thought if I ever made a movie, I want him to be me," Daly said. "The tough part is who would play me at 290 pounds. Now Kevin James, he's my bud, but he'd be good."
When asked what the main storyline might be, he said: "It would just be the life, it would be the whole thing. The guts of it all."
"The problem is who is going to play all the ex-wives?" added Daly, who has four ex-wives, to laughter.
The most recent book about his life, "John Daly, My Life in and Out of the Rough," was published in 2006.
Daly's trip Down Under this year has been better than last, when he failed to qualify for the weekend in all three Australian events, the Open, PGA and Masters. He didn't play this year's Australian Masters, won by Tiger Woods.
He made the cut at last week's Australian Open, then shot 78 in the third round at New South Wales Golf Club. But he rebounded with a 1-under 71 in the final round and finished tied for 28th, 17 strokes behind winner Adam Scott.
"I feel I got a lot more out of last week that I thought I would," Daly said. "I hit my irons better. The short game is not real good but there are some good things coming out of it."
The Hyatt Regency resort course at Coolum was the scene of one of Daly's most famous meltdowns.
Ini 2002, after taking a triple-bogey 7 on his last hole, Daly threw his putter and ball into a greenside pond and later failed to sign for a 78 on his scorecard, disqualifying himself from the tournament.
He was later fined $5,600 by the Australasian PGA Tour and was ordered to write a letter of apology to a tour official he verbally abused.
This year at Coolum, Daly and others in the field, which includes Scott and defending champion Geoff Ogilvy, will play a redesigned course with six new holes, including a par-5 first that is guarded by water along the left side of the fairway and in front of the green.
Five holes situated between a nearby coast road and the Pacific Ocean on the original course, which was designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr., have been earmarked for resort development.
Before he left for his practice round, Daly took a swipe at players who have criticized Woods for his recent marital problems.
"I'm not too happy with what some of the players have said," Daly said. "Without him our tour would not survive as what it is when Tiger plays. I just hope for him and (wife) Elin that they get through it."

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 Review and Cheats

These reviews are for the PS3 version of the game from gamespot.com and ign.com

I have to admit this is a good game. I rented it because I was skeptical about it cause I did not care for the previous versions. I will be purchasing this when I take the rented one back. Excellent controls and if you don't like the new putting feature, you can switch back to the old version. If you can get online, then you will love this game. You can follow the pros scores and try to beat them during the same time as they are playing. Def. worth getting!!!!

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 Review
No matter what you're looking for in a golf game, Tiger Woods 10 almost certainly has you covered.
The GoodFeatures 16 of the world's best golf courses Four difficulty levels that cater to everyone Lots of different online and offline modes Great controls, especially the new precision putting. The BadCommentary is so bad you'll almost certainly mute it Not all difficulty levels are supported online.
Mark Twain once described golf as "a good walk ruined." Perhaps he'd have been a little more forgiving of the sport if he'd had an opportunity to spend some time with Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10. EA Sports' latest hit-the-ball-at-the-hole simulator doesn't reinvent the genre, nor does it represent a huge leap forward over its predecessor, but there are plenty of new features and refinements on its scorecard to make it a winner for newcomers and veterans alike.
Tiger Woods 10 is a golf game that seems designed to be all things for all people. For purists, there are 16 of the world's finest courses, club tuning options, US Golf Association rules, and a Tournament Challenge mode in which you can relive memorable achievements alongside pros. There are also live tournaments that take place alongside real-world events, such as the US Open, and let you compete with pros on the same leaderboard and in similar weather. For those whose knowledge of golf is limited to having seen Adam Sandler's Happy Gilmore, on the other hand, there are items of clothing that dramatically improve your attributes, an extremely forgiving default difficulty level, and wacky customization options that include a pink rabbit suit and a biker jacket. There are also laughable unlockable golfer animations and the ability to hit the ball significantly farther than any real-life pro--much like the hero of the aforementioned movie. Tiger Woods 10 is a game that anyone with even a passing interest in golf can enjoy, but it's unfortunate that its serious side and its Sandler side don't always play well together.

The game's biggest problem is that while new game-changing weather, the great new (optional) putting system, and the quality of your analog or three-click swing are factors that affect your performance on the course, all too often, it's your choice of golfer that has the biggest impact on how well you do. There are more than 30 pro and novelty golfers to choose from, but unless you're deliberately looking to handicap yourself, there's really no reason to play as anybody but Tiger Woods. There are a handful of characters with slightly better ratings for accuracy, but none that come close to matching Tiger's near-perfect ratings for all three of the remaining attributes: power, short game, and putting. None, save for the countless superhuman player-created golfers online who, after several hours of play, can make a trip to the pro shop and purchase a "max attributes" outfit.

Initially, creating and playing as a custom golfer can be very satisfying. You have the option to use digital photos uploaded to an EA Web site or your console's camera to put something vaguely resembling your face into the game; you play a few shots to determine your starting attributes; and, for a few rounds, you really have to play well to keep up with the pros. Your attributes will improve (or occasionally worsen) after every round based on your performance, and you're given opportunities to work on aspects of your game by replaying shots from your previous round in simple exercises presented by your in-game coach. That's all well and good, but your golfer improves so rapidly that by the time you reach your second or third Career mode tournament, it's relatively easy for you to win every competition thereafter--at least playing on the default difficulty.
Switching among Tiger 10's four difficulty modes doesn't impact which tees you play from or the inconsistent AI of the pro players. Rather, it determines how forgiving the controls are and which player aids you get to use. For example, on the default amateur difficulty, moving the analog stick down and then up to perform a swing determines the power of your shot but has very little impact on its direction. However, on pro difficulty, anything other than a perfectly vertical movement of the stick will result in a hook or a slice. If you ramp up the difficulty to the most challenging tour pro setting, you can no longer use power boosts, which you trigger by tapping a button during your swing; you can no longer add spin to the ball after striking it, which is done in much the same way; and, you don't get to use the putt preview, which gives you a second chance to line up shots on the green by showing you what your first attempt will look like without actually having to play it.
Given that the beginner and amateur difficulty settings are unrealistically easy (scores of 20 under par for a single round aren't uncommon) and that the tour pro difficulty is very challenging (expect scores closer to 20 over par to begin with), the pro difficulty is likely to be the sweet spot for anyone looking to realistically compete with the household name players. Unfortunately, the only time you can use pro difficulty online is when you're competing in one of the slickly implemented daily or weekly tournaments that force all players to use the same settings. Only the amateur and tour pro settings are available in the remaining multiplayer modes. While such games as best ball, four ball, and skins are great additions to the requisite stroke play and match play options, it's unfortunate and baffling that they only support two of the four difficulty settings. Regardless, online play is a lot of fun, and the Simultaneous Strokes mode in which four players take their shots at the same time and can see their opponents' efforts represented by ball-tracing colored lines is a great way to go head-to-head without having to sit and watch other players while waiting for your turn.
Even if you're not playing online, being connected to EA's servers improves the Tiger Woods 10 experience. You'll see a handful of advertisements that don't appear when you play offline, but the payoff is that you get to see news feeds of sports results and the like. You can also opt to play any course with "live" weather conditions courtesy of The Weather Channel. Weather is undoubtedly one of the most significant additions to this year's game because rain has just as big of an impact as wind, which has been a staple of golf games since day one, on how a course plays. GamerNet challenges are another benefit of playing while connected: Any time you play a particularly impressive shot, you have the option to upload it as a challenge for other players to beat during their regular play, and, of course, you can expect to be presented with plenty of them when you're playing yourself. It's possible to set up quite elaborate challenges, but for the most part, you're judged either on the length of your drive or how close you get to the hole with an approach shot. The latter are always possible to better, but the former are dependent on both your character's skills and the weather--being challenged to drive a ball almost 500 yards just isn't possible unless you're maxed out and have the wind at your back.

Other forms of player competition include a large selection of minigames and modes that use the mechanics of golf in some inventive ways. There are three modes that employ archery-style targets, including one titled Capture the Flag in which you can claim targets by hitting their bull's-eyes; you can play H.O.R.S.E., which here is known as T.I.G.E.R.; and if you're feeling extra competitive, you can challenge a friend to a game of Battle Golf, in which winning a hole entitles you to remove a club form your opponent's bag or return one to your own. In short, Tiger Woods 10 has plenty of variety, regardless of whether you're looking for a traditional golf experience, less conventional games to enjoy with friends, or both.

There's no guarantee that your custom golfer will be instantly recognizable as you, but for the most part, Tiger Woods 10 is a good-looking game. Professional players are instantly recognizable, and if you've ever visited such courses as St. Andrews and Torrey Pines, or even just seen them on television, you'll find that they are as well. Details, such as bunkers and expanses of water, look great in this year's game, and when you see waves rolling in on the rocks alongside the 18th at Pebble Beach, you'll understand why it's one of the most celebrated holes in golf. Crowds made up of emotionless doppelgangers that form to watch your tee shots and putts detract from rather than enhance the experience, but at least they're easy to ignore. The same, unfortunately, can't be said for the commentary team of Scott Van Pelt and Kelly Tilghman.
Commentary is generally something that greatly enhances the TV-style presentation of a sports game, but in Tiger Woods 10, the option to mute the commentary is definitely a welcome one. One will frequently correct the other after he or she wrongly predicts where your ball is going to land, they'll tell you that they've never seen worse putting after you miss a giant putt by only the tiniest of margins, and Van Pelt regularly states that he has no idea who's at the top of a competition leaderboard--even when you're winning by an unrealistic 20-plus strokes. Neither commentator's delivery is great, but ultimately, it's the quality of the writing and its implementation in the game that brings it down.

As golf games go, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 is tough to beat. There really is something for everyone with even a passing interest in golf in this sizeable package, and although there's clearly still some room for improvement, it's well worth a look even if you already own last year's game.



Tiger Woods 2010
June 9, 2009 - Videogame golf has been a long-standing staple of our industry. Whether on PC or console, hacking away at that little white ball is a mainstay of our favorite pastime. For the last several years the only serious (read: simulation) game in town has been Tiger Woods PGA Tour from EA Sports. This year Tiger brings us some new online modes, a new challenge mode that replaces Tiger Challenge from the last few years, and some needed gameplay tweaks to help ease players into the virtual golfing experience.

There's no doubt that Tiger Woods 10 is missing one major feature addition for EA Sports to hang its marketing hat on, but that doesn't mean that golf fans won't find plenty to enjoy. There are small things like the new Tournament Challenge that lets you take on real-world tourney situations from years past and Live Online Tournaments – my personal favorite of the new features – that allow you to record scores against other living players or real pros currently on the course. Still, none of these features are mind-blowing, and none will change the way you fundamentally think about Tiger Woods Golf. If you can get by that fact, then you'll find a golf title that's easy to enjoy.

With new tournament modes to toy around with (the aforementioned Tournament Challenge and Live Tournaments to go along with the standard PGA Season) EA Sports made the wise choice of trying to up the emotion of the game of golf. You'll hear fans in the distance cheer as your opponent sinks a critical putt, Kelly Tilghman and Scott Van Pelt will spout quips about movement on the leaderboards, and you'll get visual cues as players make and miss putts elsewhere on the course.

Even with those appreciated changes, I still can't help but feel like the real emotion of the Tour is held back. Sit down and watch the final round of one of Tiger's famous comebacks or see him drill a 20-foot putt on 17 or 18 and you'll hear what the crowd in Tiger Woods Golf should sound like. Likewise, Van Pelt and Tilghman don't bring the excitement that they would during a real Sunday afternoon on the links.
The game modes themselves, however, are well designed and fun to play. My favorite is easily the Play the Pros option within the Live Tournaments. It allows you to play side-by-side against the leaderboards from any real golf tournament. If Phil "Lefty" Mickelson drains a put on 16 to pull one-ahead of you on the leaderboard, you'll see that reflected in-game. It's simple but very fun. Likewise, the new Tournament Challenge uses GamerNet technology and forces you to hit exactly the same shots as some of golf's biggest names. Like all of the new features, it's nothing spectacular or overly imaginative, but it's a fun and welcome addition nonetheless.

Live Weather is another small addition to Tiger Woods that has actually been seen in other EA Sports games like NCAA Football the last few years. The feature is supposed to add real weather updates to the course you're playing on, and while the visual representations of these acts of nature comes through just fine, the changes to gameplay aren't quite there. During a downpour you'll see things like gusting wind that knocks the ball down and fairways that soften up for decreased roll distance, but as soon as the deluge stops, I found that conditions returned to normal too quickly. I'd like to see fairways stay sopping wet with puddles splashing even after the weather returns to normal.
On the course Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 is almost exactly as you remember. You can still swing with either the analog stick or the three-click mechanic. If you crank up the power enough you'll still see the over-exaggerated "power shot" montage, but this year the ball has a cheesy looking cartoon vapor trail streaming out of the back. I understand that I just hit a golf ball very hard, I don't need to see a cartoon representation.

One tiny addition that I really did appreciate is the new ability to A or X your way through the annoying camera angles that occasionally constrict your view of where the ball is going.

The most substantive change to the core gameplay mechanic is the new Precision Putting. Instead of carrying multiple putters in your bag as you've been forced to do in the past, you now have one putter for all distances. You pick a spot on the green and the putter adjusts to show you how far you need to bring it back before releasing it forward. It's a well-crafted putting mechanic and emulates real-life golf better than it has in the past.
Most of your time on the course will be spent developing your created character. You design his or her look just as you have in the past (or with Photo GameFace) and then toss him onto the course. Attribute progression is organic as you'll advance in certain areas or regress in others depending on your performance. You'll also have the opportunity to practice shots that your coach recommends after a round is completed. Progression in Tiger Woods 10 feels much better than it has in the past. You no longer assign points to improve in certain areas. Instead, all of that is determined by your play on the course.

While you're hacking away at that dastardly little white ball you'll notice that Tiger has undergone some slight visual changes, though nothing that is as important as I would have liked. Little things like water and lighting in certain situations look improved over last year's game, but I was really hoping to see greater detail in the character models. We haven't seen the game progress in this manner since it landed on Xbox 360 years ago. The same goes for animations – both celebratory and standard striking – which are identical to what I've seen before.
The audio does get a bit of a bump thanks to Scott Van Pelt. He provides quips like "Get some!" when you nail a putt and other blurbs that definitely add to the personality of the overall package. Kelly Tilghman doesn't bring a lot of spice to the equation, and she essentially has zero direct interaction with Van Pelt – something I hope changes in the future. Not only that, but the commentary doesn't reference itself enough. I'd like to see Scott mention a poor call Kelly made a few holes ago and I'd like to see both of them get more excited over the drama that they're witnessing.

Closing Comments
The question of whether to go out and drop your hard-earned 60 bucks on Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 should be decided by determining whether or not you’re a hardcore golf fan. If you’re someone who watches every second of every major tourney then you’ll enjoy the inclusion of the US Open and USGA Championship, you’ll dig the Live Tournaments, and you’ll appreciate the new putting.

On the flipside, if you’re just waking up on Monday morning to check out the results on SportsCenter and you only occasionally dust off your copy of Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09, you’ll likely be disappointed by the general lack of show-stopping features and gameplay innovations.


CHEATS for the GAME

Unlockable: TW Items
Enter this code at the cheats menu to unlock the TW Golf items in the pro shop: eltigre

I WILL BE ADDING MORE AS I FIND THEM!!!!!

Caption these photos from the US Open

Bob Costas, Who the Hell is this guy? Get me outta of here!!!!!


OH Shit! I am in the US Open!


Sorry Phil, but I am getting the hell out of here before you choke again!





@&## #&w$&$ I should be winning this thing with one leg again!!!!!

The 2009 US Open Continues Today

C H O K I N G


That's right!!! 9:00 am on ESPN! See where things begin to go! Looks like the leaders are starting to fall back to Tiger after he birdied number 7 in the dark to get to even par. Duval, Mickelson, and Bubba are right there at -2. The leaders quit at -7. If you want to follow them throughout the day at work just click here and it will take you to the animated scoreboard! http://www.usopen.com/en_US/realtime/flash_np_.html?syn=ESPN&ref=espn.go.com/&mode=po&db=false

I think it will be Phil and David battling to the 18th to take home the trophy!!!
Any thoughts or predictions?

US Open a NO GO Today! Rain! Rain!

All Wet at the US Open!!! Tiger at No.7! Will resume at 8:00 am Friday morning!

1. J Brehaut -1
2. J Edfors -1
3. A Parr -1
4. R Spears -1
5. I Poulter E




Fri. June 19 ESPN
NBC
NBCSports.com
ESPN
NBCSports.com Second round
Second-round wrapup 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. ET
3 - 5 p.m. ET
3 - 5 p.m. ET
5 - 7 p.m. ET
7 p.m. ET
Sat. June 20 ESPN
NBC
NBCSports.com
Third round Livestream from the 17th hole
Third-round wrapup 1 - 2 p.m. ET
2 - 8 p.m. ET
2 - 8 p.m. ET
8 p.m. ET
Sun. June 21 ESPN
NBC
NBCSports.com
Fourth round Livestream from the 17th hole
Fourth-round wrapup 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. ET
1:30 - 7:30 p.m. ET
1:30 - 7:30 p.m. ET
7:30 p.m. ET

WGC-Accenture Match Play Brackets and Tiger's 1st Day

Here is the link to the WGC-Accenture Match Play Tournament Brackets and times.

http://sports.espn.go.com/golf/features/accenture?id=3913305
from www.espn.com

For the one or two of you that will still watch this now that Tiger is out!!!
It was business as usual.
After 254 days away from the competitive scene, after nearly six months without hitting a golf ball, after enduring countless days of agony after reconstructive knee surgery, Tiger Woods returned Wednesday and it felt as though he'd never left. He knocked it stiff at the first hole for a birdie, did so again at the second for a conceded eagle and never looked back in his first-round encounter with Brendan Jones at the Accenture Match Play Championship.
A 3 and 2 victory over the overmatched Aussie seemed to be a foregone conclusion, and Woods had a relatively stress-free return to the PGA Tour at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club.
"It felt like nothing changed," said Woods, who made a rock-star-like entrance to the first tee, where fans greeted him with "Welcome back" chants. "Walking down the fairway, and it felt like business as usual. Go out there, I thought I would be more nervous on that first tee, but when it comes right down to it. … it just came back down to just playing the game again, and that felt good."
To summarize: He had not played a competitive round of golf since June 16, the day he defeated Rocco Mediate in a playoff to capture the U.S. Open, his 14th major championship and his 65th PGA Tour title.
An arthroscopic procedure two days after the Masters meant he could play no more tournaments before the Open, but unbeknownst to all but his inner circle, Woods played with two stress fractures in his left leg despite doctor's orders to shut it down.
He didn't -- and won anyway. Then had surgery to replace his anterior cruciate ligament, putting him out of action for the rest of the year and leaving the golf world to speculate on how quickly he would return to form.
"I thought it was very good," said Woods' coach, Hank Haney. "I'm always happy as long as he wins. I thought it was good. I'm always confident in Tiger, and I thought he did quite well."
If it all seems like rather ordinary stuff, perhaps that is what Woods wants at this point.
It has been quite the whirlwind of activity the past two weeks. The birth of his son, Charlie, occurred Feb. 8, and all the while he has been preparing to come back, saying it could have been even earlier had the baby situation not interceded.
Some 40,000 tickets were sold by the tournament in the wake of Woods' announcement that he would be playing this week, and his Tuesday practice round was a surreal scene, his first public golf shots in nearly nine months.
When his return to the tour finally began for real Wednesday -- after a brief delay so the Stewart Cink-Richard Sterne match could go extra holes -- hundreds of fans tried to follow in the hot desert, with grandstands filled along the way and spectators lining the ropes, shouting encouragement.
During the long walk between the first green and the second tee, Jones found himself walking with the masses, where he heard somebody remark that just nine more holes were necessary for a 10 and 8 outcome -- which would mean Woods' winning every hole.
"That annoyed me to a point," said Jones, who couldn't have been happy to see Woods float a 5-iron from 235 yards to 4 feet at the second to set up an eagle.
"I've never hit a shot like that, that high and soft," Jones said. "He hits some shots that other people can't hit."
Woods got off to that hot start, then began to show some of the rust that should have been expected. He made three bogeys over his next five holes to drop to just a 1-up lead. But a birdie at the eighth hole gave him a 2-up advantage, and Jones never got closer.
Woods won five holes and lost just two, hitting 8 of 12 fairways, including 6-for-6 when using his 3-wood. He also hit 9 of the 16 greens he played.
"His ball flight is different to pretty much everybody else's, and it was fun to see different trajectories that he hits the ball at," Jones said. "But yeah, he's Tiger; he does freakish stuff. He made two eagles on me, and he just really didn't waste any shots out there."
And in truth, Jones made it easy on Woods. His first birdie of the day didn't come until the 13th hole -- where Woods eagled -- and he continually missed fairways.
Woods will get a much tougher opponent in Thursday's second round, South Africa's Tim Clark. Although Clark has never won on the PGA Tour, he is ranked 32nd in the world and did win the Australian Open last year. Clark defeated countryman Retief Goosen 3 and 2 in the opening round.
With Woods' game in seemingly good shape, the question that will linger concerns his left knee. Although Woods trained vigorously throughout his rehabilitation and drew raves for his game among friends John Cook and Mark O'Meara at their home club at Isleworth, walking was not much of the process. He played most of his golf in Florida out of a cart.
So some soreness and recovery time can be expected as Woods works his way back.
"I'm sure that's going to be a little while," Woods said. "But I'm very pleased at how it felt all day. I thought it would be more stiff on the 15th tee when I had to hit my shot after that long wait. But I felt fine."
It was a day that was anything but ordinary, but in Woods' case, it seemed rather routine.

Tiger's scoring (Final, through 16 holes)
Eagle Birdie Par Bogey
2 3 8 3

Tiger's driving accuracy Wednesday
Fairway hits Fairways missed Fairways missed left Fairways missed right
8/12 4 1 3
Tiger around the greens Wednesday
Sand saves Scramble pct. 1 putts 2 putts 3 putts
1/3 2/3 5 8 0
• On two holes, putts were conceded
• Made putt from fringe on No. 13 for eagle, which counts as 0 putts
Tiger on the rebound Wednesday
Wins Halves Losses
Holes after wins 2 3 0
Holes after halves 1 5 2
Holes after losses 1 1 0
* Source: Compiled by Nathan Easler, ESPN Stats and Information Group

Video of the Bear, fox, and deer taking over the course during the Senior Open Golf Tournament

this is very interesting. the bear just takes over the course. how would you like to try and play through him?????

PGA Tour, U.S. Open: Here Comes Tiger!

Woods hits his stride and makes his move
By DOUG FERGUSON, AP Golf Writer
Tiger Woods hit his stride Friday at the U.S. Open.
It started with his feet on a concrete cart path and a shot that went under a tree and over a bunker to 18 feet for birdie. What followed was flawless golf and a 30 on the front nine at Torrey Pines that gave Woods a 3-under 68 and left him one shot behind Stuart Appleby going into the weekend.
Appleby holed a 45-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole for a 70 that gave him the lead in a major for the first time since he led Woods by one shot going into the final round of the Masters last year.
Appleby was at 3-under 139 and will play in the final group with Rocco Mediate, who seems to play his best golf in the toughest conditions. Mediate reached 4 under at one point before settling for a 71.
Woods will play with Robert Karlsson (70), whom he defeated in a meaningless singles match at the Ryder Cup two years ago.
“He wants to play some golf, we want to play some golf,” Appleby said, and then he joked: “I just know I’ll be doing the best I can to actually throw a club toward his sore knee. It’ll be an accident, of course.”
The others were jostling for the lead throughout the afternoon, and Appleby finally grabbed it on his final hole. He recovered from back-to-back bogeys early on his back nine with birdies on the par 5s, the last one from below the ridge that put him atop the leaderboard and left several players more than 10 shots out of the lead and out of the tournament.
Woods was on the opposite side of the course, and despite the famous “June Gloom” layer of fog that blanketed Torrey Pines, he was easy to find. A high-charged gallery, crammed in the bleachers and behind the ropes, rose to their feet with every birdie.
“All of a sudden, they just started flying in from everywhere,” Woods said.
After his approach shot just inches from the cart path on No. 1, he never missed another fairway or another green. Woods poured in a 20-foot birdie on the second hole, then rolled one in from 25 feet up the slope on No. 4, putting him at even par for the tournament.
One hole later, his downhill putt from 18 feet broke sharply toward the ocean over the final inches and dropped into the heart of the cup, bringing another light fist pump and a red number on the board. He was under par.
He finished his round with a fairway metal that hung in the gray skies and landed on the green at the par-5 ninth, running just over the back. Woods chipped to 6 feet and made the birdie, just moments after Appleby had made his on the 18th.
“I was just hanging around, hanging around,” Woods said. “This golf course will bite you quick. You’ve just got to hang in there and stay patient.”
Woods almost always bites back at Torrey Pines, where he has won the Buick Invitational a record six times. This one is far more meaningful, and his late charge left him in great position to chase a U.S. Open title that has eluded him since 2002 at Bethpage Black, the last time it was held on a municipal golf course.
Phil Mickelson, a hometown favorite and three-time winner at Torrey Pines, could not keep up in the featured pairing with Woods.
He again played without a driver in the bag, and this time it might have hurt him. Lefty could not reach the par-5 13th, where Woods got home in two and made eagle, and he was 30 yards behind Woods on the sixth hole, putting his approach on the tongue of a bunker that led to one of six bogeys in his round of 75.
Mickelson was at 4-over 146, seven shots out of the lead in a hometown U.S. Open he called his “once in a lifetime” chance.

The Week in Pictures Review

Thanks to www.si.com and enjoy the photos from the week!

Phil Mickelson won the Colonial!
Manchester United defeated Chelsea in penalty kicks to win the Champions League!
KG and the Celtics get their 1st road win and a 2-1 series lead.
Kobe Bryant and his team took a 2-0 series lead until Manu Ginobili and the Spurs took game 3.
Detroit is manhandling the young Penguins with a 2-0 series lead.
The Indy 500 ended with Danica crying and Scott Dixon winning from the pole.
Charles Barkley paid his 400,000 casino debt and a 40,000 is leagal fees and said he was done gambling..... don't bet on it!
Big Brown was forced to take a break from practicing due to a crack in his left hoof.
Syracuse claimed its record 10th national title.
O.J. Mayo was dropped by his agent, BDA Sports.

John Daly Playing Golf Shirtless and Shoeless

Is this that big of a deal? How many times have you been on a golf course and wanted to take your shirt off? Don't tell me if you owned your own golf course that you wouldn't take your shirt off every now and then. If you watch the entire video clip of the interview you can tell he is not crazy or anything, just being comfortable on his course.
Leave JD alone and let him be himself. I think he is a great person and has a decent game. I guarantee you that if Tiger Woods was not at the course and John Daly was you would be following him around and enjoying yourself as a spectator.
I had the opportunity to do just that at Firestone (Akron, Ohio) Tiger was also there, but I enjoyed watching JD a lot more. He interacts with you and plays just like a lot of us except a lot farther down the fairway. Don't get me wrong Tiger is great to follow around and he will interact with the fans every now and then, but if you ever get a chance to follow Daly around the golf course, do it!