Caddie causes another stir with race reference to Woods

November 5, 2011

Tiger Woods former caddie caused another sensation, this time by using a racial slur to disparage his old boss during a caddies award roast in Shanghai.

Steve Williams received a mock award Friday night for “Celebration of the Year” for his TV interview after Adam Scott won the Bridgestone Invitational. That was the day Williams said it was “the best win of his life,” despite being on the bag with Woods for 13 majors.

Steve Williams (left), now caddying for Adam Scott, gets into hot water again by speaking of his old boss. (Getty Images) At an awards party filled with banter, Williams said of his interview.”

That line drew the biggest reaction at a party attended by several players, caddies, officials and some media. There was a mixture of laughter and shock, with some players turning to each other with eyes widened and jaws agape.

The provision of the party is that all comments are off the record, yet several caddies couldnt stop talking about it long after it was over. Approached early the next morning at breakfast, Williams was stunned to learn that British tabloids had gone with the story.

“Why would they do that?” he said. “The whole thing was meant to be fun.”

Hours later, Williams posted a comment on his website.

“I apologize for comments I made last night at the Annual Caddy Awards dinner in Shanghai,” it said. “Players and caddies look forward to this evening all year, and the spirit is always joking and fun. I now realize how my comments could be construed as racist. However, I assure you that was not my intent. I sincerely apologize to Tiger and anyone else Ive offended.”

Woods was in Australia, though it didnt take long for the comments to get back to him.

“I was with Tiger last night when he heard the news,” Mark Steinberg, his agent at Excel Sports Management, told the Associated Press. “We got multiple calls from people who sounded like they were leaving the caddie party. Tiger obviously wasnt there. He doesnt kn are true, then its sad its come down to this.”

“Its a regrettable comment, and theres really nothing that Tiger can do or say. Hes just going to move on.”

Several players who were at the dinner said Saturday morning they did not want to comment. Scott was preparing for his third round of the HSBC Champions, where he was one shot out of the lead. He is going for his second World Golf Championship of the year.

Its not the first time Williams has gotten into trouble for his words.

Three years ago at a dinner banquet in New Zealand, he made a disparaging remark about Phil Mickelson. Williams said that was meant in fun, though Woods had him apologize to Mickelson.

The comments in Shanghai took on an even more sensitive nature among the British press because of soccer player John Terrys alleged racial comments toward Anton Ferdinand during Chelseas 1-0 loss to Queens Park Rangers in a Premier League loss last month.

Even though Williams said his comments were meant in fun to match the spirit of the evening, there was no disguising the animosity Williams feels over getting fired this summer.

What made Williams reaction at Firestone so pointed is that it was the first time Woods and Scott were in and it was Scotts first win of the year.

Williams has disputed Woods version of how their partnership ended, and he said at Firestone that he was short-shrifted by Woods despite his loyalty to the former No. 1 player during the sex scandal that derailed his career.

These comments also put Scott in the middle of another mess, and it doesnt figure to go away soon.

Woods and Scott are to be in the same group next week at the Australian Open, and theres chance they also could face off at the Presidents Cup in Melbourne the week after.

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Jacobson shoots bogey-free 66, takes lead at WGC in Shanghai

November 5, 2011

Adam Scott can join rare company with a second World Golf Championship. Keegan Bradley still has hopes of winning PGA Tour player of the year. Paul Casey thought his PGA Tour card was gone, and has a shot at getting it back.

The HSBC Champions, the semi-official end of the PGA Tour and the start of a big finish on the European Tour, offers a little bit of everything to so many players.

Scott, Bradley and Casey put themselves in contention Friday on a humid, overcast day at Sheshan International. They were chasing Fredrik Jacobson, who rattled off six birdies and kept mistakes off his card for a 6-under 66. Jacobson tied the tournament record at 11-under 133 and led by one shot over Scott and Louis Oosthuizen going into the weekend.

WGC-HSBC Champions Leaderboard

Jacobson, a Swede who lives and plays primarily in America, won his first PGA Tour title this year at the Travelers Championship and believes his game has improved to the point that he can think about getting on his first Ryder Cup team.

Thats still 10 months away.

There are more immediate goals for others in Shanghai, and not just of the PGA Tour variety.

U.S. Open champion Rory McIlroy still has the best chance of running down Luke Donald on the European Tour money list, though he might need to win the HSBC Champions and fare well in Hong Kong in three weeks to make a real game of it. McIlroy sputtered along Friday on a day of supreme scoring, trading birdies with too many bogeys for a 69 that left him six shots behind.

“I was just always trying to play catch up,” McIlroy said. “I feel like over the past two days, Ive left quite a few shots out there. Its one of those things. I just have to try and make them up over the weekend.

“Ill need to do something pretty good over the weekend if I want to try and win this tournament.”

Scott was in much better shape after making nine birdies in his 18 holes and missing only one green in his round of 65.

As always, Scott feels as though he could have done more this year, though he wouldnt trade that one win at the Bridgestone Invitational. A win this week would allow him to join Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson as the only players to win multiple World Golf Championships in the same year. Woods did it five times, while Mickelson won at Doral and the HSBC in 2009.

“That would be a really good year,” Scott said. “I feel like overall I played really well this year, and I wouldnt say I would be disappointed to only win one tournament for the year. But I feel like Ive played well enough, and been in a position a few other times, and havent taken advantage of it. So I would like to be in a position late on Sunday and see if I can edge out the field here.

“And then to win two World Golf Championships … these are the tournaments that you want to add up by the end of your career.”

He certainly looked up to the task while playing alongside Bradley and Lee Westwood, a threesome that combined to make 16 birdies and an eagle that kept their gallery thoroughly entertained. Westwood wound up with a 68 and was four shots out of the lead.

Scott led the way by running off four straight birdies early in his round, capped off by a 7-iron from 190 yards to 3 feet on the par-3 sixth. It looked as though he might make it five in a row until he tried to ram in a 12-foot birdie putt, only to run it some 5 feet by the hole and three-putted for bogey. He bounced back with two more birdies to close out his front nine and get into the hunt.

Bradley might have the most at stake this week. A win at Sheshan International would be his PGA Tour-leading third win of the year, and with two of those being the PGA Championship and a WGC, it might be enough to be voted player of the year.

For now, Bradley was pleased to still be in the game.

He was even par on the back, and thankful for it. On two holes, Bradley left himself 10 feet and 12 feet away for par, and both times he holed the putt. He missed his last four tee shots, yet hit a sand wedge to 5 feet for birdie on the last hole to salvage a 70 and stay only two shots behind at the halfway point.

“The birdie on 18 was big,” Bradley said. “Today could have easily been even par, and I was 2 under. Im only two shots back. Im in a really good spot. I know I could shoot a really good number on this course agai hes 3 and was three shots behind. Joining him was Casey, who suddenly has a chance for a happy ending to an otherwise dour year.

Casey dealt most of the year with a foot injury that got his swing out of sync. His domestic PGA Tour season ended at Sea Island a few weeks ago when he missed the cut, and he wound up at No. 136 on the money list to lose his tour card.

However, just as it does for Bradley, a win at the HSBC Champions would count as official for PGA Tour members. That means Casey, who had limited status when he left for Shanghai, could return home with an official win and a three-year exemption.

“The season is not over yet, although I kind of feel like Im working toward next year already,” Casey said. “And the golf I played today is the golf I remember playing.”

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PGA champ Bradley opens with 65 at WGC in Shanghai

November 4, 2011

A dream year for PGA champion Keegan Bradley might not be over yet.

Bradley relied on his power off the tee and enough key putts Thursday for a 7-under 65 in the HSBC Champions to open the final World Golf Championship with a two-shot lead.

WGC-HSBC Champions Leaderboard

Bo Van Pelt, coming off a big win last week in Malaysia, twice ran off three straight birdies and joined the Swedish duo of Alex Noren and Fredrik Jacobson at 67. The group at 68 included K.J. Choi and David Toms. Defending champion Francesco Molinari was challenging the lead late in his round as a light rain began to fall, but a double bogey-bogey finish sent him to a 70.

Rory McIlroy, with Caroline Wozniacki following him inside the ropes, made two late birdies to salvage a 70.

What made the opening round at Sheshan International so rewarding for Bradley was the company he kept. He played alongside Lee Westwood and Adam Scott, each of whom had a 69.

“Every week, Im amazed at who Im around,” said Bradley, who only a year ago had just secured his PGA Tour card. “And to be in a group like that in this tournament, and to play like that on this course is very rewarding and it means a lot to me.”

The rewards might not be over yet.

The PGA Tour delayed sending out its postseason awards ballots when it realized the HSBC Champions, which it does not treat equal to the other WGCs, still counts as an official victory if a tour member wins the title.

<p and it might be enough to merit strong consideration as player of the year, which is a vote by PGA Tour members.

Luke Donald is considered a heavy favorite with two wins, the money title and Vardon Trophy for lowest scoring average. Donald could not come to Shanghai because his wife is expecting their second child.

Asked if his opening 65 might have made Donald nervous, Bradley laughed.

“Maybe,” he said. “You know, all Im trying to do is win this golf tournament. I know theres a lot on the line, and theres some awards to be won. Im sure Luke is not very interested in this tournament. Im sure hes sleeping. But I hope to keep playing well and those fall where they fall.”

Bradley played bogey-free on a course that was still soft from relentless rain the day before, though it still had enough bite if players werent careful. Graeme McDowell, coming off an embarrassing weekend in Spain in which he failed to break 80 on the weekend, had seven birdies in a round that was marred by a double bogey on the 17th.

Italian teenager Matteo Manassero made only five pars in his round of 82. Tom Lewis, who won the Portugal Masters in his third event as a pro, opened with a 78.

Bradley took advantage with one booming tee shot after another. He opened with a birdie after a wedge to 3 feet on No. 10 and drilled a hybrid 3-iron over the water to 20 feet on the 18th for an eagle. He had three birdies and an eagle on the par 5s, and kept bogeys off his card with a nice up-and-down from the bunker on No. 7 and a two-putt from some 60 feet on his final hole.

Van Pelt got off to a sluggish start and then continued his amazing play in Asia. He won the Asia Pacific Championship last week by six shots, and is 28-under par in his five rounds during this two-week Asian excursion.

Toms holed out for eagle on the par-4 16th, which is 288 yards and tempts the big hitters to reach the green. The best shot of the day might have belonged to Westwood, who hit 5-wood from 250 yards on the par-5 14th and saw it clear the water and hit the pin before settling a few feet away for an eagle.

Westwood lost by one shot to Molinari in a great duel at Sheshan a year ago and knows his way around this place.

McIlroy, meanwhile, is relying on his memories of a 63 two years ago to lift his spirits. Coming off a $2 million win last week across town at Lake Maleren, he three-putted for bogey on the opening hole and twice watched short birdie putts horseshoe around the cup. Following along was Wozniacki, his girlfriend and the No. 1 player in womens tennis, asking questions about a game she is just starting to learn.

Without being here, Donald is a focal point in two respects.

He still figures to get plenty of votes for PGA Tour player of the year, although Bradley could affect that. Donald also is trying to become the first player to win the money title on the PGA and European tours, and he has a $1.8 million lead in Europe over McIlroy.

Despite opening with a 70, McIlroy was only five shots behind with three rounds ahead of him and was not at all discouraged.

“Its a huge event anyway, but for me, its a big event in the course of the season just because I feel like if I can play well this week, I can eat into Lukes lead a little bit,” McIlroy said.

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Couples, Haas in lead at season finale for Champions Tour

November 4, 2011

U.S. Presidents Cup captain Fred Couples seems amused by all the controversy surrounding Tiger Woods position on the American team.

Some might say he relishes it.

Couples shot a 3-under 68 in rainy, wet conditions Thursday for a share of the lead with assistant captain Jay Haas after the first round of the Champions Tours season-ending Charles Schwab Championship.

Schwab Cup Championship Leaderboard

Not surprisingly, the first question Couples faced after his round was about Woods.

“In my mind some of its very serious and some of it is comical because it just keeps going,” said Couples, who guaranteed Woods a spot weeks before his captains picks were due.

“We have 11 other guys on the team. But it seems like its all about Tiger. Ive picked him and well wait until we get to Australia and well see how he plays.”

Coming off a seven-stroke victory three weeks ago in San Antonio, Couples had six birdies and three bogeys at TPC Harding Park, the site of the United States 2009 Presidents Cup victory in his first year as captain.

He overcame a rough back nine, getting a birdie on the par-4 18th to grab a share of the lead.

“I always say hes a golfing genius,” said Haas, who had four birdies and a bogey. “Hes kind of just got it. When hes healthy, he has a great work ethic.”

Couples, who in July traveled to Germany for a treatment on his back that is not allowed in the U.S., looked much more relaxed on the golf course in the final event on the 50-and-under tour.

He got off to a quick start with birdies on five of the first nine holes and held a two-stroke lead midway through the back nine before running into trouble in the wet, windy conditions.

Couples, a two-time winner on tour this season, had bogeyed Nos. 13 and 14 - both par 4s - then added another bogey on the par-3 17th to fall a stroke behind Haas. Couples recovered on the 18th with a 10-foot birdie putt to regain a share of the lead.

“I didnt dominate the golf course but I drove it well and I made some of the holes seem easier,” Couples said. “Today [the weather] was not really that bad. It was more of a nuisance.”

Haas, whose only victory this season came at the 3M Championship in Minnesota in late July, had a more consistent round. His only stumble came on the par-3 11th when flew the green with his tee shot.

Haas made up for it with birdies on 16 and 17 to take a brief one-stroke lead.

“It was a difficult day out there,” Haas said. “The rain is not as bad as the rain and the wind. It was a two- or three-club turnaround wind basically on most holes.”

David Frost and Michael Allen were a stroke back and Charles Schwab Cup points leader Tom Lehman matched Kenny Perry and Rod Spittle at 70.

Periodic heavy rain combined with sporadic sweeping wind kept the scores high. Only seven of the 30 players broke par on the picturesque course.

Lehman, attempting to become the first to win player of the year honors on the PGA, Nationwide and Champion tours, repeatedly struggled with his approach shots and had only two birdies.

Mark Calcavecchia, second in points behind Lehman, had an even rougher afternoon. He had five birdies but two double bogeys, one at the par-3 third, en route to a 71.

Frost eagled the 525-yard par-5 ninth, then birdied No. 10 to get to 5 under, but dropped back with bogeys on Nos. 11, 13 and 14.

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M.J. out as Presidents Cup assistant captain; Cook to sub

November 2, 2011

NBA labor issues will keep Michael Jordan from going to Australia to be an assistant captain for the U.S. team at the Presidents Cup.

Fred Couples brought Jordan along to the last Presidents Cup in San Francisco, and signed him up again for the Nov. 17-20 matches at Royal Melbourne. The Chicago Bulls great was to be an assistant captain with Jay Haas.

Jordan is the majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats, and had to back out as the NBA continues its lockout of players. Couples replaced him with John Cook.

“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,” Jordan said in a statement.

Jordan has been a regular at the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup over the years, often sitting in a golf cart with a cigar as he watched the matches. He was in an honorary role in San Francisco, but was a big hit with the players.

“While the team will miss his friendship, spirit and leadership, we certainly understand the complexity of his current team obligations,” Couples said.

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Heart-transplant recipient Compton qualifies for PGA Tour

November 1, 2011

Two-time heart transplant recipient Erik Compton earned a PGA Tour card when he finished in the top 25 on the Nationwide Tour money list, while Ken Duke won the season-ended Nationwide Tour Championship on Sunday to also secure a spot on the big tour.

Duke closed with a 4-under 68 to finish at 10 under on Daniel Island Clubs Ralston Creek Course, two better than Scott Brown. The 42-year-old Duke earned $180,000 and went from 36th to seventh on the money list.

Compton wasnt sure hed ever play pro golf, let alone be member of the PGA Tour.

Yet the two-time heart transplant recipient finished off his dream Sunday. Compton mostly secured his spot in June when he won his first Nationwide title at the Mexico Open. He ended 13th overall with $239,737 to advance.

The 31-year-old Compton has played 30 career PGA events, but none with a tour card in his bag.

Nationwide Tour Championship Leaderboard

“Its a miracle,” he said. “It really is a miracle what Ive been able to achieve.”

J.J. Killeen won the money title, which made him fully exempt on the PGA Tour and gave him entry into the The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass in May.

And the day ended with some drama as Brown made a long par-saving putt on the 17th and birdie on the 18th to finish alone in second when a bogey down the stretch wouldve dropped Billy Hurley III from the final qualifying spot at No. 25.

Hurley, a former Naval lieutenant who was on active duty in the Persian Gulf guarding Iraqi oil platforms two years ago, hugged his wife when Browns last put dropped.

James Nitties, who began the week in 23rd, fell to 26th, just outside what it took to join the PGA Tour.

There were plenty of smiles and disappointments as loud, celebratory music blared from the clubhouse when the event was over. None of the triumphs, though, seemed as amazing as Comptons rise from two heart transplants. He was diagnosed at age 9 with cardiomyopathy, an enlarging of the heart that deters its ability to pump blood. Three years later in 1992, Compton received a new heart. He needed another donor heart in 2008 when the first one failed.

Compton took up golf after his first transplant as a way to exercise. Its turned into much, much more.

“This game has been such a rehab for life for me, where I could go out and not think about the issues I have,” he said.

Compton had another setback this summer after playing in the PGA Tours AT&T National last July when his body rejected his heart, something doctors got under control with additional medicine. He took several weeks off and struggled to find his earlier form until recently. His tie for 18th at Daniel Island was his best placing since the win in Mexico.

“I came in here and just till the end I was pretty frustrated because I really wanted to play well and have a top finish,” Compton said. “At the end of the day, were all perfectionists.”

Duke said hes ready to take once again take on the challenges of the sports top series. He might want to circle any events played in South Carolina. Dukes only other Nationwide victory came at the BMW Classic around Greenville in 2006. He lost in a playoff on this course a year later to Michael Sim when the event was the Palmetto Pride Classic. Hes already planning an early April stop in Hilton Head for next years RBC Heritage at Harbour Town Golf Links.

“I knew I had some good memories here and I just had to be patient,” Duke said.

That was good advice for everyone who sweatted out the final round with their futures on the line.

Hurley was 25th when the tournament began, then bounced back and forth on the qualifying line as the round played out. He seemed destined for disappointment when as David Lingmerth worked his way into second place for a while, but bogeys on the 15th and 16th holes dropped him back into a tie for third - and gave Hurley the last spot by fewer than $6,000 over Nitties.

“It was nice to see the cameras out there,” Hurley said. “I knew I was close.”

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McIlroy edges Kim in Shanghai Masters playoff, pockets $2M

November 1, 2011

Rory McIlroy gets his hands on a $2 million Chinese check. ( U.S. Open champion Rory McIlroy won $2 million in the Shanghai Masters on Sunday, beating Anthony Kim with a par on the first hole of a playoff.

McIlroy holed a 2-foot putt for the victory after Kim missed a 3-footer.

McIlroy had a chance to win in regulation, but the 22-year-old star from Northern Ireland missed an 8-foot birdie putt. He closed with an even-par 72 to match Kim (69) at 18 under on Lake Malarens Jack Nicklaus-designed Masters course.

“Its something that I feel like I can still get better at is winning and putting yourself in the position to win when youre not playing your best,” McIlroy said.

“Even if its scrappy golf where you grind it out, youre going to win a lot more tournaments by doing that rather than playing your best golf the whole week. I was very happy I was able to pull this one out.”

The $2 million first prize is the richest in golf. The top players, staying in Shanghai another week for the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions at Sheshan International, also received appearance money and last place paid $25,000. Because the event isnt sanctioned by a major tour, there were no ranking points at stake.

Kim earned $750,000.

“It was an exciting final day and a tough finish for me personally,” Kim said. “We had a lot fun out there today.”

Hunter Mahan (70) and South Koreas Noh Seung-yul (73) tied for third at 13 under in the 30-man event. Second-ranked Lee Westwood aced the par-3 12th en route to a 67 that left him fifth at 12 under.

McIlroy gave up an early three-shot lead, then rallied from a stroke down on the back nine to force the playoff.

Both players drove into the bunker on the first extra hole, then blasted out to set up the deciding putts. The victory was McIlroys first in three career playoffs.

McIlroy ran into trouble on the opening hole of the day when his ball hit the pin and bounced back into the fringe, leading to a bogey.

“I felt good standing on the first tee obviously with a three-shot lead,” McIlroy said. “I thought my second shot was very good. It was just a little unfortunate to hit the pin and ricochet back off the green. To go from three ahead to one ahead after the first hole was obviously not the start I was looking for.”

After McIlroy answered with a birdie on No. 7 to retake the lead, he hit his second shot into the water on the difficult par-4 ninth en route to a bogey. But Kim missed a 5-foot par putt to remain a stroke back at the turn.

McIlroy hit into the bunk to give Kim the sole lead.

After hitting into the bunker again and barely salvaging par on the 14th, McIlroy finally got a break on the 15th hole when he made a 5-footer for birdie and Kim missed from the same distance to even it.

McIlroy had a chance to take the lead on 17, but missed a birdie putt by less than inch. Then, on 18, he missed the putt that would have given him the victory.

Ian Poulter (72) was 11 under, Retief Goosen (68) and K.J. Choi (67) were another stroke back and Y.E. Yang (72), Padraig Harrington (72) and John Daly (71) were 6 under.

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Garcia goes back to back with Andalucia Masters victory

October 31, 2011

Sergio Garcia celebrates the par-saving putt that wins the title at Valderrama. (Getty Ima Sergio Garcia held off fellow Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez to win the Andalucia Masters by one shot on Sunday for his second straight European Tour victory.

Andalucia Masters Leaderboard

Garcia shook off two early bogeys with two birdies on a flawless back nine to card a level par 71 and finish with a 6-under total of 278 at the Valderrama course.

“Its very, very special. Valderrama … I have so much history here and unfortunately it wasnt as good as this until now,” said Garcia, who had previously finished runner-up three times.

Jimenez seized the lead early when Garcia three-putted the sixth hole and bogeyed the next. The 47-year-old Jimenez dropped shots on the 13th and 15th before making a pair of birdies to press Garcia until the last hole.

Jimenez had a chance at pulling even with a birdie on the 18th, but his 15-foot putt fell short and Garcia calmly made the par-four.

“On 18, we decided to play a little more conservatively and make sure we hit the fairway,” Garcia told the European Tour website. “Ive been in that situation three or four times on this course. It wasnt easy, but I believed in my ability. To be able to hit the chip I hit there and roll the putt in with the pressure, it was nice.”

Richie Ramsay of Scotland, who led for the first two rounds, finished two shots back in third, with Irish golfer Shane Lowry a further shot behind in fourth.

The 31-year old Garcia won the Castello Masters by 11 strokes last weekend to end a nearly three-year title drought.

“Its been two amazing weeks,” said Garcia, who became the first Spaniard to win a stroke play event at the cork tree-lined Valderrama course. “I wasnt as good as probably the last 13 days, but we hung on and managed to pull through.”

Once ranked No. 2, Garcia had dropped outside the top 75 after near-misses at the 2007 British Open at Carnoustie and 2008 PGA Championship at Oakland Hills.

His fifth European Tour win on his home soil will lift him back into the top 20. It also qualified him for next weeks WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai and moved him to the top of the European Ryder Cup points race.

“Ryder Cup years are always special for me,” he said. “So hopefully we can make that team.”