Here’s a bit of fun!

Recently Stewart Cink, Zach Johnson and Lucas Glover got together at Frederica Golf Club for a photo shoot for Dr Morris Pickens’ new book “Learn to Win: A Major”.

Whilst there are some great photos with the Claret Jug, the 2007 Masters trophy and the 2009 US Open trophy – there’s a problem, and I hope you can help! He’s unsure as to what photo should go on the front cover.

Dr Morris Pickens would like you to choose your favourite photo for the book cover. All you have to do is make your selection from 5 amazing photos here.

You can read about the whole day here, sounds like it was a lot of fun.

So go ahead tap here and tell us which photo you like the best.

Finally Dr Morris Pickens is giving away 4 autographed copies at random from his list of subscribers to his newsletter. It costs nothing to join and it’s packed with lots of tips to help your mental game.

The 00’s have officially passed us by and with it goes one of the most memorable decades in major championship golf history. The dominance of Tiger Woods was a hallmark of the past ten years and while the great man did produce some of the most impressive golf in major history there were other players on the major stage that who shone brightly as well. That being said, here are my top ten major memories from the last ten years.

1. Tiger Woods – 2000 U.S Open at Pebble Beach- It was by far the most dominating performance in the history of professional golf- there is not even a second place. Only one player in history had ever reached double-digits under-par in the U.S Open before (Gil Morgan ten years earlier at Pebble Beach), and Woods not only reached that number- he stayed there. When he eventually finished his domination for the field he had finished at -12 for the tournament and won by and astonishing 15 shots, relegating runners-up Ernie Els and Miguel Angel Jimenez to merely a trivia question in golf history. Such ruthless dominance may never be seen again.

2. Y.E Yang – 2009 U.S PGA Championship at Hazeltine National- While the decade was defined by the dominance of one man with a part-Asian heritage, the last major of the decade would see the first Asian, a South Korean, ever take down that same champion in dramatic fashion. It may take years to really see the impact of Y.E Yang’s victory at Hazeltine, but when we look back at the landscape of golf over the next ten years, this victory may be the one that changed everything.

3. Phil Mickelson – 2004 Masters- It took a while. Actually, it seemed like it took half a lifetime. Phil Mickelson’s first major win was followed by a collective sigh of relief from the golfing world and finally made a major champion out of “Lefty“. For Mickelson, it was akin to getting not just a monkey, not even a gorilla, but King Kong off his back.

4. Tiger Woods – 2001 Masters- It had never been done before and it may never be done again. It was not achieved by Hogan, or Snead, or Nelson. Not by Palmer or, Watson, or Player. Not even by Nicklaus. By winning the 2001 Masters Woods became the first man to hold all four major championships at once and stamped his place among the greats of all time.

5. Geoff Ogilvy – 2006 U.S Open at Winged Foot GC- Despite Ogilvy chipping-in on the 71st hole, the 2006 U.S Open will always be remembered for “the massacre” that followed. First, Padraig Harrington topped his approach into the 72nd hole, dropping himself from contention.  Then Colin Montgomery made double-bogey from the middle of the fairway and Jim Furyk missed from five-feet, both on the 72nd hole. Finally, Phil Mickelson puts the icing on the cyanide-cake by hitting the wildest drive ever hit on the final hole of the U.S Open, ultimately taking double bogey. Ogilvy, it turned out, was the last man standing.

6. Padraig Harrington – 2008 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale-  The next two majors make my list not because of the winner, but because who almost won. Ten years since he last made a serious run at a major Greg Norman almost became the oldest part-time golfer to ever win a major.  Ultimately he was trumped by the spectacular eagle Harrington made on 71st hole, one of the greatest clutch shots of the decade and the only reason I have placed this tournament ahead of the next one.

7. Stewart Cink – 2009 Open Championship at Turnberry- Like the previous entry, this Open Championship may have been the story of the decade if it had turned out a little different. Sexagenarian Tom Watson captured our hearts for four straight days at Turnberry, but eventually he ran out of steam, or mojo, or pars- which ever way you want to look at it, and succumbed to Stewart Cink in a playoff. With 99.9% of golf fans pulling against him Cink went ahead and accepted the Claret Jug, and his gracious response to the victory and to Watson himself should not be understated- a more deserving major champion may not exist.

8. Shaun Micheel -  2003 PGA Championship at Oak Hill CC- Micheel’s win was the second consecutive come-from-nowhere victory in the majors following Ben Curtis at the 2003 Open Championship. Micheel’s win trumps Curtis and makes the list because of the dramatic way in which he won. Clinging to a one-shot lead and with the entire golfing world watching Micheel drew a 7-iron and hit the ball so close to the hole a beginner could have made the putt for birdie and not sweated it. It was simply jaw-dropping.

9. Tiger Woods – 2000 PGA Championship at Valhalla GC- There were some great duels down the stretch over the past decade but none can match the one where a journeyman pro took on the greatest player of recent times- and almost won. Over the stretch of six hours that Sunday Bob May gave Tiger Woods all he could handle. That Woods came out on top was not a surprise- that May never once blinked was.

10.  Padaig Harrington – 2007 Open Championship at Carnoustie GL- It was supposed to be Sergio Garcia’s Open Championship. He led after all three rounds and looked to have the tournament locked up before he was caught by Steve Stricker, then by Andres Romero, and finally by Harrington. All four players tried valiantly to lose the tournament and at one stage it looked like nobody wanted to take the Claret Jug home with them. Despite two trips to the burn on the 18th hole Harrington prevailed in a playoff and somewhere the ghost of Jean Van de Velde smiled just a little bit.

The Hollywood Foreign Press announced their nominations for the Golden Globe Awards this week and the Academy of Arts and Sciences will be doing the same in a month or so. And while December is a hot month for movies, it is a decidedly slow one for golf. That being said it’s a great opportunity to run through the players who shone brightest in 2009 and who were consequently recognized by the major tours for their efforts. We begin, as we always seem to do when it’s awards time, Tiger Woods.

PGA Tour Player of the Year – Tiger Woods – For the 10th time in 13 years Tiger Woods has claimed the mantle of the best player on the PGA Tour, and even in light of his off-course media attention of late, few would be brave enough to suggest he didn’t earn it once again in 2009. Despite not winning a major this year (the one thing Tiger measures his success by), Tiger went ahead and dominated all comers in 2009, winning the Fed-Ex Cup, the money title and recording the lowest scoring average on tour for the 9th time in his career. His money total of $10. 5M was $4M ahead of second place finisher Steve Stricker and his six wins was more than double any other player on tour.

Yes, he did struggle in the majors by his standards, recording 6th place finishes at the Masters and U.S Open, a missed cut at the Open Championship and finishing 2nd behind the improbable Y.E Yang at the U.S PGA. Despite all this 2009 was a year where things must be kept in perspective. Woods returned from major knee surgery at the beginning of the year, an injury that has taken Ernie Els the better part of three or four years to recover from, and stepped straight back into the role of the game’s most dominate player. With an indefinite hiatus ahead for Woods, 2010 is going to begin the same way 2009 did – amidst uncertainty. But if nothing else, Tiger is still Tiger and 2010 is sure to prove to be a defining year in the great man’s career.

European Tour Player of the Year – Lee Westwood – Ten years ago Lee Westwood was on top of the European golfing mountain. He was the Order of Merit winner, a Ryder Cup star and had climbed to No. 3 in the world rankings. By 2002 Westwood was languishing outside the top 250 in the world. He was frustrated and discouraged with his golf game. In his own words he was lost. This year Westwood showed just what hard work, patience and a strength of will can do. Trailing 20-year old Irish supernova Rory McIlroy into the last tournament of the season at the Dubai World Championship, Westwood went ahead and played the tournament of his life, shooting an absolutely flawless eight-under, 64 in the final round to claim a six-shot win in the event and leap-frog McIlroy to win the inaugural Race to Dubai. For a player who as been close in multiple majors the past two seasons, the win reaffirmed many pundit’s beliefs that Westwood is a player on the cusp of greatness.

LPGA Tour Player of the Year – Lorena Ochoa – She may not have done it in the same dominating fashion as in recent years, and she may have found a new challenger to her crown as the best female player I the game, but Lorena Ochoa is still had the LPGA Tour player by which all others are measured. Although she finished 4th on the final money list, $400,000 behind rising star Jiyai Shin of South Korea, Ochoa’s three wins and Vare Trophy for lowest scoring average were enough to give her the nod for the fourth consecutive year in the POTY points-based system . It took a final hole birdie from Ochoa at the Tour Championship to hold off tour freshman Shin in what may have been the best and most under-appreciated finish in a non-major event in golf in 2009.

LET Player of the Year – Catriona Matthew – While many women are still on maternity leave less than three months after giving birth, Scot Catriona Matthew was back at work and on her way to winning her first major championship, the Ricoh Women‘s British Open. Punctuated by a five-under, 67 in the second round, the 15-year veteran was the only player to finish under par at Royal Lytham and St. Annes. She finished the tournament at three-under, three shots clear of runner-up Karrie Webb. Matthews is the first Scottish player to win the LET POTY and just the fourth Brit in the 30-year history of the award.

PGA Tour Rookie of the Year – Marc Leishman – The Aussie became the first player since Charles Howell III in 2001 to win ROTY honors without winning a tournament. “Leish” finished 20th on the final Fed-Ex Cup points list and 47th on the final Money List, rubbing shoulders with the game‘s best throughout the playoffs.

European Tour Rookie of the Year – Chris Wood – After bursting onto the scene and contending late on Sunday at the 2008 Open Championship, Wood went ahead and did the exact same thing in 2009 at Turnbury. He eventually finished T3 and also made the exclusive field for the Dubai World Championship at the end of the year.

LPGA Tour Rookie of the Year – Jiyai Shin – Few rookies have dominated golf in recent years like Shin did in ‘09. After winning 10 of 19 events on the 2007 Korean Tour and the 2008 Women‘s British Open, Shin transplanted herself to the LPGA Tour in 2009 and continued her rise to greatness, winning three times, more than any other player on tour and leading the tour in money earned.

LET Rookie of the Year – Anna Nordqvist – After a stellar amateur career in both Europe and the on the American collegiate circuit Nordqvist made a massive impression on the world of golf in 2009, winning the LPGA Championship, a major, in just her fifth start on tour. She would cap off the year by winning the Tour Championship and representing Europe in the Solheim Cup. It was a resume that would have put Nordqvist in contention for the POTY award most other seasons, but behind Ochoa’s consistency and Shin’s year-long hot streak, she had to settle for third-best on the LPGA Tour. The LET ROTY award was her consolation for a strong first-year campaign.

U.S President’s Cup captain, the affable Fred Couples, made two predictable selections as his captains’ picks for the up coming teams event to be held at San Francisco’s Harding Park Golf Course Oct 8-11. Couples went with reigning U.S Open Champion Lucas Glover and Ryder Cup hero Hunter Mahan. Both players barely missed out on the team based on the points qualifying system- Glover was No. 11 and Mahan No. 13.  Both have shown solid form over the summer and were justifiably picked for the side.

Although Couples did create some controversy with his naming of former NBA superstar and gambling hound Michael Jordan as one of his assistant captains, it was nothing compared with the response directed toward his counterpart, Greg Norman. Norman, with his selections, went with 17 year-old Japanese sensation Ryo Ishikawa and fellow Aussie Adam Scott.

Norman was struck smitten with Ishikawa earlier in the year at a meet and greet for potential Presidents Cup players. The “shy prince” cast cliches aside and handled the room like a seasoned pro.

“He was engaged, he walked around the entire room, introduced himself to everybody, made sure everybody understood that he wanted to be on the team,” Norman said.

“There are so many great players on both teams, and I’m humbled by my selection to be with them,” Ishikawa said. “Although I’ll be a bit nervous surrounded by a such a great captain and so many great players in the world, I will do my best during the week and hopefully contribute to the victory over the American team.”

Ishikawa first came to the attention of the golfing world when, as a 15 year-old amateur, he captured an event on the Japanese Tour. Since then he has gone on to win four more times in Japan, including three times in the past 10 months, punctuated by a five shot victory in the last event before the selection process ended. For many, the future superstar was an obvious pick. Scott, on the other hand, was not.

It’s no secret the former world No. 3 has fallen on hard times of late. Since July 2008 Scott has fallen from that lofty perch in the world rankings to No. 53. He has earned a career-low $754, 810 this year on the PGA Tour and despite one 2nd place finish in Januaryat the Sony, 2009 has been nothing short of a nightmare for Scott. He has not made a cut since March where his last paycheck came when he was eliminated in the first round of the WGC-Accenture matchplay. The slide in form meant that Scott even scheduled surgery on his knee when he figured he wouldn’t be playing on Norman’s side at Harding Park next month.

“At the end of the day, he’s got the playing skills … what he can bring to the locker room, the support he gives to other players, the connection and the experience that he’s had playing on the Presidents Cup team,” Norman said in support of Scott. “He was really a logical choice.”

Norman bumped Rory Sabbatini, Jeev Milka Singh, Shingo Katayama and Stephen Ames among others for his former protege Scott.

“Maybe, somewhat unexpected,” Scott said in response to his selection. “It’s been a tough year. I really feel like it will be great for my game and I feel like I can contribute points and contribute in the team room, as well.”

His captain coupldn’t agree more.

“What he can bring to the locker room, the support he gives to the other players, the connection and the experience that he’s had playing on the Presidents Cup team. He was really a logical choice,” Norman said. “It’s a tough decision, but at the end of the day, we’ve got a commitment out of a player. He has rededicated himself to a higher degree, so he’s going to be ready come four weeks from now.”

While there were few obvious picks for Norman to consider, his counterpart Couples was flooded of choices, several of which would have made as much sense as Glover and Mahan.

Brain Gay, No. 12 on the points list, has had a breakout season in 2009, winning twice, both times by large margins against quality fields. Possessing one of the best short games on Tour, Gay also, unfortunately, is one of the shortest hitters at the top of the game. The fact that Harding Park is expected to be set up extremely long meant that Gay was eventually overlooked by Couples.

Dustin Johnson also threw his name into consideration with a strong season. The long-hitting Johnson did not finish worse than 22nd in the four events leading up to the final day of selections, and posted a 4th place at the Deutsche Bank Championship.

Presidents and Ryder Cup vets David Toms and Scott Verplank were also on Couples’ radar, as was young gun Nick Watney.

“The hardest thing?… Dustin Johnson and Brian Gay,” Couples said. “Brian Gay has won twice. He’s taking it pretty hard, which he should. I was overlooked one time, but I got picked a few times. For Hunter Mahan and Lucas, I think it’s a no-brainer, I really do.”

The U.S team consists of Glover and Mahan as well as Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk, Steve Stricker, Kenny Perry, Zach Johnson, Stewart Cink, Sean O’Hair, Anthony Kim and Junstin Leonard.

The Internationals are Geoff Ogilvy, Vijay Singh, Camilo Villegas, Retief Goosen, Ernie Els, Angel Cabrera, Mike Wier, Robert Allenby, Y.E Yang and Tim Clark as well as Ishikawa and Scott.

In my (admittedly) lackluster academic career through high school and university I always hated mid-terms. The end of year pressure I could deal with. I expected it. It was supposed to be there. It was the mid-year exams, those that seemed to creep up without warning right as you were getting comfortable that I hated. I found that just as I was getting the hang of the course, the professor, the workload, I was expected to one day show up and put to paper everything I had learned up until that point. It never sat right with me

Now with that in mind, the Open Championship traditionally marks the halfway point in the golfing calendar. Two majors have passed, two are to come and we find ourselves smack-bang in the middle of summer on both sides of the Atlantic. I was going to write about who I saw as being the principal players at Turnberry this week, but instead I’m going to put on my tweed coat, pick up my lecturing stick, play “Professor Mackay” for a moment, and assess the performances of the players who began the year in the world’s top 10.

Class is in session.

1. Tiger Woods – Of all the players on the world golf stage, Tiger may be the hardest to judge performance-wise. Quite simply, this is because his expectations and the expectations of those who follow the game are two completely different things. While the “so-called” scribes may see a tie for 3rd at some random event as a failure to secure a win, Tiger does not. He takes something positive out of every performance, win, lose or draw. So far 2009 has not been a banner year for Woods the way say 2000 or 2007/8, were. But that doesn’t mean it has not been a success. Yes, Woods has failed to win either of the first two majors of the year, but what he has done is come back from a career-threatening injury and reasserted his position as the dominant player in the game. He has won 3 times in 9 starts has not finished outside the top 10 in any stroke play event. He is leading both the money list and the Fed-Ex Cup race on the PGA Tour, not an easy feat with just 9 events under his belt. Most importantly (especially to him) he is making advances in his game. His win at the Memorial was a different kind of golf than he has ever displayed, hitting fairways and controlling his ball off the tee the likes of which had not been seen since is Open wins at Hoylake or St. Andrews. His game is where he wants it to be and getting better, and that’s the scary thing for everyone else.

Grade: B+

2. Sergio Garcia – Sergio started the year in 2nd place in the world rankings, not far behind Woods who was still resting his knee back home in Florida. He won the HSBC Championship at the end of 2008 that counted towards the 2009 season, but other than that Sergio’s game has been anything but sparkling. His best finish is a T7 in Qatar on the European Tour and on the PGA Tour he has performed even more poorly. His best finish is a T10 at the U.S Open a few weeks back and he currently sits 118th in the Fed-Ex Cup. Many thought starting the year that the Sergio was going to be the player to put pressure on Woods for the top spot in the world. Nothing has been further from the truth as he has slipped to No. 5 in the world and never really challenged for a tournament win late on Sunday. With past British Open defeats still fresh in his mind, Garcia is going to have to perform admirably the latter half of the year if he is to save his 2009 from total disaster.

Grade: D

3. Phil Mickelson – If Phil’s golf game was a 5th grader his report cards would probably say something like this: “Phil show tremendous potential in all areas but must learn to apply himself correctly to reach his full potential.” Phil has always been a hard man to pin down- he is an enigma to be sure. His 2009 has been highlighted more by off course drama than on course heroics (or defeats, as is the case sometimes with Phil). His wife Amy was diagnosed with cancer a few months back and to make matters worse, his mother received the same diagnosis a week or so ago. Right now, I’m pretty sure golf is the last thing on Phil’s mind. On the course it has been a typical Phil year when it all boils down to it. He has won twice, at favourite haunts Doral and Riviera, but has also missed two cuts and finished outside to top 50 on three different occasions. For every late charge at the Northern Trust or major run like at the U.S Open, there are weeks where he doesn’t come close to resembling the No. 2 player in the world. Perhaps a lot of that is to do with the off course soap opera he is currently dealing with, but inconsistency has also been a hallmark of the entire Mickelson career. If he ever seriously wants to catch Woods (or at least push him) he must find a way to narrow the gap between when he plays well and when he does not. Of course, that’s going to be pretty hard with no tournament play on the horizon.

Grade: B

4. Padraig Harrington – What can you say about Paddy? Irish, lovable, committed. At the end of 2008 we thought he had it all figured out. With 3 majors wins in the last 6 events he had climbed to a career high of No. 3 in the world. Paddy seemed to be the guy that was going to become famous for being there at the end when the big ones are on the line. But so far 2009 has been a throw away year for Harrington. The man who everyone thought had it all figured out has missed six of 13 cuts on the PGA Tour and not done a whole lot better in Europe. With only one top 10 in 17 events worldwide, and a slide to world No. 14, it’s hard to keep putting him on the list of top players in the world. His friend and sports psychologist Bob Rotella said Harrington’s only fault is “tinkering” with his game too much- always seeking perfection. Clearly that formula has not worked for Harrington this season. What has worked is winning the non-sanctioned Irish PGA which he has done the past two years in preparation for the Open Championship. And lookie here, he went and did again last week. Maybe, finally, he’s back on the right track.

Grade: D-

5. Vijay Singh – The Energiser Bunny of the PGA Tour has shown no sign of slowing down playing-wise as he approaches the twilight of his PGA Tour career. The man who now owns the record for most wins in his 40′s is still playing more on the PGA Tour than just about every top player in the game. However, as opposed to previous years, the “Big Fijian” seems to be showing some signs of slowing down. So far this year he has fallen from 5th to 10th in the world, the lowest position he has held since he fell to No. 8 in 2002. Currently sitting in 48th place on the money list, he has posted just three top 10′s, and has not seriously contended for a victory all season. Although it is not well documented, Vijay has also been going through some off course issues the past year or so. For the man who is used to finishing in the top 10 during his poor weeks, 2009 must surely have him scratching his head. There’s one thing that is for sure though, he’s going to work his way out of it, and not a practice range in sight is going to be safe when he decides to get his groove back.

Grade: D

6. Robert Karlsson – Not much was known of Karlsson at the beginning of 2009 over this side of the pond. He is the quiet kid in class, the one that, despite standing out like a sore thumb, does not make a lot of noise. I am fortunate to work with the same swing coach that Karlsson employs and he gave me a little tip about 12 months ago. He said watch out for Robert Karlsson, if he refines his short game there is no telling how good he could be. Ending 2008 he was as hot as any player on the planet, almost pulling off three wins in a row to close the European Tour season. 2009 has been another story altogether. By playing in the Ryder Cup Karlsson was granted a PGA Tour membership, and like any top world player not from America, he has attempted to become a “world golfer” splitting his time between Europe and America. That was the plan, however, and what was supposed to be his breakout year has turned into one plagued by injury. He has played just eight events worldwide and has had to pull out of the last three events in Europe due to a nasty eye infection. Because of this I will have to give him a pass. He has fallen to No. 16 in the world, but it’s not totally is fault. I will need to see a note from his doctor though.

Grade: C (pending re-testing)

7. Camilo Villegas – The young Colombian had a break out year in 2008, establishing himself at the very top of the class. This season he has done little to suggest he will not stay in the upper echelons of the game for many years to come. With his strong will, mind and game to match he is very much considered the “most likely to succeed” of all the young guns on tour. “Spiderman”, as they call him, has put up some solid, if unspectacular numbers so far in 2009. He has recorded three top 10′s with a top finish of T3 at the Buick Invitational, missed only two cuts in 13 events worldwide, and currently sits 35th in the Fed-Ex Cup race. Although he has dropped back to No. 12 in the world, the statistics show that he has not performed poorly at all, in fact, throw in a win and Villegas would have a very solid 2009 going. He came on strong at the end of last season, winning the final two Fed-Ex Cup events, and with no lack in strength or fitness, there is nothing to suggest the rest of 2009 is not going to continue to improve for the young man from Medellin.

Grade: B-

8. Henrik Stenson – Like Villegas, Stenson came into 2009 with high hopes of making an impression on the very top of the world rankings. Also like Villegas, he has spent much of the year playing solidly but ultimately treading water. Stenson has made 10 of 13 cuts in 2009 and has thrown in four top 10′s for good measure, including a T2 in Qatar where he came up three shots shy of Alviro Quiros. His final round 68 at the U.S Open was bettered only by fellow Ryder Cupper Ian Poulter, however his 9th place finish at Bethpage came on the heels for two very comfortable missed cuts the previous two events in Europe. These inconsistencies have led to Stenson retaining his position at No. 8 in the world, but considering his talent and penchant for winning against high class fields, no doubt he will be hoping for a stronger end to 2009, perhaps beginning this week at Turnberry.

Grade: B

9. Ernie Els – We have come to expect a lot of The Big Easy over the span of his spectacular international career. He is talented, likeable and capable of absolute brilliance at times, but it seems as if the past couple of seasons Els has had a career handbrake on. Since his career-threatening knee injury a couple of seasons ago (which required a surgery similar to Tiger’s) Els has been on a constant slide towards mediocrity, something that he has never had to deal with in his career. At the end of 2007 he was ranked 4th in the world. At the end of 2008 he was back to No. 9. Now, a mere seven months into 2009 and he is all the way back at No. 24. Ernie Els, the 24th best golfer in the world? It seems preposterous to even consider such a notion. But the facts don’t lie, and although Els has produced five top 10′s around the world this season, he has fallen short in the games biggest events- the events he prides himself on wanting the most. A  T45 at the Players, coupled with missed cuts at both the Masters and the U.S Open spell trouble for the big South African. Whenever he is questioned by the media about his career trajectory Els inevitably responds by saying he is working harder than ever on his game and he is completely committed to winning the big ones. He is a contentious Hall of Fame lock and will forever be considered one of the best players of his generation. He turns 40 in a few months which means there are plenty of good years still available for Els to cement his legacy in the game, let’s hope for his sake the rest of 2009 brings about some major changes.

Grade: C-

10. Lee Westwood – During the opening match of the Ryder Cup at Valhalla Lee Westwood took is unbeaten run to 12, setting a Cup record for most matches without a defeat. He ended 2008 at No. 10 in the world, a position that most would agree sits pretty well with Westwood. He has always been a European Tour stalwart, and since his game has re-surged over the past couple of seasons he has taken back his rightful place at the top of the European Tour pecking list. That being said, 2009 is just starting to really get going for Westwood who has slipped back to 17th in the world rankings. Although he has missed just one cut in 16 events against some of the strongest fields in golf, he has not put up the sort of results he would have anticipated at the start of the year. That was until two weeks ago when he closed with a spectacular 65 at the Open de France to force a playoff with red-hot German Martin Kaymer, only to be defeated on the first playoff hole. He followed that narrow loss with T8 last week at the Barclay’s Scottish Open signaling that his 2009 might just be getting fired up. There is no doubt Westwood is a player capable of winning a major as he proved in 2008 at Torrey Pines, and for a player with all the game and confidence in the world that is the logical next step. With the current form he is carrying, who is to say this week won’t be his week?

Note: For those wondering, here are the current top ten players in the world and their movements since the beginning of 2009.

1. Tiger Woods – Same

2. Phil Mickelson – Up one spot

3. Paul Casey- Up 38 spots

4. Kenny Perry- Up 10 spots

5. Sergio Garcia- Down 3 spots

6. Steve Stricker- Up 9 spots

7. Geoff Ogilvy- Up 5 spots

8. Henrik Stenson- Same

9. Jim Furyk- Up 4 spots

10. Vijay Singh- Down 5 spots

The Open Championship returns to Turnberry after far too long of an absense from the west coast of Scotland. The Open hasn’t been contested at Turnberry since 1994. Which means the last time the Championship was contested there, I was 10 years old, and had never even held a golf club. The Aisla Course is lauded by pros and pundits as being one of the finest Open venues. Having never seen the course on television before, the one thing I keep hearing about Turnberry is that it is a shot maker’s paradise which always identifies the best player in the field. In fact, Turnberry has hosted the Open on three prior occasions with the player ranked number one in the world at the time (Tom Watson 1977, Greg Norman 1986, Nick Price 1994) holding the Claret Jug at the end of the week.

The Favorite: Tiger Woods. No surprise here. But, what is surprising is how much of an overwhelming favorite he is. Woods is installed at 2/1 to win his 4th Claret Jug, where as the next closest option is Sergio Garcia at 20/1. To me this is just a testiment as to how wide open the field is this week, with the exception of Woods. With Mickelson back home, and Harrington struggling to make cuts, the tournament is there to be had for whoever wants it. But, I just think Tiger is due. And history is on his side.

Contenders: Sergio Garcia. Always the bridesmaid and never the bride, Garcia has had his share of disappointments and heartbreak at the Open Champion more so than any other major. After nearly going wire to wire to win at Carnoustie in 2007, before painfully losing to Padraig Harrington, I wondered if he would ever win. But, this could be his best chance yet, with several heavy hitters either missing or struggling.

Paul Casey: The newly minted world number 3, and a guy who has a game for seemingly every golf course he steps on. Casey is easilly one of the best ball strikers in the world, who has the ability to control his ball in the wind better than almost anybody. With the weather forecasted for the week, negotiating the wind and elements will be crucial.

Camilo Villegas: Another low ball hitter who has the all around game. This guy is a stud who is going to win a lot of golf tournaments during his career. I would be surprised to see him outside of the top ten at weeks’ end, and could end up in the winner’s circle.

Hunter Mahan: The one American player not named Tiger that I really like this week. The guy is just a grinder who will not be phased by potentially awful weather. Hunter could have won the U.S. Open last month but caught a HORRENDOUS break when his approach shot smacked the flagstick at the par 4 16th and careened off the green. Mahan has played well all year, and I expect it to continue.

Dark Horse: David Duval. This pick is almost too obvious, but I would love to see it happen. Does Duval’s comeback story have a second act? It was eight years ago in the Open at Royal Lytham and St. Anne’s where DD last won a professional tournament. On a sidenote, I also really like Geoff Ogilvy at 30/1 and Henrik Stenson at 33/1.

Enjoy the golf everyone, I will be setting my alarm to wake up bright and early. Cheers!

-Patrick Keegan

The US Open delivered so many great and poignant stories that, for not more than a moment, one may forget the best one of all – Lucas Glover’s emergence as a golf major winner.

There was Tiger Woods – always a story no matter what, Phil Mickelson’s brave performance in the face of adversity and the return of David Duval to near the top of a leaderboard.

We may even include Ricky Barnes’ final round collapse, though we would rather remember his amazing first three rounds.

But the real tale was that of Glover, a qualifier for the tournament who held on to win his first-ever major title and leap into the top 20 of the world rankings.

Glover closed with a 73 for a four-under-par total of 276 at Bethpage Black. That was two strokes better than Mickelson, Duval and Barnes.

Glover’s opening two rounds of 64 and 69, after overcoming rain that pushed the tournament into a fifth day, put him in a good position for the final two rounds in which he didn’t have to break par to win.

His name is now on the famous trophy along with the likes of Woods, Gene Sarazen, Bobby Jones and Jack Nicklaus, among others. Showing humility, Glover was wondering whether or not he deserved to be alongside such luminaries. He told media:

“I hope I don’t downgrade it or anything with my name on there. It’s an honor, and I’m just excited and happy as I can be to be on here. I held it together and that’s important. The patience thing, I’ve been preaching all week to myself and you guys and everybody else here that asked me what I’m feeling, it paid off.”

World number one Woods, looking for his 15th major title, had gone into the tournament on a high following his victory at the Memorial a fortnight prior. However, an opening 74 left many wondering if he would even make the cut.

But it true fighting style, he recovered to shoot three sub-par rounds to finish tied for sixth on 280. Indeed, Woods, for what it is worth, would have been champion had only the last three rounds counted. Now, though, for the first time in five years, Woods is not a defending major champion.

Mickelson’s second place was nothing if not inspiring. Lefty had only recently returned to the US PGA Tour after taking time off to be with his wife Amy, who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer.

He was the only player to register under-par scores in all four rounds. At one time, he was tied with Glover for the lead, after the 13th hole on Monday. But two bogeys prevented him from sustaining that challenge. He said:

“I think maybe it’s more in perspective for me, because I feel different this time. I don’t know where to go with this, because I want to win this tournament badly.”

Former British Open champion David Duval was delighted with his joint second after three sub-par rounds and a 71. Though he would have loved to win, a first top 10 finish since 2002 is something to celebrate. He said:

“It’s very difficult to sit here and say second place is a failure. It is very much a success. It’s not quite the success I had looked forward to this week and had hoped for, and in some way expected. But success, nonetheless.”

And then there was Barnes. Like Glover, he was a relative unknown who quickly made himself the man to beat with rounds of 67, 65 and 70. However, a 76 on the final day meant he was unable to challenge for the top prize.

Glover may not have been the winner everybody wanted but there is no doubt he fully deserves it. Champions are separated from others not only by their ability to shoot low scores but also by being able to handle the pressure when it comes to the crunch. And Glover proved he was up to the task.

I must admit, seeing David Duval‘s name near the top of the leaderboard at the U.S. Open on Friday made me happy. But, like most golf fans and spectators, I did not expect it to last very long. He contended for a brief period at Royal Birkdale last year, but faded on Saturday with a disastrous 83. As the week progressed, Duval looked less like the man who over the last seven years has struggled to break 80, and more like the man that held the #1 c for 15 weeks back in 1999. Even though David fell short on Monday afternoon, many would argue that even before he teed off on that day, he had already won. Duval was back where he belonged, contending for a major, and he was loving every minute of it.

From Duval’s own words the worst thing that ever happened to the longevity of his golf career was winning the 2001 Open Championship at Royal Lytham & St. Annes. Duval remembered saying to himself “Is this it?” after finally winning his elusive first major championship. He didn’t fully appreciate the significance of his win, because he didn’t have anyone to share it with him. His marriage was falling apart, and he was alone. Shortly after his triumph at Lytham, his golf game fell apart as well. A series of injuries, personal problems, marital problems, swing changes, body changes, and a bizzarre bout with vertigo derailed Duval’s career right when it was supposed to take off. And then, David just sort of disappeared.

Every once in a while you might see him playing in some obscure tour event where he could get in, but it almost seemed comical that he was continuing to put himself through what looked like torture. All along he would continue to say that he was getting better, and finally, he was happy. Duval was remarried and had kids of his own, five of them to be exact. In a post tournament interview Duval said that he never thought for one second that he was washed up, or would never make it back to the top. And this week on Long Island, he proved himself right, and thousands of critics and doubters wrong.

After starting Monday’s round with a brutal triple bogey, due to a horrible break with his ball burying in the green side bunker, it looked like his wheels were about to come off. Duval had fallen six behind, but he rebounded from that triple by playing the rest of the way three under par. I didn’t think he had a real shot to win until he poured in a birdie at the difficult 16th (his third in a row) to tie for the lead. At this point I found myself just flat out rooting for him. How could you not? Lucas Glover won the tournament with a gutty performance down the stretch, but David Duval stole the show. Is it possible this was a one week aberration for DD? Yes, it’s possible, but I really believe he took a major step forward with his confidence this week.

When asked after his final round where his magical week came from, (Duval had struggled on the PGA Tour in 2009, missing 9 of 13 cuts)  Duval said that his kids have never gotten to see him play great golf before. His kids knew he had won a whole bunch of tournaments (13) before they were born, but they never got to see him do it in person. They finally got that opportunity at Bethpage on Monday. Well done David, and let me be the first to say “Welcome Back”.

-Patrick Keegan

The People’s Open. That’s what they called it. Seven years ago, for the first time in its history, the United States Open Golf Championship was played on a public course in New York, and I was there. Well, sort of. I was in New York City playing tourist, standing under Empire State Building, wandering blissfully through Central Park and paying my respects at Ground Zero, a place that was still fresh in people’s minds less than 12 months after that fateful day in September. My friends and I were staying just over the border in Stamford, Connecticut and riding the train to Grand Central everyday. On those train rides in and out of town we encountered golf fans heading to or coming from Bethpage State Park where the U.S Open was being played. Regular golf fans, commuting to watch one of the biggest golf tournaments in the world. The people’s open, on a course they themselves could play for $45. We had to settle for watching it on TV at the TGI Friday’s in Times Square.

It was bold gamble by the USGA, an organisation not known for boldness or gambling for that matter, unless of course you consider preparing a U.S Open course for play gambling, and many would. But it payed off big time. Seven years on and the U.S Open is back at Bethpage Black and the main players from that first Bethpage Open are back as well. A lot has happened in seven years. Back then we had a Republican government in this country, a strong economy, dot.com bubbles bursting and Enron scandals filled the newspapers. We were engaged in a confusing war in the middle east and the Los Angeles Lakers were dominating basketball. I guess some things don’t change. But much has changed in the world of golf and a look back at the 2002 U.S Open reveals just that.

In 2002 Tiger Woods was the number one player in the world. Not much has changed in that respect. For over a decade the man has been the dominate force in the golf world, a tornado whipping its way mercilessly through major after major, leaving nothing but scattered opponents and broken records in its wake. Back then, at the first Bethpage Open, Tiger was on a run unprecedented in golf history. His wire-to-wire three shot win at Bethpage Black marked the 7th major he had picked off in the last 11 events. A year earlier at the Masters, Woods held all four majors at the same time, something not done before or since, even by himself. If it wasn’t for getting caught in some of the worst weather in British Open history a month later at Muirfield, weather which led to a third round 81, Woods may have won three majors in a row and have been on track for the 2002 Grand Slam. He was that close to perfection. Today Tiger is a far different animal than he was back then. He is married for one, and a father of two for another. He is a business man approaching a reported billion dollar lifetime earnings, a noted philranropist and a Presidential friend. He has grown as a person in size and stature before our eyes over the past seven years. A Tiger under a microscope. On top of that, as woods steps onto the first tee of the Black this year he is the holder of 14 career major championships. The hunting season for Golden Bears seems to get shorter every year. Between 1997 and 2002, a span of six years and 24 major championships, Woods won eight times. Between 2003 and the 2009 U.S Open, a span of seven years and 23 majors played, Woods has won six times. He has slowed down, but not by much. Jack Nicklaus was asked a few weeks at the Memorial what stretch in his career he though he played his best golf. “Between the ages of 33 and 38.” was his reply. Woods will be 34 in December.

It may have been the “aww, shucks” attitude, the easy smile, or the way he high-fived the fans on the walk between every green and tee, but whatever it was, at the 2002 U.S Open Championship Phil Mickelson became the people’s champion. The fans rallied behind Mickelson like no player since Arnold Palmer, cheering his every step, wave, grin and putt made. In the end it wasn’t enough, as Mickelson would finish three shots behind Woods and rack up his second runner-up finish at the U.S Open. But there can be no doubt the 2002 U.S Open was Phil Mickelson’s coming out party. Before 2002 he was one of the top players in the world without a doubt. He was on the cusp of greatness, but he wasn’t loved. The fans didn’t realise, but it was Tiger who grew up on public dust bowl courses in Southern California, military base tracks he would play over and over with his father, Earl. Phil, on the other hand, had his pilot father build a putting green for him in the family back yard. As a teen he was Tiger before there was a Tiger. Winning a professional event before he left Arizona State. He seemed destined to marry the prettiest cheerleader in the squad- and he did. But fame and fortune don’t win you majors and that’s what seemed to endure Mickelson to the Bethpage fans- the man with everything had somehow become the ultimate underdog, and people loved him for it.

Fast forward to today and Mickelson, like Woods, has grown as a player and a person. The consensus number two in the world, Mickelson has won his majors, three of them in fact, and has as many children to go along with those trophies. But the prettiest cheerleader is not doing so well. Amy Mickelson was diagnosed with breast cancer less than a month ago. Mickelson has already announced he will more than likely not play in the British Open next month, so his return to Bethpage Black is sure to insight a frenzy of crowd support maybe never before seen in the sport. In 2002 he became the average golf fan’s favourite player, in 2009 he may well be the entire world’s sentimental favourite.

The final player in the saga that was the 2002 U.S Open, the man who played with Tiger Woods on Sunday, is Sergio Garcia. While Mickelson was the gallery’s Cinderella, Garcia played the ugly step-sister. The never-compromising New York fans didn’t take kindly to Garcia’s constant re-gripping of the club, a pre-shot spasm that, at the time, was almost at its cringe-inducing best. Sports Illustrated called the crowd “blessedly unruly”, and clips of a flat-topped, beer-bellied fan urging Garcia to “Hit the ball!” appeared on highlight reels across the world. They were the best and worst of golf fans and Sergio Garcia, the wunder-kid from Spain, felt the rough end of the New York shtick. In 2002 Garcia was a 21 year-old star in the making. A 3-time PGA Tour winner, he was the heir-apparent to Tiger, the man most likely to challenge him in years to come. His 4th place finish that year at Bethpage appeared but a stepping stone in the path to greatness, a greatness that would be defined by majors and major wins. But the years have come and gone, as have the majors, and Sergio is still putting up a bagel in the wins category. Duel heart-breaking losses to Irishman Padraig Harrington over the past two seasons have turned Garcia from the matador into the bull. The 2008 Players, the biggest win of his career, has cemented his reputation as the consensus “best player never to have won a major”, the perpetual money on his back. He has dated former world number one tennis stars and a former world number one golfers’ daughter, but like the majors, can’t seem to hold onto one. The good news for Garcia is he is still young, not turning thirty until early next year. When Phil Mickelson came to Bethpage Black in 2002 he was 32 and major-less. Garcia can take solace in that fact. When Mickelson eventually won his first major, the 2004 Masters, he spoke about getting that monkey off his back. “It felt more like a gorilla.” he said. Weather the Bethpage fans embrace Garcia and his gorilla is anybody’s guess.

Woods, Mickelson and Garcia have all grown since the last time the U.S Open swung through Bethpage Black. They have grown from kids to men, from bachelors to fathers, from also-rans to major championship winners. In 1964 British documentary director Michael Apted and associates Paul Almond and Gordon McDougall started a social experiment where they took 14 children from different socio-economic backgrounds and filmed them talking about their lives. Apted has returned and filmed the lives of these 14 children every seven years since 1964 calling the series 7 Up! The next installment, 56 Up!, is expected to be out in 2011 on the BBC. The idea behind the series, one of the most important in documentary film-making history, is to show the development of the children as they grow and their lives and ambitions change. The 2016 U.S Open site has yet to be announced, but by that time Woods will be 40, Mickelson 45 and Garcia 36. One can only imagine the change those years will bring. One thing’s for sure, it’s going to be fun to watch.

The USGA will contest its national championship on Long Island for the fourth time since 2002, when the event was also hosted by the Black Course at Bethpage State Park. The story last time around was the U.S. national championship being held at a publicly run and operated golf course for the first time in the championship’s 102 year history. Having attended the event myself, I can vouch that the other major story was the loud, boisterous, and sometimes rude gallery throughout the event. It was without question the loudest golf tournament I have ever attended, which was fine, but the gallery was very harsh toward to certain players during the tournament. Prominent European players were the frequent targets for the New Yorkers who often mistook Bethpage Black for the grounds of Yankees Stadium.

Players such as Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood, and Colin Montgomerie were subject to the abuse of the pro-American crowd. Garcia for his insufferable “waggling” of the golf club during that time, and Westwood and Montgomerie for their constant presence on the European Ryder Cup Teams. I myself was rather embarrassed for the gallery’s performance. It marked the first time I heard “boos” on a golf course, and I hope it was the last. Golf is a gentleman’s game, and there is no place for that. I only hope my fellow New Yorkers remember that this week. There are several great possible story lines going into the event, and I would hate to see it overshadowed by unruly behaviour.

Now that I got that out of the way…on to the golf!

I played this golf course back in 2002 when I was in college and I can say first hand…it is long. Bethpage measures 7,445 yards (6,808 meters) and it will play every bit of it. Rain is forecasted for all four days of the event in an area that has already had precipitation in 31 of the last 45 days. Now, I hate being the guy that says ‘you can only win on this golf course if you hit the ball ‘X’ distance’, but I can’t see anyone scraping the ball around and holding the trophy on Sunday. This is a true long hitters golf course, and I believe we will see the results of that on the weekend.

Obviously, Tiger Woods is the clear favorite heading into the week. He is the defending champion, he won the last time the Open was contested at Bethpage, and he performed brilliantly on the weekend in his last appearance at the Memorial Tournament. Tiger is pretty much even money this week, but there will be some other definite contenders.

Geoff Ogilvy: Geoff is a long ball hitter and a high ball hitter. He also won the last major contested on Long Island (2006 U.S. Open at Winged Foot). He has won two prestigious events on the season already, and no one would be shocked if he claimed his second major this week.

Paul Casey: Already broke through with his first win on U.S. soil this year, and has the length and the game to win on this golf course.

Camilo Villegas: This guy might be the best ball striker in the world at the moment, and seems to get better in every event he plays. He has the length, but does he have the short game? We will see.

Angel Cabrera: This guy is always overlooked, and he is being overlooked again this week. The reigning Masters Champ, is only two years removed from his own U.S. Open triumph. El Pato seems to be a virtual lock for a top 10.

Henrik Stenson: Absolutely love his game. The big Swede can hammer the ball for sure, and he has proven he can withstand the mental strains of major championship golf.

Sleeper of the week: Nick Watney. Nick is a “boomer”, averages 302 yards off the tee, and has had an excellent campaign to this point. I like him to contend right up through Sunday.

Enjoy the tournament!

-Patrick Keegan

It has been 39 years since an Englishman last won the US Open. Paul Casey is aiming to break that long, barren spell.

Tony Jacklin was the last English winner of the US Open, at Hazeltine in 1970. Not since Nick Faldo’s heyday has there been a golfer from Blighty who has stirred talk of a possible title until Casey started to hit form earlier this year.

A string of fine performance has seen Casey rise to number three in the world, behind Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, both of whom have something to prove this weekend at Bethpage Black.

Casey said the US Open was one of his favourite tournaments, behind the British Open but felt he has never really been able to do justice to the event. The BBC quoted him as saying:

“It wouuld be fairly significant (if I were to win). I think the Masters has always been the one which I felt I had the best opportunity to win. This (US Open) would be the one that maybe I’ve struggled at the most. So as a personal sort of victory, I think it would be almost seen as a greater achievement because I haven’t played particularly well at the Open Championship, either. And to do something that hasn’t been achieved in 39 years would be massive.”

Casey has played eight events on the PGA Tour this season, winning the Shell Houston Open and earning two other top-10 finishes.

Justin Rose is another Englishman who is capable of performing at the highest level while youngster Rory McIlory is in the mix when it comes to British challengers.

Another name to look out for is Eire’s Padraig Harrington, a double major winner last year and who is more than capable of fighting for top honours this weekend.

However, as always, the main focus will be on American Woods, who is looking to defend the title he won in an epic 19 extra holes against Rocco Mediate last year.

Woods won the Memorial Tournament two weeks ago to prove, once and for all, that he is back to his best after ligament surgery kept him out for more than eight months.

He is looking for his 15th major title as he pursues Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18.

Brian Gay made sure that his name would be added to the pre-US Open chatter. The American knew he needed something special at the St Jude Classic to book a place at the Bethpage Black tournament this week.

And he delivered in record-breaking style, winning his second PGA Tour title of the season and third of his career.

Gay shot a final round of four-under-par 66 for a wire-to-wire five-stroke victory over David Toms and Bryce Molder.

Gay’s total of 18-under-par 262 at TPC Southwind smashed the tournament record by six strokes and primes him nicely for the US Open, the second major of the season.

Toms closed with 65 and Molder finished with 70 as they shared second place while John Senden, Paul Goydos and Robert Allenby shared fourth on 268, six shots behind the winner.

His other victory this year was at Hilton Head when he triumphed by 10 strokes. Though the margin was smaller over the weekend, it was no less impressive.

Gay had planned to take this week off after he failed to snare a US Open place via qualifying.

However, his victory at the St Jude Classic means he is only one of five golfers going into the US Open with more than one victory this season. The others are Tiger Woods, Geoff Ogilvy, Zach Johnson and Phil Mickelson.

And he admits his travel plans have now gone awry, as he said in an AP story:

“Right now I don’t know if we’re going home first or what we’re going to do, whether we spend tomorrow travelling, going home and repacking. Get to work on Tuesday I guess. I felt I had to go out and play golf. If I won, I’d get the chance to play.”

Mickelson, making his comeback to the pro circuit after his wife Amy was diagnosed with breast cancer, tied for 59th place on 281, along with John Daly, the former double major winner who is returning to the tour after suspension.

Mickelson was not concerned so much about his score as he was with getting back on the fairways after almost a month off.

“I needed to get a little bit of play in, see where my game was at and get back on the golf course in a competitive frame of mind if I was going to have a chance next week. I’m looking forward to the US Open.”

On the LPGA Tour, rookie Anna Nordqvist made her pro breakthrough by winning the McDonald’s Championship at Bulle Rock.

Nordqvist scored a final round of 68 for a total of 15-under 273 and a convincing four-stroke victory over Lindsey Wright.

Shin Jiyai finished third on 278 after her final round of 278, one ahead of Bae Kyeong.

The men’s European Tour takes a break this week as the players prepare for the US Open.

An emotional Phil Mickelson is making his comeback to the US PGA Tour after a brief time away to be with his wife, Amy, who has been diagnosed with breast cancer.

Three weeks ago, Mickelson said he was taking time off the tour to be at his wife’s side. However, with some encouraging signs on her health, the world number two decided to play at the St Jude Classic with an eye on next week’s US Open.

Doctors said surgery is not necessary until early July, so the Mickelson family decided to continue life as normal until circumstances dictate otherwise.

The emotions, though, still bubble up to the surface and Mickelson found it hard to hold back the tears when speaking to the media. AP quoted him as saying:

“I’ve never been this emotional, where if I’m driving alone or what have you, I’ll just start crying. We’re scared, yeah. I think a lot of it is the unknown. We think they caught it early. The treatment is going to be tough. But let’s whip this. I had an emotional month, and I don’t know where I will be on the golf course as far as being able to focus.”

Mickelson will be a welcome face at Bethpage Black, where the US Open is being held. He practiced there earlier in the week and knows the course well. He was second to Tiger Woods in 2002 and his record at US Open tournaments held in New York is good – he has never finished below fourth.

Despite the problems, Lefty said his US Open ambitions remain high. His presence is more than merely therapeutic. He said he will be there to challenge for honours.

“I’m not just playing to play. I think Bethpage is a golf course that suits my game. I love playing that course, I love playing in the New York area. I’m playing here because I believe I can win next week. Again, there are a lot of question marks that I have. But that’s the goal.”

It was the answer everyone, including his critics, were waiting for. Tiger Woods, the so-called has-been, returned to that familiar winning enclosure with victory at the Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio.

Having already won the Arnold Palmer Invitational this year following his comeback from knee surgery, Woods captured the event hosted by another great from the past, Jack Nicklaus.

Woods birdied three of the final four holes, adding to an earlier stunning eagle, for a final round of seven-under-par 65. His total of 12-under 276 was one shot better than second-placed Jim Furyk.

It was his fourth win in the tournament, a record, and the 67th of his career. It also shapes him up nicely as he prepares to defend his title at the US Open at Bethpage Black. Woods, a 14-time major winner, said in an AP article:

“I knew I could do this. It’s just a matter of give me a little bit of time. I just came off a pretty extended break, and I was close to winning, but the game wasn’t quite there when I really needed it on Sunday. I rectified that.”

Drawing the usual gallery of thousands who watched his every move, Woods steadily clawed away at the lead, having started the final round seven strokes off the pace.

By half-way at Muirfield Village, thanks to four birdies, he was three adrift. Then came the defining moment, at the 11th. Woods, who had hit every fairway in regulation on the fourth day, pushed his second shot, a five-wood, through the green and into deep rough.

Using his customary great escape skills, he thwacked the ball with a one-handed follow-through and it trickled into the hole of a deafening eagle.

That set the stage for his final run at the title, with Furyk venting his frustration at the media for always trying to write off the world number one. Said Furyk.

“I just wish you all would just quit ticking him off, that’s what I wish. I wish you’d quit chapping him so he has to come back and keep proving stuff.”

Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, Denmark’s Jeppe Huldahl scored a final round four-under-par 67 for a total of nine-under 275 and victory at the Celtic Manor Wales Open.

He won the European Tour event by one stroke from Sweden’s Niclas Fasth with Spain’s Ignacio Garrido third on 277.

It was the 26-year-old’s first ever top 10 finish and it was in the position that mattered most. He is also the ninth debut winner of the 2009 season.

On the LPGA Tour, Korean Kim In-kyung fired a seven-under 65 in the final round to win the LPGA State Farm Classic in Springfield, Illinois.

Kim secured her second career title after holding off countrywoman Pak Se-ri, whose closing 66 was good enough for second place, one stroke behind Kim.

Han Hee-won, Lee Jee-young and Angela Stanford tied for third at 15 under. Kim’s first victory was at the 2008 Longs Drugs Challenge.

Six months after being suspended by the US PGA Tour, the people’s favourite John Daly is set to return to the circuit that made him a global star.

Daly, who has won two major titles but more recently has been making headlines off the golf course, is to play in the US Open qualifiers in Memphis on Monday. He is then scheduled to tee off in the St Jude Championship.

Having lost weight and playing reasonably well on the European Tour, Daly is ready to once again make an impact. Daly, who was experiencing alcohol-related problems that led to an overnight stay in jail and his suspension, said in a Golf Digest article:

“I’m way ahead of where I thought I would be and I’m starting to get some confidence back. The fire is still there. Even when I’ve been out of it over here, not in contention (in Europe), I’m grinding, working on things. People have accused me of giving up, mailing it in. But I’m a fighter. I’m trying, and I want to be competitive. I’ve still got a good feel for the game.”

The 43-year-old’s best performance so far in Europe was second place in the Italian Open. His fitness regime, mostly walking on the golf course, has helped keep the weight off, which he achieved with lap band stomach surgery.

He has even signed an endorsement deal with a sports drink company, helping him to start earning some money through sponsorship rather than selling trinkets at tournaments.

If there is one golfer who can match Tiger Woods for pulling power, then it is John Daly. Certainly, his fans are hoping the former US PGA Championship and British Open winner can rise to the occasion one more time.