Tiger's Sex Scandals Foiled 2010 Masters Win, Mickelson Shines

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Its true Phil Mickelson came in first place @ the 2010 Augusta Masters 16-under par.

Mickelson is an awfully good player but he's not a Great Golfer like Tiger Woods.

Tiger tried to focus on his game but ghosts from his past repeatedly taunted him, thus he handed the championship over to Mickelson on a silver platter.

I pray Tiger will seek God for future guidance and that he bounces back in full force next year.


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Sources: NBC Sports, MSNBC, Tiger Woods.com, Google Maps

Mickelson Beats Tiger @2010 Masters! 16-Under Par!

Mickelson Wins 3rd Masters Title


Phil Mickelson kept yanking balls into the trees, and even had an unexpected brush with nature right on the green.

Still, he had what it took to win his third Masters championship on Sunday.

Already a fan favorite and sentimental pick with his wife and mother battling breast cancer, Mickelson rolled in a 15-foot birdie putt at the signature 12th hole. He then managed a stunning shot off the pine straw and around a tree to set up another birdie at the next hole.

Lefty wrapped it up with yet another birdie at the 18th, then headed to the side of the green to hug wife Amy.

Mickelson finished at 16-under par and three shots ahead of 54-hole leader Lee Westwood and four shots in front of hard-charging Anthony Kim, who finished with a 7-under 65 that sent him to the clubhouse clinging to hope Mickelson would falter.

The other contenders faded away, most notably Tiger Woods, who struggled all day with a shaky swing off the tee and never made a serious push for the lead.

His big highlight was holing out from the seventh fairway for an eagle, and he had another eagle at the 15th, but an inexplicable three-putt bogey from about 6 feet at the 14th doomed his chances. He finished with a final-round 3-under 69 to stand at 11 under.

Woods wasn’t the only one to feel Augusta’s bite. Fifty-year-old Fred Couples dumped a shot in the water at the 12th, leading a double-bogey that stifled his bid to become golf’s oldest major champion. K.J. Choi looked steadier than anyone until two straight bogeys knocked him from a share of the lead. Choi tied Woods at 11 under.


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Tiger's Back In Top Form, Shoots Solid 2 @ 2010 Masters

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Tiger Shoots Solid 2-Under 70 At Augusta


After all the consternation over competition -- or the lack thereof -- Tiger Woods is back where he seemingly always is -- in contention.

The long layoff, the sordid stories, the paltry practice ... none of it seems to matter to the No. 1-ranked player in the world.

Woods followed up his surprising opening-round 68 with a solid 2-under-par 70 at Augusta National on Friday to stay in touch with the leaders heading into the weekend at the Masters.

"It feels good. It feels really good," said Woods, who is playing his first tournament since a self-imposed leave from the game due to his acknowledged marital infidelity.

"It feels good to be back and in contention. I usually put myself in contention most of the time most years here, and this year I'm right there.''

Woods, who has won the Masters four times and also has two runner-up finishes, will enter the third round chasing a couple of Englishmen, Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter.

Westwood picked up 4 shots in his first seven holes -- and added birdies on two of three holes in Amen Corner -- to move to the top of the leaderboard. However, a double-bogey 6 at the par-4 14th slowed his momentum. He rebounded with a birdie at the par-5 15th to move back to 9 under, but a wayward drive at the 18th led to a bogey and a share of the lead at 8 under.

Poulter birdied both par-5s on the front side (No. 2 and No. 8) and then added birdies at the 12th, 13th and 16th holes before dropping a shot at the 18th to shoot his second straight 68.

Westwood, 36, has missed major playoffs in each of the last two years -- at the 2008 U.S. Open won by Woods and at the 2009 British Open won by Stewart Cink. He is ranked fourth in the world.

Poulter, 34, who was runner-up at the British Open two years ago, won the WGC-Accenture Match Play in February and is ranked seventh in the world.

Woods was solid, if not spectacular, making three birdies and a single bogey.

He putted a little better Friday, needing just 28 putts compared with 31 during the first round and hitting 12 of 18 greens and 11 of 14 fairways.

For a guy who has not played in a tournament since winning the Australian Masters on Nov. 15, it has been pretty solid stuff through 36 holes.

"I felt that I could put myself in contention," said Woods, a winner of 71 PGA Tour events, including 14 major titles. "My practice has been really consistent and progressing with [coach] Hank [Haney]. I didn't have the luxury of playing tournaments coming in here. So I had to be more focused on my practice sessions coming into it and then take more out of them than most people would."

Woods did not begin serious preparations until about five weeks ago, and decided to forgo tournaments such as the CA Championship at Doral and the Arnold Palmer Invitational because he felt he was not ready.

Instead, Woods worked at home, and took separate two-day trips to Augusta National, getting in four practice rounds here before returning on Sunday.

Although the course conditions were not the same, it still gave him the opportunity to play here more than he would have sticking to his normal schedule.

Woods finished tied for third with Phil Mickelson, Anthony Kim, K.J. Choi and Ricky Barnes.

"We've got 36 more holes and I'm sure the golf course ... they are not going to make it easy for us," Woods said. "They made it easy on the first day for us and today was certainly much more difficult."


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Sources: ESPN, MSNBC, NBC Sports, Tiger Woods.com, Google Maps

Tiger's Huge Comeback @ 2010 Augusta Masters! Whores Lose

Tiger Sits Back 2 Masters' Leaders


So much for competitive rust.

For the first time in 16 appearances at the Masters, Tiger Woods opened the tournament by breaking 70, shooting a 4-under 68 to trail 50-year-old Fred Couples by 2 shots.

It was Woods' first round of tournament golf in 144 days after a highly publicized sex scandal that caused him to take a leave from the game.

That absence caused many to wonder just how well he could perform at one of the most exacting courses in the world, Augusta National.

But Woods shot his tournament lows for the first round both on the front nine and overall, had two eagles in a round for the first time, and even pulled off a remarkable ninth-hole hook shot around trees to set up a birdie.

"Very pleased," Woods said of his first official round of golf since winning the Australian Masters on Nov. 15. "I hit the ball well all day. … For the most part, I think I hit the ball well all day. And I just didn't make a lot of putts. If I putted well today, it could have been a really special round."

Woods needed 31 putts and had several lip-outs, keeping his round from being even better. He hit 14 greens in regulation and missed just five fairways.

"To be surprised by a guy who won a U.S. Open on one leg … you kind of stop being a little bit surprised," said Matt Kuchar, who played in Woods' group, referencing the No. 1 player in the world's 2008 U.S. Open victory at Torrey Pines.

After admitting he was nervous about the reaction he would receive from spectators when he played his first practice round Monday, Woods received a warm, although not boisterous, ovation as he approached the first tee.

"The people were just incredible, incredible all day," he said.

Although there were no negative incidents on the course, there were two planes that flew overhead pulling banners that referenced Woods' off-the-course transgressions.

Woods said he did not notice them, but, when pressed, said he was not surprised.

"It wouldn't be the first time," Woods said.

Woods began the round by launching a drive into the middle of the fairway and making par. His first birdie came at the third hole, his first bogey at the seventh.

Then things got interesting. Woods made just his second eagle ever at the par-5 eighth -- the last came in the fourth round last year -- and hit an amazing hook around the trees to set up a birdie at the ninth.

The 33 was his lowest front-nine score in the first round in his Masters career, which is in its 16th year.

Woods bogeyed the 10th, then missed a good opportunity for a birdie at the 12th and barely missed an eagle putt at the 13th. A poor approach to the 14th led to a bogey, but Woods hit two perfect shots at the par-5 15th, setting up another eagle putt, a 10-footer that he drained to get to 4 under.

"I expected to go out there and shoot something under par today," Woods said. "After looking at the scores, guys were just tearing this place apart."

No doubt, Augusta National yielded plenty of low numbers on opening day. There were 31 players under par, 16 of them in the 60s.

Woods finished in a tie for seventh, trailing Couples by 2 strokes, and 1 shot behind 60-year-old Tom Watson, Lee Westwood, Phil Mickelson, Y.E. Yang and K.J. Choi. He is tied with Anthony Kim, Nick Watney, Ian Poulter and Ricky Barnes.

Asked whether he was surprised to see Woods' name on the leaderboard, British Open champion Stewart Cink chuckled.

"Boy have we gone a long way now," he said. "No, I'm not surprised."

"No surprise at all," Steve Stricker said. "I figured he would come out and play well, and he'll be around come Sunday afternoon, I'm sure."




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Sources: ESPN, PGA, 2010 Augusta Masters, MSNBC, Nike, Youtube, Google Maps

Tiger Woods' Full Press Conference, Augusta Masters

Woods Denies Galea Gave Him HGH


Despite winning numerous times over the past several years, including major championships, Tiger Woods admitted Monday that golf was not fun because of all the turmoil in his personal life.

That's why, Woods said, he is looking forward to the start of the Masters on Thursday, his first tournament since a sordid sex scandal put his career on hold.

"Look at what I was engaged in," Woods said to a packed interview room at Augusta National Golf Club, where Woods held his first news conference in more than five months. "When you're living a life that is a lie, life isn't fun ... that's been stripped away. It feels fun again."

Woods' highly anticipated news conference before more than 200 reporters lasted 34 minutes and included all range of questions, including why he chose to receive treatment from a Canadian doctor who has been linked to performance enhancing drugs with other athletes.

For the first time, Woods disclosed that in addition to recovering from reconstructive knee surgery in late 2008, he also tore his Achilles tendon in his right foot late that year.

Woods admitted to undergoing a procedure known as platelet-rich plasma (PRP), which helps speed the healing process. He said he chose Dr. Anthony Galea -- who is under federal investigation in a drugs case -- because of his work with other athletes. Galea came to Woods' house to perform the procedure.

The platelet rich plasma treatment Woods cited was introduced in the 1970s for surgical uses in hospitals. It didn't enter sports medicine until a decade ago. In the 30-minute procedure, a tube of a patient's blood is put in a centrifuge and spun, producing concentrated platelets. The platelets contain growth factors that accelerate tissue repair and regeneration. The platelets then are injected into the injury site.

PRP is gaining popularity among injured "weekend warriors" and their insurers because its $2,000 cost is a fraction of that for potential surgeries.

The procedure is legal under the PGA Tour's drug testing policy.

Woods also denied that Galea gave him human growth hormone.

"I've never taken any illegal drug in my life," Woods said.

Woods said that his agent, Mark Steinberg, has been contacted by federal investigators about Galea, who has been charged with dispensing illegal drugs in both Canada and the United States. Woods vowed his full cooperation.

"They contacted my agent and will get full cooperation whenever they need me, but right now they haven't asked for my time," he said.

Asked why he did not address the issue earlier -- The New York Times first reported Galea's link to Woods in December -- the golfer said it was because he had not had the forum to discuss it, and wasn't asked in the two televised interviews last month.

Woods' world -- and that of golf -- has changed greatly since his Nov. 27 SUV accident just outside of his Florida driveway.

That mysterious run-in with a fire hydrant and a tree began a stream of negative publicity that continued with numerous reports of marital affairs, his leave from the game, a stint in undisclosed rehab, and a gradual return to the public glare.

Woods said that that he had five stitches in his mouth after the infamous Thanksgiving night car crash.

Woods also said he made "some incredibly bad decisions" and "hurt so many people." He again said that he takes all the blame for allowing his life to fall apart and refused to say why he spent 45 days in rehabilitation. He said he intends to continue with his treatment.

While his wife, Elin, won't be joining him at Augusta, Woods still believes he can win his fifth green jacket after a five-month layoff.

"Nothing's changed," Woods said. "Going to go out there and try to win this thing."

Woods made his first public comments on Feb. 19 at PGA Tour headquarters in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., apologizing to his family, friends and business associates and promising to "make amends, and that starts by never repeating the mistakes I've made. It's up to me to start living a life of integrity."

Just less than a month later, on March 16, Woods announced that he would be returning to golf at the Masters. On March 21, he gave his first interviews, five-minutes each to ESPN and Golf Channel. Monday was the first time he took questions in an extended format.

Typically, Woods would have fielded queries in a pre-tournament setting which topics such as why he has not won the Masters in five years or why he has claimed just one green jacket in his past seven attempts.

But after a break from golf of nearly five months, the answers to those questions were left for another day.

Among the subjects he addressed among the 48 questions asked:

• On why he didn't speak to the police, sponsors or the media in the five weeks following the accident and before he entered rehab: "I did everything to the letter of the law. The lawyers gave me advice and I followed that advice. I did everything to the letter of the law."

• On showing more respect to the game, as he vowed to do in February: "I made a conscious decision to try and tone down my negative outbursts and consequently my positives outbursts will be calmed down as well."

• On winning golf tournaments while living a secret life and how he will be able to move forward: "I think how I was earlier in my career. I was at peace, and I've had some great years. Unfortunately what I've done over the past years has been just terrible to my family. And the fact I won golf tournaments I think is irrelevant."

• On whether he has taken prescription drugs Ambien and Vicoden: "I've taken them, yes. I've had some pretty interesting knee situations over the years. I've had four operations now on my left knee. Then last year with my torn Achilles, it hurt quite a bit at times ... That's when I was taking some of those things to help me sleep."

• On rehab: "I was in there for 45 days and it was to take a hard look at myself, and I did, and I've come out better. I'm certainly a much better person for it than I was going in. Does that mean I'm ever going to stop doing that? No, I've got to still continue with my treatment. And that's not going to stop in the near future for sure." Asked what the treatment was for, Woods said: "That's personal."

• On how he fooled so many people for so long: "I fooled myself as well. I lied to a lot of people, deceived a lot of people, kept others in the dark," he said. "Rationalized and even lied to myself. And when you strip that all away ... the full magnitude of it, it's pretty brutal. I take full responsibility for what I've done, and I don't take that lightly."

Masters officials made it clear that it was their idea for the interview to take place on Monday, not as a concession to Woods, who would have normally met the media on Tuesday. But to do so then would have rendered every other interview meaningless, while making it impossible to get the focus on the tournament.

"A lot has happened in my life in the past five months," Woods said. "I'm here at the Masters to play and compete and I'm really excited about doing that."

Earlier Woods played a practice round with former Masters champion Fred Couples. They were joined by Jim Furyk on the 13th and played the rest of the way together.

Although the crowd was cordial, it was not overly enthusiastic.

Woods made an attempt to interact with spectators -- not typical for him -- and even engaged in the tradition of trying to skip a shot over the pond at Augusta's par-3 16th. Nobody ever remembers Woods doing that.

Woods said he'll play another practice round Tuesday with Steve Stricker and Mark O'Meara.

"I was more nervous [out there],'' Woods said. "That first tee, I didn't know what to expect. To be out there in front of the people where I have done some things that are just horrible. For the fans to really want to see me play golf again, that felt great. ... Today was a little bit different. I kind of took it in a little bit more and it felt really good.''

Woods also promised to tone down his outbursts after good and bad shots alike, saying he had a responsibility to children as a role model to set a better example on the course.

"A lot has happened in my life in the past five months," Woods said. "I'm here at the Masters to play and compete and I'm really excited about doing that."



Sources: AP, ESPN, McClatchy Newspapers

Tiger Keeps Low Profile At Augusta Masters, PGA Safe Haven

Date: Apr. 8-11, 2010
2009 Champion: Angel Cabrera
Course: Augusta National Golf Club
Where: Augusta, Ga.
Yardage, par: 7,435 yards, par-72
TV coverage: ESPN, CBS

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Tiger Woods Joins Practice Round At Augusta


With little fanfare and even less attention, Tiger Woods arrived at Augusta National on Sunday afternoon to continue preparations for the Masters.

In what would likely be categorized as his first semi-public appearance on a golf course since a highly publicized sex scandal caused him to take a leave from the game, Woods walked onto Augusta National's new state-of-the-art driving range at 1:39 p.m. to begin warming up.

Woods leisurely hit balls between pros Paul Casey and Brian Gay, with his long-time caddie, Steve Williams, at his side. Swing coach Hank Haney watched from behind.

Augusta National was not open to spectators on Sunday, but there was a good bit of activity nonetheless as last-minute preparations were on-going. Media members, as is customary, were allowed on the property, but not the course, as the club was still open to member play.

And a good number of members took advantage of warm temperatures and perfect conditions, as did several players who are in this week's field. The tournament begins Thursday.

Woods, who has played several practice rounds at Augusta National since announcing on March 16 that he would make his return to golf here, headed to the course after his warm-up session where he saw friend and 1998 Masters champion Mark O'Meara coming off the ninth green.

The two briefly embraced, then Woods joined O'Meara for a practice round on the 10th tee -- with at least a half-dozen security personnel tagging along.

"That's the first time I've seen Tiger since the British Open, July last year," O'Meara said after the 9-hole practice round. "It was nice to see my friend. I care deeply about Tiger and his family."

"I know it's been a tough 4 or 5 months. Like I told him out there, this is where he belongs, on the golf course. He's done a lot of good for the game. The personal side of it, obviously ... not so good. I think he realizes that. He's trying to turn himself around as a person and as a father."

"Hey listen, no one is perfect. We thought he was but no one is actually perfect."

Woods has not played a tournament round since winning the Australian Masters on Nov. 15. O'Meara said that Woods was "swinging well" and that he looked "great."

"He's doing what he needs to do, starting back at a pace that he wants to start back," O'Meara said. "He's going to be fine. Of all the people I've ever met, he's one of the toughest guys mentally I've ever met. I think he'll do well this week. He's been out of the game for awhile, but he left with a win. Certainly he knows how to win. He's won here four times. I just think he's ready to get back out playing and competing against the rest of the guys."


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Tiger Woods To Play In 2010 Augusta Masters...His Statement

Tiger To Return To Pro Golf At Masters



Tiger Woods announced Tuesday that he will begin his 2010 season at the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in April.

"The Masters is where I won my first major, and I view this tournament with great respect. After a long and necessary time away from the game, I feel like I'm ready to start my season at Augusta.

"The major championships have always been a special focus in my career and, as a professional, I think Augusta is where I need to be, even though it's been awhile since I last played.

"I have undergone almost two months of inpatient therapy, and I am continuing my treatment. Although I'm returning to competition, I still have a lot of work to do in my personal life.

"When I finally got into a position to think about competitive golf again, it became apparent to me that the Masters would be the earliest I could play. I called both Joe Lewis and Arnold Palmer and expressed my regrets for not attending the Tavistock Cup and the Arnold Palmer Invitational. I again want to thank them both for their support and their understanding. Those are fantastic tournaments, and I look forward to competing in them again.

"I would also like to thank the Augusta National members and staff for their support. I have deep appreciation for everything that they do to create a wonderful event for the benefit of the game."


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Sources: ESPN, Tiger Woods.com, Google Maps

Tiger Woods To Skip The Masters? Let's Hope Not

Masters Return For Tiger Looking Less Likely


Insiders say Tiger Woods doesn’t know when he will return to competition. But the more PGA Tour people whom I talk with, the more I sense Woods might not return by the Masters.

I’m surprised I just typed that last sentence. Until this week, I had subscribed to the notion he would return in March and play a Florida tuneup or two before heading to Augusta, Ga.

Following a sex scandal that turned him into a punch line and punching bag, Woods announced in early December that he’d be taking an indefinite leave. A month later, everyone’s still guessing about the timetable because he’s not talking and his camp is in more tight-lipped lockdown than usual.

There are two primary schools of thought: One, he’ll return in March and get ready for the Masters and continue his chase toward Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 major championships. Two, he won’t play at all in 2010.

“If he and (wife) Elin decide to work it out, it could take a long time,” said Champions Tour player John Cook, a longtime Woods friend and one of two touring professionals who attended the Woodses’ wedding in 2004. “If they decide not to stay together, I think he goes out pretty quick. . . . If he works on the emotional things he needs to heal, I could see 2011 (as a return date). It wouldn’t surprise me at all.”

Multiple professional golfers have told me they don’t think he’ll play this year. One emphatically said he sees no way Woods will play the Masters. Another said the news media wrongly portrays that Nicklaus’ record is the most important thing to Woods.

At first, I dismissed such thought. My reasoning was, I couldn’t imagine Woods doing anything the second week of April other than playing golf in Bobby Jones’ invitational.

What, he’ll skip the Masters and hang out on his boat and try to hook fish instead of a fifth green jacket?

And he’ll miss the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach and the British Open at St. Andrews, other sites where he has dominated? Doesn’t sound like something this ultra-competitive golf assassin would prefer. How much scuba diving can one man do?

“I don’t think he’ll play until his marital situation is settled,” one veteran touring pro said.

Or at least cleared up one way or the other. The technical term, I believe, is “when the dust settles.” That makes sense. The quicker a decision is made on divorce or reconciliation, the faster the process goes and the sooner we’ll see him play golf again.

A decent guess is we’ll see him when his world and hers are more comfortable again. It will be easier for him to re-enter public life once everyone knows his wife is taken care of, that he did right by his family in the messy aftermath, that he got help, that he learned something and changed.

The easy default is March. That’s the sports side. The sports timetable is easily measured. But the human side isn’t. The human side knows no timetable. Things like divorce and emotional healing move at their own speed.

One thing about Woods is certain: He tends not to play until he’s ready. It follows that his personal situation will have to play out before anyone knows how long it will take him to prepare physically and mentally. Considering that, his participation in the Masters would seem doubtful.

If he returns in March, his “indefinite” leave would mean missing 2-3 tournaments. Some think that doesn’t sound like an “indefinite” leave.

The longer Woods sits out, the more he heals and the more the frenzy dies down.

The longer he sits out, the more golf will want him back, the more sports will miss him.

Time is his ally.

Woods is an athlete who messed up big-time. His actions have cost him a high level of embarrassment. They have cost him multi-millions. They might have cost him his family.

In time, more people than ever will watch him play golf because more people know about him now. In time, the world will understand he paid his price. Given that our society seems to like champions, for better or for worse, winning more majors will only aid his cause.



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