Chicago Sun-Times

Tiger Woods gets 2-stroke penalty at Masters, but no DQ

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 20:06:00 -0500

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Tiger Woods dropped two strokes at the Masters before he even hit a shot Saturday. At least he’s still in the tournament. Woods got a reprieve at the Masters when he was given a two-shot penalty for a bad drop but avoided a more serious sanction — disqualification. “I took a drop that I thought was correct and in accordance with the rules,” Woods said on Twitter. “I understand and accept the penalty and respect the committee’s decision.” Still, the ruling stirred up plenty of debate on social media. Some fellow golfers claimed Woods got special treatment …

Adam Scott wins 2-hole playoff to become first Australian to win Masters

Sun, 14 Apr 2013 19:01:04 -0500

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Adam Scott became the first Australian to win the Masters, beating Angel Cabrera on the second hole of a playoff on a soggy Sunday at Augusta National. The Masters went to a sudden-death playoff for the second year in a row when Scott and Cabrera made matching birdies on the 72nd hole. They both made par on the first extra hole, returning to No. 18, before Scott rolled in a 12-footer for birdie to win it. Scott pumped his fists in the air, screaming toward the gray, darkening sky, and embraced caddie Steve Williams, who was on …

Tiger Woods takes drop penalty at Masters, but no disqualification

Sat, 13 Apr 2013 10:04:35 -0500

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Tiger Woods’ received a two-stroke penalty for a drop on the 15th hole of the second round at the Masters Saturday morning, but the four-time champion will not be disqualified. Woods’ third shot from 87 yards hit the pin and caromed off the green, down the slope and into the water. Instead of going to the drop area on the other side of the water, Woods chose to take the one-shot penalty and play his fifth shot from the area of his original shot. At question is whether that violates Rule 26-1, which states that the ball …

MORRISSEY: By penalizing eighth-grader, Masters shows it doesn’t get it

Sat, 13 Apr 2013 02:13:12 -0500

AUGUSTA, Ga. — We’re dealing with a 14-year-old kid here. Let’s start with that. Try to remember what you were like when you were 14. Just because Guan Tianlang has been blessed with exceptional golf skills at a young age doesn’t change the fact that he’s lacking worldliness and perhaps maturity. If, during his round Friday, he had been fretting over how to work up the nerve to start a conversation with a girl back home, you’d understand. On the other side, we’re dealing with Augusta National, the place where having a clue goes to die. It took the club …

Aussie Jason Day leads by 1 halfway through; Tiger Woods 3 back

Sat, 13 Apr 2013 02:13:22 -0500

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Jason Day is out in front midway through the Masters. Fortunately for Guan Tianlang, Day didn’t sink one last putt Friday. Guan, a 14-year-old from China, became the youngest player to make the cut in PGA Tour history, despite taking a one-stroke penalty on the 17th hole for slow play. Apparently the first ruling of its kind in the Masters’ 77-year history, it gave the eighth-grader no margin for error if he wanted to play on the weekend. Day charged to the lead and was in position to knock out Guan — and everyone else at 4 …

Guan Tianlang penalized for slow play at Masters

Sat, 13 Apr 2013 10:04:27 -0500

The 14-year-old Chinese golfer has been assessed a one-stroke penalty for slow play at the Masters, hurting his chances of making the cut.

Guan Tianlang profile

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 13:22:41 -0500

A glance at Guan Tianlang, who is battling to make the cut in Friday’s second round of the Masters at the 7,435-yard, par-72 Augusta National Golf Club: WHO IS HE The 14-year-old from Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, is the youngest competitor to ever play the Masters. HOW HE GOT HERE Guan qualified for the Masters by winning the fourth annual Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in November as the youngest player in the field. EXPECTATIONS It would be quite an accomplishment if he could make the cut at golf’s first major of the year. He shot a 73 on Thursday, so he’s got …

More to watching Masters than Tiger Woods

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 15:48:51 -0500

AFTERNOON SPORTS CLUB: Face it: There are a lot of purist golf fans who are fed up with Tiger-Mania, and have been for years and years. (Even before the sordid off-the-course stuff surfaced.) Their thinking is, if other guys are outplaying Tiger Woods, why so much attention on him? I’m somewhere in the middle.

Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus don’t converse much

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 13:10:00 -0500

Jack Nicklaus has shared his secrets and strategy about Augusta National with anyone who wanted to learn from a six-time Masters champion, a list that includes Rory McIlroy, Luke Donald and Nicolas Colsaerts. But not Tiger Woods.

The 5 greatest shots at the Masters

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 15:44:59 -0500

No other major championship has a greater collection of signature shots than the Masters, mainly because it’s the only major held on the same course. And it helps that Augusta National is such a course that allows for such big moments.

Tiger Woods back on top in golf after winning Arnold Palmer Invitational

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 14:35:53 -0500

ORLANDO, Fla. — Tiger Woods is back to No. 1 in the world with a game that look as good as ever. Woods tied a PGA Tour record Monday by winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational for the eighth time, and this one had some extra significance. It returned him to the top of the world ranking for the first time since the final week of October 2010, the longest spell of his career. Woods never let anyone closer than two shots in the final round at Bay Hill that was delayed one day by storms. With a conservative bogey he …

Hilton Head’s Harbour Town to get new clubhouse for Heritage

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 11:26:00 -0500

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. — A new clubhouse is planned for the Harbour Town Golf Links, the Hilton Head Island course that hosts the PGA’s RBC Heritage professional tournament each spring. The Island Packet of Hilton Head reports officials at Sea Pines confirmed Monday that $25 million in renovations are planned for the resort. Plans call for replacing the Harbour Town clubhouse with a larger, more modern facility. The clubhouse was built in 1969 and has one of the smaller locker rooms on the PGA tour. …

Tiger Woods is dating skier Lindsey Vonn

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 16:06:00 -0500

Sports has a new power couple: Tiger Woods and Lindsey Vonn confirmed they’re dating.

Golfer survives sinkhole at Illinois course

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 14:29:40 -0500

Mortgage broker from Creve Coeur, Mo., is recovering after a sinkhole opened up beneath him Friday on the fairway at the 14th hole of a southwestern Illinois golf course.

Tiger Woods wins Cadillac Championship, his 17th world golf title

Sun, 10 Mar 2013 17:59:04 -0500

DORAL, Fla. — Tiger Woods is hitting his stride on his march to the Masters. Woods had full control of his game Sunday and never let anyone get closer than three shots until he had locked up his 17th World Golf Championship title. With a bogey that didn’t matter on the final hole, he closed with a 1-under 71 to win the Cadillac Championship. One year ago at Doral, Woods left after the 11th hole with tightness in his left Achilles tendon. He since has won five times in his last 22 tournaments worldwide, and can return to No. 1 …

Rory McIlroy walks off course at Honda Classic

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 09:36:00 -0500

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Rory McIlroy’s rough start to the year has taken a bad turn. He withdrew from the Honda Classic on Friday without finishing nine holes. McIlroy already was 7-over for eight holes at PGA National and certain to miss another cut. He hit his second shot into the water on the par-5 18th and was done for the week. He told reporters as he walked to the parking lot that he was not in a good place mentally. McIlroy, who signed a new equipment deal with Nike, began the year by missing the cut at Abu …