McIlroy: Caddy convinced me to skip Haiti

(CNN) -- Rory McIlroy has apologized after putting his need for more competitive golf action ahead of a planned humanitarian visit to Haiti next week -- and said his caddy had played a big part in the decision.

The world No. 2 was due to visit Haiti on Monday and Tuesday in his role as a UNICEF ambassador following the end of this weekend's PGA Tour event in Houston. He first went to the Caribbean country in 2011 to meet people affected by the devastating earthquake the previous year.

However, following his second round at the Houston Open the two-time major winner decided that he would add the Texas Open to his schedule in order to hav more time on the course ahead of the Masters at Augusta starting April 11.

"Unfortunately, I have had to postpone my planned trip to Haiti, with UNICEF, due to a change in my playing commitments," the 23-year-old said in a statement issued on his behalf by UNICEF Ireland.

Leaderboard: Follow the final round at Houston

"I am a strong supporter of UNICEF's work and I was privileged to be given the opportunity to visit Haiti, with UNICEF, nearly two years ago. We are currently looking at dates to reschedule my trip and I look forward to visiting Haiti very soon."

McIlroy has struggled to repeat his dominance of last season, when he topped both the U.S. and European Tour money lists and won his second major at the PGA Championship in August.

After the long-awaited news of his reported $250 million switch to Nike equipment was finally confirmed, he missed the cut in Abu Dhabi in January and was knocked out in the first round of the WGC Matchplay in Arizona in February.

Later that month, he controversially walked off the course at the Honda Classic in Florida, saying both that his wisdom tooth was causing pain and that he was frustrated by a flaw in his swing.

His decision to miss last week's Arnold Palmer Invitational raised eyebrows given his lack of tournament golf, and Tiger Woods' victory allowed the 14-time major winner to regain the world No. 1 spot from his young rival.

McIlroy made the cut at Redstone, but three bogeys in his last six holes saw him fade to a tie for 48th after Saturday's third round -- which left him nine shots behind leaders Bill Haas and Stewart Cink.

After his one-under-par 71, McIlroy explained that his caddy J.P. Fitzgerald had convinced him that he needed extra tournament play in San Antonio next week.

Read: McIlroy blames 'stupid mistakes'

"(It was) something I hadn't thought about until basically after I finished yesterday," McIlroy said on the PGA Tour website Saturday.

"J.P. was the one that mentioned it to me. He said, 'If you just play a few more rounds, I think you're going to be ready.' I didn't really think about it too much and sat down, had some lunch, started to think about it and I texted him and said, 'I don't think this is a bad idea.'

"Probably took me an hour or two to sort of think about it and decide about.''

McIlroy has not had much tournament play this year, and he acknowledged that he is feeling "rusty."

"I just feel like I'm playing well, I'm hitting the ball well. Everything feels good," he said.

Read: McIlroy happy to chase Tiger

"It's just about playing a bit more competitive course and getting a little sharper. I feel a little rusty out there at times. I think the more rounds I play, the better it will be for me going into Augusta."

Cink is looking for his first victory since the 2009 British Open, but he and Haas were just one shot ahead of a group of four players -- and another nine were a stroke further back, including former major winners Louis Oosthuizen, Angel Cabrera and Keegan Bradley plus ex-world No. 1 Lee Westwood.

Three-time Masters winner Phil Mickelson was five shots adrift, having moved up the leaderboard with a 67 as he seeks his second Houston victory.

Via: McIlroy: Caddy convinced me to skip Haiti

McIlroy blames 'stupid mistakes' for slump

(CNN) -- Rory McIlroy says he needs to cut out his "stupid mistakes" if he is rediscover his form ahead of the Masters at Augusta in two weeks' time.

The 23-year-old lost the world no.1 spot to Tiger Woods this week and is still searching for his first tournament win in 2013

Woods, a 14-time major winner, climbed back to the top of the rankings with victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, Florida on Sunday.

In a friendly text message, the American challenged McIlroy to respond at the Houston Open tournament which began on Thursday at the Redstone Golf Club, Texas.

But it was a difficult first round for McIlory who carded a one-over-par round of 73 to leave him in danger of missing the cut unless he improves over the next 18 holes.

The 2012 PGA Champion bogeyed the par-four second before needing seven strokes to sink the par-five eighth hole.

"Stupid mistakes, silly bogeys"

The back nine was a happier hunting ground for McIlory as he mixed four birdies with two bogeys but when he was asked in Houston what he needed to do to improve he said: "I'm not too sure.

"I think if I just eliminate the stupid mistakes and the silly bogeys then I feel like I'm playing OK and hitting the ball well."

McIlroy's slump in form has been linked to his switch to Nike equipment this year in a deal reported to be worth $250m.

The 23-year-old indicated that he was still not comfortable with his competitive game.

"I'm still maybe a bit tentative out there on the golf course," he added. "I'm not committing to my shots fully.

"Hopefully another three rounds this weekend and some good scores will give me confidence going into the Masters."

American D.A Points held a one-shot lead over compatriots Cameron Tringale and John Rollins after finishing on eight under for the day in Houston.

Points revealed he was using a refurbished version of his Mom's putter that he had borrowed from her golf bag when he was a teenager.

Via: McIlroy blames 'stupid mistakes' for slump

'Asia's John Daly' denies Molinari

(CNN) -- He's known as "Asian golf's John Daly" but Kiradech Aphibarnrat made a name for himself with his first European Tour victory on Sunday.

The 23-year-old won the rain-shortened Malaysian Open by one shot from former European Ryder Cup star Edoardo Molinari to become only the fourth Thai player to win on the circuit.

A burly big hitter, he is said to resemble Daly, who twice won major titles before his career went off the rails due to his various addictions.

Aphibarnrat, however, has no such off-course issues, though he has been struggling with a thyroid problem according to the Asian Tour website.

Read: Donald misses cut in Malaysia

"I'm so happy this week. I'm proud of myself and for my family. I almost won here a few years ago (he tied for third in 2010) and finally I made it. I'm so happy," he said.

The co-sanctioned tournament was reduced to three rounds due to bad weather, and the final day was also disrupted by storms.

Aphibarnrat had a one-shot lead after 15 holes when play was halted for two hours, but held his nerve after the resumption as he narrowly avoided a water hazard on 17 and and had to sink a 15-foot putt to par.

He was able to drop a shot at the last for the biggest victory of his career and a $458,330 first prize that put him top of the Asian Tour money list, with a 54-hole total of 13-under-par 203.

"During the suspension, I couldn't eat anything. I was so excited," said Aphibarnrat, who completed a second round of four-under 68 before closing with a 70.

"When I walked out, everything was shaking, even my voice. My caddy told me to just concentrate, just two more holes. I'm lucky that I played only 54 holes. Otherwise, I am so tired due to the weather and the golf course."

Read: Chinese 12-year-old to make history

Molinari watched on, knowing that if he had earlier done better than par at 18 he would have been in a playoff.

The Italian had made the halfway cut for the first time in six starts this year since returning from a worrying wrist injury, and was pleased with the improvements he has made under new swing coach Sean Foley -- who also works with Tiger Woods.

"It's mixed emotions because I'm very happy to have a good week for the first time in a long time. The swing changes are starting to pay off, which is surprising because I thought it would take a lot longer," said the 32-year-old, who played on the 2010 Ryder Cup-winning team but has not claimed a European Tour title since earlier that season, when he triumphed twice.

"But I'm disappointed because I had a lot of chances on the back nine," he added, having carded 67. "The 18th is only the second fairway I missed all day which is very disappointing."

Former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel had been one shot behind Aphibarnrat at the start of the day, but finished tied for fourth with France's Victor Dubuisson after a 71.

Read: India's snappy golf innovation

"It's a hard week with being on and off the course the whole time," said Schwartzel, whose fellow South African Louis Oosthuizen won the tournament last year.

"It's difficult to find any rhythm. I feel like I swung the club pretty well, but I didn't play that well today."

Schwartzel was a runaway 11-shot winner at the Thai Golf Championship in December, where Aphibarnrat tied for sixth and Daly missed the cut, but this time he had to settle for a minor placing as Denmark's Anders Hansen fired 66 to claim third..

"For some reason I was hitting short irons all over the shop," Schwartzel said. "Kiradech did well. I would've liked to have applied a bit more pressure on him."

Via: 'Asia's John Daly' denies Molinari

McIlroy happy to be chasing Tiger

(CNN) -- Rory McIlroy says he is happy to go into next month's Masters "under the radar" after losing his world No. 1 spot to Tiger Woods.

McIlroy's form slump since switching to Nike equipment this year in a reported $250 million deal had been the major talking point in the golf season so far, but Woods' resurgence has eclipsed that.

The 23-year-old congratulated the American 14-time major winner with a text message after Woods regained top spot with victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, Florida on Sunday -- his third tournament win this year.

McIlroy told reporters ahead of this week's Houston Open that Woods texted back to tell his young Northern Irish rival to "pull his finger out" and raise his game.

However, McIlroy suggested that maybe he can perform better as he chases his first Masters title in two weeks' time if he is not favored to win at Augusta.

"I didn't think I could go into the Masters under the radar," McIlroy, a winner of two major championships, told the PGA Tour website. "I can go in a little bit underneath him.

"So in a way it's not a bad thing (to lose the top ranking)."

McIlroy enhanced his growing reputation last season, becoming world No. 1 with victory at the PGA Tour's Honda Classic at Palm Beach Gardens, Florida in March before winning a second major at Kiawah Island, host of the 2012 PGA Championship in August.

One year later McIlroy is battling to regain that momentum. He apologized after walking out of the defense of his Honda Classic crown earlier this month after a disastrous start to the second round, and has he is yet to win a tournament in 2013 -- though he showed promising form in the final round of the subsequent WGC-Cadillac Championship event that Woods won.

Read: Putting key to Tiger's revival

Last week, instead of entering the fray with Woods at Bay Hill, McIlroy spent the weekend on the sidelines watching his tennis star girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki compete in the WTA tournament in Miami.

"People left me alone, it was fine," McIlroy said. "It's nice to just go about my business and no-one cares, to not be the most talked about person in golf.

"We're not machines, we're humans. You're going to have patches where you play great and have patches where you struggle a little bit.

"I guess you've just got to take the rough and the smooth, and play and be patient and know that you're working on the right things."

McIlroy aims to get back in the swing -- and respond to the gauntlet thrown down by Woods at the Houston Open, where he could return to the No. 1 ranking with victory.

"I want to get back to getting into contention in tournaments and trying to win," he said.

"I think this is a good week to try and get into contention -- you have a chance with the Masters coming up.''

Woods is not playing this week, but they will reunite at Augusta when the American tees up for his tilt at a fifth Masters title -- and his first major win since 2008.

"(Tiger has) been the man in golf for the last 15 years, and it's great for golf to have him play well," McIlroy said.

"And, you, know, hopefully, I can try to keep up with him.''

Via: McIlroy happy to be chasing Tiger

Michael Phelps' golf growing pains

(CNN) -- As a swimmer, his countless hours of training paid off handsomely -- earning him a record 18 Olympic gold medals.

As a golfer, Michael Phelps is wondering what he's got himself into.

"It's one of the most humbling games I've tried to do in my entire life," the American tells CNN.

"I could always pick things up fairly easily, but I don't get how hitting a little object -- a little white ball, that isn't moving -- is so hard.

"Why can't I just hit this in a straight line? Or hook it, or draw it, or fade it -- I can't do it. I'm finally learning how to be able to do all that stuff and do it consistently. But I still do have some pretty bad shots."

Have a quick look online and you'll find Phelps hurling his driver away in disgust after embarrassingly topping his tee shot at the home of golf, St. Andrews in Scotland.

"Throwing clubs, using profanity -- everything comes out," Phelps says.

Read: Short game: Golf gets snappy

But there are some moments of magic, such as when -- as a 26 handicapper -- he sank a monster 150-foot putt at the Dunhill Links pro-am in Scotland last October.

However, golf requires both power and precision -- which Phelps, who was diagnosed with attention deficit disorder as a child, is slowly learning to combine.

"He's one of those players that people would look at and say, 'He has a lot of potential.' What that technically means is that the player is very long and very wild," says Tiger Woods' former coach Hank Haney, who has been tutoring Phelps in the latest series of his television show The Haney Project.

"They never look at someone who hits it a very short distance and say, 'Oh you've got a lot of potential.' They always comment on the potential someone has as based solely on the distance of their hitting."

Haney has some history in shaping unpredictable talents, having previously worked with former basketballer Charles Barkley and boxer Sugar Ray Leonard among his celebrity TV clients.

"Michael is 6'4 but he has a 6'8 wingspan, so his arms are very long. Because of that he has a pretty long, loose swing," Haney tells CNN.

"It's capable of generating a lot of power ... That's been the biggest challenge, to get his swing better so he can control it a bit."

Haney says Phelps is "definitely getting better" after carding true hackers' scores of between 97 and 117 in six rounds immediately after the London 2012 Olympics -- where he took his career tally to a record 22 medals.

"His No. 1 goal after the Olympics was to learn how to play golf and be decent at it," Haney says.

"I think he's passionate about it. It's nice to have someone like Michael Phelps interested in the game, it's great for golf."

"Baltimore Bullet"

Golf is not only giving the 27-year-old Phelps a new hobby (if not quite a new career) -- it is also extending his commercial sell-by date.

While he's not in the $250 million league that Nike reportedly paid to sign up golf's new star Rory McIlroy, the "Baltimore Bullet" has already landed a club deal with Ping.

"Ping is a well-established global brand that should be able to deliver Phelps with huge international exposure," says British sports business expert Simon Chadwick.

"Phelps, meanwhile, provides Ping with a brand association that has a strong track-record of success at the very highest level.

"That said, this is a somewhat strange alliance that would be appear to be fraught with difficulty. It doesn't make instant sense, and quite what the tangible returns will be to both parties isn't necessarily obvious.

"If there is no expectation that Phelps will become a professional golfer, the Ping deal tends rather to imply that this is short-term opportunism -- unless, of course, the relaunch and rebranding of Phelps as a global sport or leisure brand starts here.

"If the Phelps brand in golf is to have any sustainable future, he needs to start delivering the kind of performances that fans and consumers will be looking for."

Chinese 12 year-old to make history

Haney doubts that Phelps will be able to make it as a pro golfer, citing the very few examples of sports stars who've been able to switch to the game -- and most of those have been on the seniors circuit.

"The possibility is there, but golf seems to take more time than any other sport -- there's so much to learn and so much to practice. You have to dedicate full-time to golf to get there," Haney says.

"It's a big difference between being a scratch golfer or two handicap and being a professional golfer. It's a whole other world," Haney adds when asked about the golfing prospects of retired tennis star Andy Roddick, who like Phelps has been hitting the celebrity pro-am circuit.

New adventure

And Phelps sounds like he's enjoying his retirement too much to dedicate himself to the same punishing routine that saw him not miss a 6.30 a.m training session for six years -- as Haney was informed by his protege's former swim coach.

"I've been saying a lot more recently about how great it is to be retired," says Phelps. "I can wake up at 10 in the morning, grab a cup of coffee, read the newspaper.

"If I feel like hitting a couple of golf balls, I hit some golf balls. I really just hang out, and it's awesome.

"At this point I'm really just trying to enjoy the sport, learn the sport, and be able to beat all of my friends who I go out and play with."

Read: Woods back on top of the world

However, Haney is in no doubt that Phelps is committed to his new adventure.

"The crossover is the work ethic that he has -- he knows what it takes to be great in sports," the 57-year-old coach says.

"He's used to being coached, that makes it easier for me. In golf you have to be coached, no-one just knows how to do it. In order for that to happen, you like to have someone that's used to taking coaching."

For someone who has coached 14-time major winner Woods, the goals of a novice like Phelps ("He's thinking pro-ams and playing amateur golf. He'd love to win a club championship one day") bring Haney back full circle in his career.

"Tiger was my last student and I had determined that when I started with Tiger, I said he's going to be the last touring pro that I have," says Haney, who wrote a book detailing his six years working with the biggest name in modern golf.

"I taught touring pros for 32 years and I enjoyed it. It was incredible, a lot of great experiences, but 32 years was enough for me -- I taught over 200 touring pros. It was time for me to do something different. And where do you go from Tiger Woods?"

Twitter tips

Apart from his TV show, Haney is now focused on his corporate work, his International Junior Golf Academy based at Hilton Head, South Carolina -- and taking the game to the people.

"Golf's been awful good to me, I have no problems doing that, I'm very thankful to the game of golf," says Haney, who is an active presence on Twitter, giving away tips to anyone who contacts him -- much to the chagrin of some of his peers.

"Last year I did clinics for over 15,000 people, so I feel like through Twitter and doing the clinics I'm much more able to reach a larger audience and giving back to the game a little bit.

"I enjoy being a top instructor who is willing and able to do those things."

He says his junior academy, which has almost 150 students from 22 countries, is not necessarily seeking to unearth the next Tiger Woods.

"I'm really proud of the fact that the kids don't just learn golf but they have a great education. Every kid from our academy last year went to college, 94% of them got scholarships. I really enjoy seeing how much they grow as people from being in our academy."

Via: Michael Phelps' golf growing pains

Lewis usurps Tseng to top rankings

(CNN) -- Yani Tseng's two-year reign at the top of women's golf is over.

Five-time major winner Tseng has been at the top of the Rolex World Rankings since February 2011, but the Taiwanese star has finally been usurped by American Stacy Lewis.

Lewis produced an eight-under-par final round of 64 to clinch the Founders Cup in Phoenix Arizona, just two weeks after winning the HSBC Women's Champions event in Singapore.

The Ohio native is only the second U.S. player to occupy the coveted berth after Cristie Kerr also reached the top in June 2010.

Read: Aiken seals win with a kiss

Lewis clawed back a three-stroke deficit to Japan's Ai Miyazato to eventually finish three shots ahead of the former world No. 1.

The final round's 16th hole proved decisive, with Miyazato slipping and allowing Lewis to take control.

"It's awesome," Lewis told the LPGA Tour's official website when asked about the win.

"I played great today. Myself and Ai we just went back and forth all day; she was making putts, I was making putts.

"I was certainly surprised she finished the way she did, but to make those two putts I did on 16 and 17 was pretty unbelievable and I'm just really speechless."

If Lewis' fightback at the Wildfire Golf Club journey was stirring, it is nothing compared to the story of her rise to the top.

A decade ago the 2011 Kraft Nabisco Championship winner underwent surgery for scoliosis, following a childhood plagued by back problems.

Read: Dominant Woods wins WGC title

"Yeah, it's almost 10 years ago I was having surgery, I was going into surgery to put a rod and five screws in my back," added Lewis.

"That's not normal, that's not supposed to happen. I mean, I'm not really supposed to be here.

"I know that there's a reason and I know that everything happens for a reason. Every setback you have along the way, everything good that happens, it all happens for a reason.

"I couldn't have dreamed the kid growing up wearing a back brace 18 hours a day that is the No. 1 player in the world. I don't know, I don't know what to say."

Lewis is the seventh player to top the rankings. Tseng, Kerr, Miyazato, Mexico's Lorena Ochoa, Sweden's Annika Sorenstam and Jiyay Shin of South Korea are the only other golfers to have held the distinction.

Via: Lewis usurps Tseng to top rankings

Chinese 12-year-old to make history

(CNN) -- Golf players just keep getting younger.

First there was Guan Tianlang, who at the tender age of 13 became the youngest player to participate in a European Tour event.

But this May, a Chinese 12 year-old will eclipse Guan's record to become the European Tour's youngest ever golfer.

From the city of Dongguan, Ye Wocheng finished two under par at the Western China qualifier to earn one of the three spots on offer for the China Open -- the tournament where Guan made his European Tour debut in April 2012.

Now 14, Guan will become the youngest player to compete in the Masters when he takes to the course at Augusta next month.

Competing as an amateur, Guan finished tied for 150th at last year's China Open event, which was won by South Africa's Branden Grace.

Read: Yani Tseng loses No. 1 ranking

Ye, whose father caddied for him, shot a four-under-par opening round of 68 on Tuesday to put himself in contention before pulling clear of the field over the front nine on Wednesday.

Four birdies saw him head to the turn on seven under, but Ye collapsed at the par five 16th where he dropped three strokes.

But the 12-year-old had done enough to ensure he finished third on the leaderboard behind joint winners Li Xinyang and Jin Da Xing.

Should Ye do the unthinkable and win the China Open, which will take place at the Binhai Lake Golf Club, he would assume Matteo Manassero's mantel as the youngest ever winner on the European Tour.

Italy's Manassero won the 2010 Castello Masters at the age of 17 years and 188 days.

Via: Chinese 12-year-old to make history

Storms halt Tiger; Garcia uses 'tree iron'

(CNN) -- Tiger Woods' bid to regain the world No. 1 golf ranking has been delayed by thunder storms which have pushed the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational tournament to Monday.

Woods played just two holes Sunday before the downpour began, but the defending champion had managed to extend his lead to three shots as he seeks to regain the coveted top spot he surrendered on October 31, 2010 after holding it for 281 consecutive weeks.

In all, the 37-year-old has been No. 1 for a record 623 weeks -- but he dropped as low as 58th following his extramarital affairs, subsequent divorce and a run of injuries before bouncing back with five tournament wins in the past 12 months.

The last of his 14 major titles came back in 2008, but his recent form suggests that Woods will be a top contender at next month's Masters.

The American has won four tournaments seven times -- including this one -- but victory on Monday would make him only the second player alongside the legendary Sam Snead to win the same event on eight occasions.

A birdie at his second hole on Sunday gave Woods a handy buffer over 2011 PGA Championship winner Keegan Bradley and fellow U.S. players Rickie Fowler, Ken Duke and John Huh.

He has won 50 of the 54 times in which he has taken the lead into the final round.

Read: 'Asia's John Daly' denies Ryder Cup winner

The PGA Tour's website reported that the thunderstorms in Orlando, Florida were so severe that the large media center tent had to be evacuated, with a tornado warning issued.

"Several tree limbs were down across the property and power was lost for nearly 30 minutes," it said.

"The golf course is gone, bunkers are gone. We're going to need time for the course to drain," PGA official Mike Russell said on the tour's Twitter webpage.

Before the weather intervened, Sergio Garcia had to climb up into one of the trees to play his second shot at the par-four 10th hole after his ball became lodged in the branches.

With the wind whistling in the leaves, the Spaniard hit a backwards, one-handed shot onto the fairway before leaping back to the ground -- and was awarded "9.8 on the dismount" by one TV commentator who also hailed his "tree iron."

However, he double-bogeyed the hole and pulled out of the tournament soon after play was halted as he trailed Woods by 10 shots.

It was the second remarkable shot in two days, following Nicholas Thompson's barefoot shot from the water at 17, where his ball was submerged.

Still without his shoes, and slacks rolled up to the knee, he calmly sank his par putt.

There was also a fine water escape on Sunday, as Matt Every eagled the par-four third hole despite having his feet planted in the hazard.

Via: Storms halt Tiger; Garcia uses 'tree iron'

In-form Woods back on top of the world

(CNN) -- Nearly two-and-a-half years after losing the title, Tiger Woods reclaimed the world No. 1 golf ranking when winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational tournament on Monday.

The defending champion knew that only victory at Bay Hill would enable him to topple Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy.

With thunder storms having pushed the final round of play in Florida into Monday, the 37-year-old defended the three-shot lead he held at the start of the day to finish 13 under par -- two ahead of second-placed Justin Rose.

Read: Tiger on the prowl for No. 1 spot

"It has been a by-product of hard work, patience and getting back to winning golf tournaments," Woods said of regaining the coveted top spot.

As he tapped into the eighteenth, Woods became only the second golfer in history to win eight PGA titles at the same event -- joining the legendary Sam Snead, who achieved his tally at the Greater Greensboro Open (now called the Wyndham Championship).

"I play well here -- and that's as simple as it gets," Woods replied when asked the secret of his success at Bay Hill.

While Snead needed 27 years to mark up those victories, Woods took just 13 -- nearly half the time -- to achieve the feat, having also managed to win three other tournaments on seven different occasions.

The American's form suggests he will be the man to beat at next month's Masters at Augusta, the first major of the year -- with many pundits awaiting his first major since 2008 to consider his comeback complete.

"That's up to them -- that's their opinion," said a relaxed Woods after his success. "I am very pleased with the way I am playing -- and that's enough for me."

The title, on one of his favorite courses, formally caps his return to the summit of golf -- which he spectacularly fell off when reports of numerous marital infidelities emerged in late 2009, whereupon he took an indefinite break from the sport.

The following August, his divorce from his Swedish wife of six years, former model Elin Nordegren, who is the mother of his two children, was finalized.

In October 2010, six months after returning to golf with such poor form that he failed to win a single event in a season for the first time since turning professional, Woods lost his world best crown to Englishman Lee Westwood -- ending a record run of 281 consecutive weeks at the top (which started in June 2005).

A combination of further poor form, added to injury, meant that a man who had once seemed invincible on the golf course dropped to a barely credible 58th place in November 2011.

Read: Vonn revelation 'thwarted stalkerazzi'

But 29 months after losing his crown, Woods is back on top for the eleventh time in his career -- capping a fine month for both his game and private life, with the golfer having announced his relationship to skier Lindsey Vonn last week.

He will now start to add to the record 623 weeks he has spent on top of the golfing world, a tally which is nearly double that of his nearest rival, with Australian Greg Norman racking up 331 weeks, while no other player has broken the 100-week barrier.

The 2013 season may be in its infancy but the 14-time major winner has started in irrepressible form, winning three of his five tournaments -- after triumphing at Doral earlier this month and at Torrey Pines in January.

His 77th PGA Tour victory also marked his 99th professional tournament win as Woods, who has won the Masters on four occasions, prepares his bid to wear the famous green jacket for the first time since 2005.

Via: In-form Woods back on top of the world

Tiger on the prowl for No.1 spot

(CNN) -- When Tiger Woods announced he was dating ski star Lindsey Vonn, his rivals might have hoped that his form would go downhill.

But just five days after breaking the news, Woods is on the verge of scaling his own mountain and finally reaching the summit -- the No.1 ranking.

Not since October 2010 has Woods held top spot, a position he commanded for 281 weeks before a marital scandal which ended in divorce.

In all, Woods has spent a record 623 weeks at the top -- a record he will extend further with victory in Orlando.

Read: Tiger vows to 'clean up' after more late lapses at Bay Hill

And after firing a six-under 66 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the 37-year-old appears set to replace Rory McIlroy as the game's leading player.

A two-shot lead over his nearest rivals Justin Rose, Rickie Fowler and John Huh was carved out at Bay Hill, a course where he has already won seven titles.

Ominously for the chasing pack, on the 54 occasions Woods has taken a lead into a final round, he has triumphed 50 times.

Read: Vonn revelation 'thwarted stalkerazzi'

And with a score of 11-under on the board, it was little surprise that 14-time major winner Woods was delighted with his performance.

"I played halfway decent today and hit a lot of good shots," he told Sky Sports.

"I made a few putts which was key today and I'm very pleased I picked up towards the middle part of the round."

Read: Donald makes shock exit

Woods believes his experience at competing at the Florida course will give him an advantage over his challengers when he heads out to finish the job Sunday.

"Once we figure out what a golf course is like we figure out how to play on them and that's been the case in my scheduling," he added.

"Over the course of my career I've played well on a few courses and this is one of them."

The past 12 months have seen a real upturn in fortunes for Woods, who has won five titles including victories at Torrey Pines and Doral.

Success on Sunday would make him the first player to win the same PGA event on eight occasions.

Via: Tiger on the prowl for No.1 spot

Storms halt Tiger charge; Garcia uses 'tree iron'

(CNN) -- Tiger Woods' bid to regain the world No. 1 golf ranking has been delayed by thunder storms which have pushed the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational tournament to Monday.

Woods played just two holes Sunday before the downpour began, but the defending champion had managed to extend his lead to three shots as he seeks to regain the coveted top spot he surrendered on October 31, 2010 after holding it for 281 consecutive weeks.

In all, the 37-year-old has been No. 1 for a record 623 weeks -- but he dropped as low as 58th following his extramarital affairs, subsequent divorce and a run of injuries before bouncing back with five tournament wins in the past 12 months.

The last of his 14 major titles came back in 2008, but his recent form suggests that Woods will be a top contender at next month's Masters.

The American has won four tournaments seven times -- including this one -- but victory on Monday would make him only the second player alongside the legendary Sam Snead to win the same event on eight occasions.

A birdie at his second hole on Sunday gave Woods a handy buffer over 2011 PGA Championship winner Keegan Bradley and fellow U.S. players Rickie Fowler, Ken Duke and John Huh.

He has won 50 of the 54 times in which he has taken the lead into the final round.

Read: 'Asia's John Daly' denies Ryder Cup winner

The PGA Tour's website reported that the thunderstorms in Orlando, Florida were so severe that the large media center tent had to be evacuated, with a tornado warning issued.

"Several tree limbs were down across the property and power was lost for nearly 30 minutes," it said.

"The golf course is gone, bunkers are gone. We're going to need time for the course to drain," PGA official Mike Russell said on the tour's Twitter webpage.

Before the weather intervened, Sergio Garcia had to climb up into one of the trees to play his second shot at the par-four 10th hole after his ball became lodged in the branches.

With the wind whistling in the leaves, the Spaniard hit a backwards, one-handed shot onto the fairway before leaping back to the ground -- and was awarded "9.8 on the dismount" by one TV commentator who also hailed his "tree iron."

However, he double-bogeyed the hole and pulled out of the tournament soon after play was halted as he trailed Woods by 10 shots.

It was the second remarkable shot in two days, following Nicholas Thompson's barefoot shot from the water at 17, where his ball was submerged.

Still without his shoes, and slacks rolled up to the knee, he calmly sank his par putt.

There was also a fine water escape on Sunday, as Matt Every eagled the par-four third hole despite having his feet planted in the hazard.

Via: Storms halt Tiger charge; Garcia uses 'tree iron'

Els' coach wants quick putter ruling

(CNN) -- The coach of four-time major winner Ernie Els has urged golf's governing bodies to come to a quick decision on the proposed banning of anchored putting.

Golf's rulemakers Royal & Ancient (R & A) and the United States Golf Association (USGA), which governs the game in the U.S. and Mexico, announced in November they intend to ban the method of putting by which a club is anchored to a part of the body by 2016.

The decision has been backed by the European Tour, but Tim Finchem, commissioner of the lucrative U.S.-based PGA Tour, opposes the rule change which would essentially outlaw the controversial "belly putter".

Els is one of a clutch of recent major winners who favor using the belly putter -- three of the last five majors have been won by a player using the technique.

Read: McIlroy apologizes for walk off

Els' coach Claude Harmon III has called for a solution to be found soon in order to protect the integrity of the game.

"They have to make a decision quickly," Harmon told CNN's Living Golf. "Brandt Snedeker, who's easily the best putter on the planet, got up and said to Tim, 'You've got to make a decision now.

"If we let this thing continue for three or four more years the guys that are still using the long putter are still going to be winning golf tournaments and then do we put a asterisk, is there a stigma attached to that.

"The longer this keeps going and they still can't find a decision, a guy like Keegan Bradley, does he practice and waste time away from his game to try and do something or does he just continue to do what he is really good at?"

Read: Rapping golfers return with 2.Oh

Bradley and fellow American Webb Simpson both used the anchored putting technique to win the PGA Championship in 2011 and 2012 respectively.

Harmon joined Finchem in questioning whether the method offered players an advantage over more conventional putting techniques.

"None of the best putters in the world use a belly putter and I know from talking to guys like Ernie, like Keegan Bradley and Webb Simpson, I think they do feel a little bit that there's a target on their back," added Harmon.

"I think it is going to be very hard to quantify with data an advantage that a belly putter gives players.

"The PGA Tour and the European Tour and golf at a professional level is a sport absolutely, but it is also a business.

"For me what Tim Finchem is trying to do is say to the governing bodies, this is just my opinion, that if you're going to make decisions that affect the professional game you have to involve the professional game."

Former world No. 1 Martin Kaymer, who uses a traditional putter, also wants to see the issue put to bed.

"I'm a little tired of it," 2010 PGA championship winner Kaymer told CNN. "Everybody should make a decision and we move on. All the speculation now is a little bit too much.

"The PGA Tour, the R & A, the European Tour, they should sit down and make a decision together."

Kevin Garside, of British newspaper The Independent, suggests the reintroduction of golf at the 2016 Olympic Games means anchored putting will be banned, despite U.S. resistance.

"I think it's clear where this is going," said Garside. "You can't get this far and then say, 'OK, as you were.' The putter is going to be banned.

"The Olympic Games is coming up, you can't have an anchored putter at the Olympic Games. It's as simple as that."

According to Bob Harig of ESPN.com, the PGA Tour will have to back down in order to avoid a division within the sport.

"You can't have different rules," Harig said. "They're going to have to fall in line with whatever the USGA and R & A do.

"It would be chaotic if the PGA Tour wrote their own rule on this, which they've never done. It would be a major departure."

Via: Els' coach wants quick putter ruling

Donald makes shock exit at Malaysia Open

(CNN) -- World No.3 Luke Donald missed the halfway cut for the first time in his career after failing to shine at the rain-delayed Malaysia Open.

Donald recorded rounds of 73 and 74, leaving him three shots off the cut mark after enduring troubles with his putter.

But the Englishman, who is still seeking his first Major title, is confident he will be back on form for the U.S. Masters at Augusta next month.

Read: Tiger vows to 'clean up' after more late lapses at Bay Hill

"I've got a couple of weeks off to get ready for Augusta and I'll obviously be very diligent in my preparation," Donald told reporters.

"I would have loved to go back home in form, but in golf you just never know. We've seen it many times before when people go into tournaments with very little form and win, including majors. So you just have to keep plugging away and hope it's your turn.

"The greens here are very different from what I play on. They are a little slower than what I'm used to and I just didn't adjust or adapt to them.

"I just couldn't read them for the life of me. I'd think it was right to left and it went the other way. I got John (his caddie) to read a few too and we were seeing the same things.

"Tee to green I wasn't that far off. But it's the first time I've missed the cut in a regular European Tour event since I've been a pro.

"So I'm very disappointed for myself and disappointed for the fans who have come out to watch me."

Read: Chinese 12 year-old to make history

At the top of the leaderboard, Thailand's Kiranradech Aphibarnrat currently heads the field by one shot from South Africa's Charl Schwartzel.

But with the rain playing havoc with the playing schedule, organizers announced that play would begin early Sunday with the tournament reduced to 54-holes.

Tournament Director David Garland told the European Tour website: "We've had another very large storm this afternoon, so suspended play for the day and after further discussions with our major sponsor Maybank the tournament has been reduced to 54 holes.

"We want to wrap it all up with the crowd and everyone here tomorrow."

Via: Donald makes shock exit at Malaysia Open

Tiger vows to 'clean up' after more late lapses

(CNN) -- If Tiger Woods fails in his double bid to retain the Bay Hill title and regain his world No. 1 ranking this weekend, then it's a fair bet he'll be ruing his late lapses on the opening two days.

The 14-time major winner surrendered two strokes at the last two holes on Thursday, and lost three at the final three on Friday to be four off the lead at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

"I played way better than what I scored today," Woods said on the PGA Tour website. "I missed a couple of short ones, and I had a rough finish."

It was another frustrating finish for the 37-year-old, who started the tournament in high spirits after publicly acknowledging his relationship with skiing star Lindsey Vonn.

Read: Woods scrambles in opening round

He last held the No. 1 ranking in late October 2010, having occupied it for 281 weeks before a marital scandal that ended in in his divorce.

Added to injury problems, he dropped as low as 58th in the standings before resurrecting his career with three titles last year and two more this season.

Woods started the second round with a promising birdie and then eagled the par-five sixth hole before picking up further shots at 11 and 13.

However, it all went wrong as he bogeyed 16, 17 and 18 to drop to a tie for seventh place on five-under-par 139, having carded 70 after his opening 69.

"The good news is we've got 36 holes to go," said Woods, who seeking to join Sam Snead as the only player to win the same tournament eight times. "Certainly four shots can be made up.

"I've made my share of mistakes on the last few holes the last couple days. I need to clean that up."

Read: Tiger - Vonn pics released to thwart 'stalkerazzi'

Alongside him were fellow former world No. 1 Vijay Singh and fellow American Mark Wilson, who both moved up from 15th overnight with their 68s.

Bill Haas joined overnight leader Justin Rose at the top, with both on 135 after shooting 66 and 70 respectively.

Englishman Rose dropped a shot at his final hole, while American Haas had earlier finished strongly with an eagle at 16 -- emulating Woods' opening-day effort.

Haas, whose wife is due to deliver their first child in two months, is battling neck pain he suffered reaching down to pick up a towel at the Northern Trust Open.

Read: Chinese boy, 12, to make golf history

"We should call it a sore neck, not an injury. When you're playing poorly, it hurts, and when you're playing well, it doesn't hurt," he said.

John Huh, born in New York to South Korean parents, dropped to third on 136 after a 69, while fellow U.S. players Ken Duke, J.J Henry and Jimmy Walker were tied for fourth on 138.

Major champions Ernie Els, Phil Mickelson, Webb Simpson, Lucas Glover and Trevor Immelman all missed the halfway cut along with FedEx Cup series leader Brandt Snedeker.

Mickelson, who will be seeking his fourth Green Jacket at Augusta next month, shot his worst round at Bay Hill -- 79 -- as he battles to regain the form he showed in winning at Phoenix last month.

"From where it was a few months ago, where I felt so good and my ball-striking was some of the best I've ever had, it is a little surprising," the 42-year-old lefthander said.

It was Snedeker's first start in a month following a rib injury, and he struggled with successive 76s.

Via: Tiger vows to 'clean up' after more late lapses

McIlroy sorry for walkoff

(CNN) -- Rory McIlroy has apologized for his decision to walk off the course at last week's PGA Tour tournament, and insists he will not repeat the mistake anytime soon.

The world No. 1 left fellow professionals, fans and commentators in shock after leaving in the middle of his second round at the Honda Classic in Florida, where he was defending his title.

The Northern Irishman had two bogeys, a double bogey and a triple bogey before hitting his tee shot at the 18th into the water, having started at hole nine.

Read: McIlroy walks off as slump continues

That led him to walk away citing a sore wisdom tooth, although he now admits that his actions were wrong and regrettable.

"I realized pretty quickly that it wasn't the right thing to do," McIlroy told reporters Wednesday. "No matter how bad I was playing I should have stayed out there.

Read: Let's see some action Rory. Just do it!

"I wasn't in a good place with my golf game. My head was all over the place. It was a mistake. Everybody makes mistakes -- most of my mistakes are in the public eye.

"I'm 23. I'm still learning. I have learned from it and it won't happen again."

A year in sport is a long time and McIlroy's start to 2013 pales into insignificance compared to the form he was showing 12 months ago.

Following the signing of a 10-year deal with Nike, which is reported to be worth $250 million, McIlroy has failed to recapture the magic which secured him the 2011 U.S. Open and 2012 PGA Championship titles.

Read: McIlroy and Woods crash out in Abu Dhabi

Since changing from his Titleist clubs to the Nike brand, he has failed to shine, missing the cut at Abu Dhabi and exiting the WGC Accenture World Matchplay event in Arizona at the first-round stage.

With the Masters in Augusta on the horizon, McIlroy is aiming to rekindle the form which propelled him to the top of the PGA and European Tour money lists last year.

And he is now hoping to start his resurgence at the $8.75 million WGC Cadillac Championship at Doral Thursday -- beginning with his swing.

"I know it's purely the swing. The equipment is fantastic. No problem at all," he said of his new equipment.

"When I make a good swing it does exactly what I want. It doesn't make a difference what clubs I play.

Read: McIlroy wants putting saga sorted

"I'm trying to change my swing but I'm trying to change it back to where it was. I have been in that position before and I can get it back again.

"There's no quick fix in golf. You've got to get to the root of the problem. It's still a work in progress."

McIlroy also revealed that he is waiting before deciding whether to add an extra event to his schedule before the Masters begins on April 11. His only other scheduled tournament after Doral is the Houston Open from March 28-31.

"I was waiting to see how I do this week," he said. "Right now I haven't made a decision. The likelihood is I won't add an event. It's a possibility. I don't think it's likely."

Via: McIlroy sorry for walkoff

Woods scrambles hard in Florida

(CNN) -- The recent focus may have been on his new relationship with world champion skier Lindsey Vonn but Thursday saw the start of Tiger Woods' quest to reclaim golf's world No. 1 ranking.

The 14-time major champion, who revealed he and Vonn released pictures of themselves through social media to thwart photographers he referred to as the "stakerazzi", showed all his battling qualities on day one of the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Woods carded an opening round of three-under-par at the Bay Hill course in Florida, to sit in the chasing pack behind leader Justin Rose, who shot 65 to finish on seven-under.

The Englishman fired six birdies and an eagle in his round and though Woods' performance was more solid than spectacular he scrambled well to remain within striking distance.

Read: Tiger: Vonn revelation 'thwarted stalkerazzi'

Rose's nearest challenger was American John Huh, who sits on five-under while compatriot John Rollins and Canada's Brad Fritsch are a shot further back.

"I certainly didn't play my best, but I got around and made a few good saves out there," 37-year-old Woods told the PGA Tour's official website. "I got a lot out of this round, and I threw away a few shots as well.

"I didn't drive it well, didn't hit my irons well and didn't control my distances or trajectory well."

Starting his round on the ninth, Woods recorded back-to-back bogeys before making crucial par saves at the first and second.

"Those were key because I had just thrown away a couple of shots I gained on 16," Woods said. "It's just making a key save, a key putt here and there and keeping the round going."

Prior to his opening round Woods spoke publicly for the first time about his romance with Vonn, which the couple confirmed on Monday with statements and photos posted on social networking site Facebook.

At a press conference on Wednesday he said they had released news of their relationship to limit paparazzi intrusion.

"It's very simple, we're very happy where we are at but also we wanted to limit the stalkerazzi and all those sleazy websites out there following us," he told reporters.

"I've had situations where it's been very dangerous for my kids, the extent that they'll go to. We basically devalued the first photos.

"Unfortunately that's just the way it is in our society right now and we felt it was the best thing to do and we're very happy about it."

Rose's fine round was largely due to his putting prowess. He needed just 25 and converted all 17 chances from 15-feet or under.

"That's been the error of my game since June last year," Rose said. "Today was probably the first real hot day I've had with the blade in a long, long time."

"We all know it's about consistency and that's what I'm still working toward. It's just fun to know that I obviously can do it, and I take a lot of confidence from that."

Via: Woods scrambles hard in Florida

Tiger: Vonn pics 'thwarted stalkerazzi'

(CNN) -- Tiger Woods and Lindsey Vonn released news of their relationship to limit paparazzi intrusion on their romance, the world's No. 2 golfer said Wednesday.

The 14-time major champion is preparing for the Arnold Palmer Invitational tournament in Florida, where a win would see him reclaim the number one ranking for the first time in over two years.

Woods and Vonn -- a four time Alpine World Cup skiing champion -- released statements and a series of pictures confirming their relationship on Monday.

And the 37-year-old told a press conference at the Bay Hill course they had put out the snaps to prevent any invasion into their lives from photographers that he referred to as the "stalkerazzi."

Perfect match: When athletes date

"It's very simple, we're very happy where we are at but also we wanted to limit the stalkerazzi and all those sleazy websites out there following us," he told reporters.

"I've had situations where it's been very dangerous for my kids, the extent that they'll go to. We basically devalued the first photos.

"Unfortunately that's just the way it is in our society right now and we felt it was the best thing to do and we're very happy about it."

The pair's relationship has been big news since Monday's confirmation but Woods is now focused on trying to wrest golf's world No. 1 crown back from friend, rival and Nike stablemate Rory McIlroy.

It would mark a significant transformation for Woods, whose stuttering form in recent years saw his ranking slump past the 50 mark at one point.

But after victory at the Cadillac Championship in Doral last week -- his 17th World Golf Championship title -- Woods can now reach golf's pinnacle if he can secure his 77th PGA Tour triumph.

"I feel like I'm headed in the right direction," he said. "I'm very pleased where I've come from. Like I said, 50plus to where I'm at is no small task.

"I'd like to get to 19-plus (majors) myself. Getting back to number one and all that it entails, it's not easy to get there in the first place. I don't think people realize how hard it is to get to number one in the world.

"It's been a long process. I was hurt for a long time, I had to make swing changes that were drastically different than what I was doing before. It's taken some time."

Woods is defending champion at Bay Hill, beating 2010 U.S. Open champion Graeme Dowell by five shots last year to secure his first tournament win since 2009.

He has won four more times in the last 12 months and he puts a large slice of his resurgence down to the fact that he has remained injury free during that period.

"I just needed to get healthy," he added. "Once I got healthy and I was able to practice properly, I felt like then I could implement the swing changes that (coach) Sean (Foley) wanted me to put in there.

Read: Chinese 12 year-old to make golf history

"But I needed to get healthy enough where I could practice. It happened to be a perfect storm where I was making a swing change, and I was hurt, and I couldn't devote any time to it.

"To gradually work my way back, that's something I'm proud of."

Woods' game attracted praise from Palmer himself, who won seven major titles during a glittering career that has seen him regarded as one of the finest to play the game.

"I think right now looking at him and watching him play, he looks probably as strong and as good from a golf perspective as I've ever seen him," the 83-year-old told reporters.

"I think his swing and his posture and his attitude is far better than it's been in some time, and it takes me back to when I first played with him at Augusta when he was a rookie.

"I give him a chance. I suppose that every year it's a little more fleeting, however, and he'll have to really work hard to keep himself up and keep his mental attitude if he's going to do it."

Via: Tiger: Vonn pics 'thwarted stalkerazzi'

Tiger: Vonn announcement 'thwarted stalkerazzi'

(CNN) -- Tiger Woods and Lindsey Vonn released news of their relationship to limit paparazzi intrusion on their romance, the world's No. 2 golfer said Wednesday.

The 14-time major champion is preparing for the Arnold Palmer Invitational tournament in Florida, where a win would see him reclaim the number one ranking for the first time in over two years.

Woods and Vonn -- a four time Alpine World Cup skiing champion -- released statements and a series of pictures confirming their relationship on Monday.

And the 37-year-old told a press conference at the Bay Hill course they had put out the snaps to prevent any invasion into their lives from photographers that he referred to as the "stalkerazzi."

Perfect match: When athletes date

"It's very simple, we're very happy where we are at but also we wanted to limit the stalkerazzi and all those sleazy websites out there following us," he told reporters.

"I've had situations where it's been very dangerous for my kids, the extent that they'll go to. We basically devalued the first photos.

"Unfortunately that's just the way it is in our society right now and we felt it was the best thing to do and we're very happy about it."

The pair's relationship has been big news since Monday's confirmation but Woods is now focused on trying to wrest golf's world No. 1 crown back from friend, rival and Nike stablemate Rory McIlroy.

It would mark a significant transformation for Woods, whose stuttering form in recent years saw his ranking slump past the 50 mark at one point.

But after victory at the Cadillac Championship in Doral last week -- his 17th World Golf Championship title -- Woods can now reach golf's pinnacle if he can secure his 77th PGA Tour triumph.

"I feel like I'm headed in the right direction," he said. "I'm very pleased where I've come from. Like I said, 50plus to where I'm at is no small task.

"I'd like to get to 19-plus (majors) myself. Getting back to number one and all that it entails, it's not easy to get there in the first place. I don't think people realize how hard it is to get to number one in the world.

"It's been a long process. I was hurt for a long time, I had to make swing changes that were drastically different than what I was doing before. It's taken some time."

Woods is defending champion at Bay Hill, beating 2010 U.S. Open champion Graeme Dowell by five shots last year to secure his first tournament win since 2009.

He has won four more times in the last 12 months and he puts a large slice of his resurgence down to the fact that he has remained injury free during that period.

"I just needed to get healthy," he added. "Once I got healthy and I was able to practice properly, I felt like then I could implement the swing changes that (coach) Sean (Foley) wanted me to put in there.

Read: Chinese 12 year-old to make golf history

"But I needed to get healthy enough where I could practice. It happened to be a perfect storm where I was making a swing change, and I was hurt, and I couldn't devote any time to it.

"To gradually work my way back, that's something I'm proud of."

Woods' game attracted praise from Palmer himself, who won seven major titles during a glittering career that has seen him regarded as one of the finest to play the game.

"I think right now looking at him and watching him play, he looks probably as strong and as good from a golf perspective as I've ever seen him," the 83-year-old told reporters.

"I think his swing and his posture and his attitude is far better than it's been in some time, and it takes me back to when I first played with him at Augusta when he was a rookie.

"I give him a chance. I suppose that every year it's a little more fleeting, however, and he'll have to really work hard to keep himself up and keep his mental attitude if he's going to do it."

Via: Tiger: Vonn announcement 'thwarted stalkerazzi'

Chinese 12 year-old to make history

(CNN) -- Golf players just keep getting younger.

First there was Guan Tianlang, who at the tender age of 13 became the youngest player to participate in a European Tour event.

But this May, a Chinese 12 year-old will eclipse Guan's record to become the European Tour's youngest ever golfer.

From the city of Dongguan, Ye Wocheng finished two under par at the Western China qualifier to earn one of the three spots on offer for the China Open -- the tournament where Guan made his European Tour debut in April 2012.

Now 14, Guan will become the youngest player to compete in the Masters when he takes to the course at Augusta next month.

Competing as an amateur, Guan finished tied for 150th at last year's China Open event, which was won by South Africa's Branden Grace.

Read: Yani Tseng loses No. 1 ranking

Ye, whose father caddied for him, shot a four-under-par opening round of 68 on Tuesday to put himself in contention before pulling clear of the field over the front nine on Wednesday.

Four birdies saw him head to the turn on seven under, but Ye collapsed at the par five 16th where he dropped three strokes.

But the 12-year-old had done enough to ensure he finished third on the leaderboard behind joint winners Li Xinyang and Jin Da Xing.

Should Ye do the unthinkable and win the China Open, which will take place at the Binhai Lake Golf Club, he would assume Matteo Manassero's mantel as the youngest ever winner on the European Tour.

Italy's Manassero won the 2010 Castello Masters at the age of 17 years and 188 days.

Via: Chinese 12 year-old to make history

Short game: Golf gets snappy

(CNN) -- To the casual onlooker golf is often perceived as behind the times due to the archaic rules and regulations which govern the game.

But even the most old-fashioned sport is powerless beneath the wheels of change and with the Pearls Golf Premier League, golf was recently given a 21st-Century makeover.

The inaugural competition took place recently in Aamby Valley City pitting eight city franchises against each other in a floodlit tournament which boasted a $400,000 prize fund and starred major winners Angel Cabrera and Darren Clarke.

The "Premier League" format is not new to sports fans, with cricket already having undergone a similar reinvention in the subcontinent with the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL).

The IPL is played in packed stadiums at a frantic pace, with superstar players on big-money short-term contracts letting rip in the 20-over competition.

Read: Lewis usurps Tseng to top world rankings

Both golf and cricket are sports which traditionally last for days at a time. But does that gentle sporting rhythm -- so reminiscent of yesteryear -- no longer excite a modern audience short on time and attention?

"It's all about thrills and spills these days," Edward Hawkins, author of Bookie Gambler Fixer Spy, told CNN. "Just look at the popularity of T20 cricket in India and the sell-out stadiums. Compare that to the empty spaces at five-day Test matches.

"It's not just India which has a thirst for 'immediate' action and a disinterest for the nuances and chess-like formats.

"Most countries have seen spikes in interest in shorter formats of cricket. Pakistan wants to set up a T20 league, so does the West Indies."

Read: Aiken seals win with a kiss

The financial benefits are obvious.

PepsiCo recently signed a deal worth Rs.396.8 crore ($71.93 million) to sponsor the nine-franchise IPL competition, which gets underway again in April, for five seasons.

Television money

That figure doubled the league's previous sponsorship agreement and Hawkins isn't surprised, suggesting shorter games are more appealing to broadcasters.

"There is money there, unlike Test matches," added Hawkins. "A broadcaster would far rather commit to a three-hour show than one over five days spanning seven hours each and have the possibility that it could be rained off or end two days early."

So now golf bravely follows where cricket has led.

Rather than 18 holes, players in the Pearls Golf Premier League played over just 14 with each golfer decked out in their team's jersey.

In the end, it was Clarke's Uttarakhand Lions which won the inaugural competition, with the franchise paying $55,000 for the services of the Northern Irishman during the event.

Does this new golf experiment signal the imminent demise of more traditional forms of sport?

"This is significant and fundamental because it is changing the very nature of sport: the formats," Simon Chadwick, Professor of Sport Business Strategy and Marketing at Coventry University, told CNN.

"The rules, the way in which they are commercialized and marketed, the way in which sport has become a commodity and somehow seems to be morphing into an entertainment product, the way in which sport is consumed."

These fast-paced, short forms of sport are ideal for a country which, like its BRIC counterparts Brazil, Russia and China, is very much on the up.

"India is fast paced," continued Hawkins. "It's a society which wants everything and five minutes ago. It wants to be seen as leading new trends and in that regard quickfire golf certainly does that.

"It's a vibrant, cocksure country these days, a coming force and they are keen to show that off.

"Golf has its popularity in India but, frankly, every kid carries a cricket bat with them, not a five-iron and in that regard the sport has an 'elite' image.

"Now it could be that they are trying to shake off that stereotype but more likely I think this might be down to some rich folk wanting to have some fun and getting TV deals and sponsorships to pay for it."

Hybrid approach

Chadwick outlines how tinkering with the conventions of sport is an attempt to attract audiences whose interests might ordinarily lie elsewhere.

He also suggest the trend could continue, as Asia's financial power continues to grow.

"There's the development of new format sports that are intended to deliver a 'better product', which often border on entertainment and celebrity rather than pure sport," said Chadwick.

"There's the change in sporting model, with the rise of Asian markets resulting in the emergence of hybrid approaches to sport."

Via: Short game: Golf gets snappy

McIlroy walks off at Honda Classic

(CNN) -- In a season of lows, golf's No.1 Rory McIlroy hit a new low as he simply walked off the course following a disastrous start to the second round of his defense of the Honda Classic title in Florida.

McIlroy was seven over par for eight holes and about to drop more shots after hitting his approach to the 18th -- his ninth -- into the water at PGA National.

The Northern Irishman shook hands with his playing partners Mark Wilson and South Africa's Ernie Els and beat a hasty retreat with his coach and his caddie.

Golf journalist David Dusek, tweeted that McIlroy "was near tears as his caddie placed his clubs into the trunk of his blue BMW."

McIlroy later issued a statement apologizing for his "sudden withdrawal."

He added: "I have been suffering with a sore wisdom tooth, which is due to come out in the near future. It began bothering me again last night

"It was very painful again this morning, and I was simply unable to concentrate. It was really bothering me and had begun to affect my playing partners.

"I came here with every intention of defending my Honda Classic title. Even though my results haven't revealed it, I really felt like I was rounding a corner.

"I regret having to make the decision to withdraw, but it was one I had to make."

McIlroy had battled to a level par first round at Palm Beach Gardens -- six shots behind first round leader Camilo Villegas of Colombia -- but had to rely on his recovery play around the greens to preserve his score and he finished with a bogey six on the 18th.

Read: McIlroy and Woods trail in Florida

But he was in good spirits Thursday night in a family occasion, tweeting: "Having a great dinner celebrating my mums birthday!"

That optimistic mood would have been quickly shattered by his performance on the course Friday morning.

Starting at the 10th hole, McIlroy was quickly in trouble, hitting his approach to the 11th into the water and running up a double bogey.

A further bogey followed on the 13th before a disastrous display on the 16th where he found the water twice and ran up a triple bogey seven.

Three putts from 40 feet on the par-three 17th left him seven over for the tournament and with little chance of making the halfway cut before he found yet more water on the testing par-five finishing hole.

It is the first time the 23-year-old McIlroy has pulled out of a tournament.

In later action, Woods battled to make the weekend on the cut line of level par after a second straight 70 with 23-year-old rookie Luke Guthrie leading the way on nine-under 131 after a superb seven-under 63. Villegas slumped to a sorry 77 to miss the cut.

McIlroy's stumbling start to 2013 is in sharp contrast to his dominant displays last year and comes in the wake of signing a lucrative 10-year sponsorship deal with Nike, worth a reported $250 million.

Honda Classic: Latest scores

As part of the deal, McIlroy changed his golf clubs to play with Nike branded equipment, which is also endorsed by his great rival and World No.2 Tiger Woods. He has enjoyed his previous success, including two major victories, playing with rival Titleist clubs.

Results since have not lived up to expectations and he missed the cut in Abu Dhabi in his first tournament of the year.

That was followed by a sorry first round exit -- Woods also went out on the same day -- at the WGC Accenture World Matchplay event in Arizona last week.

Critics have also focused on the scale of McIlroy's new commercial ventures and three days before his Honda Classic defense he signed a three-year deal with audio products and headphone manufacturers Bose.

On the eve of the tournament, McIlroy took to Twitter again: "Had a great time with the Bose crew at the launch of our exciting new partnership last night. Looking forward to a great relationship."

McIlroy, who dates former World No.1 tennis player Caroline Wozniacki, will get an early chance to silence the doubters as he is due to tee off next week in the WGC-Cadillac Championship on Doral's daunting Blue Monster Course.

It is all part of his preparation for a tilt at the U.S. Masters in Augusta, one of his major targets for the year as he bids to build on a 2012 season when he topped the money lists on the PGA and European Tours and claimed the U.S. PGA Championship in stunning fashion.

Via: McIlroy walks off at Honda Classic

Lewis usurps Tseng to top world rankings

(CNN) -- Yani Tseng's two-year reign at the top of women's golf is over.

Five-time major winner Tseng has been at the top of the Rolex World Rankings since February 2011, but the Taiwanese star has finally been usurped by American Stacy Lewis.

Lewis produced an eight-under-par final round of 64 to clinch the Founders Cup in Phoenix Arizona, just two weeks after winning the HSBC Women's Champions event in Singapore.

The Ohio native is only the second U.S. player to occupy the coveted berth after Cristie Kerr also reached the top in June 2010.

Read: Aiken seals win with a kiss

Lewis clawed back a three-stroke deficit to Japan's Ai Miyazato to eventually finish three shots ahead of the former world No. 1.

The final round's 16th hole proved decisive, with Miyazato slipping and allowing Lewis to take control.

"It's awesome," Lewis told the LPGA Tour's official website when asked about the win.

"I played great today. Myself and Ai we just went back and forth all day; she was making putts, I was making putts.

"I was certainly surprised she finished the way she did, but to make those two putts I did on 16 and 17 was pretty unbelievable and I'm just really speechless."

If Lewis' fightback at the Wildfire Golf Club journey was stirring, it is nothing compared to the story of her rise to the top.

A decade ago the 2011 Kraft Nabisco Championship winner underwent surgery for scoliosis, following a childhood plagued by back problems.

Read: Dominant Woods wins WGC title

"Yeah, it's almost 10 years ago I was having surgery, I was going into surgery to put a rod and five screws in my back," added Lewis.

"That's not normal, that's not supposed to happen. I mean, I'm not really supposed to be here.

"I know that there's a reason and I know that everything happens for a reason. Every setback you have along the way, everything good that happens, it all happens for a reason.

"I couldn't have dreamed the kid growing up wearing a back brace 18 hours a day that is the No. 1 player in the world. I don't know, I don't know what to say."

Lewis is the seventh player to top the rankings. Tseng, Kerr, Miyazato, Mexico's Lorena Ochoa, Sweden's Annika Sorenstam and Jiyay Shin of South Korea are the only other golfers to have held the distinction.

Via: Lewis usurps Tseng to top world rankings

Aiken seals win with a kiss

(CNN) -- Thomas Aiken ensured South Africa continued to dominate the European Tour events after claiming victory by three shots at the Avantha Masters in India Sunday

Aiken sealed the top prize of $392,000 after seeing off local favorite Gaganjeet Bhullar at the Greg Norman-designed par-72 Jaypee Greens outside New Delhi.

The 29-year-old is the sixth South African to win a European tour event this year following Charl Schwartzel's victory at the Alfred Dunhill championships, Louis Oosthuizen's win at the Volvo Golf Champions, Richard Sterne's success in Johannesburg, Darren Fichardt's triumph at the Africa Open and Dawie Van der Walt's effort at the Tshwane Open.

Aiken, who is from Johannesburg, held off the challenge of Bhullar, who birdied the first three holes, had an eagle on the fifth before a spectacular finish saw him birdie three of the last five holes.

"It's a big relief to win because the others played unbelievable golf," 2011 Open de Espana winner Aiken told reporters.

"There was no breathing space the whole day with Gaganjeet having so many birdies towards the end.

"It was no walk in the park, but I think I played the par-fives well. This has been a fantastic week in India and ended just the way I wanted it to."

Read: Tiger tames the Blue Monster

The home supporters had hoped Bhullar could give them something to celebrate, but despite being roared on by around 500 fans, he was unable to catch Aiken at the top of the leaderboard.

"After a few weeks, no one will remember that I came second. Everyone will only talk of Thomas," he told reporters.

"But the important thing is that my game has improved.

"This tournament was like a putting competition. Everyone was hitting the ball long, it all depended on how you putted. I thought Thomas would make a mistake somewhere, but he played solidly the last two days."

Read: Els' coach wants quick belly putter decision

Elsewhere, Prayad Marksaeng became only the third Thai to win his country's national championship after claiming a two-stroke win to claim the $180,000 top prize at the Thailand Open Sunday.

"This means so much to me," Prayad said, according to a statement by the tournament organizers.

"Yes I cried a bit... I am happy the King's Trophy will stay in Thailand."

Prayad jumped into the lake by the 18th green in celebration after carding 24-under-par for the tournament.

Via: Aiken seals win with a kiss

Dominant Woods takes17th WGC title

(CNN) -- Tiger Woods tuned up perfectly for the forthcoming Masters with a two-shot victory at the WGC Championship in Florida as he edged closer to overhauling the world No. 1 Rory McIlroy.

The 14-time major champion started the final round at the Blue Monster course at Doral with a four-shot lead and never looked like relinquishing it, despite the best efforts of Phil Mickelson and Steve Stricker.

The world No. 2 dropped a shot on the final hole to finish on 19-under-par, two clear of Stricker, who had given Woods a few putting tips before the tournament started and might now wish he hadn't.

It was Woods' seventh triumph in the Cadillac Championship, his 17th World Golf Championship and his 76th PGA Tour title.

Read: McIlroy sorry for Florida walkoff 'mistake'

"I played well this week," Woods said at the trophy presentation. "Thank you to Steve for the putting lesson. It was one of those weeks where I felt pretty good about how I was playing. I made some putts and pretty much got rolling."

The 2010 U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell started the final round in second but endured a testing afternoon, dropping back to 14-under as he finished in third alongside Phil Mickelson, Spaniard Sergio Garcia and Australian Adam Scott.

Woods carded three birdies in his first ten holes but dropped two shots on the closing holes, including on the final hole.

Yet he looks to have regained some of his best form with the first major tournament of the year -- The Masters at Augusta -- just round the corner.

McIlroy, who caused controversy by walking off the course during last week's Honda Classic was back to his best form, firing a seven-under-par round of 65 as he charged up the leaderboard to finish in a tie for eighth place.

"I was pretty down about my game coming into this week," McIlroy told the PGA Tour's official website. "A day like today felt like a long way away if I'm honest."

"A few days like I've played, it does my confidence a world of good. I probably wear my heart on my sleeve a bit with my golf. If I have a bad round, it's sort of like the end of the world, but if I play a good one, I'm happy again.

"I always think when I'm playing bad that it's further away than it is," McIlroy added. "That's just where I have to stay patient and let whatever happens, happen, and know that if I put in the hard work, that the results will bear fruit; whether that's sooner or later, it doesn't really matter."

Via: Dominant Woods takes17th WGC title

Woods closes in on WGC title

(CNN) -- Tiger Woods remains on course to win the World Golf Championship tournament at Doral's Blue Monster course in Florida after a five-under par round of 67 on Saturday.

The world No.2 produced another composed display which included seven birdies and two bogeys to leave him on 18-under par and with a four-shot cushion heading into Sunday's final round where he will again be paired with Graeme McDowell.

The Northern Irishman had a day of highs and lows opening his round with an eagle before backing it up with birdies at three and six.

Read: McIlroy sorry for Florida walkoff 'mistake'

But his chances of challenging on Sunday looked to have disappeared when he bogeyed the 11th and followed it with a double bogey at the par-four 14th.

But an eagle at the 372-yard par four 16th brought him right back into contention and helped him to a three-under par round of 69.

Phil Mickelson recovered from a double-bogey six at the third hole to also post a 69, leaving him one shot adrift of McDowell and tied for third with compatriot Steve Stricker (69).

Read: Els' coach wants quick belly putter decision

Woods has now fired 24 birdies in 54 holes but isn't expecting an easy ride in the final round.

"Tomorrow is supposed to be tougher. The wind is supposed to be tougher. And these greens are baked out. It's hard to hold them," Woods said.

Spain's Sergio Garcia is one of four players tied for fifth place on 11-under par. The Spaniard is joined by South Africa's Charl Schwartzel and America's Keegan Bradley and Michael Thompson.

Bubba Watson is one shot further back, with Jason Dufner and Dustin Johnson tied for 11th on nine-under par.

Australia's Adam Scott and England's Justin Rose and Ian Poulter are tied for 19th place on six-under par along with America's Hunter Mahan and Webb Simpson.

World No.1 Rory McIlroy is currently tied for 30th on three-under par with England's Lee Westwood. Both men posted one-under par rounds of 71.

Via: Woods closes in on WGC title

Woods birdie blitz on Blue Monster

(CNN) -- Tiger Woods probably wishes every tournament could be played on Doral's Blue Monster course and after a second round 65 Friday he is headed for his fourth win at the iconic venue.

Taking advantage of benign scoring conditions and just the lightest of breezes, the World No.2 carded eight birdies, including a run of six in eight holes around the turn.

The 17 birdies he has carded over the first two rounds is also a personal best for the 14-time major winner.

It left him on 13-under 131 at halfway in the WGC-Cadillac Championship, an event he has won six times, and two shots clear of Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell, who shot a fine 67.

Woods was briefly joined at the top of the leader board by his arch U.S. rival Phil Mickelson, who also shot a five-under 67 for 10-under and tied with Steve Stricker in third.

Read: Rory toils as Tiger tames Doral to share lead

Woods and Miclkelson fought out a classic duel at Doral in 2005 when Tiger set the tournament record of 24-under-par.

With stiffer winds set for the weekend, that score is unlikely to be broken as Woods homes in on his second win on the PGA Tour this season, the other coming at Torrey Pines, another of his favorite layouts.

Masters champion Bubba Watson and Swede Freddie Jacobsen, who shared the first round lead, were a further shot back.

Struggling World No.1 Rory McIlroy has had to watch as his playing partner and fellow Nike stablemate Woods has made light work of the course over the first two days.

Read: McIlroy walks off after nightmare start

The 23-year-old McIlroy will at least be around for the weekend in Florida, unlike at last week's Honda Classic where he trudged off midway through a dismal second round -- and later apologized.

McIlroy showed signs of improvement in a second round three-under-par 69 for two-under 142, but finished with a dispiriting bogey five after three putting.

It being a World Golf Championship event everyone in the select field gets to play all four rounds and the chance for the Northern Irishman to get his game into the groove as he builds up to the Masters.

Defending champion Justin Rose of England saw his hopes of retaining the trophy all but disappear with a triple bogey seven on the short ninth, his 18th, to finish with a level par 72 for four-under 138.

Via: Woods birdie blitz on Blue Monster

McIlroy toils again but Tiger tames Doral

(CNN) -- Rory McIlroy's well documented struggles continued at the WGC Championship at Doral -- but he did complete his round this time.

After McIlroy's walkout at last week's Honda Classic, followed by an apology and a vow never to do it again, the 23-year-old hung in there during a difficult opening day at Doral which he ended on one-over-par.

Despite the world No. 1's woes there was better news for his Nike stablemate Tiger Woods, who carded nine birdies in his round of 66 to take a share of lead in Florida.

That leaves the Northern Irishman down near the foot of the leaderboard and trailing way behind his playing partners -- Woods and Luke Donald -- the world No. 2 and 3 respectively.

Cadillac Championship leaderboard

Masters champions Bubba Watson and 2011 U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell are tied with Woods on six-under, alongside Sergio Garcia and Freddie Jacobson.

McIlroy admitted to Sky Sports after his round he was still far from his best: "It was a bit of a struggle to be honest. I hit some good shots, some not so good shots. I've been saying all week its a work in progress and I'm staying patient.

"I've got another three rounds to work more and try and shoot some scores. I had to play each hole as it came, it was nice to sneak in a few birdies in the last few holes to make it look a bit more respectable.

"I felt like I had more of a clear head; I didn't put too much pressure on myself and that's why I didn't get frustrated."

As for his relationship with the press McIlroy said: "I don't want there to be any friction or tension. Every time I'm asked a question I try to answer open and honestly."

Read: McIlroy sorry for Florida walkoff 'mistake'

Woods looked in fine shape as he made the most of benign conditions at the Blue Monster course, due to be redesigned by American tycoon Donald Trump at the conclusion of this tournament.

He made nine birdies and three bogeys to hit the front and fire an ominous warning to the rest of the field.

"Today is as easy as it gets round here," he said, in comments broadcast by Sky Sports. "The wind is up but not like it normally is. We got to play some of the harder holes down wind which makes a difference."

Phil Mickelson is in a group of players one shot back on five-under after a round of 67. He's joined by fellow Americans Hunter Mahan and Steve Stricker.

Via: McIlroy toils again but Tiger tames Doral

Els' coach wants quick belly putter decision

(CNN) -- The coach of four-time major winner Ernie Els has urged golf's governing bodies to come to a quick decision on the proposed banning of anchored putting.

Golf's rulemakers Royal & Ancient (R & A) and the United States Golf Association (USGA), which governs the game in the U.S. and Mexico, announced in November they intend to ban the method of putting by which a club is anchored to a part of the body by 2016.

The decision has been backed by the European Tour, but Tim Finchem, commissioner of the lucrative U.S.-based PGA Tour, opposes the rule change which would essentially outlaw the controversial "belly putter".

Els is one of a clutch of recent major winners who favor using the belly putter -- three of the last five majors have been won by a player using the technique.

Read: McIlroy apologizes for walk off

Els' coach Claude Harmon III has called for a solution to be found soon in order to protect the integrity of the game.

"They have to make a decision quickly," Harmon told CNN's Living Golf. "Brandt Snedeker, who's easily the best putter on the planet, got up and said to Tim, 'You've got to make a decision now.

"If we let this thing continue for three or four more years the guys that are still using the long putter are still going to be winning golf tournaments and then do we put a asterisk, is there a stigma attached to that.

"The longer this keeps going and they still can't find a decision, a guy like Keegan Bradley, does he practice and waste time away from his game to try and do something or does he just continue to do what he is really good at?"

Read: Rapping golfers return with 2.Oh

Bradley and fellow American Webb Simpson both used the anchored putting technique to win the PGA Championship in 2011 and 2012 respectively.

Harmon joined Finchem in questioning whether the method offered players an advantage over more conventional putting techniques.

"None of the best putters in the world use a belly putter and I know from talking to guys like Ernie, like Keegan Bradley and Webb Simpson, I think they do feel a little bit that there's a target on their back," added Harmon.

"I think it is going to be very hard to quantify with data an advantage that a belly putter gives players.

"The PGA Tour and the European Tour and golf at a professional level is a sport absolutely, but it is also a business.

"For me what Tim Finchem is trying to do is say to the governing bodies, this is just my opinion, that if you're going to make decisions that affect the professional game you have to involve the professional game."

Former world No. 1 Martin Kaymer, who uses a traditional putter, also wants to see the issue put to bed.

"I'm a little tired of it," 2010 PGA championship winner Kaymer told CNN. "Everybody should make a decision and we move on. All the speculation now is a little bit too much.

"The PGA Tour, the R & A, the European Tour, they should sit down and make a decision together."

Kevin Garside, of British newspaper The Independent, suggests the reintroduction of golf at the 2016 Olympic Games means anchored putting will be banned, despite U.S. resistance.

"I think it's clear where this is going," said Garside. "You can't get this far and then say, 'OK, as you were.' The putter is going to be banned.

"The Olympic Games is coming up, you can't have an anchored putter at the Olympic Games. It's as simple as that."

According to Bob Harig of ESPN.com, the PGA Tour will have to back down in order to avoid a division within the sport.

"You can't have different rules," Harig said. "They're going to have to fall in line with whatever the USGA and R & A do.

"It would be chaotic if the PGA Tour wrote their own rule on this, which they've never done. It would be a major departure."

Via: Els' coach wants quick belly putter decision