Waste Management got some bang for its sponsorship buck Thursday when mad bomber Gary Woodland tried to drive the green at the par-4 10th on the Stadium Course at TPC Scottsdale. Woodland’s ball never made it to its intended destination, instead vanishing into a row of Waste Management recycling bins short and right of the green. Gary McCord handled the trash talk…

Woodland two-putted for his par. He was one-under through 15 holes when the first round was suspended due to darkness.

For FedEx Cup points leader, competitiveness is all in the %$#&! family
If you’re impressed not only by Johnson Wagner’s ’stache but also by his steel, give some credit to his fiery mother and smack-talking brother, reports Karen Crouse of The New York Times:

Johnson’s stiff upper lip in competition can be traced to the family golf games he played growing up, contentious rounds that featured thrown clubs and hurled invectives — mostly by Wagner’s mother, Betty. Her sons describe her as the fiercest competitor in the family, with Johnson Wagner running a close second. 

And then there’s his supportive bro, T.J.:

Johnson Wagner sometimes hated his outings with his brother, who played golf at Washington and Lee from 1996 to 2000.

“My brother used to like to get under my skin,” said Wagner, who starred at Virginia Tech. “He knew how to push my buttons. I remember one time I hit a bad drive and he made fun of me, and I tomahawked my putter and it hit the windshield of the cart and shattered it.”

And the sweet, loving vibe at family game night:

...the combativeness that Wagner learned to bottle up on the golf course is uncorked when the family gathers to play board games like Cranium.

“Both my brother’s wife and mine have been brought to tears,” Wagner said. 

Mickelson’s lawyer “very close” to identifying Lefty basher
The attorney who is representing Phil Mickelson in Lefty’s quest to “out” a menacing message-board poster says they are nearing their goal. Paola Boivin of the Arizona Republic checked in with the lawyer, Glenn Cohen, after Mickelson’s opening-round three-under 68 at the Waste Management Open Thursday.

Cohen was happy to hear his client played well while he focused on the dirty work. And it's dirty all right. As Cohen recounted some of the things posted about Mickelson and his wife, he grew madder and madder.

"Enough is enough," he said. "It has to change. We're very close to finding out who this is."

Tweet of the day

RT @DazDavy @Graeme_McDowell if not a golfer... What would u have been??>>broke

— Graeme McDowell (@Graeme_McDowell) February 3, 2012

The 2016 Rio Olympics are still more than four years away, but Rory McIlroy has already discussed his dilemma of choosing which nation to represent at the Games -- Ireland or Great Britain. McIlroy's countryman Padraig Harrington is the latest to weigh in, and the three-time major-winner says the most pro-Irish thing McIlroy can do is to play for Great Britain. Here's Harrington's rationale, according to the Irish Times.

"I'm fascinated with all this conversation about who we declare for," the Dubliner told Setanta Sports in a new program called The Cut Line, to be aired at 10 p.m. on Saturday evening.

"If Rory and Graeme declare for Great Britain, it means we get two more Irish guys into it - as in myself and Darren Clarke get to play. You see the system works if you're in the top fifteen, you can have more than two from the country.

"So, if somebody wants Rory to be as Irish as he can be, he better declare for GB and we get two more guys in. When it comes down to it, it will be a complete no brainer because nobody is losing out, you're actually just gaining a couple of more spots for Irish guys."

An Olympic gold, he says, could be a "career-defining" moment, that "will have relevance in time".

Is Harrington's opinion patriotic or self-serving? And is there any guarantee that in four years he and Clarke would be the two best Irishmen after McIlroy and McDowell? Let us hear it in the comments section below.

It's Never Too Early...
...to start talking Masters. This week Golfodds.com released its odds on the Masters. Looks like some insiders believe that Tiger is back. Here are the favorites, according to the site.

Odds to Win 2012 Masters:

Tiger Woods 9/2
Rory McIlroy 8/1
Phil Mickelson 15/1
Lee Westwood 20/1
Luke Donald 20/1
Adam Scott 25/1
Jason Day 30/1
Dustin Johnson 30/1
Nick Watney 40/1
Rickie Fowler 40/1
Martin Kaymer 40/1
Charl Schwartzel 40/1
Sergio Garcia 30/1
Matt Kuchar 40/1
Hunter Mahan 40/1
Steve Stricker 40/1
Anthony Kim 40/1
Webb Simpson 40/1
Bubba Watson 50/1
Justin Rose 60/1
Geoff Ogilvy 60/1
K.J. Choi 50/1
Graeme McDowell 60/1
Padraig Harrington 80/1
Retief Goosen 80/1
Paul Casey 50/1
Ian Poulter 60/1
Jim Furyk 60/1
Zach Johnson 80/1
Keegan Bradley 60/1
Angel Cabrera 100/1
Y.E. Yang 80/1
Gary Woodland 80/1
Ryo Ishikawa 100/1
Ryan Moore 100/1
Ernie Els 80/1
Brandt Snedeker 60/1
Bill Haas 80/1
Bo Van Pelt 80/1
Field (All Others) 15/1

Where would you place your money? Our favorite picks off this board are McIlroy, Watney and Choi.

Hallway Golf Video of the Day
NBC released a new video of Samuel L. Jackson's appearance on Jimmy Fallon, where the two celebs clash in a round of "Hallway Golf." (Fallon is actually a big golf fan, in case you missed it on Golf.com.)

Tweet of the Day

Bubba Watson showed up to the Phoenix Open in style on Wednesday. Watson, with NASCAR driver Carl Edwards riding shotgun, arrived in the original General Lee car used in the "Dukes of Hazzard" television series. Watson recently purchased the 1969 Dodge Charger at a Barrett-Jackson car auction in Scottsdale for $110,000.

According to the New York Times, Watson fulfilled a life-long dream by purchasing the car.

An impulse purchase, it was not. Watson said he has “loved the show forever” and has a collection of Dukes of Hazzard DVDs to prove it. His wife, Angie, also can testify to his devotion, Watson said.

“At the time we met she knew that I loved that car and wanted one,” he said.

“We made a deal back then that if I ever won a golf tournament, she would let me get one.”

According to SI's Gary Van Sickle, it looked like Watson had a little trouble parking his dream car on Wednesday.

Bubba's ride in TPC lot. twitpic.com/8ehbss

— Gary VanSickle (@GaryVanSickle) February 1, 2012

UPDATE: Courtesy of Watson's Twitter feed, we can confirm that the horn works.

(Photo: Allan Henry/US PRESSWIRE)

Phil Mickelson wants to unmask an Internet user who has made what Mickelson calls anonymous and defamatory attacks against him, according to Court House New Service.

Phil Mickelson sued an Internet service provider, seeking the identity of a person who posted what the golfer calls "vicious" statements about him and his wife.

Mickelson sued Videotron S.E.N.C. in Quebec Superior Court, seeking the identity of the author of "several highly defamatory statements posted by one or more individual on the Internet, in particular on a Yahoo! website, under the pseudonyms of 'Fogroller' and 'Longitude'.

"The postings suggest that plaintiff has an illegitimate child, that his wife has affairs and other similar vexatious statements that are absolutely untrue and, simply put, vicious," the complaint states.

According to Courthouse News, Mickelson said that he got the user's Internet service provider information from Yahoo!.

In his complaint, Mickelson says the San Diego Superior Court authorized him to subpoena Yahoo! for information about "Fogroller" and "Longitude," and Yahoo! responded with Fogroller's Internet protocol address, which is registered to a Videotron subscriber.

Videotron's attorney said Mickelson needs a court order for the company to provide him with the information he seeks. Mickelson seeks the court order.

D.A. Points explains worst-ever chest bump with Bill Murray

D.A. Points’s partnership with Bill Murray at the 2011 Pebble Beach National Pro-Am resulted in Points winning the tournament, he and Murray winning the pro-am, and the worst chest-bump in sports history (see video above). Even Tiger Woods and Steve Williams probably thought the celebration was a little awkward.

Kevin Merfeld of The Monterey Herald talks to Points about what went wrong after his hole-out on 14. The fault, Points says, lies entirely with Murray.

"Hey, I was all-in. A chest bump is a two-person game, and if the other person pulls up short, there's nothing I can do about it. I was all-in. There was definitely air between my spikes and the ground. I did my part."

Tweet of the Day

12

Number of greens Tiger missed in the final round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship. He missed eight greens during the first 54 holes of the tournament.

12

Number of fairways Tiger Woods missed in the final round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship. He missed 16 fairways in the first 54 holes of the tournament.

24

Number of putts Tiger took in the final round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship. He had 35 putts in the first round.

9

Number of players who have started the final round of a tournament on either the PGA Tour or European Tour paired with Tiger and have gone on to win the tournament. Robert Rock is the newest member of the club.

62

Spots in the Official World Golf Ranking that Robert Rock moved up after winning the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. He is now ranked 55th and if he doesn’t fall back in the next two weeks, he will get a spot in the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship. Rock is also within reach of the top 50 and a Masters invite with another great finish.

$300

Amount Robert Rock paid for his Newark-to-Washington D.C. cab ride to the 2011 U.S. Open because he had last-minute visa problems. (Rock is English.) He finished T23 in the tournament.

227

Number of European Tour events Robert Rock has played. The Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship was his second win. He also won the BMW Italian Open in 2011.

--Compiled by Sal Johnson

(Photo: AP)

Hank Haney took issue with recent criticism from Tiger Woods over Haney’s new book about Tiger in an interview with Crain’s Ed Sherman. Woods had called Haney “unprofessional” for writing a book about his six years coaching Woods. Haney’s book The Big Miss: My Years Coaching Tiger Woods comes out in late March.

Were you surprised about Mr. Woods' reaction?

Not really. It seems pretty consistent to how he's reacted to things in the past. I feel like it is a fair and honest book. I know he said it is “unprofessional.” I don't know how you can make a comment like that without reading the book. I think I had an opportunity to write an unprofessional book, but I don't think I did. I feel like I wrote a fair and honest book.

Should he be worried about what's in the book?

Maybe. (Mr. Haney then took a long pause.) The truth is the truth. There are quite a few things in there that people will find as surprises. I just wrote a fair and honest book. I said all along this wasn't going to be a takedown book. People that know me know that's not what I would do.

What did you think about him saying he won't read the book?

He reads everything. If he says (he) won't, that probably will be the first time. It'll be up to him to decide if he's unhappy. I feel like it is very honest.

He reads everything? We’re already learning new stuff about Tiger from Haney’s book and it’s not even out yet.

Struggling Darren Clarke fires caddie who helped him win Open

They don't call him the “Prince of Darkness” for nothing.

The Scotsman’s Martin Dempster reports that Darren Clarke has fired caddie John Mulrooney, who was on Clarke’s bag during his storybook win at the Open Championship at Royal St. George’s.

According to ISM, Clarke’s management company, the split with Mulrooney is amicable and the player will spend some time weighing up his options for a replacement.

Having decided not to play in either Qatar or Dubai, Clarke’s next competitive outing will be the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in Arizona at the end of February.

Mulrooney took over as Clarke’s full-time caddie after the former Ryder Cup player won the Iberdrola Open in Majorca last May.

The pair came close to breaking up after it was claimed they had a furious disagreement on the Sunday at the Scottish Open at Castle Stuart, but they were back on the same wavelength as their partnership worked a treat the following week.

Bill Clinton to play in Nationwide Tour event in Colombia

Fresh off the success of his first PGA Tour hosting gig at the Humana Challenge in Palm Springs, Calif., former President Bill Clinton announced he would take part in the Nationwide Tour’s Pacific Rubiales Colombia Championship, which begins Feb. 13.

The PGA TOUR, Pacific Rubiales Energy and the William J. Clinton Foundation announced today that President Clinton will travel to Bogota, Colombia in February and attend the Nationwide Tour's Pacific Rubiales Colombia Championship. The tournament will be presented by Samsung and will support the Clinton Foundation's work through the Clinton Giustra Sustainable Growth Initiative (CGSGI) in Colombia.

President Clinton will participate in tournament activities, including the Wednesday, Feb. 15th Pro-Am, featuring Nationwide Tour professionals, government officials, Pacific Rubiales executives, clients and guests. It will be the first time a sitting or former president of the United States has attended a Nationwide Tour event.

We’re thrilled that Clinton wants to be part of golf, but if he’s got all this free time, shouldn’t he be replacing Oprah instead?

Surgeon talks about Tiger’s ACL surgery after 2008 U.S. Open

Lee Benson of The Deseret News profiles Park City, Utah, orthopedic surgeon Vern Cooley, the doctor who repaired Tiger Woods’s left knee after the 2008 U.S. Open. Cooley said the surgery, which he performed with his partner Dr. Tom Rosenberg, was a success.

"We've become good friends," says Cooley of Woods, and while Cooley hasn't been consulted about trying to repair Tiger's more recent non-knee troubles, he is of the opinion that his golf career, given Tiger's work ethic and determination, will eventually rebound.

And he's absolutely confident of one thing. That left knee of his was repaired right, and in the right place.  

Tweet of the Day

Cartoon Stanley
After Kyle Stanley's shocking collapse at the Farmers Insurance Open on Sunday, Steve Elkington shared this comic about Stanley.

After 18 on Sunday @kylestanleygolf tried to make a claim @ Farmers... twitter.com/elkpga/status/…

— Steve Elkington (@elkpga) January 30, 2012

Pros Talk Tennis
Despite being busy playing in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, Rory McIlroy and Luke Donald had time not only to tweet but catch some of the action at the Australian Open.

They are going to have to come up with a 6 hour energy drink, 5 just ain't going to cut it. #Rafa/Djokovic

— Luke Donald (@LukeDonald) January 29, 2012

Apparently I missed an unbelievable tennis match today! Was busy making birdies, bogeys and others!! Need to limit mistakes at the weekend!

— Rory Mcilroy (@McIlroyRory) January 27, 2012

Lost in the desert
Donald also had some free time to do a photo shoot in the middle of nowhere. Literally.

Headed out to the middle of the desert yesterday for a photo shoot. Amazing views! twitpic.com/8bhbag

— Luke Donald (@LukeDonald) January 25, 2012

Took John ages to find those balls....

— Luke Donald (@LukeDonald) January 25, 2012

Rockin' the hat?
Robert Rock has yet to wear a hat while he plays, but that may change.

Report: Titleist offers Robert Rock 1 million a year for three years to put Titleist logo on his forehead.

— John Peterson (@JohnPetersonLSU) January 30, 2012

Donald was thinking the same thing we were.

No hat deal for Rock yet? Maybe he has a hair deal in place instead. #tresemme? #Head&Shoulders?

— Luke Donald (@LukeDonald) January 29, 2012

Tiger Woods may have lost his head-to-head battle with Robert Rock in the final group at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, but his tie for third place was enough to lift him back into the top 20 in the Official World Golf Ranking. This week Woods is ranked 17th.

Woods began 2012 ranked 23rd, thanks largely to his victory at the Chevron World Challenge in December. He slipped to 25th the week before teeing it up in Abu Dhabi, his first event of the year.

Despite not winning in Abu Dhabi, Woods said he is pleased with the way his golf game is progressing. His next scheduled tournament is the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in two weeks.

"I've got a week off to get ready for Pebble, and then we have a couple of big events, a couple of World Golf Championships," he said. "So there's plenty of big events to go, but I'm pleased at the progress I've made so far. Basically since Australia, my stroke-play events have been pretty good. So I just need to keep building, keep getting more consistent."

Woods entered the 2011 season as the top-ranked player in the world, but during his erratic, injury-plagued season he briefly toppled out of the top 50 before winning the Chevron in December.

Thanks to his victory in Abu Dhabi, Robert Rock vaulted up the rankings from 117th to 55th.

Luke Donald tied for 48th in Abu Dhabi but maintained his No. 1 ranking. Rory McIlroy finished second in Abu Dhabi and passed Lee Westwood for No. 2, the highest McIlroy has been ranked in his career.

(Photo: Paul Childs/Zuma Press)

Mickelson puts Southern California home on the market for $7 million

With his missed cut at the Farmers Insurance Open in the past, Mickelson is now focusing on the future. According to Market Watch, he and his wife, Amy, have recently put their luxurious Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., estate [right] on the market for $7.095 million.

"Simply put, this is one of the finest and most private estates you'll find -- anywhere," said Susan Bartow, listing agent for the Mickelsons. "The materials used and craftsman who built this incredible estate are second to none."

The 9,500 square foot, five-bedroom, Tuscan-style home sits on 4.88 acres and comes with two guest villas. The estate includes lavish landscaping, a swimming pool, and its very own putting green. 

Graeme McDowell's luck of the Irish

In Sunday's final round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, Graeme McDowell hit two memorable shots. His first was a beautiful hole-in-one on the 12th hole par 3. But his next shot on 18 wasn't as glamorous. Jonathan Wall at Yahoo! Sports has the story:

After knocking his second into a bunker short of the 18th green, McDowell caught his approach shot thin and half expected it to end up in the grandstands behind the green. But instead of ending up with an incredibly difficult fourth shot, McDowell's ball ricocheted off the grandstand and rolled back to within a couple feet of the cup.

McDowell made the birdie and finished the tournament with a tie for third. 

Finally, a great lie for the Donald

According to The [Newark] Star-Ledger, Donald Trump plans to seek New Jersey state approval in order to build a burial ground next to Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster. 

The 1.5-acre site would become the exclusive final resting place for wealthy club members who pay as much as $300,000 in membership fees. And a section of the lush plot would be carved out for Trump and his next of kin, said Ed Russo, a Trump consultant.

"It’s a very personal decision, but he’s considering it," Russo said. "This is really about members, but we do plan to set something aside for Mr. Trump and his family."

Tweet of the Day

[Photo of Mickelson house from Prudential Realty]

Robert Garrigus was nowhere near the scene of the accident when presumed Farmers Insurance Open champion Kyle Stanley [right] triple-bogeyed the 18th hole at Torrey Pines South on Sunday to fall into a playoff with Brandt Snedeker. (Not surprisingly, Snedeker won on the second extra hole.)

Garrigus, who triple-bogeyed the last hole to fall into a playoff he would eventually lose at Memphis in 2010, had struggled on Torrey's poa annua greens and bogeyed his last two holes to miss the cut at the Farmers, so he was back home in Scottsdale, Ariz., watching the back nine at Torrey on TV. 

"I left to go get a massage at 3:30 or 4 o'clock," he said by phone Sunday night. "I saw Kyle make a five-footer on 15 for par. I thought it was a lock; Brandt made bogey on 17. It was a four-shot lead with three holes to play."

Alas, just as Garrigus had buckled under the pressure of trying to win his first tournament in 2010, the enormity of what the winless Stanley was about to accomplish seemed to hit him all at once. He spun a wedge off the green and into the water, hit his fifth shot on the green and three-putted. 

"I saw what happened and thought, 'I'm one of the only guys in the United States who can relate to how he feels,' because I've been there and it's brutal," Garrigus said. "He'll win. It's not the end of the world, but it sure feels like it at the time."

Garrigus won at Disney at the end of 2010 and dedicated the victory to Tony Kornheiser, the co-host of ESPN's Pardon the Interruption, who had suggested fans might never hear from Garrigus again.

"He didn't know what he was saying," Garrigus said. "I got some good pub out of it. It was a lot of fun."

Similarly, he believes the first win for the shell-shocked Stanley might not be far off.

"I wish I had his number because I would call him," said Garrigus, who tied for third at the U.S. Open last summer and will make his first Masters start in April. "I'm sure I'll see him soon. I'll tell him, 'You've got to get there to blow it.' That's what Chris DiMarco said to me: 'You've got to get there to blow it, and you'll be there again. Don't worry about it. It's just golf.'"

(Photo: Kohjiro Kinno/SI)

Join us on Monday, Jan. 30 at noon EST to respond to each of the questions posed in this week's edition of the PGA Tour Confidential.

Robert Rock held off Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and the rest of the field to win the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship on Sunday.

It was the second career victory for Rock, a 34-year-old Englishman in his 10th year on the European Tour who also won last year's Italian Open. Rock, who started the day tied for the lead with Woods at 11 under, hit his drive on the par-5 18th into a hazard but salvaged bogey to shoot 70 and finish 13 under, one shot ahead of Rory McIlroy.

Woods had three birdies and two bogeys on the front nine and started the back nine with a bogey on the par-5 10th. From there, Woods made nothing but pars, shooting even-par 72 to tie for third with  Graeme McDowell and Thomas Bjorn at 11 under.

All week, Woods had been in control of his long game, but he hit just one fairway on the back nine on Sunday and only six greens in regulation for the day.

Woods won his own event, the limited-field Chevron World Challenge, in December, but he hasn't had a full-field victory since November of 2009, when he won the Australian Masters.

After the tournament, Woods said some of his distances were off in the final round, but overall he sounded optimistic about his game.

"I’m pleased with the progress I’ve made so far," he said. "Since Australia, my stroke play events I’ve been doing pretty good. I just need to keep building, keep getting more consistent. Today was a day I putted beautifully, I just didn’t give myself enough looks."

Rock sounded a bit overwhelmed by his accomplishment.

"I was just very happy to be playing Tiger Woods today, and that’s a special honor in itself," Rock said. "It’s been a steady progression from when I finished work in the golf shops, and I worked hard at my game, but I didn’t think this would happen."

Stay tuned to Golf.com for more from Abu Dhabi. Leaderboard | Round 4 Photos | Round 3 Photos 

Photo: Paul Childs/Zuma Press

Tiger Woods fired a six-under 66 in the third round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship to get to 11 under for the tournament. He's tied for the lead with England's Robert Rock.

Woods hit 10 of 14 fairways and 16 greens in regulation and had 30 putts. He shot 32 on the back nine with four birdies, including one on the par-5 18th.

Rory McIlroy shot a four-under 68 and is tied for third with Peter Hanson, Francesco Molinari and Paul Lawrie. 

Woods won his own event, the limited-field Chevron World Challenge, in December, but he hasn't had a full-field victory since November of 2009, when he won the Australian Masters.

Stay tuned to Golf.com for more from Abu Dhabi. Leaderboard | Round 3 Photos | Round 2 Photos

(Photo: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

How can a tournament with a purse of "only" $2.7 million ($445,000 to the winner), played in a place that's a 14-hour hour flight from the East Coast, match a rich ($6 million purse, $1.044 million for first) domestic event held at a former U.S. Open venue? Can you say "appearance fees”?

Such payouts are forbidden on the PGA Tour -- the only perk players will get at Torrey is the use of a rental car -- but the Euro tour has fewer restrictions, and Abu Dhabi is the major championship of pay-for-play. The extras are so lavish that they more than make up the $3.3 million purse differential. For starters, everyone in the field gets free travel and accommodations at the luxurious Emirates Palace. After that, the size of the envelope varies based on star power.

Players universally refuse to discuss specifics, so we’re left with no choice but to speculate. Here's a guesstimate, based on many conversations with fellow golf journalists, as to what some of the headliners might be receiving.

Tiger Woods, $2.5 million: Woods's has played in Dubai, where his Al Ruwaya golf course project has returned to the desert, but this is his first start in Abu Dhabi.

Rory McIlroy, $1 million: The U.S. Open champ is the second-biggest draw in golf and a regular at Abu Dhabi, playing there five straight years.

Lee Westwood, $750,000: You don't hear much about it, but keeping easy-money events like Abu Dhabi on their schedules is one reason Euros like Westwood come and go from the PGA Tour.

Luke Donald, $600,000: This was the world No. 1's first trip to Abu Dhabi. If he wins a major, his price could double.

Darren Clarke, $400,000: Being the British Open champ is a big deal in an event like this. Plus, who doesn't love Clarkie?

Graeme McDowell, $200,000: Another regular in the UAE and a popular U.S. Open winner.

Martin Kaymer, $200,000: Kaymer is the King of Abu Dhabi, where he has won three times and is the defending champ.

Charl Schwartzel, $200,000: All the 2011 major winners were pursued, and only Keegan Bradley (PGA Championship) said no.

K.J. Choi, $100,000: At Abu Dhabi, they regard the Players Championship as if it really is the fifth major.

Colin Montgomerie, $0: No cash, but since he has played in all seven Abu Dhabi Championships, he'll get the royal treatment.

D'oh! Rory gets two-stroke penalty at Abu Dhabi
Rory McIlroy had a momentary brain lapse in Friday's round at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship that cost him a two-shot penalty and left him tied for fourth instead of tied for the lead at the end of the day. McIlroy brushed away sand from his line when playing his shot from off the ninth green. The Irish Examiner has the story:

Ireland's US Open champion would have been alongside Dane Thorbjorn Olesen -- a rather less well-known 22-year-old -- but for brushing sand away from his line on the ninth hole of his second round.

That would have been all right if it had been on the green, but he was six feet off the putting surface and world number one Luke Donald instantly brought it to his attention.

"I wasn't thinking clearly and just made a very stupid mental mistake," McIlroy said.

Playing partner Luke Donald immediately brought the mistake to McIlroy's attention.

"Luke said: 'Don't think you can do that', and I was like: 'Oh yeah, I can't, can I? It happens and you just have to take it on the chin."

Despite the miscue, McIlroy was able to scramble back and finish the round with a 72. 

New caddie for Els
Ernie Els will be seeking the advice from a new caddie for the duration of this year's Farmers Insurance Open. According to Reuters, his long-term caddie, Ricci Roberts, suffered a freak accident after falling down a flight of stairs after a pro-am event in South Africa.

Roberts, who had competed in a charity tournament to raise funds for the Ernie Els & Fancourt Foundation, broke his ankle after accepting a prize and will be out for at least two months.

"I called Ricci up on stage and he did a little speech but when he walked off he just kind of missed his first step and he went down," Els told Reuters before Thursday's opening round of the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines.

"It was so damn dark and this stage was about this high," the South African added, pointing six feet above the air. "The poor guy broke his ankle so he's out for a while.

Els's replacement caddie, Dan Quinn, is a former National Hockey League player and has caddied for Els before back in 2010, according to Reuters. Els said he expects Ricci to be back caddying for him by the middle of March. 

Tweet of the Day

Tiger Woods moved into a tie for third place at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship on Friday, making five birdies and two bogeys on the way to a three-under 69 and a five-under total.

Woods hit six of 14 fairways and 13 greens in regulation but had just 28 putts, seven fewer than Thursday's total.

Rory McIlroy shot even-par 72 and is tied with Woods at five under. The third member of their marquee group, No. 1-ranked Luke Donald, also shot 72 and is one under.

Woods won his own event, the limited-field Chevron World Challenge, in December, but he hasn't had a full-field victory since November of 2009, when he won the Australian Masters.

Thorbjørn Olesen of Denmark shot five-under 67 to take the lead at seven under.

Stay tuned to Golf.com for more from Abu Dhabi. Leaderboard | Round 2 Photos | Round 1 Photos

Photo: Arwan Naamani/AFP/Getty Images

It was announced this morning at the PGA Merchandise Show that Meg Mallon will captain the U.S. Solheim Cup team in 2013 as they look to extract revenge on the European side when they meet at Colorado Golf Club. 

Mallon is an 18-time LPGA winner, including four major championships, and played on eight U.S. Solheim Cup teams, sporting a 13-9-7 career record. She served as an assistant captain to the victorious 2009 team and also captained a winning American side at the 2011 PING Junior Solheim Cup. 

"It's an absolute honor to be selected as the 2013 U.S. Solheim Cup Team Captain," said Mallon. "I've participated in The Solheim Cup on nine occasions and each has been a proud moment for me, but to represent the United States as team captain definitely caps off my career. I look forward to working hard on getting the Cup back in U.S. hands." 

Back to school
Rory McIlroy, the scholar. That’s right, the U.S. Open champ is set to receive an honorary degree from the University of Ulster in Northern Ireland. According to the Irish Times, McIlroy will be awarded a Doctor of Science degree for his contribution to golf. 

The university said: “Rory McIlroy has quickly established himself as a major force in international golf as a Major winner and Ryder Cup hero.” 

Compatriots Graeme McDowell and Darren Clarke have also been honored by the university in the past. 

Other notables to receive honorary degrees from the University of Ulster this year include Manchester United skipper Sir Alex Ferguson, Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody and actor Sir Ian McKellen, among others. 

Golf’s Oprah
Looking to build on a successful first season, Golf Magazine contributing writer David Feherty’s hit talk show, Feherty, will expand to a one hour time slot, beginning February 27. Due to viewer demand, Golf Channel has also ordered more episodes for season two and has pushed the original series back to the 10 p.m. time slot. In a press release, Golf Channel stated:

“We were blown away by the positive reaction our viewers had to this show and their appreciation for the truly heartfelt moments David was able to pull from each interview,” said Golf Channel President Mike McCarley. “People know David as funny and a bit irreverent, but they never knew how much emotion would come from this series. The one comment we heard repeatedly from viewers was ‘give us more’ -- so that’s exactly what we plan to do in season two.” 

If you can’t hold out an entire month for your weekly dose of Feherty, don’t fret. Before season two airs, viewers will be treated to a special from the Super Bowl with Feherty performing before a live theatre audience, armed with a slew of guests from the world of sports and entertainment. 

Additionally, Golf Channel will be airing bonus footage shot for two of the most popular Feherty episodes, including never-before-seen interviews with Johnny Miller and Tom Watson. The episodes will be re-aired in a one-hour format on February 13 and 20, respectively. 

Speed golf
Ben Crane isn’t the only one pumping out viral videos; rally driver and drifting champion Rhys Millen has teamed up with Hyundai to bring the largely underground world of Formula D to the golf course. Millen, who will race the 500bhp Hyundai Veloster in the US Rallycross championship, shows just how fast he really is, terrorizing the Purangi Golf & Country Club in New Zealand with his turbocharged golf cart. 

PGA Tour, take notice. We just solved your pace of play problem.

Tweet of the Day

Steve Sands @ Golfchannel reports from Abu Dhabi that Tiger Woods took off his undershirt on hole 4 yesterday.... #tigersyearhasstarted

— Steve Elkington (@elkpga) January 26, 2012

Those looking forward to some Tebowing on the greens at Pebble Beach are going to be disappointed. According to Golf Channel's Ryan Ballengee, Tebow will not be participating in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am due to injuries sustained in the Broncos' playoff game against New England.

Tebow suffered injuries to the chest and ribs during the game against the Patriots, reportedly including torn rib cartilage and bruised lungs. The former Florida Gator would not have played in the AFC Championship game had the Broncos won.

"Due to the injuries, it looks like he's a no-go," Tournament Director Steve Worthy said.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is still committed to the event, as is Bill Belichick. 

Crane's other favorite sport
Ben Crane and his helmet have finally returned to let us know he has a lot left in the tank ...on the uneven bars.

It’s not all pommel horses and floor routines, though. For every 100,000 views, Farmers Insurance will donate $1,000 to charity, and up to $5,000, on behalf of Crane.

Pretty in Pink
While Dustin Johnson, Jason Day and other TaylorMade stars are sporting white drivers, and Rickie Fowler seems to have bright orange everything, Bubba Watson is trumping them all with his new pink Ping G20 driver. Every drive Bubba bombs with his pink hardware will help his new charity, “Bubba and Friends Drive to a Million.” Watson’s personal website has the details:

Last year, he dubbed himself Bubba Long – averaging 315 yards per drive on the PGA Tour. This year, he's Bubba Long in Pink.

PING will be with Bubba every step of the way – especially on the tee box – as he drives toward his goal of $1 million while relying on his custom-painted, matte-pink finish PING G20 driver and pink True Temper Grafalloy Bi-Matrix shaft.

PING will donate $300 for the first 300 drives measuring 300 or more yards in 2012 to help Bubba reach the $1 million mark and has already contributed $10,000 to the effort.

According to Golf Channel, Watson had 483 drives of more than 300 yards last season. Golf photographer Allan Henry tweeted an image of the driver, and it’s safe to say it will be hard to miss.

No word yet on whether the General Lee will also be getting a new paint job.  

Tweet of the Day

@bubbawatson WHAT IS THAT DRIVER?!? You really are a big fan of mine! Thank you hahah

— Paula Creamer (@ThePCreamer) January 24, 2012

Callaway's new ad campaign, which was featured in Truth & Rumors in December and will air for the first time this weekend, was crafted in part by Justin Timberlake, who was named creative director for the company in December. According to The Wall Street Journal, the ads, featuring trick shots by staff pros on the Vegas strip, are designed to reach a younger audience and spice up Callaway's image.

The marketing effort features golf pros such as Phil Mickelson and Annika Sorenstam using Callaway products to perform jaw-dropping golf feats on the Las Vegas Strip. One TV ad shows golfer Alvaro Quiros on a floating platform on the strip, hitting a golf ball 310 yards over the Bellagio fountain.

In another, several golfers including Ms. Sorenstam hit balls from rooftop to rooftop along the strip. Helicopters fill in for golf carts.

"We wanted to make a statement that was more rock 'n' roll," said Mr. Timberlake, who has been a paid endorser for Callaway for several years but isn't in any of the new ads. Mr. Timberlake worked with Factory Design Labs, a Denver ad agency that began creating the new pitch in April 2011.

Callaway spent far less on advertising in 2011 than rivals TaylorMade and Titleist, The Journal reported, and plans to increase this year's spending by $25 million. Timberlake summed up the company's efforts by saying that Callaway is hoping to give golf a "nice injection of kickassery."

Big fee lures Tiger, but how big was it?
Tiger Woods will be paid between $1.7 and $2.7 million in appearance fees to play in Abu Dhabi this week, according to GolfChannel.com. The article only cites "practice-tee buzz," and Woods did not disclose the amount, but rest assured that this has already been a lucrative trip for Woods.

Vandals strike Texas course
The Pecan Grove Country Club in Richmond, Texas, suffered at least $80,000 worth of damage when carts were stolen and left all over the course, according to Click2Houston.com.

The vandals broke into a golf cart barn and stole more than two dozen carts. Six were submerged in the golf course's water hazards. Eighteen other carts were found parked all over the golf course, including the greens.

Tweets of the Day
Caroline Wozniacki's tough loss in the Australian Open seems to have been softened somewhat by a present from one Irish pro and a compliment from another.

@Graeme_McDowell Thanks Gmac! :) Hope to see you soon! @McIlroyRory has good taste, it was a present from him:)

— Caroline Wozniacki (@CaroWozniacki) January 22, 2012