Tiger Woods was born in California and lives in Florida, but he decided to hold his PGA Tour tournament — this week’s AT&T National — in Washington, D.C. At the tournament press conference, he was asked about the PGA Tour’s new groove-rule change, the local hubbub over his pro-am partner, Dallas QB Tony Romo, and his missed putts at the U.S. Open at Bethpage. Normal questions for Woods the professional golfer.

But whether you're turning on the radio or walking down the street, you can't escape news of Michael Jackson’s death this week. And so it was Tuesday as Woods talked about Jackson’s death and his impact as an entertainer.

A reporter asked, “Tiger, few people have ever achieved worldwide recognition to the extent of you. Michael Jackson, I probably would put in that category. Were you a Michael Jackson fan and any thoughts on his passing so young?”

Woods responded the same way most 33-year-olds who grew up in the United States would. Because before he was a multimillionaire, a champion and a worldwide celebrity, he was just another kid in suburban Los Angeles who watched MTV.

“I think everyone here was a Michael Jackson fan. One of, probably if not the greatest entertainer that's ever lived,” Woods said. “I think -- I know my entire generation was influenced by his music, and you know, just the entertainer and just the songs, we listened to them -- whatever. It was always happy. You always wanted to listen to his songs.

Update: The story is finished, and many of our readers were quoted. Read it here.

Dear Readers, gentle and otherwise:

I'm writing about David Duval for our Golf Plus British Open preview issue, and I'd love to hear from a particular group of David Duval fans: those of you who didn't much care for Duval when he was the best player in the world, or close to it, yet found yourself rooting for him at the U.S. Open at Bethpage. What changed? Please leave your comments below and let me know whether I can quote you in the story.

Thanks,
Michael Bamberger, Sports Illustrated

Michael Jackson's death brought down Twitter yesterday, so we did a little digging to see if any of the golf world's avid Tweeters had anything to say about his passing. Almost as soon as the news broke, several players posted their thoughts and reactions. A sampling is below.

Stewart Cink: My favorite Michael Jackson moment came when @lisacink and her five best friends did the whole Thriller dance at our benefit party in March.

Suzann Pettersen: It is hard to pick one favorite song from the king of pop. just so many good ones... love em all. This is surreal!

Trevor Immelman: Man, real sad news about MJ. He was a true legend. Thriller album still stands as one of the best ever.

Annika Sorenstam: SAD day. Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett. Hope the two global icons rest in peace. Thoughts with their families.

Yani Tseng: Michael Jackson died?! Awwww,that is saaaaad and im shocked !!!

Michelle Wie: Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett passed away today?!?!??!?!?! what a sadddd sadd day. may you both rest in peace.

Morgan Pressel: I guess everyone else just found out too...Michael Jackson died?? Not quite sure why I'm so shocked but I am...

Ian Poulter: tragic news about Michael Jackson, what a pop legend. such a shame to see him pass so early. may you rest in peace Michael.

Christina Kim: R.I.P. Michael Jackson. You were a musical icon, a genius in your own right. You inspired millions and changed the world. Youl be missed.

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It wasn't exactly the Beatles on top of the Apple building, but Tiger Woods slowed double-decker tourist buses, clogged sidewalks and had giddy New Yorkers stepping out into city traffic to snap cell-phone pictures when he played three holes of Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2010 against Late Show host Jimmy Fallon Thursday morning in Times Square.

The showdown, a promotional stunt to hype the newly released video game, will appear on the Late Show tonight, which will also feature Woods as a guest. Tiger won't be excited to see it all over again. Dressed in his Sunday best (red shirt, black pants, etc.) Woods was literally beaten at his own game by Fallon.

The pair played the 10th, 11th and 14th holes at Bethpage, causing Tiger to remark early on that he didn't have high hopes since he hadn't played the course very well last weekend. Fallon started with bogey, but he had an excuse. A group of shocked tourists on the open upper level of a passing double-decker recognized Woods and began shouting during Fallon's backswing. With Woods looking at a par putt, all seemed bleak for the TV host until Tiger uncharacteristically four-jacked, handing the hole to Fallon.

As Woods was lining up his putt on the next hole, ESPN's Scott Van Pelt, who hosted along with Golf Channel's Kelly Tilghman, asked, "The putting's a lot harder this year isn't it?" To which Woods quipped, "On the game or in real life?" As Tiger went on to three-putt, Van Pelt went all Johnny Miller on him, saying, "Dude, you suck." Earlier, Woods had given it to Van Pelt about coining the term "flopadopolis" in a recent Titleist commercial. "That's weak," Tiger pronounced.

Tiger's suffering didn't last long, as Fallon put his first shot on the par-three 14th on the front fringe, then drained an 83-footer for birdie. Tiger conceded the hole, answered a few questions from Van Pelt, thanked the crowd and then disappeared into a nearby building.

Photo: Evan Agostini/AP

Flyover videos of Bethpage Black from Tiger's new video game | Tiger Tracker

Edwin Dailey, a 73-year-old resident of Austin, Texas, is being charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after a confrontation at Lions Municipal Golf Course in Austin.

According to the Austin American-Statesman, an arrest affidavit said that Dailey confronted three men on the ninth hole for playing too slowly. The argument continued during the round and into the parking lot, where Dailey took out a loaded, automatic handgun. "If I feel threatened, I am morally obligated to destroy you," he said, according to the affidavit. One member of the threesome, Matt Nader, is a student assistant coach for the Texas Longhorns football team.

Read the entire story at statesman.com.

The Press Tent is calling "repeat" on the No. 1 item on this list, but otherwise a great top 10 list.

Glover also brought the trophy and his wife up to the top of the Empire State Building.

(Photo: Mike Stobe/Getty Images)

While we'll have to wait a few years for the pro debuts of Sam and Charlie Woods, another Woods will be making her first professional start this week at the Wegmans LPGA. Tiger's 18-year-old niece, Cheyenne, a freshman at Wake Forest, received a sponsor's exemption and will tee it up with a field that includes Michelle Wie, Paula Creamer and Natalie Gulbis.

In an interview with The Buffalo News, Woods said she doesn't feel any pressure being Tiger's neice.

"There is the expectation of 'Woods,'" the 18-year-old said. "I've grown up with it. I'm used to having the title and seeing the headlines read 'Tiger Woods' niece.' But I also want to make a name for myself."

It explains why her teammates don't hear the soft-spoken freshman even whisper the name of her uncle, even though her facial features, fist pump and golf swing all scream Tiger Woods.

Cheyenne is the daughter of Earl Woods Jr., who is the son of Tiger's father from a previous marriage. She decided on a career in golf after seeing her uncle win the Masters by 12 strokes in 1997. While Cheyenne didn't have as stellar an amateur career as Tiger, she was chosen the 2007 Arizona High School Golfer of the Year by the Arizona Republic, and at Wake Forest she qualified for every tournament as a freshman.

... Word on the cart paths of Bethpage had it that Adam Scott has gone so flowing-mane-over-soft-spikes for Ana Ivanovic (right), the statuesque tennis player from Serbia who's ranked 12th  in the world, that he will skip Tiger Woods's AT&T National  to attend Wimbledon.

... Ian Poulter seems to be taking on Stewart Cink for the title of  golf's Twitter champ. On Sunday, Cink led in followers, 374,507 to  80,071, but Poulter earned points last week by taking on the USGA in 140 characters or less and  tweeting running commentary on the movie The Hangover, which he went to see during last Friday's rain delay.

... Stat of the week: three -- as in, only three of 109 U.S. Opens have finished on Monday because of weather (1926, '65 and 2009).

... The late finish meant that five players -- Retief Goosen, Todd Hamilton, Anthony Kim, Camilo Villegas and Bubba Watson -- had to bail on the CVS Caremark Charity Classic, an unofficial annual  event in Rhode Island run by Billy Andrade and Brad Faxon. Luckily, CVS had a Band-Aid ready, bringing in Brad Adamonis, Matt Kuchar, David Toms, Brittany Lincicome and Laura Diaz.

...  Last week SI contributing writer Jack McCallum camped in an RV near Bethpage (follow his tale at golf.com/rv), where the most popular player was amateur Drew Weaver, who proved so genuine and personable that one campground family named their cat after him.  

(Photo: Carl de Souza/AFP/Getty Images)

At 2:00 p.m. EST, Golf.com's deputy editor David Dusek will be live on twitter to answer any lingering U.S. Open questions you may have. Now that we've all had a day to think over Lucas Glover's win, Dusek will discuss if he'll win again and look forward to the rest of the season.

Send in a question early by replying @GOLFcom_Dusek on Twitter.

Michael Walker Jr., Golf Magazine senior editor, live-blogged the final round of the U.S. Open at Bethpage Black.

Follow Walker's commentary in 140 characters or less on Twitter

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