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

Listed in roughly chronological order...

1. "It's disgusting what he's just done there. You look at his work ethic, and he's a credit to the game and an inspiration to all of us who are trying to be professional golfers, but some parts of him are arrogant and petulant. Somebody has to come on the green and maybe putt over his spit — it doesn't get much lower than that.” --Sky Sports commentator Ewen Murray after Tiger Woods was shown spitting on the green at the Dubai Desert Classic. Woods was later fined by the European Tour and apologized for the incident.

2. "I'm glad he's out playing golf. I happen to be a golfer. I think presidents deserve down time. And believe me, he is in constant communication with what's going on." --Former Vice President Dan Quayle, on criticism of President Obama for playing golf

3. “Tiger was the dominant player. He won 14 majors. Think about it, 14 majors, in such a short period of time. Who is ever going to do that again? Who knows? That is pretty dominating. So for us, myself, Phil, Vijay, Davis, Fred Couples, guys like that to have played under a guy who was that good, we took a beating, not only from him, but from you guys, too. It's been a tough -- it was a tough 10, 12 years for us.” --Ernie Els at the WGC-Cadillac Championship

4. “As my social status in Japan is getting higher, I believe that is one of the responsibilities, to provide for those people who are in need." --Ryo Ishikawa, on his decision to donate all of his 2011 earnings to earthquake relief in Japan

5. "I’ve gone back and putted that putt a hundred times since. … [and] it’s never broken left again." --Jack Nicklaus at the 2011 Masters on his birdie putt on 17 at the 1986 Masters 

6. “I hate that word. It's just a terrible word. It's not something you want to be associated with -- worst thing you can be called in golf, apart from ‘cheat.’” --Rory McIlroy, on the c-word –- “choke” -- after his final-round meltdown at the 2011 Masters 

7. “I still can’t believe, with just 45 minutes left in that broadcast, how many people could have conceivably won it. It was so exhilarating because that’s what you want—to have the chance to keep people on the edges of their seats. I can’t tell you how many e-mails I got from people saying, ‘I couldn’t even go to the bathroom. I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t want to miss anything.’ ” --Jim Nantz, on Sunday at the 2011 Masters

8. "You could see it a couple of weeks ago at The Masters. Tiger was playing fantastic the first nine on Sunday but there wasn't really somebody who was scared of him any more.” --Martin Kaymer after the 2011 Masters

9. “How are we going to count all the shots? I can’t keep track.” --Kevin Na, on his way to a 16 at the Valero Texas Open

10. "Our hat policy is the same as Augusta’s. Turn your hat around.’” --Quail Hollow member to Rickie Fowler

11. "His swing is definitely better than mine was at the same age. But in '99 my swing came together, and I had a pretty good next two years." --Tiger Woods, on Rory McIlroy’s U.S. Open win

12. “I can't f***ing hit it. I'm f***ing useless.” --Darren Clarke, on the putting green the week before winning the British Open

13. "I've caddied for 33 years, won 145 times and this is the most satisfying win of my career." --Caddie Steve Williams after Adam Scott won the Bridgestone invitational

14. “I don’t have any.” --Phil Mickelson’s caddie Bones Mackay after being asked how many wins he has

15. "I would rather eat a golf ball than see this movie again." --Roger Ebert, on the golf movie Seven Days in Utopia

16. "I don't recall ever saying the Tiger era is over." --Luke Donald after The Daily Express published a story with the headline, "Luke Donald: The Tiger Woods Era is 'Over' "

17. "If it were going to be banned, it should have happened 20-plus years ago. But now that it's been legal, I don't think you can make it retroactive." --Phil Mickelson, on belly putters

18. "Almost every guy who finished at the top of the leaderboard was in the top five in greens hit and ball-striking. To me, that's the ultimate.That's pure golf, not a bunch of scrambling crap." --Johnny Miller’s defense of the Cog Hill redesign after criticism from Phil Mickelson and others

19. “I feel like even if I went to HSBC and won, they’d find another event to add.” --Luke Donald, on learning that the PGA Tour decided to include the HSBC Champions event in Shanghai in the Player of the Year vote after Donald won the money title

20. “No. I make sure I remain totally illiterate in that state." --Jack Nicklaus after being asked if he tweets

All photos from the Associated Press, except for Johnny Miller (Getty Images)

What a wiener!

Deadspin tracked down video of the fan who attempted to throw a hot dog at Tiger Woods as Woods lined up a birdie putt on CordeValle's seventh green on Sunday at the Frys.com Open in St. Martin, Calif.

The man was arrested for disturbing the peace and quickly escorted from the golf course. As for Tiger? Frankly, he didn't give a damn, despite missing the putt.

"Some guy just came running on the green, and he had a hot dog, and evidently -- I don't know how he tried to throw it, but I was kind of focusing on my putt when he started yelling. Next thing I know he laid on the ground, and looked like he wanted to be arrested really because he laid on the ground, put his hands behind his back and turned his head."

For what it's worth, the National Hot Dog Council issued a statement, calling the incident "a violation of hot dog etiquette."

Woods sounds off on Na's "whiff"

Tiger Woods has officially joined the debate on Kevin Na’s whiff that wasn’t a whiff. While Na’s swing-and-miss on No. 15 at TPC Summerlin at the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open has been deemed legal, Woods, who is no stranger to checking his swing, was skeptical of the ruling, according to Ryan Ballengee of NBC Sports.

“I thought it was okay if you could check swing and not pass the ball with the club, but not completely miss it on purpose,” Tiger said after asking Golf Channel’s Billy Ray Brown about the circumstances of the situation. “I think it should be the player’s responsibility to hold up their swing.”

Na, who has been upfront about his bizarre tendency, says that stopping is not an option for him.

“If Tiger is strong enough to stop his swing, good for him. I’m not, so I’m going to go over it. But I definitely think he looks cooler stopping halfway down.”

Na is entitled to continue on with the practice, whether Tiger likes it or not. According to Rule 14 under the Rules of Golf, “The player is considered to have checked his downswing voluntarily by altering the path of his downswing and missing the ball even though the swing carried the club head beyond the ball.”

Playing with the pros

Former Crimson Tide standout Bud Cauley has made a splash on Tour since turning pro at the U.S. Open in June and foregoing his senior season at Alabama. Unfortunately, playing partner and former world No. 1 Ernie Els wasn't paying much attention. Steve Elling of CBS Sports has more:

In the early stages of the third round, former world No. 1 Ernie Els turned to playing partner Bud Cauley and tried to make casual conversation.

"So, Bud," Els said, "when do you plan to turn pro."

Being a respectful kid of 21 years, Cauley politely told Els that he had turned pro at the U.S. Open in June, after leaving the golf program at Alabama a year early.

"I think by the back nine he knew I was a professional," Cauley cracked Sunday.

Elling notes that Cauley nabbed $340,000 for third-place finish at CordeValle and he is almost certain to be only the sixth player since 1980 to earn a full exemption out of college while skipping Q-school.

Tweet of the Day

You could make a convincing case that no one associated with pro golf has had a better year than superagent Andrew "Chubby" Chandler, whose clients racked up wins around the globe, including each of the season's first three majors. (In case you've forgotten, those winners were Charl Schwartzel at the Masters, Rory McIlroy at the U.S. Open and Darren Clarke at the British Open.) But Chandler has now lost one of his biggest hitters, as Ernie Els announced on his website that he's leaving Chandler's International Sports Management, and will seek representation closer to his U.S. base in Jupiter, Fla.

I feel like it's the right time to make this move. After so many years based in the UK and travelling the world golf circuit since turning pro, it is nice now to consolidate our activities in one place.

As you probably know, I've been with Chubby Chandler since 2004 and I want to thank him and all the ISM team for our time together. I'm proud to have been associated with one of the most talented stables in world golf, including my fellow major winners Louis Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel, Rory McIlroy and Darren Clarke as well as World No.2 Lee Westwood. I wish everyone at ISM continued success.

Lexi WDs from Q school ... LPGA eminent?
Fresh off her victory at the LPGA Navistar Classic, 16-year-old Lexi Thompson will skip the second stage of Q school (She finished in first place in Stage 1 by 10 shots). Golfweek's Sean Martin spoke to Thompson's agent, Bobby Kreusler, who said there's no plan for Lexi to join the LPGA Tour full time ... yet.

"This is a time for Lexi to enjoy and relish her victory and enjoy New York," Kreusler said from New York, where Thompson was on a media tour. "It's the week of the Solheim Cup, and the focus should be on that. Mike and I will have conversations when he returns (from Ireland). I need to file a petition; I have not. Lexi certainly will not be at second stage, but not based on anything I’ve been told. Mike and I have always had very honest, very straightforward and productive dialogue. I believe ultimately Mike and I will be able to reach a mutually acceptable conclusion."

Simpson's Secret
Webb Simpson has enjoyed a breakout season on the PGA Tour. How did it happen? The Orlando Sentinel's Jeff Shain reports that Simpson has slowed down, by Simpson's estimation, a mere half second on the greens. But that extra pause to align himself has led to more putts holed -- and trophies lifted.

The secret wasn't unlocked until he had pretty much sealed a missed PGA Championship cut. He was rushing his alignment.

"I aimed the ball in a tournament round a little quicker than I do on the putting green," he explained.

Asked the difference, Simpson estimated half a second. "Pretty amazing," he said.

One week later, Simpson averaged just 28.8 putts en route to victory in Greensboro. The real payoff came two weeks later, at the second stop of the FedEx Cup series in Boston.

Tweet of the Day

Add Paul Azinger to the list of those who have reacted to Golf Magazine's upcoming interview with Greg Norman, who said Tiger Woods will never win another major.

SANDWICH, England — It's not often that Ian Poulter and Paul Casey are demoted to the undercard in their native England. But make no mistake about it, the headliner at Royal St. George's this morning was not in Poulter's 8:42 group or Casey's 8:58 group.
 
As Rory McIlroy walked from the practice green through the crowd to the first tee for his 9:09 start, a chorus of “Go Rory” rose through the damp, chilly air.
 
Ivor Robson, the famous Open Championship starter whose sing-song introduction of the players has become a tournament tradition, beamed as he shook Rory's hand for what seemed like hours. His eyes looked like a teenage girl's gazing at Justin Bieber.
 
At the same time, a mob of teenagers galloped across the nearby 18th fairway hoping to get a glimpse of McIlroy. Never mind that the Northern Irishman was playing with 2002 winner Ernie Els or American heartthrob Rickie Fowler. On Thursday they were just an aging South African and a kid in an oversized black cap.
 
After McIlroy, Els and Fowler hit their tee shots and started walking down the fairway, the grandstands started to empty. The fans who had been standing 10-deep along the ropes started marching down the fairway.
 
Moments later Sergio Garcia walked to the first tee and was greeted with cheers from the much smaller audience. Shouts of "Luuuuke" signaled that Luke Donald, the game's No. 1 player and another Englishman, was arriving.
 
But the most popular story in Europe that doesn't involve Rupert Murdoch was already moving on, and so were most of the fans.

(Photo by Robert Beck/SI)

Jack Nicklaus recently got a phone call from Tiger Woods, in which the former number one player in the world said he wouldn't be able to compete in this year's Memorial Tournament. Although he's still the biggest draw in golf, and this is now the third time in the last six years that Tiger won't play in Jack's tourney, The Golden Bear evidently wasn't too disappointed by the news. Instead, he gave Tiger some advice:

"What I told him is the same thing I've told him numerous times before," Nicklaus said. "I said, 'Tiger, nobody wants their records broken. But I don't want you not to be healthy and not be able to play and give it your best shot.' "I said, 'I wish you well. I hope you get healthy, I hope you go play, I hope you do well, and if you break my records, that's fine, I want to be there to congratulate you.'"

Regarding his ongoing health problems, Tiger indicated that he intends to strengthen his leg as soon as he's able and is aiming for a return at the U.S. Open at Congressional, though he won't make any guarantees.

"I'd much rather take it slow and see how I progress, take it on a week-to-week basis," Woods said. "That's kind of where I'm at right now, and it's hard to look at it beyond that. I've had four surgeries on (the knee). I'm sure down the road (playing on) it may be more difficult, but hopefully I'll be in a cart by then on the senior tour. Between now and then, I should be pretty good."

Els calls Poulter's Wentworth criticism, 'Craziness'

The controversy over Ernie Els' redesign of the famed Wentworth West course continued this weekend as Ian Poulter told the press the course was "unfair," and not "fun." As Wentworth is the venue for one of the European Tour's biggest events, The BMW PGA Championship, the remarks got quite a bit of notice and The Big Easy was none too pleased, saying the comments were "damaging," to the event. He also said he took the criticism personally:

"It's difficult not to, especially when it's coming out of left field. A guy double-bogeys the last hole [because] he doesn't hit the right shot, and then he blames the golf course for his bad shots," he said."I don't take that lightly. We'll have a word when it's suitable, when he's calmed down a little bit. He's done a lot of damage to the flagship event. He's a Ryder Cup player, and to come out with things like that is uncalled for. He should think twice when he does that."

Els went on to point out that the top two players in the world, Lee Westwood and Luke Donald finished at the top of the leaderboard, dispelling the idea that the course was somehow unfair. In regard to whether or not there would be further refinements to the course, Els made it clear he was still a bit miffed at Poulter's comments:

"We'll take stock," he said when asked if there would be any further changes. "But instead of [players] getting on a stage and talking to the world, come up with constructive criticism and we will listen. I'm not going to take this craziness. It's uncalled for."

15 things Tiger must do to break Jack's record

We're all wondering these days if Tiger will ever again be a significant factor on the PGA Tour, let alone break Jack Nicklaus' majors record. Between his personal travails and recurring injuries, it's tough to see how he could realistically challenge The Golden Bear's mark, but Jim Mancari of The Bleacher Report evidently thinks he can and came up with 15 keys for Tiger's comeback. Here they are, with my personal thoughts as well.

1. DON'T PANIC - Agreed. Tiger is still relatively young as golfers go, and as an elite athlete and borderline golf savant, there's no reason to do anything rash yet.

2. OVERLOOK GOLF'S YOUTH MOVEMENT - Agreed, though it won't be easy. Gone are the days when Tiger could out-distance or intimidate the likes of Tom Kite, David Love III, or even Sergio Garcia. Today's young guns are talented and nonplussed by Tiger's aura.

3. FEWER RISKY SHOTS - Agreed, though that won't be easy, either. I've always felt that Tiger could dominate in any era with any equipment, due to his talent, work ethic and competitive toughness. It's time for him to embrace the fact that he can't hit superman shots at will anymore. It would be smart for him to try to rely a bit more on finesse.

4. USE CAUTION WITH THE DRIVER - Agreed. Until he gets his driver swing back he should go to the 3-wood more often. He's still long enough to get away with it and it would help his confidence.

5. KEEP MEDIA INTERACTION TO A MINIMUM - An understandable idea, but hard to agree with. Tiger needs to be more available, not less. He's the biggest draw in the game and has to do what he can to stay in contact with the fans.

6. GET HEALTHY - 'nough said.

7. TRUST HIS SWING - Agreed. Tiger needs to find a way to stop thinking so technically about his swing and just play golf. This is easy to say and probably a lot harder for him to do, but it's an obvious must.

8. MAKE SOME PUTTS - When Tiger was dominating the game, most casual fans were thrilled by his powerful driving and amazing stinger, but it was his outrageous short game that did most of the damage. He needs to get it back if he's ever going to win more majors.

9. ALTER HIS OVERALL GAME - This is a bit redundant after pointing out that he needs to play fewer risky shots and use caution with his driver, but it's still a valid point. Tiger will need to tighten up his approach shots and wedge game if he wants to beat Jack.

10. GET AS MUCH PRACTICE AS POSSIBLE, WITHOUT OVERDOING IT - A tough one for sure. Ben Hogan played and practiced less after his car accident, but he was in much worse shape than Tiger. As a player who has thrived on work, Tiger's going to have a hard time taking it easy while still playing his best.

11. FORGET ABOUT HIS CLOUDED PAST - Agreed, though it's hard to believe at this point that Tiger's marital transgressions are affecting his golf game.

12. LOSE THE NEGATIVE ATTITUDE - This is tricky because many ultra-competitive people have a hard time toning down the intensity and still being successful. I don't mind when Tiger curses or throws clubs, as long as he's playing well and winning.

13. REGAIN CONFIDENCE - Yes, this would be a good thing.

14. WIN A MAJOR SOON - Seems obvious, but it is important. If he can't end his drought in the next year or so, it's possible he might never be able to do it.

15 - MAKE A STRONG SHOWING AT THE U.S. OPEN - Not so important to me. He's still wearing a boot on his injured leg and there's no reason to push it now. As badly as the sport needs him back, I'd rather see Tiger skip the Open and get himself 100 percent healthy.

Tweet of the Day:

@stewartcink: Well it sounds like today's the day the Thrashers officially announce the move to Winnipeg. Long distance relationships rarely work out.

The Belfast Herald's Karl McGinty notices that Tiger Woods is not the only PGA Tour mainstay to fall into a rut due to his putting stroke. His entire peer group (briefly known as the Big 5) is having the same problem.

None more so than Ernie Els, 41, who was so deep in the horrors last week at Hilton Head, he tried out an option in practice which a few years back he’d loudly derided as unacceptable — the belly putter.

Singh, 48, continues to wrestle with his putting demons and the weird grip he currently employs might have been recommended by an exorcist.

While Retief Goosen, 43, seems to have halted the decline of his putting powers, the South African is a shadow of the man acknowledged as the world’s hottest performer on fast surfaces following US Open victories at Southern Hills and Shinnecock.

In common with Woods, Els, Singh and Goosen, Phil Mickelson’s feeling pain where it hurts most. Mickelson misses too many short range putts. He ranks a lowly 155th on the US PGA Tour when it comes to holing-out from inside five feet. Els is 183rd in that category, Singh is 141st and Goosen 98th.

Tiger’s putting has gone to pot at the tender age of 35. His Tour statistics are as startling as that three-putt bogey at 12 as he stalled badly on the back nine on the Sunday at The Masters. Woods currently takes an average 1.794 putts per hole, leaving him a lowly 121st on Tour, while his 29.38 per round leave him in 124th.

Ben Crane helps Katrina charity in New Orleans
Ben Crane does more with his free time than make ridiculous YouTube dance videos. Doug Tatum of The New Orleans Times-Picayune reports on how Crane has partnered with his sponsor Zurich to raise money for families still trying to return to their old homes since Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Crane, Zurich and the St. Bernard Project came up with the Driving It Home campaign in which Zurich donates $100 for every fairway Crane hits from the Farmers Insurance Open in late January through this week’s Zurich Classic. Farmers is a subsidiary of Zurich, and Crane won their event in 2010. He carries the St. Bernard Project logo on his golf bag.

“I just saw the whole vision, saw how well it’s working, how efficient it is, how lean it is and then you talk to people who get back in their houses and … they just had a need and here comes the St. Bernard Project that says we care about you, we value you and we want to help,” said Crane, 35. “That’s a pretty pure act of love. And it’s inspiring. So it’s something we wanted to be a part of, and we get really excited about.”

Tweet of the Day:

From 2006 U.S. Open champ and Metallica fan Geoff Ogivly:

The last time The Open Championship was played at Royal St. Georges, aka Sandwich, it was 2003 and Tiger Woods was still the Tiger Woods of old. So when he lost a ball on the first hole and made a triple bogey 7, it raised some eyebrows, as did the Jerry Kelly's 11 on the same hole. In fact, the difficulty of hitting fairways in general that year, particularly on the first hole where less than 30 percent of drives landed in the short grass, led a lot of pundits to proclaim Ben Curtis' eventual victory a fluke for the ages.

As a result, this year's field at the Open Championship at Sandwich will be aiming at a first fairway that's twelve-yards wider, and 17th- and 18th-hole fairways that also have been made easier to hit. In addition, the golf course will measure 100 yards longer than in the past and play to a par of 70 rather than 71. That reduction is due to an alteration to the famous 4th hole, which will now play as a 495-yard par 4 rather than a 497-yard par 5, as it has in the past. The 15-hole has also been lengthened from 475 yards to 496. It will still play as a par 4.  

Chubby Chandler Expands Business to the U.S.

Ex-golfer and renowned agent Chubby Chandler, whose company, International Sports Management, features notable clients like Ernie Els, Lee Westwood, Charl Schwartzel, Darren Clarke, and Rory McIlroy, is setting his sights on America. Or -- at least -- signing some American clients. To facilitate this goal, Chandler's ISM recently purchased a New Jersey-based marketing firm that will be rebranded ISM USA.

Regarding the purchase, Chandler stated:

“We will now have the chance to extend our sponsorship opportunities as well as look into the possibility of managing American sportsmen and events.”

Donald Trump Battles Scottish Drug Dealer over Golf Resort

OK, it's not quite as salacious as it sounds, but attorneys for Trump are currently trying to prevent a Scottish ex-con named Jason McCallister from opening a dog kennel next to The Donald's $750-million golf resort in Aberdeenshire. McCallister did serious jail time for setting up a $1.8 million heroin deal, and has a long history of trouble with the law. Now he is reportedly trying to clean up his act.

Trump's attorneys believe the dog kennel would create a noise problem, as Trump's development will feature 950 apartments, 500 homes, a hotel and a golf course. In a letter to the local Aberdeenshire Council, Trump's reps have requested a noise impact assessment be done in hopes of killing the project.

Random Fact:

After setting a franchise record with 225,000 copies sold in its first week of release, EA Sports Tiger Woods PGA Tour '12: The Masters, now sits atop the the charts as the most popular PS3 game on the market. Looks like Tiger and the Masters are still a good combo after all.    

TWEET OF THE DAY: 

@stewartcink: Lady Gaga show last night at Gwinnett Arena near my house. Early economic reports indicate a spike in sales of face paint.

Ernie Els has started the Els for Autism Golf Challenge, where you and your friends can enter to play big-name courses, such as the TPC Blue Monster at Doral, the Stadium Course at TPC Scottsdale and Cog Hill, in 32 super regional qualifiers. The first event is May 1 at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. The final round will be held in Las Vegas on Oct. 23 and 24, and teams can get there either by shooting the low net score at their event or by raising the most money.

As the father of an 8-year-old boy with autism, this is a personal cause for else, who has a bigger goal -- to build the Els Center for Excellence.

For more information, visit the Challenge's official website.

Asian Tour Throwdown
This week marks the third season opener of the OneAsia Tour, which has offered unparalleled (for the region) purses and may or may not undermine the larger, older Asian Tour. As Reuters' Patrick Johnson explains, there's a turf war in progress, and the biggest shots are probably yet to be fired.

Since OneAsia began with five tournaments in 2009, Asian Tour officials have accused the organization of stealing their events, bringing down their tour and being bankrolled by a sports management company.

OneAsia have promised to have $1 million prize money for each of their events as they attempt to offer Asian players a platform to compete in their home region rather than be forced to play on more lucrative tours overseas...

The Asian Tour, led by former Myanmar professional Kyi Hla Han, have also built a successful product of 25 events for 2011 offering $45 million in prize money as they promote themselves as a tour run by players for the players.

While OneAsia insists it is not trying to compete with (much less sink) the Asian Tour, the two bodies continue to bump heads:

[T]he spat did involve players when the Asian Tour fined and suspended five of its members who played in a OneAsia event last year.

Johnson's piece provides a great back and forth between the two respective Tour heads, so you should read through it. For the most part, the spat hasn't been much to talk about on this side of the Pacific, but it's definitely turning some heads now: If there's one thing everybody knows, it's that you never start a turf war in Asia.

The (Big) Easy Way to Speed Up
Slow play is one of the few truly universal problems in golf--from the Tour pro to the weekend duffer, everyone hates that moment when he gets to the next tee and sees a roadblock. According to Jon Levy at the Golf Channel, Ernie Els offered a little insight into how he thinks the PGA Tour can tamp down the sleepy menace:

Among the highlights, he’d allow range finding devices in tournaments, cut down the size of tournament fields and prompt PGA Tour officials to "officiate play more" meaning he wishes officials would follow through in assessing penalties instead of warning and threatening.

He wasn’t quick to jump on the bandwagon that penalizing players is the ultimate answer, rather that penalizing the "right guy," instead of making an example out of a player or two, would be a great start.

I'm with Ernie on smaller fields and the idea of having Tour officials actually assess warranted penalties (because players have clearly lost their fear of that happening), but I don't think I can get behind Tour players using rangefinders. It would definitely speed up the pace of play, but forcing players and caddies to gauge their own distances rewards good preparation. Plus, it would be just one more step on the path to  replacing our caddie population with machines. Overreacting you say? It's already started!

Tweet Battle of the Day
Rickie Fowler and Bubba Watson have been having some good old fashioned Wooly Willy-style fun with each other's TGC "Game On" promos this morning.