Ochoa wins Safeway International

Lorena Ochoa retained her Safeway International crown in dominant fashion on Sunday, posting a seven-stroke victory in the 1.5 million-dollar LPGA event.

The world number one from Mexico, who led by one at the start of the round, fired a six-under-par 66 for a 22-under total of 266 - four strokes better than her winning total last year.

South Korean Jee Young Lee, who birdied 18 for a 72, finished second at 15-under 273 with Finland's Minea Blomqvist third at 14-under 274 after a 67.

Ochoa, 26, notched her 19th LPGA title and her second of 2008. She opened her season with a victory in the HSBC Women's Champions in Singapore earlier this month.

Former world number one Annika Sorenstam (70) finished in a tie for ninth at 11-under in a group that also included British veteran Laura Davies.

Ochoa never lost her lead on the final day.

After two birdies and two bogeys in her first six holes, Ochoa sank back-to-back birdies of 15 feet at eight and nine.

At 13 she knocked a pitching wedge to 12 feet to ignite a run of three birdies in a row, and she finished the day with a two-putt birdie from 30 feet at the par-five 18th.

"It was a great day, especially the back nine," she said. "Front nine, a little bit up and down. I think being in the last group with the pressure and the wind, it was a little tough, but then I told myself just be patient.

"I was hitting the ball really good, and I missed few putts, just try not to really pay much attention.

"And then I made a great birdie on eight and nine, and from there just everything went a little bit easier," she said...

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Boat Angel

I don't think there is anything more noble than helping your fellow man when things are tough. There are many great charities and organizations out there that do a great job and are worth supporting. One of these great charities is boatangel. Boatangel is a little bit different than the usual charity, they take boat donations and then sell these boats with the proceeds going to charity. This Boat Donation Charity is a fantastic idea and supports children's animations with a strong message and anti-drug documentaries. Boatangel also supports teen boys rehabilitation homes and provides uplifting books for the prisons. There are also plans to build another outreach center which will impact more lives for good.

It is great to see a innovative idea like this be put to such good use. Boat donations can be made all around the US so if you have a boat you no longer need and want to support a great charity take some time to visit their website.

Romero Wins Zurich Classic

Argentina's Andres Romero won the Zurich Classic in his 12th career start on the PGA Tour, closing with a 4-under 68 on Sunday for a one-stroke victory over Australia's Peter Lonard.

Romero, a shot behind John Merrick on Sunday morning after the completion of the third round, had a 13-under 275 total on the TPC Louisiana and earned $1,116,000.

Lonard had a chance to force a playoff, but missed a long birdie putt on 18.

Lonard opened with a pair birdies, bogeyed Nos. 3 and 10, then birdied Nos. 8, 11, 14 and 16 to tie Romero at 13 under. The Australian's putt for par on 17 stopped 4 inches shy of the cup, and he then failed to birdie 18.

Romero, who started with a 73 on Thursday, whittled away at the lead with a 69, then a 65 in the rain-delayed third round. In the final round, Romero offset a bogey on the sixth hole with five birdies.

The consolation for Lonard is that the runner-up finish should get him into the Masters by moving him from No. 72 to No. 50 in the world. The Zurich Classic was the final week to earn a spot at Augusta National through the world ranking.

Romero already qualified for the Masters with his third-place finish last summer in the British Open, a result that helped him earn a 2008 PGA Tour card.

Tim Wilkinson shot a 67 to finish third, two strokes back at 11 under. British Open champion Padraig Harrington (69), Woody Austin (71) and Nicholas Thompson (71) followed at 10 under.

The law is the law

The law is a confusing thing for most people and if you happen to find yourself in trouble this confusion can quickly spiral out of control. In this situation you need to find a good lawyer to deal with the issue calmly and ease your stress. Los Angeles Criminal Attorneys | California DUI Felony Misdemeanor Lawyers are a top 5% US Law firm and specialize in aggressive criminal defense in southern California.

Andalucian Open - Round 1 Wrap

Lee Westwood made a brilliant start to the defence of his Andalucian Open at the Aloha Golf Club with a first round seven-under-par 65 to lead the tournament.

The Englishman fired seven birdies and no bogeys to go one shot clear of 20-year-old amateur star Danny Willett, who shot a round of 66.

Veteran star Jose Maria Olazabal carded a decent round of 71 on his return from a seven month injury lay-off, while Darren Clarke could only manage to finish on one-over after suffering from blisters on both feet.

Leader Westwood said: "I'm playing with a lot of freedom at the moment and a 65 shows I've got a lot of confidence.

"I used a similar game-plan to last year but my game's always a work in progress. I've got a few things I'm working on with one eye on the Masters."

But the day really belonged to youngster Willett who was making his European Tour debut after he was invited to the tournament as a result of winning the Spanish Amateur Championships.

Willett got off to the best possible start as he eagled the first hole and he has admitted he will turn professional if he goes on to win the tournament.

"I was quite nervous, but starting with a 25-foot eagle putt took a lot of the nerves out of the way. I proved to myself I can play a professional golf course and play well," said Willett.

Detox for weight loss

I have touched on the subject before, but I am a firm believer that golfers who keep themselves fit and in top condition play their best golf. One of the best ways to keep in great condition is to detox. Detox is a bit of a buzz word, but it basically means eating very healthily, drinking lots and taking a good detoxing supplement like orovo detox. These detoxing supplements contain the commonly called "superfoods" including many antioxidants, which help fight free radical damage (sun, stress, pollution, bad food, alcohol etc.) and cleanse your body. This can result in a decent energy boost, will even help you lose a few pounds along the way and you might even look younger! Orovo is 100% natural and is easy to order through the website. Orovo detox has plenty of supporters and there are hundreds of success stories doing the rounds and it would certainly be worth trying if you are looking for a detoxing product.

Asian qualifying for the British open

Malaysia's Danny Chia will make his second appearance at the British Open this July after carding a three-under-par 69 for the second successive round at Asia's International Final Qualifying tournament on Wednesday.

The 35-year-old sank crucial birdie putts on the 16th and 17th at the Sentosa Golf Club to lead all qualifiers on six-under-par 138, securing a second trip to the sport's oldest major after playing in the 2005 Open at St. Andrews.

Chia, who won the Taiwan Open in 2002, will be teeing off at Royal Birkdale on July 17 along with Australia's Adam Blyth, Singapore's Lam Chih Bing and Angelo Que of the Philippines as the four qualifiers from the 64-player field.

"I didn't putt well today but I played good," Chia told reporters.

"I played within myself and made two birdies coming back when I needed them the most.

"It's going to be very exciting to go back to the Open. I was there in 2005 and hopefully I've learned from that and will use it in Royal Birkdale."

Blyth, who will be appearing at his first major, fired a bogey-free 66 to finish a shot behind Chia, while Que and Lam emerged from a three-man playoff after signing for two-day totals of 140 in a share of third place.

"The putts just went in today," the 26-year-old Blyth said.

"I played scrappy yesterday but managed to get myself into position this morning. I'm stoked to get into my first major."

Mortgages make golf harder

It seems that these days the news reports are dominated by the stories of the recent credit crisis, or credit crunch as some commentators are call it. Unfortunately, in my country, interest rates have also been on the rise for quite some time (12 rate rises in a row) which is putting families further into debt. A quarter of a percent increase can mean hundreds of dollars of difference each month and families with larger mortgages are really feeling the added pressure, especially when the budget is already stretched. In some parts of the world the interest rate is almost in free fall and it makes the interest rate rises slightly harder to take.

Whatever the market is doing it pays to do your research and shop around for the best deal on your Mortgage. Don't settle for what your regular financial institution is offering, find the best deal and use it to negotiate with your preferred lender. Use the Internet to make inquiries and read as much information as possible. There are even some services online that will do all the hard work for you and find you a mortgage to best suit your needs with the best interest rate. Whatever you decide to do make sure you plan for future interest rate rises so that you will be prepared for any extra financial stress.

Asian qualifying for the open

Malaysian golfer Danny Chia, Angelo Que of the Philippines and England's Yasin Ali shared a three-way tie for the lead after day one of Asia's International Qualifying for the 2008 Open.

Chia, an Asian Tour regular, sank six birdies against three bogeys at Singapore's Sentosa Golf Club on his way to a three-under-par 69 on Tuesday while Que enjoyed five birdies.

Ali had been clear of the field as he stood on the 18th tee at five-under but found water with a drive which led to a double bogey.

Just behind them, Filipino Antonio Lascuna, Ben Leong of Malaysia, who scored a hole-in-one, and Japanese duo Tomohiro Kondo and Keiichiro Fukabori shot 70s to stay in the hunt for the four tickets at stake to The Open at Royal Birkdale, England in July at the two-day qualifier.

Ali chose to look to the positive, despite his disappointing finish.

"I played pretty solid except for a few loose shots. The shots I dropped today were water balls. If I can keep out of the water, I should be okay," he told the Asian Tour's Web site www.asiantour.com.

"It'll be awesome if I can qualify for the oldest major that we have. But with four spots available, you never know what the guys can shoot. You just try to make as many birdies as you can and total it up at the end of the day."

Qualifying events are held on five continents, with Africa and Australasia competitions already completed. The United States will host one in Michigan starting June 30, with another at Sunningdale, England getting underway the same day.

Football and golf

These days it seems as though you can bet on almost all forms of sport including football, soccer, basketball, hockey, cricket and of course golf. It doesn't really get me excited, but many of my friends like to make the game more exciting by putting a dollar or two on their favorite team. They tell me it makes the watching that much better, but I just love sport and have never felt the need. However, the phenomenon doesn't look like stopping anytime soon.

If you are into having a punt now and then betfair have a very good online betting site that is used by millions worldwide (check your local regulations). Their site is really easy to use and they usually have an incentive type deal to encourage you to sign up. Through the website you can bet on many sports including soccer, cricket, horse racing and many more including football betting. They have a good forum to talk with others about sports and betting and each sub forum has heaps of discussion going on. The golf forum was an interesting read and most people think Tiger already has one arm in the green jacket. Like they say on their website "gaming can be harmful" so always remember to gamble responsibly.

Ogilvy wins World Golf Championship

With Tiger Woods all but out of the picture for the first time in nine months, an all-star cast of golf's other big names had a rare opportunity Monday to grab the hardware that the game's No. 1 player has been loath to share.

Woods has so dominated the golf headlines of late that it was difficult to determine the next wave of contenders, but there were Geoff Ogilvy, Retief Goosen, Vijay Singh and Jim Furyk -- major championship winners all -- battling for a World Golf Championship title.

They didn't exactly distinguish themselves with fine play down the stretch at the Doral Golf Resort in the weather-delayed CA Championship, pointing out again the difficulty of closing out tournaments, and winning at the rate Woods does.

Ogilvy prevailed by a stroke over Goosen, Furyk and Singh, failing to birdie any of the nine holes he played Monday morning and getting the kind of good fortune that Woods believes is paramount to winning. The eventual winner chipped in for an improbable par at the par-3 13th hole from 30 feet moments after flubbing a chip shot in the rough. Had the ball not struck the flagstick and dropped, it would have gone 15 feet past the hole.

It was Ogilvy's fourth PGA Tour title, to go along with wins at the U.S. Open, Accenture Match Play and Tucson Open. "It was a pretty stellar-looking leaderboard over those last nine holes, so satisfying to beat those players and pretty satisfying winning a big one," Ogilvy said...

Read the complete golf news story

Entrepreneurs and investors

Through my work I meet lots of Internet entrepreneurs and while many are successful some find it very hard to secure the funding they need for their projects. They may have some really good ideas, but just can't find the investors willing to take a risk on them.

Go4funding is a fantastic website that provides a place for entrepreneurs to find investors for their projects. Investors will also love this site as they can view hundreds of different ideas to invest in. This site is a fantastic idea (one I wish that I had) and should be very successful as well as being very helpful to investors and entrepreneurs. Currently the site has many projects listed in various categories ranging from arts and entertainment to travel. They also have sections for business ideas and finding an expert. A brand new forum has just launched, which should provide some very useful discussion for entrepreneurs and investors alike. If you are looking for Investment opportunities or are an entrepreneur looking for an investor I would recommend paying a visit to the site. It is completely free to use the site and list a project with no catch!

Kraft wins Puerto Rico Open

American Greg Kraft won his first PGA Tour title at the Puerto Rico Open on Sunday when he won by one shot from compatriots Jerry Kelly and Bo Van Pelt.

The 43-year-old finished on a 14-under-par total of 274 after a final round 70 at the Trump International course that featured three birdies and a solitary bogey at the 18th.

Van Pelt had led after each of the previous rounds but could only manage an even-par 72 on the final day despite an eagle on the fifth.

The 32-year-old bogeyed the eighth and ninth and then on the back nine he cancelled out his two birdies with a pair of bogeys.

In contrast, Kraft produced a solid and consistent round with three birdies and despite his last-hole slip he was safely home for victory.

Kelly matched Kraft's 70 to finish in a tie for second as Kevin Stadler and Briny Baird finished a further shot back to share fourth .

For Kraft, who has come back from serious illness to rebuild his career, it was a hugely satisfying win.

"You never knew if it was going to come. I mean, I worked and worked and worked. In the late '90s, early 2000, I was close a lot," he said...

Read the complete golf news story

Guide to hosting

I think I have posted before about my choice of running a free blog (like this one) or paying for dedicated hosting and domain name. For what it is worth I run both a number of free blogs and blogs that cost me money to run and the paid hosting services are generally much more reliable. When I am choosing hosting for my site it comes down to price, reliability, customer service and a whole host (pardon the pun) of other smaller considerations. I like to read a little bit about other people experiences and find a host that has very strong recommendations from people in the know.

Kaushal Sheth is a great site for wordpress and blogger templates and themes, but also has some great advice on the best web hosting currently available. The site has a really great design and is really easy to use. If you run a blog or are looking for a great web hosting service that is reliable and cheap then it is worth visiting the website.

Puerto Rico Open - Round 1 Wrap

American Bo van Pelt fired a sparkling eight-under-par 64 to take the opening round lead at the Puerto Rico Open in Rio Grande on Thursday.

Van Pelt led by two shots from compatriots Ted Purdy and Kyle Thompson.

"I have no idea what a good score will be, you have never played here, just try to -- really try to take one shot at a time because you never know what a good score is," Van Pelt said.

The 32-year-old from Richmond, Indiana, has yet to win on the PGA Tour.

Purdy was pleased with his bogey-free six under.

"That was my best round of the year, best round in a while so I am excited about it," he said.

"It was windy, and I was determined to play well in the wind because we have had some windy days on tour here in the last few weeks, and I haven't fared so well, but I am excited about that."

Brendan Pappas of South Africa was one of five players who were tied three strokes off the lead after the first round.

Golf and the law

Most of us know the trouble that Nationwide tour player Tripp Isenhour has gotten himself into with the hawk killing saga. Anyone can get into trouble with the law and at that time you need a really good lawyer on your side. Keglawers are a top 5% U.S. Law firm based in LA. They are former LA prosecutors with over 50% experience in criminal law. If you are in need of Criminal Defense Attorneys Los Angeles | California Criminal DUI Lawyers then it may be worth paying a visit to their website.

World Golf Championship - Round 1 Wrap

Rain started to fall just as Tiger Woods reached the 18th green Thursday, and it soaked him pretty good on the way to the clubhouse.

But it didn't cool him off much. Woods was still steaming after three-putting the final green on the Doral Resort's Blue Monster course, leaving him with a bad bogey that has been uncharacteristic of him during his torrid stretch of late.

"Yeah, I'm pissed,'' Woods said. "You three-putt 18, you're not going to be real happy.'' It says something about the expectation level Woods is bringing to the course these days, because it was certainly no shame to shoot 5-under-par 67 during the opening round of the CA Championship at Doral. Woods has won five straight PGA Tour events and all four of the tournaments he has played this year. Going back to last year, Woods has won six straight official starts around the world and eight of his last nine.

But as he has said all along, Woods started over Thursday, when he had seven birdies and two bogeys, but three times missed putts inside of 7 feet, including two birdie tries after nearly driving a green. "I didn't really do anything all that special today,'' Woods said. "I just kind of hung in there and took care of the par-5s and made a couple of other birdies here and there. All in all, just kind of ground it out.'' Woods trails first-round leaders Geoff Ogilvy and Miguel Angel Jimenez by two strokes in the World Golf Championship event he has won three straight years. He also has three straight victories at Doral, which was a regular PGA Tour stop before becoming a WGC event last year.

Stewart Cink is a shot back of the leaders and Woods is in a five-way tie for fourth along with Phil Mickelson, Adam Scott, Nick O'Hern and Anders Hansen.

Long distance - No I'm not talking about your golf swing

When I spent some time in the US I was always looking for the cheapest ways to call Australia and I usually found prepaid calling cards the most convenient and cost effective way. Mrlongdistance is a great website that has a great range of cheap prepaid calling cards to many countries including long distance United Kingdom and calling India cards. If you are looking for a prepaid long distance phone cards then I would recommend a visit to their website!

New Zealand launches Sir Bob Charles Tour

New Zealand Golf and the PGA of New Zealand will manage a new series of 72 hole strokeplay tournaments for professionals and elite amateurs.

Sir Bob Charles, who attended the launch in Auckland today, has agreed to lend his name to the series which will be known as the Charles Tour. The Charles Tour will be staged in partnership with the respective host clubs, including three existing independent events – the Carrus Tauranga Open, Youthtown Wairakei Open and Bayleys Taranaki Open.

These will be joined by an additional event, the Shirley Open in Christchurch, which was confirmed today. Two further tournaments will be added next year with Waikato Golf and Titirangi Golf Club indicating that they are keen to come on board.

The Charles Tour will carry an order of merit which will provide important playing opportunities for professionals. The leading amateur from the tour will be granted an exemption to the New Zealand Open, with a number of other exemption opportunities to be provided for professionals and amateurs.

The structure of the tournaments will be similar to that initiated by former professional Greg Turner.

“These have proven excellent for the development of the game – for the country’s best amateurs and budding professionals – male and female,” said NZG chief executive Bill MacGowan and NZPGA CEO Garth Stirrat.

“Greg’s vision is one we share. He saw this as the ideal time to let the tournaments continue without his direct input, and accordingly NZ Golf and the PGA have reached an agreement with the existing three events and a number of new venues.

“Collectively we are able to add some important playing opportunities for both amateurs and professionals.”

The organisation is delighted that Sir Bob has agreed to have his name associated with the tour.

“I’ve been a keen supporter of the development of the game in this country with both New Zealand Golf and the PGA for nearly half a century,” Sir Bob said. “I am impressed with this concept and honoured to have it named after me.”

It was fitting to name the tour after New Zealand’s leading professional Sir Bob Charles, who has given much back to the development of golf in this country.

The Golf Rap

People who know me know that I love my music and it doesn't really matter which style. I have even been known to keep up with the latest charts and trends for my favorite musical styles. Rap artists is a fantastic website for rap and hip hop, which includes the latest charts, best rap artists and a great forum. If you are into rap and hip hop then pay their site a visit!

Golf this week

World Golf Championships

WGC-CA Championship

Doral Golf Resort & Spa, Miami, Florida

Previous Winner: Tiger Woods

PGA Tour
Puerto Rico Open

PGA Tour's first-ever full- field event in Puerto Rico.

Trump International Puerto Rico, on a compilation of four nine-hole courses.

European Tour
Madeira Islands Open,

Santo da Serra Golf Club, Madeira, Portugal

Private number plates

Private number plates are very popular are a really good way to express yourself. My kids love playing the "guess what that number plate means" game whenever a numberplate like gfl4eva, cul8tr goes past us. The Northumbria numbers website has a great range of private number plates available and while searching my name (Tom) I found it is still available in a few forms! If you are interested in private number plates you really should try their search engine it is very good. The website is really well designed and easy to use and it is well worth a visit.

Preview - WCG-CA Championship

Fresh from his ninth win in ten tournaments Tiger Woods takes on the rest of the golfing world again at the WCG-CA Championship starting on Thursday.

Woods's dramatic victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando on Sunday - he won with a 24-foot putt for a birdie on the 72nd hole - extended his winning streak in all tournaments worldwide to seven.

He has five consecutive wins on the PGA Tour and he has not lost an event since he tied for second place at the Deutsche Bank Championship in Massachusetts in September.

Such incredible statistics raise the question of whether anyone can stop Woods this season, but the American himself is well aware that there are plenty of players out there who are capable of beating him.

Asked after Sunday's victory who, if anyone, could stop him from continuing his winning streak, Woods replied: "All the players in the event".

Given that in Orlando it was Bart Bryant, a 45-year-old who went into the Palmer event ranked 137th in the world, who was one shot away from taking Woods into a play-off, Woods's reply was not as trite as it may sound.

There are, after all, no signs that the rest of the field are about to start settling for second place...

Read the complete golf tournament preview

Weight Loss

Although there have been some very successful larger golfers (Australia's own Craig Parry and crowd favorite and larrakin John Daly come to mind) most golfers try to keep themselves in pristine physical condition. However, at times, excess weight can become a problem and can even hinder your ability to play the game you love. In this situation there are a few options worth considering including lap band surgery.

Lap band is an adjustable band that is used on the upper part of the stomach to make you feel full quicker and eat less, which will help in losing weight. It may sound drastic, but obesity puts you at risk of heart disease, diabetes and hypertension, which means the rewards can outweigh the risks. According to the research lap band surgery it is much safer and less intrusive than gastric bypass surgery. It also has the added benefit of being completely removable. There are many lap band facilities available like the lap-band los angeles facility with qualified medical doctors and surgeons to answer all of your questions.

This is not medical advice always talk to a doctor before making any health decisions.

David Feherty struck by a truck

Golf analyst David Feherty broke three ribs and punctured his lung when he was hit by a truck while riding his bicycle near his home in Dallas. He expects to be fully recovered in time for the Masters.

Feherty said Friday he was returning from his morning bicycle ride a day earlier when a truck hauling irrigation equipment pinched him into the curb and he was struck by the side mirror.

"He didn't want to hit the car on the left, so he ran over the cyclist on the right," Feherty said. "I don't remember a whole lot about it. There was a lady on the scene quickly, keeping me conscious. The next thing I know, I'm at Baylor Medical Center, the only hospital in the United States that doesn't have The Golf Channel."

He then asked who was leading the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Feherty is regarded as golf's most comical TV analyst, a former European tour winner and Ryder Cup player from Northern Ireland who has been working for CBS Sports since 1997.

He has taken up cycling recently, and said last year after riding along 17 Mile Drive at Pebble Beach, "It's actually 28 miles." He has been injured a few dozen times riding his bike, but he described those accidents as "pilot error."

"That's when you hit the ground and slow down. This was flying through the air and speeding up," he said. "It was entirely different, and not near as much fun. I was lucky I didn't go underneath the trailer."

Feherty said he would be hospitalized for at least a few more days, and that he had a tube sticking out of his chest.

"But it's not as bad as it sounds," he said.

CBS Sports covered the PGA Tour during much of the West Coast swing and does not have another telecast until the Masters.

Home loans on the golf course

With the interest rates in the US falling it is a great time to assess your home loan and get a great deal. One of the best ways to do this is to use a home loan comparison website and one of the best is my home loan mortgages. They offer mortgage calculators and expert advice to help you select the best mortgage available. Whether you are looking for home equity loans or Mortgage brokers in your area it is well worth giving their website a visit.

Unstoppable Tiger Wins Arnold Palmer Invitational

Tiger Woods etched another chapter in an astonishing career with a dramatic victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando on Sunday.

The world No.1 curled in a sharply-breaking eight-metre birdie putt at the final hole, his ball trickling into the middle of the cup for a one-stroke victory over dogged fellow American Bart Bryant at Bay Hill.

Woods carded a 66 to finish at 10-under-par 270, posting his fifth successive victory on the US PGA Tour, while he has also won the European Tour's Dubai Desert Classic during his six-month unbeaten stretch.

His fifth Arnold Palmer Invitational title made him the first player in US PGA Tour history to win four tournaments at least five times.

He posted his 63rd career win on the US Tour, equal third on the all-time list with Ben Hogan, trailing only Sam Snead and Jack Nicklaus.

"It's amazing to be ranked in that company," said Woods, whose main priority on what turned out to be his winning putt was to leave it close to the hole on the bumpy green.

"I just wanted to get the speed right, and it went in. It took forever for it to start breaking, but once the grain started taking it, it went straight right.

"I was just so into the moment. I told myself I've done this before, there's no reason I can't do it again."

The vanquished Bryant said it was probably difficult for the average sports fan to appreciate Woods' dominance over the past six months.

"I think true golf fans who understand the game understand the magnitude of it. I think the golf public in general doesn't get it, to be honest with you. Because what he's doing right now, I mean, you can't even hardly fathom it.

"It's just incredible. What he did today is another evidence of this weird zone he's in, and he's been in it like his whole life. I don't know how to explain it."

Woods, who started the final round in a five-way tie for the lead, wasted little time stamping his authority, a birdie at the par-three second taking him one-stroke clear.

He added two more birdies on the front nine to turn for home in front, only to make an uncharacteristic mess of the par-four 10th, where he missed a tiny putt from inside one metre for a momentum-killing bogey.

He subsequently birdied the par-four 13th from four metres, but when Bryant, playing ahead, stiffed his approach shot at the 15th, they were tied again.

And that's how it remained until the 18th.

After Bryant made a tap-in par, the stage was set for Woods to perform another miracle for the large gallery and millions watching on television around the world.

After playing a safe five-iron approach shot to avoid the water, he stood over the putt, and remembered it was on a similar line to the one he made to beat Phil Mickelson in 2001.

He read the break perfectly, starting his ball left of the hole and watching gravity carry it unerringly to the cup.

Had it been anyone else, you might be tempted to suggest there was an element of luck involved, but Woods has made a career out of such heroics.

McDowell wins Ballantine's Championships

Jeev Milkha Singh again faltered at the finish losing in the third play-off hole to Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell in the inaugural Ballantine's Championships on Sunday.

At one stage Jeev led McDowell by three shots, but the latter came back into reckoning with an eagle on the tenth. Then Jeev had a terrible tee shot on 17th to bogey the hole and that saw them finish in a tie, leading to a play-off.

This was the second runner-up finish for Jeev, who was also second at the Astro Enjoy Indonesia Open four weeks ago.

Jeev and McDowell, who shared the lead overnight, shot six-under 66 to finish the regulation 72 holes in 24-under 264 sending the clash in a play-off. After halving two play-off holes, Jeev missed a short putt and lost as McDowell picked his first title in four years.

Jyoti Randhawa (67) finished tied 11th while Gaurav Ghei (72) was 57th.

It was the fifth European Tour in succession in which Indians had at least one player in top five. Indians have won two events, finished second in two and took the fifth spot in one event.

Find this golf blog with the carbon neutral search

Climate change, carbon neutral, carbon footprint are the buzzwords of the moment. It seems everyone is talking about them, making television shows about them as they gain popularity in the mainstream. Obviously there is a very serious side to these issues and thankfully people are starting to become aware of these. I came across another interesting idea designed to make a real difference in this area today called the carbon neutral search engine.

The climate neutral search engine aims to offset the carbon emissions created by web searches. They will offset a minimum of 300g per web search, which seems very fair considering the estimated carbon emission of each search query emitting a fraction of a gram of carbon. The carbon neutral search engine uses a google based custom search so the results should be of very good quality if not exactly the same as a normal google search. They also have a great carbon neutral search plug in for firefox and Internet Explorer. This allows you to make the carbon neutral search engine your default search and you can offset carbon with each search! With Climate Change becoming a focus this search engine is offering a fantastic service for our environment and all you have to do is search.

Asian Tour rejects OneAsia

The Asian Tour rejected plans for a regional golf "super tour" on Friday after they were formally endorsed by Japan, Australia, China and South Korea.

Asian Tour chief executive Kyi Hla Han said the OneAsia project, designed to rival the European and US circuits, did not serve the region's best interests.

"Following a statement issued by the PGA of Australia this morning in regards to plans for an Asia-Pacific golf tour, the Asian Tour unequivocally states that we are not endorsing or participating in this initiative," he said in a statement.

"Plans to launch this new Asia-Pacific golf tour are being driven aggressively by the PGA of Australia, whose tour is diminishing, and the Asian Tour believes it does not serve the best interests and growth of professional golf in Asia," Kyi Hla added.

The Japan Golf Tour Organisation, China Golf Association, Korean Golf Association and the PGA of Australia earlier said they had reached agreement for the new tour with a planned launch in January.

The tour's backers reportedly envisaged an eventual 35-stop tour to rival the lucrative and hugely popular US PGA and European Tours, with existing circuits acting as feeders.

"In an effort to better promote the game of golf and take the game to a higher level in the Asia-Pacific region, each of the founding tours believe it is necessary to find a single regional organisation that can truly represent the common rights and benefits of relevant local golf bodies and their members," the groups said in a joint statement.

"The new tour will seek to bring together the best tournaments conducted throughout Asia-Pacific to create an alternative elite career pathway for national organisations and their aspiring professional golfers in the region."

Friday's joint statement said an interim board had been appointed to guide the creation and launch of the tour, consisting of representatives from each of the founding tours. A board chairman will be officially appointed shortly.

Australasian PGA Tour chief executive Ben Sellenger has trumpeted the plan, saying it will lift playing standards and attract more big stars to the region.

He has also said the initial target was to play 20 tournaments with a minimum purse of 1.5 million US dollars, although some tournaments would be worth twice that amount.

However Kyi Hla, who signalled reluctance to the plan in an AFP interview this month, said Asian Tour members "unanimously" did not want to be involved in the new initiative.

"Since the Asian Tour's formation as a players' organisation in 2004, the Asian Tour Schedule has expanded greatly where in 2008 we are poised to surpass 30 tournaments for the first time in Asian golf history and offer an unprecedented 40 million dollars in total prize money," he said.

"Elite and major golf tournaments already form the burgeoning Asian Tour Schedule and the Asian Tour firmly believe that we are on the correct pathway in developing, promoting and growing professional golf in Asia under the existing Tour structure," Kyi Hla said.

OneAsia is officially on

The PGA Tour of Australia has joined forces with golf organisations in Japan, China and Korea to form a new Asian Tour.

The OneAsia Tour will include the top tournaments currently held in the Asia-Pacific, with the aim of producing an elite level of competition in the region.

Organisers hope to start the new tour in January next year.

The tour's backers have reportedly envisaged an eventual 35-stop tour to rival the lucrative and hugely popular US PGA and European Tours, with existing circuits acting as feeders.

"In an effort to better promote the game of golf and take the game to a higher level in the Asia-Pacific region, each of the founding tours believe it is necessary to find a single regional organisation that can truly represent the common rights and benefits of relevant local golf bodies and their members," the bodies of the four countries said in a joint statement.

"The new tour will seek to bring together the best tournaments conducted throughout Asia-Pacific to create an alternative elite career pathway for national organisations and their aspiring professional golfers in the region."

The chief of the current Asian Tour, however, has signalled reluctance to sign up to the new tour, which is yet to be officially named but is being referred to as OneAsia.

Kyi Hla Han said the project to merge the Asian, Australasian and Japanese circuits into the OneAsia Tour was complex and may not benefit the present regional set-up.

Friday's joint statement said an interim board has been appointed to guide the creation and launch of the tour, consisting of representatives from each of the founding tours. A board chairman will be officially appointed shortly.

Australasian PGA Tour chief executive Ben Sellenger has trumpeted the plan, saying it will lift playing standards and attract more big stars to the region.

He has also said the initial target was to play 20 tournaments with a minimum prize money purse of $US1.5 million, although some tournaments would be worth twice that amount.

Tiger is not happy

World number one Tiger Woods, seeking his ninth win in 10 tournament starts, said he was unimpressed with the greens at Arnold Palmer's Bay Hill course.

Organisers have faced a struggle to get the greens ready for the Arnold Palmer Invitational after they were struck with roundworms.

"They are not very good. It's going to be an interesting week on them. You're going to see a lot of guys hit good putts and they are going to go weird ways, unfortunately," Woods told reporters after the Pro/Am competition on Wednesday.

"But, hey, we've all got to deal with it, we've all got to putt on them and you just have to accept hitting good putts and that they may not go in. But hopefully we hit enough good ones where they do go in.

"It is what it is. You just have to deal with it. I don't know if it makes a worse putter better or a better putter worse.

"You've just got to go up there and be committed to what you're doing and hit the good putts and hopefully they will somehow fall," added Woods.

Earlier Palmer had said that after scientists and turf experts had looked at the greens and the nematode (roundworm) problem, enough work had been done to make the greens good for tournament play.

"I feel that we are in good shape. The greens are not, let's say the top, top of the board, but they are very puttable, very good and... and they will be very smooth. They will be very playable and I don't see a problem," said Palmer...

Read the complete golf news story

Skin protection

As golfers we spend a lot of time in the sun and this is not very good for our skin for two reasons. The radiation from the sun damages our skin and the sunscreen we use to protect us from this happening messes with the PH levels of our skin. This means that golfers (or anyone spending lots of time in the sun) should be using some form of moisturizer to counteract these effects.

Cetaphil make some of the worlds best moisturizers and for what it is worth is the brand I use after a day spent in the damaging sun. My wife was given a free trial from our local chemist and loved the stuff so I steal a bit of hers when she is not looking. However, Cetaphil don't just make moisturizers, they also have cleansers and cleansing bars. For people who spend time in the sun they also have a moisturizer with sunscreen, which is a great product! They have a really nifty little website where you can check out their product range and they even have a skin analysis tool. If you are worried about what all that time out in the sun is doing to your skin or just want some quality skin products then it would be worth paying a visit to their website.

Daly disqualified from Arnold Palmer Invitational

Fans' favourite John Daly has been disqualified from competing at the Arnold Palmer Invitational after failing to appear for the Pro/Am competition on Wednesday.

A tournament organiser said Daly did not appear for his scheduled tee time at the Bay Hill course on Wednesday and therefore, under PGA rules, he was automatically out of the main competition, which begins on Thursday.

Two-times major winner Daly is without a tour card but had been given a sponsor's exemption to appear at the Palmer event.

Data protection

Data protection is one of the most important considerations when storing anything digitally. I run a server or two at work and even though we back up every night there can still be a loss of data if something goes wrong during the day. We are considering moving to a remote online backup service like the one provided by data protection services.

Data protection services offer online backup services for all the major operating systems including Windows, Linux, Exchange, Novell and many more. Remote backup is a fantastic option because your backups are stored off site. If anything goes wrong with your servers or your backups an online restore can be made from the remote data center. If you have an account with data protection services you will receive free online restores available 24 hours a day 365 days a year!

Their website is well designed and it was really easy to find the information I was looking for. To work out pricing you need to fill in a short form and someone will get back to you quickly with a quote. Currently they are offering a 30 day no obligation trial so if you are interested it would be worth paying a visit to their website.

Strange week in golf

One of the more bizarre news weeks in golf history

From event coverage to commentary to fantasy tips, Golfweek.com provides all you'll ever need to be up to speed on the world of golf.

"Pro golfer Tripp Isenhour took aim with his golf club and shot a birdie ... " read an article that ran on the Orlando Sentinel's Web site early March 6.

"Tripp Isenhour has never gotten this much attention for a single golf shot," the Associated Press wrote later.

"Golfer should be punished for killing bird, but not be a jailbird," read a headline in the Naples Daily News.

Long story short: Isenhour, who is spending most of his time this year on the Nationwide Tour, killed a noisy red-shouldered hawk with a golf shot Dec. 12 while filming an instructional video in Orlando, Fla.

The story broke this week when local prosecutors charged Isenhour with two misdemeanor charges (cruelty to animals and killing a migratory bird), which could lead to up to a $10,000 fine. The Humane Society urged the PGA Tour to assign further punishment.

Isenhour responded: "As soon as this happened, I was mortified and extremely upset and continue to be upset. I want to let everyone know there was neither any malice nor deliberate intent whatsoever to hit or harm the hawk. I was trying to simply scare it into flying away. As evidenced by our family having adopted three cats from a local shelter, I am an animal lover. We ask that everyone accept my sincerest apology, and please be respectful of my family's privacy."

The story flew as high as the front page of Yahoo.com. The blogosphere was both enthralled and enraged, drawing even ridiculous comparisons to Michael Vick. One message board comment on Golfweek.com read, "I hope Tripp has to pay really big and like others, needs to do a little jail time..."

Mark Calcavecchia, on the other hand, thinks all of this is a little cuckoo: "I really don't know the story enough to comment on it," he said. "I heard he killed an endangered bird with a golf ball, saying he was trying to scare it away. It's a bad break for the bird. It seems like there is a lot of other things that people should be worrying about other than that."

We here at the Scramble ask: If Isenhour called it a "one-in-a-million shot" and he hit the bird on his 10th try, does that mean he's 999,990 under par?

Coming in second-place are the exploits of John Daly and Co. in the Hooters Owl's Nest, a popular hospitality tent at last weekend's PODS Championship.

According to a March 9 article in the Tampa Tribune, Daly, who missed the PODS cut after rounds of 78-80, spent much of Saturday sitting on a barstool, drinking beers, smoking cigarettes and signing autographs.

The article also said:

Daly chugged a beer with one spectator who walked away while shouting, "I just drank with John Daly."

Long John gave the middle finger to a news photographer. (Another member of his group mooned the photographer.)

Daly autographed the backside of a woman's jeans. According to that woman, they also had an interesting conversation: "I go, 'Here I am again. I'm your worst nightmare.' He goes, 'Oh no you're not, honey. As a matter of fact, I like it when you walk away.'

"He goes, 'I like your butt. I'm a butt man.' He goes, 'And you have a nice butt.' Yeah baby, he likes my butt."

We here at the Scramble ask: They're talking about cigarettes, right?

Earning the bronze medal is Fred Funk's wife, Sharon, who this week hopped into the ring with a 400-pound Sumo wrestler, according to the Orange County Register.

Toshiba Classic tournament director Jeff Purser organized a Sumo wrestling exhibition as entertainment for the event's Tuesday pairings party.

After the Sumo show finished, spectators were invited into the ring to participate. Sharon Funk stepped up.

She grabbed onto the belt of one Sumo, who spun her around twice before flinging her to the mat.

"I don't know why I did it," she told the Register.

We here at the Scramble ask: When will this hit YouTube?

BMW

I have posted before about my love of cars. My hot BMW is a great site if you are looking for anything for your BMW. They have BMW Parts, accessories, body kits, wheels and heaps of other stuff for your BMW. The site is well setup and it is really easy to find what you are looking for. I recommend a visit if you are interested in BMW's.

Trip Osenhour Hawk Killing Saga Continues

The PGA Tour has described as "inappropriate behaviour" an incident involving one of its members last December in which a protected migratory hawk was killed by a golf ball.

American professional Tripp Isenhour was charged in a Florida court earlier this week with cruelty to animals and killing a migratory bird during the filming of a golf instructional video.

"We are aware of the incident involving Tripp Isenhour at the Grand Cypress Golf Club in Orlando last December that resulted in the death of a protected migratory hawk," PGA Tour executive vice-president Ty Votaw said in a statement on Friday.

"Obviously, any set of facts which involve an individual hitting a golf ball at a living target is clearly inappropriate behaviour.

"Tripp has publicly apologised and has expressed remorse and regret about his actions. We find this entire incident regrettable and unfortunate."

Isenhour, a 39-year-old who has bounced between the PGA Tour and the satellite Nationwide Tour over the last decade, issued an apology through his management company on Thursday.

"As soon as this happened, I was mortified and extremely upset and continue to be upset," he said.

"I want to let everyone know there was neither any malice nor deliberate intent whatsoever to hit or harm the hawk. I was trying to simply scare it into flying away."

"he described it as `a shot in a million".

He had shot a few balls at the bird and one hit it, with the hawk falling about 10 metres before dying...

Read the complete article

Barcodes, blu ray and golf

Whether you are in business or happen to be an uber geek that likes to keep track of their blu ray collection, a wireless barcode scanner can be a very useful thing. The motorola mc70 is one of the best available and it features fantastic portability, Windows Mobile 5, 64MB RAM, color display, bluetooth and many other features. There are many different flavors available all with slightly different features and costs.

O'Hair Wins PODS Championship

It might not be on a midnight train, but next month Sean O’Hair will have the pleasure of leaving for Georgia.

He took advantage of a stunning collapse by Stewart Cink and won the PODS Championship at Palm Harbor, Fla.

O’Hair, who closed with a 2-under 69 on Sunday for a 4-under 280 total, won a trip to the Masters.

It was his first victory since the John Deere Classic as a 22-year-old rookie in 2005, which got him into the British Open at St. Andrews. This victory sends him to Augusta National next month, and he will move into the top 40 in the world to qualify for the World Golf Championship at Doral in two weeks.

“This is not going to hurt my confidence,” said O’Hair, a native of Lubbock, Texas. “I’m looking forward to the rest of the year.”

Cink suffered a loss perhaps even more devastating than the Accenture Match Play Championship blowout against Tiger Woods. Cink had a 4-shot lead after two holes Sunday, still had control on the back nine and then dropped 4 shots in a four-hole stretch along the back nine of the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook.

Arjun Atwal wins Malaysian Open

Arjun Atwal, the Indian player involved in a fatal car accident last year, won the Malaysian Open on Sunday, beating defending champion Peter Hedblom of Sweden with a par on the second hole of a playoff.

Atwal, also the 2003 winner at The Mines, birdied the 18th to force the playoff. He finished with an 8-under 64 to match Hedblom (71) at 18-under 270 on the Kota Permai course. Both players parred the first extra hole.

Atwal, a three-time European tour winner, hasn't been charged in the March 10, 2007, accident in Orlando, Fla., that killed fellow motorist John Park. Witnesses have said Atwal and Park were street racing, with the Florida Highway Patrol estimating Atwal was going 128 k.p.h. in a 70 k.p.h. zone just before Park's speeding car flipped.

Australia's Kane Webber (65) and England's Simon Dyson (69) finished a stroke out of the playoff in the event sanctioned by the European and Asian tours. New Zealand's Mark Brown, coming off consecutive wins in India in the Asian Tour's SAIL Open and the co-sanctioned Johnnie Walker Classic, closed with a 69 to tie for 26th at 10 under.

Camping, fishing and golf

In my post the other day I was talking about my passion for fishing and camping. Camping can be heaps of fun, but if you are going to get into it I would recommend purchasing some quality camping accessories to make life easy. The most important, apart from the sleeping gear, is the stove you will use for cooking. Camping becomes more appealing when you can make a decent meal and there is nothing like a Woodgas camp stove. They are one of the most simple, yet effective, stoves on the market and at under 2 pounds you could literally carry it around all day. You could cook 99% of your normal meals on this stove and it cooks very cleanly with very little smoke. It is made from tough stainless steel and is able to withstand the inevitable camping knocks. If you are looking for a camping stove then look no further than the Woodgas camping stove.

PODS Championship - Day 3 Wrap

Stewart Cink played the last of his 28 holes Saturday in near darkness, eager to finish a day of the toughest conditions the PGA Tour has seen this year. Even after his lone bogey in the third round for a 2-under 69, he couldn't wait to get started today in Palm Harbor, Fla.

Playing in 30 mph wind at the PODS Championship for the better part of 12 hours, Cink's fortunes turned quickly when he ran off three straight birdies and went from four shots down to a two-shot lead that likely puts him in the final group for the third time this year.

He was at 5-under 208, two shots ahead of former U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy. Only nine players remained under par.

Brandt Snedeker, who had a four-shot lead until his momentum changed on a three-putt from 12 feet, was at 3 under with three to play. Billy Mayfair also was at 3 under playing the 16th hole when darkness suspended play.

Cink had to play 28 holes, none of them easy after play was called for storms on Friday.

"I've got to keep pushing," said Cink, who hasn't won since Firestone in 2004. "My goal is to give no one a chance tomorrow."

The wind was raging at dawn and never let until the final minutes of daylight, so strong that players who were hitting a 9-iron into the 18th green in the opening round were pulling a 3-iron or more on Saturday...

Read the complete golf article

Golf Academy

Golf is no longer just a simple sport, it is a thriving industry where ordinary people can forge a career. Even if you aren't particularly good at the game, but have a passion, you will be able to find something to suit you. However, competition for positions in the industry is fierce and you really need to gain an edge over the competition with proper training.

The San Diego golf academy is a golf college where people train to get into the golf industry. Their curriculum is very strong and they provide an Associate Degree Program and a bachelor degree in golf course management. These types of courses are suited to anyone thinking about entering the golf industry. Their golf schools have a strong history of student success and can even claim the world record holder for the longest hole in one as one of their students.

Their site is really well designed and finding information about the school and their courses is really easy. You can apply online or simply ask for some more information. They also offer a free career guide, which would be worth having sent out for a read. If you are thinking about getting into a golf career then I would recommend paying a visit to their website.

Malaysian Open - Day 1 Wrap

Briton Nick Dougherty shot a career-low 10-under-par 62 to take a two-stroke lead after the first round of the $2 million Malaysian Open on Thursday.

Dougherty fired seven straight birdies in his 10-birdie round to lead English compatriot Simon Dyson and Australian Marcus Fraser, who both shot eight-under-par 64s.

South Africa's Keith Horne, Denmark's Soren Kjeldsen, Malaysian Danny Chia and Argentina's Daniel Vancsik were tied for fourth a further stroke behind.

"It was a great start to the tournament, it's my lowest round on Tour which is always nice," said Dougherty, whose maiden European Tour victory was in Singapore in 2005.

"I played well, I drove the ball well, I putted really well. All in all it was a superb round of golf."

The Malaysian Open is the fifth leg of the Asian Tour and is co-sanctioned by the European Tour.

Low scores were the order of the day with 98 golfers shooting under par.

Dougherty expects a winning score of 18 under or better at the Kota Permai Golf Club and hopes to bag his third Tour title.

"Inevitably, I am not going to shoot three more 10 under pars but certainly I am in a good position," he said.

New Zealand's Mark Brown, aiming for a third straight title after wins at the SAIL Open and Johnnie Walker Classic, opened with a six-under 66 to lie eighth with eight other golfers.

Wii love golf

The Nintendo Wii was my present to my wife last year after she had a bad few weeks at her job and needed a pick me. Subsequently it has become one of the house favorites and it gets a lot of use. My favorite part of the wii is the golf games (of course) and bundled with the box is a sports game including... golf! This version is a little simple, but is still fun (and frustrating) enough to be worth playing a round or thousand. There are also two versions of Tiger Woods available and with the wii's motion sensing capabilities it really is a treat to play. It even picks up my slight slice from time to time.

Charter high speed internet for life are running a competition where you can win a Nintendo Wii simply when you pre-register for their high speed internet for life auction. You don't even need to bid on the auction just register, which seems pretty fair to me. I recommend you read their FAQ page and terms of conditions before you enter, but it is a very exciting opportunity. I will be signing up and if I win I will be giving the wii away to one of my readers. I can't imagine this will last of too long so if you are interested you can Click Here for a Chance to Win a Nintendo® Wii™!.

Good Luck!

Pro charged with killing a hawk with a golf ball - Crazy golf news

There seems to be more and more crazy golf news all the time and this story is no different

When is shooting a birdie a bad idea on a golf course? When it's actually a red-shouldered hawk and you kill it by intentionally hitting it with a golf ball, which is what pro golfer Tripp Isenhour is charged with doing..

Isenhour, 39, was charged with two misdemeanor counts of cruelty to animals and killing a migratory bird as a result of the incident, which took place Dec. 12 at Grand Cypress Golf Club in Orlando, Fla. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 14 months in jail and $1,500 in fines.

Isenhour was taping a video called "Shoot Like a Pro" and was interrupted by the noise of the bird, according to news reports. He eventually knocked the bird out of a tree with one of his shots.

According to court documents, Isenhour got upset when a red-shouldered hawk began making noise, forcing another take. He began hitting balls at the bird, then 300 yards away, but gave up.

Isenhour started again when the hawk moved within about 75 yards, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officer Brian Baine indicated in a report.

Isenhour allegedly said "I'll get him now," and aimed for the hawk.

A few shots later, witnesses said he hit the hawk. The bird, protected as a migratory species, fell to the ground bleeding from both nostrils.

Isenhour plays on the Nationwide Tour.

Mercedes and golf

I have talked about my passion for golf and fishing, but I also have a passion for tinkering with cars. My Hot Mercedes is a fantastic website if you are looking for Mercedes parts and accessories. They have heaps of products listed and you can find everything from wheels, exhaust systems and OEM parts to Mercedes Body Kits. The site is well designed at it is very easy to find whatever you are looking for. If you are into cars especially Mercedes then I would recommend a visit to their website.

8 year old golfer in Malaysian pro-am

Rory McIlroy, who is eyeing a place in this year's European Ryder Cup team, was awe-struck by the performance of his eight-year-old playing partner in Wednesday's Malaysian Open pro-am.

McIlroy recorded a hole-in-one on the way to a nine-under 63 at Kota Permai Golf and Country Club but it was young nine-handicapper Galvin Green who left a lasting impression on the 18-year-old from Northern Ireland.

"He (Green) is absolutely awesome," McIlroy told the European Tour's official Web site (www.europeantour.com). "I really can't get over how good he is and that really made the day.

"He is an incredibly talented prospect for the future. It was nice to play with him and even though I played pretty well, he made me look pretty average."

The 4-foot-7 Green, who romped to a 14-shot victory in the world under-eight championship, was carrying the ball about 170 yards on Wednesday.

McIlroy, who first made headlines with a flawless opening 68 in last year's British Open at Carnoustie, said the stocky Malaysian was a better golfer than he was at the same age.

"I got (my handicap) down to single figures when I was 11 so he is three years ahead of me," said the teenager.

Green's golfing talents run in the family as his older brother Gavin is also the world under-14 champion.

"Galvin is a strong kid," said McIlroy. "He has solid legs and quite big forearms for a kid of that age...

Read the complete article

Hush little baby

I remember when I looked at my baby for the first time. I had no idea what to do and no idea of what was in store for me as a parent. Any parent would agree that you learn pretty quickly though. I learned all about the useful things that make life easier and one of these was the baby sling. Pictured below, the baby sling is possibly the most useful invention of all time. It frees up your hands and your natural movements soothe the baby to sleep, in a word these things are a godsend! Make sure you test a few different types out and find the one you are most comfortable with. I guarantee that you will not regret the purchase!

The Eglish Open is back on the european tour

The English Open will return to the European Tour schedule in 2009 after an absence of seven years.

Last played at the Forest of Arden golf club in central England, the event will return to its orginal home at St Mellion in Cornwall, south-west England. St Mellion last hosted a Tour event in 1995 when Australia’s Peter O’Malley won the Benson and Hedges International Open on the Jack Nicklaus-designed course. Northern Ireland’s Darren Clarke was the last winner of the English Open in 2002, when he captured the title for the third time in four years.

Calling Cards

I collected calling cards as a kid and I clearly remember looking through all the pay phones in my area in case someone had left a card in it. I just liked collecting the different types of cards especially ones from overseas that I had never seen before*. If there was any money left on them that was just a bonus. In my later years I learned how to check the trash section of the pay phones to get all the cards that were thrown away, but by that time everyone knew the trick and my interest waned. Funnily enough though I never actually used a calling card until I visited the US and I wanted to call home (Australia). It was really easy to purchase Australia phone cards and the price for calls was not as high as I thought it would be. It was when I saw the card though that it brought back all those memories of my youth.

*In the authors defense he grew up in a very small town!

Crazy golf story

Most parents will admit that when they are late for a child's appointment they will "fly" to get there.

A Lake Villa man actually took that sentiment literally when he flew his plane from Wisconsin to the golf course of Lincolnshire Marriott Resort because his 14-year-old was late for his tennis lesson at the Lincolnshire Club.

The pilot, Robert Kadera of Lake Villa, was at Ernie's Towing Service in Vernon Hills on Monday afternoon, replacing the plane's skis with tires.

He was planning to move the plane off the towing lot.

He said he did not want to make a comment until he found out what police were going to do about the incident.

Lincolnshire police and the Lake County state's attorney's office are reviewing the incident, according to Lincolnshire police Detective John-Erik Anderson.

"(Kadera) wanted to get back into his plane and take off again," Anderson said.

Insurance - Piece of mind

To protect what you own Insurance really is one of life's necessities. Whether you are protecting a car, house, personal items (including those golf clubs of course) or anything else insurance can bring you piece of mind if something were to go wrong. Recently I increased my contents insurance after going through the house and realizing I had much more stuff than I had accounted for. By doing this I found that I had quite seriously undervalued my contents insurance estimate. As I was doing this I also took photos of everything of value to make sure I can get everything replaced if something goes wrong. You could even go one step further and write down all the serial numbers for the expensive electronics that you own. This makes replacing the exact model much easier. The next step is to visit or call you insurance agent and increase your estimates. This is a great time for getting a few quotes and haggling a little bit with your current insurance company.

Autonet Insurance is a great place to get the best quote for your insurance policy whatever you need to protect. They do a great range of quotes even including Motorbike Insurance, which is very useful. They also have all the regular insurance quotes including home, car and business. If you are looking for insurance or want a better deal it would be well worth making a visit to their website.

Golf this week

PGA TOUR

PODS Championship
Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club, Tampa Bay, Florida
Title holder: Mark Calcavecchia

EUROPEAN TOUR

Malaysian Open
Kota Permai Golf Club, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Title holder: Peter Hedblom

Fishing

It is pretty obvious that one of my passions in life is golf, but the other interest that takes up the rest of my time is my love of fishing. Forced to choose between the two it would make a very tough decision. I like to get away from it all - and a little cabin on a lake or river is my kind of holiday! There are many cabins available these days and this means that anyone can get away from it all for a few days.

Bighorn River Cabins offer some of the finest cabins I have ever seen. These montana cabin rentals come with all the modern amenities and even using the word cabin to describe them seems a little unfair (I swear they are bigger than my house!). They even include a 50 inch plasma TV with the NFL package which is my kind of "roughing it." Don't get too comfortable though as the best part about the cabin is its proximity to the Bighorn River where you can fly fish until your heart is content. When fly fishing montana you can even hire a guide to help you catch one of the rivers many trout. There is so much more to mention, but if you are interested in montana vacation rentals and fly fishing the mighty bighorn river I suggest you visit their website.

Ochoa wins HSBC Champions Tournament

World No.1 Lorena Ochoa cruised to an 11-stroke win at the $US2 million ($A2.11 million) Women's Champions tournament on Sunday on her season debut.

Sweden's Annika Sorenstam finished second on nine under with American Paula Creamer in third place two shots further back.

Australia's Karrie Webb finished in a tie for fifth with American Stacy Prammanasudh on five under, 15 shots off the pace.

On a day when monsoon-like storms sent spectators sprinting for cover and left others cowering under umbrellas, Mexican Ochoa produced a solid 68 for a combined 20-under par at the Tanah Merah Country Club.

Play was suspended several times due to the torrential downpours that submerged greens, left puddles on the fairways and had players kicking their heels in the clubhouse. The final group took eight hours to complete their round.

The 26-year-old Ochoa, the only player to shoot four rounds under 70, takes home a cheque for $US300,000 ($A316,400) for the win.

Anyone for an apple?

Apple has gone through a resurgence in the past few years and if you haven't heard about it then you must have been living under a rock. Not a day goes by when I don't see someone with an ipod or iphone and the popularity only seems to be gaining momentum. Like I have said before I love reading blogs and news about stuff I am interested in and apple products are on my list. If you are like me and enjoy keeping up with the latest tech news then Applelife is the website to keep bookmarked. They have a great site with all the latest apple news and reviews.

Ernie Els wins Honda Classic

This time, Ernie Els could enjoy someone else's final-round misfortune.

Ending nearly a four-year drought between PGA Tour victories, Els shot a 3-under 67 Sunday to win The Honda Classic. He finished at 6 under, one shot better than Luke Donald (71) and two ahead of Nathan Green (67).

"It's been a long time coming," Els said.

Els and Mark Calcavecchia were tied for the lead as the sun began setting on PGA National. But Calcavecchia hit into a greenside bunker at the par-3 15th, and his shot from the sand looked fine when it hit the green.

Somehow, it never stopped rolling.

The ball came to rest on a rock ledge across the green. Calcavecchia walked over, tossed the ball into the water and made a double bogey to give Els the outright lead. Els made a cool par on the par-5 finishing hole, then waited to see if anyone would match his score.

No one did, although Donald had a chance on the last. His birdie chip from just off the green stopped a couple feet shy of the cup, sealing Els' win.

And with that, Els got the huge shot of confidence that he's sought for so long, along with his first PGA Tour win since the 2004 American Express Championship in Ireland. Plus, he'll jump a spot to third in the world rankings, passing Steve Stricker.

"I really played pretty well today," Els said...

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Mark Brown wins Johnnie Walker Classic

Unheralded New Zealander Mark Brown surged up the leaderboard with a stunning back nine to capture the Johnnie Walker Classic title on Sunday.

Brown, who was four shots behind at the turn, fired four consecutive birdies and another at the last to reel in Taichiro Kiyata as the overnight leader faltered, winning by three shots with five-under 67 for 18-under-par 270.

The 33-year-old, who only recently returned to golf after a brief stint in the mid-1990s, landed the biggest payday of his career -- 420,000 dollars -- for his second straight victory after last week's Sail Open.

Japan's Kiyota carded 71 for 15-under-par 273, tied for second with Australian Greg Chalmers and Englishman Graeme Storm at the par-72 DLF Golf and Country Club.

Triple major winner Vijay Singh closed with 69 for nine-under-par 279 as his late charge ran out of steam.

World number five Adam Scott, the pre-tournament favourite, finished well down the leaderboard with seven-under-par 281 despite finishing with a flourish with an eagle at the last.

European stars Colin Montgomerie and Ian Poulter had failed to make the cut as lesser lights took centre stage at the 2.5-million-dollar tournament, one of Asia's premier events.

Scott, Tiger Woods, Ernie Els and Nick Faldo are among previous winners of the Classic, which has toured the region since 1990.

Johnnie Walker Classic - Day 3 Wrap

Unheralded Japanese golfer Taichiro Kiyota shot a 5-under-par 67 to take the lead Saturday in the third round of the Johnnie Walker Classic.

Kiyota, who eagled the par-5 sixth, had a 14-under-par, 202 total heading into the final round. He's one stroke ahead of New Zealand's Mark Brown (64) and India's Jyoti Randhawa (68), playing on his home course.

"This is unbelievable. I'm obviously very excited to be on top of the leaderboard. It's the first time for me to be in such a position," said the 27-year-old Kiyota, who hasn't won in five years as a pro. "I may not be able to sleep well tonight."

Vijay Singh shot a 69 and is tied for 10th overall in the tournament jointly sanctioned by the European and Asian Tours.

Brown, who at one point in his career gave up golf and took up an office job for three years, won on the Asian Tour last week.

"I had the ability, but I just didn't show it the first time round. I gave it up for three years and worked," Brown said. "Then I began getting an itch to start playing again."

Greg Chalmers, Phillip Archer and Graeme Storm were in a three-way tie for fourth at 11-under.

Golf pro, computers and plumbing

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