HUMBLE, Texas (AP) ― Phil Mickelson is among the leaders after shooting a bogey-free 4-under par 68 in his opening round of the Houston Open, showing no effects of the muscle pull that forced him to withdraw from last week’s Texas Open. The five-time major winner, who practiced at Augusta National for two days this week in advance of the Masters, is three shots back of leaders Bill Haas and Charley Hoffman ― both who shot 7-under 65.Keegan Bradley and Matt Kuchar lead a group of five golfers at

April 4, 2014

Tiger Woods chose surgery to heal his ailing back over a quest for another green jacket, announcing Tuesday that he will miss the Masters for the first time in his career.Woods said on his website that he had surgery Monday in Utah for a pinched nerve that had been hurting him for several months, knowing the surgery would keep him from Augusta National next week for the first time since he was a senior in high school.The No. 1 player in the world is a four-time Masters champion.“After attempting

April 2, 2014

The world’s No. 1-ranked female golfer Park In-bee will lead the South Korean team at an international competition to be inaugurated by the LPGA Tour this summer.The top women’s golf tour will stage the International Crown in Maryland in July. The four highest-ranked players each from eight countries will compete at Caves Valley Golf Club, outside Baltimore, and the representatives were based on the world rankings announced on Monday.Park stayed at No. 1 for the 51st week in the latest rankings.

March 31, 2014

SAN ANTONIO (AP) ― Steven Bowditch of Australia opened a three-stroke lead Saturday in the Texas Open, while Phil Mickelson withdrew after 10 holes because of a pulled muscle in his right side.Bowditch, the 30-year-old seeking his first PGA Tour title, shot a 4-under 68 to reach 12 under at TPC San Antonio. Matt Kuchar and Andrew Loupe were tied for second. Kuchar shot 65, and Loupe had a 70.“I’ve won four or five times on between Australia and Web.com,” said Bowditch, who would get into the Mas

March 30, 2014

ORLANDO, Florida (AP) ― Matt Every is finally a winner on the PGA Tour, and he’s still not sure how it happened.He was nine shots behind Masters champion Adam Scott going into the weekend at Bay Hill. He was still four back of the Australian he referred to as a “stud” going into the final round Sunday at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.Every figured even par over the last three holes would do the trick. He made two bogeys.Even after a hearty handshake from the tournament host and a shiny trophy a

March 24, 2014

PHOENIX (AFP) ― World number one Park In-bee of South Korea takes 49-week run atop the rankings into the LPGA Founders Cup with Suzann Pettersen and defending champion Stacy Lewis in close pursuit.Four-time major winner Park, coming off a victory at a Ladies European Tour event in China, was second in Thailand last month and shared fourth at Singapore earlier this month in LPGA events.“I actually feel quite fresh coming here and it’s the first tournament in America in a while for me, so it actua

March 20, 2014

PALM HARBOR, Florida (AP) ― More than seven years without a victory. A trip to Augusta National riding on the outcome. A three-way tie for the lead going into a daunting three-hole closing stretch called “The Snake Pit” on the Copperhead course of Innisbrook.John Senden was trying to keep his mind off all of that Sunday in the Valspar Championship.The finish will be hard for him to forget.Senden chipped in for birdie from 70 feet on the 16th hole, one of only two birdies in the final round at th

March 17, 2014

PALM HARBOR, Florida (AP) ― Robert Garrigus missed two short par putts over the last seven holes Saturday, and just like that, his four-shot lead dwindled to one in the Valspar Championship.That’s about the only thing that went quickly.On a gorgeous afternoon at Innisbrook, pace of play on the PGA Tour reared its ugly head again.Garrigus had to settle for a 1-under 70 when he missed short par putts on the 12th and 18th holes, giving him a one-shot lead over Kevin Na, who labored and fidgeted his

March 16, 2014

HAIKOU, China (AFP) ― Teenage sensation Lee Min-jee said she is in no rush to follow New Zealand’s Lydia Ko by turning professional as she plots a path to the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.The 17-year-old Australian has assumed Ko’s former crown by becoming the world’s top-ranked amateur and making waves with her performances at professional events. Last month, Lee won the Victorian Open by six strokes and was runner-up to Tiger Woods’ niece Cheyenne at the Australian Ladies Masters.She tied f

March 13, 2014

SAN DIEGO (AFP) ― Torrey Pines, where Tiger Woods won the most recent of his 14 major titles, has been selected to host the 2021 U.S. Open golf championship pending city approval, according to reports Tuesday.The San Diego Union-Tribune newspaper’s website and Golf Channel reported that the course, which hosts the U.S. PGA Tour’s $6.1 million Farmers Insurance Open each January, has been invited by the U.S. Golf Association to host the 2021 event, the next U.S. Open without a named host course.B

March 12, 2014

SYDNEY (AFP) ― Outspoken caddy Steve Williams says former employer Tiger Woods has lost his intimidation factor, as the New Zealander revealed he will quit full-time golf this year.Williams, who was sacked by Woods in 2011 after helping him win all but one of his 14 major titles, added that he had yet to reconcile with the world number one, but hopes to one day.“There’s just personal things and differences of opinion about how things went down. He thinks one thing and I think another,” Williams,

March 12, 2014