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Friday, March 7, 2014

Notebook: Phil Mickelson to skip Accenture Match Play Championship for third time

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Phil Mickelson will vacation with his family during Accenture Match Play week.

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PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. -- Phil Mickelson will miss this month's WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship, skipping the event for the third time in the past four years.

Mickelson said Thursday his three children are off school that week, so he will be going on a family holiday. He also missed in 2010 and 2012.

The tournament is Feb. 20-24 just north of Tucson, Ariz.

Mickelson has made it to the Match Play quarterfinals only once in 11 appearances, in 2004 at La Costa. He says he loves the tournament and Tucson, where he won his first PGA Tour event.

That means the 65th player in the world ranking after this week will be eligible to play.

HEADING TO HOUSTON: Rory McIlroy has formally committed to play in the Shell Houston Open, which takes place two weeks before The Masters.

The two-time major champion and current No. 1 player will make his third start in the event and his first since 2010. This year, as part of his ''6 Bags'' charity drive, McIlroy will use a bag emblazoned with the logo of Chinquapin Prep, a Houston-area school for disadvantaged youth. The bag will be auctioned off through McIlroy's foundation and all proceeds will go to the school.

Louis Oosthuizen and Lee Westwood are among the other top international players committed to play in Houston.

CHOI HONORED FOR CHARITY: K.J. Choi has been named the recipient of the Golf Writers Association of America’s 2013 Charlie Bartlett Award, given annually to a golfer who makes unselfish contributions for the betterment of society. Choi will be honored at the GWAA Annual Awards Dinner on April 10 in Augusta, Ga.

Choi, 42, founded the K.J. Choi Foundation in 2007 to help children and communities achieve their dreams. He also has raised funds for scholarships and global aid for hurricane and tsunami victims.

“Although I feel that I haven’t done that much, I am honored to be recognized for my actions,” Choi said. “This is the first award of any sort that I have received during my 13-year career on the PGA Tour, and I feel that much more honored to be receiving an award for my charitable actions rather than my play.”

Choi became the first Korean player to play full-time on the PGA Tour and was the 2000 Rookie of the Year. When he won his third event, the 2005 Chrysler Classic of Greensboro, he donated $90,000 to a Korean Presbyterian church in Greensboro.

In 2009, he donated another $90,000 to hurricane victims in the United States, and he gave $200,000 to victims dealing with the fallout from a rash of deadly tornadoes after his 2011 win at The Players Championship. Later that year, he donated $100,000 to help the victims of the tsunami that hit Japan.

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Masters adds 14 players to field based on their world ranking at end of 2013

By PGA.COMDecember 16, 2013 6:14 PM

Rickie Fowler was the only American among the 14 players added to the 2014 Masters field based on the …

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By Doug Ferguson, Associated Press AUGUSTA, Ga. - Augusta National added 14 players to the field for the Masters when the final world ranking of 2013 was published Dec. 15. That brings the field to 90 players who are expected to compete April 10-13, and again raises the possibility of the Masters exceeding 100 players for the first time in nearly 50 years. Augusta National has the smallest field of the four majors and prefers to keep it under 100 to enhance the overall experience at its tournament. This is the third time in the last four years that the field was at least 90 players going into a new calendar year. There were 99 players for the 2011 Masters, the most since 103 players competed in 1966. Those who qualified by being in the top 50 of the final ranking were Hideki Matsuyama, Thomas Bjorn, Jamie Donaldson, Victor Dubuisson, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Francesco Molinari, Rickie Fowler, Matteo Manassero, David Lynn, Thongchai Jaidee, Peter Hanson, Joost Luiten and Branden Grace. Players can still qualify by winning a PGA Tour event (except for the Puerto Rico Open) or being in the top 50 on March 30, a full week before the Masters. Matsuyama qualified at No. 23. It will be his third appearance at the Masters, and his first as a pro. Matsuyama was a two-time winner of the Asia-Pacific Amateur, which awards an exemption to the Masters. He made the cut both times as an amateur. ''I'm ecstatic I qualified for the Masters through my play for this year,'' Matsuyama said through an interpreter in October, when it was clear he would be in the top 50. He won four times this year on the Japan Golf Tour and had a pair of top 10s in the majors. Fowler was the only American of the 14 from the world ranking, though two other players (Peter Hanson, David Lynn) were PGA Tour members, who have more options available to them during the year. The Masters changed the criteria for the 2014 tournament, though that appears to have little bearing on the number of qualified players. Because the PGA Tour went to a wraparound season (October through September), the Masters awarded spots to the winners of tournaments held in the fall. Jimmy Walker, Ryan Moore and Chris Kirk qualified by winning those events. The other winners of fall events - Webb Simpson, Dustin Johnson and Harris English - already were eligible for the Masters. Augusta National eliminated the category for top 30 on the money list, though that didn't keep out any player who qualified. The club now takes the top 12 and ties from the previous Masters (instead of the top 16) and the top four and ties from the U.S. Open (instead of the top eight). That eliminated only one player - David Toms - who would have been eligible under the previous category. The others would have made it through other criteria. When the FedExCup was created in 2007, Augusta National returned to its practice of inviting PGA Tour winners (at events that offered full FedEx Cup points). Since then, the largest increase in the field from January until the Masters was the addition of 11 players for this year's tournament. Here are the 90 players who have qualified and are expected to compete in the 2014 Masters, listed in only first category for which they are eligible: MASTERS CHAMPIONS: Adam Scott, Bubba Watson, Charl Schwartzel, Phil Mickelson, Angel Cabrera, Trevor Immelman, Zach Johnson, Tiger Woods, Mike Weir, Vijay Singh, Jose Maria Olazabal, Mark O'Meara, Ben Crenshaw, Bernhard Langer, Fred Couples, Ian Woosnam, Sandy Lyle, Larry Mize, Craig Stadler, Tom Watson. U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONS (five years): Justin Rose, Webb Simpson, Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell, Lucas Glover. BRITISH OPEN CHAMPIONS (five years): Ernie Els, Darren Clarke, Louis Oosthuizen, Stewart Cink. PGA CHAMPIONS (five years): Jason Dufner, Keegan Bradley, Martin Kaymer, Y.E. Yang. PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIPS CHAMPIONS (three years): Matt Kuchar, K.J. Choi. U.S. AMATEUR CHAMPION AND RUNNER-UP: a-Matt Fitzpatrick, a-Oliver Goss. BRITISH AMATEUR CHAMPION: a-Garrick Porteous. U.S. AMATEUR PUBLIC LINKS CHAMPION: a-Jordan Niebrugge. U.S. MID-AMATEUR CHAMPION: a-Michael McCoy. ASIAN AMATEUR CHAMPION: a-Lee Chang-woo. TOP 12 AND TIES-2013 MASTERS: Jason Day, Marc Leishman, Thorbjorn Olesen, Brandt Snedeker, Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood, Tim Clark, John Huh. TOP FOUR AND TIES-2013 U.S. OPEN: Billy Horschel, Hunter Mahan. TOP FOUR AND TIES-2013 BRITISH OPEN: Henrik Stenson, Ian Poulter. TOP FOUR AND TIES-2013 PGA CHAMPIONSHIP: Jim Furyk, Jonas Blixt. PGA TOUR EVENT WINNERS SINCE 2013 MASTERS (FULL FEDEX CUP POINTS AWARDED): Derek Ernst, Sang-Moon Bae, Boo Weekley, Harris English, Ken Duke, Bill Haas, Jordan Spieth, Patrick Reed, Jimmy Walker, Ryan Moore, Chris Kirk. FIELD FROM THE 2013 TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP: Steve Stricker, Dustin Johnson, Roberto Castro, Nick Watney, Brendon de Jonge, Luke Donald, Gary Woodland, Kevin Streelman, D.A. Points, Graham DeLaet. TOP 50 FROM FINAL WORLD RANKING IN 2013: Hideki Matsuyama, Thomas Bjorn, Jamie Donaldson, Victor Dubuisson, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Francesco Molinari, Rickie Fowler, Matteo Manassero, David Lynn, Thongchai Jaidee, Peter Hanson, Joost Luiten, Branden Grace. TOP 50 FROM WORLD RANKING ON MARCH 30: TBD. SPECIAL FOREIGN INVITATIONS: TBD.

YEARENDER-Ten sporting flops of 2013

December 16, 2013 9:10 PM

By John O'Brien

Dec 17 (Reuters) - Following is a list of 10 sporting flops in 2013:

- -

Rory McIlroy (Golf)

The Northern Irishman ended 2012 at the top of the rankings after a second major win, at the U.S. PGA Championship, and he was the leading money-earner on both sides of the Atlantic. But the 24-year-old slumped this year because of new equipment, off-course distractions including his relationship with Caroline Wozniacki and a first lengthy dip in form since turning professional. McIlroy, now number six, finally tasted victory after edging Adam Scott at the Australian Open this month.

- - - -

Formula One (Motor racing)

Sebastian Vettel clinched a fourth successive world title by winning the last nine races of the year. For most fans, however, the season was a turn-off after the European summer break because Vettel was significantly faster than his rivals on tyres that were perfect for his Red Bull. Races in the second half of the season followed an all-too-familiar pattern of Vettel qualifying on the front row, establishing an early lead, pulling well clear and managing his tyres and pitstops to the finish.

- - - -

Bradley Wiggins (Cycling)

Backing up a season that produced Britain's first Tour de France victory and an Olympic gold medal was never going to be an easy task and Wiggins seemed to buckle under the weight of expectation in 2013. Dumped as Team Sky leader for the Tour de France, Wiggins targeted the Giro d'Italia. But crashes and a chest infection forced an early retirement and a knee injury ruled out a defence of his Tour title. He won the Tour of Britain victory in September but his season ended when he abandoned the world championship road race after just one lap.

- - - -

Roger Federer (Tennis)

Being an all-time great makes life hard for anyone who competes after passing their peak. While Federer is considered a veteran at 32, he will be disappointed by a poor campaign this year after ending 2012 as Wimbledon champion and ranked number two in the world. The Swiss won just one title, failed to reach a grand slam final for the first time since 2002, saw his majors' quarter-finals streak halted at 36 by Sergiy Stakhovsky at Wimbledon and ended the year ranked sixth.

- - - -

Manchester City (Soccer)

The big-spending 2012 Premier League champions put up a poor defence of their title. They finished 11 points behind city rivals United after their away form deserted them in the second half of the season. An early Champions League exit and FA Cup final loss to relegated Wigan Athletic triggered the departure of manager Roberto Mancini but replacement Manuel Pellegrini's side are also struggling to win away from the Etihad Stadium this season.

- - - -

Jose Mourinho (Soccer)

Mourinho's meteoric rise through the managerial ranks hit the buffers when the self-proclaimed "Special One" endured what he called the "worst season of my career" at Real Madrid. The Portuguese suffered a breakdown in relations with key players in the Madrid dressing room and failed to deliver the 10th European title the club hierarchy demanded. After Barcelona reclaimed the league title from Madrid and city rivals Atletico beat Real to win the Spanish Cup in the Bernabeu, Mourinho left the club by "mutual agreement" and headed back to London to manage Chelsea.

- - - -

Pittsburgh Penguins (Ice hockey)

Pittsburgh dominated the Eastern Conference in a lockout-shortened regular season, winning 36 of 48 games with a power-packed lineup that included All-Stars Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and standout goalie Marc-Andre Fleury. A trip to the Stanley Cup appeared a formality heading into the post-season but a dream showdown against the Chicago Blackhawks was denied them when they were swept in four games by the fourth-seeded Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference Finals.

- - - -

Dwight Howard (Basketball)

Howard was a leading light for the Orlando Magic for eight seasons and when he joined the Los Angeles Lakers, many were predicting great things. Nicknamed 'Superman', Howard failed to gel with his team mates, especially Kobe Bryant, and struggled for form and fitness all season as the Lakers limped into the playoffs before being swept by the San Antonio Spurs. Howard finished the season with his lowest scoring average since his second year in the NBA. After just one campaign with the Lakers, Howard opted to join the Houston Rockets.

- - - -

Albert Pujols (Baseball)

The 33-year-old slugger from the Dominican Republic was lured away from the St Louis Cardinals in 2011 by a $254 million 10-year contract offer from the LA Angels, who were hoping his power would help blast them to a World Series. After steady improvement in 2012, he hobbled through to August before ending his season due to a foot injury after batting just .258 with a paltry 17 home runs and 64 RBI. Pujols had never hit less than 32 homers before joining the Angels.

- - - -

McLaren (Motor racing)

Many felt Lewis Hamilton had made a mistake when he walked away from McLaren at the end of 2012 to join Mercedes after McLaren had won five races. But Hamilton's decision proved inspired as his former team struggled to make inroads after a slow start to the season, amassing just 122 points to slip down to fifth in the constructors' standings. Jenson Button's fourth place in the final grand prix was the team's best result and Hamilton's replacement, Sergio Perez, is to be replaced by Kevin Magnussen in 2014 after failing to impress in his one season. (Editing by Robert Woodward)

YEARENDER-FACTBOX-Ten biggest sports earners in 2013

December 16, 2013 9:14 PM

Dec 17 (Reuters) - Following is a list of the 10 biggest

sports earners in 2013.

Total Salary/winnings Endorsements Sport

1. Tiger Woods $78 million $13m $65m Golf

Tiger rediscovered his killer instinct in 2013, surging back

to the top of the world rankings after a blistering start to the

season when he won five of his first 11 events.

Although he failed to add to his haul of 14 major victories

his off-course income perked up, according to the Forbes annual

sporting survey, thanks to sponsorship bonuses with Nike and

Rolex tied to success.

He also collected sizeable appearance fees for competing in

Abu Dhabi, China, Malaysia and Turkey.

2. Roger Federer $72m $7m $65m Tennis

He slipped down the rankings and suffered his leanest season

since 2001 but when it comes to endorsements Federer remains one

of sport's most bankable assets.

The 17-times grand slam winner's reflexes may have slowed

and the picture-perfect backhand has lost its bite but he

retains an impressive portfolio of sponsors including deals with

Nike and Rolex.

3. Kobe Bryant $62m $28m $34m Basketball

A 15-times All-Star, Bryant's $28 million salary made him

the highest-paid player in the NBA in the 2012-13 season and the

future Hall of Famer signed a two-year contract extension with

the Los Angeles Lakers in November.

4. LeBron James $60m $18m $42m Basketball

The man nicknamed 'King James' crowned a memorable 2013 with

his second NBA title, putting in a regal 37-point performance in

the decisive game of the finals to sink the San Antonio Spurs.

Having scooped a fourth Most Valuable Player award, it comes

as no surprise that he is the sport's biggest endorsement

attraction, according to Forbes, thanks to deals with Nike,

McDonald's and Coca-Cola among others.

5. Drew Brees $51m $40m $11m NFL

With six Pro Bowl selections and a Super Bowl title to his

credit since joining the New Orleans Saints in 2006, the

quarterback commands a salary befitting his status as one of the

NFL's most successful players.

Gifted with a strong arm and outstanding vision, Brees has

endorsement deals with companies including Nike, Procter &

Gamble and Verizon Wireless.

6. Aaron Rodgers $49m $43m $6m NFL

The three-times Pro Bowler and Super Bowl Most Valuable

Player in 2011 signed a five-year, $110 million deal in April

that made him the highest-paid player in the NFL.

A broken collarbone in November, however, meant he suffered

a painful end to 2013.

7. Phil Mickelson $49m $5m $44m Golf

Nicknamed 'Phil the Thrill', Mickelson clinched his fifth

major title in commanding fashion in 2013, winning the British

Open with a scintillating five-under 66 in the final round.

One of the biggest drawcards in the game, capable of driving

up television ratings almost single-handedly, he earns more than

$40 million annually from endorsement partners.

8. David Beckham $47m $5m $42m Soccer

The world's most marketable footballer called time on a

career that combined glitz and glamour with some sparkling

silverware in 2013, signing off with a league title at Paris St

Germain.

Endorsements make up the bulk of his earnings and his

bankability is reflected in the Forbes rich list as he tops

shining lights like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

9. Cristiano Ronaldo $44m $23m $21m Soccer

This could be the year that Ronaldo finally steps out of the

shadows of Lionel Messi after a stunning hat-trick performance

helped send Portugal to the World Cup finals and made him

favourite to win the World Player of the Year title.

Four years of playing second fiddle to the Argentine for the

coveted Ballon D'Or has not constrained his earning power,

however, with nearly half of his $44 million earnings coming

from endorsements.

10. Lionel Messi $41m $20m $21m Soccer

Having won the accolade for the best soccer player on the

planet since 2009, Messi has already guaranteed his place among

the sport's pantheon of greats.

After smashing several goalscoring records in 2012, this

year has rung alarm bells as he has suffered significant injury

problems for the first time in his career.

(all earnings estimated by Forbes annual sporting survey in

June 2013)

(Reporting by Toby Davis; editing by Tony Jimenez)

Scott, Tiger and company serve up tasty 2013

By Mark Lamport-StokesDecember 16, 2013 9:42 PM

Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy hits a shot on the seventh hole during the fourth round of the Australian …

By Mark Lamport-Stokes

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Like an enticing chocolate box offering an exquisite array of pralines, truffles, fudge and liqueurs, global golf gave its fans just about everything they might have wanted during a riveting and unpredictable 2013.

The quality and variety of golfing 'confectionary' was exceptional and, with Tiger Woods's remarkable dominance in the late 1990s and early 2000s now a fading memory, confirmed that the sport's strength in depth has never been better.

Adam Scott ended decades of Australian heartache with his country's first U.S. Masters victory and left-hander Phil Mickelson pulled off a sensational triumph at the British Open, the one major that had always seemed the unlikeliest for him to win.

England's Justin Rose finally lived up to the lofty expectations long heaped upon his shoulders by clinching the U.S. Open and 'ordinary looking' Jason Dufner, known for his ultra-laidback demeanor and pre-shot waggle, struck a chord with club players everywhere by winning the U.S. PGA Championship.

American Jim Furyk became only the sixth player to shoot a 59 on the PGA Tour (at the BMW Championship) and Swede Henrik Stenson ended a brilliant year as the first man to land both the European Tour's Race To Dubai title and FedExCup playoff honors in the United States.

World number one Woods failed to add to his major tally of 14, despite being in the mix at both the Masters and British Open, but he triumphed a season-high five times on the PGA Tour before being voted Player of the Year for a record 11th time.

Rory McIlroy, his heir apparent as the game's leading player, ended a turbulent 2013 campaign on and off the course with victory at the Australian Open and will now aim to build on that as he attempts to regain his brilliant 2012 form.

STRONG COMPETITION

McIlroy, who had won two majors by the age of 24 but then struggled after changing his equipment manufacturer in January and having to cope with legal distractions, knows as well as anyone how strong competition has become at the highest level.

"You've got to play really well to win now," the Northern Irishman said. "That's why you see so many first-time winners because the fields are so deep. It is tough to win out here."

Underlining the strength in depth is the fact that 19 different players have combined to win the last 21 major championships.

Scott put his name on that list in April with a high-quality playoff victory over Argentina's Angel Cabrera at the Masters, sealing his win in rain-soaked conditions with a 15-foot birdie putt on the second extra hole.

"Australia is a proud sporting nation and this is one notch in the belt that we never got," said Scott who ended the year as world number two after narrowly missing out on a rare Australian 'triple crown' following wins in November at his national PGA and Masters.

"It's amazing that it came down to me," he added, referring to his Masters victory.

In June, Rose produced remarkable poise and a Ben Hogan-like finish to claim his first major title by two shots at the U.S. Open after overhauling 54-hole leader Mickelson in the final round.

Rose closed with a level-par 70 in difficult scoring conditions at Merion Golf Club, posting a one-over total of 281 to become the first Englishman to win the year's second major since Tony Jacklin at Hazeltine in 1970.

"I established a game plan that really held true for me," said Rose. "It's been a perfect week, start to finish."

One month later 43-year-old Mickelson produced one of the greatest ever closing rounds at a major, firing a five-under-par 66 in cool and breezy conditions to win the British Open at Muirfield by three shots.

"To play probably the best round of my career is probably the most fulfilling moment of my career because it is something I thought I would never do here (at a British Open)," an emotional Mickelson said after landing his fifth major title.

GROWING NUMBER

The following month Dufner added his name to the growing number of first-time major winners, clinching a two-shot victory in the PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club after closing with a two-under 68.

"I can't believe this is happening to me," Dufner said after being presented with the coveted Wanamaker Trophy. "It's a big step for my career."

Woods described his 2013 campaign as "fantastic", even though he has come up empty-handed in the four majors since his remarkable playoff victory in the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines.

"I feel like I've improved this year more than I did over the previous year," the 14-times major champion told Reuters. "I think it was a fantastic year, unfortunately I didn't win a major championship.

"I was close at the Masters (tied for fourth) and the British (Open where he shared sixth place). A couple of little swings here and there and it might have been a different story.

"But I won the Players (Championship) at a venue (Sawgrass) where I have struggled over the years ... to win five times and get Player of the Year again, that feels pretty good."

Though Woods ended the year winless in the majors, perhaps the most surprising aspect of his season was that he was three times given two-shot penalties for rules violations (at the Abu Dhabi Championship, Masters and BMW Championship in Chicago).

Stenson capped a magnificent year with a six-shot victory at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai to top the European Tour order of merit and 21-year-old Hideki Matsuyama became the first rookie to claim the Japanese Tour's money title after winning five times in 2013.

South Korea's Inbee Park set pulses racing as she won the first three women's majors of the year, cruising to a four-shot victory at the Kraft Nabisco Championship, piping Scotland's Catriona Matthew in a playoff for the LPGA Championship and clinching the U.S. Women's Open by four strokes.

However her stirring run of consecutive major victories ended at the Women's British Open in August when American Stacy Lewis came from behind to triumph by two shots. Park, never in contention, tied for 42nd place.

(Editing by Tony Jimenez)

Friday, March 7, 2014

Notebook: Phil Mickelson to skip Accenture Match Play Championship for third time

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Masters adds 14 players to field based on their world ranking at end of 2013

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YEARENDER-Ten sporting flops of 2013

YEARENDER-FACTBOX-Ten biggest sports earners in 2013

Scott, Tiger and company serve up tasty 2013

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