PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. -- Just about the last thing Tiger Woods wants to talk about these days is his strikingly poignant problems with his putting stroke. But he grudgingly acceded Wednesday at PGA National Resort because he maintained a steadfast intransigence on the subject of the upcoming book written by former swing instructor Hank Haney.

Excerpts of Haney's book, "The Big Miss," written with Golf Digest senior writer Jaime Diaz, were published on GolfDigest.com Tuesday, but during a press conference on the eve of the Honda Classic, Woods declined to say anything about it, except to say he had nothing to say. He elaborated with laboriously terse deflections.

Related: Five revelations about Tiger Woods in The Big Miss

The first question for Woods, even though in reference to the book, was a softball that he simply chose not to swing at.

Q. Obviously several weeks ago, you expressed your disappointment about Hank's book. Now there's some stuff that's come out since. Where would you say your disappointment level is based on any of what's come out and to this point?

WOODS: Bob, It's still the same. Nothing has changed in that regard at all.

Then a few questions later:

Q. To follow up on Bob, I know Mark (Steinberg, Woods's agent) responded to the fact that the excerpts are out from Hank's book, but I'm wondering, what's your reaction?

WOODS: Well, I've already talked about it. So... sorry, Tommy.

Then there was a specific inquiry as to the accuracy of Haney's contention that Woods, whose late father Earl, was a Green Beret in the Army, was prepared to walk away from golf to pursue a career as a Navy SEAL.

Related: Five Revelations About Tiger Woods In The Big Miss

Your name could appear on Padraig Harrington. And it's for a great cause.

To raise money for his wife's cousin, who was recently paralyzed for life from the after a recent car accident in Ireland, Harrington is offering companies the chance to advertise on any part of his attire, the Irish Times is reporting.

The three-time major winner and Ryder Cup player, who's currently 87th in the world, said he'll be sporting the new endorsements for three weeks, from the Shell Houston Open, through the Masters, and ending the week of the RBC Heritage at Hilton Head Island.

That means a company will have rare sponsorship opportunities at Augusta National during one of the world's most watched events, which will go to support Gerard Byrne, a 35-year-old father of three who is the eldest son of Harrington's wife's aunt.

Related: Can Paddy Find His Way Again?

"This is why I never want to complain about golf," Harrington told the Irish Times yesterday. "Obviously Gerard [Byrne] will need a lot of assistance in his life - a wheelchair-enabled car, renovations to his home and other things - so my current sponsors have agreed to allow me to offer all the branding on my clothing and bag to the highest bidder."

--Stephen Hennessey
Follow @s_hennessey

(Photo courtesy of Brian Keogh/The Irish Times)

One would assume connecting golf with the extra day that occurs every four years--commonly known as Leap Day (more commonly known as February 29)--would be a rather simple task. You know what they say about assuming...

Believe it or not, the search query "Leap Day golf" delivered few exciting results. I can tell you there are numerous courses offering $29, all-inclusive rounds of golf today, along with the occasional tournament, but little else. So with that knowledge--or lack thereof--at hand, I was forced to include certain variables of today's theme: notably, connections to leaping and frogs. Here's a quick look at what the information superhighway has to offer.

Please excuse me for making the obvious reference to Alabama Crimson Tide phenom Brooke Pancake on the national "holiday" that shares her surname. It was either her, or the much vaguer pancake reference to a flop shot. Why spend endless minutes trying to connect a meaningless holiday to golf with six-degrees of separation when only one is needed?

For those of you not in the know, Brooke Pancake hit the national scene during last year's U.S. Women's Amateur Championship, falling to Danielle Kang on the final hole of the semifinal match. She is currently a senior at Alabama coming off a first-team All-American junior season, both on the course and in the classroom. She is a three-time NGCA Scholar Athlete and was awarded the 2011 Edith Cummings Munson Golf Award for the All-American with the highest GPA, winning the SEC Scholar-Athlete of the year for women's golf in 2010 and 2011. With an above-average GPA, Pancake carried a below-par average through the first-half of the 2010-2011 season before finishing in the top-10 with a 72.29 scoring average. She equaled the school 18-hole record 65, not once, but twice, and ranked second in the country in putts and GIR (she led the nation in fewest three-putts). 

She also dominates all Google search results for "golf pancake."

While the list of Brooke Pancake's accomplishments are long, videos of her game are not. This shaky, hopefully-not-shot-by-a-stalker, look of her playing an entire 6th hole (the course is not listed) is the most-watched. It's followed by a GolfWeek preview of the 2011-2012 women's collegiate season and an ESPNU look at the 2010-2011 Alabama squad prior to the 2010 SEC women's golf championship.

Side-note: Though we have no evidence to suggest she is a fan of the food or the holiday, we are fairly certain she's sick of the pancake references. Sorry Brooke.

Hunter Mahan's win over Rory McIlroy in the final of the WGC-Accenture Match Play capped the PGA Tour's West Coast Swing and an exciting first eight weeks to the 2012 season. Here's a look back at what has transpired thus far:

Best Performance
Phil Mickelson at Pebble: After a rough start to his 20th PGA Tour season, Mickelson got into contention at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, setting up a final-round pairing with Tiger Woods. What happened was downright shocking as Mickelson played one of the best rounds of his storied career to top his rival by 11 shots and win his 40th PGA Tour title. His flawless 64 -- the low round of the day by three shots -- made many believe the 41-year old is poised to have a big year in the major championships.

Photo: Harry How/Getty Images

Biggest surprise
Johnson Wagner: Wagner entered 2012 with two tour wins, but little was expected of him. Now he's an early candidate for Player of the Year after taking the tour's Player of the Month Award for January. J-Wags started with three consecutive top 10s, including a win at the Sony Open and a runner-up at the Humana Challenge. Oh yeah, he's also a runaway winner for having the tour's most ridiculous mustache.

Best Finish
Northern Trust Open: This one had it all. Big names, clutch shots/putts, and a historic venue. Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley both birdied Riviera's brutal par-4 18th hole to tie clubhouse leader Bill Haas. After the three all parred that same hole to start a sudden-death playoff, they headed to the course's famed 10th hole. With a terrible angle after a wayward drive on the short par 4, Haas safely pitched onto the center of the green, 45 feet away. He then drained the unlikely birdie putt and when Mickelson and Bradley couldn't match, the 2011 FedEx Cup champion had another thrilling playoff win and his fourth tour title.

Related: What Phil and Bones really talk about

Biggest statement
Hunter Mahan: It's rare for the winner of the annual WGC-Accenture Match Play to be clearly the best player all week, but that's exactly what the 29-year-old American was. Mahan made a tournament-high 35 birdies, won 20 more holes than his opponents and only had to go to the 18th hole once in his six matches. Oh yeah, he only topped arguably the game's best player in Rory McIlroy in the final. Perhaps Mahan is on track to become the next great American golfer. At the very least, this performance, coupled with a 4-1 record at the Presidents Cup, are a good indication he's moved on from his his heartbreaking match-play experience at the 2010 Ryder Cup.

Best Rookie
John Huh: South Korea's Sang-Moon Bae has also been impressive, but Huh gets the nod for his win at the Mayakoba Classic when he topped Robert Allenby in an eight-hole playoff. The 21-year old won in just his fifth start on the PGA Tour and also has a T-6 (Farmers Insurance Open) and a T-12 (Waste Management Phoenix Open) to his credit. A New York native, Huh's win also means that American-born players have won all nine tournaments thus far.

The chances of hitting a golf ball up a spectator's shorts can only be matched by hitting one down the shirt of another. Which is just what Lee Westwood did yesterday in his semifinal round match-up against Rory McIlroy.

Related: Mickelson's ball ends up in man's pants.

It's hard to imagine a more improbable shot than Phil Mickelson's "shot up a man's shorts," but Westwood might have outdone him with this delicately placed tee shot on the par-5 13th hole at the Accenture Match Play Championship. Lee also one-upped Phil with his wistful commentary when, after approaching the woman he just plunked, suggested she walk 250-yards further up the fairway.

-- Derek Evers
Follow @DerekEvers

Rory McIlroy's attempt to take over No. 1 in the Official World Golf Ranking was the main story heading into Sunday afternoon's championship match at the WGC-Accenture. By Sunday evening, though, the focus had shifted to Hunter Mahan, the latest player to grab the title of "the next great American golfer."

In recent years, among others we've seen the likes of Anthony Kim, Dustin Johnson, Rickie Fowler, Nick Watney and Bill Haas lay claim to that distinction. Thinking Mahan, who climbed to a career-best No. 9 in the rankings, is now the guy may be a bit premature, but at 29 he now has the best resume of that bunch with four PGA Tour wins, including two World Golf Championships. Here are the highlights from his latest conquest:

Mahan, who made 35 birdies in the event, was the best player for the entire week. And not even McIlroy, the heir apparent to Tiger Woods as golf's next superstar, couldn't stop him. Getting to No. 1 is just a matter of time for the 22-year old from Northern Ireland, but as John Strege points out, he still has a ways to go in proving he will win at a rate that even approaches what Woods has done in his career.

Rory McIlroy could see the top of the world from the first tee on Sunday, his climb less imposing than ever before. The most formidable obstacle remaining was himself.

Yet McIlroy's ascent is still on hold, his own deficiency conspiring with Hunter Mahan to delay it. In the meantime, they left us with these questions: Why isn't one winning more and why hasn't the other won more?

Mahan, 29, defeated McIlroy, 2 and 1, in the final of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship, only his fourth career victory and first in 18 months, but one that has some salivating at the possibilities. Again.

"It could springboard him into being the best American player," NBC's Johnny Miller said on Sunday's telecast. "I think he's ready to have that label."

His swing has always generally performed with the requisite precision, but his short game has not always cooperated. Recall the chunked chip with the Ryder Cup on the line in Wales in October, 2010.

"I have to chip and putt if I want to win and that was a strength this week," he said. "I made a putter switch and felt great on the greens immediately."

It was an upset that never resembled one. Mahan was the best player in the field from the first round to the last (36 birdies) and the best player in the final from the first hole to the last. He made four birdies on the back nine at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Marana, Ariz., to fend off McIlroy's demonstration of the talent that eventually (sooner rather than later) will land him atop the World Ranking.