Whether the best of the rest are drawing any closer to Woods while he inexorably hones in on Nicklaus is grist for talk radio. Ernie Els was the only famous name to break par. Otherwise, the Big Five we annointed only a few years ago appears to have gone the way of Detroit's Big Three automakers. And the young Americans? Austin earned a spot in the Presidents Cup at age 43. His only other team experience is with Team Tabasco. I can't take any other message from the PGA Championship except this: Only one European finished in the top 10 and just three in the top 20. So, we obviously should arrange a Ryder Cup for Southern Hills in August, and soon. If you can't beat them, boil them.
Now it is time to dig in for the FedEx Cup playoff series, a four-pronged experiment that will pay the winner a sum of $10 million. But the money shall be spread out over the rest of the century, which is why Tiger doesn't seem excited (and he's told Sam Alexis to curb her enthusiasm, too). This delivery will not be standard overnight. Still, the stars insist they'll be there. Phil Mickelson not only plans to play in New York, Boston, Chicago and Atlanta, he's off to China in mid-November, right during the football season. Either it's the San Diego Chargers' bye week, or he's getting a gaudy appearance fee. "Let's put it this way," said the lefty. "It has nothing to do with the NFL schedule."
Woods, meanwhile, sticks to his proclamation?it is his "intent" to partake in all four tournaments. Well, when I started out in this business, it was my intent to be Red Smith and win a Pulitzer Prize. I'll believe that all the top guys will make all playoff stops when I see it.
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