Tiger Woods underwent successful reconstructive surgery on the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) on his left knee Tuesday in Park City, Utah. The surgery was performed by Dr. Thomas Rosenberg and Dr. Vernon Cooley, who performed arthroscopic surgery on the same knee on April 15.

"We were confident going in to this surgery and I am pleased with the results," said Dr. Rosenberg. "There were no surprises during the procedure, and as we have said, with the proper rehabilitation and training, it is highly unlikely that Mr. Woods will have any long-term effects as it relates to his career."

Woods, who won the U.S. Open last week for the third time, decided to move up the surgery to accelerate his rehabilitation.

"It was important for me to have the surgery as soon as possible so that I could begin the rehabilitation process," said Woods. "I am very appreciative of Dr. Rosenberg and Dr. Cooley and his staff's guidance and look forward to working with them through the necessary rehabilitation and training. I also wanted to thank everyone for their well wishes over the past week. I look forward to working hard at my rehabilitation over the coming months and returning to the PGA Tour healthy next year."

The top-ranked Woods has not announced a timetable for his return to competitive golf. In six starts this year, Woods has four wins and a second-place finish and leads the PGA Tour money list with $5,775,000. He also won the Dubai Desert Classic.

--Mark Soltau

LA JOLLA, Calif. -- Count Paul Casey among the British golfers who think Vijay Singh was off base earlier this week for asserting that their lack of success in major championships can be attributed to lack of hard work.

Speaking to The Telegraph of London, Singh said, "Lots of them start out with the right intentions, and the opportunities are there for them to become great. Once they're on tour, though, they find themselves having a fine time and wondering, 'Why should I bother to work hard?' Their way of life is so comfortable that it doesn't matter if they have a bad tournament. The disappointment is not as big anymore. There's another event the following week, and they just move on."

Singh added: "Real winners are a different kettle of fish to the rest. They have one-track minds, whether they're playing golf or any other sport. Nothing, simply nothing, interferes with what they're doing. They don't worry about their hotel room, they don't worry about what they're going to eat for dinner. Instead they think, play and live their sport all the time."

Casey responded to the comments after both players shot five-over-par 76 in the third round of the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, putting them in the same pairing for Sunday's final round.

"My work rate is absolutely fine," Casey said. "Vijay's clearly is more than most other people's. But look at Monty [Colin Montgomerie]. You rarely saw him on the range, but he is absolutely brilliant. That's just his style. It's horses for courses. I think overall the British guys are working very hard."

Englishman Lee Westwood, who'll play in the final pairing Sunday, has an opportunity break through, entering the final round just one stroke behind leader Tiger Woods. The last Brit to win a major title was Nick Faldo in the 1996 Masters, and the last to win the U.S. Open was Tony Jacklin in 1970 at Hazeltine. What has held them back?

"I think we have the desire and the hunger," said Casey. "I think what we need is for guys to break through, and the belief is the thing. I think we need to get that going a little bit stronger."

Casey says he has the talent to win a major but has sometimes been his own worst enemy.

"I feel like I've put too much pressure on myself and felt like I had to do something extra special coming in when all it really takes in a major is good, solid golf and eliminating mistakes rather than actually going out and trying to hit miraculous golf shots," he said. "You don't need to do that, you just need to be patient and put the ball in play and manage yourself and your golf ball. I'm learning that."

--Mark Soltau

LA JOLLA, Calif. -- Contrary to early-week rumors, Adam Scott did not play in Thursday's first round of the U.S. Open with a broken right pinkie. He has a broken right hand.

That's why Scott used his left hand to shake hands with playing partners Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson on the first tee.

"It doesn't really affect my golf swing, so I'm pretty lucky to be playing," said Scott, who shot 73.

The Australian was in London last month with a friend, who accidentally shut a car door on his hand. "Right across the edge," he said. "It was the night of the Champions League [soccer] final in Russia."

With rest and strengthening exercises, the hand healed sufficiently enough for the third-ranked Scott to compete this week. "It's strong enough to where I can play and it's improved a lot in the last five days since I got here," said Scott. "So it's been no problem."

It also helps that Scott uses an an overlap grip. "I wouldn't have been able to play with an interlocking grip, it would have put too much stress on it," he said.

Scott will play with Woods and Mickelson again Friday and is looking forward to it.

"There's a lot of hoopla about it, but I've played with Phil a lot in majors," Scott said. "I enjoy playing with Tiger as well. I find it a lot easier to focus because I think I've got to be a little more disciplined. I felt like I played really well out there today and I really didn't make any putts."

-- Mark Soltau

DUBLIN, Ohio -- In a sign of how things have changed on the PGA Tour, most players have little or no contact with tournament directors or hosts until they show up at the course. And few thank their hosts after an event.

"It's a different age and day," Jack Nicklaus said Tuesday at the Memorial Tournament, where he serves as host.   

Nicklaus found out last Friday that top-ranked Tiger Woods would be skipping the tournament to recover from knee surgery.

"Mark Steinberg [Woods' agent] called me the day after he had his knee surgery [April 15] and said Tiger's goal was to be back for the Memorial Tournament," said Nicklaus. "He called two or three times last week and said Tiger's plans were to get here Friday. I mean, they sent a check for renting a house and everything else. He was ready to come.

"But then Mark called back and said he went out and tried to play Thursday and couldn't. He said he couldn't put the weight on his knee, couldn't turn it."

Nicklaus harbors no ill feelings.

"It's OK," he said. "I don't think I ever talked to Tiger on the telephone."

Nicklaus said one of the best things Arnold Palmer taught him was to send a sponsor a thank-you note after playing in a tournament.

"So every tournament I ever played in, I always dropped the sponsor a note," said Nicklaus.

How often does Nicklaus get notes from players after the Memorial?

"We get one or two," he said. "But not very many."

--Mark Soltau

Tiger Woods has decided not to play in next week's Memorial Tournament, hosted by Jack Nicklaus. He had until 5 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday to enter, but his office notified the PGA Tour that he would not be participating.

A three-time winner of the event, the top-ranked Woods has not competed since a second-place finish at the Masters Tournament last month and underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee on April 15.

Although Woods has been pleased with his rehabilitation, he will not discuss it until next Tuesday during a press conference for the AT&T National, to be played July 3-6 at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md., where he is the tournament host.

Typically, the recovery period is 4-6 weeks. Woods is expected to play in the U.S. Open Championship, June 12-15 at Torrey Pines Golf Course near San Diego, CA. He has excelled on the South Course at Torrey, winning four-consecutive Buick Invitationals and six overall.

The 32-year-old Woods has made five appearances on the PGA Tour this year, winning his first three starts. He also has a second and a fifth-place finish, and leads the circuit in earnings with $4.4 million.

-- Mark Soltau

Tiger Woods saw his doctors in Utah on Wednesday for a two-week checkup on his surgically-repaired left knee.

"It went great," said Woods, who underwent arthroscopic surgery on April 15. "Everything is right on schedule."

Woods, 32, said he's ready to begin his rehabilitation, but he isn't sure when he will return to competition. Ideally, he would like to play in a tournament before the U.S. Open, June 12-15 at Torrey Pines Golf Course near San Diego, possibly two weeks earlier at the Memorial Tournament.

"The doctors said I should be able to play in 4 to 6 weeks after the surgery, but there are no guarantees about anything right now," said Woods. "I'm just going to work hard and do what they tell me to do."

Initially, Woods used crutches and wore a knee brace. The crutches are gone now, and he attended Game 5 of the Orlando Magic's Eastern Conference quarterfinals series against the Toronto Raptors on Monday night.

Despite a strong start this season--three wins, a second at the Masters and a fifth at Doral to lead the PGA Tour's money list by almost $2 million over No. 2 Phil Mickelson--Woods has been playing in pain and knew surgery was necessary.

"The knee has been bugging me for a while," he said. "The only decision was: do you miss the Masters or play in the Masters? I decided to play. Even if I had won, I still would have had the surgery."

--Mark Soltau

Tiger must be successfully on the mend. He was spotted at Tiger Jam last night on crutches. Woods is expected to remain on crutches for about a week. He expects to return to putting practice next week, chipping the week after.

--Mark Soltau

Tiger Woods is progressing well after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Tuesday. So well that he hasn't needed crutches; is expected to practice putting before the end of the week; and is hosting Tiger Jam XI on Saturday night at the Mandalay Bay Resort Events Center in Las Vegas, where rock legends Van Halen will perform.

"The knee is coming along very well," Woods said Friday. "I've been through this before and understand the rehabilitation process. I'm just taking it slow and steady."

Woods, coming off a second-place finish at the Masters, hopes to start chipping next week, then will progress to short wedge shots. If all goes well, he could return to competition on the PGA Tour in about six weeks. The Memorial Tournament, where Woods has won three times and missed only once (2006) in his 11 full seasons as a professional, begins May 29. The U.S. Open at Torrey Pines begins two weeks after that, on June 12.

"We'll just see how it goes," he said.

Woods has seen Van Halen in concert twice this year and is looking forward to a fun evening. Last year, a huge crowd came to watch Bon Jovi. The event, coupled with live and silent auctions, raised $1 million for the Tiger Woods Foundation and Las Vegas charities.

--Mark Soltau

Tiger Woods underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Tuesday, it was announced on his website. It was the third operation the 32-year-old Woods has undergone on the knee.

The procedure was performed by Dr. Thomas D. Rosenberg at the Healthsouth Surgical Center in Park City, Utah. He previously performed a one-hour surgery in Dec. of 2002 to remove fluid inside and outside the anterior cruciate ligament, and removed benign cysts. In 1994, Woods had a benign tumor removed.

"I made the decision to deal with the pain and schedule surgery after the Masters," said Woods, who finished second in the tournament last Sunday. "The upside is that I have been through the process before and know how to handle it. I looked forward to working through this rehabilitation process and getting back to action as quickly as I can."

The typical healing process is 4-6 weeks. Woods, who will not need crutches, could return to competition at The PLAYERS Championship, May 8-11. A more conservative estimate would be the Memorial Tournament, May 29 through June 1.

"Tiger has been experiencing pain in his knee since the middle of last year, and when he had it looked at by his doctors, arthroscopic surgery was recommended," said Mark Steinberg, his agent. "Cartilage damage was found during the procedure, which Dr. Rosenberg was able to correct. Tiger has played through pain in the past, but knew it would be better for him to have the procedure done as early as possible."

Woods was released from Healthsouth Surgical Center on Tuesday. He is scheduled to host Tiger Jam XI in Las Vegas on Friday and Saturday at the Mandalay Resort. Proceeds benefit the Tiger Woods Foundation and select Las Vegas charities.

--Mark Soltau

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Tiger Woods had just come up short in the 72nd Masters and was waiting to be interviewed by Bill Macatee of CBS. It had been a long, frustrating tournament for the four-time champion, who fought a balky putter all week.

Inside, the world's top golfer was crushed. But he didn't let it show.

"Hello? Hello? Hello? Can you hear me, Lance?" Macatee said into the microphone to producer Lance Barrow, waiting for the signal to begin the interview.

"First time?" cracked Woods.

Laughter all around. A much-needed light moment after 72 holes of grinding and heartbreak.

Woods, 32, has won 13 professional majors, and he hates finishing second. He often calls it, "First loser."

For the record, Woods has finished second in five majors, including three of the last five and four of the last 11. He likely had a long talk with his putter Sunday night on the flight home to Florida.

Tee to green,Woods gave himself every opportunity to win a fifth green jacket. He just never felt comfortable with his putting stroke. His speed was good; his alignment wasn't.

"I hit the ball well enough to win this golf tournament," said Woods. "I just did not make enough putts."

Make no mistake, he tried everything. Woods even hooked his putts.

"On these greens, you have to hit them perfectly or they won't go in," he said.

Touring the usually inviting par 5s in a combined four under par didn't help, either. Or going one for six in sand saves.

Earlier this year, Woods stated his goal was to win the Grand Slam. "Easily within reach," he said.

But then, Woods expects to win every tournament.

"I give it my best shot," said Woods. "That's all I can do. It just didn't happen."

Woods will head to Las Vegas next week to host Tiger Jam XI, where the headliner is Van Halen. He needs a break from his putter.

--Mark Soltau

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Tiger Woods arrived at breezy Augusta National Golf Club just before 1 p.m. and went straight to the putting green. After a short practice session, he headed to the range with swing coach Hank Haney, studying the Sunday pin sheet as he walked. Woods always makes mental notes and practices shots he thinks he will need during the round.

As predicted, swirling winds of more than 20 miles-per-hour are making the course play tough so far. The sun is out and there's hardly a cloud in the sky, but spectators are dressed warmly in wind shirts, sweaters and jackets. It's currently in the low 60s. It appears that about one out of four fans are attired in something green.

Woods declined a pre-round interview request from CBS, as did leader Trevor Immelman.

--Mark Soltau

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- No matter what happens Sunday in the 72nd Masters Tournament--and the forecast calls for temperatures in the low 60s and 20-mile-per-hour winds--Tiger Woods has the attention of the leaders. Had his putter cooperated Saturday, he might have been playing in the last group.

Woods' bogey-free, four-under-par 68--his best score at Augusta since a third-round 65 in 2005--vaulted him from a tie for 13th place to fifth, six strokes behind leader Trevor Immelman. But for the second consecutive round, Woods couldn't solve the greens, taking 31 putts.

"It was probably the highest score I could have shot," said Woods.

Let us count some of the missed opportunities: from 25 feet for eagle at No. 2, 16 feet at No. 7, eight feet at No. 8, 20 feet at No. 9, 25 feet at No. 12, 30 feet at No. 13 and eight feet at No. 15. Woods buried a 25-foot birdie putt at the par-4 10th--by far his longest putt of the week. The next-longest was an eight-footer for par at No. 1 on Thursday.

"I hit so many putts that skirted the hole," he said.

At the short par-4 third hole, Woods hit a big drive just short of the green, then clipped a 60-degree sand wedge near the pin, only to see it spin back 30 feet. Woods lobbed the iron at his bag, then left the birdie putt short. But instead of fuming while playing partner Andres Romero putted out, Woods walked to the edge of the green, tossed up grass to see which way the wind was blowing on the par-3 fourth hole, and did mental math on what club to hit.

"You just have to hang in there, because anything can happen out here," said Woods. "You can shoot yourself right out of it and you can put yourself right back in it."

Woods has won 13 professional major titles, including four green jackets; Immelman's best finish in a major is a tie for fifth at Augusta National in 2005.

Woods has never won a major starting from behind on Sunday, but the leaders--Immelman, Brandt Snedeker, Steve Flesch and Paul Casey--have zero major victories among them.

--Mark Soltau

AUGUSTA,  Ga. -- If you followed him Friday, and thousands of spectators did in the sun-splashed second round of the 72nd Masters Tournament, you would have thought Tiger Woods shot 75. He chunked a shot into a bunker, three-putted twice--once from the fringe--and played the usually vulnerable par 5s in only one under par.

He still shot 71.

Like most late starters, and he was second-to-last off, Woods struggled with the wind and tortoise-like pace of play. It took and playing partners Angel Cabrera and Stuart Appleby three hours to play the front nine. There were adventures, notably at the par-4 18th hole, where Woods drove into the right trees and pine straw, played his second shot up the 10th fairway, and might have holed a blind third shot if his ball hadn't bumped into the ball of playing partner Stuart Appleby. He still holed an eight-footer for par.

"It was quite a grind out there with those conditions," said Woods, who is at one-under-par 143 and tied for 13th, seven strokes behind Trevor Immelman. "It was blowing, swirling all over the place. We were backing off shot after shot. A day of patience for sure."

Although the four-time winner made an eagle Thursday, he started the second round with a string of 34 holes at Augusta without a birdie. He erased that stat quickly with a birdie at the par-4 first, guiding a 9-iron through the pine trees to 20 feet and slam-dunked the putt.

The critical point came at the par-4 11th after a three-putt bogey at No. 10. Woods missed the green right on No. 11, left his approach eight feet short, then buried a slick, downhill left-to-right putt dead-center.

"That was nice," he said. "You don't want to three?putt back-to-back greens. And certainly that would have put a little damper on it. Especially when I'm trying to fight to get back into the tournament, I don't want to go two over par. And I figured I had two par 5s left I could still get under par, maybe sprinkle one more in there and get right back in the tournament."

Which he did. Woods birdied 13 and 17 and remains within striking distance. Especially with rain and wind in the forecast. Especially with Masters pressure looming for the leaders. His biggest 36-hole comeback at the Masters -- Six back in 2005. The last player to rally from outside the Top 10 at the halfway mark and go on to win -- Jack Nicklaus, who was tied for 17th in 1986.

"Seven back on this golf course," said Woods, "under these conditions? I can make that up."

--Mark Soltau

AUGUSTA, Ga. -? Swirling winds, sun-baked greens, slow play and operator error contributed to a frustrating front nine for Tiger Woods on Friday. He made the turn in even-par 36, bogeyed the 10th with a three-putt from the fringe, holed an eight-footer for par on No. 11 and was one over on the 12th tee, nine strokes behind tournament leader Trevor Immelman.

The second round started promisingly when Woods birdied the par-4 first hole, snapping a 34-hole birdie drought at Augusta. The huge gallery, five and six deep, roared its approval, but not before a patron was escorted off the course when his cell phone rang.

"The Yankees must be coming!" said a fan, when spectators scattered toward the par-5 second hole.

Late starters dealt with strong breezes, adding one and two clubs on some holes. The wind wasn't to blame at No. 2, where Woods put himself in ideal position just short of the green in two with a good angle to the back-left flag and dumped a sand wedge into the front-left bunker--possibly the result of a sand divot--and departed with a bogey.

When the trio walked off the third green, they were one hour into the round and endured a 10-minute wait on the fourth tee. "It's a death march," said a veteran caddie.

Woods wasn't pleased after missing a 10-foot birdie putt, but didn't vent. He took a long sip of Gatorade and practiced his stroke on the fourth tee, which is faster than most country club's greens.

Woods gave back another shot at the par-3 sixth, three-putting from the front of the green. Again, he remained calm. After pounding a long drive at the par-5 eighth, he walked up the fairway laughing with Appleby, examining his driver. Woods nearly eagled the hole, missing a 15-foot eagle attempt. And, the frustration continued at the par-4 ninth, when a seemingly perfect chip refused to fall.

--Mark Soltau

AUGUSTA, Ga. -? For the 14th consecutive year, Tiger Woods didn't break 70 in the first round of the Masters Tournament. He also failed to make a birdie Thursday for only the second time at hot and steamy Augusta National Golf Club.

But if you're expecting Woods to be down after an even-par 72, think again. He has won this event four times, and only trails co-leaders Justin Rose and Trevor Immelman by four shots.

"I'm just going to go relax," a composed and smiling Woods said afterward. "I'm going to hit a few putts, but I feel good about how I played all day. I hit the ball really well. I hit a lot of good putts that just didn't go in. That's just the way it goes. I've just got to stay patient out there and hopefully it will turn."

Woods hit 13 greens in regulation and used 29 putts. The longest putt he made was a 10-footer for par on the first green.

He didn't get the best bounces, either, especially the carom off the bleachers behind the par-5 eighth green that negated a likely birdie. Then a "sweet" 4-iron second shot from 214 yards into the wind at the par-5 13th rolled through the green and stopped in a nearly impossible spot, resulting in his first bogey after 12 straight pars.

"It was the hardest pitch you could possibly have on this golf course," he said. "Sitting a little sandy, into the grain, downhill. Stevie (Williams) and I were talking about it, and in hindsight we should have just--I thought I was pitching good enough to hit that shot, but we were just saying just putt it down there and have a 30- for 40-footer coming back up the hill. I said, I'm pitching good, I can pull this off; I can keep it on the top shelf. It just didn't happen."

An errant drive at 14 led to another bogey, then Woods regrouped. At the par-5 15th, he flagged his second shot, but couldn't hold the putting surface. Prior to his round, Woods holed two chip shots in the practice area. He did it again, this time for a much-needed eagle.

"I kept myself in the tournament, I'm right there," said Woods.

--Mark Soltau

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Four-time champion Tiger Woods got off to a slow but steady start Thursday in the 72nd Masters Tournament at hot and humid Augusta National Golf Club.

Paired with U.S. Open winner Angel Cabrera of Argentina and Stuart Appleby of Australia, Woods made a nice par-save at the first hole, where he found the left rough off the tee, punched his second shot right of the green and hit a poor chip 10 feet past the hole. He converted--the longest putt he made on the front nine.

Prior to the round, Woods elected to replace his 5-wood with a 2-iron. His thinking was that it would be more helpful on several holes, notably off the tee at the 240-yard fourth hole.

At the par-5 second, Woods played conservatively with a 3-wood off the tee, then knocked his second shot short of the green with an iron. From there, he pitched 10 feet right of the hole and missed the birdie attempt.

Woods boomed a driver at the 350-yard par-4 third, coming up about 20 yards short of the green. His pitch shot carried too far and finished 20 feet beyond the cup, Woods two-putted the speedy, downhill birdie attempt. It was a disappointing score for Woods, who devoted much of pre-tournament practice time to chipping.

As planned, Woods hit a 2-iron at the fourth hole and found the front-right portion of the green, about 60 feet from the back-left pin placement. He struck a beautiful lag putt within two feet of the hole and tapped in for par.

Following two-putt pars at the fifth and sixth holes, Woods made a nice par-save at the seventh, where he came up short of the green with his approach shot.

Woods has said repeatedly that you need good breaks to win major championships. He got a bad one at the par-5 eighth hole, where he split the fairway with a driver. While he might have preferred to hit a 5-wood for his second shot, Woods didn't have the option and tried to cut a 3-wood on the blind, uphill second shot. He flushed it, the ball carrying into the bleachers behind the hole, then caroming right of the green. Woods was left with a very difficult third shot to the back-right pin and elected to putt, the ball just reaching the putting surface. A composed but frustrated Woods two-putted for par.

At the par-4 ninth, Woods hit another good drive and gave himself a good birdie chance. He failed to convert, capping the front nine with his ninth consecutive par and a score of even-par 36.

--Mark Soltau

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Tiger Woods played his second practice round Monday at cool and overcast Augusta National Golf Club in preparation for the 72nd Masters Tournament. The four-time champion was paired with former Masters winner and Florida neighbor Mark O'Meara on Sunday. On Monday, they were joined for a morning session by Aussie Richard Green.

Woods said the greens and fairways are soft from heavy rain last week and that the course is playing long. No cups were cut Sunday and the practice green was much faster than the greens on the course, although that will change shortly.

Per his custom at major championships, the 32-year-old Woods will play his final practice round Tuesday, then meet with the press. On Wednesday, he will come to the course to hit balls and putt, then return to his rental home to rest for Thursday's first round.

First-round pairings will be announced Tuesday.

Woods has opened 2008 in strong fashion, winning three of four starts on the PGA Tour: the Buick Invitational, WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship and Arnold Palmer Invitational. His string of five straight PGA Tour titles and seven consecutive worldwide wins ended at the WGC-CA Championship at Doral, where he finished fifth.

Woods previously won green jackets in 1997, 2001, 2002, 2005.

--Mark Soltau

MARANA, Ariz. -- Never give Tiger Woods life. Aaron Baddeley found that out the hard way Friday in a sensational battle at The Gallery in the third round of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship.

Three times the young Australian had chances to put the top-ranked and top-seeded Woods away, but just missed putts. Finally, on the second hole of sudden death, Woods slammed the door with a 13-foot birdie putt, removing his cap just as the ball disappeared into the hole.

"It looked pretty good from where I was," a drained and relieved Woods said afterward.

The match was one for the ages, befitting of a final. Woods (12) and Baddeley (10) combined for 22 birdies. During one stretch, Baddeley birdied eight of nine holes (including a concession), to reverse a 2-down deficit into a 1-up advantage after 15 holes.

Woods responded by hitting an 8-iron to two feet at the par-3 16th for a birdie to square the match. Then Baddeley had near-miss eagle/birdie/eagle attempts at 17, 18 and 1 to win but couldn't convert.

"It was unbelievable, really," said Woods, who will face K.J. Choi in the quarterfinals  Saturday morning. "I made two bogeys and gave him two holes, but he did the same. But every other hole it seemed like we birdied."

Baddeley, still getting comfortable with a swing change, gave Woods all he could handle.

"I played really nice, especially after being 2 down after two," he said. "I was just trying to make as many birdies as I could. It was disappointing to miss those putts, but I'm encouraged with the way I played."

The last time Woods and Baddeley played together was in the final round of the 2007 U.S. Open at Oakmont. Leading by two strokes, Baddeley triple-bogeyed the first hole and shot 80.

"You have to understand he was in a major transition with his golf swing," said Woods. "It takes time. And he's won some tournaments now with his swing and has proven he can hit shots down the stretch. You can't hit the ball poorly at Oakmont and be leading after three rounds."

Woods, the only two-time winner of this event, enjoyed the birdie-fest, as did the large gallery that followed throughout.

He also overcame adversity. At the 495-yard fourth hole, Woods hooked his tee shot into the desert and had a restricted swing because of a cactus. Forced to swing left-handed, he hit a gallery stake with his second shot, barely advancing the ball. This, after a marshal asked if he wanted the stake removed.

"The thing is I was actually aiming probably 15 feet right of that," Woods said of the stake. "Club's upside down, so I hit it kind of off the bottom and it shot left. I wasn't aiming over there, trust me."

At the par-4 13th, Woods pushed his tee shot to the right and hit a marshal in the head, the ball caroming into the desert. Woods gave a glove to the man and showed genuine concern, then had to take an unplayable lie and lost the hole.

"He seemed OK," Woods said. "He was totally alert, there was blood everywhere. I didn't see any knot. He said he was fine."

Woods has now won 20 of his last 23 matches and is 28-6 overall. He is 18-4 against International players and 10-2 against Americans.

He'll be tested again against Choi, who beat him four times last year in head-to-head situations, including victories at the Memorial Tournament and inaugural AT&T National.

"K.J. is a great guy and one of the best drivers out here," said Woods. "He drives it on a string most of the time. He's been very consistent over the last few years. So I expect that will be the case tomorrow and it will be a tough match."

-- Mark Soltau              

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif.--OK, so Bill Murray was missing and an elderly lady didn't get thrown into a bunker. Even the ice cream vendors were safe. Still, the annual 3M Celebrity Challenge on Wednesday at mostly sunny Pebble Beach Golf Links was its usual entertaining self. Six two-man teams contested for $29,000 in charity money, and the best golfer of the bunch and his partner--musician Kenny G and ESPN announcer Chris Berman, wearing a Maui Tacos hat--earned $26,000 for getting the ball up and down from behind the 18th green in the five-hole shootout.

Kenny G is a scratch player and takes his golf seriously. At least he tried to on the first tee until George Lopez cracked to the large gallery, "Any women with size-18 waist pants, please bring them up here for Kenny."

He is slender as a saxophone, but drilled his drive down the center of the fairway, drawing applause from the fans. Huey Lewis, Don Cheadle and Carson Daly also acquitted themselves well, while burly Kevin James, who is partnering in the tournament proper with even burlier John Daly, belted one long and left.

Poor Andy Garcia. A fine actor and tough 10-handicapper, he addressed his ball only to hear a voice (Lopez) shout from behind, "I love you Andy!"

Garcia backed off, identified the culprit and yelled back, "That's what you said last night."

Kevin Costner counseled first-time participant Eric Close.

"Just try to relax," he said. "Your adrenaline really gets pumping."

Then Costner sliced his tee shot into the trees.

Lewis, whose band "Huey Lewis & the News" still tours to appreciative crowds, simply loves golf. Asked to assess the state of his game, Lewis said, "You know, golf is the one thing in my life I keep getting better at." Lucky guy. He's an 11-handicapper and will team with buddy and fellow music buff Peter Jacobsen in the pro-am.

About the pro-am: For those of you sitting in the cold, looking forward to watching Saturday's featured foursomes on CBS, here's a preview of what most are predicting will be a sun-splashed day at Pebble Beach: Jason Gore-Carson Daly and Pat Perez and surfer Kelly Slater; Jacbosen-Lewis and Craig Stadler-Glenn Frey; Paul Stankowski-Garcia and Daniel Chopra-Lopez; Brandt Snedeker-Peter Ueberroth and Phil Mickeslson-Alan Mulally; D.J. Trajan-Costner and Jonathan Kaye-Thomas Gibson; Mathias Gronberg-Danny Gans and Brent Geiberger-Close; Bob Burns-Ray Romano and Daly-James; and Charley Hoffman-Kenny G and Dean Wilson-Cheadle. Don't expect to see much serious golf.

--Mark Soltau

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif.--Early sights and sounds at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, where the weather is sunny and expected to remain that way through Sunday. There is still a chill in the air--sweaters and wind shirts are the attire of choice--and fairways are soggy from 17 consecutive days of rain, but nobody is complaining.

Well, one guy is. Former champion Arron Oberholser withdrew Tuesday for the second straight year because of bursitis in his right shoulder. Last year, he was unable to defend his title due to a bulging disc in his back. Oberholser, who had hand surgery last October, was hoping to make his 2008 PGA Tour debut this week.

"Two years in a row I have to hang around, but I can't play," said Oberholser, who will host a party for his main sponsor, Dockers, on Saturday.

On the flip side, Vijay Singh was all smiles at Pebble Beach Golf Links, where he took a moment to soak in the beauty surrounding the 18th tee, one of the prettiest holes in the world. Vijay even took time to speak with a TV crew and reporter, then signed autographs.

He's back to using a small putter, is experimenting with different models and grips, and says it's time to start making more putts.

Day to remember
Actor/comedian George Lopez, a Pebble Beach resident who hosts the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, flagged down 20-year-old Australian Jason Day on Tuesday. "Hey Jason, people say you swing just like me," Lopez said. "Show me your swing." Day obliged. "Does it look like this?" he asked. "It does now," said Lopez.

Hall for Volcano
Steve Pate, a six-time winner on the PGA Tour, was inducted into the California Golf Writers Hall of Fame on Tuesday. Nicknamed the "Volcano" for his fiery, on-course demeanor, Pate tied for fifth in a Nationwide Tour event in Mexico last week and received a sponsor's exemption to play this week at Pebble Beach. "They lost my luggage for three days and I didn't shave," said Pate, 46. "I started wearing Ben Franklin glasses and guys started calling Grandpa."

Look who's here
The 180-player amateur field includes 84 players with handicaps of 9 or lower, and 37 with 5 or less. In other words, a lot of these CEOs can play. . . . Sportscaster Al Michaels is playing in the AT&T for the first time. He's an 18-handicap at Bel Air Country Club in Los Angeles. . . . Greg Norman is playing with his son, Gregory, a 2-handicapper at the Medalist Golf Club in Hobe Sound, Fla. Norman's fiancée, Chris Evert, is coming to the tournament on Thursday with two of her three children from ex-husband Andy Mill: Alex, 16 and Nicky, 14. . . . Harry Crosby, whose father Bing started this tournament, is playing with a 2-handicap out of New York's Deepdale Golf Club.

ANAHEIM, Calif.--Tiger Woods has announced the launch of Fist Pump Challenge, an online contest to help kids identify and share their greatest achievements. As part of the Challenge, he is asking young people to share their own Fist Pump Moments with the world on www.tigerwoodsfoundation.org.

"It is important for young people to celebrate their accomplishments," Woods said Monday at the Tiger Woods Learning Center. "The Fist Pump Challenge allows kids to highlight the moments in their lives that brought them closer to reaching their goals. I believe that small steps can lead to big changes."

For Woods, his first significant fist pump came at age 11 when he beat his father Earl for the first time on the golf course. He remembers it like yesterday.

"We were playing the back tees at the Navy Golf Course in Long Beach," he said. "I birdied 16 to get to even par. On the par-5 18th hole, my dad missed a 20-foot birdie putt and I made a 15-foot right-to-left uphill birdie putt. I clenched my fist, punched the air, and went crazy. He didn't know what happened, but it was the greatest thing I ever did in my life."

After children get permission from their parents, they are asked to submit a video with their name, age and accomplishment to www.tigerwoodsfoundation.org. Those without video access can e-mail their Fist Pump Moment for posting.

"Kids can inspire kids," said Woods. "That's where this program can be so successful."

Video and written entries will be voted on by website visitors and prizes include iPods, Tiger Woods '08 EA Video Games and gift cards. Later this year, the Tiger Woods Foundation plans to tie the Fist Pump Challenge into the Earl Woods Scholarship program, offering kids in the Washington D.C. and Orange County, Calif. areas the chance to earn a college scholarship.

Monday was also a special day for Woods and his mother Kultida, who dedicated a statue to celebrate the legacy of Earl Woods and honor his efforts to reach millions of children. An eight-foot bronze replica of Tiger and his father was designed by Elliot & Ivan Schwarz of Studio EIS.

A smiling Woods and his father are dressed in golf attire, and Tiger has his right arm around his dad's shoulders. The inscription reads: "I challenge you to make a difference in the world, to reach higher and farther then you ever imagined."

Fittingly, the statue was dedicated on Martin Luther King Day.

"This means so much to me as his son, my mother, and everyone who knows my father," said Woods, who was accompanied by his wife Elin and new daughter Sam. "I think about my dad every day. It's amazing how much smarter he has become. I have Sam now and keep reflecting on all the things he taught me."

--Mark Soltau

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif.--Fred Couples would like to compete at Augusta National next year and will likely open 2008 at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic. If his cranky back holds up.

"I get sick and tired of talking about my back, but I'm going to play," Couples said Thursday at Sherwood Country Club, where he opened the Target World Challenge with a 2-over-par 74.

Tiger Woods and three others shot 3-under 69 and trail leader Jim Furyk by one shot in the 16-player field at Woods' annual tournament. Click here for a first-round report and scores.

Couples has little pain swinging a club; it's the bending over that kills him. Especially reading putts.

"When I play, nothing hurts," says Couples. "It's all the other stuff. I hurt myself getting out of a chair, putting on my pants, anything like that. But swinging . . . I usually get through it."

In 2007, Couples played in two tournaments. He missed the cut at the FBR Open and tied for 30th at the Masters.

Did he miss golf?

"Less than I thought," he says. "It wasn't that big a deal."

Couples has played on five U.S. Ryder Cup teams and four Presidents Cup teams. He would love to be selected a captain.

"I haven't abandoned thoughts of that," says Couples. "I would be interested in taking a team and winning a Presidents Cup or a Ryder Cup. I think it would be an honor and fun.

"The main goal in all of it is like being a coach, like taking the brunt of the action. I can promise you there are 12 guys who don't want to do 75 percent of the stuff there. So if you're a great captain, you should tell everyone you're not going to do 75 percent of the stuff. That's the way it goes."

"If I was captain two years from now and (Paul) Azinger lost (in '08), I wouldn't say I'm going to win, but I can promise you they're going to have a good time. I would bring in Robin Williams and Michael Jordan as my assistants. That's exactly what would happen. I would have Michael Jordan tell stories every night and I would have Robin Williams tell jokes for 30 minutes. That's what I would want. I don't want rah-rah speeches. My God! If you need a rah-rah speech to play in the Ryder Cup, then you've got some serious issues."

--Mark Soltau

Michelle Wie played her first round of golf as a college student Monday morning, completing nine holes at Stanford University Golf Course. She was accompanied by her parents, B.J. and Bo, who drove the cart while she walked.

Freshmen are scheduled to check in Tuesday, with classes starting next week. Wie, who turns 18 on Oct. 11, is undecided on a major.

While Wie and all freshmen are required to live in a dormitory their first year on campus, it is unclear how much time she will spend there. Her parents have rented a house locally.

It is also uncertain how much interaction Wie will have with the Stanford men's and women's golf teams. Technically, she is a professional golfer and not a student-athlete, but she will be allowed to use the course and practice facilities.

Wie is 53rd in the current Rolex Women?s World Rankings.

--Mark Soltau

TULSA, Okla. -- Trevor Immelman made the most of his early tee time Saturday by shooting a 4-under-par 66.

"What I noticed is that they were pretty much syringing the greens right up until the first group got up there, and I was the second group," he said. "I was able to fire at the flags. Obviously, it's extremely hot out there, they're protecting against losing the greens."

Immelman said it was a big advantage starting before the heat climbed and expected scores to rise in the afternoon. He's now at 1-over for the tournament and could enter the final round in the top 20.

"It's seriously hot and last couple of days there hasn't been much of a breeze to kind of ease the tension here," Immelman said. "But I would say it's about a three-shot difference the way the greens are going to firm up. Obviously they're nice and smooth when you first start in the morning."

Immelman was impressed by the 63 shot by Tiger Woods on Friday.

"It was inspiring," he said. "Obviously he's been in some incredible form. And to do it right after you've had a child, too, is something quite special. Because you know there's no doubt that once the first kid comes along, that's a really important time in your life.

"And he would be able to be excused to maybe let his focus wander a little bit. But for him to come out and play like he has in the last two weeks is incredible. And I guess it just proves to us again what a champion he is."

As for his own game, Immelman said it is coming around and hopes to play in the Presidents Cup.

"I had a nice start to the year and tailed off the last couple of months, played some awful golf," he said. "But the last couple of weeks I felt my game come around. For our level it's all about confidence. When you have confidence in your game, you can go out there and play the golf course the way it's supposed to be played and shoot some good scores."

-- Mark Soltau