Los Altos Golf Company

Columbus, OH - The Nationwide Tour has announced a new event for this season, adding the Children’s Hospital Invitational to the schedule.

The event will be played July 9-15 on the Scarlet Course of the Ohio State University Golf Club.

‘We are excited to partner with the Ohio State University and Children’s Hospital for the inaugural Nationwide Children’s Hospital Invitational,’ said Jerry Jurgensen, CEO of Nationwide. ‘This event is another great example of our ongoing partnership with Children’s Hospital and a wonderful opportunity for central Ohio sports fans to see tomorrow’s PGA Tour superstars in action.’

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Montgomerie backs plans for radical rule changes The Royal and Ancient’s proposals aim to make driving accuracy more important in golf.Montgomerie told Five Live it is time tournaments were not decided by the quality of the players’ equipment.”You have difficult shots that are easier to pull off. Anything that makes it tougher are a plus for the game.”

The Scot added: “Now with extra technology and people hitting the ball an awful
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THE US Masters looms large for Robert Allenby as he reflects on his best start to a season since he joined the US Tour nine years ago.

Allenby, coming off one of his worst seasons in the US, has recorded four top-10 finishes this year - one more than last year.

The Victorian’s start to this season has him positively brimming with confidence little more than a month before the Masters at Augusta.

Allenby, No.26 on the world rankings, concedes that tournament is at the forefront of his mind.

“My main goal every year is to try to win a Major,” Allenby said. “My
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SEVEN years after Tiger Woods rated Aaron Baddeley a better player than what he was at 19, the Australian is set to return to Augusta National.

Baddeley’s flying start to the 2007 US PGA Tour, No.35 on the world rankings and No.5 on the US PGA Tour money list, will catapult him into the elite field for the Masters from April 5-8.

The top 50 world-ranked players and top 10 on the money list after the Houston Open, a week before the Masters, are added to the field and Baddeley is certain to become the seventh Australian at Augusta this year.

Already qualified are Adam Scott, Geoff Ogilvy, Nick O’Hern, Robert Allenby, Stuart Appleby and Rod Pampling.

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ADAM Scott’s game and his confidence have grown so much that he firmly believes this could be the year he wins a Major championship.

The performances of the world No.4 over the past 12 months have earned him the tag of “Major champion in waiting'’ and he has structured his season with them at the forefront, starting with The Masters in April.

“I think probably last year I felt for the first time that I was really capable of winning a Major,'’ he said on the eve of the Johnnie Walker Classic in the Thai resort of Phuket.

“This year even more so, and I’ve really planned my schedule around being prepared for a Major.

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TIGER Woods and the US PGA Tour have reached a long-term deal to stage a new Tour event in Washington starting this July, the PGA Tour announced today.

The previous PGA events in the US capital failed in large part because Woods almost never made an appearance.

Woods will announce details of the event here next week, including prize money total and host course, but his Tiger Woods Foundation will serve as the host organisation and major charity beneficiary.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to expand awareness and interest in the work we’re doing for millions of kids across the country,” Woods said.

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Ponte Vedra Beach, FL - The PGA Tour and Tiger Woods Foundation announced on Tuesday that the tour will come back to the Washington D.C. area this summer, thanks to the two organizations signing a long-term deal.

The new event will be played July 5-8 with the Tiger Woods Foundation serving as the tournament’s host and primary charitable beneficiary. The title sponsor, purse and course will be announced at a March 7th press conference.

‘This is a wonderful opportunity to expand awareness and interest in the work we’re doing for millions of kids across the country,’
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Royal and Ancient are putting forward plans to toughen the sport The Royal and Ancient Club is proposing changes to the grooves on clubs, making it far tougher to get out of the rough.The changes could come into force for professionals by January 2009. R&A director of rules and equipment standards David Rickman said: “It is a matter of ensuring that skill remains the dominant element of success.”A five-month consultation period with equipment manufacturers now begins which will also help determine when
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Hamilton was given his chance after winning the GP2 series last year The 22-year-old has been nominated for the Breakthrough of the Year honour after being signed to partner world champion Fernando Alonso by McLaren.Laureus Academy member Emerson Fittipaldi said: “Hamilton’s arrival has certainly added a new dimension.”The European Ryder Cup team have been nominated for the World Team of the Year Award to be announced on 2 April.Former Chelsea defender Marcel Desailly has been elected to the Laureus World
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Montgomerie, Phadungsil, Goosen and Els are in the Thailand line-up The world number five slumped to a first-round defeat at the World Match Play Championship last week.But the 1997 and 2003 champion said: “I’m not reading much into last week’s first-round loss in Tucson and overall I feel like my game is in good shape.”Paul Casey, Colin Montgomerie, Adam Scott and Retief Goosen head the field that will tee-off on Thursday.So far this season, Els has finished third at the Qatar Masters, second at the Dubai
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Philadelphia, PA - Stacy Prammanasudh won for the second time on the LPGA Tour on Saturday, helping her jump 11 places to No. 19 in the latest Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings.

There was no change in the top 10, but every player in the next 10 is in a new place this week.

Annika Sorenstam is still No. 1 followed by Karrie Webb, Lorena Ochoa, Cristie Kerr, Paula Creamer, Juli Inkster, Ai Miyazato, Jeong Jang, Shiho Ohyama and Se Ri Pak.

The changes started at No. 11, with Pat Hurst up one and Mi Hyun Kim up three to 12th. Julieta Granada fell two places to 13, while Hee-Won Han and Michelle Wie each dipped one spot to 14 and 15 respectively.

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Donald is on hand to defend his crown this week against a field that includes newly crowned WGC - Accenture Match Play champion Henrik Stenson. Stenson managed to defeat Ogilvy, who won the Match Play crown last year.

While 64 of the top 65 players in the world rankings were competing at the Match Play, the remainder of the PGA Tour was in Mexico for the first time and that field was taken down by 50-year-old Fred Funk.

Funk is due in town this week, too, but could have to withdraw due to his back. Funk had his back worked on on the course Saturday, but toughed it out for a playoff win.

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Philadelphia, PA - With his win Sunday at the World Golf Championships - Accenture Match Play Championship, Henrik Stenson climbed three places to No. 5 in this week’s official world golf rankings.

That marks a career-high ranking for Stenson, who also won the Dubai Desert Classic on the European Tour earlier this season. He is the first Swedish-born golfer to reach the top five in the world rankings.

Ahead of Stenson, the top four remained unchanged with Tiger Woods followed by Jim Furyk, Phil Mickelson and Adam Scott.

Stenson’s move to No. 5 bumped Ernie Els down one to sixth. Geoff Ogilvy, who lost to Stenson in the Match Play final, jumped four notches to seventh.

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HENRIK Stenson has jumped three places to world No.5 after his WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship win, the highest ranking achieved by a Swede.

Stenson beat holder Geoff Ogilvy 2 and 1 in yesterday’s 36-hole final in Tucson, Arizona, for his maiden PGA Tour title, and it helped him better the seventh position in the rankings achieved by compatriot Jesper Parnevik in May 2000.

Stenson, 30, also won the European Tour’s Dubai Desert Classic earlier this month.

American Fred Funk, 50, climbed 29 places to 69th after becoming the fifth oldest PGA Tour champion in history with a play-off victory over Argentina’s Jose Coceres at the Mayakoba Classic in Mexico City.

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GEOFF Ogilvy stumbled down the stretch as Henrik Stenson earned a well-earned victory at the $US8 million ($10.13 million) Accenture Match Play Championship today (AEDT).

Sweden’s Stenson swooped in for the kill, posting a 2 and 1 win in ideal conditions at Dove Mountain, becoming just the second European to win the World Golf Championship event.

In a rollercoaster 36-hole final, Ogilvy went from 2-down after 18 holes to 2-up after 26 holes, seemingly on his way to successfully defending his title, only for the wheels to suddenly fall off at the very worst time.

“I
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Funk became the fifth oldest winner on the PGA Tour Funk, 50, and Coceres each finished 72 holes on 14-under in Mexico, one stroke ahead of Australian Peter Lonard and two better than American Ryan Armour.Funk matched compatriot Craig Stadler as the only players to win a US PGA event after winning on the senior tour.”I think I validated how good the players are on the Champions Tour,” said Funk.”Even though you are 50 or 51 through 55 … age doesn’t really mean anything. I just want to see how long I
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AMERICAN veteran Fred Funk overcame nagging back pain to defeat Argentina’s Jose Coceres on the second play-off hole to win the $US3.5 million ($4.4 million) PGA Mayakoba Classic today (AEDT).

Funk won with a birdie on the second play-off hole after the pair finished 72 holes on 14-under-par 266, one stroke ahead of Australia’s Peter Lonard and two better than American Ryan Armour.

By taking the $US630,000 ($796,000) top prize at the first US PGA Tour event in Mexico, Funk matched compatriot Craig Stadler as the only players to win a US PGA tournament after a triumph on the 50-and-over Champions Tour.

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SOUTH Africa’s Trevor Immelman has beaten American Chad Campbell 4 and 2 in the third place play-off at the WGC Accenture Match Play Championship in Tuscon, Arizona today.

AAP

Stenson holed the winning putt in the Ryder Cup at the K Club Stenson, 30, led by two holes at the halfway point in the 36-hole match but was two down after 26 holes.But he took the lead again with seven left and fended off the US Open champion to become the second European winner after Darren Clarke in 2000.South Africa’s Trevor Immelman beat Amerian Chad Campbell 4&2 for third.”Geoff and I played good in the morning but in the afternoon I was struggling,” said Stenson, who holed the winning putt in the
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GEOFF OGILVY has regained the lead more than halfway through the 36-hole final of the World Match Play Championships in Tucson, Arizona today (AEDT).

The defending champion has won the 25th hole with a birdie to go 1-up against Sweden’s Henrik Stenson at Dove Mountain.

The Aussie was 2-down after 18 holes, but has played the better golf at the start of the second round.

AAP

DEFENDING champion Geoff Ogilvy has pulled back to all-square during the final at the Match Play Championship in Tucson, Arizona today (AEDT).

Ogilivy was 2-down after 18 holes, but won the 19th with a birdie and the 20th with a par to tie it up with Sweden’s Henrik Stenson at Dove Mountain.

AAP

SWEDEN’S Henrik Stenson is 2-up on defending champion Geoff Ogilvy after the first 18 holes of the 36-hole WGC Accenture March Play Championship final today (AEDT).

Stenson, ranked No. 8 in the world, won the first two holes at the Gallery Club at Dove Mountain, but Ogilvy responded by taking four in a row to go 2-up after six.

Stenson, a member of last year’s victorious European Ryder Cup team, won the 7th, 10th, 12th and 15th with birdies as Ogilvy’s putter went cold.

Meanwhile, South Africa’s Trevor Immelman and American Chad Campbell are due to start their third-place match.

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Prammanasudh celebrates her second career title triumph The 27-year-old carded five birdies and a bogey in her first 13 holes before finishing on a 14-under par 202 total.South Korea’s Jee Young Lee returned four birdies in a bogey-free round of 68 to finish in second place.Angela Park (71), Japan’s Ai Miyazato (66) and American Morgan Pressel (69) were tied for third, three shots back.It was a second career title for Prammanasudh, who won the 2005 Franklin American Mortgage Championship.She was among
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NICHOLAS Thompson claimed the biggest pay day of his professional golf career today, defeating David Morland IV on the first hole of a sudden-death play-off to win the New Zealand PGA Championship. Each player carded a four-under-par 68 in the final round to be tied at 280, eight-under-par, after 72 holes at Clearwater Golf Course.

Thompson, who had won just $US29,508 ($37,255) in seven previous starts on the US Nationwide Tour, then made par on the first play-off hole while his Canadian rival made bogey from a greenside bunker to gift the $US600,000 co-sanctioned tournament to the American.
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STACY Prammanasudh completed a wire-to-wire victory in the Fields Open in Kapolei, Hawaii, today, holding off Lee Jee-young from Korea to record the second LPGA title of her career.

The American, who had previously won the 2005 Franklin American Mortgage Championship, recorded a four-under-par 68 in the final round to win the $US1.2 million ($1.52 million) tournament by one shot.

“I think it’s definitely more bittersweet than the first,” Prammanasudh said.

“The first kind of came upon me by surprise.

“I wasn’t expecting to win so early.

“And then you
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AMERICAN Fred Funk fired a six-under-par 64 to take a two-stroke lead after the third round of the US PGA Mayakoba Classic today (AEDT).

Funk, 50, is trying to join Craig Stadler as the only players to win a PGA Tour event after triumphing on the Champions Tour.

Funk cruised to an 11-stroke victory at the Turtle Bay Championship last month for his first title on the senior circuit.

Stadler won the BC Open a week after capturing the Ford Senior Players Championship in 2003, but Funk will have to overcome a sore back.

After opening the tournament with a sizzling eight-under 62, Funk carded a 69 in the second round.

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DEFENDING champion Geoff Ogilvy is back in the final at the Accenture World Match Play Championship.

Ogilvy waltzed into the decider with a convincing 3 and 2 victory over Chad Campbell in the semi-final at Dove Mountain today (AEDT).

Ogilvy, the 11th seed, will play ninth seed Henrik Stenson in tomorrow’s (AEDT) 36-hole final, after the Swede’s 3 and 2 win over South Africa’s Trevor Immelman in the other semi.

US Open champion Ogilvy was behind early, but surged ahead with seven birdies in the final 10 holes in ideal conditions to put away his American opponent, winning his 11th consecutive match in this event.

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Stenson (left) will play Ogilvy in the WGC Match Play final Stenson beat South Africa’s Trevor Immelman 3&2, while Australia’s Ogilvy also downed American Chad Campbell 3&2.Stenson took the lead at the first and was never headed, alternating between two and three up from the fourth hole.US Open champion Ogilvy was one down after seven but took the decisive lead on the 9th before winning on the 16th.Immelman and Campbell will fight it out over 18 holes for third place on Sunday.”I’m knackered now, playing
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ANGELA Park joined Stacy Prammanasudh on top of the leaderboard inthe LPGA Fields Open, at the conclusion of today’s (AEDT) rain-delayed second round.

The pair were on 10-under-par 134, with South Korea’s Jee Young Lee one shot back, when the field embarked on the third and final round.

Wendy Doolan is the leading Australian, three shots off the pace after a 67, while Karrie Webb is a further two shots back after a 69.

Play had been suspended for three hours yesterday, when 70 players were unable to complete the second round.

Prammanasudh got her round in, firing a four-under 68 that included seven birdies.

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NICK O’Hern said he was “absolutely knackered” after losing his quarter-final at the $US8 million ($10 million) Accenture Match Play Championship today (AEDT).

Less than 24 hours after eliminating top seed Tiger Woods, O’Hern bowed out in lame fashion, bogeying the final two holes to hand a 1-up victory to Sweden’s Henrik Stenson on a crisp morning at Dove Mountain.

O’Hern hit a poor pitch shot at the par-five 17th and also missed a two-metre putt to lose the hole and go to the last all square.

But the West Australian seemed to have the edge after Stenson’s drive at the par-four 18th stopped near a cactus plant, leaving the Swede little choice but to take a penalty.

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