Golf

When Woods will return is still anyone's guess

By TIMES WIRES
Published May 25, 2006

Jack Nicklaus holds the record in major championships, one that might never be broken because it was established through decades of superior golf and a few good breaks. About the only player who has even a remote chance is Tiger Woods.

This record is about playing, not winning.

And while Woods is still more than 25 years away from matching Nicklaus' record of 146 consecutive starts in the majors, it's worth noting now because Woods has not played since the final round of the Masters six weeks ago. And it might be even longer before he returns to the PGA Tour as he grieves the death of his father and adjusts to life without him.

Conventional wisdom has been that Woods will play next week at the Memorial, where he has won three times.

"I think Tiger will probably play," Nicklaus said over the weekend. "If he doesn't play, that's certainly his choice."

Nicklaus, the tournament host, was only guessing, which is all anyone can do.

Adding weight to Nicklaus' opinion was The Mirror, who said Woods has booked rooms for the British Open - a lot of them. The British tabloid reported Woods paid about $265,000 to book the entire Hillbark Hotel for five nights.

The PGA Tour and FedEx Corp. unveiled the new logo for the FedEx Cup as part of the tour's new schedule featuring a points competition that starts in 2007 with the playoff series of four tournaments in August and September.

Ireland will spend 15.7-million euros ($20.2-million) staging the tournament for the first time this year. The money will be go toward the opening and closing ceremonies, marketing and on the tournament itself.

Val Skinnerraised another $500,000 to fight breast cancer by staging a pro-am involving 16 players from the LPGA Tour. In seven years, she now has raised $3.5 million from the LIFE Event, which she started as a tribute to Heather Farr, a former LPGA Tour member who died of breast cancer.

Lorena Ochoahas two wins and four runner-up finishes in her last six starts.

"I won with a hole-in-one, and everyone keeps saying, "We expect another hole-in-one.' And I'm like, "Oh, thanks. What in the world, this is a practice round, leave me alone.' " - Jimin Kang, who shot a hole-in-one last year at Corning, and won the tournament

[Last modified May 25, 2006, 00:55:15]