Phil Mickelson surged ahead on Sunday at the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am tournament to beat Tiger Woods with a final round score of 8-under 64.

Mickelson was six shots behind Tiger but surged ahead in just six holes to pass both Woods and Charlie Wi.

Playing in the second-to-last group Mickelson won the final round against Tiger Woods by 11 shots, winning for the fourth time at Pebble Beach.

The win was also a big one for Mickelson who became just the ninth player in PGA tour history to mount 40 wins.  After his victory Phil said:

“Pebble Beach … it feels awesome no matter what number it is.”

For Tiger Woods the fall was surprising as he shot a 67 in the third round and appeared poised for an easy win on Sunday. Woods however failed to make birdie on the courses easy opening stretch, making his first birdie at the par-5 sixth.  Mickelson answered with a 20-foot eagle putt.

After the tournament Woods said:

“I didn’t hit it as bad as the score indicated, but I putted awful. As good as I felt on the greens yesterday, I felt bad today. Anything I tried to do wasn’t working. Consequently, I made a ton of mistakes on the green.”

What might be more troubling for Tiger Woods is the fact that he has now collapsed at two tournaments in a row, two weeks ago he entered the final round of the Abu Dhabi tournament tied for the lead with unheralded Robert Rock but ending up failing to break par, finishing in third place.

While Tiger Woods use to once be the bane of Phil Mickelson’s existence that all changed in 2007 at the Deutsche Championship and now Mickelson has posted five better final round scores while playing in the same Sunday group as Tiger Woods.

Phil Mickelson Surges From 6-Shot Deficit To Beat Tiger Woods At Pebble Beach is a post from: The Inquisitr

Golf pro Phil Mickelson isn’t sitting idly by while internet rumormongers claim he fathers a child during an illicit affair. In fact he’s feels so strongly about protecting his image that he is sicking his lawyers on them.

The rumors started when two internet users with the screen names “Fogroller” and “Longitude”  began spreading rumors about Mickelson and his bastard son. The messages were posted on a message board and also claimed that the golfer’s wife was having affairs.

The Tiger Woods style claims led to Phil tracking the users I.P. addresses to an internet service provider in Quebec, Canada.

Mickelson’s lawyers are now attempting to convince a Canadian judge to grant a search warrant which would force the ISP to hand over identifying information for the message board posters.

Once that information is made available Phil Mickelson plans to file a defamation lawsuit.  In documents filed by his lawyers Mickelson calls the rumors absolutely untrue and vicious. The golfer says that the rumors could hurt his “impeccable reputation.”

In the meantime Phil Mickelson isn’t allowing the rumors to slow him down, he is currently in talks with the management team at Torrey Phones and his hometown city of San Diego to redesign the Torrey Pines golf course at no charge for his work.

Do you think other stars, athletes and public figures should take a stand against rumormongers in the way Phil Mickelson has chosen to do with these internet posters?

Updates will be forthcoming after the judge’s decision is revealed…

Phil Mickelson Fires Back: I Don’t Have A Bastard Son! is a post from: The Inquisitr

Tiger Woods has narrowly failed to regain a top 10 world ranking, after he dropped off the pace at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship.

The 36-year-old golfer went into the final day at Abu Dhabi with a share of the lead – Englishman Robert Rock and Woods were tied at the top of the leaderboard. However, Woods finished two shots off the lead and tied for third, as the little-known Rock took the title.

Woods has still risen in the rankings following Abu Dhabi, from 25th to 17th. That’s a significant improvement from the start of January, when he was outside the world top 50. Abu Dhabi winner Rock, meanwhile, moves from 117th to 55th.

Rock edged out U.S. Open champion Rory McIlroy by a shot. A clutch of players followed in third, including Woods (72 on the day), Thomas Bjorn (68) and Graeme McDowell (68). Woods, who is returning from from a two-year drought brought on by injuries and widely reported personal turmoil, felt his game on the final day had been off in more than one department:

“Today I just didn’t give myself enough looks at it. Most of my putts were lag putts. I didn’t drive the ball in as many fairways as I should have … It was a day I was just a touch off the tee and consequently I couldn’t get the ball close enough.”

Yet the 14-time major champion does sense progress is being made, and his return to the world top 20 would appear to be evidence of this. Woods added:

“There’s plenty of big events to go, but I’m pleased at the progress I’ve made so far. I just need to keep building, keep getting more consistent, and today was a day where I putted beautifully. Just didn’t give myself enough looks.”

And let’s not forget he won the Chevron World Challenge last month. Who knows, one day he might even be allowed to front a videogame again.

Tiger Woods Fades at Abu Dhabi, Finishes Joint Third is a post from: The Inquisitr

Former Tiger Woods swing coach Hank Haney has written a tell-all book that will go on sale this spring.  Haney worked with Woods through his highs and lows including the period in which Tiger Woods won nearly half of all tournaments he entered.

Given the title The Big Miss Haney says the book should be hard to put down, speaking to ESPN he revealed:

“I get asked all the time about Tiger, what it was like to work with him. I felt like I had a front row seat to golf history. It just kind of chronicles a little bit of what I went through, what I dealt with, how I coached and the observations I made.”

“I think there’s a lot of things that people are going to find interesting.”

The book spans from his first time working with Tiger Woods at the Bay Hill Invitational in 2004 to their falling out months after Woods managed to win the 2010 Masters.

Unlike many people who have worked with Tiger Woods over the years Haney says he never signed a nondisclosure agreement and in fact never signed a formalized contract with Woods.

Hank Haney tells ESPN that the book probably won’t bother Woods as it’s not hard punching:

“If he reads it, I don’t think it will be a book that bothers him. It’s hard to say,” Haney said. “I think anybody who reads it will think it’s interesting, very fair and honest, and that’s what I wanted to do. I was on that job for six years. There were 110 days a year I was with him. I stayed at his house for close to 30 days a year. You make a lot of observations.”

In any sense there should be a fair amount of observations from Haney, after all he was with Woods through a marriage, the birth of two children, playing through a broken leg at the U.S. Open and the death of his father in May 2006.

Will you be picking up a copy of The Big Miss when it hits store shelves in the Spring of 2012?

Former Tiger Woods Swing Coach Hank Haney To Release Tell-All Book is a post from: The Inquisitr

Two year ago Tiger Woods watched as his life and subsequently his career came crashing down around him. Since that time Woods has not stood a top the leaderboard at the end of a tournament until this weekend when he managed to pull off his first victory in two years at the Chevron World Challenge tournament.

Closing with a 3-under 69 and a one-shot victory over former Masters champion Zach Johnson it was Woods back to his old form, giving a fist pump after dropping a 6-foot putt on the final 18th hole of the tournament.

That 6-foot putt put to rest a 749 winless streak that began on Nov. 15, 2009 at the Australian Masters and included 26 official tournaments.

The win also marks the 83rd time Tiger Woods has won a PGA tournament and the fifth time he has captured the  Chevron World Challenge.

Woods finished at 10-under 278 and quickly donated his $1.2 million purse to his Tiger Woods foundation.

Along with his win Tiger moved from No. 52 in the world ranking to No. 21 where he’ll likely remain until his next tournament in Abu Dhabi this coming January.

When asked if he was happy to finally have another win to his name Woods responded:

“It just feels awesome whatever it is.”

The victory also marks the first time in two years that Woods proved why he use to be the scariest opponent on the final day of a golf tournament, coming from behind a 1-shot deficit to Johnson but trailing for only three holes on the day.

Do you think Tiger Woods can still make a comeback or was this tournament a stroke of luck for the world’s former No. 1 golfer?

[Image via Tony Bowler / Shutterstock.com]

Tiger Woods Ends Two Year Winless Streak At Chevron World Challenge is a post from: The Inquisitr

Tiger Woods was back in true form on Friday at the Australian Open after shooting a second round 67 to take his first lead in a major tournament since his final round the last Masters tournament.

The tournament still has 36 holes left to play at The Lakes Golf Club and a win for Tiger couldn’t come at a better time as the 2-year anniversary of his last tournament win approaches.

Woods shot a 5-under 67 during a blustery day that left the pro golfer with his first two bogeys of the tournament.

Speaking after he well executed round Woods said:

“I played well today … I could have been a little lower over my first nine holes. I felt like I really didn’t miss a shot. Even though I shot 5 under today, it felt like it easily could have been 8 or 9 deep.”

“It feels good, but it feels good to actually be there playing properly instead of slashing the ball all over the place.”

Woods failed to make the FedEx Cup playoffs this year and made his first appearance since that time at last month’s Frys.com Open in California where the golfer finished in 30th place, the Australian Open is only his 11th tournament of the year.

Speaking further about his play Woods said:

“I’m just being patient. I’m basically playing the way I’ve been playing at home. I’ve been hitting it like this at home but it hasn’t come out in a tournament setting yet. That’s the progression. I’ve been through swing changes before, and that’s what happened. It takes time and once the confidence starts coming it starts building.”

Woods is currently sitting at 9-under par with a 135 over two rounds, one stroke ahead of Peter O’Malley.

In third place is round one leader Jarrod Lyle who show a 68 to sit two strokes behind Woods.

[Images via photogolfer / Shutterstock.com]

Tiger Woods Shoots 67, Takes Lead At Australian Open is a post from: The Inquisitr

41-year-old Phil Mickelson, four-time golf major champion, was elected into the World Golf Hall of Fame on Thursday after having earned 72 percent of the vote on the PGA Tour ballot.

Mickelson, who is currently in Singapore competing in the Singapore Open, will officially be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame on May 7, 2012, just ahead of the kick-off of the Players Championship.

“My thanks go to those who voted me into the World Golf Hall of Fame,” said Mickelson in a statement through the PGA Tour. “It really is a tremendous honor to be mentioned alongside the greats of a game that’s centuries old. The Players Championship week always has been special to me and the induction ceremony next May will make it even more so.”

The soon-to-be Hall of Famer isn’t going to let a little thing like a Hall of Fame election slow down his goal of achieving 50 career wins, however. As he puts it, he still has a lot of gold ahead of him.

“Being called a hall of fame golfer, it does make me sound a little bit old,” Mickelson said in Singapore. “But I don’t feel old. I feel like I’ve got a lot of great golf ahead of me.”

via Huffington Post

[Image credit: Shutterstock]

Phil Mickelson elected to golf’s Hall of Fame is a post from: The Inquisitr

Tiger Woods and former caddie Steve Williams met and shook hands on Tuesday (Australian time) at The Lakes Golf Club of the Australian Open, the first time the men have seen each other since Williams used a racial slur against his former boss.

The two men met and shook hands at the tournament and according to Woods:

“We talked this morning, we met face to face and talked about it, talked it through.”

Woods went on to add:

“It was a wrong thing to say, something that we both acknowledge,” Woods said. “He did apologize. It was hurtful, certainly, but life goes forward.”

Tiger Woods also went on to point out that he doesn’t believe his former caddie meant any harm:

“Stevie’s certainly not a racist,” Woods said Tuesday. “There’s no doubt about that. It was a comment that shouldn’t have been made and was certainly one that he wished he didn’t make.”

When asked how two men who worked together for 13 years could end up feuding Woods revealed:

“That’s a great question, I don’t know that one,” and “For me personally it was a tough decision to make to go in a different direction in my personal life, but as far as personally, I don’t know how it could have happened the way it did. But it just did and here we are.

“It’s just one of those things where we’ll see what time does and as we all know, time does heal wounds.”

Other PGA players have also stood up for Williams including Greg Norman and his full-time employer Adam Scott.

[Image via photogolfer / Shutterstock.com]

Tiger Woods Says Former Caddie Apologized, Is Not A Racist is a post from: The Inquisitr

President Barack Obama is in top health, according to physical exam results released by White House Dr. Jeffrey C. Kuhlman.

“The president is in excellent health and fit for duty. All clinical data indicate he will remain so for the duration of his presidency.”

Obama, 50, is said to have improved his health, appearing to have quit smoking and pushing his cholesterol level to “ideal” levels.

According to the report, Obama’s total cholesterol level now stands at 193, compared to 209 in February 2010. His LDL (bad cholesterol) is now 110, down from 138 last year. The president at 6-foot-1 weighs 181.3 pounds and blood pressure at 107 over 71, within the normal range.

Obama plays golf and basketball to keep in shape, even sustaining lower lip laceration last year when he received an elbow. He is set to have his next physical exam in December 2012, after the November 6, 2012 presidential election.

It is good to know that your president is healthy and in excellent shape. As for the health of the economy, that is a different story.

Obama in Excellent Health is a post from: The Inquisitr

Tiger Woods is not only failing to impress at the Frys.com Open golf tournament in California, he’s also being attacked by flying hot dogs.

While attempting a putt at the tournament a drunken spectator threw his hot dog at the golfer while Woods was attempting to focus on the hole. The spectator screamed “Tiger!” and then threw the dog.

Once security guards at the San Martin event realized what happened they rushed the drunken man and arrested him on the spot.

When asked about the flying hot dog Woods gave the response:

“When I looked up, the hot dog was already in the air.”

So there you have it, he can’t win a tournament to save his life and fans would rather throw food at him then cheer him on. Remember when Woods was the number one ranked golfer in the world? Heck at this point I believe he would settle for a top 50 spot and the banning of certain foods from PGA tournaments.

Tiger Woods Attacked By Flying Hot Dog is a post from: The Inquisitr

Tiger Woods is no longer considered one of the top 50 golfer’s in the world, the first time in 15 years the former number one has lost his top 50 ranking.

The loss of a top 50 spot comes after two years of losing seasons in which Tiger failed to win a tournament. Tiger fell below #50 when Louis Oosthuizen finished in a three-way tie for fifth at the Dunhill Links Championship.

The loss of ranking also means Tiger’s streak of 778 consecutive weeks on the top 50 has come to an end, a streak that began in late October of 1996.

In the meantime his slipping rank hasn’t been helped by the fact that he hasn’t played since missing the cut in the PGA Championship with his next round of competition this week at the Frys.com Open located in CordeValle in north California. Woods will play at the Frys.com Open with new caddie Joe LaCava at his side.

In recent interviews Tiger Woods says his knee is in “better shape” than it has been for years.

Do you think the world’s former #1 can regain his title as the world’s best golfer or will his ailing health and lack of focus cause him to continue his downward spiral.

Tiger Woods No Longer Ranked In Golf’s Top 50 is a post from: The Inquisitr

It’s finally happened: after a dozen years, world-famous philanderer and golfer Tiger Woods has shagged his way off the front cover of his own videogame. The boxart for Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12 was circulated by EA today, revealing that Tiger has been replaced. By a flag.

This is the 14th home console game in the Tiger Woods PGA Tour Golf series, and the first to completely omit Woods (and EA has already confirmed to Eurogamer that the tiny golfer you see in the distance is not Woods). This follows on from last year, when Woods had to share the cover of PGA Tour 11 with Rory McIlroy.

While every sane person understands this is linked to Woods and his private life, EA is spewing a load of bull about the omission meaning nothing. EA Sports president Peter Moore told Eurogamer:

“If the insinuation is it’s a reflection of EA Sports backing away from its relationship that goes back literally 13 years with Tiger, that’s not the case whatsoever. [...] You shouldn’t read anything into the fact that Tiger’s not featured on the box art of that particular edition.”

Right, sure. You shouldn’t read anything into this. Nope, nothing whatsoever. But let’s take a moment to recap:

1998 – 2009: Woods appears on the front of every single Tiger Woods game.

November 2009: Stories break about Woods and his wayward penis.

March 2010: EA reveals latest Tiger Woods game cover, with Woods sharing the cover for the first time.

Now: Flag.

Sort of explains itself, eh? For what it’s worth, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12 hits stores on March 29th.

[Via press release and Eurogamer]

Tiger Woods dropped from cover of Tiger Woods game is a post from: The Inquisitr

Throughout all of his indiscretions, Tiger Woods has been able to count on support from EA, publisher of the phenomenally successfully Tiger Woods PGA Tour videogames. Despite early speculation that EA was reviewing Woods’s association with the games, the golfer was quickly backed up by the company and got to keep his deal to front the lucrative franchise.

But was it a deal worth saving? According to sales data, first month sales of Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 have fallen 68 per cent compared to the launch of last year’s game. The Wii edition saw an 86 per cent decline, a significant drop unheard of in previous years.

The question must be asked: Has Tiger Woods’s penis killed an entire videogame franchise?

One man thinks it may have. Doug Creutz is an analyst with Cowen Group, and opined to Gamasutra that Woods’s scandal may be linked to plummeting sales:

“Although this is probably due in part to the fact that last year’s version shipped bundled with Nintendo’s new Motion Plus controller, we are concerned that Woods’ scandal woes may have permanently damaged the sales potential of what we believe to be EA’s third most important sports franchise, behind Madden and FIFA.”

“Permanently damaged” – ouch. I suppose there’s no way of testing this theory, but it’s fascinating that this could have had such an impact. On the plus side for EA, they may already have an heir lined up.

See also: Lots more Tiger Woods, for the lay-dees

[Via Gamasutra]

Has Tiger Woods killed his own videogame? is a post from: The Inquisitr

25-year-old LPGA golfer Erica Blasberg was found dead in her Henderson, Nevada home after an ambulance was dispatched Sunday afternoon.

No cause of death has been disclosed for Blasberg, 25, and the Clark’s County Coroner’s office cited a pending investigation. The athlete was named Golfweek’s 2003 Player of the Year, and she turned pro in 2004. Although Blasberg never finished higher than 94th on the LPGA money list and did not “make the professional splash she’d hoped for,” she did enjoy a degree of professional success. She was the face of Puma Golf for a while, and appeared in a television ad campaign for the line.

Blasberg’s agent Chase Callahan made a statement about her death to press, but declined answering questions regarding the golfer’s cause of death:

“We are devastated to learn of the passing of Erica Blasberg. To most of the world, Erica was known as a professional golfer, but she was more than that. She was a loving daughter to her parents and a compassionate and loyal friend,” said a statement from Callahan. “Erica had a good heart, was extremely kind and very thankful for what she had in her life.

“She lived out her dream of playing professional golf on the highest level on the LPGA Tour, allowing her to help inspire others. We are proud of Erica for everything she accomplished. This is a painful loss, we feel it in our hearts and we will miss her. Erica would want those close to her to celebrate the life she lived. We ask that you keep Erica and her family in your prayers.”

[Image]

LPGA player Erica Blasberg dies at 25 is a post from: The Inquisitr

Yeah, so we did promise we’d cut back on the Tiger Wood’s coverage, but this is a trainwreck we’re struggling to stay away from.

Highlights in the Tiger Woods press conference video include Tiger denying ever having taken performance-enhancing drugs despite being linked to a Canadian doctor under investigation for prescribing said drugs.

Woods also said he wanted to prove to his sponsors that he’s a “worthy investment.”

“Do I understand why they dropped me? Of course,” Woods said. “I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life. Hopefully, I can prove to the other companies that I’m a worthy investment.”

Woods also mentioned that his wife, Elin, won’t be attending the Masters this year.

The Tiger Woods Press Conference video over four parts as follow:

Tiger Woods Press Conference Video is a post from: The Inquisitr

Have you always dreamt about stepping into the shoes of the world’s greatest golfer/philanderer?

Previously, you’d have to buy a Tiger Woods videogame with money to achieve this, but no longer! EA Sports has just released Tiger Woods PGA Tour Online, which is both free to play and works in your internet browser. S’easy.

All you have to do is sign up to gain access to fully 3D courses such as Pebble Beach, St. Andrews, TPC Sawgrass, and there are plenty of modes to chew on, including tournament, single-player, and multiplayer. Mmm, modes. Rumors of a minigame based on sexting a porn star have been confirmed as totally made up by me.

Head to the official site to get your golf on.

See also: More Tiger Woods stories than you can shake a spurned Swedish model at

[Via press release]

Play Tiger Woods PGA Tour Online for free in your browser is a post from: The Inquisitr

Many people have speculated when he will return, some though it would be next week at the Tavistock Cup or Arnold Palmer Invitational, but in a statement Woods has confirmed his comeback will be at The Masters.

“When I finally got into a position to think about competitive golf again, it became apparent to me that The Masters would be the earliest I could play,” said Woods in a statement. “I called both Joe Lewis and Arnold Palmer and expressed my regrets for not attending the Tavistock Cup (next Monday and Tuesday) and the Arnold Palmer Invitational (from March 25-28).

“I again want to thank them both for their support and their understanding. Those are fantastic tournaments and I look forward to competing in them again.

“I would also like to thank the Augusta National members and staff for their support. I have deep appreciation for everything that they do to create a wonderful event for the benefit of the game.”

Of course the good people at Augusta weren’t late to release a statement as well. (This will probably break all visitor records). The Augusta chaiman says: “We support Tiger’s decision to return to competitive golf beginning at this year’s Masters tournament.”

“Additionally, we support and encourage his stated commitment to continue the significant work required to rebuild his personal and professional life.”

Best of luck Tiger and to the guys playing against him at The Masters. He won’t win the tournament, but he’ll make an impact.

Source: The Telegraph

Tiger Woods To Make Golf Comeback At The Masters is a post from: The Inquisitr

Palava over, right? Not … quite.

EA just unveiled the boxart for Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11, and it’s curious to say the least. For the first time ever in the franchise’s twelve-year history, Woods is joined by another golfer: 20-year-old Northern Ireland rookie Rory McIlroy.

So the next inevitable question is: why? EA’s own press statement says McIlroy’s appearance reflects the game’s inclusion of Ryder Cup play, with players able to choose from U.S. or European teams of golfers.

That might well be the truth,or it could be that EA is pondering a future beyond Tiger. After all, Woods has still to return to golf, and McIlroy would seem a decent heir: a clean-cut, up and coming talent who is widely rated in golfing circles (he’s currently ranked ninth in the world).

One theory I find intriguing is that EA can’t rely on more Tiger scandals not coming out, so they’ve wheeled McIlroy in, just in case Tiger’s penis goes AWOL again.

[Via press release]

Tiger Woods has to share cover for his own game is a post from: The Inquisitr

Legendary hussy-botherer and sometime golfer Tiger Woods will appear on the front of the next PGA Tour golf game for consoles. Woods has put his name to the best-selling series of golf games since 1998, and won’t be dropped by publisher EA due to his marital infidelities.

EA has repeatedly said it wishes to continue working with Woods, though when a recent EA poll about Woods’ popularity appeared online, speculation heated up that he may be chopped. The golfer’s announcement that he was taking a break from the sport further fanned the gossip flames.

Thankfully, the speculation is now over. EA just confirmed that Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 will release in June for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, and on the iPhone. I’m guessing someone at EA realized that nobody in golf possesses even half of Woods’ marketability.

[Via press release]

Tiger Woods gets to keep lucrative game series is a post from: The Inquisitr

But is the firm’s loyalty going to hold? The first cracks in the EA-Tiger relationship may have begun to appear, with the game company reportedly conducting a poll to see whether the golfer’s off-course affairs have damaged his ability to sell videogames. At a poll hosted on survey community site Greenfield Online, EA asks …

“EA SPORTS makes a Tiger Woods video game. Has the controversy made your impressions of EA SPORTS more or less favorable, or has it had no impact?”

… and …

“Has the controversy made you more or less likely to buy a Tiger Woods related video game in the future?”

EA appears to be testing the waters here, seeing if any lasting damage has been done to Woods’s image. Don’t be surprised if future developments go against EA’s previous promise: “Our strong relationship with Tiger for more than a decade remains unchanged.”

[Via Eurogamer]

Is EA rethinking Tiger Woods videogame franchise? is a post from: The Inquisitr